Month: September 2019

United Airlines has officially welcomed a one-of-a-kind livery to its fleet that was created by a New Jersey native as a tribute to the New York/New Jersey region the airline serves from its Newark Liberty International Airport hub. Designed by artist Corinne Antonelli, the Boeing 757 features iconic imagery from the two states including the historic Red Mill in New Jersey, the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty, as well as a globe signaling United Airlines worldwide connectivity. 

Ms. Antonelli designed the aircraft as part of United's Her Art Here contest, a competition that gave female artists the chance to use an airplane as their canvas and inspire women around the world who are interested in a career in the arts. According to the National Museum of Women in the Art, while 51% of today's artists are women less than 13% of art on display in museums in the U.S is by female artists.

"It still feels like I am dreaming! I have seen the design on paper countless times, but now to see it, at its full scale in the physical world, there are no words to describe how proud I feel. My goal as an artist is to have people experience my art rather than just view it in a gallery, therefore having it displayed on an airplane has certainly been the most rewarding feeling I've ever experienced in my art career," noted Antonelli, who lives in Washington, NJ and is studying illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida.

Her Art Here is the first-of-its-kind contest designed to find and uplift underrepresented women artists by providing a chance to have their work painted on a canvas like no other — a United Airlines aircraft. Having their designs painted on a Boeing 757 provides artists with a traveling canvas that flies on average 1.6 million miles a year and 476 cross-country trips. The aircraft is roughly 3,666 times larger than the typical 18" x 24" canvas.

The Her Art Here contest was open to those who identify as a woman, including cisgender, transgender, woman-aligned or non-binary, and reside in the United States, and asked artists to visually represent either New York/New Jersey or California, two key markets for the airline, in their own style, while combining the company's mission and what the communities in each region mean to the artist. Entries were scored by a panel of judges based on contest criteria and winners were determined based on a combination of judging scores and public voting. The California livery will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Every customer. Every flight. Every day.

In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers' best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today's announcement, United recently announced that luxury skincare line Sunday Riley will make products exclusively for United customers to experience in amenity kits, released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry, introduced ConnectionSaver, a new tool dedicated to improving the experience for customers connecting from one United flight to the next and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats.

Source: hub.united.com

Cunard’s three Queens to visit 123 destinations across 39 countries as surging demand sees Cunard itineraries span the globe. 17 Mediterranean destinations will be available to choose from in the new programme

Luxury cruise line Cunard is excited to release its June 2021 to January 2022 cruise schedule, which will see its three Queens visit 123 destinations across 39 countries.

With an extensive range of itineraries that span the globe, the 2021 schedule includes a variety of extended port stays, including 174 voyages with late evening departures. The schedule means guests can immerse themselves in the local cultures of a wide range of exciting international destinations, at their leisure. 

In addition to a number of evening departures, Cunard’s 2021 season includes many overnight stays in spectacular and renowned cities; including Boston, Funchal, Lisbon, Quebec, Reykjavik, Rotterdam, Shanghai, Singapore and St. Petersburg.

Simon Palethorpe, President, Cunard said: “Filled with inspiring destinations, we’re making it our priority to ensure our guests have as long as possible to explore the world’s most exquisite locations in their own time and at their own pace. After immersing themselves in the local culture, guests can look forward to enjoying our unique on board experience that offers the freedom of time and space with our exemplary White Star Service that is second to none.”

Queen Victoria will undertake an engaging European itinerary throughout 2021 including 20 Southampton roundtrip voyages. Highlights include a maiden visit to Aarhus, Denmark; a first for Cunard in its 180 year history; while extended stays in Lisbon, Reykjavik and St. Petersburg are sure to attract attention.

In 1840, Cunard became the first shipping line to offer regularly scheduled crossings. Today, Cunard alone maintain this timeless tradition, offering 23 crossings in 2021 on board the world’s only ocean liner, Queen Mary 2. 

In response to surging demand, Asia remains firmly on Cunard’s radar in 2021 with Queen Elizabeth based in the Asia-Pacific region throughout the year. Itineraries include circumnavigations of Japan, a variety of Australian and New Zealand voyages as well as a spectacular maiden call in Seogwipo City, South Korea.

