Monday, 23 December 2013
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Cyber Cruises Cruise News - 23 December 2013
UK. P&O Cruises and Cunard launch £10k agent giveaway
December 23rd, 2013
Fifty five prizes worth a total of £10,000 are being given away to agents by P&O Cruises and Cunard during a nine-week 'wave' peak booking period promotion. (travelweekly.co.uk)
Tags: Cunard Line, P&O Cruises
Costa Cruises Launches New International Advertising Campaign
December 23rd, 2013
Costa Cruises is launching a major international advertising campaign on TV, in print media and on the Web.
Tags: Costa Cruises
Poop Cruise Reveals Shortcomings of Port and Flag State Inspections
December 22nd, 2013
Cruise fan sites rushed to Carnival’s defense following the CNN special on the Triumph fire. (cruiselawnews.com)
Tags: Carnival Cruise Lines
New Zealand Helicopter Golf in Style
December 22nd, 2013
For
the more than likely ultimate Australasia Golfing Holiday then look no
further than our fantastic 7 and 10 day Heli-Golf Cruises onboard the
beautiful “Island Passage”. Tags: Island Escape Cruises
Carnival Cruise Ship Rescues Adrift Sailors
December 22nd, 2013
Carnival Valor rescued five sailors from a sinking ship earlier this morning. Two of the deck’s officers sustained minor injuries during the rescue. (cruisecritic.com)
Tags: Carnival Cruise Lines
Special Guests to Headline Princess Cruises' Valentine's "Cruise with a Heart"
December 21st, 2013
Princess Cruises' second "Cruising for a Cause" sailing will set sail in February to celebrate Valentine's Day with a special line-up of expert guests and celebrities.
Tags: Princess Cruises
Cuba Cruise’s first sailing continues to be a wild success
December 21st, 2013
Nearly half-way through the first sailing and Canadian-owned Cuba Cruise has proven to be this year's most breakthrough cruise product on the market.
Tags: Cuba
Princess Cruises Wins Three Awards from Travel Weekly Including "Best Cruise Line in Alaska" for Seventh Year
December 21st, 2013
Princess Cruises has been voted the "Best Cruise Line in Alaska" in the annual Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards. In addition won awards for "Best Itinerary Design" and "Best Travel Agent Educational Program."
Tags: Princess Cruises - Posted in Books / Publications / Websites / Blogs, News
Carnival Corporation Named Clean Tech Award Winner For Best Marine Solutions By The New Economy
December 21st, 2013
Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, has been named the Best Marine Solutions Company in this year’s Clean Tech Awards by The New Economy.
Tags: Carnival Corporation & plc
P&O Cruises Unveils New-Look Arcadia
December 21st, 2013
Arcadia has been transformed, ready for Christmas, following a multi-million pound refurbishment. (cruiseindustrynews.com) Tags: P&O Cruises - Posted in Interview / Video / TV, News
New Norwegian ship coming to Miami in 2015
December 21st, 2013
Norwegian Cruise Line has inked a deal with PortMiami to base another new ship in Miami on a year-round basis. (miamiherald.com)
Tags: Miami, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
St. Maarten Taking Preventive Measures to Contain Chikungunya Virus
December 21st, 2013
Precautionary measures have been initiated by Dutch St. Maarten to mitigate the mosquito population on island as a result of ten cases of the virus Chikungunya being reported in the French territory of St. Martin. (cruiseindustrynews.com)
Carnival Splendor to Begin Caribbean Voyages Nov. 2014
December 21st, 2013
Carnival Splendor will be the seventh Carnival Cruise Lines ship to be based in South Florida. (travelagentcentral.com) Tags: Carnival Cruise Lines
Celebrity Cruises Offers Two New Celebrity Century Cruises Voyages in 2015
December 21st, 2013
The new sailings will replace three previously scheduled 12- and 14-night sailings in Asia in order to reposition the ship to Europe for the 2015 season. (travelagentcentral.com)
Tags: Celebrity Cruises
Cruise Norway Names New Managing Director
December 21st, 2013
Cruise Norway has named Sandra Diana Bratland as its new managing director, succeeding Wenche Nygaard, who is leaving the marketing organization after seven years to pursue other opportunities. (cruiseindustrynews.com)
Tags: Cruise Norway
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 Named Best Luxury Cruise Ship for Eighth Straight Year
December 20th, 2013
Cunard
Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 has been named “Best Luxury Cruise Ship"
for the eighth consecutive year by the readers of Travel Weekly, the
national publication of the travel industry. (examiner.com) Tags: Cunard Line - Posted in Books / Publications / Websites / Blogs, News
