Coral Princess Celebrates Maiden Call to Port Douglas

Port Douglas welcomed the first cruise ship after two years.

Tour operator Jason Heffernan from Port Douglas is happy to have back the cruise visitors.

Princess Cruises Launches Regal Princess with 51 Bottles of Champagne

Princess Cruises, the cruise line made famous as the backdrop of the iconic Love Boat television series, christened its newest ship Regal Princess today with a tribute to the show as all six of the original cast members served as the ship's godparents.

The star-studded Love Boat themed festivities, which also launched the line's 50th anniversary, celebrated the role the show played in Princess Cruises' five-decades-long history and featured 25 of the show's past guest stars.

 

PNG enjoys boom in big ship cruises

The Canoe and Kundu Festival in Alotau (News Corp)

Papua New Guinea is seeing more big ship traffic from Carnival Corporation brands as the nation continues to open up to tourism.

“With much work and support from the government in promoting cruise tourism in this country, we now see the benefits of cruise tourism,” said Heni Dembis, coordinator of policy and planning, Tourism Promotion Authority.

“PNG is so diverse with fascinating cultures, people who speak almost 800 languages, virgin rainforest and pristine white sandy beaches.”

The government has been busy making it easy for cruise calls, easing various regulations including entry visas, and offering a 50 percent discount on pilot fees. New jetties and wharves in Milne Bay Province were also recently installed at Alotau, Kaibola and Kitava.

Dembis said he had been working with Carnival Australia since 2011 to develop the market for cruise ships, with the first one arriving in late 2013 (the Pacific Dawn).

“We have developed facilities like a wharf extension in Alotau, building of new jetties in Kitava and Kaibola, public amenities in Alotau, footpaths, rubbish/trash bins and more,” he said. “These were in place and delivered to Carnival’s expectations.” In February P&O will add two more PNG ports in Kavieng and Madang, making it seven ports of call in PNG, and more on the way.

Carnival Australia's new ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ trade marketing umbrella

Carnival Australia today unveiled its ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ trade marketing umbrella reaffirming its position as Australia’s pre-eminent cruise company representing seven iconic cruise lines.

The ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ umbrella, launched by CEO Ann Sherry at the Cruise3sixty conference in Sydney, harnesses the united power of the seven brands that sail under its banner – P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard, P&O Cruises World Cruising, Holland America Line and Seabourn – and will be used when engaging with Australian travel agents.

The move also highlights Carnival Australia’s leadership in the region accounting for close to 80 per cent of the cruise industry in Australia and New Zealand with brands, ships, itineraries and destinations catering for every market segment.

Between them, Carnival Australia’s house of seven cruise brands will this year account for 21 ships cruising to and from Australia and New Zealand.

“Our ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ trade marketing umbrella reaffirms Carnival Australia’s status as the cruise industry leader based on experience of more than 80 years cruising in this region,” Ms Sherry said.

“With its ‘house of brands’, Carnival Australia, has been pivotal in the phenomenal growth of cruising that has made this the world’s fastest growing cruise market. As a result, Carnival Australia’s brands are uniquely placed to offer the widest possible choice to cruise holidaymakers under the ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ umbrella.

“Every taste is catered for ranging from high quality mid-range cruising right through to ultra-luxury cruise holidays all sailing to attractive destinations in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Asia and world voyages with passengers unpacking once to then be pampered with the best in care and service.”

In travel industry terms, ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ is a natural progression from Carnival Australia’s previous ‘Complete Cruise Solution’ incarnation but now offers even more by encompassing all seven of the company’s brands.

Ms Sherry said ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ united the full Carnival Australia offering and in doing so accentuated its breadth of choice, quality and excellence.

Debuting today under the new ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ trade marketing umbrella is a new portal at www.WLCL.com.au that, for the first time, provides a single first contact point to engage with all brands from the group. Features of the new portal include:

· A 24/7 single point of access to Polar online and trade tools for all brands

· A financial reporting tool giving agents online access to a suite of key sales data

· A comprehensive guide to the product offering of all seven brands

· Consolidated information of all brands’ best weekly deals in the market

· General communication including eDMs and marketing campaigns

“The ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ portal promises to make it easier for travel agents to do business with our house of brands,” Ms Sherry said.

The ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ umbrella will also be hosting an expanded Partnership Summit later this year with all seven Carnival Australia brands represented, and the formal Carnival Australia Partnership Program will be boosted to include all of the brands with the exception of Holland America Line and Seabourn.

