Royal Caribbean revises Jewel's 2006 itinerary Autumn sailings will include Canada, New England stops
MIAMI -- Royal Caribbean changed the Jewel of the Seas’ 2006 itinerary to include four seven-night Canada/New England sailings roundtrip from Boston starting Sept. 23.
The 2,100-passenger ship, previously scheduled to sail 10-night Bermuda/Caribbean trips, will be the only vessel to sail Canada/New England trips for the line next fall.
After a 12-night transatlantic cruise from Harwich, England, beginning Sept. 11, the ship will roundtrip from Boston, with calls to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine; St. John, New Brunswick; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
On Oct. 31, the Jewel will reposition from Boston to Fort Lauderdale via a 12-night cruise and then launch a series of Caribbean sailings.
www.MyGreatTrip.com
| NCL's Norwegian Spirit to visit Bermuda in 2006 NCL's Norwegian Spirit to visit Bermuda in 2006
MIAMI -- Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit will join sister ship, the Norwegian Dawn, and add calls to Bermuda for the 2006 summer season from New York.
The Norwegian Spirit’s new eight-day itinerary will feature a daylong call in Bermuda, an overnight in St. Thomas, USVI, and a call at Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
This itinerary runs May 20 through Sept. 30. Prices start at $699 per person.
This itinerary will alternate with Norwegian Spirit’s scheduled six-day Bahamas and Florida itinerary from New York calling in Port Canaveral, Fla.; and Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.
| Sailing Into Sickness? Cruising should be as good as it gets. Exotic destinations. A party atmosphere. Food feasts galore.
But there's been trouble in paradise in recent months. Highly publicized outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses have left many cruisers sprinting for bathrooms that weren't supposed to be part of their itinerary. Newspaper headlines have blared the names of highly contagious bugs - most notably, the Norwalk virus - that most people had never heard of. And for anxious travelers who once thought of cruise ships as a welcome oasis from the fears and hassles of airline travel, they're now thinking twice, or at least taking a few more precautions before they stroll up the gangplank.
Of course, a little perspective is in order. More than seven million people took cruises out of North American ports in 2002, and most of them returned home with splendid memories and enough photographs to bore their friends and neighbors for months. But for the relatively small percentage whose voyage was sabotaged by a queasy stomach and diarrhea , they probably wish they had stayed on solid ground and close to home.
"Given the millions of people who go on cruise ships every year, outbreaks are not a real frequent occurrence, but they do seem to be increasing," says David Freedman, MD, director of the Travelers Health Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "The data appear to suggest that there have been at least three times as many recent outbreaks of diarrheal disease on cruise ships, as compared to a year ago."
Nevertheless, you may be able to sail past any perils lurking at sea with a little knowledge of what you may encounter and the ways to avoid it.
The Norwalk Nemesis
Outbreaks of the Norwalk virus and other infections really shouldn't be a surprise. After all, says Aaron Glatt, MD, cruise ships can become something of a breeding ground for these microorganisms, quickly spreading from one person to another in the confined space and close living quarters of an oceangoing vessel populated by hundreds and even thousands of people. When these bugs strike, the result can be 24 to 48 hours of misery: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low-grade fever, and abdominal pain. It's not exactly what the travel brochures promised.
"If you have a Norwalk infection, and you're walking around on dry land, you probably won't infect a lot of people, whereas in a closed space like a cruise ship, it's easy to spread a very hardy virus like this one," says Winnie Ooi, MD, director of the Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. "Because there are a lot of common areas on the ship that people move through, outbreaks can certainly occur."
The Norwalk infection and various respiratory illnesses (like the common cold and flu) are the most common afflictions that can rise to the surface on cruise ships, but bacterial ailments may become problematic as well. Organisms such as salmonella, shigella and E. coli have caused recent outbreaks of diarrhea on ships, and fall into the grab-bag category of "traveler's diarrhea."
In a recent cluster of gastrointestinal illnesses on a cruise ship sailing from Tenerife to the U.S., salmonella was identified as the likely culprit. Most often, these bacterial infections are food-borne, and are a consequence of a breakdown in sanitation measures in the ship's kitchen, says Freedman.
