This is a discussion on Cruise ships jobs make great career opportunities within the Current Cruise Travel News forums, part of the category; Chris Owen Has Just Posted the Following:

Royal Caribbean Productions is currently holding talent auditions in Atlanta, hiring singers, dancers …

Interporting simply means the creation of a secondary embarkation and disembarkation on a cruise. Let’s use this example: A ship home ports out of Miami and is on a seven-day Caribbean and Bahamas cruise. An interport could be Nassau, where passengers would embark and disembark during the cruise, still spending the full seven days cruising by getting off at the same place where they boarded the ship.

Think of it as a second home port. European cruise companies, such as MSC and Costa, have been doing this for years. Interporting was part of the ill-fated Costa Concordia’s schedule, as it had just picked up 600 passengers in Rome (Civitavecchia).

So why interport?

It allows passengers to take the ship from their home city, or one that is closer to home, saving transportation and hotel costs, and it provides the line with new revenues.

It also allows you to pick a destination that may have more pre-and post-cruise interest.

U.S.-based ship Norwegian Epic is planning to interport for the first time, when it spends the summer in Europe this year. NCL’s flagship will interport twice during its seven-day Western Mediterranean cruise that originates in Barcelona, the ship’s European home. Rome (Civitavecchia) and Marseille, France, will be two interports on this cruise.

Of marginal interest for North American passengers will be the interporting planned by Royal Caribbean in the Caribbean next winter.

A seven-day cruise on Brilliance of the Seas, home porting out of San Juan, will interport in Guadeloupe, but that’s geared to accommodate the cruise line’s South American passengers.

Regardless of where you get on, you must stay on board for the seven days.

Interporting could work on back-to-back cruises from New York to stops in New England and Canada. Interports would work, say, out of Quebec City and Halifax, as just one example. Regardless, U.S. ships have an opportunity to follow the Europeans in this growing use of the word “port.”

A few weeks ago, UBS reported in this space that, shortly after the Concordia incident, sales were holding firm. That’s not the case now, according to Bob Iger, CEO of Disney. He says all cruise lines have experienced a decline in bookings.

Cruise lines had been reporting that sales were way ahead of schedule for 2012, and many in the cruise industry expect this downturn to be short-lived, which is why – at the time of writing – I have not seen a massive discounting of product, other than the usual plethora of “Wave Season” sales that are typical at this time of year.

Sadly, it takes an accident to heighten safety concerns. Holland America showed it has kicked it up a notch by escorting a passenger off a ship last week for “non-compliance” during the mandatory muster drill. No reason was given, but you can guess.

Visit portsandbows.com for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Phil can be contacted directly at portsandbows@gmail.com.

Cheap flights to America, coach trips around Europe and cruises across the Pacific Ocean were popular choices at the Travelworld Holiday and Cruise Expo.

Travelworld spokesman Brett Dann said the strength of the dollar was a major drawcard.

‘‘The dollar and the fact that we offer special deals that people can’t get on any other day stimulates the crowds,’’ he said.

Rebecca Riley, 27, and Belinda Allsopp, 23, went to the expo in search of a cheap cruise.

Mrs Riley said she had been on a few before and thought it was a great way to see the world.

‘‘It’s a great holiday, you get all your accommodation, food and travel wrapped up in one,’’ she said.

‘‘You can go to sleep in Venice and wake up in Dubrovnik.’’

Mrs Riley said she wasn’t put off by the tragedy that struck Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia.

‘‘I went on a cruise that left from Civitavecchia [the same port as the Costa Concordia] and I made it back fine,’’ she said. ‘‘Our captain was really responsible.’’

———————————————————————

You must be an online subscriber to view this story.

The full version of this story will be available to all readers after 4 weeks.

Full versions of news stories from the current week are available to online subscribers only. Access to full versions of news stories from issues older than 4 weeks are available to all readers for free in our archive of all issues.

