TUI: Thomson to Get Mein Schiff 1 and 2

TUI Group reported today interim results for the first six months of its fiscal year, ending March 31 2015, including news regarding the Mein Schiff 1 and 2, which are heading to Thomson Cruises in the near future.

Cruise delivered a "significant increase" in profitability for the company, according to results.

“Hotels and Resorts is performing well and Cruises continues to grow, with the launch of Mein Schiff 4 this June and improved fleet performance by Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten,” said Chief Executives of TUI Group, Friedrich Joussen and Peter Long,

Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten delivered a significant turnaround based on an improved operating performance, said the company, while TUI Cruises continued to deliver growth with an improvement of €15m year on year following the successful launch of Mein Schiff 3.

The report also stated: "In the framework of exercising our purchase option it was agreed that Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 will be moved to Thomson Cruises in the next few years in order to continue the modernisation of the UK cruise operations. These two steps will complete our growth and modernisation roadmap in the cruise segment."

Thomson is already scheduled to get the Splendour of the Seas next spring, and will retire the Island Escape later this year.

Thomson Cruises to add Royal Caribbean ship to fleet

Thomson Cruises’ fleet is to be boosted next year with the addition of a Royal Caribbean International ship.

The US cruise line is to sell 1,830-passenger Splendour of the Seas to Tui Cruises for an undisclosed sum.

The 69,130-ton vessel, which first entered service in 1996, will then be leased to Thomson Cruises.

The deal will see Splendour of the Seas operate its last sailing for Royal Caribbean on April 4, 2016, before being transferred to Tui.

Royal Caribbean Cruises chairman and CEO Richard Fain said: "Splendour of the Seas debuted in 1996 and has served Royal Caribbean International extremely well.

"The ship's sale is in line with our strategic objective of divesting ourselves of older hardware."

The ship will complete its scheduled cruises before being transferred and no sailings will be altered or disrupted due to the sale, according to the company.

Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley said: "Splendour of the Seas has been a treasured member of the Royal Caribbean International family since she entered service.

"She has offered countless guests memorable vacation experiences and we look forward to continuing to provide the same Gold Anchor Service our brand is known for right up to the last sailing."

All officers and crew will remain with the company and will be transferred to other vessels.

The ship will be the largest in the Thomson Cruises’ fleet, featuring a rock-climbing wall, nine hole mini golf course, indoor swimming pool, eight bars and lounges and multiple dining options.

Itineraries are due to go on sale at the end of next month.

Thomson Cruises managing director Helen Caron said: “We’re very excited to be welcoming the ship to our fleet next summer.

“This is the first step in our fleet modernisation and transformation strategy and will bring an enhanced offering to our customers with more balcony cabins than ever before, a wider choice of suites, an increased number of dining options and extra entertainment and activity facilities. We are confident that our customers will enjoy sailing on the new addition to our fleet.”

Tui Group strategic platforms chief executive Sebastian Ebel said: “Tui Group is pleased to have been able to secure the purchase of this ship.

“Following the recent announcement of our purchase of luxury cruise ship Europa 2 for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, this continues to demonstrate our long term strategy of investing in our cruise operations as one of our key product areas.”

Royal Caribbean coming back to Dubai

By Jerry Limone

Royal Caribbean will return to Dubai in the winter of 2015-16, homeporting the Splendour of the Seas in the United Arab Emirates city.

The 2,076-passenger Splendour will sail 16 roundtrip cruises from December 2015 through March 2016. The ship will call in Abu Dhabi and the Oman cities of Muscat and Khasab.

Royal Caribbean departed Dubai after the 2012-13 winter season, citing decreased demand.

Helen Beck, Royal Caribbean’s regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the development of the Cruise Arabia alliance was “a welcome step in continuing to promote the economic and touristic benefits of cruising, and I’m sure the season will be very successful.”

The alliance was formed earlier this month to promote Persian Gulf cruising. The partners in the alliance are Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman.

Royal Caribbean Photos Shared; Thank you

Royal Caribbean Photos Shared; Thank you

We love to share your Royal Caribbean photos every Friday and give everyone a quick "mental escape" to look at some stunning photos.  We want your photos too, so send us your best Royal Caribbean photos to share with the world.

This week, we will begin with a photo from Michael Poole who has this photo from Coco Cay that he took in fall 2012.  A day at Coco Cay sounds like the perfect escape right about now.

David Caffey took this photo of Freedom of the Seas last week in St Thomas while he was on the Disney Fantasy.  Don't worry David, we will let this little transgression of cruising with another line pass because of this great photo.

Next up is a photo from Lisa Perillo and it's of Split Croatia while being tendered back to Splendour of the Seas from May 2013.  I'd be lying if I said I knew how to say "beautiful" in Croatian but it's a great view!

Connor sent in this photo of looking up at the elevators on Oasis of the Seas.  I never get tired of impressive views like this one.