Simon Palethorpe continues: “In addition to 31 wonderful round trip voyages from our home port of Southampton, we are excited that 2021 sees Cunard offer itineraries that span the globe. It is a testament to our long-standing commitment to excellence that from Southampton to Shanghai, Boston to Brisbane, Cunard has become synonymous with luxury in all corners of the world.” 

Source: www.cunard.com

Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury travel experience, is moving toward the launch of two new ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ships, set to begin cruising the world’s most coveted and remote destinations in June 2021 and May 2022, respectively. Travelers on Seabourn Venture and her yet-to-be-named sister ship will find a wealth of masterfully crafted onboard spaces, including Seabourn Square, which is currently found on all five Seabourn ships and is a true guest favorite.

Renowned designer Adam D. Tihany has shaped public spaces that capture the romanticism of early explorers with the vibrant energy of present day, invoking a timeless sense of adventure while maintaining the familiarity of the venues that past guests have grown to enjoy.
A popular destination on every Seabourn vessel, Seabourn Square will be the true ‘living room’ of the line’s new expedition ships. An inviting sociable space where guests will find a charming European style coffee bar, Seabourn Square has been designed as an open, comfortable environment for guests to interact with onboard officers and the expedition team and engage in conversation with family and new friends. The space is also home to the highly-trained Guest Services staff, who provide a range of concierge services such as general ship information, assistance with special service requests, port and travel information, and more.
A selection of coffees are prepared by the skilled onboard baristas using beans roasted in Seabourn Square. For those feeling a bit hungry, Seabourn Square offers freshly made pastries and other on-the-go breakfast items in the morning, as well as an assortment of light sandwiches and desserts later in the day, along with a selection of artisanal gelati made on board. Guests will also find a wide range of books in the adjoining library, with a host of titles on subjects such as adventure, expeditions and other topics of interest to enjoy while onboard. Staying current with the news is made easy with a selection of printed newspapers from around the world and tablets featuring the Press Reader news application available to browse each day.

In keeping with the design on its two most recent ships – Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation – the circular Guest Services concierge desks in Seabourn Square face outward, while wood-backed scalloped banquettes and lounge chairs designed as part of the Seabourn Venture collection by Tihany’s product arm encircle live-edge-wood coffee and side tables, creating intimate gathering spaces throughout. Riveted leather wall panels envelop the room, echoing the handcrafted details of the furniture. Overhead, a circular patterned ceiling recalls the symmetrical composition of a compass, while thoughtfully curated bookshelves and expedition-themed artworks and accessories paint a picture of an explorer’s private home outfitted with mementos from past voyages. In addition, the lounge will extend onto the aft of Deck 6, offering guests a variety of outdoor seating to relax and soak up the views, with fixed Swarovski telescopes enabling discovery from the comfort of the ultra-luxury expedition ship.
“Seabourn Venture and her sister ship will offer a variety of great spaces for guests to relax, revel in the experience, and get to know one another in our all-inclusive environment,” said Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn. “Seabourn Square is always a place with an underlying sense of community – where guests and our staff share stories from their lives and travels - and I’m certain it will be on the new expedition ships as well.”

Each new ultra-luxury expedition ship will feature 132 luxurious oceanfront veranda suites. Renderings of the new ships, suites and public spaces of the ship can be found in the link here. More details about other dining, social venues and public spaces will continue to be revealed in the coming months. Itineraries for the first season of travel aboard Seabourn Venture are now open for booking on the Seabourn website.

Seabourn continues to represent the pinnacle of ultra-luxury travel with intimate ships offering key elements that set the line apart: spacious, thoughtfully appointed suites, many with verandas and all 100% ocean front; superb dining in a choice of venues; complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times; award-winning service and a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel right at home on board. The ships travel the globe to many of the world’s most desirable destinations, including marquee cities, more than 170 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and lesser-known ports and hideaways.

Source: www.seabourn.com

Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage in 2020 also open for booking; extended cruises deeply explore multiple continents on immersive journeys

Early Booking Bonuses offer a host of exclusive perks and savings

In 2020, Holland America Line will debut a new Grand Africa Voyage that circles the continent and features more than a dozen epic safari experiences and wildlife encounters. The premium cruise line also is offering 2020 and 2021 Grand South America and Antarctica voyages in which an Amazon River exploration and in-depth Antarctica cruising anchor the itineraries.

