Carnival Ships to Land Supplies in St. Kitts and Grand Turk

Carnival Ships to Land Supplies in St. Kitts and Grand Turk

Carnival Cruise Line is stepping up efforts to aid in the Caribbean following Hurricane Irma. 

The Miami-based cruise line, the world’s largest by passenger capacity, will deliver supplies to St. Kitts later this week during a call from the Carnival Fascination.

In addition, the cruise line will also land supplies in Grand Turk, and according to a statement, is working with a number of Caribbean islands to bring in supplies on a long-term basis.

This follows announcements from Royal Caribbean, which is deploying ships to aid in relief efforts, and Norwegian Cruise Line, which is sending the Sky to St. Thomas to help evacuees. 

Cruise lines to help evacuate Irma-ravaged St. Thomas

Cruise lines to help evacuate Irma-ravaged St. Thomas

Damage caused by Hurricane Irma

Two cruise lines on Saturday said they were diverting ships to the hurricane-ravaged island of St. Thomas to drop relief supplies and evacuate stranded travelers. 

Norwegian Cruise Line said it was sending the 2,004-passenger Norwegian Sky to the island with the goal of retrieving as many as 2,000 vacationers who were unable to leave before Hurricane Irma hit on Wednesday. The ship currently is off the coast of Mexico and should arrive in St. Thomas by late Monday.

Royal Caribbean said it was redirecting its 2,350-passenger Majesty of the Seas to the island to similarly evacuate several thousand travelers and also to drop water, food, ice and other provisions that are needed. The ship is off the west coast of Cuba and expected to arrive in St. Thomas on Tuesday. 

The two ships are based in Miami and Port Canaveral, Fla., respectively, and currently are sailing without passengers. The lines previously had canceled their weekend sailings due to the approach of Irma and sent the ships toward Mexico to seek shelter from the storm.  

Royal Caribbean also plans to redirect its 3,114-passenger Adventure of the Seas to the hard-hit island of St. Martin on Sunday for an unscheduled stop to drop relief supplies. The vessel is departing San Juan, Puerto Rico late Saturday on a previously scheduled cruise to the Southern Caribbean and is loading on provisions that are needed for a mounting relief effort.  

Royal Caribbean uses ship as hurricane safe haven for employees

The Enchantment of the Seas holds 2,252 at double occupancy.

Royal Caribbean International will use one of its ship as a vehicle to keep employees and their families safe from Hurricane Irma, which is expected to strike the Miami area this weekend.

The Enchantment of the Seas' Sept. 8 cruise was canceled because of the hurricane, so Royal Caribbean opened the ship to its workforce. The ship will depart around noon on Friday and sail out to sea away from the projected path of the storm. The plan is to return to Miami once the storm passes and the port reopens.

The-20 year-old Enchantment holds 2,252 people at double occupancy and typically offers three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas.

"We decided to offer the ship to our employees and their families so they could evacuate," said spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez. "[We] felt that it was the right thing to do."

AIDAnova Keel Laid

AIDANova has had her Keel Laid at Meyer Werft Germany.

Carnival Corporation marked the official start of construction for a total of seven cruise ships that will be fully powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) with today's keel laying of the AIDAnova at Meyer Werft in Germany.

The ship will be delivered to AIDA in late 2018. 

n the presence of AIDA President Felix Eichhorn, Bernard Meyer, CEO of Meyer Werft, and Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Werft, two trainees named Louisa Tröbner (AIDA Cruises) and Martin de Boer (Meyer Werft) placed the traditional lucky coin under the first of a total of 90 blocks.

AIDA President Felix Eichhorn said: “One of the main tasks AIDA Cruises sets itself is to make cruises sustainable. With AIDAnova and its sister ship, we are sticking to this course with our pioneering work. Thanks to our trailblazing green cruising design, the use of only LNG in the cruise industry will become a reality in 2018.”

“We thank Carnival Corporation and AIDA Cruises very much for their trust and their pioneering decision to implement LNG technology on board. The corresponding infrastructure is now being developed at numerous ports. Carnival has made a decision benefiting the environment that is highly important for the cruise industry,” added Bernard Meyer, CEO of Meyer Werft.

Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, together with Bernard Meyer, CEO Meyer Werft, Michael Thamm, CEO Costa Group and Carnival Asia, David Dingle, Chairman Carnival UK (P&O Cruises UK), Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises, and Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, – gave the official “full steam ahead” signal, ringing in a new era of the commercial use of low-emission LNG in cruise travel. The seven LNG ships for cruise brands Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Carnival UK, and AIDA Cruises will be built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg (Germany) and Turku (Finland) and commissioned between 2018 and 2022.

