New destinations and itineraries mark the release of Scenic’s 2019/2010 brochure for the expanded Scenic Eclipse fleet.

The 2019/2020 season will see the launch of several new itineraries across Scenic’s fleet of innovative, 6-star luxury Discovery Yachts. Scenic has revealed a selection of new Arctic destinations that will join its itinerary line up, including the Russian and Canadian Arctic, and the Northwest Passage, as well as an expansion of its European Arctic itineraries.

Scenic has also introduced new summer departures of its popular Antarctica in Depth cruise, as well as an additional departure for its Antarctica, South Georgia & Falkland Islands itinerary.

In the Americas, Scenic Eclipse will have three new cruises to discover the Canadian Maritimes and the east coast of the USA. Scenic is also pleased to announce the return of its popular cruises to Cuba, the Caribbean and down the coastline of South America, which include a transit of the awe-inspiring Panama Canal.

A popular destination with cruisers, Scenic is offering an expanded range of Mediterranean itineraries, which will be followed by a selection of unique Baltic itineraries to discover the culture, history and diversity of the eight nations bordering the Baltic Sea.

Group General Manager, Sales & Marketing Australia/Asia Pacific, Anthony Laver, said interest in Scenic Eclipse was very strong following the announcement of a second ship earlier this year.

"The addition of a new ship to the Scenic Eclipse fleet has allowed us to add an exciting range of new destinations and itinerary options for the 2019/2020 program," Mr Laver said.

"We are confident they will prove popular with guests, and with just 114 suites (and only 100 in the Arctic and Antarctic) available on each sailing, we encourage travellers to secure their preferred cabin by booking now to receive the best offer."

A range of special earlybird offers include the option to book now and save up to 10 per cent off the full fare.

I have recently completed four CLIA modules for the 2018 accreditation.

Some interesting facts present themselves and I'll share some here with you.

I should not copy the whole course however will give you
most of the first two Dynamics because they have
the most interesting information re new builds.

Sixteen ocean-going cruise ships valued at a total $8.4bn are due to arrive in 2018,
according to Seatrade's orderbook.
They'll add 34,395 lower berths to global capacity and loads of novel features - from
a magic carpet, racetrack and underwater viewing lounge to full LNG propulsion and
the ability to operate for stints on battery power.
2018's crop compares to the 10 ocean-going newbuilds with 27,700 lower berths that
arrived in 2017, valued at $6.7bn.

These newbuilds are packed with plenty of cutting-edge characteristics. They include
environmental advances like the world's first fully LNG-powered cruise vessel
(AIDAnova) and an expedition ship (Roald Amundsen) that can sail for short periods
on energy from silent, emissions-free fuel cells.
Speaking of expedition cruising, no fewer than five of the vessels are designed for
this, with ice-strengthened hulls and novel elements like an underwater viewing
lounge (Blue Eye on Ponant's Le Laperouse and Le Champlain), helicopters and
submarines (Scenic Eclipse), underwater drones (Roald Amundsen) and other hightech gadgets.
While the expedition ships are at the smaller end of the size range, the year's
smallest new ship is a sail-cruise vessel, Flying Clipper, at 8,770gt. It's a replica of
1912's France II, the largest square-rigged tall ship ever built. Smallest in terms of
double occupancy capacity are Ponant's pair of 184-berth ships.
Also coming in 2018 is a new world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas,
at 230,000gt and 5,497 lower berths. It will be the first Oasis-class ship to sail from
PortMiami, resident at Royal Caribbean's new Terminal A. Some fresh features
include a two-level Ultimate Family Suite with a slide and a balcony climbing
experience, a reimagined Boardwalk with a massive sports bar/arcade, a redesigned
Solarium containing a seafood spot and the world's largest laser tag arena.
Next biggest is the 180,000gt AIDAnova, in a size leap for the German operator (its
current largest ships are just under 126,000gt). After that, size-wise, comes
Norwegian Bliss, measuring 167,800gt. It's the third in NCL's Breakaway Plus class
and builds on China ship Norwegian Joy's features, including a racetrack (enlarged),
The Haven Observation Lounge, an open-air laser tag course plus a new Texas
smokehouse. The ship will debut in Alaska as the largest passenger vessel ever to operate there.
Another large entrant, the 154,000gt MSC Seaview, is the sister of the just-introduced
MSC Seaside and will be first of its class to sail in Europe.
One of the year's most anticipated ships is surely the 117,000gt Celebrity Edge, with
a completely new design (as featured next page).
Carnival Horizon continues the 133,500gt Vista series, with new features like a Guy
Fieri barbecue/craft brewery and Carnival's first teppanyaki venue and Dr. Seussthemed WaterWorks.
Further series ships include Seabourn Ovation (sister of late 2016's Seabourn
Encore), Nieuw Statendam (following 2016's Koningsdam) and Viking Orion, the fifth
in fast-growing Viking Cruises' lineup.
Mein Schiff 1, meanwhile, is 20 meters longer than its fleetmates, with space for 180
additional accommodations. It's the fifth ship built by Meyer Turku for TUI Cruises.
(Originally designated as Mein Schiff 7, it's supplanting the Mein Schiff 1 that's exiting
to Marella Cruises.)
Two new entrants to ocean cruising are building ships-Australia-based tour operator
Scenic and Portugal's Mystic Cruises. Both companies bring river-cruise expertise.
While Scenic Eclipse will roam widely for Scenic, Mystic Cruises' World Explorer is
set for charters by Quark Expeditions and Germany's Nicko Cruises, a company
owned by Mystic Invest.
The year's new tonnage will serve primary markets including North America,
Germany and France. Unlike in 2017, though, none of the newbuilds is tailored for
China.
(In addition to these ocean-going additions, new coastal vessels this year include
Lindblad Expeditions' National Geographic Venture, from Nichols Brothers near
Seattle and the sister of 2017's National Geographic Quest, and American Cruise
Lines' American Constitution, from Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland.)
While 2018 is a big year for new ships, even more are coming in 2019, when 22
ocean-going newbuilds are scheduled for delivery

