Top Headlines

Meyer Turku delivers the world's largest cruise ship Icon of the Seas

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 November 2023 27 November 2023

Meyer Turku has today delivered the cruise ship Icon of the Seas to Royal Caribbean International. "Icon of the Seas is the world's most advanced and its owner's most environmentally friendly cruise ship. The ship will leave the Meyer Turku shipyard during the current week and will start its first voyage from Miami in January 2024," the shipyard stated in its press release.

Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, commented on the handover of Icon of the Seas as a significant moment in the shipyard's history:

"Icon of the Seas is the world's largest, but above all, the world's most advanced cruise ship. Together with Royal Caribbean, we set the bar exceptionally high in terms of design, technology, safety and reducing energy consumption.

Icon of the Seas is a revolutionary ship and at the same time a significant step towards the green transition, which is the shipyard's most important competitive advantage. Such a demanding project has only been possible because we cooperate closely within the maritime cluster. In particular, I would like to highlight the finishing expertise of our supply chain. I am extremely proud of the people of Meyer Turku and everyone who has participated in this project."

In what has been estimated to be the most complex project in the industrial history of Finland, several smaller, yet huge sub-projects fit inside. They are good examples of the strength of cooperation between Meyer Turku and partner companies. These include, among other things

– AquaDome, the heaviest and in terms of surface area largest glass-steel structure ever lifted onto a ship

– Pearl, a 15-meter-diameter round thrill staircase that is part of the ship's load-bearing structure

(Article continues below the AquaDome image -- photo credit: Christer Gorschelnik)

"Today we are celebrating much more than just a ship being completed. We also celebrate that the innovations and dreams created by Royal Caribbean during over 50 years have reached a new peak. Icon of the Seas represents everything that can be achieved in responsible vacationing thanks to commitment and strong partnerships. We thank Meyer Turku and the shipyard's incredibly competent partner network with whom we have done this work. The memories of the millions who will travel on Icon will be our greatest achievement to date," says Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty.

Royal Caribbean International markets Icon of the Seas as an unprecedented vacation experience with something for everyone. The ship's eight different themed areas include the largest water park in the seas, the Central Park consisting of living plants, the AquaTheatre offering water acrobatics entertainment, and forty different places to eat.

Icon of the Seas will depart for its first customer cruise from its home PortMiami at the end of January. At that time, there will also be published more footage from the interior of the ship. Icon of the Seas will regularly cruise in the Caribbean.

The hull assembly of the second ship in the series, Star of the Seas, will begin at the Meyer Turku shipyard in December.

MSC Cruises confirms orders with Chantiers de l'Atlantique for two World-class ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 13 November 2023 13 November 2023

MSC Cruises today confirmed the order of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessels with French ship builder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. This sees the two World Class options confirmed as firm orders with an option for a fifth ship. The two new ordered vessels – currently referred to as World Class 3 and 4 - will be delivered in 2026 and 2027.

MSC World Europa and MSC World America are already the most energy efficient ships in the industry performing significantly better than the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirement, and the new ships will be an evolution of the state-of-the-art World Class prototype with innovative solutions to maximise the energy efficiency, with extensive use of heat recovery and other technological solutions, which will see the vessels having an even further reduced carbon footprint. In addition, the new ships will be ready for a variety of alternative fuels including bio and synthetic methane and green methanol. The ships will also be fitted with the next generation dual fuel internal combustion engines with reduced methane slip.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises, said, “We are proud to continue our 20-year partnership with the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, with whom we have already built 18 ships with our 19th under construction. The World Class is a truly innovative prototype and together we are building some of the most advanced ships in the world. We are committed to researching and investing in future environmental technologies as they become available, to ensure we continue progressing on our decarbonisation journey to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”

Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique added, “At a difficult time for the European shipbuilding industry, MSC Cruises has shown its confidence in our abilities and skills with this order. We would therefore like to express our gratitude to MSC Cruises for its renewed confidence at this crucial time. In addition, MSC Cruises, always seeking to reduce the environmental impact of its ships quickly and significantly, has accepted a significant cost premium to improve the energy efficiency of these new ships which, according to the IMO's EEDI index, will emit 50% less CO2 than the IMO's 2008 benchmark.”

Castaing continued, “We would also like to thank our government, whose support for our R&D policy to make our ships greener has enabled us to meet the customer's expectations for this order.”

