CruiseBusiness.com CruiseBusiness.com REVIEWING CRUISE BUSINESS GLOBALLY Magazine SPRING 2022 OCEAN VICTORY The Ocean Victory is the third In?nityclass newbuild from China Merchants Heavy Industry for SunStone Ships, delivered in October 2021.The vessel commenced cruise operations in Antarctica with Albatros Expeditions in November and will continue in Alaska with American Queen Voyages during the summer season. SunStone’s goal has been to marry European design with Chinese shipbuilding ef?ciency. The 8,181 gross ton Ocean Victory can accommodate 186 guests. The ship is classi?ed by Bureau Veritas, Ice Class PC6, Polar Category B. Rethinking Baltic itineraries Cruise ferry performance improves kansi spring 2022.indd 1 kansi spring 2022.indd 1 19.4.2022 8.00 19.4.2022 8.00
Interior Design, Equipment and Technology for the Cruise & Ferry Industry CREATING DREAMS As the cruise markets recover gradually, the industry’s players keep on investing to meet new demands and requirements. Seize the unique opportunity to present your ideas to the decision-makers of the world’s leading cruise and ferry lines, shipyards as well as architecture and interior design studios – live and in person at the area at Book your stand now limited spaces available 3-4-5.indd 2 3-4-5.indd 2 20.5.2022 15.03 20.5.2022 15.03
CONTENTS – SPRING 2022 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 5 P h o to cr ed it : T ei jo N ie m el ä 10 Upfront 16 Rethinking Baltic itineraries 18 Sodamin adds Princess to portfolio 22 Cruise ferry performance in North Europe improves 26 Wonder of the Seas – biggest Oasis ship yet 28 Wonder of the Seas – superlative air-handling by Koja Marine 30 Decarbonization faces technical and financial challenges 34 Atlas part of a new wave of luxury expedition 37 SeaKing sees sunnier days 38 Viking Glory – building an advanced ship in Asia 41 ALMACO outfitted catering and accommodation areas for Viking Glory 42 Sikafloor Marine Deco Systems on Viking Glory MORE CONTENT CAN BE FOUND FROM OUR WEBSITE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS Azamara Onward was officially named in Monte Carlo on May 2. It is a fourth ship in Azamara fleet 3-4-5.indd 3 3-4-5.indd 3 20.5.2022 15.03 20.5.2022 15.03
VIKING’S FLEET OF SMALL SHIPS FEATURE THE MOST AL FRESCO DINING OF ANY CRUISE LINE. 6-7-8-9.indd 3 6-7-8-9.indd 3 19.5.2022 11.19 19.5.2022 11.19
Editor Teijo Niemelä Publisher Cruise Media LLC Chief Content Officer Carolyn Spencer Brown Copy Editor M.T. Schwartzman Art Director Julle Järvinen COMPANY ADDRESS Cruise Media LLC 209 N Queen Street Chestertown, MD 21620 USA Telephone +1-609-751-2344 E-mail cruisemediallc[a]gmail.com SALES OFFICE FINLAND ChrisGo Consulting Pahtankatu 10 as 10 FIN-21200 Raisio, Finland Telephone +358-440-159 554 E-mail christer.gorschelnik[a]kolumbus.? SALES OFFICE USA Teijo Niemelä 209 N Queen Street Chestertown, MD 21620 USA Telephone +1-609-751-2344 cruisemediallc[a]gmail.com FEATURED CONTRIBUTOR Carolyn Spencer Brown, the longtime award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Cruise Critic, is Chief Content Officer of Cruise Media LLC. In that role, she oversees the company’s branded content projects for cruise lines, business to business clients and ports and destinations. PRINTED IN FINLAND – PUNAMUSTA OY, HELSINKI CruiseBusiness.com Magazine 8 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 S o far in 2022, we have celebrated inaugurals and christenings for a number of new ships – ceremonies that were halted during the Covid-19 pandemic. All these brand-new cruise ships entering service had been commissioned from the shipyards prior to the health crisis, and in many cases their introductions have taken place months or sometimes years after the planned deliveries. One of the most important naming ceremonies we have attended this year was on May 2, when Azamara named its newly refurbished Azamara Onward during a festive event in Monte Carlo. The 30,277 gross ton and 688-guest ship is a second-hand acquisition for the company, which expanded its capacity by a whopping one third. What makes this major step important is that Azamara was acquired by Sycamore Partners – an investment fund and newcomer to the cruise market – from Royal Caribbean Group for $201 million last year in the middle of the pandemic. While all of Azamara’s four ships are nearly identical, the only way for the company to expand and make the brand interesting for further investors would be to commission newbuilds next. In another encouraging move, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, whose ?rst ship the Evrima has been delayed multiple times (and at presstime was expected to start cruising in 2022), ordered two much larger luxury vessels from the French yard Chantiers de l’Atlantique in mid-March. The new luxury cruise brand is backed by Oaktree Capital Management, another newcomer to the cruise business. While we have also seen a lot of new capacity entering the contemporary market this spring, such as the Wonder of the Seas (the EDITOR’S COMMENTARY world’s largest cruise ship), the Celebrity Beyond and the Discovery Princess, the sweet spot in the industry – at least for now – is in the luxury and luxury-light segments. As an example, Viking continues to expand in multiple markets: In the winter, it introduced its ?rstever expedition vessel, the Viking Octantis. In March, it named eight new river vessels in Paris and Amsterdam, and the Viking Mississippi is expected to begin operating on domestic U.S. river cruises this summer. On top of that, additional Viking ocean vessels will be introduced during the coming weeks and years. Meanwhile, American Queen Voyages has introduced its ?rst ship in Alaska, the Ocean Victory, which is featured on our front cover. The expedition ship is on a long-term charter from the largest expedition tonnage provider, SunStone Ships. The company is in the process of ordering up to ten vessels in the new Boundless-class, which will be larger than the In?nity-class ships that SunStone has been building in China. A sia, especially China, was one of the success stories of the industry until the pandemic. While many Asian countries are still in lockdown and have limited travel, cruise lines have moved their tonnage to other markets. The largest casualty of the pandemic was Genting Hong Kong, and many of its ships have been put up for auction. The founder and owner of Genting Hong Kong, the Lim family of Malaysia, is planning a comeback in Singapore. A new cruise line, Resorts World Cruises, has been registered and is expected to begin operations this summer. Resorts World is a well-known brand with integrated resorts in Asia and North America. Teijo Niemelä HOW TO FOLLOW US twitter.com/cruisebusiness facebook.com/CruiseBusinessUSA instagram.com/niemelateijo CRUISE SHOWS RESILIENCE BY ATTRACTING NEW INVESTORS 6-7-8-9.indd 4 6-7-8-9.indd 4 19.5.2022 11.19 19.5.2022 11.19
UPFRONT 10 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Carnival Cruise Line marked half a century since its maiden voyage from PortMiami with a celebration on March 11 aboard the Carnival Conquest. Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy was joined by Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison and Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald (pictured); U.S. Representatives Frederica Wilson and Vern Buchanan; Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez; Miami industry and community leaders; as well as Carnival leadership. MSC Cruises signed a multi-year contract with Formula 1 to become the Official Cruise Partner of Formula 1.The aim is to bring some of MSC's most technologically advanced ships portside during select Grand Prix weekends, enabling MSC to complement the high-end experience of Formula 1 and drive global visibility for its brand. The agreement was celebrated at the Bahrain Grand Prix in March with MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. Officials from Italian shipyard Fincantieri and MSC Group gathered at Monfalcone on February 24 in a traditional coin ceremony marking a construction milestone for the first Explora Journeys newbuild, to be named the Explora 1. Explora Journeys is a new luxury brand that has ordered four 64,000 gross ton and 461-suite vessels from the yard. The Explora 1 will enter service in May 2023. 10-15.indd 2 10-15.indd 2 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
UPFRONT UPFRONT Working together towards shared goals 10-15.indd 3 10-15.indd 3 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
UPFRONT 12 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Celebrity Cruises celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, having achieved 32% female bridge officers in an industry where less than 2% of mariners are women. Captain Kate McCue, together with her officers, joined the celebrations at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, where the new Celebrity Beyond was being prepared for delivery. Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lutoff-Perlo was joined by Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Captain Kate McCue as they officially took ownership of the 140,600 gross ton and 3,260-passenger Celebrity Beyond from Chantiers de l’Atlantique on April 6. Joining in the momentous occasion were other Celebrity Cruises executives, shipyard officials including General Manager Laurent Castaing and the Beyond’s 1,400 crew members from over 60 different countries. 10-15.indd 4 10-15.indd 4 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
14 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Construction on Royal Caribbean International’s next generation, LNG-powered Icon of the Seas reached a new milestone in April. A keel-laying ceremony took place at Finnish shipyard Meyer Turku to celebrate progress on the revolutionary cruise ship. Silversea Cruises named its 10th ship, the Silver Dawn, in a lavish gala in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 31. The launch of the 40,700 gross ton and 596-guest Silver Dawn – the cruise line’s third new ship to debut in nine months – also marked the debut of Otium, travel’s most indulgent new wellness program. The duties of godmother were carried out by media personality Nilou Motamed. UPFRONT 10-15.indd 6 10-15.indd 6 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
Viking named eight new river cruise ships on March 16 in an event carried out simultaneously in Paris and Rotterdam. Four ships – the Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid and Viking Skaga – were built specifically to navigate the Seine River and bring guests to the heart of Paris, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. All the newbuilds had been delivered in 2020-2021 by German Neptun Yard – part of the Meyer Group – but due to the pandemic, the ships welcomed their first guests only this year. In a surprise move, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Chantiers de l’Atlantique announced a contract to construct two LNG-powered super yachts. The 456-passenger Ilma and Luminara are expected to be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively, while the company’s first newbuild, the much-delayed Evrima, is expected to start operating this summer. RitzCalton Yacht Collection is backed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Pictured in Paris announcing the deal in March are, from left, Douglas Prothero, CEO of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Laurent Castaing, General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique. UPFRONT CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 15 10-15.indd 7 10-15.indd 7 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
16 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 M embers of Cruise Europe and democracies worldwide have unequivocally condemned Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine. This military aggression against an independent and peaceful nation is having a catastrophic effect on the innocent population, as well as the whole of Europe, including those countries bordering the Baltic Sea. The con?ict is already causing changes that will make the world a different place. Chairman of Cruise Europe, Michael McCarthy, comments: “The cruise tourism industry, while exiting from a two-year pandemic, has suddenly been hit by another global disaster and will be vulnerable to periods of highly disruptive economic impacts in the context of rising fuel prices, inflation, wages and interest rates. The current sanctions on Russia are unprecedented Cruise Europe members are adapting as Russia’s war on Ukraine upsets Baltic itineraries and is having a ripple effect throughout the region. By Susan Parker DESTINATIONS RETHINKING BALTIC ITINERARIES and look likely to intensify, meaning higher energy costs and diminished security of oil and gas supply in Europe and a delay in global emission reduction. The resultant contraction will affect consumer confidence, spending and fear of travel in the vulnerable sectors such as tourism, luxury goods, discretionary spend and manufacturing.” Sirle Arro, Head of Marketing & Communication, Port of Tallinn, adds: “The areas where we can see added burden are war refugees, energy, cybersecurity as well as internal security, tourism and the wider economy as such. Democratic countries and responsible companies have decided not to do business with Russia – including cruise lines, which have, one after another, announced that they will not be visiting St. Petersburg. This will have a direct impact on the 16-17 .indd 2 16-17 .indd 2 5.5.2022 8.34 5.5.2022 8.34
