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Keel laid for Holland America Line’s next Pinnacle-class ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 November 2019 22 November 2019

Holland America Line celebrated the keel laying of its new 2,668-passenger Ryndam Nov. 21, 2019, at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. A 505-ton block, about 14 by 34 meters, was lowered by crane into the yard’s building dock, marking the official beginning of construction. The Pinnacle Class ship is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.

The event was attended by Keith Taylor, Holland America Group’s executive vice president, fleet operations, and Jan Koller, Holland America Line’s project manager, newbuilds. The block laid was one of 85 blocks in total that will make up the ship.

“The keel laying is an important construction milestone because it marks the moment when we can really start to watch the ship take shape and progress toward its launch in 18 months,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “Adding Ryndam to our fleet will provide a new canvas for us to share our brand and enable us to show the world to even more cruisers.”

As the third in the series, Ryndam will feature the highly successful Pinnacle Class amenities and innovations including the 270-degree surround screen World Stage, Rudi’s Sel de Mer, Grand Dutch Cafe, Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Rolling Stone Rock Room. The ship’s design will be created by leading hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany and designer and architect Bjørn Storbraaten.

This is the 17th ship constructed for Holland America Line by Italian shipyard Fincantieri, which most recently built Pinnacle sister ship Nieuw Statendam. The cruise line began its relationship with Fincantieri in 1992 with the building of Statendam.

The first Ryndam was part of the Holland America Line fleet from 1901 to 1929, starting as Rijndam before receiving the English spelling in 1923. In 1927 Ryndam I became the first Holland America Line ship to sail a world cruise, although it was chartered as a floating school at sea for that voyage. The second Ryndam served from 1951 to 1973, and the third sailed in the fleet from 1993 through 2015, when it was transferred to sister brand P&O Australia and now cruises as Pacific Aria.

Aker Arctic completes ice model hull test for Seabourn Venture

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 November 2019 22 November 2019

Seabourn is marking another key milestone in the construction of its new expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, with the completion of ice model testing for the ship’s PC-6 rated hull.

The testing, completed at a large indoor testing basin at Aker Arctic in Finland, provides a proven and effective means of ensuring Seabourn Venture’s hull design will perform as intended in the ice conditions it may encounter. A ship rated to PC-6 Polar Class standards is capable of summer & autumn operation in ice conditions in Antarctica, the Arctic, and other exotic destinations around the world.

“We know that Seabourn Venture will deliver on the expedition experiences we’re creating after seeing this series of tests completed,” said Robin West, vice president of Expedition Operations for Seabourn. “Our team is fully committed to taking luxury expedition travelers to some of the world’s most sought after locations and Seabourn Venture is certainly going to be up to the task with its purpose-built design.”

Visualizing the way ice might behave in relation to the hull is a critical part of the design and build process for ships that will routinely operate in areas of the world where ice is common. During the ice testing series, a scale model mock-up of the ship’s hull is connected to a test carriage where maneuvering and operational tests can be conducted while Seabourn and Carnival Corporation team members look on through a series of viewing windows.

The keel laying for Seabourn Venture will take place in December. The ship is scheduled to launch in June 2021, with a second yet-to-be-named sister ship slated to launch in May 2022. The ships are being designed from conception for the ultimate in expedition travel blended with ultra-luxury and personalized service by leading travel experts and seasoned professionals with great depth of experience in expedition, hospitality, and ultra-luxury cruising.

Both ships will be designed and built for diverse environments and will include an array of modern hardware and technology that will extend the ships’ global deployment and capabilities. They will include many features that have made Seabourn ships so successful. A new and exciting offering will be two custom-built submarines carried onboard, providing guests with an unforgettable view of the world beneath the ocean’s surface on optional excursions. Seabourn Venture will carry 24 Zodiacs onboard, giving her the flexibility to take all guests on a Zodiac tour at once, should conditions present a small window of opportunity. Each ship will feature 132 luxurious oceanfront veranda suites, providing the best in accommodation no matter where the ships travel.

For this latest project with Seabourn, renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany has developed the design vision for public areas and all categories of luxurious guest suites, as well as a bespoke furniture collection. Renderings of a selection of these spaces can be found in the link here.

Both expedition vessels will feature an onboard crew that will include outstanding and well-traveled expedition teams comprised of highly regarded wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists. During each sailing, team members regularly interact with guests, providing keen insight to deliver a rich holistic travel experience. These fascinating, accomplished experts are also part of the Seabourn Conversations program, providing in-depth insights into the history, ecology and culture of the places they visit. Their valuable insights are offered both in formal presentations on a variety of topics and in more casual conversations over meals, on deck during scenic cruising or at leisure.

