Worldwide Cruising News 10 | Page 16

Building the next generation of expedition cruise ships
Coral Expeditions has signed a contract with Norwegian shipbuilder Vard to build its fourth expedition cruise ship due to be delivered in mid-2019 , with a further vessel intended to follow .
This new ship is designed for ocean cruising to remote areas and draws on the latest technical advances as well as Coral Expeditions ’ 34 years of experience building and operating expedition ships . She will carry a maximum of only 120 guests in 60 cabins , preserving Coral Expeditions ’ traditionally relaxed and intimate onboard atmosphere with no queues or waiting .
Following a long maritime tradition ,
Seabourn has marked a major construction milestone with a traditional coin and launch ceremony for its newest ship , Seabourn Ovation , at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri , Italy . Seabourn Ovation is set to welcome guests and begin sailing in May 2018 .
The time-honoured coin and launch ceremony is an enduring maritime tradition that calls for a “ madrina ” to preside over the celebratory events . Serving in this significant role was Jan Stearman , Seabourn ’ s longest-serving female shipboard team member , who joined the company 22 years ago , and a well-known and respected she will be Australian flagged and crewed , and conform to the highest standards of build quality , operational redundancy and environmental compliance .
Vard is a Norwegian-headquartered company with nine shipyards globally and a 70-year history of building complex and sophisticated ships to operate in the toughest conditions .
The ship will join the Coral Expeditions fleet exploring the Kimberley region , Cape York and Arnhem Land ( The Top of Australia ), Papua New Guinea , the Spice Islands , Indonesia and the South Pacific . She will be available for bookings in October 2017 .
Seabourn Celebrates Major Shipbuilding Milestone
cruise director . Along with Seabourn President Richard Meadows , Fincantieri Shipyard Director Paolo Capobianco and Seabourn Ovation Captain Stig Betten observed the welding of two commemorative gold coins to the ship ’ s mast . Stearman then cut the ship ’ s cord to allow water to flow into the ship ’ s building dock . The ship was “ floated out ” from its dry dock and moved to its outfitting dock at the shipyard , where it will undergo final construction until the ship is delivered in 2018 .
Following the ship ’ s delivery , Seabourn Ovation will embark on an 11-day
A New Sister Ship
Silversea Cruises and Fincantieri have announced the signing of a contract worth approximately AU $ 463 million ( 310 million euros ) for the construction of a new ultra-luxury cruise ship . The ship is due to join the Silversea fleet in 2020 .
The new ship , tentatively named “ Silver Moon ”, will be the sister ship of “ Silver Muse ”, which was delivered in April 2017 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri Ponente ( Genoa ).
At 40,700 gross tons and with a capacity to accommodate 596 passengers on board , Silver Moon will maintain the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodation which is the hallmark of the Silversea experience .
The new build will expand Silversea ' s fleet to 10 ships .
Visiting Silversea executives Barbara Muckermann ( Chief Marketing Officer ) & Roberto Martinoli ( CEO ) with Amber Wilson ( Managing Director , Asia Pacific )
inaugural voyage departing 5 May 2018 , from Venice to Barcelona . The ship will go on to spend the majority of her maiden season cruising the waters of Northern Europe , offering a series of seven-day Baltic and Scandinavian cruises between Copenhagen and Stockholm , which will include the line ’ s signature three-day stay in St . Petersburg . Seabourn Ovation will also sail on longer 14-day voyages , visiting the majestic Norwegian fjords and British Isles .
Photo – Richard Meadows , Paolo Capobianco , Jan Stearman and Seabourn Ovation Captain Stig Betten
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