Tourism

• Monday, December 16th 2019 - 09:13 UTC

  Minute of silence in New Zealand for volcano victims; Royal Caribbean potential criminal liability

  

  New Zealanders across the country observed a minute of silence on Monday to honour the victims of last week's fatal volcanic eruption. The official death toll from the surprise eruption on White Island, also known by its Maori name of Whakaari, stands at 16. Two people whose bodies are believed to be in the waters around the island are still officially listed as missing.

• Saturday, December 14th 2019 - 08:27 UTC

  Cabo Verde Airlines launched regular flights between Sal Island and Porto Alegre, Brazil

  

  The inaugural flight between Porto Alegre and Sal took place this Thursday, December 12th, departing from Salgado Filho Airport at 08.55 pm, local time, and arriving at Amílcar Cabral International Airport at 07.55 am, local time.

• Monday, December 9th 2019 - 09:18 UTC

  Wild storms and 400 mm of rain in 24 hours strand 1.000 tourists in NZ South island

  

  Almost 1,000 tourists were stranded in New Zealand's South Island on Monday after wild storms cut highways, washed away bridges and flooded the rugged landscape. Meteorologists said up to 400mm of rain was dumped on the South Island over 24 hours by a severe weather system that unleashed gale-force winds and 230,000 lightning strikes.

• Monday, December 9th 2019 - 09:13 UTC

  New Zealand volcano eruption surprises visitors from cruise ship Ovation of the Seas

  

  Several people were injured at White Island in New Zealand when a volcano began erupting there on Monday, the region's mayor said. The eruption began about 2.30 pm local time on the island, about 50km from the east coast of North Island, authorities said, throwing smoke and debris into the air.

• Monday, December 9th 2019 - 09:03 UTC

  Cruise vessel adrift off Canary Islands after engine failure

  

  A cruise ship that is operated by Carnival-owned P&O Cruises, based in the UK is back in Tenerife after having suffered a loss of propulsion and remained adrift until towed to port.

• Thursday, December 5th 2019 - 09:18 UTC

  LATAM/Delta code-sharing opens connectivity to 74 destinations in US and Canada and 51 in South America

  

  Codeshare agreements signed this week by three LATAM Airlines Group affiliates with new partner Delta Air Lines aim to improve connectivity between the Americas. The agreements were signed December 2 with LATAM affiliates in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador and are due to start in the first quarter of 2020, subject to regulatory approval.

• Thursday, December 5th 2019 - 09:10 UTC

  Expansion of fly-cruise luxury programs to Antarctica

  

  Silversea is to charter two private jets for a new fly-cruise program to Antarctica in 2021. The 75-seater aircraft will fly from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island in Antarctica as part of the new Antarctica Bridge program which goes on sale on December 10 this year.

• Saturday, November 30th 2019 - 07:20 UTC

  Uruguay expects some 200 cruise calls this 2019/20 season

  

  Uruguay is expecting some 200 cruise calls this 2019/20 season, which is 30% higher than in 2018/19, while Montevideo has become an exchange port for incoming and outgoing cruise passengers, given its good services and connectivity, announced Tourism minister Liliam Kechichian during the official launching of the current season.

• Saturday, November 30th 2019 - 06:44 UTC

  Swimming with penguins and whales off Antarctica Peninsula

  

  “It's like getting stabbed,” a tourist exclaims as he plunges into the three degree Celsius water, all under the intrigued gaze of a group of penguins. All around Half Moon Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula, blocks of ice of all sizes float by on a calm sea, their varying forms resembling weightless origami shapes.

• Wednesday, November 27th 2019 - 09:50 UTC

  Concern in Puerto Rico following Royal Caribbean announced cancelling of 90 cruise visits

  

  Cruise ship visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico are being canceled for the 2020-21 season due to the privatization of the cruise port. According to the local newspaper, El Nuevo Día, Royal Caribbean is canceling 90 calls to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the 2020 and 2021 season. The news was released by Fermin Fontanez, the director of the Authority for Public-Private Partnerships that these cancellations would happen.