Celebrity Cruises orders pair of 2,900-passenger ships

Celebrity Cruises said it has ordered two 2,900-passenger ships from the STX France shipyard in St. Nazaire.

The ships are scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2018 and early 2020.

Celebrity’s most recent ship, the 3,046-passenger Celebrity Reflection, was delivered in the fall of 2012.The line recently agreed to send its oldest ship, Celebrity Century, to a new joint venture in China.

Celebrity's parent, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said the ships are being built under the Project Edge name. RCCL said they will deliver small-ship itineraries with large-ship amenities.

"STX France designs and builds some of the most innovative and stylish cruise ships in the world, and Project Edge offers them the opportunity to again set a new standard for modern iconic architecture,” said Michael Bayley, presdient and CEO of Celebrity.

Contract costs for the ship were not disclosed. With the addition of the two new orders, RCCL said company-wide capacity is scheduled to increase by 2.4% this year, 5.5% next year, 6.7% in 2016, 3.8% in 2017 and 4.3% in 2018.

The 117,000-gross-ton ships will be part of a new class of vessels for Celebrity. the line currently operates five Solstice-class vessels, including Celebrity Reflection, and four Millennium-class vessels.

Celebrity competes in the premium segment with Holland America Line, which has a 2,650-passenger ship called Koningsdam under construction for delivery in February 2016.

P&O Cruises' Britannia starts sea trials

P&O Cruises' £500 million new ship Britannia took to the ocean for the first time yesterday, starting sea trials off Italy.

The vessel, due to be named and launched in a ceremony in Southampton in a March, is the first British ship to have a cookery school, which will be run by celebrity chef James Martin.

The state-of-the-art ship will carry Britain's biggest art collection at sea, a multi-million pound collection of more than 6000 pieces of original artwork.

The sea trails will continue this week before Britannia returns to its shipyard in Italy for final fitting out.

Virgin Group confirms entry into cruise business

By Tom Stieghorst

Virgin Group announced that it has formed Virgin Cruises, making official its rumored entry into the global cruise industry.

The collection of companies run by British entrepreneur Richard Branson is perhaps most well known for Virgin Atlantic Airways. It has also started a hotel brand, with its first U.S. property to open in Chicago.

In its announcement, Virgin said it has hired Tom McAlpin to be CEO. Most recently, McAlpin had been president and CEO of The World, Residences at Sea. He was also part of the founding management team at Disney Cruise Line, and served as its president.

Virgin Cruises will be head quartered in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, the company said. Virgin said it plans to build two “world class” cruise ships.

Details about the timing of Virgin’s start of operations are being withheld for competitive reasons, the company said.
Bain Capital has been named lead investment partner.

“We plan to shake up the cruise industry and deliver a holiday that customers will absolutely love,” Branson said in a statement. "They’ll be sailing on the latest ships offering great quality, a real sense of fun, and many exciting activities all delivered with the famed Virgin service.”

St. Thomas cruise port to expand

By Gay Nagle Myers

St. Thomas is moving ahead with plans to build a new pier at the Havensight cruise terminal, which would enable the busy port to accommodate more ships, including the industry's largest ships.

The Long Bay Landing project calls for two 1,350-foot-long parallel berths that will be divided by a pier. No construction time line has been announced.

Today, mega-ships such as Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class vessels must dock at the Crown Bay terminal when calling in St. Thomas. Crown Bay opened in 2007 with two berths.
 

Of the two ports, Havensight is the busier one. The dock was extended earlier this year so that it could accommodate three ships, but there are times when three berths aren't enough. Ships sometimes have to anchor in the harbor and tender passengers to and from shore when the pier is full.

The Long Bay Landing project will keep the U.S. Virgin Islands competitive with other Caribbean destinations as well as increase government revenue, according to Joseph Boschulte, president and CEO of West Indian Company (WICO), operator of the Havensight terminal.

"We thought long and hard about how this would affect not only our bottom line, but also the territory as a whole. We had to be sure that any new development would not be at the expense of our environment and our community," Boschulte said.

Cruise-related revenue accounts for more than 70% of the Virgin Islands economy.

"We can no longer rest on our laurels, thinking that our islands are the automatic first choice for travelers," Boschulte said. "The competition is tough, and our neighbors have watched both the good and bad choices we have made in order to improve our products."

St. Thomas cruise passengers numbers totaled 1.47 million through September, up 4% over the same period in 2013. Year-end passenger numbers in 2013 came close to the 2 million mark (1.99 million), up 4.9% over 2012.

Phocuswright: Mobile is key battleground, but it’s not all about apps

By Travolution

Image: Phocuswright's Marcello Gasdia

Mobile is now firmly established as the key battleground as the world’s biggest online travel firms fight for dominance.

At last week’s Phocuswright conference in Los Angeles, global giants Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Expedia and Kayak all highlighted mobile as vital to success.

Central to this for online agents and metasearch sites is how they use the mass of data available to personalise the mobile experience to tailor results for customers.

In emerging markets such as China and India the channel is essential as consumers are getting online through mobile first rather than via desktop.

Sam Shank, founder of HotelTonight, the mobile-only last minute hotel booking app, said the OTA role was evolving so that they were becoming more like personal travel assistants.

