Showing posts with label cancellations. Show all posts

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Cruise Pause Extensions

U.S. Ports Impacted by CDC CSO

While cruising has resumed in other parts of the world, it is still paused in the U.S. due to the Conditional Sail Order issued by the CDC last October. Recent CDC announcement didn't lift the CSO, so cruise lines are still playing a waiting game to find out how they can proceed safe and responsible resumption of cruising.

Since it takes 60-90 days to stand up a ship once they get the OK, cruise lines have begun announcing additional cancellations as they extend the pause through June 30th. Several lines have announced departures from non-U.S. homeports for Summer sailings. The industry is hopeful that resumption can occur sometime in the Summer.

Carnival Corporation

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy's on Tuesday said the line may be forced to pull the line's vessels from their U.S. homeports if the agency continues to prevent the restart of domestic cruising and is extending the suspension of U.S. operations through the end of June.

“While we have not made plans to move Carnival Cruise Line ships outside of our U.S. homeports, we may have no choice but to do so in order to resume our operations which have been on 'pause' for over a year,” Duffy said in the statement. “We appreciate the continued patience and support from our loyal guests, travel advisors and business partners as we work on a return-to-service solution."

Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald said he was "very disappointed" in the CDC's guidance released last week on the company's business update call on Wednesday morning. He asked CDC for fair treatment.

“Today,” he said, “you (referring to Americans) can fly and cruise in Europe and return home without being vaccinated. But even if you are vaccinated you cannot cruise out of the United States. “We are standing by the CDC, but we want to be treated similarly to other travel industries, tourism and entertainment.”

Royal Caribbean Group

"Royal Caribbean has made the tough decision to further extend our operational pause through June 30, 2021. Exceptions to this include our Singapore sailings onboard Quantum of the Seas, China sailings departing after May 27, 2021, Israel departures on our newest game-changer - Odyssey of the Seas, and also Adventure of the Seas from The Bahamas and Vision of the Seas from Bermuda"

See Royal Caribbean Health & Travel Alerts for latest information including important dates for cancelling / rebooking your cruise.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises announced today that it is extending the suspension of some sailings, including all sailings from the United States until June 30, while continuing its measured return to service with more sailings scheduled from different regions around the world.

While we continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States and government authorities around the world, we have made the following adjustments to upcoming 2021 itineraries:

Suspending sailings through June 30
Excluding all ships which have recently announced many new homeports around the globe

See Celebrity Cruises Cruising Suspension page for latest information.

Disney Cruise Line

US Departures through June 2021 are Suspended

We are carefully reviewing the recently released guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and working toward resuming operations. As we continue to refine our protocols for our eventual return to service, we are cancelling all Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder sailings departing through June 2021.

Disney Magic European Season

We have canceled Disney Magic sailings through September 18, 2021. The Disney Magic will set sail in the United Kingdom for a limited time this summer on short voyages limited to UK residents, pending the issuance of UK Government guidelines and authorizations.

See Disney Cruise Line Important Travel Information page for complete details.

Norwegian Cruise Line

In conjunction with our return to service announcement, we have extended our voluntary temporary suspension through August 31, 2021 for the following ships; Norwegian Breakaway, Dawn, Escape, Getaway, Sky, Spirit, Star and Sun. In addition, Norwegian Epic through Sept. 1; and Norwegian Pearl through Nov. 7, 2021 have also been canceled.

Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Gem now boast new homeports in Greece and the Caribbean for three new and exciting itineraries sailing in July.

See NCL's Suspended Sailings page for complete details.

