Disney Treasure Named in New York

Disney Treasure Named in New York

Disney Cruise Line welcomed its new ship, the Disney Treasure, during a waterfront christening celebration on the Hudson River in New York City, the line announced in a press release.

The celebration included a light show featuring Disney adventures on the new ship, including “Aladdin,” “Haunted Mansion,” “Moana,” and “Coco.”

The tribute to the stories and characters was brought to life by a synchronized showcase of 1,000 drones set to a medley of Disney songs.

Jordin Sparks performed a live rendition of “Live the Adventure,” the original anthem of the Disney Treasure.

Bob Iger, chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, said: “Since the launch of the Disney Cruise Line in 1998, our ships have become brand ambassadors that bring our world-class storytelling and the immersive nature of our theme parks to new audiences in new places all over the world.”

“This is an unprecedented era of growth for Disney Experiences and a dramatic period of expansion at Disney Cruise Line,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences.

“We are doubling our fleet to 13 ships by 2031 to bring Disney cruise vacations to even more families across the globe.”

The Disney Treasure, sister ship to the Disney Wish (launched in 2022) and the Disney Destiny (setting sail in Nov. 2025), will use stories of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney Parks attractions to offer new and guest-favorite experiences.

The new ship embarks on its maiden voyage on Dec. 21, 2024, followed by an inaugural season of seven-night itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida, to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

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.

P&O Announces Performer and Hosts for Arvia Naming Ceremony

P&O Announces Performer and Hosts for Arvia Naming Ceremony

P&O Cruises has announced a lineup of performers at the beach-side naming ceremony of the cruise line’s newest ship, the Arvia, in Barbados later this month.

Olly Murs will lead the lineup of performers singing his hits at Heywood’s Beach on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

“For our guests watching Arvia’s naming ceremony from home and from Barbados this is a real treat,” said P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow.

“Olly, Sara and Trevor really do make a star-studded lineup which showcases the contemporary entertainment for which P&O Cruises is known.”

The event will be hosted by two of the UK’s most popular broadcasters and DJs, Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson. Nelson will take the stage at Arvia’s Skydome and introduce the famous bottle smash moment with the ship’s yet-to-be-revealed godmother while Cox will host the guests on one of Barbados’ beaches.

Nelson and Cox will be sailing aboard the Arvia’s during its March 11 itinerary and will host a late-night DJ set onboard. 

“It is not often that in the depths of UK winter, you can be transported to a spectacular white sand, palm-fringed beach in the Caribbean and watch a live performance from one of Britain’s best-loved stars. It really will be a moment to remember,” added Ludlow.

 

MSC Cruises to Launch MSC Euribia In Copenhagen

MSC Cruises to Launch MSC Euribia In Copenhagen

MSC Cruises announced that the naming ceremony for its newest ship, the MSC Euribia, will take place on June 8, 2023, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The MSC Euribia will be the company’s second ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), one of the world’s cleanest fuels available at the moment. The new flagship will also feature the ‘Baltic Standard’, an advanced wastewater treatment system and a range of environmental technologies designed to help enable zero emissions from the ship in port where onshore power is available.

The cruise line selected the port of Copenhagen as the launch location due to its rich maritime heritage as well as the fact that Denmark is committed to sustainability.

The new ship will also feature painted art on its exterior which reflects the company’s commitment to preserving the marine environment. The art is the work of German graphic artist, Alex Flaemig, and highlights the importance of protecting the complex ecosystem of the seas.

The MSC Euribia will embark on its inaugural season in Northern Europe on June 10 with seven-night cruises from Kiel, Germany and Copenhagen to the Norwegian Fjords including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flam.

 The ship is named after the ancient goddess Eurybia who used the winds, weather and constellations to navigate the seas.

The MSC Euribia will feature a Mediterranean-style promenade with a LED Dome, a number of shops, speciality restaurants and entertainment venues. Additionally, it includes 10 elegant dining venues and 21 bars and lounges.

 

Princess Cruises Airs Enchanted Princess’ Naming Ceremony

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The Enchanted Princess, the fifth royal-class ship in the Princess Cruises fleet, was officially named in a ceremony and celebration as part of an original production "Our World, Enchanted," that premiered on the cruise line's social media channels earlier on Dec. 13.

The show "Our World, Enchanted" – which is now available to watch on-demand – was hosted by Princess Cruises Celebrations Ambassador Jill Whelan and Enchanted Princess Cruise Director Dan Falconer.

