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“Due to a fleet redeployment, the Norwegian Breakaway’s sailings from November 8, 2026, through and including March 29, 2027, have been cancelled, and the ship will be repositioned to New Orleans,” Norwegian explained.
“In her place, the Norwegian Prima will sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico, offering the Norwegian Breakaway’s original Southern Caribbean cruises during the same time frame,” the company continued in a letter sent to booked guests.
Bookings for the new itineraries on both ships will be available for booking starting August 8, 2025.
“As passionate cruisers ourselves, we know this wasn’t part of your plan, and we truly apologise for any disruption or disappointment this may cause,” Norwegian added.
The company stated that it’s working to implement the change “as smoothly as possible,” noting that full monetary refunds will be automatically issued to the original form of payment used by guests at the time of booking.
“We recognise that this wasn’t part of your original travel arrangements, and as a token of our appreciation for your patience, we’re pleased to offer a ten per cent discount in the form of a Future Cruise Credit (FCC),” Norwegian added.
According to the company, the credit can be used towards any published sailings through December 31, 2027.
Earlier this month, Norwegian announced the cancellation of over 40 sailings set to take place onboard the Norwegian Breakaway and the Norwegian Prima between November 2026 and March 2027.
The Norwegian Prima was initially set to debut in New Orleans during the 2026-27 season, while the Norwegian Breakaway was poised to debut in Puerto Rico.
Carnival Adjusts Cruise Itineraries in 2025 and 2026 for Six Ships
Carnival Cruise Line is adjusting itineraries for cruises set to take place onboard six ships in 2025 and 2026.
According to a statement sent to booked guests, 15 sailings onboard the Carnival Celebration, the Carnival Sunshine, the Carnival Vista, the Carnival Magic, the Carnival Sunrise and the Carnival Spirit saw minor changes.
Four sailings onboard the Carnival Celebration were adjusted, including the cruises scheduled to depart on March 23 and Nov. 16, 2025, which will now operate with a revised order of port visits.
The departures scheduled for Nov. 28, 2025, and Feb. 22, 2026, will see a visit to San Juan replaced with a stop in Amber Cove.
Onboard the Carnival Sunshine, the cruises set to depart on Nov. 9 and Nov. 15, 2025, will see Half Moon Cay replacing a previously scheduled visit to Bimini.
The vessel’s Dec. 13, 2025, cruise also saw an itinerary change, with a visit to Bimini replaced with Princess Cays.
A similar change was made to the Carnival Vista’s Nov. 15, 2025, departure, with Grand Turk replacing a previously scheduled visit to Half Moon Cay.
The Nov. 21, 2025, and Feb. 21, 2026, cruises onboard the Carnival Magic were also adjusted, with a visit to St. Croix replacing a previously scheduled call to St. Thomas.
The itinerary of the ship’s Nov. 29, 2025, departure was was revised and is now scheduled to sail to Princess Cays instead of Half Moon Cay.
Three cruises onboard the Carnival Sunrise, which are scheduled to depart on Dec. 4 and Dec. 13, 2025, as well as Feb. 26, 2026, will visit Princess Cays instead of Half Moon Cay.
The Feb. 22, 2026, cruise onboard the Carnival Spirit was also adjusted and is now scheduled to sail to Nassau instead of Bimini.
According to Carnival, shore excursions purchased through the company will be automatically adjusted based on these changes.
For cancelled ports, the excursions will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment, the company added.
5 Interesting Carnival Cruise Line Itineraries Taking Place This Year
With a fleet of 25 cruise ships and a global reach, Carnival Cruise Line is sailing from all major U.S. homeports in addition to having a presence in Europe and Australia.
Cruise Industry News selected some of the most interesting cruises being offered by the U.S.-based company still to take place in 2023.
Greenland and Canada from Baltimore Ship: Carnival Legend Date: August 13, 2023 Length: 14 nights Homeports: Baltimore (United States) Complete Itinerary: Sydney, St. Anthony and Corner Brook (Canada); Qaqortoq and Nanortalik (Greenland)
The Carnival Legend will offer a series of unique 14-night cruises to Greenland and Canada in August and September. Departing from Baltimore, the vessel is set to sail to the Arctic region, with itineraries that include visits to at least five ports.
