Holland America Line Adds Cuba – Other Cruise News: Black Sea Cruises To Start Up June 11 – Turkey’s Etstur Charters Aegean Queen

The Cruise Examiner for 29th May 2017

Holland America Line’s 1,348-berth Veendam, a regular to Bermuda and Canada, will now also enter the winter trade to Cuba

Last week it was announced that Holland America Line is the latest cruise line to acquire rights to sail to Cuba, with its inaugural voyage set to be performed in December by the Veendam. Elsewhere the new Black Sea Cruises sent its recently-acquired Knyaz Vladimir on a trial voyage before placing her into service in two weeks. And Turkey’s Etstur has announced another season of Greek Isles cruises, this time using the Louis Group-owned Aegean Queen.

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FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                   (See previous columns)

New CMA CGM And NSB Services Make Singapore Into A Hub For Australia, Europe and Indian Ocean Cargo-Passenger Services

The 10-passenger CMA CGM Marco Polo is one of a dozen ships sailing from Singapore to Southampton in 21 days flat on French Asia Line 1, cutting transit time from Australia by 11 days

With CMA CGM’s addition of four passenger-carrying container ships to the AAX Singapore-Port Kelang-Fremantle-Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Fremantle-Singapore service and the addition of the Buxhansa to Singapore-Reunion-Tanzania-Maurtius-Singapore service by NSB, more connections are available over the major Southeast Asian port.

This recent move back to Singapore began when Indian immigration prevented CMA CGM from carrying passengers on its northbound Australia-Europe ships that call at Chennai and Cochin, thus chasing five ships from the northbound Australia passenger trade. This is not entirely bad news however as the Nemo Line ships took 32 days from Singapore to London, the substitute French Asia Line 1 runs Singapore to Southampton in 21 days, knocking 11 days and €1,210 per person off the elapsed northbound voyage time. Singapore hotels and meals are extra of course but this can usually be kept to between three and five days.

Sydney to Singapore is 15 nights on the Nemo Line or 20 nights via Fremantle on the AAX Line, while the voyage time between Singapore and Fremantle is 9 days in either direction on the AAX Line. This means that one can sail from Fremantle to Southampton with a total of only 30 days at sea and a few days break at Singapore en route.

The addition of an Indian Ocean departure from Singapore by the Buxhansa every eight weeks means that Réunion, Madagascar, Mozambique and Mauritius have been added to the list of destinations that can be reached from either Europe or Australia with a change of ship at Singapore.

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

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 a pair of passenger-carrying container ships working CMA CGM’s Amerigo Express Transatlantic service, 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 8-passenger CMA CGM Tosca is one of a pair of ships connecting Miami to Med ports that include Salerno, and returning via New York

The Transatlantic service is operated by the 10-passenger CMA CGM Nabucca and 8-passenger CMA CGM Tosca. 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.

The coastal voyage can also be booked, but only the 11-night round trip from Haifax to New York, Savannah and Norfolk and back. Remember, however, that non US and Canadian citizens need a full US visa to enter US ports by cargo ship,

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.

Two “Icon” Class Ships For Royal Caribbean – Europe’s Largest River Cruiser, AmaMagna – Disney Magic Set For Quebec City & Bermuda

The Cruise Examiner for 15th May 2017

AmaWaterways’s 194-berth AmaMagna is to enter service on the Danube in 2019

In its latest move to greener ships, Royal Caribbean Cruises has confirmed orders for the first two of its new “Icon” ships to be built by Meyer Turku. For delivery in 2022 and 2024, the new ships will fall somewhere between the “Oasis” class and the “Quantum” class ships in size. Disney Cruise Line, meanwhile, has announced new sailings to Quebec and Bermuda, both new destinations for the line. The 1,754-berth Disney Magic will open up both these new routes in the autumn of 2018. And finally, after christening the AmaKristina last week, AmaWaterways has announced that it will build Europe’s largest river cruiser (above), to be called AmaMagna, for delivery in 2019. The AmaMagna is not the first European cruise ship to carry this name. The last was Chandris Cruises’ Regina Magna (right), which was converted to cruise from Southampton in 1972. Previously she had operated as North German Lloyd’s North Atlantic liner Bremen. In 1988, the Chandris family founded Celebrity Cruises, which is now owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises. The Chandris “X” is still carried by Celebrity ships today.

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FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                                      (See previous columns)

The Two River Amadeus’s – Other Cruise News: The Brazilian Cruise Slump – Royal Caribbean To Return To New Orleans

The Cruise Examiner for 8th May 2017

When Ama Waterways first opened in 2002 it was known as Amadeus Waterways, but changed names in 2008 to Ama Waterways. Meanwhile, Lüftner River Cruises has since adopted for itself the name Amadeus River Cruises. We have a look at both operators today. Meanwhile, with cruising booming worldwide, the Brazilian market has taken a tumble seeing passenger figures tumble as the number of passengers handled at Santos drops by more than 40%. Finally, Royal Caribbean is to return to New Orleans on 2018. .

FOR THIS WEEK’S STORY                                                                                    (See previous columns)