Cruisebusiness.com magazine Winter/2023

CruiseBusiness.com CruiseBusiness.com REVIEWING CRUISE BUSINESS GLOBALLY Magazine Magazine WINTER 2023 MSC World Europa – ‘a gigantic leap forward’ FIVE PORTS, ONE ISLAND Jamaica is one of the unique cruise destinations in the Western Caribbean. The island offers five ports-of-call: Falmouth, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio and Port Royal – each providing distinctive shore offerings and facilities. During 2022, the destination’s cruise business started to return to prepandemic levels, and the Port Authority of Jamaica reported a total of 290 calls with over 828,000 passengers. Our front cover features Norwegian Cruise Line’s first new Prima-class ship, the Norwegian Prima, docked at Ocho Rios. MyStar lights up the Baltic ferry scene kansi winter 2023.indd 1 kansi winter 2023.indd 1 7.2.2023 7.56 7.2.2023 7.56
www.PosidoniaSeaTourism.com Bronze Sponsors Diamond Sponsor Silver Sponsor THE RETURN TO GROWTH 25-26 April 2023 Makedonia Palace Hotel Thessaloniki, Greece Introducingnewdestinations andportalternatives The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum moves to Thessaloniki, Greece ’ s 2 nd largest port Cruise Business_210x297 14-01-23 23:16 ™ÂÏ›‰· 1 kansi winter 2023.indd 2 kansi winter 2023.indd 2 7.2.2023 7.56 7.2.2023 7.56
www.PosidoniaSeaTourism.com Bronze Sponsors Diamond Sponsor Silver Sponsor THE RETURN TO GROWTH 25-26 April 2023 Makedonia Palace Hotel Thessaloniki, Greece Introducingnewdestinations andportalternatives The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum moves to Thessaloniki, Greece ’ s 2 nd largest port Cruise Business_210x297 14-01-23 23:16 ™ÂÏ›‰· 1 kansi winter 2023.indd 3 kansi winter 2023.indd 3 7.2.2023 7.56 7.2.2023 7.56
ONWARDS. Now it is time to work even harder. They say when you reach the top, there is only one way to go. We say that way is onwards . Visit viking.com, call 1-800-2-VIKING or see your Travel Advisor AND #1 ON OCEANS... AGAIN, WHERE DO YOU GO NEXT? WHEN YOU ARE NAMED #1 ON RIVERS… Ship category: Mid-size ship 300–799 cabins From August 2022 Travel + Leisure® , 2022 Travel + Leisure Holdco, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Destinations, Inc. Travel + Leisure is published by TI Inc. Affluent Media Group, a subsidiary of Meredith Operations Corporation. Meredith Operations Corporation is not affiliated with Wyndham Destinations, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Travel + Leisure® is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Holdco, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Destinations, Inc. and is used under limited license. Viking Cruises is not affiliated with Wyndham Destination, Inc. or its subsidiaries. CST# 2052644-40 #1 Rivers & Oceans...again CONTENTS – WINTER 2023 4 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 6 Editor’s Commentary 8 Sponsored content: Successful events with Wulff Entre 8 Upfront 16 MSC World Europa ‘a gigantic leap forward’ 22 Princess Cruises previews Sun Princess 27 ICS 2022 convenes amidst industry recovery 29 MyStar lights up the Baltic 33 Carnival’s Excel class ships raise the bar 38 Mastering the Silver Endeavour 40 Viking business update Viking Polaris, the company’s second expedition vessel, and Viking Venus meet in IJmuiden, Holland Ph oto cre dit : Te ijo Ni em elä 4-5.indd 2 4-5.indd 2 10.2.2023 9.51 10.2.2023 9.51
Ph oto cre dit : Te ijo Ni em elä ONWARDS. Now it is time to work even harder. They say when you reach the top, there is only one way to go. We say that way is onwards . Visit viking.com, call 1-800-2-VIKING or see your Travel Advisor AND #1 ON OCEANS... AGAIN, WHERE DO YOU GO NEXT? WHEN YOU ARE NAMED #1 ON RIVERS… Ship category: Mid-size ship 300–799 cabins From August 2022 Travel + Leisure® , 2022 Travel + Leisure Holdco, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Destinations, Inc. Travel + Leisure is published by TI Inc. Affluent Media Group, a subsidiary of Meredith Operations Corporation. Meredith Operations Corporation is not affiliated with Wyndham Destinations, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Travel + Leisure® is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Holdco, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Destinations, Inc. and is used under limited license. Viking Cruises is not affiliated with Wyndham Destination, Inc. or its subsidiaries. CST# 2052644-40 #1 Rivers & Oceans...again 4-5.indd 3 4-5.indd 3 10.2.2023 9.51 10.2.2023 9.51
