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Atlas Ocean's new World Traveller to visit the Arctic and Iceland

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 February 2023 22 February 2023

For summer 2023 Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new expedition yacht World Traveller will visit the Arctic, Norwegian Fjords, Iceland, and Greenland on six, 8- to 13-night expeditions. The Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified vessel – which debuted in November 2022 – offers gourmet cuisine, luxurious staterooms and suites and gracious service. Prices start from $7,999 and the second guest sails free.

Depending on the itinerary, plans call for up to two outings daily, where guests can see wildlife and ice formations up-close via Zodiac boats, specifically designed for exploration use. The precise landing sites are based on weather and wildlife sightings and will be determined by the Expedition Leader in consultation with ship’s captain.

A 13- and 11-night expedition, Aug. 6 and Aug. 19 respectively, sails round-trip from Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost port. An 8-night expedition, Aug. 11, operates from Tromso, Norway, to the Svalbard archipelago. A 10-night expedition, Aug. 30, takes the ship from Spitsbergen to Iceland. World Traveller will then offer a 9-night Iceland circumnavigation, round-trip from Reykjavik, Sept. 9, before heading south Sept. 18 on an 8-night expedition to Edinburgh, Scotland, via the British Isles.

The expedition team comprised of naturalists, biologists, ornithologists, and scientists from other disciplines will be aboard to share insights and enrich the journey. With one field guide for every 20 people, guests are assured a highly personalized learning experience. Rubber boots, binoculars, and walking sticks are provided for guests’ use during the expedition.

“Our Arctic itineraries have been carefully planned so guests can immerse themselves in the destination,” said James Rodriguez, the line’s president and CEO. “As this is the first season for World Traveller, explorers have the opportunity to experience this remote region in comfort and at very appealing introductory fares.”

Whether visiting polar destinations such as the Arctic and Antarctica or calling at iconic ports in Europe, Atlas’ stylish and intimate expedition yachts World Traveller and World Navigator carry fewer than 200 guests and offer every five-star comfort, from luxurious accommodations and an all-inclusive onboard experience to immersive shore excursions.

Resorts World Cruises adds Kaohsiung as new destination and homeport

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 February 2023 21 February 2023

On January 13, Resorts World Cruises announced Resorts World One will commence high seas cruises from Hong Kong, starting 10 March 2023. With Taiwan lifting all travel restrictions on Hong Kong and Macao residents, Resorts World Cruises will add Kaohsiung as a destination. Beginning April 2, 2023, the Resorts World One will sail from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung offering 3-night cruises departing Sundays and 2-night cruises departing Wednesdays. The 2-night weekend high seas cruises departing Fridays will continue.

Besides the round-trip cruises, vacationers departing from Hong Kong on Sundays will have the flexible option to debark at Kaohsiung on Mondays to enjoy a 4-day/3-night land stay in Taiwan; and re-embark on Thursdays to arrive Hong Kong Friday, making this a 6-day/5-night holiday. Vacationers can make their own land accommodation arrangements in Taiwan or via travel agents.

Cruise fares from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung start from HK$1,299 onwards per guest (twin-sharing) with third and fourth guests paying HK$650 each for the 3-day/2-night cruise. An “Early Bird” discount promotion of HK$300 is also now available for each of the twin-sharing guest with an additional HK$150 off for each of the third and fourth guest. The promotion is only valid for bookings made before end March 2023 for sailing dates in April and May 2023 (excluding sailings from 5 – 15 April 2023). Port charges will be HK$500 per guest per sailing with a daily service charge of HK$150 per guest (balcony category and below).

Kaohsiung will also become a double homeport for the Resorts World One. Vacationers from Taiwan can embark the ship in Kaohsiung from 4 April 2023 onwards, starting with a special 3-Day/2 Night cruise to Hong Kong. Subsequently, the Resorts World One will offer weekly round-trip cruises to Hong Kong that include the 4-day/3-night cruise departing on Mondays and the 5-day/4-night cruise departing on Thursdays.

Vacationers departing from Kaohsiung on Thursdays for the 5-day/4-night cruise will also have the option to debark at Hong Kong on Fridays for a 3-day/2-night land stay in Hong Kong. Vacationers will re-embark the ship on Sunday to arrive in Kaohsiung on Monday. Similarly, vacationers can also make their own weekend accommodation arrangements in Hong Kong or via travel agents. These cruises from Kaohsiung will support the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign by the Hong Kong government to increase the number of tourists.

