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Celestyal continues fleet renewal with an acquisition of AIDAaura

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 November 2023 16 November 2023

Celestyal, the leading cruise operator of Greek origin with cruises to the Greek islands and beyond confirmed today the acquisition of a second new vessel this year. The Celestyal Discovery, following the recent arrival of the Celestyal Journey, confirms the renewal of the fleet and a greater commitment to a significant investment in the customer experience.

Celestyal Discovery will join her fleetmate in Athens, where both will undergo multi-million dollar renovation programs ahead of the new season, which begins in March 2024. The ship's name symbolizes the company's ethos of creating unrepeatable moments of discovery through the connection between people, places and oneself. It embodies Celestyal's spirit of trust, sense of exploration and admiration. Built in 2003 for Carnival Corporation, she has sailed under the AIDA Cruise brand for her entire career to date. The Celestyal Discovery is a medium-sized ship, which allows Celestyal to continue offering its hallmark, the mix of emblematic destinations and more hidden gems that characterize the company's itineraries. She offers 633 cabins, 62 of them with a balcony, with a total capacity for about 1,266 passengers.

Cruise sales on Celestyal's new ship will open on December 11, 2023, taking over from the 2024 Celestyal Olympia schedule. Special launch offers will be included in Black Friday promotions released later this week, as well as as throughout Celestyal's largest “Wave” campaign to date, launching at the end of the year. Guests currently booked on the Celestyal Olympia will be contacted by Celestyal after this date and rebooked on departures on the newly renovated Celestyal Discovery.

"Based on strong market and business conditions, we are delighted to have accelerated our fleet renewal by welcoming Celestyal Discovery to the Celestyal family," said CEO Chris Theophilides. "Celestyal Discovery joins Celestyal Journey to undergo an extensive refurbishment program over the winter period, further showing our intention to continue to delight our customers. As a trusted brand, our team is delighted to continue making waves in the industry next season, with a renewed fleet, brand and network, and a renewed sense of direction."

Celestyal Discovery will offer numerous Celestyal fleet favorite features - an inviting Amphitheater with ample conference and event space, vibrant lounges, Grillseekers specialty restaurant, a Sozo wellness retreat, a spacious pool deck with an exclusive Rays deck , the Greek Deli, and a Fig and Honey ice cream and juice bar. She will also offer some surprises in the offer for customers that will be added during her upcoming renovation program in Greece. More details about the onboard experience and itineraries will be announced soon.

Viking to add new ship for the Mekong River

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 November 2023 15 November 2023

Viking has announced an expansion of its river fleet in Southeast Asia with the new Viking Tonle. Designed for the Mekong River, the 80-guest vessel will join its identical sister ship, the Viking Saigon, which debuted in 2022, and will sail between Kampong Cham, Cambodia and Mỹ Tho, Vietnam as part of Viking’s popular 15-day Magnificent Mekong itinerary. The ship is under construction and is currently scheduled to debut in October 2025. To meet strong demand for Mekong River voyages, Viking has added sailing dates in 2025 and has now opened the entire 2026 season for booking.

“The rich history and culture of Vietnam and Cambodia have always made the Mekong River a fascinating destination for our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “With the addition of an identical sister ship in 2025, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the treasures of this fantastic region in the years to come.”

Built specifically to navigate the Mekong River, the new Viking Tonle will host 80 guests in 40 outside staterooms. Featuring the clean Scandinavian design for which Viking is known, all staterooms have hotel-style beds and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a Veranda or French Balcony. Guests on the three-deck Viking Tonle also enjoy a Spa & Fitness Center, Pool and open-air Sky Bar on the Upper Deck.

During this 15-day journey, guests explore the cultural treasures of Vietnam and Cambodia with 16 guided tours. Hotel stays in Hanoi, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) bracket an eight-day Mekong River voyage on this unique itinerary, during which guests can enjoy exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi and attending a performance by Apsara dancers; tasting the distinctive fresh ingredients from bustling markets and local restaurants; wandering the Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; visiting Ta Prohm, where jungle vines embrace ancient ruins; and seeing the sights of Phnom Penh by cyclo rickshaw. On the river voyage portion of the itinerary, guests can discover silk towns, fishing villages, monasteries and floating markets.

Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic extend and expand strategic relationship through 2040

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 November 2023 15 November 2023

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc., the recognized global leader and a pioneer in the expedition cruises and adventure travel industry, announced today the long-term extension and expansion of the Lindblad Expeditions brand’s strategic relationship with renowned exploration and scientific discovery brand National Geographic.

Under the new agreement, the two companies have extended their industry-defining 20-year relationship for 17 additional years, with a commitment through 2040 that will allow the brand to reach new worldwide audiences through three compelling new market opportunities including:

– Global rights to the National Geographic brand for expedition cruises, which will enable Lindblad Expeditions to increase its fleet capacity of 17 intimately scaled exploration ships and expand into additional market segments;
– Leverage of The Walt Disney Company as an affiliate of National Geographic Partners to distribute product through Disney’s powerful sales channels and support robust joint marketing campaigns; and
– Enhancements to the onboard guest experience with more immersive storytelling and experiences connected to the National Geographic brand.

A milestone in Lindblad Expeditions’ global growth strategy, this expanded relationship will elevate the brand’s position as the leader in expedition cruise, the breakout travel trend of the decade. It will increase the earnings potential of the company by opening larger addressable markets and potential expansion into additional market segments through: a global license to use the National Geographic Expeditions brand to market, sell and operate co-branded trips on expedition ships; exclusivity on trips marketed in the United States and Canada for ships up to 295 passengers, with the ability to expand that exclusive license globally and to ships with guest capacity of up to 530 passengers; and a global license to market co-branded river cruises.

One of the most impactful elements of this new agreement is the distribution of the company’s products through The Walt Disney Company’s powerful sales channels. This distribution will be instrumental in reaching key new-to-expedition and new-to-brand travelers around the world, thereby growing the company’s consumer base to drive additional capacity and earnings growth in the years ahead. The combination of the educational travel expertise of National Geographic, the marketing and sales expertise of The Walt Disney Company, and the expedition cruise operations history of Lindblad Expeditions will inspire generations of new explorers across the globe and fuel record growth.

“The extension – and, most importantly, the expansion – of our strategic relationship with National Geographic will enable us to significantly grow our business and each of our brands on an international scale and reach more citizen explorers than ever before,” said Sven-Olof Lindblad, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lindblad Expeditions. “As we globalize our operations, the power of worldwide branding rights, uplifted by the marketing and sales engine of National Geographic and The Walt Disney Company, is incredibly exciting and will be key to our continued growth. Building on our company’s half-century of safe and responsible exploration and long list of industry innovations, together, we will continue to craft world-opening expeditions for curious explorers, develop more meaningful guest programs on land and on board our growing fleet, and expose new audiences to the beauty and wonder of our shared planet. Over the past two decades, our intuitive connection and shared ethos has positively impacted hundreds of thousands of guests, and I look forward to our next two decades of industry-leading growth.”

Today, National Geographic touchpoints are found throughout each awe-inspiring expedition, which are expertly crafted to educate, inspire, and transform, based on the belief there is always more to be discovered. Every expedition is accompanied by a certified photography instructor, with National Geographic training to help guests hone their skills. Under the new agreement, guests will enjoy more National Geographic content throughout each step of their expedition, from the moment they book until after they return home; as well as enhanced in-field interactions with National Geographic Experts—renowned individuals from the worlds of science, exploration, conservation, and education.

“Lindblad Expeditions’ expertise, history of responsible and safe exploration and outstanding guest experience makes them the right organization to help bring the National Geographic Expeditions brand to life,” said Stephanie Young, President, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures & Expeditions and Disney Institute. “We are proud to associate our iconic travel brand with an operator with such a rich pioneering heritage that is committed to operating inspiring and meaningful travel experiences to the world’s most compelling destinations to grow the National Geographic Expeditions brand on a global scale, while bringing high-quality hospitality, customer service standards and marketing and sales expertise.”