On August 13, for instance, the vessel sails from Maryland on a two-week voyage that features stops at Sydney, St. Anthony and Corner Brook, in Canada, as well as Qaqortoq and Nanortalik, in Greenland.
British Islands and Ireland Ship: Carnival Pride Date: September 1, 2023 Length: Nine nights Homeports: Dover (England) Complete Itinerary: Greenock (Scotland); Dublin and Cork (Ireland); Belfast (Northern Ireland); Liverpool (England); and Holyhead (Wales)
Sailing roundtrip from the Port of Dover, in England, the port-intensive itinerary sails to all of the major countries that are part of the United Kingdom, in addition to Ireland. Destinations set to be visited include Greenock, Dublin, Belfast, Liverpool, Holyhead and more.
Southern Caribbean with the Carnival Celebration Ship: Carnival Celebration Date: September 9, 2023 Length: Eight nights Homeports: Miami (United States) Complete Itinerary: Oranjestad (Aruba); Kralendijk (Bonaire); and Willemstad (Curaçao)
Adding more destinations to its regular cruise schedule, the Carnival Celebration is offering a few longer sailings to the Southern Caribbean during the remainder of the year.
Sailing from Carnival’s Terminal F in PortMiami, this eight-night cruise, for instance, is set to depart in September and features visits to the ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
Return to Mobile Ship: Carnival Spirit Date: October 6, 2023 Length: Eight nights Homeports: Mobile (United States) Complete Itinerary: Bimini, Freeport, Nassau and Half Moon Cay (Bahamas)
The first cruise of the program, for example, is an all-Bahamian trip that features visits to Bimini, Freeport and Nassau. Before returning to Mobile, the eight-night cruise also pays a visit to Half Moon Cay, one of Carnival Corporation’s private destinations in the country.
Mexican Riviera with La Paz Ship: Carnival Panorama Date: November 18, 2023 Length: Eight nights Homeports: Long Beach (United States) Complete Itinerary: La Paz, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta (Mexico)
Stepping away from its regular seven-night itinerary to the Mexican Riviera, the Carnival Panorama is offering a few longer sailings later this year.
On November 18, for instance, the ship sails from Long Beach on an eight-night cruise that, in addition to Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, adds a visit to another port of call: La Paz.
AMBASSADOR CHIEF PLAYS DOWN 'SPECULATION' ON LINE'S FINANCES
The boss of Ambassador Cruise Line, Christian Verhounig, has played down "speculation" about the line’s finances after it cancelled two festive cruises onboard Ambiance, stressing the decision was made "for safety reasons only".
Posting to his public Facebook page, addressing guests, officers, staff and crew directly, Verhounig said the line was left with no option but to cancel its Festive Market Getaway and Christmas and New Year Canary Islands cruises owing to an issue with Ambiance’s lifeboat stations, requiring unscheduled maintenance.
"I am sad we had no option but to withdraw these itineraries, a sentiment shared by my colleagues in the Ambassador management team," said chief executive Verhounig. "Events like these never happen at a good time, but technical issues and challenges are unfortunately part of a cruise company’s day-to-day life – and we, at Ambassador, will never compromise on the safety of our guests or crew, however, low the risk."
Verhounig went on to address the line’s financial health. "As a business, we have never been anything less than transparent, and we will continue to be so in the interests of our valued guests and employees. The recent changes to our operation were made for safety reasons only, and not, as some have speculated online, due to the financial position of the Ambassador.
"I want to reassure you that we are a financially robust business with trust arrangements in place and full insurance cover for incidents of this kind designed to ensure that all our guests are and will remain fully protected."
Verhounig apologised to guests affected by the cancellations, as well as the Ambassador crew and shoreside staff. "It was the last thing we wanted to do. I can only personally say I’m sorry, and I hope one day our guests will offer us the chance to make amends for the inconvenience and disruption caused.
