Holland America Line adds Canaletto Restaurant and enclosed Wintergarden to Prinsendam

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 15 January 2013 15 January 2013

Holland America Line recently completed the addition of the line's casual Italian restaurant Canaletto and transformed the Lido Terrace into an enclosed Wintergarden aboard ms Prinsendam. Named for the famous 18th-century Venetian artist, the award-winning Canaletto is located in the Wintergarden, which is adjacent to the Lido dining area. The restaurant serves classic Italian fare with tableside service for dinner only, and reservations are encouraged. With the addition of the eatery to Prinsendam, Canaletto is now on all 15 ships in the Holland America Line fleet.

"We continue to invest in our fleet and the onboard experience to offer the best premium cruise experience," said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "Prinsendam has one of our most loyal followings, so the new Wintergarden and popular Canaletto will certainly be appreciated by our guests."

In addition to Canaletto, the 835-guest Prinsendam's aft Lido terrace was enclosed and remodeled into a covered Wintergarden. The new area increased the dining capacity of the Lido and provides the venue for Canaletto. The ship also received other cosmetic enhancements during its dry-dock in Freeport, Bahamas, including new balcony decking and balcony dividers.

Cruise Shipping Miami 2013 Conference to feature more sessions

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 15 January 2013 15 January 2013

The conference portion of the annual Cruise Shipping Miami event, slated for March 11-14, has been revamped for its 29th edition. There will be more concurrent sessions Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday and Thursday, and the panels will be just 90 minutes long.

Developed by UBM Live to be more in-depth and content-rich, the redesigned conference lineup is the result of research and feedback from Cruise Shipping Miami attendees, cruise lines and industry organizations. Conference sessions are organized into four "streams" that will thematically link sessions daily Tuesday through Thursday. The streams are Shipbuilding, Operations and Technology; Destinations and Ports; Market Segments, and Product Development.

Monday, March 11, will see the return of the annual World Cruise Tourism Summit, with expert panels conducted from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Organized in cooperation with Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, the summit will feature a series of round-table discussions by cruise experts and Cruise Lines International Association representatives on pertinent industry topics.

Tuesday, March 12, the State of the Industry session will run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by four concurrent panels in each of the streams: "The Newbuilding Outlook," "The Caribbean and Mexico," "Upscale Cruising" and "Marketing and Distribution."

Wednesday, March 13, morning sessions will run from 9:30 to 11 a.m., and will include "Revitalization and Repair," "Europe," "Expedition Cruising" and "Social Media." Afternoon sessions will include "The Low-Energy Ship and the Green Agenda," "Expanding Markets," "National Brands" and "Maximizing On-Board Revenue" from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 14, will see the return of the popular Travel Agent Thursday training classes conducted by Cruise Lines International Association. Morning conference sessions will include "Safety in Shipping," "The Cruise Line/Port Interface," "Shorex Programs" and "Human Resources at Sea" from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Afternoon sessions from 3 to 4:30 p.m. will include "The Ship of the Future," "Terminal Development and Security in Port and On Board," "River Cruise" and "Hotel and Catering Procurement."

Cruise Shipping Miami is organized by UBM Live and exclusively supported by Cruise Lines International Association and Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association to provide a one-stop global resource for cruise lines and their suppliers.

American Queen makes schedule change to accommodate construction of new paddlewheel drive shaft

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 14 January 2013 14 January 2013

The American Queen Steamboat Company announces it is cancelling the February 7 and February 15, 2013, voyages of the American Queen. The boat will spend this extra time in the shipyard providing engineers the opportunity to build a completely new and more durable paddlewheel drive shaft, while re-building and reinforcing the fabled paddlewheel.

"The safety and reliability of the American Queen is our top priority and her drive shaft must be completely re-built," shares American Queen Steamboat Company President and COO Ted Sykes. "This additional time in lay-up is needed to custom-build a much stronger drive shaft with a 40- to 50-year lifespan, as well as re-install the iconic paddlewheel. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our guests and travel partners, and we are looking forward to an exciting and successful second season."

These repairs will take place in addition to her annual refurbishments that include such enhancements as painting and wall papering public spaces and staterooms, the addition of a new Front Porch Café and décor updates to the J.M. White Dining Room and Engine Room Bar, to name a few.

The American Queen is now scheduled to sail her first voyage of the season on February 23, 2013, roundtrip from New Orleans.

Guests booked on the February 7 and February 15 departures will receive the following consideration for re-booking on these 2013 Lower Mississippi voyages: February 23, March 2, March 9, March 16, March 24, March 31, May 5, May 12, June 9, June 16, June 23, or any July or August voyage on the Upper Mississippi or Ohio River.

· $250 per person/$500 per stateroom credit (refund) to offset change fees related to travel arrangements

· Upgrade to best available stateroom at the time of re-booking

· Guests on the February 7 Mardi Gras voyage may choose to be re-accommodated on the 2014 Mardi Gras Voyage at the current 2013 prices

· Guests who choose to cancel will receive a full refund and reimbursement for reasonable travel-related expenses.

Travel agent commissions will be fully protected.

Azamara Journey exits Sembawang Shipyard with new look and refreshed spaces

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 14 January 2013 14 January 2013

Azamara Journey, the second of Azamara Club Cruises' twin boutique ships to undergo refurbishment, emerged today from an eight-day drydock in Singapore's Sembawang Shipyard.  Azamara Journey, now complete with a refresh of all public spaces and staterooms and an elegant new Azamara Blue exterior hull, continues its Asia season with a 13-night Indonesia voyage round-trip from Singapore.

With its newly refreshed ships, the cruise line that sails to exciting destinations around the world that larger ships are unable to reach is poised to break away from its category. Azamara features longer stays and more overnights in port to present up-market travelers the opportunity for night touring. Paired with the new complimentary AzAmazing Evening event on every voyage, starting with each ship's Europe 2013 season, Azamara is delivering to guests the most authentic, intimate and bespoke travel experiences that showcases the nightlife of some of the world's most intriguing destinations.

Shipwide renovations included new carpets, upholstery, and a new color palette in public spaces reflecting the cruise line's inviting atmosphere; new mattresses and upgraded veranda furniture for suites and staterooms; and a resurfaced pool, and new sun loungers and pool towels on the outer decks.  The Casino Bar also was expanded and enhanced with new furniture, while the Spa and fitness center was refreshed with a new steam room, showers, and state-of-the-art Life Fitness cardio equipment. Furthermore, a range of enhancements were made behind the scenes in the staff and crew areas to add to the comfort of the cruise line's most valuable asset.

On the culinary front, guests can now enjoy a new caviar and champagne bar within Aqualina, one of the ships' two specialty dining venues, as well as a new Chef's Table concept featuring three wine degustation menus - Italian, French and Californian. At Mosaic Café, the ships' central gathering spot, guests can purchase a freshly brewed cup of bespoke coffee or tea.

Guests aboard Azamara Journey enjoy more inclusive amenities, such as included gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff; complimentary bottled water, sodas, specialty coffee, and teas, as well as complimentary red and white boutique wines to accompany lunch and dinner; complimentary self-service laundry; English Butler service for suite guests; and shuttle transportation to city centers in ports, where available.

Azamara Club Cruises is a destination-immersive cruise line for up-market travelers who not only want to see the places and cultures they visit, but to live them. Azamara's two intimate, 694-guest ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, with a combination of 347 suites and staterooms, offer a European-boutique hotel ambience with extraordinary service, fine cuisine and wines from around the world, and wellness and vitality programs, all while sailing to a host of destinations larger ships cannot reach. Azamara Club Cruises sails European destinations, including the Baltic and Scandinavia, British Isles, Western Europe, French and Italian Rivieras, Greek Isles, Croatia, Holy Land and Black Sea, as well as Asia, South America and lesser-traveled islands of the West Indies, with more overnight and late-night stays in every region.

Travelers also can choose even more immersive experiences with Azamara cruisetours in eight of the world's most exciting destinations, including Rome, Athens, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Istanbul, Jordan and Israel, India, and China.