ARCHIVE:

On the page Archive are put some older news however still interesting.

INDEX :

*Fire on German cruise ship Deutschland
* Royal godmother of Nieuw-Amsterdam IV
 *Accident Louis Majesty
  *Beer brewing at Sea
*Take a swim in the Atlantic Ocean
*Shore Excursions
*German cruise industry in heavy waters
*Hellenic Seaways acquired Easycruise Ltd.
*Louis Majesty new in Louis Fleet
 *Costa Europa will be sailing as Thomson Dream
*QE2 Dubai Project on Hold
*Star Cruises is exiting NCL America
*The Panama Canal
*Island Cruises to Cease Operations
*Second Signature Class  Nieuw - Amsterdam
*Apollo buys Regent and forms holding company
*Expedition cruise ship Explorer sunk
*Club Cruise ceased activities:
*Pacific Sun in bad weather again
*Queen Elizabeth-2 the end is near
*Prince Albert II Silversea new expedition ship
*Queen Victoria the last one in 2007
*Apollo invest in NCL
*QE-2 Retirement
*Sea Diamond sank off Santorini
*Oceania sold
* Windstar sold
 

Fire on German cruise ship "Deutschland"

Eidfjord Norway - May 23 - 2010  An engine room fire on a German cruise ship "Deutschland"  forced the evacuation of 607 people Sunday, rescue officials said. All 364 passengers onboard the ship were evacuated safely.There were also 241 crew members and two Norwegian ship pilots at the ship, which is well-known in Germany for featuring in the prominent German TV-show "Das Traumschiff." Some crew members have not been evacuated yet, there were no reports of any injuries. Eye witness Borghild Vik, who works at a hotel in Eidfjord, told that she saw large clouds of smoke rising up from the ship. The evacuated passengers have been taken to a hotel and  they would be flown home on Monday.The fire started in the engine room and firefighters contained it to that area. The fire was still burning inside the engine room until Sunday evening late.  The ship will be towed to Bergen on Monday for inspection of the damage. Deilmann has canceled all sailings until futher notice. Please see for more details:  http://www.nedcruise.info/deutschland.htm

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Royal godmother of Nieuw-Amsterdam IV

Rotterdam - April 26 - 2010  Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands will name Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam in Venice on July 4. The 2,106-berth ship is the fourth to carry that name for the line and is being built by Fincantieri’s Marghera yard. It is the sister to 2008’s Eurodam. The Dutch Royal family is continuing a tradition of naming HAL ships that started more than 80 years ago. Cruise line president and ceo Stein Kruse said the company is honored that Princess Máxima will serve as the godmother for Nieuw Amsterdam and said the naming will mark ‘a signature moment in our company’s 137-year history.’Nieuw Amsterdam IV will be the 11th HAL vessel launched by a member of the Dutch royal family. The first was the Statendam III in 1929 by Prince Hendrik. The predecessor ss. Nieuw Amsterdam II in 1937 by Queen Wilhelmina.One of the finest ships ever built. The Nieuw Amsterdam III in 1983 by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet.Queen Beatrix served as godmother of   sistership Eurodam in Rotterdam in 2008.
That the christening of a ship with such a historic name in the Dutch maritime history and the ceremony performed by one of the most popular members of the Royal Dutch family take place outside the Netherlands, is a missed opportunity by the HAL.

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Accident Louis Majesty

March 3-2010 Two people were killed and 14 injured when massive approx 26 ft (9 m.) waves slammed into a cruise ship carrying some 1350 passengers and 580 crew in the Western Mediterranean. The freak waves smashed windows in the Louis Majesty, the ship's Cypriot owners, Louis Cruises, said in a statement. Louis Cruises regrets to announce that its Maltese flagged cruise ship, while sailing from Barcelona to Genoa was hit by abnormal waves. As a result, the windows in a public area on deck 5 on the forward part of the vessel smashed resulting in the fatal injury of two passengers of German and Italian nationality while 14 more passengers suffered light injuries. Spanish news reports said one of the injured was a 62-year-old woman who was in serious condition with both her legs broken. The captain rerouted the ship to the Spanish port of Barcelona, where it safely arrived late evening.This is the second fatal accident within 2 weeks. See also Costa Europa.    For ship details please click here >>>>>>>

