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CRUISE LINKS (with Gary Bembridge)

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Queen Mary 2 Docks at New N.Y. Terminal

 
The world's largest ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2, docked early Saturday at Brooklyn's Red Hook section instead of its previous berth on Manhattan's West Side as the city opened a new cruise ship facility.

The city hopes the $52 million Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will bolster a luxury cruise industry that has lost business in recent years to a rival port in Bayonne, N.J.

New York also is renovating its longtime Hudson River cruise pier on Manhattan's West Side, but Brooklyn is now the designated port for the QM2, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and several other ships also owned by Carnival Cruises Inc.

Red Hook is an old maritime neighborhood that has fallen into economic decline; Pier 12, where the QM2 docked, is a one-time coffee wharf.

Unlike the Hudson River pier, a quick cab ride away from mid-Manhattan hotels, the nearly 2,200 passengers on the 1,132-foot Queen Mary 2 faced lengthy trips through the streets of Brooklyn and across the East River into Manhattan.

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posted by Gary B at 4/19/2006 12:02:20 PM  

Monday, April 17, 2006

You can take your best friend on this cruise

 
By ARLINE AND SAM BLEECKER
Chicago Tribune
People aren’t the only travelers pampered at sea. On one line, pooches and pussycats are, too.
When you’re on a Queen Mary 2 trans-Atlantic cruise enjoying chocolates on your pillow at turn-down, your traveling companion (provided it’s the four-legged kind) will be getting fresh-baked biscuits, a choice of beds and fleece blankets, toys and premium-brand food.
You don a fluffy QM2 bathrobe and your pet gets treated to its own QM2-logoed coat. Add to that a Frisbee, name tag, food dish and scoop; a complimentary portrait with you; a crossing certificate and personalized cruise card, and Fido or Fluffy are in pet heaven. Cats even get their own posts and scratchers.
According to Cunard, taking care of pet business goes back to 1840, when three cats vacationed on Britannia’s maiden voyage. Since then, Cunard has tucked in such celebrity pooches as Rin Tin Tin and played host to circus elephants, canaries, a monkey, even a boa constrictor.
“Tom Mix and Tony (his horse), stars of the 1930s Western series ‘Miracle Rider,’ regularly trotted up the gangway,” noted a Cunard announcement. Tony’s hooves were fitted with special rubber shoes to prevent the horse from slipping.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s beloved pup even had a lamppost beside the kennels especially installed for it.
For some Cunard passengers, “transporting their pets safely and comfortably is a top priority, and having them cross the Atlantic onboard QM2 is far more desirable than flying them between continents,” Cunard president and managing director Carol Marlow said in the announcement.
QM2’s kennels and outdoor walking areas are open throughout the day; visiting hours are flexible. A full-time kennel master oversees the program, taking charge of daily pet care responsibilities such as feeding, walking and cleaning the ship’s 12 spacious kennels.
Depending on cruise length, it’ll cost between $300 and $400 to give your pet the chance to sail on a ship most ordinary folks only dream about. But, hey, the cost of having the pleasure of your pet’s company on a cruise is priceless. And it sure beats leaving your furry friend home alone.
To learn more: (800) 728-6273 or cunard.com.

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posted by Gary B at 4/17/2006 12:47:37 PM  

