Carnival Horizon: the differing factors compared to Carnival Vista

The welding of the box with a coin during the launching ceremony of Carnival Horizon

From it's hull shape and coating to the lifts, Carnival Horizon has been made as energy efficient as possible. Rebecca Moore spoke to its shipbuilder Fincantieri

The new cruise ship Carnival Horizon shares many of the same features as first-in-class Carnival Vista but it has two key elements that distinguish it from its sister.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 133,500 gt Vista-class ship, which is being built by Fincantieri, is due for delivery in March this year. The focus on energy efficiency found in sister ship Carnival Vista – delivered in 2016 – has been even further boosted on Carnival Horizon.

An example is how the passenger lifts, manufactured by Schindler, are managed. This is a key distinguishing element from the first-in-class ship, as software is used to decrease energy consumption and increase the lifts’ efficiency. Not only is the system new to the Vista class, but it is the first time that it has been used on a ship.

This is significant, as Fincantieri project manager for the ship, Marco Lunardi, told Passenger Ship Technology. “We paid a lot of attention to the efficiency and environmental aspects of the lifts,” he said. “Passengers will spend less time waiting for the lift and the traffic is managed in a more efficient way to reduce the energy consumption of the lifts.”

This has been achieved by collecting destination information from passengers before they enter the lifts via a touch screen. This advance information is processed by software created especially for the lifts that combines all the passenger selection information and optimise lift availability according to the requests. Mr Lunardi said that this gave an average reduction of 30% waiting time at peak times.

The other main difference between Carnival Horizon and Carnival Vista relates to hull coatings – the former uses Hempel’s silicone hull coating, which uses a combination of hydrogel and silicone technology to combat fouling. A hydro gel microlayer prevents fouling organisms firmly adhering while the silicone polymers facilitate self-cleaning. This allows a longer period between drydock, Mr Lunardi said, because silicone paint can last more than five years.

Carnival Vista uses a “traditional” Hempel self-polishing antifouling tin-free coating. The principle on which the traditional self-polishing antifouling paint works is chemical, while the silicone one is mechanical, which means that it is a more environmentally friendly process.

A new hull

Apart from these aspects, Carnival Horizon shares technical innovations with Carnival Vista. One aspect that Mr Lunardi particularly drew attention to was the Vista-class hull. “It was very challenging to find the right hull lines,” he explained. The main reason for this was the hull had to optimised for two design points: its service speed of 18 knots and a maximum speed of 22.6 knots.

Mr Lunardi continued “This was really challenging in terms of testing and finding the right shape of the bulb and involved an external consultancy to help with knowledge.”

Extensive use of CFD calculations and in-tank model testing were deployed. “We fine-tuned the solution through several adjustments. We had to make sure that the hull lines met both service speed and maximum speed, so we needed to find the right compromise between different configurations.”

This led to a “different” and “new” hull shape compared to the rest of Carnival Cruise Lines’ fleet. In order to optimise it to meet the speed range, the bulb is more narrow than usual, compared with the usual cruise ship bulb.

An engine configuration was chosen to benefit the hull optimisation on Carnival Horizon. It consists of five MAN Diesel & Turbo engines, with two engines providing 16.8 MW of power each plus three smaller engines rated at 9.6 MW each. The two engines are type 14V48/60CR and the three are type 8L48/60CR. They are placed in the aft third of the vessel.

“They are the right size to manage the vessel in different conditions and can be used separately or in combination,” said Mr Lunardi, adding that this arrangement adds redundancy and allows the operator to meet safe return to port requirements.

Boosting energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is boosted by a steam turbine that recovers energy from the exhaust gas boilers, which would otherwise be lost. It is placed between the engines and generates 1.35 MW of power for use wherever needed, such as to boost hotel power. Fincantieri created and built the steam turbine, which has previously only been used on Vista-class ships within Carnival Cruise Lines’ fleet.

