Silversea Puts Cuba on the Itinerary

Silversea Cruises has received approval to operate 17 cruises to Cuba in 2019 and 2020. Four will sail already this winter in the early months of 2019.

Typical of Silversea, they will be a bit longer than a standard Caribbean itinerary and a bit unusual.

The complete story appeared in the October 19 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Closed for the Season

When Emerald Princess sailed from Canada Place this afternoon at 4:30pm, it wrapped up Vancouver's 2018 cruise season, one the port sees as very successful.

Details appeared in the October 19 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

MSC Goes Ultra-Luxury

MSC Cruises surprised the industry by surprise this morning by announcing they had signed an MOA with Italian builder Fincantieri to build four 64,000-ton ships with which to enter the ultra-luxury end of the cruise market.

The first will be delivered in the spring of 2023 with one every year thereafter.

The complete story appeared in the October 18 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

It's Time to Put Some Skin in the Game

Virgin Voyages promised to be different. So far, things haven't seemed that different. True, they don't call their passengers, passengers. They're sailors. But now this.

You will be able to come home from your Virgin Voyage with a permanent reminder of the trip. You can come home from Scarlet Lady with not only the souvenir drink glass, but also a tattoo from Squid Ink, the partnership of Virgin and one of New York's iconic tattoo brands, World Famous Tattoo Ink.

Details appeared in the October 18 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Squid Ink aboard Scarlet Lady

Rendering courtesy of Virgin Voyages. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

MSC Enters the "Extra-Luxury" Segment of Market

MSC is going to enter the "extra-luxury" segment of the cruise market with four 64,000-ton ships ordered from Fincantieri today. The ships will each have 500 staterooms.

The first ship of the 2 billion euro order is scheduled to be delivered in the spring of 2023.

Further details will be in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.

Symphony Means Music

With Symphony of the Seas' arrival at her Miami homeport in just a few short weeks, musical students in South Florida are going benefit. To celebrate the naming of the ship in Miami, and it's connection with music, Royal Caribbean is giving grants, through the Grammy Museum Signature Schools Program, to twenty Miami-Dade County Public High Schools.

The Grammy Museum is the official foundation of the Recording Academy to fund underserved schools. The 20 schools were selected for maintaining thriving music programs with only limited resources. But Royal Caribbean is providing more than funding. In the cruise line's hometown, Royal Caribbean is providing a unique opportunity for aspiring performers to take their education beyond the school building and have a possibly career-building experience.

The complete story appeared in the October 17 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Overboard from Celebrity Reflection

Last night (October 16) a crew member from Celebrity Reflection was reported missing, and after reviewing video, the line believes he went overboard.

At the time the man went overboard off the Greek coast, the ship was sailing between Mykonos and Rhodes.

Details appeared in the October 17 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 17, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• NCL rebuilding schools in the Caribbean
• Carnival declaring a dividend

Details appeared in the October 17 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival to Be Victorious No Longer

Carnival Cruise Line said today that Carnival Victory will undergo an extensive renovation in 2020 that will upgrade the ship so much that when it emerges, it deserves a new name. In 2020 Carnival Victory will become Carnival Radiance.

They also said that will complete the program started in 2011 to equalize the features on the ships so Carnival will offer the same experience to passengers across the fleet.

The complete story appeared in the October 16 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 16, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Windstar Captain Belinda Bennett was awarded the 2018 Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service, the 19th person to receive the award and the second at Windstar.
• Three Carnival Corp ships have been chartered to house delegates to the APEC Sumit in Port Moresby in November.

Details appeared in the October 16 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Tihany Chosen to Design for Cunard

Noted hospitality-designer Adam Tihany has been appointed Creative Director of Cunard's next new ship which will join the fleet in 2022 and will oversee the entire interior design process.

The complete story appeared in the October 15 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

A Place to Call for Help

The Synergy Group has launched a new 24/7 counseling service in seven languages for maritime personal called iCALL. It is available via phone, email and the chat-based nULTA app.

The goal is to reduce seafarer suicides and boost mental wellness at sea.

Details appear in the October 15 issue of Cruise News Daily.