Uniworld Makes Innovative Strides with the Super Ship Catherine
December 20th, 2013
Guy Young of Uniworld discusses the S.S. (Super Ship) Catherine, a new ship which will make its debut in 2014. (travelpulse.com)
Tags: River - Inland Navigation / Barges, Uniworld River Cruises - Posted in Interview / Video / TV, News
American Idol Winner Added to Music Cruise
December 20th, 2013
Music cruise organizer Sixthman has added 2009 "American Idol" winner Kris Allen to the Feb. 26 "Live Loud" festival on the Norwegian Pearl. (travelpulse.com)
Tags: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
FTI Issues New Summer Brochure
December 20th, 2013
FTI Cruises has issued a new version of its 24-page brochure for the summer of 2014, with certain itinerary changes. (cruiseindustrynews.com)
Tags: FTI Cruises
Europe River Cruises Hot Sellers For Agents in ’14
December 20th, 2013
If Barry Liben, CEO of Travel Leaders Group, could get his wish for the New Year it would be for Europe to create more scenic rivers. (travelpulse.com)
Tags: River - Inland Navigation / Barges
Sea Cloud sells River cloud II to focus on its two sailing vessels
December 20th, 2013
Sea Cloud Cruises, the Hamburg based upmarket boutique cruise operator, says it has sold its river yacht River Cloud II. (cruisebusiness.com) Tags: River - Inland Navigation / Barges, Sea Cloud Cruises
New chairman for and a renewed commitment by Scandic Hotels to Cruise Baltic
December 20th, 2013
The recent Cruise Baltic Steering Group Meeting was attended by over 50 delegates. Besides the usual representatives from its 23 partners, there were industry guests and speakers from CLIA and cruise lines. (cruisebusiness.com)
Tags: CLIA Europe, Cruise Baltic - Posted in Event / Convention / Exhibition, News
MSC Confirms Major Refurb and Ship Stretch for Lirica-Class at Fincantieri
December 20th, 2013
MSC Cruises today announced a multi-million euro program that will involve stretching all four of its Lirica class ships over the next two years. (cruiseindustrynews.com)
Tags: Fincantieri, MSC Cruises
Gorilla Tracking Expedition Added To Crystal’s Roster Of Overnight African Adventures In 2014
December 20th, 2013
Locking eyes with an almost-500 pound silverback mountain gorilla, with just a few feet of African forest standing in between, travelers participating in Crystal Cruises’ newest Overland Adventure may share a scene few on earth will ever see.
Tags: Crystal Cruises
Asia expansion, fuel consumption reduction and rebuilding Carnival Cruise Lines brand focal in 2013
December 20th, 2013
Carnival Corporation & plc President and Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald said the group realised major milestones in the emerging Asian cruise region this year. (cruisebusiness.com)
Tags: Carnival Corporation & plc, Carnival Cruise Lines
Princess Cruise Ship Rerouted After Medical Emergency
December 20th, 2013
Sapphire Princess spent a second, unscheduled, day in Cabo San Lucas yesterday after an onboard medical emergency necessitated the ship’s return to port Wednesday. (cruisecritic.com)
Tags: Princess Cruises
Celebrity Honors Top Travel Agency Partners
December 20th, 2013
Celebrity Cruises today (Dec. 20) is celebrating its endless appreciation for Travel Partners by honoring those deemed the best in 2013. (cruiseindustrynews.com)
Tags: Celebrity Cruises
CDC Issues Travel Advisory for St. Martin; Cruise Lines Monitoring Situation
December 20th, 2013
Carnival Cruise Lines will inform passengers on its two ships that call in St. Maarten, Carnival Dream and Carnival Valor, about the health advisory, and provide basic information and precautionary advice. (cruisecritic.com)
Tags: Carnival Cruise Lines
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Rescues Adrift Sailors
December 20th, 2013
Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas came to the rescue of two sailors early Thursday morning after crew onboard the ship spotted a red flare. (cruisecritic.com)
Tags: Royal Caribbean International
Viking Ocean Lays Keel for Viking Star at Fincantieri
December 19th, 2013
Viking Cruises today announced the keel was laid for its first ocean cruise vessel, Viking Star, marking the next construction phase of the company's first-ever ocean product. (cruiseindustrynews.com)
Tags: Fincantieri, Viking Ocean Cruises
More cruise ships visiting CMP at Christmas
December 19th, 2013
It is English ships in particular that are calling in during the Christmas month, with visitors wanting to experience an atmospheric Copenhagen with Christmas decorations, and not least Tivoli.
