Carnival unveils new details about Carnival Venezia

• Carnival Cruise Line unveiled today new details about what guests can expect when they board the next ship to join the fleet, Carnival Venezia
• Ship Will Sail Year-Round from New York and Feature Unique Italian Cuisine, Special Staterooms, Exclusive Experiences
• The ship brings many beautiful and unique spaces into the Carnival fleet. When guests first board Carnival Venezia, they will be immediately surrounded by Italian architectural design inside the atrium, which is modelled after Venice’s main public square, the Piazza San Marco. The ship also features an elegant theatre, Teatro Rosso, which will provide a beautiful backdrop for popular Carnival entertainment and new programming, along with many other stylish and immersive spaces. Carnival Venezia’s outdoor spaces feature Italian touches as well and some first-in-fleet features, with a Lido deck modeled after the Italian Riviera that boasts a retractable roof, so the pool can still be enjoyed when the ship departs and returns to New York in colder months.
• Carnival has also been planning many new spaces and will be making updates across the ship, such as adding mini-bars and standard American power outlets to the staterooms, so guests feel at home on board. On the top deck, Carnival Venezia will have a serenity area, an adults-only retreat, featuring lounging furniture, sun beds and two whirlpools. The Serenity area will also include a new bar featuring spritzes.
• Carnival is also introducing a new concept, Terrazza staterooms, which are similar to the Havana staterooms on other Carnival ships. Located on decks 5-9 aft, Terrazza staterooms include interior, balconies (many with aft-facing views) and the special Terrazza Cabanas, which feature private patios complete with plush loungers, a hammock and direct lanai access to Terrazza Carnevale. The special Terrazza staterooms offer exclusive access to Terrazza Carnevale, an outdoor terraced deck featuring two whirlpools, a bar and tranquil lounging space to take in breathtaking views. Guests staying in the 77 Terrazza staterooms have exclusive perks including:
  • Exclusive access to Carnevale Lounge in the morning with complimentary continental breakfast;
  • Terrazza-branded robes and towels
  • Specially-curated brunch on select sea days with a complimentary Spritz or Mimosa
  • An exclusive sail-away event in Terrazza Carnevale with live music
  • Eat, Drink and Enjoy the Flavors of Italy
• Guests will find signature Carnival restaurants and bars on board Carnival Venezia, including the steakhouse Fahrenheit 555, Bonsai Sushi & Teppanyaki and the Chef’s Table, along with Lido Marketplace, Seafood Shack and Pizzeria del Capitano, Piano Bar 88 and Heroes Tribute Lounge. In addition, many Carnival mainstays will offer special Italian menu items on board – for example, gelato will join the popular coffee and snack options at Java Blue Café. Guests will also find delightful beverage and food offerings throughout the ship at several new or updated restaurant and bar concepts, including:
• Dining Venues
  • Guy’s Burger Joint – Italian flavors and ingredients add new flavours to Guy Fieri’s famous burgers. Along with classic American burgers and fries, new menu items will feature an Italian twist, such as a pepperoni pizza burger and the Big Mozz – a burger smothered in melted mozzarella cheese.
  • La Strada Grill – Taste the best grilled Italian street food and sandwiches.
  • Tomodoro – Mexitalian fusion creations feature ingredients such as Italian meatballs and Sicilian chicken alongside traditional Mexican tacos and burritos, for breakfast and lunch.
  • Canal Grande and Marco Polo Restaurants – Both restaurants feature delicious three-course meals in spaces surrounded by elegant Italian sculptures and architectural designs, including a real-life Venetian gondola in one of them. Special Italian dishes will be featured, including favorites from Carnival’s signature Cucina del Capitano Italian restaurant.
  • New Specialty Italian Restaurant – In addition to the Italian dishes offered in the main dining rooms, an all-new dining concept is being created and more details will be shared soon.
