Top Headlines

PortMiami sets a record year – its strongest ever

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 24 October 2018 24 October 2018

PortMiami, in collaboration with its cruise and cargo partners, posted a record year. The Port experienced an increase of 5.8% in containerized cargo movements for its 2018 Fiscal Year with a total of 1,084,000 (twenty-foot equivalent units) and an increase of 4.7% in cruise visitors with a total of 5,592,000 passengers during the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2018.

For the fourth consecutive year, PortMiami has surpassed the 1 million TEU mark. Port officials attribute the growth to a strong balance of global trade and more than $1 billion of completed capital infrastructure improvements that offer shippers a strategic location equipped to handle Post-Panamax vessels requiring a -39 ft. draft or deeper. To date, the Port has welcomed more than 250 Post-Panamax vessels that could not have called without the completion of the deep dredge project or without the acquisition of new Super Post-Panamax cranes.

On the cruise side, PortMiami officials attribute growth to expanded business opportunities. In 2018, Royal Caribbean International added sailings to the Empress of the Seas and welcomed the newly renovated Mariner of the Seas. Oceania Cruises and Disney Cruise Line extended their winter seasons. The Port also welcomed three new cruise lines: Viking Ocean Cruises, Victory Cruise Lines, and Seabourn. Additionally, it welcomed Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Magic and its new build, the Carnival Horizon. MSC also introduced its new build, the MSC Seaside, to the port’s lineup.

"I am proud to say that today PortMiami is a full-service global hub handling some of the largest vessels in the industry," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. "We’re starting to see the results of more than $1 billion of completed infrastructure and a port team that gets the job done. I would like to thank the entire PortMiami team for their hard work and dedication. The Port’s continued growth would not be possible without them."

"I want to thank all of PortMiami’s dedicated partners including the cruise and cargo lines, the International Longshoremen’s Associations’ Locals 1416 and 1922, Miami-Dade Police and Fire Departments, the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Miami, U.S. Coast Guard, the Biscayne Bay Pilots, among so many others," said Chairwoman of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee Rebeca Sosa. "New facilities, berths and terminals are in the works to accommodate the industry’s new generation of vessels. The future is only getting brighter at our seaport."

MSC Cruises to build four 64,000 gross tons luxury ships at Fincantieri

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 18 October 2018 18 October 2018

MSC Cruises, the world’s fourth largest cruise shipping group, has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilder, for the construction of four ultra-luxury cruise ships for a total value in excess of €2 billion, the shipbuilder said in a statement.

The ships, the first of which will be delivered in Spring 2023, will have gross tonnage of about 64,000 gross tons and feature 500 cabins. The remaining three ships will come into service one per year over the following three years.

The ships will feature, amongst other, the best and latest environmental technology and other cutting-edge maritime solutions at sea. They will also showcase highly-innovative design as well as introduce ground-breaking options for guest comfort and relax.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “It is off the back of the great success of our ship-within-a-ship luxury concept that our guests asked us to enter into the ultra-luxury segment, as a natural evolution of the MSC Yacht Club. These ships will be able to offer unique itineraries, thanks to their size, and the guest services will be taken to another level, including our personalised MSC Yacht Club butler service, available 24/7.

Vago continued, “I am especially pleased to be able to further extend our partnership with Fincantieri through this new order. The award-winning Seaside and Seaside-Evo class have already been recognised as ground-breaking and innovative designs. We are now introducing another new class, which will establish a new standard of ultra-luxury at sea with ships that will showcase the quality and highest standards that are associated with Made in Italy.”

Carnival Victory to be transformed to Carnival Radiance in final phase of $2 billion programme

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 17 October 2018 17 October 2018

Carnival Cruise Line, the US focused contemporary market unit in Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it would transform the 2000 built Carnival Victory of 101,509 gross tons into Carnival Radiance – representing the final phase of a $2 billion fleet enhancement programme.

It is the third and final unit of the Carnival Triumph class to undergo the transformation.

The refurbishment of Carnival Victory will add the line’s popular culinary, bar and entertainment innovations and complete an “any ship, any port, any itinerary” level of service and offerings across its fleet of 26 ships that is unparalleled in the cruise industry.

Following a 38-day dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, Carnival Radiance will enter service in 2020. Homeport and itinerary details for the new Carnival Radiance will be announced in mid-November.

“We have been investing in our products, amenities and experience offerings at unprecedented levels which are driving higher results in guest satisfaction, passenger yields and onboard revenue,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“Our guests and travel agent partners can count on a high degree of consistency and quality vacation offerings across all our fleet and homeports regardless of what ship they’re sailing on. Ultimately, this effort is about driving demand by giving each and every guest a memorable vacation and offering a reason to come back to Carnival again and again. And it’s clearly working based on extremely positive feedback from the more than five million guests we carry each year.”

As part of the fleet enhancement program, popular features are nearly ubiquitous across the fleet through a combination of branded offerings which provide guests with a consistent level of dining, entertainment and amenities, including:

Casual F&B options, Poolside venues like Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, in collaboration with Food Network star Guy Fieri, BlueIguana Cantina & Tequila Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, as well as upgrades to Lido Deck buffets and The Deli, and popular features like Swirls self-serve ice cream stations, coffee bars and 24-hour pizza.

Specialty dining, including The Chef’s Table fine dining experience, the cocktail pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar, as well as Italian, sushi and seafood options.

Shopping and Personal Care, including Cherry on Top sweet shops, Pixels photo galleries, expanded retail outlets and offerings and renovated fitness and spa facilities.

Outdoor Decks and Attractions, including massive new water parks with huge slides and kiddie splash zones, Serenity adults-only areas, new miniature golf courses and more.

