Oregon Public Broadcasting

Hotel rooms are so scarce for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next February that four cruise ships have been chartered to add temporary rooms during the Games.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

The Canadian government has chartered three cruise ships to house all the extra security personnel it’s bringing in for the Olympics.

Seattle-based Holland America Line is supplying two of those three ships from its West Coast fleet. 

An Edmonton tour company lined up the fourth boat from Norwegian Cruise Lines.  Cabins on the Norwegian Star are now available for booking by the general public, but they won’t come cheap.

Dennis Laliberte: “The price is $350 per person per night.  That’s our starting price, which is an all inclusive price with their meals, all of their entertainment.”

Newwest tour company president Dennis Laliberte says the floating hotel will offer the amenities of a typical cruise even though it’s not moving.

The Norwegian Star adds more than 1,100 rooms to Vancouver for the duration of the Olympics.

Online:

www.vancouver2010cruiseship.com