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Fincantieri floats out Brilliant Lady

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2022 28 November 2022

The floating out ceremony of Brilliant Lady, the last of four ships which new cruise operator Virgin Voyages that is part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group ordered to Fincantieri, has taken place today at the Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Fincantieri said in a statement.

Brilliant Lady, as well as her sister ships Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady, each have a gross tonnage of about 110,000, are 278 meters long and 38 wide. They all feature over 1,400 guest cabins designed to host more than 2,770 passengers, accompanied by 1,160 crew members.

“The quality of life on board is guaranteed by the “comfort class” certification, testifying minimum levels of noise and vibration, as well as by an extensive use of home automation. Thanks to this, by installing an app on their smartphones, guests are able to manage a wide range of cabin functions (air conditioning, lightening, opening and closing of blinds, music, and television),” the shipbuilder said.

The ships stand out for the design, as well as for the particular attention paid to energy recovery, featuring cutting-edge alternative technologies that reduce the ship’s overall environmental impact.

“For example, the ships are equipped with an energy production system of approximately 1 MW, which uses the diesel engine’s waste heat. In addition to a scrubber system, that is a device for the sustainable waste management of sulfur dioxides, the units are also fitted with a catalytic converter which reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides. They are entirely equipped with led lights to reduce energy consumption, while the hydrodynamic design of the hull provides excellent performance with consequent fuel saving,” Fincantieri stated.

CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping names brand Adora Cruises

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2022 28 November 2022

The joint venture between China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipping company, has decided to name its brand Adora Cruises.

The company has two newbuildings on order at CSSC’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company subsidiary. The first unit will be of about 135,000 gross tons and the second one of about 142,000 gross tons. The first ship is scheduled to enter service towards the end of 2023.

“The company said Adora Cruises ships will use Wusong in Shanghai as home port and operate on long routes along the Maritime Silk Road, while serving as a carrier spreading Chinese culture and enhancing exchanges between China and other countries,” the Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition to the two newbuildings, CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping owns Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranean that are both of roughly 90,000 gross tons and built at the turn of the millennium.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines planning two cruise ship newbuildings

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 November 2022 28 November 2022

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), a major Japanese shipping group, is planning an order for two 35,000 gross ton newbuildings to replace the 1990 built Nippon Maru of about 22,500 gross tons.

The two projected vessels would cost $719 million sand the first one would enter service in 2027 and there would be aimed at both the Japanese and international source markets, the company said in a statement.

In addition to its cargo shipping interests., MOL also operates a number of large ferries on Japanese domestic services.

Explora I to sail on maiden voyage on 17 July from Southampton

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 November 2022 24 November 2022

Explore Journeys, the luxury brand in the MSC Group, has unveiled details of the maiden voyage for its first of six ships, Explora I that will set sail on 17 July 2023 from Southampton in the UK.

The brand will make its debut with a 15-night inaugural journey to Northern Europe with calls to 12 ports in four countries under the title, ‘A Maiden Journey into Epic Fjords and the Arctic Circle’.

Michael Ungerer, Chief Executive Officer said: “Our vision and purpose from day one has been to create a travel and ocean experience like no other and we are thrilled that our ground-breaking new class of ship, Explora I, will introduce guests during her maiden journey to some of the most breathtaking destinations in Northern Europe while enjoying the finest luxury hospitality at sea.”

The ports of call will be Zeebrugge, Belgium and in Norway Geiranger, Trondheim, Molde, Leknes, Brønnøysund, Flåm, Bergen and Stavanger before sailing to Denmark with visits to Skagen and the country’s capital city, Copenhagen, where the cruise will terminate, the company said in a statement.

Five expedition cruise ships named

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 November 2022 22 November 2022

Five expedition cruise ships have been named in ceremonies in the past few days – four of them taking place in Antarctica.

Silversea Cruises has named Silver Endeavour by hosting ultra-luxury cruising’s first Antarctica naming ceremony on November 19.

The line held an expedition-style celebration in the Lemaire Channel, Antarctica, to inaugurate Silver Endeavour that had started life as Crystal Endeavor of collapsed Crystal Cruises as the 11th ship in its fleet, broadening the most diverse polar offering in ultra-luxury travel. Executives from Silversea Cruises, the ship’s Godmother Felicity Aston MBE, and select members of the cruise line’s extended family were in attendance as an ice-sculpted champagne magnum smashed against Silver Endeavour’s hull to mark the cruise line’s third naming ceremony in just nine months.

Celebrations began at an intimate blessing ceremony, held at the Cape Horn Sub-Antarctic Center in Puerto Williams, on November 15. Local dignitaries from Puerto Williams joined the festivities, which honored maritime traditions. After the parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s customary bagpipe performance, singers sung the Chilean and American national anthems, a video depicted a religious figure blessing the ship, and Felicity Aston was formally introduced as the vessel’s Godmother.

