A Royal Gem

Royal Princess is a remarkable gem of a ship. At a little over 30,000 gross tons, she would be considered a small cruise ship. However, she is large enough to have scaled-down versions of many of the trademark Princess features familiar to travelers on the Princess mega-cruise ships. In addition, the ship is tastefully decorated throughout with extensive use of wood paneling and the type of furnishings that one would expect to see in an English country house.

This ship was the last of a nearly-identical series of eight ships built for Renaissance Cruises. Following Renaissance’s bankruptcy in 2002, the ships were scattered and are now favorites of travelers on several cruise lines at the upper end of the market including Azamara and Oceana. Princess has two others in its fleet (Pacific Princess and Tahitian Princess). After a refit, Royal Princess joined her Princess sisters in 2007.

Because of her size, Royal Princess can go where larger ships cannot. Accordingly, Royal Princess does longer than average cruises and includes in her itinerary some ports that are less visited. This tends to attract more mature, experienced travelers.

My profile of Royal Princess can be found at http://beyondships.com/Princess-RP-Profile.html. The in-depth photo tour and commentary starts at http://beyondships.com/Princess-RP-Tour-1.html

Acting On Queen Mary 2

One of the more unique activities on Queen Mary 2 is the program resented by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts or RADA. Just about every major name in British film or theater over the last century has studied at RADA and thus it is well-qualified to give acting lessons to the passengers on QM2’s voyages.

Of course, there is no guarantee that one will emerge as the next Anthony Hopkins, Glenda Jackson or Diana Rigg by attending the three workshops that are given on a typical voyage. They are simply a taste of what it is like to study at RADA. However, passengers do have a good time and by the end of the voyage, most find that they have the confidence to perform a short scene from Shakespeare in front of the group.

In addition to the acting lessons, the RADA troupe also perform two plays per voyage. One is a Shakespeare play and the other a more modern play. Although they are condensed versions, they are very entertaining. It is especially interesting to see how they do it with just six actors.
Finally, twice during the voyage, the actors give poetry recitals prior to dinner. A harpist or other musician accompanies the readings - - quite peaceful and entertaining.

My profile of the RADA program including an interview with actor Will Norris is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-rada.html

P&O's Artemis - - quietly special

Artemis may be the smallest ship in the P&O fleet but she is a special one.

First, there is her historical connection. When the ship worked for Princess Cruises she was named Royal Princess in honor of Diana, Princess of Wales. This connection remains as her current name is the Greek name for the goddess that the ancient Romans called Diana.

Then, there is the design. Because of the thoughtful placement of the ship’s machinery, her open decks are uncluttered. In addition, all of her cabins have ocean views.

Next, Artemis does not do the same itinerary week after week. Rather, she moves all over the globe. Also, because of her size, she is able to go to ports that many large cruise ships cannot. This is one of the reasons why most of the passengers that travel on Artemis are experienced cruisers.

Finally, Artemis has a friendly atmosphere. Traditional and British, yes, but the passengers appear to enjoy each others company and that of the service-oriented crew.
My profile of Artemis appears at: http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Artemis-Profile.html and the photo tour and commentary starts at: http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Artemis-Tour-1.html

Holland America's Eurodam - - Incorporation of excellence

Eurodam is Holland America’s newest and largest ship. Named by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in July, Eurodam seeks to incorporate all of the best elements of Holland America’s premium style cruising. Indeed, her designers sought to take all of the concepts developed during HAL’s multi-million dollar Signature of Excellence fleet upgrade program and include them in the the ship.

The ship started off from the design used for HAL’s Vista class ships, the most recent of which is the Noordam. To this design was added an extra deck that enable HAL to include a new Asia-fusion specialty restaurant as well as a series of spa-staterooms. These staterooms have special access to the ship’s spa and are based on the idea that a cruise can be like a spa retreat. There is also an open deck area with private luxury cabanas.

Although the remainder of the ship also has some new features. An Italian specialty restaurant has been added to the buffet area. The Explorations library/internet center/specialty coffee bar has been moved up higher on the ship so that it has spectacular views. A movie screening room and a digital camera workshop have been added to the public rooms.

While there is much that is new about Eurodam, the ship is very much in the Holland America mold. The public rooms are restrained in their décor punctuated with fine art and fresh flowers. The officer and crew are still friendly and eager to please.

My profile of Eurodam appears at: http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Eurodam.html and the photo tour and commentary begins at: http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Eurodam-Tour1.html

Profile of maritime artist Stephen Card

While there are several very good contemporary artists who do paintings of ships, Stephen Card is today’s premier marine painter. His paintings are not only technically accurate depictions of ships, they convey the spirit and character of these vessels.

Captain Card knows ships. His first career was as a deck officer on merchant ships and later as the Harbor Master in his native Bermuda. It was not until a cruise line executive happened by chance to see a painting that Card had done for his own amusement that Card became a full time artist.

Since then Captain Card has done more than 90 paintings for Holland America Line and has an extensive collection on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria as well as paintings on other cruise ships and in private collections. Because he researches each ship that he paints, Captain Card has a deep knowledge of the history of passenger ships. This has enabled him to write two books that are as much about maritime history as they are about art.

I spoke with Captain Card recently and the interview is posted at: http://www.beyondships.com/Cruise-people-card.html

The Chef's Table on Caribbean Princess

I am always looking out for activities, features and programs on cruise ships that are out of the ordinary. The goal is to be able to look back and say that was something special that made that cruise memorable. One such program I found was The Chef’s Table on Caribbean Princess.

Under this program, small groups of guests are taken behind the scenes into the ship’s galley, not between meals when it is empty, but at dinner time when it is a hive of activity. Then, after champagne and special treats in the galley, the guests are seated in one of the main dining rooms for a multi-course gourmet meal. All of this is done under the personal supervision of Executive Chef Antonio Cereda and Maitre d’ Hotel Angelo Balbiani.

I am not a chef and have no particular interest in cooking. Nonetheless, it was fascinating to see Chef Cereda and his staff at work preparing dinner for literally thousands of people. Moreover, we were able to talk with Mr. Cereda and Mr. Balbiani about how it is done and how they maintain such a high level of quality in the food that they serve. It also should be noted that Messrs. Cereda and Balbiani have such a rapore that they are able to inject humor and conviality into the tour.

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Then, still in the galley, there was the champagne and one specially prepared appetizer after another, each one better than its delicious predecessor.

Adjourning to the dining room, the group was seated at a large table. More excellent courses, each paired with a wine selected by Mr. Balbiani. In addition, conversation flowed amongst the group, most of whom had been strangers beforehand.

It was indeed a memorable evening. My article about it, along with some photos and a copy of the menu are at http://www.beyondships.com/Princess-CB-ChefsTable-2.html.

I have also posted this week more from my interview with James Deering, Passenger Services Director on Caribbean Princess. This time, Mr. Deering talks about how managing the hotel operation on a cruise ship has changed over the years and gives some interesting insights into tipping on cruise ships. The article is posted at : http://www.beyondships.com/Princess-CB-Deering-2.html

The Unique Experience of M/S Fram

M/S Fram is a small expedition cruise ship operated by Hurtigruten, the former Norwegian Coastal Voyages. The ship’s itinerary takes her to Greenland in the summer and then to the Antarctic in the winter. In between, she does “world cruises” that take her from the top to the bottom of the globe and vice versa, visiting interesting places along the way. The company says that it offers “unique experiences” on “authentic voyages to pristine lands.”