Youth & Family Entertainment, including game arcades, and dedicated Camp Ocean, Circle “C” and Club O2 facilities hosting supervised children’s programming for kids 2-17.

Theater & Live Entertainment, including Punchliner Comedy Clubs, Playlist Productions shows, Rock Band 2.0, live entertainment, deck parties, onboard programming and piano bars.

Technology upgrades, including fleetwide roll-out of the Carnival HubApp to allow all guests to check-in online, book dining, spa treatments and shore excursions, keep abreast of ship news and activities, and communicate with their fellow travelers.

Award-winning enhanced NextGen Connectivity solution that creates a best in class Wi-Fi experience onboard enabling guests who want to be connected a content rich experience and ability to seamlessly access their favorite social media applications, news, email, and the internet with enhanced speed.

Carnival launched its fleet enhancement program in 2011. Since that time, it has completed refurbishments to more than 20 ships, taken delivery of three new ships and has three additional ships scheduled for delivery through 2022.

Silversea Cruises chooses Meyer Werft, De Hoop to build its three new ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 08 October 2018 08 October 2018

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Silversea Cruises today announced agreements to build three new ships for Silversea Cruises, the ultra-luxury and expedition cruise brand that recently joined the RCL family.

Silversea signed a memorandum of understanding with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to build two new vessels in a new “Evolution Class.” The first Evolution-class ship is expected to deliver in 2022.

Silversea also signed a contract with Dutch shipbuilder Shipyard De Hoop to construct a new expedition vessel, named Silver Origin, that will serve the Galapagos Islands itinerary currently sailed by Silver Galapagos. The new ship is expected for delivery in March 2020.

“We are delighted to have entered into an agreement with Meyer Werft on the Silver Evolution series and De Hoop for Silver Origin,” says Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea’s Executive Chairman. “With our guests in mind, we are pushing the boundaries of ultra-luxury cruising, as well as expedition cruising in the Galápagos Islands and beyond, redefining the concept of immersive travel.”

“We are excited to get to work helping Silversea grow and realize its ambitions,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which finalized its two-thirds acquisition of Silversea earlier this year. “There is tremendous potential in the ultra-luxury and expedition markets of the cruise industry, and we believe discerning travelers will embrace the exciting designs Silversea is imagining for them.”

“We are very happy to build these new ships for Silversea Cruises. Together with Silversea we will create a new generation of environmentally friendly ships in the ultra-luxury cruise market,” said Tim Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft.

“We are excited and proud to receive this order,” said Patrick A.B.M. Janssens MA, CEO, Shipyard De Hoop. “It is not only about building the best small expedition cruise vessel, but also about building and maintaining a high-quality partnership with Royal Caribbean and Silversea.”

The agreements are subject to certain contingencies which are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2019.

SunStone Ships orders second expedition cruise vessel from Ulstein

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 05 October 2018 05 October 2018

Ulstein Design & Solutions AS in Norway won a design and equipment contract for an X-BOW expedition cruise vessel from SunStone Ships in Miami last year. The contract included nine options and the first one has now been declared, Ulstein said in a statement.

The first vessel for SunStone, which has received the name ‘Greg Mortimer’, is well underway at the CMHI (China Merchants Heavy Industry) yard, and is set to sail off for her first cruise after her completion in Q4 2019. This vessel, as well as the next one, have been chartered by the Australian Aurora Expeditions.

“We decided to partner up with Ulstein due to their hull and the technical design, as well as their site team in China to supervise the production,” said Niels-Erik Lund, President/CEO SunStone Ships when announcing the first vessel.

He stated: “It was of utmost importance that we developed an expedition cruise vessel of high quality and with proven design and technology. Ulstein has designed more than 105 vessels with the X-BOW design. These hulls have been developed for rough weather, high comfort and great fuel efficiency.”

Tore Ulstein, deputy CEO in Ulstein Group and COO Design & Solutions comments: "We are pleased that SunStone starts to declare their options with CMHI. This shows that our designs and solutions fulfil their expectations. In addition to the design and equipment package, we will support the yard with a site team. This includes pre-commissioning and commissioning, testing and sea trial assistance. When the SunStone vessels start cruising, we believe they will be highly attractive to the expedition cruise passengers"

Ulstein’s contract is with the China Merchants Group (CMG), China, and the vessels will be built at their yard. This second ship is scheduled for delivery in August 2020. Ulstein is responsible for the delivery of the design and equipment package with all main equipment being of proven technology and from well-known manufacturers in Europe.

The expedition cruise vessels are the first of their kind in which the ULSTEIN X-BOW® hull design has been implemented. The shape of the X-BOW enables the passengers to stand at the bow and look directly down to where the waves meet the hull. The bow leads to reduced ship movements, and therefore a more comfortable stay. The X-BOW has a tapered fore ship shape to pierce waves of all heights, resulting in reduced pitching and bow impact loads in rough seas. It prevents the vessel from rising on the waves and dropping violently onto the water’s surface. The vessel needs less fuel to cut through the waves, reducing fuel costs and energy use, and thus reducing emissions.

It's not just the X-BOW® that makes these ships stand out. The layout is designed for indoor excellence and outdoor experiences. Observation decks and balconies offer a range of views to the spectacular surroundings. A high class restaurant and bar serve all-day delicacies and refreshments.

The ULSTEIN CX103 expedition cruise ship is 104.3 metres long and 18.4 metres wide. The SunStone vessels are part of the Infinity Class, in which the passenger capacity can range from 130 to 200, and the crew capacity from 85 to 115. The hull will be built according to Polar Code 6, Category B, with dynamic positioning system and zero-speed stabilizers.