Princess Cruises

Like so many facets of life, travel has been hit hard by recent events. It is with a heavy heart that Princess Cruises has made the extremely difficult decision to temporarily pause our global ship operations. We know you were looking forward to sailing with us, and we apologize and share in your disappointment over these cancellations. You don’t need to take any action to receive the default compensation offer. You can find out details of your compensation by clicking the link that matches your sail date:

Information on Impacted & Cancelled Cruises

Alaska, Canada/New England, & Land+Sea Journeys resume in 2022

Alaska sailings out of Seattle resume on/after June 28, 2021

Australia/New Zealand resume on/after May 31, 2021

Cruises out of Southampton for U.S. passengers resume Sept. 2021

All cruises 7+ days in and out of U.S. ports through Nov. 1, 2021

Cruises departing in and out of Japan resume on/after Nov. 8, 2021

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has cancelled its summer inaugural season out of Miami aboard the Scarlet Lady.

"As we continue to navigate what’s going on in the world, we’ve made the decision to cancel our sailings from July 4th through September 17th, 2021 on Scarlet Lady," the company said. "If your voyage has been impacted by this, please take a look at the details below so you can choose an offer that works best for you."

Details on Impacted Sailings on Scarlet Lady

Your Voice Matters: Express you desire to see Cruising Resume out of U.S. Ports via CLIA's Action Center. https://cruising.org/en/clia-action-center

We continue to monitor changes in cruise itineraries, cancellations, requirements to sail, etc. Follow us on any of our social media and this blog to stay informed. We hope to be sailing on the high seas soon.

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Saturday, March 14, 2020

We Are Here For You

A lot can happen in a week.

Six days ago the State Department issued a warning advising Americans against traveling on cruise ships. We mobilized all of our efforts to support our guests as they were were concerned, uncertain and even fearful.

On Wednesday evening, President Trump announced sweeping travel restrictions impacting travel from Europe to the US. This was shortly followed on Thursday by announcements to suspend operations by several suppliers, most notably Viking and Princess.

And now the week has culminated with announcements from the major cruise lines to suspend operations until April 11^th. While this is unquestionably a setback to the cruising industry, it is no longer just about us. The NBA announced an indefinite suspension to their season. Events across the country are being cancelled or postponed. Restaurants, museums and other places people gather are closing temporarily.

We call these things out not to further distress you, but to highlight to you what we see…it is no longer just about us. And with that, comes a chance for the great industry we are in to hit the “reset” button. Cruising is not going away.

We are still open for business. We offer our deepest gratitude to our travel partners for powering through these events with resolve to do one thing – deliver a remarkable experience to our customers.

Even though ships won’t be sailing over the next few weeks, our work does not stop. As your trusted travel advisors, we know what you are going through right now and we are here for you. Please watch this short video.

Related Posts:
The following posts have links to various resources which will be updated on a daily basis in most cases. They include both Health and Industry resources.

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Thursday, October 6, 2016

Hurricane Matthew Impacts WDW & More


Hurricane Matthew courtesy NOAA NHC

HURRICANE MATTHEW

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

Hurricane Matthew	1200 PM EDT FRI OCT 07 2016 ...12 PM EDT POSITION UPDATE... ...MATTHEW'S WESTERN EYEWALL CONTINUES TO BRUSH THE COAST OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA...
WIND:	MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A Hurricane Warning is in effect for... * Cocoa Beach to Surf City A Hurricane Watch is in effect for... * North of Surf City to Cape Lookout A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Sebastian Inlet to Cocoa Beach * North of Surf City to Duck * Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds Interests elsewhere in the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, and in the Carolinas should monitor the progress of Matthew.
SHIP IMPACT:	Carnival Cruise Line Disney Cruise Line Royal Caribbean Norwegian Cruise Line

Storm Archive Graphics Archive

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN
THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 TO 36
HOURS.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

We just returned from Disney's Walt Disney World which celebrated it's 45th Anniversary on October 1, 2016. Since opening it's doors in 1971, the park has only been closed three times in anticipation of hurricanes: Hurricane Floyd (September, 1999), Hurricane Frances (September, 2004) and Hurricane Jeanne (September, 2005).

A spokeswoman for Walt Disney World said, "Based on the most recent forecasts for Hurricane Matthew, Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, miniature golf courses and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will all be closed today (Thursday October 6th) by 5 PM., and will remain closed through Friday, October 7."

