Virgin’s Resilient Lady Sets Sail to Australia

Virgin Voyage’s Resilient Lady recently started its three-part repositioning voyage to Australia and New Zealand.

Ahead of the company’s inaugural season in the region, the 2022-built vessel kicked off the first part of its journey on Oct. 22, in Piraeus, Greece.

Sailing to Dubai, UAE, the 14-night cruise marks Virgin’s Middle East debut and also includes visits to ports in Egypt and Greece.

Continuing on its way to Australia, the Resilient Lady then starts a 15-night cruise to Singapore on Nov. 5.

Bringing Virgin Voyages to India and Southeast Asia for the first time, the one-way itinerary features different ports of call in the region, such as Mumbai, Colombo, Phuket and Klang.

The final leg of the repositioning cruise starts in Singapore, on Nov. 20. Sailing to Sydney, the 15-night itinerary features a visit to Bali, in Indonesia, in addition to three ports of call in Australia: Darwin, Yorkeys Knob and Airlie Beach.

Starting on Dec. 5, the Resilient Lady is set to offer a series of two- to 15-night cruises to Australia and New Zealand.

Departing from Melbourne, Auckland and Sydney, the itineraries feature visits to ports in Tasmania, Queensland and New Zealand, such as Hobart, Burnie and Airlie Beach.

On Jan. 12, for instance, the 110,000-ton vessel sets sail from Auckland on an 11-night cruise to Melbourne.

In addition to three full days at sea, the complete itinerary features visits to Sydney, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington and Picton.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Resilient Lady entered service in May 2022. Following the Scarlet Lady and the Valiant Lady, the 2,770-guest ship became the third vessel in Virgin’s Ladyship series.

Among the ship’s facilities is a selection of various included dining venues and The Manor – a two-story 1970s-style nightclub inspired by Virgin’s heritage in the music business.

MSC Redeploys Orchestra to Western Mediterranean

MSC Cruises has revealed a new winter itinerary for the MSC Orchestra, which will homeport in Valencia, marking the first time a ship will be based at the Spanish port during a winter season.

The cruise line said in a statement that the MSC Orchestra will operate weekly voyages between December 16, 2023, and April 19, 2024, from Valencia to  Cagliari, Sardinia; Civitavecchia for Rome, Livorno for Pisa and Florence, Italy; Marseille, France and Palma in Mallorca before returning to Valencia.

This ship’s new program is set to replace the Red Sea itineraries previously canceled due to the proximity of some of the ports of call to Israel as well as the restrictions in place in some bordering countries.

MSC Cruises added that the safety of its passengers and crew is always its priority and it will continue to monitor the situation and modify ship itineraries if necessary.

Carnival Corp Named One of the World’s Best Employers for Third Time

Carnival Corporation was named one of the World’s Best Employers for 2023 by Forbes for the third consecutive year.

Carnival Corporation was recognized among 700 international employers spanning more than 20 industries for cultivating a positive workplace environment, work-life balance, career advancement opportunities and employee diversity, according to a statement. 

Presented by Forbes and Statista, the World’s Best Employers list was determined via a survey that involved more than 170,000 employees from 55 countries working part-time or full-time. Participants were asked if they would recommend their employers to friends and family, and to anonymously rate their workplaces based on criteria such as image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility.

Employees could also rate other companies in their industries and countries. Based on these factors, only the top 700 companies out of thousands of organizations were recognized as the World’s Best Employers by Forbes.

“Our highly talented global team of shipboard and shoreside employees are at the heart of everything we do and we want to make sure we are fostering an environment where people from all different backgrounds, experiences and walks of life can thrive,” said Bettina Deynes, global chief human resources officer for Carnival Corporation.

“As we continue to prioritize a positive company culture and drive initiatives to grow each of our team members’ careers, we are honored to be recognized once again by Forbes for our efforts and commitment to be the employer of choice for hospitality, travel and leisure careers.”

Carnival Corporation has over 160,000 employees, who represent 150 countries.