Salvaging Costa Concordia - 60 Minutes Inside Report

By all accounts, the Costa Concordia — the half-sunken passenger liner marooned off the coast of Tuscany is a surreal sight





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"You’ve got this giant thing that’s three football fields long sitting on a slanted mountainside underwater,” says 60 Minutes producer Rich Bonin, whose story on the Costa Concordia salvage project aired on the broadcast this week. 

“It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.” Twice the size of the Titanic, the ship remains in the spot where it sank about a year and half ago, and for the 60 Minutes crew, the challenge was to get our cameras as close to the hulking wreck as possible. 


Article Source - Skift.com 

Disney Prohibits Smoking on Balconies

Disney Cruise Line will prohibit smoking on stateroom balconies effective November 15, 2013. 

Portions of open-air decks on each ship will continue to be designated as smoking areas. 

Guests found smoking in their staterooms or on their verandahs will be charged $250 for air filter replacement, carpet extraction, verandah cleaning and cleaning and replacement of drapes, comforters, blankets and pillows. 

Guests and travel agents with verandah stateroom booked will be contacted by email about the change, and guests will be reminded of the policy when onboard.

Source: TravelPulse

MSC Divina Coming to Miami

MSC Divina due to arrive in Miami in less than 100 days . . . 

Here's the Divina's Caribbean lineup for 2013 and 2014

11-Night Caribbean from Miami
Fares start at $899 p/p
Miami, Falmouth, Oranjestad, Willemstad, Cristobal, Cozumel
Departing December 10, 2013

6-Night Caribbean from Miami
Fares start from $499 p/p
Miami, Georgetown, Cozumel, Great Stirrup Cay
Departing January 12, 2013

7-Night Caribbean from Miami 
Fares start from $609 p/p
Miami, St Maarten, San Juan, Great Stirrup Cay, Miami
Departing November 23, 2013 and January 18, 2014

7-Night Caribbean from Miami
Fares from $609 p/p
Miami, Falmouth, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Great Stirrup Cay, Miami
Departing January 25, 2014

Get details at MSC site

Royal Caribbean Celebrates 50 Million Guests

Royal Caribbean International recognizes an important milestone in its 45-year company history as it welcomes its 50 millionth guest on board its fleet of 21 ships. 

The momentous occasion kicks off a year-long celebration honoring the cruise line’s guests, business partners, employees and crew. 

“For more than 45 years, Royal Caribbean’s guiding principle has been to deliver the WOW to our guests, providing them with experiences, services and amenities that can only be found on Royal Caribbean,” said Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “The men and women on our ships who deliver these WOW moments are what inspire our loyal guests to return to sail with us again and again.” 

Read more 

Silversea Cruises First Female Captain

For the first time in its nearly 20-year history, a female captain is at the helm of a Silversea ship.

Capt. Margrith Ettlin assumed control of the 132-guest expedition ship Silver Explorer on August 7 in Reykjavik. 

Ettlin is a Swiss national with extensive maritime experience in remote regions, including the Arctic and Antarctica, the company said.


Photo Credit - Travel & Leisure


“We’re very pleased and proud to extend this promotion to Captain Ettlin,” said Christian Sauleau, Silversea’s executive vice president of fleet operations. “Although we’re not the first cruise company to have a female captain, we hope Captain Ettlin’s achievement will inspire other women to pursue careers at sea.” 

Prior to joining Silversea as a staff captain in March 2010, Ettlin worked for Germany’s F. Laeisz shipping group. Her maritime career also includes nearly nine years as a staff captain with the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd.

Source: Travel and Tour World

The "Love Boat" Makes final Voyage to Turkey Scrap Yard

The MS Pacific, a cruise ship made famous by its appearance in the popular U.S. 1970s television show "The Love Boat," has sailed its final voyage to a ship-breaking yard on Turkey's Aegean Sea coast. 

Called the Pacific Princess when it was on the long-running comedy, the iconic 13,500-tonne, 171-m-long (561-foot-) vessel will be stripped for its metal and parts. 

Aaron Spelling's "The Love Boat," starring Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain, ran on the U.S. television network ABC from 1977 to 1986. 

The show was set on board the Pacific Princess, which mainly sailed from California to the Mexican Riveria. 

Called the Pacific Princess when it was on the long-running comedy show - each week passengers and crew members, caught under the Pacific Princess' romantic spell, engaged in love affairs or humorous encounters during the one-hour show.

