Hey guys, hey girls, guess what – it’s Wednesday!
We’re all cheering in our office for another cracking hump day, and we hope you are as well.
To get the ball rolling (downhill to the weekend, mind you!), here’s your hot off the press Cruise Wrap!
Cruise Down Under freshens up
Cruise Down Under (CDU) will now be known as the Australian Cruise Association under a rebrand designed to better represent its members, role and objectives.
The new name was chosen to eliminate existing confusion over the role of the industry association which was often mistaken for a travel agency. It also aims to reflect its growth and diversity within the burgeoning Australian cruise industry.
“Australian cruising continues to be a huge growth industry and we feel a new name for our organisation better reflects our role and positions us perfectly for the future,” chief executive Jill Abel said.
The Australian Cruise Association’s objective is to promote the Australian and Pacific region as a fast growing international cruise destination, with a strong economy and source market that offers an extensive range of experiences – both on and off shore.
The brand has been given a visual refresh by design agency Digital Ink, with an update made to the logo, website and other content.
Cruise Traveller double trouble
Cruise Traveller has launched a Lost Civilisations of Europe and Asia double-cruise holiday combining a 12-night Mediterranean and Aegean voyage aboard Aegean Odyssey with a seven-night Mekong Pandaw cruise in Indochina. The 28-day itinerary departs on July 16 2016 and is priced at $12,989 per person twin share which also includes flights from Australia to Rome and returning from Istanbul via Singapore.
Worldwide Cruise exclusives
Worldwide Cruise Centres has revealed details of an exclusive 26-night Greek Islands and Italian Indulgence itinerary.
The itinerary includes a 14-night cruise on Cunard’s Queen Victoria from Athens to Venice, first class train travel in Europe, walking tours and stays at top hotels, with breakfast each day along with flights from Australia’s major gateways to Athens, returning from Rome.
It is priced fromA$11,999 per person twin share until November 9.
MSC taps into China
Chinese outbound tourism provider CAISSA Touristic Group and MSC Cruises have reaffirmed the strength of their recently announced strategic partnership at a joint press conference in Beijing today, disclosing details of the cruise experiences to be offered aboard MSC Lirica which will serve the Chinese home market from Shanghai from May 2016.
Virtuoso preferred
Virtuoso Asia Pacific today announced a new prefered supplier partnership with boutique luxury cruise line, Uniworld, to expand the network’s offering of luxury products across the globe.
“This is an outstanding product offering and exactly what the discerning, luxury traveller is seeking for from a river cruise today,” Virtuoso Asia Pacific managing director Michael Londregan said.
“Uniworld offers unique, beautifully delivered experiences and exceptionally well fitted ships in destinations across the world so we are pleased to have this valuable partnership in place.”
Uniworld is the first cruise company to be added to the network in nearly five years, president Guy Young stressed as he highlighted the growth of the river cruising industry and the great match between the two luxury brands.
