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The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection reveals the name of first yacht

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

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. has announced the name of the first of three yachts from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The first yacht will be named Azora, meaning “sky blue”, a word of Spanish origin derived from “azure” and the color “azul”.

“We are thrilled to officially reveal the name of the inaugural yacht from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection,” said Doug Prothero, CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. “We wanted to select a name that embodies the wanderlust of a luxury journey at sea and inspires travelers to dream of their next destination. Azora, which evokes the beauty of the sky and ocean, does both. To the mind, the color blue also a suggests a distinct sense of peace and clarity, emotions we hope to stir in our guests during their journey with us.”

With blue as a signature color of The Ritz-Carlton brand and an inspiration-inducing color of travel, Azora was a fitting choice for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s inaugural yacht. The calmness of the sky and serenity of the ocean are also highly representative of the color, opening the mind to creativity, relaxation and new experiences.

The specially designed yacht, which is expected to set sail in February 2020, will measure 190- meters (624-feet), accommodate up to 298 guests and feature 149 suites, each with its own private terrace. The yacht will also feature two 102 square-meter (1098 square-feet) lavish Owner’s suites, each with its own private 55 square-meter (592 square-feet) terrace, modern craftsmanship and interior finishes jointly designed by The Ritz-Carlton and leading design firm Tillberg Design of Sweden. The onboard experience will reflect the sublime comfort and unparalleled level of individualized guest service for which the iconic Ritz-Carlton brand is recognized.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection guests will enjoy an all-inclusive luxury experience including spacious accommodations, onboard activities and entertainment, beverages, multiple dining venues, onboard gratuities, WiFi and watersports from the yacht’s marina platform. Signature experiences available for an additional fee include a culinary experience at the yacht’s signature restaurant designed by Michelin-starred Chef Sven Elverfeld of The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg, spa treatments, and immersive excursions offered through The Shore Collection. Voyage prices vary based upon the itinerary and season.

Celebrity Edge named by a historic godmother

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

After more than four years of limitless passion and hard work on the part of thousands of engineers, architects, artisans, designers and crew, Celebrity Cruises sets sail into a new era Tuesday. Celebrity Edge joined the fleet after a moving ceremony where the ship’s godmother, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, was joined by all on board to “bless this ship and all those who sail upon her.”

The naming event brought together more than 3,000 guests, employees, crew members and students to commemorate the debut of Celebrity’s first new ship in six years and first new ship series in more than a decade.

Yousafzai, who is now a college student at Oxford University, is the inspirational co-founder of Malala Fund, which advocates for a world where every girl can learn and lead by investing in local education activists, holding global leaders accountable and amplifying girls’ voices around the world.

She discussed those issues before the ship’s crew and guests in a one-on-one interview with Celebrity’s President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. From girls’ education to the power of diversity, both share a profound passion and commitment to these important issues.

“We are honored that Malala agreed to be the godmother of this ship, a role that reflects centuries of maritime traditions,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, Celebrity’s parent company. “We are especially proud because Malala’s example of relentless persistence and achievement is an inspiration to our crew, who have all worked so hard and made real sacrifices to build better lives for themselves and their families.”

Lutoff-Perlo added: “I am so very proud to have Malala Yousafzai as godmother of Celebrity Edge. Malala embodies our commitment to opening the world through education and gender equality. Seeing her aboard our ship sends a powerful message to our crew who represent over 70 diverse nationalities, and our guests who we sail all over the world.” She continued, “The ceremony today was both touching and symbolic of what Celebrity Cruises stands for. I am grateful to Malala, her family and Malala Fund for embracing today’s events and look forward to continuing our work together around the world.”

Celebrity is proud to partner with Malala Fund and support them in their mission to see the 130 million out of school girls around the world get the 12 years of free, safe, quality education they deserve.

"I'm fighting to ensure millions of girls stuck in situations of poverty or war that they didn't create can learn what they need to choose a future for themselves. But to continue making progress for girls' education, we need support from leaders in every sector. I am so grateful to Celebrity Cruises for their generous support and investment in the potential of girls everywhere,” said Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of Malala Fund.

