Viking Ocean Cruises expands to North American waters next year
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 02 December 2015 02 December 2015
Viking Ocean Cruises yesterday announced that the line will expand its destination-focused cruising to North America and the Caribbean with five new itineraries launching in September 2016. As a nod to the most famous Viking explorer, Leif Eriksson, who set foot on North American soil 500 years before Columbus, Viking Star will also cross the North Atlantic – with a new itinerary that sails from Bergen to Montreal, with stops in the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland. From Montreal, the award-winning ship will cruise the St. Lawrence River and down the coast of New England to New York, during the peak period of fall foliage in October. Viking Star will then make her way down the Eastern seaboard to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which will serve as her homeport for winter Caribbean itineraries. The ship will return to Europe in February 2017, with a transatlantic sailing from San Juan to Barcelona.
“We have always had a vision to reinvent ocean cruising – to bring destinations back to the forefront of the itinerary and to build ships that are designed to help our guests better explore their destinations,” said Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking Cruises. “We launched our ocean cruises in Europe earlier this year, and just as the Viking explorers before us, we are now looking across the Atlantic for new discoveries. Our new itineraries in North America and the Caribbean will offer travelers experiences that broaden their horizons both on and off the ship.”
New North America & Caribbean itineraries
Created in part to honor early Viking trade routes beyond Scandinavia, Viking’s new North American itineraries will allow guests to sail the North Atlantic and visit original Norse settlement sites that date back more than 1,000 years. Viking’s Caribbean itineraries will provide an alternative to the cruises typically offered in the region – with more time in port and experiences that go beyond the iconic and expected. Highlights from the new program include:
In the Wake of the Vikings (15 days; Bergen to Montreal) – Trace the route of Viking Leif Eriksson, setting off from his homeland, Norway, sailing from the old mercantile city of Bergen to the rustic Shetland Islands of Scotland the Faroe Islands, once home to the Viking Parliament. Witness the magnificent natural beauty of Iceland and Greenland; then, as Eriksson before you, land at Newfoundland, where L’Anse aux Meadows reveals evidence of Norse settlements. Sail on to Quebec, with explorations of Saguenay and Quebec City, before arriving in Montreal. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $6,499 per person. Sailing Date: September 18, 2016.
Eastern Seaboard Explorer (13 days; Montreal to New York) – Witness the shores of Canada and New England come alive with fall’s vibrant hues during this once-annual sailing. From cosmopolitan Montreal, cruise the St. Lawrence River to French-flavored Quebec City. Learn about Canada’s colonial past in Saguenay and about its Scottish and Acadian heritage on Prince Edward Island and in Halifax. An overnight in Boston gives you ample time to visit its historic treasures. Then, enjoy a rare crossing of the Cape Cod Canal en route to New York City, where you’ll experience the highlights of Manhattan. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $4,999 per person. Sailing Date: October 2, 2016.
Eastern Seaboard to the West Indies (15 days; New York to San Juan) – Trace the Atlantic seaboard of the United States into the Caribbean, calling on an array of vibrant capitals and lush islands. An overnight in exhilarating New York City lets you take in its dazzling sights. Then explore Newport’s grand mansions and Baltimore’s historic riches. Immerse yourself in colonial Jamestown from our port in Norfolk, and enjoy an overnight stay amid the coastal beauty of Port Everglades. Then explore the lush and lively Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos, Antigua and St. Thomas. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $4,999 per person. Sailing Date: October 14, 2016.
West Indies Explorer (11 days; San Juan to San Juan) – After time to explore the colonial treasures of San Juan, Puerto Rico, immerse yourself in the British, French and Dutch cultures of the Lesser Antilles. Take in the steep green hills of Tortola and Antigua. Explore settlement towns on St. Lucia and Barbados. Witness the rainforest beauty of Guadeloupe and the rich past of St. Kitts. And marvel at the French and Dutch sides of St. Martin and the splendid vistas of St. Thomas. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $2,999 per person. Sailing Dates: October 28, November 7, December 17 and December 27, 2016; January 6, January 16, January 26, February 5 and February 15, 2017.
West Indies to Iberia (18 days; San Juan to Barcelona) – Embark in colonial San Juan, and call upon the Dutch side of St. Maarten. Then, enjoy a leisurely six-day trans-Atlantic crossing, savoring the offerings onboard Viking Star. You’ll make landfall on the garden-draped Portuguese island of Madeira and visit the French-inflected Moroccan city of Casablanca before exploring Spain in Cádiz, Valencia and finally, Barcelona. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $3,299. Sailing Date: February 25, 2017.
HNA ceases cruise operation in China
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 28 November 2015 28 November 2015
Alan Lam reports
Three years after its launch, HNA Tourism & Yacht management Co. Ltd., the first cruise ship and yacht management company in Mainland China, has decided to suspend its cruise operation in China.
The company’s only vessel, the 1986-built Henna, completed its last 5-night itinerary to Japan and returned to Shanghai with 1,000 passengers on board on 17 November. The ship left its Shanghai homeport on 27 November and is currently at anchor near Zhoushan (舟山).
