‘Pride of America’ Floated
Out Of Shipyard Down The Ems River To North Sea
Pride before departing Meyer Werft shipyard
The new, 93,500-gt cruise ship Pride of
Hawaii for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) left Meyer Werft
for the North Sea early Sunday evening on March 12. The passage
down the river Ems was made backwards but the ship operated
under her own propulsion system. The vessel was supported by
two tugs, the “Wal” (output 2 x 1,600kW) and the “Bremerhaven”
(output 2 x 1,450 kW) so as to provide double back-up in case
one tug failed.
The new luxury ship, now fully equipped and
outfitted, will undergo technical and nautical sea trials on
the North Sea before the she is delivered to NCL in mid-April.
Keel Laying Ceremony For First of AIDA
Cruises Three Club Ships
Earlier this month, the keel-laying ceremony
for the first of three club ships of AIDA Cruises (Rostock)
took place at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
The winner of the AIDA name contest, Sabine Mattenheimer from
Bavaria, who works for a travel agency, laid the traditional
lucky penny under the first of a total of 55 blocks. The first
steel block for the ship having the yard number S. 659 weighs
approx. 450 t, is 32.2 m wide, 6.9 m high and 16 m long.
Delivery of the new club ship for AIDA is
scheduled for the spring of 2007. On the occasion of this event,
AIDA Cruises also disclosed the name of this first ship— AIDAdiva.
She will be the first ship in a series of three that will be
built for Aida Cruises. The ships will have a length overall
of 252 m, a breadth of 32.2 m, and a tonnage of 68,500gt. 2,030
passengers can be accommodated in 1,015 cabins. Four large diesel
engines made by MaK will generate a total output of approx.
50,000 hp. The service speed of the ship will be almost 22 knots.
The other two newbuilds will follow in the
spring of 2008 and spring of 2009.
P&O Cruises Australia names ship.
First Details of Cunard’s
‘Queen Victoria’ Released
Announcing the first highly-anticipated details
of Cunard's next new ship, the company today revealed that Queen
Victoria, scheduled to enter service in December 2007, will
be a quintessential Cunard liner that includes not only hallmark
features associated with the luxury brand, but also exciting
innovations including private viewing boxes in the Royal Court
Theater, alfresco dining for Grill guests, a floating museum
of Cunard memorabilia, and a two-story library with 6,000 books.
With the addition of this new 90,000-ton
vessel, the Cunard liner legacy will be faithfully upheld, as
Queen Victoria will offer all the classic characteristics that
have become associated with the company's unique liner heritage.
From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery will
hint at the experience that differentiates a Cunard liner from
a modern-day cruise ship. This will be most evident in the
ship's homage to the liner traditions of the past with elegant
public rooms, many on a grand scale, and all graciously-styled
with luxurious furnishings.
The public spaces will set the stage for
myriad programs and amenities that also distinguish Cunard's
liner persona as guests enjoy entertainment and enrichment options
that evoke a more civilized era of travel. The ship will also
feature the line's celebrated Queens Grill and Princess Grill
stateroom accommodations and private dining rooms, another Cunard
exclusive. And, of course, the ship has been constructed with
impressive sea-keeping qualities that will enable it to travel
easily and efficiently through the Atlantic and other demanding
waters around the world.
At 90,000-tons Queen Victoria will be the
second largest Cunarder ever. She will offer all the classic
hallmarks of a true Cunard liner, along with some new innovations.
Highlights of the vessel include:
-- The Royal Court Theatre, reminiscent of
a grand West End theatre with 800 seats. Classically elegant
in style, it features a cruising first: elegant private boxes
on the upper level
-- A two-story wood-paneled library with
a spiral staircase and two full-time librarians overseeing a
collection of 6,000 books
-- Alfresco dining for the Grill restaurants
in an exclusive outdoor patio called The Courtyard that will
be reserved exclusively for Grill guests. Also for Grill guests,
an Upper Grills Terrace which serves as a secluded retreat for
sunning and relaxation
-- A floating museum called Cunardia displaying
historic nautical memorabilia, with an adjacent Cunardia shop
-- A grand conservatory with colonial ambiance
called the Winter Garden, featuring a retractable roof which
opens to the sky
-- The stunning, classically-inspired double
height Britannia Restaurant with sweeping staircases
-- A three-story Grand Lobby featuring a
dramatic staircase and exclusive artworks
-- The Royal Shopping Arcade with 4,000 square
feet of designer-name shops over two decks, inspired by the
Royal and Burlington arcades in London
-- A Todd English restaurant serving innovative
Mediterranean cuisine that has proven so popular with guests
on board Queen Mary 2
-- A 270-degree lounge called Hemispheres,
the venue for classes, lectures or relaxing before transforming
into a stunning nightclub in the evening
-- A double height Queens Room with a 1,000
square foot dance floor, for afternoon tea or dancing before
dinner
-- A traditional London pub
-- A large number of private balconies. Out
of 1,007 guest staterooms, 86 percent will be outside; and of
these, 71 percent will feature a private balcony. Twenty cabins
on the ship will be ADA equipped.
