EXPLORA I Welcomes Guests for her Maiden Journey

• On 1 August 2023, privileged guests celebrated the dawn of an exciting new era for luxury ocean travel as EXPLORA I set sail on her Maiden Journey from Copenhagen. This inaugural voyage ushered in a series of itineraries that take you on extraordinary adventures across three continents to celebrated shores and lesser-known destinations.
• EXPLORA I, the first ship to join the fleet of Explora Journeys, has commenced her maiden journey for a seven-night sailing that will take guests through the majestic landscapes of Lerwick, Shetland Islands and Kirkwall, Orkney before heading to Reykjavik, Iceland.
• The first in a series of upcoming itineraries which will span three continents, this northern European journey, has been designed to emphasise the brand’s ‘Ocean State of Mind’ philosophy with immersive experiences that aim to reward guests physically, intellectually and spiritually.
• The luxury ship will spend several weeks in Northern Europe to offer a range of different itineraries and will then cross the Atlantic Sea and spend the winter in North America and the Caribbean Sea before returning to Europe in Summer 2024 for voyages in the Mediterranean Sea.
• EXPLORA II is currently being built in Italy and will come into service in August 2024. EXPLORA III will become the first of two LNG (liquefied natural gas) powered vessels to join the Explora Journeys’ fleet with the ship due to be delivered in 2026 and EXPLORA IV in 2027.

Celebrity chef John Torode MBE joins Saga cruises for the first-time

• Celebrity chef, John Torode MBE is set to join a Saga cruise for the first-time next week, and the cruise line is welcoming back chef and TV presenter, Phil Vickery and wine expert, Oz Clarke back to its ships later this year.
• John Torode – The hugely popular John Torode is known as a straight-talking co-host and judge on MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef, and is a regular guest chef on This Morning, as well as co-hosting with his wife, Lisa Faulkner, on ITV’s John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen. He has also presented a number of culinary road trips, including an upcoming one from his native Australia for ITV. He was awarded an MBE in 2022 for services to Food, Broadcast & Charity and he has published a range of cookery books.
• John will be joining Saga’s all-inclusive 14-night Flavours of France, Spain and Portugal cruise, which departs Dover on Spirit of Discovery on 6 August 2023 and will give two talks over the course of the trip. The itinerary will follow the coasts of Portugal, Spain, and France, visiting cities such as Lisbon and Portimão, on the popular Algarve, as well as La Coruña, Santander, Bordeaux, and Brest before heading home via the Isles of Scilly.

Themed Cruise Featuring Original Mythbusters Co-Host Adam Savage

• A playground at sea for curious minds awaits on a specially themed cruise hosted by Adam Savage, original co-host of Discovery Channel’s series MythBusters and godparent to Discovery Princess. The cruise sets sail onboard Discovery Princess, November 25-29, 2023, from the Port of Los Angeles for a four-day West Coast Getaway to San Diego and Ensenada. 
• On sale now, guests will have the exciting opportunity to meet Savage, learn about his career through several hosted activities and even get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Discovery Princess with Savage as guide.
• In addition, Savage is launching an exclusive video series that takes viewers on a fascinating up-close-and-personal journey of the astonishing wonders of Sun Princess, the cruise line’s latest marvel that is currently under construction and set to debut in early 2024. Shot aboard Sun Princess at the Fincantieri shipyard, the first video is the series is available now and reveals never-before-seen glimpses of the groundbreaking Dome and Sphere features, as the series reveals the ship’s birth from the ground up.  Airing on his popular “Tested” channel on YouTube, with more than 6.3 million subscribers, the engaging series can be viewed at www.youtube.com/tested.

