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Silversea christens Silver Discoverer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 March 2014 25 March 2014

A third expedition ship, Silver Discoverer, officially joined the Silversea Expeditions fleet during a christening ceremony held today at the Marina Bay Cruise Center in Singapore.

A traditional Chinese lion dance performance and bhangra folk dancers provided colorful local entertainment for the quayside event. Silversea's senior executive team and company chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio were on hand to welcome a guest list that included local dignitaries and members of the trade and media from around the world.

Following a blessing, honorary godmother Elda Turco Bulgherini, professor of navigation law at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, officially welcomed Silver Discoverer to the Silversea Expeditions fleet by cutting a ceremonial ribbon.

"This is an exciting and proud moment for Silversea," said Lefebvre d'Ovidio. "With itineraries encompassing some of the most fascinating and remote regions of the Pacific, Silver Discoverer will take our guests to places where few people have ever set foot – offering incredible opportunities not just for travel and learning, but for life-enriching cultural experiences."

Fresh from a major refurbishment, the 5,218-ton Silver Discoverer has been updated with elegant carpets, upholstery, and photography. Up to 120 guests are accommodated in 62 all ocean-view suites, each featuring an in-suite bar set-up, refrigerator, and a totally renovated bathroom, enhanced with rich marble detailing. Besides a new walk-in rainforest shower, each bathroom features a new vanity, shelving, mirrors, lighting fixtures, and wood flooring. Plus, all suites have been redecorated and outfitted with reupholstered furniture, new flat screen TVs, and new mattresses topped with luxurious Pratesi bed linens. Select suites benefit from a small private balcony.

Public areas include a restaurant, main lounge (and lecture room), The Discoverer Lounge (with seating for breakfast and lunch), The Grill (for outdoor dining), an outside bar, and a small swimming pool. An all-new sun deck area has also been added, along with a fitness, beauty and massage room. All public areas have been refitted with either new or reupholstered furniture to provide Silversea's guests an expedition cruising experience in the comfortable and intimate Silversea atmosphere.

Guests aboard the small-sized Silver Discoverer will be able to explore some of the world's most secluded regions and enjoy an enriching onboard program of destination lectures, photo presentations and daily recaps. Zodiac excursions and interactive walks ashore will be led by experts in their field – marine biologists, ornithologists, geologists, botanists, historians, and anthropologists.

Silver Discoverer will embark on her maiden voyage from Broome to Darwin on April 2, exploring Australia's spectacular Kimberley Coast.

Cruises booked in UK within three months to departure hit 10 year peak in 2013

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 March 2014 25 March 2014

The proportion of British passengers that booked their cruise within three months to departure hit a 10 year high in 2013, affected by a weak economic climate at the start of the year plus the Costa Concordia incident, Cruise Lines' International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland said.

"This affected the early booking market for 2013 cruises to the extent that the ratio of cruises booked more than nine months in advance (23%) was the lowest for 10 years," CLIA said. "This led to more late sales in 2013 despite the slow economic improvement in the UK economy as the year progressed," CLIA said in a statement.

"In times of economic stress, it is no surprise to see that the biggest changes over the last three years are the way that more all-inclusive pricing and other special offers have taken on even greater importance."

On the other hand, ultra luxury lines attracted more than 27,000 passengers last year from Britain.

“Momentum has returned to the UK cruise market in 2013 with significant growth in passengers numbers and especially in embarkations from our home ports – both of which are impressive achievements when set against a backdrop of an economy that has proven slow to recover," said Andy Harmer, director of CLIA UK& Ireland in the statement.

“The cruise industry’s continued confidence in the UK market is clearly demonstrated by the increasing number of ships that will sail from British ports in the coming years, and we believe this marks a key point in the continuing growth of the UK cruise market.”

Caribbean suffers big fall in popularity as Britons opt for home country departures

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 March 2014 25 March 2014

A trend of rapid increase in popularity of departures from British ports has resulted in a significant fall in the popularity of the Caribbean as a destination, Cruise Lines' International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland said in a statement, adding that Northern Europe and Norway have been the biggest winners.

