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Swan Hellenic opens bookings for enhanced 2026-2027 Antarctic cruises

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 27 February 2025 27 February 2025

Swan Hellenic today announced its 2026-2027 Antarctic Season cruises, enabling expedition cruise enthusiasts to plan well in advance and book now to avoid disappointment.

The cultural expedition cruise pioneer has attracted continually increasing interest with its expert-led expeditions and extensive choice of cruises, several of which sail further south into the Antarctic Circle than other expedition options.

Further attractions are Swan Hellenic’s much-praised guest service and elegant but informal, boutique ice-class vessels, the five-star sister ships SH Vega and slightly larger SH Diana, accommodating 152 and 192 guests respectively. But this exclusive experience also means limited capacity. Even with a total of 24 Antarctic departures between them, only 4,777 guest places are available for the entire 2026-2027 season. Which is why wise adventurers book well in advance and Swan Hellenic has announced everything as early as possible. With bookings for its 2025-2026 Antarctic sailings already past the 60% mark, non-planners can still take heart, but now’s the time to make a move for peace of mind.

At the heart of the season are 24 round-trip voyages from homeport Ushuaia, the “end of the world” in southern Argentina. Each follows one in a select series of five expertly curated itineraries exploring the Antarctic Peninsula in depth, three of which approach it from the lesser-visited Weddell Sea. Famous as one of the clearest bodies of water on earth, this is where explorer Ernest Shackleton was forced to abandon his ship Endurance to the ice.

Special Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year of the Horse celebration cruises are offered, with SH Vega combining Christmas and New Year in the 13-night Roundtrip Cruise to Ushuaia from 22 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.

A long semi-circumnavigation voyage complements these round-trip cruises, the 20-night South Atlantic Cruise from Cape Town, South Africa, to Ushuaia aboard SH Diana. This ocean discovery voyage explores Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, along with the South Sandwich Islands and South Georgia Island, Shackleton’s final resting place.

A distinctive new feature of Swan Hellenic’s Antarctica cruises introduced for the 2026-2027 season will be the opportunity to walk on the wild side in included expert-led snowshoeing expeditions that enable beginner and experienced guests alike to explore further than a normal landing activity. Typically around one and a half hours long, each will be led by two experienced mountaineers and will of course be dependent on the snow conditions.

All Swan Hellenic cruises are fully inclusive and feature gourmet cuisine, specialist talks and hands-on, expert-led expeditions.

“We’re really excited about our new Antarctica offerings and the fantastic developments they introduce,” says Swan Hellenic Chief Commercial Officer Patrizia Iantorno. “From deep exploration of the Weddell Sea, one of the most pristine intact ecosystems on earth, to our new snowshoeing expeditions, they offer brilliant opportunities to see what others don’t on life-changing voyages exploring the world’s last great wilderness.”

Resorts World Cruises brings back Star Cruises and Dream Cruises brands

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 February 2025 26 February 2025

Resorts World Cruises has announced the return of two of former cruise brands – StarCruises (a refreshed take on the previous Star Cruises brand) and Dream Cruises. The Resorts World Cruises brand was used temporarily to restart cruising in Asia post Covid, and the company will be reverting to its original roots, which span over the last 30 years. The brand transition period will take approximately three months with the renewed ambition to reinforce StarCruises and Dream Cruises as pioneers of the Asian and global cruising industry.

Launched in June 2022, Resorts World Cruises has successfully welcomed close to two million passengers to date, setting the foundation for this momentous transformation. Now, as part of this historic revival, its fleet will transition under both brands:
– The Resorts World One cruise ship will be renamed Star Navigator, joining Star Voyager under the StarCruises banner.
– Genting Dream will continue under the Dream Cruises brand.

The transformation goes beyond a name change, as it is a declaration of excellence, innovation, and commitment to redefining cruising in Asia with unique, refreshed cruising experiences tailored to different markets, the company said in a statement.

Windstar Cruises announces brand collaboration with London’s The O2

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 February 2025 23 February 2025

Windstar Cruises has announced a new sponsorship with AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), the world leader in sports and entertainment. Starting in February, Windstar will become the official cruise line of AEG owned venue The O2, the world’s most popular live entertainment, leisure, and retail destination.

As the world’s busiest arena, The O2 hosts over 200 events a year and has welcomed legendary artists and comedians including U2, Trevor Noah, Adele, The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish, Chris Rock, Madonna, Beyoncé, Drake and many more since opening in 2007. It has also been home to world-class sporting events including the London 2012 Olympics, NBA season games, UFC, and the Laver Cup.

Windstar’s sponsorship reinforces a company commitment to supporting and working with brands in the Anschutz Corporation family. Windstar Cruises is owned by Xanterra Leisure Holding, LLC, which like AEG, is part of the Anschutz Corporation. The sponsorship brings Windstar brand exposure across the venue to reach new potential travelers for the line’s small ship cruises. Visitors to the newest Premium space, The NinetyThird by Qatar Airways, will see a Windstar ship model on display year-round.

As the second largest cruise market globally, the UK is a key growth focus for Windstar. Windstar Cruises is strengthening its presence in the region, working with The Cruise Line, which recently launched a new UK website with pricing in pounds. Itineraries created to appeal to UK travelers include a new series of 3- to 4-day cruises sailing roundtrip from London departing from the iconic Tower Bridge, 10-day Canary Islands cruises sailing roundtrip from Santa Cruz de Tenerife November through February, easily accessible sailings in the Mediterranean and Greece, and two 7-night Northern Europe voyages with homeports in London.