This is not the typical cruise. Fram goes to places that are rarely seen. The focus is on nature and the scenery of these remote places. Taking Zodiac rigid inflatable boats ashore to see penguins or polar bears, walk on glaciers, drive a dog team, or talk with people from different cultures is the type of thing that passengers do.

It is an adventure holiday that typically appeals to those who have done a great deal of traveling and who have the money and time to get away for the time it takes to travel to these distant places. Even within this demographic, a person should be capable of enjoying cold weather and rough seas. While Fram was designed and built for these regions, cruising there can be more challenging than cruising the Caribbean.

Since the focus of the voyage is on nature and what is happening outside the ship, the organized activities onboard are mostly limited to the lectures given by the staff. However, there are hot tubs, saunas, a fitness center, a library, an internet café, bars and places both inside and out to relax and watch the scenery.

My profile of Fram with information, photos, a copy of a menu and a daily program, is at http://beyondships.com/HUR-Fram-Profile.html and the photographic tour and commentary begins at http://beyondships.com/HUR-Fram-Tour.html

Norwegian Jewel Cruise Ship Profile

Norwegian Jewel is one of the most recent class of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ships and one of the largest. Since she was the first one of this class, she does not have quite all of the features that are on the most recent ship, Norwegian Gem, but she is pretty much state-of-the-art Freestyle cruising.

Freestyle cruising is all about giving the guests options to design their own vacation. There are two large dining rooms, seven specialty restaurants, a buffet and several places for a light snack. There are bars, nightclubs, a large casino and a theater for production shows. Similarly, there are pools, a spa, a fitness center and various other sports facilities for daytime entertainment. The accommodations range from lavish luxury to comfortable but utilitarian. The idea is that you decide what is best for you.

Of course, with freedom comes responsibility. For example, the guest must make his or her own dinner arrangements. If they fail to do so, they may end up dining in a venue that they did not really want while the production show that they did want to see in the theater is taking place.

Jewel is somewhat similar in décor to the slightly smaller Norwegian Dawn. Both make use of bold colors but not overwhelmingly so. For the most part, the style is upscale contemporary. I was somewhat disappointed that Jewel does not have the amazing art collection that is on Dawn, but then one can’t really expect NCL to have Monets and Reniors on every ship. There are some very good Asian paintings, however, if one keeps an eye out.

Outside, Jewel is painted white with a festive mural on her bow and sides. It is not like a traditional ocean liner but then NCL is all about breaking with tradition. Jewel is a big happy-looking ship.

It should be noted that this ship is no slouch technologically. She is capable of 25 knots, making her one of the fastest passenger ships in service. Also, with her two azipods and three bow thrusters, she is highly maneuverable.

This ship is based out of Britain during the summer months, doing cruises to Northern Europe. Although the style is distinctly American, she has developed a substantial European following. Freedom of choice has an appeal that transcends national boundaries.

My profile of Norwegian Jewel with information, copies of menus and daily programs, is at http://beyondships.com/NCLJewel.html and the photographic tour and commentary begins at http://beyondships.com/NCLJewel-Tour.html

QE2's Last Call in New York

The 16th of October was a difficult day. It was Queen Elizabeth 2’s final call in New York. Back in 1969, I went with my parents to take a look at the new Cunard ship and was captivated. Although I was not able to begin immediately, I am proud to say I have subsequently done some 75 voyages on QE2.

That is what made October 16th difficult. Having spent such a large part of my life on the ship, having known so many people onboard, there are memories around each corner of that ship. I don’t have any bad memories of being on QE2. But, there is a certain melancholy that comes from the memory of good times now gone.

I must confess that I bristle somewhat when QE2 is referred to as a classic ocean liner. Yes, she meets the technical definition of an ocean liner with her strong narrow hull and ability to do speeds that only warships can match. However, her designers expressly intended her to be different from the liners of the past. She was very much a ship of her time and needs no association with ships of the past to support her greatness. It was not just that she was so technologically advanced, the celebrities who came aboard, or the luxury of her appointments, people who came into contact with her recognized that there was something different about this ship, something splendid, something great.

Now, of course, there are ships that are more technologically advanced with more amenities and features for passenger comfort. In time, some of them may develop a character similar to that of QE2 borne out of being involved in history making events as well as from abiding by a creed that being the best is just part of the daily routine. Indeed, Cunard’s QM2 has that potential.

I have no strong interest in what the new owners plan to do with the ship once she becomes a floating hotel in Dubai except to hope that they will treat it with respect. QE2 as I knew her will cease to exist once she goes out of Cunard’s service later this month. The crew and the passengers are vital to the life of a ship. Furthermore, the throb of the engines is like a heartbeat and with the swell of the ocean waves as she travels one can feel her breathing. Ships that become hotels or museums are all well and good from a historical preservation perspective but they are just not the same. Where QE2 will live on is in the hearts and minds of the people that knew her.

Cunard kindly invited me to the ceremony marking QE2’s last call in New York. It was a very nice but poignant affair with Cunard’s President Carol Marlow, Captain Ian McNaught of QE2, and Commodore Bernard Warner of QM2 sharing some reflections on the occasion.
Afterwards, I walked around the public rooms and the open decks one last time. Then, I went down to Pier 84 to wait for the QE2 to sail. Pier 84 is now a public park a half mile or so from the Manhattan Passenger Ship Terminal. The ships must pass it as they head out to sea and because it projects into the river, it provides a good close view.

Unfortunately, there were heavy rain showers that afternoon. They caused many of the other people who had gathered on the pier to disperse. However, I sat on a bench huddled under my Cunard umbrella.

Just after five, the rain showers ended. Not long after, QE2 backed out into the river. Ships leaving the Passenger Ship Terminal have to make a 90 degree turn in order to go down the river to the sea. They then present their port side to Manhattan as they leave.

This time, the current was stronger than usual due to the recent rain. Despite the best efforts of two tug boats, QE2 refused to make the turn. As a result, she drifted down river with her bow toward Manhattan. It was as if she were taking one long last look.

By the time the ship arrived at Pier 84, the tugs were starting to have some success making her turn. The bow began to swing round in front of us. A single blast from QE2’s horn saluted the remaining well-wishers and shortly thereafter she was heading down the river the way she had done hundreds of times in the past.

I have posted the public remarks made at the ceremonies http://www.beyondships.com/QE2-NYlastcall.html and a photo essay of QE2 leaving Manhattan on her last transatlantic voyage http://www.beyondships.com/QE2-NYlastcall-2.html. There are also copies of a Daily Programme and menus from the last transatlantic voyage. Plus, I have added copies of the ship’s current fact sheets to the site. http://www.beyondships.com/QE2.html

National Geographic Explorer - - a different cruise experience

This week I thought I would do something slightly different and look at a small cruise ship, i.e., one that is less than 50,000 gross tons. In order to compete with the large ships with all their features and amenities, small cruise ships have to offer something different such as unique itineraries and/or different levels of luxury and personal attention.

The National Geographic Explorer differentiates itself by offering expedition voyages. It goes to remote, out-of-the-way places such as the Arctic and Antarctic. The ship is a former Norwegian coastal ferry that was re-built earlier this year, equipped with stabilizers and strengthened with a reinforced steel ice belt so that she now qualifies as an “Ice-class 1A Expedition Ship.”

National Geographic Explorer is operated as a partnership by Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society. Lindblad has been taking passengers to remote places like the Galapagos Islands since 1979. The well-known National Geographic Society has been promoting exploration since the 1880s. Thus, the partners have a common bond and the National Geographic Society’s scientists, photographers and exploration technology enhance the travel experience on the Linblad voyages.

