Join Us for 2020 Vision

 Virtual National Conference 

November 9 - 12, 2020

Travel agents with Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® take to the high seas each year for their National Conference. Their annual award-winning weeklong National Conference, celebrated among industry thought leaders as the most comprehensive travel agent training at sea, was scheduled to be this week onboard Celebrity Cruises newest ship, Celebrity APEX.

Cruise lines are working with the CDC to implement new protocols for additional  health &safety of  passengers and crew in order to resume sailing.   Our conference cruise was rescheduled to next year.

Thanks to our sponsors and headquarters staff, the show must still go on - virtually.  We will be bringing you highlights from each day's events.  Bookmark this post or follow us on any of our social media accounts so that you don't miss anything.

Edge Mini-Series (click

We would have been bringing you updates live from Celebrity APEX this week, but instead, our conference has gone virtual.  We've sailed twice on her sister ship, Celebrity EDGE, so while we can't bring you live images from APEX, you can enjoy our time onboard EDGE.  Just click the image for our mini-series.

Be sure to follow us on Social Media with the following:

 #2020visionconference     #dreamvacations   #cruiseone     #cruisesinc.  

    

Click Here to Donate to Make-A-Wish

Each year our Dream Vacations, Cruise One, and Cruises Inc. National Conference raises funds for Make-A-Wish.  Our Make a Wish goal for the 2019 conference was $120,000. I'm happy to report that we exceeded that goal raising $136,000 during our one week conference. 

You can watch me accepting the Dare (our theme) to take the plunge on the Abyss, at last year's conference, to support the fund raising efforts. There were several activities besides the Abyss which generated the money towards our goal. This year our conference goes Virtual - but we are still supporting Make-A-Wish with your help.

BLOG POST LINK (click title)	Hover over link for Description
2020 Vision National Conference Photo Booth	2020 Vision National Conference Kick-Off
Why We Are Walking for Wishes	Cruise Industry Leaders Share Their Vision
Cozy Up to the 2020 Vision Fireplace	Patriotic Day at 2020 Vision Conference
3 Ingredients to Cruise Resumption	How to Make the Perfect Margarita
Help I Want to Get Away	Aren't You Glad I Didn't Say Orange
Welcome Back to Sandals Resorts	Coming Soon

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CDC Publishes Conditional Sailing Order

Framework for Conditional Sailing Order for Cruise Ships

On October 30, 2020, CDC issued a Framework for Conditional Sailing Order. This Order is effective upon signature and will soon be published in the Federal Register. 

This Order shall remain in effect until the earliest of the expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency, the CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations, or November 1, 2021.

Phased Approach for Sailing Resumption

Since COVID-19 is still a global threat, CDC indicated that a careful approach is needed to safely resume cruise ship passenger operations.  They are creating a phased approach to mitigate the risk to passengers and crew, prevent the further spread of COVID-19 from cruise ships into U.S. communities, and protect health and safety.  This approach will be implemented after the existing No Sail Order expires on October 31, 2020.

“During the initial phases, cruise ship operators must demonstrate adherence to testing, quarantine and isolation, and social distancing requirements to protect crew members while they build the laboratory capacity needed to test crew and future passengers," CDC explained.

Subsequent phases will include simulated voyages to test cruise ship operators' ability to mitigate COVID-19 risk, certification of ships that meet certain requirements, and a phased return to cruise ship passenger voyages in a manner that mitigates risk to passengers, crew, and U.S. communities.

COVID-19 Testing of All Crew

Within 60 days of the effective date of this Order, cruise ship operators must collect clinical specimens of all crew currently onboard ships and have those specimens tested in onshore CDC-approved laboratories.

CDC will provide guidance, including best practices for obtaining and transporting the specimens.  They may also observe the collection of specimens remotely to oversee the operations.

Cruise ship operators will report the results in aggregate to the CDC.

Diagnostic Testing Capability for Symptomatic Travelers 

(Crew & Future Passengers)

During this 60 day period, cruise ship operators, in conjunction with the CDC, must develop onboard testing capabilities for symptomatic travelers (crew and future passengers) for COVID-19 and close contacts.  After the 60 day period, laboratory testing will be required of all crew on a weekly basis (or other interval as directed by the CDC).  

