Jan 24

Letter from Celebrity Cruises CEO on Safety in wake of Costa Concordia Disaster

Like you, all of us at Celebrity Cruises, both shipboard and shoreside, are deeply saddened by the events surrounding the tragic Costa Concordia accident.

Miami – (January 23, 2012 ) – To Our Valued Guests:

Like you, all of us at Celebrity Cruises, both shipboard and shoreside, are deeply saddened by the events surrounding the tragic Costa Concordia accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the incident.

I debated about writing to you, as I wanted to be respectful of the investigation process and avoid adding to the speculation as to the cause or related failures. However, the concerns that have been raised about the safety of cruise ships compelled me to take the opportunity to share what an intense focus we have always placed on safety, and how rigorously we put that focus into practice every day.

Since Celebrity Cruises’ founding more than 20 years ago, the safety of our guests and crew has always been our highest priority. The measures we take in the interest of safety are many, often exceeding regulatory requirements. It’s a critical part of our ongoing commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in every aspect of our business.

Our guests see just a portion of our safety practices through the mandatory muster drills we conduct at the outset of every sailing. But our safety practices encompass so much more. In light of the Costa Concordia accident, we chose to post a summary of our safety practices on our web site. Simply go to www.celebritycruises.com/safety and click on the tab labeled “Safety and Security”. I encourage you to take a look, and to share the information with your family and friends.

Above and beyond what we’ve communicated there, you also may be interested to know that the leader of Celebrity Cruises’ Captains is a highly experienced former officer in the U.S. Coast Guard, Greg Purdy. As the head of our Marine Operations Department, Greg’s highest priority is to guide and monitor the safety of our fleet. His own experience at sea, including serving as Captain of a Coast Guard vessel, combined with his depth of knowledge of cruise ship safety, ensures that he and the entire Celebrity Marine team continue to build on our strong safety culture.
Our Captains across the Celebrity fleet hold degrees from some of the world’s finest maritime institutions. You also may be surprised to know that, along with the Captain, every one of our ships has at least two other officers who hold the level of license required to serve as Captain of a cruise ship. Essentially, we have three people onboard every Celebrity ship who qualify as a Captain

On average, each of Celebrity Cruises’ Captains has 25 years of seagoing experience. Besides the training and drills we conduct onboard, our Captains and their bridge teams also participate in navigation simulator courses and other training. One of the cornerstones of our training is that everyone is expected to speak up if they detect something wrong, regardless of their rank. Our shipboard officers and our shoreside team spend a considerable amount of time focused on how we can continually improve our safety procedures.

Along with our vast in-house expertise, we also rely on a group of experts known as our Maritime Safety Advisory Board. The group was established in 2006 to help guide our safety program and provide critical thinking from the world’s leading marine safety experts. The group includes former senior officials from the US and UK Coast Guards, as well as leadership from the academic world.

Our Chairman Richard Fain has said there’s no such thing as perfect safety, but there is such a thing as perfect dedication to safety. And that’s what we strive for daily.

Whether you’re a longtime cruiser, or have yet to sail with Celebrity, I hope you’ll help us reinforce the fact that cruising continues to maintain the best safety record of any industry in the travel business.

Our highly skilled and dedicated crew members look forward to welcoming you onboard soon to provide you with an outstanding vacation experience. Meanwhile, I thank you for your continued support of our brand and our business.

Sincerely,

Dan Hanrahan
President & CEO

Jan 17

Staying the Course: The challenge of navigational demand

Jan 10

Disney Fantasy Float Out

— PAPENBURG, GERMANY, (Jan. 9, 2012) – The newest Disney Cruise Line ship, Disney Fantasy, floated out of the enclosed building dock at the Meyer Werft shipyard yesterday as thousands of onlookers watched.  This symbolizes one of the final stages of this ship’s construction and marks a significant milestone towards the March 31, 2012 maiden voyage. The Disney Fantasy features many of the innovations found on her sister ship, Disney Dream, with several new guest experiences exclusive to the ship that are sure to delight every member of the family.    New experiences found on the Disney Fantasy include two Broadway-style musical spectaculars for the Walt Disney Theatre, a dining experience at Animator’s Palate where guests’ own drawings magically come to life, an interactive adventure quest starring the Muppets, a splashtacular water play area called AquaLab, a sophisticated nighttime entertainment area for adults inspired by European travel and much more .                                                                  The Disney Fantasy will sail seven-night alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries.   All voyages will depart from Port Canaveral, Fla. and include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.  To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888-DCL-2500.

