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Author: Alfredo Casuso

CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE CORONA VIRUS – MARCH 13, 2021

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CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE CORONA VIRUS – MARCH 13, 2021

WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES
from Bill Miller

Mar 13th  2021

Above:  Bygone days –cruising on Holland America’s Statendam (1957)

Mon Mar 8th   Future Bookings:  Cruise companies may be eyeing a significant increase to ticket prices in the near future as demand surges and sailings sell out in record time. Cruise lines have widely reported strong pent-up demand and record sales volumes in media announcements, leading to a backlash from the investment community. Carnival said sales were solid due to pent up demand in late February, and a few weeks earlier, Oceania saw its world cruise sell out in a single day. Victory Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat said that January and February 2021 bookings are over 35 percent higher than November and December 2020 bookings,

Remember the days of festive departures – passengers departing, family and friends on the pierside and the evocative sounds of the ship’s mighty whistles.   From out in Oregon, our good friend Pine Hodgeshas generously forwarded the sounds of the bellowing steam whistles of the departing United States.  You might to have a listen and remember those high spirited days of ocean liner departures.   

Below, myself onboard the United States in Feb 1966.   Was I still eighteen on that cold winter’s morning.

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Tue Mar 9th Two Antarctica sailings for Disney Cruise Lineswill take place on Ponant’s 264-berth Le Lyrial and Le Boréal (below), but with reduced capacity for Antarctic sailings. Disney is chartering the two luxury ships.    Disney also plans to add cruises to the Galápagos Islands, starting in 2022 on board the chartered Galapagos Legend.

Princess Cruises is the latest line to revise their 2021 Summer season to focus on a shorter, no-fly cruises from the UK. The Regal Princess and Sky Princess will offer short breaks and week-long no-fly sailings from Southampton. The cruises are only available to UK guests. The 3,560-berth “Medallion” class ships Regal Princess and Sky Princess will offer ‘Truly Touchless’ experiences through the line’s  Medallion Class experience and Ocean Medallion wearable devices. Features include streamlined check-in, simplified safety training, reductions in queueing as well as the ability to order food and drink to anywhere on the ship.

Norway’s Hurtigruten has announced additional UK no-fly cruises to sail in 2022. The two voyages, departing from Portsmouth and Liverpool,  will bring to thirty the number of no-fly cruises from the expedition line in 2022. A significant increase on previous years.

Another One Gone!   Honestly, we can’t keep track … over two dozen cruise ships retired in the past year, then sold and mostly to scrap merchants.   One of them, the Karnika, intended for a long career as an Indian-owned cruise ship operating out of Mumbai, is seen below in her final weeks.   The bow section has already been chopped-off.   The 70,000-ton Karnika was, just as a reminder, the Crown Princess (and named over in Brooklyn by Sophia Loren), then A’Rosa Blu, AIDAblu, Ocean Village Two, Pacific Jewel and finally – for India’s shortlived Jalesh Cruises – as the Karnika.   

Virgin Voyages today announced its third newbuild will carry the name Resilient Lady and will set sail from Athens, Greece, embarking on two, seven-night itineraries starting in July 2022.

Wed Mar 10th Luxury Cruising:  While we have been a year or so of travel shutdown and as cruise lines lost billions & sold off older ships, the future is still bright – over 100 cruise ships, many for 5-6,000 passengers, are being built or on order through 2027-28.  Among these, an impressive40 or so are for the high-end luxury market or the pricey deluxe exploration/expedition market (smaller, specially equipped ships for 100-300 passengers & intended for select, unusual itineraries and smaller, out-of-the-way ports.

Six-star Crystal Cruises has their 200-bed, expedition-style Crystal Endeavor soon to debut”

Viking grows, it seems by the month, and is constructing a set of luxurious expedition ships.

Like Silversea, six-star Seabourn has had great success in the luxury expedition market & so they too are planning new ships, again for some 250 guests:

Ritz Carlton & others are taking the plunge, well a golden plunge – they are entering the small ship/luxury business.   Below is a new comer:   Atlas Ocean building a series of top-end ships for some 200 passengers each.

South Pacific-linked Paul Gauguin Cruises is expanding with a set of spacious 230-bed ships.

Viking’s expanse seems to be unlimited, virtually endless.   The Company is now building luxury river boats for North American service as well as luxury craft for the Nile River.  Viking has over a dozen 930-passenger luxury ships and the largest river cruise “boat” fleet in the world.   And, as mentioned, they’ve now gone into the high-end expedition market has well.  

And for larger luxury ships, the likes of Regent, Crystal, Viking and even MSC are planning more deluxe liners – with lavish decor, vast amenities & more and more suites & penthouses.  Remember, Oceania’s 200-night world cruise sold out in 7 hours!   And Viking is rushing to get a 2nd and even a 3rd ship reassigned to meet its world cruise demands.  And the guests:   One cruise line reported 50% North American, 25% European and 25% mixed including Asia, Australia & Latin America.

Holland America Line continues to work with government and port authorities to develop its plans to return to cruising, the company is extending its pause of European cruise operations to include departures through June 30, 2021.The pause will impact cruises departing in May and June on Nieuw Statendam, Volendam and Westerdam.

Good News!  The British Government has announced that domestic cruises will be resuming on May 17 in England.  P&O Cruises will be the first to begin with 3-7 day cruise itineraries.

Thu Mar 11th  Royal Caribbean International has extended its suspension of cruising through May, excluding sailings onboard Quantum, Spectrum, Voyager, and Odyssey of the Seas.

