Disney Park Tickets Increase

It just got a little bit more expensive to visit Walt Disney World. Disney increased their one-day park pass to $71 from $67. This is the second increase in seven month.

But what choice do you have? If you want play, you got to pay. At least Interliners still get discounts on Disney Resort stays. Check out InterlineRates.com for details.

Walt Disney World Hikes Ticket Prices
Disney ticket price Calculator

RCI - Genesis Class Ship

Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale may become the homeport for Royal Caribbean's $1.2 billion, 5,400-passenger Ship, when it debut in 2009 and 2010. In order to accommodate these megaships Port Everglades will have to undergo a $37 million expansion of Terminal 18, said Ellen Kennedy, port spokeswoman. The port predicts the ship's year round presence would create 3,800 jobs, producing total income of $172 million.

Alaska Cruise - Holland America - Noordam

Holland America – Noordam – Alaska Cruise (7-29-07)
This week we are leading a group to Alaska onboard Holland America’s Noordam. Our trip is round trip from Seattle and we will visit Glacier Bay, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, & Victoria.

Seattle
We stayed at the Westin Downtown, and I was pleasantly surprised that we were so close to so many of the local attractions. We were able to walk just about everywhere. Pikes Market, the Space Needle, the Mall, and China Town were all within walking distance. One can always catch a cab or the monorail if you wish. An alternative to the Westin might be the Sheraton Hotel, both provide excellent rates ($150 – 250 per night ). Cheaper than the cruise line’s pre stay package. We caught a taxi from the airport for about $30 and then $10 from hotel to pier 32. (A footnote: Free WIFI internet in the lobby of the hotel)

Day at Sea
Today was the first full day at sea and the Noordam has packed the day full of activities – the highlight for us was the galley tour followed by the culinary cooking demonstration. Holland America, and Food & Wine Magazine had built a state of the art Culinary Arts Center in the Queen’s Lounge. Chef John, from the Pinnacle Grill, was our instructor. He was funny and entertaining. Afterwards I spoke to John and he said cooking is suppose to be fun, so you “have fun” and don’t take it so seriously. I like his attitude toward food. The Noordam also offer classes on garnishing, and a personal hands on cooking class (only 24 slots and it fills up fast, so book it the first day - $30)

One change Holland America has made to this Vista Class ship is the newly design Exploration Café. It is like Barns and Noble meets Starbucks meets Internet Café. It is a great place to hang out, have some coffee, read, and surf. I especially like all the travel books available to help you plan your excursions and future trips.

Glacier Bay National Park
This day started early, with the boarding of a naturalist who has been keeping us inform with announcements over the intercom system. It is a great way for us to see the wildlife that might otherwise go unnoticed.

When we entered Glacier Bay, a park ranger and Native American lecturer boarded the ship and they took over telling us all about the National Park and the native habitat and the history of Glacier Bay. They even had an inter-active display in the Vista Lounge where you can touch and feel what the silk from the glacier might be like.

While there at the Marjorie Glacier were were able to witness the power of the glaciers. Massive chunks of ice would fall into the bay, I can see what they call it "White Lightning". The roar of the thunder which followed was amazing - what a highlight.

Juneau
Juneau is the Capital of Alaska. Hemmed in by Mount Juneau, Mount Roberts and Mendenhall Glacier, there are roads within the borough, but you cannot drive to Juneau from somewhere else. This Capital’s access is strictly by air or sea. Maybe that is why nobody bothers to lock their cars here. Where are you going to go after you steal the car?

There was schedule bus service from the pier to Mendenhall Glacier for $6 each way and very inexpensive trip. Mendenhall Glacier can be fun and the observation building is a great way to get oriented before starting on your trek. There were also a City & Glacier Tours from $25 and a City Trolley Tour from $17. The Gondola ride is also right there, it gives you a bird’s eye view of the town. All the tours were available from Pier side. Holland America docks right in town, Princess was one pier away and NCL was a bit farther.

If you are into something a more expensive, check out the float-plane trip to Taku Lodge. It is a great shore excursion, interline discounts are available. Call us or their office for details. I believe the company is run by an Alaska Airline pilot.

Juneau is also the largest of the towns were visited and there were plenty of Jewelry and t-shirt stores available. One find was a Jewelry store right in town, Majestic Gems, at 108 People’s Wharf. Raj & Jennifer just opened this store this year and they have a promotional “Northern Lights” Topaz pendant for only $20. It is a great find and fantastic gift. Check it out, ask for Judi when you are at the store, she was my sales person.

