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Richard Branson's cruise venture named Virgin Voyages
Richard Branson, accompanied by dancers, makes his entrance during Tuesday's Virgin Voyages event. Photo Credit: Robert Silk
MIAMI BEACH — The Virgin Group cruise line will sail under the name Virgin Voyages, the company said Tuesday.
“I’ve never fancied going on a cruise ship but I do fancy going on a voyage,” said Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, shortly after making his characteristically flamboyant entrance to the press conference at the Faena Hotel Miami Beach.
The line had been going by the name Virgin Cruises since the venture was announced in the summer of 2015.
Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin said that the company remains on track to take delivery of the first of three 110,000-gross-ton ships that it has on order from Fincantieri in 2020, with the next two ships to follow in 2021 and 2022.
Fincantieri will begin cutting steel in February, he said, and keel laying will come toward the end of 2017.
Virgin didn’t reveal many details about the vessels, which are each slated to carry 2,700 guests and 1,150 crew members. But the company is promising a transformative product that will differentiate the Virgin Voyages experience from other cruise lines.
“It’s incredibly exciting. It’s under lock and key,” Branson said of the design specifics and ship offerings, noting that he didn’t want Virgin’s competitors to learn too much too soon.
One thing McAlpin did reveal is that Virgin Voyages is the first cruise line to enter into a partnership with Climeon, a Swedish green energy solutions company.
Together the companies will install a system on the Virgin vessels that will convert the heat the ships produce into clean energy. Each ship will have six Climeon engine units, which will save an estimated 5,400 tons of carbon dioxide annually per vessel.
“It would take 180,000 trees 30 years to absorb this much CO2,” McAlpin said.
He said that Virgin has all but completed a multibillion-dollar financing deal with lead lending partners CDP and UniCredit, backed by the Italian export agency SACE.
“We just need the final rubber stamp from the Italian government,” McAlpin said.
Royal Caribbean Cruises has plans to open a new cruise terminal in Miami by 2018, increasing its presence in the U.S. market and giving its giant new-build vessels a potential homeport in South Florida.
Earlier this week, the Miami-Dade county Board of Commissioners signed a legislative resolution which will likely lead to a new home for Royal Caribbean’s ships in the region.
The resolution, obtained by Skift from the Miami-Dade county Board of Commissioners, shows that a long-term lease to accommodate Royal Caribbean’s large new vessels will likely be signed in the next four months.
According to deal, Royal Caribbean will invest more than $100 million to build a new cruise terminal in a ten-acre plot on the north side of PortMiami. Its expected investment over the course of the contract is $250 million.
Royal Caribbean Cruises will introduce eight new ships across its six brands by the end of 2020, including four more gigantic Oasis- and Quantum-class ships.
PortMiami says the deal is a good one for them because Royal Caribbean will bear the brunt of all upfront costs for building the new terminal. The port just completed a costly dredging project to let large cargo and cruise ships access its facilities.
Port of Miami.
“Although much work remains to determine the cost ranges for various elements of this program, RCL will bear the full cost for constructing the cruise terminal, parking garage, ancillary facilities, and any bulkhead work,” according to the report.
PortMiami expects to earn $9.5 million annual from leasing the land to Royal Caribbean, an increase from the about $1.2 million it currently earns from cargo companies using the land. The initial lease will run for 20 years and will be renewable in ten year increments once the original terms expire.
Royal Caribbean’s biggest vessels now homeport at Port Everglades due to its infrastructure’s support for larger ships, and PortMiami wants the cruise line’s continued business.
“At the time that PortMiami failed to secure the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas, the Port did not have facilities capable of hosting these vessels nor did it have suitable expansion plans,” reads the document.
Royal Caribbean can bring in other investors to help finance the new terminal, but will be on the hook for at least 20 percent of the venture when the project is completed.
The USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) moored to the pier during a commissioning ceremony at North Locust Point in Baltimore. U.S. Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy’s biggest and most technologically advanced warship, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000),was put into service Saturday during a commissioning ceremony at Baltimore Fleet Week.
The multi-billion dollar Zumwalt is the lead ship in a class of next-generation destroyers known for their high-tech electric propulsion, wave-piercing tumblehome hull, advanced weapon systems, and super stealth design that reduces the 610-foot warship’s radar profile to that of a small fishing boat.
The guided-missile destroyer Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Zumwalt (DDG 1000) arrives at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island during its maiden voyage from Bath Iron Works Shipyard in Bath, Maine, Sept. 8, 2016. U.S. Navy Photo
The Zumwalt-class destroyers are built for a range of missions including deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions, allowing for sustained operations particularly in the close-to-shore littorals and land attack. They are the first Navy warships to use a 78 megawatt integrated power system that not only produces enough power to run current systems, but also provides enough power for the addition of future weapons, computing, and sensor systems as they are delivered to the Navy’s fleet.
In addition to its advanced propulsion systems, the Zumwalt is much larger than today’s destroyers. At 610 feet long and 80.7 feet wide, its is 100 feet longer and 13 feet wider and its flight deck is 93 percent larger than an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having a much smaller crew.
Photo: Dave Cleaveland/MaineImaging.com
Construction on USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the first of three planned ships in the Zumwalt-class, began in February 2009 at the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyards in Bath, Maine. Since December 2015, the ship has undergone a series of sea trials before delivery to the U.S. Navy in May. Zumwalt left the shipyard in September and is currently conducting Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E) test and trials, with Combat and Mission System Equipment installation, activation and more testing to follow.
The guided-missile destroyer DDG 1000 transits the Atlantic Ocean during acceptance trials April 21, 2016. U.S. Navy Photo
Speaking during Saturday’s commissioning ceremony, Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, commented:
“This ship is an example of a larger initiative to increase operational stability and give the U.S. a strategic advantage. Our Navy and our Marine Corps, uniquely, provide presence – around the globe, around the clock – ensuring stability, reassuring allies, deterring adversaries, and providing the nation’s leaders with options in times of crisis.
“This destroyer, like the others in our fleet, is capable of projecting power, no doubt. The Zumwalt-class is much larger than today’s destroyers with a considerably larger flight deck – enough space to operate host Joint Strike Fighters, MV-22 Ospreys, and unmanned systems and a Vertical Launch System second to none,” added Secretary Mabus.
Balloons fly and the crowd applauds as the Navy’s newest and most technologically advanced warship, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), is brought to life during a commissioning ceremony at North Locust Point in Baltimore, October 15, 2016. U.S. Navy Photo
“Today’s ceremony marked the culmination of over three years of dedication and hard work by some of the finest Sailors I have had the pleasure to lead,” said Capt. James A. Kirk, commanding officer of the USS Zumwalt. “The only thing more impressive than the capabilities of the ship are the capabilities of its fine crew.”
Capt. James A. Kirk, commanding officer of future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) answers questions from the media during a media tour of the Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer, October, 13, 2016. U.S. Navy Photo
Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
DDG-1000 and the Zumwalt-class is named after Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., the nineteenth Chief of Naval Operations and a veteran of World War II and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam during his 32 years of service, the U.S. Navy says.
“I witnessed as he [Zumwalt] transformed our Navy, one Z-gram at a time… removing demeaning and abrasive regulations and moving to eliminate the scourge of racism and sexism from within our Navy,” said Mabus. “Among many initiatives, he opened flight training to women and increased recruiting of under-represented Americans. And, as has always been the case when we open opportunities in our Navy and Marine Corps, we got stronger.”
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson, who also spoke during Saturday’s ceremony, commenting on the significance of the ship’s namesake.
