
CRUISE NEWS:
On this page, additional information will be given on
interesting news concerning cruises and cruise ships. The
intention is to renew this page on a regular base. The current
information consists of the following items. For expired news items please go to
page archive.
INDEX
*HAL
140th anniversary
*Oasis
of the Seas drydock in Rotterdam
*Original
three Seabourn vessels sold.
*
Problems with
Carnival Triumph and Thomson Majesty
*Royal
Caribbean has ordered a third Oasis-class ship
*
MSC Preziosa get the longest
waterslide
*A
special tulip for Holland-America Line
*MSC Cruises
extends buffet service
*Taste
of De Librije on board Rotterdam
*New orders (update)
*CIC
is about to collapse (update)
*Again
5 stars plus
*Ocean
cruise passengers top 20 million
*Faster to the Fun
*Salvage operations of the
Costa Concordia
*Fire
is still the largest risk at sea
*Grand
opening Felison Cruise Terminal
*Disaster
year?
*Plancius
stranded
*
Fire on the Azamara Quest
*Love
boat for scrap
*Costa
Allegra adrift 200 miles ZW the Seychelles (update)
*
New ships for MSC
*
Strike on Costa Deliziosa
*Costa
Concordia hits rocks off coast of Italy (update 21/4)
*Viking
Ocean Cruises
(update 18/4)
*Free
Cruise Celebrity from Amsterdam
*Would
you pay for extra hours to stay on board?
*First newbuilding
TUI-Germany
*Happy Cruises/Quail
ceased operations
*Fire on board Nordlys
*
Oceanwide Expeditions acquired Ortelius
*New Orders
*
MSC upholds art
of cruising with elegant gala night
*
Order Cruiseship for Libya
cancelled.
*
HAL's Rotterdam
cruises year round from city of Rotterdam
*New
orders Meyer Yard
*Skywalkers
moved from Grand Princess
*
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises extend his capacity
*Seabourn
is moving to HAL headquarters
*HAL Culinary Council
*
Glorius return of ss.Rotterdam
* Bankruptcy after bankruptcy
HAL 140th anniversary
Rotterdam
Aprl 18-2013
Yesterday in Holland America Line’s Rotterdam office, President and CEO Stein
Kruse celebrated the 140th anniversary of the Holland-America Line with a
beautiful cake. The cake had a very unique element — a QR code! Anyone who scans
the code into their smartphone will go to an online video about the 140th
Anniversary. Following the office celebration, there was a special walking tour
from the ss Rotterdam to the line’s former office at Hotel New York. The evening
culminated with a dinner on ss Rotterdam (V). Please click here:
http://www.nedcruise.info/triomf_tocht_ss%20Rotterdam.htm
The anniversary
was
celebrated
on
the entire fleet
with
cakes and other
refreshments.
| images courtesy HAL
 |
 |
In celebration of our 140th
anniversary, an official christening of the new Holland
America Line “Signature” tulip took place in the
Netherlands on Friday, April 19 at the world-famous
Keukenhof Gardens.
Holland America Line President and CEO Stein Kruse
participated in the ceremony along with the President of
the Board of Directors of Keukenhof Walter Jansen and
Master Grower Jan Pennings.
INDEX
Oasis of the Seas drydock
in Rotterdam
Miami March 27 - 2013
Oasis of
the Seas, is returning to Europe next year for the first time since it was
built. Oasis of the Seas will leave Port Everglades, Florida, its home port
since December 2009, on September 1, 2014 on a 12-night eastbound transatlantic
cruise to Barcelona. The world’s largest cruise ship will offer a series of
cruises from the Spanish port – two five-night roundtrip Western Mediterranean
sailings and a seven-night sailing to Rotterdam – before heading to dry dock in
Keppel Verolme shipyard in the Netherlands for routine maintenance.The ship will
return to Port Everglades on a 13-night westbound transatlantic cruise on
October 14, 2014, departing from Rotterdam in the Netherlands and calling into
Southampton where UK passengers can join the ship to sail across the Atlantic.
For
shipdetails and images please see:
http://www.nedcruise.info/oasis%20of%20the%20seas.htm
INDEX
Original three Seabourn vessels sold.
Miami -Febr.19-2013
Seabourn has announced the sale of the line's original three vessels Seabourn
Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend to Windstar Cruises owner, Xanterra
Parks & Resorts. Under the project name Global Windstar, the expansion will
double the size of Windstar’s recently renovated, three luxury sailing yacht
fleet, making the company the market leader in small-ship cruising with 300 or
fewer passengers, with a total of 1,230 berths.
The delivery of the three hold 208 passengers each, will
take place over the next two years in the Mediterranean. The Seabourn Pride will
be the first ship to enter into Windstar’s luxury fleet in April of 2014.
Following a Windstar branded renovation, which will give the ship a new name and
casually elegant look, the Pride with set sail a month later in May 2014;
voyages are expected to go on sale in May of this year. Windstar Cruises will
take possession of Seabourn Legend in April 2015 and Seabourn Spirit in May
2015. These two yachts are scheduled to start sailing in May of 2015 following
their dry-dock period.
There will be no disruption in service or changes in
operations on any currently published Seabourn voyages acc. to a Seabourn
statement.
Our three newest vessels, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn
Sojourn, and Seabourn Quest have raised the bar for ultra-luxury cruising and we
intend to add a fourth ship of similar design said Seabourn president Richard
Meadows.
More details please visit Fleetlist S
and W
INDEX
Problems with Carnival Triumph and Thomson
Majesty
Miami -Febr.10-2013
Carnival Triumph experienced an engine room fire while the vessel
was sailing approximately 150 miles off the coast of the Yucatan
Peninsula. The ship’s automatic fire extinguishing systems activated
and the fire was contained to the aft engine room. At this time, the
fire is fully extinguished. No casualties or injuries to guests or
crew have been reported. The vessel is currently without propulsion
and the ship is operating on emergency generator power. The ship's
technical crew is continuing to assess the damage and attempting to
restore power. In the meantime, a tugboat is being dispatched to the
ship's location in the event it is needed. All appropriate
authorities including U.S. Coast Guard have been notified. A tugboat
is en route to the ship's location and will tow the vessel to
Progreso, Mexico, which is the closest port to the ship’s current
location. This will enable us to disembark guests and get them home
as quickly as possible. The ship is expected to arrive in Progreso
Wednesday afternoon and guests will be flown from there back to the
U.S. Carnival said all passengers would receive a refund and "cruise
credit equal to the amount paid for this voyage". The ship's next two voyages,
scheduled for departure next week, were cancelled, the company added.
Update Febr.12 Earlier
this evening, the first of two tugboats arrived and is tied up to the ship with
the second expected in the early hours of Tuesday morning. We had originally
planned to tow the ship to Progreso, Mexico, the closest port to the ship’s
location early Sunday. Since that time, the ship has drifted about 90 miles
north due to strong currents. This now puts the ship nearly equidistant to
Mobile, Alabama and given the strength of the currents, it is preferable to head
north to Mobile, rather than attempt to tow against them. We now expect to
arrive in Mobile sometime on Thursday, roughly the same time the ship would have
arrived in Progreso given the distance the ship has traveled.
Update Febr.14
Towed by three tugboats, the ship arrived at
terminal in Mobile, Alabama, around Thursday 4 p.m. eastern time .
It's been a nightmare five
days for the 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members on board
where
a fire broke out in the engine room early Sunday. Much of the ship's electrical
power went down in the fire, causing widespread malfunctions, including taking
out sanitary systems. Passengers have reported sewage sloshing around in
hallways, flooded rooms and trouble getting enough to eat. "It's disgusting.
It's the worst thing ever,said the passengers.
The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board launched an
investigation into the cause of the engine room fire. Because the Carnival
Triumph is a Bahamian-flagged vessel, the Bahamas Maritime Authority is the
primary investigative agency.
In 2010, the Carnival Splendor lost power after an engine room fire,
leaving it drifting off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Splendor is a slighty
bigger but it is the same basic design as the Triumph. Carnival has canceled a
dozen voyages scheduled between February 11 and April 13.
A
leak in a fuel line
has caused the fire.
For ship
details please visit:
http://www.nedcruise.info/carnival%20triumph.htm
Santa Cruz -Febr. 10-2013
Five crew members of Thomson Majesty are reported dead after a
lifeboat fell into the sea from its davits during an emergency drill.