New Itineraries Highlight Princess Cruises 2025 Alaska Season

• Princess Cruises has unveiled its 2025 Alaska cruise and cruisetours season, featuring three captivating roundtrip itineraries and an exclusive new National Parks Cruisetour. These remarkable offerings are available for booking starting August 3.
• New Adventures and Extended Journeys Await, including a Departure from LA:
• New for 2025 from the cruise line that brings the most guests to Alaska every year is a 22-day roundtrip voyage sailing from San Francisco on Ruby Princess that coincides with the Summer Solstice, and a 17-day roundtrip cruise from Seattle on Grand Princess featuring three days of scenic glacier viewing. For guests seeking to sail from Southern California, a new 16-day roundtrip Inside Passage voyage from Los Angeles on Grand Princess offers a convenient and affordable option.
• National Parks Cruisetour:
• Following its debut in 2024, the National Parks Cruisetour returns in 2025 with a 15-night adventure to five of Alaska’s most breathtaking parks. Guests will have the opportunity to explore Glacier Bay, Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, Kenai Fjords National Parks, and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway. Unique to Princess, this experience combines a seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise, scenic rail travel, and multiple days on land, including stays at four Princess-owned wilderness lodges.
• “As the market leader in Alaska, we’re excited to offer guests even more exciting ways to see the natural beauty of Alaska with itineraries in 2025 that serve up new adventures and extended journeys that first-time guests and repeat visitors are going to find intriguing,” said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. “We’re also making it easier for guests to access an Alaska cruise by bringing back a roundtrip option out of Los Angeles, which also make it more affordable for millions within that drive market.”
• Caribbean Princess to Debut in Alaska in 2025
• In 2025, seven Princess ships will sail to Alaska, including Caribbean Princess for the first time. In addition, the number of Princess homeports offering Alaska voyages expands to five with the addition of Los Angeles, with the season featuring 21 cruise destinations and four glacier-viewing experiences, highlighted by 88 visits to Glacier Bay National Park, taking more guests to this spectacular national park than any other cruise line.
• With 155 total departures on 18 unique itineraries ranging in length from 4 to 22 days, cruise and cruisetour choices include:
• Seven Ships, Five Homeports
• NEW! Ultimate Alaska Solstice with Glacier Bay National Park: 22-day roundtrip from San Francisco on Ruby Princess – departs June 6, 2025
• NEW! Ultimate Alaska with Glacier Bay National Park: 17-day roundtrip from Seattle on Grand Princess – departs May 6, 2025
• Inside Passage with Glacier Bay National Park: 16-day roundtrip from Los Angeles on Grand Princess visiting Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan and Victoria, B.C. – departs August 30, 2025
• Voyage of the Glaciers: This top-rated seven-day itinerary features Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and two glacier-viewing experiences at Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord. Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, and Sapphire Princess offer weekly northbound and southbound cruises from Vancouver, B.C. to Anchorage (Whittier) and vice versa. Guests can combine select seven-day voyages for an amazing 14-day Voyage of the Glaciers Grand Adventure – operates May 10 to September 13, 2025.
• Inside Passage: Princess’ signature seven-day roundtrip sailings from Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., as well as 11-day roundtrip departures from San Francisco and Vancouver that include four ports of call and a day of glacier viewing. Many Inside Passage cruises include Glacier Bay National Park. Discovery Princess and Royal Princess sail from Seattle weekly, May 4 – September 21, 2025. Grand Princess offers weekly cruises from Vancouver, B.C., May 27 – August 19, 2025. Ruby Princess sails 11-day cruises roundtrip from San Francisco May 4 – September 13, 2025.
• Alaska Samplers: Three itineraries of four to five days offer shorter voyages for guests looking for a quick getaway. Discovery Princess, Royal Princess and Grand Princess operate four-day, roundtrip voyages between Vancouver, B.C. to Seattle with a stop in Ketchikan – departing April 30, May 13 and May 23, 2025. Caribbean Princess sails a four-day, roundtrip cruise from Vancouver, B.C., with a visit to Ketchikan departing September 13, 2025, and a five-day roundtrip cruise from Vancouver, B.C., with stops in Sitka and Ketchikan sailing May 5, 2025.

