UK & Canadian Incoming Markets

by Kevin Griffin

Cruise Britain released its latest figures, revealing that the number of cruise passenger visits to the UK’s 52 cruise ports increased by 11% to 723,000 people in 2012.

QM2 in Quebec City

In total more than 100 ships visited the UK from 47 different cruise lines while 2012 also saw 962,000 passengers start their cruise from a UK port. Overall 84% of passengers were British. Since 2004, the number of visiting passengers has more than doubled and the number of ships calling (not calls) has gone from 76 to 105, up 38%.

Meanwhile, a new economic impact study released showed that 2.02 million cruise visitors to Canadian ports generated $2.38-billion generated in economic activity in 2012. The report by the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) counted 1,101 cruise ship calls.

Interestingly, this is almost triple the UK port count, but both Alaska and Canada New England cruises attract vastly more passengers than the relatively small number of Round Britain cruises on offer each year.

The Canadian Tourism Commission has taken a particular interest in cruising and cruise visitors, as is reflected in its decision to be a headline sponsor for the second year running of the UK Cruise Convention 2013, due to be held in Southampton on May 23-24.

Holland America Line Single-Handedly Extends St Lawrence Season

Originally published by our London office.

 

Holland America Line’s Maasdam, a regular St Lawrence trader, passing under the Quebec Bridge

For many decades, in the days before air conditioning, the St Lawrence cruise season ran all summer long. From 1919 until 1965, Canada Steamship Lines offered weekly Saguenay cruises from Montreal, with a season that ran from June to September, even during the war. From 1921 to 1961, the Clarke Steamship Company offered longer “Round the Gulf” and Labrador cruises in a season that ran from May through October. After these services closed, Cunard Line, the Baltic Shipping Company, Polish Ocean Lines, Moore-McCormack Lines and the Greek Line, among others, began offering week-long cruises from Montreal or 10/11-night cruises between New York and Montreal.

The history of St Lawrence cruising goes back a long way. Under the auspices of Thomas Cook, the Quebec Steamship Company first sent its 1,864-ton Orinoco out from New York in the summer of 1894 to visit Saint John NB, Halifax, Charlottetown, Gaspé, Tadoussac, the Saguenay River and Quebec. Indeed, by 1904, the Plant Line was advertising its Gulf of St Lawrence cruises from Boston as follows:

Six Days’ Cruise 1400 miles for $18. From Union Wharf, Boston, every Tuesday and Saturday, 12 noon for Halifax, Hawkesbury and Charlottetown. Good board. Cheapest rates. Best trout and salmon fishing, and shooting. Beautiful scenery. This doesn’t half tell it. Send stamp for booklet “Looking Eastward,” maps, etc.

A pioneer of St Lawrence cruising from 1908 until the First World War, the s.s. Trinidad cruised the St Lawrence by summer and sailed from New York to Bermuda in the winter.

The Quebec Steamship Company’s 2,162-ton Trinidad followed in 1908, the 300th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec. In 1919, this line was acquired by Britain’s Furness Withy & Co, who cruised first the 5,530-ton Fort Hamilton and and then the 7,785-ton Fort St George from New York to Quebec. Between the wars, the Anchor Line, Canadian Pacific, the Clyde Line, White Star Line and others all offered cruises between New York, the Maritimes, Quebec and Montreal. These cruises were nearly always offered in the high season in July and August, when it was hottest in the cities, as a getaway from the summer heat.

More recently, however, the so-called Canada New England brand has suffered in that even The Sunday Times now tells people who want to cruise the St Lawrence to go in the autumn. The question is, is this the propogation of a myth or is it simply because cruises only go there now in the autumn? This has been one of the biggest challenges facing St Lawrence and New England destinations in recent years, but things are slowly starting to change.

In recent years, Holland America has operated one ship, the 1,266-berth Maasdam, into Montreal between May and October. Starting this autumn, however, it brought a second ship to the St Lawrence, in the 1,348-berth Veendam, which it had previously been operating on the New York-Bermuda run. Next year, Holland America will operate Veendam on a full season of St Lawrence cruises, from May through October, turning at Quebec while Maasdam continues to turn at Montreal.

Maasdam departing Montreal on a cruise. On the left is the Sailors’ Memorial clocktower on Victoria Pier. Behind here is where the Canada Steamship Lines and Clarke Steamship Company cruise ships used to sail from

Moving Veendam to St Lawrence cruising is interesting in two ways. First, Holland America has already let it be known that it thinks it can make more money trading to Canada and New England than in what was once regarded as the lucrative Bermuda cruise market. Secondly, with the imposition of the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) this summer, Veendam is actually going against the flow.

When sailing to Bermuda she spent most of her time outside the 200-mile ECA limit but by sailing to Canada she will always be within it. This means she will have to burn more expensive distillate fuel in order to reduce sulphur emissions, something that Holland America has already estimated increased their fuel costs by 40% in the Alaska trade, which is also completely within the ECA, for an  extra $200,000 on a 7-night cruise.

Veendam will handle four embarkations and four disembarkations at Quebec, bringing more than 20,000 extra visitors a year over a three-year period. Under the new marketing agreement, Montreal will also see additional turnarounds from Maasdam in July and August. This programme, announced last month, is backed by $1.15 million in government funds, half from Tourism Quebec and half from Quebec City.

Included in Veendam’s new sailings will be four 14-night round trips from Quebec that will call at Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor, Boston and the Saguenay. Equally, Maasdam will offer seven 14-night round trip cruises from Montreal calling at Quebec, Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor and Boston. Both itineraries will also be available as one-way 7-night sectors between Montreal and Boston and Quebec and Boston.

As part of this agreement, the 450-berth Seabourn Sojourn, operated by Holland America affiliate Seabourn, will also operate three St. Lawrence turnaround cruises from Montreal that will visit seven ports in Quebec: Montreal, Quebec City, Trois Rivières, Saguenay, Baie Comeau, Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands.

