Marella Cruises has revealed details of the new ship Marella Voyager’s bar and dining options ahead of its launch this summer.
The all-inclusive vessel will include new venues such as Silver Fork, a British-themed speciality restaurant; The Arts House, a bar with an arts and crafts space; and The Kitchens, a food hall with eight eateries rolled into one. The ship also offers a spa, pool and show lounge.
Marella will also debut its first Mexican restaurant, Abuela’s, which will offer a range of dishes such as tacos, burritos, nachos and fajitas.
From its homeport in Majorca, Voyager will sail to destinations such as Barcelona, Naples, Sicily and the south of France. In the winter, it will offer eight-night itineraries from Barbados.
Chris Hackney, managing director of cruise for Tui UK and Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to present an exciting evolution of our fleet in Marella Voyager.
“She really takes things to a new level, building on our current ships’ best features, whilst adding new venues that we know our customers will be excited to try.
“We understand what guests want from their cruise and what they love about our existing ships, so by ensuring we keep some Marella Cruises favourites as well as adding a different flavour to Marella Voyager, we will be providing more choice for our loyal customers and providing an exciting introduction to the brand for new customers.”
The new Costa Toscana has been christened in Barcelona by Chanel, a young singer, actress and dancer who enjoyed great success in Spain and in all of Europe after her exhibition during the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises commented: “It is a great thrill to celebrate the christening of our Costa Toscana in Barcelona, a city to which we are particularly attached and where we have been at home since the beginning of our history.
“For this occasion, we have organized an event to celebrate the start of a summer that marks the serene resumption of travel and vacations. The event also features the excellence of Costa’s offerings in all aspects, from high gastronomy to high-quality entertainment, to unique experiences ashore,” he said.
“According to recent market research, nearly 14 million Europeans are dreaming of taking a cruise in the next 12 months, and cruises are among the trips with the highest potential to meet the needs of destinations exploration. We must take advantage of this upswing to promote more sustainable tourism that respects the environment and values local communities. Our commitment is expressed not only through technologically advanced ships such as the LNG-powered Costa Toscana, but also by supporting innovative projects whose scope goes beyond the tourism sector, such as Chef Ángel León’s project.”
She joined the ship’s Captain Pietro Sinisi for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in which a bottle was shattered on the ship’s prow, as per maritime tradition.
The event was hosted by two exceptional masters of ceremonies: Carlos Sobera and Flora Gonzalez, two real stars of Spanish television well-loved by the general public.
The ceremony was then closed by a performance by the Italian artist Andrea Casta, a “globetrotter” violinist who has performed all over the world with his electric violin and his unique luminous bow.
Among the guests were Spanish celebrities, such as “El Sevilla”.
As the ship leaves Barcelona on the way to Valencia, guests can look forward to a performance by Meduza, a famous Italian trio of house music producers, who will host an exclusive DJ set onboard. The aperitif and gala dinner will be signed by Spanish chef Ángel León known as the “chef of the sea” who has been awarded 3 Michelin stars with his restaurant Aponiente.
Costa Cruises and Ángel León are further strengthening their collaboration, addressing a theme that both have long been committed to, which is environmental sustainability. Through her Costa Cruises Foundation, Costa Cruises is supporting a worldwide pioneering project: the development of the “marine grain.”
Restaurant Aponiente’s research centre has started the cultivation of the Zostera marina in the Bay of Cadiz. The Zostera marina is a plant that helps generate greater marine biodiversity, thus enriching the ecosystem. Thanks to the support of the Costa Cruises Foundation, the cultivated area of the ocean garden, which is currently about 3,000 m2, can be expanded, in order to promote the project and export the Zostera marina to new coastal areas, the company said.
Costa will sail 10 ships this summer, with the Toscana offering a week-long Western Mediterranean program,
In just six months MSC Cruises will launch its newest and most environmentally advanced ship to date, the MSC World Europa.
MSC said its new flagship is the first from the World Class prototype series, spanning 22 decks, 47 meters wide, with 2,626 cabins and boasting more than 40,000 square meters of public space.
The company said this metropolis at sea is the future of cruising and will offer a veritable world of different experiences pushing the boundaries of what is possible at sea.
Among the highlights is The Promenade, a 104-meter long, 7 seven deck-high outdoor is one of the key areas of the ship. Opening out onto the aft of the ship with sea views, this is the place to be day or night with entertainment and al-fresco dining space. The glory of the promenade is a striking architectural masterpiece: The Venom Drop @ The Spiral spanning 11 decks, the longest dry slide at sea.
The ship will offer seven new and innovative cabin types not seen on any other MSC Cruises’ ship, and more suites than ever have private whirlpool baths, the company said.
Another highlight is the new Infinite Ocean view cabins with a panoramic sliding window that turns into a glass balustrade when open.
The MSC World Europa will spend her inaugural season in the Gulf. Her season starts on Dec. 20 with a special four-night sailing from Doha in Qatar to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The MSC World Europa will then offer 7-night cruises from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, and on to Sir Bani Yas Island, Her program in the Gulf has been adjusted with calls in the port of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, visiting Al Ahsa oasis, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The ship also calls Doha, the futuristic capital of Qatar, before returning to Dubai with an overnight in the city.
The MSC World Europa will the head to the Mediterranean Sea. In summer 2023, she will offer seven-night cruises calling the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.
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