And Darren Huston, chief executive of Booking.com, the commercial engine of the world’s most valuable online travel firm Priceline, said: “Mobile is critical as a new platform to drive transaction but, more importantly, it’s offered everyone a computer in their pocket.

“People now book the first thing they need in a destination and then wander around with a phone.

“Mobile’s transforming the ability to create really cool end-to-end experiences for our customers.”

Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Expedia, said the OTA was benefiting from a growing travel industry and, in particular, the fast-expanding mobile sector.

Kayak founder Steve Hafner said the Priceline-owned metasearch site’s focus was on improving its app and a “very different experience” would emerge in the next six months.

Facebook global head of travel strategy, Lee McCabe, said travel was trailing other online sectors in terms of the app experience.

“The most important thing is convenience: do not make me work too hard; if it’s a transaction app, let me transact quickly and easily.”

A major open question for travel firms remains whether to favour apps or the mobile web, and Phocuswright produced research among US users suggesting the jury remains out.

Marcello Gasdia, Phocuswright senior analyst, said high level of use of mobile apps suggests they are dominant, but firms should not be too quick to discount the mobile web.

Gasdia said most app use involved three activities: checking emails, social media and gaming, with the amount of time spent in Facebook accounting for half an hour a day on average.

“Travellers are doing very few things in apps, creating the illusion they are taking over the mobile web,” said Gasdia.

Travel app usage, whether it involves a metasearch site, an OTA or a hotel or accommodation review or airline site, accounted for just 1% of daily app use.

TripAdvisor was found to be used by 30% of smartphone owners. Of these, 30% used the app and 18% the mobile website. Only 38% of visitors were app-only.

For OTAs, the research found there were nearly twice as many mobile web users as app users, the former averaging seven page visits per session while apps saw five sessions a month on average.

“App users were not opening these OTA apps every single day. Reach was not as high as we anticipated,” said Gasdia.

The Phocuswright research found even among people known to be actively planning a trip in June, OTA app engagement was low at just one in 10.

More than four in 10 did use an airline app, suggesting a “sweet spot” that was driving app adoption for airlines, said Gasdia.

MSC effort to recast image gets mixed reaction from agents

By Tom Stieghorst

A year after MSC Cruises introduced its MSC Divina into the Caribbean, U.S. travel agents remain unusually divided about whether to sell the Italian-run brand.

MSC has made a vigorous effort to woo agents and change views of the line, which until recently was perceived as having rock-bottom pricing, a European focus and mediocre product quality.

Efforts to change that image include doubling the North American sales force, mounting a 20-city road show for travel agents, paying a 5% commission on amenities not matched by other cruise lines, and introducing a new pricing structure that gives agents more ways to upsell MSC.

Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, public relations and guest services for MSC Cruises USA, said that because of its single-ship presence in North America, MSC depends vitally on agents to deliver its marketing message.

Still, while he said MSC has clearly gained ground in the past year, he also acknowledged that agents were still struggling with how to sell the Divina.

That impression was confirmed in interviews with a half-dozen travel agents.

Shelley Carey, president of Windswept Travel in Plantation, Fla., said she just had a group come off the Divina and the reviews were mixed.

“Half of them said, ‘I’d never go again.’ Half of them said, ‘I got what I paid for,’” she said.

Carey said clients don’t generally ask for MSC because it isn’t as recognized as brands with large fleets, long service records in North America and big advertising budgets.

“We have a hard time here in Fort Lauderdale selling MSC,” Carey said. “It’s a hard sell.”

Some agents are resolved not to sell the line.

“Their service stinks,” said Karin Arden, an agent at MCC Sea Freed Travel in Tampa, who sailed on an MSC ship from Fort Lauderdale two years ago. “The cabins are tiny. The drinks are watered down. The check-in was long. It’s not a line I could ever recommend unless someone asks for it.”

Others back MSC.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to sell them,” said Lena Marroletti, master cruise counselor at Circle Travel in Laurel Springs, N.J., who said she had sailed the Divina within the last year. “It was wonderful. Great service.”

Other cruise lines also trigger mixed responses from travel agents, notably Carnival Cruise Lines. But agents who don’t sell Carnival have typically criticized its low prices or agent polices rather than the product itself.

Price can be an issue with MSC. Al Ferguson, owner of Legendary Journeys in Sarasota Fla., said that to earn a profit on a recent MSC sale, he bundled the cruise with motorcoach transportation to the port and sold it strictly online to minimize agent contact.

“MSC continues to have challenges based on the brand awareness in North America,” Ferguson said.

Still, he counts himself a supporter, calling MSC “a very viable, independent cruise line,” that provides an important competitive check on big, publicly owned rivals. “It’s good for consumers, but it’s especially good for retailers,” he said.

An example of that is MSC’s decision last week to offer 18% commission on groups for the Divina’s 2015-16 season in the Caribbean. No other cruise line pays such a high commission.

In June, MSC launched a short-term promotion that paid 25% on Divina balcony cabins. Measures like that gain goodwill with agents.

Janet Goldman, managing member of Cruise and Travel Partners in Vero Beach, Fla., said she makes an effort to persuade clients to try MSC, inviting those who voice objections to join her for lunch on Divina to see it firsthand.

“They’re trying,” Goldman said of MSC. “They have a good product, but the mistakes of the past are hard to overcome.”

