Cruise line upgrades to transform PortMiami

Posted on 4 October, 2019 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Cruise Line will soon open a new Miami terminal.

PortMiami has reached a series of long-term deals with cruise lines that will consolidate its position as the cruise capital of the world for the near future.

The agreements pave the way for $675 million in new terminal construction for Carnival Corp., Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises, and they closely follow terminal pacts with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) and Disney Cruise Line.

Together, the six cruise companies will have preferential berthing rights at all but one of the 11 terminals envisioned by the port. Each cruise company plans use the new terminals to bring bigger ships to Miami than they have previously operated there.

The latest agreement was announced by Carnival Corp., whose Carnival Cruise Line brand is the biggest tenant by passenger volume and is gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022.

“Over the last several months, we have had very constructive discussions with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County leaders about our plans for Miami and our goal to enhance and grow our capacity and operations in our hometown,” Carnival president Christine Duffy said.

Carnival’s agenda includes bringing the second ship in its 5,200-passenger Excel class to the new terminal in 2022, in time for its jubilee.

To do so, Carnival agreed to guarantee 2.25 million passenger movements a year through PortMiami for at least the next 20 years. The county, with partial reimbursement from Carnival, will commit to spending $195 million on a major makeover of Terminal F using $20 million earmarked for improvements at terminals D and E, also used by Carnival.

The agreement also commits the two parties to begin negotiations concerning the construction of a nearby 5,000-space parking garage, by far the largest at the port.

Image result for msc cruise terminal miami

The upgrade to Terminal F, which follows a $37 million upgrade in 2016 for current tenant MSC Cruises, will give Carnival a low-slung, glass-walled terminal facing Miami’s major automobile connection to Miami Beach, the six-lane Mac-Arthur Causeway, which averages 81,625 vehicle trips per day.

To take advantage of that exposure to the causeway, the expanded Terminal F will install a multimedia mesh on its north side that Carnival and the county can use to deliver electronic messages.

In keeping with its value-mindedness, Carnival is the only cruise company not building a PortMiami terminal from scratch.

Virgin Cruises, for example, won approval from the county for its new Terminal V at the far west end of the port, which will be built to remind visitors of a palm grove, according to the designers, Miami architecture firm Arquitectonica.

The red and white Virgin terminal, budgeted at $179 million, would carry preferential berthing rights for 30 years.

MSC is also building from the ground up and is upping the ante by creating two terminals, also designed by Arquitectonica. Labelled terminals AA and AAA, they will open onto a 2,474-foot pier that enables simultaneous berthing of two megaships.

MSC Cruise new Evo Class of ship will call Miami home

“This design takes advantage of the length of the site to project a powerful shape and dimension like no other at the port,” Arquitectonica said. “The [parking] garage is thin, so it appears as a cloud over the glass spaces below.”

MSC Cruises USA will move its offices into the building from Fort Lauderdale, becoming the second cruise line headquartered at the port, after RCCL — which is finishing its new headquarters building, on the western end.

MSC’s terminals, to be finished by 2022, would join RCCL’s $247 million “Crown of Miami,” which opened in late 2018, and NCLH’s $239 million “Pearl of Miami,” which is set to open in November.

Plans for Disney’s Terminal K, on the port’s south side, were outlined in a 2018 memorandum of understanding, but details are on hold pending a dredging project to widen the channel on that side of the port.

Harry Sommer Named Norwegian Cruise Line CEO; Stuart To Step Down

Posted on 3 October, 2019 by Spacejunkie2

Frank Del Rio (left) and Harry Sommer (right)

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) today announced organizational changes at the Norwegian Cruise Line brand as Harry Sommer has been named the successor to Andy Stuart, president and CEO.

Stuart is set to step down following the launch of Norwegian Encore. Sommer is currently president of international for NCLH.

Stuart will step down from his role on December 31, 2019, and remain with the Company as Senior Advisor through March 31, 2020, to ensure a smooth transition, according to a press release.

Stuart joined Norwegian in 1988 and held several key executive positions during his tenure of more than three decades, including President and Chief Operating Officer; Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Passenger Services; Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer and Executive Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Passenger Services.

“I could only have dreamed about my journey at Norwegian when I joined the company in 1988 and am extremely fortunate to have witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of this pioneering brand,” said Andy Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “I am honoured to have played a role in the leadership position Norwegian now holds in this incredible industry and continue to be proud of the commitment, dedication and passion of our team for delivering a best-in-class vacation experience. I have worked closely with Harry and am confident he is the right person to take the helm and continue the journey for Norwegian Cruise Line.”

“Andy has accomplished everything possible in the cruise industry, including leading its most storied and innovative brand. He will leave on a high note after delivering the brand’s latest ship, Norwegian Encore, the last ship in the most successful ship class in the Company’s history,” said Frank Del Rio, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We are extremely grateful for his leadership and contributions to Norwegian Cruise Line, our company and the cruise industry.”

Del Rio continued, “Over the last several years, Norwegian’s management and Board of Directors have worked closely on a comprehensive succession plan that leveraged the considerable bench strength across the organization. The Board and I are confident that Harry is the right person to succeed Andy as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Norwegian Cruise Line brand and look forward to him leveraging his breadth of knowledge and extensive experience in the industry and our Company to take the brand to new heights.”

“Andy and I have worked closely together over the last several years and I am humbled and honoured to follow in his footsteps and lead this renowned brand,” said Harry Sommer, President, International for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “I look forward to working with all of our incredible partners worldwide, building off the strong position the brand holds today and charting the strategy for the next phase of Norwegian’s journey.”

Sommer currently serves as President, International for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. where he is responsible for all sales, marketing, public relations and office operations for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises in all markets outside of the United States and Canada. He previously served as Executive Vice President, International Business Development and Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and held various executive positions for Prestige Cruise Holdings including Chief Marketing Officer; Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Information Officer and Chief Accounting Officer. Sommer holds an MBA from Pace University and a BBA from Baruch College.

Norwegian Cruise Line eliminating plastic water bottles

Posted on 2 October, 2019 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Cruise Line plans to eliminate plastic water bottles on its ships in a little more than three months. The line will replace them with water packaged in paper cartons.

The cartons will be supplied by Just Goods, a company in Glens Fall, N.Y., founded by actor Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith.

Norwegian said it will substitute paper for plastic in over 6 million bottles used annually. It will begin using the new packaging on the Norwegian Encore debuting in November, with a fleetwide target date of Jan. 1, 2020.

At an event in New York promoting NCL’s new packaging of drinking water were (from left to right) NCL chief sales officer Katina Athanasiou, Peter and Robin Scocca of Vista Travel of Colonia, N.J., and NCL CEO Andy Stuart. Photo Credit: Arnie Weissmann

Norwegian said it will become the first major global cruise line to eliminate single-use plastic bottles.

Norwegian said the price will remain the same as water packaged in plastic bottles, with a 500 ml carton at $4 and a litre at $5. Norwegian said that although the cartons are designed to be reusable, it will not have water-filling stations in use on its ships at this time.

Editors Comment.

I’ve just had a look on Just Water website and for 24 bottles the cost is $33.99, that’s $1.41 per bottle, how can Money Grabbing Norwegian Cruise Line charge $5. NCL would get a bulk discount as well, come on Norwegian show some common sense.