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Norwegian unveils Norwegian Bliss features, calls it sister ship of China based Norwegian Joy

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 August 2017 15 August 2017

Norwegian Cruise Line, the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ltd group, has revealed features and amenities for Norwegian Bliss, the line’s 16^th ship, which will sail to Alaska and the Caribbean, with select voyages to the Mexican Riviera beginning in June 2018.

In terms of layout, the 167,800 gross ton vessel is effectively similar to Norwegian Joy that he line introduced this year on the Chinese market, although e.g. the interior will be different.

Following popularity aboard Norwegian Bliss’ sister ship in China, Norwegian Joy, guests will be able to put the pedal to the metal for the first time aboard a North American-based cruise ship with a two level electric-car race track. “The competitive track, the longest at sea at nearly 1,000 feet, will rev up the hearts of all who race around her many twists and turns with four speed settings accommodating novice, intermediate and advanced drivers, reaching up to 30 miles per hour -- with a special “turbo boost” available on each lap,” the company said in a statement.

The electric cars run silent so as to not disturb those seeking to enjoy the serene environment. “But guests will have the full racing experience while they channel their inner Andretti, as the sounds of a race car engine are piped in through speakers located in the car’s headrest,” Norwegian said

Passengers can test their agility at the open-air laser tag course, which is themed as an abandoned space station, while the sun deck will feature two spacious pools and six infinity hot tubs that scale the side of the ship. “The ship’s Aqua Park also includes two multi-story waterslides. Not for the faint of heart, the high-speed Ocean Loops free fall slide includes two exhilarating loops, one that extends out over the side of the ship and a second see-through loop that stretches down to the deck below, sure to offer a wet and wild ride,” Norwegian stated..

The tandem Aqua Racer slide allows guests to race side-by-side on inner tubes for more than 360 feet, with a translucent section that provides stunning ocean views as guests twist and turn to the finish line.

Junior cruisers can splish, splash and have a blast at the Kids’ Aqua Park, a watery wonderland of splash pads, water cannons, tipping buckets and slides. The little ones will also have a blast at Splash Academy, the fleet’s award-winning complimentary youth program. Centrally-located on Deck 5, Splash Academy will offer age-appropriate supervised activities for children aged three to 12 with fun and energetic programming including games with the conservation-minded Officer Snook, a circus spectacular celebration, jungle-themed nights and more. Teens aged 13 through 17 will enjoy their own space aboard Norwegian Bliss on deck 5, Entourage, adjacent to the ship’s arcade.

Moving to the dining areas on board, Norwegian said modern décor and premium ingredients will meet southern flavours at the all-new Texas Smokehouse, Q, where guests will be able to tap their boots to the beat of live contemporary pop country music each night as they indulge in authentic Texas barbeque in a sleek urban setting.

The flavours aboard Norwegian Bliss will travel south-of-the-border with Los Lobos, an outpost of the brand’s new restaurant serving elevated Mexican cuisine that made its debut in 2016 aboard Norwegian Dawn during her extensive dry dock enhancement under the Norwegian Edge, the brand’s investment program that encompasses the entire guest experience. Los Lobos will offer an upscale, modern take on traditional favorites like fresh guacamole prepared tableside, al pastor tacos, enchiladas de mole, handcrafted margaritas featuring private-label Patron Barrel Select, Norwegian's own tequila blend, and more.

Featuring indoor and outdoor seating located on deck 8 aft, Los Lobos will be adjacent to Cagney’s Steakhouse, Norwegian’s signature American-style steakhouse that serves up choice cuts of Hartley Ranch Premium Black Angus Beef including the larger-than-life 20 oz. Porterhouse, a tender 8 oz. filet mignon and signature ribeye. “Between Los Lobos and Cagney’s Steakhouse, The A-List Bar, named for Norwegian President & CEO and 30-year veteran Andy Stuart, will serve handcrafted cocktails, wines and premium spirits,” Norwegian said

Sweets and treats will be served up day and night at Coco’s, a completely new à la carte dessert venue located on deck 6 in the heart of the ship, 678 Ocean Place, where liquid chocolate in an enclosed oversized chocolate fountain will adorn its entranceway, delighting kids and kids at heart. The chocolate-themed dessert restaurant will feature handmade pralines, truffles, crepes and other decadent treats paired with fine coffees and teas.

