Iam used to getting up early to capture photos of cruise ships arriving, but with an arrival time of 0430hrs an especially early start was required for the maiden arrival of Carnival Celebration on 6th November.
With rain forecast the weather didn’t deter me from being in position to see her arrive.
Carnival Celebration is the second in the US lines new LNG powered “Excel Class” and she follows the first ship Mardi Gras launched in 2020.
Carnival Celebration had Come direct from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku having been officially handed over just 4 days previously.
What is follows is a selection of images and video taken during her visit to Southampton.
Arrival
Arrival Video
AlongsideOcean Cruise Terminal
Sailing
Shortly after 1700hrs Carnival Celebration set sail on her inaugural transatlantic cruise to Miami, en-route she will stop at La Coruna, Vigo, Santa Cruz before crossing the Atlantic to arrive in Miami 20th November where she will homeport and her maiden cruise season will begin.
It’s a great to see that Carnival Cruise Line chose Southampton, the UK’s premier cruise port as the location for Celebration’s UK debut. Now the countdown is on for Carnival Jubilee next year.
I hope you have enjoyed looking at my images, I would love to see your comments below.
Arrival Marks the First New Carnival Ship in the UK in 20 Years
MIAMI, Nov. 6, 2022 – Today marked a special occasion as Carnival Cruise Line’s most anticipated new Excel-class ship, Carnival Celebration, arrived to the Ocean Cruise Terminal in Southampton, UK, for a first-look event and marked Carnival’s first time bringing a new ship to the UK in 20 years.
To warmly welcome the ship, Carnival hosted local officials, travel partners, and members of the media for a day of fun with guided tours and lunch. Southampton port officials and Celebration’s senior officers participated in a traditional plaque and key ceremony, as well.
To commemorate the special day, Carnival President Christine Duffy hosted a “Let’s Celebrate” event in the cruise terminal that included a ceremonial ribbon-cutting welcoming the first guests on board.
Earlier this week, the line took delivery of Carnival Celebration at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, before Captain Vincenzo Alcaras, Hotel Director Pierre Camilleri, Chief Engineer Fabian Gervaise and the ship’s 1,800 team members helped bring her to the UK destination.
“I can’t tell you how exciting this day has been, finally giving our UK travel partners the opportunity to see our new Excel-class ship,” said Christine. “Carnival Celebration is the ultimate 50th Birthday gift and is a key part of a very unique and exciting period of growth for us. It’s been a wonderful 50 years, and we kicked off the next 50 with a bang today! Next up – Miami!”
Later today, Carnival Celebration will depart on her 14-day transatlantic sailing to Miami where the line will soon host her official naming ceremony with Godmother Cassidy Gifford, daughter of longtime Carnival friend Kathie Lee Gifford, who was the Godmother of the original M/S Celebration.
Carnival Celebration features six unique zones, including the new Miami-themed 820 Biscayne, travel-inspired The Gateway, and stunning Celebration Central, as well as the BOLT roller coaster. Carnival Celebration is the second ship in the Carnival fleet to be powered by a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion system.
Including Carnival Celebration, Carnival is adding five beautiful new ships to its fleet over the next two years in an exciting period of growth unlike any other in Carnival’s 50-year history. Today, a second ship in Australia will be added as Carnival Luminosa begins guest operations in Brisbane, and next year, the third Excel-class ship Carnival Jubilee will debut from Galveston. Carnival will also introduce a new concept, “Carnival Fun Italian Style,” with Carnival Venezia joining next spring from New York City and Carnival Firenze in 2024 from Long Beach.
For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.
ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise sector, making a cruise vacation an affordable and popular option for millions of guests. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports and employs more than 40,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Carnival currently operates 24 ships and is in an exciting period of growth, with Carnival Celebration and Carnival Luminosa, which began guest operations in November, and three additional ships joining the fleet by 2024.
Norwegian Cruise Lines newest ship Norwegian Prima made her UK debut when she arrived in the port of Southampton on 20th August.
Norwegian Prima is the first of 6 new “Prima-Class” cruise ships ordered from the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri under the project name “Leonardo-Class”. Theses are the first ships for NCL that are being constructed by the Italian shipbuilder.
Norwegian Prima was handed over on the 8th August and left the shipyard a couple of days later, she made brief stops in Civitavecchia and Barcelona before making her arrival in Southampton early 20th August.