Jan 10

Sapphire Princess Enters Drydock to Add Signature Princess Cruises Features

Dramatic Makeover to Include Piazza Atrium, Movies Under the Stars, Alfredo’s Pizzeria
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (January 9, 2012) — Sapphire Princess arrives today at the Victoria Shipyards drydock in British Columbia to begin a dramatic, four-week transformation. The drydock continues a multi-year fleet renovation process that has brought Princess Cruises’signature features to most of its ships.

When the ship re-enters service again on February 4, passengers will be able to enjoy a brand-new Piazza atrium with the International Café and Vines wine bar, plus the new Alfredo’s Pizzeria. On the top decks, passengers will enjoy poolside movies on the new giant Movies Under the Stars screen, and an opportunity to relax in the ship’s “pocket of tranquility,” the adults-only Sanctuary.

“It’s been an incredible process over the past few years to retrofit these popular features onto our earlier-introduced ships, but we know our passengers appreciate that they can now find their favorite amenities on virtually any vessel in our fleet,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.

Throughout the drydock, Princess will be featuring a daily photo highlight of the transformation on its social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Google+.

The many changes to Sapphire Princess include:

New Piazza Atrium — The ship’s atrium space will be redesigned to include this signature Princess feature — a European-inspired social hub of the ship combining always-changing quick bites and light meals, beverages, entertainment, shopping and guest services. The Piazza will feature the International Café for pastries, fresh panini sandwiches, salads, fresh-baked cookies and a variety of coffee drinks. Passengers will also enjoy a new Vines wine bar offering a selection of more than 30 wines by the glass, plus a selection of tapas and sushi, and a wine shop where passengers can purchase their favorite bottle.

Alfredo’s Pizzeria — Introduced last year aboard Grand Princess, Alfredo’s will expand to its second location on Sapphire Princess. The sit-down pizzeria serves up an enticing menu of freshly prepared, hand-stretched, individual-size pizzas. Named for the line’s master executive chef, Alfredo Marzi, the pizzeria will feature an open kitchen where passengers can watch chefs create their custom-made pies.

Movies Under the Stars— Sapphire Princess will be the final ship to introduce Movies Under the Stars on board. The giant poolside movie screen will showcase feature films, concerts, awards shows and sports events, and passengers can enjoy their viewing on padded loungers under warm, fleece blankets. Complimentary popcorn and other treats enhance the al fresco entertainment experience.

The Sanctuary — Sapphire Princess is also the final ship to receive The Sanctuary, a tranquil retreat exclusively for adults. Added prior to drydock, the new Sanctuary space has already received an enthusiastic welcome from passengers enjoying the enhanced comforts of this peaceful oasis, as Serenity Stewards attend to their every need, offering refreshing beverages, light snacks, pre-loaded MP3 players, and the cooling mist of an Evian atomizer.

Also part of the renovation are several relocated and upgraded venues, including the Art Gallery, Internet Café and Library, and the Photo-Video Gallery. New carpet and upholstery will be installed throughout the ship, and staterooms will feature new flat-screen televisions.

The newly renovated Sapphire Princess will debut on February 4 in Los Angeles when the ship will depart on a 14-day Hawaiian Islands cruise.

