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14 Mar 2024

Royal Caribbean Suspends Cruise Visits to Haiti's Labadee

© NAN / Adobe Stock

Royal Caribbean Group has suspended cruise visits to Labadee, a secluded peninsula in Haiti, for the next seven days following months of escalating gang violence in the country, a senior company executive said in a Facebook post on Thursday.The company will continue the suspension as required with three days advance notice to guests sailing on impacted itineraries, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said.Violence by powerful armed gangs had gripped Haiti, causing thousands to flee their homes, after anti-government protests broke out early in February.The violent cl

03 Nov 2023

Royal Caribbean Alters 2024 Cruise Itineraries to Skip Israel

© ymgerman / Adobe Stock

Royal Caribbean Group is removing Israel from its 2024 itineraries due to the Israel-Hamas war, according to an email sent to travel agents on Thursday seen by Reuters, making it the second major U.S. cruise operator to alter its plans over the conflict.The Miami, Florida-based cruise operator is modifying itineraries as late as October 2024 for its Royal Caribbean International unit that stops in Israel, the email said.Travel has declined sharply across Israel and the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank.

07 Jul 2020

Carnival: Delivery of Mardi Gras Delayed due to COVID-19

(Photo Meyer Turku)

Carnival Cruise Line has said that the delivery of its new ship Mardi Gras, the first LNG-powered cruise ship to operate in the Western Hemisphere, will be delayed due to COVID-19. The same goes for Carnival's Carnival Radiance ship. The company has also been forced to cancel several itineraries between November 2020 and May 2021."Carnival Cruise Line will be notifying guests and travel agents on Tuesday of revisions to the delivery of its newest ship, Mardi Gras, as well as the…

30 Apr 2020

FMC Launches Cruise Line Fact Finding Mission

© Photo Gallery / Adobe Stock

Commissioner Louis E. Sola will lead a fact finding investigation and work with key industry stakeholders to identify commercial measures passenger cruise lines can adopt to mitigate COVID-19 related impacts to this sector of the maritime industry.The Federal Maritime Commission designated Commissioner Sola to serve as the Fact Finding Officer for Fact Finding 30, “COVID-19 Impact on Cruise Industry” in an order issued today.In the course of his investigation, Commissioner Sola…

18 Apr 2019

Seattle Port Celebrates 20th Year of Cruising

The Port of Seattle, celebrating 20 years as a homeport, welcomes the 2019 cruise season with the arrival of the first ship—Celebrity Eclipse, at the Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66.“Over twenty years ago this community turned a novel idea into a nearly $900 million industry and helped the Port become the most environmentally progressive home port in North America,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Stephanie Bowman.“Today that economic opportunity reaches all the way from Eastern Washington farms and ranches that provide food for cruise customers, to King County attractions that depend upon summer season travelers to support year-round activities.

15 Dec 2018

MOL Passenger Line 'Cruise of the Year 2018'

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that its group company, Mitsui O.S.K. Passenger Line (MOPAS) was recognized for its "efforts on market development by the Nippon Maru One Night Cruise," and received the award for outstanding performance in the "Cruise of the Year 2018" program.MOPAS was honored for its One Night Cruise programs based on three themes, which attracted a majority of passengers (70%) who boarded the Nippon Maru for the first time.While elaborately planned, all of the cruise themes offered a casual atmosphere, and made a great contribution to expanding the range of the Japanese cruise market.The Cruise of the Year is the system under which the Japan Oceangoing Passenger Ship Association (host) and the Ministry of Land…

10 Apr 2018

International Cruise and Yachting Festival Planned for November

Photo: HKCYIA

Hong Kong’s first-ever cruise and yachting event, International Cruise and Yachting Festival (Hong Kong) 2018, is scheduled to be held from November 22 to 25 at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Kai Tak Runway Park and Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter. The four-day event, organized by the Hong Kong Cruise and Yacht Industry Association, will bring together global cruise and yacht brands and boats with Maritime Education and Employment, Marine and Leisure Tourism and Maritime Industry Developments as the major focuses.

10 Apr 2018

Interview: William Harber - Hurtigruten, Americas President

William Harber, President, Americas Region, Hurtigruten

As the luxury yacht/adventure sector of the global cruise market continues to gain strength, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently received insights from Hurtigruten, a clear leader in the sector. William Harber, President of the Americas Region, Hurtigruten, explains the path forward. Please discuss Hurtigruten’s plans to ramp up its North American presence. We are indeed ramping up our presence in the Americas. From a distribution perspective, Hurtigruten is developing stronger, deeper and more strategic partnerships to drive our expedition cruise products.

