Say It Ain’t So: Weezer will headline cruise

by Libby Zay on

The sea is rollin’ like a thousand pound keg, and Weezer is getting ready to rock the Carnival Destiny’s lido deck. The Grammy Award-winning band has just announced they will be entertaining 2,500 passengers on a 4-night sailing from Miami to Cozumel (yes, Mexico’s own ‘Island in the Sun‘) in January.

The bill also features Dinosaur Jr., with other acts including Sebadoh, Gene Ween, Wavves (how appropriate), Dave Dreiwitz, the Antlers and more. The bands will perform shows festival-style on four stages day and night, with Weezer rocking the pool deck as the ship sets off and again in the indoor main theater. Weezer fans will have a chance to get photos with the band and participate in a Q&A session.

The whole shebang was put together by Sixthman, the same company that puts on cruises featuring rock and roll acts such as Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynrd, Lyle Lovett, Kiss, 311 and more. Prices for the Weezer Cruise, which sails from January 19 to 23rd, start at $699 per person.

[Photo by James, Wikimedia Commons]

Russian riverboat tragedy highlights cruise ship safety

by Chris Owen on

The Russian river boat Bulgaria went down at 2 p.m. local time Sunday about 450 miles east of Moscow. While the exact cause is unknown, it was reported to be raining heavily at the time, the ship was maintained poorly and a lax implementation of safety rules look to be contributing factors in the Titanic-like sinking of the ship. The tragic accident highlights good reasons for some of the strict requirements major cruise lines have for passengers.

The ship was overloaded

The 56 year old ship had 208 people on board including 25 unregistered passengers and not enough life vests in Russia’s worst river accident in three decades.

“We have raised 41 bodies. There are 28 women, 10 men and the rest are children,” an emergencies ministry official in the central Russian republic of Tatarstan where the accident occurred Sunday told the Interfax news agency.

This is one reason why major cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, etc) have cabins rated to hold a certain number of passengers. While double occupancy is the industry standard, a limited number of cabins on most ships will accommodate more, but not all. U.S. Coast Guard ship inspections put a high emphasis on safety and ships not in compliance with standards are not able to sail. Period.

Children lost at sea

As many as 60 of the passengers may have been children, Russian media reported, and survivors said some 30 children had gathered in a room near the stern of the ship to play just minutes before it sank.

“Practically no children made it out. There were many children on the boat, very many,” survivor Natalya Makarova said on state television. She said she had lost her grip on her daughter as they struggled to escape.

Major cruise lines tag children with arm bands and know were children are. In order to board ships operated by major cruise lines, strict documentation requirements are in place that must be satisfied or boarding will be denied.

The Moscow Times reports that thirty-six children who died on the Bulgaria all had the same birth date, Dec. 30, 1999, on the passenger manifest, indicating that they were allowed to board without their identification documents, said ministry official Marat Rakhmatullin.

Safety is an ongoing issue with major cruise lines who are constantly working to make ships even safer. Royal Caribbean, for example, introduced a tagging system on Oasis of the Seas for three to 11-year-olds that uses an electronic device built into the wristbands that all children on the ship must wear. The system enables parents to locate children wherever they are among the ship’s 16 decks reports the Telegraph.

Safety not a big priority

Lax implementation of safety rules are responsible for many of Russia’s deadly accidents, from fires to plane crashes and mining disasters since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Major cruise lines hold safety drills at the beginning of each voyage so passengers know what to do in case of emergency.

‘It sank in two or three minutes, very fast,” Liliya Khaziyeva, a spokeswoman for the Rescue Service from the neighboring Udmurtia region, said by phone from a boat near the accident site. “We found dead people wearing life vests, people who were simply unable to leave the ship.” reports Business Week.

Last overhauled in 1980, the ship was running with a malfunctioning left engine and was not licensed to carry passengers.

One possible cause appeared to have been a lack of air conditioning which prompted the crew to open portholes that were then flooded by an incoming wave reports the Moscow Times.

Lessons learned

History will probably write that this ship sank over safety issues. From overloading the vessel with too many passengers to relaxed maintenance or simply attempting to operate a ship that was too old, the incident clearly points out how very important these issues are and what a good job major cruise lines do of answering the call for safety.

Safety drills at the beginning of each cruise on major cruise lines are mandatory, ships have ample life vests for all guests and oversight by government authorities keep the system in check.

