Tag Archives: Venice

Cunard Reveals Queen Anne’s Wellness Offering

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Cunard has revealed a glimpse of the wellness offering onboard its upcoming ship, the Queen Anne.

Cunard invited a group of travel agent partners for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the ship which is currently under construction at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice. The tour was hosted by Captain Inger Thorhauge, who will be at the helm for Queen Anne’s inaugural sailing from Southampton to Lisbon on May 3, 2024.

The Queen Anne will introduce a selection of fitness, beauty, thermal and spa facilities with its reimagined Mareel Wellness & Beauty concept. From cryotherapy treatments to a Himalayan salt sauna and cold room, guests will be able to enjoy a range of crafted experiences designed for the body and soul.

The ship’s wellness spaces include The Pavilion, located on the top deck with a glass dome roof that retracts in warmer areas. The multi-purpose space will encompass the top deck Wellness Studio, which will be open from sunrise to sunset, as well as the Wellness Café, where guests can enjoy seasonal dishes.

The Queen Anne’s Wellness Club will also boast a tailormade program for solo travellers, where, on embarkation night, they can relax and unwind together at a meet-and-greet.

Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, said: “For more than 180 years, Cunard has constantly refined the definitive experience of luxury ocean travel and I am incredibly excited that we are now just six months away from beginning the next chapter of our remarkable story. It is both incredible and inspiring to see the progress that has been made by the craftsman, engineers, and workforce here at Fincantieri shipyard and as we start to see Queen Anne’s interiors take shape, we can all see what a truly magnificent Queen she will become. I know that guests around the world are looking forward to sailing with our new Queen and we are counting down the days until we can welcome them aboard.”

Venice bans cruise ships from the historic centre

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Italian authorities have approved a ban on cruise ships entering the historic centre of Venice.

The country’s culture minister said on Wednesday, ‘that the decision came in response to UN cultural body Unesco’.

Large ships will now have to dock at the city’s industrial port until a permanent solution is found.

Critics argue the ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city, which suffers from regular flooding.

On Wednesday, Italian ministers agreed that large cruise and container ships would no longer be able to enter the city’s Giudecca canal, which leads to the historic St Mark’s Square.

Culture Minister Dario Franceschini hailed the move, which he described as “a correct decision, awaited for years”.

The government will hold a “call for ideas” for an alternative cruise terminal in the city.

Cruise ships are currently unable to enter Venice due to coronavirus restrictions but their absence since has been credited with improving water quality in the lagoons.

Pressure to pass a ban on large vessels mounted in 2019 after a cruise ship crashed into a harbour in the city, injuring five people. However, no permanent solution was found.

Previous initiatives to stop cruise ship traffic have also failed. In 2013, the government banned ships weighing more than 96,000 tonnes from the Giudecca canal, but the legislation was later overturned.

Other plans to divert cruise ships from the centre of Venice were announced in 2017 but were never fully implemented.

Uniworld sues MSC over Venice collision

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MSC Opera collides into the Uniworld River Countess.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection are suing MSC Cruise Management Ltd. for nearly $13 million in damages it says it incurred after one of MSC’s large ocean ships slammed into the River Countess while it was docked in Venice in June.

In a press release Tuesday, Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge said the company filed the lawsuit after extensive conversations with MSC proved unproductive.

“We are extremely disappointed with the unprofessional manner in which MSC has decided to ignore the gravity of the situation, which has disrupted our guests, our partners and our team,” said Bettridge. “Aside from the severe damage to our ship [River Countess], we were forced to cancel 14 voyages, frustrating our guests and travel partners during the peak summer season.”

Uniworld estimates its losses to be in excess of 11.5 million Euros, or $12.74 million. That number, the company said, includes passenger reimbursement, ship damage, lost revenue and the protection of travel agent commissions.

“We do not like to litigate but have been compelled to do so based on the stonewalling and delays by MSC and its representatives — even after receiving a letter of guarantee by their own insurance agency, West of England,” Bettridge said. “We expect more and better from a fellow member of the cruise industry and regret having to go to court to seek a fitting remedy.”

In a statement, MSC responded, “MSC Cruises has been working constructively with all parties and their legal advisors since shortly after the incident, and has been facilitating a close cooperation between those involved including their insurers. As liability in this matter is still under investigation by the responsible authorities, it is inappropriate to comment further at this stage. MSC Cruises is committed to continuing to cooperate fully in order to resolve this matter.”

The suit was filed in Admiralty Court in the Queen’s Bench Division of The English High Court Of Justice.

Uniworld declined to share a copy of the filing.