B efore the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, China had become one of the largest source markets in the cruise business with over 1.9 million travelers a year. Major cruise corporations had made long-term investments in new capacity, which was tailored to the tastes of a Chinese or Asian clientele. When Covid-19 hit and shut down cruise operations globally, no one knew that the Chinese cruise business would still be at a standstill in January 2023. During this nearly three-year period, a lot of new tonnage has been delivered aimed at the Chinese market, so cruise lines have been scrambling to find new deployments. Although at presstime China was opening its borders, cruise lines were still far away from returning to its shores. The most notable example of this is Costa Asia, which shut down its operations completely. The company took delivery of two new 135,500 gross ton ships from Fincantieri during the pandemic – the Costa Firenze and Costa Venezia. Both were primarily designed with Asian guests in mind. In a novel solution, Carnival Corporation & plc decided to deploy the ships to the U.S. market with Carnival Cruise Line, but under the tagline Carnival Fun Italian Style. Even so, the Costa Group still is burdened with excess capacity. At presstime two vessels remained laid up, and the company has decided to sell up to three ships for further trading. But this doesn’t mean that Carnival Corporation & plc is absent from China entirely. Together with CSSC, it has a joint venture named CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping. The framework for this cooperation was signed in 2015, when the Chinese President Xi Jinping visited 10 Downing Street, London. Since then, the joint venture has taken over the 2000and 2003-built/85,700 gross ton Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea, which are still laid up in Cyprus. These ships will join a new brand, Adora Cruises, which will also take delivery of two newbuilds being built in Shanghai. These ships (135,500 and 145,500 gross tons, respectively), are based on the Carnival Vista platform and will be the largest cruise ships ever constructed in Asia. Adora is currently ramping up its sales 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 CONTRIBUTOR Carolyn Spencer Brown, the longtime, award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Cruise Critic, is Chief Content Officer of Cruise Media LLC. In that role, she oversees the company’s branded content projects for cruise lines, business to business clients and ports and destinations: carolynspencerbrown.com PRINTED IN FINLAND – PUNAMUSTA OY, HELSINKI EDITOR’S COMMENTARY organization and hopes to begin operating the first newbuild at the end of the 2023. D uring the pandemic we saw many older and middle-age vessels withdrawn from the market, offered for sale and even scrapped. Many ships built in the early 1990s still had technical life left, but they had become more and more costly to maintain. At the same time, cruise lines were taking delivery of new tonnage at a record pace. All this, while not being able to earn any revenue. Since most of the world’s cruise markets are now open except China, it is interesting to note there are still a handful of second-hand cruise ships available to acquire. Perhaps being followed mostly closely is the World Dream, the 2017-built/150,695 gross ton ship designed for now-defunct Genting Hong Kong’s Dream Cruises. Its sister ship, the one-year-older Genting Dream, has been chartered from Chinese banks for Genting’s new start-up, Resorts World Cruises, and is sailing regularly from Singapore. There was recently an auction for the World Dream that drew no serious bidders. This is not so much a sign of weakness in the cruise business as a commentary on how cruise ships are now tailored to specified markets – in this case Asia. For any buyer from another market, a costly refurbishment would be needed to ready the vessel for service. Our biggest trending news story on CruiseBusiness.com last year was the fate of the unfinished Global Dream at MV Werften, which filed for insolvency. The shipyard had been constructing the 208,000 gross ton newbuild, which was approximately 75% finished when construction was halted. It was a difficult task to find a new owner, but in a rather surprising move, Disney Cruise Line acquired the vessel and will finish it at the former premises of MV Werften in Wismar with the help of its shipbuilding partner Meyer Werft. These new developments will be interesting to follow. Teijo Niemelä HOW TO FOLLOW US Twitter.com/cruisebusiness n facebook.com/CruiseBusinessUSA n Instagram.com/niemelateijo CruiseBusiness.com Magazine 6 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WNTER 2023 CRUISE BUSINESS AWAITS CHINA’S RE-OPENING #WeLoveCruising CRUISE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD YOUR ADVENTURE AWAITS 6-7 .indd 2 6-7 .indd 2 1.2.2023 10.13 1.2.2023 10.13
CRUISE BUSINESS AWAITS CHINA’S RE-OPENING #WeLoveCruising CRUISE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD YOUR ADVENTURE AWAITS 6-7 .indd 3 6-7 .indd 3 1.2.2023 10.13 1.2.2023 10.13