“Admiral Zumwalt, especially during his time as CNO, ensured that our institution lived by its values,” said Richardson. “He was the ‘The Sailor’s Admiral,’ looking at new ideas, acting to the limit of his authorities, and adjusting along the way to make his Navy ready for combat – but also with full cognizance of the impact on the Sailors that made up that Navy.”
Perhaps most importantly, Adm. Zumwalt was a social reformer who recognized the primary force-multiplier of the U.S. Navy continued to be its Sailors, and as such began quality of life improvements throughout the Fleet. He was considered a “thinking officer” who was devoted to Sailors and creating an environment where everyone was treated equally – a legacy that can that can be seen today in the diversity of the fleet. His “one Navy” mentality reminds today’s Sailors that taking care of our warfighters ensures the Navy remains tough, bold and ready.
The Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer DDG 1000 is floated out of dry dock at the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in October 2013. U.S. Navy Photo
USS Zumwalt is scheduled to begin her transit to San Diego, making several port visits along the way. Upon arrival in San Diego, USS Zumwalt will begin installation of her combat systems, testing and evaluation, and operational integration with the fleet.
The future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is underway for the first time conducting at-sea tests and trials in the Atlantic Ocean Dec. 7, 2015. U.S. Navy Photo
The second ship in the Zumwalt class, DDG 1001, was named Michael Monsoor in October 2008 by then-Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, honoring Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Ramadi, Iraq, Sept. 29, 2006. DDG 1001 start of fabrication took place in October 2009. In July 2014, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) delivered the DDG 1001 composite deckhouse to the Navy.
In April 2012, DDG 1002 was named Lyndon B. Johnson by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. DDG 1002 start of fabrication took place April 4, 2012.
Navy illustration
Zumwalt Key Features
DDG 1000 is the first U.S. Navy surface combatant to employ an innovative and highly survivable Integrated Power System (IPS). Key design features that make the DDG 1000 IPS architecture unique include the ability to provide power to propulsion, ship’s service, and combat system loads from the same gas turbine prime movers. DDG 1000’s power allocation flexibility allows for potentially significant energy savings and is well-suited to enable future high energy weapons and sensors.
The wave-piercing tumblehome hull design has provided a wide array of advancements. The composite superstructure significantly reduces cross section and acoustic output making the ship harder to detect by enemies at sea. The design also allows for optimal manning with a standard crew size of 175 sailors, with an air detachment of 28 thereby decreasing lifecycle operations and support costs.
Multi-function radar (MFR): DDG 1000 will employ active and passive sensors and a Multi-Function Radar (MFR) capable of conducting area air surveillance, including over-land, throughout the extremely difficult and cluttered sea-land interface.
Advanced Gun Systems: Each ship features a battery of two Advanced Gun Systems (AGS) firing Long-Range Land Attack Projectiles (LRLAP) that reach up to 63 nautical miles, providing a three-fold range improvement in naval surface fires coverage.
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine is responsible for design, construction, integration, testing and delivery of the DDG 1000 class, and DDG 1002 steel deckhouse, hangar and aft Peripheral Vertical Launch System (PVLS). Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is responsible for the fabrication of the composite deckhouse, helo hangar and aft PVLS for DDG 1000 and DDG 1001. Raytheon is responsible for software development and integration with BAE providing the AGS and LRLAP.
ZUMWALT CLASS (DDG 1000) Specifications
Builder: General Dynamics Bath Iron Works
Electronics: SPY-3 Radar and Combat System Integrator: Raytheon is the prime contractor responsible for the Design and Development of the ZUMWALT Mission System, including software, Mission System Equipment (MSE) and many of the sensors for the DDG 1000 Class.
Armament: (80) Advanced Vertical Launch (AVLS) cells for Tomahawk, ESSM, Standard Missile; (2) Advanced Gun System (AGS) 155 mm guns; Long-Range Land Attack Projectiles (LRLAP) 155 mm rounds; (2) MK 46 Close In Guns (CIGS)
Carnival gets OK to expand Long Beach Cruise Terminal
The Long Beach Cruise Terminal and the Queen Mary Hotel. Photo Credit: TrekandShoot/Shutterstock
Carnival Cruise Line has inked a deal to nearly triple the size of its terminal in Long Beach, Calif., from approximately 66,000 square feet to 142,000 square feet.
