Dispatch, Carnival Freedom: Winging it in Curacao

By Tom Stieghorst

With 1,600 cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas each year, Carnival Cruise Lines is trying to mix up the lengths and destinations on its itineraries to give loyal guests something new to try. Cruise editor Tom Stieghorst recently sampled one of the more unusual itineraries, an eight-day cruise out of Fort Lauderdale on Carnival Freedom with two port calls, Aruba and Curacao, deep in the southern Caribbean. His first dispatch follows.

CURACAO — By the time we got to Curacao on the fifth day of our cruise, my 15-year-old daughter had made friends aboard, including a boy who persuaded my daughter that organized shore excursions were a waste of money, and that the way to go was to debark, explore and meet the locals on their own ground.

We decided to give it a try.

The first half hour was spent walking into Willemstad, across the pontoon bridge into the old Dutch downtown. It felt pretty touristy, full of clothing stores and watch purveyors. We stopped to buy a batido, a tropical fruit smoothie, from a street cart vendor and talked with her for a while.

We had arrived in Curacao at 1 p.m. and, less than a week after the summer solstice, the glare and heat were relentless. Carnival Cruise Lines is trying to offer some new itineraries, and the late arrival meant we would spend until 11 p.m. docked in the city, with an evening to spend ashore.

But the afternoon stretched ahead. We were on our own and none too sure of what to do next. We pushed on, walking out of the downtown into a new district that turned out to be rather fascinating.

The Pietermaai area of Willemstad is on the rebound from what was a low point in its history. It is full of old Dutch residences and small commercial buildings. Some of the mansions along the shore were obviously showcases in their day. Today, many of them are in shambles.
Among the ruins, however, are restored buildings housing a fine dining restaurant or a chic boutique. In contrast to the bleached concrete and faded red roof tile of the abandoned buildings, some of the restored ones sported deep blue or bright red paint jobs. 

We scouted several attractive restaurants as potential dinner venues. But we had walked for a good hour in the heat and we were a mile or more from the ship. It was time to think about getting back. 

Just then, a jitney pulled up to us. We were obviously tourists in need of transportation to Mambo Beach. We asked the fare and it was $2 each. We didn’t know where Mambo Beach was or if the jitney was safe, but one way or another, our adventure was about to get more interesting.

On the way to the beach, we chatted in Spanish with the driver and passengers about the multiplicity of languages spoken in Curacao. We got to Mambo Beach and it turned out to be where many of our fellow cruise ship passengers had been taken on their excursion.

Later that night, we returned to Pietermaai to dine at the Crystal restaurant, a small home that had a beautifully lit bar, white walls, a cool tile floor and hurricane shutters on the open windows. The Caribbean night had turned magical and my two daughters and I enjoyed a great meal and local hospitality before heading back to the ship for our late departure.

It was a fine ending to an interesting day, made possible because we got out on our own and did a little exploring. Over the course of the eight-day cruise, we also took some fun excursions organized by the ship, but the day and night in Curacao is what I’ll remember most from our trip.

For cruising, a low-key start to hurricane season

By Tom Stieghorst

Consider Hurricane Arthur a kind of warm-up exercise for the 2014 hurricane season, which has five months to go.

Cruise lines had to pay serious attention to Arthur, but didn’t have to do much in the end.

Unlike many Atlantic hurricanes, the storm was never a threat to the Caribbean, and Florida barely had time to get worried about it before Arthur departed for points north.

But hurricanes tend to conform to patterns in a given season, pushed by atmospheric and climate conditions. So the cruise ports up and down the East Coast might want to do a little extra planning now in case another Arthur forms.

For what it’s worth, hurricane experts are forecasting a relatively mild season due to cooler than normal tropical Atlantic sea temperatures and the ongoing formation of an El Nino current in the Pacific Ocean.

One atmospheric scientist, Robert Gray of Colorado State University, is calling for 10 named storms, four hurricanes and one major hurricane in the Atlantic this season, which stretches officially until Dec. 1.

Gray rates the probability of a major hurricane (category 3,4 or 5) striking the U.S. East Coast this year at 22% (the average is 31%) and the chance for a Gulf Coast strike at 23% (the average is 30%).

He says the chance of a major hurricane tracking through the Caribbean is 32%, compared with a 42% average for the past century.

Of course, Gray and other forecasters had egg on their faces last year when the stronger-than-expected season they forecasted failed to materialize. Gray predicted before the season that nine hurricanes would form, but only two showed up.

Arthur’s progress up the East Coast prompted some minor itinerary shuffling. The Carnival Splendor called in Bermuda rather than St. John over the weekend. The Norwegian Gem did an overnight in Nassau rather than calling on Great Stirrup Cay, to sail back to New York ahead of the weather.

But it’s worth pointing out that no one had their cruise vacation ruined by Hurricane Arthur, unlike the estimated 250,000 folks who planned to spend their Independence Day weekend in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The next named storm, according to the World Meteorological Association’s list for 2014, will be Bertha. Let’s hope she’s neither big nor bad.