The incident happened in the Spanish port of Santa Cruz in the
Canary Islands. A further three crew members were injured in the
accident,media reports say. Thomson Majesty is on charter from Louis
Cruises-Cyprus. Former name Louis Majesty. For ship details please visit:
http://www.nedcruise.info/louis%20majesty.htm
INDEX
Royal
Caribbean has ordered a third Oasis-class ship
Miami - Dec. 27, 2012 —
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced today that it has executed a
contract with STX France to construct a third Oasis-class vessel for delivery in
mid-2016. It said that the order is "consistent with the plan announced by the
company in October to build a sister-ship to the very successful Oasis of the
Seas and Allure of the Seas."The
two earlier Oasis vessels were built at the STX shipyard in Turku, Finland, but
Turku's failure to secure adequate financing from the Finnish government
apparently prompted Royal Caribbean to move the project to STX's yard in Saint
Nazaire, France.The
newbuild contract includes the transfer of Pullmantur's Atlantic Star as part of
the deal. Additionally, the contract is subject to satisfaction of financing and
other conditions. STX France has also provided the company with a one-year
option for the mid-year 2018 delivery of a fourth Oasis-class vessel at similar
pricing. The Atlantic Star is sold by STX to a Singapore owner.
INDEX
MSC Preziosa get the
longest waterslide
Genoa dec. 6 -2012
MSC Preziosa
will be christened in Genoa, Italy, on 23 March
2013.
MSC Cruises
is proud to announce the first of many innovative
new features to be found on board the MSC Preziosa
the all new Doremi
Castle Aqua Park and
Vertigo,
MSC Cruises’ longest waterslide to date and the
longest single
rider body waterslide
on the seas.
In prime space on deck 16,
Doremi Castle Aqua
Park boasts an exhilarating pathway of
water features on raised platforms including sprays,
fountains, water pistols and valves, each designed
to splash, soak and delight in equal measures. A
drenching bucket builds suspense by filling up drip
by drip over unsuspecting heads, ready to rain down
from on high, while the area’s water cannons
encourage mischievous interaction between friends,
old and new.
While children under 120 cm
are not permitted to ride the
Vertigo
waterslide, they won’t miss out at Doremi Castle,
where a double and single slide have been designed
especially for them. With fun features to ignite
imaginations and spark creativity, Doremi Castle is
the perfect place for MSC Preziosa’s smallest guests
to splash away the day.
INDEX
A special tulip for
Holland-America Line:

Lisse Nov.18-2012
Holland America Line is partnering with the Netherlands’
Keukenhof Gardens to develop an exclusive tulip for the company’s 140th
anniversary in 2013. Master grower Jan Pennings, exhibitor at Keukenhof Gardens,
chose a white-petaled variety to honor the line that was founded in Rotterdam on
April 18, 1873, as a trans-Atlantic cargo and passenger company. To launch the
planting of the new tulip, which will be harvested next spring, Pennings handed
over the first bulbs to HAL Capt. Edward van Zaane; Nico Bleichrodt, senior
director of sales, North and Central Europe, and Martin Schröder, Mariner
Society member and part of the company’s Dutch advisory board. The event took
place Friday beside a windmill that was donated to Keukenhof Gardens by HAL in
1957.The tulips are scheduled to bloom in the spring. An official christening
and naming of the new tulip will be held in April 2013
INDEX
MSC Cruises extends buffet
service
Genua Nov.1-2012 MSC Cruises’ shipboard buffets are now open
nonstop for 20 hours a day on all ships of the fleet, from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., with meals and
snacks available at no extra charge.
Continental and full cooked breakfast is available from 6:30 a.m. to 10
a.m., while late risers can get continental breakfast, including pastries,
yogurts, cold meats and cheeses, from 10 a.m. to noon. Lunch is served over an
extended period, from noon to 3:30 p.m. From 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., snacks and
casual late lunch items are available from the buffet’s pizzeria, grill and
salad bar, and passengers can get soups, pasta, vegetables, fish and meat
specialities, fruit and desserts. The buffet provides a complete dinner service
from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., while the grill is open continuously from noon until 10
p.m. and the pizzeria corners stay open from noon until midnight. A midnight
snack is available from midnight until 2 a.m.
Buffet shifts may vary by half an hour depending on the itinerary and
season.
MSC Cruises also has 24-hour room service, at certain times with an extra
charge.
INDEX
Taste of De Librije on board Rotterdam
Seattle okt. 24 -2012
Holland America Line is expanding its culinary
offerings with the debut of a new alternative dining option exclusively aboard
ms Rotterdam only called "Taste of De Librije" featuring the cuisine of Culinary
Council member and Michelin Three Star Chef Jonnie Boer. Named after Boer's
restaurant De Librije in Zwolle in the Netherlands, the menu will showcase a
selection of starters, soups, entrees and desserts from his land-based eatery.
Once per cruise the Pinnacle Grill will be transformed with service staff
wearing the uniform livery from De Librije, the restaurant's table set-up will
be replicated and the wine list will highlight a selection of labels from the
Lady De Librije collection. Reservations can be made for "Taste of De Librije"
for a US $69 surcharge per person including wine parings. The five-course menu
starts with an amuse bouche of North Sea Scallops served to all diners. From
there, guests can select from among three appetizers, two soups, four entrees
and three desserts.When guests return to their stateroom following the dining
experience, they will find a Jonnie Boer surprise gift.
Jonnie Boer is a star of the Dutch culinary scene. In addition to being a
member of Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council composed of five
international chefs, he is chef and co-owner of Michelin-rated De Librije
Restaurant, Librije Zusje and De Librije Hotel in Zwolle, the Netherlands.
INDEX
New Orders:
Oct. 17 - 2012
Norwegian Cruise Line reached an agreement with
Meyer Werft for a newbuild delivery in October 2015, with the option for a
second ship for delivery in spring 2017. The 163,000gt vessel, with
approximately 4,200 lower berths, is larger than the Breakaway-class ships
currently under construction. The contract price is approximately €700m, and the
cruise operator said it has export credit financing in place, arranged and
underwritten by Germany’s KfW IPEX-Bank.
Oct.24
Though Royal Caribbean
confirmed it’s very close to ordering an ‘Oasis-type newbuild,’ the company
stayed mum on another newbuild whose option expires just days from now. The
Oasis vessels were also built at STX Finland. If the company orders a third in
the series, it’s looking at delivery in middle to late 2016.
Chairman and ceo Richard Fain confirmed the option for a second ‘Mein Schiff'
newbuilding ship for TUI Cruises a joint venture between RCI and TUI Germany.
Nov. 5
TUI Cruises announced today that the company confirms the order of a second
cruise ship from STX Finland. The production of the second ship will start in
summer 2013 and it will be delivered from STX Finland's Turku Shipyard in spring
2015
Oct. 26
Carnival Corp. & plc announced a
double order at Italian state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri. The orders comprise
one vessel for Holland America, to be delivered in autumn 2015, and one for
Carnival, with delivery scheduled for winter 2016. Carnival put the total cost
of the deal at around $195,000 per lower berth. Carnival said the Holland
America vessel, 99,000 gt and with capacity for 2,660 passengers, will be a new
class of vessel for the line and will enter service five years after Nieuw
Amsterdam, delivered in 2010. It is the biggest ship for HAL ever. The Pinnacle
class will have exciting new culinary and entertainment venues, will take our
premium accommodations to an even higher level and will include many energy
savings measures that will enable us to achieve significant fuel efficiencies
according to a HAL statement.
The Carnival order is for a 135,000gt ship with capacity for 4,000 passengers.
Again, the parent company said this would be a new kind of ship, adding that it
will debut four years after the spring 2012 introduction of Carnival Breeze.
INDEX
CIC
is about to collapse:
Lisboa Sept./Oct. 2012
Two vessels of Classic International Cruises the"Princess
Danea" (bwj.1955 - 16.531 bt.) and the "Athena" (bwj.1948 - 16.144
bt.) were arrested on Sept. 17 in Marseille for
outstanding fuel bills and labor issues. In addition, a third CIC ship the
"Arion"
(bwj.1965 - 5.888 bt.), is detained in Bar -
Montenegro for similar issues.The "Funchal"
(bwj.1961 - 9.563 bt.) is since mid 2010 on a Portugese shipyard for a refit
acc. to Solas rules. Due to a lack on payment the work is stopped.The
last of the five ships "Princess Daphne"
(bwj.1955 - 15.833 bt.) was detained in Chania -
Crete on oct. 3. Ambiente Kreuzfahrten has just issued a press release, stating
they are going to terminate their charter with Classic International Cruises
immediately as a result of "Princess Daphne" being arrested. in Crete.
