Carnival Corporation to Operate up to 75% of Fleet Capacity by End of 2021

• Carnival Corp announced that it expects to resume guest cruise operations with 65% of its total fleet capacity by the end of 2021 across eight of its world-leading cruise line brands. Additionally, Carnival Cruise Line has announced plans that envision the brand’s entire fleet returning to service by the end of 2021, which would further increase Carnival Corporation’s total operating capacity to nearly 75% by the end of the year.
• Eight of the company’s nine brands – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Seabourn – have announced plans to resume guest operations on 54 ships to date through the end of 2021.
• The following summarizes Carnival Corporation’s brand restart announcements to date through the end of 2021.
• North America Brands:
  • Carnival Cruise Line resumed guest cruise operations with three ships to date sailing out of two U.S. ports, Galveston and Miami, and has announced its intent to have 15 ships in operation by the end of October and to have its entire fleet sailing by the end of the year.
  • Princess Cruises will resume guest cruise operations this weekend with its first ship sailing from Seattle to Alaska, and will expand with a series of cruises around UK coastal waters in late July, as well as cruises out of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaii and California coast in the fall, with eight total ships expected to be in operation by the end of the year.
  • Holland America Line will resume guest cruise operations this weekend with its first ship sailing from Seattle to Alaska, followed by sailings from Greece in August, and from Italy and Spain in September, as well as sailings to Mexico, Hawaii, the California coast and the Caribbean this fall for a total of six ships expected to be in operation by the end of the year.
  • Seabourn resumed guest cruise operations with two ships to date sailing from Greece and Barbados, and plans to begin the Antarctica season in November with a third ship.
• Europe & Asia Brands:
  • Costa Cruises resumed guest cruise operations in May with sailings in Italy and Greece, and the line is now offering sailings to France and Spain, to be followed by sailings to Portugal and Turkey in September for a total of seven ships expected to be sailing in the Mediterranean by the end of the year.
  • AIDA Cruises resumed guest cruise operations in March sailing in the Canary Islands and in May with sailings in Greece and Germany. The line is now offering additional sailings out of Germany as well as upcoming sailings in Spain, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands and the Persian Gulf from late July to December for a total of nine ships expected to be in operation by the end of the year.
  • P&O Cruises (UK) resumed guest cruise operations with a series of summer sailings around UK coastal waters that started in June, and plans to expand to the Mediterranean, the Atlantic coast and the Caribbean starting in September for a total of four ships expected to be in operation by the end of the year.
  • Cunard will resume guest cruise operations in August with one ship sailing UK coastal cruises, followed by sailings to the Iberian coast and Canary Islands, and plans to expand with a second ship returning to service in November with a combination of transatlantic crossings and Caribbean cruises.

Carnival Cruise Line Makes Plans For Additional Ship Restarts In September And October

• Carnival Cruise Line announced today that three more ships will resume guest operations in September, and another four in October – bringing the total number of ships to 15 – as the line’s successful restart of operations continues to ramp up.
• The three ships for September are Carnival Glory from New Orleans, starting Sept. 5, Carnival Pride from Baltimore, starting Sept. 12, and Carnival Dream from Galveston, starting Sept. 19.
• Turning to October, the four additional ships to restart will be Carnival Conquest from Miami, effective Oct. 8, Carnival Freedom from Miami, effective Oct. 9, Carnival Elation from Port Canaveral, effective Oct. 11, and Carnival Sensation from Mobile, effective Oct. 21.

Royal Caribbean Answers The Call Of The Wild And Becomes First To Return To Alaska

• Serenade of the Seas Opens First Alaska Cruise Season Since 2019, Ahead of Second Ship, Ovation of the Seas, Joining in August
• The great Alaska adventure is now underway – Royal Caribbean is back and bolder than ever as the first cruise line to sail to the Last Frontier since September 2019. Yesterday, Serenade of the Seas kicked off the highly anticipated comeback of the summer season when it departed on the first of a series of 7-night cruises from Seattle. The sailing marks a celebratory moment for the cruise industry, local workforce, regional suppliers and Alaska’s beloved communities that were significantly impacted by the absence of all cruise tourism, which normally represents more than 60% of the state’s visitors and generates upwards of $3 billion for its economy each year. Ninety-seven percent of the entire onboard community on Serenade is fully vaccinated.
• A local favourite, Serenade sets course for classic cities and quaint towns like Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska, as well as the jaw-dropping Endicott Arm fjord and Dawes Glacier. The ship will be joined by Ovation of the Seas in Seattle starting Aug. 13, rounding out Royal Caribbean’s great Alaska comeback in 2021.

