First off, we didn’t dedicate the entire show to Carnival Splendor but we didn’t ignore the situation either. The fact is there were some other stories to talk about as well…
Oceania rolls out Phase 2 of their Pillars of Distinction improvements
Cruise lines discuss what the trends are at this year’s Cruise Planners convention.
More old ammunition is found around the Seattle piers.
More members of Disney Dream’s crew are arriving at the shipyard.
Royal Caribbean announces that 5 ships will be getting upgrades next year. Allure of The Seas arrives at her homeport.
Celebrity Eclipse arrives in her new home of Miami.
Princess will offer onboard credits to members of the US and Canadian militaries.
Finally we wrap with what we know about Carnival Splendor and our thoughts on the situation, in particular how Carnival handled it.
With Disney Dream now floated out, the first 400 crew members reported on in Papenburg this past Wednesday and Thursday joining the 152 who were already onboard. The remainder of the crew will join the ship over a period of several days starting on November 26. Additional members will also be onboard the ship for training during the crossing to Florida. Almost everyone will get three months of training before their first guest contact.
The 28-member cast for Disney’s three production shows—including the all-new ‘Disney’s Believe’—has been rehearsing at the company’s Toronto studios for eight weeks and will join the ship Dec. 1 in Eemshaven. Then they’ll have another seven weeks of rehearsals on board prior to the Jan. 26 maiden voyage from Port Canaveral.
Recruiting the 1,458 crew for the new Disney Dream is perhaps less of a challenge than one might think given the line has just two ships currently sailing, newbuild on-site hotel director Mike Mahendran told Seatrade Insider.
For Disney Dream, 20% of the crew will come from Disney Magic and 20% from Disney Wonder, with the balance sourced from the wider cruise industry, hotels and Disney parks and resorts, as well as hotel schools in the US and abroad.
Mahendran cited the Walt Disney organization’s vast resources and the Disney College program that combines education and paid work experience as supporting the crewing effort.
This week we talk about submarines – and if the HMS Astute Great Britain’s newest and most expensive nuclear submarine can’t figure out how to miss Scotland, image what kind of trouble the HMS Imbicile could end up in!
NCL made headlines this week, first with an update on the upgrades at Great Stirrup Cay, then an announcement that they’re planning on an IPO, and finally ordering two new ships expected in 2013 and 2014.
Holland America has announced a new partnership with Le Circue (the restaurant not the show).
Disney Dream is floated out of the builder’s dock at Meyer Werft - UPDATE- As we suspected, the ship’s horn WAS NOT playing a Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, however there were PA speakers that were playing the song…
Richard Fain says there’s no newbuilds on the horizon for Royal Caribbean, but their newest ship will have a Starbucks – and Royal Caribbean took delivery of Allure of The Seas.
Now that Allure is finished, things are going to be quiet for a few months at STX Turku yards – it’ll be a few months before construction ramps up on their next order.
Finally, authorities insist that Seattle’s Pier 91 is safe, despite find WWII era munitions in the silt below the pier on 6 different occasions this summer.
There was a lot going on the last two weeks! From ship repairs, to new ships and port news there was plenty to talk about…
Celebrity will be making some changes to their Lido dining offerings, and Celebrity Century had some rudder problems.
Costa Classica was damaged in a collision in the Yangtze River and repairs to Seven Seas Voyager’s propulsion system are on schedule.
Azamara CLub Cruises announces Antarctic itineraries in 2011/12 and Princess announces that they will be sending a fourth ship to Alaska in 2012.
Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream continue their march to completion with Disney Dream on track for an on time delivery.
Two ports are looking at changes that may affect cruise ship visits and delays with construction in Falmouth has pushed back the first calls to the new port until January.
Coki Point Beach in St Thomas should be a much safer place for visitors in the wake of the death of a cruise passenger there earlier this year.
For a holiday week there was a lot of things going on, although we talk some about the ongoing situation in the Gulf of Mexico. Who knew that oil naturally seeps into the Gulf? BTW the fake BP Twitter account that we’ve been mentioning is “BP Global PR“
This week Disney Dream celebrated a major construction milestone as the last block of the hull was put in place.
Norwegian introduces a unique new opportunity – for the privacy of your stateroom, plus they’ve installed the largest chandelier at sea AND have announced that lifeboat drills will soon not require lifejackets on all ships except Pride of America.
The keel is laid on Oceania’s newest ship Riviera and Azamara Club Cruises wants us to remember that their butlers are not just cabin attendants.
Royal Caribbean has tweaked the Crown & Anchor Society benefits (although we’re not sure that any substantial changes have been made) and they’ve announced an exciting partnership with Dreamworks Animation.
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