How the Quantum Class Ships Were Named, from the Royal Caribbean Blog

English: Royal Caribbean International Flag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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In case you haven’t heard we recently announced that Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas are the names of our new Quantum Class of ships. Quantum of the Seas will join our Fleet in late 2014 and Anthem of the Seas in spring 2015.
While I still am not able to share details about the Quantum Class of ships, formerly known as "Project Sunshine", I can assure you that we are continuing to raise the bar of innovation and expectations of what our guests can do on a cruise vacation. We felt as though the name Quantum was a great fit since we are going a step above and propelling it forward. We’re taking a quantum leap.

The word anthem is defined as a song of praise and Anthem of the Seas is indicative of many of the best qualities and features of Royal Caribbean International. Quantum represents a step change in cruising and anthem is a song of praise for that step.
Selecting the name of a new ship is an interesting process. It’s even more interesting when we’re developing a new ship class. We worked with a naming consultant who provided several different avenues to explore. We looked at names that were categorized as experiential names, cosmopolitan names, leading edge names and more. But with Quantum, we felt that the tone fit what we were seeking.
Quantum of the Seas is a name that everyone on our Project Sunshine Steering Committee immediately liked. We voted on paper when selecting the names and the results were pretty much unanimous. We all gravitated to the same two names.
We are working to set the stage and landscape for the future of cruise vacations with Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas. But you’ll need to wait a bit longer until we can share the details with you.

LiveJournal Tags: Quantum of the Seas,Anthem of the Seas

To-day Marks The 100th Anniversary Of The First Cruises From Florida

by thecruisepeople

The first Evangeline, built on the Clyde in 1912 and owned by the Plant Line, offered the first cruises from Florida in 1913

One hundred years ago to-day, on January 7, 1913, not long after the completion of Henry Flagler’s Oversea Railway from Miami across the Florida keys to Key West,  the 3,786-ton Evangeline sailed from Key West on her inaugural cruise from Florida. She is shown here in a fine portrait by prolific Danish-American maritime artist Antonio Jacobsen (1850-1921).  Evangeline operated a season of eight 11-night cruises, the first such programme to be operated from a Florida port. Priced from $110 per person, they were sold as “Winter Outings on Summer Seas“: –

The s.s. Evangeline will leave Key West direct for Colon, Panama, remain at that port two days, and sail direct to Kingston, Jamaica, remain at that port for two days, thence sail for Key West, Fla, via Havana, Cuba. Persons desiring to stop in Havana may do so at will, and return to Key West on any of the P&O ships with no extra charge.

These first Florida cruises were offered between January and April 1913 by the Jacksonville-based Peninsular & Occidental Steamship Company, a joint venture of the Plant Line and Henry Flagler. They were followed by seven similar 14-night cruises in the winter of 1914, but this time from Jacksonville, much closer to the main population centres, with fares from $125.  All these cruises included a visit to the Panama Canal, then still under construction, as well as calls at Kingston and Havana, but with the First World War, no cruises were offered in 1915.

Evangeline, first of the name, had been completed in October 1912 by the London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Company of Govan for the Canada Atlantic & Plant Steamship Co Ltd of Halifax. She was named for Longfellow’s epic poem of the same name, and like her predecessors cruised both in the north and in the south.  She succeeded a number of other ships owned by the Plant interests, which had routes both between Florida and the West Indies  and between Canada and New England.

The Plant Line’s Olivette of 1887 carried the Young Winston to Havana in 1895

One of these, the 1,611-ton Olivette, had carried a 20-year-old Winston Churchill on the event of his first visit to Cuba. On November 19, 1895, Churchill sailed in her from Tampa to Havana, where he developed a particular taste for Cuban cigars.  Olivette had been built in 1887 by the famous William Cramp & Sons shipyard in Philadelphia as the second ship in a new service between Tampa, Key West and Havana. The first had been the 884-ton Mascotte of 1886, which features to-day on the crest of the City of Tampa. Starting in July 1892 Olivette joined the 1,738-ton Halifax in summer service between Boston, Halifax and Charlottetown PEI, and then Halifax started coming south by winter to assist Olivette.

The Plant Line’s Halifax of 1888 at Charlottetown. She also ran experimental cruises to Jamaica

Halifax had been built by the London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Company in 1888 for the Boston, Halifax and Charlottetown run. Early in her career, in March 1891, she had taken “an excursion of 185 Americans from Boston” to Jamaica. She also operated a series of experimental cruises from Tampa to Nassau and Jamaica in the winter of 1893. These ships had been joined briefly in 1899 by the 5,018-ton La Grande Duchesse, a white elephant that ended up being sold in 1901 to the Savannah Line, but that’s another story.

Miami also had a Peninsular & Occidental ship to its name in the 1,741-ton Cramp-built Miami, introduced in 1898, but she operated essentially as a night boat, crossing to Nassau two or three times a week, depending on the season. Similarly, the 1,414-ton Prince Edward ran between Miami and Havana in 1901-03, as did the 1,619-ton City of Miami in 1921-23. Although new passenger services were started between Miami and Philadelphia in 1923 and  New York and Baltimore in 1924, it would be January 1927 before regular cruises began operating from Miami. Its first foreign cruise ship, Blue Star Line’s 15,501-ton Arandora Star, would arrive in February 1932 and in January 1935, the Miami-Nassau route would offer its first all-inclusive cruises. The rest, as they say, is history.

