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MSC Cruises and Fincantieri celebrate float out of the MSC Seaside

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2016 28 November 2016

MSC Cruises and Fincantieri, heir to the great tradition of Italian shipbuilding and one of the largest shipbuilding groups in the world, on Saturday celebrated the float out of MSC Seaside, one of two new groundbreaking megaships that MSC Cruises is bringing into service between June and December 2017. The ceremony took place this at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, where the ship is being built.

MSC Seaside will homeport in PortMiami as of December 2017 and will sail year round in the Caribbean – further enriching the company’s offering in the region with MSC Cruises having a total of five of the most modern cruise ships serving the Caribbean once MSC Seaside debuts.

“This is another exciting milestone in our ambitious expansion plans as we see the second of our 11 next-generation cruise ships entering the final stages of her construction,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman. “MSC Seaside has been specifically designed to provide our guests with a unique onboard experience in warmer regions and boasts one the highest ratios of outdoor space in the industry so that guests can enjoy a range of open-air activities such as dining and drinking al fresco, strolling along the promenade or simply taking in the beautiful sea views from the privacy of one of the many balcony staterooms.”

“We are delighted with the strength of sales for MSC Seaside so far, from both American and European guests alike,” said Vago. “The Caribbean continues to be an ever popular destination for travelers. With the addition of MSC Seaside, we are further strengthening our ability to serve this demand in this key region with five cruise ships for the winter 2017/18 season, each bringing our own, distinctive Mediterranean flair and elegance to the Caribbean vacation experience.”

“Seeing this ship taking shape has a value which is not only symbolic for the group that I lead, but also for me personally,” said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri. “We acquired the order for the construction of it, along with a sister ship, in 2014, at the turn of an unprecedented crisis and an equally extraordinary explosion of the market. We placed such great ambitions for this order, undertaking to give the owner a state-of-the-art product, able to meet its vision of modern cruising. Being successful with a prototype and such a recognizable design, which confirms our commercial and technology leadership in this sector, makes us doubly proud of the result.”

MSC Seaside is the first of a completely new and innovative generation of cruise ships being built by MSC Cruises leading Italian shipyard Fincantieri. With this new prototype inspired by an elegant beach condo, MSC Cruises is pushing the boundaries with its bold design concept and demonstrates the Company’s continued commitment to put the guest experience at the center of all innovation and product development. Every element of the ship is designed to bring guests closer to the sea with special design features such as a unique 360° ocean level promenade, panoramic glass elevators, and a breathtaking 98 foot bridge on the top deck. In addition, with 73 percent of the staterooms featuring balconies, guests will never be far from a view of the ocean.

MSC Seaside brings to life the key distinguishing elements of an MSC Cruises’ experience. An extensive range of comfortable accommodations will meet the various needs of a wide range of cruise guests, including chic aft corner suites as part of the unique beach condo design, clever modular connected staterooms designed for families and groups of up to ten people, and a collection of balcony staterooms with a private terrace overlooking the promenade.

In addition, MSC Cruises has taken its MSC Yacht Club – a unique ship-within-a-ship concept first introduced by MSC Cruises – to the next level. Located on the prestigious foredecks of the ship and offering a private sun deck, a private lounge and private restaurant, the MSC Yacht Club has been expanded on MSC Seaside to now be over five decks. The MSC Yacht Club will also feature two coveted apartment suites that include a living room and a large balcony with a dining area and private whirlpool.

On board MSC Seaside, the dining experience has been designed to inspire and delight with a huge choice of Mediterranean and international cuisines served in 11 different dining venues, including five specialty restaurants. Of these, one is a Pan-Asian specialty restaurant created in partnership with world renowned chef Roy Yamaguchi and two are buffets serving food 20 hours a day, with one designed specifically for families.

The onboard entertainment, another award-winning feature of the MSC Cruises offering, will cater to all age groups and includes a stunning 934 seat theater offering four performances every night. Meanwhile, the interactive aqua park with its four exhilarating slides will provide hours of fun for the entire family, the 394 foot long zip line will appeal to thrill-seekers, and the aft pool will be the perfect spot for those looking for complete relaxation.