Sitka
Sitka is known as “Alaska’s Little Russia”, even though at a glance not much about the port looks Russian. Look a little closer, however, and you will find some unmistakably Slavic elements. Check out St. Michael’s Cathedral, a small Russian Orthodox Church, right in the middle of town. You can go in and see some of the art work, such as the silver –bound 19th-century Bible for $2. The Orthodox priest was also there to answer question about the church. We just walked around town and I like going to Castle Hill at the edge of town. The steps to the top are on the side of the Post office. The short climb is rewarded with a sweeping view of Sitka Sound and the ships docked in the bay. We did not do any shore excursion but there were plenty of vendors who are willing to sell you a tour to the nearby sites. There was also a Kayak trip from the harbor. People loved it. It took them from the pier to the Fish Canary, a bit stinky, but you are rewarded with sights of Sea Lions, Bald Eagles and Otters. I walked over and was able to see some Bald Eagles close up and personal. What a majestic animal.

Ketchikan
Alaskan call Ketchikan the “First City”, not because of its size or population but because in the days before air travel it was always the first Alaska port of call for northbound steamship passengers. Despite it’s “untouched” appearance this area is really not “new” to tourism. The Pacific Coast Steamship Company began operating southeast Alaskan excursions in 1884.

Today is a beautiful day here, and we wandered over to "Creek Street". With their small little shops on stilts over the water, this area is a quaint as it gets. We also hiked up on "married man's trail" if you go to the end toward the street side, if you slow down, you can see the salmon jumping. What a great way to end our trip to Alaska

Victoria
We arrived at Victoria at 6pm which does not leave us with much time in Victoria but on this trip our only plan was to see the fireworks at Butchart Garden (only available on Saturdays). We signed up for a shore excursion with Holland America and it was worth the $60.(even though I just found the same trip on Grayline tours for $41). We were able to see part of Victoria by motorcoach and still had time to see some beautiful flowers and gardens before it got dark. FYI, get to the seat early if you want a good view.

Overall, I would say it was a wonderful trip and I look forward to seeing Alaska again in the very near future.

New Pan Am Jet Service

Youtube strikes again... Check out this old commercial from 1958 regarding the "New" Pan Am 707 Jet service. Oh those were the good old days.

Times sure has changed

RCI expands Smoke-Free Areas

Royal Caribbean announced today they will make all staterooms & suite non smoking. So starting January, you will have to step outside on the balcony, designated Bar/lounge areas, or the outer decks.

According to Royal Caribbean, "violations of the smoking policy will result in cleaning charges to the guest's onboard account". WELL... I don't smoke but did you have to state it like that? The defend their policy as part of their new contemporary approach to healthier lifestyles for their guest. And it doesn't hurt that, SURVEY SHOWS ... "Strong support of the new smoking policy"

So there you have it.

Open Seating Test on RCI

Royal Caribbean International has confirmed it will be testing the the open seating dining concept on the Freedom of the Seas from October 14 thru December 16. The flexible dining program is in response to Holland America's "As you Wish" open seaing on their ships. Holland will expand the concept to fleet wide over the next year. Holland America like Princess will still have the traditional seating on some of the restaurants.

I personally think the flexible dining is here to stay. Some people will still prefer traditional set dining hours but there are many people, like myself who like the flexible concept.

United Hires New Pilots

United Airlines Opens Online Application for New Pilots Today - UAL will begin accepting applications for 100 new pilots. It is the first time they have hired since 2001.

“We’re investing in our business; and our expansion in international markets enables us to add to our team of the best, highly skilled professional aviators in the world,” says Captain Hank Krakowski, vice president of Flight Operations. “United’s industry-leading, advanced qualification training program ensures that our pilots are technically proficient and have also mastered the crew-based, collaborative decision making and real-world problem solving that sets United pilots apart.”

The entire rcruitment will be conducted online...
If interested contact United

Carnival's CEO Retires

Carnival Cruise Line's President and CEO, Bob Dickinson announced that he will retire at the end of the year. I was completely surprised by the annoucement. I met Bob in 1995 at a Cruise Convention, that day we had some of the most inspirering conversation which shaped my career in the industry. Bob Dickinson is one of the cruise industry most recognizable and influential executives. We will miss him.