Lindblad remains optimistic that it will return to operations in June with a focus on Alaska, Galápagos and Iceland.  

Celestyal Cruises announced that it will resume operations on May 29 from Piraeus, Athens with its seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary.

Oceania Cruises announced that the launch of its latest collection of exotic itineraries for winter 2022-2023 on Mar 3rd  resulted in a record with the most individual bookings taken in a single day in the brand’s history.

California:  The operator for Long Beach’s Queen Mary plans to auction its lease for the historic ocean liner after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January following a string of financial problems.  In an announcement last Tuesday, Singapore-based Eagle Hospitality Trust said it will sell 15 of the 18 hotels in its portfolio, including the Queen Mary, Sheraton Pasadena and Holiday Inn Anaheim for a starting price of $470 million in an auction set tentatively for May 20. 

Spain:   Things are moving forward — Spain will open its mass tourism resorts for business in spring once the country has vaccinated between 30 and 40 per cent of its adult population.  

Miami:  Carnival hit its 49th year and now begins its countdown to its celebratory 50th in Mar 2022.

Sat Mar 13th Greece:   Fire broke out yesterday aboard the MSC Lirica while moored at Corfu.  The fire aboard the MSC Lirica which started in a lifeboat was fully extinguished by Friday evening, with no injuries to the 51 crew aboard the ship, according to a statement from MSC Cruises.

Cunard:  In yet another revision, the Queen Elizabeth will now make only short cruises from Southampton during the summer.  Sailings on Queen Victoria are now cancelled for departures up to and including 27 Aug 27th. Queen Elizabeth’s scheduled summer Mediterranean fly cruise season and all departures up to and including Oct 11th are cancelled. And Queen Mary 2’s current program of departures up to and including Nov 2021 are cancelled.  This will mark the second year of no Atlantic crossings on Cunard.

Crystal Cruises will be the first major cruise line back in service in North America as the Crystal Serenity would start sailing in the Bahamas in July. The ship will sail week-long itineraries that call only on Bahamian destinations, round-trip from Nassau (Saturday departure) or Bimini (Sunday departure), through at least October.  The ship will operate at no more than 900 guests. The company will also offer pre- and post-land programs with local hotels in the Bahamas.  Guests will need to show a negative COVID-19 result five days prior to arriving. 

Cruising will return! .. but for now, best thanks to friends, readers, reporters & those faraway “maritime secret agents”

Tickets Go on Sale Today – Monday, March 15 for 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival

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Tickets Go on Sale Today – Monday, March 15 for 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival 

18 Days of Films Mark 18th Year for Largest Ocean Film Festival on Earth
April 15 – May 2 Virtually

15 March 2021 – San Francisco, CA:  In March, gray whales start the journey back from their Mexican breeding grounds to their summer quarters off Alaska. Hugging the coast as they swim, these gentle giants occasionally surface for air and whale watchers turn out in droves to catch a glimpse.Thanks to San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival, the largest ocean film festival on the planet, you can whale watch in the comfort of your own home. From April 15 – May 2 —18 days of films to mark 18 years of saving the world’s oceans one film at a time — cetaceans, sharks, ships, surfers and countless other examples of sea life and sea love will scroll across your computer screens or smart TV at www.intloceanfilmfest.org.  Tickets go on sale today.

Festival Passes: 

All Access VIP Pass: $140

Includes access to watch all Feature Films, Themed Programs, Special Shorts Programs, and Q&As throughout the duration of the virtual film festival.

6-Pack Film Bundle: $65

Includes access to any 6 individual screenings of your choice. 

How to Purchase: Click on the Buy Passes Button Here to purchase any of the Festival Passes. 

Single Screening Tickets: 

  • Youth Programming: $10
  • Feature Films: $12
  • Themed Programs: $14
  • Special Shorts Program: $14
  • Student Film Competition: FREE

“Spring has rarely felt as hopeful as it does this year, or been more eagerly anticipated,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the Festival. “While we look forward to once again to gathering in person for next year’s Festival, this year we will once again bring the oceans to you via our virtual Festival with an unprecedented array and scope of films and filmmakers, including interactive content and conversations with filmmakers.”

This year’s 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival is marked with 18 days of ocean-focused, independent films. The Festival will screen a record 80+ films from 17 countries, including 10 premieres and 9 award-winners.   In addition, the Festival will hosting lively Q&A panels with film directors, marine scientists, and industry experts, as they discuss the films and share insights into ocean conservation, preservation, and legislation.   Also included is the Student Film Competition, featuring films from middle school and high school students (grades 6 through 12) from 12 countries around the world. 

According to Blanco, a year of  “Virtual Oceans” online films was seen by a record breaking 10,000 people and more than 2,500 students took part in the free online education series – critical for teachers and students managing distance learning challenges.

The Festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of our big, blue ocean. Subject matter ranges from, but is not limited to, marine wildlife, conservation efforts, ocean environments, coastal cultures, ocean sports and exploration, ocean heroes, and innovative technology designed to help protect the ocean. Films can be documentaries, narratives, shorts, animation, and full-length films from around the world. A number of finalists from the main film festival program will be selected to participate in the world-renowned International Ocean Film Festival Traveling Program. This year’s film categories include Environmental, Marine Wildlife, Exploration & Ocean Sports, Coastal Cultures, Female Directors, and Conservation.

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, ocean athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 560 films from 40 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

Current sponsors for the upcoming 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the Consul General of Canada, RBC Wealth Management, Pacific Gas & Electric, The Joseph R. Parker Foundation, and the Orange County Community Foundation.

