Viking Picks Name and Launches Ad Campaign

Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Sun arrived in Los Angeles today, three weeks into its 141-day World Cruise from Miami to London via the Pacific. It was also the new ship's maiden visit to the city, and Los Angeles is also the line's US headquarters, so Viking used the occasion for a press conference in which they made a couple of announcements.

The complete story appeared in the January 5 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Going in through the Back Door

Grand Cayman is still at tender port. When seas are rough, it makes tendering too uncomfortable or too dangerous so ships cancel their call and sail right on by. Sometimes there is an alternative. When conditions permit, the tenders can land at Spotts Dock on the south side of the island.

Thousands of cruise passengers have been diverted there since Wednesday this week, and the forecast is that the conditions will continue through the weekend.

Details appeared in the January 5 edition of Cruise News Daily.

New Port in the Western Caribbean?

South Padre Island (Texas) has decided they want to get into the cruise business, but unlike so many other ports, they're not looking to become a home port. They want to be a port of call on western Caribbean itineraries.

The complete story appeared in the January 4 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - January 4, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Winter storm Grayson changing cruise itineraries
• A footnote to history running for parliament

Details appeared in the January 4 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

NTSB Issues Report on Celebrity Infinity Accident

Last month the National Transportation Safety Board issued their final report on the June 2016 accident when Celebrity Infinity allided with the dock in Ketchikan. The accident did relatively minor damage to the ship (a nine-inch hole was opened in the forward port side of the ship about 12 feet above the waterline) but extensive damage was done to dock, with a cost of approximately $1.15 million.

While the NTSB's mission isn't to assign blame, the report did find that the allison with the dock was the result of “the master's failure to plan, monitor, and execute a safe docking evolution.”

The complete story appeared in the January 3 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - January 3, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Business is back to normal at St. Maarten
• The Falkland Islands are considering an increased head tax

Details appeared in the January 3 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

A Less Than Perfect Score

A couple weeks ago we told you about Carnival Breeze receiving a failing score on its USPH inspection in December. It turns out it wasn't the only Carnival ship that failed recently. Today the CDC issued an inspection report on a November 11 inspection of Carnival Triumph in which it scored only 78. (A score of 86 is passing.)

The complete story appeared in the January 2 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - January 2, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Valparaiso considering expanding
• Medevac from Caribbean Princess

Details appeared in the January 2 edition of Cruise News Daily.