No Dubai conversion for QE2?

There are a number of rumours circulating in Dubai that the massive conversion plans to transform the former Cunard cruise ship QE2 into a floating hotel/conference/leisure centre have fallen through, due to the immense costs and the global credit crisis. However, owners Nakheel deny such suggestions. Manfred Ursprunger, CEO of QE2 Enterprises, the Nakheel company set up to run the QE2 project said that plans for the conversion of the ship are still going ahead. ‘We are not selling the ship. We are still in the planning stage and we are looking at the best way we can use this magnificent ship,’ he said. But why is it taking so long to finalise details of the ship’s conversion? Nakheel’s had plenty of time and is using some of the industry’s best in this business, such as V.Ships Leisure. It’s well known that Nakheel is putting a number of construction projects in the Emirate on hold for the time being, including the much hyped Trump Towers. Mr Ursprunger said that ‘no definite designs for the QE2 have been so far Okayed.’ I wonder if they ever will! Sphere: Related Content

Port of Los Angeles Getting Fleet of Electric Trucks

The Port of Los Angeles will soon begin using a fleet of heavy-duty all-electric trucks to move freight containers. These vehicles are manufactured by Balqon Corp, and the first one rolled off the assembly line Tuesday (2/24) in Harbor City where Balqon agreed to move its manufacturing as part of this "green" program.
Some specifications of Balqon's E30 model:
Can haul 30 tons.
Top speed of 40 MPH.
Has a range between 30 to 60 miles per battery charge.
Recharges in 4 hours.
Can charge to 60 percent in one hour.

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By Planet Data

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Tajikistan: Russia Stops Officers Smuggling Weapons to China

Russian authorities announced Wednesday that they have busted an arms smuggling ring. A group of naval officers was intercepted allegedly trying to smuggle $18 million worth of Russian anti-submarine missiles and aviation bombs from Russia through Tajikistan and on to China. The weapons have been confiscated in Tajikistan.

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By Planet Data

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Japanese Firm Sentenced for Environmental Pollution Cover-up

The United States Justice Department announced Tuesday (2/24) that the Japanese corporation Hiong Guan Navegacion Japan Co. Ltd., which operates the commercial cargo ship M/V Balsa-62, has been sentenced to three years probation and $1.75 million in penalties for conspiring to falsify and falsifying environmental compliance records. The penalties stem from a Coast Guard investigation that found that two successive chief engineers bypassed the pollution prevention system onboard the M/V Balsa-62, and dumped oily water and sludge directly overboard and into the ocean approximately twice a month from Spring 2007 through Spring 2008.

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By Planet Data

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Grounded Tanker Refloated After Oil Removed

The 800-foot tanker Yasa Golden Dardanelles, was finally refloated at 12:08 AM Tuesday (2/24). More than 80,000 barrels of oil had to be transferred from the ship, which ran aground Friday (2/20), in order to get it unstuck. Commercial divers were to inspect the hull prior to the ship entering the Port of Galveston. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, "Naval engineers and inspectors from the ship's classification society will also examine the Yasa Golden Dardanelles."

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By Planet Data

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South Africa: South African Navy May Provide Anti-Piracy Escorts

South Africa's Pretoria News reported Monday that the South African navy is considering a plan to provide escorts for merchant ships traveling up Africa's East Coast from South Africa to Somalia. This move is prompted by the worry that Somali pirates are moving their hijacking operations further south. Once the South African navy escorts reach Somalia, other navies in the region would take over. Already in the last several months there have been a number of incidents in which Somali pirates have seized ships off Tanzania and Kenya, including the Saudi oil supertanker Sirius Star hijacked last November and released in January after a $3 million ransom was paid.

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By Planet Data

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Ocean Nova grounds in Antarctica

The latest cruise ship to get into trouble in the waters of Antarctica was Quark Expeditions’ small Ocean Nova, which ran aground last week in high winds one mile from the Argentine research base at San Martin, carrying 104 passengers and crew.  

The 1992-built ice-class vessel was later successfully refloated and all passengers transferred to another small expedition cruise ship which offered assistance, Clipper Adventure. Also assisting Ocean Nova was the Spanish government research vessel Hesperides, whose divers reported no underwater damage to the vessel, or oil leakage. Sphere: Related Content

Celebrity Equinox is early maiden voyage

The maiden voyage of Celebrity Cruises’ latest vessel, Celebrity Equinox, is being brought forward due to early completion by German shipyard Meyer Werft. Celebrity Equinox will now sail from the UK’s leading cruise port Southampton on 31 July instead of 8 August. Her maiden voyage is now an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise, with calls at Stavanger, Flam, Geiranger and Oslo.
 
The Norwegian Fjords cruise is the first and only time this year that Celebrity Equinox will be showcased in Northern Europe, prior to a dedicated Solstice-class vessel sailing out of Southampton for the summer 2010 season.

Following her maiden voyage, celebrity Equinox will sail from Southampton on her original maiden voyage; a 10-night cruise to Civitavecchia, calling at le Havre, Cherbourg, Vigo, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Barcelona and Cartagena, Sphere: Related Content

RCCL announces enhanced programme for Suite passengers

RCCL has announced a comprehensive enhancement to the cruise line’s programme for passengers booked in suite category cabins. The new suite programme is designed to focus on distinctive and personalised service and touch on every aspect of the passengers’ experience from arrival to departure. Suite passengers will enjoy a number of special privileges and upgraded amenities for their cruise, along with RCCL’s world-renowned Gold Anchor Service from every member of its staff and crew. The new suite programme will be implemented fleet wide in March. Sphere: Related Content

Arcadia makes maiden call in Sydney

P&O Cruises’ Arcadia made history last week when she called at the Australian port of Sydney for the first time, as part of her inaugural world voyage. Arcadia is a well known P&O cruise ship name in Australia, with the second vessel to bear this name taking many of the ‘£10 Poms’ down under when they immigrated from the UK in the 1950s and 60s. Sphere: Related Content

Killybegs to get its first direct cruise call

The Irish fishing port of Killybegs, the largest in the country, will receive its first direct cruise call this July when Saga Cruises’ Saga Rose visits the port, while on a 16-day cruise to Greenland from Liverpool. Sphere: Related Content

GAP’s Expedition to open Portsmouth 2009 cruise season

Canadian operator GAP Adventures’ newest ship, the 120 passenger Expedition, will open the 2009 cruise season for the south coast UK port of Portsmouth, when she calls on 1 May. The vessel will be on a 13-day ‘Britain & Ireland in Bloom’ cruise.

