World’s Largest Container Line is Rerouting its Fleet to Avoid Collisions with Endangered Blue Whales

• Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has taken a major step to help protect blue whales and other cetaceans living and feeding in the waters off the coast of Sri Lanka by altering shipping lanes to avoid their habitat.
• A global leader in container shipping and logistics, MSC began in mid-2022 to voluntarily re-route its vessels passing by Sri Lanka, on a new course that is approximately 15 nautical miles to the south, in line with the advice of scientists and other key actors in the maritime sector.
• The decision was based on research surveys completed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), with the World Trade Institute (WTI), Biosphere Foundation, University of Ruhuna (Sri Lanka), and supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
• Westbound ship traffic is now limited to a latitude between 05 30N and 05 35N, and eastbound traffic is limited to a latitude between 05 24N and 05 29N in order to avoid designated cetacean habitats.
• Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, between Asia and Europe, and the port of Colombo is a major transshipment hub for global trade.
• The area off its southern coast is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and is also inhabited by large populations of whales, meaning that these animals may be at risk of colliding with ships.
• Simulations have shown that moving the official shipping lane 15 nautical miles to the south could reduce the strike risk to blue whales by a whopping 95%.

CARNIVAL LUMINOSA OFFICIALLY REGISTERED WITH THE BAHAMAS

• As part of its transition to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, Carnival Luminosa was officially registered today with the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA). During the ceremony, Carnival Luminosa’s senior leadership team and the classification society completed all necessary registration processes, and Deck Cadet Mark Casson, a Bahamian citizen from Freeport, raised the new Bahamian flag.
• When the ship departs for Dubai, she will be flying the Bahamian flag to designate the new ship registry. Eventually arriving to Australia in less than two months, Carnival Luminosa will sail a variety of seasonal itineraries from Brisbane from Nov. 6, 2022 to April 13, 2023, offering something for everyone, before repositioning for seasonal service from Seattle to Alaska next May, including some exotic, first-time-for-Carnival destinations.

Carnival Splendor crosses the international date line on-route to Sydney Australia.

• The guests and crew on Carnival Splendor, currently sailing a Transpacific Journeys cruise on its way to restart Carnival Cruise Line’s operations in Australia, can (sort of) consider themselves time travellers now that the ship has crossed the International Dateline while sailing westward in the southern Pacific Ocean. By crossing this internationally recognised calendar boundary, the ship skipped a full day of the week – turning Wednesday into Friday for all on board
• Following Carnival Splendor’s departure from Seattle on Sept. 6, after the ship’s successful deployment as part of Carnival’s biggest-ever Alaska season, guests on board have enjoyed an unforgettable opportunity exploring the natural beauty of this South Pacific cruise. Carnival Splendor made several stops across Hawaii, visiting Honolulu, Kona, Hilo and Maui. Carnival Splendor will soon visit the Fiji Islands, with stops in Suva and Port Denarau.
• Arriving in Sydney on Sept. 30, Carnival Splendor will be the first Carnival ship returning to guest operations in Australian waters in nearly 1,000 days. The ship will homeport in Sydney now year-round, with her first cruise departing Oct. 1.
• Carnival Splendor’s return also coincides with Carnival’s 10th year of operations in Australia. In November, Carnival Luminosa will complete the cruise line’s two-ship deployment to Australia with sailings from Brisbane.

Kangaroo Island’s emotional reunion with Princess Cruises

• Kangaroo Island this week welcome its first cruise ship in more than two and a half years, sharing a special connection with both the valuable sector of the visitor economy and the visiting cruise line.
• Princess Cruises was the first cruise line to visit the island following the devastating bushfires in January 2020, with a special visit by the Sun Princess “in a show of support for the local community”.
• Many guests of that voyage made donations to South Australia’s bushfire relief and Princess Cruises directed revenue from the day’s shore excursions to the state’s bushfire appeal. The visit was also hoped to help send a message to the world that Kangaroo Island was ‘open for business’.
• This weeks arrival of the Coral Princess is one of a record-breaking number of visits scheduled for South Australia in 2022/23 – including 32 visits to Penneshaw – and the beginning of a restart of a once $145 million sector of the state’s visitor economy.
• With almost 2,000 passengers and 895 crew, the Coral Princess will return to Penneshaw on another itinerary in April 2023, while other Princess ships are also scheduled for Penneshaw this season through as far ahead as April 2024. This includes one of the biggest ships to visit Kangaroo Island, the Majestic Princess, which carries up to 3,560 passengers and 1,346 crew.
• Other cruise ships scheduled for Kangaroo Island this season (September 2022 to April 2023) include P&O’s Pacific Explorer with up to 1,998 passengers and 924 crew, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth with up to 2,081 passengers and 980 crew; and Holland America’s Westerdam carrying up to 1,964 passengers and 800 crew.

