Carnival Cruise Line Partners with Dr. Suess

PHOTO: Dr. Seuss characters onboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship. (photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)

One of Dr. Suess’ most beloved and popular stories, Horton Hears a Who! is a tale based on themes of love and acceptance.

The story’s main character—the endearing Horton the Elephant—is a loyal creature determined to protect the tiny community of Whoville, despite objections from friends.

The book and its themes are the inspiration for a unique new partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and Dr. Suess Enterprises.

The cruise line announced today that it has developed a variety of educational, shipboard activities for children designed to promote kindness, compassion, and generosity—all of which have been patterned after the book’s universal messages covering the same themes.

Part of an annual national campaign by Dr. Seuss, the new “Be Kind/Dare to Care” activities will be rolled out this month across the Carnival fleet.

The new programming will include such activities as “pledge to be kind,” which will involve kids and their families writing down kindness pledges to be posted on a special banner on the ship. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative and heartfelt submissions.

Young cruises can also make friendship bracelets and other keepsakes as part of Horton Hears a Who!-themed arts and crafts.

And for those who may not have seen the movie, there will be on board screenings throughout October.

“Horton Hears a Who! is one of Dr. Seuss’ most heartfelt and thought-provoking books, and we’re delighted to partner with Dr. Seuss Enterprises on this exciting new venture that teaches children the value of kindness and compassion in a fun, positive way,” Caroline Lombardi, director of youth experience for Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement.

All of these activities will complement Carnival’s existing Seuss at Sea programming, which is part of the line’s exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Among the existing Dr. Suess activities is a Suess-a-Palooza Parade, during which children and their families can march down the ships’ promenade. The parade is followed by an interactive reading of a Dr. Suess book that includes people of all ages portraying various characters from the story.

As part of the new partnership, Horton Hears a Who! will take center stage for both of these events.

Thomson Cruises to be renamed Marella Cruises

Thomson Cruises to be renamed Marella Cruises

Thomson Cruises is to be rebranded as Marella Cruises, at the same time that Thomson changes to Tui later this month.

Marella, meaning ‘shining sea’ in Celtic, was selected to give the cruise line ‘stand out in the cruise market’ and to give it its own identity from the company’s European cruise brand, Tui Cruises.

Distribution and cruise director Helen Caron said: “We don’t want British guests to be confused with the group’s cruise business in Europe. Marella Cruises will still have the Tui smile logo, but a new Marella Cruises logo in a blue box, similar to the way we would market Sensatori as part of the world of Tui.  The name was chosen to reflect the spirit of exploration and discovery across the seas.”

Confirming Marella cruises would still offer its fully-integrated fly-cruise programme, from 22 regional UK airports, across its fleet of six ships once Marella Explorer enters service in May 2018, Caron added: “Marella Cruises takes us to a cruise brand from a tour operator brand. We expect the new name to open us up to a whole new market of customers who haven’t considered a Thomson cruise before. It’s very exciting and come at the perfect time as we modernise our fleet and add more and more destinations.”

News of the rebrand came as Tui also announced a new homeport in Asia for winter 2018. The newly named Marella Discovery will sail from Lankawi to 18 new ports of call on 14 new adult-only itineraries, with customers also able to join from Bangkok. Ports of call include Ho Chi Minh City, Cambodia and Kuala Lumpur, and also to Mumbai, Mangalore, Cochin and Colombo.

Caron said: “Asia is an incredibly diverse part of the world and I have no doubt that our customers are going to love their adventures across countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, India and Oman to name a few.”

For the first time in the company’s history, Tui is also going to base two ships in Barbados in winter 2018. Marella Explorer will be joined by Marella Celebration.

More: Tui Group remains on course for 10% earnings growth

Thomas Cook Facebook and Twitter ad takes swipe at rival Tui’s rebrand

Tui starts rebrand of Thomson shop network

Norwegian Cruise Line's Bliss Will Draw West Coast Clients

Norwegian Bliss, due in April 2018

The brand’s upcoming Norwegian Bliss ship, designed especially for Alaska sailings, is expected to appeal to West Coast-based clients

“It’s the first time we’ve had such a presence on the West Coast,” said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), during Virtuoso Travel Week, held at Bellagio Las Vegas.

The line’s upcoming Norwegian Bliss — what Stuart referred to as “our most incredible ship to date” — will launch operations on the West Coast in June 2018. It will bring new features to the American market, as well as employ highlights from two previous Breakaway Plus ships: Norwegian Escape and the Chinese market’s Norwegian Joy.

