Skip to main content

Thank You 500,000 readers

Expedition Deluxe - Rolls-Royce enters the cruise market with contract to design cruise ship

ROLLS ROYCE´s troubled marine unit is finaly entering the cruise market, which is a rare piece of good news
by Earl of Cruise
The set of vessels for HURTIGRUTEN is enviromental friendly and will be a new generation of cruise vessels for the over 100 years old company. ROLLY ROYCE will also suply equipment for the new cruise vessels. The contract will be worth £25m.
HURTIGRUTEN´s new Espen Øino designed ROLLS ROYCE MARINE cruise vessels - courtesy of HURTIGRUTEN
The plunging oil price hit the marine division of ROLLS ROYCE hard, as no longer offshore vessels had been ordered. Thus the main business of the subsidiary company had caused nearly a collaps.
HURTIGRUTEN was once the name of the post vessel line along the Norwegian coast, and offered a number of liner companies an existance ... till the end of the subsidiaries, once installed and guaranteed by the gouvernment, helping to establish this line. But it was terminated since its beginning.
Aurea Borealis green, blue, lila and yellow photo by Jan R Olsen - courtesy of HURTIGRUTEN
In the early 1920s it was more of an expedition sailing with the post express vessels, which went into nearly all ports along the Norwegian coast up to Spitzbergen. One of the lines introduced the STELLY POLARIS, which became a synonym for luxury cruising in the 1920s and 30s. She sailed worldwide in the winter, but offered cruises along the Norwegian coast in the sommer seasons. After WWII it became more and more popular going on a coastal cruise in Norway.
In the 1990s the former MATTHIAS THEISSEN WERFT constructed the masterpiece of new coastal vessels, which looked like shrinked Caribbean cruisers, and as the typical costal vessel. But despite of their small cabins they still offered they became a tremendous success and a further push in the cruise offer - Norwegian Coastal Cruises.
TROLLFJORD, one of the successors of the MATTHIAS THEISSEN built RICHARD WITH - courtesy of HURTIGRUTEN
The vessels had been "working horses" which offered the cruises in their first class compartments. The second class was the "coastal bus" for the Norwegians. And till today the vessels, even in use as cruise ships, do still their coastal travel business. Each of the vessels offer till today, and as well in the future a freight compartment, and Salons for the Norwegian people, going on board to reach their destinations, as streets are less in the mountainious costs of Norway are rare.
With the comming end of the mail subsidiaries, the companies started to think new on their coastal routes and passenger services. What followed was a merger over the years into at least one company - HURTIGRUTEN.
New vessels, new choices, outlook lounge and open outlook deck - coutesy by HURTIGRUTEN
The new cruise ships will be built by the KLEVEN SHIPYARD and will be refinaced via the Norwegian GIEK and NOX fonds, as for building in Norway and being enviromental friendly.
The new ROLLS ROYCE - Espen Øino - Olver design cooperation vessels are capable for cruises in polar regions and will be a great "win" for ROLLS ROYCE and open up a new market. They will have a lenght of 140m, a width of 23 m, a draught of 5,3m and will have 300 cabins for 600 passengers. With the new design the company is going new ways in its design - the vessel get more yacht like.
Helge Gjerde, Rolls's director of offshore and merchant solutions, said: “Hurtigruten and Kleven have agreed to build state-of the art passenger vessels, and Rolls-Royce will provide some of the most innovate ship technology on the market today. I’m confident that these new polar cruise vessels will bring the proud heritage of the HURTIGRUTEN into a similarly proud future.”
The latest addition of the HURTIGRUTEN fleet for expedition cruises, the SPITZBERGEN, a former ferry from Portugal massivley rebuild - courtesy by HURTIGRUTEN
ROLLS ROYCE is one of the few companies that are developing vessels which should or will be able sailing without a crew, based on artificial inteligence.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ocean Liners in Movies or Films at Sea (updated Nov 2017)

For liners and the shipping companies movies and films had been a top marketing tool Movies or Films and liners at sea, had been intriguing me since I have read about in my youth in LUXUSLINER - BILDER EINER GROSSEN ZEIT by Lee Server ( THE GOLDEN AGE OF OCEAN LINERS ). But earlier, mot only since my first crossing, I was keen watching movies with liners in it, and disapointed, which was an understatement, when I realized the films have been made in a set ashore in some movie "factory". That was after my first crossing.   by Earl of Cruise an essay in progress `Sabrina´, Humphrey Bogart in the office, while LIBERTÉ is sailing out of New York harbor - screenshot Ocean liners, especially those of the luxury category, had been the location of dramas, love stories, thrillers, suspense and catastrophies sinde film was born, or nearly. In this list, the most descriptions are taken from Wikipedia, as I guess no one can expect having seen all these films ... otherwise I w...

