NCL Inks Environmenatl Agreement with Port of L.A.

NCL Inks Environmental Agreement with Port of L.A.
Published on: January 30, 2007

NCL Corp. signed a multi-year agreement with the Port of Los Angeles that includes several measures designed to support the port’s clean air initiatives. As of Jan. 1, NCL’s Norwegian Star, which is homeported in Los Angeles, has been using only low-sulfur fuel (with less than 0.05 percent sulfur) while at the Port of Los Angeles. Norwegian Star is also participating in the port’s Vessel Speed Reduction Program, which limits air emissions by slowing ships to 12 knots or less when within 50 nautical miles of the port.

In addition, NCL will utilize Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) on its vessels when it becomes available to cruise ships at the port in 2008. AMP, more widely known as shore power or “cold ironing,” allows vessels to turn off their diesel-burning engines while docked and plug into cleaner, shore side electrical power, reducing air emissions while in port. NCL completed the initial technical modifications necessary to allow Norwegian Star to plug into the port’s AMP program.

The second phase, which includes the installation of the plug-in switchboard, is scheduled to take place by the end of the year. Depending on the size of the ship, estimates are that AMP will reduce nitrogen oxides by one ton and take more than half-ton of sulfur oxides out of the air each day a ship is at berth and plugged in. Norwegian Star sails eight-day Mexican Riviera itineraries from Los Angeles through April and again from October through April 2008.

Deilmann Offers Free Air, Shore Excursions

Deilmann Offers Free Air, Shore Excursions
Published on: January 30, 2007

Peter Deilmann Cruises is offering U.S. travelers three summer voyages with free air and free shore excursions aboard the Deutschland to Norway and the Norwegian fjords, Spitsbergen, Iceland, islands of Denmark and Scotland, Greenland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Ireland. The free air transportation is from New York and 16 other U.S. cities; air supplements are offered from an additional 34 cities in the Midwest and West. The sailings also provide free shore excursions, valued up to $600 per person, and free airport-ship transfers. The free air is available from New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh and 10 others in the East. The air supplements are $110 for Zone 2 cities such as Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Louisville, Nashville and 12 others in central states and $150 from Zone 3 cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Seattle, Portland and eight other western gateways.

The free airport-ship transfers are included in any air arranged by Deilmann Cruises. For those who would like to use frequent flyer miles, Deilmann will deduct $750 per person from cruise rates. The first voyage, a 10-night cruise around Norway, June 4 to14, sails to Bergen, then to Olden and Trondheim, scenic Hellesylt, the fjords of Geiranger, and Eidfjord. Cruise rates start at $4,324 per person double while single staterooms start at $4,892. The fjord cruise, July 9 to 28, begins in Kiel, near Hamburg, Germany, and visits Bergen, Gravdal, Spitsbergen, Ny-Alesund, Longyearbyen, Reykjavik, Thorshavn in the Faroe Islands, and Lerwick in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. The Greenland and Canada adventure cruise, Aug. 12-Sept. 3, sails to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, the Danish island of Runavik; Reykjavik; Prince Christian Sound in Greenland; Sydney, Nova Scotia; St. John’s, Newfoundland; and Glenngariff and Cobh, Ireland.

Crystal Debuts 2008 Cruise Adventures

Crystal Debuts 2008 Cruise Adventures
Published on: January 30, 2007

Crystal Cruises has posted most of the details of its 295 World Cruise Adventures online, about 15 months before the Jan. 19 departure of the 108-day 2008 World Cruise. The shore excursions, which can be viewed online at www.crystalcruises.com, include a hike through Oahu’s Ko’olau Mountains, a culinary journey into New Zealand’s Wairarapa region, and a river rafting adventure in Borneo’s Ulu Temburong National Park. There are 82 new shore tours debuting during the Crystal’s 13th annual World Cruise. The World Cruise excursions will be available for booking by Feb. 15.

Traveling from Los Angeles to Southampton, England, Jan. 19 to May 7, 2008, the World Cruise includes a complimentary tour on each of the voyage’s eight segments and 24 overland adventures offering multiple-night in-depth experiences. The 2008 World Cruise is also available in the following segments: 13 days from Los Angeles to Papeete visiting Hawaii and South Pacific; 11 days from Papeete to Auckland visiting the South Pacific and New Zealand; 14 days from Auckland to Sydney visiting New Zealand and Australia; 17 days from Sydney to Hong Kong visiting Australia and China; 12 days from Hong Kong to Singapore visiting China, Vietnam and Thailand; 14 days from Singapore to Mumbai visiting Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and India; 16 days from Mumbai to Rome visiting the Middle East and the Mediterranean; 11 days from Rome to London visiting the Mediterranean. World Value Fares for individual segments begin at $4,890 per person, double occupancy. Crystal also offers specially priced air fares to guests booking any World Cruise segment.