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Princess Cruises returns to Tahiti in 2020

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In 2020, Princess Cruises guests will enjoy the welcoming spirit and idyllic islands of French Polynesia when the cruise line returns to Tahiti with the intimate Pacific Princess, offering a series of roundtrip cruises for the first time since 2015. Tahiti and French Polynesia cruises open for sale on April 17, 2019.

Guests will discover a trove of unspoiled treasures with sparkling lagoons and white-sand beaches available on five, 10-day Tahiti & French Polynesia departures, sailing roundtrip from Tahiti (Papeete). Every voyage includes overnight calls in Tahiti’s capital Papeete and romantic Bora Bora, as well as a late-night stay in Raiatea. Additional ports includes Huahine, Rangiroa, and Moorea. Cruise vacations begin Oct. 5, 15, 25 and Nov. 4 and 14, 2020 starting at $1,999.

“Tahiti and French Polynesia lure travelers from all over the world seeking pure unspoiled paradise, snorkeling, swimming adventures and relaxation,” said Jan Swartz Princess Cruises president. “With our return to Tahiti in 2020, Princess Cruises offers the best way to explore this remote island life aboard our intimate Pacific Princess.”

Small ship cruising on Pacific Princess with just 670 guests offers casual elegance, signature Princess Cruises features, warm welcoming service and the special camaraderie that guests always find when sailing with others who share their passion for travel.

“Princess Cruises has a long history with Tahiti and is a highly valued partner showcasing the diversity of our islands, the rich authentic local culture, and the great variety of experiences that await discovery,” notes Paul Sloan, Tahiti Tourisme, Directeur Général and CEO. “We are eagerly looking forward to next year and welcoming Pacific Princess back to The Islands of Tahiti.”

With four Grand Adventure & Crossings itineraries, Pacific Princess also offers longer sailings for guests to experience the Aloha spirit of the Hawaiian Islands or discover the treasures of South America, including Easter Island with its mysterious Moai. A 19- or 29-day Hawaii & Tahiti Grand Adventure cruise departs Vancouver Sept. 16, 2020 and a 25- or 35-day Tahiti, South America & Panama Canal Crossing departs Tahiti on Nov. 14 or 24, 2020.

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Spain-Holiday.com has new owners

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The Spanish holiday rental platform, Spain-Holiday.com, has new owners from the 1st of April. The company’s founder and sole owner until the end of March, Claus Sorensen, will be sharing ownership in equal conditions with Jan Dal Lehrmann, Kenneth Andersen and Jannich Friis Petersen.

  • Jan Dal Lehrmann, Kenneth Andersen and Jannich Friis Petersen have become the new co-owners of the holiday rental platform together with Claus Sorensen, founder and former sole owner, owning 25% shares each.
  • This ownership change will strengthen the activity of Spain-Holiday.com in the Spanish holiday rental industry thanks to the input and knowledge provided by the new co-owners: experience in digital businesses, unique know-how and strategic vision.

For Claus Sorensen this is a step “that will strengthen Spain-Holiday.com’s ability to set a strategy for strong performance in the coming years. With the incorporation of Jan, Kenneth and Jannich to the company we will be able to strengthen our brand value and attribution in Spain and we’ll have the opportunity to develop a more ambitious expansion plan”.

Each one of the new owners provides an important professional value to the management of the company and share the same objective of achieving the long term goals planned for Spain-Holiday.com. The four of them add up many years of experience in managing online businesses in Europe, the knowledge of developing niche and new markets and the development of B2B-B2C strategies.

The new owners of Spain-Holiday.com

Jannich Friis Petersen is 45 years old and is the current CEO for Spain-Holiday.com and with this acquisition, he states that “I have defined even more my commitment and dedication to this company that now has even more potential to offer the best holiday homes in Spain for European travellers. We’ll live exciting years in the holiday rental industry and Spain-Holiday.com will make a landmark”.

Jan Dal Lehrmann is 50 years old and has, after successful exits of Bilbasen (Co-founder) and Benjamin Media (Investor and CEO) devoted the past 8 years of his life to investing in startups, helping them with everything from common sense, strategy, scaling and internationalization via an active non-executive role. Previous investments and exits include Bilbasen, Autobutler, Bazoom and Benjamin Media. For Jan, “the potential of Spain-Holiday.com attracted me since the first time I spoke to Claus and I am sure that we will take the company to the next level”.

Kenneth Andersen is 47 years old and founder and owner of several online businesses, having a portfolio of more than 50 websites. Former Head of motors in eBay Classifieds Northern Europe and CEO of Bilbasen.dk, the leading motors vertical in Denmark. Has been working with building digital business since 1999, both as CEO and investor. Has been a member of the board in Spain-Holiday.com since 2017.

Claus Sorensen is the founder of Spain-Holiday.com and, until the end of March, its sole owner. Currently, he owns 25% of the company and since 2018 he has been developing other new projects in Denmark and Spain.

