MSC Cruises unveils details of Red Sea, Arabian Gulf programmes

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 29 April 2021 29 April 2021

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, has revealed today details of its Red Sea and Arabian Gulf cruises in the winter of 2021/22, with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as the home port for the first named ones.

The company said a few weeks ago it would expand its operations to Saudi Arabia, which is in the process of developing of its nascent tourism business.

MSC Magnifica will offer seven-night cruises, starting from 13 November 2021 through to the end of March 2022. From Jeddah, the ship will call Aqaba for Petra in Jordan, Safaga for Luxor in Egypt, then the other Saudi ports of AlWajh and Yanbu before returning back to Jeddah.

 “Located at the cross-roads of the three continents of the old world, Saudi Arabia is exceptionally rich in culture, traditions and heritage. With five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Historic Jeddah and Al-Hijr Archaeological Site in AlUla, both accessible to MSC Magnifica’s guests, the Kingdom offers an unmatched voyage of discovery,” the company said in a statement.

 This itinerary will see MSC Cruises return to Egypt calling at the historic port of Safaga, from where guests will be able to reach Luxor - the world’s largest open-air museum with world-renowned Ancient Egyptian sites. 

To make the holiday stress-free, Fly & Cruise preferred packages will be available thanks to a dedicated partnership with the country’s national airline Saudia, a long-time member of SkyTeam. With Friday night flights out of most major European airports and New York, holidaymakers will conveniently arrive in Jeddah the night before their cruise begins. 

“Thanks to the ship’s late departure on Saturday evening, there will be time to enjoy Jeddah before the cruise departs, making the most of their stay. The same variety of return flights awaits guests for a Saturday morning journey home offering guests maximum of comfort and peace of mind to enjoy their holiday to the utmost,” MSC Cruises said.

Meanwhile, as the company had stated earlier, MSC Virtuosa will also be making her debut in Saudi Arabia as her winter 2021/22 programme in the Arabian Gulf has been enriched with calls in the port of Dammam, visiting AlAhsa oasis, another UNESCO World Heritage site. 

MSC Virtuosa will spend her first winter season homeporting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. From there, the ship will sail to the nearby modern metropolis of Abu Dhabi, on to Sir Bani Yas Island, where guests will have a chance to discover an exotic array of wildlife or bask in the warm sun on the immaculate beaches, all exclusive to MSC Cruises on the days which the ships call. The ship also calls Doha, the futuristic capital of Qatar, before returning to Dubai with an overnight in the city to discover all the marvels it has to offer.

Ponant to require vaccinations for all passengers and crew

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 28 April 2021 28 April 2021

Ponant has announced a vaccination requirement for all guests and crew members. The new policy will complement its already comprehensive hygiene and sanitary measures in place as Ponant prepares for the resumption of sailing. Ponant’s latest protocol will require all passengers and crew members over 16 years old to be vaccinated before the cruise. Guests and crew will also need to show proof of a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours of boarding the ship.

Ponant’s newest measures will expand on the company’s double protection principle onboard all ships. This includes screening and decontamination measures when boarding, ensuring those who board do not carry the virus, followed by on-board sanitary protocols throughout the cruise. Ponant has combined small-capacity ships, eco-design, health protocols and partnerships with local organizations, ensuring the company is well-equipped to roll out protocols quickly and efficiently. The company has also invested in state-of-the-art medical facilities on board each of its ships, including ultrasound and radiography equipment, onsite testing, and more. A medical team comprising at least one doctor and nurse are also available 24/7.

Ponant has also revised its booking policy to allow for greater flexibility and assurance. New bookings made before June 30, 2021 for a cruise scheduled before March 31, 2023 will only require a deposit of 25 percent. The remaining balance is due 30 days before departure, and passengers can cancel the trip up until 30 days before with the full amount being credited toward another reservation within two years of the initial departure date. In the event of a positive Covid test within 30 days of the sailing, passengers will receive a full refund at the time of cancellation.

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. unveils next phase of return to cruising outside the U.S.

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 28 April 2021 28 April 2021

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, today unveiled the next phase of its long awaited plan to resume cruising outside of the U.S. this summer. Oceania Cruises will resume operations with sailings to Scandinavia and Western Europe beginning in August and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will restart cruising with voyages from the U.K. beginning in September. In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line will continue its phased restart with Mediterranean voyages on board Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Getaway in September, following its previously announced Caribbean and Europe itineraries beginning in July and August. In parallel, the Company continues to await feedback on its proposal submitted to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 5, 2021, outlining its plan to restart cruising from U.S. ports starting July 4th and requesting the CDC lift the Conditional Sail Order. All initial voyages will operate with fully vaccinated guests and crew in addition to the Company’s robust, multi-layered SailSAFE health and safety program, which includes universal COVID-19 testing prior to embarkation.

