International Cruise News For The Time Period of October 26 to November 11, 2020.

Below are the mini-cruise news stories on ships sailing from Ports beyond New York. Stories below include new ship construction progress, ship sales, Itinerary changes, coronavirus updates, port of call news and more.

European Cruise Lines start to Pause Operations Again.

November 7, 2020 - A number of European cruise lines, which have attempted to return to service have now been forced to pause operations. The pause is being driven by the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in England, France, Italy and Germany – the key source countries for cruise passengers. Operators forced to change / pause operations include MSC Cruises, Costa, and TUI’s Mein Schiff.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines Suspends New Reservations.

November 7, 2020 - In a strange turn of events, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line has stopped taking reservations. The 2 ship cruise line which runs 2 day cruises from West Palm Beach to Nassau or Freeport was hoping to return to service mid-December, but with the release of the CDC guidelines, it appears their return to service may be further delayed.

The cruise line’s website states that they are temporarily not taking any new reservations and provided an 800 number to call for additional info if needed.

Hopefully the cruise line, we be accepting reservations soon and able to restart operations.

Carnival Mardi Gras Undergoes Second Round of Sea Trials

November 6, 2020 - Carnival Cruises Newest ships the Carnival Mardi Gras is undergoing her second series of seat trials. The ship departed from the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Turku, Finland on November 6th and is expected to undergo a number of technical and navigational tests to assure the ship’s systems are working as expected.

When delivered in January / February 2021, the Carnival Mardi Gras will b e the largest ship in the Carnival Cruises fleet. The Mardi Gras is 180,800 gross tons with a guest capacity of 5,282 at double occupancy along with 1,735 international crew members.

Carnival is planning for the ship to begin sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida starting in February, 2021 but depending on the pause in operation, the introduction may be further delayed.

Royal Caribbean Looking For Volunteers?

November 4, 2020 – Rumors in the cruise industry state that Royal Caribbean (and others) may be actively looking for volunteers to act as cruise passengers for some upcoming test voyages. These voyages will prove as the testing ground to prove to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) the necessary COVID-19 precautions and crisis management is in place. The CDC has outlined a framework – described in our earlier article CDC Outlines Rules To Return To Service. The tests must be passed before the cruise line(s) are allowed to return to service.

For Royal Caribbean, sources have hinted that the Mariner of the Seas and the Navigator of the Seas may be the first ships to return to service. The itineraries may be limited to days at sea and calls at their private island CoCo Cay – to limit passenger exposure.

These tests may not happen for a while since many ships ae in various stages of lay-up and will need to hire and train new crew members. It is not out of the question, that cruise lines may not get approval to return to service until early spring.

Dream Cruises Starts Cruise Operations From Singapore

November 5, 2020 - Beginning on 6 November onwards, Singaporeans will be able to enjoy a brand-new vacation option that will take the regular “stay-cation” concept and turn it into a “Super Secation” experience as they sail away into the big, blue sea. Available on World Dream’s two and three-night high seas itineraries, the “Super Seacations” will combine the multitude of leisure and recreation facilities on board the ship with engaging experiences that will keep guests of all ages entertained throughout their journey.

All activities on board will be organized in accordance with permitted group sizes –specific to each activity –in line with the prevailing national policy, and measures will be in place to discourage close contact between groups. As the newest cruise ship to call Singapore home, World Dream’s debut in the Lion City will provide Singapore residents with the ultimate holiday getaway at sea with its boatload of built-in attractions. Dive into the Esc EXPERIENCE LAB on World Dream and experience heart-thumping, cutting-edge VR that transports players into worlds and realities they never even knew existed. Feel the stomach dropping excitement on the Finger Coaster full motion VR roller-coaster, speed through fantastical underwater worlds with the Icaros simulator and even travel into space with the Star Wars™ Battle Pods.

Awarded with the “The Best Cruise Line –Entertainment” prize at the Travel Weekly Asia Reader’s Choice Awards 2019, Dream Cruises brings to life the most captivating live production shows exclusively created to complement a grand vacation on the high seas. Enjoy a world-class production in the spacious comfort of the Zodiac Theater with reduced capacity and ample distancing between guests –and be transported to a land of music, color and imagination or catch a movie at Cinema at Sea for a blockbuster of a good time.

Outdoor activities will whet the whistle for the adventurous voyager. Speed down slippery slides that tower high above the ocean –there’s no thrill like it! Ranging across six water slides from easy-going chutes for families to heart-racing steep inclines for daredevils, these watery wonders will keep everyone grinning for hours.

Thrill-seekers will also find adrenaline pumping fun on the outdoor Ropes Course featuring a pulse-racing zip-line suspended a full 18 decks above the ocean or climb to new heights, literally, by tackling the on-board Rock Climbing Wall.

For the less adventurous, how about a round of Mini-Golf? For rest, relaxation and pampering, indulge in a treatment at the Crystal Life Spa or treat yourself to some retail therapy in The Dream Boutiques.

