CruiseBusiness.com CruiseBusiness.com REVIEWING CRUISE BUSINESS GLOBALLY Magazine SUMMER 2021 New brands, new ships, new itineraries, new ports CRUISE BUSINESS COMEBACK kansi2021.indd 1 kansi2021.indd 1 1.9.2021 8.21 1.9.2021 8.21
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6 Editor’s Commentary 10 Upfront 16 Alaska appreciation 20 Future passengers expect participatory experiences 22 Odyssey of the Seas – last of the Quantum class 25 Valmet – global and local in challenging times 26 Windstar’s Star class sets sail again 34 Pandemic forces expedition lines to act quickly 37 NCL invests in Alaska 39 Crystal broadens portfolio with expedition ship 45 Threat and Error Management 49 New page in Gulf of Bothnia ferry service 51 Elomatic sees design in 3-D 53 Koja Marine – the art of the clean sweep 55 WE Tech Solutions cuts power costs via energy-efficient technology 56 MSC Seashore – an evolution of Seaside CONTENTS – SUMMER 2021 A large number of cruise ships returned to service this summer. Due to the ongoing restrictions in many cruising regions, the cruise lines started to offer innovative itineraries. One of the winners was Iceland, where several cruise lines based their vessels, including Viking. Ph oto cre dit : Te ijo Ni em elä CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 3 3.indd 3 3.indd 3 8.9.2021 13.56 8.9.2021 13.56
Editor Teijo Niemelä Publisher Cruise Media LLC Chief Content Officer Carolyn Spencer Brown Copy Editor M.T. Schwartzman Sales and Production Christer Gorschelnik Art Director Julle Järvinen, Julle Oy 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.fi SALES OFFICE USA Teijo Niemelä 209 N Queen Street Chestertown, MD 21620 USA Telephone +1-609-751-2344 cruisemediallc[a]gmail.com FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Len Kaufman: Based in Hollywood, Florida, between Port of Miami and Port Everglades, travel photographer Len Kaufman is famed for the dramatic images he's made in 90 countries. His advertising photography has been featured by cruise lines, airlines, and tourism destinations around the world. A specialty is still and video aerial photography. His YouTube channel has over 3/4 million views. PRINTED IN FINLAND – PUNAMUSTA OY C ruise ships are returning to service at a brisk rate. Although a handful of cruise lines were already offering limited service a year ago, the bulk of ships resumed cruise operations just this summer. This includes several new cruise ships (the brand-new Odyssey of the Seas is pictured on our cover), which had been handed over to their owners but waited months to enter into service with paying passengers. There are also new cruise brands setting sail, such as Atlas Ocean Voyages, Tradewind Voyages and Virgin Voyages, while an old name in cruising – Swan Hellenic – will soon be re-introduced as well. In our opinion, the cruise business has been penalized more than other leisure segments globally. During this time, cruise lines were able to sharpen their pencils to create new protocols to offer the safest vacation experience. We here at CruiseBusiness.com Magazine have been able to try some of these new protocols aboard lines such as Silversea Cruises, TUI Cruises and Viking, and we are impressed by what we have experienced so far. Since the Covid-19 pandemic halted cruise operations in March 2020, domestic travel in the U.S. has slowly come back to life. However, as airlines, hotels and resorts reopened, we felt that many used the new safety protocols as an opportunity to reduce services. Hotel bars and restaurants may have been closed or just operating on minimal hours and for takeout only; room service was nonexistent and even room cleaning was reduced. In many instances, coffee machines and mini bars were removed. It’s not much of a vacation when you have to call DoorDash to get a meal and then end up with a pile of trash. What’s more, these service reductions were often not mentioned on the homepages of hotels or resorts when bookings EDITOR’S COMMENTARY were made, so service interruptions came as a complete surprise upon arrival. During the pandemic I stayed at a lot of hotels for short and longer getaways. In many cases the service levels were not improved despite the new health protocols. I found my hotel rooms in awful condition (just recently, on a stay in Princeton, New Jersey, I even spotted a used face mask under the sofa). Even worse, some hotels have started to add extra charges to use their facilities. This was the case, for example, at the TWA Hotel in New York’s JFK airport, where guests were being charged $50 per person to use the infinity pool overlooking the airport apron. O n the other hand, cruise lines have shown their real hospitality skills. As we know, the industry was hit hard due to the pandemic, and yet even with new safety protocols, cruise lines have not cut corners on their service levels: We still get rooms cleaned every morning, have turndown service every evening, and have coffee or espresso machines alongside mini bars in cabins and suites. Restaurants are in full swing offering new menus. Silversea, for instance, launched its S.A.L.T. (Sea & Land Taste) culinary program aboard the brand-new Silver Moon during this difficult period. Shore excursions are back – whether in a “bubble” or in the traditional way. There truly is a chance for innovation during difficult times like the Covid-19 pandemic. And in our opinion, cruise lines have led the way in innovations, and, as a result, there is no reason – at least for now – to look again at land-based vacations. Teijo Niemelä HOW TO FOLLOW US Twitter.com/cruisebusiness n facebook.com/CruiseBusinessUSA n Instagram.com/niemelateijo CruiseBusiness.com Magazine 6 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AT THE CROSSROADS Advanced Solutions for Fire Safety and Door Access Recognized for offering quality in fire safety and security products, solutions and services, Autronica Fire and Security AS is proud to have another prestigious product offering for the maritime market. Onity, one of the world leading providers of electronic locks and access control systems, has joined forces with its sister company Autronica Fire and Security when pursuing the maritime market. Included in the Autronica portfolio are now the advanced Onity electronic locks, safes, minibars and energy management systems. Both Autronica and Onity are part of Carrier Global Corporation, a leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable solutions for air conditioning, refrigeration, fire safety, security and automation. Our vision is to have zero loss of lives on our watch. We know this to be a bold statement, and this is what we stand for. We are a leading innovator, manufacturer and supplier of fire and gas safety worldwide. Through entrepreneurial spirit and expertise our products have for more than 60 years ensured safety in applications on land, sea and in oil and gas industries as well as in the renewable energy segment. We are continuously turning advanced technology ideas into high-end fire safety solutions, and we at Autronica are now unveiling a new generation of fire safety. With a combination of SelfVerify 2.0 and Cover Detection, we see no need to manually test detectors. AutroGuard® is a multi-criteria protector that provides heat, smoke and CO detection in a low-profile, compact, self-verifying device. With AutroGuard® we are integrating more features and we simplify things through the value chain, like with the new tool-less connectors in the base, we provide multisensory as standard. AutroGuard® will both detect and warn about fire – it’s a PROTECTOR. AutroSafe is another advanced fire detection system that can support multiple panels and controllers, specifically designed to support complex environments such as cruise ships. Among our top-level solutions we have AutroMaster, which provides a complete Integrated Safety and Emergency Management System (ISEMS) for control and monitoring of alarmed areas and forms an integrated part of the fire detection system. Backed by over 80 years of expertise with over five million locks installed in more than 30,000 properties, Onity is one of the world’s leading providers of electronic locking systems, access control, and contactless mobile access solutions. Serene™, the new luxury lock from Onity, is a sleek all-in-one lock designed both inside and out for luxury hotels, now available also for cruise ships and yachts. Its small glowing halo of light symbolizes both timeless design and leading-edge DirectKey™ mobile access technology that allows guests to unlock their room with ease with their smart phones as they approach the door. And, with a range of lever styles and finishes, Serene can be customized to fit the look of any interior design. This is a lock both technology specialists and designers can easily and securely, totally love. Combining Bluetooth® and cloud (or on-board network) technologies, DirectKey™ mobile key solution can enhance guest experience for cruise ship operations of any size. Through integration with on-board hotel management systems (PMS) and Onity OnPortal™ lock management software, cruise ships can implement DirectKey to enable key-less check-in. Onity´s DirectKey system is built on a mobile credentialing platform that has been deployed across an installed base of 4 million Bluetooth locking devices in multiple industries. It is a great option when preserving social distancing guidelines and seeking to enhance contactless access. With Serene and DirectKey Cruise ships can extend the check-in and room access into a fully connected and contactless guest experience with opportunity for integration into other in-room smart applications. 6-9 .indd 2 6-9 .indd 2 1.9.2021 7.47 1.9.2021 7.47
Advanced Solutions for Fire Safety and Door Access Recognized for offering quality in fire safety and security products, solutions and services, Autronica Fire and Security AS is proud to have another prestigious product offering for the maritime market. Onity, one of the world leading providers of electronic locks and access control systems, has joined forces with its sister company Autronica Fire and Security when pursuing the maritime market. Included in the Autronica portfolio are now the advanced Onity electronic locks, safes, minibars and energy management systems. Both Autronica and Onity are part of Carrier Global Corporation, a leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable solutions for air conditioning, refrigeration, fire safety, security and automation. Our vision is to have zero loss of lives on our watch. We know this to be a bold statement, and this is what we stand for. We are a leading innovator, manufacturer and supplier of fire and gas safety worldwide. Through entrepreneurial spirit and expertise our products have for more than 60 years ensured safety in applications on land, sea and in oil and gas industries as well as in the renewable energy segment. We are continuously turning advanced technology ideas into high-end fire safety solutions, and we at Autronica are now unveiling a new generation of fire safety. With a combination of SelfVerify 2.0 and Cover Detection, we see no need to manually test detectors. AutroGuard® is a multi-criteria protector that provides heat, smoke and CO detection in a low-profile, compact, self-verifying device. With AutroGuard® we are integrating more features and we simplify things through the value chain, like with the new tool-less connectors in the base, we provide multisensory as standard. AutroGuard® will both detect and warn about fire – it’s a PROTECTOR. AutroSafe is another advanced fire detection system that can support multiple panels and controllers, specifically designed to support complex environments such as cruise ships. Among our top-level solutions we have AutroMaster, which provides a complete Integrated Safety and Emergency Management System (ISEMS) for control and monitoring of alarmed areas and forms an integrated part of the fire detection system. Backed by over 80 years of expertise with over five million locks installed in more than 30,000 properties, Onity is one of the world’s leading providers of electronic locking systems, access control, and contactless mobile access solutions. Serene™, the new luxury lock from Onity, is a sleek all-in-one lock designed both inside and out for luxury hotels, now available also for cruise ships and yachts. Its small glowing halo of light symbolizes both timeless design and leading-edge DirectKey™ mobile access technology that allows guests to unlock their room with ease with their smart phones as they approach the door. And, with a range of lever styles and finishes, Serene can be customized to fit the look of any interior design. This is a lock both technology specialists and designers can easily and securely, totally love. Combining Bluetooth® and cloud (or on-board network) technologies, DirectKey™ mobile key solution can enhance guest experience for cruise ship operations of any size. Through integration with on-board hotel management systems (PMS) and Onity OnPortal™ lock management software, cruise ships can implement DirectKey to enable key-less check-in. Onity´s DirectKey system is built on a mobile credentialing platform that has been deployed across an installed base of 4 million Bluetooth locking devices in multiple industries. It is a great option when preserving social distancing guidelines and seeking to enhance contactless access. With Serene and DirectKey Cruise ships can extend the check-in and room access into a fully connected and contactless guest experience with opportunity for integration into other in-room smart applications. 6-9 .indd 3 6-9 .indd 3 1.9.2021 7.47 1.9.2021 7.47
Trillium TM RFID Series (New projects / Upgrades) Serene TM Series (New projects) Visit us at Sep 27–30, 2021 Booth 2447 Autronica Fire and Security AS +47 90 90 55 00 sales.maritime.autronica@carrier.com autronica.com CONVENIENT AND SECURE ACCESS Contactless electronic locks with mobile key option • Cover detection The detector will give warning if it is covered by a dust cap, or covered so the smoke do not enter the smoke chamber. • DYFI innovation chamber design Reducing false alarms, prolonging life cycle, rapid detection of real fires. • Sounder 2 sound levels with 16 standard tones. • Improved Self verify Testing 99% of all components in the detector and 100% of the signal path every day. • CO detection Ensuring immunity to artificial smoke as found in theatres, on stages and in concert halls. • High quality speech Voice alarm with excellent sound quality. 5 prestored messages and 10 languages. • Introducing Onity Serene™ all-in-one lock • Finally, a lock both form and function can love • Designed both inside and out for luxury interiors • Provides leading-edge DirectKey™ mobile access • Delights passengers with easy entry and contactless unlocking • Enables you to customize your lock with a variety of finishes and handles m u l t i c r i t e r i a p r o t e c t o r AutroGuard® by Aitronica Fire and Security 6-9 .indd 4 6-9 .indd 4 1.9.2021 7.47 1.9.2021 7.47
Trillium TM RFID Series (New projects / Upgrades) Serene TM Series (New projects) Visit us at Sep 27–30, 2021 Booth 2447 Autronica Fire and Security AS +47 90 90 55 00 sales.maritime.autronica@carrier.com autronica.com CONVENIENT AND SECURE ACCESS Contactless electronic locks with mobile key option • Cover detection The detector will give warning if it is covered by a dust cap, or covered so the smoke do not enter the smoke chamber. • DYFI innovation chamber design Reducing false alarms, prolonging life cycle, rapid detection of real fires. • Sounder 2 sound levels with 16 standard tones. • Improved Self verify Testing 99% of all components in the detector and 100% of the signal path every day. • CO detection Ensuring immunity to artificial smoke as found in theatres, on stages and in concert halls. • High quality speech Voice alarm with excellent sound quality. 5 prestored messages and 10 languages. • Introducing Onity Serene™ all-in-one lock • Finally, a lock both form and function can love • Designed both inside and out for luxury interiors • Provides leading-edge DirectKey™ mobile access • Delights passengers with easy entry and contactless unlocking • Enables you to customize your lock with a variety of finishes and handles m u l t i c r i t e r i a p r o t e c t o r AutroGuard® by Aitronica Fire and Security 6-9 .indd 5 6-9 .indd 5 1.9.2021 7.47 1.9.2021 7.47
UPFRONT 10 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Carnival Cruise Line kicked off its first cruise in almost 16 months from PortMiami on July 4 with the departure of the Carnival Horizon, providing a significant boost to the local economy and the tens of thousands of jobs in South Florida that are supported by the cruise industry. Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald (in the middle of ship’s staff members) and Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald kicked off the festivities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially welcoming guests onboard. The Costa Firenze, the newest ship of Costa Cruises, departed the port of Savona on July 4 on its first cruise. Designed and built by Fincantieri in the Marghera, Italy, shipyards, the Costa Firenze is inspired by the Florentine Renaissance. It is the fourth Costa ship to sail again in 2021, following the Costa Smeralda, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa. On the left is Costa President Mario Zanetti. Meyer Turku started production for the Icon of the Seas, a new ship to be built for Royal Caribbean International, on June 14. The start of production and the revealing of the ship’s name were celebrated in a Covid-safe manner at the shipyard’s plate hall. Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer, Chairman of the Board Bernard Meyer, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain and Executive Vice President of Maritime & Newbuilds Harri Kulovaara were present. Royal Caribbean International CEO and President Michael Bayley attended the event remotely. 10-15 .indd 2 10-15 .indd 2 3.9.2021 9.59 3.9.2021 9.59
UPFRONT ? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 11 Held aboard the ship in the port of Piraeus on July 28, the Silver Moon’s official naming ceremony was attended by many guests including Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain, Silversea Cruises President and CEO Roberto Martinoli, Royal Caribbean Group Executive Vice President and CFO Jason Liberty, Captain Chavdar Georgiev, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division Luigi Matarazzo and the Honorable Minister Harry Theoharis, Greece’s Minister of Tourism, among others. The first ultra-luxury cruise ship to set sail following the pandemic, the Silver Moon’s inaugural season from Athens began with a series of 10-night voyages in the Greek Isles. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises celebrated the christening of its third expedition new build, the HANSEATIC spirit in Helgoland on August 24. The cruise division of MSC Group officially took delivery of its new flagship the 170,412 gross ton MSC Seashore – the largest cruise ship built in Italy – on July 26. A traditional ceremony was held to mark the occasion at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone and was attended in person by MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago as well as other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, Fincantieri Chairman Giampiero Massolo, Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono, plus representatives from MSC’s newbuilds team along with executives and workers from the shipyard. UPFRONT 10-15 .indd 3 10-15 .indd 3 3.9.2021 9.59 3.9.2021 9.59
12 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 UPFRONT UPFRONT Explora Journeys, a new luxury arm of MSC Cruises, hosted a steel-cutting ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone on June 10. A long-held maritime tradition, this moment celebrated the commencement of the building process for the first of four ships from Explora Journeys, the 64,000 gross ton Explora I, which is scheduled to set sail in 2023. MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Explora Journeys CEO Michael Ungerer were both in attendance, alongside representatives from Fincantieri’s management team. MSC Cruises marked the official start of construction and revealed the name of its most environmentally advanced ship to date, the MSC Euribia, when the first steel was cut at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, on June 28. Set to come into service in June 2023, the MSC Euribia will become the 22nd vessel in the MSC Cruises fleet and the second to run on liquefied natural gas. From left, Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises and Laurent Castaing, Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s General Manager. Dream Cruises officially restarted cruise service in Hong Kong on July 30 with over 1,000 guests aboard the Genting Dream’s first “Super Seacation” high seas itinerary. The inaugural ceremony was attended by (left to right) Captain Jukka Silvennoinen of the Genting Dream; Vivian Sum, JP, Commissioner for Tourism; Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines; the Honorable Mr. Edward Yau Tang-wah, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; the Honorable Mr. Yiu Si-wing, SBS, Legislative Councillor of Tourism Constituency of HKSAR, Legislative Council of the HKSAR; and Dr. Pang Yiu-kai, GBS, JP, Chairman, Hong Kong Tourism Board. 10-15 .indd 4 10-15 .indd 4 3.9.2021 9.59 3.9.2021 9.59
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 13 ? UPFRONT Crystal Expedition Cruises officially welcomed its new 20,200 gross ton luxury expedition yacht the Crystal Endeavor to the Crystal fleet. The ship was christened by godmother Manuela Schwesig, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in Stralsund, Germany, on June 26. Marking the occasion were executives from Genting Hong Kong (GHK) including Group President Colin Au; Crystal Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations Bernie Leypold, the yacht’s master Captain Jan Rautawaara and MV Werften President & CEO Peter Fetten. Viking named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Venus, on May 17 with a celebration at sea in the English Channel as the ship set sail for its inaugural voyage. As part of the event, the ship’s ceremonial godmother – revered British journalist and broadcaster Anne Diamond – offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing. The event marked another important milestone as Viking returned to service following 14 months of paused operations. On July 8 in the Ionian Sea, sister ships Viking Star and Viking Sea met up alongside the newest addition to Viking fleet, Viking Octantis. Named after the south pole star, and one of two expedition vessels launching in 2022, it was on its way to Norway for final outfitting. Onboard the Viking Star witnessing the event were also Chairman Torstein Hagen and Executive Vice President Karine Hagen with Finse. 10-15 .indd 5 10-15 .indd 5 3.9.2021 9.59 3.9.2021 9.59
