Thursday July 31
Who could have missed the big announcement yesterday by Princess Cruises who aside from being on ITV each week at the moment also announced yesterday a new 'Royal-class' ship for their fleet to be launching in 2017. At 143,000 she will carry 3,560 guests at and be built at a cost of €600 million: read more here.
On the refurbishment front there was the announcement this week that celebrity Eclipse is heading off to be refurbished in April 2015 - the work includes the creation of 'Gastrobar' and revamped pool area. Read more here.
Earlier in the week Fred Olsen launched its 'Poison, Murder & Mystery' cruise at a glittering event in London - and here they talk of possible future such themed events: read more here.
Over at Norwegioan Cruise Line, with the two new ships now in active service - Getaway and Breakaway - the company recorded yet more great financial results just this week: read more here
It was great to see Louis Cruises making the trade press this week. The Med specialist are hoping to build relationships back up with the travel trade over the coming weeks and months: read more here.
We love talking chocolate - so we were delighted that Princess announced this week a partnership with master chocolatier Norman Love to create 'Chocolate Journeys' - with special desserts, chocolate and wine pairings and choclate bites. Read more here.
Finally - if you are a CLIA member travel agent interested in growing your sales for Premium and Luxury cruising - then do not miss the August CLIA Cruise Expo in Dover featuring 3 ship visits, business sessions and networking, plus a sumptuous dinner! Book via cruiseexperts.org
Until next week!
Thursday 31 July 2014
Thursday 24 July 2014
Thursday July 24
Summer has arrived!
So let us start with one of the exciting new ships coming next year - and here TTG follow Chef James Martin around Britannia as she is being fitted ahead of launch next year. James talks about the new Culinary School where up to 24 guests can be trained at once - read more here
Let us stay with training, as this week Carnival Cruise Lines announced a 'training blitz' across the country for the summer, aiming to train 500 staff from 14 agencies: read more here.
Crystal Cruises has been in the news this week for two reasons. Firstly there was an interview with Travel Weekly for the new President and CEO Edie Rodriguez - where she describes new ship builds for the line as a 'must': read more here
And secondly for the announcement over a new north-west passage cruise from Anchorage to New York in 2016: read more here.
Over on river cruising there was a great fanfare for the launch of AmaWaterways AmaSonata christened in Vilshofen: read more here; whilst at Silversea Cruises a new host of shore excursions have been announced with destinations including the Andes, Patagonia, Polynesia and New Zealand. Read more here.
It is probably the towing of Concordia that was the main news of the week with the ship now being towed to Genoa where she will be scrapped after a mammoth salvage operation.
And to finish a reminder that you can book places now for the August Premium and Luxury Cruise Expo, and for the November River Cruise Expo at the CLIA website.
Until next week!
Summer has arrived!
So let us start with one of the exciting new ships coming next year - and here TTG follow Chef James Martin around Britannia as she is being fitted ahead of launch next year. James talks about the new Culinary School where up to 24 guests can be trained at once - read more here
Let us stay with training, as this week Carnival Cruise Lines announced a 'training blitz' across the country for the summer, aiming to train 500 staff from 14 agencies: read more here.
Crystal Cruises has been in the news this week for two reasons. Firstly there was an interview with Travel Weekly for the new President and CEO Edie Rodriguez - where she describes new ship builds for the line as a 'must': read more here
And secondly for the announcement over a new north-west passage cruise from Anchorage to New York in 2016: read more here.
Over on river cruising there was a great fanfare for the launch of AmaWaterways AmaSonata christened in Vilshofen: read more here; whilst at Silversea Cruises a new host of shore excursions have been announced with destinations including the Andes, Patagonia, Polynesia and New Zealand. Read more here.
It is probably the towing of Concordia that was the main news of the week with the ship now being towed to Genoa where she will be scrapped after a mammoth salvage operation.
And to finish a reminder that you can book places now for the August Premium and Luxury Cruise Expo, and for the November River Cruise Expo at the CLIA website.
Until next week!
Thursday 17 July 2014
Thursday July 17th
It appears to be the hottest week of the year in the UK - and things are certainly hotting up in the new cruise ship build arena - with the big announcement of the week going to Norwegian Cruise Line who have just ordered two new ships for delivery in 2018 and 2019. They will each be 4,200 guest ships. Read more here.
Meanwhile Regent Seven Seas Cruises have started the build on their new 750 guest ship which is due for launch in 2016: read more here.
And with Britannia due for launch next spring - there were further announcements over the on-board product, with the Culinary School targetting 11,000 guests to go through cookery classes each year: read more here.