"As well as offering our sincere and heartfelt apologies to all guests affected by these recent developments, I would also like to take this opportunity to apologise to the team - from those in the UK, who have been outstanding in coming together at such short notice to do their very best at this difficult time, to the staff and crew onboard, who have been so looking forward to hosting our guests over Christmas and into the New Year."
Explaining the specific circumstances of the cancellations, Verhounig revealed Ambiance had in the months of December and January been due to undergo a planned independent survey to renew its Passenger Ship Safety Certificate.
"The inspection covers hundreds of different safety, technical and operational checks onboard the vessel, which is conducted both at sea and in port across a two-month period," Verhounig continued. "This annual cycle is linked to the anniversary of the ship being built, and is not in any way related to when Ambassador actually started trading."
’WE’LL BE BACK STRONGER
Verhounig said one of the required checks involved the safe and secure lowering of the ship’s lifeboats. During an inspection of the lifeboat stations on Sunday 18 December, a surveyor observed a slight movement of one of the sheaves used for guiding the steel wire ropes that move and hold the lifeboats in position.
"When checking on this movement further, the inspection brought to light a hairline crack on the bracket holding these sheaves in position, and more of these were found in a similar position on other brackets," said Verhounig.
"While none of these would have interfered in any way with the ship’s safe operation immediately, these cracks could have led to potential issues in the future and needed to be repaired. Therefore, we decided to immediately arrange repairs and not to operate the itineraries."
He added: "Ambassador and Ambience will be back in operation in the New Year, stronger than ever."
Carnival Says Most Ship Itineraries Unchanged Amid Omicron
Carnival Corp said on Tuesday a majority of its ships’ itineraries were unchanged despite a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, which has threatened to stall recovery in the cruise industry.
The world’s largest cruise operator, however, said a few destination ports were reviewing their protocols and processes due to the fast-spreading new variant.
Many passengers and media reports, including those from CNN and Euronews, said authorities of a few ports in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and Mexico disallowed passengers to disembark from cruise ships that were carrying active COVID-19 cases.
“Looks like my cruise this Friday is a cruise to nowhere,” wrote one Reddit user on a Royal Caribbean forum late Monday.
Carnival said on Monday it would find an alternative destination should it be forced to cancel a port.
Royal Caribbean Group did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd declined to comment.
“The cruise lines’ reaction to the substantial increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron surge is largely hit or miss,” said James Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also identified more than 85 cruise ships with COVID-19 cases on board, the agency said on Tuesday.
On Monday, the CDC said 68 ships with COVID-19 cases had met its threshold for an investigation.
The Omicron variant has sparked concerns that U.S. health officials may reintroduce a temporary ban on cruising, just months after U.S. cruise operators resumed guest operations.
Virgin Voyages Announces Ship 3 Name and Itineraries
Virgin Voyages today announced its third newbuild will carry the name Resilient Lady and will set sail from Athens, Greece, embarking on two, seven-night itineraries starting in July 2022.
“Sailing in the Med is such an extraordinary experience, and we’re so excited to bring the adventure of a Virgin Voyage to this beautiful place,” said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. “I’m so proud of the incredible work the team has accomplished to introduce Resilient Lady.”
Further expanding on the brand’s presence in the Mediterranean, Resilient Lady will offer two European itineraries, including:
● Greek Isles Itinerary: Sailors can immerse themselves in Greek history and culture in Athens before island hopping to Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, and Mykonos. The Greek Isles itinerary will feature an overnight stay in Mykonos, offering Sailors a premier location and tender access to the picturesque promenade.
● Adriatic (with Greek Isles) Itinerary: Sailing out of Athens, Sailors will spend their second day at sea before docking in Dubrovnik the following morning. With a 2:00 a.m. departure from Dubrovnik, Sailors will be afforded plenty of time to experience the rich history of Croatia during the day and take part in the active nightlife along the Adriatic Sea before scenic sailing to Kotor, Corfu, and Argostoli.
