24 CRUISE NEWS


SC Cruises has launched its summer 2022 campaign under the ‘Cruise with Confidence’ program that confirms its industry-leading


allow this – there really has been no better time to book a cruise vacation.” Covering all ships and itineraries, guests can continue


January 2022 Travel News


‘Cruise With Confidence’ in Summer 2022 With MSC Cruises M


health & safety protocol, clear & flexible booking policy, robust yet simple vaccination & testing requirements and return to independent ashore exploration will apply to all sailings through summer 2022. All existing and new bookings for all sailings through


to the end of the next summer season will be covered by the Cruise with Confidence promise, under which the Company has already offered a safe, flexible and enjoyable cruise holiday to over one million guests during all phases of the pandemic, past and present. Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises said, “We


were able to lead the restart of our industry in August last year thanks to a comprehensive and flexible health and safety protocol that was designed to adapt to the evolution of the pandemic ashore and has since set the standard across the travel and hospitality sector. With this we were able to continue to offer the highest level of protection to our guests, crew and communities where our ships call to responsibly and safely welcome on our ships over one million guests for their holiday at sea. With the pandemic continuing to evolve, we understand the importance of having clear information to reassure our guests that they can book a cruise with confidence and with flexibility to give them total peace of mind. We are thus extending our successful ‘Cruise with Confidence’ guarantee to all cruises through summer 2022 to continue to offer booked and new guests a safe, flexible and enjoyable holiday option. Reinforced with the required COVID-19 protection


plan, this insurance gives guests extra security before and during the cruise. Finally, we also see the return of a full experience ashore with the reintroduction of independent shore excursions where local regulations


to choose an MSC Cruises holiday at sea safe in the knowledge that their health, booking security and enjoyment are being taken care of. From winter sun in the Caribbean to stunning Mediterranean cruises with the whole family next summer, guests can book and cruise with confidence thanks to the following elements: All guests and crew vaccinated and tested All guests aged 12* and above are required to be fully vaccinated, on top of this, all guests aged two and above are required to submit a negative test prior to boarding. All ship crew are also fully vaccinated, regularly tested and follow strict health & safety policies. Booking flexibility free of charge All cruises can be rescheduled free of charge up to 15** days prior sailing, for any reason. Peace of mind with COVID protection plan All guests and their bookings are fully protected by


the required COVID-19 protection insurance, covering events such as testing positive before boarding or at any point during your holiday. And at the end of the cruise, it will be easy to meet any return testing obligations via easily arranged antigen or RT-PCR testing either onboard or in the terminal. A full experience to make the cruise safe & enjoyable Guests are free to disembark and independently


explore ports of call wherever local regulations allow it. MSC Cruises has worked in partnership with authorities in all the regions and countries in which the ships operate to ensure its protocol meets, exceeds and adapts to the required regional and national health and safety measures. In addition to these, the Company continues to


Celebrity Cruises Give Back To Travel Industry With ABTA Partnership CELEBRITY Cruises has today (January 4th) joined


forces with ABTA in a new campaign that generously gives back to the travel industry. In recognition of the huge role that travel agents and trade partners have played to get the industry back on its feet, the ‘Celebrity Loves Agents’ campaign will see the luxury cruise brand donate £10,000 to ABTA LifeLine and pledge a further £1 for every agent booking made throughout January. ABTA Lifeline is the charity of ABTA, the UK’s


largest travel association which represents travel agents and tour operators. ABTA Lifeline was created in 1988 to provide practical, financial, and emotional assistance to travel colleagues in their time of need. Celebrity Cruises’ donation will help the charity continue its incredible work and is given in recognition to the vital role everyone in travel played as the cruise industry resumed sailing last year. Celebrity Cruises’ support for ABTA Lifeline will


continue throughout January with a donation scheme in place that also pledges £1 for every travel agent booking claimed via Celebrity Rewards. The rewards and agent recognition doesn’t stop


there. With every new booking made on any sailing year from 2021 through to 2023, agents will earn £10/€12 for each Balcony and Concierge stateroom. Rewards will be enhanced for Aqua Class bookings to £20/€24 per booking, and further increased to £25/€30 for each booking in The Retreat. Jo Rzymowska, Vice President & Managing Director, EMEA for Celebrity Cruises stated that “We feel very privileged to be working alongside ABTA Lifeline and supporting the incredible work they do to help families in our industry during times of need. Our donation and the £1 per travel agent booking scheme running this January will help further this important cause and is given in grateful recognition of all of those who supported us as we returned to the water last year.” Derek Jones, Chairman & Trustee for ABTA Lifeline


added “The past two years have been an exceptionally difficult time for everyone in the travel industry, and we have experienced an increased number of people contacting us for help. On behalf of ABTA Lifeline and the individuals and families that we support, we would like to thank Celebrity Cruises for its donation which will go far in helping those at the heart of our industry as we rebuild.”


