References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here.
A number after the dot gives the page in the source.
Last updated: 2012 February 6.
2009
January 2
MSC Cruises' MSC Orchestra cruise ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to begin the Caribbean season. [110.45]
January 26
In Germany, the keel is laid for Celebrity Cruises' 122,000-gross ton passenger cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse for Celebrity Cruises. [339]
January
Grand Circle's Paul Gauguin ship begins a US$6 million renovation in Brisbane, Australia. [292.7]
January 28
Norwegian Cruise Line announces the name for its new F3 cruise ship: Norwegian Epic (4200 passengers). [339]
January 29
Pullmantur Cruises renames the Sky Wonder cruise ship (1200 passengers) as the Atlantic Star. [339]
February 25
MSC Cruises sells the 764-passenger Rhapsody cruise ship (formerly Cunard Line's Princess) to Israel's Mano Maritime. [339]
March 2
Disney Cruise Line begins construction on two new ships, with a steel cutting ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. [339]
March 11
At the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of The Walt Disney Company, Disney announces the names of the company's two new cruise ships: Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms and will each be 128,000 tons. [339] [379.10]
March
Aida Cruises takes delivery of the AIDAluna cruise ship (69200 gross tons) from Meyer Werft shipyard. [379.10]
Lloyd Shipyards in Bremerhaven, Germany, begins a 53 million euro refit of Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Galaxy (77,713 gross tons), to be renamed and become the first ship of TUI Cruises. [292.8]
Pullmantur sells the Oceanic cruise ship to the Japanese Peace Boat organization. [379.11]
Celebration Cruise Line introduces the Bahamas Celebration cruise ship (1008 passengers). [740.46]
March 24
Keel laid for Holland America Line's ms Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship (2106 passengers), at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Italy. [339]
April 2
Cunard opens worldwide sales of the October 2010 Maiden Voyage for new ocean liner Queen Elizabeth, and sells out in a record 29 minutes. [339]
April 25
Italy's MSC Cruises' cruise ship MSC Melody fends off a pirate attack near the coast of Somalia. Six people in a small boat fire about 200 shots at the ship, before being repelled by water cannons and shots fired by Israeli security guards. [57] [359.24] [379.8]
April 27
Norwegian Cruise Line announces it has redeployed the Norwegian Sun cruise ship (1936 passengers) for the summer of 2010, moving the ship from Alaska to Europe. [339]
April 29
Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean Cruises announce they have temporarily canceled all calls at Mexican ports during the H1N1 virus scare. [339]
April 30
Fincantieri Shipyard in Venice, Italy delivers the Costa Luminosa cruise ship (92,700 gross tons, 2,828 passengers) to Costa Cruises. [128.9] [339]
May
Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, delivers the Pearl Mist cruise ship (210-passenger capacity) to the Pearl Seas Cruises company. [292.7]
Costa Cruises' Costa Luminosa cruise ship begins offering "PlayStation World" area on ship dedicated exclusively to PlayStation 3, plus PlayStation 2 and 3 in cabins, on big screens, and in children's and teens' clubs, and "PlayStation On Demand" service in cabins. The program, in partnership with Sony CE Italia, will be extended to Costa's other 12 cruise ships. [366.16]
May 29
At the Genova-Sestri Ponente shipyard in Italy, Fincantieri delivers the Costa Pacifica cruise ship (114,500 gross tons, 3780 passengers) to Costa Cruises. Cost of building the ship was about 500 million euros. [339]
June 6
Costa Cruises enters the Guinness World Records for the joint christening in Genoa of its 13th and 14th additions to the fleet - the Costa Luminosa (92,600 gross tons, 2260 passengers) and the Costa Pacifica (114,500 gross tons, 3008 passengers) cruise ships. [292.7,13] [339] [359.42] [379.9]
Maiden voyage of Costa Cruises' Costa Pacifica cruise ship, leaving Palacrociere in Savona, Italy, on an eight-day cruise of the Western Mediterranean. [292.13] [339]
June
Seaborn Cruise Line takes delivery of the Seaborn Odyssey, cruise ship (32,000 gross tons, 450-passenger capacity). [292.7]
June 19
