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Travel Insurance
"My Luggage is Not Here&ldots;What Happens Now?" The
issue of mishandled or lost checked baggage, according to the
Department of Transportation, occurs to 7.37 per 1,000 passengers who
travel aboard a U.S. airline. (To find out more, visit www.dot.gov/).
These occurrences can cause stress and aggravation to a traveler.
If your bags aren’t waiting for you at the airport, the first
thing to do is to locate the baggage agent on duty. Your bags may
have arrived before you, and may be in a secure area. If your bags
are in fact not there, do not leave the airport before completing the
proper paperwork for the baggage agent. Make sure you get a copy of
your claim form and a telephone number to follow up.
The Cruiseman's travel protection program includes both
baggage delay and lost baggage benefits. In the event that checked
baggage is delayed for 24 hours or more, a claim can be filed for
costs incurred by the traveler for additional clothing and personal
articles purchased. In the event the bags are lost, the baggage
benefit will cover up to $500 for the first lost article and up to
$250 for each additional article up to the maximum benefit.
Baggage coverage comes in handy when a travel supplier does not
provide any reimbursement for a delay or loss and the traveler’s
homeowner's or renter’s insurance policy has a deductible of
$500 or higher. Travelers can have peace of mind knowing that with
our program, they have coverage in case the unexpected happens to
their luggage.
For more on our low cost Travel Insurance program CLICK
HERE
Oceania & Silversea revealed details about their upcoming
new ships:
• Silversea will rename its newly acquired expedition ship the
Prince Albert II, in tribute to Prince Albert of Monaco, and said the
vessel would begin operations June 12 from London. The ship will
spend an inaugural summer season in the Arctic Circle, Iceland and
Greenland and reposition to South America and Antarctica for fall and winter.
• Oceania said that its two newbuilds, scheduled for delivery in
2010 and 2011, would accommodate 1,252 passengers in 626 cabins and
suites; the line said that 96% of the cabins would have balconies.
Each ship will have six open-seating restaurants, Oceania said, and
the vessels will be "awash in rich, dark woods, Italian marble,
lustrous granite, fine wool carpets and sumptuous leather."
Crystal & Oceania have opened the books on their 2009 sailings
with an emphasis on overnight port calls.
• Crystal in 2009 is sailing 57 cruises to 185 ports on cruises
of seven to 106 days. Its two ships will sail in Asia and offer
overnight calls in Hong Kong; Shanghai; Osaka and Kobe, Japan; and
Bangkok. The line also will include overnight calls on most of its
Mediterranean sailings, in cities such as Barcelona, Spain; Sorrento
and Venice, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; and Monaco.
• Oceania, meanwhile, detailed its Europe deployment: It will
position its three ships in Europe for summer 2009, sailing the
Mediterranean and Greek Isles and Northern Europe. Oceania will offer
56 European voyages ranging from 10 to 30 days and calling at more
than 80 different ports, including five new destinations for the
line: Hellesylt, Norway; Fowey, England; Biarritz, France; Koper,
Slovenia; and Split, Croatia. The line said it was offering more
overnight stays than in previous years.
What to do about the fallen dollar?
With the dollar continuing to fall, veteran travel expert Arthur
Frommer has a suggestion: consider traveling to alternative
destinations where the dollar remains strong such as Central and
South America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Asia, particularly China.
Norwegian Jade to Serve Europe Year-Round
Norwegian Cruise Line will enlist Norwegian Jade year-round in Europe
through spring 2010. This is the first time the cruise line has ever
deployed a ship to the region on a full-time basis.
The ship, formerly the Pride of Hawaii, which was switched out of
inter-island cruising last month, will begin its maiden Europe season
on March 30. The ship was originally scheduled to end its European
season this November.
As part of its deployment, NCL is unveiling three new itineraries:
12-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings, nine-day Canary Islands and
Morocco sailings and a one-off, 14-day Eastern Mediterranean holiday
cruise. All sailings are roundtrip from Barcelona.
Seabourn Extends 2-for-1 Business Class Air to Europe
Seabourn Cruise Line is expanding on a special promotion it announced
last month offering two-for-one international business class airfares
to include additional cruises in Europe in length of nine to 15 days.
The airfares are available from 38 North American cities for cruises
embarking in such cities as Lisbon, Venice, London, Copenhagen and
Istanbul. The complimentary airfare has a value of up to $5,800 per
couple and may be combined with savings of up to 40 percent off
published fares.
Carnival Offers Incentives in Conjunction with Inaugural Voyage Anniversary
March 1972 marked the first voyage of Carnival Cruise Lines and to
celebrate the anniversary, Carnival is rolling out
“Funtennial,” a variety of special offers and giveaways
throughout the month of March.
The month-long promotion will feature a different booking incentive
each week and include free stateroom upgrades, shipboard credits and
other savings.
Additionally, each week in March a drawing will be held awarding a
free cruise, along with a variety of digital cameras.
NCL Discounts Baltic Sailings
Norwegian Cruise Line is offering a 12-day Baltic Capitals cruise on
Norwegian Jewel roundtrip from London on June 22 for $1,549 per
person for a best available inside room.
The cruise will call in Cophenhagen; Warnemünde, Germany;
Stockholm; Helsinki; St. Petersburg; and Tallinn, the largest city
and capital of Estonia.
Independence to return in 2009
One of the world’s three largest cruise ships, Independence of
the Seas, is to make a return to the UK next year. The
Royal Caribbean International is giving the Freedom-class vessel its
debut in the UK with sailings from Southampton in May, following its
formal launch in the port next month.
Balmoral arrives in Miami
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ latest ship Balmoral has arrived in
Miami on schedule to start a series of Caribbean cruises.
