So you know those times when you have these great plans ready to put right into action – only nothing goes like you expected and instead your plans completely fall apart?
Well, that was what happened with the last few weeks… We had a grand plan to record shows and check out some new ships – and everything fell apart. But we’re back with a new show now and aren’t expecting any interruptions for a while… So there’s that…
What we talked about this week:
Cruise West introduced a “free-flowing” itinerary, while Celebrity continues embracing technology. Crystal is revising it’s 2011 West Coast plans. Royal Caribbean is testing a “new” extended stay program in Fort Lauderdale – but is it really all that new?
Shopping on Queen Elizabeth will be decidedly British, and work continues on Seabourn Quest. Princess looks after their Australian passengers on Dawn Princess, and once again we bring you a story of passengers behaving badly…
After a week off we’re back and couldn’t avoid talking about the situation in the Gulf of Mexico. So far the spill hasn’t caused any ships to divert from their planned itineraries or delays.
NCL is introducing online pre-reservations for some Norwegian Epic shows.
Cunard unveils the centerpiece of Queen Elizabeth’s grand lobby, and some big names will be sailing on Crystal’s 2011 world cruise. Meanwhile Seabourn takes delivery of their newest – Seabourn Sojourn.
LA approved funding for improvements to the World Cruise Center, and Carnival Paradise made a slight diversion after a passenger gives birth onboard.
Celebrity may be adding new ships – but in return some older ones are headed off- Celebrity Mercury will be getting a makeover and joining the former Celebrity Zenith as part of the TUI Cruises fleet.
Well lucky you! We were afraid this week’s show was going to be late but we managed to get it out on time (or at least close enough to pass for on time for us!)
This week Celebrity Constellation debuted with features from the Solstice class. Carnival went a different route with their newest ship – and didn’t lift the name from another ship (or line!)
Silversea’s Prince Albert II got held up in Portsmouth due to overloading and the former Majestic America Line paddlewheeler Mississippi Queen has been sold.
Norwegian Epic and Seabourn Sojourn both had their godmother’s revealed.
There was a lot coming out of Royal Caribbean this week with Oasis of The Seas reveals, announcements about new features coming to Freedom of The Seas and Independence of the Seas, the end of Park West auctions onboard Royal Caribbean ships, and some comments from Adam Goldstein regarding Royal’s shift from Miami to Port Everglades.
The Yachts of Seabourn has named Captain Karlo Buer to be master of Seabourn Sojourn when it debuts on June 6, 2010, in London. Capt. Buer has served as captain on all Seabourn yachts over the past 19 years, including Seabourn Odyssey when the vessel was introduced in 2009. Capt. Buer has been at sea since he was 16 years old, working with various companies and on different ships, including Royal Viking Line. He graduated as a master from the Norwegian merchant marine academy in 1980. Buer joined Seabourn in 1989, supervising the construction of Seabourn Spirit that year, and then worked in Seabourn’s Oslo office for more than a year, before returning to the ships in 1991 as master of Seabourn Spirit.
A native of Norway, Capt. Buer will return there as master of Seabourn Sojourn during its maiden season. On June 6, 2010, Seabourn Sojourn will operate a 14-day maiden voyage from London to Dover, visiting Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, the Norwegian Fjords and Amsterdam. The maiden season will also include a series of 12- to 14-day voyages in Northern Europe, including Norway, Scotland, the Baltic Sea and Russia, offering the most luxurious and spacious cruise experience in the cruising region.
Seabourn is currently offering two-for-one cruise fares and value-priced round trip airfare on Sojourn’s Europe maiden season. All-inclusive cruise-only fares start from $4,950 per person, based on double occupancy. Reduced round trip add-on airfares start from $499 for economy class and only $1,999 for business class, from 40 North American gateways.
On Jan. 5, 2011, Sojourn will embark on a 111-day World Cruise from Los Angeles to London via the South Pacific, New Zealand, around Western Australia, Indonesia and Southeast Asia, India, Arabia and the Mediterranean.
With the big Cruise Shipping Miami convention this past week we were expecting to hear a lot of news from the industry – but it was actually pretty quiet…
NCL announced some work at Great Stirrup Cay as well as some more information about Norwegian Epic.
Celebrity Mercury continues to battle Norovirus.
Seabourn gives us a construction update on Seabourn Sojourn.
Holland America continues their Signature of Excellence upgrades and creates a stir in Alaska who is now reconsidering the head tax.
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