Carnival Introduces EasyPay Installment Feature

PHOTO: Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Liberty. (photo via Flickr/Roderick Eime)

Carnival Cruise Line has introduced a more convenient way to pay for your next cruise, rolling out Carnival EasyPay.

The industry-first feature will allow travelers to pay for their cruise over a three-month period interest-free.

Payments will be automatically deducted from the credit card guests have on file on the same designated day over three consecutive months.

Carnival EasyPay users' remaining balance will be split into three equal amounts after they make their deposit.

To be eligible for Carnival EasyPay guests must book early. They must make an initial deposit and the deposit due date must be at least 90 days before the final payment date.

The new feature comes at no extra cost and guests can sign up online, over the phone or through their travel agent.

Guests booking at Carnival.com can select the EasyPay option in the "How Would You Like to Pay" section. They can sign up or cancel Carnival EasyPay after the initial deposit is made at the "Manage My Booking" tab on Carnival's website.

"Rather than having to remember to pay for their cruise, Carnival EasyPay provides guests with peace of mind knowing that their payment is being processed automatically," said Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy in a statement accompanying Thursday's announcement.

Carnival said the feature is available on most but not all sailings when guests book early enough.

Queen Victoria has updated look but the same grand library

The Queen Victoria's two-deck library is unified by a spiral staircase, complete with standing globe at the base. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst

ABOARD THE QUEEN VICTORIA -- One of the splendors of this ship is the wood-paneled two-deck library, among the best at sea.

During a recent month-long renovation in which Cunard Line made a number of changes to the ship, it could have taken the opportunity to cut back the size of the library, add a bar or rebrand it as a learning center.

Cunard did none of those things, leaving intact the 7,000-volume collection for guests to peruse.

There's something extravagant about a two-story library on a ship. The space is unified by a spiral staircase, complete with a standing globe at the base. Upstairs is devoted to fiction, from Aaronson to Zander, while the lower level is for nonfiction.

"Cunard has a proper library," said Svetlana Minic, one of two librarians who staff the book vault. The only library bigger than the one on Queen Victoria is the one on the larger Queen Mary 2, which has 10,000 volumes, Minic said.

The marvel of such a library is that there's something for everybody. Not only does Queen Victoria have a fiction section, but it has a separate case for short stories only. There's a section for young adult fiction as well as one for science fiction. The Everyman Library of classics spans authors from Jane Austin to Virginia Woolf.

The nonfiction collection is even more impressive and superbly organized. There are labeled shelves for everything from Animals, Gardening, Fitness and Science to Arts & Crafts, Food and Drink, Sport, Dance and Digital Photography.

Besides English, there are volumes in Italian, French, German, Japanese and a small number in Chinese.

Reference books include a complete set of the Encyclopedia Britannica. There are five floor-to-ceiling cases of travel books, and two of books on marine themes such as Maritime History, Merchant Shipping, Warships, Yachts and Passenger Shipping.

There are about a dozen books on Cunard Line or its individual ships. Minic said there used to be more but guests have taken them home as souvenirs, even though Queen Victoria has a bookshop stocked with new commemorative Cunard books for sale.

For guests who want to take a book home, Minic operates a paperback exchange. She said the library is very popular on world cruises. There's often not a seat to spare on either level.

Two or three times a year, the collection is freshened with 400 new books. The next change-out is set for the start of Queen Victoria's June 8 cruise from Southampton.

Minic said she then picks 400 older volumes to be donated at one of the ship's ports of call.

The Cruise Industry Remains Committed to the Environment

PHOTO: Holland America Line's Westerdam in Alaska. (photo by Jason Leppert)

President Donald Trump may have announced that he will be pulling the US out of the Paris climate accord, but the worldwide cruise industry remains committed to environmental protection.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) recently outlined the many ways conservation is promoted within.

“The cruise industry recognizes the importance of taking active measures to preserve our environment and we are constantly striving to develop more eco-friendly practices that enable travelers to stay green’ while traveling,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA, in a press release. “Cruise lines have continued to offer new incentives for earth-friendly travel and know that this attention to our own environmental impact is not only beneficial, it is vital.”

