Hurtigruten Norway launches two premium journeys for 2023

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 14 June 2022 14 June 2022

Hurtigruten Norway, which has carried local passengers, goods, and tourists along Norway’s coast since 1893 with the Norwegian Coastal Express, will introduce the two new offerings, the Svalbard Expressand North Cape Express, next year. The Svalbard Express will launch on June 3, 2023, just one month ahead of the company’s 130-year anniversary, while the first North Cape Express will depart on September 26, 2023.

An upgraded extension to the traditional Coastal Express, the two new itineraries will offer a significantly different experience: half-or full-day port visits; cooking classes; wine, beer, champagne, and whisky tastings; a food center; a cocktail bar; and onboard entertainment. Dining options will include an à la carte restaurant with tasting menus, all-day dining, afternoon tea, and takeaway service. The food center will feature both cooking demonstrations and classes, and picnic and culinary excursions will be available, another first for the company. Like the Coastal Express has done since 1893, the two new itineraries will also bring cargo between ports and freight to the northernmost community on Earth in the case of the Svalbard Express.

“For almost 130 years, we have been carrying travelers on what is often referred to as ‘the most beautiful voyage in the world’, and no one does the Norwegian coast better than Hurtigruten Norway. With the Svalbard Express and North Cape Express, we will offer an experience similar to the likes of the Orient Express, combining a premium onboard experience with beautiful scenery, exceptional excursions, and some of the best food on any sea,” said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway.

The Svalbard Express will mark the return of one of Norway’s most iconic sailing routes, which operated between 1968 and 1982. The new itinerary will include some of the Norwegian coast’s most popular destinations – such as the Lofoten Islands, Vesterålen, and the North Cape – before heading north to Longyearbyen in Svalbard, the world’s northernmost populated city. The full roundtrip journey takes 14 days. In addition, a 7-night one-way cruise, either starting or ending in Svalbard, is also available and would allow guests to pair their journey with Hurtigruten Svalbard’s wide range of sustainable activities. The one-way journey package includes two nights at a hotel in Longyearbyen and two excursions: a wilderness evening at Camp Barentz and the hybrid-electric catamaran MS Bard.

Meanwhile, the 13-night North Cape Express takes guests to Oslo, the capital of Norway, and both the country’s southernmost and northernmost points. It will mark Hurtigruten Norway’s first-ever time with regular sailings in Oslo. This itinerary will also include new ports in southern Norway, scenic cruising through Hardangerfjord, and the most beautiful cities and picturesque towns along the coast.

“This expansion of our global operation signals exactly what we in Hurtigruten Group believe in for the future of the travel industry, such as strong ties with local communities and less impact on nature both on land and in the ocean. Hurtigruten Group will be at the forefront of this development. These new routes in Norway and up to the world’s northernmost populated city, Longyearbyen, are a small but significant step in the right direction,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group.

Both the Svalbard Express and the North Cape Express will be onboard the Trollfjord, which will undergo a comprehensive refurbishment during the first half of 2023. Cabins will be upgraded and feature modern Scandinavian design. In addition, the restaurants will be refurbished and improved, including the à la carte restaurant, which will be more than doubled in size.

“The new concept from Hurtigruten Norway will offer the absolute best of Norway, in terms of activities, nature, and food. We know travelers are looking for authentic and local experiences, which is exactly what they will get with these two itineraries. Both the Svalbard and North Cape Express have the potential to end up high on many travelers’ bucket lists,” said Håkon Haugli, CEO of Visit Norway.

The extended port visits allow the Coastal Experience Team to create a wide range of excursions depending on route and season. They are also responsible for the lecture program, which focuses on Norwegian history, culture, food, nature, and wildlife, as well as photography and handicraft and arts classes.

Both itineraries are now available for purchase at Hurtigruten.com or through your preferred travel advisor. Rates for the North Cape Express and Svalbard Express start at $3,170 and $4,961 per person, respectively. Standard fares are full board including drinks with meals, afternoon tea, and much more, while Suite fares, starting at $10,419 and $17,443 per person, respectively, and also includes à la carte dining, an exclusive drink package, turn-down service, and access to the Suite lounge.