Queen Victoria will depart on her maiden
voyage on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 and feature a Christmas
markets tour of Northern Europe. The ten-night roundtrip sailing
will leave from the company's home port of Southampton, and
will call at Amsterdam, Copenhagen (overnight call), Oslo, Hamburg
and Bruges.
Queen Victoria's first Christmas will be
spent in the sunshine of the Canary Islands, Morocco and ports
along the Iberian Peninsula. The 16-night voyage will leave
Southampton on December 23, 2007 and will call at Vigo, Lisbon,
Malaga, Funchal, Las Palmas, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife,
Casablanca and Gibraltar. Christmas Day will be spent at sea.
Fares start from $1,899 per person for the
10-night sailing. For more information about Queen Victoria
and Cunard Line, call 1-800-7-CUNARD or go to www.cunard.com.
‘MSC Musica’ To Debut In Venice On July
1
An 89,600-ton Panamax vessel with cutting-edge
technologies and innovative design that is both classic and
elegant, MSC Musica’s will host 2,550 guests. Of the
1,275 staterooms, almost 80 percent will be outside accommodations,
and 65 percent of the total number of staterooms will have balconies.
MSC Musica will be the largest member of the line’s fleet, with
more than 242,000 square feet of public area including expansive
outdoor deck space of more than 86,000 square feet.
The new MSC Musica also features:
-- A sparkling three-deck waterfall in the
central foyer, where guests can be entertained by a piano suspended,
by means of a transparent crystal floor, above a pool of luminous
water;
-- A13,000-square-foot spa/beauty facility
offering aerobics, yoga and such treatments as aromatherapy,
thalassotherapy, chromotherapeutic hydro-massage and a purifying
Turkish bath;
-- An elegant 7,000 square-foot casino;
-- Several dining options, including two
restaurants, a Sushi Bar, an a la carte restaurant and a pizza/grill
-- A variety of bars/lounges, including a
Cigar Room, Wine Tasting Bar and Coffee Bar, as well as a 46-foot-long
bar in the casino and a Well-being and Fitness Center Bar
-- Expansive entertainment venues a three-deck
theatre that seats 1,240, a panoramic disco at the ship’s stern,
and numerous locations throughout the ship for additional entertainment
-- Expanded onboard shopping opportunities
with shops dedicated to electronics, logo merchandise and cosmetics,
and an art gallery
-- Sports and fitness-related activities,
including a tennis court, golf simulator, jogging track and
mini-golf
MSC Musica’s inaugural cruise departs Venice
July 1. After sailing a series of Eastern Mediterranean itineraries,
the ship leaves Genoa November 8 on her 16-night inaugural transatlantic
sailing. MSC Musica arrives in Fort Lauderdale to an evening
of celebration Friday, November 24. The following day the ship
begins sailing weekly seven-night roundtrip cruises to San Juan,
St. Maarten, La Romana and Cayo Levantado, through March 10.
MSC Musica then returns to Europe on a special 20-night cruise
to Venice that departs Fort Lauderdale March 17 and includes
an overnight in Venice aboard ship at the end of the cruise.
Backed by one of the world’s largest container
shipping companies, MSC Cruises has emerged as a fast-rising
star in the European-style premium cruise market. The company
launched a $3 billion expansion program in 2003 with the introduction
of the new MSC Lirica in 2003. MSC Cruises added the MSC Armonia
(built in 2001) to its fleet in spring of 2004 and the new MSC
Opera debuted in June 2004. The line purchased the MSC Sinfonia
in July 2004 (the ship began cruising in March 2005). Two 2,600-passenger
ships are on order, with MSC Musica slated to debut in spring
2006 and MSC Orchestra in 2007. The line has also contracted
for two post-Panamax ships; the MSC Fantasia is expected to
debut in 2008 and the MSC Serenata in 2009.
Groundbreaking Features Highlight RCCL’s
New ‘Freedom of the Seas’
Once again shattering the antiquated notions
of cruising being a passive vacation option, Royal Caribbean
International announces the action-filled and cutting-edge amenities
that will be found onboard Freedom of the Seas when she makes
her debut in May 2006.
Along with features such as the FlowRider(R)
surfing simulator and cantilevered whirlpools that have never
before been seen on a cruise ship, Freedom will be outfitted
with a full-size Everlast boxing ring, a group Pilates reformer
studio and many other elements that are rarely seen in shoreside
gyms, let alone on a cruise ship fitness center.
