Carnival Publishes Luminosa’s First Itineraries

Posted on 23 August, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Cruise Line just published the first itineraries of the Carnival Luminosa. Currently, in service for Costa Cruises in Europe, the vessel will join the fleet of the U.S.-based operator this November.

After a winter schedule in Australia, the 2009-built ship is set to cross the Pacific Ocean ahead of its first stateside deployment in Alaska.

According to Carnival’s website, the Luminosa is debuting on November 6, 2022. On that day, the ship embarks on a seven-night cruise departing from its new Australian homeport in Brisbane.

Sailing to the Great Barrier Reef, the itinerary includes visits to Airlie Beach, Cairns and Port Douglas. Before returning to Brisbane, the vessel also sails by Willis Island, where guests can enjoy scenic cruising.

Continuing its inaugural season in Australia, the Luminosa is offering additional weeklong cruises to the region, in addition to eight- to 11-night itineraries to New Zealand and the South Pacific. Among the visited destinations are Wellington, Port Chalmers, Mystery Island and Noumea.

The schedule also includes three- and four-night getaway cruises that feature stops in Airlie Beach, in addition to sea days.

On April 13, 2023, the Carnival Luminosa starts a transpacific cruise to Seattle. Also departing from Brisbane, the 22-night voyage sails to five destinations, including Papeete, in Tahiti; Suva, in Fiji; and Honolulu, in Hawaii.

Once in the U.S., the ship kicks off its inaugural season in Alaska and Canada, with a series of seven-night voyages.

Sailing roundtrip from Seattle, the itineraries will be operated through October and feature some of the region’s most popular destinations, such as Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan and more.

All of the departures also feature scenic cruising in the Tracy Arm Fjord.

Bringing Carnival to the Far East, the Luminosa concludes its first Alaska season with a special 30-night sailing to Brisbane.

Visiting five ports in Japan and additional destinations in the United States, the Philippines and Indonesia, the cruise departs Seattle on September 14, 2023.

Between October 2023 and April 2024, the vessel is set to offer a second season in Australia, with varied itineraries sailing from Brisbane.

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

Posted on 28 April, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

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.”

Holland America’s Noordam Resumes Service After Two Years

Posted on 24 April, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

The Noordam is reentering service for Holland America Line today in Florida.

After a 25-month hiatus, the 2006-built cruise ship is resuming commercial service with two repositioning cruises ahead of a summer program in Alaska.

First, the vessel is offering first a Panama Canal cruise. The 17-night voyage sails from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego and features visits to eight ports in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.

Once on the West Coast, the Noordam embarks on a four-night Pacific Coastal itinerary that links San Diego and Vancouver, with a stop in Victoria.

The vessel then starts its summer season in the Last Frontier, offering open-jaw cruises between Vancouver and Whittier.

Called “Glacier Discovery,” the vessel’s regular itinerary includes calls in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, in addition to cruising at the Glacier Bay and the Hubbard Glacier.

Concluding its Alaska program, the Noordam departs on a special 34-night repositioning voyage to the South Pacific in October.

The itinerary sails to Sydney and features calls in Hawaii, Kiribati, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga and Australia – where the ship is poised to spend the next winter season.

The Noordam originally entered service in 2006 as the fourth ship in a series of four 82,000-ton cruise ships known as the Vista Class.

In 2019, the 1,900-guest vessel was subjected to a major refurbishment that included several upgrades to its cabins and public areas.

Additions comprise the Billboard Onboard to the Music Walk area, the Microsoft Studio in the Explorations Café and Fujifilm Wonder PhotoShop.

Suites were also refreshed with new soft goods, furniture and bathrooms and other areas such as the Pinnacle Grill, the Pinnacle Bar, the Greenhouse Spa and Salon, the Dining Room and Lido Market received extensive enhancements.

In addition to the Noordam, six cruise ships are currently sailing with guests for Holland America Line.

While the entire fleet is set to be in service by July, two additional vessels – the Oosterdam and the Zaandam – are returning in May.