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NCL reveals spa and dining offerings on newest ship
Norwegian Cruise Line has revealed details of the dining and spa facilities on its latest ship Norwegian Aura, which launches next May.
The Prima Plus Class vessel is the line’s largest ship and will be able to host 3,880 passengers in 1,970 cabins.
It boasts the industry’s “most expansive” thermal suite, featuring 15 wellness experiences, and NCL’s first specialty restaurant dedicated to Indian cuisine, called Tamara.
The Panorama Room on deck six features LED displays, synchronised lighting and visuals that evolve throughout the day and evening, “transporting guests through ever-changing landscapes, artwork and scenic environments as they dine”.
Other restaurants, bars and lounges have been redesigned and repositioned to create more space.
Gary Anslow, vice-president for the UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa, said: “Norwegian Aura is all about giving guests more of what they love, with spaces and experiences that make vacations feel even easier.
“From Tamara, our new Indian specialty restaurant, which expands the already guest-favourite eatery in Indulge to an elevated culinary offering; to The Panorama Room’s immersive dining experience and our most expansive Thermal Suite to date, every addition has been purposefully designed to give guests more freedom, choice and opportunities to relax, recharge and enjoy their vacation their way, without compromise.”
The Mandara Spa, which includes the thermal suite, also offers a sensory rain pool, said to be the first of its kind at sea.
The 360-degree experience transforms from calm waters to a tropical rainfall and eventually a dramatic thunderstorm, with simulated lightning effects and the sounds of rolling thunder.
The culinary programme includes 22 food and beverage options spanning more than 10 distinct cuisines.
Norwegian Aura will also feature Ocean Heights, an activity zone for parents and kids.
It will offer six slides, the 82-foot Aura Ropes Course, a multi-level obstacle course, Moon Climber, and Aura Midway featuring carnival-style games and a nine-hole mini golf course.
The ship will first set sail in Europe with a seven-day Mediterranean voyage from Trieste to Barcelona on May 21, 2027, followed by a 13-day transatlantic voyage to Miami.
In the summer of 2027 as well as the summer of 2028, Norwegian Aura will sail seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyages. During winter 2027-28, Norwegian Aura will offer week-long Western Caribbean voyages.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) floated out the Norwegian Aura during a ceremony held on April 16 at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
Now that the external hull construction is complete and the ship has touched water for the first time, work will continue on the ship’s interior development, according to a statement.
“Norwegian Aura’s float out is a proud and meaningful moment for our entire team. She builds on the legacy of our award-winning Prima Class while taking our commitment to thoughtfully designed guest‑first experiences even further,” said NCL President Marc Kazlauskas.
“Created in close partnership with Fincantieri, the ship is purposefully constructed to deliver an elevated, multi‑generational vacation experience, with expansive outdoor spaces like Ocean Heights, that bring families and friends together for fun-filled days.”
Nearly 1,130 feet long and weighing approximately 170,000 tons, the ship will feature over 1,970 staterooms accommodating around 3,880 guests at double occupancy.
“Norwegian Aura’s float out marks a highly symbolic and operationally significant milestone in our shared journey with Norwegian Cruise Line,” noted Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division.
“This vessel reflects the strength of a long-standing partnership and our ability to turn design vision and innovation into tangible solutions, helping to redefine onboard experience for future generations of guests.”
The Norwegian Aura will set sail on her maiden voyage on May 21, 2027, with a seven-day Mediterranean voyage departing from Trieste, Italy and calling to ports in Italy and Malta.
After that, she will embark on a 14-day transatlantic crossing to the United States.
Starting June 10, 2027, she will homeport in Miami and offer seven-day voyages to the Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean during her inaugural season.
Costa World Cruise Departs from Trieste on Deliziosa
Costa Cruises announced that its 142-day World Cruise sailing departed on Friday from Trieste (Italy) aboard the Costa Deliziosa. The sailing will conclude on April 11, 2026, in Trieste.
