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AIDA Cruises takes delivery of AIDAprima

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 March 2016 14 March 2016

AIDA Cruises, the German unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, says it has taken delivery of AIDAPrima, the first of two 124,500 gross ton newbuildings from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan.

Although the delivery was significantly delayed from the original contract date, the vessel will arrive in Hamburg earlier than anticipated and it will offer an additional four night cruise to Southampton from Hamburg on 25 April.

AIDAprima is the largest vessel in the fleet of the Rostock based company.

AIDA Cruises names AIDAprima godmother

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 March 2016 11 March 2016

The well-known young actress Emma Schweiger will christen AIDAprima, the new flagship of AIDA Cruises, as part of the 827th Hamburg Port Anniversary on May 7, 2016. Germany’s leading cruise company made the announcement on March 11, 2016, during the ITB in Berlin. Emma Schweiger greeted all guests via video message that is also posted at www.aida.de/neuegeneration. The 13-year-old has already captivated millions of people with roles in hit movies such as Rabbit Without Ears (“Keinohrhasen”), Rabbit Without Ears 2 (“Zweiohrküken”), “Kokowääh” and Head Full of Honey (“Honig im Kopf”).

“Emma is perfect for the role of AIDAprima godmother. She is an unparalleled embodiment of the young, fresh, unconventional attitude towards life that the AIDA brand stands for. With her naturalness and zest for life, she is a delight to many people in Germany, regardless of their age,” says Felix Eichhorn President AIDA Cruises.

“I am so happy to have the chance to be godmother of this super cool ship. I think that no matter your age, everybody should be able to do what they think is most fun especially on vacation – without stress and obligations. And that is exactly what I can do on AIDAprima,” says godmother Emma Schweiger.

Under the motto “Experience the christening of the year!”, AIDA Cruises is presenting its new flagship AIDAprima and the diversity of the vacation options with numerous activities on shore and on the water as the main sponsor of the 827th Hampurg Port Anniversary from May 5–8, 2016.

AIDAprima will be entering the Hamburg port accompanied by sister ship AIDAaura in the early morning hours on May 7, 2016. For port anniversary visitors, who would like to see AIDAprima up close, AIDA Cruises is offering a free shuttle boat from Binnenhafen Süd [South Inland Port] (floating pier near Baumwall) to the berth at the Steinwerder Cruise Center on the day of the christening. At about 8 p.m., AIDAprima will leave the Steinwerder Cruise Center for the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, where it will heave to before joining AIDAaura in front of the Harbor Piers (Landungsbrücken) for the christening ceremony. At exactly 10 p.m. a stunning light show on board AIDAprima will usher in the christening ceremony. Emma Schweiger accompanied by Captain Detlef Harms will christen AIDAprima at about 10:15 p.m. The subsequent AIDA fireworks display will turn the night sky over the Elbe into a glittering sea of color.

After a little cruise around the harbor, AIDAprima will bid farewell to Hamburg and the city’s guests and set off on a 7-day voyage to the cities in Western Europe.

AIDA Cruises is also going to broadcast the christening live online for everybody not able to be in Hamburg for the event. The christening will also be broadcasted abord the AIDA ships. Additional details will be announced shortly.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to highlight nature and events 2017-18

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 March 2016 10 March 2016

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational operator of four medium sized ships, will highlight regions of natural beauty and events taking place in various parts of the world in 2017-18.

The ships - Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – will be visiting 220 destinations in 70 countries around the globe, plus 118 areas of scenic cruising. The new 2017-18 itineraries will go on general sale from 18 March 2016, the company said in a statement.

“In 2017-18, Fred. Olsen will be making the most of its smaller-sized ships by offering even more river, fjords and scenic cruising, taking guests along narrow sea passages and waterways, and past awe-inspiring scenery. Fred. Olsen will be visiting 118 picturesque scenic sea passages and waterways in 2017-18, totalling almost 1,000 hours of scenic cruising,” the company said.

Following their popularity in 2016, Fred. Olsen will now be offering its ‘Lochs of Scotland’ itinerary across all four of its ships. “This ‘Fred. favourite’ showcases Scotland’s glorious, unspoilt countryside,” the company pointed out.

In all, Fred. Olsen’s ships will be sailing from a total of 10 regional UK departure ports in 2017-18 – Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Falmouth, Liverpool, Newcastle, Rosyth (for Edinburgh), Greenock (for Glasgow)and Belfast.

In 2017-18, Fred. Olsen will be reconfirming its commitment to the port of Newcastle, offering a record 13 departures, between May and September 2017, aboard its 1,350-guest flagship Balmoral. Departures include a five-night ‘Norwegian Fjords’ cruise, an 11-night ‘Swedish Waterways’ holiday and a 15-night ‘Authentic Andalusia’ adventure, taking in seven sunshine ports of call in Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar.

Fred. Olsen’s Boudicca will be setting sail on 10 unique adventures from the Port of Liverpool in 2017-18, including a 26-night ‘Azores & the America’s Cup’ cruise, which has been specially crafted for guests to be able to enjoy the action of the 35th America’s Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda; an eight-night ‘Lochs of Scotland’ cruise; and a 16-night ‘Glitz & Glamour of the French Riviera’ holiday, with calls into eight beautiful locations, including Barcelona, Monaco and Cannes.

