Meyer Turku Group increases its revenue, posts loss

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 06 May 2024 06 May 2024

Meyer Turku Group has published its result for 2023. The company's turnover was 1.43 billion euros, which means a growth of 10.6% compared to the previous year. Both the turnover and the number of personnel have been growing for three consecutive years. The loss for the financial year 2023 was 103.8 MEUR (i.e. -7.2% of the turnover).

The fiscal year 2023 of the shipyard company was affected by the ship deals that were closed before the pandemic, the new prototype ship project and the loss provision for the ship to be delivered in 2024. Beyond that, Meyer Turku has made remarkable contributions required for the green transition.

CEO Tim Meyer comments on the result:“The cruise industry has recovered to the pre-COVID level, even beyond it, and there is demand for our high-quality products. We constantly make large financial investments in sustainable development, which is a key competitive factor for us and a natural part of the high-quality shipbuilding that we are known for. Meanwhile, the risen general and financing costs added to the covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine have heavily affected our financial results in 2023.

It has been exceptional times building the most complex cruise ship in the world. Icon of the Seas has made huge success on the market. However, each prototype ship brings significant e.g. product development costs. With the continuation of the Icon series, our cost efficiency improves, leading to more profitable ships vessel by vessel. So we remain optimistic about the future."

In November 2023, Meyer Turku delivered to Royal Caribbean International the world's most advanced ship Icon of the Seas. At the outfitting pier now is the TUI Cruises’ vessel Mein Schiff 7, Meyer Turku’s first ever methanol-ready ship.

Under construction at the shipyard are also the second ship in the Icon series, Star of the Seas, to be delivered in 2025, and Icon 3 that will be completed in 2026.

In addition to cruise ships, Meyer Turku is also capable of offering products of strategic national importance: the company will be delivering two multi-purpose offshore patrol vessels to the Finnish Border Guard in 2025 and 2026.

Villa Vie Odyssey secures financing, enters dry dock in Belfast

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 May 2024 01 May 2024

Villa Vie Residences, an innovator in modern-day residential cruising, announced having secured a Term Loan Facility from funds advised by NRP Maritime Asset Management AS, a Norwegian maritime fund manager, on April 26, 2024. Subsequently, on April 28, the Company’s vessel, Odyssey, entered dry-dock and is now scheduled to exit on May 21. Due to operational enhancements aimed at elevating the overall experience and safety of its residents, the departure of Villa Vie Odyssey, originally scheduled for May 15 from Southampton, UK, has been rescheduled to May 30 out of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The Villa Vie Odyssey, currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment, is set to embark on a transformative journey across seven continents, offering residents an unparalleled lifestyle of luxury and exploration. The ship, formerly known as Braemar by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, is undergoing a renovation to elevate the onboard experience to new heights, catering to the sophisticated needs of modern travelers.

"We are excited about our latest accomplishments and our upcoming launch of Villa Vie Odyssey and the enhancements we are making to ensure an exceptional experience for all our residents," said Mikael Petterson, Chief Executive Officer of Villa Vie Residences. "The delay in departure is a necessary operational adjustment aimed at upholding the highest standards of service and safety."

During this period of transition, Villa Vie Residences is fully prepared to assist residents in every aspect of their journey. A dedicated hotline has been established for residents to address any concerns or inquiries related to the rescheduled departure. Additionally, Villa Vie will cover all change fees incurred by residents due to the new departure date.

Residents who wish to experience the Villa Vie Odyssey before departure are invited to participate in ship tours and explore the amenities offered onboard. Tours will be available at the Belfast port, providing residents with a firsthand look at the enhancements being made to the ship.

"Our team is committed to providing personalized assistance and ensuring that our residents have a seamless and enjoyable experience with Villa Vie Residences," said Kathy Villalba, Chief Operating Officer of Villa Vie Residences. "Excitement over our upcoming cruise is growing – with over 80% of our available cabins sold – and continues to increase everyday as we near our departure.”

Carnival Firenze named in Long Beach

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 May 2024 01 May 2024

Carnival Cruise Line solidified its position as the leading cruise line in California on Wednesday as it christened its newest ship, Carnival Firenze, at its new home, the Long Beach Cruise Terminal.

Hollywood actor Jonathan Bennett served as the ship's godfather, and he and Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy celebrated all things Italian with the help of a Broadway star, a Puccini aria, and even a Catholic priest making a running jump onto the stage to deliver a blessing.