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 17 itineraries of their ships and respectively on ports and destinations. Some of the destinations will win and some will lose. I am afraid that the ports in the northern and eastern part of the Baltic Sea will be negatively impacted.” Altered itineraries Indeed, cruise brands including Viking, Norwegian Cruise Line, Windstar Cruises and MSC Cruises have moved away from and/or altered itineraries in the Baltic Sea as a result of the war. The source-market nationality of passengers onboard the ships will be driving those changes. “It is inevitable that we will see more cancellations from the lines with larger vessels that carry American/Canadian guests, as the desire to travel to Europe decreases, particularly from passengers that decide last minute,” McCarthy says. For the brands that continue to sail in the region but will no longer be calling fjords and has been redeployed from the Baltic Sea.” Looking towards the summer season, McCarthy says: “Cruise Europe and Cruise Baltic remain very positive about their wonderful area which was proved last season when Baltic Cruises were very attractive [despite the lack of St. Petersburg as a call]. Working in partnership with the cruise lines, we are positive that we can communicate a clear and creative message for the Baltic. As the war in Ukraine continues, there is currently no direct military threat to the other countries in the Baltic Sea region, which are supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. What is happening in Ukraine touches many residents in the Baltic countries, with their close personal and historical cultural ties.” Anxiety and worry Ports in the Baltic hold a very important place in the membership of Cruise Europe but, as McCarthy, says, “It is understandable that this terrible war is causing anxiety and worry for all of us in the Cruise Europe family. We are regretful that our friendly relationship with colleagues in St. Petersburg has been temporarily suspended, but it is important that we remain focused, continue our everyday work and stand together, because it is inevitable that we will need to build bridges into the future.” The association is clear in its determination to provide the cruise lines with all the tools needed to maintain itineraries in the Baltic region. McCarthy concludes by saying, “We are still hopeful that we will see many cruise ships and many cruise guests in our beautiful destinations of the Baltic Sea region and in other Cruise Europe destinations, including those in Atlantic Europe and UK & Ireland.” FOOTNOTE: As this issue of CruiseBusiness.com Magazine goes to press, it is clear that Baltic ports are experiencing daily schedule changes, both gains and losses. Tallinn, for example, now has 194 calls scheduled compared to the 350 booked prior to the beginning of the conflict. at St. Petersburg, there are likely to be opportunities for less-visited and smaller destinations. Marketing messages will need to be changed, however, as traditionally this iconic Russian city has been the unique selling point of Baltic cruises. During the pandemic, when St. Petersburg was closed to cruise ship calls due to Covid restrictions, cruise lines had already been forced to look further afield and found that Baltic Sea cruises had more to offer, it being a diverse and versatile destination offering unique experiences and a huge variety of countries, cities, attractions, cultures and ports. Ports such as Saaremaa Harbour, Visby, Wismar, Sassnitz and Bornholm are finding themselves more in demand. Visby for example is expecting to receive 100 more calls than originally planned, explains Henrik Ahlqvist, Head of Cruise & Ferries, Copenhagen Malmo Port. On the subject of nationalities, he refers back to the 2021 season when many Germans cruised in the region, believing that the same may prove true for 2022. There is some concern, however, that these smaller destinations will struggle to find sufficient numbers of guides and buses to cater to the expected increase in demand for shore excursions – particularly given the pandemic, which has caused some people to find alternative employment. The need for cruise lines and destinations to work closely together on this will be vital to ensure passenger satisfaction. The crisis is having a ripple effect in Norway, too, explains Jens Skrede, Managing Director Cruise Europe, “I know that the lines work hard every day to move the ships from the Baltic to other regions. Some ports, like Oslo, have more than 30 extra bookings after the war started, and many of the fjord ports here in Norway have lots of requests. Ports like Geiranger and Flam have also had extra bookings this season from MSC Grandiosa, a new and eco-friendly ship that can call into the World Heritage Norwegian ports, including Ålesund have gained business in the expense of some Baltic ports 16-17 .indd 3 16-17 .indd 3 5.5.2022 8.34 5.5.2022 8.34
18 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 INTERVIEW SODAMIN ADDS PRINCESS TO PORTFOLIO Few individuals working in the cruise industry have the depth and breadth of maritime experience of Rudi Sodamin. What began as “a child’s dream to see and explore the world, food and culture” has evolved into a lifelong career spanning most of the major cruise lines. Among his many achievements, his name now graces eponymous restaurants on the ships of Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. We caught up with Rudi on a sea day off the coast of Baja California, aboard the inaugural sailing of the Discovery Princess, where he told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine’s David Swanson about his new role at Princess Cruises. CruiseBusiness.com Magazine: Tell me how you became a chef? Rudi Sodamin: I grew up in Austria in a family of 11 children. My father passed away when I was still very young, and my mother was a chef. As you can imagine, we all had to chip in to help my mother. I started working as a chef when I was just 15 years old, becoming an executive chef at the age of 22. My career has involved a fair amount of hard work. It was always my dream to travel the world, but I certainly had no idea that I would soon be leading a culinary brigade of hundreds of chefs. I worked in the United States, France and Switzerland before I joined the [Cunard Line] Vistafjord, where I rose quickly through the ranks to become Executive Chef when I was just 23 years old. I opened my own restaurants – Amadeus in Stamford, Connecticut, and Atlantis in Greenwich, Connecticut – which were very successful, and I published my first cookbook at age 24, The Cruise Ship Cookbook – Elegant Meals With Cunard. CBM: What attracted you to the sea environment? Sodamin: The sea was not the only attraction to me. It was also the culinary environment, where I was able to work with people of many cultures and backgrounds from around the world. I enjoyed the never-ending challenges and opportunities, where I could use my creativity, vison and wisdom. The crew sleeps onboard, too, and I very much enjoy that life. It has always been exciting to me and full of unknown Rudi Sodamin at his Sel De Mer restaurant 18-21.indd 2 18-21.indd 2 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 19 adventures, sights and sounds. I love to work with people, to communicate and to guide them so that they will be successful and achieve their professional goals. It fulfills me to see the cooks and chefs who have worked with me move on to manage their own departments successfully. Cooking onboard is more challenging than cooking on land. There are many more variables and an onboard cook will learn versatility. Today, executive chefs leading huge brigades hardly have time to cook. They are busy managing people, budgets and handling personnel conflicts. This is one of the reasons that I always lead by example, ensuring that each dish is cooked and photographed by myself so that each chef can produce a successful and unforgettable culinary product. CBM: How did your time with Cunard and Royal Caribbean shape your development as a Master Chef? Sodamin: At Cunard Line, I loved the British traditions, and I believe I changed the perception of dining, on what was then the world’s most famous ocean liner, the Queen Elizabeth 2. At 26, I took over the culinary helm on this magnificent vessel, and today I think, “My goodness! How did I manage what I did then – changing old, outdated English fare into a product that earned culinary respect and global attention?” Let me say, it was not easy. It involved hard work, long hours building a team of hundreds of European chefs. I changed menus, started meal counts and had many industry firsts. I was the first to bring women into the kitchen and the dining room. I learned early in my young age that the most important people are the ones who work with you. I was always blessed with culinary vision and creativity, and I successfully managed many a corporate stew, which I found myself in often. At Royal Caribbean, I worked to launch nine newbuilds and created 26 food concepts in seven years. I was driven by my vision to ensure that Royal Caribbean was recognized as a culinary game changer – new restaurant concepts, new island buffet designs and the successful attraction of a global culinary crew from 50 nations. I was proud and forward thinking. The challenge was the corporate culture, working seven years for five supervisors, each with a different agenda. These were complex ingredients. I used my kitchen wisdom to ensure that we stayed on course – I spearheaded the first cruise line test kitchen and promoted the first female executive chefs. CBM: What was the mandate when you joined Holland America Line in 2005? How has HAL’s cuisine evolved since then? Sodamin: I was hired to revitalize and refresh the culinary offering at Holland America brand. Looking back, it was not an easy task, coming from Royal Caribbean where I was years ahead. I was stepping back into a time zone where culinary had been stuck for years. There was no leadership and various competing directions at Holland America. My aim was to pull all the loose ends together into a successful and formative plan. I organized menu workshops, meetings, test kitchens and systems, which all contributed directly to today’s success. The results were immediately visible in improved guest satisfaction, reduced costs due to better systems, by building the first culinary training centers in the industry in Asia and the attraction of chefs who still are with me today. Working on the newbuilds Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam, I had the opportunity to put my food print on several efforts, including the creation of the buffet island, with its first attached kitchen at Holland America Line, the Dutch Café. I am proud to have established the Culinary Art Centers, the award-winning Tamarind Restaurant and, most proud of all, to have my first name-branded restaurants onboard Holland America, Rudi’s Sel de Mer. I have to mention, I was able to mentor and guide all the Culinary Corporate Chefs, and we have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. I am also very detail oriented when it comes to presentation and table culture, where I direct and prepare each dish with the team, and then photograph each dish myself. In this way, I am ensured our product will be presented in it best way possible with the best ingredients available. CBM: In addition to Rudi’s Sel de Mer, which debuted in 2016, Carnival Cruise Line asked you to develop a restaurant for its newest ship. Tell me how the concepts differ? Sodamin: Rudi’s Seagrill on Carnival Mardi Gras is Mediterranean inspired; Rudi’s Sel del Mer is French. What ties them together is the whimsical food faces. Each restaurant has its own design and focuses on different elements of food, presentation and theme. The artwork at Rudi’s Seagrill features “Shoaling Fish” – fused glass installations by Jo Downs, with walls that are flaked Rudi Sodamin working with a galley team 18-21.indd 3 18-21.indd 3 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36
