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Virgin Voyages' to feature 'RockStar Suites'

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 January 2019 16 January 2019

Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle brand set to disrupt the travel industry, has released several designs and images of their RockStar Suites. The new company is throwing out traditional clichés on luxury and formalities, instead bringing Rebellious Luxe to life at sea with their RockStar Suites designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio as the pinnacle of that experience.

Highlights of the Massive Suite, the top suite aboard the Scarlet Lady, include its very own guitar-clad music room, views of the ocean from every corner of the suite, and a massive terrace complete with its own Peek-a-View outdoor shower, hot tub, hammocks and a runway outdoor dining table, where a staircase will help Sailors make their way on top of the table for dancing.

“Virgin has always avoided stuffy formalities and brought a lot of excitement and a bit of rebelliousness to our customer experiences,” said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group. “With these glamorous suites, Virgin Voyages is bringing rock and roll to the high seas and spoiling our Sailors like the rockstars they are.”

“We have combined brilliant design and Virgin Voyages’ epic Sailor experience vision to create a completely new version of luxury -- Rebellious Luxe, which is at the intersection of luxury and a rebellious attitude that makes everything we do different, indulgent and meaningfully relevant to our Sailors. Whether they want to sleep all day, praise the sun with yoga at dusk or party all night, our RockStar Suite Sailors can live out their fantasies aboard the Scarlet Lady,” said Tom McAlpin CEO of Virgin Voyages.
RockStar Suite Design

Virgin Voyages’ RockStar Suites bring a fresh take to yachting glamour steeped in the Virgin brand’s rock and roll heritage. Inspired by mega yachts and rock and roll style icons like Grace Jones, the RockStar Suites feature Tom Dixon’s iconic retro-futurism designs with a palette of deep blues used with iridescent dichroic elements to echo the colours of the sky and sea when sailing. Touches of yacht materiality are sprinkled throughout the suites with real leather finishes, marble-clad bathrooms and Terrazzo flooring. The suite’s design features nautical nods with a brass glam station and accenting beauty counter and bedhead lighting. The supremely modern suites boast high-quality design elements and bespoke Tom Dixon furniture pieces. Because music is the soundtrack to the soul, each suite is equipped with a vinyl turntable.

“We were intrigued to be appointed to rethink some of the most interesting spaces on this ship. A very rare opportunity to delve into a completely new escapist realm,” said Tom Dixon of Design Research Studio.

The RockStar’s View

With suites situated atop of the Scarlet Lady, RockStar Suites Sailors will have the best view that money can buy, with all suites purposefully configured to maximise the view of the ocean. Many of the ship’s suites feature a Peek-a-Boo shower, an all marble shower with a dichroic glass window carved in the center so Sailors can always look out at the ocean.

Rockstars who opt for the ship’s top Mega RockStar Suites, can bathe under the sun or stars with their very own Peek-a-View outdoor shower.

Because a rockstar can never have too much champagne, the sea terrace for each suite will feature a specially-designed champagne table where an ice bucket fits perfectly at the center of the table situated next to stargazing loungers, and Yellow Leaf brand, sustainably sourced terrace hammocks.

RockStar Lifestyle

RockStar Suites Sailors will live their best lives all taken care of by the RockStar Services Crew, from time of booking, to sail away and throughout their voyage. There will be backstage access for RockStar Suites Sailors at every corner, with early access to onboard entertainment, restaurants, Shore Things, a private transfer to and from the ship in Miami and an exclusive express VIP pathway to the ship during embarkation. RockStar Suites Sailors will have their very own wardrobe team to help unpack and repack, complimentary pressing service and nightly express swimsuit drying service-- because no Rockstar should ever have a wet bottom.

In Rebellious Luxe fashion, Virgin Voyages has reimagined the mini-bar for its rockstars, instead, suites will have a full bar and cocktail kit fit for a rockstar, with the first round on the house.

All RockStar Suites Sailors will have access to Richard's Rooftop, their very own private members club-- a secluded place for them to bask under the sun or have a drink under the stars.

All suites are clever cabins, with mood lighting that automatically adjusts to match the time of day and in room tablets that allow sailors to adjust the room’s lighting. Sailors will enjoy luxurious comforts like premium linens and a plush king bed in every suite as well as upgraded bath amenities for pampering.

