Tuesday, 6 August 2013

Acclaimed Travel Expert Valerie Wilson Christens the Amaprima

APT and partner AmaWaterways Celebrate their Newest European Ship in Vilshofen, Germany

Award-winning river cruise lines APT and AmaWaterways celebrated the christening of their newest ship in Vilshofen, Germany, yesterday, amid great fanfare provided by dancers, singers, musicians, stilt walkers and other local performers. The highlight of the event was the traditional christening of the Amaprima by its honorary godmother, Valerie Wilson, founder, chairman and CEO of New York City-based Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc.

Wilson christened the AmaPrima in the time-honored tradition, breaking a bottle of Champagne against the ship's hull. Amid a chorus of cheers and applause, doves were released into the sky as the Vilshofen Fire Department sprayed a plume of water high over the river.

Other highlights included a special blessing of the ship by a local pastor, songs by soprano Heidlinde Schmid and an Indiana Jones-like whipcracking demonstration (a Bavarian tradition). Children from a folkloric club preformed traditional dances and presented the Vilsofhen flag to the AmaPrima's captain, Jan de Bruin, who also signed the town's ceremonial "Golden Book" along with other VIPs in attendance.

The tradition of christening a ship originated more than 4,000 years ago. A respected and well-known woman is selected to serve as a new ship's honorary "godmother," entrusted with blessing the vessel to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew. The Amaprima's godmother, Valerie Wilson, heads one of the largest privately owned and family-managed travel agencies in the United States. She has been honored with many prestigious awards, serves on numerous advisory boards and has shared her expertise with readers of The Wall Street JournalThe New York TimesTown & Country and Travel + Leisure, among others. She is also the author of "Valerie Wilson's World…The Top Hotels & Resorts."

One of APT's Concerto class river ships, the Amaprima, a sister ship to the award-winning Amacerto (2012), is a deluxe 164-feet passenger vessel that incorporates such innovative design features as Twin Balconies (an APT and AmaWaterways exclusive) and spacious staterooms that measure up to 350 sq. feet. Guests also enjoy Chaîne des Rôtisseurs culinary creations with unlimited fine wine and beer, a choice of dining venues, a heated pool with swim-up bar, massage and beauty salon, fitness studio, and complimentary in-room Internet, Infotainment and Wi-Fi. The Amaprima even carries a fleet of bicycles on board so guests can enjoy Europe's picturesque riverside bike paths on their own.

The Amaprima will serve the Dutch and Belgium Waterways and the Danube and Rhine Rivers on 10 itineraries: Tulip Time CruiseThe Romantic DanubeMelodies of the DanubeThe Legendary DanubeBlue Danube DiscoveryBlack Sea VoyageMagnificent EuropeGrand Danube CruiseChristmas Time Cruise; and Great Capitals & Vintages of the Danube.

To book an APT River Cruise onboard the Amaprima in 2014 call 1300 278 278, see www.aptouring.com.au or contact your local travel agent.

Monday, 5 August 2013

Royal Caribbean milestones for new ships

Royal Caribbean milestones for new ships

Excitement was palpable at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, earlier as Royal Caribbean International marked two important milestones in the development of its Quantum class of ships.

Quantum of the Seas, scheduled to be delivered in the autumn of 2014, received its first block as the keel was officially lowered and put into place. In conjunction, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum's sister-ship, had its first piece of steel cut, signalling the first step in the ship's construction.

"Today is a very special day in the development of our new Quantum class, as we are now two steps closer to delighting guests around the world with Quantum cruising," said Adam Goldstein, president, Royal Caribbean International.

"It's incredibly rewarding to see Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas coming together so well, and today we not only honour these two very important milestones, but also recognise the years of hard work and dedication from the team developing these ships." 

The keel laying marks an important milestone in the development of Quantum of the Seas as it signifies the beginning of the ship's physical construction.

During the ceremony, a 430-ton block measuring 59-ft by 75-ft was lifted into the building dock with an 800-ton crane.

Newly minted coins were placed under the keel which then stays in place until the end of construction.

