Latest news with #JoelKatz
Courier-Mail
08-08-2025
- Courier-Mail
Bali set for cruise ship boom as new cruise terminal nears opening
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Cruise travel in Bali is set to boom with the official opening later this year of the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub in Benoa. Indonesia's first international-standard cruise ship pier, it's been more than five years in the making and can accommodate up to three large cruise ships at once. No longer will passengers have to be tendered to shore. 5 best all-inclusive resorts in Bali Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:19 SUBSCRIBER ONLY 5 best all-inclusive resorts in Bali more more activities are all included at these divine stays. Accommodation, meals, drinks and...... ... more Joel Katz, Cruise Lines International Association managing director in Australia and Asia, says that Bali's port of Benoa is emerging as an important cruise destination in Asia. 'The Indonesian government has been working to encourage more cruise ships to visit in the future. With the right strategies in place, Bali has the potential to join other important cruise hubs in Asia like Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong,' he says. It's exciting news for Australians who love visiting Bali and also want to discover more of Asia. Another plus? Instead of the dreaded flight home (often overnight) you can choose a leisurely cruise from Benoa to get back to Australia. Katz says the number of Australians who take fly-cruise holidays outside our home ports is increasing at a fast rate. 'Australians who have cruised in local waters in the past are increasingly looking to other destinations overseas when they consider their next cruise, so I think Asian ports like Bali are going to increase in popularity,' he says. An example is Viking's 17-day Komodo & the Australian Coast, a leisurely cruise from Bali to Sydney which takes in Lombok and Komodo National Park before sailing to Darwin and then down the east coast. There are two sailings in November, and more next year. Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line has announced the Carnival Adventure and Carnival Luminosa are poised to explore Asia for the first time, both ships having itineraries visiting Bali from 2026. But it's not just larger vessels visiting Indonesian shores. Luxury line Aqua Expeditions is expanding its itineraries in Indonesia with new voyages to South Raja Ampat (which begin and end in Sorong, reached via a domestic flight from Jakarta) aboard the 30-guest Aqua Blu yacht, giving guests greater access to some of Indonesia's most remote corners. The seven-night adventure takes in dive and snorkel sites like Fiabacet and the blue water mangroves, as well as the wildlife-rich forests of Kapatcol. The new itinerary will set sail for the first time in December 2026. Aqua Blu is the first ocean explorer yacht to be permanently based in East Indonesia. And new Aussie luxury cruise brand Pearl Expeditions has an enticing East Indonesia and Raja Ampat itinerary aboard the 30-guest Paspaley Pearl from this December. Joel Katz says Asian destinations expect that they will account for just under 10 per cent of all cruise passengers worldwide this year. 'But the region has set its sights much higher, aiming for a target of 20 per cent by 2035. I think that presents fantastic opportunities for Australian travellers. There are so many extraordinary destinations to cruise in, just to our north,' he says. Originally published as Bali set for cruise ship boom as new cruise terminal nears opening
Sydney Morning Herald
19-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
If you seek adventure, there's never been a better time to find it at sea
If you hanker after more adventurous styles of holiday, there's never been a better time to cruise. A small flotilla of new expedition ships has launched in recent years and more expedition ships are arriving soon, including Atlas Ocean's World Adventurer and World Discoverer, and Aurora Expedition's Douglas Mawson. You can now head to more wilderness and far-flung locations than ever, some accessible no other way except by cruise ship. Many of us are seizing the opportunity. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says the number of people taking expedition cruises is up more than 70 per cent since 2019. CLIA managing director in Australasia Joel Katz says this reflects a desire for more unspoiled locations and cultural authenticity, greater awareness of environmental issues, and more available opportunities. Other reasons to choose an expedition cruise include crossing off bucket-list destinations, a desire for wildlife encounters, a wider demand for more immersive and exclusive experiences, and a post-pandemic trend towards smaller ships. Although the first sightseeing travellers visited Antarctica back in 1966, expedition cruising long remained a niche market often involving basic stays on repurposed Russian icebreakers. By 2012, expedition ships still carried just 67,000 passengers a year. A Travel Market Report sponsored by HX (formerly Hurtigruten) says expedition cruises are the fastest-growing cruise segment, with about 400,000 passengers now taking an expedition cruise annually. More than 20 cruise lines operate some 100 expedition ships worldwide. Traditional lines such as Celebrity, Seabourn, Silversea and Viking have entered the market, and expedition ships provide luxury for those who want wilderness without sacrificing thread count and red wine. Among other international expedition lines are Aqua, Aranui, G Adventures, Heritage, HX, Lindblad, Ponant, Quark, Ponant and UnCruise Adventures.
