Heading west: Holland America Line's
Westerdam debuts this month
While much of the travel industry continues to
register mixed results in efforts to regain business lost in the
past few years, at least one segment can proclaim, quite literally,
smooth sailing in the initiative to lure new customers.
Cruising is hot, and the statistics prove it. A recent study by
the Cruise Lines International Association reveals that passenger
counts have increased by an average of 8.4 percent every year since
1980. And with a record 9.52 million cruise passengers in 2003,
besting the previous year by 10.2 percent, the industry shows no
signs of cooling.
Meeting planners can appreciate the one-stop advantages of a
sea-bound event. Consider: Entertainment and activities are already
programmed; gourmet meals are preplanned and served
restaurant-style; and, particularly on today’s supersized ships,
land-worthy amounts of dedicated meeting space abound, most of it
outfitted with the latest in high-tech accouterments.
Even the price can be right, when one factors in the
multiplying costs of hotel rooms, food and beverage, and
entertainment found on dry terrain. In addition, industry honchos
are offering more ports in more areas, helping to reduce or
eliminate the necessity of long, expensive pre- and post-cruise
flights. And as planners try to navigate the increasingly stormy
seas of attrition rates, cruise meetings put a sure damper on
outside-the-block booking.
Finally, there’s something all too grand about a luxury liner
to be denied. Whether the itinerary calls for serene days at sea,
exciting sojourns in ports of call or a combination thereof, ships
offer a unique atmosphere that simply can’t be duplicated on terra
firma.
The following is a roundup of what’s new from today’s top
cruise lines.
EASTERN INTRIGUE
New ships are launching even in the exotic waters of mainland China. The Victoria Katarina sailed on her maiden voyage in March, with an eight-day/seven-night roundtrip on the Yangtze River between Chongqing and Yichang.
With 133 cabins and a capacity of 266, the vessel is the largest for Victoria Cruises, the only Western-managed cruise line sailing the Yangtze. On board are a gym, a library, a salon and the Dynasty Dining Room, which serves American-style breakfasts and Chinese banquet-style dinners.
Cabins feature satellite TV and private balconies, and business travelers can utilize on-board Internet access, fax service and cell phones.
The Victoria Katarina comes as part of a fleet revitalization that began last year. Victoria plans to add two more vessels in the near future. -- BRUCE MYINT
Carnival
(888) 227-6482
www.carnival.com
Since its debut in 1972, Carnival Cruise Lines has sailed to the
fore of America’s fleet with its reputation for playful luxury.
This year, the Miami-based company has increased its cruise count
with two more trademark “fun ships.”
The Carnival Miracle embarked on its
inaugural voyage in February, with 88,500 tons in tow. At 960 feet
in length, the Miracle can hold up to 2,667 passengers in
its 1,062 cabins. Meeting space includes a dedicated conference
room and seven other possible event areas, including the
1,167-seating Phantom Show Lounge. The ship also offers a
14,500-square-foot spa and the 11-story Metropolis Atrium, graced
with a ruby-red glass ceiling.
The Miracle sails to the Bahamas from Baltimore,
Jacksonville (Fla.) and New York City. In November, the ship will
begin functioning as a year-round Caribbean cruiser sailing from
Tampa.
Not to be outdone is the Carnival
Valor, set to debut in December with a total tonnage
of 110,000 and a length of 952 feet. The ship’s capacity of 2,974
passengers is distributed among 1,487 cabins. Like the
Miracle, the Valor has a dedicated conference
room along with other flexible meeting spaces, plus a showroom that
seats up to 1,400 people. Here the spa measures 13,300 square feet.
Unique to the Valor, however, is a 214-foot-long water
slide.
The Valor will offer seven-day cruises to the
Caribbean from Miami.
Masterpiece mess hall:
The Fortuna's Michelangelo Restaurant 1965
Costa Cruises
(800) 662-6782
www.costacruise.com
One of Europe’s leading cruise lines, Hollywood, Fla.-based
Costa Cruises has added two new liners to its increasingly varied
fleet.
The Fortuna debuted last November.
The largest ship in the history of Italian seafaring, she weighs
105,000 tons, measures 890 feet and can host up to 2,720
passengers. Meeting-space options include two dedicated conference
rooms the 387-square-foot Augustus Lounge and the 440-square-foot
Saturnia Lounge as well as various other areas that are closed to
the public during daytime hours. For larger events, attendees can
fill the 1,172 seats of the grand Rex Theater, mightily scaling
three decks.
In tribute to the grand luxury liners of the last century, the
Fortuna offers themed public spaces, including the
Neptunia 1937 Casino and the resplendent Michelangelo Restaurant
1965. The history lesson stops, however, at the door of the
Saturnia, a distinctly modern new Steiner spa and salon complex,
spanning 4,265 square feet.
Last month, the ship began a series of seven-night cruises of the
western Mediterranean.
The Fortuna’s equally lavish sister ship, the
Magica, is expected to set sail in
November. The vessel will share the Fortuna’s
measurements, layout and amenities; design-wise, Costa promises an
architectural tribute to Italy, with rooms inspired by the
country’s most elegant regions, including Bellagio, Capri, Grado
and Sicily. The ship’s itinerary is as ambitious as her design,
offering 11-day cruises to Cypress, Egypt, Greece and Turkey in her
first year at sea.