The deal between the cruise line and landlord Urban Commons and the City of Long Beach will enable larger ships to use the port.
Carnival has operated the Long Beach Cruise Terminal since 2003, using an area of the Geodesic Dome. The agreement gives Carnival 100% use of the Dome, not only allowing for larger ships but also providing the space required for both arriving and disembarking guests to access the terminal.
Carnival president Christine Duffy said the expansion will make Long Beach one of Carnival’s largest homeports.
Construction is slated to be completed in late 2017. During the construction period, measures will be taken to “ensure a continued smooth operational flow and high standard of customer service for cruise guests,” Carnival said.
Earlier this year, the city selected Urban Commons, a real estate company, to assume the lease of the nearby Queen Mary, the former ocean liner now serving as a floating hotel. Urban Commons plans to renovate the Queen Mary’s guestrooms and restaurants over the next year and redevelop 45 shoreside acres into an entertainment district. Its plans call for a hotel, restaurants, shops, a marina, an amphitheater and a Ferris wheel.
Carnival said it is working with Urban Commons on enhancements to the area surrounding the dome and the Queen Mary, as well as ways to increase parking.
The Carnival Inspiration and the Carnival Imagination currently operate three- and four-day Baja cruises year-round from Long Beach. The Carnival Miracle sails seven-day voyages to the Mexican Riviera and 14- and 15-day cruises to Hawaii and Alaska from Long Beach.
Viking to sail ocean cruises in Asia, Australia and Alaska
Viking Cruises chairman Tor Hagen gives a presentation on the Viking Star. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
ONBOARD THE VIKING STAR — Viking Ocean Cruises will expand its horizons to Asia, Australia and Alaska, company chairman Torstein Hagen said.
The rapidly expanding ocean line will deploy its fifth ship, Viking Spirit (due for completion in June 2018) to the Far East and Australia in the winter of 2018. It will then move the ship to Alaska for the summer of 2019, Hagen said.
Hagen called Alaska a “serene” experience. “A ship like this suits well for the quiet environment of Alaska,” Hagen said in a presentation to reporters and travel agents.
In Asia and Australia, Hagen said the Viking Spirit will cruise between Bangkok and Hong Kong, and between Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand. He said it will be possible to book a 93-day cruise from Auckland to Vancouver.
“In the old days people used to call this a Circle Pacific cruise. Many of our guests like long cruises and to get away from bad weather, particularly in the Northeast, is not a bad thing,” Hagen said.
Viking Star, the first of six identical ocean ships to be built for Viking, is on its way to San Juan to begin the line’s first cruises in the Caribbean, a series of 10-day sailings. Its second ship, Viking Sea, has remained in Europe for Mediterranean cruises during the fall, winter and spring.
Hagen said he preferred to offer Med cruses in the off-season rather than in the popular summer. “If you have a choice between being in Rome in July and being in Rome in January, I pick January. There are fewer tourists, less temperature, less crowds. And our guests have had enough sun in their lives,” he said.
Viking’s third ocean ship, Viking Sky, is due in February 2017 and its fourth, Viking Sun, is scheduled for October 2017.
MSC Seaside itinerary tweaked with private isle opening postponed
MSC Seaside
MSC Cruises changed the itinerary for the MSC Seaside to reflect the later opening date for its private island near Bimini.
The Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve had been slated to open in December 2017, but the opening was pushed back until May 2018. The Seaside is due to enter service in December 2017.
On eastern Caribbean itineraries the new Seaside was to have visited St. Thomas, Nassau and the reserve. It will now go to St. Maarten, San Juan and Nassau between its debut in December 2017 and May. On western Caribbean itineraries, it will visit Nassau instead of Ocean Cay, with the remaining stops in Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Mexico unchanged.
