This Blog is for New to Cruise and the well Traveled , on this site we will publish information about Cruise and Holiday information, with some insider stories in the travel press.
PHOTO: Norwegian Yacht Voyages' M/Y Caroline final design rendering versus old concept (inset). (photo courtesy of Norwegian Yacht Voyages, Oslo)
Norwegian Yacht Voyages continues to be an ever-evolving brand, but it is also one that is uniquely including the public in all of its initial designs from phase one through the finished product.
Now, it is unveiling its final design for the line’s ultra-luxury inaugural vessel—the M/Y Caroline, considered by the company to be the “World's First True Hybrid Expedition Mega-Yacht.”
That means the ship will be capable of operating dual fuel generators powered by diesel and LNG (liquefied natural gas). It will also feature battery banks for peak-shaving over the need for extra energy via diesel at key times like at startup, as well as solar-powered hydrogen fuel cells.
The resulting environmentally-friendly vessel can fully run on LNG for several days at a time but can’t indefinitely due to the fuel’s limited availability in the ship’s global destinations.
Besides what’s under the hood, the ship will sport even sleeker lines than it did originally, as can be seen in the comparison of the old (inset) and new designs in the header image above. It will now measure in at 173.8 meters long with a passenger capacity of 220 accommodated in 110 suites.
A total of 160 crew members will cater to guests onboard.
Individual suites will be sized from 485-square-foot entry-level ones to 1,506-square-foot Penthouses. Each will be equipped with private balconies, and some will even be connecting for even greater configurations.
It may be untraditional, but Norwegian Yacht’s marketing approach has certainly been refreshing.
In a press release, the company humbly admitted, “We have changed our brand three times and we have evolved our design from something more traditional to something dramatically the world has not seen before. While we are not going to reveal everything yet, we promise to introduce news-breaking innovative solutions and amenities not seen on board any other vessels today,
“Secrecy and NDAs might work for the well established players, but we strongly believe that by creating a transparent brand, and already at the earliest stages invite our future potential guests and partners to share their thoughts and comments, we are able to create a brand that will offer exactly what the market wants.”
Let’s take a look at the exterior design a little closer.
From the get-go, the swooping superstructure at the stern to midship has always been in place, but now the lines are even more yacht-like than before as the smokestack is further integrated into the curvature outlined by the rear windows. The stack wonderfully disappears into the design as does the singular satellite sphere on top.
Particularly edgier are the forward elements from the near-vertical bow to the angular windows’ leading edges. Even the UFO-like observation lounge perched on the top deck sits back, nestled closer to the stack, making for a more aerodynamic forecastle. Thankfully, the awesome diamond-patterned atrium side glass remains.
As a concept drawing, the M/Y Caroline is a beauty akin to an aquatic sports car.
Azamara's third ship going places the line has never been
Azamara Pursuit, how the P&O Adonia will look.
Azamara Club Cruises announced the itineraries for its ship coming in 2018, saying they include 15 ports of call never before visited by an Azamara ship.
Currently sailing as P&O Cruises' Adonia, the Azamara Pursuit will be refurbished in drydock before making its initial voyage for Azamara, a 15-day "Wonders of Iceland" voyage departing Aug. 13, 2018. From there it will move to a 13-night "Wine and Romance" cruise from Southampton to Barcelona. The Pursuit will be Azamara's third ship.
The ship's first year will also include South America voyages, including an initial call in Antofagasta, Chile, where guests can go star-gazing in the northern Chilean desert. The ship will also visit the Chilean fjords and cruise the Beagle Channel at the tip of South America, and stop for two more Azamara maiden calls in Chile -- Laguna San Rafael and San Antonio -- as well as three such stops in Peru -- Lima (Callao), Pisco (San Martin), and Salaverry (Truhillo), along with Maceio in Brazil.
Other maiden calls for Azamara on the Pursuit will be Monemvasia, Samos and Spetses in Greece and Seyoisfjorour in Iceland.
While in Iceland, guests will be able to take an elevator into the magma chamber of dormant volcano Thrihnukagigur.
Azamara said that altogether the Pursuit will increase the brand's destination offerings by 40%. Guests will also be offered a total of 48 late nights in port and 26 overnights.
PHOTO: The MSC Magnifica will be embarking on an epic journey in 2020. (photo via Flickr/Sera Tu)
MSC Cruises announced the opening of sales for the cruise line’s second world voyage.
The world cruise will set sail in 2020 on the MSC Magnifica. MSC Voyagers Club members are eligible to start booking immediately, with all other customers able to book their spot on the voyage November 23.
For the 2020 MSC World Cruise, the new itinerary will include more than 40 ports of call in 23 countries. With four different embarkation ports and dates to kick off the three-month voyage, travelers can select their ideal starting point for a customized vacation experience.
