Our Cruise and Ferry team has been busy catching up with many of our valued partners and some of the key players in the cruise industry at various events over the past couple of months.
Jon Ingleton, our executive editor, travelled to St. Petersburg in Russia for the Cruise Europe Conference at the end of April, getting some great insights into the challenges and opportunities facing European cruise ports. He also managed to squeeze in a mini cruise onboard Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas when she arrived at her new Southampton homeport after an extensive refit. Next up was the MedCruise General Assembly in Valletta, Malta, where Jon enjoyed hearing about the latest trends in the Mediterranean, and a trip to London to meet representatives from Norwegian ports during Norway Day at the end of May.
Meanwhile, our long-standing account manager Benedict set foot on his first cruise ship when he was invited to join Marella Cruises for Marella Explorer’s christening in Palma, Spain this May. Formerly TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1, the vessel was refurbished and rebranded ahead of her move to join the Marella Cruises fleet.
"TUI’s team has invested a lot of time speaking with passengers when planning Marella Explorer’s features because it was clear during our tour that every inch of the ship has been carefully considered,” says Benedict. “My hat goes off to Trimline, which completely reinvigorated the ship’s interior during an incredibly short four-week dry dock! The staff were very welcoming and attentive and I’m sure the ship will delight passengers for years to come."