Grinchmas’ sails into Sydney with Carnival

• Oh me, oh my, it’s Grinchmas in July! The Grinch himself sailed into Sydney Harbour yesterday onboard Carnival Splendor, as Carnival Cruise Line celebrates its first-ever series of Grinchmas in July sailings and a brand-new fundraising initiative to support the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF).
• For Grinchmas is such a merry celebration, this year the Grinch seeks a heartfelt transformation.
• He’s growing his heart, so far and so wide, to support the SCHF with pride!
• That’s right, Carnival has teamed up with long-time partner Dr. Seuss Enterprises to launch the ‘Grow the Grinch’s Heart’ initiative. Raising much-needed funds for SCHF, guests onboard Carnival Splendor and those on dry land are invited to visit carnival.com.au/grow-the-grinchs-heart to make a donation from now until August 31.
• For all that you give, a smile will surely bloom, as you brighten the lives of the kids in the room.
• You can ‘Grow the Grinch’s Heart’, bringing hope and light, supporting little ones and making their futures bright.
• Every dollar raised from the initiative will provide much-needed funding for SCHF to support patients like Ashton Lucas and his family. Born just over a month before Christmas in 2020, Ashton was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer at just five days old. Now at the age of two, and after spending a total of 237 days and two Christmases in hospital, Ashton is a two-time cancer survivor.
• To help make up for lost time, Ashton and his family donned their Christmas sweaters and joined the Grinch onboard Carnival Splendor yesterday, departing on an all-expenses-paid cruise, a Grinchmas present to the family from Carnival.

Azamara Returns to Canada and Debuts Double Night Stays with 2025 Itineraries

• Azamara – the upmarket cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion experiences – has released 73 itineraries for 2025, including two brand-new voyages visiting Canada for the first time since 2017. Along with these itineraries comes the debut of double night stays, giving guests two overnights to explore one destination at their leisure.
• With Azamara’s new double night stays, guests can spend three days and two nights in Bordeaux, France. Due to their small size, Azamara’s ships can dock in the centre of the city, allowing guests to explore the stunning architecture and renowned museums, as well as the world-famous surrounding wine region. Azamara guests can also sail seven hours down the Guadalquivir River to enjoy an extended stay in the heart of Seville, Spain, where they can fully immerse themselves in the local culture and traditions of Andalusia by indulging in tapas, watching authentic flamenco dancers and bullfighters, and admiring historic palaces – all at their own pace.
• Marking the cruise line’s return to the country for the first time in more than five years, Azamara’s new sailings will stop in six Canadian ports, including:
  • Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec (maiden port): Known as the center of the Magdalen Islands, this small fishing town boasts incredibly fresh seafood, stunning coastal trails, and over 300 species of birds.
  • L’Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland (maiden port): L’Anse Aux Meadows is the only authenticated Viking site in North America. Guests will be transported back 1,000 years as they explore the recreated Viking Encampment and discover original Norse artifacts.
  • Harve Saint Pierre, Quebec (maiden port): With panoramic views and never-ending sandy beaches, Saint Pierre sits on the north shore of Quebec’s Saint Lawrence River and is the gateway to the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, home to an abundance of wildlife.

Le Ponant becomes world’s first sailing yacht to obtain Relais & Châteaux label

• After four years of varied partnerships, PONANT and Relais & Châteaux are strengthening their ties with Le Ponant, the company’s iconic three-master flagship superyacht joining the large family of Relais & Châteaux establishments as a new member. The historic achievement marks the first time a sailing yacht has been granted the esteemed label and featured in their exclusive collection of the world’s most exquisite travel destinations.
• An exceptional catalogue for an exceptional establishment
• With only 16 elegantly decorated staterooms and a dedicated chef, the travel experience for guests on board Le Ponant is as if they are on their own private yacht, with its small size enabling the yacht to offer exclusive ports of call.
• The first voyages aboard Relais & Châteaux member Le Ponant are tropical expeditions through an infinite palette of blues in Cape Verde and the Caribbean for the 2023/2024 season, after she finishes her one-season-only Kimberley sailings this year.
• The partnership highlights a shared passion for personal experiences and authenticity offering richness and diversity of the world’s finest cuisine to the most discerning Relais & Châteaux guests. In line with PONANT, the collaboration prioritises commitment to preserving local heritage and the environment.
• Relais & Châteaux, established in 1954, is an association of 580 unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world, owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs – most often families – who are passionate about their craft and deeply committed to forging warm, lasting relationships with their guests.
• Relais & Châteaux members protect and promote the wealth and diversity of the world’s culinary and hospitality traditions, to ensure they continue to thrive. They are equally dedicated to preserving local heritage and the environment, as articulated in the association’s Vision presented to UNESCO in November 2014.

