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Leadership changes in Carnival UK

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 May 2023 30 May 2023

Carnival Corporation & plc has announced the appointment of Paul Ludlow as Carnival UK president in addition to his leadership role for P&O Cruises.

In his new consolidated position, Ludlow will assume all commercial and operational responsibility for Carnival UK which includes P&O Cruises and Cunard globally. New Cunard president Katie McAlister, who joins the company in August, will report to Ludlow.

As part of this leadership change, Sture Myrmell will be leaving the business after a long and illustrious career with the company.

Commenting on the changes, Carnival Corporation & plc president, CEO and chief climate officer Josh Weinstein said: "Paul is a 21-year veteran of the company with far-reaching experience across every commercial department and multiple brands in our portfolio of world-class cruise lines. That deep expertise, coupled with Paul's proven leadership and track record of outstanding results, make him the clear choice to support our entire UK organization and to drive our return to strong profitability."

Weinstein added: "I would also like to thank Sture for 30 years of dedicated service. From his start in our company as an officer aboard Cunard, to becoming President, P&O Cruises – Australia, to coming full circle and ultimately leading Carnival UK including the venerable Cunard brand, Sture's dedication and contributions to our company have been significant. We wish him well."

Carnival UK & P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: "There has never been a more auspicious time for our two brands. P&O Cruises continues to deliver outstanding success and is clearly at the forefront of contemporary, mainstream holidays.

"Aligned with global talent including Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as credible, authentic partnerships such as the recent BAFTA Television Awards sponsorship, the future of the brand could not be brighter.

"Next year will be a momentous one for Cunard with the arrival of our new ship and our fourth Queen, Queen Anne, which will once again shine the spotlight on this exceptional brand with its rich legacy. I am confident that the arrival of Katie McAlister to lead the Cunard team will build on the demand for Cunard voyages in the UK and across the world."

Ludlow's role is effective from June 1, 2023.

Carnival Pride begins Europe season from Barcelona after refit at Navantia

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 May 2023 28 May 2023

Carnival Pride is embarking today on her first sailing of the Europe summer season, sporting the signature Carnival red, white and blue hull design for the first time, after undergoing extensive enhancements that include bow-to-stern upgrades to enhance accessibility on the ship for guests with disabilities.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse visited the ship in Barcelona, before she set sail.

“I’m so proud of our team. They have done amazing work refreshing and enhancing Carnival Pride just in time for her Europe sailings,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We welcome everyone on Carnival ships, so we are happy we’ve completed the work to make the ship accessible to those with disabilities. I’m also delighted to see the addition of the Heroes Tribute bar since it has been popular with our guests and has resonated well with military service members and their families.”

The 2,680-guest Carnival Pride has been undergoing enhancements since April 28 and returned to service with several additional Carnival offerings and other improvements, including: a new Heroes Tribute Bar, Chef’s Table, Dreams Studio, and Carnival Adventures Shop. In addition, the ship’s steakhouse has been refreshed and re-named Fahrenheit 555, the casino expanded and the spa rebranded to the Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center.

The first guests sailing Carnival Pride from Barcelona are embarking on an incredible 12-day sailing, with ports of call including Lisbon, Portugal; Le Havre (Paris), France; and Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium.

Carnival Pride will sail a series of European cruises through Oct. 28, 2023, which include various itineraries with departures from Dover, UK; Barcelona, Spain; and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy. The ship concludes its European season with a 15-day transatlantic voyage back to the U.S. that departs Oct. 28, 2023, and ends Nov. 12, 2023 in Tampa, Fla. Next year, the European season will be expanded, with 17 cruises operated by Carnival Legend. The ship will sail of eight-, nine-, 10- and 12-day sailings in 2024.

