Windstar Cruises resumes operations in Greece

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 25 June 2021 25 June 2021

U.S. headquartered small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises is cruising again with vaccinated guests and crew on board. The first voyage set sail on June 19 from Athens, with the 148-maximum guest, four-masted sailing yacht Wind Star embarking on a 7-night roundtrip voyage to the Greek Isles. With the opportunity to visit Nafplio, Monemvasia, and Patmos, as well as the legendary islands of Santorini and Mykonos, guests on board have a chance to explore ports both on their own as well as on Windstar shore excursions. Windstar plans for the yacht to sail the itinerary on near-weekly dates through October.

Windstar is returning to operations in a phased manner, with its fleet of six yachts debuting on various dates through November, while requiring vaccines of all passengers amongst a host of health and safety precautions including testing, social distancing, masks, and high-tech air filtration. All of Windstar’s crew aboard Wind Star have been vaccinated, and Windstar is ensuring that crew are vaccinated on all Windstar yachts when they begin sailing on revenue cruises with guests. Windstar was among the first cruise lines to require vaccinations for guests, with a goal of full crew vaccinations. Procuring doses for Windstar’s primarily international crew has been challenging, but line officials have now successfully sourced vaccinations for crew aboard all six yachts.

 

MSC Cruises and Fincantieri celebrate MSC Seascape coin ceremony

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 24 June 2021 24 June 2021

A traditional coin ceremony for MSC Cruises’ second Seaside EVO class ship was held today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy where the keel was laid, the Geneva based cruise line said in a statement.  

The name of the new ship was revealed – MSC Seascape – and pays homage to the beauty of the ocean and demonstrates the ways in which guests will be able to enjoy the stunning sea views from the ship thanks to the innovative design features. 

Long-standing employees Monica Somma, Category Manager – Retail, MSC Cruises and Jolette Vincenzi – Production Supervisor from Fincantieri performed the traditional maritime ritual as godmothers when they placed two coins within the ship’s keel as an historical sign of blessing and good fortune for the construction of the ship and her future life at sea.

The ship is designed to connect guests with the sea through the ship’s innovative design features including 13,000m2 of outdoor space. Scheduled to enter service in November 2022 the 169,400 GT ship will be able to accommodate 5,877 guests, MSC Cruises said.

Photo credit Ivan Sarfatti

Carnival second quarter loss steady at $2.1 billion, sees 42 ships in service by end-November

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 24 June 2021 24 June 2021

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipping company, has reported a deep net loss for the  second quarter and said it expects to have more than half of its capacity in service by the end of its financial year on 30 November.

The company reported a net loss of $.2.1 billion for three months ended 31 May, little changed from the $2.0 billion loss in the previous quarter, the company said in a statement.

Booking volumes for all future cruises during the second quarter were 45% higher than booking volumes during the previous three month period.

Deposits for new bookings exceed refunds in quarter

Cumulative advanced bookings for full year 2022 are ahead of a very strong 2019 as of May 31. The company highlights that this level of bookings was achieved with minimal advertising and marketing,” the company said, adding that due to the pause in guest cruise operations, the company's current booking trends will be compared to booking trends for 2019 sailings.

Total customer deposits as of May 31 rose to $2.5 billion from $2.2 billion at the end of the first quarter. “During the quarter, customer deposits on new bookings exceeded the impact of refunds provided,” the company said.

Chief Financial Officer David Bernstein noted: "We ended the second quarter with $9.3 billion of cash and short-term investments. We believe we have sufficient liquidity to get us back to full operations and continue to be focused on pursuing refinancing opportunities to reduce interest rates and extend maturities. To date, through our refinancing efforts, we have reduced our future annual interest expense by over $120 million per year and expect to increase our near-term liquidity by $1.0 billion."

Staged resumption of services to continue

Eight of the company's nine brands either have resumed or have announced they plan to resume guest cruise operations by the company's fiscal year end, November 30.

The company envisages that 27 ships, or approximately 35% of capacity, will have resumed or are announced to resume by the end of the third quarter of 2021 and an additional 15 ships, or nearly 20% of capacity, are announced to resume by the end of the final quarter of the company’s financial year.

Together these 42 ships represent over 50% of capacity, the company said.

Consistent with the company's planned phased resumption of guest cruise operations, it expects to have its full fleet back in operation in the spring of 2022.