"I have been blessed to have had a long, fun-filled career helping to build Carnival and the cruise industry," Dickinson said. "I'm still having fun so giving all of that up has been a very difficult decision, but I'll be 65 next month and have been pondering this with my family for some time. I look forward to working with Gerry who will inherit what I believe is the most talented and dedicated management team in the cruise industry."

Dickinson's boss for some time, Carnival Corp. Chairman and CEO Micky Arison, said: "Bob has truly achieved legendary status in the travel industry. There is simply no other travel industry executive who is as well known and respected as he." Arison called Dickinson "one of the most influential people in the development of the modern-day cruise industry" who will be missed "not only by everyone here at Carnival, but by travel agents, his competitors and the media who loved his often humorous sound bites."

Gerry Cahill will assume the responsibility of President and CEO immediately "so that there is an ample transtition period," the company said David Bernstein, Carnival Corp.'s vice president and treasurer, will become the company's CFO, also effective immediately.

New FunshipIsland website

Funshipisland.com - I just found this website, designed obviously by Carnival Cruise Line. It is full of Flash and interactive elements to give you an idea of what your experience might be on a cruise. I think it is kind of fun to play and click around.

Go Check it out Funshipisland.com

New Cruise Line - Azamara

Azamara Cruises - is the new deluxe cruise line launched by parent company Royal Caribbean earlier this year. They have two - 710 passengers ships, the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest. If you get a chance to experience this cruise line you should. Prices for Interliners are reasonable especially right now, since the general public does not have much awareness of this new cruise line.

InterlineRates.com has a Bermuda Cruise from Newark starting at $599, they are going fast though. While I was writing this blog two of them sold out. WOW

Check it out at InterlineRates.com

InterlineRates.com - One Day Sale

http://www.InterlineRates.com has a one day Interline Appreciation Sale on the 4th of July. Check out all the repositioning and Pacific Coastal Cruise for September and October. It must be booked online, sale ends midnight.

HAL launched Culinary Arts

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE launched a Culinary Arts Center program for kids and teens, using the same million-dollar kitchens from the Culinary Arts Center it has on its ships. Starting this summer, the line will offer complimentary, 45-minute classes that will incorporate dishes from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Richard Meadows, HAL executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs, said, "Learning about the culinary arts and cooking isn't just for adults." Recipes include: Bear Tracks (Alaska-themed cookies), ice cream sandwiches, soft pretzels, granola bars and saltwater taffy. Check out the detail on Holland America's Website

Costa's Newest Homeport

COSTA CRUISES will this winter operate Indian Ocean cruises that depart from Mauritius. The line said it would become the first major cruise line to homeport a ship on Mauritius, an island nation east of Madagascar. Between Dec. 22 and March 1, the 1,000-passenger Costa Marina will run six 14-day cruises departing on Saturdays and calling in Kenya and nearby islands, including Madagascar and Reunion. Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi said that judging from the itinerary's advance bookings, it will be a popular itinerary.

Seabourn's New Ship

SEABOURN CRUISE LINE will name its new ship the Seabourn Odyssey and debut the $250 million new-build in Venice in mid-2009. The 225-suite ship is currently under construction at Italy's T. Mariotti shipyard; it will be the first addition to Seabourn's fleet in close to 20 years. The line said that plans for the vessel's maiden voyages are expected to be released by the end of this year. Seabourn President Pamela Conover said that out of hundreds of names the line considered, it wanted a name that would reflect the ship's primary purpose: "to wander the globe, carrying our guests to the world's most exciting ... destinations."

727 For Sale

Someone actually has a 727 aircraft for sale on ebay. It is not as expensive as one might think. The "Buy Now" price is only $100,000. If you wish to bid on this aircaft the current bid is $46,100. What a deal. You are resposible for pickup of the vehicle and it doesn't have any engines. What would one do with a 727 without engines. A very large Lawn ornament?

Flight Attendant 50 yrs of Service

== Over 26 million miles logged in her illustrious 50-year career with the airline ==

Continental Airlines' number one flight attendant on the system seniority list, Norma Heape, will celebrate 50 years of service with the company on a flight between New York and Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Recruited as a flight attendant from the Patricia Stevens Modeling Agency in June 1957, before Continental had jet-powered aircraft in its fleet, Heape now serves as an International Service Manager on board the aircraft. In her illustrious 50-year career with the airline, she has flown over 26 million miles on 27 different aircraft types to nearly all of Continental's more than 100 destinations worldwide.

