MSC Cruises four ship lengthening programme begins

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 19 May 2014 19 May 2014

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, says it has today laid out the first block of new keel section to be inserted into MSC Armonia as part of the cruise line’s four-ship Renaissance programme.

The work, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy, marks the beginning of the €200 million lengthening and improvement programme, an important step towards ensuring that all of MSC Cruises’ ships benefit from the latest in terms of technology and comfort, the copany said in a statement.

The section laid out today weighs around 350 tonnes. In the next three months an additional three sections will be built, which are currently being cut in the Palermo yard. The whole block will be finished at the end of July, and will be inserted into the mid-section of the ship at the end of August when MSC Armonia. Close to 200 cabins will be added, as well as new entertainment spaces and new technological enhancements.

The ships will boast a completely new spray park, with an exhilarating pathway of water features and water cannons. The impressive onboard boutiques will be enhanced with new interiors, more space and an all-new perfumery with display corners dedicated to leading brands. The end of the work is scheduled for November 17 2014, the day on which the ship will leave the shipyard to sail to Genoa before heading to the Canary Islands.

The Renaissance programme will ultimately see the lengthening and refurbishment of MSC Cruises’ four Lirica class vessels (MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Opera) and will be completed in 2015

Schedule and key figures

MSC’s Lirica class Renaissance programme will follow the below dry dock schedule:

·         MSC Armonia (2004): August 31 to November 17 2014

·         MSC Sinfonia (2005): January 12 to March 16 2015

·         MSC Opera (2004): May 2 to July 4 2015

·         MSC Lirica (2003): August 31 to November 9 2015

The four Lirica Class ships were built between 2003 and 2005 at the STX yards in Saint-Nazaire, France. They are currently 251 metres long, have a gross tonnage of 60,000 tons and carry 2,069 passengers. After the “Renaissance programme”, the ships will be 275 meters long, measure at 65,000  gross tons and carry 2,680 travellers, boasting 193 additional cabins (plus 59 new cabins for crew members).

Norwegian Jewel receives enhancements

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 18 May 2014 18 May 2014

Norwegian Jewel re-entered service on May 17, 2014 following a two-week dry dock where the ship received numerous enhancements as she readies for her much-anticipated arrival in Houston, Texas on October 11, 2014, following the summer season in Alaska.

Norwegian Jewel is the first ship to be retrofitted with the popular O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill (first introduced on Norwegian Epic and also on Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway). In addition, the ship's Moderno Churrascaria, the Brazilian-style steakhouse, was relocated to a more intimate setting on Deck 13 and the Sugarcane Mojito Bar, first introduced on Norwegian Getaway, was added adjacent to the new restaurant.

"O'Sheehan's Bar & Grill is a huge hit on three of our new ships, so we wanted to ensure that guests sailing on our existing fleet, beginning with Norwegian Jewel, could experience the welcoming atmosphere and the traditional pub fare," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "Our guests are going to love the addition of both O'Sheehan's and the Sugarcane Mojito Bar which can only add to the already great dining and lounging opportunities onboard."

Guests will also be able to enjoy delicious cannoli and cupcakes from Carlo's Bake Shop by Buddy Valastro, star of TLC's Cake Boss and Next Great Baker, that has been added in the Java Café. A number of additional guest area enhancements included: updates to the Casino and Photo Gallery, new carpets and flooring throughout guest areas, window replacements, upgrades in galley areas and updates to the pool deck. Norwegian's innovative digital signage, first introduced on Norwegian Breakaway, will also be added to the ship over the summer. The interactive touch screen signs will allow guests to order specialty items, get directions and reserve dining and shore excursions simply with a scan of their stateroom key.

Technical modernizations also took place during the dry dock. The ship is being outfitted with Green Tech Marine Scrubbers, in order to reduce fuel emissions, overall energy consumption, and the company's environmental footprint. In addition, the ship will receive an Azipod hydrodynamic upgrade and state-of-the-art silicone paint on the hull, in order to further improve fuel efficiency. Norwegian Jewel will also benefit from the installation of shore power connectivity. Additional significant technical and safety updates include: lifeboat and tender boat release systems upgrade; thrusters and stabilizer maintenance; and ballast and bilge piping replacement.

Starting May 17, 2014, Norwegian Jewel begins a series of seven-day Alaska cruises from Seattle through September 13, 2014. Ports of call on this adventurous itinerary include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska as well as Victoria, British Columbia. Following the Alaska cruise season, Norwegian Jewel repositions to Houston and begins sailing a series of Western Caribbean cruises on October 11, 2014, with stops in Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Banana Coast, Honduras.