Expedition, bought to replace the ill-fated Explorer, which sank in Antarctica at the end of 2007, is currently being converted from a Baltic ferry in Finland for her new role.  Sphere: Related Content

RCCL relocates senior international management role to Miami

Following the decision by RCCL to relocate the role of regional vice president, international market planning to its corporate head office in Miami from its UK office in Weybridge, Sarah Newman has decided to leave the company due to family commitments.  

A replacement for Sarah Newman’s role, which oversees the development and co-ordination of core growth markets including their ship deployment, financial performance, distribution and operations capability, branding, marketing and PR, has yet to be announced. Sphere: Related Content

UK operator to end charter of Ocean Majesty

UK-based travel group Page & Moy is to end its summer charter of the ageing 500 passenger capacity Ocean Majesty from the end of this season, after a period of 14 years.

Ocean Majesty’s final cruise for the British operator is a seven day cruise to Barcelona from Southampton, departing 24 September. Following arrival in Barcelona, the vessel will be returned to her Greek owners, Majestic International Cruises.

It is not known if Page & Moy will be chartering a new vessel for the 2010 summer season. Sphere: Related Content

Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry service to restart on 18 May

Norfolkline will restart the passenger ferry service linking the Scottish port of Rosyth with Zeebrugge in Belgium on 18 May. The link was previously operated by Greece’s SuperFast Ferries and was ended in 2008.

Norfolkline will use its brand new Scottish Viking on the 20hr crossing. This vessel is currently fitting out at Italy’s Viscentini shipyard and will be able to carry over 500 passengers, 90 cars and 105 freight vehicles. A total of 107 four-berth passenger cabins will also be provided, along with a bar, restaurant, cinema, children’s playroom and onboard shop.

The service will call three times a week at each port, sailing from Zeebrugge at 18.00hrs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and arriving in Rosyth at 13.00hrs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Return sailings from Rosyth depart at 17.00 hrs arriving in Zeebrugge at 14.00 hrs to following day. Sphere: Related Content

SeaFrance looks to shed one third of its workforce

French Dover Straits ferry operator is to axe 650 jobs, more than one third of its total workforce, in a drastic move to safeguard its future in the face of what it describes as ‘grave economic and financial difficulties.

As part of its restructuring, SeaFrance is to layup two of its vessels, the 1987-built freight-only vessel SeaFrance Nord Pas-De-Calais, and the 1980-built ro-pax SeaFrance Cezanne, which has been operating as a freight-only vessel of late. This will leave just three passenger ferries on the busy Dover-Calais run: the new SeaFrance Moliere (1,200 passengers and 480 cars, or 110 lorries) and the 1,900 passenger capacity, 700 car or 120 lorry capacity sisters SeaFrance Berlioz and SeaFrance Rodin. Sphere: Related Content

BC Ferries Island Sky enters service

The latest vessel to enter service on the west coast of Canada for BC Ferries, the double-ended ferry Island Sky, started operation on the company’s Earls Cove-Saltery Bay run on 19 February. Island Sky can carry 450 passengers and 125 cars. Sphere: Related Content

French shipowner looks to take over SeaFrance

Leading French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA), owner of ferry operator LD Lines, has made a bid to take over troubled French Dover Strait ferry operator SeaFrance (see earlier story in this issue). LDA has submitted a proposal to SeaFrance’s owners, national rail operator SNCF, and is awaiting a reply.

LDA’s plans are to merge SeaFrance’s ferry operations into those of LD Lines, without the 650 job losses planned by SeaFrance, while retaining the SeaFrance brand name and creating a major French ferry force on the cross-channel routes. Sphere: Related Content

InCat 112m catamaran named in Hobart

The third 112m wave-piercing catamaran to be built by Tasmanian fast ferry specialist InCat has been named MGC 66. On order for London-based MGC Chartering, mystery still surrounds who and where this vessel will operate, once delivered in March. Sphere: Related Content

HD Ferries quits France-Channel Island fast ferry run

British fast ferry operator HD Ferries, part of the travel focussed 2morrow Group, has decided to end its season service linking the French port of St. Malo with the Channel Islands of Alderney, Guernsey and Jersey. HD Ferries says the reason for its decision is based on poor passenger/freight figures last year.

‘The simple truth is that not enough people are able to travel as often as would be necessary to make this service viable,’ said HD Ferries’ CEO James Howe-Davies. 

‘HD Ferries is privately funded and does not enjoy any special privileges such as those from which our competitor benefits,’ said Mr. Howe-Davies, who took over running of the company from his father last year. This statement is a direct dig at Condor Ferries, which now has the monopoly on ferry services between France and the Channel Islands. Since starting operations in January 2007, with the InCat-built K-class passenger/vehicle ferry HD1, HD Ferries, the line has been plagued with operational problems. In fact the company went so far as to say that there was a ‘Channel Islands mafia’ against its operations in the area. 

