Ole hyvä ja käytä tulostamiseen lehden omasta valikosta löytyvää tulostuspainiketta.
CruiseBusiness.com CruiseBusiness.com REVIEWING CRUISE BUSINESS GLOBALLY Magazine Winter 2020/2021 ICS 2020 Resumption and recovery MARDI GRAS Raising the bar SWAN HELLENIC Broadening horizons CRUISE FERRIES Fine tuning the guest experience ICS 2020 Resumption and recovery MARDI GRAS Raising the bar SWAN HELLENIC Broadening horizons CRUISE FERRIES Fine tuning the guest experience ON THE COVER Silversea Cruises expanded its ultra-luxury portfolio to nine vessels with the delivery of the Silver Moon from Fincantieri in October. It represents the second unit of the 40,700 gross ton Muse class, which carries 596 guests each. Next year, Fincantieri will deliver the third newbuild in the series, the Silver Dawn. kansi2021.indd 1 kansi2021.indd 1 20.1.2021 10.07 20.1.2021 10.07
E X P L O R AT I O N OTHER VESSELS www.sunstoneships.com Wherever Your Destination, SunStone Can Take You There. As you explore farther and farther into the frontier, we’re there to support you. Our clients and partners depend on SunStone’s innovation to facilitate their ongoing exploration and expansion. Our INFINITY class vessels are a leap forward in technology, design, safety and cost. Join us as expedition cruising enters the INFINITY-era. M/V OCEAN ATLANTIC M/V SEA SPIRIT M/V GREG MORTIMER M/V OCEAN DIAMOND M/V OCEAN ENDEAVOUR M/V QUEST M/V OCEAN NOVA IS THE ENGINE THAT DRIVES INNOVATION. — EDITH WIDDER, O CEANO GRAPHER — Follow The Sun. M/V OCEAN ADVENTURER OCEAN DISCOVERER Delivery 2023 SYLVIA EARLE Delivery 2021 OCEAN EXPLORER/ODYSSEY Delivery 2021/2022 INFINITY-CLASS VESSELS | OCEAN VICTORY, Delivery 2021 OCEAN ALBATROS Delivery 2022 kannen sisa?puoli.indd 1 kannen sisa?puoli.indd 1 20.1.2021 10.01 20.1.2021 10.01
Mobile Access VingCard Locks Elsafe Safes TrioVing Cylinders A trusted partner for the marine industry. Learn more today at assaabloyglobalsolutions.com/marine At ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, innovation is nothing new. We have been leading the industry in security and access technology for over 40 years, since inventing the world’s first card lock. As part of the ASSA ABLOY family, Marine provide service and support worldwide from our dedicated offices in Norway, Spain, Singapore and the USA. We offer advanced security solutions and peace of mind for both hospitality providers and their guests and crew. Our advanced solutions include: VingCard electronic locks, mobile access, gangway control, Elsafe safes, printers and encoders, cylinders and keys and mechanical stainless steel locks.
Mobile Access VingCard Locks Elsafe Safes TrioVing Cylinders A trusted partner for the marine industry. Learn more today at assaabloyglobalsolutions.com/marine At ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, innovation is nothing new. We have been leading the industry in security and access technology for over 40 years, since inventing the world’s first card lock. As part of the ASSA ABLOY family, Marine provide service and support worldwide from our dedicated offices in Norway, Spain, Singapore and the USA. We offer advanced security solutions and peace of mind for both hospitality providers and their guests and crew. Our advanced solutions include: VingCard electronic locks, mobile access, gangway control, Elsafe safes, printers and encoders, cylinders and keys and mechanical stainless steel locks. 8 Editor’s Commentary 10 Upfront 14 ICS 2020 discusses resumption and recovery 18 New Swan Hellenic broadens horizons 22 Pandemic hits cruise ship valuations, fuels demolition sales 25 Mardi Gras raises the bar 34 New vessels and more for American Queen/Victory 36 Silver Moon continues Silversea’s evolution 41 Ropax ferries up their game 44 Ferry interiors become more sophisticated and sustainable 50 Azipods keep Viking Glory green 52 Hydrogen and ammonia face challenges as shipping fuels 54 Stakeholders prepare to cruise again Sunrise in Bermuda onboard the Carnival Vista CONTENTS – WINTER 2020/2021 Ph oto cre dit : Te ijo Ni em elä 6-7.indd 3 6-7.indd 3 22.1.2021 9.37 22.1.2021 9.37
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 A native of San Diego, David Swanson’s awardwinning writing and photography has been featured in the pages of National Geographic Traveler, American Way, and the Los Angeles Times for more than 20 years, along with cruise and travel stories for dozens of U.S. newspapers and magazines. David served as President of the Society of American Travel Writers in 2018-2019. PRINTED IN FINLAND – PUNAMUSTA OY, HELSINKI www.cruisebusinessmagazine.com A s I write this winter’s commentary in January, we are approaching 11 months of a nearly complete standstill of the global cruise business. Only a handful of ships have been able to return to service in specific markets such as Germany, France, Italy, Singapore and Taiwan. New protocols introduced by several cruise lines have proven that we can travel safely and in a responsible way, and these operators have been able to run their ships Covid-free. In the U.S. – the largest cruise source market in the world – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted its “No Sail Order” on October 30, 2020. However, new protocols demanded by the CDC have made the re-start of cruising rather difficult, and most of the North American players have postponed their plans to re-start operations, in some cases pushing the date back until late April. The situation is rather similar in the UK, where the Foreign Office has not yet lifted its travel warning towards cruising. W hile cruising has been paused in the U.S., it has been a good time to look at alternative vacation options. Traveling closer to home has become the preference of many, even as some people have resumed air travel. I returned to the air in October and chose to fly to Las Vegas. The Nevada city has been one of the hardest hit in the U.S., as its event business – much like cruising – has been at a standstill. However, the destination has remained open for tourists, with mega resorts creating their own safety protocols by applying such measures as extra disinfection, social distancing and EDITOR’S COMMENTARY mandatory face masks for both workers and visitors. I found my visit to be safe, and – I am pleased to say – I have tested negative for Covid-19 even after all my travels. To make flying safe and to attract more travelers, airlines have been touting mandatory face masks in airports and during flights, new disinfecting procedures and fresh air that is filtered through HEPA filters in aircraft cabins. In October, Boeing released the results of a first-of-its-kind series of tests conducted with the University of Arizona, showing that the airlines’ current cleaning procedures effectively destroy the virus that causes Covid-19. Boeing carried out the testing as part of its Confident Travel Initiative (CTI) to support its airline customers and to enhance the safety and well-being of passengers and crews during the pandemic. W hile we are waiting for the cruise business in North America and elsewhere to fully return to the high seas, many changes are imminent –and it’s just not extensive medical testing and procedures that will be required. As part of its phased approach to allow sailings, the CDC has limited the length of a cruise departing from the U.S. to no longer than 7 nights. This will put many ports-ofcall at a major disadvantage, and we can anticipate major changes in market share among the industry’s various cruise destinations. In the meantime, all latest news can be followed on our website at www.cruisebusiness.com Teijo Niemelä HOW TO FOLLOW US Twitter.com/cruisebusiness facebook.com/CruiseBusinessUSA Instagram/niemelateijo CruiseBusiness.com Magazine 8 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 TRAVELING RESPONSIBLY Exhibitions are amazing. But imperfect, as everything is. Now we want to guide our clients to a future with more options for valuable person to person meetings. wulffentre.com | sales@wulffentre.com | +358 10 6335 500 For over 100 years WE have provided premium exhibition services – planning, stand design and project management and WE will for another 100 years. With excellence, passion and international experience. One world – One Partner – On Demand. As an company, we are driven by customer satisfaction and our processes are streamlined to provide you the best service, quality and experience possible. Wulff Entre is a member of the UN Global Compact and is committed to supporting and implementing the ten fundamental principles Plan is simple. Choose the right exhibitions. Provide your clients the EXHIBITION ON DEMAND experience Your real exhibition space from anywhere. Online. On Demand. Want to hear more? Contact us 8-9 .indd 2 8-9 .indd 2 22.1.2021 11.35 22.1.2021 11.35
Exhibitions are amazing. But imperfect, as everything is. Now we want to guide our clients to a future with more options for valuable person to person meetings. wulffentre.com | sales@wulffentre.com | +358 10 6335 500 For over 100 years WE have provided premium exhibition services – planning, stand design and project management and WE will for another 100 years. With excellence, passion and international experience. One world – One Partner – On Demand. As an company, we are driven by customer satisfaction and our processes are streamlined to provide you the best service, quality and experience possible. Wulff Entre is a member of the UN Global Compact and is committed to supporting and implementing the ten fundamental principles Plan is simple. Choose the right exhibitions. Provide your clients the EXHIBITION ON DEMAND experience Your real exhibition space from anywhere. Online. On Demand. Want to hear more? Contact us 8-9 .indd 3 8-9 .indd 3 22.1.2021 11.35 22.1.2021 11.35
UPFRONT 10 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Meyer Werft in Papenburg delivered two new cruise ships during the second half of 2020 – the Spirit of Adventure for Saga Cruises and the Iona for P&O Cruises. Both were delayed several times during the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 58,250 gross ton and 999-guest Spirit of Adventure is a sister ship to the previous year’s Spirit of Discovery. In attendance at the September delivery ceremony were David Pickett and Nigel Blanks from Saga Cruises and Jan Meyer and Bernard Meyer from Meyer Werft. 10-13.indd 2 10-13.indd 2 18.1.2021 14.21 18.1.2021 14.21
UPFRONT UPFRONT ? In mid-October, P&O Cruises – the contemporary British brand of Carnival Corporation & plc – celebrated delivery of the Iona, part of a large Carnival group order of LNG-powered vessels from Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku shipyards. At 180,089 gross tons, the Iona can carry 5,200 passengers. Pictured from left are P&O Cruises’ Paul Ludlow and Meyer Werft’s Jan Meyer. Just before Christmas, Meyer Turku in Finland delivered Carnival Cruise Line’s first LNG-powered vessel, the Mardi Gras. The ship, which is expected to start operations from Port Canaveral at the end of April (at the earliest), also represents the first LNG-powered cruise ship in the North American market. A year earlier, Meyer Turku delivered the Costa Smeralda for Costa Cruises, the Italian unit of Carnival Corp. From left are Meyer Turku’s Tim Meyer and Carnival’s Ben Clement. CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 11 10-13.indd 3 10-13.indd 3 18.1.2021 14.21 18.1.2021 14.21
UPFRONT UPFRONT Celebrity Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrated the traditional coin ceremony for the Celebrity Beyond in St. Nazaire in November. The Celebrity Beyond, which is expected to be delivered in spring 2022, will be slightly longer than its sister ships the Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex. From left, Tobias King, Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series Project Manager, and Sébastien Le Boulluec, Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s Edge Series Project Manager, hold the ceremonial “good fortune” coin as the ship’s keel was laid. Viking announced in early January that revered British journalist and broadcaster Anne Diamond will be the godmother of its seventh ocean ship, the Viking Venus, which is scheduled to debut this spring. The 930-guest Viking Venus was floated out in June 2020 and is now under final construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy Silversea Cruises took delivery of the Silver Moon – the ninth vessel in the ultraluxury cruise line’s fleet – on October 30. During a celebration held at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, executives from Silversea Cruises, the Royal Caribbean Group, and Fincantieri expressed gratitude to all involved. Delivering live speeches via video feed were Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, and Jason Liberty, Executive Vice President and CFO of the Royal Caribbean Group. Present in Ancona (pictured) were Luigi Matarazzo, Fincantieri’s General Manager, Merchant Ships Division; and Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. 12 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 10-13.indd 4 10-13.indd 4 18.1.2021 14.21 18.1.2021 14.21
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 13 Holland America Line, which recently retired the Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Maasdam and Veendam from its fleet, celebrated the coin ceremony for the new 99,500 gross ton Rotterdam on October 1 at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. Following Italian shipbuilding tradition, Mai Elmar, Executive Director of Cruise Port Rotterdam in the Netherlands, served as the ship’s “madrina” and participated in the festivities. The Rotterdam, which was originally to be named the Ryndam, will join Holland America next summer as the only newbuild for the Carnival group during the current fiscal year. Dream Cruises – part of Genting Cruise Lines – officially re-started cruise service from Singapore on November 6. Dubbed “Super Seacations,” these cruises to nowhere were specifically designed for Singapore residents and operated with a reduced capacity of 50% (1,400 guests) onboard the World Dream. From left are Captain Robert Bodin; Annie Chang, Director, Cruise, Singapore Tourism Board; and Michael Goh, President of Dream Cruises. MedCruise, which mission is to promote the cruise industry in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Adriatic Sea, Red Sea and Near Atlantic, launched an online marketing campaign to run during 2021 to support, more than ever, its members and destination for the resumption of cruising. There is nowhere else where one can cruise to so many different countries within a short period of time and to enjoy, meet, feel, taste, smell as many flavours, nature, cultures and retrace the footsteps of history as one can in the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas. This marketing campaign is divided into five different extraordinary experiences, presented in short video clips, which one can live when cruising the Med. Our readers can watch these clips in our online magazine. 10-13.indd 5 10-13.indd 5 18.1.2021 14.21 18.1.2021 14.21
14 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 ICS 2020 DISCUSSES RESUMPTION AND RECOVERY In early December, against a backdrop of difficult circumstances, some of the cruise industry’s foremost leaders and spokespersons gathered at the International Cruise Summit 2020 (ICS 2020), held in Madrid and online, to discuss aspects of operational resumption and prospects of recovery. By Alan Lam A dhering to meticulous sanitation regimes and stringent health and safety protocols, more than 200 cruises operated by several lines had set sail by late 2020, ending operational suspensions on account of the pandemic. At the same time, many other cruise lines had extended their operational pauses far into 2021. Unsurprisingly, there were both steadfast and abortive restarts. Lines like SeaDream Yacht Club and Hurtigruten suffered setbacks because of Covid-19 infections spreading onboard, while others such as MSC Cruises and TUI Cruises appeared to be troublefree in that regard. On the whole, the situation – while still volatile – was deemed to be stabilizing when ICS 2020 was convened, despite the fact that most ships were still idle. Major cruise groups were still engaged in what was often perceived as existential struggles. But the worst might be over; the focus was now on operational resumptions. To this end, the industry had been developing enhanced, pandemicspecific health and safety protocols as well as new business strategies, with the unwavering aim of an eventual full and sustained recovery. Also central to the future of cruise business were repairing damaged confidence and identifying new opportunities in this crisis. Above all, the industry must now – more than ever before – confront changes. Confronting changes As the conference unfolded, it was clear that the cruise industry had recognized that the old order would not survive the pandemic and a new one was emerging. Above all, there would be many operational changes ahead, especially in the short-to-medium terms. Chief among these are testing regimes and the implementation of Covid-19-induced sanitation protocols that will likely be in place for a long time to come. It was widely claimed that, before the onset of the pandemic, the cruise industry already had some of the most stringent sanitation standards and that they had often surpassed requirement by good margins. These standards are now being further enhanced and modified to ensure safety and reclaim confidence in cruising. “We expect to see a lot of changes between now and next summer. A lot of factors will affect the timeframe of cruise going back to normal, such as vaccines, confidence, et cetera,” said Marcus Puttich, Head of Port & Ground Operations, TUI Cruises. In confronting changes, attendees urged that the industry be more agile and flexible in all its dealings. “We’ve seen situations change every day. You have to be very flexible and able to react on a short notice. This has been a major learning experience,” said Simone Maraschi, Managing Director, Cruise Gate Hamburg. Recent experiences in such operations as crew repatriations, sudden itinerary changes and conforming to new travel restrictions certainly demanded maximum flexibility from all those involved. Some of these changes required almost indescribable agilities to countenance. “In previous normal situations, it could take one-andConference Director David Selby and Cruises News Media Group CEO Virginia Lopez 14-17 ICS.indd 2 14-17 ICS.indd 2 15.1.2021 9.30 15.1.2021 9.30
? CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 15 ICS 2020 DISCUSSES RESUMPTION AND RECOVERY a-half years to thirty-six months to plan an itinerary,” said Emilio Freeman, Vice President for Destinations and Revenue Management, SeaDream Yacht Club. “In this new normal situation, it has taken us just two months, or as little as six weeks, to do so. You’ve got to think not just outside of the box, but also as if there is no box at all.” Thus, the industry’s litheness was being tested. Cruise as a global business had always been agile and flexible at best of times. In this crisis, in particular, these qualities are being plundered to the limits. Some cruise lines appear to be better equipped to deal with this impossible situation than others. “We, at MSC, have learnt how to work ‘elastically,’ depending on how market demand dictates. We have ships located around the world. We will re-start as soon as we can,” said Elisabetta De Nardo, Vice President, Port Development, MSC Cruises. As a newcomer, Virgin Voyages’ inaugural season was devastated by the pandemic. “We had to stop operation before we started operation. I think it was the right thing to do in the long run,” said Tom McAlpin, President and CEO, Virgin Voyages. Although it had to mothball its newbuild upon delivery, the company has never relented in its marketing drives. At the same time, it needs to confront the same changes. Since it would start with a clean slate, the challenges could sometimes be more daunting. “Planning itineraries in this rapidly changing world is very difficult. We have to respond to different circumstances,” said McAlpin. The pandemic could also bring about a small number of welcome changes for some. For example, it might have effortlessly addressed the formerly pressing issue of over-tourism. “Before Covid-19, there was a lot of discussion about overcrowding,” said Tine Oelmann, Director, Destination Management & Operations, TUI Cruises. “After Covid-19, tour groups will be smaller. Smaller groups and private tours are a trend emerging in the pandemic. This is a trend that is going to stay.” The crisis might have injected a new lease of life into physical travel agents, too. “Before the pandemic, travel agents were worried that the internet might be replacing them,” said Andreas Nüssel, Managing Director, Europe, Silversea Cruises. “Now it has been demonstrated that they are there for their customers. We’ll need to convert that for the future.” This perspective was as yet speculative. Equally, potential travelers could become more reliant on online booking tools. Time will reveal the eventual outcome. Developing protocols Perhaps the biggest and the most tangible changes of all throughout this crisis so far are the development and implementation of health and safety protocols. From the very beginning, the need for robust testing regimes and sanitation procedures has been all too apparent. Ships, such as those operated by MSC and the Royal Caribbean Group, have resumed sailing based on strict adherence to the new protocols. A lot has already been achieved and much more is still needed. “From the beginning we’ve taken very aggressive actions,” said Alfredo Serrado, National Director, CLIA Spain. “We were one of the first industries to suspend services. Cruise industry has adopted [the practice of] 100% testing before travelling. No other travel sector has done that.” But there is still a distinct lack of standardization in the development and implementation of protocols. This has made a full resumption of cruising difficult, if not impossible. Each individual cruise line, port, and destination has followed its own set of protocols and is in a different stage of development and implementation. “It is simply impossible to follow five different set of protocols in one itinerary,” said Chris Theophilides, CEO, Celestyal Cruises. There is therefore a pressing need for protocol harmonization if cruises are to resume fully. “Every day the ships don’t sail, thousands of jobs are lost,” said Serrado, underlining the urgency. There are many components in this process and many parties involved – not just cruise lines but ports, tour guides, bus drivers, shore-side attractions, shops and restaurants are all part of this safety bubble. “We talk about protocols on ships and in ports; no one is talking about protocols in shops and venues,” said Federico Costa, CEO, Trumpy Tours, highlighting a major aspect of this issue that needs to be addressed. Testing is a cornerstone of robust protocols. Needless to say, those cruise lines that have resumed sailing also have the most rigorous and well-organized testing regimes in place, as in the case of TUI. “We took a very close look at what kind of guests we had onboard and determined the tests we needed,” said Puttich. “We signed up with a hospital chain in Germany. Our guests have a choice of 80 hospitals to go to for testing.” TUI is by no means alone. Others have been equally meticulous in developing and implementing their own schemes. “The work we’ve done for months was basically on harmonizing our protocols,” said De Nardo. “We started from scratch based on the EU Healthy Gateways framework. Then we moved down to the national level requirements. Then we worked with local authorities, ports and destinations.” There is still a long way to go, with developing processes subject to constant change and revision. “Our initial protocols were based on 70% occupancy,” said De Nardo. “Unfortunately, because of new restrictions, we had to reduce that percentage.” On the shore side, MSC is carrying out mandatory testing for all guides and drivers. It insists on operating within a safety bubble for its guests and crew. Passengers are not allowed to go ashore unless they are on a tour organized or specified by the cruise line. Anyone straying outside of the bubble is denied re-boarding, and in fact, in August a family was denied re-boarding the MSC Grandiosa at the port of Naples for breaking the company’s coronavirus protocols. To further strengthen the effectiveness of this carefully constructed safety bubble, among the cruise lines that had resumed operations there is a blanket ban on third-party shore excursions, and guests are not allowed to go ashore unaccompanied. “We believe this is a necessary measure to avoid bringing Covid-19 onboard our ships,” said Alfredo Serrano 14-17 ICS.indd 3 14-17 ICS.indd 3 15.1.2021 9.30 15.1.2021 9.30
16 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Oelmann. “We think for the time being, this is the right way to go. Guests will feel safe with us.” Developing and implementing Covid-19 protocols has been costly for the industry, and it is likely that they will be in place for a long time and will continue to evolve. “The new hygiene rules are going to stay because they are not just good for Covid-19, they are also good for other things,” said Oelmann. The strict new hygiene regimes should also be an effective deterrent against the spread of other viruses and diseases, such as norovirus, onboard ships. All these efforts so far have put the cruise industry ahead of the rest in terms of Covid-19 protocols. “The cruise industry has already come a long way in implementing tests, which we do not see in any other industry,” said Puttich. Indeed, the industry has been proactive, conscientious and rigorous. “We’ve been working with our partners in developing six categories of health plans,” said McAlpin. “We have an opportunity here to create a safe space to travel. We go above and beyond. We are installing air purifying systems onboard that kills 99.9% of harmful viruses. We use the same types of products they use in hospitals.” Interrupted growth wAttendees also took note of the fact that the pandemic has interrupted – at least in the medium term – the carefully laid growth and expansion plans of the industry, forcing it to rethink and redefine its approaches from the ground level upwards. First and foremost, most cruise lines’ operational models have been changed in order to reduce the number of infection opportunities. “We use multiple homeporting to mitigate risks,” said De Nardo. “We want to pick up our guests as close to their home as possible. This was our strategy from the beginning.” In some cases, the fly-cruise model has been replaced by the drive-cruise one. TUI, for example, is embarking and disembarking guests only in Germany, even for its Caribbean cruises, at least for the duration of the pandemic. Here, we might be seeing a major model shift for the future, which would have wider implications for such cruise lines as Celestyal Cruises. About 65% of Celestyal’s guests depend on long-haul flights to get to its ships. “We are currently monitoring our source markets, to see what traction there is,” said Theophilides. “While our ships cruise in the East Mediterranean, our clientele is global.” For major cruise lines, the impact appears to be somewhat lessened because of their bigger operational presence, but the challenge remains. “Drive-to is the most important market for us in the USA and China. Fly-to will become a bit more challenging than drive-to,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. To ensure and maximize safe resumption, cruise lines have made costly compromises by voluntarily limiting both their source market and destination reaches. MSC, for example, is only carrying passengers from the Schengen Area on what it is calling “proximity cruises.” Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, explained: “Proximity cruises and using our private islands will be the initial stage. The biggest part is to show that we can apply different protocols and make this a safe vacation.” As opportunities to cruise have been curbed, strategic and targeted marketing have become even more important. “We start seeing booking spikes when there is good news,” said Kevin Bubolz, Managing Director Europe, Norwegian Cruise Line. “Our target at present is mainly the returning customers. For them, it is all about when they can cruise again.” The strategies are being looked at from several angles. Different cruise lines have taken different approaches in accordance with their size and market perspective. “We are looking at the demand for 2021. We think it will be a slow year. We are trying to be innovative and think about what we can do with our ships,” said Filippos Venetopoulos, CEO, Variety Cruises. One thing remains clear: Concerted and sustained efforts are needed on the road to recovery. “In the short term, it is all about growing the volume back to what it was before. The biggest risk is doing nothing,” Virginia Quintairos, Global Business Development Director, Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services. Slow recovery Recovery will be a slow and frustrating process, one that will require illimitable patience and tenacity. The biggest concern at the heart of all these issues is the conspicuous absence of revenue. Besides earGetting Started Again session was moderated by Mark Robinson from Global Ports Holding Francesca Antonelli, Valencia Port, moderated a land operations session 14-17 ICS.indd 4 14-17 ICS.indd 4 15.1.2021 9.30 15.1.2021 9.30
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 17 ly resumption, the only other effective tool the industry can wield is putting future programs on sale as early as possible. In the weeks leading up to ICS 2020, various cruise lines had already put their 2023 cruises on the market. “Although we do work so far ahead, we don’t normally put the itineraries on sale quite so early,” noted Mike Deegan, Head of Fleet Operations, Noble Caledonia. Upon the announcements in late 2020 of Covid-19 vaccine development successes, cruise lines experienced strong booking spikes. This led many in the industry to believe there is a pent-up demand waiting to be unleashed. That optimism was shared at the conference: “Consumers are now Covid fatigued,” said Bayley. “I think in the summer 2021, people will go big on vacations. We will be surprised and delighted by how quickly the demand will return. I truly believe that vaccines will be the game-changer.” Bayley was not alone in this view. “People are tired of staying at home,” said McAlpin. “They are hungry for experience. Vaccines will have a key role to play. Vaccines are the game-changer in regard to itineraries.” And in spite of rising daily infection numbers, especially in the U.S., many said they believed the worst was over. “It has taken us many months to get to where we are,” said Bayley. “Everybody is struggling. We are coming out the worse bit. The journey to this point has been bumpy and chaotic. That is behind us now. We are now looking at a calmer prospect.” But a full recovery is still a distant prospect. Even in the best-case scenario, the industry is looking at a difficult 2021. “Vaccines will create excitement and make people rush to book cruises,” said Onorato. “But there is the issue of vaccine distribution, which will be of different speed. In 2021, we will still be in a year of resumption. 2022 will be the year we get back to normal.” In addition, vaccines can only address part of the bigger issue. “There will be a natural capacity restriction in a short term, as turnaround time will be longer,” said Theophilides. “Many ports will not be able to serve more than one ship at a time. In the initial stage, we will not find ourselves back in the pre-Covid-19 volumes.” Looking at the bigger picture, it was apparent to attendees that a quick recovery is unlikely. “The biggest casualty of this pandemic is the economic impact and social consequences, which will last a very long time,” said Michael Thamm, CEO, Costa Group & Carnival Asia. “We can only exist in partnership with destinations and other stakeholders. We are a part of an ecosystem.” That ecosystem is now badly damaged and will take years to repair. The speed of recovery will also be limited by other factors. “It is about safety and it is about patience,” said McAlpin. “We can’t do this alone. We can control this inside the ships; we can’t do it outside the ship.” All the components of the industry must move at the same speed in order for a sustained recovery to be possible. What is important, however, is that the process has started. “We’ve gone from no sail to conditional sail. Now we are trying to go from there,” said Bayley. “It is a phased approach; there is no one-step recovery,” added De Nardo. Leveled playing field The pandemic has devastated the cruise industry more than any other travel and hospitality sector. As a by-product, it has also leveled the playing field for all players. “We see potential in the future when we come through the crisis for ships of all sizes and scales,” said Bayley. The most potent indication of the playing field being leveled is the phenomenon of bigger cruise lines selling ships while smaller ones are buying them. We have seen marginal operators like Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Celestyal Cruises, Sanya International Cruise Development, and even a Greek ferry operator acquiring surplus tonnage from major cruise lines. There has been an unmistakable trend of major players shedding capacity while minor ones and newcomers expand theirs. Being big will likely not have the same advantages as before. “Over the last thirty years, we’ve seen everything in this industry just getting bigger and bigger to the extent the ships are now destination themselves,” said Freeman, speaking from the perspective of a small cruise line. “I believe this will not be so much the case anymore. There is a tremendous opportunity for us now. This is the direction the industry is heading.” And this will likely be the case not only for the cruise lines, but for ports and destinations, as well. “Everyone has the same opportunities now regardless of the sizes of the ports,” said De Nardo. While the industry mourned the demise of Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) and Jalesh Cruises, there was a sense at the conference that some had already begun to put the Covid-19 nightmare behind them. “We’ve all suffered much in the last nine months; we are going to suffer a little bit more. To get back to where we were before, we need to work a bit harder, a bit longer,” said Onorato. Already, the industry was in a much better place than it was just a few months before. “The shutdown was the most difficult part,” said Thamm. “Now we are on our way. Working in the resumption phase is much better than in the shutdown phase. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.” He went on to highlight Royal Caribbean International’s successful restart of its Quantum of the Seas, in Singapore, on the second day of ICS 2020, while MSC and Princess Cruises both reported record Black Friday sales the same day. Furthermore, the deleterious impact of the pandemic needed to be put into better perspective: “Covid-19 is not the biggest challenge that humanity faces,” said Andrea Zito, CEO of the newly resurrected Swan Hellenic. “The generation before mine went through World War II; the generation before that went through World War I.” As with wars, the cruise industry is fighting for it future, a future they all believe in. So, it was not surprising that rallying calls echoed throughout the summit, the loudest of which came from a cruise line that had yet to start operations for the first time. “We are committed to an epic combat. This, too, shall pass. Victory is just on the horizon. Solutions are on the way,” cried McAlpin. n 14-17 ICS.indd 5 14-17 ICS.indd 5 15.1.2021 9.30 15.1.2021 9.30
18 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 D ormant since 2017, the company will operate two 10,000 gross ton and one 12,000 gross ton ice-strengthened expedition cruise ships that are on order at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland. It is also looking to widen its customer base: Established in the UK in 1950, it was quintessentially a British company in its former guise. However, under new ownership the company has signed agreements with partners in China, India and the U.S. plus established an office in Germany in addition to one in London to tap a wide range of source markets. The U.S. office, led by industry veteran Tom Russell was just announced at the presstime. “Swan Hellenic is very much a British company – British in heritage, international in outlook. We anticipate our guest mix to be truly international, as we have now set up partnerships across the globe,” said Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic. The company’s customers will comprise three NEW SWAN HELLENIC BROADENS HORIZONS Swan Hellenic, which pioneered boutique cruising to destinations with cultural and natural interest, will broaden its horizons to include high latitudes both north and south in its portfolio, thus becoming an expedition cruise line at its relaunch. By Kari Reinikainen core groups, with an average age of 55, all of whom are keen to enrich their inquisitive minds, reconnect with nature and share unique experiences. The first group is called “Experience Seekers.” These people are 45 to 60 years old. They prefer holidays that test and pamper, seek luxury cabins and gourmet food, and are interested in polar travel to get away from everything and reconnect with self and family, Zito said. “Culture Seekers” are 50 to 65 years old and want to travel to polar regions to connect with nature and others. They are not motivated by adrenaline rush; they value experience with like-minded people and enjoy educational programs to connect with experts. The third group is known as “Checklist Tickers.” They are 65 to 70 years old and mostly retired. Visiting the polar regions is a lifetime goal for them, and they are interested in culture and sightseeing and also in outdoor activities as long as they are not extreme, plus they value comfort and touches of luxury. They are people who enjoy traveling in sophisticated elegance and who have a deep-seated thirst for knowledge Speaking of the company’s transformation, Zito said that Swan Hellenic has always been known for its pioneering spirit and by the fact that it takes its guests to remote destinations. “Those values resonate with the modern cultural expedition cruise guest just as much as they did when the company was started 70 years ago.” Expedition companies tend to focus on the polar regions including the Arctic, Russian Far East and Antarctic, but Swan Hellenic is a company that plans to offer cultural expeditions to all seven continents. “In the north, we are working on exclusive itineraries in the Russian Arctic. Other countries on the itineraries include New Zealand, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Canada, etc.,” Zito told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. COMPANY PROFILE ? S W E D E N · P O L A N D · U S A · S I N G A P O R E · T I L L B E R G D E S I G N . C O M Delivering Dreams is our vision. For us at Tillberg Design of Sweden, that means a true guest focus and an aim to always not only meet expectations, but exceed them, surprise and create memories to last a lifetime. We design for the little boy on his first cruise, the married couple celebrating their 50th anniversary, the girlfriends on an escape from their everyday lives and every other guest looking for their dream vacation. We aim to challenge and innovate, always with a strong foundation in our over three hundred delivered projects. We are with our clients all the way from brand creation to space planning, compelling marketing visuals, signage, inspections and contact with consultants and suppliers. We happily discuss sustainability and when it’s time, we gladly help the cruise ship or yacht to a second life using our extensive refurbishment experience. Welcome to TDoS – world-leading marine design since 1964. S W E D E N • P O L A N D • U S A • S I N G A P O R E • T I L L B E R G D E S I G N . C O M TOP: Swan Hellenic has named its first new build as SH Minerva. BELOW: CEO Andrea Zito 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 2 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 2 15.1.2021 9.29 15.1.2021 9.29
S W E D E N · P O L A N D · U S A · S I N G A P O R E · T I L L B E R G D E S I G N . C O M Delivering Dreams is our vision. For us at Tillberg Design of Sweden, that means a true guest focus and an aim to always not only meet expectations, but exceed them, surprise and create memories to last a lifetime. We design for the little boy on his first cruise, the married couple celebrating their 50th anniversary, the girlfriends on an escape from their everyday lives and every other guest looking for their dream vacation. We aim to challenge and innovate, always with a strong foundation in our over three hundred delivered projects. We are with our clients all the way from brand creation to space planning, compelling marketing visuals, signage, inspections and contact with consultants and suppliers. We happily discuss sustainability and when it’s time, we gladly help the cruise ship or yacht to a second life using our extensive refurbishment experience. Welcome to TDoS – world-leading marine design since 1964. S W E D E N • P O L A N D • U S A • S I N G A P O R E • T I L L B E R G D E S I G N . C O M 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 3 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 3 15.1.2021 9.29 15.1.2021 9.29
