Cunard's Queen Elizabeth enters Blohm & Voss Shipyard for multi-million dollar refit

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 17 May 2014 17 May 2014

Cunard Line’s newest ship, Queen Elizabeth, has arrived at the Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, for her first scheduled dry-docking since she entered service in 2010. As well as conducting standard checks and maintenance, this multi-million dollar refit will create the ship’s first-ever single accommodation options, along with enhanced stateroom and other amenities and improved restaurant facilities. In line with the company’s environmental sustainability thinking, scrubber technology is also being introduced on the ship.

Queen Elizabeth will leave the shipyard on Saturday 1 June and sail for Southampton, ahead of her 4 June cruise to Amsterdam.

“Queen Elizabeth is already a much loved ship and following this multi-million dollar refit, she is sure to shine brightly for years to come,” said David Dingle, CEO for Cunard Line. “Whilst there has been investment across the ship, we are particularly delighted to announce that following this refit, there will be staterooms for single travellers on board a Cunard ship for the first time since QE2.”

In response to passenger demand and changing demographics, a total of nine new single staterooms are being created on Deck 2 midships by remodeling part of Queen Elizabeth’s casino.  Eight of the single staterooms will be a new grade of Ocean View accommodation, and the ninth will be a standard Inside.  

In The Lido, the ship’s informal restaurant, refurbishments will mean that waiters with insulated coffee and tea pots will in the future serve passengers with hot drinks at all meals, while recessed risers will improve the styling of the self-service area as well as passenger flows within it.

More generally, carpets are being renewed and large flat-screen TVs – mostly 32” or above – are being installed in all passenger staterooms.

Sun awnings are being erected on the open area near the Lido pool at the stern on Deck 9 and on both sides of the Grills Upper Terrace area near the top of the ship to offer more shade on deck.

The creation of a dedicated studio will enable the ship’s photographers to offer high-end portraiture, while the addition of touch screens in the photo gallery will continue the development of a digital environment in which passengers can more easily find and select their photos taken by the team.

Significant work is planned for the shopping area on board: the footprint is increasing, new Fine Jewellery and Watch shops are opening, and the layout, lighting and overall shopping experience for passengers are being enhanced.

On the technical front, scrubber technology is being installed in line with Cunard’s commitment to minimising the company’s environmental impact. This involves installing a new filtration system for the exhaust gas from the ship’s engines.

Celebrity joins University of Miami 'Oceanscope' program to monitor oceanographic and atmospheric conditions

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 16 May 2014 16 May 2014

Last week, as Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox completed its scheduled dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, it joined Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas in a program that tracks ocean circulation dynamics and measures atmospheric and oceanographic conditions, on repeated journeys. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s ships are known for providing vacationers with innovative experiences, extraordinary service, and award-winning cuisine as they cross the world’s oceans. Not as well known – but critically important worldwide – is the scientific research conducted on several of these ships by  the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The scientists capture and analyze oceanographic and atmospheric data on  the vessels sailing worldwide.

The scientists record ocean temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll concentration, as well as properties of the ocean’s surface, such as reflectance and absorbance. In addition, they measure meteorological properties, such as wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure and humidity. These data help scientists monitor, understand, and forecast climate change and its effects on marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs. Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and help sustain the livelihoods of local people, especially in developing countries, where coral reefs contribute about one-quarter of the annual total fish catch, providing food to about one billion people in Asia alone.

“These data are proving to be of invaluable assistance in calibrating and verifying the American and European satellites monitoring climate change throughout the ocean,” said Dr. Peter B. Ortner, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. “Smaller packets of data are transmitted on an hourly basis through RCCL’s regular satellite link and large data sets will be sent back via Internet connection when the ship is in port.”

“Royal Caribbean is extremely proud of the collaboration with the OceanScope program to foster greater understanding of the global climate system and the oceans on which our ships sail,” said Rich Pruitt, Vice President, Safety and Environmental Stewardship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL). “Our business depends on ocean health, and part of protecting ocean health is understanding the atmosphere and its effects.”

Funded in part by RCL’s Ocean Fund, The University of Miami’s OceanScope equipment on Explorer of the Seas has tracked ocean circulation dynamics since 2000, in the North Atlantic basin that the ship sails through while on Bermuda and Caribbean routes from the US Northeast. The Allure of the Seas lab tracks these conditions through the Eastern and Western Caribbean, and has done so since 2012. The installation of an OceanScope lab on Celebrity Equinox will provide insight into the ocean dynamics in the Mediterranean Sea, across the North Atlantic and along the Iberian Peninsula.