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth enters Blohm & Voss Shipyard for multi-million dollar refit

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 17 May 2014 17 May 2014

Cunard Line’s newest ship, Queen Elizabeth, has arrived at the Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, for her first scheduled dry-docking since she entered service in 2010. As well as conducting standard checks and maintenance, this multi-million dollar refit will create the ship’s first-ever single accommodation options, along with enhanced stateroom and other amenities and improved restaurant facilities. In line with the company’s environmental sustainability thinking, scrubber technology is also being introduced on the ship.

Queen Elizabeth will leave the shipyard on Saturday 1 June and sail for Southampton, ahead of her 4 June cruise to Amsterdam.

“Queen Elizabeth is already a much loved ship and following this multi-million dollar refit, she is sure to shine brightly for years to come,” said David Dingle, CEO for Cunard Line. “Whilst there has been investment across the ship, we are particularly delighted to announce that following this refit, there will be staterooms for single travellers on board a Cunard ship for the first time since QE2.”

In response to passenger demand and changing demographics, a total of nine new single staterooms are being created on Deck 2 midships by remodeling part of Queen Elizabeth’s casino.  Eight of the single staterooms will be a new grade of Ocean View accommodation, and the ninth will be a standard Inside.  

In The Lido, the ship’s informal restaurant, refurbishments will mean that waiters with insulated coffee and tea pots will in the future serve passengers with hot drinks at all meals, while recessed risers will improve the styling of the self-service area as well as passenger flows within it.

More generally, carpets are being renewed and large flat-screen TVs – mostly 32” or above – are being installed in all passenger staterooms.

Sun awnings are being erected on the open area near the Lido pool at the stern on Deck 9 and on both sides of the Grills Upper Terrace area near the top of the ship to offer more shade on deck.

The creation of a dedicated studio will enable the ship’s photographers to offer high-end portraiture, while the addition of touch screens in the photo gallery will continue the development of a digital environment in which passengers can more easily find and select their photos taken by the team.

Significant work is planned for the shopping area on board: the footprint is increasing, new Fine Jewellery and Watch shops are opening, and the layout, lighting and overall shopping experience for passengers are being enhanced.

On the technical front, scrubber technology is being installed in line with Cunard’s commitment to minimising the company’s environmental impact. This involves installing a new filtration system for the exhaust gas from the ship’s engines.

Celebrity joins University of Miami 'Oceanscope' program to monitor oceanographic and atmospheric conditions

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 16 May 2014 16 May 2014

Last week, as Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox completed its scheduled dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, it joined Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas in a program that tracks ocean circulation dynamics and measures atmospheric and oceanographic conditions, on repeated journeys. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s ships are known for providing vacationers with innovative experiences, extraordinary service, and award-winning cuisine as they cross the world’s oceans. Not as well known – but critically important worldwide – is the scientific research conducted on several of these ships by  the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The scientists capture and analyze oceanographic and atmospheric data on  the vessels sailing worldwide.

The scientists record ocean temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll concentration, as well as properties of the ocean’s surface, such as reflectance and absorbance. In addition, they measure meteorological properties, such as wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure and humidity. These data help scientists monitor, understand, and forecast climate change and its effects on marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs. Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and help sustain the livelihoods of local people, especially in developing countries, where coral reefs contribute about one-quarter of the annual total fish catch, providing food to about one billion people in Asia alone.

“These data are proving to be of invaluable assistance in calibrating and verifying the American and European satellites monitoring climate change throughout the ocean,” said Dr. Peter B. Ortner, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. “Smaller packets of data are transmitted on an hourly basis through RCCL’s regular satellite link and large data sets will be sent back via Internet connection when the ship is in port.”

“Royal Caribbean is extremely proud of the collaboration with the OceanScope program to foster greater understanding of the global climate system and the oceans on which our ships sail,” said Rich Pruitt, Vice President, Safety and Environmental Stewardship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL). “Our business depends on ocean health, and part of protecting ocean health is understanding the atmosphere and its effects.”

Funded in part by RCL’s Ocean Fund, The University of Miami’s OceanScope equipment on Explorer of the Seas has tracked ocean circulation dynamics since 2000, in the North Atlantic basin that the ship sails through while on Bermuda and Caribbean routes from the US Northeast. The Allure of the Seas lab tracks these conditions through the Eastern and Western Caribbean, and has done so since 2012. The installation of an OceanScope lab on Celebrity Equinox will provide insight into the ocean dynamics in the Mediterranean Sea, across the North Atlantic and along the Iberian Peninsula.

RCL created The Ocean Fund in 1996, to support marine conservation organizations in safeguarding the health of the world’s oceans and coastal communities. The Fund aims to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, minimize the impact of human activity on the environment, and promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues and respect for marine life. Since the Ocean Fund’s establishment, RCL has given over $13 million to over 75 organizations around the world for projects that relate to ocean science, climate change, key marine species, education and innovative technologies.