Propulsion is diesel-electric and ABB’s Azipod units are used, each absorbing 16.5 MW, bypassing the need for a propeller shaft. “They make it much easier to manoeuvre in bad weather and in windy conditions because using pods means that there is more efficient control,” Mr Lunardi said.

Another benefit is that there is more space inside the ship because the Azipods’ electric motors are not inside the ship.

Three scrubbers are used, with two for the two big engines and one allocated to one of the three smaller engines. They were developed by Ecospray Technologies and there were some challenges to overcome when it came to installing them, Mr Lunardi said. “The design of the scrubber was developed at the same time as the design of the vessel [and] the big challenge was to find a feasible coordination in a very narrow space,” he said.

“The technical solution was fine-tuned but there were a lot of adjustments and we created a dedicated team especially to work with Carnival on the scrubber.”

Particular attention was paid to the advanced wastewater treatment system (supplied by Scanship), which collects and treats grey and black water.

Fancoils and LED lighting are used throughout Carnival Horizon in order to save energy.

Like its sister ship, there is an emphasis on entertainment. To this end, features include an Imax 3D cinema and a brewery with onboard craft beer production. An impressive 63% of cabins are fitted with balconies.

Carnival Horizon particulars

Gross register: 133,500 gt

Length: 323 m

Moulded Breath: 37.20 m

Design draught: 8.25 m

Maximum air draught: 61.75 m

Passenger cabins: 1,987

Crew cabins: 761

Class society: Lloyd’s Register

Main equipment suppliers

Ship coatings	Hempel
Water fog system	Marioff
Lifeboats and technical boats	Hatecke
Catering	Oxin
Lifts and escalators	Schindler
Window washing system	Navalimpianti – Cofri
Public areas – carpet turnkey sub-contractor	DESSO
Public areas – stairs turnkey sub-contractor	Zago
Public areas – atrium and stores turnkey sub-contractor	IVM
Public areas – theatre, Lanai deck turnkey sub-contractor	Spencer Contract
Public areas – restaurants and spa turnkey sub-contractor	Molteni
Public areas – casinos turnkey sub-contractor	Marine Interiors
Public areas – IMAX cinema turnkey sub-contractor	Tino Sana
Cabins and corridors turnkey sub-contractor	Marine Interiors
Thrusters	Wärtsilä
Fin stabilisers	Fincantieri DSC
Main diesel engines	MAN Diesel & Turbo
Emergency generator engine	Compagnia Generale Trattori (Caterpillar)
Reverse osmosis desalinator	Case Marine
Propulsion system pod	ABB
Storage batteries technical specification	Enersys
Ship digital communication network	Tyco
Automation system and TLV	Wärtsilä A.P.S.S.
Radio systems	Telemar (equipment Sailor)
Navigation systems	Wärtsilä A.P.S.S.

Snapshot CV Marco Lunardi

Fincantieri Merchant Ships Business Unit vice president project manager Marco Lunardi is currently managing the construction of Carnival Horizon and Carnival Panorama that are currently being built in Marghera shipyard.

As the project manager, he also worked on the construction and delivery of Carnival Vista, flagship of Carnival Cruise Line, which was built in Monfalcone shipyard. Previously he has worked on Carnival Breeze and on Le Boreal and L’Austral, luxury ships for Ponant, a French cruise ship operator.

He joined Fincantieri in 2000 and, previous to being appointed project manager, he worked as the planner and financial controller and deputy project manager for the building of Carnival Group ships.

Mr Lunardi holds a degree in management engineering from the University of Padova, Italy.

Tried and tested: Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Senses pop-up

Tried and tested: Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Senses pop-up

by Harry Kemble

“Bizarre”, “outrageous” and “unbelievable” were some of the words spluttered by rather flabbergasted journalists last night after exiting Royal Caribbean’s interactive cruise experience.

I had only been in the room for 30 seconds but already I knew this was going to be no ordinary event.

Billed as the Symphony of the Senses, the experience uses sight, sound, feel, taste and scent to give people a unique preview of the soon-to-be world’s largest ship.

