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Mitsui Ocean Cruises signs culinary partnership with Chef Kiyomi Mikuni

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 October 2024 25 October 2024

MOL Cruises, Ltd., which operates under the brand name Mitsui Ocean Cruises, recently announced an exclusive cruise line partnership with award-winning Chef Kiyomi Mikuni, Japan’s proud master of Japanese French fusion cuisine. This premier collaboration will serve Chef Mikuni’s first-ever culinary experiences on a cruise ship – the new Mitsui Ocean Fuji – debuting Dec. 1, 2024.

Renowned for the stylistic beauty and delicate taste of cuisine onboard its Nippon Maru cruise ship, by adding Chef Mikuni’s expertise and one-of-a-kind dishes to its dining program, Mitsui Ocean Cruises now lays claim to having the best food and culinary experiences at sea.

One of Japan’s highest-rated chefs, owner of award-winning restaurants and best-selling author, Chef Mikuni is internationally known for creating his own “Japonese” while perfectly understanding and expressing traditional French cuisine. Chef Mikuni is the first-ever Japanese chef to receive the “Chevalier of the Legion of Honour” from the Republic of France in 2015.

Mitsui Ocean Fuji guests will have the exclusive opportunity to enjoy the delicate cuisine of Chef Mikuni at sea, tasting his curated French dishes that also combine traditional Japanese ingredients. His memorable dining experiences offer the heartfelt “omotenashi” service of Japan and the praise of delicious cuisine, as he oversees the following onboard dining menus:

HOKUSAI FINE DINING: Named after the famous Japanese Artist Katsushika Hokusai who created many famous renderings of Mount Fuji, Chef Mikuni will bring to the table the highest quality of presentation, service and local Japanese seasonal ingredients. The prix fixe, five-course dinner, includes the amuse-bouche, hors d’oeuvres, Japanese-French-inspired main dishes, desserts and petit fours. The menu will also feature vegetarian and gluten-free selections.

Menu offerings include Pacific Bluefin Tuna Tartare; Japanese Spiny Lobster and Truffle Salad; Brittany Blue Lobster Cabbage Wrapped with Caviar; Wagyu Beef Filet Rossini with Foie Gras and Truffles; and Passion Blancmange, Apricot Bavarois with Lychee Sorbet. Chef Mikuni has also hand selected a specially curated wine list.

Guests staying in the top 36 Unjo Suites will receive one complimentary dinner for two in HOKUSAI FINE DINING. A specialty dining cover charge applies for all other guests.

THE RESTAURANT FUJI: For the ship’s namesake main dining restaurant, Chef Mikuni will create a selection of main dishes rotating on the dinner menus, including Salmon Compote with Red Wine Sauce, Red Sea Bream with Escargot Butter Sauce and Vietnamese Rice Bowl with Japanese Vegetables. Mitsui Ocean Cruises’ famous roast beef and other delicacies that became favorites on Nippon Maru will continue to be served onboard.

Katsutoshi Nakayama, Executive Chef of Mitsui Ocean Fuji, remarked “As the most experienced and traditional cruise line in Japan, our culinary team has always been praised by our guests for their meticulous preparation and presentation of fresh ingredients from local purveyors. Partnering with Chef Mikuni to oversee our new specialty restaurant Hokusai and select dishes in the main dining room onboard our new Mitsui Ocean Fuji combines our heritage and commitment to serve memorable dishes with his expertise and unique style, with exquisite French and Japanese culinary fusion.”

Chef Mikuni added, “The culinary vision of Mitsui Ocean Fuji with a high standard to serve extraordinary dishes matches my one true passion of cooking. Partnering with the most experienced cruise line in Japan to bring my innovative flair to guests while they sail around Japan and beyond on the new Mitsui Ocean Fuji is a joy for me. Like the namesake of my first restaurant at sea, Hokusai, I also draw my inspiration from painting, crafting works of art on a plate, blending the right balance of Asian and European elements to create the perfect taste with each bite.”

Meyer Werft delivers Disney Treasure

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 October 2024 24 October 2024

Meyer Werft today delivered the Disney Treasure, to Disney Cruise Line. The Disney Treasure features some of the most complex and innovative entertainment facilities in the cruise industry. The ship has been completed earlier than contractually agreed and will set sail with guests in December.

“We are very happy to hand over the Disney Treasure to Disney Cruise Line today. She is the newest milestone in our longstanding partnership and everyone at Meyer Werft has put a lot of effort and passion into Disney Treasure”, says CEO Bernd Eikens. Together with Bernard Meyer and Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Signature Experiences, Eikens signed the handover papers.

“The Disney Treasure is yet another example of how we’re bringing the magic of Disney cruising to more fans than ever before – and today, we are one step closer to debuting this spectacular ship to the world,” said Mazloum. “We’re incredibly thankful for our work with Meyer Werft and look forward to our bright future together as we continue to expand the Disney Cruise Line fleet.”

New adventures await families aboard the Disney Treasure with imaginative experiences inspired by Disney’s rich portfolio of stories. These include theatrical dining inspired by Pixar’s “Coco,” an original Broadway-style adaptation of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “Moana,” and an all-new collection of Disney Parks-inspired lounges for adults, like the first-ever Haunted Mansion-themed bar.

The Disney Treasure is the latest ship to join Disney Cruise Line’s fleet and the fourth Disney ship built by Meyer Werft. Meyer Werft and Disney Cruise Line have a longstanding relationship, that started with the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, which were delivered in 2010 and 2012. In 2022, the Disney Treasure’s sister ship, the Disney Wish, was handed over to Disney Cruise Line. The third ship in the class, the Disney Destiny, is currently under construction in Papenburg and will be delivered in 2025. In August, Disney Cruise Line and Meyer Werft announced that the German shipyard will build four additional ships that will join Disney Cruise Line’s fleet between 2027 and 2031.

