Man overboard! Passenger falls off Bahamas cruise ship

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Coast Guard has given up its search for a 39-year-old Norwegian Cruise Line passenger off the Bahamas. The man fell off the boat early yesterday morning, approximately 60 miles north of Nassau. Though he hasn’t been identified, other passengers saw him take the plunge.

Other cruise ships in the area contributed to the search for this lone moron passenger. But, at 8 PM yesterday, the Coast Guard said it was suspending the search after having scoured 590 square miles.

Clearly, it pays not to get too close to the edge of the ship … unless being on a boat isn’t your idea of going out to sea.

UPDATE: Our hearts go out to the family of the victim. We are sorry for your loss.

U.S. Calls for Limits on Antarctic Tourism

by Kraig Becker on

Following in the wake of the report released earlier this week that an “inexperienced and over confident” captain caused an Antarctic cruise ship to sink, the U.S. is calling for tighter restrictions on tourism to the Southern Ocean, and the continent itself.

According to this story in the Sydney Morning Herald, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is asking for limitations to the size of cruise ships traveling the Antarctic waters, and limits to the number of passengers that can go ashore as well. Smaller vessels would be more maneuverable when avoiding icebergs and navigating the treacherous waters in the region, and limiting the number of visitors who can go on land would help protect the fragile environment there as well.

The article notes that the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators has its own code of conduct which has similar restrictions. But following that code is completely voluntary, and with the sharp increase in tourism to Antarctica over the past decade, there is a growing fear that disaster could strike. This was underscored no only with the sinking of the cruise liner in 2007, but two more ships running aground in this past season.

There are 28 signatory nations to the Antarctic Treaty, which is now more than 50 years old. Last week those nations met at a conference designed to review that treaty, and the new guidelines were proposed there. If the proposal is adopted, ships carrying more than 500 passengers will be banned, and no more than 100 passengers can go ashore at any given time. The proposal also calls for one guide per 20 passengers as well.

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Inexperinced Captain Blamed for Antarctic Cruise Ship Sinking

by Kraig Becker on

Back in November of 2007 a cruise ship, called the Explorer, owned and operated by GAP Adventures, a well known and respected adventure travel operator, went down in the Southern Ocean. Fortunately, none of the 154 people on board were killed, or even injured for that matter, and rescue ships were on the scene within hours. But many were left to wonder how such an accident could happen.

Eighteen months after the incident occurred, the Liberian Maritime Bureau has released its report, citing an “inexperienced and over confident” captain as the biggest reason the ship went down. According to this story in the U.K.’s Independent, investigators feel that if it weren’t for the unusually calm weather at the time, this could have easily become the worst disaster in Antarctic history.

The report also sheds more details on the accident, saying that the captain of the ship ran his vessel into what is described as a “wall of ice”, traveling at a high rate of speed, seriously misjudging the thickness of that ice. The collision tore a ten foot long cut in the hull of the vessel, much larger than was previously reported, sending it to the bottom of the ocean.
The captain of the Explorer is a Swede by the name of Bengt Wiman. It was not Wiman’s first trip into the Antarctic waters, as he had made the journey many times before as a first mate. This was, however, his first trip in command of his own ship, and that inexperience seems to have shown through. The report also cites him for manuvering in the icefield after dark as well.

Frequent Gadling contributor Jon Bowermaster has posted his thoughts on the subject in a blog post on his site. He was aboard one of the first rescue ships that came to the aid of the Explorer. Bowermaster tells us that ship itself was also part of the problem, as the Explorer was more than 40 years old, and had reportedly failed inspections on more than one occasion in the past. There are some indications that its hull integrity was compromised due to corrosion in several areas, which may have also led to the ship’s rapid demise.

The report underscores a growing sentiment that Antarctic tourism may be a disaster waiting to happen. There have long been concerns about the impact of tourism on the fragile environment there. But the sinking of the Explorer, along with two more ships running aground this year, has many concerned.

The next innovation in cruise ship entertainment – real grass

by Scott Carmichael on

Cruise companies are amongst the most creative minds in the travel world – each time a new ship is launched, passengers are treated to amenities never seen before on a ship. In recent years we’ve seen outdoor movie theaters, wave pools and a massive indoor atrium.

The next innovation is being introduced on the Celebrity Cruises Solstice. This 1425 room mammoth of the seas features a half acre of real grass on its upper deck. The grass and irrigation systems add a whopping 150 tons to the weight of the ship, which isn’t that impressive when you realize that the ship itself weighs in at 122,000 tons.

The green is called the “Lawn Club”, and passengers can play a round of golf or bocce, or simply sit down and enjoy a picnic.

If the country club style lawn does not impress you, there are also 10 restaurants, 10 bars, a hot glass blowing demonstration (really!), a theater, a comedy club, multiple pools (including an indoor lap pool) and an art gallery to keep you entertained.

The Celebrity Solstice is currently in operation, and a 7 day cruise of the Caribbean starts at $649 per person.

Recession vacations: do more with less

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Vacation plans are changing. This isn’t exactly a surprise. With layoffs mounting and a careful eye trained on every expense, long vacations are becoming short, and short trips aren’t straying as far from home. For some destinations, this is actually paying off.

A handful of smaller cities are pulling in visitors that normally would set off for grander locales. Charleston, SC and Fort Meyers, FL, for example sustained double-digit growth rates in January 2009 (relative to January 2008), according to American Express Travel bookings. Tuscon, AZ, Palm Springs, CA, and Portland, OR have also seen surges – 12 percent, 13 percent and 38 percent respectively.

Even Philly is on the upswing, which makes sense when you think about all those New Yorkers who need a quick break from the city.

So, why do these numbers look so good? Well, it’s hard to say. Drops in airfare and room rates are obvious drivers. Or, it could be some sort of marketing savvy. When you look at the data, there’s no common thread.

What is universal, it seems, is that everything is getting smaller. Trips are shorter, people are spending less and the destinations aren’t as far from home as they used to be. With the many bargains that are available, we may be able to do more with less, but overall, we’re still doing a hell of a lot less.

Aside from places like Fort Meyers and Tuscon, there are a few silver linings. “Girlfriend getaways” are still going strong, but the ladies are stretching their dollars. Renting one car instead of several, chipping in for a vacation home and picking a day spa over a destination spa are popular cost-cutting measures.

Home port cruises are on the upswing, as well. Guests can drive to the port (instead of flying), cutting down on the total cost of the trip. Like everyone else, these folks are cutting some deals, too.

Pick your corner of the travel and hospitality business, and you’ll find more than a handful of bargains. The decisions we make come down to what travelers can afford – rather than what they want. But, we’re still getting out on the road.

[Via MSNBC]

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