Top Headlines

Genting Hong Kong cuts first half loss as cruise revenue leaps

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 28 August 2018 28 August 2018

Genting Hong Kong, the parent company of Crystal Cruises, Dream Cruises and Star Cruises, has cut first half loss and reported a rise of more than a third in its cruise revenue.

Group net loss narrowed to $141.3 million from $203.2 million in the first six months of 2017, while revenues increased to $777.6 million from $532.5 million.

“Revenue from cruise and cruise-related activities increased 36.2% to $642.0 million in 1H2018 compared with $471.2 million in 1H2017,” the company said n a statement.

Net revenue increased 41.4% to$514.3 million by increases in capacity Ddys of 25.9% and net yield of 12.3%. The increase in capacity days was primarily due to the inclusion of World Dream and four Crystal River Cruises vessels in the review period.

Improvement in net yield was driven by higher occupancy ratio and increases in passenger ticket and onboard revenue, Genting Hong Kong said.

Revenue from shipyard operations and non-cruise activities from external customers increased 121.3% to $135.7 million in primarily contributed by revenue from shipyard activities in Germany and from the sales of residential property units in Mainland China. “However, lower cost capitalisation into shipbuilding costs as a result of a lower than expected production level in the six months ended 30 June 2018 has resulted in larger segmental loss from our shipyard operations,” the company said.

Pacific Jewel sold, Star Princess to join P&O Cruises Australia fleet

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 22 August 2018 22 August 2018

P&O Cruises Australia announced today a second Grand class ship will join the family while bidding farewell to one of its “jewels” as part of the cruise line’s commitment to refresh the fleet over time.

Carrying more than 3,100 guests, Star Princess will join her sister ship, Golden Princess, in the P&O Cruises Australia fleet from the end of 2021.

Star Princess will replace the much-loved and considerably smaller Pacific Jewel, which will leave P&O Cruises in March next year, by which time she will have served the brand for almost 10 years.

President of P&O Cruises and Carnival Australia, Sture Myrmell, said welcoming two Grand Class ships – Star Princess and Golden Princess – was part of the evolution of the P&O Cruises fleet.

In September last year, P&O Cruises announced its plan to refresh its fleet over time, continuing to evolve the guest experience and creating economies of scale necessary to compete effectively in today’s environment.

“Pacific Jewel has been a jewel by name and by nature. I feel sentimental farewelling a much-loved ship but excited for the future because the addition of two bigger ships is a game-changer for P&O Cruises and its guests,” Myrmell said.

“P&O Cruises is all about offering a great value cruise holiday that celebrates modern Australia across food, entertainment, activities and service delivered in a contemporary setting. We are ensuring P&O Cruises has the right ships for a contemporary brand operating in a competitive market.”

Myrmell said P&O Cruises would continue to base ships year-round in its key homeports of Sydney and Brisbane as well as offering seasonal sailings from other Australian states and New Zealand.

A transformed Golden Princess will join the P&O Cruises fleet in October 2020 while her sister ship, Star Princess, will join P&O Cruises at the end of 2021.

Pacific Jewel’s final voyage will depart from Melbourne on 24 February, 2019 before being transferred to a new operator following her sale.

P&O Cruises will contact all guests over the coming weeks to provide further information on alternative options.

“We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause some guests and will work hard to find alternatives for those whose holiday plans are affected. We also thank guests for their patience because it is likely to take some weeks to put everything in place but we hope this good news will be well received by our loyal guests,” Myrmell said.

Carnival Cruise Line to base its 180,000 gross ton newbuild in the Port Canaveral

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 21 August 2018 21 August 2018

Carnival Cruise Line, the world's largest cruise operator, has reached an agreement in principle with the Canaveral Port Authority on a new state-of-the-art terminal able to accommodate its new 180,000 gross ton ship, the largest ever constructed for the line, set to debut in 2020.

The terms of the agreement are expected to be included on the agenda of the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners' meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. If approved, the agreement will clear the way for Carnival Cruise Line's plans to homeport the as-yet-unnamed 5,286-lower berth ship at Port Canaveral, further bolstering the line's position as the port's number one cruise operator.

The vessel will offer an array of groundbreaking, never-before-seen features and attractions while also being the first North American-based cruise ship to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation's "green cruising" design platform.

"We are very excited about the prospects of homeporting our largest ship at Port Canaveral, a valued business partner for more than 25 years," said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line. "Easily accessible from all over the southeast with excellent facilities and friendly staff, Port Canaveral is one of our most popular and fastest-growing homeports. This fantastic new ship, coupled with our future plans for Port Canaveral, will provide guests with an unparalleled seagoing vacation experience from the minute they arrive."

"The Port and Carnival Cruise Line have worked closely for decades building a successful partnership together. We are proud of our partners at Carnival and eager to begin this new chapter in our business relationship," said Canaveral Port Authority Port Director and CEO Capt. John Murray. "Carnival's commitment to Port Canaveral demonstrates their confidence in our ability to support one of the world's most successful cruise brands. We're excited and looking forward to having their largest and newest class of ship homeported here."

Construction of the 180,000 gross ton cruise ship is scheduled to begin in November 2018 with the official steel-cutting ceremony at the Meyer-Turku shipyard in Finland. Further ship details, along with itineraries from Port Canaveral, are expected to be announced in 2019.