The Age
19-05-2025
- The Age
If you seek adventure, there's never been a better time to find it at sea
If you hanker after more adventurous styles of holiday, there's never been a better time to cruise. A small flotilla of new expedition ships has launched in recent years and more expedition ships are arriving soon, including Atlas Ocean's World Adventurer and World Discoverer, and Aurora Expedition's Douglas Mawson. You can now head to more wilderness and far-flung locations than ever, some accessible no other way except by cruise ship. Many of us are seizing the opportunity. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says the number of people taking expedition cruises is up more than 70 per cent since 2019. CLIA managing director in Australasia Joel Katz says this reflects a desire for more unspoiled locations and cultural authenticity, greater awareness of environmental issues, and more available opportunities. Other reasons to choose an expedition cruise include crossing off bucket-list destinations, a desire for wildlife encounters, a wider demand for more immersive and exclusive experiences, and a post-pandemic trend towards smaller ships. Although the first sightseeing travellers visited Antarctica back in 1966, expedition cruising long remained a niche market often involving basic stays on repurposed Russian icebreakers. By 2012, expedition ships still carried just 67,000 passengers a year. A Travel Market Report sponsored by HX (formerly Hurtigruten) says expedition cruises are the fastest-growing cruise segment, with about 400,000 passengers now taking an expedition cruise annually. More than 20 cruise lines operate some 100 expedition ships worldwide. Traditional lines such as Celebrity, Seabourn, Silversea and Viking have entered the market, and expedition ships provide luxury for those who want wilderness without sacrificing thread count and red wine. Among other international expedition lines are Aqua, Aranui, G Adventures, Heritage, HX, Lindblad, Ponant, Quark, Ponant and UnCruise Adventures.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Irish Band Kneecap Displays Anti-Israel Messages During Coachella Weekend 2 Set ‘Blindsiding' Festival Organizers
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap drew headlines during their weekend two performance at Coachella 2025, but not for the reasons a buzzing band typically claims. The group performed in the Sonora tent in front of large screens that projected references to genocide, denouncements of Israel and calls to 'free Palestine.' Their set on April 18 also condemned the U.S. for its military support of Israel. While the Coachella music festival is no stranger to political statements made onstage, this call to 'Fuck Israel' has incensed Jewish groups who are calling out the fest's promoter Goldenvoice (a subsidiary of AEG) for its part in booking the band, which has been known to espouse the ideology of terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Kneecap followed up its Coachella set on social media with numerous video posts about their 'uncensored messaging' and a request for young Americans to send the clips to President Trump, whom they called a derogatory term that starts with a c. More from The Hollywood Reporter Enhyphen Taps Who Decides War for Custom Outfits for Coachella Weekend 2 (Exclusive) Jordan Firstman Is Sharing All Your 'Secrets' Joel Katz, Longtime Music Industry Attorney, Dies at 80 The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to AEG for comment. According to insiders, Paul Tollett, CEO of Goldenvoice, was said to be 'blindsided' by the band's action. 'Paul is a good man and has been an outspoken advocate on behalf of survivors of the Nova Music Festival,' Scooter Braun wrote on his Instagram Sunday following Kneecap's set, noting that Tollett had attended the Los Angeles memorial exhibit Braun created honoring the hundreds who lost their lives in the October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel. 