Discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse II christened in Málaga

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 06 June 2023 06 June 2023

Accompanied by Scenic Group owners Glen and Karen Moroney, NASA Astronaut Dr. Kathryn Sullivan christened one of the world’s most technologically advanced ultra-luxury yachts, Scenic Eclipse II, in front of an esteemed audience in Málaga, Spain on June 3.

With the beautiful Málaga port decorated for the festive occasion and the evening sun beaming down on the guests, speeches were made by Glen Moroney, President of the Málaga Port Authority Carlos Rubio – who presented a special plaque to Scenic Group Founder and Chairman Glen Moroney, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Mr Victor Gonzalez, and Dr. Sullivan. The event included VIPS, trade guests and media from around the world. Dr. Sullivan successfully christened Scenic Eclipse II while toasting the Discovery Yacht and all who sail on her.

Dr. Sullivan is an American geologist and oceanographer, and a former NASA astronaut and US Navy officer. She is the first American woman to walk in space and a veteran of three shuttle missions. Dr. Sullivan also holds the honor of being the first woman to visit the deepest spot in the oceans, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, seven miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, and served as Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) after being confirmed by the US Senate in 2014. Dr. Sullivan, having received many accolades and awards during her distinguished careers, is also the holder of three Guinness World Records: the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep, the first person to visit space and the deepest point on Earth, and the greatest vertical extent travelled by an individual (within Earth's exosphere) – thus the title as the “World’s Most Vertical Person.”

“I was so honored to be asked to be Godmother of Scenic Eclipse II as it was not something I ever expected,” stated Dr. Kathy Sullivan during the christening of the Discovery Yacht. “But now that I have had the opportunity to tour the ship with Glen and Karen Moroney and hear their story and see their vision for travel, I am eager to join her for a sailing. Seeing the level of luxury that is possible in what is truly an expedition vessel has me wondering what the Moroneys could do with the rather restrictive confines of the Space Shuttle and the super cramped environment of the submersible we used to dive the Mariana Trench. I am touched and honored to be Scenic Eclipse II’s Godmother.”

“It is rare to find anyone who has the list of unprecedented accomplishments achieved by Dr. Kathy Sullivan,” suggested Glen Moroney, Founder and Chairman of The Scenic Group. “The depth of her experiences above our planet, and on and below our seas, and her incredible passion for exploration is truly inspiring and is what we feel makes her the perfect representation of our newest Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yacht. Although we are not able to duplicate some of her more extreme adventures – yet – we do believe that Scenic Eclipse II offers our guests exploration possibilities unlike any in the industry. We are so honored to have Dr. Sullivan as the Godmother of Scenic Eclipse II and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

After launching Scenic Eclipse in 2019, the World’s First Discovery Yacht™, Scenic furthers its industry leadership role when it comes to continuous innovation incorporating several new features on Scenic Eclipse II. The newest member of the Scenic Eclipse fleet has an expanded steam room in the 5,920ft² (550sqm) Senses Spa that includes aromatherapy, as well as an integrated ice fountain and experience showers, and a KLAFS custom salt therapy lounge with heated beds. An expanded dedicated infrared ‘ocean view' lounge with color light therapy to energize and reinvigorate skin cells is new. A redesign of Deck 10, the new Sun Deck, includes a new Sky Bar with indoor and outdoor seating and privacy cabanas, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy stunning views with a drink in hand, and a large, oval-shaped pool with comfortable relaxation space that serves as a perfect venue for sail-away deck parties. In addition to the ultra-luxury Discovery Yachts’ two state-of-the-art six-guest helicopters, Zodiacs, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and other activity amenities, Scenic Eclipse II will also have a next generation American-made electric submersible, capable of comfortably holding eight guests.

The addition of the 228-guest (200 in the polar regions) Scenic Eclipse II to the fleet opens even more of the world to the guests with new itineraries, destinations, and discovery adventures. The combined fleet will visit 50 countries across all seven continents in 2023 and 2024. The ultra-luxury Scenic Eclipse II is built to explore the coldest of climates (like her sister she is Polar Class 6) but also offers all the amenities and activities sought for the warmer regions of the world from its custom-designed marina including Tiwal sailing boats, swim platforms, E-bikes, snorkeling, wake boarding, water skiing, etc. Scenic Eclipse II will explore the islands of Greenland, Svalbard and Iceland above the Arctic Circle and the Caribbean in its inaugural season. New voyages in 2024 and 2025 will take in the Asia Pacific region, including New Zealand, Western Australia’s remote Kimberly region and Coral Coast, Tahiti, Fiji, Borneo and Japan. Both Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yachts will spend the November to February Antarctica season taking guests to many of the most remote regions of this amazing continent, including the rarely-visited Weddell Sea, where the Emperor Penguin reigns supreme, and the world’s largest marine sanctuary, the seldom visited Ross Sea.

