Norwegian Getaway keel laid at Papenburg

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 02 November 2012 02 November 2012

Norwegian Cruise Line board members, executives and officials from Meyer Werft, the German shipbuilder took part in the Keel Laying Ceremony of Norwegian Getaway at the ship yard in Papenburg on Tuesday, 30 October, Norwegian said in a statement.

 

"During the official ceremony, block number 34, the first of 73 blocks that will comprise the 146,600 gross ton vessel was lifted into the covered building dock, marking the start of the block assembly."

 

Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer, laid the traditional "lucky coin," before the first block, weighing 530 tons, was put in place. A special commemorative coin featuring the ship was created to celebrate the day’s activities.

 

“We are beyond excited to start construction of Norwegian Getaway, sister ship to Norwegian Breakaway,” said Sheehan. “The start of the block assembly is an extremely significant milestone and we eagerly anticipate the delivery of Norwegian Getaway in mid-January 2014.”

 

Norwegian Getaway is the second ship being built by Meyer Werft  utilising a more efficient construction process which will deliver a ship of more than 146,000 gross tons in just over 12 months.

 

“Today we placed the first of the 73 blocks that form the structure of the ship,” said Bernard Meyer, managing director of Meyer Werft. “We are proud to begin the construction of Norwegian Cruise Line’s second Breakaway class ship and to continuing our partnership with one of the most innovative cruise lines in the world.”

 

Norwegian Getaway will begin weekly seven-day cruises from her year-round homeport of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean on Sunday, 1 February, 2014. The ship will be the largest ship to home port year-round in Miami, carrying 4,000 guests to tropical Caribbean destinations including Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas.

 

Norwegian Getaway will feature a rich mix of stateroom options including The Haven by Norwegian, comprised of 42 Suites at the top of the ship and 22 additional suites located throughout the ship; the innovative Studios, designed and priced for solo travellers; a wide range of Oceanview staterooms, Balcony and Mini-Suites; along with Spa Balcony, Mini-Suites and Suites in close proximity to the spa, Norwegian said.  

 

Cruise Baltic to redefine standards of cruise ports

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 02 November 2012 02 November 2012

Cruise Baltic’s last gathering of the year took place in Oslo over a period of two days during 31 October and 1 November, attended by representatives from all of its partner ports.

The organisation is in an advanced stage of preparing a beefy document on port standards. It is based on an extensive study of over 80 individual piers of all the ports within its region. The document promises to create a new benchmark for cruise ports and the implication of which is likely to go beyond the Baltic region.

Speakers included executives from various cruise lines with vested interest in the region. There were workshops and discussions coordinated by cruise consultants. Our correspondent, Alan Lam, was present among the delegates.

The gathering was essentially a steering group meeting, as ever, chaired by its dynamic director, Bo Larsen, during which partners shared their recent experiences, discussed pros and cons of their practices, formulated new policies, refining new initiatives, and, above all, further harmonised its already very uniformed approaches.

Two new members were approved and their names will be announced shortly.

A full article based on this intimate and thought-provoking meeting will be published in the March edition of Cruise Business Review.

 

Alan Lam

 

Royal Caribbean introduces weddings at sea

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 02 November 2012 02 November 2012

Engaged couples can now experience the romance of a wedding at sea performed by the Captain, onboard a Royal Caribbean International ship, through the Royal Romance weddings and vow renewal programme, the company said in a statement.

“The Commonwealth of the Bahamas has approved the cruise line to conduct legal weddings onboard the world’s most innovative cruise ships whilst at sea. A Royal Caribbean International ship offers a ‘multi-destination’ wedding, able to cater to every occasion, from large parties, attended by every family member and friend, to smaller – but still unforgettable – affairs. As a special introductory offer, couples wishing to share their special moment with friends and family and booking 12 or more staterooms on a 2013 Royal Caribbean International sailing will receive a complimentary ‘Romance at Sea’ nuptial package, inclusive of the ceremony performed by the Captain, photography and more,” Royal Caribbean said.

The company’s ships are registered in the Bahamas and are therefore subject to Bahamian legislation.

“Thanks to the support of the Bahamas, our guests can now be married during the course of their Royal Caribbean International cruise and bask in the romance of the sea as they exchange their vows,” said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean International's staff and crew will cater the affair with our world-renowned friendly and engaging service to help make the day extra special for the couple and their guests”

“The Bahamas is happy to participate in this venture with Royal Caribbean International,” said Senator Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Bahamas.  “This premier cruise line has been bringing visitors to our beautiful country for many years, and we know that the Royal Romance weddings and vow renewal programme will encourage even more visitors to our beautiful shores.”

The Royal Romance team of wedding specialists are poised to assist couples during this momentous occasion in their lives and to help create a beautiful personalised event that reflects the bride and groom’s desires. From day one the team assists in all aspects of the wedding planning services, including any legal requirements pre-departure and once onboard the Royal Romance Coordinator ensures that every last detail is taken care of.

 

Sunstone to take over non-management related ISP business

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 02 November 2012 02 November 2012

A new company, SunStone Ships Inc. has been formed for the purpose of taking over some of the existing passenger ship activities of International Shipping Partners, Inc. (ISP). The move is linked to the merger of passenger ship management activities of ISP with River Advice, a Swiss company, to form a new entity called FleetPro

SunStone, named after the original way‐finding device of the Vikings – the sun stone. will assume the following activities from ISP:

-Owners’ representation of ISP‐managed vessel in connection with buying, selling and chartering.

-The newbuilding project,Project Unlimited   

-Other newbuilding activities.

-Communication with existing and future potential investors in passenger vessels.

- Second hand tonnage in connection with potential acquisitions.

-Representation of investors in connection with acquisition or sale of secondhand passenger ship tonnage commercially managed by SunStone.