In addition to all of the fun that will be had while on board, MSC Seaside will enable guests to experience the Caribbean Sea like never before, while calling at exotic and stunning ports such as George Town in the Cayman Islands, Cozumel in Mexico and Nassau in the Bahamas. From October 2018, MSC Seaside will also call at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the stunning marine reserve private island in the Bahamas, exclusively available for MSC Cruises guests.

The float out is an important milestone in the construction of a cruise ship as it is the moment where the ship first floats on water when the dry dock is flooded and the ship is moved to a wet dock for the final phase of her construction. The exterior of the ship is complete and work moves to complete interiors, fixtures and fittings.

At 1059 feet long with a gross tonnage of 160,000 tons, the ship will feature a maximum capacity of 5,179 guests (4,140 guests at double occupancy). MSC Seaside is the first of two identical ships in the Seaside generation. Her sister ship – MSC Seaview – is set to enter service in the Spring 2018 and will be based in the Western Mediterranean, while a third one – reflecting an existing option for one additional Seaside generation ship – would be delivered by 2021.

Costa Cruises' 'Bravo Chef: The show' debuts on Costa Pacifica

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2016 28 November 2016

Costa Cruises is known for showcasing Italy's finest, especially when it comes to the cuisine onboard. Now Costa is sharing insider tips and tricks with guests through "Bravo Chef: The Show," a new cooking experience starring the onboard executive chefs preparing typical Italian regional recipes and international dishes. The culinary presentations debuted on Costa Pacifica and will gradually roll out to seven more Costa ships.

A "show kitchen" set is created on the main theater stage, with cameras projecting the cooking action onto large screens. Costa chefs demonstrate how to make dishes in the Italian tradition, as well as some international recipes, preparing them step by step for guests.

Fleetwide, every day Costa ships serve 520 representative dishes from 18 regions of Italy to showcase Italian culinary excellence. With "Bravo Chef: The Show," guests will learn how to prepare some of these traditional recipes at home and see how to make international dishes from several of the destinations on Costa's itineraries. For example, guests will learn how to make spaghetti with anchovies and breadcrumbs from Sicily, veal saltimbocca alla romana from Rome (veal, prosciutto and sage rolled up and cooked in dry white wine and butter), the traditional Basque dish bacalao pil-pil (dried, salted cod cooked with olive oil, chili pepper and garlic) and French bouillabaisse, just to name a few of the dishes that are presented during the show.

In addition to demonstrating how to prepare the dishes, "Bravo Chef: The Show" also provides useful tips on how to serve a perfect dinner. The ship's maitre d' will explain the correct selection and positioning of dishes, cutlery and glasses, while the sommelier will suggest complementary wines to serve with each recipe. The format will resemble a real television show with the cruise director serving as host.

Each "Bravo Chef: The Show" will end with a contest for guests in attendance who will be invited to answer a question related to the recipe. The first guest to give the correct answer via a remote-control button will win dinner for two at the Club Restaurant.

In addition to the demos, Costa is featuring a "Bravo Chef: The Battle" version. Guests will compete in a real-time cooking challenge to earn the title of "Bravo Chef for a Day." Contestants will prepare a dish using surprise ingredients contained in special "mystery boxes" for a jury composed of the ship's food and beverage director, the maitre d' and a guest. The cruise director will host the competition on the open deck poolside and the winner will receive dinner for two at the Club Restaurant or at Burger d'Autore, which serves gourmet Italian burgers.

"Bravo Chef: The Show" and "Bravo Chef: The Battle" premiered on Costa Pacifica Nov. 18 and will roll out on seven additional Costa ships: Costa Deliziosa, Costa Diadema, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Favolosa, Costa Luminosa, Costa Magica and Costa Mediterranea, where they will be staged on every cruise.

Oceanwide Expeditions behind Brodosplit expedition cruise ship order

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 November 2016 27 November 2016

Oceanwide Expedition, the Dutch expedition cruise specialist that currently operates two vessels, has emerged as the customer of the Brodosplit shipyard that recently ordered an expedition cruise ship at the Croatian builder.

“Due to an increased demand for polar cruises, Oceanwide Expeditions, the leading exploratory Polar cruise company since 1996, has commissioned the building of an innovative 180-passenger vessel. The ship, called the m/v Hondius, will be the strongest ice-strengthened vessel in the Polar regions. It is being built in Croatia by shipbuilder Brodosplit and will be available to customers in 2019,” the Dutch company said in a statement.

“We currently sail with our ice-strengthened 116-passenger vessels Plancius and Ortelius, and the Hondius will give us the opportunity to accommodate more travelers, to grow as a company, and to offer new, innovative products in the Polar regions,” said Oceanwide Expeditions’ CEO, Michel van Gessel, in the statement. “The name Hondius follows our custom to name our ships for celebrated Dutch-Flemish cartographers who continue to inspire us as we carry on their passion for exploration and discovery.”

Hondius was specially designed to support and serve Oceanwide’s exploratory programs and activity-based shore excursions in the Arctic and Antarctica. It will be rated Polar Class 6, similar to the previous Finnish-Swedish ice-class notation 1A-super. A speedy zodiac embarkation is guaranteed, with two separate gangways and an indoor platform that can be used for outdoor activities such as kayaking. While Hondius is at anchor during passenger excursions, it can drift or remain in position with the support of the bow and stern thrusters. One deck on board is reserved for an observation lounge, with a separate lecture room in order to offer simultaneous or multilingual lectures and presentations.

The vessel will be 107 meters (350 feet) long, with a breadth of 17.6 meters (58 feet). It will be equipped with two main engines for a total of 4,200 kW, generating a speed of 15 knots.

Hondius will offer passengers an advanced hotel standard of quarters, as well as a variety of cabin categories, from spacious suites and superiors to twin and quadruple cabins. Guests will be accommodated in the following configurations: 1 spacious suite (cabin size 33 m2), 6 suites with balcony (cabin size: 29 m2), 8 superior cabins with balcony (cabin size: 22 m2), 19 twin deluxe cabins, (cabin size: 22 m2), 14 twin-window cabins (cabin sizes: 14 to 16 m2), 31 twin porthole cabins, 2 triple porthole cabins and 4 quadruple porthole cabins (cabin sizes of the porthole cabins vary from 13 to 16 m2).

Social media storm in Finland follows Viking Line’s China contract decision

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 November 2016 24 November 2016

A storm has broken out in the social media in Finland after Viking Line, the listed ferry company, said on 23 November it had assigned a letter of intent with a shipyard in China to build a 63,000 gross ton cruise ferry.

Many commentators regretted the decision and would have preferred it to be placed with a Finnish shipyard instead. The company said that Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd in China had offered a lower price than Finnish or other European yards. Jan Hanses, CEO, said it had felt a bit sad not to be able to give the contract to a domestic builder.

“So the Viking Line CEO is a bit sad that he could not order the ship at a Finnish shipyard. May he wipe the crocodile’s tears from his eyes! The picture how the company proceeded in the matter is clear to see. The order, which they undoubtedly had decided to give to China, was only published now, when delivery times at the shipyard in Turku had become ‘conveniently’ stretched,” said a commentator on Maritimeforum.fi on the Internet.

“Sad that you cannot travel by Viking Line any more,” said Just on the website of the Turun Sanomat daily. “Viking Line’s image suffered a lot of damage,” another commentator noted.

“That Chinese (built) bucket will provide lots of work for shipyards in Finland, when the time comes to start putting right shortcomings in quality (of work),” noted yet another commentator.

Some commentators pointed out that Viking Line had received grants from the Finnish government, including €28 million in 2012 in environmental aid towards the construction of the dual fuel powered cruise ferry Viking Grace that was built at what is Meyer Turku Shipyard now and delivered in 2013. They were angered by the fact that the contract for the next ship of the line would go to a foreign builder.

