Carnival Cruise Line Australia announces new program of cruises and itineraries for 2023-24, providing $300+ million domestic tourism boost

• With an eye toward the eventual restart of guest operations in 2022, Carnival Cruise Line has today announced its ambitious 2023-2024 cruise program. Offering a potential boost of over a third of a billion dollars ($300 million+*) to the domestic tourism economy, the new program will assist Australia’s recovery from the shutdown in tourism over the past 18 months.
• Featuring 115 sailings for cruise fans leaving from Sydney and Brisbane, guests cruising on board both Carnival Splendor and Carnival Spirit will have the opportunity to experience 66 breathtaking domestic sailings.
• Providing even more opportunities for guests to take a quick and easy getaway, 20 short cruises have been included as part of the program, including relaxing weekend escapes and trips to picturesque destinations such as Moreton Island, Airlie Beach and the Great Barrier Reef.
• Highlights of the itinerary program include two cruises to majestic Papua New Guinea, allowing guests to visit a number of stunning ports including Alotau, Kitava and the Conflict Islands.
• On sale from the 22 November 2021

Holland America Line’s Fifth Ship Re-enters Service

• Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, today on its first cruise since the industrywide pause last year. The ship marks the fifth Holland America Line vessel to reenter service, joining Rotterdam, Koningsdam, Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.
• To commemorate the occasion, Holland America Line held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the terminal to open embarkation, and team members greeted guests with flag-waving fanfare as they boarded the ship. Nieuw Statendam set sail on a seven-day western Caribbean itinerary that will visit Nassau, Bahamas; Ocho Rios and Port Royal, Jamaica; and Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private island in the Bahamas.
• Nieuw Statendam will spend from November through April in the Caribbean on cruises ranging from seven to 11 days, all roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades. Guests looking for a longer getaway can embark on a Collectors’ Voyage — combined back-to-back itineraries that offer an in-depth exploration covering more than one part of the region.
• Every Caribbean cruise includes a call at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s award-winning private Bahamian island. This quaint sanctuary has evolved into a tropical playground for cruise guests and features the white-sand beaches; two-story villas and private cabanas; delicious dining venues like Lobster Shack; a children’s waterpark; and a variety of fun-filled tours for nature lovers, adventurous travellers and explorers

Crystal Endeavor, Departs Ushuaia for First-Ever Antarctica Expedition

• It was a historic day for Crystal as its award-winning luxury expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, departed the Port of Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of Argentina on her first-ever expedition voyage to Antarctica – the first of in a series of eight round-trip 11- to 19-night sailings aboard the German-engineered polar-class vessel.
• Crystal Endeavor’s Antarctica voyages feature bold expedition adventures including Zodiac landings, sea kayaking and expedition hikes to experience the stunning landscapes and extraordinary wildlife of the world’s southernmost continent, exploring places few have ever seen. Guests’ journey of rugged adventure includes the crossing of famed Drake Passage and visits to the South Shetland Islands, the Weddell Sea, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia, as well as ample time exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, home to penguin colonies, seals, whales and seabirds.
• The yacht’s itineraries are specially curated for maximum flexibility, allowing the captain and Crystal Endeavor’s team of experts to incorporate unplanned “expedition days” when favorable weather conditions invite the opportunity for uncommon discovery.

Royal back to Los Angeles 

• Royal Caribbean International is back in California after more than a decade, and it’s rolling out the red carpet for families and travellers of all ages looking to get away on a memorable vacation. The cruise line’s bold and adventure-packed Navigator of the Seas set sail from Los Angeles today, beginning its highly anticipated year-round season of 3-night weekend to 4- and 5-night weekday cruises to Catalina Island, California, and the Mexican Riviera.
• Now cruising from the City of Angels, Navigator premieres the ultimate getaway that combines adventures ashore, in destinations like Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and on board – from the longest waterslide at sea to the industry’s first standalone blow-dry bar.
• Guests who cruise on Navigator can enjoy a $115 million series of enhancements introduced on board the ship in 2019. There’s a star-studded lineup of never-before-seen experiences and fan favourites, including:
  • Resort-style pool – Kids and adults alike enjoy Caribbean vibes from day to night, thanks to vibrant colours, a variety of seating – from in-pool loungers to casitas – live music, and the three-level poolside bar known as The Lime & Coconut.
  • The Blaster – The longest aqua coaster at sea propels thrill seekers through more than 800 feet of dips, drops and turns.
  • Riptide – The industry’s only headfirst mat racer waterslide joins The Blaster and Navigator’s lineup of top-deck thrills. A highlight, the exhilarating finish through a translucent tube that goes off the side of the ship makes for inspiring ocean views.
  • To Dry For – The first standalone blow-dry bar at sea. For a quick fix to seamlessly transition from a day out to getting ready for a night out on the town, there is a menu of services that includes blowouts to hairstyling. The Bamboo Room – Royal Caribbean’s take on the tiki-chic bar and lounge serves up spice-infused handcrafted drinks and shareable bites.
  • Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade – Families can enjoy gameday classics, 50 big-screen TVs, tabletop games, classic arcade hits alongside bar bites, ice-cold beer and zero-proof cocktails for the kids.
  • Adventure Ocean and teens spaces – Kids 11 and under have a redesigned venue that sports an open format made for free play and where young travellers can easily switch between types of activity. Teens have an enhanced dedicated space with games, movies, music and more in The Living Room and a private outdoor patio called The Back Deck.
  • Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium – A challenge for teams of families, friends or fellow travellers to solve mind-bending puzzles before time runs out
• Also new to Navigator as part of its major makeover are Hooked Seafood, serving up fresh New England-inspired dishes like just-shucked oysters, Johnny Rockets Express, Starbucks and Jamie’s Italian, with a menu of rustic Italian recipes – including fresh pastas – from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. Many returning favourites take the stage as well, including the FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, the Studio B ice-skating rink, Far East flavours at Izumi and a new mini golf course.