Not an online subscriber yet? Sign Up Here
Note: You must have cookies enabled to use subscription service
Member Functions:
Forgot your password?

This item was written by Fran Golden, a cruise expert and Trip Coach for Budget Travel magazine. Golden is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.

Add The Doobie Brothers to the list of musical acts heading to sea. The legendary rock band will join Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Simple Man cruise on the 2,394-passenger Norwegian Pearl.

Also onboard the sailing, the sixth annual Southern rock reunion hosted by Lynyrd Skynyrd, will be The Outlaws and a dozen other bands. The four-night cruise embarks from Miami on Oct. 27.

Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line says it has entered into a strategic relationship with the cruise’s producer, Atlanta-based Sixthman, “to work closely developing and delivering high quality music experiences at sea.”

ALSO ONLINE:  Mexican port suffers loss of cruise ships
ALSO ONLINE:  Tahiti cruise ship undergoes major rehab

In addition to the Simple Man Cruise, Sixthman has produced theme cruises featuring Kiss, Kid Rock, John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, 311, Lyle Lovett, Barenaked Ladies, Sister Hazel and many other performers, often on Carnival ships.

Norwegian was vague about exactly what form the new partnership would take.

“We have been impressed with the range of events Sixthman has produced and believe strongly in this growing segment,” said Norwegian CEO Kevin Sheehan, in a prepared statement. “Sixthman’s expertise and relationships will help us further extend our position as the leader in cruise ship entertainment.”

But Sixthman founder Andy Levine told USA TODAY the cruise line – which brought acts including Blue Man Group and impersonators Legends in Concert to sea on the Norwegian Epic – is especially looking to ramp up entertainment on its new 4,000-passenger ships, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014.

PHOTO GALLERY:  Tour the Norwegian Epic

“Our dream as a company has been to partner with a cruise line to outfit a ship to meet the needs of the music experience,” Levine said.

He said Sixthman’s role would be to help create a “game-changing strategy” for Norwegian. “You’ll see us work closely with Norwegian for their new ships and help them take a fresh look at programming music across the fleet,” Levine said.

In addition to the Simple Man cruise, the Sixthman-produced second annual KISS Kruise, embarking Oct. 31 from Miami, also is on the Norwegian Pearl.

The agreement with Norwegian is not exclusive, however. Sixthman also will continue to do its music cruises on the ships of other cruise brands, Levine said.

February 21, 2012


By: Susan Young

Photo by Susan J. Young

Silversea Cruises has lowered fares on select voyages sailing March to November 2012, including a few expedition voyages.
The new fares are available on dozens of sailings spanning the globe from Africa, Asia and the Americas to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
 
It also offers Onboard Spending Credits from $500 to $1,000 per suite available on these same voyages (with the exception of expedition cruises). The credits may be applied toward a host of onboard purchases, including shore excursions, spa treatments, specialty restaurants, Internet packages, personal fitness training, and more.
 
“With these new lower fares, we’re offering travelers an irresistible opportunity to experience a luxury cruise vacation this year,” said Steve Tucker, Silversea’s vice president of field sales for North America. “We’re combining an award-winning cruise experience with exceptional savings and generous Onboard Spending Credits, making this the perfect time to reserve a Silversea cruise.”
 
Following is a small sampling of the several dozen 2012 voyages now offering new lower fares:

Alaska

Voyage 3215: Silver Shadow departs Vancouver June 7 on a 7-day sailing to Seward with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka. Fares start at $3,199 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $500 per suite.
 
Asia
 
Voyage 3211: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo April 25 on an 11-day sailing to Shanghai with calls in Hiroshima, Busan, Jeju, Dalian and Tianjin (Beijing). Fares start at $3,899 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $1,000 per suite.
 
Caribbean
 
Voyage 5209: Silver Spirit departs Fort Lauderdale April 3 on a 9-day sailing to Barbados with calls in Tortola, St. Barts, Grenada, St. Lucia and Kingstown. Fares start at $2,499 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $1,000 per suite.
 