Guests who embark on the world cruise from Rome, Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona on January 4, 5, 6 and 7, 2020, respectively, will cross five continents and visit 43 popular destinations, including Argentina, Easter Island, Australia, India, Oman and more. Eight destinations will include an overnight stay in port.
“Following the highly successful launch of our first MSC World Cruise last year, due to set to sail in January 2019, we are now delighted to open sales for a new world cruise for 2020 developed to offer guests experiences and destinations that they will never forget,” MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said in a statement.
“In addition, the experience onboard MSC Magnifica – one of the jewels of our fleet - has been designed to reflect the cultures and cuisines of the countries that the ship visits, giving guests the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a true around the world voyage of discovery both on board and on shore.”
MSC Cruises is also providing experiences through its wide range of 15 shore excursions included in the cost of the booking, plus the cruise line will offer additional excursions available to book in advance or during the voyage.
Some of the experiences offered during the world cruise include visiting Turtle Bay in New Caledonia, exploring the ancient city of Petra, climbing to the top of the Kuala Lumpur Tower and more.
On board the ship, passengers will be able to enjoy a complimentary Mealtime Restaurant Drinks Package, a 30 percent reduction on all laundry services, more than 90 shows performed in the ship’s Royal Theater and an activity schedule with theme evenings, language classes, cultural guest speakers and more.
Carnival, Royal Caribbean Announce Caribbean Return
PHOTO: Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas will return to St. Thomas November 10. (photo by Brian Major)
Activity is returning to Caribbean cruise ports shuttered by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s 3,114-passenger Adventure of the Seas will call in St. Thomas on November 10— the first ship to return to the destination following the crippling September storms.
Conversely, Carnival Cruise Lines officials say the company’s ships won’t return to St. Thomas until January 2018, the same month officials anticipate the line will resume calls at St. Maarten.
Christine Duffy, Carnival’s president, recently announced November 30 as the date for the company’s resumption of calls in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Duffy said calls at Carnival’s port in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos will resume “in less than two weeks.”
U.S Virgin Islands government officials are quickly preparing for the November 10 Royal Caribbean call despite continuing struggles with issues that include a widespread lack of electricity, damaged roads, badly damaged infrastructure, sunken boats hampering navigation and several beaches considered unsafe for swimming according to media reports.
Royal Caribbean is opting to return to St. Thomas next month following company executives’ tour of the island's port facilities, infrastructure, shopping areas and attractions. The company is providing significant resources to assist government agencies and private sector groups with the restoration of Magen’s Bay beach, a popular stop for cruise passengers, said Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbean’s COO.
Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ tourism commissioner, said downtown stores are expected to be open for business on November 10 following recent meetings with business community leaders. Based on an assessment last week, 11 St. Croix beaches, six on St. Thomas and five on St. John were deemed safe for swimming, officials said.
She said that over the coming weeks, “20 to 25 ship calls” will follow Royal Caribbean’s November 10 arrival.
"As we move forward from September's historic storms, we are laser-focused on improving and enhancing the overall tourism product, and creating an environment that stimulates economic growth and employment for our residents," said Kennneth Mapp, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ governor.
Local press reports note that while Royal Caribbean contracts with the U.S. Virgin Islands Port Authority for ships to dock at St. Thomas’ Crown Bay facility, several other cruise lines will contract with the West Indian Co (WICO) to dock ships at St. Thomas’ Havensight facility. WICO president Clifford Graham told local media he is negotiating with other lines to return to St. Thomas in November.
Meanwhile, in her announcement of Carnival’s planned January return to St. Thomas and St. Maarten, she described the destinations as among “the few remaining ports that had not yet been added back to our itineraries following the recent hurricanes.”
Nicholson-Doty said preparations for Royal Caribbean's arrival continue and more meetings with the business community are also being planned.
“Welcoming cruise visitors back to the U.S. Virgin Islands is key to our economic recovery," she said.
Cunard is set to return to Alaska for the first time in more than two decades next year.
Queen Elizabeth will begin its voyage from Yokohama, Japan, on May 5, 2019, to Alaska where it will remain through June for its first season.
The 2,092-capacity vessel will offer four 10-night round trip Vancouver sailings throughout May and June 2019.
After completing its four voyages, the ship will sail down the west coast of the United States through the Panama Canal to New York before going on to Iceland and the UK.
Itineraries feature scenic cruising through the dramatic waterways of the famous Inside Passage as well as full days in several of the region’s highlight ports to discover the history and culture of the area.
Guests will experience the gold rush spirit of Skagway and Juneau, the native tribes of Ketchikan and the Russian charm of Sitka.
Angus Struthers, Cunard’s vice-president marketing, said: “We’re thrilled to make our return to Alaska, one of the world’s must-see destinations.
“As the majestic Queen Elizabeth undertakes her first season there, our guests can explore the region with highlights including the natural wonders of Tracy Arm Fjord and the Hubbard Glacier.”