20 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Scandi-chic’ decor “In addition, we will create a unique combination of ocean-based and river expeditions through our partnership with Vodohod Russian River Cruises that have never opened to the public previously,” he added. The transformation has required a lot of planning and forethought. “As a company we are all very passionate and driven to make Swan Hellenic leaders in cultural expedition cruising. We have spent a lot of time over the past year working with our partners across the world, understanding what their guests need,” Zito said. The company’s aim is not just to take guests to explore extraordinary places on earth. “We bring them the company of like-minded people and renowned experts, who offer eye-opening lectures, offering real insight into the history, cultures, wildlife, flora, geology and geography of the destinations we have selected,” Zito continued. The company’s first newbuilding is due for launch in November 2021 and the second in April 2022. Both will feature Scandinavian-style interiors by Tillberg Design of Sweden, a stark contrast to the distinctly traditional British ambiance on the Minerva operated by the previous Swan Hellenic. A third, slightly larger vessel of some 12,000 gross tons is on order at the same builder; the first two ships are expected to measure at 10,000 gross tons. The two ships will both feature PC5 ice class, which will allow for longer seasons and deeper explorations in polar destinations. Each ship will be 115 meters in length, have a draught of 5.5 meters and a cruising speed of 14 knots. Both will have 76 cabins, providing accommodations for 152 people in total. All cabins will have large windows, the majority with a balcony. Passengers will be looked after by 120 staff, including lecturers and expedition team members. The design of the vessels will be characterized by very large open areas and deck spaces, which allow for both free movement of passengers and unobstructed views. “We want the guests to be fully immersed in the experience,” Zito said. The brief given to Tillberg Design of Sweden calls for “Scandi-chic” decor, described as functional elegance with none of the negative connotation sometime attached to luxury design. Dining venues will comprise The Swan Restaurant, The Club Lounge and Pool Bar & Grill, while a gym, sauna and treatment room will be available to those with a taste for physical exercise and pampering, plus a swimming pool and Jacuzzi. “There is also a panoramic sauna where you can enjoy the warmth whilst staring into the remotest of locations through the floor to ceiling windows,” Zito pointed out. Three-pillar strategy Swan Hellenic is by no means the only company looking at the upper end of the expedition cruise sector. The company’s strategy to prosper in that market is based first and foremost on newly built, five-star expedition ships, all featuring modern Scandinavian-inspired design showcasing unobstructed views and an abundance of outside space. The second pillar of the strategy is intuitive and unobtrusive service that anticipates guests’ needs and provides truly personal service. Finally, enriching cultural expeditions around the world will form the final pillar of the company’s strategy. These will include unique destinations and build on the company’s 70-plus years of cruising history. Swan Hellenic was originally set up by private British interests in 1950. It operated chartered tonnage, which for a long time was by no means of particularly high class. The Orpheus, which served the company for a long time in the 1980s and 1990s, started life as an Irish Sea ferry and was converted into a cruise ship in Greece for Epirotiki Line, the now defunct operator of many converted ships. However, the company excelled by offering talks and tours led by renowned scholars and scientists. In geographical terms, the line’s cruises focused on the Mediterranean region for a long time, and it was only in the second half of the 1990s that it started to venture into the Atlantic, Baltic and even the Far East. This was made possible by the charter of a larger ship, the 12,500 gross ton Minerva, which took over from the 5,000 gross ton Orpheus in 1996 and not only offered more space, but also significantly more upmarket facilities and accommodations. Past changes of ownership The company had been part of the P&O Group since 1983, and in 2003 became part of Carnival Corporation & plc. Under this ownership, it briefly operated the 30,000 gross ton Minerva II, which started life as a member of the eight-ship series built for Renaissance Cruises at the turn of the millennium. A one-ship brand, Swan Hellenic fitted poorly into the Carnival portfolio of multi-ship brands operating mainly large ships. In 2007-2008, the company was transferred from Carnival to All Leisure Group, a British operator of boutique cruises. The new owners chartered the Minerva of 1996, which undoubtedly was a better fit than the larger vessel that Carnival had used All Leisure Group folded in 2017, and Swan Hellenic was sold to G Adventures, a Canadian company. It intended to relaunch the brand, but nothing came of that. Instead, in the summer of 2020, Swan Hellenic was sold to investors with a Russian background who prefer to Artist’s rendering of the Main Restaurant 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 4 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 4 15.1.2021 9.29 15.1.2021 9.29
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 21 maintain a low profile. The Finnish broadcasting company YLE reported in December 2020 that the Russian owners of the Helsinki Shipyard now also own Swan Hellenic, which they control via a Cyprusbased company. At least two of the three ships that Swan Hellenic will operate and which are on order at Helsinki Shipyard are owned by an Irish company with the Russian state as the sole shareholder. Swan Hellenic Ltd., a UK-based company, will be responsible for marketing the line’s cruises in the UK. The relaunched Swan Hellenic will offer a broader range of cruises to a more international customer base than what the company had ever done before. It is difficult and time consuming to create a new cruise brand, so it makes sense for the new owners of Swan Hellenic to buy the name and develop it to match their ideas; the brand name remains well known and probably still has quite a lot of equity. One-ship operations always have a range of shortcomings, which the new Swan Hellenic will not face as it intends to have three ships in service. The cost of its landbased, mainly fixed expenses will be divided by the three ships rather than focus on a single one. At least as important is that three ships will allow the company to offer a much broader range of programs than what would be possible by just a single ship. Undoubtedly, in the present time when so much bad news fills the media in general and the travel and cruise sector in particular, the re-emergence of Swan Hellenic is a positive and welcome development. n Club Lounge – outdoor area Cabin with a private balcony Mud room Observation Lounge 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 5 18-21 SWAN HELLENIC.indd 5 15.1.2021 9.29 15.1.2021 9.29
22 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 COVID-19 The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc with valuations of cruise ships, with older tonnage in particular severely hit. The future looks uncertain as the pandemic continues to hurt the health of the cruise industry. By Kari Reinikainen THE GRAPH HAS BEEN SHADED INTO 4 SECTIONS. n The first grey section is a slow fall in value due to the decrease in global fleet activity. n The first red section represents a time when several transactions were taking place at knock down prices, accelerating the fall in asset value, with particular interest in 20-year-old ships. n The second grey section again represents a slow decrease in value due to continued cruise ships entering layup. n Finally, the second red section represents an accelerated fall due to ongoing negotiations and market offers, especially for 2000-2005 built cruise ships. PANDEMIC HITS CRUISE SHIP VALUATIONS, FUELS DEMOLITION SALES Ph oto cre dit : Te ijo Ni em elä Marella Cruises decided to retire Marella Celebration last year HOW VALUATIONS HAVE BEEN HIT 22-24 VESSEL VALUES.indd 2 22-24 VESSEL VALUES.indd 2 20.1.2021 10.09 20.1.2021 10.09
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 23 ? SHIP GROSS TONS YEAR BUILT PRICE Vasco da Gama 55,819 1992 $10.187 million Columbus 63,786 1989 $5.321 million Astor 20,606 1987 $1.70 million Magellan 46,052 1985 $3.431 million Marco Polo 22,080 1965 $2.770 million Sources: Price data Eggar Forrester C.W. Kellogg, tonnages and years built Shippax Guide 2020 V esselsValue, the UK-based company that provides valuation for several types of ships, valued the global cruise fleet at $170 billion at the beginning of 2020. The figure includes both existing ships and vessels on order. By the end of the year, the global cruise fleet’s value had decreased to about $125.8 billion, a decline of 25%. This means an aggregated loss of about $44.2 billion, said Guy Cooper, analyst at VesselsValue. “Values have fallen across all ages but it has been amplified for older tonnage due to the sheer number of transactions that have occurred.” Even newest ships lost about one-fifth of their value VesselsValue matrix shows the percentage change in value since the start of last year. “We can see the percent decrease is significantly higher for 2000-1995 built cruise ships at around 80% and 92% respectively. This is driven by S&P activity, which has been predominantly for older tonnage [20 years and older],” Cooper told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. Some of the data should be perhaps regarded as indicative, as the first cruise ship to exceed 100,000 gross tons – the Carnival Destiny – only entered service in 1996. It took a further 13 years before the 200,000 gross ton mark was reached by the introduction of the Oasis of the Seas. However, in those 13 years, several cruise ships between 100,000 and 200,000 gross tons entered service. “The above table and supporting data suggests age depreciation is more extreme as a cruise ship reaches around 15 years of age. This is roughly around the time that major refits are needed, and, therefore, the assets become less desirable unless significant amount of money is spent upgrading them,” Cooper stated. “In a bad market, the cost benefit of keeping, maintaining or laying up these older units becomes far too much, forcing the operator to place the assets into a bad sale and purchase market, thus receiving a lower value,” he added. As far as modern, higher specification units are concerned, the upside and long vessel life limit the amount of annual depreciation. “However if the Covid situation and global travel restrictions do not improve [or get worse] during 2021, we would expect the deprecation gap between the modern and older tonnage to reduce,” Cooper pointed out. A further deterioration of the situation could have a significant impact on the finances of cruise ship owners, as it would raise the specter of further impairment charges against their vessels. It could also put pressure on shipyards: Would the owners agree to pay the contract price for their newbuildings, which could be worth significantly less on completion? Orders – or at least options – could be cancelled if the yard did not agree to a lower price. However, at this point that remains pure speculation, as there was no visibility regarding how the situation will evolve at the time of writing. Commercial aspects reflected in second-hand sales On the second-hand market, the sale of five of the six cruise ships previously operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) in the UK before the company’s collapse in summer 2020 provides several data points. The company had operated the five ships on time charter from a Greek company, while the sixth ship – the Azores – was on charter from Portuguese principals and was not part of the sale. The Astor and Marco Polo were the only ones of the five ships being sold for scrap; the Magellan [at the presstime Magellan was heading to scrap as well] and Columbus were acquired by Seajets, the Greek ferry company that had previously bought the Oceana from P&O Cruises and two ships from Holland America Line. Since the Marco Polo was built as a member of a five-strong series of ocean liners for Soviet owners, it does not appear in a list of demolition sales of purpose-built cruise ships below. The Vasco da Gama, which is a member of Holland America’s Statendam class, has far more balcony cabins than the larger and only three years older Columbus, which may explain why it fetched almost twice the price at auction compared to the older ship. None of these vessels have traded yet under their new ownership, and the buyer has not made clear what it intends to do with them. It is plausible to think that the ships could either be sold or chartered out to a third party should a suitable candidate appear. Given the age of the Magellan and the fact that it has very few balcony cabins, it can be regarded as mildly surprising that this ship did not end up being sold for scrap. Several other vessels of similar vintage have only found buyers on the demolition market since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Vasco da Gama was acquired by Mystic Invest, the Portuguese company best known for its rapidly expanding expedition cruise fleet. The company said it intends to introduce the new acquisition on the UK and German source markets and thereby broaden its offering outside the expedition cruise sector. Princess Cruises’ disposal of the Sun Princess and Sea Princess, built in 1995 and 1998 respectively, formed part of parent company Carnival Corporation & plc’s plan to axe 18 ageing vessels from its fleet and to make way for more efficient newbuildings. The Sun Princess became the Pacific World after its sale to Peace Boat, the Japanese government-backed organization, while the Sea Princess went to a new venture called Sanya International Cruise Development in China. The buyers named the vessel Charming and placed it under the Liberian flag. At some 77,400 gross tons, these two ships and their sister ship the Oceana that P&O Cruises had sold to Seajets apparently have quite high fuel consumption. The chief engineer of the Sun Princess told the author of this article in 2007 that the vessel burned 280 tons of fuel per day, which compares unfavorably with the 240 tons per day that Cunard Line earlier the same year gave as the fuel consumption of the 90,000-grosston Queen Victoria, which was completed in 2008. PRICES AT AUCTION OF FORMER CMV VESSELS 22-24 VESSEL VALUES.indd 3 22-24 VESSEL VALUES.indd 3 20.1.2021 10.09 20.1.2021 10.09
24 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 ORIGINAL NAME YEAR BUILT GROSS TONS LAST NAME DECOMMISS. Italia 1967 12,219 Sapphire 2012 Starward 1968 12,949 Venus 2013 Song of Norway 1970 18,416 Formosa Queen 2014 Nordic Prince 1971 18,416 Pacific Victory 2012 Southward 1971 16,710 Venus 2013 Cunard Adventurer 1971 14,914 Louis Rhea 2014 Sea Venture 1971 19,903 Pacific 2013 Island Venture 1971 19,907 Discovery 2014 Spirit of London 1972 17,370 Ocean Dawn 2016 Kazakhstan 1975 16,631 Island Adventure 2011 Tropicale 1981 35,265 Ocean Dream 2020 Atlantic 1982 19,337 Qing 2019 Scandinavia 1982 26,747 Ocean Gala 2018 Nieuw Amsterdam 1983 33,930 Spirit 2019 Noordam 1984 33,930 Marella Celebration 2020 Holiday 1985 46,052 Magellan 2021 Jubilee 1986 47,262 Henna 2017 Homeric 1986 54,763 Marella Dream 2020 Celebration 1987 47,262 Grand Celebration 2020 Astor 1987 20,606 Astor 2020 Fantasy 1990 70,367 Carnival Fantasy 2020 Crown Princess 1990 70,310 Karnika 2020 Regal Princess 1991 70,310 Satoshi 2020 Fascination 1994 70,367 Carnival Fascination 2020 Inspiration 1996 70,367 Carnival Inspiration 2020 Costa Victoria 1996 75,951 Costa Victoria 2020 Royal Caribbean International’s 1990built Empress of the Seas of 48,653 gross tons found a buyer in India, in the form of a new company called Cordelia Cruises, which said it is in the process of searching for another ship. The news came only a few months after the collapse of Jalesh Cruises – an Indian company targeting the home country source market. Its only vessel, the Karnika (built in 1990 as well), ended up being sold for scrap. Royal Caribbean also sold the 73,941-gross-ton Majesty of the Seas, built in 1992, and said the buyer would in due time unveil its plans to employ the vessel. The two other units of the Sovereign class have both been sold for scrap, so it would be surprising to see the Majesty of the Seas return to service. The ship has very few balcony cabins, and the scarcity of these has been a common denominator in all demolition sales of cruise ships so far. The fact that so many ships have been sold for scrap since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic is hardly surprising given the fact that prior to the crisis, a booming market sustained even vessels that were commercially outdated and only had a few balcony cabins. However, the list of demolition sales has a certain maritime history interest. The Ocean Dream, which started life as the Tropicale, was the first newbuilding of what was then known as Carnival Cruise Lines. The Marella Dream, which was known as the Homeric when built, was the first cruise ship newbulding of Meyer Werft in Germany; prior to this, the company had been a well-known builder of ferries. The Nieuw Amsterdam of 1983 and its sister ship the Noordam that entered service the following year were the first modern type cruise ship newbuildings from Chantiers de l’ Atlantique. Ships such as the Carnival Fantasy (1990), the Crown Princess (1990) and the Regal Princess (1991) plus the Costa Victoria (1996) – which have all been sold for demolition – were technically modern in the sense that they featured dieselelectric power plants, which is still used in cruise ships built today. Ships that have seen the least investment in upgrades and are commercially the most outdated are the leading candidates to end up being sold for scrap. As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage at the time of writing, the list of such sales may still grow longer in the near future. n LIST OF DECOMMISSIONED PURPOSE BUILT CRUISE SHIPS Carnival Fascination to be scrapped, but the future of Majesty of the Seas is uncertain Ph oto cre dit : Te ijo Ni em elä 22-24 VESSEL VALUES.indd 4 22-24 VESSEL VALUES.indd 4 20.1.2021 10.09 20.1.2021 10.09
Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 25 SHIP REVIEW MaRdI GRaS RaISES tHE baR Carnival Cruise Line’s first ship of the Excel-class platform, the Mardi Gras, combines Carnival’s ‘Fun Ship’ approach with a more sophisticated interior design compared to the brand’s older vessels. CruiseBusiness.com Magazine spoke with Petu Kummala of Carnival Cruise Line and the designers at Studio DADO about the interior design of the next-generation Carnival ship. By Kalle Id Ph oto cre dit : Ca rn iva l Cr uis e Li ne
26 Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 T o give a brief recap, the Mardi Gras was ordered in 2016, alongside two other ships of the Excel-class from Meyer Turku and Meyer Werft, expanding the previous order of four ships into a total of seven (since then, two more ships have been ordered). Originally, the plan was for the Mardi Gras to enter service in August 2020, but, due to first delays at the shipyard and then the still ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, both the delivery and service entry were pushed back. The ship was delivered from Meyer Turku in December 2020 and is scheduled to enter service in April 2021. With a gross tonnage of 181,808 and a passenger capacity of 5,282 double occupancy (6,500 in total), the Mardi Gras is Carnival Cruise Line’s biggest ship by some margin. There are 15 passenger decks (and 19 decks in total), with public areas divided into six themed zones: Grand Central, French Quarter, Summer Landing, La Piazza, The Lido and The Ultimate Playground. On the technical side, the new ship will be both Carnival Cruise Line’s first ship powered with liquefied natural gas (LNG), and the first LNG-powered cruise ship sailing for the North American market. The LNG-diesel dual fuel engines are of MaK M 46 DF type from Caterpillar. Although the ship itself was built in Turku, as has been common in recent Meyer newbuildings, the engine block was constructed at Neptun Werft in Rostock and towed to Turku, where the rest of the ship was constructed around it. Old name, new prototype Although the name of the ship recalls the past and Carnival Cruise Line’s very first ship, the Mardi Gras is a new prototype for the company, and in many ways it elevates the onboard product above and beyond that of the existing fleet. “The Mardi Gras will be super exciting for our guests,” said Petu Kummala, Carnival Cruise Line’s Senior Director of Interior Design & Architecture. “It is our biggest ship to date and the first with LNG power. But more importantly, it has three main decks for public spaces, instead of just one or two as in our older ships. The layout of the ship is very, very different from the older fleetmates; we have updated the branded areas carried over from the existing fleet, and there are plenty of entirely new things. Our long-time guests will be wowed, as will those who have never sailed with us before.” That is not to say the new Mardi Gras will be entirely without connection to the history of the world’s most successful cruise line. “There are nods to the original Mardi Gras in the new ship – but I won’t say too much,” Kummala continued. “But certainly, we have kept true to what makes Carnival Cruise Line special. The Mardi The Mardi Gras on sea trials, displaying the new livery introduced with the ship to the Carnival fleet. Ph oto cre dit : M ey er Tu rk u Petu Kummala Ph oto cre dit : Ca rn iva l Cr uis e Li ne “The Mardi Gras will be super exciting for our guests.”
