Carnival Cruise Ships to Be Chartered!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Carnival and thought it would be of
interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are
available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


Three Carnival Cruise Ships to Be Chartered By Federal Government For
Six Months as Part of Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Carnival to Make Subsequent Fleet Deployment Changes to Accommodate
Guests

MIAMI, Sept. 3
Carnival Cruise Lines has chartered three of its cruise ships to the
Military Sealift Command (MSC) on behalf of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) for six months as part of Hurricane Katrina
relief efforts.

The three cruise ships are the Ecstasy, Sensation and Holiday.

The Ecstasy, normally homeported at Galveston, Texas, operating four-
and five-day cruises, and Sensation, normally homeported in New
Orleans operating four- and five-day voyages, will be pulled from
service effective Monday, Sept. 5. Initial plans are for both vessels
to be docked in Galveston.

The Holiday, which is homeported at Mobile, Ala., operating four and
five- day Mexico cruises, will be pulled from service effective
Thursday, Sept. 8. Initial plans are for the vessel to remain docked
in Mobile.

"We sincerely apologize to those guests whose vacations have been
impacted by these voyage cancellations," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival
president and CEO. "However, given that Hurricane Katrina is the worst
natural disaster in U.S. history, we trust our guests will understand
that the decision to enter into these charters was the right one. This
inconvenience to our guests will provide desperately needed housing
for thousands of individuals affected by this tragedy," he added.

All guests whose bookings have been cancelled will be offered full
refunds and will have the opportunity to re-book their cruise on any
Carnival ship. Guests who re-book on any Carnival ship will receive a
$100 per person shipboard credit. Carnival is protecting travel agent
commissions on cancelled cruises.

As a result of three ships being taken out of service, Carnival is
implementing some additional deployment changes within its fleet.

The Elation, which currently operates seven-day cruises from
Galveston, will offer a one-time six-day voyage departing Sept. 4,
then take over the Ecstasy's four and five-day Galveston program
effective Saturday, Sept. 10. Guests on the Elation's six-day voyage
will receive a 15 percent refund and a $50 per person shipboard
credit. The Ecstasy's five-day cruise of Sept. 5 has been cancelled.

All guests originally scheduled to sail on the Ecstasy during the
affected six-month period will be automatically moved to the Elation.
The Ecstasy and Elation are sister ships with identical layouts.
Guests will be assigned to the same cabins on Elation that they had
booked on the Ecstasy.

Carnival Conquest, which is normally based in New Orleans, will move
to Galveston after it completes its current drydock on Sept. 11, to
operate her original seven-day itinerary to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman
and Cozumel. The 110,000-ton Carnival Conquest entered service in
2002.

The Ecstasy entered service in 1991, the Sensation in 1993 and the
Elation in 1998. All three are sister ships in Carnival's eight-ship,
Fantasy-class series. The vessels measure 70,367 gross tons and have a
basis-two passenger capacity of 2,052 and a total passenger capacity
of 2,606.

The 46,052-ton Holiday entered service in 1985 and has a basis-two
passenger capacity of 1,452 and a total passenger capacity of 1,800.

Carnival shipboard employees will be staffing the three chartered
ships. The Ecstasy, and Sensation each have approximately 920 crew and
the Holiday has approximately 660.

Affected Carnival guests will be notified of the cancelled and
modified sailings this afternoon.

For additional information and questions, guests can contact their
travel agent.

Like someone else said : Were are Amercan Hotel chains offering to take a
few hotels of marcket and make them available for relief efforts ??
Hello Marriot, Hilton, Holiday Inn, etc etc.

On Sat, 3 Sep 2005 11:47:47 -0400, "Ray L. Nutz"
wrote:

Like someone else said : Were are Amercan Hotel chains offering to take a
few hotels of marcket and make them available for relief efforts ??
Hello Marriot, Hilton, Holiday Inn, etc etc.

