“I NAME this ship Sun Princess. May God bless her and all who sail in her.” With those ceremonial words, British actress and Sun Princess Godmother Hannah Waddingham gave the order for the champagne to smash against the bow, officially christening Princess Cruises’ new Sphere-class vessel and welcoming her into service. Joined on stage by Princess Cruises President, John Padgett, the naming ceremony was a glittering affair, complete with a high-energy dance number performed by the ship’s talented entertainment team. The event was hosted by American actor and magician, Michael Carbonaro, who wa ..read more

NORWEGIAN Cruise Line (NCL) and Fincantieri have celebrated the float-out of the all-new Norwegian Aqua (pictured), which recently took place at the Marghera shipyard. The float-out marked a significant construction milestone for the first ship in NCL’s next-geneation Prima Plus-class, with Aqua making contact with the water for the first time. The launch signifies the completion of external work on Aqua, as she readies for her Apr 2025 debut. Two ceremonial coins were welded into Aqua, in maritime tradition celebrating the construction milestone, which historically symbolised an offering to a ..read more

PRINCESS Cruises’ new Sanctuary Collection suites (CW breaking news yesterday) will include premium benefits, such as a private top-deck retreat (pictured), two exclusive restaurants, private elevator access, and more. The new Sanctuary Collection category was unveiled yesterday on board Sun Princess ahead of her naming ceremony in Barcelona, and is now available to book aboard the ship. Three categories of Sanctuary Collection suites and cabins are available, starting from 12 Premium Deluxe Balconies, 123 Mini-Suites and 80 Signature Collection suites, including the Sky Suite and Owner’s Suit ..read more

CELESTYAL Cruises is offering reduced deposits from as low as $225 when booking today. The cruise line’s seven-night ‘Heavenly Adriatic’ itinerary, departing round-trip from Athens, leaves three times next year in Jul and Aug, leading in from $1,289. Meanwhile, the ‘Idyllic Aegean’, also cruising round trip from Athens, sails more than 10 times from Jul to Oct in 2025 from $1,489. The two cruises can also be combined in a round trip from Athens, which departs twice in Aug from $2,129. Head to page 4 of today’s Cruise Weekly for more ..read more

PONANT is celebrating tomorrow’s World Penguin Day with newly released Emperor Penguin itineraries to Snow Hill Island during next year’s Antarctica season. Guests will embark on three exclusive departures aboard Le Commandant Charcot next year, where they will be able to approach Snow Hill Island’s Emperor Penguin colonies on foot to within five metres. They will also have the opportunity to linger for hours at Snow Hill Island, immersing themselves fully in the wonders of Antarctica. Guests can also expect to observe Adelie, Gentoo, and Chinstrap penguins, among other diverse wildlife. “As a ..read more

HOLLAND America Line is offering a new “standby” cruise fare, which costs just US$49 per day. Pax part of the Standby List Program are warned they may not secure a stateroom until two days before departure, with the option to remain on the list up until 90 minutes before all aboard. The program is currently not available in Australia ..read more

ONE of the least enjoyable parts of a cruise is using the ship’s toilet paper, which is more often than not less “ply-able” than the tissue you use at home. However, cruise lines aren’t just being cheap, as the unofficial Royal Caribbean Blog recently investigated, with the industry opting for one-ply toilet paper for a number of operational and environmental reasons also. The toilet paper cruise ships use is designed specifically for marine, RV, or portable toilet use, and is intended to flush easily and quickly break down in the holding tanks, preventing any clogs. Cruise ship toilets are al ..read more

TODAY’S issue of CW is coming to you from Barcelona, where British actress Hannah Waddingham has taken her place among Princess Cruises’ esteemed Godmother ranks. hundreds of global media, passengers, Princess Cruises executives, and Sun Princess crew have packed the Princess Arena to witness the ship’s naming ceremony in Barcelona. Celebrities in attendance included former stars of The Love Boat, and Brazilian artist Romero Britto. Prior to the pomp itself, announcements were taking place across multiple venues, with the three-deck Piazza serving to formally unveil the new ‘Love by Britto’ re ..read more

SEATRADE success Our trip to Seatrade Cruise Global in Florida was a whirlwind of appointments, conference sessions, and networking, with such positive results to report. Prior to the event, we took the opportunity to hold roundtable sessions with several of the major cruise lines, allowing for important forward planning. We followed this up with 25 scheduled appointments over the next three days with cruise executives focusing on port operations, shore excursions, pre- and post- touring, provisioning, and itinerary planning. It was great timing for ACA and our partners at NZCA to report on th ..read more

Sun named in Barcelona, Norwegian Aqua floats out, Princess introduces Sanctuary Collection, and more. Click here to download Cruise Weekly for Wednesday 24th April 2024 ..read more