14 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Ph oto cre dit : Kr ist in Stø yle n Swan Hellenic and Helsinki Shipyard celebrated the float out of the SH Minerva. Its twin ship, the SH Vega, was floated in dry dock on the same day. A few days earlier, steelwork production began for the third and largest vessel commissioned from Helsinki, which currently has the project name Vega 3. The event was attended by Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito. UPFRONT Lindblad Expeditions officially launched the newest addition to their fleet, National Geographic Endurance, at a dockside christening ceremony in Reykjavik, Iceland on July 22, the first christening of an international vessel in Reykjavík Harbor. The occasion, a closed ceremony exclusively for Lindblad Expeditions guests, marked a major milestone for the line as the first polar new build in the company’s history. VARD, one of the world’s major designers and builders of specialized vessels, handed over the polar exploration ship Le Commandant Charcot, the seventh ship for French cruise company Ponant, on August 3. As the first of its kind, Le Commandant Charcot is a PC2 Polar Class hybrid electric polar exploration ship with ice-breaking technology powered by liquefied natural gas and all the latest green technologies, such as 100% waste sorted onboard and waste treatment. Pictured from left are VARD General Manager, Business Unit Cruise, Attilio Dapelo; Vard Søviknes Yard Director Arnt Inge Gjerde; Ponant New Building Director Mathieu Petiteau; Captain Patrick Marchesseau and Captain Etienne Garcia. 10-15 .indd 6 10-15 .indd 6 3.9.2021 9.59 3.9.2021 9.59
Ph oto cre dit : Kr ist in Stø yle n AmaWaterways celebrated the christening of its newest ship, AmaSiena, with a joyful ceremony in Lahnstein, Germany on Sunday, August 29. AmaWaterways’ Co-Founders, President Rudi Schreiner and Executive Vice President Kristin Karst joined Godmother Debbie Fiorino, Senior Vice President and COO of Owned Brands for World Travel Holdings, for a day of festivities officially commemorating the company’s newest edition to its fleet of 26 river cruise ships. After a long pause, on September 2, Ege Port Ku?adas?, part of Global Ports Holding network of ports, welcomed its first cruise vessel Blue Sapphire. Blue Sapphire, operated by Selectum Blu Cruises, brought 300 passengers, and they were welcomed with a grand water salute by Ege Port Ku?adas?’s Tugboat and an excited crowd at the port. The call of this cruise ship has marked the start of the cruise season in Ku?adas? and Turkey. Britain’s largest and first LNGpowered cruise ship, Iona, was officially named in a very contemporary ceremony with a record-breaking virtual audience in May 16 by Dame Irene Hays, Chair of Hays Travel, Britain’s largest independent travel agency. From left Captain Wesley Dunlop, Dame Irene Hays, P&O Cruises’ Managing Director Paul Ludlow and Jo Whiley. CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 15 UPFRONT UPFRONT 10-15 .indd 7 10-15 .indd 7 3.9.2021 9.59 3.9.2021 9.59
16 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 DESTINATIONS ALASKA APPRECIATION Large ships returned to Alaska in 2021 for an abbreviated cruise season, following a cancelled 2020 season that saw only 48 passenger arrivals rather than the 1.44 million initially predicted. What does this unprecedented hiatus mean for the future of cruising in one of the industry’s most popular destinations? By M.T. Schwartzman Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas was the first large cruise ship to begin operations in Alaska this season 16-19 alaska .indd 2 16-19 alaska .indd 2 1.9.2021 7.58 1.9.2021 7.58
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 17 W ithin hours after the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act cleared the U.S. House of Representatives (having previously been approved by the Senate), both Princess Cruises and Holland America Line – Alaska’s two biggest cruise lines – declared their intention to resume Alaska cruises from Seattle in midJuly, even though President Joe Biden had not yet signed the bill into law. The very next day, Holland America President Gus Antorcha appeared on the TV show “Good Morning America” to spread the word, talking about vaccine requirements and procedures worked out with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In making the announcement, HAL’s public relations office gushed: “It took an act of Congress to make it possible, but there will be an Alaska cruise season in 2021!” and CLIA Alaska hailed Alaska’s congressional delegation as “superheroes for Alaska tourism.” By the time President Biden signed the bill on May 24, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises had also signaled their intention to return to Alaska this summer. And while it was an occasion to rejoice, the fact remained that each line – with the notable exception of Royal Caribbean – would only send one ship to Alaska in 2021, a tiny fraction of the capacity they normally devote to Alaska cruising each summer. Economic impact It’s hard to overstate the economic impact that cruising has in Alaska. According to the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA), in 2019 more than 52,000 Alaskans depended on tourism for their income and 1 in 10 jobs were attributed to Alaska tourism. The industry was responsible for injecting $4.5 billion in economic activity into the state. Typically, cruise lines bring more than half of Alaska's annual visitors, and the visitor industry was on track to becoming Southeast Alaska's largest economic sector in 2020, the association said, with an estimated 1.44 million visitors traveling by cruise ship and spending nearly $800 million in the region. According to CLIA Alaska, in 2021 a total of nine large cruise ships (those carrying more than 250 passengers) would operate 78 sailings at reduced capacity, beginning in the late spring with a gradual ramp up through October. Among the big-ship lines scheduled to return this summer were Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, NCL, Oceania Cruises, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Silversea Cruises, in addition to the state’s small-ship cruise companies such as Alaskan Dream Cruises, American Cruise Lines, Lindblad Expeditions, and UnCruise Adventures. Test sailing On July 9, a large cruise ship called in Alaska for the first time in 21 months. Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas docked that day in Ketchikan with 300 people aboard in a test voyage required by the CDC, intended to assess the cruise line’s Covid-19 mitigation procedures. (Cruise lines were allowed to bypass the test voyage requirement if they could ensure that 95% of passengers 16 and older and crew were fully vaccinated.) Again, it was a cause for celebration in Ketchikan, as a contingent of local dignitaries and stakeholders – including Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, one of the sponsors of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act – turned out to greet the ship. However, on that very same day it was reported that American Cruise Lines’ American Constellation was on its way to Juneau for a 10-night stay after three people aboard tested positive for Covid19. All of the 162 passengers had been vaccinated, but the ship also carried 52 crew members, not all of whom were vaccinated. Passengers were allowed to leave the ship and fly home upon arrival (the positive cases had stayed behind to isolate in Petersburg), but unvaccinated crew members remained aboard the vessel for the duration of the quarantine period, and the ship’s next cruise was cancelled. All protocols worked “as intended,” an ACL spokeswoman told CruiseBusiness. com Magazine, and officials praised ACL for its handling of the situation. From left to right: Arnold Donald, President & CEO Carnival Corporation & plc, Jan Swartz, President of Princess Cruises, and Gus Antorcha, President of Holland America Line, in front of Nieuw Amsterdam in the Port of Seattle in July 23 Norwegian Encore made a maiden call at Icy Strait Point, Alaska on August 10. From left Norwegian Encore Captain Martin Holmqvist, NCL President & CEO Harry Sommer, and Huna Totem Corporation Executives Russell Dick and Tyler Hickman 16-19 alaska .indd 3 16-19 alaska .indd 3 1.9.2021 7.58 1.9.2021 7.58
18 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Finally, on July 19, the Serenade of the Seas departed from Seattle with paying passengers, marking the first revenue cruise in the Alaska market since September 2019. According to Royal Caribbean, 97% of those aboard were vaccinated. In a statement issued at the time, the line explained its vaccine policy for 2021 Alaska cruises: “Royal Caribbean requires that all crew members and guests who meet the age of eligibility for the vaccine are fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” the line said. “To sail with families and travelers of all ages, including children ineligible for the vaccine,” the line continued. “Serenade successfully completed a simulated voyage and received a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The certificate confirms Royal Caribbean’s health and safety measures fulfill the CDC’s guidance and requirements.” RCI’s sister line Celebrity followed suit on July 23 with an Alaska-bound sailing aboard the Millennium. Carnival Corporation brands entered Alaska service next: Holland America departed on July 24 with the Nieuw Amsterdam, and a day later, on July 25, Princess Cruises joined in with the Majestic Princess. On July 27, the Carnival Miracle embarked its first load of passengers. All sailed from Seattle. The 2021 Alaska cruise season had officially begun. Path of recovery While passenger arrivals would certainly be substantially below what was originally expected, the ATIA struck a cautionary but positive note as cruising resumed: “The pandemic has taken a serious toll on the tourism industry throughout Alaska, especially in Southeast Alaska, which is 17 th & 18 th November Madrid Hotel Meliá Castilla www.internationalcruisesummit.com 2021 The present and future of the worldwide c r u i s e industry The International Cruise Summit is a registered brand and product of Anuncio ICS 2021.indd 1 Anuncio ICS 2021.indd 1 28/7/21 10:26 28/7/21 10:26 so dependent on the cruise industry,” said the group’s Sarah Leonard in a statement to CBM. “There are many small businesses that were preparing for the increased cruise traffic estimated for 2020, and instead were forced to shut down after making heavy investments in infrastructure and staffing.” she continued, emphasizing not only the financial loss but disruptions caused by the pandemic. “Entire business operations, including supporting thousands of jobs, are dependent on cruise guests visiting Alaska communities, and spending time and money on land tour experiences, gifts and dining out. In 2019, more than 52,000 Alaskans depended on tourism for their income and 1 in 10 jobs was attributed to Alaska tourism. While Alaska recovers from the pandemic and the cruise industry is only running a partial season this year, those numbers won't return to that level right away. We are hopeful Alaska tourism will remain on the path of recovery and that tourism businesses throughout the state will be able to employ many more Alaskans in the tourism industry again soon.” In a sign of support for the destination, Royal Caribbean Group partnered with the ATIA to provide economic assistance to more than 60 tourism businesses and community organizations negatively impacted by the pandemic and the related shutdown of the cruise industry. As of July, over $745,000 had been awarded to recipients including small tourism businesses such as Sitka Bike and Hike and Chilkat River Adventures, as well as organizations supporting community needs like the Fairbanks Community Food Bank, Sunshine Station Child Care and Huna Heritage Foundation, the ATIA reported. Meanwhile, more cruise lines resumed their Alaska cruises as the calendar moved into early August, including luxury brand Silversea, which was operating some of the longest itineraries of the 2021 Alaska season of 10 and 11 nights aboard the Silver Muse. Small ship companies were busy too: At press time, UnCruise Adventures reported it had successfully completed 51 Alaska sailings. 2022 and beyond Even as the 2021 season was getting under way, many cruise lines had already unveiled their Alaska programs for 2022 and 2023. Among the more noteworthy developments, Royal Caribbean announced plans for its first four-ship season, an increase in deployment delayed by the onset of Covid-19. Princess Cruises said it would send its newest ship, the Discovery Princess, to Alaska in 2022, making it the youngest ship in the market, while Holland America would mark 75 years in Alaska with special onboard programming. Newcomer Victory Cruise Lines will make its expedition debut in Alaska in 2022 with the brand-new Ocean Victory, which had previously been scheduled for this year. Oceania Cruises would return in 2022 with a series of 7 to13 night cruises, and then in 2023 would visit Alaska on its World Cruise, part of a 180-night circumnavigation. Before the pandemic, CLIA Alaska had been projecting 1.6 million passengers for 2022, but a spokesperson told CBM it may take a while for capacity to return to pre-pandemic levels. The good news, she added, is that “the demand is there.” Adding to the encouraging news, Canada’s Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced that cruise ships would again be allowed to call at Canadian ports as of November 1. Although this would be after the 2021 cruise season has ended, it means that ships will once again be allowed to sail to Alaska from Vancouver in 2022. n Victory Cruise Lines will be a newcomer in Alaska in 2022 16-19 alaska .indd 4 16-19 alaska .indd 4 1.9.2021 7.58 1.9.2021 7.58
17 th & 18 th November Madrid Hotel Meliá Castilla www.internationalcruisesummit.com 2021 The present and future of the worldwide c r u i s e industry The International Cruise Summit is a registered brand and product of Anuncio ICS 2021.indd 1 Anuncio ICS 2021.indd 1 28/7/21 10:26 28/7/21 10:26 16-19 alaska .indd 5 16-19 alaska .indd 5 1.9.2021 7.58 1.9.2021 7.58
20 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 B aby boomers and Generation Xers obviously still form a large part of the clientele of the cruise industry, but in addition to them, several other age groups are becoming increasingly important demographic segments for the industry to focus on. “There will be more tailoring of everything also in the contemporary market segment,” Marjo Keiramo told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. “Genuine experiences are what people will want in the future. They want to have a participatory experience with sustainable options, rather than go to visit and see a place. The experience has to include substance and participation, which means that in addition to onboard activities, also shore excursions need to be tailored to meet the needs of future passengers in the context of inclusion and diversity,” she continued. While more individualistic experiences that involve a deeper involvement with the places visited are on the rise, some FUTURE PASSENGERS EXPECT PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCES FUTURE PASSENGERS EXPECT PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCES There is ample evidence to suggest that what people expect from their cruise is changing and that these changes will, ultimately, have an impact on the design of cruise ships, according to Marjo Keiramo, who recently started as Head of R&D Programs at Meyer Turku, the Finnish cruise ship builder. By Kari Reinikainen traditional aspects of cruising are likely to lose importance in the years to come. The traditional elements of sunbathing, wining and dining plus shopping and partying will not have the same appeal in the future as they had in the past. As far as shopping is concerned, Keiramo said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, people became used to ordering almost anything online. This leads to the question of what should the retail offer onboard a cruise ship comprise in order to remain valid in the eyes of passengers, who are about to resume cruising in a largely changed world? “Perhaps shopping onboard in the future could mean purchasing of services instead of a physical souvenir or product. People may want to give an experience to a friend, something that makes the recipient feel good and sustainably responsible,” she noted. The pandemic changed not only shopping habits; it had a profound effect on how we view the use of time. Before the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns in various parts of the world, there was a strong connection between doing something somewhere and doing it at a particular time. People went to the office to work and travelled physically to attend meetings, while leisure and rest time tended to be equally separated physically in their respective locations – with different periods of time allocated to each. However, the pandemic has allowed (or perhaps, in the view of some, forced) millions of people around the world to work from home. In a very concrete way, this broke the link between work and leisure time being physically separated in different locations. Spa and gym likely to become more important This separation was, to a degree, already happening before the pandemic – as any visitor to a cafe or bar could attest – but events since March 2020 greatly accelerated the change. “As the separation [in terms of location] between work and leisure has disappeared, people can work onboard as well. This raises a number of questions: how do people who work [onboard] want to have their lunch? Do they want it to be delivered to their cabin or do they prefer to have it somewhere else? And what do they want to do before starting a work day and after they have finished work?” Keiramo pointed out. To answer her last question, Keiramo said it seems likely that the demand for wellness services will increase, as people INTERVIEW Ph oto cre dit : Jo un i Sa ar ist o As the separation [in terms of location] between work and leisure has disappeared, people can work onboard as well, Marjo Keiramo says 20-21 .indd 2 20-21 .indd 2 1.9.2021 8.02 1.9.2021 8.02
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 21 seek relaxation and physical and mental rejuvenation before, during and after a working day. This would again be an acceleration of a trend that has been evident on cruise ships for some time, as not only spas but also gym and other relaxation facilities and services have grown. Young people in their 20s also are going on cruises in growing numbers, and the industry needs to look at their needs as well. They often travel in groups, but cannot necessarily afford to book large suites that would have space to accommodate them all. An answer to this could, for example, be to provide small, inexpensive smart cabins, the occupants of which have access to a communal lounge reserved exclusively for their use. Young people also define luxury differently than the word traditionally has meant. Instead of glittering chandeliers and formality, younger generations see luxury essentially as something that provides exactly what they want, a report commissioned by InterContinental Hotels plc group showed a few years ago. Local sourcing to trigger rethink of supply chains A major change regarding food and beverage offerings that has taken place ashore concerns the sourcing of these items. Many restaurants take pride in offering locally produced products, while in the cruise industry it is customary to offer standardized menus across the fleet. Fresh produce, such as vegetables and fish, can be purchased at ports of call, but it is not uncommon to see wine lists with a heavy slant on California vineyards on a ship catering mainly to the U.S. market even while cruising in the waters of famous wine-producing countries such as Spain, Italy and France. Sustainability is one more emerging issue, Keiramo noted. “Another trend is that people want assurance that products they consume have been sustainably produced. Locally produced food and drink and other specialty products, sourced from local suppliers, links directly with this. If you look at the images people post on Instagram on their travels, they often feature local products. Bulk brands are not on display,” she continued. A switch to heavier emphasis on locally sourced food items would require a major rethink of how the supply chains are built up in the cruise industry. However, this would also allow tailoring of menus to feature the flavors of regions where the ship is cruising, adding an element of growing importance. But there is more: Before the pandemic, it was often asked what exactly do the communities that receive cruise ships gain from these calls? If local producers of food, drink and other products could start to benefit directly by selling their products to ships – in some cases, perhaps, in substantial quantities – the gains would potentially increase by a great deal. The break between location and time use that the pandemic accelerated could trigger another rethink in the way the cruise industry operates: Liner services across the oceans – once a popular way to travel – could once again become a viable business. However, to allow people to work while onboard, be it aboard a cruise or a liner voyage, would require fast and reliable internet connections, and to provide this at sea is challenging. On the other hand, the opportunities could be quite attractive as well. If a ship sailed from Southampton to New York and vice versa every Friday evening to reach its destination on the following Thursday, the weekly frequency might attract business travelers and holidaymakers alike, and the regular schedule would enable people to plan a sailing both ways, as they could count on a departure in each direction every Friday. Ship design process ripe for rethink Keiramo, whose career so far has included working in both the cruise industry and also in cruise ship building, has recently published her doctoral thesis called “Pathways of the Creative Journey – the Significance of a Cruise Ship Concept Design,” which was accepted at the Aalto University in Helsinki in the spring. The increase in the size of cruise ships since the first purpose-built vessels of this kind entered service some five decades ago has made these projects increasingly complex, which highlights the importance of the concept design stage. At the end of this stage, only 5% of the work has been done, yet 70% of the cost has been committed. This involves a high risk, which is even greater in the case of prototype vessels. In Keiramo's research, trust and the ability to anticipate the future became key resources for concept design. “The relationship between passion and commitment to work are also critical success factors of the participatory processes in the emergence of future cruise ship concept design,” she said. For a case study in her research, Keiramo used the Oasis of the Seas, which the then STX Finland shipyard (now Meyer Turku) delivered to Royal Caribbean International in 2009. With its broad beam, split deckhouse that allowed an outdoor green area called Central Park to be built, the ship is cited as an example of a project in which the passion of project team members drove continuous improvement. The project teams faced many obstacles and challenges, but instead of capitulating, they had the courage to meet the risks at nearly every stage. “The group could not get stuck in the problems, but instead aimed to see the potential of the concept and find a way in which the entire complex design could be made to work. At the end, the team was in a better place with new transformational ideas compared to those in the initial concept. Great perseverance on the part of the team members was essential to push design solutions through; to handle, promote, and fight for them in their own and partner organizations,” she wrote. To mitigate the risks, Keiramo suggests that the present timeline-based approach be replaced by one with three stages before the basic design stage: dream, ambition and creation. Also, there should be fluid communication between the various teams that work on the project, rather than each one being isolated in its own area of responsibility, to ensure smooth progress and optimal outcome. It is tempting to assume that, given the changes in the operating environment of the cruise industry to which the pandemic has contributed and the changing demographics of its target audience, the importance of getting everything right in the concept design stage will only increase. n Keiramo has recently published her doctoral thesis called “Pathways of the Creative Journey – the Significance of a Cruise Ship Concept Design” 20-21 .indd 3 20-21 .indd 3 1.9.2021 8.02 1.9.2021 8.02
