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Transcend marks major milestone with keel laying ceremony

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 February 2025 06 February 2025

Transcend Cruises, the charter-only river cruise company, has reached a major milestone earlier this week, as the latest phase of hull construction has been reached on its first state-of-the-art, purpose-built vessel for the B2B group market. The keel laying ceremony hosted by Den Breejen Shipyard in Orsova, Romania marks this key construction phase as the company readies for the introduction of its first vessel to the group market in 2026.

At the ceremony, Transcend Cruises executives: Hans Rood - CEO, Matthew Shollar - Chief Visionary Officer, Kimberly Daley - Chief Revenue Officer, and Carmen Mladenovic - Ship Operations Manager commemorated the progression in construction for the company. Joining Transcend’s leadership team at the ceremony from their Board of Directors was Gregg Marston. From Den Breejen Shipyard: Wouter Henstra, CCO and from their partner for the hull building scope, RensenDriessen: Edwin Diepeveen, Director Operations and Thomas de Bree, CFO.

The ceremony opened with comments from Transcend’s leadership and key stakeholders, a viewing of the hull and as part of the longstanding maritime tradition, executives from Transcend and the shipyard placed a newly minted coin on the hull of the vessel. The company chose to design a custom coin for Transcend Cruises to commemorate the first ship in the purpose-built fleet that will cruise the European rivers focused exclusively on the group and private event markets. The coin captures the beauty of the ship on one side with the phrases, “Group Travel. Redefined” and “Building the Future”. The other side showcases the elegant symbol of the company with the date of the Keel Laying Ceremony: February 4, 2025.

“After years of planning and design by our Transcend team alongside our partners from Den Breejen Shipyard and RensenDriessen, it is truly thrilling to see our vision come to life and for us to get even closer to delivery,” said Hans Rood. “What we are creating is truly ground-breaking in the group travel space and our dedicated team looks forward to the next construction phase when the completed hull is brought to Den Breejen’s shipyard in the Netherlands this summer for the final outfitting and commissioning phases before we launch next year.”

After the ceremony, the participants took part in a tour of the shipyard and an overview of the next stages to come at this Orsova shipyard. This summer the ship will transition up the Danube to complete the interior construction at Den Breejen’s shipyard in the Netherlands.

"The keel laying of Transcend Cruises' new vessel marks the beginning of an exciting journey. This ship embodies innovation, luxury, and sustainability—crafted with precision and passion by our dedicated team. We are honored to partner with Transcend Cruises in bringing their vision to life and look forward to seeing this vessel set sail on unforgettable voyages,” said Wouter Henstra.

Following the keel laying ceremony, the executive team of Transcend Cruises will travel to Hoganas, Sweden to meet with the leadership at Tillberg Design of Sweden to continue the process for the interior design of the ships.
Transcend is currently accepting charter bookings for 2026 and beyond although space is becoming limited in the launch year.

The Bazaar to debut on Celebrity Xcel

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 05 February 2025 05 February 2025

A transformational experience awaits on Celebrity Xcel. Introducing The Bazaar, a brand-new multi-level, multi-sensory space unlike anything else at sea. The new experience will be an epicenter of excitement on board and will introduce authentic experiences that extend guests’ time “on shore” to enjoy destinations in an unconventional way. Offering non-stop exploration, The Bazaar invites guests to get swept away in the sights, sounds, flavors, and traditions of the places they visit, and the festivals made famous by those destinations, all while on board Celebrity Xcel.

A first of its kind concept, no two days at The Bazaar are the same. Each day, the three-story space will transform, introducing new ways for guests to immerse themselves in the destinations called on throughout their sailing. The Bazaar comes alive to blend guests’ on board and in port experiences in an elevated, authentic and unique way throughout sailings; from a market featuring local artisan products and hands-on craft experiences, to destination inspired festivals specific to each itinerary, regionally inspired culinary experiences, and unforgettable entertainment.

“The Bazaar is a truly one-of-a-kind space designed to seamlessly blend ship and shore and transform the way guests experience destinations,” shares Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Celebrity Xcel intentionally extends the destination experience onboard through a continued authentic offering between ports of call, allowing guests to take the destination with them.”

Four unique Caribbean destination-inspired festivals – each linked to a destination where the ship is sailing – will immerse guests in the cultures of ports they visit. Every festival will bring a destination to life in a myriad of ways, including local food and beverage offerings, crafting experiences, retail enrichment activations, destination-inspired cooking and dance classes, pop-up entertainment, performances from local musicians, and other Caribbean-inspired activities. As Celebrity Xcel heads to Europe in 2026, The Bazaar will transform to feature festivals, markets and culinary experiences inspired by Mediterranean destinations.