8 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 T he trade show and exhibition businesses have staged a strong comeback after the Covid-19 pandemic, and there is every reason to believe that this trend will continue, said Salla Salonen, Account Director, and Netta Huhtala, Sales Director, at Wulff Entre, the Finnish premium exhibition and remote studio services provider. Wulff Entre operates globally in the events business and its head office is based in Finland. Attendance at trade shows and exhibitions has returned to normal levels, and, as many events during the pandemic had to be cancelled outright, postponed or moved largely online, there is clearly a need to meet face to face. “We have been involved with several major events this autumn, and many companies have even said that these have been their best events ever – the quality of the visitors has improved,” Huhtala pointed out. “Our key advice for everyone is to start your preparations early, as many service providers in the exhibition industry, such as contractors and logistics companies, continue to suffer from staff shortages after the pandemic,” she continued. Companies are thinking carefully about what events they should participate in and exactly what their participation should produce in terms of concrete results. “Start-up businesses often attend large events in order to make their brand known among potential customers. More established businesses might look at events that have a narrower but a deeper focus on their specific field,” Salonen commented. Inflation is a concern for everyone. Some companies feel that instead of taking a stand at an event, they should send people to meet existing and potential new customers in the exhibition halls. This obviously can save money, but it does not produce the same visibility for the company than would be the case with a stand of its own. A stand will also make it easier to arrange meetings with people in advance by providing a setting where this can take place. Another key point of advice for a successful event is that companies make preparations and schedule meetings before traveling to the event, but as Salonen and Huhtala pointed out, there should also be flexibility in these arrangements. “You quite often just run into someone you want to talk to at an event, which can mean that you may struggle to come to a pre-arranged meeting on time. Therefore, your timetable should not be too tight,” Huhtala noted. The third piece of advice is that marketing and sales people should sit down together and discuss the objectives for attending an event well in advance, so that these are set and the right people to attend can be chosen. The pandemic accelerated the development of hybrid events, where some people attend physically and others online. Wulff Entre has a service called MyRemoteStudio that helps its clients to set up a digital presence. This can also be used to help those who physically attend an event, Huhtala and Salonen noted, as it allows for setting up meetings with a distributor or even the board of a company, depending on the requirements in each individual case. “New digital solutions obviously interest everyone. However, there are differences between various businesses regarding how they work and what their requirements are,” Huhtala added. Sustainability will probably be a key challenge to the exhibition and trade show businesses in the years to come, as indeed it is for many other businesses as well. The use of recyclable materials and considerations such as what items should be transported from one event to another and what will be sourced locally are among the questions that need to be answered. What’s more, it is important for the industry to make sure that companies included in their network pay appropriate wages, provide proper working conditions, and be mindful of other, similar matters. Promoting a brand is a key objective in attending an event, and dealing with an unethical business in connection with an event can cause considerable harm. n SPONSORED CONTENT SUCCESSFUL EVENTS WITH WULFF ENTRE Emblem ilman taustaa Emblem valkoisella taustalla Salla Salonen Netta Huhtala 8-9 WULFF.indd 2 8-9 WULFF.indd 2 2.2.2023 10.48 2.2.2023 10.48
? Emblem ilman taustaa Emblem valkoisella taustalla 8-9 WULFF.indd 3 8-9 WULFF.indd 3 2.2.2023 10.48 2.2.2023 10.48
UPFRONT Meyer Turku delivered the Carnival Celebration, its fourth and final LNGpowered newbuilding for Carnival Corporation & plc, on November 1. The 182,800 gross ton and 5,374guest Excel-class vessel is operated by Carnival Cruise Line and based at PortMiami, offering 7-night sailings to the Caribbean. Meyer Turku had previously handed over the sister ship Mardi Gras and near-siblings Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana for sister brand Costa Cruises. Signing the handover were Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer and Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, while Meyer Group CEO Bernard Meyer looked on in the middle. Princess Cruises provided the first details of its new Sphere-class ships at a launch party in Port Everglades on September 16. The 175,500 gross ton and 4,300-guest newbuild from