Very bad news for "shiplovers".
This pretty little
older ships are a welcome
counterpart to the current
floating condominiums.
Probably this the end of CIC Cruises whose
founder, George Potamianos, died a few months ago.
For shipdetails and images of all 5 ships
please visit:
http://www.nedcruise.info/fleetlist%20C.htm
Latest news Febr.2013
Portugeuse bank Montepio has sold 4 of 5 of
CIC's cruise ships to 44-YEAR OLD Portugeuse entrepreneur Doctor Rui Alegre,
CEO of Amorim
Group, which has its fingers in tourism and
travel, hotels, alternative fuels, and other diverse areas.
The Potamianos brothers will retain
ownership of "Princess Daphne", which will be operated from the family
offices in Greece.
INDEX
Again 5 stars
plus:
Hamburg, Sept
.
14- 2012 The
Europa flagship
of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, is the only cruise ship in the world to be awarded the
highest rating 5-stars-plus in the new edition 2013 of the renowned "Complete
Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships". Both expedition ships of the fleet the
Hanseatic with 5 stars and the Bremen with 4 stars
retain their high ratings.
Rated with 1852 points out of a maximum of 2000, the
408-passenger Europa received again - since its
commissioning in 1999 - the highest rating of all 284 ships tested.
Author Douglas Ward and his team tested a total of 284
cruise ships from all over the world, assessing criteria such as ship
furnishings, quality and diversity in the restaurants, service and crew,
entertainment and cruise experience. As a consequence, Ward describes the
Europa as offering "the best cruise experience available
today unless you own a private motor yacht". In this new edition of the
"Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships", once again the rating 5-stars-plus
has been awarded to only one ship.
"Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2013" by
Douglas Ward, 704 pages, paperback; available from 1st
October 2012 from all good bookshops. Also available as an application for
iPhone, iPad and iPod from 15th September 2012.
For technical information and images
Please Click here>>>>>
INDEX
Ocean cruise passengers top
20 million:
Miami Sept. 8
-
2012
The number of people around the world who took a cruise holiday grew by 10% in
2011 – an increase of almost 2m resulting in 20m global ocean cruise passengers.
The figures were compiled from industry associations including the Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA), the European Cruise Council, Passenger
Shipping Association, International Cruise Council Australasia and industry
analysts G P Wild (International) Ltd.The numbers increased from 18.7m to 20.6m
between 2010 and 2011. The main markets are North America (11.5m) and Europe
(6.2m).
INDEX
Faster to the
Fun:
Miami aug. 5
-
2012
Carnival Cruise Lines will test
a new ‘Faster to the Fun’ program that provides priority embarkation, early
stateroom availability and express luggage delivery, among other features, at a
fee of $49,95 per stateroom. The pilot program will roll out on Carnival
Imagination Aug. 20 and Carnival Liberty Aug. 25.
‘Faster to the Fun’ includes early embarkation, early stateroom availability,
express luggage delivery service, priority dinner seatings and tender
availability, and choice of early or late debarkation. The program enables
passengers to start their Fun Ship vacation early and includes express access to
the ships’ guest services desk for any assistance. For Diamond and Platinum
level members of Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club passengers
recognition program, all ‘Faster to the Fun’ benefits, including the two new
benefits of early stateroom availability and express luggage delivery service,
are free.
‘Faster to the Fun’ is currently available for purchase at Carnival's website
via the shore excursion section.
INDEX
Salvage operations of
the Costa Concordia:
Isola del Giglio juli 2012
Salvage
operations of the Costa Concordia. On this site
http://thelastsalute.eu/
you are an eyewitness of the salvage of the Costa Concordia.
INDEX
Fire is still the largest
risk at sea:
London, May - 2012
Fire is still the largest risk at sea, says head of NAMEPA.
Clay Maitland, founding chairman of North American Marine Environment Protection
Association (NAMEPA), has expressed concern at the safety standards of cruise
shipping, stating that ‘fire at sea remains the biggest threat to passenger
shipping. Speaking of the increasingly unmanageable scale of any potential
evacuation at a conference aboard HMS President in London, he remarked that,
‘these ships have 16-17 decks. They're not ships now, they’re floating hotels.
We are looking at the potential loss of thousands of lives – try doing a muster
with 5,000 people.
Cruise companies need constantly to be asking “how do we
get everyone off this ship?” he said. ‘The passenger shipping industry needs to
be more risk averse and more honest about the risks.’ Maitland acknowledged that
this would create a potential loss of business in the short term, but indicating
that in the long term, a heightened safety awareness would do much to rebuild
reputations. So
far the cruise industry has adopted a number of new policies following the post
Costa-Concordia operational safety review. They cover mandatory muster drills
before leaving port, enhanced reporting to ensure accuracy and consistency in
marine casualty reporting, voyage planning, bridge access and life jackets. All
the policies will be reported to the IMO for consideration at the Maritime
Safety Committee session this month, which will delve into the Costa Concordia
incident.
INDEX
Grand opening Felison
Cruise Terminal:
IJmuiden, may 4-2012
Today the
new Felison
cruise terminal at IJmuiden
festively opened. The
new terminal is a large
capacity expansion arise
in comparison to the already
existing terminal.
The
great animator of this
expansion has undoubtedly
been the Italian
cruise line MSC. This year MSC
makes 22 calls out off the new terminal.
The company wanted
to IJmuiden as a major
destination in the route network
to northern Europe. By the use of
the existing terminal, it was
impossible to realize this
schedule. The first ship
that visited
the new terminal was the MSC Opera.
The terminal was built
within 4 months.
The municipality of Velsen
welcomed this new development and the
building permit was granted without
any delay or bureaucracy.
The new Felison
Cruise Terminal has two
berths for cruise ships up
to 295 meters and a
depth of 10 meters.
The terminal can handle
2000 passengers. The grand opening
ceremony was held by the Mayor
of Velsen Mr. Frank Weerwind, Mr.
Frans Baud CEO
KVSA (the owner of
the terminal) and Mr
Pierfrancesco Vago
CEO of MSC
Cruises. IJmuiden is the third
cruise-gateway to the
Netherlands. It has direct access to
the North Sea. Ships have
easy access without the use
of locks.
Ships using IJmuiden i.o.
Amsterdam save time.
Approximately 3 hours of sailing
through the North Channel and
have lower costs.
Passenger Terminal Amsterdam and
Felison Terminal
are both members of Amsterdam Cruise
Port

INDEX
Disaster year?
Apeldoorn, April 2012
It would appear that 2012 will be a
disastrous year for the cruise industry. In just 4 months several incidents have
occurred. One of the worst years for the cruise industry in recent memory. In January, the Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Italy, killing
at least 32 passengers and calling into question the safety practices of the
entire industry.
Six weeks later, another Costa cruise
ship, the Costa Allegra, was left adrift off the Seychelles in the Indian
Ocean after fire broke out on board.
In March, the Silver Shadow
collided with a cargo ship in Vietnam. The Azamara Quest caught fire on
march 31
in waters south of the Philippines. Five crew members were injured. One
was seriously injured and needed hospital care.
No
passengers were injured in the fire. The
Plancius an
expedition/cruiseship
for Polar operations is out of order caused by serious mechanical
dysfunction of the main propulsion system. The ship is sheltered in safe
position resting alongside the jetty of King Edward Point Research Station in
Grytviken. The ship is sheltered in safe
position resting alongside the jetty of King Edward Point Research
Station in Grytviken.
Even a costly refurbisment the Saga Sapphire is ending her
maiden cruise in Valencia on april 12 due to engine problems.
Dutch
registered river cruise ship Bellriva, chartered by German 1AVista Reisen,
started taking on water in the early hours of Tuesday April 17 after a collision
on the Rhine River. Some 114 passengers and crew were evacuated safely.
According to the Mannheim Shipping and Waterways Authority, Bellriva collided
with a jetty near Plittersdorf (Rastatt) around 4 a.m. which resulted in a
‘massive water intake in the fore part of the ship.
