Cruise
Oceania plans departure day muster
Prestige Cruise Holdings -- the parent company of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises -- has announced that effective immediately all ships will hold guest muster drills on the day of departure. Right now, all Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises vessels hold muster drills on the same day of departure, with few exceptions. Robin Lindsay, executive vice-president of vessel operations for Prestige Cruise Holdings, explained that: "On just a handful of occasions the drill is held the following morning, primarily to accommodate late-arriving guests. However, in light of the...
Carnival to review all emergency response systems
Following the tragic Costa Concordia accident, Carnival Corporation & plc, parent company of Costa Cruises and nine leading cruise lines around the world, has announced a comprehensive audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures across all of the company's cruise lines. Carnival Corporation & plc and the cruise industry as a whole have maintained an excellent safety record over the years. "However, this tragedy has called into question our company's safety and emergency response procedures and practices,"said Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc....
Costa, Carnival reiterate support commitment
Costa Cruise Lines and its parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, have confirmed their commitment to provide full support to those passengers, crew and families of the victims of the Costa Concordia grounding. "I give my personal assurance that we will take care of each and every one of our guests, crew and their families affected by this tragic event. Our company was founded on this principle and it will remain our focus,"said Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc. In this spirit, Costa has been arranging lodging and transportation for affected passengers and crew...
Crystal launches new fast-track embarkation program
Crystal Cruises has introduced a new check-in process designed to ease embarkation procedures for all guests. Effective today in every Crystal embarkation port, "Crystal Fast-Track Check-In"eliminates 100% of ship check-in procedures in port terminal waiting areas, transitioning guests from dock security to the comfort of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity lounges. By utilizing a new barcode on each guest cruise ticket, a new ticket scanning system and the consistency of Crystal's own onboard crew, the cruise line is accelerating the check-in required on the first day of sailing. As is...
Costa responds to environmental concerns
Costa Cruises is moving quickly to respond to environmental concerns in the wake of the grounding of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Giglio, Italy. In a statement, the cruise line said: "For Costa Cruises protecting the environment is an integral part of its corporate mission, as it has demonstrated by obtaining the most stringent international certifications (UNIEN ISO 14001)." And it continued: "The company therefore recognized the need to promptly address issues concerning the protection of the marine environment following the Costa Concordia accident. In the hours immediately after...
Haida Gwaii luxury schooner cruises set for 2012
Dates are now set for the 2012 sailings of the nine-day, eight-night Haida Gwaii eco-cruises operated by Maple Leaf Adventures of Victoria. The company does so with a classic 28-metre schooner that sails into the Gwaii Haanas National Park Marine Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, an area rarely travelled and explored. The cruises depart from Masset, BC (returning to Sandspit, BC) on May 7, May 16, May 25, Jun. 4 and June 13. The cost per passenger is $4,640 and includes all shore excursions, meals, accommodations and use of onboard equipment....
Encore offers summer cruisers free designer handbag
Encore Cruises has brought back its "Europe in Style"promotion, designed to make sure agent's clients not only feel good on their European cruise this summer, but also look good doing it. Valid on a new bookings made between Jan.16 and March 4 for departures between May 1 and Sept. 30, travellers booking a minimum seven-night sailing in a balcony stateroom or higher with any of Encore's cruise partners will receive a Michael Kors leather handbag (valued at $225) as a special gift. The applicable cruise lines are: AMAWaterways, Azamara Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, MSC Cruises, Norwegian...
UPDATE: Costa extends “heartfelt sympathies”
In an updated statement following the grounding of its ship, the Costa Concordia, Costa Cruises issued the following statement this morning (Wed., Jan. 18, 2012). "We are deeply saddened to learn that additional people have been found during the search of Costa Concordia, and extend our heartfelt sympathies to their families." "We continue to cooperate with authorities to support the rescue and recovery efforts, and to help secure the vessel to ensure that there is no environmental impact." And it concludes: "Our main priority remains the location of those passengers and crew who have not yet...