22 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 SHIP REVIEW ODYSSEY OF THE SEAS – LAST OF THE QUANTUM CLASS It took ten years from start to finish: In 2011, Royal Caribbean commissioned the first two units of its new Quantum-class from Papenburg’s Meyer Werft shipyard. The first of the series, the Quantum of the Seas, was delivered in 2014. Over subsequent years the company ordered three more sisters, albeit not identical. The fifth and last unit, the Odyssey of the Seas, was delivered on March 31, 2021. By Teijo Niemelä Odyssey of the Seas’ outdoor features are clearly visible in this picture. Aft deck accommodates Sky Pad, surf simulator FlowRider, the skydiving simulator RipCord by iFly as well as the rock climbing wall. Closer to the forward of the ship is the North Star 22-25 odessey .indd 2 22-25 odessey .indd 2 1.9.2021 8.05 1.9.2021 8.05
? THE MOST INTELLIGENT DOOR IN THE WORLD You’ll see the difference Watch the video: antti.fi/ehinge The revolutionary e-hinge is an invisible ethernet cable system at sea. It looks like an ordinary hinge but comes equipped with online access and data transfer. This opens a variety of smart options for remote control. Everything you need in ship doors, we’ll handle it. T he Quantum class was a completely new platform for Royal Caribbean International after the brand’s two larger Oasis-class ships were delivered in 2009 and 2010, respectively. At 168,666 gross tons, the Quantum of the Seas still was the world’s third-largest cruise ship at the time of its delivery, just after the 225,000 gross ton sister ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. As said, the Quantum-class vessels comprise five ships – the first three named Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas. The last two in the series represent a slightly modified “Quantum-Ultra” class, the first of which, the Spectrum of the Seas, was tailored to the Asian cruise market (although both the Quantum and Ovation have sailed in Asia as well). The final Quantum newbuild, the Odyssey of the Seas, was designed to operate in North America with more Caribbean flavor in its décor. Meyer Werft states that the Quantum-class vessels are one of the largest ship series the company has constructed at its shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The construction of the five sister ships combined for a total of 840,000 gross tons accounting for 11,000 kilometers of cable lines, 2,000 kilometers of piping from Meyer Werft’s pipe center and 10,500 passenger cabins from the EMC PreFab cabin factory, part of Meyer Werft’s Papenburg operations. The Odyssey of the Seas is classed by Det Norske Veritas. Its length is 347.08 meters and the beam is 41.4 meters. It registers 167,704 gross tons. The ship can accommodate 4,210 guests (double occupancy). The handover of the Odyssey of the Seas marked the third successful delivery from Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen replaced Jamie’s Italian found on earlier Quantum class ships Schooner Bar is one of the Royal Caribbean’s signatory lounges 22-25 odessey .indd 3 22-25 odessey .indd 3 1.9.2021 8.05 1.9.2021 8.05
24 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Meyer Werft since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Previous deliveries during this time were P&O Cruises’ Iona and Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Adventure. All entered service during this past summer. Odyssey of the Seas highlights Royal Caribbean International is well known for its innovative ship design and amenities onboard. The Quantum of the Seas introduced several “firsts” at sea, including the 90-meter observation gondola called the North Star as well as the skydiving simulator RipCord by iFly. The Quantum Ultra ships also feature the Sky Pad, a virtual reality bungee trampoline experience located at the aft of the vessel. This feature has also been retrofitted onto several older Voyagerand Freedom-class units. Indoors, the Quantum-class ships introduced a highly innovative two-decktall lounge called Two70 at the aft of the ship, providing 270-degree sea views over the wake through floor-to-ceiling window walls. During the day, it’s a comfy living room with a bar and a food outlet, while T he Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a company with global operations to have a strong presence in local markets, so that it can serve its customers even during challenging times such as what we are going through right now, said Anssi Mäkelä, Senior Manager, Sales & Technology, Marine Emission Control, Energy Business Unit, Environmental Systems TU, at Valmet. The company – whose roots can be traced to a small shipyard outside the Finnish capital of Helsinki, which started operations more than two centuries ago – is today a provider of technologies, services and automation to a broad range of industries. In the maritime field, it has a track record of more than 40 years. Valmet has recently supplied a full automation package and scrubber systems to the Odyssey of the Seas, which Meyer Werft in Germany has delivered to Royal Caribbean International. “The systems have been commissioned and monitoring of them is also running as planned,” Mäkelä said, adding that this has been a testimony to the company’s ability to meet the needs of its customers in demanding conditions. Travel restrictions around the world mean that the movement of people has been more difficult and time consuming than under normal conditions. However, the company has a strong foothold not just in Europe, but also in the U.S and Asia – all of which are important regions for the cruise industry. Well established in America and Asia I n Europe, Valmet has a hub in Rotterdam, where spare parts are stored and can be quickly sent to customers around the region. SPONSORED CONTENT Valmet – global and local in challenging times In the U.S., Miami is the center of the company’s operations. A team of local and expat engineers are close to the South Florida ports that are the busiest in the world for the global cruise industry. In China, South Korea and Japan, Valmet has built up strong links with builders of mega container ships, which Mäkelä expects will pave the way for more business in passenger shipping over time. Chinese yards already build large, overnight ferries for Western customers, and, in the future, the country’s footprint in cruise shipbuilding will grow as well. A rapidly functioning supply chain and local teams that can promptly serve Valmet’s customers stand at the heart of its philosophy. “Valmet is a global company that has its roots in the Nordic region, and its business culture reflects that. We have been able to attract committed and highly skilled engineers from around the world. There is trust between the company and its staff,” Mäkelä said. Trust is also needed between Valmet and its customers, particularly in the growing field of remote monitoring services that it offers. Valmet gathers data from ships that have its equipment onboard, which is used not only to ensure that everything is working as it should, but also to plan maintenance and to ensure the smooth running of systems. Access to that data is only possible if the owner of the ship grants permission, Mäkelä pointed out. Cyber security of major importance This necessarily brings cyber security into the spotlight. A security breach could have a material impact on the operations of the vessels affected in commercial terms, but such an event could also compromise safety. “In cloud-based services, cyber security is a matter of major importance, and at the bottom of it lies trust between the customer and service provider,” Mäkelä pointed out. Looking to the future, Mäkelä says that Valmet is interested in the development of green hydrogen as a marine fuel. Ammonia is another possible marine fuel of the future, but, following a study Valmet made together with the consulting engineering company Deltamarin, Mäkelä said that another decade is likely to be needed before these alternative fuels can seriously challenge oil and liquefied natural gas. www.valmet.com/marine Inspecting water treatment Here purified water is being inspected valmet.indd 1 27.7.2021 12:54:25 at night it transforms into a venue for high-tech shows. At Two70, guests can expect robotic screens to take the stage and aerialists to take flight. Another cutting-edge public area is the SeaPlex – a two-story indoor activity center that is home to a range of diversions from glow-in-the-dark laser tag to bumper cars. New on the Odyssey’s SeaPlex is the Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. As the ship sails in the Caribbean, the company has redesigned its outdoor pool area with a Caribbean motif. The pool deck features two open-air pools, four whirlpools and the Splashaway Bay water park, anchored by a Quantum-class first: The Lime and Coconut Bar. The ship also features an enclosed Solarium pool area, another RCI signature feature, at its forward end. Delayed inaugural While the cruise industry has a record orderbook for new ships, deliveries have been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused a global stoppage of cruise operations, and the Odyssey of the Seas was no exception to this. In the spring, Royal Caribbean announced an agreement with the government of Israel to base the ship in Haifa for Eastern Mediterranean cruises offered only to Israeli residents. However, when hostilities erupted between Israel and Hamas, the company quickly decided to deploy the ship elsewhere. The Odyssey of the Seas finally departed on its inaugural sailing from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades on July 31. (This day also marked the first time in more than 15 months that two cruise ships with passengers sailed from the South Florida port on the same day.) The Odyssey of the Seas will alternate mainly 6and 8-night Caribbean voyages during the 2021-2022 season. Come next spring, the ship will be repositioned to Civitavecchia in Italy to sail Mediterranean cruises. n Odyssey of the Seas’ pool area has a Caribbean motif. In the middle is the North Star. The experience was delivered by MacGregor. North Star can lift guests 91meters above sea level to give them a panoramic view. The viewing gondola can accomodate 14 guests and one crew member 22-25 odessey .indd 4 22-25 odessey .indd 4 1.9.2021 8.05 1.9.2021 8.05
T he Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a company with global operations to have a strong presence in local markets, so that it can serve its customers even during challenging times such as what we are going through right now, said Anssi Mäkelä, Senior Manager, Sales & Technology, Marine Emission Control, Energy Business Unit, Environmental Systems TU, at Valmet. The company – whose roots can be traced to a small shipyard outside the Finnish capital of Helsinki, which started operations more than two centuries ago – is today a provider of technologies, services and automation to a broad range of industries. In the maritime field, it has a track record of more than 40 years. Valmet has recently supplied a full automation package and scrubber systems to the Odyssey of the Seas, which Meyer Werft in Germany has delivered to Royal Caribbean International. “The systems have been commissioned and monitoring of them is also running as planned,” Mäkelä said, adding that this has been a testimony to the company’s ability to meet the needs of its customers in demanding conditions. Travel restrictions around the world mean that the movement of people has been more difficult and time consuming than under normal conditions. However, the company has a strong foothold not just in Europe, but also in the U.S and Asia – all of which are important regions for the cruise industry. Well established in America and Asia I n Europe, Valmet has a hub in Rotterdam, where spare parts are stored and can be quickly sent to customers around the region. SPONSORED CONTENT Valmet – global and local in challenging times In the U.S., Miami is the center of the company’s operations. A team of local and expat engineers are close to the South Florida ports that are the busiest in the world for the global cruise industry. In China, South Korea and Japan, Valmet has built up strong links with builders of mega container ships, which Mäkelä expects will pave the way for more business in passenger shipping over time. Chinese yards already build large, overnight ferries for Western customers, and, in the future, the country’s footprint in cruise shipbuilding will grow as well. A rapidly functioning supply chain and local teams that can promptly serve Valmet’s customers stand at the heart of its philosophy. “Valmet is a global company that has its roots in the Nordic region, and its business culture reflects that. We have been able to attract committed and highly skilled engineers from around the world. There is trust between the company and its staff,” Mäkelä said. Trust is also needed between Valmet and its customers, particularly in the growing field of remote monitoring services that it offers. Valmet gathers data from ships that have its equipment onboard, which is used not only to ensure that everything is working as it should, but also to plan maintenance and to ensure the smooth running of systems. Access to that data is only possible if the owner of the ship grants permission, Mäkelä pointed out. Cyber security of major importance This necessarily brings cyber security into the spotlight. A security breach could have a material impact on the operations of the vessels affected in commercial terms, but such an event could also compromise safety. “In cloud-based services, cyber security is a matter of major importance, and at the bottom of it lies trust between the customer and service provider,” Mäkelä pointed out. Looking to the future, Mäkelä says that Valmet is interested in the development of green hydrogen as a marine fuel. Ammonia is another possible marine fuel of the future, but, following a study Valmet made together with the consulting engineering company Deltamarin, Mäkelä said that another decade is likely to be needed before these alternative fuels can seriously challenge oil and liquefied natural gas. www.valmet.com/marine Inspecting water treatment Here purified water is being inspected valmet.indd 1 27.7.2021 12:54:25 22-25 odessey .indd 5 22-25 odessey .indd 5 1.9.2021 8.05 1.9.2021 8.05
Celebrating Resilience and Uniting the Cruise Industry Uncover new trends, identify bold solutions, and secure profitable partnerships at the only business event that unites the entire global cruise community. 27-30 September 2021 | Expo 28-30 September 2021 Miami Beach Convention Center | Miami Beach, FL USA #STCGlobal • For more information call us at +1 212-600-3260 | seatrade-global.com 75% of attendees are involved in purchasing 80+ cruise lines 68% of attendees come to meet suppliers Over 50% attend only one trade show a year – ours Bringing the Cruise Community Together The World’s Most Significant & Trusted Tradeshow As the longest running, most comprehensive industry event of its kind, Seatrade Cruise Global connects innovative suppliers with influential cruise decision makers from around the world, no matter your circumstances. With both turnkey and custom exhibition and sponsorship offerings available, we are dedicated to finding a participation opportunity that fits your goals and budget. Join us virtually or in-person for our first hybrid event experience! Visit seatrade-global.com SCG21_207_DPS_Global_barter_ad.indd 2-3 SCG21_207_DPS_Global_barter_ad.indd 2-3 18/08/2021 16:20 18/08/2021 16:20 Untitled-1 1 Untitled-1 1 20.8.2021 8.32 20.8.2021 8.32 26-33 star .indd 2 26-33 star .indd 2 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
Celebrating Resilience and Uniting the Cruise Industry Uncover new trends, identify bold solutions, and secure profitable partnerships at the only business event that unites the entire global cruise community. 27-30 September 2021 | Expo 28-30 September 2021 Miami Beach Convention Center | Miami Beach, FL USA #STCGlobal • For more information call us at +1 212-600-3260 | seatrade-global.com 75% of attendees are involved in purchasing 80+ cruise lines 68% of attendees come to meet suppliers Over 50% attend only one trade show a year – ours Bringing the Cruise Community Together The World’s Most Significant & Trusted Tradeshow As the longest running, most comprehensive industry event of its kind, Seatrade Cruise Global connects innovative suppliers with influential cruise decision makers from around the world, no matter your circumstances. With both turnkey and custom exhibition and sponsorship offerings available, we are dedicated to finding a participation opportunity that fits your goals and budget. Join us virtually or in-person for our first hybrid event experience! Visit seatrade-global.com SCG21_207_DPS_Global_barter_ad.indd 2-3 SCG21_207_DPS_Global_barter_ad.indd 2-3 18/08/2021 16:20 18/08/2021 16:20 Untitled-1 1 Untitled-1 1 20.8.2021 8.32 20.8.2021 8.32 26-33 star .indd 3 26-33 star .indd 3 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
28 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Welcome Cruises! C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 2021_AD_PBCN_CRUISE•A4_CRUISEBUSINESSREVIEW.pdf 2 21/7/21 13:07 T he three ships began their lives at sea in the German shipyard Schichau Seebeckwerft, in Bremerhaven, Germany. The first two emerged as the Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Spirit in 1988-1989. The third ship was also planned for Seabourn, but with financing issues instead launched in 1992 as the final ship for Royal Viking Line, the Royal Viking Queen. In 1996, the third ship finally joined her sisters at Seabourn, rechristened as the Seabourn Legend. In REFURBIHMENTS STAR CLASS SETS SAIL AGAIN When Windstar Cruises acquired three older ships from Seabourn Cruises seven years ago, there was no question: The line gained a fleet of small, classy ships. The trio had their fans at Seabourn, for their small-ship intimacy and generous crewmember-to-guest ratio. At Windstar, they quickly gained new fans for much larger cabins than are found on the line’s beloved sailing ships – 277 square feet – and introduced a more casual ambiance while striving to impart a bit of Seabourn’s brand of elegance. By David Swanson 2013, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Windstar’s owner, announced it was acquiring the three ships from Seabourn, doubling the size of its fleet. Following a facelift, the Seabourn Pride set sail for Windstar in 2014 as the Star Pride; the Star Breeze (the former Seabourn Spirit) and Star Legend each received a three-week, $8.5 million renovation and re-emerged in 2015. But the ships were each approaching a quarter-century of service when they joined the Windstar fleet, and by 2017 the line was seriously evaluating the future of its Star-class vessels. “We had these ships that, obviously, were aging and needed some work,” said John Gunner, Vice President of Expansion Projects for Windstar. “Most important was that new regulations for emissions meant we had to do some significant modifications to the engine configurations, or we wouldn’t be able to operate the ships at a profit.” Scrubbers – machinery that captures sulfur from heavy fuel consumption before it enters the atmosphere – are a recent solution for the cruise industry, and have been installed on many ships operating today. But, Gunner said, the Star-class ships are too small for scrubbers, so to meet new regulations for SOX emissions they needed to shift from heavy fuel oil (aka bunker fuel) to burn gas oil. Upgrading the engines would also allow the ships to meet the most recent NOX requirements. However, Gunner noted, gas oil costs as much as double the cost of fuel oil – a calculation that would substantially change the financial situation for the ships. “There was a necessity to increase revenue to cover that extra cost,” Gunner said. Beyond an overhaul of the engines, the ships were also experiencing increasing problems with maintenance. “There were constant issues,” explained Milton Ceklic, Hotel General Manager for Windstar. “I’m the first line of defense, and I was dealing with guests every day, and ? One of the biggest improvements of the Star Breeze is the expanded sun deck Ph oto cre dit , all ph oto s: Da vid Sw an so n 26-33 star .indd 4 26-33 star .indd 4 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
