Category: The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

This week we look at three world cruises: the year 2021 year will see the introduction of the world’s first expedition world cruise, when Silversea’s Silver Clould sails between Antarctica and Norway in the months between February and July. At the same time Oceania’s Insignia will be back for another of her extra-long cruises in 2021 and finally, since the Rickmers Round-the-World service ended in 2011, CMA CGM has been the only service available for offering a full circumnavigation by cargo ship.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

This week look back at some of the more recent expedition ship designs, several of which have seen no orders despite the recent boom in expedition ship orders. And Friday saw the 2,770-berth Scarlet Lady launched in Italy as the third member of a new highly innovative cruise ships for the next generation. Meanwhile, the former supply ship St Helena has evidently found a new life.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week came news of Virgin Voyages’ planned 4- and 5-night itineraries for its first ship, the Scarlet Lady. One of the itineraries will call on a planned new terminal for Puerto Plata. In Europe, meawhile, a new €8 head tax in Amsterdam has lost the port calls from MSC Cruises and Cruise & Maritime Voyages. And Japan’s NYK, which sold Crystal Cruises to Genting Hong Kong in 2015, is to sell off half its remaining cruise holding.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

This year sees the introduction into service of Hurtigruten’s new Roald Amundsen and 2020 will see her undertake her first Northwest Passage, which has been delayed a year by her late completion. Elsewhere, Aranui Cruises is ordering a new cruise ship for the South Pacific, for 2022 delivery, and Scylla Cruises of Switzerland has annouced that it will acquire Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Bremen in 2021.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

When Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth left Southampton on January 3, she began a long series of voyages that will help lay future plans for Cunard’s fourth Queen, a 113,000-ton ship now under construction at Fincantieri. Oceania Cruises, meanwhile, has ordered two more ships not much different in size from the existing Marina and Riviera. And TUI Cruises newest ship, Mein Schiff 2, has now arrived in Germany for completion.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

With Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam going up against Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Edge from the US, a member of one of the Internet’s many shipping groups has released an interesting comparison of 7-night fares for several popular cruise ships out of Florida in February. Elsewhere, Seattle cointinues to break its own records and together with Vancouver now serves more than two million cruise passengers a year. Finally, we look at a summary of new ships on order for Genting’s various cruise brands – Star, Dream and Crystal.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Hurtigruten announced this weekend that it would be adding Alaska to its expanding list of worldwide destinations in 2020, with a program of cruises that will turn at Vancouver and Seward, as well as one that finishes at Nome in preparation for its 2020 Northwest Passage transit. Down in Chile, meanwhile, progress continues on Antarctica 21’s new Magellan Explorer. And in New York, there is talk about bringing the former North Atlantic speed queen United States into a project that Google are involved in as a tenant.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Every once in a while a hotel opens somewhere that might appeal to travellers by sea. This week we examine Oslo’s The Amerikalinja, once the headquarters of the Norwegian America Line. Elsewhere, christenening ceremonies have been scheduled for the new Chinese-based Costa Venezia for Trieste in early March. And next month sees the introduction by Pampa Cruises of Argentina of its 510-berth Arrecife, which has just been acquired from owners in Cyprus.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

The cutting of steel for Carnival Cruise Line’s new 183,900-ton Carnival XL saw the commencement of work on Carnival’s largest ship yet, to be based in Port Canaveral. Meanwhile, plans were announced in Miami for a new Virgin Voyages cruise terminal, to open in 2021. And in Missouri, an announcement has been made that the 176-berth Denny of Dumbarton-built paddlewheeler Delta Queen had received a Congressional exemption certificate that would allow her once more to cruise the Mississippi.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, Sea Cloud Cruises announced that the long-delayed Sea Cloud Hussar would join the fleet as the Sea Cloud Spirit in 2020. Down Under, Heritage Expeditions has announced that it will be taking over the 110-berth Kapitan Khlebnikov, the Russian icebreaker that has mainly served Quark Expeditions in the past. And under its present Chinese ownership Athens’ port of Piraeus looks to be on the verge of a major expansion that will see it able to handle the largest cruise ships afloat.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, the Memphis-based American Queen Steamboat Company announced that it was taking over Miami-based Victory Cruise Lines and its 202-berth Victory I and Victory II. Seattle-based Windstar Cruises meanwhile announced that it woud be stretching its three former 212-berth Seabourn ships to accommodate 312 passengeres each. And after losing its Hamburg-Süd cargo-passenger connections last year, New Zealand will now be served every 35 days by the CMA CGM Amber, with connections to Europe and North America via Chinese ports.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Two weeks ago, in Portugal, Mystic Cruises’ new World Explorer was floated out, and orders were annunced for two more sisterships. Elsewhere, P&O Cruises’ Oriana was sold to Chinese owners, a transaction that was actually completed with charter back to P&I this June. And with Virgin Voyages going to four new “Lady Ships” we have a look at five earlier “Lady Ships”, that sailed the same Caribbean waters.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, Norwegian Cruise Line let it be known that one of its six new 3,300-berth “Leonardo” class ships, to be delivered between 2022 and 2027, would be based at Southampton. Elsewhere, Virgin Voyages has confirmed a fourth order for a 2,750-berth “Lady” class ship. And Hurtigruten has signed for a third of its 530-berth “Amundsen” class ships.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, Princess Cruises announced that it would be sending five ships to Europe in 2020, of which three will be based in the UK. Meanwhile, feedback from Cruise Critic passengers has put three Canadian ports in the top five in the US and Canada, as Quebec City has been joined by Halifax and Vancouver. And we look at how to travel Round the World in 83 days in a cargo ship.

Posted in: News / The Cruise Examiner