What's In A Name?

Creativity, if you buy the description in the dictionary, is classed as a mental and social process involving the discovery of new ideas or concepts. 

Notice that word - new.  As in different.  As in distinguishing or original. 

A report on Cruise Critic's Princess board hinted that the new vessel rumored to be in the works for Princess may end up being called Opal Princess.  This is entirely speculative and unconfirmed, but it did get us thinking - when did this trend start requiring cruise lines to name ships after precious stones?

We have Jewel of the Seas, Norwegian Jewel, Pacific Pearl, Norwegian Pearl, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess, Norwegian Jade, and now...Opal Princess. 

Confusing?  The copycat naming scheme doesn't stop at gems and rubies.  Had Norwegian Dream still been with the NCL fleet, Carnival Dream would have complimented her nicely.  The two couldn't be more different physically, but one has to wonder how many people would have come home and said 'we had a great trip on the Dream!' without adding whether it was Norwegian or Carnival.

Other similarities:
Carnival Freedom / Freedom of the Seas
Carnival Liberty / Liberty of the Seas
Pacific Star / Norwegian Star
Pacific Sun / Norwegian Sun
Seabourn Pride / Carnival Pride
Seabourn Spirit / Carnival Spirit / Norwegian Spirit

However, there are some nice, standout names.  Holland America Line has always named their ships after previous ships in the fleet, with the exception of the one-off Eurodam.  The line's upcoming Nieuw Amsterdam will be the fourth vessel in the company's history to bear the name.

Other unique names include Celebrity's fantastically named Celebrity Solstice, Equinox and Eclipse.  MSC also continues their tradition of ships names ending in 'a' with MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia.

Cunard also remains unmistakable - there can be only one RMS Queen Mary 2.

P&O Heads North To Alaska

It turns out that Disney won't be the only line dipping its toes into the Alaska market in 2011 -  Southampton-based P&O Cruises recently announced it intends to send Arcadia to Alaska in 2011 for one 72-night Grand Voyage.

Departing April 12, 2011, Arcadia sails across the Atlantic, visiting the Caribbean before transiting the Panama Canal and proceeding up the Baja coast to San Francisco before journeying to Seattle, Ketchikan, a full day in Juneau, Yakutat Bay, College Fjord, Whittier, Skagway, Sitka, Tracy Arm, Victoria and finally Vancouver. 

Arcadia then sails south to Los Angeles before heading back through the Panama Canal and up the Eastern seaboard, calling at Port Everglades, Port Canaveral, Charleston, two full days in New York, Newport RI, Boston, then across the Atlantic to Ponta Delgada, Spain and on to Southampton.

Prices for the full 72-day voyage start at £6,999 per person.  The voyage is also available in two shorter segments: a 44-night cruise from Southampton to Los Angeles starting at £4,399 per person, and a 45-night cruise from Los Angeles to Southampton starting at £4,599 per person.

While the voyage is unlikely to appeal to North Americans due to the destination and pricing in pounds sterling, for Europeans looking to experience North America and Alaska without having to take a transatlantic flight, the voyage promises to be worth every penny.

For the exact itinerary, visit the P&O Cruises Press Release.

From Tahiti to the Ocean

Cleaning the rudders on the soon-to-be Ocean Princess.

Photo courtesy Princess Cruises

Once again, Princess Cruises is taking us behind the scenes on yet another extensive drydock refit, though this time it has a slightly different twist: readers get to follow along as Tahitian Princess is transformed into Ocean Princess.

From November 19th to December 2nd, viewers will be able to watch the refurbishment process take place as the ship is not only revitalized both inside and out, but rebranded as Ocean Princess.  This includes the removal of the name on the bows and stern of the ship, as well as lifeboats, life rings, and signage throughout the ship. 

Tahitian Princess was so-named because her original itineraries seldom took her outside of, surprise, Tahiti.  However, as the smaller ships of Princess experience more demand in a wide variety of destinations, the decision to re-brand the ship as Ocean Princess to reflect her global itineraries is a timely one. 

Even Princess recognizes how popular their past drydock photo-journals on Golden, Dawn, Sea and Coral Princess have been.  Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises Executive Vice President, said "This latest journal will give cruise fans yet another insiders' peek behind the scenes, with the added interest in seeing the name change."

To follow along, view the Ocean Princess Drydock Photo Journal. 

Concern Over NCL's Future Liquidity

Norwegian Sun

Photo Courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

As Royal Caribbean is preparing to take delivery of the $1.4 billion-dollar Oasis of the Seas, one cruise line is having to face some harsh financial realities about their own newbuild plans.

Genting Hong Kong, stakeholder in half of Norwegian Cruise Line, issued a statement on Monday cautioning investors that there can be no assurance NCL will have sufficient cash flow and financing agreements to fund the company's obligations one year from now.

Genting Hong Kong did point out that it has secured up to $970.5 million in export credit financing for Norwegian Epic, which will allow that vessel to be built as planned, and that it expects to have enough cash on hand to last another year. 

The report also states that, while the expect Norwegian Epic to be completed on time, if any delay was to occur it could impact the company both financially and operationally.  

What the report doesn't say is that while they can afford to build Norwegian Epic, once it launches NCL may be so cash-strapped that the line is forced to either sell off some or all of their ships, which were placed as collateral against their current debt load, or cease operations altogether.

NCL stated in a press release dated November 5, 2009 that it had placed Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Sun up as collateral in order to secure a Revolving Credit  Facility.  This freed up the necessary cash in order for NCL to complete Norwegian Epic and fund itself for the next twelve months.

Does that mean the future for NCL is doomed?  Not necessarily.  If NCL had a nickel for every time it almost went under, it wouldn't be in financial trouble.  But Genting Hong Kong's statement can be seen as a dire warning to potential investors, effectively stating "it's out of our hands."

Who is Genting Hong Kong, by the way?  You might remember them better as Star Cruises, the company that bought controlling interest of NCL back in 2001.  They have changed their name to Genting Hong Kong, effective November 30th. 

To read the Investor Release, go here and scroll down to the November 16, 2009 Corporate Announcement. 

An Oasis-size News Roundup

Oasis of the Seas arrives Fort Lauderdale.

Photo courtesy Royal Caribbean

There seems to be no getting around it: Oasis of the Seas is the dominating story in the cruise world, and show no signs of letting up in advance of its anticipated maiden voyage at the end of the month.  In fact, Royal Caribbean may be intent on pushing the publicity envelope if recent accounts on their Twitter page are any indication: Oasis of the Seas will have seven - yes, seven - godmothers. 