Antti Marine Doors The new, safe and easy Antti E-hinge is the new online cabling system for marine doors. Easy to install, safe from damage and invisible from open to close. One more reason Antti Marine doors are in a class of their own. antti-teollisuus. /en/marine | tel. +358 2 774 4700 AnttiMarine2020_Cruise business_90mmx279mm_042020.indd 1 27.4.2020 10.01 BOLT – The Ultimate Seacoaster Ph oto cre dit : Ca rn iva l Cr uis e Li ne Gras is one of the ‘Fun Ships,’ and it carries on Ted Arison’s vision that cruising should be accessible and available to all. We appeal to a broad variety of demographics, both in terms of age and in terms of background. And being a ‘Fun Ship’ is all about being social. All the fun starts from the design of the ship – a really good layout – goes on to the crew and to the guests. Both the crew and the ship must work for the passengers to have a good time on a ‘Fun Ship.’ This is why we have also created new things for the crew behind the scenes, in addition to new things for the passengers.” Differences from the previous generations of Carnival ships go beyond just differences in the layout, technology or venue updates. Working together with Kummala's team were outside interior design firms, including Bluarch, Launch by Design, PSD and Studio DADO. The Miami-based interior designers Studio DADO worked on the Cloud 9 Spa and guest cabins, and Javier Calle, one of the founding partners, explains Carnival's design philosophy for the new ship in more detail: “Carnival’s clientele has evolved, exposed to the latest design trends, in part thanks to social media, and because of this the ships also need to evolve. The Mardi Gras is slightly more sophisticated than the older ships, and the design process has been a balancing act of fun and sophistication.” Although the Mardi Gras shares the same platform as the AIDAnova delivered in 2018, the Costa Smeralda delivered in 2019 and Iona delivered 2020, the Mardi Gras differs from both the existing Carnival ships and the Excel-class ships built for other Carnival Corporation & plc brands. “The Mardi Gras is almost literally a completely new prototype,” Kummala said. “In terms of the interior, we started from a clean slate; the entire layout is different from the other Excel-class ships.” The exterior also marks a break from Carnival tradition. For the first time in the company’s history, the ship is not white with a red decorative stripe on the sides, but rather the bow is painted blue with red and white accent stripes, somewhat reminiscent of the United States flag and indeed part of an effort to market the brand as “America’s Cruise Line.” The Mardi Gras is also the first Carnival Cruise Line ship built at the Turku shipyard and marked a homecoming for Kummala: “ Joe Farcus recruited me to work at Carnival back in 2000, when we were building the Spirit-class ships in Helsinki, but I am originally from Turku and my family still live there. I actually used to work at the Turku shipyard before college, and some of my old workmates still work at the yard. I think having worked as a ship
28 Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 The Havana Bar & Pool has a Cuban theme – the closest you can get to Cuba on a cruise ship today Ph oto Cr ed it: M ey er Tu rk u Connecting staircase between decks six and seven on the Esplanade Ph oto Cr ed it: M ey er Tu rk u Havana Bar’s fire rated B15 fire glass doors and walls are one of Pocadel’s numerous fire glass structures delivered to the ship builder also gives an advantage when it comes to interior design. You know what can be built and can avoid designs that would be simply impossible to realize; instead, you can create something that looks impossible but is not.” Biggest innovation Perhaps the biggest innovation onboard the Mardi Gras is BOLT – The Ultimate Seacoaster, the first rollercoaster at sea. The 220-meter rollercoaster, built by Münich-based Maurer Rides, loops around The Ultimate Playground themed zone, located aft on the top decks around the funnel. Guests can experience exhilarating twists and turns on self-powered rollercoaster cars that reach speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour. “Building a rollercoaster at sea was challenging,” Kummala explained. “On dry land, the coaster tracks themselves and their foundations naturally don’t move, whereas on a ship they do. Designing a coaster that works on a cruise ship was a big challenge, but the end result is really awesome.” Apart from BOLT, The Ultimate Playground also includes the largest-ever Carnival trademark WaterWorks, with three spiral slides, twin racing slides and a tipping bucket. Adjacent to the WaterWorks, the SportSquare has a full miniature golf course, a full basketball court and a ropes course. Apart from The Ultimate Playground, the outer areas of the top decks are filled with expansive The Lido, which hosts both classic Carnival-branded venues like the BlueIguana Cantina, as well as brand-new venues such as StreetEats street food. Furthermore, the RedFrog Pub and RedFrog Rum Bar, familiar from many existing Carnival ships, have been re-imagined as a two-deck high RedFrog Tiki Bar, overlooking the ship’s main pool. Adjacent to The Lido are the ship’s teen areas: Circle “C” and Club O2 lounges, as well as The Warehouse games arcade. There are no fewer than four swimming pools and four whirlpools on the outer areas of decks 16, 17, 18 and 19. The Serenity adults-only retreat has its own pool and two whirlpools, while the exclusive Loft 19 on the top deck includes private cabanas and a forward-facing infinity pool. However, pool and outdoor areas are not limited to just the top decks. Further down, the main public areas span decks six through eight, and aft on deck eight is the Summer Landing themed zone with a pool and whirlpools, complete with a barbeque restaurant (Guy’s
FREEDOM OF DESIGN WITH PROVEN SOLUTIONS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DECORATIVE SOLUTIONS Seamless, durable and ?exible arti?cial PUR deck system, the new Sika?oor® Marine Deco Comfort and Teak. Contact us now Sika Services AG, Tueffenwies 16, 8048 Zurich Tel. +41 (0)58 436 58 01, www.sika.com/marine Sika?oor® Marine Deco Teak Sika?oor® Marine Deco Comfort Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 29 Ph oto cre dit : M ey er Tu rk u Piano Bar 88 ? Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse by Guy Fieri) and, in keeping with the “America’s Cruise Line” theme, even a Heroes Tribute Lounge dedicated to the U.S. military. Forward on deck eight, the Havana Bar – already familiar from four existing Carnival ships – has been upgraded with its own outdoor pool, becoming the Havana Bar and Pool. Many other public rooms on deck eight are surrounded by a lanai deck, connecting the guests to the surrounding ocean. Extensive public areas Kummala confessed to being particularly “psyched and excited” about the extensive public room areas on decks six, seven and eight. “Because there are more decks than on our older ships, we paid particular attention to the staircases and connections between the public room decks.” The most impressive of these is the atrium, the aptly named Grand Central. Unusually, this is positioned offcenter, with a glass wall offering panoramic sea views on one side. “This was a big challenge both for us and the shipyard, as having the big open space on one side naturally affected the weight distribution. I’m really excited about the final result,” he said. Not unlike onboard the ships of sister brand Aida Cruises, on the Mardi Gras the atrium transforms into a show venue in the evening, allowing passengers to enjoy stage performances from their favorite bars and restaurants surrounding the space.
Captain Giuseppe Giusa outside Emeril’s Bistro 1396 Ph oto cre dit : Ca rn iva l Cr uis e Li ne The Carnival alchemy bar is one of the signature spaces found onboard Ph oto Cr ed it: M ey er Tu rk u Ph oto Cr ed it: M ey er Tu rk u Bonsai Sushi is one of the three Asian-themed restaurants grouped together on the top level of Grand Central Ph oto cre dit : M ey er Tu rk u The Brass Magnolia bar makes clever design references to New Orleans jazz ? 30 Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 Carnival ships have long been known for hiring Italian officers, and thus it is not a surprise that the ship’s La Piazza themed zone makes heavy use of this fact, with both the trademark Cucina del Capitano restaurant and a Pizzeria del Capitano open 24 hours. There is also a Mediterranean-themed seafood restaurant created by award-winning Chef Rudi Sodamin and an Italian-style café/ bar. Fittingly for a ship named the Mardi Gras, aft of Grand Central on deck six is the ship’s final themed area, the French Quarter, drawing its inspiration not from France but from New Orleans, with venues such as Emeril’s Bistro 1396 – created in collaboration with U.S. celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse and named for the Mardi
QUALITY CEILINGS FOR QUALITY CUSTOMERS www.lautex.com HIGH standards Metal ceilings – M/S Costa Smeralda 50,000 m 2 – Made in Nummela, Finland Lautex ® HIGH standards Metal ceilings – M/S Costa Smeralda 50,000 m 2 – Made in Nummela, Finland Lautex new.indd 3 09/09/2020 10:11 lautex 1.indd 1 29.10.2020 10:04:18 Sovereign of the Seas, Seaward, Seabourn Pride, Star Princess, Seabourn Spirit, Club Med I, Fantasy, Westerdam, Nordic Empress, Crown Princess, Horizon, Silja Serenade, Ecstasy, Regal Princess, Monarch of the Seas, Hanseatic, Silja Symphony, Majesty of the Seas, Dynasty, Costa Romantica, Kazakhstan II, American Adventure, Kong Harald, Richard With, Nordlys, Oriana, Legend of the Seas, Century, Splendour of the Seas, Sun Princess, Carnival Destiny, Galaxy, Costa Victoria, Grandeur of the Seas, Nordkapp, Rhapsody of the Seas, Dawn Princess, Mercury, Enchantment of the Seas, Nordnorge, Vision of the Seas, Grand Princess, Sea Princess, R One, R Two, Voyager of the Seas, R Three, R Four, R Five, R Six, R Seven, R Eight, Norwegian Sky, Seven Seas Navigator, Explorer of the Seas, Aurora, Costa of the Seas, Carnival Spirit, Radiance of the Seas, Norwegian Sun, Summit, Brilliance of the Seas, Constellation, Coral Princess, Navigator of the Seas, Island Princess, Crystal Serenity, Mariner of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Carnival Miracle, Jewel of the Seas, PontAven, Caribbean Princess, Carnival Valor, Pride of America, Norwegian Jewel, Carnival Liberty, Pride of Hawaii, Freedom of the Seas, Crown Princess, MSC Musica, Norwegian Pearl, Liberty of the Seas, Emerald Princess, MSC Orchestra, Norwegian Gem, Ventura, MSC Poesia, Independence of the Seas, Ruby Princess, MSC Fantasia, Celebrity Solstice, MSC Splendida, Carnival Dream, Silver Spirit, Azura, Celebrity Eclipse, Le Boreal, Norwegian Epic, Queen Elizabeth, Allure of the Seas, L’Austal, Preziosa, Royal Princess, Mein Schiff 3, Regal Princess, Quantum of the Seas, Mein Schiff 4, Britannia, Anthem of the Seas, Carnival Vista, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Mein Schiff 5, Silver Muse, Seabourn Encore, Majestic Princess, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seaside, Symphony of the Seas, MSC Seaview, Seabourn Ovation, Mein Schiff 1, Aida Helios, Celebrity Edge, Mein Schiff 2, Costa Venezia, MSC Belissima, Spectrum of the Seas, Sky Princess, MSC Grandioza, Carnival Panorama, Celebrity Apex, P&O Iona, Enchanted Princess, Silver Moon, Odyssey of the Seas, Costa Firenze, Mardi Gras, MSC Virtuosa
32 Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 Fortune Teller bar Ph oto cre dit : M ey er Tu rk u The entrance to the Cloud 9 Spa creates a feeling of nature with a tree motif and the use of real wood and stone Ph oto cre dit : Ca rn iva l Cr uis e Li ne The proud tradition of using cars as cruise ship decor is continued on La Piazza Ph oto cre dit : M ey er Tu rk u Gras’ hull number at the Turku yard – plus The Brass Magnolia bar with live jazz music, The Fortune Teller bar and various “funky little shops.” Outside of the themed zones, a central attraction of the new ship is a live version of the classic U.S. quiz TV show “Family Feud” (which first premiered in 1976, just three years after the original Mardi Gras set sail) presented in the Mardi Gras theater. In keeping with recent trends, the spa is located down on decks five and six. For the design of the Cloud 9 Spa, Carnival hired Studio DADO, which the company had not worked with before. “It was a good collaboration,” Kummala noted, while Jorge Mesa, another of Studio DADO’s founding partners, added that “Carnival are not only the ‘Fun Ships,’ but also the fun clients. They are very open to our ideas and valued what our team had to say. They have a very good grasp of what their clients are like. They helped push our creativity and think outside the box. Overall, it was a great collaboration.” On the subject of the Cloud 9 Spa itself, Javier Calle further explained the process of how the design came to be: “On our second day with Carnival, we went to Cancun on a plane and were there in swimsuits visiting local spas to look at their concepts. We got a lot of ideas from there. Many of the spas integrated the local nature harmoniously into their design, and we wanted something similar: natural elements, Zen, a serene environment. Of course, there is no local nature on a ship, but we used lighting, graphic elements and textures to create the feeling of being in a rainforest or a park.” Mesa further explained the team’s design approach: “In the thermal suite, where you have treatments available using hot stones etc., we used those elements in the wall decor to create a holistic experience. Our experiences in Mexico were crucial for this. With the spa on two decks – the entrance on deck six but the treatment rooms down on deck five – creating a smooth transition and a seamless experience was a challenge. We resolved this with a beautiful feature staircase, creating working vertical circulation. In addition to the ideas you see realized in the final spa, there were some ideas, wants and needs that couldn’t be done due to limitations of cost and space. But that’s
The Studio DADO founding partners: Greg Walton, Yohandel Ruiz, Javier Calle and Jorge Mesa Ph oto Cr ed it: Stu dio DA DO Studio DADO created the spa staterooms for the Mardi Gras Ph oto cre dit : Stu dio DA DO Ph oto cre dit : Stu dio DA DO Standard staterooms are also the work of Studio DADO Cruisebusiness.Com magazine WinTer 2020/2021 33 also how design works: You start with big ideas and scale them down into something that works.” Stateroom philosophy Cabins are perhaps the most important part of a cruise ship, as passengers will spend more time in their cabin than in any other individual venue (although a big part of that time is taken up by sleeping), and as such they deserve special design attention. Kummala explained Carnival Cruise Line’s cabin design philosophy: “Our ships are known for being entertaining, but our cabins need to be welcoming and calm to give passengers time to breathe and rest. For most cabins on the Mardi Gras, we have opted for a subtle tropical theme. We’ve given a lot of attention to the interlocking cabin design, and we’ve also given the bathrooms a redesign compared to the older ships.” On the Mardi Gras, Carnival decided to go with an interlocking cabin layout for the first time, allowing more cabins per deck but – naturally – at the cost that a part of the stateroom is less wide. Carnival's own team under Kummala gave particular attention to making a working interlocking layout, careful to avoid problems other operators had encountered with their interlocking designs. After the layouts were completed, Carnival hired the UK-based DCA architects to create the interior design concepts for the staterooms. For the final interior design of the basic staterooms and spa staterooms, Carnival’s choice fell on Studio DADO. Greg Walton, Studio DADO founding partner, explains: “I got a call from Carnival asking us to take over the cabin design, with the need to have designs finished in three months. We decided to take the job despite the tight schedule, we reviewed the existing design and kept the touchpoints with Michelle Colangelo and started the process of how we can keep as many of those as possible while doing the cabins with the cost Carnival desired.” This was not a simple task, as Michelle Colangelo, Studio Dado designer, clarified: “Carnival wanted next-generation cabins. Together with the Carnival Team, we did a lot of research and surveys with the passengers, reviewing storage space, spark plugs and so on. It was an interactive process with solid direction from them. Designing the cabins was an exercise of the right and left brain working together to create a beautiful but cost-efficient design, with modularization and making all the elements the same size to create economies of scale, using cost-efficient, durable yet beautiful materials, making sure everything has a space and there is no clutter. Together, we fine-tuned the various design elements of the interlocking cabins, which allowed us to make the cabin space just a tiny bit bigger. We’re talking about a few millimeters, but everything counts. The final result is a stateroom that both we and – more importantly – Carnival are happy with: a streamlined, timeless design.” Summing up the final results, Walton said, “They are beautiful, efficient staterooms that stay true to the Carnival brand and the passenger demographic.” Coming April 2021 As this article was being written, the Mardi Gras was berthed in Barcelona, Spain, after a delivery voyage from Turku via Rotterdam, where the ship’s LNG tanks were refueled for the first time. Currently, the ship is scheduled to start its first cruise in April 2021 from Port Canaveral (where a new terminal has been built specifically for the Mardi Gras), but with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic this could still change. Whenever this may exactly happen, Petu Kummala has his plan ready for when the ship finally sails: “I am anxious and super excited for the guests to arrive. Only then the ship comes alive, and only then we discover if the things we have designed really work. My plan is to sit in the atrium with a drink in hand as the first passengers board and watch people’s reactions to what we have created.” n
34 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 H aving canceled nearly their entire 2020 cruise seasons shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic began, American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) and Victory Cruise Lines (VCL) ended the year on an upbeat note and with big plans for the future. In a “Season’s Greetings” video, CEO John Waggoner and his wife Claudette noted that “while 2020 has been a very challenging year for the cruise industry, we look forward to a very exciting 2021.” This will include the introduction of two new vessels this spring: The American Countess for American Queen in the heartland followed by the Ocean Victory making Victory’s Alaska debut. COMPANY UPDATE NEW VESSELS AND MORE FOR AMERICAN QUEEN /VICTORY In a written statement detailing the two brands’ plans to restart, Waggoner went into greater detail about their efforts. “We have been hard at work to make the upcoming 2021 season the greatest, thus far, for our guests with new special edition themed voyages, expanded inclusive offerings, suite upgrades and 100% rapid testing for guests and crew,” he said. “Coming off the heels of an unprecedented year, we are looking forward to the future and being able to welcome aboard our loyal guests once again as we continue to offer amazing experiences. We have a great deal to be excited about and have focused on every detail so that we can provide the safest cruising experiences possible.” New health and safety procedures To ensure the safety and comfort of both guests and crew, AQSC and VCL are staying current with guidance, mandates and public health advancements communicated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), United States Coast Guard (USGC), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the municipalities each vessel visits. Specifically, the companies said that all their vessels will be operating with newly enhanced health and safety protocols including, but not limited to: Ocean Victory is expected to be delivered this spring American Duchess arriving Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin 34-35 AQSC.indd 2 34-35 AQSC.indd 2 20.1.2021 10.11 20.1.2021 10.11
