Norwegian Epic Float-Out

See she's not top heavy.

11th July: Images by Christian Plagué from Shipspotting.

Norwegian Epic Image

One big girl

Above: July 2009, Image from Shipspotting by Christian Plagué

Thomson Cruises Adds Ship

Costa Europa

Carnival Corporation announced this week that the 1,488-passenger Costa Europa, currently operated by its Costa Cruises brand, Europe’s number one cruise line, will join British travel company Thomson Cruises under a 10-year bareboat charter beginning in April 2010. Under the agreement, Thomson has an option to purchase the ship any time after five years.

Costa Europa, which joined the Costa fleet in 2002, was one of the first ships to operate on regular cruises in the Arabian Gulf, with departures from Dubai, and the Indian Ocean out of Mauritius.

Costa Europa originally entered service in 1986 as Home Line’s Homeric and then sailed for many years as Westerdam for Holland America. When she joins the Thomson fleet she will be reunited with two other former Holland America ships: Thomson Spirit sailed as Nieuw Amsterdam and Thomson Celebration sailed as Noordam. Costa Europa will be renamed Thomson Dream when she joins the fleet and she will sail from Palma, Majorca.

Although the Costa Europa will be leaving, Costa is continuing to expand its fleet of 14 ships currently in service. The Italian company’s fleet expansion program is in fact presently the biggest of its kind in the world with five new ships entering service between 2009 and 2012 representing a total investment of 2.4 billion euros. The Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica were named together on June 5, 2009 in Genoa, Italy. In late January 2010, the Costa Deliziosa, sister ship to the Costa Luminosa, will be introduced. Two sister ships to the Costa Pacifica are scheduled to debut in 2011 and 2012.

Over the next three years, Carnival Corporation & plc will launch 13 vessels for seven different brands.

“While we continue to grow our business with new and exciting vessels, we are also divesting of older tonnage which allows us to offer one of the most modern, technologically advanced fleets in the cruise industry,” said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc chairman and CEO.

(Travelpage.com)

Experience: If you are wondering exactly what the Thomson cruise experience is like, I have two reviews of ‘Thomson Celebration’, menu right.

Oasis of the Seas Dining (Opus Dining Room etc.)

Freedom of the Seas Dining Room (not Oasis)

A look at the eateries the line plans for the ship, organized by neighborhood:

Central Park

– 150 Central Park. The most exclusive dining venue on Oasis of the Seas will have “a trend upscale ambiance” and serve “leading-edge cuisine.” Signature features will include a tasting menu with customized wine pairings. Open for dinner; $35 cover charge.

– Giovanni’s Table. A casual Italian eatery with indoor and outdoor seating offering rustic dishes with a contemporary flair, including toasted herbal breads, pizzas, salads, pastas, Italian sandwiches, braised meat dishes and stews, all served family-style. Open for lunch and dinner; $10 lunch and $15 dinner cover charge.

– Park Café. A casual, indoor/outdoor gourmet market with walk-up counters serving freshly prepared salads, made-to-order sandwiches, paninis, crepes and hearty soups. European pastries, sublime chocolates and decadent fudge will round out the offerings. Open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and late night treats.

– Vintages. Royal Caribbean regulars will recognize this popular wine bar, also found on Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, but it is moving into a larger space on Oasis of the Seas. In addition to wine, it’ll offer a selection of cheeses and a broad tapas menu. Open for lunch and dinner; á la carte pricing.

– Chops Grille. Royal Caribbean’s popular signature steakhouse is back, serving premium cut, quality meats. Open for dinner; $25 cover charge.

Boardwalk

– Seafood Shack. An indoor/outdoor casual family restaurant serving seafood. It’ll offer an extensive beverage menu of non-alcoholic cocktails and over-sized desserts. Open for lunch and dinner; $7.95 lunch and $9.95 dinner cover charge.

– Boardwalk Bar. The main bar in the Boardwalk will offer on-the-go snacks and a variety of pre-packaged sandwiches, fruit and salads. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

– Donut Shop. A classically styled shop with casual snacks available all day. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

– Ice Cream Parlor. An 1950s-style ice cream venue serving classic sundaes and a ice cream mixed with toppings to order on a frozen slab. Open throughout the day; á la carte pricing.

