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P&O Cruises to celebrate World Gin Day

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 June 2016 08 June 2016

More than 10,000 gin lovers will be celebrating World Gin Day this weekend (Saturday 11 June) on board P&O Cruises with its Great British Gin Menu, the company said in a statement.

Passengers will also be sampling and sipping four new local gins which have been added to the popular menu. “Available across seven ships, The Great British Gin Menu serves up 20 of the country’s finest gins from small, artisan brands such as Tarquin’s Dry Gin (Cornwall), Ely Dark Chocolate Gin (Cambridgeshire) and The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (Argyll), as well as tried and tested triumphs such as Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray and Hendrick’s,” the company said.

New gins to join The Great British Gin Menu for 2016 include:

Two Birds London Dry Gin (Leicestershire) with hints of juniper, citrus and Orrisroot. For something different to the usual G&T, P&O Cruises mixes with apple juice and elderflower cordial to create a refreshing cocktail ‘Countryside Spirit’
Caorunn Gin (Speyside) with hints of Rowan Berry, heather, dandelion and Coul Blush apple. P&O Cruises ‘Bees Knees’ sweet and sour cocktail mixes Caorunn Gin with honey, fresh lemon juice and fresh orange juice
Poetic License Northern Dry Gin (Sunderland) with hints of juniper, eucalyptus and Persian lime is delicious mixed with fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup to create a ‘Northern Sour’, a northern version of the classic cocktail
City of London Gin (London) with hints of liquorice, lemons and pink grapefruit packs a punch in a ‘City of London 008’ cocktail served with apple juice, fresh lemon juice, elderflower cordial and basil

Complementing these gins is a selection of tonic waters including Fever-Tree and Fentiman’s, as well as a full range of creative and customised cocktails. P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow said: “Gin is Britain’s best loved spirit and what better way to enjoy a quintessentially British drink than on one of our ships, soaking up the incredible views from the Crow's Nest.”

AIDA Cruises turns 20 and launches Selection cruise portfolio

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 June 2016 08 June 2016

AIDA Cruises, the Germany focused contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, is celebrating its 20^th anniversary and it has launched a Selection portfolio of destination focused cruises.

On 7 June 1996, the first ship in the AIDA fleet was christened by former first lady Christiane Herzog in Rostock and put into service. From the very beginning, AIDA has stood for innovation and product diversity like no other company in the industry. This will continue in its 20th year. Under the name "AIDA Selection," AIDA is presenting new, exceptional vacation experiences on cruises with AIDAcara, AIDAvita, and AIDAaura,” the company said in a statement.

These are the smallest units in its company’s fleet. “AIDA Selection cruises take unusual routes to new regions or exclusive ports. Extended stays at port give guests the opportunity to get to know the region at their leisure. On board, they enjoy a very personal atmosphere and the individual charm of the small AIDA ship class,” AIDA said.

These cruises are topped off by an on-board program that reflects the typical culture of the region and culinary offerings with regional specialties and cooking courses based on the destination. The first AIDA Selection cruises will be taking place on AIDAcara starting on 11 February 2017, under the title "Winter in the High North." The voyages begin in Hamburg and take guests to the land of the Northern Lights and breathtaking winter landscapes in the fjords.

Starting in the summer of 2017, AIDA will be offering all cruises with AIDAcara, AIDAvita, and AIDAaura as AIDA Selection cruises. During the premiere season of AIDA Selection cruises, there will be some extras: AIDAcara will make a spectacular voyage to Iceland and Greenland.

The ship will stop in Ilulissat and Nuuk on the west coast of Greenland, and in Qaqortoq on the southern coast. Passing through Prince Christian Sound, it will then visit the capital Reykjavik in Iceland, along with Akureyri and Seydisfjördur.

Another highlight in the AIDA Selection program are AIDAvita voyages to Norway, all the way up to the North Cape, and to the Lofoten in the summer of 2017. And AIDA guests will have a say in decisions on future routes and ports for AIDA Selection. Detailed information and further AIDA Selection cruises will be presented soon in the AIDA Selection brochure and in the AIDA catalog starting in the autumn of 2016.

Henna reported sold for scrap

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 June 2016 07 June 2016

Henna, the 1986 built cruise ship that started life as Jubilee of Carnival Cruise Lines, has reportedly been sold for scrap. HNA Cruises laid the vessel up in November after ceasing its one ship operation and offered the vessel for sale, with an asking price of $35 million. The ship was of about 47,000 gross tons.

Only one cruise liner of closely the same vintage and size has been sold for scrap so far. This was the Atlantic Star, which was built in 1984 as Fairsky of the now defunct Sitmar Cruises. Unlike other cruise liners built at that time, Fairsky was powered by steam turbines which made it expensive to operate due to high fuel consumption.

Assessment of returning United States to service makes progress

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 June 2016 07 June 2016

A team led by Crystal Cruises, which in February said it would assess the possibility to return the 1952 built Trans-Atlantic liner United States into service, has made progress in its work.

Divers have inspected the hull of the vessel that has been lsaid up since 1969 and the ship’s fuel and ballast water tanks will be examined. The tam is presently evaluating what products and materials have been used in the construction of the vessel.

It has also become clear that the ship would have to be re-engined. Its current power plant comprises four sets of quadruple expansion steam turbines and eight high pressure boilers

Fincantieri starts production of Seabourn Ovation

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 June 2016 07 June 2016

The steel cutting ceremony of Seabourn Ovation, the second of two ultra-luxury vessels which Fincantieri is currently building for the shipowner Seabourn, a brand of Carnival Corporation, took place today at the shipyard in Sestri Ponente, Genoa. The ceremony was attended by Seabourn President Richard Meadows and Fincantieri shipyard Director Raffaele Davassi. The sister ship, Seabourn Encore, is currently under construction in Marghera’s yard and will be delivered by the end of the year.

Seabourn Ovation, due to join Seabourn’s fleet in spring 2018, will be built according to the standards and technical solutions which make Seabourn one of the most prestigious brands in the ultra-luxury segment, continuing the fleet’s expansion started back in 2009.

The vessel, as its sister ship, will be approximately 41,000 gross tons, about 210 meters long, 28 meters wide, being able to reach a cruising speed of 18.6 knots. It will carry just 600 guests on board, based on double occupancy, featuring spacious suites each with private veranda. Safety will be one of the ship's major strong points. It will be built using the very latest technologies. Fuel consumption will be significantly reduced by optimizing the ship's hydrodynamics.

Fincantieri has built 73 cruise ships from 1990 to today, 61 of which for Carnival’s different brands, while other 22 are currently being designed or built in the Group’s yards and 10 of these are for the shipowners of thegroup. The cooperation between Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation has a remarkable strategic value not only for the shipbuilding industry but for the entire national economy. The Anglo-American group, thanks to the partnership with Fincantieri, is one of the major foreign investors in Italy with an overall amount, from 1990 to today, of almost 30 billion euros.