Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to visit record 253 destinations in 2016-17, refines offerings

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 March 2015 06 March 2015

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational operator of four medium sized ships, says they will be visiting no fewer than 253 destinations in 84 countries around the globe – more than ever before, in 2016-17. The line will also introduce adults only sailings, although none of the ships will be permanently dedicated to adults. There will be a 45% increase in beds from Newcastle as the line's largest ship will operate a series of cruises from that port.

Fred. Olsen will be sailing from a total of 10 regional UK departure ports in 2016-17 – Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Falmouth – a new addition – Liverpool, Newcastle, Rosyth (for Edinburgh), Greenock (for Glasgow)and Belfast.

In 2016/17, Fred. Olsen’s 1,350-guest flagship, Balmoral, will be sailing from Newcastle for the first time ever, with a record 11 departures, representing a 45% increase in capacity from the port. Departures include: a five-night ‘Norwegian Festival & Fjords’ cruise, visiting Bergen during the ‘International Festival‘; a 10-night ‘UK Castles’ sailing, offering guests the chance to visit Balmoral and Braemar Castles, both of which lend their names to Fred. Olsen ships; and an 11-night ‘Spain, Portugal & Guernsey’ cruise.

Fred. Olsen’s Boudicca will also be cruising from the port of Falmouth for the first time in 2016-17, offering guests in the South West of the UK a 12-night ‘Canaries & Portugal Spring Break’ (18+ only) and a ten-night ‘Land’s End to John O’Groats’ voyage.

Fred. Olsen will be reconfirming its commitment to the port of Liverpool in 2016-17, with a total of 15 cruise departures on board Boudicca, including a 16-night ‘Rugged & Rural Canada’ journey and an 18-night ‘Canaries Christmas & Funchal Fireworks’ sailing.

Fred. Olsen will also be reinforcing its reputation as the ‘local, global cruise line of choice’ in 2016-17 with a 50% increase in sailings from Tilbury on Black Watch, with a total of six departures, including an adults-only nine-night ‘Cruising the Fjordland’ voyage and a seven-night ‘European Cities & Waterways’ experience. Fred. Olsen will also be offering a total of six cruises on Black Watch from Rosyth (Edinburgh) in 2016/17, including a nine-night ‘A Taste of Iceland’ cruise and a 13-night ‘Scandinavian Capitals & St. Petersburg’ sailing.

Fred. Olsen will be offering a further 18 ‘18+’ cruises in 2016-17, for guests who would rather cruise with people of a similar age. These adults-only voyages include Braemar’s 11-night ‘Great British Cruise’, for tours to the award-winning Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan from Falmouth, a call in The Beatles’ home city of Liverpool, and the chance to sample the UK’s ‘official’ best fish and chips with a visit to Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands; guests can also choose to enjoy all the pomp and pageantry of Edinburgh’s spectacular ‘Military Tattoo’.

Nathan Philpot, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“For 2016/17, we have a clear focus on ‘Bringing the world closer to you’, offering innovative cruise experiences that stand out, to destinations that our guests really want to explore and enjoy. We are ‘closer’ to the market, with more regional departures; ‘closer’ to the destination, with our smaller, more intimate cruise ships; ‘closer’ to our global partners, offering our guests the best possible experiences in ports around the world; and we are ‘closer’ to our guests, with award-winning customer service across our fleet.

“Our focus on ‘closer to you’ will be enhanced significantly in 2016-17, with Balmoral’s deployment to the Port of Tyne in Newcastle, where we have a rapidly-expanding and very loyal cruise market. Historically, this is a very important port for Fred. Olsen, as Newcastle is where we built a dedicated Fred. Olsen terminal and started sailing from in 1906.

“2015 is also a very special year for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, as it is the 200th anniversary of the first ‘Fred. Olsen’ – Mr. Fredrik Christian Olsen, the founding father of our company – and so we are taking this opportunity to celebrate our history and heritage. Mr. Olsen was born in 1815 and started the Fred. Olsen Company in 1848; we have been a world-leading shipping and cruise company ever since.”

Fred. Olsen’s Black Watch and Boudicca will be embarking on two epic ‘Grand Voyages’ in January 2017, visiting a total of 67 ports in 38 countries between them. Black Watch will be taking in the exotic destinations of Hanga Roa (Easter Island), Bora Bora, in French Polynesia, and three stops in New Zealand – Auckland, Tauranga and Wellington – on a 107-night ‘Around the World’ cruise. Boudicca will be offering a 77-night ‘South American Discovery’, which includes stops in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiroand Buenos Aires, in Argentina, as well a cruise of the Chilean fjords and a maiden call at Laguna San Rafael.

