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Carnival Maritime strengthens cooperation with WISTA

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 July 2018 24 July 2018

The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) is an international organisation which aims to attract more women to the industry and support the role of women in shipping. The German arm of the international association, WISTA Germany e.V, which is headquartered in Hamburg, elected a new board of directors at the beginning of July, and for the first time a representative of Carnival Maritime, Cindy Paarmann, has taken a place on the board.

“I am very happy and honoured to be representing women in our industry in this key position. As HR Manager Development at Carnival Maritime, supporting women’s careers on board is one of my focuses. I want to encourage women to discover and embrace the many exciting and fulfilling career options in the cruise industry. The doors are open for them, because shipping companies have now realised what a great asset diversity is. Women belong on board!” Carnival Maritime is the marine service unit for AIDA Cruises and Costa Crociere. Currently, 60 female officers work on the group’s vessels: two-thirds on deck and one third in engine services.

A great example of what women can achieve in the marine industry is Germany’s first female cruise ship captain, WISTA member Nicole Langosch, who took over the helm of AIDA Cruises ships in April 2018. Paarmann’s colleague Abi Lewis, Director Itinerary and Fuel in the Carnival Maritime Nautical Department, has been participating with the WISTA mentoring programme since 2018.
“When it comes to the proportion of women in our industry, there is a lot of catching up to do and a very clear need for more information. Carnival Maritime is fully committed to encouraging women to join WISTA and explicitly supports the association’s activities and values. This way, we aim to make a positive contribution to ensuring that more women take on management roles in shipping,” says Tino Hensel, Vice President Marine HR at Carnival Maritime.

Worldwide, the proportion of female officers is 5.4%. Alongside Spain, Finland and Malta, Germany has one of the highest proportions of women in the industry.

Wärtsilä to provide comprehensive optimised maintenance for Virgin Voyages

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 July 2018 23 July 2018

Virgin Voyages has assigned Wärtsilä the responsibility of the maintenance of Virgin Voyages’ three cruise ships. Wärtsilä will ensure that vessels are powered and operated reliably, efficiently and sustainably, enabling Virgin Voyages to focus on providing its cruise passengers with a unique holiday experience.

The comprehensive ten-year Optimised Maintenance Agreement, signed on 30 April 2018, gives extensive responsibility of maintenance to Wärtsilä, allowing Virgin Voyages to provide unique voyage experiences to their “Sailors” – the term Virgin Voyages has coined for their passengers.

Wärtsilä’s Dynamic Maintenance Planning allows maintenance operations to be carried out based on remotely monitored and analysed real-time performance data. This makes it possible to extend service intervals when the equipment does not yet require maintenance. Overhauls can be scheduled to fit the operations of the vessel. Availability is thereby increased and unnecessary downtime minimised. The joint risk and reward scheme allows unique opportunities for both parties.

The extensive agreement includes Remote Operational Support Services, Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC) meters and calibration, spare parts and technical advisory services for the engines. In addition, Virgin Voyages will receive comprehensive technical support and personnel training.

The three vessels forming the Virgin Voyages cruise fleet will begin operations in 2020, 2021 and 2022. All three will be equipped with technologically advanced Wärtsilä46F engines, Wärtsilä’s Hybrid Scrubber System and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems for exhaust gas cleaning, as well as Wärtsilä’s Nacos Platinum navigation solution.

Virgin Voyages is a joint venture between Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Bain Capital. The cruise line will differentiate itself from the competition by offering Virgin-branded, stylish travel experiences to an adult customer base.

“At Virgin Voyages we’re seeking to redefine how a holiday at sea looks and feels. Building a new approach to sea travel is a massive undertaking, and our unique agreement with Wärtsilä will help us ensure that our ships are operating efficiently and sustainably. Wärtsilä’s outstanding reputation for a commitment to high-quality service and our shared values for environmental consciousness made them the ideal fit for a maintenance partner,” said Stuart Hawkins, Senior Vice President of Marine & Technical Operations for Virgin Voyages.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Virgin Voyages. Our environmentally sound solutions and forward-looking, modern technologies will help to ensure the perfect cruise experience for Virgin Voyages’ customers. I am certain that our journey with Virgin Voyages will be mutually rewarding,” says Sean Carey, Services Unit Director USA, Wärtsilä.

