Mystic Cruises names its first ocean vessel

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 09 April 2019 09 April 2019

In a grand, pier-side gala in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, Mystic Invest Chairman Mário Ferreira and singer, songwriter, supermodel, French former-First Lady, and ship’s Godmother Carla Bruni-Sarkozy christened World Explorer as Mystic Cruises’ first ocean cruise ship. The ceremony was held on April 6.

“Portugal has a rich maritime history and we are very proud that World Explorer is the first luxury cruise ship to be built here. We are further honored to have Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy as the ship’s godmother,” said Mr. Ferreira. “Active and adventurous travelers will delight in sailing with the new Mystic Cruises, which will exemplify Mystic Invest’s more than 25 years’ experience in innovating travel and tourism.”

Captains Alex Zakalashnnyuk from Russia, Filipe Sousa from Portugal, and Terje Willassen from Norway will master the new World Explorer and bring more than 75 years of combined experience aboard the 9,300-gross-tonne, 200-guest World Explorer. A low crew-to-guest ratio will ensure that guests enjoy a luxurious experience as they explore far reaches and smaller ports that larger ships cannot reach.

World Explorer – and sister-ships World Navigator and World Voyager, both scheduled for 2020 – will incorporate the latest maritime technology to be among the world’s most-advanced and safest ships. These 1B Ice Class ships are each equipped with two Rolls Royce 9,000 kw hybrid diesel/electric engines and incorporate FarSounder’s Forward-looking Sonar (FLS) to deftly navigate harbors, rivers, and iceberg fields for convenient access to city centers and incomparable, up-close vistas. Portugal’s WestSea Viana Shipyard is constructing all three ships.

Mystic Cruises is a new expedition cruise company, offering programs in captivating destinations, including Antarctica, Europe, Iceland and Greenland. Focused on offering unique experiences in an eco-friendly way, Mystic Cruises delivers unspoiled landscapes with all the comfort of a five-star cruise ship. German-brand Nicko Cruises will sail World Explorer’s inaugural, summer 2019 season, and Quark Expeditions has chartered the ship for breathtaking Antarctica voyages in winter 2019-20.

Mystic Cruises and Nicko Cruises are brands of Mystic Invest, a privately held Portuguese financial holding company with more than 25 years of experience in the travel and tourism sector. Started in 1993 with the establishment of river cruise company DouroAzul, Mystic Invest has grown to aggregate more than 15 companies and a workforce of more than 550 dedicated professionals working around the world to create unforgettable experiences for more than 375,000 guests who choose a Mystic Invest brand for their holidays every year. From river cruising to hotels and resorts, including museums and helicopter tours, all the way to space tourism, Mystic Invest’s brands are leading the innovation of how travelers discover the world.

Princess Anastasia resumes Baltic cruise service after refit

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 09 April 2019 09 April 2019

Princess Anastasia of St Peter Line has resumed cruise service in the Baltic after a two week refit in Poland, the company said in a statement.

St Peter Line is part of the Italian ferry company Moby Lines and it operates the 1986 built cruise ferry on a schedule that includes calls at Helsinki, Tallinn, Stockholm and St Peterburg, which is the base of the company and the vessel.

"The season that is about to begin will be configured for an ever increasing attention to the services on board, with great attention to the new menus and to the proposals of food and wine excellence for our passengers, which will configure more and more the Princess Anastasia as a true Italian island in the middle of the Baltic, and the desire to pamper those who travel with us will also be reserved for entertainment on board Princess Anastasia, an increasingly extraordinary and unique experience," Alessandro Onorato, president of Moby SPL, comments on the forthcoming season.

Sergey Kotenev, director general of Moby SPL, added: “We are confident that the new cruise season will be more productive than the previous one. The company envisages attracting more passengers in the so-called "semi-seasons". Spring and autumn are no less interesting for travelling to Russia, while the passenger enjoys a number of advantages: a more lucrative price for the voyage, the lower cost of hotel packages and the absence of crowds in the main city museums. In addition, we are planning to extend our agency network in Eastern and Southern Europe and to focus on family recreation”.