Hi Ray,

We have gotten word that many hotels have cancelled reservations so
they accommodate those that are in need.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

In article ,
"Ray L. Nutz" wrote:

Like someone else said : Were are Amercan Hotel chains offering to take a
few hotels of marcket and make them available for relief efforts ??
Hello Marriot, Hilton, Holiday Inn, etc etc.

There was an article in todays paper talking about hotels in NO putting
their guests on the street.

On Sat, 3 Sep 2005 11:47:47 -0400, "Ray L. Nutz"
wrote:

Like someone else said : Were are Amercan Hotel chains offering to take a
few hotels of marcket and make them available for relief efforts ??
Hello Marriot, Hilton, Holiday Inn, etc etc.


Here is an update from from Marriott. Other hotel groups have similar
statements.

Ernie

==========================

MARRIOTT UPDATE ON HURRICANE KATRINA

CONTACT:
Marriott Communications
(301) 380-7770



Washington , DC - 2 September 2005 -
Marriott is working closely with authorities throughout the Gulf Coast
region and other areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Due to the
extraordinary circumstances, hotels in the Gulf Coast and nearby regions are
providing shelter for evacuees and relief workers. As a result, many of
these hotels are now in a sold-out status and it may be difficult to
accommodate new arrivals. Guests are encouraged to call Marriott at (800)
559-9352 to determine hotel availability. Efforts are also being made to
contact customers with reservations to warn them of a severe shortage of
space.


Marriott has established a toll-free line for friends and families to
call for information about guests and associates who may have been affected
by the hurricane. That number is (866) 211-4610. (Outside the U.S. and
Canada, the direct dial number is 402-390-3265.)


Cancellation fees for individual (non-group) bookings at hotels
directly affected by the hurricane, or in areas experiencing mandatory
evacuations, are being waived for arrivals through October 1.


Based on our current understanding of the overall business conditions
in the city of New Orleans, Marriott is contacting existing groups that have
booked meetings through Nov. 15, 2005, and will waive group cancellation
fees. For clients that have meetings booked beyond Nov. 15, 2005, we will
work with our hotels, owners and local authorities to determine our ability
to conduct business after that date. We will evaluate our position when
more information becomes available.


As of 5 p.m. (EDT) Friday, Sept. 2, Marriott's 15 hotels in New
Orleans are temporarily closed. The affected properties include:


Courtyard New Orleans/Covington-Mandeville
Courtyard New Orleans Downtown-Near the French Quarter
Courtyard New Orleans-Convention Center
Courtyard New Orleans-Metairie
Fairfield Inn Kenner-New Orleans Airport
JW Marriott New Orleans
Marriott New Orleans
Marriott New Orleans at the Convention Center
Renaissance Arts Hotel
Renaissance Pere Marquette
Residence Inn New Orleans-Metairie
Residence Inn New Orleans-Downtown
SpringHill Suites New Orleans/Convention Center
The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans and Maison Blanche
TownePlace Suites New Orleans/Metairie


The above hotels will remain closed until local authorities advise
they may reopen. In addition, the following hotels in affected areas remain
temporarily closed:


Alabama
The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa (Point Clear)


Marriott will provide updates on www.marriottnewsroom.com as
information becomes available. For information regarding hotel
reservations, please call (800) 228-9290. Those in countries outside of the
United States seeking information about the impact of Hurricane Katrina
should call the Marriott International toll-free number in their country.

On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 11:43:09 -0500, Lloyd Parsons
wrote:

There was an article in todays paper talking about hotels in NO putting
their guests on the street.

Hi Lloyd,

3 examples of what hotels did, Hilton, Hyatt, & Marriott brought in
security and busses to New Orleans. They then caravaned the guests
AND employees out to safety.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

These poor people have suffered enough!

Now you want to make their misery worse by making them go aboard a Carnival
cruise ship.

What have they done to deserve this punishment.

They don't need overcrowding, poor service and bad food -- they've already
experienced that. Nor are they interested in buying fake, fake watches,
fake gold chains or tanzanite.

Then need help, not more misery and scams.

