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Cruise News - October 16, 2006

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Norwegian Cruise Line and NCL America ("NCL") continue to monitor the situation in Hawaii after the earthquake on Sunday, October 15th. We are very pleased to report that all ports in Hawaii are open except for Kona, which will open tomorrow. In addition, the vast majority of shore excursions on the islands will operate as scheduled. Please visit the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau at www.gohawaii.com for additional information.

Yesterday, NCL made the decision to keep Pride of Aloha in Honolulu overnight to accommodate as many guests as possible from the just ended cruise who were unable to depart as planned and to hold the ship for passengers who may have been delayed until today.

The airlines have informed NCL that flights are running as scheduled today although some flights may be subject to minor delays. NCL is working directly with the airlines to put a priority on our guests to enable arrival in time for Pride of Aloha's and Pride of Hawaii's planned departure times and to assist passengers in getting home.

Pride of Aloha will now depart Honolulu at 8 pm tonight per its new departure schedule. The ship's call into Kona, Hawa`i today had to be cancelled. The remainder of Pride of Aloha's itinerary will operate as scheduled. We recommend if passengers cannot make it to the ship by 8 pm (latest arrival in Honolulu by 6 pm); they should join the ship in Nawiliwili, Kaua`i on Tuesday or Wednesday.

NCL has made the decision to delay the departure of Pride of Hawaii until 9 pm to accommodate passengers who are arriving late into Honolulu because of two flight delays from Los Angeles and Houston impacting over 100 guests. NCL will continue to monitor flights. We recommend that if Pride of Hawaii guests cannot make it to the ship by 9 pm (latest arrival in Honolulu by 7 pm); they should join the ship in Hilo, Hawaii on Tuesday.

Itineraries for Norwegian Wind, Pride of America and Pride of Hawaii will not be altered.

As soon as the crew was notified, the captain sounded an alert and crew members began searching for the missing passenger. The Norwegian Star along with a Mexican navy vessel retraced the path of the ship as part of the search following the drift pattern of someone who would have entered the water along the ship's path. A women's body that was discovered late Friday off the Mexican coast is presumed to be that of the missing passenger.

The Norwegian Star arrived in Los Angeles on Friday evening several hours behind schedule. FBI authorities boarded the vessel and interviewed passengers before allowing the ship to depart on the next scheduled cruise.

The move from the covered building dock will allow work to begin on the next NCL ship, the Norwegian Gem. The forward part of the ship is already in the building dock and the pre-fabricated engine room modules will now be moved into the building dock.

With the Norwegian Pearl being berthed at the outfitting pier, final outfitting work will be completed on the ship's exterior and interior. The Ems river passage of the newbuilding to the sea trials port in Eemshaven/Netherlands is planned for 4 November 2006. A detailed schedule will be published shortly by MEYER WERFT.

The new cruise ship, which features a lavish outer shell painting depicting a string of pearls, has a length overall of 965 ft, is 106 ft wide and can reach a speed of more than 24 knots. More than 2,400 passengers can be accommodated in the 1,197 cabins onboard. She is operated by a crew of about 1,100.

"This is a very exciting day for the Celebrity brand, as we take the first tangible step toward making Celebrity Solstice a reality," said Hanrahan. "While it's too soon to reveal any details, I'm convinced our travel agent partners and guests are going to find this ship to be the perfect manifestation of what they appreciate most about Celebrity."

Accompanying Hanrahan today were Celebrity's Executive Vice President Maritime & Newbuilding Harri Kulovaara, Celebrity Solstice Project Manager Jarmo Laakso, and Meyer Werft's Managing Director Bernard Meyer, Lambert Kruse and Project Manager Uwe Wulf.

The first in a class of three ships, Celebrity Solstice will be a 2,850- guest vessel measuring 1,033 feet in length and 121 feet in width, and will feature larger standard staterooms, a higher percentage of verandas, and an exceptional range of guest-inspired services and amenities.

David Giersdorf, President of Ambassadors Cruise Group, stated, "We are pleased to add a seventh U.S.-flagged cruise vessel to our Majestic America Line fleet. The Columbia Queen is a spectacular, deluxe cruise ship that will operate extraordinary itineraries on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. We look forward to introducing her into operations in the summer of 2007."

"We're proud to demonstrate our commitment to the city of New Orleans by returning to the city with a big, new balcony-rich ship," said Bob Thye, senior vice president, revenue management and itinerary planning for NCL Corporation ("NCL"). "With 47 million potential passengers living within a 500 mile radius of New Orleans, this vibrant city is a key partner for NCL."

"The cruise passengers returning to New Orleans will see that the city's historic beauty and charm is still alive and thriving," said Gary LaGrange, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. "With the addition of the Erato Street Cruise Terminal and Parking Garage, the Port is poised to continue to create new cruising opportunities for cruise lines and passengers."

In 2004, New Orleans was one of the fastest-growing homeports in the US, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Cruise passenger embarkations and disembarkations in New Orleans grew an astounding 818 percent in the last 11 years prior to Katrina, from approximately 80,000 in 1993 to 753,000 in 2004.

