Ride the Waves

A new data-driven report by InsureMyTrip, the largest travel insurance comparison site, and Cruise Critic, the largest cruise community, reveals that more travelers prefer to book a cruise during late January than any other time during the year. Data shows online searches for cruise deals typically spikes in early January.

In addition to a new buying cycle expected for 2019, cruisers can expect the following trends:

Technology Enhancements — Travelers can look forward to improved internet capabilities and technologies being rolled out across brands like Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian and MSC in the upcoming year.

Longer Time In Port, Less At Sea — More cruise lines will provide additional time in port and less time at sea, giving cruisers more time to explore destinations. Also, many cruise lines are planning port enhancements and upgrades.

More Personalized Experiences — Expect more cabin upgrades and perks for suite passengers, like personal concierges and private dining.

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Symphony of the Seas debuts at PortMiami

ROYAL Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas has made her highly anticipated debut to the cruise capital of the world, #Miami. Fresh from her inaugural Europe season, the world’s largest and most adventure-packed ship sailed into her permanent, year-round home at Royal Caribbean’s brand new, state-of-the-art Terminal A at PortMiami, the largest #cruise terminal in the U.S.

The ultimate family ship, Symphony of the Seas will sail year-round seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami beginning Nov. 17, and will add visits to the cruise line’s highly anticipated private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, when it launches in May 2019.

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First port of call for Virgin Voyages announced

VIRGIN Voyages announced today that the company’s first ship, Scarlet Lady, will feature Cuba as one of her voyage destinations during her inaugural season in 2020. Virgin Voyages’ decision to sail to Cuba was influenced by customer and travel partner research it conducted in North America and the United Kingdom. Both groups consistently rank the Caribbean island as one of the most desired and interesting destinations to visit on a voyage. 

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Exclusive beach club on board

P&O Cruises Australia will be offering a limited number of guests exclusive access to a private ‘beach club’ onboard its newest ship, Pacific Adventure. Called the “Byron Beach Club”, the retreat will be available to guests booked in to Pacific Adventure’s suites and mini suites. 

The exclusive-access retreat offers a private outdoor pool, whirlpool spas and comfy seating situated on the top deck (16) of the ship. With expansive sea views, club-goers can enjoy pure relaxation and pampering in stylish surroundings. In addition to the pool and spa area, Byron Beach Club guests can enjoy their own private dining concierge service.


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Disney Cruise Line to Sail from New Orleans for First Time

IN early 2020, Disney Cruise Line will offer families even more ways to explore the world together with the addition of a brand-new home port in New Orleans and a highly anticipated return to the Hawaiian Islands. Disney Cruise Line will also return to Puerto Rico for a limited time and continue guest-favorite itineraries to tropical destinations from Florida and California.

The Disney Wonder will embark on a variety of Caribbean and Bahamian cruises from New Orleans – the first time Disney Cruise Line will have a home port in Louisiana. Not only will this provide families from the region with the magic of having a Disney ship in their own backyard, but it will also draw families from farther away to discover this incredible city before they set sail.

Bookings open to the public on Oct. 4, 2018. More details on 2020 itineraries can be found on the Ports and Itineraries for 2020 page of disneycruise.com.
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Dubai a global cruise tourism hub

THE cruise industry has long boasted of its value compared to land vacations. And now according to a new report from Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, cruise tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of Dubai’s tourism industry with the city being among the world’s leading winter cruise destinations. 

The global cruise industry continues to grow rapidly with 27 million cruisers expected in 2018. By 2030 more than 40 million people worldwide will travel on cruise ships annually. #Dubai is well-placed to be a global cruise tourism hub. 

According to Cruise Arabia and Africa, the number of cruise passengers in Dubai increased to 625,000 in the 2016/2017 season compared to 320,000 in the 2013/2014 cruise season representing a 95 per cent growth rate. Over the next cruise season 2018/2019, the tourism board of Dubai expects to see 725,000 cruise tourists and 825,000 cruise tourists in the 2019/2020 season.

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Viking's ocean fleet expands

NAMED after the prominent constellation and in honour of Dr. Fisher’s work on NASA’s Orion exploration vehicle project, the 930-guest 47,800-ton Viking Orion arrived in Livorno, Italy on June 16. The ship will continue her maiden season sailing itineraries in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean this summer before heading east to sail Viking’s newest itineraries in Asia, Australia and Alaska.

New ship features include a planetarium-like immersive theatre, an “Explorations in Space” collection conceived as a photographic journal through space, with a broad range of vintage photographs, including astronaut portraits and documents of complex mission activities, produced by NASA and captured by National Geographic photographers.