RCL created The Ocean Fund in 1996, to support marine conservation organizations in safeguarding the health of the world’s oceans and coastal communities. The Fund aims to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, minimize the impact of human activity on the environment, and promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues and respect for marine life. Since the Ocean Fund’s establishment, RCL has given over $13 million to over 75 organizations around the world for projects that relate to ocean science, climate change, key marine species, education and innovative technologies.

Azamara to sail inaugural Australia season in 2016

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 16 May 2014 16 May 2014

Not just calling at destinations, but truly visiting them, Azamara Club Cruises yesterday announced the cruise line’s annual deployment for 2016. Azamara’s twin boutique ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, will take up-market travelers to some of the most intriguing locales in Australia and New Zealand, the Far East and Southeast Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and the West Indies, totaling 204 ports of call in 70 countries.

Delivering more authentic experiences with the cruise line’s hallmark longer stays and more overnights in ports for night touring, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest remain in port when most other ships have departed for the day. The ships will stay past 8 p.m. during more than 175 calls and overnight on more than 100 calls. Azamara also will take guests on new adventures in 2016, with 44 new maiden calls in Australia and New Zealand, United Arab Emirates and Oman, Europe and the West Indies.

Azamara guests will enjoy extraordinary service, fine dining and more inclusive onboard amenities, including boutique wines, international beers and select spirits, as well as an AzAmazing Evenings event on every voyage, an exclusive, unique, and complimentary evening tour that showcases a destination’s distinct culture and flavor. Guests also can choose unique, intimate and immersive experiences through Azamara’s new Insider Access and Nights and Cool Places Land Discovery (shore excursion) programs. Azamara Club Cruises’ 2016 full-year, destination-immersion program is now open for bookings. For more information, please visit www.AzamaraClubCruises.com.

Destination Immersion Down Under

For its inaugural Australia season, Azamara Quest will sail five voyages, ranging from 10- to 17-night itineraries, which will deliver the culture and nightlife of Australia and New Zealand. The ship will head to the Land Down Under starting with a Christmas and New Year’s voyage on Dec. 22, 2015, from Bali, Indonesia, to Cairns, Australia, followed by four voyages in 2016 that visit coastal cities along the Coral Sea and in New Zealand and Tasmania.

Travelers also can combine consecutive itineraries for an Azamara Extended Voyage that spans multiple regions and an expansive array of destinations. For example, travelers can embark on the Dec. 12, 2015 voyage from Singapore to Auckland, New Zealand, on a 50-night, one-of-a-kind odyssey that delivers a juxtaposition of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand’s marquee ports and cities, as well as multiple smaller ports and towns that are not accessible to larger ships, or a unique sailing covering the very best of New Zealand, Australia, and the Far East to the Arabian Gulf and the Mediterranean, which departs Auckland on Jan. 31, 2016, on a 107-night itinerary to Athens, Greece.

AzAmazing Asia Adventures

Azamara Quest will then sail three voyages throughout the Far East on 13- and 16-night itineraries that visit intriguing destinations throughout Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. The ship will then transition in April to the Mediterranean on a fascinating voyage spanning the Far East, the Arabian Gulf, and Aegean Sea, arriving in Athens (Piraeus), Greece, on May 17.

In the Arabian Gulf, travelers can join Azamara Journey in late 2016 for an exclusive 1,001 Arabian Nights round-trip Dubai voyage – a 10-night itinerary that explores some of the most exciting new cities in the region, featuring overnight stays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, and Muscat, Oman. Combined with visits to Qatar, Bahrain and Khasab, Oman, guests have the opportunity to deeply immerse themselves with the many attractions in this region – from the new Guggenheim, Louvre and Zayed National Museums in Abu Dhabi – set to open in 2015 and early 2016, to the desert fjords of the Musandam Peninsula. Azamara’s longer stays and more overnights also provide guests the opportunity to dine at some of the world’s finest hotels in the region, such as the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and the Al Bustan Palace Hotel in Muscat.  

Authentic Europe with Azamara

Covering the entire continent from the Baltic to the North seas and the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, Azamara delivers all the authentic history, cultures and flavors of Europe like no one can. The cruise line’s smaller ships offer access that larger vessels cannot and place guests at the heart of such jewel-destinations such as Nice and Sanary-sur-Mer, France; Portovenere (Cinque Terre) and Amalfi, Italy; and Chania, Crete and Patmos, Greece – to name just a few.
       
From late-April through September, Azamara Journey will sail five- to 13-night itineraries, most of which can be combined to create uniquely individual voyages of 24 nights and longer that do not repeat a port of call. The July 3 and Sept. 9 voyages sail roundtrip from Venice for seven nights and offer a full-day visit to the seldom-visited Albania, plus an opportunity to visit the capital city of Tiranë. The Aug. 9, 10-night voyage from Athens to Istanbul is the perfect summer holiday exploring the hidden jewels along the Turquoise Coast with stops at charming Kas, Fethiye, Marmaris and Cesme in Turkey, as well as less-frequented Sitia, Crete and Patmos, Greece.  Via Cesme, guests will be particularly enchanted by an opportunity for a night-time visit to the village of Alacati, famous for its traditional and unspoiled architecture.

From May through November, Azamara Quest will offer longer voyages in the Mediterranean, North and Baltic seas, ranging from eight to 15 nights. The ship will begin its Europe season on May 25, with the cruise line’s annual sell-out Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix voyage, which features a new stop in Livorno, where guests have easy access to Florence, Pisa and Lucca. Azamara Quest will then set out from Nice on May 30, which includes an overnight stay and dock in the city of Seville, walking distance of the famous Cathedral.  No other ship can travel closer and, instead of a 90 minute bus ride (each way), Azamara Quest guests also will uniquely enjoy a scenic river cruise through the Andalusian countryside and make passage through a very narrow drawbridge and lock just prior to Seville.

Azamara Quest will then ply the North and Baltic seas on a series of Northern Europe voyages, the peak time for experiencing the White Nights in Copenhagen, Stockholm and some of the most romantic Hanseatic cities in Germany - Luebeck and Rostock. Guests on the popular annual British Open voyage, sailing July 11, will visit charming Isle of Man and Guernsey, as well as popular favorites such as Dublin, Belfast and Waterford, Ireland.  The highlight will be a visit to the Championship finals of the British Open in Scotland at the Royal Troon Golf Club. The ship’s Nov. 11 voyage will then span three continents, crossing from Athens to South Beach with stops in Tunis, Tunisia and Huelva, Spain – gateway of Christopher Columbus to the West Indies – and cross the Atlantic to St. Maarten and the British Virgin Islands.

Charms of the West Indies and Beyond

Throughout the spring and winter seasons, travelers also can take in the vibrant colors and cultures nestled among the Caribbean, The Isthmus from Panama to Mexico, and Baja California to Los Angeles. Azamara Journey will take guests on 10- and 11-night West Indies voyages, roundtrip from Miami, to visit idyllic islands that combine modern chic with colonial charm. In February, the ship will transit through the Panama Canal by day to the Pacific and provide guests the opportunity to explore to the rain forest of secluded Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica; the colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala; the Cerro Verde National Park in El Salvador and the lovely beaches of Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. Travelers can choose to combine these voyages into an exciting Extended Voyage of 33 nights from Miami to Los Angeles, departing Jan. 27 or a 36-night return voyage on Feb. 29.

For its part, Azamara Quest also will sail eight- to 12-night West Indies voyages from Miami starting in late-November. On a holiday voyage, sailing on December 27 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, guests will herald in the New Year in Virgin Gorda, B.V.I.

Azamara Club Cruises offers distinct destination-immersive experiences for up-market travelers. The cruise line uniquely features voyages with longer stays and more overnights at ports to provide guests the opportunity to experience night touring at some of the most compelling destinations of Europe, Asia, South America, West Indies, as well as Central and North America. Aboard every voyage, guests are treated to AzAmazing Evenings, an authentic, exclusive and bespoke grand event that showcases the unexpected colors, culture and flavors of a destination at night. Guests also can choose a range of enlightening and immersive tour options with Azamara’s Land Discoveries (shore excursion) program, including more intimate and fascinating experiences hosted by a local through Insider Access, and after-dinner tours that showcase the best of a destination as seen by night through Nights and Cool Places. On board the intimate Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, guests receive exceptional and personal service and fine cuisine, as well as more inclusive amenities, such as included gratuities; complimentary bottled water, sodas, specialty coffee, and teas, as well as complimentary boutique wines from around the world, international beers and select standard spirits in the ships’ bars, lounges and restaurants when open; complimentary self-service laundry; English Butler service for suite guests; and shuttle transportation to city centers in ports, where available.

Scanship upbeat after improved first quarter interims

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 16 May 2014 16 May 2014

Scanship Holding, the Norwegian water treatment equipment supplier, says the outlook in its business is bright after it had reported an improved first quarter interim result.

Groyp pre tax profit in the first quarter of this year amounted to NOK2.2 million compared to a loss of NOK0.2 million in the same period last year. Revenues increased slightly, to NOK38.8 million from NOK38.7 million.

Scanship has a positive view on the market outlook. Ship-owners are placing orders to build new ships, ship retrofits are being requested, and a larger sales team in Scanship is reaching out to new clients and new markets.