Genting Cruise Lines to develop domestic cruise itineraries out of Hainan

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 02 September 2020 02 September 2020

Genting Cruise Lines announced that the company is working to forge a strategic partnership with the Sanya CBD Administration and a prominent national travel industry corporation to establish a joint venture company to facilitate operations of Dream Cruises’ flagship in Sanya. The goal of the new joint venture will be to launch domestic cruise itineraries out of the central cruise hub of Hainan, and to support the development of a free trade, pilot cruise tourism zone on Hainan Island.

“We are keen to support the Chinese government’s efforts in rebuilding its travel and tourism sector by providing a safe and care-free vacation option for consumers,” said Mr Kent Zhu, President, Genting Cruise Lines. “Genting Cruise Lines has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with China, and especially in Hainan Island, for nearly 30 years and we will continue to build on the strong collaborative spirit we have forged together.”

Genting Cruise Lines’ rich history with Hainan Island has been marked by numerous milestones. From as early as 1994, Genting Cruise Lines’ ships have been visiting Hainan as a regular port of call, introducing millions of international travelers to the fabled beauty of Hainan Island via the convenience of a cruise vacation. In 2011, Genting Cruise Lines became the first international cruise company to homeport in Sanya, developing the city into an international cruise destination.

Sanya boasts an abundance of advantages to complement the pilot implementation of the “Hainan Cruise Port Sea-Upstream Route” plan, such as the first dedicated cruise terminal providing the only cruise itineraries to the Xisha islands in the country. The city’s location also allows for the longest number cruising days for domestic sailings, and there are plans to further develop Sanya into the largest cruise homeport in China. The Sanya CBD, one of the 11 districts and parks implementing Hainan’s free trade port policies, manages the Sanya Headquarters Economy division, the CBD division and the cruise and yachting division, to establish a modern industrial system supported by professional services for the leisure sector.

Mr. Wu Haifeng, Vice Mayor of the Sanya Municipal People’s Government and President of the Sanya CBD Administration said, “Genting Hong Kong is the first cruise company to homeport in the city and with the longest deployment period and the highest number of sailings to date. Since its establishment, the Sanya CBD Administration has initiated planning for the industry and devised policies in support of the industry. We have also established a cruise and yachting service center and a representative system for commercial stakeholders, as well as hosted a Forum on the Innovation of the Cruise and Yachting Industry. Moving forward, the Sanya CBD will collaborate with the government to diversify the supply of cruise travel products in the market, to develop cruise destinations and extend the industry chain, with the aim to build Sanya into a key cruise travel hub in the Asia-Pacific region. The Sanya CBD Administration will continue to strive for excellence in its public service to the industry, to foster an ideal business environment for investors, as well as to work with companies to rebuild consumer confidence in cruise travel and to drive the sustained development of the cruise industry.”

To further boost tourism and reinforce the positioning of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the Hainan government announced earlier this year the pilot plan for the “Hainan Island Cruise Itineraries for Chinese-funded ‘Flag of Convenience’ Ships” providing more options for cruise companies.

Mr. Zhu added, “The establishment of a joint venture company in Sanya demonstrates our commitment and determination to further drive the development of cruise tourism in Hainan. Our aim is to provide a dedicate presence in Sanya, focused on promoting the rich cultural heritage of the island coupled with the wealth of cruise experience of Genting Cruise Lines. In the post-pandemic era of travel, we hope that the authorities will further relax their policy for cruise companies operating domestic cruises and we will leverage on policies in Hainan, such as the “Flag Of Convenience” pilot program, to entice inbound international travelers. The long-term goal is to put Hainan on the map as one of the most popular global cruise homeports and the central hub among popular destinations that can be easily reached within 24-hours.”

As the first cruise company in the world to launch updated preventive measures for a post-pandemic era and to ensure the safest environment for everyone on board its ships, Genting Cruise Lines has completely re-examined and enhanced all of its health, hygiene and operating protocols including thorough sanitization and disinfection and enhanced hygiene practices for guest cabins and crew member quarters, public areas and recreational facilities; social distancing in dining, entertainment and public areas; safe food and beverage handling procedures. All cruise ships in the Genting Cruise Lines fleet also feature 100% fresh air ventilation in staterooms and public areas, preventing cross-contamination of air flow, to provide total peace of mind to travelers.

“A testament to the efficacy of the company’s enhanced health and safety measures, we are proud to also report that Explorer Dream, the first cruise ship to resume operations after the global industry shutdown, has been operating in Taiwan for over a month without any incident and garnered high scores in terms of passenger satisfaction. The successful resumption of operations of Explorer Dream helped us gain invaluable experience for our upcoming deployments,” added Mr. Zhu. “It is our goal to provide our guests in Mainland China with same opportunity to enjoy a much deserved vacation experience marked by Dream Cruises’ reputation for unbeatable quality, hospitality and safety.”