Through clever marketing and a clearly sensational product, Symphony of the Seas’ launch date has been fixed in our diaries for months now.

But on a dreary London night at Victoria House, Royal Caribbean managed to ramp up the excitement levels that little bit more.

The aim of Royal Caribbean’s pop-up, which runs until Saturday, if you want to take a look, is to inspire a new-to-cruise audience.

And they certainly did just that.

Mirroring the features that will be on Symphony, we walked through tunnels reminiscent of the Ultimate Abyss slide, tried some Mexican food that you can eat onboard and learned the moves from Hairspray, the musical that will be performed for the ship’s guests – among other surprises.

Even the most ardent cruise-goer would struggle not to smile at the experience’s “perfect synergy”, as Royal Caribbean’s Ben Bouldin put it.

He also said: “As with all our ships, Symphony will push the boundaries of what is possible when holidaying and this event promises to do exactly that… except in London!”

With more than 400 members of the public expected to pass through the Symphony of the Senses event, Royal Caribbean is giving potential passengers a little taster of what they can find onboard Symphony, ahead one of the most eagerly anticipated ship launches in its history.

MSC Cruises ‘close to ordering four luxury ships’

MSC Cruises ‘close to ordering four luxury ships’

MSC Seaside pictured above.

MSC Cruises is rumoured to be in the midst of a deal to build four luxury cruise ships.

According to reports in the Italian press, the mainstream brand is close to placing an order with Fincantieri, with the intention of entering the ultra-luxury cruise market. The move would be a big departure from the mainstream cruise industry’s desire to build bigger ships.

The four-ship order would have a combined capacity of just over 3,000 passengers, meaning each ship would carry around 750 passengers each.

Reports in The Medi Telegraph claim the order is imminent, however MSC Cruises is yet to confirm the plans.

AIDA To Offer Short Cruise Before the Nova’s Maiden Voyage

AIDA Cruises has announced a series of what it calls pre-premiere cruises on the AIDAnova before the ship sails here maiden voyage on Dec. 2, 2018. AIDA will take ownership of the first new build of the new generation of LNG-fueled ships from Meyer Werft on Nov. 15, 2018.

These short cruises can be booked as of 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2018. The first four-day trip will start directly after the formal handover of the ship in Bremerhaven on Nov. 15 and will sail to Oslo and then to Hamburg. Further short cruises will be sailing to either Rotterdam or Oslo.

Among the design features aboard the new ship, AIDA highlighted the Four Elements, “surrounded by lush vegetation, guests can climb through the treetops or daydream in cosy, cushioned loungers.”

She will also be the first AIDA ship to feature water slides.

The Time Machine restaurant is said to offer adventure and culinary arts, where “guests will enter a world full of wonders, craziness and surprises. Everything revolves and moves – waiters become magicians, conjuring up a delicious three-course meal.”

The Body & Soul Organic Spa will cover 3,500 square meters and promises to offer more than 80 treatments. For the first time, there are two private outdoor sun islands for couples. Another completely new feature is the outdoor sports area with endurance training equipment and training space for morning yoga, Pilates and more.

The Beach Club will offer a summer experience no matter where the ship is. According to AIDA this light-flooded venue is full of Caribbean warmth, protected by a dome that lets the sun and vacation tan in, but keeps the wind and rain out.

Accommodations include 20 different types of stateroom. The new 73- square-meter Penthouse Suite extends over two decks. Guests will be able to enjoy views through the panorama windows and on their 20-square-meter private sun deck.

For families, Veranda Staterooms Deluxe will be available for the first time on Decks 15, 16 and 17.

AIDAnova also sets another record for the brand, offering more culinary diversity with a total of 17 restaurants. In addition, AIDA’s entertainment has evolved with new formats that involve the guest more than before, the line said.

New Features for Mariner of the Seas in Short Cruise Market

Royal Caribbean International today announced the details of a $90 million refurbishment on the Mariner of the Seas, as she moves into the Caribbean short cruise market and is redeployed from the Asia and China market. 