Below are a series of images from arrival to sailing during her visit to Southampton.
Celebrity Silhouette sporting her new hull colour Image: Celebrity Cruises
Revolutionised Celebrity Silhouette returns to the UK this summer with new spaces designed by Kelly Hoppen CBE
Celebrity Silhouette will sail with all guests aged 18 and above vaccinated against COVID-19, and those under the age of 18 with negative PCR test results
Announcement is welcome boost for Southampton and UK tourism
LONDON (March 29th, 2021 09.00BST) – Celebrity Cruises announced its long-anticipated return to UK shores today, as company President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, confirmed that its newly revolutionised ship, Celebrity Silhouette, will set sail from Southampton this summer, offering new luxury staycations to discerning British guests.
Celebrity Silhouette’s return to UK shores will be welcome news, not just for holidaymakers looking for a luxury staycation to reconnect with friends and family, but also for the British tourism industry.
Celebrity Silhouette will sail with all guests aged 18 and over vaccinated against COVID-19, and those under the age of 18 with negative PCR test results. The announcement comes just days after Celebrity Cruises announced its Caribbean comeback with Celebrity Millennium departing from St. Maarten and Celebrity Apex departing from Greece, both in June.
Image: Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said, “We’re delighted to be returning to Southampton after over a year away. We are truly committed to the UK market and can’t wait to welcome guests back onboard. What could be better than a new luxury ship, ready to take guests on a journey around one of the world’s most beautiful and impressive coastlines? Not only is this extremely significant to us as a business but also to the local tourism industry.”
Setting sail from Southampton from Saturday, July 3rd, the stunning new luxury Celebrity Silhouette will embark on a series of six- to eight-night itineraries around Britain’s coastline. Guests will have the chance to explore the Jurassic Coastline from Portland, discover the bustling Scottish cities and stunning highlands from Inverness, Kirkwall and Glasgow, uncover the rich history of Belfast, plus immerse themselves in the creative and cultural hub of Liverpool, home of the Beatles!
Jo Rzymowska, Vice President and Managing Director EMEA, said: “We are excited to offer guests the chance to reconnect at sea with family and friends and to make up for all those missed celebrations. I cannot thank our UK travel partners enough for their unwavering support throughout this unprecedented time. We can’t wait to welcome our mutual guests onboard Celebrity Silhouette.”
From bow to stern, the ship has been ‘revolutionised’, following a multi-million-pound refit last year, designed to ensure an unparalleled new luxury experience for guests needing to feed their love of travel.
Celebrity Silhouette’s new look includes:
Completely modernised staterooms and suites with stunning enhancements designed with guest comfort in mind
The addition of The Retreat for suite guests, an exclusive open-air hideaway featuring a private sundeck and redesigned lounge offering complimentary beverages, gourmet bites, live entertainment, and concierge service, designed by award-winning British designer Kelly Hoppen CBE
Stunningly reimagined restaurants, bars, and lounges where guests can enjoy unparalleled culinary experiences in captivating environments
A redesigned spa and casino
New designer boutiques featuring the hottest designer names
Advanced RFID lock technology with digital key access to every stateroom door
Stunning new looking interior spaces Image: Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Silhouette’s restart in UK waters underlines the brand’s commitment to the UK market and its confidence in its trusted travel partners. Incentives and resources made available to support agents in selling a new luxury staycation with Celebrity this summer include £20 Celebrity Rewards points on every booking, a dedicated marketing toolkit on the Revolutionised Celebrity Silhouette available on Celebrity Central and double Captain’s Club loyalty points for guests.
And, because Celebrity Cruises believes holidays should be effortless from start to finish, Wi-Fi, drinks and service charges are now ‘Always Included’SM in every purchase, bringing that wonderful feeling of ‘everything is taken care of’ to life.
In addition, the company’s ‘Cruise with Confidence’ programme provides flexible cancellations and best price guarantees.
All guests already booked to sail on Celebrity Silhouette this summer will be contacted to discuss the options for their current booking.
Healthy at Sea
The company’s first priority is the health and safety of guests, crew, and the people in the places that Celebrity Silhouette will visit. The ship will sail with comprehensive, multi-layered health and safety measures leveraging expert guidance from its Healthy Sail Panel; Royal Caribbean Group’s Global Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer; and local UK health and government authorities. These measures, including vaccination and testing requirements, will evolve along with public health standards.