HD1 is currently laid-up in the south coast UK port of Newhaven, awaiting sale or charter.  Sphere: Related Content

Oasis of the Seas to call at Southampton

The world’s largest cruise ship, RCCL’s Oasis of the Seas, is to out into the UK’s leading cruise ship port Southampton towards the end of this year on her delivery voyage from Finland. The 5,400 passenger capacity vessel is scheduled to arrive at 101 Berth in Southampton at 12.00hrs on 8 November, departing the same day at 17.00hrs. Sphere: Related Content

Are ferry passengers concerned about brand image?

Last week I was in France sampling the services of relatively new French operator LD Lines on its Portsmouth-Le Havre route and its brand new Dover-Boulogne run. LD Lines is owned by well known French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs and also operates Transmanche Ferries, the latter running between Newhaven and Dieppe. The re-opening of the Dover-Boulogne service was big news for the French port which had thought that it would loose its lucrative UK tourists following the demise of budget fast ferry operator SpeedFerries last year. The new conventional service is branded very much LD Lines, so it is something of a surprise to see the service operated by one of the two Transmanche Ferries sisterships. For the maiden arrival of the ship in Boulogne, the great and the good were assembled on the quayside to welcome the first LD Lines sailing – instead of a red, white and blue ferry with LD Lines on the side, passing through the harbour entrance was a yellow and white ferry with Transmanche Ferries painted in large green letters down the side! The only sign of anything to do with LD Lines was a small house flag flying from the jack staff! LD Lines boss Christophe Santoni told ‘Off Radar’ that the ship wouldn’t be repainted in LD Lines colours, because she would still run between Newhaven and Dieppe. So it’s somewhat confusing for passengers trying out the new route – or is it? On the maiden passenger carrying service from Boulogne to Dover, I asked a British couple why they had selected LD Lines. They told me that they had no idea that this was a new operator, a maiden voyage; they had just booked online for the cheapest crossing! To them, the ferry company, brand etc, didn’t come into the equation, just the price! Sphere: Related Content

Bremerhaven refit for Marco Polo

Bremerhaven’s Lloyd Werft is to carry out the refit of German operator Transocean Tour’s 848 passenger capacity Marco Polo. The work package on the 1966-built vessel, formerly the Russian transatlantic liner Alaksandr Pushkin, includes the fitting of new diesel generators, plus the refurbishment of the vessel’s outer decks, cabins and restaurants. Sphere: Related Content

Celebrity Galaxy to become TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff

New German cruise line TUI cruises’ first ship, currently Celebrity’s Celebrity Galaxy, will be named Mein Schiff in Hamburg on 15 May. The name, which translates to My Ship in English, was chosen following a pole in the German celebrity magazine Bunte. Sphere: Related Content

New boss at Disney

Karl Holtz is to get an expanded role within the Disney organisation, including taking over as President of Disney Cruise Line. Holtz was previously President of the US line in 2004. Current Disney Cruise Line President, Tom McAlpin, is leaving the company. Sphere: Related Content

Celebrity Equinox set for Southampton launch

Celebrity Cruises’ latest vessel, Celebrity Equinox, will be in the UK port of Southampton from 25 July through to 31 July for her official launch and naming. Sphere: Related Content

P&O Cruises pushes more weddings at sea

The romantic notion of being married at sea by a ship’s Captain is proving more and more popular with the British public, says P&O Cruises. Last year the cruise line married 371 couples at sea, 32%, more than in 2007 and 64% more than in 2006.

In line with this increase in popularity, P&O Cruises has designed a dedicated website, www.pocruises.co.uk/weddings, to be a one stop shop for all the information a potential bride and groom could need to plan their big day at sea.

P&O Cruises’ head of brand marketing, Philip Price, said: ’we are delighted that our Weddings at Sea service has struck a chord with the British public. Our aim is to provide effortless holidays for our customers and by applying this same attention to detail to our wedding service – we have made tying the knot stress free. And of course the honeymoon begins as soon as the ceremony is over so it truly is an effortless experience.’
With the average UK wedding now costing on average £19,200, a wedding with P&O Cruises also presents very good value for money. Combining wedding and honeymoon means packages for the bridge and groom can cost from little more than £2,000. 

The Weddings at Sea package starts from £725, plus £249 for licence fees and includes the venue, ceremony conducted by the ship’s Captain, VIP treatment including priority boarding (excluding Caribbean itineraries), floral arrangements for the ceremony, wedding music, wedding certificate, champagne and onboard wedding co-ordinator, invitations and thank-you notes.

Optional extras include flowers, cake, photographs/albums, champagne, breakfast in bed, reception parties/dinners and spa treatments.

Weddings can be conducted on any itinerary from a minimum of seven nights in duration.  Sphere: Related Content

Saga continues with purchase of Astoria

UK cruise line Saga is continuing with its purchase of Club Cruises’ Astoria, despite the vessel being involved in a forced sale following the collapse of the Dutch cruise line. However, Saga has now stopped selling cruises on the vessel in 2010 until the dispute is resolved. 

Saga had agreed to pay €30m for the 1981-built vessel before Club Cruise defaulted on loan payments for its fleet and was forced to put the fleet up for sale. The 500 passenger capacity Astoria is currently under arrest in Barcelona, although Saga hopes to start cruises on the vessel from the spring of 2010.

Astoria is being bought to replace the ageing Saga Rose. She was to have been renamed Quest for Adventure, but will now to name Saga Pearl II, if the deal goes through. While negotiations continue on the purchase of Astoria, Saga is also looking for an alternative ship should the sale fall through. Sphere: Related Content

New Black Sea ferry service

Ukrainian operator Ukrferry is to start a new route in the Black Sea later this year, linking the port of Kerch in Crimea with Poti in Georgia. Sphere: Related Content

Stella Lines ferry to be auctioned in Finland

The former Color Line ferry Christian IV, which operated as Julia on the failed Stella Line service linking Finland and Russia, is to be sold at public auction in Kotka, Finland on 26 February.

