Miss any shipshape updates this week? Get up to speed with the latest intel, thanks to our weekly wrap of all the news-making waves in cruising right now.
Finally! There’s so much going on in the world of cruising again (Hurrah!).
So to make your life easier in navigating it all, we’ve fathomed it all out by curating a wrap of the latest news you need to know this week.
Welcome aboard. The sail-away party starts right here.
Anchors aweigh! CLIA’s Cruise360 kicks off with cocktails in Sydney
The Cruise360 Australasia conference and trade show kicks off tonight in Sydney with a shipshape cocktail event, hosting a fleet of travel advisors and industry insiders for conference sessions, events and a trade show designed to instil confidence and knowledge required to ride the current wave of challenges and change in cruising.
Find out more here.
Uniworld up 38% on 2019: CEO Ellen Bettridge reveals 23/24 collection
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has revealed what’s new for 2023 and given a taste of its 2024 collection with a promise to take river cruising “to a whole new level of luxury”. The new collection includes three brand-new Rhine itineraries in Europe, an extended Mekong river cruise, new cruise extension offerings, plus an exciting new cruise and rail pairing in India.
Read on for more here.
Home stretch: Pacific Encounter powers into new Brisbane base
P&O Cruises Australia’s newest ship Pacific Encounter arrived in Brisbane on Saturday 20 August to a ship’s whistle welcome as she sets up base in the Queensland capital after making a splash in Sydney en route from Singapore earlier in the month.
Prima! Toll! Classe! Save up to 40% on Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is offering Aussie travellers savings of up to 40 per cent off fares on Prima Class ship Europe voyages plus bonus value offerings such as a free beverage package, Wi-Fi package, specialty dining package and shore excursion credit. The deals are available on Norwegian Prima, launching in Iceland on 27 August 2022, and Norwegian Viva, setting sail in the Mediterranean in 2023, for bookings until 28 August 2022.
Find out more at ncl.com/au
Cheers! Azamara extends artisanal cocktail experiences to the entire fleet
Guests aboard any of Azamara’s four ships can now enjoy a taste of the Atlas Bar, an innovative specialty craft cocktail lounge, which debuted on its newest vessel, Azamara Onward. The Atlas Bar Experience, which includes destination-inspired libations, will be available in The Den aboard Azamara Journey, Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Quest.
Find out more at azamara.com
Silversea’s New Voyages Collection 2024/25
The exhilarating 2024–2025 New Voyages Collection is a game-changer, comprising 341 new sailings to an unfathomable 695 destinations in 120 countries from March 2024 to March 2025. The New Voyages Collection features departures to both polar regions; the South Pacific; Africa and the Indian Ocean; Northern Europe; the Mediterranean; the Americas, including the Caribbean and Central America; Asia; and Australia and New Zealand.
It’s the largest amount of destinations ever in the cruise line’s almost 30-year history. They really can take you wherever you want to go.
Read on for more here.
Save up to 30% on Murray River Paddlesteamers’ largest-ever overnight itineraries
The 2023-2024 program offers longer itineraries of up to eight days with new onshore experiences and its biggest-ever schedule of overnight Murray River cruises with 94 sailings between April 2023 and March 2024. Couples can save 15 per cent and solo cruisers save 30 per cent on the new 2023-24 schedule for bookings made by 30 September 2022.
Find out more at psemmyloucruises.com
Last-minute savings and bonus offers with PONANT
PONANT has a suite offer on cruises to Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands and New Zealand between October and December 2022, offerings last-minute savings on board its small luxury expedition ships Le Soléal and Le Lapérouse for all bookings made before 30 September 2022. Bonuses include up to AUD$1,000pp flight credit plus $800 stateroom credit for new guests.
Find out more at au.ponant.com
Viking Osiris named in Luxor, Egypt by cruise line’s first ceremonial godfather
Viking’s newest river ship Viking Osiris was named by the company’s first ceremonial godfather, George Herbert, the Earl of Carnarvon, in Luxor, Egypt on 22 August. Specifically designed for the Nile River, Viking Osiris‘s ceremony also marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb.
Find out more at vikingcruises.com.au
Save up to 50% on select 2023 Europe sailings with MSC Cruises
Book a Mediterranean or Northern Europe cruise with MSC Cruises and receive a 50 per cent discount per person, twin-share on select sailings departing April 2023 to November 2023. Early booking fares include:
- 7-night cruise from Hamburg to Southhampton on MSC Preziosa departing 24 September 2023 priced from $654pp twin-share
- 7-night cruise from Copenhagen to Kiel on MSC Euribia departing 18 June 2023 priced from $1,154pp twin-share.
Find out more at mscbook.com
Celebrity Cruises scraps vax requirements from European and US ports
Celebrity Cruises has dropped vaccination requirements and simplified testing guidelines for guests sailing from US and European ports from 5 September 2022, making cruising more accessible and easier for travellers. New pre-boarding testing requirements for the US and Europe include:
- Fully vaccinated guests no longer need to test to board sailings from the US that are nine nights or less (excluding sailings that visit Canada and Bermuda).
- Up-to-date guests no longer need to test to board sailings from Europe that are nine nights or less.
- A negative test result from a simple, unsupervised and self-administered test will be accepted for all sailings (excluding sailings that visit Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Canada or Greece).
- Children under five years of age sailing from the US and guests under 12 years of age sailing from Europe do not need to test before boarding.
Sailings to and from ports in Australia and New Zealand still require all guests aged 12 and over to be fully vaccinated.
Find out more at celebritycruises.com/au
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