15 Dec 2017

Cruise Sector on Track for Growth in 2018 -CLIA

(Photo: MSC Cruises)

The cruise industry is expected to stay on course for further growth in 2018, according to the latest State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report from trade association Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). “It is without question that the cruise industry continues on a growth trajectory, gaining in consumer interest and creating a positive impact on the global economy,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA. CLIA said current data shows cruise travel is steadily on the rise with a projected 27.2 million passengers expected to set sail in 2018.

05 May 2017

Norwegian, Alibaba Partner in Chinese Cruise Market

Norwegian Joy (Photo: NCLH)

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. said it has partnered with online and mobile commerce company Alibaba Group for its entry into the Chinese cruise shipping market. Alibaba operates the world’s largest online and mobile marketplaces, offering a wide range of products and services to its nearly half billion monthly active users. In China, people live, work and play on Alibaba, buying local and overseas products, and enjoying its entertainment and lifestyle services – travel, food delivery and social networking.

16 Dec 2016

Top 8 Cruise Industry Trends for 2017

© EpicStockMedia / Adobe Stock

As part of its 2017 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, trade association Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has forecasted the top eight cruise travel trends that will have the greatest impact on the cruise industry in the coming year. New Generation Takes to the Water – A recent study found that younger generations—including Millennials and Generation X — will embrace cruise travel more than ever before, rating it as better than land-based vacations, all-inclusive resorts, tours, vacation house rentals or camping.

07 Jun 2016

Greek Cruise Operators Fret over Strikes Sparked by Port Sale

(Photo: Piraeus Port Authority)

Greek cruise ship operators are worried of a lasting impact on the sector from an ongoing strike by port workers protesting against the sale of the country's biggest port Piraeus to Chinese shipping giant COSCO. Greece in April agreed the sale of a 67 percent stake in Piraeus Port to COSCO for 368.5 million euros under a third international bailout. Port workers have held 48-hour rolling strikes since late May, disrupting cargo operations and services provided to cruise ships docking at Piraeus over fears their jobs are at risk.

07 Oct 2015

Refugees Give Greek Tour Operators an Extended Season

Placards in hand, travel agent Iakovos Bouchoris and his team scout for customers at Greece's busy Piraeus port, near Athens, where some 5,000 people arrived on Tuesday in a single day on ships from outlying islands close to Turkey. Instead of the usual groups of German, Italian and Korean tourists, the tour operators were waiting for Syrian refugees; and rather than touring the ancient ruins of the Greek capital, they were heading north to the Greek-Macedonian border. Greece's peak holiday season may have ended in August, but for many travel agents, business is booming in October. "We've been filling 20 to 25 buses a day, about 1,250 people a day," Bouchoris said, recalling a peak in early September.

23 Jun 2015

Fincantieri Cuts Steel for MSC Seaside

Geneva-based MSC Cruises S.A., and Fincantieri, today cut the first steel for its new generation of ship, MSC Seaside. In a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Chief Executive Officer, Gianni Onorato, along with Fincantieri’s Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono launched the cutting of the first steel of MSC Seaside. MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Today, we have witnessed the beginning of the work on an extraordinary new ship, MSC Seaside. It is a ship that revolutionizes industry standards, with an audacious and innovative design that brings guests and sea closer.

10 Jun 2015

Carnival Bans Bringing Bottled Water Onboard

Carnival Cruise Lines will stop passengers from bringing bottled water, bottled soda and other bottled nonalcoholic drinks onboard, effective July 9. Carnival's Liquor and Beverage Consumption Policy Guest has long prohibited guests from bringing alcoholic beverages onboard. But one can still carry on up to 12 unopened cans or cartons of water, soda and non-alcoholic beverages per person during embarkation, the cruise line said in a statement. The line released the new policy today in a letter sent to travel agents and booked passengers. Signs will be posted at embarkation ports, and Carnival will update its website to reflect the change. The company cites delays in the boarding process as one reason why they are enacting the new policy.

26 May 2015

CLIA Names Muskat Trade Relations Committee Chairman

Ken Muskat (Photo: CLIA)

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced that Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, public relations, and guest services for MSC Cruises USA, has been named chairman of the CLIA Trade Relations Committee. In this role, Muskat will lead a committee of his peers and work in partnership with CLIA Vice President of Membership Charles Sylvia to provide counsel on CLIA’s travel agency and agent relations, training, professional development programs, partnerships, research and membership initiatives.

