Captain Cook Cruises Fiji Introduces the Caledonian Sky

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji Introduces the Caledonian Sky

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji is introducing the Caledonian Sky to its fleet. Acquired from APT Cruises earlier this year, the 114-guest expedition ship will debut for the Fiji-based brand in November 2023.

According to a statement available on Captain Cook’s website, the 1991-built vessel will replace the Reef Endeavour, ushering in a “new era of high-end cruise experiences never seen before in Fiji.”

Currently, the company’s sole vessel, the 168-guest Reef Endeavour has been in service for the company since 1996.

The arrival of the Caledonian Sky “elevates and expands the pioneering expeditions” that its original ship has undertaken since entering service, the company added.

Described as a “luxury expedition small ship,” the Caledonian Sky will sail to destinations that are otherwise unreachable, Captain Cook said, including the most remote parts of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

The program includes different three- to 14-night expeditions, all accompanied by a team of Marine Biologists and cultural experts.

The schedule also includes new itineraries for the 2024-25 season, such as a seven-night cruise to Southern Lau and Kadavu.

Sailing from Port Denarau, the expedition explores the remote southern Lau and Kadavu island groups and allows guests to witness the great sea reef while visiting islands including Dravuni, Moala, Fulaga, Mutuku, Beqa and Vatulele.

Also new is the 14-night Southern Lau and Tonga Whale Migration Cruise.

According to Captain Cook, the itinerary sails to the southern portion of the Lau group of islands before embarking on an expedition to the outer islands of Tonga during the whale migration period.

Originally built for Renaissance Cruises, the Caledonian Sky has sailed for several operators during its three-decade cruising career, including Noble Caledonia and Star Cruises.

According to Captain Cook, the vessel is “tailor-made” for the “adventurous sophisticated traveller” and offers “spacious boutique comfort” with just 57 ocean-view staterooms.

The ship also carries a fleet of ten zodiacs, the company said, in addition to a team of 70 crew members.

Celebrity Cruises to Deploy Nine Ships in the Caribbean For Winter 2022-2023

Celebrity Cruises to Deploy Nine Ships in the Caribbean For Winter 2022-2023

Celebrity Eclipse at the Hubbard Glacier photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr) 

For its first full winter season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Celebrity Cruises is deploying a total of nine ships in the Caribbean. In addition to the new Celebrity Beyond, two other Edge-Class ships and four Solstice-Class vessels will be sailing in the region during the winter.  

The season will also see the premium brand offering varied itineraries in Australia, South America, the West Coast and the Galapagos.

Cruise Industry News looked into the company’s full deployment for the Winter of 2022-2023. Here’s the breakdown:

Caribbean and Bahamas

Celebrity Millennium
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2000
Homeports: San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Three to ten nights
Itineraries: Seven-night cruises to Southern and Eastern Caribbean departing from San Juan, in addition to varied itineraries departing from Fort Lauderdale in December and January
Sailing Season: October 15 to April 15

Celebrity Summit
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2001
Homeports: Miami (United States)
Length: Four and five nights
Itineraries: Short cruises to Key West, Mexico, the Bahamas and more
Sailing Season: October 27 to April 22

Celebrity Silhouette
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,886 guests
Built: 2011
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Length: Four to ten nights
Itineraries: Short cruises to Key West, Mexico and the Bahamas, in addition to ten-night voyages to Eastern Caribbean visiting St. Croix, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and more
Sailing Season: November 3 to April 10

Celebrity Beyond
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 3,260 guests
Built: 2022
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Five to eight nights
Itineraries: Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Honduras and more
Sailing Season: November 4 to April 16

Celebrity Constellation
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2002
Homeport: Tampa (United States)
Length: Five to ten nights
Itineraries: Southern, Western and Eastern Caribbean sailing to Panama, Mexico, St. Maarten, Colombia, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Grand Cayman and others
Sailing Season: November 6 to April 7

