Princess Cruises Makes Changes to Disembarkation Process

Captain's Note: Please see my blog for a response to this announcement.

MSC Orchestra sails the Caribbean Jan 3, 2009

Jacksonville Cruise Port Update

In 2003, JAXPORT constructed a 63,000-square foot temporary cruise facility near the Northwest corner of its Dames Point site in northeast Jacksonville. To get to this terminal, all ships must sail beneath electric power lines and the Dames Point Bridge, both which cross the St. Johns River. Many cruise ships today are too tall to do so. 

To accommodate cruise ships in the long-term, JAXPORT is in the process of reviewing options for a permanent cruise terminal free of height restrictions. The cruise terminal would host one ship and include a parking garage. Currently, JAXPORT is reviewing the results of the recent studies of potential cruise terminal sites and economic impacts of the cruise industry in Jacksonville. No timetable for a decision has been set. 

Carnival's Celebration sails from Jacksonville on four-day cruises to Freeport and Nassau and five-day cruises to Key West and Nassau until April 14, 2008.  JAXPORT will not feature regular cruise service during the summer of 2008. Carnival Cruise Lines will be bringing the 2,052-passenger Carnival Fascination to Jacksonville beginning in September 2008.

CDC December & January Ship Sanitation Ratings  Green Sheet Ratings

Holland America Line - Prinsendam Upgrades Complete

• Luxury bathrooms in all staterooms
• Stateroom upgrades including improved closet space, and new carpeting and furniture
• The New Explorations Café powered by the New York Times
• Expansion and overall upgrade to the shopping promenade
• New carpets and flooring ship-wide
• New putting greens on the sports deck
• Improved space for Club HAL
• Upgraded nautical equipment and lifeboats

Windstar completes Fleet Enhancement

The 148-guest Wind Star is the last of Windstar Cruises’ three ships to complete the Degrees of Difference multi-million dollar initiative to enhance the line’s fleet of motor sailing yachts. Guest upgrades include remodeled bathrooms in all staterooms, an expanded beauty salon and a refurbished lounge. Other additions in guest areas include new tables and chairs in the Veranda, a new couch and ceiling in the Lobby and upgrades to public bathrooms. Upgrades were also completed for the technical operations of the ship.

In 2006, Windstar invested in luxury amenities on board all three ships. Wireless internet is available throughout the ship along with Bose SoundDock speakers in all staterooms, Apple iPod Nanos pre-loaded with music for complimentary check-out and laptops for rent. Plush Euro-Top mattresses, luxury bedding, Egyptian cotton towels and bath amenities by L’Occitane were added to staterooms as well. Other additions include lemon-scented iced towels and orange sorbet served on warm days.

Restaurant enhancements include a reinvigorated menu, a new wine, and Petit-fours, trays of delicate sweet treats, to be served with coffee at the end of dinner.

The 312-guest Wind Surf completed Degrees of Difference upgrades in December 2006 and the 148-guest msy Wind Spirit completed upgrades in April 2007.

January 14, 2008

Voyager Arrives In Galveston

January 14, 2008

CDC December Ship Sanitation Ratings - Green Sheet Ratings

January 11, 2008

Crystal Cruises New Smoking Policy goes into effect May 2008

Crystal Cruises will prohibit smoking on verandahs of all staterooms and suites aboard Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.     Cigarette smoking is permitted in private accommodations (just not out on the verandah). As with the current policy, guests who do not observe the non-smoking policy will first be asked to comply.  Failure to do so can result in a guest being asked to leave the ship at his/her own expense. The new smoking policy takes effect with the May 7, 2008 London-to-Rome cruise on Crystal Serenity and the May 25, 2008 Athens-to-London cruise on Crystal Symphony.

Captain's Note: RCI's new smoking policy (effective at the end of January) allows smoking on the balconies but NOT inside the stateroom

NTSB statement regarding the Crown Princess Accident 

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a statement regarding the disposition of the investigation into the Crown Princess incident  Officials determined that the probable cause of an accident involving the cruise ship was the second officer's incorrect wheel commands, executed first to counter an unanticipated high rate of turn and then to counter the vessel's heeling.  Contributing to the cause of the accident were:

1. The captain's and staff captain's inappropriate inputs to the vessel's integrated navigation system while it was traveling at high speed in relatively shallow water.
2. Failure to stabilize the vessel's heading fluctuations before leaving the bridge.
3. Inadequate training of crewmembers in the use of integrated navigation systems.

See the full summary report here

NCL happy with proposed rule. Everyone else...not so much

Feathers have been ruffled by a proposed rule change by U.S. Customs and Border Protection would force all foreign flagged ships to stay in a foreign port for at least 48 hours and allow passengers to go ashore. Critics say the rule would stop cruises from departing from California, delivering a blow to its economy. "San Diego's cruise industry generates over $300 million a year in economic impact for our city. This proposed rule could change that and could drastically impact our city's tourism and economy," U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., said in a statement. If the rule takes effect, "the vast majority of U.S.-based cruises will have to be shut down or, alternatively, will have to move their base of operation to a foreign port," Bradley Stein, vice president and general counsel for Royal Caribbean Cruises, wrote in a letter opposing the change.

According to the US Customs website:

In April of 2007, the operator of the three U.S.-flag cruise vessels operating solely in Hawaii pursuant to the 2003 Act announced their intent to withdraw the PRIDE OF HAWAII from the Hawaii market and
redeploy her to Europe. The operator intends to re-flag the vessel to foreign registry, directly resulting in the loss of over 1,100 crewmember jobs. The primary reason cited for this decision is the rapid increase in foreign-flag competition entering the Hawaii market from the West Coast.

NCL announced the closing of a $1 billion cash equity investment by private equity group Apollo Management, LP ("Apollo") in NCL.

The infusion strengthens NCL's balance sheet and will enable the company to make significant investments in a number of key areas, in addition to funding continued expansion of what is already the youngest fleet in the industry. The company recently announced it will take its signature Freestyle Cruising to the next level with the introduction of Freestyle 2.0, a major enhancement to its on-board product fleet wide, that will further improve the guest experience, including an increased investment in food of $50 million over the next two years, and an upgrading of stateroom bedding and amenities across the fleet.

NCL's next large step forward will be the introduction of the "F3" concept ships in 2010, under construction now in France at a cost of over $1.1 billion per ship.

Princess Cruises names new Commodore

Princess Cruises announced today the company promoted Captain Giuseppe Romano to Commodore of Princess Cruises Fleet. Captain Giuseppe Romano, a 31-year veteran of Princess and Sitmar Cruises, has been named commodore of the company's 16-ship fleet.  He becomes the senior master of the fleet and will represent the interests of all ships and their captains. Good to Know: The title of commodore is an honor that is traditionally bestowed upon the most senior captain of a fleet of ships, and the position represents the highest rank attainable to a Princess mariner.