All cruise ships must procure approved rapid RT-PCR point-of -care equipment to test symptomatic travelers.  This is the preferred testing method over the less-sensitive antigen testing methods.

Onboard medical clinic staff must be competent in specimen collection,  be able to use the equipment, follow manufacturer's guidelines, and have access to personal protection equipment (PPE) for specimen collection and handling.   CDC will remotely oversee operations.

Shoreside Testing of Embarking Crew

On the day of land-based crews' embarkation, specimens must be obtained and immediately transported to an approved onshore laboratory for testing using RT-PCR equipment.

All embarking land-based crew must be quarantined onboard for 14 days.  Those who test positive must be isolated until criteria are met to discontinue isolation according to current CDC guidelines. Once again, CDC may remotely oversee the operations.

Paramount Objectives of Order

• Preserving human life
• Preserving the health and safety of cruise ship crew members, port personnel and communities
• Prevent the further introduction, transmission, and spread of COVID-19 into and throughout the United States
• Preserving the public health and other critical resources of Federal, State, and Local governments
• Preserving hospital, healthcare, and emergency response resources within the United States
• Maintaining the safety of shipping and harbor conditions

 

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

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2017 in Review

As the year draws to a close, we'll take a look at some of the industry headlines and review some of our cruise adventures.  Weather made the biggest headlines impacting the cruise industry in 2017.

The cruise lines continued to add capacity, but at the same time increased their presence in new markets, like China, which helped to stabilize pricing, which was a goal for the industry.   Now more than ever it is important for passengers to plan ahead so that they can take advantage of lead-in pricing.   The lines have vowed not to do "fire sale" pricing close in to the sailing date.

Viking Sky Photo Gallery

 "First New Cruise Ship
for 2017"

Honors went to Viking Ocean Cruises as it took delivery of the third ship in Viking Ocean's fleet, Viking Sky, in February. It's sister ship, Viking Sun, was delivered in October. They both are virtually identical to sister ships Viking Star and Viking Sea, featuring 930-passenger capacity with highlights such as the Explorer Lounge, a two-deck observation library with lots of comfy chairs and couches; the Nordic-inspired spa with Finnish sauna and snow room; the indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace dining venue; and a magrodome pool, with a glass roof that opens in warm weather.

Viking Sky and Viking Sun are all-balcony cruise ships with the smallest cabins measuring a sizable 270 square feet; the largest suites comes in at 1,300 square feet. The ships specialize in destination-oriented cruise experiences with long days in ports, plenty of overnights in major cities and few days at sea.

Cruise fares include a selection of free shore excursions, complimentary Wi-Fi, and beer and wine at lunch and dinner offering good value for the cruise price.

Love that New Ship Smell

Our 2017 National Conference took place on Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas. We had our pre-cruise reception, hosted by   MSC Cruises,  at Hilton Marina Fort Lauderdale.  MSC launched two large ships this year, the 4500 passenger MSC Meraviglia and the 4140 passenger MSC Seaside, which began sailing in Summer and December 2017 respectively.  These ships are part of MSC Cruises' nine billion euro shipbuilding program from now through 2022.

Prior to the introduction of these ships, Royal Caribbean had the corner on the market for massive passenger count at sea. Contrasting this year to 2016, the remaining ships were much smaller with the total added capacity being 13,900 berths in 2017 while last year there were 18,500 new beds added.

Having our conferences on a relatively new ship, Harmony of the Seas, was one of our highlights for the year.


If you have specific questions about the ships, the itineraries, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.
 
Weather Impact on Cruises

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria changed parts of Texas, Florida and the Caribbean forever. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season will long be remembered as one of the busiest and most destructive hurricane seasons on record.

Throughout September and October, we were posting itinerary updates as schedules were impacted by either the approaching storms or following the landfall.

Cruise lines rushed to aid victims with several voyages cancelled to launch rescue and supply missions.  The industry response was like no other in history.   We are proud to be part of this industry as everyone joined together to help in this time of need. 

At our conference, industry leaders from the cruise lines and organizations stressed that while there had been a tremendous response to date, it was crucial that we as Travel Professionals helped get the message out that the Caribbean is Open for Business.   They still need our help to recover from the hurricanes.   One of the ways this can be done is by bringing tourism dollars back into the regions hit hardest by the hurricanes.