“Welcoming Resilient Lady to our fleet and revealing these amazing itineraries sets the tone for the most memorable summer voyage,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO, and President of Virgin Voyages. “We know the time to travel is on the horizon, and Virgin Voyages is here so that we can keep dreaming of irresistible vacations ahead.”
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.
Royal Caribbean Announces Sweeping Updates to 2021 Summer Cruises
Independence of the seas in Southampton photo credit Dave Jones
Royal Caribbean International has announced a number of upcoming changes in itineraries and homeports to its summer 2021 cruises.
Highlights of the updated summer cruises for 2021 include new four- and five-night Mediterranean getaways from Barcelona, and more time in the Caribbean with ships sailing from additional U.S. cruise ports next summer including Tampa, Fla. and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
New Itineraries and Homeports
Europe • Adventure of the Seas, which was previously scheduled to sail from Copenhagen and Stockholm, will head for Barcelona to sail a mix of new 4- and 5-night Mediterranean itineraries. • Jewel of the Seas, originally planned to homeport in Amsterdam and Barcelona, will now sail from Copenhagen and Stockholm on 7-night cruises calling on Northern Europe’s ports.
The Caribbean • Independence of the Seas, originally sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. offering 3- and 4-night cruises, will now make Miami her home for the summer season and offer a combination of 6- and 8-night cruises to the Southern and Western Caribbean. • Vision of the Seas, which was previously planned to sail from Barcelona, will sail from San Juan, offering a new summer program. She will offer 7-night Southern Caribbean itineraries. • Brilliance of the Seas will stay in Tampa for the summer offering a new drive to port for guests. She will sail 4-, 5- and 7-night cruises to the Caribbean.
In Europe, the Odyssey of the Seas will join Anthem and Harmony of the Seas and make its debut in Rome to kick off its inaugural Europe season.
In Alaska, the region will see the cruise line’s biggest season yet with four ships, including the Quantum of the Seas.
The Caribbean also includes the Mariner and Navigator of the Seas sailing 3-night weekend and 4-night weekday itineraries to The Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Oasis of the Seas cruising from the New York area for the first time. In Asia, guests can sail aboard the region’s newest ship, the Spectrum of the Seas, offering 4- and 5-night sailings from Shanghai and visiting Japan.
Apps and ops: Tour operators step up mobile efforts
People who travel the world on packaged trips or guided tours have traditionally clung to the paper documents they receive before their trip, an excitement-inducing package of information containing all their travel details.
Even as tour operators have attempted to steer customers away from costly paper documents by, for example, emailing their clients PDF versions of the same documents, customers have resisted, asking instead for their beloved paper packs (preferably sent along with a branded document holder, travel bag and/or baseball cap).
But as the use of smartphones and tablets becomes significantly more widespread across demographics, there is renewed hope on the horizon of weaning customers off their physical travel documents and converting them to a digital version of those documents, not via email but by way of downloadable mobile applications.
As of last year, mobile apps downloaded onto smartphones and tablets took over the No. 1 spot for how the majority of all digital media is consumed in the U.S., according to the U.S. Mobile App Report, an in-depth study into mobile app usage released last year by Internet technology company comScore.
The report found that apps drive the vast majority of media consumption activity on mobile devices, with 88% of activity on smartphones coming from apps vs. 12% from standard Web browsing, and 82% of online tablet activity driven by apps vs. 18% by standard Web browsing.
Consequently, tour operators who have been holding off on investing in mobile for a variety of reasons are finally starting to look more seriously into mobile app technology, and they are doing so in growing numbers. The latest high-profile convert is Trafalgar, which after years of delivering travel details on paper and e-docs is preparing this month to launch a mobile app called myTrafalgar.
The myTrafalgar app, developed in-house in collaboration with a technology company, will enable those who download the app to access all their trip information, connect with other guests as well as with their travel director, share their experiences on social media, view images and learn about future trips. Guests will be able to download the app via the App Store or Google Play using their booking code to log in.