On sea days, Market at The Bazaar invites guests to take the cities they visit with them. Guests can excite their senses with unique and engaging displays from local artisans who will come onboard to showcase their crafts, skills and traditions, and even teach guests how to make their own local creations. As with all experiences at The Bazaar, the offering at the Market will change throughout sailings to reflect each of the four festival themes. Depending on the festival theme, guests can expand their palate with activities including rum and chocolate pairings and local hot sauce tastings, dive deep into the destination’s culture with experiences like live basket weaving demos, and find one-of-a-kind keepsakes from local vendors such as an authentic Caribbean mask shop, traditional Mexican leather hats, embroidery stations, and more.

For those happiest when connecting to new cultures through food, new destination-inspired dining options in The Bazaar will delight palates with local cuisines. An open kitchen concept, Mosaic, will serve reimagined and elevated dishes, inspired by the regions Celebrity Xcel is sailing, enhancing guests’ appreciation of the incredible places they have visited.

For something extra special, guests can delight in an industry-first Chef’s Table experience at Mosaic. Celebrity’s global culinary leadership team will each develop a dish inspired by their native cuisine, plated and presented in an elevated way. The Chef’s Table experience at Mosaic serves a diverse, multi-course tasting menu of childhood favorite dishes representing all continents, each perfectly paired with wines from Celebrity Cruises’ award-winning selection.

Adventurous foodies can learn to cook regional delicacies at Chef's Studio at Mosaic. Celebrity’s first-ever destination inspired cooking school. Chef’s Studio invites guests to discover their inner chef as they learn to prepare new dishes from each destination they visit. Throughout the sailing, the cooking school repertoire will change to reflect the destination-inspired festival themes, allowing guests to master local favorites and add to their recipe books alongside creating new memories.

For guests on the go, a new casual dining concept, Spice, will offer a daytime selection of rotating bites with special items inspired by the ports visited on the itinerary. A breathtaking café on the water’s edge, the inviting new seating area at Spice features floor-to-ceiling windows where guests can take in spectacular sea and port views.

Vacationers can have their say and determine how The Bazaar experiences will come to life onboard Celebrity Xcel. Celebrity Cruises’ Xcel ‘Dream Makers’ is offering cruisers a first of its kind chance to help make key decisions across culinary, entertainment and interior design to finalize the cruise line’s newest ship. Open to all who wish to join, Dream Makers is a global community of vacationers who will test, try and vote on new experiences they would like to see onboard Xcel. For The Bazaar, Dream Makers will shape how the festivals come to life, choose entertainment and activities in Market at The Bazaar, select menu items at Mosaic, and more. Those interested in joining Xcel ‘Dream Makers’ can register at https://www.celebritycruises.com/xceldreammakers.

Fincantieri secures Norwegian Cruise Line's large megaship order

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 05 February 2025 05 February 2025

As first announced in April 2024, the new units will represent the pinnacle of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet and will be the largest ever built for this brand.

Fincantieri today announced that the Letter of Intent signed with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) and announced on April 8, 2024 has been transformed into a firm order for the construction of four new cruise ships, destined for the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) brand. The value of this agreement, subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions, is considered very important.

With a gross tonnage of approximately 226,000 tons, the new units will be the largest ever built for NCL. The ships will be built at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard, with the first unit to be delivered in 2030 and the others to follow in 2032, 2034, and 2036. With over 5,100 berths, the ships will be able to accommodate over 8,300 people, including crew. Designed according to the highest standards of comfort and technology these ships will also include sustainability features.

Fincantieri has already built two ships for the NCL brand, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, while Norwegian Aqua, the first unit of the Prima Plus class, will be delivered in the coming months. In addition, three other units are in various stages of design and construction.

Orient Express Sailing Yachts celebrate milestone

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 February 2025 03 February 2025

On January 31, Orient Express and Chantiers de l'Atlantique celebrated a symbolic dual ceremony, opening a new chapter for Orient Express Sailing Yachts.

In maritime tradition, the keel laying and coin placement ceremonies were held, marking the official birth of Orient Express Corinthian, the largest sailing yacht in the world.

The sailing yacht’s keel laying took place at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, just 10 months after the cutting of the first steel plate. At the ceremony, Sébastien Bazin, President and CEO of Accor Group, Philippe Hetland Brault, CEO of Silenseas, the ship-owning and operational structure of Orient Express Sailing Yachts and, Laurent Castaing, General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique lowered the first 606-ton steel block for the new ship in the dry dock. As part of the longstanding maritime tradition, executives from the cruise company and the shipyard placed newly minted coins on the first piece of steel to bestow good luck on the ship during both the construction process and future sailings.

Over the next two months, 13 further steel hull blocks and three balestron blocks will be meticulously lifted and assembled by two large gantry cranes to form the ship’s metallic hull which will be launched in June. Once completed, the ship will be transferred to an outfitting dock for the ultimate phase of its construction until delivery.

Orient Express Corinthian spans 220 meters long and develops 4,500 m² of sails spread across three tilting masts, reaching 100 meters above sea level. The SolidSail concept has been developed over the past ten years by Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Under optimized wind conditions, the ship will be able to navigate under sails only and reach speeds of up to 17 knots, even exceeding the standard engine propulsion speed. The highest attention has been paid to set new standards for environmentally friendly operations and design.

