MSC Splendida Christened In Barcelona

Following the launch of the MSC Fantasia, in Naples last December, MSC Cruises has christened its new flagship, MSC Splendida, in splendid style in the Spanish port city of Barcelona. Sister ship to the MSC Fantasia, her arrival expands MSC Cruises’ fleet to 10 vessels.

 

The event featured song and dance performances by renowned artists, including a Flamenco performance by Joaquin Cortes, a display of Castells -the Catalan tradition of human towers, as well as a concert by world famous tenor Jose Carreras, accompanied by the Orquestra Simfonica del Valles. Completing the ceremony was the parade of the ship’s officers and the traditional cutting of the ribbon by Italian screen legend Sophia Loren, godmother of MSC Splendida.

 

Capable of carrying up to 3,959 passengers, the ship boasts 1,637 staterooms (80% offering ocean views) and the luxurious MSC Yacht Club, a 99-suite club area designed to provide a 6-star experience at sea, complete with full butler service. Like the MSC Fantasia, the vessel offers over 26,941 square meters of public space, where guests can enjoy recreational facilities such as the expansive theatre, Aurea Spa, 4 restaurants, bars and lounges, a disco club, casino, shopping, bowling alley, Formula One simulator and the Aqua Park featuring 150 fountains which illuminate at night to the rhythm of music.

 

MSC Splendida is also the latest in a new generation of energy efficient cruise ships and is the first ship to be recognized by the Bureau Veritas with the “Energy Efficient Design” award for its use of best-practice standards throughout its design and onboard systems to conserve energy. She also joins MSC Fantasia in receiving the “Bureau Veritas Six Golden Pearls” designation for compliance with the 3 highest international standards in environment, health and safety, and food safety.

 

MSC Splendida will cruise the Mediterranean and the European Atlantic seaboard, calling at Alexandria, Ashdod, Athens, Barcelona, Casablanca, Crete, Genoa, Madeira, Malta, Malaga, Naples, Olympia, Rhodes, Rome, Taormina, Tenerife and Tunis.

 

For more information, visit www.msccruises.com.

Turkish Airlines Commences Istanbul-Toronto Flights

Turkish Airlines has completed its inaugural flight from Istanbul to Toronto, its 117th international destination. Flight TK 017 departed Ataturk International Airport at 1146 hrs for the 11-hour flight to Pearson International Airport, where it arrived at 1537 hrs.

 

Onboard the inaugural flight was Turkey’s Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, Turkish Airlines’ Director General Temel Kotil, businessmen, media and paying passengers. The Airbus A340-300 aircraft was welcomed in Canada by a special ceremony to mark the occasion, the result of a bilateral air transport agreement.

 

Turkish Airlines will fly between Istanbul and Toronto 3 times a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Flight TK 017 will depart Istanbul at 1130 hrs and arrive in Toronto at 1540 hrs, before returning as flight TK 018 at 2350 hrs for a 1730 hrs arrival back in Turkey. Flights will be operated by a combination of Airbus A330-200 and A340-300 aircraft configured in a 2-class layout.

 

For more information, visit www.thy.com.

November Debut For Air France A380

Air France has revealed details of its Airbus A380 superjumbo. The aircraft has just been painted in the airline’s revised livery in Hamburg and will enter service in November 2009 on the Paris-New York route. Air France will be the first to operate the aircraft on a transatlantic flight from Europe.

 

The aircraft will initially be configured in a 3-class layout, with 9 La Premiere first class, 80 Affaires business class and 449 Voyageur economy class seats onboard. Air France will also introduce its new Premium Voyageur product when it takes delivery of its seventh A380, with earlier aircraft progressively retrofitted.

 

Air France has 12 A380s on order, of which 4 aircraft are due to be operational by early 2010. From Paris, the airline flies 4 nonstop flights daily to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport.

 

For more information, visit www.airfrance.com.

Costa Europa To Become Thomson Dream

Thomson Cruises has announced that it has secured an agreement to charter the 54,800-GRT Costa Europa and will rename the vessel as Thomson Dream. Beginning in April 2010, the ship will sail for Thomson Cruises, joining its existing ships Thomson Celebration, Thomson Destiny and Thomson Spirit. Capable of carrying up to 1,506 passengers, Thomson Dream will be the cruise line’s largest and most luxurious ship. Featuring stylish interiors, spacious public spaces and a host of facilities, guests can enjoy a relaxed and friendly atmosphere onboard.

