Category: The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, after some delay, Silversea finally announced that it would build a sister ship to the Silver Muse. This followed an announcement ages ago by Seabourn that it would build two ships of similar size for the same upmarket range. Elsewhere, Vard has secured its eighth order for an expedion ship, this time from Coral Expeditions of Australia. And a name from the past, APL, has re-entered the passenger trades after a very long absence, by accepting passengers on some of its container ships. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This year saw two ships come back after sixty years to revive a long-standing route that had first been opened 132 years earlier – that between Tampa, Key West and Havana. The 1,600-berth Empress of the Seas and 2,052-berth Carnival Paradise succeed to a route that had been operated by uniquely one predecessor for more than seventy years. Meanwhile, last week in Hamburg saw the virtual keel-laying for AIDA Cruises’ 183,000-ton 5,200-berth AIDANova. And on the other side of the Atlantic, Hurricane Irma has led to the cancellation of seventeen cruises from Florida ports. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

All of a sudden there is more activity on the Great Lakes, first with the announcement of the addition of the 202-berth Victory II in 2018 and then Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ new 230-berth expedition ship Hanseatic Inspiration in 2020. Another expedition ship is also said to be on the way. We also have a quick look at two impending newbuildings, MSC Cruises’ 4,134-berth MSC Seaside and the 600-berth Seabourn Ovation, new sister to the Seabourn Encore. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

An announcement has been made that a second ship will be added to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s West Palm Beach to Freeport, Bahamas, service. This will increase the getaway cruise departures up to daily service, with as many days stopover as one wants. If all goes to plan, the existing Grand Celebration will be joined by a renamed Costa neoClassica next spring. We take the opportunity to look back at some of the earlier cruise services that operated from Palm Beach. Meanwhile, P&O Cruises’ naming contest for its new 5,200-berth megaship, to enter service in 2020, has closed. And Uniworld have announced that it will convert an existing vessel into its latest S.S. Super Ship. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This weekend at Southampton was one of the busiest of the season seeing five cruise ship visits on each of Saturday and Sunday, for a total of ten ships over the weekend, plus a passenger-carrying container ship on Sunday. Elswehere, we look at fleets that feature one smaller ship in addition to their main fleet of larger cruise ships. Finally, Crystal Cruises has returned to Dover after a two-year absence. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Continuing on the theme of fifty years ago that we started a couple of weeks ago with Cunard, this week we look at the legacy lines that survive today. The names of these lines, Cunard, Holland America, Costa and P&O, are all historic, and as it happens they are all owned by Carnival Corp & plc. The only lines outside these direct links are Celebrity Cruises, formed by Chandris Cruises, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Lauro Lines, which was the foundation of today’s MSC Cruises. Elsewhere, we look at recent fleet announcements from Costa Cruises. And another veteran expedition ship gets a remake in Norway and Denmark. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, Canadian-based One Ocean Expeditions announced the acquisition of a third ship for its expedition fleet, while indicating that it would probably be doing more business in non-polar regions as well as in the Nova Scotia port of Sydney. Meanwhile, the Baltic shipyard MV Werften has delivered the first vessel under its new ownership by Genting Group of Hong Kong. The 106-berth Crystal Bach, which will cruise the Rhine, Main and Danube, will be the second ship in the Crystal River Cruises fleet, following the 154-berth Crystal Mozart on the Danube. Finally, Thomson Cruises have confirmed that they will base their 1,830-berth TUI Discovery at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 2018. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

