Royal Caribbean Cruise Line News

Naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Foreship said it has appointed Brendan Harris as Director, Project Management Services, Foreship LLC, as the firm aims to grow its US-based business activities.Harris will be based at Foreship’s Seattle offices and take responsibility for driving regional growth in the group’s project management of ship refurbishment, focusing on returning demand in the cruise sector and opportunities in the ferry market.Harris joins Foreship from BC Ferry Services…

Army veteran-turned-Royal Caribbean Cruise Line founder Edwin W. Stephan passed away on Friday at 87 years old."We at Royal Caribbean mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to the Stephan family," said a statement from the global cruise company said.In 1969 Stephan founded the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, and his contributions helped create the modern cruise industry we know today. Under his leadership in 1970, the company launched Song of Norway, the first ship purpose-built for warm-water cruising.Since that initial voyage, Stephan's fledgling company has grown into the world's second largest cruise line, a multi-billion-dollar global company of six brands…

Singapore-based Sembcorp Marine (Sembmarine) secured new contracts worth $175m, for projects comprising the design and construction of a 12,000-cubic-metre (cbm) LNG bunker vessel as well as repair and modernisation works on 13 cruise ships.The LNG bunker vessel which is for delivery to Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) in 2021 will be constructed at Sembcorp Marine Tuas Boulevard Yard, said the company specialising in a full spectrum of integrated solutions in ship repair, shipbuilding, ship conversion, rig building and offshore engineering & construction.The 112m long and 22m wide LNG bunker vessel will have two GTT Mark III Flex membrane tanks with a combined 12…

Singapore-based shipbuilder Sembcorp Marine cemented its position as Asia’s top cruise ship repair and upgrade solutions provider in 2018 with the successful completion of repairs on the Costa Fortuna – the Group’s 10th and final cruise ship project this year.Operated by Costa Crociere, the 1,358-cabin vessel sailed away from Sembcorp Marine’s Admiralty Yard yesterday, joining a bevy of luxury liners that underwent repairs and upgrades at Sembcorp Marine facilities in the past 12 months.These included six vessels from leading cruise brands and long-term partners Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, and one from new customer Norwegian Cruise Line.Already…

Wärtsilä has set out to accelerate new business ideas using a collection of “Digital Acceleration Centers” (DAC) scattered around the globe. The first DAC in Helsinki has been running in beta for several months and was officially launched today, and will be followed by the second to open in Singapore in December, as well as one in Central Europe and one in North America anticipated during 2018. Additional “pop-up” DACs will be tested with customers at other locations. Wärtsilä said opening the DACs is part of its digital transformation, which aims to help the company shift toward a data-driven, insights led, smart technology. Wärtsilä's Chief Digital Officer, Marco Ryan, explained, “The Digital Acceleration Center is all about getting business outcomes at pace.

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently visited Finnish shipbuilding giant Meyer Turku, whose sights are set on building bigger. It is safe to say that when shipbuilding commenced in the town of Turku, Finland in 1737, the company building wooden boats at the time could not have envisioned the enormous vessels that would eventually be built by the site’s current occupant, Meyer Turku. The Meyer family, operator of the German shipbuilding company Meyer Werft, took over the…

Caribbean shipyard Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited (GBSL) said it will complete work on 10 cruise vessels within first quarter of 2017. Scope of works included significant propulsion and technical systems overhauls, hull treatment, accommodations and public spaces upgrades and the addition of onboard attraction facilities. GBSL shared highlights of 10 of the 23 cruise vessels owned and/or operated by major players in the industry planned for dry-docking in the first quarter of 2017.

Caribbean ship repair yard Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited (GBSL) reported a busy 2016 for retrofit, refurbishments and repairs to vessels from the leading cruise lines. GBSL said it performed work on 20 cruise vessels during 2016, with scope of works included significant propulsion and technical systems overhauls, hull treatment, accommodations and public spaces upgrades and the addition of onboard attraction facilities. The trend continues: for 2017, GBSL has confirmed 23 cruise vessels scheduled for refit, refurbishment or revitalization from its customer base.

