Carnival adds newbuildings for P&O Cruises Australia and Princess after Costa Asia deal
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Published: 31 December 2015 31 December 2015
Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilder, has signed a memorandum of agreement with Carnival Corporation & plc for the construction of four new cruise ships of an overall value of about €2.5 billion euros. “The final contracts, subject to several conditions, including satisfactory shipowner financing, are expected to be executed in 2016,” the shipbuilder said in a statement.
Two ships will be built for the Costa Asia brand, as unveiled on 30 December (see separate article), one for P&O Cruises Australia and one for Princess Cruises. The four units will all be built at the shipyards in Monfalcone and Marghera, with deliveries scheduled in 2019 and 2020. “Once entered into service in their respective fleets, they will serve growing cruise markets, including China, Australia and others,” the company said.
The newbuilding for P&O Cruises Australia will be the first such vessel to enter service with the Sydney based company. It currently operates five vessels, all second hand transfers, with a sixth due from Princess cruises in 2017.
Each unit will be designed and developed specifically for the brand and for its reference guests. The 135,500 gross ton Costa Asia and P&O Cruises' ships will carry 4,200 passengers. Princess Cruises’ new 143,700 gross ton ship will carry 3,560 passengers and will be its fourth Royal Princess class vessel.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “The signing of this agreement happens during a real and beyond all expectations boom of the cruise sector. This announcement confirms, once again, the effectiveness of our strategy: with these projects, based on those of the prototype units acquired in extremely challenging conditions, we ensure our group not only continuity and development, but also a new-found profitability in this segment”.
“We will deliver on our fleet enhancement plan with the construction of these four new ships, that are consistent with our long-term strategy of measured capacity growth over time,” said Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc.
“These ships will be great additions to our fleet that support our goal to exceed guest expectations and create great vacation memories for each guest onboard our ships. These strategic investments in new ships that wow our guests are an important part of our measured growth strategy, which includes replacing less efficient ships with newer, larger and more efficient vessels over a very specific period of time,” he said in the statement.
Costa orders two 135,500 gross ton newbuildings for Costa Asia at Fincantieri
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Published: 30 December 2015 30 December 2015
The Costa Group said it had signed an agreement with Fincantieri to build two ships for Costa Asia brand, with final contracts expected to be executed in 2016. The ships, each with 135,500 gross tons and carrying 4,200 guests, will be built in Italy. They will be specifically designed for the Chinese market, joining the fleet in 2019 and 2020.
“Costa Asia new ships are part of a memorandum of agreement signed by Carnival Corporation & plc with Fincantieri to build four new ships by 2020 at the company’s shipyards in Monfalcone and Marghera, Italy,” the company said in a statement.
Carnival group said in the spring it would order five vessels at Fincantieri and four at Meyer in the course of this year. The company has since unveiled the Meyer orders, with two ships to be built at Papenburg and two for Turku.
Thanks to the new agreement announced today, the Costa Group has eight new ships on order with a total capacity of 45,000 berths (four for the German brand Aida Cruises; two for the Italian brand Costa Cruises; two for Costa Asia), bringing the total capacity of the fleet to 110,000 berths.
“We are happy to continue our long-standing strategic partnership with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. This new investment is expected to create wealth and employment for the Italian country as a whole. As for Costa Diadema, the latest Costa ship built by Fincantieri and the best expression of Italy’s finest, also Costa Asia ships will feature an innovative Italian style design. In addition this new agreement will allow us to continue significantly build the Chinese cruise market, which will become the second largest in the world at the end of the decade” - said Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group.
The Costa Group was the first cruise company to enter the Chinese market back in 2006. Three Costa ships are currently deployed in China and Asia year-round: Costa Atlantica, Costa Victoria and Costa Serena. A fourth ship, Costa Fortuna, will be added in April 2016.
Crystal launches new 'All Exclusive' brand campaign and announces private charter air service
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 22 December 2015 22 December 2015
Aboard the newly christened Crystal Esprit, Crystal Cruises’ ultra-luxury yacht, CEO and President Edie Rodriguez unveiled to special guests and distinguished travel partners the line’s new brand campaign – All Exclusive™ – heralding the debut of the new Crystal as the company embarks on the most significant brand expansion in luxury travel and hospitality.
In addition to sharing Crystal’s new advertising campaign, Rodriguez announced the company’s plan to expand Crystal Luxury Air that currently includes a Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with the addition of two ultra-long-range aircrafts in an elegant Airbus CJ319 jet and a Bombardier Global Express XRS. The new planes will service private charters and transport guests to their Crystal destinations for ocean, river or yacht voyages from any point in the United States to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
A play on the all-inclusive platform the line adopted in 2013, which offers travelers a world-class luxury vacation that includes fine wines and spirits, pre-paid gratuities and enriching onboard experiences, Crystal’s All Exclusive™ embodies the world’s most luxurious travel portfolio. The campaign highlights a revolutionary collection of experiences that go far beyond all inclusive luxury to offer the most elegant journeys around the globe – by ocean, yacht, river and air.
“In a single phrase, ‘All Exclusive’ takes the common industry term of ‘all inclusive’ and reshapes it into something bigger, bolder and unprecedented, where all inclusive is all exclusive,” said Rodriguez. “Since my arrival at Crystal, it has been my vision to grow this brand into something even more magical. Today, we are reinventing travel in a class all by itself, and All Exclusive is the perfect representation of that. Whether it is by ocean, river or air, everything we do is designed to take our guests to a new level of luxury, service and adventure.”
