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.
P&O Cruises has reported an “overwhelming” number of bookings for its summer season of UK coastal cruises since they went on sale on the morning of March 22, the cruise line said in a press release.
“We always hoped that these domestic cruises would be popular, given the uncertainty around holidays abroad, but we have never before seen such significant and immediate demand and it certainly shows the effects of lockdown and everyone’s need for a holiday. Many thousands of guests have already made bookings and Iona’s maiden voyage to the Scottish islands is already very well-sold and will be a very special cruise,” P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow said.
The three-, four- and seven-night cruises on the flagship Britannia and the new ship Iona – billed by the cruise line as “the ultimate British break” – will set sail from Southampton between June and September.
“Where else but by sailing with us on the Iona can you taste Spanish speciality tapas from Jose Pizarro, fine wines chosen by Olly Smith, Marco Pierre White’s beef Wellington and award-winning Snowflake gelato? And that’s before you choose from a new movie release in the boutique cinema or catch a show in SkyDome or a music set in the 710 Club. There’s certainly no other domestic holiday this year which can compete,” said Ludlow.
“We have spent so long working towards this point and we all just can’t wait to see our ships sailing once again, it’s been a very long year,” he added.
Celebrity Cruises announced its return cruising today as the Celebrity Millennium will homeport in St. Maarten starting on June 5.
Beginning March 25, guests can book the new seven-night itineraries departing through August.
The ship will sail two different weeklong itineraries. One will call on Aruba, Curaçao and Barbados and a second itinerary will call on Tortola, St. Lucia and Barbados.
The ship will sail with the vaccinated crew and will be available to vaccinated adult guests and children under the age of 18 with a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of embarkation, according to a press release.
Guests can take advantage of special air and sea pricing offering exceptional savings on all Summer 2021 St. Maarten sailings starting at $1,999 per person for a veranda stateroom.
Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said: “Returning to the Caribbean after more than a year away is such a significant moment for us. It marks the measured beginning of the end of what has been a uniquely challenging time for everyone. We have been in constant contact with the leadership of St. Maarten these past months to support each other and share learnings and best practices. That we’re able to offer people the opportunity to safely vacation onboard the revolutionized Celebrity Millennium, is incredible, and that we will sail from the magical island of St. Maarten is very special. I am forever grateful for the support and collaboration of the St. Maarten government.”
“Having a major cruise line such as Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Cruises homeport here is a significant economic milestone for St. Maarten. It’s a historic agreement, the fruit of continuous dialogue and a testament to the strength of our longstanding relationship,” Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever declared. “Celebrity Cruises homeporting here will help rejuvenate our economy and drive opportunities for our people. I would like to thank the management team at the Royal Caribbean Group for their commitment to St. Maarten and their confidence in the Ministry of TEATT as a reliable and responsible partner. I look forward to the successful re-launch of their Caribbean cruising,” Minister de Weever concluded.
MSC Cruises has announced that it will be offering a “special range of short breaks and week-long cruises around the British Isles” in summer 2021, starting from May 20, for UK holidaymakers only.
Departing from the new terminal in the port of Southampton, these first sailings will kick off with a series of short cruises and will be followed by seven-night sailings visiting “some of the UK’s favourite destinations and offering additional ports of embarkation to guests,” the cruise line said in a press release.
“Our experience of sailing safely and responsibly since August last year in the Mediterranean under our industry-leading protective health and safety protocol has given us a great deal of knowledge and data about safe cruises,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO at MSC Cruises.
“We also remain confident that we will soon be able to welcome British guests back on board one of our ships further afield, once current international travel restrictions are lifted and more of our ships will have restarted across the Mediterranean as well as other areas traditionally favoured by the British,” he added.
Antonio Paradiso, the managing director at MSC Cruises UK & Ireland, said that the cruise line’s hope is to “offer every type of holidaymaker the chance to escape this summer – from grandparents to teens and even the smallest of passengers looking to explore.”
Both vaccinated and non-vaccinated guests would be welcome, Paradiso explained.
“All guests will be tested prior to embarkation, while non-vaccinated guests will also be required to show proof of negative test done within 72 hours prior to embarkation,” he said. “Crew in addition to the protocol-mandated test and 14-day quarantine prior to embarkation will also receive weekly testing, in addition to other ongoing health monitoring measures.”
According to Paradiso, MSC Cruises has carried more than 50,000 guests since its restart of operations in August 2020 under the protection of a health and safety protocol.
“It is built around a comprehensive strategy that includes universal testing of all guests and crew prior to embarkation and periodically throughout the cruise, deep and ongoing sanitation, protected-only shore excursions, as well as many other measures that we are used to in our daily lives, such as social distancing and the wearing of face coverings. We will sail with a reduced capacity so that guests have even more space,” he said.
“Our industry-leading protocol was developed with input from international health experts – including our own ‘Blue-Ribbon’ expert group – and in close cooperation with relevant health, transport and safety authorities and was designed to respond to a fluctuating health situation ashore. This allowed us to support continued cruise operations in the Mediterranean through to today, safely welcoming guests onboard from across the Schengen area throughout the different phases of the evolution of the pandemic in the various countries,” he added.
Paradiso said that MSC will continue to adapt the protocol in line with relevant requirements and guidance, to “provide the (UK guests with the) same seamless experience they are used to when cruising.”
“We understand how important this particular summer is to holidaymakers and we’re committed to providing guests with a range of fantastic activities in a healthy and safe environment. Guests can expect a variety of fun and engaging areas for children with play areas for a range of ages and world-class dining and round-the-clock entertainment offerings that provide multi-generational groups with a holiday option that suits this summer,” he said.
According to Paradiso, MSC Cruises is also working on a program of protected shore excursions for its guests to experience the destinations it will visit, but “of course, this is subject to prevailing circumstances and local guidance at the time of sailing.”
“We believe that this special offering will provide UK holidaymakers with a unique summer of cruising and be the ultimate destination for families and friends to reconnect and create new memories this summer. In the meantime, we continue to engage with the UK Government and all relevant authorities as we evaluate the ever-changing travel landscape and prepare for any potential roadblocks that could arise as we journey on the roadmap to recovery. Whilst we are excited for a summer of British cruising, we remain confident that we will soon be able to welcome UK guests back onboard further afield,” he said.
Further details regarding the sailings will be announced shortly, Paradiso said, highlighting the cruise line’s commitment to providing flexibility to guests.