In the months ahead travel agents will increasingly see ‘World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ present at major trade events and communications.
Source = Carnival Australia

Couple disappears from cruise ship

Mystery this morning surrounded the circumstances in which a young couple apparently went overboard from the cruise ship Carnival Spirit somewhere off the New South Wales coast on Wednesday night.

An air and marine search was launched yesterday along a lengthy stretch of the NSW coast covering a about 1000 square kilometres. It resumed at first light today, concentrating on an expanse about 120 kilometres off the coast of Forster, where the incident is thought to have occurred.

The man and the woman were named by ABC News this morning as Paul Rossington, 30, and Kristen Schroder, 27, from NSW. They were found missing when the ship docked at Sydney’s Circular Quay yesterday morning.

It is not clear whether they jumped or fell. Their disappearance was apparently recorded by CCTV cameras aboard, with footage suggesting they went overboard, presumably together, at about 8.50pm. The incident happened on the mid-deck, which (like all passenger decks on ships) is rimmed by a safety fence.

Carnival Spirit

A Carnival Cruise Lines spokesman told SBS the pair were booked on a 10-day cruise and were found missing when passengers disembarked.

Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings from the NSW Police Marine Area Command told SBS yesterday police held hope the two might still be alive.

Carnival Spirit has been based in Sydney since last year and is the largest ship to call Australia home year-round. The ship has 1062 cabins and was carrying 2680 passengers.

The couple had been sharing a cabin and were travelling with family and friends, according to a report in the Australian, which added that it understood “the disappearance is not being treated as suspicious”.

While vanishing from a cruise ship is a very rare occurrence, dozens of passengers have done so over the years. Most are presumed to have “gone overboard”, a phrase which covers both falling or jumping. Some may have been under the influence of drink or drugs. Foul play is suspected in some cases. In a few instances, people have been rescued after many hours in the sea.

About 18 months ago, the US-based International Cruise Victims Association estimated that 165 people had gone missing at sea since 1995. In the same period, over 180 million passengers worldwide have taken cruises – which puts the chances of going overboard at less than one in a million.

Cruisepage.com, which lists some of those who have gone overboard, makes several observations. Males are much more likely to go overboard than females, the average age of a passenger who goes overboard is 41 years and “you are most likely to fall overboard on the last night of your cruise”.

That would appear to be the case in the latest incident, although two people going overboard together is highly unusual.

Detective Superintendent Hutchings told reporters that police had found no witnesses to the event and did not rule out the possibility of a suicide pact, the Australian reported.

Written by : Peter Needham

Ultra-Luxury Arrives in Brisbane as Seabourn Quest Makes Maiden Call

Seabourn Quest in Elba - Italy

One of the world’s newest and most luxurious ships Seabourn Quest has made a romantic maiden visit to Brisbane today with passengers spending Valentine’s Day exploring south-east Queensland.

The US$300 million Seabourn Quest features the most exclusive all-suite accommodation available at sea, with top-of-the-range suites including a private solarium. The ship also offers the largest spa at sea on any luxury vessel, a 1060-square metre indoor/outdoor facility over two decks, providing the ultimate pampering experience with stunning ocean views.

Famous for its highly personalised service, Seabourn is known as the “caviar of cruising”. Carrying only 450 guests, the 32,000-tonne Seabourn Quest provides nearly one crew member for every guest, including concierges eager to respond to any request, from in-port shopping tips to creating the ultimate shore excursion and masseurs who offer complimentary poolside massages.

To mark the romantic visit, an array of floral arrangements plus more than 500 roses, including 350 red roses, were delivered to the ship by a Brisbane wholesaler this morning. Each female guest will receive a Valentine’s Day rose at dinner.

Seabourn Director of Sales Australia Tony Archbold said the cruise line sent two of its newest ships down under this season to cater for the growing interest in luxury cruising.

Arriving at the Brisbane Cruise Terminal from Noumea, Seabourn Quest is in the middle of a 116-day world voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Venice. The ship will sail this afternoon for Sydney before cruising back into Queensland waters and calling at Hamilton Island, Townsville, Cairns and Thursday Island on its way to Asia.

In addition to Seabourn Quest’s call today, sister ship Seabourn Odyssey will make her second visit to Brisbane on March 1, 2013, before heading north to Asia following a summer season in Pacific waters.