The following are among the many eco-friendly programs and incentives:

Green Policies

Lots of cruise ships partake in recycling and waste treatment at sea as well as on land. Seabourn, for example, specifically utilizes advanced wastewater treatment systems and environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies. It also recycles and donates reusable items.

It continues to increase fuel efficiency every year with new ships including low-flow passenger toilets, sinks and showers.

Dedicated Officers

Many CLIA Members employ dedicated officers charged with daily environmental program oversight. Each Disney Cruise Line ship stations Environmental Officers to check water quality and supply. It trains these officers and crew on waste minimization and environmental safety while supervising initiatives such as recycling.

Sustainable Practices

Cruise lines frequently collaborate with eco-friendly vendors and destinations that seek to reduce their carbon footprint. For one, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection works with environmentally-conscious businesses like organic wineries.

Smart Ships

Smart technologies allow modern ships to conserve energy, water and fuel. Examples include Carnival Cruise Line’s partnership with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the City of Long Beach, California, and Southern California Edison on shore power.

Similarly, Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum-class and Harmony of the Seas smart HVAC have dropped cooling energy consumption by a quarter.

Waste Minimization & Creative Composting

Up front, cruise lines work to reduce supply packaging and then compost food waste. In fact, MSC Cruises uses incinerators, food pulpers, grinders and compactors for garbage processing while Costa Cruises was the first travel company to sign the Milan Protocol.

Solar Sailing

For ships that can, energy waste is reduced by utilizing renewable battery power and solar energy for some systems. AmaWaterways’ Zambezi Queen employs low-emission generators by day and batteries by night, using solar heating for its hot water supply.

Cruise for the Earth

Green voluntourism is available to guests who want to travel and better the world. Azamara Club Cruises has partnered with World Wildlife Fund, and WWF guest speakers are featured on some sailings.

Corporate cousin Celebrity Cruises also encourages Celebrity Xpedition guests to plant trees in Galapagos National Park in support of the Scalescia reforestation effort.

Wildlife Conservation

The environment’s inhabitants are just as important to cruise lines, and Holland America Line has an "Avoiding Whale Strikes" training program in cooperation with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) and the National Parks Service.

All the company’s deck officers have gone through the course, which is also being shared broadly with the cruise and maritime community.

Proper Disposal

Another crucial element of environmental protection is for crew members and guests to remove garbage responsibly. Crystal Cruises, for instance, promotes its “Crystal Clean” initiatives to communicate environmental education. Of course, it’s important to properly recycle and reuse not only paper and plastic but also glass, aluminum, scrap metal, cooking oil, petroleum oil, toner cartridges, electronics and certain chemicals.

Smarter Sewage

Lastly, technology can also assist in lessening the impact of sewage and water waste, as Avalon Waterways has found with its multi-step procedure and specialized onboard sewage treatment system.

The Best Games to Play on Your Cruise Ship Holiday

The Best Games to Play on Your Cruise Ship Holiday

Photo Dave Jones- James and Dawn in the Port of Miami.

Let’s face it, if any there was a time to let your hair down and act silly- it’s on a cruise ship. Cruise ships are self-contained resorts at sea where you sail from port to port with thousands of your newest friends. But don’t just wait for the cruise director staff to instruct your fun- here is a list of cruise ship games you and your party can play between ports.

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are easy to execute, and they work best with groups of people. There are two main types of scavenger hunts; Photo and Object. Object scavenger hunts require you to get items from the ship from either the staff or your fellow travelers. Some examples could be a captain’s hat, a lei, a token from the cruise ship’s casino, and a souvenir cup. Since object hunts are more difficult, you might want to make them last over a 24 hour period. Photo scavenger hunts are a little easier to execute and you can find already created ones easily on google. Here’s a great example of a Photo scavenger hunt. On Photo Scavenger hunts, the teams need to take photos from as many of a prearranged list of items.

