From tots to teens to brides and wellness seekers, Royal Caribbean has kept all guests in mind when developing its original and enhanced programming.

For health and wellness enthusiasts, Royal Caribbean presents a completely revamped Vitality wellness program, promoting well-balanced healthy vacations through a variety of diverse fitness, spa, shore excursion and culinary offerings, including Tai Chi, acupuncture, wellness seminars and even a soothing signature scent.

Adventure Theater by Camp Broadway, New York City’s famed children’s theater group, introduces kids and teens to the theatrical arts by folding folktales, music, dance and cultural elements into the mix. Sure to be a hit among teen cruisers are the Scratch DJ 101 classes, where teens hone their turntable skills in sessions hosted by professionals from New York City’s Scratch DJ Academy.

Royal Caribbean launches the Crown & Anchor Society Youth Program, the industry’s first loyalty program designed for cruiser under the age of 18. Members will enjoy frequent cruiser rewards such as the Youth Ultimate Value Booklet, which includes puzzles, games, and special onboard offers to Ben & Jerry’s, Challenger’s Arcade, and Y-spa, the line’s teen spa treatment menu.

The Build & Grow with Lowe’s program and Chefs on Deck by Fisher-Price bring budding young builders and tomorrow’s culinary super-stars together with their families to play, learn and grow while at sea.

Brides and grooms now have more distinctive settings in which to say "I do" with Explorer Weddings. This is an extreme extension of the line’s existing Royal Romance wedding and vow renewal program, allowing thrill-seekers the option of tying the knot on an Alaskan glacier, in a hot-air balloon or on Liberty’s FlowRider surf simulator, to name a few.

At 160,000 GRT with a capacity of 3,634 guests double-occupancy, Liberty of the Seas has emerged from Aker Yards in Finland with the popular, industry-first amenities seen on Freedom of the Seas, including the FlowRider, the H2O Zone water park, a full-size boxing ring and a 14-person family suite.

Liberty’s 445 foot-long Royal Promenade will keep guests busy at one of the many restaurants, shops and lounges. From an Italian-style pizzeria, Sorrento’s, to A Clean Shave men’s barbershop and the Hoof & Claw pub – cruisers have a wide variety of venues to visit and experience while onboard.

The On Air Club, the ship’s karaoke venue, and the Art Deco-style Platinum Theatre (1,350 guests), home to dazzling new Broadway-style shows Ever After and Somewhere in Time, provide endless hours of entertainment.

In addition to the popular FlowRider, Royal Caribbean’s active onboard amenities include an interactive sculpture garden, located in the H2O Zone Water Park. Both offer many ways to stay cool in the Caribbean sun. Cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean, located in Liberty’s serene solarium, are an adults-only oasis flanked by a pool, hammocks and colorful art sculptures. For an indoor chill, the ice-skating rink, Center Ice at Studio B, is open for lessons and free skating during the day and presents the spectacular original ice show Encore on Ice at night.

At 1,215 square feet, Liberty’s Presidential Suite sleeps 14 people and features an 810-square foot outdoor living area with a Jacuzzi and private wet bar. The 588 square-foot Royal Family Suites include two bathrooms, a living area, and best of all, a 234 square-foot balcony to catch a breath a fresh air and enjoy a private meal. In addition, each stateroom onboard Liberty comes equipped with flat-paneled televisions and the line’s plush bedding enhancements, an indulgence for all guests.

Royal Caribbean’s new Freedom-class ships will be joined by a third, Independence of the Seas, in 2008. Liberty will depart on Saturdays and Freedom on Sundays from Miami and will alternate between 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Both itineraries include a call at Royal Caribbean’s private destination Labadee, Haiti. Liberty’s Western Caribbean itinerary calls in Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Eastern Caribbean itinerary calls in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, allowing for a third day at sea to take advantage of all the ship has to offer.

Miami April 18, 2007 - Carnival Cruise Lines, Shape and Men’s Fitness magazine have partnered to sponsor the fourth annual "Mind/Body Cruise" to be held aboard the Carnival Conquest, December 2- 9, 2007.

