Cruise
MSC sailing from the Canary Islands for winter 2024/2025
MSC Cruises will base a ship in the Canary Islands for the winter 2024-25 winter season and sales are now open. MSC Opera will operate seven-night itineraries with six ports of call between Nov. 3, 2024 and March 16, 2025. The ship will depart Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Tenerife for Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura, Funchal in Madeira, Santa Cruz de la Palma in La Palma and Arrecife in Lanzarote before returning to Tenerife. About the new itinerary The new itinerary also offers flexible embarkation options, including Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Sundays,...
American Queen Voyages shuts down
American Queen Voyages (AQV) has shut down its operations. The company made the announcement on its Facebook page, stating: “We are saddened to share that American Queen Voyages (AQV) has made the difficult decision to shut down. The overnight cruise industry was especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes in travel preferences. Despite great efforts by our team, Crew and partners, demand has not recovered, and AQV has become financially unsustainable.” The post continued: “Effective immediately, all future AQV cruises have been cancelled. We sincerely...
MSC Cruises launches “open booking” program
MSC Cruises has launched a new ‘Open Booking’ program that allows guests to make a reservation, without the need to commit to a particular vessel, itinerary or sailing date. The new initiative aims to complement MSC Cruises’ ‘Future Cruise’ program introduced in summer 2023. The open booking means that guests simply pay a reduced deposit of $100 (Canadian) per person on board their cruise and are given a certificate that allows them up to 12 months to choose their next sailing holiday. Guests receive up to $200 (Canadian) of onboard credit per cabin if they select their ship...
Cunard announces new voyages starting September 2025
Luxury cruise line Cunard has announced new voyages sailing from September 2025 to January 2027 across its iconic fleet of four Queens. With more than 300 new voyages, Cunard's ships – flagship Queen Mary 2, its newest vessel Queen Anne, as well as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – will call at 184 unique destinations around the globe, including 70 countries and 108 UNESCO World Heritage sites. About the new program The new program also includes 37 overnight port calls and 66 late-evening departures. There will be five maiden calls for the fleet in Kona, Hawaii;...
Royal Caribbean order seventh Oasis ship for 2028
Royal Caribbean Group has entered into an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique to order a seventh Oasis Class ship for delivery to its Royal Caribbean International fleet in 2028. “While we eagerly anticipate the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas this summer, we’re already dreaming up her sister ship and the next installation in the brand’s extremely popular Oasis Class,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “Across our three brands, we are focused on continuously challenging ourselves to deliver the ultimate...
Swan Hellenic adds May/June 2024 Viking & Celts tours
Swan Hellenic is offering voyagers three expert-curated cultural expedition cruises to Iceland and the British Isles aboard Swan Hellenic’s purpose-designed boutique ice-class ship, SH Vega. “The myths and legends of the Celts and Vikings have long exerted a fascination as strong as that of the otherworldly landscapes and rich wildlife of the regions where they lived. These three cultural expedition cruises have been crafted by our experts to provide an immersive experience of every aspect. We’re extremely proud of the result, knowing the unforgettable moments that will await our...
Canadian singer Jann Arden joins Scenic on Fiji journey
Award-winning Canadian singer, songwriter, actor and author, Jann Arden, is partnering with Scenic for a fourth collaboration to deliver a breathtaking journey across Fiji and the South Pacific. The nine-day Cultures of Fiji and the South Pacific with Jann Arden voyage will take place on their newest 6-star ultra-luxury, all-inclusive discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse II. “I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to be going on the beautiful Scenic Eclipse this October, one of the world’s most beautiful yachts,” said Arden. "We will be winding around the Fijian...
Windstar selects Star Breeze for year-round Tahiti sailings
Windstar Cruises—which has been offering small ship cruising in Tahiti for over 36 years—has introduced the all-suite, 312-guest Star Breeze, replacing Wind Spirit, as the new year-round ship in Tahiti and French Polynesia. Star Breeze began cruising in Tahiti on Feb. 4, following a memorable ceremony attended by more than 500 guests including esteemed dignitaries such as Moetai Brotherson, president of French Polynesia, Tony Geros, speaker of the house, and Manouche Lehartel, deputy mayor of Papeete, Air Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Tourism partners, port officials, travel advisors,...