AIDA Cruises’ 183,200gt AIDAnova (above) undertook her conveyance of the River Ems from Papenburg to Eemshaven (Netherlands) on 8th October, arriving in Eemshaven, The Netherlands, on the morning of 9th October.

American Queen Steamboat Company has announced construction of a new 245 passenger riverboat called the American Countess. The new addition will enable the river cruise line to keep pace with demand for its popular sailings to American river port cities such as Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and Minneapolis. The new vessel will be built using the existing hull of the Kanesville Queen, a former gaming vessel built in 1995. The contract to build the ship has been awarded to Gulf Island Shipyards, with the Countess being worked on at its shipyard in Houma, Louisiana, from the fourth quarter of 2018.

Celebrity Cruises’ Galapagos Islands ship Celebrity Xpedition (above) received a 7 day makeover in Panama during September. The work included enhancements to her suites, staterooms, & communal spaces such as improved wi-fi, a reinvigorated Beagle Grill restaurant and the rollout of eXhale bedding in all suites.

Costa Cruises’ announced on 2nd October that the 102,669gt/ 2003 built Costa Fortuna (above) will receive a major refit at the Singapore shipyards 10th-16th December 2018. The work will involve the restyling of many public areas and the introduction of new services for guests, with an investment of €8 million. The 3,470-guest capacity ship had been operating in the Asian market but will return to Europe from the end of March 2019 to offer one-week cruises in the Mediterranean departing from Genoa every Friday. The restyling of the Costa Fortuna has been designed by the Artefice Group, with the exception of the Costa Shop, which will be in the hands of Dordoni Architetti, the Milanese firm that recently designed the cabins for the new flagship, Costa Smeralda.  After the refit the Costa Fortuna will sail on two different one-week itineraries, departing from Singapore to discover Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia, from 16th December to 26th February 2019.

Lindblad Expeditions unveiled the world’s most advanced polar expedition ship, the 126 guest National Geographic Endurance, on 27th September. The ship will be delivered in 2020 and is the the first new polar build in the line’s history. She is named to honour legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton. The PC5 Category A ice class ship is of the Ulstein X-Bow design with optimum external deck areas for viewing the scenery and sea life. Conceived by Partnership Design in Hamburg, the streamlined Scandinavia style interior oozes modernism across her 6 passenger decks. Fire and ice are twin décor themes throughout the ship including the Ice Lounge and the fireplace of The Den on the Observation Deck. There are 13 extra-large balcony suites and 56 standard cabins (40 feature a balcony, including 12 solo cabins). Dining aboard the National Geographic Endurance features the Restaurant Two Seven Zeroº.

MSC Cruises’ 171,598gt MSC Grandiosa will embark on her inaugural voyage from Hamburg on the 10th November following the naming ceremony which will take place on the 9th November in the city. The 10/13 night itinerary to Genoa/Marseille includes overnight stays in Southampton, Lisbon and Barcelona. The ship will then sail 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Genoa.

National Geographic’s National Geographic Venture, the sister ship of the 2,920gt/2017 built National Geographic Quest, was launched from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, WA, on 10th September (above). The ship is now being fitted out for delivery to Lindblad Expeditions at the end of 2018.

Oceania Cruises’ 30,277gt/2000 built Nautica broke free from her moorings at Greenock on 19th September as Storm Ali lashed the west coast of Scotland (above). The tugs Svitzer Milford and Anglegarth struggled to restrain the ship and she anchored in the Clyde until conditions improved. Around 300 passengers were aboard with those ashore at the time being looked after until they could re-join the ship when the storm abated.

P&O Cruises Australia will rename the 108,864gt/2001 built Golden Princess as the Pacific Adventure when she joins the P&O Cruises fleet from Princess Cruises in October 2020. The Pacific Jewel has now been reported as sold to the Oceanic Group and will leave the fleet in 2019. Renamed the Cartoon Network Wave, her place in the fleet is to be taken by the Star Princess when released from Princess Cruises in 2021n.

