Sophia Loren to Name MSC Euribia in Copenhagen

Sophia Loren to Name MSC Euribia in Copenhagen

MSC Cruises announced that Oscar-winning actress Sophia Loren will name the cruise line’s 19th ship, the MSC Euribia at a ceremony scheduled for June 8 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In addition to having the Hollywood star name the ship, the ceremony will be hosted by television personality, model and actress Sarah Grünewald, who will serve as the Master of the Ceremony.

Guests can expect the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne over the bow of the ship, a special gala dinner and a range of live performances, including a DJ set from the popular French DJ and record producer, Bob Sinclar

Following the naming ceremony, the MSC Euribia will start sailing seven-night cruises in Northern Europe departing from Kiel, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark. The ship will explore Norwegian Fjords including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flaam.

At the event in Copenhagen, guests will have the chance to catch a glimpse of the new ships’ features and amenities including Street. 2023, artwork by British artist Julian Opie; The Carousel Lounge; MSC Foundation Lab, an area dedicated to kids; five speciality restaurants including Le Grill and more.

MSC Euribia completes sea trials ahead of launch in June

MSC Cruises’ upcoming ship MSC Euribia has successfully completed its four-day sea trial in the Atlantic Ocean. 

The cruise line tested the performance of the ship’s four LNG-powered engines, manoeuvrability, fuel consumption, safety systems, speed and stopping distances. 

MSC Euribia is now undergoing finishing touches at Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, before its naming ceremony on 8 June in Copenhagen, Denmark. It will then embark on its maiden season in Northern Europe from its homeport in Kiel, Germany. 

The ship, which is the 22nd to join the MSC Cruises fleet, will accommodate up to 6,327 passengers and will host seven different live productions per week to entertain guests. 

The LNG-powered vessel will feature shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce carbon emissions in port as well as advanced wastewater treatment, recycling and underwater noise management systems to protect marine life. 

MSC Cruises’ commitment to sustainability will also be reflected on the ship's exterior via a fresco designed and painted by German graphic artist Alex Flaemig.  

MSC Euribia Completes Sea Trials

MSC Euribia Completes Sea Trials

MSC Cruises’ new ship and second powered by liquefied natural gas, the MSC Euribia has completed a four-day set of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement.

The trial involved checking the performance of the ship’s engines, fuel consumption and safety systems, and speed and stopping distances.

Following the completion of sea trials, the ship set course for Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France before being delivered to MSC Cruises in May.

MSC Euribia’s official christening ceremony is scheduled for June 8 and will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark before its inaugural season in Northern Europe sailing from its homeport in Kiel, Germany.

Shortly after the christening, starting from June 10, the MSC Euribia will offer seven-night sailings from Kiel to Copenhagen and the Norwegian fjords with calls in Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flam. 

 The MSC Euribia will sail Northern Europe for the winter 2023-24 season offering seven-night sailings from Hamburg to Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Zeebrugge, Belgium; Le Havre, France and Southampton in the UK.

 

AIDA Reaches Milestone in Decarbonization Efforts

AIDA Reaches Milestone in Decarbonization Efforts

AIDA Cruises has expanded the use of shore power in its fleet, reaching a significant milestone in its decarbonization efforts, according to a press release.

The AIDAsol was recently connected to shore power in nearly all ports during its recent voyage from April 16 to 21, 2023.

The ship was supplied with green energy from shore in Rostock-Warnemünde, Aarhus (Denmark), Kristiansand (Norway), and Hamburg.

The growing shore power infrastructure in Northern Europe has made it possible for AIDA Cruises to achieve this milestone.

AIDA President Felix Eichhorn stated that the company’s goal is to use shore power in all ports where port infrastructure is available. He added that the company’s investments in clean technology are actively supporting the goals of the EU’s “Fit for 55” program to build a corresponding infrastructure in all major EU ports by 2030.

During its recent voyage, AIDAsol made history by being the first cruise ship to conduct shore-side and shipboard integration tests on a newly built facility in Aarhus, Denmark. The official opening of Denmark’s first shore power plant for cruise ships is scheduled for later this year.

