ISLAND CRUISES
Channel Island Cruises Choose Teknicraft Catamaran Design
“I’ve been on this hull in San Francisco, New Zealand and Fiji,” says Alex Brodie of Channel Island Cruises in Ventura, Calif., of the extensive research that went into the company’s selection of the Teknicraft catamaran design for their new build, “And what appealed to me was the hull’s combination of sea-keeping at speed.” Brodie’s company, which has a transportation concession for the Channel Islands National Park, currently operates four single-hull 49-passenger boats. The new 149-passenger 65- x 24-ft. Cummins-powered catamaran Islander, delivered in mid March, will replace two of the smaller vessels. The new vessel features a range of environmentally friendly features such as high boxes around the fuel filler fittings to catch overspill. It also has non-toxic high polish bottom paint. Aluminum boat builder All American Marine, of Bellingham, Wash., has a partnership with Auckland, New Zealand’s naval architect Nic de Waal for the exclusive building rights to his unique Teknicraft catamaran designs on the U.S. west coast. Each of the twin Teknicraft hulls or sponsons employs a combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes. The symmetrical bow-sections ensure directional stability in short swell conditions and following seas, while the asymmetrical amidships and aft sections ensures softness of ride and reduced wetted area which enhances comfort and economy
Cruise Ship Runs Aground
The MS Mistral cruise ship carrying 1,139 passengers has run aground off the Caribbean island of Nevis. "The passengers are still aboard, and they are in good shape," a member of the Coast Guard for Saint Kitts and Nevis said, adding few other details were immediately unavailable. The 47,000-ton ship, built in 1999 and operated by Festival Cruises of Greece, caters to Europeans and regularly travels the Greek Islands and the Caribbean. The ship carries a crew of about 500. - (Reuters)
Grand Cayman to Build Cruise Ship Dock
The island of Grand Cayman, which has long resisted building a cruise ship dock out of concern about environmental damage that would result from dredging a channel into George Town Harbor, has now decided to start development of a dock for four ships, according to Cruise Ship Report. The initial phase, an environmental impact assessment, has just started. Currently, cruise ships anchor off George Town, and tenders ferry their thousands of passengers back and forth to town
AMCV To Acquire MS Nieuw Amsterdam
American Classic Voyages (AMCV) has reached an agreement with Holland America line to buy MS Nieuw Amsterdam for $114.5 million, contingent upon various conditions expected to be resolved by this coming fall. A unit of Carnival Corporation, Holland America Line is scheduled to transfer the 1,214-passenger cruise ship to AMCV during fall 2000. AMCV plans to re-document Nieuw Amsterdam as a U.S.-flag vessel, complete with American crew
Celebrity Eclipse Makes First Appearance
The third in Celebrity Cruises' $3.7b Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Eclipse emerged for the first time from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany on Feb. 28. Celebrity Eclipse will enter service April 26 and, following two short break cruises, will offer a series of Canary Islands, Scandinavia/Russia and Spanish Mediterranean sailings roundtrip from Southampton, England. The new vessel will present Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Miami beginning in November.
Panama Canal Cruise Season Starts Today
200 Plus Transits Expected. The Panama Canal cruise-line season officially starts today, Wednesday, October 5, and runs through the middle of next year. More than 200 transits of these passenger vessels are expected. The transit of Princess Cruises Island Princess will mark the beginning of the season, traveling for 14 days from Los Angeles, California, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Crystal Cruises Condé Nast Traveler Best Cruise Line 2012
Condé Nast Traveler magazine (U.S.) readers have named Crystal Cruises the “Best Cruise Line” (mid-size) for 2012. The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards honor the best hotels, airlines, cruise lines, cities, rental car companies, and islands from around the world. A record 46,476 readers voted this year, ranking their personal experiences with cruise lines’ activities/facilities, staterooms, crew/service, design/ship layout, food/dining
Aberdeen Harbor Welcomes First Ship
Aberdeen Harbor welcomed its first cruise vessel as it prepares for 12 expected visits to the city during the summer season. The arrival of the cruise vessel Island Sky, famed for its large suites and spacious outside decks, signals the start of the season when it arrives tomorrow (May 21) for the first of what will be three visits as it tours the Scottish Islands and Scandinavia over the course of the summer. Many of the cruises scheduled on such vessels this year will start and end in
Propeller Club Port and NYMAR Host NYC Harbor Cruise
Fundraiser for Japan Relief on May 4th April 22, 2011—Statue Cruise’s M/V Respect will be the venue for a joint Propeller Club and NYMAR 2011 New York Harbor Cruise. Passengers will embark from Battery Park at 6:00 on May 4th for a close up of the spectacular Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Manhattan views, dinner and drinks. Proceeds from the event will go to relief in Japan after the recent earthquake and tsunami.
