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Adonia “integral part of P&O Cruises’ fleet”

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 September 2014 30 September 2014

The 30,277 gross on Adonia is “an integral part of P&O Cruises’ fleet,” a spokesperson for the company told Cruise Business Online after reports that parent company Carnival Corp & plc might sell it and its two sister ships in the Princess Cruises fleet.

“Adonia is an integral part of the P&O Cruises fleet as she offers a small, intimate ship experience, exclusively for adults and travels to many of the smaller, lesser known ports on fascinating itineraries. Adonia is very popular with our regular passengers who choose her precisely for her size and country house atmosphere,” said Michele Andjel, head of public relations at P&O Cruises in Southampton.

“For many months the rumours have around that the three smaller ships in the fleet (one over at P & O) were going to be sold. Today Carnival Corporation confirmed that Ocean Princess is listed for sale, and that she would be available at almost any time for the buyer,” a report on Cruise Critic said last week.

“ It would appear that Pacific is the next, as much major refit work has been deferred on her too. It would appear than once the new Panama Canal locks are opened, the vessel deployments will see Coral and Island take over the globe roaming voyages and the larger vessels take on the Canal trips.,” the report said.

Adonia, Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess were originally built in France at the turn of the millennium as part of an eight ship fleet of Renaissance Cruises, which is no longer in business. Oceania Cruises employs three of these ships and Azamara, which is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, has two.

Azamara appoints Ellen Bettridge as Vice President of Sales & Marketing, The Americas

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 September 2014 29 September 2014

Azamara Club Cruises, the cruise line known for its premier destination-immersive voyages for discerning travelers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ellen Bettridge as Vice President of Sales & Marketing, the Americas. A seasoned professional and travel industry expert, Bettridge has more than 24 years of experience in the travel management, cruise and hospitality industries, holding positions in both sales and marketing capacities.

“Azamara Club Cruises is delighted to welcome Ellen Bettridge to our team as the brand continues to redefine the cruise and destination experience,” said Larry Pimentel, President and CEO, Azamara Club Cruises. “The current team has done an outstanding job in placing Azamara in a successful position and now with Ellen onboard, her notable experience in the diverse luxury travel market, impressive leadership skills and prominent industry relationships, will help us to achieve our growth strategy.”

In her new role, Bettridge will oversee the overall sales and marketing initiatives for Azamara Club Cruise in in South, Central and North America. Her responsibilities include the development of strategic relationships with trade and marketing partners as well as the creation and implementation of long-term strategies to further grow Azamara’s markets in the Americas.

“I am thrilled to join the dynamic Azamara team and look forward to being a part of the company’s exciting future,” states Ellen Bettridge, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, the Americas, at Azamara Club Cruises. “Throughout my career I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to cultivate relationships with key trade partners and I’m confident they will prove to be a great asset for the brand.”

Previously, from April 2012 – January 2014, Bettridge served as President, Americas at Silversea Cruise Ltd., where she developed sales strategies and executed marketing campaigns in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Prior to joining Silversea, Bettridge spent more than 20 years employed with American Express. There she began her career as a travel agent in 1990 and during her successful tenure worked from the grass roots level to a key management position as Vice President of the Retail Travel Business, where she oversaw the management of travel and financial services of 28 owned locations in the U.S. and managed 300 employees and 150 franchisee partners.

Two Northern European ferries hit by minor fire

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 September 2014 29 September 2014

Two short haul ferries that trade in Northern European waters suffered an engine room fire this morning.

In the more serious of the incidents, some 450 passengers and crew were helped by the French emergency services to disembark the 30,365 gross ton Pride of Canterbury to disembark in Calais after the 1992 built vessel had suffered a fire in the engine room, a report on BBC said. There were no injuries and the ship’s own fire fighting system put the blaze out in 20 minutes.

The ship belongs to P&O Feries, which is part of the DP World group in Dubai and has no connection to P&O Cruises, which is part of the Anglo American Carnival Corp & plc group.

In Finland, a small fire broke out in the engine room of the 1981 built Wasa Express as the 17,043 gross ton ship was entering the port of Vaasa. The fire was put out by the crew, but the local fire brigade came to inspect the vessel after it had docked, said Wasa Line that owns and operates the vessel, in a statement.

Most refugees rescued by Salamis Filoxenia refuse to disembark in Cyprus

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 September 2014 26 September 2014

A large number of refugees, thought to be Syrian, rescued by the cruise ship Salamis Filoxenia in the Mediterranean are refusing to disembark on Cyprus as they say they want to reach Italy, the BBC reports on its website.

The ship rescued 345 people from a small vessel in the Mediterranean, of whom 65 disembarked the ship in the Cypriot port of Limassol. The others remain on board, refusing to go ashore, as they want to reach Italy, the report said.

The ship was carrying some 300 Russian passengers, who had to be put up in hotels in Cyprus and whose cruise was cut short, the report continued. The ship belongs to Salamis Cruise Lines, a Cypriot company. It is of 16,600 gross tons and it was built in Finland in 1975 as Gruziya, one of five Belorussiya class cruise ferries.

Siem Industries take over German shipyard Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 September 2014 26 September 2014

The German Shipyard Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) has a new owner: The Norwegian controlled Siem Industries will take over command of the shipyard, including all its employees.

Peter Sierk and Frank Bywater, the two Managing Directors of FSG, welcome these recent developments. To them it is a necessary and just step in the right direction. "We are very glad about the new perspectives that open up, as a consequence of this decision. We welcome Siem Industries on board: This time not as a client, but as the new and rightful owner of the FSG. This means a great chance for all of us – the shipyard and its employees."

With the take-over, Sierk and Bywater expect the FSG to get further established and to hold a stronger position on the offshore-market: "Siem Industries is a successful, globally expanding and financially strong family-owned enterprise. It allows us – the Flensburger Shipyard – to continue our successful developments in the global offshore-market."

Siem Industries is a globally operating corporation with diversified industrial interests, which can be mainly found in five industrial areas: oil and gas services industry, ocean transport of refrigerated cargoes and automobiles, potash-mining, finance and Swedish industries. The Siem Group of companies (including subsidiaries and affiliates) operates 145 vessels and owns a controlling interest in one of the most successful Offshore Shipping Companies on a global scale (Siem Offshore) and the oil service company SubSea 7.

Particularly these offshore activities have proven valuable, as demonstrated by its increasing growth.

The transaction is subject to certain conditions, and is expected to close within the end of October. The proper foundation for the sustainable development and positive outlook for FSG was built, when Siem Offshore ordered two well-intervention-vessels at FSG, in February this year. Lastly, the international network of the new owner, speak for the positive prospects coming along with this well thought-through and deliberate decision.

In the past 143 years, FSG sold, constructed and built more than 760 vessels. Only in the last 14 years, they became the global market leader in building custommade roro-vessels. This position was further enforced with their latest order, when FSG was tasked to build the worldwide first Ro-Ro-Ferry driven by LNG, for the Australian SeaRoad shipping company.

Now, FSG concentrates since three years on the seminal offshore-market and was able to win international clients for building heavy lift vessels, seismic vessels and well intervention vessels.

To date the corporation has the following order-book: one RoPax Ferry for CMAL (Scotland), a second seismic vessel for WesternGeco (England), two offshore-well-intervention-vessels for Siem Offshore (Norway) as well as an innovative LNG based roro ferry for SeaRoad (Australia). With these upcoming projects, FSG will be operating at full capacity until the 3rd quarter of 2016.