Sailors looking to up their holiday game, can opt for one of the Scarlet Lady’s Mega RockStar Suites, primely located on deck 15. Mega RockStar Suites will receive a personalised bar filled with their favourites, and the RockStar Services Crew will tend to their Rockstar rider list, digging up whatever their heart may desire to make their voyage perfect-- all red gummy bears, an electric guitar and beyond. With only 78 RockStar Suites aboard the Scarlet Lady, among them are fifteen Mega RockStar Suites, aptly named the Massive Suites, Fab Suites, Posh Suites and Gorgeous Suites.

The Massive Suite

There are only two Massive Suites aboard the Scarlet Lady, with each suite sitting atop of the ship’s bridge. These 2,147 square foot suites are a place that legends dream of-- each with its very own music room, which seconds as an extra bedroom that is stocked with guitars and an amplifier. At the center of the Massive Suite is a circular oversized couch set up, perfect for conversation and a cocktails from the suite’s adjacent in-room bar. Rockstars can primp for an appearance aboard the Scarlet Lady in the suite’s glamorous bath and dressing room area complete with a hot tub, vanity area, two full-sized wardrobes and a marble-clad bathroom with a Peek-a-Boo shower area that overlooks the bedroom and out to the ocean. The Massive Suite’s larger-than-life terrace will be where friends, family and groupies alike can enjoy a private hot tub, a Peek-a-View outdoor shower, a circular conversation pit, a lookout point with stargazing loungers and two full length hammocks. Sailors in the Massive Suite can climb a staircase to the top of the runway outdoor table for dining and dancing in full Rockstar glory.

From now through January 31, Virgin Voyages fans can enter for the chance to win the opportunity to Party Like a Rockstar, in Virgin Voyages style, at their next #ShipTease event in New York City on Valentine’s Day. Those interested in the sweepstakes should visit www.virginvoyages.com to enter.

MSC Cruises turns former sand extraction site to MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 January 2019 16 January 2019

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company said it is transforming a former industrial sand extraction site into a marine reserve and private island destination that will exist in harmony with the local ecosystem in the Caribbean.

“Ocean Cay has been designed to immerse guests in the natural beauty of their surroundings. The vision is to create a sustainable destination with activities that allow guests to connect with nature as well as providing opportunities to learn about the protection of the oceans and the importance of preserving coral reefs through dedicated edutainment programmes,” the company said in a statement.

Around the island lies 64 square miles of protected waters and a coral nursery is being established to encourage and sustain the growth of new coral. Plans are underway for a marine laboratory to be situated on Ocean Cay that will research climate change-resistant coral in hopes of providing insights to similar island habitats.

Gianni Onorato, CEO said in the statement: “Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will bring something new and unique to our Caribbean itineraries from Miami and Havana and is set to become a truly memorable highlight for our guests. We have created a guest experience that complement the breath-taking natural beauty of this remarkable part of the Caribbean. There was no need for us to build extensively on an island that already had the ingredients of a natural paradise. However we have undertaken extensive work to clean-up the island, removing tons of historic industrial waste and helping to return the beaches and the entire 64 square miles of protected waters surrounding the island to their pristine state.”

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines enjoys strong start of the year

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 January 2019 16 January 2019

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational company, said it had enjoyed the best start of January in the history of the company, with sales exceeding one million pounds on three days in a single week.

Justin Stanton, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are delighted that there is such high demand for our unique style of cruising. Customers are clearly recognising the value of our attractive ‘Cruise Sale’ offers, with almost everything included in the price.”

“With strong bookings for both 2019 and 2020, we are anticipating a very successful year for our smaller, friendlier ocean and river cruise ships,” she said in a statement.

Variety Cruises celebrates 50th anniversary

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 January 2019 10 January 2019

Variety Cruises, the UK based operator of cruises on small vessels, celebrates its 50^thanniversary this year and it has launched a programme to cover the period from the summer of this year to winter 2019-20.

The boutique operator has a fleet of eight yachts that will operate 15 different itineraries that cover 30 countries, the company said in a statement.

Its destinations include 27 UNESCO World Heritage sites and eight uninhabited islands. In all, the Variety Cruises’ programme covers 90 ports, of which 125 are exclusive to it.