A Cruise of Faceless Men

Just like Arya Stark from Game of Thrones can morph identities easily from one day to the next; so you too can be a doctor, a magician, a horse trader, and an Olympic ice skating coach all in one week. The goal of this game is to introduce yourself to other cruisers as different personalities all week long. The first person to mix up your pretend personality with the wrong cruiser loses.

Game of Accent Chicken

This game is best played in pairs. Find an evening after dinner and enter one of the many cruise ship bars or lounges. Find another group of people enjoying their evening to socialize with. The only catch- maintain the same accent for as long as possible. Eventually one of you will fail, and it will be hilarious for the other.

Happy Hour Cocktail Hunt

This game requires more than two people to play. At start, every player takes off to the bars where the goal is to find the cheapest alcoholic drink for sale. Keep visiting the bars until you think you've found the best deal to buy (don't forget to save your receipt for proof). The catch, the last player to return automatically loses, even if she has the cheapest drink. This adds the necessary time element to the game so make sure you find an empty bar, preferably one with drink specials.

Mr. Monopoly

You might think your balcony stateroom is lux, but you probably haven’t seen anything. Most cruise ships have some pretty amazing suites. As an example, check out the 3 Bedroom Garden Villa. I mean, you don’t have a grand piano in your stateroom? The goal of this game is to get invited to the nicest stateroom on the ship by meeting and talking with other guests. You have the whole trip to do it.

So whether it's a week of accents or the more traditional scavenger hunt, bring the competitive nature with you on your next cruise vacation. Let us know what games you've played by leaving a comment below.

STX France reveals newly-christened MSC Meraviglia’s ‘advanced’ propulsion

MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia, built by STX France, has been christened

MSC Cruises’ 171,598gt MSC Meraviglia has been christened at Le Havre, France. As well as being the largest ship belonging to a European shipowner, it has an advanced, “very ambitious” propulsion plant and is the first of MSC Cruises’ fleet to debut digital innovation programme ‘MSC For Me’.

STX France vice president of projects Stéphane Cordier told PST: “From a building efficiency standpoint, the construction of this prototype was extremely smooth; the overall design and architecture of ship developed very efficiently and according to schedule.”

One of the main standout features is MSC For Me, which will be rolled out across the fleet and debuts on MSC Meraviglia.

MSC Meraviglia will be powered by an all-electrical plant consisting of four 12-cylinder diesel engines. Mr Cordier said this arrangement was “very ambitious”. Usually ships of this size have five or six engines.

Singling out the benefits of MSC Meraviglia’s engine arrangement, he said: “The limited number of machines allows them to run at higher power, contributes to the general efficiency and is a more compact arrangement.”

“We have an ambitious vision for the future and MSC Meraviglia marks the start of the second phase of growth for our company,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman in a statement. “For this reason, this evening is an extremely proud moment for all of us at MSC Cruises as we see the first of our next-generation ships being named.”

“The new ships that we are building — between 2017 and 2020 alone, we will receive six new ships — are purpose-built, featuring innovation in both product and design, as well as the very latest-cutting edge marine and consumer-facing technology to create unforgettable holiday experiences at sea for guests of all ages. MSC Meraviglia is the first to make this vision come to life, as it sets a new standard for cruise ships as a destination in itself.”

MSC Meraviglia has the longest LED Sky Screen at Sea at 80m long encompassing a 96m long Mediterranean-style promenade, designed to become the social hub of the ship.

Royal Caribbean to Offer Total Solar Eclipse Sailing

Royal Caribbean International will offer a special seven-night sailing aboard the Oasis of the Seas this summer for guests to witness the total solar eclipse on August 21.

The company said: “The Total Eclipse Cruise will feature a bucket-list-worthy viewing party with a live concert performed by a major headliner – to be revealed at a later date – to celebrate the celestial phenomenon that is poised to become the most photographed, most shared and most tweeted event in human history.”

“We’re set to take vacationers on an unprecedented experience that is nearly a century in the making,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “A total solar eclipse hasn’t crossed the entire U.S. since 1918, and with many of our ships sailing the Caribbean along the projected path, the stars aligned. Oasis of the Seas will have the vantage point of the century and an unforgettable celebration out at sea that adventurers won’t want to miss.”

