Disney Names New Ships

 

Disney Ship in Port

Disney Cruise Line has named it’s two new ships. The cruise line began construction on the two new ships in March. The ships are being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The delivery dates for the ships are 2011 and 20012. The new ships will weigh in at 128,000 GRT’s and will have 1,250 staterooms. The new ships will be named The Disney Dream and The Disney Fantasy. A Disney spokesperson called the names “a natural choice for our ships.”

Delta Queen Reborn As Chattanooga Hotel

 

The Delta Queen On The Mississippi

A welcome befitting a Queen, the 82 year-old Delta Queen Steamboat arrived in Chattanooga on Wednesday February 11. Hundreds of people turned out to welcome the Queen to Chattanooga which will be it’s new home as it will become a floating hotel.

 

Ambassadors International, which owns the Delta Queen has chartered to Harry Phillips, owner of Chattanooga Water Taxi and Fat Cat Ferry. Mr. Phillips has hired  Sydney Slome, owner of Chattanooga’s Stone Fort Inn, to manage the Delta Queen Hotel. The hotel is slated to open to the public in April. The hotel will have 87 cabins and can hold 174 guests.

The Delta Queen was built in 1926 and has a steel hull and a wooden superstructure. Currently the Delta Queen cannot legally operate overnight cruises at present because its congressional exemption from fire safety laws was allowed to expire on Oct 31, 2008. 

The Delta Queen will host Dixieland jazz bands, cabarets and musical revues. Tours of the vessel will also be available.

So if you are planning on visiting Chattanooga this summer, you may want to book a cabin on the historic Delta Queen.

Royal Caribbean Brilliance of The Seas – A day at The Panama Canal

 

One of the Mules that Pulls the ship through the Locks

Alan at the Midpoint at the Gatun Locks

The Brilliance of The Seas exiting the Gatun Locks

The Brilliance of The Seas at anchor in Lake Gatun

Approach to the Gatun Locks

 This past January my wife and I took a fascinating cruise thru the Panama Canal on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of The Seas. This is a wonderful ship and a great cruise for anyone that loves cruising. The day we began to  transit the canal started early in the morning just before sunrise. Our pilot arrived at our ship as the sun broke the horizon. We then picked up our two tug boats that would help our ship into the locks.  The total transit took about 3 hours. The pictures below are my “Photo Blog” of our experience through the Gatun Locks on the Caribbean side of the canal.

If you have never been on a Panama Canal cruise then you have never experienced the excitement that you feel as you approach and then transit the canal. It does get hot during the day, so take a lot of sunscreen along so you don’t get burned.

If you have never been on a Panama Canal cruise then you have never experienced the excitement that you feel as you approach and then transit the canal. It does get hot during the day, so take a lot of sunscreen along so you don’t get burned.If you have never been on a Panama Canal cruise then you have never experienced the excitement that you feel as you approach and then transit the canal. It does get hot during the day, so take a lot of sunscreen along so you don’t get burned.

Orient Lines Returns with the Marco Polo II

 

 

Marco Polo II at anchor

 

Orient Lines, which was purchased by NCL a number of years ago and basically dismantled, is rising from the ashes today. Wayne Heller, CEO and owner of the “New Orient Line” announced today that Orient Line has acquired the SS Maxim Gorkly and will rename it the Marco Polo II. The 24,981 ton vessel is a classic ship in the tradition of Orient Line’s original Marco Polo, which was much loved by Orient Lines’ guests, said Wayne Heller. The ship will hold just over 600 passengers.

The new Marco Polo II will make her maiden voyage in April 2009 and sail from Barcelona on a Western Med itinerary.  You will be able to book your cruise on the Marco Polo II beginning on September 8, 2008. The cruise schedule is very destination focused with cruises ranging from 11 to 37 days. Prices will start at $2399 per person based on two to a cabin. The line will include several free shore excursions with each cruise. There will be a single seating in the dining room, which is a plus for all passengers as you won’t have to decide what seating to choose.

I am really looking forward to the launch of the new Orient Lines’ Marco Polo II. I hope it will continue the Orient Lines tradition of exceptional service.

The Real S.S. Minnow Sailing Again on 3 Hour Tours

 

The Original S.S. Minnow

The Real S.S. Minnow will start sailing from Vancouver on 3 hours cruise tours. That’s right, the Original S.S. Minnow that was used during the opening scene of Gilligan’s Island TV show’s second season will be sailing again.

 

The boat made famous for running aground on the shores of an uncharted desert isle in the 1960’s sitcom is now owned by Ken Schley, one of the owners of the Quality Foods grocery chain. Stay tuned and I will keep you advised when you can book a tour on the S.S. Minnow.

Seniors Save Big on Royal Caribbean

 

Brilliance of The Sea at anchor

I have been sailing with Royal Caribbean since the late 70’s. I am always look for ways to save money and take as many cruises as possible. You may not know that Royal Caribbean offers Senior Citizen fares for people 55 years of age and older. Now these reduced fares are not available on all ships on all sailings but the sailings they do offer them on can save you hundreds of dollars. If you book your cruise through a travel agent that knows their cruises, they can help you save big bucks. If you want to save $300 to $500 per person, look into the Senior Fares on Royal Caribbean. You can check out the senior deals at www. royalcaribbean.com and maybe I will see you on your next Royal Caribbean Cruise!

Are Cruise Ships Getting Too Big?

 

Relaxing on Royal Caribbean

This past week I have been reading up on Royal Caribbean’s new ship the Oasis of The Sea. This engineering marvel will weigh in at 220,000 GRT when it debuts in December of  2009. It will tower over the sea 16 stores. It will host 5200 people every week for 7 night Caribbean cruises out of the Port of Miami. The Oasis of The Sea will be the World Largest Cruise Ship ever built.

I am looking forward to seeing this ship. As a veteran of 86 cruises and 30 of them on Royal Caribbean, I am questioning if cruise ships have gotten too big? With more than 5200 people on board, will there be quiet places to relax? Will there be places to meet new people and make new friends? Will there be massive lines for everything? Will you need a segway to get around?

I love a smaller ship after sailing on all size ships. The reasons I like the smaller ships, you are able to make friends with the crew and passengers much quicker on a small ship. The walk from your cabin to the pool or anywhere else on the ship is much shorter then on the large ship and the smaller ships are able to get into some seculded ports that are not available on the large ships. But there are lots of pluses for sailing on a large ship and that is why the cruise lines keep building them.

The jury is still out on what people will like and dislike on the Oasis of The Sea, but I am sure the Royal Caribbean will do a “Royal” job on this new vessel.