This Blog is for New to Cruise and the well Traveled , on this site we will publish information about Cruise and Holiday information, with some insider stories in the travel press.
The floating out of the Sun Princess, the first of two LNG cruise ships for Princess Cruises, has taken place at Fincantieri’s yard in Monfalcone.
At 175,500 gross tons, the Sun Princess is the largest ship built so far in Italy, as well as the first LNG cruise ship ever built by Fincantieri, and the first dual-fuel vessel powered primarily by LNG to enter Princess’ fleet. LNG is the marine industry’s most environmentally friendly advanced fuel technology and the world’s cleanest fossil fuel, which will significantly reduce air emissions and marine gas oil usage, Fincantieri said.
The Sun Princess will be delivered in Q1 2024 and starts the Sphere class, which includes a sister-ship to be delivered in 2025. They will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and are based on a next-generation platform design.
After months of limited operations in Europe, the brand has been gradually adding destinations and ships back into its active lineup for the past year.
With the Musica kicking off its summer program in the Eastern Mediterranean, all of the fleet’s 19 cruise vessels are now in service again.
Sailing from Monfalcone every Sunday, the 2006-built vessel will offer week-long cruises to the Greek Islands and Italy through November.
Passengers will also be able to board the ship in Bari before sailing to Santorini, Katakolon and Heraklion.
After completing its European deployment, the vessel is set to cross the Atlantic, ahead of a winter program in South America.
Starting in December, the vessel will serve the Argentinean market, with cruises to Brazil and Uruguay departing from the Port of Buenos Aires.
The MSC Musica originally entered service in 2006, introducing a series of four ships known as the Musica Class.
Built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, the 92,400-ton cruise ship can carry 2,550 passengers in double occupancy and features more than 236,800 square feet of common areas.
Among them are five different dining venues, including two main dining rooms and a Japanese speciality restaurant.
The vessel is also equipped with two outdoor pool decks, a large spa, a two-deck theatre, a mini-golf course, a nightclub, a casino, a cigar room and several lounges and bars.
As the second ship to resume service for MSC Cruises this month, the MSC Musica follows the MSC Orchestra.
After a winter season in South Africa, the vessel returned to Europe on June 4, kicking off a summer program in the Western Mediterranean.
Fincantieri Starts Construction of New 'Sphere' Class Ship for Princess Cruises
The steel of the first of two LNG cruise ships for Princess Cruises took place in San Giorgio di Nogaro (Udine) at Centro Servizi Navali, a company specialized in logistics and production of sheet metal for the Fincantieri yards located in northeastern Italy.
The ship will be built in the Monfalcone yard.
At 175,000 gross tons, the “Sphere” vessels will be the largest ships built so far in Italy. They will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on a next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by LNG.
The Discovery Princess, the sixth Royal-class ship built Princess Cruises, floated out today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone.
Interior fittings will now begin, leading the vessel to delivery, scheduled next year for Princess, which is owned by Carnival Corporation.
The 145,000-ton ship is a sister vessel to the Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess, which were all built and delivered in the same shipyard starting from 2013.
The partnership between the Monfalcone yard and Princess Cruises will continue with two next-generation cruise ships. These will be the largest built so far in Italy with a gross-tonnage of 175,000 tons, will accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be the first of the ship owner’s fleet to be dual-fuel powered primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Deliveries are scheduled for 2023 and 2025.
Tuesday, 27 October 2020
MSC Cruises to implement next-generation air sanitisation system
MSC Cruises will be the first cruise line in the world to install a new advanced air sanitization system onboard its ships. The new technology sanitization system, known as Safe Air, will improve the quality and cleanliness of onboard air for all passengers and crew. The Safe Air system will be fitted on MSC Seashore, which is currently undergoing construction at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. The first in MSC Cruises’ Seaside Eco class of ships, MSC Seashore is due to be delivered in July 2021. Safe Air is just the latest in a string of new health and safety measures being implemented by MSC Cruises, following the Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary suspension of cruising.
