Captain Schettino Gets Day in Court or Not

Costa Concordia Trial

Scheduled to Begin

July 9, 2013

It has been 18 months since the Costa Concordia accident which claimed the lives of 32 people off the coast of Giglio, Italy.  After pre-trial activities completed, including plea bargains for Costa Cruise Line, Captain Francesco Schettino arrived at the temporary "court house" in Grosseto, Tuscany ready for his day in court.

But Wait ...

As is customary in Europe, approaching labor strikes are pre-announced. As anticipated a nationwide Lawyers Strike, scheduled to start today, caused a delay in the Costa Concordia trial.   The judge had no choice but to delay the trial until July 17th.


Upset lawyers had called for a strike after the Prime Minister passed a decree attempting to streamline jury trials.  The PM accused the lawyers of blocking reforms. 

We have been covering the entire Costa Concordia accident, including the cleanup and legal proceedings.   For complete details, see our anchor article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Meanwhile, salvage operations continue.  It is now expected that the parbuckling project can be completed by early September, 2013.   See our article:  Costa Concordia Salvage Begins
 

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Tropical Storm Chantal Heading for Puerto Rico

Interactive Map (click)
NHC Experimental Graphic TS Chantal  (click for latest)

Tropical Storm CHANTAL 

Tropical Storm CHANTAL	500 PM EDT WED JUL 10 2013 ...CHANTAL DEGENERATED INTO A WAVE... ...COULD STILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS  AND GUSTY WINDS...
WIND:	NEAR 45 MPH...75 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS HAVE DISCONTINUED ALL THE REMAINING TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... THERE ARE NO COASTAL TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS OR WATCHES IN EFFECT. INTERESTS IN EASTERN CUBA...JAMIACA AND THE BAHAMAS SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE REMNANTS OF CHANTAL.
SHIP IMPACT:	Carnival Liberty (6 July, 7-night sailing) altered port order; replaced St. Thomas with Nassau Carnival Victory (8 July, 5-night sailing) diverting to Half Moon Cay, Nassau, Freeport CARNIVAL:  Tropical Storm Chantal UPDATE ROYAL CARIBBEAN:  Important Updates

Storm Archive       Graphics Archive

The third Tropical storm of the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season formed over the central tropical Atlantic and is racing towards the Lesser Antilles.  Watches and Warnings have now been posted for several islands as well as Puerto Rico.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

SUMMARY OF 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...16.5N 73.7W
ABOUT 230 MI...370 KM ESE OF KINGSTON JAMAICA
ABOUT 260 MI...415 KM S OF THE EASTERN TIP OF CUBA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...45 MPH...75 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 23 MPH...37 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1012 MB...29.88 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAVE ARE NEAR 45
MPH...75 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
 
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS COVER A LARGE AREA OVER THE WATERS MAINLY
SOUTH OF HISPANIOLA. 


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS COULD STILL AFFECT HAITI AND
EASTERN CUBA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. 
 
STORM SURGE...LOCALIZED COASTAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF
ONSHORE FLOW ALONG PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH COAST OF HISPANIOLA.
 
RAINFALL...THE REMNANTS OF CHANTAL ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL
RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER HISPANIOLA...JAMAICA...
CENTRAL AND EASTERN CUBA...AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS.  ISOLATED
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS
OF HISPANIOLA.
 

Source: NHC Public Advisory

Historical Data:
 

1100 PM EDT SUN JUL 07 2013
...TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL FORMS OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL
ATLANTIC...
...RACING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE LESSER ANTILLES...

800 AM AST MON JUL 08 2013
...CHANTAL MOVING QUICKLY TOWARD THE LESSER ANTILLES...

1100 PM AST MON JUL 08 2013

...CHANTAL RACING TOWARD THE LESSER ANTILLES...

