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First Explora II itineraries open for booking

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 December 2022 07 December 2022

Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle brand of the MSC Group, today announced the inaugural itineraries of its second ship, Explora II, launching in summer 2024, are now open for booking.

“A new unique set of journeys and new destinations will allow guests to explore renowned and off the beaten path locations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, the Indian Ocean and Africa marking the first time the luxury lifestyle brand will sail in these regions,” the company said in a statement.

Featuring 25 journeys and 14 extended journeys between August 2024 and end of April 2025, the itineraries will include 82 unique ports across 26 countries. At each stop, guests will have opportunities to discover the local nature and culture through exclusive activities, while exploring exotic ‘bucket list’ destinations and delving into the locations through sustainable and tailored experiences. All journeys are designed for the discerning traveller who wants to stay longer, leave later and travel deeper.

Explora II will first traverse the Mediterranean reaching ports in Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Croatia, where guests will immerse themselves in the ancient history of each country, enjoy their traditional and signature culinary flavours, and soak up the surrounding art, colours and architecture.

“After exploring the magnificence of Israel, Explora II will pass through the Suez Canal and allow its guests to enjoy the beauties of Egypt, the pharaohs’ land, with its heritage, time-honoured traditions, immense deserts and vibrant oases. The ship will then sail onto the Arabian Peninsula towards Saudi Arabia, cruising the coastline of the Red Sea and visiting the world-heritage sights of Al Ula and Hegra,” the company said

The ship will then sails to the Arabian Gulf to visit cities such as Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, after which it will reach the coast of India. The voyage of discovery will continue to the islands of the Indian Ocean including Seychelles and Maldives to then reach the natural sanctuaries of Africa with stops in Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa.

“During each stop, guests are invited to ‘linger longer’ and delve into some of the oldest cultures. A combination of old and modern cities, wild flora and fauna, music, festivals, crystal-clear water, desert experiences and UNESCO sites, all accompanied by incredible cuisines featuring old classics, spices, herbs, teas and recipes passed down through generations,” the company said.

Icon of the Seas to be floated out 9 December

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 December 2022 07 December 2022

Meyer Turku said that its new building number 1400, Icon of the Seas of Royal Caribbean International, would be floated out from its building dock on 9 December. A ceremony that would take about half an hour will commence at 11.00am local time, the Finnish shipbuilder said in a statement.

P&O Cruises to name Arvia in Barbados in March

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 December 2022 06 December 2022

P&O Cruises said it would officially name its newest ship Arvia in a beachside ceremony in Barbados on Thursday March 16, 2023.

The event, which will include some of Britain’s most contemporary, popular performers and presenters, would be broadcast live online to a global audience.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said in a statement: “We always aim to do things differently, to create stand out and memorable moments for our current and future guests.”

“Arvia, which will be delivered in December, will spend her first season sailing in the Caribbean so it is fitting that we mark her naming in one of our favourite ports of call with a week of celebratory performances and experiences on board.This naming event, which has never been done before, will showcase our extraordinary new ship Arvia, the beauty of Barbados and will include some very special surprises."

“The ship will be positioned off one of the island’s most stunning beaches so the audience at home will be able to see both the striking new interior design of the ship as well as the performances and events taking place on the shore. It will be an unmissable event.”

Prime Minister of Barbados, The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley said: “I want to thank P&O Cruises for choosing Barbados as the location for this unique event. Barbados continues to share a rich relationship with our sea and tourism, and the cruise industry has been of vital importance to our island and our economy.”

“I am delighted that Barbados can be that place that continues to bring more “firsts” to the world, and through this beachside ceremony, give thousands of people the opportunity to see a glimpse of what we have to offer to visitors.”

Arvia is the second and final Excellence class ship to be built for P&O Cruises that is part of the Carnival group. The first unit is called Iona and it was completed in 2020. Both ships were built by Meyer Werft in Germany.

RMC to deliver MyStar on 7 December

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 05 December 2022 05 December 2022

The Finnish passenger ship builder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) said the ropax ferry MyStar that it is building for the Estonian ferry company Tallinn Grupp had arrived from its last sea trials weekend. “The results of the trials were good, and the previous technical findings have been sorted out. The newest and most technologically advanced vessel in the Baltic Sea, MyStar, is now ready to be delivered to Tallink,” RMC said in a statement

RMC will hand MyStar over to Tallink on 7 December at the Rauma shipyard. MyStar is expected to depart from Rauma on Friday, 9 December and to arrive at the Old City Harbour of the Port of Tallinn at 10 am on Saturday, 10 December. The first commercial voyage of MyStar will take place on 13 December 2022, departing from Tallinn to Helsinki at 1.30 pm local time.