The Safe Air system based on the technology of UV-C lamps which are type C ultraviolet rays applied in combination with the ship’s air conditioning system. Airflow is radiated at the source with a short wavelength light that hits organic particles and prevents the circulation of air pollutants such as viruses, bacteria, and mould. The system was developed by the Fincantieri’s designers and technicians and the virology laboratory of the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, a leading global research institute headquartered in Trieste, Italy. While MSC Seashore isn’t due to launch until 2021, the cruise line is implementing a host of other strict health and safety procedures in the meantime. Since partially resuming operations on 16 August on MSC Grandiosa, MSC has been following procedures like universal health screening before boarding, temperature checks, health questionnaires, Covid-19 antigen swab tests, and the wearing of face masks. Other aspects of the protocol include enhanced sanitization and cleaning, a social bubble for shore excursions, testing of the crew, enhanced medical facilities, and daily health monitoring.
Extended MSC Seashore to be the longest ship in MSC Cruises fleet
More than 40% of new ship MSC Seashore has been redesigned and enhanced as a “significant evolution and improvement” over its two sister ships.
The differences to MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview include 200 extra cabins, a larger ‘ship within a ship’ MSC Yacht Club and an additional double-deck lounge at the rear.
The latest MSC Cruises’ vessel, due to enter service in June 2021, will have 10,000 square metres of additional deck space with a 16-metre extension to 339 metres, making it the longest vessel in the fleet.
Features include 28 more terraced suites and two suites with private whirlpools.
The expanded MSC Yacht Club will include two new cabin categories – 41 deluxe grand suites and two owner’s suites with whirlpools.
A ‘cluster cabin’ concept for families – where two or three adjoining cabins can be linked to accommodate between six and ten people – will be introduced, while 75 larger cabins for disabled passengers are added.
Two new restaurants are planned alongside a new location for five speciality dining outlets to allow for al fresco waterfront seating on the ship’s boardwalk.
The interior has been redesigned with two central meeting points positioned at the middle and forward part of the ship, as well as specific measures to improve passenger flows.
MSC Seashore will have a bigger casino and 20 speciality bars.
The ship will feature a new design of its aft swimming pool, an enlarged indoor pool and a new waterpark. Clubs for young children and teenagers have been separated from a larger kids’ zone.
A range of environmental protection measures is to be installed including a selective catalytic reduction system designed to help cut nitrogen oxide by 90% through advanced active emissions control technology.
Wastewater will go through a purification and filtration process that transforms it to “near tap-water” quality.
The new-build will also be fitted with shore-to-ship power connections while in port to reduce emissions.
The details emerged at a keel-laying ceremony for the ship at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
MSC Cruises’ executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Today’s ceremony marks another key milestone in the construction of one of our most innovative all-around ships yet.
“Most importantly, MSC Seashore – which will feature the latest and most advanced environmental technology currently available – represents another proof of our long-standing commitment to preserving the environment in our ongoing journey to minimise and continuously reduce the impact of our operations.”
Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono added: “The beginning of drydock works of MSC Seashore, the largest ship so far built in Italy, is for us a source of great satisfaction.
“It is a real challenge in terms of structural and managerial aspects, which powers the impressive workload for the shipyard and the local area.”
Princess and Fincantieri Sign Contracts For Two Ships
Princess Cruises and Fincantieri announced today the signing of the final contracts for the construction of two next-generation LNG-fueled 175,000-ton cruise ships, which will be the largest ships ever built so far in Italy, with deliveries scheduled in Monfalcone in late 2023 and in spring 2025.
This announcement follows the initial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two parties in July 2018.
The vessels will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by LNG, Princess said.
"Princess Cruises continues to grow globally -- adding new ships to our fleet built by our long-time trusted shipbuilding partner, Fincantieri, who brings decades of expertise to these next-generation cruise ships," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises President. "Even more exciting is that these two ships are being designed to include our MedallionClass platform, powered by OceanMedallion, the most advanced wearable device available within the global hospitality industry."
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, commented on the announcement: "This result proves, once again, the trust we receive from the market, which allows us to look to the future with ambition. It honours our great work focused on innovation thanks to which we have been able to offer to the client a record-breaking proposal not only in terms of size. Besides, we firmly believe that a new class of Princess Cruises' ships, one of Carnival Group's top brands, can stem from this promising project. In fact, for Princess Cruises, we have received orders for 21 ships, another unprecedented result in this industry."
Princess Cruises is joining UK sister company P&O Cruises in agreeing to build two large new generation ships.
The new 4,300-passenger vessels will be Princess Cruises’ first to be dual-fuel powered – primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas to cut air emissions and marine gas oil.
The 175,000 gross ton new builds are due to be delivered in late 2023 and spring 2025.
