Tag Archives: passenger shipping association

A Letter from Adolfo Perez – MD, Carnival Cruise Lines UK & Ireland

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21 February 2013

Dear Valued Travel Partner,

We realise many of you have been following last week’s events on the Carnival Triumph and I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with some information.

Let me begin by saying that all of us at Carnival deeply regret the hardship our guests had to face during their days on board the ship. Our number one concern was to ensure the safety and welfare of our guests and crew and to get them home as soon as possible. Our shipboard and shore side teams worked tirelessly to take care of them and minimise their discomfort and inconvenience. We also focused on making sure their loved ones had a direct link to our Family Support Centre where they could obtain round the clock information on their family and friends on board.

Now that all the guests are safely home, our efforts are firmly focused on the on-going investigation into the root cause of the fire and what measures we can take to ensure this does not happen again. These efforts are taking place in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard and other independent parties. We know, however, that preliminary investigations indicate the cause of the fire was the result of a leak in the fuel return line for the number 6 diesel generator.

The safety and security of our guests remains of the utmost importance to all of us here at Carnival. All our ships are safe and secure. All of them meet, and in many areas exceed, all regulatory standards. I promise we will continue to investigate in order to understand what took place and to learn what steps we can take to improve going forward.

We know that holidaymakers can choose from a vast variety of options, and that they – and you – expect a fantastic cruise holiday from us. We are very sorry that this time we did not deliver.

I really value your support for Carnival Cruise Lines, and in encouraging British holidaymakers to select a cruise on our ships. We hope you will continue to do so in the future, and we will endeavour to do everything we can to make our experiences as memorable and fun as possible for your customers.

Thank you again for your support.

Yours sincerely,

Adolfo M. Pérez
Managing Director, UK and Ireland

Carnival Cruise Lines
© 2013 Carnival Cruise Lines

Clia move means ‘business as usual’, says Ace

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Clia move means ‘business as usual’, says Ace

By Lee Hayhurst |

Clia move means 'business as usual', says Ace

The Association of Cruise Experts has promised no reduction in the support it offers agents after it becomes part of a global cruise organisation next year.

Ace, and parent body the Passenger Shipping Association, this week announced they were one of nine international cruise bodies that will form the global Cruise Lines International Association (Clia).

The two UK brands will become known as Clia UK. They will retain their London office, from where their training and trade events will continue to be run.

The PSA is understood to be fully funded up until April 2013 but after that there will be a 12-month period of transition to Clia UK.

Cruise lines will join the global group, which will allocate funds to projects around the world.

Regional cruise bodies will generate their own funds to support local activity.

Ace director Andy Harmer vowed it would be “business as usual” in 2013:

“All Ace activity will continue; we will just become Clia UK, with the Clia global organisation focusing on the regulatory side of things in Brussels and Washington.

“This will allow us to focus on what we are good at: travel agent training and events. We will be judged based on the work we do, not on what we are

My ACE certificate

My ACE certificate

called.”

Clia was formerly a US-only trade body. Outside of the US, Europe has the most well-established cruise organisations, with the PSA and the European Cruise Council the two most significant entities.

Ace, which was rebranded from Psara five years ago, is considered a leading light in agent training and it is likely Clia will seek to emulate much of its work in other markets.

As part of the changes, all the PSA’s ferry interests will be transferred to the Chamber of Shipping.

The PSA this week became the official complaint-handling body after maritime passengers in Europe were given the same rights as rail and air traveller.

Cruise lines agree to mandatory safety drills before departure

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Cruise lines agree to mandatory safety drills before departure

By Donna Tunney
Cruise lines worldwide agreed on a new emergency-drill policy requiring mandatory muster for embarking passengers prior to departure from port.

CLIA, the European Cruise Council and the Passenger Shipping Association put forward the new policy with the support of their member cruise lines.

The new policy takes effect immediately.

According to a CLIA statement, on rare occasions when passengers arrive after the muster has been completed, they will be promptly provided with individual or group safety briefings that meet the requirements for musters applicable under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

The formal policy is designed to help ensure that any mandatory musters or briefings are conducted for the benefit of all newly embarked passengers at the earliest practical opportunity.

The change in policy follows the Jan. 13 Costa Concordia accident in Italy, where 16 died and 16 more are missing.

The cruise industry announced in Jan. 27 that it would undertake a Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review, including a “comprehensive assessment of the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety.”