Allure of the Seas
suffered on April 21,what the cruise line has been quoted to call,
a "small and short-lived engine fire." The Allure was sailing from St. Maarten
to Port Everglades when an engine fire broke out at 7:45 p.m. Friday. No
passengers or crew members were injured and the ship is continuing under its own
power. It is scheduled to return Sunday.
There is also
media speculation about whether the Star Princess ignored other mariners
in distress. A Panamanian fisherman who saw his two friends die from
exposure in an open boat after more than 16 days at sea says a big ship
passed but kept going despite their signaling for help.
Two Americans aboard the cruise ship Star Princess in the same area
believe they saw the fishermen adrift at sea and they alerted the crew,
but the luxury liner continued on its course. The incident took place March 10
For more
details the ships concerned. Please Visit the Fleetlist.
INDEX
Plancius stranded:
Vlissingen April 9-2012
Plancius an adventure/expedition ship operated and owned by Oceanwide
Expeditions from Vlissingen - The Netherlands is stranded in the South Atlantic.
The ship lost power on April 9 after setting out from Ushuaia, Argentina on
March 29. No passengers or crew were injured by the mechanical failure that
sapped most of the ship's propulsion power. As
a result of the propulsion failure the ship has only
very limited sailing capabilities ( maximum 4-5 knots in
calm conditions), which means the vessel will not be
able maintain course in rough seas of the open ocean.
The Plancius
which was originally built for the Dutch Navy in 1976 as the Tydeman,
is now docked at King Edward Point Research Station in Grytviken, South Georgia,
the largest town on the remote group of islands more than 600 miles from the
Falkland Islands. The 31-day expedition's ultimate destination was Ascension,
the British territory, but many stops at some of the world's remote islands were
planned along the way. All 73 passengers and at least 42 crew members are safe
on board according to a press release from Oceanwide. They are waiting for a
rescue ship to arrive from Mar del Plata, Argentina on Friday. In the meantime,
passengers are participating in "local walks and excursion program organized by
expedition staff."
It
is planned that all 73 passengers and some crew members
will be repatriated onboard chartered
passenger vessel m/v Ushuaia. The vessel is scheduled to
arrive in Montevideo on April 24 for disembarkation and
connecting travel arrangements.
For shipdetails and images of
the Plancius Please Click here >>>>>>
INDEX
Fire
on the Azamara Quest:
March 31-2012 A cruise
ship with about 1,000 people on board was drifting in waters south of the
Philippines on Saturday after a fire disabled its engines, the Philippine coast
guard said. Five crew members were injured.
One
who was seriously injured and needed hospital care.The
fire on the Azamara Quest started late Friday, a day after the ship left
Manila for Sandakan, Malaysia, and was immediately put out. The ship was
carrying 590 passengers and 411 crew members. Mostly American and European
passengers. Azamara Club Cruises is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The
cruise company statement said the ship was running on emergency power in "calm
seas" near Indonesia's Borneo Island.The
captain of the ship mustered all passengers to the assembly stations as a
precaution. Engineers had earlier managed to restore power to one of the liner's
engines allowing it to re-establish air conditioning, running water,
refrigeration and food preparation on board the ship. The damage caused by the
fire has meant that the remainder of the cruise will be cancelled once the ship
has arrived in Sandakan, the company said.
The condition of the crew member who suffered serious smoke inhalation has
improved, but is still serious, Azamra Club Cruises said on Saturday. Azamara
Quest is traveling at a speed of about six knots with arrival to Sandakan
expected at 10 p.m. Sunday.
This is the fourth accident with a cruise ship in a very short period.
In January, 32 people died, after the Costa Concordia ran into a reef and
capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio. Six weeks later, another Costa cruise
ship, the Costa Allegra, was left adrift off the Seychelles in the Indian
Ocean after fire broke out on board. March
16-2012 The Silver Shadow collided in deep fog with a container ship off
Vietnam, punching a hole in the container ship. No one was hurt everyone was
certainly shaken up about the incident.
For ship details and
images Please Click here >>>>>>
INDEX
Love
boat for scrap:
Genua, march 2012
The Pacific Princess cruise ship that served as the backdrop to corny jokes and
cheesy romance on "The Love Boat" is set to be scrapped. A story from Italy La
Repubblica that said the ship has been sold to a Turkish demolition company for
approximately $3 million. The ship, was built in 1971 and sailed for the
Princess Cruises between 1975 and 2002. Our hearts go out to Doc, Isaac and
Captain Stubing during what we can only imagine is a very difficult time for
them.
The
series became immensely popular and put modern cruising on the foreground.
Sistership Discovery is still in operation.
For ship details and
images Please Click here >>>>>>
INDEX
Costa Allegra
adrift 200 miles ZW the Seychelles:
Rome
Febr. 27 The Costa Allegra is adrift in the Indian Ocean without
power following an engine room fire.There are no reported injuries.The Allegra
is some 200 miles ZW from the Seychelles and about 20 miles of Alphonse
Island.The company was notified today at 10:39 CET that a fire had broken out
aboard the Costa Allegra in the electric generators room located in the aftship.
The fire did not
spread to any other area of the ship. There were no injuries or casualties. As a
precaution, on board, the general emergency alarm was given and all passengers
and crew members, not engaged in the management of the emergency, -reached the
muster stations with the safety equipment. The Allegra is going to be reached by
tugs.
Merchant ships in the area are request to make their way
towards the vessel.
Also other
naval and aerial units are on the way. There are 636 passengers onboard of of
various nationalities and 413 crew members. The ship departed from Diego Suarez
on Saturday, Feb. 25 and was cruising toward the port of Victoria (Mahè -
Seychelles) where it was expected to arrive tomorrow Feb. 28.In
a statement released this afternoon, the Italian Coast Guard, which is in
contact with the ship, said Costa Allegra had no power though its communication
equipment was working. Fishing trawler Trevignon is towing the ship to
Mahé where arrival is due Thursday morning.Two tugs are proceeding towards Costa
Allegra to assist
which will speed up the vessel's journey
Costa said helicopters will ensure continuous supplies of food throughout the
voyage and comfort items such as flashlights to mitigate the difficult
conditions on board, where there is no air conditioning and only emergency
lighting.
Febr. 28
Today afternoon
the two tugs reached the Costa Allegra to assist the ship
as well as French trawler
Trevignon
and maintains a speed of about 6 knots. At current speed and with stable weather
conditions Costa Allegra may also anticipate its arrival in Mahé on March 1
early morning, Costa Crociere said in a statement. Thanks to the arrival of a
small generator, carried by a naval ship present on site as support, the ship's
crew is doing everything possible to make the situation on board more
comfortable. Costa Cruisess "Care Team" has arrived in Mahé: a group of 14
people made up of executives and qualified managers as well as specialized
technicians with the task of providing the necessary assistance both to the ship
and to passengers as well as to crew members on their arrival in Mahé. Eight of
them will board Costa Allegra tomorrow morning ( 29) thanks to a local naval
ship.
March 1
The
Allegra arrived in Mahe earlier today and all crew and passengers have
disembarked. The company reports all guests and crew are in good health. Seventy
percent of the 627 guests have accepted an offer to continue their vacation in
the Seychelles on Costa, with one or two week options. The rest of the
passengers will be return home on flights organized by Costa.
For
shipdetails and images please click here >>>>>>
INDEX
New ships for MSC
St Nazaire
Febr. 16 -2012 MSC
Cruises and the STX Europe ship yard in Saint-Nazaire, France, today began the
100 day countdown to MSC Divina’s long-awaited christening which will take place
on May 26 2012 in Marseilles, France.
As the third addition to the MSC Cruises’ flagship Fantasia class, MSC Divina
will become the 12th and most magnificent ship of the MSC Cruises’ fleet.
In 2013 an other
Fantasia class ship will be the 13th of the fleet. The next cruise ship for MSC
is called MSC Preziosa. Original the ship was order by the Libian State oil comp.
GNMTC.
as
Phoenicia. Order cancel june 22-2011due to change political situation in
Libia. The Phoenicia was based on MSC Fantasia class.
The
condition under which the vessel
MSC has acquired,
bought or on charter were not
disclosed
yet.
INDEX
Strike on Costa Deliziosa:
San
Fransisco Jan. 28-2012 -
More trouble with a Costa Ship.There
is an ongoing strike aboard the Costa Deliziosa
when ship docked in San Francisco this weekend.