Prior to the Divina, MSC’s tonnage in North America was seasonal and tailored for Europeans. It also had a reputation for being run from its Italian headquarters in Naples, a view that was reinforced in April when it was announced that the Divina would be pulled back to Europe for the summer next year.

Muskat said that despite that decision, the American-style product will remain in place, including menus, smoking restrictions and fewer multi-language public announcements.

He said the line has just hired a manager who is responsible for keeping those changes in place, and the parent company has recently set up a training school for crew hires, a big step in addressing service complaints. Previously MSC trained new crew onboard.

MSC seems to be making some headway on its perceived quality, as judged by a Vacations to Go post-cruise survey of its clients, which found that those who rated their satisfaction with MSC as either excellent or very good had improved from 34.4% in 2012 to 43.4% today.

Muskat said the holdover perceptions of MSC are increasingly outdated and urged agents to give it a try, even if only with a small portion of their business, as a test of the new product.

“The people who are not in our corner are predominantly the ones that sailed with us five or six years ago and have not seen the new things we’ve done with Divina,” he said. “There’s still a lot of consortia that think of us as a one-ship brand or a seasonal brand. We’re really trying to get away from that.”

Cruise lines hone hashtag marketing for new ships

"About to sail on the magnificent #regalprincess WYWH" -- @mickyarison

FORT LAUDERDALE -- The day before the Regal Princess naming ceremony, the excitement that accompanies a ship's inaugural was starting to build. As guests of Princess Cruises stepped off the gangway and into the atrium, they began greeting friends, taking in the sights and sounds and pulling out their cellphones for a few selfies and snaps of the atrium.
For many, the resulting Instagram/Twitter/Facebook post was finished off with the hashtag #regalprincess.

At a table on the atrium's first deck were two passengers with laptops out. One was Sara Dunaj, Princess Cruises' social media manager. The other was Simon Duvall, also known as@simontravels and the host of #CruiseChat, a weekly Twitter chat about cruising.

"The Regal Princess hashtag," he said, "is about to blow up tomorrow."

A few years ago, with the advent of live Web streaming, consumers and agents could witness in real time the special events surrounding a ship launch: the entertainment, the CEO and captain making speeches, the bottle-breaking and the streamers flying.

But today, launching a new ship is a social media conversation, begun years before the vessel actually hits the open seas. A cruise line will begin using a hashtag -- #regalprincess or #quantumoftheseas, to name the two most recently christened ships -- and then seed social media with posts about the construction progress, itineraries and onboard innovations. Bloggers and social media influencers, not to mention the traditional news and trade media and everyday cruise fans, will pick up on the posts and rebroadcast them to their own friends and followers.

The result, cruise executives say, is a boon in terms of marketing for the ship and the brand. The resulting pins or posts, meanwhile, are marketing that will live on as cruisers contemplate a cruise on the #carnivalbreeze or #norwegiangetaway.

"I think at this point, social is ... one of the most important elements of marketing a new ship launch," said Gordon Ho, Princess' chief marketing officer. "So in terms of magnitude, we spend so much time thinking about how our ship launch and marketing activities are going to be social."

"Heading to NY to rejoin #norwegianbreakaway. Anything you haven't seen yet that you'd like a picture of?" -- @nclandy, May 6, 2013, Twitter
Social media "has become a critical aspect of telling a story of a new ship to consumers, to trade," said Andy Stuart, Norwegian Cruise Line's executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. "It's expected. And it's an opportunity to engage with a much broader audience in different ways and across different platforms."

Norwegian took advantage of the siren call of social media in a big way when it debuted the Norwegian Breakaway in New York in May 2013. The line opened up the WiFi networks so they were complimentary to guests, and it invited nontraditional media to the ceremony -- "people only telling the story through social media," Stuart said.

A week after the ceremony, Norwegian and its communications partner, MTN, said that the line had set a "new record" for social media usage at sea during the inaugural events in New York from May 8 to 12.

"The result generated more than 429,755 Facebook visits over the five-day period, and Instagram registered more than 56,862 visits and 1,715 pictures uploaded with the hashtag #NorwegianBreakaway," the companies said. "Guests utilized Twitter onboard, and as a result, Norwegian received a record number of mentions and retweets about the content shared from Norwegian Breakaway."

Duvall said he considered the Breakaway to have been the first big-ship launch to embrace the social media and blogger community by inviting social media influencers onboard and promoting the #norwegianbreakaway hashtag.

"Oasis and Allure of the Seas were the beginning," he said. "It wasn't such a critical piece of it back then. It was the beginning of the trend."

A suddenly dominant tool
If the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, in 2009 and 2010 respectively, were the beginning of the trend, there were several subsequent ship launches, such as from Celebrity or Disney, that showed up on major platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. On the rivers, attendees at the multiship inaugural for Viking Cruises tapped out observations on their phones using the term #vikingchristening.

In June 2012 for the Carnival Breeze launch, Carnival Cruise Lines teamed up with cruise newbie and former "American Idol" contestant Janell Wheeler, who documented a trip to see the ship fresh from the yard on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

Flash forward to November 2014: Media interested in attending the Quantum of the Seas' inaugural cruises in New York last weekend were asked to provide their Twitter handles as part of the preregistration process.