• Bars and Lounges
  • Amari – Similar to what Carnival guests know and love at Alchemy bars across the fleet, expertly crafted cocktails feature a variety of Italian liqueurs and bitters and are skillfully prepared by professional mixologists for an elevated and interactive experience. This is an elevated and interactive cocktail experience with drinks such as negroni, americano, Amalfi martini and sbagliato. Select Alchemy cocktails will also be served.
  • Frizzante – A variety of bubbly drinks, from prosecco to spritzes and bellinis are served along with Italian beer. Authentic Italian coffees and biscotti will be served here throughout the day.
  • Carnevale Bar & Lounge – Tasty cocktails are served in a lounge inspired by the elegance of Venetian masquerades during Carnevale and features beautiful scenes of Carnivale di Venezia on LED screens, complete with live music, fine Italian wines and classic cocktails in a relaxing atmosphere with a cool vibe.
  • Gondola Lounge – Inspired by the famous Venetian canals, this space features a large stage with a dance floor as well as comfortable seating to enjoy live entertainment. This lounge opens to the outside on either side for a breezy stroll around the lanai.
  • Rococó – Refreshing frozen drinks, from colorful layered creations with unique Italian flavors such as limoncello and bellini to classic frozen cocktails, including margaritas, daiquiris and piña coladas, are served out of a fun and cheeky bar described as “Baroque Goes Pop.”
• Experience Italian-Inspired Entertainment and Activities Along with ‘Fun Ship’ Favorites
• Guests can also expect the high-energy entertainment they know and love fleetwide on board Carnival Venezia. The ship will be the first in the fleet to feature the exciting new show “Color My World,” following its debut on Carnival Celebration last month. It’s an Indie rock and pop love story that combines different mediums of art to create a visually stunning experience. Some of the other entertainment and activity offerings include:
• Parties and Gatherings
  • Captain’s Venetian Toast – Carnival Venezia’s captain greets guests in true Venetian style, while live music fills the atrium and the cast members don Venetian costumes. Guests are encouraged to wear Venetian masks as well.
  • Italian Street Party – Little Italy meets Lido for a street party featuring rotating entertainment at the mainstage including live music and Italian-themed performances while competitions such as spaghetti and gelato eating contests keep everyone entertained.
• Playlist Productions
  • Broadway Beats – Show connecting the audience to the ship’s homeport with a larger-than-life journey through New York City.
  • Vintage Pop – Modern musical with a ’20s spin tying in with New York’s prohibition era.
  • Epic Rock – Concert featuring rock staples from artists like Journey, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi.
• Youth and Family Activities
  • Camp Ocean and Club O2 – Children, teens and families can experience different regions of Italy through arts & crafts, games, and themed activities, including gondola racing, Futbol challenges, Italian hopscotch and more.
  • Sports, Games and Attractions – In addition to popular options in SportsSquare, such as basketball and pickleball, families can also choose activities with an Italian twist, including bocce ball and foosball. Guests will also find other familiar top-deck favorites including a ropes course, mini golf, jogging track, outdoor fitness equipment and a water park featuring three waterslides – one open and two enclosed – with a splash park for younger kids.
• Carnival Venezia will operate a wide range of sailing options from New York’s Manhattan Terminal, with 10 different cruise durations and 22 unique itineraries featuring visits to 25 ports across 14 countries beginning June 15, 2023,
• In 2024, Carnival Cruise Line will welcome a second ‘Carnival Fun Italian Style’ ship, when Carnival Firenze™ joins the fleet, scheduled to sail year-round from Long Beach, Calif. Both ships were originally built for Carnival Corp. sister-brand Costa Cruises and debuted in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Carnival Jubilee Delayed

