Tag: CRUISE NEWS

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCES CARNIVAL CELEBRATION’S SENIOR OFFICERS

Experienced Team to Lead Next New Excel-Class Ship Arriving in Miami This Fall

As its newest ship is just three months away from joining the fleet, Carnival Cruise Line today named the senior leadership team of Carnival Celebration, set to arrive to Carnival’s hometown homeport, PortMiami, this November. Capt. Vincenzo Alcaras, Chief Engineer Fabien Gervaise and Hotel Director Pierre Camilleri will lead more than 1,700 crew members on the new ship.

Carnival Celebration is currently under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland, and its new leadership team is there getting acquainted with the new ship as construction is completed.

“We’re proud to assemble this team of talented and knowledgeable maritime professionals to lead a dedicated crew on our next innovative Excel-class ship, Carnival Celebration. We can’t wait to welcome guests to vacation with all this ship has to offer, and this team will ensure a great onboard experience for our guests,” said Carnival President Christine Duffy.

Get to Know Carnival Celebration’s Senior Officers

Capt. Vincenzo Alcaras: When Carnival Celebration completes its first week in service from Miami, Capt. Vincenzo Alcaras will also mark his 26th anniversary with Carnival Cruise Line. Starting in 1996, Capt. Alcaras, who is originally from Italy, worked on Carnival’s first Celebration iteration, the M.S. Celebration, as a second officer. He was promoted to first officer while on board M.S. Celebration and was then promoted to Safety Officer two years later. He first became captain in Sept. 2006 on Carnival Miracle. He’s worked on several ships throughout the fleet and he has been part of the inaugural team for newbuilds, overseeing the delivery of Carnival Breeze and Carnival Celebration’s Excel-class sister Mardi Gras.

“I have a strong connection with Carnival Celebration, like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep,” said Alcaras. “There’s nothing like standing at the edge of the ocean, seeing its vastness on the horizon, and doing so will be all the more special for me from this ship as it holds a special piece of my own personal history with Carnival Cruise Line.”

Five Facts about Capt. Vincenzo Alcaras

Favorite place on board: Wheelhouse

Favorite food on board: My recipe at Cucina Del Capitano

Favorite Playlist Show: Celestial Strings

Most memorable moment with Carnival: When I was appointed captain on Carnival Miracle in 2006.

Favorite things to do when not on board: I love to spend time with my family as much I can, read books and watch soccer.

Chief Engineer Fabien Gervaise: For more than 22 years, Fabien Gervaise has worked on many ships across the Carnival fleet, including several recent newbuilds. Born in France, he moved with his family to Italy when he was a child and went on to start with Carnival in April 2000 as a third engineer on Carnival Paradise. He was promoted within his first two years to second engineer and in the early 2000s, he also served as an onboard environmental officer. He became chief engineer in December of 2013 on Carnival Breeze.

Five Facts about Fabien Gervaise

Favorite place on board: The front of ship’s open deck

Favorite food on board: Bonsai Sushi

Favorite Playlist Show: Celestial Strings

Most memorable moment with Carnival: Alaska cruise with Carnival Legend among the fjords.

Favorite things to do when not on board: I’m a licensed amateur radio operator and I enjoy talking with friends all over the world and building electronic devices for communications. I also love fishing.

Hotel Director Pierre Camilleri: Now in his 18th year with Carnival, Camilleri joined the company in 2004 as hotel director after managing a variety of hotel and resort properties in his native Malta, as well as Europe and Asia. He has served as hotel director on several Carnival ships and has been part of the inaugural teams for Carnival Breeze, Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon and Mardi Gras.

Five Facts about Pierre Camilleri

Favorite place on board: It will be The Gateway on Carnival Celebration

Favorite food on board: Big Chicken

Favorite Playlist Show: We Are One

Most memorable moment with Carnival: The day we sailed with guests on Mardi Gras during summer 2021 after the long pause.

Favorite things to do when not on board: Spending quality time with my three lovely daughters, Jessica, Julia and Ella based in England, Malta and Hungary.

Debuting from the redesigned Terminal F at PortMiami, Carnival Celebration will join sister Mardi Gras as the second Carnival ship in the fleet powered by a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion system, part of Carnival Corporation’s pioneering green cruising platform. Carnival Celebration will offer year-round, seven-day Caribbean sailings beginning with its inaugural cruise from Miami on Nov. 21.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN UPDATES PROTOCOLS…

We are committed to bringing you the latest news and updates as soon they arise. Royal Caribbean Group will participate in the U.S. CDC’s voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships sailing in U.S. waters. Specifically, Royal Caribbean International will operate under the program’s Highly Vaccinated category beginning with sailings departing from the U.S. as of Friday, February 25, 2022.

