Tag Archives: history

Former FTI Berlin Sets Sail to Malaysia

Posted on by
Reply

Former FTI Berlin Sets Sail to Malaysia

The former FTI Berlin recently set sail for its new home in Malaysia after spending several months in Ningde, China.

Acquired by the Berlin Capital Group in late 2024, the 1980-built vessel is being prepared to offer short casino cruises out of Penang.

The company’s plans initially called for a March 2025 startup, which was later postponed due to delays in the ship’s refit.

Renamed the Berlin Oceanis, the 9,570-ton vessel departed from the port of Ningde on May 24, 2025.

Sailing under the flag of Comoros, the ship is now expected to arrive at its new homeport on June 2, 2025.

According to a series of updates shared by the new owner, most of the public areas onboard the vessel were renovated during refurbishment in China.

In a video shared in early March, the company marked the demolition of venues on deck five, which made room for new spaces.

“This phase has been one of the most time-consuming parts of the transformation, but now that it’s done, everything will start moving much faster,” the Berlin Capital Group said.

“With this major milestone behind us, we’re looking forward to smoother progress,” the company added.

Additional details about the ship’s first voyages and commissioning were still to be announced at press time.

Originally built for Germany-based Peter Deilmann, the Berlin Oceanis was last operated by FTI Cruises.

With its owners shutting down cruise operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vessel was sold to Dreamliner Cruises in late 2020.

Renamed Dream Goddess, the ship was to undergo a major refurbishment and be converted into a mega yacht.

However, the project did not proceed, and the former Berlin remained docked at a Greek port for nearly five years.

In addition to Peter Deilmann and FTI Cruises, the vessel also sailed for Saga Cruises and other brands.

AIDA Orders Two New Ships From Fincantieri

Posted on by
Reply

Carnival Corporation today announced an order for two new ships for AIDA Cruises, a new class of mid-sized vessels.

The agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri provides for the design, engineering, and construction of these multi-fuel-capable ships, which will be delivered in the first quarter of the fiscal years 2030 and 2032, respectively.

“With approximately 2,100 cabins each, these remarkable new ships give our guests a completely new class of ship which slot in perfectly between our 1,600 cabin Hyperion Class vessels and our more than 2,600 cabin Helios Class vessels,” said Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises. “Our next generation of ships will delight our guests with amazing new features and experiences that we will reveal over time. Its innovative technology with multi-fuel propulsion systems, including LNG, will future-proof our operations into the coming decades.”

Eichorn added that once the second ship is delivered, AIDA will have a total of 13 ships in its fleet, further expanding its leadership position in the German cruise market.

“The introduction of these next-generation ships, when combined with the AIDA Evolution program modernizing much of the existing fleet’s décor, features and technologies, will drive even more demand for our AIDA brand, which is synonymous with cruising in Germany,” said Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation.

According to Weinstein, with today’s order, Carnival Corporation’s newbuild pipeline includes eight new ships scheduled to enter service between now and 2033, including Star Princess this year and one each from 2027 to 2033.

“We’re maintaining our disciplined approach to growth and strategically directing new capacity to the highest-performing brands in our world-class portfolio like AIDA Cruises and its sister brand Carnival Cruise Line, which now account for seven of our eight ships on order. This growth plan will maximize our returns and allow us to use our strong free cash flow to continue lowering our debt balance and transferring value from debt holders back to shareholders,” he said.

“We are honored that our long-standing partner Carnival Corporation has selected Fincantieri to build ships for AIDA Cruises for the first time in our history. This milestone confirms our ability to serve the entire Carnival Corporation portfolio while ensuring long-term visibility for our shipyards. These new ships will embody the most advanced technologies for sustainability and efficiency, further strengthening Fincantieri’s and Carnival Corporation’s roles as leaders in cruise industry innovation,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri.

Norwegian Encore Arrives at Damen for Refit

Posted on by
Reply

The Norwegian Encore arrived in France this week for a major refurbishment at the Damen shipyard in Brest.

Over the next two weeks, the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel is scheduled to undergo significant work on its public areas and staterooms.

According to the company, the project follows guest feedback and will include the creation of new features, as well as the addition of more cabins.

One of the main changes coming to the Norwegian Encore is the debut of Spice H2O. The adults-only complimentary sun deck will be created in the area currently occupied by the ship’s laser tag arena.

The enhancements will also include the expansion of two of Norwegian’s popular speciality dining venues, Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki.

Both restaurants will offer greater capacity by taking over the footprint of Los Lobos and Coco’s, respectively.

The Norwegian Encore is also seeing the addition of 24 new balcony cabins, which will take over a part of the ship’s Observation Lounge.

Other changes include updates to Haven’s Premier Owner’s Suites. The two staterooms will be expanded to include a new bedroom, a fully renovated living room, and a new separate dining room.

In addition, work on the vessel’s technical side includes planned routine maintenance, class inspections, and upgrades to various systems.

Following the shipyard stay, the Norwegian Encore is scheduled to resume revenue service on December 3, 2024.

The 2019-built vessel welcomes guests back for a 12-night trans-Atlantic crossing that sails from Southampton, England, to Miami, Florida.

During the 2024-25 winter season, the Encore is scheduled to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas, departing from PortMiami.

The itineraries feature a visit to Norwegian’s private island destination of Great Stirrup Cay, as well as St. Thomas, Tortola and more.