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Tag: Cruise Ships

  • Caribbean Vacations Take A Quantum Leap Into The Future

    Caribbean vacations are what some might call the perfect getaway. It’s not all sunshine though as cruise ships aren’t exactly a favorite among all travelers. Some might even be more skeptical after a number of high profile disasters on cruise ships over the past few years. Royal Caribbean wants to change all that.

    Business Week reports that Royal Caribbean has created a cruise ship that’s been designed for those who hate cruises. The ship, dubbed Quantum of the Seas, has been designed to feel more like an urban building instead of a tropical cruise. While it may seem like the ship is a betrayal of the cruise mentality, the newest ship is designed for younger people who want to feel more at home even while sailing through the Caribbean.

    To accomplish this, Royal Caribbean is implementing a number of modern amenities, such as mobile baggage tracking and revamped dining reservations. Speaking of the latter, the ship will use tablets to keep track of food preferences so waiters will know how guests like their coffee or meat.

    The cruise ship will also be introducing a number of new activities meant to appeal to younger guests, such as on-deck surfing and wind tunnel skydiving. Gone are the days of shuffleboard and boring water sports.

    If all this sounds terrible, the traditional cruise experience will still be available. Royal Caribbean has only announced the above for its Quantum of the Seas ship. The company will also be building two more ships like it over the next two years, dubbed Anthem of the Seas and Ovation.

    Here are some shots of the Quantum in action:

  • Ebola: Cruise Ship Passenger in Quarantine Over Scare

    The U.S. State Department today announced that an American on a cruise ship is currently being monitored for possible Ebola exposure. The passenger is an employee of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital where Eric Duncan died of Ebola last week. Duncan was the first person on U.S. soil to be diagnosed with Ebola.

    The State Department identified the employee through a trace investigation currently being undertaken by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The employee, who has not been named, did not have direct contact with Duncan but may have had contact with “clinical specimens” collected from Duncan.

    The employee boarded a Carnival cruise ship on October 12 in Galveston, Texas. At the time the CDC was requiring only self-monitoring for people suspected of having contact with Ebola patients. Shortly after the ship left the U.S., guidelines were updated to require active monitoring, including the suggestion that those exposed avoid travel for at least 21 days. According to the CDC’s investigation it has been 19 days since the employee processed Duncan’s fluid samples.

    Since receiving word, the hospital employee and his or her traveling companion have voluntarily confined themselves to their cabin aboard the ship. They have been monitoring themselves, including daily temperature checks. Neither has reported any symptoms of Ebola. The cruise ship’s doctor has confirmed that the pair are currently in good health.

    According to a Carnival Cruise Lines statement released today the cruise ship, named Carnival Magic, was not cleared to dock in Cozumel, Mexico this morning. The ship has now set course for Galveston where it should arrive on Sunday morning. From the statement:

    We greatly regret that this situation, which was completely beyond our control, precluded the ship from making its scheduled visit to Cozumel and the resulting disappointment it has caused to our guests.

    Carnival is providing all Carnival Magic passengers with $200 in credit to spend aboard the ship and a 50 percent discount on a future Carnival cruise booking.

    Since Duncan’s death two Americans have been diagnosed with Ebola. Both were nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian who cared for Duncan.

  • Disney Cruises 2015 Season Begins In San Diego With The Disney Wonder

    Disney Cruises 2015 Season Begins In San Diego With The Disney Wonder

    The cruise ship season of 2014-2015 is set to begin. Or it’s set to begin for Disney Cruises.

    City News Service reported that the Disney Wonder has docked in San Diego, which may be a sign that the industry is ready once again to grow on the West Coast. “The Port of San Diego is proud to welcome the Disney Wonder and its guests to our world-class waterfront,” Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners Bob Nelson explained, “Disney’s stellar reputation for quality and service combined with its onboard entertainment and attractions make it a popular choice for cruise vacationers. We invite Disney Cruise Line’s guests to experience our San Diego-style hospitality.”

    More than 2,100 passengers got on at San Diego, for a 15 day cruise to Mexico that goes through the Panama Canal. Through the fall of 2015, the Wonder is set to visit San Diego for more departing cruises and local port calls.

    San Diego, California News Station – KFMB Channel 8 – cbs8.com

    Part of the wonder of the Disney Wonder lies in its use of transformational space. A Fox News article described how framed pencil sketches in the ship’s restaurant transform into colorize animations. In the words of Bob Zalk, executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, technology “needs to be invisible to our guests. We want to ensure the technology doesn’t come to the forefront of the story.”

    According to Disney Cruises’ official website, the Disney Wonder “has 11 massive decks, a total length of 964 feet, a maximum width of 106 feet and a gross tonnage of 83,000. It has the capacity to comfortably accommodate 2,700 passengers, along with 950 Cast and Crew Members to cater to the needs of Guests on each and every voyage, from dawn until dusk.”