Oceania Cruises’ Riviera offers some of the finest itineraries through the islands of the West Indies

But what could one think of to-day to reach something close to the original golden era of cruising? One needn’t look far. Oceania Cruises’ 66,084-ton Riviera is now conducting a series of 10-14-night cruises from Miami to “Sun Splashed Isles,” most of which are sold out.  One of the best of these leaves Miami for 14 nights on March 3, for two days at sea, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Grenada, Barbados, St Vincent, Antigua and St Barts before two more days at sea on the way back to Miami. No San Juan, no St Thomas, no Cozumel, no Labadee, what could be better?

Riviera will be back in the Caribbean in 2014 sailing a series of ten similar 10-14-day cruises, so ask now while they are available. Please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail us at cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk. or in North America call The Cruise People, Ltd. at 1.800.961.5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca.

Some Early Royal Caribbean History: The Beginnings of the Eastern Shipping Corporation and the s.s. Nuevo Dominicano

 

The 3,445-ton Nuevo Dominicano, formerly the Clarke Steamship Company’s New Northland, seen here at Miami in 1953. This ship pioneered cruising from Miami during the 1920s and 1930s, and again in the 1950s

The Beginnings of the Eastern Shipping Corporation

In May 1948, the former Canadian cruise ship New Northland, a vessel that had cruised from Montreal in the summer time and from Miami by winter before the war, was purchased by the Flota Mercante Dominicana, or the Dominican Line, which announced that it would run her between New York, Puerto Plata and Ciudad Trujillo, as Santo Domingo was known under the rule of Dominican dictator President Trujillo.

She was renamed Nuevo Dominicano and crewed by the Dominican Navy, and for a year and a half ran from New York. But not attracting enough passengers to fill her 177 berths, she was replaced by cargo ships.

This is where Frank Leslie Fraser came onto the scene. Fraser, whose family had started a banana shipping business from Jamaica in the 1930s, was the general administrator of the Flota Mercante Dominicana, president of Fraser Fruit & Shipping of Cuba, president of the Dominican Fruit & Steamship Co and managing director of the Maple Leaf Steamship Co of Montreal, through which he had purchased a number of coasters in Canada when his own banana boats had been requisitioned during the war. These coasters he had used to serve the Dominican Republic.

But most importantly, Fraser was president of the Eastern Shipping Corporation, which would now charter Nuevo Dominicano to cruise out of Miami.

While visiting Kingston in his native Jamaica, Fraser told the “Gleaner” that Nuevo Dominicano would make fortnightly trips to Jamaica, with stops at Kingston and Montego Bay as well as Ciudad Trujillo on a 12-night cruise. By arrangement with the Bahamian Government, she would also call at Nassau on Thursdays, leave on Friday morning and be in Miami by Saturday morning.

It was Fraser’s idea to bring Nuevo Dominicano back to Miami, where she had operated successfully in the past. Under his direction, she was readied for cruising out of Miami once more. Despite her renaming, Eastern still used the old name in brackets, with the new Eastern Shipping Corp brochure exclaiming:-

“An exciting life will be yours aboard the s.s. Nuevo Dominicano (formerly known as the s.s. New Northland) with luxury accommodations for 177 passengers, completely refitted from stem to stern to provide all cruise comforts, modern services and delicious cuisine.

“Attractively and comfortably furnished staterooms make this a giant, floating hotel for your enjoyment. You will delight in the spacious decks for sports or promenading, comfortable lounges, sunbathing and swimming in the ship’s swimming pool.”

The new swimming pool was installed where her forward cargo hatch had been.

The Bahamians were busy behind the scenes however and on April 16, 1950, the “New York Times” reported that Nuevo Dominicano would offer more Nassau voyages:-

“The Nuevo Dominicano, which made two Miami-Nassau cruises each month during the winter, has inaugurated a spring and summer schedule which includes six stops at Nassau each month. The vessel will visit Nassau twice on her nine-day cruises, one to Ciudad Trujillo, the other to Kingston, Jamaica, stopping at Nassau on both outward and homeward legs. The vessel also will make two Miami-Nassau cruises each month, with a two-day stop in Nassau.”

The ship’s most famous passenger during this period was actor Clark Gable who with his wife travelled to Nassau for a golfing holiday in December 1950.

Although the Eastern Shipping Corporation successfully inaugurated year-round cruises from Miami, at the end of three years it decided to end its charter of Nuevo Dominicano. For three years, all had gone well for Nuevo Dominicano, but with a capacity of only 177 passengers, there was not much room for profit. Fraser’s absence would only be temporary, however.

The Dominican Republic Steamship Line

To replace Eastern, the Dominicans formed the Dominican Republic Steamship Line in 1953. Unwisely, the naval personnel were withdrawn and a mixed crew took over the deck and engine departments. Standards began to drop. The ship no longer called at Jamaica, but ran 11-day winter cruises on alternate Mondays from Miami to Nassau, Ciudad Trujillo and Port-au-Prince, and 3-night Friday weekend cruises from Miami to Nassau. The 11-day cruises also offered a short one-way passage from Miami to Nassau.