Drug Dogs Fired for Sexual Harassment

Bangkok, June 11: Two Thai street mutts who became ace sniffer dogs at an airport near the notorious “Golden Triangle” opium-producing region have been fired for urinating on luggage and ‘sexually harassing’ female passengers.

Mok’s former handler Police Lieutenant said, “Mok liked to pee on luggage while searching for drugs inside. He also liked to hold on to women’s legs,” he added.

“Both were just as good as foreign dogs trained for use in drug missions,” he added. “But they were stray dogs, so their manners were not as good as those of foreign breeds.” Interline Story >>

Regent Seven Seas - New Port

REGENT SEVEN SEAS became the first cruise ship to call at Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada's first aboriginal terminal, on June 5. The Seven Seas Mariner docked at Campbell River's Wei Wai Kum Cruise Ship Terminal, located on the northeastern end of Vancouver Island. Regent said the new cruise destination was an initiative of the Campbell River Indian Band, also known as the Wei Wai Kum. The Seven Seas Mariner will be the only ship to call in Campbell River this year, a destination that Regent said was also known as the "Salmon Capital of the World," on seven-night cruises from Seward, Alaska to Vancouver. Upcoming Regent sailings featuring calls to Campbell River depart on June 13, June 27 and July 11; it will also call there on some 2008 cruises

Orient Line - SOLD

MIAMI – June 4, 2007 – NCL Corporation (“NCL”) today announced the sale of Marco Polo, from its Orient Lines brand effective March 23, 2008.

Marco Polo is presently owned by Star Cruises along with two other mid-sized vessels also operated on charter by NCL, Norwegian Dream and Norwegian Majesty.

“Marco Polo has an extremely loyal following and the Orient Lines brand is unique in what it offers,” said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation. “It has been an important part of our business during the transition from the old NCL to the new NCL with the youngest fleet in the industry by the end of this year.

New Ship on the West Coast

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES launched the Port of San Diego's first year-round cruise program last week when the 2,052-passenger Elation departed on a four-day cruise to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The Elation will operate four- and five-day cruises to Cabo San Lucas departing Thursdays, Mondays and Saturdays. In the winter, the Elation will be joined by the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit, which operates eight-day Mexican Riviera voyages from San Diego between October and April. Combined, the Elation and the Carnival Spirit are expected to carry more than 230,000 passengers annually from the port, the most of any cruise operator.


ALSO HEADING WEST is the Mariner of the Seas, which Royal Caribbean International will send to Los Angeles on Feb. 22, 2009. It will be the largest Royal Caribbean ship, and the first Voyager-class vessel, to be deployed on the West Coast. The vessel will offer 27 seven-day sailings to the Mexican Riviera from its Los Angeles homeport, calling on ports including Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.

Cruise News - 6/02/07

SEABOURN CRUISES released details of the design plan for the first of the two $250 million, 450-passenger ships it commissioned from Italy's T. Mariotti shipyard. Seabourn said the yard recently cut the first steel plates for the ship, which is slated to enter service in June 2009. The ship will have 13 categories of suites, four dining venues and six bars; it was designed to mirror the silhouette of the existing Seabourn ships but contain additional facilities and amenities. At three times the size of current Seabourn vessels but just double the passengers, Seabourn said the ship would have one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry. "We've been careful to incorporate Seabourn's signature features while designing the next generation of ultra luxury ship to satisfy the desires of a new generation of luxury travelers," said Pamela Conover, Seabourn president and CEO, in a statement.

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MSC CRUISES changed the name of one of its two post-Panamax ships under construction from the MSC Serenata to the MSC Splendida. MSC said the name Splendida was chosen because Raphaela Aponte, who is responsible for every ship's interior design details and is the wife of MSC owner Gianluigi Aponte, was so enthusiastic about the ship's architectural designs. The 133,000-ton MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia, the largest ships commissioned by MSC to date, are scheduled to join MSC's fleet in fall 2008 and spring 2009, respectively.