The 1982-built ferry can carry 1,860 passengers, 430 cars and 780 lane metres of freight. Sphere: Related Content

Boulogne looks to attract back more UK tourists

With the resumption of a regular ferry service last week between the UK port of Dover and Boulogne, France, the French port is looking to regain once again its UK visitors market.Following the demise of budget fast ferry operator SpeedFerries last year, French operator LD Lines announced that it would be starting services between Dover and Boulogne on 1 July this year. However, seeing the potential for tourists and freight on this route, LD Lines started its new service five months ahead of schedule last week. At present there are two return sailing a day between Dover and Boulogne, increasing to six in July when a second ship is added.Boulogne itself is gearing up for the regeneration of the UK visitor market to the town. On-going improvements are being made to the visual appeal of the town such as the medieval city centre, tourist attractions, boulevards, shops, restaurants and hotels. These include:• Renovation of the Old Town (Vielle Ville) as a total tourist attraction• Renovation of many of Boulogne’s traditional houses• Building of a covered pedestrian walkway, linking the port to the town• Longer term projects include the construction of a new ferry terminal and the opening up of more luxury category hotels in Boulogne• The opening in October 2005 of a new dual carriageway auto route link road from the port connecting with the A16 to Paris and the entire French motorway system• Opening of the new Hub Port Ro-Ro Terminal on 1 July 2009 Sphere: Related Content

Nigeria: Gunmen Attack Exxon Mobil Employee Compound

Nigerian gunmen arriving in speedboats attacked a riverside compound housing Exxon Mobil staff last night in the southern Nigerian city of Eket. The Nigerian military fought off the attackers, and it's being reported that none of Exxon's employees were injured. The unidentified gunmen are likely militants, possibly from MEND, however no one has yet claimed responsibility.

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By Planet Data Sphere: Related Content

Antarctic Cruise Ship Runs Aground

The adventure cruise ship M/V Ocean Nova has run aground in Antarctica's Marguerite Bay, near Argentina's San Martin research base. According to a statement from the tour operator, Quark Expeditions, the passengers and crew are safe and the captain is waiting for high tide to dislodge the vessel. It is being reported that the Argentinean navy has flown a plane over the site and confirmed the ship has not lost power and is not leaking fuel. This is at least the fifth (1, 2, 3, 4) incident of a grounding or sinking in Antarctic waters in the last two years.

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By Planet Data Sphere: Related Content

Equatorial Guinea: Gunmen Attack Presidential Palace in Equatorial Guinea

Criminals are being blamed for an attack on the presidential palace in Equatorial Guinea's capital of Malabo. It's being reported that the unidentified group of gunmen arrived by sea in several high-powered speedboats - the types used by Niger Delta rebels and pirates. However, Reuters reports that the main militant group in the region, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), has denied involvement.

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By Planet Data Sphere: Related Content

British and French Nuclear Submarine Collision

It has just come to the world's attention that on February 3 or 4 a British nuclear submarine and a French nuclear submarine collided with each other while submerged in the Atlantic Ocean. The British Ministry of Defense has confirmed the incident, which involved the HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant. According to reports both vessels sustained damage, but the nuclear reactors and warheads, as well as the crews are safe and sound. The damage to the HMS Vanguardwas bad enough that it had to be towed back to its homeport of Faslane, Scotland.

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By Planet Data

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Cyprus Confiscates Weapons-Related Cargo from Iran

The government of Cyprus has confiscated a ship's cargo of weapons-related material that it says is in violation of UN-sanctions against Iran. The Monchegorsk was detained on January 29 off the coast of the island nation and on Friday (2/13) authorities offloaded the banned cargo. It is suspected that the cargo was on its way to Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in Gaza.

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By Planet Data

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Brits don’t go a lot on Italian ships!

I don’t usually comment on readership poles in cruise publications, they are biased on some way or another, usually with regard to just how much a cruise line spends with the publication on advertising! However, a recent passenger survey carried out by the UK’s largest online supplier of cruise holidays, Cruise.co.uk, makes interesting reading, but not if you are Italian!

In a recent passenger pole the three worst performing cruise lines were Costa, NCL and MSC. The independent cruise agency encourages passengers to review their holidays upon their return and has collated the results from more than 12,000 assessments. Passengers rated their cruise under seven categories: food, entertainment, shore excursions, staff, provision for children, activities and cabins – giving each a mark out of five. 

Of the major cruise lines, MSC was voted the worst, achieving an average of 2.83 from a total of 241 reviews, with a lack of activities and children’s entertainment being the main complaints. Costa, meanwhile, scored an average rating of 3.25 from 300 reviews. Main passenger hate was lack of onboard activities. However, top of the pole Cunard and Royal Caribbean, each scoring 4.36 and 4.15 respectively. Sphere: Related Content

Busy winter refit period for outfitting specialist Trimline

Southampton, UK-based cruise and ferry outfitting specialist Trimline has had a busy winter refit period so far, working mainly on cruise vessels, but also on the world’s largest fast ferry conversion.

Trimline has completed two major refits aboard Cunard’s QM2 and Thomson Cruises’ Thomson Celebration, while also working on vessels owned by P&O Cruises, Hebridean International, Swan Hellenic and Regent Seven Seas.

Work on the QM2 was undertaken while the vessel was in drydock at Blohm + Voss’ Hamburg facility and included a cleaning job with a difference. Trimline used the expertise of two specialist conservationists to clean a 60 sq m tapestry of the original Queen Mary, located in the ship’s Britannia Restaurant. At the same time 3,000 sq m of carpet was laid in a number of public areas, while the Regatta Bar was totally refurbished with teak furniture made by Trimline’s own joinery factory. 