MSC also said that the MSC Divina will substitute Nassau or Freeport and Martinique or San Juan instead of Ocean Cay, depending on the itinerary.
A penniless ex-nurse was able to set up a bogus travel agency to book and take eight luxury cruises for herself worth £55,000 in five months, a court heard.
She devised the scheme to take revenge on Norwegian Cruise Line after she was bumped off a cruise which she had paid for after losing her passport in Rome.
Kay Hooper, 58, booked penthouse accommodation on all-inclusive deals and spent up to 10 days a time cruising in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bermuda and Canada after setting up a bogus business called Travel Connections at her rented home.
Hooper was able to book the trips without even paying a deposit because she told NCL her business was part of the Freedom Travel Group, a subsidiary of Thomas Cook.
She planned to carry on the scam and had booked a total of 54 cruises costing more than £300,000 in total running throughout this year and into 2017.
The cruise line only realised what was going on after she had been on eight cruises in various parts of the world between April and September 2015.
Hooper is a retired nurse who was living on a £270 NHS pension, and various benefits. She has no savings and was living with her husband in a rented house in Torrington, Devon.
She admitted fraud when appearing at Exeter Crown Court and was jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years, given a six month curfew and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge, the North Devon Journal reported.
Recorder Mr Timothy Rose made no order for compensation after being told the cruise company is suing Hooper in the civil courts for the £55,493.05 cost of the cruises and £113,827.25 in unpaid deposits for the cancelled trips.
He told her: "You turned yourself into a form of fictitious travel agency and directed your attention against a particular company with which you had previously been a customer.
"You told the police this was because of the way you had been treated when you had problems on a cruise and felt you had been abandoned without help in Rome, although you did receive £750 compensation for this.
"These were quite greedy offences, as is apparent from the fact you took luxury holidays which you did not pay for in penthouse state rooms. There is no doubt at all this was a sustained piece of dishonesty.
"It was moderately sophisticated and required some computer literacy to set it up, but you were bound to be found out in the end."
The judge said he was suspending the sentence because of Hooper's previous unblemished record, poor health, and family responsibilities.
Michael Brown, for the prosecution, said Hooper used an online form to obtain an Abta number in February 2015 and used it to book the eight cruises on ships including the Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Star.
She also booked further trips for herself or members of her family, but all were cancelled when the cruise company uncovered the scam in October. NCL discovered the fraud after chasing payment for the holidays.
Brown said: "This extraordinary behaviour and fraudulent activity went on over a period to time. It was a sophisticated, planned, and arguably calculated fraud."
Richard Crabb, for the defence, said Hooper suffers from ill health and has been treated for anxiety and depression. She believed sunshine would help her recover.
He said the scheme was always going to come to light and Hooper is now being sued by the cruise company and has offered to repay it at a rate of £50 a month out of her pension and benefits.
He said she is a principal carer for her 87-year-old mother, who spends four days a week at her house.
Carnival Named Most Trusted Cruise Line for 2nd Straight Year
Carnival Cruise Line was voted the Most Trusted Cruise Line in America for the second straight year by Reader’s Digest.
More than 5,000 Americans were asked to rate products that they trust in 40 different categories. Areas included value, quality, and reliability in the poll. Carnival received the most voted out of all of the cruise lines and will be featured in the October issue of Reader’s Digest.
Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, gave the following statement about the award: “Vacations are more important than ever and as America’s Cruise Line we consider it an honor that our guests entrust us with their well-deserved vacations year after year.
Being named America’s Most Trusted Cruise Line by the readers of Reader’s Digest for two years running is a testament to our focus on providing our guests with unforgettable vacations as well as the incredible effort put forth by our team members, both on board and ashore.”