Service starts from Miami with a three- and four-day cruise program in June, with the ship sailing to Nassau and CocoCay. 

"At Royal Caribbean, we believe in the constant pursuit of adventure and that every weekend is an opportunity to experience something new and live life to its fullest," said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "With the new Mariner of the Seas, we invite travellers to weekend like they really mean it and make the most of a quick getaway than they even thought was possible."

Among the highlights is the Sky Pad, a brand new virtual reality, bungee trampoline experience on the Mariner of the Seas.

Guests will strap in and put on a virtual reality headset, which the company said will " transport them to another time and planet to bounce over moon craters or compete in intergalactic games. The out-of-this-world experience is for guests of all ages, and also can be enjoyed without virtual reality headsets, for those who prefer to look out over the ocean as they leap toward the sky."

Other additions include The Perfect Storm, a duo of racing waterslides called Cyclone and Typhoon, and a glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience in Studio B, where friends and family can team up to play "Battle for Planet Z."

Mariner will offer Puzzle Break: The Observatorium, a new escape room experience.

The company is also adding the FlowRide surfing simulator to the ship.

New food and beverage options include Jamie's Italian, Starbucks and Izumi Hibachi & Sushi.

Mein Schiff 3 Becomes First Ship Back in Dominica

Dominica recently welcomed its first cruise ship since Hurricane Maria hit the island as the Mein Schiff 3 called on Jan. 28 with more than 2,000 passengers visiting the island, according to a statement. 

Passengers from the ship engaged in shore excursions to Dominica’s famous Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Twin Falls, Bois Cotlette Estate and. Some participated in whale watching tours and experienced the island’s unique therapeutic black sand at Mero Beach.

Dominica also said it welcomed a delegation from Carnival Cruise Lines last week. In a prepared statement, Discover Dominica said the delegation met with local tour operators to assess various sites and attractions for future tour offerings. 

Discover Dominica also announced that all natural sites on the island managed by the Division of Forestry, with the exception of the Boiling Lake, Waitukubuli National Trail and Soufrière Sulphur Springs, are now open to visitors. Park wardens are there to attend to guests. Trail beds have been cleared, debris has been removed and information centres are back in operation. These beautiful and distinctive sites reflect the Nature Island’s resilience and the country’s boundless natural beauty.

Trafalgar Falls has received a great deal of attention since Hurricane Maria as well. The Visitor Reception facility has a new roof and work on the interpretation signage continues. The trail bed has been cleared of debris and restored, while the viewing platform has been replaced.

Fincantieri Signs Agreement for 50 Percent of STX France

Fincantieri today announced it has signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of 50 percent of the share capital of STX France from the French State, represented by the Agence des Participations de l'Etat (APE).

The agreement was valued at 59.7 million euro. 

The acquisition by Fincantieri is subject to the closing of the transaction between the French State and STX Europe and to customary conditions for this kind of transaction, according to a release. 

After the closing of the transaction, the shareholding structure of STX France will be the following:

- Fincantieri (Fincantieri Europe S.p.A.): 50.00% (an additional 1% will be borrowed from APE)
- French State (APE): 34.34% (of which 1% to be lent to Fincantieri)
- Naval Group: 10.00% (or 15.66% if the employee ownership plan or/and the participation of a group of local companies cannot be implemented at the same time)
- STX France employees: up to 2.40%
- Local companies: up to 3.26%

Norwegian Encore Will Debut in 2019 in Miami, not China

Norwegian Cruise Line marked today the start of construction for its newest ship with a steel cutting ceremony.

Named Norwegian Encore, the latest addition to its fleet will sail the Caribbean from Miami seasonally beginning fall 2019.

No mention was made of the previous announcement that the ship would be designed for the Chinese market.

Norwegian confirmed the ship will begin sailings from Miami in fall 2019 in a prepared statement.