Holland America Line to call next Pinnacle class ship Ryndam

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 08 April 2019 08 April 2019

In a nod to its long line of historic ships that helped build the foundation for cruising as we know it today, Holland America Line announced that its next Pinnacle Class ship will be called Ryndam. The newbuild, due for delivery in May 2021, will be the fourth ship in the company’s history to carry the name.

Ryndam will be similar to sister ships Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, measuring 99,500 tons and carrying 2,666 guests. As the third in the series, Ryndam will feature enhanced Pinnacle Class amenities and innovations, along with Holland America Line hallmarks that drive one of the highest guest repeat rates in the industry.

“Holland America Line honors the timeless tradition of cruising while also embracing new innovations for today’s travelers, and the name Ryndam reflects the unique history of this company while honoring previous ships that were progressive in their time as this last Ryndam will be,” said Orland Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “From the first Ryndam more than 100 years ago to the most recent, the namesake ships have been beloved by our guests. The next Ryndam will bring new life to one of the most notable series of vessels in our history.”

The steel cutting for Ryndam, signifying the official beginning of the building process, was held March 13, 2019 at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy. This will be the 17th ship constructed for Holland America Line by the Italian shipbuilder, which most recently delivered Nieuw Statendam.

Seven Seas Splendor to feature Studio DADO designs

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 03 April 2019 03 April 2019

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has selected Miami-based boutique cruise ship and hospitality design firm Studio DADO to create key public and private areas of its newest luxury ship, Seven Seas Splendor. The studio is designing the ship’s Observation Lounge, Spa, Card Room, Constellation Theater, Connoisseur Club cigar lounge, Pacific Rim Pan-Asian specialty restaurant, and all 55 Penthouse Suites, Grand Suites and Superior Suites on board. The highly anticipated all-suite, all-balcony ship debuts in February 2020.

Led by DADO founding partners Yohandel Ruiz and Javier Calle and lead designer Scheherezade Marles, designs will elevate the standard for modern-day elegance, as each space aims to create an atmosphere of uncompromised luxury as unique as the many guests who sail on board.

“It is no small feat to create both public and private living spaces for a ship that aspires to perfect luxury,” notes Ruiz. “We are focusing on all the intricate details that will take each of the 750 guests on a journey while on board for an indulgent and transformative personal experience.”

The Observation Lounge incorporates a light and airy color palette to create a restful daytime space that evokes the feeling of an enchanting English garden, complete with peonies, roses, traditional English architectural molding, and curved, lush upholsteries that gracefully echo the fluid forms of flower petals. Specially commissioned art by Gorman Studios incorporates hand painted English roses and flowers on glass screens to mimic the look of porcelain. The highlight of the room includes a whimsical chandelier made from hundreds of hand-painted porcelain flowers.

The Grand Suite, one of the most glamorous spaces on board, features marble mosaics, rich woods, brilliant emerald green accent colors and unique furniture pieces based on haute couture fashion.

Elegance flows through the 55 sapphire-inspired Penthouse Suites from the subtle mother-of-pearl inset in the dining table, to the expanse of the breeze-swept balcony. Each suite is adorned with custom artwork, bathrooms featuring Carrara marble and stone and custom-lit vanity mirrors, and even expansive, walk-in closets that include lined jewelry drawers and custom space built for designer handbags.

“Our suite designs welcome guests with an opulent and highly tailored environment which seamlessly blends comfort and luxury,” adds Calle. “This distinctive design focuses on impeccable details, exquisite high-contrast materials and lush jewel-toned accents to create an unparalleled guest experience.”

“These vibrant, functional and interactive Studio DADO-designed spaces are another example of how S even Seas Splendor will set new benchmarks in her quest to perfect luxury,” said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “Their designers bring an eye for both bold architectural cues and the most whimsical of tiny details to create spaces that are pieces of art our guests will admire throughout their voyage.”