Once the ship is nearing completion the coins are retrieved and presented to the ship's Captain and crew to be placed onboard the ship.

According to maritime tradition, the coins are said to bring luck to the ship during its construction and then to its Captain and crew when out to sea.

The groundbreaking Quantum class ships will debut new unprecedented features, such as RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving experience at sea; the North Star, an engineering marvel that transports guests more than 300 feet above the ocean; transformative venues, such as The Sea-Plex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea with bumper cars, roller skating and more; and the cruise line's largest and most advanced staterooms ever, including the industry's first-ever Virtual Balcony staterooms, which offer expansive, real-time views of the ocean and exciting destinations for interior staterooms.

The Quantum class will debut in autumn 2014 with Quantum of the Seas, followed by her sister-ship Anthem of the Seas in spring 2015. 

Quantum ships span 16 decks, encompass 167,800 gross registered tons, carry 4,180 guests at double occupancy and feature 2,090 staterooms.

Rockefeller Tries To Tax Cruise Lines – Other Cruise News: Cruise Naysayers – Work Under Way on AIDA Sisters In Japan


 by Kevin Griffin

Sometimes there seem to be endless negative voices braying about the big, bad cruise lines and all the wrongs they do. But a quick investigation by The Cruise Examiner finds that this rump adds up to only two or three people, a senator, a university professor and a lawyer. In today’s lead story, we look at how that senator is trying to tax foreign-incorporated cruise lines trading from the United States, while in a follow-up story we look at the naysayers of the industry. Finally, we take a peek preview at two new ships now being built for AIDA Cruises of Germany by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

THIS WEEK’S STORY

Rockefeller Tries To Tax Cruise Lines


In filing a new bill last week that has the intention of taxing foreign-incorporated cruise lines that trade from and to US ports, Senator John D (Jay) Rockefeller IV of West Virginia made a case that lines should pay taxes as they benefit from the resources of the US Navy and US Coast Guard, as well as from the services of more than twenty US agencies and the infrastructure of ports and transportation. Rockefeller is the chair of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation.

Many of the largest cruise lines in the world are now headquartered in Miami, but incorporated overseas, meaning that they are not subject to US federal income tax because of an exemption in the tax code. This exemption was granted on the assumption that non-US corporations would pay tax on their international income in their home countries.

Of the big three, for example, Carnival Corp & plc is incorporated in Panama, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd in Liberia and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in Bermuda.

On Thursday, Rockefeller introduced a bill that would eliminate this income tax exemption for cruise lines and also impose a 5% excise tax on gross income if passengers embark or disembark in the US. The Rockefeller bill seeks to apply tax to cruise line income derived from cruises that embark or disembark passengers in the US. This income would be treated as subject to the US corporate income tax rate of 35%.

In addition to charging income tax, Rockefeller proposes a 5% excise tax on cruise industry income, which would be used to fund transportation infrastructure. The bill would impose excise tax on gross income from cruises embarking or disembarking passengers in the US. For cruises where a majority of passengers embark or disembark in the US, the full gross income from that voyage would be subject to excise tax.

For cruises that call at a US port, but do not embark or disembark a majority of the passengers in the US, half of the gross income would be subject to excise tax. According to Senator Rockefeller, his excise tax would be similar to passenger taxes in the aviation industry and gas tax for motor vehicles.

In a statement last week, Carnival Corp & PLC said that it pays nearly $1.2 billion to US federal, state and local agencies including port authority payments, government fees, dockage fees and payroll taxes. It also is subject to taxes and/or fees based on the guest counts, ship tonnage, ship capacity or some other measurement in “virtually all”port jurisdictions where its ships now call.

The way the bill reads, not only would cruises operating to and from US ports be subject to the excise tax, but so would ship operators from around the world when their ships call in the US. With the devices of Homeland Security and the Cruise Vessel Security & Safety Act of 2010 (“the peepholes act”) having already prompted about half of visiting foreign cruise ships to drop their calls in the US in recent years, it is likely that the other half will now look at joining them if no way can be found of avoiding this new levy.