Meyer Werft has contracted 10 cruise ships, a research vessel and four offshore converter platforms, which will be delivered until 2031.

Fincantieri and Viking sign contracts for two cruise ships plus four options

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 October 2024 23 October 2024

Fincantieri and Viking have announced that they have signed contracts for the construction of two new cruise ships, based on the successful features of the previous vessels, which Fincantieri has already built for this shipowner in its Italian yards. The units will be delivered in 2030. The value of this agreement, subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions, is considered as large.

Fincantieri and Viking have also reached an agreement for four additional ships in option with deliveries scheduled for 2031 and 2032.

The new ships will be built according to the latest environmental rules and navigation regulations and will be equipped with the most modern safety systems. They will boast all innovations made available by the ongoing cooperation between Fincantieri and Viking for the development of eco-friendly fuels and of sustainable zero- emission power generation systems.

The new vessels will be placed in the small cruise ship segment, the gross tonnage is about 54,300 tons and they will accommodate 998 passengers on board in 499 cabins.

The agreement reflects the strong and long-lasting relationship between Fincantieri and Viking dating back to 2012- and whose collaboration encompasses, as of today, a total of 22 ships, including the two purpose-built expedition units of the Norwegian subsidiary Vard.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, commented: “This new order represents another step forward in our collaboration with Viking, further consolidating Fincantieri as a global leader in naval engineering innovation. This agreement not only strengthens our order book, but it ensures further depth of work in our shipyards over the long term, positioning us at the forefront of driving the industry towards energy transition. Our ability to integrate cutting-edge technologies is a testament to our commitment to building ships for tomorrow, aligned with the climate challenges and opportunities in the cruise industry, as outlined in our Industrial Plan.”

Fincantieri cuts steel for Seven Seas Prestige

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 October 2024 21 October 2024

Today, the steel-cutting ceremony for Seven Seas Prestige, the new ultra luxury cruise ship of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the world’s leading ultra luxury cruise line and a brand of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera (Venice). The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2026 and will be followed by a sister ship in 2029.

The ceremony was attended, among others, by Harry Sommer, President & Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd; Andrea DeMarco, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of Fincantieri's Merchant Ships Division; and Marco Lunardi, Director of the Marghera yard.

With a gross tonnage of 77,000 tons and a length of 257 meters, Seven Seas Prestige will accommodate approximately 850 passengers in 434 spacious suites, offering one of the highest guest-to-space ratios in the industry. The ship will embody sophistication and refinement that is the epitome of timeless elegance, integrating the most advanced environmental technologies and introducing new accommodation categories, new dining experiences, and many more incredible experiences for luxury travelers.

Seven Seas Prestige will be the first vessel in the new Prestige Class, a generation of ships following the highly successful Explorer series, also built by Fincantieri: Seven Seas Explorer (2016), Seven Seas Splendor (2020), and Seven Seas Grandeur (2023), delivered respectively from the Sestri Ponente (Genoa) and Ancona shipyards.

American Cruise Lines announces American Maverick and American Ranger

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 October 2024 20 October 2024

American Cruise Lines recently announced the construction of American Maverick and American Ranger. These new 125-passenger ships are the 7th and 8th vessels in the company’s Project Blue series of small ships for the U.S. market. American Maverick and American Ranger will both begin cruising in 2026, directly following the 2025 debuts of American Patriot, American Pioneer, and new riverboat American Encore (2026).

American’s Project Blue series began with four 100-passenger Coastal Cats introduced in 2023 and 2024. The newest Patriot Class ships, American Maverick and American Ranger (2026), and previously announced American Patriot and American Pioneer (2025), represent the latest iteration in the ongoing series. All 12 Project Blue ships are being built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, the company’s affiliated shipyard in Salisbury, Maryland.

Accommodating 125 guests, American Maverick and American Ranger will be fully stabilized coastwise ships for smooth sailing along the Eastern Seaboard. The Patriot Class ships will increase the itinerary options for the company’s growing array of coastal cruises from Maine to Florida. American Cruise Lines remains the only cruise line in the world with a fleet of 100% U.S. flagged riverboats and small ships, enabling fully-domestic river and coastal itineraries that no other lines offer.

American Maverick and American Ranger will offer 5 decks with elegant interior design and 100% private balcony accommodations—56 spacious staterooms, for both double and single occupancy. The 4th deck on both ships will house all-suite accommodations ranging from 420 to 620 square feet.

The newest and most stunning feature on American Maverick and American Ranger will be the 5th deck Sky Lounge; an entire deck dedicated to relaxation and recreation, offering panoramic views, comfortable lounge seating, a 360° Skywalk (walking track), and a casual outdoor Back Porch Café. Both new ships will also feature an expansive Main Lounge and Restaurant on deck 1, with water views from every seat; a Bow Terrace and Horizon Lounge on deck 3; and an indoor Fitness Center on deck 4—extraordinary amenities for ships of this size.

When American Maverick and American Ranger begin sailing in 2026, American Cruise Lines will operate 24 small ships across the country, sailing the largest collection of fully domestic River and Coastal itineraries ever offered in the United States. The company continues to respond to the demand for 100% U.S. itineraries by introducing new ships with world-class amenities—unlocking amazing new opportunities for cruising closer to home year after year.