Given the two organizations’ backgrounds, it is natural that the focus of the voyages is on exploration and learning about the natural world. Zodiac rigid inflatable boats are used to take passengers ashore at places that rarely, if ever, see outsiders from the Information Age. Passengers can paddle along shorelines and amongst wildlife in a fleet of kayaks kept onboard. Images from the ship’s remote controlled submersible are shown on the ship’s high definition televisions. Naturalists, historians, undersea specialists and photographers interact with the passengers and convey their enthusiasm for conservation and preserving the environment.

While the focus is on exploration of the wild, the passengers do not rough it like the explorers of old. When the ship was rebuilt, the existing passenger accommodations were gutted and replaced with large well-appointed suites and staterooms. A small but nice spa complex was added. There is a large lounge with a bar and plasma television screens, a 600 volume library, an Internet center, an intimate piano bar and bistro to name a few of the ship’s amenities.

Thus, the National Geographic Explorer is a way to explore places well off the beaten track in comfort. My profile of the ship with menus and daily programs appears at http://www.beyondships.com/NG-Explorer-Profile.html The photo tour and commentary begins at http://www.beyondships.com/NG-Explorer-Photo-Tour.html

Looking at The Canyon Ranch Spa on QM2

Part of the Cunard heritage is a reputation for luxury. Queen Elizabeth 2 in her heyday was particularly synonymous with luxury and deluxe style with such things as the first seagoing Harrods and other amenities that drew celebrity studded passenger lists on her transatlantic voyages. Since tradition and heritage are watchwords at Cunard, when the time came to build Queen Mary 2, she was designed to be superlative not just in her size but also in her amenities.

This is particularly evident in the ship’s spa complex. It covers 20,000 square feet over portions of two decks. The facilities are well-laid out and impressive. Moreover, Cunard arranged to have one of the most prestigious resorts in America, Canyon Ranch, operate the spa complex.

Canyon Ranch began in the 1970s with a resort in Tucson, Arizona. This ranch in the Sonoran Desert combined luxury with a total approach to healthy living encompassing fitness activities, outdoor sports, education in health and preventive medicine and award winning cuisine. The winner of numerous awards, it has built a second resort at Lenox Massachusetts, a hotel and condominium complex in Miami Beach Florida and has opened smaller facilities called SpaClubs at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas and the Gaylord Palms resort in Florida.

The spa operation on the Queen Mary 2 is another SpaClub. However, it is not part of a chain of seagoing Canyon Ranch spas. It is the only one of its kind. It encompasses the spa itself, the ship’s fitness center, the beauty salon, its own lecture program and is involved with the dining.

One thing I wondered about was how much is Canyon Ranch actually involved in operating the spa on QM2? However, in talking with the spa’s director, I came to the conclusion that this is not a Canyon Ranch spa in name only. There is a specific Canyon Ranch philosophy and the operation at sea is linked to the land.

My article about the QM2 Canyon Ranch SpaClub along with a series of photos of the spa are at: http://beyondships.com/QM2-CanyonRanch.html

Norwegian Spirit Revisited

When I started Beyondships.com, one of the first ships that I profiled was Norwegian Spirit. The profile included some basic information, an article that I had written about the ship when she first came to New York and a page of photos. Since then the profiles on the site have become much more extensive and contain much more information. Consequently, I felt that I had to go back and redo Spirit’s profile.

Spirit is a charming ship. She was built as Superstar Leo for the Asian market by Star Cruises. Not long after Star bought Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the ship was transferred to NCL. She still retains an Asian flavor with an extensive collection of Asian art and a clear Asian influence in the décor of her public rooms. This unifying theme helps to give the feeling that the ship is a coherent whole rather than a polyglot conglomerate of rooms.

In addition, the public rooms were done to a high standard and are well-maintained. This gives the ship an upscale and sophisticated feel.

One thing that particularly impressed me on this visit was the friendliness and attitude of the crew. Quite frankly, I did not remember the ship that way. The staff did their jobs but I do not recall them being particularly open. This time, however, everyone appeared happy and eager to please. Not surprisingly, the passengers seemed to respond to this attitude and the ship had a happy atmosphere.

Since coming to NCL, Spirit mostly has been sailing from New York. For a time, it was all year but more recently, she has been spending time sailing from southern ports such as New Orleans. Next year, she will be taking over the itineraries that had been done by Norwegian Dream, which is leaving the fleet, and will be sailing out of Boston.

The new photo tour of Spirit is consistent with the other photo tours on the site and much more in keeping with what this good ship deserves. It is six pages and documents her public areas as well as some of the staterooms. http://www.beyondships.com/NCLSpirit-Tour.html In addition, on the profile page there are now menus from the main dining room as well as the popular Cagney’s and Le Bistro restaurants. There are also copies of daily programs including children’s programs and a sports program. http://www.beyondships.com/NCLSpirit.html

Queen Victoria Hotel Manager Interview

Last month, I wrote about Queen Victoria and my interview with Captain Chris Rynd. I am returning again to that ship as the subject of this week’s blog and am posting an interview that I did with her Hotel Manager Jacqueline (Jackie) Hodgson. My reason for focusing again on Queen Victoria is that she is such a pivotal ship in Cunard’s history.

In the late 1990s, Cunard consisted of a polyglot fleet with ships of various sizes, origins and ages. These ships appealed to different market segments - - some were ultra-luxury, some were premium ships, and some were mass market. This was not the result of a carefully designed plan to diversify but rather reflected changes in the various changes in the company’s direction over the last quarter century. Furthermore, not only did the company lack cohesion and direction but it was owned by a corporation that did not want to be in the passenger ship business. Cunard did not appear to have much of a long-term future.

Then, in 1998, Carnival Corporation stepped in and purchased Cunard. They recognized that the real value of Cunard lay in its ocean liner heritage. Accordingly, they stripped away all of the accretions that had grown up around that core and focused the company on developing around that heritage.

The first step was to build a new ocean liner for the 21st Century. Accordingly, they built the largest ocean liner ever built, the Queen Mary 2. While QM2 borrowed extensively from Cunard’s existing ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2, QM2 has developed her own style and atmosphere that is much different than her famous predecessor.

The next question was how to expand the line and grow the business. As above, the value of the company lay in its ocean liner heritage. However, there did not appear to be enough of a market for transatlantic crossings to support building another true ocean liner. Indeed, even QE2 which is much more suited to transatlantic crossings than to cruising had to be relegated to a cruising itinerary.

The solution to this quandary was to take the style and atmosphere of a traditional ocean liner and put it into ships designed for cruising. Queen Victoria is the first ship based on this strategy. Thus, Queen Victoria is a pivotal ship for Cunard because she is central to Cunard’s strategy for growing the business.

Since the success of this strategy depends upon transplanting style and atmosphere so that the guests feel that they are on a traditional ocean liner, much depends upon how the hotel operation on the ship is handled. Therefore, while the hotel manager is a key player on any passenger ship, it is an absolutely critical position on Queen Victoria.

One of the people selected for this position was Jacqueline Hodgson. (Just as captains are rotated because a person cannot work on a ship all year long, hotel managers are also rotated). Jackie is well-qualified for this position, having spent 16 years on QE2 and having been Hotel Manager on QM2. She also knows about modern cruising, having spent 4 years on secondment to Princess Cruises.