Royal Caribbean's 15-year partnership with
Steiner, operator of all spas and fitness centers fleet-wide,
has played an integral part in helping to create the innovative
and unexpected experience for which the cruise line has become
so well-known. For the line's Day Spas, Steiner recently developed
and launched Generation Y Spa -- spa services for teens -- acupuncture
and even Gentle Touch Tooth Whitening. Below is a description
of the equipment, activities and classes that have been created
for the Freedom ShipShape Fitness Center in conjunction with
Steiner.
Boxing: For the first time
ever, experienced boxers looking to hone their skills or novices
wanting to try something new can get their fill while onboard
a cruise ship. With Freedom's "Fight Klub," guests
can test their chops with a variety of boxing-related activities,
including one-on-one training sessions with an experienced instructor
inside a full-size 20' by 20' Everlast boxing ring. Multiple
Everlast speed bags, jump ropes, heavy bags and padded punching
mitts are available. Additionally, groups of three people can
partake in sparring sessions with freestanding body master bags,
all supervised by an on- site boxing coach. Die-hard Rocky wannabes
can train in three one-hour sessions with a boxing coach --
the workout includes a warm up, bag work, mirror boxing, footwork
and pad work.
ShipShape Class Program: Guests
looking for a more serene workout will find plenty of options
onboard the most innovative ship at sea. For starters, the six
reformer machines in the Life Fitness Peak PilateSystem studio
give Freedom of the Seas the first-ever dedicated Pilates reformer
group exercise program found on a cruise ship. One-on-one training
with a Pilates professional also is available and includes a
complimentary postural analysis. Also offered throughout the
seven-day sailing are introductory "pathway to Yoga"
classes, including Friday's class on the beach of Labadee, Hispaniola,
Royal Caribbean's private island.
Other classes in the program include:
* Step Up, an easy-to-follow step class;
* Firm Up, a total body conditioning class
designed to tone the body;
* Balance In Motion, a stretch class to
relieve tension with gentle
stretches and exercises;
* BOSU(R) training, an innovative core
workout done with an inflated
rubber domed BOSU(R) balance trainer;
* Boot Camp X-Treme circuit training for
seasoned exercisers looking for
an extra challenge;
* Salsamania classes, a Latin-inspired
exercise class incorporating dance
moves and energetic music for a lively
and fun workout;
* The "Night Klub" indoor cycling
program, held in a high-tech studio
outfitted with enhanced lighting features
to create a night club-style
light show throughout the class and
* Trekking, another group class, allows
guests to run on one of six
treadmills in a half-circle formation
for an invigorating workout
incorporating various intensity levels
and inclines.
Royal Caribbean has once again teamed up
with Life Fitness, the largest health club exercise equipment
supplier in the world, to provide nearly all of the fitness
machines onboard Freedom of the Seas. New to cruise line gyms
is Life Fitness' Cable Motion Series, which provides strength
training and gives exercisers the freedom to move limbs independently
of one another or to use different weights for each limb. It
has user-defined paths of motion that allow for a variety of
exercises.
Additional strength-training options include
another industry "first": Power-Plate North America's
Next Generation Power-Plate, a device utilizing advanced reflex
technology. The central component of the machine, which resembles
a large scale, vibrates subtly between 30 to 50 times per second,
triggering a reflexive response that stimulates an increase
in blood flow to muscles and joints and exponentially increasing
the efficiency of the workout. The Power-Plate is just beginning
to make its way to mainstream shoreside gyms from the fitness
facilities of professional sports teams.
For the first time on a Royal Caribbean ship,
all cardio equipment has personal LCD screens to keep guests
entertained while they are working out.
Walking/Running Program: There
are as many ways to enjoy the ports of call along Freedom of
the Seas' Western Caribbean route as there are guests on the
ship. Thanks to Royal Caribbean's partnership with New Balance,
a leading manufacturer of high- performance athletic footwear
and apparel, avid runners can follow mapped out routes at select
ports of call and enjoy a safe run at each destination without
having to worry about getting lost on their way back to the
ship or measuring the distance on their own. Other components
of the New Balance partnership include:
* Walking and running activities utilizing
the onboard running track;
* Self-service kiosk to service cruisers
with running (5K, 10K or
Marathon) and walking training programs;
* Stretch and fitness tips at intervals
along the onboard running track
* Cruise and Sports staff will be outfitted
with New Balance footwear and
apparel.
ShipShape Seminar Series:
Small lifestyle changes can often greatly enhance well-being,
which is why Royal Caribbean offers its ShipShape Seminar Series,
created in consultation with Elemis spa-therapy innovators,
a subsidiary of Steiner. These scripted seminars and multi-media
presentations cover topics such as healthy eating and nutrition,
body detoxification and tips for reaching the "burn fat
fast" zone. In addition, a session is offered to introduce
the Polar BodyAge fitness assessment system, which tests cardiovascular
health, body fat, strength, flexibility and more to compare
the body's "fitness age" with its chronological age.
