This Blog is for New to Cruise and the well Traveled , on this site we will publish information about Cruise and Holiday information, with some insider stories in the travel press.
Spirit of Discovery Leaves on Ems River Conveyance
Saga Cruises first-ever new-build, the Spirit of Discovery, has left on her Ems River conveyance.
The Spirit of Discovery will proceed in reverse up the river Ems to the North Sea. According to a press release, this approach has proven successful in the past as it makes it easier to steer the ship. Two tugs will be providing assistance in the process.
The plans call for the ship to arrive in Emden on Monday, May 27 at 8:00 a.m. local time, with the rest of the week scheduled for technical tests and sea trials.
River Conveyance Schedule:
Sunday, May 26, 2019 Approx. 09.00 pm: ship in waiting position (Papenburg) Approx. 10.00 pm: ship passes sea lock (Papenburg)
Monday, May 27, 2019 Approx. 00.30 am: ship passes Friesenbrücke (Weener) Approx. 02.30 am: ship passes the Jann Berghaus bridge (Leer) Approx. 05.00 am: arrival at the river Ems barrier (Gandersum) Approx. 06.45 am: ship passes the Ems barrier Approx. 08.00 am: arrival Emden sea lock
Voyages to Antiquity cancel cruises to repair ship engine
Voyages to Antiquity has cancelled cruises on its Aegean Odyssey ship from May through August to repair the ship's starboard engine.
In all, 10 cruises were cancelled, starting with the Black Sea & Greek Islands itinerary departing May 2.
The company said that following repairs, the Aegean Odyssey will resume cruises starting with the scheduled Sept. 7 Rome-Venice itinerary.
Voyages to Antiquity said guests affected by these cancellations are being contacted and will be provided with a full refund. "We are working closely with our trade partners and doing everything possible to minimize disruption," a statement said.
Independence of the Seas in Southampton photo by Dave Jones.
Royal Caribbean Cruises’ boss has moved to dispel concerns that the UK cruise industry faces a bleak future amid ongoing Brexit uncertainty.
Royal Caribbean International last week cancelled Independence of the Seas’ 2020 UK season and announced the ship would operate out of Florida instead to meet the demand for Perfect Day in CocoCay, the line’s new private island in the Bahamas.
The decision left some agents to question whether a soft UK market due to Brexit had prompted the decision – rather than a soaring interest in the $250 million private island which will be served by 11 Royal ships this year.
Speaking on Celebrity Edge’s maiden ex-UK sailing from Southampton on Monday, Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Cruises’ chairman and chief executive, said: “We are here for the long term, we are not here for the current climate.
“There is no doubt that the UK market will do very well in the long-term and it continues to be our second largest market. We have been here when it has gone through cycles. The cruise industry is not fickle – it is solid and consistent.”
Fain admitted there was “a modicum of uncertainty” in the UK market as confusion continued over when Britain would leave the EU.
But he added that Royal Caribbean International had to move more capacity to North America due to “an extraordinary surge in interest” in Perfect Day, which launched just over a week ago.
“This is a wonderful problem to have,” he said, adding: “That we don’t have enough ships to satisfy the [customer] demand.”
Plans to expand the existing Perfect Day site were being looked at, said Fain. Only a third of the island is currently being used by Royal Caribbean to accommodate passengers.
Fain also added: “We look at the UK market as more than just ships sailing out of the UK. One of the reasons why the UK market has been so attractive to us is Brits are amazing travellers.”
Sailings in the eastern Mediterranean represented “a great opportunity” for Britons looking for fly-cruise options away from the UK, Fain said.
TUI Cruises Featuring Tattoo Parlor Aboard the Mein Schiff 2
TUI Cruises is featuring tattoo artist Chris Krafft and colleagues from B. Liberty Tattoo in Hamburg aboard Mein Schiff 2 throughout May.
TUI said that maritime symbols, such as anchors and compasses were popular, but also are so-called cover-ups, where old tattoos are replaced with new ones.
"Tattooing aboard a cruise ship is a very special challenge," commented Krafft in a prepared statement. "If it rocks, a steady hand is a must. And in case of doubt, I take a break. A tattoo is a memory for life.”
After a test phase on Mein Schiff 2, TUI will decide whether to introduce the tattoo parlour across the fleet.
"The likelihood is high," said Sven Irmer, product development manager. "The parlour is fully booked every day; the response has been overwhelming."
The cost of a tattoo is calculated according to the effort and starts at 100 euros.
How to Create an Off-The-Beaten-Path Experience on a Cruise
PHOTO: A classic car drives past the Norwegian Sky in Havana, Cuba (photo by Lauren Bowman)
If it’s not on Instagram, did your vacation actually happen?
The authentic, off-the-beaten-path, Instagrammable vacation is what vacationers want today, according to recent studies.
In cruising terms, this translates to small ports, far-flung locals and activities they won’t find on every single mega-ship.
Cruises are obliging.
They’re taking travellers to destinations that include the Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia, Cuba and even Antarctica.
“There is a special allure for Americans due to Cuba being a forbidden travel destination for so many decades,” says Laura Carlson, principal travel advisor in Houston. “The Galapagos Islands are amazing because the animals have no fear of humans, so you are standing about 5 feet away from them while they pose for your photos. Additionally, Antarctica is a popular destination and books up fast.”
Formerly, a Caribbean cruise—which is an easy, accessible vacation for anyone and everyone —was the go-to for cruisers. But today, new and seasoned cruisers are taking on the complicated spots, craving the previously inaccessible locations.
According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, visitor numbers making shore landings in Antarctica reached close to 52,000 during the 2017/2018 season, an increase of 17 per cent from the previous year.
