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Goop & Celebrity Cruises Go Beyond in 2022

April 15, 2022 quality_baz Theme Cruises, Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Goop & Celebrity Cruises Go Beyond in 2022

Celebrity Cruises and lifestyle brand goop are setting sail this fall on an exclusive wellness retreat at sea on board the highly anticipated new-luxury ship, Celebrity Beyond.

Image Credit - Goop CEO & Founder Gwyneth Paltrow

With a series of transformative experiences and sessions led by goop’s wellness practitioners and an appearance by goop founder and CEO, Gwyneth Paltrow herself, ‘goop at Sea’ will be held on the Celebrity Beyond 9-night Italian Riviera & France sailing departing from Barcelona on 24 September, 2022.

Further extending the partnership between the companies that began in early 2020, a selection of goop’s signature products, including the GOOPGLOW and GOOPGENES collections, will now be available on board Celebrity Beyond. Gwyneth Paltrow will continue as Celebrity’s Wellbeing Advisor, a collaboration first announced in April 2021; and, Paltrow and the goop team will also continue to curate innovative wellness offerings for Celebrity’s ships including on-demand wellness classes on stateroom TVs, a custom detox smoothie and fitness tools for guests of AquaClass® staterooms, a fully-immersive next level wellness experience, which is taken further on Beyond with the new Aqua Sky Suites featuring floor-to-ceiling ocean views, private verandas, luxurious bedding and other wellness amenities. Kiki Koroshetz, goop’s VP of Content, will also continue her role in Celebrity’s Women in Wellness program, which brings together the expertise of some of the most highly respected female leaders in the wellness industry to cultivate a unique wellness program at sea.

The goop at Sea sailing will feature a variety of exclusive programming curated and hosted by goop, including:

  • A live interview hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow with a top wellness expert, where she will also answer audience questions
  • Several interactive goop practitioner-led sessions focused on enhancing the mind, body and soul;
  • Nourishment from the inside out through exclusive pop-up experiences including tastings, product trials, massages and more
  • Goop curated gifts and surprises
Image Credit: Yoga onboard Celebrity Apex (sister ship to Celebrity Beyond)

Meredith Vieira, christens the Avalon View

April 15, 2022 quality_baz River Cruises Comments Off on Meredith Vieira, christens the Avalon View

In Bratislava – surrounded by vineyards and the Little Carpathian mountains – Avalon Waterways christened its 14th Suite Ship in Europe. Acting as the ship’s godmother, Meredith Vieira – 15-time Emmy Award-winning host, executive producer and anchor – led the christening ceremony.

Image Credit: Avalon View, Avalon Waterways

After reciting her blessing, Vieira cut a rope tethered to the locally produced sparkling wine – Johann Hubert Exclusive – causing the bottle to smash against the newly named ship’s bow. Managing Director of Avalon Waterways Pam Hoffee, Captain Ambrose Manolache and the ship’s crew of 47 – as well as 75 invited guests that included journalists, travel agents, local dignitaries and tourism boards – cheered the ship’s christening.

The new Avalon View welcomes travellers aboard with a warm mix of light and dark woods, accented by rich taupe, brown and red décor in public spaces and touches of blue throughout the Suite Ship’s Suites and Deluxe Staterooms, inspired by Dutch interior designer Liane van Leeuwen. Original art in common areas is by Dutch artist Eelco Maan and cabin paintings were created by another Dutch artist, Sofie Fisher.

Creating wider openings for wide-eyed wonder, Avalon Waterways’ Open-Air Balconies were designed with views in mind. A Panorama Suite highlight on all of the Suite Ships of Avalon, the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows open 11-feet wide in Europe and 14-feet wide in Southeast Asia… wider than any other balconies in the industry. They blur the line between outside and in while forming a comfortable and spacious seating area without compromising room space. As a result, Avalon guests can enjoy 100 per cent of their Panorama Suite, 100 per cent of the time.

Throughout the 2022 cruise season, the new 443-foot, 166-passenger Avalon View will sail the Danube River on several itineraries including Taste of the Danube, Danube Symphony, Active & Discovery on the Danube and Gone Girl! (a storyteller series cruise with celebrity host, Gillian Flynn).