Crystal’s private charter jet service, which takes flight in March 2016, will provide the luxury line’s superior guest service, catering to corporate executives, small groups and discerning travelers with a preference for flexible and individual travel. Recognized in the private jet industry as the epitome of luxury and comfort, the Bombardier Global Express XRS will feature a spacious two-cabin configuration, accommodating up to 13 guests, four executive wide club seats with foldout tables, a four-place conference space opposite a single seat workstation and cabinet, laptop imagery on cabin monitors, surround sound, high temperature oven and an aft entertainment cabin with a 31.5 inch LCD.
The ACJ319 jet will accommodate just 30 travelers in the utmost luxury, including 16 lay-flat seats, and beginning summer 2016 it will transport guests to their desired Crystal destination, including to ocean, river and yacht voyages. “With our vast choice of aircrafts, we are confident Crystal Luxury Air will deliver the fast and hassle-free requirements our guests and discerning travelers have been wanting with global air travel,” said Rodriguez.
The comprehensive, 360-degree brand campaign roll-out will encompass all elements of Crystal’s marketing and sales – advertising, brochures, website, direct mail and more. Leveraging high-end, stunning and stylish photography to evoke the feelings and sensations unique to the award-winning Crystal Experience, the imagery portrays a dreamlike state where imaginations are brought to life, where anything you want in travel is available to you, any time, all the time, creating the memories of a lifetime.
Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas returns to Miami
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 21 December 2015 21 December 2015
Royal Caribbean International re-introduces newly-enhanced Empress of the Seas to the fleet in March 2016. Following a stint with sister brand Pullmantur, Empress will head to Miami giving guests the chance to get away from it all and enjoy a lively, casual, laid-back atmosphere while visiting some of the Caribbean’s most popular islands.
Guests can languish over daily ‘Sunday’ brunches served with a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary, enjoy the flexible “My Time Dining” with no formal nights, take in the new Las Vegas-style “Sequins & Feathers” show and then party all night long in the newly reimagined Boleros Latin Lounge. Empress of the Seas also will offer fast pier-to-ship boarding with earlier boarding times of 11:00 a.m. to help guests maximize their vacation time even further.
“We’re excited to welcome Empress of the Seas back to the family, and back to the Caribbean,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Empress’s short Caribbean getaways will give adventure-seekers the opportunity to party, chill and repeat. They will feel like it’s the weekend every day on Empress.”
As Miami’s newest hometown ship, Empress of the Seas will offer short 4- and 5-night getaways from Miami to Nassau, The Bahamas; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Grand Cayman and Key West, Florida. With longer stays in every port guests will be able to experience spectacular golden sunsets in the Caribbean. Plus, on select 5-night itineraries guest can experience the authentic Mexican culture and cuisine during overnight stays in Cozumel, Mexico. Reservations are available for booking today.
“Miami welcomes Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas to the Cruise Capital of the World,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “We thank Royal Caribbean for expanding their cruise business at PortMiami. This new deployment further demonstrates the cruise line’s commitment to growing their business in Miami-Dade County. It represents continued economic growth and more job opportunities for our world-class community.”
Empress of the Seas will offer signature amenities including a thrilling rock-climbing wall for adrenaline seekers; new pools and whirlpools, including an adults-only Solarium; a spa with an extensive treatment menu; and a complimentary Adventure Ocean youth program. Empress also will offer a variety of dining options, including the casual atmosphere of the Windjammer Café and fine dining at the brand’s signature steakhouse Chops Grille. In addition, the ship will offer Voom, the fastest internet at sea.
Originally launched as Nordic Empress in June 1990, the ship was the first to set sail from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, New Jersey in 2004. Built in Chantiers de L’Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France, the ship spans nine decks, encompassing 48,563 gross tons, and has a double-occupancy capacity of 1,602 guests.
Crystal Esprit christened in the Seychelles, ready to set sail
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 20 December 2015 20 December 2015
Crystal Cruises officially welcomed Crystal Esprit to its fleet of ultra-luxury vessels Sunday, as the yacht was christened in an elegant ceremony held at Eden Island Marina in Mahé, Victoria, Seychelles. Crystal’s president and CEO, Edie Rodriguez, welcomed a distinguished audience of local dignitaries, yacht guests, travel partners and professionals and executives from the line’s new parent company, Genting Hong Kong (GHK), for a day of celebration, as Crystal Esprit marks the beginning of one of the most significant brand expansions in luxury travel and hospitality history.
On hand to christen Crystal Esprit was the yacht’s godmother, Lady Gaenor Anne Meakes, fiancée of Mark Richards, one of the world’s most awarded and recognized yachtsmen. Richards serves as chief executive of Grand Banks yachts, based in Australia, and is an eight-time champion skipper of the 628-mile Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race. Lady Meakes christened the yacht with the traditional breaking of Champagne against the hull – specifically a bottle of Louis Roederer, Cristal Brut, 2004. The evening culminated with an elaborate fireworks display at sea.
“To say today is a special day is an understatement,” said Rodriguez. “Since joining Crystal just over two years ago, a personal goal of mine has been to see Crystal realize the next step in continuing to pioneer luxury travel and hospitality; and today I am seeing that dream fulfilled.” She went on to personally thank GHK Chairman and CEO, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, for his and his company’s support of her vision for Crystal’s future.
Crystal will, indeed, pioneer the luxury travel and hospitality industry far beyond the reaches of ocean cruising, as the line is poised to launch Crystal River Cruises in 2016 and 2017, with five luxury river yachts – more than double the originally planned number – gracing the waterways of Europe include the Rhine, Seine, Danube, Main, Garonne, and Dordogne Rivers. Crystal Luxury Air will take off with all-first-class outfitted Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 787 Dreamliner taking guests on multi-week journeys to far-off destinations not typically served non-stop by major airlines.
Read more on Crystal's massive expansion program from the next issue of Cruise Business Review.
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