– 100% Covid-19 testing for all guests and crew prior to embarkation on every voyage – Mandatory masks in all venues and in situations where recommended social distancing is not possible including entertainment venues, elevators, shoreside and shore excursion motorcoaches. – Pre-boarding health screenings for guests and crew members. – Contactless facial recognition and temperature check at the gangway. – Reduced vessel capacities. – Mandatory social distancing protocols in all public spaces. – Standardized measures throughout the vessels to prioritize regular cleaning and disinfecting of guest corridors and public spaces with medical-grade EPA-approved solutions as well as twice daily antiviral electrostatic fogging. – Expert-approved procedures for every aspect of the cruise experience, including crewmember standards, food and beverage practices and shore excursions. New upgrades and amenities Over the past year both operators have revamped their onboard programs with new culinary offerings, suite amenities and hospitality perks. Highlights of the culinary upgrades that guests will enjoy include unlimited beverages featuring world-class wine lists, top-shelf spirits, local craft beers and specialty coffees throughout the vessel; a complimentary smoothie and juice bar every morning; and fresh lobster and USDA Prime Beef with every dinner. New cabin amenities feature a choice of cleansers and moisturizers; signature in-room culinary treats; a $25 shipping credit for suite guests; and optional sleep masks and ear plugs. Hospitality upgrades include a pre-cruise gift featuring the AQSC/VCL logo; handwarmers for cold weather itineraries; cool cloths for hot weather itineraries; heated towels on the American Queen pool deck; special treats on cruising days; complimentary hiking sticks; eco-friendly shopping bags; and more. New vessels debuting Perhaps the biggest news will be the debut of two new vessels, the American Countess and Ocean Victory. Both will inaugurate service in the first half of 2021. Built using the existing hull of former gaming vessel, the Kanesville Queen, the American Countess was lengthened by 60-feet and underwent a total renovation at the Gulf Island Shipyard located in Houma, Louisiana. The American Countess will offer a portside bar with an 80-foot panoramic view, four decks and 123 staterooms in four categories. Starting in March, the American Countess will sail on 6to 15-night itineraries along the Tennessee, Ohio, Cumberland and Mississippi rivers. The Ocean Victory will feature 93 suites, some with French balconies or panoramic windows. Onboard venues will include two restaurants plus an open-deck dining area, piano bar, library, gym, heated outdoor pool, spa services and Jacuzzi, observation and lecture lounges and an expedition launch platform. Beginning in May, the Ocean Victory is scheduled to operate a schedule of 12or 13day Alaska itineraries between Vancouver and Sitka. Ocean Victory will be on charter from SunStone Ships. n 34-35 AQSC.indd 3 34-35 AQSC.indd 3 20.1.2021 10.11 20.1.2021 10.11
36 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 SILVER MOON CONTINUES SILVERSEA’S EVOLUTION SHIP REVIEW Silversea Cruises took delivery of its latest ultra-luxury ship, the Silver Moon, amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic at the end of October 2020. The Silver Moon is the ninth vessel in the company’s diverse fleet and is based in the same blueprints as the Silver Muse, delivered in 2017. With the benefit of experience from the prototype and a continued evolution of guest services, the Silver Moon will provide new innovations when the ship begins cruising. 36-39 silver moon.indd 2 36-39 silver moon.indd 2 22.1.2021 11.21 22.1.2021 11.21
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 37 S ilversea Cruises, which first began operations with the 296-guest Silver Cloud in 1994, is today a diversified operator in the ultra-luxury cruise segment. Since 2018, it has been part of the Royal Caribbean Group, which has been able to ensure Silversea’s continuing expansion. It is the first luxury cruise line to have expanded beyond its boundaries to offer expedition cruises to rugged destinations such as Antarctica and the Arctic. It has also found its niche in the Galapagos, where the company is ready to introduce another newbuild delivered in 2020 – the Silver Origin – when international travel opens again. The Silver Moon represents a return in some ways to the company’s roots, providing all-suite accommodations – 96% with private balconies and suites with butler service – with a high guest-to-crew ratio (1:1.44) in luxurious, all-inclusive surroundings. The Silver Cloud was the first vessel in the luxury segment to include liquor in the cruise fare and to offer private balconies in small-ship cruising. At a length of 212.8 meters, the Silver Moon can still dock in many ports-of-call where larger ships cannot. With a tonnage of 40,700 and a guest capacity of 596, the Silver Moon is also smaller than some of its newest competitors in the ultraluxury segment. Silversea will take delivery of another newbuild at the end of 2021, when the Silver Dawn will be launched. Like its sister, the Silver Dawn will be built at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in Italy, where it currently is under construction. The line has already contracted for a pair of next-generation newbuilds from Meyer Werft, which is a new shipyard for Silversea, but its parent Royal Caribbean Group has been working with Meyer for over two decades. Silversea has yet to reveal any further details of its next class. International design team Silversea worked with several international architects and suppliers on the Silver Moon design and construction. “Each and every element of Silver Moon’s interior spaces has been crafted to enhance guests’ experiences and comfort,” said Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Muckermann. “We value the craftsmanship of our distinguished suppliers – each of whom was selected for their commitment to exceptional quality.” From Savoir beds to Lalique crystal artworks, the company wanted to ensure that the Silver Moon reflects its Italian heritage. Returning from previous Silversea ships, Genoa-based GEM was appointed as the architectural firm tasked with designing the public spaces and suites onboard. According to Lorenzo Mortola of GEM, “The overall guest experience has been enhanced, with guest feedback from Silver Muse informing the new ship’s design. Many venues have been enriched aboard Silver Moon. At 180 square meters, the enlarged La Dame restaurant will now accommodate 56 diners and is decorated with 11 handcrafted Lalique crystal panels. The popular Atlantide Restaurant has been expanded, with a capacity of 220. The Connoisseur’s Corner now includes an outdoor area, and the Dolce Vita lounge at the heart of the ship features also a new layout with a warm atmosphere that changes throughout the day. Guests will experience various other enrichments as they explore the ship. Each enrichment will contribute to Silver Moon’s status as one of the most luxurious and comfortable ships afloat,” Mortola stated. New culinary program To create the spaces and atmosphere for the new S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) culinary program, Silversea turned to Hirsch-Bedner Associates to create three dedicated venues – S.A.L.T. Lab, S.A.L.T. Kitchen and S.A.L.T. Bar. Work on the Silver Moon’s S.A.L.T. venues took 18 months from initial brief to completion, with approximately 2,740 man-hours invested by craftspeople in London, Miami and various locations in Italy. ? Silver Moon photographed at Valletta, Malta with fleetmate Silver Spirit in the background Ph oto cre dit : Va lle tta Cr uis e Po rt 36-39 silver moon.indd 3 36-39 silver moon.indd 3 22.1.2021 11.21 22.1.2021 11.21
Across the three venues, around 330 square meters of carpet was used, as well as 220 square meters of tiles, 160 spotlighting fixtures, 137 chairs plus banquette seating, 81 tables and one purpose-built wine cellar. “Silver Moon will be the first of Silversea’s ships to incorporate an entire ecosystem for culinary discovery and the S.A.L.T. program is an innovation for the world of cruise,” said Matteo Pace, Associate at HBA. “Creating a synergy between the ship’s three S.A.L.T. venues, which evolves from day to night, and having such a strong sociable element to the immersive culinary experiences is completely unique. The brief was about finding a balance between land and sea, bringing the two together through the world’s culinary influences. Each space needed a bespoke design with a clear connection, driven by the overall flow. Tactile and surprising in their design, the spaces needed to bring to life places and personalities, and be experiences within themselves. The S.A.L.T. program will transport travelers on a journey of discovery from port to port, which is reflected in the design of the venues, with lots of unique objects that draw on influences from all over the world. The color palettes used in each venue enhance the guest journey, with lighter tones employed in the communal areas and cooking spaces in S.A.L.T. Lab; rich details and accents in the main restaurant, S.A.L.T. Kitchen; and a darker, more mysterious feel for S.A.L.T. Bar, evolving the guest experience as the day goes on.” Another bespoke embellishment aboard the Silver Moon can be found in the 11 handmade crystal artworks by Lalique that adorn the walls of La Dame restaurant. A team of around 15 – including a designer from the Lalique Interior Design Studio, an engineer, and a team of specialized Lalique artisans – completed the project over an 18-month period. Lalique’s craftspeople spent approximately 30 hours on producing each panel, applying their ancestral know-how in the company’s historic French factory, which dates back to 1922. Before being installed on the Silver Moon, each of the crystal panels underwent two essential stages during the manufacturing process. During the hot glass process, Lalique’s glassmakers braved extreme temperatures in the workshop to gather, clean, shape and reheat the crystal. Next, in the cold glass process, the artisans applied unwavering attention to detail to sculpt and finish each 38 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Barbara Muckermann, Silversea’s Chief Marketing Officer Dolce Vita Panorama Lounge Arts Cafe 36-39 silver moon.indd 4 36-39 silver moon.indd 4 22.1.2021 11.21 22.1.2021 11.21
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 39 creation, forming a characteristic contrast between clear and matte crystal – a hallmark of Lalique’s design. Further interior modifications In addition to its dedicated S.A.L.T. venues, the Silver Moon features several modifications to its dining venues carried over from the Silver Muse. Silversea’s signature French restaurant La Dame was relocated from Deck 4 to Deck 8 and the capacity almost doubled from 30 to 56. Atlantide – the largest dining area onboard – received a capacity increase from 176 to 220 and has an open-seating policy. Meanwhile, the Silver Note jazz club/tapas bar was repositioned, while the interior design of the Kaiseki Japanese restaurant was kept minimalist. Where the public areas are concerned, Arts Cafe embraces the same concept, look and feel, but it was relocated from the port side to starboard side on Deck 8. Dolce Vita, which serves as a focal point of the ship, was divided in two sub areas: an evening bar and a bar/cafe for daytime use. The Pool Deck Bar was increased in size to accommodate more guests. The Zagara Beauty Spa was expanded with enhanced spaces indoors and out. And technically speaking, the Silver Moon is equipped with an Open Loop Exhaust Gas Cleaning System designed and supplied by Wartsila. The ship is also fitted with a shore connection system. n The menus in S.A.L.T. Kitchen changes daily to reflect the destination 36-39 silver moon.indd 5 36-39 silver moon.indd 5 22.1.2021 11.21 22.1.2021 11.21
P.O.Box 55, Suojantie 5 FI-26101 Rauma, Finland Phone +358 30 600 5400 info@RMCfinland.fi www.RMCfinland.fi Building ships for specialist purposes and harsh conditions with skills and enthusiasm trusted for centuries. Seafaring has always been vital to Finns. Shipbuilding at coastal facilities in and around Rauma stretches from 14th century merchant ships to ultra-modern, specialized vessels of the 21st century. Hundreds of ships constructed in Rauma are today sailing and operating all the seas of the world. Rauma’s shipbuilding competence has always been characterized by traditional spirit and pride and recent decades have seen a focus on the successful development of marine and environmental technology. ”A New Beginning” NB6002, Aurora Botnia, The New Ferry for Wasaline NB6003, MyStar, The New Tallink Shuttle Ferry rauma.indd 1 8.12.2020 16:49:49 40-43 .indd 2 40-43 .indd 2 22.1.2021 11.39 22.1.2021 11.39
P.O.Box 55, Suojantie 5 FI-26101 Rauma, Finland Phone +358 30 600 5400 info@RMCfinland.fi www.RMCfinland.fi Building ships for specialist purposes and harsh conditions with skills and enthusiasm trusted for centuries. Seafaring has always been vital to Finns. Shipbuilding at coastal facilities in and around Rauma stretches from 14th century merchant ships to ultra-modern, specialized vessels of the 21st century. Hundreds of ships constructed in Rauma are today sailing and operating all the seas of the world. Rauma’s shipbuilding competence has always been characterized by traditional spirit and pride and recent decades have seen a focus on the successful development of marine and environmental technology. ”A New Beginning” NB6002, Aurora Botnia, The New Ferry for Wasaline NB6003, MyStar, The New Tallink Shuttle Ferry rauma.indd 1 8.12.2020 16:49:49 R opax ferries first emerged in the Mediterranean in the early 1990s, and from there the concept spread to other parts of Europe. Initially, most – but not all – of these ships were seen as a maritime version of budget airlines: No-frills platforms to provide a transport service, modern and fitted for the purpose, but with no focus on luxury. Freight rather than passengers occupied center stage in their operation and design. But today, some companies are definitively moving upmarket with their latest vessels of this type. Finnlines, the Helsinki-based company in the Grimaldi group in Italy, is building two SuperStar class ropaxes for its service between Naantali in Finland and Kapellskar in Sweden. With an estimated gross tonnage of about 68,500 and a length of 235 meFERRY BUSINESS ROPAX FERRIES UP THEIR GAME Several ferry newbuildings are on order, with a focus on ropax-type tonnage that offers high freight intake with substantial passenger accommodations as well. Some companies are emphasizing the quality of their passenger facilities, which means that such ropax ferries are becoming increasingly complex for builders. By Kari Reinikainen ters, they will be among the largest vessels of this type anywhere in the world. However, size and technology are perhaps not the most significant aspects of the vessels that will enter service in 2023. The 1,100 passengers that each of the new ships can carry will enjoy facilities more akin to a cruise ferry than a ropax; once again, the ship itself is becoming a destination in its own right, rather than just a provider of transport from points A to B. Perhaps the most visible feature of the new ships is the fact that all public areas will be placed on the two uppermost decks, above the bridge, one of which will run the length of the superstructure. On many ropaxes the public areas are located below the cabins, which means they often have less natural daylight. Welcoming to the destination A ropax ferry can also welcome passengers to their destination, as is the case with the Galicia of Brittany Ferries, the French ferry company that has a reputation for operating high-quality tonnage. The recently introduced Galicia, which operates between Portsmouth in the UK and Santander in Spain, is another example of the trend towards higher grade interiors and more comfort. One of a long series of E-Flexer vessels that the Stena group of Sweden is building in China, the 42,000 gross ton ship features a two-deck-high main square called Plaza Mayor that has a glass ceiling to let in daylight. Such extravagant use of space – although not the first on this type of vessel – highlights a greater focus on comfort and design of public areas on many ropaxes. The name of the square, in Spanish, suggests that a British passenger who comes aboard should feel partly arrived to their destination even before reaching port. A tapas restaurant is another example to suggest that the French company which operates the vessel on charter from Stena wants to bring a Spanish atmosphere onboard. In general, the ship’s crisp, contemporary interiors pay homage to Spain thanks to their rather minimalistic yet appealing feaCRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 41 MyStar passenger car ferry will start service between Tallinn and Helsinki in 2022 Ph oto cre dit : Ta llin k 40-43 .indd 3 40-43 .indd 3 22.1.2021 11.39 22.1.2021 11.39
tures. The artwork onboard has a distinctly Spanish flavor. What tilts the balance perhaps more towards the Scandinavian heritage of the ship’s owner is the color scheme: the whites, greys and light wood colors are more Scandinavian than Spanish, where stronger, brighter colors are more popular. As duty-free have sales returned to travel between the UK and the European Union after “Brexit,” potential passengers are quite well incentivized to consider using the new vessel. Demanding for builders and suppliers A supplier to a major passenger-ship newbuilding project has to be flexible, because each architect firm has its own way of proceeding with the project, said Jukka-Pekka Tuominen, Sales Manager at the Lautex Oy in Finland. The company, which celebrated Untitled-1.indd 1 10.2.2017 10:57:54 its 70th anniversary in 2021, supplies suspended metal ceilings for the shipbuilding and construction industries. Some architects decide quite early in the project what kinds of ceilings they want the new ship to feature, whereas others leave the final decision until much closer to the date of delivery, he said. In the case of large cruise ships, the volume of materials in question can be quite high – some 50,000 square meters in the case of the Costa Smeralda and 52,000 square meters for the Mardi Gras, both large cruise ships built for the Carnival group. On larger ropaxes that focus more on passenger comfort, the volumes are growing. Together with other interior design solutions, ceiling materials offer architects many possibilities to create impressive effects. “We have been involved with the creation of impressive features on many cruise ships and ferries, and we absolutely want to conClub Lounge onboard Galicia Tapas Tavern onboard Galicia Ph oto cre dit : Kl un de rb ie 42 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 40-43 .indd 4 40-43 .indd 4 22.1.2021 11.39 22.1.2021 11.39
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 43 Untitled-1.indd 1 10.2.2017 10:57:54 tinue to cooperate with architects, shipyards and shipping companies – not to forget our important turnkey subcontractors,” Tuominen said. The company (which manufactures panels using either aluminum or steel 0.7 millimeters in thickness and a new product called LTK340 that has B15 fire rating) points out that each panel is easily removable. This is important on passenger vessels, because access to technical spaces in the ceiling is often required. There is also a trend towards a greater use of glass in ferry design to allow in more daylight, said Hakan Enlund, Sales Director of Rauma Marine Constructions in Finland. The company is currently building a large, fast ropax ferry for the Tallink Grupp and another ropax for Kvarken Link, the FinnishSwedish company that trades as Wasaline. The latter’s Aurora Botnia will be the first newbuilding for the Vaasa-Umea service that was first inaugurated in 1948. Giving passengers more natural light poses challenges of its own. “A ship is not completely rigid. This means that it has to have some flexibility in certain seams, which again sets certain requirements for the glass technology,” Enlund said. In practice, this means that tensions in the frame and the glass itself must be kept within an accepted tolerance to prevent accidents. Different temperatures inside and out pose their own challenges, but modern windows are very efficient in terms of insulation. Windows are prone to steam up under certain conditions, but airconditioning provides an efficient tool to prevent condensation. Light can act as an obstacle to navigation, and it is important that light any emanating from public areas does not cause problems on the bridge. This has to be as dark as possible, with only some areas illuminated with red light. It is vitally important that those on the bridge can see the lights of other vessels and those of buoys and lighthouses when it is dark outside. Changing newbuilding market Enlund said that for several years, an average of about 12 large ferries were ordered per year, of which five to eight were for owners in northern Europe. However, the pace has recently slowed to fewer than 10 vessels in all, of which roughly four are for companies in northern Europe. At the same time, the capacity of new ferries has increased, so that the number of vessels required to handle the expected volume of passengers, cars and freight is decreasing. Although hardware obviously sets the pace for product delivery of a ferry company, it is not alone in defining the quality of the experience the ship offers. The levels of service and quality of dining also have a role to play. Ultimately, it is the market that a ropax newbuilding will serve that sets the parameters of what kind of accommodations and facilities the ship should offer. In the case of Finnlines’ service between Finland and Sweden, two cruise ferry companies offer competition to its ropaxes. Brittany Ferries’ UK-Spain link has no competition from another direct ferry service, but competition does come from airlines and the option of driving through France. To attract people to use the ferry that takes 23 hours and 30 minutes, the offerings onboard must be of good quality. The departure of the UK from the European Union has not only brought back dutyfree sales on ferries that serve the country, it has also diverted a substantial amount of lorry traffic to direct ferry services between Ireland and the Continent that previously used the UK as a land bridge. The dynamics have clearly changed, and it is plausible to assume that these developments could, over time, encourage more investment in high-quality ropax vessels as well. n Hakan Enlund 40-43 .indd 5 40-43 .indd 5 22.1.2021 11.39 22.1.2021 11.39
