In a spectacular ceremony today in Southampton, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge named the new ship Royal Princess when she released a bottle of champagne that smashed against its hull. Standing on the naming platform with the ship’s Captain Tony Draper, The Duchess pronounced, “I name this ship Royal Princess. May God bless her and all who sail in her.” She then cut the rope that sent a giant Nebuchadnezzar-size bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne toward the ship, officially welcoming Royal Princess into the fleet of Princess Cruises, one of the world’s largest international cruise lines.

“We can think of no more fitting godmother for our magnificent new Royal Princess,” said Alan Buckelew, Princess Cruises’ president and CEO. “Her Royal Highness is an inspiring ambassador for Britain – with whom Princess Cruises shares strong ties – and she is admired around the world for her style and grace. We’re so honored she accepted our invitation to become godmother to our new ship.” The ceremony included star-studded entertainment that blended maritime tradition with contemporary elements, reflecting the innovative spirit of Princess’s newest class of ship. In addition to the exciting bottle break moment, the quayside festivities included a host of musical performances, including British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield singing her hit “Unwritten,” as well as an original song by British actress and “the first lady of London’s West End,” Kerry Ellis. Internationally renowned percussive orchestra Mass Ensemble performed with its signature “Earth Harp,” an architectural instrument with strings that extended 1,000 feet and was played as it hovered over the nearly 2,000 ceremony guests. The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and The Pipe Band of 1st Battalion Irish Guards opened the event with the pomp and ceremony of British ship-naming traditions. The Right Reverend Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester, conducted the traditional ship’s blessing.

The event capped off a week of festivities to launch the ship, including a special gala last night. Among the guests invited to the Royal Princess naming celebrations were representatives from the charities East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, SkillForce and WellChild, whose Patrons are The Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry respectively.The naming of a ship is a tradition thousands of years old. Different peoples and cultures have shaped the ceremonies surrounding a ship launching but the theme has always been similar – the ritual marks the birth of a vessel, and asks for a blessing of good fortune and safety for the ship and its passengers and crew. Perhaps the most important element of the naming tradition is the godmother selected to christen a ship. In the mid-19th century it became customary for a woman of distinction to be selected for this honor. A godmother is the symbolic patron, or sponsor, of the ship through its entire life and symbolizes the spirit of the vessel. Princess Cruises has a history of illustrious godmothers for past ships, including Diana Princess of Wales (who named the first Royal Princess in 1984), Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Dame Margaret Thatcher and Olivia de Havilland. The Duchess of Cambridge now takes her place among this inspiring group of women.

The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship. Among the special features found on board is a dramatic multi-story atrium serving as the social hub of the ship offering a host of dining and entertainment options; an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on water; the new Princess Live! television studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms. Following the ship’s maiden voyage to Barcelona on June 16, Royal Princess will sail on Grand Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the autumn.

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Cruise industry publication Seatrade Insider has confirmed that former president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines Bob Dickinson will return to the company as a consultant to parent company Carnival Corporation.

Dickinson, who retired in 2007 after 35 years with Carnival, returns to the line at a very challenging time in the wake of numerous incidents including the February fire onboard the Carnival Triumph. Carnival states that Dickinson will report to Carnival Corporation’s COO Howard Frank and will focus on North American marketing strategies for all Carnival Corporation brands.

ExpertCruiser spoke to several individuals involved in the cruise industry who believe Dickinson is being brought in to placate travel agents, Wall Street analysts, and the line’s investors who are not happy with the current management at Carnival Cruise Lines. “Bringing Bob back is the smartest thing they’ve done in years” one noted.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Cunard Line today announces a new commercial leadership structure, reporting into Gerard Tempest, its chief commercial officer, based in Southampton, England.

Key changes are the creation of new marketing director and insight director roles alongside the existing positions of international development director, sales & customer services director, and commercial director.

Gerard Tempest said: “This is an exciting time for Cunard Line, and this new structure has been designed to deliver the many opportunities ahead of us.”

Tempest is a member of an executive team led by CEO David Dingle, responsible for both Cunard Line and its UK-based sister company P&O Cruises, and as part of this organisational change, a similar new structure is also being created for P&O Cruises.