Holland America has become a bit of a pioneer in the St Lawrence. It was the first cruise line to visit Sept Iles, on the St Lawrence North Shore, when it sent  Maasdam there in May 2009. This in itself was an earlier season start than usual for the St Lawrence, the call having been made during a positioning voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Montreal, something it will offer again in 2013. The new $20 million berth at Sept Iles now accepts cruise ships of up to 985 feet in length.

Compagnie du Ponant’s Le Boréal calls at the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence

Fellow North Shore ports Baie Comeau to the west and Havre St Pierre to the east have also added cruise facilities and their proximity to Gaspé on the South Shore, Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island and Corner Brook in Newfoundland, offers a choice of half a dozen cruise ports in the Gulf of St Lawrence below Quebec. The Magdalen Islands, which has its own weekly cruise ferry from Montreal and is now also visited by Compagnie du Ponant and Crystal Cruises, adds a seventh.

Crystal Symphony seen here calling at Quebec, offers a round-trip Gulf of St Lawrence cruise from Montreal each September.

On September 30, Crystal Cruises operated  a 7-night round trip from Montreal with its 960-berth Crystal Symphony. Three of her four ports, Sept Iles, the Magdalen Islands and the French islands of St Pierre et Miquelon, were first time calls for Crystal. The fourth port, Quebec, has been rated as the most popular cruise port in North America. This Montreal round trip itinerary will be repeated on September 26, 2013. But in September 2014, the cruise will be offered by Crystal Serenity from Quebec. A larger ship than Symphony, the Serenity presumably can’t get under the Quebec Bridge to sail upriver to Montreal.

Royal Caribbean has also started operating turnaround cruises from Quebec with its 2,112-berth Brilliance of the Seas, with a typical 10-night cruise taking in Baie Comeau, Corner Brook, Halifax, Sydney, St Pierre et Miquelon and Charlottetown. Like the Serenity, the Brilliance is to tall to fit under the Quebec Bridge.

Other St Lawrence visitors this season have included the 3,114-berth Emerald Princess, 2,104-berth Eurodam, 264-berth Le Boréal, 2,476-berth Norwegian Dawn, the 2,620-berth Queen Mary 2, the 684-berth Regatta, 490-berth Seven Seas Navigator, 388-berth Silver Whisper and Veendam, nearly all in September and October. Not to mention Aida, Fred Olsen and Saga ships that cruise over from Europe.

The addition of  Veendam to the St Lawrence trade is good news for Quebec City, which in 2013 will see five Holland America calls each month from May to August and seven in June. The only other ship coming nearby in the summer months is Oceania’s 1,258-berth Marina, which will make an unusual June 1 call at Quebec while on a 16-night cruise from New York to Southampton. The other ships will all wait until September (21 calls) and October (27 calls), when they come flocking in for “the leaves.”

For more details on Cruising the Gulf of St Lawrence please call The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk and in Canada at 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

VACANCIER and Îles de la Madeleine

Vacancier in port Îles de la Madeleine (Photo credit: ken ratcliff)

review by Gordon Turner

"I’ve just got back from Îles de la Madeleine," I tell an acquaintance, and I am rewarded with a blank look. "In English," I add, "it’s the Magdalen Islands." The blank expression remains.

Thus I have to explain that the islands are located in the centre of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, nearer to Cape Breton, but not all that far from the Gaspé Peninsula, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. They are part of the province of Quebec.

My recent visit was my second since 2008. There are three parts to my story: one is getting there; the second is the islands themselves, and the third is coming back.

The downbound voyage

Early on a Friday afternoon in June I found myself at the Bickerdike Basin in Montreal harbour ready to board Vacancier, located a few hundred metres away from a parking lot, which was beginning to fill up with passengers’ cars. I had arrived by taxi. The procedure was exactly what it had been four years earlier: hand over your suitcase to a crewman, who loads it into an elderly van at a corner of the parking area, then proceed to a large tent where chairs and bottled water waited. Before I had time to twist open a bottle top and sit down, a small school bus arrived and I joined the first group of waiting passengers for the three-minute trip to the ship. The van with the luggage reached the ship shortly before sailing time and crewmen delivered the suitcases to the cabin doors.

Vacancier is definitely not one of your modern cruise ships with more amenities than you ever knew existed. Not at all. She was completed as a ferry in Germany in 1973 and began her career with daylight sailings on the Gulf of Bothnia. In 1982 she was sold to an Irish company and renamed Saint Patrick II. She sailed between Ireland and France and as this was an overnight service cabins were installed. In 2002, the ship came to Canadian waters and was renamed Vacancier. My journey was advertised as a cruise but it did not fall within the terminology of what most people consider nowadays to be a cruise ship. For instance, there was no swimming pool and no casino. Also, passengers could buy tickets for any port-to port segment if they did not want to take the full seven-day voyage. They could take their cars along too, as Vacancier has a spacious car deck.

Most of Vacancier‘s cabins are very small—tiny, to be truthful—and there’s no getting around this fact. It is important to recall that they were built for single-night use, and nowadays they are in service for seven consecutive nights for passengers making the full week-long journey, Montreal back to Montreal. Some cabins are a bit larger (or smaller) than others, some have a private bathroom and some do not. Some have a window or porthole but many do not. If you are claustrophobic…well, you get the picture. I occupied Cabin 305 and it had no porthole or window, not that I really minded. Size? I did not pack a tape measure but when I stood in the middle of the cabin and stretched my arms across its width I could easily touch both walls and when I tried it lengthwise my fingers fell short by maybe 30 centimetres (12 inches). The cabin had its own small bathroom, complete with shower, toilet and wash basin.

Limited size notwithstanding, Cabin 305 was built for two persons, with upper and lower berths. I had it all to myself and the upper berth was folded back into the wall for the duration of my voyage. The cabin was simply furnished. The lower berth was narrow but sufficient for me, there was a fairly large mirror with a small dressing table and stool, and a row of pegs with coat hangers. And that was about all. No chest of drawers. I stowed my suitcase under the lower berth and came to appreciate the phrase "living out of a suitcase." The cabin had no television, no radio and no telephone. If you wanted a wake-up call, you notified the Purser’s Office and the next morning a crew member knocked at your door until receiving a sleepy response.

