History: SS Eastland, The Ship That SOLAS Sunk

The S.S. Eastland, the namesake of the “Eastland phenomena”: when well-intentioned efforts to enhance safety levels have unintentionally reduced safety levels.

What is the “Eastland Phenomena”?

by Dave Lochbaum (AllThingsNuclear) The sinking of the Titanic on her maiden voyage has been immortalized in countless books, articles, movies, and documentaries. Billions of people across the globe know about the luxury liner’s collision with an iceberg in the north Atlantic on April 14, 1912, on her way to New York City with the ensuing loss of 829 passengers and 694 crew members. The ship’s band playing while passengers gathered on deck to board lifeboats and the radio operator staying on duty tapping out SOS distress messages are legends. While the Titanic’s tragic encounter with an iceberg is widely known, her second sinking is virtually unknown.

Related Book: A Man and His Ship: America’s Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States

Shortly after 7:00 am on the morning of Saturday, July 24, 1915, the gang planks on the steamship Eastland (Figure 2) were taken in after 2,501 passengers had boarded in Chicago for a day’s excursion across Lake Michgan to St. Joseph. With the Eastland still tied to the wharf on the south side of the Chicago River between LaSalle and Clark streets, she capsized. A total of 841 passengers—more than died when the Titanic sank in mid-ocean—and 3 crew members perished. Twenty-two entire families perished.

The Eastland can be considered the Titanic’s second sinking because had the Titanic not sunk, the Eastland very likely would not have capsized. Additional lifeboats, rafts, and davits installed to comply with the new Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) laws in response to the Titanic disaster caused the Eastland to become more susceptible to capsizing. The added weight to the steamship’s upper decks reduced her ability to right herself in response to a list, or lean, to one side or the other.

On the morning of the disaster, the Eastland listed about 10 degrees towards the wharf as boarding passengers collected on that side of the steamship to communicate with friends yet to board. The crew corrected the list by admitting water to the ballast tanks on the steamship’s other side. As more passengers boarded, their more uniform distribution on the steamship caused her to list about ten degrees away from the wharf. The crew attempted to correct this list by reallocating water among the ballast tanks, but small-diameter piping limited how fast water could be transferred between tanks. The list increased until the Eastland rolled over onto her side. Figure 3 captured rescuers assisting survivors off the capsized vessel.

There are important lessons to be learned from both tragedies. The Titanic put to sea with more persons on board than could be accommodated in her lifeboats. If the ship sank, this shortfall meant that some would have to go down with her. To rectify that safety problem, the Eastland was retrofitted with lifeboat capacity for all persons on board. But fixing safety in one area made Eastland less safe in another.

The “Eastland phenomena” has also occurred at nuclear power plants. Well-intentioned efforts to enhance safety levels have unintentionally reduced safety levels. Two examples illustrate such outcomes. One involves the emergency core cooling systems (ECCS) for boiling water reactors (BWRs) and the other involves the ECCS for pressurized water reactors (PWRs)

Ranking cruise lines' Rio efforts

Norwegian Getaway in Rio

By Tom Stieghorst 

Three cruise companies made the Rio Olympic Games part of their 2016 strategy, so in the spirit of the competition, it seems only fitting to award them medals for their efforts.

Bronze

Royal Caribbean International is using the Rio games to revive its "Come Seek" TV advertising, which debuted last fall. The choice associates Royal with the international flavor of the Olympics, plus links it with popular athletes such as Michael Phelps and Simone Biles.

Advertisers like Royal spent $1.2 billion on the Olympics, but so far television ratings are down 15.5% from the 2012 games in London, averaging 27.9 million viewers through the first nine nights.

Still, I thought one video was particularly effective. Titled "We Play Games Too," it shows an aquatic performer on one of Royal's Oasis-class ships doing a handstand on a diving platform before plunging into what seems like a pool the size of a postage stamp. The ad effectively showcases something that none of Royal's competitors can duplicate.

Silver

Silversea Cruises, aptly enough, wins the silver for chartering the Silver Cloud as a floating hotel for the U.S. men's and women's basketball teams. The charter earned Silversea a boatload of free publicity, including a front-page article in the New York Times.

