While in Miami, I also visited the Royal Caribbean main offices and saw the great models they have throughout the building. I visited the Carnival Cruise Line corporate offices and saw a decent QM2 model. I had an opportunity to go aboard the the Seven Seas Navigator and take a few photos of the ships in Ft Lauderdale on Monday the 12th. The Constellation, Enchantment, Seven Seas Navigator and Prinsendam were all in port that day, not including the day cruise ship.

SeaTrade was fun as usual, and I made numerous contacts and visited with many friends that I've made throughout the many years being involved with the cruise industry. Ooh man I still have sore feet from all the walking. Ok click here

[ 03-14-2007: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

[ 03-14-2007: Message edited by: LeBarryboat ]

[ 03-14-2007: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Great photos thanks for sharing. One question for you...

Here's a shot of the Constellation: (I added more photos to my album, including the QM2 model at Carnival Corp. and a shot of the Miami sky-line...MAN what is happening in Miami it looks like a major construction BOOM going on right now, the Miami skyline is littered with builder's cranes)

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Originally posted by LeBarryboat:
MAN what is happening in Miami it looks like a major construction BOOM going on right now, the Miami skyline is littered with builder's cranes)

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It's been that way for the past few years--a massive boom in high-rise condos, fueled by heavy foreign investment. A lot of money coming here from Europe and Latin America.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

What's the cut-away ship? Is that QV or an NCL ship?

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The QM2 model is right outside my office. You should have said hello ....

[ 03-14-2007: Message edited by: Gerry ]

[ 03-14-2007: Message edited by: Waynaro ]

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Originally posted by Gerry:
Barry,

The QM2 model is right outside my office. You should have said hello ....

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Cunard Fan wrote:

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I think that was the Freedom of the Seas. I might be wrong though...

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[ 03-15-2007: Message edited by: LeBarryboat ]

The pleasure was mine. Linerrich and I has just come from lunch and I loved hearing about Carnival Corp from the old days.

Unpacking as we speak in a cold rainy Philadelphia after a warm Miami.

Barry, I did see you walk by the Fritz Hansen booth, but was talking to a client and unable to say hello.

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Originally posted by Gerry:
I was really pleased to meet 3 CT posters at Seatrade over the last couple of days and am very happy to say they were all as genuine and pleasant as I was hoping...

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First and foremost, I want to thank the Florida branch of CruiseTalk, Tim in ‘Lauderdale, Linerrich, and Gerry for their hospitality.

This show had fewer exhibitors than last year, but still well attended and very much an International Show.

The ports and international pavilions were very prominent. Ireland had a large presence this year.

Exhibitors from all different fields and industries that serve the cruise industry show there. Of note was an animation firm that showed the Queen Victoria interiors and early concepts of the QM2. The early QM2 Golden Lion Pub had real interesting chairs and a proper British Pub ceiling that somehow got lost in the final building.

I had also heard from several insiders that Pullmantur wanted to buy the SSNorway and the Rembrandterdam for trading. The prices on both ships were too high. SSNorway was offered to Pullmantur after the boiler explosion but could not be paid to take it off of NCL’s hands.

I spoke with Nigel Lingard of Fred Olsen about the segmentation of the British Cruise Market. Fred Olsen is like HAL with the average passenger age of 69. The Olsen ships make little money from the bars since most of the passengers are on medication that requires they do not drink. Ocean Village has the youngest passenger demographic at 40yo. Thomson is the British Carnival with the bars being 5 people deep. We had a good laugh about P&O being the British cruise line for the British and Cunard being the British cruise line for the Americans.

At Meyer Werft, I had spoken with the Aida project manager. Her design is very much dictated by the German Cruise format. The Atrium is fairly large with room for people to congregate. The atrium has a perpetual show running from 6am to midnight by flying shift change performers. The ship has a nude sunning deck.

Fincantieri had a large model of the Queen Victoria that Barry had provided good pictures of. She is quite different than the Noordam and the Carnival Spirit. The f’castle looks better designed to take a large wave. One curiosity is that the magradome has no pool underneath.

I did attend the Oceania Press Conference which was about their upcoming newbuilds. They are 2 times the size of the R ships, but have 1.5x the passenger loads.

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Originally posted by desirod7:

Fincantieri had a large model of the Queen Victoria that Barry had provided good pictures of. She is quite different than the Noordam and the Carnival Spirit. The f’castle looks better designed to take a large wave. One curiosity is that the magradome has no pool underneath.

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Thanks for the report David.

Unfortunately I feel QV is not different enough. In every exterior pic I see of her I basically see a Vista Class ship of HAL. Sure there are about five differences (all which could be adapted to any of the Vistas), but in the big scheme of things her exterior is unmistakably similar.

David, thanks for the scoop and, Barry, thanks for the photos.

I have to say that, as Ernie mentioned, QV still looks like a Vista class ship but, IMO, the Cunard livery and funnel makes her a bit more attractive than the others (which I quite like,..at least externally).

I also agree with Barry regarding the chaotic state of NCL. I deal with them qute a bit and they just don't seem to have their at together.