Every Monday and Friday from July through September she ran 3-day cruises from Miami to Nassau. This was the opposite of what had been introduced by New Northland in 1935 as these were summer cruises and not winter ones.

Soon, however, the new management not only failed in passenger service, but the ship also suffered continual breakdowns. That August, she had to be towed into Miami by the US Coast Guard, and again in September by a salvage tug. At this point, the US Coast Guard suspended her passenger certificate and required a general refit of the safety equipment.

She left Miami on October 9, 1953, for a refit in the Dominican Republic and within twenty-four hours was reported aground off Nuevitas, Cuba. On October 17, she ran aground again, on Punta Guarico, near Baracoa. On November 26, she was refloated and anchored in semi-protected waters but she suddenly went down.

Her end was reported in the “New York Times” on November 26, 1953, under the heading “Jinxed Liner Sinks at Anchor in Cuba”: “After a successful salvage operation, the empty passenger liner Nuevo Dominicano rolled over and ‘died’ in southern waters on Thursday night, it was reported here yesterday. No one was injured.”

This ship had been a true pioneer of cruising from Miami – she had operated the first weekly cruises from that port, in January 1927, the first all-inclusive cruises (as opposed to just overnight steamship service) between Miami and the Bahamas and become Miami’s first year-round cruise ship, in 1950.

The Eastern Story

The loss of Nuevo Dominicano produced an opportunity for Fraser. His Eastern Shipping Corporation decided to look for a ship to fill the gap left by her loss and in May 1954, he bought Eastern Steamship Lines’ Yarmouth for $500,000. On June 18, 1954, his new ship began a series of 9-day Miami, Jamaica and Haiti cruises that alternated with 4-day Miami, Nassau and Havana cruises.

However, at the request of the Bahamian Government, which no longer had the services of  Nuevo Dominicano, he soon renamed his ship Queen of Nassau and put her into a two-year contract running between Miami and Nassau. Following the same schedule as the Nuevo Dominicano, the Queen of Nassau left Miami for Nassau every Monday and Friday at 6 pm. If Fraser had not been able to make money with Nuevo Dominicano‘s 177 berths, he could certainly do so with the 500-passenger Queen of Nassau.

At the end of 1954, Fraser reunited the two sister ships by acquiring Evangeline after she completed her last season on the Boston to Yarmouth NS run. Evangeline did longer cruises but she made it to Nassau every second weekend.

Fraser continued to build his business. In 1959, he acquired Bahama Star at auction for $512,000 and promptly began advertising her as the largest cruise ship sailing from Miami. Late in 1960, he bought Ariadne. These two ships at first offered longer cruises, then moved to the 3- and 4-day cycle, out of Miami and Port Everglades respectively, serving both Nassau and Freeport.

Fraser Sells Eastern

Meanwhile, on May 27, 1961, an item in the “New York Times” recorded a change in the ownership of the Eastern Shipping Corporation: -

“The Eastern Shipping Corporation, formerly controlled by the McCormick Shipping Corporation of Panama, has been acquired by W R Lovett of Jacksonville, Fla. Mr Lovett reported yesterday that the corporate name had been changed to Eastern Steamship Corporation. The company is general agent for the cruise ships Evangeline, Yarmouth, Bahama Star and Ariadne, which operate between Miami and the West Indies.”

Three days after this announcement, Rafael Trujillo was assassinated in the Dominican Republic, bringing to an end a dictatorship that had lasted for thirty-one years.And by January 1962, Fraser had passed full control to William Lovett, a 71-year-old financier who was experienced in running banana boats himself, as founder of the Winn-Dixie supermarket chain..

When Eastern changed hands the letter “F” for Fraser on the ships’ funnels was replaced by “L” for Lovett. But unfortunately, Fraser died on July 22, 1962, only a few months after the sale, at the age of 57. And by 1965, Lovett would rename the company once more, this time as Eastern Steamship Lines

Meanwhile, in 1963, Yarmouth had been sold to another Miami company, Yarmouth Cruises Inc, and was soon joined by Evangeline, which was renamed Yarmouth Castle to fit in with the Yarmouth Cruise Lines theme. These veterans were placed onto a new run that served Freeport as well as Nassau, on a schedule of four sailings a week. Yarmouth Castle, of course, is known now for the loss of eighty-seven lives in a fire off the Bahamas on the night of November 13, 1965.

Eastern Steamship Lines had kept the larger Bahama Star and Ariadne, but in 1968 it acquired the larger New Bahama Star, formerly the Peninsular & Occidental Steamship Co’s Miami. New Bahama Star was the largest cruise ship sailing from Miami, and its purchase by Eastern effectively meant the end of a competitor, a company that had introduced the first Miami to the Miami-Nassau route seventy years earlier, in 1898.

Gotaas-Larsen Corporation

Passenger numbers leaving Miami reached 188,000 in 1967 and 246,000 in 1968. In 1970, Lovett, now 79, sold out to Gotaas-Larsen Corporation of Norway, one-third owner of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which had been formed in 1968. By then, the number of Miami passengers was 610,000 and growing. Royal Caribbean was introducing three new ships to the Miami market in 1970-71 and others had also come onto the scene.

