Cruise & Ferry Review - Spring/Summer 2021

9 8 ship to be built for Lindblad Expeditions as part of its partnership with National Geographic, at its shipyard in Ulsteinvik. She will be a Polar Class 5 vessel, able to operate year-round in medium, first-year ice, and will feature Ulstein Group’s X-Bow solution, which is designed to deliver a smoother ride and reduce spray on deck. The ship’s 126 guests will be accommodated in 69 cabins, all of which will face out to sea with large windows or balconies. Italian shipbuilders have also continued to work on newbuild projects throughout the pandemic. Fincantieri, for example, is carrying out final outfitting work on Rotterdam, the third ship in Holland America Line’s Pinnacle class after floating her out of dry dock in October 2020. The vessel will be the seventh ship to bear the Rotterdam name for Holland America Line when she is delivered on 30 July 2021, honouring the cruise line’s first ship, which sailed her maiden voyage in 1872. The interiors will be designed by Tihany Design and Yran & Storbraaten, with the public areas inspired by the theme of ‘the architecture of music’. Fincantieri is also working on MSC Cruises’ MSC Seashore, which is the third ship in the Seaside-class and will be the line’s longest vessel at 339 metres when she is delivered in July. As the first Seaside Evo ship, she has received significant changes compared to her sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, including newly designed public spaces, more cabins and a higher ratio of outdoor space per guest. The ship will also be equipped with new environmental technologies to help minimise her impact, including a selective catalytic reduction system which the cruise line says will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by around 90 per cent. “We are committed to our newbuilds programme, which, with each new class of ships, sees us innovating and setting new standards in the industry,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, when the ship was floated out in August 2020. “MSC Seashore will, in fact, be the largest and most innovative cruise vessel ever built in Italy, featuring the latest and most advanced environmental technology currently available.” Seabourn’s luxury polar expedition vessel Seabourn Venture is currently under construction by shipbuilder T. Mariotti in Genova, Italy. The ship is designed to carry double sea kayaks, mountain bikes and 24 Zodiaks that can accommodate all of the ship’s 264 passengers, as well as two custom-built submarines. All 132 guest suites will have private verandas, with interiors designed by Adam Tihany. The ship will make her debut in December 2021, sailing 10- to 14-day voyages along the Norwegian coast. The first of Swan Hellenic’s three new Vega-class ships, Minerva, is scheduled to be delivered by Helsinki Shipyard in November 2021. The 113-metre- long vessel will feature a 4.6-megawatt diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system with selective catalytic reduction, along with a three-megawatt battery package and an ice-strengthened hull. Interiors for the vessel have been designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden, with onboard venues including the Swan Restaurant, Observation Lounge and panoramic sauna. “We’re excited and honoured to take Swan Hellenic into this next chapter and look forward to meeting you onboard when we head to Antarctica in November 2021,” said Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic. “Join us to see what others don’t!” CFR The hull of the National Geographic Resolution was taken to Ulstein Verft for outfitting work CRUI SE ORDER BOOK Photo: David Osnes