Showing posts with label Pride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pride. Show all posts

Monday, August 30, 2010

Major Hurricane Earl Forces Cruise Itinerary Changes

5-Day Forecast Cone for Hurricane Earl (Credit: NOAA NHC)
Click for Current 5-Day Graphic

Weather Underground Current 5-Day Graphic (click)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here
 Major Hurricane Earl (Atlantic Basin)

Earl now a Category TWO Hurricane
 
UPDATE:  800 PM EDT THU SEP 02 2010

...HURRICANE EARL CONTINUES NORTHWARD...RAINBANDS MOVING ONTO THE
COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA...

 
Cruise Itinerary Changes:   (details below)

Carnival Cruise Line : 
All departures for the sailings of September 1, 2010 – September 6, 2010 are scheduled to operate as normal. 

Norwegian Cruise Line: 
At this time, we expect all ships embarking this weekend to sail their scheduled itineraries. 

Royal Caribbean International: (latest changes in bold)
Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas

In the five days since this storm became a Tropical Storm, Earl has continued its path westward and continued to grow in strength.  It became a Category One Hurricane Sunday night August 29th, and quickly grew to a Category Two later that night.   On Monday, Earl continued to strengthen to a Category Four Hurricane, weakened to a Category Three but strengthened again.  While it is now a Category Two hurricane, it is still a powerful storm and will remain so for the near future.

Based on the current forecast, Earl will be passing east of the Bahamas and then heading for the Northeast coast of the United States by this weekend.

INTERESTS IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTHEASTERN CANADA SHOULD
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF EARL.
 
 
As a service to our readers, we have RSS feeds from the NHC which can provide up to date information about these tropical storms.   We will also monitor the cruise lines for any itinerary changes as a result of the storms. 


Current Watches & Warnings
 
 
 
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... 
* BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA NORTHEASTWARD TO THE NORTH
CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE
SOUNDS
* WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS EASTWARD AROUND CAPE COD TO HULL
MASSACHUSETTS INCLUDING MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET ISLAND
 
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE HENLOPEN
DELAWARE
* NOVA SCOTIA FROM MEDWAY HARBOUR TO DIGBY
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* CAPE FEAR NORTH CAROLINA TO WEST OF BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA
* NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO SANDY HOOK NEW
JERSEY...INCLUDING DELAWARE BAY SOUTH OF SLAUGHTER BEACH AND THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND NEW YORK FROM FIRE ISLAND INLET EASTWARD
ON THE SOUTH SHORE AND PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR EASTWARD ON THE NORTH
SHORE
* NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT TO WEST OF WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS...
INCLUDING BLOCK ISLAND
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF HULL MASSACHUSETTS TO EASTPORT MAINE
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND WEST OF FIRE ISLAND INLET ON THE SOUTH
SHORE AND WEST OF PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR ON THE NORTH SHORE
* NOVA SCOTIA FROM ECUM SECUM TO MEDWAY HARBOUR AND FROM DIGBY TO
FORT LAWRENCE
* NEW BRUNSWICK FROM JUST WEST OF FORT LAWRENCE WESTWARD TO THE
U.S./CANADA BORDER

 
A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.  A WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 48 HOURS
BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE
WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR
DANGEROUS.
 
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE
THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.
 
Discussion  &  Outlook
 
SUMMARY OF 800 PM EDT...0000 UTC...INFORMATION (02Sep)

LOCATION...33.0N 74.7W
ABOUT 160 MI...260 KM SSE OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 625 MI...1005 KM SSW OF NANTUCKET MASSACHUSETTS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH...165 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 010 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...948 MB...27.99 INCHES

 
ON THE FORECAST
TRACK...THE CENTER OF EARL WILL PASS NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER
BANKS TONIGHT...AND APPROACH SOUTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 110 MPH...175 KM/HR
...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  EARL IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.  ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS
EXPECTED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...BUT EARL IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A
LARGE AND STRONG HURRICANE AS IT PASSES NEAR THE OUTER BANKS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205
MILES...335 KM.  THE DIAMOND SHOALS BUOY...LOCATED ABOUT 20
MILES...30 KM...SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS...RECENTLY REPORTED A
WIND GUST TO 38 MPH...60 KM/HR. 