44 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 ? T here is a clear trend towards more emphasis on the overall impression of interiors onboard ferries, said Anu Shaw, Senior Interior Designer at Kudos Dsign, the Turku-based interior design company that is currently working on Wasaline’s newbuilding the Aurora Botnia, which is under construction at Rauma Marine Constructions. All three companies are based in Finland, which Shaw said is rather rare: With this project, there are no cultural differences arising from the involvement of partners from various countries involved and everyCRUISE FERRY DESIGN FERRY INTERIORS BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED AND SUSTAINABLE Designers of ferry interiors are paying increasing attention to improved overall impression of the interiors, while everything related to sustainability is also heavily on the agenda. More refined interiors can help the ferry operator to nudge the image of its product higher in the eyes of the public. By Kari Reinikainen one literally speaks the same language. “Although Aurora Botnia will make a crossing of only about three hours in each direction, many people will actually take the crossing as a mini cruise,” Shaw told CruiseBusiness. com Magazine. This means that the interiors onboard the ship must be appealing in their own right, as Wasaline’s business is not only about providing transport. The company also caters to the onboard conference market, and in this segment, too, the demand for the quality of interiors is quite high. Kudos has never worked on a ferry newbuilding before, but the company is not a newcomer in the marine sector, as its clients include Crystal Cruises, the U.S.-based luxury cruise unit in the Genting Hong Kong group. It has also worked on several refurbishments of ferries. “As in the case of a cruise ship, the experience of passengers is the focus on Aurora Botnia. Comfort is very important. The ship even offers some cabins for passengers, because some want to have a space of their own where they can leave their luggage and have some rest,” Shaw continued. Sea views important “If you think of any bar or restaurant onboard a ship, tables by the windows will be occupied first. Everyone wants to see the sea,” she pointed out. In line with many other contemporary ferry newbuildings, the Aurora Botnia also features large windows that provide a view of the sea and the rugK U D O S D S I G N . C O M Exceptional design and interior architecture – perfectly balanced between functionality and aesthetics. Let’s make your vision into reality without any compromises. Kudos is a full service interior design studio working on projects of all levels around the world. For more information please get in contact +358 400 214 173 info@kudosdsign.com C R U I S E S H I P S | YA C H T S | F E R R I E S R E S O R T S | H O T E L S | H O S P I TA L I T Y Aurora Botnia buffet restaurant designed by Kudos Anu Shaw 44-49 .indd 2 44-49 .indd 2 21.1.2021 11.52 21.1.2021 11.52
K U D O S D S I G N . C O M Exceptional design and interior architecture – perfectly balanced between functionality and aesthetics. Let’s make your vision into reality without any compromises. Kudos is a full service interior design studio working on projects of all levels around the world. For more information please get in contact +358 400 214 173 info@kudosdsign.com C R U I S E S H I P S | YA C H T S | F E R R I E S R E S O R T S | H O T E L S | H O S P I TA L I T Y
46 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 ged, rocky islands that the ship will pass on each crossing in and out of Vaasa. The company has decided that these should also be featured in large photographs that decorate public areas on the vessel. The views outside have provided a platform on which colors and the design of the interior of the Aurora Botnia are based. The styling is essentially Scandinavian to reflect the fact that most passengers will come from this region. “The key question to ask yourself is what exactly is it that your customers are looking for? The outcome should be a vessel that welcomes existing passengers of the line, but also broadens its appeal to bring in passengers that are new to the line,” Shaw pointed out. Sustainability is another major part of the design of the Aurora Botnia, both when it comes to the engineering side and also to the interiors. “Carpets in the passenger cabins are made of material obtained from recycled old fishnets,” Shaw said. People are increasingly aware of the footprint that ships will make on the environment, and both ferry and cruise shipping companies are responding to this by seeking to use more environmentally friendly materials. Sustainable materials emerge However, the marine sector differs markedly from land-based ones: Only materials approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are allowed to be used onboard ships. This is mainly because of fire safety: Easily flammable materials have been a contributing factor to many a disaster at sea in the past, some of which led to heavy loss of life. In the past, it was quite common to think of the interiors in very contemporary terms. What was deemed to look modern at the time was deemed to be the right choice, and it was accepted that major refits would be required at frequent intervals to replace carpets, curtains and furnishing that had started to look dated. Today the thinking has changed, and interiors are expected to look good for years to come, both from an aesthetic and from a technical point of view. At the same time, the materials should meet requirements of Another view of Aurora Botnia restaurant and cabin (below) Aurora Botnia is currently under outfitting stage in Rauma, Finland 44-49 .indd 4 44-49 .indd 4 21.1.2021 11.52 21.1.2021 11.52
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 47 sustainability. It should be possible to recycle them, and it would be even better if recycled materials had been used as at least part of their raw materials. “Happily, more and more materials have come to the market in recent years that meet all this criteria,” Shaw said. Looking into the future, she predicted that green values would continue to gain importance in the eyes of passengers and that both cruise lines and ferry companies will have to meet these expectations. Multifunctionality of spaces is also increasingly emphasized. “A room that serves as a cafe could become a dining venue in the evening by just slight changes, such as simple change of textiles. The outcome should be a different ambiance, but it should be possible to achieve this with minimal physical changes in the space,” she noted. From the point of view of an architectural company, the end result is always the product of the team that has worked on a project. A project manager can act as the facade of a project – Shaw heads the work on the Aurora Botnia at Kudos – but everyone on the team has made a contribution to the finished product. “This is one thing that I always want to point out,” she concluded. Influence of land-based trends Developments ashore influence marine interiors, and this is very much the case with the Viking Glory, the 63,000 gross ton newbuilding that Viking Line, the listed Finnish cruise ferry company, has on order at the Xiamen shipyard in China, said Niclas Makowsky, architect at Koncept Design. The Stockholm-based company, which has wide experience in hospitality, retail, office and private residence interior design, was chosen because Viking Line wanted a designer with no previous experience in the marine area so that fresh ideas could be incorporated into the work. The company’s brief to Koncept stated that the design should reflect core values of the Viking Line brand, which is well known in the markets where it operates, and thus have a Nordic maritime feel. This means that the interior should have references to, for example, the lighthouses and rocky islands that the ship will pass on its 10-hour crossings between Turku in southwestern Finland, via Mariehamn in the Aland archipelago, to the Swedish capital of Stockholm. However, although materials like polished brass and glass would be used, the interior should not feel cold but warm and inviting, elegant yet not something would put people off by being too formal. In this context, Makowsky said that Koncept has recent experience from the hotel sector in Stockholm that will serve it well with the Viking Glory project. The company produced the interior design for the Scandic Haymarket Hotel, which was recently converted from the PUB department store on Hotorget (Haymarket in Swedish) in central Stockholm. Although the Scandic brand is well known, it had been regarded as a mainly three-star operator of brisk and contemporary hotels and not something the locals would be interested in visiting. Examples of what can be done The company wanted to change this perception and create a more upscale environment at the Scandic Haymarket that could tap the lively bar and restaurant scene around its location. As Greta Garbo used to work at PUB, which had opened its doors in the 1920s in her early life, this fact was used to give the interior an injection of glamour. “Local people now gather at [Scandic] Haymarket and order bottles of champagne and party,” Makowsky said, adding that the desired step upmarket had been achieved with some bold statements in the design, such as “Greta Garbo meets Lady Gaga.” Koncept also worked at transforming a piano bar at the nearby Scandic Hotel Anglais into a living room, with the result that the previously little-used facility at the hotel, which is located at one of the best addresses in the city, is now a lively venue where people take their laptops and work. This has led to a significant increase in revenue, Makowsky noted. Viking Line started operations in 1959 and pioneered the use of car ferries rather than passenger ships with limited or no space for cars. The line developed quickly in the two subsequent decades, as the numbers of passengers and volumes of freight required more capacity. As one of the major ferry companies in the Baltic, its newbuildings in the 1980s played a significant role in first the introduction and later the evolution of the cruise ferry. “However, some people might think that cruising on the Baltic Sea isn’t an experience for them, but by changing the interior design you can change the way people look at it in a positive direction. The travel experience of tomorrow is much about slow cruise, well-being and good food, so the interior design becomes even more important,” Makowsky pointed out. Importance of windows In terms of basic layout, the Viking Glory will build on the experience of the slightly smaller, Finnish-built Viking Grace that Viking Line introduced in 2013. This ship marked a revolution in thinking, as all public areas were located on the two uppermost decks, above the cabin accommodations. On the Viking Glory, large windows will offer unobstructed views, which should be much appreciated as every other crossing of the ship takes place in daytime and the beauti? Artist’s rendering Viking Glory public areas Niclas Makowsky 44-49 .indd 5 44-49 .indd 5 21.1.2021 11.52 21.1.2021 11.52
D evelopments in the cruise industry are closely followed in the ferry sector when it comes to solutions in interior design, summarized Sami Luoto, who in the autumn took over as CEO of Pocadel Oy, the Finnish manufacturer of glazed doors, sliding doors plus walls and windows. Its products are fire resistant and have either B15 or A60 rating and are ideally suited for passenger ships. An immediate challenge for both the cruise and ferry industries is to learn lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and to make ships more efficient when it comes to the prevention of diseases like Covid-19 or norovirus. “Due to the unfortunate global situation with Covid-19, the refurbishment side of ships has been quiet for quite some time. However, we expect to see lots of activity in this area after cruises can once again continue normally,” he told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. Doors that require touching a handle for opening and closing are likely to be replaced, whenever practical, to a large extent by automatic ones. These can be either hinged or sliding ones, and, Luoto said, Pocadel is experienced in both types. Large numbers of cruise ship newbuildings on order have kept the company busy – its biggest markets are Italy, France and Germany. During the past two years, Pocadel has gone through an extensive development program and now has more capacity to serve both the cruise and ferry sectors. “A ferry or an expedition cruise ship may require as much glass as a larger ship. This is an interesting market,” Luoto said, referring to ferries. Modern-day ferries frequently feature large windows to provide a lot of natural daylight, and glass doors and panels can also be used as a feature in interior design. Advancing technologies mean that, for example, LED lights can be built into a glass door, and since Pocadel’s products are customizable to meet the preference of each customer, designers’ suggestions for decoration can be incorporated into them. On the other hand, Luoto pointed out that customers often want to discuss with Pocadel the solutions that they plan to have on their ships. The company’s goal is to effectively offer guidance and consulting to ensure that the best outcomes can be reached. During the past 23 years Pocadel has supplied customized fire rated glass doors and panels for numerous ferries built or refurbished worldwide. The latest orders for ferries are for Viking’s Glory which is under construction in China and Tallink’s MyStar, under construction in RMC, Rauma, Finland. Pocadel Oy | pocadel.fi Korpelantie 229, 21570 Sauvo, Finland Pioneer in fire resistance glass structures pocadel.indd 1 12.1.2021 10:30:36 ful archipelagos are one of the attractions of the route. On many other ships – not just of Viking Line but from other operators as well – the outside views are sometimes very limited. On the Viking Glory, there will be floor-to-ceiling windows to enhance the feeling of height, while others will have a 40-centimeter-high bench below them, but they, too, will reach the ceiling. “In fact, the windows will extend slightly higher up than the ceiling,” Makowsky pointed out. In single-deck high spaces in particular, this is an important factor, because psychologically we assess the height of the room by the height of the windows, rather than that of the ceiling. “Low ceilings with low windows make a room feel even lower,” he said. This is a challenge that many passenger ship interiors have failed to overcome – not just when it comes to the cruise ferries in the Baltic, but also on cruise ships worldwide. Large crowds in a low room with low ceilings make many a public area onboard little short of oppressive. Koncept started work on the Viking Glory interiors way back in 2016, and the ship is due to enter service in 2021. As a result – and the fact that the ship is expected to have a service life of perhaps 30 years – the interiors should have a timeless rather than contemporary feel. The restaurants and bars onboard should have the same kind of atmosphere as fashionable venues ashore, while staircases will be incorporated in the surrounding public rooms, rather than being boxed in to rather enclosed stair towers, to enhance the flow of people. The retail areas will be split up, so that the single, huge duty-free supermarket featured on ships in the past will give way to smaller units that concentrate on certain products, such as fashion, beverages and so forth. A Nordic maritime feel will be infused in these as well. Core values of the brand in question always provide a platform for the work Koncept does, Makowsky said, but there can be flexibility here. “You could change the behavior of people by changing the brand image.” The design of large ferries has not always emphasized sea views or timeless elegance. Often, it has been heavily influenced by engineering-based considerations that have created sometimes questionable functionality. Hip and cool interiors of today may not look quite the same in five years’ time. Passenger ships of any type tend to reflect their times quite well, and that sustainability and nature are much more in focus now than they were in the 1980s is a clear example of this. In today’s world, hardly anyone has to travel by sea, so passenger ship operators need to try to persuade people to want to use their services. Reflecting the values of the time in how ships are designed and built should help in that effort. n 48 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Viking Glory was floated out in January 26, 2021 Viking Glory dining areas to offer great views to archipelagos 44-49 .indd 6 44-49 .indd 6 21.1.2021 11.52 21.1.2021 11.52
D evelopments in the cruise industry are closely followed in the ferry sector when it comes to solutions in interior design, summarized Sami Luoto, who in the autumn took over as CEO of Pocadel Oy, the Finnish manufacturer of glazed doors, sliding doors plus walls and windows. Its products are fire resistant and have either B15 or A60 rating and are ideally suited for passenger ships. An immediate challenge for both the cruise and ferry industries is to learn lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and to make ships more efficient when it comes to the prevention of diseases like Covid-19 or norovirus. “Due to the unfortunate global situation with Covid-19, the refurbishment side of ships has been quiet for quite some time. However, we expect to see lots of activity in this area after cruises can once again continue normally,” he told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine. Doors that require touching a handle for opening and closing are likely to be replaced, whenever practical, to a large extent by automatic ones. These can be either hinged or sliding ones, and, Luoto said, Pocadel is experienced in both types. Large numbers of cruise ship newbuildings on order have kept the company busy – its biggest markets are Italy, France and Germany. During the past two years, Pocadel has gone through an extensive development program and now has more capacity to serve both the cruise and ferry sectors. “A ferry or an expedition cruise ship may require as much glass as a larger ship. This is an interesting market,” Luoto said, referring to ferries. Modern-day ferries frequently feature large windows to provide a lot of natural daylight, and glass doors and panels can also be used as a feature in interior design. Advancing technologies mean that, for example, LED lights can be built into a glass door, and since Pocadel’s products are customizable to meet the preference of each customer, designers’ suggestions for decoration can be incorporated into them. On the other hand, Luoto pointed out that customers often want to discuss with Pocadel the solutions that they plan to have on their ships. The company’s goal is to effectively offer guidance and consulting to ensure that the best outcomes can be reached. During the past 23 years Pocadel has supplied customized fire rated glass doors and panels for numerous ferries built or refurbished worldwide. The latest orders for ferries are for Viking’s Glory which is under construction in China and Tallink’s MyStar, under construction in RMC, Rauma, Finland. Pocadel Oy | pocadel.fi Korpelantie 229, 21570 Sauvo, Finland Pioneer in fire resistance glass structures pocadel.indd 1 12.1.2021 10:30:36 44-49 .indd 7 44-49 .indd 7 21.1.2021 11.52 21.1.2021 11.52
