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Crystal to outfit fleet with cell phone service
Following installation of wireless service aboard its fleet in
September, Crystal Cruises said it plans to enable cell phone service
later this month on both the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity
via a partnership with SeaMobile.
Using SeaMobile's Quiet Zone technology, the service will work in
certain parts of the ships, while others will be deemed "cell phone-free."
"Today's luxury travelers want to stay in touch and they want it
convenient, but they don't want to be disturbed," said Thomas
Mazloum, Crystal's senior vice president of hotel operations.
"Unlike land-based resorts, the 'quiet zone' technology protects
areas sensitive to cell phone use such as the dining room and theaters."
Firm to enable cell service aboard HAL fleet
SeaMobile will outfit all Holland America Line ships with cell phone
capability by March 2007, HAL said this week. The service is
currently available on the Volendam and will be operational fleetwide
this spring.
Once the service is activated, passengers will be able to make and
receive calls and send text messages on their own cell phones or
personal digital assistants (PDAs) while onboard as long as the
phones and PDAs are activated for international dialing with the
guest's home provider.
International roaming fees will apply to all shipboard cell phone
calls or messages and will appear on the guest's home cell phone bill.
SeaMobile provides the same service on ships for Silversea Cruises,
Oceania Cruises and Crystal Cruises and said HAL will be its biggest
cruise line client.
HAL also is expanding its use of toxic-free dry cleaning solvents,
which replace harmful dry-cleaning agents like perchloreothylene, to
two more ships, the Volendam and Zaandam. In November HAL will
convert the two vessels to Winning Brands' solvent-free systems (the
systems are currently onboard five other HAL ships). The products can
clean any "dry-clean only" garments with non-toxic,
advanced cleaning agents and water that have no harmful chemicals or
effluent, Winning Brands said. According to the International Council
of Cruise Lines, 16 gallons of dry cleaning waste are produced on a
typical cruise.
Pearl Seas Cruises becomes 20th member of CLIA
Pearl Seas Cruises joined the Cruise Lines International Association
on Oct. 6, becoming its 20th member, said Terry Dale, president and
CEO of CLIA.
Pearl Seas Cruises, an offshoot of small-ship operator American
Cruise Lines, announced in late September that it signed contracts to
build two new 165-person luxury cruise ships and has plans to build a
third, 210-passenger vessel that would enter service in July 2008 and
June 2009, respectively.
Get the Passport Now
Last week we reported that Congress had delayed the requirement for
US passengers to have a passport on cruises to the Caribbean, Canada
and Mexico. Of course they can only legislate what US citizens will
need to return to the US, not what they will need to enter other
countries. Most of the time countries reciprocate, but they may now
stop, and of course, that means you would need a passport for your
cruise sooner than 2009. We highly recommend that if you do not
have a US Passport that you go ahead and apply for it now.
Better to be safe than sorry. It is important to note that the
date that travelers are required to have a passport for air travel
within the Western Hemisphere remains January 8, 2007.
THE CARNIVAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, a new
cultural arts complex including a 2,400-seat opera house, a
2,200-seat concert hall, a 200-seat studio theater and an education
center, opened Oct. 5 in Miami. A $20 million contribution from
Carnival Corp. secured its naming rights for the new center. The
Carnival Imagination delayed its departure to Key West, Florida, in
order to blast its horn three times for the center's opening ceremonies.
Cruise Industry generated millions for U.S. in 2005
The North American cruise industry pumped $32.4 billion into the U.S.
economy in 2005, an increase of nearly 8 percent over 2004, according
to The Cruise Industry 2005 Economic Study, an annual report
commissioned by the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) and
conducted by Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA).
The study found that the cruise industry contributed to the economy
of every state, supporting more than 330,000 jobs nationwide and
paying a total of $13.5 billion in wages and salaries to Americans in 2005.
Meanwhile, the cruise lines, their passengers and crew were
responsible for a total of $16.2 billion in direct spending on U.S.
goods and services last year, $1.5 billion, or 10 percent, more than
in 2004. The industry’s direct expenditures supported nearly
143,000 jobs and paid $5.2 billion in wages and salaries, an increase
of 5.6 percent and 8.1 percent, respectively.
“Last year was challenging due to weather disruptions and fewer
new ships delivered,” said Michael Crye, ICCL’s president.
“Through those challenges, however, the cruise industry remained
a robust economic resource in 2005.”
Port of San Francisco Re-routes Terminal Development Plan
San Francisco Cruise Terminal Inc., the developer working on a $360
million mixed-use project along the city’s waterfront that
included a new cruise terminal facility for the Port of San Francisco
recently pulled out of the project after the city estimated that
upgrading concrete platforms supporting piers 30-32 would cost $80 million.
Phillip Crannell, president of Ports & Maritime International, a
consultant hired by the port, said the port will now focus on a
streamlined plan to develop facilities for larger cruise ships.
Crannell told Seatrade Insider magazine that the plan will feature
two 1,200-foot berths and terminal facilities; Crannell’s firm
will contract an engineering firm to explore less costly ways to
upgrade the concrete platforms.
