The Big Cruise Podcast

Ep50 – Princess Cruises, Maritime Traditions, Cruise News and Cruise Milestones

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In Episode 50, Chris updates us on the maritime traditions of Coin Ceremony/Keel Laying, Christening/Ship Naming, Godmothers and Inaugural Cruises before bringing us up to speed on two weeks of cruise news. Pete joins us to talk about cruise milestones he experienced whilst working at sea. Finally, Nick from Princess updates us on the latest developments from Princess Cruises.

 

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Majestic Princess New Zealand

MARITIME HISTORY:

  • Chris dispels some myths around ships naming, christening, Godmothers or Madrinas and the Inaugural/Maiden Voyage for ships over the years.

CRUISE NEWS:

  • Celebrity confirms British restart
    • Celebrity Cruises is the latest line to announce its return in the United Kingdom, with its newly revolutionised ship, Celebrity Silhouette, to set sail from Southampton in Jul.
    • The cruise line will require all guests aged 18 and above to be vaccinated against coronavirus, and those under the age of 18 to return a negative PCR test result before sailing.
    • Starting 03 Jul, Silhouette will embark on a series of six- to eight-night itineraries around Great Britain’s coastline. Guests will have the chance to explore the Jurassic Coast from the Isle of  Portland, discover Scotland from the cities of Inverness, Kirkwall and Glasgow, travel to Northern Ireland’s largest city Belfast, and investigate the riverside city of Liverpool.
  • Royal Caribbean to offer 999 free cruises to Emergency Service workers, NHS and Armed Forces from July
    • Royal Caribbean International is setting a spectacular soundtrack this summer with its return to the UK. The cruise line has announced that Anthem of the Seas, a firm favorite in the region, will begin sailing from Southampton, England as soon as this 7th July. UK families can choose from a combination of 4-night Ocean Getaways in early July and 5- to 8-night British Isles cruises, starting 15th July, that feature visits to destinations such as Liverpool, England, Kirkwall in Scotland and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Plus, in recognition of the tremendous efforts of the emergency services, National Health Service (NHS), social care sector and armed forces over the last year, Royal Caribbean will offer 999 free staterooms on its first Ocean Getaways to those UK residents in these professions.
    • The new summer itineraries open for bookings on 7th April. Sailing with fully vaccinated crew, the cruises – at this time – will be available to UK residents above the age of 18 who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and those under the age of 18 with negative test results. These current health and safety measures, like others, may evolve as they are evaluated on an ongoing basis. Pre-registration for guests eligible for one of the 999 free staterooms open on 13th April, and final names will be drawn from a ballot by the end of April.
  • Disney UK restart
    • Disney Cruise Line is set to offer staycations from ports in the United Kingdom in the northern summer.
    • The cruise line will operate from Liverpool, Newcastle, Southampton and Tilbury aboard Disney Magic, sailing two and three-night voyages, as well as a limited number of four-night sailings.
  • Virgin Voyages to set sail in the UK
    • Virgin Voyages will set sail from Portsmouth, England with a limited series of voyages this summer. An offer available to UK residents, the upcoming staycation-at-sea series will include two, three and four-night itineraries with a total of six sailings this August.
    • Sailing the southern coast of England, these Sneak-a-Peek sailings will offer a taste of the Virgin Voyages experience as its first foray with new Sailors at sea. The ‘Summer Soiree Series’ includes:
    • Itinerary 1 – Long Weekender (3-Night, Friday – Monday)
    • 6 – 9 August, 13 – 16 August, 20 – 23 August
    • Itinerary 2 – Summer WeekDaze (4-Night, Monday – Friday)
    • 9 – 13 August, 16 – 20 August, 23 – 27 August
    • At this time, only residents of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be able to sail on the Summer Soirée Series – with Sailors aged 18+ vaccinated against COVID-19. Additional testing and protocols will be confirmed closer to sailing, all in line with the most up-to-date recommendations from the UK government.
    • The Summer Soirée Series will go on sale on Tuesday, April 13
  • SAGA UK Deployment
    • Saga Cruises has today launched its summer 2021 UK cruise programme with four all-inclusive itineraries to choose from: ‘Scottish Highlands and Islands’, ‘Great British Isles Adventure’ and ‘Northern Isles to the Fjords’ will all be hosted by Spirit of Discovery while, for the first time, guests can also book the ‘The Inaugural Cruise on Spirit of Adventure’, Saga Cruises’ brand-new boutique ship.
    • Scottish Highlands and Islands departing Tilbury on June 27th, 2021 aboard Spirit of Discovery** for six nights calling at Lerwick on the Shetland Islands, followed by Scrabster and Invergordon before returning to Tilbury. Sight-seeing tours of Lerwick and Invergordon are included.
    • The Inaugural Cruise on Spirit of Adventure*** departing Tilbury on July 26th for 15 nights and heading to Newcastle, Newhaven, Dundee, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Ullapool, Cruise St Kilda, Greenock, Belfast, Douglas, Holyhead, Bristol and Falmouth before disembarking in Dover. Sight-seeing tours of Newcastle, Edinburgh, Belfast and Bristol are also included.
  • NCL announces Jul return plans
    • Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has announced its return to cruising with voyages in Europe and the Caribbean beginning Jul. NCL will restart operations at a reduced capacity, slowly increasing from 60%, aboard Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, and Norwegian Joy.
    • The Cruise Line will restart operations at a reduced capacity with Norwegian Jade, Joy and Gem as the first of its 17-ship fleet to welcome guests back on board. Travellers long-awaiting a return to cruise will have the opportunity to spend the northern hemisphere summer exploring ancient ruins and sunny beaches with all new seven-day cruises to the Greek Isles on Norwegian Jade from Athens (Piraeus) beginning 25 July, 2021.
    • They can also island hop with week-long Caribbean itineraries available from Montego Bay, Jamaica as of 7 Aug, 2021 on Norwegian Joy or from Punta Cana (La Romana), Dominican Republic on Norwegian Gem beginning 15 Aug, 2021.
  • NCL to launch docuseries
    • As it prepares for its return to service beginning 25 July 2021, Norwegian Cruise Line, the innovator in global cruise travel, today announced the premiere of “EMBARK – The Series,” a docuseries chronicling the brand’s highly anticipated comeback.
    • The first of five episodes will premiere on 16 April, 2021 at 10am AEST/12pm NZST at www.ncl.com/embark.
    • EMBARK – The Series is part of the Company’s ‘EMBARK with NCL’ editorial content platform which will deliver rich content through:
    • EMBARK – The Series: Debuting on 16 April, 2021 at 10am AEST/12pm NZST with its first episode, “Great Cruise Comeback,” the new docuseries chronicles the relaunch of the brand’s 17-ship fleet. The episode focuses on the ongoing measures for a healthy and safe return to sailing, including unscripted conversations with executive leaders including Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ President and CEO Frank Del Rio and President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Harry Sommer.
