Cruising New Magazine April 2019 April 2019 Edition | Page 24

Float Out of Seven Seas Splendor
With a ceremonial good luck
champagne bottle shattered against
the freshly-painted Seven Seas
Splendor hull, the highly anticipated
new Regent Seven Seas Cruise's luxury
ship celebrated a major construction
milestone on 9 February, as she floated
from the building dry dock to touch
the sea for the first time.
Cunard President Simon Palethorpe on right
on his third visit to Australia pictured with
Matthew Gleaves, Cunard Vice President
of International Development and Planning
and Cunard Senior Manager for Australia
and New Zealand Katrina McAlpine
Welcome Visitors
The visitors were in Australia to highlight
the 2019 visit of Queen Elizabeth and
promote the ship’s return to Australia
for an unparalleled 118 days over the
2020-21 summer, headlining the luxury
cruise line’s biggest ever Australian
season.
Now buoyant at Fincantieri’s
shipyard in Ancona, Italy, final-stage
construction on Seven Seas Splendor
will focus on her interior spaces
including 375 lavish suites, elegant
lounges and gourmet restaurants that
will all represent luxury perfected. The
fifth ship in Regent’s fleet sets sail in
February 2020.
“One year from now, guests will begin
immersing themselves in elegance
and hospitality, while fully discovering
the hundreds of destinations around
the world Seven Seas Splendor travels,
returning home at day’s end to the
exquisite comfort and care on board
with every luxury included,” said
Jason Montague, president and chief
executive officer of Regent Seven Seas
Cruises. “I’m excited for our guests to
experience how Seven Seas Splendor
will perfect luxury.”
The float out celebration followed
maritime tradition, first by flooding the
basin where Seven Seas Splendor has
been under construction since June
2018, followed by a ribbon-cutting by
the launch ceremony’s madrina, and
a prayer by the shipyard Chaplain.
Francesca Giovagnoli served as
madrina of the ceremony. A 17-year
Fincantieri employee, Mrs. Giovagnoli
is the daughter of Mario Giovagnoli,
who has worked at the Ancona
shipyard for more than 30 years.
Simon Palethorpe said the cruise
line’s decision to boost its Australian
presence even further reflected the
continuing growth in popularity of
Cunard cruises among Australian
travellers.
“Our new 2020-21 season is not
only our biggest, it will be the third
consecutive summer deployment
Down Under for Queen Elizabeth, 54
days in 2019, 101 days in 2020 and
118 days in 2021, which is winning a
strong following among local cruisers
who enjoy her stylish features and her
voyage offerings,” Mr Palethorpe said.
“Basing Queen Elizabeth in Australia for
a record 118 days enables us to create
a range of new itinerary options, such
as our longer New Zealand journeys,
which we think will appeal to both
existing and new Cunard guests
and boost the popularity of Queen
Elizabeth even further.”
Other highlights include a Royal
Rendezvous with Queen Victoria in
Sydney on 1 March 2021 – marking
the first time the two ships have met
in Australia – as well as a special
overnight call in Auckland on 31
December 2020, enabling Cunard
guests to be among the first in the
world to celebrate the New Year.
Flagship Queen Mary 2 will also visit
meaning all three Cunard ships will be
visiting Australia for the first time in five
years.
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Issue 30
Andrew Thwaites (P&O), Brooke Rand (Flight Centre), Amanda O'Connor (Flight Centre),
Kerrie Selby (Helloworld), Sam Thaiday (QRL), Anna Goucher (Deck Chair Cruising), Dan
Russell (Clean Cruising) and Richard Waugh (P&O)
Major Partner
The Queensland Rugby League has
welcomed P&O Cruises Australia as
the Major Partner of its expanding
Maroon Membership program for the
next two years. The partnership brings
together two of the state’s favourite
pastimes – State of Origin rugby
league and South Pacific cruising – to
create unique and rewarding fan
experiences for Queenslanders.
P&O Cruises Vice President Sales &
Marketing Ryan Taibel, QRL Managing
Director Robert Moore and rugby
league legend Sam Thaiday took to
the deck of Pacific Aria to announce
the partnership.
Taibel said P&O Cruises has been
sailing from Queensland for more
than 85 years and year-round from
Brisbane since 2010. “With over 95 per
cent brand awareness, P&O Cruises
is a household name in the state,
delivering amazing cruise holidays to
more than one million Queenslanders
over the past six years alone,” Mr
Taibel said. “Queenslanders love
cruising but their passion for the
Maroons runs deep, with more than
two-thirds of our guests on last year’s
P&O State of Origin cruise originating
from the Sunshine State.