At the naming event, hosted by noted designer Nate Berkus, emotions ran high when acclaimed recording artist Andra Day took to the stage for empowering renditions of her Grammy-nominated single “Rise Up” and Oscar-nominated single “Stand Up For Something.” Both anthems were chosen for their bold statements about the power of girls’ education and its role in shaping the future.

The brand chose to forego the traditional champagne bottle at the launch, and instead smashed a custom-made 18-liter bottle of Badoit French mineral water across the ship’s Parabolic Ultra Bow. And with that, the ship’s long-awaited inaugural season will get underway, ushering in the premium cruise line’s first new ship series in more than a decade – and sparking a revolution in the industry, with the ship’s cutting-edge design and first-at-sea offerings.

Celebrity Edge will begin her inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries before transporting guests to the stunning vistas of the Mediterranean with a range of seven- to 11-night sailings from iconic cities like Barcelona and Rome in 2019. Sailing round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Celebrity Edge will make her first maiden voyage on December 9, 2018. Bookings are now open at www.celebritycruises.com/edge, or through a travel advisor. Building on Celebrity Edge‘s incredible momentum, she’ll be joined by Celebrity Apex in 2020, and two additional sister ships in 2021 and 2022.

Carnival Legend to offer diverse European deployment in 2020

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 05 December 2018 05 December 2018

Carnival Legend will operate Carnival Cruise Line's most diverse European season to date with 9- to 16-night voyages visiting 34 ports in 14 countries including breathtaking destinations in Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Croatia, Portugal, Greece, Greenland and Iceland in summer and fall 2020.

Available through the Carnival Adventures program, hundreds of shore excursions will be offered where guests can explore centuries-old historic sites and landmarks, savor delicious local cuisine and view spectacular scenery, including the majestic Norwegian fjords.

"We've put together an unmatched program of European cruises, featuring off-the-beaten path destinations as well as some of the most popular seaside port cities. There's no better way to Choose Fun in Europe!" said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.

Unique European Itineraries on Carnival Legend

In 2020, Carnival Legend will boast the company's most comprehensive European schedule ever, offering an unprecedented variety of destinations, cruise durations and embarkation ports. Highlights include:

– A 16-day Northern trans-Atlantic crossing from New York to London (Dover) June 3-19, featuring day-long visits to these spectacular destinations: Qaqortoq, Greenland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Lerwick, Shetland Islands; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Cork (Cobh), Ireland.
– A nine-day Norwegian Fjords cruise round-trip from London June 19-28, visiting six scenic Norwegian ports: Bergen, Olden, Molde, Trondheim, Alesund, and Stavanger, with ample opportunities to view the majestic Norwegian fjords.
– A nine-day Western Europe cruise June 28 – July 7 from London to Barcelona, visiting Le Havre (Paris), France; La Coruña, Spain; Leixoes and Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar; and Malaga, Spain
– Nine- to 12-day Mediterranean cruises between Venice and Barcelona with stops at some of Europe's most beautiful and sought-after destinations, including Marseilles, France; Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Rome (Civitavecchia) and Naples, Italy; Kotor, Montenegro; Corfu, Greece; Valletta, Malta; and Dubrovnik and Rijeka, Croatia.
– A 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to Tampa Oct. 30 – Nov. 15, highlighted by visits to Malaga, Spain; Funchal (Madeira), Portugal; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Antigua; San Juan; and Amber Cove (Dominican Republic).

Carnival Legend Voyages from Tampa, New York

Before her summer in Europe, Carnival Legend will operate a 13-day Carnival Journeys Panama Canal voyage from Tampa to New York May 3-16, 2020, with calls in Cozumel, Mexico and Limon, Costa Rica prior to a partial Panama Canal transit followed by visits to Cartagena, Colombia; Aruba; and Grand Turk.