Virgin Voyages unveils nine more spaces of the company's first ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 July 2018 20 July 2018

Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin today revealed renderings and animations of nine new public spaces of the company’s first ship, as well as innovative programming details about its approach to well-being for sailors, which the brand refers to as ‘Vitamin Sea.’

As part of the “Epic Sea Change for All” brand purpose, Virgin Voyages has committed to delivering transformational and rejuvenating experiences for its sailors. Its ‘Vitamin Sea’ ideology is inspired by the oceans and their importance in the health and well-being for our planet and our daily lives. The approach also places healthy travel at the forefront of the delivery of its ‘Adult by Design’ experience for the 18+ sailor.

“We are all so busy with life, work and family that vacations are critical for us to be able to rebuild our energy, so that we can live our best lives,” said McAlpin. “With well-being at the heart of everything we do at Virgin Voyages, sailors will come back feeling rejuvenated, not like they need a holiday from their holiday.”

A dose of ‘Vitamin Sea’ is naturally intertwined across the entire ship, with well-being activated through a mix of high-energy moments coupled with relaxation and rejuvenation. A wide variety of group fitness classes on board are all provided complimentary within the voyage fare, allowing sailors many opportunities to revel in their favorite fitness activities or even try something new.

The ship has been designed with ample outdoor and outward looking spaces meant for sailors to enjoy any or all activities. The Crow’s Nest with its 360-degree view is a secluded sundeck for sunrise and sunset yoga. Adjacent to this area of Zen is the signature Virgin red running track called The Runway that forms a halo-like vision over the ship and where sailors will sweat, strut or skate.

Designed by Concrete Amsterdam, the rock and roll designers from Virgin’s creative collective, The Crow’s Nest and The Runway link to The Athletic Club. Offering moments of detox and ‘retox,’ the space features an outdoor training zone, including a boxing ring, strength and gymnastics equipment like you’d find in the New York sports clubs of the 1920’s, oversized gaming for outdoor adult play, cabanas for relaxation, and a sporty bar for socializing post- workout.

The B-Complex features the ultimate well-being and fitness experience with strength, spin, yoga and cardio in its Build, Burn, Bike and Balance rooms, all with dramatic ocean views. For on-demand fitness, the Burn and Build gyms will each be equipped with Technogym ARTIS, a line of sustainably crafted cutting-edge fitness technology.

After working up a sweat or finding their moment of reflection, sailors will restore themselves in the serenity zone by hopping in the Well-being Pool and boosting their performance with fresh cold-pressed juices, served at the Gym and Tonic bar. My
On deck 5, well-being will take center stage at Redemption, the ship’s spa. Inspired by an underwater cave, Redemption will serve as a mermaid and merman hideaway complete with hydrotherapy pool, mud room, salt room, cold plunge pools, quartz beds, and rejuvenating spa treatments. By night, sailors can complete their well-being journey by attending one of the voyage’s evening spa parties where a killer DJ will transform the spa’s thermal suite into a mermaid hideaway extravaganza.

Vitamin Sea is also about being pampered and well-groomed. The Scarlet Lady will offer an array of personal treatments in different spaces across the ship to transform sailors. This includes a standalone blow dry bar called the Dry Dock salon, the Stubble & Groom barbershop with a male pedicure spa overlooking a porthole ocean view and to polish it off the gorgeous mani- pedi spa.

Virgin names its first newbuild

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 July 2018 20 July 2018

The steel cutting ceremony of the second of three cruise ships that Virgin Voyages (part of Virgin Group) ordered to Fincantieri took place today at the Sestri Ponente (Genoa) yard.

