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AIDA appoints Lassen to new position of SVP Marine Operations

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 April 2013 19 April 2013

Jens Lassen has assumed the new position of Senior Vice President Marine Operations at AIDA Cruises with immediate effect. In his position, the native Norwegian will be responsible for the cruise companys Technical Operations, Destination Management, Fleet Management, Security, Energy & Environment, and Health & Medical. He reports directly to Michael Ungerer, President AIDA Cruises, the company said in a statement.

Lassen started his career in 1982 with the classification society Det Norske Veritas and gained experience in various positions with renowned companies such as Stolt-Nielsen and Royal Caribbean. He comes from Rickmers Holding, where he had been working since 2010 as International Head of Maritime Services and Managing Director.

"An important requirement for our continued growth is the highest level of safety and the technically faultless operation of our fleet. I am very pleased that we were able to win an internationally very experienced expert in Jens Lassen to strengthen our Marine Operations Department", explains Michael Ungerer, President AIDA Cruises.

With its 10 ships, AIDA Cruises is Germanys leading cruise company offering cruises to global destinations. The AIDA fleet will expand to 12 ships by 2016. The company with head offices in Rostock currently has 6,900 employees on board and on shore.

Oceania Cruises launches spring seminar series for travel partners

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 April 2013 18 April 2013

Oceania Cruises continues to celebrate a decade at sea this year conducting a 10-week Spring Seminar series for travel agents across the U.S. and Canada. The seminar series canvases 40 cities and will reach approximately 3,000 travel agents. Regional Sales Directors and their teams are hosting events from now until May 31st.

“We are celebrating 10 successful years because of the strong and unwavering support of the travel agent community,” said Nikki F. Upshaw, the line’s vice president of sales. “This spring seminar series allows us the opportunity to thank our travel agent partners as well as provide practical and useful tools to increase their sales and profitability.”

Along with the 10th Anniversary celebration, travel agents will learn about the core pillars of the Oceania Cruises brand – inspired cuisine, enriching destinations, passionate service and extraordinary value as well as tips on how to sell Oceania Cruises. The company will also provide insights on implementing a successful marketing plan including database segmentation and sourcing affinity business.

Additionally, travel agents who attend a seminar receive an additional incentive for every new 2013 cruise booked by June 30, 2013.

Stavangerfjord service entry delayed by three weeks

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 April 2013 18 April 2013

First crossing of Stavangerfjord, first of the two LNG powered ropax ferries Fjord Line in Norway has on order, will be delayed by three weeks.

Stavangerfjord will commence service on 21 June instead of 29 May as planned in order to allow time for the installation and testing of equipment. Bergen Group Fosen in Norway is building both Stavangerfjord and Bergensfjord, its sister ship. Each will be 170 metres long and have a capacity for 1,500 passengers and 600 cars.

Fjord Line says it has ordered the most technically advanced equipment for the vessels and that the yard needs more time to test it properly, the company said in a statement. Both ships will be employed in Fjord Line service between Norway and Denmark.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to offer 119 night Far East voyage 2015

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 April 2013 18 April 2013

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is launching two n ‘Grand Voyages’ in 2015; Balmoral's 119-night L1501 ‘Exploring the Far East’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 4th January 2015 – the cruise line’s longest-ever sailing – and Black Watch's W1501 73-night 'South American Discovery' cruise, departing from Southampton on 6th January 2015. Together, these two cruises will take in 82 ports in 40 countries.

There will be 13 maiden calls on Balmoral’s ‘Grand Voyage’ in 2015: Galle (Sri Lanka), Ujang Pandang (‘Makassar’, Indonesia), Naha (Okinawa, Japan), Tokyo (Japan), Nagasaki (Japan), Jeju City (Jeju Island, South Korea), Dalian (China), Nha Trang (Vietnam), Nathon (Koh Samui, Thailand), Malacca (Malaysia), Hambantota (Sri Lanka), Utheemu (North Thiladhunmathee Atoll, Maldives) and Uligamu (Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, Maldives).

Nathan Philpot, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are thrilled to be unveiling our ‘Grand Voyages’ for 2015, and in particular our stunning ‘Exploring the Far East’ cruise aboard our flagship Balmoral, which is seven days longer than in 2013, but with 19 more ports, and all at just £84 per night! This has been designed specifically to be a modular cruise, allowing guests to do shorter sections, and a first for Fred. Olsen is that half the time is spent cruising and the other half is spent actually in the destinations. With these very special ‘Grand Voyages’ in 2015, there is something for every kind of Fred. Olsen cruiser, and we are delighted to be able to offer our guests the most cost-effective way to take in even more destinations and experiences around the world, on our smaller, more intimate ships.”

Balmoral's 119-night ‘Exploring the Far East’ ‘Grand Voyage’, L1501, ex Southampton on 4th January 2015 As well as the whole cruise, guests will be able to choose from eight shorter fly-cruise sectors: ‘A Voyage to Egypt’ (13 nights); ‘Embark for the Emirates’ (11 nights); ‘India & the Andaman Sea’ (17 nights); ‘Indonesia & Okinawa’ (15 nights); ‘China & Japan’ (15 nights); ‘Vietnam & the Gulf of Thailand’ (14 nights); ‘The Indian Ocean’ (19 nights); and ‘The Eastern Mediterranean’ (15 nights).

Balmoral travels east via Malaga (Spain), Catania (Sicily), and Port Said (Egypt), before taking in the dramatic Suez Canal in a daylight transit. The cruise then continues to Safaga and Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, Aqaba (Jordan), Muscat (Oman), and the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, before visiting the Indian ports of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and Cochin, Galle in Sri Lanka and Port Blair in the Andaman Islands.

Balmoral then makes an overnight stop in Yangon, or ‘Rangoon’, the capital of Myanmar (formerly Burma), and continues to Port Klang (Malaysia, for Kuala Lumpur), Semarang (Indonesia), capital of Java, and Komodo Island – where the ferocious-looking Dragons are a sight to behold! Ujang Pandang (or ‘Makassar’, Indonesia) is the next port of call, followed by Cebu in the Philippines, which will have a special resonance for Fred. Olsen’s predominantly Filipino crew, before Balmoral takes in the Japanese ports of Naha (Okinawa), Tokyo, Kobe (Osaka) and Nagasaki, with a scenic cruise of the Ryukyu Islands.

Fascinating to the cruise adventurer will be Balmoral’s next calls in South Korea – Jeju City on Jeju Island and Incheon (for Seoul), followed by China’s Tianjin Xingang (for Beijing) – with an overnight stay – Dalian and Shanghai, the country’s most populous city. Next stop, Hong Kong, is undoubtedly one of the cruise highlights, with its iconic skyscrapers and famous harbour. Balmoral then calls at Chan May in Vietnam, for visits to the UNESCO-recognised city of Huế, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) – a popular maiden call for Fred. Olsen in 2013 – where there is an overnight stay.

The cruise continues to Sihanoukville in Cambodia, and Laem Chabang (for Bangkok), for an overnight stay, then Nathon (Koh Samui) in Thailand, before reaching that city of colonial splendour, Singapore, where there is another stopover. Malacca and Georgetown (Penang) in Malaysia follow, before Balmoral arrives in Phuket (Thailand), and continues to Hambantota and Colombo in Sri Lanka.

The Maldives is the next destination, with inaugural calls at Utheemu (North Thiladhunmathee Atoll), for an overnight stay, and Uligamu (Ihavandhippolhu Atoll), before heading to Salalah in Oman. Balmoral then makes a return visit to Sharm el-Sheikh – for an overnight stay – and continues to Alexandria, with an enthralling daylight transit of the Suez Canal, Piraeus (for Athens, Greece) and Valletta, capital of Malta.

Balmoral then calls at Algiers (Algeria), Cartagena (Spain) and Lisbon (Portugal), before arriving back in Southampton.

The year 2015 sees the return of Fred. Olsen’s much-favoured South American ‘Grand Voyage’, and this Black Watch cruise will be sure to ffer guests a real feast for the senses. Squeezed between the ‘2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil’ and 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, this exotic longer cruise calls first at Funchal on the ‘Garden Isle’ of Madeira, then sunny Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Mindelo (Portugal), before reaching South America, the company said.

First stop on this amazing and diverse continent is Rio Janeiro (Brazil), for an overnight stay, to enable guests to make the most of this vibrant city, then Ilhabela (Brazil), Montevideo – capital of Uruguay – and an overnight stay in Buenos Aires (Argentina), known as the ‘Paris of South America’. Next are the Argentinean ports of Puerto Madryn and Ushuaia, before Black Watch arrives at the pilot station at Puerto Williams (Chile) and rounds legendary Cape Horn.

Punta Arenas is the next port of call, followed by a cruise of the spectacular Chilean Fjords. Black Watch then continues to Chile’s Puerto Chacabuco, located at the head of Aisén Fjord, and the port city of Puerto Montt, and through to Valparaiso. Next comes the romantically-named Robinson Crusoe Island, followed by Peru’s General San Martin, named after the South American liberator General Jose de San, Salaverry and Manta (Ecuador), before a daylight transit of the Panama Canal, which is an experience not to be missed.

At the end of the awesome Panama Canal comes Colon, followed by Cartagena de Indias in Colombia, before the sunshine Caribbean destinations of Willemstad (Curacao), Bridgetown (Barbados), Castries (St. Lucia), St. John’s and Philipsburg (St. Maarten). Black Watch makes a final call at Ponta Delgada in the Azores, before arriving back in Southampton.

The Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ ‘Launch Brochure’ for the new 2014/15 itineraries will be unveiled in the week commencing 22nd April 2013, to go on general sale from 24th April 2013.

Viking Grace boosts Viking Line market share

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 April 2013 18 April 2013

Viking Grace, the 58,000 gross ton cruise ferry that uses LNG as fuel, has performed well since its delivery at the turn of the year, says Viking Line, the listed Finnish company that owns the vessel.

The company’s market share on the Turku - Aland Islands - Stockholm service, on which the ship operates, has increased to 58.4%, the company said in a statement. The service also employs the 34,000 gross ton Amorella that was built in 1988.

Viking Line’s 2012 annual report shows that its market share on the said service was 50.0% last year, an increase of 0.7 percentage points on 2011. In all, the company has a fleet of seven vessels. Last year, they carried a total of 6.3 million passengers, 613,000 cars and 117,000 cargo units, mainly lorries but also some unaccompanied trailers.