Jan 10

An Adventure Down Under with Royal Caribbean: Cruising to New Zealand and Australia

Jan 10

Physical and virtual experiences include interactive digital sweeps with $10,000 prize

Miami – (January 09, 2012 ) –           Celebrity Cruises is entering the New Year with a series of physical and virtual experiences designed to invite consumers to express their “exit strategy” – not in a business context, but in terms of sharing what they would love to “exit” in their day-to-day life to “enter” a modern luxury Celebrity vacation experience.
Perhaps it’s exiting “hyperscheduling” to relax and reconnect with family in the Caribbean sun. Or, exiting the 12-hour rush hour to leisurely indulge in the beauty and culture of Europe by day, and fine wines served by one of the world’s largest staffs of expertly trained sommeliers by night. Maybe it’s exiting headlines, deadlines and check out lines to view the breathtaking vista of Alaska from a private veranda.
“At Celebrity, we recognize that consumers’ vacation time is precious, and we’re committed to offering a modern luxury experience that makes the most of that time,” said Celebrity Cruises Vice President of Marketing Lisa Kauffman. “We believe no other cruise brand – and for that matter, very few land-based hotels or resorts – deliver on the concept of modern luxury; and by that, we mean the modernity of our ships’ design, the anticipatory and engaging service of our crew, the spectacular quality of our food, the wide variety of dining options, and the inviting ambiance of every restaurant, bar, boutique, spa, stateroom and suite onboard. Modern luxury very succinctly and genuinely sums up the Celebrity brand.”
Consumers can express what they’d like to exit to enter Celebrity’s modern luxury – and share it socially – through an engaging, interactive digital experience on Celebrity’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/celebritycruises. There, they can create a complimentary e-card and upload a photo to share with others what they want to exit from and the destination they want to experience most, and register for Celebrity’s “Exit to Enter” sweepstakes running from January 9 through March 30, 2012. The grand prize – with an approximate retail value of $10,000 – is the winner’s choice of a cruise for two from among a select group of sailings to a vast array of the captivating destinations Celebrity visits, including Alaska, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, Europe or the Caribbean, complete with roundtrip airfare for the winner and guest.

 

Celebrity is complementing the social component of the campaign with similar print, online and outdoor communications in various markets across North America, and even on in-flight tray tables on commuter flights from Boston, New York and Washington, DC.
At the same time, to benefit consumers eager to accept Celebrity’s invitation to “enter modern luxury,” the line is presenting a special savings of up to $300 per stateroom for vacationers who book an oceanview or above stateroom on a select sailing in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii or Panama Canal from January 9 through February 5, 2012. Specific savings amounts and qualified sailings are featured on the Celebrity web site at www.celebritycruises.com. Celebrity also is deploying teams of brand ambassadors to high-traffic areas in New York, Miami and San Francisco later this month to surprise busy consumers with a moment of relaxation and a little hint of Celebrity’s modern luxury.

Jan 06

Disney Fantasy in Water

Jan 06

New ship leaves shipyard’s covered building dock

Papenburg, 5 January 2012 – The new cruise ship for the U.S. cruise company Disney Cruise Line (Orlando), the Disney Fantasy, will leave MEYER WERFT’s covered building dock on Sunday, 8 January 2012. Around 11 a.m. the new ship will slowly be floated out of the covered hall, followed by a couple of tests and trials to be performed while the ship is in the harbour.

When the ship is berthed alongside the yard’s pier the remaining work on board will be completed, for example the installation of the mast.

The ship is scheduled to be conveyed to the North Sea two weeks later. The passage on the river Ems will be depending on the weather and tidal conditions.

The Disney Fantasy has a length overall of 340 m, is 37.0 m wide and can operate at a speed of 23,5 knots. Delivery of the ship to the owner will take place as planned in Bremerhaven on 9 February 2012.

The undocking procedure will be broadcast live via webcam on the internet:
www.meyerwerft.com

Jan 06

Norwegian Cruise Line To Introduce New Youth Program

            Miami               -               Jan 5, 2012               —            

To better meet the needs of the growing family vacation market, Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it is revitalizing its current youth program and will implement a new best in class program fleet wide. The re-branded program will be introduced on Norwegian Gem in mid-February and will be rolled out to all of the line’s Freestyle Cruising® ships subsequently.

