(PRESS RELEASE)_FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (15 February 2023) – Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry’s preeminent annual business-to-business event, announces its highly anticipated 2023 State of the Global Cruise Industry Keynote lineup, presented in partnership with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The conference’s opening session, taking place from 9:30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 28 March, will unite senior leaders from the world’s largest cruise lines for a round-table discussion inspired by this year’s conference theme – forward momentum. Led by returning keynote panel moderator and BBC World News Presenter & Anchor, Lucy Hockings, the insightful dialogue will dissect key topics surrounding the future of the industry, such as environmental sustainability, destination stewardship and consumer travel trends. Featured panelists include:
(PRESS RELEASE)_Geneva, Switzerland – February 15, 2023 – MSC Cruises opened sales today for the MSC World Cruise 2025 with an entirely new itinerary aboard MSC Magnifica. Voyagers can embark on this unique journey of a lifetime from four European ports - Civitavecchia/Rome, Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona (any day from January 4-7, 2025). The 116-night voyage around the world will visit 50 breathtaking destinations in 21 countries, featuring 22 destinations that have never been featured on an MSC World Cruise before and seven overnight stays. The three-month journey will take cruisers to five continents, crossing three of the world’s largest oceans and sailing over 30,000 nautical miles. Whether it’s natural splendor, vibrant cosmopolitan cities or world-famous historical sites, this incredible itinerary will check must-see places off guests’ bucket-lists and broaden their horizons with new tastes, diverse cultures and authentic global experiences. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI (February 15, 2023) – Celebrity Cruises, the brand that revolutionized the cruising industry with its fleet of Relaxed Luxury resorts at sea, is once again raising the bar as it becomes the first ocean cruise line to ever earn prestigious Forbes Travel Guide (“FTG”) Star Awards. The recognition is made more wonderful as Celebrity’s ships join an elite and exclusive group of fewer than 20 land-based properties with over 1,000 rooms in the world to ever receive the coveted recognition. FTG is the global authority on luxury hospitality and the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and now, the new ocean cruise category. Their professional inspectors travel the world to anonymously evaluate the finest hotels, restaurants, spas, and ocean cruise ships based on hundreds of exacting standards that determine their annual Star Ratings. The five inaugural resorts at sea Star-Rated ships are Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Summit. The remainder of the line’s 15-ship fleet will be evaluated in the year ahead, except for the line’s smaller Galapagos ships. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, FL, February 15, 2023 - Oceania Cruises, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, offers an abundance of immersive experiences in “The Last Frontier,” embedding travelers in the fabric of Alaska’s local communities. Sailing from Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, travelers looking to go beyond the typical tourist sights and discover unique perspectives on local cultures and cuisines have 14 departures to choose from between May and September 2023 aboard the 656-guest Regatta. With more than 250 tours and excursions offered in Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Wrangell and beyond, the 49th state offers plentiful opportunities for exciting glacial explorations, authentic culinary classes, native tribal site visits, craft beer tastings, national park excursions and an opportunity to savor the region’s beguiling natural beauty. Through Oceania Cruises’ Go Local tour series, guests can participate in exclusive small group excursions to experience destinations on an entirely new level. Here adventurers are welcomed into local homes and businesses and immersed in the local way of life to learn about and dive into generations-old traditions. (PRESS RELEASE)_Miami, FL (February, 2023) – There’s something inherently romantic about a sailing vacation: the warm air on your skin, the thrill of visiting far flung locations, the vibrant sunsets glimpsed from a cozy spot on deck. For travelers looking to celebrate their love—whether on Valentine’s day, a honeymoon, anniversary, vow renewal, proposal or just a retreat for two—the romance of gliding into an exotic port aboard one of the world’s largest clipper ships under full sail is simply undeniable. There are many reasons why a Star Clippers sailing is an ideal romantic getaway—following are a few favorites: Sunset and Seascapes The sea has held romantic appeal for as long as there have been lovers. On a Star Clippers sailing, the sea is a constant companion. Couples love to relax in our bowsprit netting to listen to the waves and experience the feeling of being surrounded by water on all sides. Watching the sun rise each morning and slip below the horizon each evening is from the top deck also makes for some incredibly romantic moments. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Feb. 14, 2023 – This Valentine’s Day, thousands of couples are symbolically renewing their vows, while sailing on Carnival Cruise Line voyages, during special onboard ceremonies virtually officiated by Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal. Altogether, the fleetwide event will mark Carnival’s largest-ever Vow Renewal at Sea. Across Carnival’s fleet, couples are taking part in onboard ceremonies while the ships are at sea and docked in beautiful destinations, including Nassau; Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel; Grand Turk; and St. Maarten. An onboard reception follows each ceremony, with a DJ, dancing and a champagne toast honoring the newly renewed couples and wishing love and happiness for all. Carnival gives thousands of guests each year the opportunity to make memories that last a lifetime with unique ceremonies at sea through the cruise line’s Weddings by Carnival program. Packages range from intimate ceremonies to larger celebrations with family and friends. For more information, click here. "Our wedding and vow renewal offerings are expansive, and our dedicated team of professional planners can help handle every detail with care, from the music and decor to the dessert. Guests can choose ceremonies at sea, in port at beautiful destinations, or even at the ship's homeport ahead of their cruise so friends and family who aren't sailing can attend the event," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. The Valentine’s Day vow renewal ceremonies lead a series of fun activities planned for guests to enjoy the holiday on board, from special trivia to Dive-In Movies and the ever-popular Love & Marriage show hosted by each ship’s cruise director. For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site. (PRESS RELEASE)_New York, NY (February 13, 2023) – Venture Ashore, the largest independent cruise excursions provider in the world, announced today three new tour experiences, further extending the award-winning company’s portfolio of experiential shore excursions for the first time in the Alaskan region. Part of the company’s “Essential Collection,” these expertly curated itineraries are designed to give great value at an affordable price, featuring the highlights of Alaska including a trolley tour of Ketchikan, a Skagway Yukon sled dog experience led by former Iditarod mushers, and a whale-watching cruise with an up-close visit of Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier. Experiences are available at ventureashore.com/essential-collection. Venture Ashore’s “Essential Collection” excursions provide individually curated compilations of the must-see and do experiences in top cities around the world, maximizing cruise guests’ time ashore at a great value with multi-port package discounts in destinations from Barcelona to Venice and Cape Town to Cartagena. (PRESS RELEASE)_Fort Lauderdale, FL – Feb. 13, 2023 – American Queen Voyages™, part of the Hornblower® Group, celebrates another company milestone announcing a new port of call in Escanaba, MI, marking the first time a Lakes & Oceans vessel has visited the quaint Midwestern port. Beginning in May, American Queen Voyages will be the only cruise line to stop at the unique port. The cruise lines Lakes and Oceans vessels, Ocean Navigator™ and Ocean Voyager™, will visit this port on a selection of voyages around the Great Lakes. “As we celebrate the addition of Escanaba to our ever-growing list of destinations and welcome new partnerships with local community members, we simultaneously push forward our company's mission to help our guests explore lesser discovered America,” said Cindy D’Aoust, President of American Queen Voyages. “We look forward to an exciting season with new stops showcasing the many treasures across the Great Lakes.” (PRESS RELEASE)_ Carnival Elation returned to guest operations at its homeport in Jacksonville, Fla. this weekend sporting a new look – the new Carnival livery with a stunning red, white and blue hull design. The new livery is the most eye-catching upgrade of several enhancements completed across the ship during its just-completed dry dock. The livery design was introduced with the debut of Mardi Gras in 2021 and has been rolled out across the Carnival fleet as ships complete dry dock work. The livery serves as an homage to the patriotic colors that also represent Carnival, which proudly sails as America’s Cruise Line. Guests visiting the Cloud 9 Spa will experience one of the ship’s most significant upgrades. The spa area has been fully refreshed, including new steam and sauna rooms, in addition to other maintenance work and work on venues and staterooms. The ship’s first cruise upon its return to Jacksonville departed Saturday and is taking guests on a five-day sailing to The Bahamas, visiting both Nassau and Princess Cays. The 2,200-guest Carnival Elation sails year-round from JAXPORT on four- and five-day cruises to The Bahamas. To view sailings currently open for sale from Jacksonville, click here. For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, FL, February 13, 2023 -- Windstar Cruises has announced the launch of its Starlink Maritime high-speed, advanced broadband satellite internet capabilities. Already connecting the world by sea, Windstar Cruises will provide guests one of the most developed high-speed connections in the world both while sailing and when in port. Windstar launched the new Wi-Fi technology on Star Pride during a recent Caribbean voyage and plans to implement Starlink across most of its global fleet by mid-2023. Star Legend will offer the service this spring, followed by Wind Surf, Wind Star, and Star Breeze. Wind Spirit will activate the new technology as soon as it’s available in French Polynesia. Currently, all Windstar Cruises use geostationary satellite service, Anuvu, for internet services. The addition of Starlink technology will amplify Anuvu, delivering more reliable and faster internet to Windstar’s guests. Starlink is the world's first and largest satellite constellation with a low Earth orbit using lasers so communication can happen further away from ground based stations. “I am thrilled to be working with Anuvu and Starlink to offer our guests the latest in satellite technology," said Gregg Wagner, technology director, Windstar Cruises. “When the ships are inside the service area, faster speeds will alleviate much of the frustration felt at peak use times.” “Starlink is yet to be available worldwide, but Windstar Cruises is excited to be among the first in the cruise industry to offer this cutting-edge technology. The addition of high-speed internet service with our current geostationary satellite service will enable guests to stay connected to family and friends.” Starlink will be available on select Windstar voyages where the service is active; not all global destinations are available. View Starlink’s current maritime coverage and progress map here. For more details on Windstar Cruises, visit www.windstarcruises.com. |
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