Top Headlines

MSC Grandiosa is now the largest cruise ship back in service

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 17 August 2020 17 August 2020

MSC Grandiosa became the first ship from the MSC Cruises fleet to welcome guests back and the first ship to implement the Company’s health and safety protocol. The first guests began embarking MSC Cruises’ flagship in the port of Genoa, Italy yesterday morning, arriving at the cruise terminal according to their allocated time slots and followed the new universal screening procedures according to the Company’s own health and safety protocol, which includes a temperature check, medical review of a health questionnaire and an antigen COVID-19 swab test for every guest prior to boarding. After completing these steps and having received the results of the test while in the terminal, guests that were fit to travel then embarked the ship according to the new health and safety procedures, which includes sanitation of both hand and hold luggage.

All guests were given a complimentary MSC for Me wristband, which provides guests with contactless options while on board such as opening their staterooms or making payments. These wristbands will also help to facilitate proximity and contact tracing, if needed. Additionally, over the past several weeks, all crew members have gone through similarly stringent health screening measures, which included 3 COVID-19 tests in various phases as well as a period of isolation before commencing their duties. Each crew member will then be regularly tested and their health monitored.

Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises’ CEO commented, “It is a real pleasure for me to be here and sail on board the first of our ships to return to service and to be able to welcome back our guests. Our main goal during these last months has been to put in place the right measures that will protect the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit. But at the same time, we have worked to ensure that we are able to provide our guests with a cruise holiday that they can enjoy and still experience all of the elements that they know and love from entertainment and activities on board through to protected ashore visits.”

Following the embarkation of the new guests today in Civitavecchia, more guests will also embark in the ports of Naples and Palermo. The ship will then call at Valetta in Malta before returning to Genoa on Sunday. Along the ship’s itinerary, guests will be able to go ashore to enjoy the different ports of call, but only as part of an MSC Cruises shore excursion as an added level of protection, so that their experience ashore follows the same high standards of health and safety as on board. Today, some of the guests will visit Rome — taking in all the attractions of the “Eternal City” — while traveling on sanitized transfers with social distancing in place, accompanied by tour guides and drivers who are also adhering to strict health and safety measures.

For this initial phase of the restart of operations, the two MSC Cruises’ ships operating in the Mediterranean — the second being MSC Magnifica in the East Mediterranean — for the current summer season will initially only welcome guests who are residents in Schengen countries. In the U.S., MSC Cruises will only restart operations when the time is right, following approval by the CDC and other relevant authorities across the region in observance of their requirements and guidelines.

MSC Grandiosa is currently the largest cruise ship back in service.

Meyer Turku confirms 166 job losses after first round of talks

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 13 August 2020 13 August 2020

Meyer Turku, the Finnish cruise ship builder, has confirmed 166 job losses following talks with representatives of the staff, the company said in a statement.

A second round will follow later and cover possible redundancies at the fitting out, human resources and design departments of the company.

Talks with representatives of the staff in case of e.g. job losses are a requirement of the Finnish law.

In April, the company said it aims to reduce its personnel by 450 people as the Covid-19 pandemic had dramatically changed the cruise market and cruise ship building, it said.

Costa to resume cruising in the Mediterranean in September with two ships

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 13 August 2020 13 August 2020

Following the approval on 11 August by the Italian government of the resumption of cruises and the new health protocol, Costa Cruises is planning to restart its operations from Italian ports gradually in September with two ships, the company said in a statement.

However, other operations will be paused until the end of the month to ensure compliance with a new decree on health protocols.

“The return to cruising will be progressive, involving an increasing number of ships. The first ship to set sail will be Costa Deliziosa, on September 6, 2020, offering weekly cruises from Trieste to discover the most beautiful destinations in Greece. She will be followed by Costa Diadema, on September 19, 2020, operating seven-day cruises in Western Mediterranean from Genoa to experience the best of Italy and Malta,” the company said.

From the entry into force of the new decree by the Italian government, Costa Cruises is working with Flag State authorities and the destinations to ensure a responsible, smooth and well-organized application of the new regulations and protocols, in close cooperation with the local institutions, health authorities, harbour master's offices, ports and terminals, and RINA. Consequently, further details on the Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema itineraries will be announced in the coming days.