“More and more families are choosing a cruise for their vacation since it represents such a good value and offers so much for the entire family.  In fact, close to 150,000 children sailed on our ships in 2010 and that number continues to rise,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “We’ve already taken family programming to the next level by offering Nickelodeon experiences on some ships.  Now, we want to make sure that we are continuing to offer the best possible experience for families. To do this, we are investing millions of dollars in revamping our youth and family programming.”

The current program, Norwegian’s Kid’s Crew in place since 1999, will be renamed and the age groups are being redefined to better address the skills and interests of children. The new age groups will be: three to five years; six to eight years; nine to 12 years; along with two teen groups: 13 to 14 and 15 to 17 years.  There will also be programming for babies and toddlers ages six months to two years.

The new fully developed and enhanced curriculum tailored to each age group is being produced in conjunction with The King’s Foundation and Camps, a United Kingdom-based organization that provides high quality sport and activity programs designed to make a positive impact on children. More focus will be placed on sporting activities, arts and crafts, theater and technology.  Activities will change every 30 to 60 minutes depending on the age group and will be set within blocks of programming time in the morning, afternoon and evening.

The new curriculum will also include creative themes, such as circus day, theater/technology/sports and port of call day.  The company has engaged Cirque Du Jour, a New York-based company that specializes in teaching children real circus skills such as scarf juggling, ball juggling, plate spinning, clowning and acrobatics. Circus workshops and shows will also be offered for the entire family.

In addition, the youth programs will be expanded to utilize other areas of the ships, including the sports courts, rock walls, theaters, lounges and public spaces and will feature more family events such as parades and scavenger hunts.

“We want to ensure our youth and teens are engaged in the programs we offer and that they are having fun,” said Richard Ambrose, Norwegian Cruise Line’s vice president of entertainment.  “We have designed this new youth program to cater to the specific interests and skill sets of children and teens to ensure that they are having the vacation of a lifetime.”

The company is also investing in its youth staff, by increasing the ratio of staff to children and establishing new criteria for the hiring of counselors, including the requirement of a college degree in recreation or child care (or the equivalent experience).

The line currently offers exclusive Nickelodeon family events, shows and activities on three ships: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Gem (beginning mid-February).  Activities include pool games, breakfast with the characters, where kids ? and adults ? can eat, sing and play with SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Patrick, Diego and more; Dora’s Dance Party, where kids can join Dora and the Nickelodeon cast to dance and sing along; meet and greets with popular Nickelodeon characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and many more. In addition, there are also other family activities offered, including Nick Jr. story time, family trivia and special arts and crafts sessions.

Norwegian Cruise Line has already been recognized for its family programming as one of the best family cruises by Family Circle magazine; best onboard children’s program and best cruise ship for families (Norwegian Pearl) by Travel Age West magazine; and best family-friendly staterooms by Smarter Travel magazine.

More details of the new youth and teen program will be released in the coming months.  Further information on Norwegian’s family offerings can be found on the line’s website.  Families wanting to book a cruise on Norwegian to a variety of family-friendly destinations such as the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, Europe and more, should contact a travel professional, call 866-234-7350 or visit www.ncl.com.

Jan 06

Princess Cruises’ 2012-2013 Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific Program Offers More Cruises to Hawaii, Plus Favorite Routes to French Polynesia and Samoa

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (January 6, 2012) — Mention “paradise” and most people will conjure up images of pristine beaches and lush, tropical islands. Princess Cruises passengers can make paradise a reality with 10 itinerary choices to the breathtaking islands of Hawaii, Tahiti and the South Pacificbetween fall 2012 and spring 2013.

New next season, Princess will offer more Hawaii cruises than ever before, with four ships sailing roundtrip to the islands from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. In addition, the renovated Grand Princess will make her debut voyages to Hawaiias part of her first West Coast season.

In total, eight Princess ships will sail on 56 voyages throughout the Pacific, including favorite itineraries such as the 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia route that sails roundtrip from Papeete, Tahiti to some of the most gorgeous islands of French Polynesia. An 11-day Hawaii & Tahiti itinerary offers the best of both the Hawaiian Islands, as well as the highlights of French Polynesia. And the cruise line’s 28-day Hawaii, Tahiti and Samoa itinerary that debuted last season returns with two sailings roundtrip from Los Angeles to American Samoa, taking in Hawaii and Tahiti along the way.