And should the 2014 be a repeat of 2013, with only 13 named storms, the last one this year will be named Marco. Of course, if we only get to Josephine, Gray’s 2014 forecast will be right on the money.

The Best Fitness Activities at Sea

Some cruise lines offer onboard fitness options that go above and beyond modern gym equipmentBy: Marilyn Green

Cruise

Crystal Cruises’ passengers can join in the Walk-On-Water fitness program, which includes walking the ship’s promenades with weighted vests. // © 2014 Crystal Cruises

Feature image (above): A ropes course is part of Carnival Cruise Line’s offerings, available on Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze. // © 2014 Carnival Cruise Lines

While virtually all seagoing ships have a selection of resistance and strength training stations that many land side gyms would envy, some have gone much further in offering travellers options to stay fit during their cruise.

In addition to the basics — treadmills, elliptical trainers, exercise bikes, free weights and more — many cruise lines provide passengers with cutting-edge fitness equipment that add opportunities for body makeovers to a cruise vacation. The newer ships in a cruise line’s fleet generally have the most unusual exercise facilities, though there are exceptions.

Here are our top picks for the most creative and forward-thinking on board activity and fitness options offered at sea. 

Royal Caribbean
Beyond the rock climbing walls and surfing simulators, the nearly 10,000-square-foot fitness centers on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships have full-size boxing rings; Pilates studios with six reformers and extensive mat work equipment; and first-generation Power Plate equipment that uses vibration to boost a workout, stimulate circulation and build bone density. 

The Allure and Oasis of the Seas also have 12 gravity fitness machines each, plus Kinesis Walls that use a system of pulleys to help build total body strength and the longest jogging tracks at sea. 

Princess Cruises 
Princess offers popular Zumba classes at sea, TRX Suspension Training classes and Tour de Cycle, a three-part spinning program based on the Tour de France. The brand’s signature fitness classes focus on Pilates for core work, yoga for balance and cardio for overall strength and cardiovascular health. Larger vessels also offer swim-against-the-current pools with an adjustable current for endurance training. 

Seabourn Cruises
Seabourn’s Odyssey-class ships have Kinesis Walls that can be used by four people at a time and stern marinas that give passengers access to snorkeling, kayaking, sailing and swimming. Seabourn Sojourn and Quest have Kneipp Walk Pools, which feature different sections of water at different temperatures designed to help walkers cleanse toxins from the body, increase circulation, balance hormones and reduce stress. And, at the end of a full workout, these two Seabourn ships offer passengers an “experience shower” featuring special lighting and a variety of sensory adjustment options. 

Crystal Cruises
Crystal’s proprietary Walk-On-Water program isn’t aqua aerobics, as many passengers think. It’s a full fitness program, designed exclusively for Crystal, where participants walk with weighted vests on the ships’ promenades (the water part is the surrounding sea). Crystal also provides Nordic Walking Poles for a full-body workout, along with Pilates sessions featuring mat work and reformer equipment, yoga classes, Kinesis fitness equipment and golf instruction from PGA professionals. Both the Serenity and Symphony offer paddle tennis onboard, and new “Site Running” land excursions are available on all of Crystal’s itineraries. An outdoors fitness garden will be added to Crystal Symphony in September.

Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Magic and Breeze feature SportSquare, a large outdoor recreation area with a ropes course 150 feet above the water, an eight-mile jogging track and outdoor weightlifting and resistance machines, in addition to basketball, volleyball and soccer courts. There’s also a six-station Vita Course, which features workout stations with instructional signage and a miniature golf course. Indoor fitness options include yoga, Pilates and stretching classes and cardio equipment.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian has a range of unusual outdoor exercise facilities onboard Norwegian Epic, from full-sized basketball courts with spectator bleachers to a bungee trampoline and a 24-foot climbing cage known as the Spider Web. The Epic also features a rappelling wall, a rock climbing wall and TRX Suspension Training, a program used by the Navy Seals. Onboard Norwegian’s newest ship, Norwegian Breakaway, guests will find additional fitness options, such as Flywheel Fitness spinning classes and interactive Nexersys equipment featuring automated combat/boxing fitness technology. 

Windstar Cruises

Windstar, which pioneered a revolutionary spa on the Wind Surf years ago, has its own stern marina and a variety of water sports equipment, including windsurfing boards, kayaks, inflatable boats, Topper and Rumba  Escape sailboats, snorkeling equipment and waterskiing gear. Windstar also offers a two-hour diving course given by PADI-certified instructors on all ships. In addition, the Wind Surf offers guests an onboard trampoline and a Hobie Bravo catamaran for sailing excursions.

Royal Caribbean puts Allure on Google Street View

By Tom Stieghorst

Royal Caribbean International has created an online tour of its 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas that can be accessed through Google Street View technology.

Google Street View, introduced in 2007, takes 360-degree panoramic pictures of locations around the world, which are then posted online via Google Maps.

The Allure tour is organized through Google Maps Business View, and Royal Caribbean said it is the first cruise line to take advantage of the technology to offer online tours.

Photographers took 20,000 images over the course of eight days to assemble a visual representation of the ship. There is no audio information with the tour.