Welcome Cruises! C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 2021_AD_PBCN_CRUISE•A4_CRUISEBUSINESSREVIEW.pdf 2 21/7/21 13:07 26-33 star .indd 5 26-33 star .indd 5 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
you every week it was the same things.” While Windstar had updated décor in most public areas when it acquired the ships, other areas did not receive an overhaul. The 30-year-old bathrooms in cabins were looking dingy and outdated. “The white marble wasn’t white anymore,” Ceklic added. “The Star-class product was selling really well,” said Star Breeze Captain Ricardo Pinzon. “But we’d had the ships for a few years, and they were beginning to get a bit tired.” Pinzon said that Windstar wanted to keep the Star-class concept but give it an upgrade, make it fresh, and offer something new for guests. “We had the idea that, in order to increase the revenue we could add these mid-body sections with additional cabins,” Gunner said. “And that would allow us to operate the ships and meet the new regulations and still be profitable.” Star Class Initiative While it’s unlikely that Windstar’s guests were asking for its 212-passenger ships to carry more guests, that was exactly the ambitious plan the line announced in 2018, dubbed the $250 million “Star Class Initiative.” The three ships would be “stretched” by inserting a new 84foot-long midsection, which would allow Windstar to add 50 cabins to each ship and boost the passenger capacity by 47%. The headline focused on the increased number of beds, but Windstar promised other improvements to public areas: a larger pool and pool deck, two new restaurants, a larger retail shop, an enlarged fitness center and spa, and an additional elevator. The ships would also be completely re-engined, removing seven engines on each ship and replacing them with four new engines running on cleaner fuel. Crew areas would be expanded, too, allowing Windstar to keep its 1:1.5 crew-to-guest ratio. The Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Sicily was chosen for the work, with the three ships scheduled for back-to-back operations starting in October, 2019. Fincantieri has handled other stretching projects previously at Palermo, including four MSC ships in 2014-2015 and Silversea’s Silver Spirit in 2018. “We picked Fincantieri because they have done these projects before,” explains Gunner. “As project manager I’ve built five or six Princess megaships with Fincantieri, so I know them well, I know their capabilities, and they have huge resources. We used Fincantieri to get the job done and, frankly, they came with a good project plan at a cost that was reasonable.” Still, Gunner said he is convinced that the scope of the Windstar project, given the various elements, is the most complicated stretching project that’s ever been done. “The overall project specifications are more significant than any other ship that’s been lengthened before,” adds Gunner. As a percentage of the original ship’s length, Gunner said the extension is longer than any done previously. “Add to that, we’re going in on a 30-year-old ship – that makes this project unique in comparison to any other project that’s been undertaken by a company.” Experiencing the results I joined the newly stretched Star Breeze for its third sailing this past summer. I had the last incarnation of these ships reasonably fresh in my mind, having sailed on the Star Legend twice, most recently in November 2019. What struck me most on the Star Breeze was how seamless the project felt. At no point on any deck did the extension jump out at me. The only place it was obvious was on the pool deck, which is more spacious. There were new restaurants, of course, and a stylish new spa and larger gym, but they felt organic, not like additions. Best of all, from a distance the Star Breeze seemed to have a sleeker, more dramatic profile. When I checked it against older photos, the previous outline looked almost stubby in comparison. I didn’t have an opportunity to tour the back of the house, so Daniele Giovanelli, Chief Engineer on the Star Breeze, explained to me why the new engine room required a totally different concept and new configuration. “Previously, we had seven engines in total – three diesel generators for power production and four main engines for propulsion, with two engines per shaft,” said Giovanelli. “The re-engineering of the ship meant four brand-new engines from Wärtsilä – two diesel generators that can operate independently and two main engines for propulsion, one shaft for each, but also three shaft generators. The main engines are driving propellers, but they can also generate power for the rest of the ship. With this configuration, we have optimal consumption of fuel, and selective catalytic reactors on the exhaust for all four engines,” Giovanelli added. “It’s good for fuel savings, there’s more redundancy, and it’s more environmentally friendly.” Prior to the stretch, Captain Pinzon said the vessel’s maximum speed was 14 to 15 knots. Now, the Star Breeze can travel at 16 knots, potentially cutting at least a day off long trans-Atlantic crossings. On the Caribbean sailing I joined, Pinzon estimated that the Star Breeze would use about 120 tons of MGO fuel, about 10% more than the ship would have used previously – but it’s cleaner fuel and the Star Breeze is carrying 50% more passengers. “For the size, she is handling pretty well,” said Pinzon. “Of course you have more power now – you really feel her weight now – whereas before, she was really light. The stability has improved, and we now have heeling tanks to bring the ship upright.” 30 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 ? Both pool and jacuzzi expanded on size, but are still rather small 26-33 star .indd 6 26-33 star .indd 6 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
you 26-33 star .indd 7 26-33 star .indd 7 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
Also new, behind-the-scenes: The HVAC system, which was adapted to use HEPA filters and UV light for combatting Covid. “Many of the HVAC units have been renewed, and the new block has new units” said Giovanelli. “We have about 20 sections, each with an air-handling unit, HEPA filter and UV lights.” James Beard-inspired menus Graham Cockburn joined Windstar Cruises as Corporate Executive Chef in 2017, just after Windstar was named Official Cruise Line of the James Beard Foundation. In the four years since, cuisine has become a selling point for Windstar, with recipes from James Beard Foundation chefs featured nightly in the ships’ main dining room, Amphora, and culinary-themed cruises hosted several times a year by top chefs from around the U.S. Cockburn was brought in on planning for the Star Class Initiative from the start, allowing him to greatly expand the dining offerings on the three ships with two new restaurants, as well as to polish the existing venues. Cockburn’s priorities started with making sure that the project was public health compliant, and for equipment he immediately chose MKN, a German specialist for professional thermal cooking equipment. “They’re a very good brand that meets public health all the time,” said Cockburn, who was aboard my sailing. “We’re trying to transfer all our kitchens over to MKN, going for standardized equipment across the fleet. All our ovens are Rational combi steam, another brand from Germany. They’re self-cook centers, and their ovens will last the lifetime of the ship.” Cockburn was also focused on how the physical spaces would be relocated, to ensure that food wouldn’t have to be transported long distances. During the stretch process, seating for Amphora increased slightly, from 212 guests to 233. But although the ship now holds 316 passengers, Cockburn said that with the ships’ three additional restaurants, he does not expect more than 140 diners nightly at Amphora – except when weather limits outdoor dining. The size of the Amphora galley did not change with the stretch, but Cockburn thinks that won’t be a problem because, although the galley crew increased by roughly 33%, he’ll be able to put some of the team on night duty for prep work. The kitchen that did get bigger was for Candles, the steakhouse located on Deck 7, aft. During the day, the space operates as The Veranda, a buffet for breakfast and lunch. Additional indoor seating was created for Veranda/Candles in the space where lifeboats for the Star-class ships once hung. The restaurant now seats 62, with about half the tables inside. “We have more covers to get through Candles, so our original kitchen is now two-thirds larger, with bigger dishwashers, more work space,” explained Cockburn. “The buffet got bigger, there are more tables, bigger walkways, and I don’t think you’ll see the clambering up for food, and people queueing” as was sometimes the case before. The menu at Candles has been fleshed out with options beyond traditional steaks. Two new restaurants The two new restaurants – neither of which involves an added fee – include Cuadro 44, a tapas restaurant linked to chef Anthony Sasso of the Michelin-star Casa Mono & Bar Jamon in New York City. Tucked into a nook next to the main aft stairwell on Deck 6, the space is small and intimate, the décor contemporary and light, with just 36 seats and an open kitchen. But the menu of small and large plates offers an exciting take on Spanish cuisine, with such dishes as charred octopus, Moroccan cauliflower, Iberico ham, and chicken confit with chorizo and manila clams – fare rarely seen on most cruise lines. The other addition is Star Grill by Steven Raichlen, a cookbook author and TV host who celebrates the culture and practice of grilling and barbecue. Star Grill is set up as an 88-seat al fresco buffet for lunch and dinner, in an airy top-deck space under a canopy. The meats are smoked in a dedicated oven in the main galley – hence Cockburn’s concern over transporting food across the ship – and the spread includes an array of vegetarian options to round out the menu. The 7-day cycle of meats highlights a different cut each day, such as coffee-crusted prime brisket, bourbon-brined turkey breast, and melt-in-your-mouth pastrami. With the ships in dry dock, Cockburn said he spent much of the lockdown focused on revamping menus to make sure each venue had a distinct identity and that Amphora reflected the destinations each ship was sailing in. “It was a huge project, I have to say, but the pandemic gave me a lot of time to look at menus, dishes, concepts,” said Cockburn. “When I was at home, I predominantly focused on the Amphora menus. We needed to get very clear concepts so that our menus would not conflict with one another.” Cockburn added that each ship’s chef is given autonomy to adjust menus at Amphora or the Veranda for lunch, to take advantage of local produce and other fare. “He can go out and pick up razor clams, or seaweed, or chorizo. We encourage that – he just puts it on the menu, they don’t have to come to me for approval.” Pool deck to cabins The pool and Jacuzzi tub increased in size, as did the pool deck, where Windstar conducts its top-deck barbecue party one night of each cruise. It’s an attractive upgrade, especially illuminated at night, but the pool is still on the small side, suitable for six or so guests bobbing, not for laps. The spa, which previously felt like an afterthought on the Star-class ships, is another feature that benefitted from the extension. Located on Deck 7 ahead of the pool area, the walk-though spa and salon injects a healthy dose of chic to the Star-class ambience, and the enlarged fit32 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Cabin decor has been refreshed and new plugs and USB outlets have been installed 26-33 star .indd 8 26-33 star .indd 8 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
ness center features Technogym equipment and a Motion Studio for yoga and other classes. Heated ceramic loungers, a sauna and steam room round out the facility. Cabins enjoyed more than a facelift – the bathrooms, in particular, received a complete overhaul. Most cabins no longer have a bathtub and the space now allows for a proper walk-in shower that has been tiled. Cabin décor throughout has been refreshed and new plugs and USB outlets have been installed, plus interactive flat-screen TVs. Some cabins now have a step-out “Juliet” balcony. Additionally, rather than a living area separating the bed and the view, the new cabins are configured to swap this layout, putting the bed closer to the view. Some guests may prefer the original configuration, but there are plenty of each to go around. On Deck 3, the new block created space for 10 new cabins which have portholes for windows. These are the least expensive accommodations on the ship, but still measure a generous 277 square feet. Also new is a pair of Owner’s Suites on Deck 6 at mid-ship to supplant the existing Owner’s Suites on this deck that overlook the forward Jacuzzi tub. The new units can be combined with adjoining cabins to create a twoor three-bedroom Grand Owner’s Suite measuring 1,097 or 1,374 square feet. One element that was eliminated during the makeover of the Star-class ships: the casino. Based on my previous sailings, this was an underutilized space, so no great loss there – it creates additional seating for the popular Compass Rose bar. Crew is pleased With the pandemic forcing cruise ships to operate less than full, some operational aspects have not been put to the test. Milton Ceklic, the Hotel General Manager aboard the Star Breeze, said he and the crew are adjusting schedules in anticipation of sailing at capacity in the months ahead. He is keeping an eye on impacts to two areas in particular: laundry and garbage. “Until we get those big numbers on we’re not really going to see it, but we will definitely have to adjust our schedules,” said Ceklic, who noted that the laundry facilities were not expanded with the stretch. “And I see a problem with garbage. With 100 more guests and 40 or 50 more crew, we’ll have to adjust schedules to make sure onboard garbage gets processed. It was not really an issue before, but it depended on the region you were sailing – there are countries that don’t allow you to offload certain types of garbage, or they don’t allow you to burn cardboards and things like that.” Ceklic added that one sometimes overlooked element of the ship’s operation, the crew, is pleased with the renovation and stretch – a sentiment I overheard repeatedly from crewmembers who returned to the Star-class ship after more than a year away. “They’re really happy,” said Ceklic. “This is a 30-year-old lady, and Star Breeze really got more than a face lift and a paint job. There’s new crew areas, crew mess, and crew bar areas. We have a very dedicated crew; we didn’t lose any of them.” The Star Class Initiative was budgeted at $250 million for the three ships, and the pandemic and cost overruns made the project go over budget, according to Gunner, whom I spoke with while he was still based in Palermo, overseeing the finishing touches for the Star Legend and Star Pride. “The issues we had with Covid has made this whole initiative a completely different proposition,” Gunner said. “It did go over, but there are reasons for that. The pandemic has had such a significant impact – everything from engines delivery, to carpet delivery, to delivery of electronic components. For a long time, we didn’t have much of a work force here [in Palermo], and then the work force that we did have was significantly hampered by having to mask and social distance.” Gunner also said that the amount of dry dock time allotted for the extension and renovation of the three ships (four-anda-half months) was “a little aggressive.” But the pandemic made this a moot point anyway. “A certain part of me says [the timing] was good fortune, because we’ve done it, we’ve had the ships out of service for a significant upgrade when they would have had to be out of service anyway.” With the additional cabins, dining options and a makeover that adds an element of refinement to the Windstar’s Hawaiian-shirt ambience, one aspect of the stretching project may not get the attention it deserves: The optimization of the ships’ environmental footprint. I asked Gunner if there was an environmental benefit to investing in a 30-year-old ship rather than sending it to the scrapyard and building a new one from scratch. “That’s an interesting perspective,” Gunner replied. “When ships are broken up, there’s an environmental impact, so you could argue that we are reducing that impact. Building ships has an impact, and scrapping ships has an impact. But we are extending the life of a ship and making it less environmentally impactful by doing everything that we’re doing.” Gunner continued: “We have engines which are more efficient because they’re new, tier three engines and burning gas oil. So the emissions are much reduced. Then, we have a new state-of-the-art sewage treatment system, new ballast water treatment system, a completely new valve controls, and we have updated all of the toilet systems. We’ve done just about everything we could and should do in terms of improving the environmental impact of these ships. If we're going to operate a cruise ship, I feel pretty comfortable that we’ve done everything we can to make it as small a footprint as possible. I honestly believe we got quite a lot right,” Gunner concluded. “For me, I think you feel you’re on a new ship, wherever you are around the vessel. I think the project has been successful, and I anticipate these ships will operate for a minimum of another 15 years now.” The Star Breeze will spend the Northern Hemisphere winter in the South Pacific, repositioning to Alaska next summer. The Star Legend is scheduled to re-emerge on September 27 in Lisbon, and following a few weeks in the Mediterranean will winter in Central America. The Star Pride will be based in the Caribbean this winter, homeporting in St. Maarten with an inaugural journey on November 20, then repositioning to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe for the summer 2022 season. n CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 33 Star Breeze after the stretch has a well-balanced look 26-33 star .indd 9 26-33 star .indd 9 1.9.2021 8.13 1.9.2021 8.13
34 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 T he expedition cruise segment has – much like the wider cruise industry – faced a difficult time since March of last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced a gradual cessation of operations. However, in the past few months prospects have brightened, and some part of the valuable Arctic season can be saved, said Hans Lagerweij, President of Albatros Travel in Denmark. MARKET UPDATE PANDEMIC FORCES EXPEDITION LINES TO ACT QUICKLY The cruise industry likes to plan itineraries well in advance, but the Covid-19 pandemic has forced this practice to give way to rapidly changing plans. Expedition cruise lines have been no exception. By Kari Reinikainen The privately owned company operates expedition cruises worldwide, and, in addition to Europe, sources passengers from North America, Australia and Asia (Lagerweij noted that Albatros is the market leader in China). “Norway has allowed the arrival of cruise ships, and now we hope Greenland to do the same,” he told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine in mid-July. However, the case of Greenland highlights some of the challenges that expedition cruise operators like Albatros face when planning operations: The exact content of local requirements is not always clear even as a region or country reopens for cruise travel. Filling ships important from financial viewpoint Yet, destinations are very important for expedition cruise lines. Unlike in the mainstream cruise market, the ship itself is not a resort where people come to enjoy the facilities onboard. “From a financial point of view, it is important to sell the ships close to their full capacity,” Lagerweij said, adding that Albatros would have attained an occupancy rate of close to 90% aboard the cruises it had planned for this summer in Svalbard, if it had been possible to operate them. Ph oto cre dit : De nis El ter ma n Guests of expedition ship Silver Cloud gather by the trappers hut, Ny London, Svalbard 34-36 expedition.indd 2 34-36 expedition.indd 2 1.9.2021 8.17 1.9.2021 8.17
