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Costa's China newbuild to be named in Trieste

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 09 December 2018 09 December 2018

The naming ceremony for Costa Venezia will be held in Trieste on March 1, 2019. The ship, currently under construction at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard, is the first Costa Cruises vessel designed specifically to offer the best of Italy to the Chinese market.

Costa Venezia is part of an expansion plan that includes seven new ships being delivered to the Costa Group by 2023, for a total investment of over 6 billion euros. With a gross tonnage of 135,500 tonnes, a length of 323 meters and capacity for over 5,100 guests, Costa Venezia is the biggest ship ever introduced to the Chinese market by Costa. It will offer a series of previously unseen innovations designed specifically for Chinese customers, introducing guests to Italian culture, style and taste, starting from the interiors inspired by the city of Venice.

The programme for the Costa Venezia naming celebrations in Trieste, which is currently being finalized with the addition of further important events that may be announced in the coming months, envisages getting the whole city involved by way of a firework display that will be visible from Piazza Unità d’Italia and giant screens for viewers to follow the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event will be attended by around 1,500 guests from China, South Korea, Japan and several European countries, and they will also have the opportunity to discover Trieste and its surrounding area, as the ship will be moored in the city until March 3, when it will depart for its first cruise. This is a further positive effect for the region in addition to the benefits of the construction of the ship, taking place in the Monfalcone shipyard as this involves thousands of workers in the shipyard and along the supply chain.

"We are very happy to be celebrating the naming of Costa Venezia in such a beautiful Italian city as Trieste. Costa was the first company to operate in China in 2006 and over the years we have established ourselves as a leader, offering a product focused on Italian excellence. Costa Venezia will feature other unprecedented innovations, designed specifically to offer Chinese customers a real Italian experience, marking a new era for both Costa and the whole Chinese market, which is among the most promising in the world in terms of future growth” - according to Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Group Asia.

Mayor of Trieste Roberto Dipiazza stated: "It is a great pleasure for the city of Trieste to host the naming ceremony of this new ship by Costa. With great pride, both from an institutional and personal point of view, I applaud this new jewel, which is the result of the work of the best talents in shipbuilding and Italian design who reside in our region and city. Our expertise, our values are well rooted in the Costa Group. This new ship, along with the other “queens” that we had the pleasure of admiring in our Gulf, will be another ambassador of Made in Italy in the world. There is a strong bond of mutual respect between Trieste and the Costa Group, that I am sure will continue to strengthen in the future".

Costa Venezia will make it possible for its Chinese guests to experience the uniqueness of Venetian and Italian culture. The ship's theater will be inspired by Venice's "La Fenice" theater; the main atrium will be reminiscent of "St. Mark's Square", while the restaurants will imitate the typical architecture of Venetian alleys and squares. On board there will also be real gondolas, made by craftsmen in the Squero di San Trovaso, while an enchanting costume party will recreate the magical atmosphere of the famous Venice Carnival. Guests will be able to savor the delicacies of Italian cuisine, go shopping in the on-board shops which stock many famous Italian brands and enjoy the internationally-renowned Italian entertainment. They will also feel at home thanks to a wide choice of Chinese cuisine, Chinese-style karaoke and parties like the "Golden Party", full of surprises and gifts to win every ten minutes.

The first Costa Venezia cruise, its vernissage, will depart from Trieste on March 3, 2019 and sail to Greece and Croatia. On March 8, the ship will be back in Trieste for the start of its maiden cruise: an exceptional 53-day journey following in the steps of Marco Polo across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, South East Asia and East Asia, and ending in Tokyo. The vernissage and maiden cruises will be the only departures available for European and American guests wanting to enjoy a vacation on the new ship. From May 18, 2019, Costa Venezia will be dedicated exclusively to Chinese guests, offering cruises in Asia departing from Shanghai.

Costa Venezia will be the second Costa ship named in Trieste: in 2011, in the splendid setting of Piazza Unità d’Italia, celebrations were held for the naming of Costa Favolosa. After Costa Venezia, the group's next ship to come into service, in October 2019, will be Costa Smeralda, the new Costa Cruises flagship and the first ship for the global market fuelled by LNG. A second ship designed exclusively for the Chinese market, a sister ship to Costa Venezia, is currently under construction by Fincantieri in Marghera, with delivery expected in 2020.

Mardi Gras selected name for the Carnival XL-class newbuild

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 December 2018 08 December 2018

In a nod to Carnival Cruise Line’s rich history as America’s cruise line, the line has announced that it will name its new XL-class ship to be delivered in 2020 Mardi Gras, bringing back to the fleet the name of the first Carnival Cruise Line ship that entered service in 1972 and started the wave of cruise vacation popularity in the United States.

In keeping with its tradition of fun, Carnival revealed the name to a nationwide television audience on the popular game show Wheel of Fortune on its signature Puzzleboard at the conclusion of the broadcast.

Mardi Gras will be the largest Carnival Cruise Line ship ever constructed and the first in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s green cruising platform. At 180,000 tons, the new Mardi Gras will be more than six times the size of its namesake.

Currently under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland, the 5,200-plus lower berth vessel will offer a variety of never-before-seen innovations and attractions.

Itineraries for Mardi Gras will be announced in January and go on sale later that same month. Carnival Cruise Line fans who want to be the first to book on Mardi Gras can get a head start by clicking here where they can register to get a “first to know” alert and special promotional offer when itineraries are opened for sale.

The original 27,000-ton TSS Mardi Gras, a converted trans-Atlantic ocean liner purchased by entrepreneur and Carnival founder Ted Arison, ushered in the modern-day cruise industry when it set sail on its inaugural voyage in 1972, helping to transform cruising from an experience once reserved for the elite into a mainstream vacation accessible and affordable to everyone.

“Our first ship Mardi Gras was a historic vessel, introducing a brand new style of cruising to the vacationing public. What better way to pay tribute to our company’s nearly 50-year history of creating wonderful vacation memories than by naming this groundbreaking vessel after our original and beloved ‘Fun Ship,’” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “The new Mardi Gras will follow the trailblazing lead of her predecessor, introducing features and technological innovations that have never been seen before on a cruise ship while setting a new standard for seagoing vacations.”

Carnival previously announced that the ship will be based in Port Canaveral, Fla., which will feature a new state-of-the-art terminal. A second XL ship will start construction in 2020 and be delivered in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Carnival Cruise Line’s founding.

Carnival Panorama launched in Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 December 2018 08 December 2018

Carnival Panorama, the new ship of Carnival Cruise Line, a brand under Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise ship operator, was launched on December 7 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera (Venice). Interior fittings will now begin, leading the ship to its delivery, scheduled in autumn 2019.

The launching was introduced by the traditional and well-wishing “coin ceremony”, consisting, according to an ancient shipbuilding custom, in welding a silver dollar on the last deck of the ship. Godmother of the ceremony was Antonella Cazzin, employee of Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera for more than 35 years.

The ceremony was attended, among others, for the ship owner by Ben Clement, Senior Vice President of Carnival Cruise Line, Marco Scaramuccia, Project Manager of Carnival Panorama, and for Fincantieri, Antonio Quintano, Director of the Marghera shipyard.

The new unit will be a sister ship of Carnival Vista, delivered in Monfalcone in April, 2016, as well as of Carnival Horizon, built in Marghera and delivered this year in March.

At 133,500 gross tons and 323 meters long: these are the figures of the Vista class, which includes the largest ships that Fincantieri has ever built for the Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet. She will have 2,004 passenger cabins added up to the 770 of the crew, being able to accommodate more than 6,500 people onboard, including staff.

The units of the Vista class are a new technological benchmark, in Europe and worldwide, in terms of cutting-edge layout, extremely high performance and high quality technical solutions. The interior fittings are of an extremely high level quality comfort, offering a wide range of onboard entertainments, restaurants, theatres, shops and wellness centers. On this ship as on the previous ones of the Vista class, there will be the Havana Area, a themed private and exclusive area, with cabins, open bars and an Infinity Pool. The access to this area is limited, during the day, only to those passengers whose cabins are in the Havana Area.

In addition to Carnival Panorama, launched today, Marghera shipyard has in its order book the second ship for the Costa Asia brand and the third "Pinnacle" class unit for Holland America Line, respectively scheduled to be delivered in 2020 and 2021.

Fincantieri has built 87 cruise ships since 1990 (of which 64 from 2002) and other 53 ships are currently being designed or built in the Group's yards.

