National Geographic Orion to undergo renovations

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 06 August 2014 06 August 2014

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has announced that National Geographic Orion will undergo renovations to two public spaces during dry dock this September.  The renovations will be made to two public spaces: The Lounge (main) and the Observation Lounge, and are being redesigned to better serve the dynamic, learning-oriented community of guests and staff aboard.

The renovations are being done by ICF Singapore, a world leader in interior ship design, and will be completed in time for the September 16, 2014 Wild Encounters from Borneo to Bali expedition.
 
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic launched the 102-guest National Geographic Orion in March 2014. While she has retained all her state-of-the-art comforts, the ship was equipped with a full roster of exploration tools including tandem kayaks, an innovative ROV (remotely operated vehicle reaching depths up to 1,000 feet), snorkeling gear for all, a dive master, scuba gear that can accommodate up to 24 divers at a time, and a glass bottom boat.

Lusitania exhibition to be assembled for commemoration cruise aboard Queen Victoria

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 06 August 2014 06 August 2014

Cunard has commissioned historian Eric Sauder to produce a temporary exhibition of Lusitania memorabilia that will be displayed on board Queen Victoria during her 3 May 2015 voyage commemorating the loss of Lusitania 100 years earlier. Eric Sauder has been interested in ocean liners, particularly Lusitania, for more than 30 years, with his first job being a tour guide on Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. He has dived on the wreck of Lusitania and has authored two books on the subject: RMS Lusitania: The Ship and Her Record and The Unseen Lusitania: The Ship in Rare Illustrations, the latter to be released for the 100th anniversary of the sinking.

Lusitania was the first of 22 Cunard ships lost in the First World War. On 7 May 2015 it will be exactly 100 years since the Cunard flagship was torpedoed while en route from New York to Liverpool. The ship sank approximately 11 miles off the old Head of Kinsale in Ireland.

This special seven-night Lusitania Remembered cruise by Queen Victoria will commemorate the loss of Lusitania and the other Cunard ships in World War One. Queen Victoria will call at Cobh (formerly Queenstown) on 7 May 2015. Cobh will forever be associated with the tragedy. The sinking was a human catastrophe on a scale that this small town had not experienced before or since. People there witnessed first-hand the trauma, tragedy and heartbreak that ensued. The dead, the injured and the bereaved were brought among a community that mobilised itself and responded with courage and compassion to their needs.

"The sinking of Lusitania was a tragedy and we intend to mark the anniversary of her sinking on 7 May 2015 in a fitting and respectful way,” said David Dingle, CEO of Cunard Line. “But her story was also one of triumph in the technical achievement of her construction and her glittering career from 1907 until the outbreak of war. We are pleased to be working with Eric Sauder on this exhibition that will recall that triumph and tragedy, and bring an added element on this special Lusitania voyage which the passengers who book this special cruise will experience."

Eric Sauder said, "I have been fascinated will all things Lusitania for many years and am pleased to be working with Cunard on this exhibition that I hope will bring to life the Lusitania story in a unique way.”

All passengers aboard Queen Victoria will be invited to attend a special service ashore as well as witness a number of other tributes occurring that day, and a Commemorative Dinner will be held for them that night on board the ship.

Sailing from and back to Southampton, the Lusitania Remembered voyage will call at St. Peter Port (Guernsey), Le Havre, Cobh and Dublin. Cunard fares start from $1399 per person for an inside cabin and from $2099 for a balcony cabin.

The Lusitania exhibit will feature china, silver, brochures, postcards, memorabilia and souvenirs that will bring to life the story of Cunard's flagship.

Lusitania and her sister Mauretania were the first of the floating palaces and today still conjure up images of power, speed, Palm Courts, Smoking Rooms, afternoon tea and grand staircases.

Royal Caribbean reveals details of Voyager of the Seas revitalization

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 05 August 2014 05 August 2014

Breaking surf-report: a wave unlike any other is due to hit Singapore this November. The newly revamped Voyager of the Seas will emerge out of a month-long drydock at Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore. The multimillion-dollar investment will see Asia’s largest cruise ship undergo a bow-to-stern makeover and she will be packed with even more amenities including the region’s first FlowRider surfing simulator. Guests can now ride the perfect wave at any time, even in the middle of the ocean.  
 
