Cruise Ships

Persistent propulsion problems have brought a premature end to Celebrity Millennium's Alaska season. The 13-year-old ship has disembarked more than 2,000-passengers and is heading to dry dock in Grand Bahama for repairs. Three recent cruises were disrupted by the problems; now the four remaining Alaska cruises of the summer have been cancelled as well as a re-positioning voyage from California to Florida. Problems first struck earlier this month when Millennium arrived late into Seward at the end of a seven-day cruise from Vancouver and then remained in port for four days for repairs to be carried out. Its subsequent return [...]

On their way at last - passengers aboard Celebrity Millennium finally left port yesterday after being stuck in Seward, Alaska, since Friday. The ship was delayed awaiting electrical repairs to one of its two propulsion motors which failed on August 8, leading to a four-hour delay on arrival in the remote town. Millennium will sail directly to Vancouver instead of visiting Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, and is due to arrive in the Canadian city on Friday morning, as originally scheduled. Passengers who chose to stay on the ship after arriving to board the vessel last Friday brought an unexpected bonanza [...]

Oceania Cruises is to spend $50 million upgrading its original three ships - Regatta, Insignia and Nautica - and to add features which were introduced on the newer Marina and Riviera. The work will be carried out in dry dock at Marseille and Vancouver between April and June next year. The three ships were originally launched in 1998 by the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises, and are almost identical in design to P&O's Adonia and Azamara's Journey and Quest. Each carries up to 684 passengers The upgrades include the refurbishment of suites, staterooms and some public rooms. The ships' top accommodations, the [...]

Extensive alterations to P&O cruise ship Arcadia will add a new superstructure containing 23 balcony cabins, a luxurious suite, and an extra sun deck. The work will be carried out during a spell in dry dock at Bremerhaven from November 26 to December 12, and P&O are remaining characteristically coy about revealing details. I asked the company for information two weeks ago but none was forthcoming. After an announcement yesterday by the company which will carry out the work, I made a further request for details from P&O. The only response was a simple confirmation of what had been disclosed [...]