42 CRUISE NEWS
MSC ANNOUNCE GRAND
SAILING FOR SUMMER FROM SOUTHAMPTON
MSC Grandiosa M
SC Cruises have announce news of their 2023 deployment confirming that MSC Grandiosa will be the ship sailing from Southampton for
spring/summer 2023. The ship will arrive on the 24th April 2023 and will perform 23 cruises departing from Southampton on a variety of itineraries including mini cruises to Rotterdam and Bruges, as well as the popular longer cruises taking in the Mediterranean and the Canary islands. The ship is the sister ship to the well known MSC Virtuosa which is returning to the port for a full season beginning April 2022, and is one of the largest and most technologically advanced ships in the fleet, boasting everything from a 1000 seat west end style theatre to
FRED Holidays has partnered with Switzerland Tourism to launch a 2022/2023 Tailor-Made Switzerland Holidays brochure. The brochure features a variety of itineraries including epic rail journeys on the Jungfrau Railways, the Glacier Pullman Express, the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express and along the beautiful Golden Pass route; the Bernese Oberland with its picturesque landscapes with glittering lakes surrounded by countless mountain peaks; Valais which is a great option for families with its wealth of adventures and wonderful cuisine; Lake Garda for a relaxing break; the culture, food and wine of Vaud with its breathtaking views and year-round sporting activities; sampling local cheeses and chocolate in Montreux; the unique, diverse city of Lucerne which encompasses all that is great about Switzerland; Ticino, where Swiss quality meets Italian lifestyle; short breaks in Bern and Lugano; and bustling Zurich where visitors can discover exceptional art and culture, gastronomy and unique shopping.
exquisite
Simon Chambers comments: “We’ve worked closely with our partners at Switzerland Tourism to put together a fantastic selection of holidays that will enhance coverage and awareness of Switzerland. As tailor-made specialists, all of our journeys can be customised which means our clients can be in control of their holiday while leaving the intricacies of booking to our knowledgeable experts.” For further information and reservations, call Fred. Holidays on 0800 035 0706 or visit
www.fredholidays.
co.uk
ten different dining venues serving a variety of amazing cuisines from steak to sushi.
Of the news Antonio Paradiso, MD MSC Cruises UK & Ireland said
‘We have been delighted with the response to the MSC Virtuosa sailings for 2022 and look forward to bringing another of our largest and most loved ships to the port of Southampton. We have seen strong demand for the itineraries for this year with particular interest in the two 14 night sailings to the Mediterranean taking place in the school summer holidays and as a result have replicated many of these itineraries ready for the 2023 season. He added ‘For the last two years planning anything
Fred Holidays Launches 22/23 Swiss Brochure with Switzerland Tourism
has been difficult but with an optimistic outlook and following demand from customers it is great to be able to put these cruises on sale over a year in advance, and we urge guests and travel agents to take advantage of the great rates available during this early booking window. Cruise has always been unique when it comes to early booking, our guests will happily book a number of different cruises several years in advance to secure their holiday, and we are thrilled to be able, once again, to provide them with the opportunity to book early.’ The news comes just seven days prior to the end of the popular all-inclusive promotion which gives guests just seven days to book their 2022 cruise and get a premium drinks package included as part of the price.
The promotion is available on all sailings departing until November 2022 in the Caribbean, Emirates, Red Sea, and Mediterranean, as well as all cruises sailing from Southampton which includes MSC Virtuosa sailing from the port for an extended season from April – November 2022. These fantastic no-fly cruises give guests the opportunity to explore Europe without the need to step on a plane, and with drinks and gratuities included as part of the cruise fare MSC Cruises really has thought of everything to give guests the most enjoyable holiday experience.
MSC Grandiosa cruises from Southampton for 2023 are now on sale with early booking rates
P&O Cruises Celebrates Full Return to Service
WHEN Arcadia sailed to the Canary Islands on Sunday March 27, it marked P&O Cruises full return to service following its pause in operations. P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “We’re back sailing and this is certainly cause for celebration. Sunday is an important milestone as we will have all six ships back in operation and doing what we do best.
“We are delighted to be welcoming Arcadia back
to the fleet. This ship is hugely popular with our loyal cruisers and I know the captain and team on board cannot wait to sail the fantastic itineraries we have planned for this year.
“Britannia and Azura have had a very successful season in the Caribbean from Barbados and will spend the summer in the Mediterranean. Iona has spent her maiden winter months in the Canary Islands and northern Europe and will soon head up to the spectacular Norwegian fjords for the summer of scenic cruising and thrilling adventures.
“It is evident that our guests are reassured by the steps
we have taken to protect their health and wellbeing and that they are delighted to be back on board re-igniting their passion for travel.
“We all spent so long missing the simple pleasures of great restaurants, beaches and city sights that having them all now makes the holiday experience even better.” Arvia will join P&O Cruises in December as the seventh ship in the fleet. The maiden voyage will be to
The Canary Islands followed by a winter season of fly/ cruise holidays in the Caribbean from Barbados. Arvia, which, similar to its sister ship Iona, will be powered by liquefied natural gas, will have many sustainable and environmentally-friendly innovations and technology on board.
