Pacific Encounter Arrives down under

• Pacific Encounter, the latest addition to the P&O Cruises Australia fleet to continue the revival of Australia’s $5 billion a year cruise industry, today sailed into Sydney Harbour offering a salute to ‘hero tugs’ and other maritime champions that help keep our waters safe.
• Amid big jets from water cannon tugs, the gleaming ship entered the harbour led by the Port Authority of NSW fire tug and flanked by three privately operated tugs that were involved recently in an amazing ship rescue off the coast of Sydney.
• As Pacific Encounter entered Sydney Harbour, the words ‘HERO TUGS!!!’ flashed up on the ship’s top deck big screen.
• Pacific Encounter’s ‘encounter’ with Sydney will be relatively brief as the ship is destined to be home ported in Brisbane following a long P&O tradition of basing ships there to enable Queenslanders to cruise from their doorstep.
• Three tugs operated by Engage Towage — Diamantina, Martinique and Fitzroy — were part of the escort for Pacific Encounter. All three and their stalwart crews were involved in the operation to save bulk carrier Portland Bay after it lost power in stormy weather last month.
• Pacific Encounter’s time in Sydney will also be of economic benefit to the city with local marine engineering and technical services coming on board and more than half a million kilograms of locally sourced produce being loaded to begin the ship’s cruising program.
• Special thanks to Listener Garry in Sydney who sent in some incredible images of Encounter alongside in Circular Quay.

Viking celebrates 25 years of award-winning exploration

• On 5 Aug 23, Viking is celebrated the company’s 25th anniversary. To commemorate the anniversary, Viking has released a new video message from Chairman Torstein Hagen as he reflects on the company’s key milestones since its founding on August 5, 1997. The new video can be viewed here on Viking’s website, as well as here on Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV. All this week, Viking.TV daily programming has centred on Norwegian culture and history as a tribute to the Hagen family’s Norwegian heritage.
• https://www.vikingrivercruises.com.au/video/why-viking/25-anniversary/play.html

Carnival Celebrates International Beer Day

• To celebrate International Beer Day, Carnival Cruise Line is serving up fleetwide a new brew, ParchedPig Beach Lager, a refreshing, crisp and golden beer that is available in cans in bar and dining venues and on tap in select locations.
• Developed by Carnival’s brew team, ParchedPig Beach Lager pairs well with a Guy’s Burger or BlueIguana soft tacos, or as a refreshing ale to enjoy on its own.  Continuing its partnership with Lakeland, Fla.-based Brew Hub, Carnival was the first cruise line to can and keg its own private label beers crafted by its in-house brewery team in 2019, after introducing the onboard brewery concept on Carnival Vista in 2016.
• The Beach Lager joins several other Carnival Brews fan-favorites already available on the Carnival ships:
  • ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat – an unfiltered wheat beer with flavors of orange and spices.
  • ThirstyFrog Red – light, clean, frothy and a little bold, this craft beer offers balanced character and whispers of toasted malt.
  • ParchedPig West Coast IPA – the embodiment of a traditional West Coast India Pale Ale, this hoppy, intense beer is loaded with bitterness with a bright flavor profile and distinctive aroma of citrus and pine.
  • ParchedPig Toasted Amber Ale – highlighted by its rich amber color and notes of toasted caramel and biscuit, this beer is well balanced, smooth and highly drinkable.
  • Carnival Birthday Beer – a refreshing golden ale with medium hops, specially made by the Carnival Brews Team, for its 50th Birthday celebration.

NCL celebrates the Float Out of Norwegian Viva

• Norwegian Cruise Line, announced that Norwegian Viva, the second of six vessels in its ground-breaking Prima Class, floated out from her dry dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera (Venice), Italy, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the new vessel touches water.
• To celebrate the occasion, a commemorative coin was welded into Norwegian Viva in a traditional maritime ceremony, presided over by Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line and Antonio Quintano, shipyard director of Fincantieri.
• The float out signifies the completion of external works and painting of Norwegian Prima, including the striking hull artwork designed by Italian graffiti artist Manuel Di Rita, commonly known as “Peeta.” Construction now continues on Norwegian Viva’s interior fittings and guest accommodations before she is officially delivered to the cruise line and commences sailing in 2023.

NCL Takes delivery of Norwegian Prima

• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 55-year history of breaking boundaries, has taken delivery of its newest ship, Norwegian Prima, in Marghera, Venice at the renowned Fincantieri shipyard.
• Launching later this month, Norwegian Prima will be the first major cruise ship christened in Iceland, commencing her eight-day inaugural voyage in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik on 27 August 2022, sailing to Amsterdam. Global popstar Katy Perry, who serves as Norwegian Prima’s Godmother, will fulfil the longstanding maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming the ship, as well as performing during the christening ceremony.

AIDA Cruises: New 2023 summer itineraries in the north available

• For the 2023 summer season, AIDA Cruises is launching new itineraries for the cruise ships AIDAdiva, AIDAmar and AIDAnova. A variety of attractive northern travel options is now available. The new cruises can be booked starting on August 3, 2022.
• AIDAnova from Kiel: For the seven-day voyages “Baltic Sea from Kiel” or the 14-day voyages “Norway and Baltic Sea” with departure dates between May 6 and October 21, 2023, AIDA Cruises has developed new attractive itineraries to Norway and Denmark for its guests.
• AIDAmar from Warnemünde: On its nine- and ten-day cruises, AIDAmar will now sail on attractive routes to Scandinavia or to Norway in the 2023 summer season. For example, three Nordic capitals – Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm – are on the schedule, as well as calls in Gothenburg, Aarhus and Visby. On the new voyages to Norway, guests will visit three different fjords – Eidfjord, Olden and Vik – as well as Bergen, Skagen, Kristiansand and Gothenburg.
• AIDAdiva from Warnemünde: From May 6 to October 14, 2023, AIDAdiva will receive a new summer program. AIDAdiva will now tour the beauties of Norway. Among other things, a visit to the tranquil port of Vik on the Sognefjord is included in the program. The country’s longest and deepest fjord stretches 204 kilometers inland from the coast north of Bergen.
  • A new feature in the program are 4- and 5-day trips in the Baltic Sea region. Apart from the popular classics Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Gothenburg the guests can become acquainted now with Gdansk/Gdynia, Fredericia or Bornholm for the first time in the context of a short voyage with AIDA.
  • Both the 7-day cruises and the new 4- and 5-day voyages can be combined with each other and thus offer a wide choice of itineraries for the start and destination port of Warnemünde.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to return to Dover with selection of late summer sailings from August

• Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will return to Dover this month, offering a selection of late summer cruises to destinations including Norway, France, Spain and the Adriatic.
• Flagship Bolette will sail from Dover in August, September and October, offering the chance to take in the vistas and volcanoes of the Azores and Madeira, sail into the heart of the Norwegian fjords and explore three Scandinavian cities on a six-night break.
• The eight-night ‘Scenic Isles and Lochs of Scotland’ cruise will be Bolette’s first cruise from Dover in 2022, where guests can enjoy a scenic sailing of the picturesque Sound of Mull, explore the remote islands of Orkney and Shetland and look out for whales and birdlife alongside marine wildlife charity ORCA.
• From September to November, Dover will become the homeport for Balmoral, who will offer the chance to cross into the Arctic Circle in search of the Northern Lights, and delve into the rich history of culture of the Adriatic and Mediterranean on a 28-day voyage around Greece and the Adriatic, among other highlights.