Princess cancels 2022 World Cruise

• Princess Cruises this morning advised of the cancellation of three Coral Princess sailings for next year, including the 107-night Round World Cruise scheduled to depart from ports in Australia and New Zealand in May. The company is also cancelling its 28-night Round Australia voyage in Mar, and the 35-night Hawai’i, Tahiti and South Pacific cruise ex Sydney in Apr.

Princess Cruises Announces “The Love Boat” Themed Cruise

• “Love … exciting and new…come aboard … we’re expecting you.” A special themed “Love Boat” cruise is setting a course for adventure onboard Majestic Princess with the original ensemble cast, who will celebrate their friend and everyone’s favourite cruise ship Captain Stubing with a tribute to Actor Gavin MacLeod. This seven-day cruise sails roundtrip from the Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro) to the Mexican Riviera, February 26-March 5, 2022.
• Hosted by Princess Cruises Celebrations Ambassador Jill Whelan (Vicki Stubing), who will be joined by fellow “Love Boat” cast members Cynthia Lauren Tewes (Julie McCoy), Bernie Kopell (Doc), Fred Grandy (Gopher) and Ted Lange (Isaac). Together, they will share their favourite memories from the show, participate in various guest activities and celebrate the late Gavin MacLeod, who served as brand ambassador for Princess Cruises for more than 35 years until his passing in May 2021, at the age of 90.
• The voyage will be underway on MacLeod’s birthday – February 28 – and sails on the cruise line’s signature Mexican Riviera itinerary that was prominently featured during the TV show’s 10-year-run from 1977-1986, where Princess cruise ships served as the ocean-going co-star of the series. Guests will enjoy port visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. 
• “Love Boat” themed cruise activities include:
  • Festive sail away party including the popular 1970s-inspired Love Boat Disco Deck Party returns exclusively for a “command performance” during this themed cruise.
  • Renewal of vows ceremony, hosted by Whelan and the cast on the top-deck
  • Q&A with the cast, sharing favourite memories of the show and MacLeod
  • Birthday celebration honouring MacLeod
  • “Love Boat” episodes airing on Movies Under the Stars and in staterooms
  • Love Boat trivia with the Cruise Director
  • Cast photo opportunities
  • “Love Boat” themed menus and specialty cocktails
  • Themed décor, photo backdrops and merchandise
• Princess has been connected to “The Love Boat” beyond the setting of the show, reuniting the original cast members for two ship christenings – Dawn Princess (1997) and Regal Princess (2014), appearing on the cruise line’s Rose Parade float and sailing on a throwback cruise in 2015 all celebrating the lines 50^th anniversary. In May 2018, the six original cast members of “The Love Boat” and Princess Cruises received an honorary star plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of their contributions to the history of television and support of the preservation of the Walk of Fame.

Holland America Line’s Rotterdam Kicks Off its Inaugural Season of Caribbean Cruising with Nov. 5 Departure from Fort Lauderdale

• Holland America Line’s new Rotterdam departed, 5 Nov from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on its inaugural Caribbean cruise — a roundtrip five-day sailing that visits Bimini, Bahamas, and spends two days at Half Moon Cay, the cruise line’s award-winning private Bahamian island. The ship arrived at Port Everglades 3 Nov. following its maiden transatlantic voyage that set sail from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 20 Oct.
• Rotterdam marks the second ship to return to Florida cruising and the Caribbean for Holland America Line since the industrywide pause began 20 months ago. During November, the ship will be joined at Port Everglades by Pinnacle Class sister-ship Nieuw Statendam and Eurodam, which also kick off their Caribbean seasons. Nieuw Amsterdam began Caribbean cruising from Fort Lauderdale 23 Oct.

