Quantum of the Seas and the Revolution in Cruising

Quantum of the Seas is part of a revolution in cruising. For more than a decade, the watchword in the cruise industry has been “choice.” All of the lines have wanted to give guests more options with regard to what to do while aboard their ships. But, for the most part, the new options brought forward just embroidered the traditional model of cruising. Then, about five years ago, ships started to enter service that offered a new model of cruising with real choice. Quantum carries that model to a new level.

Under the traditional model of cruising, an evening on a cruise ship revolved around the two seatings in the dining room and the two shows in the ship's theater. There was not much choice. Each guest was assigned to one of the seatings for dinner and, as a practical matter, that dictated which of the two shows in the theater you attended. The evening was pretty well mapped out. Yes, you could sit in one of the bars and listen to the piano player instead of going to the show but the majority of the passengers went to the show in the theater after dinner.

Norwegian Cruise Line broke with the traditional model when it introduced Freestyle dining. Guests were no longer assigned a dining time or a table in the main dining room but could dine when and where they liked. Most of the other cruise lines followed suit with their own versions of flexible dining. Still, because the main entertainment offering onboard was the two shows in the ship's theater, your dining time had to be scheduled around the show times. Thus, the choices as to when and what to do were still somewhat limited.

Then, in late 2009, Royal Caribbean introduced Oasis of the Seas and a few months later Norwegian Cruise Line introduced Norwegian Epic. These two ships broke completely with the traditional model of cruising. They offered not only choice in dining but also choice in entertainment. The shows in the theater were no longer the only high quality entertainment option. Thus, under this new model of cruising, guests had real freedom to plan their evenings aboard ship.

Royal Caribbean subsequently refined its version of the new model with Allure of the Seas while Norwegian refined its version with Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.

With Quantum, Royal has taken the new model even further. It has eliminated the main dining room altogether. In its place are five complimentary restaurants each with a different theme and menu. This is in addition to seven specialty restaurants where there is a cover charge. Thus, it is no longer a choice between dining in a general restaurant (i.e. a main dining room) or going to a specialty restaurant. In effect, the choice is now between an array of specialized restaurants some of which have a cover charge and some of which are complimentary. As a result, Quantum presents guests with a better set of choices.

Of course, there are practical limitations on this freedom of choice. If a couple of thousand people decide they want Asian food at 7 o'clock and descend upon a venue that has capacity for a few hundred, someone is not going to get what they wanted. To guard against such possibilities the lines that have implemented the new model of cruising encourage guests to make dining reservations just like they would on land. Some guests feel that this is an imposition on their freedom of choice but most appear to accept it.

It is disappointing that Quantum will only be based in the Port of New York – New Jersey for one brief season. Originally, Quantum was going to be Royal Caribbean's New York ship, replacing Explorer of the Seas in that role. But then Royal decided to commit the ship to developing the Chinese market and so Quantum will be leaving in the Spring 2015.

The reason this is disappointing is that another new model cruise ship is based in New York - - Norwegian Breakaway. Thus, Quantum and Breakaway would have been competing on a long term basis. It could only have been good for cruisers to have these two innovative cruise lines go head-to-head with their first tier ships. But then Quantum's sister, Anthem of the Seas, is scheduled to take up residence in this port in the Fall 2015 so perhaps the grand contest will take place afterall.

This week in Beyondships, we have a new profile section on Quantum of the Seas. http://beyondships.com/RCI-Quantum-Profile.html This includes a nine page photo tour and commentary, which takes you through the public rooms and open decks. http://beyondships.com/RCI-Quantum-Tour-1.html

A Royal Reunion of Cruise Ships; Visiting Caribbean Great Houses

When I was in St. Maarten on a cruise last month, there were five other ships in port with us. By itself, there is nothing unusual about that as there are often six ships in St. Maarten on a single day during the high season. What struck me as unusual about this particular gathering was that all but one of the ships was in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd family. There were two ships from Royal Caribbean, two from Celebrity Cruises and one from TUI Cruises, Royal's German brand. The only non-family member in attendance was Norwegian Epic.