Guests can enjoy a Britannia Balcony Stateroom booked with a Cunard Fare from £5,449 per person.
PHOTO: Spider-Man, Captain America and Thor posing in front of the Disney Cruise Line logo. (photo courtesy of DIsney Cruise Line) Several famous superheroes are currently sailing aboard Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic from New York City, but that’s only a fraction of the excitement on its way.
We had the opportunity to ask Ms. Jennifer Haile Tinn, Senior Manager of Marketing Strategy some questions about just what can be expected now and into the near future—including current Caribbean itinerary concerns—for the growing fleet.
TravelPulse: How would you say Marvel Day at Sea will compare to Star Wars Day at Sea? Being on the smaller Disney Magic versus the larger Disney Fantasy, will the scope be any different?
Jennifer Haile Tinn: The scope of Marvel Day at Sea is just as epic as Star Wars Day at Sea. From character experiences to deck show spectaculars, both Marvel Day at Sea and Star Wars Day at Sea offer unique and epic experiences for our Guests. Marvel Day at Sea is home to the largest assembly of superheroes ever on a cruise ship with some of the most popular Marvel Super Heroes.
Guests can sign up for guaranteed meet and greets with Spider-Man, Iron Man and, for the first time, Black Panther during the sailing. In addition, guests have the chance for heroic encounters with Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, Star-Lord, Gamora, Groot and the sinister Loki. Even adults can get in on the action with the Guardians of the Galaxy, celebrating a galactic dance party in Ravagers Nightclub.
TP: With the fleet nearly doubling soon, what future itineraries are being considered? Might we see more frequency of departures on the West Coast, Hawaii and Asia, for instance? When can we expect to hear more in regard to the new ships’ onboard features?
JHT: While we are excited to nearly double our fleet by 2023, we aren’t ready to share details about the new ships’ features quite yet. We will be returning to the West Coast in early 2018. The sailings will depart from San Diego with seven Disney Wonder cruises to Baja and the Mexican Riviera—five-night sailings visit Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico and two- and three-night cruises call on Ensenada.
TP: How is Disney Cruise Line reacting to the Caribbean’s recent hurricane damage and port changes? Do you foresee them affecting the new itineraries from January through April at all? (For 2018, Disney will embark on eight Caribbean cruises from Miami during this time.)
JHT: We are continuing to monitor the condition of ports in the Eastern Caribbean and making modifications to our itineraries as needed. Please check our website for the latest updates to our itineraries: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/advisory/.
TP: So, what does it all mean? By the time Disney has seven ships, deployments are likely to greatly expand. Currently, the latest Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy sail exclusively from Florida with only the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder heading elsewhere. That’s sure to change.
The brand will probably want to base its three newest sister-ships from Port Canaveral to pair up with Walt Disney World vacations, freeing up the other four to more regularly go elsewhere. The Disney Wonder already seasonally deploys on the West Coast up to Alaska.
However, the line may opt to send the larger Dream or Fantasy up North instead to offer greater capacity with jaunts to Hawaii in between. There’s definitely reason to reach the islands more often with Disney’s Aulani on Oahu, after all.
I then foresee the remaining larger sister-ship going to Europe and the Wonder to Asia, both potentially year-round. With so many Disney theme parks in these other destinations, there are plenty of international fans to cater to.
Remarkably, that still leaves the Magic open to doing additional itineraries. It could easily embark on exotics, becoming a more prominent ocean extension of Adventures by Disney, for instance.
Needless to say, with seven ships versus four, Disney’s options are considerable, and its guests will benefit substantially.
The cruise industry is collectively striving for cleaner air standards internationally, and Norwegian Cruise Line is doing its part by having environmentally enhanced its Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Sun.
“We have both a moral responsibility and business imperative to sustain the places we sail and the communities that support our industry,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), in a press release.
“Through innovative and state-of-the-art air emissions programs, we make clean ocean air one of our top priorities.”
Norwegian specifically retrofitted the Jade and Sun with a new Exhaust Gas Cleaning system. Combined with the line’s Sail & Sustain environmental program, the technology will help to dramatically lower air emissions.
The exhaust scrubbers remove sulfur oxide and particulate matter prior to emissions exiting the ships’ smokestacks. Each vessel received five such scrubbers, one per engine. Together, they can reduce sulfur by up to 99 percent and 85 percent of particulates. Combined, the Jade and Sun will lessen the equivalent of around 3,000 tons of Sulfur Oxide, SOx, gas during the coming years.
As a whole, CLIA Cruise Line Members—Norwegian included—are always investing in new ship designs and innovative technologies. One objective is to reduce new marine vessel CO2 emissions by 30 percent come 2025. Other goals include lowering fuel consumption by 5 percent by applying hull paints with special non-toxic coatings and producing emissions-free energy via solar panel installations.