The cruise industry also contributes $226 million to the city in direct and indirect sales, and supports more than 2,500 jobs.

This week's commentary by TravelPage.com's European Cruise Editor, Malcolm Oliver revisits the subject of how a ship's appearance can affect the overall cruise experience.
It's what's on the inside that counts?
A few months ago I wrote an article entitled 'Do Looks Matter', which focussed on the external appearance of modern cruise ships. After debating the subject with myself, I came to the conclusion that 'Yes' they do matter, if you are a ship aficionado, and 'No' they probably don't if you are just interested in a vacation afloat.
In the interest of thoroughness, I have decided to revisit the subject - but this time from a slightly different perspective. Specifically, let's take a look at the question: "Does the internal decor of a cruise ship matter"?
Initially one might think 'No'; surely it is the overall experience (food, entertainment, ports of call etc.) that is important. However, most cruise lines must think that the interiors of their vessels really do matter, as they all spend a fortune on the internal decoration of their ships. The only exception that I can think of is 'EasyCruise' who have very minimalist decor and will sell you a 'no frills' cabin for a few pounds per night. (They are selling more of a floating youth hostel experience, than a cruise one).
Interestingly the average mass-market Hotel will often have quite unexciting d�cor. However, the average mass market cruise ships are an explosion of glitz, colour, neon and art works. Just have a look at images of the interiors of Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise line vessels. So why is this?
Traditionally we have always associated travel by ship as being the pursuit of the very well off (�overlooking for unpleasant experiences of the millions of steerage passengers). We have all seen the photographs and movies of the rich occupying Titanic or Queen Mary's opulent public rooms and enjoying the finest food and service. Even today the word 'Cruise' is still associated in the publics mind with 'luxury'. The modern cruise lines are happy to perpetuate this association. In fact they are often keen to 'exceed our expectations' and deliver a product that is bigger and brighter than we could imagine.
It was the American cruise lines that made cruising the global mass-market pursuit that it is today. In order to make the product more accessible to the general public, the cruise lines replaced the more traditional styles of maritime decor to ones that emulated 'Las Vegas', 'Hotel Resorts' and 'Theme Parks'. After all, that's who they are directly competing with when they sell cruises to the masses.
The master of such decor is Joe Farcus who creates his mind-blowing "entertainment-architecture" for the Carnival Cruise Line and the Costa Cruises. It is astonishing, over-the-top, mega-glitzy, inspiring, confusing, and migraine inducing, all at once! It really has to be seen to be believed. The intention is to not only physically transport you to exotic ports, but to mentally transport you to a fantasy world. For example, Carnival Legend has a theme of 'Myth and legends', which are depicted in the 'fantasy' d�cor.
In fact, in recent years we have increasingly seen the creation of 'themed' ships. There are the 'Disney' ships for example, NCL have an 'American' themed ship (with public rooms based on the USA's great landmarks) as well as two 'Hawaiian' themed vessels. Cunard's forthcoming cruise ship Queen Victoria will have an 'Ocean Liner' theme.
Most modern cruise ships also have vast amounts of art onboard, giving the passengers the feeling that they are in a 'classy' floating Art Gallery. This art may be quite traditional in style featuring sculptures, and or oil and watercolor paintings of landscapes and historic ships. Alternatively it may feature vast modern pieces of art, which fill the ships atriums like some kind of giant Triffid.
Interestingly, you do not need to understand interior design, or art for that matter, for it to have an affect on you. We are all sensitive to our environment. Interior design has the power to inspire you or leave you decidedly unimpressed. Some ships and their public rooms will be to your liking and feel very welcoming and others will not.
Now I would not go as far as saying a ships decor alone could make or break a cruise. However, I do think it is important when choosing a cruise to match the onboard experience, which includes the decor, to your personal tastes. In short 'loud' d�cor often means a 'loud' cruise, likewise understated d�cor signifies a more refined experience.
Ask yourself if you would be happy to spend a week on a floating 'Las Vegas' (i.e. Carnival or RCI) or would you prefer a more sedate or traditionally decorated ship (i.e. HAL or Cunard)? Fortunately there are a whole host of ships/lines out there to choose from, each offering a different onboard experience. And how do you do the research you may well ask. I can answer is one just one word "CruiseTalk" - Travelpage.com's cruise chat forum.

Malcolm Oliver

Signature of Excellence features and amenities are evident in every aspect of the Holland America Line cruise experience, offering guests more luxurious accommodations, more enticing destinations, enhanced dining experiences, more creative activities and even higher levels of service.

"We invested to realize a vision, and that vision was to make our brand experience even more relevant to today's and tomorrow's premium traveler," said Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line. "I believe we've not only delivered on our promise, but exceeded expectations."

All told during the two-year implementation, 12 Holland America ships spent nearly 200 days in drydock receiving enhancements such as the Mariner's Dream stateroom experience with premium comfort appointments, the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine, Explorations Cafe -- powered by The New York Times, exclusive Pinnacle Grill restaurant, refurbished Crow's Nest observation lounge, expanded youth facilities and enhanced Greenhouse Spa and Salon.

A broad range of employees led by Mike Novak, vice president, marine operations, was involved in every aspect of Signature of Excellence, from conception to the final products. Novak's team oversaw the work of nearly 2,000 people, including shipyard workers, contractors and ship personnel. They tested and retested hundreds of items to ensure quality, coordinated delivery schedules and oversaw complex installations.

- 10 million hours worked in dry dock -- the equivalent of 387 years.
- 1.2 million pounds of steel installed on the ships.
- 695,743 luxury items added to staterooms, from sheets to bathrobes to make-up mirrors.
- 49,372 pieces of electronic equipment, from televisions to CD players, DVD players to computers, installed on the 13 ships.
- 27,000 book titles added to Explorations Cafes. At one book a week, it would take more than 500 years to read them all.
- If you stacked all the new Euro-Top plush mattresses end on end, they would reach 18,985 feet high -- just 1,300 feet lower than the summit of Alaska's Mt. McKinley.
- 254 nautical miles of electrical cable installed on the ships -- enough to reach from Ft. Lauderdale to just off shore of Half Moon Cay, Holland America's private Caribbean island.

Three out of the five new itineraries on Rhapsody of the Seas, sailing September 28, October 15 and November 24, 2007, have been chartered by Cruiseco, a consortium of more than 120 cruise specialist travel agencies in Australia. On Sept. 28, Rhapsody departs Honolulu for Sydney on a 16-night sailing, stopping in Maui, Hawaii, before she visits the distinctive and captivating island destinations of Papeete, Moorea, and Bora Bora, French Polynesia; as well as Lautoka in the Fiji Islands. On Oct. 15, Rhapsody will sail on a 12-night South Pacific cruise from Sydney calling on the exotic ports of Noumea and Isle of Pines in New Caledonia; Suva in the Fiji Islands; and Vila in Vanuatu, where visitors can discover the quaint French and English colonial architecture. On Nov. 24, she will depart on a 15-night cruise to Singapore, calling on Brisbane, Hamilton Island, Great Barrier Reef, Cairns and Darwin in Australia and Bali, Indonesia.

On Oct. 27 and Nov. 10, Rhapsody of the Seas offers 14-night roundtrip cruises from Sydney to New Zealand, cruising through Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound and calling on the ports of Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga and Auckland. These sailings will be available for sale through travel agents in all global markets except for Australia where bookings for the New Zealand sailings will be sold exclusively through Cruiseco.

For guests wanting to enhance their cruise vacation with a land-based experience, Royal Caribbean offers some exciting cruisetour packages out of Sydney. Adventurers can take a charter flight to Cairns -- the best place to see crocodiles and native wildlife in Tropical North Queensland -- and experience the "Quicksilver" boat tour, which enables guests to participate in various marine adventures at the Great Barrier Reef, including swimming, snorkeling, diving or exploring the Reef from an underwater observatory. At the Olgas, vacationers have the opportunity to discover ancestral secrets of the desert land during the aboriginal Liru tour or visit the vividly colored dome rocks rising from the plains.

Royal Caribbean International announces exciting new itineraries confirmed since the cruise line's recent announcement of Rhapsody of the Seas' introduction to Asia. In January 2008, Rhapsody of the Seas will offer three 12-night open-jaw sailings between Singapore and Hong Kong calling on Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Bangkok, Thailand; and the exotic ports of Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hue and Hanoi in Vietnam -- a destination steeped in rich culture and art.

"Royal Caribbean's expansion into the South Pacific and Asian regions is part of our international business development and global expansion strategies," said Adam Goldstein, president of Royal Caribbean International. "Additionally, we are pleased to be working with Cruiseco to bring the option of an active cruise vacation to Australians."

"We are extremely delighted to have Royal Caribbean International return to the region for the 2007 season," said Kevin Dale, chairman of Cruiseco P/L. "Our agents are the leading cruise specialists in Australia, renowned for providing the best knowledge and access to the best products. Our team looks forward to marketing Royal Caribbean's award-winning brand to our Australian clients."

Cruise News Trivia Question:
During the Queen Mary's last voyage in 1967, a 14,559 mile journey across the Atlantic and around South America, she carried two very large pieces of unusual cargo on her main deck - what were they?

Answer - Will be published in next week's column along with the name of the first person to submit the correct answer. Send your answer to cruise2006@travelpage.com

Last Week's Question
Here's another Photo Cruise Trivia - This picture was taken from a dinner menu cover from a ship I sailed on in 1970. Name the ship. Bonus/Hint: She has a sister who is still sailing today - what's her sister's current name?