Royal Caribbean said the photos were shot with a basic DSLR camera using a fisheye lens and a panoramic head resting on a tripod. This method takes 12 photographs at each point.

"Consumers go online to research their vacations and this is the closest they can get to actually being onboard,” said Jo Briody, Royal Caribbean's director of marketing and public relations. "We are confident that once people get virtually immersed in Allure of the Seas’ various decks and features thanks to Google Street View technology, they’ll be eager to experience the real thing.”

Royal Caribbean already has its own virtual tours of most ships posted on its website.

Frozen splendor

By Patricia Schultz

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the in 1911, wrote, "This land looks like a fairytale." More than 100 years later, I shared his dream and visited Antarctica -- in admittedly cushier conditions -- to find its grandeur and mystery to be astonishingly intact. For those today who think there is nothing left to seek or nothing left untrammeled, the White Continent at the bottom of the world awaits. Serene, magnificent, empty, surreal and beautiful beyond words.

Although the Seventh Continent -- the size of the U.S. and Mexico combined and twice the size of Australia -- is the world's most inaccessible, it is no longer a pipe dream for adventurers who place it high on their bucket lists. And they are not all well-traveled, wealthy and retired as one might suspect. One 40-something woman who traveled with us aboard Quark Expeditions' Ocean Diamond admitted she had only one other international trip under her belt (Portugal) but had been saving up for Antarctica since she was a young girl. 

It was this longtime and sometimes unexplainable fascination that was everyone's common thread. Expectations were high, but the experience was even better. There is almost no way to adequately describe this vast wilderness of snow, ice, water and rock. And wildlife, an abundance of wildlife. 

Since Lars-Eric Lindblad took the first group of intrepid travelers to Antarctica in 1966, the number of expedition ships venturing into these remote waters has grown, including the recent arrival of mainstream lines like Celebrity, Silversea, Crystal and Seabourn, whose loyal clients want to combine high adventure with high luxury.

I chose Quark Expeditions because of its 20 years of experience in the polar regions, its top-drawer expedition team aboard a fleet of six chartered ships and the stellar past-passenger reviews. When not sailing the Southern Arctic Ocean, the company heads north to Svalbard in Norway, the North Pole, Greenland and Canada's high Arctic to fill out the year. I am ready to sign up for all of them.

The austral summer season runs from November to March, when typical afternoons range from the high 20s to the high 30s Fahrenheit, and our spring departure in mid-November was one of the season's first.

Three-quarters booked, the comfortable, 189-berth Ocean Diamond carried an interesting international mix: predominantly 40- to 75-year-old North Americans but with a surprising number of 30-somethings. To offset the steep single supplement, Quark helps pair up same-sex requests.

The steep gangplank and the twice-daily shore landings in 12-passenger Zodiacs were easily handled by everyone, thanks to the assistance of the ubiquitous crew.

Most Antarctic sailings embark and disembark in Ushuaia, Argentina, the gateway to Antarctica (other gateway cities are Christchurch, New Zealand; Hobart in Tasmania; and Punta Arenas in Chile). The southernmost city in the world, it is a ramshackle, edge-of-the-world town with a population of 120,000, though it feels like much fewer. It is also a convenient base for a precruise visit to the Patagonian national park of Tierra del Fuego. Time and budget will determine the itinerary. The popular 11-day (and longer) expedition crosses 600 (sometimes turbulent) miles south across the legendary Drake Passage, the important trade route in the 18th and 19th centuries that was all but abandoned with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914.

The destination is the Antarctic Peninsula, the long sliver of the continent that is the closest point to South America. Those wanting to maximize time on the peninsula can opt for an eight-day (and longer) option to fly both ways, picking up the ship on the peninsula to explore its countless islands and bays.

But those heading due south will have missed what many of us who sailed east from Ushuaia on the longer 20-day itinerary held to be one of the highlights of an experience already heavy with highlights: the inclusion of the far-flung Falkland Islands (the Islas Malvinas to Argentines) and South Georgia, the historically important island so prized for its variety of wildlife that it is sometimes dubbed the Galapagos of the Atlantic.

Together with the grand finale -- the landing on the continent -- we explored three very distinct regions of the Southern Ocean where topography, climate, wildlife and history often varied greatly.

The fiercely British enclave of the Falklands is inhabited by some 2,500 friendly residents. A stroll through compact and interesting Port Stanley leads past pubs, a tea room and neatly tended flower gardens that augment the sense of Great Britain in the middle of nowhere.

Visiting a rugged outer island (population three) and its large colonies of penguins reduced us all to grade-school children. Four of the world's 18 species live in the Falklands, and they were present in abundance. The aptly named rock hopper, with its distinctive yellow feathers, was the smallest and most comical of them all (who didn't know Lovelace, from "Happy Feet," voiced by Robin Williams?). 

Mountainous South Georgia Island is a standout for its massive numbers of the flamboyant king penguins, commonly 3 feet high and 30 pounds, and rocky beaches littered with fur seals and reigned over by 16-foot-long, 4-ton elephant seals attended by their harems of "cows" a quarter their size. 

