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Cunard Line to redesign Kings Court as part of Queen Mary 2 remastering

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 01 December 2015 01 December 2015

Cunard Line, the premium and luxury cruise brand in Carnival Corp & plc group, has announced its plans for the major redesign of the Kings Court dining venue onboard flagship Queen Mary 2.

“During Queen Mary 2’s extensive refit from 27 May to 21 June 2016, Kings Court will be completely transformed with a more open, intuitive central buffet area and reconfigured seating arrangements to create a relaxed self-service experience with a refined yet informal ambiance,” the company said in a statement.

The buffet will completely be transformed with an open service area. Guests will enjoy a relaxed, informal dining experience open throughout the day and night. A variety of cuisine will be available from Italian, Indian, Pan Asian and Tex Mex menus on a rotating basis. Improved presentation using modern and flexible service counters with feature cooking demonstrations.

The company has previously unveiled plans to refurbish the Grill class cabins and lounge, addition of single cabins and refurbishment of part of Britannia class cabins plus transformation of the Winter Garden to Carinthia Lounge, a multi functional entertainment to dining venue.

The next part of the upgrading of the vessel will be published on 8 December.

Carnival’s China passenger cruise days to rise 50% to 3.9 million in 2016

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 November 2015 27 November 2015

The number of passenger cruise days Carnival group will generate in China next year will increase by a half, head of the Anglo-American company has stated.

"China now accounts for about 2.6 million passenger cruise days but that's predicted to rise by 3.9 million next year," Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corp & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipping group, was quoted by the Australian Financial Review, as saying. Carnival group will have six vessels based in China next year.

Donald was in Sydney, Australia earlier this week to attend the gathering of the five vessels of the group’s contemporary market P&O Cruises Australia unit in the port. A sixth ship is due to join it in 2017.

Chinese buyer acquires Aegean Paradise

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 November 2015 27 November 2015

An undisclosed buyer from China has acquired the 23,287 gross ton cruise ship Aegean Paradise, Masters Shipping, the Piraeus based shipbroker that transacted the deal, said in an email to Cruise Business Online. The ship was built in Japan in 1990 as Orient Venus and it has undergone a number of name changes over the years. Information on the Internet suggests that the buyer was the Hong Kong based New Century group.

Costa announces 2016 Japan deployment

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 November 2015 27 November 2015

Alan Lam reporting

Costa Cruises has just announced that it is to operate turnaround cruises out of Fukuoka, Maizuru and Kanazawa for Japanese guests in Summer 2016, using the 1996-built Costa Victoria.

Costa will offer its concept of casual family cruising to Japanese guests over a series of ten 6-night itineraries, aiming at giving its guests an immersive experience in Italian culture, from hospitality, to cuisine, art and entertainment. These cruises will also feature Asian touches.

Between July and September, Costa Victoria will call at Fukuoka, Maizuru, Kanazawa, Matsue, and Pusan in South Korea. By focusing on Japan’s peak travel season of July to September, which includes the Obon holidays and school summer breaks, the new itineraries are designed for short family retreats. The line also offers its guests to bring along their children under 13 years of age free of charge.

The itineraries will include visits to iconic attractions such as the Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, the World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go, as well as Kurayoshi (known as “Little Kyoto”) and Adachi Museum of Art & Yuushien Japanese Garden. In Pusan, guests will be able to explore Yongdusan Park.

“My team and I are excited to bring our unique ‘Italy at Sea’ vacation and introduce the new concept of causal family cruising to Japanese guests,” said Buhdy Bok, Costa Group Asia President. “With the opening of our new Japan office, we will achieve greater synergies with our travel trade partners, boost awareness of Costa Cruises in Japan and strengthen our leading positioning in Asia.” Costa opened its Japan office on 17 November.

“We are thrilled to finally set up our own office in Japan,” added Yusuke Itokawa, Costa Group Asia Japan Country Manager. “The Costa Japan office will allow us to serve the people of Japan even better than we do today. We will build greater synergies with our travel agents and other travel and tourism partners, and interact more intimately with the people of Japan.”

In 2013 Costa Cruises invested U$18 million refurbishing the 1996 built Costa Victoria. With its elegant, authentic Italian design elements, the ship is regarded as the star of Costa’s Asia fleet. The décor also earned it the distinction of hosting Asia’s first fashion cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. expands international leadership team

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 November 2015 26 November 2015

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has announced three key appointments to the company’s international leadership team: Steve Odell, previously Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Australia & New Zealand, is now Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, responsible for overseeing Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, and Asia, including Japan, India, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan; David Herrera, previously with Prestige Cruise Holdings, has been appointed as Senior Vice President and Managing Director China; and Frank Medina, who joins the company as Vice President and Managing Director for Latin America, overseeing Mexico, South and Central America and the Caribbean. All three positions will be focused on the continued growth of the company’s presence in the region and differentiating each brand’s unique offerings. The three executives will be responsible for all three of NCLH’s family of brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. All report to Harry Sommer, Executive Vice President International Business Development.

Odell brings a wealth of cruise industry experience earned over the past thirty years through pioneering activity in a variety of senior positions in the luxury sector. He played a key role in the establishment of the luxury cruise segment in Australasia since 2000, previously serving as Silversea’s President EMEA & Asia Pacific. He has also served as Chairman ICCA (now CLIA Australasia) between 2005 & 2007 and was a founding Board member of the Asia Cruise Association (now CLIA Asia).

As Senior Vice President and Managing Director for China, David Herrera is responsible for overseeing all of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ brands in the quickly expanding China market, including the home-porting of NCLH’s newest and largest ship in the market. Most recently, Herrera co-chaired the task force created by NCL to decide its future deployment strategy in China. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor to the Chairman and CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings, where he led a group responsible for researching the Chinese cruise market for Oceania Cruises. David began his finance and investment career at Goldman, Sachs and Sanford C. Bernstein where he advised executives and families on all investment matters and was the founder of a private investment firm focused on dynamic and early stage growth opportunities similar to NCLH’s opportunity in the emerging China cruise market.

Frank Medina joins Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings as Vice President and Managing Director for Latin America. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the cruise sector, most recently having served as Commercial Director for Key Markets in North America for Celebrity Cruises, overseeing strategic planning and execution of sales and marketing initiatives across the brand’s top markets. He previously led the growth and development of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Latin America & Caribbean.

“We are thrilled to further enhance our strong international leadership team with the strong experience, strategic planning and industry knowledge that Steve Odell, David Herrera and Frank Medina bring to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings,” said Harry Sommer, executive vice president, international business development.