Shipshape again
Something of a reprise of what 2020 was meant to be for the cruise industry with late debuts plus some superb planned arrivals... all of course depending on when the industry can restart.
P& O’s delayed Iona is the largest ship ever built for the UK market at 184,700 gross tonnage and 5,200 passengers and the first to be powered by cleaner liquefied natural gas.
With a two- deck glass Skydome and 30 food and drink outlets she looks fabulous, and is Norway- bound first.
Sir Richard Branson’s foray into cruising brings us two ships – held- back Scarlet Lady and new Valiant Lady – promising an innovative approach, perhaps appealing to people who thought a cruise was not for them. They will sail the Caribbean and Med respectively.
Fred Olsen has acquired two ships from upscale Holland America, given them a Fred boutique “feel” and renamed them Borealis and Bolette. Also arriving are Celebrity Apex, sister to inventive Celebrity Edge, Saga’s second boutique ship, Spirit of Adventure, and Carnival’s 6,600- passenger Mardi Gras, which has a rollercoaster on deck.
We’ll also welcome an armada of new river ships, including a TUI trio in the spring sailing the Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Main and Dutch and Belgian waterways.
And a € 60million fifth terminal will open at Southampton. Built in partnership with Norwegian and MSC, it will allow ships to plug in for power in port, rather than running their engines.
Cultural Parma
The pandemic may have taken the shine off Parma’s moment in the spotlight after picking up the baton as the Italian City of Culture for 2020. But this graceful northern city in the
Emilia- Romagna region is not about to relinquish it – Parma will hold on to the prestigious title for 2021.
Continuing the theme Culture Beats Time, a programme of exhibitions, installations, theatre, dance performances, music concerts and food fairs is lined up to showcase the rich heritage of the city and province.
In October, the annual Verdi Festival will celebrate the operatic composer, who was born in nearby Le Roncole. parma2020.it/en