Fincantieri expects to deliver seven cruise ships 2021

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 01 March 2021 01 March 2021

Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilder that is the largest builder of cruise ships, said it expects to return to the pre-COVID-19 growth levels by 2021 and to deliver a total of seven cruise ships this year.

This year’s revenues are expected to increase by 25% to 30% compared to €5.88 billion recorded in 2020, excluding pass-through activities, with a consequent improvement in margins, which should come close to 7% and so confirming the growth guidelines outlined by the group before the pandemic.

“Such results may led to a return of a sustainable dividends distribution starting as soon as 2022,” the company said in a statement.

In the cruise ships business area, during 2021, five ships are scheduled to be delivered from the Italian shipyards - Silver Dawn (for Silversea Cruises), Viking Venus (Viking Ocean Cruises) , Rotterdam (Holland America Line) , MSC Seashore (MSC Cruises)  and Valiant Lady (Virgin Voyages). In addition to two expedition cruise vessels would be delivered by Vard in Norway - one for Ponant in France and one for Hapag-Lloyd in Germany.

“Actions to support the increase in volumes have already been planned: on the one hand, completion of capex for the upgrading of the Marghera and Monfalcone shipyards, and, on the other hand, an increasingly greater integration of all the shipyards dedicated to cruise shipbuilding (Italy and Romania),” the company said.

"Cruise ship deliveries stayed on schedule as per the pre-pandemic program, even with the postponement of production programs: four out of the seven cruise ships delivered in 2020 were handed over in the second half of the year, amid the pandemic, including the 100^th cruise ship built by Fincantieri, for Princess Cruises, a Carnival Group brand," the company said.

Royal Caribbean to debut the new Odyssey of the Seas in Israel

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 March 2021 01 March 2021

Israeli holidaymakers will set a new course for adventure this summer when Royal Caribbean International begins sailing from Israel for the first time in May. The global cruise line will offer Israelis a combination of 3- to 7-night escapes visiting the Greek Isles and Cyprus on board its highly anticipated, brand-new ship, Odyssey of the Seas. The new sailings will go on sale on Tuesday, March 9.

The itineraries, roundtrip from Haifa, Israel, will include visits to idyllic isles and destinations in the Mediterranean, including Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens, Greece and Limassol, Cyprus.

“We are thrilled to debut Royal Caribbean cruises from Israel with our newest and most innovative ship, Odyssey of the Seas. Israeli travelers will be looking to get away, relax with total peace of mind, and enjoy the travel experiences they are missing dearly; and that is what we do best,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Sailing from Israel is an opportunity we have had our sights on for quite some time. We greatly appreciate the government of Israel for their collaboration and confidence in us to deliver memorable cruise experiences to their residents, and look forward to delivering on that promise aboard our newest ship – the first ‘Green Island’ at sea.”

Residents of Israel will be the first guests to cruise on Odyssey during its inaugural season. The innovative ship is designed to make for a memorable holiday for every kind of traveler, with a variety of new and signature experiences from bow to stern. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea, highlights on board include a two-level pool deck designed for downtime under the sun and stars, SeaPlex – the two-level indoor and outdoor activity complex that is a high-adrenaline playground for all ages, and a lineup of complimentary and specialty restaurants primed to please every palate with cuisine from around the world. And entertainment throughout the ship will be punctuated by high-tech signature productions in the Royal Theater and Two70, where art and multimedia merge for jaw-dropping performances found only on Odyssey.

“Thanks to the millions of vaccines we have brought, I am proud that Israel will be the first country in the world to launch Royal Caribbean’s new flagship. Royal Caribbean's decision to come to Israel is a significant expression of confidence in our policy. This is an important economic, touristic moment for the State of Israel,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Israel is a global model of success. We will continue our program – the ‘green passport’ – so that we can get out of the COVID-19 virus in peace. Just as we made Israel the world champion in vaccines, we will make it the world champion in economics and tourism in the post-Corona era.”

In conjunction with Israel’s health and tourism authorities, Royal Caribbean will be the first to offer fully vaccinated sailings, where both crew and guests above the age of 16 will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Details on the additional health and safety measures to be implemented by Israel and Royal Caribbean will be announced at a later date.

The Greek Minister of Tourism, Mr. Haris Theoharis, supports all the efforts for the resumption of cruising in Greece and the surrounding area. He said, “We are very happy with today’s announcement as our recent travel agreement with Israel is already bringing results, and more people will have the opportunity to have unique experiences in our beautiful destinations and islands.”

Savvas Perdios, the Deputy Minister of Tourism for Cyprus commented, “It is an honor to be featured in Royal Caribbean’s itinerary this summer, and we are delighted to welcome their newest ship to our island. Cyprus supports the cruise industry and is pleased to help the industry on its road to recovery. We are certain that guests will have a great time, both on board the ship and when visiting Cyprus, one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean.”