You can take your best friend on this cruise

 
By ARLINE AND SAM BLEECKER
Chicago Tribune
People aren’t the only travelers pampered at sea. On one line, pooches and pussycats are, too.
When you’re on a Queen Mary 2 trans-Atlantic cruise enjoying chocolates on your pillow at turn-down, your traveling companion (provided it’s the four-legged kind) will be getting fresh-baked biscuits, a choice of beds and fleece blankets, toys and premium-brand food.
You don a fluffy QM2 bathrobe and your pet gets treated to its own QM2-logoed coat. Add to that a Frisbee, name tag, food dish and scoop; a complimentary portrait with you; a crossing certificate and personalized cruise card, and Fido or Fluffy are in pet heaven. Cats even get their own posts and scratchers.
According to Cunard, taking care of pet business goes back to 1840, when three cats vacationed on Britannia’s maiden voyage. Since then, Cunard has tucked in such celebrity pooches as Rin Tin Tin and played host to circus elephants, canaries, a monkey, even a boa constrictor.
“Tom Mix and Tony (his horse), stars of the 1930s Western series ‘Miracle Rider,’ regularly trotted up the gangway,” noted a Cunard announcement. Tony’s hooves were fitted with special rubber shoes to prevent the horse from slipping.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s beloved pup even had a lamppost beside the kennels especially installed for it.
For some Cunard passengers, “transporting their pets safely and comfortably is a top priority, and having them cross the Atlantic onboard QM2 is far more desirable than flying them between continents,” Cunard president and managing director Carol Marlow said in the announcement.
QM2’s kennels and outdoor walking areas are open throughout the day; visiting hours are flexible. A full-time kennel master oversees the program, taking charge of daily pet care responsibilities such as feeding, walking and cleaning the ship’s 12 spacious kennels.
Depending on cruise length, it’ll cost between $300 and $400 to give your pet the chance to sail on a ship most ordinary folks only dream about. But, hey, the cost of having the pleasure of your pet’s company on a cruise is priceless. And it sure beats leaving your furry friend home alone.
To learn more: (800) 728-6273 or cunard.com.

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posted by Gary B at 4/17/2006 12:47:36 PM  

Queen Mary 2 docks at new Brooklyn pier

 
By RICHARD PYLE, Associated Press  |  April 15, 2006
NEW YORK  --The Queen Mary 2 steamed up New York harbor, executed a deft 180-degree pirouette and slipped through thick Saturday morning fog to a pier in Red Hook, on the Brooklyn side of Buttermilk Channel.
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The pre-dawn arrival of the world's largest ocean liner signaled the formal opening of the new Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, a $52 million facility the city hopes will bolster a luxury cruise industry that has lost business in recent years to a rival port in Bayonne, N.J.
The city also is renovating its longtime cruise pier on Manhattan's Upper West Side, but Brooklyn is the designated "home port" in New York for the QM2, its sister, Queen Elizabeth 2, and several other ships also owned by Carnival Cruises Inc.
"Diversifying our economy is an integral part of our economic development strategy, and investing in growing sectors like tourism and the cruise industry is one of the best ways we can achieve that," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement.
Following its Herculean ballet maneuver at the mouth of Buttermilk Channel, a narrow tidal strait between Brooklyn and Governor's Island, the 1,132-foot ship waited for more than an hour before sliding into Pier 12, a one-time coffee wharf in Red Hook, an old maritime neighborhood that has fallen into economic decline.
As it waited to dock, the vessel was enveloped in a thick, London-quality fog that burned off as the sun rose. Local residents gathered to watch the mooring process from outside the terminal where strict security precautions were in effect.
The arrival was the first of 11 this year for the QM2, the only liner in regular trans-Atlantic service. It came on the second anniversary of the ship's inaugural visit to New York in 2004 and the 94th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

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posted by Gary B at 4/17/2006 12:45:53 PM  

The Queen's transition - It's complex for some and not for others, but meaningful to the owners.

 
 
The Queen Mary bankruptcy case involves a tangle of investors, creditors, lawsuits, payments between a nonprofit operator and for-profit lessee, and $5 million worth of disputed rent credits. Complicated?
 
Not at all, according to the newly appointed bankruptcy trustee assigned to straighten it all out. Howard Ehrenberg, appointed by the bankruptcy judge, says it all looks pretty familiar to him: a lease dispute, a company with too little capital and creditors threatening to foreclose. Same old same old.
The difference, Ehrenberg told writer Wendy Thomas Russell, is that it involves a million-dollar ship of considerable notoriety. (The million dollars was a figure of speech; the operator, Joseph Prevratil, values the Queen at up to $50 million. Our guess would be in between, but closer to 1 than 50.)
Ehrenberg is a partner in an L.A. law firm specializing in bankruptcy cases and he's seen a lot of strange ones, though few that made headlines. From a Long Beach taxpayer's point of view, he is exactly what's needed to make some sense of the Queen Mary's problems.
 