Fincantieri will be named the Sun Princess and sail its first months in Europe before offering cruises from Port Everglades to the Caribbean. The Sun Princess will be the first ship in the Princess fleet fitted with dual-fuel engines able to use LNG and will also be fitted with Azipods. From left are Jeff Corwin, Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein, actress Anji Corley, Princess Cruises President John Padgett and TV personality Randy Fenoli. Carnival Corporation & plc received another LNGpowered ship from the Meyer Group in December. This time, UK-based P&O Cruises took delivery of the 182,000 gross ton and 5,200-guest Arvia, sister ship to the Iona delivered two years earlier. From left are Meyer Werft Managing Director Jan Meyer and P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow. 10 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 10-15.indd 2 10-15.indd 2 2.2.2023 10.39 2.2.2023 10.39
UPFRONT CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 11 MSC Cruises has had a lot of reasons to celebrate lately. The company joined a very exclusive group of cruise lines operating 200,000-gross-ton-plus ships when it took delivery of its first World-class newbuild – the 215,863 gross ton MSC World Europa – from Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The 2,626cabin vessel is also the first in the MSC fleet to use LNG. In partnership with Qatar Airways, MSC officially named the MSC World Europa in Doha’s new Grand Cruise Terminal on November 13. The ceremony was presided over by the ship’s godmother – Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Qatar Foundation CEO and Vice Chairperson. Hot on the heels of the MSC World Europa naming, MSC Cruises launched its new MSC Seascape in a dazzling ceremony in New York. The 170,412 gross ton and 5,877-guest MSC Seascape is the fifth and final Seaside-class newbuild constructed at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. During the winter season it is based at PortMiami. Sophia Loren – godmother of the MSC Cruises fleet and international movie icon – blessed the MSC Seascape virtually, while Alexa Aponte-Vago, daughter of MSC Group founder and Executive Chairman Gianluigi Aponte, performed the traditional cutting of the ribbon to officially name the ship. Norwegian Cruise Line officially christened its newest vessel, the Norwegian Prima, in Reykjavik, Iceland, on August 27. Global superstar and godmother of the Norwegian Prima Katy Perry joined Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings executives to name NCL’s 18th vessel and first in its cutting-edge Prima class. From left to right are President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Frank Del Rio, Katy Perry, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Harry Sommer and radio host Elvis Duran. 10-15.indd 3 10-15.indd 3 2.2.2023 10.39 2.2.2023 10.39
UPFRONT Lindblad Expeditions acquired the 48-passenger former Crystal Esprit and transformed it into the National Geographic Islander II to operate year-round in the Galapagos. Angela Flaim – wife of the late longtime Lindblad leader and passionate Galápagos conservation advocate Juan Flaim – presided over the ship’s naming in an intimate ceremony that reflected the ship’s spirit and soul as a vessel designed for deep discovery and supreme comfort. Royal Caribbean International officially welcomed Wonder of the Seas – currently the largest cruise ship in the world – in its new year-round home of Port Canaveral, Florida. Godmother was Wonder Mom from Pennsylvania Marie McCrea. She was joined by Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley. Royal Caribbean Group signed a maritime declaration with the Finnish government, represented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE) and Meyer Turku, to chart the way forward for innovative and sustainable shipbuilding in Finland. The commitment is set to advance innovation, strengthen competitiveness and bolster the maritime industry's ecosystem. From left visiting the Icon of the Seas are Richard Fain, Chairman, Royal Caribbean Group; Mika Lintilä, Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs; Jason Liberty, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group; and Tim Meyer, CEO, Meyer Turku Oy. 12 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 10-15.indd 4 10-15.indd 4 2.2.2023 10.39 2.2.2023 10.39
