Fincantieri begins construction of Seven Seas Explorer

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 July 2014 15 July 2014

Construction began this morning on Seven Seas Explorer at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy.  The crisp pop of a cork being freed from a Krug Grande Cuvée magnum initiated a laser, which cut the ceremonial first piece of steel for the new ship.  Incorporating a bottle of the world’s finest champagne to start the building process is symbolic of the high level of sophistication and design being developed for Seven Seas Explorer, which is scheduled to debut in summer 2016.  

The ceremonial first piece of steel cut this morning will serve as the foundation for an opulent, one-of-a-kind owner’s suite unlike any other at sea.  The suite, resplendent with exquisite stonework and luscious fabrics, will serve as a hallmark for the superior level of elegance found throughout the ship.   When it debuts, Seven Seas Explorer will establish a new benchmark for style and service and perfectly complement the all-inclusive luxury experience currently enjoyed by guests sailing with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

During the ceremony, Kunal S. Kamlani, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Gabriele Cocco, senior executive vice president of merchant ships for Fincantieri, began a countdown that culminated with Maison Krug Italy’s master sommelier, Michela Cimatoribus, releasing the cork from a magnum of Krug Grande Cuvée.  As the cork soared and the champagne flowed, confetti cascaded down and the laser cut the first piece of steel for the 750-passenger ship.

“We’re one step closer to fulfilling our dream of building the most luxurious ship in the world and giving our guests another exciting option to explore inspired global destinations with our special brand of all-inclusive luxury,” noted Kamlani.  “Seven Seas Explorer will surpass the current standard in luxury cruising, offering a new level of grandeur throughout the ship from its lavish suites to its elegant public spaces and gourmet restaurants.”  

“We are extremely excited to welcome a new partner in Regent Seven Seas Cruises and to start construction of this brilliant new ship,” commented Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri.  “As a global leader in cruise ship construction, we’ve built some of the finest ships at sea.  Building the most luxurious ship ever built is quite a challenge, but with our craftsmanship and experience building luxury ships we feel that Seven Seas Explorer will become the definition of excellence.”   

At 54,000 gross-registered tons and carrying only 750 guests, Seven Seas Explorer will boast the highest space ratios and staff-to-guest ratios in the cruise industry and further strengthen Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ widely recognized position as the most inclusive luxury cruise line.   Seven Seas Explorer will join the rest of the award-winning Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet in the summer of 2016.      

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will begin taking reservations for the maiden voyage and inaugural season for Seven Seas Explorer in early 2015.

Carnival Cruise Lines signs exclusive agreement with Cigar City Brewing

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 July 2014 15 July 2014

Capitalizing on the growing popularity of craft beer in the U.S., Carnival Cruise Lines has entered into an exclusive agreement to offer Tampa-based Cigar City Brewing’s craft beers on all of its Florida-based ships.

Cigar City’s Florida Cracker Belgian-Style White Ale and Invasion Pale Ale will be available on 13 Carnival ships sailing from five Florida ports beginning this week.  Combined, those ships carry more than two million guests each year.

The agreement – the first partnership of this magnitude between a craft brewery and a major cruise line – was announced Sunday, July 13, at an event aboard Carnival Legend at the Port of Tampa.         

“Carnival continues to seek high-quality brands to enhance our guests’ experience, and Cigar City Brewing has been rated among the top craft breweries in the world,” said Eddie Allen, Carnival’s vice president of beverage operations. “Cigar City Brewing craft beers are a fantastic addition to our already extensive beverage menus and will provide our guests a chance to enjoy two delicious and refreshing beers that aren’t available on any other cruise line.”  Allen noted that Carnival also offers its own private label draught beer, ThirstyFrog Red, which is available throughout the fleet.

"Cigar City Brewing could not be happier than to partner with another great Florida institution, that being Carnival Cruise Lines. Everyone at Cigar City Brewing is thrilled to start this wonderful partnership," said Joe Burns, national sales manager for Cigar City Brewing.

Carnival has 13 Florida-based ships sailing three- to eight-day itineraries to the Caribbean, Mexico and The Bahamas, including Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Glory, Carnival Victory and Carnival Splendor from Miami; Carnival Sensation, Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Liberty from Port Canaveral; Carnival Freedom from Fort Lauderdale; Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend from Tampa, and Carnival Fascination from Jacksonville.