Carnival added their leading 25th cruise ship this spring with the addition of the their newest and largest cruise ship to date, Carnival Vista. The ship brought many new features to the cruise industry including the first IMAX at sea, the SkyRide aerial attraction, and a huge water park highlighted by the 455 foot long Kaleid-o-Slide.
Carnival has also expanded upon its exclusive partnerships with Food Network star Guy Fieri with plans to roll out the new Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse on several ships. Guys’ Burger Joint remains one of the most popular eateries on board Carnival Fun Ships. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, serving as the Official Seagoing Headquarters for The Cat in the Hat’s presidential campaign, is part of the fleetwide Seuss at Sea program.
Carnival is also a major supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, raising more than $10 million for the hospital since launching its Care to Play: Carnival for St. Jude Kids program in 2010. As part of its Honor. Family. Fun. program honoring Operation Homefront, an organization that assists military families, Carnival will be hosting an exclusive shipboard concert for military families by seven-time Grammy Award-winning country music superstar Carrie Underwood aboard the new Carnival Vista when it makes its U.S. arrival in November.
The Carnival Journeys enrichment series, longer cruises with activities that aren’t offered on regular sailings, is also expanding with more than 20 voyages visiting spectacular ports throughout Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and other destinations.
Fresh from the shipyard—a first peek at Louisiane Steam Boat Re-Fit (and some juicy new tidbits)
Louisiane's refit is complete and the vessel will reposition to its dedicated Quai Louisiane in New Orleans this weekend
'Stylish and opulent' is how French America Line chairman Christopher Kyte describes the new boutique riverboat Louisiane. He also shared a soupçon of fresh details about the vessel and a new hire.
'The fabrics are rich. The furniture and materials probably make it the most luxe riverboat in the world. We can't take credit for the high ceilings; they were there. [Louisiane] will certainly set a new standard here in the US,' Kyte said.
The vessel's refit is complete and Louisiane is in New Orleans where sailings will start Oct. 22 from a dedicated pier, Quai Louisiane, on the west bank of the Mississippi near the Hilton Riverwalk.
The first two cruises are charters, a four-night sailing for a 'huge US tour company' and a 15-night sailing for a 'huge Asia Pacific tour operator.'
The vessel is 'the perfect size for charters,' Kyte said. 'You only need 150 people, or 75 couples.'
Bookings, he added, are 'phenomenally good' for next year.
Exemplifying the caliber of entertainment is vocalist Barbara Rosene, renowned for interpreting the great music of the 1920s, '30s and '40s, who performs with The Harry James Orchestra and at the Carlyle Hotel in New York. She'll be aboard for the first week.
As for the new hire, Aidy Alonzo joins next week as director of marketing. Her prior cruise-related positions include senior director of marketing at American Queen Steamboat Co. and at Cruise Planners/American Express, director of on-board revenue management for Prestige Cruise Holdings and director of marketing for Oceania Cruises.
A couple other cruise figures will be signing on as well. Stay tuned, Kyte said.
Norwegian Bliss to debut in Seattle for 2018 Alaska season
At 167,800gt, Norwegian Bliss will become the largest cruise ship in Alaska
It's official: Norwegian Cruise Line is calling its 2018 newbuild Norwegian Bliss and will base the ship in Seattle for its inaugural Alaska season after a positioning voyage through the Panama Canal's new locks.
Bliss will sail from Pier 66 where a $30m upgrade is going to vastly expand check-in space, add a VIP lounge and two new passenger boarding bridges.
'Norwegian was the first cruise line to begin cruising to Alaska from Seattle in 2000 and it’s only fitting that we bring our newest ship, Norwegian Bliss, directly to this incredible location,' said Norwegian president and ceo Andy Stuart.
The long-rumored deployment was confirmed Thursday in a ceremony at Pier 66 by Stuart, alongside Port of Seattle ceo Ted Fick and Port of Seattle Commission president John Creighton.