New Cruise Center Welcomes First Cruise Ship
As it glided into port, Holland America Line’s newest cruise ship, the 1,848 passenger Noordam, made history when it arrived at the Caribbean’s newest port facility – the Grand Turk Cruise Center, British West Indies – on its inaugural call. After departing from New York City on Wednesday, the Noordam made a direct sailing for Grand Turk, marking the official opening of the new state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar facility.
China's Century Cruises Adds to Yangtze River Fleet
Century adds a 7th luxury river cruise ship, 'Century Legend' to its Yangtze fleet. The new 398-passenger Century Legend is a sister ship to the Century Paragon, which came into service earlier this year. These new inland waterway cruise ships were designed by European naval architecture firm
Cruise Industry Adopts Passenger Bill of Rights
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced that its Board of Directors approved the adoption of a Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights detailing CLIA members' commitment to the safety, comfort and care of guests in a number of important areas.
Cruise Ship Passenger 'Bill of Rights' Adopted
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has approved "Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights" detailing members' commitment to the safety, comfort & care of guests in a number of important areas. The CEOs of CLIA North American member cruise lines are each immediately
New Canadian LNG Terminal Becoming Real
Pacific Northwest LNG awards FEED contract, takes next step toward an LNG export terminal island on Lelu Island, near Port Edward. The front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract will see three firms working together to design the terminal and work on feasibility studies in the Port
Fincantieri Lay Keel for New P&O Cruises Flagship
The 400-tonne keel section for the cruise ship has been laid in the building dock at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy. The 3,611 passenger vessel, due to be launched in March 2015, will be the flagship of the P&O Cruises fleet, as well as the largest ever constructed for the British market
Viking Goes Blue Water
Viking Cruises launch Viking Ocean Cruises, the first new cruise line in nearly a decade. Developed from the ground up to return the focus of cruising to the destination, Viking Ocean Cruises will begin sailing in May 2015 with its first vessel—Viking Star—embarking on maiden voyages
Ice Slows Resumption of Great Lakes Stone Trade
Heavy ice cover on the lakes that stretched well into April slowed resumption of the limestone trade. Shipments totaled only 1.8 million tons, a decrease of 28% compared to a year ago. Loadings are 21% off the month’s five-year average.
Ports America to Operate Port of LA Cruise Terminal
The Port of Los Angeles contract Ports America to provide operation, management & maintenance of the Port of Los Angeles Cruise Terminal at Berth 90-43 in San Pedro, Calif. The five-year agreement, commencing April 2013, includes two 5-year options
New Hapag-Lloyd Cruise Ship Christened
'Europa 2' has been christened in the Port of Hamburg during the German port's 824th anniversary celebrations. The new cruise ship sailed to the launch site near the riverside district of Blankenese, where Godmother Dana Schweiger officially gave the new ship her name: “I christen you the
Search Halted for Two Missing Passengers from Carnival Spirit
The search for an Australian couple who went overboard Wednesday from the Carnival Spirit cruise ship has been called off, the Associated Press reported. The passengers, identified as Paul Rossington, 30, and Kristen Schroder, 26, went overboard in the waters off New South Wales, Australia
AMO Support Senator's Quest for Cruise Ship Information
The American Maritime Officers Association (AMO) supports Senator Rockefeller's approach to the Cruise Lines International Association. The American Maritime Officers Association, the nation's largest professional merchant marine organization, says the widely publicised letter by U.S
U.S. Senator Sends Safety Inquiries to Major Cruise Lines
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said in a news release that Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va) sent letters to the three largest cruise liners about their passenger safety, security, and health practices. Chairman Rockefeller’s letters to Carnival, Royal Caribbean
Tall Ship Delivers Adventure and Cargo in the South Pacific
Circling the world five times as part of her famed 30,000-mile circumnavigation voyages, the tall ship Picton Castle has often been called upon to deliver critically-needed goods, including medical supplies and thousands of pounds of donated books and educational materials
Norway's Vard Wins OSV Contract
Vard contracted by Island Offshore for the construction of an advanced offshore support vessel (OSV) of Rolls-Royce design. The value of the contract amounts to approximately NOK 400 million and delivery is scheduled from Vard Brevik in Norway in Q3-2014.
Massport Launch 2013 Cruise Season
With Friday’s Bermuda sailing of the Norwegian Dawn, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) launches the 2013 cruise season at Cruiseport Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal in South Boston. New this year, Massport is offering travelers free wireless Internet access at the