(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Nov. 19, 2021 – Royal Caribbean International is back in California after more than a decade, and it’s rolling out the red carpet for families and travelers of all ages looking to get away on a memorable vacation. The cruise line’s bold and adventure-packed Navigator of the Seas set sail from Los Angeles today, beginning its highly anticipated year-round season of 3-night weekend to 4- and 5-night weekday cruises to Catalina Island, California, and the Mexican Riviera. Now cruising from the City of Angels, Navigator premieres the ultimate getaway that combines adventures ashore, in destinations like Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and on board – from the longest waterslide at sea to the industry’s first standalone blow-dry bar. (PRESS RELEASE)_PONANT resumed cruises in the Seychelles on November 18, 2021 – becoming the first cruise company to resume operations in the region. During the 2021/22 winter season, the Seychelles archipelago will be in the spotlight with five itineraries and 19 cruises departing from November to April. PONANT EXPLORER ship Le Bellot departed from Mahé on November 18 for an eight-night sailing with ports of call at eight emblematic islands. Le Bellot will also be joined by Le Bougainville and Le Jacques-Cartier, also part of the EXPLORER fleet. Sales for the 2022-2023 winter season are also now open, with six itineraries and 18 cruises scheduled. “After long months of waiting, we are more than prepared to resume our operations in the Seychelles. We’ve been taking guests to discover this paradise on earth for almost 20 years. We are happy to be able to actively contribute to relaunching tourism in the Seychelles,” says Hervé Bellaïche, Chief Sales, Marketing and Communications Officer at PONANT. Both aboard and ashore, guests’ safety is the priority for PONANT with a double protection principle implemented on all ships. This includes screening and decontamination measures when boarding, ensuring those who board do not carry the virus, followed by on-board sanitary protocols throughout the cruise. For expedition cruises, PONANT requires all passengers to present a negative PCR test administered within 72 hours prior to boarding and proof of full vaccination or natural immunity. To find out more about PONANT’s health protocol, please click here. (PRESS RELEASE)_Seattle, WA (November 18, 2021) – Hurtigruten Expeditions, the world leader in exploration travel, will donate 1% of all North American bookings made in November and December for Alaska and the Galápagos to Alaska Wilderness League and Galápagos Conservancy, respectively, through its Hurtigruten Foundation. Galápagos and Alaska are some of the latest additions to Hurtigruten Expeditions’ growing global offering of unique experiences – with the first Galápagos expedition cruises starting from January 2022. The funds will be donated through the Hurtigruten Foundation. “The old travel industry saying of ’take only memories, leave nothing but footprints’ is no longer enough. This is why we are proud and humbled to engage with both the Alaska Wilderness League and Galápagos Conservancy. Together we will continue our efforts to safeguard the nature and wildlife that is such an integrated part of the lives of the Alaskan Natives that welcome us into their communities and homes, and in Galápagos, where we are converting footprints from previous centuries into a new future for the endemic species of this unique archipelago,” said Henrik A. Lund, Managing Director, Hurtigruten Foundation. (PRESS RELEASE)_VALENCIA, Calif., Nov. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cunard announces 17 new international voyages, sailing on Queen Elizabeth between February 20 and June 21, 2022. Embarking on the new program in early 2022, Queen Elizabeth will visit 32 ports in 12 countries, spending time in the unparalleled beauty of Norway's fjords; island hopping in Spain and Portugal; cruising through the Mediterranean; and finally transiting the Panama Canal onwards to Alaska. The programme includes six overnight port calls and three late evening departures. Extended time in Tromso and Narvik offers the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. A call in Amsterdam on a four-night short break brings an opportunity to explore the city's UNESCO-listed canals by night. Other highlight calls include Genoa, Ibiza, Manzanillo, Grand Turk, San Francisco, before reaching the icy landscapes of Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, November 18, 2021 – It was a historic day for Crystal as its award-winning luxury expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, departed the Port of Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of Argentina on her first-ever expedition voyage to Antarctica – the first of in a series of eight round-trip 11- to 19-night sailings aboard the German-engineered polar-class vessel. “We designed Crystal Endeavor to provide the ultimate Antarctic adventure providing guests opportunities to get ‘up close and personal’ views of this stunning cruising region sailing a precision, German-engineered expedition while enjoying the refined comfort, luxury amenities and attentive service that are Crystal hallmarks,” said Jack Anderson, Crystal president. “Exploring Antarctica is an unforgettable, life-changing experience and we encourage our guests to join us as we set a new standard in luxury expedition cruising.” Crystal Endeavor’s Antarctica voyages feature bold expedition adventures including Zodiac landings, sea kayaking and expedition hikes to experience the stunning landscapes and extraordinary wildlife of the world’s southernmost continent, exploring places few have ever seen. Guests’ journey of rugged adventure includes the crossing of famed Drake Passage and visits to the South Shetland Islands, the Weddell Sea, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia, as well as ample time exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, home to penguin colonies, seals, whales and seabirds. (PRESS RELEASE)_Fort Lauderdale, Florida (November 18, 2021) – American Queen Voyages™, part of Hornblower® Group, is pleased to name Chef Regina Charboneau as Culinary Ambassador across River, Lakes & Ocean and Expedition cruise experiences. Announced today while hosting a private biscuit-making class of Virtuoso Cruise Icons at her cooking school in Natchez, Mississippi, the partnership will create regional culinary and encounter travel moments for the upcoming 2022 American Queen Voyages season. “Unique culinary experiences are a cornerstone of encounter travel and anyone who has spent a few moments with Chef Regina at her cooking school, a culinary festival or been pulled into