The AIDAsol was also supplied with energy from shore during its stop in Kristiansand, Norway, which it already did in 2022.

AIDA Cruises has been investing in sustainable cruising for many years, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral ship operation for its fleet by 2050.

The company has been considering the use of environmentally friendly technology since 2004, and more than ten years have passed since it was able to start the usage of shore power in regular operation with an AIDA ship in Hamburg Altona in 2017. The company signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2022 with Cruise Baltic, a network of 31 ports and destinations, to use shore power in the ports of the Baltic Sea region.

AIDAsol’s arrival in Hamburg, its home port for this year’s summer season, marked another significant moment in AIDA Cruises’ decarbonization efforts. The ship was connected to Europe’s first shore power plant for cruise ships and switched off its main engines shortly after docking at the Cruise Center Altona.

The expansion of the use of shore power is part of AIDA Cruises’ efforts to use low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other alternative energy sources such as batteries and fuel cells. The company is working with various partners to find solutions for the use of regenerative and synthetic fuels.

“AIDA Cruises shows what can already be possible today,” said Eichhorn. “We can only achieve the energy transition together.”

MSC Cruises to Launch MSC Euribia In Copenhagen

MSC Cruises to Launch MSC Euribia In Copenhagen

MSC Cruises announced that the naming ceremony for its newest ship, the MSC Euribia, will take place on June 8, 2023, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The MSC Euribia will be the company’s second ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), one of the world’s cleanest fuels available at the moment. The new flagship will also feature the ‘Baltic Standard’, an advanced wastewater treatment system and a range of environmental technologies designed to help enable zero emissions from the ship in port where onshore power is available.

The cruise line selected the port of Copenhagen as the launch location due to its rich maritime heritage as well as the fact that Denmark is committed to sustainability.

The new ship will also feature painted art on its exterior which reflects the company’s commitment to preserving the marine environment. The art is the work of German graphic artist, Alex Flaemig, and highlights the importance of protecting the complex ecosystem of the seas.

The MSC Euribia will embark on its inaugural season in Northern Europe on June 10 with seven-night cruises from Kiel, Germany and Copenhagen to the Norwegian Fjords including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flam.

 The ship is named after the ancient goddess Eurybia who used the winds, weather and constellations to navigate the seas.

The MSC Euribia will feature a Mediterranean-style promenade with a LED Dome, a number of shops, speciality restaurants and entertainment venues. Additionally, it includes 10 elegant dining venues and 21 bars and lounges.

 

Former Cunard and MSC Ship to be Scrapped in Turkey

Former Cunard and MSC Ship to be Scrapped in Turkey

The former Golden Iris became the most recent cruise ship to arrive at the Turkish ship breakers. Last operated by Mano Cruises, the veteran vessel was in layup since 2018.

After being renamed Gold Club in 2021, the classic ship arrived at the Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard earlier this month. 

Wrapping up a five-decade career, the vessel will now be being dismantled, with its building materials, fixtures, systems and engines set to be repurposed or sold off.

Built in Denmark, the ship had an unusual run, being originally ordered for Overseas National Airways and designed in association with Hugh Hefner as a “floating Playboy resort.”

While still under construction, however, the 959-guest vessel was sold to Cunard Line along with a sister ship - who would later become the Cunard Countess.

Unlike the remainder of the British operator fleet, both ships had an informal concept, which was kept when they were fitted out at another shipyard in Italy.

After being christened in New York City by the Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco, it entered service for Cunard in 1977 as the Cunard Princess.

In another unusual move, the vessel was chartered to the United States Armed Forces in 1990.

During the Gulf War, the Cunard Princess was used as a recreational facility for troops while stationed in Bahrain.

After nearly 20 years of sailing for Cunard, the ship was finally sold to StarLauro Cruises in 1995.

The Italian company – who would later become MSC Cruises – named the ship Rhapsody for a series of cruises in the Mediterranean.

Kept in the fleet after the rebrand, the vessel sailed for MSC until 2009. In February of that year, it was sold to Mano Cruises.

