SUPERSPEED 2

The beautiful sistership of Superspeed 1 was delivered to Color Line on june 5.
She arrived in her new homeport, namely Larvik on sunday to be christened on june 19, then the ship will start her daily sailings to Hirtshals, together with Superspeed 1.

photo: AKER YARDS

ATTICA GROUP PURCHASES NEW SHIPS FROM GNV

Last week Attica group announced that they have purchased two ro/pax from Grandi Navi Veloci, Genoa. Both ships are actually two modified sisterships of the Corragio/Audaci/Tenacia as they will carry 950 passengers instead of 500, this way the general appearence is going to be slightly different.

The fomer is supposed to be delivered in november 2008, in other words, it's the FORZA which was initially bound to GNV's fleet, and the second one will be delivered in june 2009, between them, DFDS will acquire the hull 1241.

These new ships are going to be used by BLUE STAR FERRIES, most likely on Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona line, on account of the fact, superfast ferries wants to sell the SUPERFAST XI and XII and moved the two others on Bari line.

Meanwhile, it was also reported Blue Star 1 will stop her operations between Rosyth and Zebrugge on september 18, then she will head to Greece. But in my opinion her future seem uncertain, especially as BSF needn't such a large ship on its routes...

photo: Lucas Latreche

Pride of Aloha to be renamed.....Norwegian Sky

After rumours of a possible sale to Pullmantur crucer0s, Norwegian Cruise Line finally annouched they will keep the Pride of Aloha which will be renamed Norwegian Sky.
A.
The ship was delivered in 1999 by Bremer Vulkan shipyard, Bremerhaven as Norwegian Sky.
In 2004 she was transferred to the NCL america and renamed Pride of Aloha; prior to be joined in 2005 by the Pride of America and in 2006 by the Pride of Hawaii (now Norwegian Jade).
However due to financial troubles generated by NCLA, Ncl finally decided to reduce the fleet to one ship, namely the Pride of America.

Pride of Aloha will achieve her last cruise tomorrow prior to be refited, then She will be used on cruises to Bahamas out of Bahamas until 2009

photo: NCLA.

What future for the ex Finnjet ?

Last saturaday, the DA VINCI (former Finnjet) sailed from Genova bound for scrappyard.

The ship was surpringly sold due too high conversion cost and Club Cruises financial difficulties.

By the way, Club cruise stopped its branch operating the Van Gogh

Later on, it was reported the ship was bound for red sea and to be used on Saoudi Arabi-Egypt line which is of course utopic.

The ship was in Jeddah port yesterday and it seems that now she is heading to Alang, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

The DA VINCI was delivered in 1977, by the time she was the biggest and the fastest ferry in service.

photo: Lucas Latreche

EXPRESS SANTORINI replaces MIRDIOTISSA

ANEN LINES's Mirdiotissa, currently undergoing annual overhaul is replaced by HSW's Express Santorini on Piraeus-Kalamata-Gythion-Kythira-AnKithira line and that for one week.

Definetly this year the former Chartres seems the right ship for replacement as in february she has already replaced the Eptanisos on Kylini-Poros line and last month she was sailing from Volos to Sporades islands instead of Express Skiathos.

Now let's see if she will sail back to the Azores for the summer season.

photo: Apostolos Kaknis

SPEEDRUNNER 1 becomes the SEA RUNNER

The former Hoverspeed Great Britain, currently holding the Blue Riband was sold to Golden Sun Cruises and renamed SEA RUNNER.

It seems the ship will be used on daily cruises from Iraklion to Santorini.

A very strange use for a such ship.

photo courtesy of Lucas Latreche

THREE NCL ships for sale

It seems that NCL have three ships for sale, among them, their two oldest tonnages and the Pride of Aloha of the very unprofitable NCL America branch. This way, with her sale, NCLA fleet will be reduced to the only Pride of America which will be transfered sooner or later to NCL( and reflagged to Bahamas as the rest of the fleet)in my opinion. However according to Colin Veitch, the fact the fleet is reduced to one ship will bring the entire operation to a viable scale.

Pullmantur cruceros would be the buyer of the 1999 built ship Pride of Aloha. The transaction price is rumoured to be around $300m-$310m.

She would be the biggest ship and the most modern ship entering in pullmantur fleet. It also shows how fast the spanish market is growing, as I remind that in 2 years the spanish company acquired 4 new ships( SKY WONDER, ZENITH, EMPRESS OF THE SEAS, PACIFIC TROPICALE).

Regarding Norwegian Majesty and Norwgiean Dream, Cyprus group Louis Cruises is rumoured to be the potential buyer of the duo for the very good price of $378m. Besides, that would be the biggest transaction ever made in the eastern mediteranean cruises industry.

If this sale is confirmed that could be the beginning of a new era for Louis, as they annunce the renewal of their fleet in the next years. Either I remind Princess Marissa and Serenade will both leave the fleet this year after a long and successful career.

photo: NCL

source: Lloyd's list