Intrawest to sell assets in Florida
Canadian ski and resort operator Intrawest agreed to sell a package of Florida assets to the Becnel family of Destin, Fla., including its interests in the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, along with management contracts for a Marriott Residence Inn and Marriott Courtyard, also in Destin. Terms were not disclosed, but the company anticipates a first-quarter closing date. Intrawest, facing foreclosure proceedings from impatient creditors, also recently agreed to sell its Panorama ski area in Canada.
Barcelona attracts another big ship
Royal Caribbean International's 3,600-passenger Liberty of the Seas will move from Miami to Barcelona in 2011. The line said the move demonstrates its commitment to the Spanish market. In Barcelona, it will be up against two new ships, NCL's 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic and the 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic. The Liberty will be the second Freedom-class vessel based in Europe: The Independence of the Seas will homeport year-round in Southampton, England, this April.
New Orleans gets NCL year-round
Norwegian Cruise Line in 2011 will homeport a ship year-round in New Orleans and base a ship in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the summer. Both are firsts for the line. The Norwegian Spirit, which has sailed seasonally from the Big Easy since 2007, will operate year-round, seven-day western Caribbean cruises starting April 2011. At Copenhagen, the Norwegian Sun will offer nine-day Baltic cruises calling at Warnemunde, Germany; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden.
OpenSkies to fly Washington-Paris
OpenSkies, British Airways' all-business class subsidiary, set May 3 as the launch date for a new service between Washington Dulles and Paris Orly. The airline is seeking to grow again after BA nixed plans to sell the subsidiary. OpenSkies recently moved all of its New York-Paris service from Kennedy to Newark.
Hollywood and Vine is site of latest W
Starwood opened the 305-room W Hollywood Hotel & Residences at one of Tinseltown's most noted intersections, Hollywood and Vine. In keeping with the venue, the hotel sports a red carpet for arriving guests and an outdoor lounge with a "monumental" movie screen plus 25,000 square feet of meetings and event space.
NCL to rehab Star after charter bust
Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star, originally chartered for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, was slated for a two-week drydocking starting Feb. 14, after Newwest Special Projects canceled the 28-day charter. The line said the ship would get a "significant refurbishment." The drydock had been planned for October. The ship resumes service on March 6 from Los Angeles.
Enterprise shuttles convert to biofuel
Enterprise Holdings plans to convert its fleet of 600 airport shuttle buses to biodiesel fuel. The buses, which operate for the firm's Alamo, National and Enterprise brands in 50 markets, will begin using 20% biodiesel in nine major markets and 5% elsewhere, with the goal of converting to 20% nationwide within five years.
Friends & Colleagues
Delta Air Lines' board named Edward H. Bastian, currently president of Delta, to be its newest member. Bastian served as CEO of Northwest Airlines until it merged with Delta at the end of 2009. Prior to that, he served as Delta's CFO. • • • Paul C. Pebley has been appointed director of sales and marketing for the JW Marriott Marquis Miami and the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami. Pebley brings more than 20 years' experience in the hospitality industry. He most recently served as marketing director for the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. • • • Doral Golf Resort & Spa, a Marriott Resort, named Paige D. Koerbel general manager. Part of the Marriott family since 1980, Koerbel most recently served as the regional vice president of Renaissance Hotels North America, a position he had held since 2003. • • • Travel Alberta has appointed Jon Mamela vice president of marketing. Mamela joins Travel Alberta from Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, where he was director of brand strategy. • • • Travel Impressions named industry veteran Bob Lawrence to the dual roles of senior director, Caribbean destinations, and American Express Vacations product key linkage. Lawrence joined Travel Impressions with more than 30 years of travel industry experience, with a focus on marketing the Caribbean region. Most recently, Lawrence was regional vice president Caribbean product at LibGo Travel.