During a recent voyage on Queen Victoria, I spoke with her about the ship’s hotel operation both in concept and in practice. My conversation with Ms. Hodgson is posted at http://beyondships.com/QV-Hodgson.html.

P&O's Aurora - - Attractive British sophistication

P&O Cruises’ Aurora is an attractive ship. On the outside, she has a relatively long bow for a modern cruise ship and she has a terraced stern that give her a pleasing sleek appearance, particularly evident when she is underway.

Yet, what I was more impressed by was her interior. Everything has been done with taste and refinement. The atmosphere of the public rooms is cosmopolitan and sophisticated. At the same time, even though she is a big ship, there is a welcoming feeling.

Aurora is based in Southampton, England. She specializes in longer cruises that take her to the Baltic, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and even to America and Canada. The vast majority of passengers are British - - after all the ship was built with the British market in mind.

In many respects, Aurora reminds me of Celebrity Constellation. However, life onboard Aurora is more traditional and more formal than on most cruise lines. Dinner in the two main restaurants is done in two seatings with passengers having the same table and waiters for the length of the voyage. I like such a system because a camaraderie usually develops with ones table companions and with the staff over the course of several evenings. Aurora has alternative dining venues that are less formal if one needs a change. There are also tables hosted by the ship’s officers as was the custom in the days of the great liners.

I have posted a profile of Aurora http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Aurora-Profile.html and a photo tour of the ship. http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Aurora-Tour-1.html I hope you enjoy them.

Cunard's Queen Victoria as seen by Captain Chris Rynd

I always feel that I have learned something after talking with Captain Christopher Rynd. His career has coincided with the development of the modern cruise industry and his commands have included the original Pacific Princess (i.e., the Love Boat), Princess’s small R-class ships, mega-cruise ships such as Sapphire Princess, the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Queen Mary 2 and most recently Cunard’s new Queen Victoria. With such a resume, Captain Rynd has a wide variety of experiences to talk about. Moreover, he had to have had great seamanship skills and ability to command in order to have obtained those positions.

Captain Rynd is one of the most hands-on captains I have seen. Standing alone at the bridge wing console of QM2 with his hands on the controls, he maneuvered the great ship away from the pier like a mater musician working the keyboards and stops of a pipe organ.

He does not lecture, however. Rather, an interview with him is a conversation. His officers tell me that that is the way he trains young officers. He sets a problem or task for them to complete and then converses with them in Socratic-style to let them work through the issue themselves.

When I interviewed him last year, we spoke about his career at Princess and then his experiences commanding QE2 and QM2. We spoke briefly about Queen Victoria. It had been announced that Captain Paul Wright and he would be commanding the new ship during her first year but at that point, she was still in the builder’s yard. Subsequently, Captain Rynd took command of Queen Victoria for a large portion of her first world cruise and later during part of her regular summer itinerary. Naturally, I wanted to get his views on the new ship.

Queen Victoria grew from the design of the Vista-class cruise ships used by Holland America Line, P&O Cruises and other lines. However, she is not just another cruise ship. Cunard made certain modifications to the design which, Captain Rynd explained, have affected her sea-going properties. Thus, while she is not an ocean greyhound like QE2 or QM2 designed for heavy seas, she does have unique abilities which set her apart.

What is of greater importance to most passengers is that Queen Victoria’s public spaces capture the feel of the great ocean liners of the past. As Captain Rynd pointed out, that was what her interior designer set out to do and through attention to detail and at considerable cost, Cunard succeeded. Thus, while Queen Victoria’s character is still forming, she already has an atmosphere that while different from QM2 and QE2 is one that past Cunard passengers recognize and approve.

My interview with Captain Rynd appears at http://beyondships.com/QV-Rynd-1.html. I have also added new photos, daily programs and menus to the Queen Victoria section of the Beyondships site. http://beyondships.com/QV.html

The Quiet Elegance of Holland America's Rotterdam

Holland America’s Rotterdam is the sixth ship to bear that name for HAL. The fifth ship was a much-loved classic ocean liner. As a result, the current Rotterdam has been somewhat overshadowed by her predecessor. This is unfortunate because the current Rotterdam is a very good cruise ship in her own right.

Although she shares the honor of being co-flagship with the Amsterdam, Rotterdam is not the newest or largest ship in the HAL fleet. The ship went into service in 1997 and is just under 60,000 gross tons whereas HAL’s latest ship, the Eurodam, is 86,700 tons. The fact that she retains her flagship status while the rest of the industry has been emphasizing larger and larger ships underscores HAL’s dedication to medium-size ships.

Rotterdam has a varied itinerary, traveling to the Baltic, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, as well as on a world cruise. These voyages are often longer than the typical cruise. As a result, the ship attracts well-educated travelers who can take the time to do long voyages.

Inside Rotterdam is quiet sophistication. There is extensive use of wood paneling and soft lighting in the public rooms. While there is an extensive museum-quality art collection, it is blended with the décor instead of being set apart from the living space. This gives the ship more of a relaxed feel. In addition, HAL keeps the number of passengers below what a ship of this size could carry, which results in more space per passenger. The result is clearly a premium product with a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

My profile of the Rotterdam with ship information, menus, and daily programs, is at http://beyondships.com/HAL-Rotterdam.html and my photo tour starts at http://beyondships.com/HAL-Rotterdam-Tour1.html

QE2 revisited - - Three photo essays

This week, I thought I would take another look at Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) seeing as how she is the world’s most famous ship and will be leaving service this year. My own connection to the ship began in 1969, not long after the ship went into service, on a ship visit in New York. Since then I have sailed on QE2 some 70-odd times. I did not really set out to make so many voyages; I just enjoyed being on the ship and it just followed naturally that it was the place to be during those times when one has a choice of where to be.

During her service life, QE2 has garnered a long list of achievements. For many years, the ship was synonymous with luxury and numerous celebrities were included in the passenger list. Although for a long times, QE2 was the largest ship in service, she is considerably smaller than many of today’s mega-cruise ships. As a result, passengers often had direct contact with these celebrities, which made for some interesting experiences.

There was also QE2’s wartime experience as a troopship during the Falklands War. Without QE2 and P&O’s Canberra, Britain could never have transported an army half way around the world to the war zone. Thus, it is not too much to say that QE2 played a vital role in winning that war, which was important not only in the re-vitalization of Britain but in the Cold War because the Soviets were watching to see what kind of response the West would and could make to such a provocation.

QE2 evolved and grew during the course of her lifetime. The original concept was for a ship that could do both the transatlantic service between the US and Britain as well as cruising. Accordingly, she was built in a very technologically advanced manner but also in such a way as to allow her to be constantly up-graded. For example, the hull, accommodations and public spaces were such that it made sense nearly 20 years after she was built to remove completely her old steam engines and replace them with a diesel-electric plant - - a massive undertaking. QE2’s evolution also saw the addition of cabins, the addition and subsequent removal of a retractable glass roof, the lengthening of decks, the addition of new public areas and the modification of others, as well as various paint schemes. It is possible to look at a photograph of the ship and deduce the date the photo was taken give or take a year or two.

There was an evolution in the style of the ship as well. QE2 was built to replace Cunard’s original Queen ships: Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. For all practical purposes, the coming of the commercial jet in the late 1950s put an end to the use of ships as a means of transporting people from Europe to America. However, another factor in the demise of the old ocean liners was that the public viewed them as old-fashioned and dull. Therefore, QE2 was designed to be a hip venue reflecting the Swinging England of the 1960s. Her public rooms used abstract shapes, naugahyde, and spaceage lighting. Outside her curving lines of her bow and superstructure were a break from the past. She was not a traditional liner.

