The sparkling atrium staircase on Regent Seven Seas Splendor sets the tone for decor on the ship.
Regent Seven Seas Splendor has joined the fleet of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, combining high-end service, gourmet cuisine and elegant décor featuring a top-notch art collection. The all-inclusive experience puts the cruise line at the forefront of the industry when it comes to delivering a truly posh cruise vacation.
Seven Seas Splendor is essentially “The World’s Most Luxurious Cruise Ship 2.0,” joining sister Regent Seven Seas Explorer, which debuted in 2016 and set the footprint for these spectacularly spacious and glitzy 750-passenger luxury vessels.
While sailing on Seven Seas Splendor, we discovered seven features on this showy ship that give passengers an over-the-top luxury experience.
All-Inclusive
The cruise offers hassle-free inclusiveness. Passengers get drinks, meals, a lineup of included excursions, gratuities, airfare, transfers and WiFi for the price of their cruise fare. You only pay for premium shore excursions, spa treatments and casino play.
The fitness center offers the full mix of cardio and resistance-training equipment as well as a lineup of classes.
The spa features separate locker rooms for men and women, and each area has an experience shower, cold room, sauna, and steam room. You’ll also enjoy the co-ed thermal suite and infinity pool at the aft of the ship right off the spa.
The spa offers a full range of massages and treatments, such as facials and wraps. There is also a beauty salon offering hair and nail treatments, as well as shaving and grooming services for men. The fitness center is part of the spa complex and is located above the spa one deck up.
Save your appetite for Sunday Brunch.
Sunday Brunch
On Sunday when it’s a sea day, the crew puts out an incredible spread in the ship’s Compass Rose restaurant. The Sunday Brunch lasts for two hours and includes huge lobsters, fresh sushi, King crab and other seafood, as well as mounds of caviar. Another station features meats and cheeses — with Iberico and Iberian hams. I found a delicious lasagna next to the omelet station, and you also can dive into salads, fruits and a wide array of desserts.
All of this is washed down by Veuve Clicquot Champagne — or a Bellini or two. You might partake in this feast and consider yourself set for the day. However, you’re more likely to need a nap to regroup before heading off to the Pacific Rim (Asian) or Prime 7 (steakhouse) for another large gourmet meal.
The dragon at the entrance of the Pacific Rim restaurant is an iconic feature of the ship.Regent Seven Seas Splendor contains $5 million worth of artwork.
Design and Décor
The ship is filled with elegant touches in the décor and wonderful craftsmanship throughout. Luxury oozes as you wander the main atrium and corridors of the ship, noting the woodwork, shiny metal and stylish carpets and window treatments. A large chandelier lights the marble staircase that descends from Deck 5 to Deck 4 in the atrium.
There is marble everywhere, along with glimmering gold-colored railings. Paintings and sculptures fill the public spaces and restaurant walls. Seven Seas Splendor boasts $5 million in artwork, with pieces from Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Roberto Matta, and Juan Roberto Diago on display.
Thomas, our bartender at the pool deck, is just one of the friendly crew members we encountered on the ship.
Crew that Cares
With only 750 passengers on board, the crew gets to know you fairly quickly. The attentive staff delivers service with a smile. You won’t experience waits to place a drink order, and the staff goes out of their way to fulfill special requests, such as for those who have special dietary needs or unique drink orders or craving for a meal not listed on the menu.
24-Hour Room Service
That custom-curated service experience extends to your suite. Passengers in every stateroom can take advantage of 24-hour room service. The deep menu includes steaks, seafood, salads, burgers, paninis, sandwiches, and desserts. You can simply dial up an order whenever hunger strikes or if you decide to have a romantic meal in your room or out on the spacious balcony.
This is the incredible spa bathroom in the Regent Suite.
Spacious Staterooms
All 375 staterooms on Seven Seas Splendor offer at least 307 square feet and large balconies.
We stayed in a Concierge Suite, which has a large walk-in closet, tons of storage space in dresser drawers and a big bathroom with dual sinks, soaker tubs and spacious showers with rainfall settings. (See a video tour of eight different cabin categories below.)