Cruise fares from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong start from NT$6,900 onwards per guest (twin-sharing) with third and fourth guests paying NT$3,500 each for the 4-day/3-night cruise. An “Early Bird” NT$1,000 discount promotion is also now available for each of the twin-sharing guest with an additional NT$500 off for each of the third and fourth guest. The promotion is only valid for bookings made before end March 2023 for sailing dates in April and May 2023 (excluding sailings on 4 and 5 April 2023). Port charges will be NT$2,000 per guest per sailing with a daily service charge of NT$600 per guest (balcony category and below)

“Resorts World Cruises pioneered the dual homeport ship model for Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (via Port Klang) with the Genting Dream, bringing increased tourists and economic benefits to both destinations,” said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Executive Chairman of Resorts World Cruises. “Similarly, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung will both benefit from increased number of passengers carried by Resorts World One and increased Fly-Cruise and Rail-Cruise passengers, who will have pre and post cruise stays in either destination,” he added.

With a capacity of over 1,856 passengers, the Resorts World One is set to contribute and open-up a new stream of potential inbound tourists, reigniting the cruise sector and the various tourism industries in Taiwan and Hong Kong. With 2 sailings a week to Kaohsiung, there will be 78 calls in 2023, which is a substantial increase compared to approximately 20 cruise ship calls pre-COVID in 2019. And with 3 sailings a week from Hong Kong, Resorts World One will make 126 calls in 2023, which will be 60% of the calls that Hong Kong had pre-COVID in 2019.

The homeport deployment in Kaohsiung is timely as the Kaohsiung Cruise Terminal has developed an integrated shopping, dining and entertainment district that is being completed with a waterfront boardwalk, connecting it with the Maritime Cultural and Pop Music Center. A new futuristic cruise terminal is also being completed.

“We would like to thank the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Tourism Bureau, the Kaohsiung
Government, the Port of Kaohsiung and the relevant authorities in Taiwan for extending their support towards Resorts World Cruises. The homeport deployment is a clear testament of our unwavering commitment in rejuvenating the cruise tourism sector in Taiwan and the region,” said Michael Goh, President, Resorts World Cruises.

Costa Group and Proman join forces towards decarbonisation of the cruise industry

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 February 2023 18 February 2023

Costa Group, part of Carnival Corporation and Europe's leading cruise operator with its two brands Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises, and the leading methanol producer, Proman, have signed an MOU to drive further the implementation of methanol as a marine fuel for the cruise industry.

The partnership aims to accelerate the energy transition and decarbonisation of the existing fleet by enhancing the supply of sustainable methanol, paving the way for the retrofitting of existing vessels to operate on clean fuel, as well as investment in further methanol-fueled new builds.

MOU, signed on February 16, reaffirms methanol’s potential to play a key role in the ongoing reduction of GHG emissions of the cruise sector and other shipping segments. It is a cleaner-burning fuel which virtually eliminates airborne pollutants such as particulate matter and sulphur oxides and is widely available and increasingly produced via lower-carbon, biogenic or hydrogen-based pathways. When used in fuel cells, methanol has the potential to allow for lifecycle zero emissions in the near future.

Methanol is emerging as a leading alternative fuel to meet GHG reduction goals due to its easy-to-handle properties, making it attractive for both new builds and for refitting existing ships. As one of the most widely traded chemical commodities, the infrastructure for ship supply could be adapted from existing infrastructure. All forms of methanol, whether natural-gas based, low-carbon or renewable, can be blended regardless of production pathways. It therefore enables a reliable transition pathway from today to fully GHG neutral cruise ships in near future.

“The technology to retrofit a vessel to accept methanol as a fuel is available today. Our methanol products can facilitate the transition to low carbon intensity fuels. Methanol-powered vessels have a proven track record of reducing and eliminating major greenhouse gas emissions, delivering immediate air quality improvements around major ports and shipping lanes. We are excited to bring our expertise along the full methanol value chain to help deliver on Costa Group’s bold ambitions," said Tim Cornelius, Proman’s Managing Director of Corporate Development.

Over the years, Costa Group has been leading sustainable innovation in the global cruise industry by steadily pioneering advanced technologies on board its new and existing ships. The company was the first to introduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion for emission reduction with four ships already in service in the Costa Group fleet. The majority of Costa Group ships are equipped with shore power capabilities to be zero emissions in ports where the technology is available, and the Company has also performed the first tests on biofuels. By this and the likes o partnership with Proman, Costa Group has proven that fuel transition in the marine industry is possible by strong industry collaboration and shared visions for a sustainable future.

