26 | ROOM WITH A VIEW... ON THE RHINE


CRYSTAL SERENITY COMPLETES SEA TRIALS


CRYSTAL Serenity, the first ship to relaunch following the cruise line’s purchase by A&K Travel Group last year, successfully completed sea trials in anticipation of its inaugural cruise from Marseille, France, on July 31st. Currently in the final stages of a refurbishment


at Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy, the vessel had a full contingent of officers, technicians and engineers on board who thoroughly tested the ship’s navigation, technical and mechanical systems, and all passed inspection. We have ensured that the fire-resistant panels were properly certified and not defective. “Completing sea trials is one of the final milestones needed before we can officially return to service,” said Senior Vice President of Marine Operations Roberto Fazi. “We are proud of the entire team who helped get us to this day both on board and shoreside. We also want to thank our wonderful partners at Fincantieri who worked around the clock to deliver this beautiful ship on time and ready to welcome guests in just a few weeks.” And, when guests board for the first time, they


will find updated and larger suites with artisanal finishes, refreshed specialty dining venues and


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September/October 2023


cutting-edge onboard wellness, including the completely renovated and renamed Aurōra Spa. Additionally, there is a new pickleball court and re-energized entertainment and events. What hasn’t changed is the exceptional service and one of the industry’s best staff-to-guest ratios. Crystal Serenity, will spend the rest of the summer in the Mediterranean before repositioning to North America in September for Canadian and Caribbean sailings for the remainder of 2023. The ship will also host the highly anticipated 2024 World Cruise.


With 94 distinct itineraries spanning the


entire region, and hundreds of small-group, immersive shore excursions to choose from, these itineraries offer guests the opportunity to savour la dolce vita, whether they enjoy searching for truffles in the countryside close to Rome, exploring Santorini’s lesser-known active volcanoes or learning flamenco in Seville. Food & Wine Trails tours and Culinary Discovery Tours™ offer the chance to dive into the traditions of Mediterranean cooking, with intimate food- and wine-focused tours designed


for


Oceania Cruises Curates a Collection of Enticing Mediterranean Sojourns Sailing OCEANIA


2024, allowing epicurean travellers. Beyond


lineup of immersive experiences across the Mediterranean


Cruises offers an incredible in


guests


to experience numerous cultural capitals and lesser-known gems. Sailing from cities including Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon, Athens and London, this exquisite selection of carefully crafted voyages aboard Marina, Riviera, Sirena and Oceania Cruises’ newest ship, Vista, is ideal for travellers who wish to delve into this region’s rich history and ancient cultures, cuisine and traditions. Sailings range from seven days to a 59-day Grand Voyage from Miami to Rome.


Blueprints tours elevate guests’ appreciation for architecture with behind-the-scenes looks at some of the world’s most iconic buildings and landmarks. Go Green tours offer enriching opportunities to experience how local communities and businesses conserve, sustain and elevate their surrounding environments, and Oceania Cruises’ Go Local tours invite travellers to truly embed themselves into communities for engaging, one-of-a-kind experiences. “We are delighted to offer such an


extensive range of destination-intensive Mediterranean itineraries, allowing our well- travelled and curious guests to look at beloved Mediterranean destinations through a different lens,” commented Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises. “Our carefully curated diverse range of shore excursions, plus the relaxing home-away-from-home ambiance on board our boutique ships, offers the perfect luxury vacation choice.”


