Sunday, April 29, 2012

Travel Bus Visits Cruise3Sixty Conference

Get America Moving
Vote Travel

We've just returned from the Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) successful annual cruise3sixty conference at the Broward County Convention Center.   

Stopping at the convention center was the U.S. Travel Association’s (USTA) “Vote Travel – Get America Moving” travel bus which is making its way across America to get its message out during this election year.  In fact the bus will travel 20,000 miles to raise awareness of the significant economic impact of the $1.8 trillion U.S. travel industry.  Travel supports 14.4 million American jobs that cannot be outsourced, which is why we need policies that allow the travel industry to thrive.

USTA is encouraging the public to get out and vote for candidates and elected officials that will support the travel industry.  Speaking to cruise3sixty delegates earlier, USTA president and CEO, Roger Dow, said, “We are galvanizing support and asking all Americans to “Vote Travel” this election season."


CLIA's President and CEO, Christine Duffy, said “Travel is a bipartisan industry.  Vote Travel is not an endorsement of any political candidate or political party; it’s a vote to Get America Moving.  The cruise industry’s economic contribution is substantial, contributing more than $40 million annually to the U.S. economy and generating more than 350,000 jobs a year. It’s vitally important that this industry and the public stand up and advocate for the importance of travel and tourism.”

Everyone love's travel, but we often take for granted the impact we can have on our nation.  So, please visit the USTA website to learn more about this grassroots movement.  Perhaps the travel bus will be visiting near you soon.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Cruise Industry Safety Standards Changes

Concordia Disaster
Brings More Changes

In the wake of the Costa Concordia accident, the cruise industry has examined the current safety standards and made modifications.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and European Cruise Council (ECC), have jointly announced new recommendations.  The new policies address issues related to personnel access to the bridge, passage planning and life jackets - all of which came under scrutiny during the Costa Concordia investigation.

Bridge Access

The new policy announced by CLIA states "bridge access will now be limited to those with operational functions during any period of restricted maneuvering or when increased vigilance is required." 

The period for increased vigilance is defined  as "any time a vessel is constrained in its ability to freely navigate, such as in a restricted waterway/channel, entering a port, or an area where there is an unusually high volume or compression of vessel traffic." 

The policy changes will most likely impact bridge tours, which are often part of "behind-the-scenes" activities offered to certain passengers, such as those with higher loyalty status with the cruise line.

Passage Planning

Voyage plans have always been a requirement under the International Maritime Organization's SOLAS conventions, however consistency and level of detail in the plans was previously not detailed in the formal polices.  The new language, adopted by CLIA and ECC, explicitly requires for the plan to be "drafted by a designated officer and approved by the master" well in advance of the sailing,  Recall that the master of Costa Concordia claims that he was authorized to do the "sail by salute".

Life Jackets 

The change in life jacket policy calls for ships to carry more life jackets than are currently legally required.   SOLAS currently dictates that ships carry life jackets for every berth, which may be higher than the number of persons onboard, plus five percent. In practice, the majority of cruise ships carry many more life jackets than is required, but the new policy will raise the official mandatory minimum. 


Some Concordia passengers indicated that they had to return to the cabins in the dark in order to retrieve their life jackets.   The new limits will mean the muster stations will be required to increase the quantities available for passengers unable to return to their cabins in an emergency to retrieve their life jackets.

Related Posts:



Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Celebrity 2012 Canadian Rockies Cruisetours




Break away from the expected with an exhilarating
Canadian Rockies Cruisetour this year.


Welcome to the land of unspoiled scenery, fresh air and abundant wildlife. Available before or after your 7-night Inside Passage cruise aboard Celebrity Century®, this land tour takes you high into the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Explore the breathtaking views of Banff National Park as you travel past Mt. Robson, the highest and most prominent mountain in the Canadian Rockies.

Travel in luxury as you enjoy Sleeper Touring Class aboard the VIA Rail®. Marvel at stunning views through picture windows in your private sleeping cabin and glass domed railcars. Nostalgic dining cars provide gourmet made-to-order meals. Sink into luxury as you relax in deluxe Fairmont hotels and lodges nestled against the rugged mountain wilderness.