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ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL said 200 of the 3,846 passengers on its newest ship, the Liberty of the Seas, experienced gastrointestinal illness on its seven-day, May 26 sailing from Miami. The next cruise left Miami five hours late on June 2 so that Royal Caribbean could carry out enhanced cleaning procedures and protocols, as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Twelve of the ship's 1,425 crew members were also affected, Royal Caribbean said. It said that all affected passengers and crew responded well to over-the-counter medication administered onboard the ship. The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program said that Royal Caribbean increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, notified oncoming passengers about the illness, delayed the subsequent voyage's embarkation to implement additional cleaning and disinfection procedures and staffed the subsequent voyage with additional crew to clean and disinfect the ship during the voyage.

Virgin Plans All Business Class Flignts

Richard Branson plans business class-only flights with a fleet of up to 15 new planes, in a move which could spell trouble for upstart rivals in the competitive transatlantic market. This could really effect upstarts like MAXJet and Silverjet.

The initial plans are to have flights from New York to Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan, Zurich and London.

Mike Figgis: Here to "shoot a pilot"

Mike Figgis: that TSA "shoot a pilot" thing was bogus

Apparently, there were several stories related to Mike Figgis being detained by TSA for saying he was at the airport to "shoot a pilot", was not true.

Here is the real Story of how the events took place

Northwest Exit Bankruptcy

Northwest Airlines is set to exit bankruptch on Thursday, ending a 20 month spell in Chapter 11. This will be the first time in 5 years that none of the major US airline are in bankruptcy. That in itself is a sad commentary...

Cruise News - 5/29/07

CELEBRITY CRUISES placed an order for a fourth Solstice-class cruise ship with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft, with an expected delivery date in fall 2011. The three other 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger Solstice-class ships are the Celebrity Solstice, the Celebrity Equinox and the Celebrity Eclipse, with slated deliveries every year between 2008 and 2010. Celebrity's fleet would grow to 11 ships with the $798 million new ship-order, a testament "to the demand we've received from travel agent partners and travelers" for Celebrity, said parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises' CEO Richard Fain. All four Solstice-class ships are being constructed by Meyer Werft and will have 90% outside cabins, 85% of those with verandas.



NCL CORP. will offer priority hiring to soldiers in an army employment program for jobs on the line's U.S.-flagged NCL America ships. NCL joined the Army's Partnership for Youth Success program, to help NCL "develop long-term relationships with quality candidates for our NCL America ships in Hawaii," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. Under an agreement with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, interested enlistees agree to interview for one of approximately 50 positions on NCL America ships upon completion of their term of service.


THE FOURS SEASONS WILL FLOAT on a luxury residential cruise ship development slated for a 2010 delivery. BV International Ocean Holdings opened sales for private residences aboard Four Seasons Ocean Residences, a partnership with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts brand. The 48,600-ton residential vessel will have 112 wholly owned one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom residences, from 800 to more than 7,000 square feet, starting at $3.8 million and will feature a helipad, a putting green and more than 70,000 square feet of public space.


THE PORT OF COPENHAGEN in Denmark will invest $40 million in a new dock for cruise ships, scheduled for completion in 2009. The dock is primarily geared towards cruise ship turnarounds, the port said, and the investment is part of a long-term strategy to attract more cruise ship traffic. "Good facilities play a leading role when cruise lines and passengers choose a destination," said Per Schmidt of the Port of Copenhagen. The port said it would set a new record in terms of cruise ship visits this year, with 290 vessels slated for arrival, carrying 420,000 cruise passengers, a 5% increase compared with 2006.

Baby born on Delta Flight

Two doctors on a Delta Air Lines flight from Germany delivered a baby in the aisle of the plane and resuscitated him when he wasn't breathing, officials said.

Delta Flight 131 to Atlanta was over the Washington area when a woman about 32 to 36 weeks — or nine months — pregnant went into labor Wednesday afternoon, prompting an emergency stop in Charlotte, N.C., about nine hours into the flight.

Apparently Delta does not have a "no fly" rule for women flying in their last month of pregnancy. I bet they will now...

Cruise News - 5/22/07

NCL CORP. said weak pricing on its interisland Hawaii cruises was the main culprit behind the cruise line's $60.8 million loss during the first quarter. NCL reported revenues of $490.8 million, a 15.1% increase over the same period of 2006, on a 23.4% increase in capacity days. Occupancy for the quarter was down from 105.5% to 103.9%. NCL CEO Colin Veitch reiterated that "we remain committed to the Hawaiian market," and that taking the Pride of Hawaii out of the Hawaii and redeploying it to Europe would "allow the company to further capitalize on the growing demand for European cruises."

