News

The 'Glen Sannox' will begin timetabled sailings on Jan 13, 2024, CalMac has announced. A soft launch of the ship is expected in the week of Jan 6, with occasional sailing once or twice a day, before the full passenger timetable launches the following week. The vessel will enter official passenger service on the Arran route after successful tests and crew familiarisation over the past month, and run on the busiest route on the CalMac network, operating between Troon to Brodick. It had been scheduled for delivery in 2018 but endured considerable delays due to major challenges in design and construction, in what became a long-running political row. Costs on the ferry increased from an initial contract price of £97m to more than £400m, £45m of which were government loans never fully recovered.

On the early morning of Dec 19, officials of the Port Authority of Tzelepi were informed by a crew member of the 'Festos Palace' that a person stole small items from other passengers on board. When the ship docked at the port of Piraeus and following instructions from crew members, officers of the Port Authority arrested a 22-year-old man for violation of article 372 of the Civil Code. theft. A preliminary investigation was carried out by the 1st Tzelepi Port Department of the Central Port Authority of Piraeus.

An outbreak of norovirus has affected 83 passengers and 12 crew members of the 'Rotterdam' during its current voyage that started on Dec 8, 2024, and lasts unti Dec 20, The ship departed on its 12-night roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale with calls at Curacao, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. The vessel also transited through the Panama Canal and spent a day at the newly renamed and private RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay, jointly operated by Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line, both owned by Carnival Corporation. While calling in Montego Bay on Dec 18, the medical team aboard the ship reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it was experiencing an outbreak of suspected norovirus. The ship with 2,192 passengers and 953 crew on board was now under close observation by the CDC. Holland America Line has taken immediate steps to contain the outbreak by intensifying cleaning and disinfection procedures as outlined in its outbreak prevention and response plan.

The 'Timberland', en route from Damietta to Fredericia, requested the medical evacuation of a crew member 28 nautical miles soutwest of Cádiz on Dec 19, 2024. The CCS Tarifa of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR helicopter Helimer 220 to assist, which hoisted the patient and transferred him to the Jerez airport, where an ambulance was waiting for him.

A norovirus outbreak struck the 'Ruby Princess', sickening 103 passengers and 12 crew members during a voyage to Hawaii and Mexico, which started on Dec 2, 2024 in San Francisco. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the outbreak, with passengers reporting diarrhea and vomiting as the primary symptoms. The ship returned on San Francisco on Dec 19. While the exact cause of the outbreak was still under investigation, norovirus was identified as the likely culprit. Princess Cruises responded to the outbreak by intensifying cleaning and disinfection protocols across the ship. They also isolated sick passengers and crew members to prevent a further spread.