Further details about Seven Seas Explorer released

A rendering of Seven Seas Explorer

Further details have been released about Seven Seas Explorer, the latest vessel from Regent Seven Seas Cruises due to come into service in summer 2016.

The ship will offer a meticulous level of craftsmanship together with lavish detailing. The main atrium lobby will feature a circular inlaid marble floor and will act as the heart of the ship. Twin etched glass staircases will draw the eye upwards towards a crystal chandelier.

The vessel will see a new category of suite introduced named the Regent Suite. This two-bedroom suite comes complete with an in-room spa retreat - a first at sea with a personal sauna, steam room and treatment area. The suite also features an outdoor, glass-enclosed sitting area known as the Vista Garden. Here guests can enjoy unobstructed 270-degree views over the ship’s bow and toward the horizon.

Several dining venues are planned for the vessel. Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ signature steakhouse Prime 7 will be added and will host a new décor of dark purple hues silver accents and plush leather seating, reminiscent of a London private member club.

Compass Rose, the main dining room, will receive a new contemporary and sophisticated look complimented with a cascading aqua-blue chandelier.

Chic Italian Riviera-inspired La Veranda on deck 11 will offer casual indoor and al-fresco dining whilst  La Veranda, the buffet restaurant on-board, will offer 270-degree ocean views. This venue will transform in the evening into Sette Mari at La Veranda, an elegant fine dining restaurant for dinner.

The two-tiered Constellation Theatre with a 694-seat capacity will offer a variety of cabaret-style seating together with cocktail tables.

The Observation Lounge will be inspired by the opulence and indulgences of the Roaring Twenties and will feature a colour palette of rich silver, gold, black and white hues. The lounge will benefit from floor-to-ceiling windows and will feature a crystal chandelier above the dance floor.

Explorer Lounge will offer more of a country club vibe with rich mahogany wood columns, comfortable leather chairs, deep blue fabrics and sumptuous flooring. 

Graham Sadler, managing director for Regent Seven Seas Cruises UK, said “We’ve set a high benchmark for Seven Seas Explorer, not only to build a ship that far outshines the current standard in luxury cruising, but to design a ship that will be recognized industry-wide as the most luxurious ship ever.”

The 56,000 gross ton Seven Seas Explorer will have a capacity of just 750 guests and will set sail on its inaugural voyage on 20 July 2016 from Monte Carlo. Reservations for Seven Seas Explorer’s maiden voyage and inaugural season open 19 January 2015 exclusively for Seven Seas Society members and will become widely available starting 4 February.

Back in December 2014 renderings of the new ship together with a teaser video were released.

Renderings of what the ship is expected to look like both inside and out can be found over at World of Cruising.



(Photo credit to Regent Seven Seas Cruises)

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Take a look at the new cruise ships arriving in 2015

The forthcoming year looks very promising for the cruise industry as five new vessels are scheduled to launch within the next twelve months.

The first to launch is P&O Cruises’ Britannia. At 142,000 gross tons the vessel will be the largest the cruise line has ever ordered. The line has opted for a contemporary interior décor design for this family-friendly ship. She boasts 1,837 cabins (including 27 single occupancy cabins), 26 bars, restaurants and cafés and four swimming pools. In a first for the cruise line every outside cabin will have its own private balcony. Britannia’s maiden voyage sets out on 14 March from Southampton.



Viking Star is the first ocean cruise ship from Viking Ocean Cruises, sister line to Viking River Cruises. The inaugural cruise commences on 11 April from Istanbul, Turkey on an epic 50-day voyage around the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. At 47,800 gross tons with a capacity of 928 guests, the luxury Viking Star is very much an intimate vessel. Highlights of the vessel include the aft infinity pool, alfresco dining options and the luxurious staterooms, each one with a private balcony.



On 22 April Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas will embark on her maiden voyage from Southampton. This Quantum-class vessel is expected to be almost identical to Quantum of the Seas which was launched in October of this year. The 168,666 gross ton vessel promises to be one of the most technologically-advanced cruise ships afloat. The ship will benefit from a modern contemporary décor and boasts 2,090 cabins (including 28 studio cabins). The Quantum-class ship will offer Dynamic Dining offering five complimentary main restaurants with a further eight additional-fee venues available.



Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions are looking forward to welcoming Le Lyrial to the fleet. The inaugural sailing will see the yacht sailing from Venice on 9 May cruising along the Adriatic and Dalmatian Coast. At a mere 10,944 gross tons, this luxury intimate yacht will offer just 122 staterooms and suites, each with private balconies, and will feature contemporary Mediterranean-inspired interior décor.

Ponant Le Lyrial

Lastly, on 25 October Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape will depart on her maiden voyage from Hamburg, Germany bound for Miami, USA via Southampton. The cruise ship is the first in the “Breakaway Plus”-class and it builds upon the success of the Breakway-class vessels. At 164,600 gross tons she will accommodate up to 4,200 passengers. She will boast the largest ropes course and aqua parks at sea, together with an expanded “The Haven” area and a range of dining venues at “678 Ocean Place”.



