Regal Princess Arrives in Galveston

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Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess arrived in Galveston on November 5, marking a milestone as the largest Princess cruise ship ever to homeport in Texas.

The Regal Princess will operate roundtrip sailings to the Western Caribbean from now through March 24 with an anticipated 75,000 passengers sailing aboard the ship.

To celebrate the milestone event, a traditional maritime plaque exchange took place in the presence of Princess Cruises Chief Commercial Officer Terry Thornton, Regal Princess Captain Aldo Traverso and Celebrations Ambassador Jill Whelan and Galveston Wharves Board Vice Chairman Jeff Patterson. The event started with a festive performance by Galveston’s local Ball High School Drill Team Tornettes and school mascot Tuffy.

“We first started sailing out of Galveston nearly 20 years ago. Princess loves Texas and we know Texans enjoy the convenience of having the Love Boat so close by offering a hassle-free drive or convenient fly option to enjoy the beautiful destinations in the Western Caribbean,” said Thornton.

“As we celebrate the arrival of Regal Princess, we extend our deep appreciation to the Port of Galveston for their ongoing partnership, and we’re excited to welcome aboard the only premium cruise experience from Galveston.”

The Regal Princess will sail a total of 21 voyages from Galveston, ranging in length from seven to 12 days, with calls in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan, among other destinations. Guests can also choose special holiday sailings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. The ship will also offer a “Love and Romance Celebration” themed cruise with Love Ambassador and bridal fashion icon Randy Fenoli, departing on December 3. Fenoli will host special events, share his personal success story, offer tips on how to choose the right wedding dress and even debut the “Randy” cocktail.

“Princess Cruises is an iconic cruise line and we’re delighted to welcome guests from Regal Princess, the largest Love Boat to ever sail from Galveston,” said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO. “Regal Princess will visit beautiful ports throughout the western Caribbean while expanding the array of attractive and enticing cruise vacation choices from Galveston, America’s fourth most popular homeport.”

Explora I Arrives For Inaugural Call in Miami

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PortMiami welcomed the new Explora I for her maiden call marking the ship’s debut in South Florida on Friday.

“We take immense pride in introducing our remarkable new ship, the Explora I, to the Magic City,” said Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys. “Miami is a paramount destination and important gateway to the Caribbean for ocean travel and it is a privilege to showcase our new ship and immersive journeys to this market. Our team has spared no effort in pushing the limits of innovation and delivering a product that we’re thrilled for guests to experience as they embark in South Florida.”

The maritime tradition of a crest exchange to celebrate a ship’s first visit to a destination took place on November 3, 2023, at PortMiami. The crest exchange was attended by the ship’s master Captain Diego Michelozzi, Michael Ungerer, CEO Explora Journeys, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and Hydi Webb, PortMiami Director and CEO, among others.

“As the cruise industry continues to rebound and make a strong comeback, we are grateful for our new partnership with Explora Journeys,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Their commitment to providing a world-class experience to passengers and a net zero-carbon emissions target by 2050 is critical to keeping PortMiami on the cutting edge of the cruise industry.”
Hydi Webb, PortMiami Director and CEO added, “As we continue to expand our operations and partnerships, we look forward to cruise activity growth with Explora Journeys, which will benefit all of our passengers.”

Following her maiden call, the ship set sail from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico. From November through March, the luxury ship will explore the Caribbean and Central America, calling on ports like Samana/Dominican Republic and Bridgetown/Barbados, with stops in Antigua and Barbuda, Turks and Caicos, Cartagena, Saint Barthélemy and the Grenadines, among others, before heading to the U.S.’ West Coast.

“Journeys aboard the Explora I aim to transport guests to an ‘Ocean State of Mind’ by delivering best-in-class service, exquisite onboard offerings and immersive destination experiences, authentic to the places the ship serves,” commented Ungerer. “A harmonious mix of well-known and hidden gems on the itinerary for the Explora I will provide our guests with opportunities to savor genuine cultural encounters and a more leisurely travel pace, leaving them refreshed and filled with inspiration.”

Abu Dhabi Begins 2023-24 Cruise Season

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AD Ports Group announced the start of the 2023-24 cruise season with the arrival of the Crystal Symphony which docked at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

Abu Dhabi is likely to experience a busy cruise season with 126 expected calls, starting on November 1, according to a press release.

Additionally, Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach is set to welcome 63 calls, having welcomed the first call on October 31. Nine of these calls will be maiden voyages to Abu Dhabi.

Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, chief executive officer of Cruise Business, AD Ports Group, said: “We are excited to announce the official start of cruise season here in Abu Dhabi with the arrival of Crystal Symphony. Last season, Zayed Port emerged as the busiest cruise port in the region; a testament to Abu Dhabi’s position as a premier tourist destination, and the exceptional infrastructure that effortlessly accommodates the region’s largest vessels. We remain dedicated to partnering with cruise lines to elevate Abu Dhabi’s global cruise destination standing.”

The first quarter of 2023 was particularly strong with 363,494 visitors and 120 calls compared to the first quarter of 2022, which saw 89,953 visitors and 60 calls. Passenger volumes for Q1 2023 surpassed the total number of visitors for the full year of 2022 by more than 37 percent.

For comparison, In the 2022-23 season, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal welcomed over 600,000 visitors, with more than 82,000 passengers starting their journey from Abu Dhabi.

In addition, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal expects to welcome over 7,000 visitors during Formula 1 Abu Dhabi.     

Abu Dhabi Cruise business expanded its operations to the Red Sea with the Aqaba Cruise Terminal in January 2023.