Azamara Cruises News

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has extended suspension of sailings until November 30, excluding those originating from Hong Kong, the U.S.

A cruise industry veteran of more than 25 years, Nikolaos Doulis, Lindblad Expeditions’ SVP, New Buildings, discusses with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News the build plan for “the best expedition cruise ship ever built.”Born in Greece to a seafaring family, Nikolaos Doulis was destined for a maritime career. His father was a ship captain and eventually a ship owner, and to support the family business he wanted his son to have an engineering education. So at the age of 14, Doulis started spending more time in and around ships…

Sembcorp's Sembawang Shipyard gets ship repair Favoured Customer Contract (FCC) from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL). The contract, signed in Miami, Florida, USA, by Mr. Kevin Douglas, Vice President of Technical Projects and Newbuildings for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Mr. Svein Taklo, Vice President, Marine Operations for Royal Caribbean International, and Ms. Wong Lee- Lin, Executive Director, Sembawang Shipyard, commits the repairs, revitalisation and upgrading of its fleet of passenger ships cruising in the Singapore region to Sembawang Shipyard. Royal Caribbean is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisières de France.

Continuous effort to improve Azipod energy efficiency. ABB, a power and automation technology group, has announced that recent modifications to its Azipod propulsion unit fr ame design have seen hydrodynamic efficiency improved by more than two percent. The modifications include a newly optimized Azipod fin shape and a new pod cap structure, called Xtail. The revised fin structure receives water flow from the propeller at a new, less acute angle, and its new curved design redirects the flow more efficiently.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is ramping up its commitment to growing the South America cruise market with the official opening of a new office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the first Royal Caribbean company-owned office in the region. The event was marked on August 6 by a formal visit by Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, Adam Goldstein, highlighting Brazil as a key region earmarked for both investment and growth. “The cruise market in Brazil is one of the fastest growing in the world, and with increased investment and commitment, we aim to accelerate this trend” said Goldstein. The new Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. office, located in Sao Paulo…

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) has announced the appointment of Larry Pimentel to the newly created position of president and chief executive officer of Azamara Cruises. Pimentel will have responsibility for the strategic direction and leadership of the deluxe brand to ensure its continuous growth and success. He will report directly to Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of RCCL. Pimentel has more than 25 years of travel industry experience catering to the high-end consumer. Most recently, he served as president, chief executive officer and co-owner of Seadream Yacht Club and was previously president and chief executive officer of Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line, and Classic Hawaii.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) is pleased to announce that its Marine Safety and Environmental Protection program has received a $25,000 marine conservation grant from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd’s Ocean Fund for a second year in a row. The Academy will use its award to underwrite cooperative education opportunities in training five future maritime safety and environmental officers. On their way to becoming future stewards of our oceans, these cadets will spend their cooperative program aboard cruise ships and commercial ships as assistants to the environmental officers. “We are proud to continue our collaborations with the Academy’s cooperative training program for maritime safety and environmental officers. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has selected Brazilian cruise industry veteran Ricardo Amaral as managing director of its operations in Brazil. In the newly created position, Amaral will oversee all commercial and operational activities for three of the company's brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises. Amaral will assume his new position in January. Amaral has 17 years of experience in the cruise industry, which includes working for leading cruise companies as their local representative and head of their marketing and sales operations in Brazil. For the past nine years, Amaral has worked as the director of Marketing and Sales for Sun and Sea Representacoes, the company that has represented Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in Brazil for 21 years.

Port Everglades will be the homeport for Royal Caribbean's two largest vessels, bringing 17m passengers to the port over 10 years, officials said. The Broward County Commission said it expects to finalize the deal with the Miami-based cruise company by Dec. 19. Royal Caribbean's Project Genesis ships are to be 220,000 tons and hold 5,400 passengers, making them the largest ships ever constructed. The first is expected to begin sailing in fall 2009 and the second a year later. The commission expects each ship to bring 584,000 passengers to the port each year, and, along with Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises, to bring 17 million passengers to the port during the first 10-year term of the contract.

In an effort to deal with the sharp increase in fuel prices, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced the implementation of a fuel supplement of $5 per guest per day for sailings that depart on or after February 1, 2008. The company has taken measures to soften the impact of this decision. For example, the company will not apply the supplement on any bookings where the guest has already paid the full cost of the cruise. In addition, guests who were booked before November 16, and who do not agree to pay the supplement, may cancel their reservation prior to December 7, 2007, for a full refund of all monies they have paid to the company, and they will not be subject to any cancellation charges that would normally apply.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced the opening in Singapore of its Asia-Pacific headquarters - Royal Caribbean Cruises (Asia) Pte. Ltd. The regional headquarters, which is located in Singapore's central business district, will support the marketing efforts in the Asia-Pacific region for three of the company's cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises. Headed by Rama Rebbapragada, managing director for Asia Pacific, the office also will provide sales and trade support in the region. With the number of cruise guests sailing in the Asia-Pacific region projected to grow by more than 40 percent, from 1.07 million in 2005 to 1.5 million by 2010, the opening of Royal Caribbean's Asia-Pacific regional office is strategically timed.