In 1972, Eastern’s new Norwegian owners introduced its largest ship, the 24,458-ton Emerald Seas, acquired from Chandris Lines, partly in exchange for the smaller Ariadne. Although Gotaas-Larsen was involved in both Royal Caribbean and Eastern, any conflict of interest was avoided by Royal Caribbean handling the longer-duration 7- and 14-night cruises while Eastern looked after the 3- and 4-day market, now under its fourth name as Eastern Cruise Lines.

Miami passenger numbers exceeded the million mark in 1977. Ultimately, a merger of Eastern Cruise Lines, its West Coast affiliate Western Cruise Lines and Stardance Cruises led to another new firm, Admiral Cruises, in 1986. By then, Miami was hosting three million passengers a year.

Admiral Cruises was taken over in early 1992 by Royal Caribbean, which decided to sell its older ships and to complete its “Future Seas” newbuilding project as the 48,563-ton Nordic Empress. This was the first ship to be designed and built specifically for the Florida-Nassau short cruise market since Henry Flagler’s Miami of 1898, the trade having been served traditionally by second-hand, seasonal or chartered tonnage.

By the late Capt Carl Netherland Brown and Kevin Griffin of The Cruise People

Illustrations courtesy of Michael L Grace’s “Cruising the Past” website.   www.cruisingthepast.com

Cruising: What A Difference Thirty Years Makes

by Kevin Griffin

Thirty years ago, in 1982, the modern cruise business was just coming into its second generation. Two years earlier, Norwegian Cruise Line had acquired the fabulous Transatlantic liner s.s. France and converted her into the largest cruise ship in the world, the s.s. Norway, to, operate 7-night cruises from Miami.

As an indication of how successful the industry was becoming, as recently as the 1970s, people had been predicting that cruise ships would never exceed 20,000 tons. But by the early 1980s, cruise lines were starting to build ships such as Royal Caribbean’s 37,584-ton Song of America, Carnival Cruise Lines’ 36,674-ton Tropicale and Home Lines’ 33,800-ton Atlantic. To-day, there are more than sixty ships above 100,000 tons, two of which are above 200,000 tons!

So this week, for something different, here is what was on offer from Florida ports and San Juan in the third weekend of 1982, compared to what is now on offer for the same weekend in 2012:

The ports are those that were most popular thirty years ago for the Caribbean, where modern-day cruising got its start – Miami, Port Everglades (the port for nearby Fort Lauderdale) and San Juan, an early fly/cruise port. Port Canaveral was a 3- and 4-day port in 1982 but has now joined the ranks of 7-day ports. Tampa is not included as it is in the Gulf of Mexico, where Galveston and New Orleans have also become more important today.

The most obvious difference is the size of the ships. Thirty years ago, they were on average about 20,000 to 25,000 tons but to-day they are over 100,000 tons at all four ports examined above. In 1982, the average passenger load was below 1,000. Now it is 3,000 or more. Ship size and passenger have both increased to four or five times what they were. To-day, one has to search for a ship that takes only 1,000 passengers, but on the other hand this economy of scale is what has held cruise fares down to 1980s levels, allowing the market to expand.

There were also more longer cruises available in 1982. Royal Caribbean had a 14-day cruise ship in Nordic Prince and Holland America and Sitmar, a predecessor of Silversea, each offered 11- and 12-night itineraries. To-day, there are more 5- and 8-night itinerary but not as many long cruises from the same ports.

Oceania Marina in Miami

In 1982, there were half a dozen Saturday departures from San Juan. To-day there are only two, with two additional sailings on Sunday, which at least means a better use of the port facilities.

In terms of destinations, several ships now call in the new ports of the Dominican Republic, but even thirty years ago Carnivale was calling at Samana. The biggest change however has been the introduction of many new ports such as Grand Turk, Falmouth in Jamaica, Cozumel, Roatan and Mahogany Bay that have come on stream in recent years.

Sources: ABC Shipping Guide (1982), Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships and Official Steamship Guide (2012). The number of berths given is lower berths, i.e. two passengers per cabin

Nishka has Crossed the Bar

 

 

Many long-time Cruise People clients and friends will recall Nishka the dog who worked here in the office for many years.

After a long life of almost 18 years (very old for a spaniel) she was put to sleep at her home.  Fiona, Diana and Colin (Fiona’s husband) were with Nishka.

One of many things she did here was to greet people, who often would bring her treats.  Sometimes clients and cruise line reps would bring their dogs too.  Once we ended up with three dogs here at the same time. 

Another gift Nishka had was to be able to speak on a hands free phone.  Often, when negotiating on behalf of clients and we could see things were not going as we wished Nishka would get on the line, have a good howl with the supervisors (never growl) and, amidst laughter, get the problem solved.

She was friendly, pleasant, smart and a great little soul to be with going through life.

 

Fair winds and following seas, Nishka dog.

Cruise the Great Lakes in Seven Days, Chicago to Toronto or Vice Versa

One of the great natural wonders of the world. The Great Lakes and the land that surrounds them is undoubtedly one of the world’s most magnificent cruising areas, and this voyage encompasses the region’s most treasured destinations. On this unique itinerary, set sail aboard MV Yorktown from Chicago, one of America’s most striking and historic cities with its well-preserved architecture and rich cultural traditions. Explore the delightful town of Saugatuck, nestled along Lake Michigan’s great sand dunes and Mackinac Island’s bygone Victorian charms. Continue through Lake Huron, sailing past the city of Detroit and into Lake Erie on our way to the Welland Canal and Niagara Falls. Our voyage concludes in vibrant Toronto.

