NORWEGIAN
CRUISE LINE modified its language on its $10 per-person,
per-day service charge. NCL in June described the charge, which was
introduced on NCL America's Pride of Aloha, as "not adjustable."
But on its Web site, www.ncl.com, the line now advises that "in the
unlikely event we cannot satisfactorily resolve the issue through
our guest satisfaction program, guests will be able to adjust the
service charge according to the level of inconvenience they feel
they have experienced."
SILVERSEA
CRUISES launched a rebranding campaign to emphasize its
Italian heritage. The line retained actress Isabella Rossellini to
travel on several of its cruises as a hostess and roving
"ambassador"; photos of Rossellini will appear in Silversea's ads
and collateral. The campaign also includes new onboard partnerships
with Italian luxury brands like bath products from Acqua di Parma
and clothier Loro Piana.
SLIGHTLY
MORE THAN HALF of travel agents polled by TravelWeekly.com
said they approve of Royal Caribbean Cruises' new rebating policies
- i.e. that agents caught rebating will lose commission and co-op
dollars. But 27% also said they still can't compete on price
against larger agencies, and 20% said they thought the guidelines
are "too broad and too difficult to police." Sixteen percent said
they should be able to rebate if they choose. Some 567 agents
responded to the poll, which was conducted about a month after
RCCL's policy went into effect.
GETTING THE
BUZZ: Two cruise lines are introducing proprietary wine
labels this week. Celebrity's official announcement came Monday:
Its Cellarmaster series will debut onboard this month with a
chardonnay and a cabernet sauvignon, with more varieties to come
(passengers also can order for home consumption at www.celebrityvineyards.com). Meanwhile, Crystal
Cruises said last week its new C Wines, also coming onboard this
month, feature six wines: three reserve and three premium
selections of cabernet, chardonnay and merlot.
THE
CARNIVAL LIBERTY, which will offer Carnival Cruise Lines'
first Mediterranean sailings next summer, will move to the U.S. in
November 2005 for alternating six- and eight-day Caribbean sailings
year-round from Fort Lauderdale. Carnival said the 2,974-passenger
Liberty would be the line's first year-round ship in Fort
Lauderdale.