Capsized Costa Concordia captain found ‘unfit’ to command cruise liner

London, May 17 (ANI): The captain of the Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, was ‘unfit’ to command the luxury cruiser liner, which ran aground off the Italian coast in January 2012, a court has ruled.

Schettino, who is under house arrest, was accused of wrecking the 114,500 ton liner by bringing it too close to the shore, where a rocky ledge tore a gash in its side and made it sink, causing at least 30 deaths.

According to The Telegraph, the Court of Cassation in Italy said Schettino had shown ‘little resilience in performing command functions or in handling responsibility for the safety of persons under his care.’

The court said Schettino had shown himself unable to manage a crisis and to ensure the safety of his passengers and crew.

According to the paper, the court also said there would be a risk of a repeat of the disaster if he were given a command again.

He has been charged with multiple manslaughter, causing the accident and abandoning ship prematurely.

A pre-trial hearing was held in Grosseto, near Florence, in March.

That part of the ruling justified the decision to keep Schettino under house arrest at his home in Meta di Sorrento, near Naples in southern Italy, as a concrete danger of a recurrence must be shown for the arrest order to be upheld. (ANI)

Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Crystal Cruises

Posted on Monday, May 14, 2012 by

Continuing Shawn J. Dake’s
Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Crystal Cruises

CRYSTAL SERENITY. Photo © Peter Knego

Crystal Cruises announced that beginning in 2012, their cruises will become all-inclusive.  Gratuities and an open-bar policy including alcoholic beverages will greatly enhance this already luxurious line.  In keeping up their high standards, the CRYSTAL SERENITY underwent a $25 million renovation during a two-week overhaul in Germany during July.  The 68,870 gross ton ship was newly built in 2003.  Used bedspreads were donated to the needy in Senegal, West Africa, while eight 40-foot containers filled with furniture, electronics and accessories were shipped to the Salvation Army in New Jersey.  This is a line that is doing the right thing not only for its passengers but for the world.

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Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Compagnie du Ponant

Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 by

Continuing Shawn J. Dake’s
Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Compagnie du Ponant

Identifyable by their ash-grey hulls and sleek lines, L’AUSTRAL and LE BOREAL. Photo courtesy of Compagnie du Ponant.

Compagnie du Ponant an offshoot of the giant French container company CMA-CGM Group, inaugurated their newest ship L’AUSTRAL on April 26th in Marseilles, headquarters for the line.  The 10,700 gross ton ship was joined by it’s sister, the 264-passenger LE BOREAL and the much smaller 90-passengers LE LEVANT for the gala ceremony which included music and fireworks at sea.  As noted by company co-founder Jean-Emanuelle Sauvee, “It has been decades since a French company counted five cruise ships in its fleet.”  Although the vessels are all relatively small, the company hopes to carry 20,000 passengers annually.  A third new sister ship will join the line in 2013.  On the other hand, the company will soon downsize as in December it sold both of its older ships.  The 8,282 gross ton LE DIAMANT (ex BEGONIA, EXPLORER STARSHIP, SONG OF FLOWER) was built in 1974 as a Ro-Ro ship and rebuilt as a cruise ship in 1986 before joining the current fleet in 2004.  It will be renamed OCEAN DIAMOND in November, 2012 sailing for Quark Expeditions.  Also sold was the 1998-built, 3,504 gross ton LE LEVANT which went to Paul Gauguin Cruises, to be renamed MOANA, also in November, 2012.

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RIVIERA WELCOMES FIRST GUESTS ONBOARD FOR MAIDEN VOYAGE!

Photo by David Smith

The day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! The officers, staff and crew were all smiles today as we welcomed our first guests onboard Riviera in Venice. It was my great pleasure to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Kohel as the very first guests for Riviera‘s Maiden Voyage. The Kohels are our first ever Diamond Oceania Club members and have sailed with us on more than 40 voyages.

Photo by David Smith

We have done a lot of celebrating over the past two weeks, but nothing gave me greater pleasure than welcoming all of our first guests onboard Riviera. Our guests are the reason we built Riviera, and I am so excited for them to experience this beautiful ship. It was a wonderful day that I will always treasure in my fondest of memories.

Italy court rules Concordia captain unfit for command

Reuters

11:49 a.m. CDT, May 16, 2012

Fort William businesses urged to pull out the stops for cruise liner visits

 

BUSINESSES in Fort William are being urged to pull out the stops after it was confirmed that two large cruise ships, each carrying around 800 passengers and 350 crew, will visit the town in the coming weeks.

‘Marco Polo’ and ‘Ocean Countess’, operated by Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV), will sail into Loch Linnhe on Saturday, May 26, and Monday, June 4, respectively.

Highland Council, which has been marketing the town as a possible cruise ship destination for many years, has warmly welcomed the scheduled arrivals which they say have the potential to make a significant impact on the local economy.

