(PRESS RELEASE)_Miami, FL, September 9, 2021 – Oceania Cruises, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, unveiled the Inaugural Season of voyage itineraries for Vista, the line’s newest ship. The 18 Inaugural Season voyages commence in April 2023 and will span more than 24 countries across four continents, from the ancient sands of Asia in the east to the glittering hills of Hollywood in the west. Vista’s Inaugural Season voyages are now available for travelers and travel advisors to preview online at OceaniaCruises.com and will open for sale on September 15, 2021. Additionally, President’s Circle and Diamond-level Oceania Club members enjoy exclusive privileges that afford them the opportunity to request their preferred suite or stateroom on the Inaugural Season voyages through September 14, 2021. “Every aspect of Vista’s Inaugural Season has been designed to present immersive destination experiences through new and unique perspectives. From the heart of iconic cities such as Venice and London to the rarely trodden shores of Stornoway or Kavala, guests will be enthralled with the diverse array of memories they’ll collect along the way,” stated Bob Binder, President and CEO of Oceania Cruises. Inaugural Season Highlights
(ROYAL CARIBBEAN)_September 2021 – Royal Caribbean International returns to California for the first time in more than a decade. Starting in November from Los Angeles, the cruise line’s amped-up Navigator of the Seas will offer travelers new ways to get away on short 3-, 4- and 5-night cruises to Catalina Island, California, and Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Guests of all ages can choose from a lineup of thrills and ways to chill on board Navigator, thanks to a $115 million amplification completed in 2019. The ship has been reimagined into the ultimate short getaway with a range of experiences and features like The Perfect Storm waterslides, including The Blaster – the longest aqua coaster at sea; a resort-style Caribbean pool deck, three-level signature bar The Lime & Coconut, the first blow-dry bar at sea – To Dry For, redesigned spaces dedicated to kids and teens, plus hotspots such as kitschy-cool tiki bar The Bamboo Room and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.
(PRESS RELEASE)_SEATTLE, WA, September 8, 2021 – Award-winning small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises is about to reveal the clues to a massive treasure hunt, running September 10-October 1. Someone will win a Windstar Cruise for two, but like the famed Fabergé eggs, there is a massive prize within a prize that the winner will solve while sailing on an exotic cruise to a fabled port-of-call. The contest is part of a celebration to commemorate the return of cruising and to incite excitement for planning future trips on the brand’s fleet of award-winning small yachts. More than half of Windstar’s fleet is now sailing with vaccinated guests and crew. “Before our yachts returned to operation, we spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to inspire wanderlust for booking a future cruise vacation – to give people something to look forward to and have a bit of fun in the process – so we created this visual treasure hunt as a way to show what makes Windstar such a unique cruise experience,” said Betsy O’Rourke, Chief Marketing Officer for Xanterra Travel Collection, Windstar’s parent company. “Travel brings joy when you get to experience new things, share moments with loved ones, and make new friends. We hope this treasure hunt inspires reflection on past amazing experiences and inspires a future trip.” HOW IT WORKS To find the location of the hidden treasure, players must go online and watch 11 short videos that are hosted on Windstar’s social channels and on the sweepstakes landing page at WindstarCruises.com. Each video contains a number, letter, or symbol that, strung together, form a Google Plus code revealing the destination of the treasure. Once players crack the code, they can earn up to $200 shipboard credit and are entered to win a Windstar cruise. The cruise winner will then embark on a super mega treasure hunt with a partner of their choosing to retrieve the extraordinary grand prize waiting to be discovered. Details and videos at Windstarcruises.com/treasurehunt The sweepstakes opens September 10 and ends October 1. (PRESS RELEASE)_Hurtigruten Expeditions has appointed two seasoned exploration and environmental pioneers as godmothers of battery-hybrid powered MS Fridtjof Nansen: Canadian Sunniva Sørby and Norwegian Hilde Fålun Strøm.