Holland America Line Expands Programming for 2024 Solar Eclipse Cruises

• Holland America Line is making a unique opportunity even more special with the addition of astronomy experts to its 2024 Solar Eclipse cruise programming. Guests sailing on Koningsdam and Zaandam to experience the total eclipse in Northern Hemisphere spring 2024 will have exclusive access to lectures, demonstrations and firsthand tips on how to make the most of their eclipse viewing.
• University of California San Diego Professor Adam Burgasser will join guests on Koningsdam as the ship sails off the coast of Mexico in the thin “path of totality” for the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse. Burgasser is a professor of astronomy and astrophysics, an observational astrophysicist, and the principal investigator at the university’s “Cool Star Lab.”
• Leading up to the eclipse, Burgasser will educate guests through special lectures on the ship’s World Stage and help them create their own eclipse viewers. During the eclipse, he will help guests safely view and understand this rare occurrence from unique positions on the ship.
• Koningsdam will embark April 5 on a 22-day Solar Eclipse Cruise, which positions the ship along the coast of Mexico for a total view before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. The San Diego, California, to Vancouver, Canada, itinerary departs April 5 and heads south to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, before spending the day at sea on April 8 for the eclipse. Koningsdam will then stop at Puerto Vallarta in Mexico before crossing over to Hawaii.
• Guest Presenter Jim McParland will lend his expertise to the eclipse experience aboard Zaandam with lectures and demonstrations when the ship also is in position for total viewing.
• Zaandam will depart March 30 on a 14-day Solar Eclipse Cruise roundtrip from San Diego and will be positioned for a total view of the eclipse as it tracks over Mexico. The ship will be in Mazatlán, Mexico, on eclipse day.

Seabourn expands culinary offerings.

• Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, continues to elevate its culinary program with a number of dining enhancements, including include new recipes in The Restaurant and expanded sushi offerings, aboard its ultra-luxury ships.
• In The Restaurant, the main, fine-dining venue on board all of the ships, Seabourn is rolling out two new recipes each week, which will total more than 100 new recipes per year. The new recipes will include lighter-fare dishes, using a number of ingredients such as fresh oysters, dover sole and more. By adding new dishes, Seabourn has increased the variety offered on The Restaurant’s menu cycle. Examples of new appetizers include Gratinated Champagne Oysters with white leek & mushroom duxelles and Fresh Oysters on Ice with caviar, sour cream & vodka; and new entrees include Lobster en Belle Vue with lobster cream, quail egg, cherry tomatoes, cucumber; Roquefort Crusted Beef Tenderloin with wilted spinach, sunchoke emulsion; and Pomery Mustard – Tomato Crusted Baked Black Cod with melted leek, potato mash, chive butter.
• The Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch on select days and dinner every evening, where guests can dine when and with whomever they wish. The talented culinary team prepares the wide variety of dishes a la minute, cooked to order.
• In addition, Seabourn will begin offering “Sushi in the Club” on Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest by November 2023. This follows the popularity of the dedicated restaurant, Sushi, on board Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation, and Sushi in the Club on Seabourn Venture, which will also be available on Seabourn Pursuit. Available nightly between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., “Sushi in the Club” will offer fresh sushi bites and unique sake offerings, and guests will enjoy a menu featuring the finest ingredients that blends authenticity with a twist of Seabourn’s culinary expertise.
• These new culinary enhancements were developed in partnership with Master Chef and Culinary Consultant Chef Anton Egger and Senior Corporate Chef Franck Salein. Together with the onboard, highly skilled culinary team, they curate Seabourn’s world-class dining that rivals the finest restaurants anywhere.

Cunard launches 2024 Event Voyages program

• Set sail with some of the greatest talents in gastronomy, art and entertainment next year, as Cunard announces its renowned Event Voyages for 2024.
• Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 plays host to four of the seven newly launched themed voyages, offering guests an unbeatable experience to cross the Atlantic in style, while a further three take place on board Queen Elizabeth as she navigates Australia and Japan in early 2024.
• Back by popular demand in June is “London Theatre at Sea,” an eight-night Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing of musical theatre in partnership with the Olivier Awards, with whom Cunard proudly partners every year in London. This unique crossing features immersive acting workshops, fascinating behind the scenes talks and award-winning performances, curated by Julian Bird OBE.
• Also returning in November 2024 is “Literature Festival at Sea,” where book lovers can absorb themselves in seven days of inspiring literary events on this westbound Transatlantic Crossing, curated by the programming team of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, with whom Cunard also partners each year. Each “Literature Festival at Sea” features more than 20 acclaimed authors, with past headliners including Ian Rankin, Victoria Hislop and Simon Armitage.
• New for 2024 is a unique opportunity to celebrate history in the making, as Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 embarks on her 400th Transatlantic Crossing in August from New York to Southampton – a journey that remains as iconic today as it was in 1840, when Cunard’s history began.
• 2024 also marks the 15th anniversary of Cunard’s spectacular National Symphony Orchestra voyages, brought to you by the eminent maestro Anthony Inglis. Guests will be able to rehearse with the choir by day and enjoy classical concerts in the Royal Court Theatre by night, on board this unique nine-night Eastbound Transatlantic crossing via Newport and Boston in October.
• Queen Elizabeth hosts the first-of-its-kind Sporting Greats & Wellness Voyage in January 2024, which offers sports fans the chance to sail with some of Australia’s most iconic sporting superstars, including legendary cricketer Brett Lee and celebrated golfer Karrie Webb, as well as Amanda McLaren, owner of the eponymously named British luxury car company.
• The Great Australian Culinary Voyage, also on Queen Elizabeth in January, promises to be an unforgettable foray into the world of food and wine, including special guest and award-winning chef Karen Martini taking over The Steakhouse at The Verandah.
• The extraordinary Big Band Ball voyage in May sees dance and music lovers from all over gather to celebrate the magnificent Swing era, in between exploring the enticing ports of Japan on this nine-night circumnavigation. Special guests include internationally acclaimed vocalist, pianist and songwriter, Joe Stilgoe.