The local authority is encouraging town traders to welcome the business enthusiastically.

A council spokeswoman said: “With predominantly half day tours being offered by the tour company to many areas of Lochaber, there are excellent opportunities for businesses to benefit from these visits.”

In an agreement struck recently after months of talks, The Underwater Centre and Crannog Concept are supplying the facilities for the ships to operate, with the cruise boat Souter’s Lass being used as the “platform” to disembark passengers straight onto the “town pier”.

Those visitors who choose not to go on the coach tours or who still have time to spend before or after their tour will be able to shop and relax in Fort William High Street.

The council say a local piper will be available to welcome the first passengers and a presentation will be made to the ships’ captains to mark the special visits.

And, after several years of Fort William “missing the boat”, two more cruise liners are scheduled to visit Fort William later this year.

Councillor Brian Murphy, chairman of Fort William Steering Group, said: “I am really pleased that we are to get visits from four cruise ships this year, hopefully the first of many.

“We have been trying for a number of years to break into this market and I would like to thank the Underwater Centre and Crannog Concept for making this possible by offering the use of the Souter’s Lass.

“This is an opportunity that Fort William must grasp with both hands and I hope that local businesses will give some thought as to how they can make the visit an enjoyable experience for the cruise ship passengers.

“We need them to leave with happy and positive memories of their visit so that the cruise companies will want to return in increasing numbers.”

‘Marco Polo’, which is 537ft in length, will leave Newcastle on May 23 on a five night cruise to the Highlands and islands, arriving in Fort William at 8am on May 26 and departing after a day’s sightseeing at 6pm.

‘Ocean Countess’ will leave Liverpool on May 29 for eight nights cruising to some of the best gardens in and around Britain.

The ship will arrive in Fort William on June 4 at 9am and set sail at 5pm.

The Ocean Countess visit coincides with the extra-long weekend to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

CMV marketing manager Mike Hall said: “We are very excited and pleased about bringing our ships to Fort William from where we are passengers will have the chance to discover the stunning Highland scenery of mountains, glens, and lochs – the landscape Scotland is famous for.

“We are sure that a warm Scottish welcome awaits us.”

Smooth sailing ahead as domestic cruise industry expects expansion

<!–enpproperty 2012-05-17 02:16:37.0Zhou Wenting in ShanghaiDomestic cruise industry expects expansioncosta victoria, cuise ship, shanghai11020264Economy2@webnews/enpproperty–>

Renowned ship’s arrival at port in Shanghai marks major milestone

The world-famous Costa Victoria cruise ship completed its first voyage to China on Wednesday after arriving at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Port.

 

Costa Victoria, a world-famous cruise liner, docks at Wusongkou International Cruise Port in Shanghai on Wednesday. The vessel will launch its Asian route, with Shanghai as its homeport, on Friday. Gao Erqiang / China Daily 

The Costa Victoria, which will depart for the Republic of Korea on Friday, has selected Shanghai to be the homeport for its Asian route.

This year, a total of 62 international cruise liners, including the Voyager of the Seas from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, will arrive at Shanghai’s specialized port for luxury cruise ships, which opened in October last year, and more than 150 will arrive in 2013, according to figures from the city’s entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau.

It is apparent that the number of cruise ships in China is rising, and they are becoming more luxurious, tourism industry analysts say. Global players in the cruise line sector are focusing on the country.

“The Chinese cities, especially Shanghai, can never be overlooked. Top groups in the trade all have high hopes for the potential of the market,” said Cheng Juehao, deputy director of the research institute of cruise economy under the Shanghai International Shipping Institute.

The number of cruise ships received at ports on the Chinese mainland saw an increase from 223 in 2010 to 262 in 2011, according to statistics from the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association.

Cruise liners with a high passenger capacity and shipping tonnage will increasingly select Chinese harbors to be their homeports this year now that the world’s four leading cruise companies have established China-based routes.

“A cruise market in the country has taken shape due to the emergence of groups with considerably high incomes and a mature concept of cruise holidays in coastal areas,” said Zheng Weihang, executive vice-president of CCYIA.

China is at the primary stage of its cruise economy. In this phase, it is building homeports to provide comprehensive services, including berthing, replenishment and maintenance for large cruise liners, said experts.

Several cities, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Xiamen and Qingdao, have been equipped with international homeports to attract major cruise liners to set up shop there for the long term.

Tianjin, a center for cruise travel in North China, will receive nearly 40 luxury cruise liners this year and will establish new routes to Thailand and Singapore in addition to the existing ones to Japan and Korea.

Baoshan International Cruiser Homeport, another port in Shanghai, will be completed in 2015, and more than 200 voyages will be received annually after that time, according to official information.