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Beer brewing at Sea

Hamburg - Febr. 4 - 2010 Beer brewing at sea it must be on a German ship. The latest addition of the German Aida Fleet has the scoop of a real brewery on board. The ship has a beer cellar where the brewery is located. 500 liter per day can brewed acc.to  the "Deutsche. Reinheitsgebot ".The "Aidablu" is the fourth ship of a serie of six vessels. She is the first ship of the serie where an extra half deck is added. The three ships already delivered the Aidadiva "- AIDAbella Aidaluna  have no extra deck.

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Take a swim in the Atlantic Ocean:

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Shore Excursions:

Sydney-Sept.13-2009  The cruise industry has admitted it must become sharper and more imaginative with its shore excursions if sales of the product are to stop declining.
Many land-based tours are over-priced, outdated and too basic, resulting in increasing numbers of passengers making their own arrangements, senior executives have conceded.. Many cruise lines are suffering a decline of land tour sales as passengers, unimpressed with the “official” tour, book online or make their own arrangements Silversea’s Mehta, Holland America port operations manager Chris Martin and Carnival Australia chief executive Ann Sherry all told a conference last month that the issue needs addressing.
Sherry, in typically no-nonsense style, said it was “not surprising” people were no longer booking tours. Some are outdated and are offered at “hugely inflated prices with a guide who is not very good”.
“Why would we compete with something you can on a bus and do?” she said. “We need to be a million times sharper because our customers are sharper.”

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German cruise industry in heavy waters.

Bremen, Sept. 7-2009  Peter Deilmann Reederei has filed for insolvency of its river cruise section in july this morning. Operations will continue for the 2009 season after which the river cruise section will be closed down.The remaining seven vessels will be up for sale. "Köngstein" and "Princesse de Provence" have already been sold and will be operated by German operator Niko tours from 2010.

An other German cruise operator came also in problems.
German cruise operator Transocean Tours is planning to restructure its business after voluntarily filing for insolvency protection in the German courts.
The company, founded in 1954, currently operates mainly on the German market with the cruise ships Astor and Marco Polo plus seven river ships.
Amongst reasons cited by Transocean for its current state were the short notice cancellation of Astoria’s world cruise at the end of last year due to an engine failure and the subsequent reimbursement of insurance payments amounting to millions of euros still pending and loss of income, due to the low value of the British pound against the euro, on the charter of Marco Polo. The charter of Marco Polo ended dec.2009 and will remain by Cruise & Maritime a new founded British company.
Under the controlled insolvency a new structure is being planned involving the river cruise business and Astor, which will be refurbished at Blohm und Voss Yard. The restructuring plans are being supported by Munich-based Premicon AG, the owner of Astor, which is due to re-enter service in June 2010.
In addition to Astor, Premicon also has a fleet of 24 river ships that are financed through German investors. It stated, ‘As a result of the insolvency, the formation of new company between Premicon AG and Transocean Tours, under discussion for a long time, will now be accelerated.’

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Hellenic Seaways acquired Easycruise Ltd.

Pireaus/Cyprus Aug.-2009 -Stelios Haji-Ioannou today Sir Stelios has decided to focus on those that show the most potential. “Some have worked. Some, like internet cafés, haven’t worked at all because they became technically obsolete,” he said. Meanwhile, EasyCruise, another of his high-profile businesses, has been quietly sold to Hellenic Seaways, one of Greece’s largest ferry groups. Haji-Ioannou has taken a stake in Sea Star Capital, Hellenic’s largest shareholder.The Hellenic Seaways acquires from easyGroup the exclusive right to use the mark easyCruise to all destinations in the Mediterranean.