AIDA brings the festive magic on board

• AIDAprima offers ice-skating fun and AIDAnova transforms into a winter wonderland
• New Year’s Eve fireworks over the Atlantic or enjoying Christmas Eve in a cosy bar far away from stress – this and many more entertainment, culinary and wellness specials await guests on board the AIDA fleet for the upcoming holidays. In addition, guests can choose from a diverse selection of attractive destinations: Ten ships set course for the Orient, the Caribbean, the Canaries, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
• Christmas highlights
  • During Advent and Christmas, AIDAprima’s Sports Deck is transformed into a festively decorated Christmas market with hearty mulled wine, candied apples and other culinary delights. The main attraction is the 200m² floating ice rink, which offers guests the opportunity to strap on their skates on the high seas. AIDAnova will come with a Winter Wonderland for its new launch from 14 December 2021: numerous oversized Christmas light installations are waiting to be marvelled at by guests young and old.
  • On the two premiere voyages of AIDAnova from Hamburg from 14 to 19 and 19 to 22 December 2021, AIDA gourmet godmother Andrea Schirmaier-Huber will be on board. Guests will have the opportunity to create tasty biscuits and Christmas chocolates together with the well-known TV chef. The AIDA Show Ensemble will return on board AIDAnova and AIDAprima in time for the festive season. The singers and dancers will provide magical Christmas moments in the Theatrium. The excursion programme in the destinations served will also be festive – with Christmas-themed excursions through to visits to traditional Christmas markets wherever possible. From 16 December 2021, for example, AIDAnova guests will be able to explore the Christmas market in Kristiansand (Norway) individually or with the AIDA “Come ashore” tours, admiring the unique 3D light show at the cathedral.
• Culinary festive feast
  • This year, the traditional Christmas buffet will be joined by a special culinary feature in all buffet restaurants: entertaining live cooking. The 3-course menu, which is prepared right in front of the guests, starts with a seafood platter, followed by a braised ox cheek for the main course, and the crowning glory is a gingerbread slice designed by Andrea Schirmaier-Huber. In the speciality restaurant Brauhaus, a 3-course menu based around the delicious Christmas goose will be served for the first time on both Christmas Eve and 25 December. Oversized gingerbread houses created by the crew themselves already put guests in the right Christmas mood at the entrance to the restaurants. Sweet news at the end: Christmas pastries are already being distributed everywhere on all Sundays in Advent and at Christmas. The tempting treats are rounded off by three specially made Christmas ice creams.

RCI 13^th Seasainability Report

• Royal Caribbean Group announces its 13^th Annual “Seasainability” report, providing a comprehensive update on the company’s sustainability efforts. In particular, the 2020 report documents that the company has met or exceeded nearly all of its 2020 sustainability targets.
•  Locally, Royal Caribbean Group has worked closely with WWF-Australia to help protect the critically endangered hawksbill turtle in the Asia-Pacific, through ‘Surrender Your Shell’. This program uses cutting-edge technology developed with Royal Caribbean Group’s support to extract DNA from products to track the illegal trade of tortoiseshell.
• Other highlights from the report include:
  • $8 million in support to WWF – developed the first-ever guidelines for shark and ray tourism, to help maintain the livelihood of these animals while allowing visitors to continue learning about them.
  • Destination Stewardship – At our more than 500 destinations around the world, we partnered with local governments, tourism businesses, communities, and our guests to protect and care for the places we visit.
  • Emissions reduction – Royal Caribbean Group achieved its carbon reduction target of 35% and has committed to further reduce emissions 25% by 2025.
  • Circular economy – The company is working to achieve zero waste across the Royal Caribbean Group fleet.
  • Sustainable sourcing – The company has a commitment to source 90% of wild-caught seafood and 75% of farmed seafood, served on Royal Caribbean Group ships from certified sustainable sources, a first for the cruise industry.