Christening a ship is an enormous undertaking even with one godmother - no information on how Royal Caribbean plans to handle seven was available at this time.  Which begs the question: is Royal Caribbean running the risk of over-hyping Oasis of the Seas?

An interesting event occurred during Royal Caribbean's last quarterly conference call with industry observers and analysts.  One such person questioned Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain about whether RCI felt they were devaluing their older, less appealing ships.  Fain quickly set the gentleman straight, saying the line values all its ships.  At the time, the question seemed a little flippant on the part of the reporter, but with continued press events, it seems the overriding theme being communicated, at least to the media, is this ship is better than anything else we have in our fleet.

Which of course is not the case - Royal Caribbean takes better care of its older ships than many other lines do.  The question remains, though - how does Royal Caribbean, as innovative, forward thinking, and creative as they are, plan to fill a 6,000-plus passenger vessel every single week?

Also in our news roundup: the overshadowed Carnival Dream has set sail from New York for its homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida, and Seabourn Odyssey arrived in Fort Lauderdale this week after her maiden transatlantic crossing from Europe. 

Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam was floated out of the docks at the Fincantieri shipyard just off Venice, Italy.  It will be a direct sister ship to Eurodam, and the fourth vessel to bear that name. 

Also in the news, Silversea's Silver Spirit took to the water for her sea trials last week, which were reportedly a great success. 

That concludes our news roundup for today - hopefully two more weeks won't pass before our next update!

Taking a Holiday

Holiday at Sea.

Photo courtesy Carnival Cruise Line

With all the media attention and anticipation surrounding the imminent arrival in Florida of  Oasis of the Seas, the figurative passing of another cruise ship has gone largely unnoticed: Carnival's Holiday has left the fleet.

This month, Holiday will sail across the Atlantic and into the open arms of Iberocruceros, who will refit and rename her the Grand Holiday.  Holiday's short runs from Mobile, Alabama will be temporarily replaced by Carnival Fantasy before Carnival Elation takes over in 2010. 

Holiday was built for Carnival in 1985 as the first of what would be three sister ships, and paved the way for Carnival's extremely successful Fantasy-class vessels.  The Tropicale, officially Carnival's first newbuild in 1981, was a one-off: she had no sister ships.  Holiday, however, was the first newbuild in a class of ships.  She is also the last of that class to serve in the Carnival fleet.

Why is this a big deal?  It's important to remember when she was built: in 1985, many major cruise lines were still running hand-me-down ocean liners in the twilight of their careers; the idea of purpose-built cruise vessels simply hadn't emerged in a big way yet.  Holland America had built the highly successful Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam the year before, and Sovereign of the Seas, which would launch Royal Caribbean into the megaship race, was but a twinkle in their eye at this time. 

It also shows the degree that cruising has changed, and just how far ship design has come.

We wish Holiday all the best in her new incarnation as Grand Holiday.   

Oasis Lives

Oasis of the Seas departing Turku on October 30, 2009.

Photo courtesy Royal Caribbean International

The biggest newsmaker this week was, without a doubt, the handover of Oasis of the Seas to Royal Caribbean.  Whether she's your cup of tea or not, there's no denying this is a major milestone for nautical engineering, shipbuilding, and even hotel management - with over six thousand guests, Oasis of the Seas is also one of the world's largest hotel management operations.

Oasis of the Seas departed Turku, Finland yesterday with Captain William S. Wright in command.  As of this writing, she is just off the coast of Denmark, and is destined to call in Southampton, England on Monday, November 2nd.  After that, it's across the Atlantic where she will arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on November 11.

Oasis of the Seas will be officially named during a ceremony on November 30th, with her first revenue-maiden voyage occurring on December 5th.  For more information on Oasis of the Seas, including a fantastic video of her first departure as seen from the Bridge, visit the Oasis of the Seas website.

For pricing and itinerary information, visit Royal Caribbean's website. 

What Recession?

Last week, Crystal Cruises announced something guaranteed to make the executives of any company smile: a 70% increase in bookings from September.

Crystal also stated that bookings for 2010 were up well over 100% when compared to 2009 bookings made during the same time last year. 

If you watch your local news, however, you hear reports of how dire the economy is, and how much people are reigning in their spending.  But are they?

Crystal's success can be attributed to a few unique factors - reduced pricing, including two-for-one fares on select 2010 voyages, a price guarantee for all cruises, free airfare for most cruises and for those booking Penthouse staterooms, free Business Class airfare. 

For travelers looking to experience Europe, the savings can be well worth it.  While other mainstream lines may have a lower base fare, Crystal's two-for-one fares and included airfare means a voyage on Crystal can actually be more affordable than a similar mainstream itinerary.

The underlying theme is that travelers still have money to burn for a vacation - they're just looking to get more bang for their buck.

For more information, including itineraries and pricing, visit Crystal Cruises website.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

MSC Poesia.

Photo courtesy MSC Cruises

With fall comes the return to the archetype of cruising: the Caribbean cruise.  With its crystal-blue seas, warm temperatures, and myriad of destinations, the Caribbean is a no-brainer for North Americans and even Europeans looking to escape the winter snow and rain.  Unlike Alaska, cruise lines don't have to convince people to cruise the Caribbean - they already want to.

One cruise line, though, is again going that extra mile this year and trying just a little harder than everyone else.  In fact, this particular line has been trying hard to make significant inroads into the Caribbean market for a few years now - offering up their newest vessels, theme cruises, attractive pricing and unique itineraries in order to sway North American cruisers away from their usual favorites.  We're talking, of course, about MSC Cruises. 

Currently the third largest cruise operator in the world, Naples-based MSC Cruises has embarked on a rapid program of expansion since the introduction of MSC Lirica in 2003.  Since then, MSC has built six stunning new vessels, ranging in size from the 89,600 GRT Musica class ships to the lines award-winning 135,000 GRT Fantasia class vessels.

To put all this in perspective, not even Norwegian Cruise Line, who publicly embarked on a campaign to have the youngest fleet in the industry back in 2001, can match the incredible progress of MSC.

In 2008, MSC sent MSC Orchestra to the Caribbean, marking the first time a Musica-class vessel had deployed to North America.  The ship arrived in Ft. Lauderdale on Jan 2, 2009 to much fanfare and press, and set off on its first  cruise - a 2-day jaunt to the Bahamas and back.

Simply put, the first voyage was an unmitigated disaster.  The ship arrived late, passengers arrived at the terminal as early as 10am only to discover the earliest check-in would begin was 4pm, and to top it all off, the computer systems at the terminal crashed.

