Cruise Happenings—New Luxe Ships, New Itineraries to Match

SCENIC ECLIPSECruise Happenings—New Luxe Ships, New Itineraries to Match By Paloma Villaverde de RicoCruises are back. This tourism segment has rebounded with full force and is stronger than it was pre-pandemic. According to CLIA forecasts, cruise tourism will reach 106 percent of 2019 levels in 2023—that’s 31.5 million passengers sailing. To cater to that demand and to passengers looking for something a bit more exclusive, cruise lines are enhancing their product offerings with new yachts, more suites, larger private onboard retreats, exclusive shore excursions, over-the-top water toys, swoon-worthy wellness offerings and itineraries that explore the far reaches of the globe. Seabourn, for one, is debuting its second purpose-built expedition vessel Seabourn Pursuit this August. She will set sail on Aug. 12, 2023, embarking on five voyages in the Mediterranean before setting off on two voyages across the Atlantic and through the Caribbean. On Oct. 10, the ship will arrive in Barbados from where it will begin its expedition journeys, taking guests to remote corners of the globe. Seabourn Pursuit will head south for expeditions exploring coastal South America, the Amazon and Antarctica into late March 2024. Regent Seven Seas Cruises, meanwhile, has unveiled five brand-new Grand Voyages for its 2025-2026 collection. The sailings on board four ships will cruise itineraries across five continents and 194 ports of call with destinations including Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Europe and North America. These include the 83-night Grand Arctic Adventure on board Seven Seas Mariner, the Seven Seas Mariner’s Grand Cultural Quest, which at 117 nights is as long as some world cruises, the 84-night Grand Continental Sojourn on board Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Explorer’s 61-night Grand Asia Exploration, and the 64-night Indian Ocean Odyssey on board Seven Seas Voyager. Below we put the spotlight on a handful of other options ideal for your luxury clients. AQUA MAREAqua ExpeditionsThere’s a new 16-passenger explorer yacht in the Galapagos that’s calling your luxury client’s name. Launched in summer 2022, Aqua Expeditions’ stunningly gorgeous Aqua Mare—offering a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio—is the first superyacht to make permanent berth in the volcanic archipelago, and it features the largest owner’s suite in the Galapagos. “I felt that there was a niche missing [in the Galapagos],” says Aqua Expeditions’ CEO and founder Francesco Galli Zugaro. “There are some great ships there, all ranging between 10 to 110 guests, but with this superyacht-style vessel we’re in the sweet spot with 16 guests and two naturalist guides, allowing you to do something very customized. It’s almost impossible to find a yacht like this that you can book a [single] cabin; usually ships like this you have to charter.” With only seven suites, this is the smallest ship in the Aqua Expeditions fleet, which also includes the brand-new, 20-suite Aqua Nera, sailing the Amazon—Zugaro notes it’s “the closest thing to an African safari experience in South America”—and sister ship to the 16-suite Aria Amazon; the Aqua Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam; and the 15-suite Aqua Blu explorer yacht in Indonesia. With five vessels in total, Zugaro says that “all of the ships are perfect for a multi-generational celebratory buyout.” He also points out that the average passenger age has “dropped to 45. It used to be an average of 55.” Zugaro, who oversees every aspect of his business, believes that the cruise line’s fresh approach to design, and its very active itineraries and great dining, led by top global chefs, appeal to a younger clientele. “We offer a boutique, custom design with a modern contemporary flair and a high level of activity—if you want to be active—including in Cambodia where guests can use the ship as a floating basecamp and bike along the entire route, or in the Galapagos, where you could spend your whole day snorkeling. And I partner with incredible chefs from around the world who create these one-of-a-kind culinary journeys on board our ships.” In fact, the cruise line is offering chef-hosted departures this year: Award-winning chef Benjamin Cross will personally deliver his curated Aqua Blu menu as the yacht sails through Komodo National Park Sept. 9-16; and chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino will sail for four nights on Aqua Nera this October (as well as May), presenting a rainforest-to-table experience inspired by authentic regional flavors. CELESTYLE CRUISESCelestyal Cruises Set for her September debut, Celestyal Journey is a showstopper. We’ve gotten a peek at some of the renderings, and we’re floored—she’s truly a stunner. Following an extensive refurbishment and technical maintenance overhaul, Celestyal Cruises’ newest ship will set sail on Sept. 2, 2023, initially taking over Celestyal Crystal’s program, the 7-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary. The 1,260-guest mid-sized Celestyal Journey offers 630 staterooms, 149 of which feature balconies—three times that of the previously available balcony staterooms on Celestyal’s 7-night offering. Of the 149 balcony staterooms, 120 are Junior Suites, 28 are Grand Suites and one is the Penthouse Concept Suite. F&B options abound with eight bars and lounges and seven dining venues that offer everything from Mediterranean to Asian dishes and include a cooking demonstration area and an exclusive Chef’s Table venue. There are also expansive sun decks with two pools and two jacuzzis as well as the Beach Club, exclusively for Grand Suite and Junior Suite guests. For guests with deep pockets, recommend the Grand Suites option as those passengers will have access to Celestyal’s Concierge Service, which features a dedicated priority check-in counter, expedited embarkation and express luggage delivery service including assistance with unpacking. CELESTYAL QUOTE Celestyal Journey will set sail on Oct. 14, 2023, with the Steps of Paul itinerary followed by the 7-night Three Continents itinerary, visiting Greece, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey, from October through December 2023. This will be followed by an exclusive holiday sailing, the 19-night Christmas sailing calling on Thessaloniki, Volos, Rhodes and Crete, Izmir, Kusadasi, Antalya, Istanbul, Limassol, Alexandria and an overnight visit in Haifa to spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the “Holy Land.” This can also be split into 8- or 9-night itineraries. “On our booking engine, we make it easy for travel advisors to book pre- and post-stays for their guests,” says Celestyal Cruises’ CEO Chris Theophilides. “The vast majority of our guests from North America want to take in a bit of Athens, want to take in a bit of the classical sites, so we have off-the-shelf, dynamic packaging for advisors, along with options for airport and port transfers. It’s very easy for the travel advisor to book the hotels, book the excursions, the pre and post and all the transfers, and it’s all fully commissionable.”QUEENS GRILL SUITECunardThe iconic cruise line is seeing tremendous passenger growth, with Matt Gleaves, Cunard’s v.p., commercial development, North America, noting during a Seatrade press conference, that “In the first eight weeks (since the start of the year), Cunard has seen a 64 percent increase in volume in terms of bookings versus the same period in 2019. It’s a huge uplift in demand, with a lot of guests taking longer voyages.” Gleaves also notes that there’s been a strong performance within the trade business, “and one of the exciting things we’re seeing [due to that] is a new-to-Cunard brand guest. Sixty percent of guests booked are new to Cunard, which is fabulous news.” And in terms of those longer voyages, you'll find Cunard's newest ship, Queen Anne, embarking on her maiden World Voyage during the 2025 Winter program. She’ll be the only ship in the fleet to offer a full World Voyage that year. Queen Anne will set sail roundtrip from Southampton on the 107-night World Voyage on Jan. 9, 2025, visiting five continents and stopping at more than 30 ports. She will offer nine overnight calls in such destinations as Honolulu, Sydney, Hong Kong and Dubai, as well as three late evening departures. “We’ve had a lot of early demand for past guests and new guests who want to experience the World Voyage on Queen Anne,” says Gleaves. Explora JourneysA new cruise line in the marketplace is not always an easy sell, of course, as many cruise passengers have their favorite lines. Still, Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys, says the new ultra-luxury brand is seeing tremendous interest among travel advisors, well into 2025. “They are very bullish,” he says. “We can see [the