The new World Class vessels will feature shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce carbon emissions in port, the most advanced wastewater treatment systems designed in line with the IMO, new advances in waste management, and a comprehensive range of onboard energy efficient equipment to optimise engine use and hotel energy needs to further reduce emissions.

The two new orders will be subject to access to financing, as per industry practice.

Celebrity Cruises takes delivery of Celebrity Ascent

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 08 November 2023 08 November 2023

Celebrity Ascent has officially joined Celebrity Cruises’ fleet of award-winning ships redefining premium travel, as company officials took delivery of its newest ship at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The fourth ship in the line’s innovative Edge Series, Celebrity Ascent continues to shatter preconceived notions of cruising with its forward-thinking design by the world’s leading architects and interior designers; culinary excellence from Michelin starred chefs; wellness woven throughout the experience; expansive onboard entertainment and more. Celebrity Ascent will make her official debut in Fort Lauderdale on December 3, with a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing visiting such popular destinations as St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic.

Welcoming the ship to the Celebrity Cruises family were Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge, and Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Captains Dimitrios Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis, the first brother captains honored with taking a new ship from the shipyard, were also on-hand for the celebration, along with 1,400 Celebrity Ascent crew members.

To mark the moment, they participated in several maritime traditions including the signing ceremony and the changing of flags onboard the ship, along with a celebratory toast in the ship’s spectacular three-story Grand Plaza.

“Celebrity Ascent is yet another example of innovation driving our mission to provide the best vacations responsibly,” said Liberty. “The ship continues Celebrity’s ambition to redefine premium travel and take it to new heights,” said Liberty. “I want to thank and congratulate the Chantiers de l’Atlantique team, our Newbuild and Celebrity Cruises’ teams and their partners for the vision, craftmanship and passion that went into bringing this spectacular ship to life.”

“Celebrity Ascent features all the innovative and award-winning Edge Series signature experiences that launched a new era in cruise ship design, plus a few new enhancements, and I can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard,” said Hodges-Bethge. “It is a true honor to welcome this ship to our fleet and I am so grateful to everyone involved with all that goes into a launching new ship.”

“I am convinced that Celebrity Ascent will meet the same success as the other ships in the prestigious Edge Series. Its fine exterior and interior design and its exceptional seaworthiness make it an outstanding ship. Celebrity Ascent embodies the strong bond between the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Royal Caribbean Group and Celebrity Cruises teams,” said Chantiers de l’Atlantique General Director Laurent Castaing.”

Norwegian Cruise Line's next ship will be Norwegian Aqua

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 02 November 2023 02 November 2023

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) unveiled today the evolution of the Prima Class with the all-new Norwegian Aqua, the first of the expanded Prima Plus Class setting sail in April 2025.

Starting today, travelers can book Norwegian Aqua’s first voyages to the Caribbean with 7-night itineraries departing from one of the world’s most sought-after cruise ports, Port Canaveral, Fla. Voyages include calls to the idyllic island destinations of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas.

The legacy continues with renowned Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri constructing this next-generation Prima Plus Class. Building upon the award-winning experiences of Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Aqua will set new standards and deliver brand-new guest experiences to be discovered with an overall 10 percent size and capacity increase from its sister ships. Spanning 1,056 feet long, 156,300 gross tons and accommodating 3,571 guests at double occupancy, Norwegian Aqua will offer more outdoor space and the highest staffing levels of any new contemporary cruise ship.

"Norwegian Aqua is a true testament of fusing together what represents the future of our Brand as the first ship in the Prima Plus Class, and our commitment to pushing the boundaries in guest-first experiences that will make new waves at sea," said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. "Named for both the beautiful shades of blue from the ocean and our connection to the sea, Norwegian Aqua will feature new, elevated and exhilarating offerings that once again showcase NCL as the innovator in the industry and as a key contributor to a new era of cruising."

Norwegian Aqua will showcase a lively and colorful hull art design by NCL’s first-ever major female hull artist, Allison Hueman. World-renowned for her street art and global brand collaborations, including Nike, L’Oreal and Google, Hueman’s distinctive art style is a blend of ethereal realism. Norwegian Aqua’s design, entitled "Where the Sky Meets the Sea," is curated by Goldman Global Arts and evokes modern mythology through colorful mashups of abstract and figurative representations of sea and sky, ruled by ancient goddesses.