It came as a somewhat of a surprise this month when Quark Expeditions revealed that its 2018-19 Antarctic season would be led by a newbuilding that so far had not caught anyone’s eye. We have a look at Mystic Cruises, who will own the new 176-berth World Explorer, and the Portuguese shipyard it works with in Viana do Costelo. Meanwhile, a new passenger and container ship has recently entered service in China and we have a look at a ship design that, while particular to China, has also spread to Mauritius and French Polynesia. Finally, it is fifty years since Cunard Line announced that it would withdraw its iconic Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, so we look back to 1967. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This weekend saw the announcement of a seventh ship for Disney Cruise Line, which will serve to expand their potential areas of operation in the world market quite significantly. One of a trio of new 2,500-berth ships to be built by Meyer Werft at Papenburg, all three will be LNG-powered. Elsewhere, Thomson Cruises has announced that it will retain an old favourite, the Thomson Spirit, for one more season in 2018, despite that fact that it is introducing the 1,870-berth TUI Explorer in the same year. And in the Australian cargo-passenger trades, four of the five existing CMA CGM Europe-Australia ships are being transferred to ANL’s Singapore-Australia service. Two German-owned ships will replace the four leaving the Europe-Australia service, meaning a 60% drop in passenger capacity. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Seabourn’s first Alaska departure in fifteen years left Vancouver last month when the Seabourn Sojourn sailed north to Seward and went on during her return to add calls at ports in northern British Columbia that will make their itineraries very unique. And next year, Windstar Cruises will return to Alaska, after an absence of twenty years in their case using the Star Legend, which sailed for many years as the Seabourn Legend. In the UK, meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises will be changing from the Celebrity Eclipse to the Celebrity Silhouette in 2018. And trouble seems to be brewing in Falmouth, Jamaica, the six-year-old mega-ship port that was opened by Royal Caribbean in 2011, after the number of complaints from passengers about surly welcomes to Jamaica. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, in Shanghai, Norwegian Cruise Line christened its first purpose-designed cruise ship for the China market, the “Breakaway Plus” class Norwegian Joy, or Xi Yuè Hoo in Chinese. With a Ferrari-branded go-kart racetrack on board, this ship offers a number of new attractions for the Chinese market. Eleswhere, Hurtigruten has announced a half dozen Atlantic Canada and New England cruises for Spring 2018. And, after its successes with music cruises in Australia, Cruiseco continues now with a series of UK music cruises. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, we received word from Victory Cruise Lines of Miami that it had received approval to cruise to Cuba and that president and ceo Bruce Nierenberg is now in Cuba making arrangements. Victory operate the 210-berth Victory 1, which is presently sailing the Great Lakes. Victory’s Nierenberg advises us of the relatively new line’s plans for Cuba. Elsewhere, Ritz-Carlton has announced that it will enter the yacht cruise business with three new 298-berth cruising yachts of 623 feet each. Meanwhile, Chile’s Antarctica XXI has announced a 70-berth 298-foot newbuilding for its Antarctic fly and sail business. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

On Friday, in the “Little Havana” neighbourhood of Miami, surrounded by Cuban Americans, President Donald Trump’s words for Cuba were “we will enforce the ban on tourism.” However, his edict will have very little effect on the cruise lines that have been able to return to Cuba in the last year thanks to a loosening of regulations by former president Barack Obama. In Croatia, meanwhile, the world’s largest sailing ship, the 300-passenger Flying Clipper, was launched for Star Clippers. Finally, Sunstone Ships’ 230-berth Ocean Atlantic has recently re-entered service as an expedtion ship. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came confirmation that MSC Cruises had ordered two new “World” class cruise ships, among the largest in the world, with an option for two more, from STX France. This news is not shocking, seeing that there will soon be 120 cruise ships in the world measuring over 100,000 gross tons, and this order will bring the number of about eight 200,000-ton ships, including five operated by Royal Caribbean International and one by Star Cruises. While vessels grow in size, we also have a look at rising (and in some cases falling) markets in the cruise industry. And finally we note that Southampton last week received a record fifteen cruise ships in three days. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came an announcement from Ulstein Group in Norway that it had signed a letter of intent to build one or more new X-Bow design expedition cruise vessels. For an unidentified owner, these vessels would follow closely on the framework agreement signed in March for up to ten slightly smaller X-Bow ships for SunStone ships. Also unidentified for now is the German owner who is negotiating for two new 820-foot 1,200-berth cruise ships to be built by the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia. Finally, we have a look this week at the recent Porto & Douro Cruise Forum. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week it was announced that Holland America Line is the latest cruise line to acquire rights to sail to Cuba, with its inaugural voyage set to be performed in December by the Veendam. Elsewhere the new Black Seas Cruises sent its recently-acquired Knyaz Vladimir on her trial voyage before she enters service in two weeks. And Turkey’s Etstur has announced another season of Greek Isles cruises, this time using the Louis Group-owned Aegean Queen. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last Friday it was announced that Fincantieri was to acquire a 66.66% shareholding in STX France, a company that will no doubt soon be renamed. The balance of the shares are held by the French State. At the same time, following the opening of Fleet Operations Centres in Hamburg and Seattle, Carnival Corp & plc has started hiring for a third such centre in Miami to manage the twenty-five ships of original group member Carnival Cruise Line. Meanwhile, Cruise Industry News Annual predicts 60% growth in the European cruise market over the next decade. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

