German cruise line operator Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has found itself in the middle of an online firestorm after a guard shot and killed a polar bear during a shore excursion to an Arctic archipelago from one of its expedition cruise ships over the weekend. In a statement posted to Facebook on Sunday, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises says it "very much regrets" the incident but made … [Read more...]
Lindblad Orders Second Newbuild Polar Expedition Ship
The Board of Directors Lindblad Expeditions has authorized a plan to order a second newbuild polar expedition cruise ship as part of the company's long-term growth strategy within the expedition cruise market. Lindblad Expeditions is an expedition cruise tourism company that operates cruises in partnership with National Geographic. The new ship has delivery planned for … [Read more...]
VARD to Construct Third Expedition Cruise Ship for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
VARD has announced it has secured new contract for the design and construction of a luxury expedition cruise vessel for German cruise company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. VARD already constructing two Polar-class expedition cruise ships under construction for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Like those already under construction, the third ship will specially-designed for … [Read more...]
Seabourn to Order Two Ultra-Luxury Cruise Ships
Seattle-based luxury cruise line Seabourn has signed a Letter of Intent for the construction of two ultra-luxury expedition cruise ships. The newbuilds will be constructed by a partnership between Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti and Damen Shipyards in the Netherlands. Delivery is planned for June 2021 and May 2022, respectively. Seabourn says the 170 meter, 23,000 … [Read more...]
Ritz-Carlton is Trying to Fix Everything You Hate About Cruise Ships
By Sara Clemence (Bloomberg) -- Visits to secluded islands. Long, leisurely port calls. A crew that intuits whether you’re in the mood for a private tour of a nearby estate or a day of sunning on the deck. It sounds much more like yachting than cruising—which is precisely the point. When Ritz-Carlton, Marriott International Inc.'s flagship luxury brand, unveiled … [Read more...]