Answer - The name is "Santa Paula" of Grace Lines. Sister ship is "Santa Rosa" sailing as "The Emerald" for Fred Thomson Cruises today.
courtesy of Karl.H.Bollmann@uscg.mil

Cruise News - October 9, 2006

In a letter sent to the company over the weekend, HVCB President and CEO John Monahan said, "It's likely that this advertisement may have been created and approved by Celebrity Cruises due to a lack of understanding of Hawaii's society, history and traditions. If so, HVCB will be pleased to make arrangements to help educate your marketing staff about our islands."

HVCB has put Celebrity in contact with the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association to provide cultural values and awareness training.

Dan Hanrahan, Celebrity Cruises president, reiterated the company's regret over the insensitivity of the company's ads, which depicted the King Kamehameha statue holding a champagne glass.

"We are deeply sorry that our ads offended so many people," Hanrahan said. "It was certainly never our intention to be disrespectful to the people of Hawaii, and we sincerely regret any concerns that were raised by our indiscretion."

Celebrity announced it will publish ads in two of Hawaii's major newspapers this week to make its apology to the Hawaiian people more public.

The original ads, which Celebrity immediately pulled after learning of their unintended effect, had appeared recently in several travel-agent publications.

Captain Wright first went to sea in 1965 as a cadet with Shell Tankers, and quickly progressed to passenger ships in 1969 when he joined Canadian Pacific. His first appointment with Cunard was to Cunard Countess in 1980 and since then he has served on Cunard Princess, Sagafjord and Cunard Dynasty. In 1999, Captain Wright was promoted to Captain of Cunard's flagship Queen Elizabeth 2 where he served until construction began on Queen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner ever built. He oversaw construction of QM2 in St. Nazaire prior to commission, and in 2004 was appointed Master of Queen Mary 2, rotating with the recently retired Commodore Ronald Warwick.

Having sailed to all seven continents, when asked what his most memorable moments at sea have been, Captain Wright cites two: meeting Astronaut Neil Armstrong who was lecturing onboard in the early 1990's and sailing Queen Mary 2 into Hamburg on her maiden call when half a million people lined the shore to greet her.

In commenting on his appointment, Captain Wright says: "I fully expect that sailing Queen Victoria into Southampton for the first time will give me a third most memorable event -- and I have no doubt it will be equally memorable for those who turn out to greet us; nothing stirs the imagination quite as much as a new Cunarder arriving in port for the first time. She will be a magnificent vessel built in true Cunard style."

Captain Wright and his wife Linda reside in the United Kingdom in a village near Truro, Cornwall.

This week's commentary by TravelPage.com's European Cruise Editor, Malcolm Oliver takes a look at NCL's current brand identity program.
Branded!
For the first time in 10 years, NCL Corporation Ltd. ("NCL") unveiled a new, all-encompassing brand identity program last week that was created expressly to "capture and articulate the company's Freestyle Cruising approach."
One way the brand is characterized is with a graphic treatment featuring a white fish swimming against the direction of a school of blue fish, depicting NCL's innovative spirit in the cruise industry, as well as the type of guest that NCL is looking to attract, one who is a "non-conformist".
I've commented a few times about the 'Norwegian Cruise Line' over the past six months, simply because they do tend to garb the maritime headlines. I can only applaud them for now regularly 'thinking outside the box'. However, this latest re-branding program must be costing a small fortune.
Now I'm no marketing guru, but I do wonder if the general cruising public will take much notice of the new logo (featuring a white fish swimming against a school of blue fish) let alone understand the meaning of it. I'm not sure I would understand the meaning of the new logo either, if I had not read NCL's explanation of it. I suppose lecturers and students of philosophy might, but how many of those take NCL cruises? Can you imagine NCL passengers filling out their customer feedback cards at the end of a cruise and adding "Great logo"? Maybe it works on a subconscious level? However, I must say the 'fish' do add a fun element to the updated and improved NCL web site.
As for attracting the 'non-conformist', I'm not sure such a person would really want to share a vacation, on a cruise ship, aimed at the mass-market, with 2000-plus other passengers - even if they can dine 'Freestyle'! (Some other lines are starting to adopt similar dining systems, although Carnival and RCI are still committed to the 'one large main dining room' concept, with the 'wow' factor that this brings.)
Personally I directly associate a 'brand' with what it delivers and how much the product costs. The logo is just a visual identifier and I do not have a problem with the existing NCL one. I do hope that a similar amount of money and effort to that being spent on re-branding NCL will be spent ensuring that their onboard experience is of the highest standard, within the constraints of their market segment.
Although I had a very good experience onboard the SS Norway in 2001, it's been a while since I have traveled with NCL. In general though, the NCL-brand product seems to have matured quite dramatically in recent years. Websites such at Travelpage.com (namely the 'CuiseTalk'forum) have become powerful sources of cruise information and a sounding board for both satisfied and dissatisfied customers. In fact I read much initial criticism of 'NCL America's' Hawaiian operation, from dissatisfied passengers, in terms of food, service and cleanliness. Hopefully these matters have already been resolved, if the criticisms were founded. (Lets not forget that issues about the quality of food and service etc. are particular subjective, anyway.)
NCL now certainly have some excellent 'hardware' in terms of many new state-of-the-art ships, with three dedicated to Hawaii and two mega-ships on the drawing board for 2009/10.
In the future, I think it will be the 'software' (food, service and entertainment) choices and quality, which will help differentiate the major cruise lines. This will be especially true, as all the ships within the major fleets increasingly become more 'mind blowing' in size and design. After all, ships under 90,000 gt are already starting to look small. By the end of the decade Cunard, RCI, NCL, MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) and possibly Carnival will all be offering ships at around the 130,000 gt range or bigger. Those older ships at around 30,000 gt still in service will look like row boats, by comparison. I suspect we will also be witnessing a lot more re-branding with new logos as the marketing war between the major players, heats up.
Loyalty Schemes
After writing about cruise 'Loyalty Schemes' a few weeks ago, I received a comment that they are definitely NOT all equal, which I may have implied. I appreciate the feedback. What I actually meant is that most (all?) Loyalty Schemes tend to all operate in a similar way; after a set number of cruises you progress up the various grades of membership and the perks get better. I was also informed that The Royal Caribbean 'Crown and Anchor' program has many unadvertised benefits for the upper level members. I'm now really intrigued to know what these are? As I tend to try different cruise lines, I'm not really past the free 'Bum Bag' (Fanny Pack') stage yet, with many lines. I guess I will just have to wait until I have completed 24 RCI cruises to find out what's to come. Maybe there really is a 'golden rivet', after all?

