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Cunard’s 2022 cruise programme goes on sale

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2020 18 November 2020

Cunard said its 2022 voyage schedule for its three ships - Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth - is now on sale.

The programme covers some 35 countries feature in the 162 newly launched itineraries, covering north of the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean and from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, via the Panama Canal.

Highlights include Queen Elizabeth returning to Alaska with seven and 10 night voyages, departing from and returning to Vancouver, visiting Glacier Bay, Haines, Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria. Ten night Alaska voyages start at £1,399 per person.

From Alaska, Queen Elizabeth will journey through the Panama Canal, across to the Mediterranean, where she will embark on a series of seven and 14 night fly-cruises, departing from Barcelona.

Along with iconic transatlantic crossings, Queen Mary 2 will be visiting the North Cape for the first time spending three days in Tromso, with opportunities to see the Northern Lights, and calls to Bergen, Trondheim, Alesund and Stavanger.

Queen Victoria’s highlights include four night cruise breaks departing from Southampton, all scheduled to include a weekend, visiting destinations including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and St Peter Port.

Cunard president Simon Palethorpe said: “We are delighted to offer such a broad range of voyages in 2022 from four night European city breaks to week-long fly-cruises in the Mediterranean to a five week adventure sailing from Alaska to Spain.”

“There has been high demand for our 2021 voyages so we know how much our guests are anticipating travelling again on Cunard’s iconic ships with many future highlights including a welcome return to Alaska.”

“Guests are able to plan for their Cunard holidays in 2022 with extra peace of mind due to our flexible booking options which provide the opportunity to move a booking unlimited times before the balance is due.”

Carnival, NCLH tap markets for funds

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 18 November 2020 18 November 2020

Carnival Corporation & plc and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) have both tapped the financial markets to raise funds.

NCLH said it has priced its underwritten public offering of 40,000,000 ordinary shares at a price to the public of $20.80 per share.

“The Offering is expected to close on November 20, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes,” NCLH said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Carnival Corporation & plc said that Carnival Corporation priced a registered direct of an aggregate of 57,426,860 shares at a price of $18.05 per share to a limited number of holders of its 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2023.

“The Corporation intends to use the proceeds from the Offering to repurchase from such Holders an aggregate of $499,364,000 principal amount of its Convertible Notes in privately negotiated transactions,” the company said.

“On a net basis, the Corporation will not receive any proceeds from the Transactions and will pay customary fees and expenses in connection therewith. Therefore, the Transactions will not have a material impact on the Corporation's cash position. Following the Note Repurchases, an aggregate of $627,547,000 principal amount of the Corporation's Convertible Notes will remain outstanding,” it added.

Photo credit: NYSE.com

SeaDream cancels sailings for the rest of the year

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 17 November 2020 17 November 2020

SeaDream has decided to cancel sailing for the remainder of 2020 after positive Covid-19 test results. "Multiple negative PCR tests were required before the guests boarded, but this was not sufficient to prevent Covid-19 onboard. SeaDream successfully operated more than 20 sailings during the pandemic without any cases and further improvements were made to protocols before the Barbados season. The company will now spend time to evaluate and see if it is possible to operate and have a high degree of certainty of not getting Covid. 7 guests and 2 crew members have tested positive for Covid-19 by Barbados health authorities," the company said in a statement.

Kari Tarnowski named SVP of Marketing for American Queen Steamboat Company

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 November 2020 16 November 2020

Hornblower Group announced today that Kari Tarnowski has been named senior vice president of marketing for American Queen Steamboat Company. Tarnowski joins the company after serving as vice president of marketing for Crystal Cruises.

“We are thrilled to have Kari join the Hornblower Family as senior vice president of marketing for American Queen Steamboat Company,” said Kristina Heney, chief marketing officer, Hornblower Group. “Kari has enjoyed an impressive career bringing with her valuable experience in the cruising industry and we are sure she will have a great impact on our operation. I am confident her considerable talent and leadership skills will help us drive business growth and build upon the loyal fanbase of our customers.”

As senior vice president of marketing, Tarnowski will be responsible for developing and implementing the organization’s overall marketing strategy including multi-channel customer demand generation, brand positioning, public relations, customer insights, guest feedback, loyalty and retention, competitive analysis and partnership marketing. Tarnowski will work closely with the Hornblower Group leadership team to build a first-class marketing organization that emphasizes consumer experience and competing through technology and performance marketing methods to attract and acquire customers. Tarnowski will lead the development of new channels for growth, design and communicate the portfolio of American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines brands and create business partnerships that open the door to new revenue streams.

“I’m excited to join the Hornblower Group and lead the marketing strategy behind American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines as we prepare to welcome back our customers,” said Tarnowski, “I look forward to working together with the leadership team and bringing my background in the travel and cruise industries to help establish clear marketing goals for the company that will both strengthen and enhance the division as we continue to provide a best-in-class experience for our guests.”

Tarnowski joins Hornblower Group with her more than two decades of strategic marketing experience in the cruise and hotel industries. Tarnowski joins American Queen Steamboat Company from Crystal Cruises, where she served as vice president of marketing leading their marketing efforts including advertising, digital, direct mail, loyalty programs and marketing communications. Additionally, Tarnowski’s experience in the cruise industry extends through her senior marketing roles she previously served for luxury cruise lines including Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises. Previous to Crystal Cruises, Tarnowski was chief marketing officer for Elite Island Resorts where she led marketing efforts for 10 all-inclusive resorts across five islands in the Caribbean. She also served as senior vice president of marketing for Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Tarnowski also played a key role in the inception Hotels.com, where she was part of the company’s launch team in 2002.

UK government seen to allow cruises to resume from late January – report

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 November 2020 13 November 2020

The UK government is reportedly working on a package of measures that would include the restart of cruising from the country in late January, Travel Weekly reports on its website.

The measures would include the reduction of quarantine period for arrivals from countries where this is necessary from 14 to seven days. A new testing regime that would be introduced to take effect on 2 December, when the present month-long lockdown in England is expected to end, would also be part of the measures.

“It will initially be trialled for passengers on flights returning from a small number of destinations before being rapidly expanded if it proves successful. Ministers are also expected to agree a package for a restart of the UK cruise industry from late January providing lines can demonstrate they have stringent testing and infection control measures in place,” Travel Weekly reported.

“Foreign cruises may resume in the following months if cruise operators agree to take full responsibility for repatriating any passengers or crew stranded due to the virus,” the report added.

The UK source market has generated about two million passengers annually in the past few years, but all operations came to a standstill in July, when the Foreign & Commonwealth Office – as the country’s foreign ministry is called – introduced a guidance against cruises.

Since then, P&O Cruises has taken delivery of Iona and Saga Cruises of Spirit of Adventure, neither of which has carried a single fare paying passenger as a result of the situation. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ two second hand acquisitions from Holland America Line are also waiting to boar their firstpassengersunder the new ownership of the vessels.

The crisis also led to the collapse of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, a destination focused budget operator of chartered in second hand vessels.