Requirements include sailing with 95% of crew members fully vaccinated, which Royal Caribbean already exceeds with 100% of its crew fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Ninety-five percent of guests must be fully vaccinated as well — this excludes children under five years who are not eligible for the vaccine. The updated protocols will include face masks being optional for all fully vaccinated guests and expected for unvaccinated children. All kids will be required to wear face masks during Adventure Ocean youth program activities.

We are thoughtfully working through the details regarding other changes to our health and safety protocols which we will share with each of you before February 25, 2022.

As a reminder, our health and safety protocols are subject to change.

Please save the Healthy Cruising link for additional details, FAQs, and future reference.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE UPDATES PROTOCOLS

Carnival Cruise Line will participate in CDC Cruise updates; Provides updates to Guests

MIAMI, Feb. 18, 2022 – Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that it will participate in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated program for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters, and is advising guests of the following changes:

Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, masks on board will be recommended but not required.  There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required. 

Carnival will continue to meet the standard of vaccinated cruises, but children under five years old will not be included in any vaccinated guest calculation, and thus will not be required to receive an exemption to sail. 

Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, some additional flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements will become available. Please visit the Carnival Have Fun. Be Safe. web page for more information.

“We have had a very successful restart of guest operations thanks to the support of our guests, the commitment of our shipboard team, and the effective protocols we have put in place,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “The public health situation has continued to improve, providing confidence about these changes.  Our protocols will evolve as we continue to remain dedicated to protecting the public health of our guests, crew and the communities we visit.”

Duffy said that Carnival’s highest responsibility and top priority is always compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the people in the communities we touch and serve, and our shipboard and shoreside personnel. “We appreciate the ongoing collaboration among multiple government agencies, as well as the support of Alaska officials and other delegations,” she added.

ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line with a total of 24 ships, sailing from 14 U.S. homeports and employing more than 40,000 team members from 120 nationalities. Carnival’s newest ship, Mardi Gras, featuring the first roller coaster at sea and the first in the Americas powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), sailed from Port Canaveral, Fla., July 31, 2021. As part of its 50th Birthday festivities, Carnival Celebration, sister ship to Mardi Gras, is scheduled to debut in late 2022 from PortMiami, as well as Carnival Jubilee from Galveston in 2023.

CARNIVAL RADIANCE ANNOUNCES HER GODMOTHER

MEET THE GODMOTHER

Every great ship deserves a godmother to match! Introducing Dr. Lucille O’Neal, author, philanthropist, mother of our Chief Fun Officer, Shaquille O’Neal, and now godmother to the totally transformed Carnival Radiance, set to debut in December following a $200 million dry dock.

Dr. Lucille O’Neal is an accomplished speaker, and author of the inspirational biography, “Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go,” who donates her time and talent to a wide range of charitable organizations, including serving on the board of the Orlando Ovarian Center Alliance, and president and co-founder of the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players. She also established the Odessa Chambliss Center for Health Equity on the campus of Bethune Cookman University (BCU) in honor of her late mother, Odessa Chambliss, and focuses on health disparities, social determinants of health, and social justice. Lucille O’Neal is a shining example of the importance of education, resuming her studies after raising her children to graduate cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from BCU and completing a graduate program from the University of Phoenix. For these efforts, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from BCU.   As godmother, Dr. O’Neal will preside over the invitation-only naming ceremony in
Long Beach, CA prior to Carnival Radiance’s inaugural cruise on December 13. During the festivities, Lucille and Shaquille will cut the ribbon to officially open Big Chicken, the second seagoing restaurant created by CFO, Shaquille O’Neal.

The Carnival Radiance will be embarking on three and four-day sailings from Long Beach visiting Ensenada and Catalina Island. She will feature some fan favorites like Guy Fieri’s Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, the Heroes Tribute Bar saluting those that serve in the Armed Forces; Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant, and so much more.

CARNIVAL ANNOUNCES SENIOR OFFICERS FOR CARNIVAL RADIANCE

Ship Set to Debut in Long Beach, Calif. on Dec. 13 Following Extensive Transformation

MIAMI, Nov. 9, 2021 – As it prepares to debut Carnival Radiance, Carnival Cruise Line announced the senior leadership team who will be at the helm of the transformed ship scheduled to debut this December. These experienced mariners and passionate leaders will oversee a team of more than 1,000 team members and include:

Captain Stefano Bonica: Captain Bonica joined Carnival as a third officer in 2000. He was named captain in 2017 and has served on virtually every ship in the fleet during his two decades with the company. He attended the Istituto Tecnico Nautico Caio Duilio in Messina, Italy, to learn his craft.

Chief Engineer Mauro Fabbrini: A 27-year veteran of Carnival, Fabbrini joined the company as a second engineer in 1994 and was named chief engineer in 2003. He previously served as a chief engineer for Carnival Sunrise in 2019. Fabbrini graduated from the San Giorgio Maritime Academy in Genoa, Italy. Prior to joining Carnival, he started his nautical career with an Italian-based shipping company.