800 AM AST TUE JUL 09 2013
...CHANTAL OBSERVED BY BARBADOS AND MARTINIQUE RADARS... 

800 AM EDT WED JUL 10 2013
...CHANTAL MOST LIKELY A TROPICAL WAVE...
...RECONNAISSANCE PLANE EN ROUTE TO VERIFY.. 

...CHANTAL HAS NOT DEGENERATED INTO A TROPICAL WAVE... 

 

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5th Tropical Storm Forms in East Pacific

Tropical Storm ERICK	800 AM PDT TUE JUL 09 2013 ...ERICK DEGENERATES INTO A REMNANT LOW...   Last NHC advisory issued on ERICK
WIND:	MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH... 45 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	NONE
SHIP IMPACT:	NO CRUISE SHIPS IMPACTED

Storm Archive        Graphics Archive

Tropical Storm ERICK

The fifth tropical storm of the 2013 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season formed off the southwest coast of Mexico. It is expected to produce 3 to 5 inches of rain on the coastal states.  After becoming a hurricane on Saturday, the storm has weakened once again to tropical storm strength.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

SUMMARY OF 800 AM PDT...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...22.2N 110.0W
ABOUT 50 MI...80 KM S OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BAJA CALIFORNIA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...45 MPH...75 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 325 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1001 MB...29.56 INCHES

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE.
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 45 MPH...75
KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED DURING
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...AND ERICK IS FORECAST TO BECOME A REMNANT
LOW WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES...95 KM
MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1001 MB...29.56 INCHES.


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN PORTIONS
OF THE WARNING AREA IN BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR WITHIN THE NEXT FEW
HOURS.

RAINFALL...ERICK IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF
1 TO 3 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY ERICK ARE AFFECTING PORTIONS OF THE
SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.  THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO
CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS.

Historical Data:

800 AM PDT THU JUL 04 2013
 
...NEW TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS SOUTH OF MEXICO...

800 PM PDT THU JUL 04 2013
 
...FIFTH NAMED TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON FORMS...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING ISSUED FOR PART OF THE SOUTWESTERN COAST
OF MEXICO... 

800 AM PDT FRI JUL 05 2013

...ERICK INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME A HURRICANE BY TOMORROW...
...NEW TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ISSUED FOR SOUTHWESTERN MEXICO... 

800 AM PDT SAT JUL 06 2013
 
...ERICK BECOMES A HURRICANE...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH ISSUED FOR PARTS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR... 

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Saluting the Military on 4th of July

 

Independence Day 2013

 

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States

 

We hope that you are enjoying a wonderful Fourth of July with family and friends. Across the globe, there are many families that are apart from loved ones. Those are the men and women of the Armed Forces who are serving to protect those freedoms that we celebrate today. Let us salute those men and women who sacrifice so that we can enjoy this holiday.

We'd like to thank all the military personnel, past and present, for serving their country. Many of the cruise lines offer military discounts. If you know someone who has served, make sure they are aware of these discounts - it's the least we can do for them that have made this day possible.

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Benefits of a Resort Vacation

Why would you select a resort vacation? 

 First of all, there's the view !!

Everyone loves to travel and we know you’re always on the lookout for new vacation options as well as special offers. As Vacation Specialists, we are dedicated to helping you plan the perfect vacation, whether it’s on a Mediterranean cruise through Europe or at an all-inclusive beach resort in the Caribbean. We work hard to provide our customers with as many options as possible. With this in mind, we are very excited to share that we have just added a huge selection of RESORT VACATION PACKAGES to our website. 

Resort vacations afford travelers many of the same benefits as cruise vacations plus plenty of unique ones as well. Most of the resort vacations that we now offer are all-inclusive, so your accommodations, meals, beverages, activities, and more are all included, just like a cruise. They may also be packaged with airfare, adding even more convenience and value, plus extra perks such as free and non-stop airport transfers, a free/extra night’s stay, or a free round of golf.

Not only do we offer exclusive pricing, but most of our resort packages provide all-inclusive accommodations that include meals, beverages, tips and more. Some even include airfare and extra activities. Whether you travel as a couple or with a large family, there are no surprises when it comes to managing your vacation budget.