• Carnival Cruise Line today notified guests booked on the first six cruises of Carnival Jubilee that because of shipyard delays, delivery of the ship has been postponed and the first cruise will now be the Dec. 23, 2023 embarkation from Galveston, Tex.
• Carnival Jubilee is under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Meyer has notified Carnival that due to supply chain logistics and related matters, the October 2023 delivery date has been re-set for early December 2023. Carnival Jubilee will then transit directly to Galveston to operate the first guest cruise for the Christmas holiday, departing on Dec. 23, 2023.
• Guests and travel advisors have been notified of the change. In total, the original Oct. 30, 2023 transatlantic journey from Southampton, UK to Galveston, and then five Caribbean sailings from Galveston have been cancelled.

Time Out announced as P&O Cruises (UK) exclusive new exploration partner

• P&O Cruises has today announced Time Out as its exclusive new exploration partner becoming a prime provider of travel content across all destinations.
• The partnership will see Time Out’s expert team of journalists create bespoke content featuring the best things to do, see and eat in destination. The content will be aimed at attracting a new audience of guests who have yet to consider a cruise holiday and will also be developed to enrich the experience of existing guests. In addition, it will connect P&O Cruises with Time Out’s existing audience of avid travellers.
• The first campaign as part of this partnership launches today and taps into an emerging travel trend amongst holidaymakers wanting to travel authentically whilst not compromising on comfort.
  • A digital content hub on Time Out with features, quizzes and local guides, providing the insider secrets into P&O Cruises destinations. As part of the content, an interactive ‘Scrap the Tourist Trap’ quiz will allow travellers to build a personalised bucket list of things to do while they are in each destination.
  • A ‘Detour’ video series which profiles local people, from shop and restaurant owners to entertainers and reveals their personal recommendations.
  • A ‘Detour’ guide in print form for guests on board a P&O Cruises holiday.
  • Time Out & P&O Cruises email newsletters.
  • Time Out & P&O Cruises collaborative social amplification of the content.

Celebrity Cruises Launches the World’s First Digital Cruise Ship Experience

• Celebrity Cruises, known for next generation ships at the intersection of architecture, technology and design, is sailing into the future with the launch of a new virtual experience dubbed, the ‘Wonderverse’.
• In an industry first, travellers will get to ‘see before they sail,’ exploring a hyper-realistic, digital recreation of aspects of their newest ship in Celebrity’s transformational Edge® Series, Celebrity BeyondSM, complete with the ship’s artful and inspiring spaces, entertaining signature moments like Celebrity’s famous Martini Bar Flair Show, and the ability to visit top destinations that Celebrity sails to – from Alaska to the Caribbean and Europe to Asia.
• In addition, guests can meet and chat with the line’s key leaders as digital avatars, including President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, the inspirational Captain Kate McCue – the first, and still only, American female captain of a major cruise ship, and Nate Berkus, Celebrity’s Edge® Series Travel Ambassador and designer of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Beyond.
• Once logged in to the Wonderverse, consumers will move from space to space, enjoying immersive, interactive content throughout, as they learn more about the ship and the destinations they can sail to on Celebrity Cruises, including:
  • The Magic Carpet®, considered one of the most unique design innovations ever for a cruise ship, that soars cantilevered above the sea with uninterrupted vistas for enjoying virtual cocktails or dinner. The first space users will experience, it also doubles as a meeting space, providing a dynamic way for users to interact together virtually.
  • The majestic Grand Plaza, the social epicentre of Celebrity Beyond, spanning three decks with the brand’s signature Martini Bar at the heart of it all, will serve as a social-first lounge where passengers can connect, listen to music, enjoy Celebrity’s iconic Martini Bar Flair Show and chat with Celebrity’s President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
  • The Resort Deck, featuring a Rooftop Garden, the ship’s Main Pool, unique cantilevered float pools and sunken seating offers interactions with Captain Kate and Nate Berkus, who showcases the brand’s 2024-2025 season offerings. Visitors can also relax in lounge chairs, jump in the pool, and get a drink from the bar.
  • The Nate Berkus-designed Sunset Bar, where Berkus shares his personal travel experiences reflected in the internationally-inspired ambience at the multi-level, multi-terraced outdoor space while visitors enjoy one of the most talked about spaces on any cruise ship.
• Built in partnership with virtual event platform architects Surreal Events, Celebrity’s Wonderverse is also complete with mini games and activities, entertainment, easter eggs revealing special offers and much more, all hosted on the web at celebritycruises.com/wonderverse.

Successful acquisition of SH Diana by Swan Hellenic

• Helsinki Shipyard, having received bids for the auction of NB 518, today announced that Swan Hellenic has been awarded the tender.
• Helsinki Shipyard exercised the right to sell the ship by tender, provided for by the shipbuilding contract, after the original buyer failed to take delivery of the ship. The auction ended at midnight on Friday the 9th of December and was satisfactory for Helsinki Shipyard, which analysed the bids and declared Swan Hellenic the winner.
• The Shipyard and Swan Hellenic will now enter into a new agreement for the completion of the vessel, which is scheduled to be delivered to Swan Hellenic in March 2023, in time to start cultural expedition cruises of the Mediterranean from the beginning of April as planned.