As the gradual implementation of these protocols is completed on board and ashore, the company must extend the pause of its cruise season until September 30, 2020, except for the above-mentioned departures of Costa Deliziosa (September 6, 13, 20, 27) and Costa Diadema (September 19). Costa is informing the impacted guests and travel agents. They will be guaranteed a reprotection in accordance with the applicable legislation. These cruises are available for Italian guests only.

Costa Cruises has developed the Costa Safety Protocol for its fleet, including new operating procedures in response to the Covid-19 situation.

Supported by a panel of independent scientific experts in public health coordinated by V.I.H.T.A.L.I. (Value in Health Technology and Academy for Leadership and Innovation), a spin-off of the Università Cattolica of Rome, the Costa Safety Protocol is consistent with the health protocols defined by the Italian government and European (EU Healthy Gateways) authorities.

Silversea unveils new expedition collection

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 11 August 2020 11 August 2020

Silversea Cruises today affirms its destination leadership by unveiling a revised collection of 157 new expedition voyages. Departing from January 2021 to July 2022, the revised voyages have been designed by the cruise line’s destination experts to preserve and enhance the characteristically diverse array of experiences on offer to guests, pushing boundaries in ultra-luxury expedition travel.

The enhanced expedition offering includes pioneering itineraries in the Galapagos aboard new ship Silver Origin, the unprecedented Deep Antarctica expedition and the first-ever ultra-luxury fly-cruise to Antarctica, a 51-port Arctic grand voyage, and the world’s first-ever expedition world cruise, among other immersive experiences.

Enjoying 12 maiden calls while journeying aboard Silversea’s four expedition ships, guests will travel deeper through the following expedition experiences as part of the new voyage collection:

– BRAND NEW ITINERARIES IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS ABOARD SILVER ORIGIN
To further enhance guests’ destination experience in the Galapagos Islands, 68 new voyages aboard Silver Origin will incorporate five maiden calls, including the beautiful island of Santa Fe. The iconic islands of Fernandina and Isabela now feature on both itineraries, and each will include improved programs ashore. Guests will have more opportunities to admire the iconic wildlife species of the archipelago, including the Galapagos Penguin, green sea turtles, endemic iguanas, and many remarkable bird species. Silver Origin will build on Silversea’s multi-award-winning cruise experience in this unique region, forming meaningful connections between travelers and the destination. Aboard Silver Origin, guests will enjoy the highest expert guide-to-guest ratio (1:10) and the highest Zodiac-to-guest ratio (1:12.5) in the region.

– JOURNEYING TO EXTREME LATITUDES ON THE DEEP ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION
Silversea’s longest-ever voyage to Antarctica, travelers will embark on the cruise line’s first-ever voyage dedicated to attempting to cross the Antarctic Polar Circle on a 20-day exploration of the White Continent, departing January 27th, 2022. Part of an enriched 35-voyage Antarctica season, the Deep Antarctica expedition will take guests to unprecedented latitudes in the history of Silversea, with Silver Explorer proposing to reach an impressive 69°S. Guests aboard Silver Explorer will venture to Marguerite Bay and potentially even as far south as the Bellingshausen Sea, a spectacular and seldom visit area of the Antarctic Peninsula. Following Silver Explorer’s dry dock period, guests will enjoy the highest expert-to-guest and Zodiac-to-guest ratios in the region with 14 Zodiacs and a dedicated team of 14 world-class expedition staff.

– THE FIRST EXPEDITION WORLD CRUISE IN HISTORY: THE UNCHARTED WORLD TOUR
Now setting sail on January 25th, 2022, Silversea’s 167-day Uncharted World Tour <https://www.silversea.com/destinations/world-cruise/world-cruise-expedition-2022.html> will be the first Expedition World Cruise in history. The pioneering voyage will take adventurous travelers across 21 oceans and seas, calling in 107 remarkable destinations in 20 countries. Enriching the experience for guests, 70 leading experts and 20 guest speakers will join the voyage, sharing their insight as Silver Cloud travels to some of the most remote locations on earth.