In AIDAnova’s launch season, the ship will offer trips around the Canary islands.

starting in December 2018. Its twin ship with over 180,000 GT and 2,600 staterooms is set to be commissioned in the spring of 2021. Using LNG prevents almost completely

The Evolving Norwegian Yacht Voyages Brand

First, it was Norwegian Cruise Company. Then it was Nordic Cruise Company. And now it's Norwegian Yacht Voyages. The expedition line has not even launched yet, and it has already gone by three different names.

At first glance, this sort of schizophrenic approach does not bode well for the fledgling operation’s initial reputation. If the company cannot settle on a name, how can potential guests be expected to identify it?

As it turns out, the brand name is not the only thing that has changed since the company’s introduction. Original concept drawings of the fleet’s ships have also dramatically shifted. The schematic once outlined a traditional ice explorer vessel, but the latest drawings call for a far edgier modern design.

One thing that has remained consistent from the start? The company’s logo.

The asymmetrical red gradient banner is still plowed by an abstract rendering of a forward ship’s bow, and the typeface is mostly unchanged. Only the first letters of each word in Norwegian Cruise Company were uppercased before, but now Norwegian Yacht Voyages is universally uppercased, making an even bolder statement.

While it’s certainly understandable for such a changing company to be perceived as flighty, one could also argue that all these things are a sign of a very transparent brand.

It’s surprising but refreshing to see it invite the public into the earliest design stages, especially to those of us who relish any behind-the-scenes nuggets.

For those still left wondering what prompted all the name changes, the brand is even open to discussing the reason. When asked about it on its Facebook page, it responded with, “First [had] issues with NCL and now we have realized more and more that the words ‘cruise’ and ‘cruise line’ have horrible connotations in certain of our demographic target markets. AND, [it’s] better to do this now, before our real marketing efforts [kick] in.”

In a press release, the company further explained: “As our project of building four Expedition Mega Yachts is moving forward we saw the need to update our branding and profile to better identify and reflect on the products and services we intend to provide.”

In other words, the brand first wanted to differentiate from Norwegian Cruise Line and later from cruising altogether.

In fact, Norwegian Yacht Voyages currently carries the secondary tagline “World Wide Mega Yacht Expeditions.” So, by the time the first of its planned ships launch in May 2020, the company will be prepared to set sail internationally.

That the word “cruise” is perhaps passé goes to show that there is an increasing preference for “voyage” instead. This mimics Virgin Voyages decision to change its name from Virgin Cruises, also before launching. Thus, Norwegian is not entirely alone.

Until which time the design is officially locked in and the product is finally realized, the line invites everyone to follow along on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. What’s more, the company is very engaging, so you might as well ask questions and share your thoughts too.

It has even recently responded to destination suggestions such as West Point Island in the Falkland Islands.

You never know what kind of impact you may have on a company open to such ideas. Caroline, for example, is set to be the named for the first vessel, but do you have any potential names for two, three and four?

In the meantime, it’s fun to follow along to see the company post graphics like “The Future of ‘Going Green’” that illustrates how its LNG-powered ships fit into the environmentally-friendly landscape.

Norwegian and Royal Caribbean Cancel Sailings Ahead of Irma

With Hurricane Irma potentially heading to South Florida and key destinations in the Caribbean, cruise lines are scrambling to make changes to itineraries and have also cancelled a handful of sailings.

Norwegian Cruise Line has axed the Sept. 8 sailing aboard the Norwegian Sky. Guests get a full refund, plus a 50 percent future cruise credit.

The Norwegian Escape’s week-long Sept. 9 voyage from Miami is also cancelled. Guests get a full refund, plus a 50 percent future cruise credit.

For the Escape’s current Sept. 2 sailing, the ship will be returning to Miami on Thursday.

“Those guests who are residents of South Florida, who drove to PortMiami or who have travel plans already confirmed that will return them safely home by Friday afternoon may disembark the ship on Thursday if they wish to do so. For those guests who did not drive to PortMiami and are unable to secure a flight back home, we strongly encourage them to stay onboard the ship,” said Norwegian in a prepared statement.

Norwegian Escape will set sail from Miami on Thursday evening on a course away from the storm. While we are unable to confirm at this time when and where the ship will return to port, we welcome all guests to remain onboard to stay safe and secure.”

Royal Caribbean has employed similar tactics, and has cancelled the September 8 sailings on the Majesty and Enchantment of the Seas. Guests will receive a full refund and 25 percent future cruise credit.

Royal Caribbean said it will provide an end-of-day update on Tuesday regarding sailings aboard the Allure, Anthem, Empress, Harmony and Oasis.