In a nod to Seattle, guests aboard Norwegian Bliss can warm up for their glacier walk with a Caramel Macchiato or grab a Teavana® Shaken Iced Green Tea Lemonade to sip on while lounging on a pristine Caribbean beach with a full service Starbucks® store on board. Guests can start their day with Starbucks® coffees, teas and bites available à la carte.

Norwegian Bliss will also feature signature à la carte restaurants French cuisine at Le Bistro; the tastes of Tuscany at La Cucina; seafood at Ocean Blue; global fusion cuisine featuring sushi, dumplings, handhelds and more at Food Republic; Cheeseburgers in Paradise® at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville® at Sea; and handmade cupcakes and macarons at The Bake Shop. Teppanyaki, the brand’s family-favorite Japanese hibachi steakhouse will also be onboard at cover charge pricing. “In a new complimentary dining concept, The Local will offer guests pub fare in a relaxed neighborhood atmosphere 24 hours a day,” Norwegian said.

Norwegian’s beverage concepts will round out the ship’s culinary offerings. The District Brew House will serve 24 beers on tap and more than 50 bottled beers, along with bites from the adjacent Food Republic, while Norwegian Bliss’ beverage programme will also feature a selection of local craft cocktails developed by Seattle-based celebrity mixologist and chef Kathy Casey as well as Miami-based Gabe Orta, one of the master curator’s behind the city’s ultra-popular BarLab concepts.

The Mandara Spa will be located on deck 16 aft, with 24 treatment rooms, a full-service salon and barber shop, fitness center and thermal suite. The Fitness Center will offer latest state-of-the-art TechnoGym® cardiovascular and strength training equipment, as well as personal training and group fitness classes including TRX, Norwegian Fight Club, RYDE Cycle and more.

The ship’s thermal suite will be an exclusive enclave of relaxation where guests can soothe aching joints in the vitality pool and heated whirlpool; rinse off and clear mind and spirit in special experience showers; reduce inflammation and improve respiratory functions in the salt room; cleanse the body in the steam room or sauna; cool down in the snow room; or catch up on their latest reading on one of the 17 heated stone loungers. Passes to the exclusive enclave of relaxation will be available for purchase for a limited number of guests each sailing. In addition to the luxurious spa, adults will be able to unwind in two private lounge spaces while cruising aboard Norwegian Bliss at Vibe Beach Club and Spice H2O, the company said.

Seabourn joins Sabre

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 August 2017 10 August 2017

Seabourn is expanding their reach to millions of travelers in the U.S. and Canada by joining the Sabre travel marketplace, one of the largest e-commerce platforms connecting suppliers and buyers worldwide. Travel agents subscribed to Sabre will now have the ability to book the full inventory of Seabourn via Sabre Cruises, an intuitive booking capability within the Sabre Red Workspace.

Sabre's cruise interface will allow agents to browse ships within a graphics-rich reservation workflow, to shop and book Seabourn's itineraries to all seven continents and more than 300 hidden harbors and marquee ports around the globe. In addition, travel agents can get detailed information about the line's unique offerings, amenities and pricing. The e-commerce agreement will also provide Sabre-connected agents with a seamless experience to book a voyage online aboard one of Seabourn's fleet of ultra-luxury ships.

"We are proud to join the Sabre travel marketplace to provide our global travel professional partners with an additional valuable resource to access and book our award-winning cruises," said Chris Austin, Seabourn's senior vice president of global marketing and sales. "We value the travel agency community, who have a breadth of knowledge and expertise, and this collaboration will help them grow their business and sales."

"The Sabre agency platform and Cruise API's will significantly increase the exposure of Seabourn collection of cruises, ships, personalized services and fine amenities among an influential community of travel agents," said Traci Mercer, senior vice president of Lodging, Ground and Sea in Sabre Travel Network. "With this additional and enhanced cruise content from Seabourn, we continue to enrich our comprehensive inventory and deliver more choice for travel agents in North America."