“It will be a splendid platform for the hundreds of thousands of visitors arriving in China as well as for Chinese to go abroad,” said Wang Hong, head of Shanghai’s Baoshan district, during an interview with eastday.com.

“We will build an industrial chain, including logistics, purchasing and ticket business, to promote the development of modern services that integrate the cruise economy,” she said.

When the cruise economy is more mature, it is important for the country to have its own cruise companies, which are registered and operated on the mainland, experts say.

“Cruise liners have brought new concepts and patterns of consumption to China, but they won’t produce obvious benefits if we are only involved in selling tickets and ship supplies,” Cheng said.

Chinese enterprises and government agencies started to consider establishing cruise companies two years ago, he said, but they are cautious because of the huge investments required.

The country is expected to have its own cruise companies in three to five years, Cheng estimated. “The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is encouraging the research and development of cruise ship building technologies.”

The Simplest Way To Secure Your Vessel In A Jetty Slip

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When you are done with the fun on the water, it’s time to secure the boat in the Port Canaveral Marina. Ship slips are unlike and better from the ship docks as they protect the vessel on both the sides from open water. Nevertheless each jetty has its own set of rules and regulations to be followed while docking in its slip. Ensure you know the simple steps of securing a vessel on the shore.

You ought to take a close look at the slip allocated to you before going on the outing. But chances are high that you might have to do the same on the fly in case you are approaching a quay for the very first time. In such conditions, take a note of the slip dimensions well before, to maneuver the boat well.

Switching the engine to idle or neutral mode, enter the quay pointing the boat’s bow to the interior corner of the slip. Steer the rear of the boat until it is altogether straight and parallel to the sides of the slip.

Now throw a looped rope over a piling to the outer side of the slip nearest to the open water. Step on to the dock and secure the rigging to a cleat on the deck by tying it several times. If there is crew on the pier, you will not need to step out as the staff will rig lines for you.

Ultimately wrap the bow and rear riggings around the cleats on the starboard side of your vessel. Rig the boat’s line so the vessel is secured in the middle of the slip stopping your ship from bumping into the either sides of the slip.

The boat slip being the home to your boat ensures safety to your vessel and a correct docking will simply enhance the security of the vessel.

Eric Nelson offers Brevard County Yamaha outboard service and is a comprehensive resource for Ship Storage options.

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Your Guide To Affordable Cruises

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Gee, How Much Does A Cruise Cost?

Okay, as an example that you’ve decided to take the family on a cruise, or simply you and your significant other, and now it’s essential to work out how much it is going to cost. Your first glimpse at typical fares provided online has left you more than slightly skeptical in regards to the affordability of taking your vacation to the seas. But earlier than you nix the whole cruise thought and guide a keep at a dude ranch, why not take a extra thorough have a look at cruise pricing? Chances are you’ll simply find that you’re getting an awesome deal and that cruises are literally cheaper than your typical run-of-the-mill vacation.

The problem with cruise pricing is that cruise traces hit you right up front with the numbers, (WHAM!) and that can be a little bit arduous to swallow. But when you can get past your preliminary shock and never click off your browser, you will see that the majority cruises are all inclusive, that means that your complete value of your trip is included within the fare price.

Removed from just offering you with accommodations, your cruise fare will cowl the next: meals and snacks, admission to lounges and nightclubs aboard ship, and tickets to view stay bands, productions, and comedy shows. In most cruise lines, the cost of meals alone accounts for up to $75 per day of your fare. Once you subtract this quantity and the quantity that it could cost for daily entertainment whereas on a land-based trip, you could very well be getting your accommodations aboard the ship for free. Feels like a discount, huh?

The value for taking a cruise varies drastically and depends upon several factors. In some instances, you’ll be able to ebook a fare for nicely below $1,000 per person. Others can price as much as $6,000 per person. It actually just will depend on your preferences and likewise the way you go about booking your trip. Following is a listing of a number of factors that may have an effect on the price of your cruise:

1. Time of 12 months – The time of 12 months that you plan to take your cruise will tremendously affect the cost of your fare. As with most trip locations, the cost of a cruise fare is decrease in the course of the off season and higher throughout the peak season

2. Size – Clearly the size of the cruise will have an effect on the price. If you happen to’re looking for a cruise vacation at a great value, you could wish to select a shorter, 3-day cruise as a substitute of a cruise that lasts 10 days or more.

3. Destination – The cruise destination will even affect the price of your ticket. Typically, the preferred cruise locations value more and are more durable to book.

4. Kind – Many cruise strains provide themed cruises or ones designed for a particular group of people. These normally price more than cruises open to the general public.

5. The cruise line – Different cruise traces have different pricing tables. If you have a favorite line that you simply wish to travel with, you is likely to be limited relating to discovering a lower fare. However in case you are versatile, you would possibly have the ability to discover a cheaper deal to the same vacation spot just by selecting a unique cruise line.

