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Uniworld Boutique River Cruises charters two former Crystal ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 12 October 2023 12 October 2023

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has announced the addition of two new Super Ships, the S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth, which will begin sailing in Europe in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Uniworld will take over the ships from Seaside Collection under a three-year, bareboat charter agreement for each ship and create the signature Uniworld experience on existing itineraries with an all-Uniworld staff, as well as the brand’s trademark touches and amenities. Before joining Riverside Luxury Cruises, the ships were a part of Crystal Cruises’ river fleet as the Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler.

“We’re thrilled to add two stunning new ships to the Uniworld fleet, beginning with the S.S. Victoria on the beloved Rhine, fulfilling our promise to maintain the best and most luxurious ships on the rivers,” says Ellen Bettridge, President and CEO of Uniworld. “The S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth are unique vessels that we know our guests will love, featuring a modern design, some of the largest suites on the rivers, and an ambiance that exudes contemporary luxury. Onboard, guests can expect our Tiny Noticeable Touches throughout every aspect, from the impeccable service provided by the Uniworld crew they know and love to the multitude of all-inclusive amenities available to them.”

Identical sister ships, the S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth can accommodate 110 guests in 55 luxurious suites and staterooms. All rooms feature a similar design and feel, only differing in size and nuances, each with full-length windows directly in front of the king-sized beds for panoramic views of the passing scenery. Guests will find fine materials and finishes onboard such as leather, velvet, and marble, plus lavish features in select suite categories such as walk-in closets, fireplaces, and up to 759 square feet of space in a Uniworld-first two-bedroom accommodation with adjoining suites. Other ship highlights include a massage room, gym, bistro for snacks, rooftop bar and grill for cocktails and light bites, and fine dining restaurant for breakfast, lunch and gourmet dinner. Like all Uniworld cruises, dining venues will feature farm-to-table cuisine utilizing fresh local ingredients gathered by the chef in destination daily.

The S.S. Victoria will be the first to set sail at the start of the 2024 season, sailing a variety of itineraries currently operated. The ship will debut in March in Amsterdam onboard the 8-day ‘Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time’ cruise through Belgium and The Netherlands, mixing the classic Amsterdam tulip experience with historic cities, vibrant cultures and plenty of Belgian sweet treats. Next, the S.S. Victoria will sail the 8-day ‘Castles Along the Rhine’ itinerary from Basel to Amsterdam, featuring fairytale-like towns, historic castles and fine winemaking traditions. The ship will also sail along two rivers aboard the ‘Magnificent Moselle and Rhine’ itinerary over the course of 10 days for an in-depth look at multiple fascinating cities and their deep-rooted history. Finally, travelers can opt for the 8-day holiday-themed ‘Belgium Holiday Markets’ sailing round-trip from Brussels, featuring a mix of famous and under-the-radar Christmas markets in charming small towns at the most magical time of year.

The S.S. Elisabeth is scheduled to set sail for the 2025 season, with more details to come.

PONANT conducts an international safety exercise in the polar region

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 October 2023 11 October 2023

As the experts in polar zone navigation for more than 20 years, PONANT continues to innovate and advance maritime safety standards. Le Commandant Charcot was at the center of a second safety exercise in the polar region on September 30, 2023 at Herschel Island in the Northwest Passage.

The operation was supported by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre based at 8 Wing Trenton (Ontario, Canada), run jointly by the Royal Canadian Air force (RCAF) and Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). It involved the U.S. Coast Guard District Seventeen and Air Station Kodiak (Alaska) and a command unit at the PONANT head office in Marseille (France). This exercise spanned 10 time zones, with more than a hundred people were mobilized over a 12-hour period. PONANT teams aboard and ashore were fully mobilized in this exercise carried out on an unprecedented scale.

“We carried out a first rescue exercise on the ice in September 2021 during the ship’s trial voyage. This time, the operation took place in ice-free water. It’s a world first that allowed us to test our procedures and equipment, as well as the coordination with the Canadian and American services,” explained the Captain, Patrick Marchesseau, on Le Commandant Charcot. “This joint exercise and sharing of our expertise is contributing to advances in safety for the entire polar maritime and tourism industry”.