Sports channels and outlets also picked up on an extended monologue by USA team coach Mike Krzyzewski about staying on the ship, although Chicago Bulls star Jimmy Butler could have shown a little more enthusiasm.

"I just do what I'm told," Butler said. "I'm told to sleep on a boat, so I sleep on a boat."

Gold

While Silversea hosted athletes, Norwegian Cruise Line chartered its Norwegian Getaway for use by sports bureaucrats, including members of the International Olympic Federation, the National Organizing Committees, the Rio Host Committee as well as corporate sponsors.

While not as productive on the publicity front, it gave high-ranking influencers from dozens of countries exposure to a cruise ship, and Norwegian in particular, that they might not otherwise have.

Norwegian gained another backhanded benefit. By chartering the Getaway, it removed the 4,000-passenger ship for 40 days from the Miami/Caribbean market, which "helped alleviate some of the pricing pressure" caused by having two big ships in the Miami market during the summer, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank del Rio said.
Norwegian couldn't have anticipated that effect when it started charter plans for the Rio games nine years ago, but good luck often plays a role in Olympic wins, as it did for Norwegian here.

Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua now a Unesco heritage site

Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua

Antigua’s historic Nelson’s Dockyard is the Caribbean’s newest Unesco World Heritage Site, one of 21 new spots named to Unesco’s list this year.

The dockyard consists of a group of Georgian-style naval buildings and structures in a walled enclosure that served as a significant strategic position for the British Navy in the early 1700s.

Now its protected harbor at the south of the island welcomes tourists with nearby hotels, restaurants, museums and art galleries.

In order to be a Unesco World Heritage Site, a place or structure must have cultural, historical and/or natural significance, such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia; the ruins at Philippi, Greece; and Machu Picchu in Peru.

Antigua joins eight other Caribbean islands that have historic sites designated by Unesco’s World Heritage Committee, including Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park in St. Kitts, the Blue and John Crow Mountains in Jamaica, and Old Havana in Cuba.

Seabourn bans smoking on balconies

Seabourn Sojourn

Seabourn will ban smoking on the balconies of its ships starting in late November with a Seabourn Quest voyage departing from Buenos Aires.

In a bulletin to loyalty club members, it said changes were being made “to better align with your wishes,” based on surveys conducted during the past year, as well as comments from guests and travel agents.

The rollout of the policy will continue with the Dec. 4 departure of Seabourn Encore from Athens, the Dec. 5 departure of Seabourn Sojourn from Dubai and the Dec. 7 departure of Seabourn Odyssey from Lisbon.

Designated outdoor smoking areas remain, including the starboard half of the Sky Bar on Deck 9, the starboard half of the open terrace aft of The Club on Deck 5 and the starboard side of the open terrace aft of Seabourn Square on Deck. 7.

A New Vista For Carnival

A sampling of the new brews being made aboard the Carnival Vista, one of many innovations about the cruise line's new flagship. (Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Line). [/PHOTOCAPTION]

From a 455-foot kaleidoscope water slide to a 15-story-high skyride, innovation will hit guests at every turn

In today’s cruising climate, four years feel like an eternity. Although Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Breeze introduced a considerable number of innovations when it debuted in 2012, guests were looking for something new by 2016.

The new Carnival Vista offers travelers just that. The ship, which was launched in early May, is an ambitious next chapter for the Carnival brand. While the layout of the ship will feel familiar to Carnival loyalists, innovation will hit guests everywhere they turn – from a 455-foot kaleidoscope water slide to modern carpet designs to new room categories, next-generation technology and the re-imagining of spaces into vibrant new social hubs.

Fanciest and Most Common Accommodations: The most prevalent accommodations are oceanview Balcony/ of which there are 877 that measure up to 230 square feet.

The highest level of accommodations are Grand Suites, which measure 345 square feet and are equipped with generously sized balconies of 85 square feet.

Carnival has turned Deck 2 into family central with 96 Family Harbour staterooms that feature a kids’ bed nook and TV that can be curtained off from the parents. Family Harbour guests have 24-hour access to an exclusive family lounge with TVs and video game consoles, board games, snacks and beverages. Plus, all Family Harbour kids eat for free at the ship’s specialty restaurants.

