NEWS
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MSC Cruises teams up with Chelsea FC to regenerate banks of the river Mole


MSC Cruises, in partnership with Chelsea Football Club, has launched the MSC Meadow, an initiative designed to regenerate an area on the banks of the River Mole in Cobham, Surrey. The project will see 100 trees planted, providing valuable benefits for the local habitat.

To celebrate the launch of the project, stars from both the Chelsea FC Men’s and Women’s teams traded their football boots for Wellington boots and worked alongside members of the MSC Cruises UK & Ireland team. Thanks to our relationship as the Blues’ Official Global Cruise Partner, they broke ground together, planting the first of 100 trees.

The initiative, which MSC Cruises and Chelsea have co-developed, will establish a vital ecological corridor and improve biodiversity in the local environment. Additionally, it will have a positive impact on a wide variety of areas, including water quality, habitat improvement and flood management.
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Air Astana has resumed non-stop flights between Almaty and London.










Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest city and its former capital. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022 the route has operated with a technical stop in Aktau. 

Together with Airbus, the airline seeks to enhance the efficiency of its long-haul flights by installing additional fuel tanks on Airbus A321LR and enabling non-stop flights over long-haul distances without the need for technical stopovers. 

Thanks to such modifications, the London - Almaty route is now fully non-stop and more comfortable, reducing the overall flight time by 1.5 hours to 9h 35m. 
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This also makes it one of the longest narrow body routes in the world.
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Riviera Travel unveils new 2025 ocean cruise itineraries  


Riviera Travel has added to its 2026 tall-ship programme with two new 11-day itineraries.

A ‘Greece, Sicily and Malta’ voyage, on the 162-guest Star Flyer, will depart on October 16. It will include visits to the Acropolis and Athens on a one-night stay in a five-star hotel, before sailing across the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

Other visits include Nafplion and Monemvasia (Greece), and Taormina (Italy), as well as the ancient sites of Epidaurus, Pylos and Syracuse's Archaeological Park of Neopolis.

Prices start from £2999pp, including return flights, eight nights onboard Star Flyer, one night pre-cruise stay in Athens, one night post-cruise stay in Malta, 10 included experiences and full board dining while onboard.

Also new for 2026 is ‘An Italian Adventure’, on the 162-guest Star Clipper, departing September 3. It will feature visits and tours in Perugia, Assisi, Rome, Amalfi, Positano, Lipari, Ponza and Taormina.

Prices start from £2999pp, including return flights, seven nights onboard Star Clipper, two-night pre-cruise stay in Umbria, one-night post-cruise stay in Rome, 12 included experiences and full board dining while onboard.