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                                                      FEBRUARY 2013 ISSUE 81

16TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION
ESTABLISHED 1998

         Predictions - Asia will account for 3.7 million passengers
            in 2017 and grow to 7 million by 2020 – see Page 4
                   Featuring a comprehensive coverage of Global Cruising
                   for Cruise Passengers, the Trade and the Industry
                   www.cruisingnews.com
www.cruisingnews.com Featuring a comprehensive coverage of Global Cruising for Cruise Passengers, the Trade and the Industry
www.cruisingnews.com Featuring a comprehensive coverage of Global Cruising for Cruise Passengers, the Trade and the Industry
Editor’s Say
                                                                                                                      Rice on behalf of the Australian Maritime
                                                                                                                      Safety Authority (AMSA) made an informal
                                                                                                                      presentation to Captain Taylor presenting him
                                                                                                                      with a Certificate of Appreciation.
                                                                                                                                    New Ships

                                                                        As we start our 16th year of publishing
                                                                        Cruising News we are encouraged by the
                                                                        continued growth of the industry world-
                                                                        wide. The current South Pacific cruise
                                                                        season with the new ships is attracting a
                                                                        large number of new cruisers along with

        THIS ISSUE
        highlights
                                                                        many repeat passengers. Then we turn to
                                                                        Asia where predictions are for the industry
                                                                        there to account for 3.7 million passengers
     Front Cover: Images from Celebrity
                                                                        in 2017 and grow to 7 million by 2020. We
     Cruises/Eugene Tan and Ian Hunter
                                                                        look forward to keeping you informed with
 Fantastic Cruise Season.....................P4-6                    the latest news and information throughout
 MSC Christening.................................P16                 the year.
 Future of QE2......................................P18                       Congratulations
 ICCA Industry Awards......................P20                                Ann Sherry AO
 SeaDream II & Places Visited............P28-30                                            Sydney’s Macquarie
 New Look Celebrity Millennium.....P42
 River Cruising News..........................P46-48
                                                                                              University
                                                                                              awarded
                                                                                                               has
                                                                                                                an
                                                                                                                                                                          3
 Photo Gallery......................................P50-51                                 honorary doctorate      March will see the christening of two new
                                                                                              to Carnival Australia   ships, the MSC Preziosa and AIDAstella. MSC
                                                                                              CEO Ann Sherry          Preziosa will be christened by screen legend

                                                                                                                                                                       2 0 1 3
                                                                                              AO in recognition       Sophia Loren in the Italian port of Genoa on
                                                                                              of her significant      23 March and in the wings will be sister ships
                                                                                              contribution      to    MSC Splendida and MSC Opera. AIDAstella,
                                                                        the government and corporate sectors.         the 10th member of the fleet, will have 10

                                                                                                                                                                       F E B R U A R Y
                                                                        Ms Sherry was cited as a true leader          godmothers on the stage for the christening
                                                                        credited with transforming industries that    ceremony on the evening of 16 March in
                                                                        she had led. The Doctor of Letters award      Rostock-Warnemünde.
                                                                        acknowledged her standing in the business        Serving the Community
                                                                        community and the wider community. Ann
 On Board Celebrity Solstice P30-32                                     Sherry was appointed CEO of Carnival          • Holland America Line has announced “On
                                                                        Australia in 2007 and her time at the helm      Deck for a Cause,” a new shipboard giving
                                                                        has seen the transformation of the cruise       program that will benefit six international
                                                                        industry and double digit annual growth in      cancer organisations located in the United
                                                                        consecutive years.                              States, Canada, Australia, Netherlands,
                                                                                                                        Germany        and     United     Kingdom.
                                                                                                                      • By the end of 2012, MSC Cruises’ three-
                                                                                                                        and-a-half year partnership with UNICEF
                                                                                                                        and their joint “Get on Board for Children”
                                                                                                                        initiative has raised two million Euros
                                                                                                                        for an innovative project designed to
               Rescue by Orion P20                                                                                      combat poverty and inequality by helping
                                                                                                                        ensure that disadvantaged Brazilian
                                                                                                                        children gain access to quality education.
                                                                                                                      • Here in Australia P&O have an
                                                                                                                        exciting partnership with Save the
                                                                                Rescue Operation                        Children – see story on Page 37
                                                                                   Recognised
                                                                        Recognising Orion’s involvement in the
                                                                        complex and successful rescue of solo
                                                                                                                      Happy Cruising
MSC Splendida & Places Visited P34-36                                   round-world sailor Alain Delord from
                                                                        the Southern Ocean SAR operation, John        John Treacy
       Plus the latest news and                                         Breaking News - Royal Caribbean International has taken a major step in the
        information on Global                                           development of the cruise line’s next generation of cruise ships when the first piece
          Passenger Cruising                                            of steel was cut for the first of two Project Sunshine ships. To celebrate the milestone,
                                                                        Royal Caribbean announced the names of the two new ships – Quantum of the Seas, set
         Proudly Published in Australia by                              to debut in 2014 and Anthem of the Seas, which will follow in 2015.
                                                                        The Astor will join Cruise & Maritime Voyages in November this year under a three year
                                                                        seasonal charter to operate twice yearly ocean voyages between the UK, Australia and
                                                                        South Africa and the launch of a summer season of cruises from Fremantle commencing
                                                                        12 December 2013

                     ABN 71 083 652 019
                                                                                        www.cruisingnews.com for
                                                                             News Updates & Photo Files
 Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every
    effort is made to ensure the information published is correct
                       ISSN 1447 - 2112
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Voyager of the Seas departing Sydney – Robert Miller

                      Cruising Industry                                                          Presentation on Voyager of the Seas

                      Continues to Grow
                  The current cruise season has introduced many newcomers to cruising
                  and is receiving an incredible number of repeat passengers that cruising
                  statistics for the year 2012 when released at the end of April should show
  4               impressive growth for the industry. Ports of call throughout Australia, New
                  Zealand and the South Pacific have benefitted enormously from the cruise
                  ships sailing the region.There is an unprecedented choice of ships available
                  and in the future we should see more of the big ships arriving.Voyager of
                  the Seas, Celebrity Solstice, Carnival Spirit (now based in Australia) and
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                  Oosterdam have led the way introducing new experiences for passengers.
                  The quality dining and on board features on all ships are proving to be
                  the attention grabbers as passengers decide on which ship to cruise. It
                  is definitely the beginning of a new era in cruising from Australia. It is
                  now hoped that port facilities will be improved to handle the increased
F E B R U A R Y