Tags: Copenhagen
Funchal Re-Enters Service On Sunday – Other Cruise News: American Cruise Lines Orders Four Riverboats – The Sunborn Gibraltar
by Kevin GriffinThis Sunday sees Portuscale Cruises’ rebuilt traditional liner Funchal depart Lisbon on her first cruise for her new owners in a revitalization of the Portuguese passenger fleet. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, American Cruise Lines have announced orders for four new riverboats to be delivered between 2015 and 2017. And in Gibraltar, final touches are being put to the 15,000-ton floating yacht hotel Sunborn Gibraltar.
THIS WEEK’S STORY
Funchal To Re-Enter Service
Portugal’s new cruise line, Portuscale Cruises, is about to place the 580-berth 1961-built Portuguese liner Funchal back into service next Sunday, when she departs Lisbon on a 7-night New Year’s cruise from Lisbon to Madeira and Morocco. Among the rebuilt veteran’s first passengers will be cruise ship guru Douglas Ward from the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, ready to give her his first rating under her new owners.
 |
| The whole Portuscale fleet has now taken on very traditional colours, with the ships now sporting black hulls and red boot-topping separated by a narrow band of white |
At the same time, Portuscale has introduced traditional yellow funnels capped with black tops and carrying the Portuscale logo.
As well as the Funchal, which has always been owned in Portugal, the Portuscale fleet includes the 600-berth Lisboa, known until recently as Princess Danae, the 554-berth Azores, built as Swedish American Line’s Stockholm and until more recently called Athena and the 334-berth Porto, which last operated as the Arion.
Portuscale has been successful in regaining a good bit of the business that was lost when predecessor Classic International Cruises went into receivership at the end of 2012. Much of this activity consists of charters to local operators in Sweden, Germany, Belgium, France, the UK and Ireland. The new line’s first cruises have also now been announced for the UK
Funchal with the old Classic International Cruises’ colours (Photo D.R.Carneiro)
The first, a 9-night cruise to Gibraltar and Tangier, will leave on April 22, with a 10-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords to follow on May 1. Later in the year, Funchal will return to Falmouth for a 12-night cruise to the Canaries, Madeira and Casablanca, leaving on August 11, and an 8-night cruise to the French wine country departing on August 23.
Between these dates, among others, the Funchal will be working for French charterer Terre Entière, which will offer a 7-night Norwegian Fjords cruise from Gothenburg on July 21 and a 13-night Baltic round voyage cruise from Zeebrugge departing on July 28. On October 10, the French tour operator will be offering an 11-night Mediterranean itinerary round trip from Marseilles.
OTHER CRUISE NEWS
American Cruise Lines Orders Four Riverboats
Last week American Cruise Lines announced ordered for four new riverboats destined for American waterways, the largest such order ever placed in North America.
With the first vessel expected to be delivered in 2015, the first two ships will be destined for the Mississippi River, where the line introduced its 150-berth Queen of the Mississippi last year, and the Columbia and Snake Rivers, where it operates the 120-berth Queen of the West.
Queen of The West
The new additions will bring the fleet to ten vessels.
