New Seabourn expedition ship to be christened in London

Seabourn’s first expedition ship Seabourn Venture will be christened in Greenwich before its maiden voyage.

The 132-suite ship will call into the London port in June 2021 before sailing on to Oslo.

It will visit more than 150 destinations through to April 2022.

Seabourn Venture will operate a pre-inaugural sailing to London from Lisbon after it has been delivered by shipyard T.Marriotti in Italy.

UK managing director Lynn Narraway revealed the christening location to Travel Weekly at an event in London on Friday.

More:  New details of expedition ship revealed by Seabourn

Senior vice president, global sales and marketing, Chris Austin, also gave more details about the line’s second expedition ship due in 2022.

He revealed that the vessel’s debut programme would go on sale in “four to six weeks” and that the name would be announced in February.

“We are trying to get our itineraries out much earlier,” Austin said, adding that the line had recruited a second member of staff to its itinerary planning team.

He added that the US ban on cruises to Cuba had got “in the way” of deployment planning.

“We had planned five [Cuba] itineraries so we had to plan five more,” Austin said.

“[Cuba cruise ban] was probably the biggest obstacle we have ever had.”

The new Venice? Huge cruise ships could invade Thames in two years as new passenger terminal planned for Greenwich

The new Venice? Huge cruise ships could invade Thames in two years as new passenger terminal planned for Greenwich

• By CHRIS KITCHING FOR MAILONLINE

• It is hoped the new terminal would open in 2017 at Enderby Wharf
• Ships up to 820ft long would stop near the Old Royal Naval College 
• River Thames isn't deep enough to accommodate world's largest ships 
• New plans will be submitted within weeks to Greenwich council

London could soon become a popular destination for large cruise ships if plans for a new passenger terminal in Greenwich move forward.

It is hoped that the mooring at Enderby Wharf would open in 2017 and become the capital’s first new terminal since the closure of the Royal Docks in 1981.

The hub would allow ships up to 820ft long to stop near popular tourist attractions such as the Old Royal Naval College and Cutty Sark, The Times reported.

New plans from Westcourt Real Estate are to be submitted to Greenwich council within weeks and show that the mooring would be used for the start and finish of cruises, the newspaper reported.

Westcourt has not revealed the cost of the new terminal, and lead architect Jonathan Manser said a previous design failed to meet the requirements.