Category: The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came news from MSC Cruises that it would be returning to the ex-UK market in 2017/18, with its 2,550-berth MSC Magnifica to be based in Southampton in 2018. Elsewhere, Hurtigruten has announced that its new 530-berth expedition ship Roald Amundsen would be based at Punta Arenas, Chile, in 2018, while the 254-berth Fram and 600-berth Midnatsol will work from Ushuaia, Argentina. Meanwhile, Saga is reported to have confirmed a second order for a less than 1,000-berth ship from Meyer Werft in Papenburg. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week, from a study that Knud E Hansen did of mid-size cruise ships powered by LNG versus HFO come two illustrations that might be protoypes for Celestyal Cruises, who admitted a couple of months ago that they were investigating newbuildings. Meanwhile, four bidders have made offers to acquire either the shipbuilders STX or cruise ship builders STX France, or the two together. As two of the bidders are Fincantieri and Damen, speculation is STX France, the former Chantiers de l’Atlantique, may soon acquire new owners. And on the Rhône, Amadeus looks set to pick up to some of the slack Crystal left behind when they cancelled their French river cruise plane. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week, we have a look at P&O’s new flagship, which is to be introduced four years from now, and their plans to choose a name for her by running a contest. Elswhere, Cruceros Australis have chosen the name Ventus Australis for their own new 210-berth flagship. And we travel fifty years back in time, to 1966, to have a look at the Kungsholm and the Eugenio C, two of the finest ships produced in the era just before the cruise ship boom of the early 1970s. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

In an announcement that did not give too much away the Virgin Group announced last week that its new cruise operation would now be called Virgin Voyages. Meanwhile French America Line’s 150-berth Louisiane has now entered service from New Orleans. And container operator Hanjin Lines, some of whose ships carried passengers, has announced that it is closing its Europe-Asia business. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came news that from Royal Caribbean that it would be introducing a new class of mega 200,000-ron cruise ship to carry 5,000 passengers. But this class will be different because it will be dual-fueled, relying mainly on LNG for its main proplulsion units by Caterpillar MaK. The first to ships are to be delieverd in 2022 and 2024. Meanwhile, the Netherlands-based shipbuilder Damen has released details of a new expedition cruise ship design that joins three or four others that are also now on the market. And from Italy come rumours of a new multi-ship order for Fincentieri from Norwegian Cruise Line. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Over the past few weeks has come news that the various arms of Crystal Cruises are incurring delays or postponements in the delivery of new ships from what was originally announced. Now part of cruise operator Genting Hong Kong, Crystal shares quarters with Dream Cruises and Star Cruises in the pantheon of Genting cruise products. Dream Cruises’ first new ship delivers in Germany this Wednesday. And out of Malaysia comes news of Golden Hope taking its interest in Genting Hong Kong up to 64%. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came news that the Carnival-China State Shipbuilding-China Investment cruise shipping joint venture would order two with an option for two more 133,500-ton cruise ships from the Fincantieri-China Shipbuilding joint venture. The four ships are to be built by China Shipbuilding’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard in Pudong. These vessels, along with a number of existing ships to be transferred in from the Carnival fleet, will form the basis of a new Chinese brand to be based in Hong Kong. Just before this announcement, MSC Cruises said that it would be sending its 3,274-berth MSC Splendida to work out of China in 2018. Meanwhile, over at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, each of the three brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises has now been given its own president and ceo. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week we cover three new riverboats on the Mississippi, American Cruise Lines’ 195-berth America, French America Line’s 150-berth Louisiane and American Queen Steamboat Company’s 166-berth American Duchess, announced last week. Also announced last week were Explorer names for Ponant’s four 184-berth newbuildings: Le Bougainville, Le Champlain, Le Kerguelen and Le Lapérouse. Finally, earlier this month, Fathom announced two more Miami departures for Cuba with its 710-berth Adonia. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came an announcement from P&O Cruises that it was ordering a new 5,200 lower-berth cruise ship that will have 42.5% more lower berth capacity than the line’s last ship, the 3,647-berth Britannia, but 10% less space per passenger. At the same time, Celestyal Cruises is talking about building a pair of 60,000-ton 1,800-berth ships that would be designed for 3- and 4-day cruising, and making some other changes in its operations as two ships are due to return from the end of charters with Thomson Cruises. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has announced plans for two 240-berth expedition cruise ships that will be the third and fourth in the world to be constructed to Polar Class. To be delivered in 2019, they will follow the Crystal Endeavour and Scenic Eclipse, both due in August 2018. Down Under in Chile, Cruceros Australis have confirmed an order for a 210-berth cruise ship from Chilean builders Asenave. Meanwhile, we also have a look at scrubbers on cruise ships. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Following the 2017 Word Cruise planned by its 1,250-berth Magellan this winter, CMV will upgrade its World Cruise ship in 2018 to the 1,550-berth Columbus, which it is acquiring from P&O Cruises Australia. Meanwhile, in Russia, plans are unveiled for a new 310-berth Sea and River class cruise ship. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