Starting October 5th, WDW started warning its guests of possible disruptions due to the approaching hurricane. They also moved guests staying at Fort Wilderness campgrounds.

Here is the latest list of closures / cancellations in the Orlando area:

Thursday - Blizzard Beach, Fort Wilderness campground closed. SeaWorld closes at 2pm. Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando close at 5pm. Halloween Horror Nights, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Spirit of Aloha dinner show canceled.

Friday - Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Legoland, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and Fort Wilderness closed. Halloween Horror Nights, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Spirit of Aloha dinner show canceled.

Useful Links

Hurricane Matthew Precautions | FAQ | Walt Disney World Resort

Hurricane Matthew to bring severe storm to Walt Disney World | The Disney Blog

NHC issuing advisories for the Atlantic on Hurricane MATTHEW and Hurricane NICOLE

Audio podcasts regarding Matthew now available

#HurricanePrep Mini-Series

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND:  Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are expected to
continue over the warning area in Florida today, and spread
northward within the warning area through Saturday.

Residents in high-rise buildings should be aware that the winds at
the top of a 30-story building will be, on average, about one
Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the
tropical storm warning area in North Carolina on Saturday morning.

STORM SURGE:  The combination of a dangerous storm surge, the tide,
and large and destructive waves will cause normally dry areas near
the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the
shoreline.  The water could reach the following heights above ground
if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Flagler Beach, Florida, to Edisto Beach, South Carolina, including
portions of the St. Johns River...6 to 9 ft
Cocoa Beach to Flagler Beach, Florida...4 to 6 ft
Edisto Beach, South Carolina to Cape Fear, North Carolina...
4 to 6 ft
Sebastian Inlet to Cocoa Beach, Florida...2 to 4 ft
Cape Fear to Salvo, North Carolina, including portions of the
Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds...2 to 4 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds.  Surge-related flooding depends on the relative
timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over
short distances.  Large waves generated by Matthew will cause water
rises to occur well in advance of and well away from the track of
the center.  For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.

There is a danger of life-threatening inundation during the next 36
hours along the Florida northeast coast, the Georgia coast, the
South Carolina coast, and the North Carolina coast from Sebastian
Inlet, Florida, to Cape Fear, North Carolina.  There is the
possibility of life-threatening inundation during the next 48 hours
from north of Cape Fear to Salvo, North Carolina. For a depiction of
areas at risk, please see the Prototype National Weather Service
Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic. For information specific to your
area, please see products issued by your local National Weather
Service forecast office.

The Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic is a depiction of
areas that would qualify for inclusion under a storm surge watch or
warning currently under development by the National Weather Service
and planned for operational use in 2017.  The Prototype Graphic is
available at hurricanes.gov.

RAINFALL: Matthew is expected to produce total rain accumulations of
8 to 12 inches over the Atlantic coast of the United States from
central Florida to eastern North Carolina...with possible isolated
maximum amounts of 15 inches. This rainfall may result in flooding
and flash flooding.

TORNADOES:  An isolated tornado or two is possible along the South
Carolina, Georgia, and northeast Florida coasts today.

SURF:  Swells generated by Matthew will continue to affect portions
of the Bahamas and the east coast of Florida during the next few
days, and will spread northward along the southeast U.S. coast
through the weekend.  These swells will likely cause
life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult
products from your local weather office.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Winter Weather Hampering Travel

Anyone Else Thinking About Escaping to the Warmth of Alaska?

Wave Season is in full swing now and thoughts turn to warmer climates and those where it isn't snowing. Usually one would exclude Alaska from the list of candidates, but ironically when we checked the weather tonight, we found that Ketchikan was in the mid-40s at 9:30 PM while our temperatures had fallen below zero.

Accidents, Flight Delays, Cancellations, Stranded Travelers

Tonight's newscast featured arctic temperatures in our region, up to 2 feet of snow for those unlucky enough to be near the lake front, more cold, and more snow still on the way. This weather isn't limited to the Chicago / Indiana area, but also extending to the East Coast where a new snow storm cancelled flights and caused nightmares for those trying to travel across the country.

