Tag Archives: island cruises

Questions remain over Celebrity Century’s future

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Questions remain over the future of the Celebrity Century, the oldest serving vessel in the cruise giant’s fleet.

French cruise line Croisieres de France has stated that it is to take possession of the vessel in 2015.

But according to Cruise Critic, a spokeswoman for Celebrity said that this is just a rumour. 

The situation is made even muddier by the fact that the line claiming to be purchasing the ship is a subsidiary of Pullmantur Cruises, which is a division of Royal Caribbean Cruises – the company that also owns and operates Celebrity Cruises.

As a result, it seems there is still some internal confusion as to whose livery the ship will be sailing with in little over a year’s time. 

The spokeswoman, Celebrity public relations director Elizabeth Jakeway, told the news provider: “You asked if we had made an announcement about Celebrity Century, and no, we haven’t It appears a rumour surfaced via a post on a French website last week.”

Established in 2007, Croisieres de France offers Mediterranean voyages aboard the MV Horizon, which formerly served as the Pacific Dream for Celebrity Cruises and the Island Star for Island Cruises. 

Next year, the company is due to take on a second vessel, MV Zenith, which also previously served Celebrity Cruises as the Celebrity Zenith.

Customers threaten Island Cruises with legal action

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Customers threaten Island Cruises with legal action

By Phil Davies

Customers threaten Island Cruises with legal actionA group of 50 passengers are taking legal action after an outbreak of illness on the ship Island Escape.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell has been instructed to investigate the concerns of 50 passengers who travelled on the Tui UK & Ireland ship between March and June this year.

The solicitors said many were confined to their cabins after suffering diarrhoea and sickness and there were also complaints about food, damp rooms and overflowing toilets, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.

Leeds pensioners Ralph and Patricia Hewitt said they were left traumatised when the ship listed violently to one side after leaving the port of Civitavecchia, near Rome.

The ship lurched suddenly to one side, throwing passengers – many of whom were in bars and restaurants – to the floor and causing injuries, they said.

Then the second week of their trip was ruined when they caught a sickness bug which had been rife onboard

The grandparents joined the Island Escape in May for a week’s Mediterranean cruise and then a week in a hotel in Majorca.

A spokeswoman for Island Cruises said: “We are sorry to hear of this experience on board the Island Escape. As this case is now subject to legal proceedings it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.

“The ultimate priority for Island Cruises is the health, safety and comfort of all our customers. We operate stringent health and hygiene procedures in line with industry standards.”