From Prevratil's point of view, this is a major turning point in the history of the old ocean liner, and certainly in his life. He decided to give up oversight of his company, Queen's Seaport Development, Inc. (QSDI) when he couldn't put together a reorganization plan before the bankruptcy court's deadline of May 20. A creditors' committee and the city of Long Beach already favored the idea. The judge, Vincent Zurzolo, quickly appointed Ehrenberg.
This is the best shot the true owners of the ship, Long Beach taxpayers, have at figuring out who owes what, and the best chance creditors and investors have at protecting their interests. The likeliest outcome is that the city isn't entitled to the whole $5 million it demanded; another developer will take over the choice waterfront acreage alongside the Queen; the initial investor in QSDI could come out reasonably whole; lawsuits from latecomers will amount to little or nothing; and that someone new will be helm of the RMS Foundation, which actually operates the Queen Mary.
 
For now, Prevratil has managed to keep the RMS
Foundation, which he runs, out of the bankruptcy proceedings, although that could become a challenge. Money has passed back and forth among the foundation, QSDI and Leisure Horizons, (another company owned and operated by Prevratil), in the form of payments, loans and loan repayments. And one thing is clear. City officials will have their way about separating Prevratil and the Queen Mary after 13 years. They aren't going to forgive him for taking cash out by selling a 24 percent interest in his dockside development rights, or for the embarrassment caused by putting his company into Chapter 11.
What a change that attitude is from the days when the downtown establishment celebrated Prevratil as the only person who could have saved the Queen from sale or scrap yard in 1993 after the Disney Co. gave up on the ship. Prevratil had managed the Queen Mary before under a previous ownership, had briefly run the Port of Long Beach as executive director, overseen an on-budget $100 million expansion of the city's Convention Center, helped get the Long Beach Symphony back on sound financial footing, and managed a turnaround of the Riverside Sheraton and convention center.
 
When all this does finally get sorted out, there may be no heroes. But there ought to be. City officials were right, in 1993, to keep the Queen Mary in town and Prevratil was the right person to put in charge. The deal should have been structured better and overseen better, but in the years since then, the ship has put millions of dollars into the general fund in rent, hotel taxes and sales taxes; has charmed many of the taxpayers who own it, and has become a symbol of its home city all over the world.
That's special. And the transition is meaningful, except possibly to trustee Ehrenberg, who might find it all in a day's work.
 

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posted by Gary B at 4/17/2006 12:44:05 PM  

Police guard for QE2 after security threat

London: Britain's luxury liner QE2 was under police guard at Alexandria in Egypt on Monday after a security threat.

Carol Marlow, President of Cunard, the ship's owners, said the company had received "certain information" and had acted upon it by increasing security surrounding the 67 000-ton vessel.

"We take these sorts of things very seriously and, while we do not actually believe there is any cause for alarm, we have put the ship on a higher level of security," she said.

Marlow stressed that Cunard was working with the Egyptian authorities and said that shore security had also been increased.

"All our excursions from the QE2 are going ahead as planned," she added.

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posted by Gary B at 4/17/2006 12:42:10 PM  

Monday, April 10, 2006

RSVP Vacations Charters First-Ever Queen Mary 2 Gay and Lesbian Transatlantic Cruise

