Carnival Destiny became the first cruise ship to visit Carnival Corp's Grand Turk Cruise Center today (October 8, 2008) after much of the island was damaged by Hurricane Ike on September 6 & 7 (2008).
The cruise center has been fully repaired, but much of the rest of the island is still rebuilding.
The island has recovered beyond just meeting basic human needs and has now moved into a phase where it is working toward economic recovery. Carnival Destiny's arrival plays a big role in that since the cruise center and companies linked directly to it are the largest private employer on the island.
Other ships previously scheduled to call at the island will now begin calling as scheduled. The first will be Crown Princess on October 10.
Details are in the October 8 edition of Cruise News Daily.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Carnival's Cozumel Pier to Reopen
Carnival Corp confirmed today that their Puerta Maya pier and cruise center on the island of Cozumel will reopen on October 16, 2008.
Along with the new two-berth pier, the adjacent nine-acre cruise center with a variety of shops and restaurants, will open. The new facilities also include a four-acre transportation hub for taxis, excursion buses and rental cars, and a new excursion pier for water-based excursions so they can leave directly from the facility.
In addition to calling at Puerta Maya, vessels from all Carnival brands will continue to also use the other two piers at Cozumel. Puerta Maya is located on the southwest part of Cozumel about five miles south of San Miguel, the island's largest city.
Puerta Maya has been closed since it was destroyed by Hurricane Wilma, which caused massive destruction on the island in 2005.
Details appeared in the October 7, 2008 edition of Cruise News Daily.
Along with the new two-berth pier, the adjacent nine-acre cruise center with a variety of shops and restaurants, will open. The new facilities also include a four-acre transportation hub for taxis, excursion buses and rental cars, and a new excursion pier for water-based excursions so they can leave directly from the facility.
In addition to calling at Puerta Maya, vessels from all Carnival brands will continue to also use the other two piers at Cozumel. Puerta Maya is located on the southwest part of Cozumel about five miles south of San Miguel, the island's largest city.
Puerta Maya has been closed since it was destroyed by Hurricane Wilma, which caused massive destruction on the island in 2005.
Details appeared in the October 7, 2008 edition of Cruise News Daily.
Monday, October 6, 2008
The End of Sea Esacpe
When the long-time gambling ship Sea Escape shut down August 10, they said they would shortly announce another port where they would set up operations. The company said they couldn't compete with all the gambling opportunites in South Florida.
They never got the chance to see if they could make the gambling ship work somewhere else. As they were preparing to move to ship, officially Island Adventure, to the Bahamas while they worked out their plan, it was arrested by US marshals in response to a lawsuit filed by crew members who hadn't been paid.
The judge gave the owners until September 26, 2008 to raise the money for the crew members, and other creditors which later piled on. (In total $2.3 million was said to be owed.) In addition to raising the money in the usual ways, the judge also allowed the owners to contract to sell or charter Island Adventure.
They couldn't find anyone interested, and today the judge ordered the ship sold at auction on October 16. And that seems to be the end of Sea Escape - a South Florida tradition.
They never got the chance to see if they could make the gambling ship work somewhere else. As they were preparing to move to ship, officially Island Adventure, to the Bahamas while they worked out their plan, it was arrested by US marshals in response to a lawsuit filed by crew members who hadn't been paid.
The judge gave the owners until September 26, 2008 to raise the money for the crew members, and other creditors which later piled on. (In total $2.3 million was said to be owed.) In addition to raising the money in the usual ways, the judge also allowed the owners to contract to sell or charter Island Adventure.
They couldn't find anyone interested, and today the judge ordered the ship sold at auction on October 16. And that seems to be the end of Sea Escape - a South Florida tradition.
Island to Stand Alone
Royal Caribbean will sell their interest in Island Cruises to their partner in the venture, First Choice Holidays.
One of the two ships, Island Star, which Island charters from RCCL will be returned to RCCL in April 2009 and redeployed to RCCL's Pullmantur brand.
From later statements by TUI, First Choice's parent, the Island Cruises brand apparently will next year be folded into Thomson Cruises, another of TUI's holdings.
The complete story appeared in the October 6 (2008) edition of Cruise News Daily.
One of the two ships, Island Star, which Island charters from RCCL will be returned to RCCL in April 2009 and redeployed to RCCL's Pullmantur brand.
From later statements by TUI, First Choice's parent, the Island Cruises brand apparently will next year be folded into Thomson Cruises, another of TUI's holdings.
The complete story appeared in the October 6 (2008) edition of Cruise News Daily.
Disney Cruise Line Returning to Europe
Disney Cruise Line will send Disney Magic to Europe from April thru September 2010.
The program will include 10- and 11-night itineraries in the Mediterranean, similar to what the line operated previously in 2007. This time, however, Disney Magic will also offer 12-night cruises in the Baltic.
Additionally, Disney Wonder will shift to 4- and 5-night cruises out of Port Canaveral during the summer of 2010.
The complete story was carried in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.
The program will include 10- and 11-night itineraries in the Mediterranean, similar to what the line operated previously in 2007. This time, however, Disney Magic will also offer 12-night cruises in the Baltic.
Additionally, Disney Wonder will shift to 4- and 5-night cruises out of Port Canaveral during the summer of 2010.
The complete story was carried in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.
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