Cruise lines have mixed success on sanitation inspections in 2014

Posted on 2 January, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

The cruise industry had fewer ships in 2014 that received “not satisfactory” grades after inspection by the U.S Centers for Disease Control, but also fewer that scored a perfect 100.

Twelve vessels failed to grade out at 85, the minimum score needed to achieve a satisfactory rating, during inspections conducted in 2014.

Most were smaller, older ships carrying less than 1,000 passengers. Only one of the ships, the 2,348-passenger Norwegian Star, carried more than 2,000 passengers. The Star received an unsatisfactory grade on Feb. 16, then received a 95 on its next inspection on April 25.

The Bahamas Celebration, operated from West Palm Beach by Celebration Cruise Line, was the only ship to receive an unsatisfactory grade twice in 2014. It also did once in 2013. It was recently replaced by Grand Celebration, operated by a reorganized company, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.

Un-Cruise Adventures, an operator of smaller ships along the U.S. West coast, had two ships receive unsatisfactory grades in 2014, the Safari Endeavor and Safari Quest. The 86-passenger Safari Endeavor also did once in 2013.

The newly launched Pearl Mist operated by Pearl Seas Cruises was graded 61 in an inspection on July 15. Pearl Seas is a new cruise line that hadn’t operated ocean cruise ships before.

The low score of 31 was given to Schooner Zodiac, a 26-passenger two-masted tall ship sailing out of Belllingham, Wash.

Following their unsatisfactory grades, the Bahamas Celebration received a 90 on Sept. 3, the Safari Endeavor a 93 on Sept. 7, and the Safari Quest an 87 on July 18. The Pearl Mist submitted a nine-page corrective-action report but has not been reinspected. The Schooner Zodiac has not submitted a corrective-action report and has not been reinspected.

This year, 26 ships received perfect scores, down from 39 in 2013. Carnival Cruise Lines had eight ships that got perfect 100s, and Royal Caribbean International had six. Other lines with ships getting perfect scores were Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line.

Last year, 17 ships received unsatisfactory scores below 85, according to CDC records.

9 Fun Facts about Cruise Lines

Posted on 29 December, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

9 Fun Facts about Cruise Lines:

1. An average cruise ship could have six huge diesel engines producing one hundred four horse powers and guzzling three thousand gallons of fuel per hour.

2. Cruise ships on modern design can actually cost about six hundred sixty million dollars.

3. There are nine brand new ships that entered service around the North America coast line every year.

4. A modern luxury cruise vessel is able to be built, fitted out and tested in one-and-a half years though it usually takes about three years.

5. On the average, there are one hundred five thousand meals are prepared every single week onboard a cruise ship. The meals include twenty thousand pounds of beef, twelve thousand pounds of chicken and twenty eight thousands of eggs.

6. There are about one thousand crew members on board the average ships to cater to passengers every need. These people are experts from engineers to waiter to navigators.

7. A modern cruise liner are able to hold three thousand passengers aboard in an absolute luxury.

8. Caribbean is the most popular cruising destination in the world with almost every cruise line operator.

9. The cruise line industry produces two thousand five hundred fifty five gallons of gray water and thirty thousand gallons of black water every single day. Gray waters are wastes from sinks, showers and bath while black waters is what you flush down the toilets.

RCCL to reduce emissions from 19 ships

Posted on 23 December, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

RCCL said that the move will position it “ahead of all forthcoming International Maritime Organization Emission Control Area emissions standards, and will ensure compliance with existing European Union standards.”

Beginning in January, installation will take place on 13 Royal Caribbean International ships and six Celebrity Cruises ships, during scheduled drydocks and while ships are in service.

Preliminary work has begun on several of the ships, RCCL said, but most work will take place between 2015 and 2017. Each installation will take approximately eight months.

Two ships that entered into service this year, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3, had scrubbers installed during initial construction. Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas has been operating one of its six engines with a retrofitted scrubber system for two years.

Royal Caribbean said the system “scrubs” exhaust gases by injecting a high volume of water spray into the exhaust stream.