Malcolm Oliver

Prominently presiding over the Port of Halifax waterfront, the towering bronze statue appropriately depicts Cunard standing beside a ship's telegraph, an iconic symbol of steamship travel.

Joining the celebration were Sir Samuel Cunard's great, great, great, great grandsons (standing front) Benjamin and Samuel Paton.

The project has received moral and financial support from several sponsors including Cunard Line which made the initial contribution to start the fundraising efforts, CN (Canadian National Railway), The Halifax Foundation, The Halifax Port Authority, Secunda Marine Limited, The Bank of Nova Scotia, and The Waterfront Development Corporation and the committee members.

Pictured (L to R): John Langley, Chairman, Cunard Steamship Society; Jack Keith, President, The Halifax Foundation; The Honourable Alan R. Abraham, Vice Chairman, The Halifax Foundation; Commodore Ronald Warwick, (Ret.) Master, Queen Mary 2 and Honourary Chairman of the project committee; Carol Marlow, President, Cunard Line; Peter Bustin, Sculptor; Karen Oldfield, CEO, Port of Halifax.

"Queen Mary 2 is, quite simply, a marvel of engineering. She inspires a genuine sense of awe. Since her launch in 2004, we've delighted in sharing her on tours with countless visitors, but this NBC special now affords us the rare opportunity to share her with an even wider audience," said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line.

The comprehensive special showcases life onboard a six-day transatlantic crossing highlighting the ship's state-of-the-art technology and signature White Star(SM) service. Viewers will also have a special tour of the bridge with Queen Mary 2's Captain Christopher Rynd and see the range of services and amenities -- from the Canyon Ranch SpaClub(R) to British Tea Service -- that have made Queen Mary 2 the most famous ocean liner in the world.

"Onboard Queen Mary 2 - A Transatlantic Adventure" is scheduled to air as follows:

Pearson, Wierzelewski and Le Cras will work as a team to develop dynamic new menu concepts for the NCL fleet and implement them onboard by the end of November. The chefs will spend five to six hours each day in NCL's test kitchen creating new recipes and making modifications to existing menu items as well as visiting various ships in the fleet talking with passengers to gather feedback. After the introduction of the new menus, the team will be responsible for maintaining the innovative Freestyle Dining product and ensuring that NCL keeps at the forefront of culinary trends looking beyond conventional industry practices.

These new additions to the food and beverage department follow the appointment of Alain Gruber, the new corporate chef for NCL America, who has led the recent introduction of new menus onboard Pride of Hawaii, Pride of America and Pride of Aloha.

"Warren, James and Christophe bring a world of experience to NCL, each with his own distinguished talents to create innovative cuisine for our guests," said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL. "The new menus we recently introduced on our NCL America ships in Hawaii have been well received by our guests and we look forward to rolling out new menus across the NCL fleet."

Pearson, Wierzelewski and Le Cras join NCL with varied and impressive culinary careers in top hotels and restaurants around the world:

Warren Pearson: With over 30 years of experience, Pearson most recently served as executive chef for the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza. He has worked as an executive chef and director of food and beverage at various five star properties around the world, such as Rosewood Hotels, the Shanghai Hilton, InterContinental Hotels and the Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

James Wierzelewski: Wierzelewski brings more than 14 years of executive chef experience to NCL and has worked with some of the finest hotels in the U.S. and abroad. His most recent position was executive chef for VIX restaurant at Hotel Victor in Miami Beach. He has held positions at The Hilton International Bangkok, Shangri-La Hotel, The Regent Grand Palms in Las Vegas and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in Chicago. Additionally, Wierzelewski was a corporate food concept and culinary development specialist for Disney Corp.