                  number of ships. As this magazine goes to press many ships on round
                  the world cruises are still to arrive – Europa, Aurora, Seabourn Quest,
                  Queen Victoria, Balmoral, Arcadia, Costa Delziosa, Pacific Princess, Queen
                  Mary 2, Marina and Ocean Princess – visiting various ports in the region.                              Columbus 2 – Jonathan Crabb
                  Unfortunately Saga Ruby has had to cancel her world cruise because of
                  mechanical problems and is expected to sail a reduced scheduled taking
                  in South America. Unfortunately we will now not see Saga Ruby again as
                  she retires at the end of the year. Voyager of the Seas, Celebrity Solstice
                  and Oosterdam are already booked to return for 2013/14 season. Others
                  with port bookings include Celebrity Millennium, Volendam, Diamond
                  Princess, Amsterdam, Europa, Seabourn Odyssey, Silver Shadow, Aurora,
                  Seven Seas Voyager, Columbus 2, Silver Whisper, Seabourn Sojurn, Pacific
                  Princess, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth,
                  Costa Deliziosa, Amadea, Artania, Crystal Symphony, Astor, Balmoral and
                  Ocean Princess and booked during May is The World.
                  Meanwhile the first-ever cruise forum by the Hong Kong Tourism Board
                  was held recently with more than 150 international professionals from
                  the cruise industry, including representatives from the region’s port
                  authorities and tourism bureaux.Through seminars, site visits, networking
                  sessions and other activities, the participants exchanged the latest
                  information on cruise developments in Hong Kong and Asia to develop
                  business collaboration. Among the speakers were industry heavyweights
                  Mr Pier Luigi Foschi, Chairman and CEO, Carnival Asia; Mr John Tercek,
                  Vice President, Commercial Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises

                     Drawing of New Hong Kong Terminal
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Celebrity Solstice – Sydney – Eugene Tan
                                                                                                                          5

                                                                                                                         2 0 1 3
Ltd; Mr Bruce Krumrine, Vice President of
Shore Operations, Europe & Exotica, Princess                  Voyager of the Seas and Seabourn Odyssey – Robert Miller
Cruises; Mr Antonio de Rosa, Vice President,
Asia Fleet Operations, Costa Crociere S.p.A;

                                                                                                                         F E B R U A R Y
Mr John Stoll, Vice President, Land & Port
Operations, Crystal Cruises Inc; Mr Michael
Pawlus, Director, Strategic Itinerary Planning &
Scheduling, Silversea Cruises Ltd; Mr Graeme
Adams, Vice President, Voyage Planning, Port &
Land Programs, SeaDream Yacht Club; Ms Ong
Huey Hong, Director, Cruise, Singapore Tourism
Board; and Dr Zinan Liu, Chairman, Asia Cruise
Association.
Support for cruising in Asia is expected to take
a dramatic turn upward according to Carnival
Asia CEO Pier Luigi Foschi. He said “Asia will
account for 3.7 million passengers in 2017                                               Silver Shadow – Robert Miller
and grow to 7 million by 2020 with the real
growth coming from China”. The Asia Cruise
Association said that about 1.7 million Asian
passengers cruised in 2011. Development of
new cruise facilities are under way with the
opening of a terminal in Singapore last year and
Hong Kong later this year. During the forum the
international delegates and members of Hong
Kong’s Advisory Committee on Cruise Industry
visited the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal with phase
one to open in June 2013
The industry will be watching the Asia/Pacific
market for the growth trends.

                 Drawing of New Hong Kong Terminal
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Crystal Symphony – Robert Miller                                           Costa neo Romantica – Robert Miller

                                                      Rhapsody of the Seas – Auckland Ports                                              Carnival Spirit – John Treacy

  6
2 0 1 3

                      Exciting New Cruises                                                       Carnival Spirit a 2014
F E B R U A R Y

                      for Summer 2013-14                                                         Melbourne Cup Starter
                  Following a tremendous 2012-13 cruise season Royal Caribbean                                                Carnival Cruise Lines has announced a
                  International has announced the addition of three new cruises in its                                        brand new itinerary for Carnival Spirit in
                  2013-14 Australasian summer season, including two new South Pacific                                         2014. The race that stops the nation will
                  sailings on Voyager of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas. Due to the                                        soon stop the newest and largest ship to
                  growing demand for shorter cruises, Royal Caribbean will also now offer                                     call Australia home, when Carnival Spirit
                  an additional three-night Weekend Sampler cruise on Voyager of the Seas                                     sails to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup.
                  in January 2014.                                                                                            The round-trip itinerary will depart Sydney
                  “Voyager of the Seas has been a huge hit with Australians and we are                                        on Sunday 2 November 2014, arriving into
                  experiencing unprecedented demand for South Pacific Island and Sampler                                      Melbourne on Tuesday 4 November 2014.
                  cruises. Because we love giving our guests what they want, we’ve altered                                    During their three-night stay onboard
                  next season’s cruises on Voyager of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas                                       in Melbourne, guests will be able to see
                  to provide more of these popular itineraries,” said Adam Armstrong,                                         everything the fashion capital of the country
                  commercial director, Royal Caribbean Cruises Australia. Voyager of                                          has to offer, or can venture a little further
                  the Seas will now offer a new three-night Weekend Sampler ‘cruise to                                        afield for shore tours such as lunch and
                  nowhere’, departing Sydney on Friday 10 January 2014. She will then sail a   wine tasting in the Mornington Peninsula, or swimming with dolphins at
                  new 11-night South Pacific cruise departing Sydney 13 January 2014 and       Sorrento; all before Carnival Spirit’s return to Sydney on November 9.
                  calling in Fiji and New Caledonia.                                           Also up until 24 February 2013, Carnival Cruise Lines is offering
                  Rhapsody of the Seas will now offer an 11-night South Pacific sailing        guests who book a Carnival Spirit holiday up to $300 cash back
                  departing Sydney 11 February 2014. Rhapsody’s new sailing will call at       per cabin* on a range of cruises sailing throughout 2013 and
                  the tropical ports of Noumea, Mare and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia; and     2014.(Conditions apply)
                  Mystery Island, Luganville and Vila,Vanuatu.

                       Queen Mary 2
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Moving Forward                                                              Crown Princess

                  Princess Cruises has launched its 2014 winter program featuring the cruise
                  line’s first week-long itineraries from Brisbane. Following the success of
                  its summer sailings from Queensland, the cruise line has announced that
                  it will make its first winter sailings from Brisbane in 2014, with the 77,000-
                  ton Sea Princess offering new seven-night cruises to the Great Barrier
                  Reef and Pacific Islands. The week-long itineraries will depart Brisbane
                  every Sunday between 18 May and 15 June 2014 including two cruises
                  to the Great Barrier Reef with calls at the Whitsundays, Cairns and Port
                  Douglas and three cruises to New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
                  The program also includes the first world cruise from Australia to visit
                  South America, with a 104 night voyage on Dawn Princess making maiden
                  calls to Peru, Ecuador and Easter Island. Departing Sydney on 18 May              Sun Princess will debut several industry firsts for the Japanese
                                                                                                    market – including innovative 7-day cruises from the northern coastal
                     Sea Princess                                                                   town of Otaru, located outside of Sapporo, as well as two new 8-day
                                                                                                    itineraries from Kobe. These itineraries will offer cruise options to
                                                                                                    appeal to passengers looking for a week-long cruise vacation, and
                                                                                                    the northern Hokkaido itinerary will offer a refreshing summer
                                                                                                    destination. The ship will also make maiden calls in the Japanese islands
                                                                                                    of Ishigaki, and Amami Oshima, as well as Abashiri and Hualien, Taiwan.
                                                                                                    Princess Cruises has added several new exotic cruise options in early 2014
                                                                                                    giving passengers additional holiday choices in the popular destinations
                                                                                                    of South America and the South Pacific. Options include a new South
                                                                                                    America grand adventure aboard Crown Princess – the first such voyage
                                                                                                    for the vessel, as well as new departures of the line’s signature Tahiti and
                                                                                                    French Polynesia cruises plus additional Hawaii and South Pacific voyages