– ANTARCTICA BRIDGE: THE WORLD’S FIRST ULTRA-LUXURY FLY-CRUISE TO ANTARCTICA
Silversea’s guests will enjoy even greater diversity in the cruise line’s Antarctica offering, with the launch of Antarctica Bridge <https://www.silversea.com/lp-antarctica-bridge.html>, the world’s first ultra-luxury fly-cruise to the White Continent. With the option of an all-inclusive nine-night fly-cruise option aboard Silver Explorer, travelers now have greater choice in the duration of their Antarctic expedition, as well as the destinations they visit, with immersive experiences in the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, the Ross Sea, and the Subantarctic Islands included in the cruise line’s enriched Antarctica collection.

– SILVERSEA’S FIRST-EVER ARCTIC GRAND VOYAGE
Departing 16 July 2021, Silver Cloud will embark on Silversea’s first Arctic Grand Voyage <https://www.silversea.com/destinations/grand-voyages-cruise/grand-voyage-2021-arctic.html>, unlocking unforgettable experiences for guests in 51 destinations across seven countries. Journeying on through some of the world’s remotest waters over 63 days, while enjoying exclusive events and an impressive line-up of guest speakers, Silversea’s guests will discover many once-in-a-lifetime experiences on the all-inclusive Arctic Grand Voyage. As part of an enriched Arctic season, guests will also retrace the route taken by famous explorers of yesteryear during an intrepid Northwest Passage crossing, as well as embarking upon incredible new sailings in Svalbard aboard Silver Cloud.

Also included in Silversea’s new collection of expedition voyages for 2021/2022 are 10 voyages in Northern Europe, with five sailings departing from various ports in the British Isles and two voyages to the Norwegian Fjords; a wide selection of in-depth expeditions in Australia’s Kimberley Region, as well as Southeast Asia and Melanesia; seven exceptional voyages to the South Pacific Islands; a variety of options in South America, including two spectacular itineraries to the Chilean Fjords; and the chance to discover Alaska and the American West Coast; and more.

“Our industry-leading destination experts have worked hard to enhance our expedition offering for 2021 and 2022, providing our guests with an unprecedented choice of immersive experiences, from the Arctic to Antarctica and the most incredible places in between,” says Conrad Combrink, Silversea Cruises’ SVP of Expeditions, Turnaround Operations and Destination Management. “Highlighted by the launch of our new ship Silver Origin, which will be the most elegant ship to welcome guests in the Galapagos Islands, our new itineraries push boundaries and underpin our leadership in the ultra-luxury and expedition travel segments.”

Silversea’s guests will embark upon these enriched voyages aboard the cruise line’s fleet of ultra-luxury expedition ships—two of which will see further enhancements in 2021. Silver Explorer <https://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-explorer.html> will offer an even more immersive and personalized expedition experience with an increased number of Zodiacs and expedition members on-board. Silver Wind <https://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-wind.html>, meanwhile, will be converted into an ice-class ship; her maiden voyages in polar waters will strengthen Silversea’s expedition activity with even greater variety.

P&O Cruises extends standstill to 12 November, cancels two long 2021 cruises

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 11 August 2020 11 August 2020

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it has extended its pause in operations until 12 November 2020 and also cancelled two long itineraries due to depart in January 2021.

The previously announced end of the standstill was 15 October, which was unveiled in early June.

Paul Ludlow, President of the company, said in a video presentation: “It is clear that whilst the guidance is in place it is not advisable for us to resume operations. As well as cancelling all cruises up until November 12, 2020 we will, sadly, also be cancelling Aurora’s Caribbean & South America Adventure and Arcadia’s World Cruise. Given long-term planning, combined with the complexity and length of these long-haul itineraries and evolving border restrictions, we need to ensure that we adhere to the guidance as it stands.”

“The good news is that confidence in cruising is strong and we are seeing increasing and significant demand from our guests. We know that the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) guidance is under constant review and we are hopeful that, as they are aware of the work the industry is doing, this will change before too long,” he said.