Top Headlines

Costa Smeralda departs today to its maiden voyage

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 21 December 2019 21 December 2019

Today’s first departure port of Savona marks the official entry into service of Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises’ new flagship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a low impact fossil fuel that constitutes an environmental breakthrough for the entire cruise industry.

Costa Smeralda is the first ship in the Costa fleet to be powered both in port and at sea by LNG, meaning improved air quality and protecting the environment with the virtual elimination of sulfur dioxide emissions (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95-100% reduction). The use of LNG will also greatly lessen emissions of nitrogen oxides (85% direct reduction) and CO2 (reduction of up to 20%).

Costa Smeralda is part of the Costa Group’s fleet expansion plan, with a total of seven new ships slated for delivery by 2023 and an overall investment worth over €6 billion. Of these new additions, five – including Costa Smeralda and her sister ship Costa Toscana scheduled to enter service in 2021 – will be fueled by LNG. The Costa Group was the first cruise operator in the world to introduce this ground-breaking innovation in favor of sustainability, which is set to substantially reduce the whole fleet’s environmental impact. More specifically, the Italian cruise company intends to achieve a 40% reduction in its fleet’s CO2 emissions by 2020, some 10 years ahead of the target laid down by IMO (International Maritime Organization).

On account of her outstanding environmental performance, which goes far beyond current regulatory requirements, Costa Smeralda has been awarded the Green Plus, the highest additional voluntary notation assigned by RINA (international certification body) to ships that are environmentally compliant.

The new flagship, which is over 180,000 gross tonnage and was built in the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, will be sailing today from Savona on her maiden cruise in the Mediterranean. The one-week itinerary includes calls in Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia.

“With the entry into service of Costa Smeralda, the use of LNG for cruise ships has become more and more a reality, bringing immediate tangible benefits in terms of reduced environmental impact. The Costa Group was the first to believe in this technology and we’re investing in the construction of some five new LNG-fueled ships, thus advancing on the path towards increasingly sustainable tourism,” said Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba. “Costa Smeralda is an unprecedented project, also because she combines environmental innovation with product innovation, offering holiday experiences the likes of which have never been seen before, albeit while retaining Italian hospitality as the basic distinguishing feature of our brand.”

Thanks to the entry into service of Costa Smeralda, and of Costa Toscana in 2021, the Costa Group will further boost the economic impact generated in Italy. In 2018, this output amounted to €3.5 billion with 17,000 jobs created. In 2020 it is expected that there will be approximately 450 new hires added to the Italian employees working in the hospitality sector on the Costa fleet’s cruise ships. Also particularly significant will be the growth in direct expenditure by guests during stopovers, with an average of €74.60 per passenger in every European port visited by the company’s ships. For example, in Costa’s main homeport of Savona, 900,000 passengers are forecast in 2020, a year-on-year increase of around 30%.

Costa Smeralda is a veritable “traveling smart city”. In addition to the major innovation represented by LNG-fueling, the new flagship has a series of state-of-the-art technological features designed to further reduce her environmental footprint. All the ship’s daily water supply requirements are met by processing seawater directly on board in special desalination plants. Energy consumption is reduced to a minimum thanks to an intelligent energy management system. On Costa Smeralda there will be a further phasing out of single-use plastic items, most of which have already been replaced by products made of alternative materials in the bars and restaurants on Costa’s ships. Once this has been extended fleetwide, there will be a reduction in consumption of over 50 metric tons of plastic a year, ahead of the entry into force of the relevant EU Directive. Costa Smeralda will also have 100% separate collection of waste on board with recycling of plastic, paper, glass and aluminum, using an integrated approach aimed at implementation of circular economy projects. Costa’s focus on food issues will continue also on the new flagship, with the 4GOODFOOD program designed to reduce food wastage and to recover food surpluses for social betterment. In fact, Costa Smeralda will be replacing Costa Diadema for the offloading and donation to charity of surplus food in each port of call on the itinerary, in collaboration with the European Federation of Food Banks. In addition, one of the innovations on Costa Smeralda is the Ristorante LAB, where guests can have fun cooking and learning about food sustainability at the same time.