Each morning while I was at breakfast an attendant made up the bed and cleaned the cabin. Vacancier is a clean ship and she is well maintained. Her master, officers and crew are just under 100 in number and the great majority are Madelinots, as residents of the islands call themselves.

The ship measures about 12,000 gross tons and is 126 metres (413 feet) in length. She has 220 cabins and a passenger capacity of 450. If you are not fluent in French (and I am not) there’s no need to be concerned. The crew members you are in contact with speak English to a greater or lesser degree—and this also applies to most of the people will you will meet on the islands themselves.

Vacancier left Montreal punctually, emerging from the Bickerdike Basin and entering the St. Lawrence River. Although the ship serves Îles de la Madeleine year round, it is only in the busy season, June to September, that she sails from Montreal. For the rest of the year she leaves from Matane on the Gaspé Peninsula. We passed Quebec City late in the evening and the following morning (Saturday) around 6:30 the ship was at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers, where early risers were rewarded by the sight of four or five whales. For much of the downbound voyage, the ship sailed close to the southern shore of the St. Lawrence, but on this occasion rain, clouds and threatening skies reduced the visibility.

But if the weather precluded sitting out on the open decks, there were things to do inside the ship. In June and September when bookings are comparatively light, theme cruises take place. Music, health and beauty, food, nature and history are among the topics. Passengers are largely Francophones so the presentations are in French. On my voyage, the ship carried only 150 passengers, with possibly 12 to 15 whose mother tongue was English. The principal entertainers were Suroît, a versatile quartet of vocalists and instrumentalists who presented well-attended evening programmes. Suroît’s roots are in Acadian and Celtic music but in keeping with many groups to-day it had an array of high-tech equipment and its own soundman.

Cuisine aboard ships always evokes passengers’ interest. Vacancier provided three meals a day and a late evening snack while the ship was docked at Cap-aux-Meules. There are two dining venues, the restaurant for breakfast and lunch, and the dining room one deck higher for dinner each evening. Each room has windows on three sides. Breakfast is cafeteria-style, with standard dishes. The three-course lunch offered waiter service and a choice of main dishes. If asked to summarize these two meals in a single word, I would say "satisfactory." Where the ship really shone was at dinner. The dining-room tables had linen tablecloths and napkins, good-quality cutlery and chinaware, and sparkling wine glasses. And the service was skilled, pleasant and attentive. A musician played unobtrusively on a keyboard while we dined. On my first evening most diners ordered a whole lobster as the main course of the four-course dinner. The Magdalen Islands are noted for their lobster fisheries and much of the catch is exported to the United States. Fortunately my voyage was during the height of the lobster season. Between courses, I reminded myself that suggested gratuities were $10 per person per day, the sum including tips to dining room staff, cabin attendants and any other crew members who rendered personal service.

But there’s more to life aboard than entertainment and food. The lounges were pleasant and comfortable, each of the two larger ones also including a bar. To my surprise, there was a hairdressing salon. A 50-seat movie theatre screened feature movies in French with English subtitles and also documentaries about the Magdalen Islands. The exercise room is small but reasonably well equipped. A children’s playroom is next door to the Tours Office where tours for the ports of call can be booked. A shop sells souvenir items and some of the necessities that passengers tend to forget to pack. To my way of thinking, the most desirable locations were two small and narrow lounges, port and starboard, that had remarkably comfortable armchairs and sofas and provided fine views of the passing scenery—at least when the weather co-operated.

Vacancier was due to reach Cap-aux-Meules, the principal town of the islands on Sunday morning at ten o’clock. Her only stop on the downbound voyage was for half-an-hour at Chandler on the Gaspé Peninsula to load cars of residents returning to the islands.

Three days on the islands

And now for the second part of my story. Îles de la Madeleine is home to about 13,000 residents, 95 percent of whom are Francophones. A longtime resident informed me that there were also 9,000 cars and trucks on the island. Stop signs and a few traffic lights existed but he also said there were no parking meters and no paid parking lots. Among the other attributes of the Magdalens that begin with "no"I found these: No highrise buildings, no graffiti, no vandalized phone booths, no huge in-your-face roadside billboards. I was a casual visitor, of course, and I was there for only three days but in that time I toured the islands from one end to the other, a distance of about 70 kilometres (45 miles), before making these observations.

Visitors who arrive by ship have the option of staying ashore at additional cost or staying aboard between Sunday morning and Tuesday evening as part of the inclusive fare, which was my choice. This meant a continental breakfast and a late evening snack of sandwiches and cookies. For lunch and dinner there were plenty of restaurants ashore, many of which were not within walking distance of the ship but taxis were available.

Vacancier remains docked at Cap-aux-Meules from about ten on Sunday morning until nine on Tuesday evening. I had several options for my time ashore. I could have rented a car or a bicycle but I decided instead to take a different coach tour each day. As there were sufficient Anglophones who had signed up for tours I found myself aboard a coach with an English-speaking driver/guide each morning about nine, returning to the ship just after four in the afternoon.

The definition of islands is applied rather loosely in the case of the Magdalens. At one time they were islands in the conventional sense but over the passage of time six of them have become linked by long, narrow sand dunes. Physically, the islands are sometimes flat and sometimes hilly. There are a number of beaches, some stretching for several hundred metres, with the finest of powdered sand. The downside is that although the beaches are inviting, the islands are noted for ever-present winds, which have a strong influence on the climate. Really hot days are rare and the waters of the gulf are not warm enough to encourage swimming until late summer. Still, water-sports enthusiasts can try their hand at kayaking.

For many years, the economy of the Magdalen Islands was based on fishing, but in recent years tourism has grown in importance. Although the islands are not on the radar of most Canadian travellers, at least in Quebec an awareness of their attractions exists. Artisans and artists have taken up residence and on my tours I visited several. The tours also included visits to churches of architectural and historic interest, beaches with soft sandstone cliffs and a maritime museum. We spent some time at two small harbours where fishing boats came and went. Lobsters were the big catch and an obliging fisherman held up the largest one so that I could take its picture.

