I received the below in an e-mail and something about it hit home. Perhaps it’s that I’ve been in the same industry for 14 years and have seen this attitude first-hand too many times. Every time I hear the phrase “But that’s the way it’s always been done” I am baffled at how many people are resistant to change. When I read this, it was a mini “ah-ha” moment for me. I don’t know why I never thought of it this way, but it left me feeling enlightened. Now we just have to figure out how to break the cycle …

Start with a cage containing five monkeys.

Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result – all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that’s the way it’s always been done round here.

And that, my friends, is how company policies are made.

More Opportunities to Learn New Skills While Cruising

Seattle, May 12, 2009 – Holland America Line’s popular Digital Workshop powered by Windows is adding new workshop sessions to help guests learn social media and new digital skills. Twelve ships now will offer 11 complimentary, hour-long classes ranging from photo and video editing to displaying pictures in digital frames.

“Guests have given the workshops rave reviews since we began offering them on four ships last summer,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “We have worked closely with Microsoft to expand the scope of the program to include more ships and more workshops since our guests enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to learn new skills.”

Sessions are offered multiple times on each cruise so that guests may take the ones that interest them most, or the complete series, at their convenience. Session offerings include the following:

* Put Your Best Face Forward 1: Edit Your Cruise Photos
* Your Away-From-Home Movie: Turn Your Cruise Photos and Videos into a Movie
* Insert Photo Here: Getting Your Photos Out of the Camera and Into the Computer
* Your Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Learn to Blog About Your Cruise
* Put Your Best Face Forward 2: Advanced Editing of the Cruise Photos
* A Space to Call My Own: Signing Up for Your Own Personal Webpage
* Show and Tell: Sharing Your Cruise Photos via Email and the Internet
* Safe and Sound: PC Safety and Maintenance
* Say Cheese: Understanding the Basics of Your Digital Camera
* That’s a Print: Printing Your Cruise Photos at Home
* I’ve Been Framed: How to Set-up and Use a Digital Photo Frame

Digital Workshop powered by Windows will show even the most novice camera or computer user how to take better vacation photos, make movies and edit pictures using a variety of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services. Guests will learn how to share all their digital memories through email, blogging and social networking – so friends and family can see where they’ve been cruising even before they return home.

Taught by Microsoft-trained “techsperts,” the workshops are limited to 15 participants per session so that instructors can provide personalized assistance. In addition, instructors maintain “techspert time,” where guests can get their individual questions answered and work on personal program-related projects. Each ship has a dedicated space for the classes, complete with computers, printers and other necessary equipment.

New classes will be added to the existing program by the end of May. Plans are under development to extend the program to ms Rotterdam and ms Prinsendam. For more information, consult a travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

MIAMI (May 12, 2009) — The 25th annual Cruise Shipping Miami Convention closed March 19 with participants calling it another success. The global exhibition and conference drew 10,154 attendees and 941 exhibiting companies from 119 countries and regions.

The event celebrated its 25th anniversary with a new name and logo, branding it as Cruise Shipping Miami. The event’s new tagline, “Home Port of the Cruise Industry,” which emphasizes the event’s importance to the cruise industry, was also prominent at the show site.

“Given the current economic times, it was essential for exhibitors and visitors to participate in this year’s event to show their ongoing support for the cruise industry,” said Michael Kazakoff, vice president of UBM International Media, the convention organizers.

“Unlike other events these days where it is common to see delegate and attendee numbers drop up to 30 percent per year, CSM’s attendance kept pace with the 2008 event showing a total attendance decline of only 7.7 percent,” Kazakoff said. “We were very pleased with the strong visitor numbers we saw in March, under this harsh economic climate, and particularly in the number of cruise line owners and operators who attended the event, which included over 1,700 attendees from 73 companies.”

Exhibitors from the seven specialized pavilions and sectors reported steady amounts of traffic and many inquiries from quality buyers.

The four-day conference program covered pertinent industry issues including shipbuilding and design, sustainability, destination development, shipboard management, technology and the future of the cruise industry.

In addition to the cruise portion of the conference, CSM featured the fifth annual International Superyacht Symposium, a two-day series of sessions focusing on the growth and issues of the Superyacht Industry.

For the second year in a row, Travel Agent Thursday, a travel trade education program, allowed agents to attend the trade show, see the latest shipboard trends and gather valuable destination information. Organized by UBM International Media in cooperation with Cruise Lines International Association, the day included two educational sessions offering points toward CLIA certifications.

Cruise Shipping Television (CSTV), returned for the second year in a row, featuring scores of exhibitors and daily news from BBC World News, CSTV’s media sponsor.

The 26th annual Cruise Shipping Miami event is scheduled for March 15-18 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The complete Cruise Shipping Miami 2009 Fact Sheet can be found online at
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MEDIA CONTACT: NewmanPR, (305) 461-3300, Buck Banks,
press@cruiseshippingmiami.com

EVENT CONTACT: UBM International Media, 212 Carnegie Center, #203, Princeton NJ
08540-6236; Phone: (609) 759-4700; Fax: (609) 759-4774; E-mail:
info@cruiseshippingmiami.com, <>

UBM International Media is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Business Media plc (LSE: UBM) a leading provider of business information services to the maritime, travel, fashion, technology, healthcare, media, and property industries. UBM offers services in trade shows, online, news distribution, and publishing to customers across the globe. Its brands are represented in more than 30 countries and are organized into specialist teams that serve their business communities helping them excel in their market by working effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.

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MIAMI (MARCH 12, 2009) — Costa Rica makes it debut on Star Clippers’ roster beginning November 2010 when the 170-passenger Star Flyer inaugurates two seven-day, round-trip itineraries from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica.

