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Carnival Imagination to undergo major refit

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 02 September 2016 02 September 2016

Carnival Imagination will undergo an extensive multi-million-dollar renovation that will add a variety of new food and beverage concepts.

The ship, which is part of the eight strong Fantasy class of Carnival Cruise Line, was built in Finland in 1995.

The new spaces will be added during a three-week dry dock taking place Sept. 4-25, 2016. Following the makeover, Carnival Imagination will resume its year-round schedule of three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach, Calif. The new additions will include:

Guy’s Burger Joint, a free-of-charge poolside venue developed in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries enjoyed amidst a décor that celebrates the chef’s California roots and love of car culture
BlueIguana Cantina, a complimentary poolside Mexican eatery where guests can enjoy authentic, freshly made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, as well as an elaborate toppings and salsa bar
RedFrog Rum Bar, a poolside watering hole offering the quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe with refreshing Caribbean rum-based frozen drinks and beers, including Carnival’s own private label draught brew, ThirstyFrog Red
Alchemy Bar, a “cocktail pharmacy”-themed lounge where mixologists “prescribe” concoctions from different elixirs and ingredients with creative monikers like Forty is the New Twenty and The Restorative Basil Drop
BlueIguana Tequila Bar, a fun and festive outdoor bar offering a laid-back Mexican-themed atmosphere and tequila-based frozen drinks and beers, perfect for chillin’ by the pool
Cherry On Top, the “sweetest spot on board” which celebrates the joys of simple indulgences with bins of bulk candy, fun fanciful gifts and novelties, custom apparel and more

These new venues complement the ship’s array of on-board features that live up to the line’s motto of “Fun for All, All for Fun,” including a WaterWorks aqua park with a 300-foot-long Twister slide, the Serenity adults-only retreat with oversized umbrellas and comfortable chaise lounges and the exclusive Seuss at Sea program in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

“Carnival Imagination provides a convenient, value-packed West Coast cruise option and with these new enhancements we’re making this fantastic ship even better,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “With three year-round cruise ships sailing from Long Beach, Carnival is the number one cruise line in Southern California and the investment we’re making to enhance the Carnival Imagination further bolsters our leadership position in this important market,” she added.

Carnival Imagination operates year-round three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach. On this route, three-day cruises depart Thursdays and visit Ensenada while four-day voyages depart Sundays and call at Ensenada and Catalina Island.

Ship Supply International launches unit to cater for vessels under 1,000 passengers

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 01 September 2016 01 September 2016

Ship Supply International, a leading maritime logistics company that is based in Miami, says it has launched a new division called The Small Ship Group, which will further enhance its growing portfolio of marine services.

“Formed to provide a dedicated focus on the specific needs of smaller ocean, expedition and river cruise operators, the Small Ship Group offers an integrated suite of ship management, passenger sales and cruise marketing services for vessels with capacity under 1,000 guests,” the company said in a statement.

Led by the experienced team of ship management veteran Jim Barreiro de Leon and cruise line executive Hans Rood, the Small Ship Group will provide turnkey ship management solutions and combine sales support with marketing services to the current small ship and tour operators.

The Group will partner with ship-owners to obtain viable charters, while working with charterers to address available cabin inventory needs and intends to be the driving force bringing new ships to market.

“Adding this new division strengthens Ship Supply’s organization and further demonstrates our commitment to being a leader in the maritime service sector,” commented Jim Barreiro de Leon, Managing Director of Ship Supply. “The Small Ship Group will utilize the full extent of the Ship Supply logistics network to offer competitive pricing and creative new ways to provide cruise management services.”

The Small Ship Group Managing Director Hans Rood commented, “What makes us so unique is the combination of ship management with the shared responsibility of marketing ships’ capacity. We will focus on providing these services in-line with operator branding requirements, while also creating a rewarding yet affordable experience for owners and operators of small size cruise vessels.”

P&O Cruises' Oriana to to receive three week refit in November

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 31 August 2016 31 August 2016

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, says its 1995 built Oriana will undergo a three-week refurbishment in Hamburg at the end of November.

The adult-only mid-sized ship of 69,840 gross tons will receive a complete makeover of its cabins, restaurants, bars, entertainment areas and public spaces to provide a whole new elegant and sophisticated look, the company said in a statement.

Details of changes include Oriana’s main dining rooms, the Peninsular and Oriental restaurants, which will each be updated with rich new colour schemes, replacing the carpets, curtain fabric and upgrading the lighting. “The passenger cabins will also be transformed with a new palette of natural creams, soft greys and teal. Chairs, sofas, tables and lamps will also be updated with newer classic styles as well as upgraded bathrooms,” the company continued

P&O Cruises’ senior vice president, Paul Ludlow, said: “After listening to guests’ feedback, we are investing in updates to many areas of the ship, but what is key is that we are retaining her unique charm and traditional character. With her teak promenade and lido decks, we know that Oriana holds a special place in the hearts of many of our guests and so we will be keeping her most distinctive features, such as her Tiffany glass ceiling and other well-loved classic touches.”