Itinerary

Program Dates:
July 8 – 15, 2013
July 15 – 22, 2013 *
July 22 – 29, 2013
August 18 – 25, 2013 *

Day 1 • CHICAGO, Illinois | EMBARK

Day 2 • SAUGATUCK, Michigan

Day 3 • CHARLEVOIX

Day 4 • MACKINAC ISLAND

Day 5 • CRUISING LAKE HURON and LAKE ERIE

Day 6 • CLEVELAND, Ohio

Day 7 • PORT WELLER | WELLAND CANAL | NIAGARA FALLS | LAKE ERIE

Day 8 • TORONTO, Ontario, Canada | DISEMBARK

* July 15 – 22 and August 18 – 25, 2013, operate in reverse direction from Toronto to Chicago

CABIN CODE
CABIN DESCRIPTION
REGULAR RATE US Funds

E
Outside cabins on Main Deck with portholes
$3,995

D
Outside cabins on Lounge Deck with windows
$4,695

C
Outside cabins on Promenade Deck with windows
$5,195

B
Outside cabins on Main Deck with windows
$5,795

A
Outside cabins on Lounge Deck with windows
$6,195

AA
Outside cabins on Promenade or Lounge Deck with windows
$6,995

S
Superior outside cabins on Sun Deck with balcony
$7,495

PORT CHARGES are $195 per person additional.

SINGLE RATES: A limited number of cabins are available for solo travellers in categories C-A at the an additional charge of $895. Categories AA & Superior are available at double the per person, double occupancy rates.

Full details of these m.v. Yorktown cruises are available from The Cruise People Ltd in London, England. Please call  +44 (0)20 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk for further information and in North America contact the Toronto office at 1.800.961.5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca .

Holland America Line to Feature New Itineraries for 2013 Europe Cruise Season

 

 

Seven ships sailing on more than 53 unique European itineraries — ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Prinsendam, ms Rotterdam, ms Ryndam and ms Veendam — will cruise throughout the region on 107 departures that span from the northern tip of Norway to the Black Sea and across the Mediterranean.

"While the popularity of European cruising continues to grow, the region is opening new ports, which enables us to offer more maiden calls and exciting new itineraries," said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programmess. "Whether it’s a shorter cruise or a longer Collectors’ Voyage, Holland America Line is proud to offer comprehensive experiences around the world, and these new European itineraries are sure to entice any cruise enthusiast."

Ranging from seven to 64 days, these cruises allow travellers the opportunity to explore a variety of destinations, from iconic ports of call as well as smaller, less-travelled and equally fascinating port cities.

The 2013 Europe cruise season reflects Holland America Line’s focus on destination diversity, timeless appeal and quality. Inaugural port calls include Alanya, Turkey; Alcudia (Mallorca), Spain; Galway and Killybegs, Ireland; Hydra and Igoumenitsa, Greece; and Sassnitz, Germany. A total of 20 overnight stays at some of Europe’s popular ports provide guests with more time to explore several of the world’s most interesting destinations. Overnight calls include Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Barcelona, Spain; Bordeaux, France; Copenhagen, Denmark; Dublin, Ireland; Venice, Italy; Hamburg, Germany; St Petersburg, Russia; Istanbul, Turkey and more. 

Notable New Itineraries Ryndam‘s seven-day Turkish Explorer voyage sails round-trip from Piraeus (Athens), Greece, with calls that enable passengers to experience the landmarks and highlights of Turkey and Greece, including an overnight stay in Istanbul, Turkey. The ship departs Sept. 7, 21 and Oct. 5. Cruise fares begin at $US1,099 per person, double occupancy.

The seven-day Homeric Quest voyage also aboard Ryndam sails round-trip from Piraeus (Athens) and is perfect for any Greece lover looking for an in-depth exploration of the country. Guests will experience five different Greek ports, as well as visit the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey, which was once ruled by the Persians and Alexander the Great. The ship departs Sept. 14, 28 and Oct. 12. Cruise fares begin at $1,099 per person, double occupancy.

Eurodam‘s 11-day Mediterranean Odyssey voyage sails round-trip from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, with an overnight stay at Piraeus (Athens). Guests can explore the best of Greece during port calls at Kerkira (Corfu), Katakolon (Olympia) and Santorini, Greece, as well as two calls at the Italian ports of Messina and Naples. The ship departs April 29. Cruise fares begin at $1,499 per person, double occupancy.

The Noordam‘s 11-day Adriatic Explorer voyage sails between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Piraeus (Athens), and features a fascinating mixture of ports that were once home to the legendary Roman and Greek empires. With overnights in Venice and Piraeus (Athens), guests can take their time exploring these culturally rich cities. The ship departs April 25, May 28, August 4, Sept. 6 and October 9. Cruise fares begin at $1,599 per person, double occupancy.

