Carnival Sunshine Sails - Launches Port Canaveral Program

Carnival Sunshine sailing from Port Canaveral this afternoon on its inaugural cruise from the port.

Carnival Sunshine sails on its inaugural voyage Saturday, April 19, 2014, from Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Previously known as Carnival Destiny, the ship underwent a $155 million renovation to add more staterooms and guest enhancements. Owned by Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, the ship is being based year-round from the east Central Florida port for 5- to 8-day cruises to Key West, Fla.; the Bahamas and the Caribbean.


Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for April 18, 2014

* Do You Need Another Reason Not to Go to the Bahamas?
The courthouse in Nassau was clogged Monday with passengers booted off Royal Caribbean ships last Saturday because they were found to have illegal drugs with them, albeit in small amounts for personal consumption.
   The five individuals were turned over to police by the security departments of two RCI ships in five separate incidents. In this CND article we look at the situation and see if this is the best way to handle these incidents.

* For Those Who Prefer a More Leisurely Pace
Carnival Miracle has developed a problem in its propulsion system that is limiting the ship’s cruising speed. The problem is that it can’t be fixed until the ship’s next dry dock early next year, and that means itineraries on most of its sailings until then are being adjusted.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for April 17, 2014

* Carnival Sunshine Arrives at New Home Port
Carnival Sunshine arrived at its new home port of Port Canaveral today ready to show Central Florida what Fun Ship 2.0 is all about and bringing the port a bunch of new itinerary options.

* Workers Returning to Costa Concordia
The skeleton crew which has remained with Costa Concordia over the winter is beginning to grow. There are currently 290 technicians at the site off Giglio Island, and over the next few weeks, that number will grow to 400.

* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about dinner and a show now in the package ... and Throwback Thursday.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Remembering Queen Mary's Final Voyage

Our friends at Cunard Line sent along a couple of interesting photos last week that recall Queen Mary's retirement to Long Beach back in October 1967.

The ship had been sold to the City of Long Beach, and the plan was to create an "Olde London" village along side the permanently moored ocean liner. (The village never came into existence, however.)

The developers of the village purchased two double-decker London buses for use in the village, and they had the good idea to ship them to Long Beach aboard Queen Mary when she sailed her final voyage for Cunard, which would end at the ship's new home. So the buses were loaded aboard the ship and secured to the aft deck. The novelty of having the buses aboard proved popular with the passengers, many of whom were willing to pay a dollar to sit in the buses as the ship rounded Cape Horn on its way to the West Coast.

The first of the buses was lifted aboard Queen Mary
by a crane in Southampton. Another sign of the times:
Note the Pan Am ad on the side of the bus.

The bus is being lowered onto Queen Mary's aft deck.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for April 16, 2014

* A Quantum Change of Plans (or With Quantum You Get Egg Roll)
In a move that shocked the industry, Royal Caribbean announced this afternoon, that after its initial winter season in New York, Quantum of the Seas would be homeported in Shanghai for 3- to 8-day cruises.
   If anyone was doubtful of the growing importance of Asia and China in particular to the cruise industry, this should convince them that the market is one upon which the industry places high importance and wants to court.
 
* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about two more failures ... and finally doing what it was built to do.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.