A countdown feature on the myTrafalgar app shows travelers how many days, hours and minutes are left until their trip.
“The myTrafalgar mobile app is designed to improve and personalize the on-trip experience,” said Paul Wiseman, president of Trafalgar USA. He said that downloading the app before the trip gives guests the opportunity to connect with their travel director before the trip begins, and the travel director, in turn, can learn more about his or her group in advance to better customize the experience. Once the trip is underway, the app will help facilitate social connections made while the group is traveling together.
“One of the common sentiments expressed by guests is how much they appreciated meeting new people within their travel group and the shared experience within a destination,” Wiseman said. “The app enables easy connectivity to new friends even sooner, rather than waiting for the trip to end, and encourages social engagement with family and friends through image sharing and journaling.”
Wiseman emphasized that the app is not intended to replace traditional paper documentation but rather is being offered in addition to it.
Trafalgar isn’t the only tour operator to see the value in connecting with customers via mobile. Anticipating the new wave of customers who want to be able to access all their travel documents, itineraries, boarding passes, e-tickets and weather on their smartphones and tablets, the British company Vamoos expanded into the U.S. market this summer, joining a small but growing group of companies that are developing mobile app technology specifically geared toward tour operators and travel agents.
“I tried to understand why there wasn’t any activity going on in mobile,” said Tony Bean, director of Appex Mobile, which developed the Vamoos white-label mobile app technology.
Bean came up with the idea for Vamoos after returning from a ski vacation. Although he had a great customer experience, he couldn’t understand why there wasn’t a way to have all his trip information in a single place on his smartphone. What he found after researching the mobile space is that when it comes to tour operators, “there are only a few companies that can afford the build cost of a new app.”
Three years ago, the Globus family of brands became one of the frontrunners in the U.S. tour operator mobile app space when it launched its Passport to Travel app as well as mobile-friendly customer service sites for its four brands: Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways.
Since it was launched, there have been more than 10,000 downloads of the Globus app, and the most popular function is the ability to view itineraries. So far this year, 40% of the company’s website traffic comes from mobile; mobile-driven website traffic has increased 14% this year over 2014.
But until recently, only the larger tour operators have had the financial resources to invest in mobile technology; for smaller operators, it has not been a worthwhile or attainable goal. Not only is mobile app development costly, but it was unclear whether and how much customers would use technology instead of traditional paper or emailed documents. Only recently, as mobile technologies have become ubiquitous, has a growing number of tour operators taken the leap of faith into mobile.
The myTrafalgar app includes a journaling function, which allows users to take notes and upload photos of their trip.
Frederic de Pardieu, CEO of Montreal-based mTrip, which has been providing mobile app solutions to tour operators since 2009, said part of the reason for the delay in going mobile is that until now, operators have been much more focused on getting their websites up to speed. Even in the mobile age, creating a great website is still much easier and more cost-effective than developing a solid app, he said.
De Pardieu said he has only begun marketing to U.S. tour operators seriously for the last year as interest in mobile began to pick up.
“For a website, they can hire a developer or a designer and do it on their own,” he said. “If you go to the mobile space, if you want to do something that is really adding value, if you don’t want to only show flight and accommodation, if you want to go further in terms of planning and guidance, there is a technology barrier.”
And it can cost tour operators upward of $100,000 to $200,000 to get past that barrier, he added.
What companies like Vamoos and mTrip hope to do is to give operators the opportunity to tap into existing mobile technology templates with accessible pricing. The cost of Vamoos, for example, averages around $1.50 per passenger for the operators and travel agencies that sign up for the subscription-based service.
Tour operators can then customize the look and feel of the app.
When he launched Vamoos in the U.K. last year, Bean said, he wanted the app to be available to “all tour operators, whether they’re the smaller ones or the ones with deep pockets. Technology is supposed to be an equalizer, a democratizer. We have very small operators who find it’s a very good value for them, and we’ve actually signed a very large operator in the U.K. who also finds it to be a very good value.”