Kristina Vogel christens AIDAcosma in Hamburg

April 10, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Kristina Vogel christens AIDAcosma in Hamburg
Image credit: AIDAcosma, Aida Cruises

Under the motto “The world is becoming more colourful”, AIDAcosma was christened on 9 April 2022, as part of a colorful music and light show in the Port of Hamburg. The godmother of AIDA Cruises’ second LNG cruise ship is the eleven-time world champion in track cycling, Kristina Vogel.

AIDACosma Christening
Aidacosma Light Show
AIDAcosma at sea

Accompanied by Captain Vincent Cofalka, Kristina Vogel lit up a colorful globe on the Ocean Deck of AIDAcosma at 9:55 p.m. At the same time, the baptismal bottle smashed against the hull of the ship.

Cruise fans across Germany followed the christening live on the internet, on the AIDA YouTube channel and on board all AIDA ships.

As part of the naming ceremony, a spectacular light show not only illuminated the newest member of the AIDA fleet. Visible from afar, the evening sky over the Hanseatic city turned into a sea of bright colours.

At around 11:30 p.m., AIDAcosma said goodbye to Hamburg with a light show from on board, which took place during the departure while passing the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and the Landungsbrücken to Teufelsbrück. The two-week christening voyage will sail to Palma de Mallorca over the Easter holidays (arriving 23 April 2022).

From 23 April to 29 October 29, 2022, AIDAcosma will be offering voyages from Palma (Mallorca) and Barcelona. Florence, Rome and Corsica are also on the program during the weeklong highlight cruise “Mediterranean Treasures”. From autumn 2022, AIDAcosma will set course for its sunny winter home in Dubai.

First Cruise Ship Set to Return to Canada

April 9, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on First Cruise Ship Set to Return to Canada

Holland America Line's Koningsdam Calls at Victoria and Vancouver April 9 and 10 with local governments holding celebratory events

Holland America Line will be the first cruise line to return to Canadian cruising following a more than two year industrywide pause due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Koningsdam will call at Victoria, British Columbia, Saturday, April 9, restarting the cruise industry in Canada. The following day the ship will end its current seven-day cruise at Port of Vancouver, its homeport for the summer Alaska season.

Koningsdam’s call at Victoria marks 905 days since a cruise ship has visited the port, and it also will be a maiden call for the ship. To mark the milestones, Antorcha and local government officials will be on hand in both Victoria and Vancouver to celebrate the return to Canadian cruising and address the importance Canada and Alaska to Holland America Line.

In 2022, six Holland America Line ships will call at Victoria and Vancouver for the Alaska cruise season. In total, the six ships will make 45 calls at Victoria and bring nearly 75,000 guests to the port, and 76 cruises begin or end at Vancouver, welcoming approximately 140,000 guests.

For Canada and New England cruising on the East Coast, two ships return in May and cruise between Boston, Massachusetts, and Quebec City or Montreal, Quebec. Nieuw Statendam and Zaandam offer itineraries ranging from seven to 24 days to more than 12 Canadian ports.

In total for 2022, Holland America Line operates 141 cruises on eight ships in Canada with more than 250,000 guests visiting both coasts. 

Costa Cruises restarts from Genoa with Costa Firenze

April 8, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Costa Cruises restarts from Genoa with Costa Firenze

In 2022, Costa Firenze will visit Genoa every Thursday until the end of November for a total of 45 calls, offering cruises in the Western Mediterranean, with the return of free visits in the ports of call.

Image Credit: Costa Firenze, Costa Cruises.

In 2022 the Italian company, which started cruising in July last year, will call at Genoa every Thursday until the end of November 2022, for a one-week Western Mediterranean itinerary, which also includes Marseille, Barcelona, Cagliari, Palermo and Civitavecchia/Rome. In addition to Costa Firenze, from November 13th until the end of the year, Costa Luminosa will also be in Genoa every Sunday, again for one-week cruises in the Western Mediterranean. In 2022 Costa will be in Genoa for a total of 45 calls, after only a few calls in 2021 and 2020 due to the Covid emergency. In 2023 Costa expects a further growth of her presence in Genoa, thanks to the arrival, every Friday from April to November, of Costa Toscana, the new Liquefied Natural Gas-powered ship of the fleet.