The subpolar island is also important for the once prosperous whaling station that flourished here in the early 20th century. But it is Ernest Shackleton who put it on the map for most history buffs: The British polar explorer managed to save his entire crew after they had been stranded in the Antarctic for almost two years when he appeared here in 1916 to find help. It is regarded by many to be one of the most astonishing rescue journeys in history. A small cemetery on the island holds his grave. He died here in 1922 during a subsequent expedition, and we toasted his remarkable bravery with a plastic cup of Jameson whiskey, led by Jonathan Shackleton, a cousin and family historian. As esteemed guest lecturer aboard the Ocean Diamond, Shackleton joined Falcon Scott, grandson of Robert Falcon Scott, the first Brit to reach the South Pole in 1912. It was like traveling with polar royalty. 

The first shore landing by Zodiac on Antarctica is an emotional moment -- and for many, the proud accomplishment of having visited all seven of the Earth's continents. 

Days at sea had been spent with a great variety of presentations by specialists and lecturers, a crash course in all things polar. We would see vast rookeries of chinstrap, Adelie and Gentoo penguins, and we would commonly spot Weddell, fur, crabeater and leopard seals. Curious whales, such as Minkes, were as interested in our Zodiacs as we were in them. 

We visited two deserted research stations. There are more than 40 such stations, belonging to 30 nations. All are seasonal. There is no permanent settlement nor indigenous people on the continent (and no, it is not a country). 

Visits to the bridge promised a chance to spot chiseled icebergs, floating sculptures of outlandish sizes and eroded shapes that we also approached up close and personal during Zodiac cruises. Bird sightings are frequent from the bridge or observation lounge. We watched in awe as the wandering albatross effortlessly accompanied our ship thanks to its 10-foot wingspan, the largest of any living bird. 

Time spent with the Ukrainian captain and his crew was a lesson in what it entails to navigate these ice floe-littered waters and manage such unpredictable weather (every day's itinerary was "weather depending," and last-minute changes were common). 

Many passengers opted at extra cost for the chance to kayak, and an unexpected 80% of the passengers took the polar plunge. (I passed on that one, though for a minute I considered telling everyone back home -- and reading this article -- that I did.) 

Were we ever cold? Actually, spotty WiFi kept us aware of the horrible winter conditions back home in New York City, and we were far more comfortable in the Antarctic, wearing the layers that Quark Expeditions had heavily recommended. 

Every moment spent in this pristine corner of the world was precious -- for the sheer volume of wildlife, the vast and empty size of it all, the ethereal light well into the evening, and the sustained excitement of sharing a very special destination with a very special mix of adventurers. 

"If Antarctica were music, it would be Mozart. Art, and it would be Michelangelo. Literature, and it would be Shakespeare," wrote Andrew Denton. "And yet it is something even greater; the only place on earth that is still as it should be. May we never tame it." 

Amen! 

Patricia Schultz is the author of the New York Times best-seller "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" (Workman). 

Carnival Freedom passengers sound off

By Tom Stieghorst

I was aboard the Carnival Freedom on an eight-day cruise through the Caribbean last week. The ship was fresh out of a drydock and sported the new Camp Ocean children’s play areas.

At the conclusion of the cruise I asked 10 passengers, or couples, about the highlights and lowlights of their cruise.

The passengers ranged in age from young adult to retired. Several were African-American, two were Hispanic, and they came from seven states, including Utah and California. Three were from Florida.

A few general impressions stood out. Overall, the satisfaction level was pretty high. Several struggled to find anything negative to say, and no one was more negative than positive.

The excursions were one highlight for most of those interviewed, especially the tour guides. If there was a complaint it was that the excursions, and the port calls in general, went by too quickly.

“A little more time in port would have been great,” said Danilo Martell of Corona, Calif.

Although Grand Turk, the Dominican Republic, Aruba and Curacao each had their individual followings, Sarah Hoetzlein of Pittsburgh said the 11 p.m. departure from Curacao made that her favorite.

“I would love it if they stop later, so you have some night time,” she said. At other ports, she said, the beach excursion “is all you have time to do.”

Several mentioned the entertainment as a highlight, including Diana Jensen of Salt Lake City, who said the production shows were “the best thing on the ship.”

Others mentioned “sharing time with friends” and “there’s always something to do” as highlights and the level of service got high marks, except for the sea day brunches where the staff was “nonattentive” and the line to get in was long at times.

Several mentioned that they would like more food choice in the “tween times” after major meals, when the lido deck buffet is closed and deli sandwiches or pizza are the culinary offerings.

Katie Kivett of Nashville appreciated that Carnival is one of the few lines that allows children under 2 into the babysitting program, but didn’t like that her 15-month-old son was not allowed in the pool.

Other lowlights: motion sickness, the boarding process stalled and no one offered an explanation, there’s not enough to do at night for nondrinkers, some of the food was just “OK.”

Other highlights included the size of the beds, windows, closets and drawer space in the forward-facing cabins on the lido deck, the abundance of high-chair and crib accommodations for infants, the classes, casino and art auctions, and the dune buggy, power snorkel and catamaran excursions in Grand Turk, La Romana and elsewhere.