20 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 with streaming glass fishes in a blueish design. The restaurant is Carnival’s first seafood restaurant. Its seafood is freshly sourced and has received great reviews as a top free-standing restaurant onboard Mardi Gras. The china includes fun-shaped seafood items such as crab shells and porcelain sea urchins, which creates a sensational presentation. Rudi’s Sel de Mer – literally, salt of the seas – is a modern French seafood brasserie on Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam, featuring the flavors of the Cote d’Azur. The centerpiece is a mural painted by my son, Magnus Sodamin, a Miami-based artist. The baseplates are my creations, produced by Bernardaud, a French porcelain company. On all the other Holland America ships, Rudi’s Sel de Mer is offered as a pop-up menu one night, using the steakhouse. CBM: In January, you joined Princess Cruises as its first Head of Culinary Arts. What is the mandate for you here? Sodamin: The mandate for Princess is to use my vast culinary vision and operational experience, my knowhow and my leadership to bring energy and motivation to the brand. Together, our teams will unlock the full potential of the brand – upgrading the food offering, its quality and the execution of the final product. I am enjoying working with John Padgett, the Princess Cruises President and his creative team – he is a true visionary. I am excited to assist in building a strong, sustainable culinary arts infrastructure that will be highly recognizable and distinctive in the premium global brand market. CBM: You now straddle three separate cruise lines. How do you keep what you offer distinct for Carnival and Princess, without watering down the value you have for the Holland America brand? Sodamin: A brilliant question. My association with Carnival is with Rudi’s Seagrill only, where I am extremely proud to have a Rudi’s restaurant onboard Mardi Gras and the upcoming Carnival Celebration. There is no intention of watering down the Holland America brand. On the contrary, my leadership will lead to improvement and more innovation for both brands, not less. From both a shareholder value perspective and from a business standpoint, my experience is value-enabling, allowing a maximum of exchange in talents and efficiencies between both brands. Being asked by Jan Swartz to take on Princess was not a difficult decision, as I give 120% of my soul and heart in what I do. I am doing it to help the leadership of both brands, and most importantly, to assist the over 9,000 cooks who deserve a better culinary culture, direction and leadership for their future. The end result is a delighted guest, who values the unique and consistent culinary experience of each brand. My role will actually enhance the distinctions in each brand, allowing the brands to be differentiated in many ways. Each guest has a different expectation of the culinary experience, and I want each culinary program to be distinct but use synergies to make it even better. I strongly believe we can execute my vision in a more costeffective way. Parts of our culinary program are homogenous across brands, while other parts are very different. We have the opportunity to improve the structure to know where to be differentiated and when to be homogenized, to ensure the culinary product is maximized. My goal is to provide ways to correctly identify growth opportunities and to enable us to share lessons, procedures and insights between the brands faster and more effectively across the Holland America Group in real time. Most important of all: We will improve the quality of our food and grow culinary talent across all brands. CBM: Aboard the ships, how have menus and preparations for the main dining room and Lido Market evolved since the pandemic arrived? Sodamin: No one could have predicted this very difficult, horrifying, helpless, devastating situation. For the hospitality industry, the uncertainty has been the worst. It is a paralyzing existence for many people, myself included. I now realize that life can change overnight and pull the rug out from under everything. As a culinary team, we have had conversations to revisit our shared experiences, and we are still in the process of moving on. Food costs have increased, and logistics and sourcing challenges are a concern for all of us. We have gone back to the drawing board and revisited our culinary offering as a whole, and I have held several menu workshops, along with the Director of Culinary and the Traveling Executive Chefs. The menus have been fine-tuned, and we have added new dishes. We have the flexibility to adapt to changes as necessary, and we have Rudi’s Seagrill is the first seafood restaurant on a Carnival 18-21.indd 4 18-21.indd 4 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36
Sovereign of the Seas, Seaward, Seabourn Pride, Star Princess, Seabourn Spirit, Club Med I, Fantasy, Westerdam, Nordic Empress, Crown Princess, Horizon, Silja Serenade, Ecstasy, Regal Princess, Monarch of the Seas, Hanseatic, Silja Symphony, Majesty of the Seas, Dynasty, Costa Romantica, Kazakhstan II, American Adventure, Kong Harald, Richard With, Nordlys, Oriana, Legend of the Seas, Century, Splendour of the Seas, Sun Princess, Carnival Destiny, Galaxy, Costa Victoria, Grandeur of the Seas, Nordkapp, Rhapsody of the Seas, Dawn Princess, Mercury, Enchantment of the Seas, Nordnorge, Vision of the Seas, Grand Princess, Sea Princess, R One, R Two, Voyager of the Seas, R Three, R Four, R Five, R Six, R Seven, R Eight, Norwegian Sky, Seven Seas Navigator, Explorer of the Seas, Aurora, Costa of the Seas, Carnival Spirit, Radiance of the Seas, Norwegian Sun, Summit, Brilliance of the Seas, Constellation, Coral Princess, Navigator of the Seas, Island Princess, Crystal Serenity, Mariner of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Carnival Miracle, Jewel of the Seas, PontAven, Caribbean Princess, Carnival Valor, Pride of America, Norwegian Jewel, Carnival Liberty, Pride of Hawaii, Freedom of the Seas, Crown Princess, MSC Musica, Norwegian Pearl, Liberty of the Seas, Emerald Princess, MSC Orchestra, Norwegian Gem, Ventura, MSC Poesia, Independence of the Seas, Ruby Princess, MSC Fantasia, Celebrity Solstice, MSC Splendida, Carnival Dream, Silver Spirit, Azura, Celebrity Eclipse, Le Boreal, Norwegian Epic, Queen Elizabeth, Allure of the Seas, L’Austal, Preziosa, Royal Princess, Mein Schiff 3, Regal Princess, Quantum of the Seas, Mein Schiff 4, Britannia, Anthem of the Seas, Carnival Vista, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Mein Schiff 5, Silver Muse, Seabourn Encore, Majestic Princess, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seaside, Symphony of the Seas, MSC Seaview, Seabourn Ovation, Mein Schiff 1, Aida Helios, Celebrity Edge, Mein Schiff 2, Costa Venezia, MSC Belissima, Spectrum of the Seas, Sky Princess, MSC Grandioza, Carnival Panorama, Celebrity Apex, P&O Iona, Enchanted Princess, Silver Moon, Odyssey of the Seas, Costa Firenze, Mardi Gras, MSC Virtuosa become wiser on our processes to realize quality over quantity. Of immediate concern is getting our crew back onboard and providing a safe environment for them. I can only say that, speaking for the Carnival brands, they have done an astonishing job in providing a better, safer place than any vacation place on earth. I wake up at 4 a.m. and think about how we can recover. When I speak to industry leaders, restaurateurs, etcetera, I wonder what I can do in my position to help. I’ve tried to reach out to the corporate chefs and traveling chefs, to ensure that we are doing everything to look after our people – to energize, motivate and inspire wherever possible. Fifty percent of our people lost their jobs and are on furlough. It was very painful to see, and people reach out to me daily and ask for directions and hope. Every week I receive, literally, hundreds of emails from cooks and waiters. Carnival Corporation management has done an amazing job bringing the crew back to their families in over 80 different countries. This is even more astonishing given the fact that most of these countries had closed airports. I applaud this incredible effort. After all this is over, I’m confident that we will come back refreshed, sincere and honest. Most of all, we will return to business with joy. CBM: What culinary trends are you seeing emerge in the cruise industry? Sodamin: Culinary trends are leaning toward healthy options, including vegetarian and plant-based meat items. I have always supported this. In fact, almost 30 years ago I created the first health food wave with Golden Door, and I spearheaded a very successful campaign around a reduced-calorie diet. Sustainability and value are trending as cruisers are looking for value that a land-based hotel or resort simply can’t offer. We are working to ensure that the opportunity will stay affordable for each guest to explore the world. Everyone is so appreciative after the pandemic. We have to live with the pandemic for a while; however, we have adapted and are learning. CBM: How is galley design and equipment helping you and your teams onboard? Sodamin: A great galley design is the key to our success. Unfortunately, I’ve seen poor galley designs over the years that were costly for all concerned. The design should be built around the concept of the restaurant, not the other way around. Also, galley equipment continues to evolve every year, and we have to stay updated and informed to make decisions on equipment and space that will allow us to reduce the workload of the galley crew. CBM: What changes would you like to see in galley design and equipment development? Sodamin: I wish galley designs would be concentrated on the menu, not the other way around. Also, no kitchen should be designed by a single chef. I have just experienced a kitchen designed by a single chef, someone who left the company soon thereafter. The result is an inferior design of ego, without the experience to do so. Chefs are not architects or space planners. After doing the math, the crew and the company will suffer. Galley designs should be collaborative. People who have not worked in a galley and have no successful track record of this type of space should not make a final decision – period. I personally like to focus on obtaining equipment that helps to reduce the long working hours for chefs. CBM: You’re sailing along the coast of Baja California today, on a sparkling day at sea. If you could be at any land-based location right now, where would it be? Sodamin: In the mountains of Austria. If I have a free day, I wouldn’t go to a restaurant, or it would be at my own restaurant at home, in Miami or Salzburg. At work, I’m in my office or I’m in the kitchen, I’m designing, photographing. If I have a day off I want to be home. 18-21.indd 5 18-21.indd 5 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36
22 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 U nlike the deep-sea and river cruise industries, these cruise ferry services did not grind to a complete halt during the pandemic, because they also form a vital part of the infrastructure in their respective regions. However, the pandemic forced many operators to take some of their ships out of service, in some cases several times before the end of last year. Some of these companies are listed and have published their volume ?gures for 2021. FINANCIAL REVIEW CRUISE FERRY PERFORMANCE IN NORTH EUROPE IMPROVES In Northern Europe, a ferry crossing can be an important part of a holiday, and millions of people use the services as mini cruises, whereby the ship becomes a destination in its own right. Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit passenger volumes of these companies as well, which in turn has had a deep, negative impact on their financial performance. By Kari Reinikainen Non-listed Color Line and Stena Line, meanwhile, have only unveiled their volume data for 2020 and 2019 so far. Passenger volume data shows that last year, volumes had fallen by tens of percents from the levels seen in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. Travel restrictions and lockdowns were still very much a part of the business environment, and this obviously impacted the numbers. Much like cruise lines, these companies, too, invest in new tonnage. Viking Line, which operates services between Finland and Sweden plus Finland and Estonia, has just introduced the 63,000 gross ton Viking Grace on its Turku-Mariehamn-Stockholm service, which is a popular mini cruise route. Brittany Ferries, a French company, has introduced the 42,000 gross ton Salamanca, which it has taken on a long bareboat charter from the Stena group in Sweden. It is one of 12 E-Flexer class vessels that Stena is building in China; some of these will be operated by the group itself and others by various companies on charter. Not every company has been adding vessels to its ?eet, however. P&O Ferries, which is part of the DP World group (no connection with P&O Cruises) recently withdrew the two ships that served between Hull and Zeebrugge DFDS is less dependent on passengers than many other Nordic ferry operators PASSENGER VOLUME 2021 2020 2019 DFDS 889 1,498 5,116 Color Line n/a 1,255 3,850 Irish Ferries 668 519 1,541 Stena Line n/a 3,400 5,088 Tallink 2,961 3,732 9,763 Viking Line 2,315 1,927 6,300 Figures in thousands 22-25 ferryi.indd 2 22-25 ferryi.indd 2 17.5.2022 7.54 17.5.2022 7.54