AmaWaterways names Janet Bava Chief Marketing Officer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 08 December 2018 08 December 2018

AmaWaterways river cruise company has announced the expansion of its senior leadership team, naming Janet Bava Chief Marketing Officer. Effective immediately, Bava will be responsible for the company’s strategic and tactical marketing areas with a special focus on working with travel partners to develop a more personalized approach to guest communication and lead generation.

“River cruising continues to be one of the fastest growing segments in cruising,” said Rudi Schreiner, President and Co-Owner of AmaWaterways. “Over the last several years, AmaWaterways has experienced tremendous growth, and we’re primed to welcome Janet to our team. Her focus on aligning all areas of our business will be key as we solidify our presence in evolving markets.”

A skilled professional with more than 15 years of customer-centric marketing experience, Bava has a proven track record of driving business results through innovative campaigns and developing a highly personalized approach to CRM. Prior to joining AmaWaterways, Bava held senior marketing positions with Silversea Cruises, NBCUniversal and Royal Caribbean. “I am very excited to join the growing AmaWaterways family,” said Bava. “Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Gary Murphy have built an award-winning company with a reputation for innovation and impeccable customer service – two things that I am very passionate about.”

This appointment comes at an exciting time for the company, which is experiencing outstanding growth and expansion across all markets leading up to a record-breaking three new ships being introduced in 2019. AmaWaterways’ revolutionary ship, AmaMagna, will be twice the width of traditional European river cruise ships, giving guests on board more luxurious space than ever before to enjoy their river cruise experience. Additionally, the line will introduce AmaMora, sister ship to AmaLea and AmaKristina, which will sail the Rhine river. AmaDouro, sister to AmaVida, will be a welcome addition to the Douro River as the region’s popularity continues to grow.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Janet to our growing team, known for extraordinary passion and service,” said Kristin Karst, Executive Vice President and Co-Owner of AmaWaterways. “There are so many new opportunities for her and the marketing team to explore that will enable us to introduce even more multi-generational families and active cruisers to our special brand of river cruising.”

Lindblad launches National Geographic Venture

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 December 2018 06 December 2018

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic officially launched the newest addition to their fleet, National Geographic Venture, at a dockside christening ceremony in San Francisco Bay on Friday, November 30, 2018. The occasion marked a major milestone for the line, as only the second new build in the company’s history. Following the ceremony, the ship embarked on a two-night VIP mini expedition that included travel agency partners, affinity/charter partners, media and other special guests.

Sven Lindblad, CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, presided over the christening ceremony, joined by Gary Knell, Chairman of National Geographic Partners, and the ship’s captain, Andrew Cook. During the ceremony, Lindblad gave a special thank you to the ship’s crew lined up aboard the National Geographic Venture’s bow, “all of you, and the countless others involved, should feel a deep sense of pride and accomplishment. You have all worked tirelessly to make this possible, and I thank you.”

“I am very, very, proud. It is a great expedition ship. It’s comfortable, nimble, and with massive amounts of glass, our guests will constantly be connected to the outside world. We are delighted with the way she came out.”

“For fifteen years Lindblad and National Geographic have worked together taking travelers around the world to some of the most amazing places. We could not be happier than we are seeing this beautiful new Venture head out to sea,” remarked Gary Knell.

Captain Cook expressed his excitement about the meticulous planning of the ship’s features. “What we have learned over time has provided us the best way to experience the environment. For me personally, this is as fine a ship as I could have asked for.”

Then Pamela Fingleton, 40-year Lindblad veteran and senior vice president, joined Sven on the bow for the traditional toast and breaking of the champagne bottle.

The 50-cabin coastal vessel is the second new build in the line’s history, and is sister ship to National Geographic Quest, launched in 2017. Built entirely in the US, her design is based on 50 years of expedition experience and is the perfect base for exploring. The lounge is a moving window on the world outside, the bow the perfect place for photography with a Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor. The ship also features the B&H photo gear loaner program, where guests can try the latest lenses, camera bodies and binoculars aboard ship.

National Geographic Venture is now exploring the Pacific coast on two new and unique inaugural itineraries, giving guests a privileged perspective on the region – before she begins her seasons in Baja, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.