Costa Smeralda is the result of a one-off creative project designed by Adam D. Tihany, the central idea being to convey and celebrate Italy’s finest all in one location. Tihany led an international team comprising four prestigious architectural firms – Dordoni Architetti, Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers International and Partner Ship Design – who were called on to design the various areas on board. The furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for the new flagship by 15 partners who are all ambassadors of Italian excellence. What’s more, the tribute to Italian design is showcased in the CoDe - Costa Design Museum, the first-ever museum on a cruise ship. The amenities on board are perfectly in line with their sumptuous surroundings: highlights include the Solemio Spa; the entertainment areas, like the Colosseo with its video walls screening hi-tech, digital shows; theme bars in collaboration with leading Italian brands; 16 restaurants and “food experience” areas, notably the new eatery specifically conceived for casual family dining. Costa Smeralda will also offer “Adagio Tours”, a one-of-a-kind project resulting from the partnership between Costa Cruises, AISM (the Italian Multiple Sclerosis association) and Costa Crociere Foundation. These shore excursions are designed to meet the needs of all Costa’s guests who want to enjoy their chosen destinations at a slower pace; Adagio Tours are particularly suitable for people with disabilities, parents with toddlers in strollers and the elderly.

The arrival of Costa Smeralda brings to 29 the number of the Costa Group’s ships currently in service, confirming its leadership in Europe and China. All the fleet members fly the Italian flag.

Carnival's next-generation Mardi Gras delayed by two months

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 20 December 2019 20 December 2019

Carnival Cruise Line has been informed by officials at the Meyer Turku shipyard that delivery of Mardi Gras will be delayed and is advising booked guests and travel advisors that the first revenue sailing of the ship will be Nov. 14, 2020.

With this new schedule, Carnival will now take delivery of the ship in late October and its first revenue sailing will depart from Port Canaveral on Nov. 14, 2020. Consequently, the first eight sailings that were scheduled starting Aug. 31 have been cancelled, including European, transatlantic and New York-based itineraries and four Port Canaveral itineraries.

Carnival said that the guest notification process began promptly after the notice by Meyer Turku so that impacted guests could begin to make alternative vacation plans. As a gesture of goodwill, Carnival is offering these guests a 25 percent future cruise credit (FCC), in addition to the full refund of their cruise fare (and applicable fees and taxes and other pre-purchased cruise components), as well as assistance with non-refundable airline and hotel reservations already booked. In addition, if guests rebook their cruise vacation using their 25 percent FCC by Feb. 18, 2020, they will be credited with an additional $100 per person onboard credit for that cruise. Carnival has also communicated guidelines to travel advisors regarding commission protection.

“We have been working closely with Meyer Turku executives to keep the Mardi Gras delivery on schedule, and while we deeply regret disappointing our guests, this change in the delivery date is required to make sure all of the ship’s systems, features and technology will be fully operational, so that we can give our guests the vacation they expect. Our commitment is to deliver a great and innovative ship, and Mardi Gras will definitely be that when it arrives in North America,” said Ben Clement, Carnival Cruise Line’s senior vice president of newbuild.

Ponant finalizes the contract for two newbuilds

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 19 December 2019 19 December 2019

In the context of the agreement announced last November for two new-generation luxury expedition cruise vessels, the French cruise company Ponant and Vard, Fincantieri’s Norwegian subsidiary, have finalized the contract.

In the past, Fincantieri has already built for Ponant four ships in Ancona, Le Boréal, L’Austral, Le Soléal, and Le Lyrial, delivered respectively in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015. Vard, Fincantieri’s Norwegian subsidiary, active in the design and shipbuilding of expedition cruise vessels, has built in 2018 and 2019 four units of the Ponant Explorers class and will deliver the last two of the series in 2020. Vard will also deliver Le Commandant Charcot, the first hybrid electric polar exploration vessel powered with LNG, to Ponant in 2021.

The new units, due for delivery both in 2022, will represent an evolution of the Ponant Explorers class vessels. They will be operated in the South Pacific areas for Paul Gauguin Cruises brand as well as the eponymous ship acquired recently by Ponant, thus bringing the number of ships under this brand to three. They will be built by Vard group’s production network, and they will be about 11.000 gross tons with the capacity to accommodate about 230 passengers on board.

