Articles & Blogs Wendys Blogs

The Counter Productivity of Taxation

Thursday, 24 June 2010 03:08 Written by Wendy London

tax calculator, counter productivityThe following letter, written by Wendy London, was published in the Taranaki Daily News on 7 April 2010.  Although written in opposition to a proposal by the Marlborough Sounds Harbourmaster, it clearly states the counter-productivity of imposing taxes and other levies on cruise ships and their passengers where such taxes are imposed merely as a revenue-gathering exercise or for unspecified purposes.

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Where politics, religion and cruising collide

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 00:00 Written by Wendy London

politics, religion and crusing collideThe New Zealand government has just banned the kosher slaughter of meat, including chicken. Leaving aside my own personal incandescence about a serious erosion of human rights in a country otherwise known for its observance of human rights, there is a cruise issue which needs to be addressed – and which further exposes the sheer imprudence of this decision.

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Mega Ships or Mega Hassle

Tuesday, 25 May 2010 17:21 Written by Wendy London

Mega Ships

Christening of a mega-ship is an event characterised by sheer wonderment, lots of press coverage and potentially, thousands of bookings for each voyage.  Every one of the mega-ships, built or planned, will be larger in population than many small towns in New Zealand, and most certainly, some of the port cities they will visit.  Therein lies the problem.

Whilst the cruise line will be thrilled with the fact that it has filled each of its more than 5,000 berths and pleased that it is carrying a full crew complement of more than 2,000, how would a port town such as Lyttelton in New Zealand (pop: 3,400) or even the larger Freeport Maine (pop: 7,800) cope with such a large, mobile city arriving at its shores?

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Viral marketing - at US 0.75c a minute?

Friday, 21 May 2010 00:00 Written by Wendy London

Passengers no longer leave their email, social networking chats, mobile phones, Blackberries or laptops at home when they board their cruise ships. The instrumentalities of communication are now as entrenched as “must takes” on cruise passengers’ packing lists as are toothpaste and evening wear. In addition, the relatively recent installation of wireless Internet (WiFi) access on cruise ships is perhaps the single most welcome shipboard service for the communications addicted (including, especially, me).

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