CELEBRITY EDGE is one of the new ships which has spectacular new designs which
have not been found before on ships.
It will be stationed at Port Everglades Terminal 25
which has been designed especially for Celebrity Edge.

Summary of innovative features new to the industry found on Celebrity Edge.
The Magic Carpet
A platform the size of a tennis court that's cantilevered from the side of the ship.
At sea level it serves as a lounge-like tender embarkation area particularly good for
those with walking challenges.
Can rise all the way up to Deck 16, where a 'Dinner on the Edge' experience for up
to 90 people will be unlike any other.
Or, when alongside Deck 14, the Magic Carpet becomes an extension of the pool area.
At Deck 5, it provides alfresco seating for the restaurants.
The asymmetrical Pool Deck
Features a Rooftop Garden with (artificial) designer trees that people can relax in
and live greenery.
One side of the deck has cabanas with soaring ceilings. and the resort (pool) deck
chaise lounges face outward, overlooking the ocean.
At night, the space will transform for live music and movie/meal pairings that are
part of Celebrity's 'A Taste of Film.'
The Edge stateroom with infinity veranda
A whole new look of accommodations from the inside as the veranda comes INTO
the room, while on the outside looks like a smooth wall of windows.
The veranda doors, styled like elegant French doors, can slide to the side to make
the veranda a seamless part of the room. When those French doors are closed,
creating a separate veranda area, the top of a floor-to-ceiling outside window can be lowered to the open air.
The design allows for bigger bathrooms, bigger beds, more storage, and more living area.
There are 918 of these Edge staterooms with infinite verandas, including 16 for solo travellers.
Standard balcony staterooms across the cruise industry average about 15 square
meters, with Celebrity Solstice's slightly larger 16 to 17 meters. Celebrity Edge's will
be much larger - about 21 square meters.
In addition, Celebrity Edge more than doubled the number of suites. Suites comprise
5% of the rooms on the brand's current ships; they'll be 12% on Edge.
Two suite categories are new. At the top of the line: the pair of Iconic Suites,
positioned above the bridge. These sprawl over nearly 2,600 square feet with two
bedrooms and two baths, panoramic windows and a 700-square-foot veranda with 270-degree views.
Also new (and very cool) are the six split-level Edge Villas, with stunning views from
two stories of windows, private plunge pools and direct walk-out access to The Retreat Sundeck.
There are many more features in addition to the head-turning ones above, including
many with technological advancements. Passengers can open their stateroom doors
with a new, much more sophisticated app loaded to their smartphones that offers a
host of other functionality such as the ability to breeze through embarkation (thanks, in
part, to facial recognition related to a pre-loaded security photo), the possibility to plan
and schedule activities, order drinks delivered where desired, and to make restaurant
and excursion reservations and more via a virtual concierge.
(Fain said 15% to 20% of the total RCL fleet, including Royal Caribbean International
and Azamara Club Cruises brands will have at least parts of this functionality this year.)
The 2,900-passenger (double occupancy) ship will be based at Port Everglades'
Terminal 25, which is designing a Celebrity experience especially for Edge.

