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Cruise itineraries affected by West African Ebola pandemic

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 October 2014 04 October 2014

At least four cruise liners have cancelled their calls to West African ports in favour of ports in the Canary Islands and the Spanish mainland. Alan Lam reports.

Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Fred.Olsen have all modified their itineraries on account of the Ebola crisis in West Africa, diverting their vessels away from the region.

The Seven Seas Mariner will call at Tenerife and Lanzarote on 17th and 18th of October instead of Dakar, Senegal, during its 21-night cruise from Lisbon to Miami. Fred.Olsen’s Braemar will also change its itinerary: instead of calling at Dakar and Banjul, the ship will be diverted to the Canary Islands. Seabourn Sojourn will now call at Barcelona and other Spanish mainland ports.

To date, Senegal has only one reported case of Ebola. These cancellations are mainly precautionary. Regent Seven Seas stated that the line always put the safety and comfort of its guestsfirst and foremost.

In addition, Cruise & Maritime Voyages has abandoned a number of calls at West African ports on the return voyage from Australia and South Africa of its 20,636 gross ton Astor in the spring of 2015. The ship will call at ports in the Atlantic islands instead.

The crisis looks set to continue for quite some time; cruise lines are keeping a close watch at the situation.

Growing cruise industry produces 10% of Dominican Republic's tourism revenue

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 October 2014 04 October 2014

Cruise has been the fastest growing segment of tourism in Dominican Republic in recent years. The country is included in the itineraries of no fewer than 16 cruise lines - including Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line, AIDA, Norwegian Cruise Line, CostaCruceros and Celebrity Cruises -receiving more than 400 calls to its ports annually. Alan Lam reports.

According to the Republic’s central bank figures, the segment enjoys the highest growth rate in recent years and among the best projections for the coming ones. The economic impact of cruise is all too apparent: it represents roughly about 10% of the four million annual tourists to the country.

The Republic is not just a point of transit for cruise tourists; about 95.9% of the passengers disembark at its ports in order to visit its sites and attractions. According to a research carried out by Business Research and Economic Advisors, there has been a significant increase in on-shore spending by these passengers.

“The cruise industry is very important for us because of its economic impacts to our country,” said MagalyToribio, Marketing Advisor of Ministry of Tourism. “The growth in maritime tourism demonstrates that our ports are well prepared to receive huge number of cruise tourists during high seasons.”

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas is scheduled to make a call at Bahía Samanásoon.

In Bahía de Maimón, a new passenger terminal is under construction, due to complete in 2015. It will be the most modern terminal in the Caribbean and it expects to welcome 250,000 cruise tourists during the first year of operation.

The first two cruise ships to call at the island in 2015 will bring in about 11,000 tourists. The Ministry of Tourism vowed to maintain its effort in attracting cruise ships to the Republic.

Oasis of the Seas enters Verolme dry dock in Rotterdam

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 October 2014 04 October 2014

Earlier this week, the world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean International's 226,000 gross ton Oasis of the Seas arrived into the Keppel Verolme shipyard in Rotterdam ahead of its sailing to the UK. Arriving in Southampton for the first time on 15 October 2014, the ship will be 40 per cent larger than any other cruise ship to ever berth in the UK, the cruise line said in a statement.

Star Princess to deliver relief supplies on return call to Cabo San Lucas following Hurricane Odile

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 October 2014 03 October 2014

Star Princess will call on Cabo San Lucas this Saturday, Oct. 4, for the first time following Hurricane Odile and bring needed relief supplies to area residents impacted by the storm. The Princess cruise ship will deliver pallets of bottled water, milk and paper products, among other supplies.

"The residents of Cabo San Lucas form one big hospitality community that regularly welcomes our ships’ guests. We want to return that hospitality by giving back to them as they work to recover and prepare to receive visitors once again,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises.

“The entire destination has been working tirelessly to reopen restaurants, shops and tours, and all of us at Princess appreciate and applaud their commitment to tourism and their tremendous effort to rebuild and restore so quickly,” she added.

Star Princess will be the first Princess ship, and among the first of all cruise line ships, to visit Cabo San Lucas since Hurricane Odile hit the area in mid-September. The popular Princess Cruises west coast fall 2014 and spring 2015 sailings program includes a variety of 7, 9- and 10-day Mexico cruises on Grand Princess, Crown Princess and Star Princess. Panama Canal cruises on Island Princess also call on Mexico destinations including Cabo San Lucas.

Crystal Symphony emerges from dry dock

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 October 2014 03 October 2014

Crystal Symphony has emerged from a two-week, $20 million-plus dry dock redesign with lushly reimagined spaces, indoors and out. Luxury cruise leader Crystal Cruises unveiled the ship’s new look on September 27, as guests embarked on an eight-day Hamburg-Lisbon voyage, greeted by contemporary and elegant new designs in the Crystal Plaza and adjacent Crystal Cove Bar area – the ship’s main activity “hubs”. Luxury travelers on board will also experience a new outdoor “Fitness Garden” spanning three aft decks; top of the line indoor fitness equipment; redesigned spa and casino spaces; additional PURE allergy-friendly staterooms; and technological upgrades throughout the ship.

“We continue to invest in creating a contemporary and sumptuous environment that meets the travelers’ desire,” says Crystal President and COO, Edie Rodriguez. “The new features and spaces added during this dry dock are astounding, and offer our guests the relaxed, yet luxurious comfort that they have come to expect and enjoy on Crystal Cruises.”