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Storylines to build its residential ship at Brodosplit

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 31 March 2021 31 March 2021

Storylines confirmed the agreement to construct the residential ship Narrative with Brodosplit, Croatia today. Engineering has commenced with the first steel cutting expected next year. “The ship building industry was hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and industry-wide delays and cancellations have been inevitable,” said Storylines founder and co-CEO Alister Punton. “However, there has been a silver lining with having had a few extra months to adapt to changing Covid-related regulations and to include some additional features that our residents requested such as additional work spaces,” he continued.

The pandemic has also resulted in a high demand in recent months of remote workers and families now having the flexibility to reinvent the way they work, live and learn.

Shannon Lee, Storylines founder and co-CEO added, “Working with Brodosplit helps us achieve our founding principles and sustainability goals as their area of expertise includes LNG engine manufacturing. We’re thrilled to finally be able to release the shipyard agreement for the construction of our new LNG powered ship and we would like to thank our residents for their support to get to this very exciting point,” he continued.

“We’re thrilled to finally be able to announce the shipyard for the construction of our new LNG powered residential ship,” said Storylines founders Shannon Lee and Alister Punton.

The ship features fully furnished residences ranging from 237 sq. ft. to 2411 sq. ft., priced from $300,000 to more than $8 million for a premium two-level penthouse suite. Owners and invited guests will have the opportunity to live a sustainable life of luxury and freedom while at sea. Owners have the option to make their unit available through the Storylines rental program.

Positioned as the greenest ship in the market, Storylines Narrative utilizes LNG fuel along with innovative reusable energy technologies and energy storage and recovery systems. The ship also includes a waterfront marina, microbrewery, art studio, hydroponic gardens, and more.

Anthem of the Seas joins UK domestic cruise rush

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 31 March 2021 31 March 2021

Royal Caribbean International will operate Anthem of the Seas on the UK domestic cruise market this summer, making it the latest vessel to join the rapidly expending range of ships catering for this market.

The ship will operate a series of cruises of five to eight nights from Southampton, including calls at sports such as Belfast, Liverpool and Kirkwall. The first cruise will sail on 15 July.

Royal Caribbean International said in a statement that it would make 999 cabins available free to key workers in health and social care plus the armed forces in recognition of their efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. The number to dial emergency services in the UK is 999.

The cruises would be available only to fully vaccinated UK residents and the crew would be fully vaccinated as well, the company said.

Royal Caribbean International is bringing Anthem of the Seas back to the UK this summer to run domestic cruises.

The line is making 999 cabins available free to NHS, social care sector and armed forces workers in recognition of efforts of the emergency services in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

Windstar Cruises to require Covid-19 vaccination to sail

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 March 2021 30 March 2021

Until further notice, Windstar Cruises will require proof of a current Covid-19 vaccination for all guests sailing aboard Windstar’s yachts. The cruise line arrived at the decision in the best health and wellness interests of its guests, crew, and the places the yachts visit. Many Windstar destinations and some airlines have announced or are considering vaccine mandates, providing further support for the new Windstar policy. Windstar is a leader in small-ship cruising with six, boutique all-suite and sailing yachts (carrying fewer than 350 guests each) that access the smaller ports, waterways, and destinations the large cruise ships cannot.

“Looking at the science behind the virus, we see consistent recommendations for wearing masks, social distancing, testing, and enhanced cleaning. In response, Windstar developed a new Beyond Ordinary Care program, which is a multi-layered strategy with key hospital-grade elements: HEPA filters and UV-C germicidal irradiation to filter and disinfect the air, plus backpack sprayers to sanitize all surfaces throughout our yachts,” said Andrew Todd, CEO, Windstar and parent company Xanterra Travel Collection.

“Vaccination is another layer of safety for all of us, and it’s the responsible course of action as our yachts resume cruising and our guests travel the world,” said Christopher Prelog, President of Windstar Cruises.