After nearly thirty years in the Senate, Rockefeller is standing down from his seat and will not be running in the 2014 election. This will be none to soon for many, who regard Rockefeller’s recent efforts to give the US Department of Transportation oversight of the cruise lines as an unnecessary folly and a bureaucratic step too far.

OTHER CRUISE NEWS

Cruise Naysayers

There’s no doubt about it. We’re already there. We’ve gone past the barrier and hardly anyone has noticed, but a cruise is no longer desirable for all the public. To many, the ships have now got too large and too impersonal. But luckily, the market has also grown so much that there is a larger choice of cruises available than ever. Admittedly, some cruisers do not like big ships, but plenty of alternatives still remain.

Sadly, though, unlike in the past, some say they do not want to cruise again..

This first signs of pushback started when ships started getting bigger. The first 100,000-tonner was introduced seventeen years ago now when Lin Arison named the Carnival Destiny at Venice in 1996.

Carnival Destiny moored at Riva Sette Martiri,
Venice – October 1996 (Photo Stefano Fermi)
And the Grand Princess followed in 1997. These first 100,000-tonners brought real economies of scale to cruising but were not yet that different from the modern cruise ships that had preceded them. Ironically, the Carnival Destiny has just been rebuilt as the Carnival Sunshine and Lin Arison, widow of the late Ted Arison, will once again perform the honours.

It was really the arrival of the 1,000-footers that began to change the nature of cruising. The first, Royal Caribbean’s 1,020-foot Voyager of the Seas, of 1999, brought us a Royal Promenade, rock climbing walls and ice-skating. And in recent years, the trade has been deluged with bigger and bigger ships, culminating in 2009-10 in the 5,408-lower-berth Oasis and Allure of the Seas, which can carry 6,360 passengers when all beds are full.

It is now also possible to go surfing on board and to be visited by Shrek, the appearance of whom has probably also scared a good number of adult cruisers away from these ships as well.

Royal Caribbean now stand out as the builder of behemoths, giants and leviathans, now having produced ten ships in three different classes that carry more than 3,000 passengers since the Voyager of the Seas, plus planning three new ships of the Quantum class (4,180 passengers) and another Oasis. The interesting thing about these ships is that they are able to attract the custom, and they are able to do so at prices above the average.

Norwegian Cruise Line, on the other hand, has added a lot of extras too, but with its Freestyle Cruising, started in 2001, it has also been able to charge extra for many if not most of its alternative restaurants. In fact, Norwegian is probably better known than most other lines as a line where you will pay end up paying more for on board spend than on some others.

But while not all may like larger ships, the truth is that by the general public has welcomed these additional entertainment options and alternative restaurants. And, in the end, the real negativity is coming from sources outside the industry.

The first real negativity came about a dozen years ago now from a strange source, in the form of Ross Klein, a university professor in social work from Newfoundland. Just how many in this Canadian province of 515,000 actually take a cruise each year we don’t know, but Klein is not a Newfoundlander.

Although he had arrived in Newfoundland before he started his criticism of the industry, he had held junior teaching positions at Yeshiva University in New York, Syracuse University, Iowa State, State University of New York and Skidmore College before he became a professor at Memorial University in St John’s. And he has degrees from Arizona State University, the University of Maryland and Syracuse University.

Not long after arriving in Newfoundland, Klein started making a reputation for himself. In quick succession, he published four tomes on cruising.

In 2001, it was “Death by Chocolate: What You Must Know Before Taking a Cruise,” in 2003, “Cruise Ship Blues: The Underside of the Cruise Industry,” in 2005, “Cruise Ship Squeeze: The New Pirates of the Seven Seas” and in 2008 “Paradise Lost at Sea: Rethinking Cruise Vacations.”

The man has made a veritable industry out of making money from books that criticize the cruising industry and in getting himself hired as some sort of “expert,” especially at hearings convened by one Senator Rockefeller.

Indeed, Klein has made himself into such a celebrity that he maintains his own website at www.cruisejunkie.com, where one can find just about anything critical of the cruise industry. One of his speaking engagements biographies says, “as an outspoken critic of the industry, Klein’s is a unique voice,” but one must wonder why it is so unique.