An engine fire breaks out aboard Princess Cruises' Royal Princess cruise ship, as the ship departs Port Said, Egypt. The fire is quickly extinguished. [339] [379.11]
June 24
The Seabourn Odyssey cruise ship makes its inaugural sailing, from Venice Italy to Istanbul Turkey. [737.41]
June 26
At the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste, Italy, P&O Cruises' Azura cruise ship (115,000 gross tons) is first floated out. [339]
T.Mariotti shipyard of Italy delivers to Seabourn Cruise Line the new luxury cruise ship Seabourn Odyssey (32,000 gross tons, 225 suites). [339]
July 6
The keel is laid of Cunard Line's new Queen Elizabeth cruise ship at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy. [339]
July 14
Aboard cruise ship Carnival Elation on the last leg of a Baja Mexico cruise, a dispute occurs between a husband and wife in their cabin, resulting in the wife's death. [339]
July 15
Malta issues four postage stamps depicting cruise ships. [612.61]
July
Debut of MSC Splendida cruise ship (137,936 gross tons, 3274 passengers) for MSC Cruises of Italy. [253.16] [292.13] [339] [379.10]
July 17
At a ceremony in Emshaven, Netherlands, Celebrity Cruises takes delivery of Celebrity Equinox cruise ship (2,850 passengers) from shipbuilder Meyer Werft. [339]
July 20
St. Kitts issues four postage stamps marking 20 years of Freewinds ship calling on St. Kitts, depicting the ship. [396.61]
July 30
Ian the port of Southampton, England, Celebrity Cruises' newest ship Celebrity Equinox is officially named. [339]
July 31
Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Equinox enters service from Southampton, England on an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise. [339]
August 3
Malta issues a set of four postage stamps to mark the maiden call of MSC Cruises' MSC Splendida, and celebrate the 10th anniversary of MSC Cruises' calling at Malta on a regular basis. [339]
August 26
Disney Cruise Line celebrates the keel laying of the Disney Dream cruise ship (1250 staterooms, 128,000 gross tons), scheduled to join the current fleet in 2011. [339]
August 31
The Walt Disney Company announces enhancements to its Castaway Cay private island in the Bahamas, extending the Castaway Family Beach by more than 700 feet, with a new family lunch buffet location, new beverage bar, new beach rental location, new merchandise location, new 2400 square-foot water feature called Pelican Plunge, new 2400 square-foot water play area on land called Spring-a-Leak, new 1200 square-foot soft wet deck for youngsters, 20 new private beach cabanas, new Hide Out area for teens, new In Da Shade Game Pavilion, and three new massage cabanas at Serenity Bay Beach. [339]
September 11
Disney Cruise Line announces it will offer Alaskan cruises during a four-month season of seven-night sailings aboard the Disney Wonder in summer 2011, departing out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [339]
September 18
At the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, Carnival Cruise Lines officially takes delivery of its newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream (3646 passengers). [339] [379.10]
Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Dream cruise ship (3646 passengers, 130,000 gross tons) departs from Italy on its inaugural cruise, a 12-day Grand Mediterranean voyage. [292.13] [339] [379.10] [380.41]
October
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' Black Prince makes its final cruise in the Canary Islands before retirement. [360.54]
October 28
STX Europe in Turku, Finland, delivers the world's largest cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas to Royal Caribbean International. The ship is 361 metres long, 66 metres wide and rises 72 metres above sea level. The gross tonnage is 225,000, and can accomodate 6,360 passengers and 2,100 crew members. [339] [379.9] [489.14]
October 30
Holland America Line's ms Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship, under construction at Fincantieri shipyard, is floated out of its dry dock at Marghera, Italy. [339]
November 3
Costa Cruises announces the names for its next two cruise ships: Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa. The two new sister ships will have gross tonnage of 114,500 and capacity for 3,780 guests. [339]
November 12
(to November 16) Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Inspiration cruise ship hosts the 3rd Annual Elvis Cruise, roundtrip from Tampa, Florida, to Cozumel, Mexico. [376.20]