New Cayman Cruise Terminal Slated for Opening
The Cayman Islands’ Royal Walter Cruise Terminal is scheduled to
open this month, following the launch of the terminal’s tender
pier last May, according to the Caymanian Compass newspaper. The
project, first proposed in 2002, was delayed by legal issues and
later Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
The new terminal will accommodate the largest cruise ships and
supplements a smaller facility in the heart of George Town, which
passengers reach via ship’s tender. Retail units at the port
site are not yet open as the Port Authority is in the final stages of
negotiations with potential tenants.
The terminal was financed through a $27 million loan, which was
secured through an agreement with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise
Association (FCCA), under which FCCA will give one dollar per
cruise-ship passenger calling at the port. The loan will be repaid in
15 years if the port averages at least 2 million guests per year.
Swan Hellenic will cease operations in 2007
Swan Hellenic, the one-ship cruise operator focused on
“discovery” oriented cruise vacations, will cease to exist
after the line’s sole vessel, Minerva II, moves to Princess
Cruises in April 2007, said Carnival Corp. Vice Chairman Howard Frank
in a conference call with analysts.
Swan Hellenic was founded in 1954 when Swan’s Travel Bureau
(founded by the father of R.K. Swan, the company’s president)
was approached by Greece’s Hellenic Society to organize a Greek
Isles voyage.
The cruise was so successful that a second departure was scheduled
for the next year, this one featuring archaeologist Sir Mortimer
Wheeler, who went on to become the company’s chairman. With
that, Swan Hellenic was established as an upscale cruise line sailing
to international destinations with an emphasis on exploration and enlightenment.
Miami port tunnel gets commission OK
County commissioners approved the plan to build a tunnel to the Port
of Miami, however the full financing for the $1.2bn project is not
yet in place.
The state of Florida has agreed to contribute $600m for the tunnel,
but the county and city of Miami must cobble together the balance by
February or the deal would likely collapse, the Miami Herald reports.
HAL completes Signature enhancements
When Holland America Line recently added a Culinary Arts Center to
the final ship in its fleet, all structural changes originally
envisioned for the company's $225m Signature of Excellence initiative
were complete.
The upgrades were announced nearly three years ago, and they cover
accommodations, dining, service and activities. HAL president and ceo
Stein Kruse described the program as an investment to make the brand
‘even more relevant to today’s and tomorrow's premium traveler.’
During the two-year implementation, 12 HAL ships spent nearly 200
days in drydock receiving enhancements such as Mariner’s Dream
beds, the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine,
Explorations Cafe -- powered by The New York Times, the Pinnacle
Grill specialty restaurant, expanded youth facilities and enhanced
Greenhouse Spa and Salon.
San Diego in funding talks for cruise expansion
The fast-growing Port of San Diego is in the process of arranging
financing for cruise capacity expansion, including a new terminal,
parking for 500 to 700 cars and additional infrastructure work to
strengthen the B Street Pier.
The port is discussing financing alternatives with its cruise-line
partners in its goal to have a new B Street terminal capable of
handling two post-Panamax ships by 2010, said Rita Vandergaw,
director of marketing.
NCL sparks return of New Orleans homeporting
NCL Corp.’s Norwegian Sun heralded the post-Hurricane Katrina
revival of homeporting in New Orleans when the ship sailed Sunday
from the new Erato Street Cruise Terminal.
Norwegian Sun will operate weekly cruises through April 8 to Costa
Maya, Santo Tomas De Castilla (Guatemala), Belize City and Cozumel.
Disney Wonder renewal completed
Disney Wonder sailed from the drydock at BAE Systems in Norfolk
last week after an intensive nine days of work encompassing nearly
every area of the 1999-built ship.
Projects included the addition of a poolside LED screen, an expansion
of the spa, upgrades of dedicated children’s and adults’
areas, improvements to the conference facilities, the installation of
noncombustible balcony dividers and the application of an
environmentally friendly, fuel-saving hull coating. The
multimillion-dollar work was completed as Disney Wonder sailed back
to Port Canaveral.
While Disney Wonder was in the Norfolk, Captain Mickey, Minnie Mouse,
Goofy, Pluto, Chip ’n’ Dale and a dozen crew members
visited a local children’s hospital.
‘We can see the ship in drydock and everyone knows that means
they’re coming. It’s something that everyone looks forward
to,’ said Ridgely Ingersoll, public relations associate for
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. Disney
characters have visited the facility for the past several years when
ships are in Norfolk for maintenance.
Meyer Werft cuts steel for Celebrity Solstice
Steel-cutting for Celebrity Solstice began in Papenburg last week
after Celebrity Cruises president Dan Hanrahan pushed the button
triggering the plasma cutter at Meyer Werft.
‘This is a very exciting day for the Celebrity brand as we take
the first tangible step toward making Celebrity Solstice a
reality,’ Hanrahan said. ‘While it’s too soon to
reveal any details, I’m convinced our guests are going to
find this ship to be the perfect manifestation of what they
appreciate most about Celebrity.’
Yes, You Will Be Held Accountable for What You Do in Port
A New Jersey man and a New York man who were passengers aboard
Norwegian Crown were held in Bermuda by local police and ultimately
sentenced to 90-day jail terms for a fight which occurred with
another passenger while the three were on shore.
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