February 2024


Azamara Onward Explores the Enigmatic Easter Island on Maiden Visit


AZAMARA Cruises – the small-ship cruise line renowned for Destination Immersion and Extended Destination Days – celebrated a historic moment as its latest ship, Azamara Onward, made its maiden call to Easter Island during its World Cruise 2024. This marked the cruise line’s first-ever call to the remote island, known for its mysterious moai statues and rich history. Passengers aboard Azamara Onward were able to discover Easter Island’s impressive volcanoes, lush grasslands and, of course, majestic moai statues – of which there are nearly 1,000 scattered throughout the island. Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, may be one of the most isolated places in the world, but locals welcomed Azamara guests with open arms,


inviting


them to learn more about the island’s traditions, cuisine and way of life. Azamara’s maiden call to Easter Island showcases the cruise line’s commitment to curating distinctive itineraries that offer adventure, cultural enrichment and discovery.


Princess Cruises and Fincantieri Agree to Postpone Delivery of Sun Princess


Princess Cruises and Fincantieri have mutually agreed to delay delivery of Sun Princess,


the


largest vessel ever constructed in Italy and the first ship of a revolutionary new platform designed exclusively for the Princess brand. The postponement has regrettably


depart from Barcelona on February 8th. “We understand that this news is disappointing, and we share in that disappointment. We recognize


the led to the


cancellation of the ship’s inaugural 10-day voyage, originally set to


anticipation surrounded this sailing, president of Princess Cruises.


that and


we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this cancellation causes,” said


John Padgett,


www.nitravelnews.com


CRUISE NEWS | 39 Swan Hellenic Unveils Breathtaking 2025 Cruises Worldwide


AS the creator of cultural expedition cruising,


Swan Hellenic Antarctic


is the


choice of adventurous minds across the generations seeking in-depth exploration of the Arctic,


and Rest of the World – from Brazil to the Bijagós Archipelago, Norway to Canada, Argentina to South Africa, and Madagascar to Italy. The pioneering company’s 2025 cruises on boutique ice-class ships SH Diana and SH Vega now advance this leading reputation with a choice of almost 60 expertly curated itineraries worldwide.


Building on the Polar, West Africa


and Latin America voyages trailblazed to date, the big developments for 2025 are an extraordinary Amazon River exploration odyssey in Brazil and two original new cruises of the Mediterranean, Hellenic


where cultural the expedition


Swan cruise


tradition began. The new Mediterranean cruises


explore some of the most inspiring sites of ancient and medieval culture, many with UNESCO World Heritage status.


Most of these can only be accessed by smaller ships such as SH Diana, which also brings cruise guests the pleasure of mooring in the heart of Venice. The first is the 10-night “Contrasts


of Mediterranean Culture” aboard SH Diana. Departing Palermo for Venice on 20 August 2025, its imaginative itinerary follows almost the entire length of the Sicilian, Montenegrin and Croatian coasts. Exploring Lipari, Giardini Naxos and Taormina, Gallipoli, Monopoli, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Split, Hvar and Rovinj, guests will be immersed in the landscapes, cultures and histories of the many peoples who have settled these shores over the millennia. The drily named “Exploring South America from Barbados to Brazil” on SH Vega follows an exceptional 19-night itinerary. Sailing from Bridgetown on 12 October 2025 in the Caribbean all the way down to Salvador de Bahia, this incomparable voyage takes in many of South America’s most famous but also undiscovered and inaccessible cultural and natural wonders. From Port of Spain, Georgetown, Paramaribo,


Îles du Salut, Belém, the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Fortaleza and Recife. However, the highlight of this superlative cruise lies in an amazing four-day detour up the Amazon River to Macapa, Iquiqui and Gurupa in the heart of the jungle, returning through the otherworldly Breves Narrows, upriver from Belém in the Thousand Islands region. For many,


Swan Hellenic’s in-


depth explorations of the Arctic and Antarctic will continue to be the major attraction. But others will be just as strongly drawn to its one-of-a-kind voyages in exotic regions between the poles, most of which can be daisy-chained to create unforgettable personalised odysseys. Patrizia Iantorno, Chief Commercial


Officer of Swan Hellenic, says: “We’re delighted with the itineraries our specialists have curated for 2025. They not only build on our pioneering 2023 and 2024 cultural expedition cruises, but also bring entirely new opportunities for curious minds to expand their horizons in 2025”..”


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