Captain Serena Melani To Helm Seven Seas Splendor

On International Women's Day, An Historic Cruise Industry Achievement: Captain Serena Melani Will Be First Woman Captain To Launch A Brand-New Cruise Ship

Captain Melani Will Lead Seven Seas SplendorTM When Ship Launches in February 2020

Cruise industry CLIA award winners #TheCLIAs

The big achievers of the Australasian cruising world have been named at this year’s annual Cruise Industry Awards, the biggest night of the year for the Australian and New Zealand cruise community.

Held by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia, the gala dinner and awards night attracted more than 500 guests to Sydney’s Star Event Centre on Saturday and helped mark another successful year in the thriving cruise sector. A total of 20 honours were presented in an evening hosted by actor and singer Tim Campbell, including awards for travel agencies and individuals from across both countries.

CLIA reveals Cruise Industry Awards finalists

Overall winners to be named at industry night of nights in Sydney next month.

Cruise Lines International Association has just released details of the 71 finalists in the 18th annual Cruise Industry Awards.

This year the awards are being conducted under a revamped judging process, with more than 500 submissions considered in the 12 categories open for nomination.

CLIA Australasia Managing Director, Joel Katz, said the standard of entries this year had been particularly high, adding: "the one thing that has become clear from submissions this year is that travel agents are more engaged and dedicated than ever before".

Celebrity Edge Mediterranean Transatlantic & the Southern Caribbean Journey

In November 2019, surround yourself with the picturesque coastlines of Italy, France and Spain, followed by the unforgettable colour and landscapes that make up the Southern Caribbean on Ecruising’s 27-night Mediterranean Transatlantic & the Southern Caribbean Journey.

This unique itinerary invites you on board the recently launched Celebrity Edge, a revolutionary new ship that is poised to change the way you experience cruising. Across 23- nights indulge in world-class restaurants, a state-of-the-art wellness centre and visit the world’s first cantilevered floating platform – reaching heights of 13 stories above sea level, so you can soar over the open ocean, literally.

Arriving in Rome on 30 October, you’ll spend your first two nights at the sensational five star Rome Times Hotel, with a chance to explore the cobblestone streets, beautiful boutiques, cafes and restaurants of the Eternal City.

On 1 November, prepare to embark on the next stage of your journey for a 23-night cruise of a lifetime on board Celebrity Edge. Cruise highlights include stopovers at the Italian seaport of Livorno, the gateway to Florence, Pisa and Tuscany’s vast wine country; Provence in the celebrated French Riviera; the chic island enclave of Palma de Mallorca off the coast of Spain; and Tenerife in the Canary Islands before crossing the Atlantic.

On 15 November, you’ll arrive in the Caribbean where you will spend the next 10 days cruising the pristine waters including stops at Fort Lauderdale in Florida, upscale George Town in the Cayman Islands, Willemstad in Curacao (home of the eponymous liqueur), Kralendijk in Bonaire and Oranjestad in Aruba, before disembarking in Fort Lauderdale on 24 November.

Celebrity Edge pool deck at night

While on board, take time to relax in your luxurious Stateroom where you can enjoy all the comforts of a first class hotel and more, including your very own Infinite Veranda. Other features include a rooftop garden, resort-style pool deck with private cabana retreats, an adults-only indoor Solarium pool and two-story martini hot tubs, not to mention an array of speciality restaurants and the popular Martini Bar.

Spend the final two nights at the five star Westin Fort Lauderdale, the perfect base to explore one of Florida’s most popular tourist destinations. Take time to visit its myriad attractions including the Flamingo Gardens and Wildlife Sanctuary Park, or hop on an airboat on the Intracoastal Waterway and Port Everglades, before flying home to Australia on 26 November.

Ecruising’s 27-night Mediterranean Transatlantic & the Southern Caribbean Journey departs on 29 October. Priced from $7,259 per person twin share, including return economy airfares from Australia, all accommodation, tours and transfers and all main meals on board Celebrity Edge.

*Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

For more information about this itinerary or Ecruising please visit: www.ecruising.travel or telephone 1300 369 848.