The Costa Deliziosa is on a round-the-world tour that
started in Italy on December 28th. At arrival at San Fransisco some 50
waiters most of Philippines
origin walked off their jobs. They were angry at being paid in
dollars instead of the Euros as they were promised in their contracts, and other
working conditions aboard the ship. "Sue this company, because they are taking
lots of money from us, not only for the salary, even the food they give us is
for a pig or dog," waiter Eduardo Garcia told ABC7 news.
They decided to get off the ship in
America because they thought it was the perfect place to take a stand.
INDEX
Costa Concordia hits
rocks off coast of Italy;
Rome
Jan.14 - 2012
Costa Concordia leans after it ran aground off the coast
of Isola del Giglio island, Italy in the evening of jan.13, gashing open
the hull over about 60 m. Aboard
were 4229
passengers and crew.
Evacuate aboard lifeboats and helicopters to the nearby Isola
del Giglio island, early Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. About approx. 1,000 Italian
passengers were onboard, as well as more than 500 Germans, about 160
French and several other nationalities.
Some leapt overboard
and swam to shore as the ship started to sink into the cold waters
near the island of Giglio, off the Tuscan coast.
Passengers' dinner was
interrupted by a loud boom at around 8pm and a voice over the tannoy
initially claimed that the ship was suffering an electrical failure, (however
until now this is not confirmed ) before ordering everyone on-board to
don life-jackets. Since
in the crack
was found a huge boulder
is certain that the ship
has gone on a rock.
Probably
a human error
caused the accident. A
coastguard spokesman, said that at least
three bodies were retrieved from the sea
and at least three more were feared dead.
Pregnant women and young children were
among the passengers.
To date
there is no
true insight
about the number of
dead, wounded
and missing people.
Unofficially, there
are three deaths and
between 20 and 70
missing.
The entire
rescue operation
was
chaotic.
The bunkers are full of
oil. The highest
priority is to
remove without
environmentally damage. Only then can be decided what
should happen with the wreck.
Update:
Jan.16 -
Until now Six people died and still 16 are missing, most with German
nationality.
Costa Crociere said Costa
Concordia’s captain may have erred by sailing too close to shore and ‘in
handling the emergency appears not to have followed standard Costa procedures.
Costa has engaged Smit-Salvage a top Dutch specialized salvage company to remove
2300 tons of heavy fuel oil. To develop an action plan to establish a
protection perimeter around the Costa Concordia to prevent eventually
environmental damage.
Costa said in a statement: "The captain
stayed aboard the ship for a long time after the
accident and moving the ship close to shore before grounding it. he may
have saved many lives.
Jan.18
Eleven people are confirmed dead, while 24 are still
missing.Rescuers are planning to bore three more holes in the hull to search for
missing passengers. However the search for survivors on the
Costa Concordia cruise
ship has been deferred for the second time after sensors revealed the grounded
vessel had shifted a few centimeters. For that reason the salvage comp.have the
discharge of oil interupted.

Jan.19
Following the tragic Costa Concordia
accident, Carnival Corporation & plc,
parent company of Costa Cruises and nine
leading cruise lines around the world,
today announced a comprehensive audit
and review of all safety and emergency
response procedures across all of the
company’s cruise lines. Carnival
Corporation & plc and the cruise
industry as a whole have maintained an
excellent safety record over the years.“However,
this tragedy has called into question
our company’s safety and emergency
response procedures and practices,” said
Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of
Carnival Corporation & plc.
In releated news, analysis of
Lloyd's List Intelligence vessel
tracking data shows that Costa Concordia
sailed within 230 m of the coast of
Giglio Island on a previous voyage, even
closer to shore than where it hit rocks
last Friday. Lloyd's List has uncovered
new evidence which indicates that last
Friday's Costa Concordia disaster may
not be a black and white case of
shipmaster error. Charts of the area
show no rocks in the area where
Concordia was holed.This new evidence
does not mean the Captain is innocent,
it only means Costa may also be guilty
of reckless navigation policies. Nothing
changes the cowardly behavior of the
captain after the accident, or the lack
of order during the evacuation.
In an unexpected move, the chairman of
RINA, the classification society for the
Costa Concordia, Gianni Scerni has
resigned with immediate effect from
January 17- 2012. According to RINA, his
decision was made as a result of
comments about the Costa Concordia
tragedy attributed to him in a personal
capacity in the media. Scerni has
disputed the veracity of these comments,
but has decided to resign in order to
distance

Jan. 24
Italian authorities confirmed 15 people
dead and still 17 missing. The names of
9 dead people are released. Costa
Crociere on Monday denied there were
‘clandestine’ people on board the ship.
Research has
shown that
the master does
not has used drugs.
Italian
public prosecutor
launched
an
investigation into the
role
of Costa Management.
Such as selection
procedures of
captains, staff
training,
safety
instructions,
and why a
number of
lifeboats
did not work.Thursday
starts
Smit
Salvage
with pumping
oil out of the
ship.
Currently
small
amount of oil
leaking
from
the ship.
Jan. 28
Divers
found on Saturday
the body of a woman, bringing the
confirmed death to 17. Still 15 people
are missing. Plans to begin pumping fuel
out of the ship were suspended due to
bad weather. Smit Salvage declare that
the operation may be held up for several
days until Tuesday due to the weather
forecast.
The compensation package for Costa
Concordia passengers is based on 11.000
including nonpaying children, regardless
of their age. Reimbursement of the value
of the cruise, any medical expenses
resulting from the cruise etc. The
families of the deceased and guests who
were injured and required medical
treatment on site will be covered under
a separate proposal that will take into
account their individual circumstances.
Costa also has pledged not to deduct
from this sum any amount paid by any
insurance policy stipulated by guests.
In addition, the company will return all
goods stored in cabin safes, where
retrieval is possible.
The Nautical Institute notes with
extreme disquiet the alacrity with which
the ship’s owners, Costa Cruises, blamed
all on the Master, Captain Francesco
Schettino, accusing him of
unprofessional conduct before any
investigations could have taken place.
The Nautical Institute is also extremely
uneasy with the speculation in much of
the world’s media.
Febr. 2
Pier Luigi Foschi, chief executive
officer of Costa Crociere, a unit of
Carnival Corp. testified that Schettino
called Roberto Ferrarini, Costa
Crociere's head of marine operations at
least six times before the call for
evacuation was made. The first call was
made at 9:57 pm when Schettino informed
Ferrarini that the ship had hit a rock
and was taking on water. Foschi's
testimony seemed to contradict earlier
claims that Costa officials were not
notified of the accident until well
after it occurred.
Rescue
workers decided to suspend searches of
the underwater part of the capsized
Costa Concordia. According to fire
department spokesman Luca Cari "We have
definitively stopped the underwater
search inside the ship." In the three
weeks since the cruise ship struck rocks
and capsized near the island of Gigli on
the Italian coast, 17 bodies have been
recovered, and 15 people are still
missing.
Officials said the search for bodies
will continue when possible on the
non-submerged part.
Bad weather
was also hampering efforts to recover
fuel oil from the ship. At good weather
conditions the oil removal will take
about 4 weeks.
Costa Cruises has called for tenders 10
companies throughout the world to
present a working plan to enterely
remove the hull of the Costa Concordia.
The invitation has been sent to the
world’s leading operators, who have the
capabilities to perform the work in the
shortest time possible, while ensuring
maximum safety and the least possible
environmental impact: 1) Smit Salvage
BV, 2) Svitzer Salvage BV, 3) Mammoet
Salvage BV, 4) Titan Salvage, 5) Resolve
Marine Group Inc., 6) T&T Marine Salvage
Inc., 7) Donjon Marine Inc., 8) Tito
Neri S.r.l., 9) Fukada Salvage & Marine
Works Co. Ltd., 10) The Nippon Salvage
Co The plans must be presented to Costa
Cruises by the beginning of March 2012,
for joint assessment with the Civil
Protection Scientific Committee, in
order to allow the best one to be
selected by the end of March 2012. Time
needed for complete removal will be
about 10 months.
Febr.10
In the days immediately following
the Costa Concordia accident, there were
a lot of amateur videos being shown in
the media taken by passengers aboard the
ship and interviews with them about the
evacuation. None of them, the passengers
nor their interviewers, seemed to have
any depth of knowledge about safety
procedures on cruise ships, nor did they
bother getting true experts to speak to
the issues being raised. Instead they
made assumptions, usually that the crew
members were untrained or incompetent,
and proceeded as if that were fact and
moved on.Costa itself hasn't wanted to
comment in the media on specifics of the
accident due to the ongoing
investigations. One of those
investigations has been in the Italian
Senate. Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi has
testified in front of them twice.
