Norwegian pushes the boat out in China with Joy

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 23 September 2016 23 September 2016

Alan Lam reporting from Tianjin

Not wanting to be overshadowed by its bigger competitors, at the China Cruise Shipping Conference and Expo (CCS 11), currently underway in Tianjin, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd (NCLH) is pushing its boat out, relentlessly promoting its brands and showcasing its new ship, the Norwegian Joy, to the Chinese market.

Cashing in on Chinese tourists’ seemingly endless appetites for eating, shopping and entertainment, the CEO Frank del Rio and his energetic team introduced the group’s new Chinese ship as the best of its kind on the market, featuring, among others, 28 restaurants without limit on dining times, shops selling Chinese customers’ favourite brands, and entertainment for all ages, including a two-level competitive race track – first-ever at sea.

At the same time, recognising the growing affluence and the diversifying tastes of this fast growing source market, NCLH is heavily promoting its other two luxury brands, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania, introducing the mainly Chinese conference delegates to its newest luxury ship, the Seven Seas Explorer.

“All three of our brands will call at Chinese ports in the next 12 months,” said Frank Del Rio. In the past year the group has opened offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. It has relocated one of its most senior executives, David Herrera, to China.

With its “first class at sea” philosophy, the group also promoted its “The Haven” concept on Norwegian Cruise Line with gusto to the Chinese market.

Norwegian Joy will set sail from both Tianjin and Shanghai from next June.

Responding to a specific question asked by CBR correspondent during the press conference concerning whether or not the group had considered Southern Chinese ports as its homeport options, “We look at China in the same way as we did the USA in 1966 when Norwegian first invented cruising,” replied Harry Sommer, NCLH’s Executive Vice President International Business Development. “At first all cruises were centered around Miami. That was the cruise capital of the world. As the interest developed, it spread to Alaska, Europe, and the rest of the world. Cruise in China started in Shanghai ten years ago. It is already branching out. We imagine in time those areas will grow. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have ships based in these markets sometime in the future.”

“As the South continues to develop and growth,” added David Herrera, “we are in conversation with several ports in the region. One of the advantages the South has is the weather. As in Miami, you can cruise out of the South year round.”

The key issue for NCLH in this connection is that it has only one ship available for this market at present. It can only be present in one region at the time.

NCLH is entering China at the ten-year transitional juncture of this market. The next ten years will be very different according to the general prediction at CCS 11. Our full report on this conference in the 3/2016 issue will examine this prognosis.

First cruise ships to be built in China to be based on the Vista-class platform

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 23 September 2016 23 September 2016

During the 11th annual China Cruise Shipping and International Cruise Expo, which started today in Tianjin, Fincantieri and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), signed a non-binding agreement with Carnival Corporation & plc and CIC Capital Corporation (CIC Capital) for the construction of the first new cruise ships to be built in China for the Chinese market. The understanding is subject to several conditions, including the closing of the joint venture and the financing.

As envisaged by the agreement, the joint venture being set up between Fincantieri and CSSC will act as prime contractor for the construction of two new cruise ships to be built at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS), yard of CSSC Group, ordered by the joint venture of which Carnival Corporation & plc, CSSC, and CIC Capital will be part of, with an option for two additional ships.

The new ships will be based on the Vista-class platform (as Cruise Business Review predicted in its Summer 2016 issue), ships built by Fincantieri for the Carnival Corporation & plc, and the design will be tailored for the specific tastes of the Chinese travelers and for the new Chinese cruise brand of the joint venture between Carnival, CSSC and CIC Capital, which will also operate the units. The first delivery is expected in 2022.

The agreement signed today follows the one of last July between Fincantieri and CSSC for the constitution of a joint venture aimed at developing and supporting the growth of the Chinese cruise industry.

Holland America Line launches partnership with America’s Test Kitchen to bring new dynamic cooking shows on board

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 21 September 2016 21 September 2016

Holland America Line turns its culinary programming up a notch with the introduction of dynamic shipboard cooking shows produced in partnership with the long-running public television show America’s Test Kitchen, the most popular how-to-cook show on TV. Holland America Line is a sponsor of America’s Test Kitchen on public television, and is proud to make this experience possible at sea. The initiative was announced today in New York City at a press conference at the prestigious Institute of Culinary Education.

Holland America Line’s shipboard Culinary Arts Center will be transformed to replicate the television set where the prominent America’s Test Kitchen TV shows are recorded for broadcast by more than 350 public television stations nationwide. Designed specifically for Holland America Line, the shipboard shows will be hosted by Holland America Line chefs trained by America’s Test Kitchen culinary experts. Shipboard cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops — with topics ranging from shaping Asian dumplings to making the perfect pie crust — will combine foolproof, accessible recipes and cooking techniques that are rooted in the rigorous testing and science-based approach of America’s Test Kitchen.

