Princess Ship Completes Drydock in Rotterdam

Princess Ship Completes Drydock in Rotterdam

The Sky Princess successfully completed a routine drydock at the Damen Verolme in Rotterdam earlier this month.

According to the Dutch shipyard, the Princess Cruises vessel spent a total of 16 days in the facility undergoing regular maintenance, in addition to technical upgrades.

The scope of work included the installation of class-certified parts for a new air lubrication system and a full hull painting program, Damen said.

A total of 1,200 crew members and 700 contractors worked around the clock to complete the project, which the shipyard called a logistical challenge.

Following the successful drydock, the Sky Princess resumed service on May 5.

Spending the summer in Northern Europe, the 2019-built vessel is presently offering a series of cruises departing from Southampton, England.

The program includes itineraries to Western Europe, the Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and more.

In May, for instance, the ship is offering a seven-night cruise to Scandinavia, in addition to a special 14-night cruise to Iceland and Norway.

Also sailing roundtrip from Southampton, the two-week cruise features visits to Akureyri, Isafjord and Grundarfjordur in Iceland, as well as Skjolden, Olden and Alesund, in Norway.

Following its summer program in Europe, the Sky Princess is set to return to North America in November.

Starting on Nov. 25, the vessel offers a series of itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas departing from Princess’ cruise terminal in Port Everglades, Florida.

Fourth in a series of six ships known as Royal Class, the Sky Princess originally entered service in 2019.

Built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 141,000-ton cruise ship was followed, in 2020, by the Enchanted Princess – which also completed a drydock recently.

After arriving in Europe in March, the 3,660-guest vessel underwent routine work at a facility of the Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

A third ship also spent time at a shipyard recently, as the Sapphire Princess visited the Vigor Shipyard on the U.S. West Coast for regular maintenance in April.

Norwegian Cruise Line Confident in Europe 2023 Despite Baltic Limitations

Norwegian Cruise Line Confident in Europe 2023 Despite Baltic Limitations

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is increasing its capacity by six per cent in Europe in 2023, coming at the expense of the Caribbean, according to Frank Del Rio, president and CEO, speaking on the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

He said that yields on ticket prices and onboard revenue for cruises in Europe were “dramatically better.”

And this is in despite of limitations in the Baltic, with ships not calling at Russia’s Saint Petersburg. 

“If you had asked me what is the single city in the world, port in the world that you cannot live without, I'd tell you it's Saint Petersburg, and we lost it,” Del Rio said. “Very, very high yields, incredible shore excursion sales. So onboard revenue was just higher than any other itineraries that I can think of, and it’s a relatively long season. You can get (there) in mid-May and you can leave in mid-September.”

That limitation in 2022 sent one Norwegian ship elsewhere, as the Getaway moved to the Caribbean for the summer sailing from Port Canaveral.

“It did affect load factors and no question, it affected pricing. And the impact on EBITDA has to be in the tens of millions of dollars,” Del Rio explained.

But both the Baltic and the Mediterranean look encouraging for 2023, with Del Rio noting that Americans travelling to Europe book the highest cabin categories earliest.

“This revenge travel or pent-up demand that we've been talking about for months is really alive and well for Americans going to Europe,” he said.

“We believe that Europe is poised for an incredible 2023 season. That's why we increased our capacity there by 6 percentage points of occupancy at the expense of the Caribbean. And I'll take that trade all day long because the yields both on a ticket and on onboard revenue are so dramatically better for European cruises that we'll take that trade.”

Carnival Legend Completes 20 Years in Service

Carnival Legend Completes 20 Years in Service

Carnival Legend photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Twenty years ago, the Carnival Legend arrived in New York City for its debut in the United States.

The first of two cruise ships that entered service for Carnival Cruise Line in 2002, the Spirit-Class vessel docked in a stateside port for the first time on September 22, 2022.

On that day, the Legend concluded a 15-night transatlantic crossing before kicking off its first cruise to Canada and New England.

The 11-night voyage included visits to Boston, Portland, Quebec City, Sydney and Halifax before returning to New York City.

As part of its inaugural program, the Legend offered additional itineraries departing from New York City as well as cruises departing from Philadelphia and Baltimore in October.

The 2,100-guest vessel then arrived in Fort Lauderdale – the homeport for its first winter season in the Caribbean – in November.

Prior to its arrival in the United States, the Legend became the first Carnival ship to offer cruises in Europe.

