Ship ahoy! time to cruise

The announcement was made by MSC Cruises’ CEO Gianni Onorato following the official opening by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler’s representative in the Al Dhafra region, of a new jetty for passenger ships at Sir Bani Yas Island.

This development, according to MSC, will be greatly welcomed by cruise holidaymakers visiting the incredible island off the coast of Abu Dhabi.

Onorato hailed the cruise sector in the UAE as being an integral part of its dynamic tourism industry, paid tribute to the health and safety measures throughout the country and described MSC Cruises’ business outlook for next winter in the UAE and the Gulf as ‘very positive’ as a result.  

Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said, “The UAE is a very important market for us and next winter we are going to deploy our newest addition to our fleet - MSC World Europa - and further increase our capacity from this year with the introduction of a second ship, MSC Opera, in recognition of the region’s ever growing status in the cruise sector.  

“MSC World Europa will redefine the cruise experience with a variety of never-before-seen features unlike anything at sea today and the vessel will be an additional benefit to the UAE’s tourism industry. The ship will attract many international passengers from around the world, especially from Europe, and we hope to also see strong interest from guests from the Gulf Cooperation Council, especially the UAE.

“One of our newest ships MSC Virtuosa, is currently deployed in the Arabian Gulf and although there are challenges ashore associated with the global pandemic, we have worked closely with the relevant authorities throughout the region to ensure the health and safety of our passengers, crew and the communities that the ship visits. The combination of onboard measures along with those ashore have been extremely effective, as demonstrated by the fact that MSC Virtuosa is one of our best performing ships during the winter season.”

MSC Virtuosa finished her scheduled voyages in the UAE on March 26 and will be replaced by MSC Bellissima between April 2 and June 25. This is the first time MSC Cruises has extended its sailing season in the Gulf and offer spring break holidays at sea. MSC World Europa from December will be based in the UAE offering seven-night cruises from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Sir Bani Yas Island, Dammam in Saudi Arabia and Doha in Qatar. 

MSC Opera will operate a different and contrasting itinerary from Dubai and Abu Dhabi with visits to Sir Bani Yas Island and also to Muscat and Khasab in Oman. The seven-night cruise finishes with an overnight stay in Dubai to give international passengers plenty of time to explore the city. 

 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

The world’s biggest cruise ship, which is five times the size of the Titanic, has set sail for the first time. Wonder of the Seas weighs in at a staggering 236,857 tons and is fitted out with 19 swimming pools, 20 restaurants, 11 bars, an ice rink, casino and even its own Central Park.

The Royal Caribbean liner set out on her maiden seven-day voyage Friday from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, heading to the Caribbean. The statistics for the record-breaking ship are staggering.

It’s 362 metres long, it can carry 6,988 passengers along with 2,300 crew. It has a top speed of 22 knots (25mph) thanks to three 20,000 kilowatt diesel-electric thrusters under the stern and four bow thrusters, each generating 7,500 horsepower.

Wonder of the Seas took three years to build in Saint-Nazaire, France, at a cost of more than £1billion. Wonder of the Seas features a mini golf course, Laser Tag game area, video game arcade, outdoor movie theatre, luxury spa and state-of-the-art gym.

 

PRINCESS CRUISES

The newest cruise ship in the Princess Cruises fleet – Discovery Princess – was delivered during an official handover at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. Discovery Princess expands the Princess Cruises fleet to 15 MedallionClass vessels and features an evolution of the design platform used for the cruise line’s previous Royal-Class ships. The Discovery Princess handover  was attended by John Padgett, President of Princess Cruises, Captain Gennaro Arma, and Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager Merchant Ships Division of Fincantieri.

“This marks a significant milestone for Princess Cruises as we officially take ownership of the spectacular Discovery Princess,” said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. “We extend our immense gratitude to our long-time and trusted partners at Fincantieri, the shipbuilders of all six of our Royal-Class vessels with Discovery Princess and look forward to welcoming our first guests to experience the beauty of the ship when they embark in just a few weeks.”