“We are pleased to unveil the next chapter of our resumption of cruise voyages embarking outside of the U.S. with sailings in Europe on all three of our award-winning brands. We value the health, safety and well-being of our guests, crew and the communities we visit above all else and we have worked tirelessly to develop our science-backed plan to safely resume cruising, including mandatory vaccinations and robust SailSAFE preventative protocols,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “As part of our two-pronged approach to return to cruising within and outside of the U.S., we are simultaneously planning for a potential resumption of cruising from U.S. ports while we await further discussion with the CDC regarding our proposal for a July 4th restart to participate in America’s national opening.”

As part of the Company’s phased return to cruising, Oceania Cruises will restart cruise operations with the Marina in August, resuming her originally published voyage schedule commencing on August 29, 2021 in Copenhagen. Regent Seven Seas Cruises will return to sailing with Seven Seas Splendor cruising from the U.K. beginning September 11, 2021. The voyage will also mark the resumption of Seven Seas Splendor’s inaugural season, with the ship having only completed two cruises with guests after being christened in February 2020. All voyages on these brands, excluding these newly announced voyages, with embarkation dates through September 30, 2021 have been cancelled. Impacted guests on voyages that will not operate will be notified accordingly.

Norwegian Cruise Line will continue its return to cruising with voyages in the Mediterranean during September and October on Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Getaway. Norwegian Epic will cruise seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Sept. 5, 2021 through Oct. 24, 2021 and Norwegian Getaway will sail 10 to 11-day Greek Isles voyages from Rome (Civitavecchia) from Sept. 13, 2021 to Oct. 25, 2021. The Company previously announced its initial restart with sailings originating in Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Greece beginning in July 2021 with Norwegian Joy, Jade and Gem. Certain sailings for Norwegian Cruise Line outside of these newly announced voyages have been cancelled. Impacted guests on voyages that will not operate will be notified accordingly.

The Company continues to expect a phased-in approach to reintroducing additional vessels across its three brands while taking into account the public health environment, global travel restrictions and port availability, among other considerations. All voyages will operate with the Company’s comprehensive SailSAFE health and safety protocols which were developed with leading public health and scientific experts including the Healthy Sail Panel and the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council.

Helsinki will be one of the first port-of-calls for Oceania's Marina this summer. Thank you for Kenny Leong for a perfect shot

Dame Irene Hays to name Iona

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 28 April 2021 28 April 2021

Iona, the first of two Excellence class newbuildings of P&O Cruises, will be officially named with Dame Irene Hays as godmother to a virtual audience, the company said in a statement.

Dame Irene, owner and chair of Hays Travel Group, will be godmother to the ship, Britain’s largest and most environmentally-friendly, in a ceremony in Southampton on May 16, 2021. The ship was delivered by Meyer Werft in Germany last autumn and it will be followed by a sister ship, to be called Arvia, in late 2022.

Gary Barlow will perform a short set as part of the event, which will be broadcast to a VIP audience, in his role as music director. His involvement includes overseeing the ship’s 710 Club music venue and curating new talent to perform on board.

Dame Irene’s husband John, who died last November, founded Hays Travel in 1980 and it has grown to become the UK’s largest independent travel agency group. Together they were instrumental in the expansion of the Sunderland-based company and particularly in the acquisition of Bath Travel in 2013 and Thomas Cook’s retail travel agencies in 2019.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said “We are absolutely delighted that Dame Irene Hays will be Iona’s godmother, taking centre stage alongside Gary Barlow in a landmark naming ceremony which will be the first stepping stone on the path to the return of the UK cruise industry.

“Since the inception of Hays Travel there is no one who has been more supportive of cruising or more of an ambassador for the travel industry. As such there is no one more appropriate to name Iona in this prestigious event than Dame Irene as we celebrate her achievements.

“The travel industry as a whole has been paused for over a year and has been devastated by the events of the last 13 months. We are so immensely grateful for the support we have received from travel agents across the UK, all of whom have faced commercial challenges none of us could have imagined.”

“With domestic cruising opening up from May 17 and with our series of UK coastal cruises proving very popular this summer, recovery is certainly on the horizon and Iona’s arrival into the UK and naming ceremony will be the ray of hope the cruise sector has needed for such a long time,” Ludlow said.