Cruise Lines Archives - Sophisticated Travel

Cruise ship refurbishments & stats

Updated: January 11, 2021 How recently a cruise ship has been refurbished is an important factor to many seasoned cruisers, especially if you are investing a significant amount in your cruise vacation. It can be very disappointing to find a ship with stained or worn carpets and beat up furnishings. Many cruisers prefer a ship that is no more than a few years from its last refurb. So here is a guide so you can be better informed on how recently a ship has been updated & upgraded. This list will be continually updated: ......

By Brian Raymond|2021-01-14T10:52:53-07:00January 11th, 2021|

Silversea Cruises will become more all-inclusive in 2022

Starting in April 2022 & continuing in 2023, Silversea Cruises will start including one free shore excursion in each port as well as round-trip airfare. Each port will have a variety of free shore excursions that guests can choose from. Shore excursions will range from easy walking to more active excursions, and will vary to include options like culinary or wine visits, as well as historic tours. Silversea will also offer bespoke "Silversea Selected" shore excursions for an additional charge. All cruises will include round-trip economy airfare with the option to upgrade to business class for a very reasonable ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-12-16T12:49:44-07:00December 16th, 2020|

2021 Cruise Wave Season Specials

As 2020 sails into the sunset, we all look forward to 2021 when we can begin to start cruising again. As many of you know, "Wave Season" start the end of December and runs into March. During "Wave Season" the cruise lines offer some of their best deals. With cruise lines shut down for a year, demand is high. Its even higher than the same time in 2019. The reason? People are have cooped up at home and they all want to get out and get back on the seas. We will post the various offers on this page as ......

By Brian Raymond|2021-01-21T12:25:08-07:00December 16th, 2020|

Norwegian Cruises to install continuous air disinfection and purification system

Oceania's Marina Norwegian Cruise Line today announced a partnership with AtmosAir Solutions to install continuous disinfection air purification systems across its 28 ship fleet for its three brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The new air filtration system technology will feature continuous active COVID disinfection through bi-polar ionization in the air and on surfaces, an all-natural solution with no harmful chemicals, radiations or by-products. One of the advantages of the bi-polar ionization process is that it allows air purification to occur within the desired space, treating a larger volume of air, instead ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-12-07T11:10:39-07:00December 7th, 2020|

Celebrity announces new “Always Included” pricing program

Celebrity Cruises has announced a new approach to cruising called ‘Always Included,’ putting an end to confusing promotions, complicated add-ons and limited time offers. Starting Tuesday, Nov. 17th, every Celebrity Cruises vacation will include Wi-Fi, drinks and tips, simplifying the luxury vacation experience. “Everything we do at Celebrity is driven by the desire to redefine what today’s luxury looks and feels like, with experiences modern travelers want. With the launch of our Edge Series ships, Celebrity Edge and her brand-new sister ship Celebrity Apex, we tapped into a powerful ‘New Luxury’ culture - relevant, relaxed, design-focused and inclusive,” said ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-12-16T12:01:12-07:00November 11th, 2020|

Royal Caribbean & Norwegian form joint group to develop coronavirus plan

Celebrity Edge New task-force created Two cruise industry powerhouses announced the formation of a new joint effort to develop a response to coronavirus. Royal Caribbean Group (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara & Silversea) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (Norwegian, Oceania & Regent Seven Seas Cruises) announced the blue-ribbon task force will be headed by Mike Leavitt, former Utah governor, and Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Other panel members are globally recognized experts from public health, biosecurity, infectious disease, hospitality and maritime operations. The group is charged with developing procedures to prevent the ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-10-21T13:45:27-07:00July 9th, 2020|

Silversea Cruises takes delivery of the Silver Origin

Purpose built for the Galapagos Islands (Courtesy - Silversea Cruises) On June 3rd, the Silver Origin was added to ultra-luxury Silversea Cruise's fleet. This ship was purpose built to serve the 19 islands which make up the Galapagos Archipelago located about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. This elegant 100-guest ship will cruise the Galapagos year-round. Discovering the islands You don't visit the Galapagos to lay on the beach, you go to discover the uniqueness of these islands that captivated Charles Darwin. Silver Origin's team of Ecuadorian expert guides will bring the islands to life by ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-10-21T13:47:43-07:00June 9th, 2020|

Paul Gauguin Cruises orders two new ships

Picture courtesy Paul Gauguin CruisesPaul Gauguin Cruises announced it has ordered two new luxury expedition ships. They will be built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri with delivery planned for 2022. The deal includes an option for a third ship. The order is worth around $332 million.These 230 passenger ships will be more environmentally friendly with the ability to run smokeless for up to 10 hours a day in port or while in environmentally sensitive areas by using advanced battery technology.Paul Gauguin Cruises was purchased by French cruise line Ponant in August. The ships will be built based on the design of Ponant's ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-09-08T12:45:19-07:00November 25th, 2019|

Celebrity increases cruise fare on beverage packages

NOTE: On December 17, 2019, Celebrity Cruises dropped the surcharge on the "Classic Beverage" perk. The option to get a free Classic Beverage Package included as a perk with your cruise fare has been popular with many Celebrity Cruise passengers. But starting October 10, 2019, Celebrity will add a $14.00/day per person surcharge to your cruise fare, adding an extra $196 to your seven night cruise for two passengers choosing the "Classic Beverage" perk. Celebrity stated, "Since we began offering perks, we have not increased package pricing for our guests. We’ve been absorbing the increased cost and ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-09-08T12:48:43-07:00October 10th, 2019|

Ritz-Carlton yacht launch delayed

DELAY OF SHIP BUILD The launch of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's first ship has been delayed four months from February 2020 to June 2020 due to cost and ship building issues at the Spanish Hijos De J. Barreras shipyard. All cruises between February 5, 2020 and June 13, 2020 have been cancelled. "With additional challenges around the former shipyard management, both the new board of Hijos de J. Barreras and the board of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection are working cooperatively towards a long-term solution for the shipyard," the cruise line said in a statement. The ship is believed ......

By Brian Raymond|2020-09-08T12:52:28-07:00October 2nd, 2019|