 

Turkey's Izmir Ship Recycling Co. acquired the 42-year-old Pacific for 2.5 million euros ($3.3 million). 

The vintage cruiseliner arrived from Genoa, Italy, at the breakers in the seaside town of Aliaga in Turkey late on Tuesday after a difficult trip in a violent storm. The former "Love Boat" began taking on water, and required the help of additional tugboats to make it to Aliaga. It was now listing on its starboard side at Aliaga. 

Source: Chicago Tribune 

Cruise Lines Posting Alleged Crime Data on Their Websites

As promised in a Senate hearing July 24, major cruise lines on August 1st began posting data on their websites about all crimes alleged to have occurred on their ships since the third quarter of 2010. 

The companies voluntarily agreed to post the data. The Cruise Lines International Association also released data that shows shipboard crime is far lower than crime rates on land.



Before the disclosure was announced by Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Adam Goldstein, the only crime statistics available to consumers were a list on a U.S. Coast Guard site of just the cases that have been closed by the FBI. Critics contend that system under-reported incidents and did not accurately reflect the problem. However, the lines will continue to link to that site.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s list of reported crimes showed just one report between Jan. 1 and June 30 this year, a sexual assault allegation reported by a passenger. Norwegian’s report notes that it carried 745,000 passengers and 27,500 crew members during that period.

Royal Caribbean’s statistics for the April 1-June 30 period show three thefts of over $10,000 reported by crew members and one by an “unidentified” person. Also in that period, there were rape allegations by one passenger and one crew member. For the period from Jan. 1 through March 31, there were two reports of assault with serious bodily injury reported by a passenger and a crew member, three thefts of over $10,000 reported by crew members, two rapes reported by a passenger and a crew member, and three sexual assaults alleged by a passenger and two crew members. In that period, the line carried 1.75 million passengers and a crew of 47,500.

Carnival Cruise Lines had not posted the crime information by midday Aug. 1, but a spokeswoman said it planned to by day’s end.

CLIA compared shipboard crimes to crime rates on land published annually by the FBI in the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR). 
The UCR’s rates nationwide for alleged violent crimes per 100,000 persons during 2010 through 2012 in the following categories were: Rape, 27.1; Aggravated Assault, 248.9; and Homicide, 4.8. The rates per 100,000 in these categories in the cruise industry, as reported by CLIA for 2010 through 2012, were: Rape, 5.9; Assault with Serious Bodily Injury, 3.8; and Homicide, 0.


Article Source: By Theresa Norton Masek via TravelPulse

Costa Concordia Officers Guilty of Manslaughter In Plea Bargain

A court in Italy has convicted five people of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia shipwreck off Giglio island which killed 32 people in January 2012

Photo courtesy of The Atlantic  

Two officers, the helmsman, the head of cabin service and the head of the crisis team were given up to two years and 10 months in jail for multiple manslaughter, negligence and shipwreck. They had agreed plea bargains and may avoid custodial sentences.

Capt Schettino's faces 20 years in jail if found guilty, and he is being tried separately. 

He is charged with multiple manslaughter for causing the shipwreck and abandoning the vessel with thousands still aboard. 

His case will resume on September 23, and his request for a plea bargain has been rejected by the prosecution.

Capt Schettino maintains he managed to steer the stricken vessel closer to shore so it did not sink in deep water where hundreds might have drowned. His lawyers say he is being made a scapegoat for what was simply an accident.

Read full article at BBC

Carnival Cruise Line Replaces CEO

In a move marking the end of an era and suggesting continuing upheaval at the world's largest cruise company, Carnival Corp. announced that Micky Arison, the son of company founder Ted Arison, is being replaced as CEO.

Arison, 63, had held the post since 1979, and will continue as chairman of the board. Arnold W. Donald, who has served on the company's board for the past 12 years, will assume the CEO title.

The news came on the same day that Carnival announced second quarter profits of $41 million, due largely to lower fuel and administrative costs. However, despite deep discounting, passenger traffic remains low, particularly on the flagship Carnival line.

The development follows a string of bad news for Carnival. 

Earlier this year, an engine room fire knocked out the Carnival Triumph's main power, leaving the 2,758-passenger ship dead in the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers described horrible conditions as the ship was towed to Mobile, Ala., and Arison, who owns the Miami Heat basketball team, was criticized for attending a game while the crisis was ongoing.

