Bernadette Chua 
Royal Caribbean announced it will have two Quantum class ships in Alaska from 2021. From May 2021, Quantum of the Seas will move to Seattle and offer seven-night sailings that depart every Monday. Her sister ship Ovation of the Seas will offer a similar itinerary but departing on Friday. Quantum’s summer 2021 Alaska itineraries went … Read more
Over 130 Aussies on Holland America’s Zaandam and Rotterdam are on their way home on a chartered United Airlines flight. United says the charter will be a direct flight from San Francisco Airport to Sydney Airport and will only carry passengers from the Zaandam and the Rotterdam to prevent other passengers from potentially being exposed to coronavirus. A … Read more
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea and Azamara announced they would be extending its Cruise with Confidence policy through to 1 September. The policy allows guests to cancel up to 48 hours prior to sailing for any reason, and guests will be able to receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing … Read more
Viking, Seabourn and Cunard have been the latest lines to extend the suspension of their sailings. Viking has confirmed it would be not resuming sailings until the end of June – two months past its previous planned date. Luxury line, Seabourn has said it will extend the suspension period through to 14 May. Guests will … Read more
In what may have been a world first, Celebrity Cruises has virtually delivered the new Celebrity Apex through video conferencing with the Chantiers de l’Atlantique officials. Captain Dimitris Kafetzis ordered the exchange of the French and American flags online, while each country’s national anthem played in the background. The first sailing of the Apex is … Read more
A deal has been struck between Australia and Germany to evacuate 800 European passenger who are onboard Phoenix Reisen’s Artania. There are seven passengers on the German ship, Artania who have tested positive for COVID-19. While the ship has no Australians onboard, there are 800 guests and 500 crew members. The Artania requested urgent medical assistance from … Read more
Thousands of Australian passengers onboard CMV’s Vasco da Gama have been left in limbo after Premier Mark McGowan said that only West Australian residents will be allowed to quarantine in the state. The ship, which was originally meant to start disembarking passengers on Friday 27 March, will now let passengers off on Monday 30 March … Read more
A 68-year-old Queensland man has died from COVID-19 after he disembarked Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas last week. According to ABC and other news outlets, Garry Kirstenfield contracted the virus aboard the ship and was in the intensive care unit in Toowoomba Hospital. He died this afternoon. Queensland Health issued a statement, saying Mr Kirstenfield … Read more
Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Vasco da Gama was on her way to Western Australia with hundreds of Australians onboard yesterday when the ship and its owners received a shock. Without warning, WA State Premier Mark McGowan told a media conference the vessel, which has 798 Australians and 109 New Zealanders on board, would be allowed … Read more