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Queen Mary 2 to embark 200th Transatlantic crossing on July

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 March 2013 30 March 2013

Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 will mark a major milestone on her 6 July 2013 voyage from New York to Southampton, achieving her 200th Transatlantic crossing in her ninth season since entering service in 2004. The milestone will be commemorated with various activities and special speakers and performers on board to add to the celebratory mood.

"Sailing a Transatlantic crossing aboard our flagship Queen Mary 2 is a luxury travel experience like no other," said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. "And now with 200 Crossings under her belt, the grandest ocean liner in the world has proven to be the icon of the new golden age of ocean travel across the Atlantic."

As part of the Cunard Insights on board enrichment programme, Stephen Payne OBE, who was largely responsible for the overall design of Queen Mary 2, will present a fascinating perspective on her construction. Stephen also will be guest of honour at an evening gala on board, which will include a commemorative dinner with a special menu. In addition, BBC newsreader and Classic FM presenter Nick Owen will lecture on board.

Also adding to the festivities will be 16 musicians, plus a band leader and vocalist, from the world-renowned Juilliard School of Dance, Drama and Music. The group will perform as a jazz orchestra providing a selection of Big Band, Swing and Glenn Miller style music and smaller ensemble pieces. Other Juilliard performances will include an evening event in the Royal Court Theatre with full orchestra and vocalist, an afternoon tea dance, lunch time jam sessions featuring an ensemble in the Chart Room, and a late evening ensemble in Illuminations. The band leader and members of the orchestra will also give two jazz master class lectures and a live Q&A.

Queen Mary 2 is still the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive ocean liner ever built. She is also the fastest passenger ship in the world.

In the course of the flagship's 200 Transatlantic Crossings, Cunard estimates that passengers have consumed:
– 8.4 million cups of tea
– 980,000 scones
– 481,000 bottles of champagne
– 644,000 eggs
– 960,000 litres of milk

In total, Queen Mary 2 has served 22.4 million meals and sailed over 600,000 nautical miles during her first 200 Crossings. These figures do not take into account her annual World Cruise or her sailings to the Canaries, Fjords, Iceland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, around Britain, up to Montreal and Quebec in Canada, or among the Caribbean islands.

Looking at Cunard's earlier vessels, Queen Mary (1936 - 1967) crossed the Atlantic 1,001 times; Queen Elizabeth (1940 - 1968) crossed 896 times; and Queen Elizabeth 2 (1969 - 2008) crossed 812 times.

Transatlantic crossings aboard Queen Mary 2 offer time to leisurely explore the ship's extensive on board amenities and activities, including lectures through the award-winning Cunard Insights programme; stargazing in the only planetarium at sea; white-gloved afternoon tea served in the Queens Room or a spin around the dance floor during a Royal Nights themed ball; taking in a performance or workshop by members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; or perusing 8,000 volumes in the largest library at sea.

Special promotional fares for the 200th Transatlantic Crossing aboard Queen Mary 2 on the 6 July 2013 voyage start from $1,399 per person.

Costa Crociere says Easter bookings increase 15% year-on

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 March 2013 28 March 2013

Costa Croceiere, the Italian unit in the Carnival Corp & plc group, says it has received about 15% more bookings for Easter 2013 compared to Easter 2012 figures. The company’s Easter cruises will coincide with an important celebration for the company: 31 March 2013 marks the 65th anniversary of Costa Cruises. “To celebrate the anniversary initiatives dedicated to Guests will be held on board all 14 ships of the fleet,” the company said in a statement.

Costa Crociere to offer about 1,000 cruises in 2014-15 programme

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 March 2013 28 March 2013

Costa Crociere, the Italian unit in the Carnival Corp & plc group, which will celebrate its 65^th anniversary this year, has launched its 2014-15 programme that introduces its largest ship, Costa Diadema.

The programme comprises about 1,000 cruise holidays to choose from, with a total of around 250 destinations to visit plus the convenience of being able to depart from 44 different ports of embarkation, the company said in a statement.

The new Costa Diadema of 132,500 gross tons, currently under construction, will make her debut sailing from Venice on 5 November 2014 on a 5-day cruise to Savona, which will be the ship’s homeport throughout the winter season. “From here she will be deployed on a 1-week itinerary including the chance to visit two of Italy’s must-see cities – Rome and Florence – on the one cruise. The port calls are Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia,” Costa said.

Once the Costa Diadema has joined the fleet, Costa’s offering in the Mediterranean in winter 2014/15 will rise by some 50%. Another growth area in winter 2014/15 will be the United Arab Emirates, with an increase of around 20% as a result of the positioning of a larger ship, while Company operations will be boosted by 20% in Northern Europe in summer 2014 on account of the deployment of five ships compared to 4 in 2013.

In the Mediterranean, Costa will be offering year-round itineraries 13 ships deployed in the region. Mini cruises will also be back. This type of holiday is extremely attractive in terms of both affordability and duration, from three to five days on journeys of discovery amidst sun, sea and culture in places like Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Marseille and Ajaccio.

“For a more leisurely look at the physical, architectural and cultural landscape of the Mediterranean, there are longer cruises, from 10 to 14 days, with more port calls, longer stopovers and more out of the ordinary destinations in exotic places such as Egypt and Israel, the Black Sea, Lisbon and Casablanca.”

