Video: sneak peak at Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas cabin factory

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• Quantum of the Seas

22Jul2014

Go behind the scenes at Meyer Werft's cabin factory where Quantum of the Seas staterooms are constructed using a production line. From carpeting to art on the wall, this manufacturing process ensures the highest quality standards throughout.

P&O Britannia progress and culinary master classes

P&O have been a bit slow in coming forward in terms of keeping us up-to-date with the progress of Britannia. It’s been almost 3 weeks since we were treated to an image of the unfinished Lido deck, although it did give us a pretty good idea of just how large that area will be.

Latest P&O Britannia progress – It was late yesterday when the cruise ship company decided to share another image on their Facebook and Twitter accounts. We can see her in the water, although she is still waiting for her new paint scheme, which is due to start very shortly.

We are also told that it will not be too long before her engines are turned on ready for a series of tests. The Britannia build process is now entering its latter stage, and so we should expect to see more news being released on a regular basis over the next few months.

P&O have also been offering new details on Britannia’s culinary master classes. The Cookery Club will be a main feature of Britain and will allow people of all ages to take part in these classes. James Martin, Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and Eric Lanlard have all had some input, along with Charlie Turnbull as well.

Every time one of these celebrity chefs are on the ship they will be holding a series of master classes, as well as holding classes during lunch and dinner at the Chef’s table.

Rockefeller seeks to tie cruise reforms to Coast Guard bill

By Tom Stieghorst

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.) signaled his intent to attach his cruise industry consumer protection legislation to a bill to reauthorize the U.S. Coast Guard, strengthening its chances of consideration.

Rockefeller introduced his Cruise Passenger Protection Act last year, but despite co-sponsorship by several Democratic senators it has not been passed out of committee.

At a hearing of the U.S. Commerce Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said in his opening remarks that he thought it would be best as a stand-alone bill and not in connection with the Coast Guard authorization act.

Later in the hearing, Rockefeller disagreed, saying, "Everybody knows that the Coast Guard reauthorization is a bill Congress has to pass. If you separate this, the Coast Guard bill will pass and the cruise ship bill will get flushed down the toilet.

"My job as chairman is to make sure we don't play the game that way," Rockefeller said.

The Coast Guard bill sets funding for the agency for the next two years and has numerous other provisions supported by various constituencies. It passed the House in April without the consumer measures, but a conference committee could adopt the Rockefeller provisions if they are included in the Senate's bill.

The measures would make it easier for consumers to report crimes and make complaints about problems on cruise ships, according to Rockefeller, while simplifying ticket contracts and publishing more information about crimes and other problems on cruise ships.

"These aren't crazy ideas," Rockefeller said. "They are common-sense protections that consumers already have if they travel in airplanes or by rail."

Cruise industry representatives who testified at hearings last year said the provisions were regulatory over-reach or problematic for other reasons.

No industry representatives appeared at this year's hearings. Witnesses included passengers or their relatives who experienced crimes, medical emergencies or mechanical breakdowns on ships, plus a Miami lawyer who has sued cruise lines over such issues.

France's enduring allure

By Michelle Baran

For more than 20 years, France has consistently been the most visited country on Earth. And while few would deny its allures -- the beauty of Paris, the charms of Provence, the country's well-respected wines and legendary cuisine -- it is perhaps less evident why it has stayed so far out ahead of the pack for so long in a world that is now arguably full of equally wonderful travel destinations.

"In the [1920s] and '40s, we were lucky to have people who had a strong interest in the country," recalled Anne-Laure Tuncer, director of Atout France USA, the country's tourism development agency.

Tuncer said the fact that foreign writers and celebrities often visited France back then, returning with stories of their travels, helped plant the seed for the country's future tourism prospects long before destination marketing organizations such as Atout France were created to generate demand.

Indeed, France's ability to cultivate and attract artists, writers and cultural influencers from around the world clearly helped it achieve prominence in the hearts and minds of potential travelers the world over. And it happened without the country even really trying. (For more images from France, click here or on any of the photos.)

"It wasn't a master plan at the beginning," Tuncer acknowledged. "Culturally, there was just a strong influence, like in literature and the arts."

It wouldn't be until the 1950s that France really started to think about tourism and address its potential directly, she said.

But since then, so has every other country. Increasingly accessible air travel has given birth to a highly profitable global travel industry, revenues from which have grown to significantly contribute to destination countries' GDP. Competition for those coveted tourist dollars is fierce, and destinations have created and improved sophisticated marketing machines to capture greater market share.

