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Grote ife lite Defying Boom and Bist Predictions Cruise Shippers Gear Up Far the New Millennium by Bridget Murphy, contributing writer Buoyed By '97 Earnings and Lessons Learned, Owners Anticipate Another Decade of Market Growth Simply put, the cruise lines out- did themselves last year. Consolidation and globalization were the pet phrases used by industry insiders to describe the market atmosphere in 1997, but North American consumers were too distracted to pay attention to the predictions of analysts, investors and owners. Fresh options and new vessels were lur- ing them to the sea. They were buzzing about trips on the world's largest passenger vessel, lining up to book passages on Mickey Mouse's new ship, and financing vacations afloat with loans from the cruise lines. Some people rode the rails to ports of origination, others cruised from Houston, or opted to bring their families on voyages aboard child-friendly newbuilds, with their underage broods toting special edition cruise ship Barbies along for the ride. The flurry of ship ordering activity that ushered in the early 1990s continued, and cruise line executives used the trade show last March as a platform to shelve the notion that the market was becoming oversaturated with a glut of new berths. They hinted at further brand consolidation, and chanted a "Look to Asia" market expansion mantra. Arriving in Miami with an infusion of capital "I think you may see us in a position where we would be ordering a ship," — Cunard's Mr. Bates and ship orders under its belt, even the troubled Norwegian Cruise Lines was back in the loop. As Disney Magic materialized on Fincantieri's docks and promised to lure first-time passen- gers to cruising, Carnival Cruises readied to launch a partnership with Hyundai Merchant Marine in Asia, which the bullish interpret- ed as another indicator of the sec- tor's depth. Rumors of a Cunard sale swirled mid-summer as Royal Caribbean and Carnival fought to acquire the struggling Overseas Shipholding Group's infant Celebrity Cruises fleet. With eight Emhantment of the Seas Shipyard KMY Name .. .Enchantment of the Seas Ship owner/operator RCL Kvaerner Masa-Yards (KMY) Helsinki delivered the sistership of Grandeur of the Seas to Royal Caribbean in July of 1997. Enchantment of the Seas is a 916 ft. (280 m) long, 2,400-passenger luxu- ry liner that boasts a total of 975 spacious cabins. KMY's price tag for completing both vessels was $193 million when they were ordered in 1994. KMY equipped Enchantment of the Seas with four MAN B&W elec- tric propulsion engines capable of outputting 12,600 kW each. Enchantment of the Sea has a 74,000 gross tonnage and a maxi- mum cruising speed of 23.5 knots. Although Enchantment of the Seas' length has been increased by 63 ft. (20 m), KMY was able to reduce the number of engines from five to four, and still maintain a high knot out- put. The four MAN B&W engines are single acting, non-reversible, fuel injected, turbo-charged trunk piston diesels, each driving an AC 15,300 kVa alternator feeding the (Continued on page 48-A) [nchantment of the Seas Main Particulars Designer Kvaerner Masa-Yards Flag Liberia Classification DHV Contract date August 1994 float out date November 1996 Delivery dote July 4,1997 Length, o.o 916.6 ft. (279.1 m) Length at design woterline 777.2 ft. (236.9 m) Breodth at design woterline 105.6 ft. (32.2 m) Breadth maximum 121.3 ft. (37 ml Draft, design 24.9 ft. (7.6 ml Air draft at design draft t 161.4 ft. (49.2 ml Tonnage 74,140 .22 knots Moximum speed 23.5 knots Main electric drives Cegelec Diesel alternators (4115,300 kVA, 6,600 V, 60Hz Emergency diesel-generotors (2) l,050kVA, 60 Hz Propellers (21 Fixed pitch, KaMeWa Propeller diameter 17.7 ft. (5.4 ml Rudders Willi Boker Stabilizers Brown and Brothers Boilers Aolborg Sunrod Cooling system Sabroe Marine Steering gears Rotory-vone type Four main engines Mon B8W I2V48/60 Propulsion motors 2 Cegelec 17,700kW Passenger capacity 2,44 Cabins 975 Crew 760 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News Circle 337 on Reader Service Card 40-B Custom Build Ship Production Systems The key to cost-effectiveness and quality Example: Full mechanized panel lines from one side welding to block load-out Example: Robotic gantries for production of micro panels, hatch covers and double bottoms Example: Large panel line with panel turning device We design it We build it We install it We support it IMG provides full systems integration on schedule and to budget IMG North American Office: IndustriestraBe 8 NU-TECH, Inc. D -18069 Rostock 12 Fairfield Rd. Germany Suite 2A - Sam 's Point Office Park Tel: + 49 (0)381 793 469 lady s Island, SC 29920 Fax: + 49 (0)381 793 461 Tel: 803-524-1400 E-Mail: img-d2@t-online.de Fax: 803-524-1500