With its pioneering history in expedition cruising, Lindblad Expeditions has carried citizen explorers on journeys of deep discovery to the farthest reaches of the planet for more than half a century. For the past two decades, Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic have collaborated through a shared mission: To foster a spirit of discovery and community by blending science, nature, and purpose-driven travel. The brands and their guests have progressed important conservation priorities, educational opportunities and supported environmental scientific research at local, regional, and global levels, during thousands of expeditions designed for discovery to highlight the wonder of our shared world and our collective role in protecting it. Through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund, the company and its guests have raised $20 million to support numerous conservation, education and science initiatives around the globe. Together with the National Geographic Society, Lindblad Expeditions has brought more than 365 educators into the world through the Grosvenors Teachers Fellowship program to experience expeditions, and those educators in return pass that knowledge on to their students.

International Cruise Summit in Madrid brings together executives from more than 25 cruise lines

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 November 2023 14 November 2023

Whilst in 2023 the cruise industry's forecast is to exceed 2019 figures by 6%, in 2024, a further growth of no less than 20% is expected, thanks to the addition of 16 of the 50 ships to be built in the next 5 years.

The most relevant international professionals of the cruise industry will meet on 14th and 15th November, during the celebration of the thirteenth edition of the International Cruise Summit, the renowned congress that each year brings together the cruise industry at Hotel Meliá Castilla.

For two days, several round tables and presentations will debate different topics of the cruise industry and tourist destinations. The cruise industry will be analysed from the outside following a year of recovery. In addition, the main leaders of the industry will outline the opportunities and challenges for the coming years.

Cruise companies continue to invest in the most advanced technologies to achieve zero net emissions by 2050. Several experiments with sustainable fuels have been carried out and research is being conducted on methanol and hydrogen engines. Half of the 50 ships to be built over the next five years will use Liquefied Natural Gas as a fuel, while the remaining 25 will be fitted with powerful gas filtering systems.

Many of these new ships will also be equipped with shore power so that they can switch off their engines while they are in port. At present, few ports have such a supply of sustainably sourced energy, but there are a large number of projects in the pipeline which will be brought to fruition in the coming years.

Top executives, international cruise line executives, port authorities, travel agents and companies and experts from the industry will be present at one of the most important cruise congresses in the world. The event will feature speakers from the top management of cruise companies such as Alessandro Carollo, Director, Government Relations at Royal Caribbean; Andrea Zito, CEO at Swan Hellenic; Linden Coppel, Vice President, Sustainability & ESG at MSC Cruises; Christopher Prelog, President at Windstar Cruises; Andreas Nüssel, Managing Director, Europe at Silversea Cruises; Matt Lebbern, Sales Manager, Europe & New Markets at Virgin Voyages International; Marie-Caroline Laurent, General Manager, Europe at CLIA; or Sander Groothuis, Vice President Port & Shore Operations of Carnival UK (P&O, CUNARD) among others.

Fincantieri delivers Seven Seas Grandeur

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 November 2023 14 November 2023

Seven Seas Grandeur, the third luxury cruise ship that Fincantieri has built for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the luxury cruise line in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.’s portfolio of three brands, was delivered yesterday at the Ancona shipyard.

Fincantieri has built all three luxury vessels in the Explorer Class, Seven Seas Explorer in 2016, Seven Seas Splendor in 2020 and now Seven Seas Grandeur in 2023. Like her sister vessels, Seven Seas Grandeur registers approximately 55,500 gross tons and will accommodate only 746 passengers on board, with one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios in the industry.

She has also been built using the very latest environmental protection technologies. The interiors are particularly sophisticated, with the utmost attention given to the guest experience on board.

In addition to Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. operates Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), which will receive another four Prima Class ships from Fincantieri in the incoming years, and Oceania Cruises, for which the Group has already delivered Vista, the first of two new-generation vessels of the Allura-class, with the second to be delivered in 2025. Since 2016 Fincantieri and Lloyd’s Register cooperate with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. on all brands of the group to deliver the new generation of ships.