Review: Norwegian Spirit

Posted on 15 August, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Spirit features an outdoor beer garden and lounge.
Credit: 2023 Norwegian Cruise Line

Cruisers onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) smallest ship will delight in both Norwegian Spirit’s mega refit and its Alaska itineraries.

Sailing between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seward, Alaska, seven-night cruises offer several less-travelled stops with intriguing excursions. Docked at Icy Strait Point on day three, I jumped at the chance to spot humpback whales, otters and porpoises in one of Southeast Alaska’s liveliest marine playgrounds. Hours earlier, I found myself soaring above the treetops, strapped into a seat on one of the world’s largest ziplines. On the last full day in Valdez, Alaska, a small boat excursion navigated through the floes to Columbia Glacier, a massive icefield renowned for its rapid retreat.

In between, the ship called at the popular ports of Juneau and Skagway, and then cruised to Hubbard Glacier. Disembarkation in Seward offered one final adventure, a scenic five-hour train journey to Anchorage where cruisers headed for Denali and beyond, or flights home.

Renovated Spaces and Amenities

Time onboard Norwegian Spirit added to the excitement in unexpected ways. Carrying 2,032 passengers, the ship was built in 1998 for Star Cruises’ Asia market. Ship age, however, is relative, as the decor, furnishings and public spaces are new again following a 2020 bow-to-stern refurbishment priced at more than $100 million.

In contrast to NCL’s colourful, family-oriented mega-ships, the refit intentionally caters to upscale adult cruisers. The ship’s Mandara Spa is double its original size and now offers an extra-fee Thermal Suite sporting heated tile loungers, a coed sauna and a steam room. Plus, the adults-only Spice H2O pool and hot tub retreat on Deck 10 is a quiet spot at the base of the terraced aft decks. And traditionalists will love the wraparound promenade deck and the Spinnaker Observation Lounge for whale and glacier viewing.

The Spinnaker Lounge offers great views.

Credit: 2023 Norwegian Cruise Line

Staterooms have been redone with minimalist decor and muted colours. Most welcome is the bathroom shower with its glass (not plastic curtain) door.

For those who appreciate a variety of dining options, the revamped Norwegian Spirit offers 14 venues. Le Bistro features tempting French classics. Onda by Scarpetta serves Italian. Cagney’s is primarily a steakhouse, though I loved the cedar-plank steelhead trout. Teppanyaki’s enlarged footprint is set in the three-part Asian venue that includes the Sushi Bar and complimentary dinner at Silk. A variety of dining packages are offered for the a la carte or set-charge hot spots.

The ship’s Atrium provides a comfortable place to relax. Credit: 2023 Norwegian Cruise LineFor included dining beyond Silk, clients can check out the Garden Cafe buffet or The Local’s fast-food menus. Of the two main dining rooms, the remodelled, aft-facing Windows is classier, featuring views on three sides. Smaller, dinner-only Taste stretches from port to starboard, midship.

Holland America Line: ‘Growing Interest’ for Alaska in 2023

Posted on 10 October, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

MS Nieuw Amsterdam cruising the Inside Passage Alsaka, photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Following a full season of 107 cruises and cruise tours onboard six ships, Holland America Line recently completed its 2022 Alaska program.

According to a press release, the season in the destination came to an end on Oct. 6, with the Eurodam and the Koningsdam completing final port visits at Ketchikan before heading to Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, respectively.

“As this successful season winds down, we’re pleased to see growing interest in Alaska 2023,” said Gus Antorcha, president, of Holland America Line. “Alaska is a bucket-list destination and people are excited to travel more. We’re seeing bookings well above levels from similar periods in the seasons prior to the industry pause.”

The 2022 season was Holland America Line’s milestone 75th Anniversary exploring Alaska.

To mark the occasion, the cruise line launched the “Love Letters to Alaska” contest, as well as new “Alaska Up Close” shipboard programming, a “We Love Alaska” marketing campaign, and two new partnerships that celebrate the brand’s commitment to serving sustainable Alaska seafood.

“Holland America Line’s 75th Anniversary in Alaska got off to an incredible start with Koningsdam as the first ship back in Canada in more than two years, and we kept building momentum with new immersive programming, partnerships that focused sustainability and more,” added Antorcha.

“No other cruise line can deliver Alaska like Holland America Line, and this season we focused all of our expertise and passion on giving guests a memorable Alaska experience that touched all elements of their vacation, from enrichment to culinary to shoreside tours,” he added.

At the start of the season on April 8, the Koningsdam became the first cruise ship to return to Canada in over two years with a call at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

The ship’s call marked 905 days since a cruise ship had visited the port, and it also was a maiden call for the 2016-built vessel. The next day the Koningsdam arrived in Vancouver for the start of its Alaska season.