November 13
The Carnival Dream cruise ship (130,000-ton, 3,600-passenger) is christened in New York, with actress Marcia Gay Harden as godmother. [339]
November
Saga Holiday's Saga Rose cruise ship makes its final Mediterranean cruise before retirement. [360.54]
Princess Cruises' Tahitian Princess cruise ship ends cruises in the French Polynesian market under that name. [379.11]
November 20
The Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas cruise ship (225,000 gross tons, 6320 passengers and 2100 crew at full capacity), under construction at STX Finland's Turku Shipyard, is first launched into the water. [339]
December 1
Carnival Cruise Lines places an order with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to construct a 130,000-ton cruise ship, scheduled to enter service in spring 2012. [339]
Royal Caribbean International officially names its newest cruise ship Oasis of the Seas, with a christening ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. [339] (November 30 [489.15])
December 3
Princess Cruises Cruises renames the Tahitian Princess as the Ocean Princess. [339]
December 4
Louis Cruises' Louis Majesty cruise ship enters service in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship was formerly Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Majesty. [359.36] [379.11]
December 5
Inaugural cruise of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Oasis of the Seas. [489.15]
December 12
Silversea Cruises takes delivery of the Silver Spirit cruise ship (36,000 gross tons, 540 passengers), in a ceremony at the Ancona shipyard in Italy. [339]
Debut of Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas cruise ship (225,282 gross tons, 5400 passengers) on cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Caribbean. [292.12] [379.9]
December
Saga Cruises withdraws the Saga Rose cruise ship from service. [379.11]
Silversea Cruises' new cruise ship, Silver Spirit, begins its maiden voyage, crossing the Atlantic from Lisbon, Portugal, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. [339]
January 6
At Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste, Italy, Cunard's newest liner, Queen Elizabeth is first floated out of dry dock. [339]
January
Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Century cruise ship hosts the Soap Cruise Third Voyage, from Miami, Florida to the Western Caribbean. [360.67]
January 19
Silversea Cruises' new flagship, Silver Spirit, arrives at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, completing her maiden crossing of the Atlantic from Lisbon, Portugal. [339]
January 21
Silversea Cruises' Silver Spirit cruise ship (36,000 gross tons, 540 passengers) embarks on its 91-day Grand Inaugural Voyage, covering 20 countries and 45 ports. [339] [380.18] [738.39]
February 1
Fincantieri delivers the Costa Deliziosa cruise ship (92,600 gross tons, 2862 passengers) to Costa Cruises in Venice, Italy. [339]
February 2
The Carnival Fascination cruise ship returns to service from Florida following an extensive US$34 million dry-dock upgrade, adding an expansive new water park, exclusive adults-only retreat, redesigned main pool area and 98 balconies to existing staterooms. [339]
February 5
Costa Cruises' Costa Deliziosa cruise ship (2260 passengers, 92600 gross tons), makes its inaugeral 20-night cruise from Savona, Italy, to Dubai. [379.15] [380.18]
February 9
Christening of AIDA Cruises' AIDAblu cruise ship (2174 passengers, 71,100 gross tons) in Hamburg, Germany. [339] [379.15] [737.16]
February 15
The Carnival Glory cruise ship (2974 passengers) returns to service in the Caribbean following extensive refurbishment in dry dock. [339]
February 17
Carnival places an order with Italy's Fincantieri for two 139,000 gross ton cruise ships with passenger capacity 3600 for Princess Cruises, for delivery in 2013 and 2014. [339]
February 23
In Dubai, the inauguration ceremony is held for Costa Cruises' Costa Deliziosa cruise ship (92,600 gross tons, 2826 passengers), the first cruise ship to be named in an Arab city. [339]
February 25
STX France delivers the MSC Magnifica cruise ship to MSC Cruises in Saint-Nazaire, France. [339]
March 1
MSC Cruises places an order for a new cruise ship with STX Europe, for delivery in June 2012. The ship is to be named MSC Favolosa, and have 1751 staterooms. [339]