The islands are home to a number of small establishments that produce food and drink in various forms. For me, pride of place goes to the artisanal cheese producer Pied-de-Vent. The cheese is made in a building on one side of the road, while the cows in the field across the road chew contentedly until milking time arrives, when a farm hand steps onto the road to hold up traffic until the cows have crossed and made their way to the barn. Visitors can watch the cheese being produced and try the free samples. I bought several varieties, including the outstanding Tomme des Demoiselles, and after I tasted them back in Toronto I wish I had bought more. Incidentally, Pied-de-Vent, aware of the proper way to handle cheese, delivers purchases to the ship, where it is kept under refrigeration until Friday morning when passengers collect the packages from the Purser’s office just before they disembark.

But cheese is far from being the only edible or potable product of the islands. A micro-brewery uses local grain to produce several varieties of beer. A winery makes variations of home-brewed wines flavoured with cranberries, dandelions and strawberries. Down at La Grave near the southern end of the islands, a chocolatier sells top-quality confections that are every bit as good as those sold in high-end shops in Toronto—and at a third less the price. One tour included a stop at a herbarium, where an employee pounded away with a pestle on some small leaves while the owner sold combinations of mixed herbs and aromatic oils that would draw out the flavour of fish, fowl and meat. A smokehouse was busily making kippers over a smouldering fire of maple logs.

But not everything on these tours was food related. We visited studios and shops where some people specialized in glass blowing, others in painting, sculpture, handicrafts or jewellery. In my opinion, it would be difficult for a visitor to leave the islands without buying something either for personal use or as a gift.

The upbound voyage

And on Tuesday evening Vacancier left Cap-aux-Meules just after nine o’clock. The upbound voyage was not an anti-climax by any means. There were two stops, the small town of Chandler on the Gaspé Peninsula for six hours on Wednesday morning and Quebec City, also for six hours, on Thursday afternoon. I skipped the Gaspé tours, mostly because I knew the ship would pass later in the day close enough to Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island for a photo opportunity. That this occurred on a sunny day was simply a bonus.

We had fewer passengers on the upbound leg of the voyage but we still had the same entertainers and their evening performances remained popular. For the return trip, Vacancier kept close to the scenic northern shore of the Lower St. Lawrence. The fine weather of the previous day held up, not too cold on the open decks and sunny all day long. Towns, villages, church spires, hills, forests and fields—we saw the region at its inviting best. And again—but only for those early risers—whales appeared as if on cue where the Saguenay met the St. Lawrence.

Much has been said and written about Quebec City and the centre of the city richly deserves its description as the most European city in North America, at least in its appearance. Vacancier docked within easy walking distance of the historic Lower Town with its mixture of historic sites, art galleries, antique shops and restaurants. It was only after I returned to the ship that I realized I had not found time to visit Chateau Frontenac or strolled along the Dufferin Terrace. So be it.

Much of the stretch between Quebec City and Montreal took place during the night, just as it did downbound. A pity but it’s all a matter of scheduling.

One of the attractions of taking a voyage that is exclusively in Canadian waters is the absence of time-consuming and frequently irritating security checks. Body scans by the Border Security Agency? X-rays of suitcases and hand luggage? Customs and Immigration? No, not on this kind of trip. Thus, when Vacancier reached Montreal disembarking after breakfast was simple and uncomplicated. And a small bus conveyed groups of passengers to a corner of the parking lot where I claimed my suitcase then took a taxi to Central Station for a trip back to Toronto by Via Rail.

I made all my arrangements through John Lang of The Cruise People, Ltd., Toronto, for the flight by Porter Airlines from Toronto to Montreal, the seven-day voyage to and from Îles de la Madeleine, and the rail trip from Montreal to Toronto. Everything fell neatly into place, just as I had expected from previous experience.

Planning particulars

For information in French and English about the ship Vacancier and other vessels in the company’s fleet, visit CTMA’s website www.cruisesctma.ca.

To learn more about Îles de la Madeleine visit www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com.

Tourisme Quebec’s website is www.bonjourquebec.com. It publishes a free 160-page guidebook, available in both English and French, titled Îles de la Madeleine 2012-2013. Its text, maps, photos and advertisements made it, at least to me, indispensable.

There is more than one way to reach the islands. CTMA operates a daytime service from Souris, Prince Edward Island, to Cap-aux-Meules using the ferry Madeleine, which carries automobiles as well as passengers. It is a year-round service, once or twice a day in mid-summer, twice a week in mid-winter.

Îles de la Madeleine can be reached by air from Montreal, Quebec City and Gaspé. Some flights require a change of planes, some include one or more stops.

del.icio.us Tags: Vacancier,Madeleine Islands,Magdelen Islands

Cunard’s Three Queens Celebrate Diamond Jubilee

by Kevin Griffin of The Cruise People writing in cybercruises.com

Tuesday June 5 saw all three of Cunard’s Queens,  148,528-ton RMS Queen Mary 2,  90,901-ton Queen Elizabeth and  90,049-ton Queen Victoria, in Southampton to celebrate HM The Queen’s sixty years on the throne

This will be followed by an even bigger event four weeks later, when P&O Cruises has invited the Princess Royal to Southampton to conduct a fleet review on the event of its 175th Anniversary on Tuesday July 3. All seven UK-based P&O ships (there are three more in Australia) will visit Southampton on the same day. But Cunard still takes precedence as the Queen has christened two-thirds of its fleet – Queen Mary 2 in 2004 and Queen Elizabeth in 2010 – but only one of P&O’s, 69,153-ton Oriana in 1995.

As Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria took bow-to-bow positions near the City Cruise Terminal, Queen Mary 2 edged in to create a three-bow formation while flag-waving crew lined the foredecks off all ships and their whistles sounded a salute. After the event, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth passed in single file down the Solent as they all set out on celebratory Diamond Jubilee voyages with a total of about 6,000 passengers. Cunard’s turn for its own 175th Anniversary will come in 2015.

