Newbuilds for Princess

Princess Cruises announced a memorandum of agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri S.p.A. on 23rd July to build two new cruise ships on a next-generation platform designed to further enhance the cruise experience for its guests. The newbuilds are scheduled to be delivered in late 2023 and spring 2025. The two ships will be 175,000gt and accommodate approximately 4,300 guests (lower berths). Specification details for the ship design, along with anticipated features and amenities of this all-new platform design for Princess Cruises, will be released at a later date. The new vessels will be Princess Cruises’ first dual-fuel powered LNG ships and the largest by capacity in the Princess Cruises fleet. They will be built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. Princess Cruises also has three new Royal-class ships on order with Fincantieri, including its next new ship, the Sky Princess, which is currently under construction and scheduled for delivery in October 2019. The two other Royal-class ships are planned for delivery in 2020 and 2022.

The company’s 77,441gt/1995 built Sun Princess (above) completed a two-week multi-million pound refurbishment in Singapore in July. Enhancements included a redesigned youth centre, new premium Club Class mini-suites and upgraded on-board shopping. The ship also received the new Princess Cruises bow logo. The enhancements continue Princess ‘Come Back New Promise’ campaign, with £330 million being invested across the line’s fleet of 17 ships. In 2020 the Sun Princess will be docked in Yokohama Port to serve as a floating hotel during the Tokyo Olympics to boost local accommodation. The vessel will be chartered by a Japan travel agency for 19 days.

TUI Newbuilds for Fincantieri

On 13th July the Italian Shipbuilder announced that it is to build two new-concept LNG powered ships for TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises. The 161,000gt newbuilds will be built at the Monfalcone shipyard and delivered in 2024 and in 2026, respectively. The order is based on a prototype project developed by Fincantieri which enhances the well-established modern and environmental features of TUI Cruises.

Highlights of the Iona Revealed

On 9th July P&O Cruises released details of some of what the newbuild Iona will have to offer when she arrives in May 2020. A stunning glass SkyDome will be the crowning glory on top of the ship, providing a new home for onboard entertainment, along with a ‘hidden’ night club (the 710 Club) and boutique cinema. A brand new concept for P&O Cruises, SkyDome is a contemporary entertainment venue located on decks 16 and 17. A pool and retractable stage will also feature. Another first for P&O will be Ocean Studios, a boutique cinema with four cinema screens. The new ship will also offer 30 innovative and flexible dining venues including The Keel and Cow, a gastropub overlooking the three storey high glass walls of the Grand Atrium. The ship will also have a ‘foodie’ market in the form of The Quays Piazza, home to a wide range of self-service and takeaway venues. The Iona will exclusively offer Freedom Dining in all of her main restaurants, another first for P&O Cruises. The move is designed to give more flexibility to each and every guest. They can choose just where and with whom they want to eat, and when they will sit down for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The heart of the Iona will be the Grand Atrium, a lively focal point that encapsulates the spirit of the ship. Spanning three decks, each level of the Grand Atrium offers a different destination for guests but with the same views and natural light. The atrium’s staircase will be a sculptural centrepiece with its sweeping arrival on each deck. The Grand Atrium will be home to The Glass House (Deck 7) serving an array of wines plus the Cellar Door at The Glass House that will offer wine talks, tastings and wine-pairing dinners. The aforementioned Keel & Cow will feature on Deck 8 of the atrium whilst Deck 6 brings a choice of places to relax and watch the world go by including the Vistas Cafe Bar and Emerald Bar.

The Lady is Revealed

On 20th July Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin revealed Virgin Voyage’s new ship’s long awaited official name, Scarlet Lady (above). This name appeared on one of the earliest planes to fly for Virgin Atlantic. Now, as the flagship for the Virgin Voyages fleet, the Scarlet Lady name will be paired with the brand’s iconic mermaid image. That same day the ship’s building dock was flooded in preparation for the connection of two hull sections. signifying the first time the hull of the Scarlet Lady touches sea water. The day at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente (Genoa) yard also featured a ceremony to cut the first pieces of steel for Virgin Voyages’ second ship, which is due for delivery in 2021. The 110,000gt, 278m long and 2,700 passenger capacity Scarlet Lady will be delivered in 2020 and the members of the Virgin Voyages fleet will be known as “Lady Ships.” The development of Virgin Voyages’ ships has been noted not only for their design but also for their particular attention to energy recovery, featuring cutting-edge alternative technologies that reduce the ship’s overall environmental impact. For example, the ships will be equipped with an energy production system of approximately 1 megawatt, which uses the diesel engine’s waste heat. Virgin Voyages has also coined the marketing strap line of getting “Vitamin Sea” when guests choose to travel with the company. An opportunity missed by other companies!

