Virgin Voyages Welcomes Resilient Lady to Growing Fleet of Lady Ships

• Virgin Voyages, is making waves yet again and taking delivery of the brand’s third vessel: the beautiful Resilient Lady. Built from the ground up by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, Resilient Lady is a mid-size ship weighing 110,000 gross tons like her sister ships in the fleet: Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady.
• Built in the Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Resilient Lady marks the brand’s third completed vessel in the span of just two years, a notable accomplishment for any brand, and an even taller task for a new company that launched just last year. On May 14, 2023, Resilient Lady will embark on her MerMaiden voyage around the Greek Isles, making stops in Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum and Mykonos before returning to her homeport in Piraeus, Athens. The ship will sail two, eight-night itineraries including the “Greek Island Glow” with the aforementioned route, and the “Adriatic Sea and Greek Gems,” complete with calls in the beautiful cities of Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor and Corfu.
• After her inaugural season in the Med, Resilient Lady will embark on a 44-night repositioning voyage, heading Down Under for a winter season in Australia and New Zealand. Starting Oct. 22, 2023, the ship will depart Athens before stopping in some of the most exotic locales the brand has yet to introduce including Cairo, Dubai, Bali, Mumbai, Phuket and Singapore. She’ll finally arrive in Sydney on Dec. 4, 2023 for a series of celebrations, media sneak peeks and more.
• In addition to her sleek cabin interiors, Resilient Lady will feature the brand’s six, Michelin-inspired restaurants, 20+ eateries, a curated line-up of live entertainment, design-forward bars, oceanside hangout retreats and incredible service. Perfectly integrating into a unique experience on the ocean, Virgin Voyages has developed a one-of-a-kind vacation being recognized by Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller and US News & World Report. Most recently, the line received three industry awards from Cruise Critic including the award for best dining, and received its most coveted award for Best New Ship in 2021 for Scarlet Lady.

MSC welcomes 21^st ship to the fleet!

• On the evening of 7 December, the world’s third largest and fastest growing cruise brand MSC Cruises welcomed MSC Seascape to its fleet of innovative ships. The line’s newest flagship was officially named at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York City in recognition of the addition of New York as a new homeport in April 2023. 
• The event was attended by more than 3,000 guests including VIPs, key travel partners and media as well as top management from the entire Cruise Division of the company and its parent MSC Group.
• One of the highlights of the traditional maritime ceremony was a stunning performance from international singer-songwriter Matteo Bocelli, hot off the heels of his performance at the naming ceremony of MSC World Europa last month.
• Godmother of the MSC Cruises fleet and international movie icon Sophia Loren blessed the ship virtually whilst Alexa Aponte-Vago, daughter of MSC Group’s founder and executive chairman Gianluigi Aponte, performed the traditional cutting of the ribbon to officially name the ship. Loren shared her good luck wishes for the new ship and commented: “One of the highlights of the past 20 years has been to officiate the christening of MSC Cruises fleet not only because the Apontes have become like family to me but also because MSC has always occupied a special place in my heart.  Let me bless the MSC Seascape, her great crew and all her passengers.”
• Following the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a gourmet gala dinner and standout performance by international Grammy Award winner singer/songwriter Ne-Yo.
• MSC Seascape becomes the 21st ship in the MSC Cruises fleet and the second ship to be launched in less than one month after MSC World Europa launched in November. She will be closely followed by the line’s second LNG-powered vessel MSC Euribia, due to come into service in June 2023.

