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Viking Grace transforms into a 'sailing' ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 12 April 2018 12 April 2018

The Viking Grace sets sail on her first voyage as the only passenger ship in the world equipped with a Rotor Sail to harness wind power for propulsion. Developed by Finnish clean technology and engineering company Norsepower Oy Ltd., the Rotor Sail Solution will cut fuel consumption and reduce carbon emissions by up to 900 tonnes annually. Viking Line will operate the Viking Grace on wind-assisted voyages between Turku (Finland) and Stockholm (Sweden) from April 12th 2018.

The cylindrical Rotor Sail unit installed on Viking Grace is 24m in height and 4m in diameter, and is a modernised version of the Flettner rotor; a spinning cylinder that uses the Magnus effect to harness wind power to propel a ship. The solution is fully automated and senses whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel savings, at which point the rotors start automatically – optimising crew time and resource.

The use of wind power reflects the green values of Viking Line. The natural environments of the sea and the archipelago are close to the heart of the shipping company based in the Åland Islands. In operation since 2013, the Viking Grace is among the most environmentally friendly passenger ships in the world: it is fuelled with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and has very low emissions and noise levels. The new Rotor Sail will only boost her already impressive environmental credentials.

Commenting on the partnership, Jan Hanses, CEO, Viking Line, said: “This is a great day for us. As an Åland shipping company, we rely on the sea for our livelihood so it’s of prime importance for us to promote the well-being of the marine environment. We want to pioneer the use of solutions that reduce the environmental load. Based in Finland, Norsepower has developed a world-class mechanical Rotor Sail Solution that will reduce fuel consumption. We are proud of the fact that our Viking Grace will be the first passenger ship in the world to benefit from this innovative solution.”

The basic design and idea of the Flettner rotor has been around for over 90 years. However, with the rise of environmental regulations, the concept of rotor sails has gained much interest in the global maritime community. This is further fuelled by the advancements in manufacturing, material and technological solutions. Norsepower is years ahead of other players in this space and is recognised as the first commercial provider of auxiliary wind propulsion for shipping.

Tuomas Riski, CEO of Norsepower said: “For Norsepower, it’s an honour to contribute to making the Viking Grace even more environmentally-friendly by means of our novel Rotor Sail technology. The last traditional windjammers in the world were owned and operated by shipping companies based in Åland, so it’s only fitting that Åland-based Viking Line should be a forerunner in launching modern auxiliary sail technology. Viking Line and Norsepower have collaborated in an excellent manner in retrofitting the Rotor Sail solution on the Viking Grace, and the completion of this project is a great moment for all those involved.”

In addition to the installation onboard the M/S Viking Grace, Viking Line will also install two Norsepower Rotor Sails onboard a newbuild cruise ferry which is currently being built in China and due to be operational in 2020.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection announces itineraries and shore excursions

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 April 2018 11 April 2018

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. has announced itineraries and shore excursion categories for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, unveiling routes and programming that will deliver one-of-a-kind experiences. Whether visiting a celebrated destination or one that is off the beaten path, guests will benefit from a dedicated Concierge Ashore in addition to five distinct categories of shore excursions, including Iconic Sights; Stirring the Senses; Cultural Connections; Active Explorations; and Epicurean Experiences.

“The itineraries and intimate shore experiences are not only unique and forward-thinking in their design, but illustrate our commitment to providing rare opportunities to today’s luxury traveler,” said Lisa Holladay, Global Brand Leader for The Ritz-Carlton. “Combining The Ritz-Carlton’s unparalleled service with journeys created specifically to offer immersion into the culture of the destination, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will set a new standard in sea travel and redefine the yachting experience.”
Designed to combine the lifestyle of The Ritz-Carlton’s luxury resorts and the casual freedom of a yachting vacation, no two itinerary routes are alike. Stopping at both intimate and signature destinations, voyages will range from seven to ten days. The first ship will cruise a wide variety of destinations depending on the season, including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada and Northeastern United States. Ports along the way range from Barbados, Cartagena, Bordeaux and Copenhagen, as well as ports that deliver a yacht-style sailing experience including Carriacou, Falmouth Harbour, Gustavia, the Balearic Islands, Mykonos, Portofino and more. Guests will have the opportunity to combine back-to-back voyages without repeating ports, allowing them to enjoy true exploration across a broad range of destinations.

“The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection itineraries and programs on land were created with the yachting lifestyle in mind and will offer a relaxed pace and intimate, highly personalized experiences on shore,” said Douglas Prothero, Managing Director, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. “We are thrilled to share the curated voyages and look forward to introducing guests to the local cultures of each destination through our Shore Collection while offering the best luxury accommodations at sea.”

