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.

Fred. Olsen’s Bolette Featured in Susan Calman’s ‘Cruise of a Lifetime’

Fred. Olsen’s Bolette Featured in Susan Calman’s ‘Cruise of a Lifetime’

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Bolette will be featured in an upcoming episode of Susan Calman’s Cruise of a Lifetime on Channel 5 in the UK later this month.

The episode features Calman as she embarks on an eight-night journey to the Norwegian Fjords, departing from Liverpool. The cruise includes stops in Olden, Ålesund, Åndalsnes and Geiranger, with scenic sailings through Nordfjord, Geirangerfjord, and past the Seven Sisters Waterfall.

During the sailing, Calman participates in various activities, including visiting the Briksdal Glacier and kayaking in the Brosundet Canal. Onboard, she joins guests in a behind-the-scenes tour of the food stores, laundry and galley to meet with the crew and learn more about cruise operation.

Samantha Stimpson, CEO at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are all incredibly excited to see our flagship Bolette make her Channel 5 debut later this month. It was a pleasure to welcome Susan aboard our fleet for the first time, and I’d like to thank her for the time she spent with our guests and our crew.

“As a business, our heritage stems from Norway, and we are well known for our sailings to this beautiful part of the world. Our fleet really comes into its own in the heart of the fjordlands thanks to the smaller size of our ships, which allow us to reach the depths of the fjords that aren’t accessible to larger vessels. To be able to share this experience far beyond those who joined us onboard for this cruise is a truly exceptional opportunity.”

Carnival Corporation Cruise Brands Ramp Up Ad Spending

Carnival Corporation Cruise Brands Ramp Up Ad Spending

Carnival Corporation is ramping up advertising spending across its portfolio of brands, according to President and CEO Josh Weinstein, speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call.

He said it was a move to support future demand.

“I’ve actively been working with each brand on their strategies and road maps,” Weinstein said. “As a result, I’ve authorized our brands to take a significant step up in advertising activities, including a nearly 20 per cent increase in our investment this past quarter over 2019, to elevate awareness and consideration and to drive demand for both the near and the longer term. This should be particularly impactful with those new-to-cruise, where we draw about one-third of our guests, as we position to take share from land-based alternatives.”

For example, Weinstein said that Princess Cruises would source more heavily in North America than in prior years due to source market disruptions elsewhere.

And the results have been good, Weinstein noted, with record Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales results at a number of brands.

“We think that advertising has a good amount to do with that, to really reach first-timers, generate awareness, generate consideration, and do so in a meaningful way. We’ve got great brands, and we’ve got tremendous brands, but we need to do a better job getting the voice out. And this is a good way to do it. And it helps not just us, it helps our trade partners, it helps the bookings across the board.”

MSC Cruises brand campaign to support Wave push

MSC Cruises brand campaign to support Wave push

MSC Cruises is to launch a new brand campaign designed to support the trade during the peak Wave sales period.

Launching in January, the campaign – The Sea At Its Most – will appear on TV, in newspapers, on the line’s digital platforms and out-of-home displays.

Music to accompany the campaign has been created by Italian composer Ennio Morricone.

The line’s UK and Ireland managing director, Antonio Paradiso (pictured), said the campaign will help agents to “present cruise in a different way” to the customer.

Speaking as new ship MSC Grandiosa called in Southampton, he said: “The new brand campaign is supposed to support your daily business. You are travel agents, so you know the complexities of selling a cruise to customers.

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“We always have high expectations for Wave and in Q1 we have the opportunities to get the message out and we know that the customers are more willing to buy a holiday.

“Over the years, we have been challenging those misconceptions and stereotypes about the cruise industry. We always focus on the word ‘cruise’ but we forget we are selling a holiday.

“[The campaign] will help present cruise in a different way and reduce all those questions about what it is really all about.”

Earlier, chief executive Gianni Onorato outlined plans for the line to carry three million passengers in 2020 and hit 5.5 million by 2027, by which time 12 more ship is expected to have been added to the fleet.

“We will continue to build ships and be as innovative and creative as we can,” Onorato said.

Princess Cruises ship to feature in a TV documentary

Princess Cruises ship to feature in a TV documentary

Princess Cruises’ 3,080-passenger ship Crown Princess will appear on a behind-the-scenes TV documentary next month.

The hour-long episode called Monster Ships follows the vessel as it sails a 10-day Caribbean voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Viewers will see the jobs carried out by 1,200 crew members working in the 17 restaurants and bars onboard, providing round-the-clock room service across more than 1,500 cabins and entertaining guests.

Monster Ships was commissioned by Discovery Networks International and made by WAG TV, an international producer of TV shows.

Tony Roberts, vice president Princess Cruises UK and Europe, said: “We’re delighted to see Princess Cruises once again feature on the small screen, this time providing viewers with a rare onboard glimpse behind-the-scenes.

“The Crown Princess episode of Monster Ships is recommended viewing for anyone with an interest in the incredible mechanics and logistics of a cruise ship, or who wants to see the premium guest experience we offer on one of our stunning Caribbean sailings.”

Viewers can also experience the ship for themselves when it sails out of the UK next year on a series of voyages to the Mediterranean and northern Europe.

The episode will air on UKTV’s Yesterday Channel on Thursday, October 3 at 8pm.