Factors such as diet, exercise and stress can either slow down
or speed up the aging process. The Polar BodyAge system helps
guests determine how their lifestyle has affected their bodies.
To help familiarize guests with all of the
fitness activities available in Freedom's ShipShape Fitness
Center, two 65-inch interactive plasma televisions located in
the entryway will allow guests to find out more about the classes
and equipment available and to check class schedules.
The FlowRider(R), ice-skating rink and expanded
rock-climbing wall each offer guests a chance to get the heart
pumping. For an interactive sneak peak at the new and expanded
rock-climbing wall that will be found on Freedom of the Seas,
visit http://www.freedomoftheseas.com.
At 160,000 GRT and holding 3,634 guests double-occupancy,
Freedom of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world
when she debuts in May 2006. The first in Royal Caribbean's
new Freedom class, she will be the most forward-looking and
innovative ship the company has built to date. Freedom of the
Seas will sail seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries from
Miami calling in Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman;
Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Royal Caribbean's private destination,
Labadee, Hispaniola.
New 112,000-Ton ‘Carnival Splendor’ To
Have Innovative Designs
Carnival Splendor is the name Carnival Cruise
Lines has chosen for its new 112,000-ton cruise ship scheduled
to enter service in spring 2008. Representing a new class of
ship for the line, the 3,006-passenger vessel will be constructed
by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and feature an innovative
new design, including the largest spa and children’s facilities
in the Carnival fleet.
Highlights include a 17,800-square-foot spa
– the largest ever incorporated into a Carnival ship. Encompassing
two forward decks, the facility features an elaborate thermal
suite, a variety of health and beauty treatment rooms, and Carnival’s
first thalasso therapy pool. Encircling the upper level of the
spa will be a winter garden that will include a ceremonial tea
house.
A 5,500-square-foot children’s playroom—the
largest in the Carnival fleet—will be located mid-ship. Above
the facility will be a new water play area—a first for the line.
Located aft will be a new sports deck featuring
arena-style seating for games and other events, while a reservations-only
supper club will be located atop the poolside Lido restaurant,
providing diners with magnificent ocean vistas.
The mid-ship pool – one of four on board
– will be enclosed by two full decks of glass walls. The area
will be covered with a two-deck-high retractable dome that can
be closed during inclement weather. A large balcony will encircle
the upper deck of the pool area.
The vessel will also include 1,503 staterooms,
60 percent of which will offer an ocean view with 60 percent
of those featuring private balconies.
Carnival Splendor is one of three new “Fun
Ships” currently under construction or on order with Fincantieri.
In addition to Carnival Splendor, Carnival’s order book includes
the 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom, scheduled to enter
service in February 2007, and an as-yet-unnamed 130,000-ton
SuperLiner—to be the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed – slated
to debut in fall 2009.
New Vessel For Norwegian Coastal Voyages—the
‘MS Fram’
OVDS is in the process of building a new
ship and the company is aiming for a ship with elements from
the Norwegian history of Polar exploring end expeditions. In
order to support this connection the board of directors in OVDS
has declared that the naming of the ship is to be done after
the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen’s Polar ship MS Fram.
This is the world’s most northern and southern reaching ship.
MS Fram represents a new direction for the
building of new ships in the Hurtigruten fleet. In the past
years the ships have become larger while the company this time
moves in the opposite direction and builds a smaller ship. The
ship is especially designed for Greenland sailing during summer
and Hurtigruten sailing during winter.
MS Fram will have a length of 113m, a width
of 20m and contains 8 decks. There will be 134 high standard
cabins, 310 beds and a total passenger capacity of 500. The
ship will be furnished with excellent conference and meeting
facilities. The ship is being built by the Italian ship yard
Fincantieri in Trieste, and is being delivered on April 15.
2007.
The ship is to sail 7- and 14 day cruises
at Greenland during summer and the traditional Hurtigruten route
during winter. On board the MS Fram the travelers will be given
Arctic nature and cultural experiences through sailing, excursions
and lectures in a comfortable ship environment. The design will
in its architecture and art contribute to the theme and entirety
of the ship. Selected Norwegian and Greenland artists are invited
to decorate the ship.
Holland America Line will call its recently
announced pair of new-builds the Signature Class, taking the
name from an integral component of the premium line's branding
and the current US$225 million Signature of Excellence initiative.
With a firm order for one ship due in summer 2008 and an option
for another in spring 2010, the Signature Class marks Holland
America Line's latest class of new build vessels and the largest
ever constructed for the premium line.