“Norwegian Encore will be the ultimate Breakaway Plus Class vessel and we are thrilled to celebrate the start of construction for this incredible new ship,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. “Over 50 years ago the Norwegian brand began creating unforgettable vacation moments with the first inter-island cruise in the Caribbean from Miami. We continue building on our legacy of innovation with this brand-new state-of-the-art vessel perfect for exploring the natural beauty of some of the most remarkable islands in the world.”

At approximately 167,800 gross tons and accommodating 4,000 guests, Norwegian Encore will sail weekly seven-day Caribbean cruises each Sunday from PortMiami.

“We are excited to start production for Norwegian Encore and to create another floating destination for Norwegian Cruise Line," said Stephan Schmees, Executive Board Member Project Management Ships, Meyer Werft.

The Norwegian Encore will be the seventeenth ship in the Norwegian fleet and the line’s fourth and final ship in the Breakaway Plus Class, described as the most successful class in the brand’s history.

In addition, Norwegian recently made changes to its China management team. 

Galveston Continues Expansion of Cruise Products

For the Port of Galveston, the major news for 2018 is the continued expansion of cruise products and related services available, according to Interim Port Director Peter Simons.

Carnival Cruise Line is moving the Carnival Vista to Galveston later in the year replacing the Breeze. The Vista will sail alongside the Liberty and the Freedom.

“To accommodate the Vista we are in the process of doing some infrastructure upgrades in Cruise Terminal No. 1,” said Simons.

Last fall, the port also welcomed the Vision of the Seas, and Simons explained that while she was originally intended to be a seasonal product, she is replacing the Enchantment of the Seas on a year-round basis.

“We will have three Carnival and two Royal Caribbean ships year-round, and Disney seasonally from October to January,” he added.

The current scheduling has two ships in port on Saturdays, two on Sundays, one each on Mondays and Thursdays, and Disney on Fridays.

Terminal Expansion

“We have completed the expansion of Cruise Terminal No. 2, and when we did the design for that, we planned for larger ships and more passengers. Both of our terminals are able to handle bigger ships and more capacity,” he said.

“What we are doing though on the channel side is adding mooring structures to accommodate the longer Carnival Vista, and we are also finishing a mooring improvement project at Terminal No. 2 that will enable us to handle even larger ships in the future. We are upgrading the main mooring to be 200-ton bollards – the longer dock will also allow us easier access to the loading doors.

“We are also in the conceptual stage, looking at the designs and options for a third cruise terminal. There is definitely demand to sail from Galveston on weekends and we want to be able to accommodate what we see as future growth in that market.”

Simons said the port is talking to cruise lines about how to fund the new terminal. He said the port’s options were either bank financing or teaming up with a cruise line.

Meanwhile, he is also looking at how to provide the next generation of ships with LNG.

Team Effort

At press time, Galveston projected just short of 1.9 million passengers embarking and disembarking on some 258 sailings for 2017, up from 1.7 million passengers for 2016. For this year, the forecast is for 308 sailings and more than 2 million passengers, according to Simons.

“We see a lot of people coming down a couple of days early for special events, so there is a fair amount of extra local spending in connection with the cruise traffic. The vast majority of the passengers are drive-ups regionally and usually from the lower Midwest, but even as far north as Illinois and South Dakota. The fly-ins are typically from the West Coast.

“There is also a wide variety of things to do both on Galveston Island and in the vicinity that we are working with the cruise lines on for pre- and post-stays,” he added.

Simons, who joined the port in 2012 and was director of operations before being named interim port director, credited the port staff, the longshoremen and the stevedores for Galveston’s growing cruise traffic. He said it was a team effort with very attentive and hard-working people, making the cruise lines feel comfortable here and helping to grow their business. 

Passenger Ship Safety Miami: Key Industry Topics In Focus

Passenger Ship Safety Miami 2018 kicked off this week with cruise line executives, major suppliers, class societies, public agencies and regulatory bodies coming together for a two-day conference event.

