Crystal Cruises to require Covid-19 vaccination from passengers

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 19 February 2021 19 February 2021

Crystal Cruises, the Los Angeles based luxury cruise operator in the Genting Hong Kong group, said that guests must be fully inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine - with both doses if recommended by the manufacturer - at least 14 days prior to boarding any Crystal ship.

The passengers would be asked to provide proof of vaccination before embarkation. “The new requirement is in addition to existing Crystal Clean+ 4.0 measures, including negative COVID-19 tests and health screening questionnaires,” the company said in a statement.

Saga Cruises in the UK has also made vaccination against the virs a prerequisite for boarding, while Swan Hellenic, the expedition cruise line, said all crew and staff must be vaccinated.

The company expects all crew to be vaccinated; however, as it stands today this may not be a viable option for all crew members given their age and/or the availability of vaccines in their home countries.

“As part of the company’s Crystal Clean+ 4.0 measures, crew members are required to be tested for COVID-19 prior to leaving their home location to join the ship and must receive a negative result; they also will take a COVID-19 test at embarkation; quarantine for seven days upon arrival; and take a test at the end of that seven-day period and must receive a negative result, before beginning their duties. When vaccines are widely available, they will be a requirement of employment at least 14 days prior to service,” the company said.

“We understand that the widespread availability of vaccines varies according to the distribution plan of each travelers’ home country and/or state. As of today, Crystal has voluntarily paused operations through May 2021 for our River fleet with cancellations into June for our Ocean ships, through August 1 for Crystal Esprit and through August for Crystal Endeavor. We are confident that our timeline for returning to cruising this summer will allow guests sufficient time to get fully vaccinated,’ Crystal Cruises said.

Photo: Lobby on Crystal Symphony

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. suspends more cruises

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 18 February 2021 18 February 2021

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, has announced an extension of its previously announced suspension of global cruise voyages as the Company continues to work through its return to service plan to meet the requirements of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”).

The suspension now includes all voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises embarking through May 31, 2021. The Company will continue to work in tandem with global government and public health authorities and its Healthy Sail Panel expert advisors to take all necessary measures to protect its guests, crew and the communities visited.

Guests who are currently booked on cancelled voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises are asked to contact their travel advisor or the cruise line for more information.

Swan Hellenic forms alliance with Cruise Online

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 18 February 2021 18 February 2021

Swan Hellenic, the Nicosia based expedition cruise company, said it is partnering with Cruise Online, a division of Aviation Online Pty Ltd, with offices in Sydney and Auckland, to provide close support to the travel trade across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

The company,which will operate three ships that are currently on order in Finland, has formed a number of strategic alliances in the past few months to gain foothold on source markets around the world.

Cruise Online offers trade operators the highest standards of service and efficiency, with almost 20 years’ experience across the aviation, vacation, cruise and expedition sectors.

“Dedicated to a niche of discerning travellers, the company is ideally placed to help its trade partners ensure Swan Hellenic customers across the region enjoy exemplary tailored service,” the company said in a statement.

The company said the latest partnership is a strategic agreement in line with Swan Hellenic’s long-term vision of establishing a presence in strategic markets worldwide, focused on supporting the trade to deliver the close personal service to which it is committed. The Cruise Online agreement sees the iconic cultural expedition cruise pioneer take a further step towards complete global coverage.

Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito commented: “We’re delighted to partner with Cruise Online, who truly understand the region’s passion for authentic expedition travel and a high-end vacation experience that’s personal and attentive, but also informal and unpretentious. Thanks to Cruise Online’s extensive professional travel and airline experience, trade partners will be able to offer these exacting guests the benefits of full sea-sky integration to see what others don’t.”

P&O Cruises names second newbuilding Arvia

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 18 February 2021 18 February 2021

 

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it has named the second LNG-powered Excel class ship Arvia, meaning “from the seashore.”

It will join the fleet in December 2022 and it is a sister ship of Iona that was delivered by the same builders, Meyer Wrft in Germany, in the autumn of 2020. As a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the ship has not made its maiden voyage yet.

The Excel class design is shared between P&O Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Costa Crociere and Carnival Cruise Line, all parts of the Carnival group. The ships are built at Meyer’s shipyards in Germany and Finland.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “Arvia will join Iona as an innovative and future-focused ship offering an outstanding, varied and contemporary holiday. Arvia has been designed to travel to the sun year-round and to maximise views of the ocean and the seashore from everywhere on board, so it seemed a very fitting name and one which will reflect the experience for guests on board.

“The seashore is known for its relaxing properties and tranquillity and a holiday on Arvia will, indeed, celebrate this and have relaxation at its heart. The rejuvenating and restorative qualities of a walk on the beach and invigorating sea air will be reflected in the experiences both on board and on shore as well as the vast space on board which has enabled us to include a number of new and extraordinary features,” Ludlow said in a statement.

The name of the 184,700 gross tonne ship was unveiled through a video reveal made up of outlining the letters in the name in various different locations, all relating to the beach and the seashore.