Hurricane Paula Changes Itineraries

Hurricane Paula formed in the western Caribbean and this week is affecting ships planning midweek calls at Yucatan ports.

Carnival, Celebrity and Holland America are all reporting itinerary changes to avoid the storm.


Details appeared in the October 13, 2010, issue of Cruise News Daily.

Birthday Party to the Max

Pop art icon Peter Max will be celebrating his birthday next week aboard Celebrity Solstice.

The line will use the occasion to have a special party, a charity auction, and to roll out a new customized art option with Peter Max.


Details were in the October 13, 2010, edition of Cruise News Daily.

The Naming of a Queen

It has been said that there are christenings and then there are Cunard christenings. And yesterday Cunard had a christening.

On Sunday, describing what would happen in Monday's naming ceremony for Queen Elizabeth, Cunard president Peter Shanks said, "My job is to make sure the hair on the back of your neck stands on end."

To accomplish that he rallied all the pageantry and splendor the British company could muster. In this CND article we look at how he accomplished it and what he says the new ship's role will be. We have other things on our blog we heard and saw at the weekend's event that you probably didn't read elsewhere.


The complete article appeared in the October 12, 2010, edition of Cruise News Daily.

More "Solsticizing" for the Rest of the Celebrity Cruises Fleet

Celebrity Cruises announced yesterday they would soon begin providing an "international marketplace" experience in the casual evening Lido dining venues aboard all their ships (except Celebrity Xpedition). It will be similar to what is currently being offered aboard the line's Solstice-class ships.


The complete story appeared in the October 12, 2010 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Honk!

Her Majesty has been touring the ship while the naming ceremony has begun outside, and a 100-piece symphony orchestra, accompanied by a 150-voice chorus is entertaining the rest of us. We can watch The Queen touring the vessel on large video monitors. She is being quite gracious with the staff and actually chatting with many as they are presented to her. And then she got to the bridge. After meeting the officers, Captain Wells gestured toward some of the controls. With that The Queen's arm stretch out and the ship's baritone whistle sounded drowning out the orchestra and the chorus, but not the gales of laughter that went up from the crowd in the stands.