Debut of MSC Cruises' MSC Magnifica cruise ship (93300 gross tons, 2550 passengers) on inaugeral cruise from Saint Nazaire, France, to Hamburg, Germany. [379.16]
March 3
Two people are killed and 14 injured as giant 8m high waves slam into the Cypriot-owned Louis Majesty cruise ship off the coast of north-east Spain in the Mediterranean. [57] [339]
March 6
Cruise West's Spirit of Oceanus (60 suites) begins its inaugural world voyage from Singapore for a 335-day circumnavigation of the globe. [339]
MSC Cruises christens the MSC Magnifica cruise ship in Hamburg, Germany. [339]
March
Saga Cruises debuts the Saga Pearl II cruise ship, formerly the Astoria. [379.11]
March 26
At the Monfalcone shipyard, Fincantieri delivers the Azura cruise ship (116,000 gross tons, 2200 passengers and 1200 crew) to P&O Cruises of the Carnival Group. [339]
April 12
Falkland Islands issues four postage stamps depicting the restoration of the SS Great Britain. [461.43]
Maiden voyage of P&O Cruises' Azura cruise ship (3080 passengers, 116,000 gross tons), on Mediterranean cruise from Southampton, England. [339] [379.17] [380.18]
Legislation passes in Alaska to reduce the cruise ship passanger head tax from $46 to $34.50. [490.8]
April 26
Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic cruise ship makes its maiden call at the Valletta Waterfront, Malta. [339]
May 10
Carnival Cruise Lines announces the name of its new 130,000-gross ton 3690-passenger cruise ship: Carnival Breeze. The ship is scheduled to enter service in Spring 2012. [339]
May 19
Debut of Pearl Seas Cruises' Pearl Mist cruise ship (210 passengers, 8700 gross tons). [379.17]
June
Debut of American Cruise Lines' Independence cruise ship (104 passengers, 3000 gross tons) on the east coast of the USA. [379.17]
Delivery of ms Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship to Holland America Line. [339]
Christening in Geenwich, England of Seabourn Sojourn cruise ship (32,000 gross tons, 450 passengers). [379.17] [380.18] [736.14]
June 17
Norwegian Cruise Line takes delivery Of the Norwegian Epic cruise ship (153,000 gross tons) from STX France at Saint Nazaire. [339]
June 24
Inaugeral cruise of Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic cruise ship (153,000 gross tons, 4200 passengers) on trans-Atlantic journey from France to Florida. [379.10] [380.18]
July 2
Country music icon Reba McEntire christens Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic cruise ship. [339]
July 6
In Venice, Italy, Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands officially names Holland America Line's 15th cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam. [339]
July 10
Germany issues a 45-cent postage stamp depicting the Andrea Doria. [554.57]
August 12
Carnival Corporation places an order with Germany's Meyer Werft shipyard for a 71,300-ton, 2192-passenger cruise ship for its AIDA Cruises brand for the German market. [339]
August 27
The cruise ship Clipper Adventurer runs aground on an unchartered rock off the coast of Nunavut, in Canada's Arctic. All 128 passengers are transported by the Canadian Coast Guard to Kugluktuk, then flown to Edmonton. [339]
September 20
Cruise West ceases operations after selling the Spirit of Oceanus to Danish Investors a week ago. [339]
Fincantieri in Monfalcone delivers the Queen Elizabeth (90,400 gross tons, 2500 passengers) to Carnival Group, for operation under the Cunard Line brand. [339]
October 11
Queen Elizabeth II christens new Cunard Line 90,900-ton passenger liner Queen Elizabeth in Southampton, England. [339] [725.31]
October 12
Maiden voyage of Cunard ocean liner Queen Elizabeth, from Southampton, England for 13-night cruise. [339] [379.18] [380.18]
October 25
Norwegian Cruise Lines places orders with Meyer Werft of Germany for two new 143,500 gross ton cruise ships, for delivery in 2013 and 2014. [339]
October 28
Royal Caribbean International takes delivery of the Allure of the Seas cruise ship from shipbuilder STX Europe in Turku, Finland. [339]
October 30
The Disney Dream cruise ship floats out from the Meyer Werft shipyard at Papenburg, Germany. [339]
November 4
MSC Cruises names its new cruise ship under construction in France MSC Divina. [339]
November 8
The Carnival Splendor cruise ship, with 3299 guests, suffers an engine room fire off the coast of Mexico, completely losing all power. The ship is towed to San Diego, California. [339]