Whether you want to wake up to the sound of the ocean or be in walking distance to historical landmarks, a resort vacation can put you in the destination you’ve always dreamed of. We feature hundreds of resorts in the top 4 vacation destinations around the world: Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii and Florida.

Get all of the extra perks that are included in resort vacations, such as airport transfers, multiple restaurants, water sports, kids programs, entertainment and more. Resorts understand the need to provide you with an unforgettable vacation and they go the extra mile to ensure your stay is just that. And everyone gets to do what they want, when they want, at whatever pace works best for them.

 

We’re pleased to be able to enhance our vacation options to our customers.
 We hope you’ll contact us when it’s time to book that next getaway – by land or by sea!

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Diary of Celebrity Xpeditions Galapagos

 

A Land Beyond Xpectations

Over one hundred fifty years ago, a man wrote about his quest that took him to a place where he would discover how life evolved thousands of years ago.  Travel with us as we follow in his footsteps and discover a land that is inhabited by species that can be found nowhere else on earth.

Come with us on our Celebrity Xpeditions adventure that begins in Quito, Ecauador where we had the opportunity to visit local sites including the Equatorial Line Monument.   Here you can stand on a line between the two hemispheres.

Our ultimate destination is an archipelago of volcanic islands near the equator in the Pacific Ocean.  We are met by a team of naturalists who transport us by Zodiacs to our waiting ship, Celebrity Xpedition.  

Celebrity Xpedition recently had their license suspended as we had reported (Lobsters Keep Cruise Ship from Entering National Park) and have now resumed sailing (Celebrity Xpedition to Resume Galapagos Sailings).  We are assembling past articles, posting images, and adding new material in this diary so that you can easily follow our complete adventure.   If you have any unanswered questions, we'd be happy to answer them and also help plan your own unforgettable adventure.

	Port	Blog Posts	Photo Albums
	Celebrity Xpeditions	Packing for Galapagos Why Visit Galapagos Galapagos - Onboard Celebrity Xpedition Celebrity Xpedition Food	Celebrity Xpedition
1	Quito, Ecuador	Celebrity Xpedition - Day 1	J W Marriott Quito
2	Quito, Ecuador	Celebrity Xpedition - Day 2 - Quito Old Town Celebrity Xpedition - Day 2 - El Crater Celebrity Xpedition - Day 2 - Equatorial Line Monument	Quito - Old Town Quito - Lunch Stop Quito - Equator
3	Baltra North Seymour	Celebrity Xpedition - Day 3 - Flight to Baltra Galapagos - Day 3 - Welcome Aboard Celebrity Xpedition - Day 3 North Seymour Island	Celebrity Xpedition Galapagos - North Seymour Island
4	Kicker Rock; Puerto Baquerizo Moreno; Española Island	Galapagos - Kicker Rock Galapagos - Puerto Baquerizo Moreno  Galapagos - Day 4 Snorkeling Orientation  Galapagos - Española	Galapagos - Kicker Rock  Galapagos - San Cristobal  Galapagos - Espanola Islands
5	Floreana Island; Cormorant Point - Baroness Lookout	Galapagos - Cormorant Point (Floreana) Galapagos - Baroness Outlook (Floreana)	Galapagos - Cormorant Point Galapagos - Baroness Lookout
6	Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz); Bartolomé Island	Galapagos - Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz) Galapagos - Bartolomé Island (Day 6) Crossing the Line	Galapagos - Bachas Beach Galapagos -Bartolome Islands Crossing the Line Party - Galapagos Cruise (video)
7	Urbina Bay (Isabela);  Espinoza Point (Fernandina)	Galapagos - Urbina Bay Galapagos - Fernandina Island (Day 7 Afternoon) Galapagos Surprise - There She Blows	Galapagos - Urbina Bay Galapagos - Dry Landing Fernandina Island Galapagos - Scenic Cruising Galapagos - Zodiac Ride Fernandina
8	Santiago Island;  Santa Cruz	Galapagos - Santiago (Day 8 Morning) Galapagos - Santa Cruz (Day 8 Afternoon)	Galapagos - Santiago Island Galapagos - Snorkeling (Santiago) Galapagos - Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz)
9	Santa Cruz; Puerto Ayora	Galapagos - Charles Darwin Research Center (Day 9) Galapagos - Santa Cruz Highlands (Day 9 Afternoon) Galapagos - Final Night on Xpedition	Galapagos National Park Galapagos - Santa Cruz Highlands  Farwell Party - Celebrity Xpedition Galapagos (Video)
10	Baltra to Quito	Celebrity Xpedition - Disembarkation Galapagos - Quito (Day 10)	Xpedition Disembarkation
11	Quito	Galapagos - Mindo Cloud Forest (Day 11) Galapagos - Return Home	El Pahuma Orchid Reserve El Siete Restaurant - Mindo

