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Cunard to operate record 2020-2021 season in Down Under

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 February 2019 15 February 2019

Cunard has announced that its Queen Elizabeth will return to Australia for an unparalleled 118 days over the 2020-21 summer, headlining the luxury cruise line’s biggest ever Australian season.

The season will also feature visits from Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 and sister ship Queen Victoria during their world voyages, with the royal trio spending a record 49 days in Australian ports between them.

Queen Elizabeth’s four-month season will begin in November 2020 and will include more than 60 itinerary options as she sails from her homeports of Melbourne and Sydney.

Voyages will range from two-night sojourns between Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide to longer journeys around Australia and New Zealand.

New offerings include 12 and 13-night cruises between Sydney and Auckland calling at a range of stunning ports along the New Zealand coastline, as well as calls to Tasmania and Victoria. The cruises can also be combined to create a destination-rich 25-night journey featuring an impressive nine New Zealand ports.

Other highlights include a Royal Rendezvous with Queen Victoria in Sydney on March 1, 2021 – marking the first time the two ships have met in Australia – as well as a special overnight call in Auckland on December 31, 2020, enabling Cunard guests to be among the first in the world to celebrate the New Year.

Cunard President Simon Palethorpe said the cruise line’s decision to boost its Australian presence even further reflected the continuing growth in popularity of Cunard cruises among Australian travellers.

"Our new 2020-21 season is not only our biggest, it will be the third consecutive summer deployment Down Under for Queen Elizabeth, which is winning a strong following among local cruisers who enjoy her stylish features and her voyage offerings," Palethorpe said.

"Basing Queen Elizabeth in Australia for a record 118 days enables us to create a range of new itinerary options, such as our longer New Zealand journeys, which we think will appeal to both existing and new Cunard guests and boost the popularity of Queen Elizabeth even further."

The new program will also feature overnight calls in Hobart, Wellington and Auckland as well as Queen Elizabeth’s maiden call to Lyttelton and Cunard’s inaugural call to New Plymouth in New Zealand.

At 90,900 tonnes, the 2081-guest Queen Elizabeth is the second largest ship ever to sail in Cunard’s fleet. Launched in 2010, she is also the youngest in the cruise line’s current trio of Queens with features including more than 10 restaurants and cafes; a Games Deck featuring paddle tennis, croquet and bowls; a two-storey library; a ballroom; and the three-deck Royal Court Theatre, seating 800 guests and offering private boxes.

Full details of the 2021 World Voyage season and Queen Elizabeth’s 2020-21 Australian program will be released on March 5, 2019 with the program scheduled to go on sale on March 12, 2019.

Keel laying of second of three Muse-class ships takes place in Ancona

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 February 2019 15 February 2019

The keel laying ceremony of Silver Moon, the second of three new ultra-luxury cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for Silversea Cruises took place yesterday at the Ancona yard. The vessel will enter the ship owner’s fleet in 2020.

Silver Moon will be a sister ship of Silver Muse, which took the sea in 2017, and of Silver Dawn due to delivery in 2021. At 40,700 gross tons and with a capacity to accommodate 596 passengers on board, she will maintain the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations which are hallmarks of the Silversea experience.

The new build will be the 10th ship in Silversea's fleet. Once operating, she will significantly raise the bar in the ultra-luxury segment with a wealth of enhancements to the on board experience, while satisfying the uncompromising requirements for comfort, service, and quality of the world's most discerning travelers.

Among the voluntary notations of the ship, the “Green star 3 Design” stands out. It is assigned to units that are designed, built and equipped in order to prevent air and water pollution. Furthermore, the “COMF-NOISE A PAX” and “COMF-NOISE B CREW” are assigned on the basis of the noise levels measured on the ship.

Tillberg Design of Sweden creates the grandest suite at sea

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 February 2019 15 February 2019

Viewing area of Regent Suite

Seven Seas Splendor is the newest addition to Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Designed by luxury cruise ship interior designers Tillberg Design of Sweden, the ship has well-appointed touches, specially chosen artwork and sleek contemporary furnishings where exotic woods and Italian marble comingle with a soothing color palette and comfortable custom pieces. Onboard you can also enjoy your own butler.

Sporting one of the most exclusive and luxurious addresses at sea is The Regent Suite. “No expense was spared,” says Jason Montague, President and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, in creating the palatial two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom suite with all the luxury, grandeur and comfort that Regent Seven Seas Cruises is known for. This 4,443-square-foot accommodation will make you never want to return home.

Paulina Błasiak, Designer for TDoS, says that she went extreme in the design in the master bedroom, putting guest experience at the core of her choices. For example, a king-sized bed handmade in Sweden by Hästens, which take four artisans more than 300 hours creating it and an 18-month timeline, “It will be the most comfortable bed at sea,” Błasiak says.

And unlike the most exclusive residences and retreats on land, the stunning views from Regent Suite’s floor-to-ceiling wall of windows along three sides of the ship change daily as guests sail to iconic destinations and hidden gems across the world.

Regent Seven Seas Splendor debuts in Europe 2020, heads to Miami for the winter season, then returns in late April, sailing European itineraries with stops to the Greek Isles, French Riviera, Iberian Peninsula, United Kingdom and more.

Crystal Endeavor to sail through Northeast Passage in August 2021

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 February 2019 14 February 2019

Crystal Endeavor, the first of three expedition yachts of Crystal Expedition Cruises, will sail through the Northeast Passage on a 28 night cruise in August 2021, the company said in a statement.

The ship will sail from Anadyr in Russia for Tromsø in Norway on 18 August 2021.

“The Northeast Passage is precisely the type of bold expedition for which Crystal Endeavor is designed, with her PC6 designation and the ability to manoeuvre through medium first-year ice, offshore dynamic positioning, zodiacs and virtually all other gear necessary for such intrepid exploration,” said Tom Wolber, president & CEO of Crystal, which is part of the Genting Hong Kong group.

“In addition to these technical amenities, she’ll accommodate guests in the highest standard of comfort and luxury, even as they travel to the most remote destinations,” he added.

The ship will visit places that are only sparsely occupied since legendary polar explorer Nils A.E. Nordenskjöld first successfully made the passage in 1878-79. Before that time - and since - polar bears, Arctic foxes, walruses, whales and hundreds of species of seabirds are the primary local residents in the region, which is a Russian-controlled trade route in the summer months.

GE to provide electric propulsion technology for Seaside EVO ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 February 2019 13 February 2019

Following the delivery of the first and second ship – MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview – in the Seaside Class by the Fincantieri shipyard of Monfalcone, GE’s Marine Solutions has once again been selected by MSC Cruises and Fincantieri to provide the marine electric propulsion technology for two new Seaside EVO ships, further driving the evolution of the Seaside Class next-generation cruise ships.

With a gross tonnage of 169,400 and a total guest capacity of 5,632, Seaside EVO ships will be the largest cruise ships ever built by the Fincantieri shipyard. The two ships will adopt a range of innovative design features and maritime technologies, among which GE will provide the electric propulsion system with his partners Imesa and Nidec that will bring operational efficiency and excellent maneuverability. GE will also lead the consortium – Imesa, Nidec, ASI – for managing the overall electrical power and propulsion system.

GE’s solution consists of propulsion controls along with transformers, variable frequency drive (VFD) technology, propulsion motors and distribution transformers. The propulsion system will see an increased power rating compared to those onboard the previous two vessels. GE’s electrical marine solution enables a smooth installation and cabling process. It also eliminates the need for harmonic filters.

“Sailing full steam ahead, the Seaside Class showcases our commitment to pushing the boundary of the future of cruising by unlocking the maximized potential that a cruise ship can achieve. MSC Seaside EVO ships will be longer and consequently more powerful than the previous two ships concerning power generation and propulsion motors. And we once again place our trust and count on GE, among other various partners, to deliver the outcome,” said Emilio La Scala, President & Managing Director, MSC Cruise Management UK.

“We have a long-term relationship with MSC Cruises. Our electrical propulsion systems have been installed on the existing fleet of 14 vessels, bringing reliable operations and smooth voyage experiences to millions of passengers worldwide,” said Ed Torres, GE’s Marine Solutions leader. “We are excited to partner with MSC Cruises once again and provide GE’s marine electric propulsion technology with increased power rating to propel the next generation of mega cruise ships.”

“As the demand for cruise holidays soars, fleets continue to grow. While stringent regulations and increased vessel sizes may pose new challenges, they bring with them a host of opportunities. New regulations are driving for more efficient operations with reduced carbon footprint, while larger sizes of vessels will set new benchmarks for technology reliability,” said Azeez Mohammed, president and CEO of GE’s Power Conversion business. “GE’s marine electric propulsion is an attractive commercial solution for the growing cruise industry, and we are delighted to partner with a major cruise line and grow the industry with reliable and sustainable technology innovations.”