PRINCESS CRUISES, if acquired by Carnival Corp.,
would continue to set its own distribution and compensation
policies, Carnival CEO Micky Arison told Travel Weekly. He also
said a dominant market share doesn't mean Carnival Corp. could set
cruise prices: "We currently are the only company doing three- and
four-day cruises out of Los Angeles ... and if we try to drive the
price up too high, people make a left turn and go to the Mirage in
Vegas," he said.
CRUISE ANALYSTS, meanwhile, said Carnival can
increase its global presence by picking up cruise brands in the
U.K., Germany and Australia, as well as reduce overlap and costs of
Princess and Holland America Lines' Alaska land-based operations,
if its new proposal for P&O Princess is approved by
London-based line's board and shareholders in early January and
mid-February, respectively.
CRUISE LINES INT'L ASSN. is staying put in New
York, the group decided during a meeting in Washington. CLIA
chairman Mark Conroy said headquarters may relocate to downtown
Manhattan to take advantage of less-expensive rents there. The
"human cost" of relocating CLIA to south Florida, he said, was too
high. CLIA also will fill the vacancy left by former president Jim
Godsman; current executive director Bob Sharak will be among those
considered for the post, Conroy said.
MEANWHILE, CLIA will "freshen up" its annual
National Cruise Vacation Month in February by adding retailers to
its roster of cruise industry figures who make consumer-oriented
media appearances, Sharak said during a meeting of CLIA's D.C.-area
agent advisory board. The idea, he said, was to have "not just a
cruise message, but a more-overt travel agent benefit message."
AGENTS AT THE MEETING repeatedly pressed cruise
line execs for more tonnage in Baltimore; Philadelphia; and
Norfolk, Va. Prices on the sailings on Celebrity's Baltimore
sailings on the Galaxy, said CruiseOne agent Lynda Dodd, are
"incredible." She added: "The demand is here."
REGAL CHINA CRUISES ceased operations on
China's Yangtze River and recalled its western management staff and
onboard American guides from its three ships, Princess Jeannie,
Princess Elaine and Princess Sheena. The ships are to be operated
by their owner, China-based Nantong Lihui Int'l Shipping, with whom
Regal China had partnered to market and manage the vessels. "The
owning company decided it would like to completely manage, operate
[and] market" the three ships, Regal China vp Jeanne Dalton told
Travel Weekly.
GET READY to start seeing new TV ads from
Carnival Cruise Lines. The company was slated to launch Monday its
"So Much Fun. So Many Places" campaign, a series of ads featuring
music by the Beach Boys, Cyndi Lauper and Sly & the Family
Stone. The ads replaced the ones using passenger testimonials.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN INT'L appointed Adam Goldstein,
senior vp, to the newly created position of executive vp-brand
operations. Goldstein, a 14-year veteran of the line, is
responsible for Royal Caribbean's international fleet operations,
new builds, marketing and sales, and Royal Celebrity Tours.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES were the subject of a
"memorandum of understanding" signed by Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano
and officials of the North West CruiseShip Assn. According to the
state's Environmental Health Administration, all members of the
association running cruises longer than one day in the islands
pledged to follow certain regulations. For example, with few
exceptions, ships may not discharge waste between the shoreline and
4.4 miles beyond an ocean depth of 600 feet. The document is not
legally binding and carries no penalties.