Celebrity Cruises’ Wave Offer The new ‘Celebrity Loves Agents’ campaign coincides with Celebrity Cruises’ unmissable savings


SAUDI Arabia have announced an eVisa for cruise passengers sailing from the country or arriving at one of its ports. On January 1 2022, The Saudi Ministry of Foreign


Affairs announced this new electronic visa service. This new nautical transit eVisa will make it easier for tourists seeking travel to Saudi Arabia to visit the country by cruise ship. While also benefitting passengers who seek to set off on a cruise from Saudi Arabia. Tourists can already apply for a Saudi Arabia visa


online, with cruise passengers now also able to benefit from the electronic visa process. All passengers boarding a cruise ship sailing from


Saudi Arabia and passengers on a cruise with an itinerary visiting Saudi Arabia will require a e-maritime


and free flights to Europe on top of ‘Always Included’ drinks, wifi and tips, that help agents inspire their clients to book the luxury holiday they’ve been dreaming of. Available on bookings made right through to 28th February 2022, staterooms onboard sailings departing from January 2022 to March 2023 are eligible for savings of up to £2,400, dependent on the length of itinerary and stateroom category. Paired with incredible airfare offers of free flights


to Europe from the UK and Ireland on selected April to November 2022 European sailings, agents will be able to entice their clients to turn their bucket list dreams into a reality and in doing so, contributing £1 to ABTA Lifeline per booking. Selected Caribbean fly-cruise bookings in 2022 and 2023 will also be eligible for discounted airfares, with savings of £300/€360 per person. And because Celebrity Cruises believes holidays


should be effortless from start to finish, all sailings come with drinks, Wi-Fi, and tips, drinks and ‘Always Included’, helping bring that wonderful feeling of ‘everything is taken care of’ to life. Sales Support for Agents A brand-new suite of sales and marketing toolkits,


packed with selling guides, social-ready content, and digital banners will also be hosted on Celebrity Central to help agents maximise their sales and Celebrity Rewards earnings. Agents can also expect exciting new assets available on Celebrity Central as Celebrity Cruises launch their multi-million pound cross-channel marketing campaign including TV, out-of-home and digital channels, across the UK from January to March 2022.


Plus, Celebrity Cruises will be offering six new


training videos, available on the Celebrity Loves Agents Facebook page, and through the Celebrity Central toolkit, on topics from The Retreat to brand new Celebrity Beyond (coming straight from the shipyard to Southampton in April 2022), to allow agents to improve their knowledge. And finally, in a first for the cruise industry, the enhanced Celebrity Rewards programme gives agents the chance to redeem points on a luxury gift for their clients. The new and improved scheme follows feedback that travel partners would like to be able to treat their clients while on holiday, so Rewards Points can now be redeemed on a range of thoughtful gifts such as champagne and celebration cakes. Alternatively, agents can continue to redeem points to treat themselves.


Saudi Arabia Announce eVisa for Cruise Passengers


visa for Saudi Arabia. Travellers are not permitted to stay in Saudi Arabia for an extended period with the e-visa, it is a transit visa which grants passengers permission to fly into the country or travel to the port, along with short visits when their cruise calls at a Saudi Arabian port. In order to apply, travellers must have proof of a purchased cruise ticket along with a valid passport. Unlike a regular Saudi Arabian tourist e-visa, applicants are not required to visit the Saudi Arabian embassy or consulate. These applications must be made online, with electronic applications processed quickly. Cruise passengers will be issued the approved maritime e-visa soon after submitting their online visa application.


MSC’s Divina docked at the beach


monitor and adapt its industry-leading health and safety protocol that was developed last year by the Blue Ribbon COVID Expert Group – made up of highly qualified and internationally respected experts who together helped inform MSC Cruises’ operating protocol to protect the health and safety of guests and crew during every aspect of the guest’s journey, while maintaining the Company’s unique guest experience. Since its original inception, the panel has been reinforced with the addition of Dr. Robert R. Redfield, an American virologist and infectious disease clinician who most recently served as Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2018 to 2021.


Further, the panel is comprised of: Dr. Ian Norton, Specialist Emergency Physician,


even more West African expedition cruises for 2023/24 – including some of the most unique destinations and national parks on the planet. These expeditions include an off-the-beaten-track exploration of South America and along with North American National Parks. Having rapidly expanded its global offering of small-


ship expedition cruises in recent years, Hurtigruten Expeditions have added destinations such as the Gal- apagos, West Africa, the Caribbean, and the only year- round expedition cruises directly from Germany and UK to the Norwegian coast. Currently, Hurtigruten Expeditions are currently the only cruise-line offering West African expeditions. The 2023/24 season will be the most extensive in the company’s 125 years of exploration. Some of the new highlights include: Exploration of the remote and rarely visited parts of


