Suspicious Package Delays Melbourne Cruises

A suspicious package was found in Melbourne's (Australia) cruise terminal today (1:30pm Saturday afternoon).

Sniffer dogs alerted on a package in area with luggage for Sun Princess. The ship was evacuated as well as the terminal and Diamond Princess which was also at the terminal according to local media reports.

By 6:30pm, the package was cleared and found to contain military uniforms, and boarding resumed.

Looking around

Holland America has added a neat photo on their blog today. It's a panorama photo taken from the top of the funnel of Nieuw Amsterdam which is currently under construction at the Fincantieri yard in Marghera (Italy).

The panorama is a 360-degree view of the shipyard. Not only can you see the regular activity in the yard, but and you can also see Costa Deliziosa being built at a nearby berth at the yard.

Nieuw Amsterdam will be delivered to Holland America in June.

Royal Princess to Leave Princess Fleet

Carnival Corp announced today that Royal Princess will be transferred from their Princess brand to the P&O brand in the spring of 2011. P&O will rename the ship Adonia.

The change will cancel five previously scheduled Princess sailings in April and May 2011.

The change will also have the affect of further reducing berths in Alaska in the summer 2011 season. Royal Princess is operating in Alaska during the summer of 2010, and Princess has no plans to redeploy a replacement ship there in 2011.

Details will appear in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.

Azamara Upgrades

As part of a new identity - Azamara Club Cruises - the line is becoming much more inclusive. With that in mind beginning Monday (December 14) the pricing will begin to reflect that with a price increase to take effect that day.

Passengers booked before Monday will sail with the new program at the previously confirmed rates.

Details of the new program will be in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.