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Viking Sky launched at Ancona, Hagen sees South America, Asia and expedition cruises as new destinations

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 March 2016 24 March 2016

Alan Lam reports

On 23 March, at the float-out ceremony of its latest newbuilding, Viking Sky, Viking Ocean Cruises confirmed that it had three more ships due from Fincantieri at Ancona, slated for delivery in late 2017, 2018 and 2020.

According to the company’s chairman and founder, Torstein Hagen, speaking on board Viking Star, Viking Ocean Cruises could grow its fleet to 10 vessels within the next five years. “We have options for up to six ocean ships,” he said, without mincing his words.

“Then our idea is to hopefully build two ships a year every year thereafter. I think we have proved that we know exactly what the customers want. We placed orders when nobody else had the balls to do it. We are in a very strong financial position.”

All the ships, dabbed as the “Venice class”, will have the capacity to carry 930 passengers each.

Hagen indicated that Viking Ocean would look to South America and Asia, particularly Singapore and Hong Kong, as possible destinations for the new ships, without ruling out the possibility of a world cruise and expedition cruises to Antarctica; but he ruled out any plan to expand into new source markets beyond the U.S.A., U.K., and Australia, and remained confident that demand from these sources would be sufficient to meet the extended capacity.

“Ocean cruise lines do not manage to operate small ships economically,” said Hagen. “We have the benefit that we are a river cruise line, so we are cost-conscious and space-conscious. Our competitors won’t only be Oceania and Azamara, they will be other big cruise lines like Holland America Line. We have designed a ship that can offer this product at a very competitive price.”

CroisiEurope introduces seven vessels for the 2016-2017 season

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 March 2016 23 March 2016

Alan Lam reports

CroisiEurope, the river cruise operator, announces that it will inaugurate seven new and renovated ships during the 2016-2017 season; three of them will enter service in 2106.

On the rivers Elbe and Moldau (Vltava in Czech), from Spring 2016, the company will introduce the 80-pax, 40-cabin paddlewheeler Elbe Princesse for the Berlin-Prague cruise itinerary. The ship is currently under construction at STX France.

On French canals, CroisiEurope will add the small 24-pax, 12-cabin Déborah, which will serve a new Briare-Nevers itinerary on Briare Canal, between Borgoña and Loire Valley. Danièle, the other vessel of the same capacity is earmarked to serve the Borgoña Canal. Both units are due for delivery this year.

Four more vessels will be inaugurated in 2017.

On River Duero in Portugal, in April 2017, the company will introduce a fifth, the innovative triple-bridged, 66-cabin and 132-pax vessel, currently under construction at Sambre & Meuse in Namur. The ship will join the existing four units already in operation. The proposed route for this vessel will be the 8-day Oporto-Regua itinerary.

On the Mekong, CroisiEurope will also add a fifth vessel, the 60-pax, 30-cabin neo-colonial Indochine. The ship will sail between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City.

On the Danube and the Rhine, the recently renovated and re-baptised Symphonie II (formerly Symphonie) and Douce France II (formerly Douce France) will serve the two rivers, respectively.

As a leading river cruise operator, CroisiEurope is accelerating its expansion.

Travel agent focused conference Cruise360 to be held in Marseille in October

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 March 2016 23 March 2016

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said that a new three day conference targeting travel agents, the largest of its kind in Europe, will take place in Marseille in October.

Cruise360 Marseille will combine a conference, multi-lingual business sessions and a trade fair for CLIA travel agent members while also showcasing cruise ships rarely seen in British ports. The event will bring together travel agents, cruise line executives, destinations and CLIA Executive Partners.

Cruise360 Marseille will take place between 20 and 22 October with optional ship visit days on 19 and 23 October. CLIA travel agent members will have the opportunity to visit up to seven ships – Holland America Line’s Oosterdam (19th); Carnival Vista (20th); MSC Poesia and Norwegian Epic (22nd) and Costa Diadema, Thomson Majesty and Celebrity Reflection (23rd).

Travel agents will also be hosted on excursions around Marseille and will enjoy a gala dinner in the spectacular Palais de la Bourse. “For the first time we are able to bring together our European travel agent members in one location where we can showcase a variety of ships while providing business sessions and networking opportunities.” said Andy Harmer, CLIA Europe VP Operations, in a statement.

He continued: “Four hundred delegates are expected to attend including more than 200 travel agents. Our British and Irish travel agent members will be able to visit ships which rarely call in to UK ports but which will have great appeal to potential customers. It’s also a great opportunity to share best practices and to visit Marseille, a port which attracts more than 1.7 million passenger visits a year.”

