Crystal to celebrate 25th anniversary with special Chairman's cruise

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 03 June 2015 03 June 2015

Crystal Cruises is offering intrepid travelers the ultimate Northern European escape with its July 8 voyage through the North Cape and Arctic Circle. Crystal Cruises’ 18-day itinerary from Reykjavík to London/Dover is packed with wish list-worthy experiences – in Norway’s ancient caves, behind the scenes of the Russian Gulag, on Iceland’s whale feeding grounds and under the midnight sun – and destinations including new calls along Russia’s White Sea and Norway’s spectacular fjords. 

Enhancing the new adventures ashore, the voyage – hosted by new Crystal Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay aboard Crystal Symphony – will feature special receptions and celebrations on board in commemoration of the line’s 25th Anniversary, as well as the recent announcement of Crystal’s expansion under the new ownership of Genting Hong Kong (GHK). In addition, Crystal’s President and CEO Edie Rodriguez will join for a section of the itinerary to formally introduce Chairman Thay to Crystal’s beloved guests as well as participate and attend the special festivities.

“This itinerary offers in-depth and immersive experiences in some of the world’s famously remote and most breathtaking locales, with new opportunities and destinations for even the most seasoned travelers,” says Rodriguez.  “We are thrilled that our newly-appointed chairman will experience a Crystal voyage that perfectly blends the inherently rugged and far-away adventure of such destinations with unmatched luxury at sea.”

With overnights in Reykjavík, Iceland and Leknes, Norway, maiden visits to Solovetsky and Zayatsky Islands, Russian Federation and Narvik, Bodø and Øye/Hjørundfjord, Norway; and stops in Murmansk, Russia and Geiranger and Bergen, Norway; and Akureyri, Iceland, plus cruising through Honningsvåg, North Cape, the voyage affords ample opportunity for adventurous and fascinating cultural pursuits ashore.  Among the more than three dozen brand new Crystal Adventures are:

– Spying blue fin, humpback, minke and sei whales in their feeding grounds on Iceland’s Eyjafjordur Fjord (from Akureyri); and beluga whales along the White Sea Coast (from Zayatsky Islands);

– Exploring Russia’s original Gulag prison camp, UNESCO-designated Solovetsky Monastery, that set the tone for the Kremlin’s prison system, plus the rustic beauty of the Holy Lake and Prosperity Bay (from Solovetsky);

– Midnight horseback riding on the beach or golfing at the seaside Lofoten Golf Links, both illuminated by the Arctic sun in Leknes;

– Close encounters with the wild brown bears, wolves, polar foxes, reindeer and moose that reside at the world’s northernmost zoo, Narvik’s Polar Park;

– Pivotal World War II sites including Narvik’s battleground between the Germans and Allies and War Memoriam Museum, plus Murmansk’s impressive wartime fleets and the cemetery dedicated to the Allied soldiers who brought Arctic convoys to Russia’s shores;

– Rugged Norwegian mountain biking adventures, one from 3,000 above sea level down to UNESCO World Heritage Site Geirangerfjord, another along the “roof of Bergen,” Mt. Fløyen, where the terrain offers spectacular views.

Crystal’s all-inclusive luxury voyages start at $1,485 per person if booked by the June 30 “Book Now” deadline.

 

New Chief Legal Officer joins MSC Cruises' global management team

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 June 2015 01 June 2015

MSC Cruises S.A., the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line, announced today that Massimiliano Mio has joined the company’s executive leadership at its global headquarters, in Geneva, Switzerland, as the new Chief Legal Officer (CLO), effective today.

Mio has worked in international shipping law for 20 years, covering claims and disputes handling, insurance and liability issues, corporate legal affairs and various other maritime matters. He will report to Chief Executive Officer, Gianni Onorato.

Onorato said: "Having grown by 800 percent in the first 10 years alone, MSC Cruises is poised for a further dramatic expansion through a $5.4 billion plan to double our current fleet capacity by 2022, which includes seven ultra-modern ships in two pioneering prototypes."

