Hi Everyone,
I received this press release from Royal Caribbean and thought it
would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings,
they are available on my web site.
Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Your Ship Has Come In... Now Name It!
USA TODAY Announces Unprecedented Contest
McLean, Va. - In an unprecedented move, USA TODAY and Royal Caribbean
International announced a contest today that will provide the everyday
traveller the opportunity to name the world's two largest cruise
ships, presently code-named "Genesis I" and "Genesis II." The winner
of the naming contest will attend the gala naming ceremony as well as
embark on a week-long, first-class, expense-paid cruise vacation on
the ship he or she named.
The six-week-long contest breaks maritime tradition where heads of
state, corporations and governments selected the name of a ship. It is
believed this is the first time that a member of the general public,
not associated with the cruise industry, will have the chance to name
a major cruise ship.
The contest kicks off today in USA TODAY and on USATODAY.com. To
launch the contest, Gene Sloan, USA TODAY travel reporter, will look
at how ships are traditionally named and how repetitive cruise ship
names historically have been. Readers will then be invited to submit
their names for the new ships at namethatship.usatoday.com between now
and February 29.
The to-be-named Genesis I and II, weighing in at 220,000 tons and
accommodating 5,400 guests each, debut in 2009 and 2010. Known for
introducing cruise-industry firsts such as the Royal Promenade - an
entertainment boulevard of restaurants, bars and shops - rock walls,
and surf simulators, Royal Caribbean seeks entries that best
encapsulate the universe of experiences a Royal Caribbean cruise
provides its guests, rather than ones that focus solely on the sheer
size of the ships.
Full contest and prize description and official rules can be found at
namethatship.usatoday.com. The Name That Ship contest coincides with
the launch of USA TODAY's new cruise community. Readers can log on to
cruises.usatoday.com for an active community of cruise enthusiasts and
get an extensive resource of useful information for all their cruise
travelling needs. Readers also can check out Gene Sloan's cruising
blog and join the discussion at USATODAY's new cruise forum all at
cruises.usatoday.com.
Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 21 ships
currently in service and three under construction. The line also
offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada,
Europe, South America and New Zealand through its cruisetour division.
USA TODAY is the nation's top-selling newspaper. It is published via
satellite at 34 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a
total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available
worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).
The USA TODAY brand also includes: USATODAY.com, an award-winning news
and information Web site that is updated 24 hours per day; USA TODAY
Sports Weekly, a magazine for enthusiasts of college and professional
football and baseball; USA TODAY Mobile, offering up-to-the minute
news and information on a variety of mobile platforms and devices; and
USA TODAY LIVE, the television arm of the USA TODAY brand that brings
the spirit and quality of the newspaper to television. |