 
RSVP Vacations Charters First-Ever Queen Mary 2 Gay and Lesbian Transatlantic Cruise
Thursday April 6, 10:28 pm ET
Company Leverages Status as a PlanetOut Inc. Brand to Secure World's Largest Luxury Liner
- The first-ever gay and lesbian charter for the QM2
- Called the 'Greatest Ocean Liner of our Time,' the QM2 carries 2,592 passengers, one crew member for every two passengers, 14 decks of sports facilities, shops, bars, lounges, five pools and 10 restaurants
- Scheduled for popular Memorial Day weekend - 2007
SAN FRANCISCO, April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RSVP Productions, Inc. (RSVP), a travel and events marketing brand of PlanetOut Inc. (Nasdaq: LGBT - News), the leading media and entertainment company exclusively serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, today announced that it has signed an historic agreement with Cunard Line to charter the award-winning Queen Mary 2 (QM2), the largest ocean liner in the world, for an all-gay and lesbian transatlantic crossing.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060406/SFTH118-a 
             http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060406/SFTH118-b )
Scheduled for a May 29, 2007 departure, gay and lesbian travelers will board the QM2 in New York City and sail to Southampton, England, enjoying events in both New York City before the cruise and London after their transatlantic voyage. The QM2's world-class accommodations will set the stage for entertainment, parties, activities and speakers specifically tailored to the LGBT community.
With 1,296 suites and staterooms, the QM2 offers different degrees of style and comfort for travelers who expect sophisticated adventures. Some guests will spend most of their time using the ship's extensive athletic facilities, others will love the Canyon Ranch spa, the full-scale planetarium, or the 500-seat lecture hall.
RSVP, recognized as one of the foremost presenters of gay and lesbian travel events, was also the first to offer full ship charters in the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and Northern Europe for the LGBT community.
"Now that RSVP is part of the family of leading brands at PlanetOut Inc., we can bring together our collective resources to offer gays and lesbians the amazing travel packages we've always offered, but now with even more robust itineraries and the ability to reach out to a much broader audience by leveraging the reach of PlanetOut's media brands," said Paul Figlmiller, president, RSVP Productions, Inc.
RSVP's business model as a value-added travel specialist specifically tailored to gays and lesbians, includes land tours in Ireland, Thailand, Peru, and a resort in French Polynesia. The company also offers tour and riverboat vacations between Prague and Budapest, and small ship cruise vacations on the luxurious Royal Clipper, the world's largest true sailing ship hosting 218 passengers. In addition to this QM2 transatlantic crossing, RSVP plans to offer other large cruise ship itineraries for 2006 and 2007, including the Mexican Riviera, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Alaska.
"RSVP is a strong, versatile and trusted LGBT travel brand and we're very excited about the QM2 and the historic nature of this charter," said Jeff Soukup, executive vice president and chief operating officer, PlanetOut Inc. "Paul Figlmiller and the entire RSVP team have always been pioneers in the gay and lesbian travel business and their passion and knowledge really shines through with large events like this one. The QM2 charter is a perfect example of PlanetOut's strategy of building a diversified media and entertainment company by leveraging our online reach and multiple marketing platforms to offer our customers a suite of compelling products and services."
About RSVP Productions, Inc.
Established in 1985, RSVP was the originator of the gay and lesbian cruise concept, and offers distinctive travel packages designed for gay and lesbian travelers. More than 80,000 men and women have participated in RSVP's big and small ship cruises, riverboat cruises, land tours, and resort vacations. Planned destinations in 2006 include the Caribbean, Central America, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, French Polynesia, Peru and Thailand. RSVP is headquartered in Minneapolis and is marketed through travel agencies dedicated to the gay and lesbian community as well as through direct sales. For more information, please visit www.RSVPvacations.com.
About PlanetOut Inc.
PlanetOut Inc. is the leading global media and entertainment company exclusively serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. PlanetOut's brands include Gay.com, PlanetOut.com, Kleptomaniac.com, and OUT&ABOUT Travel, as well as localized versions of the Gay.com site, in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. PlanetOut brands also include The Advocate (www.advocate.com); Out (www.out.com); The Out Traveler (www.outtraveler.com); and, HIVPlus (www.hivplusmag.com), as well as other publishing, direct marketing and e-commerce properties, including Alyson Publications, SpecPub, Inc. and Triangle Marketing Services. Additionally, PlanetOut's newest brand is recently acquired travel and events marketer RSVP Vacations. PlanetOut, based in San Francisco with additional offices in New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, London and Buenos Aires, offers FORTUNE 1000 and Global 500 advertisers access to what it believes to be the most extensive network of gay and lesbian people in the world. For more information, please visit www.planetoutinc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding RSVP's anticipated itineraries, as well as statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "expects," and similar words. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the company's limited operating history and variability of operating results; the company's ability to attract and retain subscribers and advertisers; RSVP's ability to successfully book the transatlantic cruise on the QM2 and other cruises; the company's ability to integrate the acquired assets of RSVP; competition; timing of product launches; and the company's dependence on technology infrastructure and the Internet. Additional information concerning factors that could affect PlanetOut's future business and financial results is included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and other public filings filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

 
Source: PlanetOut Inc.