NCL Embark TV episode 3

• Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that the next episode of “EMBARK – The Series,” will stream live on 30 July, 2021 at 10am (AEST) and 12pm (NZST) at www.ncl.com/embark.
• The third episode of the five-part docuseries provides a behind-the-scenes look at how onboard and shoreside team members are coming together to prepare for a defining moment in the Brand’s 55-year history. The episode showcases how NCL is preparing for its great cruise comeback with contactless technologies designed to enhance the guest experience and support elevated health and safety protocols as well as highlight new product offerings and experiences. Viewers will also have a first look at the Company’s new cruise terminal at Port Miami, an iconic beacon on the Miami skyline.
• https://youtu.be/id3wItW7Qsc

Princess Cruises has topped the list of the most recognisable lines in the industry in Australia.

• Unprompted brand recall saw Princess top-of-mind for 41% of respondents, with P&O Australia at 40%, Carnival at 30% and Royal Caribbean International at 26%. Other cruise lines to score above average in unprompted recall included Celebrity Cruises (13%), Norwegian Cruise Line (10%) and Viking (9%).

Princess Cruises Announces Discovery Princess Senior Officers

• In around 200 days, the newest Princess Cruises ship – Discovery Princess – will debut at the Port of Los Angeles in spring 2022, for an inaugural season of Mexican Riviera and California Coast cruises.
• Discovery Princess is being built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and will carry 3,660 guests. Captain Arma will officially bring the ship into service from the shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, joined at the launch by an experienced team of executive officers, including Chief Engineer Vincenzo Alfi, Staff Captain Alessandro Genzo and Hotel General Manager Richard Harry.
• When Captain Arma is on leave, Captain John Smith will take over the navigation and leadership of Discovery Princess and serve together with Chief Engineer Tomislav Ljoka, Staff Captain Petar Lesic and Hotel General Manager Jasper Wolthuis
• Discovery Princess offers the innovative technology, spectacular style and design features of its sister ships – Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess. Guests will discover the Princess MedallionClass experience, world-class dining, an overwater SeaWalk, expansive Piazza, Sanctuary, Lotus Spa, Grand Casino, Princess Theater and Sky Suites, featuring the cruise line’s largest balconies at sea.

Oceania introduces Vista Stateroom Designs.

• Oceania Cruises, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, has revealed the design and décor elements of the Veranda Staterooms, Penthouse Suites, Oceania Suites and Vista Suites aboard its newest ship, Vista, due to debut in early 2023.
• Vista will set new standards for comfort and residential-style luxury and will feature all veranda accommodations. All staterooms and suites feature beautifully appointed bathrooms with oversized rainforest showers, large vanities, and copious storage space. Penthouse, Oceania, and Vista Suites are ultra-spacious and true sea-going residences with an abundance of living and dining space for entertaining or simply relaxing. In a first for the brand, Vista will feature a new category of Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms dedicated to solo travellers.
• Inaugural Season Itineraries – Vista’s inaugural season itineraries will open for viewing on 10 September 2021, and go on sale the following week on 16 September 2021.

Oceania Cruises Debuts New 2022 Europe and Tahiti Cruises

• 16 New Destination-Immersive Voyages Aboard the Better-Than-New Regatta and Nautica
• When Nautica debuts on April 1st, the ship will have just emerged from an extensive period in drydock and similarly, Regatta returns to service fresh from her recent Re-inspiration. The debut of Nautica and re-start of Regatta heralds the completion of the $100+ million OceaniaNEXT “better-than-new” rebuild of the brand’s four 684-guest Regatta Class ships and the brand’s full return to service with all six ships sailing the globe once again.
• Nautica’s April through June 2022 Europe voyages range in length from 10 to 24 days and call on the most iconic destinations in the region, such as the French and Italian Rivieras, the Greek Isles, the Holy Lands, and the Canary Islands. Regatta reprises her perennially popular Tahiti itineraries with the addition of three new 10-day roundtrip Papeete cruises in February 2022. These new sailings will be available and open for reservations on July 28, 2021.

