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From the Blogs

Vickey and Ben and The Oasis Cycle Redux'd

Three beds, two kids, one adult, one stateroom, 227,000 GRT of ship. What could possibly go wrong!

Batten down the hatches.....they're coming.

Bowling Green State University hockey, next to summers at Cedar Point it is one of our most special traditions. In October we begin another.

Five Things You Missed About Cruising #2

Five Things You Missed About Cruising #2

Made In China

The Asian market is considered central to long-term growth in the cruise industry. Though much of the emphasis has been on movement of ships and construction of ports in recent years, the industry has been slowly shifting ships and learning how to operate in Asia nearly 20 years now. Each line has maneuvered to curry favor with passengers and governments alike. Now Carnival Cruise Lines has taken the step of partnering through their long-time ship builder Fincantieri to construct new ships in Shanghai which will then be used in the Asian markets.

It is standard practice in China for manufacturing and other international companies to partner with a locally controlled counterpart. In this way China builds expertise and guards against concerns of external influence. The cruise industry has largely avoided having to partner extensively given that its ships visit ports and are transient in much the same way airlines are. However the Chinese government has expressed a desire to develop a native cruise industry and a first step in that direction must be learning how to build such ships. Accordingly the move by Carnival and Fincantieri represents a move to forge strong ties with the Chinese government.

In this case the partnership begins with Fincantieri partnering with the China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC,) which services the countries usual mandate to have local ownership while Carnival provides a guarantee of a buyer for the ships produced. The only thing missing is a credible Chinese cruise line to operate its own ships after CSSC learns the finer points of the process. However with the promise to operate the ships in the Asian market you can fairly describe Carnival as a proxy for the usual locally control entity. The arrangement surely gives Carnival a political edge over it's rivals in Asia as well.

The RCI Fan Blog

Oasis of Dreams Rehearsals - The Royal Caribbean Fan Blog.

When the ocming of Oasis of the Seas was announced to the world, one of the first features highlighted was the Aqua Theater. Situated at the very end of the ship, the seating bowl spills outward from the end of Boardwalk. The Aqua Theater hosts more unique features in one location than most new cruise ships do through their entire design. As the name implies the theater is centered around a large diving pool. Three tiers of diving platforms flank the pool on two sides. A trampoline emerges from the adjacent stage and adds a different dimension to what the show offers. A "fly gallery" allows actors to fly into and out of the area, even emerging from under the water. Under the water are three stage platforms. These rise above the water to allow for the entire stage space to be used or sink quietly for dramatic effect.

In our video here, you see the Aqua Theater from a deck ten stateroom balcony over Boardwalk. The cast is rehearsing a few hours before a show. The video screens were being replaced on this cruise so you might notice they are missing from the right side of the theater house. As a people watcher this view was one of the attractions of the cabin. Love Royal Caribbean?

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Holland America Line’s ms Statendam and ms Westerdam hit perfect 100 scores on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspections held in June!

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Holland America ships hit 100 on CDC inspections.

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Holland America ships hit 100 on CDC inspections.

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