Ljoen to become Chief Maritime Officer of Carnival Corporation & plc, Burke to transition to new role

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 17 April 2024 17 April 2024

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise company, has announced that Vice Admiral William R. Burke (Ret.), Chief Maritime Officer for the company, has advised that he will be stepping down from the role effective February 1, 2025. At that time, Lars Ljoen (pictured above), currently Chief Operations Officer for the company's flagship Carnival Cruise Line brand, will be promoted to Chief Maritime Officer of Carnival Corporation & plc, overseeing all aspects of maritime operations for the corporation and its portfolio of world-class cruise lines and reporting to Carnival Corporation & plc's Chief Executive Officer Josh Weinstein. Ljoen will also be responsible for strategic destination development and will oversee management of the company's owned and operated ports.

A 25-year cruise industry veteran, Ljoen is a trusted leader with a distinguished tenure of achievement in senior-level sea command and shore management roles. As Chief Operations Officer for Carnival Cruise Line, Ljoen oversees all aspects of Carnival's marine operations, including nautical and technical operations, environmental compliance, and safety protocols. He also leads port operations, guest operations, food and beverage services, onboard revenue, entertainment, and crew and travel operations.

"Lars is the obvious choice for this vital role, given his deep knowledge of our industry, his pedigree of success in key senior-level positions in the company, and his ability to consistently deliver operational excellence and business results for our largest global cruise line," said Josh Weinstein, Carnival Corporation & plc's Chief Executive Officer. "Notably, his leadership during one of the most challenging times in our industry helped Carnival Cruise Line successfully navigate the operational pause and quickly reclaim its title as the world's largest and most popular cruise line – an important driver of our company comeback.

"As we remain laser focused on achieving our carbon and emissions reductions goals and maintaining our leadership in safety and environmental best practices, Lars will bring his tremendous knowledge to build upon the legacy that Bill has established during his tenure," he said.

Prior to Carnival Cruise Line, Ljoen served with Carnival Corporation's Costa Group since 2015, initially as senior vice president and then promoted to executive vice president and managing director in 2016. At Costa Group, which at the time included Costa Cruises and AIDA, Ljoen was responsible for Carnival Maritime, the marine service unit of the group, as well as fleet governance, marine projects, and continuous improvement.

Previously Ljoen headed business strategy development for Ceres Marine Terminals (NYK Ports) and was director of marine operations at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. He began his career on supply vessels and shuttle tankers in the North Sea offshore industry.

"I'm honored to step into the Chief Maritime Officer role and eager to build on Bill's remarkable foundation of operational excellence and write the next important chapter," said Ljoen. "I look forward to applying my experience and skills to an even bigger platform to ensure the company's continued success."

Leveraging iconic leader's expertise in new ways

When Ljoen takes the helm as Chief Maritime Officer February 1, 2025, his predecessor, Burke, will transition into a new role as External Affairs Advisor for Carnival Corporation, leveraging his extensive expertise for key legislative, regulatory and policy matters at the global and federal levels.

Since joining Carnival Corporation in 2013 in the newly created position of Chief Maritime Officer, Burke has drawn on his extensive background and record in safety, engineering, strategic planning, and operational readiness to define and drive the company's commitment to health, environmental compliance, safety, security, and sustainability. Overseeing the company's maritime operations around the world, Burke has reshaped the company's maritime policy, maritime standards, shipbuilding, training including CSMART, medical, maritime asset strategy, and technical research and development.

Burke joined Carnival Corporation following a distinguished career with the U.S. Navy spanning submarine command, squadron leadership, task force command, strategic planning, and operational readiness positions. Burke served on five submarines including command of the USS Toledo (SSN 769), and he also commanded Submarine Squadron Two. His admiral assignments included tours as Commander Logistics Group Western Pacific/Navy Region Singapore/Task Force 73, Director Assessment Division, Director Quadrennial Defense Review, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Systems.

"I have worked alongside Bill for over a decade, and there is no one I admire more. A lifelong champion of progress, Bill has been at the forefront of revolutionizing cruise operations and our company's revitalized commitment to compliance, excellence in protecting the health, safety and security of our team members and guests, and safeguarding the environment," said Weinstein. "His leadership in safety, innovation, and sustainability has been instrumental in elevating both our company and the industry as a whole. While Bill will wrap up his formal involvement in our daily operations, we're thrilled he has agreed to stay with the company as External Affairs Advisor, where his advocacy, knowledge, relationships, and leadership will continue to have a global impact."