The 4,000-passenger Bliss will debut June 2, sailing a series of weeklong cruises to Alaska and departing Saturdays out of Seattle. Noting that it is the first time that a brand-new ship will launch Alaska cruises, Stuart pointed out that Bliss has been designed especially for Alaska, underlined by its hull art, titled “Cruising with the Whales.” 

In addition to scenic glacier cruising, the vessel will make calls in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway in Alaska and Victoria, British Columbia, through September 2018. Starting Oct. 5, 2018, Bliss will initiate a month of weeklong Mexican Riviera cruises (roundtrip from Los Angeles), with visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. On Nov. 3, Bliss will set off on a 14-day Panama Canal cruise from Los Angeles to Miami, where the ship will spend its winter season offering Eastern Caribbean sailings.

According to Stuart, NCL’s Alaska cruises are quite popular, particularly because it is a bucket- list item for many travelers, and the line is also seeing more families booking the destination. 

“As Alaska is very limited in berthing capabilities, the only way to increase capacity there is to bring a larger ship — and we think this is the right ship, offering compelling experiences for those new to cruising, plus those features that our loyal guests know and love,” he said.    

Bliss will integrate the most popular features from previous ships, particularly on the top deck. There will be an expanded version of the electric car race track the debuted on Joy in China; it will be the longest race track at sea, at nearly 1,000 feet long, with four speed settings for the novice, intermediate and advanced drivers navigating its twists and turns. Another dramatic feature will be the open-air laser tag course, which will be designed as an abandoned space station in which guests can compete against one another while armed with state-of-the art laser guns. 

In addition, Bliss’ top deck will have an Aqua Park with two multistory waterslides. The high-speed Ocean Loops will have one loop that extends out over the side of the ship and a second see-through loop down to the deck below. The tandem Aqua Racer slide will send guests racing side-by-side on inner tubes for more than 360 feet, with a translucent section that provides views of the sea.

Younger cruisers will have their own Kids’ Aqua Park, with splash pads, water cannons, tipping buckets and slides. And there will be segmented facilities for passengers ages 3 to 12, as well as for teenagers, who can enjoy their own space — dubbed Entourage — on deck 5. There will even be a Guppies playroom with sensory play activities for babies six months old to 3 years old.  

New dining will include Q, an a la carte Texas smokehouse restaurant where guests can choose from a selection of brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage and more that will be freshly smoked over hickory, oak and pecan woods. The eatery will also feature live contemporary pop country music. The new A-List Bar — named for Stuart — will serve cocktails, wine and premium spirits.

Signature beverages from Seattle and its surrounding region will be easy to find onboard Bliss: The ship will have the line’s first full-service Starbucks, and The District Brew House will serve 24 beers on tap and more than 50 bottled beers, along with bites from the adjacent Food Republic. Craft beer will come from Red Hook Brewery and Elysian Brewery in Seattle, as well as from Wynwood Brewery and M.I.A. Beer Company in Miami (a bow to later Caribbean itineraries). The Cellars, A Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar, will have a wine list that includes 35 grape varietals that encompass top selections from Washington-area vineyards; Tuscany, Italy; and Michael Mondavi’s own Napa Valley Estate.

The Local, a new complimentary, 24-hour dining concept, will offer guests pub fare in a relaxed atmosphere. Also new is Coco’s, where the scent of a chocolate fountain will summon passengers to its handmade pralines, truffles, crepes and other chocolatey pleasures paired with fine coffees and teas. 

The indoor-outdoor Los Lobos, which made its debut in 2016 onboard Norwegian Dawn, will offer dishes from fresh guacamole prepared tableside to al pastor tacos and enchiladas de mole, along with margaritas featuring NCL’s own tequila blend.

Bliss will also feature both smoking and non-smoking casinos to cater to all guest preferences, and the lineup of entertainment will include Tony Award-winning musical “Jersey Boys.” The ship will have two observation lounges, including the exclusive Horizon Lounge (for guests of The Haven), which will have vantage points for whale watching in Alaska.

Stuart expects that the array of innovative features onboard Bliss will introduce the NCL brand to West Coast clients. A ship especially designed for Alaska was a big step, but Stuart notes that Alaska sailings are heavily North American-sourced.  

