Wetravel2u's Weblog

Travel #1 insider's Blog

recent posts

about

I love all things Cruise and add that to my hobby Photography I’m in dreamland, I’m an exTravel agency owner with the inside contacts, so I will try to keep you updated in all things travel related with a side serving of images and other maritime stories.
  • We Travel 2U - Weblog

    We Travel 2U-Weblog

    MSC Cruises Invites Artists Worldwide to Design Hull of Euribia

    MSC Cruises is giving artists and designers around the world the opportunity to design the hull of Euribia – the cruise line’s LNG-powered ship currently under construction at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint Nazaire, France.

    According to a press release, the aim of this initiative is “to communicate the importance of respect for the environment.”

    The design contest, which opens today, on International Artists’ Day, is a first for MSC Cruises.

    “The winning design will be yet another sign of our ongoing commitment to protecting the oceans and achieving net-zero operations, an ambitious goal that we have set for ourselves to reach by 2050 or sooner. And through this contest, the MSC Euribia as she sails the world will be proudly showcasing this important message of our commitment on her hull for all to see,” said Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago.

    The 4,888-passenger Euribia will come into service in 2023 and become the second LNG-powered ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, marking another step in the cruise line’s aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the press release, Euribia’s engines have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 21 per cent compared to standard fuels while also virtually eliminating other air emissions.

    “We are a family company with over 300 years of maritime heritage, all we do and ever did is shipping. The sea is our livelihood and our passion. For this and more since our early days, we focused on looking after it for the next generations. Today this means that at MSC Cruises we are not only equipping our ships with the latest and most advanced environmental technologies and solutions. We also fund research and invest directly to support the accelerated development of next-generation solutions and embrace innovative technologies to minimize our impact, and protect and preserve our precious marine ecosystems,” Vago explained.

    Saint-Nazaire : lancement de la construction du MSC Euribia
    Steel Cutting for the MSC Euribia

    The ship is named after the ancient goddess Eurybia who harnessed the winds, weather and constellations to master the seas.

    According to MSC, only one winner will have their artwork showcased on the ship’s hull, as a sailing outdoor gallery for the world to see. Five further shortlist finalists will also have their designs displayed in an exhibition on board the Euribia, where guests can enjoy the art and its important message for years to come.

    The entries will be judged by a panel of international judges including sand artist Jben, known for his large sand frescoes that wash away with the tide, architect Martin Francis and Vago himself. Jben has travelled the world sculpting beach art in the United States, France, Morocco, Holland and Portugal, to raise awareness of sea-related environmental issues and encourage marine protection and preservation.

  • We Travel 2U - Weblog

    We Travel 2U-Weblog

    Queen Elizabeth to Sail to Canaries, Western Mediterranean and Canada in 2022

    Cunard has announced that a series of new itineraries sailing on the 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth between February and May 2022 will go on sale in November.

    According to a press release, all sailings will depart from Southampton and will include a voyage in search of the Northern Lights, journeys to the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean as well as a grand voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal and on to Vancouver, Canada.

    “We hope our guests will be inspired to find a little adventure with these new itineraries. In a single short program, they offer a fantastic variety from the opportunity to experience the wondrous Northern Lights, to sun-kissed Mediterranean shores, to a transit of the Panama Canal,” Cunard President Simon Palethorpe said.

    The new itineraries will replace the existing published schedule, meaning that all previously announced departures between Feb. 20 and May 17, 2022, inclusive are now cancelled. The cruise line said that based on the most recent advice for cruise guests, and given the complexities of many of the international destinations involved, it will not be able to maintain those sailings. Cunard said that it continues to work very closely with authorities in all the destinations visited to ensure compliance with local health and entry requirements.

    “To all guests affected by the cancelled voyages we are sorry for the disappointment this will cause and we hope to welcome many back on board when we return to Japan in 2023,” said Palethorpe.

    Guests booked on the affected cancelled voyages will be offered a full refund or future cruise credit worth 125 per cent of the standard deposit terms, and 100 per cent of any additional monies paid, Cunard said.

  • We Travel 2U - Weblog

    We Travel 2U-Weblog

    CDC Extends Conditional Sail Order Through January 15, 2022; Voluntary Program After That

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) with minor modifications, according to a statement, through Jan. 15, 2022. 

    After the expiration of the CSO, the CDC said it intends to transition to what it called a voluntary program, in coordination with the industry to detect, mitigate and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships.

    The CDC Director signed the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO on October 25, 2021; it is effective upon the expiration of the current CSO on November 1, 2021.

    The Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO shall remain in effect until the earliest of

    • The expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency;
    • The CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations; or
    • January 15, 2022, at 12:01 am EDT.
    • After the expiration of the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO, CDC intends to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships.

    As of July 23, 2021, the CSO and accompanying measures, such as technical instructions, are nonbinding recommendations for cruise ships arriving in, located within, or departing from a port in Florida, according to a statement from the CDC.

    The CDC said in its statement that it is continuing to operate the CSO as a voluntary program for such ships that choose to follow the CSO measures voluntarily. 

    A number of minor changes are available to see in the updated order, announced through “Dear Colleague” communications to industry partners.

    The CDC said it did not view the extension as “imposing any new burdens or obligations on cruise ship operators when compared to the previous CSO … the most significant change is to narrow the applicability of the CSO to ‘foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in U.S. jurisdictions that do not routinely exercise public health jurisdiction nor maintain public health programs that conduct surveillance, inspections, investigations, and management for communicable diseases with potential for significant morbidity and mortality on board foreign-flagged ships.”