SuperStar Virgo to make 48 night Southern Hemisphere cruise

Star Cruises, the leading cruise line in the Asia Pacific, has unveiled a 48 night Southern Hemisphere cruise in the autumn, which is also the first long haul cruise of the company.

 “From 13 November 2015 to 31 December 2015, guests can explore a variety of exotic ports of call during this once in a life time journey evoking the spirit of the classic film, “Around the World in 80 Days,” the company said in a statement.

“We are excited to announce this first-ever, long-haul itinerary across the Southern Hemisphere for Star Cruises that will allow our guests to truly experience the diversity of lands and cultures of our corner of the world,” said Ang Moo Lim, Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Hotels.

“As the Asia Pacific’s leading cruise operator in the region, we take pride in knowing our clientele and the local market trends and have developed this itinerary to give our guests, who are already very familiar with shorter cruises, the option to embark on a longer destination voyage.”

Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – SuperStar Virgo brings the greatest hits of Asia and the Southern Hemisphere right to your doorstep, stopping in over 20 ports of call including Bali, Bangkok, Krakatoa, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh City, Sydney and more during its full 48 day tour. 

Star Cruises is part of the Genting Hong Kong group, which also owns Crystal Cruises.

Costa Deliziosa to sail Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades in winter 2015-16

Costa Cruises is bringing the best of Italy to the tropics this winter when Costa Deliziosa repositions to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the 2015-16 season. The 92,720-ton, 2,826-guest ship will cruise an innovative 10-night itinerary that features calls throughout the eastern and western Caribbean.

Costa Deliziosa, which will depart regularly from a U.S. homeport for the first time, sails a near-circumnavigation of the Caribbean from South Florida. The ship's six 10-night departures feature calls at Nassau or Freeport, Bahamas; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel or Costa Maya, Mexico.

"Costa's Caribbean itineraries enable guests to enjoy two destinations in one cruise, with Caribbean ports of call by day and the Italian ambiance of the ship at night," said Scott Knutson, vice president of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America. "Costa Deliziosa's longer itineraries allow travelers to experience more of the Caribbean, unwind and have a truly relaxing vacation."

Fares for the 10-night itineraries start at $899 per person, double occupancy, with departures Dec. 28, 2015, calling at Ocho Rios on New Year's Day; and Jan. 16 and 26; and Feb. 5, 15, and 25, 2016. Fares start at $869 on a nine-night itinerary departing Jan. 7 that excludes Roatan.

For guests looking to spend the Christmas holiday onboard, a special seven-night sailing departing Dec. 21, 2015, features calls at Costa Maya, Belize, Roatan on Christmas day and Grand Cayman. Rates start at $749, per person, double occupancy.

Costa Deliziosa was built with Costa's most discerning clientele in mind. The ship's decorative interior features premium materials, including various types of marble, granite, mother-of-pearl and Murano glass finishes. There are four restaurants, including the à la carte Club Deliziosa, 11 bars and three pools. Guests looking for excitement will enjoy the ship's 4-D Cinema and innovative golf and Grand Prix simulators, and those who want to relax can find serenity at Costa’s stunning Samsara Spa.

Cruise-only fares do not include government taxes and fees.

Star Clippers returns to Thai waters in 2017 after seven year break

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers says it will operate a winter season in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore from December 2016 to April 2017. This marks the line’s return to the region for the first time since March 2010.


The 170-passenger Star Clipper will end its summer season in the Mediterranean and sail via the Suez Canal and Sri Lanka to its winter home port of Phuket, where it will operate seven-night round trip cruises on two different routes from 2nd December 2016, as well as some voyages to Singapore.