The 5,000-guest Carnival Fun Italian Style ship is sailing year-round from the Port of Long Beach, building on the popularity of Carnival cruises by adding significant capacity and joining two Carnival ships currently sailing year-round -- the 5,100-passenger Carnival Panorama and the nearly 4,000-passenger Carnival Radiance. Launching just ahead of the busy summer travel season, and amid continued growth of cruise vacations’ popularity, Carnival Firenze is part of a significant expansion that added five ships to the Carnival fleet in the past 18 months. By next year, Carnival will embark more than 750,000 guests from Long Beach on more than 200 sailings, an increase of 100,000 more guests compared to 2019.

“We carry more guests than any other cruise line from California, and now this ship is giving us the opportunity to offer more fun to more people sailing from Long Beach,” said Duffy. “The recipe combining this ship’s beautiful Italian theming with the familiarity of our friendly team’s hospitality is, in a word, perfecto!”

Bennett was made an honorary Italian during the fun-filled evening, which included a performance of Puccini’s "Nessun Dorma" by Carnival's Playlist Productions cast, an Italian blessing by Father Charbel Grbavac of the Mary Star of the Sea Catholic church in nearby San Pedro, and was capped off by a show-stopping performance by Leslie Kritzer, Bennett's co-star from the recent Broadway revival of "Spamalot."

Like sister Carnival Venezia, the ship features new concepts and experiences that put an Italian Style twist on Carnival staples for guests to enjoy. Carnival Firenze, however, is the first ship in the fleet to usher in new technology and harnesses artificial intelligence that creates guides for optimal, energy-saving routes on each sailing. The ship’s captain and officers will be the first to utilize this significant update to Carnival’s voyage efficiency system, ahead of a fleetwide rollout the cruise line expects to begin later this year. The ship is also the latest Carnival vessel to utilize shore power and joins Carnival Panorama and Carnival Radiance in connecting to the electric grid while docked in Long Beach instead of running its engines.

The 2020-built Carnival Firenze just finished a 49-day dry dock in Cadiz, Spain that integrated Carnival Fun Italian Style features into the ship’s beautiful design. Notable additions to the ship include the specialty restaurant Il Viaggio – Italian for “The Voyage;” it’s aptly named as its menu promises a journey across Italy through the country’s rich and diverse cuisine. Special programming, like Festa Italiana, a top-deck “street party,” enhances the Italian theming. The ship will sail a variety of itinerary lengths, with three- to seven-day Baja Mexico and Mexican Riviera cruises open for sale now through the spring of 2026.

The ship is setting sail on a seven-day cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas on Thursday afternoon.

Chris Austin appointed Explora Journeys' President North America

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 26 April 2024 26 April 2024

Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle brand of the MSC Group, yesterday announced the appointment of Christopher Austin as President North America, based in Miami.

Chris joined Explora Journeys in November 2020 as the brand`s Chief Sales Officer. Prior to that, he spent nearly three decades in leading hospitality roles, including Senior Vice President Global Marketing & Sales at another luxury cruise line and Vice President Global Luxury & Leisure Sales for one of the leading global luxury hotel groups.

Chris has been appointed to assume full ownership of the North American teams and market for Explora Journeys, spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This recognition serves as a tribute to the exceptional efforts he has dedicated to building the foundational pillars of the Explora Journeys brand since his arrival in November 2020. Chris' unwavering commitment and strategic vision have been instrumental in shaping the brand's identity and fostering its growth globally, and within the North American region.

With his leadership at the helm, the brand will solidify its presence and deliver unparalleled experiences to discerning travelers across these key markets.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Chairman Cruise Division MSC Group, said, " Chris is a highly respected leader in the luxury hospitality industry and was one of the founding members of the Explora Journeys leadership team, joining nearly 4 years ago. The appointment signifies not only his exceptional talent but also the boundless growth opportunities within our organization. With his extensive expertise, Chris will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our business as we welcome new luxury ships to our fleet, with Explora II launching this year. We are thrilled to have him as President North America, confident in his ability to deepen our partner penetration, drive increased demand, grow consumer awareness and brand adoption and continue to build the North America organization, including in early 2025 the move into new offices in downtown Miami."

Christopher Austin, President North America Explora Journeys commented, "Taking the helm of Explora Journeys' North American teams and market as President North America is both an honor and a thrilling challenge. I'm deeply committed to continuing the exceptional work of establishing our brand as a leader in luxury ocean travel. This new appointment represents not only a testament to our past achievements but also a boundless opportunity to shape the future of luxury hospitality at sea. I'm excited to lead our talented teams towards even greater success and to deliver unforgettable journeys to our discerning travelers across from the United States, Canada, and Mexico."

Explora I is currently sailing in North America and the Caribbean. Explora II will enter service in 2024 and liquefied natural gas-powered ships Explora III and Explora IV will join the fleet in 2026 and 2027 respectively. Explora V and Explora VI will enter service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.