Holland America Line names next Pinnacle-class ship Nieuw Statendam

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 23 May 2016 23 May 2016

Holland America Line announced last week that the name of the next Pinnacle-class ship set for delivery in fall 2018 will be Nieuw Statendam. Honoring the company’s past while keeping its eyes on the future, Nieuw Statendam will be the sixth ship in Holland America Line’s history to bear the name Statendam. It will be built at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy, and construction will begin this summer.

Like sister-ship Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam represents a new class of ship for the cruise line. Carrying 2,650 guests, the 99,500-gross-ton ship will feature several of the innovative venues that were introduced on Koningsdam as well as new concepts that will debut on the newbuild.

“Holland America Line is writing the next chapter in our evolving story, yet we are a company with a deep history, and the name ms Nieuw Statendam perfectly blends our past, present and future ,” said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “The previous Statendam ships have been among the most beloved in our history, and we eagerly anticipate sharing this beautiful new ship with our guests in 2018.”

Renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany’s designs will be featured on Nieuw Statendam, bringing his unique vision to this latest vessel as he did with Koningsdam. Also several public areas will be designed by Bjorn Storbraaten, who successfully worked with Holland America Line on Koningsdam, Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam in designing the ship’s public rooms.

The history of the Statendam ships

The first Statendam launched in 1898 and was just 10,491 gross tons. It served the fleet until 1911. The second Statendam was built in the 1910s for Holland America Line but was sold to White Star Line as Justicia before it entered service. The next Statendam served the line from 1929 until 1940, when it was scrapped after a fire.

The fourth Statendam launched in 1957 and was christened by an 18-year-old Dutch Crown Princess Beatrix, who would later become Queen and name Eurodam as well. On Jan. 7, 1958, the ship departed on a 110-day World Cruise, the first for Holland America Line. Statendam remained in the fleet until 1982, when it was sold to Paquet Cruises. The fifth ship to carry the Statendam name launched in 1993 and served the line until 2015, when it was transferred to sister cruise line P&O Cruises Australia, where it sails today as Pacific Eden.

Regent Seven Seas schedules 2018 World Cruise on the Navigator

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 19 May 2016 19 May 2016

Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced yesterday plans for another epic voyage to circumnavigate the globe in 2018 with an innovative itinerary that explores sensational destinations across the Southern Hemisphere. The 137-night Navigate the World voyage will set sail aboard the luxury line’s most intimate ship, Seven Seas Navigator, which recently underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment and features a stunning and sophisticated new look.

Setting sail January 8, 2018, the 38,528-nautical-mile sojourn will begin and end in Los Angeles, taking a southerly route to explore the world’s most exquisite destinations, visiting five continents, 28 countries and 64 ports of call – including 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The 490-guests onboard will be able to indulge in Regent Seven Seas Cruises most inclusive luxury experience, which includes a vast array of complimentary and unlimited shore excursions – allowing guests to become immersed in each destination visited.

Guests sailing on the world cruise will also enjoy several complimentary shoreside experiences as they traverse the globe, including exclusive engagements such as a pre-cruise gala at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles, dinner in the bush at the Zulu Nyala Private Game Reserve in Richards Bay, South Africa and a tranquil visit to the Australian countryside with a visit and tasting at a local winery in Adelaide, Australia.

In addition, guests sailing on the world cruise will receive additional included amenities, such as first-class air, door-to-door luggage service, a comprehensive visa package, unlimited laundry service, satellite phone time and onboard medical services.

“The overwhelming response to our 2017 world cruise prompted us to offer another unprecedented global adventure,” said Jason Montague, president and COO, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “The newly refurbished Seven Seas Navigator is absolutely stunning, and for our 2018 Navigate the World voyage we added more included amenities, making this world cruise the most luxurious and inclusive world cruise available.”

Seven Seas Navigator was the first Regent Seven Seas Cruises ship to be refurbished as part of a $125 million fleet-wide renovation project. The public spaces and suites were updated to feature the same elegant style and indisputable attention to detail famously featured on Regent Seven Seas Cruises newest ship, Seven Seas Explorer.

Unprecedented itinerary

The 137-night journey departs from Los Angeles and sails across the Pacific Ocean to the lush Hawaiian Islands and tropical oases of French Polynesia, American Samoa and Fiji. Multiple stops in picturesque ports of New Zealand and Australia precede a cruise through such exotic Southeast Asian destinations as Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

Seven Seas Navigator will then cross the Bay of Bengal, making many stops to explore the cultural wonders of Richards Bay, Durban, East London and Cape Town of South Africa.