As a complement to these unique itineraries, shore excursion tracks have been thematically crafted so guests can easily pick a category that fits their interests and activity levels. All shore excursions take advantage of local guides who have been handpicked for their insider knowledge, ensuring a highly personalized, relevant experience while exploring a destination. With a relaxed pace that includes both overnight and daytime ports of call and an intimate ship size that allows the yachts to sail right into city harbors while others must anchor offshore, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection gives guests more flexibility and options when it comes to their time on land.

The Shore Collection excursion categories include Iconic Sights, which will offer guests the opportunity to discover the cultural, historical, and architectural marvels of a destination, perhaps by browsing a museum in Montenegro on an exclusive tour with its curator. Stirring the Senses is ideal for those wishing to focus on wellness and wellbeing and may include sunrise and sunset yoga in the Grenadines or an encounter with a spiritual shaman. For guests who wish to give back, Cultural Connections will offer the opportunity to spend a day helping protect wildlife or the natural environment, among other philanthropic activities. Active Explorations caters to travelers looking for outdoor adventure such as swimming with turtles in Tobago Cays or a private sea kayak tour off the coast of Reykjavik, Iceland. Guests can also sail into a world of culinary exploration through Epicurean Experiences by visiting a renowned winery in Bordeaux with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sommelier or learning to grow baby oysters in a private farm in Sete, France.

Meanwhile, for the discerning traveler seeking the most personalized way to explore a destination, a Concierge Ashore will be available to help craft a bespoke experience on land which will be meaningful and authentic. This may include insider access to a popular attraction or exploring a local community with a private guide.

The first of three lavish cruising yachts is scheduled to take to the sea in February 2020 and distinguishes Marriott International as the only provider of luxury accommodations both on land and at sea. The specially designed yacht will measure 190-meters, accommodate up to 298 passengers and feature 149 suites, each with its own private terrace. The yacht will also feature two 158 square-meter lavish penthouse suites, each with its own private whirlpool, modern craftsmanship and interior finishes jointly designed by The Ritz-Carlton and leading design firm Tillberg Design of Sweden. The onboard experience will reflect the sublime comfort and unparalleled level of individualized guest service for which the iconic Ritz-Carlton brand is recognized, with one of the highest staff to guest service ratios in the cruise industry.

Reservations for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will open to the public in June 2018, following priority access booking in May 2018 for Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Rewards loyalty members.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection guests will enjoy an all-inclusive luxury sailing experience including spacious accommodations, onboard activities and entertainment, multiple dining venues, onboard gratuities and WiFi. Voyage prices will vary based upon the itinerary and season.

Costa introduces new livery

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 April 2018 10 April 2018

To celebrate its 70th anniversary year, the ships in the Costa Cruises fleet will feature a new livery that pays tribute to Italy, the company's homeland since its foundation.

A stylised Italian flag, as well as the name of the ship, will be painted on the bow in a specially designed new font in larger lettering than previously.

The first ship to display the new livery is Costa Mediterranea. The logo was painted during a short cruise in the Mediterranean: on Thursday 5 April, during a port call at Marseille, the left side of the bow was painted, and the day after in Savona, it was the turn of the right side.

By the end of the year the rest of the Costa fleet currently in service will also be painted. The project also covers the new ships under construction, including Costa Venezia and Costa Smeralda, scheduled to be delivered in March 2019 and October 2019 respectively.

So the Italian flag will wave at the bow of Costa ships, as well as at the stern, taking “Italy's finest” to around 250 destinations across the globe.

Industry should be more creative to attract solo traveler, family first timers

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 April 2018 10 April 2018

A survey has revealed first-time cruiser trends the industry can tap into if it has the right technology in place. “The first-of-its-kind analysis of 8,878 new-to-cruise enquiries made through leading agents worldwide demonstrates how cruise packaging, CRM and API tools, and more, can help agencies and cruise lines leverage the growth opportunities in the first-time cruise market,” Traveltek Group, the Scottish company that conduced the survey, said in a statement.

Fly-cruise represented 26% of all first-time cruiser enquiries, but dropped off to just 9% of travel agency quotes, suggesting bookers were reticent to package the flight and airline components together.

Eighty one per cent of enquiries and quotes were for two adults, reflecting how the cruise market needs to find ways to attract other demographics such as solo travellers and families by offering more flexible cabin pricing and configurations.

River cruising is starting to appeal to first-time cruisers, with river cruise specialist Riviera Travel featuring in the top 10 cruise lines enquired about (7^thplace), quoted (7^thplace) and booked (10^th).

In terms of top river cruise lines booked, Riviera Travel took the top slot across all three categories, with Avalon Waterways taking second place across all three. The remainder was split between five other river cruise specialists, suggesting these lines feature on the API when others don’t.