Fred. Olsen will also be reinforcing its reputation as the ‘local, global cruise line of choice’ in 2017-18, with 12 departures from Scotland, a country that has historically been very close to the Olsen family: three from Greenock (Glasgow) and nine from Rosyth (Edinburgh). Cruise holidays on offer to Scottish guests include a 10-night ‘French Rivers’ experience, departing from Rosyth on 4th October 2017, and a 10-night ‘Iceland’ adventure from Greenock, setting sail on 16 May 2017.

Black Watch and Balmoral will be embarking on ‘Grand Voyages’ in January 2018, visiting a total of 46 ports in 35 countries between them. Black Watch will be setting sail on a 108-night ‘Wonders of the World’ cruise, whereby guests will experience five of the seven ‘New Wonders of the World’ – Chichén Itzá, the Colosseum, the ‘Lost City’ of Petra, Machu Picchu, and the Taj Mahal – plus the only surviving ‘Ancient Wonder’, the Great Pyramid of Giza. This incredible ‘Holiday of a Lifetime’ is bursting with magical, unforgettable experiences!

Balmoral will be cruising to mighty South America on a 46-night ‘Rio Carnival and River Plate’ adventure, filled with sun, sea, sand and Samba! Highlights include four days in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the famous Rio Carnival, plus calls to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a full day in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises names first female Captain

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 09 March 2016 09 March 2016

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced the promotion of Serena Melani to Captain of Seven Seas Mariner, the world's first all-suite, all-balcony ship.

The first female Captain in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet, Captain Melani – age 42 – is one of just a handful of women to ascend to the rank of captain in the history of the cruise industry. Overseeing 700 passengers and a crew of 450, she embarked February 21 on her maiden voyage as captain – a 12-night South American sojourn, from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro.

“Our guests expect the highest standard of cruising excellence, both in our ships and those who serve aboard it. Captain Melani exemplifies those qualities through her vast experience and leadership abilities,” said Jason Montague, president and chief operating officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “Her promotion to captain is well-earned, and I know she will perform admirably in guiding Seven Seas Mariner as she sails from the Caribbean to Alaska.”

A native of the Tuscany region of Italy, Captain Melani became enamored with the sea at a young age and prepared for her career by attending nautical school. She attained her first shipboard position in 1998, serving on a roll-on/roll-off ship carrying cars and general cargo. Later, after four years working on oil tankers and gas carriers, she made a career switch to the cruise ship industry.

“On cruise ships, you travel to more exotic places and get to meet so many interesting people,” said Captain Melani, whose favorite cruise destination is West Africa. “The ship is like a small village, and I take pride in ensuring that all of our guests experience a unique and enjoyable journey.”

While excited to be commanding a ship for the first time, Captain Melani downplayed the significance of her gender. “Yes, I am a female in a traditional male environment. But when you are on board, you are part of a team. Regardless of your gender, you have a job to do. And you must do it well.”

After seven years with another cruise line, Captain Melani joined Regent Seven Seas in 2010. She has served in several increasingly-responsible officer-level roles, including 2nd officer and safety officer. She most recently served a two-year stint as Staff Captain aboard Seven Seas Mariner, which she now captains.

When not at sea, Captain Melani lives with her husband in Croatia and her native Italy.

Royal Caribbean International unveils Private Journeys

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 09 March 2016 09 March 2016

Adding to Royal Caribbean International’s close to 3,000 shore excursions worldwide, guests will be able to craft personalized shore excursions to immerse themselves in local culture, cuisine and adventure across 288 ports of call in 77 countries. No matter the ship or the sailing, guests can book special Private Journeys, tailored to their budget, interests, experience and travel style.

This concierge-style planning service will connect guests with one of nine Destination Insiders to plan every detail of their shore experience before they set sail. Using their intimate local knowledge, nearly 100 years of combined experience and connections around the world, Destination Insiders will design personalized activities, programs and adventures for individual guests, couples, families and small groups. From cooking alongside Michelin-starred chefs, to wandering through the Italian and French Riviera on a private yacht, Destination Insiders will work hand-in-hand guests to design unique, memory-generating destination experiences that will serve as distinct bragging rights upon returning home.

“Private Journeys is a natural evolution of Royal Caribbean’s renowned shore excursion program that allows us to offer guests the bespoke travel destination experience of their dreams, even if they don’t know exactly what that is yet,” said Roberta Jacoby, Managing Dirictor, Global Tour Operations, Royal Caribbean International. “As travelers continue to seek out more personalized and immersive destination experiences that can be intimately shared with only their family and friends, Private Journeys empowers guests to make that a reality and a seamless element of their Royal Caribbean vacation.”

Private Journeys bookings will require a $100 deposit applicable to the final cost of the destination experience. In celebration of the new launch, Royal Caribbean is waiving the required deposit for all Private Journeys booked before March 31, 2016. Guests with confirmed cruise reservations can begin planning their Private Journey with a dedicated Designation Insider by calling (844) 571-7851 or (801) 666-3031.