Sixty-one Havana accommodations play off the enhanced Cuban presence on the ship, and guests booking these cabins have exclusive access to the Havana Bar and Pool. Oceanview Havana cabins are equipped with patios.

What’s Included: Rates include buffet dining on the Lido deck, featuring everything from chicken fingers to prime rib, as well as deli sandwiches. Evening dining is also included with assigned seating or an Anytime Dining pass. Room service is available 24 hours, with an array of free items and a new selection of paid items, including pizzas, quesadillas and cheesesteaks for $5 each.

Best Entertainment: The new SkyRide has guests pedaling a cycle 15 stories above the sea. Ideally suited for kids and families, it’s from the creator of Rollerblades – and it is amazing and addictive. The ship’s new IMAX theater is the first of its kind at sea. Tickets range $5.50 to $12.95. For late night adult fun, Ben at the piano bar is potty-mouthed but top notch. And then there’s the endless flow of trivia at Ocean Plaza, always fun for all ages.

Favorite Excursion: While the ship is in Europe, recommend that your clients do the Zorba style Greek night out in Athens. 

The dining room is crowded and not for the claustrophobic, but the singing, dancing and breaking plates make for a wonderful crash course on Greek culture.

Who Goes on This Ship? The ship boasts a diverse passenger base, both in age and in ethnicity, but it’s not for the kid-averse luxury set. It is already popular with gay couples and family reunions and is an elixir for the introvert looking to be more social.

Best Eats: The new Seafood Shack serves fish and chips, lobster rolls and New England clam chowder. It’s an extra charge but well worth it. Your clients can order a fish in the morning that is picked up fresh in port and served to you that evening at market prices. Plus, there are more al fresco dining options than ever, a huge improvement over the Breeze.

READ MORE: Customer-First Tech a Big Hit on Carnival Vista

Best drink: Recommend that your clients sample the Caribbean-inspired brews at the Red Frog Pub & Brewery, the first-ever brewery aboard a U.S. ship. There’s the aromatic and citrusy Port Hoppin’ IPA, spicy ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat unfiltered lager and a rich and creamy FriskyFrog Java Stout.

Key Selling Points: It’s really about bang for the buck. More than ever, Carnival aspires to offer a premium experience at a middle-class price. Everything from the adult getaways on the Serenity deck to the Dreamscape LED-lit centerpieces in the main atrium bar areas to the newly developed photo gallery software (browse photos taken on your cabin TV; no more sifting through hundreds of proofs) deliver on the promise of the Vista being the next step forward for the brand.

JUST THE FACTS

Cruise line: Carnival   

Ship: Carnival Vista

Size: Capacity of 4,716 guests in 1,965 cabins; 133,500 gross registered tons

Entered Service: May 1,2016

Itinerary: Carnival's inaugural itinerary is the cruise line's first foray into Europe in three years. with calls in ports in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Makta,Gibraltar and Turkey. The ship will spend the summer on eight to 13-day itineraries in Europe before embarking on a 13-day transatlantic cruise, arriving in New York on Nov.3. It will operate an 11-day Eastern Caribbean cruise roundtrip from New York and an 11-day South Caribbean itinerary from New York to Miami before entering service on year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean itineraries out of Miami starting in late November.

Price: A 10-day European itinerary runs from $679 to $2,600 per person double occupancy. A typical seven-day Caribbean cruise will cost between $729 to $2,222 per 2016. Winter 2017 rates on Western Caribbean journeys from Miami range from $429 to $1,149 per person double occupancy.

10 Trends You Need to Know About the Asia Cruise Industry

Shanghai 'Bung Area' photo by Dave Jones

CLIA has released its 2016 Asia Cruise Trends Study. Not surprisingly, the study reveals that cruising in Asia is growing by leaps and bounds and the report found that it shows no signs of slowing. 

According to the study, Asian source markets experienced the most growth year over year in ocean cruise passengers, increasing 24 percent from 2014 to 2015. However, cruise deployment in Asia, capacity and destinations have also been growing. 

