Tag Archives: voyages

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas Set to Resume Cruise Service

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After a 17-month pause, the Oasis of the Seas is back in cruise service for Royal Caribbean International.

Sailing on its first post-pandemic commercial cruise later today, the first Oasis-Class vessel is launching service from Bayonne, in the New York region.

Based in New York the first time, the vessel is now offering a series of seven-night voyages to the Bahamas.

Through the end of October, Oasis is making weekly visits to Nassau, Port Canaveral and Perfect Day at CocoCay – Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

Home to North America’s tallest waterslides, the popular port of call features unique attractions and saw a $250 million transformation in 2019.

After the New York program, the Oasis is repositioning to Miami for the winter season. Through December, the vessel is sailing alternate itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, including stops in Mexico, Honduras, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico.

One of the world’s largest cruise ships, the 2009-built Oasis of the Seas has a capacity for over 5,400 guests.

Built-in Finland, the vessel introduced a groundbreaking design that is highlighted by features such as Central Park, a park with real plants, surrounded by shops and restaurants. 

The vessel also has its public areas divided into seven different zones, known as neighbourhoods. Each one of them has a different appeal, with unique attractions. The BoardWalk, for instance, reproduces a seaside pier, with a carousel, carnival games, retail outlets and eateries.

The Oasis of the Seas was also the first ship to feature a dancing-waters theatre, a zip-line and a moving bar.

In 2019, the vessel underwent a $165 million refurbishment in Spain as part of the Royal Amplification program.

After a two months period in drydock, the ship emerged with new additions, such as the tallest slide at sea – Ultimate Abyss; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides; a reimagined Caribbean pool deck; and new kids and teens spaces.

The Oasis of the Seas is the 14th Royal Caribbean ship to resume service since the COVID-19 pandemic operational pause.

The ship is also the tenth to return to service for the operator in the United States after the Freedom of the Seas became the first ship to do so in July.

With a 25-ship fleet, Royal Caribbean plans to have 21 vessels in service by the end of the year.   

Carnival Corporation to Begin Cruises in Phases

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Carnival Cruise iconic Funnel.

Carnival Corp said on Friday it was planning to resume operations in a phased manner and would operate with a smaller fleet on its return, months after suspending trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company’s shares, that have lost more than two-thirds of their value this year, rose as much as 11% to $16.12 in morning trading.

The world’s largest cruise operator said it has reduced capital expenditures by more than $5 billion over the next 18 months and raised a couple more billions to navigate through the virus outbreak.

The cruise business has been one of the worst-hit after several ships, including some owned by Carnival’s Princess Cruises, became coronavirus hotspots.

To survive through the pandemic, cruise operators have raised billions through various means, even pledging ships and private islands.

Carnival alone, raised over $10 billion through a series of financing transactions since voyages were paused, enough to withstand another full year in a zero-revenue scenario, Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald said on a conference call.

As it restarts voyages, the company expects future capacity to be moderated, while some ships could be removed and new deliveries would be delayed, Carnival added.

“We are also reorganizing the company to emerge stronger, leaner and more efficient,” Donald said.

“Even when we return to full-scale operations, we don’t expect to return to the same staffing requirements as we are addressing our work streams to work in a more efficient manner.”

The 13 ships expected to leave the fleet represent a nearly 9% reduction in current capacity, and the company expects only five of the nine ships originally scheduled for delivery to be delivered.

On Thursday, Carnival said it would resume voyages run by its German cruise line AIDA next month. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Shounak Dasgupta)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020.

Carnival Cruise Line to Offer Sailings to Cuba from New York, Virginia

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cruise, ship, Cuba

Classic Pink convertible driving past a cruise ship in Havana, Cuba. (photo via WoodysPhotos / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)

Carnival Cruise Line announced the inaugural schedule Tuesday for the transformed Carnival Radiance, including the company’s first sailings to Cuba from New York and Norfolk, Virginia.

In addition, Carnival revealed the upgraded ship will also sail nine- to 13-day European voyages, four- to nine-day sailings to the Caribbean, voyages to Canada/New England from New York and a winter season of adventures to the Caribbean and Cuba from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Once the Carnival Radiance debuts following it’s $200 million transformations in 2020, it will sail several Mediterranean itineraries before a trans-Atlantic crossing and finally a homeporting in New York City.

As for the Cuba sailings, Carnival will offer nine-day itineraries from New York that include a full-day and overnight stay in Havana and two Bahamian ports of call. As for the cruises to Cuba from Virginia, the week-long Cuba sailing will feature an extended stop in the capital of Havana along with visits to two tropical Bahamian ports.

In November 2020, the Carnival Radiance will reposition to Port Canaveral and operate a winter schedule of six- to eight-day voyages to the Caribbean and Cuba, including six-day voyages featuring a day-long visit and overnight call in Havana and two Bahamian ports.

The cruise line also revealed details of Carnival Sunrise’s 2020 schedule, including an expanded series of New York to Cuba cruises, as well as four- to nine-day voyages to the Caribbean from New York and Norfolk.