Swan Hellenic confirms christening of SH Minerva

• Swan Hellenic announced the christening of its new ship SH Minerva at the Helsinki Shipyard during a small private ceremony this afternoon with godmother Johanna Mäkelä, Finland’s first professor of food culture and wife of Helsinki City Mayor Juhana Vartiainen. Mayor Vartiainen was also present, along with Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito and Helsinki Shipyard CEO Carl-Gustaf Rotkirch with top management.
• The celebration follows global supply chain disruptions and recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in Finland, which caused Swan Hellenic to take the difficult decision to delay the start of Minerva’s inaugural season, preferring to cancel its first two cruises rather than risk in any way compromising the highest standards of quality and safety.
• SH Minerva is scheduled to depart the shipyard early next week.

Dream Cruises to Increase Genting Dream’s Passenger Capacity to 75% from 1 December

• Based on the latest guidelines by the Hong Kong authorities, Dream Cruises announced that Genting Dream will increase its passenger capacity from 50% to 75%, with effect from 1 December 2021, allowing over 2500 guests to enjoy a Super Seacation on every voyage.
• With overall demand for cruises at a consistently high level since operations resumed and with the Christmas and New Year’s sailings already sold out based on the previous 50% capacity, this increase will provide a boost to the holiday season for guests who have been unable to book their Super Seacation during this peak period.
• Just in time for the festive season, guests can set sail on “A Nordic Christmas Adventure” from now until 1 January to explore the age-old traditions of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland with friends and family this holiday. Explore the enchanted Nordic village and browse the Nordic market for Christmas goodies or take in the magical Santa Express running through a tasty Gingerbread Town. Partake in a sumptuous holiday feast in the wide range of restaurants on board Genting Dream then take in “VERRY Christmas” the seasonal stage production that will charm guests of all ages with its yuletide spirit.

MSC updates Vaccination Policy

• MSC Cruises has announced that all guests for its northern hemisphere winter 21/22 sailings fleet-wide must now be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and also take a COVID-19 test before their scheduled embarkation date.
• The measures have already been in place for all of the line’s northern hemisphere winter 21/22 voyages in other regions and now Mediterranean sailings have been added with the new requirements thus extending to guests booked on both MSC Grandiosa and MSC Fantasia.
• Guests on any of the line’s winter sailings on its two ships operating in the Mediterranean travelling from 4 December will now also need to be fully vaccinated.  Guests are considered vaccinated if they have received the full set of COVID-19 shots more than 14 days before the start of their holiday at sea.  All guests will also be required to undertake a COVID-19 test up to 72 hours of the ship’s departure time.
• The measures apply to all guests aged 12 years-old and above and are on top of existing health and safety rules first introduced by MSC Cruises in the northern hemisphere summer of 2020 and that have constituted the line’s industry leading protocol. These include an additional COVID-19 test at embarkation as well as other measures during the sailing, all designed to offer guests and crew the maximum level of protection of their health and safety.

Aranui announces 2023 cargo cruises

• Aranui Cruises is charting a new course in the post-pandemic world, releasing its 2023 program, aboard the line’s Aranui 5 hybrid passenger/cargo vessel. Earlier this month Aranui conformed its planned new passenger-only vessel Aramana will be delayed.
• The 2023 schedule is Aranui’s most diverse, featuring 25 scheduled cruises ranging from five to 13 days, calling at 26 islands around the South Pacific.
• Aranui 5 is a custom-built, dual-purpose passenger/freighter ship designed to offer all of comforts of a cruise liner, while operating as a supply ship. Aranui 5 is classified as a small vessel, accommodating approximately 230 passengers in 103 cabins.
• With eight different guest decks, the interior decor reflects the Polynesian heritage of her owners and crew. The ship features a restaurant where all the meals onboard are served in a casual setting; one lounge; two conference rooms, where guest lecturers will offer presentations on various topics related to the Marquesas; three bars, including the Sky Bar with sweeping panoramic views; an outdoor swimming-pool; a boutique; a spa; a gym and the first tattoo studio at sea.