The following headlines tell the story - no need to repeat them here (you can click on the links to read details on the various news sources):

Nearly 3000 US Flights Cancelled As Snow Hits Northeast
Thousands of flights canceled (again) by snowstorm
Thousands Of US Flights Cancelled - Business Insider
Flights cancelled as Northeast braces for polar vortex 2 | New York ...
LIVE: Snowstorm Dumping Heavy Snow on I-95 Corridor

Live Airline Flight Cancellations Info & Statistics FlightAware

Protect Your Vacation

When our guests book their trip with us, we highly recommend they purchase travel protection insurance in the full amount of their trip. We've heard all the reasons why that doesn't seem to be necessary - "there's no way we aren't going on this trip - we've planned for it so long" is a pretty common one.

Tell that to the people spending the night at O'Hare International or one of the other major airports across the country as this bad weather grounded or delayed flights. Hopefully those stranded will be able to get out tomorrow and still be able to continue their journeys. If that flight was taking them to their escape from winter weather at some Caribbean resort or cruise vacation, odds are they are now in need of assistance to somehow join that trip now in progress. Hopefully that have a passport because they may now need to fly into a foreign port and their birth certificate and driver's license will no longer suffice (for those on closed-loop cruises, technically you don't need a passport, but we always suggest you have on).

You may never need to file a claim or call for assistance, but the intangible benefit to travel insurance is that when it counts the most, when you are in need, you have someone to turn to for assistance. You aren't alone in a "sea" of stranded travelers anymore. You have the ability to "phone a friend" or "use your lifeline" in the words of a popular game show.

Top Ten Reasons to travel with the LeisureCare Travel Protection Plan

You have to cancel your trip due to an unexpected event such as bad weather, an illness in the family or the financial default of your airline, cruise line or tour operator.
You have to return home early due to an unexpected emergency such as an illness or death in the family.
Your luggage is lost or delayed, forcing you to purchase necessary essentials, or prescription medications.
Your luggage or personal effects are damaged or stolen.
You become ill or injured and learn that your health care plan doesn't cover you outside the U.S.
You need an emergency medical evacuation due to an accident or sudden illness.
You run into flight delays and miss a portion of your trip or cruise.
Your trip is interrupted due to an unexpected hurricane or storm.
You lose your passport, leaving you stranded abroad.
You need assistance with replacing a prescription or an emergency cash transfer.

If the weather is bad in your area and you don't need to travel, stay home - warm and safe. For those trying to get to their vacation destination, we hope that you'll be able to do so and also that you had assistance so that your vacation isn't ruined.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Cruises Skip Sitka Due to Weather

Alaska Cruise Season Ends Early

Weather has been plaguing cruise ship schedules the past few days with the latest impact occurring this week in Sitka. Two ships, Holland America Westerdam and Oosterdam were scheduled to make calls in Sitka, but those calls have been cancelled. Calls by the same ships were cancelled last week as well.

The current weather forecast calls for rainy and windy conditions for the next few days, prompting the cancellations. These would have been the final ships to call in the port town for the 2013 Alaska Cruise season which begins in May and runs through the end of September.

In other weather, we need to keep an eye on a potential storm that might develop on the east coast of the United States in the next few days.

While this is disappointing for the passengers who had hoped to get into the Alaskan port of Sitka, cruise lines always take security of passengers, crew, and ships into consideration when making changes like this.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Europe Flooding Impacting River Cruises

Severe flooding hits Europe

Worse flooding in 70 years has hit parts of Central Europe contributing to at least 10 deaths, according to BBC reports. The problem is caused by a stalled weather system that has been dumping heavy rains on the area. States of emergency have been declared in many countries.

Areas impacted by the floods include Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland and Poland with Passau and Prague, two major river cruise ports, having been especially affected. We suggest consulting the BBC and weather sites for more details and images about the flooding. We'll concentrate on the impact to the river cruise schedules so that our readers can plan accordingly.

List of Impacted River Cruises

Since this information is fluid, it is best to check the links for any updates as well as the cruise line site directly. We have covered the major river cruise lines in the area - they are other charter groups also impacted - contact them directly.

Cruise Line	Current Status / Link for Updates
AMA Waterways	Our expert teams in Europe and Los Angeles are closely monitoring the current conditions across Europe, on a continuous basis. As always, our number one priority is to deliver an enjoyable cruise in a safe environment. The good news is, we have not had to cancel any cruises and look forward to welcoming you aboard! EUROPEAN CRUISES UPDATE APT (partner) has cancelled the following: AmaBella from Amsterdam to Budapest and AmaVerde from Budapest to Amsterdam, both June 8. APT's dedicated phone number (in the U.K.) is: 020-8812 3400.
Avalon Waterways	UPDATE: Additional Cruise Cancellations. Due to unprecedented high water levels and subsequent flooding in Europe, we have decided it is necessary to cancel additional upcoming cruises. Specifically, we are sorry to report the cancellation of: - The June 7th departure of Blue Danube Discovery (WBN 30607) aboard the Avalon Luminary - The June 7th departure of Jewels of Central Europe (WBR 30607) aboard the Avalon Luminary - The June 10th departure of Austrian Highlights & Bavaria (WVP 30610) aboard the Avalon Affinity NEW CRUISE CANCELLATIONS: - The June 8th departure of Magnificent Europe (WBA 30608) aboard the Avalon Tranquility - The June 9th departure of Magnificent Europe (WBA 30608) aboard the Avalon Vista Avalon Waterways Facebook Page
Uniworld	If you are traveling with Avalon Waterways in the near future and have questions or concerns about your upcoming vacation, given the recent flooding in Europe, we invite you to contact your travel agent or call us directly at 866.397.6593 or email traveleradvisory@globusfamily.com (our U.S. office hours are Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM MT and Saturday, 7 AM to 3:30 PM MT). We would be happy to address your individual concerns and/or answer any questions you may have, one-on-one. Updated message on June 10, 11:00 a.m. PDT After conferring with our Operations Office in Europe this morning, we are pleased to announce that all cruises and cruise/tours departing June 16 onward are expected to operate normally on the originally scheduled ship with the exception of the following programs: Highlights of Eastern Europe • June 16, 2013 departure of the River Ambassador (Vienna to Belgrade) The program will operate as planned onboard the River Empress. We will be contacting all bookings today to advise of the ship change. • June 23, 2013 departure of the River Ambassador (Belgrade to Vienna) The program will operate as planned. Embarkation will take place in Belgrade on June 23 onboard the River Empress. On approximately June 27 in Budapest, we will change over to the River Ambassador and finish the cruise on that ship. Please note the date and location of the changeover is subject to change without notice. We will be contacting all bookings today to advise of the ship change. European Jewels • June 16, 2013 departure of the River Empress (Amsterdam to Budapest) remains canceled. All guests have been contacted. IMPORTANT NOTICE
Viking River Cruises	Please note: Below is a complete list of affected sailings as of June 11, 2013. This list will be updated should there be any new cruise embarkations that will be impacted. At this time, if you do not see your cruise embarkation below, your cruise will operate as scheduled. If embarkation dates are added, you will be notified by Viking. The following sailings have been canceled: June 12th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Odin June 12th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Freya June 15th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Fontane June 15th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Schumann 1. June 12th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sky — This cruise will begin on Viking Embla (Longship, built 2012). 2. *June 14th Cities of Light* (Prague to Paris) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled. 3. June 15th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Njord — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). 4. June 15th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Idun — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). 5. June 15th Passage to Eastern Europe (Budapest to Bucharest) aboard Viking Aegir — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled. 6. June 16th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Bragi — There is a possibility this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2013). 7. June 16th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Skadi — There is a possibility this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2013). 8. June 16th Danube Waltz (Budapest to Passau) aboard Viking Legend — This itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary. 9. June 16th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard MS Vienna — Depending on river conditions and the ability of the ship to reach its port of embarkation in time for departure, this cruise may experience alterations. 10. June 16th Vineyards & Vistas (Nuremberg to Trier) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled. 11. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled. 12. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled. 13. June 19th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Odin — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). . 14. June 19th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Freya** — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). For up to date information, click on the following link: CENTRAL EUROPE WEATHER UPDATE