"Our #FiatAtSea campaign is one way we generated buzz to launch #MSCDivina"--@KenMuskat #CSM2014 #cruisemkt" -- MSCCruisesUSA, March 11, Twitter

For its introduction of the MSC Divina to the U.S. market last fall, the MSC Cruises team saw big results from a social media campaign: It loaded a bright red Fiat 500 onto the Divina and tracked the car and the ship as they made their way from Italy to Florida.

Every day, the ship's photographer took a picture of the port -- Malta, St. Thomas -- then sent the pictures out on MSC's Facebook page and on Twitter with the hashtag #fiatatsea. When the Divina entered Miami, it was escorted by a fleet of specially equipped Fiat 500 watercraft cars, with the hashtag emblazoned on the side, that appeared to drive on the water's surface -- a photo perfect for sharing.

"We got so many people talking about us," said Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, public relations and guest services for MSC in the U.S.

Five bloggers were invited the day before the Divina's arrival. The day of the inaugural there was a social media meet-up onboard with a stream of live tweets that ended in fireworks (the fireworks photos went viral, Muskat said). Free WiFi was provided for agents and other guests onboard to share their thoughts and photos.
From Nov. 12 through 23, 2013, the period surrounding the ship's arrival, MSC said the hashtag #mscdivina generated 5,585 tweets and 1.5 million impressions on Twitter. Overall that month, the likes and followers of the line's Facebook and Twitter pages grew 10%.

With an inaugural cruise a brand can only carry as many press, agents and guests as the berths can hold. But Muskat said social outreach is a way to build buzz and reach a global audience in real time. Muskat, a self-proclaimed Twitter addict, said the platform enables him to have a personal relationship with agents.

"And then there's the crew," he added. "They were the first ones tweeting."

"The Love Boat cast is naming #RegalPrincess today! RT if you're dreaming of 'love, exciting and new!'" -- @princesscruises, Nov. 6, Twitter

Last week, as the Regal Princess was counting down to its naming ceremony with the cast of "The Love Boat" and VIP celebrities from the show, the tweets and Instagram posts started flying fast and furious, right down to the posts about getting ready to board and pictures of the ship in Port Everglades.

Selfies with "The Love Boat" cast. Photos of the cabins. The atrium. The spa. The ceremony itself, followed by the fireworks.

Once the ship left port on a short preview cruise, the tweets and photos switched to the sail-away and a day trip to Princess Cays. More food, onboard entertainment, then regretful goodbyes -- an entire cruise to be lived vicariously through social media.

One of Princess' social media goals, Ho said, was to create "stories that are sharable;" for example, the cast of "The Love Boat," who together named the Regal Princess, or the line's new Chocolate Journeys program with chocolatier Norman Love.

"Inherently, chocolate is something that can be shared abundantly," he said.

(I recalled my brief trip to the Regal Princess: Crew had passed out a complimentary cabernet-and-chocolate pairing, and I had instantly -- automatically? -- snapped a picture of my wine glass and chocolate and shared it via Twitter.)

A versatile social toolbox
Each platform offers a slightly different tool.

"On Facebook, we've been focusing on imagery, because it's such an image-driven thing these days," Princess' Dunaj said. "On Twitter, we're able to do a lot more live activity, so that's where we're doing the live tweeting of the event." Instagram, of course, is "entirely visual," and the line created a series of videos to drive buzz for the Regal on YouTube.

A hashtag's activity can be measured by several metrics, including impressions, which means, roughly, the number of times a tweet with a hashtag could have been seen by a person with a Twitter account. Princess Cruises, for example, has 73,300 followers on Twitter, so each time @princesscruises tweets something, that tweet garners 73,300 impressions. On a busy hashtag, it doesn't take long for the impressions number to reach into the millions.

Princess said last week that using analytics that enabled it to search for "#regalprincess," "Regal Princess" or "The Love Boat," from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11 it recorded more than 83 million Twitter impressions. More than 850 photos were hashtagged #regalprincess.

Companies are measuring social media returns on a more long-term basis -- not just one hashtag but several iterations, and not just the hashtags but also what the tweets say.

This enables them not only to respond quickly to a problem or "like" a compliment but also to tailor and refine content to what users want to see.

"I'll be on it on the 18th! YAY!" -- Chris Voegele, Nov. 7, Facebook

"Only a few more days of anticipation, Chris! How excited are you to join us onboard?" -- Royal Caribbean International

The Quantum of the Seas has been billed as the most highly anticipated new ship of the year, so it's not surprising to see a flood of information showing up as a constant stream on the social media "dashboard" on Royal's public relations site.

"It's been four years since we launched a new ship, and the whole online landscape has changed," said Tracy Quan, Royal Caribbean's associate vice president of global corporate communications.

"Right from the very beginning, we knew we had to do it differently than just doing traditional launches; we knew we had to leverage all the social channels out there."

Royal, which has also refined the art of the "reveal" -- i.e., producing a splashy event to draw attention to new facilities or programs onboard -- incorporated social media. For example, company President Adam Goldstein co-hosted a Google Hangout to coincide with the reveal of its Dynamic Dining program (aka #dynamicdining on #quantumoftheseas).
For travel agents, in addition to being able to repost, repin or retweet Royal's public posts, Royal said there have been daily Quantum-related posts on the Facebook page of Vicki Freed, the senior vice president of sales and trade support and service, and Freed conducted a Facebook chat with travel partners earlier this month.

It also houses social media sample copy and images on its LoyalToYouAlways.com trade site for agents to share with clients. A Facebook campaign for the trade is forthcoming.

The line has refined some of its early strategies from the Oasis and Allure debut. For example, on the Quantum debut it's partnering with "experience advisors" outside of the travel industry to extend its reach, such as Michael Schwartz of the Michael's Genuine gastropub on culinary (4,000-plus Instagram followers, to use one statistic), former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones on sports and fitness (75,000 followers on Twitter) and HGTV personality Genevieve Gorder on cabin decor (70,000 likes on Facebook).

"It's not about who we know; it's about who they know, who they reach," Quan said. "So they can just amplify. ... In our bid to always try to expand our audience reach, we want to be able to speak to new-to-cruisers."

It has also continued to post making-the-ship videos to YouTube, but the company has been publishing shorter videos, which Quan said was more in line with viewer preferences today.

On Royal Caribbean International's YouTube channel, a video about the robotic bartender in the Quantum's Bionic Bar had been viewed nearly 10,000 times as of last week; a video titled "All New Technology Onboard Smartship Quantum of the Seas" posted in August has been viewed more than 42,000 times.

Quan said the videos serve two purposes: to satisfy media and consumers who are hungry for new content and also to serve as story ideas.
"If we talk about the behind-the-scenes on the making of the Bionic Bar, we get media who wouldn't typically cover us, like the tech media, approaching it," she said. "How did we come up with the concept? How did we come up with the development?"

And of course, during the ship launch this weekend the line threw down the barriers to the wireless network to enable all who sailed onboard to Facebook, Instagram, tweet, Vine and pin to their hearts' content.

Halo effect

Stewart Chiron, aka the Cruise Guy (@cruiseguy) and the owner of Leisure Pros, was one of the social media aficionados fresh off the #regalprincess who last week was readying for #quantumoftheseas.

"Social media is so vitally important to businesses today to get your messages out and communicate with people," he said. The Quantum, he said, "is going to have a halo effect. It is going to be able to showcase what cruising is all about."

J.D. Andrews, a travel videographer and photographer who goes by @earthxplorer, said that when he's onboard, he "constantly" posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with his phone (and shares more "professional" photography on his website, earthxplorer.com, when he gets home). He doesn't have a minimum or maximum number of posts or a concrete plan. "The only 'plan' I've ever had is to share my adventure, the things that I find fun and interesting," he wrote in an email.

Andrews, who said he had been using social media since 2007, said he loved the interaction with followers: "they can ask me questions in the moment, and if I don't know it's easy enough to find them the answer."

He said he thought that change has come to the cruise industry. "It seems that, finally, each cruise line has come to their own 'tipping point,' either by necessity or trying to keep up with their competition, and it's about time. It's the only way to post what your company is doing, assist in customer service and share the exciting world of travel directly to your consumer.

"And it's free."

Norwegian Cruise Line snaps up Ocean Princess as part of fleet expansion

Norwegian Cruise Line snaps up Ocean Princess as part of fleet expansion

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has wasted no time in adding to the Oceania Cruises brand it recently acquired as part of its purchase of Prestige Cruises.

The firm has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Princes Cruises to buy Ocean Princess, a 684-passenger ship that will join the Oceania stable.

NCL will not take delivery of the vessel until March 2016, at which point it will undergo a $40 million (£25.4 million) refurbishment in Marseille before becoming the fourth ship sailing under the Oceania Cruises brand, joining Regatta, Nautica and Insignia.

The Ocean Princess is to be renamed Sirena and president and chief executive officer of NCL Kevin Sheehan said the deal ” provides measured capacity growth based on the proven platform of Oceania Cruises’ highly regarded mid-size ships”.

Customers will be able to book their place on Sirena for when it sets sail in April 2016 from March next year and NCL said the extensive refurbishment – set to take 35 days – will “elevate the ship to the Oceania Cruises’ standard of elegance”.

The firm will use the recent refurbishment of the Insignia as inspiration for the facelift and plans to incorporate Oceania’s two speciality restaurants – the Polo Grill and Toscana.

NCL has not yet released details of the routes and destinations and it has in mind for the Sirena, but with Oceania Cruises calling at over 330 points globally it is likely the ship will be well-travelled. President and chief operating officer at Oceania Cruises Kunal S Kamlani said the Sirena addition “opens up an entire array of new itinerary options”.

“The award-winning guest experience delivered on our ships, coupled with a collection of innovative itineraries that cater to new markets, will combine for an alluring siren song for both our current and future guests,” he remarked.

NCL confirmed the purchase of Prestige Cruises – the parent firm of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises – earlier this month. It is paying $3.025 billion for the company and the move means 22 ships – including the Sirena – will be under NCL’s control, with a further four due to be added over the next five years.

Explorer of the Seas damage does not affect safety

The Explorer of the Seas has sustained a bit of damage during a storm, although the Royal Caribbean has said it does not affect the safety of the cruise ship. A large wave smashed into Explorer of the Seas and hit its lifeboats, where one sustained some damage, but seeing as though new cruise ships have more than enough lifeboats, there is still enough for all passengers and crew.