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Louis Majesty new in Louis Fleet:

Cyprus July 7 - 2009 - Louis Cruises officially announced today that the  Norwegian Majesty aquired april 2008 will be renamed Louis Majesty when the ship joins the Louis fleet on December 4, to assume the Genua and Marseille-based program of cruises currently operated by the Coral. Between april 2008 and dec. 2009 the ship has been chartered back by NCL. The Louis Majesty is the biggest ship in Louis fleet. Please read more. >>>>>

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Costa Europa will be sailing as Thomson Dream:

Miami  July 6 -2009 - Carnival today announced that the 1,488-passenger Costa Europa, currently operated by its Costa Cruises brand.Will join British travel company Thomson Cruises a TUI-Company  under a 10-year bareboat charter beginning in April 2010. Under the agreement, Thomson has an option to purchase the ship any time after five years. Costa Europa will be sold during April 2010 to Grand Cruise Investments Unipessoal LDA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival & plc. Thomson renamed the Costa Europa in Thomson Dream and start operations in april 2010 Please read more >>>>>

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QE2 Dubai Project on Hold:

Dubai -  febr.1-2009 World on the street is that the worldwide economic downturn has forced QE2's new owners in Dubai, the real estate development company Nakheel, to suspend all plans for converting the former Cunard flagship into a ultra-luxury floating hotel. At this time, it is not clear whether the conversion work will ever be carried out. QE2 left the Cunard fleet last November and headed to Dubai where plans called for the former ocean liner to serve as the anchor of a luxury marina development on the eastern trunk side of Palm Jumeirah - one of the world's largest man-made islands. In addition to the conversion into a luxury hotel, the announced plans called for QE2 to undergo an extensive renovation and emerge with new public promenades, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants, as well as a heritage museum displaying artifacts from the QE2 and maritime history.The entire project, including the reconstruction of QE2 and the completion of a new specially built pier at Palm Jumeirah was originally scheduled for completion in 2011. Other options would include selling the ship for scrap, although not until public interest in the project has diminished. In the light of huge popular interest and in response to a number of requests, Nakheel is also investigating the possibility of opening QE2 to visitors in her current condition for a short period of time before her refurbishment begins. In the meantime there is no question of QE2 being operated as a cruise liner or of her being sold to any third party whatsoever, Nakheel said. For more information and history; PLEASE READ MORE>>>>>

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Star Cruises is exiting NCL America:

Miami dec.25 - 2009 It’s official: Star Cruises is leaving the NCL America business in Hawaii in which it has shared ownership via a subsidiary formed with NCL Corp. co-owner Apollo Investment.
Last Friday, the parties quietly agreed to the termination of Star’s interest in NCL America. It was exactly four weeks to the day that Star shares shot up in Hong Kong on rumors of the disposal of an unnamed subsidiary.
NCL Corp. has made an unspecified payment to Star in respect of its interest in Pride of America’s assets. In January, assets related to Pride of Aloha are expected to be settled.

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The Panama Canal :

The Panama Canal Authority has issued precise details on dimensions for the next era of Panamax ships. Proposals for the new locks will be received by March 3 and the canal authority is expected to announce which consortium will be awarded the construction by this May. “Each of the new lock complexes will have three chambers. The chamber dimensions of the new locks will be 427 meters long, 55 meters wide and 18.3 meters deep,” according to the canal authority.“The corresponding maximum dimensions for vessels that will transit these locks are 366-meter length overall, 49 meters in beam and 15.2 meters in tropical freshwater draught. These dimensions define the new Panamax-size vessel.” The expansion is completed in 2014. All cruiseships can be handeld by the new Panamacanal even the Oasis-and Allure of the Seas. 

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Island Cruises to Cease Operations:

London Oct.14-2008  Island Cruises is expected to cease operations next spring.The 50/50 joint venture between Royal Caribbean International and First Choice is ended. First Choice is a member of the British TUI-Travel.  The Island Star will be returned to Royal Caribbean Cruises, which will transfer her to Pullmantur Cruises in the embattled Spanish market. The Island Escape will go to Thomson Cruises.

