Mar 31, Passport rule for land and sea travelers postponed to June 2009

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Those traveling to the U.S. by land and sea won’t have to present a passport until June 1, 2009, according to a ruling issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.


The ruling follows the congressional passage of a December bill ordering a delay until at least June 2009 of the passport requirement for land and sea travelers.


Many cross-border travelers already have WHTI-compliant documents such as a passport or a Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST), or a Washington State enhanced driver’s license (EDL). The Department of State already is accepting applications for the new Passport Cards and additional states and Canadian provinces will be issuing EDLs in the next several months — all of which are options specifically designed for land and sea border use.


Beginning June 1, 2009, the DHS will institute special provisions that allow school or other organized groups of children ages 18 and under who are U.S. or Canadian citizens to enter the U.S. with proof of citizenship alone.



Over the next 14 months, the departments will be conducting public information campaigns to inform U.S. and Canadian citizens about the new document requirements. These campaigns will include special outreach to residents of border communities who may be most impacted by the new document requirements. The DHS and Department of State are working with the Canadian government to ensure widespread and consistent communications on both sides of our land borders.


This announcement comes two months after the DHS ended acceptance of oral declarations alone of identity and citizenship at the land borders on Jan. 31. Since that time, U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older have been asked to present proof of identity and citizenship. Children ages 18 and under are currently asked only to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.



The changes that took place in January marked the beginning of a transition period intended to prepare the public for WHTI implementation on June 1, 2009. This common sense approach is designed to lessen the impact on individuals and allow time for travelers to become accustomed to the change and obtain the appropriate documents.


Upon implementation of the WHTI, travelers will be required to present a single WHTI-compliant document denoting both citizenship and identity when seeking entry into the U.S. through a land or sea border. Standardized, secure and reliable documentation will enable Customs and Border Protection officers to quickly and accurately identify travelers at land and sea ports of entry.



More information on documentation requirements may be found at . For general information on the WHTI or other travel-related programs, visit www.dhs.gov or www.travel.state.gov.

Source: Travel
Weekly

Mar 12, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Agree to Refund Fuel Supplements

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Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, whose Economic Crimes Division has reached a resolution with two cruise lines over fuel supplements on cruise passengers, said the refunds could total $21 million paid by Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. Those sister companies agreed to refund fuel surcharges collected retroactively from consumers after they had booked their cruises. McCollum also advised Florida consumers to check their hotel, cruise and airline bills for any surcharges not properly disclosed and to report any problems to the Attorney General’s Office.


“Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are the first cruise lines to step forward and take actions to resolve this matter in their customers’ best interest,” McCollum said. “This resolution will serve as a model for the rest of the cruise line industry, and I expect the other companies to take this example and follow suit.”


The agreements were reached after the Economic Crimes Division received several hundred complaints from around the country about the cruise line industry, alleging cruise lines were retroactively charging a fuel supplement charge after cruises had been booked and deposits had been made by consumers. The agreements allow for the imposition of the fuel supplement as long as the charges are disclosed in “a clear and conspicuous manner in advertising and bookings.”


Under the agreements, all consumers who were retroactively charged a fuel supplement will be refunded the full cost of the surcharge. Consumers who have not yet sailed will receive their refund as an onboard credit. In the future, McCollum said, the cruise lines must also ensure “clear and conspicuous disclosure of any fuel supplement charges at the time the reservations are made, as well as in their advertisements.” Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will contact consumers eligible for refunds and must report to the Attorney General’s Office on the status of refunds within 30 days. Consumers who believe they have been improperly charged surcharges may file complaints with the Attorney General’s Office by calling the fraud hotline at 866-966-7226 or by visiting the Attorney General’s website at http://myfloridalegal.com.