Aiming at the local public, the Israel-based cruise line used the veteran ship in cruises departing from Haifa and Ashdod until 2018 – when it was replaced by the larger and more modern Crown Iris.

Costa Returns to Northern Europe After Three-Year Gap

Costa Returns to Northern Europe After Three-Year Gap

Costa Cruises is sailing in Northern Europe for the first time since 2019. The brand returned to the region with the Costa Diadema, which kicked off the season on May 27.

The vessel is part of a three-ship program in the region, which will see the company offering itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic, the British Islands, Iceland and more.

Cruising in Northern Europe for the first time, the Costa Diadema is now sailing a series of seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords.

The vessel’s itineraries depart from Kiel (Germany) and Copenhagen (Denmark) and include visits to several ports in Norway, such as Flam, Bergen, Hellesylt, Nordfjordeid, Stavanger and Haugesund.

Another ship based in Kiel for the summer, the Costa Fascinosa will offer longer cruises to the Baltic and the Cape North.

Starting on June 7, the 3,012-guest ship sails ten- to 12-night itineraries that ports including Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga, Gdynia, Trondheim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Olden and more.  

Resuming service ahead of its program in Northern Europe, the Costa Fortuna completes the deployment lineup.

The 2003-built vessel will offer cruises departing from three different ports in the Netherlands and Germany: Ijmuiden, Amsterdam and Bremerhaven.

Extending from June 11 to August 28, the ship’s program features port-intensive cruises, with 11- to 14-night itineraries to the British Islands, Iceland, and the Norwegian Fjords.

A fourth ship, the Costa Favolosa, was also set to sail in the region for the company in 2022, offering itineraries at the Baltic. 

The vessel’s program, which featured visits to Saint Petersburg, was entirely cancelled by the company due to the recent developments in Russia.

After becoming one of the first mainstream cruise lines to resume service in 2020, Costa focused its European operations in the Mediterranean.

With the travel restrictions in place in Northern Europe, the company decided to cancel its entire local program in both 2020 and 2021.

MSC Poesia Resumes Service Ahead of Summer Program in Northern Europe

MSC Poesia Resumes Service Ahead of Summer Program in Northern Europe

Dawn and the Wonderful MSC Peosia Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Another MSC Cruises ship is resuming service today as the MSC Poesia welcomes guests back in Civitavecchia, Italy.

Returning after a two-year absence, the 2008-built vessel is kicking off a summer season in Northern Europe with a repositioning voyage to Warnemunde.

The 14-night cruise features visits to 12 different ports in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

A highlight of the port-intensive itinerary is a visit to El Ferrol. Located in Northern Spain, the unusual cruise port also serves as a getaway to other cities in the region, including Santiago de Compostela.

Continuing its summer schedule, the Poesia offers a series of cruises to the Baltic and Scandinavia departing from Copenhagen and Warnemunde.

Ranging from seven to 21 nights in duration, the itineraries feature visits to Norway, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and more.

The program – which stretches through mid-September – also includes a one-time cruise to Iceland and Greenland. The 21-night voyage visits seven ports in the region, such as Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Reykjavik and Akureyri.

The MSC Poesia was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The 93,300-ton vessel entered service in 2008, as the third ship of MSC’s Musica Class.

According to the company, the ship features sophisticated and elegant décor and features 236,000 square feet of public spaces.

Among its many public areas, the Poesia offers two swimming pools, four hot tubs, a 13,000-square-foot spa, and four restaurants - including a Sushi Bar alternative dining restaurant.

With a capacity of 2,550 guests, the vessel boasts 1,275 staterooms, of which 80 per cent face the outside and 65 per cent are equipped with a private balcony.

With the MSC Poesia, a total of four ships resumed service for MSC Cruises in April.

Cruise companies to commit to shore power in the Baltic Sea

MSC Virtuosa Photo credit SpaceJunkie2

Five major cruise companies will commit to using shore power on all cruises in the Baltic Sea from 2024 at the Sustainable Cruising conference hosted by business-to-business network Cruise Baltic, to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 5 April. 

Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises andCarnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises will sign a memorandum of understanding at the conference, with the Danish minister for environment Lea Wermelin in attendance. 

“We are extremely proud that these cruise lines now commit to shore power in the region, and it shows that the cruise industry is taking an important responsibility when it comes to sustainability,” said Claus Bødker, director of Cruise Baltic. 

The Sustainable Cruise conference will take place at the Copenhagen Marriot Hotel and will feature talks by representatives of cruise lines and Baltic ports and destinations, along with Wermelin and the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Sophie Hæstorp Andersen.

Sales Open for MSC Euribia’s Inaugural Summer 2023 Season

Sales Open for MSC Euribia’s Inaugural Summer 2023 Season

MSC Cruises has opened sales for the MSC Euribia, the line’s most environmentally advanced ship in its fleet and its second LNG-powered ship currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, due to launch in early June 2023.

The ship will spend her inaugural season in Northern Europe from the German port of Kiel.

The Euribia will offer seven-night itineraries sailing to the Norwegian fjords with calls including Copenhagen, Denmark; Hellesylt, Norway for the Geirangerfjord; as well as Alesund and Flam, also in Norway, among others.

According to a press release, Euribia will look different from her sister ships in the Meraviglia-Plus class, thanks to “an exclusive artwork designed as a commitment by MSC Cruises to the sea.”

The cruise line held an exclusive international design competition through Talent House to create a “unique artwork” for the ship’s hull, inspired by the sea and its important marine ecosystem.

The design highlights “the steps that the company is taking towards a greener future” and will be featured on the ship’s hull permanently.

MSC said that it had designs from 59 countries worldwide submitted. The winner was German artist Alex Flaemig whose artwork will adorn the ship’s exterior.

Five finalists will have their designs displayed onboard the ship in a new art gallery, MSC said.

Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago, said: “In response to the growing need to protect the ocean for future generations, we have made it our mission to equip our ships with the latest and most advanced environmental technologies and solutions, with MSC Euribia showcasing the best of them to-date.

“The contest to design the hull for our latest LNG ship was launched to help us communicate our unwavering commitment to the environment as this ship sails the world.

“Flaemig’s design perfectly captured this message of passion and dedication to preserving the marine environment and its complex ecosystem and delivers a strong call to action to everyone who sees this ship to save the seas.”

Competition winner Alex Flaemig added: “In order to make people even more aware of this unique underwater world with its precious life, I have graphically placed a small section of this ecosystem on the hull of the MSC Euribia. What was important to me was not only the representation of the underwater world but also a message about how it should be preserved.“

I also want to express that an intact sea is also the basis for a healthy ecosystem on land. I want to emphasize this with the representation of birds, insects and leaves, and last but not least with the globe. It is still important to me to inspire people and encourage them to participate.”

Flaemig is a native of Dresden, Germany, and was inspired by “the opportunity to transform the hull of the MSC Euribia into a giant, floating canvas to highlight the importance of respect for the environment.”

His #SaveTheSea design features an underwater world with its precious life and weaves together the colours of the MSC Cruises and MSC Foundation logos, the cruise line said. This blending creates a gradient effect that paints sea fauna and flora across the hull.

The winning artwork was selected from entries from around the world by a panel of international judges including sand artist Jben, known for his large-scale sand frescoes that wash away with the tide, architect Martin Francis and Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago.

Euribia will come into service in 2023 and become the second LNG-powered ship in the MSC Cruises fleet. The cruise line said that LNG plays a “key role” in the journey towards climate change mitigation and will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25 per cent on the Euribia compared to standard fuels while also virtually eliminating other air emissions.

As bio and synthetic fuels become available, Euribia’s emissions will be further reduced, according to the press release.

LNG is key to the development of low carbon solutions for shipping as emerging technologies such as fuel cells can be operated with LNG until zero emissions bio-LNG or green hydrogen become available at scale.

