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Seabourn
introduce new dining concept;
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 INTRODUCING
2: A NEW DINING STYLE ON THE YACHTS OF SEABOURN
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MIAMI, October 11, 2005----When they introduced a stellar
set of dinner menus designed by celebrity chef/restaurateur
Charlie Palmer, The Yachts of Seabourn won the first-place
Diamond Award from Onboard Services magazine. In the most
recent Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, the
intimate, all-suite ships scored number one and two for
cuisine. And now, these celebrated cruise ships are
introducing an innovative new concept that will re-define
the “alternative” in casual alternative shipboard dining.
Starting in March of 2006, the popular Veranda Café, high
atop each Seabourn yacht, will be transformed nightly into
2: a stylish, contemporary dining venue serving imaginative
multi-course tasting menus. Each dinner at 2 will be made up
of playful pairings of dishes, reflecting culinary
inspirations gathered from around the world.
In the newly expanded galley at 2, two chefs will turn out a
taste-tempting array of small plates, mostly designed to be
served two to a course, creating an intriguing variety of
flavors and sensations during a five- or six-course meal.
To start, for instance, diners at 2 might be presented with
a Bouquet of Spring Rolls with soy, Thai and chili dipping
sauces, side-by-side with a Soba Noodle and Seaweed Salad
with sesame vinaigrette. Then an aromatic Lobster Bisque
“Presse” appears, graced with black truffle cappuccino,
combined with a savory Seafood Croquette dressed with white
truffle oil. A salad of Baby Mesclun Leaves in orange
vinaigrette with tapenade croutons accompanies a selection
of Prawn Variations with a sweet mustard dip. One duo of
entrees includes Grilled Striped Bass with a roasted
vegetable medley beside Braised Beef Short Ribs with
celery-potato mash and beef jus. Goat Cheese Pops with
caramelized honey and drunken grapes is paired with a Port
Wine Shooter and lemon sorbet as a penultimate course.
Finally, a decadent dessert duet combines Vanilla Beignets
sauced with caramel apple, fudge and chocolate with Ice
Pralines of white and milk chocolate.
Novel lighting effects that transform the room’s décor,
fanciful table settings by Rosenthal and even the wait-staff
uniforms at 2 will reflect a relaxed, refined sensibility,
embodying classic quality and a spare, serene modernity.
As in each ship’s open-seating Restaurant, a selection of
wines will be poured free of charge to accompany dinners at
2. In addition, 2’s sommelier will suggest premium wines
available for purchase to pair with each night’s menu. Six
different tasting menus will be offered, and while the menus
will not be themed, they will take advantage of regional
influences in the areas where the ships are sailing.
Suggested attire for dining at 2 will remain slightly more
casual than that suggested for The Restaurant: Casual for
most evenings and Elegant Casual (jacket, but no tie
required for gentlemen) on those evenings when the
Restaurant suggests Black Tie.
Tasting dinners at 2 will be available, by reservation, to
about 50 of the yachts’ 208 guests nightly, at no additional
cost.
Oceania
Cruises christened its third vessel, the 684-passenger
NAUTICA.
The
ship was named by her godmother Fana Holtz, a Miami-based
philanthropist and civic leader, in a ceremony in Istanbul,
Turkey, November 22. During the ceremony, Oceania's
president and CEO, Frank Del Rio, announced that the line's
fourth ship, the MARINA would debut in Hong Kong on July 7,
2007. NAUTICA's first voyage is a 24-day Athens-Singapore
cruise sailing November 28.
Carnival Corp. announcement a $2b new ship order in an
agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
Carnival Corp. announced a $2b new ship order with an
agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to construct
four new ships, three of which will carry more than 3,000
passengers in double occupancy capacity. Interestingly,
there has been a lot of talk about the direction Holland
America might take, possibly staying with smaller capacity
ships (under 2000) however, this order set them on course to
receive a new generation of larger ships with the new
86,000-ton, Panamax vessel capable of carrying 2,044
passengers and costing
some $450 million to construct. With an option of a
sistership to follow scheduled to debut in spring 2010.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN MAKES PLANS TO BRING GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS
BACK TO THE "BIG EASY"
Cruise Line Eager to Return Popular
Ship Back to Port of New Orleans in Fall 2006
Royal Caribbean
International is already making plans to bring Grandeur of
the Seas back to the Port of New Orleans for her scheduled
seven-night Western Caribbean sailings in December 2006.
