28 | CRUISE NEWS


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AMBASSADOR Cruise Line has experienced its busiest month since the turn of year as guests place no-hassle travel ahead of price in the Lates market. With 30% of bookings from guests who


strong demanD in the lates market and beyond


of inflation according to the ONS Consumer Price Index, Ambassador’s inflation-defying prices are proving ever-more attractive, with nine out of ten guests recommending a sailing with the company.


sailed in 2022, Ambassador puts its resurgent performance in the Lates Market down to the growing popularity of no-fly holiday options, with customer research indicating that guests prefer driving to a port, parking their car and boarding ships with a minimum of hassle, thereby avoiding airport queues, potential flight cancellations or


exchange rate


fluctuations, given that


onboard the Ambassador fleet is in pound sterling.


Demand has been so strong that the


offers a wide choice of


experiences primarily aimed


operator, authentic at


existing


cruise intenders aged 50+ as well as a selection of multigenerational sailings for the whole family to enjoy, is bucking the industry trend by holding steady on price on several cruises – in some cases increasing these as demand outweighs supply – rather than flooding the lates market with loss-leading deals in a bid to gain market share. The last two weeks have seen many lates prices increasing as cruise demand continues to grow. Ambassador’s most popular seller of the last two weeks has been the 32-night Mediterranean Odyssey sailing out of London Tilbury on 16 October. Future bookings signal heightened interest in bucket list itineraries, such as Ambience’s Grand Round the World Cruise, which sails in January 2024 and had the best start to any cruise when going on sale. Ambassador, which operates two ships – Ambience and Ambition – is also seeing a bigger influx of guests that have sailed with more luxury brands previously, as well as ‘new- to-cruise’ guests at the lower end of the age demographic (40-50), with guests looking to move from a more expensive cruise operator to enjoy a premium value cruise offering that meets or exceeds their expectations. With the pressure on lower-income households considerable, and recent increases in airfares contributing to the high ongoing rate


which cruise


the currency


“Our guests see a holiday as a necessity and not a luxury, and with many of them aged 50- plus and retired, the cost-of-living crisis is not affecting our core customer base as much as the working population,” explains Phil Gardner, Chief Commercial Officer, Ambassador Cruise Line. “Whilst we continue to offer a number of fantastic deals in the market, we’re also seeing that prices can go up in the lates market now and this is a marked change from the beginning of the summer season.


“Demand for our


premium value, no- fly offering remains strong despite some forecasting a difficult year, with


consumer confidence slowly but surely returning to the market. As a brand, Ambassador is


perfectly positioned to cater


for our guests’ needs and requirements and, whether it’s a short sailing or a bucket list longer itinerary, we’re confident we’ve got the perfect product to suit all tastes and budgets: all for the best value.” The uplift in demand follows the launch of regional no-fly departures earlier this year after the introduction of Ambassador’s second lady of the sea, Ambition, to the fleet. This has seen Ambassador increase its number


of regional ports from one – London Tilbury – to seven this year. Inaugural season sailings from Newcastle,


Dundee, Liverpool and Belfast have been incredibly successful, with British Isles itineraries proving the most popular with guests from the regions, along with itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords. Sailings from Falmouth and Bristol, which will sail from early September, are also hugely encouraging.


Holland America Line Launch 42 Day Itinerary Inspired By A Historic Voyage


ON Tuesday, August 1st, the coastal cruise ships Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux were finally delivered to Havila Voyages during an official ceremony at the Tersan shipyard in Turkey. “A milestone for the shipping company,” says CEO Bent Martini. The Norwegian flag and the shipping company


flag of Havila Voyages were finally raised on the coastal cruise ships Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux, which are located at the Tersan shipyard outside Yalova in Turkey. “We have now reached our goal following a process that required a lot of time, resources, and


perseverance. In particular, it has demanded a lot of patience from the Norwegian authorities with whom we have an agreement to operate, our customers, coastal communities, our partners, and all employees,” says CEO Bent Martini. “We remained confident we would reach this moment, even though we have encountered new challenges at every turn. “Now that we finally possess our own beautiful and state-of-the-art coastal route ships with spacious cabins and a high level of comfort for everyone on board, it’s a milestone for the shipping company.”


NCL Announce Extensive Enhancements To Norwegian Joy


NORWEGIAN Cruise Line have announced that Norwegian Joy will undergo enhancements in January 2024 to elevate the onboard guest experience with popular offerings, including a new Thermal Suite in the Mandara Spa and Salon, expanded Vibe Beach Club, 64 new staterooms, redesigned Three-Bedroom The Haven Premier Owner’s Suites and more.