Here's a photo from Don Harlan of the USS Arizona's oil leak while on his Pearl Harbor Tour excursion from Rhapsody of the Seas.  Don described this photo as "72 years, eerie & somber".  I completely agree.

Lastly, we have this photo from Marnette Severance of Enchantment of the Seas in December 2012, after their third and last cruise on her before she left Baltimore.  

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos this week.

Europe's Royal Mediterranean

Mediterranean Deployment

Eight ships are set to sail in Europe next year

By Marilyn Green

Liberty of the Seas will head to the Mediterranean in 2014. // © 2013 Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International recently announced that Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Splendour of the Seas will sail the Mediterranean in 2014, in addition to the Northern Europe deployment of Independence of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas. The move means that the cruise line will have a total of eight vessels in Europe next year. Bookings opened for these sailings are currently open.

Most of the 2014 Europe fleet will have undergone Royal’s revitalization program, delivering an expanded array of dining options from the casual dining Park Cafe, Boardwalk Dog House and Rita’s Cantina to the Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse, the new Viking Crown Lounge with a menu of appetizers in a reconceptualized modern club atmosphere, Izumi Asian Cuisine and the Chef’s Table.

The recently revitalized ships also feature Wi-Fi throughout the vessels, digital signage, flat-panel televisions in newly refreshed staterooms and a poolside, oversized LED movie screen. Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas each have a FlowRider and cantilevered whirlpools, as well as Europe’s only ice-skating rinks at sea, which are also onboard Navigator of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.

Cruisers six to 36 months old can enjoy the new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, while three to 11-year olds are led by college-accredited counselors in educational and entertaining programs developed with Fisher Price in the complimentary Adventure Ocean program. Teens have their own dedicated lounge and activities such as learning to mix music in Scratch DJ sessions or the teen-only rock-climbing wall and FlowRider surf simulator sessions.

On Splendour of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Legend of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas, guests can enjoy the new retro-hip R Bar as performers perform the new aerial-acrobatic Centrum Experience performed throughout more than four decks of the ships’ atriums. Guests aboard Liberty of the Seas can take in the Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever by night.

Liberty of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Barcelona on a seven-night, Western Mediterranean itinerary, calling at Provence (Marseilles) and Nice (Villefranche), France; and Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples/Capri, Italy; the Aug. 10 sailing calls at Cannes instead of Nice. A four-night, roundtrip itinerary departing May 14 will offer vacationers a taste of the Freedom-class experience, with a call at Nice and Florence/Pisa. An eastbound trans-Atlantic sailing on May 1 and westbound on Oct. 26, both 13-night itineraries, will bookend the Europe season.

Navigator of the Seas will homeport in Rome (Civitavecchia) to sail a seven-night Eastern Mediterranean itinerary, which calls at Sicily (Messina), Italy; Athens (Piraeus) and Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece; and Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey. The seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise, sailing roundtrip from Sicily (Messina). A May 4, 15-night Galveston to Rome cruise or Nov. 9, 14-night Barcelona to Galveston sailing take guests trans-Atlantic. 

Nine to 12-night Italy, Greek Isles and Turkey cruises sail from Barcelona from May through August, and Venice from late August through October. From Barcelona, Serenade of the Seas will alternate 12-night Mediterranean Greek Isles and Mediterranean Venice itineraries, the latter featuring an overnight in Venice. From September, Serenade will homeport in Venice and alternate 10-night Greek Isles and 11-night Greece and Turkey itineraries. A 16-night trans-Atlantic cruise from New Orleans to Barcelona sails on Apr. 26.  Vacationers also can choose a nine-night eastbound sailing from Barcelona to Venice on Aug. 27 and a 10-night westbound return on Oct. 27.

Splendour of the Seas will homeport in Venice for its entire Europe season and alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek Isles & Turkey itineraries. The ship will reposition from Sao Paolo, Brazil, to Barcelona for a 14-night trans-Atlantic voyage on Apr. 25, and then start its Europe season with an eight-night Italian Mediterranean and Adriatic itinerary from Barcelona to Venice. Splendour concludes its Europe season with a seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Barcelona on Nov. 15, before returning to Sao Paolo on Nov. 22 on a 15-night westbound trans-Atlantic itinerary.

Royal Caribbean Int'l reducing Europe deployments

By Johanna Jainchill

Royal Caribbean International will reduce its ships deployed in Europe next year to eight, down from 12 in 2012.

This year, the cruise line will operate nine of its 22 vessels on the Continent; 2014's one ship reduction will be the Vision of the Seas, which will operate in Northern Europe this year but not next. Royal Caribbean has not yet announced the vessel's 2014 deployment.

In Europe next year will be the Liberty of the Seas, the Navigator of the Seas, the Serenade of the Seas and the Splendour of the Seas in the Mediterranean, and the Independence of the Seas, the Adventure of the Seas, the Brilliance of the Seas and the Legend of the Seas in Northern Europe.

Next year's Northern Europe cruises opened for booking this week; the line's Mediterranean cruises go on sale March 28.