I thought this underscored the growing strength of the Royal Caribbean family. While RCCL is still the second largest cruise company behind Carnival Corporation, the fact that it so dominated one of the most important Caribbean ports at the height of the season shows that it is quite a fromidible competitor.

The variety of the ships was also interesting. From the core brand, Royal Caribbean International, there was Independence of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. These two ships illustrate the two styles within Royal Caribbean. Independence is one of the largest ships in the world (number 4 at the moment) and offers a vast array of activities and facilities. Vision is a more intimate version of the Royal Caribbean cruise experience.

Celebrity was represented by two of its Solstice class ships. These are beautiful ships. Built by Meyer Werft, they are impressive from a technological perspective. I particularly like the hull design that has the bow tapering back for a relatively long way at the waterline making for a more efficient attack through the waves. The bow area above the waterline flares up to give the ships the withth (and thus the space) of a traditional cruise ship. Very clever.

Inside the Solstice ships are also impressive. Each is done in a contemporary style but there has been considerable attention to detail and visual appeal. They are sophisticated and elegant.

On this particular day, Celebrity Eclipse (my favorite of the five Solstices, just nudging out Celebrity Silhouette by a hair) and Celebrity Reflection were in port. Next week, we will add a profile of Reflection to Beyondships.

Mein Schiff I, the former Celebrity Galaxy, was there from TUI. RCCL has been using its older ships to develop the cruise market in Europe. The fleets of Pullmantur (Spain), Croiseres de France and TUI conatin many profiles familiar to North American cruisers. This development strategy has been so successful that a brand new ship has been ordered for TUI.

In any event, this day was a great day for photographing ships and so we present a photo essay showing each of the six ships. It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/royal-reunion.html

There is also a slideshow focusing just on Independence of the Seas. http://www.beyondships2.com/independence-in-st-maarten.html

We also have a short video of Celebrity Eclipse both leaving the pier and at sea. http://www.beyondships2.com/eclipse-sails.html

In addition, we also have a going ashore article about visiting the “great houses” of the Caribbean. These are mansions that were built by the European plantation owners. Most of them disappeared along with the plantations. However, a number of Caribbean nations have recognized that this is part of their heritage and several have been or are being restored. A number of shore excursions now take you to them. We discuss our visits to three of them at http://www.beyondships2.com/caribbean-great-houses.html

Carnival Breeze Photo Tour and Profile

Carnival Breeze is Carnival Cruise Lines latest ship. Although the line includes 23 other ships, Breeze is not merely more of the same.

Carnival describes the Breeze as evolutionary rather than revolutionary. If you are familiar with Carnival's last two ships, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic, the Breeze represents a logical step in a progression, albeit a big step. However, if your familiarity with Carnival only extends as far as the Conquest class, it is remarkable how much of change has taken place.

The tone is set by Breeze's appearance. Whereas the interiors of Carnival ships used to stun the visitor and transport him or her to a fantasy land, the interior of Breeze is restrained. It is intended to take the guest to a relaxing resort at sea. There are plenty of other changes but more on that next week.

Carnival is the world's largest and most popular cruise line. So why is it changing its formula? The answer seems to me that it is a move dictated by the laws of competition. Royal Caribbean with Oasis of the Seas and Allure ofthe Seas and Norwegian Cruise Line with Norwegian Epic have introduced revolutionary ships that have changed people's expectations with regard to cruising. The success of these ships is confirmed by the fact that Royal has ordered yet another Oasis class ship and that Norwegian has ordered a series of ships that will be enhanced versions of Epic. In the face of such competition, even the industry leader can't sit still.

Beyondship's profile of Carnival Breeze with photos, copies of menus and daily programs and more is posted at http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalBreeze-Profile.html

Our photo tour of Carnival Breeze begins at http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalBreeze-Tour-1.html

Norwegian Epic Revisted

 Norwegian Epic is one of three ships that are bringing cruising to a new level. (The other two are Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas). This is not because these ships are bigger than any that have gone before but because of the new concepts that have been introduced onboard.

