P&O Reports “Overwhelming” Number of Bookings for UK Coastal Cruises

P&O Cruises has reported an “overwhelming” number of bookings for its summer season of UK coastal cruises since they went on sale on the morning of March 22, the cruise line said in a press release.

“We always hoped that these domestic cruises would be popular, given the uncertainty around holidays abroad, but we have never before seen such significant and immediate demand and it certainly shows the effects of lockdown and everyone’s need for a holiday. Many thousands of guests have already made bookings and Iona’s maiden voyage to the Scottish islands is already very well-sold and will be a very special cruise,” P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow said.

The three-, four- and seven-night cruises on the flagship Britannia and the new ship Iona – billed by the cruise line as “the ultimate British break” – will set sail from Southampton between June and September.

“Where else but by sailing with us on the Iona can you taste Spanish speciality tapas from Jose Pizarro, fine wines chosen by Olly Smith, Marco Pierre White’s beef Wellington and award-winning Snowflake gelato? And that’s before you choose from a new movie release in the boutique cinema or catch a show in SkyDome or a music set in the 710 Club. There’s certainly no other domestic holiday this year which can compete,” said Ludlow.

“We have spent so long working towards this point and we all just can’t wait to see our ships sailing once again, it’s been a very long year,” he added.

CMV Suspends Cruises Through August 25

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has announced the further the suspension of all worldwide cruises from July 1 to August 25, 2020, citing the continued global pandemic outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus, government advisories still in force and the lockdown of many countries and ports around the world.

There were no reported cases of Covid-19 coronavirus on any of CMV’s small to medium-sized ships, according to the company.

CMV continue at present to employ shipboard officers and crew members throughout this suspension period and they are looking forward to welcoming back on board all their passengers just as soon as this pandemic is over, the company said, in a press release.

All affected adult fare-paying passengers are being offered an attractive future cruise credit of 125% of the amount paid for the cruising holiday valid until March 31 2021.

For families booked on one of the affected summer holidays three multi-generation sailings a 50% discount will be applied to the 2021 or 2022 teenage and children fares (under 16 years) for booking transfers and to help facilitate affected passengers wishing to transfer their bookings, the 2021 Buy One Get One Free early booking offer has been extended to July 31.

CEO Christian Verhounig said: “Due to the continued global pandemic, we are still unable to perform our scheduled itineraries and to deliver the travel experience normally enjoyed by our valued passengers. We have therefore taken the decision to temporarily further suspend all cruises until 25th August 2020, when we very much hope to be able to resume service. We are extremely proud to see that 70% of our passengers affected by the cancellation of their cruise have either re-booked and transferred onto a future 2021 cruises or require more time with the peace of mind of a refund credit note. Many passengers are also waiting until the release of our 2022 cruise program later this year. This is a great sign and we know that passengers are looking forward to travelling with us in the near future.”

Sticking to lockdown washing routines could cut Britain’s long-term carbon footprint

• Changes to our daily routines as a result of lockdown could shrink the nation’s carbon footprint by reducing pressure on energy demand at peak times
• EDF estimates that if a third of households continue to use their dishwasher and washing machines at non-peak times, annual CO2 emissions could reduce by half a million tonnes – equivalent to more than 750,000 cars switching to electric vehicles
• 8 in 10 Brits keen to see lifestyle changes that have had a positive impact on the planet continue post-lockdown

Changes to our daily household routines could have a long-term positive impact on our carbon footprint – as data from EDF reveals households continuing to take care of chores throughout the day could reduce the need for fossil-fuelled generation at peak times once industries power up again.

Historically, households created additional demand for energy at peak times, typically between 4 and 7pm, as people returned home from work and started to tackle these day-to-day chores at the same time. However, since lockdown began, demand for energy throughout the day has smoothed.

The data, released as part of work by the low carbon electricity supplier to assess the impact of lockdown routines on energy efficiency, estimates that if just over a third of households continue to use their dishwasher and washing machines at non-peak times in the future, as they have been doing during the lockdown, annual CO2 emissions could reduce by half a million tonnes – the equivalent to more than 750,000 cars switching to electric vehicles (EVs)*.

The announcement comes as consumer research** undertaken by EDF reveals 8 in 10 of us are keen to see environmentally-friendly lifestyle changes continue after restrictions are lifted.

The study of 2,000 UK residents found that lockdown restrictions have caused the nation to reassess the impact of their daily habits on the environment, with 40% planning to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint post-lockdown, rising to 51% of those under the age of 34. The most popular steps were:

• Walking more (67%)
• Recycling more (52%)
• Purchasing more locally produced products (47%)
• Using the car less (46%)
• Unplugging electronic devices when not in use (37%)

The reduced pollution levels resulting from dramatically fewer vehicles on the road have also sparked an increased interest in EVs, with 1 in 5 (19%) more likely to consider switching to a low emission EV in the future.

78% of people believe we can all do more to reduce our carbon footprint once restrictions are lifted. However, despite the potential impact on CO2 emissions, less than a third (31%) are aware that the time of day they do household chores, such as washing dishes and laundry, impacts their carbon footprint.

There is a strong demand for more advice on living greener, with nearly two thirds (62%) wanting information about how to reduce their carbon footprint.