Silversea unveils 140-night World Cruise, its most diverse voyage ever

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 May 2023 25 May 2023

Silversea Cruises, the leading ultra-luxury cruise line, has unveiled details on its 140-night World Cruise 2026, ‘The Curious and the Sea’ – the most diverse and immersive voyage in the cruise line’s history, which broadens the largest collection of extended sailings in ultra-luxury cruising. Guests will embark Silver Dawn in Fort Lauderdale on January 6, 2026, before travelling deep into 70 destinations in 37 countries – the most ever on a Silversea World Cruise – including 26 calls that are new for a Silversea World Cruise or unvisited since 2020, and 9 overnights. An exclusive pre-sale opens to Venetian Society members on June 14, while general sales open on June 22.

‘The Curious and the Sea’ will connect travellers with the rich history of navigation, inspired by the same curiosity that led ancient seafarers to sail to unknown lands. Channeling the same spirit of discovery that has driven exploration throughout the ages, bespoke events ashore, onboard activities, regionally inspired culinary experiences, three optional overland tours (Uzbekistan, Luxor, and the Balkans), and more will enrich the voyage. Guests will follow ancient trade routes, sailing the waters that connected the Silk Road, and transiting both the Panama and Suez canals; they will step foot on some of the world’s most remote islands, including those in the South Pacific, a region explored by Captain James Cook in the 18th century; and they will witness lands that inspired scientific progression, such as Western Australia, which attracted Charles Darwin in 1836.

“Calling in more destinations than any voyage in Silversea’s history, our World Cruise 2026, ‘The Curious and the Sea,’ will connect the most enriching experiences across 70 destinations and six continents,” said Barbara Muckermann, President and CEO, Silversea Cruises. “For this World Cruise, we took inspiration from history’s most pioneering explorers, each of whom has sailed to the end of the earth – driven by curiosity and a thirst for discovery. Appealing to the curious traveller within, we are inviting our guests to experience our planet’s beauty with new eyes, while celebrating the rich history of navigation. ‘The Curious and the Sea’ demonstrates our commitment to unlocking the most immersive travel experiences for our guests, broadening the largest collection of extended voyages in ultra-luxury cruising. We can’t wait to welcome our extended family aboard Silver Dawn for this special sailing.”

70 destinations, 37 countries, 26 new destinations

Following a curated travel experience – including private executive transfers, Business class air, and a dedicated meet and greet service – world cruising guests will board Silver Dawn in Fort Lauderdale on January 6, 2026, journeying through Central America, before transiting the Panama Canal to South America. Easter Island, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific will follow, leading guests to New Zealand and a semi-circumnavigation of Australia. Travellers will then explore Southeast Asia, crossing the Bay of Bengal to Sri Lanka, India, and the Red Sea, before passing through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean. They will delve into European history and culture, before the voyage concludes in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 27, 2026.

MSC Euribia to sail world first net zero greenhouse gas emissions cruise

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 May 2023 25 May 2023

The Cruise Division of MSC Group next week will operate the industry’s first net zero greenhouse gas emissions voyage when its latest MSC Cruises flagship, the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered MSC Euribia, leaves its shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France – where she is currently being built – on the way to her naming ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The new ship, the 22nd vessel to join MSC Cruises’ fleet, will sail for four days from Saint-Nazaire to Copenhagen and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions to demonstrate that net zero cruising is possible today. MSC Euribia will depart the French port on 3 June and is scheduled to arrive in the Danish city on 7 June.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, said: “This industry-first net zero gas emissions voyage of our latest flagship MSC Euribia heralds another significant step on our decarbonisation journey and demonstrates more than anything the extent of our commitment.”

MSC Cruises purchased 400 tonnes of bio-LNG to show its commitment to the deployment of drop-in renewable fuels and energy transition measures towards the pioneering net zero gas emissions voyage. The line is the industry’s first deep sea ocean cruise operator to buy bio-LNG as a fuel source that has significant lifecycle emissions reductions.

Vago continued: “We cannot do this alone, however. Given the absolute importance of alternative fuels for our industry as well as for other sectors across civil society to achieve decarbonization, we all need to work together to increase their availability at scale. Our purchase of bio-LNG will send a clear and meaningful signal to the market that there is demand from cruise lines and the broader maritime industry for cleaner fuels, but we need governments, producers and end-users to collaborate and scale-up the availability of these much-needed and new sources of power.”