Soon after being delivered from Kvaerner Masa-Yards in August, the ship sailed two different cruises to Northern Europe and the Baltic.

Continuing Carnival’s Spirit Class, the Legend followed the 2001-built Carnival Spirit and the 2001-built Carnival Pride. A fourth vessel in the series, the Carnival Miracle, entered service in 2004.

Designed with a multi-deck atrium, a glass-enclosed pool deck and a large number of cabins with private balconies, the ship underwent a major refurbishment in 2014.

The multi-million-dollar renovation included the additions of the Green Thunder, one of the steepest and fastest waterslides at sea; the tropics-inspired RedFrog Pub; and a full-service sushi restaurant called Bonsai Sushi.

Currently sailing from Baltimore, the Legend last saw a drydock in 2021. At the time, it received Carnival’s new livery, as well as general maintenance and upkeep.

In addition to the Carnival Legend, the Carnival Conquest also debuted in 2002.

AIDA Announces Substitute Ports in the Baltic with Russia Out

AIDA Announces Substitute Ports in the Baltic with Russia Out

AIDA Cruises, Carnival Corporation's German brand, has announced replacement ports in the Baltic and not call in Saint Petersburg this summer. 

The AIDAdiva, AIDAmar, AIDAnova and AIDAvita will see calls in Russia cancelled and replaced by destinations such as Riga (Latvia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo (Norway) or Visby (Gotland/Sweden).

The AIDAdiva will call at the Latvian capital Riga or Copenhagen instead of Saint Petersburg on its seven-day Baltic Sea roundtrip from Warnemünde starting between May 14 and October 8, 2022. The voyage with a departure date of May 7, 2022, will include a visit to Hamina in southern Finland.

For the seven-day round trips in the Baltic Sea with the AIDAnova from Kiel with departure dates between May 14 and October 15, 2022, AIDA Cruises has developed alternative routes in the Baltic Sea as well as to Norway and Denmark. Baltic cruises now include an extended stay in the Estonian capital Tallinn. Copenhagen/Kalundborg is also new on the itinerary.

The AIDAnova is now setting course for Scandinavia on new voyages. In addition to a visit to Copenhagen and Kristiansand, AIDAnova’s guests can enjoy a two-day stay in Oslo.

On its 10 day Baltic cruises, the AIDAmar will call at the port of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland and the Latvian capital Riga instead of Saint Petersburg.

In addition, the first sailing of the AIDAvita will depart on July 24, 2022. 

Holland America Line Makes Baltic Itinerary Changes

Holland America Line Makes Baltic Itinerary Changes

In light of the recent attacks by Russia in Ukraine, Holland America Line is modifying six cruise itineraries that were originally scheduled to visit Russian ports this year, the company said.

"We stand for peace and our thoughts are with those who are in harm’s way," the company said, in a press release. 

Replacement ports vary by itinerary, and the five sailings that would have visited Saint Petersburg, Russia, will instead call on Baltic ports such as Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Visby, Sweden, while also adding an overnight stay in Stockholm, Sweden.

The cruise that was scheduled to visit Vladivostok, Russia, will instead visit Busan (Pusan), South Korea.

Booked guests and their travel advisors will receive notice of the changes as soon as that process is complete.

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Russia Calls for 2022

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Russia Calls for 2022

Norwegian Jade photo credit Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled all of its calls into Saint Petersburg, Russia, this summer season.

It impacts called aboard the Dawn, Getaway and new Prima on their Baltic itineraries, according to a statement sent to travel partners and booked guests. Replacement ports are set to be announced soon. 

Norwegian Dawn:

• June 20, 2022
• July 20, 2022
• August 16, 2022
• July 2, 2022
• July 28, 2022
• July 11, 2022
• August 7, 2022

Norwegian Getaway:

• May 18, 2022
• June 14, 2022
• July 11, 2022
• August 7, 2022
• September 3, 2022
• September 30, 2022​​​​​
• May 27, 2022
• June 23, 2022
• July 20, 2022
• August 16, 2022
• September 12, 2022
• October 9, 2022
• June 5, 2022
• July 2, 2022
• July 29, 2022
• August 25, 2022
• September 21, 2022

Norwegian Prima:

• September 3, 2022

Norwegian Cruise Line Looking for Baltic Alternatives; Russia Calls in Limbo

Norwegian Cruise Line Looking for Baltic Alternatives; Russia Calls in Limbo

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings may be looking for alternative ports in the Baltic for its Norwegian, Oceania and Regent brands, should the company not be able to call in Saint Petersburg this summer, according to Mark Kempa, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

"We are looking at alternative ports as we speak," Kempa said, on the company's year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call on Thursday. 