Todd de Haven, in an open letter to “Cruise Mates” written in 2006, came up with his own theory:

“I believe … I may have found what ultimately could be the reason behind Klein’s crusade and if I’m correct, the reason is for me at least, incomprehensible. The start of his campaign against the cruise industry appears to correlate with the same time frame he received what he felt to be an unsatisfactory response to a complaint he made to an upscale cruise line about his perceived ill treatment by a bartender.”

Meanwhile, in 2005, another author no one had even heard of before, Kristoffer Garin, joined Klein, when he published an entertaining volume entitled “Devils on the Deep Blue Sea: The Dreams, Schemes, and Showdowns That Built America’s Cruise-Ship Empires.”

While sensational, Garin’s book carries a good story about the mergers and acquisitions activities of these lines. Washington-based Garin, now an investment banker, also co-authored the New York Times bestseller“Win Forever: Live, Work and Play Like a Champion” in 2010 with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. But having written his first tome on cruising, although he has also written occasionally for Conde Nast Traveler, he does not seem to have returned to the cruising theme.

To its credit, Garin’s “Devils on the Deep Blue Sea” makes a very good read if you’re interested in boardroom shenanigans at the cruise lines during their various takeover attempts. And rather than lecturing in social work, Garin actually served as a petty officer in the Royal Norwegian Navy between 1997 and 1999.

Another frequent source of negative comment on the North American cruise industry is Walker & O’Neill, a firm of Miami lawyers who make their crust making claims against cruise lines on behalf of passengers and cruise ship crew members. Jim Walker even runs a website called “Cruise Law News” and is often to be seen being interviewed on US television. But one can hardly hold it against a lawyer that he tried to make a name for himself in order to maximize his fee billings.

More recently, in January of this year, came a company called Un-Cruise Adventures, really an amalgam of two previous lines called American Safari Cruises and InnerSea Discoveries. But this renaming was really aimed at conveying the line’s unique style of exploration cruising. And they were not the first to use this theme.

SeaDream Yacht Club had started using the tagline “it’s yachting not cruising” almost a decade before. These are hardly naysayers, however, but companies with products that they want to differentiate from mass market cruising.

Despite all this negativity that comes from only a couple of individuals, cruising is still an industry that is growing from strength to strength, mainly now in Europe and Asia. One can only hope that once Europe pulls into its full stride and becomes a mature market, we will not have naysayers like Senator Rockefeller and Ross Klein running their own sort of circus.

Neither has ever worked in the industry and it is actually rather unsightly, even to some fellow senators, to see the two of them gang up together in senate hearing after senate hearing.

Work Under Way on AIDA Sisters In Japan



Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) has begun construction at its Nagasaki Shipyard of the first of two new-generation 124,500-ton cruise ships for AIDA Cruises, the German arm of Carnival Corp & plc. The two new ships, which will incorporate an array of new environmental technologies, are scheduled for delivery in March 2015 and March 2016

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) has begun construction at its Nagasaki Shipyard of the first of two new-generation 124,500-ton cruise ships for AIDA Cruises, the German arm of Carnival Corp & plc.

The two new ships, which will incorporate an array of new environmental technologies, are scheduled for delivery in March 2015 and March 2016.

The keel-laying ceremony to mark the occasion was recently attended by owner’s representatives including Pier Luigi Foschi, chairman of Costa Group, Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group, Michael Ungerer, president of AIDA Cruises; and chairman Hideaki Omiya from MHI. The new ship will be the first of two vessels ordered by AIDA, each able to carry around 3,300 passengers capacity– and the largest ships ever for AIDA Cruises.

The order for the two follows the two highly successful 116,000-ton ships, Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess, built for Princess Cruises in 2004.

Sapphire Princess in Seattle
The new ships will incorporate all the various features to enable provision of AIDA’s unique style of cruising experience. Among the features already selected for installation is MHI’s proprietary technology to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through use of a layer of air bubbles along the vessel’s bottom.

