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Displaying items by tag: Norwegian Cruise Line

#CruiseLiners - Afloat can reveal Dun Laoghaire Harbour's cruiseship caller list in season 2019 is scheduled to be as twice as busy compared to this year's total of just three calls, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In what will also make next season different, asides doubling cruise calls to six, is the return of an anchorage caller offshore of the port, in this case the giant Norwegian Jewel. This is due to the cruiseship's deep draft that cannot be accommodated inside the south Dublin Bay harbour.

The cruiseship will be a boost to the local economy as the 2,300 passenger capacity vessel is to make a debut in June and a second call the following month. The season's other four cruise calls however accounts overall for less than the total of 8 calls achieved in 2017. 

At almost 100,000 gross tonnage, the Norwegian Cruise Line operated vessel is the leadship of the cruiseship's namesake 'Jewel' class completed in 2005. A refurbishment took place four years ago.  

The call of the NCL ship is new in the context of the concerted effort by Dun Loaghaire Harbour Company in recent years to bring back cruiseships that began in 2011. However, NCL did deploy Norway, the distinctive twin funnelled (former classic liner, France) which was recalled with much personal interest when two offshore calls took place during the 1990's. The anchorage visit was also noted given the use of the cruiseship's pair of particulary large tender craft that were lowered by cranes from the fo'c'sle i.e. in front of the bridge above the bow.

As for the Norwegian Jewel's tenders they will too have to shuttle back and forth from the near 300m long ship in stark contrast to this season when a pair of much smaller sized ships arrived within the harbour. Star Pride and slightly larger capacity sister, Star Breeze, just shy of 10,000 tonnes and 133m in length docked at Carlisle Pier with around 200 passengers.

The Windstar Cruises operated pair of mega-yacht luxury boutique style cruiseships will return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in 2019. Star Pride with a crew of around 150, launches the season again with a call in June and is to be repeated following the debut call of Norwegian Jewel. Whereas, Star Breeze is to make an appearance likewise of this year, with two successive visits in the month of September.

Published in Cruise Liners
A new 'Cruise Pavilion' awaits visitors as part of The Belfast Telegraph Holiday World Show which opened its doors today. The three-in-one show which already includes the Caravan & Motorhome Show and Angling Ireland Show, is also open tomorrow and Sunday at the Kings Hall, Belfast.
Apart from the many and varied travel options from around the world, the exhibitors will provide holiday-makers with expert advice, special offers, promotions, competitions and entertainment and the cruise pavilion will cater for those considering taking their holiday afloat.

The following ferry, cruise and specialist travel companies exhibiting at the Belfast venue are: DFDS Seaways (formerly Norfolkline), Celebrity Cruises, Complete Cruise Solution, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O, Princess, Pullmantur Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Seabourn, Silverseas Cruises, The Cruise Machine (trading as Vamos Holidays) and Voyages To Antiquity.

On the following weekend, The Holiday World Show in association with The Sunday Times will be held on 28, 29 and 30 January at the RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, which incorporates the Caravan & Motor Home Show.

Like the Belfast show The World World Show in Dublin will have numerous exhibitors with worldwide destinations and all types of holidays on show. The following ferry, cruise and specialist travel operators will be exhibiting: Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Celtic Link Ferries, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Cruise Holidays, Travel.ie, Hurtigruten, John Galligan Travel, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruise Lines, Pullmantur Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Saga, Silversea Cruises, Thomas Cook and Voyages To Antiquity. Also at the show will be Emerald Star for those interested in taking a cabin-cruiser holiday on the Shannon.

Visitors to the Holiday World Show Dublin can attend cruise talks hosted by the Eoghan Corry Free Expert Clinics during the three-day long show. For a full listing of exhibitors, ticket prices, opening hours and further information about both shows logon to www.holidayworldshow.com

Published in Cruise Liners

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!