 
DESCRIPTION CRUISETOUR
DATES 2012
ITINERARY
Cruisetour #1CB 12-Night Canadian Rockies Pre-Cruise May 8, 15, 22, 29;
Jun 5, 12, 19, 26;
Jul 3, 10, 17, 24, 31;
Aug 7, 14, 21, 28;
Sep 4
7-NIGHT ALASKA HUBBARD GLACIER CRUISE
Included Activities – Calgary Tower, Banff Highlights Tour, Columbia
Icefield Tour, Vancouver City Tour.
1 night Calgary, 1 night Banff, 1 night Jasper, 1 night VIA Rail & 1 night
Vancouver
Cruisetour #1CB 14-Night Canadian Rockies Pre-Cruise Sep 11 9-NIGHT ULTIMATE ALASKA CRUISE
Included Activities – Calgary Tower, Banff Highlights Tour, Columbia
Icefield Tour, Vancouver City Tour.
1 night Calgary, 1 night Banff, 1 night Jasper, 1 night VIA Rail & 1 night
Vancouver
Cruisetour #1CB 15-Night Canadian Rockies Pre-Cruise Sep 20 10-NIGHT WINE CRUISE
Included Activities – Calgary Tower, Banff Highlights Tour, Columbia
Icefield Tour, Vancouver City Tour.
1 night Calgary, 1 night Banff, 1 night Jasper,
1 night VIA Rail & 1 night Vancouver
Cruisetour #2CA 12-Night Canadian Rockies Post-Cruise

May 13, 20, 27;
Jun 3, 10, 17, 24;
Jul 1, 8, 15, 22, 29;
Aug 5, 12, 19, 26;
Sep 2, 9, 16
7-NIGHT ALASKA HUBBARD GLACIER CRUISE
Included Activities – Calgary Tower, Banff Highlights Tour, Columbia
Icefield Tour, Vancouver City Tour.
1 night VIA Rail, 1 night Jasper, 1 night Lake Louise & 1 night Calgary
Cruisetour #2CA 13-Night Canadian Rockies Post-Cruise

May 5 8-NIGHT WINE CRUISE
Included Activities – Calgary Tower, Banff Highlights Tour, Columbia
Icefield Tour, Vancouver City Tour.
1 night VIA Rail, 1 night Jasper, 1 night Lake Louise & 1 night Calgary
Cruisetour #5CB 13-Night Canadian Rockies Pre-Cruise

May 26; Jun 9, 23;
Jul 7, 21; Aug 14, 18;
Sep 1, 8
7 NIGHT NORTHBOUND ALASKA CRUISE
Included Activities – Calgary Tower, Banff Highlights Tour, Columbia
Icefield Tour, Vancouver City Tour, Victoria and Buchart Gardens
tour.
1 night Calgary, 1 night Banff, 1 night Jasper, 1 night VIA Rail, 1 night
Vancouver & 1 night Victoria


Itinerary subject to change without notice. ©2011 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador.

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Alaska Family Adventure 2013


Experiencing Alaska through the eyes of a child

Alaska Family Adventure — 2013 Celebrity Millennium®

We invite you to bring the entire family with you on a Celebrity Cruisetour to Alaska's interior.
You will be greeted by a local expert who will serve as your tour guide throughout your land-based portion of your vacation. 

Cruise Ports

Departing from Vancouver, British Columbia; Inside Passage (Cruising); Ketchikan, Alaska; Icy Strait Point, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Skagway, Alaska; Hubbard Glacier (Cruising); Seward, Alaska

Cruisetour Cities

Seward, Alaska; Alyeska (Girdwood), Alaska; Anchorage, Alaska; Denali, Alaska; Fairbanks, Alaska

Dates: May 24; Jun 7, 21; Jul 5, 19; Aug 2, 16, 30

HIGHLIGHTS:
 
