Adonia's Godmother Announcement

Dame Shirley Bassey named as Godmother to Britain’s latest cruise ship

Photograph by Mary McCartney

Legendary singer to take centre stage at naming ceremony for Adonia

Britain’s greatest and best loved female performer, Dame Shirley Bassey DBE, is to be Godmother to Adonia, the latest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet.

Dame Shirley will name the stylish ship in a glittering ceremony in Southampton on Saturday May 21, 2011.
Adonia is considerably smaller than the larger ships of today. Carrying just 710 passengers, the ship will be able to reach off the beaten track ports of call, yet is big enough to provide an extensive range of on board facilities. Exclusively for adults, Adonia will offer an atmosphere that is intimate and refined – and the on board excellence for which the company is renowned. 

“I have had the most exciting career imaginable, but to be invited to be Godmother to a cruise ship is something very special and very personal,” said Dame Shirley.

“Dame Shirley is Britain’s most successful female artiste ever, a national treasure who defines the word ‘superstar’. We are Britain's favourite and most successful cruise line and can trace our British history back longer than any other line. It’s a perfect match and I am sure on our naming day she will need no excuse to  “get the party started!“ said P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow.

During a career that has included 135 million record sales, Dame Shirley Bassey has had many incredible highlights, including being the only singer to record three James Bond movie theme songs & most recently releasing The Performance – an album which she describes simply as “The performance of my life” . Dame Shirley has received numerous awards and accolades including being named a DBE [Dame of the British Empire] in 1999.

“Adonia will be the jewel in the P&O Cruises crown and will celebrate all those things our regular passengers love about cruising with us – a classic dance floor, Crow’s Nest observation lounge, formal nights, classical music recitals, guest speakers, silver service dining and a dedicated card room. Loyal cruisers and those new to cruising alike will be charmed by the refined P&O Cruises experience Adonia will offer, and entertainment will form a vital part of that, so it is entirely fitting for Dame Shirley to give Adonia the best possible start to her life with P&O Cruises,” continued Carol Marlow.

Over 500 invited guests will witness the naming ceremony on Adonia’s top deck in Southampton Docks on Saturday, May 21, prior to the vessel’s maiden voyage the following day, a 16 night cruise to the Western Mediterranean, which includes calls to Alghero in Sardinia; Portofino in Italy; Sete in France; Port Mahon and Barcelona in Spain.

Adonia facts

Built in 2001, Adonia has all the facilities you would expect of a modern ship, with a classic and refined interior style.

Adonia’s main restaurant will be the Pacific Restaurant and there will be two further Select dining venues, Italian ‘Sorrento’ and a steakhouse and grill. There will also be a buffet restaurant, with some al fresco dining and a barbecue area out on the Lido deck.
For  entertainment, Adonia will have eight bars, including P&O Cruises signature ‘Crow’s Nest’ observation lounge; Andersons, the familiar club-style lounge bar; and Raffles, which will also offer a coffee shop menu throughout the day with pastries, chocolates, hot drinks and afternoon tea. There is also a traditional library with fireplace and views on three sides.

Adonia will also feature The Curzon Lounge, where passengers can enjoy a drink with a sea view during the day, and by night enjoy a performance by the Headliners theatre company, concerts, dancing, or after dinner speakers.

There will be the signature Oasis Spa, offering a range of treatments and therapies such as hot stone massages and body scrubs, Aromatherapy, and reflexology. There is also a well equipped gym with panoramic sea views.

Adonia’s well appointed cabins will feature Egyptian cotton linen, tea and coffee making facilities so popular with British passengers, and over 75% of the cabins will have a private balcony.

Royal Caribbean code-names next ship class 'Project Sunshine'

By Johanna Jainchill

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. signed a letter of intent with German shipyard Meyer Werft to build the first of a new generation of ships for its Royal Caribbean International brand, with a scheduled delivery in 2014.

The letter of intent is subject to customary conditions being satisfactorily met.

RCCL said that the 158,000-ton, 4,100-passenger ship class, code-named "Project Sunshine," would cost approximately $230,146 per berth, based on current exchange rates. RCCL has an option for a second ship with a spring 2015 delivery.

"This next generation will not disappoint,” said RCCL Chairman Richard Fain in a statement.

Fain told Wall Street analysts in a late-January earnings call that the line had been working on a new ship design, and that the time "may be right" to place the order.

He stated Friday that Project Sunshine would have "exciting new activities and entertainment concepts."

"It will offer features for everyone: from grand, spectacular spaces to small intimate settings; from active, invigorating activities to the serenity of more personal space; and from a plethora of dining alternatives to a cornucopia of opportunities for families," Fain said.

Fain also said the ship would incorporate even better "energy efficiency and environmental technologies" than its current vessels.

The 158,000-ton ships are a step down in tonnage for Royal Caribbean, and is almost exactly the same size as the brand’s 160,000-ton, 3,600-passenger Freedom-class vessels. They will be significantly smaller than the line’s last two newbuilds, the 5,400-passenger Oasis-class ships.

Royal Caribbean opted to go with Meyer Werft over STX Finland, which has been building Royal Caribbean ships for more than 40 years. STX Finland (formerly Aker Yards) built the Oasis-class ships.
"We are exceptionally proud of our 40-year relationship with STX," Fain said. "Our Oasis class of ships could not have been built anywhere other than STX, and they have exceeded all expectations. The reason we signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft for Project Sunshine is because they had the most compelling proposal. We looked at a lot of shipyards and Meyer Werft offered the best combination of innovation, customer focus, quality and price. We hope to continue our relationship with STX with other opportunities in the future."

Meyer Werft already has a relationship with RCCL, as the company has built and continues to build Celebrity Cruises' five Solstice-class ships.continues to build Celebrity Cruises' five Solstice-class ships.

Man charged with murder of Allure of the Seas crew member - www.travelweekly.co.uk

Man charged with murder of Allure of the Seas crew member

Feb 11, 2011 10:34

A man has been charged with the murder of a Polish crew member of Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas.

Thirty-two-year-old Monika Markiewicz did not report back to the ship before it left Cozumel in Mexico on February 4. Her body was discovered the next day in the water off a remote beach.

Mexican authorities have now charged a 24-year old local barman, Nelson Torres, with her murder, the cruise line said.

“Reports indicate that Torres and Ms Markiewicz were casually acquainted for several months and he followed her for a period of time before killing her along the roadway on her way back to the ship,” the company said.

Royal Caribbean said its global security department fully supported and assisted Mexican officials in their investigation of this “isolated and uncharacteristic” crime in Cozumel.

President and chief executive Adam Goldstein said: “We thank the Mexican authorities for their commitment to quickly solving the murder of our crew member, Monika Markiewicz. Her untimely death is tragic and has saddened all of us at Royal Caribbean.

"We have informed Monika's family in Poland of today's news update and we will continue to be in contact with them and to support them during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.”