Highlights of Voyager of the Seas’ revitalisation include:  
 
– FlowRider: Onshore or offshore, you never have to wait for good wind conditions to catch the perfect wave on the FlowRider. Whether you surf, boogie board or wake board, test your skills on the 12 meter long surf simulator or watch others take on the challenge from the nearby stadium seating. There are also private lessons for those that want to really hone their skills. For more information about the FlowRider, see the following video: http://goo.gl/WdQz0i
   
– Virtual Balconies: Interior rooms with a view of the ocean! Virtual Balconies will provide guests in select interior staterooms with real-time sights and sounds of the sea, displayed on an 80-inch, high definition screen framed to look like a real balcony. An industry first concept from the Quantum Class of ships, the Virtual Balconies onboard Voyager of the Seas will be one of only three ships to offer this unique feature.  
– 3D Movie Theatre: Already a huge hit on Mariner of the Seas, Royal Caribbean provides the glasses and the action in the onboard 3D movie theatre – all guests have to do is sit back and prepare to be wowed as new releases from DreamWorks and other film studios come to life in stunning 3D! Plus, the ship will also feature a 220-square foot outdoor movie screen by the pool which will screen movies and be used for giant video game challenges.  
 
New dining options

A wide array of delectable dining options will be added to Voyager of the Seas, including Giovanni’s Table Italian trattoria, Royal Caribbean’s signature Chop’s Grille steakhouse and Izumi Asian Cuisine. Plus, the ship’s Champagne Bar will be re-conceptualised into Royal Caribbean’s retro-chic R Bar, channeling the sophisticated 1960s era, complete with iconic furnishings and signature cocktails created by savvy mixologists. There will also be a new Diamond Lounge for Crown & Anchor guests to enjoy.   
 
Technology

Voyager of the Seas will have a host of up-to-the-minute technologies added including new digital signage to help guests find their way around the ship and to find out what’s happening onboard, shipwide Wi-Fi service and flat panel televisions in every stateroom.

The 137,276 gross ton ship will depart for Australia after her dry-dock on November 25, on a 13 night-cruise to Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney. Her arrival will kick-start the third summer season in Australia. The guests onboard this repositioning cruise will be amongst the first in the world to experience Voyager of the Seas’ new features. For her return to Asia next year, she will offer a 14-Night Fremantle to Singapore Cruise on April 1 with stopovers at Port Hedland, Bangkok (Laem Chabang) (overnight) and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), followed by a scenic 10-Night Singapore to Tokyo cruise on April 15, which calls at at Nha Trang, Hong Kong, Taipei (Keelung) and Nagasaki.

P&O Cruises launches Singapore cruise program

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 05 August 2014 05 August 2014

Australia’s leading cruise line P&O Cruises today announced a series of cruises from Singapore following its expansion to a five-ship fleet.

The cruise line’s Singapore season will include five cruises to destinations in some of the most picturesque parts of Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia and will feature maiden calls to Krabi, Sabang (Palau Weh), Ko Chang, and Sihanoukville.

The cruises will be operated by one of P&O Cruises’ latest ships, Pacific Eden, which will join the cruise line’s fleet in November next year. Pacific Eden will arrive in Singapore in July 2016 and sail on four roundtrip cruises before returning to Australia.

“This is a very exciting time for P&O Cruises and our guests because our fleet expansion has allowed us to broaden our cruising horizons to include a cruise program from Asia to some of the world’s most fascinating destinations,” said Ann Sherry, CEO of P&O Cruises.

“None of this would have been possible without the expansion of our fleet which has allowed us to offer many more cruise holiday options over a wider geographic range.”

P&O Cruises last offered roundtrip cruises from Singapore in 2006.

The Singapore season will include:

– a seven-night South East Asia western itinerary visiting the Malaysian and Thailand towns of Sabang, Phuket, Krabi and Langkawi

–  a seven-night South East Asia eastern itinerary offering calls to stunning Sihanoukville in Cambodia as well as Ko Chang, Bangkok (Laem Chabang) and Ko Samui in Thailand

– a 13-night itinerary from Singapore to Cairns with a call to Dili in Timor L’este as well as visits to Indonesia and Darwin.

Passengers can also combine the east and west itineraries into a 14-night cruise. Fares begin from $949 per person quad share for the seven-night cruises.

The Singapore season is a major highlight of P&O Cruises’ record-breaking 2015-16 program which features 250 cruises from eight different homeports across its five-ship fleet.

Singapore Tourism Board Assistant Chief Executive Neeta Lachmandas said the board was thrilled that P&O Cruises was expanding its presence in Asia and Singapore, and would warmly welcome Pacific Eden to the region.

“Singapore’s strong air connectivity and seamless transport network supports P&O Cruises’ new itineraries in enabling more travellers, especially Australian cruisers, to use Singapore as a hub to discover the amazing diversity of Southeast Asia,” Ms Lachmandas said.
.
Ms Sherry said P&O Cruises’ Singapore-based itineraries were a further sign of the maturing of the Australian market and its runaway success as the world’s fastest growing cruise market. “Last year, nearly 834,000 Australians took a cruise holiday, 20 per cent more than in 2012, and many of these are people who have cruised before and are now keen for new destinations and new cultural experiences,” Ms Sherry said.

“As growth in the fly-cruise segment shows, an increasing number of passengers are prepared to travel internationally to begin their cruise and P&O Cruises is responding to this market opportunity.”