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 13 Meyer Werft started production of the ultraluxury cruise ship Silver Ray for Silversea Cruises on November 23, hosting a symbolic steel-cutting ceremony in Papenburg with a visit of Silversea’s then-President and CEO Roberto Martinoli. Like its sister ship the Silver Nova, which is already under construction, the Silver Ray will set new standards in sustainable travel and ultraluxury cruising with a host of innovations. Together, they will be the most sustainable ships in their class. The Silver Nova enters service in August, with the Silver Ray following in summer 2024. Silversea Cruises officially named its newly acquired Silver Endeavour at Lemaire Channel, Antarctica, on November 19. Built in 2021 as the Crystal Endeavor, this PC6-class ultra-luxury expedition vessel was acquired by Royal Caribbean Group last summer. At 20,000 gross tons, the ship carries just 200 guests in 100 suites. From second to left are godmother Felicity Aston MBE; TV personality Peter Greenberg; and the master, Captain Niklas Peterstam. Viking celebrated its 25th anniversary in Amsterdam with a naming ceremony for its two expedition vessels, the Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, on October 1. Renowned explorers and educators Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, the respective ceremonial godmothers, were in attendance. In honor of the company’s anniversary, for the first time ever three classes of Viking ships – a river ship, an ocean ship and the company’s newest expedition vessel, the Viking Polaris – met in Amsterdam and sailed in a special convoy to IJmuiden, Netherlands. UPFRONT 10-15.indd 5 10-15.indd 5 2.2.2023 10.39 2.2.2023 10.39
While on its World Cruise last fall, Viking’s eighth ocean vessel the Viking Neptune was officially named at the Port of Los Angeles by its ceremonial godmother Nicole Stott – retired NASA astronaut, aquanaut and artist. The Viking Neptune is equipped with a small hydrogen fuel system, making it the cruise industry’s first ship to test the use of hydrogen power for onboard operations. Also attending the event were Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen and EVP Karine Hagen, among others. UPFRONT Ambassador Cruise Line, a new British operator, will double in size with two 1,200-passenger vessels when the 1999-built Ambition is officially named and joins the 1991-built, 1,200-guest Ambience. The company recently announced that British sailor and double Olympic gold medalist Shirley Robertson OBE will be the ship’s godmother during a ceremony in Newcastle on May 11. Joining the announcement with Robertson were Ambassador’s Chief Commercial Officer Phil Gardner and Chief Marketing Officer Gordon Nardini. Hong Kong, one of the prime cruise destinations in Asia, welcomed back its first international cruise vessel on January 18, when Silversea Cruises’ Silver Spirit docked at the Ocean Terminal. Adam Radwanski, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Silversea Cruises, was thankful for Hong Kong’s support in arranging the return of cruising and emphasized that Silversea remains committed to the region, saying: “Cruising in Asia could not be complete and fully satisfying without calling in Hong Kong. It would probably be one of the most anticipated sailings in the region for us. Throughout 2023, Silversea is going to offer another seven voyages that will return to Hong Kong.” 14 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 THE PORT AUTHORITY OF JAMAICA Adversity is inevitable but our passion pushes us forward. Resilience. grit. fortitude. THE PORT AUTHORITY OF JAMAICA 5 Ports of Call. 5 Unique Experiences: Montego Bay | Falmouth | Ocho Rios | Port Antonio | Port Royal @cruisejamaica 10-15.indd 6 10-15.indd 6 2.2.2023 10.39 2.2.2023 10.39
THE PORT AUTHORITY OF JAMAICA Adversity is inevitable but our passion pushes us forward. Resilience. grit. fortitude. THE PORT AUTHORITY OF JAMAICA 5 Ports of Call. 5 Unique Experiences: Montego Bay | Falmouth | Ocho Rios | Port Antonio | Port Royal @cruisejamaica 10-15.indd 7 10-15.indd 7 2.2.2023 10.39 2.2.2023 10.39
SHIP REVIEW 16 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 MSC WORLD EUROPA ‘A GIGANTIC LEAP FORWARD’ With the delivery of the MSC World Europa from the French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique at the end of last year, MSC Cruises became the second cruise line in the world to operate a ship with a gross tonnage exceeding 200,000, and it also joined the ranks of companies that have a vessel fitted with dual-fuel engines which can run on both oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship’s profile differs from most recent newbuildings, and multi-functionality of public spaces was high on the agenda in the design of the ship. By Kari Reinikainen O slo-based YSA Design developed the ship’s profile and outdoor areas including multiple pools and interiors, such as the company’s signature DoReMi Club area for kids, the multi-function Sportplex and signage throughout. “This is the largest cruise vessel YSA Design has ever worked on, and we were delighted to develop a ship profile which is far more elegant than the typical ship of this size,” said Trond Sigurdsen, YSA Design Senior Architect. “Instead of each deck in the superstructure being another ‘step,’ we unified the structure front to aft in a ‘wave’ which ties the side view together. There’s also a highly effective inversion, which delivers the largest possible space