Virgin Voyages: Cameo on The Real Housewives of Miami

Virgin Voyages: Cameo on The Real Housewives of Miami

Virgin Voyages has announced that it will feature on Bravo’s series “The Real Housewives of Miami” in two back-to-back episodes, premiering on Thursday, September 4.

The company said in a press release that the collaboration began when Richard Branson invited Miami entrepreneur Marysol Patton on board to toast her recent wedding. Joined by her girlfriends, the Housewives set sail in November.

“We couldn’t imagine a better way to showcase the Virgin Voyages experience than through the fabulous lens of The Real Housewives of Miami,” said Nicole Huang, SVP at Virgin Voyages.

“These episodes truly capture the spirit of our brand: bold, sophisticated and always a little fabulous. We love being the go-to vacation for celebrating life’s biggest and most glamorous milestones,” added Huang.

Virgin added that the cameo underscores its growing presence in pop culture while reinforcing its reputation.

According to the press release, the ladies experienced the company’s most iconic experiences, which included The Perch, a retro VHS-inspired 80s aerobics class, culinary adventures at The Wake and Test Kitchen with an edible theatre.

The group also had bites and Champagne at Richard’s Rooftop.

Hapag-Lloyd Ships Meet Off the Coast of Norway

Hapag-Lloyd Ships Meet Off the Coast of Norway

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ luxury vessels met in the open sea earlier this month.

Sailing off the coast of Norway, the Europa and the Europa 2 held a ceremony to mark the occasion.

With crew members from both ships meeting in boats, Europa’s Captain Dag Dvergastein handed over a bottle of champagne, along with a greeting message.

Sören Anderl, the Captain of Europa 2, also offered a bottle of champagne, in addition to his own greeting message.

According to Hapag-Lloyd, the ceremony ended with the ships sounding their horns, while passengers and crew waved at each other.

Cruising from Kiel to Hamburg, the Europa was offering a 13-night itinerary to Norway during the encounter.

Sailing all the way to the Cape North, the itinerary included visits to several sites in the Scandinavian country, including Eidfjord, Alesund, Skarsvarg, Tromso, Leknes, Skjolden, Stavanger and Oslo.

Also sailing in the region, the Europa 2 was offering an eight-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. Sailing between Kiel and Bergen, the itinerary featured Oslo, Arendal, Stavanger, Olden, Molde, Vik and Flam as ports of call.

Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the Europa 2 entered service in May 2013. With eight restaurants, six bars, a large spa, a fitness complex and multiple facilities, the 516-guest ship is said to offer the greatest space per passenger in the entire industry.

Replacing the 1981-built Europa, the Europa was built at the Kvaerner Masa-Yard in Finland and entered service in 1999.

According to Hapag-Lloyd, the 401-guest ship helped set global standards for luxury cruising and offers an “incomparable amount of freedom,” with amenities that include a pool deck, a spa and several bars and restaurants.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises also operates a fleet of three purpose-built expedition ships, the Hanseatic Nature, the Hanseatic Inspiration and the Hanseatic Spirit.

Sophia Loren to Name MSC Euribia in Copenhagen

Sophia Loren to Name MSC Euribia in Copenhagen

MSC Cruises announced that Oscar-winning actress Sophia Loren will name the cruise line’s 19th ship, the MSC Euribia at a ceremony scheduled for June 8 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In addition to having the Hollywood star name the ship, the ceremony will be hosted by television personality, model and actress Sarah Grünewald, who will serve as the Master of the Ceremony.

Guests can expect the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne over the bow of the ship, a special gala dinner and a range of live performances, including a DJ set from the popular French DJ and record producer, Bob Sinclar

Following the naming ceremony, the MSC Euribia will start sailing seven-night cruises in Northern Europe departing from Kiel, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark. The ship will explore Norwegian Fjords including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flaam.

At the event in Copenhagen, guests will have the chance to catch a glimpse of the new ships’ features and amenities including Street. 2023, artwork by British artist Julian Opie; The Carousel Lounge; MSC Foundation Lab, an area dedicated to kids; five speciality restaurants including Le Grill and more.

Hurtigruten's Fridtjof Nansen To Be Christened in Svalbard

Hurtigruten's Fridtjof Nansen will be christened in Longyearbyen on Svalbard September 14 – in the northernmost naming ceremony ever to be held for a passenger ship, according to a press release.

“When looking for a location for the naming of MS Fridtjof Nansen, we couldn’t think of a better place than Svalbard. For expedition cruising, this is where it all began," said Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen.

“For us, Svalbard and Spitsbergen are much more than just a destination; it’s a part of our history. As history has told us, we need to work closely with local communities when we develop sustainable tourism for future generations of explorers. When we embark on our Svalbard expeditions, we combine our 125 years of experience with our year-round land-based presence, creating jobs and value for the local community that lasts way beyond our cruise calls," Lassesen said.

To further mark commitments and long-lasting relationships with the Svalbard community, Hurtigruten Expeditions has chosen Longyearbyen to be MS Fridtjof Nansen’s port of registry – making her the first cruise ship to proudly call Svalbard her home.

The Fridtjof Nansen will be named by breaking a chunk of ice rather than the traditional bottle of Champagne, just as sister ship MS Roald Amundsen was when she in 2019 was the first ship ever to be named in Antarctica.

The naming ceremony is set to take place on September 14 and will be live-streamed.