World Voyager Arrives in Lisbon

November 4, 2020 - Mystic Cruises' World Voyager has been delivered from Portugal’s WestSea Viana do Castelo Shipyard. The new luxury exploration ship is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Lisbon today together and rendezvous with sister ship,

The World Explorer. The World Voyager is the an eco-friendly ship being able to travel to the most remote corners of the globe with little to no impact on the environment. This small cruise ships is expected to be joined by an additional sister ships – the World Navigator in 2021 and 4 additional sisters the World Traveller, World Seeker, World Adventurer and World Discoverer expected in 2022 and 2023.

Saga Cruises Delays Restart To April / May 2021.

November 3, 2020 - Saga guests will have to wait even longer to sail aboard the new Spirit of Adventure, as the British brand has pushed its return to service.

Saga Cruises said the decision for further delays was very difficult. The Spirit of Discovery is now scheduled to return to service in April 2021 and Spirit of Adventure’s inaugural cruise has also been rescheduled and will now sail for the first time on May 4, 2021.

P&O Cruises Puts Summer 2022 Holidays On Sale With Launch Offers And Booking Flexibility

November 3, 2020 -P&O Cruises puts summer 2022 holidays on sale with launch offers and booking flexibility. A range of early booking offers are being introduced alongside P&O Cruises new summer 2022 program.

More than 150 holidays both from the home port of Southampton and Mediterranean fly/cruises are available to book, with offers including a 5% low deposit on all cruises.

A 10% discount for past guests also applies, as well as a 5% discount for new guests making a Select Price booking. Child places are available at £49 for off-peak holidays and £199 for peak holiday periods. All offers are available until December 14, 2020.The cruises range from four night breaks to Amsterdam through to a 30 night itinerary to North America and Canada.

Highlights of the summer 2022 program, which runs from April to October 2022, include:

• Iona's seven night Norwegian fjords holidays offering spectacular scenic cruising and calls including the UNESCO World Heritage site Geiranger as well as Olden and Alesund.
• Britannia cruising the Mediterranean with destinations including La Spezia (for Florence and Pisa) plus overnight calls to Barcelona. Britannia will also offer Baltic holidays including two day calls to St Petersburg while also visiting Helsinki and Tallinn.
• Azura's fly/cruises from Malta with itineraries including Trieste, for visits to Venice, and Kusadasi for visits to the ruins of Ephesus. Azura will also sail to Taranto in Southern Italy - the first time P&O Cruises has taken guests to this historical city.
• Ventura's holidays to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands featuring calls to Lisbon and Bilbao.
• Aurora's Arctic Circle cruise including an overnight stay in Reykjavik plus North Cape scenic cruising.

Silversea Cruises Takes Delivery of New Silver Moon

October 30, 2020 - Silversea Cruises today took delivery of new ship Silver Moon—the ninth vessel in the leading ultra-luxury cruise line’s fleet. During an intimate celebration held at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, executives from Silversea Cruises, the Royal Caribbean Group, and Fincantieri expressed gratitude to all involved: delivering live speeches via video feed, Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, and Jason Liberty, Executive Vice President and CFO of the Royal Caribbean Group, each commended the more than 1,000 craftspeople who contributed to the build. Present in Ancona, Luigi Matarazzo—Fincantieri’s General Manager Merchant Ships Division—and Roberto Martinoli—Silversea’s President and CEO—addressed attendees, before Martinoli penned his signature to officially take delivery of the ship.

Giovanni Stecconi, the Director of Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, subsequently presented Captain Alessandro Zanello, Silver Moon’s Master—who was also at the helm for the delivery Silver Moon’s sister ship, Silver Muse, in 2017—with a commemorative ampoule that contained seawater from the launch. Concluding Silver Moon’s delivery, those present raised a glass of champagne, while respecting physical distancing protocol, to welcome the ship to Silversea’s fleet.

Debuting aboard Silver Moon is the innovative new culinary enrichment program S.A.L.T., an acronym of Sea and Land Taste, which will enable guests to travel deeper through a range of destination-focused gastronomic experiences—both on-board and ashore. As part of the S.A.L.T. program, three new venues will unlock immersive culinary experiences for guests on Silver Moon, forming a hub of culinary discovery.

At 40,700 gross tons and with a maximum capacity of just 596 guests, Silver Moon takes influence from the successful design of her sister ship, Silver Muse, and maintains the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations that are hallmarks of the Silversea experience. At the same time, a number of public spaces have been reimagined for the enjoyment of guests,

Marella Cruises Cancels Additional Cruises

November 2, 2020 – Marella Cruises has canceled addition cruises extending its pause in operations until December 16, 2020. Impacted guests are being offered various compensation options.

Viking Star Is Fitted With COVID-19 PCR Laboratory

October 20, 2020 – Viking Star Is Fitted With COVID-19 PCR Laboratory. This new facility on board Viking Star enables PCR testing of crew and passengers with a non-invasive saliva test. The laboratory has enough capacity for daily testing of every crew member and passenger, which provides flexibility to respond to COVID-19 prevalence levels around the world.

It is unclear if Viking intends to install similar labs on the other vessels within their fleet.

Viking Star has capacity for 930 passengers.

   

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