(Photo credit to Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions; ©Philip Plisson)

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Escape to offer largest ropes course and water park

Norwegian Escape's Sports Complex

Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest ship ever, Norwegian Escape, will offer the largest ropes course at sea when she launches in November 2015.

The three-storey course is designed to set hearts racing, with two planks (six-inch wide beams that extend eight feet from the side of the ship) and five Sky Rails (zip tracks) that allow guests to soar through the air. The longest Sky Rail takes guests out over the side of the ship for the ultimate bird’s eye view over the vessel. Three Sky Rails will be installed within the main Ropes Course whilst two more will be added to the Kids’ Ropes Course, which offers child-friendly fun, challenges and feats. 

Norwegian Escape's Aqua Park

Norwegian has have also unveiled the Aqua Park which also will be the largest at sea. It will boast four multi-storey water slides. In addition there will be a dedicated Kids’ Aqua Park, two swimming pools and four hot tubs on offer. The Kid’s Aqua Park will feature a two-storey climbing structure for children to explore along with interactive wet elements such as water cannons and elevated buckets.

In terms of family entertainment, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle miniature golf course is to be added along with ship-wide entertainment from Nickelodeon as well as Norwegian Cruise Line’s first dedicated nursery for children aged two and under.

Norwegian Escape will be the largest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet at 164,600 gross tons and will build upon the features and facilities of their Breakaway-class ships. The ship is currently being constructed at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. Norwegian Escape is due to be home-ported in Miami and will offer seven-night itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Other features previously announced include an expansion of the Haven area on-board, the dining venues to be added and most recently was the addition of Miami’s Tobacco Road bar to the vessel.



(Photo credit to Norwegian Cruise Line)

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Carnival and Fincantieri explore building cruise ships in China

American based Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, and Fincantieri, an Italian company with the accolade of the world’s largest shipbuilder, have been reported to be considering building cruise ships in China for the Chinese and Asian cruise markets.

A Carnival Cruise Line vessel sailing the ocean

Both companies have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support cruise industry growth in China.

The intention of this Memorandum is to explore opportunities for the two companies to explore the construction of cruise ships especially for the booming Chinese market.

Carnival Corporation had previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China's largest shipyard, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), in mid-October 2014 to work together on a potential collaborative joint venture focused in shipbuilding in China.

Both of these Memorandums point to Carnival Corporation investigating building cruise ships in Cina for the Chinese market. The American-Italian-Chinese collaboration could see China’s first world-class cruise ships constructed in the country.

It is understood that Carnival Corporation are calling on the expertise of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Fincantieri for ship-building design and expertise to create the vision, definition and overall specifications. After all, this project is about building a Chinese cruise ship for the booming Chinese cruise market. Whilst China State Shipbuilding Corporation has a reputation for delivering quality industrial vessels Fincantieri’s role is to help adjust their practices and processes to deliver quality passenger cruise ships.

Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation is quoted as saying "This new agreement with Fincantieri gives us the opportunity to work with our long-time partner to further explore a formal joint venture that could forever change the landscape of shipbuilding in China".

It doesn’t take much to see why this is a sensible strategic move by Carnival Corporation. The Chinese Ministry of Transport projects China to be the second largest global cruise market after the United States of America in the next several years based on economic growth, increased spending power of Chinese consumers and growing demand for cruise vacations.

By 2020 the Chinese Ministry of Transport projects the country could see 4.5 million cruise passengers and ultimately it could quickly become the world's largest cruise market. Many existing cruise lines will want to be a part of this boom as early as possible.

(Photo credit to Carnival Cruise Line)

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises unveils Explorer renderings

Luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises has revealed the first renderings of its new ship, Seven Seas Explorer to accompany a new microsite they have just launched to showcase the vessel.

A rendering of Regent Seven Seas Cruises Explorer

Seven Seas Explorer will be launched in the summer of 2016 and will be the most luxurious ship Regent Seven Seas Cruises has ever built. Explorer will accommodate up to 750 guests and will be an all-suite all-balcony vessel.

The microsite will be updated with details of the ship, imagery and progress on the shipbuilding development. There will also be updates on the public space and suite designs, the on-board amenities, the new itineraries and other new elements as they are revealed.

The microsite launch also coincides with the release of a new video that sets the elegant tone for Seven Seas Explorer.

Reservations for Seven Seas Explorer’s maiden voyage and inaugural season open on 19 January 2015 exclusively for Seven Seas Society members, and become widely available from 11 February.

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Seabourn orders a second brand new cruise ship

Luxury cruise line Seabourn has announced that it has a second brand new 40,350-ton vessel on order with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri S.p.A. The first new Seabourn ship is scheduled for delivery in mid-to-late 2016, and the second is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2018.