Below Deck Med’s Captain Sandy Revealed as Godmother for Latest Celebrity Ship


CELEBRITY Cruises has unveiled the Godmothers for Celebrity Ascent, launching this December. Celebrity Cruises announces that Captain Sandy


Yawn, best known for her appearance on Bravo TV’s hit series, Below Deck, alongside her sister Michelle Dunham, founder of the Jacksonville School for Autism (JSA), have been selected as co- Godmothers of the upcoming ship. The sisters will now join the industry’s first


brother Captains, Dimitrios and Tasos Kafetzis, who were announced earlier this year as the chosen duo to jointly take helm of the new vessel. Captain Sandy and Michelle will now join


NORWEGIAN Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 56-year history of breaking boundaries, today took delivery of Norwegian Viva, the newest vessel in the now 19- ship fleet and the second ship in the revolutionary Prima Class, at the renowned Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. The milestone event marks the arrival of the second of six ships in the Prima Class set to debut through 2028. Following the launch of


an illustrious group of admired, purposeful and inspirational women who hold the role of Godmother for a Celebrity Cruises ship. Godmothers of the previous Edge Series


ships include Simone Biles, 19-time World Champion and seven-time Olympic Medallist who christened the most recent ship, Celebrity Beyond, in 2022; Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of international nonprofit Girls Who Code who named Celebrity Apex in 2021; and Malala Yousafzai, Nobel laureate and activist, who introduced the revolutionary ship class when Edge launched in 2018.


Norwegian Cruise Line Takes Delivery of Norwegian Viva


the award-winning Norwegian Prima in 2022, Norwegian Viva will continue to raise the bar on cruising. The ship’s tagline “Live it Up” embodies the enhanced guest experience and on-board characteristic of this pioneering class, including elevated offerings,


thrilling onboard activities such as the three- story Viva Speedway, and new dining concepts, most notably Indulge Food Hall – an open-air food market featuring 11 unique eateries.


more spacious designs,


RUBY ON THE RHINE


BY JONATHAN ADAIR


AS with most things in life, you need to experience something before you can really make a judgement, and this was truly evident on our first river cruise with Scenic luxury cruises and tours. The image of a somewhat older clientele in a confined environment with limited facilities is extremely far from the true experience. From the minute we arrived on Scenic Ruby at our departure port of Basel in Switzerland, the ship made a great first impression. We


gives you unlimited travel. The Hotel Victoria is right beside the train station and has a direct line from the airport, but back to the main event. Scenic Ruby is a part of the Scenic’s space-ship


fleet and was refurbished in 2019. Its facilities were spacious and of an exceedingly high standard. With all the amenities you could wish for, our Balcony Suite cabin was bigger than most I have seen with a large corner shower unit, fantastic cupboards, and storage space. Our suite had its own butler, Irina, who could not have been more helpful, and we did not even use the Room Service Breakfast or the early riser tea which you can order to wake you each morning. There is also a daily refill of your full mini bar. Personal water bottles, hiking sticks and an umbrella for the shore excursions are also available for your use and provided in your cabins on arrival. We did avail ourselves of the complimentary laundry concierge service which you can use once during your cruise. I set the clothes to be laundered on the bed that morning and found it hanging in the cupboard on my return after our morning walking tour - definitely quicker than popping it in the laundry basket at home!


Scenic Ruby has four decks, with the Sundeck on


top stretching the length of the ship. The River Café, Panorama Lounge, Ruby Bar and Portobellos Restaurant are all located on the


Diamond


Deck. Below is the Sapphire Deck, with the impressive Crystal


Dining Room where you can


also received a warm welcome from the crew who all greeted us with a smile. This warm and friendly ambience continued throughout our eight-day Rhine Cruise. We had flown over to Basel the day before


and I would definitely recommend a visit to its ornate and historic town hall. Basel has a great tram system allowing easy access arouxnd the city, especially if you have a Basel Card which


enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Jewel Deck is where you will find the Spa Treatment Room, Fitness Centre and the Salt Therapy Lounge.


The ship has 80 suites and can accommodate 159 guests, with lots of


room for everyone. From the very start and throughout the


cruise the staff were incredible. Always on hand and the updates and information on every part of our itinerary made for an enjoyable experience. Beate Zaderer our Cruise Manager on Ruby gave


us our port updates everyday outlining the itinerary for the next day, the highlights to look out for and an overall view of our next port and the various tours. I found these short sessions invaluable. You can also


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