Portuscale Cruises’ laid up 5,888gt/1965 built cruise ship Porto has been sold for scrap. The former Arion (above), built as the Istra, left the berth where she has languished in lay-up at Lisbon on 15th October. The much loved 9,563gt/1961 built Funchal has been berthed beside her since Portuscale Cruises ceased trading in early 2015. What future lies ahead for her remains uncertain. Bank Montepio has been in control of both ships since the cruise operation ended.

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s first 298-guest capacity vessel was launched at the Hijos De J. Barreras Shipyard in Vigo, Spain on 9th October. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will celebrate the newbuild’s naming ceremony in December, and will hold a christening celebration prior to the inaugural sailing in February 2020.

Royal Caribbean Cruises’ 168,666gt/2016 built Ovation of the Seas made an unscheduled drydocking at a COSCO shipyard in Zhoushan, China, during September meaning the cancellation of the ship’s 21st/26th September itineraries from Tianjin, China.

Saga Cruises’ new ship Spirit of Discovery will be christened in Dover on 5th July 2019. She will be the first vessel to be named at Dover following the completion of stage one and two of a £250 million redevelopment of Dover Western Docks. The company’s first cruise departed from the port over 20 years ago and the Spirit of Discovery’s sell-out maiden voyage will depart from the Kent port on 10th July 2019.

SS France returned to Le Havre on a long-term basis in the last week of September when the city unveiled the ship’s bow tip, which is now installed on the city’s waterfront near the ferry and cruise terminal. The section of the once fine Liner was purchased by French interests in 2009 as part of a project, which never came to fruition and the city of Le Havre managed to purchase it for €150,000 in 2017

Captains in Cadiz

On 10th September Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines celebrated an historic coming together of its fleet of four ocean ships, the 43,537gt/1988 built Balmoral, 24,344gt/1993 built Braemar, 28,551gt/1973 built Boudicca and 28,612gt/1972 built Black Watch, in Cádiz. Entitled ‘Captains in Cádiz’, this was only the second time ever that the fleet has converged in one place, anywhere in the world. The occasion marked the 170th anniversary of Fred. Olsen’s start as a shipping company and the company has been calling at the Spanish port since 1987.

The first fleet reunion took place in Bergen in 2015.

A key part of the Captains in Cádiz celebrations day was the bringing together of the eight ships’ Masters from across the Fred. Olsen fleet (above), Captains Victor Stoica and Rommel Pineda from Balmoral, Captains Jozo Glavic and Jens Erik Gulowsen from Braemar, Captains Juha Sartela and Mikael Degerlund from Boudicca, and Captains Henrik Mattsson and Valentin Giuglea from Black Watch. Also attending the event was Chairman of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Fred. Olsen Junior. One of the highlights of the event was a ceremonial Plaque Exchange on stage, attended by all eight Captains, Fred. Olsen Junior, Mike Rodwell, the Mayor of Cádiz, President of Cádiz Port Authority and other local dignitaries, at which ships’ plaques were presented by the Captains and commemorative gifts received from the city of Cádiz, followed by a VIP Reception on board Balmoral.

Guests also had the rare opportunity to visit all of the Fred. Olsen ships during the day, and many took advantage of the chance to meet up with each other, or their favourite crew members, and get to experience the rest of the fleet for themselves.

At 5pm all four ships departed in convoy, serenaded by a local jazz band. Led out of the harbour by a fire tug spraying its water cannons, the Fred. Olsen fleet passed under the imposing The Constitution of 1812 Bridge in formation, before setting sail for their next destinations: Braemar was returning to Southampton, both Balmoral and Black Watch continued to Lisbon, and Boudicca headed to Ibiza. Fred. Olsen has already started planning its next fleet reunion, the third such event, in the stunning city of Funchal, on the ‘Garden Island’ of Madeira, on 4th April 2020. Named ‘Four Freds in Funchal.’