7-NIGHT NORTHBOUND HUBBARD GLACIER CRUISE

• Exclusive Rail travel between Seward & Anchorage
• Included Activities – Alaska SeaLife Center, Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Mt. Alyeska Tram Ride, Anchorage Museum & Imaginarium Discovery Center, Discover Denali Tour, Gold Dredge No. 8
• 1-Night The Hotel Alyeska, 1-Night Anchorage, 2-Night Denali & 1-Night Fairbanks

Experience much more of Alaska
 Watch our "Cruisetours: The Complete Alaska Vacation Experience" video

See what a difference a Tour Director can make.
 Watch our "Alaska Cruisetours the Celebrity Way" video

Monday, April 23, 2012

Celebrity Cruisetours to Hubbard Glacier in 2012




Alaska Cruisetours
Celebrity Millennium®
 

See Hubbard Glacier 
& so much more

Most people thought of a cruise to Alaska as the ultimate vacation, to be completed sometime later in life, perhaps when the children are grown and on their own.   Now, that thinking has changed and many families go to Alaska as an educational experience while the children are living with you.


Whichever situation applies to you,  we are happy that you are exploring an Alaska cruise vacation.  Our blog and Facebook page has a wealth of information to get you started on your investigation.  We are Certified Alaska Experts and can help you plan a worry-free trip that will satisfy the requests of everyone in your group.


We encourage you to extend your cruise by adding one of the many Cruisetours which can be added before or after the cruise portion of your trip - or even both if you have the time.  Here is just a sampling of Cruisetours on Celebrity Millennium, one of our favorite ships.

See how Celebrity visits Alaska in this video


DESCRIPTION CRUISETOUR
DATES 2012
ITINERARY
Cruisetour #3
10-Night Anchorage, Talkeetna &
Alyeska (Motorcoach & Rail) and
Southbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
onboard Celebrity Millennium®
6/1, 6/15, 6/29; 7/13, 7/27; 8/10, 8/24 Day 1: Arrive Anchorage
Day 2: Talkeetna/Anchorage
Day 3: Anchorage/Alyeska
Day 4: Alyeska/Seward
Days 5-11: Celebrity Millennium®
Southbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
Cruisetour #20
10-Night Fairbanks & Denali (Motorcoach)
and Southbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
onboard Celebrity Millennium®
6/8, 6/22, 6/29; 7/6, 7/20;
8/3, 8/17, 8/31
Day 1: Arrive Fairbanks
Day 2: Fairbanks/Denali
Day 3: Denali
Day 4: Denali/Anchorage/Seward
Days 5-11: Celebrity Millennium®
Southbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
Cruisetour #21
14-Night Seward, Anchorage, Talkeetna,
Denali & Fairbanks (Motorcoach & Rail)
and Northbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
onboard Celebrity Millennium®
6/1, 6/15, 6/29,7/13, 7/27; 8/10, 8/24 Days 1-7: Celebrity Millennium®
Northbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
Day 8: Seward
Day 9: Seward/Anchorage
Day 10: Anchorage/Talkeetna
Day 11: Talkeetna/Denali
Day 12: Denali
Day 13: Denali/Fairbanks
Day 14: Fairbanks
Day 15: Depart from Fairbanks
Cruisetour #17
13-Night Seward, Alyeska, Denali,
Talkeetna & Anchorage (Motorcoach & Rail)
and Northbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
onboard Celebrity Millennium®
6/8, 6/15, 6/29; 7/13, 7/27; 8/10, 8/24 Days 1-7: Celebrity Millennium
Northbound Hubbard Glacier cruise
Day 8: Seward
Day 9: Seward/Alyeska
Day 10: Alyeska/Denali
Day 11: Denali
Day 12: Denali/Talkeetna
Day 13: Talkeetna/Anchorage
Day 14: Depart from Anchorage


Be sure to check out our Exploring Alaska page on Facebook


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Sunday, April 22, 2012

Cruise Lines and Earth Day 2012

Earth Day 2012

Are these floating cities, we call cruise ships, eco-friendly?

As we mark the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2012, we turn our focus to the cruise industry.  Each day, thousands of passengers sail to destinations across the globe in these vessels which  have the potential of conserving or wasting our national resources.   A lot depends on the efforts of the cruise lines and the cooperation of those that sail.

