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Silversea Cruises to upgrade Silver Shadow in November

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 May 2019 15 May 2019

Silversea Cruises, the Monaco based luxury and expedition cruise operator, said that the 388 passenger capacity Silver Shadow will undergo an extensive refurbishment in November 2019, to enrich the ship’s comfort for all guests.

The company thatis controlled by Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd (RCCL) said upgrades to Silver Shadow, which was built in 2000 and is of 28,258 gross tons, are intended to include:

Suites: The ship's spacious suites will undergo a floor-to-ceiling renovation, incorporating an elegant colour palette with stylish accents that will echo Silver Muse.

New Atrium & Arts Café: The space currently occupied by the Lobby, Boutique and Casino will be redesigned as a new Atrium—a social hub that will feature an updated guest reception area, boutique and at its centrepiece, the Arts Café.

La Dame: Offering the highest expression of excellence in French dining, the hugely popular La Dame restaurant will be refurbished and enlarged to accommodate more diners to ensure every guest has the opportunity to experience its chic style, exceptional service and sophisticated cuisine.

Connoisseur's Corner: A rich and luxurious lounge, offering fine cognacs and premium cigars, the Connoisseur's Corner will be moved to Deck 8, where its complete reimagining will include the addition of a new outdoor smoking area with comfortable seating.

Casino: A complete redesign of the ship's Casino will include its relocation to Deck 8, adjacent to the repositioned Connoisseur's Corner.

Observation Library: Formerly the Observation Lounge, this quiet space for reading and reflection, which is set at the fore of the ship on Deck 10, will enable guests to access a carefully curated collection of books. Its panoramic ocean views will be complemented by new carpet and furniture.

Zagara Beauty Spa & Fitness Centre: The top-to-bottom renovation of the Zagara Beauty Spa and the Fitness Centre will encompass new steam and sauna rooms, fully refurbished treatment rooms, new furniture and flooring, updated state-of-the-art fitness equipment, and more.

Refreshed Public Spaces: Also scheduled for comprehensive renovation are The Restaurant, La Terrazza, Panorama Lounge, The Bar, The Show Lounge, and Card/Conference Rooms—each of which will benefit from décor upgrades, from new furniture to new upholstery, carpets, and wall/window treatments. The pool area will boast new outdoor furniture, refurbished teak flooring, a new canvas awning with inserted lighting, and new outdoor heaters, while the jogging track will benefit from new teak resin.

Whether relaxing in the new Atrium area or sipping a cognac in the expanded Connoisseur’s Corner, you will notice not only a revitalised look but also greater choices and flexibility as a result of Silver Shadow’s enhancements.

CroisiEurope expands ocean fleet with Silver Discoverer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 May 2019 14 May 2019

Silver Discoverer, which has been chartered by Silversea Cruises, will join CroisiEurope’s fleet. CroisiEurope will name the ship as La Belle des Océans and her small size make it the perfect ship to discover new ocean itineraries. The 7-deck ship measures 103 meters long and 15 meters wide accommodating 120 passengers in 60 spacious suites, all with exterior view of which nine with private balconies.

All suites have a bathroom with walk-in shower, desk, hairdryer, built-in wardrobe with safe, mini bar, flat-screen TV and air conditioning.

The high-class comfort combined with refined elegance offer well thought out spaces and tailor-made services on board. two lounges, a restaurant, a bar-restaurant grill around the pool, a fitness center, a beauty salon with hairdresser and spa as well as a laundry service.

The itineraries, cruise dates and their marketing will be revealed very soon as well as the day of the inauguration scheduled for next spring. It will be CroisiEurope’s second sea-going ship alongside La Belle de l’Adriatique.

Silver Shadow to undergo major refurbishment in 2019

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 May 2019 14 May 2019

Silversea's all-suite, 388-guest Silver Shadow is set to undergo an extensive refurbishment in November 2019, to enrich the ship’s comfort further still for the cruise line’s guests. The renovation will include the creation of a new Atrium area on deck 5, and major enhancements to all guest suites, corridors, and many public spaces – including a remodelling of the ship's La Dame restaurant, Connoisseur's Corner, and the Casino.

Part of Project Invictus – a long-term plan to grow and enhance Silversea's already ultra-luxury fleet of ships – the comprehensive refurbishment will be inspired by the design of Silver Muse.

"We are committed to maintaining the impeccable standards of the Silversea experience, and this major refurbishment of Silver Shadow represents a significant investment for the benefit of our guests," said Roberto Martinoli, Silversea's CEO. "Whether relaxing in the new Atrium or sipping a cognac in the expanded Connoisseur's Corner, our guests will notice not only a revitalized look but also greater choices and flexibility as a result of this project's enhancements."

Silver Shadow’s first voyage following the transformation will enable guests to travel deeper into the Caribbean on a 7-night itinerary, departing from Fort Lauderdale for San Juan on December 3, 2019.

Study predicts strong UK market growth up to 2023 driven by young people - report

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 May 2019 13 May 2019

A study by the market research group Mintel forecasts a strong growth of the UK and Ireland cruise market in the 2018-23 period, driven by young people, Travel Wekly reports.

“The number of sea cruises taken by British and Irish holidaymakers will soar by 22.5% from 2018 to 2023 – while the overall number of overseas holidays are expected to rise by 14.8%,” the report said.

The figure just exceeded the 2.00 million mark in 2018, up from 1.96 million in the previous year, CLIA UK & Ireland has reported earlier.

Marloes De Vries, Mintel travel analyst, was quoted as saying: “Cruises were once thought of as the preserve of retirees, but there’s now plenty of potential to tap into a younger generation of cruise-goers. Some cruise lines have already introduced more activities to attract a younger audience such as rooftop BBQs and tattoo artists.”

“Growth is expected to be fuelled by an increasing number of cruise choices, modernisation of existing ships, and the large pool of people who are considering a cruise holiday. Given most potential cruisers have not experienced this type of holiday before, brands offering specialist knowledge and advice have a great opportunity to engage with this audience.”

However, CLIA UK & Ireland said the average age of UK cruise passengers was 57 in 2018, the highest among the main source markets of the industry. The average duration of cruises is also longer in the UK than on other main source markets, which CLIA UK & Ireland said explains this.

Mintel estimates 2.04 million British and Irish passengers will take a sea cruise in 2019, making the UK and Ireland market worth £3.2 billion this year.

The research reveals almost half (46%) of Brits say they are interested in taking a sea cruise in the next five years, while 45% are interested in taking a river cruise. Overall, one in four (26%) Brits have been on a cruise.

The research for Mintel Cruises 2019 report was carried out among 2,000 people, and reveals the younger generation shows the highest level of interest in sea cruises.

More than a third (38%) of those who are interested in taking a sea cruise in the next five years are aged 16 to 34; 34% are aged 35 to 54; and 28% are aged 55 or more.

Comment – Removal of Independence of the Seas from UK 2020 could signal local overcapacity, changing market

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 May 2019 10 May 2019

Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) decision to remove the 2008 built Independence of the Seas from the UK next year comes against a backdrop of increasing capacity on cruises from Britain and increasing demand for cruises in destinations outside Europe.

Carnival group’s UK focused contemporary market unit P&O Cruises has two large 184,700 gross ton and 5,200 passenger capacity newbuildings on order with the first ship, Iona, due next year. The 1995 built Oriana with around 1,900 lower berths will leave the fleet in August this year.

RCI officials have also indicated that the company might bring a 200,000 gross ton Icon class ship to the UK once the second newbuilding of P&O Cruises will enter service in 2022.

MSC Cruises has stated that it wants to have a ship tailored for the UK market and to operate it there year round.

Saga Cruises is about to introduce the first of its two 999 passenger newbuildings this year, with the second one due in 2020. These replace smaller existing ships and will operate in the luxury segment of the market.

This comes against the backdrop of a barely growing market: in 2018, a total of 2,009,000 British people took a cruise, the first time the figure had exceed the two million mark, but it only rose from 1,959,000 in the previous year.

CLIA UK and Ireland recently reported that cruises in Europe remain the most popular choice for British and Irish holidaymakers, with the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Baltics taking up almost 70% of total cruises taken, and the market is still dominated by the ‘Big Three’ – the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean.

However, 2018 saw a significant increase in the number of cruises taken in exploration destinations, such as the polar regions, the Galápagos Islands and Antarctica, with bookings growing from 22,000 in 2017 to 32,000 in 2018, an increase of 44%.

Cruises in Asia and South America also experienced a healthy growth - the number of cruises taken in South America and Panama Canal grew by 29% to 26,000 and in Asia and China the number grew by 41%, from 45,000 in 2017 to 63,000 in 2018.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director “Increasingly, however, British & Irish travellers are looking further afield for their holiday for a unique and authentic experience, and this can be seen by the growth in far-flung destinations that such as the polar regions, South America and Asia.”

Demand for RCI cruises in Florida is strong, boosted by $250 million investment in the CoCo Cay private island. Briton’s love of cruising, while far from dead, only showed slow growth last year. Fly cruises in distant destinations are becoming increasingly popular. Ultimately, the question of ship deployments is driven by expected yields.