  8                                                                                                   Dawn Princess

                  2014, the world cruise will call at 40 destinations including maiden visits
                  to Yangon in Myanmar, Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, an overnight call to
2 0 1 3

                  Lima, Ecuador with the chance to visit Machu Pichu and return calls to
                  Rome, New York and ANZAC Cove. Other highlights of the 2014 winter
                  program include: a 20 day Papua New Guinea cruise departing Sydney on
                  31 August 2014 on Dawn Princess features maiden calls to the ports of
F E B R U A R Y

                  Alotau, Doini Island and Kiriwina Island plus visits to Pacific ports including
                  Champagne Bay, Noumea and Vila and Sea Princess’ 15-night roundtrip
                  Indonesian sailing from Fremantle on 3 August 2014 with the first calls
                  to Sulawesi Island, and Indonesia’s second largest city, Surabaya, as well
                  as a visit to Komodo Island, home to the Komodo dragon. Expanding                 onboard Pacific Princess. During Crown Princess’ South America debut,
                  Japan Cruise Program in 2014 - Underscoring its commitment to the                 passengers can enjoy highlights such as an overnight call in vibrant Rio
                  growing Japanese cruise market Princess will bring a second ship to the           de Janeiro during the city’s famous Carnaval celebrations, sailing around
                  market featuring sailings from three homeports and plans to significantly         legendary Cape Horn, an optional overland tour to the dramatic Incan
                  expand the size of the cruise market in Japan to approximately 100,000            ruins of Machu Picchu, and Princess’ first call to Ilhabela (“beautiful
                  passengers. The Japan-built Diamond Princess will join Sun Princess for a         island”) – an island that lives up to its name with lovely beaches and
                  cruise program from three homeports – Tokyo (Yokohama), Kobe, and                 natural beauty. The new 49 day voyage departs Fort Lauderdale on 15
                  an industry first, Otaru near Sapporo on Hokkaido. Sailing between April          February 2014 sailing first to Brazil, then around Cape Horn along the
                  and October in 2014, the two ships will offer 42 departures featuring nine        Chilean Fjords and up the Pacific coast to Los Angeles. Shorter segments
                  unique itineraries ranging from seven to nine days.The two ships will visit       of 16 to 33 days are also available. To add more of the line’s signature
                  more than 20 ports in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Russia. Diamond              Tahiti and French Polynesia voyages, Pacific Princess will move to the
                  Princess will homeport in Tokyo (Yokohama) for an extended season of              South Pacific to offer three additional departures of this popular 10-day
                  9-day cruises that include visits to Taiwan, South Korea, Hokkaido, Russia        itinerary.The ship will also offer new departures of a 16-day New Zealand
                  and 15 Japanese ports, including five new itineraries created especially for      and South Pacific sailing from Sydney to Tahiti, departing February 25,
                  the ship. During the popular holiday period of Golden Week, Diamond               2014.Other new cruises include a 12-day Hawaii and Tahiti sailing from
                  Princess will feature a special 10-day itinerary that includes opportunities      Tahiti to Honolulu, and a 10-day Hawaiian Islands crossing from Honolulu
                  to visit several festivals plus enjoy a special call to Nagasaki, home to         ending in Vancouver, British Columbia. Many voyages can be linked for a
                  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries where the ship was built, to celebrate                Grand Adventure of 22 to 26 days.
                  Diamond Princess’10 year anniversary.

                        Third Oasis-Class Vessel
                     Royal Caribbean has announced that it has executed a contract with STX France to
                     construct a third Oasis-class vessel for delivery in mid-2016. This order is consistent
                     with the plan announced by the company in October to build a sister-ship to the very
                     successful Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. “The Oasis of the Seas and Allure
                     of the Seas have fundamentally transformed the cruise experience for our guests,” said
                     Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
                     “These ships have consistently generated outstanding guest satisfaction ratings and
                     continue to produce superior financial results. We are thrilled to be adding a sister
                     to this extraordinary class of vessels at a compelling price. Being back building in
                     France just adds to the pleasure.” The contract is subject to satisfaction of financing
                     and other conditions. STX France has also provided the company with a one-year
                     option for the mid-year 2018 delivery of a fourth Oasis-class vessel at similar pricing.
                     Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are the largest and most revolutionary cruise ships
                     in the world.Architectural marvels at sea, they span 16 decks, encompass 225,282 gross
                     registered tons, carrying 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms.
                     The ships sail weekly from their home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.         Staff presented Captain Adriano Binacchi with a surprise
                                                                                                                        birthday Cake onboard Carnival Spirit
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Happy Anniversary!                                                      Marina Debuts in Australia
                  Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria has celebrated a special milestone – her            Oceania Cruises is set to reveal its luxurious ship Marina down-under in
                  fifth anniversary. Since departing her homeport of Southampton on                March.Marina is sailing her way toAustralia with first port of call in Hobart on
                  her maiden voyage on 11 December 2007 – a day after being named                  9 March followed by Melbourne and Sydney. Carrying 1250 guests, onboard
                  by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall – she has sailed over half a million              facilities include 10 dining venues (six of which are open-seating gourmet
                  nautical miles, called at 196 ports in 63 countries and carried almost           restaurants), an array of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch
                  250,000 guests. In all, 20,300 bottles of champagne – enough to fill six         SpaClub and fitness centre, swimming pool and hot tubs.The exclusive Bon
                  Olympic-size swimming pools – have been drunk and 9,125,000 cups of              Appétit Culinary Center, available on Marina and sister ship Riviera, features
                  tea and 1,460,000 scones have been served since 11 December 2007.                24 fully equipped work stations with induction cook tops and convection
                  To mark this special birthday, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall made a return         ovens. Oceania Cruise’s culinary enrichment program Culinary Discovery
                  visit (her third in five years) to her ship on December 13,2012 in Southampton   Tours provides guests the opportunity to explore local food markets in
                  and spend time meeting crew before unveiling a specially-commissioned            small groups alongside an expert chef. A feature report on Marina will
                  portrait of herself and cutting a special birthday cake. (See story below)       appear in our April edition - Editor
                  Cunard’s President and Managing Director Peter Shanks said Cunard was
10                very proud of Queen Victoria, her crew and her achievements since she
                  entered service.                                                                           Partnership Expanded
                                                                                                   Royal Caribbean International and DreamWorks Animation are expanding
                                                                                                   their ground-breaking partnership, announcing that Mariner of the Seas
2 0 1 3

                                                                                                   will offer the DreamWorks Experience when she arrives in her new Asian
                                                                                                   home in May 2013. Mariner of the Seas will be the sixth ship in the Royal
                                                                                                   Caribbean fleet to offer this experience. The DreamWorks Experience
F E B R U A R Y

