MSC SEASIDE RETURNS TO SEA WITH NEW DESTINATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

• MSC Cruises’ innovative ship departed from Genoa, Italy on Saturday May 1

• The new itinerary features first calls in destinations of Siracusa and Taranto

Geneva, Switzerland (May 3, 2021) — MSC Seaside joined MSC Grandiosa back at sea this past Saturday, welcoming guests back on board for weekly 7-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean, featuring new destinations in Siracusa in Sicily and Taranto in Puglia, Italy. The ship is now two days into her voyage, having departed from Genoa, Italy on May 1, followed by a relaxing day at sea on Sunday and is now in the stunning port of Valetta, Malta today. As part of her itinerary, the ship will also call in Civitavecchia for Rome.

MSC Seaside becomes the second ship back at sea for the 2021 summer season, with further ships, including sister ship and future flagship MSC Seashore to join them in theMediterranean from August. All ships will implement the Company’s rigorous health and safety protocol, which has been developed with a Blue Ribbon Panel.

The Sicilian port of Siracusa makes its MSC Cruises debut offering a choice of protected shore excursions so that guests can discover the rich historical and archaeological sites in this area, including the Greek theater of Siracusa — the biggest ever built in Sicily and one of the largest in the Greek world — or immerse themselves in the beautiful countryside and baroque cities where the world-famous Inspector Montalbano films are shot. 

The southern town of Taranto in Puglia will offer something very special for those looking for a day to relax and unwind while making the most of this historic region. The old town of Taranto, full of charm with its winding alleys and dozens of churches and palaces and the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto (MArTA) displays the history of Southern Italy and the roots of its culture. In addition to the range of protected excursions, MSC Cruises will introduce a special private beach experience in Taranto from June, exclusively for MSC Seaside’s guests, where they can relax next to the clear waters of the Ionian Sea.

The iconic MSC Seaside rewrote the rule book of cruise ship design, combining indoor and outdoor areas to connect guests with the sea like never before and features generous outdoor spaces with plenty of outdoor deck space and pools. Located as low as Deck 8 is a unique seafront promenade lined with places to dine, drink, lounge, swim and sunbathe. The ship features the MSC Yacht Club for those looking for exclusivity and privacy with the facilities of a private club and 24-hour butler service. This ship is specifically designed for warmer weather and is best enjoyed outdoors, making this the ideal ship for the start of the warm summer in the Mediterranean.

MSC CRUISES STRENGTHENS ITS INDUSTRY-LEADING HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOL WITH ROLL-OUT OF FLEET-WIDE COVID-19 VACCINATION

 First vaccines given as plan of action starts in earnest for all crew members

Program to cover all 10 ships already planned to return to sea this Summer, those scheduled to restart in the Caribbean out of U.S. ports as well as the rest of the Company’s global fleet

Geneva, Switzerland (May 1, 2021) — MSC Cruises announced today that it has started a fleet-wide COVID-19 vaccination program for all its crew members. This becomes an additional core element of the Company’s industry-leading health & safety protocol that has already supported MSC Cruises operations since its first ship returned to service in August last year.

The roll-out saw as its first step the Master of MSC Bellissima Captain Giuseppe Maresca and all of his crew completing their vaccinations yesterday.

In this initial phase, MSC Cruises will prioritize crew members on board its 10 ships earmarked for Summer 2021 cruise vacations in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, those scheduled to restart in the Caribbean out of U.S. ports as well as others that are gearing up for their restart.  Crew of the flagship MSC Virtuosa will be vaccinated ahead of the ship’s maiden voyage from May 20 around the UK from Southampton.

The plan is for all MSC Cruises’ crew on board operational vessels, as well as ships preparing to restart in parts of the world the Company has served traditionally, to be vaccinated against COVID-19. It has been developed and will be delivered against with the support of a number of national government authorities, destinations and private sector entities.   

Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said, “As our ships prepare to welcome more and more guests over the coming weeks and months, we are pleased to announce the start of a comprehensive plan of vaccinations for all of our crew. Our aim is of adding a further level of protection for both themselves and the guests they will welcome for their holidays as we lead the way in the industry’s restart this summer.

“Our health and safety protocol last year spearheaded a safe resumption of cruising in the global industry and our huge vaccination program for all of our crew further demonstrates our commitment to their wellbeing, of our guests and of the communities that our fleet of ships will visit in the months ahead.

“We focused and invested heavily in a health and safety protocol last year and worked relentlessly to engage and gain approval from a range of authorities to return to cruising safely and responsibly. Similarly, we have taken this approach to vaccinations for our crew - plan, prepare and perform.”

MSC Cruises became the industry’s first line to resume international sailings in August 2020 when the Company’s flagshipMSC Grandiosa set sail from Genoa for a 7-night voyage in the Mediterranean. The Company has since welcomed on board some 65,000 guests for a safe and relaxing cruise vacation at sea.  