The company said in a press release that the sailing will offer guests its most extensive world cruise ever, featuring over four and a half months of sailing to discover 51 destinations in 33 countries. The voyage will cross five continents and three oceans.
In 142 days, the Costa Deliziosa will complete a circumnavigation of the globe, sailing westward. From Italy, the ship will cross the Mediterranean and Atlantic to the Caribbean, visiting France, Spain, Morocco and the Canary Islands before reaching Barbados.
After transiting the Panama Canal, the ship will explore the heart of Latin America, including Peru, Chile and Easter Island.
The itinerary continues across the vast Pacific Ocean to the Pitcairn Islands, French Polynesia, the Samoan Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, as well as Australia.
From there, the route heads north to Papua New Guinea and Japan, including Tokyo, Kobe and Nagasaki, then onward to South Korea.
Sailing west again, guests will visit Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia.
The ship then sails to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius, and then heads to Southern Africa.
Costa added that it will offer a rich program of land experiences, with over 200 shore excursions. Iconic highlights include Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat and Victoria Falls.
Guests will celebrate Christmas and New Year on the festively decorated ship, with dedicated shows and musical parties, and the ship will offer an international culinary offering created exclusively for the World Cruise.
Each week, Costa’s Michelin-starred chef partners will serve a signature dish. There will also be entertainment inspired by the cultures of visited countries, themed lectures and wellness spaces.
Costa will offer two world cruises departing in 2026: In October, the Costa Serena will depart from Tokyo to Buenos Aires for a 66-day world cruise across Asia, Oceania and South America.
In November, the Costa Deliziosa will return with an exclusive 139-day itinerary featuring destinations in North America, Hawaii and the private island of Half Moon Cay.
Oceania Cruises Floats Out New Ship Allura In Italy
Oceania Cruises celebrated the float out of its new ship, the Allura, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri Ponente, Italy.
The 1,200-guest ship was floated from the drydock and moved to the fitting-out berth to begin outfitting interiors, the company announced.
The Allura was blessed by the shipyard’s chaplain, Father Stefano and christened by Caterina Romeo, a designer in Fincantieri’s technical department.
“Our hearts and minds are with the entire team at Fincantieri as they mourn the passing of General Graziano,” stated Frank A. Del Rio, president of Oceania Cruises.
“The float out is an important moment for all at Oceania Cruises and Fincantieri, as we progress closer to Allura joining our family. Now that we have completed her shell, we are excited to get started on her interior. We have lots of exciting enhancements on Allura, our eighth vessel, further elevating our offerings and firmly cementing Oceania Cruises as the only ultra-premium cruise brand.”
The Allura will enter service from Trieste, Italy, on July 18, 2025, sailing to Athens, Greece, and visiting Rijeka, Croatia; Ravenna, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Kotor, Montenegro. After her summer season in the Mediterranean, the Allura will sail to Canada and New England for a series of voyages in North America before her inaugural winter season in the Caribbean, homeporting in Miami.
MSC Splendida Restarts Cruising and Welcomes Back Guests
The MSC Splendida has become the latest MSC Cruises ship to restart summer sailings with her seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Mediterranean from the northern Italian port of Trieste.
Calls are to Ancona, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Bari, Italy; the Greek island of Corfu and Kotor in Montenegro or Split in Croatia before the vessel returns to Trieste with embarkation available in each of the Italian ports, according to an MSC press release.
Four daily transfer shuttles for MSC Cruises guests will run from Venice’s Marco Polo airport and one from the city centre to the cruise terminal in Trieste offering a convenient service for embarking guests who have flown to Italy from Europe. Prices per person are Euros €25 one way and Euros €50 return, according to the company.
The MSC Splendida represents the company’s fifth ship to resume cruise holidays this summer. The MSC Grandiosa and MSC Seaside are sailing in the West Mediterranean, the MSC Orchestra is operating in the East Mediterranean and the MSC Virtuosa is cruising in the UK for British guests only.
