Cruise WEEKLY Thursday 29 Jun 2017 THURSDAY 24 JULY 2008 www.cruiseweekly.com.au Cruise Weekly today Nat Geo Quest delay Swan Hellenic, VOD payouts Expeditions’ new Cruise Weekly today features LINDBLAD MORE than $1 million is set to Australian travel agents. vessel National Geographic Quest Ph: 1300 799 220 four pages of all the latest be paid to Australian travel agents Australian Federation of Travel was damaged while it was being Email: [email protected] cruise industry news. hit by credit card chargebacks in Agents ceo Jayson Westbury has launched and its 08 Jul and 15 Jul Editors: Bruce Piper & Katrina Archer Medallion to Aus relation to the collapse earlier been lobbying on the issue for sailings have been cancelled. this year of the parent company months, and yesterday confirmed On 14 Jun during the launch PRINCESS Cruises’ Ocean of Swan Hellenic and Voyages of that 308 claims had been lodged operation the vessel slid from Medallion will be made available Discovery (CW 05 Jan). on behalf of the local industry the ramp and the aft section in Australia on Golden Princess British company All Leisure which was hit heavily by credit was grounded, damaging one from Nov 2018. Group ceased trading just after card chargebacks after the failure. propeller and rudder. The cruise line revealed Golden Christmas, disrupting the travel ABTA will make the payouts in In a letter to affected guests, Princess, Crown Princess (Nov plans of more than 13,000 the coming weeks, he said. founder Sven Lindblad said “At 2018) and Ruby Princess (Jan consumers. MEANWHILE, similar collapses first this seemed like fixable 2019) will be the next three ships Many of them were from the in the future will have much damage within the time frame to be fitted with the technology. UK, with about 400 of those on less impact on agents in terms required to repair but we have “With the addition of Golden trips at the time repatriated at no of credit card chargebacks, with now learned that the damage is Princess to the fleet of Medallion cost under the UK Civil Aviation the launch yesterday of the AFTA more severe,” noting “we still do Class ships, we will make available Administration’s Air Travel Insolvency Chargeback Scheme not know exactly how long it will a more personalised holiday Organiser’s Licensing (ATOL) (AICS) (Travel Daily yesterday). take to fully repair”. to guests sailing in and around consumer protection scheme. Agents who have their credit Affected guests can transfer to Australia,” said Jan Swartz, group Forward bookings for cards processed by an AICS another sailing in 2017 or 2018 president, Princess Cruises and passengers on cruises departing participating merchant provider and receive a 50% reduction in Carnival Australia. from the UK were financially will be protected by the scheme the cost of the new fare, or opt Regal Princess, Royal Princess, protected by the Association of via a small levy included in the for a full refund and a $2,000pp Princess and Island British Travel Agents (ABTA) - but merchant fee - for more details contribution for a future voyage. Princess will be the first four that protection initially did not and to register, see the website at Lindblad will issue a more vessels to sport the new tech. extend to bookings made through www.afta.com.au/aics. detailed statement on Tue.

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Website: www.cruiseweekly.com.au | Phone: 1300 799 220 | Fax: 1300 799 221 | Email: [email protected] Page 1 Compare the range of onboard thrills available in the cruise June issue of travelBulletin. CLICK HERE to read WEEKLY Thursday 29 Jun 2017 Celebrity Edge’s Eden unveiled Travelmarvel Russia TRAVELMARVEL has released Brochure its 2018 Russia brochure which introduces the MS Kronshtadt Spotlight river ship on three full charters. The 11-day Treasures of Russia Cruise is the lead-in itinerary, priced from $5,795ppts and sails Scenic - & from St Petersburg to Moscow via Japan 2018/19 Lake Lagoda, Lake Onega, White Lake, the Volga River and the Moscow Canal. Guests can extend their stay with a pre-cruise three-night stay in Helsinki to create the 14-day Treasures of Russia & Helsinki, priced from $7,195 per person CELEBRITY Cruises’ new ship At sunset the space will twin share. Celebrity Edge will feature a transition into “Eve at Eden”, three-story garden-inspired and the Eden Restaurant will Tops for call centre restaurant, bar and lounge called serve “a choreographed series of Eden when it debuts in Dec 2018. experiential culinary temptations PRINCESS Cruises was named SCENIC’S 2018/19 China and The venue has nearly 650m2 to surprise and delight”. by Australian travel agents as Japan brochure has packed in a of outward-facing glass and After dinner passengers can the top cruise line for call centre range of tour & cruise combos. will offer different experiences relax on Deck Five at Eden Bar, service in Cruise Weekly’s 2017 New to the season is the depending on the time of the day. which features the “Library of Cruise Industry Survey, not P&O 12/14/25-day North Asian In the morning, Eden will be a Plants” - a 5m tall vertical garden. Cruises as we reported in May. Odyssey which includes a place of relaxation, where guests Other highlights of the venue The error appeared in data Yangtze River cruise on the can partake in yoga, or visit are a 90-metre ramp which wraps supplied to Cruise Weekly and Yangzi Explorer. the cafe and in the afternoon around the space and hanging has since been corrected. the venue will host enrichment plant pillars. seminars including wine tastings, Celebrity Edge will homeport in ING CRUISE W USTRALIA’S LEAD HOLESALER cocktail-making classes and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A performances from musicians. Renders of Eden are pictured. CruiseAgents is your premier independent cruise wholesaler located in Sydney CBD.