The seven-day cruise aboard the 2,974-passenger "Fun Ship" will operate round-trip from Galveston, Texas, and call at Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, and offer guests a rejuvenating experience through a variety of fitness, nutritional, and wellness classes and seminars.

In addition to fitness and relaxation classes that include an energetic aerobic workout to the sound of live drums or a daily sunset meditation session on the ship’s Lido Deck, the "Mind/Body Cruise" offers interesting and informative cooking demonstrations and nutritional workshops. All are hosted by renowned personal trainers and nutrition and health experts.

"We are excited to team up with Shape and Men’s Fitness magazine for the fourth ‘Mind/Body Cruise’ which provides guests the opportunity to experience creative fitness classes and learn about new and different ways to improve their fitness levels. All in a fun relaxing environment," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.

"It’s easy to understand why consumers today would want a vacation that allows them to feel good while having a good time," said John Balen, Promotion Director for Shape and Men’s Fitness. "We are thrilled to partner with Carnival once again to continue to provide this unique health and wellness program that brings the magazine pages to life."

Classes and other programming for the "Mind/Body Cruise" will be conducted by leading experts who will also be on hand for personal, one-on-one consultations and Q&A sessions. Participating experts include:

Jacqui Stafford - Recognized as a leading authority on beauty, style and fashion, Stafford is an executive director at Shape magazine where she writes a monthly fashion column and has made countless TV appearances on such shows as NBC’s "Today" show, ABC’s "The View" and "The Tyra Banks Show."

Teri Hanson - a personal trainer and group fitness instructor for more than 20 years, Hanson is assistant fitness editor for Weider Publications, contributing to such magazines as "Shape," "Natural Health" and "Fit Pregnancy." She is also the star of Shape’s soon-to-be released Yoga DVD "Long Lean and Strong."

Jon Giswold - is best known for his work in the country’s most prominent fitness clubs. He currently teaches group exercise classes at Reebok/Sports Club New York and other locations.

Jeffrey Scott - A Reebok University global master trainer and an international fitness presenter, Scott is known for his creative choreography and a strong athletic influence. He has starred in more than 20 fitness videos and has made numerous television appearances including NBC’s "Today" show.

Kent and Maria Burden - Authors of the award winning book, "Yin Yang Fitness: The Whole Package of Health" and creators of a series of mind and body DVDs, the Burdens have made numerous appearances on television programs both in the U.S. and U.K.

Misty Tripoli - Tripoli is a Nike Elite Instructor and one of the world’s most innovative and engaging fitness instructors, dance choreographers and personal trainers. She is known for her revolutionary and energetic fitness classes, and has been featured in several fitness magazines and television programs.

Jim Stoppani, Ph.D. - Stoppani received his doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut. He currently serves as senior science editor for Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers and Flex magazine.

Carnival is currently accepting reservations for the upcoming "Mind/Body Cruise" aboard Carnival Conquest. Prices begin at $659 per person based on double occupancy and include all "Mind/Body Cruise" activities.

Titusville FL April 12, 2007 - Cala Corp. trading under the ticker of CCAA announced today that it has submitted its proposal to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems for the construction of the first Undersea Resort Ships in history.

The proposal was submitted to NGSS top naval engineers in Avondale, Louisiana about three weeks ago to determine whether the project can be integrated commercially in their NGSS shipyard. Northrop Grumman is the nation's sole industrial designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two companies that design and build nuclear-powered submarines. Their business is also one of the nations leading providers and life-cycle supporters of major surface ships for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, international navies and commercial vessels.

"Therefore, our company is honored that the NGSS management and engineers are giving the opportunity to our company to explore the possibility of building the most innovative commercial ships with the simplest design solution in order to meet the worldwide high demand," said Joseph Cala', Undersea Resort Chairman and founder.

Sometime later next week NGSS management and naval engineers will decide whether or not to undertake the project. If NGSS does accept the project, then Cala Corp will enter in discussion with NGSS to construct three ships with an option of an additional seven. Moreover, the total value of the contract will be in the billions of dollars and it will provide 16 million man hours of work for the workers of the New Orleans area.

Papenburg April 16, 2007 - On 16 April 200 Meyer Werft delivered the 69,200-gt cruise ship "AIDAdiva" to the Owner AIDA Cruises in the German port of Emden.