The refit aboard Thomson Celebration was undertaken while the vessel was in drydock at the UK yard of A&P Falmouth. The work package for Trimline included preparing the ship for her winter cruise season in the Canaries. During the two week refit Trimline upgraded public rooms, including joinery, soft furnishings, and fitting new carpets with passenger suites and lounges. A total of 20 top of the range suites were refurbished with new carpets, curtains, blinds and bedspreads. Al passenger toilets were refurbished, including the fitting of new vanity units and floor tiles.

Meanwhile, a Trimline riding squad flew to Cape Town to join Hebridean International’s Hebridean Spirit, where 600 sq m of new carpets were laid in passenger cabins. The Southampton-based outfitting specialist will also work on fleet mate Hebridean Princess during her refit in Hull, UK this spring. Work on the small luxury vessel includes new carpeting, general joinery and French Polishing. 

Having carried out a programme of cabin upgrades on Swan Hellenic’s Minerva while the ship sailed from Lima, Peru to Boston, USA, Trimline also worked on the ship during her two week refit in Naples, where some 2,500 sq ft of carpet was laid throughout the ship, including 61 passenger cabins. This winter has also seen Trimline work on Regent Seven Seas’ Paul Gauguin in Brisbane, Australia and on P&O Cruises’ Ventura, while operating in the Caribbean. Sphere: Related Content

RCCL revamps online agent training

RCCL has revamped its dedicated agent training programme for this year for the brands RCI, Celebrity and Azamara. The award-winning online knowledge forum has a new look complete with a personalised introduction page, and new refresher modules to ensure agent’s selling skills are bang up to date.

David Chidley, training manager for RCCL explained: ‘in terms of new ships and new opportunities, 2009 will be a jam packed year for cruising, RCI is introducing the hugely-hyped Oasis of the Seas, and the new Celebrity Equinox from Celebrity Cruises will launch in Southampton. Giving agents the right tools and resources to both stay on top of all the new developments, and sell confidently, is a huge factor in growing our sales via our travel partners. The revamped Cruising for Excellence online training programme is one area of investment, look out for more ship visit opportunities and more training events, all coming in 2009.’

Since its launch in April 2006, RCCL’s online agent training programme has trained over 11,000 agents in the UK and Ireland, and has been recognised by the E-Learning Network with a Silver E-Learning Award highlighting its excellence, interactivity and quality of learning content. Plus, Cruising for Excellence also recently won a highly prestigious National Learning Award (NTA).


The Cruising for Excellence programme has been used within RCCL’s head office to help train new and current staff. It has also been adopted worldwide, with RCCL’s head office in Miami taking it to the Northern American and Canadian market, with future plans for a worldwide roll-out.

Agents can register for the new-look Cruising for Excellence by visiting www.cruisingpower.co.uk and clicking on the Cruising for Excellence banner, alternatively agents can call the RCCL training team on 01932 834290, or email: training@rccl.com Sphere: Related Content

Caribbean Princess completes Freeport refit

Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess has recently completed a three week refit at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport. The 2004-built vessel now features a piazza-style atrium, with the International Café and Vines, a wine, seafood and cheese bar, the adults-only Sanctuary, seven new suites, a more centrally located casino and the Crown Grill restaurant.

A similar package of work will be undertaken on fleet mate Golden Princess in May, when she drydocks at Victoria Shipyards, British Columbia.

In both of the above refits, Northern Ireland’s outfitting specialists Mivan Marine were/will be heavily involved. Sphere: Related Content

Last voyage for Delta Queen

The famous US steamboat Delta Queen sailed on her last voyage last week from New Orleans to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she will become a floating hotel. She is expected to open for business in mid April, offering hotel accommodation for 174 guests, at Coolidge Landing, on the north shore of Chattanooga. Sphere: Related Content

New Director, Hotel Operations at Fred Olsen Cruise Line

Ole Christensen has been appointed Director, Hotel Operations, at Fred Olsen Cruise Line. Before joining the UK operator Mr. Christensen worked for TUI Ski as Regional General Manager for its Crystal Club hotels in France, Switzerland and Andorra. Sphere: Related Content

New wastewater treatment systems for RCI fleet

RCI is to retrofit new gray and black water treatment systems aboard 16 ships in its fleet, using the Navalis Poseidon System developed by US-based Navalis Environmental Systems. The first ship to be fitted with the new system, which meets US Coast Guard and IMO rules, will be Rhapsody of the Seas.   Sphere: Related Content

Costa completes five ship winter refit programme

Costa Cruises has just completed a five ship winter refit programme at shipyards in Italy, costing €22m. Over a three month period which ended this week, Costa Serena, Costa Europa and Costa Atlantica, were drydocked at Fincantieri’s Palermo yard, Costa Romantica in Genoa and Costa Fortuna in Trieste. 

Included in the work package for all five vessels was the fitting of air-conditioning regulators, as well as the application of the latest generation of silicone-based antifouling hull coatings Sphere: Related Content

Burgess Marine to build new Emergency Berthing Barge for Wightlink

UK-based specialist marine engineering and repair company Burgess Marine has further expanded its portfolio by securing a contract from South Coast UK ferry operator Wightlink to build a 22m Emergency Berthing Barge.

The barge will be prefabricated by Burgess Marine in nine modules at its facilities in Dover, and completed onsite in Portsmouth. The barge will be used by Wightlink to support its existing infrastructure on the company’s various cross-Solent ferry operations, which include conventional services between Portsmouth and Fishbourne and Lymington-Yarmouth, as well as its FastCat services linking Portsmouth and Ryde. 