MSC Grandiosa floats out in Saint-Nazaire

MSC Cruises' third Meraviglia generation ship to set sail in November 2019

MSC Cruises, the Swiss-based world's largest privately-owned cruise line and market leader in Europe, South America, South Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and Chantiers de l'Atlantique have celebrated the float out of MSC Grandiosa at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, where the ship is being built. She has now been moved to a wet dock, where work on the ship will continue until her delivery in October 2019.

'The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built' to Sail Australia and New Zealand

• 'The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built' Set to Sail Local Waters for the First Time in 2020/21 as Part of Her Inaugural Australian and New Zealand Season
• Nine brand-new, all-inclusive Asia Pacific sailings aboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Explorer now on sale

Leading luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) is excited to announce that 'The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built™, Seven Seas Explorer, will cruise Australian and New Zealand waters as part of her 2020/21 season for the first time since debuting in 2016.

Spice up your life on Ecruising’s The Culinary Dream through Asia journey

Foodies and gourmets, rejoice, and get ready to satisfy your epi-curious itch on Ecruising's ultimate gastronomic odyssey – The Culinary Dream through Asia Rail and Sail journey.

Departing on 27 February 2019, this mouth-watering 24-night itinerary takes in some of southeast Asia's most celebrated food destinations as well as a 2-night train trip aboard the iconic Eastern & Oriental Express, hosted by celebrity chef, Luke Mangan, and a 15-night cruise from Myanmar to Indonesia.

Your journey begins in Singapore where you will have 2 nights to explore the city's famous Hawker stalls at your leisure, before boarding the Eastern & Oriental Express. Over the next 3 days, join Luke for a series of tours and cooking demonstrations as he shares his passion for Asian cuisine, and immerse yourself in the tranquil scenery of rural Malaysia and Thailand, before arriving in Bangkok on 3 March 2019. Highlights en route include stopovers in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar in Malaysia's Perak Province, visits to Thailand's notorious River Kwai Bridge and the Thai-Burma Railway Museum, a bicycle tour through Thai rice paddies and cooking classes.

From Bangkok, you'll fly to Yangon in Myanmar where you spend one night before boarding Silver Discoverer on 5 March 2019 for an exciting 15-night Silversea Expedition – taking in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands and a semi-circumnavigation of Sumatra and Java.

One of India's most remote territories, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are slowly opening up to tourism and the cruise offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn more about the Islands' indigenous tribal communities. Relax and explore some spectacular beaches or, if you are feeling more energetic, snorkel with an astonishing array of sea creatures including snappers, Napoleon wrasses, moray eels, nudibranchs, eagle rays, stingrays, star fish, lionfish, and many more.

Entering Indonesian waters, cruise highlights include a stopover in Banda Aceh on Sumatra's tip, with its solemn monuments commemorating the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami; an immersion into the traditional farming and fishing lifestyle of Indonesia's picturesque Simeulue Islands; astonishing demonstrations of agility from the Nias Islands' famous stone jumpers; and a visit to a traditional matrilineal Minangkabau village in West Sumatra's lush highlands.

Also on the itinerary are visits to Java's UNESCO World Heritage site of Ujung Kulon National Park; the awe-inspiring volcano of Anak Krakatoa rising dramatically from the Sunda Strait; the stunning Karimunjawa Marine National Park with its 27 islands surrounded by dazzling corals; the Great Mosque of Sumenep built in 1763; and the active volcanos of Mount Semeru and Mount Bromo in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.

Disembarking in Bali on 20 Mach 2019, spend the final 3 nights of your journey discovering the unique and exotic flavours of Balinese cuisine. Visit the famous Gianyar Night Market, indulge in a traditional Megibung dining experience and try your hand at making local dishes at a Balinese cooking class, before flying home to Australia on 23 March 2019.

Departing on 27 February 2020, prices for Ecruising's 24-night The Culinary Dream through Asia Rail and Sail journey start from $15,359 per person twin share, including all accommodation, return economy class airfares from Australia, transfers, and all meals and selected beverages aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express and on board Silver Discoverer.