Silver Nova Officially Embarks On Maiden Voyage


THE first Nova-class ship for Silversea, Silver Nova has embarked on her maiden voyage on August 14, departing Venice, Italy.


Sailing on a seven-day roundtrip voyage through the Adriatic,


Silver


Nova will call in Piran, Slovenia; Zadar, Dubrovnik, Split, and Rovinj in Croatia; and Kotor, Montenegro. Silver Nova is Silversea’s 12th ship


and the first to launch this year for Royal Caribbean Group® (NYSE: RCL), becoming the 64th ship in its global fleet.


Hurtigruten Foundation Launches Innovative Rapid Response Fund


HURTIGRUTEN Expeditions distributes inaugural Rapid Response Fund donation, effectively launching the philanthropic initiative from Hurtigruten Foundation, the Group’s charity arm. The new Fund empowers Hurtigruten Expeditions’ people to support the communities they visit at sea, reinforcing its commitment to creating a net-positive impact through travel. The innovative


framework, which allows ships to allocate funds directly to projects for immediate and targeted support, was developed


from the experiences of Expedition


Leaders and


Science Coordinators who interact with local communities


throughout Hurtigruten Expeditions sailings.


“We observed a crucial need for our onboard


teams to respond swiftly when they encounter a community in need,” explains Tudor Morgan, Vice President of Sustainability and Industry Relations at Hurtigruten Expeditions. Adding on, Henrik


A. Lund, Managing


Director of Hurtigruten Foundation, explains: “Many of the projects our teams encounter are small in scale or lack the structure to apply for funding through our traditional funding mechanisms. The Rapid Response Fund fills this gap, enabling each leader to provide grants directly to local projects.”


Viking’s Newest Nile River Ship Named By Acclaimed Architect


VIKING has named its newest river ship, the Viking Aton, with a special celebration in Aswan, Egypt. The ship’s ceremonial godfather, Richard


Riveire, designer of Viking’s award-winning river, ocean and expedition vessels and founding Principal of internationally acclaimed interior design firm Rottet Studio, offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for the ship—an evolution of the naval tradition dating back to thousands of years. The Viking Aton, an identical sister ship of the Viking Osiris, is a state-of-the-art vessel specifically built to navigate the Nile and will sail Viking’s popular Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary. “Today, we are pleased to welcome Viking


Aton to our growing fleet. Together with her sister ship, the Viking Osiris, they are the newest and most elegant vessels on the Nile, by far,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.


Havila Voyages Welcomes Two New Ships with Latest Delivery


SEADREAM


revealed details of its 2026 Caribbean season


Yacht Club has which will


sail to the most secluded destinations,


visiting small,


intimate harbours ideal for their 56-stateroom luxury twin yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream II. Perfect for travellers who wish


to explore the far reaches of the Caribbean,


these itineraries


carry guests to the unspoiled and uncrowded island gems of Sandy Ground,


Anguilla; Prickly


Pear; Lovango Cay; and Mayreau and Bequia, in the heart of the Grenadines, among many others. Open for booking now, SeaDream’s


early 2026 Caribbean voyages sail January 2026 through April 2026 and feature 33 delightfully different itineraries visiting 39 unique destinations nestled in the British Virgin Islands, the Windward and Leeward Islands, Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas. New 10- and 11-day journeys through Barbados offer guests the opportunity to linger


longer and explore more, with new features such as two full nights in St. Barths, overnights in Bequia and evening beach parties in St. Kitts. Calls until midnight in Trellis Bay, Beef Island; Jost van Dyke; Esperanza, Vieques; and Grand Turk allow guests to experience a distinctive night-time element. “With a SeaDream luxury yachting


experience and our new 10- and 11- day itineraries, guests explore the best that the Caribbean has to offer. Whether it’s the pristine British Virgin Islands, secluded Culebra Island, the Puerto Rican


Archipelago’s crown


jewel, Esperanza, where guests can kayak in bioluminescent waters, or sheltered Jost van Dyke, home to our signature Champagne & Caviar Splash™, guests will have a memorable experience in every destination,” says SeaDream’s Andreas Brynestad. “On board, guests enjoy SeaDream’s highly attentive service from every crew member in a relaxing, highly personalised, and luxurious ambiance.”


September/October 2023


Explora Journeys Celebrates the Float Out of EXPLORA II


Just two months after the delivery of EXPLORA I, which took place in Monfalcone on 20 July 2023, the construction of the fleet of Explora Journeys is further progressing. The brand celebrated two maritime milestones during a double event at Fincantieri’s Sestri


Ponente shipyard near Genoa in Italy.


During the ceremony, the brand celebrated both the float out of EXPLORA II and the steel cutting of EXPLORA III, representing the second and third ships out of a total of four ordered by Explora Journeys.


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