HISTORY - The CUNARD - WHITE STAR Liner rms QUEEN ELIZABETH (1938-1972)

Over years, in my early youth, the QUEEN ELIZABETH was shaping my mind for the perfect ocean liner, despite having made my first experiences with a liner onboard the HANSEATIC (1), ex EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND, ex EMPRESS OF JAPAN. When leaning at the rail of HANSEATIC entering the port, my eyes where every where and I wished to by a camera, I took all in. And when seeing the QUEEN ELIZABETH with my own eyes, the nice behaving young boy turned into a tomboy, that my grandmére was no longer able to tame ... I did draw quite a lot of looks, back then. I found, while on research, this article and thought it interesting publishing in my blog: written and published by John Sheperd at liverpoolships.org editing and comments by Earl of Cruise I ( John Shepard ) joined the CUNARD LINE in March 1962 as an Assistant Purser and sailed the QUEEN ELIZABETH throughout that year, before transferring to the Liverpool-based CARINTHIA in November, where I remained as Crew Purser for the next five...

ss NORMANDIE 1935 - 1942 IX

s s / te NORMANDIE starting from cold Owners: COMPAGNIE GÉNÉRALE TRANSATLANTIQUE BUILDERS: PENH Ö ET, St. Nazaire, France   by Stephen Carey © , editing by Earl of Cruise   This document is almost exclusively about the engineering aspects of NORMANDIE , mainly on how to start her up from cold. If you are looking for photos of the passenger spaces, there is a plethora of them on the web, in Facebook groups - Admirers of the ss Normandie , ss Normandie photographic file , The French Ocean Liners / Les Paquebots Fran ç ais , ss Normandie , GREAT LINERS OF THE PAST & PRESENT , and others, Pinterest and in articles about NORMANDIE here in the blog, please see at the end of the article. Using "ss" for NORMANDIE is quite incorrect, as NORMANDIE was a Turbo Electric vessel and not a steamship, therefore NORMANDIE should be adressed as "te".   by Earl of Cruise te / ss NORMANDIE berthed in Le Havre, Gare Maritime May 29th, 1935 - colouring courtesy ...

HISTORY - ts / ss BREMEN and ts / ss EUROPA

Germany’s two luxury liners, BREMEN and EUROPA , have not only played an important part in their country’s mercantile revival, but have added also an immortal chapter to the history of transatlantic travel. Copy from Shipping Wonders of the World   From part 6 , published 17 March 1936 editing by Earl of Cruise ss / ts BREMEN in her early years - Source: Shipping Wonders of the World/Bundespresse Archiv The PRIDE OF A NATION - the NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD quadruple-screw turbine express liner BREMEN . The keel of this ship was laid in June 1927. Her launch took place in August, 1928. In less than a year later, the Bremen made her first voyage to America, when she crossed the Atlantic from Cherbourg to New York in four days seventeen hours forty-two minutes, thus setting up a new record and gaining the coveted “Blue Riband”. During the passage the Bremen attained an average speed of 27.83 knots. ss / ts BREMEN in her early years - Source: W ikipedia For the pop...

ss NORMANDIE 1935-1942 XII - The Most Beautiful Ocean Liner Ever Built

For many, or should I say for "a great many" Ocean Liner Lovers, NORMANDIE is the most beautiful liner ever built. Me, I am among those aficionados.   NORMANDIE was technically decades ahead of time. The vessel got implemented technologies that would have been copied by others, who then claimed to be the first to have. Alternative facts are not a modern days invention of a certain chrétien and his backward oriented entourage ... NORMANDIE´s interior was the peak of ART DECO in France, and was, still is, the peak of chic. Never again any liner, or passenger vessel, except NIEUW AMSTERDAM had been designed exterior and interior that strict in the "guide lines" of the ART DECO (Link in German) movement - as ART DECO is "only" a movement and not a school like BAUHAUS . Therefore the style was in a permanent "move" and development. NORMANDIE, the perfect ocean liner, Le Vaisseau de Lumière, Le Deesse de la Mer - courtsey coloured by Dary...