Focusing on Epic, the entertainment has been brought to a new level. Pre-Epic, the industry standard had been (and still is to a large extent) to have the nightly entertainment revolve around what was happening in the theater in the front of the ship. This could be a production show where a dozen young performers would sing and dance to a collection of popular tunes or a show by a stand-up comic or magician who makes a living jumping from ship to ship. Many of these are quite good but it is not first tier entertainment.

On Epic, the entertainment features acts who have already made a name ashore such as the Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert, Second City, and Cirque Dreams. To use an analogy, the difference in the experience is like the difference between drinking a house wine and drinking a name brand. Moreover, the entertainment is not limited to the ship's theater. Each night, there are shows by the name performers taking place in different venues around the ship.

Another innovative concept on Epic is its studio cabins. At one time, all passenger ships had single occupancy cabins reflecting the fact that for a variety of reasons some people want or need to travel alone. Based upon some flawed assumptions revolving around the sophistry that it is more profitable to have two people in a cabin than one, the industry abandoned single cabins. Consequently, solo travelers have to pay a single supplement for a cabin which can often be as much as 200 percent of the per person double occupancy rate.

Norwegian recognized that this left an unserved market of people who are predisposed toward cruising. Therefore, it built Epic with a large number of single occupancy cabins. In addition, in order to ensure that these people did not feel left out, it has strived to create a community of solo travelers on Epic.

Epic also premiered with a number of other innovative concepts. And while I was impressed by all these innovative concepts when the ship entered service in 2010, I began to wonder how they were working out in practice. So I returned to Epic to have another look around.

To get some insight on what Epic is all about now, I spoke with her hotel director Richard Janicki. That interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-hotel-director.html

Focusing on the entertainment, I spoke with the Second City comedy troupe and through an unusual coincidence, ended up on stage with them. My article about that is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-second-city.html

I also experienced what it is like to sail in Epic's studio cabins. http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-sailing-solo.html

Norwegian is well known for all of the dining options onboard its ships. Epic takes this even further with a collection of Norwegian classics and several new dining concepts. My reviews of six of these dining venues can be found at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-restaurant-reviews.html

Profile and Photo Tour of P&O Cruises' Azura

This week the focus is on Azura, P&O Cruises’ latest ship. Azura is 115,000 gross tons and entered service last Spring.

What I like best about Azura is the innovation. The ship is based on a tried and true design - - the design that debuted with Grand Princess and which has been used with refinements in nine subsequent ships. In 2008, P&O purchased its first Grand-class ship, the Ventura, and while that ship has proven successful, P&O has not merely cloned that ship but has continued to develop the design.

The most striking example of innovation is the introduction of staterooms for the single or solo traveler. While the ships of the ocean liner era almost always had single cabins, in recent years, the cruise ship industry has shunned them; arguing that they do not produce as much revenue per square foot of space as double occupancy cabins. As I have written previously, the math does not support that argument but nonetheless it was the common wisdom in the industry.

The net result was that solo travelers were left to pay a single supplement so that they could occupy a double cabin single occupancy. Sometimes the supplement ranged up to 100 percent of the per person double occupancy rate. This created a disincentive for solo travelers to cruise.

Yet, cruising is a great method of travel for solo travelers. People are open and friendly on a cruise and so a solo traveler does not have the isolation that he or she would face staying at a hotel. At the same time, a solo traveler has the freedom to choose whether he or she will go off on his or her own or take an organized excursion in the ports of call.

Recognizing that solo travelers are a natural for cruising, P&O included a series of inside and outside singe cabins on the Azura. These have sold quite well and generally speaking are booked quite far in advance. (Interestingly, NCL also recognized the importance of solo cruisers at about the same time and included a large number of single cabins on Norwegian Epic, which entered service shortly after Azura. I am told that Royal Caribbean is also thinking of adding single cabins to its ships as they go through their scheduled refits).