Cunard is meanwhile looking to develop more first-time cruisers and wants more agents to sell its cruises. Company president Peter Shanks last week told Travel Weekly, “Agents can find Cunard difficult to sell: we’re not mass-market and we’re not small-ship luxury. We have a unique mix, which I believe agents should be selling to a wider range of clients… We will be working closely with agents who want to sell Cunard for the first time. We want to work with high street agents to find more first-time cruisers and work with online agents on marketing campaigns.”

Cunard could have made this job much easier for itself if it had not reduced travel agents’ commissions from 12.5-15% down to 5% earlier this year.

Meanwhile in Canada, the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick, has announced that its new cruise terminal, expected to open this autumn, is to be named the Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal. The announcement was made on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee visit to Saint John of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, on May 23.

The first caller to the new terminal is expected to be 83,338-ton Disney Magic, which is scheduled for September 5. Saint John also has the nearby Marco Polo Cruise Terminal, named after a locally-built clipper ship, and a facility at Long Wharf. The Canadian port expects seventy-three cruise ship visits this season with more than 187,000 passengers.

Holland America’s Maasdam Opens Montreal Cruise Season; Record 55,500 Cruise Passengers Expected in 2012, Up 46% on 2011

by thecruisepeople

CRUISE PASSENGER NUMBERS EXPECTED TO LEAP 46% IN 2012

Montreal’s 2012 cruise season, which starts this Saturday with the arrival of Holland America Line’s Maasdam at Alexandra Pier, will set a record: 55,500 passengers are expected to visit Montreal, up 46% over last season. From May 12 to October 24, 2012, 49,000 passengers are expected to transit through the passenger terminal during 35 scheduled international stopovers, and a further 6,500 passengers will embark on domestic cruises, primarily for the Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Pictured above is Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony, which will operate a 7-night round-trip cruise from Montreal on September 30.

“I am absolutely thrilled by these results that show a very promising future for Montreal’s international cruise industry as well as significant economic spinoffs for the city,” said Sylvie Vachon, president and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority, at a press conference held this morning at Iberville Passenger Terminal.

“The success of the 2012 cruise season isn’t a coincidence. Those involved in this rapidly developing industry have joined forces on the Montreal Cruise Committee and have established the success of this sector as a major priority,” said the Hon Charles Lapointe, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tourisme Montréal.

Led by Tourisme Montréal and the Montreal Port Authority, the Montreal Cruise Committee brings together Aéroports de Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, the Old Port of Montreal Corporation, the Hotel Association of Greater Montreal, the City of Montreal, Casino de Montréal and the Société de développement commercial du Vieux-Montréal. The committee is also supported by the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec. The 2012 cruise season should generate about $14 million in economic benefits.

For more information on cruising to or from Montreal and Quebec as well as New England call The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk in North America call 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

LiveJournal Tags: Montreal,St. Lawrence,Maasdam,Crystal Symphony

Cunard Line Announces 2013 Voyage Programme, Open for Sale on 24 April

 

Highlights include new itineraries, inaugural calls in Italy, Iceland and the Mediterranean, plus overnight stays in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Canada

Cunard Line has announced its 2013 Voyage Programme, offering an extensive range of sailings across its three ships featuring 106 voyages/cruises visiting 99 ports in 35 countries. Highlights include several inugural calls and overnight stays, and multiple departures for its most popular itineraries, including the St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer, Fjords & Waterfalls and Greek Isles & Mediterranean Treasures.

Cunard brings over 170 years of maritime heritage to the youngest, luxury fleet at sea – flagship RMS Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – acquainting passengers with captivating destinations and the Line’s enduring grandeur, glamour and elegance.

RMS Queen Mary 2 will continue to offer her legendary Transatlantic Voyages between New York and Southampton, as well as to Hamburg, while Queen Victoria will spend her full 2013 season sailing Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Atlantic Isles, Iberia and Morocco, with a new 24-day voyage to the Black Sea and Turkey; and Queen Elizabeth will spend much of her season travelling from Southampton to Northern Europe and sailing the Mediterranean from Venice, Athens, Rome and Southampton.

RMS Queen Mary 2
The grandest ocean liner at sea, Queen Mary 2, will sail a total of 17 Transatlantic sailings between New York and Southampton from May 2013 to January 2014. In addition to the flagship’s popular seven-day Transatlantic voyages, Cunard introduces two eight-day crossings. Extended nine- and ten-day Crossings between New York and Hamburg will also be available.

These longer Crossings offer additional time to explore the ship’s extensive on board amenities and activities, including lectures through the award-winning Cunard Insights programme; stargazing in the only planetarium at sea; white-gloved afternoon tea served in the Queens Room or a spin around the dance floor during a Royal Nights themed ball; taking in a performance or workshop by members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; or perusing the 8,000 volumes in the largest library at sea.

Those travelling select European itineraries also may opt to combine their voyage with a Transatlantic Voyage on either side, creating a "Grand" voyage.
Queen Mary 2 will also continue ventures to Northern Europe, plus roundtrip New York departures to New England and Canada – featuring an overnight stay in Quebec – and a visit to the Caribbean just in time for the holidays. First-time calls for Queen Mary 2 include Andalsnes, Norway and Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda.
Fares for the following voyages start from:
* Seven-day Transatlantic: $1199
* Eight-day Transatlantic: $1499
* Seven-day Fjords & Waterfalls: $1699
* Five-day 4th of July Getaway: $1349
* 12-day Autumn Colours (New England/Canada): $2499
* 15-day Northern Highlights: $2999
* 21-day Grand Fjords & Waterfalls: $4399

Those considering travelling with pets should make kennel reservations now as space will sell out quickly for the entire 2013 sailings.

Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria will sail a range of voyages from Southampton to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Isles, Iberia and Morocco, including the popular seven-day Fjords & Waterfalls itinerary (Norway) and the St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer voyage, with an overnight stay in St. Petersburg.
Additionally, Queen Victoria will sail a series of Mediterranean voyages ranging from 12 to 17 days and, new for 2013, a 24-day voyage to the Black Sea and Turkey. Inaugurl ports include Agadir, Morocco; Isafjordur, Iceland; Palau-Costa Smeralda, Italy; Torshavn, Faroe Islands; and Warnemunde, Germany.