Over the years, as the pendulum of public taste swung back towards tradition, QE2’s interior gradually became more like that of the older liners. In addition, with new cruise ships entering the market which were even a more radical departure from the ships of the past, QE2 started to look more like a traditional ship.

This was tremendously fortuitous because by the late 1990s, Cunard was barely surviving and it was a good bet that the company and its flagship would soon expire. However, the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic, rekindled public interest in traditional ocean liners and seeing a market opportunity, Carnival Corporation stepped in and saved Cunard. QE2 would sail on for another decade.

On my website this week, I have posted three photo essays of the ship during her last year. Each of them shows the ship in a characteristic situation. The first shows QE2 in New York during her final world cruise. http://beyondships.com/QE2-WC-NY.html. We see the ship at the Passenger Ship Terminal in Manhattan and sailing down the North River (a.k.a. the Hudson River) like she did so many times when she was Cunard’s flagship. The second shows QE2 on a ceremonial occasion - - the last meeting with fleetmate Queen Victoria, Cunard’s newest ship. http://beyondships.com/QE2-QV.html Finally, the third shows QE2 in her homeport of Southampton, England preparing for a cruise. http://beyondships.com/QE2-hythe.html All of these photos are exterior photos. There is a comprehensive interior tour of the ship at http://www.beyondships.com/QE2Tour.html

Looking at Pullmantur's Empress and Celbrity Constellation

When I was cruising the Baltic in July, two rather interesting ships were with us in a number of the ports. They both are under the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. umbrella - - Empress of the Pullmantur brand and Celebrity Constellation of their Celebrity Cruises brand. Despite their common ownership, the two ships are quite different.

Empress began life in 1990 as the Nordic Empress of Royal Caribbean International. After a major refit in 2004, she was re-named Empress of the Seas and sailed under that name for Royal Caribbean until March of this year. At that point, the “of the Seas” was painted out and she was re-born as Pullmantur’s Empress, serving the Spanish market.

The story of the Empress illustrates a relatively new phenomenon in the cruise industry. From a technological viewpoint, modern cruise ships are built with a useful life of 30 or 40 years. However, in the primary cruise markets, very few ships can remain viable businesses ventures for that long. As bigger ships with more amenities and luxuries enter the market, customers’ expectations grow. As a result, as ships grow older they tend to lose their followings. This process can be delayed somewhat by periodically refurbishing the ship and adding new amenities. However, as most ships become teenagers, they are no longer viable in the most competitive markets.

Until recently, ships that were no longer viable in the primary market were sold off to smaller cruise lines operating in the secondary market of discount cruises and the like. However, now, the major cruise lines are using their older ships to satisfy the growing demand for cruises in Europe. Many of the European countries have no tradition of cruising and while demand is growing rapidly, it would be risky to build new ships for those markets until they have become more established. The perfect solution is to use existing ships that still have plenty of life in them to develop the market.

Empress is a good illustration. The ship was quite popular in America, doing cruises to The Bahamas, the Caribbean and to Bermuda. However, as time went on, Royal Caribbean customers came to expect the balconies, the Royal Promenades and the other features of the larger new RCI mega-cruise ships. Consequently, Empress of the Seas no longer fit in with the rest of the fleet. She was capable of providing a good cruise experience but it was no longer a Royal Caribbean cruise experience. Consequently, when Royal Caribbean acquired Pullmantur, it made sense to transfer the ship to that brand.

Celebrity Constellation is a ship in her prime. At six years old, her art-deco influenced interior provides the setting for a premium cruise experience. She is technologically state-of-the-art with azipod propulsion and gas turbine engines. Her arrow-like lines give her a sleeker appearance than most modern cruise ships.

In the last few years, Constellation’s itinerary has been winter/spring in the Caribbean, summer in Northern Europe, and in the fall she has done Canada/New England cruises out of New York (Bayonne, New Jersey). Last Spring, I did a photo essay of her in the Caribbean. This summer, I was able to photograph her in Denmark, Poland, and Russia. It is always a pleasure to see the Constellation.

My photo essay and tribute to Empress as she begins her new life is at http://www.beyondships.com/Pull-Empress-essay.html The photo essay on Constellation in Europe is at http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Constellation-Europe.html I have also added several new entries to the Beyondships Small Cruise Ship Gallery. http://www.beyondships.com/smallcruisephotogallery.html

Ventura - - Designed to be British

For ten years, ships of the Grand Princess-class have been the mainstay of the Princess Cruises fleet. There are now eight Princess ships based on this design in service and another one will join the fleet in the fall. They have proved very popular and conducive to Princess’ objective of providing passengers with “American-style luxury.”

This year, for the first time, a ship built on the Grand Princess design went into service for a line other than Princess Cruises. The other line was Princess’ one time parent company and now sister company under the Carnival Corporation umbrella, P&O Cruises. Moreover, while the previous ships have been used to provide American style cruising, Ventura was built specifically for the British market.

What exactly does designing a ship for Britain mean? Is it posting a picture of the Queen in the atrium and having everything else remain the same as on the Princess ships? Is it decorating the public rooms in British cliches like an English gentleman’s club or a Cockney pub? Neither.

Instead, it means creating an atmosphere that appeals to British tastes. The interior design is done in a contemporary style but there is no neon or theme park-type decoration. Some seven thousand works of art done by British artists or artists living and working in Britain adorn the ship. Thus, the atmosphere is more restrained and intellectual.

The themes of the public rooms reflect places British people like to go. For example, many U.K. residents like to holiday in Spain. Accordingly, there is a large Spanish-style restaurant and bar. British cruisers are not as interested in casinos as their American cousins, so the casino is smaller and more low-key.

Differences in the climate are also taken into account. It is normally cooler and rainier in Britain than in America. Therefore, it makes sense for a cruise ship operating in British waters to have a retractable glass dome over one of the swimming pools. For the same reason, a large movies-under-the-stars screen is not as attractive for such a ship as for a ship operating in American waters.

Walking around Ventura, I was continually struck by the differences between this ship and her American sisters. Yes, the floor plan is much the same. However, P&O have successfully taken that floor plan and geared it toward the market it serves, i.e., the British cruise market. Thus, while Ventura is a sister to the other Grand class ships, she is not a mere clone. Rather, she is a ship with a distinct personality.

My photo tour of Ventura is at http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Ventura-Tour-1.html and the ship profile is at http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Ventura-Profile.html

Captain Chris Wells of Queen Mary 2

I was quite pleased to find that Captain Christopher Wells was going to be the master of Queen Mary 2 during my transatlantic crossing last month. Chris had been an officer on Queen Elizabeth 2 during the 1990s and from numerous voyages on QE2, I knew him to be an intelligent and articulate officer. After QE2, he went on to stand-by Queen Mary 2 while she was being constructed and then, after a brief time at Princess Cruises, he was given command of P&O Cruises Oriana. This year, he has been dividing his time between relieving Commodore Bernard Warner on QM2 when he is on leave and being master of P&O’s Oceana.

These days, with the financial power of Carnival Corporation behind Cunard and Cunard’s focus on providing a sea experience that invokes the grand ocean liners of the past, it is easy to forget Cunard’s struggles during the 1990s. Cunard’s management then did not know what direction to take the company and as a result, tried many different, sometimes misguided, approaches to trying to survive in the new emerging cruise industry. At the same time, it was always questionable how much financial support the then-parent companies of Cunard could or would provide. QE2 and Cunard survived in large part due to good officers like Chris Wells who were able to manage the ship and evolve QE2’s unique character to fit the times.