6. The kind of ship – Cruise lines have various kinds of ships with completely different pricing tables for each. A smaller ship will possible have fewer amenities than a larger ship and will due to this fact be inexpensive to e book a passage on.

7. Lodging – The size of your room, the view from your cabin, and the way many individuals are staying in it should have an effect on pricing an important deal. To economize, many people opt for an inside stateroom somewhat than a room that faces outward and has a terrace. The deck that your room is situated on will even affect the cost.

8. Package deal choices – Many cruise strains supply extras or upgrades that can be purchased along with your fare.

9. Promotions – For those who e book a cruise as part of a promotion or particular provide, you can save a lot of money on your fare. It’s also possible to save money by booking in advance and paying to your fare quickly.

Different value issues that you will want to make when calculating the cost of your vacation embrace any touring prices to get you to the placement the place your cruise takes off and a little bit bit of spending cash for souvenirs and purchases made whereas docked.

Other than that, normally what you see is what you get in cruise pricing. However I do need to say to make sure you ask about any thing that’s not included so you aren’t getting surprised. Ask about any extra taxes, prices, surcharges and even check out tipping and likewise work out of pocket bills on shore tour or the purchase of any gadgets or providers on the ship that might not be included. Some offered excursions on a number of the shore excursions might have their own price. You can get Cruises booking from hotwire.com, and while applying don’t forget to use Hotwire coupons  to get discounts. If your undecided ask your travel agent, or someone you already know that has been on a cruise, or search for what you think is an efficient cruise discussion board on the internet and possibly submit a query or two, and even write/electronic mail the cruise line itself and you then’ll have something in writing. This fashion the budget in your cruise will likely be more correct and you will feel more confident and relaxed. And getting away to chill out is the purpose, right?

Yes, chances are you’ll pay a little bit more up entrance, however all of the things already included within the prices makes a cruise trip fairly a bargain over many different sorts of vacations. Plus, during a cruise you may visit numerous exotic locations as a substitute of being caught in a single place for the whole duration of your trip and you don’t have to do any of the driving. And that’s the real attraction of taking a cruise, it turns into many little exotic adventures…

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Getting Married On A P&o Cruise.

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Making your marriage vows in a fairytale setting has never been more standard, and many couples choose to combine their marriage ceremony with a holiday cruise. What might be more romantic, and simpler to rearrange? The transport, ceremony, reception and honeymoon are all taken care of in one booking. Buddies and kinfolk can book their holiday cruises at the identical time, and voila! No panic, no fuss, no worry.

Since 2007 PO Cruises have taken benefit of Bermudan registration laws, and all their captains are officially recognised as marriage registrars.

In that first yr 200 weddings were held on PO cruise ships, and the figures have been steadily growing ever since.

On condition that the average value of a marriage in the UK is round £18,000 there are clear monetary reasons as to why you may consider selecting a marriage at sea.

For £1,000 PO will organise your day. This includes a full marriage ceremony planning service with your personal wedding ceremony coordinator, personalised invites delivered effectively prematurely of your massive day, a non-public on board venue with floral arrangements and music, a commemorative marriage certificate and champagne, and the services of the captain who will carry out the actual ceremony and act as host for the afternoon.

In addition to all that your PO wedding ceremony planner can provide bouquets, corsages, buttonholes, a marriage cake, and a reception – from a finger buffet to a private wedding ceremony banquet. Your wedding may be giant and formal, or a small and intimate affair when you so wish.

These further companies can all be mentioned and booked properly in advance, relieving the bride and groom of all that stress earlier than the large day arrives; the PO wedding organiser will take the strain. And should you have any worries or last minutes changes your planner is on board with you; no frantic telephone calls or panicky emails.You can get Cruises booking from hotwire.com, and while applying don’t forget to use Hotwire coupons  to get discounts.

All sounds nice, you may say, however what about the cost of the cruise itself? Effectively, the average cost of a honeymoon to somewhere romantic will be about £four,000; the same as a PO cruise to a whole host of romantic locations, with out having to worry about planes, rent vehicles and hotels.

It’s also possible to e book all your visitors in a block reserving and qualify for a reduction, or they’ll e-book their own cruise deals independently. Many marriage ceremony events choose Mediterranean cruises as they are going to discover one thing to enchantment to all ages and tastes without having to expertise a lengthy sea voyage.

If you’re already fortunately married and the thought of a romantic wedding is making you would like you possibly can get married all over again, PO Cruises have although of that. They offer an analogous bundle for marriage vow renewals, and this has proved to be an actual winner. What better way is there to indicate your ongoing dedication to one another than a dream celebration on a romantic cruise?

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