THE ZEPPELIN TIMES 4CRB Travel Show, The Armchair TravellerSaturday 29 February 2020 10am on 89.3FM

www.zt.com.au •1300 786 888

P&O Iona floats out at Meyer WerftThe new P&O Iona has left the building at Meyer Werft, floating out on Friday and marking another construction milestone for the LNG-powered vessel.

The P&O Iona will remain in the shipyard for final hotel outfitting until the transfer from the River Ems, which is expected to take place at the end of March.The ship joins the P&O fleet this summer as the British brand’s flagship, and will be the largest ship in the company’s fleet at 5,200 guests and 183,900 tons.

A sister ship follows in 2022.

Virgin takes delivery of Scarlet Lady and goes carbon neutralVirgin Voyages announced today that the Scarlet Lady has officially reached completion as the new brand took delivery.

On the heels of this celebratory occasion, Virgin Voyages welcomes Scarlet Lady with an approach that takes immediate action to address climate change, according to a company statement.

Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets.

This commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation. The projects that will be supported by Scarlet Lady will meet high-quality, internationally-recognized verification standards, including The Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.

“It’s wonderful to welcome Scarlet Lady today,” says Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson. “I’m so proud that as we start this exciting journey, we also bring to life Virgin Voyages’ commitment to preserving the ocean and the first of many steps towards a net zero carbon future.”

“The ocean is our home, and we are on a mission to protect it. The single-biggest threat facing our ocean is climate change, and we want to be part of the solution,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO and President of Virgin Voyages. “We are committed to pioneering new technologies onboard and working with our industry peers to advance research and development for zero-carbon fuels.”

The Professional Centre, Suite 1, 189 Ashmore Road, Benowa, Gold Coast QLD 4217Phone: (07) 555 79 888 | Free Call: 1300 786 888 Email: info@zt.com.au | Website: www.zt.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/zeppelintravel

Royal Caribbean to sail free cruises for crisis responders with displaced tonnageRoyal Caribbean Cruises announced it will dedicate two ships to “humanitarian efforts in Australia and California” to support those affected by recent crises in both areas.

Both the Spectrum of the Seas and Celebrity Millennium, which are out of service due to the coronavirus outbreak, will redeploy for these sailings.

The 2019-built Spectrum of the Seas will move Australia and be deployed on complimentary cruises sailing from Sydney in support of Australia’s first responder community, according to a statement.

The ship has been out of service since mid January due to the coronavirus outbreak, with cruises cancelled through mid March.

“When things go wrong, this is a company that wants to find a way to help,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises.

“At Royal Caribbean, we consider ourselves fortunate to be able to use our ships in a positive way during difficult times.”

“We are in a fortunate position to offer these brave and selfless members of the Australian community the opportunity to join us for a few days and let them relax and unwind in the company of other volunteers and first responders,” added Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

“By welcoming and accommodating them aboard Spectrum of the Seas, we hope to recognise their contribution and offer them our hospitality.”

Fain said Royal Caribbean was working with its suppliers to deliver one million N-95 protective masks into China for government distribution into affected areas.

“We admire the all-out efforts of the Chinese government and people to address this crisis, and we want to bring our resources to bear to help their efforts,” Fain said.

In addition, the Celebrity Millennium is moving to the West Coast of the U.S. earlier than previously scheduled ahead of her Alaska program and will offer a series of “Cruising for Heroes” voyages in support of California firefighters, other first responders and veterans.

These voyages will run through March and April. A variety of three-, four- and five-night sailings have been added to the brand’s offerings to travel the breathtaking Pacific Coast. The sailings will leave from Los Angeles and details will be announced soon.

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, said, “While the circumstances have not been what any of us would have wanted, we now have the opportunity to show the State of California our stunning Celebrity Millennium and do some good in the process by honoring and helping our everyday heroes who do so much for so many. Celebrity Millennium is a

beautifully appointed ship and was recently revolutionized. It’s exciting to share it with this market and to honor the men and women who come to the aid of others every single day.”

