"In-House" Marine Operations, as Credit Crunch sinks in

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One of the results of the continuing credit crunch globally is that a number of cruise liens are looking at the marine and technical management of their fleets, especially if they outsource this work to a ship management company. Having direct control of the technical and hotel side of a ship’s operation can result in noticeable savings. So it’s been something of a bad week or two for leading cruise ship management specialist V. Ships Leisure which has lost major contracts with luxury brands Oceania and Seabourn. Seabourn believes that by bringing its ship management operation in-house it can achieve greater efficiency as well as having greater control of its marine and technical operations. Oceania, which has two newbuildings underway in Italy, believes that having its ship management operations in-house will bring in ‘economies of scale.’ The decision by both operators to drop V. Ships Leisure is not believed to be a reflection of the level of service provided by the Monaco-based specialist.

Staying with Oceania, the line’s boss Frank Del Rio, who heads up parent Prestige Cruise Holdings, has been giving some insight into the company’s first ever newbuilding. Marina, as she will be named, is set to enter service in September 2010. Frank said that Marina’s interior will be ‘transitional and eclectic, warm not load. The look won’t be English, but more elegant.’ Ouch! Sphere: Related Content