AIDA announces 2022/2023 winter program, AIDAvita to leave the fleet

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 14 June 2022 14 June 2022

The cruise company AIDA Cruises offers its guests a wide range of vacation options in winter 2022/2023 with a total of twelve ships. The variety of itineraries ranges from dream voyages to the Caribbean and to fascinating South Africa as well as Northern Europe cruises and unforgettable getaways in the Arabian Gulf, in the Mediterranean and around the Canary Islands.

AIDA Cruises does everything in its power to ensure that guests can enjoy their vacation in a relaxed and safe manner and offers added flexibility and safety backed by a comprehensive health and hygiene concept. With the AIDA Winter Promise, guests remain flexible in their vacation planning: Up to 40 days before the start of the cruise, they can rebook free of charge. This applies to new bookings of winter voyages until August 31, 2022 for departures between October 27, 2022 to April 22, 2023.

With the newest ship, AIDAcosma, unique natural landscapes and modern metropolises of the Arabian Gulf await the guests on the program. The 7-day voyages take guests from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Muscat in Oman or to the largest natural island in the United Arab Emirates, Sir Bani Yas. This wonderful beach destination offers plenty of opportunities for relaxation after visiting the mega-cities: snorkeling, horseback riding or observing the wildlife of the nature reserve. Doha (Qatar) is included on both itineraries. On the peninsula, which is almost entirely characterized by dry desert, the ancient traditions of the Middle East meet the futuristic skyline of Doha with its gleaming steel skyscrapers. The undisputed star among the city's attractions is the kilometer-long Corniche. Even more flexibility in vacation planning is offered by the three possible embarkation days on the Arabian Gulf voyages: on Friday and Saturday in Dubai and on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

AIDAsol will embark on its first world cruise in October 2022. Guests can look forward to extraordinary places, unforgettable moments and great emotions. During the 117-day XXL adventure, guests circumnavigate Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, visit destinations such as the Avenue of Glaciers, Tierra del Fuego, Cape Town, Fiji, Rio de Janeiro and Tahiti. The absolute highlight is the call in Sydney: Here, guests celebrate New Year' s Eve against the backdrop of the breathtaking skyline of the Harbour Bridge and the world-famous Opera House and one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the world.

In the Caribbean, three AIDA ships - AIDAdiva, AIDAluna and AIDAperla - are on a sunny course to dream destinations. In addition to the A-B-C islands, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico are some of the highlight destinations.

Those looking for a very special adventure in the far north will find it on the voyages with AIDAsol to wintry Norway from February to April 2023 from/to Hamburg.

Throughout the winter season, AIDAprima is sailing on the metropolis route from Hamburg. Whether Christmas shopping in London, Paris and Amsterdam or a visit to the Advent markets of Bruges or Honfleur - a festive mood is provided both on shore and on board. The festive voyages to Norway over Christmas and New Year's Eve are a very special highlight. Guests on board AIDAprima experience New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in Oslo.

With AIDAaura, guests experience the natural wonders of southern Africa. Absolute highlights of the 14-day voyages are the stops in Cape Town lasting several days, giving guests plenty of time to explore attractions such as Table Mountain and Lion's Head. Other ports of call include Durban, East London, Walvis Bay, Lüderitz on the edge of the Namib Desert, and Richards Bay, whose coastline is one of the most pristine stretches in the country. Miles of white beaches and numerous nature reserves attract guests from all over the world to the region.

The winter program is rounded off with voyages to the Canary Islands (with AIDAnova and AIDAmar) and to the cultural treasures of Rome, Lisbon or Barcelona in the Mediterranean starting from Palma (AIDAstella and AIDAblu). Springtime voyages to Sicily, Sardinia, Malta and Naples are offered by AIDAblu from February to April 2023 from Civitavecchia / Rome.

Those who prefer to avoid a long flight journey will find what they are looking for on the "Great Winter Break" routes with AIDAbella. The voyages take 43 or 44 days from Hamburg to the Caribbean and back. In 21 and/or 26 days the voyages go to the Canary Islands and back to Hamburg. Before the voyages to the sun, three cruises "Autumnal Northern Lights" from/to Hamburg feature on the program.