It is CLIA Cruise Week soon - September 27 to October 5 - and we are planning already and hope that our travel agent partners are too. Read more here.
Of course it was the ITV programme The Cruise Ship that took headlines at the start of the week. The documentary follows the inaugural season of Royal Princess and with 3.1 million viewers, a flurry of Twitter activity and a huge increase in traffic to the Princess Cruises website it has certainly put cruising in the public eye: For Travel Weekly reaction read more here. For the TTG reaction read here. And here is an interview with one of the stars of the show by Cruise International Magazine: read more here.
We will certainly be watching on Friday night!
Over on the rivers - great to see Avalon launch a brand new river programme in Asia on the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia. Read more here.
Norwegian Cruise Lines made a second announcement this week - the banning of smoking on balconies - read more here; and we never hear enough about the great chairty work undertaken by cruise lines - so great to see the announcement from Carnival of $5 million raised for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Read more here.
And we at CLIA were disappointed to learn that Hurtigruten MD - and member of the CLIA UK & Ireland Executive Committee - is to stand down from here role later this year. We wish her well for the future. Read more here.
Finally - if you have not read it already then here it is - our July 2014 Informer: read here.
Until next week!
It appears to be the hottest week of the year in the UK - and things are certainly hotting up in the new cruise ship build arena - with the big announcement of the week going to Norwegian Cruise Line who have just ordered two new ships for delivery in 2018 and 2019. They will each be 4,200 guest ships. Read more here.
Meanwhile Regent Seven Seas Cruises have started the build on their new 750 guest ship which is due for launch in 2016: read more here.
And with Britannia due for launch next spring - there were further announcements over the on-board product, with the Culinary School targetting 11,000 guests to go through cookery classes each year: read more here.
It is CLIA Cruise Week soon - September 27 to October 5 - and we are planning already and hope that our travel agent partners are too. Read more here.
Of course it was the ITV programme The Cruise Ship that took headlines at the start of the week. The documentary follows the inaugural season of Royal Princess and with 3.1 million viewers, a flurry of Twitter activity and a huge increase in traffic to the Princess Cruises website it has certainly put cruising in the public eye: For Travel Weekly reaction read more here. For the TTG reaction read here. And here is an interview with one of the stars of the show by Cruise International Magazine: read more here.
We will certainly be watching on Friday night!
Over on the rivers - great to see Avalon launch a brand new river programme in Asia on the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia. Read more here.
Norwegian Cruise Lines made a second announcement this week - the banning of smoking on balconies - read more here; and we never hear enough about the great chairty work undertaken by cruise lines - so great to see the announcement from Carnival of $5 million raised for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Read more here.
And we at CLIA were disappointed to learn that Hurtigruten MD - and member of the CLIA UK & Ireland Executive Committee - is to stand down from here role later this year. We wish her well for the future. Read more here.
Finally - if you have not read it already then here it is - our July 2014 Informer: read here.
Until next week!
Wednesday 9 July 2014
Thursday July 10th
Lots of new technology announcements this week from cruise lines - we start with MSC Cruises who have announced that they are to offer the first pediatric telemedicine service at sea with a 24-hour link to specialists: read here.
Talking of new technology Royal Caribbean have adopted great new technology for travel agents that enables them to view the facilities on Quantum and Anthem of the Seas. Read here. "Wearable technology" reaches the cruise industry!
Also this week Royal Caribbean has launched Google technology offering Google Maps Business Views on the tour of Allure of the Seas. Read more here and take that virtual tour here!
David Dingle of Carnival UK talks about a completely different kind of technology in Travel Weekly when he covers the topic of Sulphur Emissions - arguing that the maritime industry needs more time to comply with new environmental legislation. Mr Dingle argues that the industry needs more time to fit the revolutionary technology to cruise ships before the change in legislation is due to come into being. Read more here.
Of course the industry is committed to the highest possible environmental standards, and here Jo Rzymowska, Chair of CLIA UK & Ireland, speaks about the importance of making cruising greener: read here.
In alternative environmental news this week, Carnival Cruise Lines announced the ban of smoking on balconies (as of Oct 9th) whilst over on the rivers, with flood threats on the Mississippi the American Queen is to amend its itinerary - read here
Staying with rivers for the moment - should Europe enjoy a great summer - then have no fear - here is the Telegraph's Guide to staying cool on a European river cruise. I fear we may not need a UK version! Read here.