– Johnny Rockets. The branded burger joint, found on a number of Royal Caribbean ships, is back with even longer hours (it’ll offer a breakfast menu on Oasis, too). Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; $3.95 breakfast and $4.95 lunch and dinner cover charge.

The Royal Promenade

– Mondo Cafe. A new addition to the Royal Promenade that features coffee, sandwiches and pastries native to countries such as Italy, Spain and Cuba. Open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and late night treats.

– Sorrento’s Pizzeria. The New York style pizzeria will offer a more extensive menu with made-to-order pizza pies and slices, in addition to the ready-made selections introduced with the Freedom-class ships. Open for lunch, dinner and late night snacks.

– Café Promenade. Located on the opposite end of the Royal Promenade from the Mondo Cafe, this coffee house willl continue serving Seattle’s Best Coffee, fruit shakes, pastries and sandwiches throughout the day and night. Open 24 hours; á la carte pricing.

The Pool and Sports Zone

– Solarium Bistro. Located in the Solarium, the contemporary bistro will offer health-conscious dining for breakfast and lunch in a casual setting. In the evenings, Solarium Bistro will transform into a romantic and intimate dining setting for specialty healthy-fare dinner and dancing under the stars. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; dinner has a $20 cover charge.

– The Wipe Out Café. A casual self-service buffet with pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches, fresh salads and the like aimed at young cruisers on-the-go. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center

– The Vitality Café. Located at the entrance of the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, the Vitality Café will feature healthy snacks, sandwiches, wraps and fruit, in addition to refreshing juices and smoothies from the Vitality spa menu for the calorie conscious guest. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Other options

– Opus Dining Room. The ship’s three-level main dining room, featuring decor that the line says will “revive the grandeur of the 1920s.” Passengers will be able to choose between Royal Caribbean’s newly introduced My Time Dining and My Family Time Dining, as well as the traditional main and late seating options will be offered. Passengers who sign up for My Time Dining will be able to go to dinner in the dining room whenever they wish during dining hours (they can make daily reservations for specific seating times or choose to walk in). My Family Time Dining accommodates parents and children by offering an expedited 40-minute dining service for young cruisers, ages 3-11. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

– Windjammer Marketplace. The ship’s casual buffet eatery will have multiple islands.

– Izumi. A new Asian cuisine restaurant with a sushi bar and hot rock cooking, as well as other Asian fare in a more formal setting. Open for lunch and dinner; á la carte pricing.

– In-Cabin dining. As always on Royal Caribbean ships, room service will be available for breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and is generally free of charge. A recently introduced Dine in Delights menu, which offers name-brand culinary options ranging from the Original Johnny Rockets hamburger to Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookies, will come with a la carte pricing, and there is a $3.95 service charge for in-room deliveries between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

(From USAToday)

How to Visit a Cruise ship

I am often asked by friends: “How do I visit a cruise ship”. Now although it is possible, it is not always easy to achieve either. In these times of international terrorism, you stand no chance of turning up at the dock and expecting to be let onboard a cruise ship. It does not matter if you know a crew member or your friends are onboard, the answer is still ‘No’.

Read on…(Menu right, Industry Comment, How to Visit a Ship)

P&O poach Cunard customers!

Today I had a mail shot from P&O which said something like: “As a Cunard customer we would like to introduce you to P&O cruises…”

How odd is that? Maybe Cunard have reciprocated and written to P&O customers? I suppose it does not matter as both lines are Carnival brands and Carnival will ultimately get my hard earned cash if I choose Cunard or P&O.

( A warm welcom e to:  http://pocruises.com/community )

Please feel free to comment (membership is not required)

Norwegian Epic Pool Deck View

Note the four pools: 1 aft as serving Spice H20 (adults only), 2 on the main pool deck and 1 in the centre of the villa complex.

The QE2 In Dubai

QE2 In Dubai (Image: Mail Online)

14th June 2009: No news, no progress!

