Many of you already know that in September, longtime Cruise Director Barry Hopkins left Regent Seven Seas Cruises to join Seabourn. Barry will be on the Seabourn Spirit beginning November. Barry was hired to take out the company’s three new ships and has been busy in the Miami headquarters assisting with the onboard plans. I can’t think of anyone better than Barry to design the entertainment venues on a new ship. The Odyssey will be the first new Seabourn ship in the series and is scheduled to be launched in June 2009.

Taking his place at Regent is Ray Solaire. Ray has been with SilverSea for many years and took the reigns on the Mariner this fall with the Grand Asia-Pacific cruise. In addition to his work as Cruise Director, Ray is quite the entrepreneur with a beautiful stately home in England’s Lake District that he runs as a bed & breakfast with his brother along with a vegetarian restaurant, a jazz club and a bowling alley!

John Barron will be back on the Mariner in January for the Ring of Fire. I am excited to join John on the first portion of this cruise. No promises but we will see if we can get Lynsay and Luke on for a while - wouldn’t that be great!

And at the end of the Alaska season Bryan Townsend was talking about future projects in his home state of Texas. Located on what T. Boone Pickens calls the “Wind Corridor”, Bryan’s hometown of Amarillo will be at the heart of the development of alternative energy – and he wants to help lead the way. Don’t know what that will mean - if he’ll be trading the waves of the deep blue sea for the amber waves of Texas grain - but its a great cause and I support him in whatever he does. Go Bryan!

Whenever a guest comes onboard in a wheelchair I am always interested in knowing about their cruise experience. Recently, I had someone tell me about “Special Needs at Sea.com”. Not only do they provide assistance with everything from wheelchairs to oxygen they also offer another service – travel counseling based upon need. You can contact SpecialNeedsatSea.com and they can tell you more about shore excursions that are right for your particular challenge as well as information about the logistics and preparation needed for your upcoming cruise. I hope that anyone with special needs who is planning a cruise will take a look.

Juneau, AK – Eleven guests from the Seven Seas Mariner participating on a dog sledding shore excursion were stranded overnight on a glacier when their return helicopter was unable to take off from Juneau due to foul weather. The group spent the night of August 16, in tents provided for the dog sled camp employees. According to an ERA Helicopters employee, this was the first time such a thing had happened in twenty-two years of operation.

Prior to leaving Juneau guests on the tour were given thick jackets and snow boots so during the long wait on the glacier everyone remained warm and dry. As evening approached and the clouds grew thicker, the camp employees started to make arrangements for the eventuality of overnight visitors. Communication from the heliport in Juneau confirmed that no more helicopters would go out that night. Tents were prepared while a hot dinner of meatloaf with spinach and green beans was served. There was even chocolate cake for dessert. The camp has a generator that pumps water through an on-demand heater for hot water which is used for dishes and basic hygiene and there is an eco-friendly chemical toilet. After word came through that all the guests’ family and friends back onboard had been advised that they were safe and comfortable, everyone settled in for an evening of what they described as “simple pleasures” - cards, chess, board games and real conversation. At ten o’clock they retired to their heavy canvas tents which had elevated wooden plank floors, raised cots with ample sleeping bags and small gas stoves – reminiscent of the same tents used by Alaska’s earliest prospectors and pioneers. As the dogs were fed and put down for the night, one of the guests reported that they howled in a progressive chorus that according to one of the handlers was a sign of appreciation; the dogs’ way of saying thank you and good-night.

The next day the clouds were still low, no helicopters flying. A hot “stick to your ribs” breakfast of baked oatmeal and fruit was served with piping hot coffee. The eleven guests used the time to get to know the dogs and take another whack at mushing while others hiked with the camp employees to look at the spot where water is collected from the glacier ice. By late afternoon concerns were rising that the eleven would have to spend another night on the glacier. From the standpoint of the ship this was getting problematic; the Mariner had already left Juneau and was now getting ready to leave Skagway. Were the guests not able to join the ship they would have to fly to our next port in Canada. Without passports this could be tricky.