The Company’s 10 ships set to serve the Mediterranean and Northern Europe this Summer have confirmed itineraries and ports of call in Italy, Malta, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Germany and the UK with plans to add France, Spain and more, as more countries open their borders and relax their international and other travel restrictions.    

Princess Cruises Reveals the Best of the Caribbean & Panama Canal Cruises with 2022-2023 Season

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (April 29, 2021) – Whether the definition of relaxation means island hoping from one pristine beach to another or experiencing the world’s greatest shortcut sailing through the Panama Canal, the newly announced 2022-2023 cruise season from Princess Cruises offers the best of both sought-after destinations. 

On sale now, Princess guests have a robust menu of cruise ships and itineraries to select a memorable cruise vacation to fulfill their travel dreams. And every ship offers the Princess MedallionClass experience - the ultimate in effortless, personalized cruising.

Caribbean 2022-2023 

The Caribbean is the ideal cruise destination for relaxation, with six MedallionClass cruise ships including Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess, Regal Princess, Caribbean Princes, Island Princess, and Emerald Princess, cruisers have a choice of 21 unique itineraries and 87 departures ranging from four to 21 days. The fall 2022 through spring 2023 season, sailing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale, takes guests with ease to 24 Caribbean islands. Highlights include:

• Eastern Caribbean – Cruises in the Eastern Caribbean include a four-day getaway to Princess Cays with multiple seven- and eight-day itineraries visiting multiple popular islands including St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan, and St. Kitts.

• Western Caribbean – if ancient ruins and eco-adventures are top of mind, a five- day getaway to Costa Maya with a stop in Cozumel offers visits to Mayan ruins and underwater caves. Multiple seven-day itineraries also feature the friendly spirit of Jamaica and the coral reefs in Belize and Roatan. Port highlights include Belize City, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman.

• Southern Caribbean – these eight to 16-day itineraries offer a deeper dive into the Caribbean culture, colonial influence, native charms, coral reels, and diving havens. Key ports include Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados and more.

Princess Cays, our private island resort, is included as part of our Eastern, Western, and Southern itineraries allowing guests to relax with an exclusive beach day. 

Only Princess offers Discovery™ and Animal Planet™ tours that the whole family will love including shore excursions to UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Belize Barrier Reef and Brimstone Hill Fortress in St. Kitts. With “More Ashore” late-night stays in Curacao, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, cruisers can enjoy beautiful sunsets, island life and evening tours.  

The cruise line’s immersive onboard program “Rhythm of the Caribbean,” brings local flavors and cultures to life with vibrant cuisine and tropical drinks, steel drum Caribbean-themed parties, colorful parrots in the Piazza and Discovery at SEA activities. 

Panama Canal 2022-2023 

It’s been called the “world’s greatest shortcut” and one of mankind’s most celebrated engineering achievements and Princess Cruises is the #1 Panama Canal cruise line, bringing more guests this historic region than any other cruise line since 1967. For the upcoming 2022-2023 season four MedallionClass ships - Caribbean Princess, Emerald Princess, Island Princess, and Ruby Princess - sail on 26 departures with six unique itineraries, visiting 16 destinations in nine countries. Cruises range in length from 10 to 15 days, program highlights include:

• Panama Canal with Costa Rica & Caribbean (10 days) - sailing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale and giving guests the unique experience of transiting the Panama Canal locks with a partial transit while exploring Caribbean ports such as Costa Rica and Grand Cayman.

• Panama Canal Ocean to Ocean (15 days) - itineraries travel between Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles or San Francisco and vice versa sailing the Panama Canal Locks between the Atlantic and Pacific. These itinerariesallow guests a full transit experience while visiting ports in Mexico, South and Central America.

Panama Canal guests experience unique landscapes and wildlife, like the lush rainforests and Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica on Animal Planet™ recommended shore excursions. In addition, tour options include travel by a dugout canoe to an Embera village in the heart of Chagres National Park in Fuerte Amador or a ride on the world’s first transcontinental railroad – the Panama Canal Railroad. Plus, live narration from the navigation bridge provides fascinating history and engineering feats of the canal as ships transit through the locks system.

Princess MedallionClass

The cruise line’s award-winning OceanMedallion™ wearable device replaces the traditional cruise card to significantly expand touch-free options and personalization on board, including:

• Touchless embarkation and disembarkation

• Keyless stateroom entry

• Completely touchless commerce

• Simplified safety training

• On-demand food, beverages and retail items delivered anywhere on board

• Guest service requests via mobile device chat

• Location-based gaming and wagering

• Entertainment content via smart devices

All ships offer the best Wi-Fi at sea, MedallionNet™, so guests can stay connected to the things and people they love and share vacation memories with ease. MedallionNet offers unprecedented connectivity that’s fast, unlimited, reliable, and affordable with an access point in every stateroom, so guests can stream favorite movies, shows, games and music; connect to favorite social media sites; and video chat from anywhere on the ship. 