To such ends, the industry has collaborated with the likes of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in order to regulate environmental standards. It has also gathered NGOs and maritime stakeholders to share air emission reduction concepts.
Port destinations additionally partner with cruise brands to better the environment as the Port of Seattle has. The facility has even awarded lines for their shared commitment towards green initiatives.
“We at the Port of Seattle observe year after year the cruise industry’s commitment to reducing emissions while in port by using shore power and exhaust gas cleaning systems,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton, in the release.
“As part of our port community, cruise lines share our goals to reduce maritime-related emissions while maintaining a vibrant harbor. We look forward to our continued relationship with the industry and partnering on our mutual efforts to protect Seattle’s natural environment and air.”
Within the Norwegian fleet, the Jade and Sun represent two of what will soon be eight ships that have installed the scrubber technology. The Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Pearl and Pride of America already utilize the system, and the upcoming new Norwegian Bliss will launch with it in June 2018.
Norwegian is on its own way to achieve its MARPOL Annex VI compliance objective to lower its global sulfur cap from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent by 2020.
Besides clean air goals, the line’s Safety and Environmental Protection Policy calls for lessening overall operational impact on the environment, disposing of waste according to domestic and global regulations, the recycling and reuse of materials, and targeting other means to improve the environment via management.
All of this is to say the cruise industry—although environmentally imperfect at times—is making concerted efforts to be the best it possibly can be. Provided brands like Norwegian Cruise Line continue to do their part and uphold the standards they themselves pioneer, the earth and travelers will thank them.
PHOTO: Cruise ship docked in Puerto Vallarta. (photo via Flickr/Brian Holsclaw) Puerto Vallarta has long been known as the smiling face of Mexico’s friendly coast.
Nonetheless, increased tourism demand and destination competition have prompted this bastion of traditional, authentic Mexico to undergo a critical upgrade and modernization.
In 2015, the Mexican government announced an audacious three-part plan for Puerto Vallarta: A complete rebuild of the cruise terminal, increasing parking there by 400 spaces and adding a notable attraction—since announced as the largest aquarium in Latin America.
“When the President [Enrique Pena Nieto] was in campaign, he came to Puerto Vallarta and promised to develop the port in order to be more competitive in the world,” said Carlos Gerard, the port director, local tour operator, former Puerto Vallarta Minister of Tourism and owner of the construction company now completing the first two projects.
While the footprint and ship-service mechanics of the three-berth port will not expand, the passenger space is modernizing substantially.
What’s New
Puerto Magico (or “Magic Port”) is the new 15,500 square meter terminal that will be designed like an airport terminal, look like a traditional Mexican hacienda and include numerous public spaces and shops, making it both an authentic welcome point for arrivals and a commercial destination throughout the city.
A study and bidding began in 2013, with construction starting February 2016 and a scheduled completion for August, 2018 on a price tag around $19 million US.
“Puerto Vallarta is in the state of Jalisco, the birthplace of tequila, mariachi and charrereia,” said Gerard, “so we need to make that part of the identity of the port itself. We don’t want to make just another cruise terminal. We want an experience so that when anyone visits the port—whether by cruise ship, car or airplane—they will feel like they’re in a real, authentic hacienda.
“The cruise lines have told us that many of the cruise ports in Mexico look all the same, so we have to make that different from the older ports. Mazatlan has its own look, so they have to show it. Cabo San Lucas is desert, so they have to show it. We will be the first to make things different and very authentic and original.
“It will be very light Mexican architecture, with arches and the green roof, as well as open spaces and vegetation.”
PHOTO: Puerto Vallarta Hacienda Cruise Terminal
The two-level parking garage replaces an open-air lot and will be approximately 9,500 square meters at a cost of nearly $6.4 million US. The first level will include bus and public transportation facilities, both to be completed with the terminal phase.
Meanwhile, the aquarium will be 8,500 square meters and is currently undergoing internal operations development. Its completion date is open-ended and estimated at easily costing more than $8 million US.
Visitors to the aquarium will enter through the parking complex and then walk past the terminal’s shops and public seating areas—the actual arrival and departure areas will be closed to the public and contain typical security.
PHOTO: Puerto Vallarta cruiseport entryway.
“We will have 300 different species and some 15,000 different animals from all over the world, including Mexico, the Gulf, the Pacific and the Caribbean,” said Julio Nasta Icaza, Director of Blau Life and the overseer of the current aquarium project. (Blau Life also operate Mexico City’s famous Acuario Ibursa aquarium and a coral farm there that helps repopulate coral in their own exhibits as well as the sea.)
“We will have some 59 different exhibits, and there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes with animal husbandry, fish farms and training before we can open, even as construction is yet to begin. We have state-of-the-art equipment and will touch all the senses and be highly themed.