Suite Viking Glory www.almaco.cc We want our customers’ guests and crew to eat well, sleep well, relax and enjoy. ALMACO delivered all the catering areas, guest cabins, as well as the crew cabins and crew public areas for the stunning Viking Glory of Viking Line. 22-25 ferryi.indd 3 22-25 ferryi.indd 3 17.5.2022 7.54 17.5.2022 7.54
but it has only published operating results rather than net ones like the other ?ve. Calmer seas ahead Generally speaking, the industry expects this year to emerge as better than the last two. The same expectations of pent-up demand that deep-sea and river cruise lines hope to enjoy are evident in the cruise ferry business in Northern Europe as well. However, this business tends to be very seasonal, with the June through August period crucial for operators in the Baltic and July to September critical for those in the North Sea region. Major public holidays also tend to trigger an increase in traf?c, while February-March can also generate some positive vibes as a result of school holidays. The return of dutyfree sales in 2021 to services operating to and from ports in the UK will probably have boosted onboard revenues and perhaps even traf?c volumes, but this year will likely be when the true impact of this will be seen, as travel is returning to normal. In?ationary pressures resulting in higher bunker costs have forced some LNG-powered ships to switch to oil fuel (dual-fuel engines that are common onboard ships that use LNG allow this). Consumer spending may also be impacted, as central banks raise interest rates to combat in?ation, while higher interest rates in themselves could affect cruise ferry companies and their customers alike. However, provided that travel has returned to normal and will remain so throughout 2022 and beyond, the cruise ferry industry should have calmer seas ahead after two years of perfect storms. those of 2020 in the ?rst nine months of last year; this would seem to indicate that full-year 2021 revenues will match or exceed those of the previous year. However, the levels of 2019 will probably take a while to reach. Results improved after dire 2020 As far as the results for the six companies are concerned, ?gures they have published suggest that the worst was already over in 2021, and all of these companies enjoyed a better performance on the previous year. In light of the results, it becomes clear that these companies cannot thrive on freight alone: Passengers are an essential part of their business not only from the point of view of ticket revenue, but also due to the fact that onboard spending is also a signi?cant revenue stream for them. Viking Line actually posted a net pro?t of €24.4 million, but this was due to a sales gain from the disposal of the 1985built cruise ferry Mariella. Stena Line’s ?gures are in the black throughout the review period, across the North Sea. Both ships had been built in 1987 and were thus due to undergo a special survey this year. Revenues still below 2019 levels Give the sharp reduction in passenger volumes, it is hardly surprising that revenues of cruise ferry operators have decreased as a result of the pandemic, although the actual decline varies considerably between the six companies reviewed here. The decreases have been more pronounced for those companies that derive a larger part of their business from passengers, such as Color Line, Tallink Grupp and Viking Line. DFDS, which has extensive freight shipping and logistics operations, publishes ?gures for its passenger business as well, and they, too, have been signi?cantly impacted. Irish Ferries, which is the ferry shipping arm of the Irish Continental Group that is also engaged in the container business, saw revenues recover last year on 2020, although they still remained well below the level of 2019. Stena Line, which also carries a lot of freight on its vessels, had revenues only slightly below Tallink Grupp has made several cuts to some of its routes RESULT UNIT 2021 2020 2019 DFDS DKK -488 -524 59 (1) Color Line NOK -278 -903 313 (2) Irish Ferries EUR -4.9 -19.0 60.2 Stena Line SEK 3,398 2,596 4,804 (1&3) Tallink Grupp EUR -56.6 -108 49.7 Viking Line EUR 24.4 -42.3 10.8 Results in millions (1) EBIT, others net result (2) 2021 JanuaryJune, others full year (3) 2021 January-September, others full year REVENUES UNIT 2021 2020 2019 DFDS DKK 463 489 1,709 (1) Color Line NOK 628 2,336 5,320. (2) Irish Ferries EUR 175.5 141.4 212.4 (3) Stena Line SEK 8,964 10,400 14,300 (4) Tallink Grupp EUR 476.9 443.0 949.1 Viking Line EUR 258.2 215.7 496.4 Revenues in millions (1) Passenger shipping only (2) 2021 JanuaryJune, others full year (3) Excludes container operations (4) 2021 January-September, others full year 24 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 22-25 ferryi.indd 4 22-25 ferryi.indd 4 17.5.2022 7.54 17.5.2022 7.54
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 25 READ BETWEEN THE FRAMES It looks like a classy ship door, but beneath the surface there’s a huge amount of intelligence, experience, best practices, and certi?ed solutions. If you have a new project, contact Antti already in the beginning. Depending on your goals, we can develop your doors’ cost-effectiveness, design, sustainability, and connectivity. Our doors are open for contact: anttimarine.? Mardi Gras You’ll see the difference Viking Line has resumed its full schedule recently 22-25 ferryi.indd 5 22-25 ferryi.indd 5 17.5.2022 7.54 17.5.2022 7.54
T he Wonder of the Seas is the fifth unit in RCI’s Oasis class of ships, and as with previous ships in the class, it has a higher gross tonnage than its predecessors, which has made it the largest cruise ship in the world. At 236,857 gross tons, the Wonder of the Seas can carry 5,734 passengers based on double occupancy or 6,988 at full capacity. The Wonder of the Seas follows four previous Oasis-class ships: The Oasis of the Seas, the original ship of the class, was delivered from the STX Finland shipyard (which is today Meyer Turku) in 2009. A year later, the Allure of the Seas joined Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Originally, the ships were designed to operate only in the Caribbean, sailing from Port Everglades. However, as two more sister ships built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France joined the fleet, it was inevitable that new base ports were needed. So it is no surprise that Oasis-class ships – despite their enormous size (1,188 feet long, 210 feet wide) – have become a common sight outside of the Caribbean. In North America, PortMiami, NEW SHIP It’s been 13 years since the first delivery in Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis class, but the company continues to build more units and develop the platform further. Port Canaveral and Bayonne in the New York area have served as homeports for Oasis-class ships, and soon Galveston in Texas will join that group. In Europe, Oasis-class ships regularly operate in the Western Mediterranean. The Wonder of the Seas was originally designed for the Asian market, but due to ongoing Covid19 restrictions, the ship will sail instead in North America and the Mediterranean this year. Eight neighborhoods The Oasis-class ships introduced the “Neighborhood” concept, where seven unique areas feature their own restaurant, bar and entertainment areas. On the Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has added an eighth neighborhood called the Suite Neighborhood. Royal Suite-class guests now have their own private Suite Sun Deck in a new location, which features a plunge pool and bar, in addition to signature favorites such as the exclusive Coastal Kitchen restaurant, the Suite Lounge and the Ultimate Family Suite that can sleep up to 10 guests. Across all its eight neighborhoods, the Wonder of the Seas features more than 20 restaurants, bars and lounges in total. On the dining scene, a new addition is The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar offering Southern-influenced comfort food for brunch and dinner. At night, the venue offers live country music in farmhouse-style surroundings. Meanwhile, the Wonder Playscape is a new underwater-themed play area for families with kids. Slides, climbing walls, games and interactive activities come alive at a touch. Nearby is located Royal Caribbean’s mini-golf course, Wonder Dunes, with its own new look and features. At the center of the Caribbean vibe is the pool deck, where the new cantilevered Vue Bar joins the lineup of poolside hotspots. These include Lime & Coconut for live music; The Perfect Storm, a trio of high-speed waterslides; the kid-friendly water park Splashaway Bay; and the adults-only Solarium. Recently Royal Caribbean celebrated the steel cutting ceremony in Chantiers de l’Atlantique of Utopia of the Seas, which will join the fleet in 2024. It is first in the class to use LNG as its fuel. 26 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 WONDER OF THE SEAS – BIGGEST OASIS SHIP YET Wonder of the Seas will sail this summer in the Med 26-29.indd 2 26-29.indd 2 5.5.2022 8.58 5.5.2022 8.58
By John Pagni The world’s biggest cruise ship was handed over to Royal Caribbean last Januar y, but its air-handling systems were delivered in 20192020. Koja Marine’s Project Manager Juha Aro oversaw it all – but from his workplace in Finland rather than at the yard, as the company’s contract was a bit different from the previous two vessels, and, of course, due to Covid-19. As Project Manager, Aro must look after ever ything from design to ensuring the use of correct materials and overseeing modifications, selecting equipment and being aware of cost control. “It did not include installation and the design was basically ready, as it was the third in class. Modifications and documentation was mostly done by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, as they requested.” He explains that upper deck areas such as the Viking Crown Lounge and Solarium were modified, but in the lower par ts the air-handling units (AHUs) were similar to the previous two vessels of the class, the Symphony of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas. Small updates, major modifications Some small design updates and par ts changes for the air-handling units were done; for example, upgrading the efficiency class of the electrical fan motors. The major modifications were caused by location movements on the upper decks and perceived passenger needs, such as in the casino, where smoking ever ywhere could be allowed and not just in a small area. Changing the casino to a smoking area meant that only fresh air would be used, not heat-recover y unit air. The premium Viking Crown Lounge on decks 17 and 18 was adapted to accommodate more suites, with the shape changing from circular to rectangular with rounded corners. The Windjammer restaurant and café was relocated following a redesign. This meant different Koja Marine Future AHUs had to be adapted to meet the new situation. The Solarium was another major demand, as now it is par tially closed so that sun-worshippers can soak up UV rays while in an acceptable temperature zone out on the Sun Deck, thus avoiding extreme temperatures and possible sunstroke or sunburn – or vice versa, to keep the area warm enough in the cooler climates. “The idea in the public spaces is to circulate the already cooled air with fancoil units to use less cooling power and bring only the necessar y amount of fresh air from the outside through AHUs. The actual cooling is done by fancoils that circulate the air, keeping the already conditioned air in the area, cool it a bit more and not expel it all out – as in the tropics, air needs cooling,” Aro explains. In large public spaces, AHUs only impor t the required fresh air, which is controlled by CO2 sensors and variable air volume dampers according to CO2 levels. It is an energy-saving function to keep the cooling need down when the spaces are unoccupied. There are six special fancoils in the critical technical spaces that use refrigerated coils and their own dedicated cooling compressor units instead of the normal water-cooled coils. These act as a back-up – if the chilled-water system fails, the temperature can still be maintained in these crucial spaces. The smoke extraction fans, which were also included in the Koja Marine deliver y, are used only when smoke is detected, and these are manually switched on when a fire breaks out; for example, to ensure visibility and health in case of possible evacuation. Wonder of the Seas – superlative air-handling by Koja Marine 28 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Wonder PlayScape Suite Sun Deck Pool Deck Ultimate Family Suite 26-29.indd 4 26-29.indd 4 5.5.2022 8.58 5.5.2022 8.58