The cancelled sailings will impact third quarter earnings.

Port of Kiel chalks up 350th call by an MSC cruise ship

Port of Kiel chalks up 350th call by an MSC cruise ship

The port’s cruise shipping director Nicole Claus welcomed the ship’s captain Guiseppe Galano

MSC Fantasia arrived at the Port of Kiel’s Ostseekai berth from St Petersburg in Russia on 2 September, marking MSC Cruises’ 350th visit to the German port.

To mark the anniversary, the port’s cruise shipping director Nicole Claus welcomed the ship’s captain Guiseppe Galano. Together, Galano and Claus unveiled a bronze plaque on Kiel’s Cruise Ship Walk of Fame, which honours shipping companies and events that are of special significance for Kiel as a cruise shipping location.

MSC’s cruise ships have been regularly calling at the port of Kiel for twelve years, after the first vessel visited on 4 September 2005. The company began using Kiel as a base port in 2006 and since then, the city has been a constituent part of the company’s northern Europe route planning. To date, nine different MSC cruise ships have visited Kiel, while 1.3 million passengers have embarked or disembarked from an MSC cruise ship in the city.

“With 350 visits to the port under its belt, MSC is the cruise shipping company which has been our most frequent caller to date,” said Claus.

MSC Fantasia has already undertaken 18 cruises from Kiel this season. Three more are to follow up to the season finale on 16 September, when the ship heads for the Mediterranean. These northern Europe cruises take guests to Baltic destinations including Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; St Petersburg. The ship also sails from Kiel to Copenhagen and the Norwegian fjords in Geiranger, Flåm and Stavanger.

MSC and Mein Schiff in the Port of Kiel.

International cruise ship passengers who board in Copenhagen can enjoy day excursions ashore from the port of Kiel into the surrounding region and to the Hanse city of Lübeck and the north German metropolis of Hamburg.

“Because of its geographical location, Kiel is particularly attractive as the starting point for so-called butterfly cruises,” said Claus. “The combination of Baltic and Norwegian routes is a very interesting option.”

This year, Kiel will host 142 calls from 28 different ships, which will bring around half a million cruise ship passengers to the port. In addition, about 1.6 million ferry passengers will pass through the port.

Cruises Return, Donate to Houston's Recovery

Port of Galveston, Huston.

Houston-based online cruise agency, Vacations to Go is donating one million dollars to six local charities, according to a letter sent to customers from CEO Alan Fox on Friday.

Fox reports that the company's headquarters "suffered only minor water damage and never lost power." Phone service was restored on Wednesday and many employees are returning to work.

Of the 800 Vacations to Go employees in the Houston area, 64 sustained serious flood damage to their homes, but all are safe and accounted for, according to Fox's letter. Not all employees have been able to return to their homes to assess the damage, and others are still stranded in their homes surrounded by flood waters. 

Cruise Lines Are Sailing Again

As water continues to rise in some Houston-area neighborhoods due to cresting of rivers and bayous, cruise operations from the Port of Galveston are expected to return to normal this week. Travel writer Cynthia Drake—who reported from Liberty of the Seas earlier this week as it detoured to Miami—reports now that the ship returned to Galveston on Friday, carrying approximately half of its original passengers.

Nearly 2,000 Liberty of the Seas passengers opted to make other travel arrangements from Miami when the ship docked there briefly on Tuesday. Royal Caribbean’s website shows normal operations for the September 3^rd sailing.

The site does acknowledge that some passengers may still be having difficulty with transportation to the port. Both Houston airports are open but still at a limited capacity. Some roads and highways in the area are still closed.  The company encourages passengers having difficulty reaching the port or guests who “may not feel comfortable joining Liberty” to contact customer service at 1-800-256-6649 for assistance.  

Carnival's website shows normal operations for Carnival Freedom, Breeze and Valor resuming scheduled departures on September 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. 

Vacations to Go Supporting Neighborhood Charities

The six charities Vacations To Go is supporting include Houston Food Bank, BakerRipley, Star of Hope Mission, Second Baptist Church, Memorial Assistance Ministries and the Houston SPCA. 

According to Fox, able Vacations to Go employees who are "donating and collecting food, clothes, water, toiletries, disposable diapers, blankets and sheets, toys and games at our Houston office (5851 San Felipe Street, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77057) for delivery to one of the shelters in the city."

He added that customers should, “Feel free to ship anything here that you want delivered to a shelter and we'll make sure it gets there.”

Fox concluded by thanking customers for their words of encouragement both to him personally and to Vacations to Go cruise consultants throughout last week's storm.