November 29
Royal Caribbean International holds an official naming ceremony for the Allure of the Seas cruise ship, with DreamWorks Animation's 3-D animation character Princess Fiona serving as godmother. [339]
December 10
Disney Cruise Line takes possession of the Disney Dream cruise ship from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. [339]
December 16
Louis Cruises announces the sale of the Aquamarine to "Corporacion De Cruceros Nacionales" of Mexico for $23.375 million. The ship is renamed the Ocean Star Pacific. [339]
2011
January 3
Cunad Line debuts their first parade float in the 122nd Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, depicting cruise ships Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth. The float wins the Queen's Trophy for best use of roses. [339]
January 31
Norwegian Cruise Line sells the S.S. United States passenger liner to the S.S. United States Conservancy for US$3 million. [339]
February 11
The Meyer Werft shipyard lays the keel for the Disney Cruise Line cruise ship Disney Fantasy (4000 passengers). [339]
March 31
Meyer Werft shipbuilder in Papenburg, Germany, begins construction on Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Reflection cruise ship (3030 passengers). [339]
April 11
AIDA holds a christening ceremony for its 8th cruise ship, the AIDAsol, at Ostseekai dock in Kiel, Germany. [339]
April 16
Ocean Star Cruises' Ocean Star Pacific cruise ship suffers a generator fire six miles off the coast of Huatulco, Mexico. 522 passengers are evacuated, the fire is quickly put out, and the ship towed to shore. [339]
April 27
Carnival takes delivery of new Carnival Magic cruise ship (130,000 tons) at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, the 100th ship for the company. [339]
April 29
Approximately 227,000 guests sailing on Carnival's 100 cruise ships take part in a free champagne toast to the addition of the company's 100th cruise ship (Carnival Magic) to its fleet. [339] [740.14]
May 1
A naming ceremony is held in Venice, Italy, for the Carnival Magic cruise ship (130,000 gross tons), by Lindsey Wilkerson, employee of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. [740.14]
At the Marghera shipyard in Venice, Italy, Fincantieri delivers to Costa Cruises the Costa Favolosa cruise ship (114,500 gross tons, 3800 passengers). [339]
The Delaware River Port Authority ends operation of the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal, due to lack of cruise ship visits. [741.12]
July 2
At Trieste, Italy, Costa Cruises' Costa Favolosa cruise ship is officially named. [339]
July 16
At the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, Oceania Cruises' Riviera cruise ship (1,250 passengers) is floated out of dry dock. [339]
July 18
Celebrity Cruises takes delivery of the Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship from shipbuilder Meyer Werft. [339]
July 22
At Hamburg, Germany, Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Silhoutte cruise ship is christened. [339]
August 3
Costa Cruises places a new order with Fincantieri for a 132,500-ton cruise ship with capacity for 4928 passengers. [339]
September 3
At the STX Europe shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, MSC Cruises' MSC Divina cruise ship (140,000 gross tons, 4363 passengers) is floated out of drydock. [339]
September 6
Construction begins on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Europa 2 cruise ship. [339]
September 13
At the Meyer Werft shipyard un Papenburg, Germany, the keel is laid for Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Reflection cruise ship. [339]
September 15
An engine fire aboard the Hurtigruten cruise ship Nordlys (11,200 tons, 482 passenger capacity) in Ålesund off Norway kills two crew members and injures others. [339]
September 19
At the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, the Carnival Breeze cruise ship is floated out of dry dock. [339]
October 20
At the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the keel is laid for Princess Cruises' Royal Princess cruise ship (141,000 gross tons, 3600 passengers). [339]
2012
January 15
Princess Cruises' policy of no smoking in passenger staterooms or on balconies goes into effect. [740.12]
End of 2009-2012.
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