Don Menzies Managing Director Travelcom

Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate, is confident that cruise ship facilities will still go ahead at the multi-billion-dollar redevelopment of Queensland's Wavebreak Island.

In fact, he is saying that there may be as many as three cruise ship terminals on the island.

This is after Singaporean company, Sembawang, ditched plans to build a resort and cruise ship terminal after learning it would struggle to get approval for a casino.

But Cruise Weekly reports that Tate says the project still has to go out to international tender.

'Just because Sembawang pulled out doesn't mean it's all over,” he says.

Tate says the tender documents will go out by the end of the year and predicts there will be 10 serious tenders.

'It will definitely go ahead.”

He also suggested there could be another cruise ship terminal built at a second location on The Spit.

'Wavebreak is one option but it may take until 2018 and I don't want to wait that long, so I'm also planning a cheaper option, just north of SeaWorld Nara, which is very doable,” he says.

The proposed Gold Coast cruise terminals would only be used for transit or turnarounds, meaning cruises would not use the terminal as a home-port.

Meanwhile, Carnival Australia CEO says that if a terminal could be ready by 2015, the cruise line company could add the destination to its itineraries.

'It's still early days, but based on the assurances of the Mayor, we are considering the Gold Coast for both our local fleet and the international brands that visit each year,” she says.

Voyager's 2013 itineraries

Voyages of Discovery has just launched its 2013 programme for the newly refurbished ms Voyager.

The 550-passenger small ship will offer destinations such as the Baltic, British Isles, Ireland and France along with the Mediterranean.

Cruise safety a priority

Since the Costa Concordia disaster last January, cruise ship safety has been at the top of the agenda for the global cruise industry.

There has been a raft of new safety procedures since the disaster, with the latest being the issue of lifeboat loading by crew members, reports Cruise Weekly this week.

The Lifeboat Loading for Training Purposes policy ensures that crew members are fully aware of lifeboat operations, requiring the launching and full-loading of a lifeboat at least once every six months for crew training.

US body, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) both welcome the policy and say the policy is now mandatory for crew members.

'The cruise industry continues to work on a global level to improve the safety of passengers and crew, which is our number one priority,” says Christine Duffy, President and Ceo of CLIA.

'We remain fully committed to exploring further enhancements in a number of areas that will add to the industry's excellent safety record,” she adds.

Crystal revs up for Monte Carlo

Motor racing fans can now indulge their two passions together, motor racing and ocean cruising.

Crystal Cruises has just announced four new VIP Adventures for cruising guests during next year's Monaco Grand Prix.

Three of the options offer different ways to watch the race: from either the driver/team-prep paddock area, a private residence above the renowned Casino, or the best of the fan grandstands near the start/finish line.

A fourth new option brings guests to the official Formula One VIP party.

Spend Christmas with AMA

If you want to spend Christmas cruising on some of Europe's most picturesque rivers, AMAWaterways is hosting two 2012 Christmas itineraries, including a 10-night Christmas Time Cruise along the Danube.

This starts with two-nights in Prague, and a 12-night Christmas on the Rhine voyage which kicks off with two nights in Switzerland.

Azamara Club's 2014 line-up

Azamara Club Cruises' 2014 programme will feature 72 new voyages onboard Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, ranging in length from four to 17-nights.

The cruise line is offering more late night and overnight stays in port, as well as 240 destinations in 66 countries (including a record 45 maiden port calls) through Europe, the Far East, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Western US Coast.

American safaris in Alaska

Upscale adventure cruise company, InnerSea Discoveries + American Safari Cruises, will sail seven boats across 11 different itineraries from May to Sept 2013.

All trips on the small ships will be from seven to 21-nights long, from Alaskan homeports including Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka.

Joining the fleet in August 2013, the 88-guest Safari Legacy will sail two 11-night cruises between Seattle, WA and Juneau.

Panama expansion on track

There's good news about the Panama Canal expansion project.

The canal is being expanded to double its size which will allow more and larger ships to transit.

Five years into the project, which is due to be completed by 2014, a progress report reveals the work is around 45% complete.

According to the report, so far three of the four dry excavation projects have been completed, and the fourth project reached 67% at the end of August, whilst the dredging of the Pacific and Atlantic entrances, and of the Gatun Lake are advancing as scheduled with progress reaching 92%, 98% and 78%.

No more Dubai for RCI

Royal Caribbean International is about to stop its excursions to Dubai.

At the end of the 2012/13 winter season, Serenade of the Seas will be refurbished and then operate from New Orleans for the following 2013/14 winter season.

According to Cruise Weekly, Royal Caribbean's regional director, Helen Beck, said the decision followed sliding demand for the Dubai cruises.

'We were initially very pleased with the business development there and expected continued growth; however the demand has declined in recent seasons and as a result we have had to make some difficult decisions driven by strategic and financial considerations, about discontinuing our programme there.”

Energise and chillout with Breakaway

New cruise ship, Norwegian Breakaway, promises an array of fitness and relaxation facilities when she launches in April next year.

Designed as an escape from the hustle and bustle of New York, the 4,000-passenger Manhattan-based cruise liner will make seven-night trips to Bermuda and back.

The ship will have a combined spa and fitness area spanning two decks, an area of more than 2,100 square metres.

The Mandara Spa and thermal suite will feature a salt room, unobstructed sea views, 22 treatment rooms, 13 heated loungers, a vitality pool, whirlpools, sauna, solarium and steam room, along with a full-service salon and barber shop.

She will also offer acupuncture, teeth whitening and cosmetic medical treatments, performed by a licensed medi-spa doctor, such as Botox.

If you're wanting to keep fit, the ship will offer a range of innovative fitness options including the first-ever Nexersys interactive fight training modules at sea, offering guests the opportunity to engage in high-intensity, interval training against an avatar, as well as a boxing Fight Klub, and the first ever Black Light Spinning class at sea.