Muppets to Debut on Disney Fantasy

The Muppets will debut aboard aboard Disney Fantasy when the ship enters service in March 2012. The popular characters will appear in a new adventure game aboard the ship. In the fast-paced game, passengers will follow clues around the ship to solve a mystery involving the 20 Muppet characters.

Complete details appeared in an article in the November 29, 2011, edition of Cruise News Daily.

Norwegian to Add Pre-Cruise Services for Suite Passengers

Norwegian Cruise Line announced they are offering a pre-cruise concierge service for passengers booking suites in The Haven, their most luxurious suites aboard Norwegian Epic and their Jewel-class ships.

The concierge desk will handle arrangements for dining, entertainment (especially useful on Norwegian Epic) and other services.

The complete article appeared in the November 28, 2011, edition of Cruise News Daily.

Video: Coast Guard Medevacs Passenger from Carnival Spirit

The US Coast Guard medevaced a 77-year-old woman from Carnival Spirit on Saturday (November 26, 2011) as the ship sailed 230 miles southwest of San Diego.

The Coast Guard was contacted at 12:30pm requesting a medevac for the woman who was experiencing symptoms of a stroke, and they dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from San Diego and a C-130 Hercules aircraft from Sacramento to provide communications and coordination.

Once on the scene, as can be seen in the Coast Guard-provided video, a rescue swimmer was lowered to the ship's aft deck to assist in hoisting the people from the cruise ship. Notice the speed at which you can see the ship moving through the water, and the skill needed by the helicopter pilot to coordinate and remain virtually motionless over the deck during the transfer.

You first see a nurse from the ship being lifted to the helicopter, followed by the patient in a second basket, and finally the rescue swimmer being retrieved.

The helicopter returned to San Diego at approximately 6pm, and the patient was transferred to a San Diego area hospital for treatment.

Queen Mary 2 Enters Dry Dock

Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 entered the dry dock yesterday at Blohm + Voss at Hamburg. The line plans interior work on the ship as well as the required mechanical work and routine maintenance under the ship.

Here QM2 is shown arriving at the Hamburg facility.

Due to the prep work while the ship was traveling to Hamburg, the Golden Lion Pub is ready for work to begin as the ship arrives in dry dock. When the ship returns to service, QM2's Golden Lion will look more like the pubs on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

A few hours after arrival in the dry dock, the water has been drained, and Queen Mary 2 is sitting high and dry.

During the preparation for the dry dock, everything not being removed is covered to protect it, as can be seen in the hallway on Deck 2.

This applies not only to hallways, but all public rooms. Protective covering has been taped down on everything in the Commodore Club.

Here the whirlpool in the spa has been drained for maintenance there. The spa manager and entertainment director are shown in the the empty pool recording a video entry for Cunard's blog, "We Are Cunard."

Photos courtesy of Cunard Line.

Video: AIDAmar Gets Its Stack

AIDAmar is under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg (Germany). Last week Meyer lifted the ship's stack into place, making it the last major exterior element to go into place. Of course there is another "major" feature yet to come, AIDA's iconic giant red lips, which still have to be painted on the ship's bow.