Princess facilities first martial arts programme at sea

• FUJI Sports (FUJI), the outfitter and equipment provider for more than 18 million martial arts competitors and academies worldwide since 1969, and FUJI Mats, the worldwide leading supplier of premium mats, facility equipment, and design services, have announced a partnership with Princess Cruises that will now make FUJI the exclusive cruise partner to stage seminars, events and competitions spanning the globe.
• he first “Princess and FUJI Adventures Cruise” takes place January 7-14, 2023 on Sky Princess for a Caribbean voyage. The experience will depart from Fort Lauderdale with stops at Princess Cays (Bahamas); San Juan, Puerto Rico; Amber Cove (Dominican Republic); and Grand Turk (Turk and Caicos).  The Princess and FUJI Adventure Cruise will include Olympians and World Champions who will engage with martial arts enthusiasts throughout the voyage. 
• Highlights of the Princess and FUJI Adventures Cruise include:
  • Seminars with leading martial arts experts
  • Shoreside martial arts events in ports of call
  • Family competitions and prizes
  • Special edition co-branded gear
  • Culinary demonstrations with celebrity chefs
  • Industry speakers
  • Business-to-Business networking opportunities

50 days and counting: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth returns to Australia

• In less than 50 days on 7 November 2022, Cunard line’s iconic Queen Elizabeth returns to Australian shores for the first time since early 2020. Fremantle in WA will host Queen Elizabeth’s first local call this homeport season.
• For many, the arrival of a Cunard Queen marks the beginning of the local summer cruise season. Throughout her 121-day record Australian residence, Queen Elizabeth invites guests to experience once-in-a-lifetime encounters and unique itineraries.
• The inaugural Great Australian Culinary Voyage features Australian produce and bespoke menus created by leading chefs Matt Moran, Mark Olive and Darren Purchese. The 5-night roundtrip from Sydney departing on 28 January 2023, features calls in Melbourne and Burnie where the culinary experiences continue on shore with one-off excursions curated especially for the sailing.
• Gardening royalty Graham Ross and Jamie Durie will share their knowledge onboard Cunard’s first Gardening Journey departing Melbourne on 4 February 2023. Throughout the 7-night-sailing, these and many more special guests will share their best tips and the top trends in gardening via informative talks, hands-on workshops and on-shore experiences.
• Australian personalities Sir Peter Cosgrove, Dawn Fraser and Nova Peris will inspire guests with anecdotes from their lives on Queen Elizabeth’s inaugural circumnavigations of Australia.
• The last time a Cunard Queen circled the continent was back in 2014, so this is a very rare opportunity for travellers to enjoy what the prestigious British cruise line is all about on an extended sailing: impeccable service, exemplary fine dining, grand Gala Nights, dynamic West End style entertainment and enough room to feel special, unwind and relax

