MSC Cruises officially names MSC Euribia in Copenhagen

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 11 June 2023 11 June 2023

MSC Cruises welcomed its new MSC Euribia to the fleet on June 8 during a Naming Ceremony taking place in Copenhagen. The traditional maritime ceremony honors traditional maritime heritage and pay tribute to the environmentally advanced MSC Euribia, which is designed to be the most energy-efficient cruise ship ever.

MSC Euribia is MSC Cruises’ second vessel powered by LNG, the cleanest marine fuel currently commercially available at scale. On board, she boasts a range of best-in-class environmental technology, including advanced onboard wastewater treatment systems and waste management handling. She has also been designed with the future in mind, allowing her to easily incorporate future innovations in sustainability, such as carbon-neutral synthetic and other alternative fuels as soon as they are available at scale.

"MSC Euribia is expected to be the most energy-efficient cruise ship design in the world at the time of her launch," the company said in a statement. During her maiden voyage, MSC Euribia completed a net zero GHG emissions journey from Saint-Nazaire to Copenhagen, benefiting from the emissions reductions allowed by bio-LNG and application of the mass balance approach.

Renowned Danish television host, actress and model Sarah Grünewald will oversaw the Naming Ceremony. Joining festivities were distinguished guests from around the world, key travel partners and international media, as well as top management from MSC Cruises and its parent company, MSC Group.

Godmother of MSC Cruises’ fleet and globally recognized screen legend Sophia Loren was also in attendance to officially name the ship, continuing her long-standing and close relationship with MSC Cruises.

The momentous occasion included live entertainment and speeches combined with the important maritime tradition of cutting a ribbon to break a bottle of champagne over the ship’s bow. Guests were also be treated to a gourmet gala dinner and unforgettable performances, including a spectacular DJ set by Bob Sinclar, internationally acclaimed French DJ and record producer, who closed out the evening.

The special event gave guests a first look at the revolutionary new ship’s cutting-edge design and various world-class guest experiences.

MSC Euribia began sailing in Northern Europe this summer with 7-night sailings from Kiel, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark to the captivating Norwegian Fjords, including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flaam.

Royal Caribbean Group trials biofuels on two ships

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 07 June 2023 07 June 2023

Royal Caribbean Group, the world’ second largest cruise shipping company, said Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Apex and Royal Caribbean International's Symphony of the Seas, set sail in Europe using sustainable biofuel to meet part of the ships' fuel needs.

“The landmark test will contribute critical data and research on the fuel's capabilities and supply chain infrastructure needed to further the industry's alternative fuel ambitions,” the company said in a statement.

During the three-month test, Celebrity Apex will depart from the Port of Rotterdam and Symphony of the Seas will depart from the Port of Barcelona, using a biofuel blend that reduces the ships' carbon emissions. The biofuel blend is produced by purifying renewable raw materials like oils and fats and combining it with fuel oil to create an alternative fuel that is cleaner and more sustainable.

"Biofuels will play an increasingly important role in achieving, not only our own, but the entire maritime sector's decarbonization goals in the short and medium term. We take great pride in continuing to push our industry forward in exploring innovative fuel solutions that reduce carbon impact and preserve the vibrancy of the oceans we sail," said Jason Liberty, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

The cruise company plans to continue increasing the use of alternative lower carbon fuel to meet the needs of its ships across the fleet. After the trials are completed this summer, Royal Caribbean Group plans to scale up the use of alternative fuels, including biofuels, across upcoming European summer sailings.

"With our sights set on a bright and sustainable future, we are committed to collaboration and innovation to ensure we deliver great vacation experiences, responsibly. With the completion of the trials our hope is to advance our ships' ability to meaningfully reduce emissions and propel forward strategic partnerships with suppliers and ports to ensure there is sufficient availability of biofuel and infrastructures to make maritime energy transition a reality," Liberty said.

This key step in Royal Caribbean Group's pursuit of alternative fuels follows closely after a biofuel trial on its California-based Navigator of the Seas, became the first a cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port while using renewable diesel fuel this past fall.

Image: Symphony of the Seas at a shipyard in Cadiz earlier this year. Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean Group.

Viking's newest ocean ship named in New York City's Manhattan Cruise Terminal

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 07 June 2023 07 June 2023

Viking yesterday named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Saturn, with a celebration in New York City. As part of the event, the ship’s ceremonial godmother, Ann Ziff, the esteemed philanthropist and Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera, a longtime Viking cultural partner, offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for the ship – a maritime tradition that dates back thousands of years. The ship will now continue her inaugural season, sailing two new Viking voyages: Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada, between New York City and Reykjavik, and Iceland & Norway’s Arctic Explorer, between Reykjavik and Bergen.

“This is a very proud day for Viking as we name our newest identical ocean ship in New York City, one of the great cultural capitals of the world,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “It is especially fitting that Ann Ziff, Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera – one of the world’s greatest cultural institutions – has honored us by serving as godmother of the Viking Saturn. We thank Ann for her loyalty as a Viking guest, as well as her many impressive contributions to the arts and other important causes.”

“It is an honor to be godmother of the new Viking Saturn and celebrate this momentous occasion in New York,” said Ann Ziff. “Viking and the Metropolitan Opera share a common goal in creating enriching experiences throughout the world and there is no doubt the Viking Saturn will do just that for her guests.”

In keeping with the naming tradition, during the ceremony Ziff used the steel sword from the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore to cut a ribbon that allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull. The prop sword was originally used by baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the role of Count di Luna in David McVicar’s production, which premiered in the 2008-2009 season.​ Prior to the ribbon cutting, the sword was presented to Ziff by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon, who is also the godmother of the Viking Mars and a Viking Longship, the Viking Skadi.

As part of the ceremony, guests also enjoyed performances from Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter and Norwegian violinist Tor Jaran Apold. Following a celebratory dinner on board the ship, stars of the Metropolitan Opera – soprano Susanna Phillips, tenor Charles Castronovo, and baritone Quinn Kelsey – treated guests to a performance of opera classics, including selections from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka, Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, as well as a collection of American musical classics from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jerome Kern and others.

Photo credit, all photos: Teijo Niemela

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.