Vancouver Anticipates 20% Boost In Cruisers – San Francisco Gains A Year-Round Ship – Bella Desgagnés Arrives In The Gulf of St Lawrence

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

The Cruise Examiner for 15th April 2013

After a few years of battle royal with its rival port to the south, Vancouver stands to gain 20% more cruise business this year, while Seattle stands to lose 10%. Today, we look at some of the differences between the two ports, both important to the Alaska cruise trade. Meanwhile, for the first time in decades, San Francisco has a year-round ship, with the 2,600-berth Grand Princess based there since last month. And the Gulf of St Lawrence has received its first purpose-built passenger ship in seventy-five years. The new Bella Desgagnés (pictured above) will operate a weekly coastal and cruise service between Rimouski, Quebec, and Blanc Sablon, on the Strait of Belle Isle.

 THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                              (See previous columns)

Image courtesy of Deltamarin

Last Chance For Alaska On Regent’s Seven Seas Navigator For 2013

FREE FLIGHTS | FREE EXCURSIONS | FREE PRE-CRUISE HOTEL | ALL-INCLUSIVE ONBOARD

2013 ALASKA ALL-INCLUSIVE ULTRA-LUXURY CRUISES WITH SHORE EXCURSIONS

The saying here of course comes from the Last Chance Saloon, but it is Juneau’s Red Dog Saloon that you will not want to miss, nor its Mendenhall Glacier, among the many other attractions of Alaska – don’t miss the White Pass & Yukon Route rail journey from Skagway into the Yukon, for example. These fares include flights from London so everything is paid for, no surprises.

Your cruise is on the comfortable Bermudian-registered 490-guest Seven Seas Navigator. There is still some availability on Regent all-inclusive Alaska cruises but space is booking fast, so call now.

Date       Itinerary  and  Nights                 Fares from (Suite)           Availability

10 May    San Francisco to Vancouver 1+12         £4,439 H Oceanview              GOOD
29 May     Vancouver to Seward 1+7                       £3,299 F Balcony                    VERY LIMITED
05 June   Seward to Vancouver 1+7                       £2,699 H Oceanview              GOOD
12 June   Vancouver to Seward 1+7                       £2,899 G Oceanview              GOOD
19 June   Seward to Vancouver 1+7                        £4,759 B Penthouse              VERY LIMITED
14 Aug     Seward to Vancouver 1+7                        £5,379 C Penthouse              VERY LIMITED
21 Aug     Vancouver to San Francisco 1+12          £5,449 G Oceanview              GOOD

For more information or to book please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

New Media: The Big (And Little) Cruise Lines – SeaDream Wins the YouTube Competition – But Do YouTube Viewings Generate Bookings?

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With nearly all cruise lines now having their own YouTube accounts, it is worth looking at the number of views each has attracted in its initial efforts, from mid seven digits down to low four digits, as at mid-day February 14, 2013:-

Princess Cruises (5,481,289)
Royal Caribbean International (4,287,689)
Carnival Cruise Lines (2,745,277)
Norwegian Cruise Line (2,064,530)
P&O Cruises (1,548,271)
Cunard Line (1,480,265)
Holland America Line (1,140,017)

MSC Cruises (740,467)
Celebrity Cruises (638,858)
Azamara Club Cruises (313,628)
Costa Cruises (276,417)
SeaDream Yacht Club (233,115)
Silversea Cruises (166,966)
Oceania Cruises (111,591)

Voyages of Discovery (93,588)
Regent Seven Seas Cruises (64,577)
Seabourn (55,563)
Paul Gauguin Cruises (54,632)
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (39,624)
Swan Hellenic Cruises (28,111)
Louis Cruises (27,236)
Crystal Cruises (15,532)

Voyages to Antiquity (1,380)

Aside from the big numbers up top, the most notable of all these entries is SeaDream Yacht Club, which is punching way above its weight with over 1,000 views for every berth it has in its two-ship fleet. Compare this with only 7.5 views for every lower berth on Crystal and you will see what we mean.