activity] for future sailings, it’s really very encouraging.” He recommends travel advisors look beyond the obvious cruise passenger, as Explora Journeys is “a European luxury hospitality that happens to be oceangoing,” because, he says “there’s nothing more exciting than arriving at a destination on a ship, sailing into the city-center or anchoring in an off-the-beaten path destination.” The brand, in fact, notes Ungerer, is attracting first-to-cruise because “what we’ve created is a design and vibe on board that is very European,” more like a hotel floating on the ocean, which, he says, speaks to the younger generations as well as the ultra-luxe Baby Boomer client.EXPLORA QUOTE Explora Journeys is bringing that European vibe to the east coast of the U.S. and Canada on board Explora I this September through November as part of the ship’s debut Inaugural Journeys Collection, with experiences that will include stops in marquee destinations like New York, Boston, Halifax and Quebec City, where clients will enjoy a combination of breathtaking scenery and natural landscapes with a dive into the urban settings of the big cities. Highlights of the U.S. portion of the itinerary include stops in New York City, where your clients will get a backstage pass to a Broadway show and a private tour of the MOMA. In Boston, they’ll check out Fenway Park, visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and enjoy a traditional afternoon tea. Port Canaveral means the Kennedy Space Center and a private visit with a NASA astronaut, and Portland will bring a sail on a lobster boat and a trip to a local Maine winery. In Canada, nature will put on a priceless show when your clients visit the Baie Comeau and kayak the St. Lawrence River with an expert guide, then spend a morning at Charlottetown hobnobbing with the local falconers and their birds of prey. Other stops include Gaspe, Havre-Saint-Pierre, La Baeu (Saguenay), Quebec and Halifax, where a round of golf will make an appearance at The Links at Brunello.MSC POOLMSC CruisesMSC Cruises is delivering on its promise to cater to the North American market with a new World Class ship coming in early 2025, the MSC World America and the largest cruise terminal in North America readying for its debut at PortMiami. In fact, we learned during an MSC Cruises press conference at Seatrade, that the U.S. market is now the number-one market for MSC, beating the Italian market. In a one-on-one interview, Kris Endreson, v.p. of strategic sales for the U.S. market, tells Recommend that the LNG-powered MSC World America "is going...to deliver a new era of cruising for MSC. This ship is going to be a sustainable ship [including using underwater noise-reducing technology] where we offer our guests a unique and immersive experience while at sea. She’s going to deliver something for everyone today as well as something for everyone in the future and really for people of all ages.” Debuting on April 12, 2025, MSC World America will be sailing the Eastern and Western Caribbean with all itineraries visiting Ocean Cay MAS Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises’ private destination in The Bahamas. She’ll span 22 decks, measure more than 150 ft. wide, feature 2,626 cabins and contain more than 420,000 sq. ft. of public space. “The onboard experience is going to be a gamechanger for MSC in a lot of ways,” says Endreson. There will be 13 restaurants (including two new concepts, including a Greek restaurant), 20 bars and lounges, including a new Sports Bar and The Gin Project, with about 70 gins, and a Comedy Club (a new concept for MSC). One of the most exciting additions, says Endreson, is the new family outdoor area, The Harbor, featuring a water park, a High Trail course and zipline, sensory play areas for the littlest ones, the Harbor Lighthouse—a thematic playground—food trucks at sea and a shaded seating area. Says Endreson, “This is where families can play and relax together.” Other onboard goodies include VR experiences, a bumper cars play area, six pools and 14 hot tubs, including a spacious indoor pool with retractable roof and twin adults-only Zen pools at the aft of the ship, a coffee emporium, an 11-deck-high dry slide made of stainless steel, and a reimagined outdoor World Promenade experience. As Endreson notes, here, “guests can enjoy dining alfresco while having those stunning views of the sea.” Among the accommodations the MSC World America will