First Image of P&O’s Azura

(from http://johnhealdsblog. com)

Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste, Italy.  It has been confirmed that Azura will have a duck-tail as you can see in the image. 

These are added for reasons of stability and better fuel consumption.  I assume that this is because the ship will be taller than the rest of the Princess ‘Grand Class’ with one extra deck in height. I have read is that the top deck had to be constructed of aluminium instead of steel to keep the ship stable, like the ‘Voyager’ class.

(Thanks to John Heald for the image)

Norwegain Epic – Funnel Vision

 

Norwegian Cruise Line announced that the construction of  Norwegian Epic, reached another milestone yesterday with the fitting of its two huge funnels at STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire, France. The massive block consisted of three parts: the two funnels separated by a HVAC station. It weighed 45 tons, and measured approximately 46 feet high, 65 feet long and 23 feet wide, roughly the size of a large yacht. The addition of the funnel is significant as it represents one of the final stages in the completion of the superstructure.

At this stage, the funnel has not reached its final size as it is not yet equipped with the exhaust pipe system. In order to install the system, a crane will be installed on deck 15 to raise the exhaust pipe system over the blue funnel block, located on deck 17.

The last block on the fore part of the vessel will be lowered at the end of the week. Then, the radar mast will be added which will complete Norwegian Epic’s structure before her transfer to the outfitting dock. The ship’s float out and transfer to the outfitting dock is currently planned for July 11, 2009.

The 153,000-gross ton, 4,200-passenger ship is scheduled for delivery at the end of May 2010.

Oasis of the Seas: Sea Trial Images

June 8th 2009: There are some wonderful images (follow the link below).  The reported ‘baby blue’ hull looks white from a distance, but up close it still seems to have patches of undercoat on it?  Not all of the lifeboats are affixed, but then not all of the passengers are on board either.  That ‘blimp’ she is towing has thrown up all sorts of speculation.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcigenesis/

That's one big girl.

 

 

 

She's broad in the beam.

 

 

Does my bum look big in this?

(flickr.com)

Norwegian Epic Latest Construction Images

June 2009:

(From shipspotting.com)

Inside Liverpool’s Cunard Building

Short BBC news movie file, see here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7816440.stm

A Virtual Tour of Norwegian Epic

I have written a ‘textual’ tour of Norwegain Epic (Menu right) using deck plans, press releases and artists renderings.

Join me on a tour of this amazing ship, before it has even been completed.

QE2 hotel project on hold in Dubai

 By Keith Hamilton, Southampton Daily Echo, 27th May 2009

LOOKING forlorn, forgotten and unloved, Southampton’s former queen of the Atlantic swelters under the glare of the fierce, unremitting Dubai sun as temperatures climb to 109F.

This is how the one-time Cunard liner QE2 looked just two days ago, tied up at a berth in Dubai’s container port where she has been languishing ever since she arrived in the Emirate in November last year.  Partly hidden behind a row of container carriers, QE2 appears to be deserted.

For 40 years, she was a familiar sight at Southampton docks in between voyages criss-crossing the globe, but ambitious plans to convert the former liner into a luxurious floating hotel and tourist attraction seem to be on hold.

Dubai, like much of the rest of the world, is in the grip of recession, and has seen dramatic cutbacks and the postponement of many high-profile projects.

Little progress seems to have been made transforming QE2 since she has been in the Middle East, although her government-backed owners, Nakheel, insist that the conversion is still set to go-ahead.

Plans for QE2 include the creation of 200 hotel rooms as well as the development of 130 apartments.

Malcolm Says: Very few ships have ever become successful hotels. Even Long Beach’s ‘Queen Mary’ has had maintenance issues and has struggled to generate a profit over the years. Many ship fans are now beginning to think that scrapping the QE2 would have been kinder.  Even if the renovation does happen, she will no longer be the QE2.

Will Norwegian Epic be a Success?