Royal Caribbean also announced it plans to dedicate a ship in China to a series of complimentary sailings to thank first responders and medical personnel when the outbreak is under control.

THE ZEPPELIN TIMES 4CRB Travel Show, The Armchair TravellerSaturday 29 February 2020 10am on 89.3FM

www.zt.com.au •1300 786 888

Uniworld to introduce Cruise, Land and Train Journeys for 2021The Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is introducing two new itineraries that incorporate cruise, land and train travel for 2021.

Created in partnership with Golden Eagle Luxury Trains (a UK-based, long-distance luxury rail operator), the journeys transport guests through Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. Golden Eagle Luxury Trains took over the operation of the Danube Express in 2015, featuring a wide range of rail journeys through Central and Eastern Europe and into the Middle East.

The Golden Eagle Danube Express offers new Superior Deluxe cabins, with private en-suite facilities. With 12 cabins per departure, each cabin offers comfortable daytime seating with a full-length sofa, which converts to a UK-standard king-size bed by night. The large cabin also benefits from two full-size picture windows, two additional chairs and a large double wardrobe with storage space.

Each deluxe sleeper carriage has five en-suite cabins with private bathrooms. In the evening, the living room is converted into two comfortable, lower beds.

The Bar Lounge Car and Restaurant Cars host a range of activities, such as language lessons and talks by expert lecturers on local history and culture. In the evening, a resident pianist plays in the Bar Lounge Car.

The new 14-day “Cruise & Rail: Milan, Venice & the Swiss Alps” starts with a land portion in Milan, includes a roundtrip cruise from Venice, and ends with a train trip to Zurich. The new 12-day “Cruise & Rail: Venice & the Swiss Alps” starts with a train trip from Zurich to Venice and includes a roundtrip cruise.

Both itineraries provide guests with the opportunity to travel onboard the luxury train as it runs along the Lake of Zurich, stopping in destinations such as the medieval town of Lienz; the picturesque Lake Bled (with a Pletna rowing trip to Bled Island); and a tour of the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana.

Excursion highlights include detraining for a visit to Gutenberg Castle in the town of Balzers, Liechtenstein; and a special evening featuring a private concert in the caves of Postojna.

Uniworld’s new Cruise & Rail 2021 itineraries go on sale later this month. Prices start at $9,999 per person, including all transfers,

meals, drinks, excursions and gratuities; and all accommodations include a private en-suite bathroom, for the 12-day package, with the first voyage beginning on Aug. 1, 2021.

The Professional Centre, Suite 1, 189 Ashmore Road, Benowa, Gold Coast QLD 4217Phone: (07) 555 79 888 | Free Call: 1300 786 888 Email: info@zt.com.au | Website: www.zt.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/zeppelintravel

Eurostar launches direct service between London and Amsterdam

Eurostar, the high-speed rail service connecting the UK and mainland Europe, announced that it would be introducing a direct service between London and Amsterdam that will operate both to and from the Netherlands.

“Our services from the UK to the Netherlands have proved very popular with over half a million travellers since launch,” said Mike Cooper, chief executive for Eurostar. “Our fully direct service marks an exciting advance for high-speed rail and provides consumers with a comfortable, environmentally friendly alternative to the airlines on one of Europe’s busiest leisure and business routes.”

There are currently three outbound services a day from the UK to the Netherlands, and after the introduction of the direct service,

Eurostar will offer two inbound services from Amsterdam to London, with plans to expand to a third and fourth service down the line.

In addition to the added convenience factor, the direct journey between London and Amsterdam will also result in 80% less carbon released into the atmosphere per passenger than its flight equivalent, making Eurostar the most sustainable option for short-haul European travel.

“We’re continuing to invest in modern, efficient transport links with the continent so our businesses and tourism industry can flourish,” said Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport in the UK. “The days of passengers being forced to decamp from the train at Brussels to file through passport control will soon be over, as we look forward

to direct, return, high-speed services to Amsterdam and beyond.”

Tickets for the direct service will cost $46 each way, and will go on sale beginning Feb. 11, with the official launch scheduled for Apr. 30.