I was also anxious to talk to Chris about his experiences during the construction of Queen Mary 2. Cunard had not built a ship since QE2, almost four decades earlier. Who made the decision to build the most expensive passenger ship ever built? Was Carnival Corporation just a reluctant financer or a partner in the enterprise? Chris was there. He would know.

Just after QM2 was built, Carnival Corporation merged with P&O Princess. This opened new opportunities for Cunard officers in the wider fleet. Having spent his entire passenger ship career with Cunard, what were his impressions of the other lines?

Leaving history aside, we also talked about his style of command and about the retirement of QE2 from the Cunard fleet.

Cunard is very proud that its ships are British registered and fly the red ensign of the British Merchant Navy rather than a flag of convenience. As an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, Chris has a warrant to fly the even more prestigious blue ensign over any merchant ship that he is commanding. Consequently, the blue ensign has once again been flying on QM2.

This was not the first time that the blue ensign has appeared on QM2. When the ship was new, Commodore Ronald Warwick received a special warrant to fly the blue ensign even though he was no longer a serving member of the Royal Naval Reserve and he flew the blue ensign on QM2 for a short time. I am not aware of any other of the ship’s masters flying that ensign. Indeed, as I recall, the blue ensign has not been flown prior to that on the Cunard flagship since Commodore John Burton-Hall flew it on QE2 in the mid-1990s. It is a very rare thing.

My conversation with Captain Wells is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Wells-1.html In addition, I have added some new items to the Queen Mary 2 section of the website including lunch and dinner menus from the Todd English Restaurant, a menu from Sir Samuel’s, and a recent daily programme. http://www.beyondships.com/QM2.html

During my journey, I encountered all three of the Cunard Queens. Accordingly, in the not too distant future, I will be adding a great deal of new Cunard material to the site including interviews, photos, menus and other items of interest.

Captain Attilio Guerini of Caribbean Princess

The stereotypical image of a cruise ship captain is of a man who spends the bulk of his time standing on the bridge of the ship navigating the ship from one port to the next. However, while the captain is ultimately responsible for the safety of the ship, he is not merely a ship driver. Instead, his role can be thought of as more like that of the CEO of a business with other executives reporting to him. As ships become bigger and bigger, this role becomes more and more akin to the management of larger and larger enterprises.

On most ships today, the captain is at the top of a pyramid composed of three departments. The hotel department, which provides services to the passengers including the accommodations, entertainment and dining, is headed by the hotel director (sometimes called the passenger services director or the hotel manager) and has the largest number of people in it. The engineering department is concerned with making the ship go and the technology involved. It is headed by the chief engineer. The staff captain is responsible for navigation and actually sailing the ship. In addition to heading the deck department, he is also the second in command. All three of these officers report directly to the captain.

Captains still rise up through the ranks of the deck department. As such, their expertise is in navigation and sailing and they take a particular interest in that area. Indeed, many captains like to have their hands on the controls of the ship when docking or leaving a berth. They do not have direct knowledge of how to cook a dinner for a thousand people or of fixing the ship’s fresh water system. However, in order to become a captain, a deck officer must keep his eyes open while coming up through the ranks so that he knows the problems and issues that arise in the hotel department and the engineering department.

When I was on Caribbean Princess recently Captain Attilio Guerini spoke to me about his approach to being a captain of a mega-cruise ship. Beginning with Sitmar Cruises, he has gone on to command ships for Princess and its affiliate Ocean Village Cruises. His style is relaxed, affable and low key. Our conversation is at http://www.beyondships.com/Princess-CB-Guerrini.html

Jorge Lynch, Hotel Director Explorer of the Seas

Jorge Lynch is a big man, towering over most of the people he meets. But then, he has a big job to do - - running the hotel on Explorer of the Seas, which means ensuring that more than 3,000 passengers a week have a quality vacation experience. This requires supervising the vast majority of the crew of Explorer as well as being in charge of the dining, staterooms and entertainment - - in short, everything that most directly affects the guests’ vacation experiences.

Mr. Lynch is well qualified for this role. He had a formal education in hotel administration and has held management positions at shoreside hotels and resorts. Moreover, he started as an assistant purser on Empress of the Seas and has worked in most of the management positions in the hotel operations on almost all of the classes of Royal Caribbean ships. As a result, he has a unique understanding of what Royal Caribbean guests want and what is required to fulfill those desires. It also helps in management, he says with a laugh, because the staff know they cannot BS him about the problems encountered in their positions.

I had the chance to speak with Mr. Lynch during my recent voyage on Explorer. We spoke about what it takes to motivate the hotel staff to give the excellent service displayed on Explorer during my cruise. Also, he gave me some thoughts on Royal Caribbean’s expansion into Europe, Asia and other new cruising markets. The interview is posted at: http://beyondships.com/Explorer-Lynch.html

Norwegian Cruise Line Profile

For the latest issue of The Log, the official journal of the Navy League of the United States, New York Council, I wrote an article profiling Norwegian Cruise Lines (“NCL”) with a focus on its operations in New York. A copy of that article is posted at http://beyondships.com/NCL-Freestyle.html

In the article I looked at NCL’s history, which grew out of a partnership between Ted Arison, who would go on to found Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian marine businessman Knut Kloster. The venture proved a success but the personalities apparently did not mix and the two went their separate ways in a not very amicable split.

Kloster kept NCL and for a time, it was the top cruise line. One of its most innovative moves was refurbishing the majestic ocean liner, the SS France, into the largest cruise ship seen up to that point, the SS Norway. This step not only vastly increased NCL’s passenger capacity but paved the way for the mega-cruise ships that we see today.

By the turn of the millennium, however, NCL had lost its former position in the industry and appeared to be headed downwards. A new owner, Star Cruises, was able to inject fresh capital into the line and also new management ideas. The line realized that in order to compete, it could not simply follow the model that all of the other cruise lines used. Accordingly, it abandoned the traditional model and introduced Freestyle Cruising, which is best known for replacing the traditional assigned time and place dining system with a system that allows guests to decide when and where to eat. It has been so successful that the other lines have or are introducing similar systems.

Another innovation was homeporting its ships in ports outside of the traditional Florida cruise ports. One such port is New York, which had been all but abandoned by the cruise lines in the winter months until NCL deployed a ship there on a year-round basis. Once again, it proved a success and other lines have followed suit.

My article also describes the three ships that NCL has been using in New York recently, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian Dawn. Each of these ships is profiled on the site complete with photo tours. The profiles can be accessed from my NCL page http://www.beyondships.com/NCL.html

Adventure of the Seas Profile

Adventure of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships. These ships are not only some of the largest ships in service today but are recognized as being innovative. Their large space houses a wide variety of facilities and amenities including: the Royal Promenade, an indoor mall with shops, cafes, and bars that runs the center of the ship; the trademark rock climbing wall; an ice rink that is also used as an arena for concerts and activities; as well as more familiar attractions such as pools, a spa, a theater, lounges, an Intenet cafe, library, and a movie screening room.

When a series of ships is built based upon the same design, how can you differentiate one ship from the others? On the one hand, there is the question of do you want to have them be distinct? When people like the experience that they have on one ship in a cruise line’s fleet, they might be disappointed if they try another ship and it does not have the same facilities as their prior ship. In other words, if a ship is sailing under the Royal Caribbean brand, it should have the features that passengers associate with a Royal Caribbean ship. Accordingly, the Voyager ships have the same layout and with no major exceptions, the same facilities and amenities.