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Website: www.cruiseweekly.com.au | Phone: 1300 799 220 | Fax: 1300 799 221 | Email: [email protected] Page 2 The Joy of a christening cruise WEEKLY Thursday 29 Jun 2017 Port Douglas visits THE number of visits to Port Douglas is expected to PORTHOLE nearly double in the next two years, compared to this year. Tara Bennett, executive officer of Tourism Port Douglas and MOVE over the humble, Daintree (TPDD) said ship arrivals flightless Kiwi. would climb to 36 in 2018-19, up A flock of ducks on New from 20 over the past year. Zealand’s Lake Taupo is proving “Port Douglas is well-situated has marks the end of a month-long to be the latest tourism hit in terms of the growing interest christened Norwegian Joy, its first grand inaugural tour where she based on the bird’s abilities to in the Asia-Pacific region and we ship designed for the Chinese has been showcased at the ports swoop upon morsels of bread have had excellent feedback from market, in a ceremony held on of , , offered up by tourists. cruise companies and individual board in . and . Each day up to a dozen ducks tourists on the welcome they There were multiple Pictured above: Chinese will fly alongside a cruise vessel receive,” Bennett said. performances by the ship’s pop musician Wang Leehom and pluck offerings from the godfather, singer songwriter, performing on board the ship hands of tourists, Stuff reports. HAL vp promotion music producer, actor and film during the christening. director, Wang Leehom. Achieving speeds of 30kph, America Line has HOLLAND A highlight of the event was the birds are reportedly promoted Paul Grigsby, a 17-year MSC Cruises appoints when Leehom joined NCL execs showing a preference for white veteran of the company, to vp and govt officials in smashing MSC Cruises Australia and New bread with some tourists revenue planning and analysis. bottles of champagne against the Zealand has appointed Leisa Chell professing it’s the highlight of Based in Seattle, he becomes side of a replica ship hull, which as marketing manager. the cruise on a cloudy day. responsible for revenue, business released an oversized bottle of Chell was previously gm The cruise operator said it intelligence, planning, forecasting champagne that shattered against Australia and Southeast Asia at would consult with the DOC and analytics. the ship’s actual hull. Big Splash Media and in her new and look into producing its own Grigsby was most recently Norwegian Joy’s christening role will work alongside current “duck bars” to feed the birds. senior director, revenue planning. marketing mgr Donna Anderson.

