Tag Archives: Ports

Marella Cruises Signs with V.Ships Leisure for Ship Management

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Marella Cruises Signs with V.Ships Leisure for Ship Management

V.Ships Leisure has been awarded a ship management contract by Marella Cruises, according to a press release.

It is believed to be the largest management contract in the cruise industry.

The five-year agreement will cover the full technical, crewing, digital and ESG management of all of Marella’s five cruise ships, with operations commencing towards the end of 2025.

Adrian Hibbert, Cruise Operations Director at Marella Cruises, commented: “Throughout the tender process, we were hugely impressed by the calibre of the team at V.Ships Leisure and the depth of their industry expertise. We look forward to working together to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable operations across our fleet.”

Per Bjørnsen, CEO of V.Ships Leisure, said: “This contract is a clear endorsement of our talented team, commitment to ESG and our digital-first approach. Above all, it’s a testament to our track record and further reinforces our leadership in the cruise sector. We are extremely proud to be working with Marella Cruises and are looking forward to collaborating to achieve operational excellence.”

The first two vessels will come into management by the end of the year, with the other three joining in the first half of 2026.

As part of the new partnership, V.Ships Leisure will build upon its already strong UK presence by establishing a dedicated Marella Cruises fleet cell in the UK, operating from its Southampton office and supported by the wider V. network. The decision reflects V.’s commitment to providing Marella Cruises with local expertise backed by global scale, reach and experience, according to a press release.

V. will leverage its ShipSure platform to enable data-driven decision-making across fleet maintenance and operations, supporting more efficient and proactive management and giving Marella Cruises enhanced transparency into the operations.

Marella Cruises will benefit both from V.’s end-to-end management services and from V.ERDE, our dedicated decarbonisation and environmental compliance program.

Work Begins on New Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal in PortMiami

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Work Begins on New Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal in PortMiami

Work has begun on the new cruise terminal being developed by the Royal Caribbean Group in PortMiami.

According to The Next Miami, the new facility will replace the current Terminal G as part of a $345 million project.

The first stage of the development project includes the demolition of the structures of the current terminal building, which first opened in 1999.

Targeting a LEED Silver certification, the new single-berth facility will be able to host up to 7,000 passengers per call.

In addition to a new building for guest operations, the project also includes the construction of a multi-story parking garage with ground-level bus parking and designated passenger drop-off areas.

According to the NV2A Group, which is working on the construction in a joint venture with Lemartec, the main building features a design that strategically separates passenger flow by floor, optimising circulation and reducing congestion throughout embarkation and disembarkation.

“This approach minimises wait times, eliminates bottlenecks and ensures a streamlined process for cruise passengers, crew and transportation services,” the company stated.

The terminal is also said to feature an architectural design aimed at contributing to the evolving skyline of PortMiami.

“The project adds significant value to the port’s existing terminal infrastructure and delivers a product that inspires civic pride and strengthens Miami’s position as a premier cruise capital,” the NV2A Group added.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the new cruise terminal will be able to accommodate Icon-class vessels and is set to open by the fall of 2027.

Royal Caribbean also operates PortMiami’s Terminal A, which was built by the company and opened in late 2018.

The facility currently hosts the company’s largest vessels, including Oasis- and Icon-class ships, welcoming over 10,000 guests per call.

In related news, Royal Caribbean is also building a new ten-story office campus at PortMiami as part of a deal that was first announced in 2019.

Located near the company’s current headquarters on Dodge Island, the new office buildings are expected to be completed by 2026.

Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas Marks 10 Years of Service

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Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas Marks 10 Years of Service

The Anthem of the Seas recently completed ten years of service for Royal Caribbean International, having been delivered to the company on April 10, 2015.

As a sister to the 2014-built Quantum of the Seas, the vessel was built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

Following a delivery ceremony in Bremerhaven, the Anthem sailed for the English port of Southampton to kick off its maiden season.

Before welcoming its first paying guests, the 158,000-ton ship was named by actress Emma Wilby at a special ceremony that took place at its homeport on April 20, 2015.

Sailing round-trip from Southampton, the Anthem offered a series of itineraries to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and Northern Europe as part of its maiden season.

The 4,204-guest vessel was later repositioned to the United States for cruises departing from New York Harbour.

For its North American debut, the ship sailed from Cape Liberty Cruise Port to Bermuda and the Caribbean, as well as Canada and New England.

After additional seasons in the United Kingdom and the New York metropolitan area, the Anthem of the Seas recently repositioned to the Pacific Ocean for cruises to other destinations.

As part of a ship shuffle, the vessel debuted in Southeast Asia during the 2024-25 winter, offering cruises from Singapore.

Earlier this year, the Anthem kicked off its first summer deployment in Alaska, offering seven-night cruises that sail from Seattle and also include visits to destinations in Canada.

Before debuting on the West Coast, the vessel also underwent a routine dry dock in Singapore, which included minor updates to staterooms and public areas, as well as technical maintenance.

In mid-October, the ship will reposition to the South Pacific for its inaugural season in Australia. Sailing from Sydney, the Anthem offers itineraries to a wide range of destinations, including Nouméa, Picton and Airlie Beach.