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Second Signature Class  Nieuw - Amsterdam:

Seattle Sept.13-2008 Holland America Line will name its latest Signature Class ship and the 15th in its fleet, Nieuw Amsterdam. To be delivered in 2010, the 86,000-ton Nieuw Amsterdam will be built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard and is a sister ship of the Eurodam. It will be the fourth ship to bear this name. One of the most beautiful passengerships ever was the second Nieuw-Amsterdam built in 1938. Nieuw-Amsterdam is a historic HAL name and not a fancy name as her sister Eurodam.

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Apollo buys Regent and forms holding company:

Minneapolis -dec 11-2007 Private equity investor Apollo Management L.P. is increasing its involvement in the cruise market. It has agreed to acquire the Regent Seven Seas Cruises operations of Carlson Companies, Inc. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008 subject to normal conditions for a transaction of this type, including regulatory approval The cruise operations will continue as a key part of the global Regent brand. Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises will be placed under the ownership of Prestige Cruise Holdings, Inc. (PCH), a corporation controlled by Apollo which will manage certain cruise portfolio assets of Apollo. NCL Corporation will remain a separate holding outside of PCH. Regent Seven Seas Cruises will remain a wholly independent brand under the guidance of Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises,and will continue to operate from its Fort Lauderdale, Florida headquarters, and Oceania Cruises will remain in its Miami headquarters, headed by Bob Binder, president of Oceania Cruises. Both Binder and Conroy will report directly to Frank Del Rio, chairman and CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings. The transaction is part of a unified strategy undertaken by Apollo and Carlson to expand their respective core cruise and hotel operations, and become the world's pre-eminent operators of luxury hotels, resorts andcruises. Carlson will retain ownership of the master Regent brand, along with the worldwide operations of Regent Hotels & Resorts

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Expedition cruise ship Explorer sunk:

Punta Arenas nov.23-2007 The dramatic story of ice-classed expedition cruise ship  EXPLORER sinking off Argentina's coast in the Antarctic Ocean after striking an underwater object likely an iceberg. All 154 passengers and crew have been safely evacuated to 11,386 gt NORDNORGE by life rafts. The Nordnorge was also involved with the rescue, earlier this year, of the stranding of sistership Nordkapp in the same area. The 2,393 gt expedition ship remains at a 30 degree list to starboard in Bransfield Strait off King George Island.  She sunk in about 15 hours time. The weather condition was pretty good for that area because it can change very rapid. The 1969-built Explorer owned by Canadian Gap Shipping, a subsidiary of Gap Adventures and fly the Liberian flag. Antarctica is an unforgiving maritime environment but there is risk to cruising her waters.Lloyd’s List has discovered that the vessel had five deficiencies at its last inspection, including missing search and rescue plans and lifeboat maintenance problems. Watertight doors were described as 'not as required' and the fire safety measures also attracted criticism.

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Club Cruise ceased activities:

Dec. 5 - 2008  Club Cruise the only Dutch company, active in sea cruises, should be forced to stop its activities.
Club Cruise & Entertaining Traveling Services Europe, as the original name states, proved unable assumed the financial obligations to the bondholders to comply.

Earlier this month, Oslo-based loan trustee Norsk Tillitsmann reported Club Cruise was unable to fund the interest payment due on the secured loan and that a grace period had been granted. That deadline passed resulting in a meeting on nov.26 at the Tillitsmann offices. Bondholders of Club Cruise, which fields a five-vessel fleet, today approved a range of measures including a possible ship sale following the Dutch company’s loan default . Club Cruise posted a loss of  approx.€13 m.  The purchase of the Da Vinci ( ex. Finjet) and short after sold to a demolition yard  registered a loss of €4m. The cruiseworld never understood the purchase of this vessel. Together with the suddenly bankruptcy of British Travelscope and the costs of starting their own sales office in the UK. The refusal of the British fund for travel warranty to accept Club Cruise UK as a participant, all came very quickly to an end to this activity. However all with high costs.   

