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Silversea to fly passengers to Antarctica in business class

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 December 2019 06 December 2019

Silversea Cruises, the luxury brand that is controlled by Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd (RCCL), has unveiled fly-cruise service to Antarctica in business-class, as part of the largest ever Antarctica offering in the cruise line's history.

“Named Antarctica Bridge, the new service will provide discerning travellers with the fastest, most direct route to the White Continent. Departing from December 2021, the collection of 12 fly-cruise voyages aboard Silver Explorer will further enhance Silversea's industry-leading, all-inclusive Polar offering. Sales for Antarctica Bridge open on December 10, 2019, and fares start from $17,500 per person, based on two sharing,” the company said in a statement.

On the direct flights from Chile's Punta Arenas to King George Island in Antarctica, travellers will fly 670 nm (1,240 km) over the Drake Passage on a private plane – reserved exclusively for Silversea's guests – that has been specially adapted to land on King George Island.

Hosted by Silversea representatives and offering travellers the luxury of a business-class configuration, the flight will take just two hours each way, meaning guests will avoid approximately four days at sea on the return journey. A bespoke in-flight entertainment programme, which will include Zodiac and IAATO briefings, will be tailored entirely for Antarctic expeditions to prepare guests for the unique adventure ahead. Travellers will then spend five full days – the same amount of time as on Silversea's conventional Antarctica voyages – travelling deep into the destination, accompanied by Silversea's team of expedition experts, the company said.

P&O Cruises announces ‘Ionafest’ to celebrate latest ship

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 05 December 2019 05 December 2019

To celebrate the naming of Iona, its newest ship launching in May, P&O Cruises has announced Ionafest, as part of a week-long Fjords cruise holiday, the company said in a statement.

From Saturday July 4, 2020, the ship will host some of today’s biggest music artists; DJs; TV comedians and entertainers, as it sails to the awe-inspiring Norwegian Fjords from Southampton.

The Ionafest line-up already includes Grammy award-winners Clean Bandit and legendary DJs including four-time MOBO winner Trevor Nelson, MBE; radio presenters Jo Whiley and Sara Cox, as well as Blur’s Alex James.

They will be joined by some of Strictly Come Dancing’s biggest stars, including comedian Chris Ramsey, who will be dancing in this weekend’s semi-finals and will perform his hilarious stand-up comedy set on Iona; judge Motsi Mabuse and professional dancers Amy Dowden and Ben Jones.

Already featuring one of the top music and ‘as seen on TV’ entertainment rosters of the year, the festival headliner and final full show line-up will be announced closer to the sailing date.

Performers will play across the ship’s seven venues whilst the main stage will allow guests to dance beneath the stars under the Iona’s impressive SkyDome glass roof.

Lucky festivalgoers on deck will have opportunities to see not only the Norwegian coastline whilst enjoying cocktails and food ranging from taste-of-the-Med Olive Grove to gastropub The Keel and Cow and pop up festival favourites.

P&O Cruises president, Paul Ludlow, said: “This really is an experience of a lifetime, a complete one-off. When has there ever been the opportunity to see to these award-winning artists.

“We’re also so excited for our guests to be a part of the naming celebrations and we have made sure that there’s something for everyone to enjoy, all included in the price of a ticket to Ionafest 2020.” The festival will kick-off with Iona’s naming celebration on the first evening in Southampton which will be a spectacular start to the rest of the cruise which will feature headline acts, world-class performances and enthralling events at every turn.

“The naming celebrations on the first night, then the dramatic scenery, exclusive performances and special guests will elevate the holiday to an experience that will be remembered for years to come,” said Ludlow.

MSC Virtuosa floated out in France

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 December 2019 03 December 2019

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, last weekend celebrated the float out of MSC Virtuosa at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, the third major new ship building milestone the company has celebrated in the past month at the shipyard.

The float out follows the successful delivery on 31 October of MSC Grandiosa as well as the steel cutting ceremony on the same day of MSC Europa, the Company’s first of five liquified natural gas (LNG)-powered ships.

MSC Virtuosa is the second of three Meraviglia Plus class vessel the company is building at the French yard. Each ship has a gross tonnage of about 181,000.

MSC Cruises also unveiled on the same day a ground-breaking R&D project in conjunction with Chantiers de l’Atlantique named PACBOAT that will focus on the integration of a new fuel cell technology, especially relevant for cruising, on board the LNG-powered MSC Europa. The line said it was committed to contribute to the development of next-generation advanced environmental technology for the benefit of its own environmental stewardship journey and that of the entire cruise industry, the company said in a statement.

Sixth formers work a day at Meyer Turku

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 December 2019 03 December 2019

Meyer Turku, the Finnish shipbuilding group, has teamed up with a project whereby sixth formers spend a day at a workplace, in this case the the shipyard, in various tasks.

Each teenager has had an opportunity to choose between the jobs of a welder-sheet metal worker, project manager, naval architect and purchasing manager.

During their visit to the shipyard, the pupils will perform tasks that have been assigned to them beforehand: a sheet metal worker will be interviewed by another teenager who spends at day at the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE).

Nina Marttila, HR manager at the shipyard, said in a statement that participation in the project is one of the ways how the company wants to participate in the life of the community around it, but also to introduce the shipbuilding industry to the teenagers as a potential career choice.

Meyer Turku, Elomatic and Cadmatic donate two professorships to University of Turku

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2019 28 November 2019

Meyer Turku, the shipbuilder and the consulting engineering firm Elomatic together with its subsidiary Cadmatic have donated two professorships to the University of Turku, the companies said in a joint statement.

The professorships focus on engineering and materials technologies. The university will start new study programmes in this field next autumn. The donations have a combined value of €1.2 million and they cover the professorships for five years.

Elomatic, which has its headquarters in Turku, will turn 50 next year, while the university will celebrate the centenary of its foundation also next year.

Jan Meyer, CEO of the shipbuilder, said the company wants to develop Finland as a leading centre of innovation and science in the maritime technology sector. High quality training of people with degrees in engineering is an important aspect of this.

Elomatic will celebrate its 50^th year in 2020 and the donation is a way to celebrate its long and successful track record and at the same time, congratulate the University of Turku, said Patrik Rauanheimo, CEO of Elomatic.

Jukka Kola, Rector of the Universtity of Turku, expressed his gratitude for the donations and pointed out that the support of local businesses is vital to develop education further. ”Together we can make sure that a favourable development of the economy in the (Turku) region will continue also in the future,” he said.