Sorozan brings more than 20 years of experience in information technology across a range of industries.

He most recently worked with Holland America on the implementation of the POLAR reservation system. Sorozan earlier provided technology management services for other Carnival Corp. brands including Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Princess Cruises.

The simulator recreates the feel of driving a Grand Prix car at speeds of almost 350 km/h. Passengers behind the wheel will be able to record their performance and compete in a virtual Grand Prix as they race against the clock.

The simulator is located on one of the 112,000gt ship's highest decks, 50 meters above the sea. The attraction results from real-time vehicle modeling, the same technology used by Grand Prix champion drivers in training.

The work was carried out in Greece and Cyprus with the Trimline team travelling with the ship.

The new children's area, with facilities for infants to teens, involved using part of Neptune's Bar to create a playroom of 45 square metres. Design ideas were implemented by Trimline through the in-house manufacture of tiered soft seating, art tables and stools, cupboards with magnetic features and a world map display, plus revamping the climbing wall and a picture display area.

The work included new reception desks, bench seating, stations for computer games and new toilets. The area was decorated and various hard floorings laid.

The other major part of the project was the transformation of Neptune's Bar into a lounge space called Blake's Bar.The Trimline team of up to 18 craftsmen installed new carpet, applied Vescom wall covering and supplied furniture including settees, chairs and tables. The 20 tables were finished in a Zebrano veneer and produced in Trimline's joinery factory.

The work follows Trimline's upgrade of Thomson Celebration last year.

The financing is underwritten by a syndicate of four international banks.

Aker Yards SA will be a part of Aker Yards Cruise & Ferries division. Aker Yards owns 75% of Aker Yards SA, and Alstom the remaining 25% until 2010. Jacques Hardelay takes over as md of Aker Yards SA today. He will report to Yrjö Julin, president of Aker's Cruise & Ferries business.

Aker Yards has 15 yards in Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Romania and approximately 16,000 employees.

The 1975-built ship, owned by Club Cruise and operated by UK tour operator Travelscope, was due to sail on a seven-day Norwegian Fjords cruise from Harwich last Sunday but was detained during turn-round operations after reports that more than 100 passengers and crew had been taken ill on the previous voyage.

Around 500 passengers waiting to board Van Gogh last weekend were sent home and have been fully refunded and offered a discount on a future cruise.

Whilst the ship has been tied up in Harwich the crew have been in quarantine and no new cases of the associated symptoms have been reported, a spokesperson for Travelscope's cruise arm told Seatrade Insider. The ship has been cleaned throughout and port health officials will make a final inspection tomorrow, they added.

Travelscope reports passengers due to join Van Gogh on Saturday have been sent a health screening letter and anyone experiencing sickness and gastric problems 72 hours prior to sailing will not be allowed to embark on Saturday.

P&O Cruises commercial director, Nigel Esdale, said 'we are committed to working with its travel agent partners to attract and convert newcomers to cruising, and this introductory DVD is one way we are doing this.'

The new brochure includes the first announcement of the 2008 spring Caribbean itineraries for Arcadia and Oceana, as well as the complete 2007 itineraries for all five ships in the fleet from April to December. New ports include Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Savannah in the US and Valencia in Spain, as well as lesser-known Baltic ports of Vaasa in Finland and Klaipeda in Lithuania.

In addition P&O Cruises is releasing its 2007/08 World Voyages brochure three months ahead of schedule, 'to meet a surge in demand for far flung, multiple destination travel,' reports the line. The preview brochure, also available from next Monday, contains three voyages on Artemis, Aurora and Oriana.

Frequent requests for unusual ports has led the UK brand to deploy Artemis, the smallest ship in the fleet, on an 84-night 'South American Odyssey' departing in December 2007. Port include Santarem, Manaus and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Buenos Aires and Puerto Madryn in Argentina, Montevideo in Uruguay, Santiago and Coquimbo in Chile, Lima in Peru and Manta in Ecuador. The Odyssey also features two 'cruise by' destinations new to P&O Cruises: Amalia Glacier and PIO X Glacier in Chile. Also on the itinerary are new ports Roatan in Honduras and Belize.