The top suite categories come with butler service, which is a cut above, but the stateroom to top them all is the Regent Suite, a 4,443-square-foot pad that owns space at the front of Deck 14 covering the full width of the ship. The Regent Suite goes for $11,000 a night for two and has a massive living room, grand piano, large spa, guest bedroom, and a huge wraparound balcony space.
The dining room in the Regent Suite on Regent Seven Seas Splendor leads right into the stateroom's observation lounge overlooking the front of the ship from Deck 14.
It’s the world’s largest and most expensive cruise ship cabin.
The Regent Suite on the new Regent Seven Seas Splendor also is the most luxurious stateroom you’ll ever see.
And if you are fortunate enough to call this suite your home during a voyage on this glamorous vessel — actually, you’re probably worth a fortune if you can afford it – you’ll be treated like proper royalty for the princely sum of $11,000 a night (for two passengers).
If that seems like a lot of money, well, that’s because it is. With most cruises at least 10 days or longer on Seven Seas Splendor, the price tag for the Regent Suite comes to more than $110,000 for your trip. Wow!
“There’s nothing like it,” says Jason Montague, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ president and CEO.
Here’s what makes it so attractive to the affluent cruisers who have raced to be among the very first to experience these accommodations.
The Regent Suite
The views are unbeatable! The Regent Suite is located on Deck 14, and it spans the entire front of the ship, offering full panoramic views of the ocean as you sail or amazing vistas of exotic port destinations. You can gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the suite’s large living room or from the cozy observation lounge off the dining room/bar area.
The Observation LoungeThe Regent Suite features a 1,300 square-foot balcony.
The Regent Suite measures a massive 4,443 square feet and features a guest bedroom, master suite, three bathrooms and the most balcony space on any cruise ship.
The 1,300 square-foot balcony wraps around the front of the ship and offers a hot tub, plush sun loungers, chairs, and an outdoor dining table.
The spa bathroom in the Regent Suite has thermal loungers, a sauna, and a steam room, among the amenities.
The master bedroom offers an immense walk-through closet and a spa bathroom with a tub, sauna, steam room and two thermal loungers on which you can lay back a enjoy the views out of a giant front-facing window. Unlimited in-room spa and massage treatments are included.
A $200,000 Mattress
This bedroom is also notable for the custom-made bed that features a $200,000 mattress. The Hastens Vividus mattress is filled with horsetail hair, flax, slow-growing pine, wool and cotton designed to create a superior sleep experience.
The master suite is home to a bed with a $200,000 mattress.
Book the Regent Suite and you also can select your linens and pillows from an Italian bed linen menu.
Other amenities for this stateroom include first-class flights and a personal car, driver and guide for each port you visit on your itinerary.
That’s a lot of goodies, for sure, and a nice way to travel. If you’ve got deep enough pockets, that is.
Norwegian Cruise Line has created “Extraordinary Journeys,” a curated portfolio of port-intensive itineraries designed to offer more immersive and meaningful experiences around the world, and opens for sale select 2021 itineraries on Norwegian Jade, Pearl, Sky, Star, and Sun.
https://youtu.be/VgSEzYd9V6k
The new destination category, Extraordinary Journeys, features a collection of longer, one-of-a-kind port-rich voyages, that inspire a sense of discovery and broader connection with places around the world. From the 22-day African Safari and Seychelles voyage on Norwegian Dawn, to the 15-day Alaska journey on Norwegian Sun, these immersive expeditions have guests globetrotting across continents and to the most desired destinations on Earth.
“The new Extraordinary Journeys itineraries are meant to stir a sense of wonder and encourage meaningful travel, whether you’re looking to disconnect or reconnect with the people and world around you,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. “Travel broadens our horizons and allows us to reset. With cruises from 11 to 22 days sailing and calling to nearly every continent, we are inspiring our guests to discover their own extraordinary journey with us.”
New Extraordinary Journeys – New For 2021
From Jan. 2 to April 16, Norwegian Star will sail eight Extraordinary Journeys, seven in South America and one in Northern Europe. She will sail a series of 14-day voyages from Santiago (San Antonio), Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Jan. 2 to March 13, offering guests the opportunity to explore the continent’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts by sailing around its southernmost point – Cape Horn. Throughout her voyage, she will visit Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco and Punta Arenas, Chile; Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn, Argentina; Stanley, Falkland Islands; and Montevideo and Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Returning to Europe on April 16, Norwegian Star will depart New York on a 16-day Extraordinary Journey to Southampton, United Kingdom, cruising to the British Isles, France, and Iceland. She’ll call to Halifax, Nova Scotia; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Dublin and Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Liverpool and Portland, United Kingdom; Paris (Le Havre), France; and an overnight in Reykjavik, Iceland, allowing guests more time to discover the city’s stunning natural beauty.