Costa Concordia to be re-floated in two weeks

By Phil Davies 

The wreck of the Costa Concordia is due to be refloated in the next two weeks in the latest stage of the most expensive ship recovery operation in history.

The salvage could involve a semi-submersible boat effectively carrying the ship from its resting place off the Italian island of Giglio to Genoa to be dismantled.

Costs to insurers have spiralled to almost £1.2 billion because wrecks are usually cut into pieces and carried away. But Italian authorities have decided that such a move would risk an environmentally sensitive stretch of coastline so the ship is being removed in one piece.

Captain Rahul Kanna, a ship insurance specialist at insurer Allianz told the Mail in Sunday: “The primary reason for the cost is the method of removal. It sets a very dangerous precedent.”

Costa Concordia hit rocks in January 2012 killing 32 people.

The ship was turned upright last September after salvage contractors reinforced the seabed beneath it.

Modern shipping is creating the possibility for much bigger losses as ships grow in size and start to use remote Arctic shipping lanes, insurers are warning.

“Any losses in the Arctic would be a logistic nightmare to arrange rescue and salvage,” Kenna was reported as saying.

Carnival UK chief warns over tighter sulphur emissions rules

By Phil Davies 

The boss of Carnival UK has warned that cruising in northern Europe “is not sacrosanct” as the shipping industry cranks up pressure against tighter planned international rules on sulphur emissions.

Chief executive David Dingle told Travel Weekly that company brands P&O Cruises and Cunard Line have already planned a 28% cut in Baltic and Norway cruises between 2013 and 2015.

Despite a large increase in new ex-UK capacity targeting newcomers to cruise holidays next year, the Baltic region is not a strong draw for new to cruise passengers, suggesting further reductions could be possible.

Dingle spoke after a cross-party group of MPs last week lobbied the government to amend the rules to give the cruise and ferry sectors time to adapt their ships.

The sulphur content of fuel must fall to 0.1% in January 2015 in the North Sea and English Channel to cut pollution.

But Dingle calculated that there was only a “50-50” chance of getting the required breathing space to allow ships to be fitted with the scrubber technology required to clean existing fuel.

The UK Chamber of Shipping wants prime minister David Cameron to lobby Brussels to buy time to allow shipping companies to install the technology.

It estimates that it could take up to two years for every ship to be fitted with the new technology – so the January 1 deadline is seen by the industry as being “entirely unrealistic”.

Dingle said lobbying would be stepped up in the second half of the year ahead of the deadline and warned of the detrimental social and economic impact that would be incurred if ferry companies had to abandon routes and cruise lines were forced to alter itineraries away from regions such as the Baltics and Norway.

DFDS has already announced the closure of the Harwich to Esbjerg route and there are fears that 2,000 jobs could be lost across the country if other routes are forced to closed.

“Northern Europe is not sacrosanct even at a time when cruise lines are starting to grow capacity,” said Dingle.

UK Chamber of Shipping CEO Guy Platten said: “We support the move to reduce sulphur emissions and the introduction of tough new limits.

“But the sharp increase in demand for low sulphur fuel will see a massive spike in costs both for ship owners and potentially for ordinary diesel car users - so we need to use the new technology instead. But that technology is only now beginning to work, and could take up to two years to fit properly to all of our ships.

“Reducing sulphur is a job we agree needs doing, but it needs to be done in a pragmatic way that protects jobs as well as the environment. All we’re asking for is the EU to understand the practical realities we face and give us the time we need to comply.

“A report by [consultants] AMEC recently said if we implement new regulations before the technology is ready, then 2,000 UK jobs could be lost, thousands more lorries will clog up our roads and 12 million tonnes of additional Co2 will be emitted into our atmosphere unnecessarily every year (Travel Weekly June 12).

“We know other countries within the EU share our concerns – but they are waiting for leadership from the UK.

“So this is an issue in Europe where the prime minister can make a real difference, it is a real opportunity for him to stand up for British business in Europe and succeed. We are simply asking that he takes it.”

Carnival promotion rewards Galveston cruise bookings

By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Cruise Lines said travel agents can earn triple the normal amount of points in its rewards program by booking cruises from Galveston during July.

The line said the promotion, running through July 31, will give agents 450 points for new online bookings from Texas ports, up from the standard 150 points.

Beginning at the 2,500-point level, the points can be redeemed for Carnival logo items, $50 and $100 gift cards, iPads and other items.

Carnival will transfer a third ship, Carnival Freedom, to Galveston beginning in February.

Joni Rein, executive vice president of worldwide sales at Carnival, said the points boost was a thank you to agents that have helped Carnival build business from Galveston. 

The tech that will make travel easier, more interactive and personal

Samsung Futurescape: The tech that will make travel easier, more interactive and personal

By Travolution

This week Samsung ran its second Futurescape technology showcase in London promoting how the travel and transportation industry will increasingly use modern devices and software.

Some of what was on show was aimed at the retail side of travel, others the more functional side. Lee Hayhurst picks out some highlights.

