Travel Experience News

Finnlines will make major investments in its route between Sweden and mainland Finland via Åland during 2023 as the freight and passenger shipping company continues to bounce back from the pandemic slowdown.The company announced on Tuesday that it is introducing two new Superstar cargo-passenger vessels as part of general plans for increasing passenger comfort on the Kapellskär–Långnäs–Naantali route, with the first ro-pax vessel set to start operating on the route in autumn 2023.The new vessels Finnsirius and Finncanopus are part of Finnlines EUR 500 million investment program…

PONANT’s polar exploration cruise vessel Le Commandant Charcot, which recently became the first to reach the geographic North Pole, has signed up for ABB MarineCare services to ensure safe and sustainable operations. The 10-year service agreement provides round-the-clock remote support, diagnostics and condition monitoring, as well as preventive and planned maintenance, and the critical spare parts. The service scope also includes warranty for the ship's energy storage system…

Hornblower Group announced Tuesday it has closed on the acquisition of Australian experiential travel group Journey Beyond, as the U.S.-based company continues to grow its portfolio of travel experience brands globally.“In our continued efforts to position Hornblower as a global leader in experiences and transportation, we are always exploring growth opportunities that will help expand our guest offerings and leverage our core capabilities of operating world-class customer experiences,” said Kevin Rabbitt, chief executive officer, Hornblower Group.

Expedition cruising company Lindblad Expeditions Holdings has appointed Dolf Berle as president, chief executive officer and a member of its board, effective May 10. Berle succeeds Sven-Olof Lindblad, who will become co-chair of the board together with current board chair Mark Ein.The leadership change comes as Lindblad Expeditions announced that it will resume small ship expeditions cruises and adventure travel experience operations for the 2021 season in Alaska and Galapagos, beginning in the first week of June.

Ferry company Stena Line announced that Stena Embla, the last of its three new ferries destined for the Irish Sea, has completed its sea trials in China’s Yellow Sea and is set to arrive in Belfast at the end of 2020.Stena Embla is the latest new Stena Line next generation RoPax vessel that is being constructed at the CMI Jingling Weihai Shipyard in China, marking the end of significant recent investment on the Irish Sea by the Swedish owned ferry company. The global pandemic did not delay the build of the vessel…

Shipbuilder Austal said its Austal Australia arm has delivered a new high-speed trimaran ferry to JR Kyushu Jet Ferry at a ceremony held at the company’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.The 83-meter Queen Beetle is the first of its kind to be delivered to Japan and has been custom-designed to provide an enhanced passenger ferry service between Fukuoka, Japan and Busan, South Korea, Austal said.Speaking at the delivery ceremony, Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton…

The next generation of ferry travel went into service Monday as Stena Line reaffirmed its commitment to freight and travel operations on the Irish Sea.Stena Edda, the biggest ferry ever to sail on the Belfast to Liverpool route, embarked on its maiden voyage on Monday evening as it left Merseyside.With 40% more deck capacity, 40% more cabins and 30% more fuel efficiency than current vessels on the route, Edda accommodates up to 1,000 passengers, 120 cars in its dedicated garage deck and 3…

Estonian shipping company Tallink Grupp said that its vessel Silja Europa has set sail to Turku Repair Yard in Naantali, Finland for scheduled maintenance and planned renewal works that would make the ship more environmentally friendly.The 1993-built vessel will stay in Turku Repair Yard for two weeks, returning to the Tallinn-Helsinki route on February 9, said a press note from the provider of mini-cruise and passenger transport services in the northern Baltic Sea region.During the scheduled docking, the vessel will undergo considerable renovation of several key passenger areas. Also, technical upgrades will be carried out on the vessel.For example…