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A NOAA HURRICANE 
HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 948 MB...27.99 INCHES.

  
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND


WINDS...TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE NORTH
CAROLINA COAST WITHIN THE WARNING AREA SOON.  EVEN IF THE CENTER OF
EARL REMAINS OFFSHORE...HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR
IN THE OUTER BANKS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT.  TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS
WILL LIKELY REACH THE COAST FROM VIRGINIA NORTHWARD TO
MASSACHUSETTS ON FRIDAY.  HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN
THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA IN MASSACHUSETTS FRIDAY NIGHT.

STORM SURGE...A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS
MUCH AS 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING
AREA OVER NORTH CAROLINA AND THE LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY. STORM SURGE
WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE GROUND
LEVEL WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA OVER MASSACHUSETTS.
ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA...STORM SURGE WILL
RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

RAINFALL...EARL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2
TO 4 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES...OVER
PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...THE OUTER BANKS AND SOUTHEAST
NEW ENGLAND. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM
EXTREME SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA NORTHWARD ALONG THE IMMEDIATE
MID-ATLANTIC COAST...AS WELL AS OVER DOWNEAST MAINE.

SURF...LARGE SWELLS FROM EARL WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE BAHAMAS
AND THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES THROUGH FRIDAY.  THESE
SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND RIP
CURRENTS.
 
 Cruise Line Advisories


September 2, 2010
We are closely monitoring Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona in the Atlantic.  Rest assured, all of our ships will continue to operate at a safe distance from the storms.
All departures for the sailings of September 1, 2010 – September 6, 2010 are scheduled to operate as normal. 
We will update this information on Carnival.com if any new information becomes available.  Most importantly, we look forward to welcoming our guests onboard this weekend.



August 29, 2010 – 12:30PM

We are closely monitoring the two tropical systems (Danielle and Earl) that have formed in the Atlantic.  Rest assured, all of our ships will continue to operate at a safe distance from the storms.

The Carnival Pride will change it's itinerary now visiting Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Freeport.  In addition, the Carnival Victory will change the sequence of ports and will cancel St. Maarten. 

All of Carnival’s other ships are operating the scheduled itineraries.

We will update this information on Carnival.com if any new information becomes available.  Most importantly, we look forward to welcoming our guests onboard this weekend.



Royal Caribbean Tropical Weather Update

September 01, 2010 5 PM E.S.T

Due to the forecasted path of Hurricane Earl, Royal Caribbean International is altering the current itineraries for Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

Due to the forecasted path of Hurricane Earl, Royal Caribbean International has altered the current itineraries for Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

Monarch of the Seas was unable to call on CocoCay, Bahamas Tuesday, August 31. The ship sailed directly to Nassau, Bahamas, where it will stay until midnight Wednesday, September 1. The ship will spend Thursday at sea as it returns to Port Canaveral on Friday, as scheduled. Monarch of the Seas is currently sailing a four-night itinerary, which departed Port Canaveral on August 30.

Majesty of the Seas extended its port call in Key West, Florida on Tuesday, August 31 until early Wednesday morning. It will spend the remainder of Wednesday at sea, and call into Nassau on Thursday, September 2. The ship will return to the Port of Miami on Friday, as scheduled. Majesty of the Seas is currently sailing a four-night itinerary, which departed the Port of Miami on August 30.

Enchantment of the Seas called on San Juan, Puerto Rico Sunday, as scheduled, but cancelled its call at St. Thomas on Monday in order to avoid inclement weather from the storm. Instead, the ship called on Samana, Dominican Republic on Monday, August 30 and Labadee, Haiti, on Tuesday, August 31. The ship will spend Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at sea as it returns to Baltimore on Saturday, as scheduled. Enchantment of the Seas is currently sailing a nine-night Caribbean itinerary, which departed Baltimore on August 26.