Once onboard, passengers found a litany of additional items to complain about: a largely indifferent crew bickering amongst themselves and the passengers, cabins that weren't ready, lack of free water in the dining rooms, and a mandatory lifeboat drill that was pushed back to 8:30am the next morning, requiring passengers to be up before 7:30am.  A few even bemoaned the lack of towel animals and pillow chocolates.  All parties involved wrote it off as a 'nightmare.'

Hindsight, of course, shows us it was just as bad for MSC as it was for their passengers.  What should have been a celebratory occasion turned into total chaos in the span of a few short hours.  While the next Caribbean voyages proceeded without incident, the damage was already done.  Passengers on future voyages bailed out, and despite the positive comments that slowly started trickling in on CruiseCritic, and the personal attention that the line's North American President, Rick Sasso, gave the matter, the Caribbean season didn't exactly end as MSC had hoped.

MSC, however, has picked itself up and dusted itself off, and is ready for another go.  Passenger's main complaints - lack of free water and beverages - will be remedied, with free water available during dinner on all North American voyages.  Dining times will be adjusted to better suit North American cruisers who are more accustomed to eating earlier than their European counterparts.  Food will be adjusted to be just a little 'more American.'  A bevy of soda, wine and beer packages will be offered.  And MSC will start the 2009 Caribbean season off with a new ship: MSC Poesia.

Things MSC did right in 2008: there were no complaints about the ship, which by all accounts is amazing.  Entertainment was likewise a high-point, and by the end of the Caribbean season, reports of stellar service became commonplace.  It's important to remember: the season for the crew started off just as badly as it did for the passengers,with one chief difference: the passengers got to get off.  The crew did not.

So why should a North American cruiser consider MSC?  First and foremost, because the line has addressed the main source of complaints that arose from last year.  Secondly because they offer a superb product that, while different from many North American offerings, still offers a tremendous cruise value.  Last but not least, because they are trying damn hard to make this work - offering rock-bottom prices on some sailings and theme cruises on others to entice passengers.

It is important to remember, this is a European cruise line.  The food you're going to eat here is not what you'd find at The Olive Garden.  Europeans by and large like a huge diversity in their food which can overwhelm passengers not accustomed to this.  Sure, they may not give you towel animals, but is that a deal-breaker?  They're not Carnival, and that should be part of the appeal: they represent another choice, another option for cruisers looking to expand their horizon.

And they're trying to make sure that the 2009 Caribbean season is their best yet.  Not content to rest on their laurels, they are also sending MSC Poesia back across the Atlantic to operate their first ever Canada & New England cruises in September 2010.

Stay tuned!

For more information, visit the MSC Cruises website. 

Unique Itinerary Of The Week - 10/24

Seabourn Spirit.

Photo courtesy of The Yachts of Seabourn

The Yachts of Seabourn provide us with this week's Unique Itinerary.  Not only is it a unique Caribbean voyage, but it sets sail from a unique homeport and comes with a unique price.

Departing December 2, 2009, this seven-day voyage aboard Seabourn Spirit sails roundtrip from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.  The Seabourn Spirit then spends one day at sea, followed by calls at:

Deshaies, Guadeloupe

St. John's, Antigua

Gustavia, St. Barthelemy

Marigot, St. Martin

Prickly Pear Island

Yes, Prickly Pear Island, BVI.  Part of the British Virgin Islands, and just off the Virgin Gorda, Prickly Pear Island is home to - surprise - plenty of prickly pears, a type of cactus.  If weather permits, the ship will stop at Spanish Town to disembark guests going on tour before repositioning off Prickly Pear where the crew puts on a complementary Prickly Pear beach party.  If you think that sounds like a mouthful to say, try typing it. 

It's also important not to confuse this Prickly Pear Island (BVI) with Prickly Pear Island, Antigua - home to twelve inhabitants and an enormous underground cache of used nuclear reactor rods from Royal Navy submarines that have left the island in a highly radioactive state for the next 1,200 years or thereabouts.  Not the sort of place you want to go on a cruise, at least not without a lead bib and a good Geiger counter.

Like Prickly Pear Island BVI, the other ports of call are all off the beaten path from the typical Caribbean cruise: you're not going to find Cozumel or Grand Cayman on this itinerary, and that's how Seabourn's guests like it. 

The best part about this itinerary is arguably its price: starting at $1,999, this voyage is an excellent chance for those looking to experience The Yachts of Seabourn to do so without breaking the bank.  Seabourn has long distinguished itself as one of the finest ultra-luxury lines afloat, and the chance to hop onboard for as little as two grand is almost unheard of.

For more information on this exciting itinerary, visit The Yachts of Seabourn.

 

Reuniting Down Under

Pacific Dawn.

Photo courtesy of P&O Cruises

When a cruise line decides the time has come to jettison their older vessels, they usually end up scattered all over the globe, pressed into service for lines looking to expand in emerging markets.  P&O Cruises Australia is the lucky recipient of one such ship next month, though the event will actually reunite two former sister ships instead of separate them.

They are the former Crown Princess and Regal Princess - reunited again as Pacific Jewel and Pacific Dawn.

Originally ordered by Sitmar Cruises, the still under-construction vessels were transferred to Princess Cruises when P&O acquired Sitmar in 1988, which named them Crown Princess and Regal Princess.

With exteriors designed by Renzo Piano, they became distinct at an early age, and easily recognizable owing to their dolphin-like dome situated on top of the navigation bridge.  Internally, they were not much different from their distant sister ship - Sitmar Fairmajesty, later Star Princess - but outside, they were unrecognizable.

During their time with Princess, the two sister ships would quickly earn the reputation of being the most photographed cruise ships in the world during the early part of the 1990's, thanks in large part to their unique exterior designs.  Many postcards, advertisements, and generic travel photography still features them to this day.

However, with the introduction of the Grand Princess in 1998 and the subsequent order two additional Grand-class vessels, the Crown Princess and Regal Princess began to look dated.  In 2002, Princess transferred Crown Princess to A'Rosa Cruises and began sailing as A'Rosa Blu.  In 2004, she was transferred again, this time to AIDA Cruises, which named her AIDAblu.  In 2007, she was passed along to Ocean Village, which called her Ocean Village Two.

Regal Princess, meanwhile, fared better.  She remained with Princess Cruises until 2007 before being transfered to P&O Australia where she debuted with much fanfare as Pacific Dawn.  Branded as Australia's first superliner, she quickly became a hit down under.

Last October, Carnival Corporation & plc made the announcement that it intended to close their Ocean Village brand and transfer the remaining ships over to P&O Cruises Australia.  These included Ocean Village, formerly Star Princess and Sitmar Fairmajesty, as well as Ocean Village Two - the former Crown Princess.