The AIDAdiva is the first ship out of a series of four the Papenburg shipyard is building for AIDA Cruises. On this ship specialized designs for German passengers, comfortable interiors are combined with state-of-the-art technical outfitting.

Along with its new design, the luxury liner offers the passengers numerous specialities and a great deal of convenience: Some 65 per cent of the cabins are outside cabins, most of them having their own balconies.

Both safety and entertainment meet the latest technical standards ensured by the diesel-electric propulsion system, interactive communication systems and sophisticated stage technology.

Upon delivery to the Owner, the "AIDAdiva" will leave the port of Emden for Hamburg, where she will be named on 20 April 2007 by Maria Galleski who won a special casting that was held in Hamburg. The naming ceremony will be the highlight of an impressive light show in the port of Hamburg.

AIDAdiva’s first cruise will be to Palma de Mallorca, starting from Hamburg on 30 April 2007.

Victoria BC April 19, 2007 - The first of BC Ferries’ three new Super C-class vessels, Coastal Renaissance, was officially launched at a special ceremony in Germany today. Representatives from BC Ferries and the shipyard were on hand to witness this major event as the ship was launched into the water for the first time.

"This day marks a very significant milestone for BC Ferries as we introduce a new class of state-of-the-art vessels to our fleet. Today’s launch takes us a giant step closer to introducing the Super C-class ferries to our customers," said David L. Hahn, BC Ferries’ President and CEO.

"We’re completely revitalizing our fleet and over the next decade and a half we will replace 26 of our 36 vessels. A total of seven new ships will be introduced within the next two years alone," Hahn stated. "The Super Cs are the centerpiece of this revitalization initiative; they’ll usher in a whole new era in ferry travel on the West Coast."

The Coastal Renaissance is scheduled to leave Germany for Canada in late October and is expected to be in service in early 2008. The second and third vessels will be arriving in BC in early and mid 2008. All vessels will be in service by mid summer of 2008.

The new Super C-class vessels will be the largest double-ended ferries in the world. They will carry 1650 passengers and 370 vehicles and will provide both British Columbians and tourists alike with a whole new West Coast travel experience. The new vessels will have a service speed of 21 knots and they will be amongst the fastest and most fuel efficient vessels in the BC Ferries’ fleet.

Coral Springs FL April 20, 2007 - Further illustrating its position as an innovator in the home-based travel agency industry, Cruise Planners announces the acquisition of International Conferences, a 27 year old company that successfully provided accredited, continuing medical, medical legal, nursing and dental education at sea (CME, CEU, CLE).

Physicians, dentists, nurses and even attorneys are able to receive between 18 and 24 Category 1 (AMA/PRA) continuing education credits during the seven-to-fourteen day sailings scheduled throughout 2007. Each voyage features a different seminar topic for medical professionals, including seminars in legal-medical issues, as well as specialty courses like: Infectious Disease; Emergency Medicine, Cardiology, Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Endocrinology, Pulmonology, Rheumatology and Urology. Qualifying physicians who complete one of the accredited seminars in legal medicine may be eligible for a discount on their professional liability insurance premiums.

"We are excited about this acquisition and will quickly expand the strong brand that International Conferences has created," said Michelle Fee, CEO of Cruise Planners. "Our position as an American Express Travel Services Agency Representative combined with the relationships we have built through the years with major cruise lines will help us increase the selection of voyages for physicians to attend." Currently the voyages range from 7 to 14 nights and are scheduled in popular destinations, including the Eastern and Western Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada/New England, Europe, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Russia, Norwegian Fjords and Asia.

These programs have been sponsored by The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook and have been approved for 18 or 24 hours of Category 1 continuing medical education AMA/PRA credits. The seminars have also been approved for 18 or 24 prescribed hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians. In addition, the medicolegal seminars have been approved for 18 or 24 hours of continuing legal, nursing, and dental education.

Miami April 20, 2007 - Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,052-passenger Ecstasy, which underwent an extensive refurbishment last year under the first phase of the line’s $250 million "Evolutions of Fun" initiative, has earned the company’s coveted "Crystal Eagle" award for superior guest service.