Celebrity Edge
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests
Built: 2018
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Four to 11 nights
Itineraries: Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal visiting St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba and more  
Sailing Season: November 7 to April 7

Celebrity Apex
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests
Built: 2020
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Six to eight nights
Itineraries: Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and more
Sailing Season: November 12 to April 15

 Celebrity Reflection
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 3,030 guests
Built: 2012
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Five to eight nights
Itineraries: Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean visiting Aruba, Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and more
Sailing Season: November 13 to April 16

Celebrity Equinox
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests
Built: 2009
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: Nine to 11 nights
Itineraries: Southern, Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Barbados, Martinique, Antigua and more
Sailing Season: Year-round

Australia and New Zealand

Celebrity Eclipse
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests
Built: 2010
Homeport: Sydney (Australia)
Length: Three to 13 nights
Itineraries: Varied itineraries visiting New Zealand, Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, Tonga and more
Sailing Season: October 22 to April 19

South America

Celebrity Infinity
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests
Built: 2001
Homeports: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Valparaiso (Chile)
Length: Nine to 14 nights
Itineraries: Brazil, Patagonia, Antarctica, Falklands and more
Sailing Season: December 12 to April 4

West Coast

Celebrity Solstice
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests
Built: 2008
Homeport: Los Angeles (United States)
Length: Seven and eight nights
Itineraries: Mexican Riviera and Pacific Coast visiting Cabo San Lucas, Catalina Island, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Monterey, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara and more
Sailing Season: September 24 to April 22

Galapagos

Celebrity Flora
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 100 guests
Built: 2019
Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador)
Length: Seven nights
Itineraries: Galapagos Expeditions sailing to Rabida Island, Puerto Egas, Elizabeth Bay, Las Bachas and others
Sailing Season: Year-round

Celebrity Xploration
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 16 guests
Built: 2007
Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador)
Length: Seven nights
Itineraries: Galapagos expeditions visiting Black Turtle Cove, Sullivan Bay, Calega Tagus, Punta Espinoza and more  
Sailing Season: Year-round

Celebrity Xpedition
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 100 guests
Built: 2001
Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador)
Length: Seven nights
Itineraries: Galapagos expeditions visiting North Seymour, South Plaza, Santa Fé Island, Puerto Ayora, Bahia Post Office and more
Sailing Season: Year-round

Royal Caribbean to put third ship in Australia

By Tom Stieghorst

Royal Caribbean International said it will station three ships in Australia/New Zealand for the winter of 2015-16, adding Explorer of the Seas to a lineup that already includes the Radiance and Voyager.

From November 2015 through April 2016, Explorer will primarily sail from Sydney on 11- and 14-day New Zealand cruises, with up to seven ports of call in the South Pacific country.

During its inaugural Australia season, Explorer also will offer three- and four-day cruises in November 2015 and in February and March 2016.

Voyager of the Seas will sail eight- to 12-day South Pacific and Fiji cruises, all roundtrip from Sydney, while Radiance of the Seas will sail a variety of South Pacific itineraries.

Explorer is cruising in the Bahamas and southern and western Caribbean this winter.

Preview 2014: Destinations

By Gay Nagle Myers

Twirl a globe and randomly stab it as it spins. Chances are that wherever your finger lands is a place that someone, or lots of someones, will be traveling to next year.

That said, however, a number of unknowns remain: What's in? What's out? Who's going where in 2014? Does travel next year signify a return to old haunts, or will consumers throw off the bowlines, leave the safe harbors and set forth on new pathways?

A random sampling of travel agents revealed that there clearly is no single answer or set answer; it's pretty much a mixed bag across the board. 

Mary Ann Ramsey, president of Betty MacLean Travel in Naples, Fla., which specializes in multigenerational adventure travel, responded from Cuba, where she was taking part in a people-to-people program.

She said she's had queries from clients who wanted to experience, firsthand, Cuba, Cubans and the people-to-people programs.