In addition to the single cabins and other physical innovations, Azura has a somewhat different style than Ventura. Both are large family-friendly ships. However, P&O has styled Azura to meet the tastes of people who have enjoyed cruising on P&O’s more traditional cruise ships. The idea is to give the traditional cruiser the features of a mega-cruise ship.

All of the P&O ships have a unifying atmosphere. However, the line shuns the notion that one size fits all and there is considerable variety across the fleet. I am pleased to see that P&O has continued this philosophy with Azura.

The Beyondships profile of Azura is at http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Azura-Profile.html and the multi-page photo tour of the ship begins at http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Azura-Tour-1.html

Cunard's Royal Rendezvous Photos and Norwegian Epic Interview

The most spectacular event this week in the cruise industry was the Cunard Royal Rendezvous in New York. All three of Cunard’s Queens - - Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth - - were in port for the day and Cunard orchestrated numerous events including ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, bathing the Empire State Building in lights that matched the traditional Cunard funnel colours and culminating in a giant fireworks display as the three ships left the harbour.

The arrival of three ships from one cruise line in New York Harbour is not all that unusual and certainly not enough to turn the heads of most New Yorkers. Furthermore, while the three Cunarders are big ships, they are not the biggest ships afloat. Why then was the Royal Rendezvous something to note?

The reason is two-fold. First, Cunard has a relationship with New York that goes back over a century. Shortly after the line was founded in 1840, New York became the western terminus for Cunard’s transatlantic crossings. Over the years, the City grew and Cunard grew. Indeed, walking around the City one can still see the Cunard name on buildings and on piers, which testifies to the fact that the line has played a not insignificant role in the story of the City.

Second, New Yorkers admire those who are the best at what they do and for many years, Cunard was the undeniable champion of the passenger ship industry. Even today, the names Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and QE2 summon up images of grandeur and grace. This mystique has been inherited by today’s Cunarders.

This year’s Royal Rendezvous almost did not happen. A severe blizzard struck the City the day before the event. If it had been a day later, the event could not have happened. Moreover, had the lingering winds stayed above 25 knots, the authorities would not have let the events go forward. As it turned out, the day was beautifully clear although bitterly cold.

I managed to skate across the snow and ice that remained on New York’s sidewalks and streets to photograph all three of the ships at their various berths in Brooklyn and Manhattan. In addition, I attended the press conference held by Cunard at Pier 88 where the line was showcasing the new Queen Elizabeth, which entered service last October. Also seen around the pier were such Cunard celebrities as Commodore Bernard Warner, Commodore Ronald Warwick (ret.), Captain Ray Heath (ret.), Captain Inger Olsen, Captain Julian Burgess and Carnival Corporation CEO Micky Arison.

As darkness fell, I took my Nikon to the 14th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel overlooking Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan island. There on the open balcony amongst the television crews and the people directing the fireworks display, I was treated to the sight of the giant ships proceeding in stately procession through the harbor as fireworks illuminated the Statue of Liberty. It was an unforgettable sight that made standing in the icy wind worthwhile.

My photo essay of the 2011 Royal Rendezvous begins at http://www.beyondships.com/Cunard-Royal-Rendezvous.html and the remarks of Cunard President and Managing Director Peter Shanks at the press conference are reported at http://www.beyondships.com/Cunard-Royal-Rendezvous-Shanks.htm.

Changing topics. I have also added a brief interview with Hotel Director Denis Prguda and Entertainment Director Julie Valeriote of Norwegian Epic. I first met Denis and Julie on Norwegian Pearl and know them to be true professionals. Consequently, I was very much impressed by the sincere enthusiasm with which they speak about Epic. The interview is at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLEpic-HD.html

Profile and Photo tour of Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Epic is one of three revolutionary ships to have debuted in the last year. Although not as large as the other two, Oasis of the Seas and her sister Allure of the Seas, Epic is a large ship. Indeed, she is one of the largest.