Finnlines signed an order for two RoPax vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), previously known as AVIC Weihai.In 2018, Finnlines ordered three hybrid StoRo ultra large green vessels at Jinling Shipyard, which is also now part of China Merchants Group.The two new "Superstar" 5,100 lm RoPax vessels ordered are expected to be delivered by 2023, informed Grimaldi’s roro and passenger company. They will be larger than the existing Star class vessels and will be Finnlines’ flagships both in terms of size and technology.With a length of about 230 meters, their loading capacity will be for 5,100 lane meters for rolling freight and around 1…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has cut the first steel  for British–American cruise line Cunard’s newest ship to start construction on the 249th ship of the luxury cruise line, marking an exciting moment in the company’s 179-year history. The yet unnamed ship will be the second largest ship to fly the Cunard flag, and is set to reimagine the luxury cruise experience with an array of unique and exciting on board amenities.The first section of the ship is under construction at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia ship yard. The shipbuilding group previously delivered Cunard’s popular and world-renowned Queen Victoria in 2007 and Queen Elizabeth in 2010.The steel cutting ceremony is a keystone-event in the life of Cunard’s new ship…

Cruise operator Genting Hong Kong (GHK) said that its unit Dream Cruises has launched the construction of the second Global Class cruise ship at German shipbuilder MV Werften  in Rostock-Warnemünde.“Production of Dream Cruises’ second Global Class ship commenced at MV Werften in Rostock-Warnemünde today, almost exactly a year after the keel laying of the flagship of the series," said Genting Hong Kong’s Chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay while initiating at the press of a button the first steel cutting for the 342m long, 46m wide, 208,000 gross ton cruise vessel.“We are delighted that our comprehensive investments at the three shipyard…

Stena Line has achieved a milestone in its fleet investment program with the launching ceremony of the first of its next generation of RoPax vessel taking place at the Avic Weihai Shipyard in China. The first new vessel will be named Stena Estrid* and she took to the water for the first time on January 16, 2019, and is on schedule to enter service on the Dublin to Holyhead route in early 2020, the first of three new E-Flexer vessels bound for the Irish Sea by 2021. All three vessels…

Germany's TT-Line has signed a contract with China's Jinling shipyard for a Green Ship.The concept design for the new dual fuel RoPax ferry has contributions from Denmark's OSK-ShipTech and its sister firm Steen Friis Design - both part of Danish marine consultants OSK Group.With a particular emphasis on flexibility and fast turn-around in ports, OSK-ShipTech has assisted TT-Line with the concept design for their new Green Ship. The firm contract with Chinese yard Jinling Shipyard for a 230 m RoPax newbuilding also includes an option for a sister ship.“We are proud to contribute to TT-Line’s fleet development and in addition to developing the concept for this new Green Ship we have been responsible for the contract design as well as basic design…

Carnival Corporation announced it will launch four new cruise ships in 2019 across three of its leading global brands – Carnival Cruise Line, America's Cruise Line; Costa Cruises, the largest European cruise operator; and Princess Cruises,  international premium cruise line. The world will get a preview of one of these spectacular new vessels when Carnival Cruise Line debuts a floral replica of its new Carnival Panorama sailing down Colorado Boulevard in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day…

Irish Ferries’ flagship craft, the WB Yeats, is finally due to set sail after months of delays that disrupted much of the company’s schedule this year.The maritime transport company that operates passenger and freight services on routes between Ireland, Britain said in a press note that this vessel will provide passengers with a unique and memorable cruise-style travel experience. Offering up to four sailings a week directly from Dublin to France, this flagship cruise ferry will travel 125,000 nautical miles per annum, which is the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe nearly 6 times."Sailing from mid-March to the end of September…

Construction of Ponant's new polar exploration vessel Le Commandant Charcot has begun  with the traditional steel cutting ceremony at Vard's shipyard in Tulcea, Romania.Delivery of the new flagship, the most ambitious ever designed both in terms of travel experience and respect for the environment, is scheduled for 2021.The vessel will bear the name of a great French explorer: Le Commandant Charcot. An explorer by vocation with a true passion for sailing, Jean-Baptiste Charcot is one of the emblematic figures of French polar expeditions.By naming its forthcoming polar exploration vessel after him, Ponant is paying tribute to this “gentleman of the poles”, a man respected by all.