Calling at some of the most exciting ports in the country, the itineraries, which run through March 2011, mark the first time Star Clippers has deployed a vessel in that region. Group and charter reservations for the Costa Rica voyages are open, and individual bookings will open in April.

“We brought Star Flyer closer to home, yet we wanted to offer something new and expand our horizons,” said Mikael Krafft, owner and president of Star Clippers. “Costa Rica offers the perfect combination of exotic scenery and exciting tours that appeals to Star Clippers guests — it’s progressive, it’s current and we’re confident the cruises are going to book up quickly.”

The first itinerary calls at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; and Cuajiniquil, Playas del Coco/Flamingo, Puerto Carrillo and Islas Tortugas, Costa Rica. The second itinerary calls at Isla Coiba, Panama; and Golfito, Isla del Cano/Drake’s Bay, Quepos and Islas Tortugas, Costa Rica.

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua: Set against the prehistoric volcanic hills to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, San Juan del Sur is one of Nicaragua’s most beautiful areas. The inhabitants make their living fishing, diving and catering to the visitors drawn to the bay’s beautiful white-sand beaches, smooth waters and ecological richness. >From here, guests can journey to Granada, the country’s main tourist destination. Granada possesses active volcanoes and unique cloud forest ecosystems, and for centuries it has been called “The Great Sultana” in recognition of its beautiful colonial architecture.

Cuajiniquil, Costa Rica: Cuajiniquil is a small fishing village on the Pacific coast of northwest Costa Rica. Guests can visit Santa Rosa National Park, which protects some of the last remaining tropical dry forest in the world. Guanacaste National Park was created in 1989 to connect Santa Rosa National Park with the high elevation cloud forest of Orosi and Cacao volcanoes. Here visitors can observe humpback whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, angelfish, boat-billed herons, monkeys, Guanacaste trees, mangroves and hundreds of other species, as well as see extraordinary geological formations caused by the collision of tectonic plates.

Playas del Coco, Costa Rica: A small fishing village with folkloric charm and a cosmopolitan flare, Playas del Coco is nestled in the northwest Pacific region of the country. Its beaches are among the best in Costa Rica, and the horseshoe-shaped bay area is ideal for water sports. Journey skyward for a spectacular view from the mountain tops or explore the lush treetops on a canopy tour.

Puerto Carrillo, Costa Rica: Puerto Carrillo is a tiny fishing village and relaxed beach town. Distractions are minimal, making this an ideal call to enjoy water sports and soak up the sun. The beach, with stunning views and sunsets, is easily one of the best in Costa Rica. Guests can enjoy snorkeling and diving in a beautiful marine environment.

Quepos, Costa Rica: Not only is Quepos known as one of the best places in the world for big-game sport fishing, the charming port also offers canopy tours, horseback riding, kayaking, rafting and surfing. Manuel Antonio is the smallest national park in Costa Rica yet there is quite a varied fauna with 109 species of mammals and 184 of birds. The expansive beaches are backed by an evergreen forest that grows right up to the high-tide line.

Drake’s Bay, Costa Rica: Discovered by Sir Francis Drake in 1579 during his circumnavigation of the globe, Drake’s Bay is one of the most popular destinations in the region. Drake’s Bay is exclusively accessible by boat and is home to Parque Nacional Corcovado, the tallest primary rainforest on the planet and home to nearly 300 species of birds, 139 species of mammals and 116 species of amphibians and reptiles. The tiny island has a wealth of underwater beauty, and gives guests the chance to swim among brightly colored tropical fish and dolphins.

Islas Tortugas (Curu National Reserve), Costa Rica: Curu contains Costa Rica’s first private national wildlife refuge. Located on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, the area offers easy access to see some of the most sought-after species such as howler and spider monkeys, scarlet macaws, collared peccary, coyotes, iguanas and hundreds of species of tropical and migratory birds. All five of Costa Rica’s mangrove species are represented in Curu. The refuge is one of the few places in Central America where agriculture, scientific research and tourism exist in harmony.

Isla Coiba, Panama: Isla Coiba, Panama’s largest island, is a nature and wildlife reserve filled with tropical rain forests. It is both a national park and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to a wide variety of birds and animals. According to UNESCO, the waters around Isla Coiba are inhabited by no fewer than 760 species of marine fish, 33 species of shark and 20 species of cetaceans, making it a diver’s paradise.

Golfito, Costa Rica: The town of Golfito is located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica near the border of Panama. From the northern section, trails go up to the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Golfito (Golfito Wildlife Refuge) on the hill, which extends across to the other side of the bay and is part of the national parks of Costa Rica. The area has some of the highest rain forests in Central America, and much of the region surrounding the town is characterized by tall evergreen forest.

Proving it’s a destination on the rise in popularity, the number of tourists visiting Costa Rica from January through May 2008 increased 16 percent over the same period in 2007, according to the Ministry of Tourism in San José. Yet the region has been able to maintain its pristine beauty and natural wonder.

To request a Star Clippers brochure, call toll-free (800) 442-0556 or e-mail brochures. To make a reservation, contact a travel professional. For information, call Star Clippers at (800) 442-0551 or visit www.starclippers.com to view a video about the line or take a virtual tour of the Star Clippers ships.

MEDIA CONTACT: Stuart Newman Associates, (305) 461-3300; Julie Ellis, julie@newmanpr.com or Buck Banks, buck@newmanpr.com.

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Star Clippers operates three of the world’s largest and tallest sailing vessels. Visiting ports often untouched by larger cruise ships and offering passengers the activities, amenities and atmosphere of a private yacht, Star Clippers is recognized as one of the premier specialty cruise lines. The ships currently sail throughout Tahiti, the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Far East.