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Tallink’s net profit slips in third quarter, nine months

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 02 November 2018 02 November 2018

Tallink Grupp AS, the Estonian listed cruise ferry company, has reported slightly lower net profit both the third quarter and January-September of this year, compared to the same periods in 2017.

Third quarter net profit fell to €46.1 million from €47.8 million, while revenues remained fairly stable, at €283.6 million compared to €282.7 million. The third quarter includes the main holiday season in northern Europe and is therefore the best quarter for ferry companies in the region.

In the first nine months of the year, net profit fell to €41.8 million from €45.2 million. Revenues fell to €723.2 million from €734.1 million.

Tallink said that in the third quarter, the group’s revenue and operating result were impacted by the following operational factors:

The number of passengers travelling on the Group’s ships increased in all geographical segments.
The number of cargo units transported on the Group’s ships increased in all geographical segments.
Higher fuel cost due to increase in bunker prices.
Charter revenue decrease compared to the same period last year as fewer ships are chartered out.

The company, whose shares are listed in Tallinn, also said it plans to proceed with its earlier stated intention to seek secondary listing for them in Helsinki. However, it pointed out that no new shares would be issued in connection with the planned secondary listing.

Oliver Design wins Scottish conversion contract

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 October 2018 30 October 2018

Oliver Design, the Spanish interior design company, said it had won an order regarding conversion of a Turkish ferry to a luxury cruise ship for use in Scotland.

“The firm has signed a contract with the UK's Magna Carta Steamship Company, for which it completed a similar project in 2000, converting a Greek ferry into the luxury Lord of the Glens,” Oliver Design said in a statement.

The vessel now in question is to be renamed Lord of the Highlands and alterations to it include extending the vessel's length and width, building an additional deck and completely reforming the interiors to house 50 passengers and a crew of 17.

The work will be carried out in the port of Vigo in Spain, where the vessel arrived on 22 October, while delivery is scheduled for September 2019

“Following Oliver Design's work on the two ships, Magna Carta can now offer clients unique cruises lasting several days between the North Sea and the Hebrides, via the historic Caledonian Canal, built in the early nineteenth century,” the design firm said.

AIDAnova’s pre-inaugural cruises cancelled

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 October 2018 26 October 2018

AIDA Cruises, the German contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it has decided to cancel the short inaugural cruises that had been planned to take place before the ship’s maiden voyage.

These would have run between 15 November and 02 December, but the company said in a statement it wanted to ensure that e.g. many new product innovations that will be introduced with the 184,000 gross ton LNG powered ship would meet the company’s standards when the first passengers embark the ship.

The maiden voyage of AIDAnova, which was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg in Germany, is expected to proceed as scheduled, with departure from Hamburg on 02 December, to the Canary Islands.

Princess Cruises to add third ship to Southampton 2020 - report

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 October 2018 25 October 2018

Princess Cruises, which is part of the Carnival Corporation & plc group, will add a third ship to its UK base port Southampton in 2020 it will name ship Enchanted Princess there as well, Travel Weekly reports.

As a result the line’s capacity in the UK for 2020 will be 30% more than in 2019, with three ships sailing a full season out of Southampton for the first time. It amounts to 1.4 million cruise nights on board.

“The 3,080-passenger Crown Princess will sail for more than 150 days out of Southampton between May and November to the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and northern Europe; 2,200-passenger Island Princess will spend June to October sailing from Southampton to northern Europe; and 3,560-passenger Regal Princess will sail out of the UK’s largest cruise port from May to September,” the report said.

Princess’ European capacity will also increase in 2020 by 15% on 2019. Sky Princess, which will be introduced next year and will carry 3,660 passengers, will spend its first spring and summer season sailing Scandinavia and Russia roundtrip from Copenhagen.

The line’s newest ship Enchanted Princess will be named at Southampton in late June 2020 and will be the first Princess Cruises vessel to be named in the UK since Royal Princess in 2013, the report said.

Crystal Serenity to feature supper club after refit

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 October 2018 25 October 2018

Crystal Cruises, the Los Angeles base luxury market unit in the Genting Hong Kong group, said it would debut a supper club experience on Crystal Serenity when she emerges from dry dock on 10 November.

“The Stardust Supper Club combines the impeccable culinary experience and style for which Crystal is known with the glamourous vibe found in dining concepts of a different era. Set in the ship’s Stardust Club, the supper club will be offered on the first and final Black Tie Optional evenings of voyages beginning with cruises of eight days or more, The company said in a statement.

“The Stardust Supper Club highlights the music and vibe of the exclusive clubs of the Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin heyday, and perfectly complements the elegance of a formal evening aboard Crystal ships,” said Toni Neumeister, Crystal’s senior vice president of hotel operations. “In keeping with our commitment to offer guests choices to make the Crystal Experience their own, this new dining and entertainment experience is an intimate alternative to the grand occasions found in the Crystal Dining Room, which will be transformed into Waterside during the redesign.”

Guests will enjoy a four-course menu of select Waterside favourites as they dine to performances by Crystal Serenity’s Show Band and featured vocalists. In between performances, musicians will provide non-stop music throughout dinner, while the ship’s Ballroom Dance Quartet takes to the floor to perform a couple of spotlight dances including one during dessert and coffee service where guests can join in on the dancing.

The Stardust Supper Club will accommodate up to 108 guests per evening, with reservations available upon embarkation with the restaurant manager aboard the ship. At a later date, reservations can be made via Crystal’s Priority Check-in and Planning Center (PCPC). Seating will begin at 6.30pm giving guests ample time to dine and dance before the night’s 9.15pm production show begins in the Galaxy Lounge.