P&O Cruises to base Oceana at Malta in 2017 as part of new programme

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 March 2016 22 March 2016

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation& plc group, has published its 2017-18 programme, which includes basing the 77,441 gross ton Oceana at Malta.

“Offering more adventure and greater choice, it features new and inspiring destinations, more ex-UK cruising, more discovery cruise options, a 2018 world cruise collection, scenic cruising, special event cruises, new seven- and 14-night Mediterranean fly-cruises from Malta on Oceana and a choice of Greek island ventures,” the company said in a statement. Up till now, Oceana has been based in Savona and Venice for its fly cruises.

Pre-registration opens on March 21 and the programme will go on sale to Top Tier Peninsular Club members from March 31 and on general sale from April 4. 2017 prices start from £599 per person for a seven-night cruise from Southampton. In addition, anyone booking a Select Price 2017/2018 holiday by May 31, 2016 will receive a 5% past guest discount or 10% discount on Captain’s Choice cruises. There is an additional 5% discount on Peninsular Club cruises up until departure.

Due to popular demand P&O Cruises is expanding its discovery cruises programme. These longer cruises, ranging from 12-19 nights on board mid-sized ships Oriana, Arcadia and Aurora, are tailored to include lesser-frequented ports packed with local charm. In 2017, there will be an even greater choice with 13 discovery cruises, primarily based in the Western and Central Mediterranean, with further options of an Iberia & Canary Islands cruise and a Baltic cruise. Oriana will offer nine cruises while Arcadia and Aurora will each offer two.

P&O Cruises offers more departures out of Southampton than any other cruise line, year round. Guests in pursuit of sunshine can cruise to the Mediterranean, Canaries and Caribbean; those wanting breathtaking scenery and a taste of the Nordic way of life should choose itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, Baltic and Iceland; for city breakers there is a range of short breaks and Iberian cruises; those in search of the American dream and stunning autumn colour can take the Canada & New England cruises; or, for something a little closer to home, there are British Isles cruises.

An exciting range of itineraries will depart weekly from Malta and visit a wealth of Western, Eastern and Central Mediterranean ports. Highlights include Venice and Dubrovnik and a selection of Greek islands for Eastern Mediterranean seven-night cruises, including Rhodes, Crete and Santorini. One Eastern Mediterranean cruise will include an overnight in Istanbul and a call in Villefranche, France, to take in the drama of the Monaco Grand Prix in glamorous Monte Carlo.

P&O Cruises has responded to demand for new itineraries and more destinations with an exciting 2018 world cruise collection. Arcadia will set off on a 99-night western circumnavigation; Aurora will take in Cape Horn to celebrate South America for 65 nights; and Oriana will lap up the Caribbean and American sunshine with a 50-night Discovery cruise.

For 2017, P&O Cruises will continue to offer itineraries that take in a selection of exhilarating festivals and events to appeal to those guests with special interests. Themes include music and dance, sport food and drink, fireworks and flowers.

P&O Cruises is introducing even more scenic cruising including a partial transit of the Panama Canal, cruising past south Cornwall; into New York past the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island and Brooklyn Bridge; along the St Lawrence River into Quebec; through the Messina Strait; past Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord, Auralsfjord, Innvikfjorden, Lustrafjorden, Nordfjord, Romsdalsfjord, Storfjorden, Sunnylsvfjorden; and through the Oslo Fjord and the second largest archipelago in the Baltic into Stockholm,’ the company stated.

Viking Cruises to sponsor Vikings Exhibition in New York

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 March 2016 22 March 2016

Viking Cruises has announced that it has signed on as presenting sponsor of The Vikings Exhibition, which recently debuted in New York City’s Discovery Times Square.

“The new deal builds on Viking’s commitment to supporting cultural programming around the world, with current and past partners including PBS’ MASTERPIECE, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Museum of Russian Art and the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibition. The company also sponsored this exhibition during its successful tenure at Chicago’s Field Museum in 2015,” the company said in a statement

“Viking’s commitment to cultural exploration extends far beyond the walls of our ships,” said Richard Marnell, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Viking Cruises. “In addition to the obvious connection The Vikings Exhibition shares with our company name, both our guests and Discovery Times Square visitors seek to enrich their lives through history, culture, and exploration, so this partnership is a natural fit.”

With the largest display of Viking artefacts ever to visit North America, The Vikings Exhibition explores the rich Viking culture with more than 500 treasures, some never before seen outside of Scandinavia. Visitors can marvel at full-scale model Viking ships, experience daily life of the Viking people with hands-on interactive activities, and learn about Norse mythology dating as far back as 750-1100 AD with displays of exquisite jewellery, metalwork craftsmanship, and religious iconography including the earliest known Scandinavian crucifix and striking silver pendants representing the pagan gods.