In its latest move to greener ships, Royal Caribbean has confirmed orders for the first two of its new “Icon” ships from Meyer Turku. For delivery in 2022 and 2024, the new ships will fall somewhere between the “Oasis” class and the “Quantum” class ships in size. Disney Cruise Line, meanwhile, has announced new sailings to Quebec and Bermuda, both new for the line. The 1,754-berth Disney Magic will be used to open up both of these new destinations in the autumn of 2018. And finally, after christening the AmaKristina last week, AmaWaterways announced that it would build Europe’s largest river cruiser, to be called AmaMagna, for delivery in 2019. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

When Ama Waterways first opened in 2002 it was known as Amadeus Waterways, but changed names in 2008 to Ama Waterways. Meanwhile, Lüftner River Cruises has since adopted for itself the name Amadeus River Cruises. We have a look at both operators today. Meanwhile, with cruising booming worldwide, the Brazilian market has taken a tumble seeing passenger figures tumble as the number of passengers handled at Santos drops by more than 40%. Finally, Royal Caribbean is to return to New Orleans on 2018. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

When Viking Ocean Cruises introduced the 930-berth Viking Star in 2015, it was projected that the line could build up to six sister ships of the same design. But with last month’s order from Fincantieri for two more plus an option to build another two, this could take the Viking Ocean fleet to ten ships by 2024. In other news Viking is introducing resident historians to lecture on board its first three ocean ships. And as time passes one of Carnival Cruise Line’s early cruise ships has become the first of the line’s newbuilds to go for scrap. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Years ago there used to be year-round passenger sailings between Europe and Australia, serving every type of passenger from First Class travellers to emigrants going Down Under to make a new home. Fifty years later, as we see, it is still possible to sail to Australia but one must choose among just a few sailings each year, most of them part world cruises, or container ships that sail once or twice a month with just a few passengers. This week we also have a look at three new yachts that are now cruising the Dalmatian Coast for Riviera Travel. And Princess Cruises has announced that it will send its new China-dedicated ship Majestic Princess to Australia and New Zealand for the Austral summer of 2018-19. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Silversea chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio has once again made reference to Silversea soon ordering three new ships for delivery in 2020, 2021 and 2023, but no further information has been announced. The company has been talking about three new ships since 2015. Elsewhere, Norwegian Cruise Line has stolen a march on its mass market competition by moving to Premium All Inclusive pricing in the UK and other European markets – this pricing is not available in North America. And finally, a new operator has plans to expand the Queen Mary tourist attraction in Long Beach into a village called Queen Mary Island, with a second hotel, cafés, amphitheatre and other attractions, which would also include the exisiting cruise terminal. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This year sees the 150th Anniversary of Canada’s founding as a nation, so on this event we also look back fifty years to the special cruise sailings that were offered in connection with Expo ’67 that included stays on board in Montreal. This year will also see a boom for Montreal and Quebec, with traffic up about a third. Elsewhere, Oceania Cruises will be basing their Insignia at New York for the late summer this year as well as the summer of 2018. Finally, in a first for the line, Azamara Club Cruises has announced a series of eleven Alaska cruises for 2019. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