But Royal Caribbean has recognized that ships are not like buses or airplanes and that they inevitably develop their own character. This is particularly well known in naval circles where identical ships have their own personalities. Accordingly, there are subtle differences in the décor of the various Voyagers.

The art work on Adventure of the Seas is modern and upbeat. The paintings are abstract with bright colors. There are also quite a few life-like statues of people engaged in various activities around the ship. The passenger hallways are warm and attractive.

Another things that struck me about the ship was that she looked crisp and new. Since the ship entered service in 2001, I can only put this down to good maintenance.

When I was on board, Adventure was on a cruise out of San Juan Puerto Rico and there was also something of a Latin flavor. The crew members I encountered seemed to be able to speak both English and Spanish and the Cruise Compasses were printed in those languages as well as French and German.

I have added a new profile section to my website on Adventure of the Seas. http://beyondships.com/AOS-Profile.htm The photo tour and commentary begins at: http://beyondships.com/AOS-tour.html

Caribbean Princess Passenger Services Director James Deering

James Deering has a vast experience in the cruise industry coming from having worked for a series of major names in cruise industry including NCL, Star Cruises, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Renaissance Cruises, and now Princess Cruises. He also has a keen intelligence and is quite articulate. Consequently, each time I have interview James, I have walked away with large amounts of material. Indeed, there was so much material this time, that there is too much for just one article.

Most recently, I encountered James on Caribbean Princess where he was the Passenger Services Director, which is equivalent to the hotel manager or hotel director on the other major lines. The ship was on a Caribbean cruise out of New York.

It is a time of transition for Caribbean Princess, one of the mega-cruise ships of the Grand (Princess) class. Caribbean Princess is taking over the itineraries previously done by her younger sister Crown Princess. In addition, in January, she will undergo an extensive refit which will give her all of the amenities and facilities that are on the more recent Grand class ships.

While it may seem a no-brainer to add features that have been successful on other ships, there is risk in change. The service, the food and the activities on Caribbean Princess were all working well on this cruise. In addition, there were numerous repeat passengers on this voyage, many of whom had come because they liked Caribbean Princess the best of all of the Grand class ships. If things are working well, why change?

James agreed that each ship develops its own character and that leads to a ship having its own following. However, based upon his experience on the Crown Princess and the Emerald Princess, he felt that the features planned for Caribbean Princess would enhance the Caribbean Princess experience without changing the ship’s basic character.

My most recent interview with James Deering is at: http://beyondships.com/Princess-CB-Deering.html

Captain Standal of Explorer of the Seas

During my recent voyage on Explorer of the Seas, I was invited up to the bridge as the ship was leaving Bermuda. Explorer is a big ship, 138,000 tons, and thus cannot dock in Hamilton or St. George’s in Bermuda. Consequently, we were at the King’s Warf pier at the former Royal Navy dockyard.

Seemingly, one could just pull away from the pier from Kings Warf and head directly out to sea towards New York. Once you are clear of the dockyard area, there is just water extending to the horizon. However, hidden just below the surface are numerous rock outcroppings that surround the island. Consequently, cruise ships have to follow a narrow channel and make a circuit around the island before heading off in their desired direction.

At one point not all that far from the pier, the channel narrows down so that it is not much larger than Explorer’s 155-foot width. Because of the narrowness of the channel, any sideways drift would lead to disaster. Therefore, the ship would have to put on a burst of speed in order to pop straight through the opening.

Just beyond the opening, the Costa Fortuna sat waiting for Explorer to pass. The new second pier at King’s Warf was still under construction and so the Costa ship had to wait until Explorer vacated her berth.

The rocks on either side of the opening just below the turquoise water were clearly visible from the bridge. Captain Erik Standal and the Bermuda pilot stood at the center console while the Staff Captain was over by the port side bridge wing so that he could observe how closely the side of the ship was to the rocks. Explorer accelerated, not to her full speed, but to a speed much faster than the normal lazy pace that cruise ships follow going in and out of port. With seemingly only a few feet to spare, Explorer shot through the opening. The water was pushed back from the rock outcroppings and then surged back, swirling in Explorer’s wake.

Once the ship was out into open waters, I sat down with the Captain for an interview. Explorer’s glass enclosed bridge runs the width of the ship and extends out over the water on either side. The computerized technology used to navigate Explorer does not take up much of this vast space so there is room for an informal conference area with comfortable chairs and a sofa. As a result, the Captain was able to keep an eye on what was going on on the bridge as we spoke.

Captain Erik, as he calls himself in his daily announcements to the guests, is a quiet but approachable person. His youthful appearance gives no clue as to his substantial sea experience. Similarly, his easy, informal manner gives no clue as to the perseverance needed to go from working on ventilation systems shoreside in Norway to commanding one of the world’s largest ships.

I spoke with Captain Erik about his career, commanding Explorer and his thoughts about cruising in general. The interview is posted at http://beyondships.com/Explorer-Standal.html

It is time to repeal the Passenger Vessel Services Act

Have you ever wondered why the major cruise lines don’t offer cruises that go directly from California to Hawaii, or voyages from New York to Miami that call at the popular tourist cities along the East Coast? The reason is a law enacted in the 1880s called the Passenger Vessel Services Act, which prohibits foreign flag ships from doing itineraries that are composed entirely of U.S. ports.

The reason for this law and for its counterpart, the Jones Act (the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) which applies to cargo, was to protect the United States merchant marine, promote U.S. shipbuilding and to secure jobs for U.S. mariners. Today, of course, the number of U.S. ocean-going passenger ships is insignificant, no cruise ships to speak of are built in the United States and few Americans are interested in being waiters and cabin stewards on cruise ships - - the majority of the jobs on a modern cruise ship.

Meanwhile, the largest of the major cruise lines, Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean, are headquartered in the United States and publicly-trade on the New York Stock Exchange.* Thus, the businesses being excluded from doing American itineraries by the Passenger Vessel Services Act are for practical purposes American businesses.

In addition, coastal cities in Europe, the Caribbean, and even in the U.S. have found that having cruise ships stop in their harbors is a great enhancement to the local economy. Evidence of this can be seen by all of the cruise ship piers and cruise ship terminals that have been built in the last decade all around the world. By precluding cruise ships from doing exclusively American itineraries at least a portion of the money that would be spent by cruise ships stopping in American ports is by definition going outside the country.

Why then is the law still in effect? To a large extent it is because talk of repealing the Passenger Vessel Services Act becomes entangled with talk of repealing the Jones Act. There still are American-flagged ships involved in the transport of cargo and there are legitimate strategic reasons for protecting what remains of that industry. Consequently, when packaged with repeal or the Jones Act, there appear to be reasons not to repeal the Passenger Vessel Services Act. While the two laws operate in a similar fashion and were originally designed to serve the same purpose, times have changed and thus repeal of the two laws should be evaluated independently.

From time to time, various schemes emerge to revive the U.S.-flagged passenger fleet and appear to provide a reason for continuing the law. In the most ambitious of these, Norwegian Cruise Line, which was then 100 percent owned by Singapore-based Star Cruises, formed a subsidiary NCL America for the purpose of providing cruises around the Hawaiian Islands. Various exceptions to the Passenger Vessel Services Act were passed by Congress in order to facilitate this scheme and NCL was able to place American flags on three of its vessels. However, by so doing, Congress essentially stood the law on its head - - it was now protecting a foreign-owned business which was operating ships that had not been built in the United States. Moreover, even with these concessions, the venture has not been a success and NCL has withdrawn two of the ships.**

Another reason the law remains on the books is because there is no large constituency demanding its repeal. The cruise lines do not vote. Perhaps as more communities realize that their local economies would be boasted by having more ships stop in their ports, there will be more support for repeal.