“We have agreements with turtle conservation groups and support their efforts. When you have a crab crawl on your arm or touch a starfish in one of our educational exhibits, it brings the sea to life and helps people want to save it.”
Meeting Multiple Needs
While the number of cruise ships being built continues to rise, it is not meeting the increased demand from passengers. What’s more, the competition is fiercer than ever among destinations.
2008 was the high point for Puerto Vallarta, with about 290 ships making a call. That number plummeted to 81 arrivals in 2013 due to the recession and other factors, but has since risen to 108 during 2014, 130 in 2015 and 145 in 2017.
Gerard estimated 10-15% annual growth in cruise ship arrivals following the completion of this project.
Still, there is much work to be done, even as Puerto Vallarta maintains its reputation as one of Mexico's safest cities and neighboring Riviera Nayarit continues to draw international interest.
“There are actually more ports being developed and re-developed right now than cruise ships being built,” said Gerard. “We are making the port more competitive and attractive for the cruise lines, passengers and crew. This will create 400 different new jobs just at the cruise terminal. Once all the construction is finished, it will be over a thousand.”
PHOTO: Puerto Vallarta Parking and entrance.
That said, the project was never going to get off the ground at the scale Puerto Vallarta tourism officials wanted unless they began thinking bigger.
“2017 will see approximately 145 cruise ships in Puerto Vallarta, but you’re only talking about 100 days out of 365 that see cruise ship visitors,” said Gerard. “That’s not going to be worth it to investors and developers, so we needed to open it to the public itself so it is attractive.”
Thus was born the idea for making the cruise terminal a multi-use site that caters to tourists and locals alike as a commercial and cultural hub within the city.
“We annually have 4.2 million visitors to Puerto Vallarta who fly in or drive. 50% are Mexican, while almost the other 50% are Americans and Canadians. We have 22,000 hotel rooms in Puerto Vallarta and another 12,000 in Riviera Nayarit.”
Gerard estimated 2.9 million visitors will check out the new cruise terminal and its attractions during its first year based on conservative projections. This includes around 400,000 cruise passengers and 120,000 crew, plus another 600,000 land- and air-based visitors simply using the terminal as the jumping off point for their harbor and water-based tours.
“We also expect about ten percent of the 4.2 million visitors to visit here for commercial reasons,” noted Gerard. “We have 320,000 people living in Puerto Vallarta—including about 45,000 American and Canadian expats partial- or full-time—plus another 120,000 in the surrounding area. We are expecting the average of those folks to visit us once during the year. That is extremely conservative.
“The crew also are buyers and have needs, similar to the passengers. Tourists will spend around $98 US apiece here, which is second-place in Mexico. Crew members will spend $65 US on average.
“We are the No. 2 destination in Mexico for gastronomy and No. 1 in tourist preference. We also need for Mazatlan and Cabo to do something similar. The most popular route from San Diego or Los Angeles is the 7-day cruise that comes through our three cities.”
Notables
—Forty percent of cruise ship passengers take a water or land excursion of about 4.5 hours during their 12-hour stay in Puerto Vallarta, and these will all originate from the terminal after the revamp. (The rest get off the ship and visit the downtown for shopping and exploring along the seaside Malecon andZona Romantica.)
—Shuttles and small trains will link Berths 2 & 3 (which are across the waterway) on multi-ship arrival days with the cruise terminal and Berth 1 (used for primary arrivals).
—Carnival Cruise Line arrives weekly to Puerto Vallarta year-round. Princess, Norwegian, Holland and Royal Caribbean are also frequent customers, in that order.
—The port will oversee all the cruise ship maintenance and re-provisioning services, as well as all shop dues and transportation services through this new centralized hub.
—Cruise ship sizes continue to expand, but Puerto Vallarta’s berths remain the same for now. Thus, expanding the mechanical and service infrastructure to meet the coming megaships is not part of this project but is next on the horizon.
Celebrity Cruises’ president and chief executive has told UK agents to “sell the hell out of Celebrity Edge” to ensure one of the next Edge-class ships is based in Southampton.
Speaking as she announced European deployment for Celebrity Edge in summer 2019, including a two-night cruise from Southampton for UK agents, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said: “It’s in agents’ hands. We have five Edge-class ships coming between 2018 and 2023 and depending on how the UK trade reacts to the first ship, then there’s always a chance I could deploy a future ship to Southampton.
“It’s in your hands. Sell the hell out of Celebrity Edge and you will leave me no choice but to bring a future one to Southampton.”
Jo Rzymowska, vice-president and managing director, UK & Ireland and Asia, said: “The fact that our president and chief executive is coming to London to make the announcement about Edge’s European deployment speaks volumes for how she views the UK cruise market. It’s hugely important to Celebrity Cruises.”
She added that Celebrity hadn’t staged an inaugural sailing for trade partners in Southampton since the launch of Celebrity Eclipse in 2010.