SOLUTIONS FOR REMOTE ENGAGEMENTS AND HYBRID EXHIBITION STANDS 26-29.indd 5 26-29.indd 5 5.5.2022 8.58 5.5.2022 8.58
30 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 I n the groundbreaking announcement, Viking’s Chairman Torstein Hagen announced, that the company’s 11th oceangoing new building will have a hybrid propulsion based on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells. “We will be able to operate at zero-emissions in the Norwegian fjords,” Hagen underlined. He has been also a vocal opponent of the LNG due to its methane emissions. Methane is considered more harmful than CO2. The new build is based on Viking Star platform, but will be 11 meters longer and ?tted with pod propulsion. As the industry strives toward a greener future, that drive is having an effect on ship design, especially as it applies to the optimal size of new vessels. Silversea Cruises, for instance, has decided to increase the size of its Project Evolution class of ships to 54,700 gross tons from ENVIRONMENT DECARBONIZATION FACES TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES The cruise industry’s efforts to decarbonize are taking various forms, with new fuels and technologies to reduce emissions being developed while existing ones are being used as well. The challenges are considerable, but progress is being made. By Kari Reinikainen the 40,700 gross tons of the Muse class, as the new ships will be hybrids that can use liquefied natural gas (LNG) in order to reduce emissions. However, the decision to go hybrid with dual-fuel engines that can use both oil and LNG has significantly affected the design and encouraged the company to opt for a larger platform, said Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises. “I think that is more or less the smallest size where LNG makes sense. Smaller than that is going to be real challenging also because you need to have a dual-fuel vessel for sure,” Martinoli told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. “Ships of Silversea Cruises operate all over the world, and they make long ocean crossings as well, which means that they must have a long range. This again has two consequences: firstly, LNG is not available in everywhere that the company might need it. Secondly, LNG tanks take up more space than oil tanks, whereby a ship must have a certain size to make it economical.” With a dualfuel engine installation, the new ships that will be led by Silver Nova next year will have more or less the same range as the company’s other vessels. Bunkering both oil and LNG simultaneously is not a viable option because one has to take into account the draft of the ship, he continued. Hydrogen is an option that also has been promoted for use as fuel onboard ships. It would completely eliminate CO2 emissions, but, according to Martinoli, it has other challenges. “The problem with hydrogen is that handling it onboard is going to be dif?cult,” he pointed out. “So there are no rules that would allow you to use hydrogen except the way we do it, which is convert it from methane or LNG and supply your fuel cell.” (For more on hydrogen as an alternative fuel, see below.) Looking ahead, Martinoli said that the search for an optimal alternative fuel should be an area where cruise lines compete, but they should also cooperate to find the quickest, easiest and most affordable solution for everyone. The Royal Caribbean Group, of which Silversea Cruises is a part, is involved in its own research on fuel-cell technology, and Martinoli said the company will allow others access to Stena Line has a project to build an electric ferry to operate on its Gothenburg-Frederikshavn route 30-33.indd 2 30-33.indd 2 19.5.2022 11.52 19.5.2022 11.52
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 31 the results of this work. The industry will need to invest large amounts of money in this field, and, for that reason, an openaccess approach should help the industry to channel investment into the best possible technology available, he concluded. Meanwhile, on the rivers Viking recently introduced battery packs on its new Longships, which will also affect the technical configuration of the new generation. The previous ships have two large Caterpillar C32 and two smaller C128 diesel generators. However, the new ship will only have three generators and only one C32 and one C18 will be needed online while at river, according to the Captain Francois Bertin of the Viking Radgrid. Shore power will be used in various ports, which allows all the generators to be switched off. The battery packs will also supply power to the electric propulsion motors when high loads are required, he said. New zero-emission fuels may not be available in the immediate future. For this reason, the cruise industry as part of the wider shipping sphere needs to look at ways to reduce emissions by using technologies aimed at doing this, but with fuels that are available today, said Mark Flips, Head of Marine Applications at the German clean-tech company Orcan. Investment in technology always raises the question of payback time, and in the case of Orcan’s systems, Flips told CBM that the targeted internal rate of return is up to 20% or a payback time from two to four years in the case of a retro?t. However, a newbuilding should start producing a positive cash ?ow from the date the ship enters service, he pointed out. For example, Orcan’s system has been ?tted on two Dutch domestic ferries to recover waste heat, and it saves 318 tons of CO2, 260,000 liters of fuel and 462,600 kilowatt-hours of electricity per vessel per year. Investment needed but crutinized To achieve the goals that forthcoming environmental legislation stipulates, a lot of work has to be done on a broad scale. Research by the Norwegian classification society DNV has found that Captain Francois Bertin on the bridge of river cruise ship Viking Radgrid, which is fitted with battery packs up to 80% of the world’s merchant fleet would have to make technical upgrades to meet the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations. Investment is needed to develop new technologies and improve existing ones. However, any forward-looking investment decisions are being even more heavily scrutinized after the extreme financial pressures of the pandemic. “This means it is crucial that clean technologies match the performance claims made by their manufacturers and that the upfront cost of the technology is matched by a clear and immediate view of payback,” said Jon Wheeler, Programme Director, Cruise & Ferry Segment, Silverstream Technologies. “We cannot wait for new propulsion technologies or future fuels, but need to act now to reduce emissions as much as possible,” added Marc Sima, co-founder and CEO of Fuel Save GmbH in Germany. The company, founded in 2012, started business by focusing on how to reduce emissions from trucks and utility vehicles, but quickly expanded its scope to include the maritime sector. Its FS Marine system uses an intelligently controlled hydrogen syngas generator and injector, which combines proprietary gas injection with other processes to enhance the efficiency of diesel engines. The system reduces fuel consumption between 10% and 15%, cuts CO2 emissions by about the same amount, filter smoke number (FSN) by 40% and NOx by between 30% and 80%, the company says. Engine wear and tear will also be reduced by the use of the system, which cuts maintenance and repair costs. A payback time between three and five years is the target for Climeon, a provider of energy-efficiency technology headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Running hours, available waste heat, fuel type, whether the ship in question is a newbuilding or retrofit and generator type all affect the payback time, said Fredrik Thoren, Head of Maritime at Climeon. Its waste-heat recovery technology, the Climeon Heat Power System, uses principals of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), but at much lower pressure levels. “The patented low-pressure technology allows for optimal efficiency from low-temperature heat sources such as jacket cooling water. Exploiting the temperature difference between the hot and cold water sources, Climeon’s Heat Power System produces usable electric power for the ship’s electrical demand, reducing the load on the ship’s generators.” A control system automatically and continuously ensures that the power output is maximized or optimized, based on site preferences. “The system’s compact and modular design, highest efficiency conversion of low30-33.indd 3 30-33.indd 3 19.5.2022 11.52 19.5.2022 11.52
32 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 grade waste heat within the ORC market and its ability to utilize sea water as the cooling source, allows for simple integration with the vessel’s existing systems and makes it highly suitable for marine applications,” he said. As a proven technology since 2015, the Climeon Heat Power System has received approval from major certification companies and helped ship owners like the Finnish cruise ferry company Viking Line and Virgin Voyages, the new cruise shipping unit in Sir Richard Branson’s business empire, to increase their energy efficiency, saving fuel costs and reducing impact on the environment. “We have had a pilot installation Climeon Ocean 100 installed on Viking Grace. This was the first generation of Ocean system with a nominal power output of 100 kW [maximum 120 kW]. This installation was a part of an EU project, so the cost of equipment and installation was partly paid by the EU,” recalled Kari Shao, Project Manager at Viking Line. Wind power and bubbles to reduce friction Norsepower, the Finnish company that offers rotor sails as an option for shipowners to reduce emissions, is constantly developing and making incremental design adaptations to the rotor sail to maximize efficiencies and versatility, said Tuomas Riski, CEO of the company. “In the past, Norsepower has added a range of sizes to the rotor sail portfolio, offering five different model sizes to ensure the optimal dimensions for different vessel types and applications. This ensures we are meeting different vessel requirements and maximizing its capabilities. In addition, the tilting rotor sail design has already opened up opportunities for vessels navigating height-restricted routes. It means that the sail can be lowered almost horizontally when necessary during their voyage. This illustrates how Norsepower’s flexibility and consultative approach can develop innovative adaptations to meet particular vessel requirements,” Riski said. Meanwhile, another development in the sail sector took a step forward in the winter when the French classification society Bureau Veritas granted Approval in Principle (AiP) for solid-sail technology developed by its compatriot shipbuilder Chantiers de l’ Atlantique. Solid sail is a 1,200-square-meter rigid sail made of composite panels assembled together, which was developed specifically for large vessels. The system overcomes the usual size limitations of standard fabric sails. Moreover, the rigidity of the sail panels induces less flapping and therefore increases the estimated life compared to a soft sail, the two companies said in a joint statement. Creating bubbles by pumping compressed air though small holes in the underwater part of the hull of a ship is another way to cut emissions, as this reduces the friction of the hull as it moves through the water. This is what Silverstream Technologies in the UK offers, and their product has been installed onboard a number of