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Carnival Triumph & Sunshine Returns Delayed

Carnival Triumph &

Carnival Sunshine

Mechanical Improvements

Carnival Cruise Lines' President and CEO Gerry Cahill announced that Carnival Destiny and Carnival Sunshine will extend their time in drydock in order to complete some extensive mechanical improvements in the wake of the Carnival Triumph fire and subsequent operational review.

The ships will remain out of service longer than expected so the line can increase operating redundancies, emergency power and fire prevention, detection and suppression systems. Cahill had announced the fleetwide operational review at announced during last week's Cruise Shipping Miami tradeshow and this announcement comes right on its heels and the mechanical problem on Carnival Liberty which caused the ship to limp back to port.

Carnival Triumph - 10 Additional Cruises Cancelled
Return to Service now June 3rd

Carnival Triumph now will return to service on June 3, with 10 additional cruises being canceled.

The changes they are implementing are focused primarily on improvements to better support continued power and hotel services should unexpected issues arise. In addition, we are applying new learnings and making enhancements in the area of fire suppression and extinguishing.

For more information about the Carnival Triumph fire and subsequent cancellations, see the following article:
Carnival Triumph Additional Cancellations & Compensation

Carnival Sunshine - 2 Cruises Cancelled Return to Service now May 5th

Carnival Sunshine will now complete the full-ship makeover from the former Carnival Destiny, and will enter service May 5, following the cancellation of two European cruises. For more information about the makeover, see Destiny + 49 Days = Sunshine.

In a news release, Cahill apologized for the additional cancellations but said the line is "fully committed to applying the recommendations stemming from our fleetwide review and to make whatever investments are needed despite the difficult position to impact people's vacations."

“Our team of experts has worked virtually around the clock to determine the best set of solutions and rapidly develop an effective implementation plan for both of these ships,” he continued. “Moving forward, we will have the ability to source materials and schedule improvements much more expediently, thus minimizing the scheduling impact on other vessels. I would like to provide continued assurances that all of our vessels have fully effective safety systems, equipment and training in place. Additionally, our ships receive regular inspections from the U.S. Coast Guard and other regulatory authorities.

Compensation Plan

Guests on the canceled voyages will receive a full refund, reimbursement of non-refundable travel costs, and a 25 percent discount on a future cruise.

“Going forward, the review will focus on the balance of our fleet. While this process will take time, it is our highest priority and has the full support and resources of Carnival Cruise Lines and Carnival Corporation,” Cahill said.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Severe Winter Weather in Europe and Beyond

Nuns having fun: Sisters take pictures
in the Vatican's St Peter's Square

Vatican - Rome, Italy
Blanketed by Snow

The top picture appeared in the Mirror story entitled Snow Pictures: Winter weather moves in on UK as Europe shivers. Click the link for more pictures.

The lower picture was taken last Spring when we toured the Vatican during our Mediterranean & Greek Isles Cruise.

Impacting Transportation

Motorists have been urged to take extra care in treacherous conditions as snow across much of the UK turns to ice.

The Met Office has issued nine warnings for ice after disruption to road, rail and air travel following up to 16cm (6in) of snow in some areas.

Half of the 1,300 scheduled flights at Heathrow were cancelled and some trains and Tube services also disrupted. Almost 400 transatlantic passengers are stranded overnight in Ireland after six London-bound flights were diverted.