Syndromes at Sea
Seasickness is uncommon on large cruise ships because of their size. "However, some ships do go through rough waters, like around the tip of South America," says Mark Wise, MD, a family physician and travel medicine specialist in Toronto, and author of The Travel Doctor.
For people who may be susceptible to motion sickness, Wise suggests not overeating, staying away from cigarette smoke, and talking to your physician about using a skin patch containing a medication called scopolamine, often applied behind the ear.
Medical problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, often arising from casual sexual encounters, are not unusual among tourists, including those on cruises. Alcohol use can decrease judgment, says Freedman, and people can lose their inhibitions once they're away from home and on vacation.
Coming Clean
Particularly in light of recent Norwalk virus outbreaks, cruise company executives say they're working hard to stay one step ahead of the next onboard epidemic. According to a statement from the International Council of Cruise Lines, "The cruise industry is committed to providing a safe, healthful environment for all passengers at sea."
In recent months, several ships that have experienced infectious outbreaks have been docked for at least a week for thorough disinfecting. But for most cruise ships, which often leave with a new load of passengers just hours after the last group has disembarked, onboard housecleaning must be done in the limited time between sailings.
"There may be only three to four hours to clean the ship between cruises," says Ooi. "And given that the Norwalk virus is so hardy, if the cleaning crew doesn't do a really good job of cleaning the common areas, the virus can maintain a foothold."
Yet even the most heroic ship disinfections are no guarantee of a bug-free cruise, says Dean Cliver, PhD, professor of food safety at the University of California, Davis, and head of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Food Virology. "If the next group of travelers comes aboard with a substantial number of infected people, this can cause an outbreak all over again," he says. "And it's very hard to conduct ongoing disinfections while passengers are onboard."
The Picture of Health
To protect yourself on cruises, the best advice may be the simplest: Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. "Use warm water, soap, and at least 20 seconds of rubbing," suggests Cliver.
Many cruise lines are now advising their passengers to minimize handshaking and other personal contact with fellow passengers and crew members in order to avoid the transmission of viruses. Also consider becoming a little more careful in the ship's dining room in order to avert foodborne infections. As Wise says, "I joke that I used to tell people to eat on the ship and not on the land - and now I tell them the opposite!"
Wise adds, "I'm certainly not at the point of telling people to abandon the lovely shrimp, scallops, and salads on ship. But if you want to be a little selective, you might eat everything except the uncooked seafood, which does pose a higher risk."
When packing your suitcase for a cruise, think about bringing along some Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), which can be helpful for motion sickness. Imodium (loperamide) can reduce diarrheal symptoms.
"The main treatment for diarrhea is fluid replacement," advises Wise. For children, there are ready-made electrolyte solutions such as Pedialyte."
Most cruise ships sail with a physician onboard. "People shouldn't be self-medicating," advises Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in New York . "See a physician in advance if you're going into a situation where you may have an increased risk of illness."
| New Passport Requirements New Passport Requirements
Very important! Please read the following information regarding changes to passport requirements. These changes impact US Citizens and non-US Citizens. Please read the following information carefully.
MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS
Effective June 26, 2005, travelers from the 27 countries participating in the United States' Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must have a machine-readable passport to enter the United States.
If you are in possession of a passport issued by any of the 27 countries listed below, please contact the passport issuing authority to ensure that you are in possession of a machine-readable passport.
The 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Additional information regarding the Visa Waiver Program is available online at www.dhs.gov.
Please note that boarding may be denied to travelers from VWP countries that do not have machine-readable passports.
Holland America Line guests are urged to carry a valid passport. Government initiatives are being considered, which would require all travelers to and from certain destinations in the Western Hemisphere to be in possession of a valid passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. Holland America Line strongly recommends that all guests secure and carry a valid passport.
The US. government has now modified its original timeline for implementation of the initiative to the following:
December 31, 2006 - Passport or other accepted document required for all air or sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 - Passport or other accepted document required for all U.S. air, sea and land border crossings.
The following documents are required for U.S. and Canadian citizens for: Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii or New England cruises:
EITHER
1. A valid passport
OR
2. A U.S. or Canadian government-issued picture identification;
plus an original or certified copy of a U.S. or Canadian birth certificate, U.S. or Canadian Naturalization Certificate.
For more information, please see the U.S. State Department website (http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html) for passport information, and follow the links to "New Requirements for Travelers Between the United States and the Western Hemisphere." Expired passports are not acceptable.
Although passports are currently not yet required for some cruises, we strongly recommend that you carry one while traveling. The unforeseen possibility of a medical disembarkation or early cruise termination may require that you have a valid passport to enable you to continue travel.
Non-U.S./non-Canadian citizens: You must have a valid passport and any necessary visas. Please carefully verify the existing identification requirements for your particular travel situation. In addition, non-U.S. citizens who have previously been admitted to the United States for permanent residence must carry their Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), commonly known as a Green Card. Resident aliens not in possession of this must obtain one at the nearest office of the U.S. Immigration Service.
Visas: Some countries require that you obtain official authorization (called a visa) before entering the country. Usually there is a fee required. You are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas. If your itinerary requires a visa prior to boarding, Holland America Line will send a visa information letter to your travel agent. The visa letter will have information for U.S. and Canadian citizens. Citizens of other countries should contact the nearest representative embassies or consulates for the proper information.
Non-US or -Canadian citizens may be required to hold a Canadian Visa when traveling to Alaska or Canada. Please visit the Canadian government website at http://canada.gc.ca to verify your nationality's requirements.
| Cancun execs: Wilma won't keep a good destination down NEW YORK -- A representative of the Cancun, Mexico, convention and visitors bureau was in town Nov. 3 to spread the word that the resort destination is on the fast track to recovery in the wake of Hurricane Wilma.
Patricia Lopez Mancera, the CVB's director of public relations, also highlighted new "alternative tourism" options for the resort that turn attention away from beaches and focus on areas near Cancun that were "untouched by Wilma," she said.
Meanwhile, the Mexico Tourist Board (MTB) was set to launch on Nov. 7 a $10 million international print and TV campaign to revive tourism to Cancun and other areas affected by Wilma, said Marisa Lopez, director of the MTB in New York The region accounts for 38% of Mexico's international tourist arrivals.
Mexican President Vicente Fox has pledged that 80% of the region's tourism destinations will be operational by Dec. 15, at which time the tourism industry will stage a "relaunch event."
As for Cancun's recovery, Lopez Mancera noted that as of Nov. 1, the airport's tower was fully operational, allowing for night flights; when it first reopened, on Oct. 26, it was limited to daytime flights.
By Nov 3, the airport was receiving 11 daily domestic and international flights, and by Nov. 5, that number was expected to increase to 14. Further clusters of air services will resume in mid-November and early December.
By Nov. 4, 5,200 hotel rooms would be available, Lopez Mancera said, and that number is expected to rise to 8,700 on Nov. 25 and 15,800 on Dec. 15, or about 60% of Cancun's inventory. The room count is projected at 20,900 by Jan. 15.
Those properties with more extensive damage, however, are closed until further notice, including the Hyatt Regency Cancun. Lopez Mancera added hoteliers are sometimes reluctant to broadcast opening dates for insurance reasons.
The convention center was slated to reopen Nov. 8, and the first convention, a domestic event for 3,000, is set for Dec. 3.
The largest single project, Lopez Mancera said, will be bringing sand back to some beaches, and the first stage of that is under way. However, studies lasting "not more than a month" will be undertaken to determine where precisely the missing sand settled. The work will involve pulling sand back from points about 150 to 200 meters (500 to 650 feet) out to sea. Fonatur has granted $19 million toward that effort across the region, plus $10 million for infrastructure repair.
Lopez Mancera said everyone -- the government, hotels, local service, tour operators -- are "in a hurry" to restore services because so many have so much invested.
When asked about the possibility this year's storms may cause tour operators and travelers to shy away from vulnerable areas in hurricane season, Lopez said Cancun is a long way from being as slow in the autumn as it was 10 to 15 years ago (when stores would close for a couple of months), and she doubts Wilma will hurt business much in future seasons because so many travelers are price-driven and are willing to take their chances.
As for alternative tourism, Cancun is highlighting options for day trips categorized as adventure, ecotourism or rural tourism. Lopez Mancera said the new programs, dubbed Expedition Cancun, were already in the works before Wilma, but the timing of their debut is fortuitous
| NCL shakes up itineraries on Norwegian Dawn (11/03/2005) By Rebecca Tobin (Travel Weekly)
NEW YORK -- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) changed up the itinerary of its New York-based ship, the Norwegian Dawn, so that it will call in Bermuda during its 2006-2007 seasons.
