Paul Gauguin set for multi-million-dollar refurbishment

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 05 December 2024 05 December 2024

Paul Gauguin Cruises – French Polynesia’s destination expert – has announced that the 330-guest Paul Gauguin will undergo an extensive refurbishment during a seven-week drydock in Singapore, February-March 2025. The multi-million-dollar project will introduce sustainable technology upgrades, a contemporary new look for its popular Le Grill restaurant, a reimagined pool deck complete with shaded cabana areas, eight new connecting staterooms, and the updating of soft furnishes throughout the ship.

“Our vision for this refurbishment is deeply rooted in our ongoing commitment to delivering an authentic experience that reflects the beauty and culture of French Polynesia,” said Hervé Gastinel, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer of Ponant Explorations Group. “The ship is beloved by our guests and the local community, and we continue to invest in The Gauguin’s elegant design while integrating advanced, more sustainable technologies to minimize the environmental footprint – an area in which the Group continues to lead. With her year-round presence in the Islands of Tahiti, The Gauguin is more than a vessel; she is a key member of the Polynesian community, reflecting our profound connection to this region and its people.”

Leading the design is Stirling Design International, a globally recognized leader in transportation design, whose thoughtful approach perfectly aligns with Paul Gauguin Cruises’ vision of artful and authentic discovery. Since 1984, the studio has spearheaded the design of Ponant Explorations Group’s new-build fleet. Their expertise shines through in the design for the ship’s reimagined interiors and open decks, where intricate latticework and canvas elements will harmonize with warm wood finishes, seamlessly blending with the natural light and stunning tropical surroundings.

Highlights of The Gauguin refurbishment include:

– Connecting Staterooms: Eight new connecting staterooms on Deck 7​ will appeal to the growing multi-generational travel boom; a trend that Paul Gauguin Cruises anticipated when launching its highly successful Moana Explorer Program in 2020 in partnership with Te mana o te moana, a South Pacific marine education and conservancy foundation. The Gauguin remains the only cruise ship in French Polynesia year-round to offer a complimentary program for children ages six to 15 on select summer and holiday voyages.

– Le Grill: Offering floor-to-ceiling views of islands and sea, this inviting indoor/outdoor restaurant adjacent to the pool will get a top-to-bottom makeover featuring a sleek, contemporary look in white with wood screens, ceramic tiles, and trim framing culinary stations, and soft oak wood furnishings crowned by stylish bamboo light fixtures. This is where guests enjoy open-seating breakfast buffets, causal lunches dining on grilled favorites and salads, and dinners by reservation showcasing an authentic menu of Polynesian and international specialties.

– Pool Deck: A sweeping new white canopy will shade cabana-like seating on the port side of the newly refinished teak pool deck, while the façade of the pool itself will be wrapped by a new mosaic banner. Ample white chaise loungers will surround the space, ensuring blissful moments of sunshine and scenery.

– Pool Bar: Amplifying the chic new pool space, the Pool Bar will receive the same white wood-carved screens as Le Grill, as well as new lighting for a subtle evening glow.

– Soft Good Enhancements: Throughout the ship, both public spaces and staterooms will see reupholstered furnishings and new carpeting in a tropically chic color palette as well as woodwork restorations.

– Sustainable Technology Upgrades: The refurbishment will introduce cutting-edge sustainable technology to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Energy performance upgrades will include advanced heat recovery systems, efficient chillers, an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system generating electricity from heat, and optimized electric motors, significantly reducing energy consumption. A new seawater treatment system will produce fresh water onboard, while the Nordaq filtration system that produces drinking water from seawater helps eliminate plastic water bottles, minimizing single-use plastics. Waste management enhancements include a glass crusher and a cardboard compactor for efficient recycling.

As a tribute to its parent company, Ponant Explorations Group, the ship’s stack will now feature the iconic Ponant three-sail logo, crafted in polished steel and illuminated with LED backing for a striking nighttime display. Additionally, Paul Gauguin Cruises’ signature scripted “P” logo will take a prominent position on Deck 8 forward, while the sleek white hull will receive modern gray accents. These design elements underscore the shared values of the two brands, reflecting their unwavering commitment to authenticity and the mariner’s spirit of adventure.

Emerging from drydock at the end of March, The Gauguin will offer two unique voyages as part of its 2025 Boutique Crossing Collection – the 14-night Immersive Indonesia: Singapore to Australia, departing April 1, 2025; and a 16-night Crossing Melanesia: Australia to Fiji, departing April 15, 2025 as the ship sails home to Tahiti. The Gauguin will then resume her award-winning roster of all-inclusive, luxury voyages offering 7- to 14-night journeys to the Society Islands, Tuamotus, Cook Islands, and Marquesas.

Viking takes delivery of hydrogen-ready Viking Vela from Fincantieri

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 03 December 2024 03 December 2024

Viking today announced it has taken delivery of the company’s newest ocean ship, the Viking Vela. The delivery ceremony took place this morning when the ship was presented at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Vela has 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests. The Viking Vela joins the company’s growing fleet of award-winning ocean ships and will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe.

"We are proud to welcome the newest sister ship to our award-winning ocean fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “Together with Fincantieri we have built the world’s most elegant small ocean ships. With the arrival of our newest vessel, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the Viking way of exploration.”