Hurtigruten to introduce Galapagos cruises

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 24 June 2021 24 June 2021

Hurtigruten Expeditions is expanding its global offering to one of the most iconic destinations on the planet: The Galapagos Islands. Famous for its unique nature and wildlife, the isolated archipelago some 600 miles (1000 kilometers) off the coast of Ecuador has mesmerized travelers and scientists for centuries.

From January 2022, Hurtigruten Expeditions will expand its breadth of destinations to include the Galapagos Islands offering modern-day explorers in-depth adventures described as ‘beyond imagination’.

“We are extremely excited to expand our South America offering to one of the most spectacular destinations on the planet. We have seen a clear trend of travelers seeking out truly unique and meaningful travel experiences, with a sharp increase in demand for the type of small ships / big experiences we offer. The pandemic has dramatically pushed this development forward. There is huge pent-up demand for traveling right now, and we are responding with this breathtaking new destination,” said Hurtigruten Group CEO Daniel Skjeldam.

Two pioneers – one partnership

To offer guests one-of-a-kind experiences, Hurtigruten Expeditions has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Ecuador-based Metropolitan Touring, the most experienced and renowned travel company in the Galapagos.

Guests will explore the Galapagos in style and comfort onboard the fully upgraded 90-guest MS Santa Cruz II, adding to Hurtigruten Expeditions’ growing fleet of small purpose-built expedition cruise ships.

“This partnership brings together two companies that combine the best of two worlds: Hurtigruten Expeditions as a global player with an excellent reputation in expedition cruises, and our long history and deep knowledge of the Galapagos Islands. We are really excited to welcome the first Hurtigruten Expeditions’ guests on board,” said Metropolitan Touring CEO Paulina Burbano de Lara.

Unparalleled experience

Metropolitan Touring has offered intimate and unique encounters with the islands’ wildlife since they pioneered expedition cruises in Galapagos almost 70 years ago. Hurtigruten Expeditions pioneered expedition cruises in 1896 and has since grown to the world’s largest expedition cruise line.

“This is a significant milestone in our 125-year history of exploring. The Galapagos is one of the world’s ultimate expedition cruise destinations. It is a perfect match between two companies with a proud history, strong heritage, and passion for the well-being of our oceans and our planet,” said Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen.

Santa Cruz to be fully upgraded

Starting from January 5, 2022, Hurtigruten Expeditions will offer nine-day adventures, visiting some of the most spectacular and iconic sites of the archipelago onboard MS Santa Cruz II, as well as pre- and post packages before and after the six-night expedition cruise.

It is also possible to add a four-day pre-program to Machu Picchu in neighboring Peru before embarking on the Galapagos adventure. To book, please visit Hurtigruten Expeditions or contact your preferred travel agent

As part of the partnership, the MS Santa Cruz II – including all suites and cabins, explorer lounge, dining room, bar, and other public areas - will be fully upgraded.

A Hurtigruten Expeditions hallmark, a Science Area, will also be added, where guests and the onboard expedition team will create an even deeper understanding of the wonders they explore.

“Our unmatched experience in the Galapagos has enabled us to design and perfect the ideal way to explore the archipelago. Our itineraries are based on the concept of seeing as many of the ‘Big 15’ species as possible, with exclusive island and site visits. There really is no better way to see the islands,” said de Lara.

Carbon neutral exploring

With both companies sharing common values in investing in sustainability, all Hurtigruten Expeditions cruises to Galapagos are carbon neutral. Hurtigruten Expeditions guests will contribute directly to the protection of biodiverse forests in northwestern Ecuador, named a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2018.

“The Galapagos has long been regarded as one of the world’s greatest natural sanctuaries. It’s wild, isolated, diverse, and safe. As in all destinations, we will be working closely with local communities to ensure we play a positive role in long-term sustainability,” said Lassesen.

Cruise highlights include exploring the Giant Tortoise breeding center, getting close to sea lions and land iguanas, bird watching, kayaking, and snorkeling, as well as daily lectures to better understand the islands, their history, and animal population both above and below the sea.

Overall, the Galapagos is home to more than 9,000 species of wildlife, many of which are native only to the remote archipelago.

Growing demand for adventure travel

Last month, the Hurtigruten Group reported record-strong booking numbers for 2022, with booking levels almost 50% higher than pre-pandemic levels. With the addition of the Galapagos Islands, the growth is expected to further accelerate.