Thomson Cruises to re-introduce ex-UK cruising

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 03 March 2016 03 March 2016

Thomson Cruises has today announced that it will re-introduce ex-UK cruising as it continues to build on its pledge to position choice and flexibility at its heart – with customers able to sail out of Newcastle from summer 2017.

The move is the latest step Thomson Cruises has taken towards providing cruisers with a wider-than-ever range of choice, with ten new itineraries and a range of durations from four to 14 nights, visiting key ports in the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia and the Baltics, including Copenhagen, Stockholm, St Petersburg and Reykjavik on board Thomson Celebration.

In addition to this, Thomson Cruises has announced that customers on board new ship Thomson Discovery will have an enhanced selection of on-board facilities at their disposal, including new dining and entertainment options, and a whole host of family-friendly facilities.

With four breakfast venues, seven lunch venues and seven dinner venues, passengers will be able to choose between casual and formal, gourmet and street, healthy and indulgent, with only two restaurants requiring an additional charge, meaning there is more included in the price of the holiday than ever before. Thomson Cruises is also delighted to introduce celebrity chef and restaurateur, Ian Pengelley, to the team. One of the world’s leading Pan-Asian chefs, Ian will oversee the menu at Kora La, the on board Pan-Asian restaurant and sushi bar. Ian previously held the role of Executive Head Chef at Harrods and has appeared on a variety of prime time cookery TV shows.

Discovery will also see the introduction of a new entertainment programme, with everything from innovative virtual bands to interactive quizzes and music from the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. A team of big names will also join the ship to create 11 new West End-style shows, including choreographer and dancer Tara Wilkinson, who has worked on hit shows, Motown and The Full Monty, and Martyn Ford, a musical arranger and conductor who’s worked alongside musical legends Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The latest ship in the Thomson Cruises fleet will also boast a wide range of family-friendly facilities, including The Wall, a climbing wall with sea views; mini golf; The Hideout, a teen room complete with karaoke booth; and Baby Centre, a space equipped with changing facilities, a food preparation area and somewhere safe to play. A brand new children’s show, ‘Splash Live!’, which sees animated characters come to life to take children on a journey under the sea, will also be added to the entertainment line-up.

Those choices, coupled with a luxurious spa, casino and exclusive adult-only sunbathing area called The Veranda, ensure Thomson Cruises can offer a contemporary experience for the whole family.

Managing Director of Thomson Cruises, Helen Caron, said: “I’m excited to reveal the re-introduction of ex-UK cruising to our programme in 2017. This will open up even more destinations for our customers, giving them the opportunity to create truly memorable experiences.”

“I’m also thrilled to unveil the new family-friendly and adult-only dining and entertainment options on board Discovery, which is key to delivering passengers’ personalised experience. I’m delighted at the calibre of talent involved with bringing this to life and I’m sure it’s something our customers will really value.”

Viking River Cruises names six new Longships in Amsterdam

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 02 March 2016 02 March 2016

Viking River Cruises yesterday welcomed the latest additions to its fleet with the christening of six new Viking Longships during a waterfront celebration in Amsterdam. Recognizing the contribution the travel trade has made to the growth of the river cruise industry, Viking honored six of its key partners by naming them as ceremonial godmothers for the six new ships.

This christening event marks another year of impressive expansion for Viking, occurring just two years after the company set a second Guinness World Record for the most new ships launched in a single day, and just one month before Viking Ocean Cruises launches its second ship, Viking Sea. Of the six new Longships, four will be deployed on Viking’s most popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers; the remaining two will sail the Seine River on Viking’s Paris and the Heart of Normandy itinerary. Later this month, Viking will also debut a seventh new river ship for 2016, Viking Osfrid, which is inspired by the Longships design and specifically built for the Douro River, bringing the company’s total number of ships in Portugal to three.

“River cruising remains one of the fastest-growing segments of travel, and we would not be the leading river cruise line without the help of travel agents,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises. “The naming of ships by ceremonial godmothers is a naval tradition that dates back thousands of years. The partners we have chosen to name our newest ships are experts in their field, and as Viking has marketed the concept of river cruises over the last two decades, they have always recognized our value in the industry. We are honored to have their support and their participation in this year’s celebration.”

Norwegian names China based Norwegian Joy, launches logo and name for Chinese market

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 29 February 2016 29 February 2016

Norwegian Cruise Line, the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd. group, has unveiled the English and Chinese names for the world’s first purpose-built cruise liner for the China market.

“The most innovative ship ever styled exclusively for Chinese guests has been named ‘Norwegian Joy’ – translating into Chinese as 喜悦号 (Xǐ Yuè Hào).The name Norwegian Joy emphasizes the experience that the ship will offer -- 尽享喜悦海上乐园, a promise that guests will ‘Experience Paradise on the Sea,” the company said in a statement.

“After closely studying the Chinese cruise market for several years, we wanted to be clear about what we will deliver to our guests on this spectacular vessel,” said Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Chief Executive Officer Frank Del Rio. “Norwegian Joy will provide the same sense of freedom and flexibility found on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships, but with resort-style vacation experiences and amenities designed specifically with the Chinese guest in mind.”

With a capacity of 3,900 guests, the Breakaway Plus-class vessel will debut in China in Summer 2017. Norwegian Joy is designed specifically for the Chinese traveler, with cuisine and onboard experiences that cater to the unique vacation preferences of Chinese guests the subtleties of Chinese culture and preferences.

“Chinese guests will discover an unmatched quality of service, cuisine, entertainment and retail experience onboard Norwegian Joy that is simply not available in the China market today,” said Senior Vice President and Managing Director of China, David Herrera. “With Norwegian Joy, we will unquestionably offer our Chinese guests a superior product and introduce a new standard of innovation and excellence into what will soon be the world’s second largest cruise market.” Additional details, including the ship’s homeport, accommodations, dining and entertainment will be shared in the coming months.

In addition to the ship name, Norwegian has also revealed a new Chinese name and logo exclusively for the mainland China market. The company’s name will be represented by characters 诺唯真 (Nuò Wéi Zhēn), translating as a ‘Promising, Exclusive and Authentic’ cruise line.

Former Sun Princess of 1972 capsized at Laem Chabang

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 29 February 2016 29 February 2016

Ocean Dream, which was built as Spirit of London in 1972 and renamed Sun Princess two years later, has capsized and partially sunk at the port of Laem Chabang in Thailand, a local media report says.

The vessel was last owned by undisclosed Chinese principals.

Originally ordered by Norwegian Caribbean Lines –as the company then was called – as a sister vessel to their 1971 built Southward – it was sold to P&O Cruises in the UK after the Norwegian company had refused to accept a higher price the Italian yard demanded for the second ship.

Introduced in 1972 as Spirit of London, the 17,370 gross ton ship was renamed Sun Princess in 1974 after P&O had acquired Princess Cruises. After it left the Princess fleet in 1988, it went through several changes of name and ownership.

The ship should not be confused with the current Sun Princess that was built in 1995 and which remains in service.