New Orleans cruises recover from Katrina

You can help New Orleans on its continuing recovery from Katrina. Visit... or book a cruise from the port and add a pre- or post-cruise stay in the city. Every little bit helps rebuild The Big Easy's economy.

A year after Hurricane Katrina blew in and destroyed the port, along with the rest of the city, New Orleans cruise traffic is returning. Carnival Cruise Lines' 2758-passenger Triumph will begin service from the port with a five-night cruise on August 28, 2006. The liner will begin year-round seven-night cruises to the Caribbean September 2.

Carnival will also operate its 2056-passenger ship, the Fantasy, from the Port of New Orleans on four and five-night voyages to the western Caribbean. Other New Orleans-based ships include Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Sun and Royal Caribbean Cruises' Grandeur of the Seas, both of which offer seven-night cruises to the Caribbean.

Cruise ship passengers utilize the Julia Street Terminal at the port, attached to the RiverWalk shopping complex. A second terminal, the Erato Street Terminal, is scheduled to open in October. The cruise industry employs about 2,800 people, according to Gary LaGrange, Port of New Orleans president, jobs that are desperately needed as one small part of the city's continuing recovery.

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New Alaska cruise tax passed by voters

Alaska cruises will get more expensive in 2007, as Alaska voters approved a proposal August 22 that would impose a $50 per person tax on Alaska cruise passengers, increase taxes on cruise line Alaska earnings, and tax gambling on cruise ships in Alaska waters.

What will the impact be? Depends on who you ask. A New England resident taking an Alaska cruise vacation would already spend a bare minimum $1,200 per person including airfare, so a $50 increase isn't seen as a deal-breaker there. But for a resident of the northwest who might simply drive to Seattle to hop on an Alaska cruise for $600 per person, the extra money might dissuade them.

The ballot initiative passed with 52% of the vote. Funds collected will go to improve public services and facilities in areas affected by cruise line tourism. The initiative also increases regulations affecting wastewater disposal and stiffens the penalties for violations.

Cruise line representatives have already voiced their concern about the new regulations and one publication has estimated that the new taxes could reduce Carnival Corporation earnings per share by up to 3 cents. That may be overstating the situation as cruise lines will likely pass much of the cost on to consumers.

Historically cruise companies have punished regions that impose such fees by moving their ships elsewhere, but while this tactic works in playing off one Caribbean island against another, it can't work in Alaska where the ships have no alternative options.

Over one million passengers cruise Alaskan waters each year. Holland America Line and Princess Cruises (both subsidiaries of Carnival Corporation) are the leaders in this region.

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Uninvited guest Ernesto expected in Florida tonight

Hurricane Ernesto is headed for Florida, but with most cruise ships at sea until Friday, the storm should have a minimal impact on cruise vacationers. The storm, expected to hit the upper Florida Keys and lower Miami/Dade County Tuesday night, is currently forecasted to make landfall as a category 1 hurricane.

Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, two of the largest cruise operators in South Florida, announced precautions to insure passenger safety, their first priority. Although no sailings have been cancelled, several itineraries have been rerouted to avoid the Florida Keys and Bahamas Islands early in the week. You can read about these changes in frequent storm updates by Carnival and tropical weather updates by Royal Caribbean.

Ernesto will be the first hurricane to hit Florida this hurricane season which runs June through November. By odd coincidence, it is expected to hit Florida on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall. For more on Ernesto's progress, visit the NOAA Website.

The first Florida-bound storm of the season is a good time to reiterate our advice to prospective cruisers in regards to hurricanes. What is a cruise traveler to do? Rest assured that no cruise line will risk safety. Unlike land resorts, cruise ships can simply sail elsewhere to avoid the brunt of a storm, making itinerary changes on the fly. For those relatively uncommon situations when a storm affects the turnaround port on turnaround day, ships can be diverted or rescheduled.

All travelers, whether cruise or otherwise, are strongly recommended to procure quality travel insurance to provide financial protection, and enroute live assistance, for covered trip interruptions and delays. But as with any travel, it is up to the individual to decide his or her own tolerance for the possibility of weather-related inconveniences and time trips accordingly.

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Celebration still in dry dock; cruise shortened

Repairs on Carnival Cruise Lines' Celebration, in dry-dock in the Bahamas, have taken longer than expected. The ship, damaged August 15 when its propeller struck the bottom of the harbor while it was docking in Nassau, will resume service August 28.

The originally scheduled five-day cruise, which was to depart August 26, has been shortened to a three-day cruise to Freeport, Bahamas, departing August 28. Passengers booked on the truncated voyage will get a 50 percent refund as well as a certificate for a 50 percent discount on a future three to five-night cruise. Passengers also have the option to cancel or reschedule without penalty.

During the mishap, about 50 gallons of lubricating oil were spilled, and the ship was forced to skip Nassau, one of its two ports of call, annoying some passengers onboard.

The 1486-passenger Celebration regularly cruises from Jacksonville to the Bahamas on four- and five-night voyages.

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Try our new online chat!

Here at SureCruise we're always trying to make life easier for our customers, and our latest innovation is online chat. During our business hours, a big friendly button labeled "Ask a Cruise Expert--Click Now to Chat Live!" will appear on our cruise search and our contact us pages.

If you're used to instant messaging software like AOL's AIM, you'll feel right at home, because that's what it's like. In the first few weeks, we've found that online chat is perfect for cruise shoppers who have a quick question, or those who don't feel like picking up the phone to call.

