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MSC Bellissima to sail year-round from Japan

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 01 May 2023 01 May 2023

MSC Cruises hosted a special event on board MSC Bellissima in Yokohama, Japan to mark the start of the summer 2023 season and to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the line’s presence in the country. At the same time, sales have today opened for MSC Cruises’ first ever winter season in Japan. With cruises now year-round from Japan, MSC Cruises offers the largest cruise capacity in the region, setting the line on track to become the number one cruise line in the country.

The new winter programme on MSC Bellissima will commence from November 2023 with an 11-night, 9-night and 6-night cruise from Yokohama. From January to March 2024, MSC Bellissima will homeport in Naha in Okinawa offering guests from around the world the opportunity to experience Japan’s stunning landscapes and beaches, rich cultural heritage, ancient traditions, and modern attractions with multiple destinations – all without having to repack a suitcase.

The Winter 23/24 season will see MSC Bellissima sailing within Japan and to Keelung, Taiwan, offering cruises of four to five nights in length, with varying itineraries visiting destinations such as:

– Okinawa, Japan - The fifth largest island of Japan is known for its balmy tropical climate, expansive beaches and stunning coral reefs, as well as historical sites
– Ishigaki, Japan – Another stunning beach destination with incredible snorkelling, diving and surfing sites, guests may go searching for the Shiraho Reef's rare blue coral in Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park
– Keelung, Taiwan (China) - Keelung City is surrounded by inspiring mountains and is home to a bustling waterfront, where street-food stalls at Miaokou Night Market offer traditional snacks and seafood. Several forts pepper the area and offer breath-taking views out to sea
– Miyako Island, Japan - Miyako Island is revered for its white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. Guests will delight in local foods, including sweet mangoes, or go out looking for adventure in the many underwater caverns

This summer, MSC Bellissima is now sailing eight- to nine-night summer sailings out of Yokohama, Tokyo - offering one-of-a-kind opportunities to discover the beauty of the region. Some of the departures still have availability – for more information visit here.

Emerald Sakara floated out in Vietnam

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 April 2023 30 April 2023

Final fit-out operations are near completion on Emerald Cruises’ latest ocean-going yacht, Emerald Sakara, as it prepares for upcoming sea trials. Work is also on schedule to see the stylish interior completed and fully outfitted before the first guests arrive for the inaugural sailing. The debut sailing – the eight-day Ionian Sea Adventure from Athens to Rome on August 5, 2023 – is less than three months away.

Emerald Sakara, the second luxury yacht to join the Emerald Cruises fleet, was custom built by The Halong Shipbuilding Company in Vietnam and follows quickly in the wake of identical sister-yacht, Emerald Azzurra, which launched in March 2022.

Both the Emerald Sakara and Emerald Azzurra feature just 50 luxury suites and staterooms, 88 percent of which have a private balcony or terrace. With a maximum of 100 guests on a given journey, Emerald Sakara, like her sister yacht, offers a new type of exclusive cruising experience, exploring ports and harbors only accessible to small yachts.

“Karen and I have overseen the development and construction of Emerald Sakara and having visited the shipyard recently can say it certainly exceeds our expectations,” said Glen Moroney, Chairman and founder of The Scenic Group, Emerald Cruises’ parent company.

“Being able to add to the Emerald Cruises fleet so swiftly is a sign of the reception our new yachts have received from guests and our travel partners. Emerald Sakara opens up a whole world of new destinations that are sure to spark greater demand.” Karen Moroney is co-owner and head of product services for Scenic Group.

Onboard, Emerald Sakara’s Wellness Center comes complete with spa (where various body therapies are available), gym and state-of-the-art infrared sauna; while the Sky Bar, infinity pool and comfortable public areas on the top decks provide the perfect place to relax and watch the world go by.

The yacht’s marina platform was designed with watersports in mind. Guests can plunge into activities like swimming; borrow the gear to snorkel, paddleboard or take one of the SEABOBs out for a spin; or dive in with a little help from the deployable water-trampoline.

After Emerald Sakara’s August debut, the yacht will embark on a summer season exploring the coastal waters of Italy, Greece, Türkiye and the Adriatic. From there, it’s off to cross the Atlantic where the Emerald Sakara will winter in the Caribbean and Central American sun. The first Eastern Caribbean and Grenadines sailing is scheduled to depart on November 17, 2023. The yacht will be christened on December 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico by her godmother Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of CLIA.