Time to Celebrate the Most-Traveled Cruise Ship Ever

 Cunard's historic Queen Elizabeth 2. (photo courtesy of Cunard)

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Cunard’s retired Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner, and the company plans to celebrate with a special cruise aboard its newer Queen Elizabeth.

“This mediterranean cruise is perfectly timed to pay tribute to QE2’s launch and naming by HRH Queen Elizabeth II 50 years ago,” said Angus Struthers, Vice President, Cunard, in a press release. “When QE2 came into service in the 1960s, many critics said she wouldn’t last a decade in the age of the jet, but her unique design as a dual-purpose ship meant that she was versatile enough to operate both as a transatlantic liner and a cruise ship.

“Given how famous and loved she was, we felt this was a great opportunity to pay tribute to this Cunarder remarkable life onboard our newest ship, Queen Elizabeth; herself designed to offer a perfect luxury cruise holiday.”

The Queen Elizabeth will sail from Southampton on September 8, 2017, on an extensive 17-night cruise honoring the company’s longest serving ocean liner. The modern vessel will visit Venice, Sicily and Corfu along the way.

Onboard festivities will feature five theme days, each with their own QE2-inspired menus, special guest lectures, daily program facts, former passenger get-togethers and quizzes.

Such days include “Moving in Royal Circles,” focusing on the connection between the QE2 and the Royal Family. “The Falklands” will look at the vessel’s use as a troopship in 1982, and “Triumph of a Great Tradition” will explore its career and Cunard’s firsts. Meanwhile, “World Flagship” will showcase the ship’s 26 world cruises before “QE2 Day” highlights a ball as well as a retrospective in the Royal Court Theatre.

Captain Ian McNaught, QE2’s last Master will be among the special guests scheduled onboard for the Insights Speaker program.

He said, in the press release, “This voyage is a significant and timely tribute to the world’s best-loved ship. QE2 remains the longest serving express liner in history. She carried 2.5 million passengers over 5.6 million miles; that's further than any passenger ship - ever! This remarkable ship sailed alone on the North Atlantic for most of her career. She carried the Cunard tradition from the bygone era of the ocean liner and sustained it into the 21st century. The QE2 carried Royalty, celebrities and served in the Falklands War.”

British Soldiers on the way to the Falklands in 1982 

He added, “What I remember most as her Master, were the passengers. Everyday people who saved up to experience life onboard the world's best-loved ship. Many came back time and time again. That is a tribute to the countless people who served as QE2's crew, each one making the experience special and memorable. QE2 has been gone for nearly a decade now, however, on her 50th anniversary the memory of her is strong. It is very fitting to be acknowledging the QE2's remarkable career here onboard Queen Elizabeth."

Other guests consist of Commodore R. W. Warwick, QE2 social hostess Maureen Ryan and maritime historian Chris Frame.

Although the QE2, itself laid up in Dubai, is not along the route, there remains some hope that the ship will see a second life in some capacity. It was originally taken out of service in 2008 and acquired for conversion into a hotel, not unlike the line’s other Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. However, nothing has yet become of the vessel as she remains permanently moored for the time being.

Norwegian makes maiden call at the Port of Tyne

Norwegian makes maiden call at the Port of Tyne

Norwegian Jade is the first of Norwegian Cruise Line's ships to call at the Port of Tyne (Image: Michel Verdure for Norwegian Cruise Line)

Port of Tyne kicked off September 2017 by hosting a maiden call from Norwegian Jade, the first-ever Norwegian Cruise Line vessel to visit the UK port.

Berthing on 1 September, Norwegian Jade brought 2,400 passengers and more than 1,000 crew to explore North East England. They were able to visit attractions such as the city of Newcastle, UNESCO World Heritage sites of Hadrian’s Wall and Durham Cathedral and Castle, as well as Beamish museum, Alnwick Castle and Gardens and the Durham Dales.

Norwegian Jade will make three calls at the Port of Tyne in 2018.

“The combined effect of the Port of Tyne cruise and ferry business adds some £51 million to the regional economy supporting 1,700 tourism related jobs – making a significant impact,” said Steven Harrison, Port of Tyne’s COO. “The port has worked hard to expand our cruise operations to accommodate these large cruise ships and we are proud to welcome Norwegian Cruise Line for the first time – we hope that Norwegian Jade’s passengers and crew enjoy their visit and return again soon.”

The Port of Tyne will welcome a record 52 cruise calls in 2017, and has already provisionally booked the same number for 2018. This will bring around 50,000 cruise guests to the port each year, in addition to the 600,000 ferry passengers who also pass through on an annual basis.