"Ray Goldenberg" wrote in message
...
Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Carnival and thought it would be of
interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are
available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


Three Carnival Cruise Ships to Be Chartered By Federal Government For
Six Months as Part of Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Carnival to Make Subsequent Fleet Deployment Changes to Accommodate
Guests

MIAMI, Sept. 3
Carnival Cruise Lines has chartered three of its cruise ships to the
Military Sealift Command (MSC) on behalf of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) for six months as part of Hurricane Katrina
relief efforts.

The three cruise ships are the Ecstasy, Sensation and Holiday.

The Ecstasy, normally homeported at Galveston, Texas, operating four-
and five-day cruises, and Sensation, normally homeported in New
Orleans operating four- and five-day voyages, will be pulled from
service effective Monday, Sept. 5. Initial plans are for both vessels
to be docked in Galveston.

The Holiday, which is homeported at Mobile, Ala., operating four and
five- day Mexico cruises, will be pulled from service effective
Thursday, Sept. 8. Initial plans are for the vessel to remain docked
in Mobile.

"We sincerely apologize to those guests whose vacations have been
impacted by these voyage cancellations," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival
president and CEO. "However, given that Hurricane Katrina is the worst
natural disaster in U.S. history, we trust our guests will understand
that the decision to enter into these charters was the right one. This
inconvenience to our guests will provide desperately needed housing
for thousands of individuals affected by this tragedy," he added.

All guests whose bookings have been cancelled will be offered full
refunds and will have the opportunity to re-book their cruise on any
Carnival ship. Guests who re-book on any Carnival ship will receive a
$100 per person shipboard credit. Carnival is protecting travel agent
commissions on cancelled cruises.

As a result of three ships being taken out of service, Carnival is
implementing some additional deployment changes within its fleet.

The Elation, which currently operates seven-day cruises from
Galveston, will offer a one-time six-day voyage departing Sept. 4,
then take over the Ecstasy's four and five-day Galveston program
effective Saturday, Sept. 10. Guests on the Elation's six-day voyage
will receive a 15 percent refund and a $50 per person shipboard
credit. The Ecstasy's five-day cruise of Sept. 5 has been cancelled.

All guests originally scheduled to sail on the Ecstasy during the
affected six-month period will be automatically moved to the Elation.
The Ecstasy and Elation are sister ships with identical layouts.
Guests will be assigned to the same cabins on Elation that they had
booked on the Ecstasy.

Carnival Conquest, which is normally based in New Orleans, will move
to Galveston after it completes its current drydock on Sept. 11, to
operate her original seven-day itinerary to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman
and Cozumel. The 110,000-ton Carnival Conquest entered service in
2002.

The Ecstasy entered service in 1991, the Sensation in 1993 and the
Elation in 1998. All three are sister ships in Carnival's eight-ship,
Fantasy-class series. The vessels measure 70,367 gross tons and have a
basis-two passenger capacity of 2,052 and a total passenger capacity
of 2,606.

The 46,052-ton Holiday entered service in 1985 and has a basis-two
passenger capacity of 1,452 and a total passenger capacity of 1,800.

Carnival shipboard employees will be staffing the three chartered
ships. The Ecstasy, and Sensation each have approximately 920 crew and
the Holiday has approximately 660.

Affected Carnival guests will be notified of the cancelled and
modified sailings this afternoon.

For additional information and questions, guests can contact their
travel agent.

Wow Ray! This is really pretty amazing and so generous of Carnival.

June

"Ray Goldenberg" wrote in message
...
Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Carnival and thought it would be
of
interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are
available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


Three Carnival Cruise Ships to Be Chartered By Federal Government
For
Six Months as Part of Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Carnival to Make Subsequent Fleet Deployment Changes to Accommodate
Guests

MIAMI, Sept. 3
Carnival Cruise Lines has chartered three of its cruise ships to the
Military Sealift Command (MSC) on behalf of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) for six months as part of Hurricane Katrina
relief efforts.

The three cruise ships are the Ecstasy, Sensation and Holiday.