Sink or Swim?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m pretty optimistic about the Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), ‘Norwegian Epic’, which will enter service in summer 2010.  She will be one of the most exciting mass-market ships sailing in the Caribbean. Many of her design elements will outdo Carnival’s rather predictable and garish fleet. Only Royal Caribbean’s (RCI) ‘Oasis of the Seas’ and their ‘Freedom/Voyager’ classes will outshine her.  That for me puts the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) firmly in second place in terms of innovation.

I don’t doubt that NCL have probably got the ‘hardware’ right with Epic (if we overlook her aesthetics).  I’m sure the private Courtyard Villas in that large ‘carbuncle’ on her front superstructure will prove very popular with those passengers who are not on a tight-budget.  However, I am a little worried about if NCL can get the ‘software’ right; i.e. the food, service, organization and general onboard experience.  The last thing that we all want to see is negative passenger reviews, like: “The lines for the Manhattan dining room were ridiculous”, “I never got to see the shows that I wanted to as they were always full”, “There were always people everywhere”, “Embarkation and disembarkation, even for excursions, was a complete nightmare” etc.

Let’s be honest, NCL can be rather inconsistent and do appear to make some bad management decisions at times. ‘Freestyle Dining’ is a very impressive innovation.  Most other cruise lines have already adopted some aspects of it, be it under other names such as RCI’s ‘Mytime’ dining’ or P&O’s ‘Freedom’ dining. However NCL have struggled to operate it efficiently and with quality, at times.

I was onboard ‘Norwegian Jade’ last summer and I found that if you wanted a good meal, you had to pay a surcharge for the alternative dining rooms.  The ‘non-surcharge’ dining rooms generally served ‘mediocre’ food at best and sometimes it was simply ‘poor’. This did not feel like I was getting a good value experience.

A percentage of passengers clearly do not warm to the ‘Freestyle’ system and its potential for creating long lines at peak times.  Passengers do NOT always feel that they can really dine when they like.  Although I must say that I personally enjoyed ‘Freestyle.  Even with its shortcomings it is infinitely more flexible that ‘traditional’ dining, although I’m pleased that there are some ships that still retain traditional dining.

Epic will be a high density ship with 4,200+ passengers. If my maths is correct, Epic will have a space-ratio of 30 and Oasis of 42, based on double occupancy. Epic will be approximately the same size (volume) as the QM2 but will carry over 1600 more passengers!  That’s the difference between ‘premium’ and ‘mass market’. In some cases Epic’s fares are not dissimilar to the QM2, due to the inflated ‘maiden’ season effect.  In contrast, RCI’s ‘Oasis of the Seas’ will be approximately 73,000 tons bigger than QM2/Epic in order to accommodate around 1400 more passengers. 

Much of the public space on board Epic is dedicated to dining rooms; so far NCL have revealed 16. There do not seem to be an awful lot of bars/lounges.  Maybe NCL are relying on areas like ‘Posh’ and ‘Spice H20’ are outdoors and open air.  So what happens when the dining rooms close? What happens if it rains?  There will be no RCI style indoor ‘Royal Prom’ for passengers to frequent. Are there enough interior lounges to accommodate the thousands of passengers if they are not eating?  Hopefully NCL have done the math.

In addition the entertainment venues are all relatively small for the size of ship: the Epic Theatre, for example, has less than 700 seats.  Obviously some shows, such as the ‘Blue Man Group’ (another innovative idea) will be more popular than others.  Ticket allocation will have to be well managed, unless NCL risk leaving it to a ‘first come first serve’ basis, which could cause a few riots.  I did hear that Epic would utilize some sort of passenger ‘smart-card’, so maybe access to entertainment will be bookable with entry by swipe-card?

Then there is also the fundamental question of can NCL fill so many cabins in this financial downturn.  Remember that originally there were going to be two F3’s (Epic-like sisters), but NCL cancelled one.  However, let’s not be too negative, maybe NCL will get this one right?  I certainly hope so.

Malcolm Oliver

Marco Polo

On the subject of cruises from UK ports: here is my image taken at Tilbury, London, Sunday 24th May 2009.  Unfortunately Tilbury is not playing host to  many ships this summer. The Marco Polo (22,000 GRT), now operated by ‘Transocean Tours’,  is the ONLY regular this year.