The ships will be based on a next-generation platform “designed to further enhance an already world-class holiday experience”.
They will be the largest by capacity in the US line’s fleet and be built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
The agreement for Princess Cruises’ next-generation ships represents parent company Carnival Corporation’s 10th and 11th LNG-powered vessels.
Specification details for the ship design, along with anticipated features and amenities of this new platform design for Princess Cruises, will be shared in the future, according to the company.
The line’s president, Jan Swartz, said: “This revolutionary platform for next-generation, LNG-powered cruise ships will introduce innovative design and leisure experiences driven by the future holiday and lifestyle trends of our guests – further evolving the already best-in-class Princess Cruises experience we deliver today.
“We look forward to collaborating with Fincantieri to bring our vision for this next-generation premium cruise ship into service.”
Fincantieri chief executive Giuseppe Bono added: “We are proud to extend our long-established partnership with Princess Cruises, a brand we have been tied to since our return to the cruise shipbuilding industry in 1990.
“After so many years, we are ready to enter, together, a new era of this industry, increasingly aimed at reducing even more of our environmental impact.
“We proudly do this with an all-time record project, both in terms of size and technology. We believe that there are no more significant milestones than these to reaffirm our market-leading position.
“This builds upon the solid partnership between our country and Carnival Corporation – the largest foreign investor in Italy – while at the same time building upon our technological strength and increasing employment.”
Princess Cruises has three new Royal-class ships on order with Fincantieri, including its next new build, Sky Princess, which is due for delivery in October 2019. The two other Royal-class ships are planned to enter service in 2020 and 2022.
MSC Seaside offers sights, experiences unlike any other
MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato in the two-story Top Sail Lounge, part of the MSC Yacht Club luxury enclave on MSC Seaside. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
ONBOARD THE MSC SEASIDE -- When executives at MSC Cruises went looking for a design completely different from any other in the industry, they found it gathering dust in a desk drawer at the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
The line's newest ship, the MSC Seaside, was conceived 12 years ago by a visionary Fincantieri engineer, but it languished because no cruise line wanted it, according to MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato.
To start with, the ship's funnel was in the middle, not the back. That alone spooked buyers worried that soot would rain down on sunbathers gathered around the Deck 16 swimming pool behind it.
MSC likens the aft design to a Miami Beach condo. The suites there overlook a broad pool area on Deck 8. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
The design had an oddly narrowed tower of cabins in the back, opening space for a broad, uncovered promenade on Deck 8 and an expansive platform at the very aft where another pool was placed. A pair of glass-walled elevators connected the two pool decks.
When Onorato saw the plans, he knew he'd found something that wouldn't be mistaken for any other cruise ship afloat.
"This is what we wanted," Onorato said.
I had a chance to experience the nearly completed Seaside on a short cruise from Fincantieri's yard in Monfalcone, Italy, to Trieste, about 20 minutes away. I came away thinking that passengers are going to want to try this ship, which is just the response MSC is seeking in its ongoing bid for recognition in North America.
Start with that rear profile, which MSC likens to a Miami Beach condo. It wastes space extravagantly, but it looks very cool. And from my cabin on Deck 15, I could descend to poolside in about 30 seconds.
MSC intends to sail the Seaside in the Caribbean from Miami year-round starting on Dec. 23. The ship has what seems like acres of open space on the top deck, ideal for sun-searchers from cold climates.
Onorato said new exhaust scrubber technologies solve the soot problem. There's a giant LED screen for videos. And the pool on Deck 16 can be covered at night, creating a dance space beneath the tropical stars.
The midship funnel on the Seaside is the starting point for one of the ship's neatest features, a 344-foot zip line that threads riders through two sets of giant hoops before ending on an aft platform.
The four-story atrium features stairs with transparent steps embedded with Swarovski crystals and tiny lights. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
Several waterslides also start on the funnel structure, including one in which passengers ride a board that transmits electronic data, turning it into an interactive video game.
Inside, the design of the Seaside carries on some of the themes of MSC's first year-round North American ship, the MSC Divina. The Seaside has lots of shiny, sparkly metallic surfaces and an assertively neutral colour palette consisting mainly of white, black, grey and beige, with maroon in the carpets.
The levels of a four-story open atrium are linked by stairs that feature transparent steps embedded with tiny white lights and Swarovski crystals. Large LED screens with changing displays adorn the main wall of the atrium.