feature is The MSC Yacht Club, with 152 Yacht Club suites, a dedicated lounge and restaurant, a private pool and sun deck facilities, and 24-hour concierge and butler service. “For families,” says Endreson, “the Yacht Club offers interior staterooms, so mom and dad can enjoy the suite with their balcony and the kids have their own space.” MSC World America will sail from the new LEED-certified terminal at PortMiami, which is set to open early next year. At 500,000 sq. ft., the terminal will offer four embarkation decks and accommodate up to three of the cruise line’s largest vessels, turning 36,000 passengers daily. “It will offer,” says Endreson, “a seamless experience from curbside to ship, and it’s another example of our commitment to the North American market.”Scenic Group“I think 2023 is one of our most exciting years, if not the most exciting year,” Ken Muskat, managing director for Scenic Group USA, tells Recommend, “We’ve got two new ships launching, doubling our ocean yacht capacity. We’ve got Scenic Eclipse II coming out in April and Emerald Sakara coming out in August. And given that, I think one of the biggest things that travel advisors need to know is that our growth in the U.S. market is incredibly significant for the company. We’re focused on increasing brand awareness, education, giving them the tools, materials they need to be able to sell our brands and also how to position our brands. We’re so unique in the portfolio that we offer, given the fact that we’ve got river, ocean, expedition. “I think from a trade perspective, it's about understanding the portfolio, understanding how we differ from other luxury and ultra-luxury brands, and knowing who to target. What I like to tell advisors all the time is not to try to position us against other luxury cruise brands, but [rather] who is the customer that’s thinking about an African safari, or an exotic ski vacation of some kind. That’s where we want to position ourselves and that’s where we have something to offer that’s very unique.” He notes that’s it a mindset rather than a client’s age. “There are a lot of younger people that are looking to do more meaningful vacations and make a difference in the world and check off the bucket list items. They’ve saved up and they’re ready to spend. So, while it’s an expensive vacation experience, it’s definitely a bucket list item that's giving you the service, quality and luxury that you would be expecting.” When it comes to the new vessels Muskat mentions, you’ll want to know that the Scenic Eclipse II will differ just a bit from Eclipse I in that it will offer an expanded SPA steam room to include aromatherapy, and added an integrated ice fountain, experience showers, and a KLAFS custom salt therapy lounge with heated beds. Other changes with Scenic Eclipse II include an expanded dedicated infrared “ocean view” lounge with color light therapy to energize and reinvigorate skin cells; a new bar area on Deck 10 with indoor and outdoor seating that offers guests the ability to enjoy stunning views with a drink in hand; and a large, oval-shaped pool with comfortable relaxation space that serves as a perfect venue for sail-away deck parties. The yacht’s electric submersible will hold eight guests. Emerald Sakara, meanwhile, will be joining her sister yacht Emerald Azzura, sailing the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, as well as the Caribbean. Carrying only 100 guests, the 361-ft. vessel will feature a large infinity pool, spa, gym and a marina platform outfitted with aquatic toys including paddleboards and snorkeling equipment. Contact InformationAqua Expeditions: aquaexpeditions.comCelestyal Cruises: celestyal.com/usCunard: cunard.com/en-usExplora Journeys: explorajourneys.comMSC Cruises: msccruisesusa.comScenic Group: scenicusa.com / emeraldcruises.com

SEABOURN COVERSEABOURN IFCCOVEREXPLORA JOURNEYSPALLADIUM HOTEL GROUPTable of ContentsTURKISH AIRLINESEditor's NotesSANDALSATLAS OCEAN VOYAGESIndustry Insights: The Cruise Industry Sails Forward into a Very Bright FutureREGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISESAdvisor Speak: Travel Advisors Talk Luxury TravelHILTON HOTELSCaribbean/Mexico: What's New, What's LuxeCruise Happenings—New Luxe Ships, New Itineraries to MatchOnboard Review: A Marvel-ous Cruise on Disney DreamOnsite Review: W Fort LauderdaleNorth America: Alaska Railroad—New Packages, FAM OpportunitiesEDU.RECOMMENDSEABOURN IBCSEABOURN BC