There are two itineraries, northbound and southbound, as well as seven departures that either begin or end in Singapore. Star Clipper will explore the many islands scattered off the coast of Phuket, accessible only by water, with some of the most beautiful beaches and dazzling marine life in the world. There will be numerous opportunities for sunbathing, snorkelling, other watersports, exploring on foot and taking photo safaris in the ship’s Zodiacs. Ports of call include:

Northbound from Phuket

- Ko Surin National Marine Park, a cluster of five forested islands with exquisite beaches and spectacular underwater life
- The Similan Islands, an archipelago of coral and granite with crystal-clear water and diverse wildlife
- Ko Rok Nok, an uninhabited island with incredible reefs
- Langkawi in Malaysia, with beautiful beaches and temples
- Ko Kradan, a laid-back beach resort
- Phang Nga Bay, offering spectacular scenery of forested limestone towers and hidden coves

Southbound from Phuket:

- Ko Butang, with gorgeous beaches and world-class snorkelling
- Penang, with diverse colonial heritage
- Ko Adang, a tiny, unspoiled island in the Tarutao National Marine Park
- Ko Rok Nok, an uninhabited island with incredible reefs
- Phang Nga Bay, offering spectacular scenery of forested limestone towers and hidden coves
- The Similan Islands, an archipelago of coral and granite with crystal-clear water and diverse wildlife

Mikael Krafft, Owner and President of Star Clippers says: “We have been waiting a long time to resume these popular itineraries and are now returning to Southeast Asia to explore beaches, islands and anchorages not visited by any other cruise ship. We know from 15 years of past experience, when we based a ship in this region every winter, how popular these voyages are with nature-lovers and those who enjoy the sensation of sailing on a graceful tall ship in the tropics.”

Meanwhile, Star Flyer will continue to operate in-depth Cuba voyages from Havana and Cienfuegos for the winter of 2016/17, interspersed with longer cruises taking in St Maarten and the Panama Canal. Royal Clipper will sail from Barbados all season, exploring the Grenadines and the British Virgin Islands, with two extended 14-night voyages to the ‘ABC Islands’ (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and extended voyages to accommodate Christmas and New Year.

Holland America Line names Captain Emiel de Vries master of new Koningsdam

When Holland America Line’s Koningsdam sets sail in April 2016, Captain Emiel de Vries will be in command. Having been with the company since 1997, de Vries rose through the ranks from fourth officer to captain and has been master of Amsterdam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Zuiderdam.

De Vries currently lives near Venice, Italy, to be close to the Fincantieri shipyard where Koningsdam is being built. He has been involved with the newbuild project since 2014 and participated in the functional design of the navigation bridge — his “office” when he is onboard.

“With his knowledge, experience and dedication, Captain de Vries is the perfect choice to be at the helm when we introduce Koningsdam to the world,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “Captain de Vries’ leadership and graciousness with both guests and crew will contribute greatly to the success of our new ship.”

Hailing from the Netherlands, de Vries grew up just east of Amsterdam. He graduated from the Hogere Zeevaart School in Amsterdam, one of the oldest nautical schools in the world, with degrees in navigation and engineering. De Vries was introduced to Holland America Line in 1995 when he interned as a cadet on the former ms Noordam, and since joining the company, he has sailed on every class of Holland America Line’s ships.

“It is an honor to be named the first captain of the new Koningsdam, and I know bringing out the ship will be one of the highlights of my career,” said de Vries. “Being at the shipyard has enabled me to gain detailed insight into many areas of the ship, and I look forward to welcoming the first guests on board during the inaugural season.”

When not in Italy at the shipyard, de Vries lives in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, with his wife, Susan, and their daughter.

Magellan to operate CMV 2017 world cruise

Cruise & Maritime Voyages, the UK based destinational cruise shipping company, will send its largest vessel for a world cruise in 2017.

The 46,052 gross ton Magellan will sail from London Tilbury on 05 January and sail westbound via Panama to New Zealand and Australia and then head back to the UK via India and Suez. The ship will return to London Tilbury on 05 April. A number of segments of the voyage are available as well.

The company will operate its first world cruise in the coming winter, when the 20,636 gross ton Astor will sail from the UK to Australia via Panama and then spend the Austral summer cruising from Fremantle. The ship will return to Britain via South Africa. A similar schedule has been published on the company's website for the winter 2016-17.