Cruise ships due to arrive in Portland Friday, Saturday

Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper will dock in Portland from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday at at Ocean Gateway’s Pier 2, Berth 2. An estimated 382 passengers will be on board.

Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas will dock from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at Pier 2, Berth 2, with an estimated 2,100 passengers.

BlackBerry founder may bid to take over phone company

BlackBerry founder Mike Lazaridis says he’s looking at making a potential takeover bid for the struggling smartphone company.

Lazaridis, a major shareholder, said Thursday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that he and Douglas Fregin, who helped launch the company, are looking to potentially acquire all of the shares they don’t currently own, either by themselves or with other interested parties. Together, they currently own about 16 percent of BlackBerry.

BlackBerry announced last month that Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. signed a letter of intent that “contemplates” buying the Canadian company for $9 a share, or $4.7 billion. Fairfax, BlackBerry’s largest shareholder, is trying to attract other investors. 

JetBlue to let its customers pool frequent-flier points

JetBlue says it will let family members and other customers pool their frequent-flier points.

British Airways offers accounts for up to seven family members if they all live at the same address. JetBlue says its program will have fewer restrictions.

Each pooling account needs at least one adult and can include up to seven people. Five can be under 21. The airline says that customers pooling points can be family members or friends.

JetBlue says the change is being made to appeal to families whose members might not fly often enough to earn free trips on their own.

– From staff and news services