Seabourn Odyssey at sea

This announcement will take the fleet up to a size of five ships. The two new vessels will help to replace capacity that was lost when Seabourn Pride was sold to Windstar Cruises in April 2014, and when Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend are also sold to Windstar Cruises in April and May next year.

The configuration of both new vessels will be based on the popular Seabourn Odyssey-class ships. Each will accommodate up to 604 guests based on double occupancy of the lower berths and every cabin will be a suite grade and will come with a private balcony. The ships will feature one additional deck as well as brand new expanded public areas.

As you would expect from a luxury cruise line the staff-to-guest ration is nearly one-to-one assuring attentive, personalised and responsive service.

Richard D. Meadows, Seabourn's president, said at the announcement of the first new vessel "The new ship will continue the evolution that began with Seabourn's fleet expansion, adding modern design elements and innovations consistent with Seabourn's reputation for understated elegance."

Both ships will benefit from the interior design skills of Adam D. Tihany who will be responsible for designing the ship’s interiors entirely, including all indoor and outdoor guest areas, multiple dining venues, the spa, the showrooms, casino and lounges, the outdoor deck areas, and the innovative and popular Seabourn Square which will act as the social hub of the ship.

Tihany worked on the Celebrity Solstice  class of cruise ships and is renowned for his restaurant projects for high-profile celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Wolfgang Puck, as well as for luxury hotel projects including the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, The Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi, and Hotel Cipriani in Venice. 

The announcements of two new vessels follows news that Seabourn will visit the Qatari capital Doha and the desert island haven of Sir Bani Yas off the coast of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the first time in 2015.

Doha will be the penultimate port of call on the luxury cruise line’s new 18-day Holy Land & Gems of Arabia cruise from Athens to Dubai, sailing on Seabourn Sojourn in October 2015. Doha is a vibrant multicultural city with impressive architecture and plentiful shopping opportunities. Cruise-only prices start from £4,999 per person based on two people sharing a suite on the 31 October 2015 departure. The 18-day cruise departs from Piraeus (Athens, Greece) and calls at Agios Nikolaos (Crete, Greece), Haifa (Tel Aviv, Israel), and Ashdod (Jerusalem, Israel), before travelling along the Suez Canal. The next port of call is Aqaba (for Petra, Jordan), Salalah (Oman), Muscat (Oman) and Doha (Qatar), before finally arriving into Dubai (UAE).

Sir Bani Yas island will be the first port of call for guests on board Seabourn’s new 18-day Dubai to Singapore Arabian Jewels & India sailing in November 2015, also on-board Seabourn Sojourn. The island is a haven for wildlife and is home to more than 100 bird species and 30 species of mammals. During the sail-in there may also be the opportunity for sightings of dolphins and turtles in the turquoise seas of the Persian Gulf. Cruise-only prices start from £5,499 per person based on two people sharing a suite on the 18 November 2015 departure.  The 18-day cruise departs from Dubai (UAE) and calls at Sir Bani Yas Island (Abu Dhabi, UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Muscat (Oman), Mumbai (India), Mangalore (India), Cochin (India), and Phuket (Thailand), before arriving into Singapore.

(Photo credit to Seabourn Cruise Line)

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Viking Order More Ships

By Editor Simon Veness

The new ocean-going version of Viking Cruises, which is due to make its debut in May 2015, is definitely going full steam ahead, with the announcement today of two more new ships for  2016 and '17, which will take the fledgling line to FOUR vessels in all.

 

As with the first duo, to be delivered in 2015 and early 2016, the latest pair will be built at the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, and will also be sister vessels at 47,800 tons each.

 

No price was revealed for the two extra newbuilds, but industry source Seatrade Insider estimated that the first two of the quartet are costing around $308million each.

Viking also revealed they are discussing additional high-profile joint projects with Fincantieri in other cruise areas to further enlarge the scope of their partnership.

Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said: "The interest in and popularity of our current ocean itineraries has been incredible and they are selling at an unprecedented rate. This new order allows us to offer consumers in our other markets the opportunity to explore the world in ways they have never experienced before through our destination-focused itineraries."

 

Shipyard chief executive Giuseppe Bono added: "Fincantieri has got its fill this year of the newbuild orders offered by the market. This again demonstrates our determination and ability to compete. We hope the next few years will provide more and greater satisfaction that we'll need to pursue with the passion and cultural openness demanded by the competitive environment."

Viking's first ship of their ambitious new foursome will be called Viking Star and will sail an inaugural season of Baltic cruises in summer 2015, re-positioning to the Mediterranean through winter 2015/16. None of the other ships have yet been named, nor destinations announced, but it is likely they will feature more of Europe in the summer months and go further afield to the Caribbean and Central America in winter.

The company also promises a highly destination-focused travel experience, with an emphasis on cultural enrichment. On the river side, Viking has already announced plans to introduce 14 more of its award-winning Viking Longships in Europe next year, making it the leading river-cruise operator by the end of 2014.

 

More info: visit www.vikingcruises.com and www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk.

 

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