Celebrity Revolution

Celebrity Cruises is set to transform its fleet via a $500 million refurbishment project to transform the current fleet in partnership with more than 500 leading architects, designers, and engineers designed to bring the rest of the brand’s award-winning fleet in line with the Celebrity Edge. The suites on the Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Infinity, and Celebrity Summit are being rejuvenated with the help of visionary British designer Kelly Hoppen, MBE. She will also work on the Reflection Suite and Signature Suites aboard the Celebrity Reflection, and newly added to Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox, and Celebrity Silhouette. The Celebrity Edge has a, so far at least, exclusive new sanctuary for all Suite Class guests called The Retreat. Celebrity Cruises is now bringing this to every ship. The restaurant brand Qsine will also be added across the fleet and completely renovated, now offering the brand’s virtual Le Petit Chef experience, created by the world-famous artists of Skullmapping and presented by TableMation exclusively for Celebrity Cruises. The Oceanview Café will also be redesigned with an open, airy, marketplace-inspired design and the Main Restaurant will undergo a redesign. The inspiration for the fleet upgrades, the 129,500gt Celebrity Edge, embarked upon her first sea trials from the Chantiers d’Atlantique shipyard (now renamed from STX Europe to its former name) at St. Nazaire on 27th July, returning on 29th July. Clearly visible on the starboard side of the 300m long/38m beam and 2,900 guest capacity ship was the so-called Magic Carpet, a 90t movable platform that is cantilevered over the ship’s side. This floating platform reaches a height of 13 stories above sea level and will also act as a tender embarkation point when the ship is at anchor. The Celebrity Edge will also feature a rooftop garden, dubbed the Eden and delivery is set for October 2018. As the completion of Celebrity Edge nears, Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard cut steel for Celebrity Cruises’ second Edge-class ship, Celebrity Apex, on 24th July. The Celebrity Apex is expected to debut in spring 2020, with the third and fourth Edge series ships arriving in the autumn of 2021 and the autumn of 2022, respectively. Originally the second ship was assigned the name Celebrity Beyond, perhaps not the best name for such a luxurious ship.

Triumphant Sunrise

Carnival Cruise Line revealed plans on 31st July for a near-$200 million bow-to-stern makeover for the 101,509gt/1999 built Carnival Triumph (above) in the spring of 2019 that will include renaming the ship to reflect the significant transformation. The ship will join Carnival’s Sunshine class and will be named Carnival Sunrise after a two-month-long refurbishment that will take place in Cadiz, Spain from 1st March. The dry-dock makeover will add all of Carnival’s wildly popular branded food, beverage and entertainment innovations, as well as update all staterooms in a broad spectrum of new accommodations providing guests fresh and exciting seagoing holiday choices. Following a renaming ceremony, the Carnival Sunrise will re-enter service with a series of 5-7 day voyages from Norfolk, Virginia from 29th April 2019, a summer schedule of 4-14 day departures from New York commencing 23rd May 2019 and then she will move to Fort Lauderdale on 28th October for Caribbean sailings. Facilities to be offered by the ship will include the Cucina del Capitano, JavaBlue Café, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Express, The Chef’s Table, Lido Marketplace, RedFrog Pub, Piano Bar 88, Limelight Lounge, New Multi-Purpose Liquid Lounge, Serenity Adult Only Retreat and the Cloud 9 Spa.

Two More Leonardos for NCL

On 12th July NCL confirmed with Fincantieri orders for the construction of the fifth and the sixth unit of the ‘Leonardo’ series, a class of new-concept cruise ships with deliveries scheduled in 2026 and 2027. The option was included in the agreement signed in February 2017 for the construction of the first 4 ships. These 140,000gt, 300m long and 3,300 guest capacity vessels will form the backbone of the future NCL fleet. The class is based on a prototype project developed by Fincantieri, which enhances the consolidated features of NCL’s freedom and flexibility policy as well as being energy efficient. On 18th July NCL announced enhancements to its 2019 and 2020 itineraries to take advantage of the strong global demand.

Originally built for the Chinese Market, the 167,725gt/2017 built Norwegian Joy (above) will join 168,028gt/2018 built sister ship Norwegian Bliss on the seasonal Alaska itineraries from Seattle in summer 2019 and will also offer Mexican Riviera and Panama Canal voyages from Los Angeles in winter 2019/2020.

The Norwegian Pearl (above) will sail to Europe as the cruise line’s sixth ship in the region in summer 2019 (Amsterdam, Civitavecchia, Barcelona & Venice) while the 93,558gt/2006 built Norwegian Jade and 93,502gt/2005 built Norwegian Jewel will significantly expand NCL’s presence in Australasia in 2019/2020.

The Norwegian Jade (above) will operate from Singapore/Hong Kong and a refurbished ‘Jewel will cruise from Honolulu, Papeete, Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo (Yokohama).

A refreshed 75,904gt/1998 built Norwegian Spirit (above) will serve the Chinese Market seasonally as from summer 2020.