The Apex of Change for Celebrity Cruises 

• As the exquisite Celebrity Apex sailed into the setting sun from Port Everglades, the moment was made sweeter as the ship’s Godmother, Reshma Saujani, the inspiring the founder of groundbreaking non-profit Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms and author of bestseller, “Brave, Not Perfect” joined Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity Cruises’ President and CEO, and Richard Fain, Chairman of the Royal Caribbean Group and hundreds of guests including local dignitaries and media and influencers in an official naming ceremony of the stunning vessel.
• Saujani is a lifelong activist who surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress in 2010. Her viral TED Talk and international bestseller “Brave, Not Perfect” have sparked a worldwide conversation about how we’re raising our girls and inspired countless women to fear less, fail more and live better.
• Since launching in the U.S. in 2012, Girls Who Code has reached 450,000 girls across the globe at nearly every stage of their educational journey. With a presence in the UK, U.S., India, and Canada the organization runs free programming for girls from ages 11-18, to inspire them to get excited about coding and computer science by providing learning opportunities, clear career pathways and a supportive sisterhood of peers and role models. In 2019, Girls Who Code was named the No.1 Non-Profit on Fast Company’s The World’s Most Innovative Companies list.
• Building on her work to empower women and girls, Reshma has most recently founded the Marshall Plan for Moms, a campaign to put women at the center of our nation’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. After witnessing the impact the pandemic had on working mothers, millions of whom were pushed out of the workforce to care for children and take on increased labor at home, she built a movement to champion public and private sector policies to support all moms. Her efforts have led lawmakers to introduce resolutions in support of the plan.
• Celebrity Apex‘s much-anticipated arrival to U.S ports is a landmark moment for the brand, as the vessel’s launch was originally planned for March 2020. Following a short run of Greek Island sailings this past summer, the ship now embarks for the first time from U.S shores on rotating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, where guests will visit the picturesque islands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Belize, Grand Caymans and more.

DANZA DEL MARE A Symbol of the MSC Foundation’s efforts to protect the Sea

• The sublime sculpture Danza del Mare was created for the MSC Foundation in partnership with Venini, one of the world’s most esteemed glassmakers in the world which this year celebrates its 100 Anniversary. As a work of art, the creation, symbolises MSC Foundation’s dedication to protecting and promoting the natural environment of which we are a part and upon which we depend: our Blue Planet. The sculpture was designed by Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin for MSC Seashore and is located in the MSC Foundation Centre, rising from deck 5 to deck 8, surrounded by a mirror wall that proliferates the light and colours emanating from it, lit by a spotlight located in its base.
• The design uses the magical, fluid medium of glass to express the fluidity of the seas and everything in them, animal, vegetable and mineral, coral, fish, seaweed and oxygen. The immense depth and expanse of the sea, covering 71% of our world’s surface, is contained in the imagery of the sculpture, in its great height and the density of its contents, as if it were the sea itself in a soaring prism of charged and moving constituents. Partly an image of Earth’s lungs, partly an image of Earth’s nutrition and partly an image of simple beauty, it symbolises the sea’s indispensable role in our and our planet’s wellbeing. We are dependent upon it. It is not dependent upon us.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ new flagship Bolette makes inaugural sailing from Southampton

• Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ new flagship Bolette is setting sail on her first venture from Southampton, marking the start of its inaugural season of sailing from the city.
• Between now and August 2022, Bolette will offer 26 hand-crafted sailings from Southampton, including opportunities to witness the Northern Lights in Norway and the Geminid Meteor Shower in the Canary Islands.
• The ship will set sail to Antwerp and Amsterdam on Bolette’s five-night ‘Netherlands & Belgium City Break’ this evening, with future destinations including the Amalfi Coast, Norwegian fjords, European cities and Iceland. Durations range from four to 19-nights.
• Highlights of Bolette’s inaugural programme from Southampton include:

• • Bolette’s 14-night T2129 ‘Landscapes of the Canaries’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 6 Dec 2021. 
    • Guests aboard will have the chance to witness the Geminid Meteor Shower during this cruise.
    • Itinerary: Southampton, England – Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – Santa Cruz, La Palma – Santa Cruz, Tenerife – San Sebastian, La Gomera – Funchal, Madeira – Lisbon, Portugal – Southampton, England