Also new for 2013 is the 11-day Ancient Mysteries voyage sailing between Piraeus (Athens) and Istanbul aboard ms Noordam. This itinerary offers a unique experience with a call at Port Said, Egypt, the gateway to Cairo. In Cairo, passengers can visit the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx or the renowned Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. During an overnight stay at Istanbul, guests can take time to explore the historic Turkish Bazaar, known for its exotic spices and other Turkish delights. The cruise departs May 6 and 17 and Aug. 15 and 26. Cruise fares begin at $1,699 per person, double occupancy.

Prinsendam’s 16-day Mediterranean Explorer itinerary sails from Barcelona to Piraeus (Athens). This cruise gives guests the opportunity to visit many intimate, unique ports such as Sete and Toulon, France; Brindisi, Italy; and Igoumenitsa and Hydra, Greece, while still experiencing popular ports like Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey; Kotor, Montenegro, and Rhodes, Greece. The ship departs Sept. 16. Cruise fares begin at $3,499 per person, double occupancy.

Popular Itineraries Return Other ships calling in Europe in 2013 include the line’s newest vessel, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Veendam and Rotterdam. The 2,106-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam will sail a series of seven- to 12-day cruises throughout the Mediterranean, visiting some of the region’s most popular ports, from Marseille (Provence), France, to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Rotterdam sails a series of seven- to 18-day voyages throughout Europe. Itineraries allow guests to explore the gems of the Baltic, experience the beauty of Norway’s fjord-scalloped coastline and discover the Canary Islands.

In July, Veendam sails a 35-day Voyage of the Vikings roundtrip from Boston, Mass., tracing the path of past explorers across the Atlantic to ports in Greenland, Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands.

Longer Voyages Offer Exceptional ValueFor true explorers seeking an in-depth experience at an exceptional value, extended Collectors’ Voyages ranging from 14 to 33 days offer the ultimate European cruise experience. These artfully crafted, longer cruises combine back-to-back itineraries, enabling guests to visit more ports and spend extra time exploring centuries of art, history and culture. Per-person cruise fares begin at $1,799, double occupancy.

A highlight of the Mediterranean season comes spring 2013 when ms Prinsendam, the line’s smallest and most intimate ship — just 835 guests, departs Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 14, 2013, on its roundtrip 64-day Grand Mediterranean Voyage. Visiting 32 ports in 14 countries, the itinerary includes overnights in seven world-class ports including Funchal, Madeira; Istanbul, Turkey; Piraeus, Greece; Venice and Sorrento, Italy; and Barcelona, Spain. Per-person cruise fares for the full cruise begin at $7,999, double occupancy.  Seven shorter segments are also available ranging from 14-to 46-days.

Engaging Unique Experiences Additional exciting Holland America Line Europe itineraries enable guests to be among the few to cross the Arctic Circle, transit Germany’s Kiel Canal, cruise the Gironde Estuary into Bordeaux, France, or explore the world’s third largest volcano with an overnight stay at Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Other exciting itineraries include visiting the ancient pyramids in Egypt, along with the holy lands in Jerusalem and Nazareth. Those interested in taking a dip in the famous "Blue Lagoon," Iceland’s unique geothermal seawater, can choose the Icelandic Adventure aboard Prinsendam, which includes an overnight stay at Reykjavik.

For more information on Holland America Line’s cruises and cruisetours, contact The Cruise People, hollandamerica@thecruisepeople.ca or ring 1-88-961-5536

Voyages of Discovery Counting Down to Voyager’s Inaugural Season of Exotic South America Cruises

Voyager, Voyages of Discovery’s new ship, is gearing up for her inaugural journey to South America this winter.

The 540-passenger ship, which joins the fleet in December 2012, will be undergoing her final refurbishments in Portland Port, United Kingdom beginning on Nov. 1, in advance of her Dec. 4 maiden voyage. Northern Ireland based Mivan, specialists in cruise ship refurbishment, will be completing the project which marks the final stage in Voyages of Discovery’s multi-million dollar investment to introduce the ship to its fleet.

The ship, formerly  Alexander von Humboldt, was purchased by All Leisure Group in 2009 and has already received major technical upgrades plus the addition of more balcony staterooms. These changes will create extra comfort and space for guests while maintaining Voyages of Discovery’s unique style of destination and enrichment cruising.

Voyager will become the second ship in the Voyages of Discovery fleet, joining the 650-passenger Discovery, which will be undergoing extensive refurbishment prior to returning to service in March 2013. Voyager will feature 270 staterooms, of which 87 percent are outside accommodations, and 30 of which have balconies. The ship will feature open seating dining in two restaurants, plus an intimate pre-bookable specialty restaurant, The Explorer Club, at no extra charge.

Other key new additions to Voyager include:

• An explorer theme throughout the ship, reinforcing the brand’s destination-led cruise offerings
• A classic piano bar known as Scott’s Lounge
• Terrace with an all-weather dining area, enabling passengers to dine al fresco style in the Veranda Restaurant
• New digital media players in each stateroom that allow guests to access and view a large selection of films, classical concerts and documentaries
• New artwork and upgraded furnishings in public spaces
• Refurbished library and selection of reference books
• A Bridge Club that can also be used for guest speaker lectures and other onboard functions

"We are excited to welcome Voyager as she joins the Voyages of Discovery family and sails to the Caribbean for an inaugural season of exotic South America itineraries," said Steve Novello, President, All Discovery Cruising North America. "We are excited to introduce Voyager to our North American guests with her balcony suites and open seating dining that is a first for the Voyages of Discovery brand," adds Novello.