Example cruises: Norway and Iceland, 14 nights 14-night cruise on Aurora (R207). Departing
June 21, 2022 the price includes full board meals and entertainment. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call are Skjolden, Ålesund, Akureyri, Grundarfjörður, Reykjavik (two full days) and Cork.
Canada, 24 nights
24-night cruise on Aurora (R214). Departing September 18, 2022 the price includes full board meals and entertainment. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call are St Johns, Gaspe, Quebec (two full days), Saguenay, Charlottetown, Îles-de-la- Madeleine, Halifax and Sydney NS. British Isles, 14 nights
14-night cruise on Arcadia (J213). Departing July 19, 2022 the price includes full board meals and entertainment. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call are Belfast, Killybegs, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Torshavn, Stornoway, Greenock and Holyhead.
UK Lawyer Turned Atlantic Solo Rower Arrives in Barbados
LONDON-BASED lawyer Victoria Evans arrived into Port St. Charles, Barbados on Thursday (24 March), after rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean, in aid of the UK Charity: Women in Sport. The 35-year-old’s journey began when she departed Tenerife on February 11th, 2022, and after approximately 41 days at sea, she arrived in Barbados at approximately 4:57 AM this morning, Thursday, 24th of March 2022. Victoria’s journey is pending confirmation from Guinness World Records. Victoria’s official time is expected to be confirmed in the coming days before it will be determined whether she has become the Fastest Woman in the World to Row Solo Across the Atlantic Ocean. The current Guinness World Record for this title is 49 days, 7 hours and 15 minutes.
After arriving into Barbados this morning, greeted by friends and family who travelled over from the UK, Victoria Evans said “I feel relieved. I am so happy to be here. I’ve been celebrating since I saw Barbados about 24 hours ago”. Following three years of focused training and qualifications, and a 12-month postponement due to Covid travel restrictions, Victoria, who hails from West Yorkshire, rowed the 3000 miles (5000km) in a 7-metre- long boat, True Blue, to Port St. Charles, Barbados, completing more 1.5 million strokes of the oars across the Atlantic Ocean.
Commenting on Victoria’s journey Barbados Minister for Sport, Charles Griffith said “We are honoured to welcome Victoria across the finish line to Barbados. Rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean in just 41 days is an incredible feat, and we eagerly await confirmation of Victoria’s official time and newest Guinness World Record. Victoria’s passion, endurance,
and strength during her time at sea is truly inspiring for athletes here in Barbados, in Victoria’s home in the UK, and worldwide.”
Minister Griffith continues, “After recently welcoming Dr. Karen Weekes, the first Irish woman to row solo across the Atlantic, Barbados is honoured to be the destination of choice to mark the end of Victoria’s journey and the finish line of the latest world record to be broken.” To complete her journey and beat the world record, Victoria spent 12-14 hours a day rowing, with a maximum of 6 hours sleep, burning approximately 5000kcal a day. The remainder of her time was spent cooking, making water, cleaning, undertaking maintenance etc. Victoria, with sustenance comes in the form of freeze-dried food and up to 10 litres of water each day.
Victoria faced all the elements, including waves the height of houses, dark nights, storms, and sweltering heat. Evans was also self-reliant for repairs and had to get off the boat to clean the underneath during her trip – whilst avoiding the sharks and whales that inhabit the ocean.
As part of her journey, Victoria is raising funds for UK charity, Women in Sport. CEO of Women in Sport, Stephanie Holborn MBE, thanked Victoria for her fundraising efforts and congratulated her on this incredible achievement, saying “Tori is an inspiration and Women in Sport is massively proud that she’s chosen to fundraise for our charity. How simply incredible is it to smash a World Record by rowing on your own for 41 days across the Atlantic Ocean? How mind-boggling to be at sea with sharks and dolphins for company and to overcome such massive obstacles to reach the finish line. Holborn continued,
“This is the culmination of years of dedicated work to build the right boat, the right fitness, and break out of lockdowned Europe even before overcoming huge waves, storms and physical and mental exhaustion. Tori’s battles represent the battles that girls and women face every day to break out of stereotypes, to overcome limiting expectations, to beat back the storm of misogyny and sexual harassment and beat a path for themselves towards the joy and exhilaration of sport. Thank you to everyone who’s given to Women in Sport through Tori’s funding page. And THANK YOU Tori for your incredible and inspiring drive and resilience.” Sea Change Sport Campaign
Victoria Evans’ mission by completing this incredible journey is to use sport to change mindsets at the very heart of the sports industry. Sport has the power to change lives. Despite this, women and girls continue to miss out on the benefits that sport can bring. In the UK, nearly 60% of girls aren’t meeting recommended exercise guidelines. Many campaigns seek to increase participation, but in order to truly effect change, it’s essential to tackle the structure of sport as an industry, and the culture surrounding sport.
Victoria’s aim is to highlight the issues and set an example to women and girls. She created the Sea Change Sport campaign to drive awareness and to raise £50,000 for Women in Sport, a charity who are making great strides to drive progressive development in the culture of sport.
Commenting on the Sea Change Sport Campaign, Victoria said
“Sport is one of the most powerful vehicles for change, but millions of women miss out because the industry is not designed by them or marketed to them.”
April/May 2022 Travel News
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