• • Bolette’s seven-night T2210 ‘Norwegian Fjords & Mighty Waterfalls’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 15 May 2022. 
    • Sail size-restricted Lysefjord on this sailing, only accessible to smaller ships, steeped by mountainous cliffs including the famous Pulpit Rock.
    • Itinerary: Southampton, England – cruising Lysefjord, Norway – cruising Jøsenfjord, Norway – Eidfjord, Norway – cruise Hardangerfjord, Norway – cruising Maurangerfjord and Furebergfossen (to see Fureberg Waterfall), Norway – Olden, Norway – cruising Nordfjord, Norway – cruising by Hornelen, Norway – Haugesund, Norway – Southampton, England
  • Bolette’s 18-night T2213 ‘Discovering the Balkans’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 14 Jun 2022. 
    • Visit cities of deep historical importance in shaping the Balkan’s fascinating history, as well as lesser-known destinations off the beaten tourist trail.
    • Itinerary: Southampton, England – Cartagena, Spain – cruising Strait of Messina, Italy – cruising Bay of Kotor, Montenegro – Kotor, Montenegro – Dubrovnik, Croatia – Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Split, Croatia – Durres, Albania – cruise Strait of Messina – Cagliari, Sardinia – Tangier, Morocco – Southampton, England
• New flagship Bolette set sail with Fred. Olsen for the first time in August 2021, following an extensive refurbishment project. Named after the great-great-Grandmother of company Chairman Fred. Olsen Junior, Bolette carries 1,338-guests at full capacity, and continues to offer the small ship experience, attention to detail and personal service for which Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is renowned

Adventures by Disney Announces Expedition Cruises to the Arctic

• Expanded cruise destinations in 2023 offer families a unique way to explore the abundant wildlife and breathtaking landscapes of the Polar Regions and the Galápagos Islands
• Families will journey through fjords and pass ice floes as they explore the spectacular landscapes and diverse wildlife of the Arctic on an all-new Adventures by Disney Expedition Cruise. With voyages beginning in 2023, guests will embark on an exciting adventure with a team of naturalists and Adventure Guides for an unforgettable adventure with the whole family. Select sailings add an extra bit of magic to the adventure with special guests, including former Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde who will lead sketching sessions on an upcoming Arctic Expedition Cruise.
• New Family Expedition Cruises to the Arctic
  • With the introduction of the Arctic Expedition Cruise, Adventures by Disney now offers family vacation experiences to both polar regions, each with its own distinctive landscape and wildlife. Scheduled for two departures in 2023 (June and July), the 10-day, nine-night, Arctic Expedition Cruises will sail on a charted adventure with PONANT, a leader in luxury polar expeditions. 
  • Former Imagineer Joe Rohde will join the July 2023 sailing and will delight guests with amazing tales from his Disney career and share his passion for nature and conservation. Rohde will also host fun sketching sessions for guests, even those with no artistic experience.
  • Following a welcome dinner and overnight stay in Oslo, Norway, adventurers fly to Svalbard to board Le Boreal to explore Northern Norway and the Arctic. Unlike its polar opposite, the Arctic is home to permanent residents and has a fascinating history of human inhabitants. While in Longyearbyen, the largest town of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and the northernmost settlement on the planet with a permanent population of more than 1,000, guests will further explore this former mining town.
  • Guests will view the breathtaking glaciers of this region’s most beautiful fjord, Kongsfjorden and embark on daily boat excursions where they may see some of the region’s unique wildlife including polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes and walruses.
• Family Expedition Cruises to Antarctica
  • Adventures by Disney has added three departures for the 12-day, 11-night Antarctica and Patagonia Expedition Cruises which will sail with PONANT. The added itineraries will depart in December 2022 and early 2023.
  • This adventure takes travelers to the southernmost tip of Argentine Patagonia, to visit the resort town of Ushuaia before boarding their vessel to travel through the Drake Passage. As the journey continues, guests will soak in the awe-inspiring landscapes of Antarctica, where each day brings a new adventure. Daily boat excursions and hikes along the continent’s shorelines, provide the opportunity to catch glimpses of native wildlife like seabirds, penguins and seals in their natural habitat. With offshore activities defined by nature, every wildlife viewing will be unique to the sailing.
• Pre-cruise Experience in Buenos Aires
  • Travelers booked on an Antarctica and Patagonia Expedition Cruise can add even more adventure with the Buenos Aires Escape. This four-day, three-night guided group experience will highlight must-see attractions as well as the hidden gems of Argentina’s capital.  Guests will learn to dance the tango with a private demonstration, enjoy the countryside tradition of horseback riding while visiting a local estancia and experience the epicurean delights and cosmopolitan culture of Buenos Aires.