When Your Cruise Ship Rattles and Creaks

Creaks and groans are eliminated at the construction stage.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that cruise ships move like a hotel tower sways and flexes.

Unlike a stationary building, however, a vessel will periodically exhibit creaks and rattles as a result. These can either be annoying or embraced as part of the sailing experience.

To be sure, modern cruise ships are quite stable and typically do not pitch, roll or yaw too uncomfortably. However, even the slightest motion can cause the structure to make some noise. To many, this is part of the ship’s unique personality and is cherished.

It’s also indicative of how the ship was constructed and what finish hardware was installed.

The steel superstructure is engineered to flex to a degree, but the paneling and fixtures that infill might be a bit stiffer and prone to friction and vibration sounds. If a steel frame contorts any, the wall material in between must give way too, but the material it’s composed of will produce any number of different noises. Plastics, for instance, do not respond to pressure the same way metals do.

Thus, you may find yourself lying in bed trying to fall asleep only to hear wall panels snap, crackle and pop. The best ship builds will take this into account and provide more gaps for expansion and contraction at seams and miters.

PHOTO: Flexing and rattling cruise ship cabin paneling and hardware can be a source of noise. (photo by Jason Leppert)

Such sounds are rare enough. More common are rattles from loose hardware. Even a slight ship vibration or shutter might cause sliding closet doors to rattle or an entry door to creak at its latch.

As a side note, cabin location is something also to consider for what noises may occur nearby: A stateroom just below the pool deck or above the show lounge, for example, is likely to hear more from the activities therein.

Any of this is more likely to be a problem for light sleepers, though they can become annoying even to a heavy sleeper like me from time to time.

The solution in many cases is to call up maintenance and ask for a quick tightening of any screws or bolts. However, sometimes the hardware is just poorly designed to begin with and there is nothing to be fixed.

Then, towels are your friend. Believe it or not, simply placing a small face or hand towel between sliding doors or in the jam of an entry door can be just enough to put pressure against the rattling offender and silence it. It’s a homegrown trick I’ve used on many a cruise.

As for any moans coming from paneling, there’s little that can be done, though sometimes applying outward pressure with your own hands massages the creaks out.

Generally, there really is nothing to be concerned about. Ships do make some noise, but newer ones tend to be better than older ones. Just like an older car might make itself heard more than one fresh off the lot, ships can be the same.

These sounds give vessels character. It reminds you that they are alive riding the waves. Of course, there is also comfort in knowing there are some means to quiet them down if you wish as well. And if all else fails, there are always earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.

I say: Embrace the ship sounds—for a time at least and then employ a towel.

Princess Cruises' Ocean Medallion launch on schedule

"It's all about enabling the crew to give the guests what they want, when they want it, how they want it." -- Arnold Donald

SAN DIEGO -- Carnival Corp. is on track to launch its Ocean Medallion on the Regal Princess this November, CEO Arnold Donald said at the ASTA Global Convention this week.

Donald spoke about the medallion and other topics at a general session.

"We're marching full-steam ahead, and the beautiful thing about it is while it is technology for the guests, they won't notice any of that," Donald said after his address during the general session, calling the technology "effortless" and "comprehensive" for cruisers.

The Medallion is a small disc-shaped device that cruisers can choose to wear as a wristband or pendant or carried in a pocket, purse or wallet. Carnival plans to use it to offer personalized experiences, among other functions. The Medallion will function as a room key.

For instance, Donald said, a guest could walk into a bar and the bartender will know his or her name and the last drink they ordered. If, for some reason, they leave the bar before their drink is ready (his example was to see a whale appearing off the side of the ship during an Alaska cruise), the crew will bring their drink to them.

"It's all about enabling the crew to give the guests what they want, when they want it, how they want it," Donald said. "It's a personalized, customized service for the guest, and that's what the technology enables."

Currently, employees are undergoing "very extensive" training to use the technology effectively. Donald said key staff members are working with Medallion's development team, and "their jobs are going to completely be redefined" when they start using the technology.

To outfit a ship so it's Medallion-ready, the entire vessel has to get sensors put in place. The Medallion itself works like a beacon, Donald said, and the sensors connect the Medallion with an intelligence system. Ships have to be outfitted with portals throughout the vessel, both inside and outside of cabins, where guests can interact with the Medallion if they wish (they can also set preferences via a smartphone).

From a physical standpoint, sensors need to be placed and wiring needs to be installed in dry dock, the CEO said.

The first Medallion sailing will be aboard Regal Princess this November, and other Princess ships are scheduled to follow. A rollout to Princess' entire fleet could take a few years.