“The cruise industry has been nimble and responded quickly to the demand for cruise travel in Asia by delivering cruise ships with amenities and experiences tailored to Asian travelers," said Cindy D’Aoust, President and CEO, CLIA. “Asian cruise travel continues to deliver a growing number of enticing opportunities for international guests to visit Asia's fascinating destinations." 

The fact that the market is growing did not come as a surprise to industry experts, but the amount of growth is unprecedented. 

"While we expected Asia to experience record-breaking growth in cruise travel, we are astonished at the rate at which the region is emerging as one of the most significant cruise destinations and cruise source markets in the world,” said Dr. Zinan Liu, chair of CLIA North Asia. “The Asia Cruise Trends project has again developed extremely valuable data on what is happening in Asian cruising, its current size and recent growth trends.”

In its State of the Asia Cruise Industry report, CLIA details 10 trends to watch for in this market. 

More Cruises
The number of ocean cruises and voyages offered in the region is continuing to grow. This year, there are 1,560 sailings scheduled, which is an increase of 43 percent when compared to last year. 

More Cruise Ships

In 2013, there were 43 cruise ships in Asia. Last year, there were 52. This year, there are 60. There is also an increase in the number of ships that are sailing in the region year-round. Fourteen are operating year-round this year, with an additional 12 ships on an. 

More Capacity
With more ships staying longer in the region, capacity is rising. According to CLIA, capacity surged 51 percent this year, reaching 3.2 million passengers.

More Destinations
Currently, there are more than 200 destinations on offer in Asia, across 17 countries. It is one of the easiest ways to see multiple destinations in the region. 

Right now, Japan is the most frequented country, with 1,526 port calls in 2016, followed by China (850), South Korea (745), Vietnam (466) Malaysia (422) and Singapore (391). 

The most visited port is South Korea’s Jeju Island, followed by Shanghai, Singapore and Fukuoka. 

More Passengers
Asia saw the biggest growth of any destination for cruising, growing 24 percent from 2014 to 2015 and welcoming 2.08 million passengers. 

More Chinese Cruisers
Chinese travelers represent nearly half of all the cruisers in the region. In 2014 and 2015, China was the world's fastest-growing source market. 

More Shorter Cruises
Asian cruisers make up the majority on Asian cruises and they want shorter journeys. Thirty percent desire two- to three-night journeys and almost 50 percent want cruises that are four to six nights long. 

More Asia Exploration
According to CLIA’s report, Asian outbound tourism is exploding around the world but Asian cruisers want to explore more Asian destinations. More than eight out of 10 Asian passengers (84 percent) cruised within Asia. 

More Under 40 Cruisers

While the average cruise age skews older, in Asia, 42 percent of cruise travelers are below the age of 40. 

More Amenities for Asian Travelers
Cruise lines are bringing their best ships to Asia and their best new amenities, flooding the market with inclusive onboard activities, high-end shopping, adapted menus and more.

Houston gives up on cruising

Port of Houston's passenger Gangway

The Houston Port Authority’s gangways used for passenger embarkation have been put up for sale as part of a withdrawal from the cruise business.

Commissioners approved an agenda item to declare the passenger access gangway system at the Bayport Terminal “surplus property” and authorized its sale through a formal competitive bid or auction.

Houston was left without a cruise ship at Bayport when Norwegian Cruise Line opted to drop calls from its 2016-17 schedule. That followed a similar decision by Princess Cruises.

Both lines had returned in 2012 to Bayport, taking advantage of $7 million in marketing incentives from the port authority. The deals have expired. 

Texas cruise calls have consolidated at Galveston, which is closer to open ocean and less subject to fog problems than the Bayport Terminal, which was built at a cost of $108 million.

The authority has signed a lease for land that includes the terminal with Auto Warehousing Co., a nationwide provider of auto storage and processing services, according to Houston media reports. 

For RCCL's Fain, China a case of deja vu

Two weeks ago I wrote about Frank Del Rio's take on China and the obstacles he saw to further growth there, but the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO is clearly not the only cruise chief thinking a lot about development in Asia.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. chairman Richard Fain delivered some insights into his thinking on China on a recent conference call with investors. He listed four areas in which China is similar to the industry in North America and Europe, at a comparable stage of maturity.