A BB’s Azipod propulsion for the cruise ferry Viking Glory will provide maneuverability benefits for which the system is renowned, plus the fuel efficiency to match Viking Line’s environmental objectives. As the latest addition to Viking Line’s fleet of environmentally conscious Baltic Sea cruise ferries, the Viking Glory will be the operator’s greenest passenger vessel yet – and one of the greenest in the industry. It is no coincidence that the cruise ferry will also be the first of its kind to deploy Azipod propulsion. Detailed simulations have shown by how much the twin Azipod units and consequent hull optimization can enhance the vessel’s hydrodynamic performance, as well as its maneuverability in port. “We’re getting ready to welcome the most efficient cruise ferry operating in the Baltic, if not the world,” explains Viking Line’s Newbuild Project Manager Kari Granberg. “Water resistance was lowered by around 8% when measured against a traditional shaft-line propulsion system. Meanwhile, the ship’s CASE STUDY AZIPODS KEEP VIKING GLORY GREEN maneuverability increases to such an extent that we expect time saved in port to allow us to reduce service speed by one knot, which corresponds to an energy saving of about 2 megawatts while keeping the ship’s schedule.” Fuel efficiency was a key consideration in the selection of Azipod propulsion, according to Marcus Högblom, head of ABB’s passenger vessels segment. “Last year, an independent study by the marine consultancy Deltamarin found that Azipod propulsion could help ferry owners save up to $1.7 million in annual fuel costs per vessel while cutting emissions by around 10,000 tons,” says Högblom. The study simulated transit on seven existing ferry routes and found that a ferry equipped with twin 10megawatt Azipod units consumed less fuel compared to a similar vessel powered by a traditional shaft-line propulsion system. “This level of fuel efficiency was very high in the considerations of Viking Line – a company that places great importance on sustainable operations.” Dedication to the environment Viking Line’s dedication to protecting the environment was previously demonstrated in the Viking Grace, a cruise ferry for which ABB supplied a complete electrical power plant and shaft-line propulsion system alongside ABB energy-management advisory software. “Viking Grace is still recognized as one of the most climate-smart vessels in its class,” says Granberg. “Similarly, Viking Glory will also be powered by the lowemission liquefied natural gas but, in terms of efficiency, is expected to achieve a 10% reduction in fuel consumption.” Unparalleled environmental performance is only one of Viking Line’s targets for its new flagship. The innovative vessel will also provide a unique passenger experience. Large panoramic windows will offer uninterrupted views, while stylish interior design and furnishings will capture the essence of Scandinavia and the Baltics. “Guests onboard the ship being able to enjoy these surroundings in supreme comfort is also partly thanks to Azipod, which minimizes vibrations and noise pollution,” says Viking Line Captain Ulf Lindroos. Vessel handling will also benefit from Azipod propulsion, as demonstrated by simulation trials last year completed by Captain Lindroos. “The system 50 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Azipod propulsion simplifies hull construction, which lower the water resistance by 8% Captain Ulf Lindroos Portside Azipod unit under installation 50-51 VIKING GLORY.indd 2 50-51 VIKING GLORY.indd 2 22.1.2021 9.38 22.1.2021 9.38
is easy to maneuver, easy to use, and you don’t need to use a rudder,” says Captain Lindroos, reflecting on the benefits of the Azipod propulsion. Made in Europe, delivered in China Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., (XSI) where the Viking Glory is currently under construction, started the Azipod installation work in early September. The highly sophisticated Azipod units were built in Finland and subsequently delivered to China. With global travel restrictions, ABB deployed its regional workforce to support the shipyard in bringing the installation to a successful completion. Zeng Zhenyu, Vice Chief Engineer and Project Manager at XSI, explains: “Since ABB’s Europe-based commissioning specialist were unable to travel to China, the company deployed a local ABB Marine service team for Azipod installation support, as well as a welding specialist from ABB Marine & Ports unit in South Korea. The relationship between ABB, Viking Line and the staff at the shipyard has proved to be highly collaborative, with the installation executed faultlessly.” Coordination was especially important, adds Hanna-Kaisa Yrjänäinen, ABB’s Project Manager for the Viking Glory. “Our scope on board Viking Glory is significant and impacts large portions of the ship. This meant that we had to work as a team in methods that we have not been accustomed previously. Coordinating across our different product areas as well as employing the latest digital technology meant that our global commissioning engineers were supported by the best technical minds regardless of travel restrictions. I am proud on how our team was able to adapt to global challenges and deliver our solutions to both XSI and Viking Line.” Robin-Yang Shen, Operation Manager, ABB Marine & Ports China, concurs: “The impact of pandemic was unexpected, especially on the staff deployment. With remote support from our Finnish colleagues, ABB Marine & Ports China team handled the situation proactively and finished Azipod installation successfully. It is a good proof that as a global company, ABB has the full capability of cooperation and coordination to fulfill our commitments to customers.” Propelled towards a greener future The Viking Glory is set to embark on its maiden voyage in 2021. When it does, the agreement between ABB and Viking Line also includes an automation contract for additional efficiency gains and is part of robust relationship between the two parties. “As well as having supplied Viking Glory’s running mate Viking Grace, we recently delivered shore connection technology for Viking Line’s high-speed passenger ferry Viking XPRS,” says Högblom. “We are honored to support the company as it continues its journey towards greener cruise and ferry operations in the Baltic Sea.” Granberg adds that he believes the new addition will be warmly received. “Environmental responsibility and passenger experience are two cornerstones of our work, and Viking Glory will reflect those principles more than any Viking ship before it. This is, in no small part, down to the Azipod system, which will be the driving force behind Viking Glory’s efficiency and sustainability.”n CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 51 Installation work of the Azipod units was supervised by ABB’s service team in China, with remote support from the Finnish colleagues 50-51 VIKING GLORY.indd 3 50-51 VIKING GLORY.indd 3 22.1.2021 9.38 22.1.2021 9.38
52 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 T here are basically three identifiable sources of energy for powering ships: renewable, fossil, and biomass. The business and sustainability case for using hydrogen as the primary energy source has been quickly gaining momentum in recent years. It is believed that within five years, we will see significant numbers of coastal and short-sea vessels using hydrogen-powered fuel cells and batteries. However, we are still a very long way from deep-sea shipping applications, even longer from cruise ship adaptation. Some aspects of technical, cost and regulatory implications are seemingly insurmountable in the current stage of development. For cruising shipping, there is an additional layer of passenger and crew safety-related issues to be overcome. While the road ahead is long and arduous, much has already been achieved. TECHNOLOGY HYDROGEN AND AMMONIA FACE CHALLENGES AS SHIPPING FUELS In the post-Covid-19 world, sustainability and environmental protection will again become the biggest concerns for the shipping sector, with zero emission and carbon neutrality as main targets. To achieve this, hydrogen and ammonia have emerged as the leading options as future energy sources for powering ships. But the pathway to this goal is fraught with challenges. By Alan Lam Two pathways The shipping world is gradually reducing its dependence on fossil-based fuels in favor of renewables and biomass. In this context, hydrogen-based energy has received more attention and has made the biggest technical development leap. One reason for this is that hydrogen is the base of other forms of zero-emission energy sources, such as ammonia. “Whenever we go for renewable fuel sources, hydrogen is the first step to get to synthetic fuels,” said Dr. Christian Poensgen, Senior Vice President E n g i n e e r i n g , MAN Energy Solutions. By going down the apparently narrow pathway of hydrogen, a whole world of sustainable fuel sources is opened up. “The basis of everything is hydrogen,” said Torsten Mundt, Principal Researcher, DNV GL. “If we add molecules to hydrogen, we can get methane, methanol and distillate-like synthetic fuels.” Hydrogen and ammonia have one outstanding quality that resonates with sustainability. All other fuel types need to add CO2 in order for them to become applicable, but hydrogen and ammonia do not require this process. Having said that, one of the two major pathways to producing hydrogen is by using fossil fuels, and, as the scale and magnitude increase, the requirement for fuels will magnify concurrently. But there is a viable solution to this problem, apparently through carbon capture. “Fossil [fuels] will play a dominant role even in the net-zero-carbon future,” said Christoph Rofka, Vice President, Head of Technology, ABB Turbo System. “We have to make sure in a very early DFDS and its partners are developing a new ferry powered by electricity from a hydrogen fuel cell which only emits water. Green hydrogen is to be produced by a projected offshore wind energy-powered electrolyser plant in Greater Copenhagen Dr. Christian Poensgen Torsten Mundt 52-58.indd 2 52-58.indd 2 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
? stage that we remove the carbon and store it safely.” The resulting product from using fossil fuels is known as “blue hydrogen,” as its z e r o c a r b o n credential is doubtful. The other, more sustainable way to produce hydrogen is by using renewable energies like wind and hydropower via a process known as electrolysis; this will result in so-called “green hydrogen,” as its zero-carbon credential is irrefutable. Technical challenges Among a multitude of issues, hydrogen produced by renewable energy sources via the electrolyser, because of its low density at 30 bars, can only be used for general purposes, such as heating and other industrial uses. At this level, the product can be transported through pipelines. For more demanding applications such as powering ships, it needs to be further refined in order to increase its density. The process includes compression and liquefication. An additional procedure can be added to produce ammonia or synthetic carbon-based fuels, which have a sustainability problem. Moreover, hydrogen storage is complicated. Hydrogen compressed to a density between 350 and 700 bars is already used for road and rail transport applications. At this level of compression, storage is not yet a problem. It can be stored in liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) indefinitely. In most cases, shipping requires liquefied hydrogen of higher energy density. Today, this type of hydrogen can only be stored for about four to five weeks, and there is an upper limit to the density, so maritime applications are restricted to short-sea and coastal shipping. “The next step is moving to medium-distance shipping,” said Poensgen. “But we are still a long way from this. It remains to be seen.” As far as large-scale cruise shipping is concerned, the option is still so remote that it cannot yet be seen on the horizon. Cruise shipping is still firmly focused on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) solution. Perhaps with carbon capturing technology, LNG could still be the shipping fuel of the future. This option is being explored. Hydrogen-based fuels are discussed in the cruise sector still as a distant possibility. At present, a pure hydrogen engine for shipping application is still under development. Currently, only hybrid engines that burn part hydrogen-based fuels are commercially available. Unlike previous attempts, the developers have adopted a more sustainable approach. “We do not want to go back to what we did in the 1990s when we had to derate the engine significantly,” said Poensgen. “We want to get our engines to a normal derating level, as we have today. There are a couple of technical issues we are working on. This will take a couple of years before we are there. In the meantime, dual-fuel engines can use LNG and they can take a shore of 30% hydrogen as blend fuel. This delivers a higher efficiency.” The case for ammonia has been advancing, too. This type of synthetic fuel is usually produced using methane as a base. The production process is carbon-free and the product immediately meets EEDI requirements. Storage of ammonia is also relatively simple at -33oC and at 7.5 bars. Its transport method is already in use in the fertilizer industry. The remaining issues are being addressed, Poensgen said. “Combustion process of ammonia is under development by engine and gas turbine manufacturers. Parallel to this, regulatory requirement is also under development.” Some ports already provide ammonia bunkering services. “We believe ammonia could have a future as shipping fuel,” Poensgen continued. “In our Copenhagen facility, we are working on an ammonia engine. We can get the combustion development under control. Because we are still in the technical development stage, everything we do at the moment is a bit cautious. We have not finished yet. We are in the middle of the process, which is Technology Readiness Level 5. The international standard TRL runs from one to nine, with nine meaning ‘ready to go’.” It seems that on the machinery side, the challenges are well understood. “Technology for these fuels is either already available or underdevelopment,” said Dr. Dino Imhof, Head of Turbocharging Solutions, ABB Turbocharging. “Looking ahead, it is obvious that the large volumes and storage requirement pose a real challenge to the application of hydrogen, especially when it comes to deep-sea shipping.” Cost implications To produce sufficient hydrogen and hydrogen-based synthetic fuels for shipping will involve major costs. When the magnitude of the project is examined, the cost challenge becomes almost insurmountable. A recent case study carried out by ABB Turbocharging plainly highlighted this problem. The empirical study showed that to produce sufficient ammonia for a 20,000-TEU container vessel would require an investment of about US$100 million in addition to the US$185 million of the newbuilding cost. We could therefore easily imagine the equivalent cost for powering a cruise vessel to be much higher because of the demand from the hotel load. “This was only a case study of a very large vessel,” said Imhof. “We have about 6,000 of them. We have about 26,000 vessels larger than 50,000 gross tons. All of these will require zero-carbon fuels in the future.” In addition to these costs, according to Imhof, to produce 350MW of hydrogen using renewable sources would require an initial investment of US$600 million or more; if using fossil fuels, the investment would be US$600 million or less. The costs highlighted in the case study only referred to producing 45,000 tons of oil equivalent (toe) per year. Currently, international shipping requires 270,000,000 toe per year. The cost implication of this global project is therefore enormous. According to a DNV GL estimate, the production cost of hydrogen-based synthetic fuel is multiple times more expensive than that of MGO. “We’ve done some calculations for 2030, based on last year’s MGO price,” said Mundt. “If we processed it from using electricity, the hydrogen production would be about three times more expensive than MGO. If you added further processes, the cost would go up even further. This is why there is such an interest in using hydrogen and ammonia as direct fuels.” In reality, the costs of synthetic fuels can be up to five times higher. At present, the cost seems to favor ammonia. “If you look back at the oil prices of 2014-15, green ammonia is cheaper. So, we are in the terrain we have already experienced in shipping,” said Poensgen. Because of an additional refinement process, ammonia is more expensive to produce. But other factors conspire to make this a viable option. “Ammonia is easy to store,” said Imhof. “When considering the costs of storage and transportation, it becomes a more attractive option as fuel for ships. Moreover, ammonia can burn efficiently inside an internal combustion engine and the emissions can be controlled.” Clearly there will be other cost implications and considerations, which are not yet apparent. “The magnitude is the real challenge,” said Imhof. “We can overcome this if we all work together, and we have to start now. Our industry really needs a concerted effort on reaching this ambitious target.” Regulatory onsiderations The objective is clear: Step by step, the shipping industry is heading towards a sustainable, zero-emissions future. Besides cost affordability and technical feasibility, there remain regulatory hurdles to overcome. Regulatory development is taking place on various levels, side-by-side and handin-hand with every technical advancement and research. For the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the target is well marked. It has decreed that by 2050, global carbon emissions from shipping need to be reduced by 50% from the 2008 level. Switching to alternative fuels will be key to decarbonization. On a regional level, the European Union (EU) Green Deal was published in December 2019, part of which incorporated the maritime industry in the context CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 53 Christoph Rofka Dr. Dino Imhof 52-58.indd 3 52-58.indd 3 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
of reviewing the Alternative Fuels Directive and revising the Energy Taxation Directive and Emissions Trading Scheme. Specifically aiming at the shipping sector, European Commission’s European Sustainable Shipping Forum has established two subgroups – namely Sustainable Alternatively Power for Ships and Ship Energy Efficiency to address the issue. “They are already working on finding what are sustainable alternative fuels and power for shipping and for decarbonization of shipping,” said Mundt. “In addition to what IMO and EU are doing, we have multiple other regional policy undertakings, as well as public-privatepartnership initiatives. We believe that there might be other topics that could come up, and they have to be discussed yet. Very intense discussion is going on at IMO. Nothing is absolute yet.” To achieve all the objectives will require reliable methods of calculating emissions from various fuels, a robust system of documentation and effective enforcement of regulations that ensure safe operations. Other considerations are also necessary. “We need to take into account how much effort we put into this lifecycle assessment for fuels,” said Mundt. “We cannot say what we put in the tank is always the correct choice. For example, hydrogen and ammonia on their own have no CO2 content; but if we produce them [using fossil fuels] without carbon capture, we will be doing worse than using fossil fuels directly. Therefore, we need fresh criteria, and policymakers need to be aware that we cannot allow using fossil sources to create the so-called alternative fuels without proper regulations.” As with most recent sustainability-related development in shipping, the relationship between the industry and regulators is becoming increasingly intimate. “We believe we are all on the same boat: the regulators, the shipping industry, and the public,” continued Mundt. “This is the right time to advance the steps towards shipping decarbonization.” Distance vision There is still a yawning gap between hydrogen-based energy production and deep-sea shipping applications. This gap appears wider still when considering the requirements for cruise shipping where onboard passenger safety and hospitality service energy demands are taken into account. Cruise shipping is as yet firmly rooted in the early stage of the LNG generation. Hydrogen is still a distant vision. Even the short-sea application is still in its infancy. In the current crisis, the thought of hydrogen and zeroemission is far from the minds of industry leaders. The topic is still low down on the agenda. But like everything else in the cruise business, it could rear up quickly and unexpectedly. The pathway towards shipping decarbonization has been firmly set. In the eventual post-Covid-19 world, climate change and environmental protection will likely be the biggest social and political issues confronting the cruise industry. Although not yet an existential concern, the industry could well be forced to regard finding alternative fuels as an urgent consideration. In the meantime, the focus is on hydrogen and overcoming the challenges it brings. However, hydrogen may not ultimately be the alternative fuel of the future. There are other options, such as biomass and methanol. If carbon-capture technology becomes viable and efficient, even LNG can have a future. Cost, safety, and applicability are among the factors at play in choosing alternative shipping fuels of the future. “There is still a high uncertainty about which fuel or fuels we’ll take up in the future,” concluded Imhof. “For us, the technology providers, this means that the flexibility to adopt and to provide technology-ready solutions is key. In the end it is all about magnitude, magnitude and magnitude.” n 54 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Across the globe, the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has been immense. Within the travel industry probably no sector has felt the brunt of Covid-19 more acutely than cruising. From ship yards to ports, from crew to tour operators, every corner of the cruise industry has experienced a wallop like no other. By David Swanson COVID-19 STAKEHOLDERS PREPARE TO CRUISE AGAIN T he impact has been felt in ways large and small. “We never had to think about how often the elevator buttons were cleaned,” says Glenn Wiltshire, Deputy Director of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. “Covid-19 has created a different environment for us to operate in.” As the third-busiest cruise homeport in the world serving 3.9 million passengers in 2019, Port Everglades supports more than 13,000 direct regional jobs. Approximately 6,000 of them are directly related to the cruise industry; another 84,000 res52-58.indd 4 52-58.indd 4 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
