1 7 EYEBROW “There’s a lot of pent-up demand for travel, and people are increasingly confident that cruising is the safest and most enjoyable and convenient way to holiday,” says Donald. “They can see that our strict health and safety protocols are working because we’ve had low case numbers onboard our vessels, and those that have arisen have been dealt with swiftly by our trained medical staff. Of course, we’re prepared for demand to decrease in the event of a spike in cases or a new variant emerging, but overall, we’re on a very positive trajectory, especially as a growing number of people get vaccinated and become more confident in living with the virus. This will enable us to bring more ships back into service and gradually increase their occupancy levels.” Four new vessels will also join Carnival Corporation’s global fleet this year, which Donald expects will help to entice any guests who may still be anxious about cruising. “New ships are always exciting, and they are a great marketing tool because they bring a lot of positive attention to both the brand and the wider cruise industry,” he explains. “All of these ships will have innovative new features that will delight and engage our guests.” The first is Princess Cruises’ new 3,660-guest Discovery Princess, which will debut at the end of March with a seven-night maiden voyage from the Port of Los Angeles in California, USA, to the Mexican Riviera. The vessel is the sixth and final in the Royal Class and will offer onboard highlights such as The Sanctuary and multiple dining venues. Guests will also be equipped with a wearable Medallion device to unlock the Princess Medallion Class Vacations experience and benefit from expedited contactless boarding, keyless stateroom entry, and multiple other personalised services. In late November, Carnival Cruise Line will debut its second Excel-class vessel, Carnival Celebration. The ship will feature six separate onboard zones, as well as the Bolt rollercoaster, a Lido, an aqua park, a SportSquare, a plethora of dining options, and three-storey atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows that can be transformed into 16 individually controlled LED screens to augment onboard entertainment. Arvia, which is currently under construction at Meyer Werft’s yard in Papenburg, Germany, will join the P&O Cruises (UK) fleet as a sister to Iona in December 2022. The vessel will boast attractions such as a high-ropes course, a swim-up bar and infinity pool, 12 restaurants and SkyDome, a pool area covered by a retractable roof – a first for P&O Cruises (UK). “All three newbuilds are sisters to existing vessels that have earned rave reviews and tremendous satisfaction scores for the spectacular experiences they offer, so we expect they’ll be equally well-loved,” says Donald. This July, Seabourn will welcome Seabourn Venture, the first of two new Polar Class 6 expedition ships from Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti. The vessel will carry two custom-built submarines, 24 Zodiacs, kayaks and a 26-person expedition team, and will sail a maiden Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess will debut at the end of March and offer the Princess Medallion Class Vacations experience
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