United Kingdom
USACruise news this week has seen new itineraries announced and new services revealed as well as cruise cancellations – read on to discover the latest from the industry.
Cruise news this week has seen new itineraries announced and new services revealed as well as cruise cancellations – read on to discover the latest from the industry.
This week Fred. Olsen celebrated the arrival of cruise ship Balmoral in South America, marking the start of the first of three 2023 grand voyages. It sailed into Bermuda on January 16 after leaving Portsmouth on January 5 for a 78-night ‘Exploration of South America and the Antarctic’ cruise.
Balmoral will be calling at destinations including Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil and for the first time in Fred. Olsen’s history, the Antarctic.
The second 2023 grand voyage will take place next month when ship Borealis will set sail on an ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ cruise, with chances to sail from either Liverpool or Southampton. Literary fans will be excited to know the cruise will follow as closely as possible in the footsteps of fictional explorer Phileas Fogg.
The sailing includes opportunities to see Japan’s cherry blossoms in full bloom or visit the tomb of Tutankhamun on the 100th anniversary of its opening. Two shorter versions of this full itinerary are available too.
As for the third grand voyage, in November Bolette will set sail on a 93-night ‘The Intrepid Beauty of Africa and the Indian Ocean’ cruise, offering travellers chances to spend four days in Cape Town, South Africa, visit Goan spice and tea plantations in India or climb the sand dunes of the world’s oldest desert Namib.
Yesterday, in ist latest cruise news update, river cruise line VIVA Cruises announced it had begun its new season.
VIVA ONE and VIVA MOMENTS will be the first river cruise ships to depart from their home port of Düsseldorf today (January 19) with four-night short cruises.
From January to March, VIVA ONE will carry out a series of “wellness” itineraries – with wellness themes on VIVA’s All-Inclusive as well as on excursions, and a 30-minute massage included for all on board.
What’s more, there is the option of the “Rheingau Wellness trip” running through Boppard, Rüdesheim, Bonn and Cologne, or the “Rhine-Hesse wellness trip” with stops in Koblenz, Frankfurt and Speyer.
Second ship VIVA MOMENTS offers city trips to the Netherlands and Belgium in January, February and March. With tailored itineraries, the Netherlands cruises include a cheese tasting in the price of the cruise while in Belgium VIVA guests will enjoy an exclusive beer tasting.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) had some less positive cruise news after it cancelled four cruises due to take place on Norwegian Joy due to take place in early 2024.
The following four sailings have been axed: two 15-night holidays between Miami and Los Angeles, a five-night Mexican Riviera cruise from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas and a seven-night voyage from Miami to Honduras, Belize, and Mexico.
NCL said this was due to Norwegian Joy ongoing routine maintenance next year between January 6 and February 10.
Affected customers will be fully refunded and those who paid for their holidays with future cruise credit will see 100 percent of the credit reapplied to their account. All impacted guests have been given a 10 percent discount in the form of future cruise credit which will be available from January 23 to use until December 21, 2025.
Last night Riviera Travel announced three new 10-night European river sailings for 2024 available to book from January 31, 2023.
The new itineraries are enhancements of three of Riviera’s most in-demand, shorter seven-night sailings. As part of the brand’s wave offer if you book before February 28, 2023, you’ll bag 10 percent off!
The three are as follows:
Cologne, the Rhine Gorge & Medieval Germany. Includes ten guided tours of Cologne, Andernach, Rüdesheim, Mainz, Miltenberg, Wertheim, Würzburg, Ochsenfurt, Bamberg and Nuremberg. It also features a visit to Braubach, a drive along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg and a sailing through the Rhine Gorge. Prices from £2999.
Paris, Normandy & Historic Treasures of the Seine. Comprises seven guided tours to Paris, Auvers-sur-Oise, Rouen, the D-Day Normandy Beaches, Honfleur or Étretat, Abbey Jumièges and Abbey St Wandrille and the Château de Malmaison, plus two visits, to Caudebec-en-Caux and Claude Monet’s house and garden. Prices from £2,699.
The Moselle, Luxembourg & The Majestic Rhine. Nine guided tours to Koblenz, Luxembourg, Trier, Cochem, Rüdesheim, Worms, either Heidelberg or Schwetzingen Palace Gardens, Marksburg Castle and Cologne. Plus three visits to Andernach, Speyer and Bonn and a sailing through the Rhine Gorge. Prices from £2,899.
Riviera Travel also revealed its Travel Concierge service offering holidaymakers more flexibility and choice to help with guests’ preferred travel arrangements. It will include: flights with guests’ preferred airline and choice of airport, travel in the UK by rail, door-to-door transfer service and pre or post-hotel stay and transfers.
The Scenic Group has unveiled new deals across its entire Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises portfolios.
As the group look to encourage more single travellers to sail, it has reduced single supplements across its river and ocean products.
The discounted supplements for solo travellers apply to a wide selection of itineraries, ranging from eight to 15 days in duration, and are available on departures in both 2023 and 2024.