Donald said other brands could opt to install the technology once they "decide to push the go button."

Carnival TV Series Renewed for a Second Season

The Voyager with Josh Garcia (photo courtesy of Carnival Corporation)

Three of Carnival Corp.’s travel television series have been extended for a second season ABC and NBC stations.

The company made the announcement at the ASTA Global Convention at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.

Season two of “The Voyager with Josh Garcia” will premiere on NBC stations beginning Saturday, September 30.  “Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin” and “Vacation Creation with Tommy Davidson and Andrea Feczko” will debut on ABC affiliates the following week on Saturday, October 7.

The renewals come a year after Carnival’s first original travel programming and is part of Carnival Corp.’s focus on producing and distributing compelling experiential content.

All three shows were ranked as number one or number two in their time slot during the inaugural season.

“Based on the exceptionally positive viewing results and the overall increased interest in cruise vacations following our shows’ inaugural year, we are extending our programming and growing our content library for the 2017 to 2018 season,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation

The company’s brands include Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK), as well as Fathom, its immersive, enrichment experience brand.

“Championing the extraordinary experiences that our guests enjoy while on a cruise vacation via original programming is key to expanding the market’s awareness and generating demand for cruising,” Padgett added.

According to Carnival Corp., cruise vacations are growing 20 percent faster than land-based trips. That stat is evidence that Americans’ interest in cruise vacations is becoming more and more popular, it said.

It also cited an Adobe Digital Insights study, released earlier this year, that showed the number of visits to cruise websites had increased 32 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2017.

Three of Carnival Corp.’s original series—which debuted in fall 2016 and are distributed by Litton Entertainment—were honored recently with 10 Telly Awards for the best in TV and cable, digital and streaming and non-broadcast productions.

“Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin” broadcasts nationally as part of the daytime Emmy-winning block “Weekend Adventure,” a three-hour programming block airing Saturday mornings on 98 percent of the country’s ABC affiliate channels.

In season two, Corwin takes audiences to Iceland, Belize and Peru while also sharing his family with viewers as they visit Japan. There, Corwin connects with the one creature that’s alluded him for more than 20 years—the giant Japanese salamander.

The new season of the “Vacation Creation with Tommy Davidson and Andrea Feczko” will also be featured on ABC’s “Weekend Adventure.” It takes viewers beyond the typical travel show by personalizing vacations of a lifetime for couples, individuals and families facing hardship, in need of hope or seeking much-needed time together. 

From revealing the wondrous glaciers of Alaska to encounters with the mystical Moko Jumbie of the Virgin Islands, the show celebrates the importance of spending time with family and friends, along with discovering how the world can help people learn more about each other and their family history.  Along the way, viewers share their stories of overcoming adversity, while taking part in extraordinary experiences.

“The Voyager with Josh Garcia” returns for a second year as part of the network’s nationally broadcasted “The More You Know” programming block.

This season, viewers will travel with Garcia to Alaska’s majestic Mendenhall glacier, sample traditional Thai food in Bangkok and venture into the mountains of Taiwan to learn how traditional tea is farmed and prepared.

Teppanyaki restaurant to open on Carnival Horizon

Carnivals Teppanyaki

The new Carnival Horizon coming in April 2018 will feature the first Japanese teppanyaki-style restaurant in Carnival Cruise Line's fleet.

Located within the Bonsai Sushi restaurant, the Bonsai Teppanyaki will have two cooking stations with seating for eight at each. The restaurant will be open for both lunch and dinner.

Teppanyaki chefs will make tableside grilled meals with a theatrical flourish of knives and other utensils, often tossing food in the air for effect. 

Lobster, steak, salmon, cod, shrimp and tofu are among the entrees served with Japanese spices and sauces.

Entrees are priced a la carte from $18 for chicken, salmon or tofu to $30 for lobster tail. The price includes appetizer and dessert.

Carnival cancels more Galveston cruises

Galveston Cruise Port.

Carnival Cruise Line has now canceled two cruises from Galveston that it had hoped to offer in a shortened format.

Based on the uncertainty of the port reopening, Carnival said the Aug. 26 sailing of Carnival Freedom and the Aug. 27 departure of Carnival Breeze have been canceled.

Carnival, which had previously canceled the five-day Carnival Valor sailing from Galveston departing Aug. 26, also canceled the next Carnival Valor cruise leaving Aug. 31.

Guests will have a full refund processed to the original form of payment within three weeks, and will receive a 25% future cruise credit if a reservation is made in the next 60 days.

Coast Guard and port officials can’t say with any certainty when the port will reopen, Carnival added, but suggested it won’t be until late this week at the earliest.

