Travelbeat Cruise News Update: March 11, 2010 [1 Story] Australia SeaDream's On-line Information Seminar SeaDream Yacht Club is inviting cruise-interested agents to join-in a 1-hour on-line Informational Seminar on Wednesday March 24 at 0900 AEDT (Sydney time.) It says the “Webinar” will assist agents in this part of the world understand what sets SeaDream Yacht Club apart from the rest, and why clients will return from a SeaDream yachting experience “Splendidly Spoiled.” Email: info@seadream.com for an invitation to join-in; all that is required is a computer, a phone and one-hour of time. (David Ellis Associates) Update: March 10, 2010 [1 Story] USA Demand Prompts Increase In Hawaiian Cruise Prices After a double-digit decline last year, Hawaii cruise ship prices are increasing due to popular demand. Hawaii-based Pride of America is among those enjoying brisk bookings. The ship operates 7-day interisland cruises from Honolulu. "We've seen strong bookings for Pride of America and have already seen significant price increases," said AnneMarie Matthews, director of public relations at Norwegian Cruise Line. "The ship is largely sold out for the next 8-weeks, and the lead-in rate for summer cruises is up substantially." (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) Update: March 08, 2010 [3 Stories] Australia Queen Mary 2's Home-Away-From-Home Cunard Line has announced that the world's most famous ship, its magnificent Queen Mary 2, will be based in Australia in 2012 for a history-making circumnavigation, visiting five states and the Northern Territory. Queen Mary 2's 'Royal Circumnavigation of Australia' is a first for Cunard and will generate an economic windfall around the country. The largest ship ever to visit Australia, Queen Mary 2 will call at eight Australian ports during her time Down Under including Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays as well as maiden visits to Cairns (Yorkey's Knob), Darwin, Melbourne and Brisbane. Her circumnavigation will also include a call at Bali. Australians will have the choice of three circumnavigation options - a 22-night voyage departing Sydney on February 14, 2012, a 20-night voyage departing Fremantle on February 8, 2012 and 21-nights departing Adelaide on February 11. In all, Queen Mary 2 will spend 28 nights in Australian waters, as she sails from Cape Town to Sydney via Fremantle and Adelaide, and then circumnavigates the country. The Australian deployment will be the longest Queen Mary 2 has been based in one country outside of her northern hemisphere home ports of Southampton and New York. Speaking onboard the liner during her visit to Sydney today, Ann Sherry, Chief Executive of Carnival Australia which represents Cunard Line in Australia, said the decision was a sign of confidence in the Australian cruise market. "This one decision will generate at least $10 million for the Australian economy as the local cruise industry remains on track to contribute more than $3 billion and carry one million Australians annually by 2020," Ms Sherry said. (MG Media Communications) Australia Avalon Waterways Offers Savings for Singles Avalon Waterways has announced it will waive single supplements on some of its most popular peak-season itineraries, giving solo travellers a chance to cruise the great rivers of Europe at a twin-share price. The waiver means singles receive more than a third off the cost of travelling alone, yet still have a luxury cabin all to themselves. The single traveller offer is available on twenty departures between April and August this year, with a choice of five different itineraries on the Rhine, Moselle and Danube rivers. (MG Media Communications) Australia Queen Mary 2 Arrives In Sydney The largest ship to ever visit Australia, Cunard’s magnificent Queen Mary 2, arrived in Sydney in spectacular fashion on Sunday afternoon. Now halfway through her 101-day world voyage, Queen Mary 2 is making a rare overnight call in Sydney and will leave the city at midnight Monday March 8 bound for Adelaide, then Fremantle. Measuring 345m long and reaching 62m above the water, the elegant ocean liner is two-thirds the length of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and taller than the Bridge’s road deck. The 151,400-tonne Queen Mary 2 is carrying more than 2450 guests, with her visit set to pour more than $1-million into Sydney’s economy through passenger and crew spending and port charges. Queen Mary 2 is scheduled to arrive in Adelaide on Thursday, March 11. (MG Media Communications) Update: March 06, 2010 [2 Stories] Denmark Sustained Growth In The Baltic Sea Region Network Cruise Baltic will be using the platform of Cruise Shipping Miami (March 15-18) to announce the positive results of its 2010 Market Review. The survey conducted amongst all the Cruise Baltic ports (27) in January 2010, reports on 2009 results (and those anticipated in 2010) revealing the cruise business in the