“With its beautiful coastline and great activities, Queensland is a very popular destination amongst our passengers so we’re thrilled to be making so many calls to Queensland ports this summer,” Mr Archbold said.

Seabourn Quest passengers were offered a range of shore excursions in Brisbane including:

• A 4x4 adventure through Gold Coast hinterland and Tamborine Mountain including lunch on a private property, a visit to a local winery to taste fine Australian wines and a sightseeing drive through the city
• A visit to Australia Zoo and the charming village of Montville
• A panoramic drive through historic Brisbane, to Mt Cootha lookout and a visit to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
• An insight into Brisbane’s Aboriginal heritage with a visit to a local Aboriginal tribe to learn about traditional song and dance and tribal fire-starting.

Launched in June 2011, Seabourn Quest boasts 225 luxurious and spacious suites, 90 per cent with private verandas, and features four dining venues, six bars and lounges and a host of other amenities including two swimming pools, six whirlpools, boutiques and a unique marina with an array of watersports.

For more information contact a travel agent, call 1300 987 323 or visit www.seabourn.com

Carnival Spirit sails into Sydney

– THE NEWEST AND LARGEST SHIP TO CALL AUSTRALIA HOME –

Carnival Spirit, the newest and largest ship to be home ported year round in Australia, got an Aussie welcome as she sailed into her new home of Sydney Harbour today.

The arrival symbolised the culmination of months of planning and millions of dollars' worth of major Australian modifications made by the world's largest cruise line to Sydney's latest holiday resident.

Playing on the "big is better" theme, Carnival has made some big changes for Spirit's big arrival. Two bespoke upgrades created specifically with Australians in mind are Green Thunder, the steepest and fastest waterslide at sea and Serenity™, a huge, luxurious child-free retreat with panoramic views of the big blue.

The new additions are just two examples of more than 40 Zen to adrenalin activities that Australian families and couples can enjoy on Carnival Spirit every day of their holiday, any time of year.

American-turned-Aussie, Jennifer Vandekreeke, Director Carnival Cruise Lines Australia & New Zealand, has been instrumental in creating the vast range of onboard activities which make up the new and unique holiday option for this market.

"We originally came to Australia because we felt Carnival Cruise Lines would be a great fit with the Aussie personality – both being playful, outgoing and fun-loving. We also knew we'd need to make some changes to ensure our first ship, Carnival Spirit, was equipped to give the discerning Aussie audience an amazing holiday experience.

"We've demonstrated our commitment by spending more than $AUD7 million in upgrades which capture the perfect mix of Aussie personality and American style and service which is evident from Green Thunder to the Aussie coffee and even the Aussie backyard BBQ now installed onboard. We're convinced Australians will love the collaboration as much as we'll enjoy having them aboard. "

Sociable and outgoing Australian couples looking for options and-then-some on holiday, will delight in Sydney's newest entertainment quarter featuring unlimited evening activities to suit everyone's taste. From singing your heart out at SuperStar Live to laughing out loud at up-and-coming comedians at The Punchliner or sampling some of the 20 restaurants, bars and lounges, Spirit has something to suit everyone's taste.

Families looking for fun and memorable holidays at great value will find the right combination of 'we-time' and 'me-time' with unlimited family-friendly activities including WaterWorks –the ship's aqua adventure playground and award winning youth programs that engage, inspire and entertain kids from two to 17-years of age.

Whether it's ultimate relaxation or action-packed adventure, Aussies and Kiwis can explore every speed of holiday on sailings year round from three to 12 night voyages that explore the Pacific Islands, New Zealand and Melbourne and in 2014, Tasmania.

FAST FACTS ON THE NEWEST AND LARGEST SHIP TO CALL AUSTRALIA HOME YEAR ROUND:

·         If tipped on her stern, the 292.6 metre long Carnival Spirit would stretch more than 42 metres above the observation deck of Sydney Tower, the city's tallest building
·         Holds up to 2,680 guests
·         Too big to get under the Sydney Harbour Bridge
·         Over 1000 crew
·         Over 40 onboard activities per day 
·         Features the steepest and fastest waterslide at sea
·         With 1062 staterooms, Carnival Spirit offers more accommodation than Australia's largest hotel, the 658-room Crown Metropol in Melbourne
·         20 restaurants, bars and lounges
·         Serenity – a huge child free, open air retreat with 270° ocean views
·         60 per cent of the cabins are balcony cabins – 682 in total – more than any other ship based in Australia

Carnival Spirit will be docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal from Wednesday, 17 – Friday, 19 October before undertaking her first official cruise – an eight-night sailing to New Caledonia on Saturday, 20 October.

www.carnival.com.au

Carnival Bans Carry-on Booze (Plus Six Other Perks) When Spirit Moves Down Under

Carnival is dropping a number of US perks on board Carnival Spirit when it redeploys Down Under, reports Cruise Weekly.