This virtual showroom technology has been built by Gateshead-based ZeroLight. It is already in use in car showrooms by the likes of Jaguar and Audi.

The latter has got rid of all vehicles in its store opposite the Ritz in central London. The virtual product is built electronically from the manufacturer’s design specifications and the result is something that looks and appears to be just like the real thing.

It means the product is bespokable within the limits of what the manufacturer offers so, in terms of vehicles, different colours, wheels and set ups can be instantly added.

ZeroLights says this has seen a marked increase in uptake of premium features such as sports wheels on vehicles, because the customer sees how they actually look compared to entry level options.

The firm has worked with British Airways on the design of new premium-class cabins because it allows the user to take a virtual tour before anything is decided in reality.

It says it has also had interest from cruise companies because it allows people to take a tour of a ship before committing to a holiday.

Offering virtual tours of hotels is another obvious potential use of this in travel, although it does require a certain consistency of decor and design to keep complexity to a manageable level.

More excitingly the technology has been developed to work with Oculus Rift 3D virtual reality gaming headgear.

Oculus Rift was recently bought by Facebook, and the technology opens up the prospect of a customer being able to almost touch and feel the product in-store as they make their decision about what to buy.

Big Touch Screen Retailing

This interactive touchscreen sales wall, using Worldline technology, is in use in Adidas sports stores, and offers customers the chance to interact and research different product options before they buy.

Graphics, video, celebrity endorsements - you name it - all are available at the touch of a screen, enabling a store to offer limitless options without having to physcially hold all the stock.

For travel the opportunties for using such responsive large screen touch responisive technology is not new – Microsoft surface has been trialled in a number of travel agencies.

But the technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and modern retail outlets are looking to offer customers use of such gadgets to drive footfall and improve the retail experience.

Interactive Digital Promotional Screen

In the foreground in this picture is a simpler version of the above designed by Worldline to be used to drive people into your store.

Product offers and QR codes are displayed on the screen giving shoppers attracted by what it is displaying a special offer if they visit a store.

They could be placed in airports to capture travellers’ attention as they arrive or check-in to promote retail outlets in the departure lounge.

They could also be used in shopping centres, or even in large stores to direct attention to particular outlets or concessions.

Reviews At Your Fingertips

Here is the Duty Free shop of the future - or it could be any type of store.

Shoppers are using technology on mounted Samsung tablets developed by Uberated, a company which is only two months old.

It allows in-store shoppers to quickly and easily access all professional product reviews for the item they are interested in, all in one place.

This way, the consumer gets the same ‘at home’ research capability they expect when researching a product but without having to go back and forth via Google to find the relevant reviews.

Being in store, they can then order the product there and then, having had their decision endorsed by the product review they’ve read in store.

To date Uberated has been developing their technology for the selling of electrical goods like cameras and has not exploited its application in travel retail.

However, a similar use could be envisaged for travel, with retailers using the tablets to offer more information than they currently do in brochures, including independent reviews and travel articles.

Touchscreen Tour Guide

Zafire is a software firm developing solutions for the aviation industry and this touchscreen interface has been developed with airports in mind.

Travellers can access general information about their destination at the touch of a button using the graphical display.

When not being actively used by a customer, the screen can be used to promote a particular retailer or attraction.

Zafire sees these sorts of screens proliferating in places like airports with the cost of having the hardware mitigated by various ‘advertising as a service’ commercial deals.

The firm has also developed the departure board of the future, which unlike conventional departure boards do not need lots of hardware attached to them to operate.

Cloud-based, they are basically plug-in-and-go digital devices working via Wi-Fi networks, so maintenance costs for airport operators are reduced.

Because there’s never a departure board where you need one, customers can use a mobile QR code app which downloads the relevant information onto their device and updates them on their phone.

These departure boards are currently in use at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

Biometric secure access

More of a functional application of technology this one, but Samsung technology is being used to develop the customs gates of the future.

This gate uses biometric data to recognise the passenger and allow them through based on a scan of their face.

The technology will cut down on fraud associated with paper access or any other type of physical passes.

It could be used to control access to any office or building or at any point on the journey through an airport where security checks are required.

Real-time travel advice

Turning to the world of trains now, and Worldline again, which has developed technology to allow information from the control centre to be accessed throughout the network.

The concept is that the same source of data that the central control station uses is made available to all staff so they can pass this on to customers.

As many regular train users today know, getting reliable information from on-train and station staff about delays can be incredibly difficult.

Often customers or other members of the public on the scene are able to find out what’s going on and communicate this to travellers before staff.

The Worldline software allows this information to be accessed by the relevant people on handheld touchscreen devices.

In time these will also replace the old clunky portable ticket machines guards carry by being able to scan tickets for validity and retail upgrades or replacements there and then.

Technically there’s no reason why this sort of data can’t be made available to third parties so travel agents and tour operators can give customers up-to-date advice about delays getting to and from airports.

Are Bermudan authorities too harsh on cruise ship passengers?

Bermuda has been criticised for operating "kangaroo courts" that penalise cruise ship passengers in possession of small amounts of illicit substances.
 