Norwegian Jade will feature a 15-day Extraordinary Journey on April 22, from New York to Amsterdam visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia; an overnight in Reykjavik, Iceland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Holyhead, United Kingdom; Paris (Le Havre), France and Brussels/Bruges (Zeebrugge), Belgium.
To explore the complete list of Extraordinary Journeys available, click here.
Panama Canal
Beginning Jan. 13, the Company will introduce roundtrip Panama Canal cruises from Panama City. Eight to 16-day itineraries will be available on Norwegian Sun through March 17 and nine-day voyages on Norwegian Sky from Nov. 2 to 29. Guests will begin or end their cruise from either side of the Panama Canal, in Colon or Fuerte Amador, Panama, sailing from coast-to-coast and exploring some of the most sought-after destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America. Ports of call include Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Puerto Limon and Puntarenas, Costa Rica; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Acajutla, El Salvador; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Huatulco, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Cartagena, Colombia; Kralendijk, Bonaire; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Roatan, Honduras; Castries, St. Lucia; Basseterre, St. Kitts; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; the Company’s private resort area in Belize, Harvest Caye and its private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay.
Beginning in May, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Jade will sail nine to 12-day voyages to the British Isles. Visiting the culturally rich cities of Brussels/Bruges (Zeebrugge); Amsterdam; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Dublin (Dun Laoghaire) and Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Holyhead, London (Tilbury) and Liverpool, United Kingdom; Glasgow (Greenock), Kirkwall, Inverness (Invergordon) and Edinburgh (Newhaven), Scotland; Paris (Le Havre); and Akureyri, and an overnight call to Reykjavik, Iceland. Norwegian Star will cruise from Southampton, United Kingdom through May 14, and Norwegian Jade from Amsterdam through June 25.
On July 4, Norwegian Jade will reposition to the Baltic region to sail 10-day cruises from Stockholm; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Amsterdam; in addition to select seven-day roundtrip voyages from Copenhagen. Travelers will journey across Europe visiting the historical sites of Berlin (Warnemünde and Rostock) and Kiel, Germany, Tallinn, Estonia, Helsinki and Kotka, Finland; Stockholm and Visby, Sweden; Gdynia, Poland; Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; including an overnight call to St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mediterranean
On April 5, Norwegian Pearl will depart Miami on a 16-day transatlantic voyage, visiting Ponta Delgada, Azores; Seville (Cadiz), Granada (Malaga), Valencia and Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy, before arriving to Rome (Civitavecchia) to commence a season of cruises to the Greek Isles. She will sail a port-rich 11-day itinerary from Rome (Civitavecchia), exploring the most coveted cities in Italy, including Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Naples, and Messina (Sicily); the Greek isles of Rhodes, Mykonos, Volos and Santorini; and Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey, before homeporting in Athens (Piraeus), Greece for her first season of seven-day roundtrip journeys.
From May 2 to Nov. 7, she will offer destination-intensive itineraries to Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel from Athens (Piraeus), calling to one or two ports a day and delivering only seven days at sea during the entire season. Guests will explore the historical, religious and beautiful sites of the region with full days in Ashdod and Haifa, Israel; Istanbul, Turkey; and Mykonos and Santorini, Greece. Additional ports of call include Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Volos and Rhodes, Corfu and Argostoli, Greece; Limassol, Cyprus; and Palermo, Italy.
Returning to Miami, on Dec. 7, Norwegian Pearl will embark on a 16-day voyage from Rome (Civitavecchia) and visit Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Provence (Marseille), France; Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Seville (Cadiz) and Granada (Malaga), Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Ponta Delgada, Azores.
From Oct. 24 through Nov. 4, Norwegian Jade will offer 11-day itineraries to the Greek Isles from Venice, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. Visiting the picturesque coastal towns of Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro, Corfu, Santorini, Athens (Piraeus), Olympia (Katakolon) and Volos, Greece; Naples, Rome (Civitavecchia), Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Messina (Sicily), Italy; Provence (Marseille), France; and Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey, guests will enjoy only one or no days at sea.