However, it is not the size of these ships that matters but rather how the cruise lines have used the space. Norwegian Cruise Line, like Royal Caribbean, has not just expanded on what has gone before but creatively increased the number and the quality of the options that guests have onboard. Consequently, these ships will change people’s level of expectation with regard to cruising.

NCL is no stranger to innovation. At a time when most cruise companies were employing small ships, NCL brought the giant ocean liner SS France back into service as the SS Norway, opening the door for big ship cruising.

NCL was also the first cruise line to have full production shows as entertainment. This was the fore-runner of the multi-million dollar shows that are now standard in the industry.

NCL is perhaps best known for abandoning the traditional cruise ship dining system in favor of one that allows the guests to decide when and where to dine. Almost all of the major cruise lines now have a flexible dining op0tion.

With Epic, there is innovation in the staterooms including studio cabins, non-traditional bathrooms, curving walls, and mood lighting. There is the two deck ship within a ship luxury area that encompasses not only 60 suites but exclusive outdoor areas, restaurants and lounges. Advanced technology has been employed extensively. Interactive technology has changes the way guests find their way around the ship and plan what entertainment to see. Facial recognition software has even been used to change the way images are offered in the photo gallery.

Beyondships profile page for Norwegian Epic is at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLEpic.html and the multi-page photo tour begins at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLEpic-Tour-1.html

Oriana Profile and Photo Tour and Norwegian Epic in New York

Oriana is a ship that I have been hoping to take a look at for quite some time. Her entry into service in 1995 was recognized as such a significant event that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II agreed to name the ship. After all, this was the largest passenger ship that had been built for the British market since Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2. Furthermore, she was nearly as large as QE2 and was full of all sorts of new luxury innovations. Over the years, Oriana has retained an aura about her and most Brits will know precisely what you mean when you say her name.

Although built in Germany, Oriana is thoroughly British. Her interiors are contemporary but done in restrained good taste. There is no glitz or attempts to invoke awe. Rather, there is the understatement of conservative British style.

Oriana’s British-ness also appears in the food served onboard, the activities and the entertainment. She seeks to make the people she was designed to serve feel comfortable on their holidays.

The vast majority of passengers on Oriana are British. However, P&O Cruises, her owner, also welcomes international guests who are interested in a truly British experience.

In many ways, this is a classic cruise experience as in the days before Las Vegas went to sea. At the same time, she has a celebrity chef specialty restaurant, a West End style theater, a large cinema, a spa, three pools, five whirlpools, 11 bars and even a pizzeria.

Beyondship’s profile of Oriana is at http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Oriana-Profile.html The multi-page photo tour begins at http://www.beyondships.com/PO-Oriana-Tour-1.html

A much different cruise experience came to New York this last week in the form of Norwegian Epic. This is Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest ship and at 153,000 gross tons the fifth largest cruise ship now in service.

As NCL proudly has proclaimed, its “Freestyle Cruising” was designed to break the traditional mold. On Epic, innovation is a watchword, combing entertainment and dining venues, curving interior walls and cabin configurations unlike any other cruise ship.

I was able to photograph Epic as she came up the Hudson River and docked on the West Side of Manhattan. My photo essay of this event is at: http://www.beyondships.com/NCLEpic-photoessay.html

Photo Tour of Norwegian Pearl and other cruise news

This week the focus is on Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Norwegian Pearl. The Pearl is a large cruise ship (93,000 tons) that has been in service for a little over three years now. She spends the winter months in the Caribbean and the summer months cruising to Alaska.

By the luck of the draw, my cruise on the Pearl came just after my cruise on Oasis of the Seas, which is a phenomenal ship (more about this in April) and so I thought that the Pearl would suffer by comparison. However, I greatly enjoyed my cruise on Pearl. The reasons are straightforward.

First, there is the ship itself. Built by Meyer Werft, Pearl is well-engineered and nicely designed. She has the ability to do 25 knots and a relatively deep draft that helps to keep her stable. Perhaps more importantly, the public spaces are laid out well so that the ship is easy to get around and has good passenger flow. In addition, NCL has provided the ship with numerous dining and entertainment options that give one a great deal of choice as to what to do during the cruise.