on the top decks.” Design solutions included multiple outdoor areas developed by YSA Design “for the human scale,” added Sigurdsen, where guests can enjoy smaller, secluded spaces. This approach was extended to the Magrodome on deck 19 that features partitioned areas which include Jacuzzis cocooned in rope netting to ensure privacy, while materials and colors throughout have been chosen to emulate a tropical paradise. YSA Design Senior Interior Architect Fabiana Vale Dornelas said that cruise passengers of the future will be drawn from younger guests creating happy memories today. Serving their preferences made the design solutions delivered for other zones on deck 19 a priority, she said. “The Baby Club, Mini Club, Young Club and Teens Club – each has a strong identity, with elements engaging the young mind and inspiring curiosity, whether by using bold colors, geometric shapes and quirky lighting for the very young; fairy-tale themed spaces for toddlers; or the manga-inspired wall art developed for teens,” she pointed out. The same flexible approach was applied in designing the ship’s Sportplex. “Just as the kids’ area has to appeal to every age group, the Sportplex accommodates team sports, rollerblading and even bumper cars in a single zone of the ship,” said YSA Design architect Carlo Mancin. “In this case, creativity was needed to allow quick changes from one function to another.” Martin Hendrata, Project Architect at MSC Cruises, worked closely with his colleague Marios Neoptolemou under the direction of Architect Director Antonio di Nenno to bring the MSC World Europa to realization. Hendrata said working as a project architect was about more than simply thinking of the interior design: It also involved artwork, catering and ownersupplied items. One thing that he believes makes MSC stand out from other cruise brands is the close involvement of the owners, as every ship of the line reflects their vision. “The owners are very deeply involved in the choices for furniture, fixtures and finishes, and especially for owner supply and artwork. Our owners are very hands-on in deciding what kind of ambience and architecture they want in their ship. This is what makes us different to any other brand. I like this because the family has a clear vision. They are willing to try something new,” he said. Multi-functionality takes a step forward Multi-functionality is part of the design, so that a public area which operates as a lecture theater and a dancing venue incorporates seating that retracts into the walls. This hi-tech innovation smoothed out the operational workflow required to maintain the multi-functional space. Hendrata explained how the MSC team worked closely with the shipyard to find the right supplier for this unusual request: “We consulted with the shipyard and asked them to help us source the correct supplier. We met with our shortlist of suppliers and asked them what effect or gadget can they produce to meet our expectations? We wanted to know how many similar projects they had done. The supplier we chose was based in France, so they were very close to the shipyard. We designed the retractable chairs, and they built them accordingly. Once the product was approved by the owners, we then designed the room itself to accommodate those retractable seats.” Ph oto cre dit : all ph oto s, M SC Cr uis es 16-21.indd 2 16-21.indd 2 3.2.2023 12.07 3.2.2023 12.07
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 17 ? The MSC World Europa also marks the introduction of a new cabin class to the MSC Cruises brand. The Aurea Class cabins offer a step up from the standard cabin experience, as they feature colorful accents within the room and a new balcony concept. The window can be opened in a way that creates an outsidein space providing a balcony experience without the structural requirements of a balcony. Hendrata said: “We wanted to show that you don’t have to have an old-fashioned separation between indoor and outdoor.” Other experiential design elements have been brought into onboard retail areas at the Coffee Emporium, which has been designed to be more than simply a coffee shop. MSC partnered with a leading coffee brand to add new elements to the experience. “Not only will guests be able to enjoy coffee prepared in styles from around the world, but they will be able to take part in a range of immersive experiences. Coffee lovers can try out the sensory coffee units, smelling the fragrance of the different coffee beans. Another addition is the coffee-roasting corner where passengers can witness the coffee being roasted in front of them,” he said. Using technology to create space Trevor Young, Vice President of Newbuilding and Refurbishment at MSC Cruises, said that space is a big thing with customers today, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. “Technology is hugely important in how we’re able to provide that. Space is a lot of things – space is obviously the space you have around you, but it also feeds into the technology so you don’t have to touch things anymore,” he said. MSC World Europa was designed by many renowned architect firms, including Studio de Jorio, Tillberg Design of Sweden and YSA Design 16-21.indd 3 16-21.indd 3 3.2.2023 12.07 3.2.2023 12.07