    • The first episode provides an exclusive look at the brand’s preparations for its return to service this northern hemisphere summer, including technology designed to enhance the embarkation process, how the brand’s shipboard crew and entertainers have been managing over the last year, and how this temporary pause has affected small businesses and valued partners, including the iconic Miami-based distillery Wynwood Brewing Company.
  • Regent half full for 2022
    • THE luxury end of the cruise market is seeing significant demand, with Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) itineraries for 2022 already more than 50% sold out.
  • Viking UK sells out
    • Viking Cruises’ new UK domestic voyages aboard the Viking Venus have sold out in less a week, with the company adding two additional Jun departures.
  • Viking to Bermuda, Iceland
    • VIKING is continuing its restart of limited operations with new Bermuda and Iceland voyages.
    • The new Welcome Back sailings will be available for vaccinated guests. Beginning in Jun, the Bermuda Escape itinerary aboard Viking Orion will sail eight-day roundtrip itineraries homeporting in Hamilton, while the Iceland’s Natural Beauty itinerary will also sail eight-day roundtrips, aboard Viking Sky, homeporting from Reykjavik.
  • Seabourn Relaunches Cruises from July 2021
    • Seabourn Cruise Line has received approval from Greece to relaunch its cruises in the country from Jul.
    • The cruise line will operate a series of seven-day sailings round-trip from Athens during the northern summer, beginning 03 Jul.
    • Seabourn Ovation will explore beautiful ports throughout the Greek Isles, with the voyages scheduled to open for booking on 12 Apr.
    • Guests will also be able to book longer 14-day voyages, which combine individual seven-day cruises, with a variety of different ports on each, including Agios Nikolaos, Mykonos, Nafplion, Patmos, Rhodes, Spetsai, Thira, as well as Limassol and Paphos in Cyprus.
    • Each sailing includes a sea day to spend time on board, and the cruises are open to any guests who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus a minimum of 14 days before cruising.
  • Seabourn Venture Milestone
    • Seabourn the ultra-luxury cruise line, is celebrating another milestone in the construction process for its first purpose-built expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, with the movement of the ship’s hull to the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy, for final outfitting.
    • Seabourn Venture’s inaugural season will be Winter Norway 2022 with opportunities to see the Northern Lights. The second yet-to-be-named sister expedition ship is slated to launch later in 2022.
  • Venice Says No To Big Cruise Ships
    • Italian authorities have recently approved a ban on large cruise ships entering the historic centre of Venice.
    • A new decree enacted 31 March 2021, prohibits passenger ships over 40,000 tons and container ships from passing close to Venice’s historic center.
    • Italy’s culture minister said that the decision came in response to a request from UN cultural body Unesco.
    • Some argue the ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city.
    • Large ships will now have to dock at the city’s industrial port until a permanent solution is found; possibly as a new terminal outside the lagoon.
    • In 2013, the government also banned ships weighing more than 96,000 tonnes from the Giudecca canal, but the legislation was later overturned.
    • More plans to divert cruise ships from the centre of the water-side city were announced in 2017 too, but never fully implemented.
  • Quantum extended
    • ROYAL Caribbean International (RCI) has extended its Singapore season, adding new cruises throught Oct aboard Quantum of the Seas.
    • The season, which begun in Dec, has seen more than 50,000 guests sail safely on one of Royal Caribbean’s Ocean Getaways.
    • Following a successful initial run, RCI first extended the season for three months, through June 2021, and is doing so again for an additional four months, thanks to the partnership with the Singapore government.
  • Disney Wish significant milestone
    • Disney Cruise Line reached a significant construction milestone marked by the traditional keel laying ceremony of the Disney Wish, the first of three new ships in the line's fleet expansion. Also announced, the magic of Captain Minnie Mouse will come to life for the first time through whimsical artwork on the bow of the Disney Wish, a hallmark of Disney Cruise Line vessels.
    • The ship will be powered by liquified natural gas, or LNG, one of the cleanest-burning fuels available. At approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, the ship will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy
    • Disney Wish is scheduled to sail its maiden voyage in summer 2022. Information on itineraries and bookings for the ship will be released at a later date.
  • Crystal Expedition Cruises Announces Inaugural Deployment for Crystal Endeavor
    • Crystal announced the much-anticipated inaugural deployment of Crystal Endeavor, the first ground-breaking ship for Crystal Expedition Cruises. As the first and only true luxury expedition yacht to restart cruising in the Arctic and Northern Europe, Crystal Endeavor will sail five x 10-night immersive voyages circumnavigating Iceland’s most dramatically beautiful and fascinating locales beginning July 17, 2021.
    • The Luxury Iceland Expedition voyages will sail round-trip from the ship’s homeport of Reykjavík, affording travellers convenient air options, just six hours from New York City, three hours from London
    • The 20,200-GRT vessel is designed to the highest standards of renowned German engineering, with a focus on the luxurious details that have earned Crystal the travel industry’s highest accolades for more than 30 years. Built at a cost of more than half a billion U.S. dollars, Crystal Endeavor will be the most spacious, fastest and most powerful expedition ship in the industry, with a Polar Class 6 (PC6) classification that enables her to sail in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
    • Crystal Endeavor is designed to accommodate just 200 guests with a one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio delivering the personal and genuine service for which Crystal is known. Her luxurious design features expansive personal and social spaces, with 100 gross tons per person and 10,000 cubic feet per guest for a passenger space ratio of more than 100, making her the most spacious luxury expedition ship in the industry. This spaciousness will be further enhanced as she embarks on the Luxury Iceland Expedition Iceland voyages with reduced capacity.
  • Vaccinations Update:
    • Windstar Cruises has announced its guests will now be required to be vaccinated against coronavirus in order to sail on its ships, in line with the cruise line’s new Beyond Ordinary Care safety program.
    • Riviera Travel River Cruises has also announced guests on its cruises must be fully vaccinated against coronavirus to embark on its vessels, with any guest who has not had both doses to be offered a complimentary coronavirus test. This requirements will also apply to crew members who will have additional daily temperature checks and ongoing health screenings, the cruise line has confirmed.