Frank Del Rio, President and CEO, added: "The Baltic ships will stay in the Baltic ... if we cannot go to Saint Petersburg there are many alternative ports in the surrounding countries."

Del Rio said the company would find alternative ports, or overnight in nearby ports if needed.

"It is disappointing because Saint Petersburg is one of the crown jewels of (an itinerary) but certainly there are alternatives," he said.

Kempa downplayed the potential effect of impacts to the Baltic season and noted the company had about 5 per cent of its deployment in the Baltic this summer, which he said was weighted in favour of the Norwegian brand.

"This is something we've been thinking about, and worst-case scenario. if we're not able to call on Saint Petersburg or the surrounding areas, there are plenty of other ports in the Scandinavian region that we have the ability to call on," Kempa noted.

Kempa said it would not be a huge impact, with about 50 sailings calling in Saint Petersburg this summer, but did concede that the Russian port was a premiere destination on Baltic itineraries. 

"Europe is a big continent too," Kempa said. "This is affecting a very small portion of Europe and there's a lot of other areas that we can operate in."

MSC CRUISES EXTENDS BELLISSIMA'S ARABIAN GULF SEASON

MSC Cruises has announced plans to extend its current season in the Arabian Gulf after the destination proved to be "particularly attractive" to its customers this winter.

Bellissima will finish its planned Red Sea itineraries homeporting in Jeddah on 26 March and then move to the Arabian Gulf to take over from Virtuosa on 2 April. 

 

The vessel will then offer additional seven-night cruises calling in Dubai, Sir Bani Yas and Doha from 2 April through to 25 June.

 

Virtuosa, which has sailed the region since November 2021, will sail back to Europe to homeport in Southampton for the summer season.

 

In July, Bellissima will move to the Far East to perform its itineraries in Japan and China. Sales for the additional Bellissima cruises opened today.

The line said its Arabian Gulf sailings have proven to be "particularly attractive" to guests this winter, thanks to the "appeal of the itinerary" with extended stays in port and two overnights in Dubai.
 
Gianni Onorato, chief executive of MSC Cruises, said: "We have seen that the itineraries in the UAE and Qatar have been very popular with our guests and so to respond to this demand we have decided to extend our presence in the region.

 

"The decision to deploy MSC Bellissima for this extended part of the season was taken because this is a highly popular and well-appreciated ship with a richness of features, entertainment and dining as well as offering the MSC Yacht Club."

MSC Virtuosa back to Southampton

Virtuosa just passing Seaforth Docks, Liverpool photo credit Space junkie2~

The line has announced that Virtuosa, which in May became the first ship to restart UK cruises since the pandemic, will replace the older and smaller MSC Magnifica which had been scheduled to operate.

 

Virtuosa, one of MSC’s newest ships and capable of carrying around 4,000 more guests than Magnifica, will offer a range of 20 itineraries including two-night mini cruises calling in Saint Peter Port in Guernsey to 12 nights exploring the Baltics or 14 nights exploring the Western Mediterranean.

 

MSC said, “high demand” for its summer 2022 sailings had led to the decision to bring Virtuosa back to UK shores. Passengers already booked on Magnifica will be automatically rebooked to the nearest like-for-like Virtuosa sailing.

 

Agents with booked guests and direct customers will be contacted with all information pertaining to the change.

 

MSC’s the UK and Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso said the line “couldn’t turn down the opportunity” to bring Virtuosa back to Southampton after the success of its 2021 summer season.

 

“The feedback from passengers has been that they loved MSC Virtuosa and are eager to get back on board and explore more of the world on this fabulous ship,” Paradiso said.

“Despite the challenges of 2021 we had a record-breaking year with passengers sailing from Southampton, and it was great to see so many new-to-cruise guests amongst them.

 

“We have listened to the feedback from consumers and travel agents and have delivered itineraries with more choice, new destinations and longer cruises to warmer climates – all departing from Southampton.”

MSC added that current booking trends also meant it would base a ship in Southampton year-round in 2022 with the vessel due to be announced later this year.