The inaugural eight-day Ionian Sea Adventure begins on August 5, 2023, in Rome (Civitavecchia) and heads to Athens (Pireaus), stopping at picturesque ports along the way. Guests can live it up with the glitterati on a guided walking tour of Capri, sample Sorrento’s famed gelato in one of many seaside towns or take in the colorful terraced houses of the Amalfi Coast as they kayak along the blue water. Other tempting excursions include a relaxing afternoon river tubing in Alcantara, hiking through olive groves in Cephalonia, and stepping back in time on a tour of the ancient ruins at Delphi.

TUI shares continue downward drift despite recent good news

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 April 2023 27 April 2023

Shares in TUI AG, the German tour operating company that has its main listing in London, have continued their downward drift despite some good news recently.

Shares in the company that has interests in 16 cruise liners that operate under the Mein Schiff, Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten and Marella Cruises brands, traded at £5.10 at mid-morning on 27 April. They had hit an all time high of £20.30 in May 2018.

However, the fall in the price has effectively been much deeper, because on 23 February, TUI completed a consolidation of its shares whereby 10 old shares were exchanged for one new share. Taking this into account, shares in the company would only be worth £0.51 today. In other words, on like-for-like basis, they have dropped by 97.5% in the past five years.

After completing a rights issue and with the shares going ex-rights on 28 March, the Anglo-German group reported strong demand for bookings across all markets, proactiveinvestor. co.uk reported in mid-April.

“Citi analyst Leo Carrington updated the bank's forecast model for the company to reflect terms of the rights issue, upgrading to a 'neutral (high risk)' rating from the previous 'sell (high risk)' stance,” the report said.

"With the stock having abruptly de-rated 22% since trading ex-rights we see valuation upside," the analyst was cited as writing.

He gave TUI a neutral rather than a buy rating amid a context of summer 2023 booking volumes still being down 11% compared to pre-pandemic 2019 as of 5 February, though the latest statement is suggesting some upside to these levels, the report said

“Perhaps the biggest problem facing TUI is the €3.4bn net debt burden the business is grappling with (excluding lease liabilities). In order to survive the pandemic when international travel came to a sudden halt, the company borrowed heavily. The Hanover-based firm received aid from the German government as well as other creditors,” a report on the investor website fool.co.uk said in April.

The recent €1.8 billion discounted rights issue should bring net interest payments under control, reducing them by approximately €80m to €90m.

“However, net debt remains a huge concern — and it’s enough to put me off investing at present. Granted, there’s certainly a route to a brighter future for the company and I’ll keep TUI shares on my watchlist. But, I’m not convinced the risk/reward profile of the stock is attractive, especially considering there could be further dilution of shareholder interests,” the report concluded.

Princess Cruises adds British-inspired beverage options to UK based ships

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 April 2023 27 April 2023

Princess Cruises said it would be adding a host of ales, wines and other British-favourite beverages such as Pimm’s as part of an enhanced drinks selection on its Southampton-based ships, Sky Princess and Regal Princess.

Available on sailings departing Southampton from April to October 2023, guests onboard the Royal Class ships can take advantage of a range of newly-introduced drinks, with Pimm’s on offer during select sailaway parties, Ketel One espresso martinis on tap, and a new cocktail menu with flavours including rhubarb and custard, Bakewell tart and Liquorice Allsorts.

An extended range of beers, based on British-favourites, will include San Miguel and London Pride, as well as new handpicked, locally-sourced British wines. Princess will also introduce a range of ready-to-drink offerings at grab-and-go stations in locations such as the top deck and the Princess Theatre.

Rich Woods, an award-winning mixologist, has overseen the new drinks menu, and will be a special guest onboard Sky Princess, creating unique cocktails for passengers, and hosting expert cocktail-making classes.

Eithne Williamson, vice president of Princess Cruises for UK and Europe, said: “Following recent consumer research that looked at our UK guests’ favourite beverages, we are pleased to offer an extended choice of drinks that are tailored to British tastes to Sky and Regal this year. In addition, the expertise of Rich Woods, our award-winning mixologist, has allowed us to offer fantastic, one-off cocktails alongside some well-known classics. We can’t wait to welcome guests onboard to enjoy a relaxing drink or two while unwinding on their holiday-at-sea.”

Image: Take Five bar on Sky Princess

Queen Mary 2 to sail on five night coronation cruise

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 April 2023 27 April 2023

Cunard has announced that Queen Mary 2 will operate a five night coronation cruise that will depart from Southampton on 2 May after the company had been forced to cancel a roundtrip Trans-Atlantic voyage due to technical problems on the ship.

The ship will call at Liverpool, where Cunard was founded in 1840. This will be the only port of call on the cruise that will terminate at Southampton.

Among the events onboard will be a special dinner on 6 May, the day of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The coronation itself will be broadcast onboard live from London, the company said.