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Accor to launch world's largest sailing ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 12 January 2023 12 January 2023

Exactly 140 years after the launch of its first luxury trains, the Orient Express legend continues with the unveiling of the world's largest sailing ship, Orient Express Silenseas. "This revolution in maritime history is an ambitious undertaking that pushes the limits of what is possible. The result of a unique French partnership between world leader in hospitality Accor and Chantiers de l'Atlantique, a globally leading shipbuilding company, this extraordinary sailing yacht of the future with spectacular interiors will set sail in 2026," the French hotel group Accor said in a statement.

"With Orient Express Silenseas, we are beginning a new chapter in our history, taking the experience and excellence of luxury travel and transposing it onto the world’s most beautiful seas. This exceptional sailing yacht, with roots in Orient Express’ history, will offer unparalleled service and refined design spaces, reminiscent of the golden age of mythical cruises," said Sebastian Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor.

"With a signed letter of intent to order two ships, Chantiers de l'Atlantique is proud to herald a new era in the shipbuilding industry with Silenseas. This concept, born in our design offices in 2018, is the quintessence of our savoir-faire in the fields of naval architecture, the construction of sophisticated hulls, as well as the design of luxurious spaces," said Laurent Castaing, Managing Director of Chantiers de l'Atlantique.

In 1867, Georges Nagelmackers boarded the transatlantic ships connecting Europe to America and set off on a journey of discovery to the United States. Fascinated by the grandeur of these huge boats, the founder of Orient Express trains explored the luxurious travelers' suites, with their rich and sumptuous decor, adorned with exceptional marquetry. He experienced the social scene in the restaurants and the unique ambiance of the lounges, libraries and entertainment venues. This sea travel experience would later inspire the 1883 launch of his now legendary train: the Orient Express,"

Inspired by the Golden Age of the French Riviera, Orient Express Silenseas will echo the glorious era when writers, artists, painters, princesses and movie stars spent time between Monte-Carlo, the beaches of Saint-Tropez, Cap d'Antibes, Cannes and its famous Croisette and discovered a refinement tinged with exquisite insouciance and joie de vivre, inviting them to extreme escapades.

A 220-meter-long ocean treasure with a tonnage of 22,300, Orient Express Silenseas will feature 54 Suites measuring on average 70-square-meters, including a monumental 1,415-square-meter Presidential Suite (including a 530-square-meter private terrace), two swimming pools including a lap pool, two restaurants and a speakeasy bar. The singular cruise ship will celebrate the Art of Travel à la Orient Express: the quintessence of luxury, absolute comfort and dreams.

A tribute to artists and culture, Orient Express Silenseas will invite guests to experience incredible shows in its Amphitheatre-Cabaret and a private recording studio will give a voice to the most beautiful melodies. This unique travel experience, guided by the winds, will feature spa treatments, meditation sessions and stopover explorations to discover cultural treasures that allow guests to completely unplug from reality and stop time.

Capitalizing on the experience of these experts in ocean racing, Orient Express Silenseas will sail with a revolutionary technological design known as 'SolidSail': three rigid sails with a surface area of 1,500 meters each will be hoisted on a balestron rig, with three tilting masts reaching more than 100 meters high, able to ensure up to 100% of the propulsion in suitable weather conditions. This hybrid propulsion formula will combine wind power with a state-of-the-art engine running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and plans to use green hydrogen once the technology is approved for ocean passenger ships, launching a new, more environmentally friendly vision of sea travel.

The latest feat from the Chantiers de l'Atlantique is a true sailing yacht of the future combining the finest French talents. Renowned architect Maxime d'Angeac will design the interior layout and decor and Nantes-based design company Stirling Design International will handle the exterior architecture. Hetland Maritime also assisted Accor in creating the project and in the ongoing discussions with Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The entire project will be financed up to 70-80% by commercial banks, with the remainder provided by Accor and a majority equity partner.

Russia lost £100m cruise ship revenue in 2022

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 January 2023 11 January 2023

The war in Ukraine has led to a boom in tourism to eastern European sea ports as cruise ships find alternative destinations rather than visiting Russian ports.

