Cruise News:

• As predicted… Azamara revealed as Pacific Princess buyer – NEW owner of Azamara, Sycamore Partner, has announced plans to add a fourth ship to its cruise line’s fleet. The ship, thought to be the recently sold Pacific Princess will undergo a full renovation similar to that which recently took place aboard Azamara Pursuit.
• Viking commits further to the Nile – Viking has announced a new Nile River ship for 2022, building on the cruise line’s commitmentto Egypt. Inspired by the design of the cruise line’s Longships, Viking Aton (render pictured) is built specifically to navigate the Nile River, and is currently under construction, scheduled to debut in Sep next year.
• Carnival Corporation was not able to celebrate Australia Day with any cruises this year, the company still honoured the country’s national day through a number of initiatives. Carnival’s P&O Cruises Australia brand ensured its traditional Australia Day cake was baked by the team aboard flagship Pacific Explorer, just as they do every year. Later that night, Carnival Spirit shared its own special Australia Day greeting, from its mooring off the coast of Singapore. Captain Vittorio Marchi and his crew expressed their ongoing love for Australia  and their connection to their guests.
• Coral Expeditions welcomes 2021 with  Tasmanian restart to Summer expedition season – has completed the first Australian cruise for 2021 with a highly successful restart voyage circumnavigating the pristine coastal waters of Tasmania. The popular voyage was sold out a year in advance, although several guests were not able to travel due to border restrictions at the time of departure on New Year’s Day. An intimate group of 45 guests enjoyed perfect weather and wide-open spaces over the 16-night adventure.
• MSC Grandiosa, MSC Cruises’ flagship, departed on Sunday night (Italian time) from the port of Genoa in Italy to resume as planned regular 7-night cruises in the Mediterranean after a short pause of operations during the holiday period. The ship had temporarily suspended her sailing as a result of the Italian decree that restricted movement within the country.
• Carnival announces dancing of teh ships – Related to already-announced dry dock plans for Carnival Magic, Carnival Paradise and Carnival Valor, those ships’ return to operations will be delayed until November 2021. Consequently, voyages on Carnival Magic from Norfolk (embarkations from Sept. 29-Oct. 30), Carnival Paradise from Tampa (embarkations from June 5-Oct. 28) and Carnival Valor from New Orleans (embarkations from Sept. 16-Oct. 28) have been cancelled. Carnival Miracle’s planned seasonal service from San Diego has been suspended until further notice, and sailings out of San Diego that were available for sale through April 2023 have been cancelled, with the exception of seven voyages to Hawaii, which will move to Long Beach. Carnival Radiance’s dry dock and transformation has been moved to September, with a planned arrival to Long Beach in November 2021. With Carnival Miracle’s reposition to Long Beach, the ship will assume the three- and four-day itineraries for Carnival Radiance from May 3-Nov. 1, 2021 as well as the seven Hawaii Carnival Journeys referenced above. In addition, Carnival Miracle will launch a new program of four- and five-day cruises to Mexico during the winter season, beginning November 2021 and continuing through April 2023.

Listener Questions: 

• EMMA asks if any insurance providers or covering COVID in their new policies?
• ZENA asks a non-cruise question. Is it True that Cunard operated hotels in the 70’s? Anything worth sharing about this period of Cunards History?
• IAN asks “we have recently booked a Baltic cruise for 2022, one of the ports we visit is Warnemunde for Berlin, we noticed its quiet some distance into Berlin, any suggestions.

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• If you have a cruise tip, burning question or want to record a cruise review get in touch with us via the website https://thebigcruisepodcast.com/join-the-show/

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• Peter Kollar: https://www.cruising.org.au/Home

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