However, seemingly a minority of the commentators pointed out that if there was a substantial difference in price, it was obvious that the company would award the contract to the lowest bidder.

Some years ago, Viking Line placed an order for a much smaller ferry with a Spanish shipbuilder. The yard was unable to deliver the vessel on time and Viking Line cancelled the contract. It built the 57,565 gross ton Viking Grace at Turku and the 35,778 gross ton Viking XPRS at Aker Yards' Helsinki Shipyard. Viking Grace had a price tag of €240 million before the environmental grant, whereas the ship to be built in China, which will be slightly larger, would cost €190 million.

Viking Line traces its roots to 1959 and it is a listed company with headquarters in Mariehamn on the Aland Islands. It is in no way connected to Viking Cruises, the deep sea and river cruise ship operator.

The Meyer Turku Shipyard has a heavy work load of cruise liners, while Rauma Marine Constructions that reopened the yard in Rauma that STX Finland had closed, is building a ropax ferry for Mols-Linien in Denmark. The Arctech shipyard in Helsinki has recently built offshore services vessels and icebreakers. However, the company is looking at ferries and expedition cruise liners as new directions for its business.

Crystal River Cruises opens new office in Amsterdam

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 November 2016 22 November 2016

"This morning in Amsterdam, Crystal Chairman, CEO and President Edie Rodriguez along with Walter Littlejohn, vice president and managing director of Crystal River Cruises, opened the new operations support office for the World’s Only Luxury River Cruise Line," the company said in a statement.

A special ribbon cutting and breakfast reception officially welcomed the new business location to Crystal’s ever expanding portfolio. The new office will serve as additional operations assistance for the rapidly expanding fleet of luxury river yachts, which officially launched this July with Crystal Mozart’s maiden voyage. Amsterdam is a featured destination on the “Jewels of the Rhine” and “Grand Europe” itineraries planned for Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, respectively, when the sleek new river yachts debut on the Rhine, Danube and Main Rivers in summer of 2017. The destination will also be a home port for Crystal Debussy’s 7- and 10- night voyages along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, beginning in April 2018.

“Establishing a presence for Crystal River Cruises in Amsterdam is a natural fit, as the city’s vibrant culture and central locale complement the spirit of our luxury itineraries perfectly,” says Rodriguez. “The enthusiasm from the global community about Crystal’s upcoming river cruise experiences has been tremendous, and we’re thrilled to navigate these developments from the heart of the regions our vessels will explore.”

In addition to Amsterdam, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler will visit European cities and hamlets including Cologne, Koblenz, Antwerp, Basel, Frankfurt and others throughout Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland. The two luxury vessels will be the first Rhine Class river yachts in Crystal’s fleet, with Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel to follow in 2018. The sleekly designed vessels will be Europe’s first and only all-balcony, all- suite river ships, boasting the superlative standard of luxury for which the company is celebrated and amenities not found on any other river ships. Guests will enjoy ample space and options aboard the 135-meter river yachts (the maximum size permissible to transit the Main-Danube Canal).

A swimming pool with glass roof allows for swimming and relaxation in any weather conditions, while luxurious amenities indoors surpass the comforts of home. All four Crystal river yachts will offer Crystal’s acclaimed butler service for every suite, plush king-sized beds that face toward the Panoramic Balcony-Windows, walk-in closets, dual vanity in the bathrooms in most categories, ETRO robes and slippers, wall-mounted flat-screen HD TVs, and Nespresso machines. Additional enticing features include Crystal’s highly-acclaimed cuisine in multiple, open-seating eateries: the elegant Waterside Restaurant, namesake Bistro cafés and the exclusive Vintage Room; the Palm Court; and a full-service spa and separate fitness center, equipped with modern machines and cardio equipment as well as free weights.

2017 and 2018 voyages aboard Crystal Mozart, Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel are open for booking now.