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Thomson adds Dubrovnik to 2015 base ports, withdraws from ex UK cruising, upgrades two more ships to Plantinum standard

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 March 2014 24 March 2014

Thomson Cruises, the operator of four medium sized cruise ships in the TUI travel plc group, says it will add Dubrovnik in Croatia to the list of its base ports in 2015 at the same time as it will withdraw from cruising from British ports.

"From May 2015, Thomson Celebration will be setting up home in the beautiful, walled city of Dubrovnik, the perfect jumping off point to begin exploring the stretches of Croatian coastline as well as some of the most interesting Mediterranean and Adriatic destinations," the company said in a statement.

"Thomson Cruises will be devoting the entire season’s cruising to ‘adults only’ with four new itineraries for customers to enjoy. These include the ‘Adriatic Affair’, ‘Croatian Classics’, ‘Grecian Legends’, and ‘Taste of the Adriatic’, and 10 new ports of call including Sibenik, Korcula, Rovinj, Split, and Hvar in Croatia, Trieste, Bari, and Brindisi in Italy, and Corinth and Itea in Greece."

Meanwhile, two more ships - Thomson Spirit and Thomson Majesty - have been treated to a modern makeover and now join the Thomson Platinum collection alongside Thomson Dream and Thomson Celebration, further enhancing the holiday experience for Thomson Cruises customers.

In order to make the Platinum grade, ships must score ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ with 90% or more of customers. "Guests should expect a more contemporary look and feel on-board including modern furnishings, flat screen TVs, iPod docking stations in suites, and themed a la carte restaurant. Both stylish ships will also benefit from the addition of private sea view balcony cabins - 28 on Majesty and 19 on Spirit."

The move means that only the 42,000 gross ton Island Escape, operated by sister brand Island Cruises, has not been upgraded.

The addition of the 33,930 gross ton Thomson Celebration’s new home port for Summer 2015 cruising not only brings extra capacity on Thomson flights to Dubrovnik, but sees new regional airports added to the mix. Increasing airline capacity for flights to Dubrovnik to 50,000 seats for the summer season, flights will now operate from Glasgow, Newcastle and Bristol, as well as existing Dubrovnik-serving airports Birmingham, Manchester and London Gatwick, providing customers with the convenience of jetting off on holiday from their doorstep.

Summer 2015 will see Platinum ship Thomson Spirit swapits ex UK home ports for Marmaris, Turkey. The ship will operate mainly from Newcastle, Harwich amnd Liverpool in the coming summer season.

"This culturally diverse country, where spice markets rub shoulders with chic boutiques, and sun-baked beaches are accompanied by dramatic mountains, provides two new ports of call for Thomson Cruises in 2015 - Bozcaada and Izmir. The addition of Thessaloniki, Kavala, Chios Town and Patmos Town to the existing line-up of Greek favourites brings the ship’s new port call total to six. Some of these new destinations can be enjoyed as part of Thomson Spirit’s new ‘Undiscovered Aegean’ itinerary, taking in some of the less explored regions the Aegean has to offer."

The company said an injection of glamour will hit the 54,000 gross ton Thomson Dream’s itineraries next summer, offering guests a portfolio of brand new destinations to explore on the new ‘Mediterranean Secrets’ itinerary, featuring Elba, San Remo (for Monaco), and La Spezia (for Portofino) in Italy, Sete (for Carcassonne) in France and Tarragona, Spain. The allure of Italian cobbled streets, fabulous cites and seductive sands should make summer 2015 one to remember for guests of Thomson Cruises.

For summer 2015, the 41,000 gross ton Thomson Majesty will be visiting six new ports of call including, Ravenna and Lipari in Italy, Durres in Albania, where the sands stretch for an impressive 10 kilometres, Rijeka in Croatia, Chania in Crete which is said to be the prettiest town in Greece, and Kalamata which hugs the coast along Messinia and the Main peninsula.

The summer 2015 line up also offer customers the chance to twin their cruise with a stay in a Thomson Cruise & Stay resort, with even more hotels introduced to the collection next year, including Thomson Couples, Thomson Platinum and Thomson Family. Customers wishing to Cruise & Stay have the extra choice and flexibility to design their holiday to suit their needs, with three, four or seven night durations on offer.

Managing Director for Thomson Cruises, Helen Caron said: “Summer 2015 will be a record year for Thomson Cruises as we introduce a total of 28 new ports of calls, 13 new itineraries and an exciting new home port of Dubrovnik for Thomson Celebration.

“Listening to our customers is at the heart of all our planning, which is why we’re offering more choice and variety of destinations in our some of our favoured locations, and providing our guests the flexibility on their holiday to Cruise & Stay, with even more hotels introduced to our collection. We hope the investment to modernise our ships and give Thomson Spirit and Thomson Majesty the Platinum seal of approval, along with the introduction of balcony cabins, will enhance the overall experience for everyone we welcome on-board.”

Costa to add Costa Classica to Costa neoCollection fleet

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 March 2014 22 March 2014

Costa Cruises is adding Costa Classica to its new product line, the Costa neoCollection. In December 2014 following a major refit, the 53,000-ton, 654-cabin Costa Classica will join the Costa neoCollection and be renamed Costa neoClassica. Together with Costa neoRomantica and Costa neoRiviera, Costa neoClassica will offer longer "slow cruising" itineraries to unique destinations with beautiful natural scenery and exciting cultural attractions.