Quark Expeditions Unveils Industry’s Most Immersive Polar Helicopter Program

• Quark Expeditions, the global Leader in Polar Adventures, unveiled details today of its immersive helicopter program made possible with the acquisition of two twin-engine Airbus H145 helicopters that are designed to take travelers deeper into the Polar Regions than any other helicopter in its class.
• The deployment of our two H145 helicopters aboard Ultramarine means Quark Expeditions will offer guests the biggest portfolio of adventure options in the industry, including heli-hiking, alpine kayaking and exclusive ice-sheet heli-landings—in addition, of course, to flightseeing, which we automatically include for all guests.
• Adventure Meets Luxury: Guests will enjoy superior comfort (7/8 passengers get a window seat) in a sleek, best-in-class helicopter equipped with interior padding for a quieter flight, individual seats, and large scratch-proof windows that are perfect for photography.

AIDA Cruises expands cruise program with new voyages with AIDAprima and AIDAblu

• AIDA Cruises today announced it will expand its vacation program with new cruises during the fall/winter season 2021-2022, offering travellers a broad range of vacation options.
• There is good news for all Northern Europe fans: AIDAprima will expand its season in Hamburg and will call at various destinations in Western Europe as of Oct. 30, 2021, to April 2022.
• After the end of the Greece season, AIDAblu will be deployed in the Canary Islands from November until the end of December 2021. At the beginning of 2022, AIDAblu sets course for the Mediterranean, offering seven-day cruises from Palma de Mallorca in January and February. From the end of February 2022, Civitavecchia will be the start and destination port for voyages to beautiful metropolises in Italy, followed by fascinating roundtrips from Corfu through the archipelago of ancient Greece, starting in April 2022

Coral Expeditions leads Citizen Science Expedition on the Great Barrier Reef

• A joint expedition partnership initiative between Coral Expeditions, the Australian Geographic and GBR Legacy took place this month when the Australian small ship cruise line brought together a cohort of conservation-minded guests and expert scientific specialists to partake in an inaugural “Citizens Science of the Great Barrier Reef” voyage over 10 nights from Cairns, Australia
• The expedition content was led by some of the world’s leading reef and species scientists and focused on two key conservation projects including an in-depth behavioural study of the rare dwarf minke whales and the surveying and sample collection of coral species to add to the Living Coral Biobank, a groundbreaking project to preserve and protect coral diversity for the future.
• The waters of the northern Great Barrier Reef host the only known predictable aggregation of dwarf minke whales during the few short winter months, and Minke Whale expert Dr Alistair Birtles was onboard to share his knowledge on their behaviour. Guests were able to enter the water in small numbers and with tightly managed protocols to share eye to eye encounters with these unique and curious creatures.
• On day five, the GBR Legacy team assisted Dr Birtles and the Minke Whale Project and experienced a 4-hour encounter with some great passes from a mother and calf, the longest known engagement of a cow and calf with a vessel. This allowed the team to get up close and high-resolution photos and videos to identify the animals as well as collect valuable skin samples for genetic analysis. Every passenger was on deck helping with the data collection over more than 1000 data points, and simply enjoying this spectacle as mum and calf interacted with the vessel and research team.
• Coral Expeditions and guests onboard contributed a sum of $30,000 in funding from the expedition to go towards the GBR Legacy Living Biobank Project and has developed plans to conduct Citizen Science voyages annually in different regions of the Great Barrier Reef and further afield around Australia including natural events such as the 2022 Coral Spawning on the Great Barrier Reef, a 2023 hybrid Solar Eclipse Voyage in Australia’s North West and a turtle Conservation expedition along the length of the GBR in 2024.

Stena RoRo has placed orders for the construction of new E-Flexer ships

• Stena RoRo has ordered two new ships from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai). These are the 11th and 12th Stena E-Flexer vessels in the RoPax class developed by Stena RoRo and delivery is slated for 2024 and 2025. At the same time, long-term charter contracts have been signed with the French ferry company Brittany Ferries. The ships will operate between Portsmouth in the UK and Quistreham (Caen) and St.  Malo in France, respectively, two of Brittany Ferries’ primary routes.
• The two ships, together with three previously ordered E-Flexer class vessels, will renew and modernize Brittany Ferries’ current fleet of cargo and passenger ships.  The first ferry, the Galicia, was delivered in the autumn of 2020. The second will be delivered in November 2021 and the third in 2023. The two new ferries have a capacity of 2,377.