But the Seaside differs from the Divina, too.
The Seaside's MSC Yacht Club luxury enclave is larger and, unlike on Divina, it includes a restaurant. The two-story Top Sail Lounge has magnificent forward views. (If you're not staying in the Yacht Club, the Seaside has no public views from the bow).
The Deck 16 pool can be covered at night to turn it into a dance floor. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
There's a trio of speciality restaurants (seafood, steak and Asian) on Deck 16, which creates a foodie destination, according to Onorato. The theatre is smaller, but there will be more frequent shows, giving diners the flexibility to eat when they want and still catch the entertainment.
And then there's that promenade, which brings cruisers as close to the water as they're likely to get on a 4,138-passenger vessel.
Inside the ship, one sure-to-be-talked-about feature is the wall of liquid chocolate in the Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar, which sends a sweet fragrance of chocolate wafting through several decks around it.
Although it is not entirely original, I liked the two-lane, full-size bowling alley in the arcade on Deck 7. I also enjoyed the Garage Club, a '50s car-themed room that is a teen club by day and a bar at night.
One thing yet to be determined on the Seaside is whether MSC has tailored the food and service to American sensibilities. Onorato said it has. He said past perceptions of indifferent service and Euro-centric foods are the legacy of a time when the North American market was an afterthought for Geneva-based MSC.
That changed several years ago, Onorato said, and the Seaside will reflect all that MSC has learned about appealing to North American passengers. The reality, he said, is that improvements have been made and should be evident onboard the Seaside.
"Obviously, it takes time for those improvements to be fully acknowledged by everyone," he said.
Carnival Finalizes Contracts to Build Five New Cruise Ships at Fincantieri
MS Koningsdam sea trials. Photo: Holland America A big weekend for the world’s largest cruise company as Carnival Corporation finalizes contracts with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build five new cruise ships costing more than $3.4 billion. The final order adds a fifth ship to a memorandum of agreement between Carnival and Fincantieri announced in December 2015 calling for the construction of just four ships by 2020. The ships include two that will be built for Costa Asia for deployment in China, two for Princess Cruises and one designated for P&O Cruises Australia, with deliveries expected in 2019 and 2020, Carnival said over the weekend. Fincantieri confirmed that the total value of the contracts exceeds 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion). The contracts were formalized during a signing ceremony held Saturday as part of the official handover ceremony for Holland America Line’s MS Koningsdam at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy. The new ships for both Costa Asia and P&O Cruises Australia are expected to be 135,500-ton vessels with the capacity to carry 4,200 passengers. The 143,700-ton, 3,560-passenger ships for Princess Cruises will be the brand’s fourth and fifth Royal-class vessels, featuring the same design used on Royal Princess, Regal Princess and the new Majestic Princess coming in 2017. The five new ships across three brands will be built at Fincantieri’s shipyards in Monfalcone and Marghera, Italy. Carnival Corporation has now taken delivery of two new ships in 2016 – AIDAprima for AIDA Cruises and MS Koningsdam for Holland America Line. Including the five just ordered, Carnival Corporation has a total of 16 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and 2020.
“Today has been especially exciting for our company, our partners and our guests, as we celebrated the arrival of our amazing MS Koningsdam ship and officially signed agreements with Fincantieri to build five new cruise ships for the future,” said Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald at Saturday’s ceremony. “Supporting our goal to exceed guest expectations on every cruise, these new ships will create a whole new level of excitement and opportunity to deliver experiences that our guests will not only remember for the rest of their lives, but will also share with others. Using our strategic fleet enhancement plan to delight our guests is an important part of our measured growth strategy, which includes replacing less efficient ships with newer, larger and more efficient vessels over a very specific period of time.” The finalized contract with Fincantieri is a result of the memorandum of agreement announced by Carnival Corporation and Fincantieri in December 2015, and builds on the larger strategic shipbuilding partnership announced by the two companies in March 2015. Specific ship features and deployment details will be announced by each brand at a future date.
A bowling alley and nine restaurants will be among the amenities aboard the MSC Seaside, the first vessel that MSC Cruises will move directly from the shipyard to the U.S.
MSC CEO Gianni Onorato revealed new details about the 154,000-gross-ton, 4,140-passenger ship during the steel-cutting ceremony on Monday at the Monfalcone, Italy-headquarters of shipbuilder Fincantieri. The Seaside is scheduled to arrive at PortMiami in December 2017.
