MSC Cruises cancels 2022 world cruise, offers two in 2023

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 14 October 2021 14 October 2021

MSC Cruises said that it had cancelled its 2022 world cruise, but added that it would offer two such voyages in the following year.

MSC Magnifica would be joining MSC Poesia and they would both depart on 4 January from Civitavecchia and 5 January 2023 from Genoa, Italy, for simultaneous world cruises, albeit taking different routes around the globe, the company said in a statement.

“MSC Magnifica will replicate the very same itinerary that was supposed to be performed by MSC Poesia for the MSC World Cruise 2022. Unfortunately, the decision has been taken after careful consideration and assessment, to cancel the 2022 World Cruise as it would not have been possible to carry it out due to there being too many ports still facing restrictions as a result of the pandemic,” the company said. 

Mein Schiff Herz to become Marella Voyager in 2023

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 14 October 2021 14 October 2021

 

TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff Herz will be transferred from the German to the UK market in 2023, when the ship will enter service as Marella Voyager, the TUI AG group said in a statement.

The ship that started life in 1997 as Mercury of Celebrity Cruises has accommodation for 1,912 passengers and is of 77,302 gross tons. It will be the fifth ship of Marella Cruises and the pending transfer means that all three Century class ships built in the mid- 1990s will sail under that company’s houseflag.

Marella Voyager commence operations in June 2023, with Mediterranean itineraries on sale from 4 November 2021. 

TUI UK Managing Director Chris Hackney said: “This ship builds on our already popular fleet and offers loyal customers and new customers more choice.” 

“We know what our customers like and so we want to ensure we keep some Marella Cruises favourites but also adding a different flavour to Marella Voyager too.”  

Marella Cruises is fully owned by TUI AG unit TUI UK, while TUI Cruises is jointly owned by the German company and Royal Caribbean Group.

Photo: Marella Explorer, formerly Galaxy of Celebrity Cruises, is a sister ship of future Marella Voyager

 

 

Six out of 10 respondents in UK poll  plan to book cruise this winter or next

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 13 October 2021 13 October 2021

Results of a poll conducted by cruise.co.uk, a major online retailer of cruises, shows strong interest in cruising in the winter months, with the Caribbean by far the most popular destination.

“Almost sixout of 10 respondents (57%) are considering booking a cruise this winter or next, as travel restrictions continue to open up,” the company said in a statement.

Almost 900 people were polled, with 45% selecting the Caribbean as their ideal winter warmer. Australia came in second at 11%, while summer favourite the Mediterranean was third most popular with 9%.

Meanwhile, a Christmas cruise is on the bucket list of 63% of those surveyed. Cruise lines continue sailing over the festive period, decorating their ships accordingly as well as introducing a seasonal flavour to their menus and activities.

 Tony Andrews, deputy managing director of  the company said: “The Caribbean has been a clear winter favourite with cruisers for some time and it’s clear it’s lost none of its shine. The prospect of sunny skies, crystal clear waters and welcoming locals means many of us are setting our sights on a tropical escape. With travel now becoming more and more accessible, the prospect of sipping a top-deck cocktail while watching the sunny shores of the Caribbean drift by is once again on our wishlists.”

Carnival appoints John Padgett as Princess Cruises President

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 13 October 2021 13 October 2021

Carnival Corporation & plc, the Anglo-American cruise shipping group, has appointed John Padgett as President of Princess Cruises with immediate effect, Carnival said in a statement.

He succeeds Jan Swartz in this position and will oversee all performance and operational functions of Princess Cruises and its global fleet of 14 ships sailing cruise guests to nearly 400 destinations around the world annually. 

Padgett will report directly to Swartz, who remains as group president of Holland America Group, which includes the company's Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn and P&O Cruises Australia brands. 

Swartz has served as president of Princess Cruises since 2013, guiding the brand's strategic growth as the world's leading international premium cruise line and its emergence as a leader in innovating the total guest experience for cruise vacations.

Since July 2014, Padgett has served as chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation, responsible for guest experience innovation, development, creation and operations integration. In this role, he helped transform the approach to creating differentiated guest experiences based on personal interactions and tailored to the interests and preferences of individual guests, further enhancing one of the world's most popular vacations. 

Padgett key player in Medallion class experience development

Headlining the 2017 CES show with Princess Cruises' innovation and creating an extensive patent portfolio, Padgett and his innovation team also created original TV and digital content programming highlighting the extraordinary experiences guests enjoy while on a cruise vacation for over 900 million viewers around the world, expanding awareness and demand-generation for cruising. In his new role, Padgett will also retain leadership of the corporation's innovation unit.

Specifically for the Princess Cruises brand, Padgett has been a key player in the development and implementation of the Princess MedallionClass® experience delivering a more personalized, simplified and connected onboard experience for all guests and crew that is now available on the entire Princess fleet. 

This includes the creation and development of the award-winning Medallion® wearable device and the enabling OCEAN® platform that enhances and personalises the overall cruise experience ranging from world-class dining and beverages, entertainment and spas to on-shore excursions, merchandise and hotel guest services. Throughout the fleet transformation, Padgett became connected with thousands of Princess guests, travel agents and destination partners spanning the world.

"John is the mastermind behind our state-of-the-art OCEAN platform and was a key player in our fleet transformation, working closely with Princess team members in virtually every area of our operation to enable the MedallionClass experience for all our guests," said Swartz. "John's vision, drive and performance, combined with his commitment to providing the best guest experience in the industry, have helped position Princess for success well into the future. We warmly welcome John to the role and look forward to his stewardship as we navigate this fast-changing, dynamic environment."

Prior to becoming chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation, Padgett worked for 18 years with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts where he spearheaded the invention, development and implementation of guest engagement innovations that include the MagicBand, FastPass+ and Disney's Magical Express, among others.

Padgett earned a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in finance from Virginia Tech and holds over two dozen patents and multiple innovation awards.