Celebrity ships are well received.
They are fresh and open, concentrating on meal presentation and have many facilities.
They are a little larger than others but are well worth the experience.

WANT TO LIVE IN A FUTURISTIC SMART CITY TODAY? TAKE A CRUISE

Again thanks to Clia there are some excellent articles below.

I'll include most of them but I must attribute them to Clia.

By John Gaudiosi - Posted on December 16, 2017 Digitaltrends.com
The cruise industry is rapidly evolving to integrate the Internet of Things - with
sensors, connected devices, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing - into the
experience passengers will have, both on and off the mammoth, state-of-the-art,
billion-dollar ships. It's created a veritable wearable wars that spans companies like
Carnival, MSC, and Royal Caribbean, which have all implemented new technology to
change the way guests interact while onboard.
The initial wave in this sea change of tech can actually be traced to the indoor water
park company, Great Wolf Lodge, which debuted RFID-based smart wristbands that
provide visitors electronic access control and cashless payments to its resort and
waterpark guests, in 2005. The technology has made its way through various parts of
hospitality and travel, from theme parks to hotels, and now, cruise companies see it
as one key in offering personalized service to the thousands of passengers onboard
and more efficient operations for their staff.

THE HAPPIEST PLACE FOR WEARABLES
But it was the land-locked city of Orlando, Florida, home to the Walt Disney World
Resort, that's had the biggest impact on what's currently happening at sea. In 2013,
Disney unveiled the MagicBand, a wearable device that uses radio-frequency
identification (RFID), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and near-field communication
(NFC) technologies to connect guests' park tickets, hotel room keys, payments,
and PhotoPass information - providing access to resort rooms, merchandise
payment, theme parks, rides, and attractions.
John Padgett, who's currently chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival
Corporation (the world's largest cruise operator), was the mastermind behind the
MagicBand while working 18 years at Disney Parks and Resorts.
Anyone who hasn't worn the waterproof MagicBand hasn't really experienced the
simplicity of a connected vacation. Available to every guest who stays at a Disney
World resort (over 30 million have been distributed as of April 2017), the band does
away with the need for credit cards, room keys, passes, park tickets, dining
reservations, meal vouchers, and transportation tickets. Everything is stored on the
MagicBand, which connects to the MyDisneyExperience app and website for a
frictionless experience.
When Padgett moved on to Carnival, in 2014, he enlisted former Disney MagicBand
colleagues Jason Moffitt and Rich Criado to help develop a new project that would
become the technology backbone of the companyŐs Medallion Class ships. Another
MagicBand alum, Joey Hasty, moved on to Royal Caribbean, which recently unveiled
a suite of new ship-board technology systems, called Excalibur. With the experience
and knowledge they culled from their days at Disney, these individuals are now
changing the dynamic of the cruise vacation.

CARNIVAL ADDS A.I. TO WEARABLES
Princess Cruises is the first of Carnival's 11 brands to embrace the Ocean Medallion,
a device that interacts with the ship, allowing passengers to interact with food and
beverage, retail, entertainment, lodging, recreation, and excursions seamlessly -
without ever taking it out of their pocket, off their necklace, or swiping a band. (The
Medallion can be tossed in a pocket or purse, or worn in a variety of cases, like a necklace or band).
Beyond the ability to open and lock doors, order drinks, make dining or entertainment
reservations, or purchase excursions, the Ocean Medallion ecosystem embraces
artificial intelligence that tracks and learns about the guest with every interaction.
Padgett said this AI evolves in real-time, multiple times per second, to offer
suggestions for guests based on where they are on the ship, time of day, and what
activities are occurring at that time.
"The Ocean Medallion" gives guests the option of connecting to other Carnival
technologies, including Ocean Ready (to answer health questions, scan passports,
and go paper free), Play Ocean (a suite of mobile video games that can be played on
or off the ship), and Ocean Compass (a schedule of on-board activities as well as a
custom virtual sea avatar that appears across the ship).
"The way we use the mobile phone is as a guest option," Padgett said. "The guest
can choose how much digital exposure they want, from zero to 100. If you reject the
mobile phone from the Ocean Medallion experience, you're at no experiential
disadvantage from other guests."
The Regal Princess is the first of multiple Princess ships that will launch over the
coming years featuring this technology. And Padgett said the hope is that additional
Carnival brands like Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, and Cunard adopt
this technology in the future.