During the 2022 season, Holland America launched its “Alaska Up Close” program that, according to the company, immerses guests on Alaska cruises in the local culture with authentic onboard programming, cruise activities and award-winning shore excursions.

Holland America Line also highlighted its partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute which saw the company using seafood Alaska exclusively on all six ships serving the region.

The Carnival Corporation premium brand also mentioned its certification in Responsible Fisheries Management.

During the course of the season, it became the first cruise line to achieve this credential by serving only fresh, certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood, the company said.

As part of the celebration of its 75 years of Alaska exploration, Holland America also added a “We Love Alaska” logo below the bridge of all of its six ships sailing in the destination.

According to the press release, the campaign was conceived as a way to show the locals its devotion to the region.

One Ocean Expeditions Details Challenges in Court Filing

Posted on 17 May, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

Andrew Prossin, managing director of One Ocean Expeditions (OOE), has detailed the company’s challenges in a recent affidavit filing for the company’s bankruptcy with the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Highlights:

Each year, prior to the company’s difficulties it ran about 70 voyages.
“We were considered one of the largest private Canadian vessel companies and had anticipated gross revenues in 2020 to exceed $75 million,” Prossin said.
Prior to the company’s financial difficulties, OOE had 30 to 40 full-time land-based employees, 15 to 20 land-based contractors, 300 full-time field contractors and 200 full-time independent crew contractors.
Difficulties started in August 2018, according to the filing, with the grounding of the Akademik loffee (Al), which was on a charter deal with PP Shirshov Institute of Oceanology and its related company Terragelida Ship Management Limited.
The PP Shirshov Charter was originally entered into in 2012 and granted One Ocean the option to renew each year indefinitely. The PP Shirshov Charter had been renewed most recently on June 1, 2018.
One Ocean paid a flat rate for the vessels for a minimum of 195 revenue days per year.
The grounding of the Akademik loffee led to nine cancelled voyages that were mostly sold out, according to the filing.
One Ocean suffered costs and liabilities associated with the grounding of the ship, repairs, and subsequent delay in excess ofS$6.5 million, which primarily represents lost revenue from cancelled trips, but includes other costs associated with last-minute cancellations and handling of passengers, the company said.
Following the running aground, from September 2018 to April 2019, One Ocean entered into negotiations with PP Shirshov to settle its claim for losses due to the grounding. Under the PP Shirshov Charter, according to One Ocean, the PP Shirshov was liable for the losses associated with the nine voyage cancellations and the repairs of Al. However, PP Shirshov contested its liability, Processing said.
In April 2019, after eight months of discussions, the PP Shirshov withdrew from all negotiations regarding the foregoing claim and purported to terminate the PP Shirshov Charter, according to the filing.
In May 2019, PP Shirshov repossessed both ships and sailed them back to Russia. The repossession was said to have happened suddenly and without notice to One Ocean.
At the time of the repossession, there was approximately $400,000 in prepaid charter hire on one vessel and $200,000 in prepaid charter hire on the other, in addition to other One Ocean assets aboard the vessels such as food and drink inventory.
One Ocean was forced to cancel all remaining scheduled voyages on the Russian ships, which resulted in costs and liabilities of approximately $12.5 million, which primarily represents lost revenue from cancelled trips, but also includes other costs associated with last-minute cancellations and handling of passengers.
That, in turn, put an enormous financial strain on One Ocean, according to the affidavit. One Ocean’s sales revenues dropped from an excess of $1million a week to less than $100,000 a week.
In the summer of 2019, recognizing the financial difficulties resulting from these events, One Ocean sought operation financing from various sources, and by September 2019 had been negotiating long- term financing commitment to cover short term capital costs associated with replacing the lost vessels, as well as to provide long-term financial stability.
The financing deal fell through, and the company was forced to halt operations on the Resolute.
One Ocean was not able to make the scheduled charter payments owing to Bunnys Adventure, the shipowner, due October 1,2019, and November 1, 2019, and as a result, on or about November 9, 2019, Bunnys Adventure terminated the Bunnys Charter and repossessed the Resolute.
The company had chartered the Resolute in 2018 on a bareboat charter deal for three years with an option to renew for 10 more years.
One Ocean has also initiated arbitration proceedings against PP Shirshov, looking for damages of $6.5 million from the results of the grounding, and an additional $12.5 million for wrongful termination of the charter. The company also is asking for the charter deal to be reinstated.
The company said it still has goods aboard the Resolute with a book value of $1.5 million and goods aboard the Russian vessels with a book value of $1.5 million.