For travelers looking for an extended voyage, Norwegian Jade will embark on an 18-day journey from Athens (Piraeus), Greece to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Guests will explore the highly regarded wonders of the Middle East and Africa with overnight calls to Ashdod, Israel and Safaga, Egypt. The itinerary also includes visits to Haifa, Israel; Port Said and Suez Canal, Egypt; Aqaba, Jordan; Salalah, Khasab and Muscat, Oman; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Africa
Departing Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Dec. 3, Norwegian Jade will sail an 18-day itinerary calling to Muscat, Oman; La Digue and Port Victoria Seychelles; Nosy Be, Madagascar; Port Louis, Mauritius; Pointe Des Galets, Reunion; Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay, Richard’s Bay overnight, before arriving to Cape Town, South Africa.
Alaska
Joining Norwegian Jewel, Bliss and for the first time Norwegian Encore in Alaska, Norwegian Sun will sail a mix of five, seven and nine-day voyages from Seattle beginning April 27 through Oct. 7. Guests will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty and culture of Alaska, with calls to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Icy Strait Point; as well as discover the charm of Victoria, British Columbia.
The Bahamas
Throughout 2021, Norwegian Sky will offer warm-weather escapes with three, four and five-day cruises to the Bahamas from Miami, calling to Key West, Fla.; Nassau, Grand Bahama Island and the Company’s recently enhanced private island Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. Norwegian Pearl will also offer select three and four-day cruises to the Bahamas in January and April.
Caribbean
Norwegian Pearl will sail a series of five and 10-day itineraries to the Caribbean from Miami over select dates in January and March. Guests can relax in the sun with calls to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Kralendijk, Bonaire; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Harvest Caye, Belize; and Costa Maya, Mexico.
Beginning April 19 to Oct. 17, guests can explore the best the Caribbean has to offer with Norwegian Sky’s five to nine-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami, calling to Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Key West, Fla.; Cozumel, Mexico; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Roatan, Honduras; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, and Harvest Caye, Norwegian’s private resort area in Belize.
For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line ships and their itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has taken significant steps to elevate the relationship with St. Maarten. The company has modified its itineraries by adding 15 port visits to the island in 2020 that will increase the number of cruise arrivals there to more than 68,000 guests.
Traditionally, the St. Maarten vacation destination experiences its peak in visitor arrivals between December and March. Between May and December, there is a reduction in those visitor arrival numbers that impact the island’s tourism-based economy. Additional RCL guest arrivals during the May to December period help moderate the highs and lows of St. Maarten’s tourism season fluctuations.
“In order to grow our partnership, we are taking the proactive step of enhancing our Eastern Caribbean itineraries by replacing a day at sea and adding a coveted visit to St. Maarten,” said Vice President of Port Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Joshua Carroll. “It’s part of our culture at Royal Caribbean to focus on continuous improvement and this extends to our relationships with destination partners. It makes perfect sense for us to embrace the win-win opportunities with the additional port calls by Freedom of the Seas that brings not only economic benefit to a great partner like Port St. Maarten, but also offer our guests an amazing travel destination.”
“For an innovative ship like Freedom of the Seas to expand its calls here translates into a significant investment in economic development and tourism jobs,” said Senior Port St. Maarten Manager, Roger Lawrence. “We look forward to working with Royal Caribbean as we continue to improve the port infrastructure to benefit all of our key tourism stakeholders to sustainably build on the numbers of visitors who appreciate our leisure travel offerings.”
Beginning in May 2020 and running through December 2020, St. Maarten tourism officials anticipate that Royal Caribbean vacationers on the newly amplified Freedom of the Seas will have a front-row seat to take advantage of its beaches, snorkel and adventure experiences.
“With many of our first-time visitors, the cruise experience to St. Maarten is the window through which they are introduced to the wonders of our island with its dynamic Dutch/French Caribbean culture, its idyllic beaches and engaging tour options,” said Lawrence. “Since Hurricane Irma, we have made tremendous progress with our tourism infrastructure and we welcome Royal Caribbean’s renewed focus and commitment to increase the number of visits to our port. With the thousands of additional Royal Caribbean guests now projected to visit, the potential is there for them to become St. Maarten’s greatest vacation champions.”
Designed to serve as the gateway to one of the world’s most beautiful cruising regions, Amber Cove features dramatic architectural elements that echo the area’s storied Colonial past. The port is situated in a picturesque cove that serves as the backdrop for soaring mountains and lush tropical landscape. Its cobblestone plazas are lined with a wide variety of retail offerings, including themed restaurants and bars and a marketplace with locally sourced crafts and souvenirs, recreational amenities, and a transportation center for access to land and sea adventures.
Amber Cove Site Plan
Amber Cove also provides easy and convenient access to the nearby historic town of Puerto Plata, named by Christopher Columbus when he discovered the island in 1492. Puerto Plata is home to the first fort built by European settlers in the New World. Visitors to the city can shop in the bustling downtown area featuring numerous artist studios and rum and cigar factories or stroll along the famed Malecon, a three-mile-long open-air beach-side boardwalk dotted with bars, restaurants, and shops.
An exclusive partnership with Fremantle, Family Feud Live aboard Mardi Gras will feature the same format and signature set as the TV show. Two five-person teams will battle it out in rounds including Face-Off and Fast Money by naming the most popular answers to survey questions for a chance to win a host of prizes in high-energy gameplay.
Rick Glankler, president of commercial operations for Fremantle, added, “Our show has been wildly successful for more than 40 years, but it’s never been showcased at sea, so this is an unbelievably exciting opportunity for us. Carnival’s audience is perfectly aligned with our show, and we cannot wait to give Mardi Gras’ guests the chance to play Family Feud Live.”
Mardi Gras is Carnival’s most innovative ship with such groundbreaking experiences like BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, as well as Emeril’s Bistro 1396, the first seagoing restaurant by famed New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse that will be housed in the ship’s French Quarter, one of six themed zones on board. Mardi Gras will also be the first cruise ship in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” platform.
Currently, under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Mardi Gras is slated to enter service and make its maiden voyage on Nov. 14 from Port Canaveral, Fla
Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with the City of Norfolk to operate seasonal cruises from the Half Moone Cruise Center through 2025.
The announcement was made at a press conference by Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander who was joined by Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Nautical and Port Operations Terry Thornton.
130,000-ton Carnival Magic to Become Largest Ship Operating from Norfolk, With12 Cruises and Nearly 50,000 Guests in 2021
At the press conference, Alexander and Thornton also announced that 130,000-ton Carnival Magic will become the largest cruise ship to ever sail from Norfolk when it launches a series of 12 cruises from the port in 2021 that will carry nearly 50,000 guests.
Carnival Magic introduced many of the line’s signature elements now featured across the fleet, including the Caribbean-themed RedFrog Pub, the Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant and SkyCourse, a suspended ropes course with breathtaking views to the sea 150 feet below.
A chef aboard the Carnival Magic completes a pasta dish in the Cucina del Capitano restaurant offering family-style Italian dining. Photo by Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Lines
The ship also offers hundreds of balcony staterooms and suites – perfect for watching the passing scenery – along with a complimentary children’s programs in three age groups, luxurious Cloud 9 Spa, the Ocean Plaza indoor/outdoor dining and entertainment promenade, a Serenity adults-only retreat and a WaterWorks aqua park with two massive slides, a tipping bucket and a kiddie splash zone.
Voyages to Tropical Destinations
Carnival Magic’s 2021 schedule from Norfolk offers vacationers a variety of options, from short getaways to The Bahamas and Bermuda to longer length voyages to the Caribbean, all departing from this convenient and centrally located homeport.
Guests aboard the Carnival Magic walk in the WaterWorks aqua park, while another shoots through one of two tube slides. WaterWorks features a 312-foot-long Twister water slide, a DrainPipe slide attraction and a huge bucket that periodically dumps 300 gallons of water. The Twister slide is the longest side in Carnival’s fleet. Photo by Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Lines
May 22 and 31, June 11, and Oct. 4 and 30: five-day voyages featuring Freeport and Nassau
May 27: four-day long weekend sailing to Bermuda returning on Memorial Day
Sept. 29: five-day voyage to Bermuda
Oct. 9: eight-day cruise to Grand Turk, San Juan and St. Thomas
Oct. 17: six-day voyage to Bermuda
Oct. 23: seven-day sailing visiting Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau.