In January, we brought you the relaunch of CMA CGM’s Europe-Australia cargo-passenger service with four new ships. But now, with so many things happening at CMA CGM, we have decided to devote this column to bringing readers up to date. First off, CMA CGM is reviving its North Atlantic service, with four ships on two regular routes. It has also recently lauched a 7-ship 84-day Round-the-World service from Ensenada, Mexico, and Singapore. In Europe, it has added four ships to its new Baltic Levant Express service that connects the UK and European ports with St Petersburg at one end and Alexandria at the other. And finally, the purchase of Kingston Container Terminal may soon see more passenger trade via Jamaica. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Montreal’s cruise terminal is closed down this summer while it is rebuilt and two temporary terminals have been installed downstream from the iconic Jacques Cartier Bridge to stand in for this season. About five miles from town, passengers are being given free shuttles into town but it will be a welcome day next year when the new terminal opens as it is within walking distance of downtown montreal. Elsewhere, we examine a rumour that new owners may be in the mix for Hurtigruten in the near future and look briefly at small ship marketing in Seattle. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week, we have a closer look at the first two new Rolls Royce-designed Hurtigruten ships, recently ordered at Norway’s Kleven shipyard. Some of their features actually date back to ships on the Great Lakes a century ago, while others will be much more modern. We also look at Titan River Cruises chartering its own ship from Spring 2017. And Grand Circle Cruise Line of Boston plans to run its m.v. Clio between Miami and Cuba starting in January 2017. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week, we look at Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ new Seven Seas Explorer, said by Regent to be the most luxurious ship ever built. We assess the first reactions and compare her to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2. Elsewhere, Marseilles-based Ponant is launching a number of sea voyages, mostly non-stop port-to-port ocean voyages such as Vancouver to Honolulu and Boston to Portland. And trouble erupts on the upper Amazon River in Peru, where one river cruiser was attacked by bandits last week and another sank at her dock in Iquitos, with four crew members missing after an explosion on Saturday. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week, although it is early to say, we have a look at the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU on cruise shipping. Much of the reaction so far, as in many other industries, is wait and see, and react when necessary, but it will be a while before all of the effects are known. We also have a look at what is happening to Genting’s shipyards in Germany and report on some of the inital reactions to the opening of China COSCO Shipping-affiliated Southern Sea Cruises in China. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, internet problems caused the column to be postponed, but now that Queen Mary 2 has completed her first Transatlantic voyage since her 25-day drydocking in Hamburg, we bring you the latest report. Elsewhere, French America Line’s Louisiane has begun her 5,000-nautical mile journey from Portland, Oregon, to New Orleans in preparation for her entry into service on the Mississippi. And on the other end of the scale, Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas is to gain another 100 cabins in a refit later this year at Freeport. Finally, a quick footnote on upcoming changes at TUI Cruises and Thomson Cruises. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week we have a look at a 15-month exhibition being mounted by Southampton’s SeaCity Museum on the subject of ocean liners. This Thursday, meanwhile, sees the largest ocean liner ever built go back into service when Queen Mary 2 leaves Southampton for New York after a 25-day refit estimated to have cost about $55 million. She will have room for 75 more passengers and more pets. Finally, we look at the subject of seat pitch on cruise line flights. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week the news is all about small ships. First, the 128-berth St Helena and Ascension supply ship RMS St Helena visited London during her last UK visit before leaving service. At the same time, however, because wind shear is preventing safe landings at the new St Helena airport, her contract has been extended for three more voyages from Cape Town. Next up, Lindblad have revealed preliminary itinerary details for their latest ship, the 100-berth Quest, which is due to enter service a year from now. And finally, the 224-berth Ocean Diamond has started her second season for Iceland Pro Cruises out of Reykjavik. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came news that Royal Caribbean would be selling its Legend of the Seas to Thomson Cruises, following in the wake of the Splendour of the Seas, which was delivered to Thomson last month and now operates as TUI Discovery. We also have a look at Celebrity Cruises’ dedicated charter flights in two different markets, the UK and Canada. And finally, the first of Carnival’s purpose-built cruise ships to go to the scrappers is the Henna, which was built as Carnival’s third new ship, the Jubilee, in 1986. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, Carnival Corp & plc announced that it was awarding a major advertising contract to PHD to act as its international media agency of record for the seven of its ten brands that comprise the Anglo-American English-speaking market. The brands that are not included are AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises, which work in different language markets in Europe, and P&O Cruises Australia, based in a different geographical market. Meanwhile, Queen Mary 2 arrived at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg in for a 25-day refit that will see new cabins and facilities added. And Royal Caribbean has ordered another “Oasis” class ship as well as two more “Edge” class ships for its Celebrity Cruises brand. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week we have a look at three brand-new ships, the largest yet built for each of Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. Harmony of the Seas arrived for the first time in Southampton last week, and we compare her not only with her earlier sister ships, but also with the US Navy’s “Nimitz” class aircraft carriers and with the 18,000 TEU container ship CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, which also carries a few passengers. We also have a look at Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, which was christened by Queen Maxima in the same week. Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Carnival Vista, also entered service earlier this month. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week we have a look at cruise line brands. Brands are supposed to differentiate products but with so many multiple and sub-brands these days, we wonder if they also serve to confuse. The branding of cruise lines did not really start in earnest until Carnival and Royal Caribbean started acquiring other cruise lines but has nevertheless been rampant now for a quarter century. Meanwhile, Genting Hong Kong last week confirmed an order for two 5,000-berth ships for Star Cruises in addition to its orders for Crystal Cruises and Dream Cruises, with the latter set to accept its first ship later this year. In a counter-move to the many cruise line acquisitions of recent years, Royal Caribbean last week announced that it was divesting itself of a 51% share in Pullmantur Cruises in Spain. And Fincantieri’s Italian subsidiary Vard announced orders for two more expedition ships from unidentified owners. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last Thursday saw the christening in London of Viking Cruises’ second ocean ship, the 930-berth Viking Sea. The largest passenger ship yet to be christened on the Thames, she follows the Great Eastern of 1857, the Radisson Diamond of 1992 and the Seabourn Sojourn of 2010, all of which she exceeds in size. Also last week, the 700-berth Adonia of Carnival Corp & plc’s Fathom brand became the first US-based cruise ship to call on Havana since the late 1970s. And finally, Viking Cruises has announced its first world cruise, using the fourth of their ocean ships, Viking Sun, which will depart Miami on December 15, 2017, on a 141-day epic westabout cruise that will end in London (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

