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Too soon for
cruises to Haiti? Royal Caribbean's quick return draws mixed reaction
Royal Caribbean's
quick return to Haiti in the wake of last week's earthquake has drawn
mixed reaction from cruise fans, with some praising the line for not
abandoning the country while others say it's inappropriate.
The
3,654-passenger Independence of the Seas -- one of the world's
largest cruise ships -- went ahead with a scheduled call along the
relatively unaffected north coast of the country on Friday, and
another Royal Caribbean ship, the 3,114-passenger Navigator of the
Seas, arrives along the coast today.
In addition to
vacationers, Royal Caribbean is bringing relief supplies that were
quickly loaded onto the vessels after Tuesday's disaster to be
distributed to affected parts of the country by Food for the Poor and
other groups. The line also has promised at least $1 million in
humanitarian relief for Haiti and says it will donate 100% of its net
revenue from the visits to relief efforts.
Norovirus
outbreaks on cruise ships drop to lowest level in nearly a decade
Worried about catching a stomach bug on your next cruise? Here's the
good news: The number of outbreaks of norovirus and other
gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships has been dropping sharply
in recent years and is at its lowest level in nearly a decade.
The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta recorded just 13 outbreaks
of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships in 2009, down from 15 in
2008, 21 in 2007 and 34 in 2006.
The decline, moreover, came even as the number of people cruising
continued to rise. The Cruise Lines International Association says
the industry carried 13.2 million passengers in 2008, the last year
for which data is available, up from 12.6 million in 2007 and 12.0
million in 2006.
Cruise ships arriving in U.S. ports must report all cases of
gastrointestinal illness treated by on-board medical staff to the
CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program division, and a separate notification
is required when the number of cases exceeds 2% of passengers and
crew. When the number of cases exceeds 3% of passengers and crew the
CDC issues a public report.
-- Gene Sloan, USA Today
Norwegian Cruise Line targets families with new
Nickelodeon-themed entertainment
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a major partnership with
Nickelodeon to bring SpongeBob and other well-known Nickelodeon
characters to at least two of its ships in the coming months.
Starting in April on the Norwegian Jewel and July on the
soon-to-debut Norwegian Epic, passengers will find Nickelodeon-themed
interactive shows, poolside entertainment, character breakfasts,
character meet and greets, dance parties and more.
Nickelodeon-themed elements will also be incorporated into
Norwegian's Kids' Crew program.
The program, announced during an event aboard the Norwegian Gem in
New York, is aimed at drawing more families to the line, and
executives told USA TODAY it could spread to more NCL ships if it
proves successful.
Fan sails on all 23 Carnival cruise ships in a year
Remember William Filomena, the Carnival fan who set out to sail on
every one of the line's ships in a single year? He pulled it off.
The 76-year-old retiree recently disembarked the Carnival
Miracle, the last of the 23 vessels in the Carnival fleet he
had yet to try.
In an interview about the quest with USA TODAY in September, Filomena
noted he was a relative newcomer to cruising, having taking his first
voyage less than two years ago, but had fallen in love with being at
sea and planned to spend a good chunk of his retirement years on
ships. A recent widower, he has sold his house so he can travel full time.
As of this month, Filomena has been on more than 40 Carnival cruises
-- all since 2008. And he's already booked a dozen more.
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Norwegian Cruise Line's next ship will have cabins for single travelers
Norwegian Cruise Line says its next ship, the Norwegian Epic, will
have cabins for single travelers -- a relative rarity in the cruise business.
The line has announced that 128 previously announced,
super-small "studio cabins" for two on the soon-to-debut
Norwegian Epic are being rebranded as singles cabins. |
The studio cabins are 100 square feet, more than 30% smaller than the
smallest cabins for two on typical Norwegian Cruise Line ships, but
come with access to a communal lounge area with a private bar.
Each of the studio cabins will feature a full-size bed and separate
areas for the bathroom, sink and shower. Many of the cabins are
connecting, the line notes, offering the chance for friends to travel
together while giving each person their own private space.
The rebranded studio cabins are now on sale starting at $799
for one. There will be no single supplement.
The 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic, the line's biggest ship ever,
debuts in July.
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Last Time's Question:
When we refer to a
cruise ship's Gross
Registered Tonnage
we are talking about:
A) The total
internal volume of a vessel expressed in units of 100 cubic feet, but
not counting the life boats, jogging track or swimming pools.
-or-
B) The weight of
the cruise ship, expressed in tons, but not counting the crew's
cabins, the engine room, or the buffets.
The
Answer is; A
It's a measure of internal volume of the ship, not the weight.
Here
are our two winners:
Bob
Walterscheid -- Wichita, KS
Eric
Thompson -- Travelers Rest,SC
This
weeks Cruiseman Contest Question:
What is
unique about the new Travel Insurance product that we now offer?
We will select
two winners. Each winner will receive a certificate good for
FREE Cancellation Insurance on your next cruise.
Incomplete
entries will be
tossed out!
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follow the instructions below.
HINT:
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THE
INSTRUCTIONS
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Don't change the subject line.
2.
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area, not
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3.
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4.
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& postal address
(in case you win!).
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