cruise ships. The Silverstream System works by reducing the frictional resistance of a ship’s hull through the water using a series of air-release units in the flat bottom of a vessel, which generate a uniform carpet of microbubbles that travel the full length of the hull. The microbubble carpet cuts fuel consumption and associated emissions by 5% to 10% net – depending on the vessel’s characteristics – and reduces hull fouling, the dampening of onboard noise and vibrations, and the suppression of a vessel’s underwater radiated noise signature. From the beginning of its conception over a decade ago, Silverstream has recognized the effectiveness of its technology in supporting the decarbonization of the cruise sector, with two of its first installations with Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. “To this day, we continue to work closely with some of the key players in the cruise space,” said Silverstream’s Programme Director Jon Wheeler. “A Silverstream air-lubrication system is being installed on Carnival Corporation & plc’s LNG-fueled Excel-class cruise vessel currently under construction at Meyer Werft shipyard. The system is expected to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 5% when the vessel debuts in 2023.” Meyer Werft is also installing a Silverstream system on P&O Cruises’ Arvia, another Excel-class vessel currently under construction. Both orders follow the 2017 installation of Silverstream’s technology on Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess, which has achieved over 5% net fuel and emissions savings. Silverstream also retrofitted a system on the Sapphire Princess during a scheduled dry-docking at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard in Singapore, a successful project despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. “Today, Silverstream is creating an operational and commercial blueprint for installing air-lubrication technology in the cruise market by carefully considering its unique demands, challenges and consumer-facing nature. This blueprint alleviates operational pressures for cruise lines by putting in place bespoke project teams and creating unique supply-chain arrangements that suit the segment, ultimately helping it to meet its decarbonization objectives,” Wheeler concluded. Fuel-cell technology moves forward On the fuel-cell front, Ballard Power Systems based in Canada has announced with ABB – a leading global technology company – that they have received a groundbreaking Approval in Principle from DNV for a jointly developed fuel-cell concept capable of generating 3 megawatts, or 4,000 HP, of electrical power. “The AiP represents an important milestone in developing new technology, as independent assessment of the concept confirms feasibility of the design and no significant obstacles exist to prevent the concept from being realized. With the AiP in place, the jointly developed solution can be initiated with confidence that it is eligible to receive final approval for application onboard a wide range of vessels,” the two companies said in a joint statement. Ballard Power Systems is already working with the Danish ferry company DFDS to build a large hydrogen/fuel-cellpowered ropax ferry for the company’s overnight service between Copenhagen and Oslo. A consortium of companies including Wärtsilä, ABB, RINA, Hellion, the Liberian Registry and an unnamed energy major aim to develop a scalable solution with hydrogen as fuel that would exceed the IMO 2050 target to cut emissions by 70% in carbon intensity without the need to invest large amounts of money in infrastructure. At the moment, difficulties and costs related to production, distribution and onboard storage have limited the shipping industry’s interest in hydrogen. “However, by producing hydrogen onboard and using readily available LNG, the solution becomes far more viable and in a much faster time than would otherwise be possible,” the companies said in a statement. Another consortium of shipping stakeholders is aiming to develop demonstrators for two-stroke and four-stroke marine engines running on ammonia fuel. The Chantiers de l’Atlantique has launched SilenSeas project 30-33.indd 4 30-33.indd 4 19.5.2022 11.52 19.5.2022 11.52
Operate with total control. Use the online tool Roxtec Transit Operate™ to ensure long-term safety. It helps you control, document and keep track of all cable and pipe transits onboard. roxtec.com/softwaresuite FREEDOM OF DESIGN WITH PROVEN SOLUTIONS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DECORATIVE SOLUTIONS Seamless, durable and ?exible arti?cial PUR deck system, the new Sika?oor® Marine Deco Comfort and Teak. Contact us now Sika Services AG, Tueffenwies 16, 8048 Zurich Tel. +41 (0)58 436 58 01, www.sika.com/marine Sika?oor® Marine Deco Teak Sika?oor® Marine Deco Comfort project is coordinated by Wärtsilä, with participation from naval architects C-Job, classification society DNV, shipowner MSC and the National Research Council (CNR) of Italy. It has secured funding of 10 million from the European Union through the Horizon Europe research funding initiative. “Ammonia is one of main candidates in shipping’s search for future fuels,” said Sebastian Bleuanus, General Manager, Research Coordination & Funding, Wärtsilä Marine Power, in a statement. “Wärtsilä has already proven an engine concept running on blends of up to 70% ammonia so far and will have a concept running on pure ammonia by 2023. This project is a fantastic opportunity to accelerate development of the solutions shipping will need.” The aims of the project will include a lab-based demonstrator for the four-stroke ammonia engine and a lab-based test engine followed by a vessel retrofit for the two-stroke version by 2025. The project will further develop concepts around fuel handling and safety as well as contributing inputs towards a regulatory framework for ammonia. Niels de Vries, Lead Naval Architect at C-Job Naval Architects, said, “Thanks to the project set-up, we’ll be able to show the application of ammonia as a marine fuel for both ships using fuel-direct configurations and ships using fuel-electric configurations. We’re excited to take this next step and apply our knowledge and experience in Ammonia 2-4 together with our partners.” Last but not least among the many developments towards zero-emission cruising, the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia has started the construction of a 63.5-meter-long and 10-meterwide, three-masted schooner with the hull and superstructure built of steel and the masts of aluminum alloy. “When not under sail, the ship will be powered by two 150 kW electric motors, each fed by a system of batteries continuously charged from different sources,” the shipyard said. When it reaches a speed of 6 knots, it will require only 60 kilowatts of power, which is fairly unobtrusive for a 500 gross ton vessel. It will be equipped with 30 tons of batteries with a maximum capacity of 2300 kWh, but due to legal requirements, it will also have two diesel generators that will be turned on only when needed or in emergencies. CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 33 30-33.indd 5 30-33.indd 5 19.5.2022 11.52 19.5.2022 11.52
34 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 T he fledgling upscale expedition line has worked overtime to keep pace with a fast-changing cruise environment. “My saying is, if you wish for an elephant, make sure you’ve got room for an elephant,” says Alberto Aliberti, President of Fort Lauderdale-based Atlas Ocean Voyages. The line promises “luxe adventure” cruises to off-the-beaten-track landings, and on its inaugural sailing I found the 9,930 gross ton World Navigator to be a beautifully designed expedition vessel. Atlas Ocean Voyages is an offshoot of Mystic Invest Holdings, the COMPANY ATLAS PART OF A NEW WAVE OF LUXURY EXPEDITION With the benefit of hindsight, if one were to choose the ideal time to start a new cruise line, mid-pandemic would probably be at the bottom of the list. And yet, August 2021 was the month that Atlas Ocean Voyages launched its much-anticipated first ship, the World Navigator. By David Swanson Portuguese company already well established in ocean and river cruising and shipbuilding. In Europe Mystic owns wellknown brands such as DouroAzul, Nick Cruises and Mystic Cruises. Three years ago, Certares Holdings, a global investment firm, took a stake of Mystic. Although Atlas may be a new brand, Mystic’s hardware and funding are tested and secure, and four more ships in this class will arrive over the next three years, starting with the World Traveller in October 2022. Still, the timing has presented challenges. “I’m not going to cry in my beer, but when we started out, bookings were great,” explains Aliberti. “The first thing we got hit for was not the pandemic, but the Palestinians and Israelis bombing each other.” That ended Atlas’s plans for Holy Land cruises last summer, resulting in revised itineraries. Then the Delta wave of the pandemic arrived, followed by the Omicron variant. “Now that we’re coming out of that, we’ve lost bookings because of this damned Ukraine war.” In February, Atlas revised its planned Baltic sailings to skip St. Petersburg and focus on smaller islands and ports in Finland and Estonia, but as the Ukraine situation escalated and clients started canceling, Aliberti had to back off those plans. “People were not ready for them; they were still too far east,” suggests Aliberti. “Once we got past Poland and Sweden, nothing resonated – we had to get back onto the other side of the Kiel Peninsula, so now we’re on the Hamburg side. We added two new cruises: A Southern Fjords, because the fjords are selling so well, and the other is a North Europe, with a lot of overnights in London and Amsterdam.” 34-37 .indd 2 34-37 .indd 2 19.5.2022 11.25 19.5.2022 11.25
Fresh, new style Although the World Navigator holds just 196 passengers, it is competing for a piece of the fast-growing expedition market against established brands like Silversea Cruises and Ponant, along with newcomers such as Viking and Seabourn Cruise Line. The ship has a polar-class rating and carries a fleet of kayaks, paddleboards, Jet Skis and Zodiacs for adventurous touring. Extensive exterior decks allow for fine wildlife and scenery viewing. Cabins are generously sized, starting at 270 square feet. What sets the World Navigator apart, though, is that she’s a looker. From both from a functional and design aesthetic, the ship ushers in a fresh, new style of expedition elegance, with lush fabrics used in common areas and a dark, mahogany and green color scheme for cabins. Voluptuous art deco curves and angles are found throughout the ship, providing an ambience of playful glamour. Still, the dress code is casual. Jackets and cocktail dresses are not expected, making the ship a good fit for millennials seeking upscale adventure without pretense. Entertainment offerings are not extensive, but Atlas does a good job of keeping guests focused on the destinations it sails to. Cuisine in the main dining room, Porto, is aspirational – always good, sometimes excellent, and with nice variety. The ship’s steakhouse, 7Aft, is located poolside and utilizes a charcoal grill for a first-of-its-kind foray into “Josper” grilling at sea. The World Navigator’s outdoor deck space is generous, with lots of viewing areas for expedition cruising. Water’s Edge is a terrific observation area on Deck 5 right at the bow, forward of the bridge. The bench that wraps this deck is heated when sailing in colder areas – a novel touch. “When people travel with us they’re getting that new angle on luxury,” says Aliberti, who adds that the client base is almost entirely North American. It’s also skewing younger than anticipated. “It’s not ostentatious – it’s engagement, access, and awareness. The other angle is that we’re a luxury cruise line that promotes fun, fun, fun. We’re meeting that segment of people who enjoy their wealth but don’t use it as a social cudgel. When they get onboard they’re in a comfortable, ideally egalitarian environment.” A different expedition experience Aliberti has years of experience in the upscale environment, starting onboard with Silversea and later in the Cunard-Seabourn corporate office. He acknowledges the importance of brand recognition, and that recent additions to the expedition market such as Viking and Seabourn have significantly greater marketing budgets. But Aliberti also suggests that the expedition market today is divided between traditional hard expedition ships and the new wave of luxury expedition. “They’re two distinct clients,” says Aliberti. “We’re stealing from the hard expedition side, but they’re not stealing clients from the luxury expedition brands. The pricing is in the same neighborhood, but the onboard experience is so much better on the new luxury expedition ships. We have the same expedition leaders, the same culturalists, the same scientists, the same quality of all those things.” And, Aliberti adds: “We’re not in this to slice another piece of the pie; we want to be the cookie on a plate next to the pie. We want to be that additional alternative. We want to be that unique selection that is calling people from those brands who want a little bit of a different experience.” CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 35 Alberto Aliberti Porto Restaurant 34-37 .indd 3 34-37 .indd 3 19.5.2022 11.25 19.5.2022 11.25