Hotel Director Caroline Bourke: The Cork, Ireland, native and 17-year Carnival veteran was part of the inaugural team that introduced Carnival Radiance’s sister ship, Carnival Sunrise, in 2019. Bourke joined the company in 2004 and was named guest services manager in 2009 before being named hotel director in 2016. Her hospitality career began at the Hayfield Manor Hotel after earning her degree from the Cork Institute of Technology.

The third in the line’s Sunshine-class, Carnival Radiance will make her Southern California debut on Monday, Dec. 13, kicking off a year-round schedule of cruises to Baja Mexico from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. On this route, three-day cruises depart Fridays and visit Ensenada, Mexico, while four-day cruises sail on Mondays calling at Ensenada and Catalina Island.

Carnival Radiance features all of the line’s popular Fun Ship 2.0 dining, beverage and entertainment spaces as well as Big Chicken, a casual poolside restaurant created by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal that debuted on Mardi Gras earlier this year. From new dining choices such as the Cucina del Capitano to expanded entertainment venues like the multi-purpose Liquid Lounge and one of the largest and most luxurious Cloud 9 Spas at sea, Carnival Radiance will offer an abundance of ways for guests to Choose Fun from the West Coast.


CELEBRITY EDGE TO BE THE 1ST U.S. CRUISE IN 2021

“Someday is here.” That was the one-line tweet Celebrity Cruises CEO and President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo used to announce the news yesterday that on Saturday, June 26, the exquisite Celebrity Edge will be the first cruise ship to sail from US waters in more than a year. Captain Kate McCue, the first and still only American female Captain, will have the honor of leading the fleet and the industry back into operation.

Celebrity Edge will depart Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, setting sail on a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean in what promises to be a historic moment for the brand and the industry. Celebrity Edge was given the green light by the CDC to be the first ship back in the water, having met all new standards for providing a healthy cruise experience for its guests and crew.

Celebrity Cruises has been working closely with health and government authorities, in each country we sail from, to outline a clear path for cruising with new health and safety protocols. As we thoughtfully plan our return to service, we are evaluating all current itineraries and the status of travel conditions around the world.  

Celebrity Edge will sail with a vaccinated crew. US Guests 16 years and older must be fully vaccinated with all COVID-19 vaccine doses administered at least 14 days prior to sailing. As of August 1, 2021, all US Guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.  Additional testing and protocols will be confirmed closer to the departure date in line with the most up to date recommendations from local government and health officials as well as our Healthy Sail Panel. These measures, including vaccination and testing requirements, will evolve along with public health standards.


CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCES RED, WHITE, & BLUE NEW DESIGN ACROSS FLEET

With the popularity of the stunning red, white and blue livery adorning Mardi Gras, another Carnival Cruise Line ship will soon receive the dramatic hull design that will become a trademark feature across the fleet as Carnival, America’s Cruise Line, prepares to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2022.

Carnival Magic will be the first ship to receive the new livery during its current dry dock in Marseilles, France. 

Paying homage to maritime tradition and patriotic colors, the eye-catching hull design is highlighted by a stately navy blue hull inspired by officers’ uniforms along with vibrant red and white accents running the entire length of the 1,004-foot-long ship.  Additional vessels will receive the new livery as they undergo scheduled dry docks.  Carnival Glory will be the second ship to receive the new hull design during a dry dock scheduled in June.   

“When we first saw the hull design for Mardi Gras, we knew it was something special and, particularly as we get ready to celebrate our 50th birthday, we’re delighted to incorporate this stunning livery as a signature exterior design element across our fleet,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “As we look to resume sailing in the U.S., we’re coming back with a signature new look as well!”

In addition to the new livery, Carnival Magic will emerge from its dry dock on May 24 with an expanded casino with an even greater variety of slots and other games, as well as a host of enhancements including freshening up the finishes for the Water Works aqua park and pools.

CRUISE SHIPS BANNED IN CANADA THROUGH FEBRUARY 2022

As Canada’s travel restrictions were set to expire February 2021, today the Canadian Government issued a new order which will prohibit cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. 

With the current U.S. Jones Act this will affect the Alaska cruise season for foreign-flagged ships as well as other cruise seasons in the Great Lakes and Canada/New England for ships under foreign flag.

The new order stated, “Cruise vessels carrying 100 or more people are still prohibited from operating in Canadian waters,” as well as passenger vessels carrying more than 12 people are still prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, and the Labrador Coast. 

The Honorable Omar Alghabra, minister of transport stated “As Canadians continue to do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, our government continues to work hard to ensure Canada’s transportation system remains safe. Temporary prohibitions to cruise vessels and pleasure craft are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems. This is the right and responsible thing to do.

The Government of Canada is also continuing to advise Canadian citizens and permanent residents to avoid all travel on cruise ships outside Canada until further notice to assist with the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

For further information regarding a 2021 Alaska sailing that you are booked on, continue to monitor the cruise lines website as well as watch for any email updates from the cruise line or your travel agent.