Carnival Corporation's luxury cruise brand Seabourn introduced its newest vessel with a naming ceremony for Seabourn Ovation in the harbor of Valletta, Malta.Seabourn Ovation is the fifth ultra-luxury vessel to join the Seabourn fleet over the past decade, and the second of two ships designed for the line by hospitality design icon Adam D. Tihany.Seabourn Ovation was delivered on April 27 during an official handover ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy. Following the delivery ceremony, Seabourn Ovation began her maiden season with an 11-day inaugural voyage departing May 5 from Venice, Italy, and culminating with its arrival in Barcelona…

Majestic Fast Ferry’s newest ferry, the Majestic Dream, set sail on a maiden voyage from Singapore Cruise Centre’s (SCC) HarbourFront terminal. The 11th vessel in Majestic Fast Ferry’s fleet will ply the operator’s existing routes between Singapore and the Riau Islands in Indonesia. It will serve passengers travelling to and from SCC’s HarbourFront and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore, Batam Center and Sekupang terminals in Batam as well as Tanjung Pinang in Bintan. The ferry was designed by Australian naval architect and engineering service firm Incat Crowther. It is the second series of ships built by Majestic Fast Ferry at its shipyard on Batam Island, following its first series comprising Majestic 7, 8 and 9.

It has now been decided that Ulstein Verft will be constructing Color Line’s new hybrid vessel. The environmentally sound ship will be servicing Sandefjord – Strømstad from summer 2019. Ulstein won the contract in competition with several other yards. “It is very gratifying that the Norwegian shipbuilding industry has proven its competitiveness internationally, and that Color Line contributes to the further development of the Norwegian maritime industry,” says CEO Trond Kleivdal at Color Line. “We are very pleased that Color Line decided to proceed from a Letter of Intent to a firm contract on the construction of this hybrid vessel. This is an important milestone for us, and we are looking forward to the further cooperation with Color Line”, states CEO Gunvor Ulstein at Ulstein Group.

Color Line and Ulstein sign a firm contract on construction of the world’s largest plug-in hybrid vessel. Ulstein said it has won a contract to build Color Line’s new hybrid passenger vessel to service Sandefjord – Strømstad from summer 2019. The ship will be constructed at Ulstein Verft in Norway. “It is very gratifying that the Norwegian shipbuilding industry has proven its competitiveness internationally, and that Color Line contributes to the further development of the Norwegian maritime industry,” said CEO Trond Kleivdal at Color Line.

Spanish shipping line Baleària said it has reached an agreement with the Italian shipyard Cantiere Navale Visentini to build two dual-fuel sister ferries, measuring 186.5 meters in length and a capacity for 810 people, 2,180 linear meters of cargo and 150 cars. The total investment in these vessels is some 200 million euros (approximately $215 million USD); they are expected to be operational by the end of 2018. The ships will reach speeds of 24 knots thanks to two dual engines with a total power of 20,600 KW.

As part of its 2017 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, trade association Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has forecasted the top eight cruise travel trends that will have the greatest impact on the cruise industry in the coming year. New Generation Takes to the Water – A recent study found that younger generations—including Millennials and Generation X — will embrace cruise travel more than ever before, rating it as better than land-based vacations, all-inclusive resorts, tours, vacation house rentals or camping.

Fathom has engaged 44-year cruise industry veteran Maurice Zarmati to work with the burgeoning company. Fathom, which provides a different kind of cruise that combines travelers’ love of travel with their desire to make a difference, will tap Zarmati’s extensive knowledge of the cruise industry to augment its already robust tools designed to support travel professionals in marketing this one-of-a-kind travel experience. “Maurice has been a trusted advisor to Carnival Corporation and me for more than four decades, beginning in 1972 when my father invited Maurice to be among the small group of founding members of the Carnival Cruise Lines team,” said Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation.