Silversea returns to Asia Pacific region

• Silversea Cruises®, has returned to ocean sailing in the waters of the Asia Pacific region after more than 1,000 days, with Silver Muse® departing on an 18-day voyage from Singapore to Sydney today (2 Dec).
• While Silversea has operated a successful season in the Australian Kimberley region aboard its expedition ship Silver Explorer®, Silver Muse’s arrival marks the highly anticipated return of ocean cruising in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia.
• Joining Silver Muse in Australia from the Silversea fleet is Silver Whisper®, who will arrive in December, followed by Silver Shadow℠ who arrives in Sydney in January to commence the World Cruise 2023–the first time a Silversea World Cruise has departed from any Australian city.

SpaceX’s Starlink now available on Celebrity Eclipse

• Celebrity Cruises has announced that SpaceX’s Starlink is now available for guests travelling onboard Celebrity Eclipse in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific this season. Providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity for a better onboard experience for guests and crew, Celebrity Cruises is the first and only cruise line to offer the innovative broadband internet service in the region.
• On 3rd November 2022, Celebrity Eclipse sailed from Sydney allowing guests to Journey WonderFULL on a 12-night New Zealand itinerary – the first local sailing to offer guests SpaceX’s Starlink. Making it easier for guests and crew to remain connected to work, family and friends, guests will now have access to the innovative internet service on all sailings departing from Sydney and Auckland through April 2023.
• Earlier this year, Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) announced the deployment of the Starlink technology across all Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Silversea Cruises ships, along with all new vessels for each of the brands. Currently, 3 ships in the Celebrity Cruises fleet of 15 luxury ships offers SpaceX’s Starlink – Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Eclipse – with the remaining set to be complete by the end of 2023.

Princess Cruises Enhances Value with Exciting New Offerings to All-Inclusive Princess Plus and Premier Packages

• Princess Cruises – already the best value in travel – has dramatically enhanced its all-inclusive premium add-on packages, incorporating an exciting juxtaposition of new premium indulgences and premium health and wellness offerings to its Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages.
• Rolling out on sailings after February 20 are a series of decadent Princess Premium desserts. These elaborate confections overflowing with gelato, pastry, and candy mixtures will be added to both the Princess Plus and Princess Premier and are available in the Gelateria, Swirls or Coffee and Cones.
• As part of its recently announced exclusive partnership with Xponential Fitness, the largest global franchisor of boutique premium fitness brands, guests will also enjoy complimentary onboard Pure Barre, Yoga Six and Stretch Lab classes as part of the packages starting in February with classes from additional boutique brands including Club Pilates, Cycle Bar, Stride, and Stride to follow shortly thereafter.
• New packages are available for bookings made after December 14 for sailings February 20 and beyond.

Cunard Launches New 2024 Summer Season Offering 195 Voyages To Over 90 Destinations

• Cunard is delighted to announce that its April 2024 to January 2025 cruise schedule is going on sale on 7 December. Cunard World Club members will be able to book the new itineraries from 7 December, with the programme on general sale from 8 December.
• The new programme will feature 195 new voyages across 90 destinations worldwide. Guests will be able to make the most of more time in port thanks to several late evening departures and overnight stays, in places such as Reykjavik, Tromso, Rotterdam and Quebec.
• Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne, will set sail on 3 May 2024 for her seven-night maiden voyage to La Coruna and Lisbon. She will then depart for a 14-night voyage in the Canary Islands before travelling around the British Isles, taking in highlights in Scotland and Ireland, as well as Cunard’s founding homeport, Liverpool. Throughout her maiden season, Queen Anne will sail from Southampton on itineraries to the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands, and the Norwegian Fjords, visiting over 60 unique destinations in 16 countries.
• The world’s only ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, will continue to maintain Cunard’s 182-year tradition of transatlantic travel, undertaking 20 crossings between Southampton and New York. She will also voyage to Scandinavia for the Northern Lights and the Caribbean, where she’ll spend the 2024 festive season.
• Queen Victoria will spend summer soaking up the sun in the Mediterranean, offering over 75 itineraries to Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, and Croatia on a series of 7, 14 and 21-night sailings departing from Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Trieste and Istanbul.
• Queen Elizabeth will once again be travelling through the spectacular scenery of Alaska and the schedule for this will be released in the coming months.

Virgin Voyages Celebrates Giving Tuesday, Donating 2,023 Cruise Vacations to Honor Local Healthcare Heroes

• Virgin Voyages, celebrates Giving Tuesday by paying it forward and honoring local healthcare heroes with the vacation of a lifetime. For the second consecutive year, the South Florida-based travel and lifestyle brand is partnering with Baptist Health South Florida and donating 2,023 complimentary voyages – totalling an estimated $5.9 million – for deserving employees to ring in the new year with their friends and loved ones.
• In celebration of the new year ahead, the 2,023 gifted sailings will recognize employees in the Baptist Health network who have made a positive impact in the local healthcare community, from patient-facing employees to those in behind-the-scenes roles that keep the hospitals, clinics and offices running smoothly.
• Winners will receive a voyage for two in a Sea Terrace, a trendy balcony cabin with fun mood lighting, rainfall showers and a signature red hammock.
• Meanwhile Lady Ship 4 – Brilliant Lady was floated out in Italy by Fincantieri. She will join her sisters Scarlet, Valiant and Resilient entering service in Late 2023

Costa Cruises introduces “Cruise & Golf” formula

• Costa Cruises, Official Cruise Line of the Ryder Cup 2023 and Official Supplier of the Italian Golf Federation, brings the passion for golf also on holiday with the “Cruise & Golf” formula, which combines a unique golf experience with the relaxation and fun of a Costa cruise on its most innovative ships.
• Starting this winter, “Cruise & Golf” will be available not only for Costa Smeralda‘s Mediterranean cruises, but also for Costa Toscana‘s itineraries in the Arabian Gulf. Golf lovers will thus have the opportunity to play in some of the most beautiful golf clubs in Italy, France and Spain (with Costa Smeralda), or in the Arab Emirates and Oman (with Costa Toscana), during calls in the destinations included in the cruise itinerary. Each day golfers can plat in a different camp, with maximum comfort and convenience, while families on holiday can enjoy the services on board or explore wonderful locations, thanks to the excursions organised by the company. This type of experience is also perfect for small groups of golfers to play together in clubs and share their passion.
• To take advantage of the offer, guests can buy a Costa Smeralda cruise in the Mediterranean or a Costa Toscana cruise in the Arab Emirates and Oman on Costa website or in a travel agency, and then add to the booking the golf package, which includes three or four ‘Green Fees’ to access the golf clubs included in the offer.
• The new selection of golf clubs for Costa Toscana’s winter 2022/23 cruises is exclusive, with the added advantage of being able to play at night, thanks to the long calls on the ship’s itinerary.  In Dubai, it’s possible to choose the Emirates Golf Club, home to the annual Dubai Desert Classic, an 18-hole course that measures 6,676 metres and winds its way through hundreds of species of indigenous flora and fauna, seven lakes and a spectacular view of the Dubai skyline; or “The Els Club“, designed by US Open and Open Championship winner Ernie Els, home to the Asian Tour. In Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, one of the best 27-hole golf courses in the world and home to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for 16 consecutive years, and the Yas Links Golf Club, which hosted the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2022. In Muscat (Oman), the Almouj Golf Club, designed by Greg Norman and home of the Oman Open, which stands out for its incredible location facing the Indian Ocean, with the Hajar Mountains in the background; and the Ghala Golf Club, Oman’s oldest and most renowned club, which has hosted the Oman National Championships since the 1970s and the MENA Tour for the past four years.
• Among the golf clubs selected for Costa Smeralda are the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the official home of the 2023 Ryder Cup, the challenge between Team Europe and Team USA scheduled for the first time in Italy; the Circolo del Golf Roma Acquasanta, one of the oldest golf clubs in Italy; the Golf Club Garlenda, surrounded by ancient olive groves and pine forests in the enchanting scenery of the western Ligurian Riviera; the Golf Club Genova Sant’Anna, which has hosted two Italian Double Professional Championships and was designed by Robert Von Hagge, one of the world’s most famous golf course architects; the Real Club de Golf El Prat, which, for 10 times, has hosted the Spanish Golf Open; the Club de Golf Terramar Sitges, one of the oldest golf clubs in Spain, located 20 metres from the sea; the Son Gual Golf in Palma de Mallorca, one of the best golf clubs in Continental Europe; the T-Golf Calvia, one of the oldest, best-rated and most popular courses on the island of Majorca; the Golf Bastide de la Salette, with spectacular views of the Garlaban mountain range and Marseille; the Golf Sainte Baume, with an 18-hole course that blends in with pines, aromatic plants and oaks.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines wins gold for ‘Best Cruise Line for No-Fly Cruise Holidays’ at the British Travel Awards 2022

• Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has been crowned ‘Best Cruise Line for No-Fly Cruise Holidays’ at the British Travel Awards 2022 after winning the gold award..
• “Our regional UK departure ports allow us to offer some fantastic hand-crafted, no-fly itineraries, from an around the world tour from Liverpool or an exploration of South America and the Antarctic from Portsmouth, to a short Easter break on the picturesque River Seine from Southampton- our no-fly cruises offer something for everyone to enjoy.