Details on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises holiday experience can be found at https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea. Further details on the additional health and safety measures to be implemented by Celebrity Cruises will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Celebrity Cruises UK comeback, guests and travel advisors should visit: celebritycruises.com/ukcruises
As always thank you for taking the time to read my latest post.
Since the pause in global cruise operations my home port of Southampton has played host to a variety of different cruise ships that would not visit under normal circumstances, and this week saw another one of the most notable visits.
Disney Cruise Line’s 2012 built Disney Fantasy made a maiden call to the port arriving just before daybreak 18th November, becoming the first Disney line ship to visit Southampton since her fleet mate Disney Wonder in July 1999.
Disney Fantasy passing Mayflower Park
The fourth ship in the current fleet Disney Fantasy was built in Papenburg, Germany by the renowned cruiseship builder Meyer Werft. She is the second two Dream-Class ships and has a length of 340m, gross tonnage of 129,750 tonnes and features 1,250 passenger cabins.
Early morning arrival
The brief visit to Southampton was to take on stores and fuel before she sailed across the Atlantic to Port Canaveral, Florida her usual homeport.
The ship had arrived from the french port of Brest where she and undergone a brief drydocking together with the other ships in the fleet. During this visit history was made as on 14th October all four Disney ships were in port together for the first time.
Image Courtesy of the DCL Blog/Marine Traffic Alongside the City Cruise Termial (101 berth)
Check out this wonderful image from onboard by crew member Catherine. Shortly after after Fantasy arrived a rainbow appeared over the port, perhaps to celebrate Micky’s birthday which was on the same day!
Be sure to check out catherine_278_ Instagram page (link below) for wonderful onboard and at sea images. A big thank you to Catherine for allowing me to share the image here.
Following her brief stay Disney Fantasy sailed just after 4pm local time, there were plenty of people in Mayflower Park to see her sail despite the showers! Check out the departure images below.
As always thank you for taking the time to read my latest post and be sure to look out for my departure video coming soon on YouTube!
All images copyright Andrew McAlpine unless otherwise stated
Hurtigruten, world leader in expedition cruises, announces a year-round programme of unique voyages departing from Dover from mid March 2021.
Port of Dover
The Norwegian operator, considered to be the world’s greenest cruise line, has launched 4 adventurous itineraries as expedition cruises from March 2021, which go on sale from 20th June.
The health and safety of guests and staff has always been the number one priority for Hurtigruten. Following guidelines recommended by the Norwegian Government, the company has built on existing protocols to introduce additional practices to ensure safe, sustainable and enjoyable expedition cruising.
MS Midinstol (meaning midnight sun) will be refurbished and renamed MS Maud Image: Hurtigruten
MS Maud – a small, sustainable, expedition cruise ship
Taking less than 500 passengers, MS Maud will be freshly refurbished prior to her arrival in Dover. She goes into the refurb project as the currently in-service MS Midnatsol, already well-known to those who have sailed on Hurtigruten’s Coastal route in Norway.
As part of the multi-million-pound refurb project, MS Maud will proudly emerge with all new public areas. Natural Scandinavian materials will be used to seamlessly bring the great outdoors inside – Scandinavian wool, pine, birch, oak, and granite will unknowingly provide the perfect backdrop to your voyage from Dover.
More sustainable expeditions
As the first cruise line in the world, we are introducing biodiesel as fuel on a number of ships – including MS Maud. Biodiesel reduces (CO2) emissions with up to 80 %. Single use plastic is also banned.
Three new restaurants will be introduced – Aune, the main restaurant; Fredheim, for casual international dining; and Lindstrom, our exclusive fine dining restaurant. Each serving cuisine with character, locally sourced in line with our sustainability principles.
Departing directly from Dover
Eliminating a flight adds convenience and ease to your expedition cruise. You can begin your adventure from much closer to home and immediately you swiftly pass through the gorgeous cruise terminal, without suitcase restrictions or the need to pack and unpack multiple times. Dover is very well connected by road and rail, so joining is simple and quick, be it by private or public transport. Your fellow British passengers will be kindred spirits as you venture forth on your expedition.
Expedition cruising
At Hurtigruten, we actively shun the bright lights and the crowds of mass tourism; instead, we visit remote nature destinations; we engage in unassuming beach cleans; we showcase local wildlife; we take part in Citizen Science experiments; and we learn from each other and from the Expedition Team. You’ll certainly not get any stuffy formality, nor the needless luxury of boutique cruising, nor will you feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of your ship, the number of guests or the razzmatazz of ‘big white ship’ cruising.