Among the ship's nine restaurants will be a pizzeria, a seafood house, a steakhouse and a Japanese teppanyaki eatery. The restaurants will be accompanied by 20 bars. The bowling alley will join numerous other entertainment options on the Seaside, including a previously announced elaborate water park with five distinct slides and water features.
The vessel will also be equipped with a variety of eco-friendly features, including an advanced wastewater treatment system and a heat recovery plant that will warm onboard swimming pools, laundry machines and faucets. Passengers, meanwhile, will be able to use cruise cards, RFID bracelets or smartphones to access staterooms, book excursions and shows, geolocate their children and make onboard payments.
The Seaside is one of seven vessels that MSC Cruises either has in production or in the planning stages. The cruise line currently sails 12 ships. One of the vessels under construction is the MSC Meraviglia, for which sales opened on June 22. Holding up to 4,500 passengers, it will sail the Mediterranean beginning in the summer of 2017, embarking from Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona.
Bookings on the Meraviglia are open only to MSC Club members until July 5, when they will open to the general public.
MSC SEASIDE, “THE SHIP THAT FOLLOWS THE SUN”, WILL OFFER YEAR-ROUND CRUISES FROM MIAMI STARTING IN DECEMBER 2017
MSC SEASIDE, “THE SHIP THAT FOLLOWS THE SUN”, WILL OFFER YEAR-ROUND CRUISES FROM MIAMI STARTING IN DECEMBER 2017
Monfalcone, Italy, 22 June – Geneva-based MSC Cruises S.A., the world’s largest privately-owned global cruise line and market leader in the Mediterranean, and industry-leading shipyard Fincantieri, today cut the first steel for its new generation of ship, MSC Seaside.
In a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Chief Executive Officer, Gianni Onorato, along with Fincantieri’s Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono launched the cutting of the first steel of MSC Seaside.
MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Today, we have witnessed the beginning of the work on an extraordinary new ship, MSC Seaside. It is a ship that revolutionizes industry standards, with an audacious and innovative design that brings guests and sea closer. It is also testament to MSC Cruises’ constant focus on innovation, as it is the fifth prototype ship we designed.”
Moreover, MSC Seaside represents a key pillar in a €5.1 billion euro, seven-ship investment plan that will double our capacity by 2022. It also steps up our investment in Italy and marks our return to partnership with Fincantieri, which is something that makes me particularly proud. In fact, the building of the new Seaside ships as well as our other current project with Fincantieri – the €200 million Renaissance Programme – are just one example of how a global organization like MSC, of which MSC Cruises is part, plays a key role in the Italian economy.” Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “This ceremony is unique for our Group and the Monfalcone shipyard. MSC Seaside will be the biggest ship ever built in our shipyards, as well as the first we have ever constructed for MSC Cruises, whose strength - like ours - lies in being a truly global player in its industry. In MSC Seaside we have developed a brand new and highly ambitious project, and we look forward to building it. In two years we will celebrate with MSC Cruises a magnificent ship of which we will all be deeply proud.”
MSC Seaside will be based year-round in Miami to sail a wide range of Caribbean itineraries. In addition, MSC Cruises’ Miami-based cruise operations – which include from autumn 2015 the stunning 139.072 GRT MSC Divina - will benefit from a newly renovated and expanded dedicated berth and terminal at PortMiami, signifying the Company’s strong ambitions in the North American market and to providing guests with a best-in-class quality of services.
Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises CEO said: “For MSC Seaside, we chose a name that speaks of our vision for cruising in warm oceans and hot weathers, the proximity with the sea, the joy of travelling, discovering the wonders of sunny climates in a unique setting. We also call it “the ship that follows the sun” and it will offer a truly remarkable experience for families, sun worshippers and adventurers.”
“Moreover, MSC Seaside will spearhead our campaign to expand our presence in North America. MSC Cruises has the unique opportunity to provide North American guests with an outstanding ‘Mediterranean Style Cruise’ experience, and guests from around the world a unique setting as it will sail to the most sought-after destinations in the Caribbean.”