Launched in 2012, the company is a subsidiary of the HNA Group, a major aviation, tourism and capital management conglomerate based in China with an extensive network of assets and partners around the world.
HNA has been one of the two Chinese domestic cruise brands. The company cited “decision by shareholders” to redefine its business areas as the reason for this cessation. It will however continue to be involved in cruise tourism in other capacities, such as a sales agent.
Based in Shanghai, Henna has undertaken cruises mainly to Taiwan and Japan. The company’s operation has not been smooth since its inaugural sailing in 2013. In September of the same year, the ship was impounded in Jeju, South Korea, with 2,300 passengers and crew onboard, over a commercial dispute with another Chinese firm. The incident cost the company dearly. Thereafter competition and the price pressure in the Chinese market have forced the company to retreat.
This development also raises the question as to whether or not, despite the recent exponential growth, there is as yet a big enough market in China for cruise operators.
President of Panamá meets cruise line executives in Miami
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 26 November 2015 26 November 2015
Alan Lam reports
Juan Carlos Varela, the incumbent President of the Republic of Panamá, travelled to Miami this week to promote his country’s ports to cruise business.
According to a communication from Panamá’s Ministry of External Relations, the President’s official agenda included meeting with top executives from Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean in his effort to promote Panama City and Colón as homeports.
The Panamanian President met with Micky Arison, Chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc, who expressed his profound interests in the development of the Colón port.
Later Juan Carlos Varela and his delegation also met with Richard Fain, CEO and Chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Michael Bayley, CEO of Royal Caribbean International; and Federico González Denton, Associate Vice-President, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
He expounded the economic advantages of operating in Panamá, both for investors and the tourists, outlining homeport opportunities and potentials his country offered, especially in terms of excellent air connections and the forthcoming New Panamá Canal.
Also present in the meetings were Augusto Arosemena, Vice Minister of the Presidency; Luis Miguel Hincapié, Vice Chancellor; Gustavo Him, Tourism Authority Administrator; and Jorge Barakat, Maritime Authority Administrator.
Attracting cruise business forms part of the Panamanian government’s new tourism promotion strategy.
P&O Cruises Australia debuts two more ships, expands country’s largest year-round fleet
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 25 November 2015 25 November 2015
Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest travel and leisure company, today announced its P&O Cruises Australia brand has introduced its two latest ships, Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden, expanding Australia’s largest year-round fleet to five cruise ships.
With the addition of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden, P&O Cruises Australia now has five ships cruising year-round from eight homeports in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. During the celebration to welcome its two latest ships, Australia’s leading cruise line made history by staging two first-ever events: a five-ship spectacular in the world-renowned Sydney Harbour and a social media naming ceremony.
Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises Australia, said the event marked a new era for P&O, Australia’s only homegrown cruise line, which has grown its fleet in response to increasing demand for cruise vacations.
“P&O Cruises has been sailing from Australia for more than 80 years, so we are thrilled to be able to celebrate the expansion of our fleet with so many Sydneysiders today,” said Sherry. “The addition of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden represents a 50 percent expansion in our guest capacity and heralds a new look and feel for our cruise line that is inspired by modern Australia.”
With Australian cruise passenger numbers having grown by an average of 20% a year over the past decade to break through the one million mark in 2014, P&O Cruises Australia is well positioned to continue meeting Australians' surging demand for cruise vacations. The addition of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden has paved the way for exciting new cruise options including deployments from every mainland state in Australia, an extended deployment from Auckland and a season of cruising from Singapore.
Carnival Corporation, which owns 10 cruise line brands, including P&O Cruises Australia, is the largest cruise operator in Australia and the only cruise company to have ships based full-time in Australian waters.
Over the past 10 years, Carnival Corporation’s presence in Australia has grown rapidly with its local fleet increasing from two full-time ships, both with P&O Cruises, to nine full-time ships from three of the company's brands – five P&O Cruises ships, three Princess Cruises ships and one Carnival Cruise Line ship.
P&O Cruises marked the debut of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden with a social media naming ceremony, which saw popular Australian singer Jessica Mauboy and actress Kate Ritchie simultaneously christening the ships via Twitter as the two vessels sailed by Fort Denison, in the middle of Sydney Harbour.
Notable cruise industry officials and two special guests attended the ceremony – young Sydney sisters Aria and Eden Mulligan, invited by P&O to perform the role of “junior godmothers” for the sister ships, which coincidentally share their names.
In a nod to maritime tradition, a bottle of Champagne was smashed on the bow of each ship as they sailed by Fort Denison, with all five ships sounding their whistles to mark Australia’s first dual cruise ship christening.
Thousands of Sydneysiders watched the cruise ship spectacular from the shore, while more than 12,000 guests and crew onboard the five ships joined in the celebrations.
The five ships are to remain on Sydney Harbour all day, with guests onboard enjoying a series of live concerts from more than 25 music acts, including performances by leading local performers Jessica Mauboy, The Veronicas, Justice Crew, Samantha Jade and Stan Walker. The celebration will conclude with a special fireworks display above the harbour.
