Norwegian Lands Safety Culture
American Maritime Safety (AMS) awarded Norwegian Cruise Line the 2012 Quality Ship Management Award for implementation of quality control systems that enhance crew member efficiency and reduce marine casualties. AMS underlined Norwegian’s adherence to safety standards, and Rick Harper, initiator, developer and implementer of Norwegian’s Safety Culture Concept (also the company’s director of safety, training…
Editorial: Safety First
This year had hardly gotten underway before we again were reminded how important safety at sea is. Ships’ officers have told us repeatedly that their first priority is safety – for passengers, crew and ship. Yet, five crew members were killed in a lifeboat drill accident on the Thomson Majesty in February. On the very…
Editorial: The Beat Goes On
As we are starting on a new year, the industry’s attention is focused across a broad range of priorities, from raising ticket prices to reducing operating costs. In this issue, we are taking a closer look at ship operations. On the marine side, the lines are concentrating on fuel savings and safety, as well as…
Royal Caribbean International: Quality + Energy
Royal Caribbean International is unique in the cruise industry and possibly in the whole world, according to Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, who explained: “We have a unique combination of quality and energy, and we are able to bring that combination to all parts of the globe and produce ‘wows.’ “We do it through our…
MLC Expectations
Compliance with the Maritime Labor Convention of 2006 (MLC 2006), coming into force in August, will be a shared responsibility among cruise lines and recruiters, according to Johan Oyen, director of cruise operations for the Norwegian Seamen’s Union (NSU) and head of the Cruise Ship Task Force for the International Transportation Federation (ITF). Oyen said…
Hotel Ops: Norwegian: Two More Ships
Norwegian Cruise Line will essentially deliver two new ships in 2013, with the Breakaway entering service in May, and the Getaway launching in January 2014, with a busy November and December forecast for the cruise line. Meanwhile, Norwegian has been testing its iConcierge smartphone app on the Epic. “It allows guests to use their cell…
Marine Ops: Celebrity: Empowering the Ships
Greg Purdy became vice president of operations at Celebrity Cruises last year, upgrading his vice president of marine operations title, and adding the hotel side of the brand. “The nice thing about this organization is it came with a team that runs it,” said Purdy, adding that 80 percent of his time is spent on…
Florida: Its Ports Dominate the Market
Florida ports are expecting a record year, while continuing multi-million dollar projects to upgrade and enhance terminals, piers and related infrastructure to keep up. Driving the continued growth are new ships and some ship shuffles between the competitive ports. Also supporting growth is Florida’s attraction as a tourist destination, as well as the state’s own…
Mexico: Two Coasts; Different Products
Mexico’s cruise traffic on the Pacific side is for the most part in a downward spiral, and the Caribbean side was also down in 2012 from 2011. Mexican Riviera cruise traffic dropped 41 percent, and the Caribbean side fell 26 percent, according to port sources familiar with the situation. Ensenada may be the only port…
Refurbishment Briefs
When 2012 came to a close, some 22 cruise ships had been worked on at Grand Bahama Shipyard over the course of the calendar year. Highlights during the fall season included the addition of the “Captains Cabins” on the Carnival Conquest and Glory – above the bridge. These projects were managed by the yard, which…
Editorial: Challenges
The cruise-ship building industry is finding itself at a crossroads as new orders have slowed down to a trickle, and most yards have had to adapt by cutting back or pursuing alternative projects. Meanwhile, the orderbook is still at an impressive 17 cruise ships for deliveries through 2016, and cruise line executives have stated that…
Princess Cruises: Delivering Today for the Future
The key to the future is how you deliver (the product) today, according to Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “How well we please the passengers today will be the key to our long-term success,” he said. “Happy customers will not only return, but they also go home and proselytize.” Buckelew described Princess…
Shipbuilding: Maintaining Healthy Yards?
This may be a more dramatic year for shipbuilding than is at first apparent, if no orders are placed before Dec. 31. In that case, this will the first year in recent memory, when not a single new shipbuilding order has been placed. (Viking Ocean announced its original agreement with STX France in December of…
Shipbuilding: Hapag-Lloyd Takes Next Step with Europa 2
The Europa 2 will be the first newbuild in the world to have a catalytic converter, reducing nitric oxide emissions by 95 percent when she launches ultra-luxury service for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises in 2013, said Dr. Henning Brauer, head of project management for the German cruise line. “It will reduce nitric oxides in the exhaust by…
Cruise Ship Interiors Reach New Heights
Interior design onboard ships has caught up, and in some cases, is passing shoreside trends in land-based resorts and restaurants, said leading design firms interviewed by Cruise Industry News. “For a number of years we felt the industry was so far behind, but now it is more daring,” said Fredrik Johansson of Tillberg Design in…