American Cruise Lines names newest ship American Constitution

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 30 March 2017 30 March 2017

American Cruise Lines has announced the name of its latest vessel, American Constitution, now under construction at Chesapeake Shipbuilding of Salisbury, MD. The name was inspired by the USS Constitution, the United States Navy’s oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat and named by President George Washington. This new ship will be delivered in 2018 and is the sister ship to the American Constellation which begins sailing this May.

The American Constitution is a coastal vessel with full active wing stabilization. With the capacity for approximately 175 guests, the new ship will cater to passengers looking for the sophisticated and intimate experience of a modern smaller ship. As with the other American Cruise Lines ships, American Constitution will have large well-appointed staterooms with private balconies, as well as a variety of spacious lounges.

“With the addition of the American Constitution, we will continue to raise the bar for small ship cruising in the United States” said Tim Beebe, Vice President of American Cruise Lines. “We are committed to continue building new ships which will meet today’s guest expectations for comfort, spacious staterooms, and modern amenities.”

The two sister ships will elevate the standard for small ships on both coasts of the United States, cruising on the East Coast this year, and expanding to the Pacific Northwest and Alaska in 2018. Details on the 2018 schedule will be announced soon.

Thomson Cruises unveils plans for new ship TUI Explorer

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 30 March 2017 30 March 2017

Thomson Cruises has announced its latest addition to the fleet will be named TUI Explorer and will join recently launched ships TUI Discovery and TUI Discovery 2 in offering All Inclusive as standard. Based in Palma, Majorca from May 2018, TUI Explorer offers even more choice, space and flexibility for customers, including two new cabin types and a wider choice of dining and premium entertainment.

Entering the fleet as Thomson Cruises’ biggest ship yet, TUI Explorer introduces new feature bar, Indigo, which offers stunning ocean views from its prime position at the top of the ship and is home to the casino and nightclub when the sun goes down; Aperitif, an intimate speakeasy style bar perfect for pre and post dinner drinks; Scoops, an ice-cream parlour with quirky bicycle-themed seating; and The Lounge, a new venue complete with colour-changing bar and signature brightly coloured piano, where customers can relax and listen to live music.

TUI Explorer will also showcase ten dining venues including the ever-popular Surf & Turf, Kora La and Snack Shack, as well as new addition Umi Sushi, a showcase sushi counter. Also joining the line-up is The Mediterranean, a dining area featuring glass roof inspired by open air terraces and local tavernas which will house two inclusive restaurants – a pizzeria and tapas restaurant – plus the Hot Stone Grill at an additional cost.

The ship will also feature an extensive onboard spa hosting eleven different areas including a Finnish sauna with floor to ceiling windows, a couples room and two luxury treatment suites, and The Veranda, an adults-only sunbathing area with padded sun loungers, pod chairs and day beds.

New cabin types on TUI Explorer include 14 family balcony cabins that measure 20m², sleep up to five people and have a balcony of up to 9m², and a balcony cabin with more external space. Standard inside cabins onboard TUI Explorer are 16m², bigger than any other standard cabin in the fleet.

Managing Director of Thomson Cruises, Richard Sofer, said: “I’m delighted to unveil the name of TUI Explorer, our biggest and most exciting ship yet. As part of our continued modernisation and transformation strategy, and our commitment to offering choice and flexibility, we’ve created a whole host of new spaces onboard to meet our customers’ needs. We’ve got ten restaurants and ten bars, as well as more onboard activities and spaces for families including an indoor cinema and a fantastic new Kids’ Club with children’s pool and slide. I’m also really excited about our new flagship entertainment venue, Indigo – a huge space with incredible ocean views, sat right at the top of the ship.”

TUI Explorer joins TUI Discovery and TUI Discovery 2 in continuing to introduce the TUI brand to UK customers ahead of the re-brand which sees Thomson transition to TUI later this year. Investment in its holiday offerings to enhance and personalise the customer experience is fundamental to the ethos of the TUI brand and unveiling the new ship as TUI Explorer demonstrates this on-going commitment.

The ship will sail from its homeport Palma, Majorca in May 2018, visiting Western Mediterranean highlights such as Barcelona, Rome, Naples, Florence and Lisbon. On sale later this month, TUI Explorer will sail four itineraries – Cosmopolitan Classics, Highlights of the Mediterranean, Magic of Spain and Mediterranean Secrets.

Cruise industry leaders to gather at Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 29 March 2017 29 March 2017

With the cruise season in full swing, the 4th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will once again place the East Mediterranean on center stage. Given the geo-political challenges faced at this juncture, it will be an especially valuable opportunity to gauge trends and developments, as well as address the future of the region’s sea tourism and its recovery potential.

Leading personalities and decision makers from the international cruise industry will meet with the region's stakeholders and government officials, including Greece’s Ministers of Shipping and Tourism, to discuss destination development strategies and drivers for future growth.

The Forum will be held at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre on 23-24 May under the theme ‘Reinventing Cruising in the East Mediterranean. The Forum will be attended among others by:
– Richard Vogel, President & CEO, Pullmantur
– Larry Pimentel, President & CEO, Azamara Cruises
– Kerry Anastassiadis, CEO, Celestyal Cruises & Chairman, CLIA Europe
– Michel Nestour, Vice President, Global Port and Destination Development - EuroMed, Carnival Corp.
– Claudius Docekal, Vice President, Deployment, Crystal Cruises
– Elisabetta De Nardo, Global Head of Port Operations & Destination Management, Silversea Cruises
– Craig Milan, Vice President Operations, Virgin Voyages
– Ukko Metsola, Vice President Government Relations, Royal Caribbean Cruises
– Ana Karina Santini, Public Relations Italy & Med Port Development Manager, Royal Caribbean - Celebrity Cruises - Azamara Club Cruises.

There is general consensus on the fact that in spite of its geopolitical challenges, the region’s appeal in cruise markets remains too strong to be ignored.

“The East Med is one of the key regions for Pullmantur Cruises’ deployment in Europe,” said Richard Vogel, President & CEO of the Madrid based cruise line. “We plan to include more and new exclusive destinations such as Volos, that will bring closer the Meteora Monasteries - included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - to our guests and Nafplio from where our passengers will visit Epidaurus, Corinth and Mycenae. There is no doubt regarding the interest that Greece generates among our guests due to its cultural wealth, landscape, its beaches and its good weather”.

Larry Pimentel, President and CEO, Azamara Cruises, added: "While we have scaled back on our Black Sea cruises as well as cruises that go to Turkey, Greece continues to be a popular destination for Azamara. Greece will continue to be on future itineraries and we routinely call at 10-12 different Greek ports each season."

Elisabetta De Nardo, Global Head of Port Operations & Destination Management, Silversea Cruises, agrees: “As more and more Greek islands open up to cruise guests, many for the first time, the incredible beauty and wonder of the region have never been more accessible. The recent cancellation of cabotage restrictions allows us to actively look at new potential itineraries and opportunities in the area. With the support of local ground operators, we are keen to ensure that Silversea ships continue to visit this desirable region.”

Samos, Chania in Crete and Nafplio are the latest Greek destinations to join Celestyal Cruises’ Aegean itinerary, according to Kerry Anastasiadis, CEO, Celestyal Cruises & President, CLIA Europe.

“We’re committed to adding new destinations to our itineraries every year. Four years ago we visited six harbors – this season we will sail to 15, and we will continue to develop new destinations to add to our itineraries. There are so many breathtaking destinations in the Aegean, and we will continue to bring our passengers to these incredible gems,” he said. "The Eastern Mediterranean is the foundation of our business and our brand. Greece is home to myriad “bucket list” destinations for travelers from the world over, and our cruises are woven with elements of each destination, on board and ashore, so our guests get to take a deep dive at every port of call, to really “live” each destination” he continued.

However, much needs to be done to increase cruise traffic to Greece and the region. Claudius Docekal, Vice President, Deployment, Crystal Cruises commented: “When I started my career in the industry, the combination of cruising the Greek Isles, Egypt and Israel was magical and one of the best sellers. A resurrection of this destination combination would be to the benefit of the entire East Med region. Sadly, all three destinations continue to have their issues. We are slowly trying to rebuild the number of sailings in this region while carefully watching demand. Unfortunately, the demand for Greece has, at least, from my view, not grown to anywhere near where it was and where it should be. The magic of Greece requires renewed marketing efforts.”

Geo-political developments and the intensifying need for new destinations and itineraries are compelling reason for cruise industry executives to attend this year’s Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum.

The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum also attracted Virgin Voyages, a start up cruise line that acknowledges the value of the East Mediterranean and although this region is not in their immediate plans, it is a part of their long term strategy. Craig Milan, Vice President Operations, Virgin Voyages commented: “As a new entrant in the cruise market without a ship in the water, the Eastern Med is not important to us now. However, as our business scales and we increase our capacity, the Eastern Med will become an important region for us to consider deploying vessels. The region has some of the most interesting and compelling historic and cultural sites anywhere in the world. However, given the current geopolitical issues in the region, the East Med will remain a challenging place to deploy ships. We are positive about the future prospects for the region and believe it will turnaround. This is particularly true, given the growth of the industry and the number of ships being constructed over the next 5 years. Nevertheless, we believe Greece has a lot to offer the Virgin Voyages brand and it fits well with our target markets' mindset and demographics. We particularly believe the Greek Isles that attract a younger, vibrant crowd would be a great fit for our brand.”

TUI AG upbeat on outlook in cruise in Germany and UK

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 29 March 2017 29 March 2017

TUI AG, the Hanover based tourism group that is listed in London, said its cruise operations are performing well, both in Germany and in the UK.

In Germany, TUI owns 50% of premium market TUI Cruises and the expedition to luxury market operator Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten in full, while in the UK, its cruise operations consist of Thomson Cruises.

Referring to the winter 2016-17, TUI said cruise continues to deliver growth with the first winter of operations of Mein Schiff 5, and good yields and load factors across the fleets.

Revenue performance in northern Europe reflects growth in long haul, particularly from the UK, and UK cruise as well as higher demand for the Canaries, mainland Spain and Cape Verde. “This is offset partly by lower demand for Turkey and Egypt, in particular from the Nordics,” TUI said in a trading statement.

With regards of the summer 2017, TUI Cruises will launch Mein Schiff 6 in June 2017 and sales for this and our other ships continue to progress well. “UK revenue and selling price performance reflects continued growth in long haul and cruise (with the launch of TUI Discovery 2 in May), as well as the impact of currency inflation for euro based destinations,” the company said.

Overall, winter 2016/17 and summer 2017 are trading in line with the management’s expectations.

“Our balanced portfolio of markets and destinations, our focus on growth in own hotel and cruise brands and our strong balance sheet put us in a robust position, despite the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges in certain source markets and destinations,” TUI said.

“We therefore reiterate our guidance of at least 10% growth in Group underlying EBITA in 2016/171. We are continuing to deliver the transformation of the business, financed by our strong cash flows and the proceeds of disposals, which we believe will put us in an even stronger competitive position and create a less seasonal business for the long term,” the company said.

TUI will publish the first half of its financial year results on 15 May.