Until then, Grandeur of the Seas will sail from her new
temporary home, the Port of Tampa, on a series of four- and
five-night Western Caribbean itineraries from December 2005
through May 2006, before relocating to Baltimore for the
summer season.
"We sincerely look forward to welcoming Grandeur of the Seas
back to the Port of New Orleans in the fall of 2006, to once
again begin her traditional seven-night sailings," said Adam
Goldstein, president of Royal Caribbean International. "The
impact of Hurricane Katrina has been devastating, but we are
confident that New Orleans will eventually reclaim its place
as a world-class tourism destination."
On Dec. 2, 2006, Grandeur of the Seas will make her much
anticipated return to New Orleans, where she will resume
seven-night sailings to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand
Cayman; and Costa Maya, Mexico, before closing out the
season on April 28, 2007.
Cunard
sources where recently quoted as saying that the 37 year old
QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 will not be retired as original intended.
The QE2 will be able to operate beyond
2010 when new SOLAS regulations will force the retirement of
nearly every classic passenger ship sailing. In what has
been called a "rolling program", the QE2 will continue
receiving upgrades and refits to keep her in compliance with
current standards and could remain in service for up to ten
or twelve more years. The ship has had an exceptional season
in Europe this year and has 1,100 full voyage passengers
booked for her 2007 world cruise.
SEADREAM YACHT CLUB announces new
10-day, 9-night Yachting Adventures in
SOUTH AMERICA Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina! starting in
November 2006.
Starting November 13, 2006 thru February 21, 2007 (when the
ship will head back to Barbados via BelemSeaDream 1 will be
cruising between Ro di Janeiro and Buenos Aires on a ten day
itinerary which is planned to take is some of the highlights
of the islands and coastline of that part of South America.
Inside
the Industry
Jan
Loeff -
one of the cruise industries well know characters and
internationally renown collector of Cruise Ship
paraphernalia as well as Silverseas Cruises longest running
employee, having joined the company at its formation, passed
away November 11 from complication with pneumonia. A
memorial service was held at the Riverside Gordon Memorial
Chapel on November 17 which was well attended by many of the
cruise industries executives and friends of Jan.
Rumors circulate about NCL moving their
corporate offices from Miami.
According to the Miami Herald, NCL is looking at moving some
or all of its 1,300 employees out of South Florida in the
wake of productivity disruptions caused by hurricanes. The
Herald says NCL Corp. president and ceo Colin Veitch is
talking with business recruiters from other parts of the
country, though he did not specify sites. Veitch told the
Herald he is considering all options, adding: 'I'm very,
very discouraged by the prospects of being able to conduct
our business in the aftermath of a hurricane.'
However, since Colin Veicht made that statement, NCL
are putting a spin on the rumour stating that the company is
actually looking at expanding its workforce to other
locations -- not moving its headquarters.
With NCL's adding at least one new ship each
year through 2010, additional staff will be required
to support this growth, howver the added growth may or may
not be in South Florida,. NCL has already established a call
center in Arizona with 100 agents and employs about 200
home-based agents around the country. The company also
operates an office in Honolulu to support the NCL America
brand.
Hurricane Wilma this year posed major challenges for South
Florida businesses, causing widespread electricity and
telecom outages, gas shortages and school closures. NCL had
to bus in employees, set up daycare facilities, provide food
and water and establish an emergency fund for hardship
cases. Other companies took similar actions.
Industry veteran
Hans Rood
is the new president of Norwegian Coastal Voyages, replacing
Rosalyn Gershell, who has moved over to Pacific Delight
Tours.
Cruise Week, a trade
ezine aimed at the retail cruise agents recently conducted
their annual survey the top spots where retained by
Silverseas Cruises as the top luxury brand. where it was a
close run race with Crystal cruises moving up to within 1
percentage point of the winner. Holland America took the
prize from Princess as the highest rated main stream cruise
line.
WWTCA's News
Worldwide has experienced a recent spate of renewed interest
in ship charters associated with
the rebuilding of New Orleans possibly due to the
realization that new Orleans and its infrastructure is still
a very long way from normal and will be for quite a time to
come.
The
Monaco Grand Prix continues to be Worldwide's territory
- with a recent nod from another internationally known brand
who are taking a whole ship charter for the event.
This brings the number to 3 ships Worldwide has on charter
for this years event.
Other recent charters include Le Diamant in
the Baltic and a second Silversea's Charter in the
Mediterranean as well as the 3rd in a series of Holland
America charters for a musical cruise producer.
For more
information on any of OUR ASSOCIATES go to our website or,
email us.
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