36 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Atlas’s second ship, the World Traveller, will work from the same blueprint as the World Navigator, but Aliberti says there will be some tweaks to improve the food-and-beverage workflow in order to make the operation more efficient. Next winter, both Atlas ships will cruise Antarctica, with the Navigator doing the introductory, bucket-list itinerary. The Traveller will be dedicated to more immersive, 13to 20-night journeys below the Arctic Circle designed for those who’ve cruised Antarctica previously. If conditions allow, the third ship arriving in 2023, the World Seeker, will be dedicated to Asia. Between the poles, Atlas will take advantage of its modest size to look for unusual destinations that are inaccessible by land, and difficult for larger ships to visit. “When we go down to Panama, we’ll stop in the canal and we’re going to overnight at a Smithsonian Research station,” says Aliberti. “When we hit the Costa Rican jungles, we’re going to be able to come into some yacht basins on the west coast, not necessarily the principle landing ports. Our travelers may have gone already to Normandy, but Honfleur gives them a chance to go deeper, to go down to Paris and spend the night. When we’re in Turkey, we give them a chance to get out to Cappadocia on an overnight.” Setting a high bar If there’s an area where Atlas stumbled a bit out of the gate, it’s delivering the attention well-heeled guests expect, preand post-cruise. The pace of the operation and guest services was magnified by the changing itineraries and repeated pandemic hurdles. “That’s the one area where we were caught,” says Aliberti. “What we’ve done is we’ve brought in some customer-service and small-ship specialists on the reservation side, because we needed the guest sensitivity to be reflected through the entire transaction. We were having a rocky road, and by doing this we’ve improved the guest transaction pre-sailing, as well as anything that comes through postsailing.” The design and amenities offered aboard World Navigator alone set a high bar for the expedition category. As the additional ships come online – and as the ebb and flow of the pandemic becomes more predictable and the home operation becomes more standardized – Atlas will be able to achieve the high standards its guests and pricing demand. Veranda Stateroom SeaSpa Serenity Lounge Dome Lounge 34-37 .indd 4 34-37 .indd 4 19.5.2022 11.25 19.5.2022 11.25
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 37 B y focusing solely on supplying galleys to cruise ships, Finland-based/ Swiss-owned SeaKing has a greater interest in the industry’s health than most companies. Its Head of Business Sales tells John Pagni what lies in store after a dif?cult period. “The last one-and-a-half years have seen cruise ships mostly laid up, incurring a huge cost to shipowners. Additionally there has been newbuilding postponements and a general construction go-slow,” says Jan Montonen. “The positive signs now are that it seems all ships will return to service, and none of the newbuildings have been cancelled – except for those involving bankrupt entities like MV Werften, Crystal Cruises and Dream Cruises.” He predicts that business will continue as before, but at a slower growth rate. “Generally a lot of tonnage over 25-years-old has been scrapped. Although it’s sad to see them go, they were not energy ef?cient as is required nowadays. And this has accelerated development in this area.” For SeaKing, the growth the company was seeing and expecting has ?attened out, as the existing orderbook has been spread out over a longer timetable. “This has both positive and negative sides, of course,” Montonen adds. A typical SeaKing project starts with concept then detailed design, equipment and furniture delivery, sometimes followed by installation also. “We adapt to the modus GALLEYS SEAKING SEES SUNNIER DAYS operandi of each yard so everything works in the best way. Procedures and work cultures differ, but all are successful in creating a similar end product that satis?es the customer,” he notes. Although the company is mainly involved in newbuilding projects, re?ts are also part of its business. “The latter is now where we expect to see growth because after this standstill, there are lots of new concepts companies want to introduce to older ships and otherwise modernize them,” he says. This has its attractions as an alternative to an aggressive newbuild program by modernizing existing ?eets needing smaller investment and keeping a lot of tonnage working while remaining competitive. Good news, but some clouds It is not only good news that ships are coming back to sea, but the recent announcement that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dropped its recommendation not to go cruising was another sign the cruise industry is on the comeback, even if a few managed to keep going in some form during the pandemic. Survival of the ?ttest has worked again, but clouds still remain, Montonen observes. “The Ukraine war and consequential Russia embargoes mean itineraries will be modi?ed so ships will not call at St. Petersburg for the foreseeable future. It will lead to a redeployment of some ships to other regions and an EU + Norway itinerary. The Baltic this year can expect a cutback. But that is the strength of our industry—that cruise ships by de?nition can sail anywhere. They are designed for provisioning and onboard preparation is generic, so anyone can essentially get provisions in any part in the world. Typically, food preparation is not partially prepared ashore as this would result in being tied to one supplier, while redeployment depends on the market and the risks,” he says. What the future holds is another unknown, but Montonen feels that the size of ships is one question: “What size of projects will be developed in the future? It will be interesting to see how newbuilding programs develop,” he muses. SeaKing, meanwhile, has not sat on its hands. “We have been developing new technologies that will be launched soon on a cruise ship in about a year from now,” he says tantalizingly without, naturally, revealing what those new technologies are. Mein Schiff 1 galley Jan Montonen P h o to cr ed it : K a ri P a ls il a 34-37 .indd 5 34-37 .indd 5 19.5.2022 11.25 19.5.2022 11.25
38 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 TECHNOLOGY Viking Glory BUILDING AN ADVANCED SHIP IN ASIA Finnish ferry company Viking Line has a history of green innovation aboard both its newbuilds and retrofits on existing ships. The world was wide-eyed with admiration when the Viking Grace made its curtsy in 2013. The Viking Glory takes that as a benchmark and adds another dimension – and then some. JOHN PAGNI went aboard to see what has been improved and how this vessel represents another step forward in technology and onboard comfort. Kari Shao at the shipyard 38-42 .indd 2 38-42 .indd 2 20.5.2022 14.58 20.5.2022 14.58
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 39 A s the sleek vessel looms over the dock, it is hard to imagine that this beautiful ship had such a long, hard road to get to Finland. Since March 1, the Viking Glory – along with fleet mate the Viking Grace – has happily plied the archipelagoes between Finland’s west coast and Sweden’s capital, Stockholm: Two crossings every 24-hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with just one hour in port at the end of each voyage. This almost continuous motion is the demand placed on all the vessels on the TurkuÅland-Stockholm service to meet the needs of both passenger and freight customers. Therefore, all the equipment must be at its best so the crew can perform and passengers can travel carefree. The hard work started with the design. “When a shipyard has not built a passenger ship, you expect challenges, and we had our share,” comments Kari Shao, Viking Line’s Project Manager NB488 Viking Glory, “First-of-a-kind issues began in the design phase and lightweight construction, so we had a lot of input, but we worked together as a team.” Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry (XSI) had experience with constructing PCTCs, container, cargo and special vessels – even liquefied-natural-gas-powered ships – but not a cruise ferry, never mind one so cuttingedge. “When the shipyard presented their setup how they will work, it was together with [well-known maritime design offices] Deltamarin [Finland] for basic, detailed design, and Tomas Tillberg Design International [Weston, FL] interior design and, later during production, supervision,” Shao continues. “This convinced us that this shipyard could manage this challenging project, and we can now see that it was successful – the ship is fantastic. Before the contract was signed, we worked with Deltamarin, who developed a good GA with specifications based on Viking Grace. Interior design office Koncept [Sweden] made preliminary designs for the public areas. After the contract was agreed, Deltamarin worked for XSI developing the basic and detailed design that formed the basis for the shipyard production design. XSI had up to about 200 designers working on our project,” says Shao with a smile. Shao (aka Granberg before his marriage in China) first went to Asia in August 2018 and saw his home in Finland four times during the first year. Due to Covid19, he had to spend the next 27 months in China as quarantine rules made trips anywhere subject to weeks in a hotel, so he substituted vacations locally and got married too! Made in China, EU supported Despite being “Made in China,” the Viking Glory is an EU-supported NextGen Link project with Port of Turku lead coordinator because the Scan-Med corridor is a designated important route. For example, all four docks where the Viking Glory and Viking Grace call now have automatic mooring systems supplied by Cavotec. So the chief bridge officer now berths the ship. From contract to delivery took six years and ten months, which gives an indication of how complex the project was and how it was further complicated by the pandemic. Two years alone were dedicated to design planning. In addition to the detailed drawings, it was decided to change her cargo capacity. Compared to the Viking Grace, the Viking Glory is wider and has an additional vehicle lane, bringing the total to 1,500 lane meters (1,750 yards) altogether, amounting to 17.6% or 275 lane meters (301 yards) more than on the Viking Grace, all with a height of 4.9 meters (16 feet). (For complete specifications, see box.) As work on the vessel proceeded, design decisions and modifications continued while adhering to the basic ideals: safety, efficiency, environmentally friendliness. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) was always the main fuel, so the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) does not apply as it would for conventional electrical propulsion. According to Deltamarin’s calculations, it is 26% below the IMO reference line. Compared to the Viking Grace, the Viking Glory has 10% lower fuel consumption. This all points to Azipods – the propulsion of choice on cruise ships for many years, but not on ferries, no matter how big. “It is our first experience with Azipods and a whole new world,” comments the Viking Glory’s Senior Master Ulf Lindroos, “Although the ship behaves like Grace, maneuvering is different due VIKING GRACE VS VIKING GLORY Gross Tonnage: 57,565/65,211 Length: 213 meters/222.5 meters Beam: 31.8 meters/35 meters Engines: 4 x Wärtsilä 8L50DF (total output 30,400kW)/6 x Wärtsilä 31 DF V 10 (33,000kW) LNG tank capacity: 2 x 200 cubic meters/2 x 295 cubic meters Propulsion: Diesel-electric with two shaft lines and two fixed-pitch propellers Rating: Ice classification Super 1A Crew: 200 Capacities: 2,800 passengers Lane meters: 1,275 lane meters/1,500 lane meters Cost: €240 million/ €220 million 38-42 .indd 3 38-42 .indd 3 20.5.2022 14.58 20.5.2022 14.58