Upon our departure from Skagway, Capt. Fichet-Delavault made an announcement that we would be proceeding to Auk Bay north of Juneau. There we would either pick-up our guests were they able to get off the glacier in time or leave their passports and personal belongings so that they could comfortably make their way to Vancouver the next day. Two hours before we arrived we heard that the group had been taken off the glacier but they were being waylaid at Taku Lodge. Just one hour before dark, to the relief of all, we received news that they were now in Juneau and on their way to the ship. Once onboard we learned that the pilot who picked-up the group from the dog sled camp was young and did not feel comfortable going beyond Taku Lodge. Knowing the situation ERA sent up a forty year veteran pilot to complete the transfer. He expertly surveyed the cloud cover and found a way to take everyone safely back to Juneau. Upon their arrival the group unanimously agreed that this was one of the best experiences they had ever had in their lives; they didn’t want to leave and they would pay to do it again. One of the young women was so moved by her experience she applied to work for the camp next year! What could have been a terrible disaster ended up being a wonderful experience that no one will ever forget.

The following observation was submitted by a reader. Your comments are always welcome as this site does get read by the cruise lines!

My husband and I have enjoyed your talks on several Regent trips.  Many of the Regent passengers seem to enjoy extended cruises.  With your very insightful comments regarding fuel usage, perhaps you might comment on my idea of having consecutive segments in loops over shorter distances.  For example, in Europe, part 1 might go from Southampton down the coast of France, Portugal, and Spain in a leisurely manner with many ports, ending in a Spanish port.  Part 2 would continue with Spain, and continue say along France and western Italy to perhaps Rome.  Part 3 would continue to southern Italy and thence to the Adriatic and Athens.  Part 4 could do the Greek Isles, Turkey, etc.  If possible, a continuation could go along the northern coast of Africa.  This same sort of option would, of course, work in the Baltic/Scandinavia/Northern Europe/Iceland routes as well as South America or any other destination.

Folks would be able to choose a long or short journey depending on the number of segments, and the cruise line would be doing the more intensive treatment to which you referred.  Many folks, especially Regent’s clientele, do not care for a 10 or 12 day cruise far away with the air travel – the experience as well as the expense and carbon footprint.  Giving them options to lengthen their vacation might work.

A guest forwarded this New York Times article to me regarding art purchased onboard.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/arts/design/16crui.html?_r=1&ex=1216872000&en=1ebd6efdc22b4087&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin

The blue boat floating around south of Skagway is the EPA Bold; a research vessel that is testing waste water from a group of selected cruise ships. The study that hopes to determine the dispersal levels of waste in open sea. The tests are being done in the sheltered water of the upper reaches of Lynn Canal in the area known as Taiya Inlet south of the popular cruise destination of Skagway, Alaska. For more information please read the follow-up article from the Juneau Empire. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/070308/loc_299385263.shtml

One of the biggest complaints by local officials in communities affected by cruise ships is that the whole proposition is an economic bust for the local economy. With the exception of paying port fees the presence of cruise ships generates very little revenue for local business. Passengers sleep onboard thereby avoiding a lodging bed-tax; most meals are taken onboard thereby avoiding food sales tax; and most shopping is done in stores that are only open seasonally and employee workers from outside the local community. All the while life is disrupted as the city or town is inundated with hundreds of thousands of people every day. Officials go on to cite that waterways and wilderness areas are adversely affected as well; increased marine traffic means more air, water and noise pollution with an increased chance of accident. Pristine parks and wilderness areas host a continuous parade of mega-ships belching smoke and non-stop chatter that echoes for miles. It’s no wonder locals in Southeast Alaska do not look forward to the cruise ship season.

Worldwide many areas are facing the same dilemma; well, Alaska has done something about it. A few years ago the city of Juneau was the first to restrict what ships could and could not do within the city limits including no broadcasts to the outside decks and use of no horns, whistles or bells. This was prompted by a call-in survey asking residents if cruise ships disrupt their daily routine and if so, how? Reaction of the community of 30,000 residents caused the restrictions to be put in place along with a $7 per person head tax to compensate for lost revenue. The new tax of $50 is to go to all communities that host cruise ships for the building and repair of dock facilities and other community related projects. (Please see USAToday article http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2006-08-31-tourist-taxes_x.htm)

Though this seems fair and equitable, I am confused. It is my understanding that most of the new docks in Alaska were built and are maintained at great cost by the cruise lines. If that is true, where is the money going? I have no doubt there are plenty of projects from which the communities could benefit; I think cruise ship guests paying this tax would feel better about helping the State of Alaska if they knew how their money was being spent. In my opinion, it could be very good for public relations for the state, the cruise industry and the travelling public to get this information out. What do you think?

