More News

Cruise Division of MSC Group expands its shore power plan

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 June 2023 16 June 2023

The Cruise Division of MSC Group has unveiled details surrounding the next phase of its shore power plan. Ships will be able to plug into shoreside electricity grids in at least 15 new ports between 2024 and 2026, furthering progress toward decarbonization and reducing emissions from the company’s fleet of ships while berthed.

The new 2024-2026 shore power plan includes Miami, along with Barcelona and Valencia, Spain; Stavanger and Norfjordied, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; Marseille, France; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Valletta, Malta; Stockholm, Sweden; and at least five Italian ports.

The Company intends for all ships belonging to MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys to fully utilize shore power facilities at all other ports they visit once available.

Using shore power removes the need to keep a ship’s engine running and drastically reduces in-port emissions from the vessel.

MSC Cruises’ ships have successfully used shore power at the ports of Southampton, UK and Kristiansand, Norway since February 2023. Later this summer, the company will test the facilities at the Norwegian port of Haugesund. Other European trials are planned this year at Bergen and Alesund in Norway and Warnemunde in Germany.

MSC Cruises will also use shore power in the German ports of Hamburg this winter and Kiel during the summer of 2024.

MSC Cruises signed a memorandum of understanding with Cruise Baltic last year for shore power in the Baltic Sea area. Cruise Baltic has 32 ports and destinations in its region that are committed to increasing the number of shore power facilities available.

Shore power capability has been fitted on all of MSC Cruises’ new ships since 2017. Together with retrofits completed on other vessels, 67% of MSC Cruises’ total capacity is equipped with the technology. More ships will be retrofitted as the ports on their respective itineraries make shore power available.

All of Explora Journeys’ ships will include shore power capabilities. EXPLORA I, the first ship in the new brand’s fleet, will enter service on July 17.

Linden Coppell, VP Sustainability & ESG, MSC Cruises, said: “Shore power is an important factor on our journey toward net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) operations. All of our newbuilds since 2017 are equipped with the ability to plug into local power grids and we are rolling out retrofits on the other vessels in our fleet. Our shore power plan actively demonstrates our ambition and that we are fully committed to reduce emissions from our ships, including while in port. We have invested heavily in hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems to substantially reduce local air quality emissions and we now need more ports across Europe and beyond to introduce shore power as quickly as possible. By making major reductions to emissions in ports, we are fulfilling our responsibility to the ports and coastal communities that our ships visit and serve. Together with the use of LNG fuel, improving energy efficiency, utilizing innovative wastewater treatment and waste recycling, we are making positive strides in playing our part to address climate change and protect ocean biodiversity.”

MSC Cruises’ latest flagship, MSC Euribia, features the most energy-efficient cruise ship design ever and performed an industry-first earlier this month when she sailed from France to Denmark and demonstrated the potential to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions on a cruise through the use of renewable bio-LNG.

Celestyal Cruises appoints Janet Parton to develop business in UK, Europe and Australia

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 June 2023 16 June 2023

Celestyal Cruises, the Athens based company which focuses on destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean , has appointed Janet Parton as VP Business Development manager for the UK, Europe and Australia, the company said in a statement.

She has worked in the travel industry for more than 20 years, including at the Globus group and MSC Cruises.

Celestyal Cruises is growing its business as it recently acquired a ship that had been built in 1992 as Ryndam of Holland America Line. After a refit, it will join the Celestyal Crystal that is of similar vintage and Celestyal Olympia that dates back to 1982 with a new name of Celestyal Journey. The refit will cost about $20 million and the ship is due to enter service in September.

AIDA Cruises highlights barrier free travel for people with special needs

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 June 2023 16 June 2023

AIDA Cruises, the German unit in the Carnival group, said people with special needs should be able to travel on the company’s ships and that it is working to lower the barriers to ensure that as many as possible could do this.

“In order to continuously optimize the barrier-free travel experience both ashore and on board, the company is constantly breaking new ground, for example with the establishment of the Expert Council under the patronage of Kristina Vogel in April 2022. The Expert Council includes, among others, people with limited walking, visual or hearing abilities, who advise the cruise company from the perspective of a wide range of guest and interest groups,” the company said in a statement.

Specially trained AIDA employees are available to guests with individual impairments for personal travel advice and almost all public areas of the AIDA ships, such as bars, restaurants, lifts, outdoor decks, public toilets and cabins are accessible without barriers and equipped with orientation signage in profile and Braille.

“A barrier-free meeting on the first day of travel ensures proper orientation on board. Here, all questions about excursions, restaurant reservations, individual assistance, equipment rental and much more are answered,” the Rostock based company said.

The barrier-free balcony and inside cabins are perfectly designed to meet the needs of guests with physical disabilities. “A wider, inward-opening automatic door, for example, ensures that the personal oasis of well-being can be reached with ease. Plenty of space for your travel wardrobe and other utensils can be found in the spacious wardrobe, whose clothes rails you can easily reach by means of a lift system,” AIDA pointed out.

The bathroom is comfortable thanks to a height-adjustable sink and a ground-level and shower with shower seat also barrier-free. “If desired, a deaf set with vibration alarm function and pager can be installed in all cabins - for haptic alarm signals, calls, wake-up calls or door signals,” the company noted.

Numerous aids can be borrowed on board, for example wheelchairs and walkers, shower stools and toilet seat raisers, mobile grab bars for the sanitary area and deaf set (signal system).

Many restaurants on board are barrier-free. The paths to and at the buffet are wide enough for wheelchair users to move around and serve themselves comfortably. Several tables are reserved near the entrance area for guests with mobility impairments up to half an hour after the restaurant opens.

All restaurants are prepared for allergies or food intolerances and guests with limited hearing are provided with reserved seating at shows where acoustic signals are amplified for hearing aids and implants with tele-coils or inductive receivers.

“AIDA's excursion program specifically identifies excursions that are suitable for guests with limited walking ability. To find the optimal shore excursion, these are divided into five levels of difficulty,” the company stated.

Giles Hawke to head Celebrity Cruises’ EMEA business

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 June 2023 14 June 2023

Giles Hawke will succeed Jo Rzymowska as Vice-President and Managing Director Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) of Celebrity Cruises.

Hawke had previously worked for the Globus Group that entails the travel brands Cosmos, Globus and Avalon Waterways and before this, he spent seven years at MSC Cruises.

Hawke will report to Celebrity Cruises’s new president, Laura Hodges Bethge, and he will join the Royal Caribbean Group company in September.

Carnival Venezia arrives to New York City

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 June 2023 13 June 2023

Carnival Venezia, the latest addition to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, sailed into its New York City homeport for the first time this morning. The ship’s guests just completed a 15-night transatlantic sailing that began in Barcelona, Spain.

Carnival will host a welcome ceremony on board the ship Wednesday evening and acclaimed comedian and television host Jay Leno will become the first godfather named to a Carnival ship. On Thursday, Carnival Venezia will mark its first departure from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, with guests set to embark on a 4-night cruise visiting Bermuda.

Carnival Venezia is debuting “Carnival Fun Italian Style” and introducing several new concepts, from restaurants and bars to entertainment programming. The new venues and experiences enhance the ship’s theming, as its design is inspired by the city of Venice, Italy.

The 25th ship in the fleet, Carnival Venezia will offer a wide range of options for guests cruising from New York, including 10 different cruise durations and 22 unique itineraries featuring visits to 25 ports across 14 countries.