Tag Archives: Inaugural cruise

Norwegian Cancels Viva’s Inaugural Cruises

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Norwegian Cruise Line is cancelling the first and second sailings of the new Norwegian Viva.

Citing construction delays, the company said the 3,215-guest ship won’t be ready in time for the cruises, which were set to depart on June 15 and June 24, 2023.

In a statement sent to booked guests, Norwegian informed that the cancellations were a result of “global supply chain constraints impacting industries worldwide and the related downstream construction delays at the shipyard.”

According to the company, impacted passengers will receive a full refund to the original form of payment, with no further actions required on their part.

“We are committed to always putting our guests first. This includes providing information regarding any changes to voyages with as much notice as possible,” Norwegian added.

Opening up the ship’s inaugural summer in the Mediterranean, the cancelled cruises included visits to several countries in Europe.

A one-way, nine-night voyage, the inaugural sailing was set to depart Portugal, calling in various destinations in Spain and France before arriving in Italy.

An open-jaw itinerary as well, the second cruise was set to sail between two Italian ports: Civitavecchia and Trieste.

The nine-night voyage also featured visits to other ports in the country, in addition to popular destinations in Croatia, Greece, Malta and Slovenia.

The Norwegian Viva is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. Second, in a series of six ships known as the Prima Class, the vessel will be a sister of the new Norwegian Prima.

Set to debut this year, the 142,000-ton vessel is also entering service later than initially planned due to supply chain issues. Norwegian informed guests booked on the ship’s inaugural voyage that their cruise was no longer going ahead.

Also being built in Marghera, the Prima was set to depart on August 17, 2022. Ahead of a christening ceremony in Reykjavik, the vessel was offering an eight-night cruise from the Netherlands to Iceland.

Costa Toscana to Host Fashion Show Before Inaugural Cruise

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Sustainable fashion producer Jessica Minh Anh is set to transform the new LNG-powered cruise ship, the Costa Toscana, into a sky-high ocean catwalk on Feb. 28, 2022.

According to a press release, the, J Spring Fashion Show 2022 will be held against the cinematic backdrop of the Italian Riviera to deliver a message of “sustainability and style.” The event will welcome some global media and famous people on board the Costa Toscana, before its inaugural cruise in Portofino, Italy.

Participating brands, which will be unveiled in mid-February 2022, will premiere a combination of haute couture and ready-to-wear collections from five continents. Minh Anh’s previous catwalks included Paul Costelloe, Montblanc, Yumi Katsura, Ziad Nakad, Shiatzy Chen, and Tony Ward.

The red-carpet experience will feature Italian art, architecture, culture, luxury and delicacies alongside the impressive catwalk.

“This particular moment in history provides an opportunity for a sustainable ‘restart’ of our society. The Costa Toscana aligns perfectly with my mission of highlighting sustainability in a visually attractive way. It runs on liquefied natural gas, one of the most advanced technologies to reduce emissions right now. It represents a breakthrough in the travel industry. I am honoured to celebrate the resurgence of business and style on such a unique ship,” Minh Anh said.

According to the press release, J Spring Fashion Show 2022 is Minh Anh’s “comeback catwalk” after the success of “Runway on the Runway” at JFK international airport held before the pandemic. The show will combine three of Minh Anh’s catwalk series, namely Fashion x Sustainability, Catwalk-On-Water, and Sky-High. Previous editions took place atop the Eiffel Tower, London’s Tower Bridge, Grand Canyon Skywalk, Hoover Dam, Gemasolar Power Plant, and cruise ships in Dubai, New York, Sydney, and Hong Kong.

“Jessica Minh Anh is a pioneer in marrying fashion with sustainability, just like Costa Cruises in offering the most advanced sustainable ships”, said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises. “Costa has been the first in the world to operate LNG-powered ships and focuses on value-driven, sustainable and inclusive tourism. As the travel industry is gradually recovering, it is very exciting for us to welcome Jessica on board, and have her launch such an important message in a creative way on our new flagship, the Costa Toscana. We are also proud that this collaboration will happen in Italy and specifically the Ligurian Riviera!”

A site visit took place last weekend on the Costa Toscana in Civitavecchia, where Minh Anh met with the president of Costa Cruises to discuss the floor plan, schedule, setup and treatments for the media and guests.

The official campaign video captured Minh Anh running atop the sky-high catwalk in a bright pink dress against the backdrop of the ship, deep blue sea and skyline.

P&O’s Iona Makes Inaugural Cruise Call in Lisbon

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The Iona – the new 5,200-passenger ship operated by P&O Cruises – made its first cruise call at Lisbon, Portugal.

The ship arrived in the Port of Lisbon on the evening of Oct. 6. According to a press statement, passengers were allowed to go ashore in “bubble tours.”

A customary plaque exchange took place on the Quayside with representatives of the Lisbon Harbour Master, Immigration Authority, Customs Authority, Terminal Operator, Port Authority and Port Agency exchanging plaques with Captain Andrew Wolverson.

“It was a successful call and we look forward to seeing the ship again on the 20th of this month at which time we hope passengers and crew can come ashore independently and enjoy our lovely city,” read a statement from James Rawes Navegação, port agents on the call.