For many the highlight of their cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage is a visit to the pristine wilderness area of Tracy Arm. This glacially carved fjord winds its way past deep U-shaped valleys and dramatic granite cliffs to end dramatically at Sawyer Glacier. Over the past nineteen years that I have been on the bridge doing commentary through Tracy Arm, we rarely see another human soul. It is glorious and we do try to keep the chatter down so that the beauty can be appreciated. But now, due to a new program issued as a result of “a cooperative effort between vessel operators and the Tongass National Forest,” the new practices are meant to, “minimize the impact of tourism and vessel operations in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness in a manner that addresses both concerns for our natural resources and operators’ concerns for safety and passenger service.”

Under these practices to “Preserve Quiet” ships are prohibited from making any announcements before 8am. Announcements can only to be made in three designated areas not to exceed 5 minutes total. Longer explanations of the area will be allowed in Holkam Bay, before entering into the fjord. It is not clear whether or not this restrictions apply to the small locally operated tour boats that go to Sawyer Glacier – are they also included in these practices? Sound travels over water; regardless of whether you are 4,000 tons or 140,000 tons it will disturb anything on the shore.

Further “Environmental Precautions” to maintain clean air by minimizing visible emissions is a blessing. There have been more than one occasion that I have noticed the blue haze of a large ship’s emissions hours after it sailed through the fjord. Under “Protecting Wildlife,” every operator does his or her best to “conduct their business in a manner which, whenever possible avoids changing the natural behavior of wildlife,” however I think it will be hard to fully comply with some of the request regarding harbor seals. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, harbor seals are protected and every cruise ship knows that. Under this new set of procedures “operators agree to remain a minimum of 100 yards from seals on icebergs whenever possible” and “agree to reduce speed when approaching hauled out seals, and to gradually increase speed when leaving their site in order to reduce wake.” That is common sense; however many wonder what penalties will be faced when the inevitable happens – seals haul out onto to the ice in front of or next to the ship without warning. Will we be in violation? And who will be monitoring compliance?

All that said, I can understand wanting to set rules for conduct – I have seen things in Tracy Arm that warrant tighter measures and I applaud the environmental community for getting this out there. However, what doesn’t sit well with me is the final exhibit in this document that says; “ 1.) … Holkam Bay is a good place to introduce Tracy Arm. Since the waterway is wide, announcements would not impact campers, kayakers, fisherman on shore, beach walkers, hunters and other users of the wilderness area.” As a passenger on a cruise ship, are you not also a user of the wilderness area? Though I am all for peace and quiet, I also think that as the majority of cruise ship guests in Alaska are US tax paying citizen, they too have rights to use and enjoy their wilderness as well. I am not saying that we as an industry should not uphold these practices – I believe we should. I take offense to what seems to be preference given to the rights of a handful of kayakers and hunters over thousands of guests on a cruise ship.

Starting tomorrow morning, I will begin to abide by these new Practices and I hope that they will start to set a new more reverential tone for our visit to Tracy Arm. And I hope that in the future when decisions such as these that regulatory bodies will seek more input from more input from the cruise industry on how to make calls on places like Tracy Arm memorable for everyone lucky enough to visit.

There currently are several openings for experienced speakers who can address a variety of topics on the Caribbean and the Panama Canal. Must be able to commit to an onboard contract lasting three to four months. Compensation dependent on qualifications. I am NOT the one hiring, however I would be happy to forward your resume or CV to the agency in the UK that is. Good luck!

With higher fuel prices, the travel industry fears that the summer of 2008 will be one in which travel plans are curtailed or postponed. The American Automobile Association has cited changing patterns in US driving habits due to higher gas prices. Yesterday all the major US air carriers added a $20 fuel surcharge to their fares. � Yours truly had to cancel a long-awaited holiday to France due to the falling dollar and rising cost of accommodations and food prices in Europe. So, what to do? Stay home?

Well it seems there still are bargains to be found and they are package tours and cruising. Like package tours, cruises are booked and paid for in advance. Many offer all inclusive programs and all advertised prices are guaranteed. Even if the cost of food or fuel goes up; you as the traveler will not be affected. Like the airlines many cruise lines have added fuel surcharges to their fares but those monies are collected at the time of booking. That means no surprises when you get onboard. So, you can relax and enjoy knowing your budget is in tact.