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Pullmantur chooses Cartagena de Indias as principle Caribbean homeport

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 01 August 2016 01 August 2016

Alan Lam reporting

Pullmantur Cruises has announced that the Colombian port city of Cartagena de Indias will be its principle point of embarkation for its two 2017 Caribbean itineraries.

This decision - which reinforces the company’s intention of developing its cruise business in Colombia - effectively means that Cartagena will be Pullmantur’s principle homeport in the Caribbean and it will increase the port’s cruise passenger throughput by 27% next year.

“The country is living through a vital moment in its history,” said José Blanco VP Commercial of Pullmantur Group, reflecting on its recent peace deal with FARC. “This is a logical response to the evolution that is taking place in the market where the demand for this form of vacation option is getting stronger from day to day.”

Pullmantur has been calling at this port since 2010. During the last six years it has brought in more than 180,000 passengers on 227 calls. “Cartagena is one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” continued Blanco, “and there is a huge demand not only from the Colombians but also from travellers from all over the world.”

With its 57 planned turnaround operations in 2017, it is estimated that the provisional economic impact may exceed $18 million for the colonial port city. “The impact of Pullmantur Cruises on Cartagena is very important,” said Felipe Jaramillo, President of ProColombia. “According to reports by the regional port authority, from 2010 to 2016 the company has made 227 calls, contributing about $28 million to the local economy. The cruise industry has a major implication to the country, especial to the post-conflict Colombia.”

From November Pullmantur will offer two all-inclusive Caribbean itineraries from Cartagena: the new “Caribe Legendario” (Legendary Caribbean) on Monarch and “Antillas & Caribe Sur” (Antilles & Southern Caribbean) on Zenith.

Norwegian Joy to feature Tan Ping artwork

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 July 2016 29 July 2016

Norwegian Cruise Line, the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holding, Ltd (NCLH) group, said it has commissioned renowned Chinese artist Tan Ping to design the artwork to be featured on the hull of its soon to-be-unveiled Breakaway-Plus class vessel Norwegian Joy.

“Scheduled for release in Summer 2017, with home porting in Shanghai and Beijing, Norwegian Joy will be Norwegian Cruise Line's first ship that is purpose-built for the Chinese market to deliver on the promise that guests will enjoy 'First Class at Sea’ experiences, starting with her VIP accommodations,” the company said in a statement.

Tan Ping's distinctive artwork will serve to underscore Norwegian Cruise Line’s commitment to providing an unparalleled cruise experience for Chinese consumers.

A painter, printmaker, and educator, Tan Ping straddles the worlds of both art and design. His abstract paintings and copper plate etchings are in the collections of such renowned museums as The National Art Museum of China; Portland Art Museum, USA; Ludwig Museum, Germany; and The Shanghai Art Museum.

Crystal River Cruises to include complimentary events at Michelin rated restaurants in Vienna and Budapest

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 July 2016 29 July 2016

Crystal River Cruises, which is part of the Genting Hong Kong owned Crystal Cruises, says on each Crystal Mozart voyage, guests will be treated to one complimentary culinary event at a restaurant recognised by the refined Michelin organisation, each carefully selected by Crystal’s equally refined culinary experts.

Guests may choose one complimentary superlative experience from a selection of seven Michelin-starred restaurants, with the option of reserving further experiences at an additional cost. Crystal’s vice president of food and beverage, Toni Neumeister, has worked closely with the acclaimed chefs and Crystal’s own culinary teams to craft culinary events and menus especially for Crystal Mozart guests.

“Of course, cuisine and the customs surrounding it are significant to any travel experience, and we are delighted to offer our guests some of the best culinary experiences in the world as part of their Crystal Experience,” says Edie Rodriguez, Crystal’s CEO and president.