RITZ-CARLTON DIVES INTO THE CRUISE MARKET WITH A 'YACHTING' CONCEPT

One of the foremost names in luxury hotels is taking to sea. The Ritz-Carlton today announced its plans
to launch a niche cruise product called the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection - the first hotel company to
create such an offering on a major scale, with three custom-built superyachts.
Set to debut its first ship in November 2019, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection hopes to attract luxury
travellers by offering larger suites, fewer passengers and more specialized itineraries and experiences
than traditional cruise companies.
"We are opening up a whole new world of opportunities for the RitzCarlton,"
says Herve Humler, the brand's president and COO.

To steer its entrance into this sector of hospitality, Ritz-Carlton partnered with cruise industry veterans
Lars Clasen, owner of the German river cruise company A-Rosa, and Douglas Prothero, a long time
consultant in shipping and maritime industries.
"We're maritime specialists with over 90 years of combined experience," Prothero says.

Designed by Swedish cruise specialist firm Tillberg Design, each Ritz-Carlton yacht is 623 feet long and
features 149 suites ranging from 312 to over 1,000 square feet, all with private balconies. That size not
only guarantees fewer passengers - a maximum of 298 - and more comfort, but it also makes the ships
suitable for cruising to smaller ports not accessible by larger boats, such as Portofino, Capri and St.
Barths, or in North America the towns along the St. Lawrence River, Toronto and even Chicago. The
ships will feature five restaurants, including one by three Michelin-starred German chef Sven Elverfeld.
Other amenities include a full Ritz-Carlton spa, swimming pools and a marina-style platform with direct access to the water.
Another point of difference is the experience, which Prothero says will be slower paced and with more
personalized shore experiences. Though itineraries are still in the works, passengers will have the
opportunity to explore their ports of call with renowned lecturers, local musicians, artists and chefs.
"It's really about taking guests into the destination rather than to the destination," he says.
Reservations are to open in May 2018.
 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 15 May 2017 - Aurora Expeditions, Australia's leading polar
adventure cruising company, has today announced the delivery of its first brand new,
purpose-built, expedition vessel.
With 25 years' experience in expedition cruising to Antarctica and the Arctic, Aurora
Expeditions has worked closely with US-based ship builders SunStone Ships Inc. to
create a custom-designed ship that remains true to the company's ethos of
pioneering adventures, intimate experiences with nature and exploring new regions.
The state-of-the-art ice class 1A ship will be built to the latest polar code
specifications, offering unprecedented levels of safety and environmental protection -
for operations not just in the high latitudes, but across the planet. Exclusively
designed for expedition cruising, the 104-metre vessel will allow Aurora Expeditions
to continue to provide the authentic, small-ship experience for which they are renowned.
"With the development of our purpose-built expedition ship, we stay true to our
smallship philosophy where the focus is on the experience and engagement with the
environment while at the same time providing the most comfortable form of travel in
these challenging environments. In the polar regions, we will have the ability to
reduce passenger numbers so we can continue to visit existing landings sites as well
as explore new areas where strict regulations enforce no more than 100 people
ashore at any one time." says Robert Halfpenny, Managing Director of Aurora Expeditions.

Aurora Expeditions' new ship will be the first in a new series of high-performance
vessels designed to make the oceangoing experience as safe and comfortable as
possible in the Polar Regions.
"We are excited to be the first to market with this exciting new design. The vessel is
the first to use the patented X-BOW technology which has the ability to pierce waves
with much greater stability, making open sea journeys - like Antarctica's notorious
Drake Passage - more pleasant for passengers than what is currently available from
other small ships on the market today." Halfpenny says.
While a traditional bow vessel rises on the waves and then drops violently onto the
surface of the water, an X-BOW vessel, less subject to the vertical motions induced
by the waves, continues on course more smoothly, while maintaining its speed.
Because it uses less fuel to get through the waves, it also helps to save energy
versus a conventional bow designed vessel.

Aurora Expeditions' new ship will make access to nature easier and offer passengers
a more comfortable experience than ever before. It will also allow for greater
adventure opportunities with a custom-designed platform to cater for additional
numbers of kayakers and divers, and a mud room for easier preparation for climbers
and skiers. Small inflatable Zodiac crafts will continue to carry expeditioners between
ship and shore, with a dedicated sea-level Zodiac loading platform for quick and easy boarding.
At a time when the cruising industry is focused on 6-star luxury and onboard activities
to attract passengers, Aurora Expeditions remains steadfast in its belief that its
destinations are best-experienced in small groups, as close as possible to the heart
of nature. This means getting off the ship as often as possible with multiple daily
landings and getting amongst the action; seeing up close penguin adults feeding their
chicks, polar bears hunting seals on pack ice or Galapagos sea turtles diving for a meal.
The yet-to-be-named ship will be delivered in time for Aurora Expeditions' 2019/2020
Antarctic season (November to March) and will complement the company's existing
fleet of vessels and destinations.

Note: the Ship has since been named (Nov 2017) the Greg Mortimer, in honour of the
Australian adventurer and Aurora Expeditions co-founder.
What this means to the Cruise Industry:
Firstly some of the design innovations are real game-changes in the expedition
landscape, so much so we saw further announcements at the end of last year that
some of the designs are being replicated by another cruise line. In particular, the way
they have constructed the platform to get into and out of Zodiacs, which will help
some of those passengers more challenged for this task. Since the announcement,
we have also seen X-BOW "like" designs (the front part of the hull that looks like it's
been inflated) featured in new-build announcements such as MSC World Class,
Virgin Voyages, and SunStone (see next article).

Despite most of the recent focus of new expedition ships have
been directed towards the luxury sector, Aurora definitely changes that as it will be
available for those with lesser incomes, hence - a new demographic is born
(Contemporary Expedition). Some may argue some existing ocean cruise lines who
have smaller ships in their fleet (older ocean vessels renovated for the expedition
segment) could fall into this category, though in this case the whole new ship is being
built specifically for expedition (e.g. mud room, etc.)
 

AS I MENTIONED AGAIN THANKS TO CLIA

APT AND PARTNER AMAWATERWAYS HAVE UNVEILED PLANS FOR THE
AMAMAGNA, THEIR BIGGEST SHIP TO TAKE LUXURY RIVER CRUISING
THROUGH EUROPE - May 2017
The AmaMagna began construction on March 6 of this year, and is due for launch in
2019. It will offer a new concept in river cruising being twice the width of traditional
European river ships.
It will welcome just 194 guests and feature luxurious living spaces, multiple dining
options including an al fresco glass-enclosed restaurant, more onboard activities and
enhanced evening entertainment.
The ship will debut a quieter and more fuel-efficient engine and, in a first for river
cruising, an open-water sports platform, complete with zodiac boats, canoes and
recreational equipment.
Commenting on the new ship, APT Travel Group Managing Director Chris Hall said,
"From the engine room to the fine dining areas, AmaWaterways president Rudi
Schreiner and his team have worked extremely hard to ensure the AmaMagna will be
in a class of its own in terms of amenity and performance, and we believe that now is
the time to launch this game-changing style of ship."
In total, AmaMagna will feature 97 staterooms - the majority of which will be over 300
square feet, some of the largest in river cruising.
Additional amenities will include a large heated sundeck swimming pool with
whirlpool and sky bar, a spacious spa area with new treatments, a fitness room large
enough for small group classes and generous common areas designed to
accommodate a variety of events.
The announcement comes as APT and AmaWaterways this week christened their
latest river ship the AmaKristina.
What this means to the Cruise Industry: It's a trend we really saw evolve last year,
and that is ships diversifying design for specific rivers. The wide version of
AmaMagna is a concept we can see in the Crystal Mozart, both are for the Danube
only, while rivers such as the Elbe saw paddle engines come to vogue because of
low drafts. Now that there is so much inventory in Europe, design seems to be
breaking away from the uniform moulds they once needed. This is because today's
larger fleets can spread out and specialize, they don't have the need anymore to
have to be able to conform to various rivers during the one year
 

