(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI (May 17, 2022) - Celebrity Cruises has reimagined its sales structure to provide highly focused sales and support to national and key accounts, along with best-in-class marketing support to trade partners, it was announced today by Dondra Ritzenthaler, Senior Vice President of Sales, The Americas, and Keith Lane, Vice President of Sales, The Americas for the new-luxury cruise line. Highlights of the new structure include:
(PRESS RELEASE)_Fort Lauderdale, Florida (May 17, 2022) – American Queen Voyages announced today that travel and cruise industry veteran, David Giersdorf, has been named acting president for American Queen Voyages. Mr. Giersdorf will report to Kevin Rabbitt, chief executive officer, Hornblower Group. “Hornblower Group is committed to the expansion of American Queen Voyages, as evidenced by the substantial investments in new vessels, our company rebrand, expanding technology, web and marketing tools and opening a new office in Fort Lauderdale, putting us right in the heart of the cruise industry,” said Kevin Rabbitt, chief executive officer, Hornblower Group. “In order to expedite these goals, we need someone that can be charged with leading the organization with a deep knowledge of the industry, strong drive and sharp business instincts to ensure we are taking the necessary steps in our growth plan. I am thrilled to welcome David, our friend and cruise industry veteran, into the role of acting president. With David’s passion, resilient operational creative experience and a keen sense of the industry, I am confident he will provide the leadership we need to build and optimize all related opportunities for American Queen Voyage’s operations.” (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, FL, May 17, 2022 – Small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises has cancelled its scheduled cruises in Asia for fall of 2022, citing the continued uncertainty regarding ports reopening in the region. The move will affect seven scheduled itineraries on the all-suite Star Breeze, including a crossing of the Pacific from Alaska to Japan, two Grand Japan sailings, Island Hopping through Japan, Windstar Crew Hometowns: Philippines and Indonesia, Hidden Indonesia & the Great Barrier Reef, and Edge of the Outback. Instead, Star Breeze will extend its Alaska season with an additional itinerary (Alaskan Splendors) in late August, followed by West Coast Epicurean Extravaganza down the coast of the U.S., a trans- ocean voyage from San Diego to Tahiti, and five sailings in French Polynesia. During October 2022, Windstar will celebrate its 35th anniversary of operating cruises in Tahiti – one of the first lines to offer overnight cruises in the region. All sailings aboard Wind Spirit and Star Breeze in Tahiti will join in the celebration with special events planned during the cruise. On November 11 Star Breeze departs for a trans-ocean journey to Sydney, arriving on November 22 for a scheduled charter cruise. The shift will make the December 4 Tasman Sea Treasures: New Zealand Fjords & South Australia Windstar’s first commercial cruise offered in the region. 2022 marks Windstar’s first time offering comprehensive itineraries to New Zealand and Australia, visiting small, rarely visited ports of call like Middle Percy Island. “As Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines and South Korea are all currently still closed to cruising, Windstar joins several other cruise lines in making this decision to cancel cruises in Asia for fall,” says Windstar Cruises President Christopher Prelog. “We hope our guests rebook on these same fantastic itineraries for next year.” For more information on Windstar Cruises, visit www.windstarcruises.com. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, May 16, 2022 – Love is in the air…and back at sea! Following the exciting news that its entire fleet is back in service, Carnival Cruise Line announced today that it is now taking reservations for weddings and vow renewals on sailings starting September 2022 and beyond. “For decades, Carnival has been the leading wedding operator in the cruise industry, so we are very excited to restart our wedding program for our guests who have been longing to celebrate their nuptials on board our ships,” said Jeremy Schiller, vice president of operations for Carnival Cruise Line. “Creating special memories for our guests is what we do, it’s who we are, and the time to help them live out the weddings of their dreams is back!” Carnival’s wedding and vow renewal offerings are expansive, giving guests the opportunity to make memories that last a lifetime with a ceremony as unique as the couple. With the help of Carnival’s dedicated team of trained wedding planners, guests can choose from ceremonies at sea aboard a Carnival ship; on embarkation day, allowing them to invite guests who are not sailing and can debark after the ceremony; and even at select port of call destinations. And, did someone say honeymoon? It doesn’t get easier than setting sail on an amazing honeymoon cruise right after the wedding! From the ceremony, music and décor to photography, cocktail receptions and more, the Weddings by Carnival team puts the fun back in the wedding planning process. Packages range from intimate ceremonies to larger celebrations with family and friends. This September will be the first time Carnival is offering weddings and vow renewals since March 2020, before the line’s pause in guest operations. The wedding program is limited to ships sailing from the U.S. at this time. For more information about Carnival Cruise Line’s wedding and vow renewal offerings, call 1-800-933-4968, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST, or visit www.carnival.com/wedding-cruises. (PRESS RELEASE)_NORFOLK, May 15, 2022 – With Carnival Magic’s sailing today, Carnival Cruise Line marks its return to guest operations from Norfolk, Va. with the first cruise to set sail from the city since 2019 on the largest ship to ever depart from the city’s Half Moone Cruise Center. To commemorate the special day, Carnival welcomed guests with a “Back to Fun” event that included a ceremonial ribbon-cutting which cleared the way for guests to enter the terminal’s new gangway, built to accommodate larger ships, and board Carnival Magic as the ship’s crew welcomed them aboard. “Norfolk is a key seasonal homeport for us and we are excited to have Carnival Magic based in Norfolk for our guests to enjoy and to support the local economy,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “I want to thank the City of Norfolk for its ongoing commitment to Carnival and the enhancements it made to the beautiful Half Moone Cruise