A bit late, but this week Patricia decided to recognize our 1 year anniversary of podcasting with a bit of a prayer. Personally I think the author of said prayer needs to consider cruising to a location other than the Caribbean!
This past week Crystal announced that they have added several third berths to Crystal Serenity. MSC will be offering their famous Baseball Cruise again this December.
Sapphire Princess and Star Princess will anchor Princess’ 2008/2009 Mexican Riviera season, and Carnival Cruise Line singer’s got talent – he’s in the final 20 of the TV show “America’s Got Talent.”
Royal Caribbean has made some changes to their onboard smoking policy, and sister line Celebrity has partnered with Reidel for a new wine tasting program.
The Panama Canal Commission has awarded the first contract for the canal expansion project. 5 Died in an Alaska flightseeing accident, and despite several articles that want to imply it – we seriously doubt Disney is going to leave Port Canveral.
Rob, had a bit to say about the show and finally we have a little talk on just what it is that the Cruise Director does.
Don’t forget to check out this week’s Deal of The Week. It’s a terrific chance to get a taste of Queen Mary 2 but you have to act fast!
Sitnews and several other news outlets are reporting on the crash of a Taquan Air DeHavilland Beaver float plane in the Misty Fjords National Monument on Tuesday the 24th. The plane’s pilot and four passengers from Sun Princess who were on a flightseeing tour were killed in the crash.
Alaska State Troopers have identified the crash victims as pilot Joseph H. Campbell, age 56 was from Ketchikan. The passengers were William F. Eddy, age 59 and Jeanne J. Eddy, age 59 of Jacksonville Florida, and Paul J. McManus, age 60 and Marianne M. McManus, age 56 of Cherry Valley, Massachusetts.
The Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to the area with the assistance of Temsco Helicopters, and the US Coast Guard launched a rescue helicopter from Sitka. The Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad located the missing aircraft and reported that it had crashed. State Troopers responded to the scene at approximately 8pm and found all had died from the crash.
The investigation by the Alaska State Troopers and the National Transportation Safety Board continues.
Celebrity Cruises, the world’s top-rated premium cruise line, is pairing with Riedel, the crystal manufacturer known worldwide for designing the most finely tuned drinking instruments for every level of wine sophistication. By mid-August, guests on seven Celebrity Cruises vessels will have the opportunity to experience official Riedel comparative wine workshops while at sea. Celebrity is the first company that Riedel has sanctioned to conduct its seminars.
Earlier this year, 16 Celebrity Cruises sommeliers traveled to Riedel’s headquarters in Austria for intensive training on the company’s history, philosophy, and products. They will lead glass tastings on Celebrity Century, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Summit.
The hour-long workshops will be offered once per sailing for a fee. During tastings, guests will sample and compare multiple fine wines in Riedel’s Vinum glass collection and depart with a set of four glasses. Guests can carry the glasses home, or, if they live in the United States, Canada or Europe, they may choose to utilize Celebrity Vineyards website to have the glasses shipped to them. The website also sells a variety of Riedel products. Developed by Georg Riedel and introduced in 1986, the Riedel Vinum collection was the first machine-made series of glasses to be based exclusively on the characteristics of grape varietals. To showcase wine in its finest form, Riedel’s varietal-specific glasses enhance the aromas and taste components, while finding a wine’s maximum complexity by featuring the best possible harmony. When all these elements are in place, the glass becomes the wine’s ‘loudspeaker,’ transmitting the message of the beverage to the human senses. This philosophy has always informed Riedel’s approach to design and the difference is evident in every glass. Founded in Bohemia in 1756, Riedel Crystal marked its 250th anniversary in 2006. Today, the company is guided by Georg (10th generation) and Maximilian Riedel (11th generation), and their revolutionary designs and techniques continue to shape the industry. Whether it is their hand-blown lead crystal Sommelier series, the Vinum and Vinum Extreme Collection, the revolutionary “O” series or their newest collections Vitis and Tyrol, Riedel has a glass for every occasion and every type of wine.
We’ve got some additional information for you regarding Royal Caribbean’s revised smoking policy announced yesterday. As part of the new smoking rules, the line has also modified their Guest Conduct Policy regarding smoking on board. The new section is as follows
Smoking only permitted in designated areas and outdoors on the Starboard side of the ship (contact the Guest Relations Desk for details). Smoking is not permitted in any dining venue, theater, hallway or corridor. Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom, however, it is permitted on private outdoor balconies. A $250 penalty will be applied to the SeaPass for guests found smoking in staterooms. Cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco must be properly disposed of and never thrown overboard. A guest must be at least 18 years of age to purchase, posses or use tobacco onboard.
Along with the revised Guest Conduct Policy the line has also released the consequences for violating it’s smoking policy these include:
- A $250 cleaning fee for smoking inside a stateroom or suite.
- Removal of certain onboard privileges, which may include being detained, quarantined or confined in a cabin or holding cell.
- Confiscation of illegal/contraband/prohibited items which may be turned over to law enforcement authorities.
- Denial of boarding on the current or any future Royal Caribbean cruise.
- Reporting of incidents to government and law enforcement authorities for follow-on legal action.
- Removal from a ship at the next port of call. Guests removed from a Royal Caribbean ship pursuant to this policy are responsible for their own accommodation’s and transportation home, at their expense. Documentation requirements for re-entry into the guest’s home country are the responsibility of the guest.
So just where can you smoke. Click below for an easy to follow matrix of the smoking and non-smoking areas on Royal Caribbean’s various classes of ships.
Voyager and Freedom Class Smoking Policy
Sovereign Class Smoking Policy
Cruise Community (subscription required) is reporting that the Panama Canal Authority has officially awarded the first contract for the canal expansion project.
Panama’s Constructora Urbana SA’s winning bid was $41 million with bids going as high as $90 million. Companies and consortia from Panama, Brazil, Columbia, the US, Italy and Mexico submitted bids for the project.
The contract awarded was for the first of the 5 dry excavation projects that will create the access channel for the new Pacific locks. This channel will link a new third set of locks on the Pacific end of the Canal with the Gaillard Cut and is about 16% of the total excavation that needs to be done for the access channel.
When the entire Panama Canal expansion project is completed a new traffic lane will have been built as well as an entirely new set of locks which will not only double the canal’s tonnage capacity but also allow the canal to accomodate significantly larger ships than those that can transit the canal today.
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