The first two new riverboats will carry between 150 and 200 passengers. Like the Queen of the Mississippi, they’ll feature larger cabins than other riverboats sailing in North America as well as private balconies with cabins. All four are due to be completed by 2017.
American Cruise Lines’ first riverboat, Queen of the Mississippi, was newly-built in 2012 and entered service in the same year that the American Queen Steamboat Company brought the 436-passenger American Queen out of lay-up to sail on the Mississippi. There had not been a vessel operating overnight trips on the river since 2008.
American Cruise Lines’ new orders are no doubt a “glove down” to Viking River Cruises, who have been talking about introducing two US-built and US-flag rive craft built to their Viking Longships design. Viking River now operates dozens of river ships in Europe and worldwide.
All four of the new riverboats have been ordered from Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, an affiliate of American Cruise Lines.
The Sunborn Gibraltar
Finnish-based Sunborn Marine’s 189-room five-star floating yacht hotel Sunborn Gibraltar is due to open in February, after she is delivered from the Gibraltar shipyard Gibdock for a full hull blasting and coating. The vessel arrived in Gibraltar on board a heavy lift ship in June. Originally intended for Barcelona, Sunborn more recently decided on Gibraltar, where she will become the territory’s first five-star hotel.
The 466-foot Sunborn Gibraltar
Currently being fitted out, the new vessel will have a casino, spa and fitness center, cocktail lounges, fine dining restaurants and a ballroom. Conference and event space will be available for up to 540 delegates. Some 90% of the 189 guest rooms offer outdoor space, while all will have full-height glazing to capture Mediterranean views.
Also due to open in 2014 is the Sunborn London II. Located next to the ExCel London exhibition centre this vessel will be an existing custom-built 400-foot Sunborn hotel yacht, equipped with 153 guest rooms including six larger Royal Suites.
With over 107,000 square feet of floor space spread over five decks, Sunborn London II will feature spacious hotel facilities including a large open reception area with lobby bar, excellent conference and event facilities, and a 200-seat restaurant with wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows giving impressive views of Canary Wharf.
The previous Sunborn London, a 354-foot unpowered vessel built in Finland in 1998, was the world’s first custom-built luxury yacht hotel, and was equipped with 103 suites and two Royal Suites. She was moved from Finland to London in the early 2000s but sold to Nigerian owners in 2008.
That vessel’s replacement, the Sunborn Princess, has been berthed at the Naantali Spa Resort in Finland since 2002 and will now move to London to become Sunborn London II. Her tenancy at London’s Royal Docks will be under a fifteen-year contract.
(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)
Thursday, 19 December 2013
Viking Cruises keel-laying for new ocean line
Keel Laid for Viking Star, Company's First Ocean Ship
Viking Cruises (www.vikingrivercruises.com.au) today announced the keel was laid for its first ocean cruise vessel, Viking Star, marking the next construction phase of the company's first-ever ocean product. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, December 18, at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard outside Venice, Italy. Viking Star is scheduled to be delivered in early 2015.
"Our new ocean itineraries are selling at an unprecedented rate, and the enthusiasm we have seen from guests is truly remarkable," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. "There is undoubtedly interest in an ocean cruise experience that returns the focus to the destination, and Viking is actively planning to meet that demand."
Steel was first cut for Viking Star in June 2013, and the laying of the keel is a formal recognition of the start of construction. The 930-passenger Viking Star features state-of-the-art design from experienced nautical architects and engineers. The company will also launch a record-breaking 14 new river vessels – Viking Longships® – in March 2014.
Viking's ocean itineraries will include Viking Star's maiden voyages in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. Classified by Cruise Critic as a "small ship," the all-veranda custom-designed vessel allows travellers to get closer than ever to their destinations with maximum time in ports, while highlighting history, art and local culture through privileged-access excursions and onboard experiences that are truly designed for the experienced traveler.
For additional details, contact Viking Cruises toll-free at 1800 131 744 (Australia) 0800 447 913 (New Zealand).
