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MSC Cruises teams up with celebrity chef Jereme Leung in China

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 October 2015 26 October 2015

Chinese celebrity chef Jereme Leung has been signed up to oversee dining options and menus for MSC Cruises’ new cruise operation in China, the company said in a statement.

"Hong Kong-born Leung is renowned as one of the world’s finest Asian cooks, and is famed for his pioneering style which unites modern Chinese cuisine with traditional provincial food," MSC Cruises said.

His new role, announced at a press conference in Beijing, is one of a number of initiatives planned for the upcoming joint venture between MSC Cruises and China’s leading tour operation CAISSA Touristic Group. As announced in September, the deal will see MSC Lirica based in Shanghai from May 2016 to serve the Chinese home market.

Also announced was the introduction of new ‘Cruise Ambassadors’ – staff dedicated to ensuring that Chinese guests unfamiliar with cruise make the most of the facilities onboard They will chaperone their guests at all key moments, acting as social host, fixer, guide and information point as required.

Pullmantur to lose another ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 October 2015 23 October 2015

Alan Lam reporting

Pullmantur Cruises, the Iberia and Latin America focused brand subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), will be losing another ship, following the group’s decision to shift its focus from Latin America back to Spain.

The company earlier issued a press release in Spain, confirming that the Empress would be transferred back to Royal Caribbean International early next year. It also confirmed that the Monarch would be deployed in Europe in 2016 to serve the Spanish and French markets. The ship is currently deployed on a year-round itinerary in Southern Caribbean.
 Having earlier reversed its decision regarding Majesty of the Seas, in the fast changing cruise market RCCL is pilfering another vessel from its Spanish subsidiary on account of the weakness in the Latin America market.

Pullmantur’s recent capacity development trend has run contrary to its ambitious internationalization and expansion programmes, which appears to be facing an uncertain prospect.

(Corrected) Tallink's fast ferry Star to have Burger King restaurant

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 October 2015 23 October 2015

The floating Burger King restaurant will be opened on Tallink Shuttle ferry Star on Tallinn-Helsinki route during the first quarter of 2016. The contract for launching the popular fast food restaurant on Star was signed yesterday by AS Tallink Grupp and Restel Oy representatives in Helsinki.

According to the Management Board Member of AS Tallink Grupp, Lembit Kitter, the decision to franchise the Burger King restaurant concept on board of the Shuttle ferry was motivated by the similar features of both services. "Both, Tallink Shuttle and Burger King offer the customers fast, but reliable and high quality service in their own business niche. The passengers on our fast ferries only have two hours on board, so the fast take away following a worldwide known concept, should be among popular choices," said Kitter.

The CEO of Restel Oy, Mikael Backman stated, that the company is extremely happy about this cooperation with Tallink Grupp. "These two strong brands complement each other’s product selection very well. We believe that there’s great demand for our flame grilled and tailor-made burgers on the fast route between Helsinki and Tallinn," said Backman.

The Burger King restaurant on board of Star will be built during the planned docking time in the beginning of the next year and is expected to be launched within the first quarter of 2016. The restaurant is built on 9th deck, replacing the Quick&Easy restaurant, currently serving pizza and hamburgers. The Burger King restaurant will have close to 300 seats, but the take away option makes it possible to enjoy the food across all passenger areas. The employees of the restaurant will be trained and prepared according to the international concept of the restaurant chain.

Norwegian takes delivery of Norwegian Escape

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 October 2015 23 October 2015

Norwegian Cruise Line, the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings group, said it has taken delivery of the line's largest ship to date, the 164,600 gross ton Norwegian Escape, from Meyer Werft during a ceremony in Bremerhaven, Germany, after a building period of only 17 months.

Norwegian Escape is the first ship in the company's new Breakaway Plus Class, signifying an evolution of Norwegian Cruise Line and bringing to life the brand's promise of freedom and flexibility with a premium experience from bow to stern.

Following delivery today, the ship sets sail for Hamburg for the start of her European inaugural festivities. After a two-night stop in Southampton, Norwegian Escape will make the crossing to her year-round homeport of Miami on October 29, the company said in a statement.

Commencing Antarctic expedition cruise season

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 October 2015 22 October 2015

Alan Lam reporting

The first Antarctic-bound expedition cruise vessel of the season has just departed the Argentine port city of Ushuaia. On the morning of 20 October the 90-pax Antarpply Expeditions docked at the capital of Tierra del Fuego and departed the following day for the White Continent, taking its enthusiastic international guests on an adventure and a “journey into the unknown”.

The current Antarctic cruise season will end on 2 April 2016. During this time a total of 31 ships are involved in expedition cruises to this destination, including the 262-pax Le Lyrial of Ponant and the 872-pax Asuka II of Asuka Cruises.

For the period the port of Ushuaia expects 331 calls by 45 ships. Only 31 of these ships will be involved in Antarctic voyages.

The Antarctic itineraries vary from 10 days to three weeks, often including calls to Sub-Antarctic islands of South Georgia, Sandwich and South Orkneys. Normally, upon departing Ushuaia, the ships head south, crossing the Drake Passage in the direction of the extreme Northwest of the Antarctic Peninsula, about 1,000 kilometres from Tierra del Fuego. The journey takes two days.

According to Gianfranco Guardamagna, the president of Tierra del Fuego Institute of Tourism (Instituto Fueguino de Turismo), this season will see the biggest number of expedition cruise passengers arriving in the region. “This also means a great responsibility for the province,” he emphasized, “as it is the point of departure for 95 per cent of Antarctic-bound cruise passengers, representing more than two percent of global cruise traffics.”

He went on to say that there were many port projects underway “on the provincial level” aiming at providing better services to this industry from one season to another.