The hybrid propulsion formula will combine wind power with a state-of-the-art powerplant running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Orient Express’ Commitment to sustainability has resulted in numerous additional state of the art equipment such as an advanced AI detection system intended to protect marine mammals by avoiding collisions and minimizing underwater noise pollution, or a dynamic positioning technology that reduces the yacht’s impact on the seabed by eliminating the need to drop anchor in shallow sensitive areas. Together, these efforts ensure a harmonious relationship with the ocean and its ecosystems. Orient Express Corinthian’s itineraries have also been developed to take advantage of the wind with special works in progress developed together with routing specialists coming in from the international sail racing world.

Steel cutting for Orient Express Olympian

Maritime traditions continued the same day with the steel cutting ceremony for the second yacht in the Orient Express Sailing Yachts fleet, marking a symbolic launch of the industrial phase of Orient Express Olympian, sistership to Orient Express Corinthian. A name that embodies the very ambition and grandeur of the world’s largest sailing yachts, steel cutting ceremony cut the very first of 80,000 pieces that will make up the yacht’s hull. This ceremony takes place at Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s steel cutting workshop, where three plasma cutting machines operate continuously.

These maritime traditions embody the shared commitment to excellence and sustainability, standing among the greatest achievements in innovation. They also mark the continued partnership between Orient Express and Chantiers de l’Atlantique, a collaboration pushing the boundaries of luxury yachting and engineering mastery.

"Orient Express’ universe knows no bounds – a realm of dreams, discovery, connection, movement, and emotion. With Orient Express Corinthian and Orient Express Olympian, the Orient Express legend is set to sail the world’s most beautiful seas, offering an unprecedented experience of travel and an authentic discovery of shore destinations. Inspired by the golden age of luxury travel, Orient Express Sailing Yachts reinvents motion and comfort on water while being designed to meet sustainability challenges of today and the future. A source of pride for all of us," said Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor.

"With the celebration of these two industrial milestones, we are witnessing the birth of exceptional ships that will enter the legend of the most beautiful and high-performing vessels created here in Saint-Nazaire. Today, we are also taking partake in a major advance in the decarbonization of the maritime industry. This technological breakthrough is the result of 10 years of research and development on the SolidSail concept and the historical expertise in naval architecture and shipbuilding of Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Thanks to Orient Express, the world’s largest wind-powered yacht will set sail: we appreciate their trust in this pioneering project – an incredible industrial, and above all, human adventure.” - Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique

Orient Express Corinthian is scheduled to set sail in June 2026 with itineraries across the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and the Caribbean. A technological jewel engineered by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, this exceptional sailing yacht features a sleek and elegant profile, completed with stunning interiors designed by Maxime d’Angeac, Artistic Director of Orient Express. Orient Express Corinthian will propose 54 suites with panoramic openings to the sea, including six exceptional penthouse suites on deck 7, all of unforeseen sizes in the cruise market. With an exceptional crew ratio, the ship will offer five restaurants, eight bars and lounges, an amphitheater, cinema room, recording studio and a sophisticated spa wellness center.

MSC World Asia to sail in the Western Mediterranean from December 2026

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 31 January 2025 31 January 2025

MSC Cruises’ newest World Class ship, MSC World Asia, is now open for sale, offering guests an opportunity to experience the art of cruising in the Mediterranean beginning in December 2026.

MSC World Asia will be the cruise line’s third World Class ship, each of which is named after one of the world’s continents to reflect the fact that MSC Cruises sails to every corner of the globe and offers an unparalleled choice of destinations.

Starting December 11, 2026, and throughout the winter 2026/27 season, the ship will offer seven-night sailings to the most popular destinations in the Western Mediterranean – Barcelona (Spain); Marseille (France); Genoa, Civitavecchia for Rome, and Messina (Italy); and Valletta (Malta) with accessible embarkation in every port.

For the summer 2027 season, MSC World Asia will offer a seven-night itinerary serving Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Naples (Italy), Messina and Valletta.

MSC World Asia is the latest innovative ship in the cruise line’s LNG-powered World Class following MSC World Europa and the soon-to-be-launched MSC World America, which will sail from the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal to the Caribbean starting April 2025.

MSC World Asia features subtle design elements that reflect Asia’s rich culture, art and beautiful landscapes. It retains the signature plumb bow rising vertically from the waterline and the iconic Y-shaped aft that opens onto the impressive outdoor promenade—hallmarks of MSC Cruises’ World Class ships.

Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises said, “MSC World Asia will further enhance our lineup in the region, giving guests even more choice of embarkation ports and itineraries for their winter escape or summer getaways. As with each of our new ships, we’ll introduce innovative new concepts, venues and services to deliver the ultimate cruise experience for our guests.”