Norwegian Cruise Line unveils new culinary experiences on the upcoming Norwegian Aqua

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 17 April 2024 17 April 2024

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, yesterday revealed fresh, new culinary and beverage experiences debuting aboard Norwegian Aqua, the Company’s next evolution new build and first vessel of the expanded Prima Plus Class, setting sail in April 2025.

Norwegian Aqua will boast three brand-new onboard offerings including Sukhothai, NCL’s first-ever Thai specialty restaurant; Swirl Wine Bar, a new, upscale wine bar; and Planterie, the Brand’s first dedicated eatery offering a full plant-based menu; in addition to returning guest favorites.

"Discovering new flavors and dining experiences is such a memorable part of any vacation, especially when you share it with those who matter most to you,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Expanding on our award-winning food and beverage program, we’re looking forward to bringing new concepts to life aboard Norwegian Aqua, while continuing to deliver on the variety of available offerings and value that NCL delivers.”

Brand-new culinary and bar experiences

Making its debut on the all-new Norwegian Aqua is Sukhothai, the Company’s first-ever Thai specialty restaurant, featuring an eclectic menu with authentic, traditional offerings with creative, dynamic flavors. Guests can look forward to a new spin on traditional staples, such as Thai Cashew Chicken; Salt and Pepper Prawns; Thai Grilled Steak Salad; a variety of complementing curries and so much more. Décor imagined by the London-based SMC Design firm, the upscale dining venue will boast a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary Thai design elements. When guests walk into Sukhothai on deck 17, they will be greeted with a warm, inviting atmosphere of bamboo and rice paper pendant lights; a striking geometric patterned floor; and colorful furniture transporting diners to the culturally rich country of Thailand.

At the returning guest-favorite Indulge Food Hall, a new eatery, Planterie, will offer plant-based bowls and other healthy options. Located on deck eight, Planterie’s menu will include dishes such as the Southwest Bowl with smoked tempeh and the Mediterranean Goddess Bowl filled with delicious, spiced vegetables, tabbouleh and honey-roasted carrots. Offering indoor and outdoor seating, Indulge Food Hall will boast a brand-new design by New York-based firm, Rockwell Group, with 10 food stations drawing inspiration from international food marketplaces from around the world. Notable architectural features include deep wood accents; gold and metal furnishings; and warm yet colorful tones that flow seamlessly throughout the venue.

Also premiering aboard Norwegian Aqua is Swirl Wine Bar, a contemporary wine lounge that strikes the perfect balance between exclusivity and approachability for a unique, intimate experience tucked away on deck six between the popular Whiskey Bar and Hasuki, the hibachi-style restaurant. The hidden enclave will feature a comprehensive wine-by-the-glass menu, and an extensive list of rare and premium vintages. Designed by the Miami-based Studio DADO firm, the venue’s architecture is inspired by the captivating beauty and curvature of the geologically stunning Antelope Canyon in Arizona, with warm color hues complemented by cascading horizontal lines and serene blue touches create a perfectly inviting and enchanting space for guests to unwind.

Norwegian Aqua boasts all-new dining venues including Sukhothai, a Thai specialty restaurant featuring Thai Cashew Chicken and Nam Tok Neua; as well as Planterie, a new eatery in Indulge Food Hall, with menu items such as the Mediterranean Goddess Bowl.

Elevated, redesigned venues

From new designs to expanded seating, the all-new Norwegian Aqua will feature enhanced restaurants and lounges previously debuted on the Prima Class. From the creative minds of Studio DADO, one of the ship’s main complimentary dining rooms, the Commodore Room, will now feature a rustic yet luxurious design inspired by its sea-faring namesake. Paying homage to the imaginative narrative of the captain’s room, the venue will transport guests to the past times of maritime sophistication with antique wood furnishings; leather banquettes; floors that mimic the lines of a pier; and incredible stone accents, all with a delicate, modern touch.