 

All cabins onboard the vessel have recently been refurbished. The standard cabins feature a neutral decor, while the luxury Suites and Grand Suites have separate living and sleeping areas, spacious bathrooms and a private balcony from which guests can take in the picturesque sunsets at sea.

 

There are 5 restaurants onboard, including a main dining room, 24-hour buffet outlet and the a la carte grill restaurant serving prime steaks and other favorites. Accompanying the restaurants will be a selection of bars located throughout the ship, ideal for watching the oceans over a cocktail.

 

Thomson Dream will also feature excellent facilities for entertainment and recreation. A revolving stage in the Broadway show lounge hosts Thomson’s renowned entertainment program, together with smaller venues for daytime shows and cabaret. The ship also features a cozy library and adults-only area, while 2 swimming pools (1 with a retractable roof) lets passengers swim, relax and sunbathe on deck.

 

Thomson Dream will be homeported in Palma, sailing 3- and 7-night itineraries in the Mediterranean and visiting destinations including Barcelona, Florence, Rome and La Goulette in Tunisia.

 

For more information, visit www.thomson.co.uk.

Largest Conference And Spa Hotel In Dubrovnik Opens

Croatia’s Valamar Hotels and Resorts has opened its newest property in the country, the Valamar Lacroma Resort. Located in Dubrovnik amidst the lush greenery of the Babin Kuk peninsula, the resort is 22 kilometers from the airport and features some of the largest conference and spa facilities in the city.

 

385 spacious rooms await guests at the resort, with balcony views of the Babin Kuk peninsula or Elaphiti Islands. Each of the 25-square meter rooms is furnished with a luxury bed, bathroom with bathtub or shower, satellite television, telephone, internet connectivity, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. The resort also offers 16 suites to guests, including the 143- square meter Presidential Suite.

 

6 food and beverage outlets at the Valamar Lacroma Resort satisfy the dining needs of guests. The a la carte Langusto Restaurant serves luscious Mediterranean cuisine amidst the backdrop of the Adriatic Sea, while guests can indulge in the buffet and be entertained by the show cooking at the Lacroma Restaurant. For drinks, the resort offers the Nocturno Wine and Cocktail Bar, Palma Lounge Bar, Orsula Lobby Bar or the Onofrio Pool Bar by the poolside.

 

As a conference hotel, the resort has a multifunctional conference center capable of accomodating events of various capacities. Facilities include Croatia’s largest conference hall with a total capacity for up to 1,000 participants, 7 meeting rooms in the business center and 6 additional meeting rooms located within the hotels in the Babin Kuk resort. The meeting facilities are supported with a suite of catering, furnishing and technical services, managed by dedicated coordinators.

 

After a day of meetings, guests can relax in the resort’s wellness and recreational facilities. The 938-square meter Ragusa Spa offers a variety of treatments and saunas, as well as boasting a dedicated ladies-only Afrodita Spa. Guests staying on the hotel’s executive floor also enjoy exclusive use of a 72-square meter Executive Spa. Valamar Lacroma Resort also offers a series of activities available to guests, as well as 2 freshwater swimming pools and access to the beach at the nearby Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel.

 

Valamar Hotels and Resorts is Croatia’s leading hospitality management company, operating 39 properties on the Adriatic coast in the main tourist regions of Dubrovnik and Istria.

 

For more information, visit www.valamar.com.

Finnair Deploys A330s To Osaka

Finnair has expanded the number of destinations operated by its new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, with the introduction of the widebodied jet on the Helsinki-Osaka route today. Osaka is the fourth destination for the aircraft, after New York, Delhi and Nagoya.

 

Flight AY 077 departs Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport at 1720 hrs daily and arrives in Osaka-Kansai International Airport at 0855 hrs the next morning. The return flight, AY 078, takes off from Osaka at 1100 hrs, landing back in Helsinki at 1510 hrs.