They will be hybrid electric and equipped with cutting-edge technology in terms of environment and population protection, featuring the most extensive battery package application in the market, allowing smokeless operation at anchor, in ports and in environmentally sensitive areas. More in detail, in order for the ships to have as minimal an impact as possible on the environment, their eco-design will be guided by three objectives: energy optimization to ensure minimal consumption, comprehensive of the hydrodynamic optimization of the hull, more energy-efficient equipment, and an innovative energy recovery system; reduction of underwater noise; improvement of waste treatment with the “Cleanship Super” label from Bureau Veritas, an independent certification body.

Port Everglades tops world record by 79 passengers

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 18 December 2019 18 December 2019

It’s official! Port Everglades beat its own world record on December 1, 2019, with 79 more passengers than its previous record set in 2016. Once all the manifests were tallied, a total of 55,964 passengers sailed in and out of Port Everglades in a single day, topping the previous record of 55,885 set in March 2016.

“We knew it would be close because it was a busy weekend. This is nice gift for the holidays,” said Glenn Wiltshire, Port Everglades Acting Chief Executive & Port Director.

Cruise lines and ships that contributed to Port Everglades’ record-breaking day include Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Magic, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge, Holland America Line’s Eurodam and Nieuw Statendam, Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess and Sky Princess, and Balearia Caribbean’s Jaume II (daily ferry).

Port Everglades’ enviable location in the heart of South Florida and the neighboring Caribbean, makes us one of the three busiest cruise ports in the world, hosting nearly 4 million passengers annually. Guests enjoy the Port’s proximity to three international airports including and rapidly growing Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) less than two miles away. For pre- and post-cruise stays, Port Everglades is a short drive to sweeping beachfronts, a vibrant art scene, world-class restaurants, craft breweries, entertainment, shopping, casinos, and family-friendly activities -- including our namesake, the Florida Everglades. The Port's wide-ranging fleet of cruise ships provides guests with an array of itineraries from the Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Dania Beach area.

Galveston and Royal Caribbean to develop new state-of-the-art terminal to accommodate Allure of the Seas

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 14 December 2019 14 December 2019

The Port of Galveston, the fourth most active cruise port in North America, has signed a long-term contract with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) for a new $100 million cruise terminal. Through the public-private partnership, RCL will build the terminal, then lease it from the port for an initial term of 20 years, with four 10-year extension options.

The two-story terminal will have a footprint of approximately 170,000 square feet on 10 acres in the eastern section of the port known as Pier 10. Construction is expected to begin in April 2020. Anticipated to open in fall 2021, the facility will feature state-of-the-art technology, including mobile check-in and facial recognition to expedite guest arrival. The terminal will be designed and developed sustainably to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental) certification standards.

Improvements to the pier bulkhead and apron will be made to safely accommodate the cruise line’s largest vessels. In addition, a staging and loading area, bus and taxi staging areas and substantial parking will be constructed.

The port will be responsible for items including maintenance, parking, and improvements to the dock so that it can accommodate the larger vessels. RCL will contribute to the cost of improving the docks.

“This is historic moment, not only for the port but for Galveston. This partnership will bring economic growth to the region and the state by generating new jobs, spending and tax revenues. It also will bring more visitors to the island, a popular tourist destination,” said Port Director/CEO Rodger Rees. “Galveston is on course to become a global destination for cruising, and we are thankful for partners like Royal Caribbean.”

As the Port of Galveston’s cruise industry grows, so does its local and state economic impact. According to a national report, Galveston’s cruise business grew by 13 percent in 2018, resulting in $1.5 billion in cruise industry direct expenditures and 26,241 jobs with total wages of $1.75 billion in Texas.

“We are excited to partner with the Port of Galveston to develop a world-class facility which will allow us to sail our newest, largest and most innovative ships from Texas starting with Allure of the Seas, one of the largest ships in the world,” Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “The new terminal will allow us to increase our guests to the region by 50% generating a $100 million economic impact within the first year of operation.”

The port began its successful partnership with RCL in 2002 with the inaugural sailing of Rhapsody of the Seas. Currently, the port is home to Enchantment of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the state of Texas.

In November 2021, the newly completed terminal will welcome one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Allure of the Seas. Following her $165 million amplification, Allure will pump up the adventure with the addition of the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea that touts a 10-story plunge; The Perfect Storm, a thrilling trio of multistory waterslides; and an array of culinary possibilities with more restaurants, including the introduction of Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar and returning favorites Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade and El Loco Fresh; and more. Allure will sail 7-night Caribbean itineraries from Galveston and will be the biggest and boldest ship sailing form the Lone Star state.