Cruises from UK ports are Up

According to official new figures, British cruise passengers are increasingly opting to depart from British ports.

Latest figures according to the Passenger Shipping Association’s (PSA) Annual Cruise Report shows that 1.47 million British people cruised in 2008 – an 11% rise in the 1.33 million cruising in 2007. This number is predicted to increase to two million by 2012.

And a large percentage of the 140,000 extra UK passengers were booked on cruises sailing from and returning to UK ports. This represents a 23% increase on 2007 – with 110,000 extra ex-UK passengers.  William Gibbons, director of the PSA was quoting saying ex-UK cruising would continue to grow.

Epic Entertainment!

May 20, 2009 – Norwegian Cruise Line today announced it is changing the face of cruise line entertainment on its next generation of Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic. In another industry first, the company will welcome Blue Man Group, performing in the 685-seat Epic Theater. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment.

Norwegian Epic will have multiple, specially-designed entertainment venues throughout the ship so that guests can choose from a wide variety of entertainment each evening of their cruise. No longer will entertainment be focused on two nightly shows in one large main theater. Norwegian Epic takes Freestyle Cruising to the next level by offering a number of entertainment options in specially-designed venues, some offered for the first time ever at sea, with choices to appeal to a broad audience.

Spiegel Tent: On Norwegian Epic, guests will find the only “big top” at sea. In this intimate 265-seat theater-in-the-round, famed producer/director Neil Goldberg will present Cirque Dreams® and Dinner. This one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination.

Headliners Comedy Club: This 280-seat comedy club will feature the hilarious improvisational comedy of The Second City, as Norwegian continues its exclusive partnership with the famed troupe. The venue’s design centers on a show lounge format with a small raised stage, concrete floors and brick walls with a full bar.

Fat Cats: Guests on board Norwegian Epic can sit back and relax listening to the cool vibes of jazz and blues in this 200-seat jazz club. Fat Cats will feature nightly live blues and jazz performances by world-class talent. The urban setting creates a hipster vibe complete with full bar and comfortable leather sofas and chairs.

Epic Casino: This appropriately named casino is Norwegian’s largest casino at sea, spanning more than 13,000 square feet. It features an elegant Monte Carlo inspired design theme and is open to Taste, the Atrium restaurant below, and to the excitement of Bar Central above. Here, guests will find many opportunities to try their luck including 340 of the latest slot machines; along with gaming tables featuring poker, black jack, roulette and craps. Cascades Bar, with a grand central crystal chandelier, serves as the casino’s centerpiece.

Epic Theater: In addition, the theater will be home to another featured show which will be announced later this year.

Webcast:
www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPagesPopup.html?pageId=EpicVideoPlayer

Deck Plans:  Have now been fully updated and there is a cool 360 Degree image of the ship. Just use the scroll bar below the ship:

http://ncl.worldmedia.net/the-ship/deck-plans/

Norwegian Epic on Sale Now!

The cabins are now on sale for ‘Norwegian Epic’, due to enter service in July 2010. Bookings can be made via NCL’s dedicated web site: http://ncl.worldmedia.net

I glanced at the fares and they look similar to Oasis’s – a bit high, but typical for a newbuild. The ‘Studio’ cabins at a modest 100 sq ft cost the same as the basic ‘inside’ grade at 128 sq ft, although the studio cabins have a corridor window (odd I know) and access to a private lounge, the ‘Living Room’.  Here’s how NCL describe the ’studio’ experience:

“Only on Norwegian Epic will you have the opportunity to experience all the Studios & Living Room have to offer. For starters Studio guests have private key card access to The Living Room which is a shared private lounge that boasts a bar, two large TV screens and comfy seating…perfect place to hang out. When it’s time for a little R&R escape to your urban pad, complete with room for two, a window view to the corridor, funky lighting and flat screen TV. This completely new exclusive key card access-only category is unlike anything you have ever experienced before”

The basic balcony cabin cost around 50% more than the inside grades. The Courtyard Penthouse, Villas and Owners suite have some large numbers next to them.

Malcolm