Spirit Cruises News

When I came into office as the Passenger Vessel Association’s President for 2019 last January, I announced two strategic goals for our industry: to enhance safety and foster the professional growth of our next generation of leaders. I am proud to announce we have undertaken major initiatives and made progress on each. These goals match my lifelong professional commitment to safety as well as aligning with PVA’s true north: a responsibility to be ever vigilant and proactive in addressing safety.I have been a longtime member of PVA and served in its leadership for years.

Gus Gaspardo, President of the Padelford Packet Boat Company, was elected Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) President for 2018 at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2018, held January 28-31 in Savannah, Ga. Gaspardo is President of Padelford Packet Boat Co. Inc., St. Paul, Minn. Founded in 1969 by Capt. William Bowell Sr., Padelford provides a wide variety of public cruises and private events on the Mississippi River with three passenger subchapter K vessels at Harriet Island Regional Park in downtown St. Paul.

Over time, the Blount shipyard has built more than 365 vessels. Today, Blount Boats’ clients include Fire Island Ferries, Casco Bay Island Transit District, Puerto Rico and Municipal Islands Maritime Authority, Spirit Cruises, Circle Line Statue of Liberty (Hornblower), South Ferry on Shelter Island, Long Island, and the Kwajalein Army Base on the Marshall Islands. Blount has been building high quality, innovative shallow draft designs for 66 years. Blount’s designs have created…

Over time, the Blount shipyard has built 363 vessels, including such iconic designs as the 130-foot, 600-passenger Miss Liberty. Built in 1952, the vessel is believed to have carried more total passengers than any other vessel in the world. Hull number 93, built in 1955, the “Blount 65’ made its debut and was an immediate success with ferry, commuter and excursion operators. Just under 65’ long, it was an important “break point” in Coast Guard regulations. During the late 1950s, Blount designed the Botruc for the offshore oil and gas industry.

Hornblower Cruises & Events has appointed Bob Shaw, a senior executive with more than three decades of operations experience, to the position of chief operating officer. In his new role, Shaw will be responsible for day-to-day management of all Hornblower companies, including charter yacht and public dining operations and two National Park Service concession contracts. "Bob’s management and passenger vessel industry experience along with his accomplishments as an executive for several multi-million dollar companies give him invaluable perspective.

At the 2010 Passenger Vessel Association Convention at MariTrends in Tampa, Fla., the members of the PVA elected their new officers and board members. Captain Kevin Stier, River Cruises, Scales Mound, Ill. Captain Jay Spence, Massachusetts Bay Lines, Boston, Mass. Paul Belforti, Entertainment Cruises, Chicago, Ill. Captain Kevin Stier is the owner and operator of River Cruises. River Cruises offers two day overnight cruises on the Upper Mississippi River aboard the vessel Twilight. Captain Stier’s career started with him working on the Julia Belle Swain for the late Captain Dennis Trone, one of the original members of the PVA, throughout the span of his career Captain Stier has piloted the Julia Belle Swain, the Talisman and Twilight, of which he was instrumental in the construction.

PVA members, during the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2010 in Tampa, Fla., elected Kevin Stier as President. Captain Stier is owner of River Cruises, Scales Mound, Ill.. River Cruises operates the 149 passenger Riverboat Twilight that offers two-day overnight cruises on the Upper Mississippi River. A longtime member of the PVA Regulatory Committee, Captain Stier has been a member of the PVA Board of Directors since 2003 and has served as PVA Vice-President and PVA Secretary-Treasurer. Captain Jay Spence was elected PVA Vice President. Captain Spence is General Manager of Massachusetts Bay Lines in Boston, Mass. This second-generation, family-owned business has operated since 1963 and is the oldest operating year-round commuter service in Boston.

After having redesigned the Boston dinner cruise ship Odyssey, the parent company Entertainment Cruises went back to THEREdesign Contemporary Architects + Interior Designers to rebrand their Spirit Cruises line. Spirit brand is more casual than Odyssey but the ships need to be elegant spaces suitable for special occasions and memorable group events. Entertainment Cruises wanted the experience of a land based restaurant combined with the added interest of being on the water. THEREdesign though never having worked at sea had created many hospitality and residential environments on land. THEREdesign used a host of exciting textures and materials, combined with dynamic lighting, to develop and express the brand’s identity while working within strict marine safety codes.

The 600-passenger dinner cruise vessel; M/V Horizon was delivered to Pegasus Yacht Cruises of New York by Blount Industries on March 5. Measuring 161 ft. (49 m), Horizon boasts a welded steel, single chine hull with three enclosed dining decks, with all superstructure above the second deck is 100 percent aluminum construction. New Jersey-based Robinson Interiors designed Horizon with old world ambience in mind — its dining room features varnished cherry wood paneling and trim. The vessel is powered by two owner-supplied Detroit Diesel 16V-92 engines, soft mounted for silent operation with Lo-Rez vibration mounts and couplings. Electric engine controls by Mathers provide throttle and gear control, while a Murphy alarm panel monitors the propulsion engines.

Longtime readers of Maritime Reporter know by now that, above all else, I like to find and deliver a good story. Whether discovered at a small, family-owned business in the Bayou, or in a more corporate setting across the ocean, this industry offers an abundance of interesting characters and companies, each with a unique plot twist in the constant battle to make a living in an ever-changing, ever-challenging business environment. Admittedly, most of the really good stories come with the disclaimer: “but you can’t print that”, which I always honor, but in general I’m amazed to continually find top editorial ideas, often right in my own backyard. Such is the case this month, which in my opinion contains several worthy articles.

Spirit Cruises' 15th passenger vessel, Elite I - designed and built by SkipperLiner Shipyards ? was delivered to the company to benefit the corporate and wedding clientele of Norfolk, Va. Capable of carrying 149 passengers, the vessel will moor dockside with 600-passenger dinner vessel Spirit of Norfolk - a vessel that has enjoyed a successful run in downtown Norfolk. Incorporating a technologically-driven hull design, Elite's 91-ft. hull is outfitted with a duo of Caterpillar 290-hp 3208DIT propulsion engines, a 70 kW Cummins electrical generator and ZF 220A gearboxes. The vessel is able to hold 1,000 gallons of fuel oil, 750 gallons of fresh water and 666 gallons of waste.