"The figures for last year show a big shift towards cruising from UK ports at the expense of fly-cruise, particularly to the Caribbean, which has seen numbers drop by almost 100,000 since 2009 due to Air Passenger Duty and higher airline costs," CLIA said.

Cruising in the Mediterranean remained the most popular choice for British passengers, accounting for 644,000, but this is set to be overtaken by Northern Europe with numbers up by 20% last year to 531,000. This continues a trend of "spectacular growth" for the region over the past decade during which passenger numbers have grown fivefold.

Within Northern Europe, Norway stands out, with the number of passengers visiting the country on cruises departing from the UK leaping from 37,000 to 218,000 in a decade. This is part of a wider trend which has seen a continuing increase in the number of UK passengers starting their cruises at home rather than overseas.

UK ports seen to grab half of British cruise business in 2014-15

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 March 2014 25 March 2014

The share of British passengers that start their cruise at a port in the UK has risen rapidly in the past few years and it is likely to exceed 50% for the first time in 2014-15, according to Cruise Lines' International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland.

"Just six years ago, only a third of UK passengers started their holiday from British ports. By 2013, it was almost half (49%) and in 2014/15, it is likely that more UK passengers will start their cruise holiday from Britain than from an overseas port," CLIA said in a statement.

Next year P&O Cruises will introduce the 3,600 passenger newbuilding Britannia, while Royal Caribbean International will bring its 4,180 passenger Anthem of the Seas to the UK to replace a smaller vessel with a net addition of some 500 berths, while Princess Cruises will do the same with Royal Princess, resulting in a similar increase in capacity.

Last year, 1.73 million Britons took an ocean cruise.

Royal Caribbean returns to Gulf for fifth season

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 March 2014 25 March 2014

Royal Caribbean International, the largest global cruise line, yesterday announced its return to the Gulf in winter 2015-16. The fifth seasonal sailings will comprise 16 roundtrip sailings from December 2015 through March 2016, visiting some of the Arabian coast’s most intriguing destinations on a seven-night itinerary. Royal Caribbean International’s Splendour of the Seas is scheduled to dock in its home port of Dubai, UAE followed by calls to Oman’s capital of Muscat and Khasab along with Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.

"Following on from positive and collaborative discussions with our key partners in the region, we are pleased to announce our return to cruising in the Arabian Gulf for the winter of 2015 / 2016. We are looking forward to deploying Splendour of the Seas, one of our Vision-class vessels to the region for the first time and to welcoming guests from all over the world. I would like to express our thanks to the cruise tourism officials from the DTCM, TCA Abu Dhabi and Oman's Ministry of Tourism for their support and congratulate them on the formation of the Cruise Arabia alliance. This is a welcome step in continuing to promote the economic and touristic benefits of cruising and I'm sure the season will be very successful,” said Helen Beck, Regional Director, International Representatives, EMEA, Royal Caribbean International.

Splendour of the Seas will add more than 32,000 guests in her first four-month season to the region’s burgeoning cruise sector and the new sailings will be going on sale as of 10 April 2014. All the Gulf region’s ports are gearing themselves up for the arrival of Splendour of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International.

"Our collaborative approach, with Dubai and Oman partners, to developing the viability and appeal of Arabian Gulf cruising has clearly struck a chord with a recognised cruise sector innovator and Abu Dhabi will benefit from Royal Caribbean International’s return to the region. Together we are cultivating development opportunities to attract visitors from a variety of new markets, including itinerary extension through inclusion of the region’s only dedicated cruise beach stopover destination in our Western Region. By 2015, we anticipate a step change in our own shore excursion portfolio with the eagerly awaited opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi in our Saadiyat Island Cultural District, and Zayed Port’s improved permanent terminal facilities - two significant milestones which also add depth of quality and diversity for the region," said Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director, Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).