The optimal viewing area along the eclipse’s path stretches across the country from Oregon to South Carolina before passing over the Caribbean Sea, according to Royal Caribbean.

On this trajectory, the sun will be entirely covered by the moon, and a moment this unique deserves an equally impressive experience.

Guests on Oasis of the Seas will be treated to a full slate of eclipse-themed activities, including dance parties, trivia, enrichment lectures, interactive science fun for kids, and tasty cocktails and dishes with names like the Cosmic Cosmo, Planetary Punch and Moon Pie, ensuring the most memorable and adventurous way to commemorate the Great American Eclipse.

The 7-night Total Eclipse Cruise on board Oasis of the Seas will set sail on Aug. 20, 2017.

Seven other Royal Caribbean ships will be in the Caribbean during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

MSC Meraviglia Departs from Le Havre

MSC Meraviglia Departs from Le Havre

Following her star-studded Saturday christening event, the new MSC Meraviglia sailed from Le Havre, France, on Sunday afternoon.

Viking Cruises Kicks Off 20th Anniversary Celebration

PHOTO: Viking Cruises founder and chairman Torstein Hagen in front of a Viking Longship under construction. (photo courtesy of Viking Cruises)

Viking Cruises is celebrating its 20th anniversary of operation this year, and a new video showcases its founder and chairman Torstein Hagen reminiscing about the company’s humble beginnings and great success since.

“Twenty years ago, river cruising was unknown to most North American travelers, and today we are proud that Viking is a household name. We have spent more than $1 billion marketing the concept of destination-focused cruising,” said Hagen, in a press release.

“We lead the river cruise industry, and with our ocean cruises, we have transported the intimacy of a river cruise onto the open seas. With the arrival of our sixth ocean ship in 2019, we will be the largest small ship ocean cruise line, and we look forward to introducing even more guests to the Viking way of travel.”

Altogether, Viking Cruises now consists of two brands: Viking River Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises. The journey began with the former and just four riverboats in Russia but that has now accumulated into a fleet of acclaimed Viking Longships, another two of which were just launched this March.

The company’s first three ocean ships have been equally applauded since coming online in 2015. Now, another five 930-guest sister-ships are scheduled, with options for an additional two.

By 2019, Viking will become the largest small ship ocean cruise line.

Among the many recent awards won by Viking, Town & Country called Viking Ocean Cruises “Best for Design” and “Best Overall, Contemporary Luxury,” as well as Viking River Cruises “Best for Suites” and “Best for Design” in its Cruise Awards. Plus, Viking has received top honors in Condé Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” and “Readers’ Choice Awards” and in Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards.”

Above Video. Celebrating 20 Years of Exploration ~ 20th Anniversary ~ Viking Cruises 

Viking differentiators include more intimate vessels on the world’s rivers and oceans, along with more overall time spent and overnight calls in destinations. Cultural enrichment also focuses on Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access experiences.

Viking’s unique river and ocean value proposition features a free shore excursion in every port, onboard meals and all port charges and government taxes. Also included in the cruise fare are beer and wine at lunch and dinner; always available coffee, tea and bottled water; and unlimited Wi-Fi internet access.

Ocean ship guests additionally get complimentary alternative restaurant dining, self-service laundry, LivNordic Spa thermal suite access and 24-hour room service.

Mein Schiff 6 Christened

Mein Schiff 6 Christened

TUI Cruises welcomed the Mein Schiff 6 into its fleet with a Thursday night ceremony in the German port of Hamburg.

Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna christened the ship.

The Mein Schiff 6 left the Altona cruise terminal around 9 p.m. on Thursday night and slowing sailed up the Elbe to Elbphilharmonie (concert hall), where it positioned itself for the evening’s music programming, including a custom symphony composed just for the christening.

The music show was complimented by a light show, with the Meyer-Turku-built ship being the center piece.

Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, explained: “The Elbphilharmonie provides extraordinary experiences, and at TUI Cruises we strive to do the same. For us it was important to design an event that reflects these shared values. So even with the Elbe between them, the Elbphilharmonie and the Mein Schiff 6 became one.”

