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New year, new ships: 24 in 2013 Five ocean liners, 18 river vessels and a luxury expedition yacht are set to debut this year. TRAVELLERS can look forward to many exciting developments in cruising over the next 12 months, with two-dozen ship launches and unique onboard features. Most of the newbuilds are coming to Europe's rivers, and 10 are from the same company: Viking River Cruises. Viking's latest river vessels will be identical, each carrying 190 passengers along the Rhine, Main and Danube, with the first three to be christened in March. The earliest to debut on the ocean, in April, is NCL's Norwegian Breakaway. Based in New York, the 4,000-passenger megaliner will raise the bar for entertainment with the Broadway show ‘Rock of Ages’. Higher levels of accommodation will include access to The Haven featuring a private pool, hot tub, fitness area and ‘courtyard valet’. One of the most innovative debuts is Princess Cruises' 3,600-passenger Royal Princess, which has a glass-bottomed walkway and bar extending from the top deck over the side of the ship, only 40 metres above the waves. Sailing from June, it will also introduce the Princess Live television studio at sea, hosting concerts, comedy and cookery shows, filmed in front of an audience and broadcast live throughout the ship. MSC Cruises is introducing the 3,500passenger MSC Preziosa, featuring the Yacht Club, a Bali-style spa, the longest single-rider waterslide at sea, an infinity pool and adultsonly area. The highlight of the small ships is HapagLloyd's 516-passenger, all-suite, all-balcony Europa 2. Positioned as the modern sister ship of the award-winning Europa, it has eight gourmet restaurants and all cruises will be conducted in
English. Australia's APT and Europe's AmaWaterways will jointly unveil AmaVida in March on Portugal's Douro River and AmaPrima in April on the Danube. Avalon Waterways’ Avalon Artistry II and Avalon Expression are set to follow, boasting large suites and wall-to-wall opening panoramic windows. Scenic Tours' seventh ‘space-ship’, Scenic Jewel, will operate Amsterdam to Budapest. In July, Ponant Cruises’ Le Soleal, a 264passenger expedition yacht, will commence luxury expeditions to the Arctic. The remaining newbuilds, rarely marketed in Australia, include AIDA Cruises’ AIDAstella, Orient-Express Hotels’ Orcaella and Vantage Travel's River Explorer and River Navigator.
New RCCL summer cruises IN a nod to its growing popularity with Australian holidaymakers, Royal Caribbean has added three new cruises to its 2013-14 Australasian summer season. As such Voyager of the Seas will now add a three-night Weekend Sampler ‘cruise to nowhere’, departing Sydney on Friday 10 January 2014; as well as an 11-night South Pacific cruise departing Sydney 13 January 2014 and calling in Fiji and New Caledonia. Meanwhile Rhapsody of the Seas will now offer an 11-night South Pacific sailing departing Sydney 11 February 2014, calling at the tropical ports of Noumea, Mare and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia; and Mystery Island, Luganville and Vila, Vanuatu. To cater for the new cruises, guests previously booked on Voyager of the Seas’ 14night New Zealand cruise departing 10 January 2014 and Rhapsody of the Seas’ 11-night Queensland cruise departing 11 February 2014 have been offered alternative itineraries. See your travel agent for more details, or visit www.royalcaribbean.com.au.
Welcome aboard Deluxe River Cruising & China Holidays 2013
TODAY’S ISSUE OF CW Welcome to the very first issue of Cruise Weekly for 2013. Today’s issue features four pages packed full of cruise news and photos.
New Year’s Eve let down A GROUP of up to 150 New Year’s Eve revelers were left stranded on a Darling Harbour ferry wharf and $450 out of pocket after Eve Harbour Cruises failed to put on its promised NYE cruise. The voyage, onboard the company’s three deck MV Eve, was supposed to depart Darling Harbour at 6.30pm and provide guests with six-hours of entertainment, plus a spectacular vantage point for Sydney’s fireworks and unlimited food and beverages. Tickets for the sailing went on sale in July, and guests had been made to pay in full for the cruise by November. Eve Harbour Cruises, based in the NSW suburb of Castle Hill, under the Directorship of Allen Yousef, has not yet answered any questions as to its failure to show. Despite not answering calls, Eve Harbour Cruises is still offering Australia Day Cruises and other future voyages for sale on its website. In the wake of the furor, Fair Trading NSW has advised consumers not to deal with Eve Harbour Cruises.