Source: Modern Agent

Mar 12, Silversea Names New All-Suite Ship Silver Spirit

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Silversea Cruises said its newest all-suite ship will be named Silver Spirit. The company made the announcement Tuesday at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. Currently under construction at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in Italy, the 540-guest vessel is scheduled to join the fleet in December 2009. Italian architect Giacomo Mortola is overseeing the design of the 36,000-ton vessel. “Silver Spirit’s design will mirror the distinctive silhouette of our existing ships and will offer the same standards of luxury that our guests have come to expect,” said Manfredi Lefebvre, Silversea’s chairman. “But there will also be several significant enhancements, including a new supper club, an Asian-themed restaurant and an expanded spa facility that will rival the best spas on land.”



Silversea President and CEO Amerigo Perasso said the ship will have a contemporary feel but with touches reminiscent of the 1930s. The space ratio will be a high 67. With a total of 270 ocean-view suites, the new ship will increase the number of accommodations in the most popular suite categories. Silver Spirit will feature more of the quick-to-sell-out Silver Suites, with a total of 26, and 222 Veranda Suites. There will also be six Grand Suites and two Owner’s Suites. All but 12 suites will have balconies.


Plans call for a new supper club called Annabelle’s that will serve gourmet cuisine followed by music and dance. Also planned are a new Asian restaurant, the main dining room, The Wine Restaurant and the casual Pool Grille. The new Spa at Silversea, which premiered during Silver Shadow’s World Cruise last year, will be rolled out aboard the new vessel with dramatically more space. An aesthetically pleasing sanctuary is planned for guests to relax, de-stress and detox with an expanded menu of treatments. Silver Spirit will feature many of the same public lounges found on the line’s existing ships, including an Observation Lounge, Vista Lounge (similar to Panorama Lounge on current fleet), Show Lounge, Humidor and Pool Bar, plus a new Lobby Bar styled along the lines of a European hotel, featuring Italian coffees complemented by champagne, wine and spirits — all served at no charge.

Source: Modern Agent

Mar 6, Alaska Proposes Tax Rebate to Cruisers

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The Alaska State Legislature is considering a bill that would amend the cruise ship head tax that Alaska’s citizens voted into law in 2006.


Senate Bill 168, which reached the Senate floor this week, would protect passengers from multiple head taxes, effectively capping the charge at $50 per passenger. The state’s head tax is $50 but some municipalities, including Juneau and Ketchikan, charge their own passenger tax, said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Bert Stedman (R-Sitka) of the Senate Finance Committee.


“If other port communities impose their own municipal fees, the total taxes a passenger pays will obviously grow,” said the Senate Finance Committee in a statement about the bill. “Although it is difficult to quantify, at some point these municipal passenger fees stacked on top of the state head tax could reduce travel to Alaska or decrease the amount cruise passengers spend once they arrive.”


The committee said the bill would entitle cruise passengers to a “dollar-for-dollar credit equal to the lesser of $10 or the actual amount of any similar tax the passenger paid at any of the ship’s first five ports of call.”



Source: Travel Weekly

Mar 5, Carnival’s New Splendor Undergoes Final Outfitting

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Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor is undergoing final outfitting at Fincantieri’s Sestri yard in Genoa, Italy. The 3,006-passenger vessel — the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed — is slated to debut July 2 with an eight-day voyage from Genoa before launching a series of 12-day Northern Europe cruises from London (Dover) — Carnival’s first within this region — beginning July 13. Representing a new class for the line, Carnival Splendor will offer a 21,000-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa that will include a thalassotherapy pool and an elaborate thermal suite. Adjacent to the spa will be 68 spa staterooms and suites-a first for the line. Carnival Splendor will also offer a 5,500-square-foot children’s play area — the largest in the “Fun Ship” fleet — along with a water spray park. Following its European season, Carnival Splendor will reposition to Fort Lauderdale to operate a winter season of seven-day Caribbean sailings. The ship will embark on three South America voyages then operate year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages from Long Beach, continuing the line’s expansion of its West Coast operations.


Source: Modern Agent