TAUCK'S SMALL SHIP BOOST

May 2017 - Cruise Weekly
TAUCK'S current three to five year plan will see small ship cruising split into two
different styles of travelling: expedition and cultural journeys.
Speaking to Cruise Weekly at an event in Sydney on Tue, Steven Spivak, VP global
sales said Tauck is leveraging "lessons we learned and our expertise in river cruising"
and applying it to small ship cruising.
In the next two to four years the company will double its small ship capacity by
growing its partnerships, itineraries and doing more complete charters.
Tauck will utilise all four of Ponant's newbuilds, starting with La Leperouse in Iceland 2018.
The brand's cultural itineraries will all be part of its BBC Earth journeys, many of
which will have naturalists on board the vessels.
Tauck is also revamping its digital presence, reinventing its website and creating an
app guests can use before, during and after travel and focusing on giving its guests
more choice and small group activities.

EXCLUSIVE: Blue Eye, the underwater lounge aboard the PONANT . . . . .
Yes this design needs to be featured as it really is
a winner for expedition. Passengers aboard
PONANT's new Explorers series of yachts will be
able to go beneath the surface of the
ocean...without leaving the ship.
In a world first, the four new ships will be equipped
with Blue Eye, described as a multi-sensory
underwater lounge offering a unique visual and
audio immersion, which will be located within the
hull but beneath the water line.
Safely ensconced in the lounge, guests will be able
to gaze out into the ocean world while three
underwater cameras project live images onto
digital screens. It is expected those images will
include dolphins playing in the bow waves, along
with other marine life discovered in the sub-aquatic
world. The sound system uses state of the art
technology to project the underwater world through
hydrophones, developed in consultation with
specialists from the French Research Institute for
the Exploration of the Sea.
PONANT chose a media lunch in Sydney to unveil
details of their new Blue Eye project, which will be
introduced on Le Laperouse and Le Champlain in 2018
and Le Bougainville and Le Dumont-d'Urville in 2019.
 

30th October 2017
The cruise ship and shipbuilding industries marked an important milestone recently
with the beginning of construction of the AIDAnova in Germany and the Costa
Smeralda in Finland. Far more than just two more new cruise ships, they will be the
first of a new generation of cruise ships fully powered by LNG.
The adoption of LNG-power represents the first significant development in ship power
in nearly a century. Since the conversion from coal the 1920s, ships have used heavy
oil as their fuel source. In the 1960s the modern, purpose-built cruise ships
standardized on diesel motors, but in an effort to control fuel costs most of the current
generation of ships have plants that can use either diesel or heavy oil. Yet, while
there have been further improvements in engine efficiency and better environmental
performance, the core technology has remained largely unchanged.
"Without a doubt, the future belongs to low-pollutant LNG," asserts Meyer Werft, one
of the world's leading shipbuilders.
Encouraged by the potential for cost savings and the ability to meet pending air
quality regulations, maritime industry expects the number of LNG-powered ships to
more than double by 2020 with the cruise lines being among the early adopters of
this technology. In fact, there are already 16 confirmed orders for large LNG-powered
cruise ships, representing a quarter of all the cruise tonnage on order. Carnival
Corporation has contracted with Meyer Werft for seven LNG ships, including two
each for AIDA and Costa, as well as two for Carnival Cruise Line and one for P&O Cruises.
Other firms that are adopting LNG-power include Royal Caribbean International,
which has ordered two ships from Meyer, and Disney Cruise Line, which will use
LNG-power for its three cruise ships also on order at Meyer. In addition, MSC Cruises
plans to build four 200,000 gross ton LNG-powered cruise ships at STX France.
The first fully LNG-powered cruise ship, the AIDAnova, is due to enter service in 15
months. In the interim, Carnival and AIDA have already been gaining experience
successfully using LNG in the dual-fuel engines on AIDA's new cruise ship the
AIDAprimato generate power while in port at Hamburg, Southampton, Le Havre, and
Zeebrugge. There are, however, a number of challenges, including creating a global
LNG supply network and storage facilities, still to be resolved.
We have been discussing this move to
LNG for some time now with the cruise industry leading the way, though scrubber
technology is still a strong option for lines due to the uncertainty of supply as this
article points out. Well we can let you know that right at the end of 2017 a report
came out very favourably on the future distribution patterns of LNG, both from port
and mobile bunkering services, mentioning that the supply stream is maturing to farer
reaches of the globe (we saved you reading all those articles). This is great news for
areas outside of Europe, who at the moment will be the only one getting these
newbuilds until the availability is expanded.
Note: USA will have supply for two new Carnival vessels in 2020 and 2022.
 

