Tag Archives: Fort Lauderdale

Four MSC Cruises Ships Now in Service in the Caribbean

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With the MSC Seascape now sailing from PortMiami, MSC Cruises completed its Caribbean fleet for the 2022-2023 winter season.

One of the newest ships sailing in the region, the Seascape is the highlight of the deployment, which also includes the MSC Meraviglia, the MSC Divina and the MSC Seaside.

After being delivered in November, the newbuild was christened in New York City earlier this month and launched service from its South Florida homeport on Dec. 11.

A Seaside EVO Class ship, the Seascape is currently the newest and also one of the largest ships of the MSC Cruises fleet.

Set to serve the U.S. market year-round, the 4,560-guest vessel is now offering week-long cruises to the Caribbean departing from Miami.

Itineraries include visits to popular ports in the Eastern and Western Caribbean, including San Juan, Cozumel, George Cayman and Ocho Rios. Every cruise also features a visit to Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island destination in the Bahamas.

Sailing from Miami as well, the MSC Divina offers a seasonal program of three- to 10-night cruises, visiting additional destinations in the Southern and Western Caribbean, Central America and the Bahamas. Featured ports include Cartagena, Roatán, Limón and Freeport.

Based in Port Canaveral, the MSC Meraviglia is the third MSC cruise ship serving the North American market.

From its Central Florida homeport, the 2017-built ship offers a series of three- to seven-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean.

In addition to Ocean Cay and Nassau, itineraries include calls to Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya.

A fourth vessel, the MSC Seaside is also offering a winter program in the Southern and Eastern Caribbean.

Departing from St. Maarten, Barbados and Martinique, the ships cater to other publics, including Europeans and Brazilians.

MSC is set to broaden its offering in North America and the Caribbean in 2023-2024, with five ships sailing from U.S. ports, and a sixth based in the South Caribbean.

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.

Here Are Holland America Line’s Homeports For 2023

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MS Nieuw Amsterdam arriving in the port of Vancouver, Photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

With its entire fleet in service again, Holland America Line is planning an expansive global deployment in 2023.

In addition to strong programs from its traditional homeports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe, the company is also returning to its long-haul, intercontinental itineraries during the year.

Offering round-trip cruises from U.S. ports, Holland America is also returning to the Amazon, the South Pacific, Africa and more.

Other highlights of the year include a summer program in Canada and New England, as well as returns to South America, Asia, the Far East and more.

Here’s a look at the company’s planned homeports and their ships for 2023:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Ships:

– Eurodam (January to April/October to December);
– Nieuw Amsterdam (January to April/October to December);
– Nieuw Statendam (January to April/November and December);
– Rotterdam (January to March/October to December);
– Volendam (January to April);
– Zaandam (January to April/October to December);
– Zuiderdam (January to May/October to December).

Seattle, Washington

Ships:

– Eurodam (April to September);
– Westerdam (May to October).

San Diego, California

Ships:

– Koningsdam (January to March);
– Volendam (October and November);
– Zaandam (January to April).
 

Whittier, Alaska

Ships:

– Nieuw Amsterdam (May to September);
– Noordam (May to September).

Boston, Massachusetts

Ships:

– Zaandam (May to September);
– Zuiderdam (August and September).

Canada

Ships:

– Koningsdam: Vancouver (April to October);
– Nieuw Amsterdam: Vancouver (April to September);
– Noordam: Vancouver (May to September);
– Volendam: Vancouver (May to September); 
– Zaandam: Montreal (April to September);
– Zuiderdam: Quebec City (September).

Europe

Ships:

– Nieuw Statendam: Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Copenhagen, Piraeus and more (April to October);
– Noordam: Barcelona, Lisbon, Trieste, Piraeus and more (April to October);
– Rotterdam: Amsterdam and Rotterdam (April to September);
– Zuiderdam: Rotterdam (May to July).

Australia and New Zealand

Ships:

– Noordam: Sydney and Auckland (January to April/October to December).

Asia and Pacific

Ships:

– Westerdam: Singapore, Yokohama and Hong Kong (January to April/October to December). 

South America

Ships:

– Oosterdam: San Antonio and Buenos Aires (January to March/November and December).