P&O Cruises unveils details of Oriana’s forthcoming refit

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 20 October 2016 20 October 2016

Following the news that Oriana is to undergo a three-week refurbishment, P&O Cruises that operates the 1995 built vessel of 69,840 gross tons has released mote details about the work that will take place in Hamburg in November.

“The refit takes into consideration guest feedback on all aspects of the ship, from the public spaces and bars to the cabins and bathrooms. Public areas and cabins will be rejuvenated with a range of subtle upgrades that will have a big impact without losing any of the ship’s unique charm,” the company said in a statement.

P&O Cruises is collaborating with design firm Richmond International, which worked on the decor for flagship Britannia, to provide “a modern yet classic look and feel throughout. Highlights include:

Cabins and suites: replacing soft furnishings, repairing and replacing furniture, upgrading bathrooms and carrying out maintenance work on balconies.

The Peninsular and Oriental Restaurants: a brand new colour scheme, replacing carpets and chairs.

The Spa: the sauna, steam-room, whirlpool and changing areas will be uplifted with new tiling, modern furniture and contemporary equipment. There will also be relaxing heated loungers, soothing natural décor and a living plant wall.

Theatre Royal: new sound and lighting equipment as well as re-upholstered seating will ensure the best and most comfortable entertainment experience.

 Other areas being refurbished include The Conservatory, Lord’s Tavern, Riviera Bar, Loyalty & Future Cruise Deck, the gym, Anderson’s and all public areas across the entire ship.

 P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow said: “We want Oriana’s guests, both returning and new, to feel that they are sailing on the most elegant and charming ship. From what our guests have told us we know that retaining the traditional elements that are unique to Oriana is as important as rejuvenating the ship - so that’s what we’re aiming to do.”

 

Following the refurbishment, Oriana will set sail on a two-night short celebration cruise to Zeebrugge round trip from Southampton departing December 16, followed by a 17-night Canary Islands cruise round trip from Southampton departing December 18, 2016.

First German LGBT cruise more than half sold out six months before departure

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 20 October 2016 20 October 2016

The first cruise in Germany catering just for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) market is more than half sold out six months before the sailing date, TUI Cruises whose Mein Schiff 2 will operate the cruise said in a statement.

The cruise, a seven night Western Mediterranean itinerary that will sail from Palma de Mallorca 29 April will include an overnight call at Barcelona. Entertainment and parties to cater for the various genres in the LGBT scene will take place on board during the week, the company said.

AIDAluna to host high profile fashion show in New York 23 October

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 19 October 2016 19 October 2016

The producer of Eiffel Tower and Grand Canyon Skywalk phenomena, Jessica Minh Anh, is showcasing a sky-high catwalk on the sun-deck of AIDAluna cruise ship with the New York City skyline as backdrop on 23 October, AIDA Cruses said in a statement.

“The high-profile showcase will follow the concept of Jessica’s successful Sydney ocean catwalk earlier this year, which combined art, architecture, culture, and fashion,” the company said. AIDAluna belongs to Rostock based AIDA Cruises, which is the Carnival Corporation & plc’s German contemporary market unit.

Anh is known for staging runways with internationally-known landmarks as backdrops for her fashion shows. She has curated events in Paris’ Eiffel Tower, London’s Tower Bridge, New York’s One World Trade Center and the Grand Canyon.

This is the last of her “catwalk on water” series (following her Seine River Floating Runway and Sydney Ocean Catwalk).

On the sundeck of the AIDAluna overlooking New York’s famous skyline, she will showcase designers including Qatari‘s Debaj Collection, Peruvian artist Ani Alvarez Calderon, Lebanese Rouba.G, Polish designer Teresa Rosati, Brazilian jeweler Cristina Sabatini, and Romanian Silvia Chiteala and Laura Cazacu of the brand Chotronette.

Carnival Maritime adds P&O Cruises, Cunard Line and Fathom to portfolio

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 18 October 2016 18 October 2016

Carnival Maritime, the marine service unit of Costa Group in Hamburg, announced the expansion of the services provided by the Fleet Operation Center (FOC) of Carnival Maritime onto 11 ships of P&O Cruises, Fathom and the Cunard Line.

For Carnival Maritime, this means further growth also in other departments, explained Managing Director Lars Ljoen. In total, the FOC in Hamburg is now monitoring and supporting 37 ships of the Carnival Corporation & plc.

While until summer 2016, the Center was exclusively responsible for monitoring and supporting 26 ships of the Costa Group (Costa Crociere, AIDA Cruises and Costa Asia), it is now also the first point of contact for all deviations, coordination requests and issues for the P&O and Cunard fleet. Consolidated monitoring in the FOC permits to share best practices among the vessels, leverage economies of scale to reduce costs as well as facilitate and align processes.

Ljoen is confident that a growing cooperation with P&O and Cunard will have positive effects on Carnival Maritime. “With additional manpower and expertise, we will improve our speed to achieve our goal of service improvements towards brands and fleet as well as optimization of our working procedures,” he comments.

 

Another announcement regarded the new Nautical Department of Carnival Maritime. Headed by Vice President Nautical Operations, Keith Dowds, its overall aim is to provide even better tactical support and professional guidance in relation to nautical operations to both fleet and brand. This enables to exploit efficient synergies and works towards the ambitious goals for consistently high level safety and professional standards at Carnival Maritime.

“The main premise behind the new Nautical Operations department is that we are continuously seeking to improve and share information and best practices across the fleets. We provide extra nautical expertise also to the brands. This will give us enormous benefits, for example when it comes to the deployment of the ships, their energy efficiency and port costs,” Dowds explains.

Furthermore, the Continuous Improvement department, headed by Alexander Klingelhöfer supports achieving the ambitious goals of Carnival Maritime through close monitoring and analyses, deploying lessons learned and best practices across ships and business unit.

With the advances achieved since founding the company, the challenge for the future will be to maintain the momentum by building a continuous improvement culture, setting the ground for another step change in ship management. “These advancements will offer substantial benefits, leading to unprecedented safety and efficiency in cruise ship operations,” states Klingelhöfer.