Club Cruise in 1999 started with the "Club-1" later renamed in "van Gogh".The at the moment five ships now strong fleet will be sold soon.
The "Albatros" sailing for the German Phoenix Reisen has been taken over by Phoenix already. The management is outsourced to V-Ships, catering to QCS. That this action could take place as soon lies in the fact that the lawful property of the "Albatros" from the beginning was in the hands of Phoenix. Phoenix also wants the "Alexander von Humboldt" this case is slightly more complicated. Because probably  claims on the ship and an agreement with the owners must be achieved.
The "Flamenco-1" at the moment laid-up in Singapore and is currently under arrest. She will sold in a public action soon. The "van Gogh" is in Greece. She holds a 2-year charter contract with the Russian Metropolis-Tur. The future of the ship, however, is uncertain because of possible claims. She is also for sale. 
The "Astoria" had already been sold in 2007 to the British Saga Cruises. The ship is currently in Barcelona with serious engine damage. If this is satisfy resolved they will go by May 1 to Saga. She is still in charter of German Transocean.

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Pacific Sun in bad weather again:

Auckland N-Z  july 30 - 2008  42 passengers have received medical attention after PACIFIC SUN was hit by severe weather, experienced  7 metre swells and 50 knot winds causing her to roll sharply  just before 8 pm last night. Three passengers with broken bones were taken to a hospital in Auckland. The ship was en route from Vanuatu to Auckland following an eight day cruise in the South Pacific, and is now holding its position about 540 kilometres north east of New Zealand. Several elderly people among the 1,732 passengers and 671 crew left the ship with arms bound in slings. The ship docked august-1 in Auckland.
One year ago an equal accident in the same area took place.

Please read more about the Pacific Sun: >>>

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“Queen Elizabeth-2” the end is near!

Southamton June -2008 Almost one year ago it was announced that the ship has been purchased by the Dubai investment company Istithmar for $100 million.
July 18 and 19 she has visit for the last time Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. In Zeebrugge together with her successor “Queen Victoria”.
Her Final Voyage starts on nov.11. A 16 days cruise brings her to the final destination Dubai. After arrival, she will be refurbished and berthed permanently at the Palm Jumeirah from 2009 as a luxury floating hotel, retail, museum and entertainment destination. The refurbishments will see the restoration of the Queen Elizabeth -2  original 1969 interior. Before her final voyage a serie of Mediterranean, British Island and Canada/New England cruises are planned. On oct.10 starts her final Transatlantic Crossing.

The QE-2 is a remarkable ship ......  Please read more . >>>

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Prince Albert II Silversea new expedition ship:  

Monte Carlo June 3-2008  In Monte Carlo's harbor on july 3 the expedition ship “Prince Albert II” officially joined the Silversea fleet during a naming ceremony in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. The “Prince Albert II” is the former “World Discoverer” bought september 25-2007 by Silversea. Fresh from a multimillion dollar renovation at Fincantieri Shipyard – Venice, the Prince Albert II boasts the largest average size accommodations of any expedition ship. The ship will maintain the line's reputation for intimate yet spacious ships.  An unmatched selection of 20 premium suites has been created especially for the discriminating traveler with 350 to 675 square feet of luxurious living space, double private French balconies or large private verandas, and additional elite amenities including butler service. All 66 ocean-view accommodations are tastefully appointed and have private marble bathrooms with bathtubs. The Prince Albert II welcomes her first guests on June 12 as she sets sail from London on an Inaugural Season of voyages of 10 to 22 days focusing on polar adventures. Sailing first to the Arctic Circle, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland for the summer, the ship will then reposition to South America and Antarctica for autumn and winter voyages.
Please read more: >>>>

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Queen Victoria the last one in 2007:

Southampton - dec. 11-2007 Queen Victoria the last cruiseship deliverd  in 2007. This ship will be more or less similar to HAL's line of Vista-class vessels, but with Cunard's own twists in the design and slightly larger. In September 2004 the design was enlarged as part of an order of four other ships from Fincantieri. It was originally slated for 88,000 tons and a capacity of 1968. Eleven meters were added to the length raising the tonnage to 90,049 and increasing the capacity to 2014, but the ship will still be able to transit the Panama Canal. Cunard takes delivery of the Queen Victoria on Nov.24. The ceremony, take place on board the new vessel at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard. Queen Victoria is due to leave the shipyard on 30 November, and sail to Southampton. Cunard’s new ocean liner, will be named by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, in the presence of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, during a spectacular ceremony to be held in Southampton on Monday 10 December. The Maiden Voyage starts on Tuesday 11 December. For more technical info and images please go to: http://www.nedcruise.info/queen_victoria.htm