It means as much as £100m could have been lost from the Russian economy in 2022 with tourists spending their money in Estonia and Latvia instead according to an analysis by luxury cruise retailer Panache Cruises.

Baltic Sea cruises with a stop over in Saint Petersburg have long been popular with British holidaymakers but operators are now choosing alternative itineraries for their cruise tours rather than taking tourists to Russia.

Instead they have added overnight stopovers in many Baltic ports with Tallin in Estonia and Riga in Latvia being the big winners. Thousands of UK tourists have visited these cities for the first time in 2022 aboard cruise ships.

Prior to the pandemic around 650,000 cruise ship tourists visited Tallinn each year with a similar number also stopping at Riga. Experts estimated that they were spending around £50m in each country.

But over the past 12 months the experts from Panache Cruises believe those numbers have approximately doubled to 1.3m with spending in each destination estimated at around £100m from cruise ship tourists alone.

If accurate, the analysis would mean around £100m that would have been spent inside Russia has instead found its way into the coffers of neighbouring states.

The experts believe the trend could be long lasting as cruise ship operators report overwhelmingly positive feedback from their customers on the new destinations.

A spokesman for Panache Cruises said: “The war in Ukraine has had a number of unexpected consequences for Russia and one of them being a loss of tourist revenue as far north as St. Petersburg.

“The Russian city has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the highlights of a Baltic Sea cruise but since the situation in Ukraine began to unfold, cruise companies have been seeking out alternative destinations to take holidaymakers.

“Estonia and Latvia have been the main beneficiaries with the number of cruises to both roughly doubling in number in 2022 compared to before the pandemic.

“Our analysis estimates that numbers of cruises and therefore the number of tourists visiting Estonia and Latvia instead of Russia have doubled so it’s safe to assume spending has approximately doubled also.

“Industry estimates from 2018 had cruise ship tourists spending around £50m in each location so if they have doubled this year it would mean that Russia has missed out on around £100m.

“The feedback we have had from customers on both Tallinn and Riga has been outstanding. They are both beautiful capital cities and largely unspoiled compared to more visited destinations.

“British visitors report that their money goes much further than expected when visiting these cities as costs are still relatively low compared to St. Petersburg so they represent great value for tourists.

“We see this trend continuing as long as the war in Ukraine goes on and even beyond that. It may take many years for St. Petersburg to recover in terms of lost tourist revenue.”

Riverside Luxury Cruises acquires former Crystal Cruises river ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 January 2023 11 January 2023

Riverside Luxury Cruises announces yesterday the expansion of its fleet with the acquisition of MS Bach, MS Ravel, MS Mahler and MS Debussy. The additional ships will join the Riverside Mozart, widely hailed as the most luxurious ship on the rivers, and start sailings beginning April 2023 on the Danube.

The Riverside Ravel will include sailings on both the Rhône and Saône, providing guests a chance to indulge in all that Southern France has to offer sailing from Burgundy to Provence. Riverside Debussy will enchant guests as they sail along the Rhine and pass sheer cliffs, fairy-tale castles, ancient princedoms and shining cities from Amsterdam to Switzerland. Itineraries for the Riverside Bach and Riverside Mahler are slated for 2024 and will be announced later this year for booking. These ships were originally designed and operated by Crystal Cruises and represent the pinnacle of luxury on Europe’s rivers.

"We are thrilled by the expansion of our fleet to include these storied vessels," says Gregor Gerlach, who founded Riverside Luxury Cruises. Gerlach continued, "This acquisition allows us to expand our itinerary offerings, showcasing a level of space, personalized service and elegance not found with any other river cruise line."

Riverside Luxury Cruises will be defined not only by its crew-to-guest ratio but by its service culture, which is authentically personal in nature. Nowhere will this be better exemplified than by its butlers, who will go above and beyond to assist guests with any and all needs from reservations and excursions to special requests and one-of-a-kind experiences. Each excursion is organized and designed by a best-in-class- shoreside team, with the goal of providing guests an open door to a world of exclusive experiences. On shore and on board, wellness experiences will be curated to encourage guests to enjoy the river and surrounding countryside with all their senses. From a culinary perspective, Riverside aims to provide the best cuisine and wine cellar on the water and will place an emphasis on the freshness and quality of all ingredients on board. Each ship will have a crew of trained sommeliers and bartenders will have access to special regional and global wines as well as some of the best spirits available, with a wine cellar that is unparalleled even among the best restaurants on land.