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DISNEY CRUISE LINE wired the Disney Magic for passengers for passenger cell phone usage in time for its transatlantic voyage to Europe. The ship departed Port Canaveral for the Mediterranean on May 12. Disney said the service will be added on its second ship, the Disney Wonder, this summer. In a statement, the line said that mobile phone service was only available in passengers' cabins while at sea, so "guests who still look for a cruise vacation as a way to escape need not worry." Wireless Maritime Services is proving a service that will support more than 340 cellular providers worldwide, Disney said.

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ACTRESSES, A TRAVEL AGENT, AND A PRINCESS were among the godmothers who named a whopping five cruise ships last week. Culminating the run was Saturday's christening of the Costa Serena in Marseille, France, by French film star Marion Cotillard. The Costa Serena christening was preceded hours before by the naming of Norwegian Coastal Voyage's new ship, the Fram, by Norway's Crown Princess Mette Marit. On Friday, the Liberty of the Seas was named in Miami by travel agent Donnalea Madaley, and last Monday the MSC Orchestra was named in Rome by Italian film icon Sophia Loren. The week kicked off last Sunday in Greece when the Emerald Princess was named in Athen's port of Piraeus by 1970's sitcom stars Florence Henderson, Susan Olsen, Marion Ross and Erin Moran. The five ships range in size from the 12,700-ton Fram to the 158,000-ton Liberty of the Seas.

Carnival Spa Contest

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES is holding a contest to name the 21,000-square-foot spa on its upcoming ship, the Carnival Splendor. The winner will receive a cruise for two in a Carnival Splendor spa suite and complimentary spa services for the entire voyage. The Name Our Most Spectacular Spa Ever contest is asking consumers to help coin a name for the largest spa in the line's fleet, and the second largest at sea. The spa will feature Carnival's first spa staterooms and suites; a thalassotherapy pool; a thermal suite; and Middle Eastern and Asian spa therapies. The 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor will represent a new class of vessel for Carnival, and is slated to debut in July 2008 operating Carnival's first Northern Europe cruise program. To enter the contest, contestants must submit their suggestion via an entry form available on the Carnival Splendor's site, www.carnival.com/splendor. Entries will be accepted through June 15.

IRS more popular than Airlines

Recent survey released said that American like IRS better than their airlines. Ouch !

The airlines' score -- down two points from last year -- was the lowest for the industry since 2001 and reflects growing dissatisfaction with the travel industry. The airlines' long struggle to return to profitability after a prolonged slump following the attacks of September 11, 2001 may have led them to cut costs and service too far.

Interline Story

Ship ran aground in Alaska

206 PASSENGERS on Majestic America Lines' Empress of the North, which ran aground May 14 after hitting a charted reef in Alaska, will receive a full refund for that seven-day cruise plus a credit for a future cruise. The National Transportation Safety Board is looking into how the cruise ship came close enough to the reef to hit the rocks in an area known as a well-marked and lighted fishing spot. David Giersdorf, Majestic Cruise Line's president, said in a statement that "we are actively working to identify the cause of this incident, and will take appropriate action once all the facts are known." The impact damaged the ship's outer hull, forcing it to run aground and take on water; it was still able to float free of the reef and return to Juneau under its own power. Interline Story >>

JetBlue CEO Ousted

Back on February 19th when JetBlue's operational disaster, many people speculated that if Neeleman wasn't the founder, he would have been fired.

Well that is exactly what the board of directors did. So it goes to show, you can start a successful airline and still get fired.

Neeleman will remain as a non-executive chairman of the board. More Interline Story

Liberty of the Seas Inaugural

I’ve just returned from the inaugural celebration aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Liberty of the Seas. Like her sister ship (Freedom of the Seas), these vessels are the largest passenger ships afloat and offer guests unlimited activities, dining options and an abundance of space!

The Royal Promenade, (first introduced on Voyager of the Seas), is larger than a football field and offers everything one would expect to find along a chic boulevard in a trendy town, such as a wine bar, authentic English pub, boutique shops, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream parlor and even a place to get a clean shave for the men. Although this is the social hub of the ship, it is by no means the only place to have fun – and fun is what this ship is all about. Some of the biggest new key features are the H20 Zone waterpark, complete with interactive sculpture fountains, ground geysers and a cascading waterfall; Flowrider – the first ever onboard surf park at sea; cantilevered whirlpools that extend 12 feet beyond the sides of the ship, and a boxing rink!