According to a press release, the show introduces viewers to the features and amenities of the MedallionClass ship, shares some of the histories of Princess Cruises and culminates in the official naming to welcome the Enchanted Princess into the Princess global fleet.

The ceremony honoured three members of The Explorers Club who serve as the godmothers of Enchanted Princess. The godmothers have been recognized for their achievements in expeditions, oceanography and mapping the oceans – Captain Lynn Danaher, Vicki Ferrini and Jenifer Austin.

"Our World, Enchanted" also includes appearances by newly appointed Princess Cruises President John Padgett, Group President Jan Swartz and Commodore Nick Nash, and provides a look into the interiors, accommodations, entertainment, dining and cocktails available on Enchanted Princess.

The 145,000-ton, 3,660-guest ship represents an evolution of the design platform used for her sister ships – the Royal Princess (2013), Regal Princess (2014), Majestic Princess (2017) and Sky Princess (2019) – offering an elevation of spectacular style and elegance that is distinguished by Princess. The ship's inaugural cruise season began Nov. 10, with various 10-day Southern Caribbean itineraries, sailing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.

MSC Cruises holds naming ceremony for MSC Seashore

Guests at the event had the chance to explore both the new ship and the private island

MSC Cruises has officially named its new flagship, MSC Seashore, in a ceremony at its private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas.

The celebration was the first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island. Italian actress Sophia Loren served as godmother in the ceremony, the 16th time she has performed the role for an MSC Cruises ship.

Guests at the event had the chance to explore the ship and private island, with festivities taking place both onboard and onshore. Events included a gala dinner and live entertainment from three-time Grammy Award-winner Nile Rodgers and his band Chic.

The naming ceremony also served to formally inaugurate Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, which opened in December 2019 and closed shortly afterwards due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ground was broken for the MSC Foundation’s Marine Conservation Center, which includes a laboratory and coral nursery areas. The facility will be a key element of the Foundation’s Super Coral Program, which seeks to help restore coral reefs in The Bahamas to a healthy state through the propagation of ‘Super Coral’ species to increase their resilience. This work will be carried out in partnership with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and Nova Southeastern University.

Following the event, MSC Seashore will begin sailing her inaugural seven-night cruise season from Miami, Florida, on 20 November.

New Carnival Mardi Gras Christened at Port Canaveral

Carnival Cruise Line has christened Mardi Gras at Port Canaveral, Fla. at a “Universe of Fun” celebration in the first ship naming ceremony held in the U.S. since the cruise industry’s restart this summer.

Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal attended the festivities and cut the ribbon of his first Big Chicken restaurant at sea that debuted on Mardi Gras when she began cruise operations on July 31.

Miss Universe, Dominican Republic, Kimberly Jimenez served as the ship’s Godmother and officially named the ship and was joined by Miss Universe, Andrea Meza and Miss USA, Asya Branch who sang the national anthem. The event featured a “World of Nations” flag procession to highlight the diversity of the 120 nationalities of Carnival crew members, and, of course, a Mardi Gras parade with a Second Line Band.

“Today’s naming ceremony of our flagship Mardi Gras, the first in the industry since our restart of operations, signifies excitement and optimism as we look to bring our entire fleet back into guest service by spring 2022,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “This ship has been amazing guests during her pre-inaugural season and the celebration today with our Chief Fun Officer Shaq, our Godmother Kimberly, and so many special guests, was extremely gratifying and emotional.”

Following remarks by Duffy and Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald, Carnival friends and partners Romero Britto, Emeril Lagasse, Kathie Lee Gifford, Vanna White and Guy Fieri provided their congratulations on the ship’s naming and helped bring the champagne bottle to the ship.

Godmother Jimenez blessed the ship in both English and her native Spanish and activated the traditional champagne bottle break, officially naming the ship. In a celebration of the ship’s name, a special Mardi Gras parade with Duffy, Donald and O’Neal leading it, capped off the festivities.

First Look as New P&O Iona Sails into Southampton

The new 5,200 guests P&O Iona sailed into Southampton on Sunday ahead of her naming ceremony.

Dame Irene Hays, chair of Hays Travel, Britain’s largest independent travel agency, will name the LNG-fueled ship and a specially produced Nebuchadnezzar (equivalent to 20x 750ml bottles) of Alex James’s Britpop cider will smash against the hull of the ship to bring it a good fortune in the future.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said “It is a landmark day for both P&O Cruises and for the travel industry as a whole.

“We are on the cusp of a bright new beginning and Iona’s arrival into Southampton this morning is very visible evidence of this much-anticipated future.

“Our guests are longing to get back to sea and Iona’s summer season of UK coastal cruises, including her maiden voyage on August 7 up to her namesake island of Iona, has seen overwhelming demand.”

Celebrity Cruises moves Apex’s naming ceremony from Southampton

Celebrity Cruises moves Apex’s naming ceremony from Southampton

Celebrity Cruises has postponed the naming ceremony of new ship Celebrity Apex this month in response to the coronavirus outbreak, but two planned inaugural sailings are still to go ahead.

Apex was due to be named in Southampton on March 30 – the event would have been the first time Celebrity Cruises named a ship in the UK for ten years.

The Edge-series ship’s naming ceremony will be rescheduled to take place later this year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from where it will sail to the Caribbean this winter.

The line’s two two-night inaugural sailing events, which around 1,000 UK and Irish agents have been invited to, are expected to go ahead as planned on March 28 and March 30.

A Celebrity Cruises spokeswoman said it would be insensitive to the wider industry for Celebrity to host the event when companies are dealing with the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak.

She added: “We [the UK] are still getting the ship first out of the shipyard, and we can’t wait to show her off to all our trade partners.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to celebrate our ship in the UK market, but it’s times like these where we have to be sensitive to the environment the wider industry is working in.”

In a letter to guests due to attend the naming ceremony, Celebrity’s president and chief executive Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said: “We always expected Apex to be an extraordinary ship, but the extraordinary times we’re living right now have come as a surprise.

“Those who know me, or even know of me, know that I’m not much of a traditionalist. One tradition I do cherish, however, is the tradition of launching a new ship with a groundbreaking naming ceremony, and a groundbreaking godmother [technology activist Reshma Saujani]. I believe the karma and energy around the naming of a ship and its godmother are important to its future, its guests and its crew.

“To that end, we believe that continuing with the naming ceremony in the current environment would be inconsistent with the spirit and intention of such an important and meaningful event. We have therefore made the difficult decision to postpone our formal naming ceremony until later this year and will name Celebrity Apex when she arrives in Fort Lauderdale to begin her Caribbean season.”

Additional health and safety measures have also been implemented on Celebrity ships, which have been subject to “special sanitising”, Lutoff-Perlo said.

Any guest, or crew member, who has travelled to, from, or through China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or Italy within 15 days of departure will not be allowed to board, including those who had connecting flights in affected countries.

For the inaugural sailings from Southampton, all guests and crew are to receive a pre-boarding health screening and anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will receive additional medical screening and/or be denied boarding.

Lutoff-Perlo added: “While we find ourselves in uncharted territory and, as our captains will tell you, sooner or later everyone who sails into rough seas eventually sails into calmer waters. I know we are all anxiously awaiting those calmer waters.

“The health and safety of our guests and our crew are now, and have always been, at the forefront of everything we do every single day. These protocols are attached for your reference.”

Malala Yousafzai Christens Celebrity Edge at Port Everglades

The Celebrity Edge was officially christened during a Tuesday ceremony pierside in Port Everglades by godmother Malala Yousafzai.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Yousafzai was joined by all on board to “bless this ship and all those who sail upon her.”

The naming event brought together more than 3,000 guests, employees, crew members and students to commemorate the debut of Celebrity’s first new ship in six years and first new ship series in more than a decade.

“We are honoured that Malala agreed to be the godmother of this ship, a role that reflects centuries of maritime traditions,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, Celebrity’s parent company. “We are especially proud because Malala’s example of relentless persistence and achievement is an inspiration to our crew, who have all worked so hard and made real sacrifices to build better lives for themselves and their families.”

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, added: “I am so very proud to have Malala Yousafzai as the godmother of Celebrity Edge. Malala embodies our commitment to opening the world through education and gender equality. Seeing her aboard our ship sends a powerful message to our crew who represent over 70 diverse nationalities, and our guests who we sail all over the world. The ceremony today was both touching and symbolic of what Celebrity Cruises stands for. I am grateful to Malala, her family and Malala Fund for embracing today’s events and look forward to continuing our work together around the world.”

"I'm fighting to ensure millions of girls stuck in situations of poverty or war that they didn't create can learn what they need to choose a future for themselves. But to continue making progress for girls' education, we need support from leaders in every sector. I am so grateful to Celebrity Cruises for their generous support and investment in the potential of girls everywhere,” said Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of Malala Fund.

Photo: From left: Richard D. Fain, Malala Yousafzai, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo and Capt. Costas Nestoroudis, christen Celebrity Edge at the ship’s Naming Ceremony.