There are lots of answers in his
testimony to questions the news media
erroneously assumed they knew the
answers to. The English-language press
as ignored this valuable source of
information, according Mr. Foschi
statement.
Latest news
from the Island of Giglio is that the
wreckage of Costa Concordia has moved
two feet since January 13, and
conditions are still preventing the fuel
from being removed.
Febr.15
In response to the decision by the
Italian consumer association Codacons to lodge a complaint against the Chairman
& CEO of Costa CrocierePier Luigi Foschi
and other Company executives, reported by the Italian Ansa news agency on
Wednesday, February 15, 2012, the Company reserves the right to take any and all
steps necessary including any legal action required to protect its reputation
and that of its executive officers.
One
month after Costa Concordia hit the rocks off the island of Giglio, Costa
Crociere is actively fighting to dampen the groundswell in the Italian media
which is questioning the future of the Costa brand. We have been annihilated in
the media. Our brand has been massacred,’ Mr Foschi told La Stampa.
The enormous attack of the mass media on Costa Crociere, for the most part
unfair and unverified. He added that although the company is financially very
strong and the company will not go bankrupt, there is no certainty about the
brand.
Costa Crociere have announced that
the pumping of fuel from the Costa Concordia has been continuing around the
clock and starts at 5 pm. on Febr. 12. On Febr 17 , a total of 952 cubic meters
of fuel had been pumped out of 4 tanks located in the forward part of the ship.
Febr.22
Divers discovered eight more bodies in the wreckage of Costa Concordia on
Wednesday, nearly six weeks after the 114,500-ton ship slammed into rocks and
capsized.
Among the victims
is a 5-year-old child.
The victims as soon as possible
from the wreck salvaged.
In total 25 bodies found still 7 missing.
Four ship’s officers and three Costa Crociere executives were added to the list
of those under criminal investigation by Italian prosecutors.
Febr.28
Smit
Salvage reports oil has been removed from all six forward tanks and the hoses,
pumps and valves have been disconnected with the flanges sealed off. Fuel has
also been removed from three different double bottom tanks and from the double
bottom sludge tank. Two fuel tanks in the aft part of the vessel are in progress
of being pumped. Outstanding work includes the removal of HFO from four double
bottom tanks, the fuel storage tanks located in the engine room and the removal
of sanitary residues.
March 15
It appears that since approximately 2 weeks the ship's bell of
the Costa Concordia had been stolen. According to a statement from the
authorities. Despite continuous surveillance of the wreck. The heavy bell is
located at a depth of 8m. An investigation into the theft is already set.

March 23 Five more
bodies have been located today in the
wreckage of Costa Concordia. It takes
days to remove. In total there are 30
bodies found. An other 2 are still
missing.The discovery comes a day before
the expected end of the fuel removal
process.
The
operations to remove the fuel from the
Costa Concordia are going to be
completed by Friday, March 23 Defueling,
which was carried out by experts from
the Neri/Smit Salvage team hired by
Costa Crociere, began at 5 pm on
February 12 and continued around the
clock whenever the sea and weather
conditions were favorable.The removal of
the oil from 17 tanks of the ship will
be completed by Friday night, according
to Costa. The defueling Operation has
been performed using a system of pumps
and valves. Basically, “hot tap” valves
were attached to the side of the ship, a
hole was drilled into the tank and a
pipeline was attached. This enabled the
oil to be heated and pumped out while
sea water was pumped in so as to
maintain the ship’s stability. Small
amounts of fuel cannot be pumped out
from the bulkheads of the tanks; but
they are in such small quantities as to
pose no significant environmental risk,
the company stated.
April 21
US salvager Titan and Italy’s Micoperi have been awarded
the contract to remove the Costa Concordia wreck, an operation expected to begin
in early May and take about 12 months. The ship will be floated in one piece
then towed to an Italian port. In announcing the decision on Saturday, Costa
Crociere said environmental protection will take top priority throughout the
removal process. Once the main work is complete, the sea bottom will be cleaned
and marine flora replanted. All six tenders submitted by the March 3 deadline
were of a very high standard, but the Titan/Micoperi proposal best fulfilled the
main objectives in the tender specifications: removal of the wreck in one piece,
minimal risk, minimal environmental impact, protection of Giglio’s economy and
tourism industry, and maximum safety.
For shipdetails and images please click here >>>
INDEX
Viking Ocean Cruises:
St. Nazaire
Dec. 21 -2011 STX France SA received an order to
build two luxury cruise ships from Viking Ocean Cruises, an affiliate of Viking
River Cruises. The vessels will be delivered in spring 2014 and spring 2015,
respectively, and will be part of Viking's new Ocean Cruise brand. An option for
a third ship is being considered. The vessels will be operated primarily on the
Mediterranean seas and be dedicated mainly to Viking's US, British and
Australian customers.
The vessels will measure 230 x 26.5, carrying 888 passengers in 444 cabins with
a complement of 444 crew members.With
the announcement from STX France that Viking River Cruises has ordered two
ocean-going 888-passenger luxury ships for deliveries in 2014 and 2015 comes the
inevitable speculation that Norwegian-born Torstein Hagen, chairman of the
Basel-based riverboat company, may bring back Royal Viking Line, if not in the
name, at least in the service and reputation.
Update:
Oslo April 4 - 2012 STX
France has been informed by Viking River Cruise that they have decided to
withdraw from further discussions concerning the previously announced project
for two luxury cruise vessels announced on 21 December 2011.
No further
explanation was provided by STX or Viking Ocean. Fincantieri issued a statement
yesterday denying that it was involved. The Viking Ocean contract with STX was
subject to acceptable financing
Italian
state shipbuilder Fincantieri may have snaffled orders for two luxury
ocean-going cruise ships from arch-rival STX France, according to informed
industry sources in Italy. The size of the 2 Viking ships are a little changed.
It will be ships of 45.000 gt. with a passenger cap. of 998.
INDEX
Free
Cruise Celebrity from Amsterdam:
Miami October
14-2011 Celebrity Cruises is offering on Sept. 5- 2012 a free
two-night cruise on the "Constellation" from Amsterdam to Southampton.
To
qualify to be another
Celebrity cruise
must be booked.
Choose from: Celebrity's 12-night
Scandinavia and Russia Cruise departing Aug. 24- 2012 or the 12-night
Europe Wine Cruise departing Sept. 7- 2012. The first is before, the second
after the English Channel cruise. To take advantage of this offer, bookings must
be made by Dec. 16-2011. Contact your travel agent.
INDEX
Would you pay for
extra hours to stay on board ?
Miami october 5 - 2011
Now available on all
Royal Caribbean and
Celebrity ships in Europe, the program "Late Departure" allows
passengers to stay aboard the vessels on disembarkation day instead of a
traditional early-morning departure. Passengers who sign up for the program can
stay on their ship until 90 minutes prior to its next sailing. Passengers
signing up for Late Departure will have access to all of ships public areas and
select restaurants but still must vacate their cabins by the traditional 9 am.
departure time.
For this service Celebrity charge you: $59-for adults and $29.50 for
children ages 3-12
Royal Caribbean $35 for adults and $35 for adults and $17.50 for children
ages 3-17
INDEX
First
newbuilding TUI-Germany
Hamburg/Helsinki Sept. 25 - 2011STX
Finland Oy and TUI Cruises Germany have today signed a contract for the design
and construction of a 97,000 GT cruise vessel. There is an option for a second.
The sophisticated and highly innovative cruise vessel is scheduled to be
delivered in spring 2014. The vessel has many environmentally friendly features,
with a particular emphasis on the vessel’s energy efficiency. The vessel will be
approx. 295 meters long and approx. 36 meters wide. The ship will have 1,250
staterooms and will serve maximum of 2,500 passengers and a crew of 1,000
persons. High balcony ratio will ensure that most of the passengers will have a
possibility to enjoy their own balconies during the cruise.
The newbuild will have the same focus on well-being as the company’s existing
ships, Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2. Mayby the name shall be Mein Schiff 3;
TUI is developing Mein Schiff as a cruise brand in its own right.
INDEX
Happy Cruises/Quail ceased operations.
