New Zealand to re-welcome cruise ships

• New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that maritime borders will reopen after July 31, paving the way for international cruise ships to return in time for the upcoming season beginning in October.
• Many cruise lines have announced their support including Celebrity Cruises who is more than ready to welcome guests back on board. Setting sail from Sydney on 22 October for the 2022-23 season, the award-winning Celebrity Eclipse will be making her debut in the region with a series of curated 3-to13-night itineraries across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

NCL Celebrates full relaunch of 17 ship fleet

• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), is celebrating the completion of its Great Cruise Comeback with the sailing of Norwegian Spirit, the 17th and final ship in its fleet to return to service.
• NCL’s return to service after a 500-day pause began with Norwegian Jade’s 25 July 2021 sailing from Athens (Piraeus), Greece. Since then, the Brand has systematically relaunched its ships around the world, welcoming guests and crew members aboard its award-winning vessels.
• Norwegian Spirit, which is sporting an extensive bow-to-stern USD$100 million revitalization, departed 7 May 2022, and will be sailing through the deep blue South Pacific, visiting eight ports in 12 days, with departures commencing from Papeete on the beautiful Island of Tahiti.
• Norwegian Spirit will then debut in Australian waters for the very first time on 22 December 2022 for her inaugural local sailing season, visiting ports across Australia and New Zealand, marking NCL’s return Down Under after an almost three-year interval.
• During her renovation, Norwegian Spirit now showcases 14 brand-new venues and is now quite unlike any other ship sailing in Australian waters. She boasts a doubled-in-size Mandara Spa complete with Thermal Suite including steam room, sauna, shower experience and luxurious heated-tile loungers; a luxe Ibiza-inspired adults-only pool retreat called Spice H20 that transforms into a cocktail lounge and open-air nightclub in the evenings; and an NCL guest-favourite, Bliss Ultra Lounge, where guests can enjoy a nightcap or dance the night away.
• A smaller ship at 268 metres long and 10 decks tall, Norwegian Spirit offers a unique intimate onboard atmosphere yet still provides all the amenities travellers know and love from NCL. Guests will find 14 dining options to choose from, each with no set dining times, tables or dress codes; from table top entertainment at Teppanyaki and fine French fare at Le Bistro to contemporary Italian at the all-new Onda by Scarpetta.

Taste Testing time’ on P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Explorer

• It is ‘taste testing time’ for the crew on P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Explorer as the flagship is prepared for its return to cruising on May 31 with its four-night round trip cruise to Brisbane.
• And if guests are excited about the beautiful food that will be on offer, they can be assured that the crew love it too.
• With an array of new dishes on the menu, the restaurant teams are sampling the taste and, very importantly, the vibrant look of the culinary delights soon to be experienced on Pacific Explorer.
• In a busy ship’s galley, instant recognition of new dishes is vital to a smooth operation and to get delicious meals to guests’ tables as efficiently as possible.
• With the main restaurant Waterfront along with specialty restaurants such as Angelo’s and Dragon Lady and The Pantry outlets serving thousands of meals each day, it is easy to imagine what a complex task it is.stralia’s Pacific Explorer

Viking Takes delivery of newest ship

• Viking today announced it has taken delivery of the company’s newest ocean ship, the Viking Mars. The delivery ceremony took place this morning when the ship was presented at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy. The Viking Mars will now make her way to Valletta, Malta, where she will be officially named on May 17, 2022—Norwegian Constitution Day—by her ceremonial godmother, Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon. The ship will then sail itineraries in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Northern Europe before repositioning at the end of the year for voyages around Australia and New Zealand.
• For years Viking has offered a variety of ways for its guests to experience life at Highclere Castle, which is the home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. Highclere Castle is known as the filming location of Downton Abbey, and Viking became a household name during its sponsorship of the celebrated series MASTERPIECE through the years Downton Abbey aired. Viking Executive Vice President Karine Hagen worked closely with the Carnarvon family to develop Privileged Access Pre/Post Extensions that feature the estate, including the highly-rated Oxford & Highclere Castle and Great Homes, Gardens & Gin extensions, both of which are available for guests on select river and ocean voyages.
• Lady Carnarvon has also welcomed viewers to Highclere Castle on Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV. In her ongoing series, At Home at Highclere, Lady Carnarvon offers virtual Privileged Access to the historic home and its grounds. In the past two years, she has led more than 20 virtual tours and offered glimpses of life at her home. Additionally, Lady Carnarvon has served as godmother to a Viking Longship, the Viking Skadi, which sails Viking’s popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.
• The delivery of the Viking Mars comes as Viking continues to mark its 25th anniversary. In January 2022, the company launched Viking Expeditions and its first purpose-built Polar Class vessel, the Viking Octantis; in March 2022, the company named eight new European river ships during a special event in Paris. By the end of the year, Viking will have also welcomed a second identical expedition ship, another identical ocean ship, and new purpose-built vessels for the Nile, Mekong and Mississippi rivers.
• The Viking Mars is the newest ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet of identical sister ships. Classified by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” Viking’s ocean vessels have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, with 465 staterooms that can host 930 guests; the ships feature all veranda staterooms, Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options.