                                    Special Portrait
                  Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall came face-to-face with her
                  own image in Southampton when she unveiled a specially-commissioned
                  portrait of herself on board Queen Victoria – the Cunard liner that The
                  Duchess named five years ago in December 2007. Her Royal Highness was
                  making a special return visit to Queen Victoria to mark the fifth birthday
                  celebrations.The portrait was painted by noted royal artist Richard Stone.
                  Cunard’s President and Managing Director Peter Shanks said, “We are              was introduced recently on Voyager of the Seas. “The DreamWorks
                  delighted that Her Royal Highness joined us for such a special day in the        Experience has been a huge hit with Australian guests of all ages on
                  life of the ship and her crew. Queen Victoria is very much The Duchess’          Voyager of the Seas, and we are delighted that this popular feature is being
                  ship and we are honoured that she continues to display such an interest          offered to guests on another innovative ship that will be based in our
                  in the ship and her crew”.                                                       neighbouring region,” said Adam Armstrong, commercial director, Royal
                  This new portrait of The Duchess is in keeping with the Cunard tradition         Caribbean Cruises Australia.
                  of commissioning commemorative sculptures or portraits for display on            Every Royal Caribbean ship with the DreamWorks Experience features
                  board each ship named by a member of the Royal Family. The three-                parades, themed activities and events based on DreamWorks Animation’s
                  quarter length artwork shows The Duchess seated and dressed in a                 popular feature-film characters, including Po of “Kung Fu Panda;” Shrek,
                  cream suit with ruffle detailing. It replaces a photograph of The Duchess        Fiona and Puss In Boots of “Shrek;” and Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo,
                  which she signed just before naming Queen Victoria, and will be given            and the Penguins from “Madagascar”. Each ship also is equipped with a
                  a prominent place in the ship’s Grand Lobby. Renowned artist Richard             3-D movie theatre playing the latest DreamWorks Animation films, such
                  Stone was commissioned by Cunard to paint the new portrait. He has               as the summer blockbuster “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted in 3-D”.
                  been a portrait painter for 35 years and has painted most members of the         Royal Caribbean’s younger guests in the complimentary award-winning
                  Royal Family. The Duchess sat for Stone three times at Clarence House.           Adventure Ocean children’s program can also enjoy an exhilarating line-
                      Only Weeks for Norwegian                                                     up of activities, games and adventures rooted in the popular DreamWorks
                                                                                                   Animation films. Additionally, guests can enjoy DreamWorks Animation
                         Breakaway’s Arrival                                                       programming on a dedicated RCTV channel in every stateroom and can
                                                                                                   also meet their favourite DreamWorks characters over the DreamWorks
                  Norwegian Breakaway, also known as “New York’s Ship” for its New York
                                                                                                   Character breakfasts in the main dining room, and take advantage of plenty
                  inspired amenities and features, will arrive in Rotterdam,The Netherlands,
                                                                                                   of photo opportunities throughout the day. Royal Caribbean recently
                  on 26 April for the start of her European inaugural events and then on
                  29 April travels to the UK for a one-night preview. The ship will depart         released an online video about the DreamWorks Experience Character
                  Southampton on 30 April and embark on her maiden voyage, a seven-day             Breakfasts.The DreamWorks Experience was first launched aboard Allure
                  transatlantic crossing to New York City.The inaugural events will culminate      of the Seas in November 2010, with beloved character Princess Fiona of
                  with the ship’s spectacular christening in New York City – Norwegian             the “Shrek” franchise inaugurating the ship as godmother, and continues
                  Breakaway’s year-round homeport – on 8 May followed by a two-night               to impress guests and receive accolades. As well as on Voyager of the Seas,
                  exclusive inaugural cruise. One of New York’s most illustrious and beloved       the award-winning entertainment has since been expanded to Oasis of
                  icons, The Rockettes, are set to serve as the ship’s Godmothers.                 the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.
Oosterdam
                                                                                                                                      Upgrade

      2014 CALENDAR                                                                       Chefs’ Cooking Holland America’s Oosterdam recently spent
                                                                                          School Series - time at the Garden Island Dry-Dock during
    2Silversea has unveiled its 2014 Voyage Calendar,                                  Acclaimed      culinary            which general maintenance and repairs were
    encapsulating a dazzling 20th Anniversary Collection                               trainer David Bilsland,            carried out which included replacing old carpets
    of more than 200 sailings aboard its fleet of ultra-                               a former instructor                and some soft furnishings. Photo David Barnett
    luxury small ships. Karen Christensen, General                                     at the prestigious Le
    Manager and Director Sales and Marketing
    Australasia for Silversea, commented: “2014 is a
                                                                                       Cordon Bleu culinary
                                                            school in London, is again set to host
                                                                                                                             Newbuild Named
    big year for Silversea, as it marks the company’s       Silversea’s exclusive “Relais & Châteaux L’École              The first block of the hull was laid on 10 December
    20th anniversary. We are celebrating this milestone     des Chefs” interactive cooking school in 2013.                at Fincantieri’s Marghera, Italy, shipyard forming
    with a fascinating selection of voyages offering        On 14 ultra-luxury voyages across the globe,                  the central part of Costa Diadema, the future
    more choice than ever for our well-travelled            Chef Bilsland will present a program developed                flagship of Costa Cruises. Diadema in Italian
    guests, and this brochure provides an overview          in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, a consulting            means “tiara” and the name was selected for the
    of this exciting voyage collection.” In 2014, more      Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux. Silversea enjoys                new ship that will serve as the crown jewel and
    than 500 destinations will be on offer to suit the      the privilege of featuring the only “Relais &                 flagship of the Costa Cruises fleet. During the
    most discerning of clients. 12 new destinations will    Châteaux L’École des Chefs” cooking school at                 ceremony, the block weighing approximately 496
    be included in the itineraries: Melilla and Almeria     sea. The innovative program -- which is offered               tons, measuring 51.5 feet wide by 95 feet long,
    in Spain; Haugesund, Norway; Eskifjordur and            completely free of charge -- provides guests with             was lifted by a crane and laid in the dry dock
    Djupivogur in Iceland; Koror, Palau; Ponce, Puerto      a special culinary curriculum, including hands-on             where the ship will be built. Construction and
    Rico;Trujillo, Honduras;Alotau, Papua New Guinea;       instruction, and entertaining events.                         fitting out will continue until 30 October 2014,
    Kavala, Greece, and the Canadian destinations of        New Shorter Voyages - In its continuing                       the scheduled date of delivery. Construction of
    Sept-Iles and Trois-Rivières. Other highlights of       mission to provide guests with more choices,                  Costa Diadema will employ approximately 1,000
    the 2014 Voyage Calendar include Silversea’s 2014       Silversea Cruises has just announced a new                    shipyard workers plus another 2,500 employees
    World Cruise aboard Silver Whisper - an epic            collection of eight shorter cruises for 2013                  of allied industries. About 400 contracted
    113-day journey from Los Angeles to Barcelona           of four- to seven-day voyages to Northern                     suppliers, most of which are Italian firms, will be
    departing January; a Silver Spirit Mediterranean        Europe and the Mediterranean. These cruises                   involved in the project, especially regarding fitting
    voyage in May taking in both the Cannes Film            are designed for time-strapped working                        out the ship’s interiors. The Costa Diadema is
    Festival and the Monte Carlo Grand Prix; a series       professionals, travellers who like to combine a               132,500 gross tons, 1,004 feet long, 122 feet in
    of Silver Shadow sailings in the South Pacific, and     cruise with a land program, and individuals who               the beam, the ship will carry 4,947 guests and
    visits by Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver      may be new to luxury cruising.                                1,253 crewmembers, with 1,854 guest cabins.
    Wind to Myanmar