The decision to base the new ship on the Space Coast continues a decades-long relationship and reinforces Carnival Cruise Line's position as Port Canaveral's number one cruise operator. The line currently has three year-round ships based in Port Canaveral carrying upwards of 650,000 passengers a year. In October, Carnival Cruise Line will also reposition the newer Carnival Breeze to homeport at Port Canaveral.

MV Werften celebrates the keel laying of Crystal Endeavor

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 21 August 2018 21 August 2018

The keel of Crystal Endeavor, the world’s largest and most spacious polar-class expedition yacht at 20,000 gross tons with a guest capacity just 200 guests was laid in MV Werften Stralsund shipyard on August 21. The ceremony was attended by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Prime Minister, Manuela Schwesig.

The keel laying ceremony marks another important milestone in the production of the luxury expedition yacht. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, Minister of Economic Affairs Harry Glawe, Genting Hong Kong's Executive Chairman, CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Crystal President and CEO Tom Wolber as well as hundreds of employees wearing matching "Team Endeavor" shirts attended the ceremony in the Stralsund shipbuilding hall.

“The keel laying of Crystal Endeavor here in my political hometown of Stralsund marks a special moment for me that is doubly significant,” said Angela Merkel, Member of the Bundestag. “Today, the foundation has been laid for this highly sophisticated, state-of-the-art cruise ship. But the ceremony itself, which is taking place in the lively shipyard with the participation of so many employees and trainees, also bodes well for the future of shipbuilding in the Hanseatic City of Stralsund and in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.”

“MV Werften breaks new ground with Crystal Endeavor. We wish the company great success in building this ship and other ships of its class, the construction of which safeguards and creates jobs in the shipyards of Wismar, Stralsund, and Warnemünde,” said Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig during her address.

Once the traditional lucky coins had been put into place, the 400-ton section was lowered onto the keel blocks.

"A unique ship is being created at our Stralsund shipyard, the only one of its kind worldwide," said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay. "We are pleased that after two years of design, we are now able to celebrate the keel laying of the Crystal Endeavor, the most valuable ship to be built at the Stralsund shipyard so far. We have also invested more than 20 million Euros in the Stralsund shipyard in order to facilitate the construction of state-of-the-art cruise ships at this location."

The luxury expedition yacht will be 164 meters long with 20,000 gross ton (GT) for just 200 guests. At 100 GT per guest, she has the highest space ratio for a luxury expedition ship with 100 suites between 28 and 105 square meters in size. All suites feature king-size beds, ambient lighting, walk-in closets, separate wet unit with rain showers and toilet and large private balconies.

The Endeavor class flagship has six gourmet restaurants, a spacious spa and fitness area and a two-story enclosed aft sun deck complete with a pool that will feature panoramic views of the destinations she will visit. In addition, Crystal Endeavor is equipped with several features essential to a modern expedition cruise ship: state-of-the-art navigation technology, the ship's own mini-submarines, helicopters, and Zodiacs as well as designated areas for the preparation and storage of expedition equipment.

Guests will be able to cruise to the most remote corners of the world – from the tropics to the polar regions. The ship will be able to sail through medium, first-year ice because of its PC6 designation, the highest polar class rating for passenger ships. In the first six months of the inaugural season from August 2020 to January 2021, she will cruise to Japan, the Russian Far East, New Zealand, Australia and the Ross Sea of the Antarctica, the world’s largest marine park, protecting more than a million square kilometers of the Southern Ocean, where no fishing is allowed. While most Antarctica cruises start from the southern tip of Argentina, Crystal Endeavor’s Antarctica cruises will start and end in either New Zealand or Tasmania Australia, which allows guests to enjoy pre- and post-cruise stays in these two wonderful places.

“It is truly a thrill to mark this important milestone for Crystal Endeavor and the entire Crystal Family, as this yacht will change the way guests can explore the world both adventurously and luxuriously,” said Tom Wolber, Crystal President and CEO. “I am honored to share this occasion with Chancellor Merkel, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and our special guests as well as the skilled workers of MV Werften who are building this game-changing ship.”

"The construction of this sophisticated ship is progressing as planned," said Peter Fetten, CEO of MV Werften. "Around 500 employees will be involved in the construction of Crystal Endeavor at the Stralsund site. In addition, around 500 skilled subcontractors will be brought in from outside of the company – creating sustainable value for the region."

The first steel cut for Crystal Endeavor took place in January. The delivery is scheduled for the end of 2019/early 2020 for a series of charters and Crystal Endeavor’s inaugural season will start after the Tokyo Olympics in August 2020.

Oceania Cruises to upgrade Regatta class ships for $100 million

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 14 August 2018 14 August 2018

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Inc. (NCLH) has unveiled plans of major upgrade of four ships of its Oceania Cruises unit.

The four Regatta class ships of the upper premium market Oceania Cruises – Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena – will undergo a transformation of their guest accommodation and public areas. Starting in December, the investment will total $100 million, the company said on a video posted on YouTube.

The four ships are of about 30,300 gross tons and together with four similar ships currently in service with other operators, they were built in France at the turn of the Millennium for the now defunct Renaissance Cruises.

Studio Dado, the Miami based design company, has been appointed to produce the design of the new iteriors of the four ships, the video shows.