Tag Archives: Canada

Former Vantage Cruise Ship Ocean Explorer on the Move

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Vantage Travel’s Ocean Explorer is on the move again. After several weeks of being docked in Northern France, the expedition vessel is on its way to Stavanger, in Norway.

According to AIS data, the 140-guest ship left Caen on Thursday and is scheduled to arrive at its destination on July 15.

Along with its sister ship Ocean Odyssey, the vessel had been docked at the French port since late May – when Vantage Deluxe World Travel ceased operations.

At the time, it sailed to Caen with no guests onboard, starting what was believed to be an extended lay-up period.

According to French media, the ships were initially scheduled to remain docked at the port for three months.

Later, on June 29, Vantage Deluxe Travel filed for a Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, pending a sale of its brand and assets to a new owner.

Built-in 2021 and 2022, the Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey are owned by SunStone Ships and were sailing for Vantage Travel on a long-term charter.

The vessels are part of SunStone’s Infinity Class, including four additional purpose-designed expedition ships.

Built by the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China, the 8,000-ton vessels offer an upscale cruising experience, including a swimming pool, two full-service restaurants, a spa, a two-story lounge and more.

Before Vantage’s bankruptcy, the Ocean Explorer was scheduled to offer a series of cruises to the Arctic and Northern Europe during the 2023 summer.

The program also included voyages to the Great Lakes and New England, in addition to itineraries to Canada’s St. Lawrence Sea Way and Atlantic Coast.

The ship was then scheduled to reposition to Antarctica for the winter, offering a series of expeditions departing from Ushuaia, in Argentina.

The ship was also set to sail to additional destinations in South America, the Amazon and the Caribbean during the 2023-2024 season.

Destination will be the “dominant influence” for customers in 2023

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Celebrity Eclipse at the Hubbard Glacia photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

A poll of 1,000 people carried out by cruise.co.uk found almost half (44%) of respondents describe destination as the “main factor” in their holiday decision-making process.

A quarter of respondents said the price tag was most influential, while a fifth indicated it was the cruise brand which swayed their choice. The specific ship and departure date were the lowest-ranking, with 5% of responses each.

The survey also revealed more than 50% of respondents had travelled on three or more cruise lines, and less than 20% stayed loyal to one brand, choosing instead to holiday based on destination and cost.

Tony Andrews, deputy managing director of cruise.co.uk, said: “Cruising is such a great way to see the world, so it’s easy to see why destination came up trumps in our survey.

“The ability to reach all corners of the globe from the comfort of a ship, combined with the value for money a holiday at sea offers, means we’re seeing customers coming back time and time again to discover new destinations or revisit firm favourites.”

MSC Meraviglia Arrives in NYC for Year-Round Sailings

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MSC Cruises MSC Meraviglia arrived at its new homeport in New York at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal from where it will sail year-round cruises, according to a press release.

This marks the first time that MSC Cruises has deployed a ship in New York for year-round sailings as part of efforts to strengthen its presence in the North American market.

The MSC Meraviglia will offer sailings ranging from six to 11 nights. Itineraries include: 

  • The Bahamas and Florida – Seven to 11-night cruises with calls in Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida; Nassau and the cruise line’s private island Ocean Cay, The Bahamas; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.
  • Bermuda – Five and six-night voyages from Kings Wharf in Bermuda starting in August.
  • Canada and New England – 10 and 11-night sailings with calls in Newport, Boston and Portland in the U.S. and Saint John, Halifax, Charlottetown, and Sydney in Canada.

For international guests, MSC Cruises offers “Stay & Cruise” packages with an option to stay up to three nights in the city before embarking on the cruise.  Guests can choose among several hotels including the Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan, Hotel Riu Plaza Times Square and the Park Central Hotel.

Additionally, guests can look forward to a free guided tour through Manhattan before embarking on the ship.