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APOLLO INVEST $ 1 Bn. IN NCL Corp. TO TAKE 50% STAKE:

Miami, August  17 - 2007 NCL Corporation Ltd. (NCLC) parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and NCL America, announced today that private equity group, Apollo Management, has agreed to make a $1 billion cash equity investment in the recapitalised NCLC. Star Cruises is retaining all its existing stock in NCL and will be a 50% owner of the recapitalized company. The company is not being sold. The investment, in the form of common stock alongside NCL’s existing sole shareholder, Star Cruises, is designed to strengthen NCL’s balance sheet and its continued growth, NCL said in a statement.
Today's news follows the Star's suspension of its share trading in HongKong and Singaporeon Monday, pending the release of price-sensitive information. Following the transaction, expected to be closed in 4Q07, Apollo will have three members on the NCL board, and Star Cruises will have two, giving Apollo effective control (although Star will retain "certain consent rights with respect to expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures, indebtedness, etc."). Proceeds will be used to pay down debt and increase liquidity for NCL's newbuilding programme. Also, Apollo and Star will enter into a sub-agreement related to NCL's US-flag Hawaii operations, providing for "deferred consideration to be paid to Star by NCL in the future". That agreement is designed to support NCL-America  business in the near term and permit NCL America time to realise the benefits of various measures to raise yields and lower turnover.
Apollo and Star also agreed to allow time to see if recently implemented actions can turn around the struggling U.S.-flag operations. Meanwhile, Star will continue to underwrite NCL America’s losses, up to $50m, after which the losses will be split by Star and NCL. Should the operation be discontinued, plans include the transfer of one ship to Star and one ship to NCL’s international fleet.
Apollo acquired last February an unspecified controlling in interest in Oceania Cruises that valued the company at $850 million.
There will be no change in NCL’s management or day to day operations, according to Steve Martinez, partner of Apollo Management. The company has no immediate plans to increase its stake in NCL nor to combine it with Oceania Cruises, in which Apollo invested $850m earlier this year, he added.

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QE-2 RETIREMENT:

London June 18- 2007- Cunard has set the date for the end of an era. Queen Elizabeth 2 will retire in November 2008, but unlike so many other classic ships, it will certainly live on because Cunard has sold it to Istithmar,the investment arm of Dubai World,who will restore it and pour the funds into it which are necessary to maintain it.The QE2 will be delivered to Dubai World in November 2008, where she will cease her role as an ocean-going passenger vessel and be refurbished and adapted for her new home as a first class tourism destination. From 2009,the vessel will be berthed at a specially-constructed pier at The Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest man-made island,to create a luxury floating hotel, retail and entertainment destination.The ship, which was delivered in 1969.Is the longest-serving ship in Cunard’s 168-year history, and was their longestserving flagship. She has undertaken 25 world cruises, has crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and has carried more than 2.5 million passengers. The cost of the deal is said to be worth US $ 100 million.

For shipdetails and images please visit: http://www.nedcruise.info/queen%20elizabeth%202.htm

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SEA DIAMOND SANK  OFF  SANTORINI:

Santorini April 5/6-2007 Sea Diamond sank off Santorini Friday morning april 6, after the vessel struck coral reef and nearly 1,600 people on board had to be rescued. Many of the 1156 passengers on board are 731 from the United States including schoolgroups, several from Spain, France and Cyprus. There are also 391 crew.  The Sea Diamond sank shortly before 7 a.m. local time, 15 hours after the accident occurred and the ship began listing and taking on water. Authorities said two French passengers — a 45 year-old man and his 16-year-old daughter — had still not been accounted for, and lists of rescued passengers were being rechecked.
Louis Hellenic Cruises announces that it has been informed by a French tour leader that so far two members of his group from the Sea Diamond have not yet been in contact with him. Every effort is being made to locate them. Louis Hellenic Cruises has also reported that unfortunately at the early hours of this morning, local time the vessel sank in Santorini. Passengers from Sea Diamond have arrived in Piraeus on the Aegean II and Perla is expected to also arrive there with more passengers at around noon local time.The prosecution official told CNN the captain admitted in an interview that he tried to free the ship from the reef before evacuating the passengers as required by international rules. The ship's hull was ripped open by the effort to move off the rocks, causing it to sink in Santorini's volcanic lagoon 18 hours later."Divers cannot be used in these conditions, special deep-sea machinery needs to be brought in," a ministry press officer said. Though the local authorities insist Santorini's pristine beaches are located far from the shipwreck and are not threatened by oil slicks, anti-pollution ships and an aircraft have been operating on the site since Thursday.
Greek authorities have announced plans to sue the owners of the Greek cruise ship that sank near the island of Santorini, fearing a serious blow to the booming local tourist economy from oil pollution.
The captain and five other senior crew members of the Greek-flagged cruise ship have been charged with negligence and violating international maritime rules.
Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyiannis said that "most definitely there was human error" involved in the accident. The ship's captain has told investigators he was caught unawares by a sea current that swept his vessel onto the well-marked and charted rocks, just minutes before it was due to dock.

For info-images and video please visit: http://www.nedcruise.info/seadiamond.htm

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OCEANIA SOLD:

USA Feb.26 -2007 Apollo Management will acquire Oceania Cruises for $850m, including the assumption of debt, in a transaction expected to be completed in the second quarter, pending regulatory approval. Oceania will remain a wholly independent brand, operating as before, with the same management team led by chairman and ceo Frank Del Rio and president Bob Binder. The line’s founding investors will remain stakeholders in the new business. Apollo is a New York-based private private equity fund that has invested more than $16bn into brands that have included Wyndham International, Saks Inc., Vail Resorts, Miraval, Sirius Satellite Radio and RockResorts, among others. Investments into Harrah’s Entertainment and Sotheby’s International Realty are pending.With the hefty resources of Apollo, the deal puts Oceania Cruises in position for further growth, Del Rio said. Oceania started business in 2002 with a $14m investment and now has three ships in service for a total of just over 2,000 berths.
Oceania has been working on newbuilds for the past 12 months and hopes to announce a multiple ship order with options in the next 30 to 60 days.,The line is aiming for a 2010 delivery slot and is talking with the major European builders. Acquisitions are a possibility but the ideal buys are former R ships and none are currently available.  

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WINDSTAR SOLD:

MIAMI, Feb. 22- 2007
Carnival Corp has sold Windstar Cruises for $100M to Ambassadors International Inc. and definitively confirmed that UK brand Swan Hellenic will not be revived. The price for Windstar represents $40M in cash and assumption of liabilities, plus $60M in mortgage financing provided by Carnival and payable over 10 years, with Windstar’s fleet as collateral. “We made the decision to exit from the niche cruise business some time ago and the sale of Windstar is in line with that strategy,” explained Carnival chairman Micky Arison. “Last year, we made a decision to cease operation of Swan Hellenic and transfer its one ship to Princess Cruises,” he continued, adding that neither product fits into future plans which Arison defined as “expanding core growth brands and opening new markets”. Windstar’s fleet is comprised of the 148-passenger Wind Spirit and Wind Star, and 308-passenger Wind Surf. NASDAQ-traded Ambassadors International entered the cruise sector with the launch of its seven-ship Majestic America Line in June 2006, combining river-cruise assets acquired from Delta Queen Steamboat and American West Steamboat. The sale of Windstar is slated to close in 2Q07.
Stein Kruse, president and ceo, Holland America Line, of which Windstar is a subsidiary, said the transaction has been structured to ensure a smooth transition for all parties. ‘Holland America Line will continue to operate the company through a transitional services agreement in the short term which includes vessel, reservations and other operational functions,’ Kruse added.
Ambassadors International Cruise Group has selected V.Ships Leisure to manage the vessel operations of Windstar Cruises following its acquisition which is anticipated to be completed in April 2007.

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