The Wightlink berthing barge, which has been designed by well-known UK naval architects Hart Fenton, is part of the ferry operator’s £57m investment in its fleet and shore-side terminals, which includes building two new catamaran ferries for the Portsmouth-Ryde service and jumboising two of its Saint-class vessels on its Portsmouth-Fishbourne run. 

The Wightlink barge is the third major contract to be awarded to Burgess Marine as a direct result of the BVT-Burgess TEAM PORTSMOUTH alliance, the first being the major conversion and upgrade of the fast ferry InCat 050, which will enter service on the Irish Sea for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co Ltd as Mannaman in the spring of 2009, and the second being awarded primary sub-contractor status with regards to the main engine overhaul work on the Wightlink conventional ferry fleet, for and on behalf of BVT Surface Fleet.  Sphere: Related Content

Norwegian operator orders gas powered ferry

Norwegian ferry operator FosenNamsos Sjo has ordered a gas powered passenger/car ferry from domestic west coast shipbuilder Fiskerstrand BLRT. The ferry will be able to carry 250 passengers and a maximum of 120 cars. The hull and first stage of outfitting will take place a sister yard Western Shipyard, in Klapeida, Lithuania. Delivery is set for December 2010, after which the vessel will operate in the Hordaland region of Norway.  Sphere: Related Content

Brits don’t go a lot on Italian ships!

I don’t usually comment on readership poles in cruise publications, they are biased on some way or another, usually with regard to just how much a cruise line spends with the publication on advertising! However, a recent passenger survey carried out by the UK’s largest online supplier of cruise holidays, Cruise.co.uk, makes interesting reading, but not if you are Italian!

In a recent passenger pole the three worst performing cruise lines were Costa, NCL and MSC. The independent cruise agency encourages passengers to review their holidays upon their return and has collated the results from more than 12,000 assessments. Passengers rated their cruise under seven categories: food, entertainment, shore excursions, staff, provision for children, activities and cabins – giving each a mark out of five. 

Of the major cruise lines, MSC was voted the worst, achieving an average of 2.83 from a total of 241 reviews, with a lack of activities and children’s entertainment being the main complaints. Costa, meanwhile, scored an average rating of 3.25 from 300 reviews. Main passenger hate was lack of onboard activities. However, top of the pole Cunard and Royal Caribbean, each scoring 4.36 and 4.15 respectively. Sphere: Related Content

United Kingdom: 42 Offshore Wind Farm Workers Evacuated

Overnight and early this morning (1/30) forty-two wind farm workers had to be rescued by the UK Coastguard from a barge off England's northwest coast. The crew was laying cable in Solway Firth, 8 miles west of Maryport when the barge's anchors began to break free in rough seas.

by Planet Data

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Somalia: Pirates May Free Arms-Laden Ship Soon

Somali pirates are saying they are finalizing ransom negotiations with the owners of the MV Faina that is sitting off the coast of Haradhere, Somalia. Reuters reports the ship could be free in a matter of days. The Ukrainian ship was seized back in September. It is carrying a crew of 20 and a cargo of military equipment including rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns and 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks.

by Planet Data

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Somalia: Ship Operators in Contact with Hijackers

Last Thursday the German tanker MT Longchamp was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. Over the weekend Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, the company operating the ship, made contact with the pirates to discuss the vessel's release. It is believed the pirates have asked for $6 million to let the ship and her crew go. The Longchamp is carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

by Planet Data

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Niger Delta Militants Threaten Shutdown of Oil Exploration

The Nigerian press is reporting that militants from the Niger Delta Vigilante (NDV) and the Patriotic Force (PF) have issued a February 14th deadline for the major oil companies to vacate Niger Delta or face crippling attacks. The threat has been dubbed "Operation Zero Exploration".

by Planet Data

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Somalia: Pirates Free Turkish Cargo Ship

 RIA Novosti reports Ukraine's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that the Antigua-flagged, Turkish-owned cargo ship, MV Bosphorus Prodigy was released by its Somali hijackers. The vessel and her crew of 8 Ukrainians and 3 Turks were seized in December and set free on Monday (2/2). It is not clear whether the ship's owners, Iskomarine Shipping & Trading, paid a ransom.

by Planet Data

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Anyone for tennis?

Cruise lines are constantly striving to offer passengers new and exciting shore excursions and many of the world’s top sporting events feature in a number of shore programmes. However, most of the top of the range events are only offered by the upmarket lines and at a price. So it’s interesting to see that this years Wimbledon tennis championships feature in at least two cruise lines programmes for 2009, lines from both ends of the market in terms of ‘lifestyle.’ For those with the cash in an area of the global credit crunch, Crystal is offering a six night land programme with VIP access to the semi finals and finals. The package is available following Crystal Symphony’s June 19 cruise from London to Stockholm. In addition to Centre Court tickets, participants will have access to the Fairway Village, Wimbledon’s hospitality area near Centre Court, private car service and accommodation at London’s famous Savoy Hotel. The post-cruise package, including Business Class flights from Stockholm to London is priced at a cool US $25,299 per person, based on double occupancy. Of course you have to add on the price of the cruise if you wish to undertake this add on. If that’s a bit too much for your pocket, how about trying UK operator Page & Moy’s 10 day ‘Historic Britain & Ireland’ cruise aboard the ageing Ocean Majesty. During this vessel’s call in London, passengers can avail themselves of a trip to Wimbledon to watch either the Veterans or Junior finals on No, 1 Court. The price – a bargain at just £65 per person, including return transport from the ship! Prices for the cruise range from £799 to £1,849 per person. Who says that Finals Day at Wimbledon is just for high rollers? Sphere: Related Content

FAA Promotes Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Safety

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is trying to make Helicopter Emergency Medical Service flights safer. Last year saw the number of fatal crashes increase "sharply", according to the FAA. And now while the FAA pursues new rules that support National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations, it is aggressively promoting "significant" short-term safety initiatives that don't require rulemaking, such as: 
• Encourage risk management training to flight crews so that they can make more analytical decisions about whether to launch on a flight. 
• Better training for night operations and responding to inadvertent flight into deteriorating weather conditions. 
• Promote technology such as night vision goggles (NVGs), terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS) and radar altimeters. 
• Provide airline-type FAA oversight for operators. Identify regional FAA HEMS operations and maintenance inspectors to help certificate new operators and review the operations of existing companies.
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LD Lines to start new Dover services mid-February

The recent demise of low-cost fast ferry operator SpeedFerries and its Dover (UK)-Boulogne (France) service has allowed French cross-channel ferry operator LD Lines to start its new Dover-Boulogne service almost six month earlier than scheduled. 