In the recent past, MS Midnatsol has been in service in Antarctica, where she was heralded as the blueprint for modern expedition cruising in both size and facilities – most significantly, the tender pits and purpose-built platforms used to launch her fleet of expedition boats for landings and local exploration. These will be in use regularly as we bring expedition cruising to Dover.
Leading the cruise industry in sustainability and environmental standards
The very latest fuel and environmental advances will be incorporated ‘below decks’ as part of MS Maud’s refurbishment. The ship will be powered on BIOFUEL, mixed in with regular diesel, to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. Furthermore, the BIOFUEL used will be environmentally certified and made from waste produce from other industries including fishing, meaning no palm oil used in its production and no negative effects on rainforests. Once in port, where possible, MS Maud will be fitted with shore power connectivity eliminating emissions whilst alongside.
Citizen Science
MS Midnatsol is a tried-and-tested thoroughbred and pioneer in expedition cruising, and through the refurb, MS Maud will emerge even stronger. A state-of-the-art Science Center is the ‘beating heart’ of all expedition cruises, and MS Maud’s will be complete with the very latest tech and experiment apparatus, touch screens and microscopes. Guests will not be disappointed, and the Science Center will become the hub to informally learn from the Expedition Team on topics ranging from geology to ornithology, from Northern Lights to the conservation and Citizen Science projects we support.
Crafted expedition cruise itineraries
Each of our 4 expedition itineraries visit hard-to-reach destinations, which test seamanship and resolve, and as a result, provide unique experiences to savour and share.
Norway’s winter fjords and the Northern Lights – 15-day voyages visiting Norway’s southern fjords and Arctic North. Highlights include Stavanger, Alesund, off-the-beaten-track Lofoten Islands, 2 days in Tromso, the North Cape and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bergen. Hurtigruten’s unique Northern Lights Promise applies.
Departures from Dover in March 2021, and Oct 2021 – March 2022
Summertime in Norway’s fjords and her islands – 15-day voyages along the Norwegian coast, known to be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, with countless fjords, mountains and charming coastal villages. Norway has been Hurtigruten’s backyard for 127 years – explore the hidden gems, handpicked by your expedition cruise experts.
The British Isles – 13-day expedition cruise visiting remote islands off the British mainland – less-visited, mysterious and varied, where the elements, the coastline and the indigenous wildlife are to be both respected and revered. Highlights include Fishguard, Rathlin Island (excursion to Giants Causeway possible), Iona, Staffa (sail by scenic cruising of Fingal’s Cave), St Kilda, Stornoway, Islay, Isle of Man, Waterford, Isles of Scilly and Dartmouth.
Southern Scandinavia – 15-day voyage offers expedition, culture, wildlife and nature, combined with urban exploration. Across 4 countries we encounter wide, white sandy beaches in Germany and Denmark, peaceful archipelagos and charming marinas in Sweden and the beautiful fjords and islets of Norway. Highlights include the Kiel Canal, Skagen, Koster, the Weather Islands, Oslo, Hardanger and Lysefjord.
– We are thrilled to present expedition cruises from Dover year-round. It is a needed boost for the UK cruise industry at this time, and is especially important to showcase how expedition cruising differs from mainstream ‘big white ship’ cruising, says Anthony Daniels, General Manager, Hurtigruten UK & Ireland
– These sustainable new itineraries visit off-the-beaten-track waters, coastlines and islands; they are brim-full of unique experiences and destinations rarely visited, says Anthony Daniels, General Manager, Hurtigruten UK & Ireland
Hurtigruten is set to a full service of coastal voyages with MS Finnmarken sailing from Bergen from next Tuesday (16th June), and will be the first ocean cruise line to do so.
As always thank you for taking the time to read my latest post
The worldwide corona virus pandemic has led to an unprecedented time for the cruise industry, together with fleets being laid up it is also resulting ad hoc cruise ship calls to various ports.
Yesterday Southampton saw one of these calls when Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas arrived from Barcelona for a short 5-day lay by.
Allure of the Seas passing Mayflower Park Southampton
Delivered in 2010 and at 225,282GRT Allure of the Seas is one of the world’s largest cruise ships with a passenger capacity of 5,484 passengers at (double occupancy) 6,780 maximum.
