• Celestyal Announces addition to the fleet.
• The Celestyal Journey will offer a lot more of what we know our guests love, including: 149 Balconies – over 28 Suites – 126 Junior Suites – and a stunning Penthouse Suite. A much bigger range of dining options, featuring 7 separate venues, with an amazing Chef’s Table and 8 bars allowing us to expand our range of beverages, including our renowned signature cocktails.
• The Celestyal Journey was owned by Holland America Line before being transferred to P&O Australia and renamed Pacific Aria in 2015. The cruise ship sailed on her maiden voyage for Seattle-based Holland America Line in 1993. The ship was scheduled to join Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) in May 2021 under the new name of Ida Pfeifer.

Stellar line up for live broadcast of P&O Cruises ship naming

• Chart-topper Olly Murs will lead the line up of performers at the beach-side naming ceremony of P&O Cruises newest ship Arvia in Barbados in March.
• The award-winning singer will treat guests watching the live broadcast to his best-loved hits as he performs from Heywood’s Beach on Thursday March 16, 2023.
• Hosting the ceremony, which will be conducted both on board Arvia and from the beach, will be two of the UK’s most famous broadcasters and DJs, Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson.
• Trevor Nelson will take centre stage in Arvia’s Skydome for assembled guests and will introduce the famous bottle smash moment with Arvia’s yet-to-be-revealed godmother while Sara Cox will host the guests on one of Barbados’ most stunning beaches.
• Both Trevor and Sara will be sailing on Arvia’s March 11 departure and will host late night DJ sets on board.
• To watch the live broadcast with Olly, Sara and Trevor use the following link on Thursday March 16, 2023, at 19:00 (UK time) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI4N7fv4J_Q

Swan Hellenic announces naming ceremony of its largest ship, SH Diana, to be held in Amsterdam

• Swan Hellenic announced that the naming ceremony of its third and largest ice-class cultural expedition cruise ship, SH Diana, will take place in Amsterdam on the 4th of May.
• Description automatically generated with medium confidenceThe SH Diana, a new purpose-designed vessel, will be named by luxury travel visionary and icon Valerie Ann Wilson in the presence of Swan Hellenic Senior Management, local dignitaries, VIP guests, the media and members of the cruise and travel industries from around the world
• With over 40 years of experience in the travel industry and serving on almost every travel related advisory board during her career, Valerie’s influence remains impactful around the globe and throughout her beloved travel community. Valerie is committed to her true belief that there is no greater power than providing first-hand knowledge and sharing experiences with clients and industry colleagues, while keeping the founding principles of integrity, trust and loyalty as the cornerstones of her business. 
• Following the high-profile events and entertainment after the naming ceremony, Valerie will remain on board as a VIP group host during SH Diana’s maiden cruise to Tromso, “Norway Explored,” sailing on the evening of May 4th.

Spring Flowers, Summer Festivals and Royal Princess Debut Highlight Princess Cruises’ 2024 Japan Season

• Diamond Princess Returns for 36 Departures to Scenic Island Country, Plus Royal Princess Debuts on a New Japan & Northern Pacific Crossing
• The lure of Japan is calling with its ancient temples, cherry blossoms, modern cityscapes and vibrant cuisine with the newly released 2024 Japan cruise season on sale now from Princess Cruises. New for 2024, Royal Princess makes her Japan debut and marks the first Royal-Class ship to sail in the region. The series of cruises offers many opportunities to view the magnificent spring flowers, as well as four breathtaking summer festivals
• Royal Princess sails a new Japan & North Pacific Crossing, calling to the northern Tohoku and Hokkaido regions during the magnificent cherry blossom season with the option to combine with the cruise line’s popular Voyage of the Glaciers cruise to witness the majestic glaciers of Alaska. Guests can opt to disembark in Anchorage (Whittier) for a 15-day voyage or continue to Vancouver, B.C. for a 22-day cruise. The cruise departs Tokyo (Yokohama) on April 27, 2024.
• Japan-built Diamond Princess returns to Japan for a March through August 2024 season, sailing roundtrip from Tokyo (Yokohama), calling to 35 destinations in three countries on 31 unique itineraries and 36 departures, ranging from seven to 23 days.
• Diamond Princess kicks off the season with a series of four 10-day Spring Flowers voyages, calling at all four of Japan’s main islands and following the predicted blooming season as it moves from south to north.
• The Japan festival season reaches its peak in the summer months, and in 2024 Diamond Princess offers guests the opportunity to experience the following festivals with late-night stays in each port:
  • Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aug 2 and Aug 7) which features Nebuta float figures accompanied by traditional music, many vibrant dancers and audience participation, all within easy walking distance from the port.
  • Kochi Yosakoi Dance Festival (Aug 12), one of Japan’s 10 largest festivals, featuring teams of dancers with colorful costumes and unique performances.
  • Tokushima Awa Odori Dance Festival (Aug 13), one of the most famous summer dance festivals that dates back to the 1500s and features dancers performing throughout the city well into the night highlighted by the famous “Fool’s Dance.”
  • Kumano Fireworks Festival (Aug 17), a display of over 10,000 fireworks visible from the decks of Diamond Princess.

