Alaskan Dream Cruises 'optimistic'
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: More News More News
- Published: 17 November 2011 17 November 2011
Alaskan Dream Cruises, the Sitka-based, native-owned small ship operator, is "optimistic" about its second year after an encouraging finish to its inaugural season. "Our inaugural season for 2011 definitely had a slow start, but thank goodness for last-minute bookers," reports Vice President of Sales and Marketing Michael Wien. “The end of the season was encouraging, and that gave us the confidence and boost to move into 2012,” he says.
Wien told Cruise Business Review that ADC aims to carve out a unique niche for itself that will distinguish the small ship line from its competitors. "At Alaskan Dream Cruises, we want to make sure our guests have an overall experience of what life is like in Alaska. We’re going to have a strong native cultural influence to make sure guests have a good understanding of the rich history of native culture in the Southeast."
Commenting on the sudden expansion by small ship lines in Alaska since the failure of Cruise West, he notes, "With the demise of Cruise West more boats were available. With that, the three cruise lines [Alaskan Dream Cruises, American Safari Cruises, and InnerSea Discoveries] picked up the boats and are designing their own business model and highlights. And whatever cruise line you choose, it’s a great way because they all have a different angle."
For now, Alaskan Dream Cruises is not looking to increase capacity as it builds brand awareness with its existing fleet of two ships, carrying 42 and 66 passengers respectively. "We are currently focusing on the 2012 itineraries aboard the Alaskan Dream and Admiralty Dream," Wien emphasizes. However, the line does own another former Cruise West vessel, renamed the Baranof Dream, which is being held in reserve and is available for charter.
By M.T. Schwartzman
TUI Cruises appoints Mike Schwanke director of marketing
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 17 November 2011 17 November 2011
TUI Cruises, the German premium segment operator, has appointed Mike Schwanke director of marketing. He will take up his new position on 1 January next year and follow Nils Behrens, who has resigned to pursue other activities.
Schwanke joins the Hamburg based cruise line from the position of brand management department leader of the German unit of Telefonica, the Spanish Telecom giant. He was responsible for brand management projects at Telefonica's office in Munich.
In his new position, Schwanke will report to Richard J. Vogel, ceo of TUI Cruises, the company said in a statement.
Grand opening of Cruise Shipping Asia in Singapore
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 16 November 2011 16 November 2011
Cruise Shipping Asia opened today at the Sands Resort in Singapore with a panel of top cruise line executives discussing the current state and potential for the pan-Asia region as the next great cruising market.
In his opening remarks, Michael Kazakoff, vice president of UBM Live, organizers of the Cruise Shipping Asia and Cruise Shipping Miami event and panel moderator, said the conference plans to examine many aspects of the development of the Asia cruise industry and offer an outlook for the future.
"Our tagline, 'Gateway to Tomorrow's Marketplace,' illustrates the Asia Pacific's tremendous opportunity for the cruise industry through ship visits and as a source market," he said.
Topics addressed by the panel included the current size and scope of the Asia-Pacific market, the importance of product differentiation, distribution and the future outlook for the market.
Sarina Bratton of Orion Expeditions said, "Product differentiation in Asia is key to success! The product should not be cookie-cutter, but should instead be tailor-made for the Asian cruise market."
Educating travel agents through branded programs has been most successful in selling cruise programs to the Asian market, noted Rick Meadows of Holland America Line and Seabourn. "Also," he said, "attracting first-time cruisers in the region is key to success."
Michael Bayley of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. noted that the cruise industry in Asia has doubled since 2005, the current Asia Pacific market is comparable to the European Union market in 1991, and that the Asia-Pacific market is "unbelievably underpenetrated and has a phenomenal opportunity for brand segmentation in the region."
Roberto Giorgi of V. Ships pointed out that the Asia-Pacific market currently has 21 permanent ships and 38 seasonal vessels in the region.
Moderator Kazakoff posed the question to the panel about whether there is a possibility of development of a "China cruise line," to which Giorgi replied, "It certainly is possible in the near future, as well as new shipbuilding to handle the demand of the region." He asserted that the region can no longer "repurpose" older vessels.
Royal Caribbean's Bayley said he was confident that a Chinese cruise line would emerge by the end of the decade.
Costa Cruises' Gianni Onorato closed the session with the thought that "Events like Cruise Shipping Asia give a great opportunity to educate travel agents and the market about the potential of the Asia cruise industry."
Maurice M. Zarmati retires from Costa
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 16 November 2011 16 November 2011
Zarmati, 65, became president and CEO of Costa Cruises North America in March 2008. He is responsible for sales, marketing, guest services, finance, human resources and revenue management for the North American sales and marketing headquarters of Europe’s leading cruise company, Costa Crociere S.p.A., based in Genoa, Italy. He reports directly to Costa’s headquarters, the company noted.
HELCOM intensifies calls for adequate sewage reception at ports
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 16 November 2011 16 November 2011
The representatives will consider a proposal for guidance, which showcases best practices, suggests practical solutions and makes recommendations on technical and operational aspects of sewage delivery to PRFs The guidance, which has been developed within the HELCOM’s Cooperation Platform on PRFs, will cover the whole chain of sewage delivery from generation onboard a ferry or a cruise ship through port reception to final disposal at a wastewater treatment plant.
The Maritime Group of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM MARITIME) holds its annual Meeting on 15-17 November 2011 in Helsinki, Finland, to agree on further measures for cleaner and safer shipping in the Baltic Sea region. The main focus of the meeting is on follow-up actions in relation to the major decision of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in July this year, to ban sewage discharges from passenger ships in the Baltic Sea. Another key point on the agenda is to conclude a four-year development of a joint HELCOM submission to IMO on designating the Baltic Sea as a Nitrogen oxide (NOx) Emission Control Area (NECA).
Representatives of the Baltic Sea countries, the European Union and interested stakeholders, including ports and ship owners, will devise further activities to facilitate the work on upgrading port reception facilities (PRF) for sewage in passenger ports of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea countries agreed to ensure availability of adequate PRFs by 2015 at the latest.
The meeting also aims to finalize the contents of the joint submission to IMO to designate the Baltic Sea as a NECA under the international MARPOL convention. Under NECA status, the Baltic Sea will see substantial reductions in the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from ships which, in turn, will have positive effects on marine environment and human health along coastal areas. The experts will look at means on how to achieve the NECA emission standards, such as the use of liquefied natural gas as fuel.
New outcomes from studies related to the risk assessment of alien species transfer via ships’ ballast water and sediments on intra-Baltic routes are on the meeting agenda as well. These studies deal with unified interpretation of the provisions of the Ballast Water Management Convention related to e.g. exemptions from applying ballast water management. HELCOM has been working on speeded ratification and harmonized implementation of the Convention by the coastal states by the agreed deadline of 2013.
The Contracting Parties will also deliberate safety of navigation. The aim is to strengthen regional cooperation on maritime safety, including progress in hydrographic re-surveys and outcomes of the overall risk assessment of shipping accidents within BRISK/BRISK-RU projects. Other important issues in the efforts towards safer navigation are the MONALISA project on innovative e-navigational services, and Plan Bothnia project on the development of a transboundary maritime spatial plan for the Bothnian Sea.
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