“Seeing truly is believing so this will give us the chance to show agent partners exactly why Celebrity Edge is so revolutionary and so unique,” said Rzymowska, adding: “Edge is such an outward-facing ship, connecting guests to the sea wherever possible, so we wanted to showcase her in Southampton in the spring rather than in the depths of winter.”
The next generation ship, which launches in October 2018, is Celebrity’s first new build for six years and first of a new class of vessel for a decade.
It will be showcased to the UK travel trade from May 13-15 in Southampton before setting off on a 10-night Iberian Peninsular cruise to Rome, calling at various ports in Spain, Portugal and Italy.
From there, it will offer seven, nine, 10 or 11-night sailings from Rome and Barcelona. Customers wanting to sail for 14 nights can book the two full cruises back-to-back and will call at only one repeat port during the fortnight.
Rzymowska said: “For the UK audience, we expect the 14-night open jaw sailing to be really popular. The only repeat port is Florence, so guests can go to Florence one way, and then Pisa the other.”
Ports of call include Monte Carlo, Capri and Mykonos, along with the likes of Ibiza and Valencia where Celebrity Edge will offer longer evening stays in port.
The ship will also visit two brand new ports – Nauplion in the Peloponnese region of Greece and Santa Margherita, on the Italian Riviera close to Portofino.
Rzymowska added: “We’ve taken a lot of time to really plan itineraries that will appeal to the modern luxury lover. In total, Edge will sail to 30 ports of call, to 10 countries with five overnights in one season [May-October].”
The announcement of Edge’s 2019 summer season in Europe takes Celebrity’s European deployment to five ships, and cements Celebrity’s commitment to the region and its European markets.
Edge’s summer 2019 European season will go on sale at 8pm tonight (Tuesday) and the operator warned agents to be ready for an anticipated surge in calls and bookings.
“We expect there to be quite a race for space for the high-end affluent suites on this ship,” said Rzymowska. She added that all of the line’s 2019 summer deployment would be released at the same time.
Celebrity Cruises has developed a range of supporting materials and assets for the trade to enable agents to promote the new itineraries on their websites. This will include a 20-page direct mailer that agents can over-brand and distribute to their own customers; digital guides, itineraries and images.
Rzymowska revealed a new shore excursion programme, offering in-depth, authentic and locally-inspired experiences, was being curated.
Lutoff-Perlo said: “The UK & Ireland is such a significant market for us that we wanted to celebrate the start of her summer season by offering guests the first scheduled European cruise direct from Southampton.
“To further support our key trade partners, we will also be hosting an exclusive 2-night preview, so that our beloved agents have the opportunity to experience Celebrity Edge first-hand.”
Pitbull And Norwegian Cruise Line Celebrate Norwegian Escape's Arrival To NYC In Spring 2018
Norwegian Escape's Godfather and international music star, Pitbull, made a special appearance with Norwegian Cruise Line President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Stuart at PHD Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown in New York to celebrate Norwegian Escape coming to homeport in the Big Apple in Spring 2018.
The afternoon kicked off with guests enjoying delicious bites from Norwegian Escape's culinary outposts, sipping on cocktails crafted from Pitbull's very own vodka, Voli, and sampling a selection of Michael Mondavi Family Wines. Guests were able to "walk the plank" in a virtual reality segment of the largest ropes course at sea and pose for shareable photos with the ship's celebrity Godfather Mr. Worldwide.
The exclusive afternoon was topped off with an electrifying performance from For the Record: The Brat Pack™, one of Norwegian Escape's award-winning Broadway-style shows. Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO Andy Stuart and Pitbull took to the mic to say a few words to the guest and toast to the beautiful ship, Norwegian Escape, as well as discuss their joint support for Hurricane relief efforts in the Caribbean.
Click the image for Mr WorldWide (Pitbull) interview.
When Norwegian Escape arrives to her new homeport in Manhattan next year, she will sail seven-day cruises to Bermuda during the summer months and seven-day cruises to Canada & New England and the Bahamas & Florida as well as a selection of longer cruises to the Western and Southern Caribbean during the fall/winter 2018/2019 season.
Norwegian Escape will be the brand's largest ship to ever homeport from New York City at 164,600 gross tons and 4,266 guests. Norwegian Cruise Line has been homeporting year-round from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal since 2003.
Click the image to watch PitBull's Freedom Video filmed on Norwegian Escape.
About Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 50-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising. Most notably, Norwegian revolutionized the cruise industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal cruise vacation on their schedule with no set dining times, a variety of entertainment options and no formal dress codes. Today, Norwegian invites guests to enjoy a relaxed, resort-style cruise vacation on some of the newest and most contemporary ships at sea with a wide variety of accommodations options, including The Haven by Norwegian®, a luxury enclave with suites, private pools and dining, concierge service and personal butlers. Norwegian Cruise Line sails around the globe, offering guests the freedom and flexibility to explore the world on their own time and experience up to 28 dining options, award-winning entertainment, superior guest service and more across all of the brand's 15 ships.