With a gross tonnage of 154,000 GRT and the capacity for up to 5,179 guests, this new cruise ship will be the largest ever built by Fincantieri. The ship is set to debut in November 2017, and will be christened the following month in Miami – the first time an MSC Cruises’ ship is christened in the USA. Sales for cruises on MSC Seaside will start in November 2015, two years ahead of its inaugural season, to reflect the high demand for this unique product. Large, spacious and designed for the utmost comfort, MSC Seaside will benefit from a bold design and leading-edge technology while boasting a 360° seafront promenade. In addition, the ship will be characterized by the most interactive and originally-designed aqua park at sea with five water slides and attractions for all ages.
The ship will feature cluster cabins for families and groups, luxury suites with private jacuzzis and hanging gardens. MSC Seaside will also boast an enhanced MSC Yacht Club with private solarium, lounge and pool. The public spaces of the ship will feature breathtaking views with a two-deck glass-walled atrium and panoramic exterior lifts. This ship will set a new standard in cruise holidays by seamlessly blending wide family offerings with distinct elegance, with a wide choice of indoor/outdoor dining and bars and beautifully designed entertainment spaces.
MSC Seaside will be one of the most technologically-advanced ships on the market and represents the Company’s focused efforts on providing memorable cruising experiences to its guests. In this endeavour, it partners with multiple global brands that also stand for excellence in their fields. Proof of that can be seen in significant partnerships with global brands Lego and Chicco that further exemplify the Company’s commitment to creating unforgettable holidays for children and families. Another noteworthy partnership was struck with Italian restaurant brand Eataly, which adds high-end Italian cuisine based on exceptional ingredients to the fleet’s rich Mediterranean and international dining offering. An additional key partnership with Samsung saw the development of a pioneering virtual cruise ship experience to enable travel agents to use immersive technology to showcase our unique product to would-be clients.
MSC Seaside is the first of two identical ships on order from Fincantieri, the second of which will be entered in to service in 2018. In addition, MSC Cruises has an option for an additional Seaside generation ship to be delivered by 2021.
MSC Seaside and her sister ship will set new standards for eco-friendliness, featuring Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) systems to remove pollutants and hazardous substances from waste water, garbage treatment plants for highly efficient solid waste management, scrubbers to reduce emissions, antifouling paints, optimized hull lines, propellers and rudders to reduce drag and fuel consumption, but also LED lighting meaning lower energy demand and significantly lower fuel consumption as well as advanced heat recovery plants to feed fresh water, laundry, swimming pools and hot water. In addition, the ship is fully compliant with the Safe Return to Port requirement.
The company, which grew by 800% since 2004, carried 1.67 million guests in 2014 and reported strong financial results with a turnover of €1.5 billion. In addition, MSC Cruises is forecasting an additional 10% growth for 2015.
In other news, also two years ahead of its inaugural cruise, today marks the beginning of sales for cruises on MSC Meraviglia, MSC Cruises other new generation of ship. Set to debut in the summer of 2017, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Cruises’ most agile and innovative ship to-date, will homeport in three cities during its inaugural summer season in the Mediterranean: Barcelona, Genoa and Marseille.
Britannia is a cruise liner constructed by Fincantieri for the British cruise line Peninsular and Oriental (P&O) Cruises. P&O Cruises is owned by Carnival Group, the world's biggest cruise ship operator. The ship was christened in a naming ceremony held in September 2013. The estimated investment for the cruise vessel is £500m (approximately $825m).
The ship will sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to the Mediterranean in March 2015. She can accommodate a total of approximately 5,600 passengers. The inaugural itineraries include a voyage covering the Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands and the Baltic Sea.
The ship will be transferred to the Caribbean during winter, sailing for 15-night fly/cruise itineraries from Barbados.
Carnival awarded the contract to build the new cruise ship to Fincantieri in June 2011. The first steel was cut in November 2012 and her 400t keel was laid in May 2013.
She was launched in Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard in February 2014, and is scheduled to be delivered to her owner in March 2015.
Design details of the Britannia
Richmond International designed the interiors and all of the public areas including passenger cabins, restaurants and entertainment areas. An art collection worth over £1m is displayed onboard.
Britannia will measure 330m in length and 38.4m in width. The length between perpendiculars of the ship will be 306m and gross tonnage capacity will be 142,000t.
The cruise ship will feature 15 passenger decks comprising 1,819 passenger cabins, which will be categorised into suites, deluxe balcony cabins, outside and balcony cabins, inside cabins and 27 single inside cabins.
Entertainment and relaxation aboard Britannia
The most eye-catching and remarkable feature of Britannia's three tier atrium is the Starburst chandelier at the centre.
