This week we did our now traditional end of year recap and prediction show. We had the added benefit of some extra predictions from Rob to add to the mix as well. In addition to our predictions we had a few big stories this past year. We talk about the big ones and the ones that caught us totally by surprised.
It’s been a fantastic year for us on a lot of different fronts and we thank you for your support of the show. While we spend this show looking back at 2007, we have some neat stuff coming in 2008 that we’ll be sharing over the coming weeks and months.
Finally, we wish you and your family all of the best for the coming year.
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Filed under: Podcast Posted by Michael on 12/25/07
As promised our second show this week is a recap of our Caribbean sailing onboard Queen Mary 2. Even though it’s only been about two months since we were last onboard, we still managed to have an episode that was more than an hour long -go figure.
As with any cruise, there were some ups and some downs. The entire sailing was very different from our last two sailings on QM2, we got to experience port calls and tendering on this itinerary.
One plus side was that we saw one of the best acts we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. If you’re on a sailing and Goronwy Thom is performing - you have to go! Besides just being a really nice guy (we shared a tender with him in Tortola) his act is really good. 
This was also our first time disembarking at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal - lets just say it was an experience. You’ll have to listen for more information.
<edit> Added the promised link to Goronwy Thom
1 comment so farFiled under: Cunard Cruise Lines, Podcast Posted by Michael on 12/24/07
It’s been a while but we’re back! We really had planned on there being at least one show while we were gone - we talk about what happened during the show.
There were several big stories while we were gone that we wanted to talk about so we have two shows for you this week. With the first one being a news show.
We first wanted to talk about Queen Victoria’s naming on the tenth, and Apollo Managements acquisition of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
NCL not only named Norwegian Gem while we were gone but also announced their new Freestyle 2.0 initiative which will be bringing some pretty significant changes to their onboard offerings.
US Customs and Border Patrol is seeking to re-interpret the US Cabotage laws. The new proposed interpretation would require Foreign Flag vessels sailing from/to US ports to have a minimum of a 48 hour port call in a foreign port during their sailing. If this proposal goes through it would radically alter the cruise industry from the US.
There were also two NTSB reports released while we were gone, first was the report on Crown Princess’ unexpected listed in June 2006, the second was on Empress of The North’s grounding earlier this year.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Cunard Cruise Lines, General News, Majestic America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Podcast, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises Posted by Michael on 12/14/07
Minneapolis-based Carlson and Apollo Management L.P. (Apollo) today announced that Apollo has agreed to acquire Carlson’s Regent Seven Seas Cruises operations. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008, subject to normal conditions for a transaction of this type, including regulatory approval. The cruise operations will continue as a key part of the global Regent brand.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises will be placed under the ownership of Prestige Cruise Holdings, Inc. (PCH), a corporation controlled by Apollo which will manage certain cruise portfolio assets of Apollo. NCL Corporation will remain a separate holding outside of PCH.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises will remain a wholly independent brand under the guidance of Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and will continue to operate from its Fort Lauderdale, Florida headquarters, and Oceania Cruises will remain in its Miami headquarters, headed by Bob Binder, president of Oceania Cruises. Both Binder and Conroy will report directly to Frank Del Rio, chairman and CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings.
The transaction is part of a unified strategy undertaken by Apollo and Carlson to expand their respective core cruise and hotel operations, and become the world’s preeminent operators of luxury hotels, resorts and cruises. Carlson will retain ownership of the master Regent brand, along with the worldwide operations of Regent Hotels & Resort.
Apollo’s acquisition of Regent Seven Seas Cruises strengthens its position in the cruise industry with the addition of an award-winning luxury cruise brand to its cruise portfolio. Regent Seven Seas Cruises will continue to focus on the luxury segment of the marketplace by offering a six-star, all-inclusive experience, and Oceania Cruises will continue to lead the Upper Premium segment.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises Posted by Michael on 12/14/07
Continuing its growth in the rapidly expanding European cruise market, Carnival Cruise Lines will operate an unprecedented number of “Fun Ship” voyages within the region in 2009.The line’s 2009 European season will feature two of its newest 110,000-ton ships – Carnival Liberty, which will operate 12-day Northern European and Mediterranean cruises, and Carnival Freedom, sailing 12-day departures to the Mediterranean.
Carnival Liberty 12-Day Northern Europe, Med Cruises
In response to outstanding advance bookings for its first-ever Northern Europe program next year aboard the Carnival Splendor, the company has announced that the Carnival Liberty will operate the program again in 2009 – with twice the number of voyages.
Carnival Liberty’s 12-day Northern Europe cruises will operate round-trip from London (Dover) from May 9 – Aug. 25, 2009. Featured ports on these voyages include Copenhagen, Denmark; Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia (two-day call); Tallin, Estonia; and Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The ship will then operate a special one-time 12-day western Mediterranean voyage from London (Dover) to Rome (Civitavecchia) Sept. 6, 2009, after which it will operate two 12-day Grand Mediterranean voyages departing Sept. 19 and Oct. 25, 2009, and three 12-day Mediterranean & Greece cruises Oct. 1 and 13 and Nov. 6, 2009.
Carnival Freedom 12-Day Cruises to the Med, Greece, Turkey
Carnival Freedom will offer the popular 12-day Grand Mediterranean and Mediterranean & Greece cruises from Rome (Civitavecchia) beginning in May 2009, following a highly successful inaugural season in Europe this year.
Carnival Freedom’s 12-day “Mediterranean & Greece” cruises include eight ports: Naples, Italy; Rhodes, Greece; Izmir (Ephesus) and Istanbul, Turkey featuring scenic cruising of the Dardanelles; Athens (Piraeus) and Katakolon, Greece; and Livorno, Italy, as well as an overnight call in Rome (Civitavecchia). Voyages depart May 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 18, 2009.
The 12-day “Grand Mediterranean” cruises visit seven ports: Naples, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (two-day call); Messina, Sicily; Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and Livorno, Italy. Departure dates include May 21, June 2, 14 and 26, July 8 and 20, Aug. 1 and 25, Sept. 6 and 30 and Oct. 12 and 24, 2009.
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