Crossing the Atlantic, the ship will arrive in South America with stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. From there, Seven Seas Navigator will cruise the Caribbean Sea to Curacao and Aruba and then traverse the iconic Panama Canal. The ship will explore delightful Central American ports in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala before returning home to Los Angeles on May 25, 2018.

HELCOM and CLIA jointly organise workshop on cruise industry’s future in the Baltic Sea

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 18 May 2016 18 May 2016

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) have jointly held a workshop on the cruise industry and the Baltic Sea. Organised in the framework of the European Maritime Day, which is being celebrated in Turku (Finland) this week, the workshop on “Effective solutions for responsible growth” has given participants a chance to discuss a range of issues regarding the cruise industry’s future in the Baltic.

Moderated by Hermanni Backer, HELCOM, the workshop speakers included Tom Strang, Carnival Corp.; Anna Petersson, Swedish Transport Agency; Kirsti Tarnanen-Sariola, European Sea Ports Organisation; and Pauli Merriman, WWF Ecoregion Programme. Together they discussed a range of relevant topics, including the industry’s economic impact in the Baltic countries, state of the art developments in the cruise industry, and the potential for maritime stakeholders’ cooperation for responsible growth.

Together with the audience, the speakers have also discussed some of the challenges that the industry faces, particularly in terms of sustainability and environmental protection, focusing on issues such as ships’ air emissions abatement and wastewater treatment and discharges. They provided suggestions to remove bottlenecks for a prosperous future of cruising and a sustainable maritime economy in the Baltic.

Particularly on the topic of wastewater discharges, the International Maritime Organization has recently designated the Baltic Sea as a Special Area under MARPOL Annex IV, banning passenger ships from discharging sewage offshore from 2019/2021. The discussion focused on the practicalities of its implementation, particularly the need expand and improve the region’s network of port reception facilities in order to make sure that cruise ships will be able to discharge their sewage while at berth.

“Sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region is a common goal and regional collaboration is vital,” said Anna Petersson, Head of Environment Section at Swedish Transport Agency and the Chair of HELCOM Maritime Group. “It is important to investigate possibilities and incentives for voluntary application prior and beyond regulations.

“All stakeholders should work together in order to find pragmatic, workable solutions that help ensure the Baltic Sea’s sustainability and also the cruise industry’s future in the region for years to come,” said Tom Strang, SVP Maritime Affairs at Carnival Corp. and & Chair of CLIA Europe’s Environment, Safety and Security Subcommittee. “There is an urgent need to balance economic and environmental policies so that they complement each other, rather than get in each other’s way.”

Costa Cruises launches Maldives, Sri Lanka and India itinerary

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 17 May 2016 17 May 2016

Costa Cruises is to launch a two-week itinerary aboard Costa neoClassica that will with ports of call in India and the Maldives in the winter of 2016-17, the company said in a statement.

“The Colours of India, between Yin and Yang itinerary provides a unique cultural trip with the possibility of dividing the cruise into two distinct seven day segments, with flights to Male and Mumbai,” Costa said.

The itinerary will run from 15 December 2016 to 10 March 2017 and the first call will be in the Maldives, where the ship will remain for two days. “Costa Cruises have partnered with Paradise Island Resort, where guests can enjoy the white sandy atoll, blue waters and coral reef,” the company said.

Leaving Male, the ship continues to Sri Lanka where guests will embark at Colombo. Guests will visit the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, one of the best-known attractions of the island, home to more than 60 elephants.

From Colombo, the cruise journeys to India where the first stop will be Goa, famous for its beaches and for its Portuguese colonial architecture, as well as being one of the 21 hotspots of biodiversity in the world. “Guests will be able to choose from a number of excursions, including a tour of the old city and of the capital, Panjim, and a visit to the Basilica de Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site,” Costa said.

From Goa, guests will continue on to Mumbai, where the ship will stop for two days to allow guests to fully savour the distinctive contrasts of the city. Guests can visit the main attractions, including the Banganga Tank.

Heading back down the Indian coast, the journey will continue to New Mangalore before arriving at Cochin in the state of Kerala. “The ship will stop for another two days, giving guests time to explore the village of Kumbalangi and enjoy a houseboat ride in the Kerala Backwaters. Costa neoClassica will then return to Male or guests can embark at Mumbai,” Costa concluded.