After seven years apart, the distinctive sister ships will once again be reunited to sail under one cruise line.  Ocean Village Two will be renovated and renamed Pacific Jewel, and will be home ported in Sydney.

For more information about the ships, their itineraries, and fares, visit P&O Cruises Australia.   

Unique Itinerary Of The Week - 10/18

18-Night Southeast Asia Cruise on Azamara Quest

Illustration courtesy Azamara Cruises

Asia has become a cruise destination that continues to emerge slowly.  Cruise lines like Costa and Royal Caribbean have cautiously deployed a few ships there, in order to test the local market.  At first, there were teething problems catering to the mainly Asian client base, and the lines were caught off guard by one factor in particular: the number of North Americans willing to take a ten-to-fourteen hour flight in order to experience Asia on a cruise.  Starting this December, Azamara Cruises plans to tap into some of that willingness.

From December 9, 2009 to March 6, 2010 (and again from December 2010 to March 2011), Azamara Quest will offer a variety of 12, 14, and 18-night voyages calling at a number of popular Asian destinations, as well as some obscure ones - the December 21, 2010 voyage, for example, calls at Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

This week's Unique Itinerary of the Week is the December 22, 2009 18-Night Southeast Asia Cruise aboard Azamara Quest.

Starting with an overnight in Singapore on December 22nd and December 23, the  Quest then sets sail for a three-night call in Bangkok, Thailand.  After that, it's on to an overnight in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, another overnight in Hue (Danang), Vietnam, a call in Canton (Guangzhou), China, and finally ending in an overnight in Hong Kong.

What makes this cruise so special is the amount of overnight calls in port.  These give passengers the chance to experience multiple sights and excursions that a single-day port call simply could not offer.  In addition, the voyages five sea days are interspersed to allow rest between ports.

Perhaps the best feature about this exotic holiday cruise is its price point: cabins start at just $2,539 CAD - exceptional for an 18-day cruise.

For more information, visit the Azamara Cruises Website.

Another Look Behind the Scenes

Coral Princess in drydock at Freeport, Bahamas.

Photo courtesy Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is once again pulling back the proverbial curtain to allow us to see what goes on during a drydock.  The lucky recipient this time?  Coral Princess.

Built in 2002, the 92,000-ton Coral Princess is the next in line to receive a massive refurbishment intended to bring the most popular features introduced on the Caribbean and Crown Princess to the rest of the fleet.  The best part is, you can watch the whole thing happen via their Coral Princess Drydock Photo Journal.

Enhancements include the addition of The Sanctuary, an adults-only retreat featuring padded loungers and dedicated Serenity Stewards serving refreshing beverages and light snacks.  Coral Princess will also receive Movies Under the Stars, Princess's signature outdoor moviegoing experience first introduced on Caribbean Princess.  Not only has Princess been quick to retrofit their fleet to provide this popular feature, but other lines, including Carnival, Disney, and MSC have followed suit, installing giant LED screens on the pool decks of some of their ships.

Other changes will be less noticeable:  Coral Princess is due to get new upholstery and carpeting, plus a brand-new silicone anti-fouling paint below the water line that helps reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. 

Once drydock is complete, Coral Princess will resume her winter Panama Canal sailing schedule before heading north to Alaska next spring.

To follow along with the drydock of Coral Princess in Freeport, Bahamas, view the photo blog, or check out Princess's Facebook Page, Twitter feed, and Flickr photostream.

For more information on Coral Princess's itineraries and pricing, visit the Princess Cruises website. 

Epic Appointments

Norwegian Epic.

Illustration courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

At From The Deck Chair, we usually try to showcase news and interesting facts from a wide variety of cruise lines.  Norwegian Cruise Line, however, is making that increasingly difficult: it seems as if in the past few months, there's been a slew of NCL-related information, and with good reason: the company is ramping up for the launch of Norwegian Epic, due to be delivered to the line in June, 2010.

Yesterday, Norwegian Epic passed another milestone with the appointment of her Captains and Hotel Directors.

Captain Trygve Vorren, a familiar face to those who have sailed NCL frequently, will have the honor of being Epic's first master.  Hailing from Norway, Captain Vorren has been with Norwegian Cruise Line since 1980, when he joined as First Officer on the SS Norway.   His relief will be Captain Hakan Svedung, who has spent thirty-five years at sea, including three with NCL and a further twelve with Star Cruises. 

In the position of Hotel Director will be Klaus Lugmaier, with Sean Wurmhoeinger as his relief.  Lugmaier had the distinction of, at age 26, becoming one of the industry's youngest Hotel Directors - a demanding position at any age.  Relief Wurmhoeinger has been with NCL since 2002, and has served on almost the entire fleet during that time.

It would seem that Norwegian's largest ship is in good hands. 

For more information on Norwegian Epic and her itineraries, visit NCL's website.   

The Non-Travel Travelogue

Independence and Grandeur of the Seas at Cozumel, Mexico.

Photo copyright 2009 Aaron Saunders

Preparing myself for a 90-minute ferry ride from Vancouver to Victoria this past weekend required some good cruise-related literature.  What better, of course, than a major national paper advertising a special eight-page long section devoted entirely to cruising?

Of course, there's a reason I'm not naming the paper - the articles, indeed the entire section, were embarrasing - the sort of thing a first-year journalism student might write.  I read halfway through an entire page-length article before I discovered the name of the ship the writer was traveling on.  The rest of the article was filled with the standard, cutesy facts about Juneau, or how Ketchikan's Creek Street has that 'fishy' smell you only find in Alaska.  The companion article to this was one that semi-bashed the idea of a cruise vacation entirely.

Which got me thinking: what is it about printed travelogues that just doesn't work for cruises?  I have yet to read one printed travelogue that adequately captures the absolute magic of being onboard a magnificent cruise ship - the ocean passing underneath the hull, the gentle sway of the decks, the joy of just being onboard.  Heck, most of them don't even tell you which night is lobster night.  Worse, the writers either got paid for the article or had their cruise comp'd - or maybe both - a dream for the avid cruiser. 

That's not to say that all cruise-related reporting is bad.  Look at the tremendous works of John Maxtone-Graham if you're after a slice of cruising both past and modern.  Read the well-written, lovingly prepared and photographed blogs of Peter Knego, who has made a career for himself of photographing and documenting some of the last classic ocean liners still sailing the seas before their inevitable - and sad - end on the beaches of Alang, India, where they are dismantled piece by piece and sold for scrap. 

Love or hate Carnival, there's no denying the daily blogging delights from Carnival Senior Cruise Director John Heald not only make the reader want to cruise, but to also learn about the inner workings of those mini cities at sea that we all love.  And ShipParade's Bart de Boer keeps us up to date with photo-tours of some of the newest cruise ships.