Of course there will only be one big cruise story at the weekend - and that is the ITV documentary The Cruise Ship - where Princess Cruises takes cruising to Prime Time TV: read more.
By the way - do not forget that registration is now open for this Autumn's events including the Premium & Luxury Cruise Expo weekend in Dover, the River Cruise Convention in Amsterdam, and the 5 city Kick Start your Cruise Sales events. All at www.cruiseexperts.org
Lots of new technology announcements this week from cruise lines - we start with MSC Cruises who have announced that they are to offer the first pediatric telemedicine service at sea with a 24-hour link to specialists: read here.
Talking of new technology Royal Caribbean have adopted great new technology for travel agents that enables them to view the facilities on Quantum and Anthem of the Seas. Read here. "Wearable technology" reaches the cruise industry!
Also this week Royal Caribbean has launched Google technology offering Google Maps Business Views on the tour of Allure of the Seas. Read more here and take that virtual tour here!
David Dingle of Carnival UK talks about a completely different kind of technology in Travel Weekly when he covers the topic of Sulphur Emissions - arguing that the maritime industry needs more time to comply with new environmental legislation. Mr Dingle argues that the industry needs more time to fit the revolutionary technology to cruise ships before the change in legislation is due to come into being. Read more here.
Of course the industry is committed to the highest possible environmental standards, and here Jo Rzymowska, Chair of CLIA UK & Ireland, speaks about the importance of making cruising greener: read here.
In alternative environmental news this week, Carnival Cruise Lines announced the ban of smoking on balconies (as of Oct 9th) whilst over on the rivers, with flood threats on the Mississippi the American Queen is to amend its itinerary - read here
Staying with rivers for the moment - should Europe enjoy a great summer - then have no fear - here is the Telegraph's Guide to staying cool on a European river cruise. I fear we may not need a UK version! Read here.
Of course there will only be one big cruise story at the weekend - and that is the ITV documentary The Cruise Ship - where Princess Cruises takes cruising to Prime Time TV: read more.
By the way - do not forget that registration is now open for this Autumn's events including the Premium & Luxury Cruise Expo weekend in Dover, the River Cruise Convention in Amsterdam, and the 5 city Kick Start your Cruise Sales events. All at www.cruiseexperts.org
Thursday 3 July 2014
Thursday July 3
After yet another busy week in cruise the headlines were dominated yesterday by the MSC Cruises announcement of Serving You - which includes a larger UK sales team and 'MSC Ambassadors'. All of this hopes to see a large rise in bookings from the UK for the cruise line. Read more here
In the more traditional cruise sector meanwhile, exciting news from Cruise & Maritime Voyages this week with the announcement of them chartering a ship - Azores - for 2015. The 550 guest ship will compliment the rest of the CMV fleet: read more here
Over at Holland America Line meanwhile and this week we saw the announcement of their 2015 114 day World Voyage: read more here; whilst over on Queen Mary 2 it is all going Star Trek crazy with a sailing featuring veteran actor George Takei: read more here
In International news, American Cruise Lines launch a newbuild ship for the Mississippi - a growing river cruise destination for UK guests - read more here; and over down-under in New Zealand and our colleagues at CLIA Australasia talk about the significant increase in the number of people taking a cruise holiday: read more here
In other news, here at CLIA UK & Ireland we have now launched registration for both the November River Cruise Convention and the August Premium and Luxury Cruise Expo - all available in the members area of www.cruiseexperts.org
Until next week!
After yet another busy week in cruise the headlines were dominated yesterday by the MSC Cruises announcement of Serving You - which includes a larger UK sales team and 'MSC Ambassadors'. All of this hopes to see a large rise in bookings from the UK for the cruise line. Read more here
In the more traditional cruise sector meanwhile, exciting news from Cruise & Maritime Voyages this week with the announcement of them chartering a ship - Azores - for 2015. The 550 guest ship will compliment the rest of the CMV fleet: read more here
Over at Holland America Line meanwhile and this week we saw the announcement of their 2015 114 day World Voyage: read more here; whilst over on Queen Mary 2 it is all going Star Trek crazy with a sailing featuring veteran actor George Takei: read more here
In International news, American Cruise Lines launch a newbuild ship for the Mississippi - a growing river cruise destination for UK guests - read more here; and over down-under in New Zealand and our colleagues at CLIA Australasia talk about the significant increase in the number of people taking a cruise holiday: read more here
In other news, here at CLIA UK & Ireland we have now launched registration for both the November River Cruise Convention and the August Premium and Luxury Cruise Expo - all available in the members area of www.cruiseexperts.org
Until next week!
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