Making connections
For the most part, the mobile app technology that currently makes the most sense for tour operators does not actually have much, if any, booking functionality.
In this beginning stage of mobile adoption by operators, the most popular apps compile and organize all the travel documents that would normally be delivered to clients on paper or as PDF email attachments, provide multichannel communication options and, hopefully, enable companies to stay in touch with customers once they return from their trips.
An example of an app developed by mTrip.
They serve as a value-add and marketing tool rather than as a booking transaction tool. App developers note, however, that during the app development and customization phase, companies that want to build in booking functionality can certainly do so, though at an added cost.
Given the wide variations in the pace of adoption and levels of technology in the market at this point, there really is no way to calculate a clear-cut potential return on investment for mobile technology, which of course stands as yet another hurdle in justifying the investment.
Yet common sense suggests there is great long-term value in creating a mobile app that customers can download to their smartphone or tablet, because the technology is about staying connected to customers, learning about their needs and ultimately keeping them engaged before, during and after the trip.
“For us, both the app and the mobile-enabled sites have been about improving access and ease of use for travelers, rather than a straight ROI,” said Steve Born, Globus’ senior vice president of marketing. “Our evaluation of these tools has been as gateways to further research rather than revenue production.”
App developers agree that companies that invest in mobile will get a combination of increased customer satisfaction from users who engage with and appreciate the app’s functionality, the ability for an operator to maintain a more consistent connection with the customer and the opportunity to generate future bookings based on information gathered during app usage.
Additionally, travel apps can help facilitate social media interaction, which can serve as a great marketing tool for tour operators if passengers are snapping photos and sharing their experiences while on the road.
For customers concerned about their ability to access content while roaming internationally, most, if not all, of the apps being developed for the tour operator space are designed to have features such as itineraries that can be downloaded prior to the trip so that they can be accessed without using WiFi or other data sources.
Stiff competition
There are already numerous popular apps in the travel space that do a lot of what the apps being developed by and for individual tour operators do, including apps such as TripIt, TripCase or CheckMyTrip.
But according to de Pardieu, tour operators shouldn’t be discouraged by the prevalence of these heavyweight travel-itinerary apps, which he said are geared more toward business travelers who predominantly need to be able to access their flight information and accommodation details. The opportunity for tour operators is to go beyond simple logistics.
An example of a Vamoos mobile app interface.
“Our goal is really to provide something that is used from the time the trip is booked,” de Pardieu said, emphasizing the important role apps can play in generating pre-trip excitement by offering detailed itineraries and destination information.
While he does not see these apps as a primary booking tool, he suggested that tour operators and travel agents can also use apps to promote optional excursions and add-ons closer to the departure date, when customers are more likely to begin thinking about their detailed travel plans.
As with the Trafalgar app, there is also the opportunity to enable guests to connect with the tour guide or with past and present clients, including through social media, in advance of the journey.
Once customers are on the road, tour operator apps can essentially serve as a travel concierge service. Some of mTrip’s clients, for example, have opted for a function that gives customers suggestions for what to do during their free time in a destination, based on their individual preferences, what is popular in the region and what establishments are open during their free time.
As travel companies big and small race to get into the app game and develop loyalty through app usage, tour operators are entering a market already rife with noise. Beyond the TripCases and TripIts, everyone, from the airlines to the OTAs, already has their own apps.
“Everyone is going on the trip now with their smartphone,” de Pardieu said. “If [tour operators] want to survive, they need to go in this direction, also. They have to fight to keep the client with them and to not have the client go to the airline app.”
The winner in any tug-of-war for the client, he asserted, “will be [the one] who owns the client during mobility. The [app] that will be used is the one where you have the relationship.
MSC Cruises said that it has added several ports of call and itineraries to its winter lineup in the Caribbean with the arrival for year-round Miami service of MSC Divina.
Among the new ports Divina will visit are Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; and Costa Maya, Mexico.
New itineraries include a 10-night voyage departing Miami on Nov. 12, 2014, with stops in Falmouth, Jamaica; Cartagena; Cristobal; Puerto Limon; and Cozumel.