China has troubled cruise investors, most recently because of price softness in Shanghai.

Drawing on 30 years of decision-making experience, Fain said he's seen it before. "It is striking how many parallels there are in China's evolution today compared to other places in other times where we have developed a market for cruising," Fain said.

Cruising in North America in the 1980s looked much like China does today, according to Fain's analysis.

"It was poorly known to the population at large," Fain said. "Distribution was through a small number of specialist agencies. There was little choice of itineraries, and growth was episodic and dictated by the arrival of new ships."

In addition, favorable word of mouth was the main way people found out about cruising, he said.

Fain characterized travel agencies specializing in cruises in the 1980s as a "niche" business and said China's embryonic cruise travel agency system will evolve with time, as in the U.S.

He said worries about the paucity of destinations in China parallel the same concerns in the U.S market years ago. When Royal Caribbean was trying to decide on a fourth ship, there was "a great deal of hand wringing" about whether there would be interest "beyond the established group of then popular destinations.

"Today we all look back on that concern and find it laughable, but then it was a real concern. Similarly in China, our attachment area today for customers is small and our itineraries are limited, but a quick look at the map shows just how enormous the potential really is."

Silversea spending $170 million on fleet upgrade

Silversea Cruises said it has budgeted $170 million for refurbishment of its current fleet. The luxury line said it will be the largest modernization program in its history.

The first three ships to benefit from the program will be the Silver Wind, Silver Whisper and Silver Discoverer.

The Silver Wind will get new furniture and furnishings in a drydock scheduled for October, as well as a new interactive TV and on demand movies system. The La Terrazza and Main restaurants will get new flooring, and the pool deck will get a new teak surface. 

The Silver Discoverer, an expedition-style ship, will also be renovated in October. The Restaurant will be lighter and more contemporary, the pool grill will get new furniture, and the Discoverer Lounge will be transformed from a breakfast venue to a relaxation area. It will get new AV technology and furniture as well.

The Silver Whisper will get upgrades in time for its world cruise in 2017. Suites will be refurbished and the bathrooms adorned with dark emperor marble flooring. The pool will receive fresh tile and new chaise lounges.

Dining areas at the Restaurant and La Terrazza will be re-skinned with new carpet and parquet, respectively, and each will receive new furniture. 

The Silver Whisper’s communications hub is scheduled for a major overhaul with the addition of two satellite antennas, vastly improving Internet speeds and enabling guests to take full advantage of the new, interactive TVs and on-demand movies available in every suite.

Silversea said details of other refurbishments would be announced later.

Disney successfully adds its character to river cruise market

Adventures by Disney’s cruises on the AmaViola sail by Budapest’s Parliament building.

ABOARD THE AMAVIOLA — Adventures by Disney’s first river cruising season is nearly halfway over, and so far, it has proved a successful move into a market generally overlooked by family travelers.

On this seven-day Danube sailing on the 170-passenger AmaViola from Vilshofen to Budapest, Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Adventures by Disney (ABD), said the company was already looking forward to its expansion to a second river, the Rhine, next summer, and that Disney was broadening river cruising’s demographic.

“[We’re] bringing new people into the river cruise category,” Potrock said. “They’re kind of locked into a segment of the population, and we can expand that segment by bringing families into the equation.”

ABD made its foray into river cruising in partnership with AmaWaterways, which purpose-built the AmaViola with family-friendly design details, including connecting staterooms and suites suitable for three- and four-member families, a rare feature on river cruise ships.

As you would expect with Disney, cruisers will find a family-friendly experience onboard, with movie nights and dance parties for kids. Disney Cruise Line fans will recognize the pirate party with face painting.

Kid-friendly excursions include a walking tour of Bratislava, Slovakia, where kids can complete a puzzle of landmarks; a salt mine tour in Salzburg, Austria, with train rides and wooden slides going into the mine; an Austrian park where kids can walk above the treetops on wooden ledges; and a marionette show offering children a chance to go backstage and try manipulating the dolls themselves.