The fabled Northwest Passage took three years to cross when Raould Amundsen first traversed it from east to west in his Gjoa in 1903-06 and Henry Larsen of the RCMP made it the other way in his St Roch in 1940-42. A century later, however, large passenger ships such as the 43,524-ton residence ship The World and the 68,870-ton cruise ship Crystal Serenity are threatening to turn it into a tourist playground. Last week came news that yet another cruise ship, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 28,550-ton Seven Seas Navigator, would join the Crystal Serenity in making the passage in 2017. While Crystal sail from Seward to New York, Regent will be sailing from Seward to Montreal. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

The arrival of AIDA Cruises’ new AIDAprima in Hamburg last week has served to introduce a new concept to the world of cruising – the return of the straight bow that was so popular on the ocean liners of a century ago. With sister ship AIDAperla and four similar-looking but larger 5,000-berth ships now on order for AIDA and sister company Costa Cruises, plus four more ships for Hurtigruten and the recently-ordered Crystal Endeavour, AIDAprima is the first of almost a dozen ships now being built to this new design. Meanwhile, TUI subsidiary Thomson Cruises has announced that its newest ships will carry TUI names in future. And we have a brief look at Rolls-Royce’s marine involvements. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

As recently as January we wrote that the direct Europe-Australia cargo-passenger trade had closed. Now, only three months later, with the vagaries of the world container ship market, we can report that four 10-passenger container ships are now rejoining the route for CMA CGM, with a one-way passenger capacity of about 150 berths spread over the year. Elsewhere, we cover two Carnival Asia stories. Princess Cruises will next year offer thirty-nine cruises on its 2,674-berth Japanese-built Diamond Princess. Meanwhile, Costa is sending its 1,578-berth Costa NeoRomantica to China, in a move that will soon see Costa Asia operating five ships in the fast-growing China market. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

With the UK market now having been exceeded by Germany as the largest in Europe, it nevertheless grew 9% last year, hitting a record of about 1.8 million Brits having taken a cruise in 2015. With this in mind, three cruise lines that have in the past offered UK departures, namely MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Thomson Cruises, have announced that they will be returning in 2017. Meanwhile, in France came big news of an order for four 200,000-ton 5,500-lower-berth giants from STX in St Nazaire. Regarded as important economic news in France because of the jobs involved, François Hollande participated in the announcement from L’Elysée. Finally, the newly delivered Ovation of The Seas arrived in Southampton yesterday. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week, we look at a new product that is being introduced to America’s great Mississippi River system. The New Orleans-based Great Northern & Southern Navigation Company LLC, or French America Line as it will be called, will introduce the new 150-berth river cruiser Louisiane. The new vessel has been designed to supply a level of service not seen before on American rivers. We also have a look at last month’s two new ships, Holland America Line’s Koningsdam and Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Sea. And finally, comes news of another new ship for Princess Cruises, in addition to the recently-announced Majestic Princess. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

For Easter, we have done something different. As Hapag-Lloyd celebrates 125 years since it introduced its first dedicated cruise ship, the 7,241-ton Augusta Victoria, we have a look at another operator that started cruising around the same time and did so up until the First World War put an end to it. The Plant Line began with experimental cruises from Tampa to Jamaica in a ship called the Halifax in the early 1890s, followed by cruise offerings from Boston to the Gulf of St Lawrence in La Grande Duchesse, and a series of dedicated cruise offerings in another ship called the Evangeline, from Key West to the West Indies and Panama in 1913 and from Jacksonville in 1914. We also have a look at the opening of a new Singapore-based ship management company in Hanseatic Cruise Services. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week was Seatrade, in Fort Lauderdale this time. First broke the news of a new 25,000-ton 200-berth Polar Class megayacht for the Crystal Yacht Cruises brand and then came the news of a virtual doubling of the Ponant fleet, with an order for four 184-berth expedition ships of a slightly smaller size than the existing fleet. We also have a look this week at the annual cruise statistics announced by CLIA for the UK. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

