The Queen Mary II, the world´s largest cruise ship, set sail again Thursday two days after being forced to return to port near Miami when one of its motors hit an underwater channel, resulting in the cancellation of scheduled calls at Barbados and St Kitts. “Queen Mary 2 departed Port Everglades at 6:00am (1100 GMT) this morning and is now underway following technical work to decommission one of the ship´s four propulsion pods,” Cunard Lines, which operates the ship, said in a statement.

Following the official closing of its purchase by Britain´s First Choice, Clipper Cruise Line sold two of its ships –half its fleet- to Cruise West, the small-ship cruise line based in Seattle, state of Washington. The acquisition brings Cruise West´s fleet to ten. As Cruise West vessels, the 138-passenger Yorktown Clipper and the 102-passenger Nantucket Clipper will sail their previously announced 2006 Clipper itineraries, which includes voyages along the eastern seaboard, the Great Lakes, the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico and Central America.

Silversea Cruises is extending its Mediterranean season by one month and adding calls in Lebanon, Libya and Syria –more than doubling the number of calls to the destinations previously served by the line. In addition, rates for the extended season, with departures from March through mid-November, will be discounted by up to 50 percent on select dates. David Morris, senior vice president of sales in North America, cited a “growing segment” of guests who plan fall and spring trips to avoid crowds as reason for the extended Med season, which will take place on three ships (the Silver Cloud, the Silver Whisper and the Silver Wind), visiting 90 destinations in 20 countries through 2006.

Celebrity Cruises launched a new ad campaign representing the line´s first foray into network TV advertising in several years, according to the company. The campaign´s concept centers on how the line´s cruise experience makes guests feel like celebrities, and is dubbed “the Celebrity Treatment,” the line said.

Collection includes South America Riviera and South America Adventure Sailings SeaDream Yacht Club has enhanced its series of ten South America sailing in the winter of 2006-2007 by modifying its previously announced voyages to include two Buenos Aires, Argentina roundtrip sailings it has dubbed South America Adventure Voyages. This move comes on the heels of SeaDream´s South America announcement in November and separates the ultra-luxury yacht operator´s South America voyages into two diverse offerings: the South America Riviera Collection.

Whether it´s a full-ship charter or an incentive group, Windstar Cruises´ fleet of three elegant motor sailing ships strikes a chord 180 degrees from ordinary with attendees and meeting planners. The 148-guest Wind Star and Wind Spirit, and 308-guest Wind Surf offer a customizable adventure afloat that guests will remember for a lifetime. A new 2006 guide specifically geared toward charter and incentive travel combines information on daily activities, payment policies, ship plans and fact sheets and amenity packages into one streamlined spiral-bound publication.