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Green Cruising Showcase to debut at Cruise Shipping Miami 2013

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 January 2013 28 January 2013

The Green Cruising Showcase -- a special section of the trade show -- is set to debut at the 2013 Cruise Shipping Miami Exhibition, slated for Tuesday, March 12 through Thursday, March 14. The Showcase brings together exhibitors supplying environmental solutions to cruise lines into a single pavilion and provides a platform for those exhibitors to present their products and services directly to representatives of major cruise lines attending the event.

With the increasing emphasis on environmental best practices and stricter regulations on everything from cleaning products to coatings to recycling and wastewater treatment, cruise companies are sourcing products and services that comply with regulations and improve efficiencies. The Green Cruising Showcase enables providers of the latest products and technologies in the environmental arena to speak directly to cruise line buyers.

"Based on the feedback we received from the cruise lines about the increasing importance of the environmental perspective of the cruise business, we felt it was imperative to provide a way to enhance interaction between suppliers and buyers," said Daniel Read, director of the Cruise Shipping Portfolio for UBM Live, the show organizers. "The result is the Green Cruising Showcase, which highlights the latest in environmental solutions and gives exhibitors a platform to network with and tell their stories to their market and key stakeholders."

Not only will suppliers of "green" products and services be collected into a dedicated sector pavilion for the first time, exhibitors will give 25-minute product talks in an innovative presentation theater located on the trade show floor.

Information on exhibiting in the Green Cruising Showcase is available by calling 609-759-4742 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Attendee and exhibitor registration and hotel-request forms are available online at http://registration3.experientevent.com/ShowCRU131/Default.aspx>>

For information about exhibiting or attending, visit http://www.cruiseshippingevents.com/miami/exhibitors>>.

Celebrity Cruises to add Zumba to fitness portfolio

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

Celebrity Cruises says it has expanded its portfolio of fitness options by partnering with global lifestyle brand Zumba® Fitness to offer Celebrity Cruises guests a variety of its popular classes.

”In addition to the original classes, Celebrity Cruises will offer guests a range of complimentary speciality classes that vary by ship, including Zumba Gold®, for active, older adults; Aqua Zumba®, the ultimate “pool party” workout, and Zumbatomic®, Zumba routines for kids. Each cruise will feature a licensed Zumba instructor who will lead the various classes,” the company said in a statement.

Celebrity Cruises will also add a Zumba fitness party to the brand’s theme party lineup to each sailing. Led by a licensed Zumba instructor, the party will be held in the ship’s nightclub, where guests can learn the basic steps of Zumba, ultimately creating the most high-energy parties on the cruise. In the true essence of Zumba, the parties will be all about moving, enjoying the music and having fun.

Known as “exercise in disguise,” Zumba classes blend upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography to provide effective, total-body workouts. Participants can burn up to 1,000 calories in a one-hour class. Founded in 2001, the company is now the largest branded fitness program in the world, with more than 14 million fans in over 140,000 locations across more than 150 countries.

Star Cruises signs long-term 'Preventive Service' contract with ABB

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

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a long-term service contract from Star Cruises for preventive maintenance of all ABB equipment onboard SuperStar Virgo for the next five years. The approximately US$ 1 million contract was signed in the fourth quarter of 2012 and commences in January 1, 2013.

Star Cruises, the world’s third largest cruise company, has led cruise development in the Asia-Pacific region, where it operates seven vessels between the ports of Singapore, Port Klang (Malaysia) and Hong Kong. Star caters to Asian passengers as well as to North Americans, Europeans and Australians interested in Asian destinations. Its energy saving program has given Star Cruises a best-in-class status in the cruise industry.

“A lot of effort and time has been put into coordinating several small service providers to do the maintenance of Star vessels”, Mikael Mattsson AVP Marine Operation, Star Cruises. “Through this service agreement, ABB becomes our sole service provider for equipment such as rotating machines, switchgears, transformers, drives, automation etc, considerably optimizing the maintenance process”.

“The market is looking for ways to increase safety and uptime of vessel operation, while extending the lifecycle of their assets and making costs more predictable”, said Heikki Soljama, Head of ABB’s Marine and Cranes business. “ABB has responded very successfully to this demand with a wide range of service agreements that provide security to our customers’ operations and business. In ABB, this has been the basis for building long-lasting and trusting relationship with ship managers and ship owners”.

The service contract covers periodic maintenance visits scheduled when they least disturb SuperStar Virgo operations. A long-term approach to maintenance and reduction in the variable costs caused by maintenance-related actions make budgeting more predictable. Additionally, the contract ensures effective communication and transparency between Star ship-management and ABB engineers.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs some 135,000 people.

Ocean Grand to sail between Singapore and Malaysia

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 January 2013 25 January 2013

Ocean Grand, a 1991 built vessel of some 30,500 gross tons, has been placed with the management of Oceanic Group by its new operator Somerset Asia that plan to introduce the ship in service between Singapore and undisclosed ports in Malaysia, Oceanic Group said in a statement.

The vessel, which has been chartered out to Somerset Asia by its owners HTB Cruises is now in Busan in South Korea and it will then proceed to Guangzhou for dry docking. The first cruise is scheduled to take place on 1 April.

The 193 metre long vessel was built as Ferry Lavender in 1991, but it hastraded under the names ionian king and Ocean Rose prior to being renamed Ocean Grand. Its current passenger capacity of 950 will be increased to 1,600.

Cruise Shipping Miami offers registration discounts through Feb. 15

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 January 2013 25 January 2013

Cruise Shipping Miami is offering an early-bird discount of $200 off online delegate registration through Feb. 15, 2013, and $500 off on-site registration. The discount is available on both standard and VIP delegate registrations.

With the discount for registering by Feb. 15, standard delegate registration is $995 and VIP registration is $1,495. After Feb. 15, standard rises to $1,195 and VIP registration is $1,695. For those who choose to register on site beginning March 8, a standard delegate badge will cost $1,495 and a VIP pass will be $1,995.

Benefits of a standard delegate registration include three-day admission to the exhibition hall, admission to all conference sessions, admission to sponsored functions, invitation to the Cruise Lines Welcome Reception, complimentary 2013 Show Directory, conference documentation and a complimentary issue of Seatrade Cruise Review.

In addition to the standard benefits, a VIP pass includes access to all conference speakers and other VIPs, invitation to exclusive networking opportunities including the VIP/Speaker Reception, access to the VIP/Speakers Lounge, reserved meeting room availability, early access to the trade show floor, express check-in and valet parking, continental breakfast and refreshments daily, reserved seating at the State of the Industry session and lunch vouchers.

Visitor passes that provide access to the exhibition only are priced at $85 until Feb. 15, $125 thereafter and $175 on site.

Attendee and exhibitor registration and hotel-request forms are available online at http://registration3.experientevent.com/ShowCRU131/Default.aspx

For information about exhibiting or attending, visit http://www.cruiseshippingevents.com/miami.