Cruise Planners announces executive promotions

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 26 June 2014 26 June 2014

Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the travel industry, today announced the promotion of three award-winning team members to executive positions – Brian Shultz, Dan Hicks and Cathy Kusuma.

The promotions underline Cruise Planners’ commitment to professional development and the internal growth and cultivation of staff in its South Florida home office and its nationwide network of travel advisors.

"We believe in surrounding ourselves with dedicated, hard-working team players who exemplify our corporate culture," said Vicky Garcia COO and co-owner of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel representative. "As Cruise Planners continues to evolve, these travel industry powerhouses are assets to our team and we are proud to have a stellar team of professionals who contribute to the overall success of our operations and truly have a positive ‘Cruisitude.’"

Brian Shultz was promoted to Executive Vice President, Technology and Operations after four and a half years with the company. In his new role, Shultz will be taking on an even greater leadership role within the executive team leveraging his pragmatic, strategic and forward-thinking leadership skills. Shultz, who closely monitors the travel industry and the company, is expected to improve efficiencies and find opportunities for operational enhancements and savings.

On the franchise side, Dan Hicks has been promoted to Vice President of Franchise Development. Under Hicks’ leadership in Franchise Development, Cruise Planners has reached record number of franchisees joining the growing company, which has been ranked on Entrepreneur magazine’s top franchises to own list for 11 consecutive years. Hicks will continue to lead the franchise sales team and focuses on lead generation, process improvement and fiscal management.

Cathy Kusuma has been promoted to Senior Director of Training and Strategic Partnerships where she will continue to manage the new franchisee training class held six times a year, bootcmaps and regional meetings. Kusuma will also overseeing the continual development of Cruise Planners University, and work to secure value-add and training partnerships for Cruise Planers agents.

Kusuma, who was the recipient of the 2013 Rising Star Award by Vacation Agent Magazine, will now spearhead the company’s annual Convention – the largest training and development event of the year.  

The promotions mark significant milestones for Cruise Planners, as the company continues to expand and grow internally.

STX France invests in renewables, offshore wind facilities

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 26 June 2014 26 June 2014

STX France, the French shipbuilder in which the south Korean STX Offshore & Shipbuilding group has a 66% stake and the French government owns the rest, says it will invest €20 million in facilities to cater for renewables and offshore wind business.

“Considering the company’s order book on its ship markets for five years onwards and the related intense activity of its shipbuilding workshops, it has been decided to create new production facilities especially dedicated to renewables and offshore wind activities,” the company said in a statement.

The investment, worth about €20 million, will finance the construction of three workshops dedicated to “jacket” type foundations, transition pieces and electric sub-stations:

• An assembly workshop for « flat » units (dimensions 90 x 35m x 16m) provided with 2 x 60 t cranes.

• A 6,000m2 pre erection area

• A large painting cell (dimensions : 50m x 35m x 25m)

“These facilities will be at the cutting edge of technology with production means and processes mixing the state-of-the-art of digital, automation and standardization technics. It relies on our know-how in the sector of large marine steel structures to meet the requirements of our new customers on the energy markets. Thanks to its efficiency, STX will be in position to contribute actively to the reduction of the offshore energies costs,” the company said.

STX France is a major builder of cruise liners and it has orders from Royal Caribbean International and MSC Cruises in its current orderbook.

 

Costa Crociere confirms decision to recycle Costa Concordia wreck in Genoa after project group meeting

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 25 June 2014 25 June 2014

At the end of the Conferenza dei Servizi meeting held today in Rome, Costa Crociere reaffirmed earlier decisions to take the wreck of Costa Concordia to Genoa for dismantling and recycling: Genoa is the only Italian port in which demolition and recycling activities can start immediately and count on the best possible technologies and environmental safety standards, the company said in a statement.

“Our company wants to honour a precise commitment: to remove the wreck as soon as possible, in total safety and with the highest environmental standards. To reach this objective, we have turned to the best expertise, the most advanced technological solutions, and unprecedented financial resources,” said Michael Thamm, ceo of Costa Crociere

“In three weeks we will be ready to tow the Concordia from Giglio Island, in a period of time that statistically presents the most favorable weather and sea conditions. Given this timeframe, the only solution is transporting the wreck into a place which is fully equipped for dismantling with the highest environmental standards.”