Second, the ship is very well-maintained. The facilities look more like those on a ship just out of the yard than those of a popular ship that sees nearly 2,400 passengers a week. Everything in the cabin worked. I was also impressed by how clean everything was.

Third, there was the friendliness of the crew. Everyone had a hello or a good day. I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes in order to obtain material for my articles and I was impressed by how happy the crew members seemed.

As an NCL ship, Pearl follows the Freestyle style of cruising. This is an unstructured approach that provides the passenger with the building blocks to design their own cruise. The passenger decides whether they want the luxury of a Garden Villa, the economy of an inside cabin or something in between. He or she decides whether to join in organized activities or to utilize the ship’s facilities on their own. Of course, there is the choice of which of the ship’s dining venues to eat in and when to do so.

There are practical limitations. Not everyone can dine in the French specialty restaurant at the same time. Not every venue or facility is open 24 hours. However, there are enough options so that it all works out. This has led the other major lines to introduce elements of the Freestyle approach to their ships.

Beyondships’ profile of Norwegian Pearl is at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLPearl.html and the photo tour and commentary begins at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLPearl-Tour-1.html

Turning to items in the news . . . .

NCL has announced that its new ship Norwegian Epic, due out this summer, will have the largest spa at sea. It will be 31,000 square feet and include amongst other things: 24 treatment rooms, 2 private couples villas, a hydrotherapy and thermal suite, steam rooms, a salon, a fitness center and a barber shop. Along the same lines, NCL revealed that 11 of the 21 dining venues on the Epic will be complimentary.

Sticking with NCL, the line also announced that it will be making $20 million of improvements to its private island Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. Beyondships will be presenting a photo tour and commentary on Great Stirrup Cay in April.

Meanwhile, Princess Cruises has named Copenhagen as its “Port of the Year” for 2009 based upon passenger satisfaction surveys. This is the first time that Princess passengers have so named a port outside of the United States. The cruise port in the Danish capital is located in the heart of the city with most ships tying up at berths that are within walking distance of some of the city’s major attractions including the Little Mermaid statue and the Royal Palace thus making it a good port of call during a cruise.. However, Princess’ award honors the port as a turnaround port - - one where a cruise begins or ends - - and thus recognizes the port’s service and efficiency.

Photo Tour of Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay and Other Cruise News Items

This week Beyondships focuses on Coco Cay, a private resort in the Bahamas developed by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and used as a port of call by that company’s cruise lines, principally Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, during cruises to the Caribbean and/or Bahamas. The ships stop for the day and transport passengers, food, and beverages to the island via tenders. Then, in the late afternoon, the tenders take the passengers and what remains of the supplies back to the ship. No guests sleep at the resort. .

Coco Cay is a man-made a tropical paradise created for the pleasure of the cruise ship’s guests. The island itself is a relatively small outcropping of coral that has been transformed into an appealing venue with sandy beaches shaded by tall palms. In the developed area there are a wide range of facilities including bars and places to have something to eat. One can hire all sorts of watercraft including catamarans, jet skis, and kayaks. One can swim, snorkel, scuba or fly above the water on a parasail. Alternatively, one can lie on a deck chair or in one of the hammocks strung between the palms.

Much of the island has been left relatively undeveloped, however. As one gets further away from the developed area, the beaches become less crowded until there is only the occasional fellow passenger passing by. Alternatively, there is a nature trail that one can follow to the other end of the island. This takes one through the dense indigenous vegetation and over numerous (and often slippery) rocks. The rewards for such an expedition are some very nice views and something that one does not often find these days: silence - - there is no sound of cars, airplanes, or music. It can be quite startling to hear nothing but the water lapping against the shore..

Places like Coco Cay are fantasies. They are created by the cruise line. As a result, they are not cultural experiences.. However, they also do not have the poverty and crime that plague the so-called real world. They are places to come for a day just for the enjoyment - - an escape if you like. Like a tropical Brigadoon, they disappear when the cruise ship sails.