Cruising from Boston, Massachusetts, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the 79-day Grand Africa Voyage departs Oct. 3, 2020, aboard Amsterdam, offering the ideal mid-sized ship for the journey. Volendam sets sail Jan. 5, 2020, on a 77-day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage, while the 2021 journey departs Jan. 4 for 74 days.

“Our longer Grand Voyages are the pinnacle of worldly exploration in the most immersive way, and for years guests have asked for Africa so we set out to deliver the most authentic itinerary that delves deep into the continent,” said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “The Grand South America & Antarctic Voyage continues to be popular for the variety of cultures it offers. The ship goes from the tropics to glaciers and everything in between, all in one cruise. The 2020 itinerary is selling well and we’re excited to open 2021 for our guests who are ready to start planning.”

Spectacular Grand Africa Voyage an Adventurer’s Dream
Holland America Line’s Grand Africa Voyage departs Boston Oct. 3, 2020, on a 79-day itinerary that circles the continent on a clockwise route, making 19 African calls and exploring the Middle East. The ship visits Newport, Rhode Island; New York, New York; and then Fort Lauderdale where guests can embark for a 74-day roundtrip cruise. Amsterdam then crosses the Atlantic Ocean to the islands of Madeira and Lanzarote. Guests will then explore Moroccan traditions at Agadir and Casablanca; take in a kaleidoscope of colors at La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia; and visit the island of Malta. The ship transits the Suez Canal en route to Aqaba, Jordan, for an overnight call and the opportunity to travel to the Lost City of Petra.

After a call at Salālah, Oman, Amsterdam overnights at the idyllic port of Victoria in the Seychelles, boasting pristine natural beauty and a vibrant Creole heritage.

Wildlife takes center stage for the upcoming calls on the Grand Africa Voyage, with several safari opportunities. An overnight at Mombasa, Kenya, affords guests the chance to go to Serengeti National Park or Maasi Mara Reserve. Guests also can go overland to Ngorongoro Crater or take a day safari at Tsavo National Park.

At Zanzibar, Tanzania, guests can visit the Jozani Forest Reserve and see the rare red colobus monkey, while a call at Mamoudzou, Mayotte, offers world-class snorkeling and diving. Lokobe National Park and the Black Lemur Sanctuary can be visited during a call at Andoany (Hell-Ville), Nosy-Be, Madagascar; and the call at Maputo, Mozambique, is the gateway for an overland to Kruger National Park, the largest game reserve in South Africa. Richards Bay, South Africa, offers an abundance of wildlife EXCursions, including overland tours to Phinda Mountain Lodge and Thanda Private Game Reserve. 

The ship then arrives at Cape Town, South Africa, for two full days and an array of memorable experiences. Guests can visit world-famous wineries, explore Table Mountain, view Nelson Mandela's prison cell, coast along Chapman's Peak Drive, go overland to Kulala Desert Lodge, head out on a local safari and more. 

Amsterdam begins the final leg of the Africa adventure cruising up the west coast of the continent to Luderitz and Walvis Bay, Namibia; Luanda, Angola; Banjul, Gambia; Dakar, Senegal; and Mindelo, Cape Verde. The ships spends five leisurely days crossing the Atlantic Ocean to San Juan, Puerto, Rico, before arriving in Fort Lauderdale Dec. 21.

Grand South America & Antarctica 2021
In 2021, Volendam embarks on a 74-day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage, which visits 34 ports in eight countries and various Caribbean islands. The circumnavigation includes extensive exploration of two juxtaposed natural wonders: the Amazon River and Antarctica. Overnight calls include two nights at Callao (Lima), Peru; and single nights at Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro and Manaus, Brazil.

The roundtrip Fort Lauderdale voyage departs Jan. 4, 2021, and transits the Panama Canal before heading to Ecuador and Peru. Two nights at Callao afford guests time to take an overland tour to the famed site of Machu Picchu. Two more calls in Peru and seven visits throughout Chile set a course for scenic cruising in the Chilean Fjords, the Strait of Magellan, the Cockburn and Beagle channels, Glacier Alley and Cape Horn. A call at Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of Argentina kicks off four days of spectacular scenic cruising in Antarctica where iceberg-dotted waters and an abundance of wildlife await. 