MSC Cruises said it is “actively involved” in several projects to develop and make these technologies viable in partnership with regulators, academia, shipyards and industry. This includes a project to study the use of hydrogen fuel in cruise ships in partnership with Fincantieri and SNAM, as well as a pilot project for the development of solid oxide fuel cell technology for cruise ships with Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Bloom Energy.

Euribia will utilize an advanced wastewater treatment system, as well as an underwater radiated noise management system to minimize the effects of vibrations on marine life. Multiple energy efficiency features help reduce and optimize engine use.

MSC Cruises stated it was committed to powering at least three upcoming ships with LNG, representing a total investment exceeding 3 billion euros.

AIDA Announces Substitute Ports in the Baltic with Russia Out

AIDA Announces Substitute Ports in the Baltic with Russia Out

AIDA Cruises, Carnival Corporation's German brand, has announced replacement ports in the Baltic and not call in Saint Petersburg this summer. 

The AIDAdiva, AIDAmar, AIDAnova and AIDAvita will see calls in Russia cancelled and replaced by destinations such as Riga (Latvia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo (Norway) or Visby (Gotland/Sweden).

The AIDAdiva will call at the Latvian capital Riga or Copenhagen instead of Saint Petersburg on its seven-day Baltic Sea roundtrip from Warnemünde starting between May 14 and October 8, 2022. The voyage with a departure date of May 7, 2022, will include a visit to Hamina in southern Finland.

For the seven-day round trips in the Baltic Sea with the AIDAnova from Kiel with departure dates between May 14 and October 15, 2022, AIDA Cruises has developed alternative routes in the Baltic Sea as well as to Norway and Denmark. Baltic cruises now include an extended stay in the Estonian capital Tallinn. Copenhagen/Kalundborg is also new on the itinerary.

The AIDAnova is now setting course for Scandinavia on new voyages. In addition to a visit to Copenhagen and Kristiansand, AIDAnova’s guests can enjoy a two-day stay in Oslo.

On its 10 day Baltic cruises, the AIDAmar will call at the port of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland and the Latvian capital Riga instead of Saint Petersburg.

In addition, the first sailing of the AIDAvita will depart on July 24, 2022. 

Denmark is Now Requiring Cruise Passengers to Get Tested to Go Ashore

From Aug. 24, cruise guests who want to go ashore in Denmark must get tested for coronavirus, the Danish authorities have announced according to CruiseCopenhagen. This applies to immune and vaccinated guests as well.

According to a press release, before disembarking a cruise in Denmark all guests must either take a PCR test within 72 hours before arrival or an antigen test within 48 hours before arrival. This also applies to those guests who are vaccinated or are immune due to an earlier infection with COVID-19.

Previously, since June 26, 2021, only cruise guests vaccinated with an EMA-accepted vaccine were allowed to go ashore in Denmark.

CruiseCopenhagen said that while they welcome the step allowing unvaccinated guests to explore the country, it believes that "the border entry rules for cruise guests should be equal to the rules of general tourism in this country."

"Even though cruising is the safest mode of vacationing, the Danish authorities are extremely cautious with letting our guests in as opposed to general tourism,“ said Claus Bødker, director of CruiseCopenhagen.

Wind Turbine Behemoth Plans for Hydrogen Future

By William Mathis and Laura Millan Lombrana (Bloomberg) — Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA has one eye on the future where its wind turbines could play a key role in creating hydrogen.

The company, which earlier this year launched the world’s biggest wind turbine, plans to start a pilot project in Denmark to test how its machines could power production of the fuel seen as key to eliminating carbon emissions from transportation and heavy industries. The European Union has big plans for the clean-burning gas and the bloc placed it at the centre of its Green Deal earlier this year.

The pilot project is under construction near Siemens Gamesa’s Danish headquarters in Brande, western Denmark, Chief Executive Officer Andreas Nauen said in an interview on Thursday. It will include a 3-megawatt wind turbine that will power a 400-kilowatt electrolyzer, a machine that separates the hydrogen atoms in water from oxygen atoms, “We will be for the first time combining the two technologies,” said Nauen, who took over as CEO in June after leading the company’s offshore division. “It is not to produce hydrogen in big quantities, but to test the combination of both.”