Previous new-build series include the four-ship
Statendam Class group, four-ship Rotterdam Class, and four-ship
Vista Class. The line also owns and operates the 793-passenger
Elegant Explorer, the ms Prinsendam. With an estimated all-in
cost of $450 million each, the new 86,000-ton Panamax Signature
Class vessels will be built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's
Marghera shipyard. The vessels are unnamed at this time. "With
innovative design and guest offerings, the Signature Class ships
will continue the evolution of Holland America Line's sophisticated
mid-sized ships and further our premium leadership position,"
said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer. "The
two 2,044-passenger ships represent a 22 percent increase in
our capacity and will allow us to achieve a greater share of
the growing premium cruise market."
The ships of the Signature Class will evolve
from the line's Vista Class ships with new concepts such as
an innovative topside 144-seat restaurant and 50-seat lounge
surrounded by panoramic views overlooking the ocean expanse
and the Lido pool. Other additions are an Explorer's Lounge
Bar, a premium wine-tasting lounge, an elegant luxury jewelry
boutique, new atrium bar area, enhanced and reconfigured show
lounge, and a new photographic and imaging center.
The Signature Class goes beyond the Vista
Class, adding decks and 63 new staterooms. Forty-seven will
be verandah cabins and ten will be a new style of stateroom
with ceiling-to-floor and wall-to-wall panoramic windows. Total,
the new Signature Class will carry 1,022 double occupancy staterooms,
with 67 percent featuring verandahs and 86 percent outside.
Staterooms will spotlight all the Signature
of Excellence premium amenities of plush Euro-top Mariner's
Dream Beds, deluxe waffle/terry cloth robes, Egyptian cotton
towels, flat panel TVs, DVD players, make-up mirrors with halo
lighting, massage shower heads, professional grade hair dryers,
fresh flowers and complimentary fruit baskets.
On the technical side, Signature Class ships
will feature the latest state-of-the-art navigation and safety
systems including dynamic positioning abilities to hold the
ship in a precise position. The vessels will be powered by six
diesel generators and propelled by the latest Azipod propulsion
technology.
The Signature Class will continue several
much-admired Holland America Line features, including outside-view,
glass elevators at midship; the Explorations Cafe -- a cyber-coffee
house powered by The New York Times; the Pinnacle Grill and
Pinnacle Bar; the innovative Culinary Arts Center presented
by Food & Wine Magazine, where culinary experts provide
cooking demonstrations and intimate classes in a state-of-the-art
onboard show kitchens; an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon
with thermal suites and hydro-pool, the largest gymnasium ever
built for Holland America Line; and a youth facility that includes
the teens-only Loft.
Celebrity Cruises Leaps Toward New ‘Century’
Celebrity Cruises has made a giant leap toward
transforming a century into a millennium in just five weeks.
The line has signed with Fincantieri in Palermo, Italy, to handle
the significant revitalization of its 77,713-ton Century
cruise ship in 2006. The approximately $55-million makeover
designed to incorporate on Century a variety of Celebrity's
most popular Millennium-class attributes marks the line's most
extensive refurbishment to-date, and the first time the company
has worked directly with Fincantieri. The Century project will
be the largest cruise ship modification to-date for the Palermo
yard.
Century will emerge on June 2, 2006, from
a five-week drydock period at Fincantieri with 314 new verandas,
14 new suites, 10 new staterooms ranging from inside to veranda
category, an expanded number of ConciergeClass category staterooms,
a new specialty restaurant, and a series of features and amenities
that typify the line's acclaimed Millennium-class fleet. The
contract with Fincantieri involves Century's major structural
modifications, new verandas and associated stateroom interiors,
new staterooms on Deck 12, and regular drydock work. Other interior
outfitting contractors also will handle portions of the work.
"Our goal now is to align the ship even more with our Millennium-class
ships, to offer every Celebrity guest a consistently extraordinary
experience across the fleet," said Celebrity's President
Dan Hanrahan. "Century already is an incredible ship, ranked
among the top 10 in the world.”
Among the highlights of Celebrity's "new"
Century are:
-- A new specialty restaurant will present
the elegant dining experience praised by guests on Celebrity's
four Millennium-class ships, with a menu designed by Celebrity's
longtime culinary and wine consultant, Master Chef Michel Roux.
The venue, yet to be themed, will follow the style of Celebrity's
Olympic, SS United States, Normandie and Ocean Liners restaurants,
which presented the industry's first tableside cooking, carving
and flambé.
-- The "Casual Dining Boulevard"
on the lido deck will be expanded to include a Sushi Café, made-to-order
Pasta and Pizza Bar, and small ice cream parlor, along with
buffet breakfasts, themed lunches, and dinner service with a
casual dress code.
-- Fans of light, healthy spa cuisine will
find what they're seeking in a new Spa Café inspired by the
venue of the same name on Celebrity's Millennium-class ships.