Viking Cruises ads new cultural partnerships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 August 2017 10 August 2017

Viking Cruises has announced it has expanded its portfolio of partnerships with premier cultural institutions, with a summer season of events around the country. Viking has signed on to sponsor the United States tour of the acclaimed English boys choir, LIBERA, and the Ballet Sun Valley international festival this summer. The company has also extended its sponsorship of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl for the fifth consecutive season. These new partnerships build on Viking’s commitment to drive cultural insight and personal enrichment, with current partners that include National Geographic’s “Genius,” PBS’ MASTERPIECE, TED, The Metropolitan Opera, BBC, Highclere Castle, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Oslo’s Munch Museum, St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre, among others.

“Viking’s commitment to cultural exploration extends far beyond the walls of our ships,” said Karine Hagen, Senior Vice President of Viking Cruises. “One of the best ways to explore a destination – whether at home or abroad – is through its music and cultural institutions. We are proud to support world renowned organizations, such as the Libera Boys Choir, Ballet Sun Valley and The Los Angeles Philharmonic, that align with our goal to create special connections between travelers and the cultures of the world.”

Celebrating 20 years of innovation and growth in 2017, Viking’s summer of cultural programming arrives on the heels of high acclaim for its immersive destination-focused offerings, having recently been named a #1 Ocean Cruise Line and one of the Best River Cruise Lines by Travel + Leisure readers in the 2017 World’s Best Awards. Continuing its commitment to cultural exploration both onboard and off board, Viking’s summer sponsorships include:

– LIBERA Boys Choir U.S. Tour: In celebration of their new album Hope, the acclaimed English boys choir that participated in the 2016 christening of Viking Sea in London, is currently on a Viking-sponsored five-city U.S. tour. Three-time Classical BRIT nominees, LIBERA is among the top selling classical artists worldwide in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, and their work holds a place alongside major artists such as Bocelli. Viking Founder and Chairman Torstein Hagen, a supporter of classical music in its many forms, and a group of Viking colleagues from its headquarters, recently attended the choir’s performance in Westlake Village, Calif. For more information, visit www.libera.org.uk.
– Ballet Sun Valley Summer Festival, featuring Xander Parish: Viking is the lead sponsor of the Ballet Sun Valley international festival, which runs August 21-24 and features dancers from six of the world’s leading ballet companies, including the American Ballet Theatre and London’s Royal Ballet. This unique festival was curated by Sun Valley-native and American Ballet Theatre dancer, Isabella Boylston, and will showcase a world premiere by emerging choreographer Gemma Bond, whose piece was inspired by the solar eclipse happening the day before the first performance. The one-night only world premiere on August 24 will feature video design by Kate Duhamel and a live orchestra under the direction of Maestro Martin West. Xander Parish, a close friend to Viking – and the first Briton to be promoted to principal dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet – will be performing in several “Mixed Repertoire” performances during Ballet Sun Valley. The historic Mariinsky Theatre, upon whose stages have debuted the masterpieces of such great composers as Peter Tchaikovsky, is home to the world-renowned Mariinsky Ballet, Opera and Orchestra. Guests on Viking’s river cruises through Russia have for years enjoyed onboard performances by Mariinsky singers through Viking’s Privileged Access program—and now many of Viking’s ocean cruises also feature similar performances. For more information on Ballet Sun Valley, visit www.balletsunvalley.com.
– Los Angeles Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl: For the fifth consecutive year, Viking is sponsoring six Los Angeles Philharmonic concerts at their historic summer home, The Hollywood Bowl. The Viking concert series, beginning August 10, features music by European composers whose home countries are destinations on many of Viking’s river and ocean cruise itineraries, including Antonio Vivaldi (Italy), Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia), Wolfgang Mozart (Austria), Ludwig van Beethoven (Germany), and Johann Sebastian Bach (Germany). For more information, visit www.laphil.com.

