Cruise Ship Safety Forum!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from the Cruise Lines International
Association (CLIA) 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


"CRUISE SHIP SAFETY FORUM” CHARTERED BY CRUISE INDUSTRY

Leading Cruise Lines, Shipyards and Classification Societies Create
Forum to Advance Passenger Ship Safety Initiatives

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. (December 17, 2007) -

The first meeting of the newly formed Cruise Ship Safety Forum (CSSF)
occurred Friday in London under the coordination of Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA). The Forum is a consortium of cruise
ship operators, ship yards, classification societies and CLIA to
advance cruise ship safety in a coordinated and focused manner.

“The Cruise Ship Safety Forum is the effort of many organizations
committed to achieving the highest levels of cruise ship safety,” said
Terry Dale, CLIA’s president and CEO. “Instead of each entity working
on the same issues separately, we believe the strength lies in working
together and anticipating the operational and technical issues that
make these ships both beautiful and safe.”

The Forum’s purpose is threefold:

1. To develop strategic direction for advancing cruise ship safety
issues in their broadest sense;
2. To proactively address issues as they relate to the future of
the industry, as they pertain to the design and construction of new
passenger ships and modification of existing cruise ships; and
3. To provide a forum to consider regulatory and other safety
initiatives and develop a coordinated response to external bodies such
as the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

As part of its initial work, CSSF will be focusing on an initiative of
the IMO known as “safe return to port” regarding the design and
operation of a passenger ship to allow it to safely return to port in
the event of a major accident or incident.

The Forum’s activities will be guided by a steering committee
comprised of senior executives from the three major cruise lines:
Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian
Cruise Line; shipyards: Aker Yards, Meyer Werft and Fincantieri; and
classification societies: DNV, Lloyd’s Register and RINA; and CLIA.

The chairman of the Forum is Tom Allan, the former director of the
Safety and Standards Division of the United Kingdom’s Maritime and
Coastguard Agency, Department for Transport. Allan previously served
as the permanent U.K. representative to the IMO and chairman of IMO’s
Maritime Safety Committee. During his tenure as chairman, he led
meetings on maritime security following Sept. 11 and was key to the
development of new international requirements for maritime security
for ships and port facilities.

CSSF, chartered in November 2007, is a reconstitution of a similar
forum that was established in 2001 to address emerging safety issues
at the IMO categorized under the term “Large Passenger Ship Safety.”
That group developed a series of recommendations, the majority of
which were subsequently adopted by the IMO, to enhance the safety of
passenger ships.

CSSF is expected to meet at least three times each year.

# # #
About CLIA

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North
America’s largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the
interests of 24 member lines and participates in the regulatory and
policy development process while supporting measures that foster a
safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged
in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to
promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations and counts as
members 16,000 travel agencies. For more information on CLIA, the
cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies,
visit www.cruising.org.