It could be a compelling model. Danish utility Orsted A/S is already exploring a number of hydrogen projects for its wind farms and Royal Dutch Shell Plc plans to produce the gas from a park it’s going to build off the Dutch coast. Making and selling hydrogen could provide a new source of revenue for wind projects that would offset the risk in the sometimes volatile electricity market.

BNEF projections of the cost of producing green hydrogen, when compared with hydrogen derived from natural gas.
No one before has used wind power alone, without a grid connection, to produce hydrogen, Nauen said. It’s a project that will provide insight that could be crucial to scaling up the technology too much larger turbines and wind farms both on land and at sea.

Earlier this year, Siemens Gamesa announced plans to build a 14-megawatt offshore turbine with a rotor diameter of 222 meters (728 feet), a few meters larger than the previous record.

The company expects to conduct testing at the hydrogen pilot from October to December and then start hydrogen production in January. A Danish hydrogen fuel company called Everfuel will distribute the gas for vehicles including taxis and buses to use in Copenhagen.

European governments aim to spend billions of dollars to help nurture domestic industries to produce hydrogen. The funding could help scale production and bring down costs.

Offshore Experience

Siemens Gamesa is currently at a similar stage with hydrogen as it was a few years ago with offshore wind, Nauen said.

The executive has worked in offshore wind for more than a decade and has seen how the industry went from being a niche market using turbines designed for land use into a multi-billion-dollar industry with tailor-made machines the size of skyscrapers. Hydrogen could follow a similar trajectory if companies figure out an economical way to produce it. If it takes off, hydrogen will change the whole energy landscape, he said.

“I could imagine maybe it goes a little faster now, but it’s way too early,” Nauen said. “All the money that you currently see coming into this business is about making sure the technology works.”

The company has a team working on hydrogen that’s spread across all of Siemens Gamesa’s divisions. In the future, the company could sell wind farm developers hydrogen equipment along with its turbines, Nauen said. But he doesn’t expect any large-scale wind-hydrogen project until around 2025.

© 2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Copenhagen Puts New Cruise Terminal Project on Pause

Copenhagen won't be getting a new cruise terminal in 2022, as the port originally promised.

"A very significantly changed cruise market, due to the crisis with the coronavirus pandemic, means that Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) will postpone the establishment of what was planned to be a new cruise terminal at Copenhagen’s Oceankaj," the port said, in a statement. 

“This is, it goes without saying, extremely regrettable, including of course also to the parties involved in the tendering process, that the investment in a new cruise terminal is being postponed. Until a few months ago, we saw a healthy 2020 with a record number of port calls from cruise ships with almost a million guests visiting Copenhagen. However, with the arrival of the crisis accompanying the coronavirus pandemic, the brakes have suddenly been put on global growth – including in Copenhagen, where forecasts indicate that the 2020 cruise season will be entirely cancelled, followed by some uncertainty in the next few years. The new terminal was to confirm Copenhagen’s position as a hub for cruise tourism in northern Europe, however now we will simply have to wait for the situation to reverse so that we can again focus on developing sustainable cruise tourism for the benefit of the entire region as a whole,” said Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CEO of Copenhagen Malmö Port.

The port said it will be in a wait and see approach, and "will decide when the process for a new cruise terminal will be relaunched."

A2SEA Jack-Up Capsizes Off Denmark

A2SEA Jack-Up Capsizes Off Denmark

Sea Worker jack-up. File photo: A2SEA

An offshore wind farm jack-up barge has capsized off the coast of Denmark one week after running aground in a separate incident.

A2SEA has confirmed that its jack-up Sea Worker capsized overnight Tuesday due to harsh weather. As of Wednesday morning no pollution had been detected from the vessel.

The offshore wind service provider said focus remains on preventing any oils or fuels from leaking from the vessel. The company has the vessels Esvagt Connector and Emile Robin on-site and following the situation. Also the pollution control vessel Gunnar Seidenfaden is on standby in the Port of Hvide Sande and ready to respond if needed.

A2SEA added that the next step is the removal of all oil and fuels from the jack-up as soon as weather permits.

The capsizing comes exactly one week after the Sea Worker ( A offshore wind farm jack-up barge has grounded in the North Sea off Denmark after its tow line parted in heavy weather.

Offshore wind market service provider A2SEA has confirmed that its jack-up barge Sea Worker ran aground early Wednesday morning off the coast of Nymindegab, south of Hvide Sande in Denmark.

The jack-up broke free from its tug in heavy weather during a transit to Esbjerg and began drifting towards shore.

All crew members onboard were evacuated by a lifeboat from Hvide Sande prior to grounding. No injuries were reported.

Sea Worker is a modern jack-up barge specially equipped to operate in the offshore wind sector, according to A2SEA’s website.),ran aground off the coast of Nymindegab, south of Hvide Sande, after breaking free from a tug during a transit to Esbjerg. In that incident, all workers were were evacuated by a lifeboat without injury.

It is unclear if today’s capsizing is at all related to last week’s grounding. 

Disney to cruise Norwegian fjords

By Jerry Limone

Disney Cruise Line will for the first time sail the Norwegian fjords on three cruises departing Copenhagen, Denmark, in June 2015.

A seven-day cruise on the Disney Magic visits Stavanger, Alesund, Geiranger and Bergen, Norway. A nine-day cruise calls at the same Norwegian ports, plus Molde and Olden.

An 11-day cruise includes calls in Kristiansand and Stavanger, Norway; Akureyri and Reykjavik, Iceland; and Torshavn, Faroe Islands. The cruise ends in Dover, England. The Reykjavik call is an overnight visit.

In addition to the Norwegian fjords itineraries, Disney is returning to the Baltic for all-new itineraries, including sailings from Copenhagen to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Cruises to the Mediterranean, Alaska, Caribbean and Bahamas also are also in Disney’s summer lineup.

Bookings open to the public on March 27.

Carnival Legend- Review Baltic Cruise- Dover to St. Petersburg.

Carnival Legend- Review

Baltic Cruise- Dover to St. Petersburg.

My Cruise photos can be seen on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/45642696@N07/sets/72157635095801316/ 

We had sailed on 4 other companies (Costa, Royal,NCL and MSC) and between us have all ways said that there are good points and some great points in all the companies, example we like NCL Freestyle Dining, and MSC style, so joining Carnival Legend for the first time from Dover was going to be an experience, the check-in at Dover was the best we have ever had, we were on-board having a wee dram by 11am, that was a first for us. Legend is an exact layout as the Costa Mediterranea which was our first ship, happy memories. She is a lovely ship which needs a dry dock which she is having i Jan 14 (I think) before going down under, just to spruce her up a bit.

The food in the main dining room was excellent with always a Didja Ever option on the menu, which we enjoyed trying that something different such as Alligator, Frogs Legs, and Snails. The service was very good and a waiter dance at 7:15 in the evening, which they grabbed a willing volunteer in my wife, she enjoyed it and i enjoyed videoing the show for evidence and later brownie points when needed.

The show's where the best we had seen on any cruise before, the dancers were fantastic, and the singers were top notch. Head of Entertainment John Heard was an excellent compare, and was always willing to chat when seen around the ship. the entertainers around the ship were average and we have seen better on the Norwegian Jade, there seemed to be too many quiz's and not enough music.

The tours were well organised and seemed to be a fair price considering the tours of St. Petersberg and a train trip to Berlin.

The shops on board were the normal offerings such as a Logo/tee shirt shop, a sweet shop, and a top end Jewellers. The photo gallery was the largest selling the mandatory on-board pics, places of interest pics, and a camera and accessory section.

Overall I would not hesitate to join a Carnival Cruise again, and we enjoyed the company of our fellow passengers, especially those pesky Canadians, who we keep in-touch with. Thanks to all who served and cleaned up after us.

If anyone who sailed on the same Baltic Cruise as us, we were the Stars of the cruise from the Welsh Non-Romantic Couple.