Parents will appreciate touches such as the tour of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, where Adventure Guides take the kids through garden mazes and to an onsite children’s museum, enabling adults to explore on their own.

Launching the first of this kind of product has been a learning process, and Disney said it would continue to tweak the programming and dining to make it better for both adults and children.

The biggest change so far is the minimum age for its cruises: next year, Disney raised it from 4 to 6, but it still recommends 8, based on feedback and “seeing how the different aged kids were dealing with the river cruise experience,” said Terry Brinkoetter, public relations director for Disney Destinations.

The line also adjusted its dining options. Previously, everyone ate dinner together in the dining room. Now, kids can choose to eat in the lounge, supervised by Adventure Guides who hang out and play games, giving parents a chance to dine alone. Teens may eat together in the wine cellar, and many on my cruise chose to do so. The main dining room has a kids menu for when families wish to dine together.

Disney also learned on the go with its increasing the minimum age from 12 to 14 years after seeing how challenging the tour was, with rough roads (think cobblestone streets) and non-English street signs. An example of the high level of onboard service is that with no bikes suitable for younger kids such as my 9-year-old for the “ride on your own” option, the cruise director had local bikes delivered to use.

Future plans

Potrock, who was also onboard with his family, said over dinner at the ship’s Chef’s Table Restaurant that next year’s expansion to the Rhine on the upcoming 170-passenger AmaKristina made a lot of sense.

“There’s a lot of culture and character in that region of the world,” he said. “And we think there’s a lot of connection to classic Disney lore and stories there. … We think it’s going to play really wonderfully.”

With ABD expanding to two rivers for summer 2017, the next area of growth might be cruise timing, Potrock said, possibly expanding into May or September. Disney currently only offers the cruises from June through August, which works well for ABD and AmaWaterways, he said, because summer is not the strongest market for older couples, the mainstay clients for river cruises, due to the heat and crowds in Europe, but is perfect for Disney’s family-oriented approach.

Beyond that, he said he sees an opportunity to focus on the adult-only market and get “creative in terms of thematics.” With the popularity of wine cruises, he said, Disney could possibly find a tie-in with the Epcot Food and Wine Festival to create a new river cruise product.

ABD’s Danube river cruise fares include daily shore excursions; WiFi; gratuities; all onboard and some off-ship meals; unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks with every lunch and dinner; and onboard entertainment, including classes for the kids.

Ports include Vilshofen and Passau in Germany and Linz, Melk, Krems and Vienna in Austria, as well as Bratislava and Budapest.

The basic cruise price starts at $4,719 for adults and $4,489 for children. A three-day Prague extension package bumps the total to $6,008 for adults and $5,708 for children.

Norwegian Cruise Line disappointed in Caribbean returns

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio said the company’s “lofty” expectations for the Caribbean this summer have not been met, one factor in revising expectations downward for the rest of the year.

In a conference call to discuss second-quarter results, Norwegian lowered its guidance for second-half earnings and said it will not make its previously forecast goal of earning $5 a share in 2017.

A big part of the problem is lower demand for European cruises by North Americans due to geopolitical factors. But Norwegian surprisingly said that keeping two big new ships, Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Getaway, in Miami for the summer has not worked out.

“Today is not a happy day at Norwegian headquarters for obvious reasons,” Del Rio said. “We had to reset expectations based on the current booking environment.”

Although yields are still up in the Caribbean from last year by mid-single digits, Del Rio said strong pricing growth did not fully materialize.

As a result, in 2017 Norwegian Getaway will be deployed on Baltic itineraries for the summer months. “It’s a recognition that high expectations just aren’t being met,” Del Rio said, “almost exclusively due to heavy concentration of inventory during the weak period.”

The Norwegian Getaway is leaving Miami for the Baltics next summer.

Del Rio also delivered bad news about Europe. Norwegian had been seeing modest traction in the weeks following the Brussels terrorist attack in March. But with the bombing of the airport in Istanbul, the Nice truck massacre and the failed coup in Turkey, that “evaporated,” Del Rio said.

About 70% of Norwegian’s passengers on European itineraries are sourced in North America, considerably higher than competing cruise companies.  Attracting more Europeans will produce lower ticket and onboard spending revenue, Del Rio said.