Our Favorite Cruise for 2017

Having cruised for 30+ years, our cruise selections are driven primarily by destination and secondly by cruise ship. We love exploring new destinations from our bucket list as well as revisiting some of our favorites. Exploring new ships, including older ships we've never sailed on before, is also quite enjoyable. Of course, we love to share with our readers so that they can discover the world that awaits them.

Penguins of South America

Those of you who have followed me here or on Twitter, know that I love Penguins. That's what this trip was all about - having the opportunity to see multitudes of penguins in their natural surroundings. However, this trip wasn't only about penguins.

We arrived in Santiago, Chile on January 18, 2017. For the next 14 days, we explored South America including the countries of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands. We saw Amalia Glacier, Glacier Alley, Fjords, Cape Horn and many other magnificent sites along the way.

Having sailed the seas for more than 30 years, it's hard to narrow the list down to one trip as the "best", but this trip certainly is among the top contenders.  Read our Cruise Diary 

What's Ahead for 2018

It will be a rebuilding year for the Caribbean and another ship building year as well.   What will the added capacity mean?   There are still a large percentage of the population that have not experienced cruising.   The lines, including new players like MSC Cruises and Viking Oceans, will continue to advertise which will help spread the word.

As cruise prices stabilized, many lines have been looking to onboard expenditures as a means to increase revenue.   Items that had once been included, like room service, have started to see additional charges for example.   Some passengers aren't happy with the new trend to "nickle-and-dime" them and may look to cruise lines that have less optional charges.   Luxury lines are becoming an even better value since you know your cost of the entire trip up front.

It will be interesting to see how new players, such as Viking Oceans, impacts the industry as they grow their fleets.  They are bucking the tide to go big and instead opting for smaller ships and more emphasis on the destinations.  Of course, the river cruise industry is booming as the demand soars for this method of exploring the globe. Crystal has entered the market as well, bringing another luxury option to this growing market.

Travel Professionals are not going away.  In fact, their expertise is even more valuable now, as there are more and more options to sort through.   Matching the right ship and itinerary to the cruisers' desires is one of the biggest values they bring to bear.   Hope to see you on the seven seas in 2018.

Happy New Year

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2016 in Review

As the year draws to a close, we'll take a look at some of the headlines from the past year.  2016 was a relatively quiet year in the news media, at least for the major cruise lines.  There were some bumps and incidents aboard ships, but nothing compared to some of the recent years.

The cruise lines added capacity, but at the same time explored new markets, like China, which helped to stabilize pricing, which was a goal for the industry.   Now more than ever it is important for passengers to plan ahead so that they can take advantage of lead-in pricing.   The lines have vowed not to do "fire sale" pricing close in to the sailing date.  

 "First New Cruise Ship

Learn More about ms Koningsdam (Click Image)

for 2016"

Honors went to Holland America Line as it took delivery of ms Koningsdam, on March 31, 2016, officially making it the first Pinnacle-Class ship in the fleet. The signing ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. Following the signing, the Dutch flag was raised on the ship for the first time.

ms Koningsdam features a mix of time-tested Holland America favorites with some new features including the following.  The World Stage features a 270 degree LED screen surrounded by plenty of stadium style seating.  There's BLEND for the wine lovers where they can experience the art of wine-making. In the Culinary Arts Center, passengers can gather for cooking demonstrations, wine tasting and more throughout the voyage.

There are plenty of stateroom options to suit your needs.  Standard staterooms include USB ports, plenty of electrical outlets, inventive storage space and more.  Balcony cabins are double the depth of most major cruise lines providing plenty of space to enjoy on those sea days.

"Most Anticipated New Ship for 2016"

Carnival Corporation Granted U.S. Approval for Travel to Cuba (July, 2015)

World’s largest travel and leisure company granted U.S. licenses to operate direct U.S.-to-Cuba travel for the purpose of providing cultural exchange. Company intends for fathom, its new purpose-travel brand, to begin full-week sailings to Cuba, beginning in May 2016, in addition to fathom’s full-week sailings to the Dominican Republic.

Travel With a Purpose 

“We know there is strong demand from travelers who want to immerse themselves in Cuban culture, so this is a historic opportunity for us to enable more people to experience Cuban society. It is also an important opportunity for our new fathom brand to expand its positive influence in the world with this potential to add full-week immersion sailings to Cuba to its already planned full-week social-impact itineraries to the Dominican Republic beginning in the spring of 2016.” said Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corporation.

