Virgin Voyages to include call at Bimini beach club in all Scarlet Lady cruises

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 18 February 2019 18 February 2019

Virgin Voyages, which is part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group of companies, said that all voyages of the line’s first ship will feature The Beach Club at Bimini, a Virgin Voyages experience in Bimini, Bahamas.    

A cornerstone of every voyage of Scarlet lady as the 110,000 gross ton ship would be called, will be The Beach Club at Bimini, where sailors – the line’s preferred name for passengers - can feel the sand in their toes in a stylish setting with white-sand and crystal clear waters and programming that will rival the best beach clubs in Ibiza and Saint-Tropez.

“Just a short transfer from the pier, and built in partnership with Resorts World Bimini, The Beach Club at Bimini is designed with Miami-based architects EOA, Inc., featuring natural materials and soft earth tones that organically blend into the seascape. The Beach Club at Bimini will overlook the ocean and cascade down to the sea with an expansive lagoon-style pool as the central anchor of the club,’ Virgin Voyages said in a statement.

The Beach Club will also have complimentary food that is thoughtfully sourced. “Its locally inspired menus will serve up island favourites such as conch and mango salad, banana leaf-wrapped queen snapper, Bahamian rum cake and more. As Sailors start to explore the club they will be pleased to discover creative social spaces with hammock groves and six bars where Sailors can congregate in groups of friends,” Virgin Voyages said.

Those looking for a home base for the day can enjoy the many beach loungers, or opt for a more private place to cuddle up, with beach-side and poolside cabanas available for rent. The Beach Club at Bimini will also feature active areas for watersports and beach play.

Sailors staying in RockStar Suites will have their exclusive slice of paradise at The Beach Club at Bimini, with a dedicated bar, complimentary food service, an outdoor terrace lounge, sun loungers and beach cabanas.

 

Sailors looking to explore the island of Bimini will have ample opportunities to do so in this off-the-beaten path tropical destination. The island is a beach-lovers paradise with welcoming and warm residents.

 

It was a known favourite of author Ernest Hemingway, who described it as “like the end of the world.” This intimate seven-mile island offers extraordinary sea experiences such as boating, snorkelling, and even wreck diving, with the SS Sapona just a few miles off the coast of the southern part of the island.

Cunard to operate record 2020-2021 season in Down Under

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 February 2019 15 February 2019

Cunard has announced that its Queen Elizabeth will return to Australia for an unparalleled 118 days over the 2020-21 summer, headlining the luxury cruise line’s biggest ever Australian season.

The season will also feature visits from Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 and sister ship Queen Victoria during their world voyages, with the royal trio spending a record 49 days in Australian ports between them.

Queen Elizabeth’s four-month season will begin in November 2020 and will include more than 60 itinerary options as she sails from her homeports of Melbourne and Sydney.

Voyages will range from two-night sojourns between Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide to longer journeys around Australia and New Zealand.

New offerings include 12 and 13-night cruises between Sydney and Auckland calling at a range of stunning ports along the New Zealand coastline, as well as calls to Tasmania and Victoria. The cruises can also be combined to create a destination-rich 25-night journey featuring an impressive nine New Zealand ports.

Other highlights include a Royal Rendezvous with Queen Victoria in Sydney on March 1, 2021 – marking the first time the two ships have met in Australia – as well as a special overnight call in Auckland on December 31, 2020, enabling Cunard guests to be among the first in the world to celebrate the New Year.

Cunard President Simon Palethorpe said the cruise line’s decision to boost its Australian presence even further reflected the continuing growth in popularity of Cunard cruises among Australian travellers.

"Our new 2020-21 season is not only our biggest, it will be the third consecutive summer deployment Down Under for Queen Elizabeth, which is winning a strong following among local cruisers who enjoy her stylish features and her voyage offerings," Palethorpe said.

"Basing Queen Elizabeth in Australia for a record 118 days enables us to create a range of new itinerary options, such as our longer New Zealand journeys, which we think will appeal to both existing and new Cunard guests and boost the popularity of Queen Elizabeth even further."

The new program will also feature overnight calls in Hobart, Wellington and Auckland as well as Queen Elizabeth’s maiden call to Lyttelton and Cunard’s inaugural call to New Plymouth in New Zealand.

At 90,900 tonnes, the 2081-guest Queen Elizabeth is the second largest ship ever to sail in Cunard’s fleet. Launched in 2010, she is also the youngest in the cruise line’s current trio of Queens with features including more than 10 restaurants and cafes; a Games Deck featuring paddle tennis, croquet and bowls; a two-storey library; a ballroom; and the three-deck Royal Court Theatre, seating 800 guests and offering private boxes.

Full details of the 2021 World Voyage season and Queen Elizabeth’s 2020-21 Australian program will be released on March 5, 2019 with the program scheduled to go on sale on March 12, 2019.

Keel laying of second of three Muse-class ships takes place in Ancona

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 February 2019 15 February 2019

The keel laying ceremony of Silver Moon, the second of three new ultra-luxury cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for Silversea Cruises took place yesterday at the Ancona yard. The vessel will enter the ship owner’s fleet in 2020.

Silver Moon will be a sister ship of Silver Muse, which took the sea in 2017, and of Silver Dawn due to delivery in 2021. At 40,700 gross tons and with a capacity to accommodate 596 passengers on board, she will maintain the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations which are hallmarks of the Silversea experience.

The new build will be the 10th ship in Silversea's fleet. Once operating, she will significantly raise the bar in the ultra-luxury segment with a wealth of enhancements to the on board experience, while satisfying the uncompromising requirements for comfort, service, and quality of the world's most discerning travelers.

Among the voluntary notations of the ship, the “Green star 3 Design” stands out. It is assigned to units that are designed, built and equipped in order to prevent air and water pollution. Furthermore, the “COMF-NOISE A PAX” and “COMF-NOISE B CREW” are assigned on the basis of the noise levels measured on the ship.

Tillberg Design of Sweden creates the grandest suite at sea

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 February 2019 15 February 2019

Viewing area of Regent Suite

Seven Seas Splendor is the newest addition to Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Designed by luxury cruise ship interior designers Tillberg Design of Sweden, the ship has well-appointed touches, specially chosen artwork and sleek contemporary furnishings where exotic woods and Italian marble comingle with a soothing color palette and comfortable custom pieces. Onboard you can also enjoy your own butler.

Sporting one of the most exclusive and luxurious addresses at sea is The Regent Suite. “No expense was spared,” says Jason Montague, President and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, in creating the palatial two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom suite with all the luxury, grandeur and comfort that Regent Seven Seas Cruises is known for. This 4,443-square-foot accommodation will make you never want to return home.

Paulina Błasiak, Designer for TDoS, says that she went extreme in the design in the master bedroom, putting guest experience at the core of her choices. For example, a king-sized bed handmade in Sweden by Hästens, which take four artisans more than 300 hours creating it and an 18-month timeline, “It will be the most comfortable bed at sea,” Błasiak says.

And unlike the most exclusive residences and retreats on land, the stunning views from Regent Suite’s floor-to-ceiling wall of windows along three sides of the ship change daily as guests sail to iconic destinations and hidden gems across the world.

Regent Seven Seas Splendor debuts in Europe 2020, heads to Miami for the winter season, then returns in late April, sailing European itineraries with stops to the Greek Isles, French Riviera, Iberian Peninsula, United Kingdom and more.