Whether it suits your needs best to email us, chat online, telephone, or fax... we're ready to help. Try the new online chat and say hello!

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Cruise gift certificates launched by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity

Cruise gift certificates deliver sure-fire smiles on birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions. It's baffled us that many cruise lines haven't offered them. Apparently, Royal Caribbean and sister company Celebrity finally got the message, by introducing cruise gift certificates that can be purchased by consumers.

Their certificates, which come in denominations of $50, $100, $250, and $500, can be used towards the purchase of a cruise or for a shipboard credit, onboard purchases, spa services, drinks, and more. Purchased certificates can be delivered via email or by US mail. Contact SureCruise for further details or to purchase a certificate. Currently, certificates may only be purchased by US residents.

Royal Caribbean operates 19 cruise vessels that sail to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, and beyond. Royal Caribbean sailings range from three days to over three weeks. Celebrity Cruises has nine ships that sail to Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and around the world. Gift certificates for either cruise line may be redeemed through SureCruise.

Or, if you'd prefer a more flexible certificate that can be redeemed on just about any cruise line, SureCruise offers its own cruise gift certificate program as well.

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Celebrity Summit arrives in Alaska with dead whale on bow

Celebrity Cruises' 965-foot cruise ship, Summit, arrived at Seward, Alaska (the port of Anchorage) last week with a dead 25 to 30-foot whale pinned to its bow, according to an Associated Press report printed in the Seattle Times August 21. The Summit's crew, reportedly, were surprised when longshoremen working at the port spotted the whale.

Officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are investigating, but are quoted as saying it didn't appear the 2000-passenger vessel's crew did anything wrong. It was not immediately apparent if the whale, tentatively identified as a humpback, was alive when it was struck.

The whale was lodged on the bulbous portion of the bow that protrudes underwater in front of the vessel. A necropsy failed to make a cause of death immediately apparent; that determination may now take weeks or months.

Celebrity Cruises operates three ships during the Alaska cruise season, which covers May to September. Itineraries range from seven to eleven days and depart from Seattle, Vancouver, and Seward. The Summit, inaugurated in October of 2001, is the newest of the cruise line's Alaska ships.

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Cruise line cash targeted by two allegedly light-fingered employees

From the "what were they thinking" file, two cruise line employees stand accused of brazen thefts at Royal Caribbean and Princess.

In the first case, Maggie Moya, a fifteen-year veteran of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises was arrested on charges of pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars she collected from her family, friends, and acquaintances for cruises she obtained from the cruise line for free. Moya admitted to selling the cruises for profit over the past two years, but witness statements indicate that she has been committing the fraud for over ten years.

The other case involves the former chief purser of the Sapphire Princess, Elisha Cuffe, who is accused of taking over $500,000 from the ship's safe, while it was cruising in Alaska, and hiding it in a cardboard box in her cabin. Ms. Cuffe, an Australian citizen and ten-year veteran with Princess Cruises, was arrested when the ship made port in Ketchikan. She was unable to raise the $39,000 bail and remains in jail. She says she had no intention of removing the money from the ship.

In the years we've been involved with the cruise industry, stories like these have been few and far between, so two in the same week were quite a surprise. Both cruise lines have issued official statements stating that they do not tolerate any form of criminal activity in their workforce or operations.

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Cruising in 2007? Remember your passport!

The passport-free ride long enjoyed by US and Canadian cruise travelers to many Western Hemisphere destinations, like Bermuda, the Caribbean and Mexico, is reaching its end.

New US immigration regulations, which are tentatively scheduled to become effective for those whose cruises end on or after January 7th of 2007, require citizens of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to show a valid passport for entry into the United States by air and by sea. This includes the over 16 million American and Canadian citizens expected to take a cruise from a US port in 2007.

United States citizens can apply for a passport a one of the more than 7000 passport acceptance offices. These are mostly post offices, but also include regional passport offices and American embassies overseas. New applicants must complete the required form (printable from the US passport office website) and bring proof of citizenship (an original or certified copy of your birth certificate, green card, or naturalization papers), a photo ID, two passport-size photos, and $97.00. Those renewing passports may apply via mail.

Passport processing takes from four to six weeks and passports are valid for ten years. If your travel plans require a foreign visa, allow extra time, as that document is stamped directly into your passport.

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Halloween cruise happenings on Carnival's "Fun Ships"

Boo! Carnival Cruise Lines celebrates Halloween this season with a "Frightfully Fun" promotion. Guests sailing on a Carnival cruise between October 9 and October 31, 2006 will find a host of special Halloween events.

The festivities include costume contests, scary movies, ghost stories, and trick-or-treating. Crew members throughout the fleet will also be dressed in costume and guests can have their picture taken with their favorite M&M character. Young guests (ages 1-14) will be invited to go "trick-or-treating" throughout special stations set up in the public areas of the ship.

Carnival Cruise Lines has 21 ships, including the 2900-passenger Carnival Liberty, that sail throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, and the world. Carnival is known for its "fun ships" and its family-friendly atmosphere and activities.

You can browse current pricing and availability on qualifying Carnival Halloween cruises right here at SureCruise. If you haven't sailed on Carnival lately (or ever), check out our Cruise Video Library for a fun video that takes you aboard today’s Carnival ships and shows you everything they have to offer.

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