So much of what France touts -- gastronomy, history and culture, to name just a few of its traditional high points -- can now be found in plenty of other countries around the globe, and those places are letting the world know about it. Yet France remains on top in terms of visitor numbers -- and by a lot, begging the question: Is what France has still that much more enticing than what other countries can offer travelers?

Howard Lewis of Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Protravel International, has been selling France for more than 40 years and sees no end in sight to its popularity.

"The city of Paris has always been the romantic destination in people's minds for hundreds of years," Lewis said. "Paris and the south of France will always have a draw on the dreams of travelers worldwide. It has had that pull for hundreds of years, and I don't see that abating."

In 2012 (the most recent year for which numbers are available), France welcomed 83 million international travelers, followed by the U.S., with 67 million; China and Spain, with 57.7 million each; Italy, with 46.4 million; and Turkey, with 35.7 million.

Even in 2008 through 2010, when many countries saw their tourism numbers drop, France suffered a decrease in tourists, but it still remained out in front.

According to Tuncer, at the current average global tourism growth rate of 5% year over year, France could be on track to welcome more than 100 million tourists annually by 2020.

France's early success as a tourism destination makes sense. But that it has managed to maintain this much staying power, when such a wealth of additional and competitive travel options have come on the scene, has been impressive.

The challenge of staying on top

The French tourism industry is keenly aware of the challenges that lie ahead if their country is going to maintain its spot at the apex of the global travel market.

Tourism constitutes 7.2% of France's GDP, and that is revenue the country doesn't want to lose.

Significantly, while it is the most-visited country in the world, France doesn't make the most money from tourism. The U.S. pulled in $140 billion in international tourism receipts in 2013, followed by Spain, with $60 billion. France's take totaled $56 billion.

Thus, the first challenge is to get travelers to stay longer and see, do and spend more while they're in the country.

Lewis said that travelers almost always want to visit "Paris and the south of France, No. 1. But I try to always, with some success, have them stretch their wings and hit other fantastic places all throughout France."

Still, he noted, it isn't always easy to get Americans to go beyond Paris and the country's other traditional highlights. "Sometimes it's a tough sell," Lewis said. "But if they are open and trust me and themselves, then I can create some wonderful experiences."

France is also battling some perception issues -- most acutely, the long-held stereotype that the French are rude. So several years ago, the country's tourism ministry tackled the problem head-on by introducing a new approach to tourism, with an emphasis on acting more welcoming.

Along those lines, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau last summer printed 30,000 pamphlets and distributed them to Parisians who work in restaurants, cafes, hotels and museums as well as to taxi drivers.

The pamphlets offered up some useful vocabulary terms such as "good morning" and "thank you" in several languages, along with some research and data about foreign travelers.

The campaign, titled "Do you speak touriste?" also addressed the fact that tourists from different destinations often seek different attractions and experiences.

"Of course, not all American people behave the same way," Francois Navarro, head of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, told Travel Weekly at the time the campaign launched. But he said data showed that, on average, Americans stay 6.7 days in Paris, spending about $190 per day.

"All this kind of information we wanted to give to our professionals," he said. "There is a huge competition between cities in the world. We know the [perceived] difference between two cities ... will be about how you welcome your visitors."

Another challenge is that France is perceived as being expensive.

"Paris hotels are getting to be quite expensive," said Yolande Kamins, owner of Enchanted France. "Of course, the exchange rate of the dollar vs. euros is not often favorable."

Being thought of as costly, combined with an image of a country steeped in history, has another potential drawback. It can make France a more difficult sell for younger, more budget-oriented travelers.

"The perception is that we're more expensive than Italy, and that's not true," Tuncer said. "The offering is so big, and it's good for any budget. We are trying to tell people there's an offer for everyone."

She added that another challenge is the perception that France is predictable. For that reason, Atout France wants to get the word out about events like Nuit Blanche (White Night) in Paris, a free dusk-to-dawn arts and culture event that takes place every October. The organization also wants to promote music festivals and contemporary art exhibits that could appeal to the next generation of travelers.

Normandy, river cruises and beyond

During the global recession and in its immediate aftermath, France saw its tourism numbers slump. But just as it came back after 9/11, France again this year is seeing a resurgence of interest in visiting the country.

That has been in no small part aided by the 70th anniversary last month of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Tour operators and travel sellers marketed the occasion aggressively and helped bring history buffs to the northern region of France to recall the events of World War II and pay tribute to the fallen.

In addition, France is the hot spot du jour in the booming river cruise market. Cruise companies are launching a slew of ships and introducing new routes throughout the country to seize upon growing demand.

