Carnival to expand in PortMiami

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 25 September 2019 25 September 2019

Carnival Cruise Line expressed appreciation on September 19 to the Miami-Dade County Commission for approving a proposal for a complete renovation and major expansion of Cruise Terminal F at PortMiami that will be capable of supporting the operations of Carnival's new Excel class ship – clearing the way for the yet-to-be-named sister ship of Mardi Gras to be homeported in Miami when it is delivered in 2022.

"With today's approval, we will move quickly on a plan to remodel and expand Terminal F so that it will accommodate the most innovative class of ship to join our fleet," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Over the last several months, we have had very constructive discussions with PortMiami and Miami-Dade leaders about our plans for Miami and our goal to enhance and grow our capacity and operations in our hometown. Everyone is very excited about Miami being home to our next liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship in North America and the sister ship to Mardi Gras, which arrives next August and is generating tremendous enthusiasm. Today's vote assures that the new ship and terminal expansion will both arrive in time for Carnival's 50th anniversary in 2022."

Carnival Cruise Line is the largest cruise operator in Miami with more year-round ships sailing from PortMiami than any other cruise line. The redesigned Terminal F will allow Carnival to continue to be the leader in the market, accommodating not only its largest and newest class of ship, but also allowing the line to bring its next LNG ship to south Florida. Duffy thanked local officials for their efforts to work cooperatively with the company to reach agreement on scope, timing and design work so that construction can be completed in time for the ship's late 2022 arrival. Mardi Gras, the first Carnival Excel class ship for the line, will be delivered in August 2020 and be homeported at Port Canaveral after inaugural sailings from Europe and New York.

When completed, Terminal F will be the third cruise terminal at PortMiami dedicated to Carnival operations. The agreement includes a commitment by Carnival to keep ships at Terminal F for 20 years, with the option of two additional seven-year extensions.

The terminal's simple and open design by Berenblum Busch Architects of Miami will allow for exceptional efficiency and flexibility to accommodate Carnival's largest class of ships, maximizing use of facial recognition technology and other elements to move guests through the embarkation process.

Expansion plans will result in Terminal F being Carnival's largest terminal in North America. All renovations are set for completion by October 2022 to welcome the Carnival Excel class ship arriving in late 2022.

P&O Ferries orders two 230 metre double ended Dover-Calais ferries – report

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 24 September 2019 24 September 2019

P&O Ferries, which is part of the Dubai based DP World group, has ordered two 230 metre double ended ferries at Guangzhou Shipyard International in China for its service between Dover in the UK and Calais in France, Ferry Shipping News said in a newsletter.

The Dover base ferry company should not be confused with P&O Cruises, which is part of Carnival Corporation & plc.

The two ships will enter service in 2023 and the contract includes options for two further units that would be delivered in 2024 if ordered. The ships will be double ended, which means there is no need to turn them around at each port. They will be the largest ever ships on the short haul crossing.

The ships are designed with the capacity to be carbon neutral in the future. A double-ended design and two bridges on the ship, meaning that there is no need for it to turn around.

Power management system will allow to close down parts of the ship when not in use and the ships will also feature new shape of hull for the English Channel and azimuth thrusters which increase manoeuvrability of the ship. The naval architects for the project are OSK-ShipTech A/S in Denmark, the report said.

 

 

 

More suites, cluster cabins, two central meeting points among MSC Seashore features

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 19 September 2019 19 September 2019

MSC Seashore, the first of two Seaside Evo class ships from Fincantieri, will feature more suites and two central meeting points among new features on board, the cruise line and shipbuilder said in a joint statement.

At 339 metres, the ship is 16 metres longer than MSC Seaside and it will also have 200 additional cabins, a larger MSC Yacht Club and an additional double-deck aft lounge. 

MSC Seashore will offer more suites thanks to the addition of 28 more terraced suites, two suites with private whirlpools and the MSC Yacht Club will see two new cabin categories: 41 Deluxe Grand Suites and two Owner’s Suites with whirlpools.

The ship will feature new cabin designs such as cluster cabins for families that link two or three adjoining cabins and can accommodate between six and 10 people, plus bigger and more spacious cabins for guests with a disability – 75 in total – will be available.

The internal architecture has been completely redesigned with two central meeting points positioned at the middle and forward part of the ship, as well as specific measures to further enhance passenger flows.  Overall the ship has 10,000 square metres of additional deck space for an even greater and more spacious onboard experience.

Two brand new restaurants will be introduced, including one exclusively for Aurea guests.  There will be a new location for the five specialty restaurants to allow for waterfront seating on the ship’s breathtaking boardwalk to give guests a greater sea view as they dine al fresco.

MSC Seashore will have a new double-decker show lounge at the aft part of the ship, a bigger casino and 20 distinct specialty bars. The ship will feature a new design of her aft pool design, an enlarged indoor pool and a new interactive waterpark will provide thrills and spills for guests of all ages.

Clubs for young children and teenagers have been separated from a larger kids’ zone. The ship will provide all of her guests with latest customer-centric technology, including ZOE – the world’s first-virtual personal cruise assistant and an MSC Cruises exclusive in every cabin - and MSC for Me.

Coin ceremony to mark laying of the keep of the ship was held at Monfalcone today.

 

Voyages to Antiquity to cease trading

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 19 September 2019 19 September 2019

Voyages to Antiquity, the UK based operator of destination focused cruises, has decided to cease trading after a major engine failure on its only vessel had forced it to cancel 10 cruises in the summer.

Aegean Odyssey, which was built as a cargo ferry in 1974 and later converted into a cruise ship in 1988, suffered an engine failure in April that forced the cancellation of the entire summer season of cruises up till the departure on 26 August. The ship has a gross tonnage of 11,653 and it can take 350 passnegers.

Voyages to Antiquity was founded in 2009 .