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Viking Cruises sponsors The Hollywood Bowl

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 17 July 2013 17 July 2013

Viking Cruises (www.vikingcruises.com) has signed on as the official cruise line sponsor of The Hollywood Bowl for the 2013 concert season. Viking Cruises, which is based in Woodland Hills, will be the title sponsor of six Los Angeles Philharmonic concerts beginning with the July 16 performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto. The LA Phil sponsorship builds on the company’s commitment to supporting cultural programming; Viking is also a national corporate sponsor of PBS’ MASTERPIECE.

“Viking’s commitment to cultural exploration goes beyond our cruise itineraries, and the LA Phil is an ideal partner with one of the nation’s finest classical music programs,” said Richard Marnell, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Viking Cruises.

“The LA Phil is an essential element of our offerings at the Hollywood Bowl, and we are grateful to Viking Cruises for their sponsorship which helps enable us to continue presenting orchestral music to our audiences.” said Gail Samuel, Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. “We are excited to have Viking Cruises on board in support of these beloved concerts.”

Each of the six concerts Viking Cruises will sponsor this summer features music by European composers whose home countries are destinations on Viking’s popular river and ocean cruise itineraries. Viking will sponsor performances of English composer Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto on July 16; French composer Hector Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique on July 18; Austrian composer Franz Haydn’s London Symphony on August 1; a selection of Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s works at the Tchaikovsky Spectacular on August 16; Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony at The Russian Resistance concert on August 27; and German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s Third Concerto on August 29.

Viking Cruises offers river and ocean cruise journeys for its travelers that emphasize cultural exploration. The company has a tradition of supporting regional artistic programs, and in 2011, Viking signed on as a national corporate sponsor of PBS’ celebrated series MASTERPIECE, supporting programming that includes the Emmy® Award-winning series Downton Abbey. Last year, Viking sponsored the Vancouver Christmas Market, an authentic European-style market offering traditional German holiday entertainment, food and shopping experiences. In 2009, Viking sponsored the popular Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit, which traveled to the Los Angeles area Bowers Museum, Houston’s Museum of Natural Science and Washington’s National Geographic Museum. Viking has also partnered with Lobkowicz Palace in Prague and with the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg to offer exclusive behind-the-scenes tours for Viking passengers.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is recognized as one of the world’s foremost orchestras and has garnered the praise of audiences and critics alike. Under the leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil presents an inspiring array of music from all genres – orchestral, chamber and Baroque music, organ and celebrity recitals, new music, jazz, world music and pop – at two of L.A.’s iconic venues, Walt Disney Concert Hall (http://www.laphil.com) and the Hollywood Bowl (http://www.HollywoodBowl.com).

With river cruising now the fastest-growing segment of travel, Viking Cruises is expanding at an unprecedented rate. The cruise line launched 10 new Viking Longships™ in March – an industry first – and will launch 12 more of the state-of-the-art vessels in 2013. Viking also recently announced the launch of its first ocean cruise ship, Viking Star, which will embark on her maiden voyage in 2015.

Carnival Cruise Lines' statement regarding U.S. Coast Guard final report on investigation into Carnival Splendor fire

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 July 2013 16 July 2013

Yesterday, the U.S. Coast Guard released a report detailing the findings of its investigation into the fire that took place on Carnival Splendor more than two and a half years ago in November 2010. We appreciate the work of the U.S. Coast Guard in its investigation and provided our full cooperation and support during that process. As a result of Carnival's own investigation and our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations, we have already implemented numerous actions throughout our fleet. We look forward to reviewing today's published report in greater detail.

In late 2010, Carnival Cruise Lines launched its own comprehensive investigation with the involvement of multiple third-party experts. We agree with the U.S. Coast Guard's conclusions surrounding fire detection and firefighting processes and took numerous actions throughout our fleet as a result, including the creation of a Fire Safety Task Force. Those efforts resulted in the implementation and enhancements of a number of processes, training and equipment, as well as the formation of a new Marine Safety department. These actions directly contributed to the rapid detection and suppression of the fire on Carnival Triumph in February of 2013. Additionally, on April 17 of this year, the company announced a $300 million fleet-wide enhancement program that is currently underway to significantly enhance emergency power capabilities, further strengthen existing fire safety systems by installing the most advanced technology available, and improve the level of operating redundancies across our entire 24-ship fleet.

Carnival Cruise Lines has maintained an excellent safety record throughout our 41-year history. All of Carnival Cruise Lines' ships operate safely and meet or exceed all regulatory requirements. There were no injuries as a direct result of the Carnival Splendor or Triumph incidents and, at Carnival, the safety and comfort of our guests is our paramount focus.

"We look forward to the opportunity to review the U.S. Coast Guard report in detail to fully examine the findings and recommendations."

Carnival Cruise Lines names four experienced maritime and transportation industry experts to the company's newly formed Safety & Reliability Review Board

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 July 2013 15 July 2013

Carnival Cruise Lines has appointed four highly esteemed maritime and transportation industry experts – Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby, Rear Admiral Joseph F. Campbell, Ray Valeika and Dr. John K. Lauber – to the company's new Safety & Reliability Review Board.

Announced in April as part of Carnival's comprehensive fleetwide technical enhancement program, the review board was created to provide independent third-party perspective and to drive continuous improvement across the line's fleet. The core objectives of the board are to review Carnival Cruise Lines' current policies, practices and performance and to guide the company in incorporating best practices from other relevant fields and industries. The four new board members are:

– Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby will be retiring from the U.S. Navy on August 1 after a 34 year career as a Surface Warfare officer. For the past three and a half years, he commanded the Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC), responsible for the operation and maintenance of 112 civilian manned logistics, support, special mission, and prepositioning ships operating around the globe. A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Buzby has served extensively at sea in destroyers, cruisers, and a hydrofoil. He commanded five times including destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), Destroyer Squadron 31, Surface Warfare Officers School, Joint Task Force Guantanamo, and MSC. Ashore, Rear Admiral Buzby has served several tours on the Chief of Naval Operations staff and the Joint Staff. As a Flag officer, he served as Deputy for Surface Ships, Deputy for Expeditionary Warfare, and Deputy for Surface Warfare. He served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Global Force Management and Joint Operations at U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia. Rear Admiral Buzby has been awarded a number of decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and numerous other unit and campaign awards. He brings a wealth of fleet-level operational expertise to the Board.

– Rear Admiral Joseph F. Campbell was an engineering duty officer in the U.S. Navy for more than 32 years. He served in various waterfront maintenance tours and commanded Norfolk Naval Shipyard for two separate periods from 2003 to 2006 and from 2012 to 2013. Upon promotion to Rear Admiral, he served on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as Fleet Maintenance Officer at U.S. Fleet Forces Command and at the Naval Sea Systems Command as Deputy for Industrial Operations and Maintenance. During his Navy career Campbell was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Service Medal along with other personal medals and numerous campaign and unit awards.

– Ray Valeika is an internationally recognized aviation operations expert with more than 40 years of experience in managing large airline maintenance operations. After retiring from Delta Air Lines as senior vice president - technical operations, Valeika works as an independent consultant for global maintenance and engineering firms. During his esteemed career, Valeika has directed staffs of more than 10,000 professionals, and advised major companies in aviation and technical matters. His leadership at Delta resulted in continuous improvement of the human factor processes in aviation maintenance, with Delta's Technical Operations division consistently ranking at the top of the industry for performance benchmarks in the areas of safety, quality, productivity and reliability. Under Valeika's leadership, Delta achieved STAR level, the highest safety rating awarded by the national Occupational Safety & Health Administration's (OSHA's) Voluntary Protection Program. Delta also received the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Diamond award, its highest award for maintenance technician training safety. Valeika was also a member of the FAA's special Airworthiness Directives Compliance Review Team. In addition, Valeika was the recipient of the Air Transport Association's Nuts & Bolts award for his leadership and achievement in furthering safety and quality standards in the commercial aviation industry.

– Dr. John K. Lauber previously served as senior vice president and chief product safety officer for Airbus SAS in Toulouse, France, and also was vice president – safety and technical affairs for Airbus North America in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Airbus, he was vice president of corporate safety and compliance at Delta Air Lines. Dr. Lauber has received numerous awards, including NASA's Outstanding Leadership Award, the Flight Safety Foundation/Aviation Week Space Technology Distinguished Service Award and the Boeing/Flight Safety Foundation Aviation Safety Lifetime Achievement Award. Most recently, he received the Joseph T. Nall award from the International Aviation and Transportation Safety Bar Association. In 1985, Dr. Lauber was nominated by President Reagan and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a term as a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board. In 1990 he was re-nominated by President Bush and confirmed for a second term at the NTSB, where he served until 1994. He has been a member of many other advisory committees and boards, including the Workshop on Assessing the Research and Development Plan for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, and the Committee on the Effects of Commuting on Pilot Fatigue. He is a member of the MITRE Aviation Advisory Committee and serves as vice chairman of the Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee.

In April, Carnival Cruise Lines announced a major initiative encompassing technical, safety and reliability enhancements, said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. That initiative encompasses a $300 million investment to significantly enhance emergency power capabilities, introduce new fire safety technologies and improve the level of operating redundancies across our entire 24-ship fleet, as well as the formation of a Safety & Reliability Review Board. All of these measures serve to position us as an industry leader in operational best practices as we move towards the future, Cahill added.

In addition to these external members, the Safety & Reliability Review Board will also include the following technical experts from within Carnival Cruise Lines:

– Martin Landtman, senior vice president marine operations, who oversees all aspects of marine operations for the line's 24-vessel fleet and joined Carnival in February 2011. Prior to joining Carnival, Landtman was president of Aker Yards/STX Finland, Inc., one of the world's largest shipbuilders. He also spent several years in senior management positions at Kvaernar Masa-Yards, a leading Helsinki-based shipbuilder, and 10 years at Wartsila Shipyards in a number of technical operations posts, including head of machinery design.

· Richard J. O'Hanlon, vice president – nautical and safety operations, who joined Carnival in May 2013 and is responsible for all aspects of nautical and safety functions across the Carnival fleet, including bridge procedures and nautical operations, as well as firefighting and lifesaving systems. O'Hanlon is a former rear admiral in the U.S. Navy with nearly two decades of government and private sector executive experience in maritime operations, maintenance and logistics. O'Hanlon was previously commander of the Naval Air Force Atlantic and deputy chief of staff for logistics and training for U.S. Fleet Forces, both based in Norfolk, Va.

– Mark Jackson, vice president - technical operations, who joined Carnival in April 2013 and oversees all technical marine functions across the Carnival fleet, including repair and maintenance, refurbishment projects, and related technical services. Jackson is a 24-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard with extensive experience in nautical engineering, maritime repair and refurbishments, and ship operations. Prior to joining Carnival, Jackson was commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard base in Miami Beach, FL. He was also commanding officer of the Naval Engineering Support unit in Miami overseeing a team of 100-plus engineers and served as lead instructor for shipboard stability and firefighting at the U.S. Navy Warfare Officers School.

Carnival's Safety & Reliability Review Board is in addition to parent company Carnival Corp. & plc's board-level Health, Environmental, Safety and Security Committee as well as multiple regulatory agencies which provide extensive cruise industry oversight.

Grandeur of the Seas: 78 cabins not ready for 12 July sailing due to ongoing repairs

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 12 July 2013 12 July 2013

Royal Caribbean International has stated that passengers in 78 staterooms were effectively removed from the 12 July sailing due to ongoing repair work after a fre that damaged the stern section of the vessel in May.

Customers affected by the decision were offered a full refund and a 25% credit on a future cruise, Cruise Critic reports on its website.

"In the past weeks, Grandeur of the Seas staff and crew and many others have worked tirelessly to restore the onboard spaces that were affected by a fire in May,” Liu was reported as saying.

"Every member of Grandeur of the Seas' staff and crew demonstrated a heroic response that night and has since been dedicated to bringing the ship back into service. We unfortunately had to re-accommodate some guests on the 12 July cruise to later sailings so that additional needed workers may stay onboard in order to complete these remaining tasks as quickly as possible."

Cruise Critic Managing Editor Colleen McDaniel is onboard the Grandeur for a one-night cruise for media and travel industry professionals. She reports that while repair work is still ongoing and visible in some areas -- the "most obvious work," she says, is aft starboard on Deck Three, near rooms 3634-3659 -- the halls do not smell like smoke.

TUI Cruises formalises five year environmental strategy

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 July 2013 11 July 2013

TUI Cruises, the Hamburg based premium market cruise operator, says it has finalized its environmental strategy that will guide its business in these matters for the next five years. The company has also produced a 30 page environmental report.

The company aims to improve its performance in environment related matters both at sea and on land. It will produce an annual report on progress in achieving the goals stated in the strategy, said Richard Vogel, CEO of the company, in a statement.