 

The ship will sail similar northern Europe itineraries in 2022-2023 to those currently being offered by Magnifica.

 

Paradiso added: “Five years ago we announced our intention to grow our business in the UK market and I am pleased to say that this announcement is further evidence of our commitment to this target.

 

“We have made a series of investments, from increasing the number of sailings from UK ports visiting new and exciting destinations, to supporting the building of the new Horizon Cruise Terminal in Southampton, that all help us achieve our goal to give UK guests the holidays they want, and travel agents the cruises they want to sell.”

 

The news comes as MSC confirms its full fleet of 19 ships will be sailing by summer 2022, with its requirement for all guests to be vaccinated remaining in place.

 

MSC said it would continue to implement “the appropriate measures” to ensure guests can “enjoy one of the safest holidays options out there”.

AIDA to Add Capacity from German Citing Cruise Demand

Citing strong demand for voyages from northern German ports, AIDA Cruises will deploy another Sphinx-class ship from Kiel, according to a press release. 

On August 15, 2021, the first four-day short cruise to Gdynia will start followed by a three-day cruise to Gothenburg.

Both voyages will be offered alternately through Oct. 14.

The name of the ship will be announced shortly, the company said, and all cruises are already open for bookings.

On the four-day voyage, the ship calls at the Polish port of Gdynia after a relaxing sea day passing the island of Gotland, among others.

AIDA started operating from Kiel in May with the AIDAprima sailing every Saturday on week-long cruises in the Baltic, calling in Gothenburg, Visby on the island of Gotland, and Stockholm.

MSC Cruises Resumes Sailings From Germany

The MSC Seaview has departed from the German port of Kiel for the first on a seven-night cruises in the Baltic Sea, according to the cruise line’s press release.

The Seaview is the seventh MSC Cruises’ ship to resume sailings with guests onboard with a further three preparing to start future voyages, which will see half of the company’s fleet back at sea by the end of summer.

The vessel will homeport in Kiel until the beginning of October and the ship will welcome German and international guests for an itinerary to Visby on one of Sweden’s largest islands Gotland, Nynäshamn near the Swedish capital city of Stockholm and Estonia’s capital Tallinn before returning to her North German base.

MSC Cruises’ protected shore excursions are available at all ports of call.

In other MSC news, the weekend also saw Marseille added to MSC Seaview’s sister ship MSC Seaside’s West Mediterranean itinerary, the first French port to reopen for the cruise line and welcome international guests for weekly calls.

Five MSC Cruises’ ships are currently sailing in the Mediterranean – the MSC Grandiosa, MSC Seaside, MSC Orchestra, MSC Splendida and MSC Magnifica. A sixth ship, the MSC Virtuosa, has operated cruises around the UK for British guests only since May 20.

The MSC Meraviglia from Aug. 2 will resume Caribbean cruises from Miami and will be joined in the region from Sept. 18 when the MSC Divina restarts sailing from Port Canaveral near Orlando in Florida.

The MSC Seashore will come into service in August with voyages in the West Mediterranean before the company’s newest flagship transfers in November to Miami for a season in the Caribbean.

MSC To Cruise the UK From May 20, No Vaccination Required

MSC Cruises has announced that it will be offering a “special range of short breaks and week-long cruises around the British Isles” in summer 2021, starting from May 20, for UK holidaymakers only.

Departing from the new terminal in the port of Southampton, these first sailings will kick off with a series of short cruises and will be followed by seven-night sailings visiting “some of the UK’s favourite destinations and offering additional ports of embarkation to guests,” the cruise line said in a press release.

“Our experience of sailing safely and responsibly since August last year in the Mediterranean under our industry-leading protective health and safety protocol has given us a great deal of knowledge and data about safe cruises,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO at MSC Cruises.

“We also remain confident that we will soon be able to welcome British guests back on board one of our ships further afield, once current international travel restrictions are lifted and more of our ships will have restarted across the Mediterranean as well as other areas traditionally favoured by the British,” he added.

Antonio Paradiso, the managing director at MSC Cruises UK & Ireland, said that the cruise line’s hope is to “offer every type of holidaymaker the chance to escape this summer – from grandparents to teens and even the smallest of passengers looking to explore.”

Both vaccinated and non-vaccinated guests would be welcome, Paradiso explained.