In an intricate spectacle, Harmony of the Seas christened

From left, Harmony of the Seas captain Gus Andersson, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley and ship godmother Brittany Affolter. 

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Royal Caribbean International turned the Harmony of the Seas naming ceremony into a technology demonstration, using its robotic bartenders as part of the process.

The ship was christened at Port Everglades by Brittany Affolter, a 23-year-old Teach for America educator in Miami who won a contest for teachers that drew over 1,000 nominees.

Far from a typical christening, Royal Caribbean cooked up a Rube Goldberg-style procedure that started with Affolter and Royal Caribbean chairman Richard Fain on stage in the ship’s open-air Aqua Theater.

An aerialist descended from above on guide wires with a button to activate the process. When Affolter pressed the button, it sent a signal to the robot, which did a spin and punched a second button, which then released a bottle of champagne rigged to the ship’s zipline.

A 3-foot bottle of champagne smashes into the Harmony of the Seas. 

The bottle, a 3-foot tall sovereign custom-made for Royal Caribbean by Veuve Clicquot, then whizzed down the zipline course and crashed into a steel nameplate above the ship’s pool deck.

Back at the Aqua Theater, a blizzard of blue confetti was unleashed and singer Jon Secada, who once performed on Royal Caribbean ships, gave a concert.

Witnessing all of the festivities via a giant TV screen in the ship’s Studio B ice skating arena were 500 travel agents from Travel Weekly’s CruiseWorld conference, who were invited to participate in a launch viewing party onboard.

The Harmony entered service last May and spent its first few months sailing in Europe. It arrived in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month, and will sail seven-night Caribbean voyages from the port.

'Love Boat' cast to christen Regal Princess

By Tom Stieghorst

Princess Cruises said the original cast of the "Love Boat" television series has been chosen to name the Regal Princess at a ceremony in November in Fort Lauderdale.

The 3,560-passenger ship has been sailing since its inaugural cruise from Venice in May.

Six "Love Boat" cast members who played the roles of Captain Stubing (), Gopher (Fred Grandy), Isaac (Ted Lange), Doc (Bernie Kopell), Julie (Lauren Tewes) and Vicki (Jill Whelan) will reunite for the Nov. 5 naming.

Princess said the christening will mark the beginning of a series of events to commemorate its 50th anniversary in 2015.

The pilot episode of The Love Boat was shot aboard Princess’ the original 730-passenger in 1977.

Norwegian Breakaway christened in extravaganza

By Tom Stieghorst

Norwegian Breakaway was officially christened in an hour-plus extravaganza that culminated in a Rockettes chorus line and a crash of a champagne bottle onto the side of its Peter Max-painted hull.

The festivities were held in 10 areas throughout the ship and simulcast to each area.

Norwegian CEO Kevin Sheehan presided in the main theater, with help from key players such as "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro and chef Geoffrey Zakarian.

SpongeBob SquarePants and his Nickelodean friends danced in the Bar at the Atrium and the cast of ballroom dance show "Burn the Floor" tangoed in the Manhattan Room restaurant.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, delivered an invocation for the ship. Other dignitaries on hand were New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; the premier of Bermuda, Craig Cannonier; and Perry Christie, prime minister of the Bahamas.

Sheehan noted that he used to drive a cab in New York (a video briefly flashed a copy of his 1975 license). "I'm a New Yorker through and through," he said.

"We've taken the best of New York City and taken it to sea," he said. "You get the best of both worlds"

Duchess of Cambridge to name new cruise liner

The Duchess of Cambridge is to officially name Princess Cruises' 3,600-passenger Royal Princess this summer.
The Duchess, whose baby is due in mid-July, will be at Southampton on June 13 for the naming ceremony of Princess Cruises' 3,600-passenger Royal Princess.
The official ceremony will involve a blessing, the celebratory tradition of smashing a bottle over the hull of the ship and a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards.
The Duchess will also go on board for a brief tour of the new liner which will leave on its maiden voyage on June 16.
Princess Cruises' president and chief executive Alan Buckelew said today: "It is a great honour for Princess Cruises that Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge has accepted our invitation to become the Godmother to Royal Princess.
"We are delighted that the Duchess will launch our new ship and can think of no better way to celebrate our company's British heritage and our commitment to the country."
Features of the new ship include a top-deck, glass-bottomed walkway extending 28ft (8.5m) beyond the edge of the ship, the largest pastry shop at sea and balconies on all outside staterooms.
The Royal Princess will go on Mediterranean cruises this summer followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the autumn.