The company said that 70% of its guests are newcomers and 30% repeaters to the brand.

Carnival Corporation’s OceanMedallion named IoT Wearables Innovation of the Year

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 January 2019 08 January 2019

Carnival Corporation & plc today announced its revolutionary OceanMedallion, the wearable device that powers the breakthrough guest experience platform behind MedallionClass vacations, has been awarded the 2019 IoT Wearables Innovation of the Year by IoT Breakthrough as part of the independent organization’s 2019 IoT Breakthrough Awards program.

The IoT Breakthrough Awards recognize innovative technologies and exemplary companies that are driving innovation in the internet of things (IoT) market around the world. This year’s program attracted more than 3,500 nominations globally in a range of IoT categories, including industrial and enterprise IoT, smart city, connected home and home automation, connected car and more. All award nominations were evaluated by an independent panel of IoT industry experts, with the highest scored nominee being named the winner in each category. Additional 2019 winners include Samsung Electronics, GE Appliances, Dell Technologies, Toshiba and Sony.

“Carnival Corporation is the first non-traditional technology company that we’ve recognized with one of our IoT Breakthrough Awards, and it’s well-deserved because of the significant innovation it has created,” said James Johnson, managing director at IoT Breakthrough. “We are thrilled to recognize Carnival Corporation with the 2019 IoTWearables Innovation of the Year award for the way the OceanMedallion is already transforming the vacation experience and the very high bar it has set for how IoT will be delivered to mainstream society in coming years.”

Originally unveiled by Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation, at CES 2017, the MedallionTM device persistently connects a cruise guest’s unique digital identity with an intelligent shipboard Experience Internet of Things (xIoTTM) ecosystem to enhance guest-crew interactions and deliver a high level of personalized service on a large scale. The device enables all aspects of an elevated guest vacation including hassle-free payment, keyless and personalized stateroom access, frictionless embarkation, on-demand services and more.

The award is the third prestigious recognition Carnival Corporation’s patented IoT innovations have received in the past three months. In November, CES recognized the company as a CES 2019 Innovations Award Honoree for OceanMedallion. In December, the company received a 2018 Gold New York Design Award for Digital IoT for its Ocean guest experience platform.

"It’s an absolute honor to have OceanMedallion selected by IoT Breakthrough as the IoT Wearables Innovation of the Year and to have Carnival Corporation be considered among some of the most well-respected and game-changing companies in the world,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation. “This is the third award in three months for our Ocean innovations, and while the accolades are gratifying, our greatest joy is seeing more than 99 percent of our guests adopting the Medallion technology to enhance their overall cruise experience, and the considerable excitement they have for the portfolio of new capabilities.”

OceanMedallion and the company’s xIoT guest experience platform currently are transforming vacations for guests sailing on Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess from Princess Cruises, the world’s largest international premium cruise line and one of Carnival Corporation’s nine cruise line brands. Guests are enjoying an extensive portfolio of OceanMedallion-enabled features, specifically designed to enhance the vacation experience, including:

– Keyless Stateroom Entry: Access to stateroom becomes a seamless experience where each guest is securely validated and the door automatically unlocks, with personalized greetings and loyalty level recognition on the welcome portal.
– OceanNow: Using smart devices, guests have the ability to place a food or drink order and have it delivered directly to them in food and beverage locations throughout the ship.
– MedallionPay: An easy-to-use payment experience, enabling crew members to focus on guest interactions.
– Ocean Casino: On smart devices and select portals, guests can wager real money on a portfolio of games, including slots, poker, bingo, roulette, keno and lottery from anywhere on board.
– OceanCompass: Leverages the Ocean Medallion to enable point-to-point wayfinding throughout the ship. Ocean Compass guides guests throughout their journey, providing directional information so they can seamlessly navigate to their next point of interest.
– JourneyView: On portals throughout the ship, guests can access a real-time look at their itinerary, along with events and activities taking place during their cruise.
– OceanView: Guests can stream more than 100 hours of award-winning Ocean Original travel content – which airs nationally on weekends on ABC and NBC – to their smart device anywhere on the ship at no cost.
– PlayOcean: On portals located shipwide, guests are able to play family games, including trivia, word jumble, a matching game and Ocean Treks Adventure – an interactive, shipwide digital scavenger hunt.