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ICS 2018 on managing growth

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2018 28 November 2018

Alan Lam reporting from Madrid

The 8th edition of International Cruise Summit (ICS 2018) is currently under way in the Spanish capital city of Madrid. About 260 delegates from various cruise lines, ports and travel agencies are in attendant.

The main focus of this year’s summit is on how to manage the rapid and seemingly interminable growth of the cruise industry.

One of the principal areas under scrutiny is how to manage port and destination developments in the light of the recent congestion issues experienced by many. Stakeholders are urged to intensify the dialogue among them to help ensuring a more proportionate growth.

With the impending arrival of the likes of Virgin Voyages and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, there are now more players in the market. The industry is therefore urged to properly manage the thorny issue of competition through dialogue, diversification, and cooperation in order to encourage further growth; otherwise competition will only lead to the unpalatable ticket price reductions, which benefits no one.

Sustainability and environmental protection are among other areas where proper management is called for. In these regards, banning the single-use plastics is merely a token gesture; there needs to be more innovations, better operational practices, and technological advancements to facilitate this, especially in anticipation of the incoming IMO sulphur and GHG emissions control regulations.

In addition, proper management is also needed in terms of berth allocation practices and newbuilding size inflations.

Amidst these discussions, the industry is confident that, barring any unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, the growth will continue for the foreseeable future.

As always, Cruise Business Review is a main media sponsor of this annual event. Our correspondent is among the attendees. A full analytical report will appear in the Spring 2019 issue.

MSC Cruises names first Seaside EVO ship MSC Seashore as first steel is cut at Fincantieri

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 November 2018 26 November 2018

MSC Cruises and Fincantieri, heir to the great tradition of Italian shipbuilding and one of the largest shipbuilding groups in the world, today cut the first steel of MSC Seashore, the first of two MSC Cruises Seaside EVO ships currently on order at Fincantieri. At a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Fincantieri’s Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono launched the cutting of the first steel of this new ship.

Coming into service in Spring 2021, the 169,400 gross ton MSC Seashore will be the first in its kind, as an evolution of MSC Cruises’ Seaside Class of ships. New cutting edge features include an additional lounge at the aft of the ship; a further enhanced MSC Yacht Club covering three forward decks; specialty restaurants at the promenade level on deck 8 for dining al fresco close to the sea; more whirlpools across the ship; 200 additional staterooms; and even more generous public spaces. Seaside EVO ships will also be equipped with the latest advanced environmental technology, including a selective catalytic reduction system; exhaust gas cleaning technology; state-of-the-art waste management and recycling systems; advanced water treatment systems; and an advanced energy and heat recovery system, as well as other technology and measures to further increase energy efficiency.

MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “With the Seaside Class, we introduced to the market one of the more innovative cruise ship prototypes all-around – our fifth out of six to-date – thus setting a new industry standard for others to follow. Today, only one year after MSC Seaside entered into service, we are taking this award-winning concept to the next level by starting the construction of a further evolved and even richer ship. MSC Seashore is an example of our commitment to bringing the most innovative and technologically-advanced tonnage to the sea, and will be bestowed with the latest and best maritime and environmental technology available.”

The CEO of Fincantieri, Giuseppe Bono, stated: “The design of this ship is the perfect symbol of what Fincantieri has become and of what the Group today represents on the international market scene and at an overall industrial level. MSC Seashore is designed to impress: first of all due to her size, she will be by far the largest ship ever built in Italy, allowing us to further increase our management standards, but even for her top-class technological level. She is a prototype that we developed based on a one-of-a-kind and hugely successful platform as Seaside is demonstrating to be.” Bono then concluded: “Over and above that, we are very proud to contribute to the growth of MSC Cruises, a company which is emerging as one of the major market players.”

Today’s event marked another milestone in MSC Cruises’ industry-unprecedented 10-year development plan for 17 additional new mega ships, with four new ships currently under construction at the same time. MSC Seashore is the seventh ship to be built under this plan and will become the 19th ship MSC Cruises has built since its inception in 2003. Additionally, the coming into service of the first Seaside EVO ship will take innovation in cruise ship building to yet another level of excellence, much like the introduction of the original Seaside prototype has set a new standard for the industry to follow.

MSC Seashore is inspired by MSC Cruises’ vision for cruising in warm climates in a unique setting. She will follow the bold and innovative design of the Seaside Class, with a wrap-around promenade on Deck 8, offering guests a myriad of choices for outside dining and relaxing. Her name, much like for her predecessors MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, reflects a new way of enjoying the cruise experience – first introduced on MSC Cruises’ Seaside Class – by bringing guests closer to the sea and helping them enjoy the outdoors.

MSC Cruises’ Seaside EVO ships will have greater dimensions, even more generous public spaces, more staterooms, a larger MSC Yacht Club, and will be able to host a total of up to 5,632 guests (approx. 4,540 double occupancy).

MSC Seashore will be joined just 18 months later by a second Seaside EVO ship in autumn 2022.

American Harmony, second modern riverboat launched four weeks ahead of schedule

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 November 2018 26 November 2018

American Cruise Lines announced on November 20 that it successfully launched its second new modern riverboat American Harmony at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, MD, on Saturday, November 17th. American Harmony is the second modern riverboat in the U.S. and the second of five planned ships in American’s revolutionary new series. The first ship in the series, American Song, began cruising a sold out inaugural season on the Mississippi this October 2018 and was the first modern riverboat in U.S. history. American Harmony is four weeks ahead of schedule and was launched exactly one year to the day of its sister ship American Song. Construction has also begun on the third ship in the modern riverboat series.