Oasis of the Seas was unable to make its scheduled port calls to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on Tuesday, August 31 and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten on Wednesday, September 1. The most recent forecast simply placed the storm too close to these ports of call during the time Oasis of the Seas would be sailing there. The ship will now call at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Oasis of the Seas is sailing a seven-night Caribbean itinerary, which departed Ft. Lauderdale on August 28.

Freedom of the Seas will be unable to make its scheduled port calls to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on Wednesday, September 1 and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten on Thursday, September 2. The most recent forecast simply placed the storm too close to these ports of call during the time Freedom of the Seas would be sailing there. The ship called on CocoCay, Bahamas on Monday, as scheduled, spent Tuesday at sea, and called into George Town, Grand Cayman on Wednesday. On Thursday, the ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico. The ship will spend Friday and Saturday at sea as it returns to Port Canaveral, Florida on Sunday, as scheduled. Freedom of the Seas is currently sailing a seven-night Caribbean itinerary, which departed Port Canaveral on August 29.

No other Royal Caribbean International ship's itinerary is currently being affected by Hurricane Earl. Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information if there are any additional itinerary alterations due to the storm's projected path.
Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert 

Updated September 2, 11:30 am

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona.

At this time, we expect all ships embarking this weekend to sail their scheduled itineraries.

We will continue to closely monitor the weather conditions and will update this information and notify our guests if there are any itinerary changes because of the storms’ projected paths.

Updated August 31, 2010 at 3 pm

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona.

Because of Hurricane Earl’s path which took it west of Bermuda, Norwegian Dawn is sailing its original itinerary. The ship is currently en route to Bermuda and will arrive on Wednesday morning as scheduled.

Because of the adverse weather, Norwegian Jewel did not stop at Great Stirrup Cay today and instead docked in Nassau a day early. The ship will stay in Nassau overnight. Depending on the path of Hurricane Earl, there is a possibility that the ship will need to leave Nassau early tomorrow morning.

We will continue to closely monitor the weather conditions and will update this information and notify our guests if there are any additional itinerary changes because of the storms’ projected paths.
We appreciate our guests understanding.

Updated August 29 at 9 am ET

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the paths of both Hurricane Danielle and Tropical Storm Earl.

Because of the storms, we are modifying the following itineraries:

Norwegian Dawn will depart New York as scheduled today. We are continuing to monitor the storm and there is a possibility of an itinerary change depending on the storm’s path.

Norwegian Epic departed Miami yesterday as scheduled. The ship will call into Cozumel, Mexico and Roatan, Honduras in place of Phillipsburg, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The ship’s call into Nassau on Friday has been extended.

Norwegian Spirit arrived in Bermuda this morning as originally scheduled.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving Greetings 2009

HAPPY
THANKSGIVING

Lepreau Falls - Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here already. Where did 2009 go? As has become my tradition, I'd like to share with you some of the things that I'm thankful for and highlight some of my adventures this year.

I hope that you, your family, and friends have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. I know that I have plenty of things to be thankful for, including my health, family, and friends and the ability to share my love of cruising with all of you. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to explore new worlds with family and friends again this year.

While this has been a tough economic year, it appears that the cruise industry has weathered the storm. Just this month, we have been highlighting the introduction of Oasis of the Seas. Royal Caribbean International has set the standard bar quite high with this new marvel. The value of cruising has never been stronger. Even in these tough times, more and more families have taken to the seas. There were some record discounts offered, making it even a better value, and consequently we have seen a surge in first-time cruisers.

The photos above are from some of our cruises this year. The true highlight of the year was our Tulip Time river cruise on AMA Waterways Amalegro. We sailed out of Amsterdam, Netherlands visiting the surrounding Belgium and Holland area. My favorite memories are of the Keukenhof Gardens (top photo) where we saw thousands of tulips in bloom and Brussels where we feasted on Belgium chocolates and freshly made Belgium waffles topped with fruit and chocolate.