 

Configured in a 2-class layout, the A330s offer passengers greater levels of comfort with new cabin products in both classes. In Business Class, passengers can dine, relax or sleep in 42 lie-flat seats from Recaro, equipped with in-seat power and USB connectivity, with new full-flat seats to be introduced in November 2009. Economy Class passengers will benefit from new, ergonomically-designed slimline seats with a 32-inch seat pitch and in-seat power supply. All passengers enjoy Finnair’s inflight entertainment system with audio-video on-demand.

 

Established in 1923, Finnair operates more than 60 aircraft from its hub at Helsinki to international destinations in Asia and Europe, as well as 13 domestic destinations.

 

For more information, visit www.finnair.com.

New Entrant On Sydney-Los Angeles Route

Delta Airlines has joined Qantas, United Airlines and V Australia on the popular Sydney-Los Angeles transpacific route. The inaugural flight, DL 017, arrived in Sydney at 0717 hrs on 3 July 2009, after a 15 hour flight from the US west coast.

 

To celebrate the commencement of operations, Delta Airlines partnered with Tourism Australia to stage a pre-boarding party for the 278 passengers booked on the flight. The highlight of the party was the presence of a live kangaroo, a symbol of Australia.

 

Operated by Delta’s Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, flight DL 017 departs Los Angeles daily at 2235 hrs, arriving in Sydney at 0635 hrs 2 days later. The return flight, DL 016, takes off from Kingsford Smith International Airport at 0925 hrs and lands back in Los Angeles at 0610 hrs the same day.

 

With the new flights, Delta Airlines joins a select group of airlines around the world to fly to all 6 inhabited continents and becomes the first US airline to do so since Pan Am.

 

For more information, visit www.delta.com.

New Openings From Carlson And Hilton In Asia-Pacific

Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Hilton Hotels and Resorts have opened new properties in the Asia-Pacific region. The Radisson Plaza Resort Phuket Panwa Beach is Carlson’s latest property in Thailand, while the Doubletree by Hilton Qingdao Chenyang is the brand’s third Doubletree hotel in China.

 

Radisson Plaza Resort Phuket Panwa Beach

Located on Phuket’s picturesque Makham Bay, the 211-room Radisson Plaza Resort Phuket Panwa Beach is 15 minutes from Phuket town and easily accessible to many of the island’s attractions.

 

8 beachfront accomodation types are available to guests, ranging from the chic and well-appointed Deluxe Rooms to the Pool Villa Sea-View overlooking the Andaman Sea. All rooms and villas are furnished with luxurious amenities including King-sized or Twin beds, spacious bathrooms with separate bathtub and shower, ottomans and sofas, LCD televisions, high-speed internet access, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. In addition to the standard amenities, each of the resort’s villas feature private outdoor spaces and an infinity pool.

 

Guests can look forward to gourmet dining at the Radisson Plaza Phuket Panwa Beach, with 4 food and beverage venues offering unique culinary creations. All-day dining is available at Aqua, featuring buffet breakfast spreads, themed dinners and an extensive a la carte menu. For a taste of the Mediterranean and fresh seafood, the specialty restaurant Azur seats up to 58 diners in an indoor or outdoor environment, while Edge and Octo serve light snacks and cocktails.

 

For recreation, the resort offers a range of activities and facilities including kayaking, windsurfing and even Thai cooking classes. At the Talay Spa, guests can indulge in herbal steams, massages, meditation and yoga amongst other offerings, for a rejuvenating experience coupled with a workout at Form, the resort’s fitness center. Young guests at the resort will find a host of activities awaiting them at the Sapparot Club, a dedicated zone for children aged 4-12 years old.

 

For more information, visit www.radisson.com.

  

Doubletree by Hilton Qingdao Chenyang

10 minutes from the international airport and located in Qingdao’s Chenyang district, the modern Doubletree by Hilton Qingdao Chenyang is the latest addition to Doubletree’s portfolio in China.

 

320 contemporary-styled rooms and suites are furnished with luxury beds and 250 thread count sheets, bathrooms with separate bathtub and shower, sitting area with sofa and ottoman, 37-inch LCD television, high-speed internet access, 2 telephones, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. The 333-square meter Presidential Suite offers the ultimate in convenience and security, with its private studio room, fitness room, dining room, living room and 2 King bedrooms.