“Up to now, all the technical decisions Costa Crociere has made have proven correct -  from the selection and assignment of the removal project to Titan Micoperi, to the parbuckling last September. We believe we deserve the trust of the Italian authorities also for the final phase. The only objective we work for is to close this project in the best possible way”.

“The positive opinion expressed by 17 Ministries and public authorities over 19 that were called to give their technical evaluations today at the Conferenza dei Servizi Servizi, reassures us on the validity of Costa Crociere’s choice for the Genoa project.” adds Michael Thamm- “The Concordia project remains unchanged and is consistent with the one presented in the Conferenza dei Servizi two years ago, that foresaw the towage to an Italian port equipped with dismantling dry docks and facilities. Piombino is not a valid alternative due to the substantial delays in operations to build port infrastructure. We are confident that the Council of Ministers, that is now called to take a final decision, can positively evaluate the solidity of the Genoa project”.

The selection of the project for the demolition and recycling of the wreck presented by the Consortium Saipem/San Giorgio del Porto is the result of the evaluation of all the proposals received by Italian and foreign companies/consortia in the context of the international tender process that was launched in December. 

The choice of this project is the result of technical considerations on the validity of proposed methodology, reliability and expertise of the companies and of the workforce involved, the certainty and rapidity of outcome, the environmental sustainability of all the working phases.

The Concordia wreck removal project is the biggest naval salvage operation in history. Currently more than 350 technicians are working 24/7 to complete sponson installation before the refloating phase. All the 15 starboard sponsons have been installed and now technicians are working on the last 4 sponsons to be positioned on the port side before refloating the wreck and prepare it for towage. 

P&O Cruises asks Australians to name its ships

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 25 June 2014 25 June 2014

In an historic first, Australia’s resident cruise line P&O Cruises has launched a shout-out for Aussies to choose the names for its two latest ships.

The ships will join the cruise line’s existing fleet in November next year – and P&O Cruises wants Australians to decide what they should be called.

P&O Cruises Senior Vice President Tammy Marshall said it was fitting for Australia to name the latest ships, given Australian holidaymakers’ passion for cruising had made P&O Cruises the nation’s most popular cruise line.

Ms Marshall said it was the continuing popularity of the present three-ship fleet that prompted the cruise line’s decision to expand to five ships next year.

“We’ve been cruising from here for more than 80 years and we carry hundreds of thousands of Australians on holidays every year, so we think the time has come for Australians to put their stamp on our ships by choosing their names,” Ms Marshall said.

“We’re very excited by the idea and we can’t wait to see what names are put forward.”

While the last six P&O Cruises’ ships have all shared the word Pacific in their name – including the present fleet of Pacific Dawn, Pacific Jewel and Pacific Pearl – Ms Marshall said the latest ships did not have to follow the same pattern.

“We’re looking for names that are modern and fresh and capture the spirit of a cruise holiday.

“Ideally there’ll be some connection between the names of the two ships, but we’ll wait to see what Australia comes up with.”

Australians can submit their ideas via the cruise line’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/POCruises with the successful names to be announced on July 9.

The person who provides the best names, along with a theme and a reason for their choice, will win a cruise for two on the inaugural cruise of one of the ships with a partner or friend, and will also be a special guest at the naming celebration.

The deployment of the two ships represents P&O Cruises’ biggest ever fleet expansion and will see the cruise line operating the largest fleet of cruise ships home-ported year round in Australia, with five ships sailing under its flag.

The additional ships, which will transfer to P&O Cruises from Carnival Australia sister line Holland America Line, will deliver much needed capacity in the world's fastest growing cruise market. Work is already underway to develop itineraries and home-porting arrangements for the expanded fleet, with details to be announced in the coming months.

Both ships are of a similar mid-range size to the three existing P&O Cruises ships, with a range of onboard features that will be tailored for Australian and New Zealand cruise customers.