Voyage 7209: Silver Explorer departs Colón, Panama April 4 on a 10-day expedition cruise to Barbados with calls in San Blas Island, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Los Roques, Port of Spain and Bequia. Fares start at $2,999 per person.
 
Mediterranean
 
Voyage 5211A: Silver Spirit departs May 5 on a 12-day voyage sailing roundtrip from Monte Carlo with calls in Malta, Crete, Rhodes, Bodrum, Santorini, Sicily, Sorrento and Elba. Fares start at $3,899 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $1,000 per suite.
 
Voyage 1213: Silver Cloud departs Monte Carlo May 8 on a 12-day sailing to Rouen (Paris) with calls in Cartagena, Málaga, Portimão, Lisbon, Santander, Bordeaux and Guernsey. Fares start at $3,499 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $1,000 per suite.
 
Voyage 2230: Silver Wind departs Athens September 24 on a 7-day sailing to Venice with calls in Monemvasia, Corfu, Kotor and Split. Fares start at $1,999 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $500 per suite.
 
Northern Europe
 
Voyage 1214: Silver Cloud departs Rouen (Paris) May 20 on a 10-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Oostende, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Travemünde (Lübeck), Warnemünde (Rostock) and Rønne (Bornholm). Fares start at $3,199 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $1,000 per suite.
 
Voyage 4222: Silver Whisper departs Stockholm August 23 on a 7-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Tallinn, St. Petersburg (3-day/2-night stopover) and Helsinki. Fares start at $2,999 per person, and include an onboard spending credit of $500 per suite.
 
Fares listed above are cruise-only, per-person rates, based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite. New reduced fares that include economy class airfare and transfers are also available from select gateways in the U.S. and Canada. The fares are capacity controlled and subject to availability.
 
Travel Agent has asked Silversea about whether there will be any “price protection” for its luxury guests previously booked on these voyages. Will they get a refund or credit for the price differential in their suite category? When we hear back from the ultra-luxury line, we’ll post the response here.
 
For more information and a complete list of voyages offering the new lower fares, go to http://www.silversea.com/specialoffers/?specialoffer=12803.

Related Links :

Silversea Features New List of Guest Speakers During 2012 Silver Perspectives

Silversea to Offer Six Wine Series Programs Hosted by Two Wine Experts in 2012

Silversea Launches the “Slow Food in Tuscany” Land Option

Sailing the Caribbean With Silversea’s Silver Spirit: Exploring Grenada

Sailing the Caribbean With Silversea’s Silver Spirit

Silversea Offers 56 Bridge Sailings in 2012

The following is a sampling of just some of the discounts available to federal employees, retirees and military members. We plan to update it regularly with your suggestions, so check back often for new additions. E-mail us at agruber@govexec.com if you come across discounts or freebies you’d like to share.

A word to the wise as you browse our directory: A number of sites will ask you to enter your government e-mail address to find out if you qualify for discounts. But one reader warns us that if you do so, you should be prepared for an onslaught of unsolicited e-mails.

General

Travel

Communications and Technology

General

Army Air Force Exchange Service: An online shopping center open to some State Department embassy employees as well as members of the military.

Auto parts: The Kragen Auto Parts chain will knock 5 percent to 10 percent off your purchase if you have a military ID, one reader says. AutoZone offers military discounts as well, according to another reader, and Advance Auto Parts gives active and retired military members 10 percent off. R1Concepts.com offers 10 percent off brake pads and brake rotors to military personnel when you call in to order. Go-Part.com will give federal employees 15 percent off on all items; to take advantage of this promotion, enter “FED15PERK” on the website or call 1-877-321-PART and mention the discount to the operator.

Auto service: American Auto Assurance offers government employees and active and retired military members discounts on fully insured vehicle protection plans. Click here for a quote.