Jim Walker, a lawyer based in the US, said on his personal website that port authorities are punishing people for carrying minuscule amounts of drugs, including a 25-year-old US woman with two grammes of cannabis in her cabin.

 
The culprit – Chelsea Vega – was fined $500 (£293) and Mr Walker believes those carrying drugs are targeted because they are a potential source of revenue, while those who have committed more heinous crimes are largely ignored because they generate little in the way of profit.
 
He stated that raids by port authorities on docking ships are common place.
 
"They even request the ship security personnel to open up the safes in cabins," Mr Walker went on to add.
 
Despite calls from pressure groups, the Bermudan premier has ruled out decriminalising cannabis, however, he stated that a system of cautions may be introduced for those in possession of small quantities.

MSC Cruises to increase shore excursion commission

By Hollie-Rae Merrick

MSC Cruises is increasing commission on shore excursions to a minimum of 10% to encourage agents to book tours directly, instead of using third-party suppliers.

The line currently offers 5% commission on excursions, but within the next month – when MSC unveils its – the line will begin a six-month pilot to test whether shore excursion booking volumes increase with a rise in commission.

Agents will earn the same amount of commission on cruise bookings and excursions. The base commission rate is 10%, so agents on that rate will earn the same on excursions.

The line made the announcement at an event in London this evening where it also unveiled its new bookings system for agents, MSC Book.

Executive director Giles Hawke (pictured) said agents were booking through third-party companies such as Attraction World and Cruisingexcursions.co.uk because they could earn more. But he argued that increasing commission would give agents the chance to make more money with MSC.

“This is a way of agents earning more money and we want to see if an increased amount makes a difference – if it does, then we will keep it going.”

Hawke said the new commission structure had been the result of agent feedback.

“There are companies who are just selling excursions and the fact we pay some commission recognises the importance of agents. They are proactively selling the products of these cruise excursion companies and if it is because they can earn money, then we’ll give them the opportunity to earn more so they can sell our cruise excursions.”

MSC also announced it was planning to double its UK sales team to 10 by January, as well as having a further team of 20 on the road promoting the line to agents.

The line is working with former Barrhead Travel director Trevor Davis and his marketing and support company 3For, which is creating a 20-strong field team of ‘MSC Ambassadors’ to train agents nationwide three or four times a year.

The new sales team and the increased commission on shore excursion, together with better account management and a consistent message on deals and pricing, are part of MSC’s 'Serving You' campaign, which aims to ensure agents can easily access all they need to book.

Hawke said plans were in place to help the line achieve 200,000 passengers from the UK by 2017 when he expects a ship to return to offer ex-UK sailings. He added that if agents show their support earlier there is a chance they a ship could return a year earlier.

P&O Cruises and Cunard raise commission

P&O Cruises and Cunard are raising their commission levels from 5% to 7.5% across all products

The email said: “Great News! As part of our commercial transformation and Agent Matters programme, we are delighted to announce that we are improving travel agent commercial terms for both P&O Cruises and Cunard.

“In recent months we have appointed a new commercial directorship team and just some of the initiatives we have implemented are to extend our Mediterranean fly cruise programme earnings which allows agents to earn commission on flight packages, we have implemented a new fare structure to support you to sell cruises earlier in the booking curve and tested various agent initiatives across the market.

“As a direct result of agent feedback and the success of the above initiatives, we have developed a new travel agent remuneration package following months of consultation with you, our trade partners. We believe travel agents are critical to our business and the new commission structure recognises the absolute value we place on travel agent partners.

“A new base rate of commission payment has been agreed, together with tailored marketing support for individual agents. A base rate of 7.5% commission will be paid to all agents for both brands from 09 December, 2013 and covers all departures from this date onwards.

“Please also join us in welcoming Jeremy McKenna to the team as our new Head of Sales. Jeremy will start on 02 January, 2014 and will lead the business efforts working with our trade partners. Jeremy brings with him a wealth of sales and commercial experience leading teams in customer centred environments and can’t wait to get started in his new role!”

Sales and distribution support director Chris Truscott said the cruise operator would also be offering tailored marketing support to individual agents as well as the commission increase.

He added:  “The new commission structure recognises the absolute value we place on agents, who are critical to our business, and is part of a much wider process of positive change for both brands.”

Complete Cruise Solution, the trade sales and marketing arm of P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Cunard announced plans to cut commission from 15% to 5% back in 2011.

The move was met with fierce opposition from agents. In March this year Princess increased commission on the cruise element of bookings for 2014 departures back up to 10% but at that time there was no change for P&O or Cunard.

