Tag Archives: azipod

Fred. Olsen’s Bolette Completes Refurbishment

Posted on by
Reply

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.

Norwegian Star exits drydock with Five O’Clock Somewhere bar

Posted on by
Reply

By Rebecca Tobin

Norwegian Cruise Line’s partnership with Margaritaville is taking shape on the Norwegian Star, which carries the line’s first Five O’Clock Somewhere bar following a two-week drydock.

The Five O’Clock Somewhere bar will sell Margaritaville signature drinks like the “Who’s to Blame Margarita” and LandShark beer. Norwegian, which announced its partnership with Margaritaville last year, will offer a Margaritaville restaurant and Five O’Clock Somewhere bar on the Norwegian Escape, which debuts this fall, and it also plans to construct Margaritavilles at its private ports of call.

In addition to introducing the Five O’Clock Somewhere bar, the line also eliminated a $15 cover charge on the Star’s Ginza restaurant. The Asian specialty restaurant will offer a complimentary menu and items priced on an a la carte basis.

An O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill was added to the ship. The Brazillian steakhouse-style Moderno Churrascaria was moved to what Norwegian called a “more intimate” setting on Deck 13, and a Sugarcane Mojito Bar was installed adjacent to the steakhouse.

Other additions to the Star include new carpeting and flooring throughout guest areas and updates to the pool deck. Touch-screen signage, which was introduced on the Norwegian Breakaway, was added to the Star.

On the technical side, the Azipod propulsion system was updated and the hull coated with silicone paint. Norwegian said the measures would improve fuel efficiency.

The ship will sail in northern Europe this summer.
___

Correction: A scrubber system was not installed during the recent drydock.

‘Allure of the Seas’ to Undergo Repairs at Grand Bahama Shipyard

Posted on by
Reply

‘Allure of the Seas’ to Undergo Repairs at Grand Bahama Shipyard

 

Allure of the Seas to Undergo Repairs at Grand Bahama Shipyard

Royal Caribbean International announced yesterday that a mechanical issue has made it necessary to perform unscheduled repairs to Allure of the Seas. The repairs will take place at Grand Bahama Shipyard, in Freeport, Bahamas, the week of February 24, 2014. As a result, it will be necessary to cancel the February 23, 2014, sailing of Allure of the Seas.

“We sincerely regret that we will be unable to deliver the Royal Caribbean cruise vacation that our guests were looking forward to,” said Adam Goldstein, president and chief executive officer, Royal Caribbean International.“We understand that our guests’ vacation time is very precious and can assure you that we did not take this decision lightly. But it was very important to us that we bring Allure back up to speed so that she could continue to deliver the amazing cruise vacations our guests expect.”

Allure of the Seas has been experiencing unanticipated bearing wear in one of its three propulsion motors. All three motors are fully operational, and there is no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of guests and crew. However, since the rate of bearing wear is directly related to ship speed, the ship’s top speed has been limited. This has reduced the rate of bearing wear, and will ensure that all three propulsion motors are fully available for maneuvering and emergencies until repairs can be completed.

“While Allure could have continued to sail at a reduced rate of speed, we felt it was important to fix the problem as soon as possible,” said William D. Baumgartner, senior vice president of Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “We explored numerous repair options. Unfortunately, there was no satisfactory solution that did not involve taking the ship temporarily out of service.”

The company said guests currently booked on the February 23, 2014, sailing of Allure of the Seas will receive a full, 100 percent refund, or the option to sail on select itineraries at the same rate.

Additionally, until the repairs can be made, it will be necessary to make minor adjustments to Allure of the Seas’ eastern Caribbean itineraries. Allure of the Seas will now call on Nassau, Bahamas, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is no need to modify Allure of the Seas’ western Caribbean itineraries.