Seabourn Venture Departs on Inaugural Cruise
After months of delay, Carnival Corporation’s luxury brand Seabourn had its first expedition ship set sail with guests on Wednesday, embarking on a 12-day inaugural voyage. The sailing departed Tromsø, Norway and headed for the Arctic.
During the ship’s inaugurual season, it will operate 12 to 15-day cruises that visit the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, and other northern destinations.
This fall, the ship will head south and spend in South America and Antarctica.
Venture features 132 oceanfront suites and includes an Expedition Lounge, kayaks, Zodiac boats, and two custom submarines.
STORY: Seabourn’s First Luxury Expedition Ship Sets Sail on Inaugural Voyage
Norwegian Gem Tenders Guests Into Venice
Norwegian Cruise Line may have found a way to circumvent the cruise ban which prevents larger ships from docking in Venice. While ships visiting the region have been bussing passengers from the industrial port of Marghera, Norwegian Gem recently took another route.
According to industry website Cruise Hive, Gem anchored just outside the Venice canals and used tenders to transport approximately 1,500 guests to St. Mark’s Square. Although the move was approved by the Veince port authority, it was not cleared with other local authorities, who expressed displeasure.
There’s no word on whether this was a one-off situation or something that other cruise lines might try in the future.
Cruise Industry Rebounding in a Big Way According to New Survey
The cruise industry is rebounding in a big way, according to a recent survey by cruiseline.com.
Survey results showed that 69 percent of respondents have been on seven or more cruises, and an impressive 91 percent are planning to sail next year. As for which cruise lines they’re planning to cruise with, Carnival and Royal Caribbean were by far the top two choices, getting over 70 percent of the votes combined.
As for cruise fans who are currently waiting to cruise, 38 percent of respondents in that category are waiting for vaccination mandates to be lifted. Those who simply aren’t ready to cruise or have financial restrictions are the number two and three reasons.
![Sun Princess Christened in Barcelona by Hannah Waddingham, Princess Cruises [PHOTOS]](https://cruiseradio.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sun-Princess-Christening-6-300x169.jpg)