I personally enjoyed the ships décor and found many areas to be reminiscent of the art-deco period, especially in the Palladium Show Lounge. Entertainment here was incredible and some of the best I’ve seen in a long time.

For those wanting the ultimate in fun and adventure, Liberty of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas are the ships for you!

Leonard Ott
President
InterlineRates.com

RCI Launch Azamara Cruises

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES unveiled a new cruise line member of its family on Friday when RCCL Chairman Richard Fain introduced Azamara Cruises, a "deluxe" brand positioned between the premium and luxury segments. The new line will comprise ships that were bound for the Celebrity Expeditions brand, the Celebrity Journey -- now the Azamara Journey -- and the Celebrity Quest, which will be renamed the Azamara Quest this fall. The new line and the 710-person Journey, which just completed a $19 million refurbishment, were introduced to the public on May 4. The ships will sail the itineraries that have been marketed under the Expeditions banner, the line said, and will offer Asia and world cruise itineraries.

AZAMARA CRUISES is introducing a new, "deluxe" category name to mainstream cruising, and RCCL said Azamara will distinguish itself from premium line Celebrity by offering destination-oriented itineraries in remote places where Celebrity's larger ships can't go, with butler service in every cabin category, no formal nights and a more immersive shore excursion programs. "Because this is a different product, and so distinct, it deserves a category name of its own to represent the fact that we're offering something different," said Fain. Azamara cruises will be priced above Celebrity's but below luxury lines, said Azamara President Dan Hanrahan, who also is president of the Celebrity brand.





THE AZAMARA JOURNEY'S first passengers, who had been booked on the ship when it was called the Celebrity Journey, got to take their cruise for free: The vessel departed from Bayonne, N.J., on its first sailing on May 6, a day late, because refurb work was still being completed onboard. The line gave passengers a full refund.

Introducing ...Miss Pam Ann

My friends forward me this link from youtube.com Miss Pam Ann is the alter ego of Australian comedian Caroline Reid. An emerging icon in gay culture, she portrays the air-hostess Pam Ann, a mixture of drag, camp and glamour, and a pun on the airline Pan Am.

Performance tends to emphasise the vulgarities of air travel, including the identifying quirks of various airlines around the world, mixed with a generous dose of humor and double entrendre.

Miss Pam Ann has a few entries in youtube.com so look around afterwards, you'll laugh like you've never laugh before...

Lilly - Chinese Flight Attendant
Fly Me - Pam Ann
Pam Ann & the Sydney Swans

If you want to know more about Caroline's Tour schedule in the UK and her website.

Holland America 1 Week Sale

Holland America has just put their entire Alaska Season on sale and InterlineRates.com has put an addtional discount on top of the interline savings. Book any Holland America Cruise this week Monday April 16 thru Sunday April 22 and you will receive an additional discount to your already low interline pricing.

Check the details on InterlineRates.com
Alaksa Cruise 5/18, 5/20 $365

BA Crew Delay flight 13 hours

(Reuters) Passengers on a British Airways flight from New Delhi to London faced a 13 hour delay as the pilot felt he was too sleepy after a noisy night in a New Delhi hotel, newspapers reported on Monday.

Angry passengers were offloaded from the plane early Sunday morning after the pilot refused to fly until he caught up with his sleep.

"The crew hadn't had enough rest... the entire crew had a disturbed night," Radhika Raikhy, spokeswoman for BA, was quoted in the Hindustan Times as saying, adding the airline's safety rules do not allow its crew to operate in such conditions.

The Times of India said the flight and cabin crew complained of not getting enough rest as their hotel was too noisy.

The flight, BA 142, finally took off 13 hours later to the fury of passengers who were sent to city hotels to wait out the delay as the crew rested, newspapers reported.

"It was very chaotic," said Sunil Thapar, a passenger. "Due to a shortage of rooms, some people, including me, had to share rooms with strangers," he was quoted in The Times of India as saying.

Cruise News

THE PRIDE OF HAWAII will be renamed the Norwegian Jade, reflagged and redeployed to Europe in 2008, NCL Corp. said. The company said that its 2006 losses were caused by downward pricing pressure in the Hawaii market following the addition of the Pride of Hawaii to the fleet last summer, combined with an increase in foreign-flag competition in the market. The company said the withdrawal would be temporary. "We take this action with regret, but sure in the knowledge that a temporary retrenchment is the right thing to do for the good of the business and the good of Hawaii in the long run," CEO Colin Veitch said.