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 35 Passengers on expedition ships look forward to excursions and activities ashore, although the quality of modern expedition cruise tonnage has brought their facilities in line with many mainstream ships, albeit on a smaller scale. “We have our own bubbles onboard the ships. Maintaining distance is required, but there is no requirement to wear a mask,” Lagerweij said. Shore excursions to places of natural interest and shore-based activities can be carried out in the bubbles, but when it comes to visiting local communities, indoor visits and interactions with locals cannot take place. Also, passengers are requested to wear a mask when visiting communities in the destinations visited. The cruise industry has had to change its focus when it comes to developing protocols in order to operate under the present circumstances. At first, the focus was very much on stringently cleaning surfaces. However, as it became clear that the virus is mainly airborne, ventilation and air-conditioning together with wearing masks came to the forefront. Arctic has gained at expense of Antarctic Lagerweij said that the focus of demand for expedition cruises has shifted to favor the Arctic over the Antarctic, which has traditionally attracted stronger interest. This could be due to perceptions that the virus is better under control in the north than in the south. In reality, there have been significant differences between countries and within countries in South America, which is a hub for operations in the Antarctic region. Chile has been able to vaccinate its population at a brisk rate; in Argentina the rate of infections has been very high in the metropolitan Buenos Aires region, but much better elsewhere. In Brazil, as has been widely reported, the situation is quite bad as a whole. Looking further into the future, Lagerweij said two major developments are likely to dominate the expedition cruise scene. Firstly, China is likely to overtake the U.S. as the largest source market for these cruises in the near future. While European and North American passengers are often quite happy to relax in a lounge after an activity or excursion ashore, Chinese passengers look for entertainment onboard. “This makes programming difficult. In fact, you need a totally different product for the Chinese market. It is not enough to have signs and printed material onboard in Chinese with a few people who speak the language,” he pointed out. As a result, some larger expedition cruise operators may face difficulties in meeting the needs of their Chinese passengers, whose importance is growing. Albatros has decided to employ almost entirely Chinese crews aboard ships that cater to that market, and branding can be adapted as well, Lagerweij said. The second major development arises from an urgent need for the industry to find new destinations. “We cannot all go just to Svalbard, the Antarctica and the Falklands – there must be more diversity in itineraries,” he pointed out. The eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, which has no connections with late 19thand early 20th-century explorers, could be featured on future itineraries. Small communities and places of natural beauty all over the world should be studied to ensure that a diversity of interesting itineraries can be maintained as well. Developments in the southern hemisphere have affected many cruise lines, as the pandemic has prevented resumption of cruises in Australia, which is both a major source market and a destination for cruise operators, including the expedition segment. Swan Hellenic, the Nicosia-based company that is scheduled to take delivery of its first ships from Helsinki Shipyard later this year, cancelled a series of cruises in Australian and New Zealand waters scheduled for early next year. Instead, the SH Minerva – the line’s first ship – will operate in a wide stretch of regions from Antarctica in the south to the Russian Far East in the north, via the coasts of South, Central and North America in early 2022. Meanwhile, Silversea Cruises – part of the Royal Caribbean Group – has unveiled a 26-night voyage from Helsinki to Reykjavik that is scheduled to depart on June 4, 2023. Such a long cruise that covers more than two dozen ports of call and several countries is what expedition cruising often is all about. And, Hurtigruten Expeditions is responding to guest demand for more warm water destinations by adding the West Coast of Africa and its unique archipelagos – the Bissagos Islands and Cape Verde – to its growing list of new destinations. The 13-night itinerary includes four countries: Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal, with Spitsbergen based out of Dakar, Senegal. The expansion follows the cruise line’s recent launch announcement of year-round expedition cruises to the Galapagos Islands starting early 2022. Besides its first-ever African expedition cruises, Hurtigruten will also introduce a series of itineraries to the Canary Islands and Madeira for the 2022/23 seasons. However, there are very few areas where expedition cruise lines can operate at the moment, which means that the number of ships in service remains quite low compared to mainstream operators. The demand for expedition cruises remains strong, though, and some countries are making great efforts to bring the ships back, said Niels-Erik Lund, CEO of SunStone Ships, the Florida-based tonnage provider for the expedition cruise segment. Vaccinating crews a major challenge A major challenge for expedition (and mainstream lines as well) has been to get crews vaccinated. Health authorities in Iceland offered to vaccinate the entire crew of the Ocean Diamond, the only ship that SunStone had in service at the time Hans Lagerweij Hurtigruten Expeditions will soon offer cruises on West Coast of Africa 34-36 expedition.indd 3 34-36 expedition.indd 3 1.9.2021 8.17 1.9.2021 8.17
36 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 of writing in mid-July. This, and similar efforts seen in some other parts of the world – including some ports in the U.S. – have been a great help, and it shows how keen many communities are to see the return of their cruise business. There have been reports in the media suggesting that some cruise lines face difficulties in recruitment, as the events of early 2020 – when many ships had outbreaks of Covid-19 and repatriation of crew members often took a very long time – haunts the memory of many potential candidates. “We have had no problems in recruitment; in fact, many people are keen to come back to us,” Lund told CBM. SunStone requires that all passengers and crew be vaccinated before they come onboard – a policy that is quite easy to adopt in the expedition cruise sector, which does not focus on the family market, where youngsters are often not vaccinated. But there is more. “Our ships go to many remote areas, where there are no hospitals, no doctors, no nurses, and with one doctor and one nurse onboard, this can be a major issue. We cannot find ourselves in a situation that we have 30 people who are ill onboard and who require help,” Lund pointed out. Newbuilds on the drawing board Despite the present day challenges, SunStone’s management has its eyes on the future. The company is planning a new class of newbuildings to be called the Boundless class. The projected vessels would have a gross tonnage of about 12,000 to 13,000 compared to 8,500 of the Chinese-built Infinity-class vessels, and their 124-meter length would exceed the figure of the Infinity ships by 20 meters. SunStone plans to build at least three units of the new class that would carry between 200 and 300 passengers, which would replace the Ocean Endeavour, Ocean Atlantic and Ocean Diamond. However, it is possible that the series will be longer, as SunStone plans to grow its business. The Infinity-class ships feature an XBow, a design patented by the Norwegian shipbuilding group Ulstein. This significantly enhances the seakeeping qualities of the ships. Lund declined comment on whether the Boundless class would feature it as well. However, he noted that in any case, the bow of the new ships would be an inverse design, as such a feature improves seakeeping – a very important consideration in expedition cruising that often includes voyages to regions where conditions are demanding. SunStone is at an advanced stage in the design of the new class, and the first order could be placed before the end of this year, he said. Newbuilding plans indicate strong confidence in the future of the industry, and as Lindblad Expeditions, the listed U.S.based operator, said in its second-quarter interim report, the outlook is encouraging. “Bookings for the full year 2022 are 36% ahead of the bookings for 2021 as of the same date a year ago and 36% ahead of the bookings for 2020 as of the same date two years ago. The company continues to see new bookings for future travel, including over $174.0 million since the beginning of 2021, and is receiving significant deposits and final payments for future travel,” Lindblad said. Perhaps not stronger, but probably more agile It has been said that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” While the Covid-19 pandemic has not killed either the wider cruise industry or the expedition cruise segment, both need to clear cruise credits issued to cover cancelled sailings and to rebuild balance sheets before it can be honestly said that they are stronger. This will take time. However, the pandemic has shown that ships as mobile assets have an advantage over land-based facilities. Even with restrictions regarding where ships can operate, it has been possible to resume operations. The recent past has put the industry’s agility to the test, and the expedition segment in particular has faced a tough challenge, due the fact that even small companies usually operate worldwide and source passengers from various markets. The lessons learned will probably serve the companies well, should more adversity emerge in the shortto medium-term future. As noted above, in the expedition cruise segment the ships themselves are not destinations in the same way as in the mainstream cruise market, so it has been – and will remain – important to look for new expedition-worthy destinations. The pandemic may have accelerated that drive too. n SunStone Ships and its CEO Niels-Erik Lund have new class of ships on the drawing board 34-36 expedition.indd 4 34-36 expedition.indd 4 1.9.2021 8.17 1.9.2021 8.17
By M.T. Schwartzman N orwegian Cruise Line is investing heavily in Alaska. In 2022, the line plans a five-ship deployment, its largest ever to Alaska. This year, it opened two new landside facilities: the new Wilderness Landing complex at Icy Strait Point and the new Ward Cove docking terminal outside Ketchikan. The company has also purchased property in Juneau and has plans for yet another docking facility on the site. Here’s a rundown of these and other developments: FIVE SHIPS: Norwegian’s website lists five ships scheduled for Alaska cruises in 2022.The Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore will sail 7-night Inside Passage cruises roundtrip from Seattle. The Norwegian Sun will sail 5-, 7and 9-night Inside Passage cruises roundtrip from Seattle. The Norwegian Jewel will sail 7-night oneway Gulf of Alaska cruises northbound or southbound between Vancouver and Seward and 7-night Inside Passage cruises roundtrip from Vancouver. The Norwegian Spirit will sail 5-, 7-, 9-, 10and 11-night Inside Passage cruises from Seattle. Longer repositioning cruises to begin and end the season are also on the schedule, such as 16-night voyages between Alaska and Hawaii or Japan. WILDERNESS LANDING: On August 10, during the Norwegian Encore’s first call of the 2021 season at Icy Strait Point, a douDESTINATIONS NCL INVESTS IN ALASKA ble ribbon cutting ceremony took place to officially open the new Wilderness Landing pier and the first of two gondola systems. The project is a joint investment between NCL’s parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) and Huna Totem Corporation, the village corporation owned by approximately 1,400 Alaska Native shareholders with aboriginal ties to Hoonah and the Glacier Bay area. Icy Strait Point is a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of Huna Totem Corporation. Conceived of as a vehicle-free zone, the new Wilderness Landing provides additional forest and beach areas for visitors to explore the natural wonders of the destination. With the opening of the new high-speed Transporter Gondola, guests have easy access to Icy Strait Point’s first pier, Adventure Landing, where the Historic Salmon Cannery dating back to 1912 and other local attractions are located. Once completed later this summer, the Mountain Top Gondola will take guests to the top of Hoonah Mountain at 1,600 feet of elevation, where miles of new hiking trails and scenic vistas await. WARD COVE: On August 12, the Norwegian Encore docked for the first time at The Mill at Ward Cove in Ketchikan. The Mill at Ward Cove is a development by Ward Cove Dock Group, LLC in partnership with NCLH to build a two-berth cruise ship dock and corresponding Welcome Center and Passenger Transit Facility. The terminal, located on the site of a former pulp mill that closed in 1997, is about seven miles north of downtown Ketchikan. It’s intended to act as a hub for shore excursion departures, alleviating some of the congestion in Ketchikan’s small waterfront area, although there’s a shuttle service available for passengers wanting to visit the historic district. “The Mill at Ward Cove is the first step in creating a worldclass tourism destination in southern Southeast Alaska that promotes the heritage and adventurous spirit of the region through an immersive experience,” the company said in a statement announcing the Norwegian Encore’s first visit. Norwegian has preferential berthing rights for the next 30 years at the new docking facility, which can accommodate two Breakaway Plus-class vessels at once. JUNEAU DOCK: According to published reports, in September of 2019 Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings purchased a threeacre parcel of land on the Juneau waterfront stretching from Merchant’s Wharf to Gold Creek. NCLH’s bid of $20 million beat out other investors including Royal Caribbean Group, which came in second. Plans developed by MRV Architects and available online show a proposed NCL dock located centrally downtown, just beyond the two city-owned piers and linked to them by the existing pedestrian Seawalk, which would be extended. A rendering of the site depicts a large building surrounded by open community park space facing the water and a pedestrian bridge linking the terminal to downtown shops and restaurants. A proposed Alaska Ocean Center might also be included on the site and “has potential support from NCLH,” according to the plans. The ocean center is described on its website as “a maritime experience for residents and visitors with facility displays and educational programs to create a year-round active waterfront venue.” M eanwhile, in non-NCLH Alaska investment news, Royal Caribbean Group has partnered with Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal for a 40,000-square-foot expansion of Sitka’s only cruise ship docking facility, located six miles north of downtown and a mile from the Old Sitka State Historical Park. The first phase was unveiled on August 17 during the first visit of the season from Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. The expanded dock will soon be joined by completion of a new terminal facility, which will feature local retail shops, a locally owned restaurant, an outdoor covered terrace and departure point for landand water-based shore excursions. The dock – which can handle two neoPanamax ships simultaneously – is majority owned by Halibut Point Marine Services, a Sitka family-owned business, with financing support and minority ownership by Royal Caribbean Group and Ceres Terminals Inc.n On August 12, NCL and Norwegian Encore made history docking for the first time at The Mill at Ward Cove in Ketchikan CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 37 37alaska .indd 1 37alaska .indd 1 1.9.2021 8.19 1.9.2021 8.19
Crystal Endeavor Completed 2021 Kudos scope: – Expedition Suite – Owners Suites – Expedition Penthouse Suites – Penthouse Suites – Deluxe Suites – Captain class cabins – Crew cabins – Crew public areas Kudos is a specialist interior design studio working on high-level projects around the world. We were the interior design team responsible for the guest suites for the Crystal Endeavor – Crystal Cruises first new-build expedition ship. Please get in contact to find out more. info@kudosdsign.com kudosdsign.com 38-44 .indd 2 38-44 .indd 2 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 39 Crystal Endeavor Completed 2021 Kudos scope: – Expedition Suite – Owners Suites – Expedition Penthouse Suites – Penthouse Suites – Deluxe Suites – Captain class cabins – Crew cabins – Crew public areas Kudos is a specialist interior design studio working on high-level projects around the world. We were the interior design team responsible for the guest suites for the Crystal Endeavor – Crystal Cruises first new-build expedition ship. Please get in contact to find out more. info@kudosdsign.com kudosdsign.com F ollowing the entry into service of the new ship, the Crystal Cruises’ portfolio now includes two traditional oceangoing cruise ships, the Crystal Esprit cruise yacht, five river cruise vessels and the expedition cruise ship Crystal Endeavor. While many upmarket expedition cruise ships have a rakish profile that brings large megayachts to mind, the Crystal Endeavor has a more businesslike appearance, thanks to the fact that the engines are only slightly aft of midships and the bow has only a gentle rake forward. On many upper-end-of-the-market cruise ships, cabins are located forward and public areas aft of them, but on the Crystal Endeavor, the layout is more horizontal. The guiding flow optimization, public room layouts, cabin modules and support services were the work of AD Associates, based in London. They liaised closely with naval architects, expedition experts and operational sponsors, and they continued to support the process SHIP REVIEW CRYSTAL BROADENS PORTFOLIO WITH EXPEDITION SHIP The Crystal Endeavor is the first deep-sea cruise ship built by MV Werften and the first expedition cruise ship in the fleet of Crystal Cruises, which like the shipyard is part of the Genting Hong Kong group. It is also the first deep-sea newbuilding for the U.S.-based luxury cruise line since 2003. By Kari Reinikainen right through to delivery. “AD has played a significant role in designing the ship’s entertainment spaces, dining and public areas. While each space has its distinct design, it was a fundamental objective to ensure fluidity when travelling from room to room,” the company said in a statement. Six passenger decks The ship has six passenger decks and the majority of the public areas are located on decks 4 and 5. Cabins occupy most of decks 6 to 9, while on deck 10 there is a sun deck that features good-quality seating and is partly covered against the elements. Forward on deck 9 there is the Palm Court that has floor to ceiling windows on three sides and which is also used for afternoon tea. Immediately aft of this area, there is a pantry and library plus a space for lectures and conversations with members of the ship’s expedition teams Aft of deck 8 there is a helipad that can host two aircraft, while cabins occupy the midship and forward parts of this deck. The vessel also carries a sonar forward in the hull plus a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that can operate 600 metres from the camera. Further down on deck 5 there is a reception area forward that merges with a bistro. Aft of this, there is a gym and salon on the starboard side and a spa on the port side. Shops are also located on the starboard side along a corridor that separates the two. Products available for purchase include limited-time merchandise and destination-related, artisanal collections inspired by the ship’s planned itineraries. For initial voyages, guests can shop from a range of relevant goods that include a selection of outerwear accessories for polar climates, cold-weather skin care and sun protection technology. “The vision for Crystal Endeavor’s retail concept exemplifies adventurous with an element of practicality complemented by a flexible merchandise approach that equips guests to explore exotic, undiscovered destinations with comfort, style and craftsmanship,” said Lisa Bauer, President and CEO of Starboard ? Crystal Endeavor was built at MV Werften in Germany 38-44 .indd 3 38-44 .indd 3 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
40 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Cruise Services, which operates the shops, in a statement. “The fresh approach on retail is perfect for adventure travel while maintaining Crystal’s ultra-luxury standard.” Brands available include Alpaca Apparel, Caudalie, Herschel Supply Co., Hubert Jewelry and Lat & Lo plus Swarowski Optik. “The launch of Crystal’s first vessel designed exclusively for expedition cruising needed the retail program to be customized for adventurous world travelers. The daring retail program elicits exploratory shopping and accentuates the unique guest cruise journey,” added Crystal Cruises President Jack Anderson. Aft on deck 5, there is the lower part of a two-deck-high, glass enclosed solarium that also has a pool and a Jacuzzi. The walls and ceiling of the solarium are made of glass, so that it can be used to enjoy the views outside. “The Solarium design is a realization of our vision to bring the outside in,” said Anders Lund-Rasmussen, Project Director at Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS), which was in charge of the area. “Look up to witness the majesty of star fields, while you let all your worries evaporate in the spa or maybe catch a glimpse of a polar bear as you cruise by, while sipping a snow ball cocktail. We’re creating unforgettable memories by surrounding you with plenty of exquisite designs,” he said in a statement. TDoS also designed the Palm Court and salon, fitness and sauna areas on the ship. Continuing down to deck 4, there is a casino forward on the starboard side and aft of this is the Crystal Cove, which is used by guest speakers and also acts as a venue for pre-dinner cocktail parties and late night entertainment. The Umi Uma sushi bar is located aft of the lounge on the starboard side, offering Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. A gallery runs from Crystal Cove on the port side of the ship, where one will find Prego, an Italian restaurant that is a hallmark of Crystal Cruises. The Vintage Room, which features fine vintage wines, is also located here. Waterside, the largest dining venue on the ship, is located at the aft end of the gallery and occupies the full width of the stern on Deluxe Suite and bathroom 38-44 .indd 4 38-44 .indd 4 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