The International Ocean Film Festival encourages its patrons, supporters and partners to follow the most current advice from the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization for preventing the further spread of the COVID-19 in Northern California and beyond, and to stay tuned for announcements about International Ocean Film Festival events once the threat level is reduced. The 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place April 15 – May 2, 2021 online at www.intloceanfilmfest.org. Possible in-person events, dependent upon COVID protocols, may be scheduled at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.  The video trailer for the 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival may be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/486467322

Following is the complete list for the 2021 18th International Ocean Film Festival:
Feature Films

  • 50 Shades of Sharks (La vie privée des requins) Alexis Barbier-Bouvet , Didier Noirot, France
  • Current Sea Christopher Smith, Malaysia 
  • The Deep Med (Planète Méditerranée), Gil Kébaïli, France
  • Descent Nays Baghai, Australia – USA PREMIERE 
  • Entangled David Abel, USA
  • Escape from Extinction Matthew R. Brady, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • Fish & Men Darby Duffin, Adam Jones, USA
  • The Last Lightkeepers Rob Apse, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE)
  • The Long Coast Ian Cheney, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • Nanuq – An Arctic Journey from Past to Future Emanuele Licitra, Italy – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Ocean Souls Philip Hamilton, Scott Wilson, United Kingdom – USA PREMIERE 
  • Three Arts in Antarctica (Trzy Sztuki w Antarktyce) Bartosz Stróżyński, Poland – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
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Whales

  • Echoes in The Arctic Paul Nicklen, Tahria Sheather, Andy Maser, USA
  • Entangled in Costa Rica Innoceana/The Vegan Pirates, Costa Rica – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Faka’apa’apa Scott Sporleder, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
  • Sentinels of Silence? Whale Watching, Noise, and the Orca Mark Pedelty, USA 
  • Whales in a Changing Ocean Richard Sidey, New Zealand 
  • Whales Without Walls (The Whale Sanctuary Project) Charles Vinick, Dr. Lori Marino, Michael Mountain, Matt Stamm, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
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Environment

  • Aguugum Tanaa (Our Sacred Place) Ryan Peterson, USA
  • Changing Seas: “A Decade After Deepwater” Alexa Elliott, USA
  • Finding Letter Six Andrea Reid, Shannon Switzer Swanson, Mikayla Wujec, USA
  • Gáax’w Ka Haaw: Herring Eggs & Branches Tessa Ellie Schmidt, Lee House, United States – BAY AREA PREMIERE
  • On the Brink (Menace sur les saumons de Colombie Britannique) Jeremy Mathieu, Canada – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • Tsunami Memories Isaac Kerlow, USA – USA PREMIERE   
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Coastal Communities and Cultures

  • BAJO : Guardians Of The Reef Alice Colfox, Boris Thompson-Roylance, United Kingdom
  • dhīvaraḥ, Giridhar Nayak K, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Homecoming: Journey to Limuw, Nick Zachar, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • Kaitiaki (Guardians of the Sky, Sea and Land) Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
  • Kiligivak (Mammoth) Laura Tejero, Jake Chamberlain, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • No Part Too Small Stanley Lin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • One Word Sawalmem Natasha Deganello Giraudie, Michael “Pom” Preston, USA 
  • Yáa at Wooné (Respect for All Things) Kh’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady), Lee House, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  
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Marine Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation

  • Aguugum Tanaa (Our Sacred Place) Ryan Peterson, USA
  • Aurora Emilio José Álvarez García, Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Changing Seas: “Peru’s Desert Penguins” Alexa Elliott, USA
  • Guardians of Turtles Naman Govil, Mithun TM, India – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Ocean to the Everglades: Part 1 Isaac Mead-Long, USA – USA PREMIERE 
  • Reducing the Risk of Disasters through Nature-based Solutions – Mangroves Leo Thom, United States 
  • Restoring the Natural Mangrove Forest Leo Thom, United Kingdom – WORLD PREMIERE 
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Sharks

  • Emperors of the Deep
  • Great While Sharks Lakan Duskin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Healthy FISHing Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
  • Mako Shark King of the Pelagic Realm, Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand 
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Ocean Shorts

  • A Mako Stronghold Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE
  • Aurora Emilio José Álvarez García, Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Blackwater – Anilao Style Walter Marti, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
  • Discover Wonder: The Octopus Garden, John Dutton, USA 
  • Diving into the Underwater Galaxy, Fan Ping, China
  • Great While Sharks Lakan Duskin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
  • How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • In the kelp of the fjords (Im Kelp der Fjorde), Guido Schmitz, Germany – USA PREMIERE
  • Lens of Time: Corals in Motion Amy Miller, USA 
  • Lens of Time: Secrets of Schooling, Amy Miller, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Murder At Sea Mark Benjamin, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • The Ocean Calls Lauren-ann Smith, Australia
  • On the Brink (Menace sur les saumons de Colombie Britannique) Jeremy Mathieu, Canada – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • Sinhala JP Lewis, United Kingdom– WORLD PREMIERE 
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Sports/Ocean Exploration

  • Blue Calling Sarah Ziegler, Janis Klinkenberg, Germany
  • Determination – The Farallon Record, Danielle Sellwood, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Lessons from Jeju Nicole Gormley, USA 
  • Lost at Sea, Johnny Burke, United Kingdom – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • The Ocean Calls Lauren-ann Smith, Australia
  • Stories from the Blue: Discovering Inner Earth Nick Zachar, USA 
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Our Blue World