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posted by Gary B at 4/10/2006 07:34:05 AM  

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Lap of honour brings QE2 past Brid

 
Fans will be able to line the promenades and cliff-tops to catch a glimpse of the QE2 on Sunday, Sept-ember 16.
She will be passing Bridlington and Flamboro-ugh Head on her way to the Tyne, and will be sailing close to the coast to give members of the public the best view possible.
It is part of a 'lap of honour' around the UK to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the QE2 being launched.
The event should create as much interest as when the Queen Mary 2 sailed past in July 2004, and more than 1,000 people packed on to the headland at Flamborough to see the ship.
On that day, traffic was grid-locked, parking spaces were impossible to find and the ship was so close to the shore, the crowds were even able to read her name.

* The QE2 weighs 70,000 tons and has a top speed of 34 knots, although she can also travel backwards at 19 knots, which is faster than most ships can travel forwards.
* She has sailed nearly 5.5 million nautical miles - more than any ship in history and the equivalent to travelling to the moon and back 13 times.
* Building costs were £29m in 1969 but since then Cunard, the company which owns the QE2, has spent more than 15 times that amount on refits and refurbishments.
* Each year 277,000 metres of cling film is used, enough to go around the QE2 nearly 731 times.
* The number of tea bags used each day would supply a family for an entire year and enough fruit juice is used in one year to fill up QE2's swimming pools nearly eight times.
* In 1982, she was requisitioned by the Government for service in the Falklands Campaign – and so joined the ranks of the great Cunarders called upon to serve the country in times of conflict.

Have you ever been on the QE2. You can let us know what you think of the QE2 and send us pictures of your journey by e-mailing letters@bridlingtonfreepress.co.uk
05 April 2006

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posted by Gary B at 4/06/2006 10:39:25 AM  

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

QM2 IN BROOKLYN...

Queen Mary 2 Drops Anchor in Brooklyn 
On Saturday, April 15, Queen Mary 2 makes New York City's brand-new $52
million Brooklyn Cruise Terminal her berth-of-choice, marking an
exciting new chapter in the company's illustrious history. Mayor Michael R.
Bloomberg and a host of other dignitaries will be on hand to welcome the
world's most famous ocean liner as she sails into New York and docks in
Buttermilk Channel to celebrate the official opening of the new
full-service facility at Pier 12 in Red Hook.

"From stunning views of the iconic Manhattan skyline and close-by
Statue of Liberty to the streamlined embarkation and disembarkation process,
traveling through Brooklyn will create a truly memorable start and end
to a legendary Cunard voyage," said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard
Line.

The Red Hook facility will be used by Carnival Corporation's Cunard
Line and Princess Cruises. In April 2004 the Bloomberg Administration
reached a historic agreement with Carnival that calls for the company to
support the City's investments in cruise facilities in Brooklyn and
Manhattan through port charges in exchange for berthing rights. In its first
year of operation, the 182,000-square-foot Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is
expected to welcome approximately 40 ships, including the new Crown
Princess launching in June 2006. The Terminal adds 330 new, permanent jobs
to the Brooklyn waterfront.

"Investing in industries poised for growth and job creation is one of
the best ways for us to diversify the economy, and the investments we're
making in New York City's booming cruise sector is the latest example,"
said Mayor Bloomberg. "The completion of the spectacular Brooklyn
Cruise Terminal and arrival of the QM2 will be major milestones not only in
the expansion of New York City's cruise industry, but also in the
growth of Brooklyn's working waterfront."

