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Azamara Quest to return to service in August

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 28 April 2021 28 April 2021

Azamara, the destination focused boutique cruise line, said that one of its three ships, Azamara Quest, would return to service on August 28.

The ship would make five back-to-back Country-Intensive Voyages and one classic Mediterranean sailing; each seven-days in length and a total of 18 late-night stays in port, including Santorini, Rhodes and Heraklion, Greece.

The company said that with travel requirements remaining unconfirmed throughout most of Europe, all sailings aboard Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit wouldl be suspended until September.

Current Azamara Quest sailings through October 2 are also suspended, with the new Country-Intensive voyages beginning August 28. Guests impacted by summer suspensions will be offered a number of flexible options to rebook or request refunds for current reservations.

“Over the past year, our team – ship to shoreside – continued to connect with our guests and travel partners. Our biggest takeaway is the desire everyone has to sail again, and we are excited to share that we can finally make this dream come true,” President of Azamara, Carol Cabezas, said in a statement.

“There’s no better way to return to service than in a country Azamara knows best, Greece. Our return to sail wouldn’t be possible without the support from Honorable Minister Harry Theoharis, the local government and port authorities, and we are extremely grateful for welcoming us back into this beautiful and culturally rich destination.”

Voyages will open for booking on May 11, 2021. With the health and safety of guests and crew being the top priority for the return to sail, Azamara has made the decision to require all guests and crew to be fully vaccinated no later than 14-days prior to departure. Once the sailings open for booking, the upmarket cruise line will reveal protocol guidelines led by the Healthy Sail Panel, to reassure guests a healthy return to service.

Guests looking to book these new voyages and other Azamara cruises can still take advantage of Azamara’s “Cruise with Confidence” benefits, offering flexibility for fully paid reservations booked by May 31, 2021 for sailings through April 30, 2022, the company said.

Viking announces additional sailings for Mississippi River cruises

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 25 April 2021 25 April 2021

Viking has announced that new 2024 sailings of its Mississippi River cruises are now on sale. The company’s first custom vessel, Viking Mississippi, will debut in August 2022 and will sail voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul. Viking’s first river cruises in the U.S. had been highly anticipated when they were officially announced in April 2020, and several sailings have already sold out through the 2023 sailing season. This strong demand has led Viking to open 2024 sailing dates sooner than originally expected.

"We are pleased with the continued response and support we have received from loyal guests and valued partners ahead of our new Mississippi River sailings,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "As we begin to restart ocean operations this spring, we also look forward to a new chapter in 2022 when we begin sailing our first U.S. river voyages.”

Viking’s arrival to the Mississippi will represent a major commitment to tourism and economic development in many communities along the river, with the new cruises expected to bring more than 5,800 guests to the region in 2022 and 17,600+ during the first full sailing season in 2023. Currently scheduled ports of call on Viking’s new Mississippi River cruises comprise seven U.S. states: Louisiana (Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans and St. Francisville); Mississippi (Natchez and Vicksburg); Tennessee (Memphis); Missouri (Hannibal, St. Louis); Iowa (Burlington, Dubuque and Davenport); Wisconsin (La Crosse); and Minnesota (Red Wing, St. Paul).

Seabourn to offer summer luxury cruises from Barbados

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 April 2021 24 April 2021

Seabourn, the ultra-luxury cruise line, together with the Government of Barbados, is developing plans to restart guest sailings on a second ship through a series of new summer voyages operating round-trip out of Bridgetown, Barbados, beginning on July 18, 2021.

The brand also previously announced plans to resume guest operations in Greece aboard Seabourn Ovation starting July 3.

Seabourn Odyssey will operate 7-night cruises from Barbados to Southern Caribbean destinations, including idyllic ports of call in Antigua, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, and St. Kitts. The voyages are open for booking on April 21. Guests can also choose a 14-night option, which combines the two distinct 7-night itineraries between Windward and Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Previously released itineraries for Fall 2021 sailings include additional port calls in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guadeloupe, and Martinique.

The itineraries include unique Seabourn experiences that become highlights of every traveler’s trip. The “Caviar in the Surf” at Carambola Beach has become a perennial favorite, allowing guests to enjoy beautiful beaches while Seabourn team members wade through turquoise water to serve chilled caviar and Champagne. The day also includes a lavish barbeque lunch featuring grilled lobster, fresh fruit and other delicious dishes. A Marina Day is also scheduled, where the ship’s staff treats guests to an afternoon of active watersports operated directly from a platform on the back of the ship.