  • Be There Be Present Greg Dennis, United Kingdom
  • High as A Kite Steven Kovacs, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Our Sea of Waste Morade Azzouz, Anca Ulea, France 
  • Réforme Plastics Cho Jin Yong, South Korea
  • Voice Above Water, Dana Frankoff, USA 
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Female Director

  • Barbara Crites: Snorkeling St John, USVI Andrea E. Leland, USA
  • Bluepoint Alexandra Leinweber, USA 
  • Finding Letter Six Andrea Reid, Shannon Switzer Swanson, Mikayla Wujec, USA
  • Into the Deep Unknown, Lincoln Else, Bligh Gillies, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Lessons from Jeju Nicole Gormley, USA 
  • The Ocean Calls Lauren-Ann Smith, Australia
  • Réforme Plastics Cho Jin Yong, South Korea
  • Water Baby Katherine McRae, USA 
  • Yáa at Wooné (Respect for All Things) Kh’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady), Lee House, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  
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Surfing

  • Caballito de Totora: Surfriders of Peru Phil Wilson, USA – USA PREMIERE 
  • Mar Olaf Crato, Portugal – USA PREMIERE 
  • Pause: Heidi Ida Slåtto Neerbye, Norway – USA PREMIERE 
  • Sinhala JP Lewis, United Kingdom– WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Unnur Chris Burkard, USA
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Coral Reefs

  • Barbara Crites: Snorkeling St John, USVI Andrea E. Leland, USA
  • Changing Seas: “American Samoa’s Resilient Coral Reefs” Alexa Elliott, USA
  • Coral Resiliency: The Marine Protected Areas of Taytay Gabriel Malvar, Philippines – WORLD PREMIERE
  • The Green Wave – Tahiti Bouvet Emmanuel, France
  • How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Lens of Time: Corals in Motion Amy Miller, USA
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Alphabetical List

  • 360° SEA PLASTIC – Narrated by Tim Robbins Hendrik S. Schmitt, Germany 
  • 50 Shades of Sharks (La vie privée des requins) Alexis Barbier-Bouvet , Didier Noirot, France 
  • A Mako Stronghold Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
  • Aguugum Tanaa (Our Sacred Place) Ryan Peterson, USA
  • Aurora Emilio José Álvarez García, Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
  • BAJO : Guardians of The Reef Alice Colfox, Boris Thompson-Roylance, United Kingdom 
  • Barbara Crites: Snorkeling St John, USVI Andrea E. Leland, USA
  • Be There Be Present Greg Dennis, United Kingdom
  • Blackwater – Anilao Style Walter Marti, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
  • Blue Calling Sarah Ziegler, Janis Klinkenberg, Germany 
  • Bluepoint Alexandra Leinweber, USA 
  • Caballito de Totora: Surfriders of Peru Phil Wilson, USA – USA PREMIERE 
  • Changing Seas: “A Decade After Deepwater” Alexa Elliott, USA 
  • Changing Seas: “American Samoa’s Resilient Coral Reefs” Alexa Elliott, USA 
  • Changing Seas: “Peru’s Desert Penguins” Alexa Elliott, USA 
  • Coral Resiliency: The Marine Protected Areas of Taytay Gabriel Malvar, Philippines – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Current Sea Christopher Smith, Malaysia 
  • The Deep Med (Planète Méditerranée), Gil Kébaïli, France 
  • Descent Nays Baghai, Australia – USA PREMIERE 
  • Determination – The Farallon Record, Danielle Sellwood, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
  • dhīvaraḥ, Giridhar Nayak K, USA – WORLD PREMIERE
  • Discover Wonder: The Octopus Garden, John Dutton, USA 
  • Diving into the Underwater Galaxy, Fan Ping, China
  • Echoes in The Arctic Paul Nicklen, Tahria Sheather, Andy Maser, USA 
  • Entangled David Abel, USA
  • Entangled in Costa Rica Innoceana/The Vegan Pirates, Costa Rica – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Escape from Extinction Matthew R. Brady, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • Faka’apa’apa Scott Sporleder, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • Finding Letter Six Andrea Reid, Shannon Switzer Swanson, Mikayla Wujec, USA 
  • Fish & Men Darby Duffin, Adam Jones, USA 
  • Gáax’w Ka Haaw: Herring Eggs & Branches Tessa Ellie Schmidt, Lee House, United States – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • Great While Sharks Lakan Duskin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • The Green Wave – Tahiti Bouvet Emmanuel, France
  • Guardians of Turtles Naman Govil, Mithun TM, India – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Healthy FISHing Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
  • High As A Kite Steven Kovacs, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Homecoming: Journey to Limuw, Nick Zachar, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • How to Raise Baby Corals, Andrew Ackerman, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • In the kelp of the fjords (Im Kelp der Fjorde), Guido Schmitz, Germany – USA PREMIERE 
  • Into the Deep Unknown, Lincoln Else, Bligh Gillies, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Kaitiaki (Guardians of the Sky, Sea and Land) Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand – USA PREMIERE 
  • Kiligivak (Mammoth) Laura Tejero, Jake Chamberlain, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • The Last Lightkeepers Rob Apse, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  
  • Lens of Time: Corals in Motion Amy Miller, USA 
  • Lens of Time: Secrets of Schooling, Amy Miller, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Lessons from Jeju Nicole Gormley, USA 
  • Life Below Water Brian Schulz , USA
  • The Long Coast Ian Cheney, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • Lost At Sea, Johnny Burke, United Kingdom – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • Mako Shark King of the Pelagic Realm, Shawn Heinrichs, New Zealand 
  • Mar Olaf Crato, Portugal – USA PREMIERE 
  • Murder At Sea Mark Benjamin, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE
  • Nanuq – An Arctic Journey from Past to Future Emanuele Licitra, Italy – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • No Part Too Small Stanley Lin, USA – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • The Ocean Calls Lauren-ann Smith, Australia 
  • Ocean Souls Philip Hamilton, Scott Wilson , United Kingdom – USA PREMIERE 
  • Ocean to the Everglades: Part 1 Isaac Mead-Long, USA – USA PREMIERE 
  • On the Brink (Menace sur les saumons de Colombie Britannique) Jeremy Mathieu, Canada – WEST COAST PREMIERE 
  • One Word Sawalmem Natasha Deganello Giraudie, Michael “Pom” Preston, USA 
  • Our Sea of Waste Morade Azzouz, Anca Ulea, France 
  • Pause: Heidi Ida Slåtto Neerbye, Norway – USA PREMIERE 
  • Reducing the Risk of Disasters through Nature-based Solutions – Mangroves Leo Thom, United States 
  • Réforme Plastics Cho Jin Yong, South Korea
  • Restoring the Natural Mangrove Forest Leo Thom, United Kingdom – WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Sanctuaries 360 Nick Zachar, USA
  • Sentinels of Silence? Whale Watching, Noise, and the Orca Mark Pedelty, USA 
  • Sinhala JP Lewis, United Kingdom– WORLD PREMIERE 
  • Stories from the Blue: Discovering Inner Earth Nick Zachar, USA 
  • Three Arts in Antarctica (Trzy Sztuki w Antarktyce) Bartosz Stróżyński, Poland – BAY AREA PREMIERE 
  • Tsunami Memories Isaac Kerlow, USA – USA PREMIERE 
  • Unnur Chris Burkard, USA 
  • Voice Above Water, Dana Frankoff, USA 
  • Water Baby Katherine McRae, USA 
  • Whales in a Changing Ocean Richard Sidey, New Zealand 
  • Whales Without Walls (The Whale Sanctuary Project) Charles Vinick, Dr. Lori Marino, Michael Mountain, Matt Stamm, USA – BAY AREA PREMIERE
  • Yáa at Wooné (Respect for All Things) Kh’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady), Lee House, USA – WEST COAST PREMIERE  

