Get amongst all the latest cruise deals, updates and agent educationals with this week’s blockbuster Cruise Wrap.

Silversea extends ‘Cruise with Confidence’ initiative, launches culinary podcast

Silversea Cruises is extending its Cruise with Confidence program to all voyages departing prior to 30 April 2021. Launched in early March, the program provides guests with the flexibility to cancel their cruise for any reason up to 48 hours prior to sailing and receive a 100 per cent Future Cruise Credit for the amount paid, valid for two years from the date of issue.

The line has also announced the launch of S.A.L.T. Lab Radio, a new culinary podcast produced in the same spirit as the cruise line’s S.A.L.T. program (Sea and Land Taste), which will use storytelling to unlock entire ecosystems around culinary discovery when it launches aboard new ship Silver Moon. S.A.L.T. Lab Radio is available to stream at no charge on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

Crystal announces Crystal Clean+ protocols and celebrates 30th anniversary

Crystal unveiled Crystal Clean+, its initial set of safety and health protocols to be implemented on Ocean ships Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony once they return to sailing.

The new Crystal Clean+ measures include reduced capacity; new embarkation procedures; enhanced cleaning protocols; social distancing and facial covering guidelines; health monitoring for guests and crew; new testing equipment and onboard medical resources; isolation staterooms in case of illness with separate air filtration system; shoreside partner collaborations and much more.

Additionally, 24 July marked a special milestone for Crystal, as the company commemorated its 30^th anniversary of luxury cruising.

On July 24, 1990, Crystal Harmony sailed from San Francisco to Alaska on her maiden voyage debuting a single ship full of innovations including private verandah staterooms, alternative dining venues, extraordinary spaciousness and much more.

Since that time, Crystal Cruises has welcomed its two highly awarded Ocean ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, to the fleet as the company said goodbye to Crystal Harmony in 2005.

Viking launches 2021-22 world cruise and new content hub (plus, announces expedition trade training prize winner)

Viking has announced details of its brand-new 2021-2022 Viking World Cruise which will span 136 days, 27 countries and 56 ports, with overnight stays in 11 iconic cities.

Gai Campbell

Setting sail on 24 December 2021 from Fort Lauderdale, the itinerary will include three brand-new ports of call for Viking, including Phillip Island in Victoria and Eden in NSW, as well as Yangon, Myanmar sailing on Viking’s award-winning 930-guest Viking Star.

To get your clients hyped, the line has launched ‘The World of Viking’ destination content hub, a new online space for Australian and New Zealand travellers and agents seeking inspiration and information about the destinations that Viking sails to.

‘The World of Viking’ content hub is easily accessible from Viking’s website, and features destination inspiration and information on Scandinavia, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Central and Western Europe, North America and the Caribbean, South America and the Galapagos, the Arctic and Antarctic, Asia and Oceania, Eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine, and North Africa and the Middle East.

In celebration of the line’s newly announced Viking Expeditions voyages to the Arctic, Antarctic and Great Lakes of North America, Viking has announced the winner of its first email trade training program is Gai Campbell from Mary Rossi Travel in Lindfield, NSW.

Campbell has won a signature red Viking Expedition parka as a reward for her educational efforts.

Viking’s follow-up series of trade training emails commenced last week, providing an in-depth overview of brand new Viking voyages on the Mississippi River and the line’s purpose-built ship, Viking Mississippi.

Now is also a good time to remind your clients that Viking’s ‘Journey Worth Planning’ promotion ends on 31 July, offering the chance to save up to $5,000 per couple on future cruise journeys.

Royal Caribbean reinvents cruise safety drill, extends cruise with confidence, names new global head of public health and chief medical officer

Royal Caribbean Group has named Dr Calvin Johnson as global head, public health and chief medical officer. In this new role, Johnson will lead the Group’s global health and wellness policy, manage its public health and clinical practice, and determine the strategic plans and operations of its global healthcare organisation. Johnson will also collaborate with the Healthy Sail Panel to ensure the company establishes and implements its protocols and recommendations.

The group is replacing its safety drill with Muster 2.0, an entirely new approach to delivering safety information to passengers. The program reimagines a process originally designed for large groups of people into a faster, more personal approach that encourages higher levels of safety.

With Muster 2.0, the key elements of the safety drill will be accessible to guests on an individual basis instead of a group approach that has been followed historically.

New technology, eMuster, will be used to help provide the information to guests via their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs. Travellers will be able to review the information at their own time prior to setting sail, eliminating the need for the traditional large group assemblies. The new approach enables everyone on board to maintain better spacing as guests move about the ship, and it allows guests to enjoy more of their vacation with no interruption.

The line has also extended its cruise with confidence policy through to April 2022.

Treat your clients to an authentic outback adventure with Ecruising

Next March, your clients can experience an epic Aussie odyssey with Ecruising’s 10-night exclusive ‘Kangaroo Island, The Ghan & the Red Centre’ journey. This captivating tour showcases the contrasts of Australia’s cool coast and rolling rugged outback, with Adelaide and Darwin, two of our most charming capital cities, not to mention the charm of the Northern Territory’s Alice Springs.

Priced from $5,899 per person twin share, Ecruising’s 10-night exclusive ‘Kangaroo Island, The Ghan & the Red Centre’ journey includes: all accommodation; all meals on Kangaroo Island; return ferries from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island; all meals and selected beverages on board The Ghan; transfers; and all off-train tours and excursions (^excluding optional helicopter and scenic flights).

Explore the wild landscapes of Greenland and Labrador with Adventure Canada in 2021

Your clients can journey from the raw natural landscapes of Greenland to far north-east Canada with adventure Canada in partnership with Australian small ship cruise specialists Cruise Traveller.

The 15-night ‘Greenland and Wild Labrador’ package begins in Toronto, Canada, on September 16, 2021, and for a limited time, travellers can save up to 15 per cent if booked before 31 October 2020.

Beginning on September 16, 2021, the 15-night stay and cruise package starts from US$9,620 per person, twin-share, or for solo travellers (subject to availability). For bookings made by 31 October 2020, this represents savings of US$2,940 per couple and US$11,256 for solo traveller, with no solo supplement.

Oceania Cruises launches trade insider Facebook group 

Oceania Cruises has launched a Trade Insider Facebook Group for its travel partners in Australia and New Zealand.

The Oceania Cruises Trade Insider Facebook Group is now live, and encouraging the trade community to join HERE.

Moderated by Oceania Cruises’ dedicated trade support team, members of the new Facebook Group will be able to pose questions, participate in competitions, and gain valuable access to the cruise line’s latest news, marketing materials, promotions, training opportunities and more.

Polynesia beckons, and Paul Gauguin entices with a ‘Double Welcome Offer’

Paul Gauguin Cruises has released a special Double Welcome Offer: $800 per person reduction off the price of the booked fare for all guests taking their first Paul Gauguin cruise.

This offer is available for all Paul Gauguin cruises booked between 23 July and 30 August 2020.