Christophe Le Cras: Le Cras boasts more than 23 years of culinary experience at Michelin-star hotels in England and France, and five-star cruise lines across the globe. His most recent position was corporate executive chef for Celebrity Cruises. He has also worked for Apollo Ship Chandlers and various properties in Peru and Switzerland.

NCL America Corporate Chef Alain Gruber has led the introduction of the new menus onboard the Pride of Hawaii, Pride of America and Pride of Aloha. Gruber has more than 16 years of culinary experience beginning his career at Relais & Chateaux, an exclusive boutique hotel and restaurant collection in Europe. He has worked onboard several other cruise lines, including Seabourn, Cunard and Royal Viking. Before joining NCL in late 2005, he worked in a number of Ritz Carlton hotels in the U.S. and abroad.

New menu items for the main dining rooms for the NCL America fleet feature a fusion of American, Pacific Rim and Hawaiian elements. The main dining room menus feature American classics such as clam chowder and cobb salad; California contemporary dishes such as an arugula, walnut and goat cheese pizza; Pacific Rim cuisine such as Kahlua pork nachos and steamed mahi mahi in banana leaf with lemongrass coconut sauce; along with classic Hawaiian dishes including grilled wahoo with avocado and macadamia nut relish and huli huli chicken.

A new concept introduced in the buffet restaurants brings the chefs out of the galley and in front of guests, cooking fresh, prepared-to-order food at pasta, sushi, stir fry and carving stations.

NCL America's alternative restaurants have new menus featuring tableside cooking and more interactive elements, such as a prime rib trolley in Cagney's Steakhouse and an antipasto trolley in Papa's Italian Kitchen. Both bring items directly to the guests' tables and allow them to make their own selections. In addition, the children's menu now includes more healthy options presented in playful ways such as a mashed potato boat with a cheese sail.

Cruise News Trivia Question:
Here's another Photo Cruise Trivia - This picture was taken from a dinner menu cover from a ship I sailed on in 1970. Name the ship. Bonus/Hint: She has a sister who is still sailing today - what's her sister's current name?

Answer - Will be published in next week's column along with the name of the first person to submit the correct answer. Send your answer to cruise2006@travelpage.com

Last Week's Question
Passengers in the top cabins aboard QE2 today eat in the Queens Grill Restaurant. It wasn't always that way. What was the space now occupied by the Queen's Grill called when QE2 first entered service?

Answer - The Queen's Grill Restaurant was known as the 736 Club when QE2 went into service in 1969. 736 was the building number assigned to the new ship by John Brown Limited of Clydebank. The Queen's Grill Lounge was to be a bowling alley but instead became a Coffee Shop and a Teenage Juke Box Room. When the first penthouses were added in 1972, the Queen's Grill Restaurant and Lounge were formed in the space.
courtesy of Larry Macdonald, Belmont, MA USA

Cruise News - October 1, 2006

The Carnival Conquest was returning to Galveston, Texas after a seven day cruise to the Caribbean.

Carnival Legend, which currently sails from New York and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will be deployed to Tampa to operate year-round seven-day western Caribbean voyages departing Sundays from that port beginning April 15, 2007. Currently based in Tampa, Carnival Miracle will be relocated to New York and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to operate eight-day Caribbean cruises from those ports beginning April 25, 2007.

"Carnival is always seeking ways to keep our product fresh for our guests. By deploying Carnival Legend to Tampa and Carnival Miracle to New York and Fort Lauderdale, we're providing these markets with exciting new 'Fun Ship' vacation choices aboard two of the industry's most sophisticated and technically advanced vessels," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.

He added that switching the homeports for Carnival Miracle and Carnival Legend provides repeat guests sailing from Tampa, New York and Fort Lauderdale an opportunity to experience the unique interior designs and entertainment options available on these vessels. Since Carnival Miracle and Carnival Legend are sister ships, guests' reservations will be automatically shifted to the new vessel with booking and stateroom numbers remaining the same.

Carnival Legend's new seven-day schedule from Tampa begins April 15, 2007, and includes extended calls at four magnificent Caribbean ports � Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya, each offering excellent beaches and interesting historical sites and attractions.

Prior to the start-up of its new seven-day itinerary, Carnival Legend will operate a special one-time four-day eastern Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale departing Monday, April 9, 2007, and visiting Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos Islands; and Nassau, The Bahamas.

Carnival Legend will operate from Fort Lauderdale through the departure of April 1, 2007, before redeploying to Tampa.

Carnival Miracle's eight-day Caribbean schedule from New York begins April 25, 2007, and includes three different tropical destinations � San Juan, St. Thomas/St. John, and Tortola/Virgin Gorda � renowned for their spectacular beaches, outstanding restaurants and shops, and excellent duty-free bargains.