The 3,660-guest Discovery Princess is the sixth and final Royal-Class newbuild and shares all of the spectacular style and luxury of her sister ships – Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess, Majestic Princess, Regal Princess and Royal Princess. With an array of innovative new experiences, guests will enjoy 270-degree sweeping views from the largest balconies at sea in the Sky Suites, unwind in ultimate comfort at The Sanctuary and indulge the senses with world-class dining options. Plus, Princess live entertainment presents mesmerizing new Broadway-style production shows that can only be seen in the state-of-the-art Princess Theatre. Discovery Princess uses the latest technologies to reduce fuel consumption, treat wastewater, and support our environmental compliance efforts.

 

AZAMARA

The luxury cruise line unveiled its newly created campaign that focuses on the places and experiences that are available to guests on an Azamara sailing. In particular, it showcases Azamara’s identity of destination immersion, with intensive land experiences and more overnights in each destination in touches.

“We understand our guests are looking for new experiences at a more relaxed pace, and to make memorable connections with the destination and its locals,” Azamara president Carol Cabezas said. “Our latest campaign really brings Azamara’s objective to life.”

Azamara was sold by Royal Caribbean in early 2021 in a $200 million deal to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. Shortly after, the cruise line announced its intentions to add a fourth ship to its fleet and named former Holland America president Orlando Ashford as its new executive chairman.

It then returned to sailing later in 2021, a return that TMR got a taste of late last year with Azamara Journey in the Canary Islands.

Despite all the change, Azamara has stuck to its destination-immersion identity, and it's exactly that identity that the new campaign aims to showcase. The line currently has plans to visit over 250 ports around the world, with more than 430 overnight stays and 850 late nights. That schedule includes its first-ever World Voyage and new maiden ports only accessible to smaller ships.

 

SILVERSEA CRUISES

Silversea Cruises has unveiled details of its collection of suites set to debut on Silver Nova in summer 2023. With 364 suites across 13 categories, Silver Nova–the first vessel in the cruise line’s Nova series–will sport a new design approach, with an asymmetrical configuration and horizontal layout, meaning suites run the entire length of the ship on four decks.

The ship will introduce a collection of suites, including seven new categories. The collection comprises greater variety, including aft suites–a first for Silversea. The Signature Suite offers 700 square feet of space and views from all interior spaces. It includes a dining, living and sleeping area, a bathroom and a balcony spanning 172 square feet. It is outfitted with custom-made mattresses, two large flat-screen televisions, a sound system with Bluetooth connectivity and an espresso machine.

Inspired by Silversea’s new wellness program, the Otium Suite offers 1,324 square feet of space and features floor-to-ceiling windows in all living areas. The balcony, measuring 430 square feet, also has a private whirlpool. This suite includes custom-made mattresses, two large flat-screen televisions, a sound system with Bluetooth connectivity and an espresso machine.

Silver Nova’s suites range from 355 to 1,324 square feet. All 364 suites have a redesign–particularly the bathrooms and walk-in closets. The bathroom has been refined to include a modern oversized mirror, a large vanity with two faucets, a walk-in shower and a bathtub or whirlpool. The walk-in closet has been renovated to provide a more significant openness, particularly in the Veranda Suites, and includes dedicated compartments for personal jewellery. All suites benefit from large balconies, ranging from 54 to 430 square feet, with 270-degree ocean and land views from select suites. Enlarged floor-to-ceiling windows replace exterior walls in select suites. All suites have a private balcony with a glass balustrade and views from most living spaces, enabling a seamless openness to the destination.

 

CELEBRITY BEYOND

The Celebrity Beyond, the newest vessel from the Celebrity Cruises fleet completed her sea trials, moving the ship one step closer to launch. The Celebrity Beyond is the third ship from the Edge Class and she will launch in April 27, 2022 from Southampton in the United Kingdom.

Overseeing the ship for its sea trials were over 50 crew members including Captain Kate McCue who will assume command over the ship when she launches.

“Successfully completing these sea trials was a thrill of a lifetime for me,” said Ms McCue.

“Her smooth sailing and manoeuvrability is a testament to her innovative design and I can’t wait to take the helm of this awe-inspiring ship and take our guests to equally beautiful destinations.”

The Celebrity Beyond will be much like her sister ships, the Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex.

But she will have additional features. The Beyond will become the largest ship in the fleet and she will also have a two-storey sundeck at the exclusive suite enclave, The Retreat; an expanded rooftop garden, an all-new redesigned Grand Plaza; a new multi-level Sunset Bar at the aft of the ship and the first-ever Daniel Boulud restaurant at sea.