The two explorers are dedicating their lives to inspire action and engage a global dialogue on climate change and made history as the first women team to overwinter in remote Arctic Svalbard. Svalbard is also where Hurtigruten Expeditions founded expedition cruising in 1896 and will conduct its naming ceremony for the battery-hybrid powered MS Fridtjof Nansen on September 14th. “It is an honor to serve as godmothers to one of the world's most advanced and environmentally friendly expedition cruise ships. Over decades of polar exploration, we have witnessed the significant changes and challenges our planet faces. Sponsoring MS Fridtjof Nansen gives us a strengthened platform from where we can increase global awareness and dialogue around climate change – and inspire active engagement and create more ambassadors for our natural world,” stated Strøm and Sørby. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Sept. 7, 2021 – Carnival Cruise Line announced today that it has an agreement with the city of New Orleans and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide Carnival Glory for first responders housing through Sept. 18.
Related to this announcement, Carnival will cancel Glory’s cruise scheduled to depart on Sept. 12 and will plan to restart its guest operations with Carnival Glory from New Orleans on Sunday, Sept. 19. Carnival had already cancelled the Sept. 5 departure for Carnival Glory. Carnival Glory arrived at the Port of New Orleans on Friday and underwent a required U.S. Coast Guard inspection. The ship began provisioning food, water and materials to prepare for up to 2,600 hospital workers, first responders, city and utility workers and other emergency personnel to join the ship. The ship will stay in port and serve as emergency housing for frontline workers directly involved in the city’s infrastructure recovery and healthcare needs. “While we want to provide the city of New Orleans with an economic boost by restarting guest operations, we want to first provide this critical housing support to address emergency needs and to get power restored to the region,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We appreciate the understanding of our guests, who we know love New Orleans as much as we do.” Added Brandy D. Christian, President and CEO Port NOLA and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, “Port NOLA appreciates Carnival’s deployment of Carnival Glory to New Orleans. Her berths will accommodate the hardworking first responders and essential personnel working on storm recovery efforts in our region. Port NOLA, our Federal, state, and local partner agencies all support those who are quickly restoring critical infrastructure in the city and helping to get cargo moving again.” (PRESS RELEASE)_ MIAMI, September 3, 2021 – With eight of its ships already in guest operations, and more restarting throughout the fall season, Carnival Cruise Line today announced its next round of cruise directors who will entertain guests across the fleet.
At the helm of the excitement on board will be Leon Smith on Carnival Glory and Marty Pitts on Carnival Valor from New Orleans; Frankie Portera on Carnival Pride and Leigh Xuereb on Carnival Legend from Baltimore; Deon Williams on Carnival Dream from Galveston; TJ Partida on Carnival Freedom from Miami; and Paully Munhollon on Carnival Elation from Port Canaveral sailing in September, October and November. “As we continue to successfully restart our guest operations with additional ships on the way, we are also bringing back the fun in many ways, and our wonderful cruise directors who define the fun on board are leading the charge,” said Chris Nelson, vice president of entertainment for Carnival Cruise Line. “It’s been such a special experience seeing our ships get Back to Fun, and we’re just getting started!” (PRESS RELEASE)_Miami, FL, Sept. 2, 2021 -- SeaDream Yacht Club Celebrates its 20th Anniversary with guests aboard SeaDream I in Italy and SeaDream II in Croatia.
For 20 years, the twin mega yachts, SeaDream I and II have been exploring some of the world’s most favored yachting destinations - including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, and many more. Known for providing more of a yachting experience, and less of a cruise ship experience, SeaDream coined the phrase “It’s yachting, not cruising - Enjoy the difference.” Founded in September 2001, just before travel was forever changed on 9/11, it is happenstance to be marking this milestone during a pandemic. The concept of small ship, yacht-like cruising has grown in popularity over the two decades since SeaDream’s inception. President of SeaDream Yacht Club, Bob Lepisto, who's been with the company since day one, said “Our goal was to create a casually elegant yachting opportunity where every guest feels like they're on their own private yacht. Emphasizing incredible service and cuisine, and the pleasure of travelling with like-minded guests. For our full 20-year history, we have stayed true to that mission.” Poised for continued success, as the appeal of sailing on a boutique vessel with fewer people (SeaDream accommodates maximum 112 guests), relaxing in plentiful open deck space, dining outdoors, and calling on the less crowded yacht harbors, has SeaDream checking all the desirable boxes. SeaDream Yacht Club is a family-owned company, and its sole Founder, Owner & Chairman, Atle Brynestad said “this is a celebration of our hard-working crew and our global shoreside team, our loyal guests, and our travel industry