40 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 to the Azipods. It is easier, but takes time and practice.” Furthermore, “Her hull shape alone gives 8% savings due to the ABB XO 11.2MW Azipods. So a big part of the energy savings comes from them,” reveals Shao, who then highlights another big difference from the Viking Grace: The Viking Glory has an unusual genset – 6 x Wärtsilä 31 DF V10 in two engine rooms as per class notation pertaining to redundant propulsion and steering, whereas her older sibling has four much larger main engines. Experience from the Viking Grace had shown that this set-up was more optimal on the voyage with its twisting turning route that requires speed changes. Chief Engineer Marcus Sjölund explains: “Most of the time we can run on four engines at 21 knots. Like Grace, there is back-up, which is now usually two main engines. But there are no auxiliary engines due to this ?exibility. On a very low load of about 40%, it is not ef?cient to have two large main engines in operation as on Grace; they should be at 80-90%. Just one is needed in port, two on departure, ?ve for extra speed,” states Shao. The engine rooms are a partnership project between Wärtsilä that carried out the design, production and delivery, while ABB Automation was responsible for the engine control room. Two Wärtsilä 295-cubic-meter (386-cubic-yard) LNG tanks are positioned in front of the engine rooms amidships. This contrasts with the exposure in open air on deck at the stern of the Viking Grace when their location was an original aboard a passenger ship. This was at the time considered the safest option in the absence of clear regulations. Due to the short time in port, both tanks can be ?lled within an hour. “Glory is like a power station with no shafts as, it is all electric. Glory has three Wärtsilä 2MW bow thrusters too, not two, based on Grace’s experience for improved maneuverability,” continues Shao. Azipods provide this greater steering agility, as was demonstrated at the Aboa Mare Maritime Academy in Turku, where all the bridge of?cers underwent training on the simulator there. “The newly developed ABB XO are the reason why we ?nally chose Azipods; we have been looking at their use since 2000. They are the biggest difference between the two ships and give big fuel savings,” Shao says. After years of collating information from the Viking Grace, the Viking Glory also has notable absences. One visible difference is no rotor sails. In the original draft contract, the Viking Glory was to have two, but the trial on the Grace proved they were unviable, and they were removed in 2019. “The route demands lots of changes in direction and speed, which requires that the rotor sail be suspended, that in turn made it dif?cult to predict their impact. They are much better suited for straight-line routes, so Helsinki-Stockholm is a better option to be looked at,” Shao feels. The short 60minute port time meant that batteries would be inef?cient and occupy too much space. And while LNG is the main fuel choice, currently the bunker rate means that both ships are now running on MDO with LNG natural boil-off gas (NBOG) as supplement only. “But in the long-term, LNG is future-proof,” states Shao. Energy savings here and there When fully operating, the Viking Glory gets 900Kw from surplus heat via Climeon installations. Two 150kW steam turbines in tandem with two organic rankine cycle (ORC) turbines take cooling water from the main engines and convert it into electricity. The Viking Grace had a small 100kW guinea-pig trialing this for ?ve years that proved the principle’s contribution. “It involves low temperature water using liquid acetone to condense it at low pressure of 2 bars into the turbine – a simple process that works with 11-12% ef?ciency against the usual 6-8%,” Shao reports. Similarly, 300kW is extracted from the LNG cooling system with no compressors needed except in port when engines are on low load. HVAC, too, has heat recovery with fan speed controlled by a direct electric motor connection with no moving parts, like a belt, that lessens ef?ciency. The low temperature used to keep the LNG at -162C (-260F) is not wasted either, being used to maintain the required cold levels in technical and cold storage rooms and even in chilled counter displays as well as refrigerators and enclosed bar shelves. Novenco supplied the whole HVAC system and Halton is the maker of cabin supply units that are linked to the booking system, so when unoccupied, less energy is used for air ?ows. Chiller cabinets normally use a simple on-off, but aboard the Viking Glory these have variable frequency drives. Excess heat is also stored in two 40-cubicmeter (52-cubic-yard) tanks for use in port to maintain the onboard temperature when in port – another innovation incorporated from the Viking Grace; therefore, no boilers are used during docking. The elevators supplied by KONE embody ef?ciency with a new electric motor consuming 70% less power, with the added bene?t that on upward/downward movements plus when braking, energy is recycled back into the ship’s grid. “These are not big savings, but are savings nonetheless and lessen emissions too,” sums up Shao, “Altogether, these small innovations mean 10-15% better ef?ciency than Grace, as ventilation forms 15% of total fuel consumption, so the Novenco HVAC and its ABB Octopussy system is a big sector.” Trials go smoothly During sea trials, speed tests revealed a maximum of 22.49 knots against the contracted top speed of 22.1 knots. According to Captain Lindroos, he saw 23.7 knots achieved for the empty ship. The extensive 10-day second trial demonstrated lower vibration than aboard the Viking Grace, but as that vessel’s movement is hardly noticeable, then the Viking Glory feels like it is ?oating on air as scenery slips past its very large windows. If stability in rough seas is disturbed, 5.4-meter (5.9-yard) ?ns by Fincantieri on either side can stabilize the ship. The engine rooms and all public spaces are protected by Marriott Corporation's HiFog sprinkler systems that are common on cruise ships. Both the ship’s masters – takeout captain and Viking Line ?eet head Lindroos and Captain Johannes Engqvist – swap information and experiences from their fortnightly shifts. The former was responsible for the Viking Glory’s certi?cation and documentation, while the latter was interior team leader and involved from an early stage in the construction process. “It was a really successful project even if it took a year longer than contracted, but that was mainly down to the pandemic and isolation rules,” concludes Shao. In the next issue of CruiseBusiness.com Magazine, the hotel side of the Viking Glory will be covered in some detail, as many visible and new concepts were introduced – again based on feedback from the Viking Grace. Engine control room Marcus Sjölund Ulf Lindroos 38-42 .indd 4 38-42 .indd 4 20.5.2022 14.58 20.5.2022 14.58
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 41 Suite Viking Glory www.almaco.cc We want our customers’ guests and crew to eat well, sleep well, relax and enjoy. ALMACO delivered all the catering areas, guest cabins, as well as the crew cabins and crew public areas for the stunning Viking Glory of Viking Line. T he new cruise ferry Viking Glory, owned by Viking Line, has been completed and is now operating in the Baltic Sea archipelago. ALMACO was in charge of all the catering areas, guest cabins, as well as the crew cabins, and public areas onboard the ship. At the end of 2018, ALMACO secured the full turnkey order to design, build and deliver the catering and cabin areas for Viking Glory. The scope of work consisted of 1124 passenger and crew cabins plus all the galleys, bars, pantries, and provision stores, including cold freezer rooms, and walk-ins. The construction took place at the XSI (Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry) shipyard in China. The construction phase was initialized in April 2019 the project was about a year in when the severity of the pandemic became evident. Lockdowns, quarantines, logistical challenges, and the closing of the Chinese borders affected all the companies involved in the project. John Petrie, VP Project Management for ALMACO’s Accommodation Systems Division, was in charge of the accommodation areas. He says, “We really had to think on our feet and subcontractors, and suppliers continuously worked with the yard and owner on several different scenarios to be able to adapt and react as quickly as possible. Viking Line had a very active presence in the project and the cooperation with them had a big impact on the success of the project. Despite the challenges in the project, we board look spectacular. I am very proud of the end result that was handed over to Viking Line.” “Viking Glory offers its guests around ten restaurants with different concepts and menus. The catering areas that support the restaurants are well-equipped with modern and energy-saving solutions. Additionally, they meet the highest quality standards for safety and hygiene in the industry.” says Vincent Querard, Project Manager for ALMACO’s Catering Systems Division. The cabins onboard Viking Glory come in several different categories and price ranges, but they all have one thing in common which is well-designed comfort. The surfaces, furniture, and mattresses are top-standard, and the layouts are smart and well-functioning. Viking Line wants just the guests that sleep well on Viking Glory. The crew cabins are also designed to make sure “second home” onboard. When off duty, the crew can enjoy well-functioning and beautiful spaces such as the crew mess, gym, and comfortable hang-out spaces. Viking Glory consumes 10% less fuel than its sister ship and runs on completely sulfur-free cold counters, cold rooms, and other special rooms. In the galleys, Viking Glory is utilizing ALMACO’s Galley Energy Management (GEM) solution to monitor and control the energy usage of the equipment in the galleys. ALMACO outfitted catering and accommodation areas for Viking Glory 38-42 .indd 5 38-42 .indd 5 20.5.2022 14.58 20.5.2022 14.58
FREEDOM OF DESIGN WITH PROVEN SOLUTIONS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DECORATIVE SOLUTIONS Seamless, durable and ?exible arti?cial PUR deck system, the new Sika?oor® Marine Deco Comfort and Teak. Contact us now Sika Services AG, Tueffenwies 16, 8048 Zurich Tel. +41 (0)58 436 58 01, www.sika.com/marine Sika?oor® Marine Deco Teak Sika?oor® Marine Deco Comfort C ongratulations to Viking Line on the arrival of one of the most climate smart passenger ships in the world Sea, Viking Glory. Technological innovations and sustainability are key words when it comes to Viking Line’s new passenger vessel, Viking Glory. Sika is very proud that this 222-meter giant with a 36-meter decks were covered with the innovative and sustainable Sikaproject due to their mechanical strengths, large variety of deMarine Deco Hard system is fully bio-based and free of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) making it ideal for the end user and the construction crew applying the materials on board the vessel. In current market conditions, every global organization is faced with challenges related to the availability of raw materials and reduced container shipping capacity. Sika is located global supply chain is fully optimized enabling the organization to anticipate the world situation at any time. Accordingly, any impacts made by current market conditions are limited to a levelling and synthetic deck covering compounds without noticeable delays. After the completion of its construction at Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry’s shipyard in China, the ship set sail for Finland conditions the ship will encounter pose no problem for the designed to withstand and operate under high and low temperatures, ranging from +60 to -30 degrees Celsius. Proud to supply #Sika Marine ADVERTORIAL 38-42 .indd 6 38-42 .indd 6 20.5.2022 14.58 20.5.2022 14.58
De?ne Your Future JOIN US AND LAUNCH THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXPEDITION CRUISING Be a part of CMI Leisure, the Cruise Hospitality Experts, as we usher in a new era of guest comfort and capability with our growing ?eet of cutting-edge expedition ships. Apply at www.cmi-leisure.com/jobs CRUISE HOSPITALITY EXPERTS 43.indd 1 43.indd 1 19.5.2022 11.27 19.5.2022 11.27
Adversity is inevitable but our passion pushes us forward. 5 Ports of Call. 5 Unique Experiences: Montego Bay | Falmouth | Ocho Rios | Port Antonio | Port Royal @cruisejamaica takakansi.indd 1 takakansi.indd 1 19.5.2022 11.30 19.5.2022 11.30
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