deck 4. The restaurant has an open-sitting policy and offers a Michelin-inspired menu with a selection of modern favorites. Ship performed well in bad weather The Crystal Endeavor performed very well on its sea trials that were conducted in the North Sea in May. The ship underwent rigorous performance and operational tests on its systems, machinery and engines including safety, navigation and propulsion systems and noise and vibration measurements, said Gustaf Grönberg, EVP Marine Operations and Newbuildings at Genting Hong Kong. The onboard team, consisting of Captain Thomas Larsen plus senior bridge end engine room teams from the cruise line, with engineers, naval architects and builders from MV Werften, noted that the ship had exceeded expectations when it came to performance. The Crystal Endeavor “crashCRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 41 Crystal Endeavor in Vopnafjordur, Iceland Ph oto cre dit : Br un o Ca za rin i Gustaf Grönberg ? 38-44 .indd 5 38-44 .indd 5 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
stopped” from full speed to zero within 660 meters, equal to four ships’ lengths compared with 1,700 meters or 10 ships’ lengths that was the requirement. Its maneuverability, such as in the turning circle test, also far exceeded the set standards and noise measured at 10% lower than requirements with vibration measuring even lower at up to 80% lower than requirements. The ship also exceeded the 19.0 knot top speed required by the building contract by attaining 19.7 knots on the trials. The ship’s propulsion system includes two Azipod D units and a diesel-electric power plant designed specifically for ice-going vessels to help them operate at optimum efficiency while providing 13,020 kW of installed power, delivering well-balanced power and propulsion installation, giving both speed and comfort. The Crystal Endeavor has a Polar Class 6 ice classification to allow operations in the high latitudes north and south. Grönberg noted that the ship had performed very well in rough weather conditions that were experienced on the second trial run. This is very important, given the fact that it will operate in various parts of the world where weather conditions can be challenging. Throughout the design of the ship, functionality was high on the agenda and the bridge of the ship represents a major step forward in ergonomics. “Nothing like this has been built so far,” he pointed out. The Crystal Endeavor has a gross tonnage of 20,449 and under normal conditions can accommodate 200 passengers, for a very high space ratio of 102.2. Grönberg noted that the option to cruise in Asia and cater to the local markets, where it is common that people travel with family and in larger groups, was taken into account in the design. For instance, in the cabins a thick curtain is fitted so that the bedroom and sitting areas can be separated from each other. Sofa beds in each cabin can be used by a further two people, and the ship’s capacity will double to 400 as a consequence. Even then, the space ratio would be about 50 – still a rather high figure. Teamwork essential to success The Crystal Endeavor is the first deep-sea cruise liner that MV Werften has built, although the yard had previously delivered four high-end-of-the-market river cruise ships for Crystal Cruises. Grönberg said that the shipyard team acknowledged that it did not have all the experience in-house that would be needed to successfully complete the vessel. As a result, it was essential that good cooperation could be forged between the yard, designers, the owner and the contractors and suppliers that were involved in the project. This important goal was achieved and largely the same teams will also work on the Global Dream, a 208,000 gross ton ship for Dream Cruises that is a sister company of Crystal Cruises. Many of the companies that worked on the Crystal Endeavor had already been involved with the construction of the four river cruise vessels that MV Werften delivered to Crystal Cruises and they are also likely to work on the Universal class ships of some 85,000 gross tons that the Genting Hong Kong group plans to build at MV Werften. These are intended for charter work, with major international hotel groups envisaged as key customers. Should the plans materialize, they would mark a major development in the cruise industry, where it is customary that the ships are owned by the companies that operate them. In most cases, technical management is also kept in-house. Hotel companies, by comparison, often employ an asset-light business model. They rarely own the properties but rather just operate the hotel in them. Sometimes even the operations are outsourced to a third party, or the operations are based on the franchise business model. “It is very costly and complicated to meet the requirements of technical management in shipping. Besides, new regulations that will take effect in the future will make it even more demanding. With the Universal class, we can take care of all that on behalf of the hotel operators,” Grönberg pointed out. As the global economy is recovering from the pandemic, there are concerns that inflation will accelerate, at least temporarily. These concerns are affecting the shipbuilding sector as well, Grönberg pointed out. An article in Fortune magazine said in early July that the price of steel has risen by 215% since March last year and price pressures are emerging elsewhere in the supply chain as well. “Building the ship during the Covid pandemic added a lot of stress and new challenges for all parties involved, in a way it did also singles out those who are looking for a long term partnership with MW Werften,” he said. All voices heard Pia Litokorpi, Managing Director of Kudos Dsign in Finland that designed the cabins and cabin corridors of the Crystal Endeavor, said the project left pleasant memories. "I experienced that we had a good cooperation. Often the shipyard and the shipowner have different views about various things, but in this case the owner of both was the same company, and there were no such issues. Everybody’s voice was heard in this project,” Litokorpi told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. 42 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Resorts World at Sea casino 38-44 .indd 6 38-44 .indd 6 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
Litokorpi herself has past experience from project management and this was useful, once again, as it helped her to understand how these projects proceed and what pitfalls there may be along the way. One of the reasons, perhaps paradoxically, that made creating the Crystal Endeavor such a positive experience was the fact that MV Werften had not built an oceangoing cruise ship so far under the ownership of Genting Hong Kong. This meant that it lacked the experience that is required to complete a project like this, and the management of the yard openly admitted the situation. Instead of being a liability with potentially very harmful consequences to all concerned, the situation became a major strength of the project. As everyone got their voice heard, not only were potential pitfalls avoided, but the team that worked on the ship was able to find new solutions to challenges. This might not have been possible in case of a shipbuilder with a long experience in the cruise shipbuilding business with established ways of working. As far as the cabins are concerned, an aesthetically pleasing visual outcome and solutions that highlight functionality were at the top of the agenda for the project. The Kudos Dsign team interviewed staff members whose job it is to maintain and clean the cabins to find out what kind of details annoy them and hamper their work. It was found that keeping the number of decorative items low was a major wish from these people, whose voice rarely gets heard in the design process. The Crystal Endeavor is the first Crystal vessel that has no bathtubs in the bathrooms. However, since passengers will need to relax once they come onboard after an excursion ashore, the shower had CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 43 ? Palm Court Pia Litokorpi Waterside Expedition Lounge 38-44 .indd 7 38-44 .indd 7 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
to be upgraded beyond a standard one. As a result, there is heated bench in each bathroom on which you can sit while having a shower. Emphasis on functionality and flexibility Usually, cabins on cruise ships feature a desk and a small coffee table, but in the case of the Crystal Endeavor, a lot of thought was given to the use of the cabin as a place where it is possible to work in comfort. The desk can be turned 90 degrees so that if you place a chair behind it, you have a sea view. As many people are likely to work while on a cruise, this feature enhances the experience. The desk can also be used as a dining table thanks to the fact that it can be turned off the wall – a design feature that will probably be much appreciated in these days of the Covid-19 pandemic, but which also widens the use of the cabin by making it a venue for private dining. Moving on to the colors chosen for use in the cabins, Litokorpi said that the palette is calm and muted. “The nature of the destinations that the ship is visiting should be the main focus of passengers. In the cabins, it is therefore best to use calm and peaceful colors that allow the sceneries outside to remain in the focus, and to make the cabins peaceful places where the passengers can relax,” she said, adding that in the public areas of the ship, more colorful palettes have been used. On the other hand, it was decided that the color scheme in the cabins should not be too light, because then maintenance would be more demanding. Experience from other Crystal ships acted as a guide here. Too light colors can be difficult from the maintenance point of view On the Crystal Endeavor, access to the cabins is from a short corridor that two cabins share. This allowed Kudos Dsign to introduce a cupboard where passengers can place their laundry at the end of the short cabin corridor. This is accessible both from the cabin and also from the corridor. Items can be collected from the cupboard without the staff having to enter the cabin itself and disturb the passengers. This solution also helps to dampen sounds that might otherwise be heard in the cabins as there is a separate door from the shared corridor to the main one. Another important aspect of the design has been access to technical areas behind the screens in cabins. “Easiness of maintenance is a major issue on cruise ships. Sometimes a lot of paneling and other items will have to be removed before it’s possible to access, for example, piping,” she noted. On the 44 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Crystal Endeavor, it was decided right from the beginning of the design process that problems such as these should not emerge on the new ship. This was the right approach, because if these concerns arise later, fixing them can require a lot of extra work. “Then the price may no longer be the same as the one that had been originally agreed,” she pointed out. Genting Hong Kong acquired Crystal Cruises in 2015, and it has not always been smooth sailing for them and MV Werften since. However, the delivery of the Crystal Endeavor marks a major step forward in their relationship despite the challenges of the Covid19 pandemic.n The Pantry and Library Zodiacs and kayaks Mudroom Umi Uma 38-44 .indd 8 38-44 .indd 8 3.9.2021 7.03 3.9.2021 7.03
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 45 Our Voyage Plan Before any voyage, a passage plan has to be made, or better yet a voyage-optimizing plan, where we also consider how the weather and other threats will affect us. We need also to consider the possibility of avoiding weather systems that we cannot handle properly. This plan could and should also include optimizing our route for energy conservation as well, which can be achieved, for example, by following a sea current or at least by seeking ways to avoid heading into large waves. There are a lot of good software’s on the market that can assist with this stage of the planning, as well as programs that calculate the ideal and most energy-efficient route to achieve your specific objective. However, setting such software aside, the focus of this article is on how to best implement Threat and Error Management into your voyage planning and how to execute this plan. Planning from Berth to Berth The important message here is that we need to plan our route from berth to berth, taking into consideration everything that might happen during our voyage. Remember to consider the weather, and especially systems with restricted visibility. Ask yourself if you will be transiting a narrow channel or fairway or perhaps passing through a canal. Also, consider heavy traffic areas where you could end up in a situation where there exists a risk of collision. Of course, this plan has to be updated as soon as there are changes to any of the influencing factors, for example, the weather. Planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do something. The nicest thing about not planning is that failure always comes as a complete surprise and is not preceded by a period of worry and desperation – John Harvey-Jones T HREAT AND ERROR MANAGEMENT Threat and Error – TEM Using the principles of Threat and Error Management, TEM, in our planning will make our voyage safer for us, our guests, and our cargo. It also helps to protect the property, the ship, and the equipment. TEM has its origins in the aviation industry where, despite the high level of human factors awareness and resource management training, errors continued to occur in the cockpit. Mariners might simply view TEM as the practice of good seamanship. Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised – Denis Waitley Remember What to Plan For We plan our voyage the best we can, taking into account all of the possible elements that might affect us, which means that we must be willing to dedicate some considerable time to this process. The longer the voyage is and the greater the number of varying elements it has, the more time you need to dedicate to the planning process. Remember also that all of the team members have good experience, so get them involved. The better we plan the lesser the risk is for a single point of error and for any type of errors we might make as humans. A good plan which is well-executed following well-established procedures gives us a greater chance of success. Remember that no matter how well equipped the bridge is or how many modern and efficient new tools we have, including being well-trained in using them, we will continue to make mistakes. As Albert Einstein said – A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. By Mikael Hilden 45-47 .indd 3 45-47 .indd 3 8.9.2021 16.31 8.9.2021 16.31
46 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 The Helmreich Model The following model is adapted from Helmreich's model (1999), categorizing TEM into the categories of threats and errors, and then further dividing both into either external or internal. The TEM model categorizes the following as threats: External threats such as mechanical failure, vessel condition, environmental events, poor communication, traffic, or other external errors Internal threats such as fatigue, distraction, boredom, over/ under -confidence, lack of skills, behavioral issues, stress et cetera The TEM model categorizes the following as errors: External errors like engine or deck crew, VTS, other traffic, terminals, and tugs et cetera Internal errors like bridge team slips, lapses, mistakes, or violations The model proposes using BRM behaviors as TEM countermeasures to: Recognize and avoid threats Detect and trap errors TEM countermeasures using BRM skills Planning countermeasures, including passage planning, briefing, workload delegation, and contingency plans Execution countermeasures such as monitoring, crosschecking, close-loop communications, workload automation management Review countermeasures; monitoring and modifying the plans as the passage proceeds, thinking aloud, assertiveness, asking questions Risk Management – RM While risk management sits at the heart of our safety management system, RM and TEM can be considered to be two sides of the same coin. Where RM is the process of deciding whether an operation can be conducted to an acceptable risk level, TEM is the process of managing safety while already underway. This thought process also connects TEM with BRM. A few Selective Collision Regulation Rules In this article, we will only look at a few selective Collision Regulation rules without going into too many details. These rules represent pertinent aspects of the passage planning and the voyage itself. R 5 – Look-Out One important rule is Rule 5 that concerns look-out. This rule regards situational awareness and says that every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions to make a full appraisal of the situation and the risk of collision. This leads us to the situational awareness that is one of the fundamental points in our BRM. R 6 – Safe Speed Safe speed can and should be taken into consideration already during the planning stage. Remember that safe speed is such that the vessel can, at all times, take effective actions to avoid collision and can stop within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions. Unsafe speed is a major cause of collisions, as is slowing down to the point that steering is lost. Hence, all unsafe speeds are against Rule 6. When considering speed, take into account the visibility, traffic, maneuverability of the vessel, background light, environmental conditions, draught in relation to the depth. R 18 – Responsibility Between Vessels Remember the responsibility between vessels and who shall keep away from whom, also that you shall not impede the safe navigation of another vessel. You might be on a deep draft vessel but remember that the draft alone is not a criterion for being a vessel constrained by draft – CBD. As per Rule 3, CBD means a power-driven vessel which, because of her draught in relation to the available depth and width of navigable water, is severely restricted in her ability to deviate from her course. In addition, Rule 18 says that a CBD vessel shall navigate with particular caution, having full regard to her special condition. Also, Rule 9 and Rule 10 require certain types of vessels not to impede, but as soon as there is a risk of collision the other ship has to take action as well. Bridge Resource Management – BRM The error aspect of TEM can be managed using BRM techniques. To be able to fulfill the requirements of proper BRM, and when sailing and navigating in confined waters, we have to have a shared mental model of the operation that enables challenge and response amongst the bridge team. This model must be thorough enough to clearly give the team time to react to any danger ahead. Even if we proceed with a safe speed that is adjusted to the visibility, traffic, and surroundings so that proper and effective actions can be taken to avoid collision and the vessel can be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions, difficult situations can still arise surprisingly fast. To have full situational awareness, we have to plan well in advance and brief our team so that we have a common mental model. Then we need to follow our plan, and if we cannot follow it, whether by intention or by error, we have to have a way to challenge our team. Knowing when and where to challenge, we must monitor the progress using all available means, because it is by doing this that we can minimize the risk of a single error that might cause an accident. This model needs to be shared with the pilots as well. A Shared Mental Model As your passage plan also needs to include the parts where you normally have pilots on board, for example, passing narrow waterways, canals, or arrivals to ports, you must have in place an effective way to brief the pilot as soon as he/she arrives onboard. Prepare all relevant documents and information in a manner that is easy to understand and read so that the pilot can share your mental model of the situation. Some of this information has to be given immediately, while other points can wait until the pilot has adjusted to the situation. Perhaps you can even send some of the information ahead of your arrival, which will help you in the briefing later on. The better you plan and the more you share, the more easily you will be ready to adjust in case an unexpected change has to be made upon request of the pilot. 45-47 .indd 4 45-47 .indd 4 8.9.2021 14.19 8.9.2021 14.19
The Planned Track and No-Go Areas You have to have your planned corridor, which is based on your ship’s dimensions and characteristics. There has to be a track/ corridor that you can follow, as well as clear no-go areas where you, for some reason, cannot go. Between your planned corridor and the no-go areas, you have your reserve area where you can go only if the circumstances require, however not without a challenge from the team due to the heightened risk that occurs the closer you get to the no-go area. Remember that when leaving your planned track/corridor, the risk increases, always. All these values need to be easy enough to follow and monitor. When these values are properly explained to the pilots, they can more easily respond to your probes when outside your planned corridor. You do not have to challenge immediately; however, you do need a proper response. By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. – Benjamin Franklin Before Entering a Narrow Area Be sure that you and your team know and make clear to all involved how much space you need in certain wind conditions, especially when you proceed with reduced speed and you need to understand if it is possible or not to enter a canal or sail through a breakwater in the first place. Accidents During Pilotage When accidents occur whilst a vessel is under pilotage, the cause is generally a collective underperformance of the bridge team, and it is recognized that the ships’ masters and officers will also have played a part, according to the Gard P&I Club. Teijo Niemelä E-mail: editor[a]cruisebusiness.com CruiseBusiness.com REVIEWING CRUISE BUSINESS GLOBALLY Magazine A report by the International Group of P&I Clubs, issued in December 2020, recorded a total of 1 046 incidents where pilot error contributed to or caused an incident from 1999 to 2019, with the annual average of 52 incidents equating to one incident per week. Both an effective Master-Pilot Information Exchange at the start of the piloted navigation and a well-performing BRM during this passage, are decisive factors in successful pilotage. I hope that all your landfalls are expected! For all advertisement and sponsored content information, please contact: Our Winter 2021/2022 issue will be published in early January 2022 Christer Gorschelnik Tel: +358-440-159 554 E-mail: christer.gorschelnik[a] kolumbus.fi Captain Mikael Hilden 45-47 .indd 5 45-47 .indd 5 8.9.2021 16.32 8.9.2021 16.32