Trailblazing Gymnast Will Officially Name Celebrity Cruises’ Groundbreaking Ship

• Celebrity Cruises announced that Simone Biles, 19-time World Champion and seven-time Olympic Medalist, will add another very special title to her decorated career – Godmother for Celebrity Beyond.
• A long-standing and highly regarded tradition for new ships, the role of Godmother is to inspire all guests and crew who sail on the ship, and it is considered a lifetime title and honour. In her role as Godmother, Biles will name Celebrity Beyond – the gold standard ship and newest and most luxurious vessel in the Celebrity fleet – at the official ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on 4 November, 2022.
• For its groundbreaking Edge Series ships, Celebrity is selecting equally transformational and courageous Godmothers who are breaking barriers and championing change in their respective fields. Biles joins Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms, who serve as godmothers of Beyond’s sister ships Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex respectively.
• Celebrity Beyond began her inaugural season on 27 April, 2022 with a 10-night sailing from Southampton, England, to Barcelona, Spain, and will now spend the summer sailing nine-to-10-night itineraries in the Mediterranean. In November, Celebrity Beyond will make her way to Fort Lauderdale for the official naming ceremony and a winter season of five-to-nine-night Caribbean sailings.

AIDAdiva and AIDAperla with numerous new products on board

• Following her stay in the shipyard, AIDAdiva set sail on her first voyage from Warnemünde to the Norwegian fjords on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Over the past few weeks, the cruise ship has been undergoing an extensive beauty treatment at the Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH shipyard. From April 25 to May 12, 2022, several areas of the ship were redesigned in addition to regular class and maintenance work.
• A new attraction on board AIDAdiva is the restaurant “Almhütte”. With delicacies from the Alpine region and various beer specialties, there is plenty of fun to be had here in a cozy hut atmosphere.
• Wellness lovers can look forward to another novelty at the Body & Soul Spa: The entire wellness oasis has been expanded to include a spacious outdoor area where guests can relax and unwind with a view of the sea. In addition, the fitness equipment has been replaced by the latest generation of equipment and the cyberobics workouts with international star trainers make the hearts of fitness fans beat faster.
• With AIDAdiva, AIDA Cruises is offering voyages to Norway and Denmark as well as cruises to Baltic Sea metropolises such as Stockholm and Copenhagen from Warnemünde until October.
• Paradise for young and old: ice bar opens on AIDAperla
• AIDAperla will end its three-week shipyard stay in Rotterdam on Saturday, May 14, 2022, and set off for Hamburg. The first guests will embark in the Hanseatic city on Monday, May 16, 2022, and will be able to discover numerous innovations on board during their voyage to Norway.
• In addition to technical updates and scheduled class and maintenance work, AIDAperla received a visual makeover. In the new ice cream bar, guests young and old can feast on the most delicious types of ice cream. The ice cream masters surprise with delicious ice cream creations from their own production and a wide selection of cakes.
• The Body & Soul Organic Spa also shines in new splendor. New on board is a Hypoxi Studio for figure shaping and, as a supplement to the extensive fitness offering, there are now also Cyberobics workouts with international star trainers. A special fashion accessories area for leather goods, handbags and sunglasses has been integrated into the shopping plaza, offering guests even greater shopping pleasure on their voyages.
• In the 2022 summer season, AIDAperla will go on 10-day voyages to Norway from Hamburg.