Center, so that we could bring the larger Carnival Magic here for our restart.” By Gerry Barker Related Story: Peter Knego Interview MIAMI BEACH_Even though 2022 hasn't hit the halfway point, it's already been a big year for Carnival. The cruise line marked its official 50-year anniversary in March, announced all its ships were back at sea in May, and here at Seatrade Cruise Global, revealed details for the upcoming launch of its newest Excel-class vessel, Celebration. Addressing the media at a press conference were Carnival President Christine Duffy, along with Glenn Aprile, Carnival's Director of New Build and Product Development. It's been 10 months since their first Excel-class, LNG-powered ship, Mardi Gras, was launched, and Ms. Duffy said it's gotten rave reviews from guests as well as winning industry awards and accolades. In fact, she noted "that 11,000 of the guests on Mardi Gras have sailed twice in 10 months -- they have to come back to get to everything." But the real focus was on the next Excel-ship, Celebration, which will home port in Miami and culminate their 50th year in operation. When she debuts later this year at the redesigned Terminal F, many of the features from her sister ship, Mardi Gras, will carry over. But one venue that will be unique to Celebration will be the Golden Jubilee Lounge and Bar. Besides leaning into their Miami heritage, Aprile described the Golden Jubilee as "a really special bar and lounge, unlike anything we've ever done." It will offer elements from the company's 50-year history, as well point the way toward the future. By Gerry Barker MIAMI BEACH_In line with the main theme here at Seatrade Cruise Global -- "Welcome Back to the Ship" -- PONANT Americas CEO Navin Sawhney told assembled media,"We are thrilled to have most of our ships back in the water." Despite the effects of the pandemic, Sawhney said the only French-flagged cruise line "has surged forward over the last three years, nearly doubling the size of our fleet," which today is 13 ships. During that time, they bought and integrated Paul Gauguin Cruises, as well as taking delivery of three new expedition vessels. Recently appointed CEO Herve Gastinel gave a overview of PONANT, founded in 1988 by a group of French Naval officers. Specializing in small-ship cruising, Gastinel said currently North Americans represent 50 percent of their clientele, while Europeans are 35 percent, with the other 15 percent coming from Asia/Pacific. He touched on the cruise line's mission -- "inviting guests to explore remote areas and learn about the culture, history and biodiveristy from expert guides" while leaving behind "the smallest footprint." That creed is exemplified in the line's newest ship, the 245-passenger Le Commandant Charcot, the first hybrid electric polar vessel powered by LNG (liquified natural gas). Gastinel said PONANT has doubled down on sustainability with six new commitments to eliminate the use of plastics and reduce carbon emissions over the next three years. In response to questions, Gastinel said they plan to have all the ships back in operation this summer. noting they were the first international line back to Australia, and they are preparing to launch a 14th vessel later this year. He summarized by saying PONANT believes "small ships are the future" and there are "exciting times ahead," something the entire cruise industry can get behind. (PRESS RELEASE)_THE BAHAMAS, May 12, 2022 – With a strong showing of validation of the cruise industry’s return and optimism, and reflecting a long-standing partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and The Bahamas, Carnival, in cooperation with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government of The Bahamas, today held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island. Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy; Bahamas Prime Minister The Honourable Philip Davis; Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister The Honourable I. Chester Cooper; Minister for Grand Bahama The Honourable Ginger Moxey; and The Grand Bahama Port Authority Acting Chairman Sarah St. George; along with Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald and representatives from Carnival Corporation and the local community used ceremonial shovels to officially mark the beginning of construction. (PRESS RELEASE)_Los Angeles (May 12, 2022) – Viking® (www.viking.com) today announced it has taken delivery of the company’s newest ocean ship, the Viking Mars®. The delivery ceremony took place this morning when the ship was presented at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy. The Viking Mars will now make her way to Valletta, Malta, where she will be officially named on May 17, 2022—Norwegian Constitution Day—by her ceremonial godmother, Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon. The ship will then sail itineraries in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Northern Europe before repositioning at the end of the year for voyages around Australia and New Zealand. “As we celebrate our 25th anniversary and a year of important milestones for Viking, today we are very proud to welcome the newest ocean ship to our award-winning fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “Lady Carnarvon has honored us by serving as godmother to the Viking Mars, and we look forward to welcoming guests on board this beautiful new sister ship in the coming weeks.” (PRESS RELEASE)_Calabasas, CA – (May 12, 2022) – AmaWaterways, the luxury river cruise line known for curating incredible epicurean experiences, today announced the introduction of European Wine Hosts to a special series within the Celebration of Wine River Cruises. With more than 60 Celebration of Wine River Cruises through Europe scheduled for 2022, AmaWaterways has selected four special departures designated as European Wine Immersion Sailings where notable wine experts from Europe will lead guests through renowned wine regions while sharing in-depth knowledge of local wines, rich traditions and the history of European winemaking. “We’ve continued to see an increased demand for our wine-themed cruises and are excited to introduce passionate European wine hosts to guide guests through a complete immersion into European wine,” said Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways’ executive vice president and co-founder. “As part of our Celebration of Wine River Cruises, the European Wine Immersion sailings will feature the popular enhanced tastings, interactive discussions and shore excursions, but will add detailed insights and experiences exclusively catered to the European wine region guests sail through.” |
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