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The “Cruise News Today” is a blog that provides updates on the latest cruise news. It has been updated with a December 4, 2021 update. Read more in detail here: cruise news today.
It’s time to make sure you’re up to speed on all of the main cruise companies’ current announcements. Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises have had a very eventful year, and not in a good manner.
Update on Cruise News
There are several new developments that may be of interest to you, and Carnival and MSC Cruises have had an interesting year, with both good and negative news. So, three Carnival cruise ships have changed itineraries, the latest on the Carnival Horizon issues, Carnival is extending pre-cruise testing at the terminal, no surprise with construction milestones for new MSC cruise ships, NCL cancellations in South Africa, and the second mega-ship has been delivered to Costa Cruises.
Costa Cruises’ New Ship Arrives
Costa Cruises has taken possession of its second LNG-powered cruise ship, which was built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The Costa Toscana was formally handed over to the cruise line on December 2, 2021, after completing her sea testing around the end of October.
Although the ship was supposed to be delivered in 2020, it was pushed back to June 2021 owing to the epidemic.
Meyer Turku contributed to this image.
On March 5, 2022, the Costa Toscana will set sail from Savona, Italy, with stops in Marseille, France, Barcelona, Spain, Palermo, Sicily, and Civitavecchia, Italy. The newest Costa flagship will thereafter spend the whole year in the western Mediterranean. She will stop at Savona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Ibiza, Valencia, and Marseille over the summer. Then, in the fall, Palma de Mallorca will take over for Ibiza.
The Costa Toscana is a large ship for the Italian cruise line, with a capacity of 5,322 passengers and a gross tonnage of 185,500. Costa Smeralda, which entered the fleet in 2019, is her sister ship.
Sailings of the Norwegian Cruise Line have been canceled.
Guests on board the Jewel-class Norwegian Jade were notified on November 29 that many sailings scheduled for December 2021 and January 26, 2022 had been canceled. The December 3 repositioning cruise was likewise canceled after an initial email.
Norwegian Jade is now running 12- and 18-night itineraries between Athens and Dubai, including stops in the Middle East and Mediterranean.
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com/suttirat wiriyanon
While the cruise company did not mention the new Omicron variety as a factor in the cancellations, it is probable that the discovery of that new virus strain affected the decision.
Guests affected by the cancellations will get a full refund of their cruise cost, and if the booking was booked with a Future Cruise Credit, the credit will be reimbursed to travellers’ accounts. There are a number of rebooking alternatives available, including a 10% future cruise credit.
MSC Ships’ Construction Milestones
MSC Cruises has accomplished two major milestones for its much-anticipated new ships, the MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia, bringing them closer to service and demonstrating incredible development for the MSC fleet.
MSC World Europa, MSC Cruises’ first LNG-powered vessel, has been floated out and will be transported to a wet dock where construction will continue until her delivery in 2022. MSC World Europa is the first ship of the much-anticipated MSC World Class, and when she sails, she will be one of the world’s biggest and most innovative cruise ships.
MSC Cruises provided this image.
The MSC World Europa, with a gross tonnage of 205,700, will make her debut in the Gulf area in December 2022, sailing from Dubai. The ship will cruise to the Mediterranean Sea in March 2023, offering sailings to Italy, Malta, Spain, and France.
On the same day, the keel for MSC Cruises’ second LNG-powered ship, MSC Euribia, was laid, as was the usual coin ceremony.
Two coins were put beneath the keel in a customary ritual as a historical symbol of blessing and good fortune for the project and the ship’s operating life at sea.
MSC Euribia, which had its first steel-cutting ceremony in June, is set to debut in June 2023 and will be the 22nd ship in the MSC fleet, with a gross tonnage of around 183,500.
The Carnival Corporation Extends Terminal Testing
Are you planning a voyage on a Carnival Cruise ship in December? You’re in luck, since Carnival has extended the pre-cruise vaccination testing option for immunized passengers through December 31, 2021.
The option has been available since November 5, 2021, and has proved to be a dependable and welcome alternative for visitors who were unable to get a test result in time for their vacation. Carnival has been considering extended the advantageous terminal testing option over the Christmas season since mid-November, when Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald discussed the processes.
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com/Felix Mizioznikov
Carnival has confirmed that the testing would continue at least through December. There is considerable doubt about whether testing companies will be available for business over the busy Christmas season. Guests will appreciate Carnival’s decision to keep the testing option accessible for at least this season.
Guests must reserve a time slot in advance to use the test at the terminal. The $100 fee per person will be charged to the passenger’s Sail & Sign account aboard. If passengers schedule a test but do not show up for their appointment, they will not be reimbursed, and the payment will remain on their onboard account.
Issues with the Carnival Horizon
So, if you keep up with all the newest cruise news, you’re already aware of the Carnival Horizon’s technological issues.
Carnival Cruise Line advised booked customers on November 30 that Carnival Horizon sails from Miami, Florida on December 5 and 11 had been canceled owing to a technical problem with the ship’s maximum cruising speed. Following a thorough investigation, the cruise company has determined that the Carnival Horizon would need an urgent dry dock in Italy, with the ship not returning to operation until January 22, 2022.
SeregaSibTravel / Shutterstock.com / SeregaSibTravel / Shutterstock.com / SeregaSibTravel /
Carnival Horizon has been taken out of service for a dry dock, and some sailings have been canceled until January 2022. As a consequence, the Carnival Liberty and Carnival Sunshine, which had been on hiatus, will be briefly reintroduced into operation to take up Carnival Horizon itineraries from PortMiami.
However, many visitors will be relegated to alternate cabin choices since the ships do not provide the modern alternatives that are available on the Carnival Horizon.
To compensate for the inconvenience, the cruise operator is paying customers $200 in onboard credit each cabin. For passengers who booked in some of the newer categories, such as the Havana and Family Habor cabins, Carnival Cruise Line is offering a $250 onboard credit per stateroom.
Changes to the Carnival Itinerary
Carnival Cruise Line alerted booked customers on December 2 of schedule modifications affecting three ships, including two departures from Port Canaveral, Florida, and one departure from the Port of Galveston, Texas.
Carnival Magic’s December 4 trip from Port Canaveral will still stop at Aruba and Curacao, but the ship will call at Amber Cove instead of Grand Turk owing to the island’s lack of cruise ship access. Carnival Magic is embarking on an eight-day journey that will culminate on December 12, 2021, in Florida.
Carnival Cruise Line provided this image.
On December 4, Mardi Gras will depart from Port Canaveral with a new route. The ship will stop at Nassau, Amber Cove, and San Juan on its seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyage. The ship will not make its scheduled stop in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos.
Carnival Vista’s seven-day trip from Galveston, Texas, on December 4 has also been changed. On the cruise, the same ports will be visited, but in a different sequence. The ship will stop in Mexico’s Cozumel first, then Belize, before arriving at Honduras’ Mahogany Bay.
Additional Cruise News
We’ve got even more headlines, including a former Costa cruise ship beached for scrapping, Celebrity Cruises backtracks on vaccine mandate for kids, All MSC cruise ships will be sailing during summer 2022, Carnival cruise ship returns to Montego Bay in Jamaica, MSC Virtuosa naming ceremony, and so much more.
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The “celebrity cruises breaking news” is a topic that has been trending in the past few days. There are many new cruise lines being announced and this will cause an increase in demand for these luxury cruises.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are cruises happening in 2021?
A: Yes, cruises are happening in 2021.
Will cruises reopen in 2021?
A: It is too soon to tell. Many cruise lines are still operating as normal, but a few have had to close due to the high number of ships having issues with their engines.
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