This year, Viking Cruises and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection each introduced new itineraries in Bordeaux, bringing to three the number of distinct river cruising regions on offer throughout France. Those include the Seine River from Paris to Normandy, the Rhone and Saone rivers in Burgundy and Provence, and the Garonne and Gironde rivers in the Bordeaux region.

In 2014, Viking christened three vessels in the south of France; Uniworld launched a new vessel there, as well; Tauck repositioned its 118-passenger Swiss Sapphire to the Seine; and Scenic Cruises is launching its 128-passenger Scenic Gem on the Seine later this year.

Avalon Waterways is increasing its France capacity for 2015 by 95%; direct-to-consumer operator Grand Circle Cruise Line will put the River Cloud II in Bordeaux in March; Emerald Waterways is introducing a new ship in the south of France; and French river cruise company CroisiEurope is introducing the 96-passenger paddlewheeler, Loire Princess, on the Loire River next April.

"We are very excited about the growth opportunity in France," Richard Marnell, Viking's senior vice president of marketing, said earlier this year. "Because of strong demand already this season, we have decided to increase capacity on those two itineraries [Bordeaux and South of France] in 2015. We will add a second ship, Viking Rinda, in Bordeaux and a fourth ship on Portraits of Southern France: Viking Delling, which will be new for 2015.

"We also continue to see strong demand for our other itineraries in France and are nearly sold out for the entire summer season," Marnell added.

While Paris remains, and will probably always remain, the main draw for those visiting France, the country is working overtime to diversify its tourism product and introduce travelers to a much larger range of destinations.

For example, wine touring is luring oenophiles to France's legendary wine-making regions. Some 24 million people visit the country's wine regions each year, according to the French government.

Pascale Bernasse, president of French Wine Explorers, said, "We specialize in wine touring, so Bordeaux is a popular destination, and one of the most lovely cities outside of Paris. We also provide touring in other wine regions, such as Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Provence, Champagne, Lyon and even the French Riviera."

Bernasse and other France travel sellers noted that Languedoc in the south of France is an up-and-coming region to watch.

"There is so much to see and do in the region, prices are very reasonable, and crowds are less than in Provence," Bernasse said.

The expansion of product into lesser-known regions of France, such as Languedoc, will also help France stay fresh and relevant in the minds of travelers, especially a new generation of travelers that seems determined to get off the beaten path.

Forever No. 1?

To reach its goal of welcoming 100 million international travelers by 2020, France will have to maintain its infrastructure, continue to build hotel capacity and develop additional niche and smaller destination markets.

Roadblocks like the recent spate of air traffic controller strikes won't help in that goal. Nor will a tourist tax that was recently proposed by Parliament that would increase hotel taxes to as much as $11 per night, up from $2 currently.

But Atout France is analyzing market conditions in order to better place tourism investment that will see returns, while constantly improving the country's marketing message. 

Despite all those efforts, when asked if it would be possible for another country to nab the top spot from France, Tuncer cautioned, "People are focusing on tourism so much right now, it might happen, of course. Right now, the U.S. is giving us a good run for our money. We are not ruling that out. Governments realize how important [tourism] is for the economy." 

What was once a given, a sort of unintentional gift handed down by talented artists, architects and writers of centuries past, will be something France will have to work harder and harder to maintain going forward. 

Being at the top has its advantages and disadvantages, said Michael Gehrisch, president and CEO of the Destination Marketing Association International. While emerging destinations have fresh appeal, he said, mature destinations like France have to constantly reinvent themselves to stay ahead of the game. 

"Each destination is unique with regard to where they are in the destination life-cycle," Gehrisch said. "Some destinations are just being developed, and a focus on product development and awareness building are the keys." 

For a mature destination like France, he added, "The question is: How do you keep your brand fresh and attract new visitors while at the same time encouraging repeat visitation? The biggest problem is perceived predictability." 

To combat that notion, France needs to sharpen its focus on niche experiences in lesser-known regions of the country, Gehrisch said. 

Still, no matter how hard it tries, it could be just a matter of time before France is unseated. The United Nations World Tourism Organization predicts stronger tourist-arrival growth in emerging international destination in Asia and Africa than in Europe and the Americas. 

But if that happens, count on France not going down without a fight. 

"France has become synonymous with romance, world-class cuisine and history and culture with travelers around the world," Gehrisch said. "But to say this happens by chance would be an insult to the work of organizations like the France Tourism Development Agency. The government has made tourism investment a priority, and the country has one of the world's most robust transportation infrastructures because of this." 