-- For evening cocktails, a sophisticated
new Martini Bar will offer Celebrity's famed menu of more than
30 versions of the popular libation, while outside on the aft
deck, a new bandstand and bar complete with tapas carts will
offer the ultimate setting for romantic sailaways at sunset,
complete with live music.
-- High Seas Computing will find a home in
a newly dedicated space offering Internet access and courses
ranging from basic computer use to web site creation to digital
photography.
-- As on the Millennium-class fleet, Century's
new art gallery will join the array of trendy boutiques in The
Boulevard, allowing art aficionados to purchase one-of-a-kind
works.
-- Century's Fun Factory children's area
will be expanded, with a new teen room added to offer a variety
of new activities geared exclusively toward that age group.
-- Celebrity's exclusive Acupuncture at Sea
program will have a permanent home on Century as it does on
the four Millennium-class ships, offering guests acupuncture
treatments, therapies and enrichment lectures by licensed doctors
of Oriental Medicine.
-- Century's AquaSpa operated by the elite
Elemis Ltd. will be expanded significantly to allow for a number
of new features yet to be announced.
Following its revitalization, Celebrity's
new Century will set sail on a series of 12-night Baltic
and ten- and 11-night Mediterranean sailings, a 13-night "Best
of Europe" voyage, and a seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise.
Century also will be one of the first Celebrity
ships to offer short cruises from the cruise capital of the
world, the Port of Miami, beginning in November 2006. The ship
will present four- and five-night roundtrip Caribbean cruises
through April 2007, offering travelers with more limited vacation
time the opportunity to experience what the award-winning Celebrity
brand has to offer.
For more information, call your travel agent,
dial 1-800-437-3111, or visit the Celebrity web site at www.celebrity.com.
Olsen Cruise Lines To Debut Newest Ship
February 2006
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will launch its
newest ship Boudicca in February. The ship, the former Royal
Viking Sky built in 1973 and subsequently operating under different
names for various companies until purchased by Olsen this year,
will have extensive improvements made including a new library,
card room and Lido bar. Two new restaurants, the Iceni Room
and Secret Garden café will be added as well as the Chariots
Bar, Neptune Lounge and enhancements to the fitness area.
The interior of the ship is being stripped
out ready and engine room being prepared for renewal of old
engines and installation of four new MAN B&W 7L 32/40 engines
to be completed in Hamburg at Blohm+Voss yard where she is expected
to arrive December 6. Four new Aalborg exhaust boilers, four
new propeller blades from Rolls Royce and a new power management
system for main switchboard for all auxiliary engines will also
be added. On the technical side piping systems within the engine
room spaces are being altered in advance of the installation
of a vacuum toilet system with significant preparatory work
already completed.
Cabins on Boudicca will be generously roomy
for her scale of ship. She will be refitted
with 450 cabins and will carry a maximum
of around 850 passengers. . A generous teak promenade deck will
stretch round Boudicca and considerable deck space all contributing
to the feeling of space and freedom.
Once the refurbishment is completed, the
ship will sail to Dover for her inaugural cruise to the Canary
Islands departing February 25. Website: www.fredolsen.co.uk
NCL America Welcomes Its New ‘Pride of
Hawaii’ In April 2006
NCL America will welcome the new Pride
of Hawaii to its US Flagged fleet in April 2006. She will
be the largest US flagged passenger ship ever built, and will
join Pride of Aloha and Pride of America offering
seven-day, inter-island cruises visiting the beautiful 50th
state’s four main islands. Pride of Hawaii, will depart Honolulu
on Mondays and will feature the line’s extremely popular itinerary
with a full day in Hilo, Hawaii; two days in Kahului, Maui;
a day in Kona, Hawaii and two days in Nāwiliwili, Kauai.
Purpose built for NCL’s signature Freestyle
Cruising, Pride of Hawaii will feature a vast array of accommodations
including two luxurious Garden Villas with their own private
gardens and sun decks, 10 Courtyard Villas sharing a private
courtyard, pool and sundeck on deck 14, and a spectacular top-of-the-ship
Owner’s Suite. The ship will also feature multiple lively public
rooms, 10 restaurants and impressive onboard amenities. "Pride
of Hawaii completes our plan of bringing three U.S. Flagged
passengers ships to Hawaii by 2006 and creating 4,000 new seafaring
jobs in the US merchant fleet,” said Colin Veitch, NCL America’s
president and CEO.
At over 93,000 gross tons, and with a passenger
capacity of close to 2,400, Pride of Hawaii will employ over
1,000 crew. To celebrate her name, the ship’s dramatic hull
artwork will feature iconic images of Hawaii with a hula dancer
on one side and a conch shell blower on the other. Each design
is joined by the quintessential symbol of Hawaii’s gracious
welcome, a flower Lei, made up of yellow, red and orange Hibiscus
blooms.