22 Do's and Don't's for Your First Day Onboard a Cruise Ship

22 Do's and Don't's for Your First Day Onboard a Cruise Ship

Long-time cruisers often have an embarkation day routine. Some make a beeline for the atrium or poolside bar, while others head to the buffet. Some like to explore the ship, posting photos online to make Facebook and Twitter friends jealous. Others meticulously spray down their cabins with Lysol, start popping seasickness medicines and unpack all their belongings into their proper places. If you're a first-timer or haven't settled into a familiar cruise routine, here's a list of embarkation day do's and don't's, culled from our many years cruising. DO start your vacation off with a tropical drink in a colorful glass with umbrellas and plastic monkeys a-plenty. Just don't assume that drink proffered by a waiter is free ... or that you can't get it cheaper by opting for a regular, non-souvenir glass. DO tour the ship, get your bearings, and identify which bars and eateries you want to hit first. We recommend starting at the top and working your way down ... unless you want to get in a workout by climbing all the stairs. DON'T head straight to the buffet -- it's one of the most crowded places onboard on embarkation day because everyone comes hungry for lunch. Instead, check out your dining options. Sometimes other venues are open for a first-day lunch, and they aren't such madhouses. DO take photos -- lots of them. Get that first "Hooray, I'm on vacation" shot of your family by the ship's rail; snap a pic of your cabin in pristine condition before it's wrecked with daily schedules, towel animals and your assorted laundry; capture interesting spots onboard before they're overrun with passengers; and do feel free to post them online to make your friends drool. DON'T take the elevator if you don't need to. The lifts are super-slow on embark day and crowded with passengers and crew ferrying luggage between decks. Take the stairs. Then have no guilt when you tuck into dessert at dinner. DO arrange your spa and salon appointments, as the most popular treatment times book up quickly. Not sure what you want? Take a spa tour. You might get to sample a massage or win a free treatment in the first-day raffle. DON'T spend the day in your winter, workday or travel clothes. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on so you don't have to wait for your luggage to arrive for you to slip into sandals, shorts or swimsuits. DO take a dip in the pool or hot tub. They're often uncrowded on the first day because many people haven't followed the advice above and brought a change of clothes. But why wait to begin your vacation? The pool is open! DO make specialty dining reservations if you haven't done so online before your trip. Choice dining times can sell out. DON'T forget to check in at the kids club and sign up your little ones for the onboard camp activities. There's often an introductory session for kids and parents to meet the counselors and get acquainted with the facilities. Better to sign up on day one, even if you're not sure your kids will want to go; there's no requirement to attend. DO book shore tours, and ask the tour desk any questions you might have. Some tours have limited space and sell out, so book early (if you haven't pre-booked). DO buy a soda card or alcohol package to get the most use out of them on your cruise. Just do the math beforehand to make sure the packages will actually save you money. DON'T settle for unacceptable dinner seatings. The maitre d' is typically available to take questions and make changes, if possible, on embarkation day. If you wanted early dining but got a late seating, want to switch from set-seating to flexible dining or just want to find out if you're at a two-top or 10-top, make a visit to the dining room a top priority. It's also good to check in with the maitre d' if you have dietary restrictions to make sure you'll be taken care of onboard. DO reserve space on any fee-extra sun decks (such as Princess' Sanctuary) or cabanas, especially if you want to book them for a sea day. Space is limited and can sell out. DO make your last phone calls, texts and tweets while your phone can access land-based cell towers and you're not paying sky-high satellite Internet and roaming fees. DON'T assume your cabin is pristine and in working order, if you tend to worry about such things. Test out the TV, the toilet and the lights; check for bed bugs; sanitize anything you need to. Set your mind at ease early. Then go and enjoy your vacation. DO unpack your suitcases, and get that task (and your luggage) out of the way early. Decorate your cabin and door if you like to personalize your home for the vacation. DO meet your cabin steward and make any requests you have. Some travelers like to tip their cabin stewards on day one to ensure good service throughout the cruise (but this isn't necessary). DON'T skip the muster drill. It will provide important information in case of an emergency. Plus it's mandatory, even if you have cruised before. DO take a nap or lounge on your balcony (even if the view is just of an ugly port building). It's your vacation; you can be as active or as laid-back as you want. DO head up on deck for sailaway. It's festive, with live music and flowing drinks, and it's a fun way to kick off your cruise. DON'T automatically eat dinner in the main dining room. Embarkation day can be a great night to dine out in the specialty restaurants, as they're often less crowded and, on some lines, carry a reduced cover charge. DO watch the sun set over the ocean, go to the welcome show, hit the casino, sing karaoke and shake your booty at the disco -- your cruise starts tonight!

Will cruise documentary do more harm than good?

British viewers will get a warts-and-all look at the workings of a cruise ship in a new four-part documentary coming to ITV next month.
 
Called The Cruise Ship, the documentary will go behind the scenes on board the 3,600-guest Royal Princess vessel, giving the general public access to footage of staff and crew members.
 
The footage was shot as the ship sailed across the Caribbean, which included a stop at Princess Cruise's private island.
 
It will air on ITV on consecutive Friday nights beginning on July 11th.

 
Managing director of Princess Cruises for UK and Europe, is convinced that the documentary will prove positive for the cruise holiday industry as a whole.
 
"Cruise holidays are an increasingly popular choice in the UK and we are confident that this series will widen the appeal even further," he stated.
 
This will not be the first cruise ship documentary aired in the UK, as the National Geographic Channel broadcasted a series called Cruise Ship Diaries, which was filmed on board the Costa Serena.
 
The question is, do behind-the-scenes documentaries ever paint a good picture? Will this documentary actually put people off?