P.O.Box 55, Suojantie 5 FI-26101 Rauma, Finland Phone +358 30 600 5400 info@RMCfinland.fi www.RMCfinland.fi Building ships for specialist purposes and harsh conditions with skills and enthusiasm trusted for centuries. Seafaring has always been vital to Finns. Shipbuilding at coastal facilities in and around Rauma stretches from 14th century merchant ships to ultra-modern, specialized vessels of the 21st century. Hundreds of ships constructed in Rauma are today sailing and operating all the seas of the world. Rauma’s shipbuilding competence has always been characterized by traditional spirit and pride and recent decades have seen a focus on the successful development of marine and environmental technology. NB6002, Aurora Botnia, The New Ferry for Wasaline NB6003, MyStar, The New Tallink Shuttle Ferry ”eye catcher”! NB6009 and NB6010 ”The New Ferries for TT-Line, Tasmania” rauma 9.8.2021.indd 1 10.8.2021 15:41:38 48-55 .indd 2 48-55 .indd 2 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 49 P.O.Box 55, Suojantie 5 FI-26101 Rauma, Finland Phone +358 30 600 5400 info@RMCfinland.fi www.RMCfinland.fi Building ships for specialist purposes and harsh conditions with skills and enthusiasm trusted for centuries. Seafaring has always been vital to Finns. Shipbuilding at coastal facilities in and around Rauma stretches from 14th century merchant ships to ultra-modern, specialized vessels of the 21st century. Hundreds of ships constructed in Rauma are today sailing and operating all the seas of the world. Rauma’s shipbuilding competence has always been characterized by traditional spirit and pride and recent decades have seen a focus on the successful development of marine and environmental technology. NB6002, Aurora Botnia, The New Ferry for Wasaline NB6003, MyStar, The New Tallink Shuttle Ferry ”eye catcher”! NB6009 and NB6010 ”The New Ferries for TT-Line, Tasmania” rauma 9.8.2021.indd 1 10.8.2021 15:41:38 FERRY REVIEW NEW PAGE IN GULF OF BOTHNIA FERRY SERVICE Scandinavia is the only part of the world where ferries cater not just for transport, but are also well established as platforms to offer short cruises, sometimes including a hotel stay at the destination. Wasaline, which operates relatively short crossings between Finland and Sweden, is about to introduce the first-ever newbuilding designed for service between the two ports it will serve. To be called the Aurora Botnia, the new ship will mean a significant improvement in quality of accommodations, flexibility and capacity when it enters service in late August. By Kari Reinikainen Aurora Botnia started its service at the end of August 48-55 .indd 3 48-55 .indd 3 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
50 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 Jo un i Uu sit up a 2 elomatic.indd 2 27.7.2021 13:01:32 Elomatic sees design in 3-D H aving been in the engineering design consultancy business since 1970, Elomatic has a lot of experience in the sector both ashore and afloat. Projects ranging from automation, energy and processing to electrical and mechanical design have enabled an extensive portfolio of knowledge on which to build solid solutions. Elomatic Consulting & Engineering Ltd., with its main office in Finland’s unofficial shipbuilding capital Turku, focuses primarily on the cruise and passenger ferry sectors, but also has been involved with special-purpose vessels with tailored features for over two decades. Meanwhile, the group celebrated its golden anniversary last year. Elomatic’s latest references include cooperation with MV Werften in the construction of the Genting Global class. “We were mainly involved in the bigger ships – the 208,000 gross ton Global 1 and 2 – and worked with the yard for 3½ years until separated by Covid,” says Juha Hoppela, Elomatic Sales Manager. “These included the basic and detailed design phases plus on-site support and production design interfaces. We felt we supported the customer to figure out ways to ramp up their new production activities to work out ways to enhance performance building the bigger vessels.” Their most recent project is the Aurora Botnia (also covered elsewhere in this issue of CruiseBusiness.com Magazine). “It’s the most environmentally friendly passenger car ferry in the world,” exclaims Otto Ståhle, Project Manager, Electrical Department, “and there were strict criteria for its design specifications, such as incorporating the 2MW battery system for its approach and departure to and from its Swedish and Finnish ports. We started in March 2019 and the basic design was done by September, after which we continued to create drawings for the cabling, routing, pulling lists and production support – over 200 documents employing several thousands of hours.” 2-D sunset, 3-D sunrise The new facet of this project was Elomatic’s use of three-dimensional design for the cable routing. “This was new for this customer, and in the future I think 3-D design will become normal practice for electrical design too,” foresees Ståhle. “In the electrical area, we have the advantage because of our in-house software Cadmatic Electrical, which is an excellent cutting-edge tool to generate drawings more and more from a database.” There is just one small problem: Elomatic’s Cadmatic is so new and advanced that many shipyards do not utilize nor benefit from it. This means Elomatic must revert to conventional software like AutoCAD. “Utilizing the latest solutions of software tools with the relevant information more broadly, we can identify ways to provide a competitive edge to our enduser clients. They get not only our design but also support in the latter phases, making the whole project more efficient,” explains Hoppela. “In the future there will be no drawing boards but a database for the design tool, which will generate drawings automatically based on the specifications fed in. It is our goal to make documents more effective and avoid human errors in design,” points out Ståhle. This is due to the simple fact that manual drawings using software are created by people and without a corrective database – much like the spelling and grammar check tools found on IT or communications devices. Ståhle feels that conventional software tools are now obsolete; every tool has a lifecycle, and in software that can be relatively short. Elomatic via its subsidiary Cadmatic will teach yards how to use their new technology. Cadmatic is both a brand and subsidiary name of Elomatic and has features for both marine and land-based projects such as power plants. “All yards have different attitudes and perspectives as to how they approach and use design-based data for their next phases,” comments Hoppela. “In general, the Finnish shipyards are a bit ahead of the others in the system’s usage. Instruction and tutoring is and will be required, as the switch to new software is yet to be made. This means more coordination to recognize that utilization of design-based data will result in a good development pool eventually,” Hoppela concludes. Lastly, Elomatic the company has positioned itself strategically in the marine and on-shore design sectors, supported by technical analyses services. “We are one of the few providers of broad services and knowledge combined,” he states. Co ur te sy of De po sit ph ot os .co m www.elomatic.com SPONSORED CONTENT 2 elomatic.indd 3 27.7.2021 13:00:39 “A urora Botnia will operate the northernmost, year-round big ropax service in the world, and the two ropaxes that we have on order from TT Line in Australia will operate the southernmost, between Melbourne and Davenport,” noted Håkan Enlund, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC), the Finnish ferry builder. The Aurora Botnia was nearing completion when CruiseBusiness.com Magazine spoke to Enlund, as the ship was preparing for its second sea trial. “The ship will run on LNG this time; the first trials were conducted, from a naval architecture point of view, to test the performance and various systems onboard. The second trial will also be used to test automation onboard,” he said. Demanding conditions in winter The ship’s route between the Finnish port of Vaasa and Umeå in Sweden will set certain requirements for the vessel, particularly in ice conditions. The fairway to Vaasa in quite narrow, and if the Aurora Botnia meets another ship in it, it will have to be able to break its own channel to allow the other vessel to pass. As most of the traffic in the region is north-south bound or vice versa, further complications follow in ice conditions. As icebreakers and other vessels break a north-south channel, ice will pile up on its side that will make passage more difficult in the east-west direction, which is what the Aurora Botnia will sail, Enlund explained. The Gulf of Bothnia is narrowest between Vaasa and Umeå, and with prevailing winds from the southwest, ice tends to pack here. The same happens when the wind is from a northerly direction, so the ship’s ice-breaking capabilities have been a major part of the design work. However, this has also required a lot of optimization, because the ship should also perform well in open water. In addition, the Aurora Botnia is the first ferry in the world that has been assigned Clean Design notification by its classification society. This means that parameters have not only been set for emissions and bilge water, etc., but “what will happen if something does happen,” as Enlund put it, has also been taken into account. The aim has been to ensure that no pollution would occur in case of such an event – for example, that no oil or other pollutants should escape into the sea. Cabins small but significant Unlike on services between Finland and Sweden further south, where ships can call at the Aland Islands that are outside of the EU’s tax regime, the Aurora Botnia will not offer this incentive to travel. “As a result of this, it is necessary to attract people to the new ship by other means,” Enlund said, adding that a functional and attractive design is a key component in this toolbox. “Although Aurora Botnia will not operate night crossings, it has a number of well-appointed cabins for passengers. This is because many people want to enjoy a dinner and perhaps coffee with cognac onboard. They can then spend a night onboard while it is in port and drive off the ship the following morning,” Enlund said. The entry into service of the Aurora Botnia will allow Wasaline – the company that operates on the three-and-a halfhour crossings – to meet the growing demand for freight capacity, said Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director. The 21,400 gross ton ship will be the first newbuilding to operate on the service, which has its roots going back to 1948. The Port of Vaasa handled ? Peter Ståhlberg 48-55 .indd 4 48-55 .indd 4 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
Jo un i Uu sit up a 2 elomatic.indd 2 27.7.2021 13:01:32 Elomatic sees design in 3-D H aving been in the engineering design consultancy business since 1970, Elomatic has a lot of experience in the sector both ashore and afloat. Projects ranging from automation, energy and processing to electrical and mechanical design have enabled an extensive portfolio of knowledge on which to build solid solutions. Elomatic Consulting & Engineering Ltd., with its main office in Finland’s unofficial shipbuilding capital Turku, focuses primarily on the cruise and passenger ferry sectors, but also has been involved with special-purpose vessels with tailored features for over two decades. Meanwhile, the group celebrated its golden anniversary last year. Elomatic’s latest references include cooperation with MV Werften in the construction of the Genting Global class. “We were mainly involved in the bigger ships – the 208,000 gross ton Global 1 and 2 – and worked with the yard for 3½ years until separated by Covid,” says Juha Hoppela, Elomatic Sales Manager. “These included the basic and detailed design phases plus on-site support and production design interfaces. We felt we supported the customer to figure out ways to ramp up their new production activities to work out ways to enhance performance building the bigger vessels.” Their most recent project is the Aurora Botnia (also covered elsewhere in this issue of CruiseBusiness.com Magazine). “It’s the most environmentally friendly passenger car ferry in the world,” exclaims Otto Ståhle, Project Manager, Electrical Department, “and there were strict criteria for its design specifications, such as incorporating the 2MW battery system for its approach and departure to and from its Swedish and Finnish ports. We started in March 2019 and the basic design was done by September, after which we continued to create drawings for the cabling, routing, pulling lists and production support – over 200 documents employing several thousands of hours.” 2-D sunset, 3-D sunrise The new facet of this project was Elomatic’s use of three-dimensional design for the cable routing. “This was new for this customer, and in the future I think 3-D design will become normal practice for electrical design too,” foresees Ståhle. “In the electrical area, we have the advantage because of our in-house software Cadmatic Electrical, which is an excellent cutting-edge tool to generate drawings more and more from a database.” There is just one small problem: Elomatic’s Cadmatic is so new and advanced that many shipyards do not utilize nor benefit from it. This means Elomatic must revert to conventional software like AutoCAD. “Utilizing the latest solutions of software tools with the relevant information more broadly, we can identify ways to provide a competitive edge to our enduser clients. They get not only our design but also support in the latter phases, making the whole project more efficient,” explains Hoppela. “In the future there will be no drawing boards but a database for the design tool, which will generate drawings automatically based on the specifications fed in. It is our goal to make documents more effective and avoid human errors in design,” points out Ståhle. This is due to the simple fact that manual drawings using software are created by people and without a corrective database – much like the spelling and grammar check tools found on IT or communications devices. Ståhle feels that conventional software tools are now obsolete; every tool has a lifecycle, and in software that can be relatively short. Elomatic via its subsidiary Cadmatic will teach yards how to use their new technology. Cadmatic is both a brand and subsidiary name of Elomatic and has features for both marine and land-based projects such as power plants. “All yards have different attitudes and perspectives as to how they approach and use design-based data for their next phases,” comments Hoppela. “In general, the Finnish shipyards are a bit ahead of the others in the system’s usage. Instruction and tutoring is and will be required, as the switch to new software is yet to be made. This means more coordination to recognize that utilization of design-based data will result in a good development pool eventually,” Hoppela concludes. Lastly, Elomatic the company has positioned itself strategically in the marine and on-shore design sectors, supported by technical analyses services. “We are one of the few providers of broad services and knowledge combined,” he states. Co ur te sy of De po sit ph ot os .co m www.elomatic.com SPONSORED CONTENT 2 elomatic.indd 3 27.7.2021 13:00:39 48-55 .indd 5 48-55 .indd 5 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
KOJA Ltd. www.koja.com LEADING INNOVATIONS – FOR YOUR BENEFIT HI-tech R&D Center for HVAC Tested in rough conditions for smooth sailing W hile the pandemic has caused many involved in the cruise industry to pause for breath or even to withdraw, Koja Marine – the Finland-based supplier of HVAC systems – has never had it so good. “Our orderbook is the biggest we have ever had,” states Esko Nousiainen, KM Business Director. “We will be busy until 2026.” His confidence is based on a recent spate of orders that he is happy to list. This year, Koja Marine has signed the AHU contract for the sixth Oasis-class newbuilding, the fourth to be built at Chantiers de l`Atlantique in France. This means all six will be KM-equipped. A similar deal was inked for the Quantum-class newbuildings from Meyer Papenburg, so all five vessels have Koja Marine AHU packages aboard. “Even though it is now difficult to travel to Germany and France due to Covid-19 restrictions and on-the-spot tests required, we will do them,” Nousiainen states determinedly. In addition to established brands, KM has also made headway with newcomers to the cruise scene. Two ships being built at MV Werften, the Global Dream and a sister vessel, are signed up along with all three Swan Hellenic expedition vessels on order at the new Helsinki Shipyard. Even the LNG-powered ferries for Wasaline and Tallink now being built in Rauma are done and dusted. Last, but not least, are AHU and fancoil deliveries to Meyer Turku for TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7 and Royal Caribbean’s Project Icon. Koja Marine – the art of the clean sweep Nousiainen feels that the secret to Koja Marine’s success lies in its all-in-onestop bespoke packages. As a specialist subcontractor, Koja Marine stands apart as it has its own dedicated R&D, production, electrical and automation that provides all the software plus in-house trained installation teams. The outcome is tailored to all sizes of cruise ship or ferry. Koja Marine AHU’s are the key to better conditions onboard Koja Marine AHU’s are tested in state-of-art testing facilities in Koja’s R&D Center “We are extremely competitive and a reliable supplier. Although fulfilling these orders will stretch our capacity, we will fulfil them all as we always do,” Nousiainen says. “I think it is unique to provide everything in-house. Plus, we’ve been in this business over 25 years and not lost a single customer yet. It’s a sign we’ve done something right.” Nousiainen is proud of an RCCL video showing their Miami team and the University of Nebraska testing KM’s Oasis-class equipment. They found it works efficiently and its airflow prevents any virus from spreading with just the addition of special filter technology to the basic design. “Design and testing of AHU is paramount and results in an effective system. The recent studies made it clear that plain filters are not enough; there must be additional ionizators or UV lights. All requirements are dictated by the shipowners, and they all have their own standards. We meet those stipulations and can install the needed extras at our factory, such as electrostatic and HEPA filters and UV lights that kill bacteria, germs and viruses.” KM’s latest R&D focuses on a new fan arrangement and the company is working hard on improving coils, as copper is expensive—highlighting the need to lessen weight and raise efficiency. “We are constantly improving our package” he sums up. Ka ri Pa lsi la Mi nn a Vir tav uo 52 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 more than a million passengers in the 1990s, but the abolition of duty-free sales in intra-EU travel in July 1999 sent volumes plummeting. At one point, the service to Umeå was maintained by a converted former East German freight ferry with austere and limited passenger accommodations. Freight important part of business To put things right, the municipalities of Umeå and Vaasa established a jointly owned company called NLC Ferry Oy AB, which purchased a 1981-built ropax vessel. It was renamed the Wasa Express and the operating entity was branded as Wasaline – both names that had been used before and that would be familiar to the public. The introduction of Wasa Express also allowed the new company to introduce mini cruises and offer hotel stays in both cities. Vaasa has a significant industrial base – Wärtsilä and ABB, both well known in the maritime sector, have large presence in the city. A Finnish and British company will build a battery factory in the city and the battery industry is also in focus in Umeå. About a quarter of Vaasa’s population has Swedish as its mother tongue and both Vaasa and Umeå have universities, so connections between the two cities remain close. Passenger facilities on the Aurora Botnia are superior to those on the Wasa Express and, more importantly, the ship has operational flexibility. Ståhlberg said that during low season some of the passenger spaces can be closed down and energy saved. This means that operating costs can be better adjusted to meet operating revenues. Wasaline launched mini cruises and hotel stays in 2014 and the business has grown briskly, Ståhlberg said. However, all the paperwork regarding invoices from hotels and so forth has been handled manually, and by 2019, it seemed that the volume had reached a level that the staff was struggling to manage. With the introduction of the Aurora Botnia, all this work will be handled by computers, which should remove a bottleneck from growth prospects and free the staff’s time for other work. The prospects for the passenger side of the business look encouraging, as people are likely to prefer holidays close to home in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Aurora Botnia has a passenger capacity of 800, but Ståhlberg said it can easily be increased to 1,000 – another example of the ship’s flexible design. Unsurprisingly, the passenger business enjoys the highest volumes in the summer, whereas freight volumes are more stable throughout the year. Prospects in this field are exciting as well: A Finnish company called Nurminen Logistics has started to operate freight trains from Finland to China via Russia and Kazakhstan. The business is growing well, and Wasaline forms a part of a chain that connects the train service to Norway and North Sweden. Exporters of Norwegian fish have shown an interest in the service, which also reaches Japan and South Korea. Green values, flexibility guide design Although the passenger side forms a significant part of Wasaline’s business, it is freight that forms its foundation. Umeå has container feeder services to and from the Continent, and Wasaline’s service provides a link for customers to access these, Ståhlberg pointed out. The comfort of passengers onboard ferries has started to become increasingly important in recent years, and green values are definitively becoming increasingly important as well, said Anu Shaw, designer at Kudos Dsign, the Finnish company in charge of the interiors of the ship. “Plans and choices are made against a long-term perspective and not just on the basis of following the latest trends,” she told CBM. “More and more innovative materials that meet the regulations that are required for use onboard ships are coming to the market. It is good that green values lead the R&D in this field and that more and more recycled materials are used,” she added. On the Aurora Botnia, carpets in passenger cabins are made partly using recycled fish nets and some of the public-area service counters are made of recycled plastic material, which can be recycled again. Textiles for use in interiors are now also available that are made of plastic waste collected from the sea and from beaches. However, some of these have not yet been certified by the IMO for use onboard ships. As passenger volumes are expected to fluctuate greatly between peak and quiet seasons, flexibility of spaces onboard has been a key goal in the design of public areas. “Dividing public areas up into smaller spaces is a cost-effective way to operate the ship, yet it does not compromise the comfort of passengers,” Shaw said. On the Aurora Botnia this can be done without sacrificing any of the services onboard, which ensures that passengers can enjoy all the comforts of the vessel even at times when passenger numbers are at their lowest, she concluded. Innovative life-saving and propulsion systems The Aurora Botnia’s external appearance is striking for the fact that the ship carries no lifeboats. Instead, it will use two evacuation sys? Instead of lifeboats, the Aurora Botnia’s safety setup is based on two marine evacuation systems supplied by Viking Life-Saving Equipment Outdoor cabin 48-55 .indd 6 48-55 .indd 6 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