According to Royal Caribbean Blog a huge wave that measured around 40 feet hit the lifeboats on deck four, which you can see an image of above. We would imagine that these passengers were scared when sailing through those rough waters, although it is to be expected at this time of year in certain regions.

We do love a good cruise, but there are areas where we tend to stay away from, choosing to go places where the waters are calmer.

Doors are closed so that water cannot enter the ship during bad weather, but some water managed to get through a sliding door on deck four, which in turn flooded the aft of the deck. Water then came into the Aquarium bar, dining room lobby and flooding down the stairs

There are no reports of injuries and the ship has continued on its normal course.

Carnival Boosting Fleet Capacity

Regal Princess

The world’s largest cruise ship operator Carnival Corporation & plc  said it would increase fleet capacity by nearly 10 percent from 2014 through 2016, fueled largely by the addition of four new ships across four brands in less than 18 months.

This week, Carnival Corporation is christening two new ships in the span of three days as its Princess and Costa brands host official naming ceremonies for Regal Princess and Costa Diadema, the latest new vessels to join the company’s  fleet of more than 100 ships across nine cruise brands.

Additionally, in 2015, the company’s P&O Cruises UK and AIDA brands will each debut a new ship, giving Carnival Corporation a total of four new ship additions by October of next year.

In addition, Carnival Corporation continues to expand its upgrades and refurbishments to existing ships. In 2015, the company plans upgrades or refurbishments on 17 ships across six of its brands.

The 2015 refurbishment plans include two former Holland America Line ships transferred to P&O Cruises Australia that will undergo complete refurbishment before sailing as Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden starting in November 2015.

The renovated ships will be tailored for Australian and New Zealand passengers.

Carnival Corporation’s four new fleet additions in 18 months are part of the company’s plan to introduce nine new ships across seven of its brands between 2014 and 2017.

AIDA, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises UK, Princess Cruises and Seabourn are all expected to debut new cruise ships between now and the early part of 2017.

In 2016, Carnival Cruise Lines will debut Carnival Vista, a 133,500-ton ship that will be the largest ever in its fleet — with the ship being unveiled in a sneak preview in New York in January 2015.

Holland America Line will launch its newest ship, the 99,500-ton ms Koningsdam, a new Pinnacle Class ship that can carry 2,650 passengers.

Also in 2016, AIDA will introduce a new sister ship to the 2015 AIDAprima with capacity for 3,250 passengers, while Seabourn will unveil its newest luxury ship, expected to be the biggest ever built by the brand with the ability to serve 604 passengers.

Looking forward to 2017, Princess Cruises is working with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build a 143,000-ton vessel featuring the highly popular design elements introduced by the brand’s two newest ships, and sisters, the Royal Princess and sisters, the Royal Princess and Regal Princess.

$688m Costa Diadema gets wet and sets sail

November 10, 2014

Costa Cruises has officially christened its new flagship cruise liner Costa Diadema, which is worth $688 million (£433 million).

On November 7th, at Ponte dei Mille in Genoa’s historic maritime station, the ship was officially named and the ceremony began with a parade of the godmother – Italian travel agent Carolina Miceli – and her international maids of honour, who represented Germany, France, Spain and China.

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, who is the archbishop of Genoa and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, blessed the ship while Ms Miceli named the vessel and helped to cut the ribbon to start the celebrations. A three-litre jeroboam of Ferrari Gran Cuvee Trentodoc spumante was opened on the bow of the ship to get proceedings off with a bang.

Fireworks and a light show made impressive viewing outside, while inside there was a gala dinner that had a special menu created by Michelin-star chef Fabio Cucchelli.

Costa Diadema

Once the christening had finished, Costa Diadema started to make its way towards its homeport – the Italian port of Savona –
until the 2015 summer Mediterranean season comes to an end.

It will take passengers on seven-night cruises that call at Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Naples and La Spezia.

The vessel weighs 132,500 tonnes, and is more than 300 m long and 37 m wide, making it quite the force to be reckoned with. Inside, there are 1,862 guest cabins and it is hoped that the view over the sea will remind viewers of an Italian resort.

In terms of relaxation facilities on board the Costa Diadema, there’s an arcade with interactive games, a three-level spa and a 500 m open-air promenade that contains restaurants, bars and cabanas.

Evening entertainment consists of the new shipboard production show Sapori d’Italia (Flavours of Italy), where a range of songs from the last 100 years will be performed by 18-year-old baritone Simone Baldazzi, acrobats Celia and Julian and the Phly Boyz.

What’s more, the masked party La Notte in Maschera finishes off the night-time programme of events.

More than 1,000 shipyard workers helped to build the vessel, along with 2,500 subcontractors and 400 Italian interior suppliers from Fincantieri’s Marghera yard.

Costa Crociere chief executive officer Michael Thamm said: “Costa Diadema is our new flagship, and she will set new standards in the European cruise industry and further strengthen Costa’s leadership in Europe. She is the best expression of our new brand positioning: Italy’s finest – its passion and modern Italian lifestyle, hospitality and elegance.”