“All guests will be tested prior to embarkation, while non-vaccinated guests will also be required to show proof of negative test done within 72 hours prior to embarkation,” he said. “Crew in addition to the protocol-mandated test and 14-day quarantine prior to embarkation will also receive weekly testing, in addition to other ongoing health monitoring measures.”

According to Paradiso, MSC Cruises has carried more than 50,000 guests since its restart of operations in August 2020 under the protection of a health and safety protocol.

“It is built around a comprehensive strategy that includes universal testing of all guests and crew prior to embarkation and periodically throughout the cruise, deep and ongoing sanitation, protected-only shore excursions, as well as many other measures that we are used to in our daily lives, such as social distancing and the wearing of face coverings. We will sail with a reduced capacity so that guests have even more space,” he said.

“Our industry-leading protocol was developed with input from international health experts – including our own ‘Blue-Ribbon’ expert group – and in close cooperation with relevant health, transport and safety authorities and was designed to respond to a fluctuating health situation ashore. This allowed us to support continued cruise operations in the Mediterranean through to today, safely welcoming guests onboard from across the Schengen area throughout the different phases of the evolution of the pandemic in the various countries,” he added.

Paradiso said that MSC will continue to adapt the protocol in line with relevant requirements and guidance, to “provide the (UK guests with the) same seamless experience they are used to when cruising.”

“We understand how important this particular summer is to holidaymakers and we’re committed to providing guests with a range of fantastic activities in a healthy and safe environment. Guests can expect a variety of fun and engaging areas for children with play areas for a range of ages and world-class dining and round-the-clock entertainment offerings that provide multi-generational groups with a holiday option that suits this summer,” he said.

According to Paradiso, MSC Cruises is also working on a program of protected shore excursions for its guests to experience the destinations it will visit, but “of course, this is subject to prevailing circumstances and local guidance at the time of sailing.”

“We believe that this special offering will provide UK holidaymakers with a unique summer of cruising and be the ultimate destination for families and friends to reconnect and create new memories this summer. In the meantime, we continue to engage with the UK Government and all relevant authorities as we evaluate the ever-changing travel landscape and prepare for any potential roadblocks that could arise as we journey on the roadmap to recovery. Whilst we are excited for a summer of British cruising, we remain confident that we will soon be able to welcome UK guests back onboard further afield,” he said.

Further details regarding the sailings will be announced shortly, Paradiso said, highlighting the cruise line’s commitment to providing flexibility to guests.

Top Block Placed on AIDAcosma

AIDAcosma in the Meyer Werft shipyard.

The new AIDAcosma is inching closer to completion as Meyer Werft placed the bridge block on the ship in the yard's covered building hall in Papenburg, Germany.

The 5,400 guest ship is a sister to the AIDAnova, and both are powered by LNG, with another AIDA newbuild due for delivery from the German yard in 2023.

The AIDAcosma is set for a spring 2021 delivery date from the shipbuilder. 

Her inaugural season has the ship sailing in the Baltic and to the Norwegian fjords next summer followed by a planned deployment to the Middle East for 2021-2022.

Norwegian Cruise Line Launches Summer 2023 Itineraries

Norwegian Bliss in the Azores.

Norwegian Cruise Line today announced its 2023 summer itinerary lineup.

The new itineraries include the brand’s first visit to beautiful Nessebar, Bulgaria on Norwegian Jade’s Extraordinary Journeys sailing through the Mediterranean and the Black Sea; the debut of Norwegian Bliss at the Royal Naval Dockyard during her seven-day roundtrip voyage to Bermuda from New York; Norwegian Jade’s first visit to Bodrum, Turkey and Paros, Greece during her seven-day roundtrip voyage from Athens (Piraeus), Greece; and more.

The company said this is the furthest in advance that it has ever launched its itineraries.

“Now is the time to break free from the hold 2020 has had on us, dream big and plan for the cruise vacation we’ve all been waiting for,” said Harry Sommer, Norwegian Cruise Line president and chief executive officer. “Our newest itineraries along with our incredible, limited-time Black Friday deal provides guests with the perfect opportunity to book, save and indulge in a cruise vacation of a lifetime. We can’t wait to return to the sea, but until we can do so, we are proud to be able to provide our guests with a bit of inspiration, entertainment and behind-the-scenes action with the launch of ‘EMBARK – The Series’.”