The assembly of TUI Cruises ship Mein Schiff 6 at Meyer Turku shipyard started today 25.4.2016 with the laying of the first grandblock in the big building dock. When ready in 2017, Mein Schiff 6 will be a fourth high-technology cruise ship being built in Turku shipyard for TUI Cruises and marks the continuation of good cooperation between the two companies. Following old traditions of the shipyard coins were placed under the keel block to bring luck for the ship. Representatives of TUI Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Meyer Turku and the classification society Det Norske Veritas, invited guests, and members of the press joined the event.

Repair yard Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited (GBSL) is in store for a busy year, with 20 cruise vessels booked for repair, maintenance and overhaul work in 2016. The scope of projects includes propulsion and technical systems overhaul, accommodations and public space upgrades and the addition of attraction facilities onboard. These vessels are typically booked at least two years in advance to allow for planning and communication between the yard and clients. The first cruise ship to enter GBSL’s dry-dock in 2016 is Holland America Line operated Maasdam…

Moses Kirkconnell, the Cayman Islands’ minister of tourism said that future off-shore tendering of cruise ships is out of the question in lieu of building a $150 million cruise pier and terminal in the Cayman Islands. Given that in 2014 approximately 82% of Cayman’s cruise business came from Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line , he asked them about their future plans and was told that tendering is not something they are willing to consider. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has informed the tourism minister that they will not tender their mega cruise ships, says a report in Cayman News Service. Adam Goldstein, President and COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises said…

The keel of Mein Schiff 5 was laid on June 23, 2015 at Meyer Turku shipyard’s drydock. Before the keel-laying ceremony, the start of production of the sister ship Mein Schiff 6 took place in the shipyard’s construction hall. The production of the cruise ship Mein Schiff 6 was officially launched when TUI Cruises CEO Wybcke Meyer started the plasma cutting machine in the production hall of Meyer Turku shipyard. Another event was also celebrated at the shipyard on the same day, as the next milestone in the building process of the Mein Schiff 5 took place.

Petter Sundet, Captain of Edda Fortis, discusses with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News the evolution of top-notch accommodation in the offshore environment. Please provide a brief bio. Specifically, how did you come to a career in the marine industry, and ascend to your current position? I first went to sea when I was 16 years old, to see the world. The first years I sailed as a deck hand, then as an ordinary seaman and then became an Able Seaman which was as far as you could go without any formal education. During this time I worked on general cargo ships, oil tankers, and OBO carriers.

An alliance of shipping interests and a billionaire car dealer launched a newspaper ad on Monday protesting retired English soccer star David Beckham's plans for a soccer arena at the port of Miami, saying it threatens the city's plans to capitalize on the expansion of the Panama Canal. "We cannot jeopardize well-paying jobs, like crane operators, longshore workers, and mechanics, for low-paying stadium jobs, such as concession sales," the Miami Seaport Alliance said in a full-page ad that ran in the Miami Herald and its sister Spanish-language paper, El Nuevo Herald. The group, led by John Fox, who has retired as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's head of governmental affairs…

A cruise ship with more than 100 passengers and crew suffering from a gastrointestinal ailment caused by Norovirus, have arrived in San Diego, a cruise line spokeswoman said on Thursday. The Crown Princess, carrying 3,141 passengers in all, docked in San Diego and planned to continue on to Los Angeles on its normal itinerary along the coast of California and Northern Mexico. Onboard testing proved the presence of Norovirus, said Princess Cruises spokeswoman Karen Candy. Outbreaks of Norovirus have been reported by nearly a dozen cruise lines sailing from U.S. ports in recent years, including Holland America, Celebrity, Cunard Line and a National Geographic cruise on Lindblad Expeditions.