Overnight stays include St. Petersburg, Istanbul and Madeira (two nights).
Fares for the following voyages start from:
* 10-day Iberia & Moroccan Highlights: $1499
* 14-day Mediterranean Medley: $3099
* 14-day St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer: $2999
* 15-day Geysers & Glaciers: $3199
* 24-day Black Sea & Turkish Splendours: $5399
Guests sailing aboard Queen Victoria enjoy many distinctive features including the first private theatre boxes at sea (Royal Court Theatre); the classic art of fencing; Cunardia, a museum display of historic artifacts; and nods to HM Queen Victoria including original etchings drawn by The Queen and Prince Albert.

Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth‘s 2013 schedule will take her to Iceland, the Norwegian Fjords, the British Isles and the Baltic Sea. Later in the season, she will reposition to the Mediterranean and embark on eight voyages from Venice, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Athens (Piraeus). These popular itineraries again include the Greek Isles and Holy Land voyages, and inaugural ports include Akureyri, Iceland; Goteborg, Sweden; Isafjordur, Iceland; Izmir, Turkey; Marseilles, France; Reykjavik, Iceland; Salerno, Italy; Split, Croatia; Valencia, Spain; and Warnemunde, Germany. Overnight calls include St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Copenhagen and Venice.

Fares for the following voyages start from:
* 7-day Fjords & Waterfalls: $1399
* 12-day Greek Isles & Holy Land Explorer: $1799
* 12-day Mediterranean Odyssey: $1799
* 12-day Adriatic & Black Sea Explorer: $2499
* 14-day St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer: $2799

Queen Elizabeth‘s grand art deco interiors and unique art works, which pay homage to both the original Queen Elizabeth and Great Britain’s Royal Family, continue to fascinate and delight guests who sail aboard the Line’s newest Cunarder. The ship’s Grand Lobby prominently displays the 18.5 ft. marquetry piece of the original Queen Elizabeth created by David Linley, only nephew of Her Majesty The Queen; and a specially commissioned portrait of The Queen, created by artist Isobel Peachey particularly for Queen Elizabeth‘s 2010 debut.

All referenced fares are US per person, based on double occupancy.
Reservations for Cunard’s 2013 voyages will open for booking on 24 April 2012. The Cruise People is setting up its Cunard group departures now.  Please let us know if there are sailings of interest to you.

See Cunard’s programmes online.

For more information and to book a voyage, consult The Cruise People, Ltd., toll-free at 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

LiveJournal Tags: Queen Mary 2,QM2,Queen Elizabeth 2,Queen Victoria,dog travel,travel with pets,group travel

Old Time Service with Modern Technology

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The Cruise People, Ltd. now has a wonderful research tool.  Whether you are thinking about cruising for the first time or you are an experienced cruiser, we can help you find that perfect cruise.  Fun, sun, beaches, adventure, culture or sights – there is a cruise here for you.

We have over 20,000 ocean and river cruises to show you including detailed itineraries, port descriptions and useful information about your cruise ship.

You can use the Quick Search to start or choose one of the offers or other links on this page.

LiveJournal Tags: cruise research,research ships,search itineraries,search ships,search ports

Ten Predictions For 2012 and Beyond

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by Kevin Griffin writing in cybercruises.com

Those involved in the cruise industry over the past few decades have been lucky to work in one of the most dynamic industries on Earth. Not that other industries are not dynamic but this one is one of the most interesting. Since the dawn of the modern cruising era just over forty years ago, ships have grown in size from 19,000 tons to 250,000 tons and capacities from about 1,000 passengers to over 6,000. Growth has been constant, especially in the past decade, where markets such as the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Australia and now China are all substantially adding to the overall numbers taking a cruise every year. With the dawn of a new year we have a look at some of the things that will affect cruising in not only the year to come but beyond. Here are our top ten predictions.

1. Ships Will Spend More Time In Port

This has already begun to occur among the upmarket lines, especially those such as Azamara Club Cruises, Crystal and Silversea. On her 2014 World Cruise, departing Los Angeles January 18,  Crystal Serenity will visit 32 ports in 19 countries and include 17 overnight port stays, giving the opportunity for more detailed exploration, instead of rushing on to the next port. Silversea’s 2013 World Cruise will be a 115-day cruise from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale on board Silver Whisper, departing January 5.

This cruise will visit 52 ports in 28 countries, visiting New Zealand and Australia, and include nine overnight stays in Tahiti, Fremantle, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore, Cochin, Cape Town and Walvis Bay, but unlike Crystal, will include no two- or three-night stays. Azamara Club Cruises, like Crystal, also offers overnight stays on its routine cruises at popular ports such as Venice, usually a turnaround port, and St Petersburg, a port of call.

Due to more time spent in port, and slow steaming between ports, less fuel will be consumed, and fast multi-country cruises will become less common. In the end, fewer ports will be covered, but in more detail.

2. Ships Will Spend More Time At Sea

Among the more mass market lines there is however a commercial imperative to keep the tills rolling on board so that shops, bars and casinos add to the lines’ coffers as on board spend approaches and exceeds 40% of fare revenue. This formula therefore relies more on cutting the number of ports on a typical 7-night Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise, for example, by dropping a port, down from say five to four or four to three, and using the time by steaming more slowly between those that are left. This will of course mean more days at seas, and, the lines hope, more on board revenue.

Although Carnival Corp & PLC includes within its portfolio many different types of cruise operation, how important fuel costs are is reflected in its reporting on the fourth quarter and full year 2011, which recorded a 32% increase in fuel bills.

The company thus implemented a fuel derivatives program in the last quarter of 2011 that has resulted in $1 million in net unrealised gains to its fuel portfolio in the quarter. Early days yet but we will see more of this and other attempts to control fuel cost increases and whether they result in more days in port or more days at sea.

3. The Trend to Multiple Embarkation Ports Will Continue

European lines such as Costa and MSC already offer 7-night cruises where inventories are split among Genoa (Savona in Costa’s case) in Italy, Marseilles in France and Barcelona in Spain. In 2011, Norwegian Cruise Line also introduced dual embarkation ports, including Civitavecchia as well as Barcelona, on its Norwegian Epic 7-night Med cruises, thus making this ship available to the Italian market as well.