But do YouTube viewings generate bookings? The question is probably of the same relevance today as asking if colour magazine advertisements generated business in their time (which is now largely past). Where Twitter and Facebook are probably not very productive, Blogs and YouTube videos are capable of conveying some of the actual experience of these products. Many of these videos can be found on our Cruise Lines Video Links Page.

Then if you want to know more about the art of cruising call The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk. In North America call 1 800 961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

The World of Cruising According to Condé Nast – Argentina and Falklands Conflict Calms – And A New Home For Queen Elizabeth 2

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

The Cruise Examiner for 4th February 2013

Condé Nast Traveler rates both the 540-berth Silver Spirit (above) and the 2,092-berth Queen Elizabeth as medium-size ships, while Berlitz more logically calls the Silver Spirit small and the Queen Elizabeth large.

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Last week, US-based Condé Nast Traveler magazine released the results of its 2013 best cruise ships poll, dividing the fleet into small, medium and large cruise ships plus river cruisers. Among the winners are names such as Azamara, Celebrity, Crystal, Cunard, Holland America, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn and Silversea, as well as some lesser known cruising names such as Grand Circle and National Geographic. Meanwhile, from Silversea comes news that the situation in Argentina seems to be calming down, with their ships again calling on both Argentina and the Falkland Islands. Elsewhere, we have news of a new future for the iconic Queen Elizabeth 2, in a major Asian city yet to be announced.

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THIS WEEK’S STORY                                     (See previous columns)

The Growth of Cruising: A Twenty-Five Year Comparison – Norwegian Cruise Line Float – The New SuperStar Gemini

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

by Kevin Griffin

The Cruise Examiner for 28th January 2013

In 1984, Princess Cruises introduced the 44,348-ton Royal Princess, at 761 x 96 feet and 1,200 passengers.

In 2011-12, Oceania Cruises introduced the 66,048-ton Marina and Riviera, at 777 x 105 feet & 1,250 passengers.

Twenty-five years ago, the main players in the cruise industry operated a fleet of around forty ships offering berths for some 37,000 passengers. Today, the same players operate a fleet of around 125 ships capable of carrying in excess of 250,000 passengers at any one time. Not only has the industry grown almost seven-fold during that period but it has in effect divided into the best and the biggest, with seven or eight lines offering the best in service and experience and another seven or eight offering another type of seagoing experience, on very large scale ships at affordable prices. This week, we look at this phenomenon. Elsewhere, Norwegian Cruise Holdings has floated at a 30% premium and another SuperStar Gemini has made her début.

THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                        (See previous columns)

CLIA Goes Global Today – Holland America, Seabourn & P&O Cancel Argentina Calls – Australian Consumer Protection

          THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

          by Kevin Griffin

     The Cruise Examiner for 17th December 2012

The Cruise Lines International Association has announced today that it is going global and will in future have arms such as CLIA UK (the Passenger Shipping Association/Association of Cruise Experts), CLIA Europe (the European Cruise Council), CLIA Brazil (ABREMAR) and CLIA Australasia (the International Cruise Council Australasia), among others. Meanwhile, with Argentina having refused to take any action to ensure the freedom of the seas for cruise ships calling on both Argentina and the Falkland Islands, some cruise lines are beginning to announce the cancellation of calls in Argentina, while others are dropping the Falkland Islands. Finally, we see what progress (if any) is being made towards Australian consumer protection.

THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                       (See previous columns)

Regent Seven Seas Announces New Lower Sterling All-Inclusive Fares For Winter 2013 Departures From Miami, South America and Egypt

Regent Seven Seas fares are all-inclusive of the following:

o  Return economy flights from the UK and all transfers
o  One-night pre-cruise hotel package
o  Unlimited shore excursions
o  An exceptional choice of dining, with specialty restaurants at no extra charge
o  All drinks and beverages including fine wines, premium spirits and cocktails
o  Exceptional personal service with all gratuities included
o  Twenty-four hour room service and in suite dining by course
o  All on board activities and use of luxury amendities
o  In suite fridge replenished dailiy with soft drinks, beer and water

For further details please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

Regent Seven Seas Vancouver-Alaska Roundtrip: 7 nights from £2,999 per person on board the 490-guest Seven Seas Navigator

o FREE FLIGHTS o FREE SHORE EXCURSIONS o FREE DRINKS ON ALL-INCLUSIVE REGENT SEVEN SEAS

Join the ultra-luxury Seven Seas Navigator for the most memorable roundtrip Alaska cruise of 2013. Sail Vancouver to Vancouver and explore Alaska with no queues and lots of choice, time and space to breathe and explore. But don’t delay – suites are selling fast!

VANCOUVER TO VANCOUVERMay 22, 2013 | Seven nights• Up to fifty-seven free shore excursions • free one-night luxury pre-cruise hotel stay Ocean-View Suites from £2,999pp Deluxe Balcony Suites now from £3,799pp

Sail Date Day Port Arrive Depart May 22 Wed Vancouver, BC Embark 18:00 May 23 Tue At Sea May 24 Fri Wrangell, Alaska 11:00 18:00 May 25 Sat Cruise Tracy Arm May 25 Sat Juneau, Alaska 13:00 23:00 May 26 Sun Skagway, Alaska 08:00 14:00 May 27 Mon Ketchikan, Alaska 11:00 20:00 May 28 Tue At Sea May 29 Wed Vancouver, BC 07:00 Disembark

Examples of Free Shore Excursions WRANGELL : City Highlights 2½ Hours JUNEAU : Mendenhall Glacier River Float 3½ Hours SKAGWAY : White Pass Scenic Railroad 4 Hours KETCHIKAN : Totem & Town Tour 2½ Hours

Enjoy 2013 on an all-inclusive cruise! o Free return flights and transfers o Free one night pre-cruise hotel stay o Free unlimited excursions on every cruise o All fine dining including speciality restaurants o All drinks and beverages at any time of the day o All onboard activities and 24 hr room service o All gratuities, no service charges o Butler service and an iPad in Penthouse Suites and above Your Own Private Terrace Your suite is a place to relax and savour your adventures; a luxury sanctuary with marble bathroom, walk-in wardrobe, complimentary bathrobes, sofa/dining area and a luxuriously comfortable king-size bed. Experience Alaska’s incredible wildlife and stunning scenery from your own private veranda. Forget those big mass-market ships and their madding crowds. Seven Seas Navigator’s intimate size allows you to get much closer to the the Alaskan wilderness.

For further details please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 (Freephone 0800 526 313) or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk

Regent Seven Seas Celebrates Twenty Years – Other Cruise News: Weekend Events in Marseilles

          THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com

          by Kevin Griffin

     The Cruise Examiner for 28th May 2012

As May 26, 1992, saw the initial departure of the Radisson Diamond, so this Saturday marked the twentieth anniversary of what is now Regent Seven Seas Cruises. We take a brief look this week at the important events that have shaped that line over the past two decades. Also this weekend, Sophia Loren baptised the new MSC Divina in Marseilles and the ms Hamburg departed Nice on her inaugural voyage for Plantours & Partner. She will be officially introduced to the German market at an event to be held in Hamburg in early June. Finally, the Cruise Examiner is on board Croisières de France’s new Horizon, the latest product of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and replacement for the Bleu de France, and will report on the latest French cruise ship next week.