LD Lines will now start operations from Dover on 12 February, with new services linking Dover-Boulogne and Dover-Dieppe. The company will be using two conventional passenger/car/freight ferries on the new services, the 2006-built sisterships Cote d’Albatre and Seven Sisters. Both of these vessels currently operate on the Newhaven-Dieppe route under the Transmanche Ferries brand, which is part of the LD Lines ferry network. Cote d’Albatre and Seven Sisters can each carry 600 passengers and 300 cars, or 52 freight vehicles, or a combined of cars and freight. 

Operating from Dover’s Eastern Docks, the new Boulogne service will use the existing berth in the French port previously used by SpeedFerries. ‘We can clearly identify the strong commercial opportunities for a direct ferry link to be re-established between Dover and Boulogne following the departure of the previous operator and our research shows the demand is there from tourist passengers and freight customers, to bring forward the start of the service,’ said LD Lines’ managing director, Christophe Santoni. ‘A profitable ferry service must rely on a combination of passenger and freight business and by introducing a conventional ship to operate between Dover, Boulogne and Dieppe, both freight and tourist markets will have an extensive choice across our expanded route newtwork, said Mr. Santoni.

From 12 February, up to two return sailings a day will be provided between Dover and Boulogne, with a crossing time of 1hr 45 mins. One round-trip a day will operate between Dover and Dieppe, with a crossing time of 4hr 15 mins.
 
With construction of the Port of Boulogne’s new Hub Port Ro-Ro Terminal well advanced, as planned LD Lines will be inaugurating the new berth facilities with the addition of a second ship on the Dover route from 1 July this year. Sailing frequency between Dover and Boulogne will then increase from two to six return sailings daily.   Sphere: Related Content

Brittany Ferries new Armorique set to enter service

Western channel French ferry operator Brittany Ferries’ new passenger ferry Armorique is set to enter service this month on the company’s Plymouth (UK)-Roscoff (France) run, a route for which the vessel has been specifically designed for.  

The highly fuel-efficient ferry can carry 1,500 passengers and more than 500 cars. Built by Finland’s STX Europe, Armorique utilises the same hull design as freight-only fleet mate Cotentin, which entered service last year. Sphere: Related Content

Stena HSS in Irish Sea accident

Stena Line’s HSS fast ferry Stena Voyager was involved in a serious accident last week while on her regular run between the Scottish port of Stranraer and Belfast, Northern Ireland. A freight vehicle carrying chemical powder broke loose and smashed its way through the stern doors. The vessel returned to Stranraer immediately, with the lorry hanging half out of the vessel. A total of 189 passenger and crew were aboard the vessel at the time and were prevented from leaving the craft until the lorry had been safely recovered.

A 400 ton crane had to be brought in to recover the lorry, but due to very high winds some passengers had to stay onboard the ferry for two nights before they could be taken ashore. At one stage the rescue services were using a cherrypicker to take passengers ashore one-by-one, but this had to be stopped because of gale force winds. Sphere: Related Content

BC Ferries restructures and downsizes

In a week when it took delivery of a new ship from German shipbuilders, leading Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries announced a major restructuring and downsizing programme that will primarily affect management and administrative positions at its West Coast Canada operations.

‘In the face of a significant drop in ferry ridership and the resulting adverse impact on revenues, we must act to reduce the company’s management and administrative costs,’ said BC Ferries’ President and CEO David L. Hahn. ‘To date, we have transitioned approximately 35 management and administrative positions, including several senior management and director level positions. While no front line or ship based employees are directly impacted at this time by the corporate restructuring, further changes and possible lay-offs are anticipated in shore-based positions including unionised staff.’

Meanwhile, last week BC Ferris took delivery of its new Northern Route vessel, Northern Expedition, from Germany’s FSG Shipyard. The 150m cruise ferry is now on her way from Flensburg to British Columbia via the Panama Canal, a voyage expected to take 35 days. 

Northern Expedition will enter service on BC Ferries’ Inside Passage route between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert in May, running alongside the 2007-delivered Northern Adventurer. The new ship can carry 600 passengers and 130 vehicles and also offers 55 passenger cabins. Sphere: Related Content

NCL’s F3 to be named Norwegian Epic

The largest ship yet to be built for NCL, the 150,000grt F3 under construction at STX France’s St. Nazaire shipyard, will be named Norwegian Epic. Further details of the ship’s facilities will be made available in March.

Following delivery in mid-2010, Norwegian Epic will operate year-round seven-day cruises from Miami to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean itinerary will take in port calls at St. Maarten, St, Thomas and Nassau, while the Western Caribbean cruise will include Costa Maya, Roatan and Cozumel.   Sphere: Related Content

Ocean Village to become Pacific Pearl

UK cruise line Ocean Village’s first vessel, Ocean Village, will be renamed Pacific Pearl when she transfers to P&O Cruises Australia at the end of 2010. She will join former fleet mate Ocean Village Two, which will be renamed Pacific Jewel, down under along with existing fleet mates Pacific sun and Pacific Dawn. Sphere: Related Content

Le Havre on a roll

The French channel port of Le Havre is expecting 60 cruise ship calls this year, and 110,000 passengers, compared to 59 calls and 75,000 passengers in 2008. 

