The Titanic memorial cruise, which has been retracing the route sailed by the ill-fated Titanic 100 years ago, has been forced to turn around after a cameraman suffered a suspected heart attack.
The Balmoral, which set sail from Southampton on Sunday, turned around and sailed towards the Irish coast so that the 56-year-old cameraman could be airlifted to hospital. The ship was then expected to continue its voyage.
In a statement, the organisers of the memorial cruise said: “The ship is turning around and heading approximately 20 nautical miles east to bring it nearer to the coast and within reach of a helicopter.
“Fred Olsen and Titanic Memorial Cruises are working with the Irish Coastguard to coordinate the relevant arrangements, and making sure that all agencies involved are being kept informed.”
The Balmoral has sailed via Cherboug in northwest France and Cobh on the south coast of Ireland. The cruise is expected to resume its voyage to the site in the north Atlantic where Titanic sank on April 14, 1912. A memorial service had been planned at the site of the wreckage to mark the event.
Relatives of the Titanic are among 1,309 passengers on The Balmoral, for a 12-night voyage which is retracing the route of the famous Titanic.
More than 1,500 passengers and crew died when Titanic hit an iceberg and sank.
Source BTN 4/11/12
New Orleans, everybody’s favorite city has something to do for everyone in 2012, and we mean everyone.
March 31-April 2, New Orleans will host the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four®, offering basketball fans a series of events, including Bracket Town, the Big Dance Concert Series featuring KISS, the Black Keys and Jimmy Buffett, youth clinics and more, all leading up to championship game on April 2. www.ncaa.com/finalfour
In 2012, Louisiana celebrates 200 years of statehood as the US Navy and OpSail will bring a collection of vintage Tall Ships from around the world to New Orleans, April 17-23. The historic USCG Barque Eagle will join the Guayas of Ecuador and the Gloria of Colombia and will dock alongside the Mississippi River at Woldenberg Park, open to the public for viewing. www.opsail.org
June 22-24, New Orleans will host the Second Annual FestiGals Weekend, a specially designed weekend created by and for women, where inspirational seminars and empowerment workshops will be mixed with unique New Orleans activities. All net proceeds are dedicated to supporting women battling cancer. Today Show co-host, Dateline correspondent and New York Times best-selling author Hoda Kotb will join a high-powered line-up of female speakers planned for the weekend-long festival. She will be featured as the event’s keynote during a luncheon presentation at the Hotel Monteleone on Friday, June 22. www.festigals.org
Southern Living named New Orleans one of the “Tastiest Towns in the South” in its April 2012 issue. The magazine looked at tastemakers, chefs, artisans and restaurants that give each food destination its distinct local flavor, and chose the Top 10 based on categories such as “Food as a cultural identity,” “Hot chefs on the rise” and “Abundance of buzz-worthy food events.” www.southernliving/tasty
April 12-15, the 29th Annual French Quarter Fest, known as “the kickoff to festival season in New Orleans,” is the largest free music festival in the south, featuring more than 800 local musicians, more than 65 of New Orleans finest restaurants, family fun with two areas for kids and the return of fireworks on the Mississippi River. ‘Locals’ Lagniappe Day’ was launched in 2011 making French Quarter Festival a four-day event. The 2011 French Quarter Festival hosted more than 500,000 local and out-of-town visitors and had an economic impact of approximately $245 million. www.fqfi.org
The 13th Annual Youth Leadership Council’s Wednesday at the Square 12-week concert series kicked off on March 14 in Lafayette Square. The free concerts will run every Wednesday evening from 5-8 p.m. through May 30 and is the biggest fundraiser for the non-profit organization. www.wednesdayatthesquare.com
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell has announced a stellar line-up for the 2012, seven-day festival. This year’s performers include the Eagles, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Cee Lo Green, Bon Iver, Jill Scott, Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Springsteen. Jazz Fest is a staple event in New Orleans’ spring festival line up, attracting approximately 400,000 attendees each year and generating nearly $300 million in economic impact. This year’s festival is April 27-29 and May 3-6. www.nojazzfest.comMay 22-26, The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) celebrates its 20th anniversary of raising money for local non-profits while showcasing local food and chefs, and national and international wines. NOWFE offers wine and food seminars, wine dinners at participating restaurants, wine tasting events and two Grand Tastings, attracting more than 10,000 people to the five-day event. www.nowfe.com
In 2012, the well-known neighborhood Tremé will celebrate its 200th anniversary. This area gave rise to jazz and brass bands, incredible architecture, Mardi Gras Indians and several pioneers of the civil rights movement, and is now home to key cultural institutions like the New Orleans African American Museum, Backstreet Cultural Museum, St. Augustine Catholic Church, Armstrong Park and more. www.treme2012.com
New Orleans Festivals- Simply the best n the world !