Baseops.net: A clearinghouse of military discounts.

Bass Pro Shops: Offers military and civilian discounts, a reader tells us.

Bradsdeals: A directory of more than 200 stores and services offering military discounts.

Child care: NannyPro.com, an online resource for parents seeking nannies or babysitters, offers federal employees 30 percent off family memberships. To claim the discount, visit the company’s website and use the coupon code “Fedsave” at checkout. Sittercity.com, a website that offers babysitting, housesitting, petsitting, and other services such as housekeeping, has free registration for military members, according to one reader. Service providers have gone through background and criminal checks, and the site is an “ideal way for military families to find reliable childcare in a new area,” the reader says.

Choice Promotional Products: Offers 10 percent off, with the coupon code “GOVT10.”

Cleaning: The Green Mop offers all government employees in the capital region 15 percent off an initial home cleaning and a discounted rate of $65 per hour on subsequent cleanings.

Clothing, shoes and accessories: Nautica and New York and Co. give discounts of 10 percent or more to customers with military IDs, and Old Navy gives a 10 percent discount on the first of the month, readers say. Aeropostale also offers 10 percent off, according to one tipster, as does Lucky Brand. Coach reportedly gives 20 percent off. Footlocker and its affiliates offer a 20 percent discount to active, reserve and retired military personnel who present their identification card, a reader says. Payless Shoes gives military families 10 percent off, another reader tells us.

Eye care. Group Health Eye Care offers federal employees, military members and retirees a 20 percent discount on prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses, and a one-time 20 percent discount on contact lenses. Membership is not required. MilitaryContacts.net offers contact lenses to military members and their families at prices as much as 30 percent lower than other retailers, according to its website. And Buy More Contacts offers 5 percent off when government employees spend $100 or more, and free shipping.

Fedsave.com: A free, monthly newsletter highlighting savings and special offers on entertainment, dining, shopping and travel.

Food: IHOP, Denny’s and Long John Silver’s give military members 10 percent off, readers tell us. One reader noted that Applebee’s gives discounts of 15 percent, and one said T.G.I. Friday’s offers a 10 percent discount. The Hard Rock Cafe offers military members discounts of 10 percent or more.

Gift baskets and flowers: GiftTree.com offers military members 15 percent off on most gift baskets, flowers and other merchandise. According to the company, “To access the discount, simply visit our website and enter the promotion code MILITARY67 at checkout.” Wine Country Gift Baskets is giving military members 5 percent off baskets, flowers and fresh baked goods. Enter the catalog code “Military” at checkout. Silk Plants Direct gives federal employees and military members 10 percent off online purchases, if you mention your employer at checkout.

Government Employees Marketplace: A free service that offers members exclusive discounts on everything from pet health insurance to rental cars, and aggregates information on thousands of other deals.

Gyms: Civilians and military members qualify for a discount at Washington Sports Clubs. As of early November 2010, the gym was offering feds $17 off monthly memberships.

Home improvement: Readers tell us Lowes and The Home Depot give military members and retirees 10 percent off at most locations, but the discount isn’t always advertised so be sure to ask about it if no information is readily available. Menards gives shoppers with a military ID or VA identification card 10 percent off, according to one tipster, but the policy seems to vary from store to store because another reader said a branch in Wisconsin denied him a military discount. Long Fence and Home offers deals to federal employees and military members — employees should contact the company to get an estimate of how much the discount would be.

Home security: Absolute Security of America – Your Local ADT Authorized Dealer provides government employees a special offer on home security. Employees should click here or contact the company at 1.866.792.3595 to find out more.

Insurance: Federal employees receive 3 percent to 10 percent off on automobile insurance at Geico, depending on the state. Readers tell us they’ve found insurance deals at Liberty Mutual as well. And Capitol Benefits of Gaithersburg, Md., has partnered with Travelers to offer federal employees in the Washington area a break on home, auto, renters, boat and umbrella insurance.

