Double celebration at STX Finland's Turku Shipyard

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 24 May 2013 24 May 2013

At the press conference held at STX Finland Oy's Turku Shipyard on 24 May 2013, Richard J. Vogel, CEO of TUI Cruises and Jari Anttila, EVP & COO of STX Finland Oy were pleased to speak about the important milestones that Mein Schiff 3 and Mein Schiff 4 cruise ship projects reached today. The keel of Mein Schiff 3 was laid in Turku shipyard's dry dock. Before the keel laying ceremony the start of production of the sister ship Mein Schiff 4 took place in the shipyard's construction hall.

The production start of Mein Schiff 4 was carried out following the traditions of the shipyard. The event was witnessed by representatives from TUI Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, STX Finland, Finnvera, and the classification society Det Norske Veritas, invited guests and members of the press. Later in the evening the keel laying of Mein Schiff 3 was celebrated in Turku shipyard's dry dock.

These sophisticated and highly innovative 99,000 GT cruise ships will be approx. 294 metres long and approx. 36 metres wide. They will have 1,250 guest staterooms (2,500 lower beds) and a crew of 1,000 persons. These cruise ships will have many environmentally friendly features with a particular emphasis on energy efficiencyThey will consume roughly 30 per cent less energy compared to other cruise ships of similar size.

Mein Schiff 3 is scheduled for delivery in spring 2014 and her sister ship Mein Schiff 4 will be delivered one year later. Combined, these two vessels bring some 11.000 man-years of labour to STX Finland's Turku Shipyard.

"It´s great that we have two unique events on the same day at the Turku shipyard to celebrate the magnificent ships that are under construction for TUI Cruises. Work has progressed well on both ships and we are pleased to continue towards next milestones in the shipbuilding process", says Jari Anttila, EVP & COO of STX Finland Oy.

"With today's keel laying, Mein Schiff 3 is now taking shape and looks like a ship. Step by step we are getting closer to expanding our well-being fleet and both we and our guests are already primed with anticipation. The high numbers of booking enquiries are just one indication that our concept works," says Richard J. Vogel, CEO of TUI Cruises Ltd.

Holland America Line and Seabourn name My Nguyen Deputy Director of Interior Design

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013

Holland America Line and Seabourn have appointed My Nguyen to the newly created position of deputy director of interior design. She will report to Rob Boksem, vice president of technical operations.

In this new role, Nguyen is responsible for the companies' Interiors Department and she will be lead designer for the staterooms on Holland America Line's new Pinnacle-class ship, which is due for delivery in February 2016. Nguyen also will oversee the interiors maintenance of existing Holland America Line and Seabourn ships.

"My brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be a valuable asset to the Interiors Department," said Dan Grausz, executive vice president of fleet operations. "She began her career with Holland America Line, and we're excited to have her experience and enthusiasm back with our team. My's high standards for design will be a positive influence on both the Holland America Line and Seabourn fleets."

Nguyen joins the two cruise companies from NB Design Group where she earned accolades for award-winning and nationally recognized projects in both high-end residential and hospitality design. She led the team at NB Design that had a key role in the interior design of staterooms on ms Eurodam and ms Nieuw Amsterdam, as well as the stateroom upgrades executed during the second phase of Holland America Line's Signature of Excellence program.

Prior to NB Design Group, Nguyen was an interior superintendent at Holland America Line. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Puget Sound and interior design degree from The Art Institute of Seattle. Nguyen is also a recipient of the prestigious Watson Fellowship for independent study outside the United States.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines simplify dress code

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the destinational UK based cruise shipping company, says it will be streamlining the various dress codes for its cruise guests in the evenings across its fleet of four ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch.

“Fred. Olsen will continue with its traditional ‘Black Tie’ ‘Formal Nights’ – usually three or four during a two-week cruise – but the dress code for the remainder of the evenings on board will be simplified to ‘Smart Casual’, allowing a more relaxed feel, whilst maintaining the high standards embraced and enjoyed by guests. The previous dress code of ‘Informal’ is being removed,” the company said in a statement.

The new guidelines will take effect from 1 July.

With the new ‘Smart Casual’ dress code, gentleman are at liberty to wear a jacket and tie, or equally they may prefer to opt for an open-necked shirt, with Chinos or smart, dark-coloured jeans. For ladies, the choice could be an elegant dress or casual separates.

Nathan Philpot, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Whilst many cruise lines have done away with dress codes altogether, we are aware that a significant number of our guests welcome the opportunity to dress up on special occasions, such as the ‘Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party’, so we will be continuing with the popular ‘Black Tie’ theme on these nights.

“However, we have listened to our guests’ feedback and there is a demand from many for a more relaxed and informal dress code for the remainder of the evenings on board. We hope that, by simplifying the dress code for these, we can make things easier for everyone when packing and ensure that no one feels constrained by too many rules; after all, our guests are on a relaxing cruise holiday!”

The ‘Theme Nights’ aboard Fred. Olsen’s cruise ships will continue, such as ‘Tropical’ and ‘Red, White and Blue’, with dedicated shows and activities on board, and guests are welcome to dress up in fancy dress costume for these, or adopt the new ‘Smart Casual’ dress code as an alternative, as they desire.

Viking Line reports steady interim loss as freight volumes fall, costs rise

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013

Viking Line, the listed Finnish cruise ferry company, has reported a net loss of €15.7 million for the first quarter of 2013 compared to a loss of €15.1 million in the same period last year, the company said in a statement.

Freight revenue fell by 4.1% to €9.1 million and operating expenses rose by 11.2% to €102.1 million, but revenues from passenger business increased by 15.5% to €105.2 million. The increase in passenger revenues lifted the group’s total revenue to €115.0 million from €101.2 million in the same period last year.

The company said that the new cruise ferry Viking Grace that entered service between Turku and Stockholm in January had carried 282,578 passengers up to the end of March and that this meant a 66.4% rise in the number of passengers the company carried on the two ship service compared to the first three months of last year.

In all, the company carried 1.35 million passengers in the review period, little changed from the first quarter of 2012, while freight volume declined to 28,747 units from 31,636.