Baltic Sea Region continued to increase in 2009, however, the growth is slower than in 2008. The full story ... Sustained Growth In The Baltic Sea Region (JF Associates) USA Food Poisoning Hits Passengers More than 300 people suffered "some kind of food poisoning" aboard Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas cruise ship, according to a representative of the National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance. The vessel was temporarily quarantined in Brazil. The ship had left Santos, Brazil, earlier this week for a 4-day cruise. (American Society of Travel Agents) Update: March 05, 2010 [2 Stories] Spain Two Die As High Waves Bash Louis Ship Two passengers died when several high waves pounded Louis Majesty in the Mediterranean. More than a dozen people were reported injured by the glass-breaking waves. Louis Cruise Lines spokesman Michael Maratheftis told wire services the ship was hit by three ‘abnormally high’ waves up to 26 feet that shattered glass in the forward section. Two men, a German and an Italian, died. The ship was carrying 1,350 passengers. After the incident, Louis Majesty was headed to Barcelona late Wednesday. The 40,876gt ship had been scheduled to call in Genoa on Thursday. Louis acquired the 1992-built Norwegian Majesty from Star Cruises in 2008 and chartered the vessel back to Norwegian Cruise Line until late 2009. (Seatrade Insider) Chile Peace Boat Calls At Valparaíso Peace Boat’s Oceanic made its scheduled call at Chile’s Valparaíso on Tuesday but did not operate excursions due to conditions following the earthquake, the ship’s manager told Seatrade Insider. Oceanic anchored from early morning to shortly before 8:30pm in order to take on water and bunker fuel. The vessel is now en route to Peru’s Callao for arrival on Saturday. Immediately after the 8.8 earthquake over the weekend, Peace Boat launched a fundraising effort for emergency relief for Chileans affected by the disaster. Peace Boat’s main partner in Chile is CODEFF, a non-governmental organization conducting emergency relief efforts in the city of Concepción, near the quake’s epicenter. Since the Hanshin earthquake of 1995, Peace Boat has been involved in large-scale disaster relief efforts including aiding victims of the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami that hit Sri Lanka. Oceanic is on a global voyage that sailed from Japan on December 28 to visit 17 ports in the Southern Hemisphere and Antarctica. The ship is scheduled to return to Japan on April 9. (Seatrade Insider) Update: March 03, 2010 [2 Stories] Scotland Hebridean Princess Gets Makeover Hebridean Island Cruises’ Hebridean Princess entered service for the 2010 season on March 1, following a major overhaul and renovation over the winter. The work, which was undertaken at the Middlesbrough yard of A&P Tees, was the final part of a 4-year programme to ensure she complies fully with new design and construction regulations which come into force later this year. In addition, many of the public rooms have been totally renovated with renewed carpets and soft furnishings. The lighting in the main public rooms has also been upgraded. Managing Director Mike Deegan said ... “The work undertaken during this winter’s refit represents a substantial investment to ensure the ship complies with new safety and construction regulations. "Whilst undertaking such a significant rebuild, we have also taken the opportunity to refurbish much of the public areas of the ship with new carpets, upholstery, furniture and lighting in lounges and new carpets, bulkheads and deckheads in most of the passenger alleyways. "All of the above represents a significant investment and signals our desire to operate this unique little vessel for many years to come.” The Tiree Lounge, Library, Conservatory, Look Out Lounge and Columba Restaurant have all received attention with the Lounges having been totally refurbished. Other work included a full overhaul of the engines and ancillary machinery. The hull colour has been returned to the traditional dark blue after spending last year in a different livery. (Cruise Industry News) Fiji Blue Lagoon Appoints Sales Manager Australia Blue Lagoon Cruises’ CEO Tim Stonhill has announced the appointment of Lauren Mossop as Sales Manager Australia with immediate effect. Based on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Ms Mossop will now take full responsibility for all aspects of the company’s sales activity throughout Australia. Mr Stonhill said Ms Mossop would combine the sales role with her existing role as Manager (Charters) - Australia/New Zealand. She will also continue to have responsibility for servicing Blue Lagoon Cruise’s group wedding business. Joining the company last October, Ms Mossop’s previous experience includes several business development roles in both the Australian and New Zealand travel and hospitality sectors. Mr Stonhill said Ms Mossop’s appointment was timely and reflected Blue lagoon Cruises’ ongoing marketing strategy to further strengthen its brand in its biggest source market at a key time in the company’s almost 60-year history. “A key component of Lauren’s role will be to focus on strengthening existing long term relationships with our current partners in the Australian marketplace and generally raise more awareness of our overall product base on both a wholesale and retail level,” he said. ”Lauren’s extensive knowledge of the retail, corporate and wholesale side of the travel industry provides a good fit for the Blue Lagoon Cruises model.” Ms Mossop’s appointment follows recent moves by the company to consolidate its ‘Club’ and ‘Gold Club’ product line to offer just one generic cruise product from May of this year. (Mike Parker-Brown) Update: March 02, 2010 [1 Story] Italy Azura Begins Speed Trials P&O's new Azura departed Trieste on February 28 for speed trials in the Adriatic Sea. Azura had entered the Trieste San Marco dry dock on February 21, after competing her initial sea trials. She is expected to return to in Monfalcone shipyard for the last phase of her outfitting on March 3. At the end of March the ship will be delivered by Fincantieri to P&O. (MartimeMatters.com) Update: February 27, 2010 [1 Story] Australia Seabourn Announces Asian Programme For 2011 Ultra-luxury cruise line The Yachts of Seabourn has announced its award-winning, all-suite Seabourn Pride will remain in Asia throughout 2011, giving Australians an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy luxury cruising close to home. Speaking in Sydney during the maiden visit of the new Seabourn Odyssey, Yachts of Seabourn President and CEO Pamela Conover said Seabourn Pride would offer a range of new winter-season cruises in 2011 to destinations such as Indonesia and Malaysia, in addition to its programme of Asian cruising to nations such as Japan, Korea and China, introduced this year. "We already have a very loyal following of guests from Australia and New Zealand who regularly sail with us in Europe and the Americas," Ms Conover said. "They obviously love the experience, and we're glad that they, their friends and families will now have the option to enjoy Seabourn yachting life closer to home. To put it simply, they will be able to travel well, without having to travel far." Seabourn Pride's Asian deployment had been made possible by the expansion of Seabourn's fleet, which will see the addition of three new 450-guest, all-suite vessels - Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest - by 2011. They join a fleet of three more intimate, 208-guest, all-suite vessels - Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend - that have consistently topped the lists of the world's finest travel experiences. (MG Media Communications) Update: February 25, 2010 [1 Story] Australia Seabourn Odyssey's Maiden Visit To Sydney One of the world's most luxurious vessels, Seabourn Odyssey, has arrived in Sydney for the first time. The first ultra-luxury vessel to be launched in more than 6-years, Seabourn Odyssey is travelling the globe on her inaugural 108-day world cruise after debuting in Venice last June. She arrived in Sydney early yesterday morning and sails tonight (Thursday) at 10pm, bound for Cairns then Asia. The US$300-million Seabourn Odyssey features the most exclusive all-suite accommodation available at sea, with top-of-the-range suites including a private solarium. The ship also offers a private diamond showroom and the largest spa at sea on any luxury vessel, an indoor/outdoor facility with stunning ocean views. Famous for its highly personalised service, Seabourn is known as the 'caviar of cruising'. Carrying only 450 guests, the new 32,000-tonne Odyssey has the highest space-per-guest ratio in the cruise industry. It provides nearly one crew member for every guest, including concierges eager to respond to any request, from in-port shopping tips to creating the ultimate shore excursion and masseurs who offer complimentary poolside massages. Other features on the 11-deck vessel include a library, boutiques, a marina for outdoor water sports and two outdoor pools as well as four dining venues with 5-Star menus crafted by world famous US chef Charlie Palmer. (MG Media Communications) Update: February 24, 2010 [2 Stories] Dubai Costa Deliziosa Inaugurated In Dubai A unique event to inaugurate the Costa Deliziosa took place today combining traditional Arabian enchantment, with the unmistakable Italian style of Costa Cruises. The inaugural ceremony for the Costa Deliziosa took place during her Grand Maiden Cruise. Over 3,000 guests witnessed the event, including over 2,000 Costa passengers from onboard the ship. The inaugural show included an artistic journey into the history and culture of Dubai and the Emirates with traditional dance and music, as well as Italian culture, music and art. An air show with parachute jumps introduced the official speeches by Costa Cruises and Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) representatives. One of the ceremony’s highlights was a performance of Al-Ayala, where dancers in costume held special sticks to enhance their stylised movements. The theme throughout the show was “A Thousand and One Horse Tales” and a superb exhibition of horses paraded the ceremony space, accompanied by live music in keeping with the Arab tradition. Also in keeping with tradition, the ceremony culminated with the arrival of ‘the godmother’, Mrs Tala Dionisi, wife of the Ambassador of Italy in the UAE, who cut the ribbon and broke the bottle of champagne against the bow of the ship. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and his brother His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum attended the ceremony, along with Khalid Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Director General of the DTCM, and Pier Luigi Foschi, Costa Crociere S.p.A. Chairman & CEO. The event ended with a stunning fireworks display and a gala dinner in traditional Arab style. (Pulse Communications) Netherlands Avalon Waterways Names Godmother For Felicity Avalon Waterways has announced that Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman will be the Godmother of its latest ship Avalon Felicity, which will be named in a ceremony in the Netherlands fishing village of Volendam on March 27. Last week, 3.2-billion television viewers from across the globe tuned in to watch Measha Brueggergosman perform at the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games. "Felicity, by definition, means happiness," said Avalon Waterways Managing Director Patrick Clark. "We couldn't think of a more appropriate godmother for this ship. Measha's performances evoke happiness for all who are lucky enough to hear her." Felicity will be Avalon Waterways' 10th new ship in Europe since 2004, underscoring Avalon's position as the fastest-growing river cruise company in the world, offering travellers the youngest fleet of ships in Europe. The ship features 65 staterooms and four junior suites as well as a fully equipped fitness room, library, hair salon, gift shop, club lounge and large Jacuzzi pool on the Sky Deck. (MG Media Communications) Update: February 22, 2010 [1 Story] Australia APT’s 8th Rivership To Be Launched In 2011 Amaverde will be the name of the eighth ship to join the APT fleet cruising the European rivers, APT announced today. The ship will enter service in 2011 as a sistership of Amabella, to launch on schedule on May 9 this year. These two vessels introduce APT’s new ship design created in partnership with European rivership experts AMAWaterways. They feature twin balconies, a swimming pool and what are the largest suites on the rivers, ranging from 170 to 350sqft (average size of 214 sqft). The Australian family-owned APT in conjunction with AMAWaterways operates these vessels on cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers with some packages including extensions to Paris, Prague, Edinburgh and London. APT General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox said APT and AMAWaterways have made an investment of $180-million in the construction of the eight river ships including the Amaverde. “Our ships are heavily booked for this year and we’re taking registrations for 2011, such is the market demand for this cruise product,” she said. The fleet is: Amadagio (launched 2006), Amalegro (2007), Amacello (2008), Amadante (2008), Amalyra (2009), Amadolce (2009), Amabella (2010) and Amaverde (2011). (Graeme Willingham Public Relations Pty Ltd) Update: February 21, 2010 [1 Story] Australia Queen Victoria Turns Pink And Turns Heads Cunard’s spectacular liner Queen Victoria made history in Sydney on Friday night when she was illuminated in pink in a world-first designed to raise awareness for breast cancer research. The 90,000-tonne liner arrived at Circular Quay early Friday morning on a rare overnight visit to Sydney, halfway through her third world voyage. The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) officially launched their 2010 fundraising target of $17-million at an exclusive cocktail event onboard Queen Victoria, with the entire liner lit in pink to mark the event. Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, which represents Cunard Line in Australia, said she was thrilled that Queen Victoria was able to support such a worthy cause during her visit. "It was a very special night - the harbour was sparkling and our guests were bathed in the pink glow of the lights. It was another unforgettable Cunard moment in Sydney," Ms Sherry said. Queen Victoria will call at Melbourne on February 22 before sailing on to make her maiden visits to Adelaide, Albany, Fremantle and Exmouth. (MG Media Communications) Update: February 20, 2010 [1 Story] USA Celebrity Introduces 'Celebrity ilounge' With the launch of its new brand platform, Designed for you, last month, Celebrity Cruises reinforced its commitment to delivering the ultimate combination of ship design, service, cuisine and programmes for cruise lovers. Now, it has announced plans for a new venue whose design, products and programming are sure to appeal to today's cruisers. When Celebrity Eclipse - the third in Celebrity Cruises' stylish Solstice class fleet of ships - launches in april, guests will find the first Celebrity iLounge. Designed to not only offer a hip, modern lounge ambience, Celebrity also created the space to offer what its guests said they wanted most in an internet cafe: easy access to the internet, inspiring classes and new products. The Celebrity ilounge is composed of three main areas: a series of 26 contemporary workstations where guests can check their e-mail, retain their social media connections, or print boarding passes; a retail space offering cruisers the opportunity to see and try out the latest macbooks(r), ipods(r) and accessories; and an enrichment center where certified staff will offer guests tips on mac or ipod usage. Located on deck six of Celebrity Eclipse, the Celebrity ilounge will house the 26 macbook pro's, classroom and retail area, in addition to display pods, a 56-inch flat-screen TV for use during classes, and an accessible workstation. The Celebrity ilounge also will be presented on Celebrity Silhouette, which launches in 2011, and the fifth ship in the Solstice class fleet, which sets sail in 2012. (Celebrity Cruises) Update: February 19, 2010 [1 Story] USA Carnival Signs MOA For Princess Newbuilds Carnival Corp. & Plc’s plans to build a new platform for the Princess Cruises brand are firming with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with Fincantieri for a pair of 139,000gt ships. The 3,600-berth newbuilds - which will have an all-in cost of approximately €155,000 per lower berth - are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014. The agreement is subject to financing and the execution of a definitive contract. Carnival has made no secret that it wants to build for the Princess brand, which last added capacity with the 2008 delivery of Ruby Princess. The design of a new platform had taken longer than anticipated, according to a corporate spokesman. Carnival Chairman and CEO Micky Arison earlier this month noted that the company initially had hoped to firm a deal by late 2009, adding that the new hoped-for date would be in March. "The signing of this important agreement makes us proud and optimistic," said Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono. "It proves that we increasingly are the world leader, even in this time of crisis, having gained in 2009 the only cruise ship ordered and, now being finalized, again with the Carnival group, this arrangement for two prototype vessels for its prestigious brand Princess Cruises." The 2009 order was for Carnival Cruise Lines, for 2012 delivery. (Seatrade Insider) Update: February 18, 2010 [1 Story] USA Princess Cruises Revives Luncheon Tours Princess Cruises is launching a programme that allows travel agents to give prospective passengers a taste of a cruise by bringing them aboard a Princess ship for lunch and a tour. "Seeing a ship in person is a powerful way to give potential cruisers a feel for the excitement of cruising, and a small preview of the cruise experience that awaits them," said Jan Swartz, Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service at Princess Cruises. "We think this new programme can be a great way to turn a 'maybe' into a sale." (American Society of Travel Agents) Update: February 17, 2010 [3 Stories] Australia Sneak Preview Ahead Of Maiden Visit To Australia As excitement builds around Seabourn Odyssey's maiden visit to Australia on Monday, February 22, a small group of lucky travel agents were able to get a taste of cruising with the Yachts of Seabourn on an educational trip sailing from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh last week. About fifteen consultants will have experienced the ultra-luxury way of life onboard Seabourn Pride before her younger sister, Seabourn Odyssey arrives in Australia on her maiden visit. Launched in Italy in June last year, Seabourn Odyssey will make her maiden call to Melbourne as part of her first world voyage on February 22. Odyssey will then sail to Sydney for the first time on February 24 for an overnight visit before calling at Cairns on March 1 and Darwin on March 4 before continuing on her return journey via Asia. Pictured (l-r): Krista O'Brien - Discovery Travel; Deborah Chisholm - ETM Travel; Vivien Agosta - Port Travel; and Helen Mezzen - Complete Cruise Solution BPM QLD, enjoying breakfast on deck of Seabourn Pride cruising through Halong Bay. (MG Media Communications) USA Carnival Glory Returns To Service The 2,974-passenger Carnival Glory has resumed Caribbean service from Miami following a multi-million-dollar renovation that added a host of new facilities and features, including a Serenity adults-only retreat, a 270sqft Seaside Theatre poolside LED screen, and a Circle “C” facility for 12- to 14- year olds. Eighteen new balconies were also incorporated onto existing ocean view staterooms and a new Mongolian wok venue was added to the casual poolside restaurant. Bow-to-stern Wi-Fi access was added, as well. From February to May, Carnival Glory operates seasonal 7-day cruises from Miami, alternating weekly to the eastern and western Caribbean. 7-day eastern Caribbean cruises visit Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk, while the western route features Grand Cayman, Isla Roatan, Belize and Cozumel. The ship will then be deployed to New York where it will offer a series of 4- and 5-day Atlantic Canada voyages from June 6 - September 6, 2010, followed by a series of 7-day Canada/New England cruises, from September 11 - October 9. (Carnival Corp.) France Norwegian Epic Sea Trials A Success Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest and most innovative ship to date, returned from her first successful sea trials on Sunday, February 14, 2010, after 4-days of sailing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. During the sea trials, 300 technicians and engineers from STX FRANCE SA, along with thirty Norwegian Cruise Line representatives, checked more than sixty different aspects of the ship’s performance by running trials of the vessel’s speed, maneuverability, hydrodynamics and propulsion, amongst others. “During her first time ever at sea, Norwegian Epic performed above expectations with excellent marine behavior,” said Roberto Martinoli, Norwegian’s President and COO, who was on-board during the sea trials. “All tests were conducted with positive results. She is a beautiful ship with outstanding performance. Now that sea trials are completed, we can concentrate on finishing the ship and showing her to the world in June.” A second round of sea trials is scheduled for mid-April in order to finalize all tests, including final speed measurement. The 153,000-gross ton, 4,200-passenger ship - the largest ship ever built in Saint-Nazaire - is scheduled for delivery on June 15, 2010. (cybercruises.com) Update: February 15, 2010 [1 Story] Australia Carnival Australia Up In Lights In North Sydney Carnival Australia has now become a permanent part of the Sydney skyline, with the cruise company's name going up in lights on its new premises at North Sydney last week. Despite the record rainfall, metre-high letters spelling out Carnival Australia were installed on top of the building in Mount St, North Sydney and were illuminated for the first time on Friday night. Spanning two sides of the building facing Miller St, the sign can be seen easily for kilometres, with each of the prominent letters weighing 10 kilograms while the Carnival flag weighs 30kgs. Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry said it would be impossible to miss the new home of Australia's leading cruise company once the sign had been installed. "Our new headquarters and our sign are both symbols of Carnival Australia's expansion and the continuing growth of the local cruise industry as more and more Australians look to the sea for relaxing and great value holidays," Ms Sherry said. "This sign says we are here, we are serious and its visibility is really quite a statement - it's fantastic to see." "Now thousands of commuters who travel to Sydney each day, daydreaming of their next holiday, will see our new home - and think of taking a cruise!" Carnival Australia represents six cruise lines in Australia including P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises World Voyages, the Yachts of Seabourn and Costa Cruises. (MG Media Communications) Update: February 14, 2010 [1 Story] England Robin Shaw To Join Saga Shipping Saga has confirmed that Robin Shaw, Vice President and Managing Director UK and Ireland for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, is joining the UK company as chief executive of Saga Shipping on March 29. Royal Caribbean announced in December that Shaw was leaving at the end of March to pursue ‘another senior management role’ although did not disclose where. The move will see Shaw reunited with Susan Hooper who took the reins as chief executive of Acromas Holidays - trading as Saga Holidays - last March. She left her position of Senior Vice President and Managing Director Royal Caribbean International & Celebrity Cruises in September 2008. Saga Shipping, specialising in travel for the over 50s, operates Saga Ruby and, from next month, Saga Pearl II (the former Astoria) plus Spirit of Adventure (under the Spirit of Adventure brand). Saga Rose, which sailed her final cruise for the brand last year, is laid up in Gibraltar, "whilst we consider the options for her," a Saga spokesman told Seatrade Insider. (Seatrade Insider) Back to Front Page