Royal Caribbean Group release study on cruise ship HVAC system

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 26 February 2021 26 February 2021

Royal Caribbean Group in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), announced today the results of an independent study on the transmission of aerosol particles through a cruise ship’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Royal Caribbean Group engaged UNMC and the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska with the support of the Healthy Sail Panel, a group of globally recognized experts assembled by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., to guide the cruise industry’s way forward in response to COVID-19. The study by UNMC and NSRI scientists, conducted in July 2020 on Oasis of the Seas, helped inform the Healthy Sail Panel’s 74 detailed best practices to safeguard the health of guests, crew and communities cruise ships visit. The Healthy Sail Panel’s science-based recommendations were outlined in a 65-plus-page report submitted in September and is open sourced for others to incorporate in their protocols as well.

A team of five medical scientists specializing in bioaerosols, led by Josh Santarpia, PhD. – associate professor, pathology and microbiology, UNMC; and research director, chemical and biological programs, NSRI – were called on to understand in detail the role of HVAC systems in spreading airborne particles on cruise ships. The study specifically explored the effectiveness and efficiency of ship air management strategies – ventilation, filtration and supply – and examined air flow across different areas of the ship, including guest staterooms, crew staterooms, lounges and other public spaces.

Researchers found the transmission of aerosol particles between spaces, through the ventilation system, to be undetectable on surfaces and in the air. A leader in modern cruise ship design, Royal Caribbean Group has long been at the forefront of the industry’s latest innovations and advancements; and so, the existing HVAC systems were created to be robust and efficient in providing maximum ventilation, continual fresh air intake and layers of filtration for both incoming and outgoing air.

Based on the findings of the UNMC study and at the recommendation of the Health Sail Panel, Royal Caribbean Group is adopting new practices, incorporating additional layers of protection that further minimize the possibility of spread by adjusting shipboard settings to allow for the maximum air changes per hour and upgrading to MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) 13 filters throughout the system. In addition, Royal Caribbean Group already equipped its medical facilities with an independent ventilation system and has added HEPA filters for additional precaution.

An overview of the study, as well as full details on how the onboard HVAC system works, can be found at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com/news/a-breath-of-fresh-air-science-leads-the-way-for-royal-caribbean-groups-hvac-system/. The findings of the UNMC study can be found at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/UNMC-Aerosol-study-findings.pdf. For more information on Royal Caribbean Group’s healthy return to sailing, visit https://www.royalcaribbeangroup.com/healthy-sailing/.

Royal Caribbean Group is applying the recommendations of its Healthy Sail Panel of public health and scientific experts to provide a safer and healthier cruise vacation on all of its sailings. Health and safety protocols, regional travel restrictions and clearance to visit ports of call, are subject to change based on ongoing evaluation, public health standards, and government requirements. U.S. cruises and guests: For more information on the latest health and travel alerts, U.S. government travel advisories, please visit www.royalcaribbeangroup.com/cdcnotice or consult travel advisories, warnings or recommendations relating to cruise travel on applicable government websites.

NCLH expects first quarter loss, rest of year to depend on operations

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 25 February 2021 25 February 2021

 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH), the world’s third lasted listed cruise shipping group, expects to report a net loss in the first quarter of the present year, while the rest would depend on its ability to resume operations, it said in a statement.

“As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the Company cannot estimate the impact on its business, financial condition or near- or longer-term financial or operational results with certainty, it will report a net loss for the first quarter ending March 31, 2021 and expects to report a net loss until the Company is able to resume voyages,” NCLH said.

NCLH’s overall cumulative booked position for the second half of 2021 remains below historical levels, driven by continued uncertainty around timing of the resumption of cruising and the shift of limited marketing investments to 2022 sailings. “Pricing for the second half of 2021 is in line with pre-pandemic levels, even after including the dilutive impact of future cruise credits (“FCC”),”it said.

“While still early in the booking cycle, 2022 booking trends are very positive driven by strong pent up demand. The Company is experiencing robust future demand across all brands with the overall cumulative booked position for the first half of 2022 significantly ahead of 2019’s record levels with pricing in line when excluding the dilutive impact of FCCs,” NLCH stated

At the end of 2020, NLCH had $1.2 billion of advance ticket sales, including the long-term portion of advance ticket sales, which includes approximately $0.85 billion of future cruise credits.

“For the first quarter of 2021, the Company expects the average cash burn rate to temporarily remain elevated at approximately $190 million per month, or approximately $170 million per month excluding non-recurring debt modification costs, as it ramps down relaunch-related expenses and repatriates crew,” it said.

NCLH has incurred approximately $60 million of one-time debt deferral and modification costs and fees in the first quarter of 2021 as a result of successful debt deferrals and covenant waivers and suspensions, which combined with newbuild payment extensions, have resulted in approximately $1 billion of additional liquidity over the next 12 months. “Once the ramp down of relaunch-related expenses are complete, the Company expects its average cash burn rate to decrease and remain at reduced levels until return to service preparations resume,” it added.