Oasis of the Seas vs. Quantum of the Seas: a Cruise Ship Comparison

Oasis of the Seas vs. Quantum of the Seas: a Cruise Ship Comparison

Since its debut in 2009, Oasis of the Seas has continued to turn the cruise world upside down. With first-in-cruising innovations like a zip line, a carousel, a levitating bar and real, live trees, it commands respect -- even from those who argue its massive size doesn't appeal. In addition to being the largest ship at sea, it's arguably the most well-known. So where does that leave Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, and how can it possibly step out of the shadow of its behemoth fleetmate? Below we've compiled a list of offerings on both ships to show you exactly what you'll find onboard. Although these two vessels share some of the same venues and amenities, there's a lot that sets them apart, and each provides an experience all its own. Read on to figure out which of these ground breaking ships is the right fit for you. To the right: Quantum of the Seas (top) and Oasis of the Seas. Photo appears courtesy of RCI. Oasis of the Seas Quantum of the Seas Both Photos American Icon will be featured on both ships Size Tonnage: 225,282 Passengers: 5,400 Decks: 18 Tonnage: 167,800 Passengers: 4,180 Decks: 16 N/A Cabins If you'd rather wake up to trees than ocean views, try a balcony cabin that overlooks Oasis' Central Park or Boardwalk "neighborhood." Quantum's cabins are, on average, nine percent larger than those on Oasis. Solo cruisers don't have to worry about dreaded single supplements, either. Twenty-eight studio cabins(12 with balconies) are available for anyone cruising alone. Meanwhile, "virtual balcony"interior cabins offer real-time ocean views via floor-to-ceiling LED screens, and family connected suites combine three cabin types to accommodate larger groups. Royal Caribbean ships offer several similar stateroom categories across the fleet, but Oasis and Quantum have a couple notable stateroom standouts. Restaurants Following its recent dry dock, Oasis received Mexican restaurant Sabor, as well as the Boardwalk Dog House, which originally debuted on sister ship Allure of the Seas. Oasis also offers for-fee options at Giovanni's Table, featuring Italian fare, and upscale 150 Central Park, which boasts a rotating six-course menu. If you're looking for a quick bite, the Cafe @ Two70 offers gratis picnic-type fare with 270-degree views. Another quick option is the SeaPlex Dog House, the first food truck at sea, featuring free gourmet hotdogs and sausages. An interesting extra-charge offering includes Devinly Decadence, where all meals are fewer than 500 calories. Both ships will offer Royal Caribbean's new"Dynamic Dining" concept, which does away with traditional dining and, instead, allows passengers to choose from a number of eateries at their leisure, some of which are free and some of which incur extra charges. Dynamic Dining will roll out on Oasis in spring 2015. You'll also find Sorrento's Pizzeria on both ships, as well as the Windjammer Cafe buffet; Izumi, which offers Japanese cuisine; Johnny Rockets for burgers and shakes; Wonderland, molecular gastronomy featuring dishes like disappearing noodles, and wasabi and apple crisps prepared with liquid nitrogen; American Icon Grill for comfort food; Coastal Kitchen, which showcases California-Mediterranean fare for suite passengers only; The Grande, a fancy affair, which focuses on dishes served aboard the ocean liners of yore; Silk, Royal Caribbean's pan-Asian restaurant; and Chops Grille, the line's steakhouse. Bars The Rising Tide Bar, which debuted on Oasis of the Seas, is set on hydraulics and travels between the Royal Promenade and Central Park. In its Bionic Bar, Quantum will feature robotic bartenders. Passengers order drinks via tablets and can then watch as the robots (more like mechanical arms, really) prepare them. Vintages, a swanky wine bar where passengers can try new or favorite beverages, is featured on both ships. Activities & Entertainment For breathtaking entertainment that combines aerial and aquatic feats with the ship's wake as the backdrop, you won't want to miss performances at the AquaTheatre on the ship's Boardwalk, where you'll also find a carousel. Look up in the sky, and you'll see fellow passengers whizzing by on the sports deck's zip Try any number of at-sea firsts on Quantum, including a visit to North Star. Best for those without a fear of heights, the glass pod, positioned on a mechanical arm, will raise passengers 300 feet above sea level for 360-degree views. Meanwhile, SeaPlex ttriples as a venue for basketball, roller skating and bumper cars. Adrenaline junkies will appreciate trapeze classes and a RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator. A handful of RCI ships offer Broadway productions as part of their theatre entertainment. Oasis, where cruisers can catch performances of CATS, and Quantum, featuring Mamma Mia!, are no exception. Both ships also feature rock climbing walls and the line's signature FlowRider surf simulators. Itineraries Based in Fort Lauderdale at Port Everglades, Oasis sails Western Caribbean itineraries. Homeporting in Bayonne's Cape Liberty through spring 2015, Quantum sails Southern Caribbean voyages. It will then permanently relocate to Shanghai for Asia sailings. Until Quantum relocates to Asia, both ships sail a mix of Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean and Europe itineraries from the U.S. East Coast. Family Oasis' Adventure Ocean is housed in one giant expanse on the same deck. In addition to exclusive areas separated by age group, there's a science lab, a workshop and even a theater, where participants rehearse before performing for their parents at the end of each sailing. Quantum's Adventure Ocean spans two decks, and it features a science lab as well as a cool teen space will provide a similar experience to that found on Oasis. Both ships showcase Royal Caribbean's stellar kids offerings, each boasting extensive Adventure Ocean facilities. The line also has a partnership with DreamWorks, and cruisers can enjoy parades and meet-and-greets that feature Shrek, Fiona and other characters. These two vessels also include the H2O Zone, where young cruisers will find splash pools and colourful sculptures that spray water.