CRUISE MILESTONES

  • Pete joins us once again to talk about his experience at sea and personal experiences of ships christenings, Godmothers, Christenings and Inaugural cruises. PLUS tips for planning a milestone at sea!

Princess – Nick Ferguson – Director of Sales & Marketing

  • Nick updates us on the fleetwide rollout of the award-winning OceanMedallionTM wearable device replaces the traditional cruise card and pairs with embedded IoT (“Internet of things”) -driven innovative technology to significantly expand touch-free options and personalisation on board Princess MedallionClass ships including:
    • touchless embarkation and disembarkation
    • keyless stateroom entry
    • completely contactless commerce
    • simplified safety training
    • on-demand food, beverages and retail items delivered anywhere on board
    • guest service requests via mobile device chat
    • location-based gaming and wagering
    • entertainment content via smart devices
    • Physical Distancing – With MedallionClass guests can get a real-time view of attendance in lounges, theatres and other areas, and bookmark activities of interest, noting attendance limits.
  • UK Restart of Cruising
    • Regal Princess will offer 14 UK voyages running from July 31 through to September 23, 2021. Sky Princess will offer eight UK cruises, running from August 30 through to September 28, 2021.  On sale from 24 Mar 21.
    • Regal Princess and Sky Princess will offer scenic cruises and voyages with stops in UK ports-of-call including Liverpool, Belfast and Greenock, with itineraries ranging from three to seven nights.
  • Australia the 2022/23 deployment on sale now.
    • Grand Princess: Melbourne & Adelaide
    • Coral Princess: Brisbane, Fremantle and Auckland
    • Royal: Sydney
    • Majestic: Sydney & Auckland

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