In total, Carnival is dropping a total of seven benefits, including banning bringing on a bottle of booze on embarkation day. Every other Carnival ship, including Carnival Spirit, allows adult passengers to pack a 750ml bottle of wine or Champagne in their carry-on luggage.

Carnival is also dropping My Awesome Bar Program, the line's all-you-can-drink package, which was trialled on Spirit and is now available on four of its ships.

Read More

Pacific Sun Sails Into The Cruising Record Books

When Pacific Sun was farewelled from the P&O Cruises' fleet at the weekend she sailed into the record books hailed as the 'backbone' of the resurgence of cruising in Australia and New Zealand.

Since joining the fleet in 2004, Pacific Sun notched up some amazing statistics that are testament to her contribution to the cruise industry on both sides of the Tasman.

The superliner returned to Brisbane on Sunday after her farewell seven-night cruise to the Pacific Islands completing more than seven years with P&O Cruises during which she has carried more than half a million passengers.

Pacific Sun's record achievements with P&O Cruises include:

• 2707 days deployed (excluding dry docks)
• 767,600 nautical miles sailed (the equivalent of 30 times around the world)
• 314 cruises with an average duration of 8.6 nights
• 1,168 port calls at 80 separate destinations
• 19 different countries visited
• 178 visits to Noumea
• 571,829 passengers

In a video message, Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia which operates P&O Cruises, paid tribute to Pacific Sun's crew for their role in building the ship's reputation as Australia's favourite cruise ship.

"Pacific Sun has been the backbone of the growth and resurgence of cruising in Australia," Ms Sherry said in the video message.

"None of that would have been possible without all of you and the customer service you provided to all of those passengers. You can all give yourselves a pat on the back for your great achievements."

An Occasion to Remember as P&O Cruises Celebrates 175 Years

HRH The Princess Royal named Aurora in 2000 and Oceana in 2003

To mark 175 years of its worldwide cruising history, P&O Cruises invites past passengers and crew to share their memories on a new website dedicated to celebrating the cruise line’s colourful heritage.

Travellers are encouraged to upload their stories, photos and memories of P&O Cruises on the website (www.175yearsofcruising.com.au), which already contains a collection of fascinating historical items.

Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises in Australia, launched the website to celebrate the 175th anniversary of its sister line in the UK, P&O Cruises World Cruising.

Facebook fans can also share their cruising memories on P&O Cruises’ Facebook page (www.facebook.com/POCruises).

P&O fleet Southampton

Meanwhile, 175th celebrations commenced in the UK cruise line’s home port of Southampton on July 3, local time. The Grand Event saw all seven ships of the P&O Cruises fleet come together for the first time to mark the historic occasion.

P&O Cruises World Cruising managing director, Carol Marlow said it was an honour to have Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal attend the official reception on board Oriana.

“As one of our esteemed godmothers* Princess Anne’s presence and the congregation of our entire fleet to celebrate 175 years of heritage will go down in British maritime history and provide long lasting memories,” Ms Marlow said.

The Grand Event is part of a year of celebrations in 2012, marking 175 years of heritage. P&O Cruises can trace its roots back to 1837 when the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was awarded the Admiralty contract to carry mail to the Iberian Peninsula and beyond.

Today, P&O Cruises is Australia’s leading cruise line providing the only year-sound sailings on its three ships – Sydney-based Pacific Pearl and Pacific Jewel and Brisbane-based Pacific Dawn. P&O UK World Cruising liners Oriana, Arcadia and Aurora regularly visit Australian and New Zealand ports.

For more information regarding the Grand Event in Southampton yesterday please see www.grandevent175.co.uk

Pacific Sun sets off on final cruise

Source: Cruise Weekly

One of Australia’s most significant ships has departed on its last voyage for P&O before moving on to a new life in China. A SMALL crowd gathered in Brisbane on Sunday to bid “bon voyage” to the Pacific Sun, affectionately known for many years as Australia’s favourite cruise ship.