Current government and news reports about increased vaccine availability in the United States and abroad give Windstar confidence that guests who wish to sail with the line will have time to be vaccinated before travel. Crew members will be required to be vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available to them. This Windstar standard is subject to change as CDC guidelines change. Windstar will periodically review this and all other Covid-19 policies for updates as the pandemic evolves.

Windstar will restart operations in June 2021 in a phased manner, with initial cruises at a reduced guest occupancy, some modified itineraries, and with enhanced health and safety protocols. To provide guests with greater flexibility, Windstar has moved the final payment date from 120 days to 60 days prior to cruise departure.

The timeline for resumption of operations is:

Star Breeze – June 19, 2021 – Caribbean
Wind Star – June 19, 2021 – Mediterranean
Wind Spirit – July 15, 2021 – Tahiti
Wind Surf – August 8, 2021 – Mediterranean
Star Legend – Sept 4, 2021 – Northern Europe
Star Pride – November 3, 2021 – Caribbean

At the cruise terminal prior to embarkation, guests will be required to provide proof of a completed current vaccine course (one or two shots, depending on the brand) finished at least 14 days prior to the guest’s embarkation date. Negative Covid-19 test results will also be required prior to embarkation.

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. appoints Dolf Berle President and Chief Executive Officer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 March 2021 30 March 2021

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc., a global provider of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Dolf Berle as President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of its Board, effective May 10, 2021. Berle succeeds Sven-Olof Lindblad, who will become Co-Chair of the Board, together with Mark Ein, current Board Chair.

In his role as Co-Chair, Lindblad will work with his fellow Directors to advise the Company’s leadership team on business strategy and growth opportunities, including reaching new audiences, innovating new products and developing new geographies, as well as focus on energizing new and existent social programs. Ein will partner with Lindblad to help guide the Board and the Company’s organic growth, acquisition and financial strategy.

Berle currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Topgolf Entertainment Group where he has led the company’s overall vision, global growth strategies and P&L, since 2018. Previously, Berle served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve as the CEO of Lindblad Expeditions since founding the Company in 1979, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished over the last 40 years. We've built a business based on the respect and understanding of geography and connecting our more than hundreds of thousands of loyal guests and new audiences worldwide with nature, culture and an opportunity to explore the world. Today, Lindblad Expeditions has the most talented employees in the industry, a best-in class platform of high-quality and authentic experiential offerings, a passionate customer base eager to see the world’s most exceptional destinations with us, and a balanced growth strategy to take us into the future. We are thrilled for our guests to return to the same exhilarating expedition experience they have come to know and love when we resume voyages in two iconic destinations early this summer,” said Lindblad.

Lindblad continued, “I am very pleased to hand the baton to Dolf, who I have gotten to know well and for whom I have great respect and admiration. I am confident that his outstanding leadership, integrity and character make him the right choice to serve as our next leader. I look forward to my continuing involvement with the Company in my new role as Co-Chair and working closely with Mark, Dolf and the rest of the team to keep driving the business forward.”

“The Board and Sven have been working for some time to attract additional leadership talent and identify our next leader, and we believe that Dolf is the ideal candidate to serve as Lindblad Expeditions’ new CEO,” said Ein. “Dolf brings a track record of quickly expanding multi-unit businesses and championing technology innovations and understands the importance of delivering unmatched guest experiences and creating communities where guests want to return time and again – all of which is integral to our robust growth plans to create value for our stakeholders.”

Ein continued, “Over the past 40 years, Sven has built one of the world’s greatest expedition and adventure travel companies by pioneering innovative ways to connect people and places. It is because of his leadership that Lindblad Expeditions is synonymous with life-changing adventures for so many people. Today, the cornerstones of our business are extremely strong with significant pent-up customer demand, a growing portfolio of newly acquired exceptional travel businesses, and considerable financial flexibility to fuel additional future acquisitions and organic expansion opportunities as the travel industry begins to reopen. We are thrilled to have attracted Dolf to Lindblad and are grateful that the Company will continue to benefit from Sven’s wealth of experience and knowledge as we collectively execute on our growth strategy.”

