Carnival brings back classic name for the new ship: Mardi Gras

Posted on 6 December, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival said its largest ship due in 2020 will be named the Mardi Gras, bringing back the name of the first Carnival Cruise Line ship that entered service in 1972.

The first Mardi Gras, originally the Empress of Canada, burned bunker fuel and had a water displacement of 27,000 tons. The new ship will burn liquefied natural gas (LNG) and displace 180,000 tons.

Carnival revealed the name to a nationwide television audience on the game show Wheel of Fortune on its signature Puzzleboard at the conclusion of the broadcast.

Currently, under construction in Finland, the ship will accommodate 5,200-plus passengers at double occupancy and offer a variety of new amenities and attractions.

Itineraries for Mardi Gras will be announced in January. Carnival fans who want to be the first to book Mardi Gras can register to get a “first to know” alert and promotional offer before itineraries are opened for sale later in the month.

“Our first ship Mardi Gras was a historic vessel, introducing a brand-new style of cruising to the vacationing public. What better way to pay tribute to our company’s nearly 50-year history of creating wonderful vacation memories than by naming this groundbreaking vessel after our original and beloved Fun Ship,” said Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy.

Liverpool’s Turnaround Business to Grow

Posted on 21 July, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

“We see our turnaround business growing from 2021 once the new cruise terminal is fully operational and we have projected an increase in transit calls, but this is down to more vessels in the Irish seas over the next years,” said Peter Murney, head of cruise and maritime operations at the Liverpool Cruise Terminal.

The port is expecting around 57 ships this year, with projections calling for 70 in 2019, he said.

Highlights include inaugural visits from vessels from Viking, Seabourn, AIDA and FTI. Overnight customers include the Celebrity Eclipse and Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa. There is also the return of the Disney Magic.

The new terminal facility is due to be completed sometime in 2020, Murney said and will be able to accommodate turnarounds from vessels with up to 3,600 guests.

“The Port of Liverpool has an area of shallow water which we are working with the port to dredge. With environmental issues we are looking at all green options when building the new terminal; this includes cold ironing and LNG,” he noted.

TUI Cruises Orders New Ships from Fincantieri

Posted on 13 July, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

TUI Cruises has ordered two new cruise ships from Fincantieri.

The new class of vessel will be powered by LNG and will be built at the Monfalcone shipyard. The ships will be delivered in 2024 and in 2026, respectively.

It marks the third ship order in the last two weeks and pushes the order book to 110 new ships.

Fincantieri said the ships would be around 161,000 tons, making them the largest in TUI’s fleet, which is getting new 110,000-ton ships in 2019 and 2023 as well.

“With the new class of ships, we are responding to the wishes of our guests and creating offerings that will also inspire new cruise passengers. As with the other ships in the fleet, the passenger/space ratio remains generous,” stated Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. “The decision to run the two additional low-emission new builds is a logical continuation of our environmental strategy.

“With the new class of ship, we are responding to the wishes of our guests and creating offerings that will also inspire new cruise passengers to spend a holiday on board with us. As with the other ships in the fleet, the passenger/space ratio remains generous,” she continued.

TUI Group recently said its cruise brands were benefiting from a “shortage of supply” in a recent investor presentation.

While commenting the announcement, Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “These will be the largest ships ever built in Italy: we proved once more we can provide the market with the best mix of reliability and innovation, pillars of Made in Italy and distinguishing features of Fincantieri in the global shipbuilding landscape. The project we developed and offered to the client allowed us to achieve this outstanding commercial record, which is not just about adding a new brand to our client portfolio, but also a confirmation of the absolutely cutting-edge technological content of our products. All of these factors consolidate our leadership in the field and further extend the workload horizon of our shipyards, which has no comparables in any other industrial sector.”