2013 KIMBERLEY                                                                                                                                                  30
EXPEDITION CRUISING
    The Ultimate Kimberley
      Expedition Cruise
10 Nights Darwin to Broome v.v
With Australia’s Coral Princess Cruises you’ll discover all of the
icons of the Kimberley Coast over 10 unforgettable nights cruising
between Darwin and Broome. In the north, discover the majestic
King George River, with its towering 80 metre twin falls and the
mysterious Bradshaw Paintings of Bigge Island. Explore the Mitchell
Plateau and cruise the Kimberley’s iconic rivers, before exploring
beautiful King Cascades, remarkable Montgomery Reef and the
amazing natural phenomenon of the Horizontal Falls in the south.
Cruising aboard your choice of our purpose-built small ships
Oceanic Discoverer or Coral Princess, you’ll discover all of the
region’s icons, and with two landings most days you’ll enjoy the
opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the magic of the Kimberley.
Aboard our unique ‘Xplorer’ expedition vessel and our fleet of
zodiacs, and with the expert local knowledge of our experienced
guides you are assured of making the most of every minute of your
expedition. Throughout your cruise you will discover the very best
of the Kimberley and with Coral Princess Cruises you will do it all in
unrivalled style and total comfort.

                                                                          Enquire for further details. ACN 010 908 417.
Royal Princess Update                                                      New Look and Refreshed
                  Joining the Princess fleet in June 2013, the new Royal Princess is sure to
                  delight its 3,600 passengers with exciting new innovations and signature
                                                                                                     Spaces for Azamara Journey
                                                                                                  Azamara Journey, the second of Azamara Club Cruises’ twin boutique
                  features which include a cantilevered walkway and bar on the top deck,          ships to undergo refurbishment recently emerged from an eight-day dry
                  an enlarged Sanctuary bar, an adult-only pool and the largest Movies            dock in Singapore’s Sembawang Shipyard. The vessel is now complete with
                  Under The Stars screen Princess has built so far. The new youth and teen        a refresh of all public spaces and staterooms and an elegant new “Azamara
                  facilities onboard Royal Princess have just been revealed and they offer an     Blue” exterior hull.
                  extra level to the onboard experience for young passengers, with all age        Ship-wide renovations included new carpets, upholstery, and a new colour
                  groups finding more space following the provision of dedicated outdoor
                                                                                                  palette in public spaces reflecting the cruise line’s inviting atmosphere,
                  areas, including a new teen lounge and a special fun area just for kids under
                                                                                                  new mattresses and upgraded veranda furniture for suites and staterooms
                  three. The Princess Pelicans (ages 3-7) group will enjoy group activities
                  like movie nights, a new mini air hockey table, a special area for arts and     and a resurfaced pool, with new sun loungers and pool towels on the
                  crafts programs and a new indoor play structure. In addition, they’ll have      outer decks. On the culinary front, guests can now enjoy a new caviar
                  a new outdoor play area, which includes toys, games, tricycles and a new        and champagne bar within Aqualina, one of the ships’ two specialty
14                playground. Shockwaves (ages 8-12) will feature a dedicated outside
                  area complete with lounge chairs and a variety of fun games, including air
                                                                                                  dining venues, as well as a new Chef’s Table concept featuring three wine
                                                                                                  degustation menus – Italian, French and Californian. At Mosaic Café, the
                  hockey, skeeball and exciting game stations.They will have their own lounge     ships’ central gathering spot, guests can purchase a freshly brewed cup of
                  with a giant TV, a DJ Booth and arts and crafts tables with activities led by   bespoke coffee.
                  Princess’ youth counsellors. Also they can hang out and enjoy their own         The Spa and fitness centre was refreshed with a new steam room, showers,
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                  pizza and ice cream parties or kids-only dinners. The Remix (ages 13-           and state-of-the-art Life Fitness cardio equipment, while the Casino Bar
                  17) area for teens will feature a Princess DJ booth where music lovers can      was also expanded and enhanced with new furniture. Furthermore, a
                                                                                                  range of enhancements were made behind the scenes in the staff and crew
                                                                                                  areas to add to the comfort of the cruise line’s most valuable asset.
F E B R U A R Y

                                                                                                                   10th Anniversary
                                                                                                  On 6 January 2013 Oceania Cruises marked its 10th anniversary, kicking
                                                                                                  off a year of special events. Founded by cruise industry visionaries Frank
                                                                                                  Del Rio, Bob Binder and Joe Watters in 2003, the line’s mission was to
                                                                                                  deliver destination-rich itineraries, “best in class” cuisine, an inviting country
                                                                                                  club atmosphere, and luxurious accommodations all at an extraordinary
                                                                                                  value. With the addition of Marina in 2011 and Riviera in 2012 to the
                                                                                                  fleet of Regatta (2003), Insignia (2004) and Nautica (2005), Oceania
                                                                                                  Cruises has built an entirely new segment of the industry with its elegant,
                                                                                                  award-winning, mid-size ships and exceptional personalized service.
                                                                                                  “Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Oceania Cruises is an achievement
                                                                                                  made possible by the loyalty of our guests, employees, crew and
                                                                                                  travel partners,” said Frank Del Rio, the line’s founder, and chairman
                                                                                                  and CEO of parent company Prestige Cruise Holdings. “Because of
                                                                                                  their support, the next 10 years and beyond are filled with just as
                                                                                                  much promise and opportunity to continue to evolve the Oceania
                                                                                                  Cruises experience and the modern cruise vacation for our guests.”
                                                                                                  The company will celebrate fleet-wide with a special 10th Anniversary
                                                                                                  dessert called ZEN, a Manjari Chocolate Bar with Milky Gianduja-Yuzu and
                                                                                                  Hazelnut Croquant featured in the Grand Dining Room and a menu of
                                                                                                  Canyon Ranch SpaClub® 10th anniversary treatments available on all ships.
                                                                                                  Throughout the year, Oceania Cruises’ fans will find profiles of crew
                  create their own playlist. In addition, there’s a new lounge area, featuring    members who will also pass the 10-year mark with the company on the line’s
                  games like foosball, skeeball and the latest video games. A brand new           Facebook page. Nearly 100 crew members are reaching this milestone.
                                                                                                                   West Coast Short
                  outdoor lounge offers cool club lighting, contemporary seating, a great new
                  wading pool, and music perfect for parties under the stars. Teens will also

