Ferry booking resource Direct Ferries launches new look website

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 May 2015 06 May 2015

Direct Ferries, the online ferry booking platform, says it has launched a new look website, www.directferries.co.uk which offers access to 91 ferry companies (and the Eurotunnel), 1,542 ferry routes and over 355 ferry ports offering connections by sea to over 96 countries and islands.*

"Direct Ferries is the one-stop shop for ferry travellers. The site features thousands of ferry crossings and the very best ferry deals all in one place, (currently ferries from Dover to Calais start at £36)," it said in a statement.

There is a comprehensive list of ports and detailed information on routes and destinations, allowing travellers to find the cheapest and most direct ferry crossing. It is not just about deals, the route and port finder makes it easy to find out which operators sail on which routes by looking at a country or by port in the drop down list.

The website features routes all over the world, for example sailings from South Korea to Japan and Russia to Sweden. A handy route map is clearly visible and a simple bar graph shows the average prices paid on a month by month basis.

Matt Davies, managing director at Direct Ferries, said: “We have worked very hard to make the website as clear and easy to navigate as possible. By featuring the best ferry deals in one place, together with informative destination content; customers will not need to look anywhere else. We encourage our customers to interact with us by providing information about their journey, and by rating the ship they travelled on. This means we can provide detailed information on each of the ferry companies on the site, as well as include customer opinions and on board reviews of each of the ships we feature.”

The site also offers train and ferry combined tickets and has a dedicated mini cruise section. By partnering with accommodation provider, booking.com, visitors to the site also have the widest choice of accommodation at the best available prices. Whether stopping overnight on the way to or from the ferry port, or looking for accommodation for the duration of the holiday, there are hotels included for every port and destination. Freight customers are also catered for with a dedicated freight ferry booking service, the company said.

New Panama Canal toll structure approved

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 05 May 2015 05 May 2015

Following the recommendation made by the Panamá Canal Authority Board of Directors, the Cabinet Council of the Republic of Panamá has officially approved the proposal to modify the Canal toll structure. Alan Lam reports.

After more than a year of informal consultations with representatives from various industry segments, public hearing, and an open call for comments, a new toll regime has been agreed upon. The revised structure will price each vessel segment based on different units of measurement: dry bulkers, for example, will be based on their deadweight tonnage capacities; LNG and LGP carriers will be based on cubic metre capacities; tankers will be based on Panamá Canal Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tons and metric tons for cargo; and containership will continue to be based on TEUs.

There is no notable change in the passenger ship toll structure: tolls for cruise vessels will continue to be levied based on berths or PC/UMS. In addition, a new Intra Maritime Cluster segment has been created to include local tourism vessels and other types of ships that are not in competition with international trades.

Broadly speaking, cruise ships using the current Panamax passage will be charged $138 per berth, while those using the new post-Panamax locks will pay $148 per berth.

The new adjusted tolls are scheduled to come into force on 1 April 2016.

On 28 April the Panamá Canal widening project reached a new milestone with the installation of the last of the 16 floodgates for the new locks on the Pacific side. These steel gates were manufactured by Fincantieri in Italy. The Canal is now 85% complete, with 87.6% of all required components already installed.

On 7 May 2008, the cargo ship MSC Fabienne set the record of being the ship that has so far paid the highest toll on Panamá Canal, having paid $317,142 for its passage. Prior to that, the record was held by the cruise ship Norwegian Pearl, which, on 7 October 2007, paid $313,000 for using the Canal. The record for paying the lowest toll was set in 1928 by Richard Halliburton who swam the Canal over a period of ten days, paying just $0.36. The current average tariff is about $54,000 per vessel.

USA, China, Chile, Japan and South Korea are the main Canal users.

MSC Splendida homeports in Hamburg

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 May 2015 01 May 2015

MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line, today celebrated the maiden call in Hamburg of MSC Splendida – the most spacious cruise ship with the richest choice of amenities ever to call at Germany’s top cruise port.