Metropolitan, NCL’s modern Sail & Sustain cocktail bar, which won the 2024 Vibe Vista Award for “Best Beverage Program,” will return aboard Norwegian Aqua and boast a distinct new design from other Prima Class vessels. Relocating from mid-ship to the aft of deck seven, the innovative bar will now feature a grand piano and a small entertainment space for guests to enjoy live music with their Sail & Sustain cocktails, biodynamic wines and sustainably produced liquors. Inspired by the art deco and mid-century modern areas of New York City, Studio DADO crafted an intimate enclave with dark hues, eye-catching motifs and fresh greenery offering an easy-going ambience for guests engaging in a nightly beverage.

Nama Sushi and Sashimi, which first debuted on Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, will now feature a fresh, lively design by Studio DADO aboard Norwegian Aqua. Introducing a new color palette, the space draws inspiration from the vibrant world of Manga art. Guests can expect a playful dining experience surrounded by bold colors of lime green and black.

Located on deck 17, Surfside Café will boast floor-to-ceiling windows, providing guests with scenic views as they enjoy an expansive and diverse buffet-style dining experience. Featuring a new design by London-based design firm, A.D. Associates, the three-meal a day venue will showcase warm colors, sunset tones and timeless color palettes. Next door, offering the same panoramic views as Surfside Café, the upscale, Mediterranean seafood dining venue of the Prima Class, Palomar, will feature an elevated design with natural materials, such as rope and wood accents complemented by pops of blue and dark purple shades.

Aboard Norwegian Aqua, Whiskey Bar will relocate to deck six near the brand-new Swirl Wine Bar, while Belvedere Bar will move to deck eight at the heart of the atrium, where guests can revel in night caps and nightly entertainment.

Penrose Bar and Waves Pool Bar will also feature new designs, and venues such as The Local Bar & Grill, NCL’s 24-hour pub-style restaurant, Hasuki, a lively Japanese hibachi experience, and Cagney’s, NCL’s signature upscale American steakhouse, will be expanded to accommodate even more guests.

Returning guest-favorites

In addition to unveiling new food and beverage experiences and designs, guest-favorite restaurants will return to Norwegian Aqua such as Hudson’s, the elevated, main complimentary dining room offering 270⁰ of scenic views; Le Bistro, the high-end French restaurant inspired by the Palace of Versailles; Los Lobos, the contemporary, authentic Mexican dining venue with outdoor seating; and Onda by Scarpetta, the upscale Italian restaurant, which also offers al fresco dining on Ocean Boulevard.

With so many culinary options to choose from, NCL’s Free at Sea program delivers guests more value with vacation enhancing benefits including specialty dining credits, unlimited beverage package, shore excursion credits, Wi-Fi minutes and more.

Set to be the 20th ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, Norwegian Aqua will feature industry-and-brand-first experiences including the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide, the Aqua Slidecoaster; the Glow Court, a digital sports complex with an interactive LED floor; and NCL’s first-ever Three-Bedroom Duplex Haven Suites in the Brand’s premium keycard-access-only-complex, The Haven by Norwegian.

Beginning April 2025, Norwegian Aqua will sail seven-day Caribbean itineraries departing from Port Canaveral, Fla., featuring calls to the tropical island destinations of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas. Following the ship’s Caribbean season, Norwegian Aqua will offer five and seven-day voyages to Bermuda from New York City from August 2025 through October 2025 and then cruise five and seven-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami, the “Cruise Capital of the World,” beginning October 2025 through April 2026.

Photo: Swirl Wine Bar is designed by Miami-based Studio DADO

Princess Cruises rolls out fleetwide dining evolution

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 16 April 2024 16 April 2024

Princess Cruises recently announced it is making a significant enhancement to the main dining options found across its fleet, designed to give guests the ultimate in flexibility and choice when it comes to their dining experience by offering three table service options – Traditional, Reservable, or Walk-in Anytime – coupled with the brand's industry exclusive OceanNow location-based "anywhere" service.

With a dedication to personal preference and individualized service, Princess will designate separate dining rooms aboard every ship in the fleet* to the three table service options – one dedicated to traditional dining offering an early and a late seating every evening; one offering reservable dining times; and a third with open seating to support walk-ins anytime. The three table service options integrate with the line's unparalleled OceanNow, which provides guests the convenience of ordering anything, anytime, and receiving it anywhere onboard, making Princess uniquely positioned to accommodate all guest dining preferences.