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My heart is in Havana

CARNIVAL Cruise Line has expanded its cruises to #Cuba with the addition of 23 three- to five-day sailings to Havana in 2019-20 aboard five different ships departing from four convenient East Coast homeports - Carnival Sunshine from Charleston, Carnival Triumph from Fort Lauderdale, Carnival Paradise from Tampaand Carnival Victory and Carnival Sensation from Miami.

The 3,002-passenger, 102,853-ton Carnival Sunshine will be the largest #cruise ship to ever call in Havana while offering the first-ever cruise to Cuba from the Port of Charleston. Guests sailing on Carnival's Cuba cruises can select from nearly 20 different shore excursion experiences that showcase the island's vibrant culture, majestic beauty and centuries-old architectural landmarks. 

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Sail away

SEABOURN, the world's finest ultra-luxury cruise line, introduced its newest vessel to the world with a festive naming ceremony for Seabourn Ovation in the beautiful baroque harbor of Valletta, Malta on May 11.

Seabourn orchestrated a line-up of celebratory events, including a live performance by the ship's godmother, actress and singer Elaine Paige OBE, one of the world's best-loved and most highly awarded artists. Following her performance, she made a traditional blessing and released a bottle of champagne that was broken against the ship, a time-honored ship naming tradition.

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Exclusively for adults: Marella Explorer 2

JOINING the fleet in 2019, Marella Explorer 2 will be the first ship in the Marella Cruises fleet to be exclusively for adults, offering customers more choice and flexibility. The popularity of adult-only sailings from Dubrovnik and the Asia itineraries for winter 2018 prompted the decision to offer an adults-only ship.

Marella Explorer 2 will be tailored to meet the needs of couples, friends and groups by doubling the size of The Veranda featured on Marella Explorer. The Veranda is the premium sunbathing spot onboard and will feature brand new facilities. 

From May 2019 Marella Explorer 2 will sail from a new homeport Naples, Italy. The exclusive adults-only ship will sail to some of the finest European cities including Venice, Rome and Dubrovnik. 

Marella Explorer 2 will also feature a luxurious Champneys Spa which will launch first on Marella Explorer this year, offering a variety of indulging treatments.

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Walk over the Pacific Ocean

P&O Cruises is giving Australians the opportunity to experience a thrill-seeking activity of a lifetime with the launch of ‘Walk the Wire’ – the world’s first tightrope walk between two cruise ships as they glide side-by-side on the Pacific Ocean. The safety harness equipped activity involves a 30-metre walk from the top deck of Pacific Aria to sister ship Pacific Eden on a cable stretched 40-metres high above the sea. 

Adrenalin-loving guests can take part in the ultimate balancing act during select cruises in 2019 when the two ships are sailing alongside each other off the coast of New South Wales. The new experience will be available for a select number of guests who pass preliminary tests. Interested participants can visit P&O Cruises’ Australia’s Facebook page and sign up to the Walk the Wire event to receive more information, including how to book. 

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Rise in Baltic Cruises

GOOD opportunities for local port cities are up for grabs as a cruise shipping boom sweeps the Baltic. Both Rostock and Kiel are already profiting from it. Between them they are expecting 1.3 million #cruise ship visitors during this year’s season – an increase of 12.5% over last year.

The 2018 cruise shipping season on the Warnow River begins on April 8th with the arrival of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ “Boudicca”. This year a total 205 visits by 43 different cruise ships are expected. On the 2018 timetable are 39 visits by very big passenger ships which are more than 300 m long.

In the port of Kiel the 2018 season starts on April 6th and lasts until the end of October. A total of 166 calls by 32 different cruise ships have been registered. The numerical highlight of the year will come on August 11th when five cruise ships will be in the port at the same time. Although Kiel is predominantly a start and end port for cruises, it also expects 23 visits this year by ships on running cruises, whose international passengers will visit Kiel and the surrounding region as well Hamburg and Lübeck. One particular draw is the Kieler Woche sailing regatta, which will take place June 16th-24th. Twelve ocean-going and three inland river cruise ships will be in port to attend that event.

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Picture Credit: 03 Ostseekai Kiel Foto Tom Koerber

New cruise terminal for Tahiti

EXPLORING The Islands of #Tahiti by sea is not only one of the most convenient methods to island-hop but is also an awe-inspiring experience to immerse oneself in the destination’s stunning 118 islands. Seagoers from across the world will be able to enjoy Papeete’s new International Cruise Terminal, which is scheduled to open in 2020.

Financed by the Port of Papeete, the new cruise terminal will have the capacity to accommodate up to three ships simultaneously and 2,000 turnaround passengers. The terminal will also feature amenities such as an aerial walk, luggage room, check-in counters, waiting room, duty free, snack bar and café and reservations facilities.