As a consequence, and after very careful consideration, the role of Cunard president & managing director will cease to exist, and Peter Shanks will be leaving the business at the end of September. Peter joined the business in 2002 and has held pivotal leadership roles within Cunard, Ocean Village and Princess Cruises UK. Peter has been instrumental in the growth and transformation of the Cunard business into the success that it is today, overseeing the launches of Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow will also be leaving the business at the end of September. Carol joined the business in 1997 and over her 16 years with the organisation has successfully led a number of brands including Swan Hellenic, Princess Cruises UK, Cunard and P&O Cruises, Britain’s leading cruise line. Carol has directed the launch of five new ships, driving growth and building our brands around the needs of our customers, to whom she is well known.

Tempest continues, “I would like to thank both Peter and Carol for their very significant contributions to the success of the business over many years and wish them every success in their future endeavours.

“North America is a very important market for Cunard and the recent strengthening of our management team there through the appointment of Stanley Birge as vice president, reporting to David Rousham (international development director), demonstrates our deep and longstanding commitment to the North American market.”

The recruitment of the new insight director and of marketing directors for both Cunard and P&O Cruises is already at an advanced stage, and a further announcement will be made shortly.

As a result of these changes David Dingle formally assumes the titles of CEO Cunard Line and CEO P&O Cruises.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Carnival Cruise Lines announced today that it has implemented a program to significantly enhance emergency power capabilities, introduce new fire safety technology, and improve the level of operating redundancies across its entire 24-ship fleet. This enhancement program will cost more than $300 million, and rapid upgrades have already begun. The actions by Carnival Cruise Lines will expand the availability of hotel services for the comfort of its guests in the rare instance of a shipboard event that involves the loss of main power. In addition, the plan will reinforce key shipboard operating systems to further prevent a potential loss of primary power. The improvement plan is the result of a comprehensive operational review, overseen by parent company Carnival Corporation & plc, initiated immediately after the Carnival Triumph fire in February 2013.

“All of Carnival Cruise Lines’ ships operate safely today. Each vessel already has effective systems in place to prevent, detect and respond to emergency situations, and we meet or exceed all regulatory requirements,” said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. “However, by applying lessons learned through our fleet-wide operational review after the Carnival Triumph fire and by taking advantage of new technologies, we have identified areas for enhancement across our operations. These initiatives reflect our commitment to safe and reliable operations and an enjoyable cruising experience for the nearly 4.5 million guests who sail with Carnival Cruise Lines each year.”

• Increased Emergency Generator Power

The initial increase in emergency generator power across Carnival Cruise Lines’ fleet of 24 ships will be completed over the next several months. An additional emergency generator will be installed on each vessel to provide for 100 percent of stateroom and public toilets, fresh water and elevators in the unlikely event of a loss of main power. The work is already underway and will not affect scheduled itineraries. Upon completion of the initial phase, the line will install a second permanent back-up power system on each ship to provide an even greater level of hotel and guest services if main power is lost. These additional services will include expanded cooking facilities and cold food storage, as well as internet and telephone communications.
“Although every ship in our fleet currently has emergency back-up power which is designed to enable the continuous operation of safety equipment and some hotel services, it is our intent to significantly bolster that back-up power to support the core hotel services. With this improvement, we will better ensure guest comfort in the rare instance of a loss of main power,” said Cahill.

• Increased Fire Prevention, Detection and Suppression Systems

The company will also make additional investments in the newest and most technically advanced fire prevention, detection and suppression systems. This includes upgrading the existing water mist fire suppression systems already in place on Carnival vessels to the newest generation. When triggered, this high-pressure water mist system instantly creates a larger and thicker blanket of water droplets than the present system. As the water droplets evaporate, the system also rapidly cools any hot areas to prevent the possibility of a fire restarting.
“On Carnival Triumph, our fire systems were effective and our teams performed well in controlling and extinguishing the fire. However, we want to take advantage of the latest and most-advanced generation of fire safety systems to enhance the current extensive capabilities across our fleet,” added Cahill.

• Enhanced Operating Redundancies

All of Carnival Cruise Lines ships have two separate, redundant engine rooms. The company’s operational review has identified modifications to further decrease the likelihood of losing propulsion or primary power, as happened on Carnival Triumph in February. The modifications will include a reconfiguration of certain engine-related electrical components. On ships where these enhancements will be made, the design and fabrication of specialized components will require longer lead times for completion, in contrast to the immediate upgrades to back-up emergency power and other systems.
Last month, Carnival Cruise Lines announced results from the first phase of the company’s operational review, specifically addressing Carnival Triumph and Carnival Sunshine, both of which are currently out of service. The plan for each of these ships addresses each of the three areas outlined above.

