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Royal Caribbean International launches campaign to target millennials

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 November 2015 16 November 2015

Royal Caribbean International, the contemporary market brand in Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd (RCCL) group, says it has launched a new advertising campaign to target millennials and to flush out dated conceptions about cruising.

“COME SEEK LIVE is an exciting way for Royal Caribbean to challenge the misperceptions travelers have about the cruise industry. We are continually evolving the experience across our fleet, designing adventures that inspire and excite our travelers,” said Jim Berra, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “It is natural that we would bring this innovation to the transformation of our marketing as well, especially as we recognise that millennials require us to communicate with them using new channels,” he said in a statement

Running through the social media app Periscope and showcased on billboards on the streets of New York City this latest activation of the brand’s new “Come Seek” campaign enables seekers and explorers to interact in real time with adventurers aboard the high tech ship, Anthem of the Seas as she sails to five distinct Caribbean destinations.

The COME SEEK LIVE experience brings adventures only found on Royal Caribbean International and some of the destinations the cruise line visits to life using Periscope. It will allow followers from around the world the opportunity to experience the adventures of influential seekers via live-streaming of 13 live broadcasts from five islands over seven days, beginning today.

Streaming events will begin at the Las Playas natural water slide in Puerto Rico and adventure-hop from playing with green monkeys at the Wildlife Reserve in Barbados to riding ATVs in St. Maarten or enjoying a post-expedition refreshment made by a robot at Anthem’s Bionic Bar. Periscope followers will be able to direct the adventurers next steps with the unfolding story showing followers what they could be doing right at that moment onboard a Royal Caribbean adventure.

Royal Caribbean developed the first-of-its-kind distribution platform using their industry-leading VOOM wireless connectivity – the fastest internet at sea – to beam the Come Seek adventures to the streets of New York. COME SEEK LIVE will be streamed to subway displays and newsstand screens at hyper-targeted locations around the city including Grand Central, Penn Station, Union Square, West 14th and 7th Ave., 86th and Lexington Ave., Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, and Fulton Center.

Thomson Cruises unveils plans for new ship Thomson Discovery

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 November 2015 13 November 2015

Thomson Cruises, part of the Anglo-German TUI AG group, has unveiled plans for its brand new ship, Thomson Discovery, including a whole host of new dining options, a sleek new design and the announcement of its entertainment and hotel providers in order to modernise the fleet and the on board customer experience.

Customers on board Thomson Discovery will have eight dining venues to choose from, including two new signature restaurants – Snack Shack and Gallery 47 ˚. Located on the pool deck and themed around brightly coloured, iconic British beach huts, Snack Shack is a fun, ‘festival-style’ eatery serving grill foods such as quesadillas, and nachos during the day and popcorn and cocoa on film nights.

The second signature venue is Gallery 47˚, located in the upstairs of the main restaurant, this venue will serve contemporary Italian food, as voted for by over 4,000 customers.

The ship’s exterior will also receive a brand new look and feel, guaranteed to turn heads in port. The dynamic wave design accentuates the sleek hull profile and echoes aircraft livery which also uses a wave design.

Also announced is the news that PEEL Entertainment Group has been awarded the contract for on-board entertainment on Discovery and The Apollo Group has been awarded the contract for the hotel provision. PEEL has been the live entertainment partner since the launch of Thomson Cruises in 2003 and together with Thomson, they have grown the award-winning programme into a product which is much-loved by passengers.

The appointment of The Apollo Group on Thomson Discovery follows its take-over as the hotel supplier on Thomson Dream and Thomson Celebration in November 2014; a move that saw customer satisfaction go from strength to strength. Apollo are well-versed in hotel operations and their dedication to excellence has seen them supplying innovative hotel services in the cruise industry for over 40 years.

Managing Director of Thomson Cruises, Helen Caron, said: “I’m really delighted to start unveiling our plans for Thomson Discovery as we are now just six months away from the launch. A big focus of our strategy is to modernise our on-board customer experience. On Discovery we’ll be offering our customers more choice and balance so they can really personalise their cruise with us. I’m confident the new signature restaurants, together with other exciting on board features, will delight our current cruise customers while attracting new ones too, especially families.

“The contracts for both suppliers will also play a key role in delivering the modernisation and pushing the boundaries of the on board customer experience push the boundaries of the on-board experience, with agreements for new shows and modernising and making changes to food and beverage offering for customers to be announced as Thomson Cruises delivers its modernisation plans.”

Based in Palma from June 2016, Discovery will be the largest in the fleet with a capacity of 1,830 across 915 cabins – almost 40 per cent of which will offer balconies. In addition to the extensive dining choices, the family-friendly ship boasts an outdoor movie screen, rock climbing wall and eight bars and lounges.

The new ship’s summer 2016 itineraries – Highlights of the Mediterranean, Cosmopolitan Classics, Mediterranean Secrets and Magic of Spain – will take in some of the most popular European spots, including Naples (for Pompeii) in Italy and Barcelona and Cadiz (for Seville) in Spain and customers, particularly families, will be able to make the most of the programme with Saturday sailings and flights from 19 regional airports across the UK and Ireland.