The Michelin-starred restaurants available to Crystal Mozart guests are:

Le Ciel (Vienna) – spectacular city views and an award-winning reputation are two of the highlights of what is known as one of Vienna’s best gourmet restaurants. Cuisine by Toni Mörwald showcases the kitchen’s creative finesse with the highest quality ingredients.
Edvard Restaurant (Vienna) – celebrated for artful dishes of the finest local meat and fish Chef Anton Pozeg blends the modern and classic beautifully. Dishes are accompanied by a wine list that is nearly as illustrious as the cuisine.
Konstantin Filippou (Vienna) – minimalist atmosphere with natural wood accents is an ideal canvas for the restaurant’s namesake chef to show off his delicate, complex cuisine, which blends Austrian cuisine with Mediterranean influences.
Tian Restaurant (Vienna) – one of only four vegetarian restaurants to receive a Michelin star, the venue offers creative, colourful fare, each dish its own work of art.
Winekitchen Restaurant (Budapest) – also known as Borkonyha Wine Restaurant, this cozy bistro boasts a deceptively unpretentious atmosphere. Classic Hungarian cuisine is served with style and elegance, earning it “favourite” status among most who dine there.
Costes Restaurant (Budapest) – the upmarket eatery is a go-to spot for top international cuisine with a Hungarian flair, and also the first Hungarian restaurant to be awarded the coveted star.
Costes Downtown Restaurant (Budapest) – the downtown counterpart to Costes boasts a menu centred around the day’s local market selections, as determined by the chef, and earned its star less than a year after opening in 2015.

· Tanti Restaurant (Budapest) – considered masterful in reimagining classic Hungarian dishes, the menu features creatively prepared and seasoned fish and seafood, while the surroundings are comfortable, eclectic and elegant

Crystal Cruises to base two newbuildings to Danube from France, expand size

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 July 2016 29 July 2016

Following the successful launch of its first luxury river yacht, Crystal Mozart, Crystal River Cruises, which is part of the Genting Hong Kong group, has announced it will increase its presence in the Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers, deploying four of its planned new build river yachts in the region over the next two years.

The redesign and subsequent redeployment of Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel translates to more options, space and onboard amenities for travelers, as the river yachts will be increased in size from 110 meters to 135 meters, the maximum size permissible on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. The increased length allows for the addition of a swimming pool with a sliding glass roof and more of the ship’s larger suites, which range in size up to 759 square feet.

The new design places the ships as part of the line’s 106-guest Rhine-class series currently comprising Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, which are due to enter service June 18 and August 29, 2017, respectively. Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel will be set for maiden voyages in April, 2018 and May, 2018 respectively with detailed itineraries to be announced shortly.

“Based on guest feedback lauding the itineraries planned in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Amsterdam and Holland, the company has elected to delay its entrance into the French river cruise market, choosing instead to prioritize its offerings in the German/Austrian region in order to meet travelers’ demand for those experiences,” the company said in a statement.

The shift in focus means redesigning and enlarging the two Paris-Class river yachts, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel, as Rhine-Class river yachts, and redeploying them east in 2018.Previously, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel were to travel along the Seine, Rhone and Dordogne Rivers in France beginning in June and August, 2017 respectively.

“Unlike an ocean-going ship that can accommodate a change in itinerary with short notice, a river ship operates within more confined parameters and is unable to reroute easily,” said Crystal’s CEO and president, Edie Rodriguez.

MV Werften signs contracts with Deltamarin, Foreship and Elomatic to design Global Class ships

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 July 2016 29 July 2016

MV Werften, the German shipbuilding group owned by Genting Hong Kong, said it has signed contracts for the basic and detailed design of the 200,001 gross ton “Global Class” cruise ships for Star Cruises, also part of the Genting Hong Kong group, with its engineering partners Elomatic Oy and Deltamarin Ltd

After completing the purchase of the MV Werften shipyards in April, the general arrangement plans for the “Global Class” cruise ships were completed with Foreship Oy in June. All the three partner companies are based in Finland.

“We are delighted to work together with Foreship, Elomatic and Deltamarin on a series of these innovative ships designed from the ground up for the Asian cruise market” says Tan Sri KT Lim, Chairman of the Genting Group.

Star Cruises’ new “Global Class” mega cruise vessels will be over 340 metres long, 45 metres wide and measure 200,001 gross tons. The construction of these ships will be an important boost for the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the entire European cruise shipbuilding industry, especially when other shipbuilding sectors have slowed dramatically. Steel cutting for the first vessel is expected to begin in late 2017 and delivery is scheduled for 2020, the shipbuilder said in a statement.