Now the third largest cruise market in the U.S., New York City has
experienced tremendous growth in the cruise industry. The industry had an
economic impact of $600 million and supported 3,200 jobs in 2004. Those
numbers are expected to reach $900 million and 5,000 jobs by 2012,
according to New York City Economic Development Corporation estimates.

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is the first in the New York area to be
designed specifically to accommodate today's larger cruise ships. In
addition to deepening the channel, reinforcing moorings and upgrading the
gangway, the new facility includes traveler-friendly improvements such
as improved signage, landscaping, a tourist kiosk and more attractive
glass exterior and canopy.

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posted by Gary B at 4/04/2006 07:06:43 AM  

Monday, April 03, 2006

Round-the-world cruisers getting a little younger

 
By Mary Lu Abbott
Special to the Tribune
Published April 2, 2006

The world cruise scene is taking on a more youthful look. Once the domain of wealthy retirees, these days cruises that circumnavigate the globe are getting more popular and are attracting younger, more-active travelers.

Like Cheryl McCormick. The Manhattan Beach, Calif., resident took a 100-day sailing on Crystal Cruises' Symphony in 2002.

She had worked hard, saving for two years to take a sabbatical. In her 30s at the time, she wanted an unforgettable adventure.

And McCormick got one: She swam with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, went parasailing in New Zealand and explored the jungles of Cambodia and Vietnam.

At one time the typical world cruiser was "someone who was older and wanted to sit in a deck chair and read a book for 106 days," says Bill Smith, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Los Angeles-based Crystal Cruises, a leader in the luxury field.

"Now it's a mix of younger and more mature people," Smith says. "They're taking the cruise to visit exotic destinations and participate in a full complement of activities."

Global sailings traditionally depart in January, and cabins book up well in advance. In January 2007, a record seven ships will depart from U.S. ports on such odysseys, including Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and Silversea's Silver Shadow on maiden world voyages. In January this year, four world cruises departed from U.S. ports.

Some European-based ships also do such cruises, and depart from ports such as Southampton, England, and Funchal, on Portugal's Madeira Island.

It's a commitment in time and money; the lowest-priced cabins begin around $18,000. Still, "there's an increased demand from the consumer for longer cruises and the lifestyle of the world cruise," says Eric Maryanov, owner of All-Travel, which has several offices in Los Angeles and a specialty division called Luxury World Cruises (866-721-3419 or www.luxuryworldcruises.com).

Often it's the big-ticket suites that go first. Itineraries for 2007 were announced in summer and fall 2005, and by December, many cabins were booked.

Many world cruisers return year after year, often loyal to a particular cruise line, Maryanov says. But now he's seeing increased interest from first-timers, who have never done a circumnavigation, and has had inquiries from travelers in their 30s.

Young globetrotter McCormick decided to take advantage of her single status and do something rarely possible when married with kids.

A self-employed management consultant, she worked 65-hour weeks to save for the trip. She first took a seven-day "practice" cruise on the Symphony and scoped out cabins to find the lowest-priced one with the best location.

"This [world cruise] was a significant investment for me, and I didn't want to find out on Day One of the 100 days that I was not happy," she says.

She spent about $35,000 for the cabin and $15,000 for excursions. Her budget for the period, including ongoing costs at home, was about $65,000.

She brought aboard a table for her computer and printers so she could put together a journal, with photos. And she took collapsible shelves for books and videos she had collected for the trip.

"It was like having a little apartment that moved around the world," she says.

Except for some adults traveling with their parents, she was the youngest aboard the ship. But she felt a camaraderie with the passengers, who were mostly in their 60s and 70s. "They were the most active, exciting people. I was not conscious of their age," she says.

Holland America Line, which has been offering world cruises for 42 years, is seeing "a broader age range," says Richard Meadows, senior vice president of marketing and sales. "The average is in the low 60s now on a world cruise, but we will get younger couples on segments and maybe people in their 50s on the full cruise."

Meadows sees a strong future for world cruises, noting that Baby Boomers begin turning 60 this year and many already are avid cruise passengers. Also, because Internet access on ships allows travelers to stay connected to business and family, more people can consider leaving home for three to four months at a time.

