Black Meetings and Tourism

Black Meetings & Tourism June/July 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 11 DISNEY CRUISE LINE TO HOMEPORT DISNEY WONDER AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES Ship to Arrive in San Pedro for an Extended West Coast Stay in 2011 In 2011 Disney Cruise Line will reposition the Disney Wonder from its Florida base in Port Canaveral to the West Coast. The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners recently approved a two-year agreement between Disney Cruise Line and the Port of Los Angeles, which includes a three-year exten- sion option. Estimates are that the new Disney Wonder sailings will gen- erate more than 250,000 guests passing through the Port of Los Angeles over a five-year period. Many of those guests will be incentive winners and top perform- ers experiencing new incentive opportunities that Disney Cruise Line will offer in conjunction with the new itiner- aries, which will be announced at a later date. The addition of a new homeport for Disney Cruise Line is part of the overall expansion plan for The Walt Disney Company. Two new ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, will arrive in Florida's Port Canaveral in 2011 and 2012, respectively. "We look forward to returning to the Port of Los Angeles," said George Aguel, senior vice president for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "Having a Disney ship based in this region is an ideal complement to the meeting and incentive experiences we offer nearby at the Disneyland Resort." Disney Cruise Line successfully tested the West Coast market in 2005 and 2008 with two summer seasons of Mexican Riviera itineraries originating from the Port of Los Angeles. The line will announce details for its 2011 itineraries at a later date. The Port of Los Angeles is one of the busiest cruise ports on the West Coast. Its proximity to area attractions, including Disneyland Resort, and convenience to nearby airports, have long made the Port of Los Angeles popular with meeting pro- fessionals. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES TO RESUME PORT CALLS IN MEXICO Carnival Cruise Lines will resume visits to Mexican ports of call based on the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, which is no longer recommending against non-essen- tial travel to Mexico. Once all voyages with previously modi- fied itineraries are completed, those vessels will revert to their original routes featuring stops in Mexico. Most itineraries were modified through mid-June with the exception of the Holiday, which was modified through late May. A ship-by- ship listing including dates for when each vessel will resume its original itinerary is available at http://www.carnival.com/- cms/fun/cruise_control/itinerary_updates.aspx. "We are very pleased to resume our previous itineraries to Mexico, one of the cruise industry's most popular desti- nations, and we thank those guests who were impacted by the modified schedules in recent weeks for their under- standing and patience," said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. Cahill added, "The health and well being of our guests and crew is our highest prior- ity and we are returning to Mexico after careful evaluation and consultation with the CDC. It is important to note that the concentration of H1N1 flu cases in Mexico has been inland rather than in the coastal resort areas where our ships visit." Cahill also noted that the cruise industry works close- ly with U.S. public health officials in the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program in developing and complying with extensive policies and procedures that are effective in mitigating illness aboard cruise ships. Carnival will con- tinue to follow CDC guidelines for cruise ships which include pre-boarding health questionnaires for all guests and crew, along with secondary screening by shipboard medical professionals as necessary. Additionally, all Carnival ships stock influenza test kits and anti-viral medications for treating type A influenzas. "Mexico has so many wonderful sites and attractions and feedback from our customers suggests that the majority sup- port a resumption of port calls in Mexico. We know that they and our port destination partners are very much looking for- ward to our return," he added. Disney Wonder

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