Green: Environmental Society on Explorer
Onboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, the eco-culture extends from a recently advanced wastewater purification(AWP) system installation to garbage processing, recycling, fuel savings, education and more, as showed by Richard Pruitt, Royal Caribbean Cruises’ associate vice president of environmental programs, and Explorer of the Seas Environmental Officer Bridget Sullivan, on an exclusive ship visit…
In Person: ‘Continuous Improvement’
His title sounds daunting, but Doug Santoni, senior vice president of strategic planning and continuous improvement at Royal Caribbean Cruises, seems to have both feet planted solidly on terra firma. He and his team work mainly for the Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises brands. The strategic planning horizon is five to 10 years, going…
New Ships: Gains From New Hull
The new Princess Cruises’ ships will each have a 52 MW powerplant, consisting of two 12-cylinder and two 14-cylinder Wartsila F series engines. The engines will feature dual pumps to optimize fuel consumption, according to John Gunner, senior vice president of technical operations. With a hydro-dynamically improved hull form, the required propulsion power to run…
Green: Shorepower: Yes or No?
With stricter environmental regulations being introduced in North America and Europe, the cruise industry is working to keep up with innovative solutions and compliance. Contributing to so-called green ports and reduced emissions in metropolitan areas, ships are burning low-sulfur fuel in ports in Europe, according to a European Community directive, while some U.S. ports are…
F&B: Mixing Traditional and New
Interactive dining experiences, sustainable seafood, fresh local products, healthy options, and creative solutions to rising food costs characterize the latest developments in cruise line food services. Interactivity takes various forms. At AIDA Cruises, “all restaurants are connected by one idea: our guests should see what we serve. Therefore, we prepare dishes right in front of…
F&B: Pouring in New Directions
From molecular mixology’s colder-than-ice concoctions to self-service soft drinks, both presentation and guest attitudes are adjusting. “We’re trying to move to a much more forward thinking program,” said Scott Steenrod, associate vice president of food and beverage operations for Celebrity Cruises. Added Rudi Scholdis, Silversea Cruises’ culinary director: “Consumers feel more and more that they…
Costa: Focusing on the Future
Costa is introducing its new flag-ship this summer, the 114,200-ton, 3,012-passenger Costa Favolosa, entering service in July, following her christening in Trieste, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. Costa President Gianni Onorato said that the company has invested in the cruise facilities in Trieste with the objective of developing it as a homeport, starting…
Europe: Ravenna: Calls and Turnarounds
Up and running only since last year, Ravenna already expects 82 calls and 150,000 passengers in its first full season, according to Captain Giuseppe Fabbro, managing director of the Ravenna Terminal Passeggeri. This includes 50,000 passengers for Pullmantur Cruises’ Zenith, which is turning around in Ravenna, embarking and disembarking in this Adriatic port. The Zenith…
Sustainable Dry Cleaning and Laundry
Cruise ships are going green in laundry and dry cleaning, although using different systems. Aboard Holland America Line ships wet cleaning has replaced dry cleaning, for example, using a system developed by Miele. So-called WetCare cleans garments with water without using harsh chemicals, replacing the standard dry cleaning systems. Water and regular detergents are used…
ECA Restrictions Drive Alternative Approaches
The basic choices to meet ECA SOx emission targets are to remove SOx from a ship’s exhaust as an after-treatment, burn very low sulfur fuel that currently meets ECA limits or burn LNG which does not contain sulfur. The first large LNG-fueled passenger vessel entering service on the Baltic Sea in 2013 will meet all…
Editorial: Delivering Excitement
When did you last go to an exciting hotel or resort? Hotels can be inviting, classy, comfortable, and often very expensive, but rarely exciting, and after a day or two, usually boring (except perhaps for Las Vegas). We think the same goes for most resorts. Meanwhile, the cruise industry goes on reinventing itself. Each new…
Market Potential: Pan-Global Industry
While the cruise industry is increasingly global, the foreseeable growth potential is first and foremost in Europe, according to Pier Luigi Foschi, chairman and CEO of Costa Crociere, overseeing the worldwide operations of Costa, in addition to AIDA Cruises and Iberocruceros. At Royal Caribbean Cruises, Michael Bayley, executive vice president international, said he sees growth…
Carnival: Optimizing Itineraries
Carnival Cruise Lines’ ships are on the “move” resulting from the introduction of new ships, but also to offer new products in certain markets and to adjust to new market realities. “We look at three sets of numbers,” said Terry Thornton, senior vice president, market planning, “ticket revenue opportunity, onboard revenue opportunity and fuel costs….
Risk Management: Unique Challenges
All commercial ships face the same risks, but to varying degrees, according to Commander Wilford R. Reams at the U.S. Coast Guard Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise in Fort Lauderdale. These include fire, flooding, piracy, security and the environment. In addition, cruise ships are subject to some unique risks, such as crowd control and…
Destination Focus: Caribbean
The Caribbean maintains its position as the most popular cruise destination in the world, capturing more than 40 percent of all the passengers, despite the build up in the Mediterranean, South America and Australia. Caribbean port authorities and tourism officials have taken up the challenge by upgrading their facilities and building new ports to accommodate…