“It was a sombre sailaway with some of her fans lining the river to wave goodbye – I’m told there were a few tears,” a spokesperson for P&O Australia told CW.

 “It’s fair to say that Pacific Sun introduced thousands of Australians to cruising… She was at the core of the resurgence in cruising in Australia.”

In the eight years that Pacific Sun sailed under the P&O brand, Australian cruising experienced double-digit annual growth. Since 2004, the 47,000-tonne ship carried more than half a million passengers on 332 cruises, primarily around the South Pacific.

Over the past two weeks P&O Australia fans on Facebook have posted comments and reminisced about memories of fun on the ‘Sun’.

A group of “cruise enthusiasts” also set up a separate farewell page and are posting updates live from on board the final seven-night Pacific Island cruise. The 26-year-old ship was sold earlier this year as part of Carnival Australia’s continuing program of fleet renewal.

Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, said Pacific Sun had been “enormously popular”. “When Pacific Sun joined our fleet eight years ago, Carnival Australia had two ships based in Australia and now we have seven, so she has certainly played a role in that growth”.

The 723-cabin vessel, built in Sweden in 1986, was first named Jubilee and sailed for US-based Carnival Cruise Lines in the Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska. Mystery surrounds the new unidentified owners, but according to unconfirmed rumours, the ship may be converted into a “floating casino” in China.

P&O Cruises to sail to PNG

Port Moresby: Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill has welcomed Australia’s leading cruise tourism company, Carnival Australia, into the country.

The Papua New Guinea Government and Carnival Australia made this joint announcement after a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Morauta Haus on the 10th of May, 2012. The entry of P & O Cruises is a major boost for PNG tourism and comes after years of hard work by the PNG Ports Corporation Limited and the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority in developing the cruise tourism sector.

Carnival Australia, which operates a combined fleet of seven P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises' vessels, recently announced that P&O Cruises will do a series of cruises to PNG beginning in October 2013. The joint announcement by Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, and Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, is the outcome of the ‘Cruise Ship Development Strategy’ produced by Australian-based CHART Management Consultants for the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority as part of its Tourism Master Plan 2007-2017.

In highlighting PNG’s strengths as a cruise destination, the strategy describes the region as ‘one of the last tourism frontiers, undiscovered by western travellers’ with areas only accessible to tourists by sea. Prime Minister O’Neill said: “The Government and people of Papua New Guinea welcome P&O Australia’s ship to our shores. We are taking steps to ensure cruising becomes an important contributor to our nation. Infrastructure improvements are part of that strategy.” In a sign of growing interest in PNG as a cruise destination, P&O Cruises recently added two dedicated PNG cruise itineraries to its 2013-2014 program. Pacific Dawn will sail to Milne Bay with calls at Alotau, Doini Island and the Trobriand Islands.

“We always believed in Papua New Guinea’s potential as a cruise destination and this has been confirmed by the strong interest following the announcement of P&O Cruises’ initial three cruises to the Milne Bay area,” Ms Sherry said. “Papua New Guinea is one of the most remote and untouched corners of the world, which is so close to Australia geographically but a million miles away in terms of its amazing scenery and fascinating culture.

“The PNG Government’s decision to accelerate funding for the port upgrade at Alotau and for necessary hydrographic surveys in the Trobriand Islands is a positive investment to achieve the economic benefits of regular cruise ship visits. “Our aim is for the initial October to April 2013-2014 cruise itineraries to PNG to be the first of many as this relationship continue to grow.”

Ms Sherry said the Milne Bay area would be popular with Australian travellers for its exquisite scenery, its colourful culture and for its historic World War II links for many Australian families.“It is very satisfying to see the strategy developed for PNG is already bearing such rich fruit,” said Ted Blamey, Principal of CHART Management Consultants. “By facilitating operations for cruise lines and developing port and island facilities, PNG plans to attract more ship visits and so bring real benefits to the national economy, local communities and related businesses. This is while being sensitive to the needs of the people, to their rich and unique cultures and diverse environments.

“Finally, the strategy is to deliver great guest experiences to those lucky enough to be cruising PNG. P&O’s leadership is greatly admired”, Mr. Blamey concluded.

“We are excited that P&O ships are soon to visit our beautiful Milne Bay region” said Mr Peter Vincent, CEO of PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.“The Strategy, which holds great promise for PNG, builds on this over time to extend the benefits to many other parts of the country”, he added. “We look forward to what we hope will be many visits by Carnival Australia’s fine fleet”.