The ship features a studio, which is a multi-purpose venue for talks, guest speakers, cookery demos, films, plays, game shows and music recitals. The ship has a theatre with an impressive LED backdrop for shows with the slickest production values.
It has four pools including the main pool, featuring pop jets and plenty of space for sun bathing, as well as the Lido Pool, the Riviera Pool, Serenity Pool and Bar at the top deck, and a children's splash area. The top deck also features a range of services and relaxation treatments, such as the Oasis Spa and an alfresco spa terrace surrounded by private cabanas.
A separate space is also available to the guests for dance lessons, night clubs, film bars, a gym and an arena for short tennis, cricket or football games. The Live Lounge will host tribute acts, live bands and stage performances by singers during the day and at night will transform into a nightclub. Similarly, the Crystal Room hosts evening shows, such as cabaret and live music, and transforms into a dance venue at night.
Large facilities are present for children and teens, including a dedicated teens-only pool deck and the Reef children's club featuring a night nursery and activity zone.
The other ten eateries include the Glass House, serving wines by Olly Smith, and Grab & Go outlets providing sandwiches, healthy snacks, salads, grills, pizzas and more.
Another unique feature onboard the vessel is a cookery club, where guests can create their own cuisine with British celebrity chef James Martin.
Britannia's engine and propulsion system
Britannia runs on a diesel-electric propulsion system. The vessel will be fitted with five tier II-type engines supplied by MAN Diesel & Turbo. Two of the five engines are V48/60CR-type and have a power capacity of 14V each, whereas the remaining three are of 8L48/60CR-type. The engines will have a total power capacity of 62,400kW and can cruise at a speed of 22k.
Other features of the ship include two membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater systems supplied by Wärtsilä Hamworthy.
Suzi Perry starts up Britannia's engines at Monfalcone today
The engines onboard P&O Cruises’ Britannia, under construction at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste in Italy, were started up for the first time by Formula One racing TV presenter Suzi Perry. Also on hand were captain of the Britannia, Paul Brown and chief engineer, Sinclair Ross.
When working to full capacity, Britannia’s four engines will generate 62.4 Megawatts or 84,000 horsepower which is equivalent to the power generated by 168 supercars, allowing the 141,000gt ship to cruise at 22 knots.
Britannia’s maiden voyage from Southampton to the Mediterranean is on March 14, 2015.
P&O Cruises took more pre-registrations in one day last week for new ship Britannia than in a whole week for Azura before it launched in 2010.
Marketing director Christopher Edgington said pre-registrations, targeted at past passengers only, allowed clients to put their name down for specific cruises but not cabins.
The maiden voyage, a 14-night Mediterranean cruise departing March 14 2015, was in high demand, as was a 12-night round-Britain cruise in July. They open for sale on March 27.
Speaking at Britannia’s float out - the moment when the dry-dock is flooded and water hits the hull for the first time – Edgington said: “Our past passengers are really excited about Britannia. We have created a ship that is right for them and for people who have never cruised by enhancing our signature features and adding exciting new ones.”
Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar and wine expert Olly Smith, who have venues on other P&O ships, are also part of Britannia’s culinary line-up. Instead of a restaurant, Marco Pierre White is creating dishes for gala nights in the dining rooms,
Hebden Bridge-based agent Louise Hunt, who works for Travel Councillors, won a P&O competition to be Madrina, or godmother, for the float out, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. A bank worker until last year, Hunt admitted she was both nervous and excited. She said: “This is quite surreal, quite incredible.”
Carnival Sunshine metamorphosis was ambitious and complicated
By Tom Stieghorst
The teens are such an awkward age.
Cruise lines, having gone on a building spree in the 1990s, now find themselves with a generation of ships that are too young to scrap but too old to be fully competitive with the latest newbuilds.
One solution to that dilemma emerged last month from the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, where Carnival Cruise Lines sent its 17-year-old Carnival Destiny to be rejuvenated.
After more than two months in drydock, what emerged was a ship so transformed that it had to be given a new name: Carnival Sunshine.
Since May 5, the freshly scrubbed 101,000-ton ship has been doing nine- and 12-day cruises in the Mediterranean. In November, it will transition to its year-round home in New Orleans.