THIS WEEK’S STORY                                          (See previous columns)

Riviera Confirms Oceania Cruises’ Positioning in the Marketplace

Oceania Cruises’ Riviera, sister ship of Marina delivered in January 2011, was christened in Barcelona on Friday, May 11. At 66,084 tons, she would have been one of the largest in the world two decades ago, but is now just a footnote in an age where cruise ships have exceeded 225,000 tons and carry more than 6,000 passengers. In fact, more than 100 cruise ships exceed the size of these two sisters. But those big ships, with all their children’s attractions (and we all know that some adults are just grown up children), are much more like fun fairs than the cruise ships we used to know.

Riviera and her sister ship, however, are built to a more human scale, retaining their attachment to the sea. They are not, like the big ships, travelling engineering marvels. But they are sophisticated.

As in days of yore, these ships exude quality on board and offer a quality cruising experience, reminscent of the style New Yorkers used to experience in Home Lines’ Oceanic, the first large purpose-built cruise ship, and Holland America Line’s once Transatlantic liner Rotterdam in the 1960s and 70s, and Brits knew with P&O’s traditional Canberra and Oriana after they went cruising, while both sides shared the same experience in Cunard Line’s Caronia. Riviera and Marina are very similar in dimensions if not in tonnage to these well-remembered ships, much as if this style of ship has returned after half a century:

                         Ship                           Built               Gross tons         Dimensions      Lower Berths

                         Caronia                      1949               34,183               715 x 91’              932

                         Rotterdam                1959               38,645               748 x 94’            1,150

                         Oriana                        1960               41,920               804 x 98’            1,350

                         Canberra                    1961               44,807              818 x 103’         1,399

                         Oceanic                      1965               39,241               782 x 97’            1,200

                         Riviera                        2012               66,048              777 x 105’          1,250

Oceania Cruises has furthermore pulled a brilliant coup by positioning their ships as upper premium rather than ultra-luxury. This means that it is easier to exceed passengers’ expectations when the ships’ position in the market is understated.

This formula has won the day for Oceania and the proof of it is in the 2012 issue of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Not only has Marina, the first of the twins, scored highly, achieving a full five stars and 1701 points out of 2000, but she has eclipsed her own supposedly more upmarket stablemates over at Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the all-inclusive arm of Prestige Cruise Holdings. Ironically, and I’m sure this is not what Prestige intended, the three Regent ships have received only four stars plus and an average of 1633 points out of 2000.

The reviews for both of the new ships have been consistently good, with the only criticism being that unlike the traditional cruise ships named above the new sisters have no walkaround promenade deck. However, the new Oceania sisters measure an impressive 52.8 tons per passenger, offering about a third more space per passenger compared to the average of about 40 on most contemporary ships.

The Riviera will offer a total of twenty Mediterranean cruises before heading for her new home port of Miami in November. Meanwhile, with two new ships now delivered to Oceania, it was reported that the top executives from both Prestige Cruise Holdings and the Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri who built the latest pair, were back on board Riviera negotiating the next newbuilding for Regent Seven Seas. And in the UK market, Oceania last week introduced free flights from London.

For details on any Oceania or Regent cruise please call Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.

The Best of World Cruises for 2013 and 2014

Crystal Serenity spends 17 nights in port on 89-night 2014 world cruise

The upmarket lines have recently announced their intentions for 2013 World Cruises and it may be worth a look at some of their itineraries.While Crystal Cruises will dispense with its world cruise in Crystal Serenity in 2013, it will instead substitute a 74-night circumnavigation of South America, departing Miami on January 16, 2013, but the world cruise will be reinstated in 2014. Seabourn and Silversea, meanwhile, will still be offering 2013 world cruises in Seabourn Quest and Silver Whisper.

Crystal Serenity will now proceed on an 89-night world cruise in 2014, departing Los Angeles on January 18 and finishing in Southampton on April 18. Major ports include Yokohama, Hong Kong, Singapore and Cape Town, with two or three night stays at each of these, as well as two nights at Ho Chi Minh City. As well, there will be overnight stays at each of Honolulu, Osaka, Shanghai, Hanoi and Bangkok.