Costa Firenze, built at Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera and dedicated to the Florentine Renaissance, is a 135,000-ton ship with 2,136 guest cabins. With 13 different restaurants and 8 bars, the food and wine offer is among the widest in the fleet. There are plenty of outdoor spaces to fully enjoy the sailing experience. Families with children will be able to choose between different activities to do on board, including a water park and an adventure park, and couples will find a private spa, swimming pools and various spaces to enjoy a moment of privacy. The offer of excursions available has been redesigned to explore hidden and less frequented gems, and to enjoy the most authentic traditions, flavours and colours.

Pacific Explorer to arrive in Sydney on 18 April 22

April 8, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Pacific Explorer to arrive in Sydney on 18 April 22
Image credit: Pacific Explorer, P&O Cruises Australia

In keeping with Sydney Harbour’s rich maritime heritage, on April 18, P&O Cruises Australia’s flagship Pacific Explorer will return home to lead the restart of cruising in Australia.

Pacific Explorer’s arrival after an absence of more than two years will be embraced by cruise suppliers as a sign that their businesses and livelihoods will soon be in recovery mode with the resumption of cruising based on comprehensive protocols to support its return.

The P&O Cruises Australia flagship’s arrival is also expected to capture the imagination of Sydneysiders as it enters the Heads on Easter Monday in returning to its home port.

The Easter Monday holiday arrival will give the city’s ‘boaties’ an opportunity to escort Pacific Explorer as the ship makes its way up the harbour to the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) to be alongside at 10.30am.

President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia Marguerite Fitzgerald said Pacific Explorer’s return marked the start of rebuilding cruise tourism in Australia, which, prior to the pandemic, contributed more than $5 billion a year to the national economy.

The approximate schedule for Pacific Explorer’s arrival on April 18 is as follows:

  • 9.30am – Pacific Explorer enters Sydney Heads
  • 10.10am – Passing Fort Denison
  • 10.20am – Passing the Sydney Opera House
  • 10.30am – Alongside at the OPT

NCL Kicks Off its Greatest Europe Season Yet

April 8, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on NCL Kicks Off its Greatest Europe Season Yet

NCL will operate one of Europe’s most modern fleets, with eight innovative ships

Image credit: Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has kicked off its greatest Europe season yet with eight ships sailing to over 100 destinations from 10 different departure ports, including two ships never-before-seen in Europe: Norwegian Prima makes her global debut in Iceland in August, while Norwegian Escape sails Europe for the very first time, making NCL’s one of the most modern fleets in the region.

In Northern Europe, NCL will offer a selection of sailings ranging from 8- to 12-days with departures from Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London (Southampton) and Reykjavik aboard four ships – Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Prima – which will take the title of the first major cruise ship christened in the Icelandic capital when she debuts in August. World famous pop icon and “American Idol” judge Katy Perry will serve as the ship’s godmother, fulfilling the longstanding maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming Norwegian Prima, the first of six vessels in the Prima Class, as well as performing during the christening ceremony in Reykjavik.

Meanwhile in the Mediterranean, three innovative NCL ships – Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Star – will sail from Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia), Venice (Trieste) and Haifa, Israel, with sailings ranging in length from 5 to 12-days, many with no sea days ensuring guests enjoy maximum time on shore to immerse themselves fully within each and every destination.

And in the Greek Isles, travellers can look forward to two ships (Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Gem) offering immersive roundtrip voyages of 7 to 9-nights from Athens (Piraeus), Venice (Trieste) and Rome (Civitavecchia). Each cruise visits an array of breath-taking island locales like Santorini and Mykonos, ancient Greek cities like Athens, as well as the opportunity to explore the Holy Land with calls to Haifa, Israel, and Istanbul, Turkey.

Signed, sealed, delivered… Celebrity Beyond

April 8, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Signed, sealed, delivered… Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity Cruises takes delivery of transformational Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity Cruises’ President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo honoured the thousands of engineers, architects, designers, contractors, shipyard employees and Celebrity Cruises teams as the brand took delivery of Celebrity Beyond, the third and most luxurious ship in the fleet’s new-luxury Edge Series®, and a true game changer for the travel industry. The moment was particularly special as it marked the shipyard’s first physical delivery ceremony since the pandemic.