We reported in August 2014 that 4,000 lower berths seemed to be developing as the new norm for ship size. But things have once again changed. With Norwegian’s reveal of its five new “Leonardo” class ships, the target size has come down to 3,300 berths, compared to 4,000 or more in its previous ships. With the exception of Celebrity, whose exisiting “Solstice” class and planned “Edge” class ships are of almost the same size, other lines such as Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises are doing much the same. On the management side, it has been announced today that Carnival UK will be acquiring a new boss in May when Josh Weinstein moves from Miami to Southampton as president. In an organisational change, Carnival UK will now report to group chief exeutive Stein Kruse in Seattle. Finally, Costa Cruises is adding another Spanish base port, in Tarragona. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, on the event of Seatrade Cruise Global in Fort Lauderdale, Celebrity Cruises chose to release the first detailed images of their five new “Edge” class ships. Also from Miami comes word of orders for four X-Bow expedition cruise ships for Sunstone Ships. On the other side of the Atlantic, meanwhile, Arena Travel in the UK announced its acquisition of The River Cruise Line and the UK hit a new cruise turnover record with 1.9 million cruises in 2016, although this was still short of Germany’s 2.02 million. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Following this year’s sailings of the Thomson Celebration from Newcastle, Thomson Cruises will be bringing its newest ship, the TUI Discovery, to the UK in 2018, with sailings from both Newcastle and from Southampton. Meanwhile, Italian ports are forecast to lose traffic this year because of the smaller number of cruise offerings in the Mediterranean. And Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has announced the names Hanseatic nature and Hanseatic inspiration for its new 230-berth expedition cruise ships. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

American Cruise Lines last week announced that over the next few years it would build five newly designed 200-berth US-flag riverboats for cruising American waters. At the same time, Cunard Line announced its first ever dedicated cruising season from Australia. Meanwhile, Hainan Strait Shipping sent its 499-berth Chang Le Princess on her first cruise to the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Saga last week released further images of its 999-berth newbuilding now under way at Meyer Werft in Papenburg for delivery in 2019. Meanwhile, Carnival Corp and plc has announced that it has ordered two ships, with options for an additional four, for its new Carnival-China brand, with deliveries to commence in 2023. Finally, in Seattle, Holland America Line this year is celebrating seventy years of cruising to Alaska. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

