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Silversea returns to inclusive roots

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 November 2020 19 November 2020

Silversea Cruises is set to become more all-inclusive than ever, with the upcoming launch of its new 2022/2023 itineraries. For the first time in Silversea’s history, travellers will enjoy at least one complimentary shore excursion, from a range of experiences in every port of call, included with all voyages in the new itinerary collection – across the line’s entire fleet of 10 ultra-luxury ships. Enhancing Silversea’s all-inclusive offering further still – which is already among the most comprehensive at sea – all cruise fares will include roundtrip air and transfers, providing unprecedented value and convenience for guests.

EDITOR'S COMMENT: "When Silversea was launched in 1994 with a Silver Cloud newbuild, it was the most inclusive product in the cruise market. Now Silversea is again differentiating from its competitors."

“We are enhancing our already comprehensive all-inclusive offering for the convenience of our guests, while leveraging on our destination leadership to take travellers deeper into over 900 of the world’s most amazing destinations on included shore excursions,” says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. "Our expansive new collection of itineraries for 2022 and 2023, which will be the largest itinerary launch in Silversea’s history, features inspired voyages that have been carefully curated by our destination experts. With the inclusion of roundtrip air and transfers, we are further enriching our all-inclusive offering, which is among the most broad-ranging in the ultra-luxury cruise sector."

Setting sail between March 2022 and May 2023, Silversea’s new collection of voyages represents the cruise line’s largest-ever itinerary release, with almost 12% more itineraries compared to the previous launch. The new collection includes 315 voyages across all seven continents, calling in 669 destinations in 114 countries, with 61 maiden calls.

Travellers booked on these voyages will be able to reserve their included shore excursions – as well as bespoke ‘Silversea Selected’ shore excursions (available for an additional charge) – from 180 days before sailing by accessing my.silversea.com. The cruise line’s Venetian Society members will enjoy an additional 30 days to make their selection, reserving their chosen experiences from as early as 210 days ahead of sailing.

The inclusion of roundtrip air and transfers on all voyages will enhance the offering for guests. Business class upgrades are also included in selected destinations and on selected voyages, such as the cruise line’s World Cruises and Grand Voyages. Special savings in the form of ‘non-use air credit’ is offered to travellers who wish to make their own travel arrangements or to those travelling from excluded regions. Depending on Silversea’s air programme flight schedule, guests may also enjoy one or two hotel nights, or the use of a dayroom, included in the cruise fare.

In addition to some of the most spacious suites at sea (90% of which offer verandas), guests travelling aboard Silversea’s ships enjoy personalised service provided by nearly one crew member for every guest; onboard entertainment; as well as the following inclusions:

Moreover, as part of the most comprehensible all-inclusive expedition offering at sea, Silversea’s guests will also enjoy the following inclusions on expedition voyages:

– In-country flights on selected itineraries
– Highly-qualified Expedition Team, comprising experts in their field.
– Guided Zodiac, land and sea tours, as well as shore-side activities.
– Enrichment lectures by our Expedition Team
– Complimentary expedition parka in cold water regions
– Complimentary use of wetsuits and snorkelling equipment on selected voyages
– Complimentary backpack and water bottle

As Silversea’s cruise fares will henceforth reflect the inclusion of shore excursions and roundtrip air, our travel partners will be eligible for a higher overall commission per booking.

Part of an exclusive pre-sale, Silversea’s new 2022/2023 itineraries will go on sale to the cruise line’s Venetian Society members from December 1. General sales will open on December 10.

Photos from top to bottom: Silver Moon is the company's latest newbuild delivered last month; Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO

Swan Hellenic appoints Pierre Thomas to head expedition operations

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2020 18 November 2020

Swan Hellenic, the expedition cruise line that is gearing up to resume operations under a new ownership, said it has appointed Pierre Thomas as Director of Expedition Operations.

“The highly-experienced guide and lecturer Pierre Thomas, an expedition leader worldwide for over 26 years, including with top names in the cruise industry, has now found his home at Swan Hellenic, the company said in a statement.

“He has led expeditions on the water, under the water and overland by motorbike, and lectures in 5 languages on topics as varied as tropical fish, African history, the Panama Canal and Central American Post-World War II politics,” it continued. Thomas has previous expedition cruise experience with Lindblad, Metropolitan Touring, Noble Caledonia and Silversea Cruises.

“With a strong management team of top names in the high-end cruise industry and an order book that is now running at three custom-designed expedition cruise ships, Swan Hellenic is clearly on track to create an entirely new high-end cruise experience, beginning 2021 and already taking eager bookings,” the company stated.

The company has three newbuildings on order. Two 10,700 gross ton, five star polar PC5 ice-class expedition cruise ships arriving in November 2021 and April 2022, respectively, will each accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious cabins and suites, the majority with large balconies. A larger P6 ice-class vessel of 12,500 gross tons and accommodating 192 guests in 96 cabins and suites will be arriving at the year-end 2022.

Photo: Pierre Thomas at work

Carnival Cruise Line cancels more cruises, currently sees 16 ships in service in US in 2021

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2020 18 November 2020

Carnival Cruise Line, the US focused contemporary market unit in Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it had decided to cancel more cruises and expects to have 16 ships in service in 2021.

The cancellations are part of its plan to meet the requirements of the Framework for Resuming Cruise Ship Operations Order issued on October 30 by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“In total, 16 Carnival ships are currently following the CDC process for an eventual resumption of guest service in the US in 2021, including Carnival Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Elation, Freedom, Glory, Liberty, Miracle, Panorama, Pride, Sensation, Sunrise, Sunshine and Vista. Mardi Gras, which is under construction in Finland, will also enter service in 2021,” the company said in a statement.

Carnival cruise Line has notified guests and travel agents that it has cancelled additional cruises for the first part of 2021, including:

All embarkations from US homeports from Jan. 1-31.

Additionally, Baltimore, Charleston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Mobile, New Orleans and San Diego embarkations through Feb. 28.

Embarkations on Carnival Legend out of Tampa through March 26.

Carnival is in the process of building a gradual, phased in approach to resume guest operations, which will focus initially on Miami and Port Canaveral, to be followed by Galveston. Consistent with CDC protocols, Carnival Horizon arrives in Miami this week, and Carnival Breeze will be the next ship back to the U.S.

With this announcement Carnival's operations are paused in the US through Jan. 31, 2021. In addition, Carnival had previously cancelled certain other itineraries on four ships (Magic, Paradise, Valor, and Victory/Radiance) that are scheduled for required dry docks in the first half of 2021, with the plan to return them to operations after maintenance work and upgrades are completed. Carnival previously cancelled operations in Australia through March 2, 2021.

"We are committed to meeting the CDC requirements and keeping our guests and business partners informed of our progress," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "The entire Carnival team appreciates the great support of our guests, travel advisors and business partners, and local officials in our homeports and destinations."

Cunard’s 2022 cruise programme goes on sale

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2020 18 November 2020

Cunard said its 2022 voyage schedule for its three ships - Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth - is now on sale.

The programme covers some 35 countries feature in the 162 newly launched itineraries, covering north of the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean and from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, via the Panama Canal.

Highlights include Queen Elizabeth returning to Alaska with seven and 10 night voyages, departing from and returning to Vancouver, visiting Glacier Bay, Haines, Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria. Ten night Alaska voyages start at £1,399 per person.

From Alaska, Queen Elizabeth will journey through the Panama Canal, across to the Mediterranean, where she will embark on a series of seven and 14 night fly-cruises, departing from Barcelona.

Along with iconic transatlantic crossings, Queen Mary 2 will be visiting the North Cape for the first time spending three days in Tromso, with opportunities to see the Northern Lights, and calls to Bergen, Trondheim, Alesund and Stavanger.

Queen Victoria’s highlights include four night cruise breaks departing from Southampton, all scheduled to include a weekend, visiting destinations including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and St Peter Port.

Cunard president Simon Palethorpe said: “We are delighted to offer such a broad range of voyages in 2022 from four night European city breaks to week-long fly-cruises in the Mediterranean to a five week adventure sailing from Alaska to Spain.”

“There has been high demand for our 2021 voyages so we know how much our guests are anticipating travelling again on Cunard’s iconic ships with many future highlights including a welcome return to Alaska.”

“Guests are able to plan for their Cunard holidays in 2022 with extra peace of mind due to our flexible booking options which provide the opportunity to move a booking unlimited times before the balance is due.”

Carnival, NCLH tap markets for funds

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2020 18 November 2020

Carnival Corporation & plc and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) have both tapped the financial markets to raise funds.

NCLH said it has priced its underwritten public offering of 40,000,000 ordinary shares at a price to the public of $20.80 per share.

“The Offering is expected to close on November 20, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes,” NCLH said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Carnival Corporation & plc said that Carnival Corporation priced a registered direct of an aggregate of 57,426,860 shares at a price of $18.05 per share to a limited number of holders of its 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2023.

“The Corporation intends to use the proceeds from the Offering to repurchase from such Holders an aggregate of $499,364,000 principal amount of its Convertible Notes in privately negotiated transactions,” the company said.

“On a net basis, the Corporation will not receive any proceeds from the Transactions and will pay customary fees and expenses in connection therewith. Therefore, the Transactions will not have a material impact on the Corporation's cash position. Following the Note Repurchases, an aggregate of $627,547,000 principal amount of the Corporation's Convertible Notes will remain outstanding,” it added.

Photo credit: NYSE.com