Costa Fortuna headlines the best of the East & West Med.

• Costa Cruises is launching another new program that will make its 2023 holiday offer even richer. It is about three new Costa Fortuna itineraries, which will allow to discover the Mediterranean in a unique way, from east to west, reaching even the Canary Islands.
• Costa Fortuna’s new cruises in the Mediterranean will last two weeks, a formula that for the first time will also be available in the height of summer, allowing guests to enjoy their Mediterranean holidays at their best.
• This summer, from 24 June to 19 August, the Costa Fortuna will be offering a never-seen-before itinerary, for a unique travel experience that includes two of the Mediterranean’s most popular destinations in a single holiday: the Greek and Balearic Islands. The full program of these cruises includes Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Messina, four magnificent Greek islands, such as Crete (with a call at Heraklion), Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Kefalonia (with a call at Argostoli), Palma de Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, and then Barcelona and Marseille.
• Costa Fortuna’s second itinerary will instead be dedicated to the Canary Islands, where it will be possible to explore up to five locations of this wonderful archipelago where the sun always shines (Arrecife, Puerto del Rosario, Las Palmas, San Sebastian de la Gomera, Santa Cruz de Tenerife), as well as Madeira, Malaga, Savona and, on some departures, Civitavecchia/Rome. Scheduled departures run from 29 April to 10 June, plus departures on 2 and 16 September.
• The third itinerary, available on 16 April, 30 September and 14 October, will instead explore Istanbul (where guests can also stay overnight during the September and October departures) and Izmir, in Turkey, Athens, in Greece, and Malta, as well as Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Catania, Barcelona and Marseille.

Seabourn launches Expeditions in South Pacific

• Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, has unveiled a program of new exciting expedition voyages for summer 2024 and winter/spring 2025 on its two new purpose-built expedition vessels, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. Both ships will explore remote corners of the globe, from the South Pacific and Antarctica to the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and more. The program also includes the line’s first visit to the Kimberley region in northern Australia, where Seabourn Pursuit will travel between June and August 2024.
• In addition to the Kimberley, Seabourn Pursuit will visit Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and sail to the South Pacific from Chile to Melanesia between March and October 2024. Meanwhile, sister ship Seabourn Venture returns for another season in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Greenland, Iceland and the Canadian Arctic.  Both ships will sail to the “The Great White Continent” at the end of 2024 and early 2025. All of the new 2024 and 2025 expedition voyages are now on sale.
• The Kimberley – With ancient, otherworldly landscapes, wildlife from short-eared rock-wallabies to flying foxes, and Aboriginal culture that traces back some 50,000 years, the Kimberley is an experience all its own in northernmost Western Australia. With the Expedition Team geared to lead Zodiac rides to Horizontal Waterfalls and guided hikes to surreal sandstone escarpments, spectacular gorges, and visits with the Traditional Landowners to see primeval caves tagged with rock art, Seabourn Pursuit will offer six 10-day voyages to the region between Broome and Darwin in June, July and August 2024.
• Papua New Guinea & West Papua – Seabourn Pursuit will operate a series of 15-day voyages to the Papua New Guinea and West Papua in May and June and again in August and September 2024, with combination voyages up to 35 days also available. Some of the world’s most incredible snorkeling and diving wait at protected reefs off the mainland and islands surrounding Papua New Guinea and West Papua.
• The South Pacific from Chile to Melanesia – In March and April and again in September and October 2024, Seabourn Pursuit will sail between the islands of the South Pacific and the coast of Chile via a series of voyages of 14, 17, and 20 days, with combination voyages of up to 37 days also available.

Pacific Encounter Refit Revealed – Ship gets two 142m long water slides

• Check out Chris’s latest video- showcasing the upgrades: https://youtu.be/NNaplwjYqtA