Seven Days from Fathom Travel on Vimeo.

Introducing  Fathom™  Impact Travel 

Pioneered by Fathom™, impact travel is a whole new category of travel: it’s travel with purpose. It combines your love of cruising with your desire to make a difference. During every Fathom™ journey passengers become immersed in another culture, and work alongside its people to create enduring social impact.

With those words above, a new vision was revealed along with the birth of a new cruise line,
Carnival Corporation sailed into Havana the morning of May 2, 2016, completing the first leg of its historic inaugural voyage to Cuba that began on May 1, 2016, from Miami, the company said in a statement. It marked the first time in over 50 years that a U.S. cruise line has sailed from the U.S. to Cuba. It is also the first time in decades that Cuban-born individuals have been able to travel by sea to or from Cuba.

Introducing Carnival Vista

View Itineraries          Click to Learn More about Carnival Vista

Carnival Cruise Line introduced a new class of ships to their fleet with the introduction of Carnival Vista.  Carnival is known for their fun innovationa and the new Carnival Vista, which debuted in May is no exception. 

Vista features the cruise industry's first IMAX theater, which shows first-run movies, as well as recent hits and short films. Other wow-worthy features include a water tube slide that's more than 450 feet long (the longest for the line) and SkyRide, a suspended ride along an open-air track atop the ship.

The first cruise ship brewery also debuted on Vista at the ship's RedFrog Pub, where passengers can drink indoors or out, sipping on mass-market beers, craft-style beverages or one of three beers brewed right onboard. Carnival staples, including Guy's Burger Joint along with Pig & Anchor BBQ (in partnership with celebrity chef Guy Fieri) and the BlueIguana Cantina Mexican restaurant, are joined by a New England-inspired eatery, dubbed Seafood Shack.n open-air track atop the ship.

Our 2016 National Conference took place on Carnival Vista's December 2nd sailing from Miami.  We stopped in the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Curacao, and Turks & Caicos.   We'll feature the ship and ports in upcoming articles on our blog.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Industry Changes

Probably the biggest news is in response to passenger demand for improved communications at sea.   Carnival Corporation introduced new flat-fee offerings and improved bandwidth fleet-wide to meet passenger desires to stay connected to social media while at sea.   Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean were among other lines increasing speed and bandwidth.   These changes have been well received by passengers and will continue into the future as all lines upgrade their offerings.

As cruise prices stabilized, many lines have been looking to onboard expenditures as a means to increase revenue.   Items that had once been included, like room service, have started to see additional charges for example.   Some passengers aren't happy with the new trend to "nickle-and-dime" them and may look to cruise lines that have less optional charges.   Luxury lines are becoming an even better value since you know your cost of the entire trip up front.

It will be interesting to see how new players, such as Viking Oceans, impacts the industry as they grow their fleets.  They are bucking the tide to go big and instead opting for smaller ships and more emphasis on the destinations.  Of course, the river cruise industry is booming as the demand soars for this method of exploring the globe. Crystal is entering the market as well, with steel being cut for four river cruise ships during 2016.

2016 Hurricane Preparedness - Getting Info

Hurricane Information TV, web, social media - only use trusted sources for the latest hurricane information! NOAA's National Hurricane Center is your official source for Atlantic hurricane forecasts and the issuance of hurricane watches and warnings. In addition, your local NOAA National Weather Service forecast office provides information regarding the expected impacts from the storm for your area. http://www.hurricanes.gov/ http://hurricanes.gov/prepare https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/?cpac

Forecast Process

We continue our coverage of the 2016 Hurricane Preparedness Week by looking at the tropical weather forecasting process. 