Uniworld to launch new Super Ship, add itineraries in 2015

By Michelle Baran

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is introducing the 155-passenger S.S. Maria Theresa in spring 2015, a vessel that will sail the Danube River.

A sister ship to the S.S. Catherine, which launched earlier this year, and the S.S. Antoinette, the S.S. Maria Theresa will sail along Rhine, Main and Danube rivers in 2015.

It will feature a main lounge, an additional Bar du Leopard lounge, a restaurant, terrace, sun deck with chess and shuffleboard, heated swimming pool, fitness center, a spa, boutique, elevator, 24-hour specialty coffee and tea bar, free WiFi access and a cinema.

It will have 11 staterooms at 162 square feet each, 61 staterooms at 194 square feet each, 10 suites at 305 square feet and one royal suite at 410 square feet.

The main and upper deck staterooms and suites will have French balconies, and all staterooms will be outfitted with Savoir of England beds, individual thermostats, flatscreen TVs with infotainment center, and marble bathrooms with L’Occitane en Provence products and towel warmers.

All suites will include butler services and a complimentary in-suite wellness treatment for each suite guest.

The S.S. Maria Theresa will sail four Uniworld cruises in 2015: Tulips & Windmills, Danube Holiday Markets, Enchanting Christmas & New Year's Cruise and European Jewels.

Additionally, Uniworld is introducing six new itineraries in 2015, including: the eight-day Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time; the 10-day Delightful Danube & Prague; the 10-day Eastern Europe Explorer; the 13-day Jewels of Spain, Portugal & the Douro River; and the 22-day Ultimate France.

Uniworld will offer 33 European itineraries in 2015, including 45 more departures on the Rhine and Danube rivers than in 2014 in order to meet demand on those waterways, according to Uniworld President Guy Young.

Costa Concordia embarks on its last voyage

Costa Concordia embarks on its last voyage: Italian cruise liner finally heads home to Genoa where it will be broken up for scrap

• Four tugboats and several escort ships were lined up to tow the 114,000-tonne vessel
• It is being taken to a port near Genoa in northern Italy where it is due to arrive on Sunday
• The once-gleaming white luxury liner sank off the holiday island of Giglio in January 2012
• 32 people died in the disaster after the ship struck rocks and capsized 
• What followed was the most daunting - and expensive - salvage operation ever attempted
• Environmental groups have grave concerns warning the operation could be a 'maritime Chernobyl'
• Indian waiter Russel Rebello is still missing, but authorities are hopeful that his body may be found

A huge convoy moving at a speed of two knots is taking the Costa Concordia on its final voyage to the scrapheap today two-and-a-half years after it struck rocks and capsized, killing 32 people.

Fourteen boats, including three UK flagged boats, the Garibaldi, the Afon and the Earl Vow, are accompanying the liner, as well as a helicopter and a military plane that has circled continuously overhead.

As well as two powerful tugs in front, there are two spare tugboats behind, in case the boat needs to reverse in the face of an obstacle.

Fast outriding speed boats are warning sea traffic ahead to move aside, giving the Concordia at least 1.5 miles of space around it.

One vessel is tasked with checking for any marine mammals in the region, while others check the water quality for comparison before and after the passage. 

Scroll down for video

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Final voyage: The wreck of the Costa Concordia is towed by two tugboats as it leaves behind the tiny Tuscan island of Isola del Giglio, Italy

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The Costa Concordia cruise liner has begun its final voyage away from the tiny Italian island where it capsized on January 13, 2012

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Environmental campaigners have warned of the risk of a 'maritime Chernobyl' as the ship is towed away

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Setting off: The cruise ship Costa Concordia is towed by tugs from Giglio after being refloated. The ship is bound for it's home port of Genoa

Another boat accommodates the technicians when they are not working. A group of 12 are on a control room on the boat but switch with another workgroup every 12 hours.

As it was tugged along like a floating multi-storey carpark, the far side of the wrecked ship could be seen for the first time since it was hoisted out of the water last week.

Entire decks newly emerged from the brine are covered in rust while others have collapsed in the decay. The nearside is blighted by a huge hole where the ship hit rocks two years ago.

Maneouvres began early this morning to remove the cruise liner's rusty hulk from the Italian island of Giglio where the disaster happened. 

 

More...