Costa neoClassica's arrival will herald the introduction of new destinations and new itineraries. The ship's first cruise, the 26-day "From Egypt to the Spice Islands" voyage will depart Savona, Italy, Dec. 18, 2014. After transiting the Suez Canal, guests will be able to visit Jerusalem on Christmas Day during a call at Eilat, Israel; at Aqaba, Jordan, there will be excursions to the rose-red city of Petra; and at Safaga, Egypt, guests can visit the region's ancient marvels.

Costa neoClassica will start 2015 with calls at Oman and the Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion Island and Mauritius in the African region.

From Jan. 11 through Feb. 22, 2015, Costa neoClassica will offer four 16-day "Indian Ocean, Paradise on Earth" cruises from its homeport of Port Louis, Mauritius. The leisurely itinerary will enable guests to explore the pristine beaches, turquoise water and palm trees of the Seychelles on a two-night, three-day call at Mahé, followed by stops to experience the natural splendor of Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius. Guests will travel from Italy to Mauritius for the cruise on a Costa charter flight.

On March 8 Costa neoClassica heads back to the Mediterranean on a grand 32-day cruise themed "From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean of Antiquity," sailing from Mauritius and calling at Madagascar, the Seychelles, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Croatia and Italy.

From April through June and from September through November, Costa neoClassica will sail from Venice and Ancona, Italy, on the 11-day "Venice and Italy's Treasures" itinerary. The route is a journey of discovery to Mediterranean locations full of history and culture including Calabria, Italy, and Sicily with calls at Corigliano Calabro, Italy; Syracuse, Sicily; Ionian Greece; Malta; Kotor, Montenegro; and Split, Croatia.

From April through September the ship also will sail a 16-day "Voyage from Venice to the Black Sea" itinerary from Venice and Ancona.

From June 27 through Aug. 15 Costa neoClassica will depart every Saturday from Istanbul on a weeklong "Istanbul and the Greek Islands" itinerary with air connections via Costa charter flights from Italy.

The itinerary includes calls at Rhodes, Kos and Samos, Greece; and Izmir, Turkey, before returning to Istanbul, where guests can spend a full day and stay onboard overnight before disembarking for home. The unhurried call at Istanbul lets guests visit such attractions as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace, Spice Market and more.

In the evening guests can dine at the evocative Kervansaray Night Club or marvel at the city during a boat ride on the Bosphorus.

With Costa neoCollection cruises, each port is highlighted by tours tailor-made for small groups of no more than 25 participants. Planned down to the last detail, guests become immersed in the culture, scenery and flavors of each call along the route.

Fred. Olsen to offer two return crossings from Liverpool to Canada 2015

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 March 2014 21 March 2014

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational operator of four medium sized cruise ships, will offer two return crossings to Canada from Liverpool in the north west of England in 2015, the Liverpool Echo daily said on its website.

The 28,000 gross on Black Watch will make a 28-night “Cities & Landscapes of Canada” cruise that will depart Liverpool on 22 May, making a mid-Atlantic call at the Azores, port-hopping along the Canadian coast and transiting the St Lawrence River far inland to Quebec and Montreal. Fares start from £2,999 per person for the voyage and rise to £5,499 for a premier cabin with balcony or suite.

The cruise liner will also run a shorter 16-night traditional Canadian experience on 14 August, from Liverpool called the “Rugged & Rural Canada” cruise. This late summer cruise visits three eastern Canadian provinces but does not enter the St Lawrence River. Fares range from £1,699 to £3,199 per person. Both cruises can be booked from next Monday (Mar 24).

"These will be the first direct sailings to Canada since Canadian Pacific’s flagship SS Empress of Canada closed ocean liner services from her Liverpool homeport 43 years ago," the paper said. Empress of Canada sailed as such for only 12 years - 1961-72 - but became well known as Mardi Gras of Carnival Cruise Lines.

Earlier, Cunard Line announced a voyage from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston in July to commemorate the company's foundation in Liverpool in 1840. The cabins reserved for passengers boarding the 2,620 berth Queen Mary 2 in Liverpool quickly sold out.

Liverpool is panning to replace a current, temporary cruise terminal with a permanent one by converting the Cunard Building on the famous Pier Head waterfront for this purpose. It is scheduled to open in 2015.

Voyages to Antiquity to offer five and nine night fly cruise in May

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 March 2014 21 March 2014

Voyages to Antiquity, the British boutique cruise brand that focuses on destinations with historic interest, will offer a five night fly cruise from Istanbul to Athens and a nine night one from there to Rome in May, the company said in an email to Cruise Business. This is a new departure for the company, whose cruises usually are of 14 nights' duration and which also offers combinations of these cruises as grand voyages.

P&O Cruises cut brochure prices to reverse last minute bargain hunt trend

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 March 2014 21 March 2014

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in Carnival Corp & plc group, is changing its pricing in a bid to secure more early bookings and to offer customers who book early the best value, Travel Weekly reports in a daily newsletter.

Christopher Edgington, marketing director, said the company was looking to reverse the current trade of dropping prices late on. “We have reduced the prices on 100 cruises in this new brochure. We want to give our passengers the best value possible and we wanted our prices to be more aligned with the market. Passengers need to book early to make sure they get the best price possible, and this needs to be reinforced," he was quoted as saying.

The company unveiled its 2015/16 programme on Monday.

“In the past the industry has gone from high to low when it comes to pricing and with this change we are looking to go from low to high.” He said it would then be possible to potentially raise prices nearer to the departure date for last-minute bookings.