“At the moment, we feel the North American market is very strong,” he said. “Consumer confidence is up, and our guests are planning their vacations further out than they have in past years. Alaska sailings are typically stronger sourced from the West Coast, where as a brand we have tended to be stronger in East coast sourcing. We felt that bringing Bliss to the West Coast would give us an opportunity to bring a strong, exciting product to an audience who may not be as familiar with our brand. New ships are a great opportunity to get those who are new to cruising or new to your brand interested in sailing with you — someone who is wowed by the idea of a race track on a cruise ship will be drawn in to learn more about the brand, and ultimately the destination will drive their purchasing decision.”

Keel Laid for Mein Schiff 2

Meyer Turku shipyard

The keel for the new Mein Schiff 2 was laid today at the Meyer Turku shipyard. This important production milestone marks the beginning of the hull assembly, the yard said.

She will be a sixth ship build by Meyer Turku for TUI Cruises. Delivery is scheduled for early 2019.

The new Mein Schiff 2 will be a sister ship to new Mein Schiff 1, which will be delivered from Meyer Turku  in the spring of 2018.

The new class will be 20 meters longer (315m) than Mein Schiff 6. Both ships will have space for 2,894 guests.

TUI Cruises CEOs Wybcke Meier and Frank Kuhlmann were present at the keel laying and were one of the VIP guests to weld coins under the keel of the ship.

“It is always great to visit the shipyard and to see the progress with our coming ships. With new Mein Schiff 1 and 2 we will get two great new ships to lead our fleet in the coming years. We are very happy to see how these ships are taking form," said Meier. 

Of note hte yard is also adding a new massive gantry crane to help speed up cruise ship production times. 

“We have just floated out the newly developed New Mein Schiff 1 and will now begin directly assembling its sister, New Mein Schiff 2, from pre-produced grand blocks. It shows the increasing pace that we are working at, while at the same time implementing our large investment program with the large goliath gantry crane being only one example of it. Working on our ships and our capabilities will prepare us for the increasing international competition," added Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku. 

Hurricane-Hit Caribbean Cruise Ports Anticipate Reopening

PHOTO: The Disney Fantasy and MSC Divina docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (photo by Jason Leppert)

As far as cruise itineraries are concerned, the Caribbean is not quite back to business as usual.

However, following recent hurricane destruction, things are starting to look better. There is a glimmer of light now emerging at the end of the tunnel for St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola and even San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Like the recent reopening of Key West, Florida to cruise ships, the U.S. Virgin Islands are hoping to be up and running soon, according to Seatrade Cruise News. While cruise lines would like to begin returning to St. Croix and St. Thomas as early as October 15, based on Governor Kenneth Mapp’s assessment, the end of the month is more likely.

Priorities now are to reopen famed Magens Bay as well as ensure operational restaurants, stores and other beaches in addition to security infrastructure.

Seatrade Cruise News reports the British Virgin Islands are on a similar track. Even though the destination took a toll, the cruise facilities managed relatively well. Tortola Pier Park received minor damage according to Mark Vanterpool, minister of communications and works.

At least half of the pier-side shops and restaurants are looking to open by November 1. Outside the port, restoration is also underway on roadways, electricity, water and telecommunications. A status report regarding beaches and other attractions is still forthcoming.

Cruise Fever reports Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas will return to home-porting from San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 7. Jose Izquierdo, Executive Director of Puerto Rico Tourism Company, announced the news on Twitter.

Royal Caribbean’s website still indicates all other calls on San Juan are still being replaced with different destinations. In fact, the line is also continuing to bypass St. Croix and St. Thomas, as well as St. Maarten for the time being.

Meanwhile, Princess Cruises is already anticipating being able to return with its Regal Princess to St. Thomas and San Juan for its December 17 sailing. Off limits also to Princess, though, is St. Maarten in addition to Dominica and Virgin Gorda.

Though Grand Turk and St. Barts remain closed according to USA Today, the latter is expected to be ready to accept its next scheduled call on October 30. Grand Turk, on the other hand, is still being replaced by Carnival Cruise Line.

The future for Dominica, Grand Turk, St. Maarten and Virgin Gorda remains unknown.

At least the entire industry is banding together to assist the Caribbean at large and it is all helping bring the bulk of the destinations back up to their usual paradise conditions. In the meantime, less frequented islands are seeing increased cruise ship traffic and visitor love as well.

Celebrity spending $400 million to renovate fleet

The Retreat Sundeck, making its debut on the Celebrity Edge, will be a feature on all Celebrity ships.

Celebrity Cruises plans to spend $400 million over five years on so they will look more like the Celebrity Edge, a ship due in 2018.

Between 2019 and 2023, Celebrity will redesign and reconfigure all staterooms on its nine ships.

