CND Headlines - Bill Requires Cruise Lines to Report Some Crimes

Language has been included in a bill now going to the House of Representatives that would require some types of incidents aboard cruise ships to be reported to the US government.

The provision was attached to HR 2830, the Coast Guard Authorization Act, that would require any cruise ship entering a US port to report any act that has resulted in death, serious bodily injury, sexual assault, a missing person, or one that poses a significant threat to the vessel, any passenger, port facility or any person in or near the port.

The bill is far from comprehensive, but Congressman Christopher Shays says it is "a good first start."

Details are in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.

From the rumor department:

The rumors on the message boards all seem to be running in the direction that Windjammer Barefoot Cruises is not operating. One reports that the previously-announced investor has backed out, and the company is out of funds. One ship remains under arrest.

Posters on the message boards say that when they call the Windjammer office, they are told everything is fine, and for customers to send payments as scheduled.

We have no independent confirmation of this, we are just reporting that we have seen the rumor. Readers may want to investigate the situation before sending funds or traveling to board one of their ships.

CND Headlines - Now That We Have It, What Do We Do With It?

Through July, the State of Alaska has collected $26.6million in those (in)famous $46 cruise taxes that are being imposed on each cruise passenger coming to the state. There are just two problems. The Department of Revenue can't distribute the individual ports' money yet, and when they do, the cities aren't exactly sure what they can do with it.

Details are in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.

CND Headlines - Princess to "Hawaiian up" Hawaiian Sailings

This winter, Princess's program of cruises that include Hawaii will grow to 26 sailings, including 15 of the popular 15-day round trip itineraries from Los Angeles. This year, the ship has been upsized to the 116,000-ton Diamond Princess, the largest Princess has ever sent to Hawaii.

Making its debut on those sailings (as well as those aboard Pacific Princess) is the line's new multi-faceted program to bring more of the Hawaiian culture aboard to Princess' passengers.

Details are in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.

From the going nowhere late department:

Last night NCL had scheduled a one-night cruise to nowhere from New York aboard Norwegian Spirit. The ship was supposed to get underway for the all-night sampler cruise at 4pm and return early this morning.

Unfortunately, according to the New York Daily News, the NYPD received a bomb threat that said one of the crew members had a bomb that would explode at 7pm. Authorities came and investigated until after 7pm and found nothing. Approximately 2,000 passengers were aboard and given the option of disembarking if they wished. The Daily News reported only a few didn't sail, but the New York Post said about half opted to go home instead.

Norwegian Spirit departed about 7:15pm and returned this morning without incident.

So that leaves the question, if you are going nowhere, can you ever be late?

Update Sept 24: NCL confirmed to CND that it was actually just "a handful" of people who decided not to sail, not anywhere even close to the hundreds the Post indicated.

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