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Saga to receive equity injection, former Chairman returns and second ship nears completion

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 01 September 2020 01 September 2020

Saga plc, the listed British financial services to cruise company that serves those over the age of 50, is to receive an equity injection that brought its former chairman to that position, while the company’s second newbuilding has left the shipyard in Germany.

The company said that it is at the advanced stage of a prospective £150 million equity capital raise in order to strengthen its balance sheet, improve liquidity and support the execution of its reinvigorated strategy under its strengthened management team.  This is planned to be launched on 10 September, when Saga is also due to publish its first half interim rsults.

Former chairman Sir Roger De Haan intends to invest, subject to final documentation, up to £100 million in the Proposed Equity Raise. It is expected that Sir Roger will make his investment through:

“Alongside his investment, Sir Roger would join the Board and become Non-Executive Chairman, taking over from Patrick O'Sullivan upon completion of the Proposed Equity Raise. Sir Roger would serve for an expected term of three years, subject to annual re-election by shareholders.,” the company said.

Meanwhile, Spirit of Adventure, the second of two 56,850 gross ton luxury segment newbuilding from Meyer Werft in Germany, has left the shipyard in Papenburg for sea trials.

Spirit of Discovery, the first vessel, is currently laid up in Tilbury near London. It was delivered to the company last year.

Check out stunning pictures: Silver Moon undergoes sea trials

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 27 August 2020 27 August 2020

Silversea’s new ship Silver Moon is one step closer to welcoming the cruise line’s guests, having successfully carried out her sea trials between August 8th and August 20th. Carrying a reduced crew of approximately 320 due to precautionary health protocols, the ship journeyed between Fincantieri’s shipyards in Ancona and Trieste, Italy, undergoing a week-long dry-dock period in the latter. With a delivery date set for October 30th, Silver Moon will become the second ship to join Silversea’s ultra-luxury fleet in 2020, following the delivery of Silver Origin on June 3.

Silversea’s senior officers, external engineers, and representatives from both Fincantieri and the Royal Caribbean Group put Silver Moon through a series of preliminary tests in the Adriatic Sea – including noise, and vibration tests – for three days from August 8th. Once Silver Moon was out of the water in Trieste, stability tests were performed; public spaces were inspected; and engineers applied the finishing touches to the ship’s exterior, including the cleaning and painting of the hull, and the polishing of the ship’s brass propellers. Secondary tests, including speed tests, were then carried out on the return sailing from Trieste to Ancona. Work has now recommenced on the ship’s interior, ahead of the vessel’s official delivery in October.

Silver Moon's build in numbers

The sister ship of Silversea’s Silver Muse, Silver Moon represents the latest accomplishment in the cruise line’s long-standing partnership with the illustrious shipbuilder Fincantieri. During the peak months of Silver Moon’s construction in Ancona, over 1,000 skilled professionals were working on the ship simultaneously, with over 390 companies contributing to the build. Painted using almost 100,000L of paint, over 15,000 steel plates and profiles were cut to form the ship’s superstructure – 920t of which were transported from 755nm away. Approximately 1,690,000m of electric cable were installed by 18 contractors, as well as 60,000m2 of insulation, 450,000kg of air conditioning ducts, and 92,000kg of ventilation ducts. Moreover, over 5,000 automation channels have been installed to link the ship’s mechanisms.

Silver Moon's Master

With over 20 years of experience at Silversea Cruises alone, Captain Alessandro Zanello was at the helm for the launch of Silver Moon’s sister ship, Silver Muse, back in 2017, and was also present for the sea trials of Silver Spirit in 2009.

“As my third with Silversea, I must say that Silver Moon’s sea trials felt a little surreal after everything that happened in the months prior,” says Zanello. “I was originally scheduled to travel to the shipyard in Ancona in April. I was with family in Canada at the time. Unfortunately there were no flights from Canada to Ancona, so I was unable to reach the ship until July. The sea trials themselves felt special, indeed, and were held in unique circumstances. Enhanced health and safety protocols were in place, including temperature screenings, physical distancing, and the wearing of face coverings both on the ship and in the shipyard. Meal hours were extended and we ate with fewer people in the restaurant. During the sea trials themselves, we had far fewer people on board than for those of Silver Muse. Safety was the primary concern. Nevertheless, we managed to carry out all test successfully. I must admit, sea trials can often be stressful, with too many people on the bridge; it was quite pleasant to have a more tranquil environment. Perhaps we will be forced to review our processes going forwards – this could be a positive thing. At the end of the sea trials, we shared a celebratory glass of prosecco with the team from Fincantieri. The ship is coming on nicely and she really is looking spectacular. This is a momentous occasion for all of us; we have worked very hard to reach this point. One of the most special moments for me was going into the dock to see the ship’s hull, before and after the painting. A small tradition of mine: I like to take a photo in front of the bulbous bow, when a fresh coat of paint glistens on the hull.”

Silver Moon's Chief Engineer

Promoted to the position of Chief Engineer aboard Silver Spirit in 2017, Guido Capurro participated in his first sea trials with Silversea aboard Silver Moon.Not only is Capurro responsible for the operation of the ship’s main and auxiliary engines, but he also directs the onboard technical department, with responsibilities that include air conditioning, plumbing, lifeboat engines, and launching apparatus.

“While all essential technicians from Silversea and Fincantieri were able to attend the sea trials, some external engineers were unable to fly and so could not be present. Approximately half the number of people were on board compared to regular sea trials. Nevertheless, we were able to carry out all tests successfully. These were my first sea trials with Silversea and it is always spectacular to see the ship at its peak performance, and to see how the automation and safety devices react to the sudden change in demand. Everything went really well and the ship's responses exceeded expectations. I was thrilled to see the ship's propellers out of the water once again, as they were polished during the dry-docking period in Trieste. The better they are polished, the better the ship’s performance. The hull was painted with a special antifouling with a very low roughness, which is an important task in optimizing the performance of the ship.”