Summer 2023 notable itineraries include:

MEDITERRANEAN

• The Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Jade will sail a selection of five to 11-day cruises through the Mediterranean from May through October.
• For the first time, Norwegian Cruise Line will visit the ancient city of Nessebar, Bulgaria during Norwegian Jade’s March 30 Extraordinary Journeys sailing. This nine-day roundtrip voyage from Athens (Piraeus), Greece through the Mediterranean and the Black Sea include a port rich itinerary with no sea days.
• On her May 21 sailing, the Norwegian Jade will make her debut in Bodrum, Turkey and Paros, Greece as she embarks on a selection of seven-day Greek Isles roundtrip voyages from Athens (Piraeus), Greece, available through Oct. 15.
• From May 6 through Oct. 13, the Norwegian Breakaway will offer port-intensive itineraries during her 10-day Greek Isles roundtrip cruises from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, visiting Santorini, Greece; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Cannes, France and more.

NORTHERN EUROPE
Sailing a series of Northern Europe cruises from May 8 through Oct. 17, Norwegian Getaway’s nine-day Baltic roundtrip voyages from Copenhagen, Denmark feature an overnight stay, a total of 36 hours in port, in St. Petersburg, Russia. The itinerary also includes calls to Warnemünde, Germany; Tallinn, Estonia; Stockholm, Sweden; and Helsinki.

BERMUDA
For the first time on her May 21 sailing, the Norwegian Bliss, will call to Norfolk, Virginia. The vessel will also make her debut at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda as she begins a series of five and seven-day roundtrip cruises sailing out of New York. The itineraries include two overnight stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard

ALASKA
Between April 22 and Oct. 15, Alaska will welcome four Norwegian Cruise Line ships: Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy. The ships will sail a variety of five to nine-day voyages from Seattle; Vancouver, Canada; and Seward, Alaska, and every seven and nine-day itinerary.

BAHAMAS
Starting June 2 through Dec. 29, the Norwegian Sky will sail three and four-day roundtrip cruises from Miami, calling to Freeport, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay.

THE CARIBBEAN
Cruising roundtrip from Miami, the Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Sky will offer a mix of five to nine-day sailings between Eastern and Western Caribbean. The various itineraries include calls to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Road Town (Tortola), British Virgin Islands; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; George Town, Cayman Islands; Roatan Island, Honduras; Cozumel, Mexico; Harvest Caye.

Norwegian Sky leaving the port of Miami

CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND
Beginning Aug. 27 through Oct. 29, the Norwegian Escape will homeport in New York City offering seven-day roundtrip cruises to Canada and New England making calls to Newport, Rhode Island; Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine; Saint John and Halifax, Canada. The Norwegian Pearl will sail a series of seven-day open-jaw cruises to and from Boston, and Quebec City, Canada from Aug. 25 through Oct. 13 with visits to Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown and Saguenay, Canada.

TUI to Add Mein Schiff 6 Back in September, Cruising From Crete

The TUI Cruises restart is going so well the company is expanding to three ships as the Mein Schiff 6 will sail round-trip cruises from Crete in September with port calls.

The first week-long sailing will depart on Sept. 13.

Guests will be allowed to take company-organized shore excursions in Athens, Crete and Corfu.

TUI said it will dramatically expand shore excursion capacity so all guests can partake. The ship is expected to operate at 60 per cent occupancy. 

The Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 will continue with their "Blue Voyages" (no port calls) in the North and Baltic Sea, offering five- and seven-day cruises in September, according to the company. 

For the time being all departures of the Mein Schiff fleet (departures from September) will require a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR test). The costs for this are already included in the travel price.

Before the new crew comes on board, they are tested for COVID-19 shoreside. Only crewmembers who have tested negative can come on board and then they also go into 14-day individual isolation on a balcony cabin before they begin working.

SeaDream says demand is high for restart

SeaDream Yacht Club said that its first sailings following its operations pause have sold out. 

The small-ship line will begin sailing seven- and 12-day cruises out of Norway on June 20. 

SeaDream opened reservations last week and according to executive vice president Andreas Brynestad, the first voyage sold out in “a matter of days.” 

“The response has been nothing but overwhelming in a good way and better than we could have ever imagined,” he said. “People are incredibly hungry for travel and our small yachts/ships are exactly what people are looking for now.”

SeaDream said that during the pause in operations its ships repositioned to Lisbon, where they were maintained and given upgrades such as replacing the teak deck. 