SAN FRANCISCO AWARDS DEDICATED FUNDING FOR BLACK TRANS-EQUITY AS PART OF DREAM KEEPER INITIATIVE

Written on .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org

*** PRESS RELEASE ***

SAN FRANCISCO AWARDS DEDICATED FUNDING FOR BLACK TRANS-EQUITY AS PART OF DREAM KEEPER INITIATIVE

$2.2 million over the next two years to five Black trans-serving organizations will address historic inequities for Black transgender people 

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and San Francisco Human Rights Commission Executive Director Sheryl Evans Davis today announced $2.2 million over the next two years to serve San Francisco’s Black and African-American transgender community. This is the first City funding dedicated to providing services to the Black trans community, and is part of the newly announced Dream Keeper Initiative.

The Dream Keeper Initiative, announced by Mayor Breed, is a citywide initiative that reinvests $120 million over two years in redirected funding from law enforcement into San Francisco’s Black and African-American community. As part of this initiative, the City has awarded Black trans-serving organizations funding for technical assistance to build their capacity so they can offer services and programs to address historic inequities and improve outcomes for Black transgender people.

“With the Dream Keeper’s significant investment in the Black community, we knew that it was critical to provide dedicated funding to address the unique needs in the Black transgender community,” said Mayor London Breed. “I am committed to ensuring Black trans people can thrive and reach their dreams in San Francisco, which is why we are investing in the services the community needs and organizations that have been doing this work for years.”

The organizations that have received funding are The Transgender District, TGI Justice Project, TAJA’s Coalition, LYRIC, and PRC. The $2.2 million over the next two years will go towards technical assistance and capacity building for nonprofit organizations serving this community, so that they can be better-positioned to work with the City in developing and implementing programs within the Dream Keeper Initiative and other City programs. This investment will provide a critical boost for these organizations at a dire time, from building up the next generation of leaders, to solving for organizational hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to spurring community-based collaboration to seamlessly serve the Black-trans community. The grant activities are set to begin later this month.

“From the beginning of the pandemic, the Human Rights Commission partnered with the Black transgender community to prioritize their voices in our extensive engagement process for the Dream Keeper Initiative,” said Sheryl Evans Davis, Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. “Equity, intersectionality, and TLGBQI+ justice go beyond theory — these are community-led practices that provide solutions for the most marginalized people, especially Black transgender women. This is the beginning of a long-term investment.”

“The San Francisco Human Rights Commission is honored to partner with Black-trans serving organizations to improve outcomes in housing, employment, and economic opportunities for Black transgender people in San Francisco, said LGBTQI+ Advisor, Tuquan Harrison. “In many ways, queer history, culture, and the queer liberation movement in San Francisco—and the world—has been defined by and owes much of its richness to Black LGBQ, Trans and Non-binary people, especially Black trans women. We must continue to prioritize an equitable future for Black transgender and LGBQI+ people in San Francisco by investing resources to this vital community.”

“Thank you Mayor Breed and SF Human Rights Commission Director Davis for this historic re-investment into Black trans communities,” said Clair Farley, Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives. “This critical expansion in funding and services in San Francisco will support Black trans-serving organizations continued efforts to develop community led solutions and address systemic inequities.”

