Costa features 'Stargazers' experience on neoCollection ships

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 09 August 2014 09 August 2014

The magical display of the Perseid meteor shower from August 10-13, 2014, will be an extra special event for Costa neoRiviera and Costa neoRomantica guests with an exclusive "Stargazers" neoCollection experience. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseid meteor shower is perhaps the most beloved one, often producing 50 to 100 fast and bright meteors per hour.

The Stargazers experience – an original neoCollection entertainment activity – allows guests to admire the skies through high-quality telescopes onboard. The project was designed in cooperation with the "Osservatorio Astronomico del Righi" of Genoa (Righi Astronomical Observatory of Genoa.) Costa neoRiviera and Costa neoRomantica, the two Costa neoCollection ships, are equipped with "Skymaster" telescopes. These modern instruments will let guests admire the sky while sailing or during the stopovers at the ports.

In addition, Costa experts who were trained by the scientists of the Genoese Observatory will guide guests in the experience, providing stellar maps and information on the various constellations.

During Costa neoRiviera's 12-day Mediterranean cruise, guests will enjoy the romantic moments of a starry night on a call at San Lorenzo, Sardinia, Aug. 13. During the "night of the falling stars", Costa guests will admire the incredible Perseid meteor shower and, following tradition, make a wish.

Costa neoRomantica is deployed in northern Europe on 13- to 15-day cruises where daylight lasts longer during the summer. To better see the stars, the Stargazers activity is enriched thanks to the cutting-edge H-Alfa ray solar telescopes that offer guests the unique chance to watch the sun closely -- an exclusive activity only offered by Costa.

The Stargazers activity is a bonus event in the Costa neoCollection, a new style of "slow cruising" launched by Costa onboard the line's smaller ships. The intimate vessels sail to off-the-beaten-path destinations, allowing guests to deeply explore each place visited.

The nights between August 10 and 13, especially during the call at San Lorenzo, will be a celebration not only onboard Costa neoRiviera and Costa neoRomantica, but also on the other Costa ships deployed in the Mediterranean. All guests will be invited to participate in theme activities dedicated to the "falling stars." In addition, Costa staff will advise guests on the best spots from which they can admire the meteors.

Fitness garden to bloom on Crystal Symphony with fall makeover

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 09 August 2014 09 August 2014

Beginning fall 2014, Crystal Cruises’ guests can train like world-class athletes with new fitness equipment that has been the official choice for Olympic and World Cup competitors.  Complementing the luxury cruise line’s new, active shoreside options that launched in 2014, the new equipment, provided by Technogym – the official supplier of Olympic Games and World Cup events -- will make its cruise industry debut, along with an industry-first circuit training program, when installed on Crystal Symphony during a redesign commencing September 9.  Both elements will be key components of a new outdoor fitness garden and redesigned indoor fitness center that are part of a 19-day, $20 million-plus dry dock of the ship.

The new onboard fitness enhancements include:

– Indoor Fitness Upgrades – Continuing its tradition of industry-firsts with fitness, Crystal has chosen Technogym, a world leading company supplying products, services and solutions in wellness and fitness, to outfit Crystal Symphony’s large indoor gym.  Technogym will provide its premier cardio line – ARTIS, in addition, to expanding Crystal’s strength training equipment (previous industry-first) line of Technogym’s Kinesis™ equipment...The new indoor fitness experience will be fully immersive and the most technologically-advanced available, with an intuitive, tablet-like Unity™ interface programming system enabling guests to connect to music, data, workout-tracking, or TV-watching.

– Outdoor Fitness Garden – Decks 7, 8, and 12 aft will be redesigned into a multi-level, outdoor “garden” of fitness, using more than a dozen glass-blasted, stainless steel pieces of equipment from Danish innovator, Norwell Outdoor Fitness.  Beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level exercisers can familiarize themselves with the high-tech amenities via an efficient 25-minute, self-guided “Movement Journey” – a curated circuit training regimen featured only on Crystal, complete with warm-up and cool-down phases.  The ship’s 360-degree Promenade Deck on deck 7 will continue to offer several open-air fitness options, including exclusive Walk on Water® and Nordic Walking programs.

“A Crystal vacation is about choices, and we continue to offer our guests more choices that cater to active travelers’ lifestyles,” says Crystal President Edie Rodriguez.  “Many travelers are committed to a fitness routine and do not want to forgo their healthy lifestyle while on vacation, while others may be eager to start a wellness regime for the first time.  The options aboard Crystal ships suit those seeking an outdoor workout with grand ocean views, or a hi-tech experience for intense training.”

Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity both feature luxuriously-equipped, fully-staffed fitness centers on each of its ships, specialty classes such as ‘Tour de Cycle’ spin, yoga and Pilates Reformer® sessions (select cruises), special guest presentations related to subjects such as nutrition, and healthy dining options throughout the ship.   Earlier this year, the line debuted site-running excursions for running enthusiasts and increased bicycle tour options worldwide, along with dozens of hiking, kayaking, rock-climbing and other athletic pursuits.  

Other redesigns set for Crystal Symphony’s makeover include a more open layout for the Crystal Plaza and Cove Bar on deck 5 and newly refreshed décor in the Crystal Spa & Salon and Bistro Café.

MSC Cruises appoints Hans Hesselberg as Senior VP Hotel Operations

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 07 August 2014 07 August 2014

MSC Cruises USA President Richard E. Sasso announced today the appointment of Hans Hesselberg as senior vice president of Hotel Operations.

In this role, Hesselberg will be responsible for overall vessel operation including product delivery and shipboard services on MSC Cruises ships operating in the Caribbean. Sasso noted that this is a particularly strategic hire citing Hesselberg’s role to ensure that the signature service and onboard experiences of MSC Divina, the line’s first ship dedicated to the North American market, continue to evolve to meet the needs of the market as the ship prepares for her first season in the Mediterranean in spring 2015.

“Hans Hesselberg’s distinguished career of more than 40 years in the industry makes him uniquely qualified to contribute to our continued commitment to deliver a product that appeals to the North American market,” said Sasso.

Before joining MSC Cruises, Hesselberg served in a number of senior-level operations roles, most recently as the head of Hotel Operations for Costa Cruise Lines based in the Genoa, Italy, head office.  Prior to that, he was vice president, Operations for the Americas for Costa.  He joined Costa from American Hawaii Cruises where he served as vice president of Hotel Operations.

Hesselberg and his wife, Mary, are residents of Miami.

P&O Cruises Australia unveil five-ship 2015-16 programme

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 August 2014 06 August 2014

P&O Cruises Australia, which is part of the Carnival Corp & plc group, has unveiled details of its biggest ever year of cruising in Australia, with a record five-ship fleet opening the way for new cruises from Cairns and Singapore as well as the cruise line’s largest presence yet in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle, Adelaide and Auckland.

The company will employ Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden, both of about 52,000 gross tons and built in the early 1990s for sister company Holland America Line, from next year. They will jon the three existing vessels making the five strong fleet the largest the Sydney based company has ever operated.

"With 250 cruises on offer in the 2015-16 program, P&O Cruises will be sailing into new waters, offering a host of maiden itineraries and inaugural port visits to exotic destinations such as Honiara in the Solomon Islands, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Ko Chang in Thailand as well as local gems like Queensland’s Hamilton Island and Gladstone, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and Esperance in Western Australia," the company said in a statement..

The record program will kick off in a spectacular fashion next year with the cruise line’s latest ships – Pacific Eden and Pacific Aria – joining the existing fleet of Pacific Dawn, Pacific Jewel and Pacific Pearl in Sydney Harbour for an unprecedented five-ship display on November 25, 2015. 

The nation’s cruising gateway, Sydney has never before hosted five cruise ships from one cruise line on the same day. The P&O Cruises’ spectacular will bring more than 15,000 interstate and local passengers and crew to the heart of the city and attract thousands of onlookers.

Announcing the new 2015-16 program, which goes on sale on August 19, Ann Sherry, CEO of P&O Cruises, said the addition of Pacific Eden and Pacific Aria to the cruise line’s fleet had opened the way for some exciting new cruise options, with the cruise line now offering an unprecedented choice of destinations.

“With five ships in our fleet we can now meet the growing demand for cruise holidays from around Australia, with extended seasons from existing homeports and the addition of new homeports such as Cairns.  Plus more ships means we can visit some wonderful new towns around Australia and the Pacific, on a fantastic range of itineraries which are looking more attractive than ever,” Ms Sherry said.

The new program will see Pacific Eden sailing from Fremantle, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Cairns and Singapore, while Pacific Aria will enjoy seasons in Sydney and Brisbane. Pacific Jewel will sail from Sydney and Melbourne, Pacific Dawn from Brisbane and Pacific Pearl from Sydney and Auckland.

Fares in the program start from $549* per person quad share for a three-night P&OSeaBreak cruise, while a 10-night island cruise is priced from $1199* per person quad share.

Highlights include:

• A maiden season of eight roundtrip cruises from Cairns by Pacific Eden from September to November 2016 including four seven-night cruises to Papua New Guinea as well as two 10-night cruises to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
• A record Fremantle season with Pacific Eden sailing from the WA port between April and July 2016 on 13 cruises.  Options include a new cruise to Indonesia with maiden calls to Jakarta, Probolinggo and Makassar as well as four P&OSeaBreak cruises and a new four-night cruise visiting Esperance
• P&O Cruises’ largest ever Melbourne season featuring its first summer sailings from the Victorian capital from December 2015 to March 2016. Options include a 12-night Christmas Melanesian cruise, a New Year cruise visiting the south coast of Australia and Tasmania and three 4-night P&OSeabreaks visiting Kangaroo Island
• P&O Cruises’ biggest ever Brisbane deployment with Pacific Aria spending a total of 8 months during 2015-16 sailing from the Queensland capital alongside the city’s year round ship Pacific Dawn. New cruises include an 18-night P&O Explorer itinerary visiting Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa and a seven night New Year cruise visiting Hamilton Island, Cairns, and Willis Island (scenic cruising)
• Adelaide’s biggest cruise season featuring five roundtrip cruises including three 4-night P&OSeabreaks visiting Port Lincoln and Melbourne and two 3-night themed cruises
• P&O Cruises’ longest ever Auckland season with 18 roundtrip cruises from February to June 2016. Options include four-night cruises spending a day in Napier or Bay of Islands,  a new 15-night cruise to Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands and a new 10-night roundtrip itinerary circumnavigating New Zealand with a maiden call to Stewart Island
• Pacific Eden will offer a Singapore season from July 2016 featuring five cruises to destinations in some of the most picturesque parts of Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, with maiden calls to Krabi, Sabang (Palau Weh), Ko Chang, and Sihanoukville
• A record 84 P&OSeabreaks cruises including; anew four-night Hamilton Island cruise from Brisbane, new four-night Kangaroo Island P&OSeabreaks from Melbourne and three-night P&OSeabreaks to Margaret River from Fremantle as well as a four-night cruise to Esperance