About Viking Cruises
Viking Cruises offers destination-centric river and ocean cruising designed for experienced travellers with an interest in geography, culture and history. Featuring onboard cultural enrichment and included shore excursions, Viking's journeys are competitively priced for genuine value. Debuting its maiden season of ocean cruising in 2015, the sophisticated state-of-the-art Viking Star will host 930 guests on itineraries in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. As the world's leading river cruise line, since its 1997 inception the company has grown to a fleet of 35 river vessels (in 2013) offering scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, Ukraine, China, and Southeast Asia. Viking has been honoured multiple times in Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" Awards and Condé Nast Traveler's "Gold List" as well as recognized by the editors of Cruise Critic as "Best River Cruise Line," with the entire Viking Longships fleet being named "Best New River Ships of 2012" in the website's Editors' Picks Awards. The travel trade has ranked Viking as the "Best River Cruise Line" by Travel Weekly, Recommend and Travel Agent magazines, "Best Cruise Line for Luxury River Cruises" at the Luxury Travel Advisor Awards of Excellence and as "Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising" and "Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support" in TravelAge West's WAVE Awards. For additional information, contact Viking Cruises at 1800 131 744 (Australia) 0800 447 913 (New Zealand) or visit www.vikingrivercruises.com.au.
Monday, 16 December 2013
Last Voyage of the Saga Ruby Rerouted – Other Cruise News: Finland Secures Finance – Limit at Tampa – Cruising’s Slow Recovery
by Kevin GriffinLast week news broke that the Saga Ruby, on her very last cruise after a career spanning forty years, was stranded in the Canaries on her way to the West Indies, with generator problems that would preclude the operation of her air conditioning in the Caribbean. Instead, she will now cruise to the Mediterranean. In Finland, troubled STX Finland has secured the financing that will enable it to complete its second ship for TUI Cruises. Tampa reveals that it has an air draft limitation that will preclude it from accepting mega ships. And New York-based PhoCusWright reports on a slow recovery in the mainstream cruise market.
THIS WEEK’S STORY
Last Voyage of the Saga Ruby Rerouted
Friday the 13th seems to have taken its toll on Saga Shipping, which has been forced to reroute a 31-night cruise to the Caribbean on board the 655-berth Saga Ruby due to a faulty generator that would affect the ship’s air conditioning.
Saga Ruby – Photo courtesy cruises.co.uk
Saga Shipping managing director Robin Shaw flew to Tenerife to inform the 557 passengers on board of the itinerary change. Passengers who didn’t wish to carry on, understood to number fewer than thirty, have been flown back to the UK and given a full refund, while those that elected to continue have been given 40% refunds.
The diverted cruise is now expected to include Monaco on Christmas Eve, spend Christmas Day at sea and New Year’s Eve in Gibraltar and make a number of calls in Spain, Italy, France and Portugal.
Saga Rose
For many years, Saga was one of P&O Cruises’ largest suppliers of cruise passengers but after the two companies fell out over terms, Saga began to concentrate more on operating its own ships.
In 1996, it acquired the 584-berth Saga Rose, which had been built in 1965 as Norwegian America Line’s Sagafjord, from Cunard Line, and in 2005, the Saga Ruby, the former Vistafjord, built in 1973 and by then operating as Cunard Line’s Caronia.
Cunard Line’s Caronia now Saga Ruby
This leaves Saga with two more modern ships. The 706-berth Saga Sapphire was built in 1982 as Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ last Europa and was once the top scoring cruise ship in the world, while the 456-berth Saga Pearl II was built in 1981 as the first Astor, and spent many years working for DSR Deutsche Seerederei, predecessor to AIDA Cruises.
Both of the present ships were built in Germany, and while well-maintained are also now more than thirty years old. Before the present recession, Saga had actually been mooted, among others, as an eventual potential source of new orders for cruise ships of their own design.
OTHER CRUISE NEWS
STX Finland Secures Finance
STX Finland last week announced that it had secured the financing it needed to complete construction of the second new 2,500-berth cruise ship for German-based TUI Cruises. A sister ship to Mein Schiff 3, now under construction and scheduled for delivery in Spring 2014, Mein Schiff 4 will also be built at the Turku shipyard.