• Pictured: The bridge of the Costa Concordia where Captain Calamity tried to impress his lover as he ploughed ship into reef causing 32 deaths
• From taxi drivers who steal your luggage in Vegas, to the street games pickpocket in Paris: Infographic reveals the top 40 tourist scams to watch out for this summer
• The love boat: Giglio beauty, 22, is swept off her feet by British salvage expert, 36, working on Costa Concordia - and now she's moving to Kent to have his baby
• Costa Concordia finally set to be removed¿ but locals are disappointed as the thousands of foreign workers BOOSTED Giglio's economy and introduced them to new foods
• Pictured: The bridge of the Costa Concordia where Captain Calamity tried to impress his lover as he ploughed ship into reef causing 32 deaths
• Inside the cruise ship that became a sunken tomb: Dramatic photos of Costa Concordia show rusting bars, jammed lifts (and even an undamaged piano) as painstaking operation to refloat boat begins
• Divers pledge to find missing body of Indian waiter who has been entombed in Costa Concordia now that ship has been refloated

The vessels, led by the tug boat Blizzard, then started to tow the Concordia to a port near Genoa in northern Italy where it is due to arrive on Sunday, before being broken up for scrap.

On Giglio there was a carnival-like atmosphere as half the island turned out to pay homage to the ship. The church bells rang out and villagers and tourists cheered in unison as salvage workers came off shift for the last time.

A gang of six divers and welders from Titan, the US-led salvage company, sprayed champagne and lit cigars while posing for selfies in their hard hats and onesies.

'Make sure you get the Costa Concordia in the background cause we f***ing did it!', one yelled. 

But on Corsica environmental campaigners have warned of the risk of a 'maritime Chernobyl'. 

The final voyage of the Costa Concordia caught on heli cam

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The heavy tug boat Blizzard (left) moves into position to maneuver the re-floated wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise liner from its position off the coast of Giglio. The operation to get it moving again began today

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Homeward bound: After more than two years since it slammed into a reef along the coastline of Isola del Giglio the wreck has begun its last journey, to the Italian port of Genoa, where it will be scrapped

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People watch as the wrecked cruise ship Costa Concordia is towed by tugs from Giglio after being refloated. The ship is bound for it's home port of Genoa

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The ship will take a route out of the port towards the east, before heading north at a rate of two knots, or nautical miles per hour, to Genoa

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There was a carnival-like atmosphere as half the island turned out to pay homage to the ship

They have grave concerns that the ship could split as it leaves port or during the four day voyage north, spilling a toxic brew of hydro carbons, chemicals and waste into the sea.

Its final passage will take it through a marine sanctuary home to rare whales and dolphins nursing their young. 

Franklin Fitzgerald, from Houston, said: 'We've been here for two years. There's been lots of long long days. It's been blood sweat and tears. But it was the best job ever, it won't repeat itself.'

'The island was the best bit of the job, one claimed, while another shouted, 'the women and the beer. 

The once-gleaming white luxury liner sank off the holiday island of Giglio in January 2012 after sailing too close to shore. Its wreck has remained there ever since as engineers embarked on one of the largest maritime salvage operations in history.

Over the past week, salvagers have slowly lifted the 114,500-tonne ship from underwater platforms by pumping air into 30 large metal boxes, or sponsons, attached to the hull.

This morning salvage workers lowered the 'Blue Peter' flag, which they had raised yesterday to announce that the ship was ready to depart.

Salvage master Nick Sloane who is overseeing the entire operation said: 'Traditionally the flag tells the sailors its time to get out of the bar.'

As he arrived for his most important day in the job so far, he said: 'Everything is going to plan and it’s a big day for Giglio but we can only relax once we get to Genoa.'  

9 Fun Facts about Cruise Lines

9 Fun Facts about Cruise Lines

9 Fun Facts about Cruise Lines:

1. An average cruise ship could have six huge diesel engines producing one hundred four horse powers and guzzling three thousand gallons of fuel per hour.

2. Cruise ships on modern design can actually cost about six hundred sixty million dollars.

3. There are nine brand new ships that entered service around the North America coast line every year.

4. A modern luxury cruise vessel is able to be built, fitted out and tested in one-and-a half years though it usually takes about three years.

5. On the average, there are one hundred five thousand meals are prepared every single week onboard a cruise ship. The meals include twenty thousand pounds of beef, twelve thousand pounds of chicken and twenty eight thousands of eggs.

6. There are about one thousand crew members on board the average ships to cater to passengers every need. These people are experts from engineers to waiter to navigators.

7. A modern cruise liner are able to hold three thousand passengers aboard in an absolute luxury.

8. Caribbean is the most popular cruising destination in the world with almost every cruise line operator.

9. The cruise line industry produces two thousand five hundred fifty five gallons of gray water and thirty thousand gallons of black water every single day. Gray waters are wastes from sinks, showers and bath while black waters is what you flush down the toilets.