Captain’s Circle Savings

Princess Past Guests are eligible for a special promotion when they book early, consisting of a Captain’s Circle Launch Discount, which may be combined with launch and group promotions. These discounts do not apply to third or fourth berth guests. Offers expires October 31, 2021.

Princess Cruises, one of the world’s largest premium cruise lines, is a recognized destination leader in the cruise industry, named “Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean” by U.S. News & World Report and the cruise line’s private beach in the Bahamas, Princess Cays, was ranked among the “Top Cruise Line Private Island Destinations” by Cruise Critic. 

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

Princess Cruises is currently enhancing health and safety protocols with input from global health leaders in response to COVID-19 and assessing how they may impact future itineraries. Actual offerings may vary from what is displayed in marketing materials. Click on the following links to stay updated on current Cruise Updates and Health & Safety protocols.

De Wave Group undertakes major project in Singapore as P&O Cruises Australia transforms its fleet with entry of Pacific Encounter

Pacific Adventure to follow

Genoa, 29 April 2021

Following its involvement in the extensive refurbishment of Pacific Explorer last year, the De Wave Group is again contributing to P&O Cruises Australia’s fleet transformation project with recent work on Pacific Encounter at the Sembcorp Marine shipyard in Singapore in preparation for the ship joining the P&O fleet. De Wave Group is also set to contribute to Pacific Adventure’s preparation for its planned entry to the fleet later this year.

Australia’s leading cruise line after nearly 90 years of cruising from Australia, P&O Cruises is operated by Carnival Australia, the nation’s largest cruise organisation, which, in turn, is part of the Holland America Group (HAG) of cruise lines within the global travel and leisure group Carnival Corporation & plc.

The De Wave Group’s contribution to the recent Pacific Encounter project involved skilled work on the ship’s interiors as the sole contractor providing a full turnkey service inclusive of all logistical and technical aspects.

Giacomo Poggi, Chief Executive Officer of Precetti Far-East, commented: “Even in this challenging period, we were able to organise many containers of materials and coordinate the work of a team of over 200 skilled people from 4 continents, successfully completing a highly prestigious project for our Group.”

The works on Pacific Encounter

In preparation for joining the P&O Cruises Australia fleet from sister brand Princess Cruises, Pacific Encounter was refitted with new fixed furnishings, upholstery, and floor and wall coverings. In addition, the existing ceilings were repainted.

The project involved around 50 containers of shipped materials, 200 people from 4 continents split across the various works, over 5,000 sq. m of refurbished areas, more than 3,000 sq. m of wall coverings, 3,500 sq. m of outdoor artificial turf, 8,000 sq. m of fabrics and 10,000 sq. m of carpets fitted.

A significant part of the project undertaken by the De Wave Group’s skilled workers was on the dining area called ‘The Pantry’, installing special catering fittings including protective glass screens with LED lights and built-in heating lamps, which are integral to maintaining the health and well-being of guests and crew.

Areas involved in the work on Pacific Encounter included:

WATERFRONT DK 5 - DINING ROOM

ANGELO'S DK 6 - DINING ROOM

DRAGON LADY DK 6 - DINING ROOM

INTERNET DK.05

SHOREX DK.05

ATRIUM DK 5

RECEPTION DK.06

BONDED STORE DK6
THEATER LOBBY DK 6 Over DK 7

OCEAN BAR DK7

ENCOUNTER HOTEL DK 7

THE PANTRY DK14 — RESTAURANT

MAIN POOL DK14 - PIZZERIA & BURGER

CASINO DK6

De Wave Group is looking forward to its involvement in the Pacific Adventure project later this year as P&O Cruises Australia continues its fleet transformation.

About the De Wave Group

The De Wave Group is a global manufacturer and contractor with an annual turnover of 200 million euro, serving the full spectrum of cruise ship and yacht interior outfitting, from new builds through to refitting and after sales. Employing 600 skilled workers and benefiting from the support of its own specialist manufacturing facilities with a combined covered production area of 65,000 sq. m, the Group delivers industry-leading quality standards.

The Group comprises 3 specialist companies, each a leader in its field of Marine Interiors: De Wave for cabins and wet units, Precetti for catering areas and Spencer Contract for public areas and yachts.

The De Wave Group is headquartered in Genoa, with offices and production facilities in Italy (Vazzola, Monfalcone, Venezia, Sovizzo, Scorzè and Trieste), France (Saint Nazaire), Germany (Papenburg), Poland (Lipno) and Finland (Turku). In addition, the Group has a Business Unit serving Asia and Oceania from Singapore and a Business Unit serving the United States from Miami.

This global presence enables the De Wave Group to work in numerous shipyards on every continent, building close partnerships with all the main players in shipping and yachting.