Tag Archives: travelling

Maiden Season Preview: Margaritaville at Sea’s Beachcomber

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Maiden Season Preview: Margaritaville at Sea’s Beachcomber

Set to become the largest ship in Margaritaville at Sea’s fleet, the Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber will mark the company’s debut in PortMiami when she launches service in early 2027.

Cruise Industry News takes a closer look at the inaugural deployment of the 2,720-guest vessel, which was acquired from Costa Cruises.

Inaugural Cruise and Eastern Caribbean
Dates: January 9, 2027, followed by four additional sailings through April
Length: 7 nights
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Itinerary: St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands); San Juan (Puerto Rico); and Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)

The Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber will welcome its first guests on Jan. 9, 2027, embarking on a seven-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.

With four additional departures scheduled through April, the weeklong cruise features visits to destinations in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, including St. Thomas, San Juan and Puerto Plata.

Mexico and Western Caribbean
Date: January 23, 2027
Length: 7 nights
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Itinerary: Cozumel (Mexico); Belize City (Belize); and George Town (Cayman Islands)

The ship’s inaugural season also features weeklong itineraries to the Western Caribbean, including the Jan. 23, 2027, departure.

Sailing to Mexico, Belize and the Cayman Islands, this seven-night cruise features visits to Cozumel, Belize City and George Town, in addition to three days of cruising.

Short Cruise to the Bahamas, Florida and the Dominican Republic
Date: February 9, 2027
Length: 4 nights
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Itinerary: Key West (United States) and Bimini (Bahamas)

The Beachcomber is also set to offer a series of short cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas during its maiden season. This four-night cruise, for example, sails from Miami in early February and features visits to Key West and Bimini.

Other short cruises available include four-night cruises to Nassau and Freeport in the Bahamas, or to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, as well as five-night cruises to Puerto Plata and either Nassau or Freeport.

ABC Islands and Southern Caribbean
Date: April 16, 2027
Length: 8 nights
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Itinerary: Oranjestad (Aruba); Kralendijk (Bonaire); and Willemstad (Curaçao)

In April, the Beachcomber offers the only longer cruise of its inaugural season, an eight-night itinerary to the Southern Caribbean and the ABC Islands.

Sailing round-trip from PortMiami, the cruise is highlighted by visits to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, as well as four days cruising the Caribbean.

Florida, Bahamas and Western Caribbean
Date: March 27, 2027
Length: 7 nights
Homeport: Miami (United States)
Itinerary: Key West (United States); George Town (Cayman Islands); Nassau (Bahamas); and Montego Bay (Jamaica)

In late March, the 2003-built vessel also offers a seven-night cruise to Florida and the Western Caribbean.

The one-time sailing features visits to Key West, George Town in the Cayman Islands, Nassau in the Bahamas and Montego Bay in Jamaica.

Oceanwide Expeditions Completes Upgrades on Ortelius

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Oceanwide Expeditions Completes Upgrades on Ortelius

Oceanwide Expeditions has completed two maintenance and upgrade projects on the Ortelius, improving the vessel’s operational speed and increasing fuel efficiency, the company said in a press release.

The fitting of new propeller blades and hull blasting forms part of an ongoing investment into the expedition fleet as part of a broader ESG and sustainability strategy.

The company stated that during a dry dock in September, four new bronze propeller blades were built and fitted by Dutch Propeller Repairs BV (DPR), replacing the existing stainless steel propeller blades that had been in place for several decades.

Previously, during a May dry dock, hull blasting was performed on the Ortelius’s hull, removing accumulated paint layers and reestablishing a smoother, more consistent hull surface.

Piet Vink, chief vessel officer at Oceanwide Expeditions, said: “With the completion of both projects, the Ortelius is now more ready than ever to take guests into some of our planet’s most extreme environments.”

“Both upgrades directly improve fuel efficiency and operational consistency, which, in turn, helps us further reduce operational emissions. We are delighted with the professionalism and high standards of our partners, including DPR and Shipyard Reimerswaal, in completing both projects during busy docking periods,” added Vink.

According to the company, these upgrades enhance the polar capabilities of the Ortelius.

Both projects were completed at Shipyard Reimerswaal, a long-time partner of Oceanwide Expeditions, which facilitates drydocking, restocking and maintenance for the fleet on a biannual basis.

Polar Latitudes and Albatros Expeditions to Merge

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Polar Latitudes and Albatros Expeditions to Merge

Polar Latitudes and Albatros Expeditions are set to merge their operations ahead of the 2026 season in the Arctic.

The two expedition brands joined forces earlier this year, coming together under the same ownership group.

While the merger was confirmed in a social media update, additional details of the joint operation will be announced in mid-October.

“We are very excited about our future in the expedition cruise industry, which we intend to lead through innovation, collaboration, and leading responsible tourism initiatives,” Polar Latitudes stated.

The brand added in a social media update that the merged operations will be highlighted by operating “the most fuel-efficient fleet” in polar areas.

In an interview with Luxury Australian Travel Trade News (Latte), Albatros Expeditions’ CEO Patrick Shaw said that the new company will be named Polar Latitudes Expeditions.

Shaw will reportedly serve as CEO of the newly created entity, having previously served as CEO and President of Quark Expeditions.

“Given this exposure and experience, I have been in a unique position to appreciate the possibilities that this merger affords, and I am honoured and delighted to be a part of this transformation,” he told Latte.

He noted that the new brand will operate “more durable, efficient and expertly led” ships, highlighting the company’s field staff training and integration with communities.

Polar Latitudes currently operates the Seaventure for seasons in Antarctica, while Albatros Expeditions sails the Ocean Victory and the Ocean Albatros.

The Ocean Albatros operates for the brand on a year-round basis, offering expeditions in Antarctica and the Arctic.

Chartered from SunStone Ships, the Ocean Victory sails for the brand seasonally, offering itineraries in Antarctica and South America.

Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ new website is expected to launch in mid-October, when the company is also set to organise a series of online events for trade members and customers.