So while a lot of print information about cruising still tends to be bland and watered down, the online resources available for the avid cruiser continues to grow and expand at an impressive rate. 

We couldn't be happier.

A Little Break

In recognition of Thanksgiving here in Canada (and because there's the distinct possibility I will be too sluggish after loading up on turkey, pumpkin pie and the like), From the Deck Chair will take a little break but will be back with more news and interesting facts, and a fresh Unique Itinerary of the Week on Tuesday, October 13th.

A Nieuw Look at a New Ship

Nieuw Amsterdam's Ocean Bar

Photo-illustration courtesy Holland America Line

When Holland America Line launched the Eurodam in 2008, they knew she'd have a sister.  Last year, they named that sister Nieuw Amsterdam.  Yesterday, we got our first glimpse of what she'll look like inside when Holland America posted new renderings on their blog.

Building on the success of the Eurodam, and the Vista class ships like Noordam and Oosterdam that came before her, Nieuw Amsterdam is poised to carry on the Holland America Signature of Excellence for a new generation when she sets sail in the summer of 2010. 

Nieuw Amsterdam will be officially named in Amsterdam on July 4, 2010.  For a look at more renderings, visit Holland America's blog.

For information on the inaugural season of the Nieuw Amsterdam, visit Holland America's website. 

Unexpected Caribbean

Illustration courtesy Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Sometimes things work out in ways you didn't initially anticipate.  This is very much the situation Regent Seven Seas found themselves in when arranging their winter lineup for Seven Seas Navigator. 

The final ship to undergo Regent's extensive (and highly successful) refurbishment program, Seven Seas Navigator will sport new dining options, refreshed public areas with brand new color schemes and furnishings, as well as updated staterooms when she emerges from refit on December 28, 2009.  The work will be completed in less time than first thought, allowing Regent to add two brand-new Caribbean itineraries on this excellent ship.

The first, a 10-day Eastern Caribbean voyage departing January 13, 2010 from Ft. Lauderdale, will call at Princess Cays, San Juan, Saint Maarten, St. Barts, Virgin Gorda, Cayo Leventado, and Grand Turk.

The second, a 10-day Western Caribbean voyage (pictured above) departing January 23, 2010 from Ft. Lauderdale, swings around to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, Santo Tomas, Roatan, Costa Maya, and beautiful Key West before arriving back in Ft. Lauderdale. 

Prices for the Western Caribbean itinerary start at $3,965; the Eastern Caribbean at $4,465.  Considering every stateroom onboard Seven Seas Navigator is a suite - and a newly refurbished one at that, plus the fact that all gratuities and most alcoholic beverages are included onboard Regent, we think that's one heck of a deal.

For more information, visit Regent's website.

They're Practically Giving It Away

Onboard Norwegian Pearl

Photo ©2009 Aaron Saunders

We seem to be talking a lot lately about Norwegian Cruise Line.  First we told you about the departure of the Norwegian Majesty, then one day later we talked about NCL's unique South America itineraries aboard Norwegian Sun.  Now, NCL is giving us yet another reason to talk about them: their Deals of the Decade promotion.

Designed to celebrate a decade of innovation (and increase bookings, no doubt), the Deals of the Decade sale is a little different from other sales in that it covers a wide variety of destinations and departure dates.  If you can pack up your bags and go in the next two or three weeks, you can practically get onboard for next to nothing - indeed, some Caribbean and Bahamas sailings are going for less than a nights stay at a nice hotel.

For more information on this sale, and to get in on the action yourself, visit NCL's Deals of the Decade page - they have last minute sales on the front page, but don't forget to play with their booking engine to search for other dates and destinations. 

A Journey of a Lifetime

Penguins in Antarctica.

Photo courtesy Hurtigruten

One of the most remote, unique cruise destinations on the planet is without a doubt Antarctica.  And after 2011, it will be one of the most difficult destinations to cruise to.

Antarctica has no permanent population.  It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent - in fact, it's so dry that it is actually considered a desert.  Like its northern counterpart, it has been the subject of numerous expeditions - from Captain James Cook's arrival in 1773 to James Clark Ross in 1841 - with the Ross expedition commanding HMS Erebus and Terror, which five years later would be beset by ice in the Arctic under command of the ill-fated Sir John Franklin.

Norwegian Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911, managing to beat the ill-fated expedition led by Robert Scott by a mere month. 

Ernest Shackleton led three expeditions in 1901, 1907, and 1914 - the latter having claimed their ship, Endurance and resulted in the party barely escaping with their lives.  Indeed, Shackleton is perhaps better known today as a result of this harrowing journey to Elephant Island.

The seductive pull of Antarctica has not subsided for many modern-day travelers.  Many cruise lines sail a handful of voyages between January and March, and expedition vessels dedicate even more time to visiting this snowy continent.  So what do you choose - Expedition ship or cruise ship?  Depending on your preference, you might pick one over the other.

Here's our guide:

Mega-Ships:  Celebrity, Holland America,and Princess all have ships sailing to Antarctica in the winter of 2010 and 2011.  While you'll travel in supreme comfort, these ships carry too many passengers to make shore landings - you will visit Antarctica, but it will be scenic cruising only.

After 2011, mega-ship cruising to Antarctica is up in the air.  Strict environmental restrictions may result in cruise lines having to pull out of the region permanently.  If you want to take a megaship to this amazing place, GO NOW.

Mid-size ships:  Hurtigruten offers voyages to Antarctica aboard its purpose-built MV Fram.  Built in 2007, the Fram carries less than a full passenger compliment, allowing for shore landings.

Also in this category, but traveling in supreme luxury, is Silversea's small expedition vessel Prince Albert II.  Carrying only 132 passengers, Prince Albert II is able to ferry passengers ashore in zodiacs when weather permits.

Expedition ships:  There are many lines that offer expedition voyages to Antarctica, but perhaps the most extensive and well known are the ships of Quark Expeditions.    Founded in 1991, Quark offers the widest variety of polar itineraries of any adventure company, and the largest number of departures to Antarctica.  Shore landings are possible when weather permits, and their Icebreaker-class ships even boast onboard helicopters.  Their flagship icebreaker, 50 Years of Victory, is even nuclear-powered.

For more information on each lines Antarctic offerings, visit their websites:

Quark Expeditions

Silversea

Hurtigruten

Princess Cruises

Holland America Line

Celebrity Cruises 

Last Song for Black Prince

Black Prince.