partners, for without whom, we wouldn’t be here today. We celebrate because of you.” For more information about SeaDream Yacht Club, consult a travel advisor, call in USA: +1 800-707-4911, in EU +47 410 40 122 or visit seadream.com. Related: A Trip Through the Panama Canal (PRESS RELEASE)_Seattle, Wash., Sept. 2, 2021 — The Panama Canal has been called one of humankind’s greatest engineering achievements, and for the 2022-23 cruise season four Holland America Line ships will feature itineraries that include a full transit between Atlantic and Pacific oceans. On board, guests get a front-row seat on the eight-hour daylight journey through the Panama Canal, often cited as a rite-of-passage experience by avid cruisers. Ranging in length from 14 to 23 days aboard Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Volendam and Zuiderdam, Holland America's Panama Canal voyages depart from several ports, including San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Many of the itineraries have two or three embarkation or debarkation options, enabling guests to stay on for an extended trip or utilize the port that is most convenient. In addition to the Panama Canal, the itineraries visit several beautiful locales in Central America and the Caribbean, offering a complete tropical vacation with lush flora, exotic fauna, golden beaches and a display of nature’s most vibrant hues. Partial Panama Canal Transits Explore Gatun Lake Guests looking to explore the Panama Canal on a Caribbean cruise can experience a partial transit aboard Eurodam and Volendam, sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale on 10- and 11-day cruises. The ships visit tropical ports as they make way to Gatun Lake where cruisers will enjoy a day of spectacular scenic cruising throughout the canal. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Sept. 2, 2021 – With eight of its ships already in guest operations, and more restarting in September and October, Carnival Cruise Line today announced the next round of details about additional ship restarts for November 2021 and beyond.
“We are very pleased with the progress of our restart which will grow to 15 ships sailing from seven U.S. homeports by mid-November,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We are making slight adjustments to our timeline to take into account supply chain realities and ensure that our destination and shore excursion offerings can meet the strong demand we are seeing from our guests. Our teams, ship and shore, are prepared to continue delivering on our great guest experience and manage all health and safety protocols.” Carnival is also advising guests booked in November and December that it will continue to meet the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) standard of vaccinated cruises and that guests will need to present proof of both vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test at check-in (with a small number of capacity-restricted exemptions granted for children under 12 and other guests who cannot be vaccinated). Carnival is working to set up mobile pre-cruise rapid testing sites at all of its homeports as a back-up alternative for vaccinated guests who aren’t able to make arrangements (details forthcoming). In addition, guests will be asked to wear masks in most indoor venues of the ship where people congregate. Full details are available at the Have Fun. Be Safe. page on Carnival.com. With the extension of Carnival Sensation’s restart, five ships operating out of U.S. homeports will be moved to 2022: Carnival Liberty (Port Canaveral), Carnival Sunshine (Charleston), Carnival Paradise (Tampa); Carnival Ecstasy (Jacksonville) and Carnival Sensation (Mobile). Separate from its U.S. operations, Carnival has cancelled four additional sailings for both Carnival Spirit and Carnival Splendor out of Australia. Cruises on both ships are now cancelled up to and including Dec. 16, 2021. (PRESS RELEASE)_SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2021) – The lure of Japan’s architecture, traditions, festivals and landscapes can magically come to life for travelers during the newly announced 2023 cruises and cruisetours season from Princess Cruises. On sale today, a multitude of itineraries spanning from the southern tropical islands of Okinawa to the northernmost island of Hokkaido, offer guests the opportunity to discover the culture, history, cuisine and natural wonders of Japan, where ancient traditions and fast-paced modernity exist in harmony. Japan-built Diamond Princess returns for the summer and fall of 2023 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of sailing from Tokyo (Yokohama) and Kobe. The ship--designed with the destination in mind, featuring regionally infused cuisine, unique entertainment and a tranquil Izumi, the largest Japanese bath at sea—calls to 38 destinations in four countries on 43 unique itineraries and 57 departures, ranging from 5- to 19-days. Top reasons to experience Japan with Princess in 2023 include:
For those travelers with more time to explore Japan, Princess offers 13- or 14-day Highlights of Japan cruisetours, featuring a multiple-night land tour combined with the cruise, for more time on land to experience the wonders of both Tokyo and Kyoto. More information about the multitude of offerings to explore Japan with Princess in 2023 can be found at www.princess.com/japan. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website at http://www.princess.com/ |
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