“We are thrilled to be showcasing our brand in this iconic venue and to be reaching new prospective guests for Windstar,” said Windstar President Christopher Prelog. “AEG, The O2, and Windstar are all leaders in their respective categories, and we feel this is a great first step in a meaningful and rich collaboration.”

Nathan Kosky, Vice President at AEG Global Partnerships commented: “We warmly welcome Windstar Cruises, our newest sponsor to The O2, as they explore new opportunities for their expansion. We look forward to working together to showcase their offering to the millions of fans who visit the venue every year.”

Celestyal Journey returns to service following refurbishment

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 February 2025 20 February 2025

Celestyal Journey has returned to service in the Arabian Gulf following a planned refurbishment in Dubai.

The 1,260-passenger ship set sail on February 15 on the Amazing Desert itinerary, departing and returning to Doha, making calls in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, with an overnight stay at Dubai Marina, as well as visits to Khasab and Sir Bani Yas Island.

The €6.5 million refurbishment included a new look with the distinctive waves and stars of the new brand identity, matching its fleetmate, Celestyal Discovery. Silicone paint was also applied to underwater areas and the energy management system was updated to improve the ship's operational efficiency and performance.

Celestyal Journey has two additional Amazing Desert voyages scheduled from Doha on February 22 and March 1, 2025, and three voyages from Dubai on February 17 and 24, 2025, plus a new voyage on March 3, 2025, added due to high demand.

Following this season, the ship will move to Athens for the start of its Greece and Mediterranean season, where it will undergo further maintenance procedures before beginning her new Sublime Greece, Italy and Croatia itinerary on April 12, 2025. This itinerary includes calls in Kefalonia, Kotor, Bari, Corfu and Katakolo, with a late-night call in Dubrovnik.

Celestyal Journey will return to the Arabian Gulf on December 6, 2025, opening the season with a special cruise celebrating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Subsequently, Celestyal Discovery, will join the fleet in the region on 12 December 2025, with Abu Dhabi as her home port.

Lee Haslett, Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, commented: “We are delighted that our beloved Celestyal Journey has returned to service, looking and performing better than ever. Her new livery makes her easily recognisable as a Celestyal ship, while technical improvements will ensure smooth sailing for all our guests.

“We have experienced phenomenal demand on our Arabian Gulf itineraries, with our final three Doha-Doha sailings operating at full capacity. Overall, since the launch of the programme, we have exceeded our occupancy forecasts by 35%, demonstrating the strong interest in exploring this beautiful region on board our intimate, mid-sized ships.”

MSC World America completes sea trials

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 February 2025 19 February 2025

MSC Cruises’ latest newbuild, MSC World America has successfully completed the deep-water intensive systems tests during a final sea trial in the Atlantic Ocean.

MSC World America will become MSC Cruises’ 23rd ship and represents an evolution for the cruise line’s successful World Class platform with re-imagined venues and concepts tailored specifically to the U.S. market, combining European style with American comfort.

The new ship will also be the first in the fleet to feature seven onboard districts that bring together a range of tailored experiences. Combining bars, restaurants, entertainment and leisure facilities, each district will meet the needs, moods and desires of different types of travelers.

The sea trials checked the performance of the ship’s engines, maneuverability, fuel consumption, safety systems, speed and stopping distances. The ship will now receive her final finishing touches at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France before being officially delivered to the cruise line on March 27.

MSC World America will be officially named on April 9 at the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, the largest terminal in the world.

The ship’s maiden voyage will be a celebratory sailing to the company’s private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas ahead of the vessel’s deployment in the Caribbean Sea.

The 22-deck vessel has a Gross Tonnage of 216,638 and measures 1,093 feet in length and 154 feet in width. The ship will also have a capacity for 6,762 passengers and 2,138 crew, featuring 2,614 cabins and offering more than 413,334 square feet of public space.

MSC World America will have 18 bars and lounges and 19 dining venues, including four main restaurants, two buffets, two venues in the MSC Yacht Club exclusively for its guests, as well as six additional specialty restaurants.

Guests can expect new dining concepts, including Greek restaurant Paxos and the only Eataly restaurant at sea, along with new complimentary fast casual options to cater to every taste and temptation.

The new flagship will also debut two brand-new lounge concepts – the All-Stars Sports Bar, offering an authentic game-day atmosphere with all-American flair and bar games, as well as The Loft, a multi-purpose venue for comedy, karaoke and more.

The ship’s inaugural season from Miami starts on April 12 sailing an alternating 7-night Eastern and 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries with stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Isla de Roatan, Honduras; and Ocean Cay.

MSC World America’s use of LNG enables a direct transition towards drop-in bio and synthetic renewable LNG fuels. The ship is fitted with shore power connectivity, which allows the ship’s engines to be switched off while in port, eliminating local emissions and improving local air quality and the new MSC Cruise Terminal is equipped with shore power capability.

The ship also has an advanced wastewater treatment plant and a comprehensive on-board recycling management plant to minimize waste.

MSC Cruises’ current orderbook includes MSC World Asia to be delivered in 2026 and a yet unnamed fourth World Class vessel in 2027.