Military and Veterans Discount Center: A comprehensive directory of discounts in categories ranging from apparel to sports and recreation, searchable by ZIP code.

Movers: Transit Systems Inc. offers discounts on moving and shipping services. Use the discount code “GOV611″ to obtain the deal. And if you prefer to do it yourself, a reader with a military background tells us he was able to get 10 percent off on a moving truck from Penske.

National Active and Retired Federal Employees: Arranges discounts on travel, financial services, insurance, moving and emergency services.

Superior Nut Co.: This Cambridge, Mass.-based specialty food provider offers military members a 10 percent discount on orders through its website, one reader tells us. The coupon code is “military,” and according to our tipster, there is no minimum order or expiration date.

Veterans Advantage Program: A card that offers discounts on travel, entertainment, home and office supplies, insurance, financial services and more. A one-year membership is $59.95.

Travel

Armed Forces Recreation Center Resorts: Joint service facilities aimed at providing affordable vacation options for military members and their families.

Armed Forces Vacation Club: Offers military members, Defense Department civilians and some contractors deals at condominium timeshare resorts as space is available.

Better World Club: This environmentally-conscious roadside assistance provider is offering federal employees a 10 percent discount on new auto club memberships.

Cruise Planners: Offers cruise and all-inclusive vacation deals to active and retired service members, veterans and federal employees.

Federal Discount Lodging Directory: A searchable directory of domestic and foreign hotels with discounts for federal employees.

FedRooms: While this website is aimed at official government travel, many of the hotels also extend discounts to federal employees on vacation.

Government Armed Forces Travel Cooperative: Condominium rentals, cruises, car rentals, hotel reservations, golf discounts, vacation packages and more for feds, military members and retirees.

Government Employees Travel Opportunities: This program, sponsored by Resort Condominiums International, offers discount rentals at condominium timeshare resorts and vacation villas worldwide. The catch is that the discounts often are available only in the off-season or on short notice.

Government Vacation Rewards: Offers access to government and military rates on cruises, tours, vacation packages, resorts, hotels, air travel and cars, through International Cruise and Excursions.

Holiday Inn Express: One reader notes he has received big discounts by showing government identification at Holiday Inn Express hotels.

La Quinta Inns and Suites: Offers substantial lodging discounts to federal employees, military members and retirees, one reader says.

Rental cars: A number of rental car companies offer government employees deals for non-official travel, including Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, E-Z Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Thrifty.

SatoVacations: Offers discounted vacation packages and leisure travel services for government workers and military members. The company specializes in tours and cruises but also provides air, car, rail, and hotel accommodations and tickets to local attractions, according to a marketing manager. Feds based in Europe can click here.

Shades of Green: A resort for active and retired armed services members on Walt Disney World in central Florida.

Starwood Hotels: A reader tells us he received a big discount on rates in the San Francisco area when he asked if the hotel offered deals for government workers.

Veterans Holidays: Travel deals for vets.

Communications and Technology

Apple: Offers discounts on iPods, computers and other equipment for personal use, through its Store for Government. One reader reported Apple seemed to have discontinued the discount as of December 2011.

ATT: Federal employees may qualify for reduced rates. To find out more, visit the company’s website and enter your government e-mail address.

Dell: Government workers can save at least 7 percent on most computers, printers and other electronics.

HP: A reader tells us Hewlett-Packard offers federal employees discounts of at least 10 percent.

Microsoft: Offers discounts on software through its Home Use Program for government employees.

Sprint-Nextel: Offers federal employees a 15 percent discount on top of other deals, such as the family plan, according to a company spokeswoman.

T-Mobile: Offers a 15 percent discount to federal employees. To obtain the deal, new customers can call (877) 426-2024 or visit a local store, and existing customers can call (877) 453-8824.

Verizon: The company offers federal employee discounts of 20 percent or more on phones, calling plans and accessories. Check here to find out if you are eligible.