Ice is likely to be a hazard on roads and pavements across parts of southeast Wales and much of England, except the southwest potentially leading to the risk of disruption to travel on Monday morning. Fog patches are also likely to form overnight in many areas, adding to the risk of disruption to travel in parts of the UK.

BBC News - In pictures: Europe snowstorms

BBC News - Europe snow: Your pictures
The Telegraph Readers' snow photos

As Europe is hit with one of its worst winter storms in decades, much of the United States is experiencing unseasonably warm weather and no snow. Colorado and Nebraska was hit by a major winter storm over the weekend, snarling transportation in that part of the country.

If you are flying internationally, be sure to check with your airline to see if your flights have been impacted by this weather system that has been impacting Europe for several days now.

Friday, December 16, 2011

More Changes for Mexican Ports of Call

MS Oosterdam in Mexican Riviera

New Cancellations for

Mazatlan & Acapulco

Earlier this year we brought you articles about the violence in Mazatlan which prompted several cruise line changes in the Mexican Riviera region.

Holland America Line has just confirmed that the MS Oosterdam, which sails 7-day sailings to the Mexican Riviera from San Diego, will now feature two consecutive days in Puerto Vallarta instead of a visit to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

Several cruise lines, including Holland America, made modifications to schedules earlier in the year following a wave of violence, which included a shooting of a passenger in the leg and another widely publicized shooting in a hotel parking lot. The changes were made in the abundance of caution despite Mexican authority promises of increased security. See our related blog posts: Carnival and NCL Skip Mazatlan Calls and Cruise Lines Pull Out of Mazatlan for more background.

Calls for all lines in Mazatlan have fallen from 200 in 2010 to 30 this year, with only about a third of 2011 calls in 2012. Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star will return to the region in 2013 with, as of this writing, calls to the traditional ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta during the seven-day voyages from Los Angeles.

Cliff Divers in Acapulco

Acapulco Itinerary Changes

If you were planning on seeing the popular cliff divers in Acapulco on one of Holland America's Statendam's 14-night Panama Canal Explorer cruises sailing from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego or Rotterdam's 30-night Inca Empire South America voyage departing February 3, you will be disappointed. Both ships will spend additional time in Santa Cruz Huatulco instead of a call in Acapulco.

A crime wave began in August, with a reported 148 deaths, prompting the government to reinforce the local police force of 1500 with an additional 3000 troops from Army, Navy, and Federal Police. The death toll has fallen since that action, but HAL and luxury line Seabourn have still cut calls in Acapulco. Oceania, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea have left their handful of 2012 calls on the schedule at this time, but all lines will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments in the interest of safety if warranted. For the lines that have pulled out, they will work with local authorities to determine when and if it is safe to resume calling in the port.

See our International Travel tab her or on our Facebook Fan page for important information for anyone traveling abroad. You need to be aware of entry / exit requirements, health concerns and precautions, and any travel advisories for any port of call that you visit. There are general guidelines to make your vacation worry free to the extent that it can be. Being prepared and aware of your surroundings is the best advice we can give you when traveling, even at home.

Specifically,

For those traveling to Mexico, please consult the U.S. State Department's Travel Warnings at:

Mexico Country Specific Information

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Grímsvötn Volcano Causes Travel Woes

Grímsvötn eruption

Credit: Institute of Earth Sciences

Widespread Flight Cancellations

Possible as Ash Continues

UPDATE: 25 May -- Bremen & Hamburg (no flights) - Could Impact Berlin & Poland

According to the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre(VAAC) in London, areas of ash concentration are over the north of Germany. Currently no flights are being accepted into Bremen and Hamburg. On a normal day, these airports would expect around 120 and 480 flights respectively.

The ash cloud is expected to move during the day and could affect Berlin and also parts of Poland. Airports in Germany south of Bremen are not expected to be affected.

There are no restrictions on flights in any other part of Europe. According to the VAAC forecasts, it is expected that ash cloud coverage will dissipate during the day.

Cruise With Christine Pappin

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