The Galapagos Islands are also on her clients' radars, especially since the launch in late September of the 100-passenger Silver Galapagos, Silversea's expedition vessel.

Cold Antarctica is another hot destination for Ramsey's agency.

"Seabourn Quest's new voyages to Antarctica this winter are bringing luxury to an unspoiled continent," she said.

In terms of trends, Ramsey reported an increase in demand and bookings for privately guided programs in the U.S. national parks and in western Canada.
Multigenerational travel on African safaris is big at SRH Travel in Greensboro, N.C.

"We're seeing quite a lot of interest there, as well as in new resorts and lesser-visited Caribbean islands," said Shannon Haynes, the owner and travel consultant.

Europe has picked back up, she said, as has Disney, with its newly renovated Magic Kingdom.

"Travelers who are familiar with Disney parks are excited to try out the MagicBands [the all-in-one gadgets that serve as ticket, room key and more] and the new restaurants, as well," Haynes said.

Some of the old favorites are making a comeback in itineraries next year.

Allison Harris, co-partner in the Travel Corner in Williamsburg, Va., said that national parks, travel to Hawaii and cruises to Alaska are more popular than in the recent past.

"Our clients are diverse, well-heeled and have the wherewithal to travel where and when they want," Harris said.

River cruising has been and remains a big seller, she said, adding, "The small cruise ships, too, are getting a lot of respect from our older clients who don't want all the glitz and gizmos of the super-large ships."

River cruising also looms large at Cruise One in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

"There's a lot of awareness of river cruising in Europe, but less availability even though there are more ships," said Mara Hargarther, the franchise owner. "Clients are so surprised to find that many ships already are full for 2014."

Most of her clientele book luxury ship accommodations "because it is the ship, not the destination, that is most important for them."

Hargarther has branched out into niche cruising for specialty groups.

"I take a whole group of knitters, for example," she said. "We have classes and instructions as we cruise our way to the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and throughout Europe."

Whatever the formula, it seems to be working. Hargarther said her business is up 42% year to date, "and we're breaking records all over the place."

For Dan Ilves, vice president of leisure sales and marketing at the Travel Store in Los Angeles, "Europe always is hot. France is very strong for 2014, and river cruises have shown the greatest increase year over year. They're through the roof. In fact, it's hard to get space, especially for families or small groups. I've hit the wall several times on that."

Greece is showing "a bit of activity, and so are Fiji and Tahiti, in terms of hits on our website."

The South Pacific looms big for Terry Bahri, travel specialist at En Route Travel in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

"Bookings are way ahead for 2014, with a lot of interest in Fiji, Tahiti and private island resorts," Bahri said. "Although Bali never recovered from the bombings in 2005, my clients go everywhere else. I'm booking India, Vietnam and China. Africa is a big seller next year."

What her clients want most, she said, are special experiences.

"One couple visiting the Caribbean befriended some local islanders and were invited to share a dinner at their house," she said. "That was what they talked about when they returned home."

Experiential travel is the buzz phrase that represents a large chunk of the bookings at Strong Travel Services in Dallas, owned by Jim and Nancy Strong.

"I'm always surprised by the variety of requests we get," Nancy Strong said. "There's a lot of interest in Africa, especially Namibia, Rwanda and Uganda to see the gorillas."

The agency received calls for Christmas travel to India, Brazil and the Caribbean with the caveat that it be upscale, private, unique, enlightening and new within those destinations, according to Jim Strong.

"We look for the wow factor when planning these trips for our clients," he said. "If it's Paris, then we find the new hotel, a special driver, a guide who will take them behind the scenes and to an off-the-beaten-path restaurant."

Food is a big factor in travel these days, Nancy said: "For many of our clients, the most important questions when we are booking their travels are, 'Where will I eat?' 'What will I eat?' and 'What will I experience?'"

Noting that the agency is making more lunch and dinner reservations than ever before, the Strongs dubbed the growing passion for food "a new cultural phenomenon."