Sail Around Australia In L’Austral (40 nights), Sydney to Fremantle via Tasmania (14 nights) or Fremantle to Sydney via Darwin (26 nights)

For information on any of these specials please contact The Cruise People Ltd at 88 York Street London W1H 1QT, call +44 (0)20 7723 2450, UK Freephone 0800 526 313, or email PassageEnquiry@aol.com.

NSB’s Buxhansa Opens 56-Day Indian Ocean & East Africa Service, Calling Singapore, Reunion, Madagascar, Mozambique & Mauritius

NSB’s 34,020-ton Buxhansa accommodates up to five passengers in an Owners, a Double and a Single cabin.

NSB Freighter Cruises advised today that the m.v. Buxhansa has joined a new Southeast Asia – Indian Ocean – East Africa – Southeast Asia service, with the following port rotation:

Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Pointe des Galets, Reunion – Tamatave, Madagascar – Maputo, Mozambique – Beira, Mozambique – Nacala, Mozambique – Port Louis, Mauritius – Singapore. Passengers travelling from Europe may also use this service to change ship at Singapore for Maputo (19 days from Singapore) and Beira (22 days). Port Louis to Singapore on the reverse direction is 14 days.

The full round voyage duration is set at 56 days. The ship is fitted with a swimming pool and fares run from €85-90 per person double occupancy and €90-110 single plus port charges, deviation insurance and booking fee.

The next scheduled departure dates from Singapore are on/about July 17, on/about September 11 and on/about November 06, 2017.

For further details please contact Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London on +44 (0020 7723 2450 or email PassageEnquiry@aol.com.

Fincantieri Takes 66.66% Of STX France – Carnival Maritime Opens Third Centre – European Cruise Market To Grow 60% In A Decade

The Cruise Examiner for 22nd May 2017

Fincantieri has acquired a two-thirds shareholding in the famous STX France shipyard at St Nazaire

Last Friday it was announced that Fincantieri was acquiring a 66.66% shareholding in STX France, a company that will no doubt soon be renamed. The balance of the shares are held by the French State. At the same time, following the opening of Fleet Operations Centres in Hamburg and Seattle, Carnival Maritime has started hiring for a third such centre in Miami to manage the twenty-five ships of original group member Carnival Cruise Line. Meanwhile, Cruise Industry News Annual predicts 60% growth in the European cruise market over the next decade.

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FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                   (See previous columns)

Salerno Exchange Port For Israel For Passengers From The US, Transatlantic By CMA CGM And Transmed by Grimaldi Lines

With an increase in the number of passenger-carrying container ships working CMA CGM’s Amerigo Express Transatlantic service to four, Salerno has become the new exchange port for Israeli-bound passengers from the US.

CMA CGM’s transit time from Miami to Salerno is 17 days and Grimaldi Lines then operates weekly sailings from Salerno to Ashdod that take 9 days. Grimaldi ships return from Ashdod to Salerno in 5 days and CMA CGM then takes 19 days from Salerno to New York, and another 7 to return to Miami via Norfolk and Savannah.

The UK-flag CMA CGM Amber is one of four ships connecting Miami to Med ports that include Salerno, and returning via New York

The Transatlantic service is operated by the CMA CGM Amber and CMA CGM Coral, carrying five passengers each in an Owners cabin and three Singles, while CMA CGM Florida and CMA CGM Georgia each carry six passengers in two Doubles and one Twin cabin. These ships also offer a connection to Morocco by disembarking at Algeciras and taking the ferry across to Tangiers.

Grimaldi Line’s Italian-flag Grande Ellade and sister ships supply the link between Salerno (shown here) and Ashdod

The Transmed link is supplied by Grimaldi Lines’ Euro-Med service that also connects with Southampton and ports in Scandinavia and North Europe. Five ships, the Gran Bretagna, Grande Ellade, Grande Europa, Grande Mediterraneo and Grande Scandinavia, carry up to twelve passengers each in an Owners cabin, an Outside cabin and four Inside cabins.

For further details on how to book this service please call Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London on +44 (0)20 7723 2450 or by emailing PassageEnquiry@aol.com.

Bravo: Cruise of the Performing Arts On Board Celebrity Silhouette, 7 Days Southampton, Bilbao, Vigo, Cherbourg – May 19, 2018

For further information on any of these specials please contact The Cruise People Ltd, 88 York Street London W1H 1QT +44 (0)20 7723 2450, UK Freephone: 0800 526 313 or email PassageEnquiry@aol.com.

Grimaldi Lines Announces 12% Reduction For Europe – South America Departures In May And June 2017

The Grande Francia and sister ships carry twelve passengers each

Grimaldi Lines in Naples has announced that for departures in May and June only, on the South America line, Antwerp/Hamburg/Tilbury – Montevideo/Brazil ports – Antwerp/Hamburg/Tilbury, and for full round voyages, a special reduction of 12% will be granted off passenger fares. This reduction does not apply to passages to and from Dakar.

The full rotation of ports is Tilbury – Antwerp – Hamburg – Dakar – Vitoria – Rio de Janeiro – Santos – Paranagua – Montevideo – Santos – Rio de Janeiro – Vitoria – Dakar – Tilbury. Passenger vehicles are also accepted, but to and from Montevideo only.

Six ships are employed on this run, the 56,700-ton Grande Amburgo, Grande Brasil, Grande Buenos Aires, Grand Francia, Grand Nigeria and Grande San Paolo. Built in 2002-03, these sister ships carry up to twelve passengers each in one Owners Cabin with double bed and separate dayroom, three outside cabins with twin beds and two inside cabins with upper and lower berths, all en suite. There is also a small gym and passengers dine with the officers.

For further details on any Grimaldi Lines voyage please call Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London on +44 (0)20 7723 2450 or email PassageEnquiry@aol.com.

THE Alliance EC.5 Cargo-Passenger Service Connects Halifax and Singapore – East Coast North America With Southeast Asia

This spring THE Alliance, made up of Hapag-Lloyd, K Lines, MOL, NYK Line, United Arab Shipping and Yang Ming Lines. began several new joint services.  Although none of these owners carry passengers, the use of chartered vessels such as Peter Doehle’s Malleco (above) offers an occasional opportunity for travellers.

In this case, the new route is East Coast Loop 5, or EC.5, connecting the East Coast of North America with Southeast Asia. Ports of call include New York, Savannah, Norfolk and Halifax, thence a long transit via the Suez Canal to Jebel Ali, Singapore, Laem Chabang, Cai Mep, Singapore and Colombo, and a return via Suez to Halifax and New York. Singapore and Halifax each receive two calls, one inward and one outward, and the full round voyage takes 77 days. The fastest transits between Singapore and Halifax are 23 days westbound to Halifax and 31 days eastbound to Singapore.

The Portuguese-flag Malleco serves the EC.5 route, with three double cabins for a total of six passengers. The Malleco‘s first inbound call at Halifax took place on Friday, May 12.

For fares and availability for this service please call Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London on +44 (0)20 7723 2450 or email PassageEnquiry@aol.com.