The suite lounge known as Michael's Club on some ships will be rebranded as the Retreat Lounge, a space making its debut on the Edge. There will also be a new Retreat Sundeck.

A new Oceanview Cafe, an international marketplace concept, is coming to the older Constellation, Infinity, Millennium and Summit ships.

Over 11,500 cashmere-covered mattresses and bed sets will be installed. Storage in cabins will be reconfigured along the lines of Celebrity Edge to maximize efficiency, Celebrity said.

"This is the largest investment our brand has ever made to modernize our fleet," Celebrity CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said.

Name change: Viking ocean ship to be called Orion

The Viking Orion at its float-out in Ancona, Italy.

NEW YORK -- Viking Cruises said the fifth in its series of 930-passenger ocean ships will be named Viking Orion. The vessel is due in July 2018.

The line had previously referred to the ship as the Viking Spirit.

Viking chairman Torstein Hagen announced the name swap during a press event aboard the Viking Sky here.

The name of a planet, Mercury, was also considered, Hagen said, but "since our ambitions are unlimited, we decided on a constellation."

Also fitting the space theme, Hagen said that retired astronaut Anna Fisher will be the ship's godmother when it debuts in July 2018.

Fisher was in Italy last week for the ship's float-out ceremony at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard.

The Orion will spend its first year sailing Mediterranean, Asia, Australia and Alaska itineraries.

Viking, well known as a river cruise company, entered the ocean cruise business with the launch of the Viking Star in 2015. It was followed by the Viking Sky and Viking Sea, with the Viking Sun expected to debut next month.

Hagen said the company's growth will make it the "largest small-ship ocean line" ocean line by 2019, with 5,580 lower berths, making it larger than both Oceania Cruises and Silversea.

Viking's river ship building is also full-speed ahead: Hagen also said at the event that the company would introduce seven new river ships in 2019.

Norwegian Breakaway to homeport in New Orleans

Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Cruise Line said its 4,000-passenger Norwegian Breakaway will move its homeport to New Orleans starting in the fall of 2018.

The ship, which has a large painting of the New York skyline on its hull, has been sailing from New York since its 2013 debut and has a number of New York-themed features. 

The Breakaway will make the move after completing a summer season in the Baltics in 2018. It will arrive in New Orleans on November 11, 2018 and will sail a variety of cruises to the Caribbean through April 7, 2019.

Norwegian said the Norwegian Gem, which had been scheduled to sail from New Orleans in 2018/19 will instead go to New York and sail a series of cruises to the Caribbean, Canada & New England and the Bahamas & Florida. In the summer of 2018, the Norwegian Escape will be repositioned to New York from Miami for the first time to do seven-day sailings to Bermuda.

Cruise ship global capacity set to soar

Norwegian Bliss Concept Drawing.

The current unprecedented cruise orderbook represents another 250,000 berths the global cruise fleet in the 10 years from 2015 to 2025 – increasing capacity by a huge 40 per cent. 

Seatrade Cruise’s new whitepaper The Future of Cruise Ships added that these figures were set to leap further – as with further orders inevitably being placed for deliveries within the second half of that 10-year span, fleet capacity would probably grow at least 50 per cent and push the global passenger total up from 24 million last year to 30 million by 2022, towards 35 million by 2026 and then 40 million by 2030.

The whitepaper places the orderbook (as of July 2017) at 75 firm ocean-going ship orders and a handful of options with a combined price-tag approaching US$47.6 billion.

It points out that the orderbook is still dominated by the big three in Europe: Fincantieri, Meyer Werft and STX France.

Cruise ship capacity will keep soaring – while the luxury cruise sector’s growth has been boosted

Fincantieri (including Vard) is building 29 of the 75 due for delivery by 2025; Meyer Werft in Germany and Finland is contracted for 17; STX France for 12; and the new grouping owned by Genting Hong Kong, MV Werften, for six. The final 11 are being built by smaller shipyards.

A growing trend singled out by the whitepaper is the luxury/expedition market sector. It said that there have been some signs of increased interest in building and operating ships of a smaller size offering a luxury product on more adventurous itineraries. “This is because these can command much higher prices than either standard luxury cruises or the traditionally more basic expedition vessels,” it said.

Indeed, Seatrade Cruise’s whitepaper shows that there are 30 luxury cruise ships on the global orderbook. Their increase can be traced from none being delivered in 2014, to two last year and this year – rising sharply to six in 2019.

Cruise lines say visiting Cuba by ship is safe

Three big cruise companies with itineraries that include calls in Havana said their ships are a safe way to visit the island, even though the U.S. State Department is warning Americans against going.