Photo courtesy Fred.Olsen

Today's update is a chance to let someone else do the talking.  Peter Knego has a fantastic blog on his Sea Treks page that chronicles the last voyage of Fred. Olsen's Black Prince.  The venerable (and unusual) ship is being withdrawn from service due to SOLAS 2010 regulations, though she has reportedly been sold to Venezuelan-based SAVECA for potential use as a floating hotel.

Read Peter's fascinating blog here.

Also check out Bart de Boer's fantastic ShipParade website for a great shot of Black Prince in the Photo of the Week section.

For information on Fred.Olsen, visit their website.

Unique Itinerary of the Week - 10/3

Illustration courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

Always in search of the unique and different, this weeks Unique Itinerary comes to us from Norwegian Cruise Line.

Departing from Buenos Aires, this 14-night cruise aboard the Norwegian Sun travels around the horn of South America, calling at Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Chacabuco, Puerto Montt, and finally arriving in Valparaiso, the port for Santiago, Chile.

The ship also spends time cruising the scenic Beagle Channel, home to Argentina's glaciers, as well as time spent cruising the Chilean Fjords and the Strait of Magellan. 

While the embarkation and disembarkation ports of Buenos Aires and Santiago may seem to be a long distance from North America, they are in fact connected by daily, sometimes nonstop flights from cities like Toronto, Houston, New York and Miami.  In fact, a standard flight to South America may involve less connections than a transcontinental flight across the United States!

Perhaps the best thing about this unique itinerary may be its price: fares start at just $999 USD.

For more information including pricing and itinerary details, visit NCL's website.  The Norwegian Sun sails this itinerary from November 2009 to March 2010. 

Majesty, Meet Majesty

The Norwegian Majesty.

Photo courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

Saying goodbye is always difficult.  On October 31st, Norwegian Cruise Line prepares to say goodbye to one of the last remnants of the old NCL - the Norwegian Majesty.

Built in 1992 as the Royal Majesty for Majesty Cruise Line, the ship became part of the NCL fleet in 1997.  In 1999, fresh off the success of lengthening the Norwegian Wind and Norwegian Dream by way of cutting the ships in half and inserting a new, prefabricated midsection, the decision was made to also lengthen the Norwegian Majesty.  A new 110-foot midsection was inserted at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.  Things looked good for the midsize cruise ship.

In 1999, however, NCL launched the Norwegian Sky - their first newbuild in over six years , and the first ship at sea to offer features like an Internet Cafe.  NCL re-branded itself in 2001, launching an open dining and relaxed dress code concept called Freestyle Cruising.  The dual launch of the Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star in late 2001 firmly ushered in this concept with ships purpose-built with multiple dining options - options the Norwegian Majesty noticeably lacked.

The Majesty outlasted the Norwegian Wind and Dream, built in 1992 and 1993 - both of which were larger and offered more amenities.  The Norwegian Wind was transferred to Star Cruises to become SuperStar Aquarius sailing out of Hong Kong.  The Norwegian Dream has languished at anchor off of Piraeus, Greece since being removed from service in October 2008 - awaiting a buyer to put her back into service.

The Norwegian Majesty was sold in 2008 to Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines, which plans to rename her Louis Majesty and deploy her on a series of Mediterranean cruises from Italy starting in December.

Why is this a good thing?  The Norwegian Majesty has served NCL well, but the last few years with the line have seen it stagnate: the ship has not received either the much-applauded Freestyle 2.0 enhancements or the colorful hull artwork that so distinguishes the ships of NCL.  With Louis Cruise Line, the ship will hopefully find a new legion of fans and carry many more passengers thousands of nautical miles around the warm shores of Italy, Greece and France.

For more information on the soon-to-be Louis Majesty, visit the Louis Cruise Line webpage. 

It's Never Winter In The Nation Of Why Not

It's October, and for most of us, that means it's getting colder.  Maybe you've had to dig out the umbrella recently, or prep the snow gear for another season or maybe you just saw them setting up the Chrismas trees at Costco.  In September.  Either way, Royal Caribbean noticed it was getting colder too - and they're here to help.

Starting on October 6th and continuing until October 7th (that's next Tuesday and Wednesday, people), Royal Caribbean is offering 50% Reduced Deposits and Onboard Credits of up to $200 depending on stateroom category.

The sale is valid for any cruise or cruisetour departing on or after December 1, 2009 - but excluding Oasis of the Seas sailings between January 1 and March 31, 2010.  In order for the reduced deposit and onboard credit to be valid, you must book and make the deposit on October 6th or 7th - courtesy holds will not count.

The offer is also only valid on new bookings only, so if you have an existing Royal Caribbean sailing booked, do not cancel and re-book!

If you're thinking of planning a winter getaway, this is a fantastic time to do so.  Visit Royal Caribbean's site for more details and information.

It's Delicious, Too

We had Chinese this evening.  My fortune cookie said - I kid you not -  "ships and water are in your future."

Smart cookie.

Discover the Arctic - The German Way

Illustration courtesy Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Many North Americans may not be aware of Hamburg-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and that's a shame.  Their five-star vessels have been taking hundreds of happy European passengers on exotic, interesting voyages for years now.  Their ships are the only vessels in the world to consistently be awarded five stars or better in the annual Berlitz Guide to Cruise Ships. 

While Hapag-Lloyd caters mainly to German passengers, they also offer a wide list of bilingual cruises geared towards English-speaking travelers as well.  One of those voyages is so unique that Hapag -Lloyd is the only cruise line in the world to offer it.

Departing August 16, 2010 from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, the MS Hanseatic spends the next 26 days traversing the fabled Northwest Passage, ending in Nome, Alaska. 

In 1845, Sir John Franklin attempted the very same thing, with disastrous consequences.  Beset by pack ice and poisoned on a daily basis by putrid and improperly canned foods, much of the crew - minus Franklin himself, who succumbed in June 1847 - managed to survive until the spring of 1848, when they deserted their ships Erebus and Terror and set off for Back River, where they had hoped to raft down until they could reach civilization.  None would make it.

In 2010, however, the 183 lucky guests of the MS Hanseatic will experience a far different, more luxurious journey.  Purpose-built for icebound journeys, the MS Hanseatic offers all the conveniences of a luxury cruise ship, including exceptional service, excellent cuisine and extensive enrichment programs.

Even 165 years after the Franklin expedition set out, the journey will be somewhat similar - the itinerary is heavily subject to change due to the unpredictable nature of ice in the Arctic, and ultimate port decisions rest with the Captain.  One port of interest to history buffs, though, will surely be Beechy Island, were three Franklin expedition crew members were buried in the winter of 1845-46.  Their grave markers still stand on the gravelly shore to this day.