The award is presented annually by Carnival to the shipboard team that receives the highest ratings from the line’s comprehensive guest comment card system. Guests are asked to rate their "Fun Ship" cruise experience in a wide range of categories, including crew service and friendliness, on-board cuisine and entertainment, and children’s programming.

"While Carnival endeavors to provide fun, quality and affordable vacations aboard all 22 of its ‘Fun Ships,’ the Ecstasy received particularly high marks not only in the all-important area of guest service but also for the many guest-pleasing facilities and features incorporated during its recent renovation. Congratulations to the Ecstasy team for embodying our company’s commitment to creating lasting vacation memories for our guests," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.

To mark the occasion, a shipboard reception was held aboard the Ecstasy during which Dickinson presented Captain Salvatore Messina with a custom-designed award that resembles an eagle. The criteria for "Crystal Eagle" award is best described by its acronym for "eagle" which is as follows: Exceeding Expectations; Anticipating Needs; Going the Extra Mile; Lasting Memories; Excellence in Every Aspect.

The Ecstasy’s extensive 35-day refurbishment included expansive new facilities for children and teens, a 1,200-square-foot conference center, an updated Lido restaurant and gift shop, a completely renovated Spa Carnival facility, new art and photo galleries, and a nine-hole miniature golf course. These are all part of "Evolutions of Fun," the cruise industry’s most ambitious ship refurbishment and product enhancement initiative focusing on the line’s eight Fantasy-class vessels.

The Ecstasy’s multimillion-dollar refurbishment also included the renovation of its 1,026 staterooms, which now feature flat-panel televisions, new wall coverings, and updated bathrooms.

Future "Evolutions of Fun" initiatives include expansive new children’s water parks, a new design style and features for the pool areas, and the creation of the "Serenity" adults-only deck area.

The Ecstasy sails year-round from the Port of Galveston on four- and five-day cruises to Mexico. Four-day cruises depart Thursdays and call at Cozumel, while five-day voyages depart Mondays and Saturdays and visit Cozumel and Progreso/Yucatan.

The Ecstasy is one of 22 Carnival "Fun Ships" which operate three- to 16-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Rivera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Greek Isles. The line has three new ships scheduled to enter service between now and 2011.

Washington April 19, 2007 - NOAA has deployed the first two of eight new hurricane buoys off Puerto Rico in an effort to fill a gap in important weather data coming from warm, storm-generating waters there. Six more hurricane buoys will be placed in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean before the hurricane season ends in November.

These buoys measure wind, wave, barometric pressure and air and sea temperatures to determine hurricane formation or dissipation, extent of wind circulation, maximum intensity and center location. Hurricane buoys provide year-round data for analysis and forecasts of other marine disturbances, but are more robust than other weather buoys because they contain an internal back-up system.

"We are in a period of an active hurricane cycle and this deployment equips our forecasters with an additional tool to track hurricanes and support our mission of saving lives and livelihoods," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "Additionally, this feeds into the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS, which is an international collaboration to share vital weather data and other environmental information critical to our understanding of the Earth's processes."

The first of the eight new hurricane buoys is also the 100th weather buoy maintained by NOAA's National Data Buoy Center, located at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Miss., and is part of NOAA's National Weather Service. The center has expanded the number of weather buoys by 54 percent over the last seven years.

"This growth was fueled by the recognition that there is only one way to really know the weather at sea -- by being there," states Paul Moersdorf, Ph.D., director of NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. "Priority has been placed in areas with serious weather. For example, we deployed 13 buoys in Alaskan waters, which experiences nasty weather all year long. We also have nine buoys that are designed to take a hurricane 'licking' and continue providing critical data to the National Hurricane Center and coastal residents of the Caribbean, Central America and southeast U.S."

Beyond the six forthcoming hurricane buoys, the National Data Buoy Center is funded to deploy another weather buoy for Alaska and 11 new tsunami stations between now and March 2008.

In addition to the weather buoys, NOAA's National Data Buoy Center maintains 56 coastal stations, 28 tsunami warning and detection stations and 55 climate forecasting and research stations. The center also processes, quality controls and distributes data from more than 250 non-National Weather Service sources.