Carnival Celebration debuts expanded youth programme

• Carnival Celebration is introducing an expanded youth program including new enrichment activities for children, teens and families, as well as an update to Carnival’s popular Dr. Seuss Bookville. Many of the new offerings will be implemented fleetwide by spring 2023.
• New Turtles Program, Updated Dr. Seuss Bookville Engages and Entertains Young Children
• Carnival Celebration debuted the most expansive offerings to date for Carnival’s youngest guests, children under the age of two, with a new Turtles program. The new program introduces an array of special activities, including Turtle Playdates, Turtle Band, toddler sensory activities, and Baby Turtle Trek – an interactive event featuring fun facts about sea turtle conservation, which welcomes toddlers to re-enact the journey of a baby sea turtle’s development as they crawl on a custom-made ocean mat to their cheering family on the other side. The program also offers designated drop-off time in Camp Ocean and late-night babysitting.
• The Nautical Explorer program creates an opportunity for children in Camp Ocean to participate in exciting, maritime-themed activities to learn nautical knowledge and earn their seafarer book – from designing their own giant cruise ship and having fun with nautical flags to using a compass and meeting a ship’s officer.
• Dr. Seuss Bookville is already one of the most popular activities for Carnival’s youngest cruisers, and now it will be more unique and interactive as iconic characters from the world of Dr. Seuss come to life. Thing One and Thing Two will help families put on their very own circus, while The Cat in the Hat stops by to conduct a science experiment and Sam-I-Am leads a hunt for green eggs. In addition to Carnival Celebration, Dr. Seuss Bookville is featured on Mardi Gras, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Vista.
• Enrichment Activities Immerse Teen Cruisers in Cultural Experiences
• Building on the successful Holi Festival of Colours enrichment enjoyed on Mardi Gras, which gives teens an immersive and authentic look at this highly celebrated festival about hope and the colours of life, Carnival Celebration is introducing another cultural program inspired by the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan, which celebrates the beauty of life and new beginnings.
• At Circle “C,” younger teens (ages 12-14) will participate in fun activities like anime drawing lessons and pop culture games. Teens in the 15-17 age group will enjoy an authentic tea ceremony, Japanese crafts, and games to encourage new friendships at Club O2. Similar enrichment programs for teens will be offered fleetwide by spring of 2023.
• The expanded youth activities debuting on Carnival Celebration also include a children’s space program in partnership with Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which brings activities inspired by NASA science on board. The innovative new flagship also features a top-deck roller coaster and many other kid-friendly favorites, including a suspended ropes course and a massive water park with three slides and a new, interactive family show, “What’s Age Got to Do with It?”

P&O Cruises (UK) to host stars from the world of sport and exploration on 2023 itineraries

• P&O Cruises has today announced ‘P&O Cruises Presents: Sail with the stars’, which will showcase celebrated UK stars from the world of sport and exploration on board Ventura in 2023 and will be included in the price of the holiday.
• Sports enthusiasts will have the opportunity to enjoy memorable stories, games and entertainment on the Sporting Icons cruise with broadcaster trio Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell on a seven-night cruise to Spain and Portugal. Guests who enjoy tales of the wilderness and the great outdoors can join the five-night Global Explorers cruise with adventurer and TV presenter Ben Fogle, travel journalist Simon Calder and Monty Halls, best known for his BBC Great Escape series.
• Both cruises will depart from and return to Southampton
  • Sporting Icons – 2 Sep 23 – 7nts
    • Sue Barker – Sue Barker is a legend of British tennis. As a player she won Junior Wimbledon at the age of 17, before going on to win the French Open at the age of just 19 in 1976, making the semifinals of Wimbledon the following year. But it was fronting the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon from 1993 until her retirement in 2022 that made Sue a sporting TV icon. Her glittering second career saw her cover countless flagship broadcasts, including the Olympics, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and
    • Phil Tufnell – Phil Tufnell is a former England international cricketer turned TV and radio personality. Having won I’m a .. Get Me Out of Here, Phil remains a favourite in the BBC Test Match Special commentary box.
    • Matt Dawson – Matt’s early career was spent as a successful professional rugby player, making a total of 290 appearances for the Northampton Saints and London Wasps between 1991 and 2006. He also appeared 77 times for England and was selected three times to tour with the British and Irish Lions. Since retiring from rugby, Matt forged a successful career in television and media which continues to play an important role in his life, with commitments including BBC Radio 5 Live and BT Sport.
  • Global Explorers – 19 Sep 23 – 5nts
    • Ben Fogle – Ben Fogle is an award-winning broadcaster and adventurer. He has written nine Sunday Times Bestselling books and is the United Nations Patron of the Wilderness. Ben has climbed Mount Everest, rowed across the Atlantic, raced across Antarctica to the South Pole and crossed the deserts of the Empty Quarter in the Middle East. Ben’s career spans more than 20 years, having firstly found himself on BBC’s first reality TV show Castaway. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, ambassador to Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and patron of The Red Cross and United Nations.
    • Simon Calder – Simon Calder is Britain’s leading travel commentator and is known as ‘the man who pays his way’, meaning he pays for his own travel. Simon is travel correspondent for The Independent, and writes for the Evening Standard, the i newspaper, National Geographic as well many other publications. Simon is a regular guest on national TV and radio, often seen on BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, This Morning, CNN, ITV News, Channel 5 and Sky News, as well as BBC Radio 2, 4, 5, LBC, Times and Talk.
    • Monty Halls – Monty Halls is a broadcaster, speaker, naturalist, marine biologist, travel writer and leadership specialist. He is an ex-Royal Marines officer who worked for Nelson Mandela during the peace process in the early nineties, before leaving to pursue a career in expeditions, travel journalism and biology, eventually becoming a qualified marine biologist. He is also the president of the Galapagos Conservation Trust. Monty rose to fame after winning the Channel 4 show Superhumans, leading him to present further series for Channel 4, National Geographic, the History Channel, Channel 5, and the BBC. He is best known for his three BBC2 series Great Escapes, where he lived on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland with his dog Reuben.

NCL’s unveiled its Northern hemisphere summer 2024/25 and winter 2025 cruise

• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, unveiled its Northern hemisphere summer 2024/25 and winter 2025 cruises sailing to bucket-list destinations in Europe, Alaska and Caribbean.
• GREEK ISLES, ISRAEL AND EGYPT – Norwegian Viva, the second vessel from the Prima Class of ships set to debut in August 2023, will offer select roundtrip seven-day Greek Isles voyages from Athens (Piraeus), Greece, as well as nine-to-11-day open jaw sailings between brand-new home port Haifa, Israel; as well as Athens (Piraeus), Greece; and Istanbul, Turkey from May through November 2025.
• NORTHERN EUROPE – From May through September 2025, Norwegian Prima will sail a series of 10-and-11-day open-jaw voyages from London (Southampton), England and Reykjavik, Iceland.
• MEDITERRANEAN – Starting April 2025 through October 2025, Norwegian Breakaway will offer a series of nine-and-10-day roundtrip Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona, Spain.
• ALASKA – During the Alaska season from late April through October 2025, Norwegian Joy, will make her first return to The Last Frontier since 2019 and offer nine-and-10-day roundtrip sailings from Seattle to allow for a longer, more immersive experience for guests to enjoy the great outdoors.
• PANAMA CANAL – Norwegian Encore will traverse the 40-mile Panama Canal during her unique 21-day Extraordinary Journey starting Oct. 13, 2024 from Seattle
• CARIBBEAN – Sailing roundtrip from New York City, Norwegian Prima will offer 10-to-12-day Caribbean sailings beginning November 2024 through March 2025 visiting Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Basseterre, St. Kitts; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda.
• For the second year, Norwegian Viva will homeport in San Juan, Puerto Rico from December 2024 through April 2025 offering seven-day roundtrip Southern Caribbean
• Norwegian Escape will sail seven- and 14-day Caribbean sailings from December 2024 through March 2025 from Galveston, Texas.

Swan Hellenic and SETI Institute announce partnership to explore space at sea

• Swan Hellenic announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the SETI Institute to provide its guests with expert insights into the history and latest discoveries in astronomy, astrophysics, astrobiology and planetary science, and the quest to find other forms of life within and beyond our solar system. This quest takes SETI Institute researchers to the most remote and inhospitable corners of the planet to explore life, including Antarctica, where the Swan Hellenic fleet is, of course, present for several months every year.
• The new partnership is set to engage Swan Hellenic’s many adventure travellers with never-before-seen presentations on explorations around Earth and beyond, with SETI Institute equipment, including an advanced telescope, installed on board.
• The experts initially scheduled for Swan Hellenic’s 2023 cultural expedition cruises include Director of Education & Outreach and Deputy Director of Research Dr. Simon Steel, a PhD Astronomer and Astrophysicist who specialises in studying galaxies. He has taught both at Harvard University and University College London. Plans are in the works for him to accompany SH Vega on cultural expedition cruises of Antarctica, the British Isles and Iceland.