HISTORY - RHEINGOLD the German luxury day express train

Between May 1928 and August 1939 the luxury day express train RHEINGOLD operated between Hoek van Holland and Basel as a FFD Pullman train of DEUTSCHE REICHSBAHN GESELLSCHAFT (DRG) and MITROPA. The name was mystic and elitarian. by Earl of Cruise   RHEINGOLD, the name of the most luxurious train ever of Germany - detail, own photo On May 15th, 1928 the luxury express train RHEINGOLD started for the first time, connecting Hoek von Holland, Netherlands, and Amsterdamn with Basel, Suisse. Name giving was the legendary treasure of the Nibelungen. This special service for most international travelers was an immidiate success. Advertisment for the RHEINGOLD created by Frank Newbould - collection Earl of Cruise For the most travelers in the RHEINGOLD meant the voyage in the luxury train more than being transported in high comfort. From their soft armchairs they could watch the pitoresque Rhine landscape, with wine villages, vine-growing slopes, forteresses and castles, and th...

HISTORY - ss DEUTSCHLAND - The only HAPAG four stacker and Blue Riband winner

T he DEUTSCHLAND of HAPAG was the only four stacker and only German Greyhound from HAMBURG AMERIKANISCHE PAKETFAHRT AKTIEN GESELLSCHAFT (HAPAG or HAMBURG AMERICA LINE, which is much more convenient to English tongues). by João Martins , editing by Earl of Cruise ss DEUTSCHLAND, 1900, the HAPAG Greyhound and its only four-stacker - © colouring by Daryl LeBlanc The Blue Riband holder ss DEUTSCHLAND is known for a number of facts, happenings and stories around her. Here we will see those João Martins wrote for us about. The DEUTSCHLAND Incident - A German Prince vs Marconi - by João Martins Postcard, showcasing the State visit of Prince Heinrich to the United States in 1902 - own collection In March 1902 the ship played a major role in what would become known as the DEUTSCHLAND Incident.  ss DEUTSCHALND was carrying Prince Heinrich of Hohenzollern, brother of Kaiser in Germany Wilhelm II, back to Europe after a highly publicised trip to the United States....

HISTORY - Portugals Presidential Yacht FUNCHALs future is questioned as of heritage and preservation

Portugal’s liner FUNCHAL´s future in question of heritage and preservation.   FUNCHAL´s heritage is not only being once used as the the presidential yacht of President Thomaz, but too for its nice exterior style and human dimensions. Was FUNCHAL used as a state yacht when the President was traveling on board?  The again laid up vessel is for sale again. by Earl of Cruise The FUNCHAL in Lisboa - courtesy by Luis Miguel Correia B etween 1961 and 1974, FUNCHAL was owned by EMPRESA INSULANA de NAVEGACAO, part of the Bensaude dynasty business, the wealthiest and most influential family in the Azores, and hence was commissioned by Presidente Americo Thomaz for state occasions when on longer journeys abraod. FUNCHAL was build for the Portugal mainland to Azores service and sailed too to the Madeiras and underwent cruises for the British and German market in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Promoted as a small ship, in human dimensions, even back then. Construction of FU...

HISTORY - rms MAJESTIC - Hand in Hand with rms TITANIC

TITANIC and MAJESTIC (1890), both Royal Mail Ships, hand in hand? How so? The review of João Martins will show. by João Martins , editing by Earl of Cruise And WHITE STAR LINE was more than only a shipping line which employed rms TITANIC. WHITE STAR was company with a great heritage and introduced many innovations which became standards. Founded by Thomas Henry Ismay , originally from Maryport, and shareholders amoung whom had been HARLAND&WOLFF . Later the Irish shipbuilder, located in Belfast, built all ships for WHITE STAR. rms MAJESTIC as built by HARLAND&WOLFF - Sour ce: Wikipedia ( original seize ) T he rms MAJESTIC was a 9,965 GRT British ocean liner built by HARLAND & WOLFF for WHITE STAR LINE and completed in 1890. Her career was profoundly intertwined with rms TITANIC. In the late 1880s competition for the Blue Riband, the award for the fastest Atlantic crossing, was fierce amongst the major shipping lines. At the time the prize belonged to CUNA RD...

Germany and HAPAG - A Journey through History

HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHEPACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT - HAPAG or HAMBURG AMERICA LINE is reflecting, as Germany, the LLOYD of Bremen, two times of rsing and two times of devasting downfall and a third rise. BORUSSIA , 1856, First Day Cover 1956 of Deutsche Bundespost - own collection Once Germany´s biggest shipping line HAPAG / HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT-LLOYD, merged with it former old Hanseatic rival NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD in 1970, to now HAPAG-LLOYD, had its peaks and downs, but rose each time on its own to new hights, without any state subsidies. As German mail subsidiaries did never cover the costs for purchasing or mainting the vessels ordered for the specific German mail lines.   by Earl of Cruise In this article I used most German Wikipedia links, as they proved to be mostly of better research quality, and surprisinf to me, some English lines and liners have only German written articles, for the others, English Wiki links are to ...