Website: www.cruiseweekly.com.au | Phone: 1300 799 220 | Fax: 1300 799 221 | Email: [email protected] Page 3 Do you have the cruise Cruise Weekly app? WEEKLY Thursday 29 Jun 2017 Viking’s new itinerary Ventus Australis floated out VIKING Cruises has released a new itinerary departing Jan-Mar 2019, a peak period for aurora borealis sightings. The 13-day In Search of the Northern Lights sails between London and Bergen on the Hotels take to the seas 930-passenger Viking Sky. THERE has always been an interesting relationship between Captain Cook combo the cruise industry and the accommodation sector. CAPTAIN Cook Cruises and Some hotel groups have found Sydney’s Taronga Zoo have cruising to be an unwelcome teamed up to offer a Zoo and “bedfellow” providing revenue Whale Watching Cruise Combo competition. This thinking has deal operating daily until 01 Nov. been encouraged by some of the Tickets are $99 per adult and industry associations which are $55 per child. overly protective of the traditional hotel room income. AUSTRALIS’ new vessel Ventus More progressive hoteliers have Australis has been floated out viewed the cruise industry as an opportunity worth embracing and of the Asenav shipbuilding yard have enjoyed the resulting benefits in Chile and into the Calle Calle that a pre- or post-cruise stay can River (pictured). bring them. We often hear stories of Work will now commence international travellers combining Product Marketing Manager - Gold Coast on the ship’s interior fittings, a land based stay and a cruise Dreamlines Australia, located on the Gold Coast, is the Australian branch generators and main engines experience deeming them highly of global online cruise retail company Dreamlines GmbH based in of ahead of its 02 Jan 2018 launch. complementary. Hamburg, Germany. This exciting online travel company operates in Ventus Australis will offer four- We have also seen cruise lines play a critical support role around seven countries around the world and is dedicated to a global growth night cruises between Ushuaia, strategy. Dreamlines trades in Australia as CruiseAway. attractions. Not only do they bring Argentina & Punta Arenas, Chile. Job tasks and responsibilities extra attendees to the Australian Open tennis in Melbourne or • Drive development of cruise product with a focus on international packaged products Rixon jumps to AFTA Dark MOFO in Hobart but also • Negotiate contracts and rates with cruise and land suppliers provide overflow accommodation • Lead development of competitive packaged product AMANDA Rixon has left CLIA options. Forward thinking state • Manage marketing communication through all relevant channels Australasia to join AFTA in the tourism organisations welcome this • Work closely with Dreamlines HQ in Hamburg on marketing and website newly created role of industry opportunity. content development partnership executive, where she As such it was exciting to see the Skills and experience will oversee the AFTA Insolvency news this week that luxury accom provider, Ritz-Carlton, is launching • Minimum 10 years travel industry experience Chargeback Scheme initiative. • Advanced understanding of cruise travel products including land and air a high end yacht collection slated to components enter the US cruise market in 2019. • 2-3 years marketing communications experience RCL appointment Finding that many of their guests • Experience of the online travel industry in the product and marketing were also cruise passengers, the arena RCL Cruises has named Belinda group decided that the offering • Highly tuned interpersonal and relationship management skills Osmic as business development made perfect sense. They also Job Benefits And Perks manager for Azamara Club believe that the luxury cruise • Immediate start Cruises Australia and NZ. market is on a growth curve and the • Competitive salary and bonus programme Osmic was most recently trade Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection will fit • Regular visits to Hamburg head office training executive for RCL Cruises perfectly into that space. We welcome this hybrid approach Australia and New Zealand and Call us at 1300887590 or send a CV and a cover letter showing why and hope to see similar activity in replaces Steve Garside, who is you would be right for this role to: [email protected] this market in the years to come. moving back home to the UK.

Cruise Weekly is Australia’s leading travel industry cruise publication. Publisher/Editor in chief: Bruce Piper Editorial: [email protected] An industry-focused PDF edition of Cruise Weekly is published every Tue and Thu, and Managing Editor: Jon Murrie there’s also a consumer-facing email newsletter published each Wed - sign up free at Contributors: Jasmine O’Donoghue, Guy Dundas, Jenny Piper, Matt Bell www.cruiseweekly.com.au. Advertising and Marketing: Sean Harrigan, Melanie Tchakmadjian [email protected] Postal address: PO Box 1010, Epping, NSW 1710 Australia Street address: Suite 1, Level 2, 64 Talavera Rd, Macquarie Park NSW 2113 Australia Business Manager: Jenny Piper [email protected] P: 1300 799 220 (+61 2 8007 6760) F: 1300 799 221 (+61 2 8007 6769) Part of the Travel Daily group of publications business events news Cruise Weekly is a publication of Cruise Weekly Pty Ltd ABN 73 123 041 485. All content fully protected by copyright. Please obtain written permission to reproduce any material. While every care has been taken in the preparation of the newsletter no liability can be accepted for errors or omissions. Information is published in good faith to stimulate independent investigation of the matters canvassed. Responsibility for editorial comment is taken by Bruce Piper. Website: www.cruiseweekly.com.au | Phone: 1300 799 220 | Fax: 1300 799 221 | Email: [email protected] Page 4