Madrid Sept.
24-2011 The sudden cessation of operation on Sept. 24th by
the Spanish cruise company Happy Cruises/Quail took many people by surprise. For
some their dream holidays are all but ruined. For others, their immediate
concern would be how to get home. The
three chartered
ships were at that
moment in the Mediterranean. The
Gemini and the Ocean Pearl belongs Danish Clipper
group and managed by ISP Miami. The Happy Dolphin belongs Greek
Enterprises
Shipping and Trading SA. (Restis Group).
All ships are for sale or charter. The first two are located in Gibraltar. The
Happy Dolphin return to Greece. It is highly unlikely to avoid
total liquidation of the company. Crew members are since 4 months waiting the
salary.
INDEX
Fire on board Nordlys:
Ålesund sept.15 - 2011
Two crew members have died and two were seriously injured in a fire
aboard Hurtigruten’s Nordlys off the coast of Norway nearby Ålesund en
route to Kirkeness this morning.
Nine persons
are injured, including the two with serious burns At this moment it is
unclear whether they are crew or passengers. More than 100 passengers
were evacuated safely before the ship was towed into port of
Ålesund. The Nordlys had a total of 262 persons aboard, including 207
passengers.
The passengers had various
nationalities, the majority of
the passengers
were Germans. 'It was a well-organised evacuation. The crew did a
really good job. Everything went calm and smoothly. There was no panic
according a statement of one of the passengers.
Nordlys was still at risk of
capsizing. However Sept.16 Rescue
teams have
managed to seal a fair number of leaks and she is coming back slowly, with the
help of a floating crane. There was also a fire incident on the Nordlys
in March of this year.
For
more information and ship details/foto's and video clip Please click here:
http://www.nedcruise.info/nordlys.htm
INDEX
Oceanwide Expeditions
acquired Ortelius:
Flushing-aug. 2011
Oceanwide Expeditions, the only Dutch cruise operator, has acquired
te Russian owned “Marina Svetaeva”.The ice-strengthened vessel is renamed
in “Ortelius” it is an excellent vessel for Polar expedition cruises in the
Arctic and Antarctica. It has the possibility to adventure remote locations such
as the Ross Sea and Franz Josef Land. The “Marina Svetaeva” was built in Gdynia,
Poland in 1989 as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science.
The new name "Ortelius"is a tribute to the Dutch / Flemish cartographer. Abraham
Ortelius (1527 – 1598).
Ortelius” offers a comfortable hotel standard, with two restaurants, a bar/lecture
room and a sauna. The Oceanwide Expeditions voyages are primarily developed to
offer our passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program, trying to spend as
much time ashore as possible. As the number of passengers is limited to
approximately 100 on the “Ortelius”, flexibility assures maximum wildlife
opportunities.
For ship details please Click here:
http://www.nedcruise.info/ortelius.htm
INDEX
New Orders:
Miami, Aug. 3- 2011
Costa Crociere S.p.A., placed an order with Fincantieri S.p.A. for the
construction of a new cruise ship. The new ship ordered today, with a gross
tonnage of 132,500, 3,700 lower berths, 4,928 total Guests and 1,854 cabins,
will be the largest Italian cruise ship and the 10th ship ordered from
Fincantieri by Costa Cruises in the past 10 years. The new flagship in the Costa
fleet is a derivative of the Costa Concordia will be built at the Fincantieri
shipyards in Marghera (Venice), for a total ship owner’s all-in cost of
approximately €150,000 per lower berth. Delivery is planned for October 2014
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has
reached an agreement, and signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA), with
Carnival Corporation & plc calling for the construction of two new 125,000-ton
cruise ships for its AIDA Cruises brand. The ships will be the largest ever
constructed for this cruise line. Delivery for these two 3,250 passenger ships
is scheduled in March 2015 and March 2016. These two AIDA ships mark a return by
Carnival Corporation & plc to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries which built two ships
for Princess Cruises, both of which were delivered in 2004.
Those ships are Diamond Princess and Sapphire
Princess. Earlier, in 1990, Mitsubishi had built
Crystal Cruises’ first ship, Crystal Harmony (renamed in Asuka II). Other cruise
deliveries include Frontier Spirit (renamed in Bremen) for NYK and Fuji
Maru and Nippon Maru for Mitsui.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has agreed to build the ships at about €10,000 to
€15,000 per berth cheaper than recent newbuilding orders placed with European
yards, indicating a discount of up to 10%, figures show. AIDA’s 3,250 passenger
vessels contracted in Japan will cost about €140,000 per lower berth
INDEX
MSC
upholds art of cruising with elegant gala night.
Genua, June -2011 MSC
Cruises operates a fleet of 11 ultra-modern ships offering casual, relaxed and
informal cruise holidays to suit all passengers, from families and groups of
friends to singles, couples and seniors.MSC knows that guests love to indulge in
old-fashioned glamour and relive the sophistication of the golden age of ocean
travel, even if only for one night. As part of the MSC cruise tradition, the MSC
Gala Dinner takes place at least once every cruise. Hosted on board MSC’s luxury
cruise liners, Gala Night is the epitome of elegance, hospitality and grandeur
and the whole evening, from the cuisine to the show, is a carefully-considered
display of refinement and elegance. Guests are encouraged to don their finest
gowns and tuxedos whilst the Captain and Officers also join the party, dressed
in their ceremonial white parade uniforms. Each MSC Gala night comprises three
elements: a cocktail, gourmet dinner and a show.
The elegant Gala Night always concludes with a live show in one of the
ship’s sumptuous theatres. Talented singers, dancers and acrobats perform an
entertaining musical and dramatic mix, often calling upon willing guests to
partake in the live experience.
The press release does not mention whether an extra fee
for this Gala Night should be paid!!
INDEX
Order Cruiseship
voor Libya cancelled.
St. Nazaire june 22-2011 STX France
SA, a 66.66% owned subsidiary of STX Europe AS, has rescinded the
contract with GNMTC (General National Maritime Transport Company) - the
state owned Libyan shipping company - for the construction of the
Phoenicia a 140,000 GT cruise vessel for delivery end-2012. The reason
for the rescission is the default of payment from GNMTC.
STX
France is confident to be able to find a new buyer for the vessel.
Most
obvious
MSC as
the design
is based on the
MSC
Fantasia-class. Due
to insurance cover for such an incident, the rescission is expected to
have limited impact on the financial results of STX France.
INDEX
HAL's Rotterdam cruises year round from city of Rotterdam
Zwolle-The
Netherlands May 17-2011 In a press meeting today at Jonnie Boers 3- star
Michelin Restaurant "de Librije". CEO and President Holland-America Line and
Seabourn Stein Kruse inform the Dutch press that the Rotterdam will be begin of
2012 homeported year round in the city of Rotterdam. This is the first time that
HAL as cruiseline based a ship in her birthplace. The Rotterdam will also
be performing a 91 day round-trip to
Indonesia the former Dutch colony.
INDEX
New orders Meyer Yard:
Papenburg Febr. 11 -2010
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. has signed a letter of intent with shipyard
Meyer to build the first of a new generation of Royal Caribbean International
cruise ships. Developed under the code-name “Project Sunshine,” the new vessel
design incorporates new and exciting features that take advantage of the best of
Royal Caribbean’s experience and imagination. The project is a result of over a
year of dedicated research and development.
The order calls for one ship to be delivered in the Fall of 2014 with an option
for a second ship for Spring 2015. The 158,000 Gross Registered Tons (GRT) new
build will carry just over 4,100 guests based on double occupancy. Which makes
them the biggest cruise liners ever built in Germany The estimated all-in cost
per berth is about €170,000. This all-in cost includes the yard’s base contract
price plus everything needed to design, operate and build the vessel, from
architect fees to supervision costs and all loose inventories from computers to
art and bed linens.
Norwegian Cruise Line announced on oct. 25-2010 that it has reached an
agreement with Meyer Werft to build two new next generation Freestyle Cruising
ships for delivery in spring 2013 and spring 2014.
Each of the 143,500 gross ton vessels, the largest passenger ships to be built
in Germany, will have approximately 4,000 passenger berths and a rich cabin
mix.
Norwegian has decided not to build sister ships to the Epic at STX France after
cancelling plans to build two more ships in the F3 (Epic) class. Instead, the
company has placed a newbuilding order with Meyer Werft in Germany for two ships
of a slightly smaller size.
