From royal send-offs to $70 million re-furbs, there’s so much happening in the world of cruising right now it’s hard to keep up.
Here’s a wrap-up of this week’s plentiful cruise news.
Pomp and ceremony
Two new additions to the global cruising fleet were given the royal treatment this week.
In Rotterdam, at the site of Holland America Line’s first launch in 1873, Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands christened ms Koningsdam with the traditional champagne celebration and she also participated in the ceremonial blessing of the ship’s bell.
The ceremony was part of a special 13-day christening cruise that departed Civitavecchia, Italy on May 9. Following the christening voyage, ms Koningsdam will homeport in Amsterdam for the European summer season and in Fort Lauderdale for European winter and spring Caribbean cruises.
In case you were wondering what it means, the ship was named in honor of King Willem-Alexander, the first king of the Netherlands in a century. “Koning” is Dutch for king and the naming convention of “dam” on Holland America Line ships dates back to 1883.
Her Majesty Queen Máxima serves as godmother for the ship.
Image: Frankie Fouganthin (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Meanwhile, another godmother was named at Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Seven Seas Explorer will be christened on July 13, 2016 with Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco as her godmother.
The Monte Carlo July shindig will be a lavish affair with the musical headline act announced as no less than Andrea Bocelli.
“It’s fitting to have the world’s most luxurious ship, Seven Seas Explorer, christened in one of the most glamorous cities in the world by H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco, who is the definition of elegance, grace and passion,” said Jason Montague, president and COO, Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Born in Zimbabwe, Princess Charlene grew up in South Africa and was a very successful competitive swimmer who competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She married Albert II, the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, in July 2011.
Video tour of Carnival Vista
There has been a great deal of excitement around the launch of Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Vista this month with her maiden voyage departing Trieste, Italy — the first European voyage for Carnival in three years.
A variety of Mediterranean itineraries will be offered with port calls throughout Italy, France, Spain and Croatia as well as several new destinations for Carnival such as Crete (Heraklion), and Corfu, Greece; Valletta, Malta; Palermo, Sicily; Cagliari, Sardinia; and Gibraltar.
On October 21, 2016, Carnival Vista embarks on a special 13-day transatlantic crossing and arrives in New York November 3, then operates a pair of 11-day voyages from the Big Apple before repositioning to Miami for year-round Caribbean departures later that month.
Take a (little unusual) video tour of Vista below.
New adventures for National Geographic
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has released its 2016/2017 Explorations brochure that showcases more than 50 small-ship voyages.
You’ll also find information on the features of Lindblad’s latest fleet additions, National Geographic Endeavour II and the purpose-built, National Geographic Quest.
With the Nat Geo brand behind it, the destination list is predictably ‘adventurous’ and includes Antarctica, Alaska, Cuba, Galapagos Islands and the Amazon.
Here’s one example of the new voyages on offer:
Big Picture Alaska
Aboard National Geographic ‘Sea Bird’, guests will immerse themselves in an 11-day photo expedition through Alaska’s famed Inside Passage and experience the perfect mix of small-town life and the grand expanse of wild landscapes. This voyage for up to 62 guests at a time is available from June to August. Prices for this adventure start at AU$11,240 per person in double occupancy in a category one cabin.
New ships ordered
Following the incredible response to the arrival of Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a French shipbuilder for a fifth Oasis-class ship to be delivered in the spring of 2021.
Celebrity Cruises is also planning for delivery of two more Edge-class ships for delivery in 2021 and 2022 while its first Edge-class vessel is still two years from delivery.
Adding to the fleet of Millennium and Solstice-class vessels, the new ships will take advantage of emerging technologies around sustainability and fuel efficiency and will have a capacity of 2900 guests.
Wine buffs rejoice … and start saving
On National Wine Day in the UK, Cunard announced its newly rejuvenated flagship Queen Mary 2 would have the best wine cellar in the world at sea.
Passengers will now be able to indulge in a unique collection of 450 fine wines.
Australia’s famous Penfolds Grange is on the wine list at $550 per bottle or $166 for a 75ml glass. For the record, the “most sought after California cult wine in the world” Napa’s Screaming Eagle Cabernet blend is the most expensive on the list and will set you back $685 a glass!
Additionally, a unique collection of vintage port wines, the only assortment of its kind in the world, has been specially assembled to join the enhanced wine cellar.
The 46 different vintage ports, each produced in a key year of Cunard’s 176-year history, will form part of a commissioned permanent display in the new Carinthia Lounge. This is being created as part of the ship’s major 25-day refit this June.
$70M refit for Empress
Empress of the Seas has arrived in her homeport of Miami following a massive “revitalisation project”.
After $70million was spent on the refurb, she is about to embark on her first sailing visiting Royal Caribbean’s private island “CocoCay” (the Bahamas) and Nassau.
Empress will then offer short four and five-night getaways from Miami to Nassau, the Bahamas; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Grand Cayman and Key West, Florida. The itineraries will offer longer stays in every port, and, on select five-night itineraries, guest can experience overnights in Cozumel, Mexico.
Main image credit: Carnival Vista via photopin (license)