“I want to thank Tallink for their excellent cooperation which has allowed us to bring the project to completion together despite challenging circumstances. I would also like to thank the partners and the classification society. MyStar represents Finland’s strong expertise in shipbuilding. It has been an honour to design and build such a technologically advanced vessel that upholds sustainable values. We wish MyStar the best of luck with the sailings,” said Mika Heiskanen, CEO of RMC, in the statement.

“We are very pleased that this week we can welcome and receive into our fleet its newest member and the brightest star on the Baltic Sea, MyStar. Her much-awaited arrival marks the beginning of yet another new era for the Tallinn-Helsinki route, with customer service standards now even higher, passenger comfort even greater and sustainability even more at the heart of our operations. The world has changed a lot since we began construction in the spring of 2020, and there have been many challenges along the way. We have, however, been successful in tackling these challenges, and are excited that MyStar is now completed. We welcome everyone to board the ship beginning 13 December. I want to thank the whole Tallink MyStar project team, Rauma Shipyard and all our partners who have contributed to making our dream of the brightest new star on the Baltic Sea a reality,” said Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp.

The construction of the largest car and passenger ferry in the history of RMC began in April 2020. In 2021, the keel of the vessel was laid and the main engines as well as the tanks for LNG fuel were installed. The ship received its name in August 2021, when it was christened MyStar by the President of the Republic of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid.

MedCruise appoints Nicky Guerrero new Secretary General

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 December 2022 03 December 2022

MedCruise has announced the appointment of Nicky Guerrero as its new Secretary General, effective January 1st, 2023.

MedCruise President Figen Ayan states: "In my capacity as President of MedCruise, our Board of Directors, our secretariat, our port members and associate members would like to express our sincere gratitude for the excellent work, dedication and passion that Aimilia Papachristou has carried out over the years in her position as Secretary General of the MedCruise Association. The MedCruise Family wishes Beautiful Aimilia all the best in her new endeavours."

"Since Aimilia's announcement to move to another position in the maritime industry, I made the matter of her replacement an important and key matter while the activities of MedCruise were continuing at full speed. I have evaluated many profiles and wanted to find a fit which would be an excellent choice beyond my mandate, and I finally came to a common understanding with Mr Nicholas Guerrero."

"Nicholas, alias Nicky has been in the tourism and cruise industry for many years. He used to be one of our active board members, speaks several languages, has an excellent connection with the Secretariat but most importantly, loves the Association because he also sees its amazing potential in our vibrant cruise industry. I would like to warmly welcome Nicky to our family and hereby share his bio and picture (for those of you who don't know him) and strongly believe that the transition will be extremely smooth, given the above and his experience.

Nicky Guerrero's bio

Nicky was born, raised and educated in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar and is a graduate of the University of Brighton, UK. In his career, he has worked in the hotel, hospitality and tourism industry and, in 1997, joined the Gibraltar Tourist Board, where he carried out the roles of Product Manager and Sales and Marketing Manager. Nicky was then Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Tourist Board for the latter half of his time there, before retiring after twenty-four years at the Board in 2021.

The Chief Executive’s role included an extensive programme of marketing the destination outside of Gibraltar. Other tasks included liaising with the airline industry, including route development and working extensively with the cruise industry.

Nicky held the post of Director for Events and Partnerships on the Board of Directors of MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports. In the past, Nicky has represented Gibraltar at the International Cruise Summit and all MedCruise and Seatrade events, including Seatrade Global in Miami, USA, for the last 24 years.

Nicky is widely known and respected in the cruise, airline and tourism industry at all levels. He is now an independent consultant and specialises in the cruise industry airline industry and has extensive experience in event management. Having had experience in broadcasting, one of his many strengths includes that of presenting and moderating events and discussion panels, as he has done on many occasions for MedCruise and Seatrade.

Nicky is a keen commercial aviation enthusiast and enjoys many extracurricular activities, including amateur dramatics. He is fluent in English and Spanish and is highly competent in French.