Ukko Metsola takes leadership role at CLIA in Europe

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 02 September 2020 02 September 2020

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the leading voice for the global cruise industry, announced today the appointment of Ukko Metsola as Director General for CLIA in Europe.

Effective 1 September, Ukko will lead CLIA’s presence in Europe as Tom Boardley begins his planned transition from his role as Secretary General. Ukko will be serving as Director General during a critical transitional phase as the cruise industry progresses with its gradual return to service.

Ukko Metsola joins CLIA from Royal Caribbean Group where he has served as Vice President for Government Relations in Europe and Asia-Pacific since 2016. During his previous political career, Ukko held senior positions in the Finnish Parliament and in the Finnish Prime Minister’s Office. He is a graduate of the University of Helsinki and the Harvard Kennedy School, where he studied with a Fulbright scholarship.

Kelly Craighead, President and CEO, CLIA said: “I want to thank Tom Boardley for his contribution throughout his tenure as Secretary General, and especially for his leadership in Europe during this global crisis. Tom will continue his association with CLIA in an advisory role and will assist with Ukko’s transition. As we move into the next critical stage of our return to service, I am delighted that Ukko Metsola has agreed to lead us in Europe and drive forward our industry engagement with the EU Institutions. Ukko’s in-depth knowledge of the cruise sector combined with his wealth of experience in public policy and European Union affairs makes him a perfect fit for this leadership role at such a pivotal moment for our industry.”

Ukko Metsola said, “I am delighted for the opportunity to represent an industry that supports a diverse and extensive maritime cluster, encompassing businesses across the continent, from the family-run tour operator to the great European shipyards and their suppliers. With its strong European roots and commitment to innovation, collaboration and sustainability, the cruise industry can contribute to the future economic recovery and partner constructively in the European green growth agenda.”

Silversea appoints Roberto Bruzzone as new Senior Vice President of Marine Operations

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 September 2020 01 September 2020

Silversea Cruises today announces the commencement of Roberto Bruzzone as the company’s new Senior Vice President of Marine Operations.

Commencing September 1st, Roberto will report directly to Silversea‘s President and CEO, Roberto Martinoli, and will be responsible for the marine and technical operations of the fleet. He will also oversee newbuilding and refitting activities, as well as handle the technical procurement and crew management functions.

With extensive experience in the shipbuilding industry and having held various positions at major international cruise lines in a successful career that has spanned almost 20 years, Bruzzone will play a key role in supporting the expansion of Silversea’s ultra-luxury fleet in the coming years.

Following a five-year stint as Vice President of Technical Operations at a major cruise corporation – part of a 14-year period at the same company – Bruzzone took the position of Chief Operating Officer to oversee the company acting as the Newbuilding Division of another major cruise line holding, managing large teams of professionals in a position of great responsibility.

A Chartered Naval Architect and Marine Engineer with a Master’s Degree in the field, as well as an Executive Master’s in Business Administration at the London Business School, Bruzzone has studied in America, Italy and London. He is a Member of both the Lloyds Register Technical Committee and the RINA Technical Committee.

“We are delighted to welcome Roberto Bruzzone to our team,” says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. “His wealth of expertise will bring great value to our cruise line, as we continue to grow our fleet for the benefit of our guests.”

Former CMV CEO Verhounig buys assets of failed company

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 01 September 2020 01 September 2020

Christian Verhounig, formerly CEO of Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) that entered administration earlier in the summer, has acquired certain assets of the company, with an aim to launch a new cruise operator, media reports in the UK said.

“Paul Williams, Phil Dakin and Edward Bines of Duff & Phelps, Joint Administrators of Cruise & Maritime Voyages Ltd (CMV), together with sister companies South Quay Travel & Leisure Ltd, Independent Coach Travel (Wholesaling) Ltd and Viceroy Ltd (together the Companies), are pleased to announce that a sale of certain assets of the Companies to CVI Group Limited (CVI),” Travel Weekly cited the administrators as saying.

CMV operated a fleet of six vessels that were all on time charter, mostly from Global Maritime Group (GMG) in Greece. The Athens based company owned Columbus, Magellan, Vasco da Gama, Astor and Marco Polo, while Astoria was on charter from Portuguese principals.

GMG was also due to take delivery of Pacific Aria and Pacific Dawn from P&O Cruises Australia, which is part of the Carnival group. Both ships were die to be chartered out to CMV.

The future of the GMG ships that had been operated by CMV remains uncertain as does that of the two ships that were due to join the GMG-CMV operation.