The $155 million makeover was the industry’s most ambitious in more than a decade. It involved 3,000 workers putting in 2 million hours of round-the-clock labor, first to demolish much of the old ship, then to fit it with all the features of Carnival’s Funship 2.0 package.
“This is the most aggressive refit ever attempted in our industry,” Christian Compton, Carnival’s project director for conversion, said in a video documenting the 73-day project.
Complicating the agenda and extending the length of the drydock was Carnival’s decision in March to add $300 million of contingent power and other upgrades fleetwide to make its ships more reliable. Because it was already in drydock, Sunshine was one of the first two ships to get the upgrade.
That added 24 days to its stay in Monfalcone, Italy, and required Carnival to cancel two initial cruises. The Sunshine also came out of the drydock with several of its signature features incomplete and a group of cabins that needed further work to be ready.
On the June 7 cruise, a small number of passengers were bumped and their cabins turned over to contractors who were still finishing parts of the ship. Carnival gave the displaced passengers full refunds and an additional free cruise.
Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said the enhancements complicated what was an already ambitious time frame.
“Needless to say, there were some start-up issues which have largely been resolved,” Gulliksen said.
The Carnival Sunshine is not entirely new. The hull and much of the technical equipment are left over from the Destiny, the world’s largest cruise ship when it was delivered in 1996. But its public spaces have been brought into the 21st century.
Since the Destiny debuted, alternate dining venues have mushroomed on cruise ships everywhere. A notable change to Sunshine is the lineup of new bars and restaurants.
Full-service alternates to the main dining room include Asian, Mexican, Italian and steakhouse offerings. Passengers can also visit a shake shack, a 24-hour pizzeria, a burger joint and a coffee-and-pastries shop.
Dinner at the Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse is $35. Charges at the other venues vary, with some charging for dinner but not for lunch.
The expanded bar lineup includes the RedFrog Pub and its poolside adaptation, the RedFrog Rum Bar; the Blue Iguana tequila bar; the Latin-themed Havana Bar; the EA Sports Bar; the cozy Library Bar; and the Alchemy Bar, which specializes in trendy “molecular” cocktails.
Many of these have been retrofitted onto other, older Carnival ships, but the Sunshine is the first vessel to have all of them together.
The Sunshine also boasts Carnival’s first three-deck version of the adults-only Serenity area, which offers parents and childless guests a place to retreat to for a break from the kids. Carnival introduced the Serenity area to its ships in 2007, 10 years after Carnival Destiny’s debut. Another big change in cruise ship design since then has been extra emphasis on sports. The upper deck of Carnival Sunshine is crowded with courts, courses and table games, including pool, ping-pong and foosball.
The water entertainment is also more highly engineered than it was back in the Destiny’s early days. The Sunshine includes an expansive water park with 40 interactive features, a gigantic drenching bucket, five different slides including the new racing-themed Speedway Splash, and a 334-foot-long Twister slide, the longest on any Carnival ship.
In addition to the public spaces, Carnival also raised the capacity of Sunshine, bumping it from 2,642 to 3,006 by putting another 182 cabins onto the ship.
By making the Destiny over, Carnival not only brought many of its newbuild features to an older ship but did so at about a quarter of the price it would have paid to build a new, 3,000-passenger ship.
One unanswered question is whether this is a model for the future or a one-off project. The largest previous refit in recent times was the 2005 stretching of Royal Caribbean International’s Enchantment of the Seas, which added a 74-foot segment and 151 staterooms to its midsection, after cutting the ship in half. Although the $60 million project was seen as successful, Royal did not repeat it.
Carnival has several ships in the Destiny class, including the Victory and Triumph, which received much unfavorable publicity after its February engine fire. Several cruise observers, including social media commentator Lin Humphries, have suggested that an overhaul and renaming of the Triumph could retire a “tarnished name.”
Asked about a possible overhaul of other Destiny-class ships, Gulliksen said, “At this point, there have been no announcements of any large-scale refurb projects.”
Travel agents in New Orleans, where the ship will take up residence in November, said they are seeing interest in the ship.
Bob Wall, owner of Vacations at Sea, said he had not done much in the past month to promote the Sunshine because of the issues surrounding the Carnival Triumph, but he has nonetheless sold one or two cruises. “We think it will do well here,” he said.
Pat Daly of Cruise & Vacation Specialists in Metairie, La., said, “Most of the people here are very familiar with Carnival. They’re pretty excited that we’ll have a new ship.”
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