The net zero sailing will utilise bio-LNG using a mass-balance system, the most environmentally efficient method of delivering the benefits of renewable biogas. The entire supply chain will be fully compliant with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive, commonly known as RED II, and each individual batch of the total bio-LNG produced has been certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification.

Michele Francioni, SVP, MSC Cruises, added, “MSC Euribia’s first voyage will be an incredible feat and represents years of commitment and determination. It should prove that we have the capability to operate on a net zero greenhouse gas emissions basis with existing ship technology.

“This is just the beginning. We are committed to this transition and putting in place everything we can do to facilitate it. It cannot be done without alternative fuels such as bio-LNG, e-LNG, green hydrogen or green methanol being made widely available at scale to fully realise the vision of net zero cruising.”

MSC Cruises is being supported by Nordic energy company Gasum for the net zero greenhouse gas emissions voyage, a leading producer of biogas and processor of biodegradable waste fractions in the Nordic region.

The speed and itinerary of MSC Euribia’s maiden voyage has been designed specifically to optimise the configuration and loads of the engines to minimise fuel consumption. Dedicated energy efficiency specialists from both MSC Cruises and the ship’s constructor Chantiers de L’Atlantique will be on board the net zero sailing to monitor and optimise every aspect of this journey. They will work with the Master of the Vessel Captain Stefano Battinelli and MSC Euribia’s Chief Engineer, Pasquale Mastellone.

MSC Cruises’ shore-based energy efficiency experts based in London will continuously monitor and optimise all systems on board to minimise energy demand, identify additional opportunities to improve energy efficiency in real-time, while maintaining high comfort for all guests on board.

This will include a range of measures from the configuration of the engines down to the speed of individual air-conditioning fans in guest cabins, together with the itinerary and speed optimisation.

All of the combined initiatives will save energy to reduce fuel consumption.

MSC Cruises’ newbuilds are fuel flexible ships that can accommodate a variety of renewable fuels both available today and expected in the future. The use of fossil LNG already achieves up to a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to conventional marine fuels, and virtually eliminates all sulphur oxide and particulate emissions while also reducing nitrogen oxides by 85 per cent.

Allianz Partners reveals American travel to surge 55% this summer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 May 2023 19 May 2023

According to travel insurance provider Allianz Partners’ annual Top 10 Summer European Destinations review, the number of Americans traveling to Europe will increase dramatically this year, rising by 55% over last year’s summer season.

The travel protection and assistance company analyzed flight itineraries* for trips of five to eight days in length between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It found that the reigning number one destination, London, England, will welcome 25% of this year’s bookings, with Paris, France (#2) and Dublin, Ireland (#3) rounding out the top three most popular vacation spots across the pond.

It’s been 70 years since Dean Martin sang about the world’s affinity for Italy in his popular “That’s Amoré,” and travelers continue to favor the Old Country for its food, wine, art and architecture. Capital city Rome inched up a spot to #4 and fashion-forward Milan moved into the Top 10 with its first appearance since the survey began in 2015. The resurgence of travel to Milan also knocked off the consistently popular Barcelona, Spain, for the first time in the survey’s history. Other notable moves for 2023 included Amsterdam, Netherlands, jumping two positions year over year to #8 while Athens, Greece, climbed up one spot to #7.

The new statistics follow last year’s 600% increase in American travel to Europe from 2021 to 2022, making it clear that revisiting European favorites and new bucket list destinations after years of restrictions will remain a priority when mapping out memorable summer travel plans.

“Last year, we saw a major increase in American travel to Europe and this summer indicates even higher demand, so it’s more important than ever to plan for a busy summer travel season,” said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. “From booking your dream hotel room with incredible views, to locking down flight schedules, planning ahead is key, and so is considering travel insurance to protect your travel investment from covered trip cancellations, interruptions, delays and medical emergencies.”

The survey also reviewed planned trip length, finding that 80% of Americans heading to Europe this summer will spend seven days on vacation with 11% planning for eight days away from home.

Allianz Partners offers travel insurance through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies, hotel companies, cruise lines and directly to consumers.