Silver Moon's Hotel Director

The son of a Captain, Hotel Director Paolo Percivale proudly participated in the launch of both Silver Spirit in 2009 and Silver Muse in 2017, before bringing his expertise aboard Silver Moon. As Hotel Director, he will oversee the entire hotel operation on board, managing a team of over 350 crewmembers to deliver exceptional service to Silversea’s guests.

“Just 10 days after we joined the shipyard at the beginning of March, the lockdown was implemented and everything came to a halt. We lived through the lockdown in Ancona. Guido and I, along with several other members of the team, were working from apartments in the city until the end of April, which was very difficult. After a spell back home once the lockdown ended, I returned to the shipyard on July 1st. It’s great to finally see Silver Moon nearing completion and to experience the various enhancements we have made from Silver Muse. In the Dolce Vita Lounge, for example, a beautiful bar has been installed as the space’s focal point, while La Dame Restaurant has been enriched with hand-crafted Lalique crystal panels. All public areas and suites are looking remarkable – I just can’t wait to welcome our guests on board, enjoying these new atmospheric venues. I am especially excited to see the reactions of our guests to our inspiring new S.A.L.T. programme, and our new S.A.L.T. venues, which is sure to be more than positive. She is a beautiful vessel, indeed.”

“Silver Moon successfully passed her sea trials and we are now nearing the ship’s delivery,” says Giovanni Stecconi, Director of Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard. “We look forward to celebrating that momentous occasion together with Silversea, a cruise line whose growth we have contributed to with pride and determination, thanks to ambitious projects such as the ‘Muse’ class, of which Silver Moon is a part.”

“Silver Moon will be an innovative addition to our expanding fleet of ultra-luxury ships,” says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. “Building on the success of our beloved flagship Silver Muse, Silver Moon will push boundaries in travel to unlock meaningful experiences for our guests around the world. Our pioneering new S.A.L.T. programme is just one way in which travellers will delve deep into destinations, and I look forward to personally welcoming our guests aboard Silver Moon in the near future. I extend my gratitude to the entire team at Fincantieri, who have demonstrates their skill and know-how; Captain Zanello and his officers, who have worked tirelessly; Silversea’s committed shoreside team for their enduring professionalism; and our colleagues at the Royal Caribbean Group, who continue to strengthen our cruise line with their invaluable support. The fact that our beautiful Silver Moon nears completion, despite such challenging circumstances, is a testament to the exceptional resilience and expertise of all involved in her build. For this I am very proud.”

Allianz customer survey finds travel advisor clients will lead cruise recovery in 2021

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 27 August 2020 27 August 2020

While the pandemic has people staying closer to home these days, the outlook for traveling abroad by cruise ship looks promising in 2021, according to recent findings from travel insurance and assistance company Allianz Partners. After analyzing more than 1,000 survey responses from customers who purchased its U.S. travel insurance products through travel advisors and other retail distribution partners, Allianz found that among retail customers who don’t plan to travel this year, many are planning to book international travel in 2021 and many of those international travelers will choose to cruise.

According to the Allianz data, 60% of its retail customers who say they won’t travel until 2021, plan to visit an international destination for their next trip – with 20% of those retail customers indicating that they will sail on a cruise ship.

Leading the survey respondents, 50% of Allianz retail customers indicated they will stay in a hotel or resort, while other retail customers revealed they will stay with friends and family (13%), followed by a rental house (8%), a personal vacation house (4%) and only 2% plan on spending their vacation in an RV, tent or cabin.

Although ocean cruising is not resuming in the U.S. until at least November 2020, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, elsewhere in the world, large ships are already setting sail with limited capacity, social distancing and other stringent safety measures in place.

“Travel will continue to evolve in response to the unfolding of global events. Meanwhile, we are discovering that our customers are more open to taking trips to overseas destinations once again,” said Joe Mason, Chief Marketing Officer at Allianz Partners. “One area where we are expecting to see an increasing interest in the year ahead is in international cruise travel.”

As for insurance travel products, Allianz is currently offering several temporary accommodations, providing coverage for trip cancellations, trip interruptions, and emergency medical care for those who become ill with COVID-19 and has temporarily extended refunds of travel insurance premiums to customers whose travel suppliers have canceled their trips due to COVID-19.

The travel insurance and assistance company is also allowing customers to use their policy within 770 days of the purchase date so that it can be used for a new or rescheduled trip. Note, customers who are moving their existing plan must change their plan coverage dates before traveling and prior to any loss for which they are seeking coverage. Furthermore, if the customer takes advantage of this option to insure a new or reschedule trip that was paid for with a travel supplier voucher, any amount paid by a travel supplier voucher would be considered part of that customer’s insured trip payments.

Three Carnival brands extend Australia, New Zealand suspension to December

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 27 August 2020 27 August 2020

P&O Cruises Australia, Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, all parts of the world’s largest cruise shipping group Carnival Corporation & plc, said they will extend suspension of operations in Australia and New Zealand into Deceber.

P&O Cruises Australia is extending its rolling pause in operations from Australia to 2 December this year as the cruise line continues to take guidance from authorities, public health experts and society on restarting sailing, the company said in a statement

“Due to the continued progression of COVID-19 and related decisions of various governments, health authorities, and airlines regarding travel restrictions, Princess Cruises is extending its pause in cruise operations in Australia through December 12, 2020 which includes cruises throughout Australia and New Zealand,” the company said in a separate statement.

Finally, Carnival Cruise Line said that in light of continuing Australian travel restrictions, it is extending its pause in departures from Australia through 2 December 2020 for Carnival Spirit and Carnival Splendor.