This is expected to reduce fuel consumption by about 7%.

From the outside, however, the most interesting point is that the ship is introducing an entirely new form of bow for cruise ships. Instead of the usual clipper-style bow, it will consist of a form of inverted X-bow now common in new offshore vessels. The new bow is more efficient and provides seakeeping abilities equal or greater than a traditional bow.

It will also cause less stress and wear on the vessel as it slices through heavy seas instead of trying to part them and push them aside.

(Kevin Griffin is managing director of specialist cruise agency The Cruise People Ltd in London, England. For further information concerning cruises mentioned in this article readers can visit his blog)

HAL's Statendam rescues stranded passengers in Alaska

file image of vessel Baranof Wind
source: eGlobal Travel Media

Holland America Line’s ms Statendam has picked up 103 people from a sightseeing boat wallowing without power in frigid seas near an Alaskan glacier. Another Holland America Line cruise liner rescued passengers from the same sightseeing boat a year ago.

While leaving from Margerie Glacier to depart Glacier Bay on Friday, Statendam received a call for assistance from the 24-metre sightseeing vessel Baranof Wind. Mechanical troubles had cut all power on the Baranof Wind in the ice near John Hopkins Glacier.

Statendam lowered two tenders, which collected 102 tourists and one Glacier Bay National Park ranger, bringing them back to the ship, a company statement said. A Glacier Bay National Park ranger aboard Statendam helped coordinate the assistance from the ship’s bridge.

The sightseers were taken in the evening to Bartlett Cove, where the Baranof Wind’s excursion originated. Statendam then sailed for Seward, Alaska, where it is expected to arrive on schedule today.

“Statendam’s Captain Jochem Bakker and his crew responded quickly and professionally to assist the passengers of Baranof Wind,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line. “We are proud of our officers and crew.”

Almost exactly a year ago, Baranof Wind, described as a high-speed catamaran, ran aground in Glacier Bay with 72 passengers aboard. It was on a day-time sightseeing trip that time, when it struck a rock, a report said.

On that occasion, Holland America Line’s ms Volendam was one of the first to arrive on the scene. Crew helped transfer passengers from the Baranof Wind to the Volendam, taking them to Bartlett Cove where they were transferred to Juneau by another vessel. The Baranof Wind was later towed back to port.

The US Coast Guard launched an investigation into the August 2012 incident and will no doubt investigate the latest episode as well.

Written by Peter Needham

Double cruise for double fun aboard Brilliance of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas

Brilliance of the Seas
A great value 32-night fly/cruise package involving two Royal Caribbean ships visiting Canada, New England, the Caribbean and North America costing from just $6539 per person is now available through cruise specialists' ecruising.travel when purchased before November 29.

The cruising starts in Boston on October 19, 2014, and the price includes the first seven night roundtrip cruise from Boston, a 14 night cruise from Boston to Florida, return economy class airfares from Australia, three nights at the Boston Marriot Long Wharf Hotel and four nights in both the Renaissance Hotel57 New York and Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lodge Orlando, a round of golf in Orlando, a 15 minute New Yorker helicopter tour along with meals and entertainment on board the ships and airport transfers.

After leaving Boston aboard Brilliance of the Seas the voyage makes stops in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saint John, Brunswick and Bar Harbor and Portland in Maine before returning to Boston to join Explorer of the Seas.

Explorer makes several port calls in the Caribbean including St Maarten, Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba before disembarkation in Port Canaveral in Florida.

The ships have a comprehensive selection of restaurants, cafes, grills, bars and lounges, a rock climbing wall, golf simulator and a nine-hole miniature golf course, a full size basketball court and much more to fill your days at sea.

For more details contact ecruising.travel on 1300-369-848 or visit www.ecruising.travel

Sunday, 4 August 2013

Royal Caribbean Flagship sale starts now! Onboard credits, half price deposits, huge savings!


Flagship_Sale


Hi cruisers,

Royal Caribbean’s popular Flagship SALE is back for one week only! Book before 10 August 2013 to receive up to US$200 Onboard Credit~, half price deposits~ and savings of up to $1,585*pp.
The sale is available on Royal Caribbean South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand sailings of 5 nights or longer departing between September 2013 and April 2015.

There is something for everyone onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise. With a rock wall, an award-winning kids programme, a mini golf course, broadway-style entertainment, a day spa and fitness centre and much much more, you can do as much or as little as you like!

Click here for more information and a full range of itineraries, or call us on 1800 754 500.



Royal_Caribbean_Cruises
*10 nights from $1099pp is based on Voyager of the Seas 27 February 2014 and is inclusive of taxes, fees and onboard gratuities (tips). Savings of up to $1,585 is based on Voyager of the Seas 9 November 2013. ~Local Flagship Sale offer applies to new, fully deposited bookings made between Sunday 4 August and Saturday 10 August 2013 on all Royal Caribbean Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific 2013/14 and 2014/15 cruises of 5 nights or longer departing between September 2013 and April 2015. Any existing booking that is cancelled and then rebooked during the offer period will not be eligible for the promotion. Onboard Credit offer varies by duration of cruise: 5-11 nights – US$100 per cabin, 12 nights or more – US$200 per cabin. Half Price Deposit offer is a 50% discount off the per person deposit amounts, which vary by cruise duration and are published in the Royal Caribbean International South Pacific, Australia & New Zealand 2013-2015 brochure. Deposits must be received by RCL Cruises Ltd no later than 5:00pm (Sydney time) on Friday 16 August 2013 to qualify for these offers. Local Flagship Sale offer is not valid for group bookings or applicable to the following restricted fares: Seniors (SRS), Family Pricing (FMLY), Military (MIL), Upgrade Offers (UPG), Guarantee (GTY), Buy one get one 50% off second guest (BOGOHO), Air offer (ARF). Onboard credit is not combinable with any other offer and/or promotion, including, but not limited to Crown & Anchor, Shareholder Benefits, Future or NextCruise offers. In the event that a guest has more than one applicable offer for the same sailing, the guest can choose the offer he/she wishes to retain. Onboard Credit will be applied to eligible bookings by RCL Cruises Ltd via internal option code within 4 weeks of the end of the sale. A limited number of cabins are available at the prices shown above and prices may increase or be withdrawn once these cabins are sold out. Passengers are bound by the terms and conditions in the Royal Caribbean International South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand 2013-2015 brochure. Please click here for full terms and conditions.

Coastal Croatia: five days of pampered 'SeaDreaming'

SeaDream and the cliffs of Capri
THOSE in the know say Croatia is best explored from the sea, so if you've 5 days up your sleeve during a European vacation this October, SeaDream Yacht Club has a unique and nicely-priced opportunity to experience fabulous ports while enjoying the renowned SeaDream service aboard one of the world's highest-rated mega motor-cruisers.

With just 56 staterooms for 112 guests served by 95 crew, SeaDream I will sail five days from Dubrovnik in Croatia to Civitavecchia (Rome) on October 9, visiting Kotor in Montenegro, the Greek island of Corfu, a sail-by of Mt Etna volcano in Sicily, and a day on Italy's Isle of Capri.

Price begins from just US$2804pp twin-share including 5-star dining, wines with lunch and dinner, drinks from the open bars, use of power and sail water-sports where permitted, a 30-course golf simulator, gratuities and port charges and taxes.

Details from travel agents or www.seadream.com

ALSO still available is 7-days on SeaDream II, that this year once again just beat twin-sister SeaDream I to the title #1 in Boutique Vessels in the Berlitz Guide to Cruising, and which will sail on September 28 from Civitavecchia visiting Portovenere for the Italian Riviera's famed Cinque Terre (Five Villages,) Portofino one of Italy's most beautiful towns, and France's breath-taking St Tropez, Sanary-Sur-Mer, Cannes and Antibes.

The voyage ends with an afternoon and an overnight in Monte Carlo, Monaco to try your luck at the Casino; prices begin from US$3726pp twin-share, again inclusive 5-star.