First mooted in the Italian press last October as an order for six 130,000-ton €700 million ships for Norwegian Cruise Line, announcement was made last week for four, with an option for two more, 140,000-ton ships of a slightly larger size and cost. Elsewhere, there has been more news of approved US sailings by mainline cruise lines to Cuba and from London comes news of a potential new super yacht to be called Quintessential One. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Over the past year there has been a boom in expedition ship orders, with sixteen vessels now on order and options placed for at least five more. Of these, half a dozen will be Polar Class 6, built for summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice, which may include old ice inclusions, in Arctic and Antarctic waters. Elsewhere, Rostock-based A’Rosa Cruises may be about to order additional river cruisers, while Swan Hellenic is looking for a replacement ship for the Minerva. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Late last month, Cruiseco UK and Choose Your Cruise announced a charter cruise of the performing arts on board Celebrity Cruises’ “Solstice” class ship Celebrity Silhouette. To be named Bravo, it will sail from Southampton on May 19, 2018, and follows four such cruises performed or scheduled from Sydney since 2014 in Radiance of the Seas. Topping the bill of twenty-five acts are Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins OBE and English tenor Alfie Boe. Elsewhere, Silversea has become one of the first cruise lines to issue bonds in a $550 million refinancing package. And Toronto-based G Adventures is now set to resurrect Swan Hellenic for a second time, in 2018. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Recently there has been more attention paid to the younger passengers, the so-called millennials, and their role and interest in cruising. So this week we take a quick look at what is happening in the cruise market for 18-34-year olds. The Russians, meanwhile, are busy getting back into the cruise business with a newly-acquired cruise ship to serve Crimea. And the latest edition of Stern’s Guide to European Riverboats and Hotel Barges is now available. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week sees two items of news from Carnival Corp & plc’s Pacific-based operations. First it has ordered new ships for each of Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. And second, Carnival Australia is now to report to Los Angeles instead of Seattle. And elsewhere under the Carnival umbrella, the Adonia returns to P&O Cruises from Fathom, and will be based in Barbados next winter. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Cruises from the US to Cuba have been making the news over the past year, with the final result that permission was granted last month for seven US-based cruise lines to make calls on Cuba in 2017. While this is a big difference from the days when a ship that called in Cuba was not allowed to re-enter the United States for six months, there remains an air of uncertainty to the whole subject. So far, the majority of cruises have only been approved until May. And with a change of US administration this week, it is perhaps too early to know where this will go. But here we briefly survey the product that has been approved for sale so far. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Saturday saw the naming in Singapore of the 604-berth Seabourn Encore, latest addition to the world’s fleet of ultra-luxury cruise ships. As promised last week, we bring you an update on the liquidation of Britain’s All Leisure Group. And finally, Star Cruises has announced a new series of 5-night cruises from Kaohsiung, Hong Kong and Manila for the 1,870-berth SuperStar Virgo. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week sees some surprise news from All Leisure Group, who have just cancelled cruises scheduled to leave this week on the Minerva from Marseille and on the Voyager from Port Kelang. Speculation has the two ships going to other operators and rumours so far have centred on Phenix Reisen or Saga Cruises for the Minerva (both of these companies have operated this ship before) and an Asian operator or Celestyal Cruises for the Voyager. Meanwhile, TUI’s cruise business continues to thrive and we have a look at the latest cruise port news from Holyhead and Poole, two smaller cruise ports in the UK. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week it was announced that P&O Cruises Australia’s first newbuilding would instead be allocated to Carnival Cruise Line, from whence had sprung the design for this ship. At the same time, Liverpool is looking to build a new cruise terminal and CMA CGM is introducing a new Europe-Caribbean cargo-passenger service from London. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Recenly delivered in Italy, Seabourn’s new 600-berth Seabourn Encore, the line’s biggest ship since the 793-berth Seabourn Sun (1998-2002), has now joined the Seabourn fleet and is on her way to Singapore for her christening by Sarah Brightman. Meawnhile, the Royal Caribbean and TUI-affiliated UK arm of TUI Cruises will have three ships in the Caribbean this winter, with flights by Thomson Airways from a network of ten UK airports. And a week after the announcement of the disappearance of Fathom as a ship operator comes news that a longer-established brand, Croisières de France, is also being assigned to the dustbin of history. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week we have a look at the recently-announced demise of Fathom as its own ship operating company, although it will continue to exist. The line will operate the 704-berth Adonia to Cuba and the Dominican Republic until the spring of 2017, at which time she will go back to P&O Cruises in the UK. Elswhere, a small ship called the Jacques-Cartier is being converted into a 66-berth cruise ship in the St Lawrence while the 62-berth Crystal Esprit will be moved to the West Indies next year. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came news that Oceanwide Expeditions has ordered a new 180-berth expedition ship from the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia for delivery in 2019. We also have a look back this week at events of fifty years ago that featured Arison Shipping and two ships, the short-lived Jamaica Queen and the somewhat longer-lived Sunward. These events precipitated not only the founding of Norwegian Cruise Line but also what later became today’s Carnival Group & plc. Finally, we have received a correction from Saga on the planning of their second new vessel. (more…)