“The storied and romantic South Pacific just might capture the imagination of travelers more than most destinations,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “We’ve been traveling to the South Pacific for more than 30 years and these idyllic islands never cease to deliver a breathtaking and relaxing vacation to our passengers.”

Princess’ 2012-2013 cruises to Hawaii, Tahiti and the South Pacific include:

Tahiti & Polynesia — This classic Princess itinerary sails roundtrip from Papeete, Tahiti for 10 days among the islands of Polynesia, with two overnight visits. Ocean Princessstarts with an overnight in the Tahitian capital and then calls on Huahine, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Bora Bora (Two-day Experience includes two full days and an overnight), and Moorea. Sailings depart on December 18, 2012; January 19 and 29, and February 8, 2013.

Hawaii & Tahiti — Travelers can enjoy the intimacy of a small cruise ship on a voyage that features both the Polynesian paradises of Hawaii and French Polynesia. These 11-day sailings between Papeete and Honolulu on Ocean Princessinclude calls at Moorea, Bora Bora, Hilo, Maui, and Kauai. Sailings depart December 28, 2012; January 8, February 18, and March 1, 2013.

Hawaii, Tahiti & Samoa — This 28-day itinerary aboard Sapphire Princess and Star Princessoffers an unusual roundtrip voyage from Los Angeles, to three island groups in one convenient roundtrip sailing. The ship calls at Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui, Pago Pago, Apia, Bora Bora, Moorea and Papeete (overnight). Two sailings depart on October 20, 2012 and March 26, 2013.

South Pacific & New Zealand Cruises — Sailing between Sydney and Papeete, Ocean Princessoffers a 16-day voyage including Tauranga, Auckland, Tonga, Apia, Pago Pago, Bora Bora, and Moorea. The ship departs on December 3, 2012 and March 12, 2013.

Hawaii, Tahiti & South Pacific — Sea Princesssails across the Pacific between San Francisco and Sydney on a 27-day voyage to Honolulu, Kauai, Papeete, Bora Bora, Pago Pago, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Fiordland National Park scenic cruising. The sailing departs on September 20, 2012.

Hawaiian Islands from Los Angeles — Golden Princess, Sapphire Princess and Star Princesswill sail from Los Angeles on a 14-day roundtrip voyage to the “Land of Aloha” with calls at Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui, plus Ensenada, Mexico. The ships will sail on 24 voyages between September 26, 2012 and April 24, 2013.

Hawaiian Islands from San Francisco —Star Princess and Grand Princesswill offer 15-day itinerary round-trip voyages from San Francisco, with calls at Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui, plus Ensenada. The ships will offer seven departures between October 6, 2012 and April 25, 2013.

Aussie Experience Voyages Sailings aboard Sun Princess, Dawn Princess and Sea Princesshead to the islands from Sydney or Brisbane and feature onboard amenities tailored to appeal to Australian tastes.

Hawaii, Tahiti & South Pacific —Sea Princesswill sail on a 35-day roundtrip voyage from Sydney, with calls at Nuku’Alofa (Tonga), Apia, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui, Hilo, Kona, Papeete, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Pago Pago, Suva (Fiji) and Nouméa (New Caledonia). The ship sets sail on April 15, 2013.

Fijian Jewels —Sun Princesssails roundtrip from Brisbane on an 11-day journey to Nouméa and Isle of Pines in New Caledonia; two Fiji ports, Suva, and Port Denarau; and Vila (Vanuatu). The ship sails on November 7, 2012 and January 13, February 7, and March 18, 2013.

Fiji & South Pacific — A popular roundtrip sailing from Sydney featuring 14 days with calls at Lifou, Vila, Port Denarau, Suva, Savu Savu, Dravuni Island and Nouméa. Available on Dawn Princess, Sea Princess and Sun Princess, sailings depart August 29, October 10 and December 29, 2012; January 25 and April 12, 2013.