SeaDream normally operates in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The Norwegian line’s itineraries will take the ships past the Arctic Circle so that guests can experience the midnight sun, the Lofoten Fjords, and Tromsoe.

CMV Has Booking Momentum for Baltic and St. Petersburg for 2021

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) is seeing growing interest in cruise holidays sailing to the Baltic cities and St. Petersburg in 2021, according to a press release.

CMV’s fleet of smaller to medium-sized cruise ships sail from a range of UK ports including London Tilbury, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Harwich to Baltic destinations, according to the company, with a nine-night cruise departing October 17, 2021, from Portsmouth is available from just £699 per person, included in the buy one, get one free offer the company is pushing.

The Baltic cruises include "Hidden Baltic Treasures" sailing from London Tilbury April 11 for 12 nights onboard CMV’s Marco Polo visiting Holland, Denmark, Germany with an option to see Berlin, Lithuania and Poland. 

A number of CMV cruises to the Baltic include an overnight stop in St. Petersburg. The Columbus sails June 5, 2021, from London Tilbury on a 14-night Baltic Cities and St. Petersburg itinerary. This itinerary also includes Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm. Fares are available from £1135pp. The Columbus sails on a similar itinerary on September 16 2021.

When is the Best Time of Year for a Cruise?

Norwegian Fjords

The world is a wonderful patchwork of variety, with something totally different to explore in every corner of the globe. So if you’re sick of wintry weather – or just fancy a complete change of place – there is an exciting destination out there to be discovered, and, thanks to the schedule that the tourism industry operates by, there are lots of good low-season deals to be had. Here are a few suggestions of top cruise destinations – only not at the times of year you might expect.

November to January

Caribbean Cruise

The winter months are a funny time for the cruise calendar. Although the weeks of Christmas and New Year are peak times for trips to the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera, early November and late January are very quiet periods that nevertheless offer all of the benefits that you’d expect from busier times. The weather is still beautiful and perfect for beach days and general lounging, but crowds are few and, with less demand for tourist attractions and excursions, ticket prices are lower. Meanwhile, the South Pacific, and particularly the exquisite island of Tahiti, is the perfect place to escape the bitter cold of European winters. Wade in the crystal waters and relax on the beaches of French Polynesia, while enjoying the peace of the low season in the cafes and bars.

February to May

Galapagos islands

Springtime is a great chance to pick up some travel bargains before the real holiday season gets into full swing, and there are some amazing destinations that are cheaper and much less hassle to visit at this time of year. South America is a particularly good hotspot to try. Temperatures are not yet up to their summer highs but they are still very pleasant – and, helpfully, less humid – and in a part of the world that sees a lot of tourist traffic, the presence of fewer crowds really pays off when it comes to convenience and the prices you pay. The Amazon rainforest can be explored via river vessel and makes for a really unique and adventurous trip – and the milder weather will certainly be welcome when you’re navigating the humid confines of the jungle. Alternatively, there are the awe-inspiring and vibrant Galapagos Islands, whose unrivalled flora and fauna helped Darwin to develop his theory of evolution. Although they are popular most of the year round, they enjoy a slight lull in trade around this time of year.

June to August

New England

It may be the peak holiday season during which many Westerners set off around the globe for a hard-earned break somewhere completely different, but there are still parts of the world offering real bargains worth having during their months of hibernation from the tourist trail. Tourists flock to Canada and New England every autumn for their world-famous foliage and breath-taking landscapes, making the summer months the perfect time to visit. Many locals are away for their own holidays, the weather is warm and there is still plenty to do and see, at a much cheaper rate. Australia is another great place to visit during low season; don’t forget that this is Australia’s winter, but extreme weather is unlikely, and there are plenty of attractions to see and bars and restaurants to enjoy while avoiding the high-season-price tickets.

September to October

Santorini Greek Isles  

Autumn brings about many opportunities for exciting and affordable cruises. Now that all of the summer tourist footfall has ceased and normal working days have been resumed, there are many places where you can enjoy the peace and quiet – and cheaper prices. Hawaii is still soaking up the tropical sunshine between September and October, with its colourful beaches bare and ready to be relaxed upon. Although the heat can bring about tropical storms, it will certainly not dampen your Hawaii experience, and there are any number of characterful bars and restaurants to take temporary refuge in. Alternatively, the autumn months are low season for the cruise routes of Northern Europe, which include the famously beautiful fjords of Norway. The crisp winter weather makes for wondrous landscapes, so don’t forget to bring your camera. The affordability of Northern Europe during low season is a definite perk too, with Scandinavia being a lovely but quite expensive destination, so take advantage of low prices and fewer people on board cruise ships.