P&O Cruises is collaborating with leading designers Richmond International, who also worked on the décor for Britannia and various luxury hotels across the continent, to provide a modern yet classic look and feel throughout. Oriana is the oldest vessel in the seven strong fleet of the Southampton based company.

Crystal Serenity becomes largest cruise ship to navigate Northwest Passage

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 31 August 2016 31 August 2016

Crystal Serenity, at 68,870 gross tons, has become the largest cruise ship to navigate the Northwest passage, said Crystal Cruises, the Los Angeles based owner of the ship. The ship is now 14 days into its 32 passage of the waterway and it has more than 1,000 passengers on board. The vessel is being escorted through the waterway by RSS Ernest Shackleton, the British ice breaker/scientific research vessel.

DNV GL in study to promote LNG as marine fuel

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 31 August 2016 31 August 2016

Whilst LNG has proven to be a viable option as a bunkering fuel for ships, there are still challenges to the pace of its development and demand for LNG as a fuel, said DNV GL, the German-Norwegian classification society.

“One of the obstacles to the accelerated uptake is the uncertainty regarding its availability. DNV GL is undertaking a new study on the LNG market in the EU as part of its efforts to drive the development of an EU-wide network of LNG refuelling points. The company has also developed a new tool and guidelines to facilitate wider adoption,” DNV GL said.

The market study is being carried out on behalf of the CORE LNGas hive project which is co-funded by the European Commission. The research aims to develop a safe and efficient, integrated logistics and supply chain for LNG in the transport industry (small-scale and bunkering), particularly for maritime transport off the Iberian Peninsula. With a total estimated budget of more than EUR33 million, the six-year project is scheduled for completion in December 2020.

The results of the project, coordinated by Enagas, will provide recommendations for the Spanish and Portuguese National Policy Frameworks for alternative fuels supply infrastructure, and will prepare the roll-out plan for future commercial deployment along the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors in the Iberian Peninsula.

Fernando Impuesto, CORE LNGas hive project coordinator from Enagas, says: “The consortium partners selected DNV GL to execute the demand studies of the project based on the fact that DNV GL has been at the forefront of the development of LNG as a marine cargo for more than 50 years, and for LNG as a marine fuel over 20 years. With that experience and support, they are an important contributor to our success in this project.”

The CORE LNGas hive project follows another project recently delivered by DNV GL for the EU providing recommendations on how to address barriers to wider adoption of LNG as fuel.

Liv Hovem, DNV GL Regional Manager for Continental Europa and North and East Africa, adds: ”DNV GL has significant experience with adoption of LNG as a marine fuel. This is both through development of gas fuel class rules and assisting and advising private and public clients, port authorities, and global government bodies, with consultancy on safety, technical, and commercial market assessments.

“DNV GL has already developed new analytical techniques for assessment, services, standards and recommended practices for the LNG sector and has supported the safe development and operation of 35% of the world’s LNG plants. Our experience shows that more shipowners would consider LNG as fuel if reliable information on LNG availability was easily accessible.”

This demand for more knowledge and insight is being addressed with DNV GL’s new online tool, LNGi. This provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on worldwide LNG bunkering availability and market data on LNG as fuel for ships. It aims to bring stakeholders from across the LNG industry together to share market intelligence and contribute to the uptake of LNG as a ship fuel. LNGi is supported by The Society of Gas as Marine Fuel (SGMF).

The portal’s interactive map provides information about LNG bunkering opportunities around the world and also includes data on existing and planned infrastructure such as truck loading facilities, tank-to-ship bunkering options and LNG bunker vessels, as well as detailed information on various port and infrastructure projects. Statistics and further information on alternative fuels and emissions solutions, such as the uptake of scrubbers, give a broader overview of the most popular options to achieve compliance with stringent environmental regulations.

In order to continue meeting and supporting the market in its growing demand for cleaner fuels and versatile LNG applications, DNV GL has updated the Recommended Practice (RP) for development and operation of LNG bunkering facilities (DNVGL-RP-G105). The RP provides the first industry guidance on how to perform quality measurements and quantity metering of LNG fuel supply. This enables the industry to understand the business impact of proper fiscal measurement.

The update is a key driver for the monetization of small-scale LNG distribution and infrastructure to support the development of a more transparent and compatible market and to safeguard sustainable growth.