Dragutin Radobuljac, the Chief Electrical Engineer on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s mega cruise ship the Allure of the Seas, has described the new Kongsberg Information Management System (KIMS) as a “Revolutionary upgrade,” with significant influence on vessel operations. KIMS is a state-of-the-art, customized data management system that operates over a global, secure and highly scalable infrastructure. KIMS features a suite of applications within a single web portal providing high level vessel data access to engineers and management.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released investigation updates on the cruise ships 'Explorer of the Seas' and 'Caribbean Princess'. During the voyage of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship from January 21-31 2014,  634 passengers reported being ill during the voyage and 55 crew members. CDC confirm that the causative agent was Norovirus, causing the predominant symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea. During the voyage of the Princess Cruise Lines' ship from January 25-February 1. 2-14, 181 passengers reported being ill during the voyage and 11 crew members. CDC confirm that the causative agent was Norovirus, causing the predominant symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea. In both ships increased cleaning and disinfection procedures were carried out.

The float-out of Mein Schiff 3, an environmentally friendly cruise ship being built for TUI Cruises, was performed at STX Turku Shipyard on Friday, November 8, 2013. At the press conference held at STX Finland Oy’s Turku Shipyard earlier the same day, Richard J. Vogel, CEO of TUI Cruises and Jari Anttila, Deputy CEO of STX Finland Oy were pleased to speak about the important milestone Mein Schiff 3 project reached on that particular day. One year ago, the start of production of newbuilding 1383 was celebrated at Turku Shipyard. Mein Schiff 3 is scheduled for delivery in spring 2014.

Nor-Shipping announced that Vidar Pederstad has taken on the role of Nor-Shipping Director. Although his career track includes a series of management positions at leading PR and communications agencies, Pederstad brings many years of Nor-Shipping experience to his new position. Not only was he a marketing and PR consultant to four Nor-Shipping event weeks over eight years, but he was also a founding member of the Nor-Shipping Advisory Board. His key contributions during this period include the establishment of the high-profile Nor-Shipping conferences…

200 Plus Transits Expected. The Panama Canal cruise-line season officially starts today, Wednesday, October 5, and runs through the middle of next year. More than 200 transits of these passenger vessels are expected. The transit of Princess Cruises Island Princess will mark the beginning of the season, traveling for 14 days from Los Angeles, California, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to Jaime Castillo, international trade specialist from the Panama Canal Research and Market Analysis office, at least 205 transits are expected this season.

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that a dispute between a seafarer and the employer/ship operator is subject to arbitration where the employment contract specifically provides for arbitration of such disputes. Plaintiff employees served on a cruise ship operated by defendant employer. They brought suit, alleging that they were not fully and promptly paid wages due. Defendant moved to compel arbitration in accordance with the employment contract. Plaintiffs contended that their employment contracts were exempt from compulsory arbitration. The dispute required interpretation of the relationship between the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) and the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards Act.

By Jeanne M. Grasso and Allison L. In the past several years, federal prosecutors increasingly have devoted time and resources to pursuing vessel owners, operators, crewmembers, and shoreside employees who are involved in illegal discharges at sea. Discharges at sea have long been recognized as a serious threat to the marine environment and, as a result, there is a plethora of laws in the United States regulating discharges into waters of the United States. These statutes include the Clean Water Act, the Refuse Act, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) (implementing the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or MARPOL), and the Ocean Dumping Act, among others.

TTS Ships Equipment AB, a subsidiary of Norway’s TTS Group will deliver specially designed and built cargo access gear for installation aboard the Ultra Voyager cruise vessel, currently under construction at the Kvaerner Masa Yard in Finland. At about 160,000 grt, the new vessel will be the largest cruise vessel ever built. This is the first of the Ultra Voyager Class of cruise liners built by Kvaerner Masa, TTS Ships Equipment having supplied similar systems to all five of the previous Voyager Class, also built at the Finnish Shipyard. Under a turn-key contract, originally signed in January, TTS is building side shell doors, hatch covers and lifting platforms for the vessel, which was ordered by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) last year.