Scenic Eclipse II has 114 all-verandah suites range in size from 345 ft² to 2,659 ft² (32m² to 245m²); 10 dining options – from Asian Fusion to French fine dining to a Chef’s Table to 24/7 room service; a 5,920 ft² (550m²) spa with a well-equipped gym and separate yoga and Pilates studio; the aforementioned two helicopters and electric submersible; a state-of-the-art theater for entertainment and lectures; indoor and outdoor plunge pools; butler service for all guests; and an almost 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio. And then there is the technology: innovative zero-speed stabilizer fins, 50% larger than standard to provide greater stability cutting roll by more than 85%; the highest passenger ship ice class rating – Polar Class 6; redundancies in propulsion, navigation, safety systems and food refrigeration; state-of-the-art bridge systems; and a GPS dynamic positioning system allowing for stationary positioning without an anchor, reducing environmental impact and enhancing safety during Zodiac operations.

MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys under same umbrella for agents

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 June 2023 06 June 2023

The Cruise Division of MSC Group is enhancing support to trade partners in UK & Ireland, by bringing sales functions and other brand-dedicated resources for Explora Journeys, under the same umbrella.

This structure will also be adopted in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Brazil, China and Japan.

Antonio Paradiso, Managing Director for MSC Cruises UK & Ireland, will now assume in-market responsibility for Explora Journeys, creating greater synergies, which will benefit the travel trade community.

Commercial agreements in place with trade partners will be unchanged. Similarly, commercial conditions for the two brands will remain distinct and unchanged also going forward.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division of MSC Group, said, “This is another demonstration from MSC Group of how we aim to grow and develop further the relationship with the travel trade community which has played such a vital role in our growth to date, and continues to do so with both our brands.”

“ This more simplified structure will provide easier access for our trade partners, especially travel advisors, leading to mutual and rewarding benefits for all sides. Most importantly, it will allow the travel trade community to benefit from the continued investments we are making in both brands, thus providing travel trade partners with expanded opportunities for growth.”

In UK & Ireland Explora Journeys will continue to have its own dedicated specialist team for sales, marketing, contact centres and public relations. Additional brand-dedicated resources will support in each market, to ensure this new approach’s timely success.

Explora Journeys’ first ship Explora I will make her maiden journey on 17 July from Southampton, UK with a 15-night sailing to the Norwegian fjords, the Arctic Circle and Copenhagen in Denmark.

Sustainability at the centre of the 62nd MedCruise General Assembly in Corfu

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 04 June 2023 04 June 2023

Sustainable cruise tourism, improvement in accessibility at Mediterranean ports, crew friendly facilities, the media, challenges facing small cruise ships and the impact on the cruise industry of new EU border rules, have been the main topics of the plenary sessions at the 62nd MedCruise General Assembly held in Corfu, Greece from 23rd to 26th of May.

The official opening of the 62rd GA was held at the Corfu Holiday Palace Hotel in the presence of dignitaries from the Port and Municipality of Corfu, joined by members of the press.

A high level of interest in this GA from members of the Association was evident. The interest of professionals for the Association was confirmed by the number of the participants. More than 160 delegates, made up of Port members, Associate members, Cruise Lines and journalists attended the event. In three busy working days MedCruise organised 450 B2B meetings, networking opportunities, dedicated excursions and discussion panels and presentations where the main topics included, sustainable cruise tourism, improvement in accessibility at Mediterranean ports, crew friendly facilities, the media, and challenges facing small cruise ships. In addition, the Port of Venice-Chioggia presented its best practices in terms of a sustainable approach to the cruise activity and in collaboration with CLIA there was an important update about the new border rules in the EU and how these will affect cruise activity.

The moderators of the discussion panels summarised their thoughts:

Francesca Antonelli, Senior Vice President of MedCruise and Member of the Board responsible for Professional Development said, “There is a huge market of people with accessibility needs who are willing to make a significant economic outlay in our ports and destinations. There is therefore a need to raise awareness and for further collaboration between the administration, shipping companies, port authorities, terminals, tour operators, excursion service providers and destination managers.”

Mary Bond, Group Portfolio Director, Seatrade Cruise said, “The Role of the Media panel brought together representatives from national and B2B cruise press plus tourism, city, ports and destinations. Key is to keep feeding local and national media facts and figures about cruising’s sustainable credentials and the economic benefit it brings to local communities and region; and for specialist B2B cruising media you can never provide enough information but be inspired to issue releases around new cruise infrastructure, new tours/attractions and the people that make a destination come to life.”

Anne-Marie Spinosi, Member of the Board of Directors of MedCruise responsible for Events and #PortsTogether Activities said of her two panel discussions, “Our panel on social media spoke about videos, which bring life to destinations visited cruise companies. We talked about how to produce the best video to promote ports and destinations so that cruise visitors can enjoy an amazing experience. We also discussed about how to communicate on social media to get the best social engagement on our posts. This very interactive panel involved the audience in different actions on social media so our members can have a very practical and useful training, which completed the Professional Development Course organised last month by Senior Vice President, Francesca Antonelli Ibáñez.

When talking about the challenges of the cruise activity in islands we discovered that 37% of MedCruise ports are situated on islands, facing different challenges depending on their size, geographical position and level of industrial infrastructure.

Collaboration and communication between Ports and Cities are key to improve and maintains well balanced activity in islands which can suffer from over tourism.

Sustainability is key, although it can be more challenging to supply some equipment such as OPS in islands.”

Lorenzo Vera, Vice President of MedCruise and Member of the Board responsible for Destination Development said, “It was an honour for me to moderate a panel at MedCruise for the first time. It was both rewarding and harder than expected. We discussed the commitment of MedCruise ports member to continue working on the crew-friendly initiative, improving communication and implementing new promotional tools. We concluded that the key is dialogue and collaboration between all the stakeholders of the whole industry chain including, cruise line, ports, destinations and port agents. We noted that the crew is the extension of the cruise lines’ offices and the first ambassadors of our ports and destinations. They constitute one third of the ship’s capacity and their economic impact can be higher than a tourist arriving by air to our cities.”

As internal issue, MC has enlarged the family with the entrance in the association of 8 new associated members Altimex, Spain, Romeu, Spain, Port Argentario, Italy, Zadar Cruise Port (GPH), Croatia, Transcoma Cruises and Travel SLU, Spain, Davelor Ship Services LTD, Greece, Kition Ocean Port (Larnaca), Cyprus, MILLER Y CÍA, Spain.

The Association welcomed a new member port, Cesme from Turkey, taking the total number of port members to 76 and 54 associate members.

In addition, Djoni Stambuk from the Port of Zadar was elected to the Board of Directors with a majority vote from the member ports.

Figen Ayan, President of MedCruise said, “For three days we were in the land of mythology, which has inspired so many stories. We were in a country inspiring strength and power. Not power over but power WITH, which is creating a sense of community; this sense of community that we bring successfully thanks to MedCruise’s General Assemblies twice a year.

The success of our General Assemblies is undeniable, thanks to first a high participation number with more than 160 delegates from 16 countries, including 17 cruise executives from 15 cruise lines and 12 journalists from the international press. Moreover, I am very happy to share that thanks to MedCruise General Assemblies, our planet becomes greener, thanks to the campaign 1 registration 1 tree that we started last year with this time a new Turkish NGO, TEMA.

The B2B meetings were buzzing, the plenary sessions were fresh, creative and diverse thanks to high calibre panellists and moderators. A heartfelt thank you to all our cruise lines, media and guests for accepting our invitation and bring their valuable expertise and knowledge.

During our internal matters all our members have witnessed the phenomenal work deployed by the board of directors and secretariat in line with the high targets of this presidency and mandate. MedCruise is extremely active in EU and international platforms to become the point of reference in our cruise industry for our ports, but also generate new ideas, or inspiring techniques and approaches.

A round of applause to the Port of Corfu, to Spýros Zervópoulos, to our dear friend Aris Batsoulis who made us love Corfu, to our secretariat team who deployed all together an amazing work and to every single dedicated professional who contributed to another amazing MedCruise General Assembly.”

The Port of Corfu offered two FAM trips to the cruise line and press representatives to discover Corfu and its surroundings with A Corfu History Walking Tour, a Boat trip, sailing through the crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea with stunning views of the Old Town of Corfu and its imposing fortress.

The 63rd GA Assembly will take place from 10th to 13th October, hosted by the Port of Burgas in Bulgaria.

Marella Cruises’ fifth ship to start operations on 3 June

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 02 June 2023 02 June 2023

Marella Cruises, the UK focused cruise line owned by TUI AG in Germany, will introduce its fifth ship on 3 June, when Marella Voyager commences operations in the Mediterranean.

The ship that started life in 1997 as Mercury for Celebrity Cruises has last operated as Mein Schiff Herz on the German market for Mein Schiff, which is part of TUI Cruises group that TUI owns 50/50 with the Royal Caribbean Group.

Two other vessels of Marella Cruises are also former Celebrity Cruises vessels of the Century class, while two have come from Royal Caribbean International and are also of the mid- 1990s vintage.

Marella Cruises Managing Director Chris Hackney told Travel Weekly that the line’s sales for the rest of the year and the winter season 2023/24 are higher than the comparable period in 2019. “We are in a really strong place for bookings for 2023 and the winter and we are really happy with it,” he was quoted as saying.

The company has decided to operate Marella Discovery on a series of cruises from Singapore in the coming winter and these have been the line’s bestselling itineraries, Hackney said.