After leaving Antarctica, Volendam begins the journey northward to the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and Argentina. During an overnight at Buenos Aires, guests can take in a sultry tango show or indulge in an overland tour to Iguazu Falls. Brazil takes center stage, with 12 calls throughout South America’s largest country, including an overnight in Rio de Janeiro. The journey along the Amazon River takes the ship to Manaus for an overnight, giving guests time to enjoy a performance at the Teatro Amazonas Opera House. Two Caribbean calls at beautiful tropical isles provide the perfect ending before the ship reaches Fort Lauderdale.  

Grand South America & Antarctica 2020
Volendam also offers a similar Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage in 2020, departing Jan. 5 for a 77-day journey. During the cruise, the ship visits 37 ports in seven countries and several Caribbean islands. Overnight calls include Fuerte Amador, Panama; and Callao, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Manaus. 

The 2020 voyage also explores Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and 14 calls in Brazil, with Chilean Fjord and Glacier Alley scenic cruising, a four-day Antarctica Experience and Amazon River journey. Guests looking for a shorter cruise can book a 41-day segment from Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires or a 36-day segment from Buenos Aires to Fort Lauderdale.

Early Booking Bonuses
Guests who book the 74- or 79-day Grand Africa Voyage by Feb. 28, 2020, or the 2021 74-day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage by June 1, 2020, will receive a host of exclusive perks valued at more than $4,000 per person.

The bonus rewards include pre-paid gratuities, luggage delivery service, a welcome aboard bottle of sparkling wine and an onboard spending credit of $300 per person for select ocean-view staterooms. Book a suite and enjoy up to $1,000 per person in onboard spending credit, a complimentary shore excursion, a Signature Internet Package and an initial in-suite liquor set-up. If the Grand Africa Voyage is paid in full by Feb. 28, 2020, or the 2021 Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage is paid in full by June 1, 2020, guests also receive a 3 percent savings off the cruise-only fare. Early booking bonus terms and conditions apply. 

The company commits to five more years of working with UNESCO to enable historic and cultural preservation projects around the world and promote sustainable cultural tourism

Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury travel experience, has signed an agreement to extend its official partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a unique alliance to help protect World Heritage. The five-year extension will continue to foster wider support and understanding in the travel industry and among travelers for UNESCO’s mission of safeguarding and promoting the world’s unique cultural and natural heritage recognized for its outstanding universal value. 

Seabourn and its guests have contributed more than $1 million (USD) to UNESCO since inception in 2014 as a component of this partnership, providing a significant level of support to the organization and its mission. 

“We’re incredibly proud to continue our relationship with UNESCO as their official cruise partner, building on the work we have completed together in recent years,” said Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn. “Together we share a common view that the preservation of cultural and historic sites around the world has lasting impact on travelers for generations to come.”

For Seabourn’s guests, the UNESCO alliance means that their travels on Seabourn’s intimate, all-suite ships are richly enhanced by deeper insight, unique access and behind-the-scenes information about World Heritage sites and projects. Speakers with special knowledge about World Heritage join select sailings on Seabourn’s ships as a part of the line’s complementary Seabourn Conversations enrichment and entertainment program. In addition, fares for Seabourn optional excursions to UNESCO World Heritage Sites include a small donation to UNESCO.  The company offers more than 250 shore experiences at over 170 UNESCO designated sites and has also created special World Heritage Discovery Tours at a number of ports worldwide.

Seabourn enables guests’ passion for exploring and learning more about the world’s most exceptional destinations. Since the partnership’s founding in 2014, Seabourn has facilitated visits to hundreds of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The financial support from Seabourn directly supports UNESCO’s efforts to promote and preserve these precious sites for future generations.

Seabourn represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury travel with intimate ships offering key elements that set the line apart including spacious, thoughtfully appointed all-suite accommodations, many with verandas and all 100% ocean front. The ships travel the globe to many of the world’s most desirable destinations, including more than 425 marquee cities and lesser-known ports and hideaways on all seven continents.

Source: www.seabourn.com