Fincantieri Delivers Mein Schiff Relax in Monfalcone

Fincantieri has delivered the new Mein Schiff Relax to TUI Cruises, with the ship being handed over on Friday in Monfalcone.

Fincantieri said in a press release that the vessel is the first of two InTUltion class new concept cruise ships that are dual fuel powered (Liquid Natural Gas and Marine Gas Oil) that Fincantieri is building for TUI Cruises. The sister ship will set sail in mid-2026.

According to the press release, the Italian Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, attended the ceremony, welcomed by Biagio Mazzotta, and Pierroberto Folgiero, chairman, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri.

The event was also attended by Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of the Fincantieri Merchant Ships Division, as well as Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, Frank Kuhlmann, chief financial officer of TUI Cruises and Captain Tom Roth.

The company said that this unit forms the backbone of TUI Cruises’ new fleet, based on a first-in-class project developed by Fincantieri.

The project focuses on energy efficiency and aims to reduce operational consumption and minimize environmental impact in compliance with the latest regulations. According to Fincantieri, the ship’s ability to use low-emission fuels marks a step towards climate-neutral cruising.

The ship also features catalytic converters meeting Euro 6 standards, a generative turbine using the residual heat from the diesel generators and an electrical shore-power connection. This ensures almost emission-free operations while in port (about 40 per cent of operating time).

The ship also has a waste treatment system that can transform organic materials into recyclable components.

Zuiderdam Embarks on Holland America’s Grand World Voyage

The Zuiderdam is sailing from Port Everglades on Saturday for Holland America Line’s 2025 Grand World Voyage.

According to Holland America Line, the 124-night itinerary is highlighted by bucket-list destinations, including Machu Picchu, Easter Island and the Great Barrier Reef. The full itinerary includes ports in 34 different countries.

The cruise also features six overnight stays across the globe, including extended visits to Tahiti, Sydney, Cape Town and Barcelona.

After departing from Port Everglades, the Zuiderdam heads south for visits to destinations in the Caribbean before crossing the Panama Canal.

The 2,000-guest ship then heads to South America and the South Pacific, visiting destinations in Ecuador, Peru, Chile and French Polynesia.

Ports of call set to be visited during this segment include Manta, Easter Island, Callao, Moorea, and Raiatea.

The cruise continues with visits to additional island destinations in Polynesia and Melanesia, such as Tonga and New Caledonia, before arriving in Australia.

In late February, the Zuiderdam arrives in Southeast Asia for calls in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and more.

On its way back to the United States, the itinerary includes destinations in the Indian Ocean, such as the Maldives, the Seychelles and Mauritius.

The ship will also visit South Africa, Cape Verde, Namibia, and the Canaries before entering the Mediterranean.

After sailing to destinations in the United Kingdom, Spain, Malta, Egypt, Italy, Portugal and Morocco, the Zuiderdam finally crosses the Atlantic Ocean.

The vessel will return to Fort Lauderdale on May 9, 2025, after a visit to San Juan in Puerto Rico.

In addition to its Grand World Voyage onboard the Zuiderdam, Holland America is set to offer a second world cruise in 2025.

Sailing onboard the Volendam, the Pole to Pole Grand Voyage departs from Port Everglades on Jan. 25, 2025.

Cruise Lines 2024 Q3 Breakdown: By the Numbers

La Ponant and AIDA Cosmos both enjoying good passenger numbers, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr

Cruise Industry News takes a look at the financial performance of the “big three” cruise corporations following the third quarter of 2024.

Traditionally, the third quarter has been the key part of the year for cruise operators, as it spans the summer months with more family travel and more deployment into higher-yielding markets such as Alaska and Europe.

Carnival Corporation, the world’s biggest cruise company, delivered the best net income performance with $1.8 billion, up from $1.1 billion in the third quarter a year prior.

The company also outpaced the gains year-over-year from Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Net income per passenger day was $61.96 for Carnival, Royal Caribbean Group had $75.14 of net income per passenger day, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings came in at $72.82

Of note, fuel cost was up for both Carnival and Royal Caribbean, but down for Norwegian, which continues to make deployment changes to published cruises for fuel efficiency.

Follow the link below to see all the numbers from the 3 leading Cruise companies: