Tag Archives: Bahamas

Celebrity Reflection Debuts New Look After Drydock at Chantiers Naval de Marseille

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The Celebrity Reflection became the latest ship to showcase Celebrity Cruises’ new look following a drydock in France.

After spending over ten days at the Chantier Naval de Marseille, the 2012 vessel is now sporting a blue-coloured hull that was first introduced by the Celebrity Edge in 2018.

Part of the company’s new livery, the look is now present on ten of the 12 Celebrity Cruises large cruise ships.

During its recent shipyard visit, the Reflection also underwent maintenance and technical upkeep, in addition to regulatory and class work.

Set to cross the Atlantic for a winter season in the Caribbean, the Solstice-Class ship recently completed its tenth year in service.

First introduced in 2012, the 126,000-ton vessel is slightly larger than its four sister ships and features an extra deck with additional public areas and cabins.

Among its facilities are a glass-enclosed pool deck, a selection of ten dining venues – including five speciality restaurants – and a three-deck main theatre.

The Reflection also features Celebrity’s unique Lawn Club, an outside deck with a half-acre real grass lawn, as well as the exclusive Reflection Suite.

The two-bedroom accommodation offers a total of 150 square meters of space, in addition to a distinctive, all-glass shower extending out over the edge of the 3,030-passenger ship.

With its new blue hull, the Reflection is set to offer week-long cruises to the Caribbean during Celebrity’s 2022-2023 winter season.

Departing from Fort Lauderdale every Sunday, the vessel will sail an alternating schedule of Western and Eastern Caribbean voyages.

Itineraries include visits to popular destinations in Mexico, Belize, Honduras, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, The Bahamas and more.

For the 2023 summer, the Reflection is slated to return to Europe for a series of seven- to ten-night cruises to the Mediterranean.

MSC Meraviglia Returns to Port Canaveral for Winter Season

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The MSC Meraviglia recently returned to North America for its 2022-2023 cruise program. Following a trans-Atlantic crossing, the MSC Cruises vessel arrived in Port Canaveral on October 13. 

The 2017-built ship is now offering a series of cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean departing from the Central Florida homeport.

Ranging from two to seven nights, the ship’s itineraries feature visits to popular destinations in the region, including Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize City.

Most of the cruises also include a stop in Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the company’s private island in the Bahamas.

Ahead of MSC’s first complete season in the Northeast, the MSC Meraviglia concludes its winter program with a repositioning cruise to New York City.

The 11-night voyage departs Port Canaveral on April 9, 2023, and includes calls in five ports in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Upon arriving at its new homeport, the 167,600-ton vessel kicks off a year-round operation in the region.  

Sailing from Manhattan Cruise Terminal, the program features itineraries are six- to 11-night voyages visiting the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as Bermuda and Canada & New England.

Boasting 19 decks and a capacity for over 4,500 guests in double occupancy, the MSC Meraviglia was built in France by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyards.

The lead of the five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several unique features, including the Galleria Meraviglia, a 96-meter-long central promenade equipped with an 80-meter LED dome and an expansive shopping area.

Other features include a complete waterpark and 12 international dining venues, as well as 20 different bars and lounges. 

After entering service in Europe in 2017, the MSC Meraviglia originally debuted in North America two years later. At the time, the vessel arrived in Miami as MSC’s largest U.S.-based ship.

Virgin’s Valiant Lady Starts Atlantic Crossing Ahead of U.S. Debut

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Valeant Lady flying the Virgin Flag photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Wrapping up its inaugural summer in Europe, the Valiant Lady is starting a trans-Atlantic crossing to the United States.

The 14-night voyage departs from Barcelona today and marks the North American debut of the Virgin Voyages vessel.

In addition to the Spanish port, the one-way voyage includes visits to four European destinations, such as Ibiza and Funchal, before arriving in Miami on October 30.

Once in the U.S., the 2021-built cruise ship is set to kick off a series of week-long voyages to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

The program includes two different itineraries, such as the “Western Caribbean Charm.” Sailing to Mexico, Honduras and the Bahamas, the voyage features visits to Costa Maya, Roatán and Bimini.

Through mid-April, the Valiant also offers the “Eastern Caribbean Antilles” cruise. In addition to Bimini, the eight-night cruise sails to Amber Cove, St. Croix and San Juan.

Following the Scarlet Lady, which entered service in 2021, the Valiant Lady debuted in March 2022.

Virgin’s second newbuild, the 110,000-ton cruise ship spent its inaugural season in the Mediterranean, offering different itineraries to Spain, Italy and France.

Like the Scarlet Lady, the Valiant offers an adults-only product that focuses on what Virgin calls an intimate and elevated all-inclusive experience.

As part of the concept, the 2,770-guest vessel boasts 20 dining venues, in addition to many entertainment options. A highlight is The Manor – a two-story 1970s-style nightclub inspired by Virgin’s heritage in the music business.

Another feature is the Red Room, which, according to Virgin, is the first transformational multi-form theatre at sea.

The venue can be transformed into four different configurations – including a traditional Proscenium stage, to alley stage used in fashion shows, to a dance flat-floor configuration and finally a unique reverse stage setup.