West Africa including Cape Verde and the Bissagos Island. These itineraries include four countries: Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal, with MS Spitsbergen based out of Dakar, one of Africa’s most bustling cities. More small-ship Caribbean and Central American expedition cruises inviting guests to immerse in stun- ning scenery, pristine beaches, long lost cultures, and small communities. North American national parks galore – visiting stun-


ning natural reserves both on the east and west coasts of the United States


“Enchanted Princess” Named in Princess Cruises Production


ENCHANTED Princess, the fifth royal-class


ship in the Princess Cruises fleet, was officially named in a ceremony and celebration as part of an original production named “Our World, Enchanted”, on the cruise line’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Hosted by Princess Cruises’ celebrations ambassador


Jill Whelan and Enchanted Princess’ cruise director Dan Falconer, the show introduces viewers to the innovative features and amenities of the MedallionClass ship, shares some of the history of Princess as a cruise line and destination leader and culminates in the official naming to welcome Enchanted Princess into the Princess global fleet.


The ceremony honours three members of The Explorers Club who serve as the godmothers of Enchanted Princess. The notable godmothers have been recognised for their achievements in expeditions, oceanography and mapping the oceans – Captain Lynn Danaher, Dr. Vicki Ferrini and Jenifer Austin. “Our World, Enchanted” includes appearances


by newly appointed Princess Cruises president John Padgett, group president Jan Swartz and British Commodore Nick Nash, and provides a look into the beautifully designed interiors, elegantly appointed accommodations, world-class entertainment, gourmet dining and craft cocktails available on Enchanted Princess. The spectacular style and elegance that is distinguished by Princess Cruises . Enchanted Princess will be based in Europe from April to September 2022 to sail on a series of Scandinavian voyages roundtrip from Copenhagen.


currently managing director of Respond Global, formerly the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Medical Team Initiative program. Prof. Christakis Hadjichristodoulou, Professor of


Hygiene and Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medicine as well as its Vice President, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Greece. Prof. Stephan J. Harbarth, Hospital Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Head of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and Faculty of Medicine. Prof. Camillo Ricordi, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami School of Medicine. Dr. Jesus Arroyo, Specialist Internal Medicine,


Geneva University Hospitals, Private practice, Geneva, Medical Affairs consultant, Trafigura Energy.


Hurtigruten Expeditions Announce New Bucket-List Expedition Cruises HURTIGRUTEN Expeditions have announced


Even greener exploration on board the recently elect-


ed “World’s Most Sustainable Cruise Ship” MS Fridtjof Nansen – and identical sister ship MS Roald Amund- sen. A brand-new, ten-day expedition cruise from Panama to Barbados. A total of 32 expedition cruise packages where small-


ship expedition cruising can be combined with land- based exploration of world renowned destinations such as Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the Galapagos Islands, and Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen stat-


ed that, “Exploration is not solely about geography; it’s a mindset. We receive clear feedback from guests that they want to experience new ways to explore, and in more places. This is the reason why we continue to launch and expand our offerings to immerse in nature, culture, history, and science across the whole planet.” For the 2023/24 season, two expedition ships will


let guests explore nature reserves such as the western Redwood National Park and the Olympic Biosphere Reserve and National Park – and the eastern Acadia National Park and the Cape Cod National Seashore. The twin hybrid ships MS Roald Amundsen and MS


Fridtjof Nansen will offer six unique North American expedition cruises. As on all Hurtigruten Expeditions voyages, the voyages include scientists in the signature onboard Science Centres deepening the guest experi- ence. Guests are also encouraged to partake in Citizen Science projects.


APT Travelmarvel adds Second Small Ship, The Princess Eleganza, to fleet


WITH the increase in demand for APT Travelmarvel’s new Croatia small ship cruising programme, the operator has announced that it will be adding a second small ship, sister vessel the Princess Eleganza, to its Croatian fleet in 2022 The Princess Eleganza will set sail on two new Travelmarvel itineraries: The 8-day Croatian Island Adventure, from Split


to Dubrovnik. this cruise includes return flights, seven nights of onboard accommodation. This itinerary will run from May until September 2022, and guests will enjoy guided tours of Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar, Split, Brac and Vis, and docking overnight in the heart of each town or city with plenty of free time to explore. The 10-day Coast Croatia, from Dubrovnik to


Opatija. The itinerary will run from September to October 2022 and sails the full length of the Adriatic coast with locally guided tours in Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar, Split, Sibenik and Zadar. The 47-metre Princess Eleganza is currently undergoing a refurbishment ahead of its inaugural sailing under the Travelmarvel brand on the 13 May 2022. All public areas, restaurants and the Princess Eleganza’s exterior will be completely refreshed. These itineraries offer a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for up to 36 guests, the yacht’s 19 ensuite cabins are finished to the highest standard. The meals on board offer a distinct home-cooked feel, featuring fresh and tasty Mediterranean cuisine. The ship’s spacious Sun and Promenade decks are the perfect spots for admiring the stunning scenery of Croatia’s coast and islands pass by.


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