Responding to the increasing popularity of world jaunts, Holland America will send two ships globe-trotting next year. This year, the 793-passenger Prinsendam is circling the globe; next year the flagship 1,380-passenger Amsterdam will do the world cruise and the Prinsendam will sail back-to-back grand voyages of 56 and 66 days, which can be combined to visit four continents.

Cunard, which has done world cruises since 1922, also has two ships circling the globe next year, the QE2 leaving on its 25th voyage along with the QM2 on its first.

Although world cruises reportedly sail close to full, not everyone signs on for the entire voyage. About one-third to two-thirds of the passengers sail the full route, while others book segments from 14 to 70 nights.

Meadows says most world cruisers fall into four types: The once-in-a-lifetime passengers celebrating a special life event, such as retirement or a wedding anniversary; the "country collectors" who have a list of must-see destinations; the "status seekers" who enjoy the pampering and one-upmanship of round-the-world experiences; and those who consider the ship their winter home away from home.

All-Travel's Maryanov says a world cruise is like a second home for many repeat passengers, who find a community of friends and staff they have come to know.

Lines add special programming and rewards for everyone. The luxury ships woo those who go the entire cruise with an extra bundle of benefits, such as First-Class airfare to the ship, up to $2,000 in onboard credits, special events and some free shore excursions.

Itineraries and activities are increasingly important, says Smith of Crystal Cruises. Crystal's world cruise planners spend months lining up a roster of onboard speakers, special shore-side dinners and shows and extensive overland excursions, including safaris of two to five nights in Africa.

- - -

IF YOU GO

The following U.S.-based companies have scheduled world cruises:

Crystal Cruises: 888-799-4625, www.crystalcruises.com

Cunard Line: 800-7-CUNARD, www.cunard.com

Holland America Line: 877-SAIL-HAL, www.hollandamerica.com

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: 877-505-5370, www.rssc.com

Silversea Cruises: 877-215-9986, www.silversea.com

Extended voyages up to 88 days are available from Seabourn Cruise Line (800-929-9391, www.seabourn.com).

And in Europe: Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (800-782-3924, www.hl-cruises.com) and Britain-based P&O Cruises (011-44-845-3-555-333, www.pocruises.com.)

-- M.L.A.

----------

ctc-travel@tribune.com

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posted by Gary B at 4/03/2006 06:35:49 AM  

US cruiseliner arrives in Dubai with 1,600 passengers on board

Dubai's buoyant cruise industry continues its momentum with the arrival of American cruise liner, Queen Elizabeth II, at the state-of-the-art Dubai Cruise Terminal today.

United Arab Emirates: Sunday, April 02 - 2006 at 15:26 GMT+4


Passengers coming out of the Queen Elizabeth 2 at the Dubai Cruise Terminal.
Passengers coming out of the Queen Elizabeth 2 at the Dubai Cruise Terminal.

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The ship arrived from the Indian port city of Mumbai with 1,600 passengers on board and 1,000 crew members. The total number of passengers who disembarked was 520 while another 620 passengers disembarked.

The Director General of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Mr. Khalid A bin Sulayem, Dubai Cruise Terminal Acting Manager, Mr. Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, DTCM Manager Human Resources, Mr. Ibrahim Yaqoot, and DTCM Manager Media Relations, Mr. Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, were present at the ceremony to mark the arrival of the cruise liner.

The passengers were mostly of UK and US nationalities. The agents were Barwil Dubai and tour operators were Orient Tours.

Mr. Al Ketbi said: 'Cruise tourism plays a crucial role in the overall growth and development of the tourism industry in Dubai. There has been an impressive growth in cruise tourist arrivals. We will continue to devote our efforts to further promote this economically-crucial sector of the tourism industry.'

A welcome ceremony was arranged for the passengers. Schoolchildren showered flowers and men dressed in traditional Arab costume welcomed the guests. Arabic coffee was served to the passengers and the Aiyala band performed while the Dubai police band stood in attendance. The US cruise liner will continue on its forward journey to Salalah, Oman, on April 3.

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posted by Gary B at 4/03/2006 06:34:14 AM