MSC Revamps Loyalty Club

• MSC Cruises has re-vamped its MSC Voyagers Club loyalty programme with a range of new and attractive benefits.
• Voyagers Exclusives replaces Voyages Selection with greater incentives for members, all of whom will automatically benefit from a minimum five per cent discount for any cruise booked at any time. Previously, Voyages Selection was available for only a select number of MSC Cruises’ global sailing schedule.
• In addition, the further in advance a guest books, the greater the benefits gained.
• Any sailing booked from at least six months prior to departure will result in a further five per cent discount. For all cruises booked from at least nine months ahead of the sailing will see Silver, Gold and Diamond tier members receive the five plus five per cent discount, plus either €50/$50 shipboard credit.
• All members who book any MSC Cruises’ holiday at sea 12 months before departure will receive double reward points.
• The MSC Voyagers Club loyalty programme includes five membership levels- Welcome, Classic, Silver, Gold and Diamond – and all earn points.  As points grow, so do the benefits.

Princess Cruises Introduces All-Inclusive Premier Package

• Princess Cruises today announced Princess Premier, a new premium add-on package that offers guests unlimited WiFi for up to 4 devices, premium/top-shelf beverages, photos, specialty dining, and crew gratuities/appreciation. For just $75 per person per day, the inclusive package builds off the popular Princess Plus add-on to offer a more comprehensive bundle and savings of more than 50 percent when the amenities of Princess Premier are purchased separately. In a unique promotion twist, Princess Premier guests also will be automatically entered into a new onboard promotion for a chance to win a cruise for two every year for a decade and up to $100,000 in cash prizes.
• Princess Premier goes on sale May 25, for voyages starting June 25 and beyond. The package is available for just $75 per person, per day, and includes:
  • Unlimited MedallionNet WiFi – the best WiFi at sea – for up to four-devices
  • New “Premier” Beverage Package – top-shelf spirits and cocktails up to $18 with bar service charge included, new selection of wines by the glass, 25 percent bottles of wine, specialty coffees, smoothies, and bottled water
  • Two specialty dining meals per person including popular restaurants like Crown Grill and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria
  • Digital downloads of all photos taken by professional staff onboard, plus three prints of any size up to 8 x 10
  • Entry into new Princess Prizes on board door portal promotion
  • Daily Crew Appreciation
• The addition of Princess Premier gives guests three package options when booking a Princess cruise vacation:
  • Princess Standard cruise package, including the standard cruise fare
  • Princess Plus ($40 per person, per day until May 25; $50 per person, per day starting May 25) – including unlimited WiFi for a single device; Plus Beverage package (covering drinks up to $12, 25 percent off bottles of wine, specialty coffees, smoothies and bottled water); and daily crew appreciation
  • NEW! Princess Premier ($75 per person, per day), on sale beginning May 25
• Guests on voyages departing June 25 and beyond who previously purchased Princess Plus can upgrade to Princess Premier for an additional $25 per person, per day.

Carnival Cruise Line breaks ground on new Cruise Port Destination

• With a strong showing of validation of the cruise industry’s return and optimism, and reflecting a long-standing partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and The Bahamas, Carnival, in cooperation with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government of The Bahamas, today held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island.
• The new Carnival Grand Bahama cruise port destination, expected to open in late 2024, is being developed on the south side of the island and will continue to serve as a gateway to Grand Bahama while also offering guests a uniquely Bahamian experience with many exciting features and amenities, along with business opportunities for the residents of Grand Bahama.
• The cruise port development includes a pier able to accommodate up to two Excel-class ships simultaneously welcoming guests to a stunning white-sand beach The Bahamas are known for. Guests will be able to explore and enjoy Grand Bahama by way of sea, via a dedicated shore excursion dock, or by land, via the dedicated ground transportation hub.  The cruise port itself will also feature an area designated as a nature reserve and an interior pool feature, along with many Bahamian-operated retail, food and beverage options for guests to enjoy.

Holland America Line’s Zaandam Returns to Service in Fort Lauderdale

• Holland America Line’s Zaandam returned to service Thursday, May 12, 2022, at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, leaving just one more ship until the cruise line’s full fleet is operational again. Zaandam embarked guests for a nine-day Atlantic Coast cruise to Montreal, Canada, that will position it in Canada/New England through October. Not only is this a return to service for Zaandam, but it also marks a return to cruising in the Canada/New England region after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Following the repositioning cruise along the east coast of North America, Zaandam will spend the summer and early fall offering Canada and New England cruises between Boston, Massachusetts, and Montreal.
• Volendam currently is under charter by the government of the Netherlands, positioned alongside in Rotterdam accommodating Ukrainian families.
• Holland America Line will complete the restart of the fleet June 12 with Westerdam in Seattle, Washington.