With an expanding global cruise fleet, the human factor and crew training were key topics when it comes to all aspects of cruise ship safety. Technology is racing ahead onboard, from video detection to passenger tracking. There are also new LNG-powered cruise ships coming, which bring with them their own set of new challenges.

Firefighting

Carnival Cruise Line has recently launched a new firefighting training program in partnership with Marioff, the provider of the HI-FOG firefighting system that deploys a water mist.

"We felt the need to have specific, detailed training on the full functionality of the systems," said Martina Gallus, director deck and safety assets, Carnival Cruise Line.

A training team is going ship by ship, with training taking anywhere from five to seven days. The crew then take an exam and are awarded a certificate if they pass.

The training is scheduled twice annually per ship and a crew member's certificate must be renewed every three years, said Gallus.

"Our focus is to develop strong, robust and reliable training firefighting," she added.

Joska Taipale, manager, training and technical support for Marioff, said the program consists of both classroom and hands-on training.

"The fire protection system is not a system the crew normally uses," Taipale said.

With an installation base counting thousands of ships, Taipale said the training is specific to each ship's HI-FOG system and each crew member's role in the firefighting operation.

Up to 200 crew have been trained per ship, according to Taipale.

Big R&D

Gerry Ellis, director of safety and OHS policy at Carnival Corporation, said the company not only shares safety information and data between its own brands but with other cruise companies.

With a fleet of 104 ships, Carnival has ample opportunity to test new technology, which is backed up by a strong corporate safety culture.

"Within the last five years we have spent the price of a new ship on systems being installed on our fleet that go well above compliance," Ellis said. "It's about being open and honest, and also being fortunate enough to test these systems. We have leadership that's willing to spend the money on research and development."

LNG

With equipment on some 400 commercial LNG ships, GTT is involved in every aspect of LNG in the maritime world, including design, construction, operations, maintenance and upgrades, said Aziz Bamik, general manager, GTT North America.

Among the challenges, he pointed to tank space requirements, which can take up around two more times the space than traditional fuel tanks to store the same volume.

"You have to balance the fact you need more volume and will lose cabins," said Bamik. "(Cruise lines) will need to come up with the right solution to minimize the loss of cabins while having the best, most efficient fuel system. Space is really the main challenge."

The company is involved in a number of self-propelled LNG bunkering barge projects, in addition to cruise ship newbuilds that will run on LNG.

Crew training is another key area for GTT.

"We purpose-built a training simulator for a specific LNG barge," noted Bamik. The company can also offer a 24/7 hotline for emergencies

Human Factor

Captain John W. Mauger, the commanding officer of the United States Coast Guard's Marine Safety Center, said the agency visits each cruise ship newbuild two times.

The first visit is between six and 12 months before delivery, while a second visit is more comprehensive and scheduled around final certifications.

Mauger noted newbuild cruise ships were increasing in complexity. Regulations like a safe return to port have made the ship its own lifeboat, but have also introduced new technologies.

"We know that complex systems fail in complex ways," Mauger said. "It's not sufficient for us to put the technology aboard and then not drive those lessons and understandings into the crew members."

More

Joep Bollerman, operations manager, passenger ship support centre, Lloyd's Register, said that almost all engine room fires could be traced back to oil or fuel spray on hot surfaces.

Among the factors to mitigate that, beyond crew training and detection, he said many companies were putting in additional fuel cut-off valves to give crew more options to isolate the fuel supply.

"Training and drills need to be more than a check in a box," he added. "There needs to be a more formal evaluation. The drill needs to be as realistic as possible."

Michael O'Donnell, executive director, FAA, office of accident investigation and prevention, pointed to the agency's partnership with airlines and suppliers, working together to solve operational and safety issues. With many parallels to the maritime world, O'Donnell presented Aviation Safety Infoshare, which aims to improve aviation safety.

Attendance at Passenger Ship Safety Miami was up year-over-year, with the second annual Passenger Ship Safety Miami conference seeing a notable increased in attendees.

The next Passenger Ship Safety Miami event is scheduled for January 29-31, 2019.