In addition, Holland America Line guests will experience 24-hour access to episodes of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country television programs in their staterooms.

“America's Test Kitchen will bring a new take on cooking classes at sea that spans not only recipes but also the science of the cooking process. Its mission is to determine the best methods, ingredients and cooking tools — and now these discoveries will be shared with our guests,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “We provide our guests with tremendously immersive and authentic experiences to enrich their travel, and America’s Test Kitchen’s commitment to delivering a quality culinary experience with a focus on learning is a perfect match.”

The planned 45-minute demo courses will feature a mix of video content, live instruction, taste tests and recipe samples. Some of the courses in development include Asian Dumplings, Salad for Two, We Love Chocolate, Everything Salmon, Getting to Know Chiles, Flavors of the Mediterranean, Meatless Monday Meals and New Italian Favorites.

Also planned are 90-minute workshops that focus on teaching a specific skill set. Proposed workshops include Perfect Pies and Handmade Pasta.

America’s Test Kitchen demo courses and workshops will begin aboard Westerdam October 18 for the ship’s Mexico season and on Nieuw Amsterdam November 13 for the Caribbean season. The program is expected to roll out fleetwide by June 2017.

“This is an incredible opportunity for fans of America’s Test Kitchen, and food lovers in general, to immerse themselves in the Test Kitchen experience,” said David Nussbaum, CEO of America’s Test Kitchen. “The classes on board Holland America Line ships will feature our famous foolproof recipes designed to be repeated and enjoyed long after the voyage has ended. We are excited that Holland America Line is helping America's Test Kitchen reach more enthusiastic home cooks through this onboard experience.”

America’s Test Kitchen is a real place: a no-nonsense, fully equipped, 2,500-square-foot test kitchen located in Brookline, Massachusetts. A team of more than 50 highly qualified test cooks perform thousands of tests every year. The goal? To develop the best recipes and cooking techniques, to review and rate the best cookware and equipment, and to taste-test and recommend brand-name supermarket ingredients for the home cook. Recipes are tested 30, 40 and sometimes as many as 70 times to arrive at the combination of ingredients, technique, temperature, cooking time and equipment that yields the best, most foolproof recipe.

Recipes and reviews are published in two magazines, Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country, in a growing line of cookbooks and special interest magazines, and on the America’s Test Kitchen websites and through an instructional online Cooking School. They also are featured on two public television series: America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country.

America’s Test Kitchen has earned the respect of the publishing world, the culinary world and millions of home cooks who trust its experts for tried and true advice on recipes, supermarket ingredients and cookware. Similarly, the new Holland America Line shipboard shows will present a combination of well-tested recipes using consumer-available ingredients with kitchen tips and advice on the brands of cookware, utensils and appliances America’s Test Kitchen’s experts have tried and recommend.

America's Test Kitchen joins Holland America Line’s elite list of food and beverage collaborators who are the leading authorities in their fields. The esteemed Culinary Council is led by Holland America Line’s Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, who is joined by renowned international chefs Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Elizabeth Falkner and Jacques Torres. The line also has exclusive partnerships with Sushi Chef Andy Matsuda and Master Mixologist Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings makes changes to brand leadership team

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 21 September 2016 21 September 2016

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has announced strategic changes to its brand leadership team to further align the company’s organizational structure with its goal to drive sustained growth and profitability.

Bob Binder has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Oceania Cruises, in addition to his current role as Vice Chairman of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which he has held since 2011. Prior to that, Binder served as President of Oceania Cruises, where he played a key role in the development and design of new Oceania ships and new restaurant concepts for the line. In addition, Andy Stuart, President of Norwegian Cruise line, and Jason Montague, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, will add the title of Chief Executive Officer to their expanded roles with their respective brands, effective immediately.

“One of Norwegian’s main strengths is the strong and deep bench of talent across our executive team,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “The focus and dedication that these leadership changes bring to each of our brands will further align our organizational structure with the unique needs of each brand and will enhance the overall performance of our company by creating even more exceptional vacation experiences across our fleets, strengthening our relationships with our travel partners and optimizing results to position the company for future growth.”

The dedicated brand executives will oversee sales, marketing, passenger services and revenue management for each of their respective brands. They will continue to drive the development of itineraries and the onboard product to ensure each line delivers on its brand promise and provides outstanding cruise vacations for guests. All three will continue to report directly to the Company’s president and chief executive officer, Frank Del Rio.

“With Bob Binder, a co-founder of Oceania Cruises, we bring a uniquely qualified industry veteran to strengthen and grow the Oceania brand and further enhance its position as the leading upper-premium cruise line,” said Del Rio. “We are also capitalizing on the talents and contributions of two key executives, Andy Stuart and Jason Montague, with their expanded roles as Chief Executive Officers within their respective brands.”