Tag Archives: AIDA Cruises

Princess, Costa Asia and P&O Australia getting new ships

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Princess Cruises is getting a fourth Royal-class ship.

Carnival Corp. signed a memo of agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for another Royal-class vessel for its Princess Cruises brand and two Costa Asia ships to operate in China.

A fourth ship was ordered to sail for P&O Cruises Australia. Deliveries of the ships are expected in 2019 and 2020.

“Each of the four new ships will be specifically designed and developed for the brand and guests it will serve,” Carnival Corp. said.

The Royal-class ship will be 143,700 gross tons and carry 3,560 passengers. It will be the fourth in the series; the third, the Majestic Princess, is to be delivered in 2017. Carnival Corp. said that in addition to brand hallmarks like a “soaring” atrium and multiple dining and entertainment venues, the new ship would include “brand-new innovations to enhance the guest experience even further.”

The Costa Asia ships will be 135,500 gross tons and carry 4,200 passengers.

The P&O Cruises Australia ship will also be 135,500 gross tons with 4,200 berths, and it will be that line’s largest vessel. “Australia is one of the top performing cruise markets in the world, with an average annual passenger growth rate of 20% over the past decade,” Carnival Corp. said.

The orders are part of an agreement Carnival Corp. announced in March to build nine ships, five at Fincantieri and four at Meyer Werft, for delivery between 2019 and 2022.

In June, Carnival Corp. said the vessels developed at the Meyer Werft yard in Germany would be powered by liquefied natural gas; two will sail for Aida Cruises, but Carnival Corp. has not assigned the other two.

Costa trials onboard robots

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Pepper robots are being used on board Costa and Aida cruise ships

Costa Group has signed an exclusive agreement with French company Aldebaran to use its Pepper robots on board vessels to assist passengers on Costa and Aida cruise ships. Pepper is the world’s first robot that reads main human emotions.

Michael Thamm, chief executive of the Costa Group, said: “With an emotional robot on board our cruise ships we are once again continuing our tradition of innovation. For us, this is an important step towards a digital future for our brands.”

Pepper has successfully completed a trial on board AIDAstella. The first batch of Peppers will join the crew and start helping on board AIDAprima and Costa Diadema in spring 2016, guiding guests when they embark and while on board. They will also be on hand to provide recommendations and tips on restaurants, events and excursions. They can communicate in German, Italian and English. By summer of 2016 the rest of the robots will be joining the crew aboard the Costa and Aida fleets.

Pepper was developed in Japan and is the first humanoid robot capable of recognising the main emotions and to take his environment into account and proactively act accordingly. Pepper is well equipped with features and a high-level interface for communicating with those around him, to move fluidly and analyse expressions and voice tones using the latest advances in voice and emotion recognition.

The robot measures 120cm tall and weighs 28kg. Its movement is provided by three omnidirectional wheels while a 3D camera detects people and their movements and it has a 10 inch touch screen.

Bolidt celebrates ten years of Bolideck Future Teak

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Bolidt has won contracts to supply its Bolideck Future Teak lightweight synthetic decking system onboard three of its long-term customers’ new cruise ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line has ordered 15,000 sqm of Bolideck 525, Bolideck Select Soft and Bolideck Future Teak for the exterior decking onboard its latest newbuild Norwegian Escape. Bolidt will also supply 4,500 sqm of flooring for balconies and interior public areas onboard the 4,200-guest newbuild, which will be delivered this October.

“Norwegian uses Bolideck products on all of its cruise ships and we have known each other a long time,” said Van Overbeek. “The company places contracts with us due to our focus on solving problems, our nice designs and our flexibility. Collaboration with its designers is great and if the they have a new idea, we create samples until they get what they are looking for.”

Bolidt will also supply Bolideck Future Teak for the outer decks of Royal Caribbean International’s new 5,479-passenger Harmony of the Seas, which will debut in April 2016. The 226,000gt ship will also feature Bolideck Select Soft in the inside public areas, Bolideck Select Hard in the swimming pools and Bolideck Helideck on the helicopter landing platform.

Holland America Line’s latest newbuild Koningsdam will also feature 4,700 sqm of Bolideck Future Teak on the outer decks. Currently under construction at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard in Italy, the 2,650-gues ship will be the largest in Holland america’s fleet when she is delivered in 2016.

Meanwhile, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAdiva, Holland America Line’s Amsterdam and Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Victory were all outfitted with Bolidt flooring during recent refits at Blohm + Voss and Grand Bahama Shipyard respectively.

Bolideck Future Teak, which was launched a decade ago, is a durable and has been designed to look and feel like real teak flooring.

“Bolideck Future Teak remains the product of choice for cruise ship operators and shipbuilding yards, as well as specialist designers,” said Jacco van Overbeek, director of Bolidt’s maritime division. “This reflects the fact that it is a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to natural teak.”