Africa cruise itineraries were place high on the list of top 10 destinations that first-time cruisers enquired about (6^th place) but did not feature on the top 10 list of destinations quoted. This suggests either cruise lines are yet to offer many Africa itineraries or if they do, agents are not aware of them.

Their decisions were price-led, with 32% enquiring about inside cabins. This presents savvy agents with opportunities to use their product knowledge to upsell. Actual quotes for inside cabins declined to 26%, while quotes for cabins with balconies increased to 29% (up from 27% at enquiry point).

Itineraries of between six and nine nights dominated enquiries (35%), quotes (49%) and bookings (46%).

Following analysis of the results, the survey findings revealed several opportunities that cruise and leisure agents can leverage with the right booking tools and software at their fingertips.

The survey, which draws on data from 2017, also compared enquiries to quotations and bookings made through Traveltek’s iSell CRM platform. At the same time, it captured practical data of the first-time cruiser profile and found the following markets offered huge growth opportunities, Traveltek said.

Seabourn to offer new outdoor dining concept

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 09 April 2018 09 April 2018

Seabourn has a new dining experience for guests to savor in the open sea air. Introducing Earth & Ocean at The Patio, an a la carte dinner venue developed by consulting Chef Anton Egger to entice guests with candlelight seating and a sophisticated menu celebrating flavors rooted in authentic local favorite foods from around the world. Set to debut with the launch of the line’s newest ship, Seabourn Ovation, in May 2018, the new poolside al fresco culinary option will be offered during dinner service and will be fleetwide by spring 2019.

“'Earth & Ocean at The Patio continues the evolution of dining experiences across the Seabourn fleet, offering guests a culinary voyage to far-flung regions of the world served in a remarkably welcoming and relaxing open-air space,” said Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn. “The new concept, which has some really unique service elements, will be one of many highlights for guests to savor with the launch of Seabourn Ovation, and we look forward to expanding it to all of our ships in the year ahead.”

Egger has worked with Seabourn on numerous culinary projects, with Earth & Ocean at The Patio as the latest. He developed the concept, creating new recipes, table settings, and background music, and worked closely with Corporate Chef Franck Salein, who assisted on various aspects of the new venue.

Diners at Earth & Ocean at The Patio can look forward to a distinctive dining experience unlike any other on board, with an imaginative array of fresh, inventive dishes from around the world served in a relaxed setting under the stars illuminated with help of fading sunlight and soothing moonlight. The food will be complex yet genuine, rooted in favorite tastes from many regions around the world and served with the flawless hospitality for which Seabourn is so admired.

The Patio will continue to offer its regular poolside lunch service, featuring salads, soups, grilled specialties, and a selection of gourmet pizzas in the afternoon. Guests can also enjoy a signature Napa burger developed by culinary partner Chef Thomas Keller, as well as an artisanal hotdog dubbed the Yountwurst, named for the hometown of The French Laundry, Ad Hoc, and the original Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery.

“What is familiar to some Seabourn guests will be a completely new experience to others,” noted Egger, who, like many culinary talents, draws ideas and innovations from his travels. After getting his start in Austria, he staged in France and Switzerland, and then continued to travel and work across the globe, taking inspiration from the many culinary rich regions he visited, including Asia, India, the Caribbean and South America, the U.S., South Africa and more.

Guests arriving at Earth & Ocean at The Patio may be welcomed with items like smoked bacon grissini and house-made artisanal country bread. Other dishes will be served in simple and memorable ways, such as in still-sizzling long-handled black iron skillets, or ceramic Moroccan tagines covered to hold in moisture and smoke to produce succulent, full-flavored results. The restaurant’s menus will change daily, including a different dish cooked in a tagine each night.

There will be more cooking methods and innovative presentations including salads and tasty dishes; meat brochettes quick-fired or grilled; beef brisket slow-cooked or braised; and traditional Chinese-style filled bao buns. The venue will also offer a different farmer’s-style finishing course each evening, such as shareable oven-baked camembert or brie accompanied by a pot of honey pommery mustard and toasted rustic bread. Desserts of similarly shareable sweet temptations such as oven-baked peaches or slow-roasted pineapples served with house-made gelato will also be featured.

The entire menu will be served with distinctive table settings created in collaboration with ceramic artist Wynne Noble of Noble Plateware in New York and fashioned in the soothing colors of our earth and oceans.

Seabourn will continue to reveal updates about Seabourn Ovation via the dedicated microsite: www.ovation.seabourn.com. Alive with imagery, details and news of the ship’s continuing progress, including “sunsets until launch,” the microsite offers an inside look at the excitement of the upcoming launch, with additional details, news and images revealed on an ongoing basis.