VEENDAM RETURNS TO TAMPA FOR 2020/20121 SEASON

[Sea Belle]

On 9/8/2019 at 1:53 PM, St Pete Cruiser said:

Veendam will leave Tampa in April, so it could do Canada/New England and Bermuda again for the summer season.  As you may know, she is the maximum size allowed to dock on Front Street in Hamilton. Even the R class must use the Dockyard. 

That’s why we have taken the Bermuda cruise on the Veendam several times.  It is so nice to walk off of the ship and experience Hamilton on foot.  We also enjoy the weekly street festival being right beside the ship.  We have no desire to berth at the shipyard with all of the other ships.  Fingers crossed for 2020.....

[St Pete Cruiser]

5 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

There will be even more competition in Tampa in 2020/2021.  MSC is sending Armonia there.  Tidy little ship.  We were much impressed when we sailed her during Dorian.  EM

I couldn't find it listed, even as a port call, for Tampa.  Aida has been using Tampa for a port call during the winter season, but you can't board/start in Tampa.  

[Essiesmom]

I think they are still working out the logistics and itineraries.  This is the only one on the website so far and no itinerary listed...

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/MSC_SearchCruiseManagerRedirectCmd?storeId=12264&langId=-1004&catalogId=10001&monthsResult=&areaFilter=CAR%40&embarkFilter=TPA%40&lengthFilter=&departureFrom=12.04.2020&departureTo=12.04.2020&ships=&category=&onlyAvailableCruises=true&packageTrf=false&packageTpt=false&packageCrol=false&packageCrfl=false&noAdults=2&noChildren=0&noJChildren=0&noInfant=0&dealsInput=false&tripSpecificationPanel=true&shipPreferencesPanel=false&dealsPanel=false

[Himself]

It is good that HAL will be returning to Tampa after a one year absence.  

[St Pete Cruiser]

The MSC Armonia announcement is showing today, with Nov 2020 cruises of 4 and 5 day out of Tampa.  Armonia, launched in 2001, is MSC's oldest ship.  Veendam is now HAL's second oldest, 1996, so the trend continues of using Tampa for the smaller and thus older ships.  Strangely, we were in port last summer on the Veendam at Ocho Rios when the huge MSC Seaside pulled into port.  The guests coming off Seaside were very much European and we guessed it was more like the big Royal Caribbean ships.  Well anyway, Tampa remains alive as a cruise port with what will be more choices than ever.

[sunonfire]

Here is a link to the story about MSC Armonia.

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/worlds-fastest-growing-cruise-line-to-homeport-in-tampa/34443

[Essiesmom]

Another link:  https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21517-msc-armonia-to-homeport-in-tampa.html

 

My guess is she will still have a large percentage of European passengers.  One plus for some is that the women seemed to dress up more every evening not just Elegant nights.  EM