22 Mar 2015

Cruise Ships Cancel Tunisia Calls in Wake of Islamic Terrorists Attack

Cruise lines like Holland America, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Star Clippers, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Aida Cruises have canceled all port stops to Tunisia for the rest of the year following the jihadist terrorist attack and massacre in the capital March 18th. Seventeen cruisers from Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises ships visiting Tunis for the day were killed in Wednesday's attack, which took place at the city's Bardo National Museum. More than 20 other cruisers were wounded. The Seattle-based Holland America has announced that two ships scheduled to visit the country over the next two-and-a-half months as part of Mediterranean sailings instead will head to ports on the Italian island of Sardinia. Costa has also canceled all remaining 39 port stops to the country.

04 Mar 2015

Genting Acquires Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises has been sold for $550 million to the owner of Asia's largest cruise line and a major shareholder of Norwegian Cruise Line. Crystal's parent company, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha has sold the line to Genting Hong Kong, which owns Star Cruises. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015. The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015. The announcement said that "with the support of GHK’s financial strength and expertise in ship design, Crystal Cruises’ fleet size will expand with a new ship." For many year, travel agents have asked Crystal about whether the line would build a new ship.

22 Feb 2015

India to Make Cruise Tourism Sail

With its vast and beautiful coastline, virgin forests and undisturbed idyllic islands, rich historical and cultural heritage, India may get some fillip in cruise tourism in the months to come. A report in Business Standard says that a high-level meeting of the Bureau of Immigration (BoI), Customs, Ministry of Shipping (MoS) and Ministry of Tourism (MoT) will be held in the national capital to deliberate on steps to popularize cruise tourism. Also, Royal Caribbean, one of the largest cruise lines in the world, is organizing a seminar on cruise tourism. Quantum of the Seas (QOTS), the third largest cruise ship in the world, will dock at Cochin port on June 4-5, en route to Singapore and Shanghai. The seminar on QOTS in June will involve officials from several government agencies.

09 Feb 2015

CLIA Predicts Cruise Passenger Increase in 2015

Photo courtesy of Shipcruise.org

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) released its annual State of the Cruise Industry Report today and is once again projecting industry growth in 2015. A record 23 million passengers are expected to sail this year, with 61 percent of North American CLIA-certified travel agents reporting an increase in 2015 travel bookings over this time last year. CLIA also revealed that member cruise lines are scheduled to debut 22 new ocean, river and specialty ships in 2015, representing a total investment of more than $4B.

19 Dec 2014

Fincantieri Wins Carnival Cruise Ship Order

Fincantieri SpA has been awarded an order by Carnival Corporation & plc for the construction of two new cruise ships for Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line. Carnival Corporation, the world's largest travel and leisure company, has announced new cruise ship orders for two of its brands with Fincantieri S.p.A., the world's largest cruise ship building company, states a press release from the company. The new cruise ships will be constructed by Fincantieri for Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line, two of Carnival Corporation's nine industry-leading brands. Carnival Cruise Line's as-yet-unnamed 3,954-passenger vessel…

17 Dec 2014

Duffy Named President of Carnival Cruise Line

Christine Duffy (Photo: Dave Cross)

Christine Duffy has been named president of Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation & plc. announced today. Duffy, currently president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), will assume the new role on February 1, reporting to Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc. Duffy has more than 30 years of experience in the travel industry and started her career as a travel agent in Philadelphia at McGettigan Partners. As CEO cruise industry trade association CLIA…

25 Sep 2014

Holland America Line Wins 8 Magellan Awards

Travel Weekly magazine announced the recipients of its 2014 Magellan Awards, and Holland America Line received eight of the prestigious honors. The line won five gold awards in the categories Restaurant Design for Canaletto Small Plates, Television Commercial for “Breathtaking Meet Impeccable,” Blog for the Holland America Blog, Direct Mail for the 2014 Winter Mariner Magazine and Advertising/Marketing Campaign for Discover HAL’s Alaska. Three silver awards were bestowed on the line for Entertainment and the B.B. King’s Blues Club program, Direct Mail for the Holland America Line Cruise Atlas and Premium Ship for ms Noordam. “It is an honor to receive these awards in so many diverse categories from a highly regarded publication like Travel Weekly…

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