The three Carnival ships will make stops in New Orleans during the next two days to let guests disembark if they want to make independent arrangements to return home. They can also wait and sail back to Galveston, Carnival said.

Carnival Donates $2 Million to Harvey Victims

Nobody and Nothing Escapes Mother Nature

Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation and Carnival Chairman Micky Arison’s family foundation have joined forces to help Texas recover from the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the United States since 2004.

Carnival Cruise Line and its philanthropic arm, Carnival Corporation, are each donating $500,000, for a total of $1 million. Arison and his wife Madeleine are matching that with an additional $1 million donation from their foundation.

“Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, and all of us throughout the Carnival Corporation family feel a responsibility to do our part in supporting relief and rebuilding efforts in a region that we call home and where so many of our guests and business partners live and work,” Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president, said in a statement.

“We are very committed to the Gulf Coast as a vibrant and special part of the North American cruise industry, and our commitment will remain as strong as ever during the region’s recovery process.”

To help drum up even more donations for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey, cruise guests sailing on some Carnival cruises will be given the option to make a donation when they check in for their cruise. The corporation’s brands and employees will be participating as well.

The cruise company said it is working with emergency response officials, community leaders and other key relief and recovery organizations to identify the most urgent needs and immediate allocations for the donation.

In particular, the cruise company wants the money to be used to support on-the-ground teams that are distributing emergency supplies as well as to support rebuilding efforts.

The money will help provide families with access to food, shelter, water, hygiene products, general necessities and medicines.

At least 12 people have died in the Texas flooding. One of them, Houston police Sgt. Steve Perez, drowned while trying to get to work, according to CNN.

Costa revamps fares into four categories

Costa Diadema pictured above.

Costa Cruises said it will overhaul its fare structure, giving guests four levels of amenities to choose from.

The new fares, which take effect April 1, are broken out into Basic, Total Comfort Classic, Total Comfort Premium and Deluxe categories.

Passengers wishing to build only the standard complimentary amenities, such as meals and entertainment, can opt for Basic, the most affordable fare. Cabins are assigned.

A step up, the Comfort level is divided into two sub-categories. With Total Comfort Classic, guests get a Pranzo e Cena beverage package, which allows unlimited wines, beers and soft drinks by the glass for lunch and dinner. Guests are also able to choose a specific cabin.

A Total Comfort Premium fare is similar but ups the beverage package to Brindiamo beverage package allowing guests to have their favorite drinks at any time of day. Costa said guests are able to choose "a specific cabin in a prime location, as well as select first or second seating at dinner."

The Deluxe fare is for suite guests. Amenities include one-day spa access and the Intenditore beverage package, which provides unlimited drinks priced up to $9 served by the glass, as well as other perks. With the Deluxe package, breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in the Club Restaurant, Costa said.

In 2014, one of Costa's most direct competitors, MSC Cruises, adopted a fare structure that offered four levels of distinction, dubbed Bella, Fantastica, Aurea and Yacht Club. 

On most cruise lines, different fares are attached to inside, oceanview, balcony and suite accommodations.

Dubrovnik seeks to sharply curtail cruise tourism

The Celebrity Reflection in Dubrovnik.

The new mayor of Dubrovnik said he is in favor of halving the number of cruise passengers arriving daily at the Adriatic port city in Croatia.

Mayor Mato Frankovic, elected in June, told London's Telegraph newspaper that the current soft ceiling of 8,000 passengers a day should be reduced to 4,000.

He also called for limits on tour operators running day trips to the walled medieval city, which has been a Unesco world heritage site since 1979.

A 2015 Uneco mission recommended that a cap on cruise tourism be developed, and that it should not exceed 8,000 passengers per day.

The Dubrovnik Port Authority said on its website that the cap was exceeded 18 times in 2016 out of the 243 days when cruise ships called. It also said it refused 40 cruise call requests for this year.

Dubrovnik has become one of the most popular stops on an itinerary from Venice to the Eastern Mediterranean, or the reverse route. Last year Dubrovnik had 639 ship calls and handled 831,730 passengers, up 0.1% from the year before, according to Med Cruise, an association of Mediterranean cruise ports. Of those, 763,561 were transit passengers, ranking Dubrovnik behind only six other ports of call in the Mediterranean region.

Frankovic said he would like to see a "reset" for tourism, and that ship calls need to be spaced more evenly so the weekend crush is reduced.

The Unesco report said 90% of cruise calls to Dubrovnik come between May and October. And although cruise visitors accounted for only 2.5% of all visitors in 2013, "they have a disproportionate impact on the World Heritage property due to their concentration in time and space," the report said.

