Itinerary Planning: 2030 Here We Come!
The big planning window stretches all the way to the end of the decade, Fred Stein, vice president of itinerary planning and fleet deployment at Carnival Cruise Line, told Cruise Industry News. “We have a framework that goes out close to the end of the decade. But that is not to say that things will…
Managing Multiple Drydock Projects For Biggest Fleet
With 27 ships, Carnival Cruise Line has the world’s largest fleet to look after, meaning an intensive drydock program, including early 2020 dates for the Sensation, Miracle and Elation before a huge nine-figure project converting the Victory into the Radiance over 58 days, according to Lisa McCabe, vice president of revitalization and hotel refurbishment. The…
MSC Spending Billions on LNG Cruise Ships
Spending well over $5.5 billion on five new LNG-powered ships, MSC Cruises is under three years out to the first 200,000-plus ton World Class vessel coming in 2022, the MSC Europa. “There is no one single answer (to the bunkering process), because the supply chain has to be developed in most of the places we…
Port Everglades: Room to Continue Growing
Port Everglades will see itself at maximum capacity for seven days during the 2019-2020 cruise season with all eight berths full, said Glenn Wiltshire, acting chief executive and port director. The season is highlighted in part by the new Sky Princess, while the new Odyssey of the Seas calls Port Everglades home for its inaugural…
Seabourn Crafting Brand-Matching Expedition F&B
“How does champagne in a submarine sound?” asked Gerald Mosslinger, Seabourn Cruise Line’s vice president of hotel operations. Marrying a high-expectation food-and-beverage product with high-impact expedition cruising is no easy task. It has put Seabourn’s culinary minds to work in preparation for the line’s first purpose-built expedition ship, the Seabourn Venture, expected in mid 2021….
Seattle: Alaska Drives Demand
While moving ahead with plans to build a third terminal, the Port of Seattle set another record last year with 1,210,000 passengers on 211 calls and is forecasting a further increase this year to 1,380,000 passengers on 225 calls. “We are also extending our season starting as early as April 1 with the Grand Princess…
Royal Caribbean ‘Out-Wowing’ Itself
“We are going to keep pushing the envelope. At Royal Caribbean we are never satisfied with the status quo,” said Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales and trade support and service. “That is why, as we Royal Amplify an Oasis-class ship, people might say ‘Vicki, there was nothing wrong with it, why do you…
Azamara: Brand with a Purpose
“Azamara is a destination driven brand and by that I mean destination immersion,” said Larry Pimentel, president and CEO. “We stay longer in port, we do more overnights, more night touring and more pre- and post-programming than any other cruise line.” The brand also has the advantage of intimacy, according to Pimentel. With a guest…
Port Canaveral: Diversified Offering
A brand-new Terminal 3 is nearing the final stages of construction for Carnival Cruise Line at Port Canaveral, along with a 1,800-spot parking garage, all in preparation for the new Mardi Gras which will become the first LNG-fueled ship in North America. Projections call for just under five million cruise guests in fiscal year 2020,…
Van Staden Heads MSC Food and Beverage Effort
Jacques Van Staden is back as the new vice president of food and beverage at MSC Cruises. The company’s top culinary mind will have a fleet of 29 ships to look after by 2027. “Right now, and it’s early for me to say, but one thing I’ve noticed is that the…
Royal Caribbean Getting A Price Premium in China
“We are the number one brand in China in unaided recall and brand preference tests,” said Dr. Zinan Liu, chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Asia. “Comparing price levels on the same itineraries, we get a 30 to 50 percent price premium.” This year’s arrival of the new Spectrum of the Seas in China has helped…
Norwegian Aligned With Industry Goals on Sustainability
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) is aligning itself with the industry’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target with more efficient technologies aboard its new ships and retrofits of existing ships, reducing fuel and energy consumption through such examples as LED lighting and hull coatings, according to James Mitchell, vice president of marine HSEM, safety, environment and…
New Ship Spurs Demand in China for Costa
With the new Costa Venezia deployed out of Shanghai, the Serena has moved to serve the North China market while the Atlantica sails from Southern Chinese ports. “We have reshaped our deployment with north, east and south on offer, and keeping with our principle of being accessible and close to affluent and important areas of…
Zero Emissions Target: First LNG Cruise Ship to the U.S.
Anticipating the first LNG-fueled cruise ship to sail out of a U.S. port, Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, Tom Strang, senior vice president of maritime affairs for Carnival Corporation, told Cruise Industry News that the company has worked closely with Port Canaveral, the LNG supplier, the Coast Guard and other stakeholders, paving the way. “There…
Innovation Drives Biggest Orderbook
“Innovation, innovation and innovation describe our strategy going forward,” Luigi Matarazzo, executive vice president of the Merchant Ships Business Unit at Fincantieri told Cruise Industry News. “In order to consolidate our leadership position in design and construction of passenger ships, we will continue to create new innovative cruise ship prototypes that are characterized by challenging…