Viking's newest ocean ship named in Los Angeles

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 January 2023 10 January 2023

Viking named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Neptune, with a celebration on Sunday in Los Angeles. As part of the event, the ship’s ceremonial godmother, Nicole Stott, retired NASA astronaut, aquanaut and artist, offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for the ship – a maritime tradition that dates back thousands of years. The Viking Neptune arrived in Los Angeles early in the morning on January 8 and departed for Honolulu following the naming ceremony. The ship is currently sailing the 2022-2023 Viking World Cruise, an epic voyage from Fort Lauderdale to London that spans 138-days, 28 countries and 57 ports, with overnight stays in 11 cities. The naming of the Viking Neptune also comes at a time of record sales for Viking, with the launch of Viking’s new 25th Anniversary Sale on January 1 resulting in the highest number of bookings in one week in the company’s history.

“Today is a proud day for the entire Viking family as we name our newest ocean ship in Los Angeles, the home of Viking’s U.S. office for more than 20 years,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “The Viking Neptune is a ship named for both the furthest planet in our solar system and the god of the sea – and our newest Viking godmother, Nicole Stott, as a NASA astronaut and aquanaut, also has connections to space and the sea. We are grateful for her many contributions to the scientific community and are proud to have her as part of the Viking family.”

“It is an honor and privilege to be the godmother of the new Viking Neptune. As someone who has been blessed to explore space, the ocean, and some of the otherworldly places on our planet, I understand the importance of broadening one’s horizons through travel. I am very excited for all those who journey around the world on this elegant vessel,” said Nicole Stott.

In keeping with the naming tradition, during the ceremony Nicole used a historic Viking broad axe to cut a ribbon that
allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull. Prior to the ribbon cutting, the axe was presented to Nicole by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter®, who used it when naming her ship in January 2020. Event guests also enjoyed performances from Sissel and Norwegian violinist Tor Jaran Apold.

Nicole Stott, Godmother of the Viking Neptune

A veteran NASA astronaut, Nicole Stott’s experience includes two spaceflights and 104 days spent living and working in space on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). She has performed one space walk and was the first person to fly the robotic arm to capture the free-flying HTV cargo vehicle, the last crew member to fly to and from their ISS mission on a Space Shuttle, and a member of the final flight crew of Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-133. Nicole is also a NASA aquanaut who lived and worked on the Aquarius Undersea Habitat for 18 days.

She is the author of Back to Earth: What Life In Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet – And Our Mission To Protect
It. Also an artist, Nicole painted the first watercolor painting in space—and is a co-founder of the Space for Art Foundation, which unites a planetary community of children through the awe and wonder of space exploration and the healing power of art. Through her work, Nicole inspires everyone’s appreciation of our role as crewmates here on “spaceship” Earth.

Did Costa sell the Costa Magica?

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 January 2023 06 January 2023

Carnival Corporation & plc announced recently it would sell three more ships from the Costa Group fleet, including AIDA and Costa. Indeed, yesterday AIDA announced the farewell season for the 2004-built AIDAaura. The 42,289 gross ton vessel will leave the fleet in September this year.

Is Costa Magica next? The ship, located today in Brindisi, where it has been laid up, has, according to MarineTraffic.com, changed its flag from the customary Italian to Portuguese. This could indicate that the ship has changed ownership.

Which company operating under Portuguese flag is likely to have acquired the 2004-built, 102,784 gross ton Costa Magica? We're looking at Mystic, SunStone and Bahamas Paradise as cruise operators using the Portuguese flag. And we'll keep you posted.

Photo: Costa Magica's sister ship pictured in Iceland last year. Photo credit: Teijo Niemelä