There are more new cruise ship updates from all corners of the cruise industry to keep track of this week.
Norwegian Cruise Line hosted the official christening ceremony for its newest ship, the Norwegian Encore, in Miami. Hosted by the ship’s godmother, Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson, the ceremony brought over 3,500 guests to PortMiami. The new ship will offer seven-day voyages to the Eastern Caribbean from Miami beginning November 24, 2019; Bermuda, and Canada and New England itineraries from New York City beginning April 22, 2020; and voyages to the Western Caribbean from Miami beginning December 12, 2020. In the spring of 2021, Norwegian Encore will make its West Coast debut and sail to Alaska from Seattle.
Looking ahead, Carnival Cruise Line announced that Vanna White, the legendary co-host of Wheel of Fortune, will serve as the godmother to the new Carnival Panorama. White will oversee the ship’s naming ceremony, which will take place in Long Beach, CA, on December 10, marking the first new ship from the line to homeport on the West Coast in 20 years.
In other news from Carnival, the cruise line announced new details on the roller coaster and open-air recreation area on the upcoming Mardi Gras, which is set to debut in August 2020. The line showed off the design and color scheme of the roller coaster’s motorcycle-inspired vehicles, as well as updates on the slides and WaterWorks aqua park on the Ultimate Playground recreation area.
Virgin Voyages, meanwhile, announced that the name of its second ship will be the Valiant Lady, and that the new vessel will homeport in Barcelona, Spain, for its May 2021 debut. From there the ship will sail seven-night Mediterranean itineraries, all three variations of which will offer overnight and late-night stops in France, Italy and Spain.
Finally, in small ship news, Ecoventura announced plans to add a third 20-passenger luxury mega-yacht to its Galapagos Islands fleet in 2021. Called Evolve, the new mega-yacht will mark the completion of the company’s fully upgraded fleet. The new ship will join the rest of Ecoventura’s Relais & Chateaux fleet in design, style and experience, with 10 cabins with panoramic views from all corners and onboard amenities that include a full-time concierge, a fitness center, a sundeck with loungers and daybeds, a Jacuzzi and sustainably sourced cuisine.
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