Prior to the start-up of this program, Carnival Miracle will sail on a six-day cruise from New York to King's Wharf, Bermuda; and Newport, R.I., departing April 19, 2007, as well as a two-day cruise departing October 18, 2007 (both voyages were originally scheduled to be operated by Carnival Legend).

Carnival Miracle will operate from Tampa through the departure of April 1, 2007, after which the ship will undergo an 11-day dry dock before re-deploying to New York.

Following its eight-day cruise program from New York, Carnival Miracle will reposition to Fort Lauderdale for alternating eight-day "exotic" southern and "exotic" western Caribbean cruises beginning October 22, 2007.

On this route, southern Caribbean cruises include St. Maarten, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts -- three tropical islands offering a lush landscape and magnificent beaches, along with myriad watersports and shopping and dining opportunities.

The western route features Colon, Panama; Limon, Costa Rica; and Belize City, Belize, offering guests a diversity of landside experiences, from ecotourism and centuries-old archeological sites and ruins, along with gorgeous white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters teeming with tropical fish.

This week's commentary by TravelPage.com's European Cruise Editor, Malcolm Oliver takes a look at the question of passenger loyalty and Cunard's recent announcement that they were putting a mail box on Queen Mary 2.
A question of Loyalty
Just like the airlines, most of the major cruise lines have a passenger loyalty program. Basically, after your first cruise with the line, you are eligible to become a free member of their particular loyalty club. As a member of the program, you will be offered a variety of perks in an attempt to persuade you to cruise again with that particular cruise line.
There are normally several tiers of membership. The more cruises that you take with the cruise line, the further that you progress up the tiers, and the better the perks get. These perks often include gifts, onboard parties, cabin upgrades, onboard credit, future cruise discounts and preferential boarding.
Now this all sounds great, but in my experience the reality is not as exciting as the hype. One of my earliest cruises was with the Fred. Olsen cruise line. Now Olsen aims their product squarely at the UK market, and in order to preserve our great tradition of 'Rip-Off' Britain, they used to make a charge if you wanted to join the loyalty club. How bizarre is that? You had to pay them to become a loyal member - and only then would you get the perks, such as a small discount off a future cruise etc. I did like many passengers probably did and simply did not pay to join. Fortunately Olsen eventually saw sense and now it's free to join.
My first real experience with Loyalty was with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCI). Now I am not anti-RCI, in fact, I think that they offer a good mass-market product. Their loyalty program is really no different to the other major cruise lines. I am just using them as an example.
On boarding Splendour of the Seas for my second RCI cruise, my Seapass card (security pass) had the words Gold Member printed on it. At first I though it was some kind of sponsorship deal advertising the Austin Powers movie of the same name (...a James Bond spoof). But no, that was my newly gained status in the Crown and Anchor loyalty program.
RCI's program has four tiers. The Gold is RCI's bottom tier and then there is Platinum, Diamond and Diamond Plus, If you complete 24 RCI cruises you are promoted to the upper tier, Diamond Plus. (Obviously RCI could not think of anything more precious than a diamond, hence the "plus". Maybe they should have started at Silver).
So what did I get for my membership? Once onboard, I was invited to a welcome back member's party, however this only really comprised of one free glass of sparkling wine. We also got an Ultimate Value Booklet, which is a very impressive title for a modest booklet of vouchers.
I will never forget, our cabin steward handed it over as if it was priceless. He even ticked a sheet to indicate that we had taken delivery of this valuable item. The booklet mainly contained money off onboard sales vouchers, such as 10% off a Spa treatment. I can hardly regard this booklet as a perk, because you have to spend money to receive the discounts in the first place. The whole idea is of course is to actually make you spend more than you normally would.
On returning to my cabin, later in the cruise, I found the commemorative gift. It was a free Bum Bag (Fanny Pack) which clearly featured the Royal Caribbean name on the front to ensure some free advertising. (Have you noticed how pop and sports stars get paid to advertise while we are expected to do it for free).
Now I am sure that some multiple-cruise passengers do earn some reasonable perks and do enjoy them. However, here in the UK cruises often cost at least �100 per day for an inside cabin. I do not wish to sound ungrateful, but a glass of free wine, a book of discount vouchers and a free 'Bum Bag' worth a few dollars, is nowhere near enough to ensure my loyalty. Only a good overall cruise experience, which was value for money, would persuade me to rebook with the same cruise line.
For the record I did cruise with RCI again and enjoyed the experience. I got a free 'shopping bag' that time, complete with a big RCI logo on it. I do occasionally use it, but I've turned it inside-out, until RCI agree to pay me a sponsorship fee.
Cunard Pillar Box
Did you hear that a full-sized red style UK pillar box has been added to the 'Queen Mary 2'? It's outside the Golden Lion 'pub'. How very 'Walt Disney'.
Now these pillar boxes grace many UK streets and are designed to brave the British winds and rain. Hopefully the Queen Mary 2 version will not have to face any wind or water, or it will be very bad news indeed. In contrast the Queen Elizabeth 2 has a rather more discreet post-box which is essentially a wall mounted red letter box. This style is common on the inside of some UK buildings.
I doubt if the addition of a pillar-box would impress many Brits. I can only assume that the idea comes from the American management and is aimed at Cunard's American passengers. Whatever next, a red Telephone Box and a Black Taxi outside the chart room?