Royal's Jewel of the Seas leaving Stockholm

About the author: Debbie Stevens oversees The Cruise Line’s sales team and assists with coordinating the company’s marketing strategy. She has had over 20 years’ travel experience with various responsibilities and sailed with Windstar Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, amongst others.

MSC Cruises Northern Europe ended successful season in 2014

The North European season 2014 goes for MSC cruises to the end and the three MSC ships stationed in Germany goodbye. The MSC Magnifica leaves on 12 October 2014 after 22 attempts, the port of Hamburg. It is replaced by the MSC Splendida, which is in the summer season 2015, as the largest passenger ship in the Hanseatic city.

The port of Hamburg says "Goodbye" to the MSC Magnifica. This popular cruise ship brought two summers thousands passengers from Hamburg to the most beautiful coasts of northern Europe. On October 12, they will start from the Hanseatic city from last ports in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the UK. In November, the MSC Magnifica then takes her three-week Grand Voyage to South America, where it crosses in winter 2014/2015. The two stationed in Kiel and Warnemünde MSC ships, MSC Orchestra and MSC Poesia have left Germany in September and will be stationed in the coming winter in Dubai and South America. The MSC Poesia had a total stored in the last season 18 times of Warnemünde, the MSC Orchestra 19 times of Kiel.

Photo: MSC Cruises

"We look back on an extremely successful season in Germany. Our three ships were booked straight through " , said Michael Zengerle, CEO of MSC Cruises. "Now we look forward to the summer of 2015, and particularly on the MSC Splendida, with which we will provide three premieres in Hamburg: MSC sends the first time one of its flagships from a German port of departure from the north, our guests can book for the first time the MSC Yacht Club from Germany and the MSC Splendida will also be the largest passenger ship serving of the Hanseatic city of cruises. "

Photo: MSC Cruises

The MSC Splendida is on May 1, 2015 will have their big in Hamburg: The ship of the Fantasia-class of MSC with 330 meters and a gross tonnage of 138,000 will be the largest positioned in the Hanseatic city cruise ship with a capacity of 1,637 cars. The baptized by Sophia Loren in 2009 luxury liner is a total of 12 times set sail and start on eight different routes ports in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands as well as in Norway and Iceland. These range from a mini-cruise with four nights to two-week trips. With the MSC Splendida MSC Cruises are in the upcoming summer season about 30 percent more capacity on high demand routes from Hamburg. This MSC responds to the continuing boom in Northern Europe cruises. The three MSC ports in northern and eastern Germany are especially popular with German visitors because of their convenient accessibility.

The MSC Splendida is on the North Europe routes from summer 2015 for the first time an exclusive luxury range available: the MSC Yacht Club, a "ship in the ship" concept for guests who want to be pampered on board in a luxurious ambience and a private atmosphere especially. The MSC Yacht Club includes accommodation in spacious suites in a prime location in the bow of the ship and an all-inclusive drinks deal. Guests may also make use of separate areas such as a restaurant and sun deck as well as use of specific services claim, including them is a personal Butler around the clock.

The MSC Splendida offers its guests a cruise experience at the highest level. The varied gastronomic offer, with 21 bars and five restaurants serving Mediterranean and international cuisine ensures guests every day a new taste experience. The five pools and hot tubs 12 aboard guarantee fun for everyone. A special highlight is the covered and heated pool. This bathing is a pleasure even on chilly days in the far north. The generous Aurea Spa features a sauna, fitness center and elegant massage cabins to relax. Also, tennis, basketball, squash and jogging are possible on board. There is every night in the theater seats 1,600 comprehensive high-class Broadway shows. In addition, on board among others include a 4D cinema, a Formula 1 simulator, bowling, casino, Internet cafe and a disco.

Also in Warnemünde will begin in summer 2015 with the newly refurbished and modernized MSC Sinfonia a new ship, the anfährt on 16 runs many attractive ports in the North and Baltic MSC Cruises. From Kiel MSC Orchestra will happen this coming summer from a total of 19 times and visited, among other things, the port cities of Stockholm, Helsinki and St. Petersburg.