First time visitors to Le Havre this year will be: AIDAluna, Tahitian Princess, Emerald Princess, Costa Luminosa, Celebrity Equinox, Prinsendam, Eurodam, Vision of the Seas and Independence of the Seas. 

Le Havre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the main cruise gateway for passengers wishing to visit Paris. Sphere: Related Content

Silversea’s Sales & Marketing moves

Upmarket line Silversea has promoted Steve Tucker from Director to Vice President, National Accounts & Eastern Regional Sales. Meanwhile, Joseph Proto is now Director of Silversea’s Venetian Society, the lines worldwide past passenger loyalty club. Sphere: Related Content

Management moves at Regent Seven Seas

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has appointed Mike Moore as Director, Online Marketing, while at the same time promoting Kari Tarnowski from Senior Director to Vice President, Marketing. Both had previously worked for Silversea.  Sphere: Related Content

Record cruise umbers for Marseille

The French Mediterranean port of Marseille recorded a record year in 2008 for cruise passengers. Passenger figures for the year, both ferry and cruise, rose to 2.04m, with cruise passenger figures jumping by 25% to a new high of 539,000 to outweigh a seven per cent fall in ferry passengers. 

The increase in cruise passengers was the result of extra calls being made by regular callers at Marseille and new business coming from Germany’s AIDA. The cruise passenger figures included a 29% increase in passengers embarking and a 24% rise in transit throughput. The seven per cent drop in ferry passengers, to 1.5m, reflected stable performances for Corsica (859,000) and Tunisia (255,000), but a 20% decline for Algeria (364,000), mainly due to tightened Customs controls. Sphere: Related Content

Star shuts London office

Star Cruises has shut its London office with immediate effect, with the three-man team all leaving the company. No. decision has been given for this move. Sphere: Related Content

Destination South West at risk

The future of the UK’s cruise tourism partnership Destination South West (DSW) is at risk due to additional funding. DSW was established to increase the cruise business for the south west corner of the UK and includes 11 ports and 24 other partners. The ports are Ilfracombe, Isles of Scilly, Mounts Bay (Penzance), Falmouth, Truro, Fowey, Plymouth, Dartmouth, English Riviera (Torquay), Portland and Poole.  Sphere: Related Content

NTSB Finds Fault in 2007 Corporate Jet Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report last week from its investigation of the 2007 crash of a corporate jet in Sanford, Florida. The accident aircraft was a Cessna 310R and part of the fleet operated by NASCAR's corporate aviation division. According to an NTSB release, "the accident was due to (1) the NASCAR corporate aviation division's decision to allow the accident airplane to be released for flight with a known and unresolved electrical system problem, and (2) the accident pilots' decision to operate the airplane with full knowledge of the maintenance discrepancy."
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India: Hijack Scare Leads to Emergency Landing

A 42-year old Indian accountant was arrested Sunday night for allegedly threatening to blow-up or hijack the Indigo airplane he was on. Two other passengers were arrested but have since been released. Following the threat, the pilot made an emergency landing in New Delhi where the situation ended safely for everyone involved. It does not appear as though the man had the means to carry through with his threats. And the whole incident may have happened because of an argument over seating that got seriously out of hand.
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Niger Delta Militants Threaten Shutdown of Oil Exploration

The Nigerian press is reporting that militants from the Niger Delta Vigilante (NDV) and the Patriotic Force (PF) have issued a February 14th deadline for the major oil companies to vacate Niger Delta or face crippling attacks. The threat has been dubbed "Operation Zero Exploration".
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Criminals Targeting Travelers at Mexico City Airport

Mexican criminals are now targeting foreign travelers exchanging money near Mexico City International Airport. According to a report from CityNews.ca, there have been at least three robberies in the last several months, including one Tuesday in which a French national was shot in the head.
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Thailand to Deter Another Airport Seizure with New Law

There is a new law headed for approval in Thailand's Parliament that would make it a crime to attempt to seize control of an airport. It is dubbed the "Security and Security Measures for Suvarnabhumi Airport Act," and began to take shape following the People's Alliance for Democracy's (PAD) seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport for over a week late last year.
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United Kingdom: 42 Offshore Wind Farm Workers Evacuated

Overnight and early this morning (1/30) forty-two wind farm workers had to be rescued by the UK Coastguard from a barge off England's northwest coast. The crew was laying cable in Solway Firth, 8 miles west of Maryport when the barge's anchors began to break free in rough seas.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Pirates May Free Arms-Laden Ship Soon

Somali pirates are saying they are finalizing ransom negotiations with the owners of the MV Faina that is sitting off the coast of Haradhere, Somalia. Reuters reports the ship could be free in a matter of days. The Ukrainian ship was seized back in September. It is carrying a crew of 20 and a cargo of military equipment including rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns and 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Ship Operators in Contact with Hijackers

Last Thursday the German tanker MT Longchamp was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. Over the weekend Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, the company operating the ship, made contact with the pirates to discuss the vessel's release. It is believed the pirates have asked for $6 million to let the ship and her crew go. The Longchamp is carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Pirates Free Turkish Cargo Ship

RIA Novosti reports Ukraine's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that the Antigua-flagged, Turkish-owned cargo ship, MV Bosphorus Prodigy was released by its Somali hijackers. The vessel and her crew of 8 Ukrainians and 3 Turks were seized in December and set free on Monday (2/2). It is not clear whether the ship's owners, Iskomarine Shipping & Trading, paid a ransom.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content