Royal Caribbean International intends to enter the French market this year in a similar manner with its “Liberté of the Seas,” as she has been dubbed by come in recognition of a once-famous Transatlantic liner, embarking passengers at Marseilles or Toulon as well as Barcelona. Equally, this has now spread to northern Europe with a number of ships allowing embarkations in both the UK and Amsterdam on some itineraries. Pullmantur Cruises now use multiple embarkation ports on certain Caribbean itineraries, allowing boarding of the Horizon for example at La Guaira, Cartagena or Aruba.

This can eventually be expected to spread to some of the Florida-based lines as well as it allows a line to expand its passenger numbers without having to rely on a single port of embarkation. Indeed, Carnival has already operated a number of San Juan cruises that also embark passengers in Barbados and Aruba.

4. Greece May Leave the Euro But Its Cruise Industry Will Grow

In all likelihood, Greece will exit the Euro within two years and become the test that allows the EU to retain countries like Italy and Spain in its fold. Free of the Euro, however, Greek port costs, which were something MSC Cruises complained about last year, could well become competitive from what they are now. And free of the cabotage restrictions that have previously held back the development of cruising in Greece the whole tourism industry may well have the chance to grow again.

In June, Royal Caribbean Cruises came forward and offered to assist Greece with its port and cruising infrastructure, as did Carnival Corp & PLC. With the lifting of cabotage restrictions it was predicted two years ago that the cruise industry could create 14,000 new jobs and account for 4% of the Greek gross domestic product.

Certainly, the largest operator under the Greek flag, Louis Cruises, although having closed its western Mediterranean operation this winter, has a new chief executive and will be having a long, hard look at the future of Greek cruising, especially as Greece is second only to Italy in the tourism business, attracting about four million to Italy’s five million annual tourists.

5. Cuba Will Return to the World of Cruising

It has been half a century now since the last cruise ship carrying Americans called at Havana. Too long say many. But slowly the United States has been loosening its ties so that there are now flights available from eleven US airports to Havana.

These now include Chicago’s O’Hare and airports in Baltimore, Dallas/Fort Worth, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Atlanta and San Juan. Until 2011, flights had only been allowed from Los Angeles, Miami and New York. As this traffic, which for the moment is restricted to Cuban expats visiting family, the basic infrastructure will soon be in place to feed some passengers to cruise ships sailing from Havana.

At the moment, this is more likely to happen first from Canada, which has a plan to bring the Louis Cristal into service in 2013, but the US is bound to open up the gates again at some point. Although Havana is only about the same distance from Miami as Paris is from London, it is more likely however that Florida-based ships will be among the first to come sailing past Morro Castle into Havana once again, just as they had in the past.

When that does happen, however, it will be bad news for Nassau, which will have its work cut out for it to maintain the same cruise visitor base that it has now.

6. Liquefied Natural Gas Will Fuel New Cruise Ships

The imposition of more Emission Control Areas, especially in North America, will see fuel costs rising substantially by 2015 as cruise ships (along with all other ships) are forced to burn lighter fuels, known as distillates, within 200 miles of the coast.

Liquid Natural Gas-propelled ships however leave virtually no emissions at all and Viking Line has already signed a contract with STX Finland for delivery of a 57,000-ton cruise ferry to carry 2,800 passengers on the Stockholm-Turku overnight route in early 2013. Now under construction at its Turku yard, engines, screws and steering gear for the new gas-electric propulsion system will be supplied by Wärtsilä. Presently known as Newbuilding 1376, a contest is now under way to choose a name for the new groundbreaking ship, for which an option has been agreed for a second unit.

Just as the design of  Silja Symphony and Silja Serenade, with their interior promenades, ultimately resulted in the Oasis and Allure of the Seas, it is a very good bet that this new Viking Line ship will be a precursor to several cruise ships as well. After all, it was the influence of the Viking Line ships of a generation ago that produced Carnival Cruise Line’s now-standard starboard-side promenade between the lounges. The same Turku yard will also build the new 97,000-ton cruise ship for TUI Cruises for delivery in 2014.

7. There Will Be Less Flying to Ships

Since the events of 2001, after which Americans developed a dislike of flying, new cruise ports have been opened up all over North America. The same has happened in the UK, where the number of cruise-only guests has been rising just as the number of fly/cruisers has been diminishing.

And in Italy, new cruise terminals are being opened, the next being Trieste, while in France Toulon is coming to the fore as an alternative to Marseilles. People, particularly tourists and families, are tired of flying, airport congestion and all the invasion of personal privacy that is endemic to today’s high security regime when it comes to flying somewhere.

Much better to drive, train or coach to the port and board your ship without having to submit to ever-diminishing luggage allowances of the budget carriers. This trend is likely to spread.

8. New Emission Control Areas Will Stunt Growth

The imposition of the North American ECA in 2012 will see growth in cruising to areas such as Alaska and Canada/New England drop as these areas are totally within 200 miles of the coast. Due to the high increase in fuel costs, two things will happen.

First, cruise lines will develop new technology such as scrubbers that will allow them to control emissions when burning heavier fuels, while more ports will make an effort to offer shore power to visiting cruise ships. In the other direction, the increasing costs will see these areas suffer from less growth than they otherwise might have had as ships seek out areas such as Mexico where they can still burn heavy fuel.

Mexico is not a party to the North American Emission Control Area and there are many attractive destinations outside the 200-mile emissions limit zone that might be less expensive to serve if the crowds want to go there. Early estimates put the extra cost of cruising within the North American ECA at about $50 per head, or the same as the Alaska head tax that dampened that market’s business for a couple of years before being reduced.

9. There Will Be More Shore Power

A study some time ago concluded that ships at sea (and in port) produce more of the sulphur oxides (SOx) that cause acid rain than all vehicles on the world’s roads, as well as nearly as much of the nitrous oxides (NOx) emissions that produce smog and particulates. One way of cutting this is supplying shore power (alternative marine power) for a cruise ship’s auxiliaries, or “cold ironing” as it’s called colloquially, while in port.