“We are grateful to be working in concert with the Government of Barbados to restart tourism in Barbados and the Caribbean Sea,” said Josh Leibowitz, president of Seabourn. “The entire Seabourn family is energized to provide our award-winning service, dining and entertainment on board Seabourn Odyssey starting again this July.”

“We look forward to welcoming Seabourn back to our shores and are pleased with the outlook for the restart of the cruise industry,” said Sen. the Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport for Barbados. “Safe travel is our priority, and placing vaccinations and other key public health travel protocols at the core of our cruise industry restart will not only restore traveler confidence, but also offer comfort to visitors and Barbadians alike.”

Each sailing also features a sea day for time spent on board enjoying venues like Earth & Ocean for al fresco dining, cooling off with artisanal gelato made fresh daily by the culinary team, or a host of activities available aboard Seabourn Odyssey. Those who prefer quiet relaxation can find a comfortable chair in Seabourn Square to read or even take time to watch the scenery go by on deck or from their private furnished veranda in their suite.

The series of voyages are open to any guests that are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. “Fully vaccinated” is a minimum of 14 days following the first or second dose (for those vaccines requiring two doses) of the currently approved Covid-19 vaccines being administered. Proof of vaccination and the dates given will be required. Approved forms of documentation will be confirmed closer to time of departure and must be shown at the terminal prior to boarding. Seabourn team members will also be vaccinated.

Seabourn guests will be required to comply with all health protocols that may be in place at the time of their departure. Travelers should check on travel requirements regularly, for both inbound travel to Barbados and their return home, since policies continue to change based on the latest advice.

Additional initial preventive health measures under Seabourn’s “Travel Safe” program will also be in place, including health screening questionnaires, face mask requirements, physical distancing and capacity controls for indoor venues, as well as enhanced environmental sanitation and upgraded high efficiency air filtration in the heating & cooling system. The brand’s protocols are subject to change as work continues in collaboration with medical experts and government bodies to ensure the practices evolve in line with the latest advice. Seabourn’s priority is to protect the health and well-being of our guests, team members, and the people in the communities the brand visits. More details on the protocols are available on the Seabourn website.

Seabourn is finalizing additional details for these voyages, including more information on the shoreside experiences, and will share them in the coming weeks. They will also be posted on the Seabourn website. Guests are encouraged to book early for best suite selection, and the brand will offer flexible cancellation terms through Book with Confidence as well.

Marella Cruises to add fifth ship by 2023 - report

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 April 2021 21 April 2021

Marella Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in the TUI AG group, plans to introduce a fifth ship by 2023, travel weekly reports on its website.

“By 2023 we’re expecting that to increase to five ships. We will probably share some more details later on this year on that,” Chris Hackney, Managing Director of Marella Cruises was quoted by Travel Weekly as saying.

The company currently has a fleet of four ships. Marella Discovery and Marella Discover 2 were built in 1995-96 for Royal Caribbean International and Marella Explorer plus Marella Explorer 2 for Celebrity Cruises.

They are of the same vintage as the two other ships in the Marella Cruises’ fleet and all four are in the about 70,000 to 77,000 gross ton size range.

The company axed the 1986 built Marella Dream and the 1983 built Marella Celebration as the result of the pandemic.

MSC Cruises expands operations to Saudi-Arabia

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 April 2021 21 April 2021

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, will base a ship in Jeddah in Saudi-Arabia in the winter of 2021/22 and two of its other ships - including the flagship MSC Virtuosa - will call at a number of ports in the country, the company said in a statement.

Cruise Saudi, a 100% Public Investment Fund-owned business that seeks to develop Saudi Arabia’s cruise industry, and MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line, announced the launch of Red Sea cruises from the port of Jeddah in the coming winter 2021/22 season on MSC Magnifica.

Under the terms of an agreement between the two parties, MSC Magnifica will homeport in Jeddah, the commercial hub and one of the largest cities of Saudi Arabia, as well as the second-largest port in the Middle East with a historical centre that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Operating seven-day Red Sea cruises from November 2021 to March 2022, the vessel will visit a selection of ports and destinations in the region and three Saudi ports including weekly calls to the port of AlWajh, the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of AlUla.

In addition to MSC Magnifica’s Red Sea sailings, MSC Cruises’ flagship MSC Virtuosa will see her winter 2021 programme in the Arabian Gulf enriched with calls in the port of Dammam, visiting AlAhsa oasis, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Finally, MSC Virtuosa will call at this new destination every week from December 2021 to March 2022.