The Divina is en route from Italy and will arrive in Miami the week before Thanksgiving.
On a 20-day cruise on Holland America Line’s (HAL) Veendam from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires, I decided to mix my adventures: wildlife, wines, technical classes onboard and a real thriller, a bicycle tour in Buenos Aires.
My companion and I chose this last activity because we thought it would be a good way to see the oldest sections of Buenos Aires: the La Boca and San Telmo districts. There were around a dozen participants and we were supplied with everything — bicycles with wide tires and helmets and two guides to accompany us, one in front and one in back.
One would think that anybody could ride a bike — didn’t we all do that once as kids? Judging by our experience, it turns out that riding a bike in Buenos Aires is really for daredevils. HAL warns their guests that participants should be experienced bicyclists able to ride off curbs and that helmets are required, but there were other perils. Buenos Aires is a big city and doesn’t have bike lanes in place. On our tour, I quickly found I didn’t know the local driving customs.
“Stay together,” the guide told us at the beginning of our ride, but Argentine drivers don’t seem to be accustomed to bicyclists on their streets. We learned this as a fuel truck driver making a right turn blared the truck horn for about 10 seconds before he continued his turn, splitting our long line of riders in two.
One of our group members described it as “a harrowing day, the kind of day that you will take to you grave” — but we all survived with war stories. Perhaps we should have chosen a day of wine tasting instead.
Actually, we did that as well, just outside Montevideo, Uruguay, at the Bouza Winery, a family-run business that believes that small is better. The winery features some new structures, including a large dining room with grand windows. Waiters roamed the room, pouring four tastes of wine, and served us an extravagant lunch of lamb, beef and tasty cheese. Live traditional music at lunch was provided by an accordion player and a pianist.
That experience was topped only by a later visit with penguins in their natural habitat. Three choices were offered on the Veendam. Magdalena Island, near Punta Arena, Chile, proved to be the best choice for us, as guests have more time with the penguins. In addition, access to the island via a modern ferry is easy and involves less walking than the other options.
Magdalena Island is home to Magellanic penguins, charming because they look like they are smiling. More than a thousand of them were hopping about, some digging out a new front porch, others coddling their fledglings, which were born just about 40 days earlier. Some of the adults were waddling around, while others were lifting their heads, puffing out their breasts and making a honking call. Sadly, we learned from Palmer Station employees that the arctic penguin population is dying off due to global warming, which is bringing sub-arctic penguins to the station.
The adventures continued on our days at sea. I was thrilled with the complimentary onboard digital workshops, including tips on camera operation and photo editing and organization. These new hour-long classes are offered on all HAL ships in a classroom setting. On Veendam, small classes of 10 covered using a digital camera, photo editing, movie and slideshow creation, PC organization, cloud storage with SkyDrive and navigating Windows 8. The classes began last year as a marriage between HAL and Microsoft and were so popular that they were extended through 2014.
In addition, one-on-one coaching called Techspert Time is available 70 hours each week so guests can stop by with questions. Those in need of more in-depth assistance can attend these help sessions.
HAL offers its three-week South America and Antarctica Explorer cruises on the Zaandam, embarking Dec. 18 of this year as well as Jan. 8 and 29, and Dec. 22 of next year.
Royal Caribbean unveils Quantum schedule from Bayonne, N.J.
By Tom Stieghorst
Royal Caribbean International's next ship, Quantum of the Seas, will sail four itineraries from Bayonne's Cape Liberty terminal after debuting in late 2014.
According to Royal Caribbean's website, Quantum will do a seven- or eight-day base itinerary that includes Port Canaveral, Coco Cay and Nassau.
There will also be an eight-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary with stops in Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Samana, Dominican Republic.
Longer itineraries include an 11-day trip that includes the three stops on the shorter Eastern Caribbean trip plus St. Thomas, St. Maarten and St. Kitts, and a 12-night Southern Caribbean voyage that will stop in Barbados and Martinique.
Quantum cruises are scheduled to go on sale June 4.
