ABB ships 20.5 MW Azipod XO
JANUARY 11, 2016 — A 20.5 MW Azipod XO podded propulsion unit has left ABB’s Vuosaari plant in Helsinki, Finland, headed for Meyer Werft’s Papenburg, Germany, shipyard. It will be installed on
Meyer Werft
Norwegian to customize newbuild for China market
Originally, the second Breakaway Plus ship was to be called “Norwegian Bliss,” a name chosen from a long list of suggestions from Facebook fans. Today, though, Norwegian said that the ship’s name, homeport, accommodations, dining and entertainment “will be shared in the coming months.”
Accommodations, cuisine and onboard experiences will cater to the unique vacation preferences of Chinese guests.
“Our new purpose-built ship for China will have characteristics that are authentic to Norwegian Cruise Line and yet distinctively Chinese in all of its sensibility,” said Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio, who made the announcement today at the CruiseWorld China summit in Shanghai.
“With this new ship, Norwegian will unquestionably offer our Chinese guests a superior product and introduce a new standard of innovation and excellence into the marketplace, with an unrivaled level of customization for the Chinese consumer,” said Mr. Del Rio. “It will perfectly suit what modern Chinese travelers value from an upscale cruise experience.”
The cruise line says that the 4,200 guest ship “will provide the same sense of freedom and flexibility found on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships, but with experiences and amenities designed specifically with Chinese guest in mind” and that “the level of customization will go beyond the physical design of the ship.”
To support its expansion efforts in China, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has opened offices in Beijing (Guomao CBD) and Hong Kong (Quarry Bay) and today opened its Shanghai office in Xintiandi.
The offices support all three brands in the company’s portfolio – Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Saga Cruises orders 1,000 passenger newbuild at Meyer
The dock is presently used for block construction and by reopening it the shipyard will be able to deliver three cruise ships, including the Saga newbuild. The cruise line’s memorandum of agreement with Meyer has an option for a second vessel for 2021 delivery.
The Meyer Werft ship will be Saga Cruises’ first newbuild. Catering for passengers in the 50+ age group, the cruise line currently has two ships, the 446-passenger Saga Pearl II and the 706-passenger Saga Sapphire, both built in 1981. According to Daily Telegraph, demand for sailings on the ships is extremely high: they carried around 25,000 passengers last year, with a 75 per cent repeat passenger rate.
The new ship will be 234 m long by 30.8 m wide and will have 540 cabins, all with balconies and with about 15% designed for passenger cruising solo.
“This is an important milestone in the future of Saga Cruises,” said the line’s CEO, Robin Shaw. “We are happy to develop this vessel, tailored to our individual needs, and we’re delighted to be working with Meyer Werft, a recognized leader in cruise ship construction.”
Third Quantum class to be named Ovation of the Seas
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 — Royal Caribbean International marked an important milestone today as the first piece of steel was cut marking the official construction start on the third Quantum class ship. The
Quantum of the Seas floated out at Meyer Werft
AUGUST 18, 2014—Longer than three U.S. football fields, the 167,000 gross ton, 4,188-passenger Quantum of the Seas was recently floated out at the Papenburg, Germany shipyard of Meyer Werft. Scheduled to make
Meyer inks deal for Finnish shipyard
AUGUST 4, 2014 — German Shipbuilder Meyer Werft and the State of Finland have now signed an agreement to acquire the STX Finland shipyard, which will start a new lease on life
KfW Ipex-Bank finances second Star Cruises newbuild
JUNE 5, 2014 — With a loan of over EUR 600 million, Germany’s KfW IPEX-Bank is financing the construction of a second cruise ship for Star Cruises at Meyer Werft shipyard in
Royal Caribbean orders fourth Oasis Class cruise ship
MAY 9, 2014—At the keel laying ceremony for its third Oasis Class cruise ship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Miami, FL, announced it had agreed to build a fourth 5,400-passenger vessel in the
Royal Caribbean to homeport Quantum in Shanghai
APRIL 17, 2014 — Royal Caribbean International is to homeport its newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, in Shanghai. The ship will reposition to China in May 2015, following her inaugural
Norwegian Cruise Line orders new ship at Meyer Werft
OCTOBER 17, 2012 — Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it has reached an agreement with Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany to build a new cruise vessel, for delivery in October 2015, with