Prior to the start-up of its Norfolk schedule in 2021, Carnival Magic will offer a series of sailings in the Mediterranean and undergo a two-week dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, before repositioning to the U.S.
Lee Mason and Katie Eastham Will Lead The Fun Aboard Carnival Radiance
Carnival Cruise Line has announced that longtime guest favorites Lee Mason and Katie Eastham will serve as the ship’s cruise director and entertainment director duo when it debuts in April in connection with Carnival Victory’s $200 million bow-to-stern transformation.
Cruise Director Lee Mason
In charge of leading the fun on board, Mason’s energetic personality and Eastham’s playful nature will spearhead Carnival Radiance’s vast array of entertainment offerings from the line’s award-winning Playlist Productions shows, including the new-to-fleet Rock Revolution and Broadway Beats as well as Celestial Strings and Soulbound, to legendary deck parties, hilarious performances at Punchliner Comedy Club and audience favorites such as Hasbro, The Game Show.
Also an award winner, Eastham is a versatile leader who has proven her perseverance, innovation, and creativity at Carnival since 2012. As driven as she is organized, the native of Cheshire, England, has worked on 12 ships serving as entertainment director and mentoring many of the company’s newly promoted entertainment directors.
Carnival Radiance Fun
The third in the line’s Sunshine class, Carnival Radiance’s dry dock will add a host of eateries including Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, the classic American steakhouse Fahrenheit 555 and the first Big Chicken restaurant at sea created by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal. The ship will also feature a number of new entertainment venues including a WaterWorks aqua park, Serenity Adult-Only Retreat, Cloud 9 Spa and a new Liquid Lounge.
Carnival Radiance will debut on her inaugural voyage, a 10-day Mediterranean sailing from Barcelona on April 29, 2020, kicking off a summer schedule of nine- and 12-day sailings visiting top destinations throughout the region.
Coming To Port Canaveral
The ship will then reposition to New York from June through September, Norfolk in October and November, Port Canaveral through May 2021, and then Galveston, marking the line’s fourth ship at the port carrying an estimated 900,000 guests annually, more than any other cruise operator.
MV Astoria is the world's second oldest cruise ship still in service, with a sailing history that dates to 1946.
Step onto MV Astoria, and you are transported to the vintage age of ocean cruising. The historic vessel dates to its launch in 1946, making it the second-oldest cruise ship in service.
Classic Cruising aboard MV Astoria
Astoria’s unique and rich sailing heritage makes it of special interest to cruisers who have a particular fondness for maritime history. The ship was initially known as the Stockholm when it launched more than seven decades ago. In July 1956, the ship collided with the Andrea Doria — causing that ship to capsize and sink — and killed more than 50 people in an infamous tragedy.
Since then, Astoria has been used as a cruise ship by various companies around the world. In 1994, it received a complete overhaul, and Astoria entered service with Cruise & Maritime Voyages in 2015.
After this year, though, its prospects look murky at best. CMV says it won’t be using the ship beyond the 2020 sailing season, and the last scheduled voyage is in October on a Norway and Northern Lights cruise. You’ll have to act fast if you are interested in booking a cruise on MV Astoria to grab a little piece of history for yourself.
Cruise Addicts was onboard during the cruise line’s inaugural itinerary in the Sea of Cortez, and this voyage offered the chance to visit some small ports in Mexico, some that were excited to welcome their first cruisers in 10 years.
The promenade and pool area on MV Astoria.
The Ship
MV Astoria carries up to 550 passengers, so you are treated to a more intimate experience than you get on the latest and greatest mega-ships. The emphasis is on having a romantic and relaxing cruise, visiting exotic destinations away from the masses.
While the ship offers a certain romance and charm, it comes with limitations, as well. There isn’t much to do on sea days other than the usual trivia contests, enrichment talks from guest speakers, and darts or cornhole (bean bag toss) competitions.
The heating and cooling systems fluctuated on the older ship constantly, so it wasn’t strange to see passengers bringing blankets to lectures to stay warm.