PNG Ports CEO Stanley Alphonse said they were also excited about the entry of Carnival Cruises. “As part of PNG Port’s plans to support the development of cruise tourism, it has undertaken some new initiatives,” said Mr Alphonse.“These include the introduction of the Volunteer Youth Ambassadors as tour guides, temporary refund of pilotage charges for all bona fide cruise ships, rehabilitation and maintenance of our berths and wharves and purchase of air-conditioned inflatable tents for Port Moresby port. With the assistance of PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, inflatable tents will also be purchased for other ports frequented by cruise ships,” he said

P&O Cruises Launches First Dedicated Papua New Guinea Cruises

Pacific Dawn carries in excess of 2000 passengers

P&O Cruises has added exotic Papua New Guinea to its great range of Pacific destinations, with the cruise line announcing new cruises visiting the remote islands and towns of spectacular Milne Bay.

In a first for P&O Cruises, Papua New Guinea will feature in two dedicated itineraries, with Pacific Dawn sailing from Brisbane to the turquoise waters of Milne Bay, where it will visit the local capital Alotau as well as the beautiful white sand beaches of Doini Island and the culturally-rich Trobriand Islands, also known as the Islands of Love, along the northern straits of the Bay.

A highlight of the new 2013-14 program, the Papua New Guinea sailings are priced from $1049* per person quad share for a nine-night cruise, with the maiden cruise to Milne Bay in October 2013 timed to coincide with the sacred Canoe and Kundu Festival where local communities compete in canoe races, costume display and cultural performances.

Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, said the cruise line was excited to be sailing its first dedicated cruises to Papua New Guinea on a superliner.

"Papua New Guinea is one of the most remote and untouched corners of the world - it's so close to Australia geographically, but a million miles away in terms of culture and scenery," Ms Sherry said.

"We're very excited to be able to take Australian holidaymakers from their doorstep and show them this region from the comfort of a superliner for the first time - cruising really is the perfect way to explore Papua New Guinea's idyllic beaches and scenery and discover its ancient customs and history."

The new 2013-14 program, on sale from April 23, features 73 departures across 22 different itineraries with Pacific Dawn sailing from Brisbane and Pacific Jewel and Pacific Pearl cruising from Sydney.

Other highlights of the program include more weekend getaways and short breaks ranging from three to six-nights. In all, the program offers 21 cruises of less than a week with itineraries based around lifestyle themes as well as Melbourne Cup and Australia Day cruises.

The short break cruises start from $529* per person quad share for a three-night cruise from Sydney.


Meanwhile the cruise line's trademark Pacific Islands cruises start from $699* per person quad share for a seven-night cruise from Brisbane and $1099* for nine-night itineraries from Sydney.

For more information visit www.pocruises.com.au

Engine room fire leaves Carnival ship dead in the water

One of Carnival Cruise Lines’ largest ships, the 113,000-ton, two-year-old Carnival Splendor, was floating “dead in the water” – without power or propulsion – yesterday after fire broke out in the engine room of the Mexican coast.

Carnival said 4466 people were aboard when the fire started: 3299 passengers and 1167 crew. No injuries to passengers or crew were reported but the ship was left without flushing toilets, air conditioning, hot meals or telephone services.

The fire started yesterday in the vessel’s aft (rear) engine room. It was extinguished, but only after flames triggered the shutdown of the ship’s main generators.

Carnival was trying to restore power last night. If successful, the ship would return to its home port of Long Beach, California, under its own power, the company said. “However, arrangements for tugboats have been made so that, in the event power is not restored, the ship will be returned to a port with tugboat assistance.”

Carnival Splendor was on the first leg of a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise that began in Long Beach. The cruise will be cancelled. President and chief executive of Carnival Cruise Lines, Gerry Cahill, was quoted as saying that all guests would get a full refund, an extra complimentary cruise and reimbursement of their travel expenses. The ship’s normal itinerary includes stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Written by : William Sykes

Costa Europa accident kills three in Egypt

AL-ARISH, Egypt – A luxury cruise liner carrying nearly 1,500 passengers slammed into the pier as it docked Friday at an Egyptian Red Sea resort in fierce winds, leaving three crew members dead, officials said.

The ship's owner, Costa Crociera, said the vessel sprung a leak on the right side after banging into the dock at about 4:45 a.m.