MV Werften breaks ground for new shipbuilding hall

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 10 August 2017 10 August 2017

The symbolic first cut of the spade, carried out by Genting Group’s Chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Minister for Economic Affairs Harry Glawe, Rostock‘s senior mayor Roland Methling and MV Werften Chief Operating Officer Holger Tepper, signalled the beginning of the construction of the new hall 11.

The future shipbuilding complex will be 385 metres long, 99 metres wide and up to 24 metres high. Centrepiece will be a highly productive semi-automatic panel line, one of the most advanced in the world, welding panels of up to 25 x 16 meters. The so called laser-hybrid technique offers high quality standards at less heat production. Besides the panel line, hall 11 will also house a new section building line and a section outfitting line. Commissioning of the facilities will be in summer 2018. The Rostock site will then manufacture 80 large sections per ship of the 342-metre long Global Class.

“With these new facilities we will significantly increase the capacity of our steel prefabrication – and thus increase our productivity too,” explained Chief Operating Office Holger Tepper in the course of the event. “Around 200 employees will be working in the new hall complex.” In the mid-term, the number of employees at the site will be doubled, rising to a figure of 1,000 employees. In total, over €100 million will be invested in the Rostock yard within the shipbuilding group’s comprehensive investment programme, about €80 million of this in the new hall.

“With this groundbreaking ceremony, MV Werften is taking the next step in its comprehensive investment programme for the three sites in our federal state. Not only Rostock-Warnemünde, but also the sites in Stralsund and Wismar will profit from this expansion”, said Minister for Economic Affairs, Employment and Health, Harry Glawe, at the ceremony. “This is a good prospect for the entire maritime industry here in our state.”

SuperStar Libra to offer three homeports in Malaysia and Thailand

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 09 August 2017 09 August 2017

Star Cruises has announced SuperStar Libra’s latest deployment from 3 September onwards with triple homeports in Kuala Lumpur via Port Klang and Penang in Malaysia, as well as in Phuket, Thailand, with two cruises per week, including the 3-nights Kuala Lumpur (via Port Klang)/Phuket/Penang cruise or the 4-nights Kuala Lumpur (via Port Klang)/Langkawi/Phuket/Penang cruise. With the introduction of Star Cruises’ multiple homeports and fly-cruise options, guests in Southeast Asia as well as the region will now have more flexibility and easy access to take a cruise with SuperStar Libra from any of these three well-connected key cities, especially Kuala Lumpur, which is now a major aviation hub in Asia.

“We are extremely delighted with SuperStar Libra’s new deployment in Kuala Lumpur, together with Penang and Phuket,” said Ang Moo Lim, President of Star Cruises. “Star Cruises is optimistic this will grow our source markets in Southeast Asia, allowing guests more access to multiple homeports and concurrently developing and stimulating the growth of the cruise tourism sector across borders through fly-cruise options.”

Throughout Star Cruises’ outstanding long history and strong connection with Malaysia and Thailand, Star Cruises had pioneered the cruising industry in the region for over 24 years and will continue to do so, bringing in millions of tourists and tourism dollars, growing both the local cruise tourism and international/inbound travel via the fly-cruise travel market.

With Penang previously as the only homeport for SuperStar Libra in Malaysia, domestic travellers nationwide and international passengers can now celebrate with more options to either embark from the historically rich culture city of Penang or the modern bustling city of Kuala Lumpur via its new main homeport in Port Klang, Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur remains one the key gateway to Malaysia and also the Southeast Asian region with an expected targeted inbound tourism of over 30 million in 2017. In Thailand, Phuket is also a renowned destination for many international tourists and Star Cruises is now opening up options for travellers from the island, both domestic and from the fly-cruise travel to hop a cruise with SuperStar Libra.

The 42,285 gross ton SuperStar Libra offers extensive onboard programs to guests, including live international performances, shopping at luxury retailers and duty-free shops, taking part in various sports and recreational activities, relaxing at the spas, swimming pools and jacuzzis, as well as a wide range of shore excursions at various popular destinations. Besides that, SuperStar Libra also offers a wide range of onboard accommodations to suit diverse needs and budget from the spacious cabins of the Executive Suites with their own personal living room space to the amazing sea view of Oceanview Staterooms and more.