Tag Archives: Israel

Emerald’s First Ocean-Going Ship Completes First Year in Service

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The Emerald Azzura has just completed its first year in service. As Emerald Cruises’ first ocean-going vessel, the mega-yacht departed on its inaugural voyage on March 12, 2022.

Entitled “Best of the Red Sea,” the sold-out maiden cruise departed from the Jordanian city of Aqaba and also included visits to ports in Egypt and Israel.

With over 100 guests travelling on the ship’s 50 suites, the eight-day itinerary sailed to the resort towns of Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Eilat before returning to Aqaba for an included guided tour of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Petra.

In May, after additional cruises in the Red Sea and Europe, the Emerald Azzurra was officially christened during a ceremony in Venice, Italy.

During the summer, the 10,000-ton vessel offered a series of itineraries in the Adriatic and the Eastern Mediterranean visiting destinations in Greece, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus and more.

Later this year, the vessel is set to debut in the Caribbean, offering eight- to 19-day cruises to varied ports in the region, including Puerto Rico, Panama, Saint Vincent and Martinique.

Built by the Halong Shipbuilding Company in Vietnam, the Emerald Azzurra became the 10th vessel in the Emerald Cruises fleet – joining nine river cruising ships.

According to Emerald Cruises, the vessel offers modern suites and staterooms, 88 per cent of which have balconies.

The yacht also features a large infinity pool, a spa with an infrared sauna and a gym. Designed for cruising in warm waters, the Azzurra is also equipped with a retractable marina platform, that offers SEABOBs, paddleboards, snorkelling equipment and a water trampoline.

A fleet of electronic bikes from Gocycle is also available onboard and can be used “for local village trips and active explorations,” Emerald said.

The vessel is set to be followed by a sister ship in 2023 as the Emerald Sakara debuts in the Mediterranean in August.

Oceania Cruises has revealed its “largest itinerary launch to date”

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Oceania Cruises has revealed its “largest itinerary launch to date”, with more than 350 voyages on offer across seven ships in 2024.

The line will sail in Europe, Alaska, Canada, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, South America, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The itineraries will open for reservations on 4 May. 

Oceania will position six ships in Europe in 2024. Insignia, Nautica, Marina, and Sirena will spend the majority of the season in the northern part of the continent and the western wine countries. Riviera and Vista will base in the Mediterranean to offer voyages to Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Malta, Israel and Egypt.
 
Meanwhile, Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica will offer close to three dozen explorations of Alaska, New England, Canada, Bermuda, and the US colonial south.

The regatta will reprise its Alaska season with a series of voyages to Icy Strait Point, Kodiak, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka, Wrangell, Prince Rupert and Victoria. On the East Coast, Insignia and Nautica will offer sailings to Bermuda, New England, and Canada’s maritime provinces from New York City, Boston, and Montreal. 
 
Marina will sail the entire of Latin America, as well as a diversion to Paradise Bay, Admiralty Bay, and Half Moon Island in Antarctica.
 
Riviera will chart its inaugural season in Asia, sailing from Arabia to India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Japan. Nautica will explore the Far East while also offering a range of voyages to South Africa, Mozambique, Mayotte, and Seychelles.

Oceania Cruises is also expanding its offerings in the South Pacific by deploying two ships in the region – Regatta and Nautica.
 
Caribbean, Panama Canal and Mexican sailings visit Bonaire, Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Saint Vincent along with Gustavia, Rodney Bay, Tortola, and Port Royal.

Howard Sherman, president and chief executive of Oceania Cruises, said: “Next to our reputation for serving the finest cuisine at Sea, Oceania Cruises is widely acclaimed for developing the most enticing and destination-rich itineraries in the cruise industry. 

“With our 2024 collection, we have set a whole new standard for destination innovation with an astounding mix of marquee destinations and exotic new locales, blended together in creatively crafted voyage offerings.”

Former Costa neoRomantica To Be Scrapped

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The Antares Experience – formerly known as the Costa neoRomantica and Celestyal Experience – is getting scrapped, according to Gadani Ship Breaking Yard.

The Pakistani shipyard posted several photos and videos of the former Costa Cruises ship on its Facebook page.

The ship was originally launched as the Romantica in the 1990s and renamed as the neoRomantica after Costa gave it a 90-million-euro upgrade in 2011-2012 adding two half decks, new staterooms and additional balcony-equipped accommodations.

Celestyal Cruises took delivery of the ship in summer 2020 and renamed it as the Celestyal Experience, according to the Secondhand Market Report by Cruise Industry News. The 1,800-guest ship immediately became the largest ship in the company’s fleet but, sadly, never sailed for the cruise line.

Celestyal CEO, Chris Theophilides, previously said that the purchase of the Experience allowed the cruise line to see “many more destinations.” It was expected to sail on March 5, 2022, with the seven-night Three Continents itinerary, calling in Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus. The ship’s sales price was not disclosed.

However, those operational plans were quickly scrapped as the pandemic showed no signs of stopping, and Celestyal published a statement on selling the ship – at the time to an undisclosed buyer. The vessel shortly reemerged as the Antares Experience.