At the ITB travel show in Berlin last week it was conformed that Germany is now Europe’s largest cruise market and second in the world after the United States. Not only that, but with the addition of the new AIDAprima and Mein Schiff 5 later this year, the number of German cruisers is expected to reach 2 million. Meanwhile, across the seas in Florida, winter will end next week without a single cruise having departed that state for Cuban waters. Eighteen cruises were planned for the 2016 winter season but not one has yet departed. Finally, we have a brief look at Norwegian Cruise Line’s new China ship. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Today, Cruise & Maritime Voyages announced the acquisition of a new flagship, in P&O Australia’s Pacific Pearl, which had catered to many UK passengers in the past and will be based in Tilbury from next summer. The latest acquisition will be named Columbus, which also happens to be the name of one of the bars on the line’s veteran Marco Polo. Last week, Disney Cruise Line announced that it would be building two more cruise ships at Meyer Werft in Papenburg. And Royal Caribbean International’s Anthem of the Seas, the largest cruise ship operating in winter weather fro New York, suffered one more itinerary change. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Recently, Scenic and its sister line Emerald Waterways have been in the news, especially with Scenic’s planned expansion into ocean cruising in 2018. This week we have a closer look at their river operations in Europe. Elsewhere, with Seabourn president Rick Meadows in Europe, we look at their new Seabourn Encore, due out in January, and how she compares with other ships such as Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer, which enters service this summer. Finally, we have a quick look at what’s happening with cruise line stocks. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week saw the interesting news that Crystal Cruises was going to undertake a feasibility study on whether the hull of the old s.s. United States could be revived and out back into service as a 21st Century cruise ship. The results of this determination should be known by the end of this year. Elsewhere, we look at “cruise ship creep” as different classes of cruise ship keep getting progressively longer, with more berths in each case. And the Ocean Liner Society has chosen to take this year’s annual group cruise on Pullmantur’s Sovereign, a ship that when built in 1988 was the world’s largest cruise ship. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week Norwegian Cruise Line was full of announcements for next year. First, it will base its Norwegian Jade in Hamburg starting in 2017, second it will return to Southampton next year in an effort to double its UK trade and third it will base its mammoth Norwegian Getaway in Copenhagen, offering an increase of 36,000 berths there on a seasonal basis. Meanwhile, we look at the recent addition of lifts and elevators to river cruisers in Europe. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

As Hapag-Lloyd Kreutzfahrten renamed itself Hapag-Lloyd Cruises last week, it celebrated the 125th Anniversary of its first cruise, which was offered on the 7,241-ton August Victoria in 1891. On the occasion of this event we look back at some of the world’s earliest cruise ships and cruise operations, which date back to the early 1880s. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean Cruises and the World Wildlife Fund have announced a $5 million cooperation program to help ensure the long-term health of the world’s oceans. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

As a small fire struck the much-delayed AIDAprima in Nagasaki last week, we have a look at the role the new ship will play in the German market, where she will become the largest cruise ship in the market for the next three or four years, filling a role similar to the Britannia in the UK. Down Under, meanwhile, we have new of yet another river cruise operator expanding into ocean cruising, with a recent order in Croatia for a 16,500-ton 228-berth luxury expedition vessel to be called the Scenic Eclipse. Finally, we have a quick look at recent activities at Columbus Cruise Services as it reaches its first anniversary of being based in Hamburg. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Since our last cargo-passenger update on March 17, 2014, there have been many changes to these trades. A scheduling and slot sharing agreement called Ocean Three, which includes CMA CGM, China Shipping Container Lines and the United Arab Shipping Company, has seen many ships and routes change. Most significantly affecting passengers, the trades between Europe and Australia have lost all direct cargo-passenger connections save one lone ship that is full. Partly because of this agreement and partly because of increasing ship sizes, Hong Kong is no longer served direct from Europe either, meaning passengers must now embark or go ashore in nearby Yantian or Chiwan. Meanwhile, on the positive side, Grimaldi Lines has returned to the North Atlantic passenger trade for the first time in half a century with a new seven-ship cargo-passenger service between Rome’s port of Civitavecchia and Baltimore. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

The beginning of 2016 marks the end of the print era in cruise shipping guides, with the news last month the Official Steamship Guide (OSG) has closed its doors. Elsewhere, Carnival Corp & plc stole all the year-end news with the announcement that it was ordering four new mega cruise ships, including the first newbuilding for the Australian market for P&O Cruises, two China ships for Costa Asia and a fourth ship of the “Royal Princess” class. Thus begins 2016. (more…)