The ship, which in 2003 pioneered a seven-day year-round cruise from New York that included two ports in Florida and two in the Bahamas, will begin a new itinerary in May that calls in Bermuda; Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private Bahamian island; and an overnight in Nassau, Bahamas.
The new seven-day itinerary will leave New York on Saturdays beginning May 13 and run through Aug. 26. The vessel will then sail a previously-announced series of Canada/New England cruises that call in Martha’s Vineyard and Boston, Mass.; Newport, R.I.; Bar Harbor, Maine; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Dawn also will cancel some of its October and November 10- and 11-day Caribbean cruises to sail another new itinerary from New York: seven-day sailings between Oct. 15 and Nov. 26 that call in Port Canaveral, Fla.; and on to Grand Bahama and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas with an overnight in Nassau.
Bookings for the Dawn’s previously-published seven-day Florida/Bahamas itinerary will automatically be moved to the Bermuda/Bahamas route, although NCL said passengers can switch to the six-day Florida/Bahamas itinerary on NCL’s other New York-based vessel, the Norwegian Spirit, and receive a three-category upgrade or a $50 onboard credit.
Passengers booked on the Dawn’s October and November 10- and 11-day Caribbean itineraries that want to move to the October and November Florida/Bahamas seven-day itinerary will receive the seven-day rate and up to a three-category upgrade or a $50 onboard credit.
| Tropical Weather Update from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Royal Caribbean International® and Celebrity Cruises® continue to closely monitor the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma toensure our guests enjoy safe and comfortable cruises.
The safety of our guests and crew is always the foremost concern of Royal Caribbean International® and CelebrityCruises®.
Given Hurricane Wilma’s aftermath, Royal Caribbean International® and Celebrity Cruises® are currently modifying theitineraries of the following sailings:
ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL®
Ships sailing from the Port of Miami
Explorer of the Seas® -- The Sunday, November 6, sailing of Explorer of the Seas® is unable to visit Cozumel Thursday,due to the port’s closure. Instead, the ship will spend that day at sea.
Ships sailing from Port Everglades
Enchantment of the Seas® -- The Thursday, November 3, sailing of Enchantment of the Seas® is unable to visit CozumelSaturday, due to the port’s closure. Instead, the ship will make a port call in Costa Maya, Mexico, that day.
Enchantment of the Seas® -- The Monday, November 7, sailing of Enchantment of the Seas® is unable to visit CozumelWednesday, due to the port’s closure. Instead, the ship will spend the day at sea.
Ships sailing from Port Canaveral
Mariner of the Seas® -- The Sunday, November 6, sailing of Mariner of the Seas® is unable to visit Cozumel Friday, due to the port’s closure. Instead, the ship will spend that day at sea.
Ships sailing from the Port of Tampa
Legend of the Seas® -- The Saturday, November 5, sailing of Legend of the Seas® is unable to visit Cozumel Thursday,due to the ports’ closures. Instead, the ship will spend that day at sea.
Ships sailing from the Port of Galveston
Rhapsody of the Seas® -- The Sunday, November 6, sailing of Rhapsody of the Seas® is unable to visit Cozumel Friday,due to the port’s closure. Instead, the ship will make a port call in Costa Maya, Mexico, that day.
CELEBRITY CRUISES®
Ships sailing from the Port of Miami
ZenithSM -- The Thursday, November 10, sailing of ZenithSM is unable to visit Key West Friday and Cozumel Saturday,due to the closures of the port in Cozumel and cruising time needed for an alternative port of call. Instead, the shipwill spend the day at sea Friday and will make a port call in George Town, Cayman, Saturday.
Ships sailing from the Port of Galveston
Galaxy® -- The Saturday, November 12, sailing of Galaxy® is unable to visit Cozumel Monday, due to the port’s closure.Instead, the ship will spend that day at sea.
At this time, no other Royal Caribbean International® or Celebrity Cruises® ships are being adversely impacted by theaftermath of Hurricane Wilma or tropical weather. Royal Caribbean International® and Celebrity Cruises® willcontinue to closely monitor these situations and update this information as needed. | | |
 |
Latest cruise lines information