 

The Doubletree by Hilton Qingdao Chenyang boasts 3 dining venues offering international, Chinese and Korean cuisines. Riverside Cafe serves buffet and a la carte choices daily in a relaxed and refined setting, while the Harbor Seafood Restaurant delivers Cantonese and Shandong specialties. Open for lunch and dinner, the Hanjiang Korean Restaurant features signature Korean barbecue.

 

For business travellers, the hotel has a fully-equipped business center with secretarial services available and a host of meeting and conference venues. A Grand Ballroom capable of accomodating up to 800 guests and 3 other function rooms of various sizes cater to events at the hotel. Guests seeking fitness and recreation can utilize the hotel’s fitness room, pool, solarium and other sports facilities including a squash court, tennis court and table tennis.

 

For more information, visit doubletree.hilton.com.

Emirates Adds Frequencies To Indian Ocean Destinations

Emirates has increased the number of flights to Male, Maldives and Colombo, Sri Lanka, from its base in Dubai. The airline will operate an additional 5 flights to Male and 4 flights to Colombo, using Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft.

 

Dubai – Male – Colombo – Dubai

Flight EK 654 operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, using a 3-class Airbus A330-200 configured with 12 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy Class seats. Departing the UAE at 1020 hrs, the flight arrives in Male at 1525 hrs before taking off for Colombo at 1650 hrs to land in Sri Lanka at 1850 hrs. The flight returns to Dubai at 2010 hrs, arriving back in the emirate at 2255 hrs.

 

With the 3 times weekly flight, Emirates has resumed flying the Male-Colombo route.

 

Dubai – Male

Emirates will also fly direct between Dubai and Male every Wednesday and Friday. Flight EK 658 departs Dubai at 0325 hrs, arriving in Male at 0830 hrs. The return flight, EK 659, takes off at 0955 hrs for an afternoon arrival in Dubai at 1255 hrs. Both services will be operated with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, configured with 12 First, 42 Business and 310 Economy Class seats.

 

Dubai – Colombo

Operating on Fridays, flight EK 650 departs Dubai at 0245 hrs, arriving in Colombo at 0845 hrs in the morning. The return flight, EK 651, takes off from the Sri Lankan capital at 1005 hrs to land back in Dubai at 1250 hrs. Flights will be operated with a 3-class Boeing 777-300 aircraft.

 

The additional services offer passengers the convenience of morning, afternoon and evening flights, with onward connections to other Emirates destinations in Europe and North America via Dubai.

 

For more information, visit www.emirates.com.

Bmi Launches Lounge Dining And Night-Time Supper Service

British airline bmi has introduced a new pre-flight lounge dining service for Business Class passengers as part of its ongoing service enhancement.

 

Lounge Dining

Coinciding with the new bmi Number One Heathrow international lounge, 3-course meals can be enjoyed by passengers before they fly, giving them greater time to relax or sleep onboard the flights without being disturbed for meals. The service is ideal for passengers travelling on the airline’s evening flights to Moscow and Tel Aviv.

 

Available daily from 2030 hrs, passengers can start with hot soups served fresh from a bespoke AGA, followed by a choice of main courses including macaroni cheese, salads accompanied with Mark Hix dressings and hot salt beef bagels with rye and pickles. For dessert, bmi serves a selection of Mark Hix ice cream.

 

Accompanying the meal are beverages from The Local, the airline’s pub within bmi Number One Heathrow. Champagne, English rose wine, Pimms and Fullers London Pride, in addition to brandies and whiskeys are offered.

 

Night-time Supper Service

Onboard the flight, passengers can also enjoy bmi’s Night-time Supper Service, a light refreshment service. Featuring dishes such as duck and potato hash with gooseberry chutney or salmon fishcake with baby spinach and parsley sauce, the menu is designed to be light and comforting. Passengers who would like a sweet treat or a nightcap can choose from a selection of Mark Hix ice cream or beverages such as the hot chocolate with marshmallows.

 

Located above Gate 5 at London Heathrow Terminal 1, bmi Number One Heathrow is the airline’s newest and flagship international lounge offering a quintessentially British environment. Passengers are greeted by members of bmi’s lounge team instead of the traditional reception desk and enter a space divided into informal zones catering to the various needs of the international traveller.

 

For more information, visit www.flybmi.com.