                                                                                                                   Cruise Program
                  enjoy sports competitions, late night movies, hip hop dance classes, teens-
                  only “mocktail” party, formal dinner and the always-popular video game
                  tournaments.                                                                    Carnival Cruise Lines will expand capacity on the West Coast with the
                                        Ship Named                                                introduction of year-round 3 and 4 day cruises on the 2,052-passenger
                                                                                                  Carnival Imagination from Long Beach, California beginning 26 January 2014.
                  The official naming ceremony for Carnival Cruise Lines’ new Carnival
                                                                                                  The move will bring the total number of Carnival ships operating from Long
                  Breeze took place Saturday, 8 December 2012 at Port Miami. Serving as
                                                                                                  Beach to three. Carnival Imagination will offer 3 day cruises to Ensenada,
                  the ship’s godmother was Tracy Wilson Mourning, founder of the Miami-
                  based Honey Shine mentoring program, who initiated the breaking of the          Mexico, departing on Thursdays and 4 day voyages to Catalina Island and
                  traditional bottle of champagne on the ship’s hull during the invitation-only   Ensenada departing on Sundays. The vessel’s sister ship, Carnival Inspiration,
                  event. Following its inaugural season in Europe, the 130,000-ton Carnival       will continue to offer a similar program from Long Beach with 3 day cruises
                  Breeze began sailing year-round six and eight day Caribbean cruises from        departing on Fridays and 4 day cruises on Mondays. Additionally, the 7 day
                  Miami on 24 November 2012 becoming the largest Carnival Cruise Lines            Mexican Riviera and 15 day Hawaii programs from Long Beach previously
                  ship ever based in South Florida.                                               operated by the Carnival Splendor will continue on the Carnival Miracle
                  Carnival Breeze features a variety of exciting innovations including the        seasonally from October 2013 through April 2014.Together, these ships will
                  Thrill Theatre, an immersive multidimensional experience that makes             carry approximately 550,000 guests annually from Long Beach. Prior to the
                  viewers feel like part of the movie, as well as spectacular exciting top-       start-up of its new West Coast schedule, Carnival Imagination will offer a
                  deck attractions like the WaterWorks water park and SportSquare, an             16 day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami 10 January 2014 with ports of
                  open-air recreation area with a suspended ropes course, a two-level             call on this voyage to include Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Cartagena, Punta
                  miniature golf course, and more.                                                Arenas, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.
The beauty of the Red Sea
                               aboard MSC Armonia
                             Lynne Clarke, Managing Director of
                             MSC Cruises Australia took the chance
                             to combine the celebration of New
                             Year’s Eve with the beauty of the Red
                             Sea a board MSC Armonia, below is a
                             snapshot of her journey.

                            With so many wondrous sites to visit, the
                            chance to capture a destination on my bucket
                            list, The Red Sea over New Year’s Eve was
                            magical, so my daughter Brianna and I fly to
                            MSC Armonia for a 7 night cruise. Sharm el
Sheik is a great port to embark the cruise. Its landscape, whilst rugged
and tormented holds a mesmerising beauty. Sharm itself consists of many
resort hotels built along the shoreline of the Red Sea. We embarked on
MSC Armonia prior to lunch, a good indication of what was to be an
important part of our journey (food!).
                                                                                  After a pleasant lunch, we made our way onto the beach of the Dead Sea.
                                                                                  For some reason I had anticipated warm water, however it was not so. An
                                                                                  experience to remember! You have to lower yourself in a sitting position,
                                                                                  quickly lift up your legs and then float on your back. May I confirm that
                                                                                  -float you do- and it is not a hoax as many people believe when they look
                                                                                  at photos. It was amazing to be at the lowest place on earth, in fact, 400
                                                                                  metres below sea level.
                                                                                  Petra- Jordan
                                                                                  We woke early, it rings true the saying “wake up to a different port each
                                                                                  day” we certainly were! The distance from Eilat to Aqaba was only 2.2
                                                                                  nautical miles, which really reminded me of the Australian term ‘across
                                                                                  the pond’.
                                                                                  This was indeed a special day, as we were both so excited to be able to
                                                                                  actually see and touch the most wondrous site in the world - Petra. The
                                                                                  atmosphere once we arrived in Petra reminded me a little of Kathmandu,
                                                                                  which I had visited about 15 years ago.The weather was slightly cooler and
                                                                                  for the first time I had to put on my jumper.There is so much to see from
                                                                                  the moment you enter the world’s richest and largest archaeological site.
                                                                                  It was like being in a chocolate box!
Safaga                                                                            When we reached the iconic site of Petra, Brianna had tears in her eyes,
Let me start by saying today is a long one however it was worth it!               and for the first time in my life I felt cold shivers running down my arm.
Absolutely! Seeing the Temple of Luxor for the first time was somewhat            All I can say is if you have not been – do take the opportunity
overwhelming. It was hard to digest the magnitude of the sites history            and visit this wondrous place. I honestly would not do it justice in
and age. Our journey continued to the Nile River with lunch on board a            trying to describe the amazing wonder of the world.
traditional felucca. The River was a welcome relief and as we sailed past
the bull rushes it was easy to visualise Moses suddenly appearing in his          Sokna
basket as a baby. Feeling stronger after our lunch and with the haven of          A later start to the day –Pyramids and Sphinx here we come! I am sure
the Nile, our next historic stop was the Valley of the Kings. We arrived          many people similar to me have always wanted to see this great “places
late in the afternoon and this gave us time to imbibe our minds and soul          of eternity”. Our first stop was the step pyramid – Pyramid of Djoser,
in the burial place of kings. The fading rays of the sun created an ethereal      from there travelling through Cairo to get to Giza was an eye opener. I
ambience, the sand had a purple hue, there was not a breath of wind and           will never complain about Sydney traffic again. When we arrived at the
for a moment we made our mark in the historic area and paid homage to             pyramids of Giza the sun was on the cusp of setting.The sky was filled with
the ancient pharaohs by visiting a number of their tombs.                         soft hues of pinks, blues and oranges. It was the perfect backdrop to the
                                                                                  phenomenal pyramids. Irrespective of how many times you see images of
Relaxation                                                                        the pyramids, nothing can prepare you for their enormity, their grandeur
Today we delighted in exploring the offerings on board. After breakfast           and the impact they have on your senses.
in Deck 5 Marco Polo restaurant, we had a really good Italian coffee, then
read our books by the pool. Absolute Heaven! It is important to note that         This is only a touch of the experience, however I hope you
although a bit cloudy, the sun was still strong; therefore, if you are visiting   all enjoyed our thoughts on this stunning area of the cruising
this area you should still apply sunscreen even during the ‘winter’ season’.      world.
The year-end festivities started early so we dressed in our formal garments       Visit www.msccruises.com.au for the full experience and I hope
around five. This was the 31st December, and food was definitely a focal          to see you on board soon.
point with the gala dinner being a true feast and it was wonderful that we
did not have to drive for this excellent restaurant experience or worry
about that extra glass of champers. There were so many after dinner
events arranged to bring in the New Year, however, the Dead Sea had been
on my bucket list since I was a little girl and it beckoned tomorrow.
Israel
NewYear’s Day! A very different start to 2013.A new destination,
a new experience and a new memory to go into the ever growing
memory bank. Israel. It was a very difficult decision first thing, Jerusalem
as it is so close or travel to the Dead Sea and Masada, a tough choice.
On arrival at Masada, I was in awe of the location, the time in history that
it was built and the most amazing view. Masada, which means fortress in
Hebrew is situated on an isolated rock cliff overlooking the Dead Sea. On
the east side there is a sheer drop to the Dead Sea. Masada was built
between 37 and 31 BC. It was a refuge for King Herod and certainly
had all the bells and whistles for his palace, including traditional Roman
bathhouses and terraced entertainment areas.
Additions to Prinsendam
                                                                                                    Holland America Line recently completed the addition of the line’s casual
                                                                                                    Italian restaurant Canaletto and transformed the Lido Terrace into an
                                                                                                    enclosed Wintergarden aboard ms Prinsendam. Named for the famous
                                                                                                    18th-century Venetian artist, the award-winning Canaletto is located in the
                                                                                                    Wintergarden, which is adjacent to the Lido dining area. The restaurant
                          The Countdown is on...
                  On 23 March 2013, MSC Preziosa, the latest addition to the MSC Cruises’
                                                                                                    serves classic Italian fare with tableside service for dinner only. With the
                                                                                                    addition of the eatery to Prinsendam, Canaletto is now on all 15 ships in
                                                                                                    the Holland America Line fleet. “We continue to invest in our fleet and
                  fleet and the fourth and final addition to the celebrated Fantasia class          the onboard experience to offer the best premium cruise experience,”
                  ship, will be christened in Genoa. With only weeks to go MSC Cruises has          said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest
                  announced an exciting new partnership with Eataly, the popular Turin-based        programs. “Prinsendam has one of our most loyal followings, so the new
                  chain founded in 2007 by Oscar Farinetti, which today counts several food
                  and restaurant emporiums in Italy, Japan and the US, with plans to open
                  new branches in Dubai, Turkey, Brazil and UK. The partnership with Eataly
                  involves opening the first two Eataly restaurants at sea on board brand
                  new flagship MSC Preziosa. In the area that hosts the Tex Mex speciality
                  restaurant on her Fantasia class sister-ships, MSC Preziosa will instead
                  feature two entirely unique dining venues: the Eataly Restaurant and the
                  Ristorante Italia. With around 80 seats, the Eataly Restaurant will mirror
                  Eataly’s original concept, creating a stylish, minimalist space where people
                  can eat, buy and learn about the best Italian food. A choice of 18 dishes
                  will be prepared and served at lunch and dinner, including pasta, vegetables,     Wintergarden and popular Canaletto will certainly be appreciated by our
                  seafood, meat, cold cuts and cheese. The exclusive 24 seat evening-only           guests.” In addition to Canaletto,
                  Ristorante Italia will offer a different ultra-high-quality ‘table d’hôte’ menu   the     835-guest     Prinsendam’s
                  every night, especially conceived by Eataly chefs, with dishes made from Slow     aft Lido terrace was enclosed
                  Food Presidia products - a foundation created to protect small producers          and remodelled into a covered
                  and to preserve the quality of artisan products.                                  Wintergarden. The new area
                                                                                                    increased the dining capacity of the
                                                                                                    Lido and provides the venue for
                                                                                                    Canaletto. The ship also received
16                                                                                                  other cosmetic enhancements
                                                                                                    during its dry-dock in Freeport,
                                                                                                    Bahamas, including new balcony
                                                                                                    decking and balcony dividers.
                                                                                                           ‘Xplorers club’ and New
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                                                                                                              Website Launched
                                                                                                    Coral Princess Cruises has announced details of their new Xplorers club
                                                                                                    loyalty program to coincide with the launch of the company’s new website
F E B R U A R Y