The warning is in response to illnesses reported by diplomatic workers in Havana attributed to some sort of sonic weapon. The attacks, which began last November, are thought to have occurred in residences or in a hotel that houses diplomatic personnel on temporary assignment.

In response, the U.S. government has withdrawn most of its diplomats from the U.S. Embassy in Havana. Because some of the attacks occurred at a hotel, the government also warned tourists.

The government of Cuba has denied any involvement in the attacks, an assertion that hasn't been challenged by the U.S.

Carnival Cruise Line sails to Havana from Tampa with its Carnival Paradise ship. In a statement, it said that it would continue its cruises to Cuba for the moment.

"While members and relatives of the U.S. diplomatic corps have suffered illnesses apparently triggered by occurrences at the diplomatic offices or possibly their homes, none of the more than 475,000 other Americans visiting Cuba this year have reported similar health issues related to their visits," the Carnival statement said.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), which also takes passengers to Havana from Tampa on the Royal Caribbean International ship the Empress of the Seas, said it was aware of the State Department warnings.

"Since the warning is due to the events that occurred in U.S. diplomatic residences and hotels frequented by U.S. citizens, we do not feel they pose a risk to our cruise passengers," an RCCL statement said. "Our guests explore Havana on escorted tours and do not visit hotels."

Norwegian Cruise Line, which visits Havana on its Norwegian Sky ship from Miami, said its cruises there continue to operate as scheduled.

"There have been no reported incidents involving tourists or other cruise ship passengers," said a Norwegian statement that also noted incidents have been isolated to diplomats and government officials residing on the island. "Our shore excursions and tour locations have been thoroughly evaluated," the statement continued. "We continue to believe that the best way to travel to Cuba is via cruise ship and look forward to continuing to offer our guests the opportunity to explore Cuba's beauty, culture and friendly people."

Asked about cancellations or a slowdown in Cuba bookings, a Norwegian spokeswoman said there was "nothing to note at the moment."

Spokeswomen for RCCL and Carnival declined to comment on bookings.

STX France’s groundbreaking collaboration with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Edge

STX France has launched an ongoing monitoring services programme with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Edge

STX France and Royal Caribbean have launched a partnership that allows ongoing monitoring by the shipyard to ensure energy efficient solutions are in optimal use on Harmony of the Seas. This is also to be rolled out to the Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class vessels being built by the shipyard, and other ships in Royal Caribbean Cruises’ fleet.

The groundbreaking collaboration on Harmony of the Seas – which has not been carried out between a shipyard and cruise ship operator before – has led to 5% fuel savings on the cruise ship, which was delivered last year. The monitoring agenda has its foundations in STX France’s Ecorizon, a research and development programme launched in 2007 to create more environmentally friendly and energy efficient ships.

STX France Ecorizon R&D project manager and energy efficiency manager for Harmony of the Seas and Celebrity Edge-class, Arnaud Jacques told Passenger Ship Technology “We took this approach to help Royal Caribbean reach the best energy efficiency level possible. Normally the work of a shipyard stops after delivery but we believe that it is very crucial to share all this knowledge and expertise we have built up.”

He said this is what propelled STX France to go further than the usual scope of shipbuilder to deliver not just a ship that was “designed well but one designed to operate well”.

The monitoring services sees STX France following the ship year after year and see what works, what does not work as expected and looking at what can be improved (in terms of energy efficiency). A very important part of it is to train the crew how to check equipment and maintain the level of knowledge about how the ship works and maintain best practice. This is especially important as crews change frequently. The training takes place twice a year. STX France also gives Royal Caribbean weekly updates and analysis on the back of its monitoring services.

Mr Jacques said “We plan to continue co-operation with Royal Caribbean next year following other ships; they want to have a great benchmark for their fleet and make sure the ships run at an optimal energy performance.” He wasn’t able to say at this stage which ships these would be.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge will also undergo the same monitoring services when it is delivered at the end of 2018.

Viking Planning World’s First Liquid Hydrogen-Powered Cruise Ship

Illustration courtesy Viking Cruises

Viking Cruises has revealed that it is developing what could become the world’s first cruise powered by liquid hydrogen.

The company announced the plan Friday at the Safety at Sea Conference held in Haugesund, Norway.

The proposed hydrogen-powered cruise ship will be built based on existing cruise ship designs, such as the Viking Sun. It will be around 230 meters long and will accommodate more than 900 passengers and a crew of 500, according to Viking.

