NEWS
![]() 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. |
![]() Air Astana receives 2025 Best Airline award.
Air Astana was honoured to receive the 2025 APEX Best Overall Airline in Central Asia Award at a ceremony held in Singapore on 20th November 2024. “This award is the result of years of hard work by the Air Astana team and reflects our mission: to create an exceptional passenger experience through hospitality, high service standards, and innovative eco-friendly initiatives,” said Yelena Obukhova, Vice President of Inflight Services at Air Astana, when accepting the award in Singapore. During the exhibition, Yelena has also delivered a presentation highlighting Air Astana’s approach to building emotional connections with passengers. She emphasized airline’s commitment to offering travellers a profound sense of connection with Kazakh culture. Earlier this year, Air Astana received the APEX Five Star Award in the “Major Airlines” category, the global award based entirely on neutral, third-party passenger feedback via APEX’s partnership with TripIt from Concur. The award was presented at the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in California, USA. |
![]() 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. |