                                Farewell to Melody                                                  at www.coralprincess.com.au. After completing their first cruise with the
                                                                                                    company guests are automatically admitted to the Xplorers club as a Silver
                  MSC Cruises has confirmed that Melody, the smallest ship in the MSC               member, with the ability to receive even greater benefits after accruing
                  Cruises’ fleet, is retiring from service and will no longer offer cruises         additional nights onboard and qualifying as Gold or Platinum members.
                  on behalf of the Geneva-based company. The decision to withdraw one               Members of the club receive generous discounts of between 5% and 10%
                  of its first and most traditional cruise ships reaffirms MSC’s focus on           off normal cruise prices, along with a range of onboard bonuses including
                  cutting-edge service and reflects the company’s continued desire to offer         a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine on boarding each cruise, free
                  travellers the highest standards in product innovation and the maximum            wireless internet access and discounts on bar purchases. Gold and Platinum
                  in comfort, elegance and technology across the entire fleet. Weighing             members will also receive advance notification of new itineraries and an
                  35,143 tons, measuring 204.7 metres in length and 27.35 metres in width,          invitation to exclusive Xplorers club cruises, whilst Platinum members will
                  Melody has been part of the MSC Cruises’ fleet since 1995, when she was           receive a special travel compendium in recognition of their status as one
                  originally purchased as the Starship Atlantic. The ship was swiftly renamed       of the company’s most frequent guests. In a first for the Australian cruise
                  Melody and sailed from Florida to Durban, where she received significant          industry, a milestone reward of a free 7-night Great Barrier Reef cruise is
                  refurbishments and was transformed into the much loved and immensely              available to all Xplorers club members after completing 50 cruising nights
                  popular Melody, with a capacity of just over 1,000 guests in 532 cabins. The      aboard the Coral Princess fleet.
                  ship left Durban for Genoa on her maiden voyage on 1 May 1997, and has            The launch of Xplorers club coincides with the release of the
                  sailed various itineraries all over the world ever since, most recently in the    company’s new website www.coralprincess.com.au. Full details
                  Mediterranean, Black Sea and South Africa, offering a relaxed and informal        of the Xplorers club can be found at www.coralprincess.com.au/
                  cruise-ship experience.                                                           xplorersclub/.
QE2 to Floating Hotel                                                                  Reappointed Chairman