Captain Niklas Peterstam on one of the ship’s outer decks to trigger an ice-sculpted, magnum-sized bottle to smash against the hull. Guests, including Barbara Muckermann and other Silversea executives, witnessed the historic moment from Zodiacs in the 11km-long, cliff-lined stretch of water. ‘Champagne on ice’ took on a new meaning, as guests raised a glass to toast to the occasion.

"We are excited to officially welcome Silver Endeavour to the Royal Caribbean Group fleet, bringing our global fleet to 64 ships," said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. "Silver Endeavour will continue to strengthen Silversea's position as the leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, allowing us to grow capacity while building upon Royal Caribbean Group's mission of delivering the best vacations in the world, responsibly."

Atlas Ocean Voyages names two ships

Atlas Ocean Voyages celebrated a milestone weekend with naming ceremonies for its new World Traveller and World Navigator. The latter ship has been in service since last year but was never formally named due to Covid restrictions. The ships were named in the fjords along the Beagle Channel’s Glacier Alley.

“Both yacht-style vessels specialize in expeditions to some of nature’s most spectacular destinations,” said James Rodriguez, Atlas’ president and CEO. “What a historic weekend for Atlas! It was inspiring to name these two spectacular ships surrounded by majestic glaciers.”

VIP guests at the dual naming ceremonies included travel advisors, shareholders, media and dignitaries from Argentina and Chile. World Traveller was named November 19, followed by Zodiac sightseeing of Pia Glacier. In the evening the portraits of the godmothers were unveiled at a gala welcome reception prior to dinner. The naming festivities for World Navigator took place on November 20, preceded by a celebratory luncheon on that vessel.

Both expedition ships are Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified and cater to curious, global travelers with a passion for exploring both iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. The stylish and intimate vessels offer every five-star comfort, from an all-inclusive onboard experience and luxurious accommodations to in-depth excursions and customized private tours for a truly personalized voyage.

Seabourn Venture named at Antarctica

Seabourn that is part of the Carnival group said the line’s first purpose-built expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, has made its first-ever visit. “The ship marked the inaugural voyage to the “Great White Continent” with the official naming ceremony on Sunday, November 20, 2022, when the ship came to a stop in the fast ice of the Weddell Sea, part of the Southern Ocean,” Seaboirn said in a statement.

Seabourn Venture’s guests, serving as honorary godparents, joined the ship’s godmother, global adventurer, mountaineer and polar-explorer Alison Levine, who carried out her ceremonial duties virtually, to wish Seabourn Venture many blessings and extraordinary expeditions to come. The onboard team released a bottle made of ice that was broken against the ship, a time-honored ship naming tradition. The ship's guests and team were all smiles throughout the ceremony, warmed by their complimentary Seabourn expedition-grade parkas while toasting Seabourn Venture.

Following the ceremony, Robin West, Seabourn’s Vice President of Expedition Operations, spoke about the expedition legacy of the Seabourn brand and shared the excitement he has for the adventure-driven voyages to come. Luciano Bernacchi, Seabourn Venture’s Expedition Leader, praised Captain Stig Betten for finding the perfect location for the ceremony, which was met with calm winds and beautiful blue skies.

“We’ve eagerly awaited Seabourn Venture’s maiden voyage to Antarctica since the moment the ship debuted earlier this year,” said Seabourn President Josh Leibowitz. “The extraordinary continent encapsulates exactly what we hope to bring to guests who sail aboard our new ship: adventure, discovery and awe-inspiring wonder. With the beauty of the Antarctic landscape and scenery in the background, it truly was the perfect place to name the most luxurious expedition ship, Seabourn Venture.”

Ocean Odyssey enters service with Vantage Deluxe Travel

Meanwhile, Vantage Deluxe World Travel, has introduced Ocean Odyssey, built for global luxury expedition travel. “The ship’s inaugural cruise departed Aqaba, Jordan on course around the Arabian Peninsula bound for Dubai, UAE, on November 20. Ocean Odyssey and its sister ship Ocean Explorer will navigate worldwide with 48 itineraries that will bring travelers to all seven continents,” the company said in a statement.

“The maiden voyage of the Ocean Odyssey marks yet another way travelers can indulge in far-flung adventures as big as the globe with the award-winning, elevated experience of a small ship environment," says Deirdre Dirkman, EVP Worldwide Operations & Marketing at Vantage Deluxe World Travel. “At Vantage, we provide the ultimate in small-ship luxury experiences and set the standard for women’s solo travel.”

In 2023, Ocean Odyssey will operate small ship discovery ocean cruises in Asia, the British Isles, the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, with plans to add Morocco, the Canary Islands and expedition cruising in Iceland in 2024.