the kitchen to assist during one of her legendary dinner parties comes away with a memorable and inspiring moment,” shares Kari Tarnowski, senior vice president of marketing and sales, American Queen Voyages. “This partnership will transcend those moments beyond just the kitchen, across the rivers, Great Lakes, Alaska and more, offering unique experiences for guests to take away and also re-create in their own homes.” As Culinary Ambassador, Charboneau will develop, share and tell the stories behind recipes inspired from the many ports American Queen Voyages sails from across North America. Her role will also include creating unique culinary experiences for guests both onboard and ashore throughout the season including special sailings featuring the chef and her culinary friends. MIAMI, November 17, 2021 - With the holidays right around the corner, there’s no better time for guests to book their luxury celebration at sea with Crystal whose ocean, river and expedition voyages provide the ultimate winter-time retreat. This year, five Crystal ships will offer port-intensive 10- to 15-day voyages departing in late December that visit not only warm-weather hot spots but the remote icy wonderland of Antarctica and legendary waterways of Europe, providing unforgettable luxury vacation experiences with opportunities to explore some of the world’s most picturesque locales. During the holidays Crystal ships will be adorned with decorations, special menus with delicious multi-course meals, and, of course, the best New Year’s Eve party in cruising culminating in a champagne toast at midnight as 2021 turns into 2022. Prices begin at $2,499 per person for these incredible holiday celebrations. “The holidays aboard Crystal are truly one-of-a-kind and this year we’re more excited than ever to welcome our Crystal Family to come onboard and create a lifetime of wonderful memories as they relax and reconnect with their friends, families and loved ones,” said Jack Anderson, president of Crystal. Here’s a look at Crystal’s 2021 holiday cruise offerings:
(PRESS RELEASE)_SAINT-NAZAIRE, FRANCE (Nov. 17, 2021) – As company executives signed the ceremonial first cut of steel for the fourth ship in Celebrity Cruises’ award-winning Edge Series at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the cruise line that took consumers to the Edge® and ApexSM of luxury travel, and will soon show consumers BeyondSM what anyone thought possible for a cruise ship, revealed it will climb even higher with the beginning of construction on Celebrity Ascent. The ceremony signaled the next chapter in a remarkable year for Celebrity Cruises as it led the cruising industry out of the pandemic with Celebrity Edge, the first ship to sail from a U.S. port on June 26, 2021; formally launched the second Edge Series ship, Celebrity Apex, in an emotional naming ceremony on Nov. 2, 2021; and shared more details throughout the year on the series’ third ship due in late April, 2022, the highly-anticipated Celebrity Beyond. “The name of this new ship is very apropos as the industry rebounds, but also as Celebrity continues to lead the industry as an unmatched new-luxury brand and cruise line,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Celebrity Cruises. “Celebrity Ascent will take the industry to new heights as it pushes the boundaries of what people can experience on a ship and how they experience it.” “What another wonderful moment for our brand, our company and our industry to be in this incredible shipyard making the traditional first cut of steel on this magnificent ship and signaling the bright future that lies ahead,” said Lutoff-Perlo. “While I wish I could share what we have in store for this ship, I can tell you our ‘Ascent’ will be Celebrity Beyond’s sister ship in every way, and then some.” "This is a momentous occasion and a new milestone in the long success story we have with Celebrity Cruises and the Royal Caribbean Group,” said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique. “Celebrity has been on the forefront of pushing the industry forward on multiple levels, and it’s our privilege to partner and collaborate with them as we bring Celebrity Ascent to life.” Celebrity Ascent is expected to make her debut in early 2023. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, November 16, 2021: Azamara – the cruise line dedicated to Destination Immersion® experiences – is excited to announce the launch of its new World Voyage aboard the company’s newest ship, Azamara Onward. Starting on January 5, 2024, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the comprehensive sailing offers immersive and intimate experiences to the World’s Wonders. The 155-night journey will reach over 40 countries in six continents with 22 overnight stays and 27 late nights in port, giving travelers ample time to fully explore the rich culture and history of each destination. “We are thrilled to finally unveil our World Voyage. With opportunities to visit the Seven Wonders of the World and other iconic sites such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos, and the Black Sea, we are allowing our guests to check off all their bucket list destinations in one sailing and to connect with more countries and cultures than ever before,” says Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara. “Not only are we taking our guests further, but we are also encouraging them to travel deeper with our unique overnight land experiences, designed to bring travelers to the heart of the destination and giving them enough time to appreciate its culture.” (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, November 16, 2021 – Dr. Lucille O’Neal – author, philanthropist and mother of Carnival Cruise Line’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal – has been named godmother of the totally transformed Carnival Radiance, set to debut in December following a $200 million dry dock. Dr. O’Neal will preside over the ship’s invitation-only naming ceremony taking place in Long Beach, Calif. prior to its inaugural cruise Dec. 13. During the festivities, Lucille and Shaquille will cut the ribbon to officially open Big Chicken, the second seagoing restaurant created by Shaquille, featuring dishes based on his family’s recipes. Lucille is an accomplished speaker who donates her time and talent to a wide range of charitable organizations, including serving on the board of the Orlando Ovarian Center Alliance, and president and co-founder of the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players. |
ABOUTStay current with the latest news from the cruise lines. Follow Gerry Barker
on All Things Cruise. Follow Gerry on Splash Magazines Worldwide
REVIEWSFEATURESMORE COVERAGEArchives
April 2024
Categories |