"Norwegian Sky" Sold, Cruises Cancelled

Above, Norwegian Sky docked at Nassau, Bahamas last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last summer, Mitch Geriminsky and I took a cruise to the Bahamas aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky.

It was a nice, comfortable ship and we enjoyed its facilities.

It has just been announced that the Norwegian Sky is leaving NCL's fleet and cruises have been cancelled. It has been a part of the fleet since 1999.

According to TheStreet:

Norwegian Sky will soon leave the cruise line's fleet, according to a letter sent to passengers.

"Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners: We're writing to you today with the news that one of our renowned ships from the acclaimed Sun-class series, Norwegian Sky, will leave Norwegian Cruise Line's award-winning fleet to embark toward new horizons," the cruise line said.

This, of course, does impact passengers.

"Unfortunately, this means that your upcoming cruise on Norwegian Sky has been canceled. Cordelia Cruises, India's leading premium cruise line, has agreed to a long-term charter of Norwegian Sky beginning September 30, 2026, in Dubai, UAE. While we are excited for her new chapter, it does mean, sadly, that to accommodate her timely arrival in Dubai, UAE, on September 30, 2026, all Norwegian Sky sailings embarking on or after August 20, 2026, will be canceled," it added.

This is the third cruise ship that I have been on whose futures changed not long after I cruised on them. The Celebrity Mercury was sold after taking a cruise to Alaska in 2001. Happily, it is still sailing under a different name and owner. The Majesty of the Seas of Royal Caribbean was sold and is in limbo in Greece after taking a cruise to Havana, Cuba in 2019. There is speculation that it will be scrapped.

To read more, go here.

Yoshinoya Enters India Market

Above, a Yoshinoya restaurant in Chiba Prefecture. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This following story caught my eye. 

Kyodo News reported:

NEW DELHI - Yoshinoya Holdings Co., Japan's major fast-food restaurant operator popularly known for its beef bowls, is advancing into the Indian market by establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary. 

Yoshinoya recently set up Yoshinoya India Pvt. Ltd. in Gurugram in the northern state of Haryana, documents filed with India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs show. 

"It is difficult to explore store opening without setting up an entity," a Yoshinoya spokeswoman told NNA.

The story caught my eye for a couple of reasons. I was wondering if there are any Yoshinoya restaurants in New Mexico. I did some checking and there are some in Albuquerque. Since I will be in Albuquerque next month, I will make it a point to stop in. I love their beef bowls.

The other, and main, reason is (from PBS.org):

Cows are considered sacred by Hindus in India. They were the favorite animal of Lord Krishna, and they serve as a symbol of wealth, strength, and abundance. 

Since India is predominately a Hindu nation, how well would Yoshinoya (with their beef bowls) do in that country since cows are considered sacred (thus the term "sacred cow")? I wonder, how serving beef in India will go over with the people? It will be interesting to see.

To read more, go here.

Ride The Airbus A380 (While You Still Can)

Above, a Boeing 777 gets ready for a flight to Japan. Airlines opted to buy fuel-efficient
planes such as the Boeing 777 and 787 instead of the Airbus A380. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back around ten years ago, Airbus Industries introduced their gigantic passenger jet, the A380. The double-decker plane was so huge, it even dwarfed the old reliable Boeing 747. The A380 was touted as the "wave of the future" in travel.

Times are different now.

According to India Times:

In 2007 the first commercial flight of a much hyped A380 took off from Singapore Changi airport en route to Sydney with excited passengers ready to be a part of aviation history. It was more than what they expected, especially those flying first and business class. After Singapore Airlines, other airliners associated with luxury began adding the jumbo jet to their fleets in the hopes of carrying more passengers aboard long haul flights, thereby reducing the number of take offs per day. 

Today, the A380 is on the verge of extinction just like the remarkable Boeing 747 that has been in service since the '60s. But why?

In the beginning, Airbus expected to sell about 1,200 units of the A380. To date, only 318 have been ordered.

I have only seen one A380, and that was while I was on the Narita Express heading to Narita International Airport in 2010. That thing was huge. It was so huge that I would be very reluctant to get on board.

To read more, go here. 

India's The Travels World Picks Up Monster Japan Travel Guide Release

Above, Yuu Asakura with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Travels World website has picked up the news release on the upcoming (September 23) autumn discount for The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

Based out of New Delhi, India, The Travels World offers full-service on cruises, hotels, airlines, tours, car rentals and anything else a traveler requires.

To view the site, go here.