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“Professionals need connectivity, the right amenities, and the functionality to perform their jobs. There is no other cruise product that offers this sort of flexibility to their customers,” says Mikael Petterson, Managing Director of Life at Sea Cruises. Miray Cruises announced it would be opening up bookings for the first-ever three-year world cruise. In essence, the cruise is a variation of the ever-more popular concept of living onboard a ship.
This 3-year cruise around the world is called off, leaving passengers in the lurch
"This is evidence of the allure of our extended world cruise concept and the exceptional experiences that await our residents aboard MV Lara." "We are beyond excited to introduce the beautiful MV Lara for this incredible, history-making, 3-year voyage," says Kendra Holmes, CEO of Miray Cruises. MV Gemini first sets sail in 1992 as the Crown Jewel for Crown Cruise Line.
Gemini Kicks Off Miray Cruises' 2024 Program - Cruise Industry News
Gemini Kicks Off Miray Cruises' 2024 Program.
Posted: Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Shipboard facilities and amenities
Miray Cruises announced today the introduction of MV Lara, (the former AIDAvita), an extraordinary new world cruise ship that will redefine the realm of extended voyages. For a cruise ship, meeting and exceeding the highexpectations of its Guests is essential to the ship’s continued success. Wehave a proven track record of providing the highest levels of GuestSatisfaction by delivering high end amenities, creative food offerings, andimpeccable service for our Guests onboard.
I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise
"Our residents are changing their lives for this opportunity, and we are honored to be a part of their personal journeys," Holmes said in June. The cheapest packages started at $196,000 for a single traveler, and $231,000 for couples, according to the company's website. For 2019 was planned a seasonal charter to Blue World Voyages (2017-established, Miami-based wellness cruise line / new) and to be operated as "Blue World One". In May-October 2018 and 2019, MS Gemini was chartered to Etstur (Turkey-based travel agency and tour operator). In April 2016 through December 2017, the ship was chartered by Celestyal Cruises and renamed "Celestyal Nefeli".
Cruise News Recap: Carnival Tampering, Dining Changes, Evacuation
The cruise will include entertainment, enrichment seminars, the opportunity to take part in volunteering and philanthropic initiatives in selected ports of call and optional shore excursions. Since 2020, it has been owned by Miray International, a long-established Turkish company specializing in ship management, and operated through its cruise arm Miray Cruises. Miray formed the subsidiary travel brand Life at Sea Cruises to run the three-year cruise starting in fall 2023.
Under its 12-month payment plan, the first draw came due one month ahead of the sail date. Some passengers reportedly only learned of the cancellation after arriving in Turkey. The original itinerary mapped 1,095 days of travel, heading from Istanbul to Europe and then to South America and the Caribbean. “Seeing such an overwhelming interest in our itinerary and unique ports where we will always be in summer is truly thrilling,” added Ethem Bayramoglu, COO of Miray Cruises.
Continuing its operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkey-based cruise line is now offering a series of three- and four-night cruises to Greece and Turkey. The company said that anyone requesting a refund will get one, and that it will reimburse travel expenses related to the cruise. Warning flags went up earlier this year, when the company changed course from its initial plan to refit one of its ships, the MV Gemini. For the lengthy worldwide voyage, it planned to deploy the larger "MV Lara" — a ship that never materialized. And rather than portioning the cruise for sale in smaller stages, the company required customers to commit to the full three years. Terms of the deal help illuminate the would-be passengers' financial and logistical plight.
"It moved me forward in a way that I wouldn't have done without this instigation. And I'm really thankful for it. I'm disappointed, but I'm ready to go for whatever opportunity comes up next." "And I'm hopeful that it will, because I'd like to be on it. I still believe in the concept. I think it's a really perfect opportunity for me." But it seems that it was the company's focus, not the public's, that was the problem. Miray's attempts to purchase the ship dragged on for weeks, and it eventually stalled after investors balked, according to a company message obtained by CNN and other outlets. Witman says she also shipped boxes to have on the cruise, back in early October.
Miray Cruises New CEO, Kendra L. Holmes
Life at Sea passengers say canceled 3-year cruise owes them millions - The Washington Post
Life at Sea passengers say canceled 3-year cruise owes them millions.
Posted: Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Traditionally, the schedule included 3-4-day Greek Islands roundtrips from Cesme and Piraeus. In the period February 19-March 18, the ship served as a hotel providing relief housing for homeless families after the Turkey-Syria 2023 earthquake (Feb 6th). She was built in 1992 by Unión Naval de Levante [es], Valencia, Spain for Crown Cruise Line as Crown Jewel. MV Gemini will set sail from Istanbul for the new Life at Sea Cruises brand on November 1, 2023, and passengers will also have the opportunity to embark in Barcelona and Miami.
Residents will experience a neighborhood-type feel onboard MV Lara and indulge in a sense of community and belonging. The vessel was launched (floated-out from drydock) on May 30, 1991, delivered (to the Panama-based Commodore Cruise Line) in May 1992 and immediately chartered (as hotel ship) during the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. Delivered to Crown Cruise Line in July and inaugurated in September 1992, Crown Jewel operated on roundtrips from the USA (homeport NYC New York) visiting port cities in New England and Canada. During the inaugural 1992 season, the boat also offered Panama Canal voyages (October-November) followed by the Caribbean winter deployment based on homeporting in West Palm Beach (Florida).
Crown Jewel/Gemini is the largest cruise ship ever built in Spain (at Union Navale de Levante shipyard in Valencia). Crown Cruise Line used the vessel for cruises from the USA (NYC) to the Caribbean, Bermuda and Canada. In 1993, after being chartered to Cunard Line, the ship was renamed "Cunard Crown Jewel". In 1995, it was sold to Star Cruises, renamed "SuperStar Gemini" and homeported in Singapore. MV Gemini, the former cruise ship that successfully launched Life at Sea Cruises, is slated to continue her Aegean Sea voyages and will now be gracefully succeeded by MV Lara. While larger than MV Gemini, MV Lara will still maintain an intimate feel and experience for the residents onboard who are looking to create a like-minded community at sea for the three-year voyage.
Miray Cruises Turkey specializes in Aegean Sea voyages (short break/3-4-night Greek Isles itineraries) leaving roundtrip from homeports Piraeus-Athens Greece and Cesme Turkey. The revitalized ship features modern workspace facilities including a business center with 14 offices, meeting rooms, a lounge and library. The staffed center is fitted with LED screens, audio-video equipment, printers and high speed Internet. There is also a 24-hour on-call fully equipped medical center with, very unusually for a cruise ship, no charge for visits.
In addition to its three homeports, the Gemini is also scheduled to visit Patmos and Rhodes during its summer program. Despite the setback, Witman says she's been able to form connections with other would-be passengers, who have been keeping in touch via apps and group texts. But responding to a social media comment about that same statement, the company sought to clarify that its other operations are unaffected — and in doing so, it stated, "The cancellation in question is related to our 3-year world tour project." When the cruise missed its planned departure date, the company promised to resolve lingering issues. "We are going to be following summer the entire time that we go around the world," then-Life at Sea CEO Kendra Holmes told prospective passengers in a Zoom webinar in September. Miray Cruises' MV Gemini ship charters are seasonal, in the period March-April through September-October.
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