Halifax port to have shore power in '14
Halifax, Canada's largest East Coast port, decided to develop shore power for cruise ships beginning with the 2014 season. The move, a first for Atlantic Canada, will enable cruise ships to plug into the local electrical grid and shut down their engines in port, to reduce emissions and save fuel. Vancouver and several U.S. Pacific ports already have shore power facilities, but there are none on the East Coast. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is planning to throw the switch for the Brooklyn cruise terminal in 2014.
AA to outsource flights to Republic
American reached a deal to outsource some regional feeder flights to Republic Airways, a deal made possible in part by American's new agreement with its pilots. Under a 12-year agreement, Republic will acquire 53 Embraer E-175 jets with 12 first-class seats and 64 coach seats and fly them under the American Eagle brand, beginning in mid-2013.
Southwest adds fee for A Group access
Southwest began offering a new boarding option that enables passengers to break into its "A" boarding group, when space is available, by paying $40, per flight, at the gate.
Norwegian IPO nets $477.6 million
Norwegian Cruise Holdings closed on its initial public offering and disclosed that it sold 27 million shares at $19 per share. The offer netted $477.6 million in new proceeds after commissions and other expenses. The shares trade as NCLH on the Nasdaq.
Red Lion develops boutique brand
Red Lion Hotels decided to join the boutique bandwagon: It plans to franchise a new brand called the Leo Hotel Collection. The company said it is looking to convert "unique, boutique and/or historic" hotels for the brand. The Red Lion midscale brand is represented by 48 hotels in nine Western states and British Columbia, with some 9,000 rooms.
Loews to acquire Back Bay Hotel
Loews Hotels agreed to acquire Boston's Back Bay Hotel from The Doyle Collection for an undisclosed sum. The 225-room hotel occupies a building that was built as the Boston Police headquarters in the 1920s. The sale, closing in February, will boost the Loews portfolio to 19 hotels, plus two under construction in Orlando and Chicago.
Viceroy brand comes to New York
Viceroy Hotel Group plans to open its first Viceroy-branded hotel in New York in September, a 240-room property on West 57th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, near the Russian Tea Room. The property is being developed by Ark Partners, which owns Manhattan's Shoreham, Mansfield and Franklin hotels. Viceroy also operates the Cassa Hotel near Times Square.
Starwood inks deal with Chicago Cubs
Starwood agreed to become the exclusive hotel partner of the Chicago Cubs, whose owners, the Ricketts family, agreed to include a Sheraton hotel in a redevelopment project across the street from the team's Wrigley Field.
Friends & Colleagues
Holland America Line (HAL) has named Michael J. Smith senior vice president of marine hotel operations, replacing Johan Groothuizen, who has stepped down from the post and will be retiring at the end of 2013 after 42 years with the company. Prior to joining HAL, Smith was vice president of hotel operations at Club Quarters Hotels in New York for more than 15 years. He also spent 16 years in the cruise industry, serving in executive positions both ashore and onboard for Cunard Line and Silversea Cruises. During 2013 Groothuizen will serve as vice president, special projects, with a primary focus on the recently announced HAL ship to be completed in 2015. • • • Kerzner International Bahamas appointed Cristian Sariego as senior vice president and general manager of the Cove Atlantis and the Reef Atlantis resorts in the Bahamas. Sariego formerly was general manager at the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile, and previously general manager of the Ritz-Carlton in Grand Cayman. He has also held senior posts at Marriott Hotels and InterContinental Hotels & Resort Group. • • • Seabourn has promoted Christopher Prelog to the role of vice president of hotel operations and fleet purchasing. He was previously director of hotel operations, a post he held since 2008. After several years in the hotel industry in his native Austria, Prelog joined Seabourn in 1998 as an assistant maitre d'hotel. • • • Riu Hotels & Resorts named Sergi Ruiz Pique vice president of business development and partner marketing. Ruiz formerly was with Melia Hotels International for 10 years in various management positions.