In another busy week for new cruise ship updates, Carnival Cruise Line announced a number of new food and beverage venues that will be making their debut on the cruise line’s newest ship, the Mardi Gras. In an interview with Travel Agent Carnival President Christine Duffy said that the ship’s newly announced, complimentary Street Eats venue would give guests the opportunity to try more adventurous global cuisine than what is typical for a buffet. Also new are two bar venues: the South Pacific-themed RedFrog Tiki Bar and The Watering Hole, a venue aimed at recreating the vibe of a backyard summer hangout.
Carnival also announced some key officers for the new ship: Matt Mitcham and Hugo Hidalgo, both of whom are Carnival veterans, will serve as cruise director and entertainment director, respectively. The Mardi Gras is set to launch in 2020.
In luxury news, Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced what guests can expect in terms of shore excursions on the Seven Seas Splendor, which also sets sail in 2020. The line announced 65 new Mediterranean and Northern Europe shore excursions that will be exclusive to the new ship’s inaugural season before rolling out to all of the line’s ships sailing in Europe starting in 2021.
In small ship news, Ponant officially took delivery of its newest cruise ship, Le Dumont-d’Urville. The ship, which is the ninth in Ponant’s fleet and the fourth in the luxury cruise line’s Explorer series, has 92 rooms and suites, along with the Explorer series’ “Blue Eye” underwater lounge. The new ship’s inaugural season will kick off August 7 with an eight-night sailing called the Historic Cities of the Baltic Sea. From there, the ship will continue to the French coasts and the Mediterranean with stops in Honfleur, Lisbon and Dakar.
Finally, Celebrity Cruises just welcomed the Celebrity Flora to its fleet. Designed specifically to sail in the Galapagos Islands, the 100-guest, all-suite ship has a design that aims to maximize 360-degree views, new dining venues, an open-air stargazing platform, expert-led ecological seminars and custom-design Novurania yacht tenders for a smoother ship-to-shore experience, plus a number of features aimed at boosting sustainability. The Celebrity Flora will sail from Baltra year-round, making its first sailing on June 30.
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