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival/March 21-25
New Orleans Roadfood Festival/March 23-25
Spring Fiesta/March 23-April 1
Congo Square/New World Rhythms Festival/March 24-25
French Quarter Festival/April 12-15
Louisiana Bicentennial Celebration/April 17-23
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Presented by Shell/April 27-May 6
Mid City Bayou Boogaloo/May 18-20
Asian Pacific American Society Festival/May 19
New Orleans Wine and Food Experience/May 22-26
Greek Festival/May 25-27
New Orleans Oyster Festival/June 2-3
New Orleans Vieux-to-Do/June 8-10
New Orleans Pride Festival/June 21-24
FestiGals/June 22-24
ESSENCE Music Festival/July 6-8
San Fermin in Nueva Orleans/July 13-15
Tales of the Cocktail/July 25-29
COOLinary New Orleans/Aug. 1-31
Satchmo SummerFest/Aug. 2-5
Whitney White Linen Night/Aug. 4
Dirty Linen Night/Aug. 11
New Orleans Red Dress Run/Aug. 11
Southern Decadence Festival/Aug. 29-Sept. 3
New Orleans Seafood Festival/Sept. TBD
New Orleans Burlesque Festival/Sept. 13-15
Gretna Heritage Festival/Oct. 5-7
Art for Arts’ Sake/Oct. 6
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival/Oct. 12-14
New Orleans Film Festival/Oct. 12-18
Celebracion Latina/Oct. 13
New Orleans on Tap/Oct. TBD
Voodoo Music Experience/Oct. 26-28
Louisiana Swamp Festival/Nov. 3-4
New Orleans Fringe Festival/Nov. 14-18
Words and Music Literary Festival/Nov. TBD
Oak Street Poboy Festival/Nov. TBD
Treme Creole Gumbo Festival/Dec. 8
Christmas New Orleans Style/December
Still need more information, then go to the source – The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a nationally accredited, 1,000-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. We help create $5 billion in new capital each year-more than any other business sector-by attracting millions of visitors, special events and conventions. The CVB and its members persuade thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Phoenix and four countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.
Now here is a business travellers dream airline worker- Ariel at Jet Blue’s Newark Ticket counter.
After I arrived late for a flight, with only 30 minutes to spare before departure and 2 bags to check. Ticket agent Ariel really stepped up and helped me get checked in and on my way in little time. He was extremely helpful and it set the tone for my entire superb trip.
In July, I flew Air Canada to Vancouver. I arrived 57 minutes prior to my scheduled departure and was told I was late and had to take a later flight by Air Canada- granted it was an international flight. I said- I can make this flight if we work fast. After the ticket agent verbally scolded me for being late, she said it was not an option. So they zapped my credit card for a change in fare, and re-tciketing fee-for another flight. After giving me my new ticket for the later flight, the ticket agent actually told me, “You have 25 minutes- if you run you might make your original flight. Amazing.
My flight on Jet Blue today, to Orlando was awesome and actually much like air travel was like for me in the 70’s and 80’s, when airlines actually tried hard for your business.
Ariel, – great job! I will fly Jet Blue to Florida all the time now. Sorry Continental/United, you need to try harder for my 50k air miles year.