The following month, the company ended a voyage of the Carnival Dream early after the ship's backup emergency diesel generator failed. Carnival was forced to charter airplanes to fly the ship's 4,300 passengers back to Florida from the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.

And all this came after the sinking last year of the Carnival-owned Costa Concordia. The incident, which killed 32 people, dominated global headlines for weeks.

Continue Reading

AT&T New SmartPhone Plan Exclusively for Royal Caribbean

Until now, cell phone use on-board cruise ships has been expensive due to roaming charges 


AT&T has launched a new plan for its smartphone users exclusively for Royal Caribbean cruises where affordable data usage while at sea would be possible.  





The new plans by AT&T are as follows

• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling: Includes 50 minutes for $30 per month
• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling and Messaging: Offers 50 minutes of talk and 100 text/picture/video messages sent for $60 per month
• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling, Messaging and Data: Includes 50 minutes, 100 messages sent and 100MB of data for $120 per month
• AT&T does require the package be activated for at least one month, although cruisers could sign up for the service before they leave for their cruise and then call and deactivate the package after their cruise is done.  This rate is in addition to your normal contract rate.

The new package is limited to the cruise ships of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.  

Here's a full list of supported Royal Caribbean cruise ships

Adventurer of the Seas
Allure of the Seas
Brilliance of the Seas
Enchantment of the Seas
Explorer of the Seas
Freedom of the Seas
Grandeur of the Seas
Independence of the Seas
Jewel of the Seas
Legend of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
Majesty of the Seas
Mariner of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas
Radiance of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas
Serenade of the Seas
Splendour of the Seas
Vision of the Seas
Voyager of the Seas

The new AT&T packages are available when passengers are at sea - See Cruise Ship Packages at bottom of web page at AT&T Wirless site 

Source: Royal Caribbean Blog

Titanic II Project Moving Ahead

Some names associated with disaster need to be retired forever - I am not feeling any anticipation of the maiden voyage of Titanic II - Linda


Australian billionaire Clive Palmer is moving ahead with plans to build a full-scale replica of the ill-fated Titanic. Palmer’s Blue Star Line has signed a contract with Finland-based Deltamarin for the project development phase for Titanic II.

Palmer says the new vessel will sail from Southampton to New York on its maiden voyage in 2016.

Royal Caribbean Bringing The Wow Factor

RCI Unveils Quantum of the Seas

Here's the newest Royal Caribbean ship that has everyone talking, and it's not even built yet! Just signed up for updates when the ship is open for booking . . . 

Set to sail in the Fall of 2014 from New York, Royal Caribbean is definitely bringing the WOW factor - See if you don't agree

North Star Glass Enclosed Pod - Glass enclosed bubble on a mobile arm takes passengers on a breath-taking journey more than 300 feet above sea level 

SeaPlex - First-ever bumper car experience at sea. It will also be the location of the ship's indoor basketball court

RipCord by iFly, the first-ever sky-diving experience at sea

Every Room Has A View - Virtual Balconies in interior cabins offers real-time views of the ocean and exciting destinations via wall-sized screens

Two70°- Transforms from day to night to deliver spectacular entertainment that includes performance art, aerialists and panoramic digital scenery



Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd is a global cruise company operating 38 ships under the following brands: Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisières de France

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/home.do

Related News
Royal Caribbean Fills Virtual Ship With Celebrities

   

Letter from Carnival President and CEO

Received this e-mail today from Carnival. Obviously this is not been the best couple of years for the Carnival Cruise Line brand, and they launched an operational review regarding all the recent incidents 

Dear Carnival Past Guest,

Our goal is to drive continual improvement across all aspects of our customer experience. To that end, we launched an operational review this February to learn all that we could from recent incidents and find new solutions. 

Today, we are announcing a fleet-wide enhancement program and will be investing more than $300 million to expand the availability of hotel services in the rare instance of a shipboard event that involves the loss of primary power. In addition, we will also reinforce key shipboard operating systems and add new technologies to further prevent a potential loss of primary power. 

Work is underway and you can learn more about these initiatives in this brief video. For more information, visit the Carnival News & Updates tab on Facebook.

It's important to note that all of our 24 vessels operate safely today, and have strong systems in place to prevent, detect and respond to emergency situations. We meet or exceed all current regulatory requirements and are committed to delivering our guests a safe, reliable and enjoyable vacation experience.

With our investment, we will introduce new technologies and enhance current systems to our fleet. 