“This is a world sensation. Very exciting. If they pull this off, a distribution network may be established, which will enable others as well to use hydrogen as fuel, and could contribute to a zero-emission shipping industry,” says Director General of Shipping and Navigation, Olav Akselsen.

Viking says it has been working with the Norwegian International Ship Register on this and several other new projects in recent years. If developed, the new vessel will be registered in Norway.

“The ship will fly the Norwegian flag, which means that we have to vouch for the safety being just as good as on conventional ships. We believe that it is possible to solve those issues. We probably have a way to go before all the technical solutions are in place, but this is a very concrete project which has a high priority at Viking Cruises,” says Akselsen.

So far liquid hydrogen has never been used as a marine fuel, according to Viking Cruises. One of the technical challenges will be keeping the fuel at minus 253 degrees to keep it from evaporating. A fuel cell will convert the hydrogen to electricity for propulsion and electric power on board. Hydrogen is also a very explosive gas, and protection against gas leaks is an important part of the safety requirements for the fuel, Viking said.

“At Viking, we have always endeavoured to look forward and to be at the forefront with regard to green shipping. As a Norwegian and with Norwegian ships, we want to lead the way to zero-emission ships through fuel cell technology. The road to that point is still long, but here at Viking we want to be ahead of the game,” says Chairman of Viking Cruises, Torstein Hagen.

Currently, liquid hydrogen is not produced on a large scale in Europe, but Serge Fossati, a project manager for Viking, explained that Viking Cruises is in dialogue with Statoil in order to find a solution based on a Norwegian refinery. It also emerged that Viking wants to use Norwegian suppliers for the project as much as possible, and several tender ships to carry the fuel to the cruise ship are also part of the project, according to Viking.

Carnival Corp: On Track to Slowly Remove Older Ships

Adona (Fathom) is set to join Azamara Cruise.

Carnival Corporation remains on pace to remove one to two older, less efficient ships from its fleet on an annual basis following two recent transactions. 

Carnival announced earlier in the week the P&O Adonia has been sold to Azamara for a March 2018 delivery. The Adonia joins the neoClassica, which will leave the Costa fleet around the same time.

Newer ships are not only generally larger, but burn less fuel and generate higher ticket pricing and onboard revenue. 

The 2001-built Adonia is one of the smallest ships in the Carnival fleet, at 684 passengers. The neoClassica is also on the smaller side, with capacity for 1,308 passengers, having been built in 1991.

The sales are part of the company’s broader corporate strategy to remove older, less efficient ships, while moderating capacity growth in line with demand, according to executives. 

“We remain on track with our strategically enhancement program as we continue to deliver more efficient vessels, while replacing less efficient ones over time,” said Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, on the company’s third quarter earnings call.

Last year followed a similar beat as the 1988-built Pacific Pearl left the P&O Australia fleet for a new home with Cruise & Maritime Voyages. Her capacity was replaced by the much newer 1997-built Dawn Princess, which was transferred to P&O Australia and renamed the Pacific Explorer.

“As demonstrated by our April sale of Pacific Pearl, as well as our recently announced sale of Costa neoClassica, expected to leave the fleet next April, and our P&O Adonia, expected to leave the fleet next March. We remain on pace with our historical average of removing one to two ships per year,” Donald added.

In 2014, the company moved a number of ships off its books as the Voyager, which was operating for Costa was sold to Bohai Ferry.The Celebration went to Bahamas Paradise after her stint with Iberocruceros. The Grand Holiday, another Ibero ship, was sold to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, and finally, the Ocean Princess was sold to Oceania, a deal in which Carnival even provided financing.

Carnival Corp to Rollout 'Best' WiFi with MedallionNet

Carnival Corporation today announced MedallionNet, what the company is calling "a game-changing connectivity service enabled by SES Networks that will deliver the best WiFi experience in the cruise industry."

SES Networks will leverage both geostationary earth orbit (GEO) and medium-earth orbit (MEO) constellations, managed services, antenna and shipboard technology to offer high-performance and reliable broadband connectivity at sea, according to a statement.

The unique GEO/MEO combination also includes O3b Networks' low-latency satellites. The company has global coverage backed up by 65 satellites.

"Staying connected is inextricably linked to our daily life experiences and that now extends to the vacation experience, even when sailing in the middle of the sea," said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation. "MedallionNet will set the new standard for Wi-Fi service at sea and we look forward to rolling it out to our guests. Our top priority is doing everything we can to exceed guest expectations, and by listening closely to our guests, we know Wi-Fi connectivity is important to many of our guests. For guests who want to disconnect, they are free to do so. But for those who want to stay connected, MedallionNet will make it easy for them – and that includes being able to easily send photos, videos and messages letting everyone know they are having a fabulous vacation."