10 Reasons to Choose a “Modern Luxury” Venue for Your Event

10 Reasons to Choose a “Modern Luxury” Venue for Your Event

Yes, we know that meeting budgets are being scrutinized and “luxury” might not be part of your vernacular these days, but that’s no reason to cut back on service and quality – it’s more affordable than you might think!

Celebrity Redefines Modern Luxury

Celebrity’s concept of “modern luxury” begins with cool contemporary design blended with warm, inviting space to meet and connect. Now add in delightful dining experiences, breathtaking entertainment, beautiful conference facilities, world-class accommodations and intuitive service. These premium ships are designed to inspire and motivate meeting and incentive groups, with remarkable value built right in.

Top 10 reasons to choose a Celebrity ship for your next meeting or incentive:

1. Dedicated Meeting and Conference Space

Everything you need for successful business programs are Included in your cruise rate: Freshly designed meeting rooms, leading conference technology, and comfortable theaters and lounges with built-in decor and sound – available for private group events. Meeting and Event Planners are already buzzing about the new conference center and ballroom on Celebrity Reflection.This area accommodates 220 guests or can be reconfigured for smaller groups. Reflection’s James Beard-featured culinary team offers traditional catering or you can select from an array of pre-set, multi-course menus.

2. Cutting-Edge Audio/Visual and Technology

Celebrity ships are equipped with the latest audio/visual equipment, all you need to produce an impressive presentation, meeting, or group event – with no additional fee. Theatrical elements such as hydraulic lifts, rotating stages and sophisticated lighting equipment in multi-tiered show lounges also add dynamic impact to your presentations or award ceremonies.

3. Stay Connected

Nearly every Celebrity ship offers WiFi connectivity throughout, and all offer WiFi in public areas. Internet access is also available 24 hours a day in the iLounge – Celebrity’s new approach to the Internet lounge, featuring state-of-the-art workstations with MacBook Pros and iMacs. Most meeting rooms also have wireless capability and include advanced multimedia equipment.

4. Premium Ships, Short Itineraries

Celebrity is the only premium cruise line offering 4 and 5-night cruises. Celebrity Constellation will soon be completely revitalized with upgraded staterooms, new dining venues, and expanded meeting space. Celebrity Constellation will sail 4 and 5-nights to Western Caribbean from December 2013 through April 2014. There’s also a rare 3-night cruise departing Ft. Lauderdale on Jan. 13, 2014; with calls at CocoCay (cruise line private island) and Nassau, Bahamas.

5. Award-winning Dining, Meals Included

Say goodbye to boring buffets and banquet meals! Celebrity Solstice-class ships boast 10 unique dining venues, including several complimentary options. Your attendees will choose from menus crafted by a James Beard nominated chef that change each evening and enjoy more than 20 delicious options in the Main Restaurant that are SPE-certified and healthy. World-class restaurants, crafted by some of the world’s top designers, will also delight your group with unforgettable dining experiences.

6. Amazing Onboard Experience and Entertainment

Celebrity’s world-class architects and designers have elevated cruise ship style to make sure your group has plenty of inspired places to meet and relax, with beauty in every detail. When your business sessions are over, attendees can rejuvenate in an award-winning spa, work out in the state-of-the-art fitness center, take a high-energy Zumba class, or unwind at the Lawn Club – a sophisticated area with real grass on the top deck.

The ships offer entertainment choices for everyone – from live music and dancing in the lounges; to full-scale production shows and aerial performances in gorgeous, high-tech theaters. And best of all, there are no cover fees or ticket charges for this phenomenal onboard entertainment.

7. Celebrity Caters to Adults

Ships geared for families might not be the best choice for your kid-free meeting or incentive program. While there are kids’ programs onboard, Celebrity’s ships cater to sophisticated adults who appreciate thoughtful details and beautiful surroundings. Your attendees and incentive winners will feel appreciated, and right at home.

8. Superlative Service

Celebrity’s attention to detail and intuitive personal service cares for your program attendees and gives them the VIP attention they deserve.

9. World-class Accommodations

Your group will enjoy a luxurious hotel experience with restorative staterooms and suites that showcase modern, forward-thinking design and include plush linens and down comforters, Frette bathrobes, flat-screen TV’s, veranda views in most staterooms, and 24-hour room service – always complimentary.

10. Multiple Destinations

Why just wake up to the same scenery everyday? When you take your group to sea on a Celebrity ship, they’ll visit a variety of alluring destinations. Each day brings opportunities to share new adventures and experiences! And of course, your attendees will love the convenience of only having to unpack and pack once.

Make your meeting or event memorable!

The 2013 Berlitz Guide to Cruising rates Celebrity as having 8 of the top 11 large ships in the world Your attendees worked hard to get here, so spoil them with Celebrity’s stunning venue spaces, award-winning cuisine, world-class entertainment and impeccable service. With so many premium inclusions, you (and your boss) will be amazed at the value, too.