"I’m honored, not only to be the first major female hull artist for Norwegian Cruise Line, but to also know that my artwork will be roaming the seas touching different parts of the world," said Allison Hueman, Filipino-American multidisciplinary artist. "It’s incredibly special for me to partner with a brand that believes in the magical connection between art and exploration."

World's first hybrid coaster

Norwegian Aqua will premiere the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide, the Aqua Slidecoaster. Complete with exhilarating dual slides and a magnetic lift that propels adventurous guests through two different courses, this NCL exclusive experience will feature three stories of exciting twists and turns around the ship's funnel.

The new Glow Court, a digital sports complex with an interactive LED floor, will offer a variety of interactive guest activities by day and then transform into a nightclub in the evening. Guests will also be able to continue to enjoy some of their favorite Prima Class experiences aboard Norwegian Aqua, including The Drop, NCL’s 10-story free-fall slide, and the Stadium, a now expanded game space offering complimentary activities.

Largest Haven complex to-date

Boasting NCL’s first-ever Three-Bedroom Duplex Haven Suites, Norwegian Aqua will offer all-new luxurious accommodations in the Brand’s premium keycard-access-only-complex, The Haven by Norwegian. These four two-story spacious suites feature separate living and dining areas; three bathrooms; a sprawling balcony; and three bedrooms, of which two include a king size bed, with the master offering floor-to-ceiling windows for breathtaking ocean views. The Haven aboard Norwegian Aqua will offer the largest Haven complex in the fleet with 123 well-appointed suites, including access to an expansive, dedicated sundeck; a serene infinity pool overlooking the ship’s stern; an outdoor spa complete with a glass-walled sauna and cold room; two hot tubs; a private lounge; exclusive bar pouring rare spirits and vintages; and sweeping sea views available from every public space. Haven guests will continue to enjoy 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge team.

Norwegian Aqua will offer a variety of the most spacious accommodations in the fleet including inside, ocean view and balcony category staterooms, while solo travelers will continue to enjoy NCL’s signature Studio staterooms, which are priced and designed with the solo traveler in mind and include private keycard access to a dedicated Studio Lounge. The ship will also feature the Company’s latest solo stateroom expanded categories, solo inside, solo oceanview and solo balcony, offering more space and variety of accommodations to single cruisers at reduced fares that are less than the cost of paying double occupancy.

Debuting on board Norwegian Aqua, The Haven will feature four three-bedroom duplex suites as apart of the largest Haven complex across the fleet.

More family-friendly public areas

NCL’s family-favorite Splash Academy, for children ages three to 12, will return to Norwegian Aqua. Adolescents aged 13 to 17, can engage in fun, age-appropriate activities at Entourage, NCL’s signature teen club, which will enjoy its very own dedicated space.

Guests looking to spend their days lounging at sea, will enjoy Norwegian Aqua’s infinity edge pool with expanded seating, and for the first time in NCL’s fleet, day beds will be available on the main pool deck for guests to lounge and relax. For an elevated and adults-only experience, the expanded Vibe Beach Club will also offer more lounge seating. With additional outdoor spaces, guests can spend their days exploring and enjoying NCL’s most expansive Ocean Boulevard to-date, the outdoor walkway that wraps around the entire ship complete with Oceanwalk, a glass bridge that offers great photo opportunities; Infinity Beach featuring expanded vistas and intimate pools overlooking each side of the ship; and La Terrazza, the open-air lounge with sweeping sea views.

Sailing from Port Canaveral, New York and Portmiami

Following a series of seven-day Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral, Fla., Norwegian Aqua will offer five and seven-day voyages to Bermuda from New York City from August 2025 through October 2025. The ship will then sail five and seven-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami, the "Cruise Capital of the World," beginning October 2025 through April 2026.

Additional new features and highly anticipated guest experiences aboard Norwegian Aqua will be unveiled in the upcoming new year.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas begins second sea trials

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 29 October 2023 29 October 2023

Royal Caribbean International’s highly anticipated Icon of the Seas begins its second and last round of sea trials, one of the final construction milestones. For several days on the open ocean, the first-of-its-kind vacation will be pushed to the limit ahead of its January 2024 debut in Miami. Teams of experts will test everything, from the six record-breaking waterslides and seven pools to the first waste-to-energy plant at sea and the engines’ top speeds.

Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland is expected to deliver 250,800 gross ton newbuild next month.

Cruisebusiness.com