The Aurora world cruise is an 80-night voyage departing in January 2008, visiting 26 ports on a full circumnavigation. Taking in destinations in the Caribbean, US, South Pacific, Australasia and the Orient, Aurora will transit the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal before returning to the UK.

Also departing in January 2008, Oriana's 101-night 'Grand Voyage' is the longest itinerary with 40 ports of call. Placing more emphasis on Asia, Oriana features new ports of Kemaman and Langkawi in Malaysia, along with other calls in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, China and Taiwan. She also features new port Reunion in the Indian Ocean and Dubai. Oriana's Grand Voyage features nine ports in Australia including Cairns, Whitsunday Islands, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

Fares start from £8,128 for the Artemis South American Odyssey, £7,726 for the Aurora World Cruise and £9,046 for the Oriana Grand Voyage. Prices are per person, based on two adults sharing a twin cabin and include a maximum 45% discount off the full voyage fare.

Johnson could get the post permanently depending on an assessment of his performance after several months, according to county manager George Burgess.

Johnson oversaw the port for seven years, starting in 1998. He has worked 26 years in Miami-Dade County government.

The 113,000gt Princess Cruises ship will be floated out of the dock by midday tomorrow, reports the builder.

The ship's godmother was Mrs Jenny Arkinstall, wife of Charles Arkinstall - newbuild advisor of P&O Princess Cruises, who has been involved in Princess Cruises' newbuilding programme at Monfalcone since the first Crown Princess in 1990.

Earler this year Arkinstall retired from his post as svp, maritime affairs at Carnival Corp & plc but stayed on in a part-time capacity as the divisional representative of P&O Princess Cruises for its newbuild projects.

Emerald Princess is the 22nd cruise ship built at Monfalcone in the last 16 years and the twelfth built by the yard for Princess Cruises.

In addition to Emerald Princess the yard's order book includes two further ships of 113,000gt: Ventura for P&O Cruises, scheduled for delivery in spring 2008, and a second vessel for Princess Cruises due for delivery in autumn 2008. Also on order is a 130,000gt ship for Carnival Cruise Lines, due to enter service in autumn 2009, and ro-pax Polar Explorer, ordered by Norwegian owner OVDS (Hurtigruten), due for delivery in spring 2007.

Fincantieri has 11 firm cruise ship orders, plus two options, representing a 46% share of the current orderbook.

16 to Dec. 13. The discount can be combined with an AARP member savings of $150 per cabin.

Regular rates on the November and December 19-day 'Antarctica and the Chilean Fjords' sailings are reduced to $5,045 to $6,945 with the early-booking and AARP discounts. The 21-day Oct. 16 voyage to 'Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands,' is reduced with the two discounts to $5,030 to $6,140.

The offer includes roundtrip flights between New York, Buenos Aires and Santiago, five-star hotels and breakfast, Buenos Aires-Ushuaia and Santiago-Punta Arenas flights, Antarctica shore excursions, gratuities and port charges.

Lewsey reports to Gisa and Hedda Deilmann, owners of Peter Deilmann, and will be responsible for boosting the company's market share by expanding marketing and sales initiatives with travel partners throughout the UK and Ireland.

Lewsey joins the German-based operator from his marketing and sales consultancy business to luxury cruise lines and hotels. He earlier held senior management positions with Sun Cruises (commercial development), Amadeus (marketing and product) and for Silversea Cruises (marketing and product development, Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Esdale, who set up Peter Deilmann's office in Britain a decade ago, is retiring after more than 50 years in the shipping business. He is credited with playing a major role in the development of deluxe river and ocean cruising and oversaw substantial growth from the UK.

Esdale's shipping career began in Australia with Orient Line, before the company merged with P&O. After a combined service of 33 years, he joined Society Expeditions and Clipper Cruises, before launching Peter Deilmann in the UK in 1996.