Voyager departs Dec. 4^th on her inaugural 17-day sailing from London (Portsmouth) arriving in Barbados on Dec. 20th. Cruise-only fares begin at $US1,699 per person, double occupancy –only $100 per day!

After a 16-day Caribbean Gems holiday cruise on Dec. 20th that features a potpourri of idyllic islands, including Barbados, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Grenada, Tobago, Margarita Island, Bonaire Island, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica (fares from $2,799), Voyager sets off on a series of South American itineraries that include Panama Canal transits and exploration of the wonders of Latin America.

The Feb. 6, 2013 Natural Wonders of Latin America itinerary, for example, takes passengers to experience the Chilean fjords, the wildlife on Peninsula Valdes, the glacial landscapes of South America and the thriving cities of Santiago and Buenos Aires on a 20-day sailing from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. Fares in remaining stateroom categories begin from $3,299.

Guests will be able to enjoy A Portrait of the Amazon on a 13-day cruise that departs Recife March 12, 2013 and sails to Manaus and offers the charm of Recife and Solina, beautiful desert scenery, magnificent rainforests and a cruise on the Amazon, South America’s longest river. Fares in remaining stateroom categories start from $2,099.

For the ultimate experience there is the 95-day Grand Latin America Discovery. Departing Jan. 4, 2013, this circumnavigation of South America links 6 itineraries for a memorable combination of cultures and landscapes, including the Chilean fjords, the Galapagos Islands, cruising the Amazon River, the unspoiled Falkland Islands and the bustling cities of Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Santiago. This cruise is selling quickly with fares in remaining stateroom categories starting from $20,499 (ocean view).

Voyager fares are $US per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Guests can select from memorable overland tours that can be added to their cruise to expand their exploration of these incredible regions, such as visits to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands.

On each cruise, Voyager will offer the line’s signature elements of distinctive itineraries that blend world-class sites with smaller "hidden gems" and longer port stays. Fares include a distinguished guest speaker programme, enrichment workshops, all meals including cocktail parties and gala dinners, entertainment, and service fees for onboard bar and spa purchases.

Additional Information.

For more information or reservations, contact The Cruise People, Ltd. 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

In the Wake of s.s. Keewatin

 

A personal note from Kevin Griffin writing for cybercruises.com : I have a particular interest in s.s. Keewatin as I was privileged at the age of 17 to land my first real job – as a waiter – on board her sister ship s.s. Assiniboia. This was during their last summer of passenger service and just before I entered university.

Keewatin and Assiniboia were built on the Clyde in 1907 and operated Canadian Pacific’s Great Lakes Steamship Service, sailing weekly from Port McNicoll, on Georgian Bay, to Sault Ste Marie and on to the Canadian Lakehead at Port Arthur and Fort William (which combined into Thunder Bay in 1970).

The pay was $173.58 per month but that was upped almost immediately to $240 once I was on board. Meals and berth were included and tips were an added bonus. Clothing requirements were“black shoes, white shirts, black bow tie, navy blue trousers and old clothing for work in port. Jackets are supplied and the navy trousers can be purchased at Del Hasting’s Men’s Wear in Midland.”
The jackets were blue serge with brass buttons and were quite warm on a hot summer’s day at lunchtime!

Keewatin sailed on Wednesdays and Assiniboia on Saturdays and the two ships met at Sault Ste Marie every Sunday. The cost of such an “Inland Sea” cruise in those days was $90 per person in an inside cabin or $100 in an outside, and the fare included passage Port McNicoll-Fort William and return, berth and meals aboard ship and hotel room and meals in Fort William while the ship handled cargo. These cruises, which were offered twice weekly, thus consisted of five nights, one of which was spent ashore.

When the boat train from Toronto came alongside at Port McNicoll at 3 pm, passengers boarded the ship, followed by the waiters carrying their luggage (and freshly laundered sheets, towels and uniforms from the Royal York Hotel laundry in Toronto) and she sailed promptly at 3:15 – just fifteen minutes later! At the Lakehead there were rail connections to and from the Pacific via Canadian Pacific’s famous Trans-Continental express “The Canadian.”

The next season, with the passenger service gone (although Assiniboia still carried cargo for a while), I was given a ticket on “The Canadian” and assigned to Canadian Pacific’s British Columbia Coast Steamship Service, where I joined Princess Patricia, cruising from Vancouver to Alaska. She was built in the same shipyard as Assiniboia and Keewatin and gave her name to Princess Cruises when she was chartered to Stan McDonald of Seattle for two winters cruising from Los Angeles to Mexico.

We had to remove all the Mexican decorations in preparation for her next Alaska season. One difference on the West Coast was that the waiters wore cooler white jackets for lunch.

Having sailed as a four-year-old from Liverpool to Montreal in Canadian Pacific’s second Empress of Canada, and later worked for the company in Montreal, I had not only immigrated to Canada with them, but had also managed to collect three employee numbers – in Port McNicoll, Vancouver and Montreal!