Today’s Titanic

The Russian incident naturally raises some serious questions. Are today’s cruise lines operating as safely as possible? Is it possible to ever have another Titanic-like event?

Major cruise lines have set-in-stone rules regarding documentation needed to board a passenger ship. The requirements are strict and systems on board keep track of every passenger coming on or going off a ship. Behind-the-scenes activities performed by everyone from travel agents to embarkation staff at the pier help insure a safe voyage.

Cruise liners today are much bigger and better equipped. At 46,328 gross registered tons, Titanic was the largest and most advanced ship of her day. Today’s largest and most advanced ship, Allure of the Seas, is more than four times larger and carries almost twice as many people. Big ships are not nearly as “remarkable” as they were in 1912. Shipyards seem to crank them out as fast as they are ordered. Cruise lines deploy ships all over the planet now without hesitation to move one if an itinerary does not produce the anticipated results.

This Russian riverboat tragedy looks to be a totally preventable accident if common safety and maintenance procedures used by cruise lines world-wide had been followed. It is also a good reason to pay attention during those safety drills performed at the beginning of each cruise. Yes, odds are your cruise ship will not sink, but its a good idea to know what to do in case of an emergency and maybe have a little more patience with cruise line workers who insist on following the rules.

Flickr photo by mil8

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America’s Cup to put clean-air program on hold

by Chris Owen on

By 2014, cruise ships stopping in San Francisco will be required to plug in to cleaner shore-side power rather than running their diesel-burning/polluting engines. Several cruise lines have been preparing for the new requirement and are already up and running. But the $5 million clean-air program along the San Francisco waterfront will be temporarily halted to accommodate the prestigious America’s Cup regatta, prompting criticism from environmental advocates.

“With just one stroke of a pen, it’s gone,” said Teri Shore, program director at the Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) reports the San Francisco Bay Guardian. While the shore-side power hookup is disabled, “The ships will be coming in and parking, and running their diesel engines” at other waterfront piers.

Smaller ships used in the regatta and operation of the regatta itself does not allow for use of plug-in technology, a sore spot with environmentalists. Fearing the impact of America’s Cup crowds and construction, several environmental organizations and a neighborhood group have joined together with a unified message.
“This is a real unusual team effort,”Deb Self, executive director of San Francisco Baykeeper, a pollution watchdog told the San Francisco Business Times “At this point it’s kind of all hands on deck.”

Their concerns include the coordination and capacity of public transportation, keeping the bay free of pollutants when visiting boaters descend on the region, minimizing the effects of dredging on bay wildlife and protecting fragile habitats that line the waterfront.

The Port had already anticipated temporarily halting the shore-side power for a year during construction of a Pier 27 cruise terminal, Brad Benson of the Port of San Francisco told the Guardian. “Assuming there were no America’s Cup, it would already not be in operation … for approximately one year,” he explained. After a year of construction that will mark the first phase of the cruise terminal project, the 34th annual America’s Cup will move onto the site, he said. “As a result of the America’s Cup, shore-side power is not going to be available for one year.”

Benson said the port is starting to look at how it could offset the impacts, looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions that might make up for no shore-side power “I can’t tell you whether we could achieve the same level of emissions reductions that shore-side power would provide,” he said. “It’s very effective.”

It looks like this will be an issue to watch right along with the America’s Cup who this week announced Team Korea as a new entry to this prestigious event, with a press briefing at the spectacular Seoul Marina on the Han River in Seoul.

Only fifteen nations have ever entered the America’s Cup contest in its history, and Team Korea is the only new entry of the nine teams and eight countries involved this time. The 34th annual event brings the competition for the oldest trophy in international sport back to the United States for the first time in 18 years.

Flickr photo by Port of San Diego

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Cruise line granted access to protected Alaska park

by Chris Owen on

American Cruise Lines operates a fleet of small ships and offers more than 25 unique itineraries along the inland waterways and rivers of the Pacific Northwest, the Mississippi River System and East Coast of the United States. This week the line announced that it has been awarded a contract to enter Glacier Bay National Park making it the newest cruise line granted access and one of only a few cruise lines permitted to tour the area. Known for its abundant wildlife, spectacular blue glaciers and for being a highlight of any Alaska adventure, Glacier Bay is a highly sought after destination for Alaskan cruisers and travelers. American Cruise Lines will offer seven-to-eleven night cruises including round-trips out of Juneau.