Mid-year we visited Canada and New England stopping at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada (middle photo) and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Reversing Falls in Saint John and a Tall Ship Sailing Experience were two of my favorite things from that cruise vacation.

Our National Conference departed last month from Baltimore, Maryland (bottom photo), and sailed to Port Canaveral and then on to the Bahamas. Carnival Pride is now sailing year-round from this port which is within driving distance of many parts of the Eastern United States. Our visit to Baltimore was definitely a highlight of this trip as was our all day excursion to Blue Lagoon.

When the Pilgrims came to the New World, they came in Tall Ships, much like the one we sailed on in Halifax. The average length of those ships were 110 feet. The length of the Oasis of the Seas is more than 10 times that at 1182 feet. The Pilgrim ships had 32 - 150 passengers while the Oasis can hold more than 6300 (not counting the crew). It took months to cross the Atlantic while the Oasis of the Seas took 14 days (due to the storm encountered in the Northern Atlantic).

Thank you for making my blog column a part of your lives in 2009. I hope that the information I share helps you to dream about future cruises of your own. I'd be honored to help you plan those trips. I have the best job in the world - helping make dreams come true. For that, I'm truly thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

Saturday, October 10, 2009

On Deck for the Cure

I'm writing this on our last sea day onboard Carnival Pride R/T Baltimore to the Bahamas. We've had a successful National Conference this week. Besides meetings and visiting three ports of call, our group participated in a worthwhile cause.

Carnival Corporation hosts On Deck for the Cure which is available on 14 ships. This innovative fundraising initiative benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Each participant receives a T-Shirt and pink wrist band to signify their participation in this walk / donation program. Get a little exercise and donate to a worthy foundation.

On your next Carnival cruise, make sure to check out this fundraising event.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Greetings from Nassau, Bahamas

Back home the temperature is in the 60s but here in the Bahamas it's a balmy 90 with humidity. What a perfect day to spend under a palm tree in a hammock. The ship arrived in Nassau around 11 AM and we departed shortly after that for Blue Lagoon.

It's a short boat ride from the pier to Blue Lagoon. On the way to the private island, the boat passes Atlantis resort and many expensive homes. There are plenty of photo opportunities along the way for capturing the beautiful turquoise waters of the Bahamas.

After arriving we found a location with several hammocks and picnic tables and put our bags down on one of the tables. It was time to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, catch some rays and enjoy the various water sports.

I'll leave you with that image for now. When I return from our cruise, I'll tell you more about our stay and include some pictures.

Meanwhile, I suggest you take a look at my website for Carnival Pride itineraries out of Batlimore. This is the perfect vacation for families, especially those that live near Baltimore.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Greetings from Carnival Pride

I'm writing this to you from Carnival Pride, the host for Cruises Inc. & Cruise One 2009 National Conference. We are at sea today somewhere off the coast of Florida. Tomorrow we will be in Port Canaveral where we will have a group outing to Disney World in Orlando.

Carnival Pride sails out of Baltimore for a fun filled 7 night cruise to Port Canaveral and the Bahamas. This is a perfect get away especially for families on the East Coast of the United States. It is within driving distance from many cities and a great way to relax with your family without having to fly to your destination.

More about this itininerary in detail when I return to the office - complete with pictures of course. (CLICK HERE FOR CARNIVAL PRIDE ITINERARIES)

In addition to Carnival Cruise Lines executives, there are executives from many of the cruise lines onboard with us all week. We are learning about exciting changes each company will be introducing or have already introduced. I'll be sharing information about this in future columns.

I'll have to keep this short since I'm off to lunch and then more meetings. Now is the time to plan your next cruise vacation. There are some amazing offers available this month for National Cruise Vacation month, so send me an email to start your planning.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tropical Storm Danny Forms in Atlantic



Current Atlantic Tropical Storm Watch

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center is now tracking the fourth named storm of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We will also monitor this storm and provide updates including any cruise itinerary changes that become necessary.