This change will not affect the normal activity of Spain-Holiday.com, which has its headquarters in Malaga (Spain) since 2002 and has 35 employees. Now, the four owners of Spain-Holiday.com will focus on providing the platform user with a unique experience when renting out or booking a holiday home in Spain, consolidating its activity in the tourism industry and setting up future expansion plans.

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ADI statement on circus lion attack in Ukraine

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Animal Defenders International (ADI) has urged Ukraine and other countries without bans on the use of animals in circuses to stop circus suffering after a lion attacked a trainer during a circus performance in the city of Lugansk.

 

ADI President Jan Creamer said: “Exploited for entertainment, animals in circuses endure a lifetime of suffering and abuse. It’s time for countries without bans in place to step up and stop animals and people being put in harm’s way.”

 

The attack is one of a growing catalogue of incidents involving circus animals around the world, highlighting the inherent animal welfare and human safety issues.

 

Studies of the use of wild animals in traveling circuses show that circuses cannot meet their physical or behavioral needs. Animals are confined in small spaces, deprived of physical and social needs, spending excessive amounts of time shut in transporters. These animals are often seen behaving abnormally; rocking, swaying, and pacing, all indicating that they are in distress and not coping with their environment. ADI’s video evidence has shown how these animals are forced to perform tricks through physical violence, fear, and intimidation.

 

The animal protection organization is currently in Guatemala helping enforce a ban on the use of animals in circuses, as it has done in both Bolivia and Peru, and now has 21 lions and tigers at its temporary rescue center. Eighteen of the big cats will be going to the new ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. To support the rescue mission, donate here: https://donate.adiusa.org/guatemala/

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Princess Cruises And Fincantieri Sign Contracts For Two Next-Generation Cruise Ships

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Princess Cruises and Fincantieri announced today the signing of the final contracts for the construction of two next-generation 175,000-ton cruise ships, which will be the largest ships ever built so far in Italy, with deliveries scheduled in Monfalcone in late 2023 and in spring 2025. This announcement follows the initial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two parties in July 2018.

The vessels will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on a next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). LNG is the marine industry’s most environmentally friendly advanced fuel technology and the world’s cleanest fossil fuel, which will significantly reduce air emissions and marine gasoil usage.

“Princess Cruises continues to grow globally — adding new ships to our fleet built by our long-time trusted ship building partner, Fincantieri, who brings decades of expertise to these next-generation cruise ships,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises President. “Even more exciting is that these two ships are being designed to include our MedallionClass platform, powered by OceanMedallion, the most advanced wearable device available within the global hospitality industry.”

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, commented on the announcement: “This result proves, once again, the trust we receive from the market, which allows us to look to the future with ambition. It honors our great work focused on innovation thanks to which we have been able to offer to the client a record-breaking proposal not only in terms of size. Besides we firmly believe that a new class of Princess Cruises’ ships, one of Carnival Group’s top brands, can stem from this promising project. In fact, for Princess Cruises, we have received orders for 21 ships, another unprecedented result in this industry.”

Considered a breakthrough in the vacation industry and recently honored with a CES® 2019 Innovation Award, the OceanMedallion is leading-edge technology that delivers personalized service on a large scale through enhanced guest-crew interaction, as well as enabling interactive entertainment. Guests are currently experiencing Princess MedallionClass vacations onboard Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess. By the end of the year, MedallionClass vacations will be activated on three additional ships, Royal Princess, Crown Princess and Sky Princess.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and United Nations reported that growth in the number of people cruising between 2004 and 2014 outpaced land-based vacations by over 20 percent, and CLIA projects 30 million people will take an ocean cruise in 2019, an all-time record. These stats signal a bright future for the cruise industry, as well as for professional travel advisor partners enthusiastic for more inventory to meet the growing demands for cruising.

With five ships being built over the next six years, Princess Cruises is the fastest growing premium cruise line in the world.

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is the fastest growing international premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern cruise ships, carrying two million guests each year to 380 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts have curated 170 itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises is continuously recognized as “Best Cruise Line for Itineraries.”
In 2017 Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduced MedallionClass Vacations enabled by the OceanMedallion, the vacation industry’s most advanced wearable device, provided free to each guest sailing on a MedallionClass ship. The award-winning innovation offers the fastest way to a hassle-free, personalized vacation giving guests more time to do the things they love most. MedallionClass Vacations will be activated on five ships by the end of 2019. An activation plan will continue across the global fleet in 2020 and beyond.
Princess Cruises continues its multi-year, “Come Back New Promise” – a $450 million-dollar product innovation and cruise ship renovation campaign that will continue to enhance the line’s onboard guest experience. These enhancements result in more moments of awe, lifetime memories and meaningful stories for guests to share from their cruise vacation. The product innovations include partnerships with award-winning Chef Curtis Stone; engaging entertainment inspired shows with Broadway-legend Stephen Schwartz; immersive activities for the whole family from Discovery and Animal Planet that include exclusive shore excursions to onboard activities; the ultimate sleep at sea with the award-winning Princess Luxury Bed and more.
Three new Royal-class ships are currently on order with the next new ship under construction, Sky Princess, scheduled for delivery in October 2019, followed by Enchanted Princess in June 2020. Princess has announced two new (LNG) ships which will be the largest ships in the Princess fleet, accommodating approximately 4,300 guests are planned for delivery in 2023 and 2025.  Princess now has five ships arriving over the next six years between 2019 and 2025. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).

Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and number one for diversification and innovation. It is leader in cruise ship design and construction and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity special vessels and ferries to mega yachts, as well as in ship repairs and conversions, production of systems and mechanical and electrical component equipment and after-sales services.
With over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 vessels built, Fincantieri has always kept its management offices, as well as all the engineering and production skills, in Italy. With over 8,600 employees in Italy and a supplier network that employs nearly 50,000 people, Fincantieri has enhanced a fragmented production capacity over several shipyards into a strength, acquiring the widest portfolio of clients and products in the cruise segment. To hold its own in relation to competition and assert itself at global level, Fincantieri has broadened its product portfolio becoming world leader in the sectors in which it operates.
With globalization, the Group has around 20 shipyards in 4 continents, over 19,000 employees and is the leading Western shipbuilder. It has among its clients the world’s major cruise operators, the Italian and the US Navy, in addition to several foreign navies, and it is partner of some of the main European defense companies within supranational programs.
Fincantieri’s business is widely diversified by end markets, geographical exposure and by client base, with revenue mainly generated from cruise ship, naval and offshore vessel construction. Compared with less diversified players, such diversification allows it to mitigate the effects of any fluctuations in demand on the end markets served.
www.fincantieri.com

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An Evening in Full Swing with Biggles Big Band at Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Huahin

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The swing excitement has recently revisited Hua Hin as Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin welcomed Biggles Big Band to delight Thai fans with hits from the golden era of jazz.

The beautiful city of Hua Hin was in excitement as an Amsterdam-based 25-piece jazz orchestra, Biggles Big Band, recently revisited the iconic Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin as part of their 2019’s Thailand Tour.

Attended by hundreds of guests and all jazz lovers from across the globe, the event “A Big Night With Biggles Big Band” was a great success with Jan Weisheit (third from right), the hotel’s Resident Manager, personally welcoming and greeting Adrie Braat (third from left), the talented conductor, and the big band with the management team prior to the recreation of the magical sounds from the swinging-and-dancing era.

Highlights of the glittering evening included tunes from their amazing musical repertoire such as In The Mood, Come By Me, Fly Me To The Moon, and many more famous jazz classics recreated with their well-known contemporary styles, all perfectly complimenting a wonderful atmosphere of the hotel.

For more information or to make a reservation, please call +66 (0) 3251 2021

 

 

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New cruise ship touches the sea for the first time in Turku

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Costa Crociere celebrated the technical launch of the new flagship Costa Smeralda at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland.

During the ceremony, the ship officially touched the sea for the first time. The celebration, which saw the participation of the top management of Costa Cruises and the Meyer shipyards, followed the protocol established by the maritime tradition, with the flooding of the basin where the ship has taken shape in recent months.

Costa Smeralda technical launch Costa Smeralda, which will enter service from October 2019, will be the first Costa ship powered by liquefied natural gas (Lng), the cleanest fossil fuel in the world. Its use represents an environmental change that will improve the quality of the air, almost totally avoiding the emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides, both at sea and in port.

Lng will also reduce nitrogen oxide and CO2 emissions. In this way Costa Smeralda and its twin, which will be delivered in 2021, will contribute to achieving the sustainability objectives set by Costa Crociere and Carnival Corporation & plc, which provide for a 25% reduction in the carbon footprint by 2020.

“It is with great enthusiasm that we celebrate such an important moment,” said Neil Palomba, general manager of Costa Crociere. “Costa Smeralda represents a great innovation for the international market and an important step towards the definition of new standards for the entire sector. It is a new generation ship and will be a tribute to the best of Italy and our excellence. It was designed with passion and attention to detail to offer an unforgettable holiday experience.”

The name of the ship recalls one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Sardinia. The names of bridges and public areas are dedicated to famous places and squares in Italy.

Costa Smeralda will also have its museum, the CoDe – Costa Design Museum, dedicated to the excellence of Italian design. “Designing and building Costa Smeralda together with Costa Crociere’s colleagues is an exciting experience,” commented Jan Meyer, CEO of the Meyer shipyard in Turku. “I believe it will be a unique and innovative ship, both from an engineering and design point of view, I am convinced that guests will appreciate all the attractions and services on board.”

The technical launch is the moment when the ship reaches its natural element, water. Construction will continue with the final phase of interior fittings ».The sister ship, also built at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, is scheduled for 2021. The Costa Smeralda debut is scheduled for October20, 2019.

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