mainelycruising
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Posts posted by mainelycruising
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On 2/14/2024 at 7:40 AM, MRVEGAS711 said:
The Ocean Voyager has moved into Portland Maine harbor, tied up alongside the Ocean Navigator. I wish the city could buy them cheap and get some runs going out of here. They look sad, kinda alone and cold.
Both ships are listed For Sale at $14,995,000 each:
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2004-cruise-ship---205-passenger----stock-no.-s2692-8929809/
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2001-cruise-ship---202-205-passenger----stock-no.-s2697-8923798/
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This is a good example why we should only pay via credit card, and not debit card or cash, when dealing with cruise lines.
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More than 100 passengers booked for a voyage from Portland to Saint John, New Brunswick, won’t be making the trip.
American Queen Voyages announced Thursday that its cruise ship, Ocean Navigator, won’t be departing due to damage caused by an explosion and fire in its engine room Wednesday morning that forced them to evacuate more than 200 guests and crew members. One crew member suffered burns and was taken to Maine Medical Center.
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/10/19/cruise-ship-damaged-by-explosion-and-fire-cancels-voyage/
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The ship, Ocean Navigator, is operated by American Queen Voyages and was scheduled to begin a 10-day cruise from Portland to Saint John, New Brunswick, according to the company’s website.
U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Frank Kulesa, the chief of response operations, said a fire in the ship’s generator is believed to have sparked the explosion.
“All indications right now is the fire was contained in the engine room itself,” he said.
There is no shore power at the pier. All ships use generators to power the vessel when docked.
The Coast Guard, the Portland Fire Department and the the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire and whether the ship is safe. Officials said the cruise line will be responsible for making sure passengers have food and housing sorted out if they can’t get back onboard.
Gautreau said some of crew members may not be American citizens, so U.S. Customs and Border Protection was on the scene to handle any potential issues.
“If you think about it, this chain-link fence is no different from the wall down in San Antonio,” Gautreau said. “These are the challenges that Customs is dealing with.”
According to Vessel Finder, an online marine tracking system, the ship sails under the flag of the Bahamas.
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/10/18/one-injured-in-explosion-on-cruise-ship-in-portland/
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Portland (Maine) fire crews say one person was injured during an explosion Wednesday morning on a cruise ship (Ocean Navigator) docked at the Ocean Gateway Pier.
Fire Chief Keith Gautreu said one crew member was injured and brought to the hospital. Their condition is unknown.
Gautreau told media gathered on the pier that 128 passengers and 82 crew members were on board. They were all taken off the ship and are now waiting in the nearby terminal.
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/10/18/one-injured-in-explosion-on-cruise-ship-in-portland/
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On 2/24/2022 at 9:47 PM, victory2020 said:
Carnival & I believe Princess did it a number of years ago. I remember having to pay it.
I seem to recall that passengers were told that if the price of a barrel exceeded $70, a surcharge could be added to the cost of the cruise. This was 15 or so years ago.
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On 1/27/2022 at 1:36 PM, Pensioncruiser said:
It just can't be financially viable for cruise lines at the moment 😕
That is the beauty of having shareholders.
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Look at it this way: after this CDC bombshell, a cruise in early January will have lots of space, so social distancing will be a cinch. Even better, without any need to go on land at ports that will be closed, there will be little chance of catching COVID there. Embarking and disembarking will be less crowded, and reservations at the specialty restaurants will be plentiful. You might even talk the ship's entertainment officer into an 'open mic night' to fill the gaps in the otherwise curtailed entertainment.
You have to weigh the good and the bad. The good news is that the choice is up to the passenger.
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I suspect that the issue is that Marella controls (as far as I am aware) all sales of its cruise products, either online or through a Marella-affiliated travel agency. That way, it retains all of the commission that it would normally have to pay to a foreign travel consortium - such as Expedia Cruises. This would be an intended business plan. There may be also a number of other hurdles to selling abroad to foreigners: membership of CLIA, ATOL, etc etc - and the need to create a foreign company to handle all foreign tax affairs.
IMHO Marella's strong point is that it is a British product for a British community, and does not try to be international in its appeal (unlike MSC). Frankly, I cannot see its appeal for Floridians sailing from Cape Canaveral; the ships are (let's be honest) a generation old, and Carnival, RCCL, Norwegian et all have newer products in huge numbers sailing from Floridian ports. Does Marella have its own private Bahamian island? I doubt many Americans would be excited by a former RCCL ship built in 1995!
There may be a few Americans or Canadians who want to book a Marella cruise, and one poster here has found a way around the roadblocks, although I would be careful about this. If ICE agents at Cape Canaveral discover the real address does not match the one used in booking, it could cause issues.
Good luck!
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In light of Ron DeSantis's ruling, I wonder whether cruise lines can be prevented by the state from operating from Florida ports if a requirement is made for proof of vaccination?
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With Saga announcing today that all passengers will be required to have the vaccine when cruises resume, I think it is reasonable to assume that this will become the standard protocol. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5830/
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17 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:
I would never use a TA. In today's world they are all but useless. With a little bit of leg work you can almost always match or beat any price or deal they can give you plus you do not have a 3rd party stuck in between the cruise line and you. Not worth the hassle at all.
You are making a false assumption, that being that the only two options are using a TA or booking directly with the cruise line. A bit of keyboard time (you can get all those same figures yourself) and a little creativity can almost always match or beat any 'deal' a TA can get you. For example find a TA that can get a 12-day Hawaii cruise for four (two balcony cabins) including all cruise costs, 1st class R/T air from SC, a week pre-cruise in a Hotel right on Waikiki beach, a rental car for the entire time in Honolulu, shuttles, air port parking for the entire cruise length, and specialty dining for 6 nights for a grand total combined of well under $6,000 (total not per person). Go ahead, I'll wait!
No one is stopping your home research. I will stick with my TA. Good luck.
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Depending upon their booking agency, TAs have all the figures before them. Often these are the same up to date figures within the CL's own booking tool. Try a TA first; then ask direct with the cruise line. See which is better.
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For what it is worth, NCL has cancelled all cruises through March 31st. They do not do an Canaries' itinerary, but the problems with getting passengers to and from the UK to Tenerife seem daunting, to say the least. Good luck with your plans - there s always hope!
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More confirmation (?) of the fate of Dream. https://www.cruisehive.com/another-cruise-ship-set-to-be-scrapped-in-turkey/43379
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The Dream has transitioned eastward to an anchorage off Piraeus - next stop Aliaga?
Here is a video of it leaving Zadar two weeks ago:
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6 minutes ago, sweby said:
Which company owned Celebration before it went into the old Thomson Fleet? And what was it called previously?
Holland America - MS Noordam. We sailed her once, in 1988.
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We took eight cruises on her when she was Holland America's Westerdam. Many, many found memories!
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Answering a question like this depends upon your perspective. We have sailed HAL many times, and I think we would agree that, in terms of being able to enjoy a cruise without spending an arm and a leg at every turn, HAL offers about the best value out there. You are not 'nickel and dimed' at every corner.
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I find it strange when the ex-Ryndam is to be scrapped before the Marella Dream (ex-Westerdam/Homeric - the ship that kept HAL afloat through turbulent times), which was built more than a decade before. It would not surprise me to see Marella (owned by TUI, catering primarily to the British) wound up due to this pandemic. It exists on old ships cast off by HAL and RCI.
American Queen Ceases Operations
in American Queen Voyages
Posted
If you want a 'vintage cruise ship line', try Marella.
Or Margaritavile!