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Legal Aids A large plank in the newbuild buying spree was the 1992 SOLAS Retroactive Fire Safety Amendments. The far-reaching international fire safety requirements, for the first time, applied to all existing as well as new passenger vessels, and include provisions for smoke detec- tion in virtually all spaces where fire could originate, the elimination of combustible materials in construction, improved fire door closure monitoring and additional automatic fire safety features, which can be controlled from the vessel's bridge. Additionally, vessels must have low location lighting installed throughout to identify all routes of escape and readily identify exit doors. The lighting must work when all electrical power has been lost and must be bright enough to lead a person to safety through a smoke-filled passageway. The most signif- icant change, however, was the requirement for the installation of automatic sprinkler systems in all accommodation and service spaces, stairway enclosures and corridors, virtually throughout the vessel. — (The preceding was excerpted from Even Keel, a publication of the International Council of Cruise Lines.) surely stayed to its course of incorpo- rating not cutting-edge, rather tried- and-true technologies in presenting its entertainment products, the key differ- ence is the maritime-ization of the Disney brand. These two ships are uniquely positioned to appeal to three distinctive groups simultaneously: families, kids and adults. The vessels are smartly separated in terms of attractions and amenities, so that each group can attain full enjoyment at once. While the hallmark Disney call for quality has undoubtedly added more than a few days to the shipyard over- run, it can be safely said that the ship will be precisely to spec, and perhaps the experience will have upside effects on other cruise newbuilds. With its ships, Disney has already ruffled some industry norms by opting for a retro, distinctive slender hull, which has great aesthetic value yet a penalty in terms of the number of cab- ins. Also, a major cruise revenue source — the onboard casino — was omitted from the Disney ship. While some ana- lysts see this as a strategic misfire, Disney has the unparalleled allure of a combination cruise/theme park vaca- tion package which is not available to the others. In a quick attempt to capture some lost stature, Cunard Line — which was recently acquired by Carnival — last month unveiled plans to build a giant new superliner, Project Queen Mary, that would "invoke the spirit of a bygone era of seagoing luxury." Cunard Line's president Larry Pimentel said the project would lead to the develop- ment of "the grandest and largest liner ever built — the epitome of elegance, style and grace." "Our goal is nothing less than to cre- ate a new Golden Age of sea travel for those who missed the first," Pimentel said. Details of the size, guest capacity and deployment are still under plan- ning, but the company said the concept would develop "into the next evolution of a true ocean liner" and not be a sub- stitute for Cunard's top liner, Queen Elizabeth 2. Cunard Lines operates two cruise brands, Cunard and Seabourn, which is the result of the $500 million Carnival acquisition of Cunard from Kvaerner and a subsequent merger with the Carnival-owned Seaborn The fleet includes three Seabourn vessels — the July, 1998 In a class GISLAVED FOLIEAB Box 518 S-33228 Gislaved Sweden Phone +46-37183700 Fax +46-37114366 Circle 246 on Reader Service Card Leaders Are Leaders Far A Reason BOATHACS Industry leaders such as Dixie Carriers, National Marine, Hollywood Marine and Tidewater benefit from: • Reliable, confidential communications • Increased productivity and efficiency • Timely, accurate information Reduced paper transactions • Hourly position updates Call for more information, and find out how BOATRACS can impact your company. BOATRACS The Leader in Cast-Effective Maritime Satellite Communications •tt^M^iSm 6440 Lusk Boulevard, Suite D201 San Diego, CA 92121-2758 Toll Free: 1-800-336-8722 Fax: (619) 587-1073 Circle 213 on Reader Service Card 39 by itself! Exclusive ship interiors harmonizing colour and design with functionality and safety. Gislaved Decor M-1320 is a fire classified foil material extensively used in many ships and contributing to the elegance of first class interiors every- where. Gislaved Decor M-1320 is available in a wide selec- tion of colours, embosses and prints. Decor M-1320 provides interior designers with a richly varied mate- rial with which to create ex- clusive environments aboard ship.
