First Look: Blue World Voyages

If you haven’t heard of Blue World Voyages, you will soon. The new cruise line is focused on the health-conscious, active traveler (or any traveler who wants to move toward this goal).  

Blue World, which has been in the making for nearly four years, will open the books this fall for a May 1, 2019, launch. Its first ship will be a 300-passenger vessel dedicated to sports, health and wellness. The line will offer 150 staterooms for those booking a la carte cruises, 20 single staterooms and 26 Owner’s Suites — residences for purchase.

Gene Meehan, founder and chairman of Blue World, is a competitive rower, climber and golfer who has owned and operated numerous health and wellness facilities — from resort spas to multisport health clubs and boutique gyms. His wife, Joyce Landry, is on Blue World’s advisory committee. Landry is a Cruise Lines International Association Hall of Fame member for her work as co-founder and CEO of Landry & Kling Global Cruise Events, the company that wrote the book on cruise ships as floating hotels and event venues. Landry and Meehan were married on the summit of Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro in 20-degree-below-zero weather, and the couple  shares a passion for wellness and active travel. 

The rest of Blue World’s team is equally impressive. John Richards, former president of Starbucks, serves as co-founder and CEO. Fredy Dellis, also a co-founder, is the former president and CEO of The World Residences at Sea. And Diane Trieste, vice president of wellness, is the former director of spa and product development for Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz.

Blue World’s ship will feature four dining venues, which will all be included in the fare, along with beer and wine  at lunch and dinner. There will be an executive chef who specializes in farm-to-table, locally sourced, fresh ingredients. Also included in the rate are gratuities; Wi-Fi access; and a self-service laundry.

The plans for crewmembers should ensure top talent; they’ll have excellent accommodations; the same dining as guests; and training so that they can combine their onboard duties with leading hiking, canoeing, biking and more during shore excursions “so that they have a life,” Meehan said.

Blue World plans to initially center its operations in the Mediterranean, with a month each in regions including Spain and Portugal, Croatia, Greece, the British Isles and potentially the Baltics. It will head to ports with rich cultural features and great options for onshore fitness and health activities. The plan is to stay in port into the evenings to allow passengers ample time for local experiences such as hiking, paddleboarding, scuba diving, snorkeling, cycling, kite-surfing , golfing, mountain biking and more. Clients will be able to download a Blue World app that will help them with onshore needs, such as hailing a taxi or finding a restaurant. 

We intend to offer agents a set rate that is very generous, and not to throw in a barrel of non-commissionables.

And back onboard, Blue World promises the largest (per passenger) spa at sea; batting cages; golf and soccer simulators; classes for everything from yoga to spinning; and TRX suspension training studios. The line is also setting up a seawater lap pool complete with cabanas. 

To house the ship’s many features, the company is converting a 900-passenger vessel into a 350-passenger one, with a six-month, $26 million refit that will provide it with double-size accommodations. Even outside standard rooms will measure 340 to 360 square feet, with balconies or French balconies. An entire deck will be set aside for residence owners, and another will hold the wellness and sports facilities.

Meehan points out that one of the line’s best features will be like-minded travelers — clients who focus strongly on fitness and health, or those would like to do so. Per diems will run around $475 for standard staterooms, and Blue World is keeping agents firmly in its plans. 

“We will be very agent-friendly,” Meehan said. “We project that 85 percent of business will come through the agent community, and we intend to offer them a set rate that is very generous, and not to throw in a barrel of non-commissionables.”

The Details
Blue World Voyages 
www.blueworldvoyages.com