NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE GETS $1BN CASH INJECTION

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced fleet-wide upgrades following a $1 billion cash injection from private equity group Apollo Management.

Improvements will be made to dining, cabins and activities by summer 2008. The announcement was made at the christening of Norwegian Gem in New York City at the end of last year.


An extra $50 million (£25.5 million) will be spent on food and restaurant amenities in the next two years, which equates to an increase of 20% per passenger per day. Most of this will be spent on refitting the ships with Action Station restaurants, replacing traditional buffets with multiple points of service that aim to dispense with trays and queues.


Guests will be greeted with champagne on arrival whatever their cabin grade and there will be signature dishes at each restaurant. Room service will be available from all restaurant menus and reservation technology will be improved.


Among planned enhancements to the cabins, amenities, mattresses and towels will be upgraded balcony cabins and mini-suites will receive a 24-hour telephone concierge service and priority embarkation while suites and villas are to have concierge and butler service, in-room welcome champagne, a private breakfast and lunch area and outdoor butlers in the courtyard villas.


NCL president and chief executive Colin Veitch said Freestyle 2.0 had been driven by agent feedback.


"We don't want to rest on our laurels - we have achieved the milestone of offering the youngest fleet in the cruise industry and will now focus our attention on delivering the next generation of Freestyle Cruising - a significant enhancement to the guest experience across the fleet."


Many Freestyle 2.0 features are in place on Norwegian Gem, which sailed its inaugural US cruise this week. Soft refits will be rolled out across the fleet this summer and the Action Station restaurants will be fitted as each ship goes into dry dock.


Apollo Management will own 50% of NCL under the terms of the agreement, announced in August. Veitch said the $1 billion (£510 million) will be used to reduce debt and to help pay for the ships on order for 2010.

Emily Bamber in New York

FOUR COSTA SHIPS UNDERGO €15 MILLION REFURBISHMENT

Costa Cruises has spent €15 million refurbishing four of its 12-strong fleet of ships in dry dock.

In addition to technical maintenance, the Italian line carried out on board improvements to the vessels 2,394-passenger Costa Victoria, 1,000-passenger Costa Marina, 3,780-passenger Costa Concordia and 1,680-passenger Costa Classica.

The layout of the public areas and cabins has been restyled, replacing furnishings, carpeting, curtains, fabrics and wall linings.

Old television sets have been replaced with new LCD screens.

On the outer decks, the flooring was replaced with teak.

by Phil Davies

SILVERSEA ACQUIRES ADVENTURE SHIP

Silversea Cruises has purchased small expedition ship World Discoverer for an undisclosed sum. The vessel will undergo a multi-million dollar refurbishment before it enters service with the four-ship luxury line in spring 2008.

World Discoverer will accommodate around 140 guests (reduced from current 175), in ocean-view cabins, including Owner's Suites, Grand Suites, and 12 yet-unnamed suites that will be similar to the line's popular Silver Suites offering a "club-like ambiance".

The 6,072-ton vessel has a strengthened hull appropriate for navigating waters in some of the world's most remote regions, including Antarctica.

The addition of Discoverer is in addition to Silversea's plans to purchase one 540-passenger, ultra-luxury vessel from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2009 and an option for a sister ship.

Silversea chairman Manfredi Lefebvre said: "We're very excited about this acquisition, as it means we'll be able to further tap that segment of the luxury travel market that is adventure driven.

"We have been looking into this segment for quite some time. When we were informed about the opportunity to buy World Discoverer, we took immediate action in a matter of days.

"We believe that exploration cruises can combine extremely well with an utterly exclusive product.

"With the addition of World Discoverer, our current fleet increases to five ships and to six from 2009, offering a more-expansive cruise schedule that encompasses all seven continents."

The line's president Amerigo Perasso added: "We will be unveiling more details about World Discoverer, including the new name, in the next few weeks, when all the elements of the project will be finalised.

"However, at this time, I can advise that the refurbishment will extend to virtually every area of the ship.

"Although we will maintain much of the vessel's current configuration, which features all ocean-view accommodation, we will dramatically enhance and redesign a number of public spaces, as well as some of the accommodation, and even some aspects of the ship's external appearance.

"This will bring World Discoverer in line with our usual high standards, but with some modifications to better adapt the ship for the special needs of expedition cruises."