Since March 2020, Black trans people across this country have experienced the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside an epidemic of violence, in particular against Black transgender women. At least 44 transgender people were murdered in 2020, and Black transgender women accounted for over half of the cases. According to the National Transgender survey report, 42% of Black transgender people have experienced homelessness at least once in their lifetime compared to 30% in the general transgender community. Black transgender people are incarcerated more than four times the rate the general population and 47% of Black transgender women have attempted suicide at least once in their lifetime.

“Mayor London Breed, Director Sheryl Evans Davis and the Human Rights Commission staff have been amazing supporters and allies to TGIJP and the Black Trans community for many years, even before many other city agencies,” said Janetta Johnson, Executive Director of Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP). “TGIJP is deeply grateful for this incredible new financial support we will be receiving with the Dream Keeper Initiative. It will allow us to continue to provide critical support to the Black Trans community.”

The awarding of the funding and identification of priority funding areas follows months of strategic planning, outreach, and stakeholder engagement with San Francisco’s diverse trans and LGBTQ community. Since June 2020, HRC convened more than 60 community-driven input sessions, each including an LGBTQ space, to gather input on how to prioritize investments to create more services for Black transgender people.

“PRC is thrilled to partner with the Human Rights Commission of San Francisco to provide direct support to the Black Transgender and gender nonconforming communities of color that are so often overlooked and underrepresented,” said Brett Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of PRC. “This initiative reflects the City’s focus on all segments of the Black community, and the Mayor’s deep commitment to full inclusion. Drawing upon PRC’s deep experience in serving the most vulnerable populations within the LGBTQI community, we are honored to further efforts to provide targeted programs, healthcare and direct assistance to our Black Trans community members to move them forward on the path to social and economic stability.”

“The Dream Keeper Initiative is a necessary pivot towards equity for San Francisco’s Black community. The Transgender District is incredibly honored to help create high impact solutions towards the disparity that Black transgender people face in San Francisco,” said Aria Sa’id, Executive Director of the Transgender District. “While San Francisco is a premiere city for the acceptance of queer and transgender people, the data has not shifted over the last 30 years in regards to what we face including increased rate of homelessness, abject poverty and marginalization. We have a multi-pronged strategy to make immediate changes for our community that promote the empowerment of Black and Brown transgender people and include creation of innovative solutions to advance housing, economic advancement and cultural enrichment for and by our community. Thank you to Mayor Breed, Board President Shamann Walton, Director Sheryl Evans Davis and her team of advocates at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, LGBTQI+ Advisor, Tuquan Harrison, and the coalition of Black leaders across San Francisco who advocated for the inclusion of Black transgender leadership and peer led programs.”

“LYRIC is honored to be part of the City’s investment in African-Americans and is proud to be a strong collaborator in advancing the health, happiness, and sustainability of the Black transgender community,” said Toni Newman, LYRIC Interim Executive Director. “LYRIC is a long-time service provider for LGBTQQ+ youth of color in San Francisco, in particular for young trans and gender non-conforming individuals who make up nearly half of our participants. We look forward to working with a new generation of young people to access the resources and opportunities they need to thrive and to build a more just world for all of us.”

Manny’s Reopens for Indoor Service Tuesday, March 9

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Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Manny’s Reopens for Indoor Service Tuesday, March 9

8 March 2021 – San Francisco, CA: Almost a year after San Francisco became the first city in the United States to go into lock-down to prevent the uncontrolled spread of COVID 19, Manny’s (www.welcometomannys.com), the popular community gathering spot, restaurant and bookstore, opens for indoor service tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9, 9am – 3pm.  All COVID protocols will be strictly enforced, include mask wearing at all times insides except when eating or drinking.  Inside capacity will be limited to 25%. Outdoor seating will also continue.

“I haven’t been able to serve one cup of coffee from inside my coffee shop in an entire year. I can’t tell you how excited I am to stand at my register and take someone’s order for a nice cup of coffee, tasty bagel, or even a celebratory glass of champagne,” said Manny Yekutiel, 31 who founded and runs the eponymous community engagement space and café dubbed “the New Hampshire of California” (KCBS Radio) for its hosting of myriad political events including hosting 17 Democratic presidential candidates. “While the pandemic isn’t over, being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel gives me hope. Small businesses around this City, including mine, will be the engine of our recovery. I’m honored to be a part of that engine.”

To mark the occasion, Manny’s will be serving Ritual Coffee, Midnite Bagels, a new bagel company made by lead Tartine Baker Nick Beitcher, and French champagne.

“People can come to hang, work, and bring their laptops if they’re tired of working from home,” Yekutiel continued. 

Since opening its doors on Election Night 2018, Manny’s has become an epicenter of community involvement, dialogue and civic engagement having served over 50,000 people, staged over 500 events, donated space to more than 150 area nonprofits and charities, and hosted 17 presidential candidates in his first year alone. Also, in addition to receiving much media and public attention, Manny’s was recognized for his above-and-beyond achievements by the California State Senate as “Small Business of the Year.” 

Manny’s is a people powered, community focused meeting and learning place in the heart of San Francisco that combines a restaurant, political bookshop, and civic events space. Manny’s goal: to create a central and affordable place to become a better informed and more involved citizen. Manny’s offers its events space to nonprofits, activists and civic organizations to spread their message and do their work as well as hosting its own civic and arts related programming. Manny’s kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry.

CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE CORONA VIRUS – March 7, 2021

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CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE CORONA VIRUS – March 7, 2021

WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES
from Bill Miller
Mar 7th  2021

Mon Mar 1st Smiling Faces!  Each year, the United Nations publishes the World Happiness Report — 10 countries with the best quality of life and happiness. Number 10 on the list is the country of Luxembourg. Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands are also on the list as are Norway, New Zealand, Iceland, Switzerland and Denmark. Do you notice a pattern here?  The Scandinavians and Europeans dominate.

Reservations!  Eager to be aboard one of the very first cruises when cruising resumes in North America? You’ll be lucky if you get a cabin.

When cruise lines initially restart operations out of U.S. ports, presumably later this year, they are likely to only restart with a few ships, each operating at only partial capacity.  That’ll create a squeeze on the number of available cabins that could make it hard for would-be cruisers to find space.  Indeed, the squeeze could be so sharp that some people who currently have bookings on ships for later this year might find their reservations canceled out from under them due to limited capacity, so a top industry executive suggested.

Looking Ahead!  When will cruising resume in earnest in North America and elsewhere around the world?

The answer is relatively simple, one of the cruise industry’s top executives suggested on Thursday: When case counts of COVID-19 come down to manageable levels. “I think the prevalence of the disease in our own country and around the world will be the greatest indicator of when we can resume cruising,” Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president and CEO Frank Del Rio told Wall Street analysts during a conference call to discuss quarterly earnings.

Looking Ahead!  Ritz Carlton will enter the luxury cruise market in July with their first ship, the 298-bed, Spanish built Evrima (below).   The super yacht-like ship will cruise the Med in summer, the Caribbean & Central America in winter.  

World Cruises:    The market for long & even longer and expensive around-the-world cruises is at a high.   Just look at a few of these voyages scheduled for early 2023:

Oceania Insignia 179 days/96 ports

Princess Coral Princess 107 days/44 ports

Regent Seven Seas Mariner 143 days/72 ports

Costa CostaDeliziosa 116 days/49 ports

Viking Ocean Viking Neptune 137 days/58 ports

And we haven’t mentioned the likes of Cunard, Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea, Holland America, Saga, P&O, Fred Olsen & still others.   And also that the longest of all of these circumnavigations on Oceania sold (700 berths) in 7 hours!

Tue Mar 2nd Out in California:   Some readers are becoming increasingly worried over the future of the 85-year-old Queen Mary.  Silent, empty, largely unlit, no lionger sounding its mighty whistle & all but locked tight in this era of Covid, her operators have gone bust and so the future for the legendary & beloved ex-Cunarder is looking cloudy & gray at the least.   The 81,000-ton ship is actually owned by the City of Long Beach, but it is dire need of costly repairs & improvements.    

Theme Cruises:   Over the years, there has been just about every type of theme cruising from Big Band to poker to motorcycling.  But something rather special:  a salute to TV’s iconic Golden Girls. A new 2022 Golden Girls theme cruise promises to provide the same caftan-filled schedule of costume parties, trivia events, panels with Golden Girls screenwriters, historians and cast family members and game shows. There will also be a 100th birthday bash for star Betty White, with the requisite cheesecake.   The Golden Girls Fan Theme Cruise will sail on Celebrity Apexon Jan 3rd 2022. 

Inside Cabins seem to be falling out of favor in the post-covid telescope.   Once highly desired by budget-watching travelers, the demand now seems to be for daylight and, of course, the possibility of easily accessible fresh air.   Some cruisers recall tales of passengers in inside rooms during covid outbreaks and having to remain in them for days and even weeks.  

Wed Mar 3rd Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Odyssey of the Seas is set to debut in May with departures from Israel but only with all passengers and crew over the age of 16 and of course vaccinated.

Words from the Chairman of Royal Caribbean:   “Finally, we are beginning to see the light of day”.   Yes, better days are ahead!

Australia has extended international cruise ship ban until Jun 17th.

Princess Cruises continues to review and assess its operations following the recent UK Government announcement on the roadmap to ease lockdown and related international travel restrictions. The company is extending the pause of its UK-based cruise vacations, sailing roundtrip from Southampton, through Sep 25th  on Sky Princess, Regal Princess (below) and Island Princess.  For UK guests, Princess Cruises will launch a series of new short cruises departing in late summer on Regal Princess and Sky Princess from Southampton that will go on sale later this month. 

Thu Mar 4th British Ports Association (BPA) calls on UK government to instill confidence in ferry industry as country claws its way out of lockdown.  Analysis of the UK Department of Transport’s 2020 passenger data by the BPA has shown that the UK experienced the lowest number of short-sea passenger numbers since 1962. The figures represent the greatest year-on-year fall since records began in 1952.

P&O Cruises has announced in a press release that it will be offering a series of short-break and week-long UK cruises as “the ultimate escape staycation” in summer 2021.  P&O’s 3,000-passenger Britannia is seen below.  

Virgin Voyages The Scarlet Lady, the $1 billion cruise ship which has still not had a maiden voyage (after over twelve months),  will now sail  on July 1 as the new cruise brand has cancelled sailings through June.  Her second sister, the Valiant Lady, has also been in holding pattern.  

Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilder and the busiest creator of cruise ships, is back to work and in almost full stride.   With over 100 cruise ships on their worldwide order book, Fincantieri has the immediate chore to build nearly two dozen of them in the next 2-3 years.  

Cash Burn!  The numbers are staggering!  Carnival’s monthly average cash burn rate for the fourth quarter 2020 was $500 million, which was slightly better than expected due to the timing of capital expenditures.  But now, the company expects the monthly average cash burn rate for the first quarter 2021 to be approximately $600 million.

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean estimates its cash burn to be, on average, in the range of approximately $250 million to $290 million per month during a prolonged suspension of operations. 