18 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 ? “The cruise industry has always had norovirus, which has always been a concern. Now with Covid, we have to start thinking in a different way to help our guests and make the environment as safe as possible for them – whether it’s developing special filters for air-conditioning, whether it’s designing locks that you don’t have to touch so the guest doesn’t get a key, they would get a bracelet or something similar, and when they go near the door it opens,” he continued. “Going to a public toilet, for example: How you get in and out of the public toilet? Should there be electronic doors? How do you wash your hands without contact? Today you can wash and dry your hands without touching anything. To me, this is a big part of what we need to do; that’s the technical side of making guests feel more welVenom Drive is one of the longest slides in the cruise business Balcony cabin La Plage Pool is an expansive sun deck area 16-21.indd 4 16-21.indd 4 3.2.2023 12.07 3.2.2023 12.07
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 19 “The cruise industry has always had norovirus, which has MSC CRUISES VESSELS IN EXCESS OF 100,000 GROSS TONS VESSEL GT LOA x B PAX BUILT Fantasia class MSC Fantasia 137,936 333.3 x 37.9 4,363 2008 MSC Splendida 137,936 333.3 x 37.9 4,363 2009 MSC Divina 139,072 333.3 x 37.9 4,345 2012 MSC Preziosa 139,072 333.3 x 37.9 4,345 2013 Seaside class MSC Seaside 153,516 323.0 x 41.0 5,084 2017 MSC Seaview 153,516 323,0 x 41.0 5,079 2018 Seaside EVO class MSC Seascape 170,412 339.0 x 41.0 5,877 2022 MSC Seashore 170,412 339.0 x 41.0 5,877 2021 Meraviglia class MSC Meraviglia 171,598 315.8 x 43.0 5,642 2017 MSC Bellissima 171,598 315.8 x 43.0 5,655 2019 Meraviglia Plus class MSC Grandiosa 181,541 331.4 x 43.0 6,334 2019 MSC Virtuosa 181,541 331.0 x 43.0 6,334 2021 MSC Euribia 183,500 331.4 x 43.0 6,327 2023 World class MSC World Europa 215,863 333.0 x 47.0 6,762 2022 MSC World America 215,863 333.0 x 47.0 6,762 2023 World Class 3 2025 World Class 4 2027 come,” Young said. On the other side of it, passengers have gone a little bit back to basics, as everyone has been at home, learning to cook, etc. “People have said, ‘I like the time; I like the freedom that this has brought.’ A lot of people want to experience quality service, genuine service, quality food, and that’s where we need to use the design and the tech to help us to achieve that,” he continued. Young said he spends a lot of time bringing people together and emphasized the importance of communication. “I get the head of ops, I get the galley guy, the project team, the internal architects, the external architects, the quality surveyor and so on, and get together a proposal that focuses on all of those aspects – whether it’s the cost of building, the return on investment, what it means for the guest, what sort of service they get, what sort of food they get. It has to be a holistic view before we can move forward.” In the past, many cruise lines had the view that if their competitor has a Japanese restaurant, they also need to have a Japanese restaurant. “So they go and build a Japanese restaurant, but they don’t talk to the Japanese chef, they don’t talk to the food and beverage people, they don’t talk to the maître d’! So all of a sudden they’ve built something, but it’s not functional. By getting everyone together and knowing how to ask the right questions to the right people, you’re able to then design effectively and efficiently and hit some big goals.” Increased beam brings increased volume MSC Cruises had taken delivery of 11 vessels with a gross tonnage in excess of 100,000 before the arrival of the MSC World Europa in 2022. It is interesting to look at the hull dimensions of each subsequent class of these ships: While most of them have a length of 333 meters, the beam has increased significantly. Compared to the MSC Fantasia that entered service in 2008, the MSC World Europa’s beam is 24% greater. However, its gross tonnage is a rather stunning 55% greater, at just under 216,000. Officials at MSC Cruises stated long ago that a vessel’s length is crucial when it comes to capacity available in portsof-call: The longer the vessel, the more space it takes on the quay, and maneuvering the ship in port becomes more challenging as well. Therefore, it is more advantageous to restrict the length of the vessel and to build it wider instead. Usually this also means improved stability and the possibility of adding volume high up in the superstructure, and it also gives a greater degree of freedom when it comes to the layout of public areas. ? Zen Pool MSC World Europa features its own brewery pub 16-21.indd 5 16-21.indd 5 3.2.2023 12.07 3.2.2023 12.07
