Costa Favolosa entered service in Venice

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 30 June 2011 30 June 2011

Fincantieri Marghera shipyard has delivered the new 114,500 gross ton and €510 million to Costa Cruises, Italy’s largest tourism group and Europe’s no. 1 cruise company. The Costa Favolosa (www.costafavolosa.com), the 15th vessel comprising Costa’s fleet, the only fleet flying the Italian flag, is a symbol of Italian pride that will sail the seven seas. About 3,000 employees and 7,000 workers from linked industries contributed to the construction of the ship. Most of the companies involved in the shipbuilding activities, about 500, are Italian.

"For us, the delivery of the Costa Favolosa is a twofold source of pride. She’s a wonderful ship, a real 'contemporary enchanted castle' with incredible technological features where our guests will experience a 'fairy-tale holiday'. But it also confirms the soundness of our company. Despite what is not the most favourable worldwide economic situation, our expansion plan continues, with major investments in Italy, thanks to the strength of our brand, guaranteed by more than 60 years of experience, the quality of our product and customer satisfaction," declared Pier Luigi Foschi, Chairman and CEO of Costa Crociere S.p.A.

Royal Caribbean to introduce Art on Royal fleetwide

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 29 June 2011 29 June 2011

Royal Caribbean International is relaunching the cruise lines art program with the one-of-a-kind Art on Royal. The new exclusive program expands the breadth of onboard art-inspired events, with tours, seminars and auctions. Art on Royal integrates the entire onboard collection aboard Royal Caribbean's fleet of the world's 22 largest and most innovative cruise ships, and features Royal Art Icons, select artists among the entire Royal Caribbean Art Collection, and works by Royal Caribbean Signature Artists Romero Britto and Thomas Kinkade. This exclusive program, developed in partnership with Art Actually, was first piloted aboard Oasis of the Seas; is also currently aboard Adventure of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas; and will be available on most 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 aboard our fleet of ships for our guests enjoyment," said Lisa Bauer, senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean International. Guests have always marveled 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 vacation, as well as provide a broad menu of enriching, art-inspired programs, featuring Royal Caribbean Signature Artists and Royal Art Icons pieces. This new art program is part of the Royal Advantage, Royal Caribbean's commitment to deliver a compelling and most contemporary vacation experience.

Unique to Royal Caribbean are Royal Caribbean Signature Artists, who include pop-culture icons such as Romero Britto and Thomas Kinkade. The BRITTO Gallery aboard Allure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas – and soon to be added to Splendour of the Seas – offers the artists contemporary masterpieces that evoke a spirit of hope and convey a sense of warmth. The Thomas Kinkade Gallery aboard Mariner of the Seas features expressions of love, home, family, peace, community and the beauty of nature by one of the most collected living artists in history.

Through the unique Art on Royal program, 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, prints and objects, one-off unique pieces, wall pieces and reliefs, miniatures, and artist commissions.

Art on Royal is managed by Art Actually and is inspired by the art that is on permanent display across the Royal Caribbean fleet of cruise ships. This extensive art collection has been compiled over a period of 20 years and contains thousands of unique art works by hundreds of established and emerging artists. The Royal Caribbean Art Collection is one of the largest private collections to be on display in its entirety on a constant basis.

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 program, Art on Royal, to deliver both enrichment and a commercial perspective to Royal Caribbean guests. More information is available at www.ArtActually.comor by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

P&O Cruises replaces Tripoli in winter itineraries

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 26 June 2011 26 June 2011

Due to the current unrest in Libya P&O Cruises has cancelled all three scheduled calls to Tripoli.

Adonia's call to Tripoli on December 30, 2011 has been replaced with a call to La Goulette, Tunisia on December 31, 2011. To accommodate this change it has been necessary to alter the call dates for Haifa, Ashdod and Malta. The amended itinerary is as follows: 

Departing on December 20, cruise no. D115 calls in Piraeus, Limassol, Ashdod, Haifa, Port Said, Alexandria, Malta, La Goulette, Salerno and Naples.

Prices start at £2,239 per person based on two sharing an ocean view cabin, including flights. 

The call to Tripoli on January 11, 2012 as part of Oriana’s X201 world cruise departing on January 5, 2012 has also been cancelled and is replaced by Naples and Malta. 

The full world cruise is priced from £8,804 per person based on two sharing an inside cabin, and includes £500 per person on board spending money.

The 18 night Southampton to Dubai sector of the world cruise (XAQ) departs on January 5, 2012, and the amended itinerary is as follows:

Southampton, Oporto, Naples, Malta, Port Said, Suez Canal, Suez, Sharm el Sheikh, Muscat and Dubai.

Prices start at £1,687 per person based on two sharing an inside cabin, cruise only, and includes £45 on board spending money.

Oceana’s Tripoli call on March 3, 2012 on cruise E203 has been replaced with Alexandria. Departing Southampton on Sunday February 26, 2012, the ports of call in the 24 night cruise are now Southampton, Cadiz, Alexandria, Port Said, Limassol, Ashdod, Haifa, Piraeus, Katakolon, Messina, Valencia, Lisbon, Southampton. Prices start at £1,859 per person

All prices are per person and based on two adults sharing on a full board basis including all main meals, entertainment and most facilities.

P&O Cruises will continue to monitor the situation in Libya and if it improves and it is deemed safe to call in Tripoli, it will return to the original published itineraries. 

Saga Pearl II seen to call as Quest for Adventure at Finnish port 2012

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 24 June 2011 24 June 2011

Saga Cruises, 19,000 gross ton Saga Pearl II will make a final sailing for that brand in the spring of 2012, but a vessel called Quest for Adventure is scheduled to call at the Finnish port of Turku at the end of May next year under the Saga Shipping umbrella, the port’s website shows.

Saga Cruises introduced Saga Pearl II last year as replacement of the 1965 built Saga Rose that was sold for scrap.However, the company’s original plan had been to introduce it as Quest forAdventure under the Spirit of Adventure brand name, which currently operates aship of the same name as the brand.

Saga officials recently said that no decision had been made about the future of Saga Pearl II after it will make way for Saga Sapphire, which is currently trading as Bleu de France and which will join the Saga Cruises’ fleet in March 2012 after a refit.