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Royal Caribbean orders third Oasis Class ship Royal Caribbean finalized a long negotiation by ordering a third ship in the 5,400-passenger Oasis class from the STX France shipyard. The ship will be the same size as the Oasis and Allure of the Seas, and is intended for delivery in mid-2016. Royal Caribbean had been negotiating with STX Finland, but financial support from the Finnish government apparently could not be worked out. Royal Caribbean did not divulge the cost of the new ship. When Royal Caribbean confirmed in November that it was negotiating for a third Oasis-class vessel, it said the price per berth would be less than the original two ships. Royal Caribbean has a one-year option to build a fourth Oasis-class ship from STX France
The port will be open long before that. Michael Greve, president of Global Destinations Development, one of the companies partnering in the port project, said that construction at Banana Coast, which began in August 2011, is now 80% complete, and that the facility is expected to have a soft opening in January. The port is hoping to get big ship commitments as well, and is planning to build a two-berth, post-Panamax pier. "We have met with several other cruise lines and have hosted site inspections by cruise line executives," said Greve. "We expect that several lines soon will commit to adding Banana Coast to their itineraries." The $20 million Banana Coast project calls for a 50,000-square-foot shopping facility and a transportation hub along a 10-acre beachfront port that is themed "Where the Rainforest Meets the Sea." Last year, Banana Coast developers unveiled a series of shore excursions including its signature tour, the Campo del Mar Nature Park & Beach Break, a tram ride through the nature preserve and a stop at the beach, as well as more adventurous excursions such as snorkeling trips; kayaking in the Guaimoreto Lagoon; and a mountain ATV ride. Passengers can also take a private airplane to the Mayan ruins at Copan or a trolley ride through the colonial town of Trujillo. Cruise lines donate to Hurricane Sandy victims Cruise lines stepped up Hurricane Sandy relief efforts this week, donating both money and cruises to the victims of the storm that devastated the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast in late October. Carnival Corp. said it was donating $2 million to four charities that are providing relief, rebuilding services and support to the the victims of Sandy. The cruise company is donating $1 million to the Robin Hood Relief Fund; $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity International and $250,000 each to Save the Children and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corp., called Sandy "one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history," and cited Carnival's "special relationship with the region, with several ships either homeported or visiting the area as a port of call, as well as hundreds of thousands of residents who sail on the fleets of our various cruise brands." Norwegian Cruise Line, meanwhile, invited all audience members and their families from yesterday's Katie Couric talk show, Katie, on board the inaugural sailing of the line's newest ship, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Breakaway. The show's audience included 150 New York-area mothers who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, and who, along with their families, will attend the Mother's Day weekend sailing on the Breakaway, May 10-12, 2013, from New York City. The Norwegian Breakaway's godmothers, the Rockettes, were on hand to present the audience with the cruise giveaway. Plans stall to move Delta Queen to Florida The Delta Queen will remain a floating hotel in Chattanooga, Tenn., after plans to relocate it to Florida fell through, reports The Daytona Beach News-Journal. A hotelier had hoped to move the historic riverboat to New Smyrna Beach, on Florida's east coast. It would continue to serve as a floating hotel, as it now does in Chattanooga where it is permanently moored on the Tennessee River. Local hotel owner Wayne Heller could not reach an agreement with New Smyrna Beach officials about leasing five acres on the city causeway to permanently dock the 85-year-old boat, a National Historic Landmark, the paper said. He has estimated the new hotel would bring 100 jobs to the beach town. But city officials said the deal to relocate the 88-room hotel fell apart because of the expense of purchasing and renovating the boat, not the cost or specifics of the lease. The relocation had mixed support in the city. Elsewhere around the country, it had worried some riverboat fans, who feared the Delta Queen would deteriorate in salt water. The boat, which operated as a river cruise ship for many years, has been moored in Tennessee since 2009. It serves as a hotel, lounge and restaurant. Cruise Ship Order Book 2013 - 2016 Here's a complete listing of cruise ships on order.
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