20 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2023 While greater interior space is beneficial in public areas, this is not necessarily the case in the cabin accommodations part of the ship, as interior cabins fetch lower per diems than outside and balcony cabins. However, a greater beam does allow designers a way out of this dilemma. In case of the MSC World Europa, the cabin accommodations at the stern are arranged either facing the sea or along a Y-shaped promenade that is open to the sky above and also has a sea view over the stern of the vessel. Such an arrangement was first proposed by Kai Levander, the highly innovative head of R&D at Wärtsilä in Finland in the early 1980s, when the company was still active in shipbuilding. It was first introduced in 1992 on the Radisson Diamond, a Small Waterline Area Twin Hull (SWATH) cruise ship that was one of Levander’s future visions. The ship itself was not a success, but the concept was later adopted for use in the Oasis-class ships of Royal Caribbean International – the first class of cruise ships to exceed 200,000 gross tons. The MSC World Europa also features an indoor promenade that runs most of the length of decks 6, 7 and 8. This is the part of the vessel that features most of the bars, restaurants, shops and nighttime entertainment venues, and the promenade ties these together, undoubtedly helping passengers to orientate themselves in a feature that brings to mind shopping malls and covered pedestrian areas of cities on land. A ‘game changer’ for MSC “MSC World Europa is a game changer for MSC Cruises,” said Petri Siren, Business Director at the Finnish travel agency Elämys Group, who referred to the vessel as “Il Grande Spettacolo” (The Great Spectacle). “To my surprise, this new ship had been flying under my radar all through its construction period. Maybe it was because of the ‘second-biggest’ status, something like Oasis class, but not quite it. Or maybe it was simply because it was a new MSC ship. Those have always had a bit less flair and fanfare when compared to the innovations of the new ships by some other cruise lines. This has been true not only with the woweffect activities and facilities onboard, but also with the food offerings and the restaurant options, as well as for the entertainment. After five nights onboard the World Europa, I can say, to my own amazement as well, that at the moment this is the best ship in the world,” he told CruiseBusiess.com Magazine. “The ship is huge, but it only feels enormous at some areas onboard. The main pool deck is one, and it is wonderful. Royal Caribbean Group’s Oasis class is wider than MSC World Europa, but due to the Central Park, there isn’t a single main pool area. The main pool deck on the MSC World Europa must be the sunniest main pool area of any ship. It is also a great and spacious venue for pool parties and outdoor concerts, etc. The aft pool area is also large and sunny. Another part of the ship where it feels gigantic is the World Promenade, but again the big size is perfect for it. The World Promenade is stylish, both day and night. It’s a place where passengers can enjoy a nice evening outdoor stroll and marvel at the spectacular 180degree aft ocean views – something that is quite unique to the World Europa. Evening lighting at the promenade is beautiful, and the five-man walking band performing on the promenade is the icing on the cake,” he stated. The MSC World Europa is easy and enjoyable to navigate, even for new-to-cruise passengers. The layout of the ship is not complicated; you will find new places and corridors even after a couple of days onboard, but you will not get lost, and you will not end up in “dead ends” – and they are a real logistics problem, for example, on the Norwegian Prima. Most new ships are “hi-tech” throughout, and this is true on the MSC World Europa as well. The MSC World Europa might be a bit behind the Norwegian Prima regarding virtual reality rides, but it compensates by being consistent in having “the latest” in all hardware. That includes state-of-the-art passenger elevators – unlike the elevators on the Norwegian Prima, which felt like they were 10 years old already. The hi-tech theme on the MSC World Europa extends also to entertainment, to the night clubs, to the gym and to the cabins. The Infinite view cabins of the MSC World Europa are categorized as window cabins, unlike the same kind on the Celebrity Edge class, which are veranda cabins. The MSC Cruises’ approach is far better; the Infinite view cabins on the MSC World Europa do not have a separate balcony space inside the cabin, and are therefore very spacious and suite-like with the convenient bookshelf divider that separates the bedroom from the living room. Panorama Lounge offers views to the ship’s wake 16-21.indd 6 16-21.indd 6 3.2.2023 12.07 3.2.2023 12.07