Concurrently, the Aéroport de Tahiti is also undertaking a $12 million upgrade of Faa’a International Airport which is 1.8 miles from the cruise port. Airport capacity is presently at 2.5 million passengers per year and there are three departing long haul flights and two long-haul arrivals every day. This planned renovation, which is expected to be finished by 2020, includes an extension to the airport, refurbishment of the landside terminal and a new public hall containing new retail areas, shops and restaurants.

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The Vikings are coming

VIKING Sun, the newest addition to Viking’s industry-leading ocean fleet, is visiting Australian shores on its 141-day world cruise from Miami to London next month. It will be the first time in the company’s 20-year history that a Viking Ship will visit Australia.

Viking will begin home-porting from Sydney in December 2018, with Viking Orion spending three months of the year cruising between Sydney and Auckland. “Previously guests had to fly to Europe to experience Viking,” says Michelle Black, Viking Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand “We’re thrilled that Australians will be able to experience the Viking difference right from their doorstep, exploring the natural wonders and dynamic cities in our own backyard.”

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Norwegian Cruise Line wins Best Suites

NORWEGIAN Cruise Line has been awarded “Best Suites” in Cruise Critic Australia Editors’ Picks Awards for 2017. The purpose of the awards it to highlight the best cruise lines of the year across dozens of categories, as chosen by the site’s international team of editors.

Following her inaugural Australian and New Zealand season, Norwegian Jewel will travel to Asia, and then on to Alaska for the Northern Hemisphere summer before making her way back to Australia and New Zealand next year. The 2018/2019 homeported sailings are now on sale and offer a number of new itineraries, taking in destinations such as Cairns, Hobart, Milford Sound, and Tauranga, as well as sailings to the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and a transpacific voyage from Vancouver to Tokyo (Yokohama).
   
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Cowes promoted as a port of call

COWES Harbour Commission is working proactively with Destination Cowes and the Island’s tourism organisation Visit Isle of Wight to promote Cowes as a unique destination port-of-call, encouraged by the rising demand in the cruise ship market, including growth in the Northern European luxury cruise market.

Cowes offers exceptional visitor appeal with cruise ship passengers able to visit world famous tourist attractions such as Queen Victoria’s magnificent Osborne House in East Cowes, the palatial royal residence used as the setting for the major feature film Victoria and Abdul.

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Helsinki sees growth in cruise visitors in 2017

INTERNATIONAL cruises to the Baltic Sea are growing in popularity. The summer cruise season in #Helsinki too was extremely busy, as international cruise ships brought a total of 478,000 cruise visitors to the Finnish capital. This represents growth of almost 17 percent compared to last year, when Helsinki attracted 409,000 cruise visitors. 

This year’s figure also beats the previous record of 436,500 cruise visitors, which was set in 2015. A total of 266 cruise ships visited Helsinki in 2017. Although this is fewer than the record set in 2013, the record number of cruise visitors in 2017 reflects the growing capacity of international cruise ships. Helsinki also anticipates a busy cruise season in 2018.

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises Names New Ship to Launch in 2020

REGENT Seven Seas Cruises, the most inclusive luxury experience, has announced the name of its new ship, scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2020. The second Explorer-class ship will embody and enhance the elegance, style and luxury that brought forth the high-end features and amenities that have made sister-ship Seven Seas Explorer renowned as the most luxurious ship ever built with her launch in 2016.

“The naming of a ship is an important milestone in maritime tradition and it is my pleasure to announce that the name of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ new ship to launch in 2020 is Seven Seas Splendor,” said Jason Montague, President and Chief Executive Officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

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Cruise News

World Dream, the newest mega ship of Asia’s luxury cruise line Dream Cruises made history as the first-ever cruise ship to be christened in Hong Kong on Friday, 17 November 2017. In celebration of this monumental occasion, Dream Cruises launched an innovative “#TogetherWeBuildDreams” campaign, which engaged cruise enthusiasts from around the world to build a large-scale replica of World Dream, in attempt to break the current world record of the largest LEGO® ship. 

After two months of relentless effort, the giant ship model, collectively built by over 1,000 cruising guests, members of the public, as well as Mr. Andy Hung and Legend Creative, the first LEGO Certified Professional in Greater China region and his team, was officially unveiled at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal today. The attempt was declared successful upon onsite adjudication and the official Guinness World Records certificate presentation.

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On the water . . .

VIKING Cruises has announced that American chemist, emergency room physician and recently retired NASA astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher will be honoured as godmother to its fifth ocean ship, which will debut in July 2018. 

The new ship has been named Viking Orion after the prominent constellation and in honour of Dr. Fisher’s contributions to NASA’s Orion exploration vehicle project. The announcement was first made by Viking Chairman, Torstein Hagen, during a press conference in New York City celebrating the first call in Manhattan for the company’s third ship, Viking Sky.

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