THE NORWEGIAN JADE will be reflagged into the Bahamas registry during a wetdock in Honolulu, where the ship will be fitted with a casino and new hull artwork. It will sail 12-, 13- and 14-day eastern and western Mediterranean cruises, sailing from Barcelona, Istanbul and Athens; it will then reposition to Southampton, England, for a series of cruises to the Mediterranean, North Cape, Western Europe and the British Isles. The ship will offer a series of sailings designed specifically for the U.K. market, NCL said. The Jade will be joined in Europe by the Norwegian Gem, which will sail western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, and the Norwegian Jewel, which will sail in the Baltic region from Dover, England.

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FRED. OLSEN CRUISE LINES is planning to lengthen the Norwegian Crown by about 100 feet when it takes possession of the ship in September. The vessel is currently operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. Fred. Olsen said it would lengthen the ship at Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, by adding a section that would increase the ship's public areas and add about 350 berths. The newly expanded vessel will be renamed the Balmoral and be inaugurated in January in Dover.

Mouse Grounds Flight

A small white mouse running around a Boeing 777 delayed a Vietnam Airlines flight to Tokyo for more than fours, newspapers reported on Monday.

A passenger saw the mouse on the aircraft, which had arrived in Hanoi from the central city of Danang at 10 p.m. Saturday and was scheduled to continue to Japan.

"Technicians were sent to seek and kill the mouse on the Boeing and this task lasted for over four hours," according to one report in the online newspaper VietnamNet. The report and others in state-run newspapers said the passengers went to a hotel and luggage was removed during the search for the mouse.


The rodent was found early Sunday and the aircraft took off at 4 a.m. Vietnam Airlines employees said they suspected that a passenger brought the mouse onto the plane and it escaped.

Pilot Curses & was removed

NWA Canceled a flight after the pilot began cursing at passengers while the flight was being prepared for takeoff in Las Vegas.

Actually "he was having a fit, swearing up a storm" a passenger on the flight said. When confronted by the passenger, the pilot became "obscene" and began cursing at the customers, she said "He made a big disturbance".

Northwest then canceled the flight, and showed the customers what a real disturbance was really like. NO Pilots NO Flights !

Continental Flight Attendant Training

WOW, it was 20 years ago when I went through flight attendant training with Continental and seeing this youtube.com video still makes me nastalgic.

The friends I made during those years are still so very special to me. As a matter of fact, a group of us are all getting together for drinks and laughs, tomorrow.

Thanks Brian for the retrospective of your times during the training class in March 2006.

Google Flight Status

My sister told me about this little trick and it is pretty cool. You can get flight status updates by texting the airline and flight number to Google (466453, it spells google). and you will get a reply text back.

You can also do the same for any business + the city . i.e. text Google (466453), then " Cruise Vacations Denver" and you will get a text back of the address with phone number. Pretty Cool

India Crew Scheduling

My friends from Continental forwarded this MP3 file to me and I think it is really funny and I hope you will find humor in it also. Oh what a company would do to save money...

Ways to save money in contract 02 - Idea #37 - Outsource Crew Scheduling to India

Harmony Airways Ends

Fledgling Canadian airline Harmony Airways said on Tuesday it will end scheduled passenger service next month, blaming rising costs and competition from larger rivals.

United's Dirty Plane

A few of my airline friends have started to send me news worthy email and I must say... "THANK YOU"

This article on the Comsumerist about a United Airlines flight from Hawaii to Chicago is just gross. Apparently, the plane was never cleaned prior to departure and I guess it was a "little" dirty.

Being an ex-Flight Attendant, these pictures did not surprise me. People can be real pigs after a long flight. Now, why United decided to board customers onto a dirty plane for another long haul flight is beyond my comprehension.

Adventure by Disney

Disney has a new product named "Adventure by Disney". The concept is a Tour product laced with all the Disney touches. i.e. Special behind the scene tours etc.

The product is high end but well worth the extra dollars. Go Visit, North America in SW Splendors, or Sol de Espana in Spain, Viva Italia, or Taste of Tuscany in Italy.

Now the good news, 25% off retail rates for all qualifying interliners.