After 20 successful years, AIDAvita will not resume service for the company. Guests who have already booked a voyage with AIDAvita will be contacted and informed about their new travel choices or rebooking options. For example, AIDAbella will take over AIDAvita's "Great Winter Break" routes. The voyages will take 43 and 44 days, respectively, from Hamburg to the Caribbean and back. In 21 or 26 days, guests can sail to the Canary Islands and back to Hamburg. The three cruises "Autumnal Northern Lights" from/to Hamburg will also be taken over by AIDAbella. Guests of AIDAvita can, of course, also choose another cruise from the diverse AIDA program until winter 2023/24. 

AIDA guests with confirmed bookings for travel dates between October 2022 and April 2023 whose cruises are affected by changes will be notified directly.

Bookings at the AIDA PREMIUM rate are eligible for an early bird plus discount of up to 300 euros. The contingent is limited and applies to the 1st and 2nd person in the cabin. Other advantages of the AIDA PREMIUM fare include the choice of the cabin of your choice, the AIDA Rail&Fly ticket valid throughout Germany, as well as two bottles of mineral water and a 250 MB Internet package on board every day. WITH AIDA PREMIUM ALL INCLUSIVE, the most extensive beverage package and a social media flat rate are included in the price in addition to the inclusive services and AIDA PREMIUM benefits.

Disney Cruise Line takes delivery of Disney Wish

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 14 June 2022 14 June 2022

Disney Cruise Line has taken delivery of its largest ship, the 144,000 gross ton Disney Wish that was built at Meyer Werft in Germany.

The LNG powered ship has a length of 341 metres and a beam of  41 metres. It has accommodation for 4,000 passengers in 1,254 cabins, of which 948 have private balcony.

It has a cruising speed of 19.5 knots and maximum of 23 knots, the company said in a statement.

Norwegian Cruise Line to launch Canary Islands cruises

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 14 June 2022 14 June 2022

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has announced its return to the Canary Islands for the first time since 2017, delivering guests more choice and flexibility with year-round Europe cruise offerings in 2022.

Following a grand 22-night transatlantic voyage from Miami to Lisbon, Norwegian Sun will make her return to Europe offering immersive Canary Island sailings from Nov. 21, 2022. Cruises on board the nearly 2,000-passenger ship will range from 10 to 14 nights and will provide guests with greater flexibility by offering a choice of embarkation ports, including Lisbon, Portugal; Malaga, Spain; and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands. Furthermore, during Norwegian Sun's debut six-month season in the region, it will call to various new ports for NCL, including Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura) and San Sebastian de la Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain; Cueta, Spain; Agadir, Morocco; and Horta (Azores), Portugal.

"The Canaries have always been a draw for travelers from all over the globe and more so now when seeking some much-needed winter sun”, said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Norwegian Sun’s new itineraries provide for a unique combination of the Canary Islands with ports in Portugal, mainland Spain as well as Morocco, offering our guests an all-year Europe season with nine ships to make the most of their travel this year.”

Providing access to some of the most sought-after ports in the region - ranging from Agadir and Casablanca in Morocco to Las Palmas and Arrecife in Spain - voyages also visit hidden gems such as Ceuta in North Africa and Cadiz in Spain. Port-intensive cruises include no more than two days at sea and an average of twelve hours in port time, with late night stays in Lisbon, Portugal; Santa Cruz de Tenerife; Las Palmas (Grand Canaria) and Casablanca, Morocco. Plus, select sailings include overnight calls in idyllic locations where nightlife abounds, including Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Funchal (Madeira), Portugal.

Including Norwegian Sun, nine NCL ships are sailing in European waters this summer and make up the greatest European fleet in the Cruise Line's history. Calling at more European ports than any other contemporary cruise line, NCL will offer guests greater choices than ever before, including Norwegian Prima, the newest member of NCL's fleet and the first in the ground-breaking Prima Class, set to debut in Iceland in August 2022. NCL's extensive range of European itineraries in 2022 include voyages to the Greek Isles, the Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean and the Canaries.