Recently, the line was named "Europe's Leading Cruise Line" for the tenth consecutive year, as well as "Caribbean's Leading Cruise Line" for the fifth time and "North America's Leading Cruise Line" for the second straight year by the World Travel Awards. Norwegian's next new build, the highly anticipated Norwegian Bliss, will be delivered in April 2018 featuring many firsts-at-sea for the global market including the largest race track at sea, award-winning Broadway entertainment, two observation lounges for guests to enjoy stunning ocean and glacier views and more. Norwegian will introduce an additional new "Breakaway Plus" Class cruise ship in 2019 and has four additional ships on order for delivery beginning in 2022, with an option to introduce two more ships in 2026 and 2027.
Carnival Fascination chartered to FEMA, San Juan departures canceled
Carnival Cruise Line said its ship operating out of San Juan, the Carnival Fascination, will be chartered to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), wiping out four months of cruises.
The move came at FEMA's request, Carnival said. The cruise line had been set to resume its normal seven-day cruise schedule from San Juan on the Carnival Fascination on Oct. 15.
Instead, Carnival said departures from Oct. 15 through Jan. 28 have been canceled. The Fascination will resume regular year-round cruising from San Juan on Feb. 18.
"We recognize how important vacations are, and we sincerely apologize for the disruption this late change in plans has caused our guests and travel partners," a Carnival advisory said. "We value your trust in us and hope you understand that this decision was made after careful consideration of the great need to support the recovery efforts in the region."
Carnival also modified Caribbean itineraries on a variety of ships through Dec. 31 that substitute new ports of call for visits that had been scheduled for St. Maarten and St. Thomas.
Carnival joins Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in chartering a ship to FEMA for hurricane relief efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In 2005, Carnival chartered three of its ships to FEMA for six months for emergency housing in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
With four berths, Tianjin expects around 800,000 passengers this year, and through the first six months of 2017, traffic was up some 102.4 percent.
Customs and border protection has been further refined, reducing clearance times to 10 seconds in some instances with automated terminals.
Earlier this year, the port signed a MOU with Costa to build a supply and distribution center, with Costa committing to year-round voyages from Tianjin through 2019.
Also of note, the MSC Lirica sailed from Tianjin in February, offering a new “Around China” itinerary with interporting in Zhoushan, Hong Kong and Xiamen, as well as calls to South Korea and Japan, according to Da Wu, vice general manager of Tianjin International Cruise Terminal.
Wu hopes his port will offer more diversified products, including cruises to nowhere, to attract new passengers
Zhengdong Zhang, general manager, added: “Similar to MSC’s model, we are exploring opening domestic routes to Dalian, Yantai, Qingdao, Rongcheng and Weihai, creating a product in which passengers only need their national identification card to travel.”
MSC Cruises launches new man-overboard detection technology
Over time, similar integrated systems will be deployed across MSC Cruises’ fleet (MSC Cruises)
MSC Cruises has worked with Bosch and Hewlett Packard Enterprises to launch a new video surveillance system that provides greater security onboard its cruise ships. The new system consists of a series of optical and thermal video cameras which provide constant surveillance to the relevant areas of the ship. All video images are streamed in real-time to a central security room where it is monitored with the other inputs onboard the ship. When the alarm is triggered, an acoustic signal and light will alert the ship’s security officer in the central security room who can immediately connect to the system and acquire all images and data. The security officer has direct access to the ship command at the bridge to allow for immediate action. “The security and safety of our guests and crew onboard has always been our highest priority,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman. “Therefore – as innovation has been from day one central to the way in which we operate and develop new features for our ships – we have developed a highly innovative solution that, through the use of military-grade technology, will allow ship command to take immediate action if needed. While a ship at sea is a challenging environment for accurate video security monitoring and operating high-tech equipment, our teams have managed to successfully develop a system that is at the same time accurate, stable and reliable.” MSC Cruises’ security department and experts from Bosch and Hewlett Packard Enterprise have worked to ensure the system is highly resilient to weather conditions at sea, and programmed to provide reliable and accurate data. The system has been confirmed as 97% accurate following 25,000 hours of video analysis, extensive software testing and continuous algorithm updates. The system is already operational on MSC Meraviglia and over time, similar integrated systems will be developed and deployed across MSC Cruises’ fleet.
PHOTO: The redesigned Collins gin bar on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ EUROPA 2. (photo courtesy of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises)
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ flagship EUROPA 2 has finished its latest refurbishment in Hamburg, Germany, re emerging with new features.
In total, nine onboard areas were retooled.