Pride of Hawaii will also offer a new, advanced
Internet Café and Photo Gallery with kiosks to print photos
from digital cameras as well as the latest laptops, which guests
can rent to use around the ship. Passengers will be able to
take advantage of NCL’s signature WiFi capabilities. This family-centric
ship will also feature the Keiki (Kids) Club as well as the
surf-themed Wipe Out Teen’s Club.
On June 19, 2006, Pride of Hawaii will begin
sailing her regular schedule of roundtrip seven-day Hawaii Island
voyages from Honolulu.
The U.S. registry of Pride of Aloha, Pride
of America and Pride of Hawaii enables NCL America to offer
inter-island itineraries in Hawaii all year long, with up to
100 hours in port. When she begins her regular service in the
summer of 2006, Pride of Hawaii will sail seven-day, round-trip
itineraries from Honolulu, departing on Mondays.
NCL's website at www.ncl.com or on AOL at
keyword: NCL; or to download high-resolution photography, visit
www.ncl.com/hires .
‘MSC Musica’ Enters Final Stages of Construction
MSC
Cruises’ newbuild MSC Musica has entered the final phase
of construction at Alstom Marine of St. Nazaire in France, after
being “floated” out on October 15 from Chantiers de l’Atlantique
to the Penhoet dock, where the interiors will be fitted. Crowning
the ship is the dark blue funnel with the white compass emblem
of MSC Cruises. The funnel, built with an innovative technique
that results in a perfectly smooth exterior, weighs 65 tons,
is 196 feet in circumference and is 36 feet tall. Final delivery
is scheduled for June 2006.
When MSC Musica departs Venice July 1, 2006
on her inaugural voyage, she will be the new standard bearer
for MSC Cruises’ True Italian Signature, taking the style,
design, cuisine and service that are the hallmarks of every
MSC Cruises ship to the next level.
The 89,600-ton Panamax vessel with cutting-edge
technologies and innovative design that is both classic and
elegant will be the largest member of the cruise line’s fleet
about 50 percent larger than MSC Opera and MSC Lirica.
Sister-ship MSC Orchestra is slated to join the fleet
in 2007. “The ship’s larger size allows us to offer additional
amenities and venues, while ensuring efficient and convenient
passenger flow. With more than 242,000 square feet of public
area, including expansive outdoor deck space of more than 86,000
square feet, guests will never feel crowded,” says Richard E.
Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA. “MSC Musica will
have all the amenities, venues and spacious areas that a mega
ship can offer but without the crowds. And, of course, every
element will reflect the company’s Italian roots.”
MSC Musica will host 2,550 guests. Of the
1,275 staterooms, almost 80 percent will have outside accommodations,
and 65 percent of the total number of staterooms will have balconies.
Among the other features guests will find onboard MSC Musica
are the following:
--
A sparkling three-deck waterfall in the central foyer, where
guests can be entertained by a piano suspended, by means of
a transparent crystal floor, above a pool of luminous water
-- A13,000-square-foot spa/beauty facility
offering aerobics, yoga and such treatments as aromatherapy,
thalassotherapy, chromotherapeutic hydro-massage and a purifying
Turkish bath
-- An elegant 7,000 square-foot casino
-- Several dining options, including two
restaurants, a Sushi Bar, an a la carte restaurant and a pizza/grillo
-- A variety of bars/lounges, including a
Cigar Room, Wine Tasting Bar and Coffee Bar, as well as a 46-foot-long
bar in the casino and a Well-being and Fitness Center Bar
-- Expansive entertainment venues a three-deck
theatre that seats 1,240, a panoramic disco at the ship’s stern,
and numerous locations throughout the ship for additional entertainment
-- Expanded onboard shopping opportunities
with shops dedicated to electronics, logo merchandise and cosmetics,
and an art gallery
-- Sports and fitness-related activities,
including a tennis court, golf simulator, jogging track and
mini-golf
MSC Musica’s July 1 inaugural cruise will
be a seven-night roundtrip itinerary from Venice that calls
at Bari, Italy; Katakolon, Greece; Izmir and Istanbul, Turkey;
and Dubrovnik, Croatia. She will sail this itinerary weekly
through October 12.
On October 28 MSC Musica will depart Venice
on an 11-night cruise that takes her to Genoa, Italy, with calls
at Split, Croatia; Piraeus and Rhodes, Greece; Heraklion, Crete;
Tunis, Tunisia; Palma, Balearic Islands; Barcelona, Spain; and
Marseille, France.