The third ship in the line’s Breakaway-Plus class, Norwegian Bliss will have undisclosed features that optimize it for Alaska. The 167,800gt ship will also become the largest passenger vessel in the region, outsizing Royal Caribbean International's 138,000gt Explorer of the Seas which sailed to the Great Land this year.
Under construction at Meyer Werft, Norwegian Bliss is scheduled for delivery in spring 2018. After a trans-Atlantic cruise and a Panama Canal transit through the new locks, the ship will sail north along the US West Coast, reaching Seattle for the start of the summer season.
Weekly Inside Passage cruises will call at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, BC, along with scenic glacier cruising.
Marine life artist Wyland has been commissioned to design the hull artwork for Norwegian Bliss. Known for his iconic whale murals, marine life paintings and sculptures, Wyland raises awareness about the importance of conservation. His design for the hull of Norwegian Bliss will be revealed later this month.
The expansion and upgrades of Pier 66 spring from 2015's historic 15-year agreement between Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and the Port of Seattle. Collectively they will invest $30m to expand the check-in space by 300% to more than 150,000 square feet and add a VIP lounge with expansive views of Elliott Bay. Two new elevated passenger boarding bridges will be installed, too.
The 15-year lease gives priority to NCLH ships, including those of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and provides passenger volume guarantees estimated to bring $73m to the port.
'As we cross the one million passenger [movements] mark next year, having the largest vessel scheduled on the West Coast for the 2018 cruise season shows real commitment by Norwegian Cruise Line to invest in Seattle,' Port Commission president Creighton said. 'Larger cruise vessels like the Norwegian Blissmean more passengers, bringing more revenue and jobs to our region.'
2 New Icon Class Cruise Ships Ordered By Royal Caribbean
Photo of Anthem of the Seas under construction.
Article by http://www.cruisehive.com/
Royal Caribbean has announced that it has agreed to order two liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered cruise ships from Meyer Turku in Finland. Even though it is early stages the ships will accommodate around 5,000 passengers each.
The newly designed vessels which are currently known as Icon Class are scheduled to be delivered in the second quarter of 2022 and 2024. The ships will dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions with LNG technology.
Richard Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd said: “With Icon class, we move further in the journey to take the smoke out of our smokestacks.” “We are dedicated to innovation, continuous improvement, and environmental responsibility, and Icon gives us the opportunity to deliver against all three of these pillars.”
The Icon class ships will mainly be powered on LNG but will also use distillate fuel for ports which can’t accommodate the infrastructure. The cruise line will be announcing further details including design, tonnage and specific details in the future. Until then, Royal Caribbean must still focus on new Oasis and Quantum class ships which are currently on order.
Increasingly, cruise ships are becoming galleries at sea.
In 2005, Denver artist Lawrence Argent crafted a 40-foot-tall blue bear out of fiberglass and posed it peering through the towering glass windows of the Colorado Convention Center.
"I saw it and I loved it," said Joan Blackman, an art consultant for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "And I said to myself, one day we're going to have the opportunity to have this onboard."
Nine years later, the company's Quantum of the Seas emerged from a shipyard in Germany with a 32-foot-tall bear, this one pink and made of stainless steel, affixed to the top deck.
"It became an identifier," Blackman said. "And it says a lot about Royal, because they've given you not only something to talk about but it's really kind of intrigued you and made you smile."
Art has always been a background element on a cruise, but increasingly it is stepping into the spotlight. Some lines are spending millions of dollars on art with each new ship.
Blackman, a co-founder and partner at International Corporate Art (ICArt) in Coral Gables, Fla., said the emphasis on art helps drive home the quality of the cruise experience and give cruise lines an extra surprise, a different experience and a conversation item to offer guests.
"They're trying to differentiate themselves, their brands, their ships and create something that is their [unique] characteristic," she said.
Strategies are as varied as the brands. At some lines, art reinforces a national identity that it cultivates or emphasizes heritage and tradition. Other lines want to appear contemporary.