“We are reducing the carbon footprint of our fleet while at port and at sea, investing in advanced environmental technologies and partnering with companies such as Proman who share a passion for sustainable energy transition. By enabling cruise ships to use methanol as a propulsion fuel, Costa follows the ambition to take the next big step towards GHG neutral operations of our fleet by 2050," said Dr. Christoph Schladoer, VP Decarbonisation Costa Group.

Ulstein captures its 7th cruise ship design contract for SunStone

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 17 February 2023 17 February 2023

SunStone Ships goes for another cruise vessel in its INFINITY class. All the vessels in this class are designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. These vessels were the first to introduce the patented X-BOW design in the cruise industry, a solution that has been warmly welcomed by cruise passengers and crews alike.

“We are immensely pleased to announce that we have signed a new contract with the CMHI Haimen yard for the construction of a new X-BOW expedition cruise vessel of the ULSTEIN CX103 design”, states Lars Ståle Skoge, commercial director at Ulstein Design & Solutions.

Although all the SunStone vessels in this class are designed on the same platform, being 104.4 metres long and 18.4 metres wide, they are all customised to accommodate a varying number of passengers and crews, and the public spaces are also carefully designed according to the client’s request. This new vessel shares the feature of three other vessels in the INFINITY class of having windows all around the bow lounge to give a lot of light and a feeling of being in nature whilst indoors.

Bringing the outdoors inside

Tomas Tillberg Design is responsible for interior design.

“Our main focus is to bring the outdoors inside, capitalizing on the big windows like the two-story atrium ones and especially the spectacular forward bow windows that Ulstein made possible thus furthering the small ship to a big ship feeling,” states Tomas Tillberg.

The vessel holds accommodation for 199 passengers, and a crew of 101. She is ICE CLASS 1A certified for polar cruising, holds the highest comfort class, and is SOLAS* certified including a Safe Return to Port passport.

Photo: Ocean Explorer in Iceland. Photo credit: Teijo Niemela

Seatrade Cruise Global announces theme panelists for 2023 State of the Global Cruise Industry Keynote

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

Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry’s preeminent annual business-to-business event, announces its highly anticipated 2023 State of the Global Cruise Industry Keynote lineup, presented in partnership with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

The conference’s opening session, taking place from 9:30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 28 March, will unite senior leaders from the world’s largest cruise lines for a round-table discussion inspired by this year’s conference theme – forward momentum. Led by returning keynote panel moderator and BBC World News Presenter & Anchor, Lucy Hockings, the insightful dialogue will dissect key topics surrounding the future of the industry, such as environmental sustainability, destination stewardship and consumer travel trends.

Featured panelists include:

– Frank Del Rio, President and CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
– Jason Liberty, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean Group
– Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group
– Josh Weinstein, President, CEO & Chief Climate Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc
– Kelly Craighead, President & CEO, Cruise Lines International Association

“We’re incredibly excited to kick off the conference with a dynamic line-up of new and returning speakers representing all four major cruise lines and our partners at CLIA,” says Chiara Giorgi, Global Brand and Event Director for Seatrade Cruise. “Following our theme of forward momentum, the keynote panel will serve as a powerful introduction to spark dialogue on key topics impacting our industry, as we dive into another year of sharing, collaborating and networking at Seatrade Cruise Global.”

The discourse will explore unique perspectives regarding the industry’s commitment to net carbon-neutral cruising by 2050; how cruise lines are collaborating with destinations to support responsible tourism; current booking patterns and how the industry has moved forward post-pandemic. Furthermore, the conversation will look ahead at 2023’s ship launches and new cruising experiences.

“With major innovations on the horizon and consumer demand on the rise, this year is a pivotal moment for the cruise industry,” said Kelly Craighead, President and CEO, Cruise Lines International Association. “We look forward to reuniting with our colleagues worldwide at Seatrade Cruise Global this March, where we will continue to collaborate and demonstrate how cruise is leading the way in innovations that are helping us sail to a better future.”

Attendees can enjoy a line-up of thought-provoking forums and workshops throughout the four-day conference, explore new developments across sustainability, technology, health and safety, with new sessions on social media marketing; hotel-operated cruise lines; ethics and conservatism; entertainment and more. For additional details, view the complete conference programme.

The all-new F&B@Sea, an immersive two-day experience dedicated to the intersection of the cruise and food and beverage industries, will take place in tandem with Seatrade Cruise Global at Port Everglades, Terminal 2 on 28-29 March 2023.

2023 registration is now open

Seatrade Cruise Global returns to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center, 27-30 March 2023, along with F&B@Sea, 28-29 March 2023 at Port Everglades Terminal 2. Join 10,000+ attendees representing over 85 countries by registering today.