British line Fred Olsen may pull out of Liverpool in 2010 due to scrapyard scenery and “abysmal” passenger facilities at its turnaround port, Langton Docks.Fred Olsen’s Black Prince currently offers European cruises out of Liverpool’s Langton Docks in Bootle — about 15 minutes out of the city centre — with some 20 departures (amounts to about 8,000 passengers a year).

Though Black Prince will be retired from the fleet in October 2009, Marketing Director Nigel Lingard says that the larger 28,338-ton, 900-passenger, Boudicca will offer passengers cruises from Northern England and Scottish ports. However, despite building success in the city, he says the line is reluctant to continue using Langton Docks for departures.

The problem with Liverpool’s new city centre berth is that it doesn’t have the facilities to embark and disembark passengers at this time and can only accommodate day-long port calls — something that is hoped will change in the future.

The news that Cruise Value Center, a major cruise travel agency, apparently ceased business operations earlier this week is stirring up concerns from travelers and cruise industry executives. Cruise Value Center, a 14-year old, New Jersey-based agency, was a top Internet seller of cruise trips.

According to industry chronicler Cruise Week, it’s possible that passengers who booked trips through Cruise Value Center and who made final payments may not actually be confirmed on those sailings. That’s because, according to industry sources, some $2 - $3 million of cruise fares paid to Cruise Value Center may not have been passed along to cruise lines.

If you bought a cruise through Cruise Value Center, here’s what you need to know:

Cruise Value Center customers who have made final payments should contact their cruise lines to confirm bookings.

Cruise Week notes that agency customers who bought and paid for travel insurance may also not be covered. Prime Travel Protection, the insurer whose policies were sold through Cruise Value Center, is working with Port St. Lucie-based Best Price Cruises to accommodate those customers. Ron Russo, chief operating officer of Best Price Cruises, tells us that in conjunction with the insurer the agency will help customers “to rewrite their travel protection and waive pre-existing conditions to the date of intended purchase of the cancelled policy.” This applies only to travelers who purchased Prime’s policy through Cruise Value Center.

Ultimately, Cruise Value Center customers who paid in full for their trips using a credit card, have protection from their card issuers, no matter what the outcome. More problematic is the situation for travelers who paid via PayPal, or with checks or cash; they may have no recourse at all.

While affected customers should call their cruise lines to sort out their individual situations, it seems that the cruise lines themselves are scrambling to adjust. Only Royal Caribbean at this point was willing to even discuss the issue on the record with us today. The line’s Joanne Schimelman, vice president of national accounts, told us that “Royal Caribbean absolutely will be looking out for our customers’ best interests and will do our best to make sure they have the vacation experience they planned.”

Beyond the effect that Cruise Value Center’s demise will have on its own customers, will this news have an impact on cruising in general? Perhaps not, says Johanna Jainchill, senior editor of Travel Weekly. “This is not related to the economy. It just seems like bad management.”

In response to guest demand, Disney Cruise Line will reposition one of its ships, Disney Magic, to Europe for an unprecedented five-month season of Northern European and Mediterranean cruises in 2010.

With a wide variety of European itineraries in 2010, families have the ability to explore exotic and unexpected destinations with the safety and comfort of traveling with Disney Cruise Line, the leader in family cruising.

For the first time, Disney Cruise Line will offer a 12-night Northern European Capitals cruise, where guests can experience breathtaking fjords, historic city centers and Viking lore at enchanting Scandinavian ports such as Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. The ship will also sail to Warnemunde, Germany, gateway to Berlin, and to St. Petersburg, Russia. The Disney Magic will overnight in St. Petersburg, allowing Disney Cruise Line guests time to experience the city known as the “Cultural Capital of Russia” or use the second day to book a shore excursion to Moscow.

“The Northern European Capitals itinerary provides our guests with an amazing collection of destinations to explore,” said Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin. “We’re excited to bring the rich history, culture and folklore these ports offer to life for our guests in a family-friendly way only Disney Cruise Line can deliver.”

Departing out of Dover, England, the Disney Magic will sail a total of four 12-night cruises to the Northern European capitals in June and July 2010. Rates for the 12-night Northern European Capitals itinerary start at $3,649 per person for a category 11 stateroom.

Book-ending the summer season in Northern Europe, the Disney Magic will once again return to the Mediterranean with 10- and 11-night cruises, but with three new ports of call not offered when Disney Cruise Line last sailed the Mediterranean. In addition to popular ports in Italy, France and Spain, the Disney Magic will visit Tunis, in Northern Africa, the island nation of Malta, and Corsica, an island oasis off the southern coast of France known as the birthplace of Napoleon.

“The response from guests who sailed on our Mediterranean voyages in 2007 was overwhelmingly positive,” said McAlpin. “We’re thrilled to bring the ship back and look to make the 2010 season in the Mediterranean even better, with new destinations and more one-of-a-kind Disney experiences for our guests.”

Departing out of Barcelona, Spain, the Disney Magic will sail four 10-night and four 11-night cruises in the Mediterranean in April, May, August and September. Rates for the 10- and 11-night Mediterranean cruises start at $2,529 per person for a category 11 stateroom.

Disney Cruise Line will also offer four repositioning cruises including two 14-night transatlantic voyages, a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Dover, England, and an eight-night cruise from Dover back to Barcelona.