KOJA Ltd. www.koja.com LEADING INNOVATIONS – FOR YOUR BENEFIT HI-tech R&D Center for HVAC Tested in rough conditions for smooth sailing W hile the pandemic has caused many involved in the cruise industry to pause for breath or even to withdraw, Koja Marine – the Finland-based supplier of HVAC systems – has never had it so good. “Our orderbook is the biggest we have ever had,” states Esko Nousiainen, KM Business Director. “We will be busy until 2026.” His confidence is based on a recent spate of orders that he is happy to list. This year, Koja Marine has signed the AHU contract for the sixth Oasis-class newbuilding, the fourth to be built at Chantiers de l`Atlantique in France. This means all six will be KM-equipped. A similar deal was inked for the Quantum-class newbuildings from Meyer Papenburg, so all five vessels have Koja Marine AHU packages aboard. “Even though it is now difficult to travel to Germany and France due to Covid-19 restrictions and on-the-spot tests required, we will do them,” Nousiainen states determinedly. In addition to established brands, KM has also made headway with newcomers to the cruise scene. Two ships being built at MV Werften, the Global Dream and a sister vessel, are signed up along with all three Swan Hellenic expedition vessels on order at the new Helsinki Shipyard. Even the LNG-powered ferries for Wasaline and Tallink now being built in Rauma are done and dusted. Last, but not least, are AHU and fancoil deliveries to Meyer Turku for TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7 and Royal Caribbean’s Project Icon. Koja Marine – the art of the clean sweep Nousiainen feels that the secret to Koja Marine’s success lies in its all-in-onestop bespoke packages. As a specialist subcontractor, Koja Marine stands apart as it has its own dedicated R&D, production, electrical and automation that provides all the software plus in-house trained installation teams. The outcome is tailored to all sizes of cruise ship or ferry. Koja Marine AHU’s are the key to better conditions onboard Koja Marine AHU’s are tested in state-of-art testing facilities in Koja’s R&D Center “We are extremely competitive and a reliable supplier. Although fulfilling these orders will stretch our capacity, we will fulfil them all as we always do,” Nousiainen says. “I think it is unique to provide everything in-house. Plus, we’ve been in this business over 25 years and not lost a single customer yet. It’s a sign we’ve done something right.” Nousiainen is proud of an RCCL video showing their Miami team and the University of Nebraska testing KM’s Oasis-class equipment. They found it works efficiently and its airflow prevents any virus from spreading with just the addition of special filter technology to the basic design. “Design and testing of AHU is paramount and results in an effective system. The recent studies made it clear that plain filters are not enough; there must be additional ionizators or UV lights. All requirements are dictated by the shipowners, and they all have their own standards. We meet those stipulations and can install the needed extras at our factory, such as electrostatic and HEPA filters and UV lights that kill bacteria, germs and viruses.” KM’s latest R&D focuses on a new fan arrangement and the company is working hard on improving coils, as copper is expensive—highlighting the need to lessen weight and raise efficiency. “We are constantly improving our package” he sums up. Ka ri Pa lsi la Mi nn a Vir tav uo 48-55 .indd 7 48-55 .indd 7 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
By John Pagni A well-known name in providing hybridization in the freighter world, WE Tech has recently made breakthroughs in the naval and passenger sectors. Its deal to supply the hybrid electric propulsion package for the state-of-the-art Wasaline ferry Aurora Botnia is seen as a pathfinder for future business. The LNG/LBG-fueled ferry will use all-electric drive train propulsion, which makes the quality of its power supply critical to optimum performance. “We have supplied the generators and converters in-between the Wärtsilä 31 main engines to the ABB thrusters and propellers,” explains Jan Backman, WE Tech’s Sales Director. The proprietary WE Drive modulates the AC power, which is generated at variable frequencies, to the required AC frequency at the ship’s main switchboard. Further, DC power can be distributed directly from the WE Drive to large consumers, and can be separately modulated to the required AC power at each large consumer. “This helps reduce the size of the main switchboard and reduces further losses in modulation as one AC/DC modulation cycle is removed,” Backman points out. The design shaves percentage points off assumed power loss and makes for much simpler main switchboard installation. The Aurora Botnia has battery banks, too – known as ESS or energy storage system – for power supply in port and for propulsion for both departing and approaching its two ports in Finland and Sweden. “So, there are no emissions near residential areas,” comments Backman. This is therefore known as Zero Emission Sailing Mode. WE Tech’s solution scope for the Aurora Botnia includes propulsion drives, main propulsion switchboards, propulsion control system, shore connection switch gears, energy management system and energy reservation and storage. “Our focus is on newbuildings in the merchant shipping, but also in smaller exploration cruise and short-sea ferry passenger markets. So far, no cruise ships – despite the huge demand caused by emissions requirements and desire for energy use costs saving,” says Backman, who describes retrofits as “challenging and costly.” WE Tech Solutions has over a decade’s proven experience and references to point to. And, it’s not only what he calls “modern shipowners” that grasp the idea: “Everyone is getting interested when savings in excess of 30% on the electricity bill can be achieved,” Backman concludes. WE Tech Solutions cuts power costs via energy-efficient technology Sa m m el i K or ho ne n http://wetech.fi/ WE.indd 1 27.7.2021 12:58:26 54 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 tems supplied by Viking Life-Saving Equipment that can be launched from the deck of the ship. They consist of an evacuation chute and an automatically inflatable life raft. Once the life raft has been deployed, people can quickly slide to safety through the evacuation chute. Compared to a lifeboat, a marine evacuation system offers a number of advantages: It takes up little space, can be deployed in a very short time, has a high capacity and enables quick rescue operations. “A ship the size of Aurora Botnia would need about six to eight traditional lifeboats. One lifeboat would accommodate a maximum of 150 passengers, and its deployment would take about 10 minutes and require the assistance of four people,” Ståhlberg said in a statement. “Only two evacuation systems are needed onboard, and it only takes about 90 seconds for one to two people to deploy one system. Aurora Botnia is the first Finnish passenger ship to completely replace lifeboats with evacuation systems,” he said. RMC added it would take an estimated half an hour to evacuate 1,100 people from the ship using the Viking Life-Saving Equipment system. The ship’s propulsion system is also innovative. “The new ferry will be the most environmentally friendly vessel in its category so far. The vessel’s machinery will run on a dual fuel solution: Besides liquefied natural gas, it can also be operated using biogas produced in the city of Vaasa. In addition, when the vessel is approaching the harbor, the main engines of the vessel can be switched off and the vessel can operate during the remaining distance utilizing battery power,” Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO of RMC, said in a statement. The Aurora Botnia is also one of the few ferries that have been fitted with Azipod electric propulsors. Two of these provide 5,800 kW of power each and the system also eliminates the use of rudders. Such propulsors have for years been extensively used on cruise ships, but as many ferries use diesel engines connected to propeller shafts via gearboxes rather than using a diesel-electric power plant, they remain rare on ferries. More than two decades have passed since the service between Vaasa and Umeå had anything like a good-quality vessel, and – despite the fact that the service was introduced in 1948 – it has never employed a purpose-built newbuilding. The new ship will mean a quantum leap in terms of passenger comfort, and hopefully it will help to grow passenger numbers and develop the business of Wasaline, which made a bold decision to opt for a purpose-built ship for the service. n NEW AND OLD WASALINE SHIPS – KEY CHARACTERISTICS AURORA BOTNIA WASA EXPRESS Built 2021 1981 Length 150.0 m 140.8 m Beam 26.0 m 24.5 m Gross tonnage 24,500 17,098 Passengers 800 850 Lane meters 1,500 1,150 Propulsion system Hybrid, Diesels with diesel-electric gearboxes with Azipods Engine output 16,896 kW 4,866 kW Source: SHIPPAX Jyrki Heinimaa 48-55 .indd 8 48-55 .indd 8 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
By John Pagni A well-known name in providing hybridization in the freighter world, WE Tech has recently made breakthroughs in the naval and passenger sectors. Its deal to supply the hybrid electric propulsion package for the state-of-the-art Wasaline ferry Aurora Botnia is seen as a pathfinder for future business. The LNG/LBG-fueled ferry will use all-electric drive train propulsion, which makes the quality of its power supply critical to optimum performance. “We have supplied the generators and converters in-between the Wärtsilä 31 main engines to the ABB thrusters and propellers,” explains Jan Backman, WE Tech’s Sales Director. The proprietary WE Drive modulates the AC power, which is generated at variable frequencies, to the required AC frequency at the ship’s main switchboard. Further, DC power can be distributed directly from the WE Drive to large consumers, and can be separately modulated to the required AC power at each large consumer. “This helps reduce the size of the main switchboard and reduces further losses in modulation as one AC/DC modulation cycle is removed,” Backman points out. The design shaves percentage points off assumed power loss and makes for much simpler main switchboard installation. The Aurora Botnia has battery banks, too – known as ESS or energy storage system – for power supply in port and for propulsion for both departing and approaching its two ports in Finland and Sweden. “So, there are no emissions near residential areas,” comments Backman. This is therefore known as Zero Emission Sailing Mode. WE Tech’s solution scope for the Aurora Botnia includes propulsion drives, main propulsion switchboards, propulsion control system, shore connection switch gears, energy management system and energy reservation and storage. “Our focus is on newbuildings in the merchant shipping, but also in smaller exploration cruise and short-sea ferry passenger markets. So far, no cruise ships – despite the huge demand caused by emissions requirements and desire for energy use costs saving,” says Backman, who describes retrofits as “challenging and costly.” WE Tech Solutions has over a decade’s proven experience and references to point to. And, it’s not only what he calls “modern shipowners” that grasp the idea: “Everyone is getting interested when savings in excess of 30% on the electricity bill can be achieved,” Backman concludes. WE Tech Solutions cuts power costs via energy-efficient technology Sa m m el i K or ho ne n http://wetech.fi/ WE.indd 1 27.7.2021 12:58:26 48-55 .indd 9 48-55 .indd 9 8.9.2021 14.03 8.9.2021 14.03
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K CRUISE_Cruise_Business_Review_210x297_ESE.pdf 1 12/03/21 09:41 56-62 msc .indd 2 56-62 msc .indd 2 8.9.2021 14.10 8.9.2021 14.10
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 57 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K CRUISE_Cruise_Business_Review_210x297_ESE.pdf 1 12/03/21 09:41 SHIP INTRODUCTION AN EVOLUTION OF SEASIDE MSC SEASHORE – The MSC Seashore is one of several brand-new megaships introduced during the current pandemic. Unlike many of its competitors, the MSC Seashore was able to welcome guests aboard immediately after its delivery in August from Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. The MSC Seashore is sailing initially in the Mediterranean, but will reposition to PortMiami for the North American market in November. By Teijo Niemelä T he 170,412 gross ton MSC Seashore is based on the smaller 153,516 gross ton MSC Seaside, which entered service in December 2017. During the delivery ceremony in Monfalcone for the Seaside, MSC Cruises and Fincantieri agreed to construct this heavily modified vessel – dubbed the Seaside EVO class. This marked the third newbuild that MSC Cruises had contracted from the Italian shipbuilder. Previously, the company had constructed its cruise ship newbuilds at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Despite its exterior resemblance to its sisters in the Seaside class, the MSC Seashore is 65% of a new design with many public rooms relocated and new spaces introduced. The ship has 2,270 cabins of 12 different types. The MSC Yacht Club shipwithin-a-ship concept is largest to date in the MSC Cruises fleet, with almost 32,291 square feet of space, and is located on the top decks forward. There are 131Yacht Club Cabins spanning four decks in five categories ranging from regular Suites to Indoor Suites. Waterfront promenade connects to the sea To design the ship’s public areas, MSC Cruises teamed up with established architectural firms including Italy’s Studio de Jorio, Tillberg Design of Sweden and YSA Design of Norway. Like the other Seaside-class ships, the Seashore strikes a markedly different profile from other ships at sea. Its distinctive aft and waterfront promenade offer unique opportunities to bring guests even closer to the sea. One of the stand-out features is the spectacuTimes Square is the focal point of MSC Seashore Continued on page 61 56-62 msc .indd 3 56-62 msc .indd 3 8.9.2021 14.10 8.9.2021 14.10
58 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 FREEDOM OF DESIGN WITH PROVEN SOLUTIONS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DECORATIVE SOLUTIONS Seamless, durable and flexible artificial PUR deck system, the new Sikafloor® 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 Sikafloor® Marine Deco Teak Sikafloor® Marine Deco Comfort Y SA Design has followed up its extensive involvement in the MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview cruise ship projects to add the MSC Seashore as its latest reference for MSC Cruises. The Norwegian designer now has a relationship with MSC extending back almost a decade. The third vessel in the Seaside class, the MSC Seashore retains much of the branding established for its sister ships, but many of the public areas have been reimagined to signify an evolution in themes and features. As with the previous ships, YSA Design conceived and developed the Seashore’s Sports Bar, this time appointing the evocative interior with authentic memorabilia. The project required the development of a very detailed 3D model by YSA Design, which allowed the team to showcase its creative flair to deliver a colorful ambiance with the added attraction of a stylish new billiard room. In addition, YSA Design again worked on the multi-story waterpark Pirates Cove, which spans four decks and is one of the largest and most interactive water attractions at sea. Finally, YSA Design played a major role in the concept and detailed design of the Kids’ Club on deck 18. Consisting of various rooms to entertain children of all ages, this area has a futuristic space and planetary exploration theme, where YSA uses color, creativity and technology to transport younger guests to a new dimension. The vessel also features a new games arcade, adding to the emphasis on technology within the space. As with previous children’s areas onboard the Seaside-class ships, there is a continuing focus on the use of shapes and materials designed with hygiene in mind – soft, safe and easily reachable, as anything that is touched, grabbed or even chewed also needs to be cleanable. In the Covid-19 era, there is no doubt that the design of some spaces throughout the ship has required a rethink. However, Anna Storbraaten, Partner, YSA Design, says the cruise sector is already ahead of the curve compared to land-based environments. “Cruise ship designers and suppliers are accustomed to working with confined spaces and have already had to face up to comparable challenges where hygiene is concerned, albeit on a smaller scale. Clearly, coronavirus is of a different order but the use of hygienic and intelligent materials continues to evolve, and I would say we are redoubling and maturing our efforts rather than starting from scratch.” n YSA-designed spaces onboard MSC Seashore ? MSC Seashore offers new al fresco dining areas Pirates Cove 56-62 msc .indd 4 56-62 msc .indd 4 8.9.2021 14.10 8.9.2021 14.10
FREEDOM OF DESIGN WITH PROVEN SOLUTIONS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DECORATIVE SOLUTIONS Seamless, durable and flexible artificial PUR deck system, the new Sikafloor® 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 Sikafloor® Marine Deco Teak Sikafloor® Marine Deco Comfort 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, Dreamward, Zenith, Royal Viking Queen, Club Med II, Crown Jewel, Gruziya, Costa Allegra, Barfleur, Normandie, Windward, Crown 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 Atlantica, Millenium, Infinity, Adventurer 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, Oasis of the Seas, Celebrity Equinox, MSC Magnifica, Carnival Dream, Silver Spirit, Azura, Celebrity Eclipse, Le Boreal, Norwegian Epic, Queen Elizabeth, Allure of the Seas, L’Austal, Disney Dream, Carnival Magic, Celebrity Silhouette, Disney Fantasy, Carnival Breeze, MSC Divina, Celebrity Reflection, MSC 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 56-62 msc .indd 5 56-62 msc .indd 5 8.9.2021 14.10 8.9.2021 14.10
Learn more about our solutions for the marine industry at www.aqg.se/en/trafotek FACT. vessels around the world are equipped with Trafotek transformers. O V E R 1200 TRAFOTEK Trafotec.indd 1 Trafotec.indd 1 20.7.2020 6.51 20.7.2020 6.51 lar glass-floored Bridge of Sighs located 72 feet above the Infinity Pool, offering uninterrupted ocean views. Here is where MSC Cruises has made some of the biggest changes: The specialty restaurants, such as Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse and Kaito Sushi, have been brought down from the upper decks and now offer additional al fresco dining on the waterfront promenade. In total, the MSC Seashore offers 11 dining venues including traditional dining rooms and buffet restaurants, which are included in the ticket fare. In its interiors, the MSC Seashore pays tribute to New York. As such, the design features public areas and venue names inspired by the metropolitan U.S. city. These include an imposing four-meter-high replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and a newly designed expansive retail and entertainment area aptly named Times Square. The main feature of this new space is an 8.5-meter-high LED wall spanning four decks with a projection of the city’s iconic skyline, which changes in appearance from day to night including tailormade animations at various times throughout the voyage. ? Uptown Lounge 56-62 msc .indd 7 56-62 msc .indd 7 8.9.2021 14.10 8.9.2021 14.10
62 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 New cabaret concept Altogether, the MSC Seashore features 19 different bars and lounges. The most notable new concept is Le Cabaret Rouge, filled with eye-opening performances and drinks of every flavor. Inspired by French cabaret lounges of the 1920s, this newly designed aft lounge spans two decks close to the water, offering sea views through its glass walls. With 400 seats, this multi-functional space transforms seamlessly from cocktail hour with live music to an all-out dance party as the evening develops. During six nights of festivities, guests will discover a space where music, dance, cocktails and art collide, with each night paying homage to a different artist. Between DJ sets and pop-up performances, the lounge features an original show that is a true feast for the eyes, with acrobats, dancers, singers and musicians all rolled into one breathtaking spectacle. n Butcher’s Cut Infinity Pool 56-62 msc .indd 8 56-62 msc .indd 8 8.9.2021 14.10 8.9.2021 14.10