Update on National Hurricane Center Products and Services for 2016 (PDF)

6 Hour Forecast Cycle When a storm threatens the following occurs 0:00 A new hurricane forecast cycle begins. 0:45 Receive the location of the center of the hurricane. 1:00 Initialize or start the hurricane models with the storm's location and intensity 1:20 Receive model guidance and prepare a new hurricane forecast. 2:00 Coordinate with National Weather Service and Dept. of Defense. 3:00 Issue the full hurricane advisory package. ISSUANCE TIME: 5am EDT (4 CDT) 11am EDT (10 CDT) 5pm EDT (4 CDT) 11pm EDT (10 CDT) 3:15 Participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conference call with the affected states. 6:00 A new hurricane forecast cycle begins. ** When a Watch or a Warning is issued, intermediate advisories are initiated. MORE INFO ON FORECAST PRODUCTS Source:  NHC: Forecast Process (Learn More)

Part of the mission of the National Weather Service (NWS) Tropical Prediction Center (TPC) is to save lives and protect property by issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous weather conditions in the tropics. This section provides information about the roles of those responsible for providing hurricane information to emergency managers and decision makers. The TPC is comprised of the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB), and the Technical Support Branch (TSB). During hurricane season, the latter two provide support to the NHC. The local NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) in hurricane-prone areas are also important participants in the forecast process. OBSERVATION Observations including satellites, buoys, reconnaissance aircraft, and radar are the basis for all forecast and warning products issued by the NHC. Quality, quantity, and timeliness of remote sensing observations are critical for accurate and timely forecasts and warnings. ANALYSIS The various observations are checked for quality, analyzed, and put into a suite of computer models.  MODEL GUIDANCE AND INTERPRETATION The computer models take in the observations and perform millions of calculations to generate predictions of hurricane behavior and the general conditions of the atmosphere in which the hurricane is embedded. The model results are packaged as guidance for the appropriate national centers and local offices and for evaluation and use in the NWS's forecast and warning process. COORDINATION WITHIN THE NWS Forecasts and warnings are coordinated between the national centers and local forecast offices to provide consistency, which is critical during severe weather episodes.

Read Entire Series (click here)

More links and information about tropical storms and other weather conditions can be found in the Weather & Hurricane Zone tabs above.


Hurricane Preparedness Week:   May 15 - May 21, 2016

2015 in Review

As the year draws to a close, we'll take a look at some of the headlines from the past year.  2015 was a relatively quiet year in the news media, at least for the major cruise lines.  There were some bumps and incidents aboard ships, but nothing compared to some of the recent years.

The cruise lines added capacity, but at the same time explored new markets, like China, which helped to stabilize pricing, which was a goal for the industry.   Now more than ever it is important for passengers to plan ahead so that they can take advantage of lead-in pricing.   The lines have vowed not to do "fire sale" pricing close in to the sailing date.  

Learn More about Anthem of the Seas on our Microsite (Click Image)

 "First New Cruise Ship
for 2015"

Honors went to Royal Caribbean International as it took delivery of the second ship in the Quantum-class, Anthem of the Seas.

Anthem of the Seas Conveyance

A New Anthem for New York

Anthem of the Seas features all the spectacular innovations of her sister ship Quantum of the Seas, including North Star, SeaPlex, and circus school complete with flying trapeze. Offering a rich mix of cabin options for couples, families, spa enthusiasts, and solo travelers, accommodations range from luxurious suites to single studios - many with balconies - and interior cabins with virtual views. Relaxation and activities choices abound, and with more bars, dining and entertainment options than can be experienced in a week, this dazzling ship delivers a true resort experience and a blast of a cruise!

"Most Anticipated New Ship for 2015"

“It is our view that in the race to build bigger ships, many cruise lines have lost sight of the destinations to which they sail,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises (May, 2013). “With our new ocean cruises, we are applying the same principles behind our award-winning river cruises to our itinerary and ship design; privileged-access excursions; and onboard experiences to make destinations the true focus.”

Introducing Viking Oceans

With those words above, a new vision was revealed along with the birth of a new cruise line, the first since Disney Cruise Line announced Dis.ney Magic over 17 years ago.  In her debut season Viking Star was awarded with the cruise industry’s highest honors, including being named Best New Ocean Ship and receiving a 5-star rating by the editors of Cruise Critic, receiving the highest rating in the mid-size ship category in Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2016, and being heralded by CNN as the “world’s best new cruise ship.”  Two additional ships, Viking Sky and Viking Sea, will be delivered in 2016.

