AmaWaterways to launch new Mekong vessel

By Michelle Baran
AmaWaterways will introduce a new 124-passenger ship, the AmaDara, on the Mekong River in 2015.

The AmaDara will join its sister ship, the 124-passenger AmaLotus, which Ama introduced in 2011. It will replace the 94-passenger La Marguerite, which Ama introduced on the Mekong in 2009.

The AmaDara is slated to make its inaugural sailing on Aug. 17, 2015, and will sail as part of a 16-day river cruise and land tour through Vietnam and Cambodia.

The vessel will feature French colonial-style décor accented by Mekong design elements within the air-conditioned cabins and public spaces.

The ship’s outside-facing staterooms and suites range between 226 and 452 square feet and feature Ama’s twin balcony concept, which consists of a French balcony adjacent to a step-out balcony.

The vessel will have two restaurants that will serve Western-style cuisine alongside regionally inspired dishes. Onboard entertainment will include folk dances, live musical performances, cultural discussions and themed dinners.

There will be a salon and spa services; a sun deck and swimming pool; a fitness center; and a complimentary in-room infotainment system with internet, music, movies and English-language television programming.

Complimentary wine will be available with lunch and dinner, and complimentary house spirits, local beer, soft drinks and bottled water will be offered all day. Complimentary bottled water will be provided daily in all staterooms.

Quantum’s repositioning itinerary sails the globe

By Tom Stieghorst
RCCL-QuantumoftheSeas-render410Royal Caribbean International said it will offer a 53-day cruise in 2015 to reposition Quantum of the Seas from New York to China, and that guests can also book five discrete segment cruises along the way.

The 4,100-passenger ship will leave Cape Liberty in Bayonne, N.J., on May 2 for Shanghai. It’s first call will be in the Azores, on an 11-day cruise that includes Cartagena and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, terminating in Barcelona.

That is followed by a 16-day segment that transits the Suez Canal to finish in Dubai. A third segment departs Dubai on May 29 on a 14-day voyage to Penang, Malaysia.

After a three-day short cruise roundtrip from Singapore, the trip concludes with a nine-day exotic Asia itinerary departing June 15 from Singapore to Shanghai.

The cruises go on sale to Crown & Anchor Society members on May 20 and on May 22 to the general public.

Azamara Journey returning to duty March 17th

Azamara Journey will return to service on March 17th, following repairs to the damaged propeller that forced it to cancel its upcoming voyage from Shanghai.

Earlier this week, the ship was forced to cut its current cruise of Asia short after debris caused damage to the propeller. The ship was en route to Tokyo when the 601 passengers and 399 members of the crew on board felt an “unusual vibration”, according to a statement from the cruise line.

A subsequent inspection revealed the damage. Although Azamara said that the required repair work is relatively straightforward, it does require access to a dry dock, which is why the ship will be out of action for the first half of March.

The vessel will travel to Korea’s Orient Shipyard Gwanguang for repairs, according to Seatrade-Insider, before resuming service mid-March with a 17-night cruise around Asia.

A tweet from Azamara read: “It is regrettable that this incident occurred and spoiled our guests’ vacation. We will do everything we can to assist them.”