Costa Concordia Two Years Later

Latest Image from Parbuckling Project Site

  Tomorrow marks the two year anniversary of the Costa Concordia disaster in which 32 people lost their lives, many more were injured, family and friends were devastated, the world watched and the cruise industry was impacted forever.  The image above is a live feed from the salvage site.  It shows the Costa Concordia, now righted, awaiting the next phase of the salvage operations.  Tanks must be put in place so that they can be filled with air to raise the ship off the sea bed.  The ship has been winterized and nothing will be done until April.

Costa Concordia wreck 2nd anniversary marked by survivors

Watch the vigil live at 3:45 p.m. ET

Salvage Operations

View these amazing images of Costa Concordia today.
 
The parbuckling phase of the salvage operations has been successful, with the Concordia now upright.   The next phase will be to re-float the ship so that it can be removed.  This is expected to be completed in June this year barring any unforeseen weather or other delays.

Eight ports are bidding for to be the site of the dismantling of the ship.  In addition 12 companies are bidding for the job of breaking up, scrapping and recycling the vessel.  Total cost of the operations is expected to be €600m (£496m).

Costa Concordia Removal Plans

Costa Concordia Salvage Begins

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Approved 

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Begins 

Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident 

Dining at Sea Part 3

Enjoy a Quick Meal

Comfort Food

Old Favorites

Our series began with a look at your first meals onboard the ship.  That typically is at the ship's buffet.  Later in the week, while soaking up some rays on deck, or in between shore excursions, you'll find yourself wanting a quick meal without having to go to a dining room and possibly not even to the buffet.  Fear not, the cruise lines have you covered.

Burgers & Pizza

On the majority of ships, you'll find one of more locations near the pool where you'll be able to grab a quick meal.  Typically you'll find made to order items like burgers, hotdogs, chicken, and pizza.  On some ships, like the Allure of the Seas, you'll find some upscale fast food places on the promenade or elsewhere on the ship for your dining pleasures.  You can get your favorite shake and burger from Johnny Rockets on Allure of the Seas for example.   There may be cover charges (which are extra gratuities) in some dining venues.

Comfort Foods

In the mood for some comfort food like mac 'n cheese, chicken pot pie, fish 'n chips?  You may find those on the buffet or there may be another dining venue,such as O'Sheehans Bar & Grill on several Norwegian Cruise Line ships, which serves a selection of items to satisfy your cravings.

There are many choices onboard each ship to satisfy lunch, dinner, afternoon or evening snacks.   Consult the daily paper for details about what options you have.

Norwegian Getaway Delivered

Norwegian Getaway Courtesy MEYER WERFT

 "First New Cruise Ship 

for 2014" 

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

Norwegian Getaway Delivery  Courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Getaway is now sailing to Rotterdam for the start of inaugural festivities which will continue in Southampton before the ship departs for her transatlantic cruise to New York, where she will meet her sister for the first time. The ship will be christened in Miami, her home port, on February 7.

Dimension	146.600 BRZ
Length overall	325,70 m
Moulded breadth	39,7 m
Number of decks	18
Draught	8,30 m
Engine output	62.400 kW in total
Propulsion power	35.000 kW
Speed	21,5 kn
Number of passengers	4,028
Number of passenger cabins	2,014
Number of outside cabins (including suites)	1,506
Number of inside cabins	508
Crew	ca. 1.640
Number of theatre seats	815
Number of dining options	27
Total weight of applied paint	ca. 300 t
Total length of laid cables	2.154 km
Total length of laid pipes	ca. 400 km
Flag	Bahamas
Classification	DNV

In a joint press release, Norwegian Cruise Line and MEYER WERFT commented on the achievements of this new ship build:

 “The team at MEYER WERFT, along with our new build team, has done an amazing job on Norwegian Getaway and we are thrilled with how spectacular the ship looks,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Norwegian Breakaway revolutionized cruising with its Waterfront and strong connection to New York. Norwegian Getaway will do the same as Miami’s ultimate ship, offering the only way to cruise the Caribbean from Miami with a plethora of incredible features.” 

“We are more than thrilled to deliver the second Breakaway class vessel to Norwegian Cruise Line ahead of her original schedule,” said Bernard Meyer, managing partner with MEYER WERFT. “Norwegian Getaway is the newest and most advanced cruise vessel on the seas and we are proud of the team that worked diligently to design and build her.” 

Congratulations Norwegian Cruise Line and MEYER WERFT on an amazing new vessel.  Having sailed on Norwegian Breakaway last year, we are certain this will be an excellent addition to the fleet.

Honduras Travel Warning Continued

State Department

Travel Warnings

The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens that the level of crime and violence in Honduras remains critically high.

Crime remains high and the warning indicates that the government of Honduras lacks the resources to control the problem.  Honduras has the highest murder rate in the entire world.   See full text of warning ...

UPDATE:  Subsequent to this article, a family of five - passengers on Carnival Conquest, were robbed at gunpoint.  See Passengers Robbed Honduras for complete details.

Tourist Areas  Have Fewer Incidents

Tourism is a large portion of Honduras economy, with cruise lines continuing to stop there even in light of the State Department warnings.   The Honduras government has increased police presence and established special police forces in areas frequented by tourists, such as the Copan Mayan ruins and Roatan.