A Cruise Line is Born
Introducing Viking Star

Costa Concordia Captain Sentenced 

As these new ships were preparing to enter service, one ship that had been front and center in the industry news for more than 2 years, had one final appearance in the media as litigation completed.  In February, the Italian court passed sentence on Captain Schetino - this video discusses the ruling.  Costa Concordia which had made its final voyage in 2014 as it was towed to Genoa, Italy to be scrapped, now fades into history.  More info: Captain Schettino Prison Sentence Set

Final Entry for 2015 - Norwegian Escape

View Itineraries          Click to Learn More about Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for their innovation and the new Norwegian Escape, which debuts this November is no exception.  Cruise Like a Norwegian - Escape Starting November

Norwegian Escape homeports in Miami and sails to the Caribbean year-round.  We've just attended our National Conference on the initial sailing from Miami and are posting articles and pictures in our digital diary.  Well-known maritime artist Guy Harvey designed the hull artwork for the new ship.   There are a number of new dining options introduced on the Norwegian Escape including the first-ever Margaritaville at Sea.

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Industry Changes

Probably the biggest news is in response to passenger demand for improved communications at sea.   Carnival Corporation announced a fleet-wide initiative with new flat-fee offerings and improved bandwidth to meet passenger desires to stay connected to social media while at sea.   Other lines have also followed suit, but not to the same extent.   Keep your eye on this initiative across the industry.

As cruise prices stabilized, many lines have been looking to onboard expenditures as a means to increase revenue.   Items that had once been included, like room service, have started to see additional charges for example.   Some passengers aren't happy with the new trend to "nickle-and-dime" them and may look to cruise lines that have less optional charges.   Luxury lines are becoming an even better value since you know your cost of the entire trip up front.

It will be interesting to see how new players, such as Viking Oceans, impacts the industry as they grow their fleets.  They are bucking the tide to go big and instead opting for smaller ships and more emphasis on the destinations.  Of course, the river cruise industry is booming as the demand soars for this method of exploring the globe.

2014 in Review

As the year draws to a close, we'll take a look at some of the headlines from the past year.  2013 had been a year marked by disasters and fortunately that wasn't the case in 2014.   The year wasn't completely without mechanical issues, but they were not like the previous year.

The cruise lines added capacity, especially in the Caribbean, driving prices down.  Passengers that took advantage of the low pricing still got the excellent value that cruising offers.

Norwegian Getaway Courtesy MEYER WERFT

 "First New Cruise Ship 

for 2014" 

Honors went to Norwegian Cruise Line as it took delivery of Norwegian Getaway from MEYER WERFT in Bremerhaven, Germany in January.  The 145,655 gross ton cruise ship, second in the Breakaway Class ships, took only 15 months to be built by the German shipbuilder.

"Most Anticipated New Ship for 2014"

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas took to the waters in Cape Liberty for a winter program in the Caribbean.  It will then transition to Europe for Spring before departing for its permanent home in Asia.  The ship has several new innovations including North Star where you can ride 300 feet above the sea, bumper cars, and sky-diving.  New dining experiences were also introduced.  Dynamic Dining is receiving mixed reviews.  Read more about the new concept:  Quantum Leap in Dining.

Quantum Changes for Cruisers
Prepare to be WOWED – The Quantum Class

Regal Princess Kicks off Princess Cruises 50th Anniversary Celebration

When the brand-new Regal Princess began its Caribbean sailings in November, we were onboard to enjoy the introduction of Chocolate Journeys which is part of the 50th Anniversary celebration that will be fleet-wide starting in January.   Princess Cruises teamed up with Norman Love to introduce this new culinary experience. You won't want to miss the anniversary celebration.

Circles of Regal Princess
4 Reasons to Sail the Love Boat in 2015

As these new ships entered service one ship that had been front and center in the industry news for more than 2 years, made its final voyage as it was towed to Genoa, Italy where it will be scrapped.

Costa Concordia Parbuckling (Salvage Operations)

Costa Concordia Parbuckling (read more)

This image extracted from a live video of Costa Concordia's Parbuckling Procedure, which began mid-September, 2013 in Giglio, showed how slow the process was to right the vessel.

The installation of 15 sponsons positioned on the starboard side (land side) and the remaining 4 on the right side (sea side) was completed in order to proceed with the refloating phase and have the wreck ready for towing by the end of June 2014.  The towing to Genoa, Italy actually began July 22, 2014.

As 2014 ends, Captain Schettino is still on trial,  Costa Concordia is being dismantled, and costs of the largest salvage operation in history continue to mount.

Costa Concordia Salvage Begins 
Costa Concordia the Final Journey