Huge Global Dream midsection to arrive to building yard in Wismar

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 November 2019 21 November 2019

A huge mid section part of Global Dream, the first of two 208,000 gross ton Global class cruise ships Genting Hong Kong has on order at its MV Werften shipyard group in Germany, is due to arrive at the facility where the ship is being assembled.

“This weekend is exciting times at MV Werften, the mid body of 156,000 gross tons will be towed from Rostock yard to Wismar and into the building hall to be connected to the aft and forward part,” Gustaf Gronberg, SVP Marine Operations and Newbuildings at Genting Hong Kong, told Cruise Business Online.

The gross tonnage of the section – about 156,000 – is roughly equal with the tonnage of the Freedom class ships of Royal Caribbean International. The three ships measure at roughly 158,400 gross tons.

Gronberg said this must be the biggest part of any newbuild being built outside the yard where it finally will be completed.

Valiant Lady to dock in Central Barcelona on summer 2021 cruises

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 November 2019 19 November 2019

Valiant Lady, the second ship of Virgin Voyages, will dock just steps from Las Ramblas at the World Trade Center Barcelona, positioning Sailors – as the company calls its passengers - as close to the heart the city as possible.

The principal cruise terminals in the city are located a few miles from the city centre.

“This prime location, usually reserved by luxury liners and mega-yachts, gives walking access to the dynamic and diverse neighborhoods of Poble Sec, el Raval, Barri Gotic, Port Vell and the famed urban beach of La Barceloneta,” the Miami based company said in a statement.

“With a weekly Sunday sail away, sailors will enjoy extra time in Barcelona and be able to take advantage of many different flight options. Virgin Voyages is partnering with Global Ports Holding, the world’s leading independent cruise port operator, to prepare for Valiant Lady’s arrival in early summer 2021,” Virgin Voyages said.

Valletta hosts CLIA’s Cruise360

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2019 18 November 2019

The Malta Tourism Authority in collaboration with Valletta Cruise Port supported the organisation of CLIA’s Cruise360 conference last October, with over 120 guests including travel agents, travel media and other partners. The 3-day conference served not only as a three-day event inclusive of ship inspections, but also as a networking and professional development opportunity for travel agents visiting Malta for the first time.

Established in 1975, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world's largest cruise industry trade association, providing a unified voice and leading authority of the global cruise community. CLIA supports policies and practices that foster a safe, secure, healthy and sustainable cruise ship environment and is dedicated to promoting the cruise travel experience. CLIA helps its members succeed by advocating, educating and promoting for the common interests of the cruise community.

Andy Harmer, Director at CLIA UK and Ireland took to the floor to reveal two brand-new CLIA initiatives focusing on the New to Cruise market. CLIA will be having a New to Cruise Guide, a continuously updated online resource. Additionally, a new classroom-style New to Cruise Workshops will launch in May 2020.

During the Malta event guests had the opportunity to visit Koningsdam, Seven Seas Voyager, Celebrity Edge and Azamara Pursuit berthed in Valletta’s historic Grand Harbour. An engaging trade fair was held at the Malta Conference Centre, complemented by informative conference sessions. Guests also enjoyed a welcome reception at Marina Club on the Valletta Waterfront with a gala dinner being held in the historic Magazino Hall which also is the main cruise check-in facility for Valletta.

“We were delighted to host travel agents and cruise lines from across Europe in Malta for Cruise360. When on a cruise, the destinations visited are just as important as the ship, which is why we chose the beautiful capital city of Valletta for this event. Agents were able to explore Valletta and discover what makes the city such a popular cruise destination, as well as have the opportunity to visit the fantastic cruise ships docked in port,” commented Harmer.

“We are proud to have hosted this trade gathering in our historic port, and get to know some of the partners who actively work to help grow this dynamic industry in the UK and Ireland,” said Stephen Xuereb, Chief Operating Officer for Global Ports Holding and Chief Executive Officer of Valletta Cruise Port.

During his speech, the Malta Tourism Authority Deputy CEO & CMO Carlo Micallef stated that “The Grand Harbour in Valletta has enjoyed one of its busiest summers on record. Moreover, the cruise industry is an important contributor to the Maltese economy, not only to the business community in Valletta and the Grand Harbor region in particular, but also to the old capital and silent city of Malta, Mdina. Apart from the resultant promotion of our Islands, surveys have shown that many cruise passengers are intrigued to return to Malta and Gozo for a longer holiday soon after.”