The 1,340-passenger ship, the largest in the line’s fleet, will
run ten and eleven night Caribbean fly/cruises from Miami before
returning to Europe and an early summer cruise programme from
Civitavecchia (the port of Rome).
HAL expands Pacific-Asia coverage
Holland America Line is to base a ship in the Asia Pacific region for
the first time in 2009.
MS Volendam will cover areas such as China, Southeast Asia, Korea,
Indonesia, Vietnam and Russia on nine voyages.
The ship's two new Indonesian Islands and Great Barrier Reef
itineraries are claimed to be firsts of their kind among major cruise
lines in the region.
The 19-day itinerary from Auckland to Singapore departs March 16,
2009, and the 15-day Singapore to Sydney cruise departs November 21, 2009.
HAL also features a further nine adventurous voyages Down Under in
2009 with 14-day cruises and a special 16-day sailing between
Australia and New Zealand.
Galaxy gets $4m revamp
Celebrity Cruises' ship Galaxy is to be refurbished at a cost of $4 million.
The work will be carried out during a scheduled drydock in the
Bahamas between April 18-May 2.
Work to the 12-year-old ship will include the completion of an
upgrading of all cabins, with the final 250 being completed. The
ship's theatre will be refurbished together with the main dining
room, RendezVous Lounge and Martini Bar.
Casual dining and buffet areas will have new chairs, upholstery and
lighting, while new teak decking will be laid around the pool
area. Shops are to be enhanced as well as the Stratosphere Lounge.
No Fuel Surcharge -- yet!
Disney Cruise Line® has not implemented a
fuel surcharge and has committed not to impose a fuel surcharge on
any existing bookings or any new bookings made through April 1, 2008.
Cruise Pricing in Europe &
the Caribbean
Cruise Pricing is down in Europe but up in the
Caribbean, according to a survey by Wachovia Capital Markets. Tim
Conder, leisure analyst for Wachovia, said that a 15% increase in
Europe capacity has pushed prices down in the region this year, with
Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. brands experiencing
double-digit price drops. Caribbean prices are up overall, Conder
said, with Carnival seeing a 10% increase and RCCL's pricing flat.
Alaska cruises are seeing a slight price increase, he said. Wachovia
lowered its earnings estimates for the brands but said it was still
bullish on the industry due to overall pricing trends and the
potential for fuel prices to fall.
RCCL Agrees to Refund Fuel Supplement Charges
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today
announced that Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. has agreed to refund
$21 million to consumers nationwide who were charged a fuel surcharge
after they had booked their cruise.
After working closely with McCollum's office,
RCCL also issued an announcement today that it has voluntarily agreed
to eliminate its fuel supplement on any bookings made prior to the
announcement of the fuel supplement on Nov. 16, 2007.
"This resolution will serve as a model for
the rest of the cruise line industry and I expect the other companies
to take this example and follow suit," said McCollum.
Guests booked before Nov. 16 who paid the fuel
supplement and have taken their cruise will receive a refund through
the form of payment used to purchase their sailing. Guests booked
before Nov. 16 who paid the fuel supplement and have not taken their
cruise will receive their refund as an onboard credit during their sailing.
As originally announced, the company did not
charge the fuel supplement to guests with bookings made and paid in
full before Nov. 16. It will now eliminate the fuel supplement for
guests with bookings made but not paid in full before that date.
These latter guests were also provided with a three-week period in
which to cancel their sailing without penalty.
Netherlands' Queen to Name Eurodam
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands will name
Holland America Line's new Signature-class ship, the Eurodam, in
Rotterdam on July 1. The 2,104-guest ship is currently being built at
Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali Italiani in Marghera, Italy.
"The upcoming naming ceremony of Eurodam
will be a very special moment in our company's proud 135-year
history," said Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America
Line. "We are truly honored that Queen Beatrix will name our new
ship. This special dedication will take place steps from our historic
headquarters, as well as our current European head office. Like her
mother did 50 years ago for the beloved Rotterdam V, Queen Beatrix
will be the Godmother and name the largest passenger ship ever to fly
the Dutch flag."
Ocho Rios, Montego Bay will feel
cruise ship pinch
Local tourism interests fear Jamaica's
cruise-ship capital, Ocho Rios, and tourism Mecca, Montego Bay, will
feel the brunt of the reduction in cruise ships this summer as the
liners change to Mediterranean and South American itineraries. The
western Caribbean, which includes ports such as Grand Cayman and
Cozumel, are all casualties of this latest move.
The Sunday Gleaner understands that Ocho Rios is
estimating a fallout of nearly 30 per cent in visits by cruise ships,
while Montego Bay stands to lose approximately 20 per cent of the
cruise tourism, come next month.
"This summer will probably be the weakest
since 1983, and when the cruise count falls like that, it becomes
very challenging," Prem Mahtani, duty-free operator with shops
in both tourist resorts discloses.
Grand Turk Named ‘Most Unspoiled
Caribbean Destination’
The island of Grand Turk, of the Turks and Caicos
Islands, has received Porthole Cruise Magazine’s 2008
Editor-In-Chief Award for the “Most Unspoiled Caribbean
Destination.” The destination is also home to the Grand Turk
Cruise Center (GTCC), a cruise facility operated by Carnival
Corporation & plc.
“The Turks and Caicos Islands, and Grand
Turk in particular, are fast becoming the destination of choice for
those wishing to leave their cares behind and experience an amazing,
unspoiled, natural Caribbean paradise,” said Giora Israel, vice
president of strategic planning for Carnival Corporation & plc
and president of the Grand Turk Cruise Center.
For more on Grand Turk CLICK
HERE
There is lots more Cruise News, but it wouldn't fit in this Newsletter. CLICK
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