During the event, Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin, welcomed by Giampiero Massolo and Giuseppe Bono, Chairman and CEO of Fincantieri, also revealed the name of the first ship currently under construction at the yard: Scarlet Lady, inspired by the name of one of the first aircrafts to fly for the sister company Virgin Atlantic.

Virgin Voyages second ship, as its sister ships, will weigh about 110,000 gross tons, be 278 meters long and 38 wide, with delivery scheduled in 2021, while Scarlet Lady will set sail in 2020 and the third in 2022. They will feature over 1,400 guest cabins that can host more than 2,700 passengers, accompanied by 1,150 crew members on board to deliver the famed Virgin service.

The development of Virgin Voyages ships will stand out for their design as well as for their particular attention to energy recovery, featuring cutting-edge alternative technologies that reduce the ship’s overall environmental impact. For example, their ships will be equipped with an energy production system of approximately 1 MW, which uses the diesel engine’s waste heat. While at the shipyard, Virgin Voyages also announced that they are eliminating single-use plastics for their guests and replacing them with recyclable and reusable materials.

Silversea Expeditions to cross Northeast Passage in 2019

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 July 2018 18 July 2018

Silversea Expeditions, the leading authority in expedition cruising, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the introduction of its first crossing of the Northeast Passage – a remote and spectacular cruising route above the Arctic Circle. Few cruise ships have transited the passage, which follows the extreme coastlines of Asia and Europe and has long enjoyed a fabled reputation among seafarers.

The intimate, all-suite Silver Explorer will become the most luxurious cruise ship to sail the route, as it passes 5,019 nautical miles of dramatic seascapes and untamed wilderness on a 25-day voyage. On August 10, 2019, the ice-class expedition ship will sail from Nome, Alaska, to Tromsø, Norway, on a once-in-a-lifetime explorative journey through this challenging region. "

In this special anniversary year, which marks Silversea's decade of ultra-luxury expedition cruising, we're particularly thrilled to announce our inaugural crossing of the Northeast Passage," says Conrad Combrink, Silversea's Senior Vice President of Strategic Development for Expeditions and Experiences. "Continuing our legacy of exploration, this epic Arctic passage will take guests across the top of Asia and Europe to discover extraordinary landscapes, unique cultures and rare animal species, while enjoying the comfort of Silversea's ultra-luxury Silver Explorer."

One of Silversea's most ambitious expeditions to date, the journey will encompass the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wrangel Island, where polar bears and walruses roam and migratory birds nest; Champ Island, known for the large, mysterious stone spheres that dot its otherworldly landscape; Tikhaya Bay's Rubini Rock, with its stunning basalt columns; and the archipelago of Severnaya Zemlya, famous for its impressive fjords and majestic glaciers.

The ship will also spend a day navigating as far north as possible, in the direction of the Ice Edge, in search of seals, walruses and polar bears on ice floes. History buffs will be intrigued by a visit to Murmansk, the last city founded by the Russian Empire. Quaint coastal villages like Chukotka's Uelen, populated by the Chukchi and Yupik people, will offer immersion in rare cultural experiences.

The intimate Silver Explorer accommodates just 144 guests and her fleet of 12 Zodiac crafts will provide the unprecedented opportunity for up-close exploration. Silversea’s dedicated Expedition Team of qualified specialists will be at hand to share expert knowledge and topical insights. They will provide lectures, run workshops, lead Zodiac trips, and guide shore excursions – all of which is complimentary for guests.

Aboard the ship, guests will enjoy ocean-view suites, sumptuous cuisine, and the personalized service of a butler. Enriching the experience are such all-inclusive amenities as complimentary premium wines and spirits, specialty coffees, bottled water, juices and soft drinks served throughout the ship; an in-suite bar stocked with guests' preferences; in-suite 24-hour dining; and unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi. Double-occupancy fares start from $37,260 per person.