Oceania Cruises appoints Binder President and CEO, strengthens Sales and PR teams
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 27 September 2016 27 September 2016
Oceania Cruises, the premium market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holding group, has announced the appointment of Bob Binder to President & CEO along with additional appointments made to the Sales, Marketing and Public Relations teams which reaffirm the brand’s position as a market leader in the upper-premium cruise segment, the company said in a statement.
Bob Binder also serves as the Vice Chairman of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, a role he has held since 2011. Prior to that, Binder served as President of the Oceania Cruises brand, which he co-founded with Frank Del Rio. During his tenure from 2003 to 2011, Binder played a key role in the development and design of the new Oceania-Class ships Marina and Riviera along with new culinary and restaurant concepts for the line.
“We may be entering our fourteenth year of business, but our story is only just beginning,” stated Bob Binder. “Looking ahead to the next year and beyond, we will have many exciting announcements to come including enhancements to our overall guest experience, from our acclaimed culinary program and upgrades to staterooms and suites to the addition of new destinations and the introduction of imaginative destination experiences.”
In tandem with Binder’s appointment, the line also announced the appointment of four key team members to provide additional support and expertise to the line’s sales, marketing and public relations endeavors.
- Todd Brown, Vice President of e-Commerce
- Michael von Wittenau, Regional Sales and Marketing Director
- Kari Roach, Regional Sales and Marketing
- Tim Rubacky, Head of Public Relations
“The addition of these new team members represents our commitment to delivering a world- class experience to our guests and travel partners, executing on our sales and marketing strategies and capitalizing on and leveraging our brand’s success,” stated James Rodriguez, Executive Vice President.
St Peter Line reported to have sold both vessels to Moby Lines
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 27 September 2016 27 September 2016
St Peter Line, the Russian cruise ferry company that operates two vessels on services from St Petersburg to Finland and Sweden, has reportedly sold both vessels to Moby Lines, the Italian ferry company.
Princess Maria that was built in 1981 would remain in the Baltic, while Princess Anatasia that is three years younger would leave the region, a report on The Baltic course news website said. Both ships are of about 35,000 gross tons and have extensive cabin accommodation.
St Peter Line has refused to comment on the matter, the report said.
FCCA Cruise Conference and Trade Show to open in San Juan
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 27 September 2016 27 September 2016
Tomorrow marks the opening of the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, the largest cruise conference and trade show in the Caribbean and one of the best ways to target the cruise industry and maximise its benefits, the organisers said in a statement.
The four-day event will gather 1,000 cruise tourism stakeholders and 100 senior cruise executives for a series of meetings, workshops and networking functions aimed at developing understanding, relationships and business.
"The FCCA Conference & Trade Show puts cruise tourism stakeholders in the middle of the action," said Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA. "From tour operators launching their first tour to destinations building a new port, this is the place where decisions and developments are reached and relationships are made to pave the way for future business."
Taking place until 30 September, the event launches tomorrow with the official Trade Show opening at 11 AM, inaugurating the largest trade show in the event's history with innovations like the first-ever Purchasing Initiative to coincide with the announcement of a new FCCA sourcing program
International Cruise Summit to gather in Madrid 22 and 23 November
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
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- Published: 27 September 2016 27 September 2016
The latest edition of the International Cruise Summit will bring together in Madrid experts of the Cruise Industry worldwide. "The sixth edition will turn Madrid into the international centre of the cruise industry on 22 and 23 November," the organisers said in a statement.
Present at the inauguration will be the President of Spanish Ports and other personalities from Tourspain, Madrid city council and Madrid Local Government. Delegates will attend roundtables and sessions which will discuss The evolution of the cruise ships, The design of itineraries, The future of destination programmes, Selling the product, “Passenger profiles”and Purchases and logistics of cruise companies.
More than 300 delegates from around the world will attend this unmissable event, which will be held at the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding Hotel. This sixth edition will allow further enhancement of Spain’s image as the second European cruise tourist destination and the positioning of Madrid as a pivotal city in hosting international congresses.
In addition, Spain will be further consolidated as a reference in the sector for its infrastructure, variety of destinations, including cultural diversions and / or entertainment for everyone.
During 2015, 8.4 million cruise passengers visited the Spanish coast, which is 9.4% more than in 2014, setting a new record.
Additionally, Barcelona become the most visited European port throughout the year and in the first eleven positions of this ranking, we find three Spanish ports, namely Balearic Islands, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Norwegian pushes the boat out in China with Joy
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 23 September 2016 23 September 2016
Alan Lam reporting from Tianjin
Not wanting to be overshadowed by its bigger competitors, at the China Cruise Shipping Conference and Expo (CCS 11), currently underway in Tianjin, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd (NCLH) is pushing its boat out, relentlessly promoting its brands and showcasing its new ship, the Norwegian Joy, to the Chinese market.
Cashing in on Chinese tourists’ seemingly endless appetites for eating, shopping and entertainment, the CEO Frank del Rio and his energetic team introduced the group’s new Chinese ship as the best of its kind on the market, featuring, among others, 28 restaurants without limit on dining times, shops selling Chinese customers’ favourite brands, and entertainment for all ages, including a two-level competitive race track – first-ever at sea.
At the same time, recognising the growing affluence and the diversifying tastes of this fast growing source market, NCLH is heavily promoting its other two luxury brands, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania, introducing the mainly Chinese conference delegates to its newest luxury ship, the Seven Seas Explorer.
“All three of our brands will call at Chinese ports in the next 12 months,” said Frank Del Rio. In the past year the group has opened offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. It has relocated one of its most senior executives, David Herrera, to China.
With its “first class at sea” philosophy, the group also promoted its “The Haven” concept on Norwegian Cruise Line with gusto to the Chinese market.
Norwegian Joy will set sail from both Tianjin and Shanghai from next June.
Responding to a specific question asked by CBR correspondent during the press conference concerning whether or not the group had considered Southern Chinese ports as its homeport options, “We look at China in the same way as we did the USA in 1966 when Norwegian first invented cruising,” replied Harry Sommer, NCLH’s Executive Vice President International Business Development. “At first all cruises were centered around Miami. That was the cruise capital of the world. As the interest developed, it spread to Alaska, Europe, and the rest of the world. Cruise in China started in Shanghai ten years ago. It is already branching out. We imagine in time those areas will grow. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have ships based in these markets sometime in the future.”
“As the South continues to develop and growth,” added David Herrera, “we are in conversation with several ports in the region. One of the advantages the South has is the weather. As in Miami, you can cruise out of the South year round.”
The key issue for NCLH in this connection is that it has only one ship available for this market at present. It can only be present in one region at the time.
NCLH is entering China at the ten-year transitional juncture of this market. The next ten years will be very different according to the general prediction at CCS 11. Our full report on this conference in the 3/2016 issue will examine this prognosis.
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