INDEX
Skywalkers moved from Grand
Princess:
Miami Febr.10-2011 The
most significant transformation ever of a Princess Cruises ship will occur this
spring aboard Grand Princess. During a 24-day makeover the ship, which was the
prototype for the line’s “Grand Class” vessels, will undergo a remarkable
renovation to receive many of Princess’ trademark features introduced since the
ship’s 1998 debut including the signature Piazza atrium. Several new features
will be also be added including a unique tea lounge and library called “Leaves”;
and “Alfredo’s,” a full-service pizzeria showcasing this renowned Princess dish.
A brand new nightclub called One5, inspired by its deck location, will be
created on the top deck of the ship, replacing its iconic Skywalker Nightclub,
which has given the ship its distinctive profile. Skywalkers will be removed
from its 18th deck perch, with its replacement located on deck 15. This change
will significantly improve the operational performance of the ship, including
greater fuel efficiency. The newly renovated Grand Princess will debut on May 5
in Ft. Lauderdale where the ship will depart on a transatlantic crossing for her
summer and fall homeport of Southampton, from which she will cruise a variety of
European itineraries The Grand Princess skywalker was
constructed with heavier materials than the Skywalkers on the Caribbean
Princess, Golden Princess and Star Princess and removing them from those ships
would not offer the same efficiency gains. Changes will be made during a
drydock from April 11 to May 4 at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport,
Bahamas. For images and details of old and new layout of the Grand Princess
Please Click here >>>>>
INDEX
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises extend
its capacity:
Hamburg Jan.
10-2011 Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will strategically extend its product
offering until 2013 by adding two ships to the existing fleet. The luxury
segment will be enhanced by a long-term charter for the new "Europa 2". The new
ship is being acquired by a third-party proprietary company outside the TUI
group at the French STX shipyard and will enter service in 2013. The charter
agreement is being concluded for a period of 12 years. The"Europa
2" will have a passenger capacity of 516.
The premium segment will be enhanced by the two-year
bareboat charter of Oceania Cruises "Insignia" ( bwj. 1998 - 30.277 bt.)
The vessel will be renamed as "Columbus 2" and start operation for Hapag-Lloyd
april 2012. A statement from Oceania said the charter period will last for two
years with the 684-guest vessel rejoining the Oceania fleet in April, 2014.
With
little
equity capital of
Hapag-Lloyd
Cruises
the
passenger
capacity
become
more
than doubled.
INDEX
Seabourn is moving to HAL
headquarters:
Seattle Jan. 7 -2011 Seabourn headquarters are moving to Seattle
to share offices with Holland America Line, with HAL evp Rick Meadows adding the
Seabourn presidency to his duties once the relocation is completed.
The transition from Miami to Seattle
will take place over the next few months. Seabourn’s president, Pamela Conover,
will continue to serve in her role during the transition period but has chosen
not to move to Seattle at this time. Following the transition, she will continue
to serve as special advisor and brand ambassador for Seabourn.Seabourn
and HAL will maintain independent brand management teams while leveraging
efficiencies from shared resources, including a unified field sales force and
technology platforms. Arison called Meadows 'uniquely qualified' to
oversee Seabourn's further progress in its new headquarters. Meadows previously
served as Seabourn’s svp sales and marketing where he played a significant role
in developing the brand. He will continue as evp marketing, sales and guest
programs for HAL. 'Seabourn’s move to Seattle will allow this great brand to
further prosper through the natural efficiencies realized from sharing
technology and support services with Holland America Line,' said Micky Arison,
chairman and ceo of Carnival Corp. & plc. He said annual savings in the $20m to
$25m range are estimated starting in 2012.
A Seabourn
spokesperson told Seatrade Insider that decisions about which key personnel will
make the move to Seattle cannot be answered right now. 'This will be a process
and we will take it carefully and ensure that it is as humane and beneficial as
possible,' he said
INDEX
HAL - Culinary Council:
Seattle Jan. 6 -2011 The foodies at Holland America Line have
pulled off a culinary coup in snagging five world-famous chefs to join their own
internationally known master chef Rudi Sodamin in a new Culinary Council. HAL
had considered assembling a panel of stellar chefs for several years. The plan
crystallized in 2010 when Meadows, Sodamin, Johan Groothuizen (vp marine hotel
operations) and Steve Kirsch (director of culinary operations) compiled their
wish list of names.
Today Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Jacques Torres and Charlie Trotter—Marcus
Samuelsson was absent—dazzled food writers at a luncheon on the Pinnacle Grill
of the Noordam. The Culinary Council is chaired by HAL master chef Rudi
Sodamin. Members include three-star Michelin chef Jonnie Boer of De Librije in
the Netherlands; David Burke, who operates noted restaurants in several major US
cities; Marcus Samuelsson, chosen as one of the Great Chefs of America by the
Culinary Institute of America; the acclaimed pastry chef and chocolatier Jacques
Torres; and Charlie Trotter, whose eponymous Chicago restaurant has won 10 James
Beard Foundation awards.
Three-star Michelin chef Boer, of De Librije in Zwolle, Netherlands, quipped
that he signed on with HAL because the one thing it lacked is a Dutch chef on
the Culinary Council. The occasion is a luncheon hosted by HAL president and ceo
Stein Kruse and evp Rick Meadows to introduce the media, including a number of
food writers, to the stars whose insights and guidance are expected to touch
every aspect of HAL’s shipboard food service
INDEX
Glorius return of ss.Rotterdam:
Rotterdam aug.4-2008
Thousands of spectators
stood along the New Waterway when the ss. "Rotterdam" return home on
Aug.4 - 2008 almost 49 year after her birthday. At about 4 pm. she entered the
New Waterway. Towed by four Kotugs tugboats to her final destination at the 3e
Katendrechtse Hoofd at Maashaven where she was moored ...................
Please read more and watch many
images >>>>
INDEX
BANKRUPTCY AFTER BANKRUPTCY:
Due to the tremendous new-building programs and of course the
Sept. 11 tragedy many cruise lines went for chapter 11 protection or bankruptcy.
The most of them will never survive in future. Here are the facts
who are following?
List is based on situation Sept. 2000 until this moment. Dates are the first
date, that financial trouble came into publication. Some of the bankruptcs are
described in detail on the page News or Archive.
PREMIER CRUISE LINE - USA:
Sept.19-2000
COMMODORE CRUISE LINE - USA:
Dec.30-2000
RENAISSANCE CRUISES - USA :
Sept. 25 - 2001
AMERICAN CLASSIC VOYAGES - USA:
October
19 - 2001
REGAL CRUISES Inc. -USA:
April 28
- 2003
SUN BAY - CRUISES -GERMANY:
Sept. - 2003
OCEAN CLUB CRUISES
- MARSHALL ISLANDS:
Jan. 10 - 2004
FIRST EUROPEAN/FESTIVAL CRUISES-
GREECE/FRANCE; March 8-2004
SOCIETY EXPEDITIONS
- GERMANY: June 26 - 2004
ATW CRUISES -SAFEZONE - AUSTRALIA:
Dec. - 2004
ROYAL OLYMPIA CRUISES - GREECE:
Jan. - 2005
HOLIDAY
KREUZFAHRTEN - GERMANY
Sept. -
2006
WINDJAMMER BAREBOAT CRUISES -
USA
Oct. - 2007
CLUB CRUISE - THE NETHERLANDS
Febr. - 2009
VISION CRUCEROS - SPAIN
March
10 - 2009
JUPITER CRUISES INC.
- VIETNAM
April - 2009
INDIAN OCEAN CRUISES -
INDIA April - 2009
ADRIATIC CRUISES - CROATIA
May - 2009
TRANSOCEAN TOURS - GERMANY
Sept. 2 -2009
CRUISE
WEST - USA Sept. 18 -2010
Delphin Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Delphin Cruises GmbH and related Hansa Kreuzfahrten -
Germany Oct.
12-2010
Polar Star Expeditions/Karlsen Shipping
Co.
ceased operations
May 18 - 2011
Caspi Cruises - Israel
ceased operations
July 4 -2011
Quail Cruisers/Happy
Cruises - Spain ceased operations Sept.24-2011
CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL CRUISES -
PORTUGAL Sept/Okt. 2012
INDEX
Please Visit
The Dutch Cuise Site -
Nedcruise
© Dutch Cruise Site