Once in New York, Carnival Legend will operate two 9-night Caribbean sailings departing May 16 and 25, 2020 and featuring San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk.

Carnival Legend will also offer a schedule of 6- and 7-night Caribbean sailings featuring calls at a variety of tropical islands, including Grand Cayman, Belize, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), as well as eight-day partial Panama Canal voyages, round-trip from Tampa in winter 2020-21.

Princess Cruises readies full activation of second MedallionClass ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 December 2018 04 December 2018

Princess Cruises has announced that it is now preparing Regal Princess as the second ship fully activated with Princess MedallionClass experiences that are currently delivering enhanced and personalized cruise vacations to guests onboard Caribbean Princess. Regal Princess will be fully activated for her Caribbean Season starting February 17, 2019. The Princess OceanMedallion, included complimentary, is a wearable device that elevates the guest experience by delivering enhanced experiences and personalized service resulting in high guest satisfaction scores.

Considered a breakthrough in the vacation industry and recently honored with a CES 2019 Innovation Award, the OceanMedallion features leading-edge technology that delivers personalized service through enhanced guest-crew interactions, eliminates friction points and enables interactive entertainment.

Princess MedallionClass vacations offer guests a portfolio of experiences specifically designed to enhance their cruise vacation, including:

– Fast ship boarding with OceanReady – guests who arrive at the terminal with travel documents (i.e. passports) uploaded to their profile have a personalized check-in process that starts their vacation with ease. Personalization starts pre-cruise by guests becoming OceanReady while at home.

– On demand beverage delivery: Using smart devices, guests have the ability to order drinks using OceanNow and have them delivered directly to them throughout the ship and even in their stateroom.

– The best Wi-Fi at sea: MedallionNet is fast, reliable, affordable and unlimited. MedallionNet provides land-like speeds that allow guests to stay connected from anywhere on the ship including staterooms which are each equipped with a Wi-Fi access point. With MedallionNet guests easily share vacation experiences with friends and family back home, stream TV shows, movies and sports events, and even make voice and video calls.

"Our guests have been absolutely wowed by OceanMedallion vacations on Caribbean Princess, and we are proud to roll-out the full Princess MedallionClass experience on Regal Princess starting early next year," said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, the world's largest international premium cruise line. "With two Princess MedallionClass ships sailing in the Caribbean, we continue on our path to fleet-wide activation providing even more guests an enhanced level of personalized service."

Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard delivers Nieuw Statendam

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 03 December 2018 03 December 2018

At the presence of the Italian Vice Minister of Infrastructures and Transport Edoardo Rixi, Nieuw Statendam, the new cruise ship of Holland America Line, a brand under Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise operator, was delivered last week at the Fincantieri Marghera (Venice) shipyard.

The ceremony was attended for Carnival Corporation by Chairman Micky Arison, and President and CEO Arnold Donald together with Stein Kruse, CEO of Holland America Group and Orlando Ashford, President of Holland America Line, while for Fincantieri, Giampiero Massolo, Chairman, and Giuseppe Bono, CEO.

The new vessel, the sixteenth ship built by Fincantieri for Holland America Line, is the second Pinnacle class ship after Koningsdam, delivered in 2016. Fincantieri will also build a third unit of the series at the Marghera shipyard with delivery scheduled in 2021.

Nieuw Statendam is about 99,500 gross tons, almost 300 meters long, with accommodation for up to 2,660 passengers on board in more than 1,300 cabins. The ship’s technology is aimed at optimizing energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact and it responds to the most demanding and current safety regulations.

The interiors are characterized by a contemporary style which blends perfectly with the traditional elegance, which distinguishes all the ships in the fleet. The design has been created, as for Koningsdam, by the designer Adam D. Tihany and the designer and architect Bjorn Storbraaten, with “the architecture of music” being an inspirational element for the design of many public areas.

Fincantieri has built 87 cruise ships from 1990 to today (64 from 2002), while other 53 are currently being designed or built in the Group’s yards.