The ship’s second dry-dock process since first launching in 2013 took place on September 13-27, 2017 at the Blohm + Voss shipyard. About 550 outside specialists and 370 crew members were tasked with everything from routine maintenance to dramatic design changes. Work extended to approximately 1,000 points and included the application of 43,055 square feet of new carpet and 1,099 gallons of paint.
Among the updates was the integration of the library into the Belvedere observation lounge and coffee bar. The space sports a fresh aesthetic and furnishings. The previous library is newly the Cruise Sales Lounge as well as home to a EUROPA 2 museum with historical displays of the ship’s early life. Artifacts include a vessel model and keel-laying coin replica.
Also receiving the multipurpose treatment on Deck 9 is the auditorium across the way, which is now a studio for not only film screenings and lectures but additionally workshops and yoga classes. A smaller independent conference room is also next door, while the culinary school and art gallery remain in place as well.
The Ocean Spa received the bulk of the redesign attention, retouching its four saunas.
The facility now includes a 194°F Finnish sauna, 131°F Deep Ocean sauna, 113°F mineral steam bath with up to 100 percent humidity and a 149°F Black Forest-inspired herbal sauna. Plus, there’s a lounge with an electric fireplace and new furniture for the outdoor section.
Meanwhile, in the entertainment corridor of Deck 4, the Herrenzimmer gin bar has been restyled and renamed Collins. The biggest gin collection at sea has been expanded to 45 varieties, and guests here can now select records to playback on a new turntable. As a central conversation piece, Hamburg duo Sutosuto crafted a wall portrait mural of Albert Ballin among wildlife.
On the other side of the ship, the former Jazz Club has made way for Club 2, while the Teens’ Club has been relocated to this stretch from Deck 7 for added privacy. The lounge and its new alcoves and games consoles replace the previous Speisezimmer private dining room now funneled into by the graffiti art of Lady Wave.
Elsewhere, new seating has been installed in the Serenissima Italian restaurant.
Altogether, the changes look to offer a better utilization of the ship’s venues, which already benefit from an ample passenger space ratio.
Speisezimmer seemed underused on an earlier sailing, making it better suited to teens currently. Its previous public space is no longer delineated on the deck plan and might serve as a crew break area instead.
The new World Dream will arrive to homeport at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal this November as another new ship uses Hong Kong as a turnaround destination.
Next year is looking to be on par with 2017 in terms of traffic, with 190 calls and 550,000 passengers, according to Jeff Bent, managing director of Worldwide Cruise Terminals, which oversees Kai Tak.
Around 75 percent of cruise calls at the facility are turnarounds.
“Ships leaving north Asia seasonally are making more transit calls in Hong Kong on their way to other markets, so there is a marginally positive effect for us, and perhaps an opportunity for seasonal homeports,” added Bent.
Source markets are certainly diverse, with Hong Kong locals, mainland Chinese and overseas passengers all playing into the passenger mix.
“The number and percentage of local Hong Kong passengers is increasing with additional homeporting capacity, and Hong Kong will likely be our largest source market this year,” Bent said. “The Chinese market presents its share of challenges, but is still vastly underpenetrated compared to mature markets.”
Hong Kong is the world’s tenth largest outbound travel market by spending. New transportation options will give mainland Chinese more options to board ships leaving Kai Tak in the next few years highlighted by high speed rail, a bridge to Zhuhai and Macao, and a new highway border crossing.
Of note, Kai Tak welcomed its millionth cruise passenger this year when the Majestic Princess called.
Royal Caribbean’s Symphony to feature world’s tallest slide at sea
Gallery: Symphony of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International has revealed features onboard new megaship, Symphony of the Seas.
These include the world’s tallest slide at sea, robotic bartenders and theatre shows.
The cruise line’s 25th ship, set to launch in April 2018, will claim the title of the world largest vessel when it sets sail on its inaugural season in Europe.
Royal Caribbean will put on popular Broadway production Hairspray – the cruise line’s first musical at sea – on board the 5,500-capacity Symphony.
In addition, guests will be able to enjoy the tallest slide at sea, the Ultimate Abyss (pictured), robot bartenders at the Bionic Bar and high-flying, high-diving performances at the AquaTheatre.
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Families will be able to explore seven neighbourhoods on board, such as Central Park, which has more than 12,000 tropical plants, or the pool and sports zone, where there is a nine-deck high zip line, a beach pool and even a mini-golf course.
Symphony’s debut season will see it call at ports in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca in Spain, Provence in France, Florence, Rome and Naples in Italy.
From November 24 2018 Symphony will make Miami her home all-year around.
Michael Bayley, president and chief executive of Royal Caribbean International, said: “We set out to create a new level of holiday adventure and deliver the ultimate escape for families of all shapes and sizes.
“Symphony will introduce the most cutting-edge, customisable, and digitally-enhanced experiences in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