Designed to be game changers for the Australian cruise industry, Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden offer a relaxed vibe in a contemporary and stylish setting.
Both ships feature a range of dining options, including the revolutionary new Pantry, which replaces the traditional ship’s buffet with an international food market showcasing eight delicious outlets. Other onboard offerings include stylish new lounges and bars, a stunning poolside area, new Pandora jewelry boutiques and a range of entertainment options including Bianco, the new P&O White party.
Continuing the cruise line’s modern Australian evolution, P&O Cruises has another ship on the horizon to be named Pacific Explorer. The ship will build on the fresh and contemporary design of newcomers Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden. The 77,000-ton ship, currently sailing as Princess Cruises’ Dawn Princess, is scheduled to enter the P&O Australia fleet in May 2017 and will sail from Sydney during its inaugural season. Details of its sailings will be released in the near future.
Majestic Princess to sail inaugural season in Europe
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Published: 25 November 2015 25 November 2015
Princess Cruises has announced its 2017 cruise vacations to Europe, including the inaugural sailings of the line’s newest ship Majestic Princess. The season features six ships sailing to 119 destinations from the corners of the Mediterranean to the northernmost tip of Europe.
Guests can choose from 64 unique itineraries on 153 cruise departures, visiting 27 countries. Debuting in April 2017, Majestic Princess first sets sail on maiden European sailings with 5- to 28-night Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona, Athens and Rome.
“Princess is known for offering the best cruise itineraries around the globe and our 2017 Europe season is sure to inspire our guests with our newest and largest ships in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “We’re especially excited to debut Majestic Princess in the Mediterranean before she officially sails to Asia for her maiden China cruise season.”
Princess now offers the More Ashore program, crafting the line’s newest itineraries to give guests more opportunities to experience the color, culture and flavors of the region in 2017. With port calls offering more time ashore with either late night departures (9pm or later), an overnight, or a two-day experience, travelers can see the sights during the day and then experience the nightlife of select destinations in the evening. Highlights of the More Ashore program in Europe include overnights in Dublin and St. Petersburg on select sailings, as well as late evening stays in more than 15 countries.
All 2017 Europe sailings open for bookings on Thursday, December 3, 2015.
Highlights of the Princess Cruises 2017 Europe program include:
Majestic Princess
The newest cruise ship to join the Princess fleet debuts in Rome (Civitavecchia) on April 4, 2017 for a five-day Maiden Adriatic Sea roundtrip voyage visiting Kotor and Corfu. The 3,560-guest Majestic Princess then sails on a series of seven-, 14-, 21- and 28-day Mediterranean voyages departing Barcelona, Athens and Rome from April 9-May 14, 2017.
Cruises to the Mediterranean
In addition to Majestic Princess, Royal Princess features new 11-day Grand Mediterranean and 10-day Western Mediterranean combinable for a 21-day Grand Mediterranean Collection, as well as seven, 14-, 21- and 28-day sailings throughout the Mediterranean
Scandinavia & Russia Cruises
Regal Princess returns to Northern Europe, along with Crown Princess and Pacific Princess for popular cruise vacations to Scandinavia & Russia, offering an overnight in St. Petersburg with departures from London (Southampton or Dover) or Copenhagen. A new Pacific Princess Baltic Heritage itinerary includes overnights in Stockholm and St. Petersburg, sailing from London (Dover).
British Isles Cruises
The 2017 Europe season marks the line’s largest British Isles season ever with 12 departures on Caribbean Princess and two on Pacific Princess, including last night stays in Edinburgh offering the opportunity to visit the world famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo on select sailings. All 12-day British Isles cruises include a new late evening stay in Belfast and an option of an overnight in Dublin on select departures from London (Southampton).
New Ports of Call
Summer 2017 features maiden port calls to Haugesund (Norway), Oban (Scotland), Siracusa (Sicily, Italy), Ulvik (Norway), and St. Tropez (France).
Iceland & Norway Cruises
Both Crown Princess and Pacific Princess will offer North Cape voyages to the Arctic Circle during the peak midnight sun period around the summer solstice. Crown Princess will also visit the spectacular Norwegian fjords, while Pacific Princess will feature a maiden call in Haugesund, Norway.
Pacific Princess will also offer 14-day Iceland & Norway itineraries visiting off-the-beaten path ports in Iceland and the Shetland Islands. She will also cross to the land of fire and ice on a Transatlantic passage featuring Iceland.
European Land & Sea Vacations
Guests can enhance their European travel with five unique Land & Sea Vacation options, which combine certain sailings with a fully-escorted land tour. Choices include Paris and the French Countryside; Ireland’s Ring of Kerry; Classic Italy, visiting popular sites in Venice, Florence and Rome; Imperial Treasures of Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin; and Swiss Splendors featuring the mountain beauty of Interlaken and Lucrene, as well as a scenic boat trip on Lake Como.
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