Just got myself on the 11/7 sailing of the Norwegian Star, a 7 day Mexican Riviera cruise. I have been on the NCL Pride of Hawaii (now the Norwegian Jade), a near-sister ship. Nice ship, nice layout, I expect, from looking at the deck plans, to be able to navigate the Star with minimum difficulty. The 91,000 ton ship, with just under 2,000 passengers is the perfect size, in my opinion...big enough to have 13 dining venues and multiple bars/lounges/theaters, without being overwhelming and impersonal, as I find most of the 100,000 ton plus, 3,000 passenger plus vessels entering service lately.
The Pride of Hawaii was with NCLAmerica, the American division of NCL Cruises. They have gotten a mildly bad rep for service issues, which most passengers blame on having to utilize American crew.
NCL does not have that problem, and by all accounts has better service than NCLA. Personally, I did not have any significant problems on my cruise with NCLA, and in fact had some really great interactions with various crewmembers...so if NCL is even better, I anticipate a great cruise. Of course, I always anticipate a great cruise, and am seldom disappointed.
The fantastic deal is called the PhD@sea program, and is a result of my many hours of study to become "FREESTYLE CERTIFIED" by Norwegian Cruise Lines. It's wonderful when hard work pays off.
So, I will be posting my review when I return, and in the meantime, anyone who wishes to experience the Freestyle Cruising concept: give us a call at DAVE HOLMAN TRAVEL SERVICES, 760.265.3687 or by email at sales@daveholmantravel.com
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Carnival Elation Mystery is Solved
Carnival Cruise Lines said today that its 2,052-passenger Elation will be deployed to Mobile to operate four- and five-day western Caribbean cruises beginning in May 2010.
It will replace Carnival Fantasy, a sister ship of the same size, which is due to begin sailing out of Mobile in November. Carnival now operates one of its smallest ships, Holiday, from Mobile.
Fantasy will move to Charleston, S.C., to launch that port's first year-round cruise program, Carnival said.
On its new Mobile-based schedule, Carnival Elation will depart the Alabama Cruise Terminal Thursdays on four-day cruises to Cozumel and Mondays and Saturdays on five-day voyages to Cozumel and Calica or Progreso, Mexico.
Carnival Elation's inaugural departure from Mobile will be a special seven-day cruise to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel departing May 15, 2010. Five other seven-day western Caribbean voyages will be offered throughout the year.
Carnival Elation is expected to carry more than 170,000 passengers annually from Mobile.
It will replace Carnival Fantasy, a sister ship of the same size, which is due to begin sailing out of Mobile in November. Carnival now operates one of its smallest ships, Holiday, from Mobile.
Fantasy will move to Charleston, S.C., to launch that port's first year-round cruise program, Carnival said.
On its new Mobile-based schedule, Carnival Elation will depart the Alabama Cruise Terminal Thursdays on four-day cruises to Cozumel and Mondays and Saturdays on five-day voyages to Cozumel and Calica or Progreso, Mexico.
Carnival Elation's inaugural departure from Mobile will be a special seven-day cruise to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel departing May 15, 2010. Five other seven-day western Caribbean voyages will be offered throughout the year.
Carnival Elation is expected to carry more than 170,000 passengers annually from Mobile.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Cunard Appoints New Master for the Queen Elizabeth
Captain Christopher Wells to assume command of Cunard's newest Queen
2 September 2009 - Captain Christopher Wells has been appointed Master of Cunard Line’s new 90,000-ton liner, Queen Elizabeth, which will enter service in October 2010. Captain Wells joined Cunard as second officer on Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1992.
Captain Wells was born and brought up in Bournemouth, England. His love of the sea developed when he learned to sail in Poole Harbour and resulted in his commencing a four-year cadetship with Shell Tankers at Warsash College in 1974. He qualified as a second officer in 1978 and obtained his Master's certificate in 1985. He served with Shell for 16 years.
He also found time in 1986 to join the Royal Naval Reserve. He still undertakes two weeks' training with the RNR each year, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1994.
“It is a well deserved honour for Captain Wells to be appointed Master of Queen Elizabeth," said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “His experience on our longest serving ship QE2, and our flagship Queen Mary 2, will ensure that guests on our newest ship will enjoy all of the same famous traditions offered by Cunard Line.”
After joining Cunard and QE2, Captain Wells worked his way through the ranks to become staff captain. He later joined Queen Mary 2’s New Build Team and spent 18 months at the St. Nazaire shipyard. Having seen the ship develop from the beginning and bringing her into service as staff captain, Wells was extremely proud when appointed to the command of Queen Mary 2 last year.
Queen Elizabeth, currently under construction at the Monfalcone yard in Trieste, Italy, will be a classic Cunarder, offering the very best of Cunard heritage and tradition along with all of the modern luxuries Cunard guests have come to expect. She will join her sister ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria next year, ensuring one of the oldest shipping lines in business has the youngest fleet in the world.
Commenting on his new appointment, Captain Wells said, “Bringing Queen
Elizabeth into her British homeport of Southampton will be one of the proudest moments of my life, and I very much hope that the people of Southampton and beyond will take the ship to their hearts as they have done with all the Cunard Queens since Queen Mary was launched in 1934. Queen Elizabeth certainly will follow in that great tradition."
Captain Wells lives in Barnham, West Sussex, with his wife Hedda, whom he met on QE2, and three children.
2 September 2009 - Captain Christopher Wells has been appointed Master of Cunard Line’s new 90,000-ton liner, Queen Elizabeth, which will enter service in October 2010. Captain Wells joined Cunard as second officer on Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1992.
Captain Wells was born and brought up in Bournemouth, England. His love of the sea developed when he learned to sail in Poole Harbour and resulted in his commencing a four-year cadetship with Shell Tankers at Warsash College in 1974. He qualified as a second officer in 1978 and obtained his Master's certificate in 1985. He served with Shell for 16 years.
He also found time in 1986 to join the Royal Naval Reserve. He still undertakes two weeks' training with the RNR each year, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1994.
“It is a well deserved honour for Captain Wells to be appointed Master of Queen Elizabeth," said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “His experience on our longest serving ship QE2, and our flagship Queen Mary 2, will ensure that guests on our newest ship will enjoy all of the same famous traditions offered by Cunard Line.”
After joining Cunard and QE2, Captain Wells worked his way through the ranks to become staff captain. He later joined Queen Mary 2’s New Build Team and spent 18 months at the St. Nazaire shipyard. Having seen the ship develop from the beginning and bringing her into service as staff captain, Wells was extremely proud when appointed to the command of Queen Mary 2 last year.
Queen Elizabeth, currently under construction at the Monfalcone yard in Trieste, Italy, will be a classic Cunarder, offering the very best of Cunard heritage and tradition along with all of the modern luxuries Cunard guests have come to expect. She will join her sister ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria next year, ensuring one of the oldest shipping lines in business has the youngest fleet in the world.
Commenting on his new appointment, Captain Wells said, “Bringing Queen
Elizabeth into her British homeport of Southampton will be one of the proudest moments of my life, and I very much hope that the people of Southampton and beyond will take the ship to their hearts as they have done with all the Cunard Queens since Queen Mary was launched in 1934. Queen Elizabeth certainly will follow in that great tradition."
Captain Wells lives in Barnham, West Sussex, with his wife Hedda, whom he met on QE2, and three children.
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