Themed for Un-Cruisers UN-CRUISE Adventures has added themes to ten of its 2013 sailings in the Hawaiian Islands and Mexico’s Sea of Cortés. Theme cruises in Hawaii onboard Safari Explorer include Photography and Whales (05 Jan), Kids in Nature (09 Mar), and Photography (06 Apr); whilst theme cruises in Sea of Cortes onboard Safari Endeavour include Marine Biology (12 Jan and 30 Mar), Photography (16 Feb and 16 Mar), and Kids in Nature (09 and 23 Mar). See www.innerseadiscoveries.com.
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Cruise Calendar Cruise Weekly’s cruise calendar details upcoming port calls of passenger cruise ships at various destinations in Australia. SYDNEY Pacific Pearl Carnival Spirit Pacific Jewel Radiance of the Seas Diamond Spirit Sea Princess Oosterdam Crystal Symphony Voyager of the Seas Rhapsody of the Seas Celebrity Solstice
Tue 08 Jan Tue 08 Jan Wed 09 Jan Wed 09 Jan Fri 11 Jan Sat 12 Jan Sat 12 Jan Sun 13 Jan Sun 13 Jan Mon 14 Jan Tue 15 Jan
BRISBANE Costa Romantica Pacific Dawn Sun Princess
Thu 10 Jan Sat 12 Jan Sun 13 Jan
CAIRNS Costa NeoRomantica
Sun 13 Jan
MELBOURNE Voyager of the Seas Seabourn Odyssey Diamond Princess Dawn Princess Diamond Princess
Tue 08 Jan Tue 08 Jan Wed 09 Jan Thu 10 Jan Tue 15 Jan
CAIRNS Costa NeoRomantica
Sun 13 Jan
HOBART Silver Shadow Crystal Symphony Voyager of the Seas Diamond Princess Celebrity Solstice Oosterdam
Tue 08 Jan Thu 10 Jan Thu 10 Jan Sun 13 Jan Sun 13 Jan Mon 14 Jan
Zumba onboard Celebrity ZUMBA will be rolled out fleet-wide onboard Celebrity Cruises vessels. Prior to this decision, the popular Latin dancing classes only featured on Celebrity’s trans-Atlantic voyages. The Zumba classes will be available to exercise lovers onboard from 12 January.
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Happy new year: drink plans are here! Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean have become the first lines to introduce drinks packages, including alcohol, on Australia-based ships. AUSTRALIANS often miss out on the benefits offered to American and European cruise passengers, but this season has seen one company bring all-inclusive deals down under. Celebrity Cruises, which operates Celebrity Solstice from Sydney, has quietly continued its special beverage deals while based in local waters. At the top of the list is the premium package, allowing access to the full range of beers, spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass (priced up to $12), as well as frozen drinks, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, smoothies, premium bottled water and Red Bull. The cost is approximately AU$52 per night (plus 15% service charge) and must be purchased for every day of the cruise. The classic package (AU$43 per night, plus service charge) includes beers up to $5 per serving, and spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $8 per serving. Non-alcoholic plans are also offered, including selected soft drinks, juices, coffees, teas and bottled water, priced from approximately AU$13 per night. In December, Celebrity's sister brand, Royal Caribbean, unveiled two new alcohol packages to be sold across its entire fleet, including the Sydney-based Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. While this perk is already available on 13 Royal Caribbean ships around the world, a company spokesperson told Cruise Weekly it would be rolled out in Australia by “early 2013”. The packages will only be sold on sailings of seven nights or longer and passengers must
Concordia gone by year end? COSTA Concordia may be gone from the Italian coastline off the island of Giglio by the end of the year, according to officials overseeing the vessel’s wreck removal process. The news comes nearly 12-months after the sinking of the vessel, with authorities cautioning that the progress of the removal would also depend on factors such as weather and sea conditions.
make the purchase on the first day of the cruise. If a guest buys a package, it must also be purchased by each adult passenger staying in the same cabin. Previously, only wine packages were sold to Australians on Radiance and Rhapsody. Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Lines, which is trialling an all-you-can-drink program on several of its ships, has confirmed that it will not be offered on Carnival Spirit. “At this point, Carnival Cruise Lines has no plans to expand our alcoholic drinks package to our Australia-based ship, Carnival Spirit,” said Jennifer Vandekreeke, Director, Carnival Cruise Lines Australia. “However, our 'bottomless bubbles' nonalcoholic drinks package has been available since we started sailing from Sydney Harbour in October.” P&O and Princess also do not offer drinks packages in Australia.