“As one of the few places where people can still view the world as nature intended it to be, we wanted to make sure we could take our passengers there to experience it for themselves.”
said Timothy Beebe, Vice President of American Cruise Lines.
Designated a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, Glacier Bay is a nature wonderland. Ships visiting are joined by a National Park Service Ranger and a Native Cultural Interpreter who will provide narration and insight into Glacier Bay, as well as help spot wildlife such as mountain goats, whales and brown and black bears.

“Here we can return briefly to a time that doesn’t exist anywhere else,” noted renowned photographer, Mark Kelley’s award-winning book, Glacier Bay National Park: Alaska.

Cruise ships commonly stop in Glacier Bay then gently spin around to allow unparalleled viewing of glaciers.

Beginning next summer in June of 2012, American Cruise Lines will offer several different Alaskan itineraries, including round-trip cruises departing from Juneau, Alaska, and one-way cruises between Juneau and Seattle, Washington. New and returning passengers can expect all the modern on-board amenities including over-sized staterooms and bathrooms, private balconies, and elevators to all decks, along with exceptional locale-inspired cuisine and highly personalized service.

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Green your summer travel

by Chris Owen on

Environmentalists have had some good news lately. Organizations like Brighter Planet are finding new ways to focus attention on our carbon footprints, the amount of CO2 and other damaging greenhouse gases we emit into the atmosphere. It has all become much more personal, bringing the issue home to us in many ways. With the summer travel season in full swing, whether you are traveling by train, plane or automobile, our vacation is likely to increase our carbon footprint. Climate Action Reserve, a nonprofit that registers and issues carbon offsets, offers five easy and affordable ways to reduce the impact of your summer travel on the planet.

“Once you discover how easy it is to calculate and reduce your carbon footprint this summer, you may find yourself using these tips all year round” says Gary Gero, president of the Climate Action Reserve.

1. One if by air: Calculating the carbon footprint of your trip is the first step to reducing its impact on the environment. If you are traveling by air, you need to factor in the plane and engine type, cargo load, passenger weight and fuel usage. The good news is that many major airlines will do this for you and also offer to offset your flight’s emissions as an add-on to the ticket price. If your airline doesn’t have a carbon offset program, there are easy online calculators to do it yourself, like TRX Travel Analytics.

2. Two if by land: If you’re opting for a road trip instead, you not only need to factor the trip’s total mileage but also your vehicle’s year, make and model when calculating emissions. TerraPass offers an easy-to-use vehicle emissions calculator for that. Then you can balance out your trip’s emissions by purchasing carbon offsets. For a list of reputable offset retailers, visit CRT Marketplace.

3. Low carbon sightseeing: In order to minimize your carbon footprint as much as possible, consider sightseeing by bicycle, public transportation or on foot. And when driving between sites, smart driving practices – like driving at the speed limit and turning down the air conditioner – can increase your car’s fuel efficiency and lower emissions. There are numerous tips on how to use less gas, be a greener driver and save money at DriveSmarterChallenge.org.

4. Greening your hotel stay: Another way to reduce your carbon footprint while on vacation is to choose a hotel that offers its guests green options designed to save energy and reduce emissions, like reusing towels, fewer housekeeping services, soap and shampoo dispensers, guestroom recycling baskets and reduced food-related waste.

5. Keep it local: Vacations and road trips can mean more meals out. Look for seasonal, local options on restaurant menus. Transporting food over long distances requires large quantities of fossil fuels and generates significant carbon emissions. Eating locally grown foods has the added benefit of supporting the local economy and helping family farmers stay in business.

Big companies too, along with non-profit organizations are putting a lot of effort into actually doing something to insure a healthy environment for future generations. Cruise lines are “plugging in” to cleaner shore-side power rather than running their polluting engines in port. Even the United Nations has jumped in, declaring 2011 as the “Year of the Forests” as it encourages nations to take sustainable actions, protecting the planet’s woodlands.

If they can do it, can’t we?

For more information on environmental issues and what you can do to make a positive impact visit the Climate Action Reserve web site and Gadling’s extensive library of articles on this and other related topics.

Flickr photo by

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