Meanwhile I crossed the Atlantic again in the third Empress of Canada in 1970. Two years later, as Mardi Gras, she became the start of Carnival Cruise Lines and right up until to-day’s Carnival Breeze, every Carnival ship has had an “Empress Deck.”

I was privileged to be one of only a few that were invited to join the final leg of the tow of Canadian Pacific’s last surviving passenger ship, s.s. Keewatin, from Mackinaw City back to her home port of Port McNicoll, where she arrived at 1:30 pm on June 23, a hundred years to the day after her first passenger departure from the then-new port, which opened in 1912.

Under the auspices of Skyline International Development Inc of Toronto,  Keewatin will become the centrepiece of a new waterfront park in the newly-revived resort community of Port McNicoll.

Leaving Mackinaw City on June 19, this is a record of the voyage.

OTHER CRUISE NEWS

Cruising the Great Lakes in 2012

Keewatin and her sister ship Assinboia stopped cruising the Great Lakes in 1965, but forty-seven years later there has been a revival in cruising the Great Lakes and New York-based Travel Dynamics International still have space on the following departures this summer on its 138-berth m.v. Yorktown.

Great Lakes Grand Discovery – 11 nights
Detroit to Duluth via the Great Lakes, with fares starting at $5,295 per person (not including $500 per person booking incentive). July 21 – August 6, 2012

Great Lakes Grand Discovery – 10 nights
Duluth to Detroit via the Great Lakes, with fares starting at $4,995 (not including $500 per person booking incentive). August 1 – 11, 2012

Discovering a North American Treasure – 7 nights
Chicago to Quebec via the St Lawrence Seaway, with fares starting at $3,995 per person (not including $500 per person booking incentive). August 8 – 18 and August 18 – 25, 2012.

America’s Enchanting Seaway: From the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence – 7 nights
Detroit to Quebec via the St Lawrence Seaway, with fares starting at $3,995 per person (not including $500 per person booking incentive). August 25 – September 1, 2012.

(Kevin Griffin is managing director of The Cruise People Ltd in London, England.)

LiveJournal Tags: Empess of Canada,Keewatin,Mardi Gras,Port McNicholl,Thunder Bay,Port Arthur,Fort William,Yorktown,Carnival Breeze,Assinaboa

New Expedition Company in the Costa Rica to Ecuador Range

by Kevin Griffin writing in cybercruises.com

New expedition cruise company Sea Voyager Expeditions Ltd of Nassau, has announced that it will operate to a new cruising area – with ten different itineraries through Colombia, Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica. Guests will travel in the 1,195-ton expedition-style Sea Voyager, a ship that is perfect for exploring and has been completely renovated inside and out in the past year.

To avoid confusion, this is not the ship of the same name that is operated by International Shipping Partners and was used in relief work in Haiti, but the one that was built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in 1982 and operated originally for American Cruise Lines and later for Lindblad Expeditions.

Denise Landau, company president and ceo, was for many years executive director of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). Sea Voyager Expeditions is backed by Colombia Ecoturismo, the ship’s long-time owner, whose own president is Capt Jorge Murillo, a one-time master of Windjammer Barefoot Cruises’ Amazing Grace, and by ceo David Hartman, a former director of Lindblad Expeditions.

Sea Voyager accommodates up to sixty travellers in thirty-one en suite outside staterooms. She also features a spacious lounge, full-service bar, dining room serving fresh produce, including locally-caught seafood, library with WiFi Internet access and fitness room with a view.

Sea Voyager’s new natural history voyages will offer a tapestry of tropical landscapes, birds and animals that are found nowhere else on earth, as well as native cultures opening their villages to new friends. Opportunities to explore from the sea floor to the rainforest canopy are possible, with guidance from a team of experts.

The company has recently published a 38-page brochure and updated its web site with further details.

Most of Sea Voyager’s itineraries are unavailable through any other operator. Passengers visit quiet, remote, uninhabited coves and offshore villages, and have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rainforest and ecosystems that teem with wildlife, many species of birds and plants, native monkeys and whales.

Most of Sea Voyager’s itineraries also include a journey along the Panama Canal, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, or a tour of the locks, and arrangements can be made to visit post cruise to spend more time in this fascinating area.

Depending on the itinerary, expeditions are accompanied by ornithologists, marine underwater specialists, naturalists and/or historians, who add their own knowledge to guided walks along rainforest trails, snorkelling expeditions, lectures and briefings. Guests can also choose from swimming and kayaking to hiking, or exploring bays and rivers by Zodiac inflatable, or just relax on board or on one of the many tropical beach locations these cruises visit.

Panama alone has about 10,000 varieties of plants, 1,500 species of trees and more than 1,000 species of birds. From mangrove forest to coral reefs as well as offshore islands there is much to see.

Voyages begin in August 2012 and range from 9 to 13 days in length. Bookings bring savings of $1,000 per couple if made before the end of October, with prices starting at $2,850 per person for the 7-night “Caribbean Gems of Panama & Colombia” departure in May 2013, and the 8-night “Mountains, Deserts & Corals of Caribbean Colombia” cruise departing in May, June and July 2013.

As with other expedition and adventure type voyages, shore excursions and expedition landings are included in the fare.