The MSC Magnifica will resume sailings on June 20 from Italy for voyages in the East Mediterranean, the MSC Seaview will restart on July 3 from Kiel in Germany for sailings in the Baltic Sea to Sweden and Estonia followed by MSC Seashore making her maiden sailing from the end of July in the West Mediterranean.
Another Costa Cruise Ship Back in Service, Luminosa Sails from Trieste
The Costa Luminosa is back in service for Carnival Corporation's Italian brand as the ship today sailed from Trieste, becoming the company's second ship to resume operations in 2021 after the Costa Smeralda reentered service earlier this month from Savona.
The Luminosa will offer Adriatic Sea itineraries and also call in Greece as part of Costa's four-ship sailing plan for summer 2021, all operating under the company's Costa Safety Protocol.
In addition to Trieste, Costa Luminosa's one-week itinerary includes visits to Bari and Corfu, Athens, Mykonos and Katakolon/Olympia. The deployment is scheduled through mid-November, totalling 27 departures.
Costa Luminosa’s restart was celebrated in Trieste by Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti, together with several key figures, including the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza; the Councilor of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Pierpaolo Roberti; the Captain of the Trieste Coast Guard, Vincenzo Vitale; and the CEO of Trieste Terminal Passeggeri, Francesco Mariani.
"With the restart of the Costa Luminosa, we are finally bringing cruises back to the Adriatic Sea and Greece, one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations, and reviving a sector of great importance to the economy of many European countries, including Italy, as well as the eastern part of the Mediterranean,” said Zanetti.
“Just to illustrate the importance of this restart, before the pause caused by the pandemic, our company generated an annual economic impact of almost €13 billion in Europe, creating over 63,000 jobs. We are particularly pleased to be resuming from Trieste, a city that has always welcomed us warmly, and which will be the home port of Costa Luminosa not only this year but also in 2022. We look to the future with optimism, and we are working to make Trieste even more strategic for cruises, promoting sustainable development and a quality guest experience," he added.
Next for Costa, on June 26, the Costa Deliziosa will restart with week-long cruises in Greece. July 4 will see the departure of the Costa Firenze with one-week cruises in Italy.
In addition, starting on July 3 Costa Smeralda will begin sailing in international itineraries, with one-week cruises in Italy, France and Spain.
“Trieste welcomes the return of the Costa Cruises ships. In recent years we have developed a very important collaboration with the company that guaranteed a regular presence of Costa ships in our beautiful city. Trieste is a city with a tourist vocation and the return of Costa rewards us for the work we are doing, but above all, it means that tourists are back,” said the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza.
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.
Costa Cruises restart plan includes two new itineraries for Italian guests only, sailing to only Italian ports. Guests will only be allowed off the ship on organized shore excursions from Costa.
From September 6 to September 27, the Costa Deliziosa will depart every Sunday from Trieste, with calls in Bari and Brindisi in Puglia, Corigliano-Rossano in Calabria, Siracusa and Catania in Sicily.
On September 19, the Costa Diadema will leave from Genoa and call at Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Palermo, Cagliari and La Spezia.
"With the aim to allow guests to better enjoy their holidays while respecting the safety of guests, crew and local communities, the company has developed the Costa Safety Protocol for its fleet," the company announced. "The Costa Safety protocol is a comprehensive set of measures and procedures in response to the COVID-19 situation, relating to all aspects of the cruise experience, both onboard and ashore. Supported by a panel of independent scientific experts in Public Health, the Costa Safety Protocol is consistent with the health protocols defined by the Italian Government and European (EU Healthy Gateways) authorities. The protocol will be constantly updated based on the evolution of the scenario and medical knowledge."
Near-record flooding has temporarily closed Venice to cruise passengers.
Cruises that had been scheduled to stop in Venice have been rerouted to Trieste or Ravenna, CLIA Europe spokesman Martyn Griffiths said.
Tides six feet above normal have left many parts of Venice underwater, beached water taxis and boats along the quays, and damaged many tourism businesses and sites.
