Fred. Olsen’s Bolette Completes Refurbishment

Posted on 12 March, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Bolette has recently completed a refurbishment at the A&P Falmouth shipyard in England.

According to the company, the drydock was supported by 500 members of the facility’s workforce, including 32 apprentices.

“We are really pleased to further support the Falmouth economy by working with the team at A&P to maintain and refurbish our ships, and in particular providing their apprentices with new experience and opportunity,” said Peter Deer, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

After entering drydock in late February, the Bolette spent two weeks at the A&P Falmouth shipyard to undergo a program of works that comprised underwater painting, servicing of lifeboats, maintenance of stabilizers and more.

Other technical interventions included the exchange of the ship’s bow thrusters, which were replaced with newly overhauled ones.

The 2000-built ship also underwent a full underwater hull cleaning before receiving fresh antifouling paint.

According to Fred. Olsen, the new coat of paint helps reduce friction in the water while keeping the hull clear of barnacles and other marine life.

The crew cabins onboard were also refurbished, the company added, and all of the vessel’s lifeboats and davits underwent a main overhaul and overload test.

The Bolette’s Azipod propellers were removed for maintenance as well, while a new autopilot system was installed at the ship’s bridge.

On the guests’ side, Bolette also saw improvements to its photo gallery, which received digital screens for selecting and ordering pictures, according to Fred. Olsen, the new format saves time and paper.

A small studio where passengers are able to take professional, portrait-style shots was also installed in the photo gallery area.

Following the work, the 62,735-ton vessel resumed service on March 9. Sailing from the port of Newcastle, the Bolette is now offering a series of five- to ten-night itineraries to the UK, Norway, Iceland, the Baltic, Western Europe and more.

Originally built for Holland America Line as the Amsterdam, the Bolette was acquired by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in 2020.

Sun Princess Floats Out at Fincantieri

Posted on 8 March, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

The floating out of the Sun Princess, the first of two LNG cruise ships for Princess Cruises, has taken place at Fincantieri’s yard in Monfalcone.

At 175,500 gross tons, the Sun Princess is the largest ship built so far in Italy, as well as the first LNG cruise ship ever built by Fincantieri, and the first dual-fuel vessel powered primarily by LNG to enter Princess’ fleet. LNG is the marine industry’s most environmentally friendly advanced fuel technology and the world’s cleanest fossil fuel, which will significantly reduce air emissions and marine gas oil usage, Fincantieri said.

The Sun Princess will be delivered in Q1 2024 and starts the Sphere class, which includes a sister-ship to be delivered in 2025. They will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and are based on a next-generation platform design.

Norwegian Optimizes Sky Cruise Itinerary to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Posted on 6 March, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Cruise Line is optimizing Apr. 17, 2023, sailing onboard the Norwegian Sky.

According to a statement sent to booked guests, the itinerary of the cruise was adjusted as part of the company’s commitment to driving a positive impact on society and the environment.

“We are continually seeking opportunities to reduce our overall carbon footprint, and recently committed to pursuing net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and value chain by 2050,” Norwegian Cruise Line said.

“To support this mission, we have optimized our arrival and departure times for Norwegian Sky’s sailing on April 17, 2023,” the company added.

As part of the changes, the cruise saw part of its itinerary reversed and a reduction of the time docked in most of the ports of call.

Sailing to the Eastern Caribbean, the nine-night cruise includes visits to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, the U. S. Virgin Islands, Antigua, and the Dominican Republic.

Instead of visiting Great Stirrup Cay on Apr. 18, the Norwegian Sky is now spending the first day of the cruise sailing in the Caribbean.

On Apr. 19, the vessel replaces a sea day with an eight-hour visit to Puerto Plata. The length of stay at the Dominican port was increased by one hour.

The three subsequent ports of call – San Juan on Apr. 20, Philipsburg on Apr. 21 and St. John’s on Apr. 22 – remained unchanged but had their arrival and departure times adjusted, resulting in a total reduction of eight and a half hours in port.

On Apr. 23, instead of visiting Puerto Plata as originally planned, the Norwegian Sky is spending the day at sea to anchor at Great Stirrup Cay on Apr. 24.

The visit to Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas replaces a sea day on the original cruise schedule.

“We appreciate your understanding and support on this important sustainability initiative,” Norwegian Cruise Line added.