Beyondhips’ photo tour of Coco Cay begins at . http://beyondships.com/RCI-CocoCay.html
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Turning to items in the news . . .

During Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd’s fourth quarter conference call with securities analysts, RCCL Chairman Richard Fain indicated that even though Oasis of the Seas has been a big hit with customers and is commanding premium prices, the company will probably not build another such ship after Allure of the Seas, which is currently under construction in Finland. This should not be too surprising as the size of the Oasis class ships limits where the ships can go and they are very expensive to build. Fain gave no indication of what type of ship would be built for the company’s Royal Caribbean International subsidiary after Allure of the Seas. Three Solstice-class ships are currently on order for RCCL’s Celebrity Cruises subsidiary.

During her recent Panama Canal cruise from California to Florida, Coral Princess diverted to participate in a rescue at sea. A Columbian fishing boat had sunk and the cruise ship, various other vessels and aircraft made a search for survivors. Three people were rescued.

Norwegian Cruise Lines announced that Norwegian Epic, scheduled to enter service later this year, will be sailing in Europe during part of the 2011 season.

Cunard’s Queen Victoria made her maiden call in San Francisco on January 27 as part of her world cruise. Queen Victoria is scheduled to do a series of cruises from California in 2011.

Celebrity Summit Photo Tour and other cruise news

This week, we take a look at Celebrity Summit. Summit is one of four ships built in France for Celebrity in the early years of this millennium. Indeed, the lead ship in the class was the Millennium and the four are collectively referred to as the Millennium-class. They were technologically advanced with gas turbine engines and azipod propulsion systems. However, what is of primary concern to most guests is their distinctive interiors.

When one steps aboard a Millennium class ship, one is transported into a refined world. The décor is contemporary, understated and subtle. The art work is interesting but unobtrusive. The lighting is subtle. It is definitely an upscale experience.

His is also reflected in how the ship is operated. The service is friendly and attentive. With the Celebrity Life onboard programming, there are activities to interest the mind, body and palette. While there is a dress code, it balances formality with the need to relax while on vacation.

Summit is very similar to her younger sister Constellation. The most apparent difference is in the specialty restaurant. On Summit, the restaurant is an ode to the great French ocean liner Normandie. This tribute carries over to the main dining room which is dominated by a statue that once was on the Normandie.

Beyondships profile of Summit appears at http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Summit-Profile.html and the photo tour and commentary begins at http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Summit-Tour-1.html

Next week, we shall also be adding an interview in which hotel director Julien Brackenberry talks about the ship.

Turning to other news . . . .

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the parent company of Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International, has announced that it will be sending over $1 million in aid to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The Royal Caribbean ships call in Haiti on a regular basis, at the company’s private beach resort Labade. The company says that its ships will continue to call there, which will provide additional money to the Haitian economy. Royal also says that the net revenue from those calls will go to earthquake relief.

Cunard has announced that it is partnering with New York’s Julliard School of Music to have jazz performances by students and faculty of the school on select transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary 2 during 2010. Speaking of QM2, Beyondships will be featuring an interview with QM2 Captain Nick Bates in the not too distant future.

Speaking of partnerships, NCL has announced that it has partnered with Nickelodeon to have Nickelodeon-themed family entertainment programming on Norwegian Jewel starting this April and on Norwegian Epic starting in June.

Norwegian Epic will also be offering its studio cabins without a single supplement. These cabins will have approximately 100 square feet of space with a full size bed. There will also be a separate area for the bathroom. The studio cabins will open out into a studio lounge, which will be shared by passengers in other studio cabins.

The beginning of the year marks the cruise industry’s “wave season” and many of the lines are running sales and promotions. For example, Princess Cruises has a “Balcony Bonanza” in which guests can have a balcony cabin for the price of an oceanview stateroom. Along the same lines, Cunard has announced discounts on Queen Victoria’s long Mediterranean cruises in the Fall of 2010.