Malcolm Oliver

"Holland America takes guests to more national parks and recognized wilderness areas than any other CruiseTour company," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales. "Our carefully planned itineraries make it easy to enjoy ample time in Denali and to visit unique places like Kluane National Park and Tombstone Park in the legendary Yukon. We also feature intimate, small-group explorations of the Yukon River, Prudhoe Bay, Gates of the Arctic National Park, the lush Kenai Peninsula and pristine Kenai Fjords National Park."

"We are offering our guests more opportunities to get off the beaten path and have a more personal wilderness experience," said Meadows. "This is the primary reason guests come to the Great Land. Our program is designed to offer more chances to experience Alaska and the Yukon in smaller groups and in more remote and stunning areas."

New for 2007 - CruiseTour guests traveling the state's roadways will enjoy a brand new or recently enhanced Explorer Coach sightseeing experience with as much legroom as domestic first class, comfy leather seats, a mini-galley with cold snacks and beverages, an eight-channel in-seat audio system, and an enriched narration program including topical handouts and exclusive videos.

Guests on CruiseTours 3, 4, 5, and 6 will enjoy the scenic beauty and historical interpretation of the longest operating narrow gauge railroad in North America -- the nostalgic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. After an investment of US$8 million, the railroad will be rebuilt to carry visitors from Skagway to Lake Bennett and Carcross over much of the same ruggedly beautiful route traveled by thousands of stampeders during the rollicking gold rush days. The trains will stop at the Historic Bennett Station Eating House and guests will be served a traditional northern style family lunch before continuing on their journey by Holland America Line ship or Holland America Line Tours Explorer Coach(TM).

Eighteen CruiseTour itineraries feature Holland America Line's "Double Denali" experience -- two nights at a classic wilderness lodge near the gates of Denali National Park, a comprehensive guided Tundra Wilderness Tour featuring the best wildlife and Mt. McKinley viewpoints, and an array of exceptional optional excursions that sample the great outdoors -- from mild to wild.

Holland America spotlights the special wildlife and unique geological features of Kluane National Park, home of five of the seven tallest peaks in North America; Tombstone Park in the Yukon, an ancient region of unique landforms that was once part of the original North American continent; the year-round playground of Alyeska near Anchorage; the Land of the Midnight Sun across the Arctic Circle; and the fascinating Visitor Centers and heritage sites that describe the Klondike gold rush era.

Pre- and post-cruise land stays providing guests opportunities to experience New Orleans' legendary cuisine, entertainment and nightlife are also available. "We're very excited to bring 'Fun Ship' cruising back to New Orleans, one of America's truly great cities, and also what has historically been one of our most popular homeports," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.

The namesake vessel in Carnival's "Fantasy-class," the 2,056-passenger ship offers a variety of on-board amenities, including three restaurants, three swimming pools, a jogging track, a cascading water slide, and a 12,000-square-foot spa.

Also featured is an Internet cafe, including Wi-Fi access in a variety of public rooms and areas, as well as cellular phone service. "Camp Carnival" and "Club O2," offering supervised activities and expansive facilities for children and teens, respectively, are available, as well.

A variety of shore excursion opportunities, everything from scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and snorkeling to golfing, kayaking and Mayan ruins tours, are available during port calls in Cozumel and Costa Maya.

In addition to four- and five-day cruises aboard the Fantasy, Carnival will launch seven-day Caribbean cruises from New Orleans aboard the Carnival Triumph beginning September 2, 2007. Prices for these week-long cruises begin at $429 per person.

Carnival will be the only cruise line to operate two ships year-round from New Orleans. Together, the Fantasy and Carnival Triumph are expected to carry some 320,000 guests annually from New Orleans.

Carnival is currently accepting reservations for all of its various New Orleans departures.

In this unique episode from the show's third season, producers wanted to put contestants to the test with the ultimate in dining temptation, while showing it is possible to lose weight and make healthy lifestyle choices on a cruise.

Airing on NBC stations across the country on October 4 at 9-10 p.m. ET. (8 p.m. Central time), the Sapphire Princess episode of "The Biggest Loser" gives the show's participants the opportunity to travel away from their "ranch" home base and learn how to maintain their diets and exercise programs while faced with the temptations of a luxurious vacation setting. The footage was filmed aboard Sapphire Princess during a spring Pacific coastal cruise.

During the episode, contestants make use of a variety of shipboard locations to further their weight loss goals. They work out in the Lotus Spa gym, the ship's pools and running track, and dine at the vessel's various restaurants, choosing among a variety of healthful meal options.