Cruise calls were rerouted at the request of the operators of the cruise terminal in Venice, Griffiths said. The terminal is open and being used as a transfer point for passengers if needed. For the moment, it is also being used as a shelter for Venice residents displaced by the flooding.
No ships are expected to call in Venice before Nov. 21, Griffiths said.
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.
MSC Cruises latest new generation ship MSC Seaview was floated out at the Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy today.
The 5,179-passenger vessel is the second ship in the Seaview class of ships and is part of a €9 billion, ten year investment plan.
Sister ship MSC Seaside is due to enter service in November following MSC Meraviglia in June.
MSC Seaview is set to join the fleet in June 2018 with an inaugural season in the Mediterranean before transferring to Brazil for winter 2018-19.
Chief executive, Gianni Onorato, said: “We are truly leading the way with our ship designs, as each new class of ships that we bring into service is rooted in meeting the needs of holidaymakers of different ages, demographics and holiday desires.
“With MSC Seaview, in particular, our vision has been inspired by our passion for the sea and we are appealing to guests who are seeking the classic elements of a holiday – sun and sea – taken to the next level with a one-of-a-kind fully immersive and interactive seaside experience even whilst cruising at sea.”
Executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “The float out of MSC Seaview is another significant milestone in the expansion of our fleet.
“She is part of a ten year investment plan that will have already seen the delivery of six new ships by 2020.
“We are already the market leading cruise brand in the Mediterranean and Europe and the deployment of MSC Seaview in this key region will help us further push boundaries by bringing one of the most innovative cruise ships to an area that we are deeply committed to and is a cornerstone of our business.”
MSC Cruises has celebrated the ‘float out’ of its newest ship MSC Seaside as UK sales show 'strength'.
The first of the cruise line's new Seaside-class ships transferred from dry to wet dock at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard in Trieste, Italy, at the weekend.
Speaking at the event, UK managing director Antonio Paradiso said he was pleased with the strong response the operator was already seeing from the British market.
“This is another exciting milestone in our ambitious expansion plans as we see the second of our 11 next-generation ships entering the final stages of her construction. "MSC Seaside has been specifically designed to provide our guests with a unique onboard experience in warmer regions. "The UK market is very important and we are delighted with the strength of sales for MSC Seaside so far. The Caribbean continues to be an ever popular destination for UK holidaymakers."
The ship, which will launch in December 2017, will homeport in Miami and complete year round sailing in the Caribbean.
At 323 metres long the ship will feature a maximum capacity of 5,179 guests on completion and is the first of two identical ships in the Seaside generation. Her sister ship MSC Seaview will enter service in spring 2018.
P&O Cruises takes delivery of 'step change' Britannia
By Phil Davies
P&O Cruises new vessel Britannia is a "mega step change" for the company, according to chairman David Dingle.
Speaking as the ship was presented to the company by the Italian Fincantieri shipyard near Trieste, Dingle said the ship would propel the line forward to meet the needs of new and returning customers alike.
Before vowing that "Britannia will once again rule the waves", Dingle said: "This not just a ship for Britain, it's a ship for a new Britain. A more vibrant, more exciting Britain."
Dingle congratulated Fincantieri for their hard work and said the partnership between the shipyard and Carnival had helped to shape the cruise industry.
"Cruising has become a vibrant expanding part of the mainstream holiday business and our two businesses, Fincanteiri and Carnival, as market leaders in our different industry sectors, have played a role in this.
"Taking delivery of a ship is just the beginning for now we must attract passengers to Britannia not only this year but for the next 30 years and we will, because we know it's contemporary, groundbreaking ships which attract others into cruising."
He said he believed the new ship would help push the number of UK cruisers to the two million mark, as well as showing that the "UK was an established part of Carnival's continuing growth."
Britannia is the fifth P&O Cruises ship to be built by Fincanteiri, and the largest ship built for the brand.
Carnival Cruise Line will make a return to Europe in 2016 when it launches new ship Carnival Vista.
The news comes after the line announced in May 2013 that it would have no ships sailing in Europe during 2014 and 2015, citing increasing airfares as the reason behind the decision.