* Due to its merger with P&O in 2003, Carnival also has a headquarters in London and also trades on the London Stock Exchange.

** Viewing NCL’s failure as the result of competition from other cruise lines that include a brief stop in Mexico or at Fanning Island in their Hawaii cruise itineraries, the Maritime Administration has proposed a re-interpretation of the Passenger Vessel Services Act which would require foreign-flagged vessels to spend at least 48 hours in a foreign port and to spend at least 50 percent of the cruise outside of the U.S. However, assuming arguendo that this competition is the cause of NCL’s failure, it only demonstrates that there is something inherently inefficient about operating under the PSVA. The other lines have to travel far out of the way, incurring addition fuel costs and making their cruise-itinerary less appealing to passengers, in order to compete in the Hawaii market. If they are nonetheless succeeding in the market, it follows that they are the more efficient competitors. To impose additional barriers to competition would only distort the market further to the detriment of the American consumer.

In addition, the Maritime Administration’s proposal would have effects beyond Hawaii in markets where there are only foreign-flagged ships. For example, on cruises to Canada and New England from New York, the ships would have to spend at least half their time in Canada to the detriment of cities like Boston, Bar Harbor and Portland Maine.

The food and beverage manager on any passenger ship has a great responsibility. After all, eating in the ship's restaurants and drinking in the bars are important parts of the cruise experience. Consequently, the food must be good and plentiful and quality service has to be maintained. In addition, the restaurants and bars have to reflect the style of cruising that the cruise line has marketed to the public.

All of this involves a massive behind-the-scenes operation. The food, beverages and other supplies have to be ordered, brought onboard, stored and used. The staff must be trained and motivated. There must be opportunities for advancement, good living conditions and entertainment for the crew in order to have good morale and thus good service.

Bernhard Fischer is the Food and Beverage Manager on Queen Mary 2. QM2 is one of the largest ships in the world and with a schedule that involves numerous sea days, there are logistical considerations that other ships do not encounter. Moreover, when I interviewed him recently, he pointed out that the history and tradition of Cunard Line required a different way of doing things that differentiates QM2 from every other passenger ship.

The interview is posted at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Fischer.html I hope you enjoy it.

There is something about Caribbean Princess

I recently returned form a cruise on Caribbean Princess. The ship is the fourth one to be built on the design first inaugurated with the Grand Princess. There are now ten Grand-class ships - - nine with Princess and one with P&O cruises. All are massive ships ranging from 108,000 to 116,000 tons and carrying 3,000 plus passengers. Their steep white sides tower over you like a building when you are standing on the pier.

Although these ships spring from the same basic design, there are differences. Some have more decks than others, some have a pod suspended above the stern that houses a nightclub, and some have what looks like jet engines around the funnel. Along the same lines, Princess has developed new ideas for amenities and facilities over time and consequently, there are differences in that you will find inside the ships. While the line strives to retro-fit the earlier ships with the things that have proven a success on subsequent ships, that process in itself leads to differences.

There is also the fact that even physically identical ships have different personalities. This is a function of a host of factors including the captain and the crew. The original personalities often leave their mark on the way things are done on a ship. Subsequent, personalities may make changes but the atmosphere on board will never be identical to that on board the ship’s physically identical sister.

Caribbean Princess has a quiet unassuming personality. The ship’s interior is physically attractive and well-maintained. Indeed, there are areas such as the atrium that are quite pretty but it is never overpowering. There is no neon, nothing intended to shock the senses.

Things tend to move smoothly on Caribbean Princess. The service in the cabins and the restaurants was good throughout my voyage. Moreover, there was always something going on or something to do. Indeed, I was impressed by the fact that thee were activities on the ship even when she was in port - - a recognition of the fact that for some passengers the ship is the destination.

This year, Caribbean Princess is taking over the itineraries done in the past by her sister Crown Princess - - sailing from San Juan in the winter and from New York in the warmer months. Accordingly, I expected to find veterans of Crown Princess on this cruise. While there were some, most of the past passengers seemed to be followers of Caribbean Princess. There was something about this ship in particular that they liked, something intangible. Indeed, it is difficult not to like Caribbean Princess.

My photo tour of Caribbean Princess as well as copies of menus, daily programs and other materials are at: http://beyondships.com/Princess-CB-Profile.html

Coping with Single Supplements

Almost all modern cruise ships are built with staterooms designed for two or more people. As a result, there are only a few ships - - primarily older ones - - that have cabins designed for single occupancy. Consequently, when a single person wants to cruise, he or she is required to pay a single supplement. These supplements can range up to 200 per cent of the per person cost of a ticket for a double occupancy cabin.

The theory underlying why the cruise lines charge a single supplement is that since the space was designed to be occupied by two people, the cruise line would be losing out on half of the revenue the ship was designed to generate if the cabins were sold to singles at the double occupancy per person rate. The line does have some cost savings in the amount of food consumed when there is one person in a cabin but this is not a significant savings and is offset by the loss in revenue in the bars, shops and shore excursions that the line would have received if there had been a second person in the cabin.

Nonetheless, many single travelers are upset by having to pay a single supplement. Nobody likes to feel that they are paying more than someone else for the same thing. Also, the single supplement makes taking a cruise more expensive for singles.

The first concern is somewhat illusory. A person paying the single supplement and obtaining a cabin single occupancy does get something that the person traveling double occupancy does not get - - he or she gets the cabin to himself or herself while the person in the double occupancy cabin has to share.

In addition, while in theory the single traveler pays more, this is not always so in reality. These days there can be very large differences in the price of a cruise depending upon a host of factors such as when the cruise was booked and which travel agent the parties used. In addition, if the cruise is not selling well, the line may drop or reduce the single supplement so as to get people on the ship. Thus, a single person can end up paying the same or even less than the per person rate for the couple in the next cabin. It does require more shopping around on the part of the single traveler but it can be done.

As to affordability, most people realize that the cruise line could not stay in business if it sold a significant portion of the cabins on each cruise on a single occupancy basis at the per person double occupancy rate. The solution appears to be to build ships like in the old days that had some single occupancy cabins. However, if one looks at the brochures for a ship such as the QE2, one sees that the rate for a single cabin is more than the per person rate for the same category double cabin. In effect, there is a single supplement built into the single cabin rate.

To a certain extent, the concern over the single supplement is a product of the pricing model used in the cruise industry. In most major hotels, the rate for a room is the same regardless of how many people are staying for the night and no one gets upset. The cruise industry has elected not to follow that model but rather advertise prices on a per person basis. As a result, the numbers used in the advertisement are lower and thus more attractive. However, this model produces the opposite result (i.e., it makes the cruise appear to be more expensive) in those instances where there will be less than two people in the cabin. It may be a matter of perception, but until it is more widely explained it will continue to upset people and thus affect sales.

What I have found that works best for me when I am considering cruising by myself is to price the cruise without regard to the per person double occupancy rate or the single supplement. I am just looking for a number - - the price that will be charged to me. If it is a reasonable number and one that I can afford, I book the cruise. Since the actual single fare is rarely advertised, this process requires getting quotes for the cruise which can be done by talking with travel agents or by going online to a number of websites.