Coast Guard Medevacs Man From Carnival Cruise Ship

Posted on 12 June, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

It was the Coast Guard to the rescue when a man suffered a stroke on a Carnival cruise ship off the coast of Palm Beach. (Source: Coast Guard)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — A 71-year-old man was medevaced from a cruise ship Saturday by the Coast Guard, approximately 22 miles east of Palm Beach.

The crew of the Carnival cruise ship Sensation, requested the medevac around 7pm and reported the man was suffering from symptoms of a stroke.

A Coast Guard flight surgeon was briefed on the situation and recommended the man be medevaced immediately.

A crew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Miami was launched to hoist the passenger. Once hoisted, the 71-year-old man was taken to Broward General Hospital.

His condition is unknown at this time.

Carnival brand Fathom placed on same commission set-up as sister lines

Posted on 12 June, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

By Hollie-Rae Merrick

Carnival Corporation’s new cruise brand Fathom will be placed on the same commission structure as sister lines P&O Cruises and Cunard.

Fathom was launched last week and will offer seven-night ‘social impact’ cruises, from Miami to the Dominican Republic, allowing passengers to work on community projects in the Caribbean destination.

The line’s first sailing will be in April 2016. It will launch with one ship, Adonia, which will be transferred from the P&O Cruises fleet.

Tara Russell, president of Fathom, confirmed that UK agents would be able to make bookings from next week. Speaking to Travel Weekly, she said: “Initially we are targeting [customers from] North America, but from June 15 agents in the UK will have all the tools and resources they need to book people with Fathom.

“Bookings will have the same commission structure as Cunard and P&O Cruises.

“Our intention is to marry Fathom into the P&O Cruises commission structure as they are a very important partner with Fathom.”

Russell, who set up social enterprise Create Common Good and has been working on the Fathom project since 2013, said she expected interest from customers in the US, UK, northern Europe and Australia.

She believes Fathom’s fleet will grow to between four and six ships within 15 years.

“I would love us to have a ship homeport in Europe, Asia and Australia because that way we would be able to impact a lot of communities,” she said.

Cruise-only fares start at $1,540, with an unspecified proportion to be donated to local projects.

The brand is targeting people in their 20s and 30s, the family market, and those over 50

Carnival limits bottled beverages at embarkation

Posted on 11 June, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Cruise Line said it will put new limits on the type and quantity of beverages that passengers can bring with them when boarding a cruise.

Effective with cruises departing July 9, passengers will no longer be able to bring beverages packaged in bottles, with the exception of a single bottle of fine wine or champagne.

Beverages packaged in cans or cartons, including sodas, waters and juices, will be permitted but limited to 12 or less brought aboard in carry-on luggage.

Carnival said it was making the change because bottled beverages have become a main method for smuggling unauthorized alcohol onto ships.

In recent years, some passengers have started bringing multiple cases of bottled water onboard. Inspecting the contents of the bottles is slowing down embarkation, Carnival said. Passengers who smuggle liquor are more difficult to monitor for excess consumption, Carnival said.

Incidents of bad behavior on cruises have often been traced back to smuggled alcohol, the cruise line said.

Concurrent with the policy change, Carnival said it will lower the price of bottled water on its ships to $2.99 per 12-pack if pre-ordered and $4.99 once the cruise begins. Current prices are around $12 per 12-pack, with higher per-bottle prices for individual bottles.

The pre-ordered 12-packs will be delivered to a customer’s stateroom, Carnival said.

Carnival will also restrict the size of coolers that can be brought aboard to 12x12x12 inches. It said screening and movement of large coolers through embarkation is an impediment to the boarding and security process.

Carnival said it doesn’t expect the changes to result in any net new revenue.

The policy change has been under consideration and review for many months, and Carnival said that it was confident it had arrived at a permanent solution.

“We sincerely apologize for any disappointment these changes may cause,” wrote senior director of solutions and special services Arlene Marichal in a letter that will go out to booked passengers explaining the change. “However, we firmly believe this will result in a safer environment while also improving the embarkation process and the overall guest experience. ”