Tag Archives: Mexican Riviera

Celebrity Solstice Asia Season Cancelled; Set for Mexican Riviera Instead

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Celebrity Cruises has announced a deployment move for the Celebrity Solstice, as the Royal Caribbean Group brand said it would cancel the ship’s 2022-2023 season in Asia.

Instead, the ship will reposition to the Mexican Riviera, the company said.

“We have made the difficult decision to cancel our Asia season due to the ongoing uncertainty around when international operations might fully restart in this region. Our guests have the option to apply their current booking to select Asia sailings in our 2023-2024 season, or, they may choose a full refund,” read a statement from Celebrity.

“We thank our guests for their patience and understanding as the world continues to reopen and we continue to work through unique circumstances. We will reposition Celebrity Solstice to sail a season of Mexican Riviera itineraries beginning in September.”

The Solstice was scheduled to move to Asia in the fall after a summer season of Alaska cruises, sailing mainly from Seattle. 

After her Alaska season, the ship was scheduled for longer itineraries, including deployments in Japan in October and then moving to Southeast Asia in November and December.

Norwegian Dawn Kicks Off Tampa Program as the 10th NCL Ship Back in Service

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The Norwegian Dawn is welcoming guests back today as the tenth vessel to resume commercial service for the Norwegian Cruise Line.

The 2002-built ship is also marking the company’s return to homeport operations in Tampa after a 21-month hiatus.

Through April, the Dawn is set to offer 15 cruises from the Florida port, sailing to the Bahamas, the Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

The five- to 11-night itineraries feature visits to popular destinations such as Cozumel, St. Thomas, Curaçao and Harvest Caye, Norwegian’s private resort in Belize.

Originally ordered for Star Cruises, the Norwegian Dawn entered service in 2002. The 92,250-ton vessel is a sister to the Norwegian Star and can carry up to 2,200 guests in double occupancy.

The Germany-built ship also introduced the concept of hull art, a feature that was later added to the entire fleet.

In 2016, the Dawn underwent an extensive revitalization as part of The Norwegian Edge program, which aimed to elevate the standard of the NCL fleet. During the refit, the vessel received several new features, including Los Lobos Cantina, a Mexican speciality restaurant, and the Sugarcane Mojito Bar.

The design and décor in all of the ship’s public rooms and staterooms were also updated, including a complete makeover of the Garden Villas, the largest suites in the Norwegian fleet.

In addition to the Norwegian Dawn, the Norwegian Pearl is also resuming guest services this month. The 2,400-guest ship is set to welcome passengers back on Dec. 23 in Miami, kicking off a program of Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries.

After a 500-day operational pause, Norwegian Cruise Line first resumed revenue services in July, with the Norwegian Jade. During the summer, the vessel offered a series of destination-intensive cruises to the Greek Islands.

The brand later expanded its restart to additional destinations, including Alaska, the Caribbean, the Western Mediterranean, the West Coast, Bermuda and more.  

Currently, Norwegian is offering cruises in the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Mexican Riviera and Europe from nine different homeports. 

Carnival Panorama Marks Carnival Return to the West Coast

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Carnival Cruise Line is returning to the West Coast this Saturday, as the Carnival Panorama resumes service in California.

Based in Long Beach, the 2019-built vessel is departing today on a seven-night cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

The sailing marks the return of the brand to the region after a 17-month operational pause.

One of Carnival’s newest and biggest ships, the Panorama will visit three different destinations in Mexico, including Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

Before returning to Long Beach, the vessel also visits Cabo San Lucas, a city known for its rock formations and beaches.

Sailing from Long Beach every Saturday, the ship is set to repeat the itinerary through December.

Built-in Italy, the 4,000-guest Carnival Panorama is the last in a series of three ships known as the Vista Class. Larger than its predecessors, these ships introduced several new features for the Carnival brand, such as the SkyRide a twin-track suspended bike course.

The Vista-class also debuted the Havana Staterooms, Carnival’s first cabin enclave, complete with its own private pool deck and lounge and lanai balconies.

Other highlights are the Sky Zone, a trampoline park and the Carnival Kitchen program, a hands-on culinary experience led by the line’s chefs. Both attractions were first introduced by the Carnival Panorama.

With the Panorama back in action, Carnival has eight cruise ships in revenue operations, including the new Mardi Gras – which entered service from Port Canaveral, on July 31.

In August a total of three vessels resumed operations for the company. In addition to the Carnival Panorama, the Carnival Magic welcomed guests back on August 7 and the Carnival Sunrise did the same on August 14. The ships are now sailing from Port Canaveral and Miami, respectively.

In September and October, seven more ships are set to resume operations, launching service from additional homeports, such as Baltimore and New Orleans.