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New Florida cruise facilities
Gemini resurfaces in Asia
CRUISERS stopping off in Florida at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale will now be able to enjoy the benefits of four fully renovated, expanded and modernised cruise terminals. Cruise Terminals 2, 19, 21 and 26 are part of a $54 million renovation project which has seen the facilities transformed into modern, guest-friendly cruise terminals, capable of processing both debarking and embarking cruise passengers simultaneously. The work is the result of an agreement between the Carnival Corporation and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners (the governing body for Port Everglades). Conditions stipulated in the agreement (one of the largest in Carnival's history) call for a minimum of 25.5 million cruise guests from multiple Carnival Corporation brands to sail to and from Port Everglades over the initial 15year term, which will potentially produce almost half-a-billion dollars in Port revenue.
THE 50,764-ton SuperStar Gemini emerged from her refurbishment cocoon last week, setting sail from Singapore to Penang where she will homeport between January and March, before commencing her seven-month seasonal deployment from April in Shanghai, calling at popular destinations in North. The refurbishment included the installation of upgraded navigational and safety systems; as well as a restyling and refresh of cabins, restaurants, entertainment and recreational facilities, and a new hull artwork, depicting the Gemini constellation twins.
SuperStar Gemini
Third Oasis is on the horizon
Tere Moana christened TERE Moana, the newest ship for Paul Gauguin Cruises, has been welcomed to the world at a lavish ceremony held dockside on 28 December in Marigot, St. Martin. The new vessel measures 330 feet long, 46 feet wide and has a draft of 11.5 feet, with room for 90 guests and a staff of 60. In terms of accommodations, Moana’s 45 oceanview staterooms feature king-size beds with fine linens and feather-down duvets; a flatscreen TV; DVD/CD player; iPod docking station; in-stateroom refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer, and bottled water; robes and slippers; spacious closets; and a bathroom with sumptuous bath products. Eight of the staterooms also feature balconies. The vessel also offers two elegant dining venues, and guests can expect to enjoy live piano music in Le Salon, spa services at Deep Nature Spa by Algotherm, and a fitness center. The ship’s outdoor decks feature a swimming pool, hot tub, chaise lounges, and Balinese beds, and in select ports, kayaking and paddleboarding are available from the ship’s watersports marina.
Tere Moana
A NEW contract has been inked between STX France and Royal Caribbean for the creation of a third Oasis ship. Under the contract terms, the vessel will be delivered mid 2016. The contract also features an added option for a fourth ship due in mid 2018. The third Oasis ship will measure 361 metres long and 66 metres wide, and will weigh in at 225,282 gross registered tons with capacity for a whopping 5,400 guests. “The Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have fundamentally transformed the cruise experience for our guests,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises. “These ships have consistently generated outstanding guest satisfaction ratings and continue to produce superior financial results. “We are thrilled to be adding a sister to this extraordinary class of vessels at a compelling price. “Being back building in France just adds to the pleasure,” he added. MEANWHILE giant STX Finland has got the new year off to an unfortunate start, announcing it has to reduce costs by 30%, meaning hundreds of jobs at its Turku and Rauma yards may be slashed. The cuts are due to the company’s current financial situation which it had hoped to salvage by securing the lucrative one billion Euro deal to build the third Oasis Class ship.
3 2 5 7 + 2 / ( ONE boating experience you may be glad you did not participate in. The annual Collingwood Raft Race kicked of in NZ this week, seeing competitors coated in a mix of rotten eggs, squid and whey, as well as flour, as they battled it out to claim the coveted Bright Shield. This year 18 rafts entered the comp, with designs incorporating bathtubs, pallets, buoys, and for one inventive team, a spa. As tradition dictates, once competitors neared the finish line, they became prey to locals standing on a near-by bridge armed with foul smelling concoctions to dump on the intrepid rafters. The race was won by team Strange One. Team members from Dairy for Life are pictured right getting into the spirit of the race.
