THE RIGHT PRICE……………………………………………………………………….$99
Until February 8, 2011: 2 nights, Bahamas Ship: MS Bahamas Celebration
Departure: Palm Beach, FL, round-trip, Sunday through Thursday
Bonus: 4-cabin upgrade if booked by Nov. 9 Extra: Enter $250,000 karaoke contest
Contact: Celebration Cruise Line 1-800-314-5527 (mention Travelzoo)
* * *
Why are these men signing documents, and what could this possibly have to do with a blog about ships? Is it a peace treaty to end a war? Are they presiding over the burial of a ship at sea, preparing to drop those flowers on the surface? If so, why are they smiling?
Enough with the suspense!
The two men are Juha Heikinheimo (left) and Richard Fain, and this is what happens when a multimillion-dollar cruise ship changes hands, from the shipyard to the owner. The ship is 
the Allure of the Seas, now crossing the Atlantic and bound for Fort Lauderdale, where its regular sailings begin in December.
The Allure was built in Finland, at STX Turku, and belongs to Royal Caribbean. You figure out which man is from which company.
* * *
Nobody heard a lot about Hurricane Richard as it swept through the Western Caribbean, but it did leave its mark on Belize. Tourism was hit hard when three cruise ships canceled scheduled stops in Belize after navigation aids used to guide the ships into the harbor were damaged.
The navigation aids were fixed, but it probably cost the tourist industry at least $2 million…and cruisers missed seeing a great little country.
* * *
Norwegian is becoming the last of the major cruise lines to go public. This week, NCL filed documentation to file an IPO. The cruise line’s owner is Apollo Management, which also owns two other cruise lines — Regent Seven Seas and Oceania — along with Harrah’s Entertainment, Coldwell Banker and Century 21 Real Estate.
Yes, who would’ve thought?
* * *
That’s it, we’re done.