Berle said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead such an iconic and vibrant Company. Lindblad Expeditions has an impressive four-decade track record delivering immersive and authentic experiences and a large, devoted customer base that looks to Lindblad and its brands for the highest-quality expedition and adventure travel experiences whether by ship, land or bike. The Company is well positioned to capitalize on what it does best – inspiring loyal guests to explore and promote both conservation and environmental sustainability around the world. Sven has reimagined travel throughout his tenure, and, alongside the Lindblad Expeditions team, I am energized to build on his legacy and capture the vast and expanding market opportunities ahead.”

Separately in an 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today, Lindblad Expeditions announced that Sarah Farrell, an independent member of the Board of Directors, will be stepping down from the Board, effective immediately. With Farrell’s departure and upon Mr. Berle’s appointment, the Lindblad Expeditions Board will have 10 members.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Sarah for her contributions to Lindblad Expeditions over the past year, and wish her the best in her future endeavors,” said Mr. Ein.

In a separate press release issued today, Lindblad Expeditions announced that it will resume small ship expeditions cruises and adventure travel experience operations for the 2021 season in Alaska and Galapagos, beginning in the first week of June. In keeping with Lindblad Expeditions’ focus on exploring remote places, the Company will return to nature in the pristine wildness of these two iconic destinations, and will do so consistent with its health and safety protocols. Lindblad Expeditions intends to announce plans for activating additional geographies for the summer as logistics are finalized. The press release can be found on the Lindblad Expeditions Investor Relations website at investors.expeditions.com.

MSC Virtuosa to UK, two more lines unveil British summer cruises

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 March 2021 29 March 2021

MSC Cruises said it would operate its recently delivered MSC Virtuosa on a series of summer cruises in the UK instead of MSC Magnifica that had been earmarked for this. Meanwhile Celebrity Cruises and Disney will also cruise in the UK waters this summer.

Geneva bassed MSC Cruises unveiled further details of the recently announced short breaks and week-long summer sailings around the British Isles departing from the port of Southampton.

“Starting 20 May, MSC Virtuosa – the line’s recently delivered and newest flagship - will be deployed to the UK for her inaugural season and replace MSC Magnifica to spend summer operating this special range of sailings to some of the UK’s most popular ports such as Portland, Liverpool, Greenock and Belfast,” the company said in a statement.

The sailings are available to UK residents only, both vaccinated and unvaccinated at the present time. Sales open for these cruises on Thursday, 1 April.

Antonio Paradiso, Managing Director MSC Cruises UK & Ireland said: “Following our recent announcement that we intend to offer cruises in the UK we have been overwhelmed by the response from MSC Cruises customers and avid cruisers eager to get back on board and experience a cruise with us this summer. I am personally very proud to be able to bring our newest ship MSC Virtuosa to the UK so that our valued British guests are the first to officially come on board and the first to experience this incredible next generation ship.”

MSC Virtuosa will initially operate six mini-cruises that with embarkation in Southampton will include a stop in Portland. These will be followed by a series of seven-night sailings providing embarkation also in the ports of Liverpool and Greenock near Glasgow, giving holidaymakers across the UK the option to easily escape on holiday with minimal travel.

The range of four-night mini-cruises will offer a late sail from Southampton and will provide the ultimate short getaway for couples or friends in search of a quick escape.

From June 12, holidaymakers can join seven-night sailings that will include stops in Portland and the cultural city of Belfast and offer multiple ports of embarkation including Liverpool and Greenock, close to Glasgow, MSC Cruises said.

Celebrity Cruises, which is part of the Royal Caribbean Group, said it would operate Celebrity Silhouette on a series of cruises of six to eight nights, starting in July. The ship would be based at Southampton. It gave no further details at this point.

Disney Cruise Line said its Disney Magic would offer a series of two, three and four night cruises. These would depart on select dates from London Tilbury, Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton.