Holland America Line and Seabourn name My Nguyen Deputy Director of Interior Design

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013

Holland America Line and Seabourn have appointed My Nguyen to the newly created position of deputy director of interior design. She will report to Rob Boksem, vice president of technical operations.

In this new role, Nguyen is responsible for the companies' Interiors Department and she will be lead designer for the staterooms on Holland America Line's new Pinnacle-class ship, which is due for delivery in February 2016. Nguyen also will oversee the interiors maintenance of existing Holland America Line and Seabourn ships.

"My brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be a valuable asset to the Interiors Department," said Dan Grausz, executive vice president of fleet operations. "She began her career with Holland America Line, and we're excited to have her experience and enthusiasm back with our team. My's high standards for design will be a positive influence on both the Holland America Line and Seabourn fleets."

Nguyen joins the two cruise companies from NB Design Group where she earned accolades for award-winning and nationally recognized projects in both high-end residential and hospitality design. She led the team at NB Design that had a key role in the interior design of staterooms on ms Eurodam and ms Nieuw Amsterdam, as well as the stateroom upgrades executed during the second phase of Holland America Line's Signature of Excellence program.

Prior to NB Design Group, Nguyen was an interior superintendent at Holland America Line. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Puget Sound and interior design degree from The Art Institute of Seattle. Nguyen is also a recipient of the prestigious Watson Fellowship for independent study outside the United States.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines simplify dress code

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the destinational UK based cruise shipping company, says it will be streamlining the various dress codes for its cruise guests in the evenings across its fleet of four ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch.

“Fred. Olsen will continue with its traditional ‘Black Tie’ ‘Formal Nights’ – usually three or four during a two-week cruise – but the dress code for the remainder of the evenings on board will be simplified to ‘Smart Casual’, allowing a more relaxed feel, whilst maintaining the high standards embraced and enjoyed by guests. The previous dress code of ‘Informal’ is being removed,” the company said in a statement.

The new guidelines will take effect from 1 July.

With the new ‘Smart Casual’ dress code, gentleman are at liberty to wear a jacket and tie, or equally they may prefer to opt for an open-necked shirt, with Chinos or smart, dark-coloured jeans. For ladies, the choice could be an elegant dress or casual separates.

Nathan Philpot, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Whilst many cruise lines have done away with dress codes altogether, we are aware that a significant number of our guests welcome the opportunity to dress up on special occasions, such as the ‘Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party’, so we will be continuing with the popular ‘Black Tie’ theme on these nights.

“However, we have listened to our guests’ feedback and there is a demand from many for a more relaxed and informal dress code for the remainder of the evenings on board. We hope that, by simplifying the dress code for these, we can make things easier for everyone when packing and ensure that no one feels constrained by too many rules; after all, our guests are on a relaxing cruise holiday!”

The ‘Theme Nights’ aboard Fred. Olsen’s cruise ships will continue, such as ‘Tropical’ and ‘Red, White and Blue’, with dedicated shows and activities on board, and guests are welcome to dress up in fancy dress costume for these, or adopt the new ‘Smart Casual’ dress code as an alternative, as they desire.

Viking Line reports steady interim loss as freight volumes fall, costs rise

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 23 May 2013 23 May 2013

Viking Line, the listed Finnish cruise ferry company, has reported a net loss of €15.7 million for the first quarter of 2013 compared to a loss of €15.1 million in the same period last year, the company said in a statement.

Freight revenue fell by 4.1% to €9.1 million and operating expenses rose by 11.2% to €102.1 million, but revenues from passenger business increased by 15.5% to €105.2 million. The increase in passenger revenues lifted the group’s total revenue to €115.0 million from €101.2 million in the same period last year.

The company said that the new cruise ferry Viking Grace that entered service between Turku and Stockholm in January had carried 282,578 passengers up to the end of March and that this meant a 66.4% rise in the number of passengers the company carried on the two ship service compared to the first three months of last year.

In all, the company carried 1.35 million passengers in the review period, little changed from the first quarter of 2012, while freight volume declined to 28,747 units from 31,636.

Cruise industry adopts Passenger Bill of Rights

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 22 May 2013 22 May 2013

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today announced that its Board of Directors approved the adoption of a "Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights" detailing CLIA members' commitment to the safety, comfort and care of guests in a number of important areas.

The CEOs of CLIA North American member cruise lines are each immediately verifying in writing that they have adopted the Passenger Bill of Rights, which is a condition of membership in the Association. CLIA also will submit the Passenger Bill of Rights to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), requesting formal global recognition and applicability under the IMO's authority over the international maritime industry. The Passenger Bill of Rights will be effective immediately for U.S. passengers who purchase their cruise in North America on CLIA's North American member cruise lines, regardless of itinerary.

CLIA and its member cruise lines are actively communicating the Passenger Bill of Rights to the public and cruise line guests. CLIA and its member lines will post the Passenger Bill of Rights on their respective websites, and CLIA has provided to its nearly 14,000 travel agent members materials to communicate the Passenger Bill of Rights to current and prospective customers looking to book a cruise.

"The Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights codifies many longstanding practices of CLIA members and goes beyond those to further inform cruise guests of the industry's commitment to their comfort and care," said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA. "By formally adopting industry practices into a "Passenger Bill of Rights," CLIA is further demonstrating consistent practices and transparency across CLIA member lines. The cruise industry is committed to continuing to deliver against the high standards we set for ourselves in all areas of shipboard operations."

In addition to adopting the Passenger Bill of Rights, other recent and proactive initiatives by the cruise industry to focus on passenger safety, comfort and care include:

* Establishment of an industry-wide Operational Safety Review in 2012 resulting in the adoption of 10 safety-related policies that were submitted to the IMO;

* Launch of a Preparedness Risk Assessment in March 2013 to review and address redundancies related to power systems that provide essential services in the rare event of a loss of main power; and,

* Successful completion in early April of a multi-day emergency drill involving authorities from the U.S. and Bahamian governments, led by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Following is the full text of the Passenger Bill of Rights, as adopted by CLIA's members unanimously.

INTERNATIONAL CRUISE LINE PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS

The Members of the Cruise Lines International Association are dedicated to the comfort and care of all passengers on oceangoing cruises throughout the world. To fulfill this commitment, our Members have agreed to adopt the following set of passenger rights:

1. The right to disembark a docked ship if essential provisions such as food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical care cannot adequately be provided onboard, subject only to the Master's concern for passenger safety and security and customs and immigration requirements of the port.

1. The right to a full refund for a trip that is canceled due to mechanical failures, or a partial refund for voyages that are terminated early due to those failures.
2. The right to have available on board ships operating beyond rivers or coastal waters full-time, professional emergency medical attention, as needed until shore side medical care becomes available.

1. The right to timely information updates as to any adjustments in the itinerary of the ship in the event of a mechanical failure or emergency, as well as timely updates of the status of efforts to address mechanical failures.

1. The right to a ship crew that is properly trained in emergency and evacuation procedures.
2. The right to an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure.
3. The right to transportation to the ship's scheduled port of disembarkation or the passenger's home city in the event a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.

1. The right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required when a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.
2. The right to have included on each cruise line's website a toll-free phone line that can be used for questions or information concerning any aspect of shipboard operations.
3. The right to have this Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights published on each line's website