In 2016-17, Fred. Olsen will be making the most of its smaller, more intimate ships by offering even more river, fjord and scenic cruising, taking guests along narrow sea passages and waterways, and past awe-inspiring scenery. Fred. Olsen will be visiting 84 picturesque scenic sea passages and waterways in 2016-17, including the 350-mile Strait of Magellan, in Chile, which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; Loch Fyne, one of the longest and finest sea lochs; the beautiful Bay of Kotor in Montenegro; and the winding and mysterious Stockholm archipelago. Fred. Olsen’s fleet will also be sailing right into the heart of cities and towns, such as Portoferraio, on the Italian island of Elba, Seville, in Spain, and Bordeaux, in France.

Highlights of Fred. Olsen’s new 2016-17 cruise programme are as follows:

- Following its tremendous popularity in 2015, Fred. Olsen will also be offering another ‘Arctic Explorer’ cruise, exclusively for adults. Black Watch will visit the remote lands of Greenland and Svalbard, as well as Iceland and Norway.

- Braemar will be serving Southampton in 2016-17, offering smaller-ship cruising to the UK cruise market on a variety of itineraries, including a 14-night ‘Cruising the Waterways of Scandinavia’ voyage, and a three-night ‘Rouen & the Seine River Mini-Cruise’.

- Fred. Olsen will be building upon its reputation as THE ‘Fjords Specialist’, with a 15-night ‘Exploring the Fjords of Greenland’ adventure, taking in over 16 hours of scenic cruising through Greenland’s fjords, as well as stopping in Tasiilaq, a maiden call for Fred. Olsen.

- Fred. Olsen will be offering its first-ever ‘Norwegian Fjords’ cruise with a duration of just five nights; sailing from the Northern port of Newcastle will give guests the chance to enjoy such a short ‘taster’ break. The cruise will take in Bergen and Eidfjord, as well as two days of scenic cruising, through the mighty Lysefjord – one of the ‘pearls of Norway’, featuring ‘Preikestolen’ (‘Pulpit Rock’) and ‘Kjerag’ (‘The Mountain Bolt’).

- Yet another ‘first for Fred.’ – a nine-night ‘Maiden Call Mystery Cruise’, where every destination that Braemar visits is a maiden port of call! All that guests will know is that this ‘cruise to the unknown’ will take in six destinations, four countries and five UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

- Two US adventures on board Balmoral; a 34-night ‘Old England to New England’ sailing, which incorporates two calls in Bermuda, six American states, three maiden calls and three overnight stays – including Boston and the ‘Big Apple’; or a 46-night ‘Central America & the Mardi Gras’ cruise, where guests can visit the NASA rocket launch sites, enjoy traditional Southern hospitality and join in the fun at the colourful and vibrant ‘Mardi Gras’ in New Orleans.

- Fred. Olsen will be offering 14 Mediterranean cruises in 2016-17, including a stunning 16-night ‘Barcelona, Monaco & the Island of Elba’ cruise on board Braemar, plus a chance to see the Monaco F1 Grand Prix on board Black Watch’s 15-night ‘Sun, Sea & Monaco Grand Prix’ cruise.

- Even more cruises around the UK and Ireland, including Balmoral’s seven-night ‘Easter Ireland’ sailing around Northern and Southern Ireland, and an 11-night ‘Tinsel & Hogmanay’ cruise on Black Watch, offering guests an unforgettable Christmas at sea and Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh – with the added benefit that those who do not hold a passport can still join the ship with a valid form of photo identification.

- Explore snow-capped mountains, glaciers and elusive wildlife on Balmoral’s 14-night ‘The Wonders of Spitsbergen’ cruise, with a maiden call to Pyramiden, in Spitsbergen (where the new Sky Atlantic blockbuster ‘Fortitude’ is based), which was once a Russian mining town, but is now eerie and deserted.

Back by popular demand is Fred. Olsen’s 10-night ‘German Waterways’ cruise, which will sail along three German rivers – the Elbe, the Weser and the Trave – as well as taking in a canal and a fjord.

Fred. Olsen’s new 2016-17 cruise programme will include a record 23 maiden calls: Arendal (Norway), Baltimore (Maryland, USA), Fort William (Scotland, UK), Tasiilaq (Greenland), Pyramiden (Svalbard), Holy Loch (Scotland, UK), Laguna San Rafael (Chile), Isla de San Andrés (Colombia), Gloucester (Massachusetts, USA), Klaksvik (Faroe Islands), Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands), Falmouth (Jamaica), Banana Coast (Trujillo, Honduras), Tampa (Florida, US), Rosslare (Ireland), Aabenraa (Denmark), Rovinj (Croatia). In addition, there will be six ‘mystery’ maiden calls, which will only be revealed to those guests who book a place on Fred. Olsen’s first-ever ‘Maiden Call Mystery Cruise

Genting Hong Kong and TPG Viking to sell 12.5 million NCLH shares

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 March 2015 06 March 2015

Star NCLC, part of the Genting Hong Kong group, and the TPG Viking Funds, the US investor, are planning to sell a total of 12.5 million shares in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the world’s fourth largest cruise shipping group.

“The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of these ordinary shares by the selling shareholders,” the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchanges Commission in the US.