MSC Wins Bid for Durban Cruise Terminal

MSC Wins Bid for Durban Cruise Terminal

MSC Opera

The Durban Cruise Terminal will be getting a significant upgrade as KwaZulu Cruise Terminal, a joint venture between MSC Cruises and Africa Armada Consortium, has won the bid build a new two-ship terminal and operate it for the next 25 years.

It also underlines MSC’s leadership position in the South Africa cruise market, where it remains the only company with a significant presence.

MSC plans to start construction later this year with a completion date of 2019. The cruise company owns 70 percent of the venture. 

Disney parks slip, but remain atop global theme park attendance report

Queues waiting to get inside the Magic Kingdom.

The 2016 TEA/AECOM Theme Index global attendance report is out, and Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom remains the world's most popular theme park. But Disney's theme parks mostly saw their attendance slip in 2016, as rival Universal continued to see gains at most of its parks.

The top 25 most-attended theme parks worldwide in 2016:

1. Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom, 20,395,000, -0.5%
2. Disneyland, 17,943,000, -1.8%
3. Tokyo Disneyland, 16,540,000, -0.4%
4. Universal Studios Japan, 14,500,000, 4.3%
5. Tokyo DisneySea, 13,460,000, -1.0%
6. Epcot, 11,712,000, -0.7%
7. Disney's Animal Kingdom, 10,844,000, -0.7%
8. Disney's Hollywood Studios, 10,776,000, -0.5%
9. Universal Studios Florida, 9,998,000, 4.3%
10. Islands of Adventure, 9,362,000, 6.5%
11. Disney California Adventure, 9,295,000, -0.9%
12. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, 8,474,000, 13.2%
13. Disneyland Paris, 8,400,000, -14.2%
14. Lotte World, 8,150,000, 11.5%
15. Universal Studios Hollywood, 8,086,000, 13.9%
16. Everland, 7,200,000, -3.0%
17. Hong Kong Disneyland, 6,100,000, -10.3%
18. Ocean Park, 5,996,000, -18.8%
19. Nagashima Spa Land, 5,850,000, -0.3%
20. Europa Park, 5,600,000, 1.8%
21. Shanghai Disneyland, New 5,600,000 (Opened in June)
22. Walt Disney Studios Paris, 4,970,000, -1.6%
23. Efteling, 4,764,000, 1.8%
24. Tivoli Gardens, 4,640,000, -2.0%
25. SeaWorld Orlando, 4,402,000, -7.9%

Also topping the four million mark worldwide were Busch Gardens Tampa (down 2.0%), Universal Studios Singapore (down 2.4%) and Knott's Berry Farm (up 3.8%). Singapore was the only Universal theme park to see an attendance dip last year. Overall attendance globally among the top 25 theme parks was down 1.1 percent, but attendance was up 1.2 percent among the top 20 parks in the United States, according to the report.

The big winner in attendance growth last year was Universal Studios Hollywood, boosted by the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in April. Shanghai Disneyland also helped turn the year positive for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts by attracting more than five million visitors in half a year of operation. All other Disney theme parks posted attendance declines last year.

The biggest losers were Hong Kong Disneyland and neighboring Ocean Park, which likely saw a loss of visitors to the new Shanghai Disneyland park, amplified by an ongoing tourism slump in Hong Kong. Disneyland Paris continued to disappoint in 2016, too, with its attendance dropping 14 percent. It's likely that many potential DLP guests put off their visit until this year, when the park is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the completion of many attraction renovations.

In the United States, Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks saw increases, while SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks continued their slide. Busch Gardens Williamsburg fell from the U.S top 20, replaced by Six Flags Great America, north of Chicago.

MSC and STX France Firm Up LNG Cruise Order

MSC Cruises’ World Class

At the MSC Meraviglia Flag Ceremony, MSC Cruises and STX France signed a new memorandum of understanding firming up the order of two 200,000-ton, LNG-powered mega cruise ships, with options for two additional vessels.

The letter of intent was signed last year.

The four ships will become MSC Cruises’ World Class, according to a statement. 

The signing took place in the presence of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy.

