CMV confirms Astor operation safe despite ship owner's insolvency

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 07 November 2014 07 November 2014

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) Holdings have confirmed that operations of Astor are secure despite the fact that the ship's owners, Premicon Hochseeschiff GmbH & Co. KG MS Astor have declared insolvency in Germany, Travel Weekly reports in Australia.

The 600-passenger vessel is due to commence its second season in Australian waters next month, with CMV assuring the trade Astor's "operation and continuation...is secure".

Chairman and ceo of CMV Holdings Christian Verhounig said: "The liquidation concerns the ownership company of Astor and have no ramifcations for Cruise & Maritime Voyages, or Astor, which is under a long-term bareboat charter to CMV".

"CMV has complete management of the vessel, including all operational and management functions," Verhounig added.

Astor is currently on a voyage from the UK via South Africa to Western Australia and expected to arrive to Fremantle on 13 Dec.

A spokesperson for CMV told Cruise Weekly that prior to applying for insolvency, Premicon has held "extensive discussions" with CMV and that part of the proceedings would enable the cruise line to maintain its charter.

"The reason for this announcement is to ensure our travel partners and guests [are aware] the cruises are secured for Astor's Australian season. CMV is not affected by the problems of the vessel's owners".

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to dry dock three ships in two months

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 07 November 2014 07 November 2014

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will dry dock three of its four ships - Black Watch, Braemar and Balmoral - at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany in November and December 2014, in preparation for the forthcoming 2015/16 cruise season. Balcony terraces will be added to some cabins and a popular cafe will be introduced throught the fleet. "This is the first time that so many Fred. Olsen ships have undergone refurbishment within such short succession," the company said in a statement.

Work has started with 804-guest Black Watch, which arrived at Blohm+Voss on 4th November 2014. The ship will then continue on Fred. Olsen’s first-ever sellout ‘Mystery Cruise’ of 14 nights, W1417, which sails from Tilbury on 15th November 2014.

Braemar will then arrive in Hamburg on 12th November 2014, after which the 929-guest ship will depart on a three-night M1430 ‘France Mini-Cruise’ from Southampton on 20th November 2014.

Balmoral, which carries 1,350 guests, rounds off the planned dry dock works. The ship will arrive on 9th December 2014, and will leave the shipyard to start a two-night pre-Christmas L1418 ‘France Mini-Cruise’ from Southampton on 19th December 2014.

The Blohm+Voss schedule for the three Fred. Olsen cruise ships comprises various engineering works, general refurbishment and interior and exterior painting.

During the dry dock, Black Watch will also see 27 cabins on Lido Deck 7 fitted with balcony terraces. These new Balcony Terrace cabins will extend out 1.2 metres from the ship’s bulkhead, and will provide guests with an increased choice of cost-effective balcony cabins with access to the outside.

During their dry docks, Balmoral and Braemar will also follow on from Boudicca and Black Watch by having Fred. Olsen’s popular ‘Café Venus’ installed on board, serving high-quality coffee and luxury chocolates. The new Café will be created on Balmoral on Lounge Deck 7, by reconfiguring the Library area, to create a more open, sociable public space.

On Braemar, Café Venus will be installed on Lounge Deck 5 by reconfiguring the Library area, and the Card Room will be moved and integrated with the Arts and Crafts Centre on Atlantic Deck 3.

Mike Rodwell, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We experience extremely high demand for balcony cabins across our fleet, and in particular on board the smaller-sized Black Watch, and our new Balcony Terrace cabins are an innovative response to this. We are also looking forward to being able to give guests the experience of fine coffee and chocolates on board Balmoral and Braemar, as they have already been enjoying on Boudicca and Black Watch.

Regal Princess launched in star-studded ceremony

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 06 November 2014 06 November 2014

Princess Cruises, the cruise line made famous as the backdrop of the iconic Love Boat television series, christened its new Regal Princess today with a tribute to the show as all six of the original cast members served as the ship’s godparents, and were joined by 25 of the show’s past guest stars.

The star-studded Love Boat themed festivities, which also launched the line’s 50th anniversary, celebrated the role the show played in Princess Cruises’ five-decades-long history.

All six Love Boat cast members - Gavin MacLeod (Captain Stubing), Fred Grandy (Gopher, the chief purser), Ted Lange (Isaac, the bartender), Bernie Kopell (Doc, the ship’s doctor), Lauren Tewes (cruise director, Julie) and Jill Whelan (Vicki, the captain’s daughter) - pulled a lever that first sent a record-breaking fifty champagne bottles smashing against the ship’s hull as a nod to the company’s anniversary celebration, followed by the breaking of a giant Nebuchadnezzar-size 51st bottle signifying Princess Cruises’ continued future success.

Frequent show guest-star Florence Henderson served as the Master of Ceremonies and celebrities walking the 50th Anniversary gold carpet included:Loni Anderson, Joyce DeWitt, Jamie Farr, Pam Grier, Christopher Knight, Diane Ladd, Lorenzo Lamas, Carol Lawrence, Rich Little, Kristy McNichol, Lee Meriwether, Don Most, Tracy Nelson, Mackenzie Phillips, Doris Roberts, Marion Ross, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Charlene Tilton, Joan Van Ark, Dick Van Patten and Adrian Zmed. The guest star with the most number of appearances on the show, Charo, entertained guests with a classical guitar number and Jack Jones, who sang the original version of the Love Boat theme, reprised this famous song.

“The Love Boat put Princess Cruises on the map, bringing the romance and adventure of our cruise vacations into millions of viewers’ homes for the decade it was on air. So it was fitting that the cast was selected as godparents for Regal Princess as we begin our 50th anniversary celebrations,” said Jan Swartz, the line’s president.

The pilot episode of The Love Boat was shot aboard Princess’ 730-passenger Sun Princess, with Pacific Princess and Island Princess then becoming the primary floating stars of the show. Later episodes and specials were filmed aboard many of Princess’ other cruise ships in destinations around the globe. The show, which aired from 1977 to 1986, went on to become one of the highest-rated and longest-running shows on television, introducing viewers to modern day cruising and, in the process, making Princess Cruises and its ships synonymous with vacations at sea.

The 3,560-guest Regal Princess now begins her maiden season of Caribbean cruise vacations out of Ft. Lauderdale. Among the special features found onboard the ship are a dramatic multi-story atrium serving as the social hub of the ship, offering a host of dining and entertainment options; an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship; the Princess Live! Television studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; Princess Watercolor Fantasy, a fountain and music show; the Night Sky Lounge, a new nighttime experience that enables guests to enjoy a chic and contemporary poolside nightclub under the stars, and balconies on all outside staterooms.

Princess Cruises celebrates its 50th anniversary with an incredible lineup of new dining, shopping and entertainment aboard its ships throughout 2015. Princess Cruises first set sail in 1965 with a single ship cruising to Mexico. Now 50 years later, the line is the third largest cruise line in the world and a recognized leader in taking travelers to some of the most fascinating cruise destinations around the globe.

Stavros Hatzakos is named President of the Cruise and Ferry Port Network

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 05 November 2014 05 November 2014

MedCruise Honorary President Stavros Hatzakos was named President of the newly formed Cruise and Ferry Port Network, set up within the European Sea Port Organisation (ESPO), on 4 November 2014.

The Cruise and Ferry Port Network brings together the association of European seaport authorities, Cruise Baltic, Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway and MedCruise.

Beyond chairing the Network, Stavros Hatzakos will also serve as member of the new Executive Committee of the ESPO. “The Cruise and Ferry Port Network is a major upgrade of cruise and ferry ports representation towards the European institutions and fora," he said in a statement