The Oasis Class vessel was due to dry dock in Cadiz for her amplification, but this has been postponed due to the closure of all Spanish ports.
On arrival in Southampton, she berthed at the City Cruise terminal 101/2 berths and is currently set to sail for Cadiz on 25th March.
Allure of the Seas arriving at the City Cruise Terminal
Below are some more arrival images as Allure of the Seas passed Calshot.
To date Southampton has now seen visits from three of the four current Oasis class ships, Oasis, Allure and Harmony.
As always thank you for reading my latest blog post
Inaugural nine-cruise whale-watching programme announced as part of the partnership
Image: Richard Lovelock
Anyone that knows me will be aware that I have a special fascination with Cetaceans e.g. Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. I am totally against the captivity and exploitation of these intelligent social creatures in marine parks around the world, and firmly believe that the only place they should be seen is swimming free in the wild. I live on the South Coast of the UK and a few miles away in Portsmouth the charity ORCA is based. The charity is entirely dedicated to studying and protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises in the UK and European waters, I have attended a number of their functions and hoping to complete the Marine Mammal Surveyor course later this year. The charity already works with a number of ferry and cruise companies around the UK but I am pleased to see the news regarding their latest partnership this time with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has confirmed a nine-cruise whale-watching programme as part of its first official year in partnership with marine conservation charity ORCA in 2020.
The cruises will enable ORCA to collect vital data on the number and species of whales and dolphins sighted and identify marine wildlife hotspots, feeding directly into the charity’s Cruise Conservationist Programme and its conservation work.
ORCA volunteers will be on board for all nine sailings, who will feed into Fred. Olsen’s onboard enrichment programme with wildlife watching opportunities, lectures, workshops and a host of other activities, including trips on Fred. Olsen’s rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs).
Image: Richard Lovelock
Thomas Rennesland, Hotel Operations Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “All of us here at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines are incredibly proud of our partnership with ORCA. Our organisations share similar values and both parties are committed to working together to preserve and protect our oceans, and the wildlife within them, for future generations.
“These cruises will be mutually beneficial for both ORCA, Fred. Olsen and our guests. We know that whale-watching is a real highlight for those taking their holidays with us, and having ORCA on board not only supports the collection of vital data, but also enables our guests to learn more about the marine wildlife that they see on their travels, and further enriches their cruise experience.”
Steve Jones, Head of Partnerships at ORCA, said: “ORCA and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines share so many common values, and our burgeoning partnership has shown that the two organisations have a strong cultural fit.
“We’re continually amazed at how seamlessly we’ve been welcomed into the Fred. Olsen family, both on land and at sea, and everyone we’ve met, from the guests to the staff, have fully embraced our mission to protect whales and dolphins.
“We’re looking forward to a promising future working together, both through the great itineraries we have announced for the rest of 2020 and the incredible adventures we are planning for 2021 and beyond.”
Image: Richard Lovelock
Features of the ORCA cruise programme include:
Black Watch’s 16-night W2018 ‘A Voyage to Remote Spitsbergen’ cruise, departing from Liverpool on 25th June 2020. Prices start from £2,599 per person.
Boudicca’s 16-night D2021 ‘Fjords & Icebergs of Remote Greenland’ cruise, departing from Dover on 11th August 2020. Prices start from £2,199 per person.
Ports of call: Dover, UK – Reykjavik, Iceland (overnight stay) – Cruising Prins Chrustian Sund, Greenland – Cruising Torssukatak, Greeland – Narsarsuaq, Greenland – Qaqortoq, Greeland – Nanortalik, Greenland – Cruising Tasermiut Fjord, Greenland – Scrabster, UK – Dover, UK
For further information on ORCA sailings with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit www.fredolsencruises.com/our-ships/activities-and-entertainment/orca Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 9am to 5pm; Sunday, 10am to 4pm), or visit an ABTA travel agent.
P&O cruises new flagship Iona has left the building hall at Meyer Werft. She was floated out early on Friday morning marking another construction milestone for the LNG-powered vessel.
The 5,200-passenger ship — the largest-ever purpose built for the UK — will launch in May.
Iona’s interior will now be fully fitted out, before the ship makes its way along the River Ems at the end of March. Iona will then undergo a series of sea trials before she is finaly handed over.