"MedallionNet is another development that came out of Carnival Corporation's Global Experience and Innovation Center located in Miami and is the first end-to-end Wi-Fi service development formulated with a focus on exceeding guest expectations through "GuestCentricity" – an initiative to enhance all aspects of the vacation experience by delivering guests what they want, when, where and how they want it," Carnival said.

"SES Networks is privileged to be associated with Carnival Corporation's Global Experience and Innovation team and to be powering MedallionNet," said Steve Collar, CEO of SES Networks. "We share Carnival Corporation's passionate focus on connecting people, places and cultures around the world with amazing experiences. As the only company to offer a GEO and MEO constellation, unmatched in scale, performance and technological diversity, SES Networks is uniquely positioned to enable the highest performing Wi-Fi connectivity at sea as well as immersive media and gaming content."

MedallionNet leverages multi-band antennas configured in a shipboard formation to minimize any potential impact to guest connectivity due to seasonal weather or ship positioning. By combining multiple sources of bandwidth to achieve the highest capacity shipboard network ever brought to a cruise ship with an unprecedented volume of shipboard access points, MedallionNet introduces a level of service reliability and signal pervasiveness not previously achieved on ships sailing at sea.

More specifics about MedallionNet and specific cruise brand implementation will be announced later this year, Carnival said. 

Exciting new ships are on the horizon

Crystal Endeavor will be the line’s latest megayacht

Scenic Eclipse, Crystal Endeavor, and Seabourn Ovation join the luxury set, while Ponant will offer its passengers underwater lounges on four additions to its fleet.

New ships, new ports of call and a voyage around the world in 180 days are on the horizon over the next two years.

Megayachts Scenic Eclipse and Crystal Endeavor will be among the newcomers, while Seabourn is launching Ovation.

Ponant is gearing up for four new ships, all with an underwater lounge.

Scenic is hailing Eclipse as ‘the world’s first discovery yacht’. It will launch in August next year to carry 228 guests – down to 200 while in the Arctic and Antarctic. Each of the 114 suites will have a private veranda, lounge and butler service.

While guests will have the choice of nine dining options, the smallness of Eclipse – at only 16,500 tons – means it will be able to dock in more remote ports. But it’s big enough to boast two helicopters and a submarine.

Seabourn Ovation will be joining the fleet in May 2018

Ponant is set for a busy couple of years with the arrival of Le Lapérouse and Le Champlain in 2018 and Le Bougainville and Le Dumont d’Urville in 2019. All will have 88 cabins and four suites, each one with a balcony. The ships will also be the first in the world to have an underwater lounge, the Blue Eye.The 25,000-ton Crystal Endeavor will launch in 2019, cruising polar regions during the summer and autumn and following the route of migrating whales to Antarctica during the winter. A remote-operated vehicle will allow passengers to see sunken galleons, warships and liners such as Titanic.

Seabourn is introducing its latest ship – Ovation – in May 2018. Like Encore, launched this year, it will carry 600 guests, all with a private veranda, and measure 40,350 tons. “Seabourn Ovation will carry on the standard of ultra-luxury cruising that can only be found on Seabourn. We can’t wait to welcome our guests on board,” said company president Richard Meadows.

After some delay in construction, Star Clippers will finally say hello to Flying Clipper, the largest sailing ship in the world, with five masts and room for 300 guests, next year.

Many luxury lines are adding new destinations and overnight stays in the next two years. But the ultimate cruise for 2019 must be the 180-day world voyage on Oceania Cruises ship Insignia. It will travel 45,000 nautical miles across two oceans and 16 seas while visiting 90 destinations in 36 countries.

Two of Ponant’s new ships, Le Lapérouse and Le Champlain, will be launched next year

Bob Binder, the president and CEO of Oceania, said: “Our exciting 2019 Around the World journey offers guests an expertly crafted route spanning the four corners of the globe, touching on nearly 100 captivating destinations and dozens of UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is truly the journey of a lifetime.”

For the first time in the history of Crystal Cruises, both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will embark on world cruises next year, offering travellers four separate global itineraries.

With the ships meeting in Sydney on February 17, 2018, guests can switch vessels for a new route. Ranging from 97 to 129 nights, the voyages will travel to a combined 111 destinations in 45 countries with 50 overnights.

