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CLIA forecasts 11.7 million cruisers in 2006
Cruise Lines International Association members expect to carry 11.7
million passengers in 2006, an increase of 500,000 over last year.
The figure includes 10.14 million North Americans.
Pueblo Latino proposes new ports
Five ports in Venezuela and Colombia are banding together to market
themselves to cruise lines under the ‘Pueblo Latino’
banner, listing attractions including access to the world’s
highest waterfall and longest, highest cable car, colonial towns,
indigenous cultures, mountains, beaches and sand dunes.
The ports are Venezuela’s El Guamache (on Margarita Island),
Puerto Cabello, Maracaibo and Guaranao Bay (for the city of Punto
Fijo), and Colombia’s Santa Marta. All are or have invested in
multimillion-dollar upgrades to serve cruise ships and receive passengers.
The ports serve as gateways to natural wonders like Angel Falls,
bird-rich La Restinga Lagoon, the yachting and fishing archipelago of
Los Roques, and the beaches, mangroves and coral reefs of Moroccoy
National Park. Merida’s cable car whisks visitors high into the
Andes, the well-preserved colonial town of Coro is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, and the ‘Lost City’ of the Tayrona Indians
dates back centuries.
QM2 to rendezvous with namesake liner
Since Queen Mary 2's 2004 debut, Cunard enthusiasts have wondered if
the liner would ever meet her legendary predecessor, the Queen Mary.
On Feb. 22, that question will be answered when QM2’s maiden
call to Los Angeles includes two sail-bys of the Queen Mary in nearby
Long Beach.
Retired from maritime service for nearly 40 years, the Queen Mary --
which sailed from 1936 through 1967 -- is now permanently berthed in
Long Beach and is one of the city's best known attractions.
The two Queen Marys will meet twice on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7 a.m.
and again at 5 p.m., as QM2 sails through outer Long Beach harbor,
sounding a greeting to the Queen Mary. Cunard said the first-time
salutation will take on even more meaning as QM2 carries one of her
namesake's original whistles, with a deep bass A note that can be
heard up to 10 miles away.
American Queen schedule postponed
The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. postponed American Queen’s
schedule until 2007, citing conditions in New Orleans and along the
lower Mississippi River system, the steamboat’s home base.
Passengers booked on the vessel may transfer to Delta Queen or
Mississippi Queen. Over the last few months, the American Queen
has been on private charter.
Carnival Glory in Newport News drydock
Carnival Glory entered Northrop Grumman’s Newport News shipyard
on Monday for a 10-day drydocking for scheduled maintenance,
including underwater hull equipment inspections and underwater hull
painting. Northrop Grumman valued the work at $1.2m.
The 2003-built ship will gain a new specialty coffee bar in the Lido
buffet restaurant, but otherwise all the work is routine maintenance,
Carnival spokesman Tim Gallagher said. Carnival Glory is at Newport
News until Jan. 18; actual out of service dates are Jan. 7-21.
Princess announces engagement package
Princess Cruises will roll out an ‘Engagement Under The
Stars’ package with the launch of Crown Princess in June. The
$695 package enables suitors to pop the question with a pre-recorded
personal video proposal shown on the ship’s Movies Under the
Stars screen. The proposal will air as a surprise prior to one of the
evening’s feature films.
Costa Allegra steps into Asia
Costa Cruises is to step into the Asia cruise market deploying Costa
Allegra, one of the oldest and smallest ships in its fleet, on two
13-day cruises between Hong Kong and Mumbai.
Departure of the first cruise from Hong Kong is scheduled at the end
of May, with the 28,430gt vessel, built in 1992 calling Danang, Nha
Trang and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam; Singapore, Kuala Lumpur in
Malaysia, Phuket in Thailand, Port Blair in the Andaman Islands,
Colombo in Sri Lanka, Goa and finishing in Mumbai.
HAL rolls out new Alaska tours
Holland America Line will offer more than 30 new tours in Alaska this
year, including the opportunity to glide on a zipline through a rain
forest canopy and paddle a kayak on Glacier Lake.
New excursions are being introduced in Haines, Icy Strait Point,
Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Homer, Seward and Cooper Landing.
For example, a professional photographer in Juneau will lead the
‘Photo Safari by Land & Sea,’ while ‘Tribal Dance
& Cultural Legends’ and ‘Remote Bush Exploration &
Grizzly Bear Search’ are choices in the new port of Icy Strait
Point. Most excursions are suitable for families
and many are available for participants with disabilities, Holland
America said.
First details on HAL’s new Signature class
Holland America Line will call its recently announced pair of
newbuilds the Signature class, taking the name from its Signature of
Excellence initiative.
The 86,000gt Signature ships will evolve from Holland America’s
Vista series, adding new concepts such as a topside 144-seat
restaurant and 50-seat lounge with panoramic views of the ocean and
the Lido pool. Other additions are an Explorer’s Lounge Bar, a
premium wine-tasting lounge, a luxury jewelry boutique, a new atrium
bar area, an enhanced and reconfigured show lounge, and a new
photographic and imaging center.
Disney joins the No Rebate Policy
Joining a growing list of cruise lines, effective April 1, 2006,
Disney Cruise Line® is modifying its credit card payment policy.
Travel Agents will no longer be able to charge a Client's credit card
at final payment for less than the full amount of the cruise
purchased. In other words, no discounts! |