Additionally, we are forming a new Safety & Reliability Review Board comprised of leading third party experts from organizations such as United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, as well as leading airlines and equipment manufacturers. The addition of external experts to our new Safety & Reliability Review Board will provide us with further expertise and perspective in support of our goal of continuing to drive constant improvement.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyalty to Carnival Cruise Lines. My goal as the leader of Carnival Cruise Lines is to improve everyday across all aspects of your experience with us. I want to assure you that we will do everything we can to continue to improve our product and provide you with a fun and memorable cruising experience.

Sincerely,


Gerry Cahill
President and CEO
Carnival Cruise Lines

First Look - NCL's Newest Ship Norwegian Getaway

On February 1, 2014, NCL's newest ship Norwegian Getaway will set sail from Miami

Norwegian Getaway will sail seven-day cruises from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean with ports of call including Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas. 

Unparalleled magical entertainment experience called The Illusionarium will offer 12 performances per cruise, two shows per night

The Illusionarium is unlike any other entertainment experience at sea as it will transport guests in to fascinating world of magic and illusions by world-class magicians and feature supernatural special effects, with the centerpiece being a 30’ diameter video dome that will transport audiences to mystical places.

Fireworks Light Up the Night

Adding to the ship's excitement, Norwegian Getaway will also feature a dazzling display of fireworks on every cruise. 

As guests dance the night away under the stars in the open-air Spice H20 venue at the aft of the ship, a mesmerizing color-filled fireworks show will light up the night sky, right above the ship. The fully-produced show is a visual masterpiece that is set to music, creating an incredible finale to the cruise.

Aqua Park

The Aqua Park is one of Norwegian's biggest and features five multi-story water slides. 

Norwegian Getaway and her sister ship, Norwegian Breakaway, are the first cruise ships to feature the Free Fall - two side-by-side slides where guests will stand up and have the floor drop from underneath, propelling them into a thrilling loop. 

Offering another first with a twist are two additional side-by-side twister slides called The Whip delivering an unforgettable adrenaline rush as you plunge on a spiral race to the finish line. For those who prefer a more relaxing ride, there is a family-friendly open-flume body slide. The Aqua Park also features two swimming pools, four hot tubs and a semi-open air eatery.

Sports Complex

The three-story sports complex will feature a multi-level elevated ropes course that will challenge guests to more than 40 different elements, including a zip track. 

For a thrill like no other, guests will confront The Plank, a platform that extends eight feet over the side of the ship. Those who choose to test their courage on The Plank will be rewarded by having their photo taken after conquering this heart-pounding, yet breathtaking, feat. 

Kids will be challenged as well with a special ropes course just for them. In another first for the line, the nine-hole ocean-themed miniature golf course is located beneath the ropes course, offering family fun with friendly competition. A rock climbing wall, bungee trampoline and spider web, a 24-foot enclosed climbing cage complete with a spiral slide, round out the activities.

In other NCL News . . . 

Norwegian Cruise Line has been named "Official Cruise Line Partner of the GRAMMY Awards®. The companies will partner on the first GRAMMY-themed cruise scheduled to set sail in the fall of 2014. More details regarding the GRAMMY Experience venue, performances and the GRAMMY theme cruise will be revealed in the coming months.

Building Getaway Blog - http://www.buildinggetaway.ncl.com/


Information on Norwegian Getaway's accommodations and itinerary can be found at www.getaway.ncl.com.

Yet Another Carnival Ship Having Equipment Problems

Lately the world's largest cruise line is making headlines for "not sailing"  

Carnival is reporting The Legend is having equipment problems which is affecting the ships sailing speed.

While the ship made port calls in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan, the last stop in Grand Cayman has been cancelled, and the ship is heading to the home port of Tampa.

Carnival reports the ship's safety systems and hotel services are all functioning normally.

Update to our last post . . . 
Received another text from our friends on the Carnival Dream. All is well in St Maarten - they enjoyed touring the island, hit the beach, and had an enjoyable dinner tonight. 

These equipment issues on older as well as Carnival's newer fleet are becoming rather suspect - and I am an avid cruiser. After hearing from our friends, I felt the media was hyping the situation with the Dream, but now all I can do is post the latest cruise news in regards to the cruise line.

Let's hope all goes well for the passengers on The Legend, and they arrive safely back in port.

Cruising For A Lawsuit

Former Senior cruise ship operator Jay Herring offers some insight . . . 