Making all dining formats available fleetwide follows the resounding success of this new approach already implemented aboard the new Sun Princess. With the stunning introduction of the new next level Love Boat came the debut of three-story dining room with one floor dedicated to traditional dining, another serving guests with a flexible reservation and a third for anytime walk-ins.

"Our guests have been delighted with the dining flexibility aboard Sun Princess and we're pleased to extend the concept to all the other ships in our fleet," said Sami Kohen, Princess Cruises vice president of food and beverage. "Now whether guests prefer an early seating every evening, or change things up every night, or even change their mind, these flexible dining options ensure that their dining preference is effortlessly accommodated."

Starting on April 15, 2024, the new approach will launch on Princess voyages departing September 14, 2024 and beyond. To support these changes and the transition to the new system, main dining reservations that already have been made for voyages sailing September 14 and beyond for any ship except Sun Princess will be cancelled. Main dining reservations for guests sailing through September 13 will not be affected.

Starting June 17, booked guests will be able to use the app ahead of their voyage to opt for traditional seating in a dedicated dining room with the same waiter, same table and same time each night, or flexible dining, allowing them to enjoy dinner at any available time and table size of their choosing in either the Reservable or Open Seating dining rooms.

This change does not affect guests booked in specialty dining restaurants or suite or reserve collection accommodations, who enjoy a dedicated dining room on Princess ships, where no reservations are required.

* Reservable and Walk-in Anytime Dining will be combined into a single Main Dining Room location aboard Coral Princess and Island Princess.

Meyer Group's new ship concepts receive great interest at the Seatrade Cruise Global

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 15 April 2024 15 April 2024

At the Seatrade Cruise Global event that ended in Miami last week, Meyer Group's visionary ideas and the company's technological leadership in maritime industry products were presented. For the first time, sketches of the climate-neutral cruise ship concept under development in Meyer Turku's NEcOLEAP research project were also on display. In addition, Alfred Maritime, part of the Meyer Group, presented the Meyer energy management system based on artificial intelligence. Meyer Floating Solutions' floating docks and terminals and the visionary future concept Origin completed the offer of the Meyer stand.

The climate-neutral cruise ship will be developed until 2025

The outlines of the climate-neutral Avatar cruise ship concept are the result of research projects of the NEcOLEAP project. MEYER Turku's goal is to develop a climate-neutral cruise ship concept by the end of 2025 and to be ready to build one in 2030. "The Business Finland-funded research and development project NECoLEAP and Meyer's work on a climate-neutral ship concept were presented at the exhibition stand. We also revealed the outlines of our new concept, which will make cruises more sustainable in the future," says Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku. The Avatar concept includes, among other things, automated logistics, alternative materials, more sustainable cabin design and more energy efficiency optimization. The holistic approach extends to the end of the product's life cycle, emphasizing material choices, recycling and circular economy principles.

Unique product selection in the industry

Meyer also presented its unique product range at Seatrade Cruise Global. Meyer Floating Solutions' innovative floating docks and cruise terminal selection and the Icon of the Seas ship model were included. In December 2023, Meyer Turku delivered the Icon of the Seas ship, which is one of the world's most innovative and efficient cruise ships. "Meyer is the only shipyard that can offer a complete range of river cruise ships to large ocean liners such as Icon of the Seas. With our tradition of innovation and new products, such as Meyer Floating Solutions' floating docks and terminals, we can create added value for ship owners and port operators," says Meyer Group Sales Director Thomas Weigend.

The Meyer Energy Management System platform was developed by Alfred's IIoT and data experts together with the Meyer Energy Efficiency Team, and its purpose is to increase the efficiency of ships' operations. The Meyer energy management system helps ship operators and crew to understand and analyze the ship's performance. The platform offers the crew useful suggestions for optimizing energy efficiency and reducing fuel consumption. Combined with accurate performance forecasts and multiple onboard systems, it helps the crew reduce the ship's emissions.

The newest future concept is called Origin. It meets the housing needs of the future and responds to global trends with weather-independent features that work all year round. The key point of the design concept is a ship without the typical "ship-looking" exterior and interior.