Dream Cruises celebrates one-year milestone in Singapore with World Dream!

• Dream Cruises celebrates a new milestone this November with World Dream as the ship approaches its special first anniversary of cruise resumption in Singapore. Dream Cruises pioneered safe cruising in Singapore and since its inception on 6 Nov 2020, World Dream has welcomed close to 200,000 Singapore residents aboard with over 150 ‘Super Seacation’ voyages to date. Bookings for World Dream continue to show a positive trend, as most sailings for the remaining months of 2021 are almost sold out, complemented by a strong momentum in the early months of 2022
• In conjunction with the upcoming year-end school holidays and the festive season, Dream Cruises is bringing an abundance of holiday cheer and spirit on World Dream with ‘A Nordic Christmas Adventure’ special from 17 Nov2021 – 1 Jan 2022. Set sail with World Dream and enjoy the festive traditions of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland with your loved ones this holiday season. Explore the Christmas magic at sea on World Dream, including the specially created Nordic Village with a chance to meet Santa and other popular X’ Mas characters, discover the famous Nordic baking and a variety of festive attractions at the Nordic Market, indulge in sumptuous roast turkey, lobsters, salmon and many more Scandinavian gourmet, as well as a wide array of Christmas arts and craft workshops and so much more.
• These various initiatives have led to a rise and expansion of markets, as more Singapore residents become receptive, well-informed and open to the idea and value of cruising. Cruise demand for World Dream in Singapore has been on the rise from younger travellers, including Millennials and Gen X-ers, as well as couples with no children or families with non-school-going young children. With a wider market demographic, guests on board spending on World Dream in Singapore have also increase by 37.5% in 2021 as compared to pre-pandemic in 2019

Viking Announces New Expedition Voyages For Summer 2023

• Viking announced the summer 2023 season of its expedition voyages, including a new two-week itinerary in the Great Lakes—as well as additional offerings in North and South America. Debuting in June 2023, the new 15-day Great Lakes Collection itinerary will sail between Toronto and Duluth, providing guests with a complete view of the region and ports of call in all five Great Lakes. As a result of strong demand, Viking has also announced 2023 sailing dates for four existing Great Lakes expedition voyages: the 8-day Niagara & the Great Lakes, Great Lakes Explorer, and Undiscovered Great Lakes itineraries, as well as the 13-day Canadian Discovery itinerary.
• Three additional expedition voyages in North and South America will also debut in summer 2023. The new, 16-day Canada & the Atlantic Coastline itinerary will expand offerings along the St. Lawrence River and Atlantic coastline, featuring destinations that include Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Norfolk, Charleston and more. Guests can discover the natural beauty of Patagonia while sailing from Santiago to Ushuaia on the new 14-day Patagonian Shores & Chilean Fjords itinerary, while guests looking to explore destinations in North, Central and South America, can choose the new 18-day itinerary Panama & Scenic South America.
• The new Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris will host 378 guests in 189 staterooms. Designed by the same experienced nautical architects and engineers that designed Viking ocean ships, the ships are optimally sized and built for expeditions—small enough to navigate remote polar regions and the St. Lawrence River, while large enough to provide superior handling and stability in the roughest seas. The ships will feature public spaces that are familiar to Viking’s ocean voyage guests but that have been reimagined for expeditions, as well as new public spaces created specifically for expeditions. Straight bows, longer hulls and state-of-the-art fin stabilizers will allow the ships to glide over the waves for the calmest possible journey; ice-strengthened Polar Class hulls will provide the safest way to explore; and U-tank stabilizers will significantly decrease rolling by up to 50 percent when the ships are stationary. Viking’s expedition ships will feature modern Scandinavian design with elegant touches, intimate spaces and attention to detail.