idents are employed in the intertwined local hospitality and tourism industry. “The cruise industry is critical to our tourism economy,” wrote Jonathan Daniels, Chief Executive and Port Director of Port Everglades, in an October editorial printed in the south Florida Sun-Sentinel. “Our workforce has suffered greatly since the cruise lines voluntary suspended their operations in mid-March.” But the light at the end of the tunnel for cruising’s return is burning a little brighter with each passing week. Fort Lauderdale can look to the success of TUI Cruises as one guide for how cruise ships may set sail again. Following the German line’s return to service in July, TUI Cruises operated 56 cruises in 2020 with the Mein Schiff fleet carrying a total of 53,654 passengers. “There has not been a single positive case among guests during any of those 56 cruises in 2020,” reports Marcus Puttich, Head of Port & Ground Operations for TUI Cruises. “The procedures we’ve used – before you arrive, inside the terminal, onboard, with tours, and with our transportation to the ship – show that cruising is possible under Covid-19 conditions.” Puttich continues: “TUI Cruises developed a robust ‘Healthy Return to Service Concept,’ which outlines measures and processes that cater for safe cruises under Covid-19 conditions. The concept has been fundamental in the communication with ports and destinations. Furthermore, TUI Cruises has a ‘Covid-19 Response Plan’ in place, designed by our joint venture partner Royal Caribbean Group and which is customized by TUI Cruises alongside the German authorities.” The plan constitutes all measures that would be required in the event of a potential or confirmed positive case of Covid-19 onboard the TUI Cruises fleet. “We conduct regular trainings with the crew, covering contact tracing of infected guests and crew,” Puttich adds. “Unfortunately, we had to put the plan into action in May 2020 when we had an outbreak among crew. We were bringing home almost 3,000 crew for repatriation aboard Mein Schiff 3. But we were able to limit the outbreak to just nine crew members who had tested positive.” On July 24, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 2 returned to service, offering short “scenic cruises” out of Hamburg followed by the Mein Schiff 1 coming back online August 3 operating out of Kiel. To minimize the chance of an outbreak, crew was required to have a negative PCR test prior to the start of their contract, and was then quarantined for 14 days in a single balcony cabin before interacting with guests. Passengers were required to have a negative antigen or PCR test prior to boarding, depending on the destination and incident development, and the ships’ 2,894-passenger capacity was reduced to 60%. The cruises, ranging from 2 to 7 nights, included only technical port stops – no disembarkation or shore excursions were provided. To hone the procedures in the event of an outbreak, TUI Cruises has been running special crew drills every two weeks, polishing the contact-tracing process that may someday be employed. Other procedures implemented onboard include staggered and contactless embarkation, a secondary medical screening in the terminal if needed, safety briefings with reduced attendance, physical distancing of 1.5 meters (2 meters for poolside sunbeds and 3 meters in the sports area) and the addition of an Infection Control Officer to monitor compliance and training. Face masks are also required where physical distancing is not possible, such as in corridors and elevators. For two months starting September 13, TUI Cruises also brought the Mein Schiff 6 back into service to operate cruises out of Iraklion, Greece. For these departures, all guests were required to use TUI Cruises-chartered flights to Greece, including a negative PCR test prior to boarding the aircraft. TUI Cruises provided shore excursions, but no independent exploration or contact with locals was permitted, thereby creating a bubble that started and ended at a German airport. The Greece model has now been replicated in the Canary Islands, with the Mein Schiff 1 and 2 operating this winter out of CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 55 ? MSC Cruises is one of the cruise operators that has returned two of its ships back to service with strict protocols Ph oto cre dit : M SC Cr uis es Marcus Puttich onboard Mein Schiff 2 while meeting Mein Schiff 1 in Stockholm last late summer 52-58.indd 5 52-58.indd 5 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. Puttich says that TUI Cruises has arrangements with Canary Island hotels and hospitals to transfer shoreside any passengers or crew who test positive. “But we are proving every week that cruising is possible, with the necessary protocols and with the consent of the destinations,” Puttich notes, adding that cruise lines and ports must accept the potential for a positive case among crew and guests. The destinations must also be able to receive and cater to positive cases for treatment, which may or may not be exhibiting symptoms. “Compared to the beginning of 2020, TUI Cruises has gained valuable knowledge in regards to the operation under Covid-19 conditions, applied a number of safeguarding tools, implemented a thorough testing regime and put in place a proven health and hygiene concept. Given these measures, the likelihood of a major outbreak with significant media impact, as seen on cruise vessels at the beginning of the pandemic, is diminishing substantially. If done right, a cruise vessel can be one of the safest spots currently available.” Due to demand and the level of booking, Puttich says that TUI Cruises is hoping to have all ships back into service by summer in order to satisfy the market. Classification societies provide guidance Classification societies are providing vital guidance to cruise lines looking to re-start operations. In March, Bureau Veritas published its plan “Restart Your Business” (RYB), using recommendations from the World 56 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, International Maritime Organization, European Maritime Safety Agency and the report from the Healthy Sail Panel created by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “We also incorporated specialist expertise, such as working with the renowned Cleveland Clinic,” says Andreas Ullrich, Global Market Leader for Passenger Ships and Ferries at Bureau Veritas. Ullrich notes that the company was the first cruise and passenger ship oriented service to address the safety and hygiene challenges of the pandemic. “The sector has faced health challenges before, and we were already looking at biorisk issues in the design stage for new ships. Norovirus and Legionnaires’ disease have been a recurrent challenge that the industry has had to react to. But a global pandemic with Covid-19 is different; it goes far beyond what we have seen before.” In creating its RYB plan, Bureau Veritas aimed to leverage the strategic insight, advice and recommendations of the medical community to develop protocols, guidelines and standards to help businesses restart their operations safely and meet appropriate health, safety and hygiene requirements. Ullrich says the practical steps taken onboard include the introduction of dividers, improved HVAC systems, much tighter cleaning routines onboard and ensuring social distancing and safe spaces are maintained. Clear onboard communication with passengers is also important. “On the technology side everyone is looking at what’s possible, what can be done, what’s efficient, what really makes sense,” adds Ullrich. “HVAC is important and market solutions are emerging. You can switch to completely fresh air, stop recirculated air, or you can install HEPA filters, UVC light, etc. There are different possibilities and there is still some research to be undertaken, on the influence of HVAC systems in spreading the virus around a vessel. There are different views. If you install filters you increase airflow resistance and then you need to use more power to have the same air flow, and that means higher fuel consumption. All this comes with additional cost, but the priority at the moment is the health and wellbeing of crew and passengers onboard.” Ullrich says Bureau Veritas is in ongoing discussions with operators and designers regarding the implications of Covid-19 for current and future systems and operations, aimed at mitigating the risk of getting infected or spreading the virus onboard. “The analysis of possible mitigation measures for ships under construction is, of course, underway,” says Ullrich. “There are a number of solutions and ideas which need testing and validation. These are related to functionality, fitness for purpose, reliability, cost effectiveness – such as modification of HVAC systems or using different materials on the ship—looking at the means of escape, provisioning of a dedicated quarantine area, increased hospital capacity and wider escape-ways so that you can pass through the ships with covered, enclosed stretchers. So far we are not aware of major design changes yet.” Ullrich adds that Bureau Veritas currently works with MSC Cruises, Ponant, SunStone Ships, Mystic Cruises, Scenic and others. Enhanced buffet service onboard a Dream Cruises’ vessel 52-58.indd 6 52-58.indd 6 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 57 “Every cruise line is having these discussions with shipyards, suppliers, classification societies, flag-state authorities and, if necessary, other local authorities. We are prepared to share our expertise, experience and insight with all stakeholders. Most important is to avoid getting infected persons – passengers, crew and others, such as service suppliers – onboard. This can only be mitigated; you can hardly go to zero despite the best and most effective testing regimes. So, you have to be prepared how to handle cases that emerge, to avoid the disease spreading on the vessel. We are all still in a learning process,” Ullrich continues. “We still don’t know everything about Covid-19: how it reacts, how it spreads, how it works for different people. There are still a number of unknowns to all of us. The industry is preparing itself for a restart – hopefully in the not-too-distant future – but, as we have seen, anticipated dates keep being pushed back in the face of actual developments.” Suppliers look for new solutions Meanwhile, suppliers are pivoting to come up with possible solutions, some of which were in development well before the start of the pandemic. For instance, for more than five decades Bolidt has installed resin flooring and decking to hundreds of cruise ships. The product is predominantly used for exterior decks, but also in gyms and indoor sports areas, galleys and pantries and crew and embarkation areas. The Netherlandsbased company also provides liquid-installed flooring for the medical sector. Four years ago, Bolidt developed an antibacterial product for hospitals, based on a patented mechanical anti-microbial technology that kills bacterium as soon as it comes into contact with the floor surface. As the pandemic began to grip the cruise sector, Jacco Van Overbeek, Director of Bolidt’s Maritime Division, says he considered an application of the antibacterial concept for the cruise market. “We started thinking about it in June 2020,” says Overbeek, who notes that Bolidt’s flooring systems are different for the hospital and marine environments. “But it was a very easy switch to be able to adapt the antibacterial flooring to the cruise market, so we introduced it and received a lot of positive feedback from both designers and owners.” The material is applied as a coating to the Bolideck 525 decking used for indoor areas on passenger ships. Overbeek says Bolidt then partnered with YSA Design to develop a “hybrid flooring” concept – a layer of carpet that can be fitted on top of the Bolideck 525 system with the antimicrobial coating. In the event of an outbreak, the carpet can be stripped away, activating the solution’s hygienic and bactericidal properties. Hybrid flooring provides a way for vessels to adapt to changing requirements. For instance, a luxury cabin can be transformed into a medical area in a short period of time, and with minimal disruption to guests. “Passengers like to have the warm feeling of carpet,” Overbeek explains, “So the passengers could have a normal room with carpet, but if someone tested positive the owner would be able to take the carpet out, and underneath is a more antibacterial floor that is easy to clean and hygienic. There are a lot of cruise ships that already have our floors inside, and for these it would be very easy to put the coating on top of this flooring and make it antibacterial. It has been received very well, except that cruise lines are not earning any money, and so they are not investing any money yet. As soon as cruise lines are planning their return to the market and are going to spend some money on refurbishing or rearranging their internal flooring, they will come to us.” A similar chicken-or-egg situation has confronted Sebastian Lagerlöf, Managing Director of NIT, a Finnish turnkey builder focused on cruise ship construction, specializing in interior installations, insulation, electrical installation, piping and HVAC systems. NIT was working on the completion of Carnival’s Mardi Gras when the pandemic hit. Lagerlöf says he didn’t see any changes in design or new solutions for the areas of Mardi Gras that NIT was overseeing, but most of the company’s work on the ship related to external decks. “There is quite a hard pressure on the cost side of all cruise ? Jacco Van Overbeek Bolidt Innovation Center 52-58.indd 7 52-58.indd 7 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
58 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020/2021 ship operations at the moment,” explains Lagerlöf. “Perhaps when the market starts to work again and sailings are ongoing and passengers are back there will be money to invest in rebuilding and upgrading the cruise ships with the different kinds of new solutions.” Because the pandemic has meant that NIT is not as busy with traditional building, Lagerlöf says the company has looked to develop new products that might offer solutions for safer cruising. “We created a simple, plug-in handwashing station. It has a disinfection light, but it can be plugged in without rebuilding walls or installing any handwashing basins – it’s everything in one piece. We have manufactured prototypes at our workshop in Turku, and we hope to get these on the market for passenger terminals and other areas where you need additional capacity for hand washing.” Lagerlöf says he is also in touch with a startup company in Finland that is making modular solutions for land-based hospitals, offering standardized components for surgery and other treatment rooms. “These could easily be used for ships, and we have started to discuss a cooperation where we could provide scale-able solutions, with wall panels, standard surgery tables and lights.” But Lagerlöf is optimistic that cruise ships will soon emerge from the pandemic as a reliable vacation option. “Compared to a big city where you cannot control everything, a cruise ship is a very safe environment,” says Lagerlöf. “They have the possibility to really support the guests and make sure that everyone is healthy when they come onboard. Despite the bad image some of the ships got at the start of Covid-19, I believe it will be a healthy environment and safe way of traveling again.” The industry’s return to sailing is dependent on re-establishing consumer confidence, Lagerlöf adds. “The driver will be passengers seeing that other passengers will book and start cruising. We are all very dependent on the volume of passengers. But as cruise ship owners promote to the world that they have a rising volume of passengers without any Covid-19 outbreak and that they have a normal running operation, new passengers will book and to start cruising again. I hope that it will start like a snowball and grow bigger and bigger.” Port Everglades readies for return Meanwhile at Port Everglades, Deputy Director Wiltshire is readying the port’s eight terminals to welcome back some of the dozens of ships that are currently positioned nearby in the Bahamas. The multi-use port is working with cruise lines to divvy up shoreside responsibilities. “Hand sanitizers, masks and social distancing are the basics that are expected,” says Wiltshire. Janitorial staff has been increased, additional hand sanitizers have been added, and automatic systems for sinks and toilets are being installed. “We’re looking at the air-handling systems, and I just signed off on new air filters for the Carnival terminals.” Wiltshire says daytime janitorial service will be the responsibility of the port, but deep cleaning and fogging between cruises will fall to the cruise lines to implement. The port is also acting as a kind of intermediary between local government and health authorities and the cruise lines, with regular meetings to discuss contingencies in the event of an outbreak. Testing facilities are probably not going to be available at the port. “You can test people, but you can’t have them waiting around in a large crowd,” Wiltshire explains. So any Covid-19 testing will be the responsibility of each cruise line, probably offered at a location outside the port. But like other sectors of the industry, Port Everglades is learning to pivot through the pandemic. “We partnered with our vending machine company to have a PharmaBox,” says Wiltshire. “It’s something our staff came up with, and at the machines that would normally sell sodas and snacks for people as they’re going into the terminal, we will have various pharmacy items such as masks, gloves, and over-the-counter pharmacy items.”n Ph oto cre dit : M SC Cr uis es Pharma Box at the Port Everglades Disinfecting onboard the MSC Grandiosa 52-58.indd 8 52-58.indd 8 22.1.2021 9.42 22.1.2021 9.42
Exhibitions are amazing. But imperfect, as everything is. Now we want to guide our clients to a future with more options for valuable person to person meetings. wulffentre.com | sales@wulffentre.com | +358 10 6335 500 For over 100 years WE have provided premium exhibition services – planning, stand design and project management and WE will for another 100 years. With excellence, passion and international experience. One world – One Partner – On Demand. As an company, we are driven by customer satisfaction and our processes are streamlined to provide you the best service, quality and experience possible. Wulff Entre is a member of the UN Global Compact and is committed to supporting and implementing the ten fundamental principles Plan is simple. Choose the right exhibitions. Provide your clients the EXHIBITION ON DEMAND experience Your real exhibition space from anywhere. Online. On Demand. Want to hear more? Contact us takakannen sisa?osa.indd 1 takakannen sisa?osa.indd 1 21.1.2021 11.30 21.1.2021 11.30