Designed to give guests endless opportunities to disconnect from the world — while simultaneously reconnecting with the world that surrounds them — Celebrity Beyond goes further than imagined possible for a cruise ship, creating a new world of wonder and approachable luxury.  With forward-thinking design by the world’s leading architects and interior designers, culinary excellence from Michelin starred chefs, world renowned wellbeing partners, exquisite art, luxury brand retailers and Celebrity’s uniquely intuitive service, Celebrity Beyond shatters every preconceived notion of the cruising experience. A floating boutique hotel, Celebrity Beyond exemplifies new-luxury travel and its future at sea. 

As part of the historic moment, Lutoff-Perlo was joined by Royal Caribbean Group’s President and CEO Jason Liberty and the ship’s captain, Kate McCue, as they officially took ownership from the shipyard and completed the traditional changing of the flags, hosting a celebratory ceremony onboard Celebrity Beyond while docked in the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. The momentous occasion was celebrated alongside other Celebrity Cruises executives, shipyard officials including General Manager Laurent Castaing, and Beyond’s 1,400 crew members from over 60 different countries.

Celebrity Beyond’s maiden voyage will depart on 27 April, 2022, from Southampton, England, for a 10-night Western Europe cruise visiting Bordeaux, France; Lisbon, Portugal; and Seville, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, Spain.

She will then offer a variety of Mediterranean journeys including nine-night Italian Riviera and France itineraries and 10-night Greek Isles itineraries through early October, when she then heads to the Caribbean. Voyages are on sale now.

Royal Caribbean partners with Queensland Theme Parks

April 4, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Royal Caribbean partners with Queensland Theme Parks

Royal Caribbean and Village Roadshow Theme Parks Create Ultimate Queensland Getaway

Two of the biggest icons in family adventure have come together to create the ultimate end-to-end Queensland getaway. Royal Caribbean International has teamed up with Village Roadshow Theme Parks to offer guests sailing from Brisbane on Quantum of the Seas access to exclusive accommodation and attraction packages, combining two amazing family experiences into one holiday with plenty of added perks.

Making it easy to plan a holiday that combines the best of land and sea, the new, exclusive partnership welcomes Royal Caribbean holidaymakers to enjoy unlimited entry to Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild and Paradise Country, and a 15% discount on accommodation at Australia’s only theme park resort, Sea World Resort with additional inclusions for the whole family, making it easy to plan a holiday combining the best of land and sea.

Royal Caribbean’s highly anticipated launch in Queensland starts this summer with the ground-breaking Quantum sailing from the new Brisbane terminal from 9th November onwards. Packed full of adventure for the whole family and known for its innovation and countless industry ‘firsts,’ including rock climbing, ice skating, sky diving and surfing at sea, Royal Caribbean will capture the imagination of families and adventurous holidaymakers alike.

P&O Cruises Australia Celebrates its Return to the High Seas with a Sparkling Pride Cruise

April 2, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on P&O Cruises Australia Celebrates its Return to the High Seas with a Sparkling Pride Cruise

P&O Cruises Australia is celebrating its return to the high seas by counting down to its first dazzling ‘Pride Cruise’ – a celebratory weekend at sea created especially for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, their friends, family and supporters.

Image Credit: P&O Cruise Australia, PRIDE Cruise 2022

Setting sail on 4 November 2022, the three-night cruise will give Australians the chance to join P&O Cruises in proudly recognising individuality, diversity and inclusion in Australian society.

The celebrations will continue with a Pride Cruise departing Melbourne on 9 December, followed by three dedicated sailings in 2023.

Joining P&O Cruises in the new sailing will be a raft of community organisations that support the LGBTQIA+ community through health, well-being and social initiatives.

The home-grown cruise line has also partnered with some of the best names in the Australian entertainment business to develop the three-night cruise, including talented artists and entertainers who are champions of equality.

Headlining the fun with plenty of feathers, sequins and flamboyance, will be international superstar, accordionist and Berlin boy-wonder Hans the German, the award-winning comedy cabaret star who found fame on America’s Got Talent.

P&O Cruises Pacific Adventure will depart Sydney on the inaugural Pride Cruise on the afternoon of Friday November 4, 2022, and will return on the morning of Monday November 7, 2022.