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Emissions Regulations Prompt Deployment Changes

North American Emission Control Area     Source: EPA

New Rules Impact Cruise Industry

We are eighteen months away from the implementation of new regulations restricting the Sulfur oxide (SO_x) emissions of marine fuel in the North American Emission Control Area (ECA).   Under the new regulations, effective January 1, 2015, cruise ships operating in the zone must only emit .01% instead of the currently allowed 1% levels.  The ECA requirements will become enforceable in the U.S. Caribbean ECA in January 2014.

Complete details can be found in this EPA Briefing.

These low-sulfur fuel requirements could dramatically increase operating costs for the cruise lines and Carnival Cruise Lines has announced deployment changes of several ships as it tries to get ahead of the curve of the new regulations.

Where is the North American ECA 

The area of the North American ECA includes waters adjacent to the Pacific coast, the Atlantic/Gulf coast and the eight main Hawaiian Islands. It extends up to 200 nautical miles from coasts of the United States, Canada and the French territories, except that it does not extend into marine areas subject to the sovereignty or jurisdiction of other States.


Carnival Cruise Lines Deployment Changes

The announced redeployments means reduced Atlantic Canada cruises and no ships homeporting out of Baltimore, Boston or Norfolk, Virginia.These are the first announced changes that site the North American ECA and associated fuel costs as the determining factor.

Carnival Cruise Lines and others, including Royal Caribbean, which has ships in the same ports, are working closely with the EPA to find alternative means to reduce the emissions. One possibility is scrubber technology as cited in the letter in the references below.

Ship / Effective Date	Deployment Changes
Carnival Pride December, 2014	Repositions from Baltimore to Tampa
Carnival Glory November, 2013	Sailed seasonally from Boston or Norfolk; Repositions to Miami

The cruise lines have held the line on passing fuel surcharges along to consumers. Hopefully they will be able to find an economical solution to protecting the environment.

April 2013 CLIA Position on North American ECA

The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) made the following statement earlier this year:

"CLIA supports the goals and principles of the North American Emission Control Area (ECA). Our industry is committed to protecting coastal air quality not only because it is the responsible thing to do, but also because the very nature of our business depends on a healthy natural environment. We are proud of the environmental stewardship of our member lines and their proactive response to applicable international and Federal air emissions requirements wherever their ships operate."  

They, along with the IMO, have proposed the following:

"The industry supports a variety of flexible approaches that can be utilized to achieve equal or better health benefits, including averaging based on air quality, innovative exhaust scrubbers, using alternative energy sources such as shore power in port, and adjusting ship speeds."  [Full article]



Additional References:

EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality web site

Designation of Emission Control Area to Reduce Emissions from Ships in the U.S. Caribbean

Designation of North American Emission Control Area to Reduce Emissions from Ships (PDF)

Letter to IMO from EPA and U.S Coast Guard regarding equivalent methods to comply with the ECA fuel sulfur requirements (PDF)

We will continue to monitor this developing story.   It is unfortunate that Carnival Cruise Lines has made these changes, but hopefully they will be able to return to these homeports in the future.

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