Author: Cruiser Evan
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The Costa Allegra Arrival to Seychelles
After more than two days at sea in sweltering heat, and with no access to running water or hot meals, the passengers on board the Costa Allegra finally stepped off the ship onto the island country of Seychelles earlier today, where they were greeted by medical personal and representatives from embassies and consular offices. Officials from Costa Crociere (which translate to “Costa Cruises” in English), the cruise line that owns the Costa Allegra, were also on hand to help. Read more […] -
The Costa Allegra, Moving Slowly to Shore
The Costa Allegra, the cruise ship that stalled in the Indian Ocean on Monday after a fire broke out in the engine room, is being towed by a French deep sea trawler to Victoria, the capital of the island country of Seychelles. The ship, which is owned by Costa Cruises, is being pulled at a speed of six knots (about seven miles per hour) and is expected to reach land early Thursday morning. Two tugs boats from Seychelles were originally sent to the vessel, which was drifting without power in an area of the Indian Ocean known for pirate attacks, but efforts to add a tug boat to help with the towing operation were unsuccessful, leaving the task to the French trawler alone. Read more […] -
How to Take a Cruise to Alaska
Cruises to Alaska are among the most popular cruise vacations. Alaskan cruises allow passengers to see the pristine beauty of the largest state in the United States, and, as is the case with a cruise to any other part of the world, the experience of cruising to Alaska is itself enjoyable (although for different reasons than, say, a trip to the Caribbean – there isn’t much pool-side lounging on a trip to Alaska). We have previously written about Alaskan cruises and why people take them, and we have also covered some of the many different cruise lines that offer trips to Alaska. What we haven’t covered is how you go about taking a cruise to Alaska; in other words, we haven’t explained the actual mechanics of booking a cruise to Alaska, which is the subject of this article. Read more […] -
The Two Cruise Ships Denied Access to a Port in Argentina
Two British cruise ships were turned away from an Argentine port earlier today, adding a new chapter to the sovereignty dispute between Argentina and Britain over the Falkland Islands. The two cruise ships – owned by Carnival, although they belong to the fleets of different cruise lines – attempted to dock at the port of Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city, but were refused entry. The decision to bar the ships from the port was made early this morning by the governor of the Tierra del Fuego Province. Read more […] -
The Costa Allegra, Adrift in the Indian Ocean
The Costa Allegra, a cruise ship with over 1,000 people on board, is adrift without power in the Indian Ocean after a fire broke out in the engine room earlier today. Once the fire, which has now been extinguished, was started, a distress signal was sent out. Rescue efforts are underway as two tug boats, a motorboat, and a plane from the island country of Seychelles are en route to the imperiled vessel. The earliest assistance is expected to arrive by tomorrow morning. Currently, the ship is upright and stable, and emergency generators have kept the ship’s communications equipment running, according to an official from Costa Crociere (known as Costa Cruises in English), the cruise line to which the Costa Allegra belongs. Read more […] -
The Top Three Cruise Ships
Everyone wants to know about “the top X,” where “X” can refer to just about anything. We are ceaselessly searching for the top restaurants, the top hotels, the top movies, the top books, and so on. This perhaps explains our infatuation with lists that rank the relative greatness of different things. Presumably, this fixation applies to cruise ships as well, so we’ve compiled a list of the top three cruise ships. (We seem similarly preoccupied with finding the “biggest X,” and hence our article about the world’s largest cruise ship.) Read more […]