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.
As part of its ongoing Pillars of Distinction initiative – the most significant product investment in the company’s history – Oceania Cruises has announced the second phase of innovative fleet-wide enhancements. These multi-million-dollar updates are in addition to the previously announced physical enhancements being made during the regularly scheduled dry-docks for Regatta, Insignia and Nautica.
CUISINE
* An expanded menu of “Jacques Pepin Signature Items”
in the Grand Dining Rooms, which include Cotes d’Agneau Grillees – grilled lamb chop served with ratatouille and lamb gravy with thyme, and Gambas Sauté Provençal – sautéed shrimp in olive oil from Nice with garlic, parsley and tomatoes * Evening menus in the Terrace Café will focus on regional specialties from the area the ship is sailings in addition to each evening’s ever changing range of traditional favorites * Gourmet VIP canapé service for all suite guests now includes a wider array of specialty, gourmand-inspired delicacies which are presented on new, custom designed china * Espresso and Cappuccino from the famed Illy Coffee of Italy
SERVICE
* Free shuttle service in more than 90 ports worldwide where the ship is
docked away from the city center * Introduction of production shows created by the legendary Gary J. Musik company that feature a full ensemble, original choreography, lavish costuming and rousing musical numbers * Dramatically faster internet speeds as a result of new partnership with MTN * Complimentary in-suite newspaper delivery for Owner’s, Vista and Oceania suites
COMFORT
* Upgraded bath amenities and toiletries in all accommodations, including Bulgari for
Concierge-level and suite guests * Laptops, currently featured in all Owner’s and Vista suites on Regatta, Insignia and Nautica, will be added to all Penthouse Suites * iPads for all Owner’s, Vista and Oceania suites
Pillars of Distinction amenities will be featured on Oceania Cruises’ new Marina, scheduled for delivery in January 2011, and sister ship Riviera, which joins the fleet in April 2012 and be introduced aboard Regatta, Insignia and Nautica in the spring of 2011.
The line’s Pillars of Distinction is an ongoing initiative, with more enhancements and updates to be announced.
First, we know the audio quality turned really bad for the last 3/4′s of the show. We’re extremely sorry, but unfortunately we can’t fix it. We’re pretty sure that the problem has been resolved though and won’t occur on the next show.
Since we missed a week there was quite a bit for us to discuss…
New “legends” are coming to Legends in Concert on Norwegian Epic. Carnival is testing some new entrees in their dining rooms – that will come with a fee…
Celebrity has announced the name of their 5th Solstice Class ship, and Oceania’s Marina has completed her sea trials.
The Yachts of Seabourn is expecting their newest ship to be delivered early.
Cunard takes delivery of Queen Elizabeth and Patricia launches “Hat Watch 2010.” Cunard also announces that they’ve ditched art auctions on Queen Elizabeth.
Customs Officials are cracking down on counterfeit goods being sold in Nassau. A passenger pleads guilty to assaulting a girl on a Disney ship and Carnival bartender is headed to prison for abusing a girl on a ship.
Mickey Arison talks about the Panama Canal Expansion Project, a paraglider crashes onto Prinsendam and an endangered owl tries to call Oasis of The Seas home.
Oceania Cruises’ 1,250-guest Marina, scheduled to launch in January 2011, successfully completed sea trials on Sept. 26, which included three days of sailing the Mediterranean for the first time.
During the sea trials, technicians and engineers from the Fincantieri shipyard along with Oceania Cruises’ marine and technical teams evaluated the vessel’s speed, maneuverability, hydrodynamics and propulsion, among many other aspects of the ship’s performance.
“She is a beautiful ship. Marina was extremely maneuverable with virtually no vibration to be felt, even at high speeds,” stated Captain Dimitrios Flokos, the ship’s master. “Marina exceeded all expectations. In fact, shipyard representatives commented this was the most successful sea trial in recent history for technical performance.”
A second and final round of trials will be run just prior to the ship’s delivery. The 65,000-ton ship – being built at Fincantieri in Sestre Ponente, Italy – is scheduled for delivery Jan. 17, 2011.
“Her first foray at sea was a resounding success. Marina exhibited exceptional sea-keeping abilities, is amazingly agile and cruised at more than 22 knots with plenty of power in reserve,” said Robin Lindsay, the line’s executive vice president of vessel operations, who was on board during the sea trials. “Now that sea trials were successfully concluded, we will focus on finishing her magnificent interiors.”
The ship’s inaugural schedule includes a 13-day Maiden Voyage Jan. 22 from Barcelona to Miami, where inaugural activities are planned. On Feb. 8, Marina departs on the first of two 18-day Panama Canal transits that visit San Francisco or San Diego, both new ports for Oceania Cruises. Marina operates a 12-day Caribbean cruise, round-trip from Miami, departing March 16, before sailing along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and on to Europe to begin her inaugural Mediterranean season.
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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