The ship joins the P&O fleet this summer as the British brand’s flagship, and will be the largest ship in the company’s fleet at 5,200 guests and 183,900 tons.
Iona will be named in Southampton on July 4, followed by a week-long celebration called Ionafest which will include a special performance from the ship’s Musical Director, Gary Barlow.
A sister ship is set to follow in 2022.
Here is a great video show the float out from the building hall.
VIRGIN VOYAGES CELEBRATES DELIVERY OF SCARLET LADY, WITH LOVE
Virgin Voyages Welcomes Scarlet Lady, the Inaugural Ship in Her Fleet as Carbon-Neutral from the First Day of Commercial Operation
Scarlet Lady at Sea Image: Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle and travel brand delivering irresistible vacations in cruising, announced today that the Scarlet Lady has officially reached completion. Nearly three years in the making, Virgin Voyages formally welcomes its first ‘Lady Ship,’ Scarlet Lady, in its fleet of four to the open waters, departing the shipyard in Genoa, Italy. In just 46 days, Sailors will embark on the Maiden Voyage, departing from her home port in Miami.
On the heels of this celebratory occasion, Virgin Voyages welcomes Scarlet Lady with an industry-leading approach that takes immediate action to address climate change. Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets. This commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation. The projects that will be supported by Scarlet Lady will meet high-quality, internationally-recognized verification standards, including The Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.
“It’s wonderful to welcome Scarlet Lady today,” says Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson. “I’m so proud that as we start this exciting journey, we also bring to life Virgin Voyages’ commitment to preserving the ocean and the first of many steps towards a net zero carbon future.”
The brand has recognized that climate change is an urgent, global issue for every industry and business. Like others, Virgin Voyages’ long-term ambition is a net-zero carbon future. This will require significant advancements in technology and infrastructure, and access to solutions that remain in development. And, Virgin Voyages is committed to working with the industry to support the necessary research and development to advance carbon-free fuels and to scale commercially viable solutions.
“The ocean is our home, and we are on a mission to protect it. The single-biggest threat facing our ocean is climate change, and we want to be part of the solution,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO and President of Virgin Voyages. “We are committed to pioneering new technologies onboard and working with our industry peers to advance research and development for zero-carbon fuels.”
Virgin Voyages is one of first cruise lines to use Climeon, a technology that utilizes heat generated from the ship’s engines to generate electricity, thereby decreasing the demand for fuel. While the industry continues to improve on the journey for readily available and commercially viable solutions, purchasing high-quality carbon offsets allows us to take immediate action, while also supporting a long-term strategy that secures a net-zero future for the cruise industry.
Image: Virgin Voyages
Her ladyship sailed from the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa late in the afternoon today and is now enroute to Dover where she is due to arrive next Friday. She will spend 3 days in Dover, before heading to Liverpool for the final part of her UK showcase. During the events Virgin Voyages aims to showcase whats onboard their first ship to over 1000 agents or first mates! According to Shane Riley, Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson could make an appearance at the pre-inaugural events.
Virgin Voyages have invited me to visit her ladyship in Dover next weekend, I cant wait to step onboard and get a dose of vitamin sea and find out just what the epic sea change is all about. I intend to share everything on my social media channels during the visit so be sure to follow me on twitter and instagram.
ABOUT VIRGIN VOYAGES
Virgin Voyages is a global lifestyle brand committed to creating the world’s most irresistible holiday. With operations in the US, UK, and Europe, Virgin Voyages currently has four ships on order with master shipbuilder Fincantieri.
With its inaugural season scheduled for 2020, Virgin Voyages’ first ship the Scarlet Lady was designed to reflect a yacht’s sleek luxury. Featuring spaces designed by some of the top names in contemporary design, the Scarlet Lady will be Adult-by-Design, a sanctuary at sea for the 18+ traveller.
A dose of ‘Vitamin Sea’ will be naturally intertwined across the entire ship, with well-being activated through a mix of high-energy moments coupled with relaxation and rejuvenation. The Scarlet Lady will also feature alluring entertainment and 20+ world-class intimate eateries on board. Putting a twist on luxury, which the company refers to as Rebellious Luxe, Virgin Voyages will offer incredible value for its Sailors with all restaurants, group fitness classes, soft drinks, and many more Virgin surprises included within the voyage fare.
To date Southampton has now seen visits from three of the four current Oasis class ships, Oasis, Allure and Harmony.
Cruise Ship Profiles 