United Kingdom
USACruise news this week is both exciting and varied from a number of major cruise lines, whether you’re after new islands or savings worth hundreds.
Cruise news this week is both exciting and varied from a number of major cruise lines, whether you’re after new islands or savings worth hundreds.
Silversea has launched new direct private charter flights for 28 Arctic and Greenland sailings in 2023 and 2024.
Guests cruising on select Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind, and Silver Cloud voyages will benefit from a more seamless journey via London, New York, Montreal, and Oslo to some of the Arctic’s most remote destinations – such as Longyearbyen, Kangerlussuaq, Pond Inlet, and more.
Travellers opting for both Silversea’s door-to-door and port-to-port offerings will fly to the Arctic on private charter flights, with enhanced service throughout, a superior culinary offering, premium beverages, and bespoke in-flight entertainment.
Overnight luxury accommodation will be included as standard with both port-to-port and door-to-door fares when required by the itinerary. Once in the Arctic, guests will be transferred to their ship… and the adventures can begin!
P&O Cruises is offering holidaymakers some impressive savings as the cruise line announced extra onboard spending money.
Pocket up to £480 per cabin on Select Price holidays to be used against a variety of experiences including dining in the speciality restaurants, spa treatments or shore experiences.
The P&O Cruises offer is available on holidays departing between March 10, 2023, and April 1, 2025, when booked by June 5, 2023.
What’s more, cruises booked by this date can also be secured with a 10 percent deposit on both applicable Select Price or Early Saver holidays departing in the same period.
In further P&O news, singer Nicole Scherzinger will officially name P&O Cruises’ newest ship Arvia on March 16 in a spectacular beachside ceremony in Barbados.
Chart-topper Olly Murs will also perform his best-loved hits at the ceremony, which will be held both on board Arvia’s SkyDome and from Heywood’s Beach. The event will be hosted by two of the UK’s most popular broadcasters and DJs, Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson.
MSC Cruises has revealed it is expanding its continued partnership with Guinness World Records.
The collab is part of MSC Cruises’ broader strategy to further elevate their onboard immersive entertainment programmes for guests.
While cruising at sea, guests can participate in the activity during the day and audition for the grand evening show, where the lucky finalists can demonstrate their talents and aim to become the next iconic record holder.
Available onboard MSC Seascape, MSC World Europa and upcoming MSC Euribia in June.
Highlights include:
Last week Princess Cruises celebrated a construction milestone with the float out of its new bespoke, next-generation ship – Sun Princess – at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
As is tradition the float out was marked by a special ceremony where a “Madrina” is named to offer blessings and best wishes for the vessel, celebrating the flow of water into the ship’s building dock.
The float-out marks the completion of the first comprehensive phase of construction for Sun Princess which now transitions to focus on building the ship’s interiors ahead of the launch in 2024.
Royal Caribbean has unveiled its plan for a beach club in the Bahamas, coming in 2025.
The 17-acre destination experience, located on the western end of Paradise Island in Nassau is set to combine the island’s beaches with the cruise line’s signature experiences to create the ultimate beach day – The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island.
Expect private cabanas, stunning pools and vibrant Bahamian spirit and culture at the destination experience.
The beach club will boast local architecture that complements the views of The Bahamas’ turquoise-blue waters and white sand beaches, along with experiences that feature Bahamian cuisine, island-style barbecues, live music and local artisans.
Furthermore, the new project will feature a public-private partnership in which Bahamians can own up to 49 percent equity in the beach club. Local businesses and entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to manage the vast majority of the experience.
More details will be revealed in the coming months.
Disney Cruise Line also has a Bahamas retreat on the horizon. In summer 2024, Disney will welcome guests to an island destination at Lighthouse Point, on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, for the first time.
Lighthouse Point will offer activities and areas for every age group along with pristine beaches, active adventures and Disney characters.
Families will enjoy the expansive family beach, the family water play area, 20 premium family cabanas and the themed kids’ club; grown-ups will relish the adult-exclusive beach and Bahamian art and culture pavilion; and everyone will like the recreational activities ranging from a covered gaming pavilion, a volleyball court and gaga ball pit to watercraft, bicycle rentals, nature trails for hiking and biking and more.
The new island destination is being designed to provide a hassle-free experience for families, including complimentary beach essentials (towels, chairs and umbrellas and lunch) and convenient tram transportation.
Lighthouse Point will open for guests on select sailings in summer 2024. Details on inaugural itineraries and additional information about signature entertainment, dining, retail and excursions will be released at a later date.
Riviera Travel is offering a free tour or city break extension on October 2023 river cruises to the Danube or Rhine, giving holidaymakers the equivalent of 10 nights for the price of seven.
Customers booking any upper deck cabin, or deluxe or superior suites across all decks, can take advantage of a free three-night tour extension or independent city stay after their sailing.
The offer applies to 14 of Riviera’s departures across four of its Danube and Rhine itineraries, with all guests staying in a centrally-located, hand-picked four-star hotel.
All cruises, tour extensions and city stays include return flights and transfers with regional airport options available, or travel via Eurostar; full board; all visits and tours; and complimentary on-board tea and coffee.
Upgraded cabins also benefit from the ‘Riviera Plus’ package, which comprises a smartphone with unlimited worldwide calls, text messages and data; luxury bathroom toiletries; a bottle of champagne on arrival; locally-inspired gifts to take home; and an aperitif each evening.
Windstar has created a new vegan menu onboard all six of the small ship line’s yachts. Food will be plant-based, gluten-free and prepared without added salt, oil and sugar.
The new menu will be rolled out fleetwide in June. Vegetarian options, as well as the line’s existing omnivore menu items, will continue to be served as usual.
Sample dishes from the new menu include: daily smoothies at breakfast, baked cauliflower croquettes with salsa verde and sautéed spinach, penne rigate pasta, with crisp vegetables and espelette pepper sauce, chia seed truffles with dates and coconut sauce and tahini brownies with fresh strawberries.
Celebrity Cruises meanwhile is bringing pickleball – a hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping-pong – to the high seas! Pickleball courts are being added to nine Celebrity ships and will be open to players of all skill levels.
Guests can enjoy pickleball at their leisure pending court availability, or as part of organised events and tournaments led by the ship’s activities team.
Separate times will be scheduled for adult aged 18 and over, or family play of six years and older. Holidaymakers can bring their own equipment onboard, or use the pickleball net, paddles and balls provided by Celebrity Cruises.
The nine Celebrity Cruises’ ships now offering pickleball include: two Edge Series ships – Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Apex; plus Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Summit.