The ship is then expected to sail to the
United States for the 2006-07 Caribbean season. For
more information about MSC Cruises, visit a travel agent or
www.msccruises.com
Crown Princess to Serve Up a Feast of
New Culinary Options
Whether savoring a seafood appetizer paired
with a glass of wine in the sidewalk café-style atrium, taking
in the expansive top-deck views during an Italian extravaganza
in Sabatini's, or gazing at the open kitchen as a chef custom-grills
their steak, passengers aboard the new Crown Princesswill have
the opportunity to sample a variety of innovative culinary offerings
when the ship debuts next summer.
A brand new feature aboard Crown Princess
is the piazza-style atrium, designed to be the bustling hub
of the ship with a street café atmosphere. With Italian-inspired
décor, this charming street café environment will be an inviting
venue throughout the day for those passengers seeking a more
casual dining option. The International Café will feature a
rotating menu based on time of day. The Vines wine and seafood
bar will cater to passengers with a craving for light fare,
such as ceviche, escabèche, shrimp and oysters, with the perfect
accompanying glass of wine.
Additionally, Princess' hallmark Sabatini's
has been expanded, and relocated to the scenic aft end of the
ship, providing diners with a multi-course Italian dining extravaganza
and a view. The line's popular Sterling Steakhouse has evolved
into the Crown Grill, a steak and seafood house with a theater-style
performance kitchen. "This ship will truly offer anytime,
anywhere dining, raising the culinary options for our passengers
to new levels," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice
president of customer service and sales. "And in all three
of the new dining venues—International Cafe, Vines wine and
seafood bar, and the Crown Grill—passengers will be able to
watch artisan chefs and pastry chefs prepare the various delicacies,
underscoring Princess' commitment to using the freshest products
available and to individual attention to our passengers."
Crown Princess’ new culinary options will
include:
-- International Café (Atrium, Deck 5) -
Serving up rotating themes throughout the day, the International
Café is the place for an ever-changing array of snacks. Passengers
might find freshly baked croissants or beignets in the morning,
crêpes or bonbons in the afternoon, and chocolate fondue or
desserts in the evening. It will also be the perfect spot for
pre-dinner tapas or after-dinner petit fours.
-- Vines (Atrium, Deck 5) - A wine and seafood
bar will tempt passengers in the evening with an assortment
of fine wines by the glass as well as chilled seafood "cocktails"
- appetizers including salmon, caviar, sushi, gravlax or other
treats from the sea. The venue will also host an extensive
menu of wines and food tastings paired for a completely different
experience.
-- Internet Café (Atrium, Deck 5) - Table
service from both the International Café and Vines will be available
in the Internet Café, for those passengers who like to snack
and surf the Net at the same time.
-- Crown Grill (Deck 7) - An evolution from
previous ships' Sterling Steakhouse concept, the ship's Crown
Grill will feature a brand new menu offering seafood as well
as traditional steakhouse fare. This showplace eatery will entertain
passengers with an open, theater-style kitchen where chefs custom-prepare
steamed shellfish and cooked-to-order steaks and chops. Passengers
can choose to sit at the kitchen's eat-up counter and watch
the show as they dine. Larger than the previous steakhouse
venues, this 160-seat restaurant will feature rich décor, leather
appointments, wine display cabinets and the privacy of booths
as well as tables and counter seating.
-- Sabatini's (Deck 16) - Princess' famed
Sabatini's Italian trattoria moves to a new top deck location
aboard Crown Princess to offer fine dining with a view. The
expanded space will allow more room for diners to enjoy this
intimate, eight-course Italian extravaganza. The stunning new
venue offers views on three sides with dramatic vistas overlooking
the wake of the ship. The new adjacent Adagio Lounge offers
a cozy venue for Sabatini diners to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail
and relaxing piano music while taking in the breathtaking views.
Crown Princess will also offer Princess'
many dining options that passengers have come love on other
Princess vessels. The 24-hour Horizon Court serves up round-the-clock
buffet fare, while the adjacent Café Caribe will offer unique
Caribbean specialties in a deluxe buffet setting, with a focus
on a different island or region each night plus seafood extravaganzas
on formal evenings.
Passengers can also enjoy poolside treats
with a hamburger and hot dog grill, pizzeria and ice cream shop.
And Crown Princess will serve Princess' trademark traditional
afternoon tea.
The 113,000-ton Crown Princess is scheduled
to debut in June 2006 and will sail round-trip from New York
on a series of nine-day Caribbean and Bermuda voyages. In the
fall, the ship moves to San Juan for a season of Southern Caribbean
cruises.
‘Emerald Princess’ Keel Officially Laid
The keel was officially laid
this month for Emerald Princess, marking the formal start
of construction of this upcoming Princess vessel. During the
ceremony, which was held at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy,
the first section of the 113,000-ton ship was moved into the
building dock, where it will remain until the float out occurs.
A sister ship to Caribbean Princess and Crown Princess
, which debuts next June, Emerald Princess will join the Princess
fleet in spring 2007.