As the cruise line starts returning its fleet into service, it has and will incur incremental spend as it brings the ships out of their various levels of la yup, returns the crew to the vessels, takes the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the recommended protocols and gears up its sales and marketing activities.

Finally, for the first quarter of 2021, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said it expects its the average cash burn rate to temporarily remain elevated at approximately $190 million per month, or approximately $170 million per month excluding non-recurring debt modification costs, as it ramps down relaunch-related expenses and repatriates crew.

Super Luxury Yachts:   In a recent survey of the world’s most sumptuous large yachts, the classic Talitha was mentioned.   And you might agree – she looks like an ocean liner.

The Talitha is one of the world’s first super yachts with an exceptional pedigree. Originally penned by naval architects Cox & Stevens, leading designers of their day, she was built by Krupp in Kiel, Germany.  First known as Reveler, she was delivered in 1929 to Russell Algar, chairman of the Packard Car Company. A string of high-profile owners ensued, including Sir John Paul Getty, Jr. in the 1930s, son of one of the richest men in the world at the time. Getty commissioned an exterior and interior redesign by late super yacht designer Jon Bannenberg and, in 1993, a full reconstruction was completed at the Devonport shipyard in Plymouth, U.K. Regular refits since, including a 1999 newly installed wheelhouse, has made Talitha successful as a popular charter yacht.

World Cruising!    After a year of isolation and lockdowns, four months on a ship is looking pretty good to cruise super fans.  The  pandemic was raging in July when Viking Ocean Cruises opened reservation books for a 136-day world cruise itinerary. The Christmas 2021 departure sold out in weeks. In December, in the midst of a second wave, the company opened a second cruise for the same period. It, too, quickly sold out.

The company had no trouble filling two of its nearly identical 930-passenger ships, Viking Star and Viking Neptune, even though the borders of many of the two dozen countries the plan to visit remain largely closed to international visitors. The only cabins that went unsold, in fact, were those blocked off for potential quarantine needs. Now the line is scrambling to put together an additional around-the-world itinerary starting in 2023.

Luggage!   Are you tired of hauling luggage to & from your cruise?  Well, the Carnival Pride hosting a charter “all-nude” cruise in 2022.  Potentially that’s some 2,100 guests.   But will there be formal nights & a captain’s dinner?

Fri Mart 5th Forecasts!  Having carried an estimated 5.7 million passengers mostly before the industry shut down in 2020, compared to 27.8 million in 2019, the cruise lines will have the capacity to carry 31.7 million passengers in 2022 and, still growing,  that will turn to 38.7 million passengers by 2027.  

More Royal Caribbean News!  Royal Caribbean seems to be ramping up its efforts to start sailing, and it looks like the cruise line wants to do this sooner rather than later.  With an extended season in Singapore, due to the incredible success of Quantum of the Seas in the city-state and Royal Caribbean announced this week it will homeport its newest vessel, the 5,400-bed Odyssey of the Seas,in Israel.  And if you thought that it looked like that would be it from the cruise giant. Well, not so.   Rumors are about that RCI is looking at Cozumel as another start-up cruise base port.   But for now, stay tuned!

Saga Cruises has announced that it is moving its operation restart date from May 4 to Jun 27th, in line with the British government’s roadmap out of lockdown.  

Seabourn’s upcoming, luxury 140-day world cruise that costs at least $67,000 is selling fast.  

Shorter Itineraries:  Condensed cruises can still pack a punch with stops at some of the world’s most exciting ports — even on itineraries of just a few days. Cruise lines are planning a comeback this year, after rethinking safety protocols and collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention on ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 onboard. Masks and social distancing will be standard practice, and the companies are working toward onboard bubbles. Guests will only be allowed to go on ship-sponsored shore excursions and will have to submit to frequent testing.

Helping the cause is a shift toward shorter sailings, with many 2021 trips slated to last a week or less. But these new micro-itineraries don’t skimp on the cultural sites or unforgettable ports of call.  Ponant Cruisex (below), for example, will offer a four-night trip in August, sailing from Valletta, Malta, to Venice, with stops in Kotor, Montenegro and Dubrovnik, Croatia. And thanks to a new partnership with the Louvre, curators from the museum will be aboard a July 13–20 sail through Greece’s Cycladic islands, offering expert talks.

Azamara is also focusing on Greece, with six- and seven-night round trips out of Piraeus, the cruise port for Athens. These itineraries pack in islands including Mykonos, Patmos, and Santorini, as well as a stop at Ephesus, in Turkey. After canceling its Alaska cruises for 2020, Holland America was, at press time, preparing for a big return. This year, the line had planned to add seven-day trips between Vancouver and Whittier, on Prince William Sound, that would’ve included visits to Juneau and Ketchikan. Those trips were scrapped on Feb 24th, but other Holland sailings around Alaska that depart from Seattle are still a go.

The newest Silversea ship, the Silver Moon, is set to make its debut in the Mediterranean this year. A series of six-night trips between Barcelona and Lisbon, scheduled for May and August, will focus on Iberian food and wine, with excursions dedicated to cava, tapas and sherry. Windstar will also call at ports in Spain, with an October sailing aboard the Wind Star (below)  from Rome to Barcelona that visits both Mallorca and Menorca, as well as Corsica and Elba — all in just six days.

Below:  From my old photo box – The brand new, inbound  United States passing her fleetmate, the departing America  (Aug 1952)

Cruising will return! .. but for now, best thanks to friends, readers, reporters & those faraway “maritime secret agents”