Paul Gauguin to receive a multi-million dollar refit
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 15 September 2011 15 September 2011
Paul Gauguin Cruises, operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, the Paul Gauguin, has announced the largest renovations in the ship's 14-year history. Scheduled for completion in January 2012, the $7 million renovation will feature extensive enhancements to both interiors and exteriors of the ship.
The renovations will take place in January during the ship's 10-night crossing from Tahiti to Brisbane and 11-night drydock in Brisbane. When joining the South Pacific Discovery sailing departing January 26, 2012, guests will be aboard a vessel that has been thoroughly updated and redecorated for even greater comfort.
Following the renovations, all suites and staterooms will feature new carpeting, refinished furniture with new fabrics, new teak railings on the balconies, decorative side panels around the windows, and new bathroom flooring. Renovations throughout the ship will include new flooring and replaced carpeting, elegant new furniture, new window treatments and decorative wall panels, and new signage, providing a lighter, brighter feel.
La Veranda will offer guests a redesigned entrance, refinished indoor and outdoor furniture and solar shades throughout. Le Grill will boast new decorative partitions and divider walls, as well as a new buffet area and new lighting. L'Etoile will also feature a redesigned entrance in addition to video equipment for conferences.
Promenade Deck 5 will boast a new built-in banquette and expanded casino in Le Casino, and Deck 6 will receive a new integrated display case for books and art. La Palette will feature a decorative stone band along the front of the bar and an updated lighting system, as well as new outdoor furniture. Le Grand Salon will offer a refurbished dance floor to provide the perfect venue to dance the night away under the South Pacific sky.
The Gauguin's previous renovation, totaling $6 million, was completed in January 2009. The upcoming refurbishments show Paul Gauguin Cruises' level of commitment to the vessel and the importance of the overall product and guest experience.
American Cruise Lines' American Spirit to operate in Alaska
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: More News More News
- Published: 15 September 2011 15 September 2011
American Cruise Lines, the leader in small ship cruising, has announced that its 100-passenger American Spirit will operate its recently introduced Alaskan itineraries debuting in June of 2012. Built in 2005, The American Spirit will be the newest vessel operating in Alaska, offering a full range of onboard amenities, including an elevator to all decks, numerous glass-enclosed lounges and the largest staterooms by far, the majority of which have private balconies and all with extra-large opening picture windows to maximize each passenger’s personal view of the Alaskan scenery; towering glaciers, verdant forests, floating ice castles and islands and waters teeming with wildlife.
"Our passengers are going to experience Alaska like they never have before in the comfort of the American Spirit," said Paul Taiclet, Vice President of Hotel Operations, American Cruise Lines. "The oversized staterooms, spacious public areas and multitude of modern-day amenities make this ship by far the most comfortable and accommodating."
American Cruise Lines’ unique approach to small ship cruising will introduce passengers to secluded and seemingly untouched waterways and in the company of expert naturalist guides and local experts. The American Spirit is specially designed to navigate these narrow inland waterways, while the intimate atmosphere onboard is perfect for onboard camaraderie as guests often find themselves amongst others who seek enriching travels and share their passion for exploration, adventure and discovery. See a deck plan of the American Spirit here.
Beginning in June of 2012, American Cruise Lines will offer several different seven- and 11-night Alaskan itineraries, including round trip cruises departing from Juneau, Alaska, and one-way cruises between Juneau and Seattle, Washington. Offering a unique pampered adventure to experience Alaska, American Cruise Lines passengers will experience breathtaking views of the Alaskan wild in the premier vessel available, while having up close and intimate access to wildlife, inside passages and glaciers in the comfort of the American Spirit launch or for the more adventure –inclined passengers, by kayak.
AmaWaterways launches new AmaLotus, the company's second Mekong ship
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 14 September 2011 14 September 2011
"Vietnam and Cambodia offer an incredible array of interesting, historic and scenic destinations, especially along the Mekong River. We're extremely proud to introduce a second ship there with the features and amenities of the MS AmaLotus," said Rudi Schreiner, President, AmaWaterways.
Featuring ultra-spacious 624-sq. ft. Suites; ten Jr. Suites at 290 sq. ft. and standard staterooms at 226 sq. ft., the MS AmaLotus has outside balconies on 90 percent of her staterooms. The décor combines Colonial elegance with regional Khmer accents, staterooms include comfortable sitting areas, individually controlled air- conditioning, a mini-bar, safety deposit box, kimonos and slippers and luxurious bathtub (Jr. Suites/Suites). Guests enjoy fine dining consisting of both Asian and Western specialties; free-flowing complimentary wine and beer at lunch and dinner with complimentary house-brand spirits and soft drinks throughout the cruise. Onboard highlights include folklore dances, musical performances and culture discussion forums.
The expansive Sun Deck on the MS AmaLotus provides the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing cool drink, take a swim in the outdoor pool or simply admire the spectacular sunsets over the Mekong. The ship also features two lounges, a fitness room, spa and gift shop. The hotel manager aboard the MS AmaLotus is European, and the entire staff is fully English-speaking.
Launched in 2009, the Vietnam, Cambodia and the Riches of the Mekong river cruise and land programme is part of the AmaVoyages line of river cruises. Separate and distinct from the AmaWaterways European river cruise product, AmaVoyages deliver an exceptional experience in some of the worlds most intriguing destinations. The Vietnam, Cambodia and the Riches of the Mekong itinerary includes two nights in vibrant Hanoi followed by an overnight aboard a luxury junk in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. A short flight then transports guests to Siem Reap, Cambodia, the gateway to the magnificent Angkor Archeological Park. A two-night stay there includes tours of world-renowned sites such as Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, the Bayon and newly-reopened Baphuon Temple.
From Siem Reap, guests embark on their 7-night odyssey along the Mekong River from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Calls include the bustling capital of Phnom Penh and numerous points of historical and scenic interest, including Kampong Chhnang, Oudong, Tan Chau, Sa Dec, Xeo Quyt and Cai Be. Along the way, guests experience the unforgettable hospitality and ancient traditions of this singular part of the world as they visit floating markets, rainforests and Buddhist monasteries; ride an oxcart and a trishaw and participate in the delicate craft of rice-paper making. The Vietnam, Cambodia and the Riches of the Mekong program concludes with an overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Celebrity Cruises and Meyer Werft celebrate keel-laying of Celebrity Reflection
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 13 September 2011 13 September 2011
Celebrity Cruises has celebrated the keel-laying of the fifth in its stylish, five-ship Solstice Class series, Celebrity Reflection, at shipbuilder Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. The 500-ton block measuring 66-ft by 118-ft was lifted into the building dock with an 800-ton crane, and commemoratively placed on a collection of coins, consistent with tradition.
Celebrity Reflection is the 10th ship to be built for Celebrity Cruises by Meyer Werft. The two organizations’ collaboration began in 1988, with the building of the former Celebrity Horizon. And in a unique twist, Celebrity Reflection shares the same trio of numbers as designated by Meyer Werft to the first Celebrity ship built at the yard: The former Celebrity Horizon’s shipyard number was S-619; Celebrity Reflection’s is S-691.
Kiel cruise forum: Cruises in Northern Europe stay popular
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
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- Published: 10 September 2011 10 September 2011
The trends, potential and prospects of cruise shipping tourism were up for discussion on September 9 in Kiel’s Hotel Atlantic at the trade forum “Cruise Shipping Destinations Schleswig-Holstein” organised by the Schleswig-Holstein Tourist Agency. The forum is an information platform and an opportunity for trade experts to exchange views. Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) and a partner of the “Cruise Shipping Destinations Schleswig-Holstein” project said “cruises in northern Europe continue to be as popular as ever and Kiel is benefitting from this growth. The number of travellers has more than doubled to 350,000 inside just four years.” The port chief singled out three developments in particular. "As cruise ships continue to get bigger, they themselves become objects of interest, the public is getting younger and the northern Europe cruise season is getting longer," Dirk Claus said.
This year the average size of cruise ships calling at Kiel is almost 65,000 gross tons for the first time. That’s five times more than the average cruise ship size in 2001 (12,850 GT). "The increasing size of ships has placed challenging demands on port locations. Enormous investments have been made in expanding terminal facilities and further capacity expansion will be necessary," said Dirk Claus. Ships of more than 300 metres in length, carrying more than 3,000 passengers, are now increasingly being brought into service in the Baltic and require handling logistics which need to be well-planned and include good service. To continue to meet this growing future demand, not only the Ostseekai but also, from 2013, the Ostuferhafen will be in a position to host big cruise ships.
Of particular importance for port locations is the trend towards longer cruising seasons in northern Europe. Whereas cruise ships have so far traditionally operated between May and September in the Baltic, the season now starts as early as the beginning of April and lasts until mid October. "In the coming year," said Dirk Claus, "we will even welcome a cruise ship to Kiel during Advent. Why shouldn’t cruise ships , like ferry ships, soon be sailing all the year round in the Baltic.” As well as being a start and end port, Kiel is also the gateway to Schleswig-Holstein as a tourist destination. Dirk Claus said “the public is getting younger and our international guests want increasingly active land excursions. There is an opportunity here to market Schleswig-Holstein’s many tourist attractions. In this respect I heartily welcome the co-operation among tourist and port concerns which is promoted within the “Cruise Shipping Destinations Schleswig-Holstein” project.”
The SEEHAFEN KIEL operates Kiel’s commercial port on behalf of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital, of which it is a 100% subsidiary. Kiel boasts a total of three modern passenger terminals for ferry and cruise ships at the Ostseekai, Schwedenkai and Norwegenkai - all of them in inner-city locations. Smaller cruise ships and large private yachts can berth at the Sartorikai which has a very special atmosphere. Inside just five years and with the support of the state of Schleswig-Holstein and the EU, well over 60 million Euros have been invested in the expansion of port facilities.
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