News

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines confirms new ships Bolette and Borealis will replace Boudicca and Black Watch

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 21 August 2020 21 August 2020

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has today confirmed it will retire two classic vessels, Boudicca and Black Watch, as the company prepares to welcome two new ships, Bolette and Borealis, into the fleet.

The two new ships will take over existing itineraries for Boudicca and Black Watch, when cruising begins again with the company’s ‘back in the water’ plan for next year.

When Bolette and Borealis join the fleet it will increase Fred. Olsen’s overall capacity by circa 30 percent – meaning more guests can enjoy exciting new itineraries. Both vessels carry under 1,400 guests and have new and larger public areas, whilst remaining true to Fred. Olsen’s small ship experience.

Those guests who had cruises booked on the two classic vessels will be among the first to sail on the new ships, with their bookings being automatically transferred onto either Bolette or Borealis. Additional cabins will go on sale in early September.

Peter Deer, Managing Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “I am pleased to say we are now at the stage of finalising our back in the water plans and we are very excited to be doing this with two new vessels within our fleet.

“While we are still looking at a number of options for Boudicca and Black Watch, what we do know is that they won’t resume sailing with us when we do start to cruise again.

“We know that these ships are much loved among our guests, as indeed they are by us, but it is time to evolve and look ahead to a long and bright future for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

“We will soon be revealing more details on our plans to resume sailing again, but in the meantime we hope many of you will join us on our virtual farewell cruises to see our two ships off in style.”

As part of Fred. Olsen’s virtual cruise programme, the company will be holding virtual farewell sailings for both Boudicca and Black Watch on Facebook, with guests and crew invited to share their favourite photographs and memories of the two ships.

The virtual cruises will be held for two weeks starting from Monday, 24th August.

Guests who were booked to sail on Boudicca and Black Watch will automatically have their booking transferred to the same itineraries on Bolette or Borealis, and will be contacted by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines with final details in the coming weeks.

Carnival Cruise Line's next Excel-class ship to be named Carnival Celebration

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 21 August 2020 21 August 2020

With the help of celebrity partners past and present, Carnival Cruise Line today announced that its next Excel-class ship arriving in 2022 to coincide with its 50th birthday celebration will be named "Carnival Celebration."

A full roster of Carnival partners, including Kathie Lee Gifford, Guy Fieri and Shaquille O'Neal, unwrapped boxes that revealed the letters of the Celebration name, which is both a throwback to one of the popular early ships in the Carnival fleet, as well as a recognition of Carnival's 50th birthday celebration that will take place in 2022 when the new Carnival Celebration will join the fleet. The video announcement was made across Carnival's social media channels.

Carnival Celebration will debut from PortMiami in November 2022, and will be a sister ship to Mardi Gras, the first in the Excel series scheduled to enter service on Feb. 6, 2021 from Port Canaveral, Fla. The addition of Carnival Celebration to Miami will maintain PortMiami's position as the top embarkation port for Carnival Cruise Line.

"The name Carnival Celebration couldn't be more perfect for a ship that will be a key component of our 50th Birthday festivities," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Many thanks to our celebrity partners who helped us officially 'unbox the fun' and reveal the name of a ship that promises to be a spectacular addition to our fleet. Carnival Celebration is our 50th Birthday present to our guests!"

Carnival Celebration will include many of the features that have made Mardi Gras one of the most anticipated ships in cruising, including BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, along with some unique design features created specifically for this vessel.

Carnival's 50th Birthday celebration kicks off in March 2022 – the company's birthday month – with a series of commemorative sailings that will feature special entertainment and itineraries then continue all year long, culminating with the arrival of Carnival Celebration to Miami in November 2022. Additional information on the March 2022 sailings is available at www.carnival.com/sailabration.

Carnival Celebration's itineraries will be announced over the coming weeks and the ship will be opening up for sale in October.

Carnival Celebration will be constructed at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

Genting Hong Kong suspends payments, two subsidiaries default on payments and more could follow

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 20 August 2020 20 August 2020

Genting Hong Kong, the cruise shipping cruise ship building to resorts group, said it has decided to suspend payments to save cash as it is in the process to restructure its finances and raise fresh funds.

Meanwhile, two subsidiary companies of the group have defaulted on certain payments to banks while the suspension of payments could trigger more defaults, which again could allow creditors to declare all debt, totaling at US$3.37 billion, due and payable immediately, the company said.

Genting Hong Kong owns Dream Cruise, Star Cruises and Crystal Cruises plus the MV Weften shipbuilding company in Germany and a resort in the Philippines.

“As the Fund Raising Exercise may or may not be consummated, the Board wishes to announce that, it has, after careful consultation with its legal and financial advisers, concluded that in order to preserve as much liquidity of the Group as possible and to fulfill the Board’s fiduciary duties and to treat all its financial creditors fairly and equitably, the Company should temporarily suspend all payments to the Group’s financial creditors (including interest and charter payments),” Genting Hong Kong said in a statement.

“On 17 August 2020, Dream Global One Limited and Dream Global Two Limited (being subsidiaries of the Company, together the “Subsidiaries”) were required to pay certain fees amounting to approximately EUR 3.7 million (in aggregate) in connection with the financing of the construction of certain ships (the “Bank Fees”). The Company guarantees the obligations to pay the Bank Fees. As of the date of this announcement, the Bank Fees have not been paid. Such non-payment constitutes an event of default under the finance documents of the Subsidiaries (the “Global Finance Documents”),” the company continued.

In addition to the defaults that have already occurred under Global Finance Documents, the company said its board anticipates that the temporary suspension of all payments to the group’s financial creditors will also likely result in events of default occurring under other finance documents of the group.

“Such events of default would give rise to a right for requisite creditors of the Group to declare that the financial indebtedness owed to them are immediately due and payable. As of 31 July 2020, the outstanding financial indebtedness of the Group is at US$3.37 billion,” the company said.

The Genting Hong Kong board will meet on 28 August to approve the accounts for six months to 30 June 2020. The company has issued two profit warnings since March as the Covid-19 pandemic has forced it to suspend operations.