FEBRUARY CRUISE NEWS

Welcome to BTN’s first cruise issue 2022 where we concentrate on deep sea cruising. Following a successful British waters summer season, under the circumstances, BTN for the first time is publishing a list of no-fly cruises for February, March and April 2022.

The plan is to produce a similar list for the 7 March issue, but probably just for the month of May.  Otherwise it becomes too cumbersome. Each month will follow in the cruise issue.

Also linked here is our list of Ocean and River Cruise Companies listing which has proved very popular.

We would be delighted to learn of ships’ load factor, using an airline term, during February, March and April for domestic cruises. Certainly during the start of last year’s season cruise companies followed government guidelines regarding capacity and later on still limited passenger numbers. What the policy for 2022 is remains to be seen.  How full will the ships be?

Also be alerted to a spectaculer CUNARD introduction on Tuesday 8 February at 13:00 GMT.

CRUISE NEWS

For the start of the season operating out of a British port, there is one new cruise line, Ambassador, and one brand new ship, Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady.

There is a need to remind readers who may have read in BTN 31 January a true AND FINALLY, the collapse of 6-star, Crystal Cruises.

Ambassador refuses to be branded as a ‘son of CMV’ but will still be targeting ‘middle England’ out of Tilbury, with a well-planned ship, the 70,000-ton 1,600 passenger Ambience. A second vessel will arrive next year, Ambition, 1,200 guests and 48,000 tons, the smaller vessel also able to use regional ports. In BTN's December Cruise News Christian Verhounig, CEO, introduced the new cruise line, he himself an industry veteran.

Our ex-UK cruising list for the early months of the year listed below shows the only one entirely new ship, Virgin Valiant Lady, a slightly revised version of Scarlett Lady which made her debut 6 August 2021.  Once the season proper gets under way Valiant Lady will be based in Barcelona and Scarlett Lady operating a series of cruises out of Athens (Piraeus).

EARLY SPRING CRUISES

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