Ports & destinations

Columbus Cruise Centre Bremerhaven expects leap to 150,000 turnaround passengers 2017

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 14 October 2016 14 October 2016

Columbus Cruise Centre Bremerhaven (CCCB) in Germany expects a marked rise in the number of turnaround passengers next year, when Bremerhaven will also host the annual convention of Cruise Europe.

CCCB says it is expecting more than 150,000 passengers in turnaround and are pleased to be able to offer our guests a new 8,000 square metre car park within walking distance of the terminal." In 2016, a total of 68 cruise vessels with a total of 96,500 passengers were welcomed at CCCB.

From 25 to 27 April 2017, Bremerhaven will play host to the annual Cruise Europe Convention. Guests will include delegates from many international cruise operators and ports as well as representatives of numerous German shipping lines.

As commented by Andrea Kamjunke-Weber, the CCCB manager responsible for Cruise Europe, "In cooperation with Cruise Europe, it's our aim to take into consideration the fact that this traditional event is taking place for the first time at such a great source market for cruise passengers."

Saint Nikolaos cruise pier inaugurated at Piraeus

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 05 October 2016 05 October 2016

The port authority in Piraeus in Greece has taken into use the Saint Nikolaos cruise pier, the authority said in a statement. “The project was built with caissons and provides an extra cruise berth over 250 m, since it has length 284 m. and a depth of 11 m while the land area is 8,415 sqm, the authority said, adding that up to 11 cruise ships can now dock at Piraeus at the same time.

Singapore Cruise Centre is one of the first cruise terminal operators in Asia to meet new ISO standards

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 11 October 2016 11 October 2016

Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) has announced that it is one of the first cruise and ferry terminal operators in Asia to have met the new and more stringent International Standards Organisation (ISO) quality management standards.

Having passed the assessment for the ISO Quality Management Systems, SCC has successfully transitioned its management standards from ISO 9001:2008 to the new ISO 9001:2015 standards. The ISO 9001 is the world’s leading quality management standards and is awarded to businesses which are consistently able to provide products or services that meet both customer needs as well as statutory and regulatory requirements. It is updated every five years to be compatible with the latest management trends and systems.

After a three-day recertification audit by inspection company SGS in August, SCC was certified to follow the enhanced standards which places more emphasis on a company’s leadership engagement, organisational risks and supply chain management. The means that the company has met the performance indicators for excellent customer service in line with the various stakeholders’ and government agencies’ requirements.

The new ISO 9001:2015 standards replaces the previous version which was last updated in 2008. It now follows the same overall structure as other ISO management system standards, making it easier for companies using multiple management systems. The new standards also emphasises more risk-based thinking and strengthened leadership capabilities.

SCC’s CEO Christina Siaw said: “SCC is always keeping ahead to meet our customers’ needs. We started preparing for the transition to the new standards since it was first announced in May last year before our successful certification this year.

“At the heart of our efforts to meet ISO’s higher standards whether in operations or management, is the customer experience. At SCC, we are always striving to ensure that our customers are well pleased with our service and facilities, and towards that end, we invest considerable amount of resources in training and development, and infrastructure upgrade.”

SCC has a proven track record of managing cruise and ferry terminals in Singapore, augmented by its 24 international awards for most efficient turnaround port, operational excellence and customer service since it was first established in 1991.

Ms Siaw added that as one of Asia’s most established and intensively-used cruise ports, SCC will not rest on their laurels and will continue to work hard to serve its customers and their passengers.

The company will continue to further enhance infrastructure, tap into new technologies and improve customer touchpoints as part of their commitment to give travellers a seamless experience. In 2012, SCC underwent a $14 million rejuvenation programme of its main cruise and ferry terminal at HarbourFront to expand passenger space, double the number of check-in and immigration counters, increase security lines and improve its baggage handling system.

SCC has also taken steps to refine its passenger hospitality and engagement procedures to value add to the user experience. These include additional training to deepen existing skills and knowledge of staff.

SCC was voted “Asia’s Leading Cruise Port” for the fourth consecutive year in November last year by the World Travel Awards, an established London-based organisation renowned for benchmarking excellence in the global travel industry.

Qatar announces easier entry for cruise passengers

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations

Published: 23 September 2016 23 September 2016

With a large number of cruise passengers expected to arrive at the country’s ports, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), in co-ordination with the Ministry of Interior and Qatar Ports Management Company – Mwani Qatar, have announced new measures to facilitate their disembarkation and entry for a seamless tourism experience.

Officials from the three entities have confirmed that, thanks to enhanced technology and close collaboration between cruise operators and security officials, cruise passengers will be able to disembark within minutes and begin enjoying their on-shore excursions.

As part of the new operating procedure, a passenger manifest containing passport details of passengers and crew will be shared with immigration officials 48 hours in advance of the ship’s arrival in Qatar. This will allow immigration officials to process all relevant information and clear passengers for entry before the ship berths.

In addition, QTA and the Ministry of Interior have confirmed that cruise passengers, due to the short duration of the stay, will be eligible for transit visas, which will further ease their entry into the country.

According to Hassan Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development Officer at QTA, the new procedures have been introduced in anticipation of significant increases in the number of cruise passengers. While Qatar has previously welcomed smaller ships carrying less than a thousand passengers, the coming season will be the first to witness the arrival of larger ships with over 1,500 passengers on board. The MSC Fantasia will be the first megaship to arrive in Qatar. It will dock in December with an expected 3,900 passengers and 1,500 crew-members on board.

“Cruise Tourism forms an important part of our strategy to increase the number of visitor arrivals to Qatar. That is why we are placing great emphasis on streamlining all processes related to cruise as well as developing the sector’s capacity to welcome a large number of passengers,” commented Al Ibrahim. “Studies show that once tourists have had a taste of a destination that they visited on a cruise, they are likely to return for a longer visit later, giving us further impetus to focus our strategy for the next two years on this important sub-sector of tourism.”

He added, “Cruise passengers currently spend eight hours on average during their stops in Qatar, so it is important to minimise the time spent on formalities on the day of their visit. We are grateful to the Ministry of Interior for their initiative and support in implementing a solution that will ensure our visitors get the most out of their visit without compromising on our nation’s security.”

Director General of General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriates Affairs, Brigadier Abdullah Salim Al-Ali, commented, “The Ministry of Interior always strives to facilitate government services while maintaining the utmost vigilance and security, for the sake of visitors and residents. The revised process for the entry of cruise passengers will enhance our visitors’ experience in Qatar while giving us more time to process information thoroughly using the passenger manifest, which will arrive 48 hours before the ship is due to dock.”

Destination prepares to offer seamless tourist experience to over 50,000 passengers this season.

The announcement comes as QTA and the Ministry of Interior step up efforts to facilitate entry for tourists in a bid to increase visitor arrivals into the country. Qatari officials recently signed an agreement with VFS Global that will soon allow for a fast-tracked and transparent tourist visa application process.

Thirty-two ships carrying over 50,000 passengers are expected to arrive in Qatar this cruise season, which continues until April 2017. The first ship of the season is expected to dock on October 18th at the Doha Port in the heart of Qatar’s capital.

Meanwhile, QTA is continuing to work with destination management companies and tour guides to ensure cruise passengers receive a warm welcome and enjoy an authentic Qatari experience during their stays. Tour guides have received intensive training on the management of large tour groups and effective communications about the destination.

All visas are approved and issued at the sole discretion of Qatar’s Ministry of Interior.