Recommendations

The travel warning suggests that tourists be vigilant and travel in groups of two or more.  That is practical advice for any destination, even here in the states.  The warning states "It is also advisable to avoid wearing jewelry and carrying large sums of money or displaying cash, ATM/credit cards, or other valuables. U.S. citizens should avoid walking at night in most areas of Honduras or walking alone on beaches, historic ruins, and trails."

Know Before You Go

For more detailed information regarding personal security, please see the State Department's Country Specific Information for Honduras. For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Web site, where the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. 

Consult our International Travel page for more links that are useful when traveling abroad.

Duty Free Texas Style

Sailing From Galveston?
Know Before You Go



The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has begun collecting personal importation taxes on alcohol and cigarettes from passengers returning from cruises in Galveston as of this month.

If you purchase liquor or cigarettes during your cruise, you may have to pay importation taxes when you return to port in Galveston.
It doesn't matter if you purchased the items on board the ship or while in one of the ports of call.

According to the press release issued by the TABC, Section 107.07 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code, in effect for over 40 years, requires that each adult (21 years old and over) importing alcoholic beverages into the state for personal consumption pay the state tax and an administrative fee of $3.00. The law limits personal importation by an adult to once every 30 days with limits of: 1 gallon of distilled spirits, 3 gallons of wine, and 288 ounces of malt beverages (24 12-ounce containers). Persons importing alcoholic beverages must personally accompany the product as it enters the state. View the detailed list of the taxes for both cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.

TABC operates several collection points along the Texas / Mexico border but Galveston is the first seaport to set up shop for collecting the taxes.   Plans call for the port of Houston-Bayport later in the fall of this year as well.

Once passengers clear U.S. Customs, they can pay the tax to TABC personnel via cash or credit card.  The agency says they have worked with port officials to make sure the process doesn't disrupt port operations.

Note that these taxes are in addition to any tax imposed due U.S. Customs.  For more information about allowances, see the U.S. State Department website (Customs Duty Information).

Winter Weather Delayed Queen Mary 2

The Queen Mary 2  Credit: Robert Neal Marshall

Winter Storm Hercules Dumps Snow on Midwest, Northeast 

When the weather at home is cold and snowy, travelers take to the seas to get out of town and head to somewhere warm. Imagine the surprise to Cunard Line Queen Mary 2 passengers as they embarked their ship in New York on January 3rd and found the scene above. 

Queen Mary 2 arrived in New York ahead of schedule in order to avoid the worst part of the storm.  She didn't sail until after midnight to allow sufficient time for passengers to embark the vessel.  According to the line, the ship is still expected to arrive in Southampton, England on time January 10th.

Happy New Year 2014

10 ... 9... 8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...

 Happy New Year 2014!!

A warm greeting to all my faithful readers and to those of you joining for the first time. I wish you many happy, healthy and prosperous days in this brand new year. May the year be filled with many sunny days, warm ocean breezes, visits to cruise ports, and relaxing days aboard a cruise ship or at your favorite resort.


 New Ships in 2014

January, 2014 Norwegian Getaway May, 2014 Regal Princess November, 2014 Quantum of the Seas

New Ship Guide

In the upcoming months, several cruise lines will be introducing new ships. Norwegian Getaway, sister ship of Norwegian Breakaway, will launch this month and sail out of Miami.  Regal Princess, sister ship of Royal Princess, will debut in May.  Royal Caribbean's first in a new class, Quantum of the Seas will launch in November.  All of these ships will introduce new dining and entertainment options for cruise passengers.

Selecting the Right Ship

These new ships add capacity to these cruise lines and give you additional options.  Besides new ships, existing ships are getting face-lifts with new features being added, primarily based on passenger feedback and acceptance of the features on recent ship builds on the same or other cruise lines.The Carnival Sunshine is just one example of the changes being made to enhance passenger experiences.

Just like picking a hotel room for a land-based trip, you can also apply your preferences to the cruise ship, which will serve as your floating hotel.   Some people prefer small ships, while others only sail on the newest and largest vessels.  With the increasing number of ship modifications and additions, we are confident that your want list can be satisfied.  We can help you narrow the field to those ships that meet your needs.  On the Allure and Oasis of the Seas, there are over 37 different cabin categories to chose from - we will help simplify your selection.

Where Do YOU Want to Go

What is on your bucket list of destinations or cruise ships?  

Is 2014 the year you plan to complete a trip from that list?  Whether it's a far away exotic destination like Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific or something close-by like Bahamas and the Caribbean, you'll find a cruise ship sailing to your ports of call of choice.

Choose Your Destination
 

Land or Sea ...Choice is Yours

We still feel strongly that cruising is the best vacation value, but we realize there are times when you want  more time in the destination or some other reason compels you to select land-based travel.   Resorts & Tours Overview


New Year Resolutions

  It's that time of year to make New Year resolutions. Some of you will decide to make changes in your lifestyle which will improve your health - such as healthy eating or exercising.  For those that haven't been on a cruise before, that doesn't mean you have to forgo your trip.

There are full-service spas and fitness centers on most cruise ships and healthy menu choices available throughout the day.  Cruise lines will be happy to accommodate any special dietary requirements - just be sure to tell your cruise specialist at the time of booking so that notes can be put on your reservation.

We hope that you add a resolution to take some time for yourself to regenerate.   Plan some vacation time on a cruise ship or at one of the many resort destinations.   Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of special offers in the upcoming months.