Viking welcomes American guests back on Viking Orion in Bermuda

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 16 June 2021 16 June 2021

Viking said it has welcomed American guests on board for the first time in 15 months in Bermuda, as the company continues its successful restart of operations. 

Guests boarded Viking Orion in Hamilton and will sail the new Bermuda Escape itinerary that is exclusively available for vaccinated guests.  This is the first of eight roundtrip sailings from Hamilton planned for summer 2021. After departing the capital city, the eight-day journey continues with scenic sailing around the British island territory and an overnight call in King’s Wharf. 

“Today is an extraordinary milestone as the world continues to reopen for international travel. On behalf of the entire Viking family, we are delighted to welcome our loyal American guests back on board,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking, in a statement. 

“We applaud the government of Bermuda for its collaboration and support as we have restarted our operations. Bermuda has been a favourite destination among our guests since our ocean ships began calling there in 2017, and we look forward to introducing even more Viking guests to the island’s history, culture and phenomenal natural beauty.”

Viking successfully restarted operations in May and has been sailing in England with British guests since May 22. Later this month, Viking will launch Welcome Back sailings around Iceland and in the Mediterranean – and will restart its European river operations in July 2021 with select itineraries in Portugal, France and along the Rhine, the company said. 

Eastern Med based MSC Splendida resumes cruising

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 15 June 2021 15 June 2021

MSC Splendida at the weekend became the fifth MSC Cruises ship to restart summer sailings with her seven-night itinerary to the enchanting landscapes of the Eastern Mediterranean from the northern Italian port of Trieste, the company said in a statement. 

 Calls are to Ancona, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Bari, Italy; the Greek island of Corfu and Kotor in Montenegro or Split in Croatia before the vessel returns to Trieste with embarkation available in each of the Italian ports.

 Ancona was recently added to the itinerary to enrich the experience for guests with an opportunity to discover the capital of Italy’s picturesque Marche region.

The itinerary will appeal to guests from throughout the Schengen area of Europe, especially Germany, Austria and Switzerland given the relative ease of ground transport links to embark in Trieste.

MSC Splendida offers a wide choice of restaurants, bars and lounges, four swimming pools, a fully equipped gym and luxurious spa, award-winning family activities and facilities as well as the MSC Yacht Club with 71 spacious suites and personalised 24/7 butler service.

Four daily transfer shuttles for MSC Cruises guests will run from Venice’s Marco Polo airport and one from the city centre to the cruise terminal in Trieste offering a convenient service for embarking guests who have flown to Italy from Europe.  Prices per person are  €25 one way and €50 return. 

MSC Grandiosa and MSC Seaside are sailing in the West Mediterranean, MSC Orchestra is operating in the East Mediterranean and flagship MSC Virtuosa is cruising in the UK for British guests only.

Seatrade Cruise Global returns to Miami 27-30 September

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 15 June 2021 15 June 2021

Seatrade Cruise Global the cruise industry’s leading annual business-to-business event, is returning to the Miami Beach Convention Center, 27-30 September for its first in-person gathering since 2019, the organisers said in a statement. 

Expected to be unlike any other, the conference will bring together cruising powerhouses and fresh new voices to share indispensable insights and blueprints for the reimagined post-pandemic cruise journey. In tandem with its traditional expo, enriching panels and networking offerings, this year’s edition will feature virtual programming giving the cruise community more options to participate. 

“After more than a year of navigating uncharted waters in a virtual world, this year’s Seatrade Cruise Global experience will reconnect our community to share knowledge, actionable solutions and our collective vision for the future of cruising in this pivotal moment,” says Chiara Giorgi, Global Brand and Event Director for Seatrade Cruise. 

“Our programming – including the highly anticipated State of the Industry Keynote – will deliver the latest in cruising innovations, rising trends and industry outlook for 2022.”

The two-part experience will feature live conference sessions and exhibitors showcasing their most recent innovations in the expo hall as part of the in-person show, while the virtual platform will give attendees access to live-streamed sessions, online matchmaking and one-on-one virtual meetings with exhibitors across all sectors. Attendees registered for the in-person event will also have access to the virtual experience. 

Keeping safety at the forefront, Seatrade Cruise Global will be guided by Informa AllSecure standards that ensure a safe, hygienic, productive and high-quality organised event experience. More specific measures related to health and safety will be provided ahead of the event and protocols will adhere to all city and state regulations.

Helsinki Shipyard starts production of the third expedition cruise vessel

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 12 June 2021 12 June 2021

The production of the third vessel of the luxury expedition cruise ships ordered from Helsinki Shipyard began on June 10th. The project NB518 has progressed as expected, and now we have started cutting steel parts.

"The order for the third ship in this series of expedition cruise ships was one of the few cruise ship orders placed in the pandemic situation during 2020, and therefore significant for all of us. The order reflects our customers' solid trust in our expertise and abilities and the good spirit of our cooperation," says Esko Karvonen, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard.

The third vessel to be delivered to Swan Hellenic, like the two ships already in production, represents a new generation of expedition cruise ships and is designed for the global cruise market, with an emphasis on cruises at high latitudes. The vessel will be delivered to its customer at the end of 2022. NB 518 is bigger than its sisters and designed to sail to all continents.

Unlike the previous two ships in the series, the steel blocks of ship the 518 are manufactured at CRIST shipyard in Poland. The blocks are transported to Helsinki by sea. Production work in Helsinki will start during the Autumn, and the ship's hull assembly will begin with a keel laying in the end of year 2021.“

The start of production is a milestone for us and the customer about the partnership that works well. We will continue on this solid basis,building a high-quality vessel for the customer," commented Ville Korpela, project manager of ship 518 and the yard's new sales director.

The newbuilding 518 has a 4.6 MW diesel-electric hybrid machine with exhaust cleaning, max. 3 MW battery capacity and PC6 ice class hull. The 125-metre and 12,000 gross ton ship is specially designed to explore the most interesting and inaccessibleplaces on Earth. The ship offers spacious 5-star accommodation for 192 guests in 96 cabins and suites, most with large balconies. The ship will be operated by a crew of 140 to provide the highest level of personal service.