Under Crystal Cruises’ new all-inclusive plan the line will also be offering free flights, fine wines, premium spirits, alternative dining at Silk Road, the Sushi Bar and Prego, as well as prepaid gratuities. And champagne will be served free with lunch on boarding days. This rather modified world cruise will visit 32 ports in 19 countries and include 17 overnight port stays, giving the opportunity for more detailed exploration, instead of rushing on. The 1,070-guest Crystal Serenity achieved 1717 points in the 2012 Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships.

Seabourn, meanwhile, is offering a 116-night voyage in Seabourn Quest from Fort Lauderdale to Venice, departing on January 6, 2013. Ports of call will include three Caribbean islands, the Panama Canal, nine South Pacific islands, half a dozen calls in Australia and its islands, four calls in Indonesia, Hong Kong, two calls in Vietnam, one in Cambodia, two in Thailand, two in India, ten in the Middle East including Ashdod and Haifa, two calls in Turkey, plus Corfu and Dubrovnik before reaching Venice.

Full cruise amenities include round trip Club Class flights, or air credit, pre-cruise Gala Bon Voyage event and overnight stay in Fort Lauderdale, drinks on board, prepaid gratuities and shipboard credits. On Seabourn, all dining venues are also complimentary. And with just 450 guests, the ship offers a more intimate experience.  Seabourn Quest was awarded 1787 points in the 2012 Berlitz Guide.

Silversea’s offer is a 115-day world cruise from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale on board Silver Whisper, departing January 5, 2013. This cruise will cross the Equator four times, visit New Zealand and Australia and offering overnight stays in Tahiti, Fremantle, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore, Cochin, Cape Town and Walvis Bay, but no two- or three-night stays like Crystal. This cruise will visit 52 ports in 28 countries and includes nine overnight stays. Full world cruise guests will receive a complimentary Bon Voyage Gala and overnight stay at the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and fares will include free flights and transfers, or air credits, all-inclusive on-board package, prepaid gratuities and shipboard credits. The 388-guest Silver Whisper scored 1753 points in the 2012 Berlitz Guide.

On the other hand, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Voyager is offering a “build your own” world cruise this year with a marathon 210-night voyage leaving Bareclona next Monday and working her way out to Auckland and back as far as Copenhagen on June 25. While this is not a world cruise, twenty-three different sectors are available The 708-guest Seven Seas Voyager scored 1654 points in the 2012 Berlitz Guide.

Steven Stern, in his Stern’s Guide to the Cruise Vacation, gives all four of these ships a full Six-Stars-Plus rating. For the best advice and fares on any of these ships please contact Gay Scruton at The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk

The Cruise Examiner for 21st November 2011: The Best World Cruises For 2013 and 2014 – Norwegian Breakaway’s Transatlantic Voyage – Amsterdam River Cruise Expo – Ex-UK Cruise Projections

THE CRUISE EXAMINER at Cybercruises.com
by Kevin Griffin

The Cruise Examiner for 21st November 2011

This week, we look at three upmarket lines, Crystal Cruises, Seabourn and Silversea, and the world cruises they offer, plus Regent’s “build your own” world cruise. On Crystal’s 2014 cruise it is worth noting the lower number of port calls but the much longer stays of two and three nights in several ports as they join all-inclusive Seabourn and Silversea. Almost 20% (17 nights out of 89) of the Crystal cruise will be overnight stays. Elsewhere, Norwegian Breakaway will offer a spring Transatlantic sailing as her maiden voyage in 2013 before ramping up Norwegian Cruise Line’s New York to Bermuda capacity by 75%, while a River Cruise Expo with four river cruisers present has just finished in Amsterdam. We also look at some interesting projections of more people cruising from UK ports as opposed to flying to the ship as it seems 55,000 fewer people will fly to their cruise next year but 75,000 more will sail from the UK.

THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                     (See previous columns)