New itineraries for summer 2016 on Carnival Vista include Athens, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Izmir, Corfu, Livorno, Marseille, Messina (Sicily), Naples, Rome, Trieste and Valetta.
The ship will have its first European sailing on May 1 and will then have 18 sailings in Europe before moving on to New York in October. The ship's official homeport has yet to be revealed.
The ship will have the first IMAX cinema at sea, as well as new dining options, more alfresco dining and the biggest Waterworks of any Carnival ship. The ship will also have a new Havana pool at the back of the ship, with Havana cabana staterooms available to book.
Mark Tamis, senior vice president of guest operations, said: “I really feel and we do [at Carnival] that this is the greatest ship to date and certainly the best ship to come from Carnival Cruise Line.
“This is about building on past success. This is built of the success of Carnival Breeze and what is rolling out across the whole Carnival fleet.
“We set out to make this our most innovative ship to date. This is about creating connects and a connection to the sea. This ship, like no other ship, brings that all together.“
When the line announced it was pulling away from Europe in last year, the company said it didn’t believe Americans, who make up the vast majority of its passengers, would pay increased airfares to cross the Atlantic.
In May last year, agents were praised for switch-selling customers to book a Caribbean cruise with Carnival rather than a European one.
During a VIP agent trip on Carnival Breeze last year, Lynn Torrent, executive vice-president os sales and guest services, said the line’s bosses were watching the moves being made by other international brands. She said Carnival was sitting back and seeing what other lines were doing in the UK market before making a decision.
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.
Special Report: P&O Cruises has designs on Britain's biggest and best cruise ship
By Lee Hayhurst
Compared to designing and building hotels, cruise ships like P&O Cruises’ new vessel are built at an incredibly fast rate, chief architect Terry McGillicuddy said.
A London-based agency behind some of the world's most iconic hotels will oversee the cruise line's new superliner. Lee Hayhurst found out more at last week's keel laying in Italy
P&O Cruises has broken with tradition and employed a single design team from outside the cruise industry to oversee the development of its next ship.
The UK’s leading cruise operator said its decision to appoint London-based Richmond, a design agency for hotels, reflected its desire to come up with a new concept for a cruise ship.
Traditionally, separate design teams are allocated specific areas of ships, but P&O said it wanted to ensure the as-yet unnamed ship has a better flow.
Carol Marlow, managing director of P&O Cruises, said she had used hotel designers when she worked for Swan Hellenic to create a country club feel.
P&O Cruises is aiming for a contemporary British feel for its new 3,600-passenger ship, the biggest ever built for the UK market and due to enter service in 2015.
Richmond, which has 45 years’ experience of designing hotels, has worked on properties including Four Seasons Baku, InterContinental Park Lane and Langham hotels in London and Chicago.
Richmond’s introduction to cruise came when its spa at the Four Seasons in Hampshire was spotted by a Carnival executive and it was asked to design the spa for Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess.
“We wanted a design very much with British people in mind who have never been on a cruise before,” said Marlow.
“We hope this ship will bring in these types of people. British tastes are moving forward and we are trying to anticipate the future.”
We’ll be introducing British style, says ship’s architect
The enormous drydock in the Fincantieri shipyard near Trieste was largely empty after the keel laying last week apart from the 500-ton chunk of metal that was ceremoniously lowered in. But within just two years, the ship will be cruising the world’s oceans.
“Very rarely can we get a hotel finished in two years, it’s usually four or five,” said McGillicuddy, director of London-based design agency Richmond.
“A ship is a huge build. There are a lot of food, beverage and entertainment areas that a hotel does not have.
“P&O was looking for overall designs throughout the ship to be up to date, and different from ships they have now that have rooms that are individually designed and do not really flow.
“The fact we are a British firm was really important; we will be introducing some British style.”
McGillicuddy said most of the initial design work was completed, with only details of the open deck area to be finalised.
P&O Cruises will be releasing details to build interest in the ship as construction continues.
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