ITALY RESTRICTS CRUISE SHIP TRAFFIC IN VENICE
Venice Changes - from CLIA Australasia

Latest Update - November 2017
Italy's government has moved to ban the largest
cruise ships from Venice's Giudecca Canal, a
move that responds to criticism from local residents
and from UNESCO, which has warned that it may
list the city as a "threatened" site over perceived
conservation risks from large vessels.
"We want it to be clear to UNESCO and the whole
world that we have a solution," said Venice mayor
Luigi Brugnaro. "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."
The new plan will eventually divert larger vessels
around the historic canal to Venice's commercial
seaport. Within a few years, "the big ships . . . will
stop at Marghera's North Canal. There is no
interference with commercial traffic so the two
activities can coexist," said transport minister
Graziano Delrio. Implementation will take time,
though. "The ships will pass [San Marco] for at
least another two or three years, the time to realize
the new channel and docks. But the decision is
taken," Delrio added.
UNESCO has called for limits on tankers and large
cruise ships in the area, and cruise operators have
already complied with voluntary measures. "The
impact of boats and shipping is acknowledged and
new measures to manage water traffic, including a
"Lagoon Vessel Traffic Service System" are being
implemented, as well as self-imposed limits of
96,000 tonnes by cruise companies.
It should be noted that the proposed restriction are
for ships over 96,000 GRT or equivalent to around
2,500 pax, so smaller ships will still have access.
We think the changes are minimal when
considering the overall experience the guests will
have in Venice over a day or two
 

Thanks to Clia. . . .

October 2017
Crystal Cruises selected Rutter's sigma S6 Small Target Surveillance (STS) and Ice
Navigator systems for its historic 2016 Crystal Serenity voyage. Crystal Serenity was
the world's first luxury cruise liner to sail from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean via the
Canadian Northwest Passage.
"Many expedition cruise ships are going off the beaten path into waters that are not
well surveyed, exploring regions where glaciers have receded. This has created a
new demand for precise radar technology in harsh weather environments," says
Rutter, "and has prompted increased research and development work on Rutter's
sigma S6 Ice Navigator in order to provide premium ice management, planning and
safe navigation capability."
This year, the company released several new upgrade features to their flagship ice
radar system, including the ability to detect icebergs embedded in pack ice,
identification and outlining of open water leads within an ice floe and outlining and
drift tracking of ice floes and pans.
Rutter's sigma S6 line of enhanced radar systems provides a suite of offerings to
both detect and track obstacles in the water including icebergs, other vessels, debris
and to measure sea states and ocean surface currents while underway.
The PC based system connects to the ship's existing X-band navigational radar to
provide quantifiable information serving to avoid collisions with icebergs and other
ships and small craft, and measurements of ocean surface currents and waves.
These products are decisive tools for voyage planning resulting in improved safety at
sea, says Rutter.
Additional information is made readily available ... Such a system allows captains
and crews to take less risk and provides a detailed record of vessel whereabouts that
can be stored and shared with other vessels or shore-side operations, says Rutter.
Not only is it possible to identify obstacles in the water with unparalleled reliability,
with the sigma S6 WaMoS II Wave and Current Monitoring system crews can monitor
sea states in real-time, accurately measuring the magnitude of waves and
distinguishing between wind and swell wave systems and surface current measurements.
Implementation of state-of-the-art navigational technology on board cruise vessels is
essential to maximize the safety of passengers and crew, says Rutter. The sigma S6
suite of products, with their ability to work under harsh environmental conditions and
at low visibility, day or night, provides the utmost in route planning and risk mitigating solutions.
What this means to the Cruise Industry: Another example of new technology
opening up pathways of cruising previously not considered. This coupled with
equipment upgrades in material and functionality that are more reliable in harsh
conditions, means we will continue to get new itineraries in remote parts of the world,
particularly in the Polar Regions.
 

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