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Virgin Voyages to offer tattoo studio

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 October 2018 21 October 2018

Virgin Voyages has announced that the company’s first ship, Scarlet Lady, will bring stylish tattoo artistry to the high seas with Squid Ink. To create this one-of-a-kind experience on board, Virgin Voyages has teamed up with the ink industry legends from World Famous Tattoo Ink.

“Tattooing is a time-honored seafaring tradition, and we’re continuing that legacy with rock and roll style by bringing some of the best ink artists to sea,” said Tom McAlpin, president and chief executive officer for Virgin Voyages. “Our sailors are looking to make lifelong memories, and we think there's no better way to commemorate their first voyage with us than with a souvenir they'll never lose track of.”

When Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady sets sail in 2020, she will have two full time resident tattoo artists on board, handpicked by ink industry legend Lou Rubino Jr., the visionary behind World Famous Tattoo Ink, Soho Ink and Freshly Inked Magazine.

Squid Ink will also feature a star-studded line-up of guest artists including the tattoo industry’s most sought-after trendsetters and celebrity artists. While details and timing are still to come, renowned artists to the likes of Spike TV’s Ink Master star Sarah Miller, surrealist specialist artist Arlo DiCristina and illustrative specialist Jime Litwalk have already committed to a guest artist appearance aboard the Scarlet Lady in 2020. Artists from the World Famous Pro Team have inked celebrities like Nick Cannon, JWoww, Nico Tortorella and Daymond John, among others.

All Squid Ink tattoos will be created with World Famous Tattoo Ink original vegan ink, which is globally recognized to exceed safety standards with no animal by-products or testing. In addition to tattoos, Squid Ink will also offer body piercings as well as permanent makeup treatments using vegan-friendly Perma Blend pigments.

“The World Famous Tattoo Ink family has been working with sailors, pirates and rock stars for more than 50 years,” said Lou Rubino Jr., owner of World Famous Tattoo Ink. “As global acceptance of tattoos and body art continues to grow, partnering with Virgin Voyages gives us the unique opportunity to bring color to places people might have never thought possible before. We couldn’t be more excited to leave our mark on the sea travel industry.”

True to the Virgin Voyages’ brand design ethos, the “Modern Romance of Sailing,” the inspiration behind Squid Ink is steeped in the traditions of sailing; with many historians crediting the expansion of tattooing to British colonial sailors who picked up the concept from aboriginal tribes while exploring the South Pacific. Squid Ink will feature exclusive voyage tattoos designed by the World Famous Tattoo Ink team for those sailors looking to commemorate their voyage.

Virgin Voyages will encourage its crew members to also express themselves freely through tattoos if they wish; in a unique move for the cruise industry, the company has indicated that the hiring of shipboard candidates with visible tattoos is a-okay.

Rauma Marine Constructions wins €250 million Tallink shuttle ferry order

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 October 2018 18 October 2018

Rauma Marine Constructions, the privately owned Finnish shipbuilder, said it has signed a letter of intent with Tallink Grupp AS, the listed Estonian ferry company, for a large shuttle ferry to for the company’s Tallinn-Helsinki service.

The €250 million vessel is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2021. It will be able to carry 2,800 passengers and it will be designed with highest energy efficiency and environmental friendliness in mind.

The shipyard, which has recently delivered a ropax ferry called Hammerodde to a Danish owner, has built four ships to Tallink between 2001 and 2009, when it was under a different ownership and had a different name.

Lloyd Werft gears up for major refit of Crystal Serenity

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 October 2018 18 October 2018

Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven, the German refit specialist in the Genting Hong Kong group, will carry out a major refit of Crystal Cruises’ 2003 built Crystal Serenity, the yard said in a statement.

A team from the shipyard went on board the 68,870 gross ton ship in Lisbon to prepare it for arrival in Germany, which is scheduled for 18 October.

“The work is the second direct contract between the Lloyd Werft and Crystal Cruises, both of whom are part of the Genting Hong Kong Group. Last year the yard carried out the extensive refurbishment of the 51,040 fross ton Crystal Symphony,” the yard said.

Interior refurbishment is being carried out directly by Crystal Cruises or its partner companies. Lloyd Werft will be responsible for the necessary shipbuilding work and for all the logistical requirements of the entire project. As a result there will be several hundred crew members and sub-contractors active on the shipyard site over the next few weeks in addition to most of Lloyd Werft’s personnel, the yard said.

Alongside routine ship operational maintenance work, the cruise liner, which can currently accommodate 1,080 passengers, will also get new cabins. Some of the smaller cabins on Deck 10 will be converted into luxury Seabreeze penthouse suites with verandahs and butler service. A total of 38 new suites are being created ranging in area from 37 m2 to 50 m2. After the conversion work has been completed, the ship will head back to Lisbon where it will start its next cruise - to the Caribbean – on 10 November.

Mein Schiff 2 to offer short pre-naming cruise

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 17 October 2018 17 October 2018

Mein Schiff 2, the second of two 115,000 gross ton newbuildings of TUI Cruises from Meyer Turku in Finland, will offer a short cruise before the naming ceremony of the ship. This will run from Bremerhaven to Zeebrugge and sail on 29 January next year and to terminate on 3 February. The ship will be named in Lisbon on 9 February, TUI Cruises said in a statement.

More than fifth of onboard tour purchase, restaurant bookings made by Carnival HubApp

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 17 October 2018 17 October 2018

Carnival Cruise Line said its Carnival HubApp is now available across all 26 ships in the fleet and running ahead of projections with regard to customer adoption.

“More than 20% of onboard specialty dining and tour excursion purchases are placed using the HubApp, contributing to the double digit lift in onboard revenue since the HubApp was introduced,” the company said in a statement.

This summer on its two new Vista-class vessels, 40% of guests purchased the HubApp’s onboard chat feature and the HubApp is also driving internet revenue, with penetration now averaging more than 50 percent of all guests across the fleet.

The enhanced NextGen connectivity system has proven extremely successful on Carnival Horizon and Carnival Vista, enabling fast and reliable Wi-Fi at sea. Further deployment of this technology on Carnival Radiance will provide even more guests the opportunity to enjoy superior connectivity while they access their favorite social media sites, news, email or even stream their favorite content.

Carnival is now piloting a “pizza anywhere” delivery capability on select vessels with the eventual goal of allowing guests to order food and drink options directly from the HubApp for delivery to their location on board. Along with the added HubApp benefits, Carnival is investing in an enhanced Wi-Fi infrastructure to bring more robust service across the Carnival fleet by 2021.