"Massimiliano’s specialized expertise in maritime and shipping law will be a valuable addition to the growing portfolio of skills and knowledge embodied by our further strengthened senior executive team. With the right people at the top we can forge ahead with confidence as the Company evolves and continues to provide distinct, unforgettable cruise experiences around the world."

Mio served most recently as General Counsel for RINA S.p.A, the global provider of certification, testing, inspection and engineering consulting services in multiple sectors, including marine, transport and the environment. While at RINA, Mio led legal teams through numerous complex lawsuits, and piloted a project to restructure RINA’s insurance program.

Mio is the fourth new C-level appointment by MSC Cruises in 2015, following the arrivals of a new Chief Communications Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer.

AIDAsol supplied for the first time with low-emission electricity from LNG

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 June 2015 01 June 2015

On May 30, 2015, AIDA Cruises and Becker Marine Systems celebrated a world premiere in the Port of Hamburg. Upon successful completion of the final technical tests, AIDAsol was provided during its lay time in Hamburg’s HafenCity for the first time with low-emission electricity from liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the LNG Hybrid Barge.

"With this pilot project for the energy supply of cruise ships using LNG while being berthed in ports, which is thus far unique worldwide, we have opened a new chapter for environmental protection in the port of Hamburg," said AIDA President Michael Ungerer.

After successful test operation of individual board systems, AIDAsol is to be supplied with energy for the first time completely via the LNG Hybrid Barge with the next call of port in Hamburg (June 9, 2015).

The LNG Hybrid Barge functions as a floating power plant. In the gas processing plant, the cryogenic (-163°C), liquid gas is heated and then passed on to the generators, which produce electricity for the operation of the ship while in port. The power provided by a total of five gas motors on the LNG Hybrid Barge is 7.5 megawatts.

Thanks to the use of liquefied natural gas in the energy supply of ships, emissions and particle discharge will be significantly reduced. Compared to the use of conventional marine diesel with 0.1 percent sulfur content, no sulfur oxides and no soot particles are emitted. Nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced by up to 80% and carbon dioxide emissions by 30%.

Becker Marine Systems was honored recently with the GreenTec Award 2015 of the DRV (German Travel Association) in the category "Travel" for the LNG Hybrid Barge project developed together with AIDA Cruises.

In the spring of 2016, the first ship of the new AIDA generation, AIDAprima, will call for the first time its future home port Hamburg. AIDAprima is the first cruise ship with a shore power connection, a comprehensive system for exhaust gas aftertreatment, and a dual fuel engine. This can also be operated with LNG, depending on availability.

Deutschland to become seagoing university World Odyssey

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 31 May 2015 31 May 2015

Deutschland, the 22,496 gross ton cruise liner formerly operated by Peter Deilmann Kreuzfahrten that failed last year, will become a floating university.

“The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), parent organization to globally renowned study abroad program Semester at Sea, has secured a new shipboard campus—its sixth in the program’s storied 51-year history,’ ISE said in a statement.

The new ship, like its predecessors, will serve as a traveling home and campus that brings approximately 600 undergraduate students to the farthest reaches of the globe every semester, giving deeper meaning to education, experiential learning, and community.

This August, the program’s new vessel will be renamed the World Odyssey for her role as the Semester at Sea campus. Currently named the Deutschland, she has been meticulously maintained since her construction in Germany in 1998 and will undergo routine dry-dock maintenance this summer.

The World Odyssey meets the International Maritime Organization’s SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Public Health requirements, as well as all other statutory standards to operate throughout the world.

“The World Odyssey marks a new chapter for Semester at Sea—a chapter that will allow us to progress, but maintain our traditions,” said T. Kenn Gaither, ISE President and CEO. “We will continue to provide an invaluable experience to new students, who, like our 60,000 alumni, are eager to embrace the world around them, see with new eyes, and make an impact. The World Odyssey will help us educate a new generation of global citizens.”