World Dream to Debut in China in November

Genting World Dream sistership to the Genting Dream

Genting Cruise Lines is set to launch World Dream, the newest ship for Dream Cruises, this November at her dual homeports in Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Nansha) to continue to grow the Pearl River Delta cruise industry and provide fly/cruise options for the region with new itineraries to Vietnam and the Philippines.

Genting said in a prepared statement that the World Dream has been conceived as a floating high-end, integrated resort at sea leveraging on the parent company Genting Hong Kong’s core expertise in both land and sea based businesses. The debut of World Dream will further enhance the brand’s capacity to offer a broad spectrum of multi-generational programs and facilities for guests, highlighted by Asian hospitality and a market leading crew-to-guest ratio.

“Genting Cruise Lines is reinforcing our position in the Pearl River Delta Region by welcoming the World Dream to begin her service with dual homeports in Guangzhou (Nansha) and Hong Kong, following in the footsteps of the Genting Dream,” said Kent Zhu, president of Genting Cruise Lines. “Designed to cater to the growing Chinese market with tailor-made facilities, including quad occupancy staterooms to accommodate families, the World Dream will further build upon our ongoing commitment to this region, which has seen Guangzhou (Nansha) evolve into China’s second busiest port and the strengthening of Hong Kong as a premier fly/cruise hub.”

Six-day/five-night cruises will call at Manila and Boracay in the Philippines from Nov. 17 through March 31, alternating with same length sailings to Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang in Vietnam from Dec. 3 to October 2018, targeting both local and international guests.

The twin sister ship the Genting Dream, meanwhile, will be deployed at her new homeport in Singapore with new itineraries to North Bali and Surabaya in Indonesia, as well as Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia and Phuket in Thailand.

"By doubling Dream Cruises Fleet with the addition of World Dream, we are delighted to be offering our guests and valued travel partners diverse itineraries featuring new, authentic destination experiences," commented Thatcher Brown, President of Dream Cruises.

Celebrity's sleep-focused spa treatments are long overdue

Celebrity Equinox

Anyone who isn't sleeping well, or sleeping at all, knows that there's nothing more important than a good night's rest. And who hasn't had problems getting to sleep at some point, or suffered along with a partner who couldn't sleep?

So the new Celebrity Cruises wellness program that focuses on sleep is a fantastic idea and long overdue in the cruise industry.

Celebrity launched its "Mindful Dreams" program on the Celebrity Equinox and the Celebrity Summit this month, with the rest of the fleet to follow in September.

The program was developed in partnership with Canyon Ranch, which has been Celebrity's spa concessionaire since 2014.

How many spa treatments have the potential to change your life more than one that improves the amount and quality of sleep you get?  How many would affect so many people?

According to the American Sleep Association, 50-70 million US adults have a sleep disorder of some kind. About 10% of adults report chronic insomnia. Nearly half the population has problems with snoring.

When unable to sleep, far too many people turn to pharmaceutical solutions as a first option, rather than a last. A 2013 study from the National Institutes of Health found that 4.1% of Americans use a prescription sleep aid, with the number rising to at least 5.5% for those aged 50 and over.

"Mindful Dreams" instead offers a combination of a relaxation treatment, massage and meditation, and access to expert lectures and classes on a "holistic approach to mindful sleep both on land and at sea."

There is also a nutrition component.

While many cruise lines promote the relaxing quality of the mattresses and beds onboard, that relaxation lasts only as long as the cruise. This program could have an impact long after the cruise is over.

Cruise: From $37 Billion to $55 Billion Industry

Cruise: From $37 Billion to $55 Billion Industry

The Biggest port of Miami

The cruise industry, which is forecast to post revenues in excess of $37 billion this year, could reach $55 billion over the next decade, according to the 2017-2018 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.(there is a charge for the report)

The projected growth track would make Carnival Corporation a $22 billion business in 2027, up from $16.3 billion last year, based on estimated passenger capacity, ship deployments and current spend per passenger per cruise of approximately $1,422 across all of its brands.

Royal Caribbean could see its revenues grow to $12.2 billion from $8.5 billion last year based on its current spend per passenger per cruise of $1,476; and Norwegian could reach $7.5 billion, compared to $4.9 billion last year, based on its current spend per passenger per cruise of $2,025 (including Oceania and Regent).

MSC Cruises could reach $6.6 billion from $2.4 billion last year. Being privately-held and not releasing financial results, the revenue for MSC is calculated based on an industry average spend of approximately $1,500 per passenger per cruise,

The average industry-wide spend per passenger per cruise has stayed in the $1,400 to $1,600 range for the past 10 years.