The news comes in the same week as two senior Genting Hong Kong officials announced their resignation from the board of  the Norwegian group. Genting earlier this week acquired Crystal Cruises, the luxury cruise operator with two ships from Tokyo based Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). Crystal is a competitor of Norwegian group’s Regent Seven Seas brand.

MSC Cruises makes maiden call in Singapore

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 05 March 2015 05 March 2015

As she is currently undertaking her hugely popular first 33-night Grand Voyage from Dubai to Perth (Australia), MSC Orchestra has arrived in Singapore, the sixth of 13 ports along her journey.

In honour of MSC Cruises’ maiden call at the Asian city state, a special event to showcase the MSC Cruises experience was held on stunning 2,550-guest MSC Orchestra in the presence of key media, travel agents, local officials, business leaders and VIPs.

Welcoming the visitors, MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said: “This is a historic moment in our company’s journey – the first time an MSC Cruises ship has called at the magnificent city of Singapore. In fact, all 13 ports of call on MSC Orchestra’s pioneering Grand Voyage are firsts for MSC Cruises.”

He added: “We are in Singapore to show how firmly we believe in the Asian market’s potential, which is only going to grow further in the foreseeable future.”

Leading the presentations at the event, MSC Cruises Executive Director for Emerging Markets, Antonio Paradiso, said: “MSC Cruises has grown 800% since 2004. In 2014, we carried 40,000 guests per day on our fleet of 12 ships, and with up to seven ultra-modern ships in two state-of-the-art prototypes coming online by 2022 we’ll double our current capacity. We used to carry 80,000 guests per year at the start and we’ll carry 80,000 guests a day at the end of our investment plan. This growth will unlock fresh opportunities, including new markets and regions, and untried itineraries.”

2014 saw MSC Cruises report another strong year and with the progressive return to service of the remaining ships undergoing the Renaissance programme, the company is expecting a 10% further growth this year. What’s more, in 2015, MSC Cruises is poised to become the undisputed leader in the Mediterranean, currently forecasting  some 810,000 guests for the full year.

Paradiso added: “Asia is an already robust source market for our cruises around the world, and MSC Cruises is the cruise line of reference for thousands of Asians travellers who want to entrust their European adventures to the biggest privately-owned cruise company in the world.”

Neeta Lachmandas, Assistant Chief Executive, Business Development Group, Singapore Tourism Board, also lauded the move, and warmly welcomed MSC Orchestra to Singapore.

She said: “This development is testament to the potential of Southeast Asia, where Singapore serves as the regional cruise hub. Singapore’s strong air connectivity and seamless transport network augments cruise itineraries and enables more travellers to use Singapore to discover Southeast Asia.”

“Unknown to many, Southeast Asia is a cruising playground in its own right – with over 25,000 islands and diverse attractions ranging from cosmopolitan cities to pristine beaches and UNESCO Heritage sites. We are excited that travellers from all over the world will get to experience so much of Asia through MSC Orchestra.”

Antonio Paradiso concluded “We want to thank all those who took part in this event, and especially those who came a long way. We are sincerely grateful for the warm reception the city has given us.”

On 20 February, MSC Orchestra left Dubai for Mumbai, India, to embark on MSC Cruises’ inaugural Grand Voyage to Australia, covering 13 ports of call in eight countries across three continents. After Mumbai, MSC Orchestra call at Cochin before heading due south to Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 27 February.

She then headed to Phuket (Thailand), Langkawi (Malaysia) and Singapore for an overnight stay, before setting sail for Benoa, in Bali (Indonesia) on 8 March. Four sea days follow, on a heading for Cairns, Australia.

MSC Orchestra’s time Down Under covers maiden calls in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, before her final destination of Freemantle, the port serving Perth.

Singapore’s breathtaking skyline was the backdrop for this event held on MSC Orchestra. At the crossroads of many cultures, it allowed MSC guests to soak up the charms of this city-state where history and modernity exist side by side -  a unique feature shared by MSC Cruises with its long seafaring traditions and commitment to modernity in every aspect of the guest experience.

While MSC Orchestra’s Grand Voyage marked the first time an MSC cruise ship has called in Asia. MSC Cruises has become the cruise line of reference for Asians wishing to visit the Mediterranean and the Gulf.

Magellan on way to London Tilbury to start Cruise & Maritime Voyages career

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 05 March 2015 05 March 2015

Magellan, the former Grand Holiday, has sailed from Piraeus in Greece for LOndon Tilbury to take up a new career with Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), the destinational British cruise operator.

The 46,052 gross ton ship that started life in 1985 as Holiday of Carnival Cruise Lines was painted in the livery during wet docking in Piraeus, CMV said on its page on Facebook.

The ship is due to enter service with CMV later this month: its first cruise for the company will be a 12 night Solar Eclipse cruise from London Tilbury that is due to sail on 15 March. CMV now has a fleet of four deep sea and three river cruise ships.