Today we turn our focus to programs which have been put in place by many of the CLIA member cruise lines.  Here is a sample of what the major lines are doing in the name of protecting the earth.   Consult the websites of your favorite cruise line to see what they are doing.

Celebrity Cruises & Royal Caribbean


Happy Earth Day! Royal Caribbean is committed to environmental stewardship not just today, but every day. Find out how we help keep our oceans blue by running green with the help of Jamie Sweeting, Vice President for Environmental Stewardship and Global Chief Environmental Officer.



Save the Waves® 
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Reduce the generation of waste material, reuse and recycle wherever possible, and properly dispose of remaining wastes.

The Ocean Fund
 In 1996, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (which operates Celebrity Cruises) established the Ocean Fund to support global marine conservation efforts. 

Outreach & Achievements

Keeping our oceans clean doesn't just make good business sense. It's critical to the future of our planet. And you don't have to look far to find examples of our efforts on our ships. 

Environmental Initiatives


Carnival Corporation & PLC / Holland America 

In collaboration with the Marine Conservation Institute - a national and globally focused nonprofit organization based in Washington State dedicated to maintaining healthy, living oceans - Holland America Line will debut an in-stateroom video series onboard all its 15 cruise ships highlighting the importance of ocean conservation. 

The "Our Marvelous Oceans" videos can also be viewed at http://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/WSBw-r2B-nb7 or at the Marine Conservation Institute website at www.marine-conservation.org. Find more information on Twitter, Facebook and on the blog Marine Conservation News.



Norwegian Cruise Line

Happy Earth Day! At Norwegian we are so passionate about preserving our oceans that we’ve made environmental protection one of our core company values. We’re leading the cruise industry with the innovative environmental policies and technologies we’ve implemented—from garbage, waste and recycling programs to preventing incidents involving pollution to reducing our operational impact on the environment—just to name a few. In 2011 alone we recycled: 345 Tons of cardboard, 576 tons of scrap metal, 2,035 tons of glass, 720 tons of aluminum and 476 tons of plastic!



Saturday, April 21, 2012

Costa Concordia Removal Plans


Removal Contract Awarded 
 Refloat & Tow Concordia
Costa Crociere and the Costa Concordia Emergency Commissioner's Office announced that the tender for the removal of the ship from Giglio Island has been awarded to Titan Salvage in partnership with the Italian firm Micoperi. The work will begin in early May subject to final approval from the Italian authorities and is expected to take about 12 months.

Titan Salvage is an American-owned specialist marine salvage and wreck removal company, part of the Crowley Group, and is a world leader in its field. Micoperi is a well-known Italian marine contractor with a long history as a specialist in underwater construction and engineering.

Main Objectives:
  • Minimal risk
  • Minimal environmental impact, 
  • Protection of Giglio's economy and tourism industry
  • Maximum safety of the work
"We are very pleased to announce another important step toward salvaging the wreck from Giglio Island," said Costa Crociere S.p.A. Chairman & CEO Pier Luigi Foschi. "As was the case with the removal of the fuel, we have sought to identify the best solution to safeguard the island and its marine environment and to protect its tourism. We would like also to thank Smit Salvage and Tito Neri for succeeding in defueling and caretaking operations."

Salvage Crew Based in Civitavecchia 

The plan also includes measures to safeguard the island of Giglio's tourism and wider economy. Salvage workers' presence will not have any significant impact on the availability of hotel accommodation on the island during the summer season. The main operating base will be located on the mainland at nearby Civitavecchia, where equipment and materials will be stored, thereby avoiding any impact on Giglio's port activities.

Once floated, the wreck will be towed to an Italian port and dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Italian authorities.

Costa Crociere, Carnival Corporation & plc, London Offshore Consultants, and the Standard P&I Club formulated the plans by reviewing  bids from six companies. The Titan Salvage/Micoperi proposal best fulfilled the main objectives stated above. Once the main work is complete, the sea bottom will be cleaned and marine flora replanted.

Overall updates of the Costa Concordia disaster are being made on the following blog post: