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Cruise veteran Bob Prieto joins Atlas as Vice President of Guest Operations

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 September 2022 25 September 2022

Atlas Ocean Voyages has appointed cruise industry leader Bob Prieto to serve as vice president of guest operations, it has been announced by James A. Rodriguez, the line’s president and CEO. In his new role, Prieto is chiefly responsible for guest services, guest relations, and the past-guest loyalty program.

“Atlas is renowned for the outstanding guest experience on board our luxury, yacht-style vessels,” said Rodriguez. “Bob’s broad travel industry background will be key as we strive to deliver extraordinary service levels pre and post cruise. We are delighted to welcome him to our shoreside management team.”

Prieto brings more than 30 years in the travel industry to his new position. Most recently, he was vice president of sales for small-ship luxury line SeaDream Yacht Club. Prior to that, he worked with Rodriguez at Oceania Cruises for 15 years, where in the sales department he rose through the ranks from manager to vice president. Prieto began his cruise career working in the mailroom at Norwegian Cruise Lines in 1989, eventually managing the inside sales team.

“Having worked with James previously, I am excited to join Atlas,” said Prieto. “My number one goal is to make the guest experience before and after the voyage match the excellent onboard service. I look forward to working with our valued travel advisors and past guests and to exceeding their expectations.”

Atlas Ocean Voyages caters to global travelers with a passion for exploring iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. The stylish and intimate expedition ships offer every five-star comfort, from an all-inclusive onboard experience and luxurious accommodations to in-depth excursions and customized private tours for a truly personalized voyage.

With only 94 accommodations, guests enjoy nearly a 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio and a special camaraderie and bond with their fellow explorers. This perfect balance lets discerning travelers immerse themselves in unique and awe-inspiring moments in remote and captivating places, from Antarctica to the Arctic, as well as to discover sought-after ports of call throughout Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas.

Holland America Line’s Volendam returns to cruise operations

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 September 2022 24 September 2022

Two-and-a-half years after the cruise industry pause, Holland America Line’s Volendam returned to cruising today at Trieste (Venice), Italy. The ship embarked guests for a 14-night Holy Land and Ancient Kingdoms Explorer itinerary.

To commemorate the occasion, Holland America Line held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the terminal to open embarkation, attended by the ship’s captain and senior officers, with flag-waving fanfare from team members lined up to greet guests as they boarded.

“This is a milestone day as Volendam embarks on its first full cruise since the industry-wide pause,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We are thankful for the incredible work of the shipboard team these past six months, caring for Ukrainian families. As we get back to cruising, we are excited to welcome guests on Volendam for a series of longer voyages that include explorations of the Mediterranean, Amazon and South America.”

Volendam has spent the past six months in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, under charter to the City of Rotterdam to house Ukrainian families. The ship was a temporary home for up to 1,500 refugees through the charter, part of a larger commitment from the Netherlands to accommodate 50,000 people who fled the war in their homeland.

Following the Holy Land and Ancient Kingdoms cruise, the ship will sail 14-day itineraries to Greece, Turkey, Italy, Croatia and Montenegro. In late October, the ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to offer a 28-day Amazon Explorer voyage, followed by a series of Caribbean cruises. In January 2023, the ship departs on the 74-day Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage that circumnavigates the continent.

Ocean Albatros launched in Haimen, China

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 September 2022 23 September 2022

SunStone Maritime Group A/S has announced, that a launching ceremony for Ocean Albatros was successfully held on Friday, September 16, at China Merchants Heavy Industries in Haimen, China.

The Ocean Albatros is the sixth vessel in the series of INFINITY Class newbuild vessels to be built for SunStone. The planned delivery of Ocean Albatros is spring of 2023, where she will go on year-round charter with Albatros Expeditions.

Everyone at SunStone is very pleased to see the Ocean Albatros launched and looks forward to seeing her sea trial during the winter.

INFINITY Class Vessels are 104 meters long and 18 meters wide, with a draft of 5.1 meters. They feature a passenger capacity of between 130 and 200 and a crew capacity of between 85 and 115. The Vessels are Ice Class 1A, Polar Class 6 and are being built with Safe Return to Port, Dynamic Positioning, and zero speed stabilizers. Ulstein Design & Solutions' X-Bow is featured on the vessels. They are small enough to give an exclusive atmosphere and yet large enough to yield all the expected services and facilities, such as a swimming pool, bar, restaurants, lounges, boutique, gym and spa.

Three INFINITY Class newbuilds, the GREG MORTIMER, the OCEAN EXPLORER, and the OCEAN VICTORY, have already been delivered and are now in operation. The SYLVIA EARLE and the OCEAN ODYSSEY will be delivered in 2022. All vessels ordered have long-term charter agreements in place.

Hurtigruten Norway launches its first hybrid ship, part of a EUR100 million green upgrade

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 September 2022 22 September 2022

Hurtigruten Norway has launched its first environmentally-upgraded battery-hybrid powered ship, Richard With. It is the first of seven in the Coastal Express fleet to be upgraded, and now features state-of-the-art technology that will significantly reduce both CO2 and Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions.

"With MS Richard With back in operations as a fully-upgraded ship, guests can sail the Norwegian coast on a quieter, state-of-the-art, and environmentally-friendly ship, while enjoying a traditional experience unlike anything in the world. Over the next year, all our seven Coastal Express ships will be upgraded to be more sustainable," said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway.

As part of a major effort to make Hurtigruten Norway's fleet more sustainable, the company has invested nearly 100 million Euros towards green upgrades that will be implemented before the end of 2023. This move follows its sister company, Hurtigruten Expeditions, introducing the world's first battery-hybrid powered expedition ship, MS Roald Amundsen, in 2019. The expedition cruise brand now has three battery-hybrid powered ships in its fleet.

"Becoming a green company means investing in efforts with documented effects, such as the ones we are doing now. As a result, by next summer, we will have three upgraded hybrid ships sailing the coast, and our entire fleet will be more energy efficient, cutting CO2-emissions by 25% and NOx by 80%," said Hedda Felin.

Richard With has gone through extensive upgrades and been retrofitted with battery packages, brand new engines, and new propulsion systems at Myklebust Yard in northwestern Norway. All Hurtigruten Norway's seven ships will also be fitted with SCR systems that cut NOx emissions by a massive 80% before the end of summer 2023.

"This is one of the largest environmental upgrades of its kind in Europe, and the largest in Hurtigruten's history. The fact that we have made these upgrades at Myklebust Yard, with as much Norwegian technology as possible, is no coincidence. Hurtigruten Norway has been a contributor to local communities for 130 years and will continue to be so when sailing, building, and upgrading our ships," Felin said.

"Our goal is to get to zero emissions, and the work to plan the next generation zero emission vessels has already started. Until that technology has been pioneered, we are investing heavily in giving our existing fleet a green upgrade with the best technology available today, but our plan is to have the first emission-free ship in our fleet by 2030, and we're working hard on achieving that," said Felin.

The green upgrades o Richard With include:

* Conversion to a hybrid ship with two large battery packs (1,120kWh each) and new, more efficient Norwegian-made engines reduces CO2 emissions considerably with increased redundancy and safety;
* SCR systems that cut NOx emissions by a massive 80%;
* New switchboards and power management systems;
* New propeller blades, new bulbous bow, new gears, and new control systems to minimize energy use;
* New, modern navigational and Maneuvering bridge systems;
* Hull-optimization to reduce drag;
* New boilers to improve heat recovery from main engines for reduced energy consumption used for heating;
* New retractable azimuth thruster astern;
* Installation of state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants to minimize emissions to sea;
* All ships in Hurtigruten Norway's fleet already have shore power convertibility, eliminating emissions in ports with shore power available;
* The large-scale upgrade means that all Hurtigruten Norway's seven Costal Express ships will have emissions equivalent to Tier III, the strictest international standard for NOx emissions; and
* Hurtigruten Norway will also use certified biofuels to cut CO2 emissions.

RCCL offers $2.0 billion of notes to refinance debt due 2023

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 September 2022 22 September 2022

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) said that it has commenced a private offering of two issues of notes totalling at $2.0 billion to refinance debt maturing in 2023.

The company will offer senior guaranteed notes due 2029 for an aggregate principal amount of $1.0 billion and a concurrent private offering of senior secured notes due 2029 for an aggregate principal amount of $1.0 billion.

“The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale of the Senior Guaranteed Notes and the Senior Secured Notes, together with cash on hand, to redeem all its outstanding 9.125% Priority Guaranteed Notes due 2023 and 10.875% Senior Secured Notes due 2023, respectively, concurrently with the respective closing of the Senior Guaranteed Notes and Senior Secured Notes offerings (including to pay fees and expenses in connection with such redemptions),” it said in a statement.

The Senior Guaranteed Notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by RCI Holdings LLC, which owns 100% of the equity interests of certain of the Company's wholly-owned vessel-owning subsidiaries.

The Senior Secured Notes will be guaranteed by Celebrity Cruises Inc., Celebrity Cruises Holdings Inc. and certain of the Company's wholly-owned vessel owning subsidiaries.

The Senior Secured Notes and the related guarantees will be secured by 26 of the Company's vessels and material intellectual property of the Company in an amount not to exceed permitted capacity under the Company's existing indebtedness.

The closing of each offering is not contingent upon the closing of the other offering, RCCL said.