On board, 65 participants (including 24 passengers) were evacuated to an island in a heated lifeboat and then equipped with suits specially designed by PONANT. The Ice Cube, an innovative piece of kit that was also developed by PONANT to transport survival kits, was towed by the lifeboat and hoisted ashore and polar shelters were set up, some of which have been tested with a heating mode. The lifeboat was used as a hospital during the first part of the LIVEX. For this joint exercise, the Royal Canadian Air Force deployed a CC-130H Hercules, a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-138 Twin Otter and the United States Coast Guard deployed a C-130J Super Hercules and an MH-60T Jayhawk. The aircrafts were used to drop survival equipment, parachute in rescue teams and evacuate participants.

This joint exercise showcases extensive international collaboration aimed at strengthening maritime safety standards to benefit the entire industry.

Fincantieri to build ropax ferry for Sicilian Region in Palermo shipyard

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 October 2023 10 October 2023

A new ferry, fully owned by the Sicilian Region and entirely “made in Sicily” will provide service to Lampedusa and Pantelleria. Sicilian Regional President Renato Schifani and Fincantieri CEO and Managing Director Pierroberto Folgiero signed the contract for the construction of a new ferry (Ropax Class A) today at the Palazzo d’Orleans, at the presence of Regional Councillor for Infrastructure and Mobility, Alessandro Aricò, for a base bid amount of nearly 120 million euros.

“The signing of this contract” said President of Sicily Schifani, “represents a turning point for connections with Sicily’s smaller islands. Ours is the first region in Italy to field the funds that the Ministry of Transport has allocated to sea connections and the first to be a full owner of a ferry. We will improve the quality and safety standards of naval transport for Lampedusa and Pantelleria, with a modern ship that also guarantees great attention to respect for the environment. We are giving a concrete response to residents and those who need to reach the islands for business or tourism. I also express particular satisfaction with the fact that the new unit will be entirely built in Palermo shipyards. It is a confirmation of the great professional quality of the workforce of the Palermo shipyard that I have personally witnessed, an asset that it is right to enhance in such a strategic sector as shipbuilding”.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, commented: “The awarding of this order represents an important test for Fincantieri. In an industrial sector that over time has moved to Asian shipyards, we have the opportunity to bring ferry production back to Italy, rehabilitate our historical competencies in the sector, and demonstrate our ability to be competitive while ensuring the highest production standards, with benefits in terms of operations and sustainability that will reach the end user. The strength of our project is, once again, technologies for reducing environmental impact, intercepting the needs of the energy transition, which are destined to outline the maritime transport sector of tomorrow."

The new vessel will be entirely built in the Palermo shipyard, will be delivered in 2026 and will serve routes between Sicily and the islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria. The ferry will have a length of about 140 meters and about 14,500 gross tons. It will be able to reach a maximum speed of 19 knots and a capacity of 1,000 people and 200 cars on board. Of note, the unit will be distinguished by the propulsion technologies installed. It will be equipped with a dual fuel engine, that is, powered by diesel and liquefied natural gas, the cleanest marine fuel currently available on a large scale, which significantly lowers nitrogen oxide and sulfur emissions. It will also have a photovoltaic system that, thanks to energy storage in a battery pack, will ensure that it will stay in port with zero emissions for about four hours.

“We succeeded, with President Schifani, in obtaining” said Councillor Aricò, “that Fincantieri would build the ship in its entirety in the Palermo shipyard: a 100 percent “Made in Sicily” ship, which will allow the Region to provide itself with an additional means of transport for the Sicilian islands, as well as to relaunch the Sicilian shipbuilding sector. The ship will be equipped with stabilizers similar to those on oil platforms that will allow it to dock even in prohibitive weather conditions. Today’s signing completes the work initiated by my predecessor Marco Falcone and implemented by this government. It is an extraordinary achievement: Sicily is the first region in Italy to have commissioned a ship, financed under Law 208/2015, which establishes a fund aimed at direct purchase for the improvement of public transport. The Region will have the possibility, as provided for in the notice, to exercise the option to build a second vessel."