Mein Schiff 3
STX Finland lost out to STX France when it was unable to come up with financing for the project from either the Finnish Government or its South Korean parent.
Following this, in September this year, STX announced that it would shut down its Rauma shipyard, with the loss of 600 jobs, by 2014. The financing for the second TUI ship will ensure that STX Finland will be able to keep the Turku yard open until 2015.
While MEIN Schiff 3 was floated out last month, her sister ship Mein Schiff 4, is now under construction for delivery in spring 2015. Both are sophisticated and highly innovative 99,000-ton cruise ships. They will measure 968 feet long and 118 feet wide and will have 2,500 lower beds and a crew of 1,000.
Allure of The Seas
Meanwhile, STX France in St Nazaire has announced that the third Oasis class ship is proceeding apace. Eighty huge blocks are now being assembled at St Nazaire at record speed due to a new crane that can lift much larger components. Assembly time with this new crane will be cut by 30% and delivery is scheduled for Spring 2016.
While Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas were completed by STX Finland, the St Nazaire ship will measure about 4,000 tons more than the first pair and will be about six feet longer.
Airdraft Limit at Tampa
Last month we ran a story on how the Port of Montreal is going to be able to accept larger cruise ships after Hydro Quebec raises a couple of power transmission lines that cross the St Lawrence River between Quebec and Montreal, bringing the permitted air draft to reach Montreal from 156 feet to 170 feet.
Now comes news from Tampa of a similar problem there but at a higher height.
According to the “Tampa Bay Times,” that port has a limitation of 181 feet for cruise ship access, caused by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which was opened in 1987. This means that mega ships such as the Oasis of the Seas and Queen Mary 2 cannot pass beneath.
According to the Times, other than rebuilding the bridge, the port faces two options – to build a new cruise terminal west of the bridge or to watch Tampa lose any mega cruise ship business to other Gulf coast ports.
It will be up to the Tampa Port Authority, the Manatee County Port Authority and officials in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties to plan for the future.
Reportedly, a recent study by the State of Florida concluded that more than half the world’s cruise ship fleet would be mega ships by 2016-17, which could cause a problem for Tampa with its 181-foot limitation.
Miami and Fort Lauderdale having no bridges, this is not a problem for them. And although some states are raising bridges such as the Bayonne Bridge in New Jersey to accommodate the massive cargo ships of the future, Tampa’s Skyway would have to be totally rebuilt, ruling that out as an option.
By comparison to Tampa’s 181 feet, the maximum airdraft allowed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York is 228 feet and under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco 220 feet.
Star Princess in San Francisco
The alternative is Tampa Bay doing nothing, making the best of handling what will one day be older, smaller ships sailing around the Caribbean.
What is potentially worrying for Tampa is that, along with Key West, the port was for decades a main point of connection for sailings to Cuba and if that market reopens it might be shut out of being able to take mega ships cruising to Havana and other ports in Cuba. For now, however, the Tampa Port Authority is still expanding its cruise business, hoping to surpass a million passengers in 2015.
Cruising’s Slow Recovery
Major cruise line revenues have stagnated in the wake of the past two year’s incidents, but are expected to begin a slow climb again next year, according to a study by US travel research company PhoCusWright. At the same time, the growth in online cruise distribution is projected to slow dramatically, the study added.
Here are some key findings from the report:
Cruising continued a steady shift towards web-based channels with a 26% increase in 2012, when $2.4 billion in cruise revenue came through online channels. Online growth in 2013 is expected to slow dramatically to 6%.
In 2012, 16% of cruise sales were contracted online, compared with 13% the year before. Online penetration is forecast to grow just 1% in 2013 and to reach 20% in 2015.
Cruise fare revenue growth in 2012 was the lowest it’s been since 2010, with a 4% increase bringing revenues to $15 billion.
Cruise revenues are projected to stay at $15 million in 2013. The lack of growth is due to incidents like the loss of the Costa Concordia in 2012 and the Carnival Triumph fire in 2013.
Revenues are projected to increase at a faster rate in the next two years, with 3% growth in 2014 and 6% in 2015, to top $16 billion.
(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)
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