This started in Juneau in 2001 with Princess Cruises, with the concept assuming that the source of the shore power itself does not produce emissions, for example hydro-electric or nuclear power, rather than coal-fired power stations. Cold ironing can cut SOx emissions in port by 99.9% and NOx emissions by 99.6%, as well as reducing CO2 emissions by half.

From Juneau, shore power spread to Seattle, Los Angeles and Vancouver, among other ports on the west coast, and in 2012, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, where Cunard Line and Princess Cruises dock in New York, will also invest $15 million into providing shore power. Three ships, Queen Mary 2, Caribbean Princess and Emerald Princess, are equipped for shore power.

Each ship must be retrofitted in order to take advantage of this option, at a cost that runs to a few hundred thousand dollars and more per unit. Brooklyn is the first east coast port to adapt this technology but look for more to follow. Europe will be next.

10. More Comfortably-Sized Ships Will Be Built

Last month’s order by Viking Ocean Cruises for two 49,000-ton 888-guest ships, with an option for a third, is sure to be followed by more.

Next in line could well be Regent Seven Seas, which is ready for a new ship, or i Crystal Cruises, while in Europe Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is already building its Europa 2, which will cater to international markets, and rumours continue to attach to Saga and Fred Olsen Cruises in the UK.

The old story about all-inclusive ships being expensive is slowly falling by the wayside as on board revenues on the main market lines can easily run to 40% or 50% above the fare.

MSC Cruises a Repeat Winner for ‘Best Onboard International Experience’ in Porthole Poll

For the second year in a row, MSC Cruises has received Porthole Cruise Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for "Best Onboard International Experience."

For the 13^th consecutive year, readers of Porthole Cruise Magazine voted via mail, fax and online in a variety of categories.

"With a great mix of guests, cuisine and entertainment on board, MSC Cruises offers a unique international ambience," said Bill Panoff, publisher and editor-in-chief of Porthole Cruise Magazine. "Our readers who have experienced the product clearly recognize this, and I congratulate MSC on its win."

"This award is especially significant because it was decided by the magazine’s readers — our guests. It is rewarding to know that our guests continue to recognize and enjoy the unique international flavour of an MSC Cruises experience," said Richard E. Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA), Inc.

"MSC Cruises has always prided itself on the international experience we offer our guests, from the cuisine and entertainment to the crew and overall ambiance, whether they cruise with us in the Caribbean, Canada/New England, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South Africa or South America," Sasso said.

For more information about MSC Cruises, contact The Cruise People at 1-800-961-5536.

Not well-known in North America, MSC Cruises is a privately-held, family-owned, Italian cruise line with a fleet of 11 ships: MSC Magnifica, MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica and MSC Melody. Its 12th ship, MSC Divina, a sister ship to MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida, debuts in May of 2012. The fleet cruises year round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, theCaribbean, US and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean, and South and West Africa.

Crystal’s 7-Night Round Trip From Montreal Revives an Old Format

by Kevin Griffin of The Cruise People in cybercruises.com

Crystal Cruises has picked up on a formula that has not been used for years now, a 7-night round trip cruise from Montreal on  Crystal Symphony on September 30, 2012. Indicative of the gradual progress being made by Cruise the St Lawrence and the new Canadian cruise ports in the Gulf of St Lawrence, three of the four ports of call, Sept Iles, the Magdalen Islands and the French Atlantic islands of St Pierre et Miquelon, will be first time calls for Crystal. The fourth port of call, Quebec, which will be visited before the return to Montreal, has itself been voted the most popular port of call in North America.

Sept Îles is a new and upcoming port, having only opened a cruise terminal in 2010 after Holland America’s Maasdam became the first modern age cruise ship to call there on May 19, 2009. Cruises had not been operated to Sept Iles since the last coastal passenger ship arrived from Montreal fifty years ago.

The new wharf extension also allows cruise passengers to take a new train to visit an native Innu summer camp on the Moisie River. This river is famed for its salmon and has been fished by prime ministers. The Innu themselves are descended from the Montagnais tribes that used to spend their winters in the bush trapping and come down the rivers to the St Lawrence to trade with the Hudson’s Bay Company and others in the summer.

Crystal’s description of the Magdalen Islands gives a clue as to what this cruise is about: “Having been isolated through most of its history, the Magdalen Islands offer a tranquil retreat from the outside world. Still largely unspoiled by urban trappings, life here is simple and relaxing. It’s actually possible to take a stroll along the beach and not encounter anyone or anything but birds and breezes.”

Compare that to a similar description of the Magdalen Islands from a cruise brochure in 1938: “Still almost unknown to tourists today, were first visited by Cartier in 1534… These romantic islands are the last home of the true 18th Century Acadian spirit where even the Acadian tongue still lingers.”

Although Cunard Line, Greek Line, Home Lines, the Baltic and Black Sea Shipping Companies and Polish Ocean Lines had all offered round trip cruises from Montreal in the past, there has been no regular ship in this service since OdessAmerica’s Gruziya almost twenty years ago now, in 1992.

Although Canada’s cruise numbers are approaching a million cruisers a year, not to mention the huge catchment area in the US Midwest, the usual St Lawrence cruise still involves a one-way voyage between Canada (at either Quebec or Montreal) and the US East Coast (usually Boston or New York) so it is curious that no one has tried to exploit the Canadian market from Montreal for almost twenty years.

Crystal’s new 7-night itinerary comes after a 14-night one being offered in the same month by Saga’s 18,591-ton 446-guest Quest for Adventure. Departing Halifax on the 17th for St Pierre et Miquelon, the Magdalen Islands, Havre St Pierre, Sept Iles, Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Saguenay, Baie Comeau and Gaspé before returning to Halifax, this will be the most complete Gulf of St Lawrence itinerary yet.

Slowly, it seems, Cruise the St Lawrence is making some progress. Some people have even tried to describe Labrador Cruises as the new Alaska, but the difference is that fifty years ago Alaska did not have a new North American Emission Control Area to deal with.