More on lawsuits from TravelPulse - Carnival Triumph Passengers File Lawsuits 

Carnival Cruise Lines is facing a number of lawsuits filed by passengers aboard the Carnival Triumph, which lost power in the Gulf of Mexico and was towed into Mobile, Ala., on Feb. 14. 

Miami-based maritime law firm Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman is seeking class-action status for its law suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Miami on behalf of passengers who were on the ship, alleging that the conditions on-board endangered their health.

The suit also contends that Carnival Triumph should have headed for Progreso, Mexico, because it was closer and would have eased conditions faster. 

Carnival has said the ship drifted away from Progreso, and that plan was further complicated by the fact that 900 of the 3,000 passengers did not have U.S. passports.

But not everyone believes filing lawsuits is the best strategy for passengers in this case. Indeed, one of the cruise industry’s most strident critics, attorney Jim Walker of Miami, said he does not believe in filing such suits.

In a blog entry posted in 2010 after a similar incident on the Carnival Splendor, Walker wrote that in order to have a legitimate case for compensation, a cruise passenger has to suffer a personal injury. “Experiencing inconvenience and unpleasant circumstances does not constitute a personal injury unless there is a physical injury,” he wrote. “If you fall down a flight of stairs in the dark and break your hip, that’s a personal injury. But taking cold showers, smelling toilets that can’t be flushed, eating Spam sandwiches in the dark or other similar ‘cruise from hell’ stories are not compensable.”

In a more recent blog entry, Walker added that these “conclusions I reached two years ago apply to this latest Carnival debacle.” Carnival has already agreed to refund passengers’ fares and travel expenses, wiped out shipboard accounts, offered a free cruise and paid them $500 each. “So if you are foolish enough to file suit [in Miami], you simply will not do any better than what is already being offered now,” Walker wrote. “Plus you will incur legal expenses and travel expenses pursuing a case in Miami which you are certain to lose.”

 Source: By Theresa Norton Masek - TravelPulse 

Carnival Dispatches 3rd Tugboat To Assist Triumph

When Cruisin' Goes Wrong . . . Passengers report the top deck looks like a shanty town with tents made out of sheets, and mattresses everywhere. Food supplies have been low, and without working toilets passengers have been forced to use bags 

The ship is currently being towed to port in Mobile, Ala., and expected to arrive some time Thursday. A third tugboat was dispatched from Louisiana Wednesday to help the towing efforts.

Passenger with pre-existing medical condition was transferred to the Carnival Legend 

Carnival has reserved 1,500 hotel rooms for passengers in Mobile and New Orleans, along with 20 chartered flights which will transport passengers to Houston. Each passenger will also receive a full refund, future cruise credit, along with an additional $500 in compensation. 

Now Here's The Big Question - What's The Deal With The On-board Safety Systems? 

Cruise ships should have a high level of plant redundancy to prevent a total loss of power when a single engine catches fire - in other words - BACKUP!  

Half of the ships capacities should remain in tact after a single failure. It appears with the previous fire in 2010 on the Carnival Splendor, and this current situation on Triumph, engine and monitoring systems are not coping with multiple failures.  

What we know about the fire on Carnival Splendor is that two individual engine rooms shut down due to the fire, along with every backup electrical system - and this is a newer ship.   

Unlike the newer Splendor, the The Triumph is one of the older ships (launched in 1999) in Carnival's fleet, and is based in Galveston sailing 4-5 day trips to the Caribbean. 

Mechanical Issues On Triumph Last Month

While it is not known what caused the fire abroad The Triumph, was is known is that the ship was having issues prior to this cruise. 

The ship was due to depart mid day from Galveston on January 28, and was delayed until about 8:00 p.m. due to propulsion issues. Due to the delay passengers did not make the Cozumel port, and were given a $50 credit.  

Carnival Cancels Triumph's Next 12 Sailings 

Carnival has cancelled Triumph's next 12 trips, in addition to the two that were already canceled. It promised refunds to those who have booked voyages on the ship through April 13.

Passengers have reported over flowing toilets and sewage running down walls and halls. Carnival can sanitize and replace carpets and furnishings, but will those previously booked pick this particular ship when it resurfaces? 

Or perhaps the cruise line will sell it off to somewhere in Europe, where it will be renamed and continue sailing. That's what happens to older ships that can still be salvaged - they live again under a new name and company.  



