MIAMI BEACH_In line with the main theme here at Seatrade Cruise Global — “Welcome Back to the Ship” — PONANT Americas CEO Navin Sawhney told assembled media, “We are thrilled to have most of our ships back in the water.” Despite the effects of the pandemic, Sawhney said the only French-flagged cruise line “has surged forward over the last three years, nearly doubling the size of our fleet,” which today is 13 ships. During that time, they …
MIAMI BEACH_Small ship, luxury expedition cruising is one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Here at Seatrade Cruise Global, media got more details from one of the newest entrants, MSC’s Explora Journeys. Explora Journeys CEO Michael Ungerer talked about how MSC’s first foray into the luxury cruise market has been in the works for over two years, and its first ship, Explora I, will launch in May, 2023. Ungerer …
MIAMI BEACH_When we think LG, we picture TVs and appliances, right? But as the South Korean-based electronics giant makes new inroads into the cruise industry, you can also add ultra-realistic displays, signage and even robots to the mix. The company was here at Seatrade Cruise Global to reinforce their commitment to cruising, and Senior Account Manager Tracey Estes talked about how LG is bringing their expertise to the cruise industry “in a variety of ways.” Of course, …
MIAMI BEACH_Whether you call it yachting or cruising, SeaDream Yacht Club’s two ships — SeaDream I and SeaDream II — have earned numerous accolades and industry awards for providing a five-star, all-inclusive, small-ship experience for their guests. Here at Seatrade Cruise Global, SeaDream Public Relations Manager Adrienne D’Annunzio gave the media an update for the Norway-headquartered company, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. At the top of what’s new is the recent upgrade just completed on SeaDream …
MIAMI BEACH_American Cruise Lines promotes “Closer to Home” with its fleet of paddlewheelers, modern riverboats and coastal ships navigating U.S. waterways. Now, with “Project Blue,” the pre-eminent American cruise line will be closer to home than ever. Here at Seatrade Cruise Global, company president and CEO Charles B. Robertson spoke to the media about the new initiative. “Project Blue started as a design challenge to create a boat small enough for New England harbors and stable enough …
MIAMI BEACH_There are a lot of ships showcasing the wonders of Antarctica, but only one giving guests a look at what’s under the ice. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, whose ocean-going super yachts feature helicopters and submarines, was here at Seatrade Cruise Global to provide an update on their business and a look at what’s coming up. Established in 1987, Scenic and its sister brand, Emerald Cruises, operate a fleet of 26 ships, both river and ocean-going, …
MIAMI BEACH_Last December, we learned that the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines’ ship, Grand Classica, would be converted to Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, taking the iconic Jimmy Buffet brand to the waves for the first time. In advance of the official launch, set for May 14, spokespersons for the ship appeared at a press conference here at Seatrade Cruise Global to reveal more details about the ship’s entertainment options. Tamara Baldanza-Dekker, Chief Marketing Officer of Margaritaville, said the …
MIAMI BEACH_Cunard created a lot of buzz with the recent announcement of a fourth ship coming in 2024, Queen Anne. The 249th ship under the Cunard flag since 1839, It’s the first new build for Cunard in 12 years. Here at Seatrade Cruise Global, Cunard executives were on hand to reveal more design details about the ship. Matt Gleaves, Cunard’s VP, Commercial – North America and Australasia, Lewis Taylor, Design Director at David Collins Studio and Jackie …
Now that our seven-day, Western Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Apex is over, it’s time to summarize our overall experience. So here goes: Through the years, we’ve taken a number of cruises on Celebrity, both on their Solstice and Millennium-class ships. Apex is the first Edge-class we’ve experienced (see my All Things Cruise post on the Apex U.S. debut, here). Following the short debut visit, I was so impressed I requested a regular cruise to really get to …
Day six finds us in Grand Cayman, anchored just offshore from George Town, the capital city. Beside us is Carnival Glory. This is another tender port, and we’ll be using the island tenders rather than our own. We’re a little disappointed, only because the tenders on Celebrity Apex are the nicest we’ve ever used. We have visited the Caymans on a previous trip, but that was 20 years ago, so it’s nice to be back. The weather …
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