                  QE2 Dubai has announced that MS Queen Elizabeth 2 has been moved to                    The International Cruise Council Australasia has announced the
                  Drydocks World Dubai for undertaking classification checks prior to her                reappointment of Royal Caribbean Cruises Regional Vice President Asia
                  renovation as a luxury floating hotel. QE2 Dubai has created a large consortium        Pacific Gavin Smith as its Chairman for 2013. Meanwhile Carnival Australia
                  to convert the QE2 into a five-star hotel with 500 rooms managed by a                  CEO Ann Sherry has joined the board, taking up one of the two existing
                  prestigious international hotel as an operator. The Oceanic Group, a group             Deputy Chairman positions, alongside long-serving board member Andrew
                  of deeply-experienced advisers to cruise operators and managers in Asia, will          Millmore, who represents Compagnie du Ponant. Ms Sherry replaces
                  take the lead in managing this project while Drydocks World Dubai will carry           Carnival Australia Director of Sales Don Clark. APT CEO Chris Hall
                  out extensive technical and operational checks prior to her move into Asia.            remains Treasurer while Viking River Cruises Managing Director Teresia
                  The vision for the QE2 is for her to become a landmark cultural and tourist            Fors will continue as Secretary. Tony Smith from Francis Travel Marketing,
                  attraction-a beacon of luxury, glamour, quality and tradition - in the heart of a      representing Holland America Line in New Zealand, has been retained as
                  leading Asian city that shares her rich maritime heritage and is prepared to give      the New Zealand representative on the Board.
                  this very special ship the prominent waterfront home she so richly deserves.           Announcing the 2013 Board following the Council’s AGM in Sydney, ICCA
                  The consortium will lavish many millions of dollars on this magnificent ship to        General Manager Brett Jardine said the appointments did not require a
                  restore her to the splendour of her glory days as an icon of the very best the         membership vote as all individuals had been nominated unopposed.
                  world has to offer.A number of Asian cities have expressed interest in securing        ICCA 2013 Board: (l to r) Tony Smith, Andrew Millmore, Ann Sherry,
                  this historic attraction. Plans for the upgrading of the QE2 also include a shopping   Gavin Smith, Chris Hall, Brett Jardine (absent Teresia Fors)
                  mall with the finest world leading brands, a QE2 Café offering meals similar to
18                those served during cruises, three Michelin-starred restaurants, convention and
                                                                                                               “One Industry, One Voice”
                  meeting facilities. There will also be an onboard maritime museum displaying
                  QE2 memorabilia and her rich history, along with a collection of treasures of          The International Cruise Council Australasia has announced it has joined
                  Dubai.                                                                                 with eight other cruise industry associations to form a common organisation
                  Prior to the announcement Chris Frame, Maritime Historian and Author sent              which will serve as the voice and advocacy leader of the global cruise industry.
2 0 1 3

                  this report to Cruising News. Just days before Christmas, news broke in the            Under the change, ICCA will become known as Cruise Lines International
                  British ‘Daily Mail’ newspaper, that ‘QE2 had been sold for scrap’, which resulted     Association Australasia. Other associations in the new body are North
                  in an outcry of emotion from people all over the globe. With no official QE2           America’s Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), European Cruise
                  Dubai website or contact details, hundreds of concerned people flooded                 Council (ECC), Asia Cruise Association (ACA), the UK’s Passenger Shipping
F E B R U A R Y

                  Cunard Line’s (QE2’s former owner) Facebook and YouTube pages, demanding               Association (PSA/ACE), France’s AFCC, Brazil’s ABREMAR, Northwest and
                  that QE2 be saved. This resulted in Cunard Line making a much welcome                  Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and Alaska Cruise Association (ACA).
                  formal statement advising that people should “ignore” the rumours about                All Association members will use the name Cruise Lines International
                  QE2’s imminent scrapping.To the best of Cunard’s knowledge, these rumours              Association (CLIA) with the appropriate geographic designation, and the
                  are untrue. Fortunately, out of the concern about QE2’s future, a positive story       existing association offices will remain in place.The new association has been
                  has been revealed. A consortium known as ‘QE2 London’ have made a £20m                 created to provide increased benefits and a globally unified voice for cruise
                  bid for QE2, with the plan to return her to the UK and dock her in London. Her         lines, travel agents and business partners – all of whom contribute to an
                  proposed location will be opposite the O2 Arena. The ship is to be used as a           industry that creates nearly $100 billion in economic impact and more than
                  hotel. It is reported that the QE2’s Dubai owners have rejected this offer, which      753,000 jobs worldwide.
                  fuelled the scrapping rumours, however the ‘QE2 London’ consortium are not               For cruise lines, the new association offers a one-stop global resource on
                  giving QE2 up without a fight.Their plan includes a further £40m refurbishment         technical and regulatory issues and unified global communication and event
                  and will create over 2,000 jobs in London, leading to support from Britain’s           coordination, all of which better leverage cruise lines’ investment in association
                  Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as (globally) well known London Mayor,             membership. For travel agents, the new association offers more robust
                  Boris Johnson. Official images of ‘QE2 London’ have been released resulting in         partnership programs and networking on a broader scale, while for executive
                  widespread support from the general public for this plan.                              partners, it provides greater opportunities for customer and business partner
                  It now appears we will see QE2 as a luxury floating hotel in an Asian city in          development.
                  the future.                                                                            CLIA will be governed by a Global Executive Committee, chaired by Howard
                                                                                                         Frank,Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Executive
                                                                                                         Committee of Carnival Corporation & plc.
                                                                                                         Christine Duffy, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association,
                                                                                                         will serve as the President and CEO of the new association, leading a team
                                                                                                         with responsibilities for international technical and regulatory issues, research,
                                                                                                         communications, industry relations and public affairs.
                                                                                                          “We are now truly one industry with one voice,” Mr Frank said. “Given the
                                                                                                         tremendous growth and continuing globalisation of the cruise industry, this
                                                                                                         evolution addresses the need to speak and act globally with a unified voice while
                                                                                                         recognising the importance of local relationships. The new association will
                                                                                                         play a vital role in proactively shaping the policy and regulatory environments
                                                                                                         on a global level and promoting cruising with various constituencies through
                                                                                                         more effective coordination, communication and stakeholder engagement.”
                                                                                                                                         Ms Duffy said there were immediate and longer
                                                                                                                                         term benefits from the new association that
                                                                                                                                         were extensive and wide ranging. “It enables us
                                                                                                                                         to better leverage our members’ and partners’
                                                                                                                                         investment in association membership while
                         ‘Seabourn Conversations’                                                                                        strengthening the industry’s leadership globally
                                                                                                                                         on issues such as safety, security, the environment,
                  Seabourn has launched “Seabourn Conversations”, a new concept for onboard                                              sustainability and health,” Ms Duffy said. “It also
                  enrichment and special guest entertainment on its award-winning fleet which                                            allows us to consolidate industry research and
                  will include a stellar lineup of celebrities and guest experts.“Conversation has                                       to leverage promotional events and marketing
                  always been central to the Seabourn experience,” noted Seabourn President                                              communication to facilitate greater consumer
                  Richard Meadows. “Our guests are interesting people with interesting life                                              interest in cruising.”
                  stories, and they really enjoy chatting in the relaxed camaraderie made possible                                       ICCA Chairman Gavin Smith said the new
                  by our small ships.We recruit explorers, heralded chefs, authors and scholars,                                         organisation would take effect immediately, with
                  celebrated performers and renowned experts from every arena of the arts,               transitioning, including the introduction of the name change, occurring during
                  sciences, politics and the humanities with particular talents or expertise.” On        2013 and that ICCA General Manager Brett Jardine would continue to report
                  board they will lecture or perform, and take part in Q&A interviews, but on            to the Australasian board as well as to the new global CEO, Christine Duffy.
                  Seabourn they also enliven the social scene – and join the conversation.”
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