Silversea is sailing a 132-day world cruise in 2019, with Silver Whisper calling at 52 ports in 31 countries across five continents.

Nine writers, including Paul Theroux and Pico Iyer, will be invited on board to create short stories inspired by the destinations.

Cunard has launched its Oceans of Discovery programme for January to May 2019, including the cruise line’s first return to Alaska in more than 20 years with Queen Elizabeth. Queen Victoria will do a full 107-night western circumnavigation of the globe.

Regent Seven Seas is offering world cruises next year and in 2019 on Seven Seas Navigator. Looking even further ahead, it has announced a 131-night world cruise on Seven Seas Mariner, departing from San Francisco on January 24, 2020

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Evacuees Leave Puerto Rico by Cruise Ship

People line up to board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that will take them to the U.S. mainland, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin Baez

Thousands of people lined up at San Juan harbor on Thursday to board a cruise ship that will take them from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland in one of the largest evacuations since Hurricane Maria slammed Puerto Rico more than a week ago.

Maria, which came ashore as the strongest storm to hit the island in nearly 90 years, has created a humanitarian crisis. The powerful storm knocked out the nation’s electric grid and has crippled communications networks, transport and the water supply for the territory’s 3.4 million people.

The devastation is likely to feed an exodus that has driven tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans from the economically struggling island in recent years in search of opportunity on the mainland.

“I’m sorry to be leaving Puerto Rico, but I have to. I prefer home, but it’s impossible with these conditions,” said Ada Reyes, 85. She was in a wheelchair and traveling on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship bound for Florida with her granddaughter, Maria Fernanda, 19.

Fernanda planned to drop her grandmother in Florida, then head to Boston to look into colleges. A second-year student at the University of Puerto Rico, the teenager did not know when classes there would resume.

Royal Caribbean International said its Adventure of the Seas cruise ship will carry 3,800 passengers from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A company spokesman said the cruise line is providing the passages free of charge and that travelers were registered with the help of local officials.

The ship will make humanitarian calls in the hurricane-hit U.S. Virgin Islands, where it will drop off supplies. It will then head to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a planned arrival of October 3.

The cruise line said it will work with airlines to make travel arrangements for passengers looking to meet up with friends and family on the mainland.

“This is a humanitarian mission on behalf o” company spokesman Owen Torres said.

At San Juan’s main airport, flights are slowly returning. Major carriers including Southwest and JetBlue are still operating at reduced schedules as the airport works to restore power and return to full staffing levels.

JetBlue typically has about 40 flights a day to Puerto Rico but on Thursday it had only seven, which it said was still more than any other airline flying to the U.S. territory.

ONE WAY OR ROUND TRIP?

People have waited for days for a flight out, with some Puerto Ricans wondering if they will stay once they reach the U.S. mainland.

Lilliana Pastor, 34, of San Juan, decided on Tuesday to buy a one-way ticket to Florida for her and her 7-year-old daughter, Leah Aguayo.

“Right now we don’t know about the electricity. We don’t have running water,” Pastor said. “I’d rather go to Miami where we have family and see what happens.”

As U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans can easily move to the United States. Migration to the mainland has soared in recent years, fueled by Puerto Ricans’ desire for economic stability, jobs, schools and access to medical care.

Between April 2010 and July 2016, the population of Puerto Rico dropped by 8.4 percent, the U.S. Census said, the largest percentage drop of any U.S. state or territory.

Nearly one-third of those born in Puerto Rico now live on the U.S. mainland, economists wrote in a research report published on a blog site run by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The migrants are mostly younger workers, tilted toward the lower end of the skills and earnings spectrum. The loss of these taxpayers is a blow to the island’s already reeling economy, the economists wrote in an August 2016 post for Liberty Street Economics.

Puerto Rico, which earlier this year filed the biggest bankruptcy in U.S. municipal history, is struggling to regain economic stability in the face of a $72 billion debt load and near-insolvent public health and pension systems.

ECONOMIC DETERIORATION

The out-migration has accelerated the aging of Puerto Rico’s remaining population, further straining government services, the economists said.

“If people continue to leave the island at the pace that has been set in recent years, the economic potential of Puerto Rico will only continue to deteriorate,” their research said.

Back at San Juan’s port, Lara Brown, 42, who runs a child care center, was fighting back tears. She was sending her son, 14, and daughter, 12, to Miami to live with her sister-in-law, where she says life for them will be easier.

“They have no electricity. Sometimes they have water, sometimes they don’t,” Brown said. “I’m afraid to leave them at home alone.”

Brown started to cry.