Tag Archives: Norwegian Cruise

Rio de Janeiro: Transforming Potential into Reality

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Rio de Janeiro Port.

Rio de Janeiro is among the two main ports in Brazil, second to Santos in passengers and ship calls, but with a bright future, both as a homeport and key transit stop.

Last year, Rio welcomed 265,188 passengers, down from the year prior, like most other South American ports. For this season (2017-2018), Rio is expecting around 240,000 cruise guests.

To change the picture, the CompanhiaDocas do Rio de Janeiro (CDRJ), which essentially runs the port, wants to make the port experience more attractive to the cruise lines.

“Our goal is to bring in as many passengers as possible. We need to understand the problems, present the questions and, try to achieve the better solutions,” explained Tarcísio Tomazine, president of CDRJ.

Tarcísio Tomazine, president of CDRJ

“My job is to solve the bureaucratic problems and improve the attractivity of Rio de Janeiro’s port. We believe is Rio is a valuable destination, there’s great potential. Our job here is to transform that potential in reality,” he said.

Tomazine claims that his port is an exception in a country like Brazil.

He said Rio de Janeiro doesn’t have significant infrastructure problems.

“We can receive, without much trouble eight or nine ships at once, and we have a deep harbor,” Tomazine noted.

The Norwegian Getaway in Rio during her Olympic charter

Still, there are operational improvements. The navigational channel was adjusted so ships up to 346 meters in length can call, and the water depth is being dredged further to allow ships with drafts up to 14 meters.

The season started with Oceania’s Insignia calling on Nov. 4, with 24 calls expected through April 29.

Venice to Ban Large Cruise Ships From City Center

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MSC Divina in Venice

PHOTO: Large cruise ships will be banned from docking in Venice by 2021. (photo via Flickr/Martin Cooper)Venice has taken action against cruise ships in a move that isn’t likely to sit well with future passengers.

According to The Independent, an Italian government committee has ruled to ban cruise ships over 60,000 tons from docking in the city centre by the year 2021.

Instead, the large ships will bypass the Grand Canal and St. Mark’s Square for the mainland at Marghera, a destination that pales in comparison to the photogenic Venice.

The controversial decision comes in the wake of concerns expressed by both locals and activists that the vessels are harming the city’s historical infrastructure as well as the environment.

Venice hosts approximately 30 million tourists annually, according to CNN. While the large cruise ships that enter the city represent a key driver of its tourism-based economy, Venice’s 50,000 or so residents have warned that the city can’t withstand all the attention.

“We want it to be clear to UNESCO and the whole world that we have a solution,” said Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro via The Guardian. “This takes into account all the jobs created by the cruise industry, which we absolutely couldn’t afford to lose, and we can start to work seriously on planning cruises.”

Ships under the specified mass will continue to travel along the iconic Zattere waterfront and into Venice’s city centre.

While 99 percent of Venetians who voted in an unofficial referendum this past June supported the ban, not everyone is optimistic about the committee’s ruling.

Activist Tommasso Cacciari of the No Grandi Navi (No Big Ships) protest group told The Guardian that the “declaration means nothing.”

“They haven’t found a solution, there is no plan—basically, nothing will change. They say the largest ships will go to Marghera—but where will they put them?” he asked. “They say all of this will be done within four years, but even projects in Dubai do not get completed in that space of time.”

Cacciari also argued that the ban won’t quell environment concerns.

This week’s decision comes four years after authorities banned ships over 105,000 tons from sailing through the city. That ban was subsequently overturned in 2015.

Pitbull And Norwegian Cruise Line Celebrate Norwegian Escape’s Arrival To NYC In Spring 2018

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Norwegian Escape’s Godfather and international music star, Pitbull, made a special appearance with Norwegian Cruise Line President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Stuart at PHD Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown in New York to celebrate Norwegian Escape coming to homeport in the Big Apple in Spring 2018. 
 
The afternoon kicked off with guests enjoying delicious bites from Norwegian Escape’s culinary outposts, sipping on cocktails crafted from Pitbull’s very own vodka, Voli, and sampling a selection of Michael Mondavi Family Wines. Guests were able to “walk the plank” in a virtual reality segment of the largest ropes course at sea and pose for sharable photos with the ship’s celebrity Godfather Mr. Worldwide. 
 
The exclusive afternoon was topped off with an electrifying performance from For the Record: The Brat Pack™, one of Norwegian Escape’s award-winning Broadway-style shows. Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO Andy Stuart and Pitbull took to the mic to say a few words to the guest and toast to the beautiful ship, Norwegian Escape, as well as discuss their joint support for Hurricane relief efforts in the Caribbean. 
 
Click the image for Mr WorldWide (Pitbull) interview.
Image result for andy stuart and Pitbull in new york
 
When Norwegian Escape arrives to her new homeport in Manhattan next year, she will sail seven-day cruises to Bermuda during the summer months and seven-day cruises to Canada & New England and the Bahamas & Florida as well as a selection of longer cruises to the Western and Southern Caribbean during the fall/winter 2018/2019 season.
 
Norwegian Escape will be the brand’s largest ship to ever homeport from New York City at 164,600 gross tons and 4,266 guests. Norwegian Cruise Line has been homeporting year-round from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal since 2003.
 
Click the image to watch PitBull’s Freedom Video filmed on Norwegian Escape.
Image result for andy stuart and Pitbull in new york


About Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 50-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising.  Most notably, Norwegian revolutionized the cruise industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal cruise vacation on their schedule with no set dining times, a variety of entertainment options and no formal dress codes. Today, Norwegian invites guests to enjoy a relaxed, resort-style cruise vacation on some of the newest and most contemporary ships at sea with a wide variety of accommodations options, including The Haven by Norwegian®, a luxury enclave with suites, private pools and dining, concierge service and personal butlers. Norwegian Cruise Line sails around the globe, offering guests the freedom and flexibility to explore the world on their own time and experience up to 28 dining options, award-winning entertainment, superior guest service and more across all of the brand’s 15 ships.

Recently, the line was named “Europe’s Leading Cruise Line” for the tenth consecutive year, as well as “Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Line” for the fifth time and “North America’s Leading Cruise Line” for the second straight year by the World Travel Awards. Norwegian’s next new build, the highly anticipated Norwegian Bliss, will be delivered in April 2018 featuring many firsts-at-sea for the global market including the largest race track at sea, award-winning Broadway entertainment, two observation lounges for guests to enjoy stunning ocean and glacier views and more.  Norwegian will introduce an additional new “Breakaway Plus” Class cruise ship in 2019 and has four additional ships on order for delivery beginning in 2022, with an option to introduce two more ships in 2026 and 2027.