May 30, California Cruise Ship Bill Passes Senate

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The California State Senate approved legislation seeking to post ocean rangers on cruise ships to enhance safety, provide environmental monitoring and strengthen homeland security. Senate Bill 1582, sponsored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), was approved on a 25-12 vote. The measure now moves to the state assembly for a hearing this summer. The bill requires that two Ocean Rangers (one licensed marine engineer and one certified peace officer) be present on all cruise ships sailing in California waters. Simitian’s long-term goal, he said, is to create “a seamless network of protection from one end of the Pacific Coast to the other through a series of agreements with other Pacific states” including Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.


Members of International Cruise Victims and environmental advocates visited Senate member offices earlier this week to urge support for SB 1582. The group included Ken Carver, whose daughter Merrian disappeared while on a cruise to Alaska; Laurie Dishman, the victim of a rape while on a cruise to Mexico; Son Michael Pham, whose parents disappeared while on a Caribbean cruise; Jamie Barnett, whose daughter Ashley died while on a cruise to Mexico; and Gershon Cohen, project director of the Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters, who was instrumental in the creation of Alaska’s Ocean Ranger program. While the issue of cruise ship crime has garnered broader public attention, Simitian said the bill is also designed to enhance environmental protections.


Responding to the move, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) stated: “The cruise industry provides its customers with an extremely safe experience, and our customer satisfaction level of more than 95 percent is an important statistic that means much to the industry. We are also a leader in the maritime industry when it comes to protecting the environment, and in recent years have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research and technology to reduce our environmental footprint. We look forward to working with the Assembly and the Office of the Governor to address the important issues raised in this legislation.”


Source: Modern Agent

May 29, Seabourn Reaches Construction Milestone for Odyssey

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Seabourn Cruise Line said the hull of its new Seabourn Odyssey arrived at the T.Mariotti dock in Genoa, Italy, on May 27. The hull, built in San Giorgio di Nogaro in the Gulf of Venice, was towed southward through the Adriatic, around Italy’s heel and up the coast of Italy to the T.Mariotti shipyard, where blocks of the yacht’s superstructure have been under construction while the hull was being completed.

Final construction and fitting out of the vessel will be performed over the next year in time for the vessel’s launch in June 2009. The arrival of the hull marks a major milestone in the delivery schedule of three cruise vessels from T.Mariotti S.p.A. for Seabourn, the ultra-luxury brand of Miami-based Carnival Corporation.


The 200 million Seabourn Odyssey will be the cruise industry’s first ultra-luxury ship in six years. A maximum of 450 guests will travel on board, in all-suite accommodations measuring from 290 to over 1,600 square feet. More than 90 percent of the suites will have private verandas. The mega-yacht will offer five dining options, five lounges and bars, a pool and sunbathing area, and a two-deck, indoor/outdoor spa facility.

Seabourn Odyssey’s maiden season will include voyages in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, before embarking on Seabourn’s first-ever World Cruise in January 2010. “The arrival of the hull marks a significant step toward this luxury vessel’s debut,” said Pamela Conover, president and CEO of Seabourn. “Just looking at the graceful curve of her waterline gives a hint of what’s in store for luxury cruise lovers come next summer, and we are looking forward to welcoming guests onboard Seabourn’s exciting new yacht.”


Source: Modern Agent

May 20, Royal Caribbean Infant Policy

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Royal Caribbean has reiterated that infants must be at least six months old before the first day of a cruise or cruise-tour to sail on its Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity and Azamara brands.

For RCCL’s transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii and certain South American cruises and related cruise-tours, the new minimum age is 12 months.

In addition, women must be less than 24 weeks pregnant before the first day of a cruise for sailings operated by RCCL’s three brands. RCCL implemented the new policies at the beginning of this month, saying that the changes “recognize that infants and pregnant women can often require specialized, emergency medical attention that can best be provided by land-based hospitals.”


Source: Travel Weekly

May 13, Seabourn Cruise Line Enhances Site

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The Yachts of Seabourn added more port descriptions to its Web site; it now allows passengers to research ports facts and find “insider tips” about what to explore in ports. Its Web site also allows booked guests to purchase pre- and post-cruise hotel stays and land extensions, as well as certain midcruise, overland options and shore excursions, several months before departure.

May 13, Carnival Cruise Lines Enchances Website

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Carnival added new videos, virtual tours and updated images and content for the line’s 22 ships. Carnival also added a section for visitors to purchase items that can be delivered to passengers’ cabins prior to their cruise.

May 13, Holland America To Charge For Cabanas

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HOLLAND AMERICA LINE will charge between $30 and $75 per day for use of private cabanas on the 2,014-passenger Eurodam, the line’s first Signature-class ship, slated to debut in July.

The ship will feature private tented cabanas on two decks: the Observation Deck in an area called the Retreat, and around the midship pool on the Lido Deck. Cabanas will be furnished with woven chaises, ottomans and upholstered settees and will be stocked with bathrobes, towels, handheld fans, an Evian spray mister and iPods preloaded with music. Chilled water and iced fruit skewers will be available to cabana guests in the morning, and in the afternoon they will get frozen grapes, chocolate-covered strawberries and a glass of champagne. The Retreat, a quiet, spa-themed outdoor area, will have 14 cabanas that will cost $45 on port days and $75 on sea days, while the eight Lido Deck cabanas will go for $30 on port days and $50 on sea days.


Source: Travel Weekly

May 13, MSC Cruises to Offer Teen Card

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MSC CRUISES is selling prepaid cards for teenagers to use for purchases and as room keys on MSC ships.

Called the My Teen Card, the product is targeted at kids ages 12 to 17 and can be used to buy sodas and gift shop items. MSC Cruises USA CEO Richard Sasso said that the Teen Card “acknowledges the fact that teens desire a certain level of independence when it comes to onboard purchases…They will not have to go to mom and dad every time they want to make a purchase.” MSC said that on Caribbean sailings passengers can buy a $30 card with $5 bonus or a $50 with $10 bonus, and in Europe the cards cost 30 euros with a 5 euro bonus or 50 euros with a 10 euro bonus.


Source: Travel Weekly