"We sadly have to confirm the deaths of 3 crew members," the company said in a statement. "The ship is now safely docked in port."

Other passengers were being put up in hotels and arrangements were being made to return them to their home countries, according to the company.

Witnesses said fierce winds had rocked the area overnight and the ship was slammed part way onto the pier.

Bad weather was believed to be the cause of the collision, which left a 2 meter (yard) hole in the body of the ship, according to an Egyptian security official.

The Costa Europa ship had been on an 18-day cruise from Dubai to Savona and had 1,437 guests on board, Italy.

Police and rescue officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information, said the three killed include an Indian, a Brazilian and a Honduran, but the company did not confirm nationalities.

Mohammed Fayez, head of South Sinai ambulance services, said the bodies were still being removed from the ship. The vessel had arrived in Sharm el-Sheik from another Red Sea port in Safaga, local officials said.

The 55,000-ton ship, which was built in 1986, was restored and entered into service with Costa in 2002, the company said.

It's one of 16 cruise ships belonging to the Genoa, Italy-based Costa Crociera line, the Italian subsidiary of Carnival Corp.


Source:

New superliners for Sydney & Brisbane as P&O Cruises expands its fleet

P&O Cruises Australia’s two biggest markets – Sydney and Brisbane – will each get new superliners to drive even further growth in cruising, which is already at record levels.

Brisbane will now become the new homeport for Pacific Dawn, making it the first time a superliner has been based in this city, while Sydney will welcome the latest addition to the Australian fleet, Pacific Jewel.

The move follows new research which shows how the distinctive features of each ship are better suited to the holiday requirements of passengers in their new home ports.

It found that Sydneysiders tended to be more focused on taking time out for themselves when they are on holidays compared with Queenslanders who place more emphasis on being entertained.

Jenny Lourey, Senior Vice President of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, said the research findings had prompted the decision to base superliner Pacific Jewel – which has the biggest spa at sea in this region – in Sydney at the end of the year, rather than Brisbane as initially flagged.

Meanwhile, the stunning Pacific Dawn – with its large Dome entertainment complex – will switch to Brisbane.

"The wonderful promise of family relaxation was a universal reason why our passengers choose to cruise, but there are some fundamental differences in the holiday preferences between our two main markets of Sydney and Brisbane," Ms Lourey said.

"The research shows that Sydneysiders were keen to extend their relaxation with a massage, facial or other spa treatment, while our passengers from Brisbane emphasised entertainment and quality time spent together with the family as a key decision for booking their cruise.

"It seems cruise passengers from Brisbane put more value on maximising every moment of their holiday pursuing a varied range of family activities. The Pacific Dawn supports this with greater children’s capacity and a second multi-use entertainment venue."

The research showed*:

• A large range of entertainment was considered more important for those in Queensland (64%) than those in NSW (54%).

• Twice as many people from Brisbane placed emphasis on family time whilst on holiday compared to those from Sydney

• Sydneysiders were more than twice as likely to prioritise ‘taking time out for themselves’ compared to those from Brisbane.

Pacific Jewel and her sister ship, Pacific Dawn, are two of the most spacious and modern ships to cruise in Australian waters – both with an abundance of balcony cabins, high-quality children’s amenities and spa treatment facilities.

Although sisters, the two ships use the space above the bow of the ship to offer distinctly different facilities.

On Pacific Dawn this space is used to accommodate a massive entertainment area, the Dome, while Pacific Jewel houses a stunning 1300m² ocean-view spa and fitness centre.

Pacific Jewel will feature an amazing open-air deck with aerial stage for circus and music performances, a three-storey atrium foyer and almost 200 private balcony cabins, the most in the P&O Cruises’ fleet.

Brisbane-based superliner Pacific Dawn features 11 decks with two swimming pools, a choice of five evening dining areas, three large kids clubs, nine bars and lounges, a two-storey show lounge and fitness centre.

Pacific Jewel will be based in Sydney from 13 December 2009, following an extensive renovation and refit. Meanwhile, Pacific Dawn will commence the first ever year round program of cruises from Brisbane on 19 December 2009.

Itineraries for the new Pacific Jewel and Pacific Dawn deployments will go on sale on March 21.

For complete convenience, passengers booked on affected cruises departing from December 2009 have been automatically transferred to a cruise that best matches their original booking.

For further information on the new deployments contact your travel agent, visit pocruises.com.au or call P&O Cruises on 1800 129 961