Silversea revamp plans
Silversea Cruises has announced plans to upgrade several of its ships under a program named “Project Invictus”, with initiatives ranging from culinary offerings through to cabin refits.
Improvements are planned for Silver Whisper beginning in December when the ship will undergo a partial renovation of guest cabins. At the same time, Silver Wind is scheduled to enter a dry dock renovation that will take inspiration from the design of the cruise line’s flagship, Silver Muse.
The works were announced as Royal Caribbean Cruises confirmed it had finalised its two-thirds acquisition of Silversea last month.
Triumph prepares for Sunrise
Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that its 1,300-pax Carnival Triumph will be renamed Carnival Sunrise when it emerges from dry dock after a major overhaul next year.
The $200 million two-month makeover will include the redesign of two Captain’s Suites, extended balcony suites and a refresh for other staterooms.
Other new features include eight new restaurants, four new bar and lounge areas, three new recreation and sporting areas, an expanded Cloud 9 Spa, larger retail spaces and a selection of new kids’ activity areas.
“Carnival’s investments are part of an overall plan that is raising the bar on ship amenities and features, itineraries and offshore excursions that our guests are loving,” said Gus Antorcha, chief operating officer for Carnival.
Millennial cruising rising
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released a report outlining key cruising activity, with results suggesting there is strong growth in cruise demand by millennial travellers who are “choosing cruises in increasing numbers to visit bucket-list destinations.”
The results of the Travel Agency Cruise Outlook Study came from interviews with more than 1,300 travel agencies across the USA, with 79% of respondents stating their total cruise sales were increasing.
Reasons for the rise included the addition of new routes and destinations, more tech-enabled ships and onboard innovations, which are attracting both young and old passengers alike. A strengthening economy was also considered to have had an impact.