Cigar City’s Florida Cracker Belgian-Style White Ale is named for the colonial-era “Cracker” cowboys of Florida. Florida Cracker Belgian-Style White Ale is brewed with unmalted wheat, orange peel and coriander, which ends with a spicy, dry finish. The beer pours cloudy straw in color and has moderate notes of orange peel, coriander and hints of vanilla.

Gold in color, Invasion Pale Ale is Cigar City's version of a “session” beer (a beer with a relatively low alcohol content), in a hoppy ale that celebrates Tampa’s alleged history of being a pirate hideout. The tropical aroma offers suggestions of peach, mango, lime and papaya. Invasion has a light caramel malt character laced with a slight “breadiness” and the finish offers a bounty of tropical and citrus hop flavor and bitterness.

Unlike most U.S. craft breweries, Cigar City Brewing packages most of its beverages in aluminum cans. Aluminum cans are the most widely recycled containers in the United States, and aluminum may be reused repeatedly without loss of strength or quality. From a beer drinker’s perspective, cans have zero light penetration to better preserve the integrity of the brew, they chill faster, are easier to store and have a longer shelf life than bottles. Cans also are shatterproof and therefore are allowed where bottles are not — such as poolside. Producing new cans from recycled aluminum reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 95 percent.

Travel agent contest to select Costa Diadema's godmother begins July 18

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 11 July 2014 11 July 2014

Costa Cruises is launching a contest to select Costa Diadema's godmother through a worldwide search among female travel agents. The application submissions run July 18 through Sept. 15, with the winner and four "bridesmaids" to be announced Oct. 15.

Female travel agency owners, managers or frontline sales staff of any travel agency that sells Costa Cruises may enter the contest. Those who want to be considered should visit www.madrinadellaregina.it, insert the Costa agency code and follow the instructions to complete the application form, which is available in Italian, French, German, English and Spanish.

"We rely on our travel agent partners to sell Costa's Italian-style product and to communicate what makes our cruises different," said Scott Knutson, vice president of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America. "There is no better way to say thank you for their support and efforts than to honor five Costa travel sellers from around the world at the ceremony to welcome our new flagship into the fleet."

Candidates will be asked to upload a photograph and answer three questions. The ideal godmother and bridesmaids will be proven partners of Costa who can represent the company and its values. The selection committee will look for individuals who are passionate about their job, outgoing, spontaneous and who demonstrate a positive attitude.

Once the contest closes Sept. 15, a special Costa Cruises committee based in Genoa will choose the travel agent who will become La Madrina della Regina and her four bridesmaids.

The cruise line will officially name Costa Diadema Nov. 7, 2014, at a christening event in Genoa, Italy. On the night of the christening those five women will take their place of honor alongside other women who have christened Costa ships in the past, including Claudia Cardinale, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Marion Cotillard, Margareth Madé and others. To be sure that the godmother feels like a true regina, Costa is adorning her with a new dress fit for the grand gala.

Starting Nov. 8 and for the rest of the 2014-15 winter season and the 2015 summer season, Costa Diadema -- the Regina del Mediterraneo or Queen of Mediterranean -- will depart Savona, Italy, on seven-night cruises to the western Mediterranean, calling at Marseille, France; Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Naples and La Spezia, Italy.

Viking names Star godmother

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 11 July 2014 11 July 2014

Viking Ocean Cruises today released a new online video highlighting the “float out” ceremony of its first ship – the 930-passenger Viking Star – set to debut in early 2015. The traditional ceremony, which took place on Monday, June 23 at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard outside Venice, Italy, marked a major construction milestone – the first time the ship touched water – and kicks off the final stage of outfitting and interior build-out.

Accompanying the new video, Viking also announced that Trude Drevland, the mayor of Bergen, Norway, will be godmother to Viking Star and will officially “name” the ship during a christening ceremony on May 17, 2015 – Norwegian Constitution Day. “Trude,” as she is known throughout Norway, was on-hand at the shipyard to assist with the float-out ceremony, helping weld coins to the ship – a good luck practice that dates back to Roman times – and cutting a cord to allow water to begin flowing into the ship’s building dock.

“I am so privileged to be godmother to the new Viking Star,” said Drevland. “She will be the soul of Scandinavia, with some touches of Bergen. I will love it!”

"For our first ocean ship it was very important to have a godmother who personifies our company’s Scandinavian heritage and the Viking spirit, so it is an absolute honor to have Trude as godmother to Viking Star,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises and a native of Norway. “Bergen, with its colorful harbor and stunning scenery, has always been one of my favorite cities, and we are delighted for our guests to experience it firsthand starting next spring.”