American Harmony will have the same sophisticated modern design and state-of-the-art technical features of its sister ship American Song, including the very unique opening bow and retractable gangway. The second ship in American’s modern riverboat series will have six decks, huge all-balcony cabins and a gorgeous 5-story glass atrium in the center of the ship.

Immediately after the launch, the ship was positioned in Chesapeake’s East Outfitting Basin where it will receive its upper decks and outfitting. Chesapeake Shipbuilding has a long history of designing and building new ships for American Cruise Lines.

The Inaugural season aboard American Harmony will begin in Summer 2019 on the Mississippi River. Sister ship American Song will reposition out West for 2019 sailing American’s Columbia & Snake River itineraries March through October 2019

Celebrity Edge arrives in Port Everglades

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 November 2018 19 November 2018

The game-changing Celebrity Edge has arrived at the new home of modern luxury – Port Everglades’ Terminal 25 (T25) in Hollywood, Fla. – following the ship’s first-ever, 15-day transatlantic crossing.

Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Richard D. Fain, said: “The arrival of Celebrity Edge today book-ends a major chapter in the growth of Celebrity Cruises. It’s the culmination of years of dreaming, designing and dedication to bring this magnificent ship to life. A new era is truly upon us.”

Viewing this momentous occasion from the bridge of Celebrity Edge with Fain, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, added: “The completion of her first-ever transatlantic crossing and arrival at T25 marks such a historic moment for Celebrity Cruises. This has been more than four years in the making. The collaboration and effort between teams across the world all comes together in this incredible moment. I can think of no better place to be than with Captain Costas and the crew of Celebrity Edge knowing that we are sailing into the future, literally and figuratively, with this beautiful ship.”

Adorning the decks as Celebrity Edge entered the channel for the first time, more than 1,400 excited crew members waved to a sea of shoreside colleagues who gathered to welcome the ship and her crew to their new home at an exclusive welcome event hosted at the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center — a fitting debut for Celebrity’s first new ship in six years and the first of a new class in more than a decade.

After the arrival of Celebrity Edge at T25, Lutoff-Perlo and Fain then hosted a grand opening ceremony in the revolutionary new terminal. Attended by key brand executives and esteemed Broward County and City of Hollywood officials, the dramatic ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official grand opening of the first terminal designed exclusively for the Celebrity brand, dubbed the new home of modern luxury.

Brought to life in collaboration with Broward County’s Port Everglades, Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc. and Moss Construction, T25 melds a stunning, warmly inviting design with unique technology, such as Expedited Arrival, which will make the check-in process absolutely seamless, as well as an interactive light wall art installation. T25 will also offer The Retreat guests a singular experience along the path to The Retreat, with an exclusive lounge, elevator lobbies, screening areas and even a private rooftop terrace.

Celebrity Edge embarked on the more-than 4,000-mile transatlantic voyage from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, on November 4, 2018, with more than 1,400 crew members on board. Along the way, the cutting-edge new ship visited ports in both Azores, Portugal, and Freeport, Bahamas.

Celebrity Edge begins her inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean cruise itineraries, with her Maiden Western Caribbean voyage departing on December 9, 2018, and her Maiden Eastern Caribbean voyage departing on December 16, 2018. Then, in spring of 2019, Celebrity Edge crosses the Atlantic again to offer guests stunning vistas of the Mediterranean with a range of seven- to 11-night sailings visiting iconic cities, including Barcelona and Rome.

Bookings for Celebrity Edge are now open at www.celebritycruises.com/edge or through a travel advisor. Celebrity Edge will be joined by her sister ship, Celebrity Apex, in 2020, and two additional ships in the Edge Series will follow in 2021 and 2022.

V.Ships Leisure to manage Chilean expedition cruise ship

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 November 2018 19 November 2018

V.Ships Leisure, part of V.Group, the leading global marine and offshore vessel management and support services provider, has been awarded a contract by Antarctica21, the Chilean expedition cruise operator, for the technical management of the expedition vessel, Magellan Explorer, the firs named company said in a statement.

The 100-guest Magellan Explorer is currently under construction at Asenav in Chile and due to be delivered in October 2019. The vessel, which is being built to the new polar code and is uniquely customised for fly-cruises in Antarctica, will join Antarctica21's fleet as the first newbuilding for the Chile-based cruise brand, with their current fleet on charter agreements.

Antarctica21’s President and Chairman Jaime Vásquez stated: "Partnering with V.Ships Leisure, the leading provider of ship management and related services in the cruise industry, we can focus on our distinctive core business which, unlike most of our peers, avoids the Drake Passage by flying our guests to King George Island, thus allowing better comfort and more quality time in Antarctica."

Per Bjornsen, V.Ships Leisure Director said: “We are delighted to be able to bring our unique experience with start-ups and expedition vessels to support Antarctica21 as it welcomes its first newbuild. The combined experience of V.Ships Leisure and the whole of V.Group will deliver a bespoke solution for this unique fly-cruise concept.

“The award of this contract demonstrates how V.Group’s scale and flexibility allow us to compete and win across any region or sector. While we have the capacity and global reach to cater to the major cruise groups, independent operators and start-ups can leverage the same scale and systems to compete with these large groups. Because of our breadth of services, we can tailor our value proposition depending on location and size of business.”

Growth in the diversifying cruise market is a key part of V.Group’s strategy. V.Group was the first ship management company to set up a dedicated cruise brand and team, and is building on this expertise to drive market share in the rapidly developing expedition cruise niche.

V.Group is actively tackling the challenge of developing the skills needed to meet the growing demands of the polar code. V.Group’s e-learning expert, Marlins has developed an interactive e-learning tool for Polar Code which is approved by the Bahamas flag for training deck officers in the initial stages of the code.