This is despite of—or because of—the fact that the ships may only carry a maximum of 500 visitors at a time, and only one ship can visit each site. There is a maximum number of ship visits daily, with no more than 100 passengers onshore at a time.
And then there’s the journey itself.
“Accessing the Antarctic Peninsula involves two days at sea crossing the infamous Drake Passage—this is a notoriously unpredictable stretch of ocean,” says Frances Armitage, senior PR executive at Chimu Adventures in Sydney. “We are living in an increasingly experiential society, and Antarctica has ultimate bragging rights, yet is still a safe and accessible thing to do if you have the money and time.”
Even the ships travelling to more popular destinations like Mexico or the Caribbean are working hard to create the off-the-beaten-path experiences on and off the water to attract vacationers.
Dominica is famous for its waterfalls and natural beauty.
For example, Seabourn and Holland America are some of the ships that stop at Dominica, where visitors can tour the volcanic mountains, rainforests and geothermal springs. Princess cruises stop at Bequia, which is a 7-mile island where you can visit the open-air food market to try the local cuisine or check out the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary.
Many people are opting to extend their trip with a land-based tour for a few days either before or after the trip, says Jenni Fielding, marketing manager at Cruise 118 in the UK. More than half—or 57 per cent—of cruisers extend their vacations in the port cities, and 68 per cent of millennials do this, according to the Cruise Lines International Association study.
“Seasoned cruisers are looking for something new. Not just new port of call, but also new land-based experiences when they get there,” Fielding says.
They’re also choosing ships that offer onboard experiences that can’t be found elsewhere.
Carnival Vista just added the RedFrog Pub and Brewery, which creates beer out of desalinated seawater. And on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, former Olympians perform in its water acrobat show.
Now that is something you can brag about on Instagram.
Royal Caribbean cancels Independence 2020 ex-UK season
Independence of the Seas in Southampton by Dave Jones
Royal Caribbean has cancelled Independence of the Seas’ ex-UK season next summer.
The 4,560-passenger ship was due to operate cruises from Southampton to Europe, alongside Anthem of the Seas, from May 2020. It will now offer Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale in Florida instead.
The line insisted the move was not a reflection of a softer UK market, but rather in response to “phenomenal demand” from North America.
The ship was understood to be “well-sold” but the line declined to reveal how many UK passengers – and the agents who booked them – are affected by the move.
Ben Bouldin, associate vice president and managing director, Royal Caribbean International UK & Ireland, said guests affected by the itinerary change will be offered full refunds, and a ‘Future Cruise Credit’ for use on alternative sailings – valued at 25% of the cruise fare paid on their cancelled sailing.
Guests booked on the transatlantic sailings will be offered an alternative sailing on Anthem of the Seas, which is also sailing ex-UK to Europe in summer 2020, along with onboard credit based on their stateroom category and sailing length.
Non-refundable airline charges will be reimbursed, and full refunds given to those who wish to cancel.
Bouldin stressed: “This is not a reflection on the UK market but rather a response to the phenomenal demand we’re seeing in North America. Ex-UK 2020 sales have been buoyant since our ‘on sale now’ campaign back in November 2018 and we are also seeing strong demand from UK guests for sailings outside of Europe, particularly in the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific regions.
“The UK continues to be an important market for Royal Caribbean.”
President and chief executive Michael Bayley had expressed nervousness around the UK market because of the Brexit situation, before confirming the deployment of Anthem to Southampton, which would more than double the line’s ex-UK capacity.
Last year, he said: “The big thing for us is the value of sterling. We are an American company. All of our revenues have to come back to us in dollars. When Brexit hit, that was a 15% cut. The UK is a big side of our business.”
But he later confirmed Anthem would indeed join Independence, saying: “We experience volatility in all the markets that we operate in. Our strategy has been a continuation, protect, optimise and carry on the journey; that is why we announced that Anthem is coming to the UK in 2020.
“By the time we have got through 2019, we will be in a far more stable environment. A lot of the choppiness will have stabilised. We are hoping but we don’t know. This kind of uncertainty is not good for business.”
This was before the Brexit deadline was delayed another six months to October 31, 2019.
Bouldin added: “The benefit of our global business model is that we are able to reposition ships to satisfy the demand of our guests. In this case, demand is high in the Caribbean, especially for itineraries to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, and keeping Independence of the Seas in Florida allows us to meet the demand.”
Independence of the Seas, which came back into service after a multi-million-pound refit in May 2018, is the most popular of all Royal Caribbean ships among UK agents and their customers. A Royal Caribbean spokeswoman confirmed that agents with customers booked on Independence of the Seas for summer 2020 sailings will keep the commission they have earned.
She added that the line is hoping that many affected passengers will transfer to Anthem of the Seas, which it pointed out was a larger and newer vessel.
Royal Caribbean will be sending letters to all affected passengers this morning (Thurs) to let them know of the decision and to outline their alternative options. It will also be contacting trade partners.
Royal’s Onboard Revenue Spike Driven by Experiences
Onboard revenue for Royal Caribbean Cruises was up significantly in the company’s first quarter, going from $602 million in 2018 to $729 million in 2019.
“Guests spend for onboard activities has continued to shift towards areas that involve experiences over buying things and this quarter was no different,” said Jason T. Liberty, CFO, Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Passengers spent an average of $69.10 (gross) per day in the first quarter compared to $62.55 a year prior.
Liberty said shore excursions and various types of packages were key in driving the onboard revenue performance.
“We saw an over the index of spend on shore excursions and products like beverage packages, internet packages and again it is more focused on the experiential stuff versus seeing more spend occur within the retail shops,” he said.
