Viking Line cruise ferry Mariella back in service after refit

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 23 April 2015 23 April 2015

Viking Line’s cruise ferry Mariella is returning to service today after two weeks of dry docking and refit. “The vessel, which turns 30 this year, underwent a thorough renovation. This included modernisation of cabins, restaurants and the nightclub to meet the needs of today’s consumers,” the Finnish company said in a statement

During Mariella’s dry docking in Landskrona, Sweden, more than a hundred cabins received a facelift. “Passengers can now book a completely new Comfort Class cabin. The 72 Comfort Class cabins offer pleasant décor, a double bed and a wireless network. In addition, all of the vessel’s luxury cabins have been modernized,” Viking Line said.

More than one million people per year sail the Helsinki (Finland)–Stockholm (Sweden) route on  Mariella and its running mate, the 1994 built Gabriella.

“The cheapest cabin is no longer necessarily enough. Instead, people want a bit of luxury during their voyage. Traditional services such as playroom ball pools and buffet meals remain popular, but in addition people would like new kinds of experiences,” says Kaj Takolander, Viking Line’s Head of Sales and Marketing in Finland and the Baltics.

The wishes of many Mariella passengers are now being realised with the opening of a new restaurant called Plate – Social Dining. “The restaurant will focus on socialising in industrially inspired surroundings. Another new restaurant is Ocean Grill, where chefs will prepare grilled dishes in an open kitchen before the eyes of customers,” Viking Line continued.

The conference facilities on board Mariella have been expanded as part of the renovation. In addition to the existing auditorium seating 300, meeting capacity has been expanded with a conference room for 40 people. This room offers a sea view and is decorated with furniture created by Swedish designer Alexander Lervik.

Club Mar, the vessel’s nightclub, has been modernised in many ways − from décor to sound engineering − and now seats 430 guests. As for play areas, we now offer the youngest family members the PS4 Lounge and the KIDS playroom.

During 2015, Viking Line has invested extensively in on-board comfort. Besides modernizing the Mariella, the company has also renovated the Viking XPRS, which sails on the Helsinki–Tallinn (Estonia) route, including an expansion of the services on that vessel. In addition, several of  Gabriella's family cabins (B2L) have been renovated.

Norwegian Sky goes all-inclusive

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 23 April 2015 23 April 2015

Norwegian Cruise Line announced yesterday that beginning January 2016 all guests sailing from Miami aboard Norwegian Sky will enjoy an even more all-inclusive cruise experience with dining, entertainment and now free unlimited beer, wine and premium spirits included. Whether they choose white or red, shaken or stirred, on the rocks or straight up, Norwegian Sky guests will revel in the freedom and flexibility of the most inclusive contemporary cruise vacation at sea.

"We're taking Freestyle Cruising to the next level to provide our guests with an experience unmatched by any other contemporary cruise line," said Andy Stuart, president and chief operating officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. "Norwegian Sky guests will have the freedom to enjoy a cruise vacation the way they desire-whether it's lounging by the pool with a margarita, having a laugh at a comedy show, catching up on their favorite book on their balcony, or indulging in fine dining- all included in their cruise fare."

Guests will enjoy for free a variety of unlimited premium spirits, innovative cocktails curated by the award-winning mixologists from Miami's Bar Lab, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $11 aboard Norwegian Sky in 2016 and beyond*. Guests 3 to 20 years of age will enjoy unlimited sodas and juice throughout their cruise.

Norwegian Sky sails port-packed three- and four-day roundtrip cruises from Miami to the Bahamas year-round. The new all-inclusive experience will also provide guests with the freedom to enjoy unlimited premium beverages while soaking up the sun on Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas.

In addition to the wide variety of inclusive offerings onboard, Norwegian Sky guests also have the option to indulge in a variety of extra onboard experiences such as specialty restaurants and pampering Mandara Spa treatments. While in port, Norwegian Sky guests can also opt to choose from a wide array of shore excursions offering leisure, adventure and cultural experiences including swimming with dolphins, historical island tours, beach time and more.

Norwegian Sky offers a broad selection of staterooms options including spacious suites and penthouses that accommodate up to five guests, balcony staterooms, oceanview staterooms and moderately priced inside staterooms designed with families in mind to accommodate up to four guests. The ship features 13 dining options, 12 bars and lounges, two pools, five hot tubs, an onboard spa, casino and children's programming.

TUI Cruises to offer two golf cruises in 2016

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 23 April 2015 23 April 2015

TUI Cruises, the Hamburg based premium cruise line, said it will offer two golf themed cruises next year.

The first one of them will take place on Mein Schiff 4, which has just sailed on its first sea trials ahead of delivery from Meyer Turku Shipyard next month, and will take passengers around the British Isles from 23 August to 03 September. Golfers will have the chance to play at courses in Scotland, Ireland and England, including ones in the Scottish highlands and one in Falmouth on England's south coast.

The second cruise with the same theme will sail on Mein Schiff 2 from 10 to 20 November. The cruise will depart in Palma de Mallorca and take in calls at Gibraltar, Cadiz, Agadir, Lanzarot e and La Gomera to Gran Canaria. Club Golf du Soleil in Agadir and Tecna Golf in Lanzarote are among the venues on offer for players of the game on this cruise.

Malta allows cruise ship casinos to remain open while in port, territorial waters

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 22 April 2015 22 April 2015

Following the publication of the Cruise Casino Regulations by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), wherein cruise liners are to obtain prior approval from the MGA, cruise liners will now be able to operate their onboard casinos while berthing in Malta and its territorial waters, MGA said in a statement.

These Regulations are a result of the policy announced by the Maltese Government last November during the 2015 Budget speech. The Regulations aim to regulate casino operations on board cruise ships, which are either berthed in Malta, Gozo or within Maltese territorial waters.

The MGA's Executive Chairman, Joseph Cuschieri said that, “Through the Cruise Liner Casino Regulations, we will be able to safeguard both the interests of passengers on board cruise ships, as well as those of the Maltese gaming industry. Cruise ships that are issued with the necessary approval by the MGA will be able to operate their casinos in line with the stipulated conditions whilst berthed here,” added Mr Cuschieri.

“Valletta Cruise Port welcomes the publication of the new casino regulations, following our instigation of the process in recent years. These regulations make Malta a more attractive proposition for cruise liners particularly those who do opt to call at Malta for an overnight stay. This is undoubtedly an incentive to encourage cruise liners to include both Malta and Gozo in their Mediterranean itinerary. Valletta Cruise Port has already started promoting these regulations, and feedback from the cruise liner industry has been positive,” commented Stephen Xuereb, Chief Executive Officer of Valletta Cruise Port.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness and Economic Growth Hon. Dr. José Herrera stated that through the introduction of these regulations the Government has taken into consideration the private sector to incentivise these two industries: gaming and the cruise liners. This measure being implemented by the Government was announced during the last budget. As such this secretariat has already accomplished three important propositions from their announcement in the budget: the Authority's branding, the launch of GamingMalta and the new regulations for the cruise casinos, said Jose' Herrera.