An indication of MSC Cruises’ increasing investment in the German market, and in Hamburg in particular, MSC Splendida is the first “Fantasia” class ship – the line’s largest and newest class of ships – to be based at the northern German port for a season.

MSC Splendida will homeport in Hamburg for the summer season, making 13 sailings around northern Europe, encompassing the British Isles, the Norwegian fjords and Iceland.

In addition to featuring the MSC Yacht Club – MSC’s exclusive ship within a ship luxury offering – MSC Splendida offers the most comprehensive range of dining, entertainment and relaxation experiences of any cruise ship ever to serve the German market. Her amenities include 20 bars, six restaurants, five swimming pools – including a large aqua park, 4D cinema, F1 simulator and a variety of wellness, sports, and family options. With 1,637-staterooms, the ship is 137,936 GRT, 1092 feet-long, and 125 feet-wide.

MSC Splendida’s arrival in Hamburg was marked by a ceremonial crest exchange between the ship’s Captain, Giuseppe Maresca, and the Harbourmaster of Hamburg, Jörg Pollman, with MSC Cruises Executive Chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago, Hamburg Senator, Frank Horch, and a large international media contingent in attendance.

Addressing the event, MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Home-porting MSC Splendida – one of our largest and finest ships – here is a natural progression for us, following four years of increasing investment in Hamburg.”

He added: “MSC Cruises has already brought around 350,000 vacationers through Hamburg. And this summer MSC Splendida will make 13 sailings – adding more than 100,000 to that total. Our decision to bring MSC Splendida here is rooted in a concrete commitment to this world-class destination.”

That commitment began in 2010 when the Company christened MSC Magnifica in Hamburg, dubbed Germany’s “Gateway to the World.” In addition to deploying MSC Splendida from Hamburg, MSC Cruises will this month base MSC Orchestra in Kiel and MSC Sinfonia in Warnemünde, enabling thousands of German and international travellers to discover the Baltic capitals and the rugged coastlines, islands and fjords of Norway. Additionally, MSC Orchestra and MSC Sinfonia will also offer northern European “Grand Tours,” where two back-to-back cruises combine to create one unforgettable 14-night voyage.

MSC Divina makes maiden call in New York

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 30 April 2015 30 April 2015

New York City welcomed the MSC Divina as it called at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal for the first time on April 29 and April 30.

To mark the occasion, a plaques and keys ceremony was held on board MSC Divina on April 29. Captain Pier Paola Scala, Elizabeth Shearin, vice president of cruise operations for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and Kenneth Winkler, general manager for Ports America, exchanged plaques while a few hundred travel agents witnessed the unique traditional exchange.

While in New York, the company hosted more than 900 travel agents on board – allowing them to tour and experience the ship first hand. Travel agents also attended a presentation by Rick Sasso, president of MSC Cruises USA, and Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, PR, & guest services for MSC Cruises, in which they learned about the future growth of the company and particularly the line’s aggressive plans for expansion in North America.

In addition, MSC featured its completely new booking engine for travel agents, MSC Book, to the agency community. While on board, travel agents were able to participate in hour-long live demo sessions and test out the new system.

MSC Divina overnighted in New York City as part of her transatlantic crossing. She is now headed to the Mediterranean where she will stay for the summer season. Highlights of MSC Divina’s itinerary in the Mediterranean include the ability for guests to embark in two marquee ports: Civitavecchia (Rome) on Saturdays and Barcelona on Wednesdays; late night stays in La Spezia, enabling guests to visit nearby cities of Pisa, Florence, Portofino and Cinque Terre; late night stays in Palma de Mallorca, allowing guests to enjoy the lively nightlife of the island; and a call in Naples, allowing time to visit Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast.

Upon her return from the Mediterranean in November 2015, MSC Divina  will start year-round Caribbean sailings from Miami.