“The main innovation is the Greece and Turkey route including an overnight stopover and two days in Istanbul, allowing visitors to make the most of the incredible cultural diversity of this city straddling East and West.”

Once again in 2015 the Company will be offering an around the world cruise; of 115 days on the Costa Deliziosa, She sails from Savona on 6 January 2015, on a world voyage westbound to extraordinary destinations on five continents.

In summer, Costa’s Northern Europe programme will be enhanced by the addition of a fifth ship, as opposed to four operating in 2013, by virtue of the arrival of the Costa Mediterranea, with homeport Hamburg.

“There will be a wide range to choose from, with cruises lasting between a week and 16 days, giving you the chance to discover – from the unique vantage point of a Costa cruise ship – wonderful Baltic cities like St Petersburg, Tallinn, Stockholm and Helsinki, the staggering scenery of the Norwegian fjords, and the majestic natural spectacle of North Cape, Spitsbergen Island and Iceland.” In the Caribbean Costa will be offering cruises with three ships in the winter of 2014-15. “For a winter beat to the rhythm of the tango and the samba, there will be cruises to Soiuh America on two ships – the Costa Favolosa and Costa Pacifica – touring Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.”

Another option is the one-week “The thousands and one nights” cruise to the UAE & OMAN on the Costa Serena, featuring the luxury and futuristic architecture of cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi or the striking beauty of Muscat, the capital of Oman. Meanwhile the seven -day Red Sea itinerary on the Costa Voyager includes the splendid barrier reef and the must-see ancient civilizations of Israel, Egypt and Jordan. The atmosphere of the Far East will be on offer throughout 2014 and winter 2014/15 with two ships operating in the region – the Costa Victoria and Costa Atlantica.

Oasis of the Seas to Southampton in October 2014 as part of Europe round

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 March 2013 27 March 2013

The world’s largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, will offer cruises in Europe for the first time in autumn 2014, including making its first ever port of call into Southampton on 15 October 2014, Royal Caribbean International said in a statement.

The UK is the second biggest source market for Royal Caribbean International after the US.

Oasis of the Seas will leave Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, its home port since December 2009, on 1 September 2014 on a 12-night eastbound transatlantic cruise to Barcelona. The ship will return to Port Everglades on a 13-night westbound transatlantic cruise on 14 October 2014, departing from Rotterdam in the Netherlands and calling into Southampton on 15 October 2014 where UK guests can join the ship to sail across the Atlantic.

When Oasis of the Seas arrives in Southampton, it will be 40 per cent larger than any other cruise ship to ever dock in the UK and will join two further Royal Caribbean International cruise ships based in the port.

Jo Rzymowska, associate vice president and general manager, Royal Caribbean International, UK and Ireland, explains: “Oasis of the Seas sailing from Southampton is going to be the hottest ticket in town. Bringing the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship to Europe, and specifically the UK and Southampton, is testament to how much the cruise industry has grown. When Oasis of the Seas was launched, the ship was a real game-changer for the cruise industry and it continues to be one of the most innovative holiday resorts in the world. Royal Caribbean International is proud to have a long heritage of ships calling in and based from Southampton and we’re very excited to add Oasis of the Seas to this.”

Fincantieri launches Regal Princess in Monfalcone

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 March 2013 26 March 2013

Regal Princess, the new flagship of the Princess Cruises fleet owned by the Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise ship operator, was launched today at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. Delivery is scheduled for spring 2014, while its sister ship, Royal Princess, launched last august, will be delivered in the first half of this year.

Attending the ceremony for Princess Cruises were Rai Caluori, Executive Vice President Fleet Operations, and Stuart Hawkins, Vice President Newbuilding. Representing Fincantieri were, among others, Enrico Buschi, Chief Operative Officer, and Carlo De Marco, Shipyard Manager. Godmother of the ceremony was Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief of Cruise Critic, the most influential cruise industry website and cruise passenger online community.

The construction of Regal Princess consolidates Fincantieri’s primacy in building the largest passenger ships in Italian shipbuilding history. In fact, at 141,000 gross tons, 330 metres long and 38 metres wide, the new ship is the largest ship ever built by Fincantieri. It has 1,780 cabins, of which 1,438 with balconies (81% of the total), and is able to accommodate 3,600 passengers, with total capacity for over 5,600 people including crew.

As an innovative prototypes for a new ground-breaking class of ship, Regal and Royal Princess stands out for their new "future-proof design", not only in terms of layout and state-of-the-art performance, but also because they comply with the most recent regulations in shipping. These ships are the best proof that innovation and care of a customer like the Carnival Group, the market leader, are essential levers for tackling a crisis like that at present.

Among the keystones of this trend are the rational use of space, with the aim of avoiding any wasted tonnage that would otherwise increase operating costs, and energy saving to reduce emissions into the atmosphere and water. The ships will be able to adapt to every possible type of cruise, operating from Alaska to Australia, even in environmentally protected areas where navigation is restricted.

Fincantieri has built 63 cruise ships since 1990, including 13 only for Princess Cruises. Another 11 ships are being built or about to be built in the Group's yards.

Watch the video on float out ceremony: