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    SILVERSEA® INTRODUCES DIRECT CHARTER FLIGHTS TO THE ARCTIC FROM LONDON, NEW YORK, MONTREAL & OSLO

    Silversea Cruises®, the leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, has introduced new direct private charter flights for 28 Arctic and Greenland sailings in 2023 and 2024.Guests sailing on select Silver Endeavour℠, Silver Wind®, and Silver Cloud® voyages will benefit from a more seamless journey via London, New York, Montreal, and Oslo to some of the Arctic’s most remote destinations – such as Longyearbyen, Kangerlussuaq, Pond Inlet, and more. The latest innovation from Silversea Cruises enhances ultra-luxury cruising’s most diverse and extensive Arctic offering, which comprises 37 itineraries to over 110 destinations between 2023 and 2025.
    As part of the most complete and seamless journey to the Arctic, Silversea’s guests can enjoy private executive transfers to and from the airport; convenient connections via London, New York, Montreal, and Oslo; and warm welcomes by Silversea representatives throughout the journey. Guests opting for both Silversea’s door-to-door and port-to-port offerings will fly to the Arctic on private charter flights, with an enhanced service throughout, a superior culinary offering, premium beverages, and bespoke in-flight entertainment. When required by the itinerary, overnight luxury accommodation will be included as standard with both port-to-port and door-to-door fares. Once in the Arctic, guests will be transferred to their luxury vessel rested and ready to explore.
    “Building on our all-inclusive expedition offering—which is the most comprehensive in the industry—we are pleased to introduce new private charter flights to the Arctic and Greenland to enhance the seamlessness of our guests’ journeys,” said Massimo Brancaleoni, SVP Global Sales at Silversea Cruises. “Silversea is committed to innovation and we are always looking for ways to enhance the travel experience for our guests, including the pre- and post-cruise journey. Not only do we unlock the Arctic’s most remote regions with unique destination expertise and some of the most luxurious ships at sea, but we do so in unparalleled comfort and convenience. Complementing our private executive transfers between home and the airport, our new offering of private charter flights will allow our guests to focus on enjoying their Arctic adventure from the moment they leave their homes.”
    Silversea’s Arctic cruises define transformative travel. Travelling aboard three of the cruise line’s ultra-luxury ships—including the new-to-fleet Silver Endeavour, the world’s most luxurious expedition ship—guests enjoy all-inclusive comfort, enrichments from the cruise line’s expedition experts, and access to some of the region’s most off-the-beaten-path destinations. Guests might spot polar bears and whales, visit Inuit communities, or brave the ‘polar plunge,’ among other immersive experiences—all the while enjoying the signature level of comfort for which the cruise line is renowned.
    For more information on Silversea’s Arctic and Greenland voyages, visit:https://www.silversea.com/destinations/cruises-arctic-greenland.htmlADVERTISEMENT

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    MSC Group Sends Relief Aid on Board MSC Aurelia to Earthquake-Hit Areas in Turkey and Syria

    The MSC Group and the MSC Foundation have organized an urgent response to support the population in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.A wide effort is underway across the MSC family and the company is closely coordinating with the Turkish authorities, the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Vatican. MSC Aurelia, normally used as a passenger and vehicle ferry, departed from the Port of Naples on 16 February heading for the port of Iskenderun (Alexandretta).
    MSC Aurelia, with a cargo capacity of 40 trucks and 400+ cars, loaded basic necessities and first aid items collected by the MSC Group and the MSC Foundation, together with the Rava Foundation. The cargo onboard includes 60 pallets of medical supplies, food, hygiene items, warm clothing and blankets, as well as toys and crayons for children. An additional 50 boxes of thermal shirts are being carried on behalf of the Vatican.
    We express our gratitude to the EcoEridania Group for participating in the initiative with an in-kind donation and for assisting with logistics for the relief shipment.
    Once it reaches its destination, the MSC Aurelia will be available as emergency accommodation, providing the impacted communities with over 1,000 beds and leisure spaces including a restaurant and cinema, as well as video-game entertainment for children.
    In addition, thanks to the collaboration between the MSC Foundation and the UN Refugee Agency – also known as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – a further 100 containers carrying first aid supplies (including blankets, mattresses, sleeping bags, kitchen sets, jerry cans and lamps) are departing from Jordan via Haifa, the headquarters of the UN Refugee Agency’s warehouses. The containers will be destined for Gaziantep and other cities hit hardest by the earthquake and will be at the disposal of the relief workers already onsite caring for survivors.ADVERTISEMENTFurthermore, MSC Türkiye has set up temporary accommodation at Iskenderun port using empty containers for 300 MSC Group employees and their families who unfortunately lost their homes in the earthquake disaster. MSC Türkiye is also arranging for the distribution of food, beverages and items to meet basic needs. In the same way, the MSC Group, in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs, is carrying and providing thousands of empty containers to four of Türkiye’s hardest-hit provinces: Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Hatay and Kahramanmaraş. The containers will provide temporary shelter for the earthquake survivors.
    The support of the MSC Group and the MSC Foundation also includes a global fundraising campaign among employees of the group. Every donation by an employee of MSC will be matched by the MSC Foundation and will be used to support organizations working on reconstruction projects in Türkiye and Syria.
    “We feel a strong sense of obligation to act promptly in order to support the people most in need by all means. We are a part of a global organization that can set in motion a large-scale operation by involving foundations and associations that we collaborate with all around the world. As soon as the terrible earthquake in Türkiye and Syria struck, we immediately took action to collect funds, supplies and food, which we can deliver on our ships within a short period of time. This is where the valuable collaboration with the Francesca Rava Foundation comes in, which we thank for immediately joining this initiative. The departure of MSC Aurelia from the port of Naples is an initial example of what we are doing, while we keep on working to provide associations and governments with what we can, so that by sea and by land some comfort can reach those who are presently living in dire situations and, in the future, for the rebuilding of cities and the environment. It is not the first time that MSC Foundation and the MSC Group have been on the front lines of emergency relief operations: in 2022, we provided extraordinary funding worth millions of euros to offer aid to refugees from Ukraine and led eight emergency relief initiatives in nine countries, strengthening our global emergency capabilities,” said Daniela Picco, Executive Director of the MSC Foundation.
    Mariavittoria Rava, President of the Francesca Rava Foundation, said: “We are wholeheartedly close to the children and families affected by this immense tragedy, which brought back memories of the terrible earthquake that destroyed the very poor Haiti in 2010. As always in emergencies, Francesca Rava Foundation’s goal is to act quickly and in agreement with local institutions and partners, as was the case on this occasion also with Joy For Children Aps and Salaheddini Eyyubi Yardim Dernegi, which have already been operating for several years on the Turkish-Syrian border. I am deeply grateful to the MSC Foundation for this important and valuable synergy, which allows us to bring further concrete help to the earthquake victims. In emergencies, it is always very important to identify the most urgent needs right away and develop targeted and timely action. To continue to help we need funds: stay close to us, together we can make a difference in the lives of those who suffer. Thank you.”

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    Cunard sees strongest start to Wave in the last decade

    Cunard has reported that in the first week of January it has booked more guests than any equivalent period in the last decade.The luxury brand has seen strong booking momentum across 2023 and 2024 sailings, with summer itineraries and Queen Anne’s maiden season proving to be particularly popular with guests.Carnival UK president, Sture Myrmell said, “Following two of our strongest booking periods in 2022, we have seen unparalleled bookings during the start of Wave.”
    “We’ve increased our marketing investment significantly, including the use of TV advertising for the first time as we reach and appeal to new audiences.”
    “It’s clear that guests are looking forward to stepping back on board both in the UK and across all our global markets.”
    For more information about Cunard, or to book a voyage, visit www.cunard.com.

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    Queen Mary 2 celebrates Liberty’s first store at sea with launch of limited-edition scarf.

    A limited-edition Cunard x Liberty scarf has been launched to celebrate Liberty’s first store at sea.
    The store – which opened on Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 in October 2022 – features the brand’s best-selling items, including silk pyjama sets, purses and bags, as well as two colourways of the special Cunard x Liberty scarf.
    The Cunard x Liberty scarf is available on Queen Mary 2 and is priced at $350.Cunard’s association with Liberty dates back to 1968, when an original bespoke scarf, titled ‘Vacances’, was hand-painted by Liberty’s design director at the time, Bernard Nevill. The design was hugely successful and reimagined in 1988 for Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2. The artists in the Liberty design studio have re-drawn this classic design once more, giving it a modern twist by spotlighting the joyful holiday scenes from the original and springing them from the border, giving the scarf a delightful escapist feel.Lee Powell, Vice President of Brand & Product, Cunard, said, “We are delighted to celebrate the first ever Liberty store at sea aboard Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2, and are especially excited to showcase this beautiful scarf designed exclusively for Cunard by Liberty’s talented team.”
    The Liberty store will be operated by Harding+, Cunard’s long term cruise retail partner. Plans are underway for Liberty products to be available on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria later in the year.

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    EMERALD CRUISES LAUNCHES 2023/24 YACHT CRUISE BROCHURE

    EMERALD CRUISES LAUNCHES 2023/24 YACHT CRUISE BROCHUREThe brochure features a range of new voyages onboard Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara, which is set to debut in late 2023.
    Highlights include Caribbean and Central American voyages, Transatlantic sailings and new ports of calls across the Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea.Emerald will sail to fifteen new islands and countries, as both Azzurra and Sakara will be homeporting in the Caribbean during the winter of 2023 and 2024.
    A ten-day Grenadines and Grenada voyage sails round-trip from Bridgetown and calls at Tobago Cays, Bequia Island, Saint Vincent, Union Island, Mayreau Island and Carriacou Island, with prices starting from £4,805pp based on a 24 November 2023 departure.

    Meanwhile, the ten-day Coastal Adventures: Costa Rica and Panama itinerary sails from Puntaneras to Curu and Isla Tortuga, Quepos, Golfito, Isla Cebaco, Darien National Park, San Jose Island and Panama City. Prices start from £5,200pp.ADVERTISEMENTThe line will also offer three ocean crossing itineraries, including a 13-day San Juan to Santa Cruz de Tenerife itinerary which sails from San Juan to Tenerife, with prices starting at £4,895pp.

    Meanwhile, the 11-day Highlights of Spain, Morocco and Italy itinerary sails from Tenerife to Arrecife, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Malaga, Cartagena, Palma de Mallorca, Mahon, Bonifaco and Civitavecchia, with prices starting from £5,550pp.

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