And some are offering a curated art collection worthy of connoisseurs.
In general, art on cruise ships is becoming more three-dimensional, more interactive and more driven by technological possibilities than in the past, according to Blackman.
Carnival's newest godmother a distinguished, and strategic, choice
Barber the Godmother of the Carnival Vista
Carnival Cruise Line's choice of an active duty member of the U.S. military, Deshauna Barber, to name its newest ship, got me wondering who the Navy chooses to christen its new warships.
There have been four Navy ships launched this year, including three littoral combat ships, the USS Sioux City, USS Wichita and USS Manchester.
The Sioux City was christened by Mary Winnefeld, wife of a retired admiral. The Wichita was christened by Kate Lehrer, a novelist and wife of former PBS News anchor Jim Lehrer, who is from Wichita. The Manchester was christened by New Hampshire's senior U.S. Senator, Jeanne Shaheen.
Also named this year was the Navy's second stealth destroyer, the USS Michael Monsoor, named for a former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor winner who jumped on a grenade in 2006 in Iraq to save his squad. The ship was christened by his mother.
It's that tradition of valor and service that Carnival will be tapping into on Nov. 4 when Barber names the Carnival Vista.
Carnival planned the New York City event as a tribute to the military, a group that the cruise industry has increasingly courted. Hundreds of military families were invited to overnight on the ship and attend a gala honoring Operation Homefront, a nonprofit that provides assistance to the families of service members, and featuring a concert by country music super star Carrie Underwood.
Barber will be the icing on the cake.
The daughter of a retired Army master sergeant who was a member of the special forces, Barber currently serves as logistics commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit in Rockville, Md.
She also happens to be the reigning Miss USA.
Carnival has had beauty queens name its ships before - Miss Universe Yvonne Ryding christened the Jubilee in 1986. It has had a soldier - Iraq POW Jessica Lynch named the Miracle in 2004. And it has had an African-American godmother before - Tracy Wilson Mourning, wife of former Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning, named the Carnival Breeze in 2012.
That Barber is all three certainly makes her a distinguished choice.
The U.S. military is disproportionately rural and Southern, according to demographic studies. As a cruise line with 10 home ports stretching from Galveston to Norfolk and drawing from most of the southern states, Carnival is smart to make the military a target market.
Mitsubishi Heavy to Shrink Shipbuilding Operations -Report
The AIDAPrima built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
TOKYO, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is planning to stop taking new orders for large passenger ships, downsizing its shipbuilding operations due to a slump in orders, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday.
The plans by Japan’s fourth-largest shipbuilder come as new shipbuilding orders have declined 80 percent so far this year, the Nikkei said. Citing unidentified sources, it said the company was considering splitting off its planning and design division and sharing shipyards with other companies.
A spokesman for Mitsubishi Heavy, which also builds aircraft and defence equipment, said the report was not based on information provided by the company and declined further comment.
Mitsubishi Heavy took a 103.9 billion yen ($1.01 billion) loss on its cruise ship construction operations in the year ended March, having delayed the delivery of a cruise ship produced for Carnival Corp by more than a year.
The Nikkei said Mitsubishi Heavy was planning to reduce risks in its shipbuilding operations by focussing on building smaller ships, which have simpler specifications. ($1 = 102.9000 yen) (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Paul Tait)
Fire not expected to affect Norwegian Joy delivery
Norwegian Joy
A fire over the weekend in the construction shed where the Norwegian Joy is being assembled should not impact the delivery of the ship next spring, a spokesman for the Meyer Werft shipyard said.
The blaze took the yard’s fire brigade about 30 minutes to extinguish, spokesman Peter Hackmann said.
“Lucky us, it was no big deal. Damage is very limited,” Hackmann said.
The 3,900-passenger Norwegian Joy is the next Breakaway Plus ship to be delivered to Norwegian. It is being designed for use in China.