AIDAsol: Bookings open for legs of the 2024/2025 World Cruise

• The AIDAsol 2024/2025 world cruise is now open for bookings for individual legs. The duration of the voyages varies between 33 and 84 days – a great opportunity to enjoy the world cruise in shorter legs and discover unique destinations. For example, guests can travel from Hamburg to San Antonio, the port of Santiago de Chile, in 36 days or to fantastic destinations such as French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia and Mauritius in 48 days. Another highlight is the leg from Mauritius to Hamburg with stops on La Réunion, in South Africa, Namibia and the Canary Islands.
• The entire AIDA World Cruise will depart from Hamburg on October 23, 2024, visiting 41 ports and 17 countries in 117 days. The voyage with AIDAsol will return to Hamburg on February 17, 2025
• Unforgettable highlights
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Golden beaches, subtropical forests and Sugar Loaf Mountain: The locals simply call their city “Cidade Maravilhosa” – the fantastically beautiful city. Fall in love with the rhythm of Rio and the joie de vivre of its inhabitants.
• Napier: This new AIDA port is famous above all for its classicist architecture from the 1930s. The New Zealand Art deco city is also home to many Maori motives and patterns.
• Tauranga: All of the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies were filmed in various locations in New Zealand. Guests can still admire the Shire with the hamlet of Hobbingen not far from the city center – in the seemingly endless greenery around Matamat.
• Melbourne: Guests can celebrate their New Year’s Eve in the Australian metropolis! Along the Yarra River, in the Birrarung Marr parks, at Federation Square or on the deck of AIDAsol – you have a perfect view of the fireworks and drone show from everywhere.
• South Africa & Namibia: Here, guests experience the charms of Africa in all its beauty: from the charm and picturesque Table Mountain backdrop of Cape Town to the awe-inspiring African wildlife and towering sand dunes of the Namib Desert.
• These are the bookable legs of the World Cruise 2024/2025:
• From Hamburg to San Antonio from October 23, 2024 to November 28, 2024 (36 days)
• From San Antonio to Mauritius from November 28, 2024 to January 15, 2025 (48 days)
• From Mauritius to Hamburg from January 15, 2025 to February 17, 2025 (33 days)
• From Hamburg to Mauritius from October 23, 2024 to January 15, 2025 (84 days)
• From San Antonio to Hamburg from November 28, 2024 to February 17, 2025 (81 days)
• From Hamburg to Sydney from October 23, 2024 to December 29, 2024 (67 days)
• From Sydney to Hamburg from December 29, 2024 to February 17, 2025 (50 days)

NCL takes delivery of Norwegian Viva

• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 56-year history of breaking boundaries, today took delivery of Norwegian Viva, the newest vessel in the now 19-ship fleet and the second ship in the revolutionary Prima Class, at the renowned Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy.
• The milestone event marks the arrival of the second of six ships in the Prima Class set to debut through 2028.  Following the launch of the award-winning Norwegian Prima in 2022, Norwegian Viva will continue to raise the bar on cruising. The ship’s tagline “Live it Up” embodies the enhanced guest experience and on-board characteristic of this pioneering class, including elevated offerings, more spacious designs, thrilling onboard activities such as the three-story Viva Speedway, and new dining concepts, most notably Indulge Food Hall—an open-air food market featuring 11 unique eateries.
• While the ship boasts many of the highlights that are central to the Prima Class, unique to Norwegian Viva is the at-sea debut of Tony Award®-nominated production, “Beetlejuice,” where guests can “Live it Up” with the undead during a musical adaptation of Tim Burton’s 1988 film of the same name.  Additional evening entertainment programming includes Press Your Luck Live—an immersive game show experience pulled straight from the television screen, offering audience members a chance to participate in the classic game and win prizes.
• At 965 feet long, 143,535 gross tonnes and with the capacity for 3,100 guests, Norwegian Viva also features The Concourse, an outdoor sculpture garden in Ocean Boulevard, the wrap-around boardwalk bringing guests closer to the water than ever before. Reimagined for Norwegian Viva, the area will include work from six artists that have been featured on previous Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. ships: Kevin Box, Jonathan Prince, Arik Levy, Richard Hudson, Sophie Elizabeth Thompson, and Pablo Atchugarry. A new art addition will be included at Metropolitan Bar, the ship’s exclusive sustainable cocktail bar, “Every Wing has a Silver Lining,” a 52-foot-long interactive work of art designed exclusively for Norwegian Viva by contemporary British digital artist Dominic Harris.
• Following the ship’s maiden voyage on 10 August 2023, Norwegian Viva will sail a series of Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries, before her official Christening ceremony in Miami on Nov. 28, 2023. Luis Fonsi, Latin GRAMMY® award-winning artist and godfather to Norwegian Viva, will attend the celebration to officially name the ship and will be joined by The Queen of Latin Pop, Paulina Rubio; “Saturday Night Live” cast member and Miami-native Marcello Hernandez; and singer Pedro Capó. The ship will homeport in San Juan, Puerto Rico for a season of Caribbean voyages from December 2023 through March 2024 with calls to Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.