'He not only attended the exhibit but stayed for five hours and then sat with survivors.' The Sonora tent did not livestream its weekend 2 acts, which some suggest may have been intentional knowing the band may take the opportunity to convey an incendiary message. For its weekend 1 performance, the stream cut off before the set's end. Kneecap were formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2017, and have long been a controversial and vocally political group. The group consists of vocalists Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap and the DJ Próvaí. They are strongly associated with Irish Republicanism, the movement calling for the reunification of Ireland away from British rule. Kneecap broke through in 2018 with their debut single 'C.E.A.R.T.A.,' which is Irish for 'rights.' They released their debut studio album 3CAG that year, and their second album Fine Art through Heavenly Recordings in 2024. Last week, Kneecap had claimed that the festival had censored their pro-Palestine messages as well as their anti-Margaret Thatcher chant. 'Back next Friday Coachella and it'll be sorted,' the band tweeted last week along with an emoji for the Palestinian flag. A week later, they doubled down with their onscreen 'fuck Israel, free Palestine' declarations and a 'free, free Palestine' chant during the set, adding that 'the Irish are not so longer persecuted under the Brits, but we were never bombed under the fucking skies with nowhere to go.' In the past few years, the Sonora Tent, the smallest tent onsite, has become home to the punkier artists on the bill. Kneecap's late afternoon set during weekend one was buzzy, as there was an line spilling out the door. The room was full and full of energy, reminiscent of the powder keg vibe of early Odd Future shows.f During weekend one, the group played in minimal light, obscuring their faces entirely. Their logo, a pair of intense eyes, were on the screen throughout. The Sonora tent is entirely enclosed, so it felt more like a club show than a festival set. The group did mention Palestine a few times the first week, but it was more of a typical political statement than one of hate — they riled up the crowd with it without it overtaking the set. The Creative Community for Peace, a nonprofit comprised of entertainment industry professionals, shared a statement Sunday detailing its efforts to reach out to Goldenvoice and AEG ahead of Kneecap's week 2 show. The group urged the organizers to cancel noting the group's previous support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. CCFP's executive director Ari Ingel called on venues and promoters to boycott the band, and called for the group's visas to be revoked as well. 'Festivals such as Coachella are meant to bring people together to celebrate music and life, instead they allowed the festival to devolve into a forum of hate — platforming a band that praised a terrorist group that carried out the largest massacre in music history,' Ingel said. 'At a time of record levels of antisemitism, it is outrageous that AEG and Goldenvoice allowed this to happen.' The Nova Community also issued a statement, which read, in part: 'This past weekend at Coachella, the band Kneecap shared messaging that deeply hurt many in our community – an affront made even more painful in light of the massacre that took place at the Nova Music Festival on October 7. The Nova community was built on the ideals of peace, freedom, and unity through music. Our festival was a space where people came together—across cultures and beliefs—to celebrate life. That's why we believe that even in the face of ignorance or provocation, our response must be rooted in empathy, not hate. We invite the members of Kneecap to visit the Nova Exhibition and experience firsthand the stories of those who were murdered, those who survived, and those who are still being held hostage. Not to shame or silence—but to connect. To witness. To understand.' Kneecap has garnered renown beyond the music world in film. The trio starred alongside Michael Fassbender and portrayed themselves in a breezy eponymous biopic that THR called a 'cheeky Irish rap comedy.' The 'irreverent origin story' premiered at Sundance in 2024 as the festival's first Irish language film — set in 2019, Kneecap takes place in the Gaeltacht, or Irish-speaking, quarter of West Belfast — and was shortlisted for two Oscars, best international feature and best original song for 'Sick in the Head.' Kneecap went on to win four out of ten crafts categories at the British Independent Film Awards. and was nominated for five BAFTAs, the British Oscars, winning outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer for writer-director Rich Peppiatt. 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