Royal Caribbean Acquires Silversea – Other Cruise News: New Expedition Ship For Quark – Havana Expansion

THE CRUISE EXAMINER AT CYBERCRUISES.COM BY KEVIN GRIFFIN

The Cruise Examiner for 18th June 2018

Brodosplit in Croatia is to build a new 13,500-ton 200-berth expedition ship for Quark Expeditions

The big question before last week was who would eventually take over Silversea Cruises, but that shoe has finally dropped. After some experimental financing through Chinese interests in recent years, Royal Caribbean Cruises has finally walked away with a two-thirds share of Silversea for about $1 billion. Elsewhere, Quark Expeditions has ordered a new 13,000-ton 200-berth expedition ship, and Turkish port operator Global Ports Holding has signed a 15-year contract to manage the cruise port in Havana.

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                            (See previous columns)

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Victory II 12-Night Canadian Maritimes, St Lawrence & Great Lakes Fly/Cruise Package, Departing London August 14, 2018

m.v. Victory II – 12 nights departing 14th August 2018 – From £4,199pp

Immerse yourself in the historic gems of French Canada while navigating the 1,500-mile St Lawrence Seaway system with small ship operator Victory Cruise Lines. Your cruise on the 202-passenger Victory II features architectural, culinary and natural highlights, including the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, and two of Montreal’s high-points, the Notre Dame Basilica and the city’sworld-class botanical gardens. Natural wonders include whale watching off Tadoussac (above), and the splendour of Niagara Falls. As always, The Victory Experience™ includes 5-star service and cuisine on board.

The Victory II visits the metropolis of Montreal on Day 8, while en route from Halifax to Detroit

Day          Date                      Destination

1              14/08/2018         Depart London Outbound Flight – Overnight Hotel Stay Halifax
2              15/08/2018         Halifax, Nova Scotia (Embark Victory II)
3              16/08/2018         Scenic Sailing of the Atlantic & Gulf of St Lawence
4              17/08/2018         Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
5              18/08/2018         Scenic Sailing of the Gulf of St Lawrence
6              19/08/2018         Whale Watching / Tadoussac
7              20/08/2018         Quebec City
8              21/08/2018         Montréal
9              22/08/2018         Scenic Sailing of the St Lawrence River
10            23/08/2018          Niagara Falls
11            24/08/2018          Cleveland
12            25/08/2018          Detroit, Michigan (Disembark Victory II) – Return Flight
13            26/08/2018          Arrive London (am)

What’s Included:
o             Return flights from London, England
o             One night pre-cruise stay in Halifax – 4* hotel (room only)
o             10-night St. Lawrence River cruise including
o             All inclusive drinks on board
o             Immersive shore excursion programme
o             All meals and snacks in board
o             Speciality dining
o             Daily cocktail party
o             On board entertainment
o             Overseas Airport to Hotel private transfer

Victory II passengers visit Niagara Falls while the ship transits the Welland Canal

Fly/cruise prices from the UK from £4,199 per person for 12 nights.

For further details of cruising the Canadian Maritimes, Gulf of St Lawrence and the Great Lakes please contact The Cruise People Ltd in London, England, on +44 (0)20 7723 2450 or e-mail PassageEnquiry@outlook.com.

Holland America Acquires White Pass & Yukon Route – Other Cruise News: 105 Years Ago – The Endurance

THE CRUISE EXAMINER AT CYBERCRUISES.COM BY KEVIN GRIFFIN

The Cruise Examiner for 11th June 2018

The three-foot narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route has been bought by Holland America Princess Tours

Last week came news that Carnival Corp & plc, through a member of its subsidiary Holland America Group, is acquiring the 400,000-passenger White Pass & Yukon Route, the narrow-gauge railway that connects Alaska’s Inside Passage with Canada’s Yukon Territory over the Gold Rush route of 1898. Elsewhere, we look back a little more than a century to one of the world’s first expedition cruise ships, the Polaris of 1913, which in 1914 would become Shackleton’s Endurance.

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                            (See previous columns)

Thirty Years of Ponant – Other Cruise News: James Cook – The Voyages

THE CRUISE EXAMINER AT CYBERCRUISES.COM BY KEVIN GRIFFIN

The Cruise Examiner for 4th June 2018

By 2021, L’Austral will be among ten expedition ships and a full icebreaker sailing worldwide for Ponant

Since its beginnings in April 1988, when it was founded by several officers of the French merchant marine, Ponant has been the only cruise line to fly the French flag. The line has introduced a new style of cruising, an amalgam of sea travel, exceptional itineraries and elegant hotel service and cuisine aboard ships on an intimate scale. By 2021, it will be the world’s largest expedition cruise company, with a full icebreaker, ten expedition ships and the line’s mascot, the original sailing ship Le Ponant.

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                    (See previous columns)

Virgin Voyages Reveals Public Areas – Other Cruise News: P&O Cruises’ Iona – This Week’s Voyage: From Baltimore

THE CRUISE EXAMINER AT CYBERCRUISES.COM BY KEVIN GRIFFIN

The Cruise Examiner for 28th May 2018

Like the 3,647-berth Britannia, P&O Cruises’ 5,200-berth Ilona will be UK-flag, registered in Southampton

Virgin Voyages, the new cruise line that will offer its first sailings in 2020, has revealed some images of its proposed ships’ interiors (click on For This Week’s Story below to see them). Meanwhile, P&O Cruises has announced the name Ilona for its newest and largest ship (above), also entering service in 2020. And this week we look at itineraries of Royal Caribbean International’s Baltimore-based Grandeur of the Seas.

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                    (See previous columns)

Hapag-Lloyd To Order A Third Hanseatic Class Ship – Azamara To Include South Africa – Recent River Line Changes

THE CRUISE EXAMINER AT CYBERCRUISES.COM   BY KEVIN GRIFFIN

The Cruise Examiner for 21st May 2018

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to build a third 230-berth “Hanseatic” class expedition cruise ship for 2021 delivery

As the German and international cruise markets continue to grow TUI Group has chosen to order a third 230-berth “Hanseatic” class expedition ship, for delivery in 2021. And with the addition of a third ship, Azamara Club Cruises has announced that South Africa will be added to its itineraries in 2020. Finally we have a look at recent changes on the river cruise line scene in the UK.

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                     (See previous columns)

The Marella Explorer Class – Norwegian Bliss Becomes Largest Cruise Ship To Transit Panama – This Week’s Voyage: m.v. Sirena

THE CRUISE EXAMINER AT CYBERCRUISES.COMBY KEVIN GRIFFIN

The Cruise Examiner for 14th May 2018

The 1,924-berth Marella Explorer was built as Celebrity’s Galaxy and later became TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1

As the first of two sister ships delivers this week to TUI UK’s Marella Cruises, we have a look at the original Celebrity Cruises trio of Century, Galaxy and Mercury. Elsewhere, the Norwegian Bliss has today set a record for largest cruise ship to transit the Panama Canal. And Oceania’s Sirena offers an interesting Calfornia itinerary for December 2019

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                     (See previous columns)