Del Rio also said South American itineraries are soft, and are being impacted by perceptions about the Zika virus.

Norwegian reported a decline in earnings in the second quarter to $145.2 million, down from $158.5 million a year earlier. Revenue increased 9.3%, to $1.2 billion.

In late morning trading, shares of NCLH were down over 9%, to $39.04, while stocks overall were up slightly.

Will Carnival Meet 2020 Sustainability Goals?

Carnival Corporation released its 2015 sustainability report Thursday, revealing the progress it made over the course of last year as it works toward reaching its 10 sustainability performance goals for the end of the decade.

Highlights from the report include a reduction in the company's carbon intensity rate by 2.8 percent. 

What's more, Carnival equipped more than 40 percent of its fleet with exhaust gas cleaning technology designed to reduce the sulfur compounds and particulate matter that comes from engine exhaust.

Carnival also improved its carbon footprint by ordering the world’s first cruise ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the first powered by an LNG hybrid barge.

Finally, the corporation is on pace to meet the 10 percentage point increase in fleet-wide capacity of advanced wastewater purification systems.

Carnival, which added a 10th brand in Fathom last year, also finalized agreements for 15 new ships for delivery by 2020, four of which are next-generation ships that will utilize cleaner fuels.

"We know it is increasingly important to have sustainable and transparent operations, so we work hard every day to run our company in a sustainable way, and to share those practices broadly, so that our guests can feel confident that they are making a responsible decision when they book a vacation with us," said Carnival's chief maritime officer Bill Burke in a statement accompanying Thursday's announcement. 

Check out the infographic below for a more complete update on where Carnival stands in its journey to reaching its 2020 sustainability goals.

Infographic courtesy of Carnival Corporation.

‘Frozen’ production coming to the Disney Wonder

The Disney Wonder will be the Disney Cruise Line ship debuting a stage version of the smash animated movie “Frozen” this November.

The ship is scheduled to sail from Galveston on Nov. 10 with the show and a “wave of new enhancements,” Disney said.

“Frozen, a Musical Spectacular” is based on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen,” which is the number one animated feature of all time. The film earned two Academy Awards (2014) for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

An entirely separate two-act Broadway production of “Frozen” is currently being prepared by Disney Theatrical Productions and is slated to join Disney Theatrical’s New York productions of “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” for spring 2018 at a theater to be announced.

On the Disney Wonder, the “Frozen” show will be staged in the 977-seat Walt Disney Theater.

Crystal Cruises drops SS United States revival plans

Crystal Cruises drops SS United States revival plans

Crystal Cruises has dropped plans to revive historic transatlantic liner SS United States after a six-month evaluation.

The luxury line said that while the vessel is structurally sound “the technical and commercial challenges associated with returning the historic liner to service as a modern cruise ship have unfortunately proven insurmountable”.  

Crystal and the SS United States Conservancy announced in February that they had entered into an exclusive option agreement to convert the iconic 1950’s-era vessel into a modern, luxury cruise ship that would comply with all modern safety and technical standards.

A $1 million feasibility study and professional evaluation was instituted using world-class team of engineers and experts.

The line’s president and chief executive Edie Rodriguez said: “Over the past six months, Crystal has conducted an extensive feasibility study to restore 'America's Flagship' to oceangoing service.

“Unfortunately, the hurdles that would face us when trying to bring a 65-year-old vessel up to modern safety, design and international regulatory compliance have proven just too great to clear in both a technically and commercially responsible manner.”

Susan Gibbs, executive director of the SS United States Conservancy, added: “While it has been determined that Crystal’s exciting vision for the ship would have required overcoming various technical hurdles and major changes to her historic design, the studies performed have confirmed the ship is structurally sound.

“America’s Flagship continues to hold enormous potential as a stationary mixed-use development and museum in New York or another urban waterfront setting.

“The SS United States Conservancy remains deeply committed to saving this unique and powerful symbol of the nation’s strength, history, and innovation.”

Crystal will make a donation of $350,000 to aid in the Conservancy’s ongoing mission to save the ship.