The new ships will be equipped with a completely new generation of LNG-powered engines as well as a new generation waste water treatment system, said MSC.

MSC Cruises’ World Class cruise ships will feature 2,760 staterooms and a maximum occupancy of 6,850 guests, the highest passenger capacity in the cruise fleet. The vessels, which will be delivered in 2022 and 2024 – the options are for 2025 and 2026 – will have a length of 1,083 ft. and 154 ft. of beam.

Speaking at the MSC Meraviglia Flag Ceremony, Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “Today, as we unveil MSC Meraviglia, a new vessel that marks the start of the next phase of our growth, we are delighted to confirm another key component of our ten-year investment plan: the World Class. These new vessels will further expand our partnership with STX France all the way to 2026, with up to seven additional innovative ships to be built during this period.”

STX France's CEO Laurent Castaing commented: “Once again, MSC Cruises has chosen to put their trust in our capacity to support their growth and expansion as well as in our ability to conceive, develop and build the world’s most modern and technologically-advanced cruise ships. By adding the new World Class to the four previous ship classes that we have delivered over the past 15 years, the number of vessels in their fleet built by STX France in Saint-Nazaire is set to reach 20. Our exceptional industrial partnership continues to benefit an entire region.”

The World Class’ futuristic “Y” shape structure will enable panoramic sea views and increase the proportion of balcony cabins.

The ships’ G bow (vertically positioned at a 90 degree angle) has been designed to improve stability, hydrodynamics as well as to enhance guest comfort. Other guest-centric innovations include family-friendly villages, a panoramic aft, and a glass pool lounge.

MSC Cruises Officially Receives MSC Meraviglia

MSC Cruises Officially Receives MSC Meraviglia

MSC Meraviglia 

 MSC Cruises officially took delivery of MSC Meraviglia.

During the ship’s flag ceremony, the ship received her official flag and blessings for good fortune. The ceremony was attended by Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic and other high-level dignitaries from the French government.

MSC Cruises said it estimates that its total investment at STX France from 2003 to 2020 will amount to over 7 billion euros, effectively making the company the country’s number one foreign private investor. 

Following her christening ceremony, which will take place in Le Havre on June 3, MSC Meraviglia will start her inaugural season sailing the Western Mediterranean.

“MSC Meraviglia’s coming into service marks a key milestone in the history and future of our Company,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises. “She represents the first realization of our long-term vision for further significant growth, which, in its first phase, culminated with MSC Cruises becoming two years ago the number one cruise brand across all of Europe, while on its way to further global growth.”

“Above all, we must celebrate the work of everyone: from all the workers of our partner STX France to MSC Cruises’ New Builds Team, each and every supplier and sub-supplier who has contributed to turning our vision into reality as well as everyone at MSC who has worked ashore and on board on this amazing project. A galvanized team of up to 3,000 workers a month and over 400 suppliers, built over the past three years the largest and most technologically advanced cruise ship ever constructed by a European ship owner. This is worth celebrating!” added Vago.

“Delivering a ship is always a time of great emotion for the shipyard: it is the culmination of three years of intense work for our employees and those of our partners, who have spared no effort to deliver on the exact date and in the quality conditions desired by our client MSC Cruises, this first ship of the Meraviglia class,” said Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France. “Benefiting from our advances in R&D from the "Ship of the Future" program supported by ADEME, this prototype is a great achievement that we can all be proud of and which allows us to look confidently at the next three ships.”

During today’s flag ceremony, the shipyard’s pennant and the French flag were lowered, accompanied by the French national anthem, before Laurent Castaing, CEO of STX France, formally handed the ship over to MSC Cruises’ owner Gianluigi Aponte.

Aponte then gave command of MSC Meraviglia to Master Raffaele Pontecorvo before the ship’s flag and MSC Cruises’ pennant were raised.

The honor of cutting the ribbon fell to the ceremony’s godmother, Zoe Africa Vago, daughter of MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman and Alexa Aponte-Vago, MSC Group’s CFO. After the traditional breaking of the bottle of champagne, three blasts from the ship’s siren signaled the end of the ceremony.