A massive fiery explosision near a waterfront, industrial section of Beirut, Lebanon killed over 70 people and wounded around 4,000 earlier today. A video (below) of the blast, which was broadcast around the world, showed a large fire with smaller explosions followed by a horrific explosion which reportedly destroyed buildings far from the blast site.
Vision of the Seas Descends Into Drug-Fueled Orgy During Mediterranean Cruise?
Last year, Royal Caribbean Cruises agreed with the producers of a reality television show called “Shipmates” to use the cruise line’s Vision of the Seas in the filming of the program. Channel 4 TV in the UK used the Vision as the setting for what the producers describe as a “party-fueled luxury cruise ship” sailing…
Carnival Does the Right Thing Following Cabin Flood
Yesterday (May 3) a broken pipe aboard the Carnival Dream flooded around 50 cabins on the ship and sent water cascading down deck 9. Photos (right) and videos posted on Facebook show water pouring from the ceiling and down the walls.
Carnival confirmed that the water line break involved “clean water from a fire suppression…
Carnival’s “Moments that Matter” Marketing Campaign is Offensive and the Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
Last week the public was transfixed on the incredible spectacle of the "parbuckling" project which, at a cost of $800,000,000 and rising, finally but successfully righted the capsized Costa Concordia in the port of Giglio.
The major news networks offered live streaming video of the event. Social media, especially Twitter, provided non-stop, second-by-second updates…
Where Are Photo & Video Images of the Fire on the Grandeur of the Seas?
Cruise fans have largely praised Royal Caribbean’s public relations efforts in responding to the fire which erupted aboard the Grandeur of the Seas early Monday morning.
Royal Caribbean tweeted updates from its new Twitter PR feed @RoyalCaribPR and updated its Facebook page. It uploaded one photo showing a portion of the damage to to fire…
Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas Catches on Fire
News stations in South Florida are reporting that a fire broke out early this morning aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing off the Florida coast.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the fire broke out aboard the Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas
The fire occurred on deck three on the 916-foot ship.
A…
Giglio at Sunrise – Costa Concordia Lies Asleep
Last night I attended a pre-game party for the Miami Heat – Oklahoma City Thunder basketball game at a friend’s house. One of the families was excitedly talking about leaving on Wednesday for a cruise to Italy. Other families began comparing cruise stories to Italy. I don’t talk "cruise law" during social events. I just…
Cruise Ship Sinks in Volga River in Russia – Up to 100 Feared Dead
Numerous news sources are reporting that a cruise ship carrying 173 passengers and crew sank in Russia’s Volga river today.
The sinking involved the Bulgaria cruise ship, which had 140 passengers and 33 crewmembers aboard.
To date, there have been reports of two confirmed dead bodies recovered and 96 people unaccounted for after the Bulgaria sank at 1358 local time (0858 GMT)…
Eye Witness Accounts: Oil Tank Explosion Panics Cruise Passengers / Independence of the Seas Quickly Leaves Port
The Telegraph newspaper in the U.K. has an interesting story containing a passenger’s account of events aboard the Independence of the Seas following the explosion at the port in Gibraltar. Some of the accounts:
“People thought it was a bomb and started screaming. Parents jumped in the pool to grab their children, while others dashed…
Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Ships Collide in Cozumel
In a prior article, I discussed how cruise lines can report on breaking news by using social media applications like Twitter and Twitpic and manage their reputations in the process.
Twitter was the first to report the collision between Carnival and Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships at port in Cozumel. Neither Carnival nor Royal Caribbean used …