Related links

Mobile, Alabama Prepares For Carnival Triumph Arrival As Cruise Ship Is Towed To Gulf Coast

Triumph Out of Commission

Carnival CEO says his company trying to make passengers as comfortable as possible

Carnival Triumph Dead In Water Off Coast of Mexico

The 14-year old ship is basically going nowhere, and is operating on emergency generator power after a fire Sunday in one of the diesel generators killed its propulsion. 

The fire was quickly put out by an automatic fire extinguishing system, and none of the 4,229 passengers or crew are said to be in any danger. 

“The cause of the fire is still to be determined,” said Carnival spokesman Vance Guliksen. In a brief news release, Guliksen said “there were no casualties to guests or crew.”

Carnival says tugboats are en route to the Carnival Triumph to tow it to Progreso, Mexico so that passengers can get off, but the process will take three days. The vessel is expected to arrive in Progreso on Wednesday afternoon, the line says.

All cruise passengers will be flown back to the United States and will be fully refunded. Carnival will cover any additional transportation expenses, and passengers will also receive a free future cruise.

According to Carnival, some basic auxiliary power has been restored, cabin toilets are working on part of the ship and some elevators are operational. The dining areas are serving hot coffee and limited hot food.

More updated news at USA Today Cruise Log

Quantum Leap Forward in Cruising

Royal Caribbean announces the name as well as the start of construction on its newest class of ships, formerly known as Project Sunshine. Quantum of the Seas℠ and Anthem of the Seas℠ are a leap forward in both innovation and design. 

The first ship is expected to be delivered in Fall 2014, and the second ship in spring 2015. There will be enough space for up to 4, 100 passengers. 

What Were The Top Cruise News Stories of 2012?

The Costa Concordia tragedy, disruptions caused by Superstorm Sandy to onboard fires, overboard passengers and several unlucky excursion-related incidents, cruise lines battled what seemed to be a never-ending barrage of misfortune in 2012.

Costa Concordia - Photo Credit World Maritime News

Here are the news articles Cruise Critic readers read and talked about the most:

The Costa Concordia Tragedy
On January 13, 2012, Costa Concordia hit a rock off the coast of Italian island of Giglio. Within hours the ship had capsized, 4,000 passengers and crew evacuated and 32 people had died. 

Superstorm Sandy Wrecks Havoc on Cruises
Hurricane/superstorm Sandy might easily have been one of the most disruptive weather forces the cruise industry has faced, with 10 days of itinerary changes and rough at-sea rides. In all, some 50 itineraries were upended with some passengers forced to remain at sea longer than scheduled, while others were short-changed or had their cruises canceled entirely. 

Carnival Introduces All-You-Can-Drink Package
In August 2010, Carnival announced it had begun testing a flat-fee, all-inclusive beverage program called the "My Awesome Bar Program" on Carnival Victory. 

Carnival Passengers Robbed on Excursion
Just because an excursion is ship-sponsored doesn't mean things can't go wrong, something 22 Carnival Splendor passengers learned when they were robbed at gunpoint in February while in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. No one was injured, but most lost a variety of valuables, as well as passports and other forms of identification. 

Royal Caribbean Passengers Injured on Excursion
Carnival passengers were not the only ones to learn ship-sponsored doesn't always mean "safe." Eleven Royal Caribbean passengers were injured during a traffic accident while on a ship-sponsored shopping tour in St. Thomas in late January. The passengers were traveling in an open-air "safari cab" when it collided with a parked car. 

Shipboard Fire Doesn't Dampen Passengers Spirits
On March 30 a fire broke out aboard Azamara Quest while the ship sailed off the coast of Manila. 

Cruise Line Cabin Gaffe Infuriates Passengers
Nothing infuriates cruise passengers like believing a cruise line is sticking it to them, and that's exactly how a number of Royal Caribbean cruisers felt after the line took away their prime location cabins and "accidentally" sold them to other passengers. Yikes!!

Cruise Critic Predicts 2012 Trends
Fewer new-builds but growth in refurbishments, more fee-based offerings and the rebirth of Mississippi River cruising were trends Cruise Critic accurately predicted for 2012. 

Passenger Overboard
Every year the cruise industry sees several people go tragically overboard, and this year was no different. The story of a female passenger who went overboard from Allure of the Seas in September caught the attention of our readers. 

Crown Princess Dethroned by Noro
Few things make cruisers cringe more than the thought of contracting noro-virus while at sea. So when Crown Princess was in the news because of noro-virus twice in a two-month time span, Cruise Critic readers took notice. 

Read more details on each of these stories at Cruise Critic