The Ecstasy, normally homeported at Galveston, Texas, operating
four-
and five-day cruises, and Sensation, normally homeported in New
Orleans operating four- and five-day voyages, will be pulled from
service effective Monday, Sept. 5. Initial plans are for both
vessels
to be docked in Galveston.

The Holiday, which is homeported at Mobile, Ala., operating four and
five- day Mexico cruises, will be pulled from service effective
Thursday, Sept. 8. Initial plans are for the vessel to remain docked
in Mobile.

"We sincerely apologize to those guests whose vacations have been
impacted by these voyage cancellations," said Bob Dickinson,
Carnival
president and CEO. "However, given that Hurricane Katrina is the
worst
natural disaster in U.S. history, we trust our guests will
understand
that the decision to enter into these charters was the right one.
This
inconvenience to our guests will provide desperately needed housing
for thousands of individuals affected by this tragedy," he added.

All guests whose bookings have been cancelled will be offered full
refunds and will have the opportunity to re-book their cruise on any
Carnival ship. Guests who re-book on any Carnival ship will receive
a
$100 per person shipboard credit. Carnival is protecting travel
agent
commissions on cancelled cruises.

As a result of three ships being taken out of service, Carnival is
implementing some additional deployment changes within its fleet.

The Elation, which currently operates seven-day cruises from
Galveston, will offer a one-time six-day voyage departing Sept. 4,
then take over the Ecstasy's four and five-day Galveston program
effective Saturday, Sept. 10. Guests on the Elation's six-day voyage
will receive a 15 percent refund and a $50 per person shipboard
credit. The Ecstasy's five-day cruise of Sept. 5 has been cancelled.

All guests originally scheduled to sail on the Ecstasy during the
affected six-month period will be automatically moved to the
Elation.
The Ecstasy and Elation are sister ships with identical layouts.
Guests will be assigned to the same cabins on Elation that they had
booked on the Ecstasy.

Carnival Conquest, which is normally based in New Orleans, will move
to Galveston after it completes its current drydock on Sept. 11, to
operate her original seven-day itinerary to Montego Bay, Grand
Cayman
and Cozumel. The 110,000-ton Carnival Conquest entered service in
2002.

The Ecstasy entered service in 1991, the Sensation in 1993 and the
Elation in 1998. All three are sister ships in Carnival's
eight-ship,
Fantasy-class series. The vessels measure 70,367 gross tons and have
a
basis-two passenger capacity of 2,052 and a total passenger capacity
of 2,606.

The 46,052-ton Holiday entered service in 1985 and has a basis-two
passenger capacity of 1,452 and a total passenger capacity of 1,800.

Carnival shipboard employees will be staffing the three chartered
ships. The Ecstasy, and Sensation each have approximately 920 crew
and
the Holiday has approximately 660.

Affected Carnival guests will be notified of the cancelled and
modified sailings this afternoon.

For additional information and questions, guests can contact their
travel agent.

In article ,
Ray Goldenberg wrote:

On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 11:43:09 -0500, Lloyd Parsons
wrote:

There was an article in todays paper talking about hotels in NO putting
their guests on the street.

Hi Lloyd,

3 examples of what hotels did, Hilton, Hyatt, & Marriott brought in
security and busses to New Orleans. They then caravaned the guests
AND employees out to safety.

Best regards,
Ray

Wasn't one of those 3 the ones that had chartered the buses and then the
gov't comandeered them? I know that happened, just not which hotel.

Let's face it, some companies are going to handle this better than
others, that is pretty much a given.

And we've only just begun to hear the horror and hero stories...

In article ,
Lloyd Parsons wrote:

Wasn't one of those 3 the ones that had chartered the buses and then the
gov't comandeered them? I know that happened, just not which hotel.

People from one of the Hyatts were bumped ahead of people waiting
at the Dome. This was done at the behest of the Mayor's office so
they could take over the Hyatt for disaster purposes.

--
I didn't - in spite of ample warnings by sociologists
from large Eastern Universities - foresee the need to have
27" flat-screen television sets available to every family in the
New Orleans city limits as soon as the electricity went out.
That one WAS my bad.
--Richard Galen at www.mullings.com