1100 AM EDT WED AUG 26 2009...THE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER EAST OF THE BAHAMAS BECOMES TROPICAL STORM DANNY...

UPDATE: 500 AM EDT SAT AUG 29 2009...DANNY RAPIDLY BECOMING ABSORBED BY AN EXTRA TROPICAL LOW... THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED ...


MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS... THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NHC ON THIS STORM....

LARGE SWELLS FROM THE EXTRA TROPICAL LOW ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE U.S. EAST COAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO....


Local Weather Statements


Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates

(Aug 29) Carnival Cruise Line:
This storm has weakened significantly
and we are not anticipating any itinerary changes at this time for the following cruise departures: Carnival Triumph departing from New York on August 29; and Carnival Pride departing from Baltimore on August 29.

The Carnival Miracle cruise that departed from New York on August 28 will visit Nassau on Monday, Half Moon Cay on Tuesday and Grand Turk on Wednesday.

(Aug 27) Carnival Cruise Line:
We are closely monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Danny. All of our ships are operating at a safe distance from the storm. Our number one priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew.

We are not anticipating any itinerary changes at this time including the following cruise departures: Carnival Miracle from New York on August 28; Carnival Triumph departing from New York on August 29; and Carnival Pride departing from Baltimore on August 29.



(Aug 29) Royal Caribbean International: At this time, no Royal Caribbean International itineraries are being affected by Tropical Storm Danny. (NO CHANGE FROM AUG 28TH STATEMENT)


(Aug 28) Royal Caribbean International:
At this time, no Royal Caribbean International itineraries are being affected by Tropical Storm Danny. Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information again tomorrow, August 29 at noon.

Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to depart on Saturday, August 29, for its five-night sailing to the Caribbean. Earlier this week, Tropical Storm Danny showed some signs of unpredictability. However, the most recent weather forecasts available predict that the ship will be able to depart Cape Liberty and head south to Bermuda as scheduled.


(Aug 26) Royal Caribbean International:
Given the current location and projected path of Tropical Storm Danny, we are not altering the itinerary of any ship, and providing the following guidance regarding one sailing:

Ships sailing from Baltimore, Maryland Grandeur of the Seas, is scheduled to depart on Thursday August 27, for its nine-night sailing to the Caribbean. However, guests on this sailing are encouraged to monitor these updates for any possible modifications to the itinerary.

(Aug 26) Holland America: Regarding Tropical Storm Danny, we are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to watch the storm's development.

Please note the following ship itinerary information:

ms Maasdam - Scheduled to turn in Boston on Saturday, August 29. No changes have been made to the published itineraries.
NOTE: There have been no other advisories made at this time.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking: <Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.



Friday, August 21, 2009

Keeping an Eye on Hurricane Bill / Cruise Ship Impact


Current Atlantic Tropical Storm Watch

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here
Tropical Storm Danny:

We have been tracking Hurricane Bill since Sunday and providing multiple updates each day. This is your one-stop source for cruise-related information and hurricane updates. Continue to monitor this post for updates.



The best defense against a hurricane is to be prepared. This post will continue to focus on regular updates on the storm and impact to the cruise lines. In my post, Hurricane Bill / Current Tropical Storms , I have included a Be Prepared Checklist.


For historical information on Hurricane Bill and Tropical Depressions Ana and Claudette, see my republished blog post: First Atlantic Tropical Storms 2009
UPDATE: 5AM AST Monday, Aug. 17 ...BILL NOW A HURRICANE...THE FIRST OF THE 2009 ATLANTIC SEASON...

UPDATE: 500 AM AST MON AUG 24 2009... BILL LOSES TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS... MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH ...
AT 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS DISCONTINUED ALLTROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR NEWFOUNDLAND...

GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. EVEN THOUGH BILL IS NO LONGER A TROPICAL CYCLONE...IT IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A LARGE AREA OF STORM AND GALE FORCE WINDS OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.....

THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ON THIS SYSTEM. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS SYSTEM CAN BE FOUND IN HIGH SEAS FORECASTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...UNDER AWIPS HEADER NFDHSFAT1 AND WMO HEADER FZNT01 KWBC


A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

These swells will likely cause extremely dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents. Please consult statements issued by your local weather office.

Local Weather Statements




Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates: <CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

Note: These are the only Cruise lines with ships that were in potential danger from Hurricane Bill.
Holland America, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Celebrity Cruises, though in the area, have no announcements.
<Holland America>

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking: <Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Aug 21) The Carnival Triumph cruise that departed from New York on August 20 will cancel the scheduled call in Saint John. The ship will now navigate a safe course away from the storm and return to New York on Monday as scheduled.
We are not anticipating changes to any other itineraries at this time including the Carnival Triumph cruise departing from New York on August 24. We will update this information if any new information is available.

(Aug 19) For the Carnival Miracle cruise departing on August 20 from New York; and the Carnival Pride cruise departing on August 21 from Baltimore, we are not anticipating any changes to the itineraries for these cruises at this time. We will update this information if any new information becomes available.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Aug 21) Norwegian Spirit will depart Boston as scheduled August 21. Depending on the path of the storm, the ship may arrive later than scheduled into Bermuda. The ship's Captain will update the guests on board as to the specific arrival time in Bermuda once it has been determined.
At this time, we are anticipating that the August 23 sailings of Norwegian Dawn from New York and Norwegian Majesty from Baltimore will depart as scheduled.
(Aug 19) Norwegian Cruise Line announced the following itinerary changes: Because of the current path of Hurricane Bill which is forecasted to pass near Bermuda on Friday, August 21, Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Majesty will depart Bermuda earlier than scheduled, leaving at 5 pm on Thursday, August 20.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Given the current location and projected path of Hurricane Bill, we are altering the itinerary of one ship , and providing the following guidance regarding one sailing:

Ships sailing from the Cape Liberty

Explorer of the Seas, which departs Cape Liberty on Thursday, August 20, will sail a revised itinerary, with its ports of call simply reordered. The ship will visit San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday; Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Monday; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Tuesday; and Kings Wharf, Bermuda, Thursday.

Ships sailing Baltimore, Maryland

Grandeur of the Seas is scheduled to depart on Saturday, August 22, for its five-night sailing to Bermuda. However, guests on this sailing are encouraged to monitor these updates for any possible modifications to the itinerary.
Additional Updates will be posted as information becomes available
Staying Prepared

Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

My other blog articles on Hurricane Bill:

Hurricane Bill / Current Tropical Storms (includes a Be Prepared Checklist)

First Atlantic Tropical Storms 2009 (historical notes on Hurricane Bill and the first 2009 storms)

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.



Monday, July 13, 2009

Yachts of Seabourn - One Week Sale



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But hurry, the sale begins today, Monday, July 13 and lasts just one week


Caribbean Getaway • Seabourn Spirit
DEC 16, 2009 • 5 days Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Atlantic Sunsets • Seabourn Spirit
NOV 15, 2009 • 12 days Lisbon, Portugal to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Belize, Panama & Costa Rica • Seabourn Legend
NOV 23, 2009 • 14 days Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica

Caribbean Tapestry • Seabourn Odyssey
NOV 28, 2009 • 12 days Round-trip Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Costa Rica, Panama & Belize • Seabourn Legend
DEC 7, 2009 • 14 days Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Asian Capitals & Vietnam • Seabourn Pride
FEB 13 or MAR 13, 2010 • 14 days Singapore to Hong Kong, China

Asian Capitals & Vietnam II • Seabourn Pride
FEB 27, 2010 • 14 days Hong Kong, China to Singapore

Caribbean Gems • Seabourn Legend
MAR 20, 2010 • 5 days Round-trip Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

Caribbean Gems • Seabourn Legend
MAR 25, 2010 • 7 days Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

To learn more about the Yachts of Seabourn, consult the overview on my website.