Pricing for this incredibly unique voyage starts at 16,990 Euros per person.  For more information, including full itinerary and pricing as well as MS Hanseatic deck plans, visit Hapag-Lloyd's website. 

Through the Looking Glass

The EOSEAS concept cruise ship. 

Photo-illustration courtesy STX Europe

A few days ago, we told you about the soon-to-be largest ship in the world, Oasis of the Seas.  But STX Europe, the shipyard that built her, has some equally fascinating plans of their own.

Not simply content to build amazing ships for other clients, the team at STX Europe Saint Nazaire spent years researching and developing an eco-friendly concept cruise ship of the future.   Her name?  EOSEAS.

Designed to leave the smallest possible eco-footprint, EOSEAS harnesses both new - and not so new - technologies.  Propulsion is provided by generators and engines that utilize natural gas instead of traditional marine bunker fuel - a type of unrefined sludge that is left over from the gasoline refinement process.  In addition to this, EOSEAS boasts five masts with sails that can harness the wind with their available 12,440 square meters of surface area.

Solar panels assist in providing electrical power for the ship, and also act as a kind of double skin, helping to keep cool air in the ship and hot air outside.  Waste treatment and water recycling programs, already standard on many modern cruise ships, are used to great effect in the EOSEAS prototype. 

Perhaps the most innovative aspect, aside from the re-introduction of sail power after almost a 100-year gap in commercial use, is the hull of the ship itself: EOSEAS is designed around a catamaran-like hull that not only offers greater stability and efficiency, but opens the doors for entirely new passenger experiences - a lounge literally suspended over the sea, for instance.

If built, the EOSEAS would be 1000 feet long, with a width of 196 feet.  This would make her not the longest, but most definitely the widest, cruise ship afloat.  She would carry 3,311 passengers and 1,089 crew for a total compliment of 4,400 souls on board.

Will EOSEAS see the light of day?  Given the current economic situation and the threat of ever-increasing fuel costs, not to mention increased environmental regulations in destinations like Alaska, it's no stretch to imagine that many aspects of EOSEAS will be implemented in newbuilds in years to come.

For more information, visit the EOSEAS page on STX Europe's site.

Unique Itinerary of the Week - 9/27

Illustration courtesy MSC Cruises

It's fall, and that means the Caribbean cruise season is about to get into full swing as ships reposition from Alaska and Europe to call instead in the land of warm, sandy beaches.  Returning once again to the Caribbean from Europe is MSC Cruises, which this year is basing their MSC Poesia out of Fort Lauderdale for a series of Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

MSC, a major player in the Mediterranean cruise market, has had a bit of a bumpy ride in their past forays into the winter Caribbean market.  Predominantly American passengers have been turned off by some of MSC's cultural differences - having to pay for a bottle of water after dinner, for instance - and MSC has responded by trying to 'Americanize', as best they can, their North American itineraries.  They're listening.  And they're fine-tuning.  And each year is better than the last.

If you want to experience a unique, European cruise line with truly stunning ships, a close-to-home MSC cruise just might be what the doctor ordered.  Make no mistake about it - this is not the "Olive Garden" - these are real Italian cruise ships.  If you've been to Italy, you're probably already on your way to MSC's website.  If not, prepare yourself for a cruise experience that is different - but just as enjoyable - as the North American lines you are used to.

In keeping with MSC's uniqueness, they offer a truly unique Western Caribbean itinerary - Island Treasures and Ancient Temples.

Departing January 16, 2010, the MSC Poesia sails from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West; Playa Del Carmen, Mexico; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; At Sea; and Nassau, Bahamas before returning to Ft. Lauderdale. 

What's unique about this itinerary?  For starters, the ship bypasses the overrun destination of Cozumel, Mexico altogether - opting instead to anchor off Playa Del Carmen, just across the strait.  Passengers interested in seeing Mayan ruins like Tulum would have to cross via ferry from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen anyway, so MSC's decision to anchor their ship right there saves those passengers about three total hours of travel time.  Playa Del Carmen is also closer to Cancun, which many tourists flock to for a day of shopping and sandy beaches.

Also unique?  Key West.  Popular on many four-and-five day cruises, Key West is noticeably absent from most seven-night cruises - which is too bad, because the city is absolutely beautiful, and of course, the Key Lime pie is not to be missed.

The final unique feature?  Nassau.  Most seven-day Western Caribbean cruises seldom go farther east than Jamaica.  If you've been to Nassau before, this may or may not be a draw for you, but for those who haven't, this unique itinerary allows you to see a remarkable amount of the Caribbean in only a week.

For more information and pricing, visit the MSC Cruises website. 

The Largest Ship In The World

Oasis of the Seas on her sea trials.

Photo courtesy Royal Caribbean

In 45 days, the largest cruise ship ever built will sail into its new homeport of Ft. Lauderdale for the first time, and whether a ship that size is your cup of tea or not, Royal Caribbean undeniably has a major industry event on their hands.

Oasis of the Seas is the latest incarnation of a long history of innovation for Royal Caribbean.  Sovereign of the Seas made waves (no pun intended) in January 1988 as the largest cruise ship ever built at 73,192 GRT - a title that was later claimed by Voyager of the Seas in 1999, Explorer of the Seas in 2000, Navigator of the Seas in 2002, Freedom of the Seas in 2006, and Independence of the Seas in 2008. 

Oasis of the Seas plans to claim that title by a large margin.  The specs are impressive:

Tonnage: 225,000 GRT
Length: 1,181 feet
Beam: 154 feet
Height: 213 feet (above water line)
Draft: 30 feet
Decks: 18 Passenger
Speed: 20.2 knots cruising / 23.8 knots max.
Propulsion: 3 azimuthing electric propulsion pods
Capacity: 5,400 Pax (double occupancy); 7,300 pax (all berths)

To put this in perspective: the ship is longer and wider than the RMS Queen Mary 2, but not taller.  At 148,528 GRT, the QM2 has a deeper draft (33 feet) and greater speed (29.62 knots), and is propelled by 4 azipods.  The ship only hold 2,620 passengers and 1,253 officers and crew.

The major jaw-dropper with Oasis of the Seas is undeniably her capacity: with all third and fourth berths full, the ship holds a whopping 7,300 passengers.  To put that in perspective, that's the entire passenger compliment of the QM2 almost three times over.  And that doesn't include officers or crew.  Remember The Love Boat?  The original Pacific Princess could fit her entire passenger compliment inside Oasis of the Seas eleven and a half times over!