George Washington University expert analyses Disney's latest investments on cruises, theme parks

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 October 2023 07 October 2023

The Walt Disney Company recently announced plans to spend about $60 billion over the next 10 years on its theme parks, domestically and internationally, as well as to continue building its Disney Cruise Line. It’s double the investment Disney has spent on its parks and cruise lines over the last decade. A professor at the George Washington University says there are several factors driving this new investment, like a renewed interested in cruises post-pandemic, as well as some potential disruptors to keep an eye on.

Larry Yu is a professor of hospitality management at the GW School of Business. Yu’s current research focuses on hotel market analysis, tourism product value chain analysis, tourist satisfaction and hospitality crisis management. Yu says Disney’s strategic decision to invest in its theme parks and cruise lines is based on three main factors. The first of which is about Disney’s pandemic recovery, which saw significant operating income growth. The second involved Disney’s reputation. Yu adds that Disney is known for its innovation in “imagineering” projects, services and experiences and it’s now critical to invest in new attractions and experiences for the next-generation as well as extend the life cycle of Disney attractions to drive new, latent demand from family tourists and welcome repeat visitors. The third factor relies in a larger trend in the travel industry.

“The cruise industry is booming after the pandemic. Demand for cruise travel is now higher than 2019. Major cruise lines are adding capacity by building new ships (Disney Treasure will start sailing by late 2024). Many younger people, including Millennials and Gen-Z, have become cruise travelers, which fits the Disney market,” Yu says. “Disney Cruise Line, like many other major cruise lines, have been investing in owning and developing private islands for growing cruise business. Castaway Cay in the Bahamas and the new Lighthouse Point in the Bahamas will be open for cruise visitors in the summer of 2024. These investments, executed strategically, will continue to propel Disney’s growth for the next decade.”

Yu says there are a couple of potential inhibitors that may disrupt Disney’s investment strategy. Those include:

1. Demographic changes in its international markets: Japan, China and Europe are all experiencing an aging population, declining birth rates and late marriage, which could affect the family tourist market for the parks;
2. Many cruise destinations experience over-tourism and are pushing back to limit ships and number of daily visitors (such as Dubrovnik in Croatia);
3. Local community buy-in for park expansion, such as the new Disneyland WestCOT project under the local community hearing and review. Similar project by Disneyland was rejected by the local community in the early 1990s;
4. Uncertainties affected by economic, social, political (Florida) and geopolitical factors.

Royal Caribbean names next Icon-class ship Star of the Seas

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 October 2023 06 October 2023

The next revolutionary vacation is on the horizon, and its name is Star of the Seas. Just shy of 100 days until the introduction of the first-of-its-kind combination of every vacation with the first in the Icon-class lineup, Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International has revealed the name of the next Icon-class ship and its debut season – the summer of 2025.

The world’s largest cruise line will follow up Icon’s debut, the start of a new era of vacations, in the boldest way. With the combination of every kind of vacation that’s unique to Icon-class – from the beach retreat to the resort escape and the theme park adventure – the lineup of new experiences and favorites on Star will set the stage for even more ways for every type of family and adventurer to make memories without compromise. Currently under construction in Turku, Finland, the new ship and its features will soon be revealed.

“The idea of combining the best of every type of vacation into one ultimate adventure has created more excitement than ever anticipated, and Star of the Seas will be the next bold answer to the record-breaking consumer demand we’ve seen for nearly a year and counting with Icon of the Seas,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

The first look at Icon and Icon-class set the tone in October 2022 when it led to the cruise line’s single largest booking day and highest volume booking week in the brand’s then 53-year history. The unprecedented consumer demand sparked Royal Caribbean to release 2025-2026 vacations on Icon three months ahead of schedule and now Star’s name and debut season. Icon’s highlights include six record-breaking waterslides at Thrill Island’s Category 6 waterpark, seven pools – one for every day of the week; Surfside, a stay-all-day neighborhood for young families; entertainment across air, ice, water and stage; 40-plus ways to dine and drink; and more.

Star will also mark another step in this new era as the cruise line’s third ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), combining the use of the cleanest-burning marine fuel available to date with a proven lineup of industry-leading environmental programs on board. With applications ranging from waste heat recovery systems to shore power connection, Royal Caribbean’s most sustainable ship will advance parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s journey to introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.