Thomson is continuing to fulfill its ambition of expanding the portfolio of destination-intensive itineraries with the announcement that Thomson Discovery will depart from its new home port in Barbados for winter 2016 offering customers an all new ‘no sea day’ Seven Shores Caribbean itinerary. Ports of call include Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France, Martinique; Roseau, Dominica; Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe; Castries, St Lucia; Kingstown, St Vincent and St George’s, Grenada.

All Leisure sells Hebridean Princess to chairman’s private company

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 November 2015 13 November 2015

All Leisure group (ALG), the listed British operator of niche cruise vessels, says it is planning to sell the 50 passenger Hebridean Princess to a company set up by its chairman, Roger Allard, for £2.9 million, and to lease the ship back.

The lease would run to 2023 and the annual payment ALG would make to have control of the vessel would be £500,000 per annum.

“As set out in the Company’s interim results for the six months ended 30 April 2015 which were announced on 30 July 2015, trading conditions for the Group have been under pressure in recent years,” the company said in a statement.

“The cruise industry is becomingly increasingly competitive as new vessels are launched and the capacity within the industry grows. Consequently the industry is seeing increased levels of price competition, which negatively affects the profitability of the Group.”

Geo-political events continue to have an adverse impact on the business, affecting the appetite of tourists to travel to a number of destinations and limiting the Group’s ability to visit certain destinations.

“Furthermore, it was necessary in the first half of the year to put all three of the Group's cruise vessels into dry dock, with a resulting annual capital expenditure cost of approximately £4.3 million and a loss of revenue relating to the lost cruising time of approximately £2.5 million. The Group’s cash flows are highly seasonal, with cash at its lowest point in December to February, and at its highest in the period June to July,” the company said.

All Leisure operates the 1964 built Hebridean Princess that was rebuilt as a luxury cruise ship in 1989, the 1990 built Voyager that started life as Crown Monarch and the 1996 built Minerva.

Rolls-Royce to launch restructuring programme on weak outlook

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 November 2015 13 November 2015

Rolls-Royce plc, the UK based engineering group that should not be confused with the luxury car maker, said it would launch a programme to restructure its business that involves maritime equipment and ship design, in the face of a weak outlook.

The programme would aim to simplify the organisation model, streamline senior management, reduce fixed costs and add greater pace and accountability to decision making. “Work will enhance plans underway to improve our management information, forecasting and business systems,” the company said in a statement.

Warren East, CEO, said in the statement: “While 2015 remains broadly as expected, the outlook for 2016 is very challenging. The speed and magnitude of change in some of our markets, which have historically performed well, has been significant and shows how sensitive parts of our business are to market conditions in the short-term.”

“At the same time I remain very confident about the opportunities before us and convinced that our long-term outlook is positive. Our industrial transformation is proceeding well and our core large engine business remains on track to gain significant market share and build a strong, cash generative platform for the future.”

The programme aims to achieve incremental gross cost savings of £150 million to £200 million per annum, with benefits accruing from 2017 onwards.

Carnival Cruise Line adds Baltimore's Heavy Seas Beer brand to the microbrews offered fleetwide

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 12 November 2015 12 November 2015

Heavy Seas Beer is the latest locally brewed beer to be featured on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. Based in Baltimore, Heavy Seas is now served on Carnival Pride, which sails seven-day cruises year-round from the Port of Baltimore.

With the addition of Heavy Seas' pirate-themed Loose Cannon and Crossbones beers, Carnival ships now offer an expansive selection of craft beers and microbrews with more than a dozen locally brewed beers from cities and states where its ships are homeported.

"Craft beer continues to grow in popularity and we're very pleased to expand our beverage menus to include an array of refreshing and satisfying beers from some of the top breweries in the country," said Eddie Allen, Carnival's vice president of beverage operations. Allen noted that Carnival also offers its own private label draught beer, ThirstyFrog Red, which is available throughout the fleet.

"Heavy Seas Beer is proud and excited to partner with Carnival Cruise Line to introduce our unique, boldly flavored craft beers to a new audience," said Fred Crudder, director of marketing and hospitality for Heavy Seas Beer. "It's time for Heavy Seas on the high seas!"

Heavy Seas Beer was founded in 1995, and its award-winning portfolio features beers for all tastes and occasions. From crisp, light-bodied session beers, traditional European styles and dynamic American craft specialties to strong barrel-aged beers, the company brews a full spectrum of beers.

Craft beers and microbrews are also available on ships operating from the following homeports and cruising regions:

– Galveston: Shiner Bock and Shiner Premium
– New Orleans: Abita Amber and Abita Purple Haze
– Florida: Tampa-brewed Cigar City Florida Cracker and Cigar City Invasion Pale Ale
– Alaska: Alaskan Amber and Alaskan White
– Hawaii: Bikini Blonde Lager and Mana Wheat beers from Maui Brewing Co.

Additional specialty beers from breweries in New York, California and Florida are scheduled to be added in the near future.