Shipshape: Cunard's
mammoth Queen Mary 2
Cunard
(800) 728-6273
www.cunard.com
No vessel of the fleet of 2004 has commanded more industry
attention than the Queen Mary 2, the
latest and most lavish offering from Miami-based Cunard. Hailed as
the longest, tallest and widest cruise ship on the water, the
QM2 seems determined to prove that quantity and quality
make good shipmates.
Built at a cost of $780 million, the QM2 weighs in at
a hefty 150,000 tons, measuring 1,132 feet long. With a passenger
capacity of 2,620, this floating colossus is available like all the
other vessels described in this article for shipwide charter or for
less exclusive arrangements.
On board, sweeping stairways lead to Illuminations, the world’s
only floating planetarium, and plush restaurants catered by Todd
English and Daniel Boulud. For good measure, the ship also offers a
cultural academy operated by the University of Oxford, to put
typical “shore talks” to shame.
For meetings, the QM2 offers nearly 68,000 square feet
of space, including the 10,225-square-foot Cunard ConneXions
conference center, divisible into seven separate classrooms. For
pleasure, the 20,000-square-foot Canyon Ranch SpaClub offers a
complete battery of seaweed wraps, mud packs and full-body
massages.
The QM2 will embark on nine transatlantic voyages from
New York this year, with various supplementary destinations,
including a visit to Rio in time for Carnival.
Holland America Line
(800) 445-3731
www.hollandamerica.com
The 131-year-old Holland America Line, based in Seattle, has
implemented a $225 million program of enhanced services called the
Signature of Excellence initiative and added a third Vista-class
liner, the Westerdam.
Weighing in at 85,000 tons and spanning 951 feet, the ship can
host 1,848 passengers and offers three rooms designed for smaller
meetings. Between sessions, attendees can head for the
15,500-square-foot Greenhouse Spa and Salon, run by the Steiner spa
dynasty and offering an impressive array of high-end water
therapies. The greatest water therapy available, however, may be
the view from the elegant glass elevators wrapped around the
vessel’s exterior.
The Westerdam took her maiden voyage last month,
leaving from Venice to head for France, Spain, Tunisia and the
Greek Islands. In December, the ship relocates to Fort Lauderdale
in preparation for a winter Caribbean season.
Oceania
(800) 531-5619
www.oceaniacruises.com
Since its recent arrival on the industry scene, Miami-based
Oceania already has won a loyal following with only one ship, the
Regatta. However, the fleet doubled in size last month,
with the addition of the Insignia.
Considered midsize at 30,277 tons and holding 684 passengers,
the Insignia offers all the luxury of its larger
competitors, as well as several options for the sea-bound meeting.
A fully A/V-equipped lounge accommodates 345 passengers; two
alternative restaurants seat 96 each for daytime meetings.
The ship maintains a free-seating dining policy, which is
particularly helpful to the incentive planner who wants to see her
prize-winners mingle. The on-board spa measures 2,555 square
feet.
The Insignia will visit the eastern and western
Mediterranean this spring. Her summer place will be the British
Isles and Norwegian fjords. Next fall she sails the Black Sea, the
Greek Isles and the eastern Mediterranean, and next winter will
find the ship plying waters in Antarctica and South America.
Floating jewel:
The Princess Diamond
in an ocean setting
Princess Cruise Lines
(800) 774-6237
www.princess.com
Santa Clarita, Calif.-based Princess, which has been commanding
the doting admiration of loyal passengers for nearly four decades,
will be busy introducing three colorful new cruise ships this
year.
The Diamond Princess, inaugurated in
March, weighs in at 116,000 tons and measures 952 feet, holding up
to 2,670 passengers. The largest liner yet to sail America’s West
Coast, it offers the 700-seat Princess Theater as well as Club
Fusion, a high-tech lounge that seats 448 and can be roped off for
meeting purposes, as can the Explorers Lounge and the Wheelhouse
Bar.
Attendees also will enjoy the 11,571-square-foot Lotus Spa,
which administers a variety of regal treatments such as the
absolute bliss facial and the wild strawberry back cleanse.
With home ports in Los Angeles as well as Seattle, the
Diamond this year has cruises scheduled for Alaska and the
Mexican Riviera.
Identical to the Diamond will be the
Sapphire Princess, set to launch in June
with an itinerary that includes Australia, Hawaii and New
Zealand.
Princess’ third new entry is the Caribbean
Princess. Having debuted last month, the 13,000-ton
ship holds 3,100 passengers and offers a Caribbean-themed buffet as
well as a selection of heavily island-inspired entertainment.
For attendees, the Caribbean offers the same flexibility as the
Diamond and the Sapphire, with myriad areas for
meetings throughout the ship. When the notebooks are put away, a
10,656-square-foot Lotus Spa beckons, or passengers can enjoy a
poolside movie on a 300-square-foot outdoor LED screen.
Royal Caribbean International
(800) 398-9819
www.royalcaribbean.com
Miami-based Royal Caribbean debuted its 19th liner,
Jewel of the Seas, with a maiden voyage
at the end of April.
The 90,090-ton, 962-foot ship has a capacity of 2,501
passengers and is endowed with an abundance of dedicated meeting
space: Up to 1,000 attendees can be seated in the primary
conference room, while a separate 973-square-foot area is divisible
into two breakout rooms and a boardroom.
The 9,070-square-foot spa and health center offers tropical
showers and aromatherapy steam rooms, but the elegance of the
Jewel does not preclude such pleasures as a rock-climbing
wall, not to mention the only self-leveling billiard table to be
found on the high seas.