But we did enjoy the service. With a high staff-to-passenger ratio, there was always a friendly crew member nearby to assist with anything you needed. The nightly entertainment was quite impressive, with staff members pulling double duty hosting and singing.
The main restaurant on MV Astoria.
Dancers and specialty acts (opera, mariachi bands, musical revues and jazz nights) rounded out the array of options. The food was hit or miss in the Lotus Buffet, but the Olissipo Restaurant constantly offered solid and satisfying meals. We’d recommend taking breakfast in the main restaurant over the buffet (the food is the same, but the presentation and service ranks far higher in the restaurant.
The Promenade on MV Astoria.
Astoria’s traditional wraparound walkway on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) is a popular outdoor space and offers passengers a great place to take a stroll in the morning or after dinner. It’s also a preferred place to lean on the rail to take in spectacular views of the ocean and sunsets.
The pool deck on MV Astoria.A cozy lounge space and dance floor.The bar is a popular gathering spot for passengers.
The ship also offers a small fitness center, spa (although book your appointments early as the schedule filled up before we were even onboard), beauty salon, steam room, sauna, an auditorium with movie screenings, a 53-seat night club and a casino.
A standard inside cabin on MV Astoria.
There is a wide selection of stateroom options, including twin rooms, doubles, junior suites, balcony suites and more – all with their own distinct designs. Although some cabins are on the small side, all of them include a full bathtub with shower head.
src=”https://cruiseaddicts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Loreto-1024×545.jpg” alt=”” width=”1024″ height=”545″ /> Cruise and Maritime Voyages sails its smaller ships to exotic spots that most cruise ships won’t visit, such as Loreto, Mexico.
Our Treasures of the Sea of Cortez cruise gave us access to small ports you won’t find on heavily traveled cruise itineraries throughout Mexico. This means smaller crowds and more immersive experiences.
We visited La Paz, Loreto, Santa Rosalía, and Guaymas on our voyage.
In La Paz, we strolled the Malecón, a vibrant and busy seaside walkway lined with public art, playgrounds, dozens of restaurants and shops. Afterward, we experienced the natural beauty of La Paz’s Balandra Beach, with its clear blue waters, jutting cliffs, and mushroom rock, a unique natural formation that attracts photographers and Instagrammers alike.
San Javier Mission is a top attraction when you visit Loreto.
Santa Rosalía, although not visited by a cruise ship in more than a decade, pulled out all the stops for our day in port. The town’s history as a copper mining site founded by the French company El Boleo, creates a mishmash of Mexican and European influence including a famous (and delicious) bakery, a church (Iglesia de Santa Barbara) that some say was designed by Gustave Eiffel and a mining history museum. Yet, the overall feel was that of an old wild west town complete with charming residents eager to share their heritage.
Loreto packed the most punch for a port stop – snorkeling, diving, kayaking, hiking, whale watching, and horseback riding are all available activities. There’s also a beautiful downtown that caters to pedestrians lined with shops and restaurants — don’t miss the most authentic tacos at El Rey Del Taco. If you still have time, take the scenic drive up to the San Javier Mission to step back in time and learn about Jesuit history.
While in port in Guaymas, we took a bus to San Carlos where we enjoyed a small boat ride around the bay and reveled in a pod of dolphins that playfully splashed in our wake.
Instead, you’ll receive exemplary service and the special experience of sailing on a classic smaller cruise ship with attentive service and friendly cruise companions who are also seeking out refreshing and exhilarating times in fascinating places that are true gems away from the crowds.
Virgin Voyages has announced 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 homeport in Miami.
Scarlet Lady
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, but Virgin Voyages is also 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.
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“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.
Environmentally Friendly Cruising
“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 the 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.
Virgin Voyages PortMiami Terminal
Virgin Voyages Cruising
Virgin Voyages currently has four ships on order with master shipbuilder Fincantieri. With its inaugural season in 2020, Virgin Voyages’ first ship Scarlet Lady was designed to reflect a yacht’s sleek luxury. Featuring spaces designed by some of the top names in contemporary design, Scarlet Lady will be Adult-by-Design, a sanctuary at sea for the 18+ traveler.
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. Scarlet Lady will sail from Miami to the Caribbean in 2020, hosting more than 2,770 sailors and 1,160 amazing crew from around the world. Keep watch on virginvoyages.com for more updates.
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