New master at the helm EXCLUSIVE luxury cruise company, SeaDream Yacht Club, has welcomed new leadership in Pamela Conover, who has taken over as its new Chief Executive Office. Already an industry veteran, past positions for Conover have included President and CEO of Seabourn Cruise Line (during the introduction of the Odyssey class ships), and President of Cunard Line (during the introduction of Queen Mary 2). “I am very excited to take on the CEO role at SeaDream Yacht Club which delivers award winning experiences aboard its two, 56 stateroom mega-yachts SeaDream I and II”, said Conover. Meanwhile, discussing the appointment, Atle Brynestad, Chairman and owner of SeaDream Yacht Club said “ I welcome Pam to take my role as the CEO of SeaDream, so I can spend more time towards the long term planning for SeaDream and also more time to my other businesses”. Conover is pictured to the right.
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Early Season Antarctica by: Louise Goldsbury One Ocean Expeditions' Akademik Ioffe departed for Antarctica on the first day of the 2012/13 cruise season, 08 November. For some, this time of year is too early or too cold, but there are many surprising advantages. Most obviously, November presents the best opportunity to see Antarctica in its most undisturbed form, when the snow is pure white (not dirtied by penguin poo and muddy footprints) and fewer ships are in the area. It's also the start of the mating period for penguins, allowing voyeuristic visitors the chance to observe their fascinating courtship rituals and nest-building antics. On the downside, there may be less wildlife, but you can get lucky. And we got incredibly lucky. At our first destination, Yankee Harbour, our onboard naturalist, the unflappably enthusiastic Brian Keating, warned that we might not see any penguins yet, but moments later, he was beside himself with excitement. We just happened to arrive at the same time as thousands of Gentoo penguins, who had spent several months at sea. An estimated 2,000 of them, coming ashore in a clumsy, slippery show, to find the perfect nesting spots for the breeding season. They leapt out of the water onto icebergs (or often, completely missed and tried, tried, tried again, much to our amusement). Unperturbed by the sight of 50 humans, they then waddled, en masse, across the pristine island. I lay down near their path and watched the parade for three delightful hours. Most continued on their mission, but some walked straight towards me or stopped nearby to join me for a rest. It's no exaggeration to say this was the most incredible and endearing
Exploring Dorian Bay
Cruise Weekly is Australia’s favourite online cruising publication. In production since 2007, Cruise Weekly is published each Tuesday, with a further travel industry update each Thursday. Cruise Weekly is free and is sent to subscribers via email as an Adobe Acrobat PDF document. Sign up for a free subscription at www.cruiseweekly.com.au. PO Box 1010, Epping, NSW 1710 Phone: 1300 799 220 Fax: 1300 799 221
scene I had ever witnessed. On another day, we visited a penguin rookery where the mating had begun. Passengers were charmed by the way these animals bowed to each other, asking permission, and when a couple bonded, they would point their beaks to the sky, flap their wings and let out the “ecstasy call”.
Kayaking and skiing Early season is certainly colder than February, but it's the best time for adventure activities. Yes, there is much to be said for kayaking in summer to see whales; however, my most memorable moment was paddling through the icy water. Snow was piled high on our kayak, the floating slush was three inches thick, and I giggled at the sensation of paddling through a frozen daiquiri. Only six couples ventured out on this chilly morning. The silvery lighting was surreal, the silence was eerie; it truly felt like another planet, removed from 'the real world'. One Ocean Expeditions offers kayaking and skiing on the first voyage of each season (for an extra charge), which is highly recommend for anyone seeking a more active experience of this intriguing continent. Camping on the ice is also a possibility (subject to weather), with all gear provided. Unlike other cruise lines, One Ocean does not charge extra for overnight camping or the waterproof clothing and boots provided for daily shore excursions. November pricing is also much cheaper. In 2013-14, fares start at US$6,590 (triple share); US$8,990 (twin share). For bookings, contact Active Travel on 1300 783 188.
Penguin parade
Publisher/Managing Editor: Bruce Piper Editor: Louise Goldsbury Assistant Editor: Amanda Collins Contributors: Roderick Eime and Chantel Housler Email: info@cruiseweekly.com.au Cruise Weekly is part of the Travel Daily Group:
Kayaking through ice
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