Saga Welcomes Two New Captains

Posted on 15 June, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

Saga Cruises is welcoming two new captains for the Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, as they return to service.

Darin Bowland and Jason Ikiadis will join Kim Tanner as the Captains of Saga’s cruise ships that are exclusively designed for guests who are over 50.

Bowland will take the helm of Spirit of Discovery on June 27 as she heads off around the British Isles, and Captain Tanner will take Spirit of Adventure on her inaugural 15-night cruise around the British Isles on July 26, according to a press release.

Bowland has previously held positions with Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corporation (Holland America), after starting his career as a cadet with the Royal Canadian Navy in 1985.

On joining Saga Cruises, he said: “When I first joined the cruise industry the business was all about the guests. After many years of driving larger ships with 3000+ passengers, I am really looking forward to getting to know our guests and crew. Also, I love exploring, and I can’t wait to show our guests the many fantastic destinations that Saga offers.”

Ikiadis comes from a long line of seafarers, including his own father who was a ship’s captain, and his paternal grandfather who was in the Royal Navy.

“Following in their footsteps was inevitable” he added.

Ikiadis first went to sea in 1984 and has held many positions since, working up the ranks to Captain for cruise lines such as Azamara and TUI.

“Saga is a well-established and well-known brand, with a loyal base of guests who enjoy that personal experience,” said Ikiadis. “Being able to Captain two brand-new ships is really exciting. The sister ships give a respectful nod to previous Saga cruise ships but these are thoroughly modern and contemporary in design. They’re also a dream to drive thanks to the fact they boast the very latest in ship technology.”

Regular Saga Cruisers will also recognize Captain Kim Tanner who has been with the cruise line for five years and is popular with guests and crew alike. C

Captain Tanner said: “I’m so looking forward to getting out to sea on our ships again. Although we successfully delivered Spirit of Adventure last year she still hasn’t had any of our guests on board and I really can’t wait to show everyone how beautiful she is. The best part of the job is being out on the ocean and showing our guests what Saga cruising is all about with our fantastic modern and contemporary boutique cruise ships.”

Hamburg Opens to Cruises with AIDA and TUI Set to Sail

Posted on 31 May, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

The German port of Hamburg will again welcome cruise ships this summer as the German city is opening to tourism.

TUI Cruises announced it will sail from Hamburg on June 11 with the Mein Schiff 6, offering short cruises with no port calls.

To start, the German brand will offer three- and four-day scenic cruises and hopes to rotate in ports at a later date. Bookings are now open on the TUI website.

Carnival Corporation brand AIDA Cruises also confirmed that it will base a ship in Hamburg starting in July with more details to follow soon.

Another Costa Cruise Ship Back in Servia, Luminosa Sails from Trieste

Posted on 16 May, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

The Costa Luminosa is back in service for Carnival Corporation’s Italian brand as the ship today sailed from Trieste, becoming the company’s second ship to resume operations in 2021 after the Costa Smeralda reentered service earlier this month from Savona.

The Luminosa will offer Adriatic Sea itineraries and also call in Greece as part of Costa’s four-ship sailing plan for summer 2021, all operating under the company’s Costa Safety Protocol.

In addition to Trieste, Costa Luminosa’s one-week itinerary includes visits to Bari and Corfu, Athens, Mykonos and Katakolon/Olympia. The deployment is scheduled through mid-November, totalling 27 departures.

Costa Luminosa’s restart was celebrated in Trieste by Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti, together with several key figures, including the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza; the Councilor of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Pierpaolo Roberti; the Captain of the Trieste Coast Guard, Vincenzo Vitale; and the CEO of Trieste Terminal Passeggeri, Francesco Mariani.

“With the restart of the Costa Luminosa, we are finally bringing cruises back to the Adriatic Sea and Greece, one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, and reviving a sector of great importance to the economy of many European countries, including Italy, as well as the eastern part of the Mediterranean,” said Zanetti.

“Just to illustrate the importance of this restart, before the pause caused by the pandemic, our company generated an annual economic impact of almost €13 billion in Europe, creating over 63,000 jobs. We are particularly pleased to be resuming from Trieste, a city that has always welcomed us warmly, and which will be the home port of Costa Luminosa not only this year but also in 2022. We look to the future with optimism, and we are working to make Trieste even more strategic for cruises, promoting sustainable development and a quality guest experience,” he added.

Next for Costa, on June 26, the Costa Deliziosa will restart with week-long cruises in Greece. July 4 will see the departure of the Costa Firenze with one-week cruises in Italy.

In addition, starting on July 3 Costa Smeralda will begin sailing in international itineraries, with one-week cruises in Italy, France and Spain.

“Trieste welcomes the return of the Costa Cruises ships. In recent years we have developed a very important collaboration with the company that guaranteed a regular presence of Costa ships in our beautiful city. Trieste is a city with a tourist vocation and the return of Costa rewards us for the work we are doing, but above all, it means that tourists are back,” said the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza.