Even as the cruise industry spends another week assessing the impact of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, plans for new cruise ships continue quickly.
This week Azamara Club Cruises announced that it is acquiring the Adonia, most recently of Carnival Corporation’s Fathom and P&O Cruises brands, to be renamed the Azamara Pursuit when it joins Azamara’s fleet in 2018.
The last of eight “R” class ships originally built for Renaissance Cruises, the new ship will represent a 50 percent expansion of the cruise line’s portfolio. The cruise line’s current fleet, comprised of Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, are also former “R” ships, a size Azamara CEO Larry Pimentel told Travel Agent in early August is a good fit for the cruise line’s product. Plans call for the Azamara Pursuit to undergo a number of décor updates, similar to the renovations recently introduced on the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, before the relaunch.
Also this week, Carnival Corporation and Fincantieri announced plans to build the largest cruise ship ever for the company’s Cunard brand. To be delivered in 2022, the new ship will be the fourth for Cunard and the 18th new ship Carnival Corp. is expected to debut between 2018 and 2022. Further details on the new vessel will be announced starting in 2018.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Edge is moving closer to its debut. This week the line released a preview of Celebrity Edge’s events venue, dubbed The Meeting Place. The 1,970-square-foot venue will aim for a “hip lounge” feel, and will offer a number of high-tech touches like standard wireless microphones and a mini soundboard, an electronic whiteboard, and 98-inch and 75-inch LED screens.
Finally, this week Viking Cruises took delivery of the Viking Sun, the fourth ocean ship for the cruise line. This October, the Viking Sun will sail from Venice, before crossing the Atlantic for fall itineraries and embarking on the line’s first-ever World Cruise starting December 15.
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