Entertainment firsts and new talent on board P&O Cruises newest ship Arvia

• P&O Cruises newest ship Arvia will offer guests a range of entertainment firsts, including WaveLength, a new interactive gameshow, virtually starring presenter and game show host Ben Shephard.
• Created exclusively for P&O Cruises and hosted in The Headliner’s Theatre, WaveLength will give guests the opportunity to find out how well they know each other as they try to match their partner’s answers
• New to P&O Cruises on board Arvia:
  • Greatest Days – Arvia is the only place in the world where guests will be able to watch the stage musical, Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical. Greatest Days is an adaptation of the acclaimed West End musical The Band, which features the songs of Take That and is a beautiful story by Olivier Award-winning writer Tim Firth. It will be brought to life on stage by an amazing cast from our Headliners Theatre Company.
  • Altitude – Arvia’s outdoor adventure zone for the whole family. Situated at the very top of Arvia, families will be able to enjoy the new aqua zone at Splash Valley, where plenty of shade and sprinklers will make it the perfect place on a hot day with fantastic views.
  • Set 54m above the ocean, Altitude Skywalk is P&O Cruises first ever high-ropes experience and will offer guests a series of rope walks with different routes to suit all levels.
  • Altitude Minigolf will be the new, tropical island-themed minigolf open all day and illuminated at night. The whole family can enjoy the challenge together as they perfect their putts while dodging hippos, water hazards, and tiki huts to claim the winning title.
  • Mission Control – Exclusive to Arvia, Mission Control is a unique immersive experience. Set on board the fictional submarine Arvia II, it combines an escape game with multimedia simulation and a live-action story to create a thrilling underwater challenge. The realistic 3D surroundings will take guests to the depths of ocean canyons, where they will be able to overcome danger and solve puzzles and problems.
  • Other entertainment highlights on Arvia include:
  • The 710 Club – The 710 Club on Arvia is a sophisticated bar crafted to Music Director Gary
  • Barlow’s creative vision. Atmospheric and low-lit, The 710 Club offers live music from resident band The 710s with an unmistakably vintage vibe and stylish cocktails.
  • Aardman – P&O Cruises has partnered with Aardman to offer children a range of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep themed activities. Children will be able to join in a themed dance class or craft workshop such as making their own Gromit ears or can sit back and enjoy film premieres or Wallace & Gromit’s brand-new show, All Hands on Deck!
  • Ocean Studios – Located on Deck 6, Ocean Studios is Arvia’s three-screen multiplex cinema offering the latest blockbuster releases and family favourites in a plush setting.

Virgin Voyages Partners with Sustainable Marine Fuel Providers

• Virgin Voyages, a new cruise line with an efficient fleet of ships amongst the youngest in the industry, today announced that it has partnered with independent sustainability experts, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), along with three leading waste-based sustainable fuel providers to deliver low carbon fuels to the marine industry. Argent Energy, GoodFuels and Twelve are collaborating with the cruise line to further advance Virgin Voyages’ commitment of reaching net zero by 2050.
• Following months of detailed research, Virgin Voyages has taken an important step to advancing a low-carbon future by establishing key partnerships and building a portfolio approach to sustainable marine fuel (SMF) supply. Recognizing there is currently no one-size-fits-all, low-carbon fuel solution, Virgin Voyages will enter into long-term agreements for sustainable marine fuels with these providers, which includes plans to add others over time.
• Adopting drop-in sustainable fuels, such as those made from abundant, problematic waste or direct air capture of CO2, is paramount for reducing emissions and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Virgin Voyages estimates that by switching to sustainable marine fuels, the line will reduce its life-cycle carbon emissions from fuel by 75% or more.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines celebrates the Joy of the Journey with new Signature Experiences

• Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled five new Signature Experiences to celebrate the Joy of the Journey on board each of its sailings.
• The experiences will focus on Itinerary Insights, the Sky at Sea, Treats of the Region, Scenic Discoveries and the Ship and the Sea, with each to be delivered by specialist guides who are experts in their field.
• Open air sunrise, sunset or stargazing events will be among the highlights of the Sky at Sea, while there will be chances to join a guide on deck to spot wildlife, flora and fauna or join a hosted talk in one of Fred. Olsen’s panoramic Observatory Lounges in Scenic Discoveries, as the ship sails through some of the world’s most beautiful waterways, lochs, lakes and fjords and interesting seascapes.
• The Itinerary Insights programme will offer lively lectures and smaller, more informative talks, on cultural, artistic and historical highlights to give guests a deeper understanding of the destinations they will visit, while the Ship and the Sea will shine a spotlight on Fred. Olsen’s five generations of maritime traditions, and include ‘an Audience With’ programme with Captains and crew for those who are curious to find out more.
• Fred. Olsen’s creative chefs and galley teams will showcase the Treats of the Region with live cookery demonstrations of local delicacies, giving guests the chance to sample dishes famous in the places they’ll be visiting and learning how to recreate them at home.
• The cruise line has already started to introduce elements of its Joy of the Journey programme onto its sailings for 2022, with the full programme to be up and running on all cruises from 2023.
• This includes Balmoral’s 78-night ‘Exploration of South America and the Antarctic’ cruise setting sail on 5th January 2023 with guests to be joined by Falklands veteran Simon Weston who will share tales of his time during the Falklands War.
• Other highlights include the chance to join cookery demonstrations to learn how to make Chilean empanadas, Uruguayan chivito and Brazilian feijoada as guests sail to their places of origin, or opportunities to join the guides out on deck for a scenic sunrise while sailing through the Chilean Fjords, a sunset at the ‘end of the world’ in Ushuaia, the southern most tip of South America, or for a stargazing evening while sailing the Atlantic at the furthest point from land.