Viking is working on a project for a partial hybrid propulsion system for future ocean ships based on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells, which could allow the company to operate at zero-emission in the Norwegian Fjords and other sensitive environments. While the Viking Vela has a traditional propulsion platform, she is considered hydrogen-ready and can be retrofitted in the future.

The delivery of the Viking Vela follows a string of recent accolades for the company. Viking was rated #1 for Oceans, #1 for Rivers and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for the second consecutive year. This achievement marked the first time a travel company won these three categories in back-to-back years. Viking was also named Best Luxury Line, Best Line for Couples and Best Line in the Mediterranean in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Cruise Lines ranking for the fourth consecutive year. Viking’s ocean ships have been rated and “Recommended” as part of the Forbes Travel Guide 2024 Star Awards, an annual independent evaluation for luxury travel brands. Additionally, Viking received seven awards at the 2023 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards – more than any other line – across the luxury, river and expedition categories.

The new luxury cruise line Mitsui Ocean Cruises begins its first revenue cruise

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 03 December 2024 03 December 2024

Mitsui Ocean Fuji, the newest cruise ship from Mitsui Ocean Cruises, arrived in Yokohama to begin a maiden season of inspiring voyages celebrating the blue ocean and Japan’s breathtaking natural beauty. Japan’s most luxurious, all-suite vessel is sailing a series of 5- to 66-day cruises from Yokohama, Tokyo, and other local ports, launching a completely new and innovative onboard guest experience that captures “FUNATABI – Beautiful Encounters with Japan.”

The 458-guest Mitsui Ocean Fuji will officially be named in a traditional maritime ceremony on Saturday, December 7, in Tokyo Bay by Ikenobo ikebana Headmaster Designate Senko Ikenobo. Sister ship, Nippon Maru, will also be in Tokyo Bay to welcome Mitsui Ocean Fuji to the fleet.

Mitsui Ocean Cruises simultaneously launched a refreshed and expanded website with new functionality, images and richer content now available at www.mitsuioceancruises.com.

Tsunemichi Mukai, President of Mitsui Ocean Cruises, remarked: “Today marks an incredible milestone for Mitsui Ocean Cruises as we welcome our second luxury cruise ship to the fleet with Mitsui Ocean Fuji. We are thrilled to greet our very first guests and look forward to a prosperous future for our beautiful new ship celebrating our deep culture, wonders of the ocean, praise of delicious cuisine and the unique beauty of our treasured country. I’d also like to congratulate our incredible shipboard and shoreside team who have worked tirelessly together to ready the ship for her debut, promising to deliver an unforgettable experience.”

On sale now, the inaugural season offers a series of Debut Cruises, including a special New Year’s sailing; Spring and Golden Week Cruises (April-May 2025), and a 66-day Grand Asia Cruise (May-July 2025):

Hurtigruten acquired by consortium of existing investors

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 03 December 2024 03 December 2024

Hurtigruten announced on November 28 that the company has been acquired by a consortium of existing investors and has received approximately EUR 110 million in new, long-term funding. The new setup provides a solid base for the future growth and continued development of Hurtigruten as Norway’s leading coastal cruise line. The closing of this transaction will mark the completion of the process to separate Hurtigruten from HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions).

Hedda Felin, Chief Executive Officer at Hurtigruten, said, “This is an important milestone for Hurtigruten. The transaction allows us to continue to deliver our long-term goals, enable sustainable growth, and enhance our customer experience. We look forward to working alongside the new investor group.”

Under the new ownership, which includes existing investors led by Arini Capital Management, AlbaCore Capital and Barings, Hurtigruten will continue to deliver the best guest experience on the Norwegian coast, also known as "the world's most beautiful sea journey". With more than 130 years of transporting freight, local passengers and tourists, no other company knows the unique coastline like Hurtigruten and its nearly 2,000 employees on sea and land.

Hurtigruten is seeing strong demand for its products with, as of 24th November, 2025 bookings 24% higher year-to-date compared to last year for 2024, and poised for further acceleration in 2026.

Torben Geisler, who led the Arini investment, said on behalf of the consortium, “Hurtigruten is a strong, storied brand that has made a name for itself for over a century as a world-class operator. Our investor group looks forward to backing the Hurtigruten management team and its employees to help the company achieve its significant potential while continuing to deliver exceptional travel experiences to its customers.”

The transaction will significantly reduce outstanding debt of the company and its parent group by over EUR 1 billion, resulting in remaining debt of approximately EUR 400m, and extending the maturities to at least 2030.

Hurtigruten will continue as a standalone company, headquartered in Oslo, Norway and Hurtigruten will own and operate its 10 ships under the Norwegian flag.

The company will also continue to benefit from the leadership of Hedda Felin and her skilled team, which was further strengthened with the recent appointment of Per-Hermod Rasmussen as new Chief Financial Officer. Rasmussen assumed his position on 1 December and will play a central role in driving the Company’s financial strategy forward, bringing valuable expertise to Hurtigruten.

The change of ownership has no practical implications for Hurtigruten's customer offering, business partners or daily operations.

The transaction is expected to close in January 2025.