Don't let that get you down though - this is, after all, Royal Caribbean.  They didn't just wake up one morning and say "let's build us a superliner!"  Oasis represents a twenty-year evolution in building bigger and better ships that are executed beautifully.  Careful thought has been given to passenger movement and flow, and activities and public rooms are spread out over a greater number of decks in an effort to reduce crowding.

Speaking of activities and public rooms, picture this: a zip line.  A carousel.  A poolside theatre.  A bar that is also an elevator.   Tying it all together?  An outdoor promenade 'neighborhood.'  Other notable features include four pools and ten whirlpools, dual 'flowriders' that allow you to surf while onboard, two rock climbing walls, a min-golf course, and an adults-ony solarium. 

Staterooms range from standard interior staterooms to dual-level suites, and represent all budgets and tastes. 

Built at a whopping cost of $1.2 billion USD, the Oasis of the Seas represents a number of firsts for the cruise industry and indeed in terms of ship design itself.  Her future sister, Allure of the Seas, is already under construction at the STX shipyards in Turku, Finland. 

There are plenty of exciting newbuilds coming in the next yea, but arguably none will be watched closer by passengers and industry insiders alike than the launch of Oasis of the Seas this December.  Royal Caribbean is on-stage for what could be the greatest magic show in cruising history - now they just have to get the rabbit out of the hat.

Oasis of the Seas will begin a variety of Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises starting this December.  For more information about the ship, her itineraries and innovations, visit the official Oasis of the Seas Website. 

The Oceania Difference

Photo Courtesy Oceania Cruises

Once upon a time, there was Renaissance Cruises.  With a fleet of eight identical sister ships all built between 1998 and 2001 operating popular European and South Pacific itineraries, things looked rosy for Renaissance and its CEO, Frank Del Rio.

Then 9/11 happened.  Demand for travel, particularly international travel, bottomed out.  Renaissance, which had built its business model on selling cruises directly to the customer with no travel agent involvement, suffered heavily.  It ceased operations on September 25, 2001 and its beautiful fleet of ships sold at auction.

But Frank Del Rio was undeterred.  Together with industry vet Joe Watters, they immediately set out to launch a new cruise line and began by chartering back  the former Renaissance R Two from Cruiseinvest, renaming her Insignia.  Oceania Cruises was officially born.

Since then, Oceania has re-acquired a total of three of the former R-class vessels, naming them Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica.  In 2007, the line was acquired by New York based Apollo Management, which has since also bought Regent Seven Seas cruises, and gained controlling interest in NCL.

Shortly after, Oceania announced ambitious plans for a new class of ship to be built at Fincantieri Shipyards near Venice, Italy.  Carrying 1,260 passengers apiece, the twin 66,000 GRT ships are due to launch in September 2010 and July 2011.  The first vessel will be known as Marina.

Marketed as an upper-premium cruise line, Oceania specializes in providing travelers with a refined and casually elegant travel experience.  The onboard experience revolves around outstanding service, first-class culinary delights, and onboard enrichment programs.  In fact, as much emphasis is placed on the unique destinations Oceania sails to as the ships themselves. 

For more information on Oceania, including itineraries and virtual ship tours, visit the Oceania Cruises website.



 

The World Is Cunard's Oyster

Photo courtesy Cunard Line

Cunard has quietly added itineraries for their 2011 World Cruises on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth to their website.  Itineraries for Queen Victoria through March 2011 have been online on Cunard's site for some time now.  Recently released voyages include:

QM2:
Jan 3, 2011 - 10 Night Caribbean Calypso - roundtrip New York
Jan 13, 2011 - 103 Night World Voyage - New York to New York

Queen Elizabeth:
Jan 5, 2011 - 103 Night World Voyage - Southampton to Southampton

It should be noted with excitement that Queen Elizabeth will be performing a tandem transatlantic crossing with sister ship Queen Victoria, both departing Southampton on January 5, 2011 and arriving in New York together.  This will be the first time in decades that two near-identical sister ships have crossed the Atlantic at the same time for Cunard.  This will make these rare winter crossings a truly special experience for all who sail onboard both vessels.

Ports are too numerous on the World Voyages to list in detail here.  For more information, including pricing and booking information, visit the Cunard webpage. 

Cruise Lines vs. Alaska

The 2009 cruise ship season in Vancouver is almost at a close.  The Star Princess, Coral Princess, and Norwegian Pearl are all here today.  All are headed south to the sunshine, sandy beaches, and waving palm trees.

Some are not to return.

Disney announced to great fanfare two weeks ago they would be homeporting Disney Wonder in Vancouver for a series of roundtrip Alaska cruises in the summer of 2011.  But for 2010, the Port of Vancouver faces its bleakest cruise season in years.

Bleak is, of course, a relative term.  Holland America, Princess, and Celebrity are all returning.  Even five-star, ultra-luxe lines Silversea and Regent Seven Seas will be back.

The list of who will not be returning, however, is growing.  NCL, pulling all ships out for the first time since they entered the Alaska market nearly two decades ago.  Norwegian Sun has been sent to the Baltics, and Norwegian Pearl and Star will continue to operate out of Seattle.

Carnival is also pulling out of Vancouver for the first time since the line started Alaska cruises.  The 85,920-ton Carnival Spirit will reposition to Seattle for 2010, offering roundtrip Alaska cruises instead of the North/Southbound runs they've focused on for the last few years.

Royal Caribbean is almost out - Serenade of the Seas, which until now operated 7-Day roundtrips from Vancouver, will be sent full-time to the aqua waters of the Caribbean.  Radiance of the Seas will continue her North/Southbound runs, and Rhapsody will reprise her roundtrip sailings from Vancouver.

Blame for the withdrawal is being placed squarely on the Alaska State Head Tax, a $50 per-passenger surcharge approved by the State of Alaska in 2006.  The issue has become such a hot-button item that he Alaska Cruise Association, representing Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean launched a lawsuite against the State of Alaska, calling the tax "unconstitutional."  The tax collected so far has been used for a variety of infrastructure projects - none of them related, in any way, to improving dock or passenger facilities in Alaskan ports.

Caught in the middle: Vancouver.  The higher cost for American tourists who fly into YVR has been hotly debated on sites like CruiseCritic for years now.  The highly-publicized taxi cab shortage at Canada Place in the past hasn't helped either.

Couple this with the worst recession in decades, and it becomes more clear why lines are pulling out.  The American tourists want somewhere they can fly to cheaply, and the cruise lines listened.  They are, after all, a highly mobile industry; why stay if it doesn't make financial sense?

The Disney announcement served as a bit of a silver lining - a glimmer of hope that 2011 might not see the losses that 2010 has. 

That ultimately rests with the success or failure of the Alaska Passenger Tax.  We'll keep you posted.