EU should stimulate shipbuilding – Fincantieri’s Antonini
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: More News More News
- Published: 14 July 2011 14 July 2011
The European shipbuilding industry is in a crisis and the European Union should provide assistance to the industry to prevent further job losses and help owners to replace aged vessels with modern ones, said Corrado Antonini, chairman of the Italian state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri.
“With regard to passenger ships, there are signs of recovery although industry experts have indicated that in the next few years ship owners are more likely to seek to increase economic return rather than the size of their fleets,” he said at the company’s agm in Rome.
Orders to yards in the medium term are forecast to total no more than 6-8 ships a year, compared to an average of 12 in the period 2004-2007, with a peak of 16 in 2007. In addition, deliveries are being staggered over a longer period of time.
“Effectively it is impossible to saturate the production capacity of shipyards which build for this high profile niche market, yards which to date are all located in Europe: Italy, Germany, France, Finland. Hence the vast majority of EU shipbuilders, who are also penalised by a strong euro, are in crisis,” Antonini said.
“Against this perspective, the European Commission must accept that it is necessary, as was already evident in previous years albeit never effectively translated into measures, to provide stimuli to demand with the aim of ridding European waters of obsolete vessels and to adopt instruments, which favour the construction of ships with an advanced environmental profile.”
“This would help overcome stagnated demand in the ferry sector which has been hit by the difficulty to find financing for newbuildings and by shipowners restructuring,” he concluded.
Oceania Cruises launches inaugural itineraries for new Riviera with free hotel offer
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 13 July 2011 13 July 2011
The inaugural season itineraries for Oceania Cruises' new Riviera have been announced and travelers who book by Aug. 31 will receive a free hotel stay and bonus savings of up to $3,000 per stateroom. Fares begin at $1,999 per guest and include free round-trip Economy Class air from 22 North American cities.
From April 14 through Nov. 29, 2012, Riviera offers 13 distinctive itineraries on a total of 21 voyages, calling on ports in France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Turkey as well as Israel, Croatia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Morocco and Monaco.
Oceania Cruises' 1,250-guest Riviera has been designed for epicureans and features 10 dining venues - six of which are open-seating, gourmet restaurants - including a French bistro by Master Chef Jacques Pépin. Facilities also include a Canyon Ranch SpaClub® and Bon Appétit Culinary Center and Artist Loft enrichment center. Interior design highlights include a Lalique-designed grand staircase, elegant public rooms, spacious accommodations and Owner's Suites furnished exclusively in Ralph Lauren Home.
"We are delighted to introduce Riviera as part of our 2012 European Collection," said Bruce Himelstein, the line's president. "While we are seeing tremendous booking interest from our loyal past guests, there is still an opportunity for savvy consumers to take advantage of the free hotel stay and bonus savings offer."
Royal Caribbean International to relaunch Art on Royal programme
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: More News More News
- Published: 12 July 2011 12 July 2011
Royal Caribbean International is re-launching the cruise line’s art programme with Art on Royal. The new programme includes art-inspired events, tours, seminars and auctions. The programme, developed in partnership with Art Actually, was first piloted onboard Oasis of the Seas; is also currently aboard Adventure of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas; and will be available on all ships by the end of the year.
“Royal Caribbean International has compiled one of the world’s largest private art collections, valued at $120 million, on display onboard our fleet of ships for our guests’ enjoyment,” said Lisa Bauer, senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean International, “Guests have always marvelled at our art and many have inquired into how to purchase them. Art on Royal will offer guests the opportunity to take home a lasting work of art as a memory of their cruise, as well as provide a broad menu of art-inspired programmes.”
Unique to Royal Caribbean International are Royal Caribbean Signature Artists, who include pop-culture icons such as Romero Britto and Thomas Kinkade. The BRITTO Gallery onboard Allure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas –and soon to be added to Splendour of the Seas – offers the artist’s contemporary masterpieces. The Thomas Kinkade Gallery onboard Mariner of the Seas features pieces by one of the most collected living artists in history.
Through the unique Art on Royal programme, guests have the opportunity to view and purchase a one-of-a-kind piece, as well as enjoy events on select sailings throughout the year. In addition, Art on Royal offers a range of gifts, souvenirs and high-valued originals, including limited-edition signed photography, one-off unique pieces, wall pieces, miniatures, and artist commissions.
Based in Miami and founded by the owners of ICArt, the curators of the Royal Caribbean Art Collection, Art Actually has created the unique shipboard art programme, Art on Royal.
TUI Cruises and TUI FlussGenus launch joint Road Show
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: More News More News
- Published: 12 July 2011 12 July 2011
TUI Cruises, the Hamburg based premium cruise brand and its sister company, the river cruise operator TUI FlussGenus, will be touring 20 cities in Germany on a joint road show targeting travel agents, the two companies said in a joint statement.
The road show will start on 20 September in Munchen and will last abot three weeks: it is scheduled to end in Bremen on 7 October. “Together with TUI FlussGenus we will have the possibility to bring the two forms of cruising to travel agents over relaxed breakfast,” said Udo Lutz, senior head of sales force at TUI Cruises.
The event will take place at the following locations:
20.09.2011 - München - Hotel Sofitel Munich Bayerpost
20.09.2011 - Köln -Hotel Pullman Cologne
21.09.2011 - Nürnberg - Maritim Hotel
21.09.2011 - Düsseldorf - Lindner Congress Hotel
22.09.2011 - Duisburg - Mercatorhalle im City Palais
22.09.2011 - Stuttgart - Buddha Lounge Red Mandarin
23.09.2011 - Mannheim - Bootshaus
23.09.2011 - Dortmund - HCC
27.09.2011 - Dresden - Marché Restaurant im Hauptbahnhof
27.09.2011 - Frankfurt - Nizza am Main
28.09.2011 - Leipzig - Radisson Blu Hotel
28.09.2011 - Koblenz - Palais in Koblenz
29.09.2011 - Magdeburg - Maritim Hotel
29.09.2011 - Gießen - Bootshaus Gießen
30.09.2011 - Hannover - Courtyard by Marriott Maschsee
30.09.2011 - Berlin - Maritim Hotel Pro Arte
04.10.2011 - Kiel - Steigenberger Hotel Conti Hansa
05.10.2011 - Hamburg - east Hotel & Restaurant
06.10.2011 - Bielefeld - Mercure Hotel Bielefeld City
07.10.2011 - Bremen - Swissôtel Bremen
PSA elects four new members to Council
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: More News More News
- Published: 12 July 2011 12 July 2011
The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), which represents 42 cruise line members and 13 ferry companies in the UK, has elected four new members to its Council of Management.
Christophe Matthieu, Group Strategy & Commercial Director for Brittany Ferries; Kathryn Beadle, Managing Director of Hurtigruten; Fraser Ellacott, Managing Director – Cruise, Thomson & Island Cruises and Matt Grimes, Logistics Director from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines were elected at the Association’s 35th AGM.
More than one hundred cruise, ferry and associate members attended the AGM at the Chamber of Shipping where an election took place following the retirement from the Council of Management of David Longden, Brittany Ferries; Peter Pate, MSC; David Selby, Thomson & Island Cruises and Nigel Lingard, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.
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