• Company to Form New Safety & Reliability Review Board

Carnival Cruise Lines also announced the formation of a Safety & Reliability Review Board comprised of outside experts with significant expertise in marine and occupational safety, reliability and maintenance, marine regulatory compliance and quality control/assurance. The company already receives oversight and input from outside regulatory authorities and industry experts. The new Review Board will provide an additional, independent third-party perspective, drawing from deep experience across a number of relevant fields and organizations. The Review Board will be comprised of five external members. Active searches are underway for candidates with previous experience in organizations such as the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and National Transportation Safety Board, as well as leading airlines and equipment manufacturers. “The formation of our Safety & Reliability Review Board is an integral part of how Carnival Cruise Lines will drive continuous improvement across our fleet. We will be responsive to its recommendations,” said Cahill.

• Carnival Corporation & plc Fleet Enhancements

Parent company Carnival Corporation & plc previously announced a corporate-wide operational review of all 10 of its brands and 101 ships. The review process will include learnings from the recent incidents that can be applied across the corporation’s fleet. Carnival Corporation & plc has confirmed that, based on the results of the ongoing review, the latest versions of technologies and enhancements will also be implemented on the remainder of the fleet where they are not already present. The overall program of enhancements across the corporation’s 101-ship fleet, including Carnival Cruise Lines’ ships, is expected to cost between $600 and $700 million. “Our fleet already operates at a high standard of reliability. The investments announced today for Carnival Cruise Lines, and those we will continue to make, will reinforce our ability to consistently deliver the customer experience that 10 million people every year have come to expect from us across our fleet of 101 ships. Absolutely nothing is more important than the safety and comfort of our guests and crew, and we will use the full resources of our company to meet that commitment,” said Micky Arison, Chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc. Initial implementation of the upgrades to the Carnival Corporation & plc fleet will take place during the next several months. Each class of ship is different and often systems differ on ships within a class, so the enhancements will be tailored to each vessel. All findings from the operational review will be shared with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) as part of the industry-wide operational review announced in March.

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Media outlets in Mobile, Alabama are reporting that the Carnival Triumph has broken loose from its dock at the BAE Ship Systems yard and has drifted down river. Triumph has been at the BAE shipyard for almost two months while undergoing repairs after an engine room fire knocked out power on February 14.

According to reports the ship has sustained some damage. Most notably a large hole on the right side of the stern in the dining room area. Weather may have played a factor in the ship breaking loose as strong storms and high winds passed through the Mobile area on Wednesday.

Stay tuned for more information.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Another problem for Carnival Cruise Lines as one of its ships has developed another engine problem mid-cruise. The Port Canaveral based Carnival Dream, one of the line’s newer and largest ships, was on the return leg of a seven-day Eastern Caribbean sailing is now docked in St. Maarten. Passengers have reported to various media outlets that toilets were overflowing and elevators were shut down and the overall atmosphere on board was very bad as little information was being relayed by the crew. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson stated Thursday that Carnival Dream’s captain notified the agency of possible trouble with the ship’s propulsion system. The ship’s emergency generator, which powers propulsion for ship, has reportedly failed. The Coast Guard said they have been reassured by the ship’s captain that their main generator and sewage systems are unaffected by the failure.

Carnival issued a statement stating, “The Carnival Dream has a technical issue which our engineering team is currently working on. The ship is at dock in St. Maarten. At no time did the ship lose power but there were periodic interruptions to elevators and toilets for a few hours last night. The statement added “The ship has full power but is still at dock while personnel continue to work on the technical issue.” Carnival said they are making arrangements for all passengers to be returned home. “While personnel continue to work on the technical issue we are making arrangements to fly all guests home via private charter flights and scheduled flights from St. Maarten. Guests on the current voyage will receive a refund equivalent to three days of the voyage and 50 percent off a future cruise,” according to a statement. “We are also cancelling the ship’s next voyage which is scheduled to depart on Saturday, March 16. Guests scheduled to sail on this cruise will receive a full refund and 25 percent off a future seven-day cruise.”

The Carnival Dream is the latest in a serious of unfortunate events for Carnival. Last month an engine fire crippled the Carnival Triumph in the Gulf of Mexico. More than 4,200 people were left without working toilets or power for several days as the ship was towed to Mobile, Alabama. In 2010, a similar incident happened to Carnival Splendor off the Mexican Riviera carrying 3,299 passengers.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com - Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.