In response to a “wish list” survey of past cruisers earlier this year, Avalon Waterways says it will introduce a series of new, longer cruises, checking in at 10 days and more to meet interest and demand.
Has Celebrity Cruises evolved to the point where the ship can be the destination? We’re about to find out on a cruise aboard the new Celebrity Ascent, which offers a range of daily activities for every age and interest. But is it right for you? Here’s a look at the ups (and some downs) on Celebrity’s newest addition.
With MSC Cruises’ new vessel ‘World America’ scheduled to set sail from its homeport in Miami in April 2025, and cruises already available to book, MSC continues to reveal detail of its new flagship.
To the beat of KC and the Sunshine Band’s 1975 hit “Boogie Shoes,” Avalon Waterways christened its 15th Suite Ship in Pinhão, Portugal, late last week with actress Cheri Oteri (‘Saturday Night Live’) doing the honours and serving as Godmother.
Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn’t go? An 18-night icebreaking voyage all the way to the North in July is among Abercrombie & Kent’s innovative new small-ship expeditions for 2024. There will be a cocktail party at 90 degrees north and a toast to Santa Claus. (Of course, it’s a myth he and his elves actually live at the Pole, but bears and Arctic birds could very well be surprise guests).
Viking “floated out” its newest ship for the Nile River – the 82-guest Viking Hathor— late last week, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Set to debut in August, the Viking Hathor will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary.
Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an “incident” in the ship’s engineering space, the cruise line said. The unidentified crew members died Friday while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a statement.
It’s really unusual to get a birth announcement a year in advance. But MSC Cruises thinks the arrival of its new flagship MSC World America is an event cruisers need to make a priority in their planners for 2025.
Disney Cruise Line revealed the first details about its next ship, including its name – Disney Destiny – as the ship marked a construction milestone this week with a keel laying ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The ship will sail in 2025.
Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced NCL Connect, a new marketing solution designed to boost the sales and marketing efforts of the travel partners through the use of co-brandable “content experiences.” NCL says it is the first contemporary cruise line to do so.
Canadian agents have a chance to share in $450,000 worth of incentives in the 2024 Crystal Grand Challenge, a major promotion launched by the cruise line to celebrate what it calls its “triumphant return to the high seas” and to rewards its top travel advisors, as well as newcomers.
The Venom Drop, the world’s longest dry slide at sea, bumper cars and a secret speakeasy are just a few of the highlights awaiting guests aboard MSC Cruises’ 6,762-passenger World Europa.
Signs along the narrow, winding road up Brimstone Hill caution Drive Slowly. You hardly need to be reminded, because the steep up this hill that should be called a mountain is strenuous even for the local goats.
Cruises are surging back to popularity among Canadians this March Break, as more travellers look to try a mode of tourism they may have avoided since the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts say Caribbean cruises are drawing greater numbers of northerners to Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, and other ports of call thanks to their sun-soaked itineraries and affordable fares in the face of soaring hotel prices.
Looking for something completely different at sea? How about a secret speakeasy aboard MSC Cruises’ World Europa? Travel Industry Today is on the scene in the Mediterranean to get you and your clients the scoop.
Oceania Cruises is charting a 180-day round the world course for its newest ship Vista in 2026. One of the longest world cruises ever, the circumnavigation will visit 101 ports across 43 countries on a 1,200-guest ship that sets a new standard for comfort and convenience.
“We are a country of cruisers,” says Una O’Leary. As evidence, the Canadian GM for Virtuoso points to a “staggering” rise in future cruise bookings across the network – and figures showing that cruising comprised nearly half (48%) of all 2023 sales in the region.
Carnival Cruise Line has announced plans for a US$100-million pier extension that will double the arrival capacity of Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new exclusive destination scheduled to open on Grand Bahama island in the summer of 2025. With the additional $100- million pier extension investment, the now $600-million flagship project remains the largest of its kind ever undertaken by Carnival Corp.
MSC Cruises today announced it will base a ship in Spain’s Canary Islands for the winter to replace its previously planned Red Sea winter 2024-25 program, which is cancelled in light of the current risk to shipping in the region.
Cruise lines are scrambling to re-route around the Red Sea due to ongoing attacks on commercial ships. It’s costing them a bundle and leaving thousands of guests in the lurch, but in some cases, entire cruises are being cancelled. Meanwhile, one world cruise has taken the unprecedented step of asking passengers to vote on an alternative route.
A Norwegian Cruise Line ship with more than 3,000 passengers and crew was allowed to dock Monday in the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius after being quarantined offshore for a day over fears of a possible cholera outbreak onboard, authorities said.
The stars were out in Texas on Saturday as Carnival Cruise Line celebrated the naming of its new flagship Carnival Jubilee, pop start Gwen Stefani was honoured as the ship’s godmother, and Feb. 24 was declared “Carnival Jubilee Day” by Galveston Mayor Craig Brown – all on the same day that marked the 100th birthday of the late Ted Arison, Carnival Cruise Line’s founder.
Has the Four Seasons Yachts project hit the rocks? The mystery persists in the wake of the abrupt resignations of cruise superstar Larry Pimentel, who was President and CEO, along with co-founder Philip Levine from the company developing ultra-luxury ships in a partnership with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.
MSC Cruises’ new “Open Booking” program allows guests to make a future holiday at-sea reservation without the need to commit to a particular vessel, itinerary or sailing date. The initiative complements MSC’s ‘Future Cruise’ program. Notably, travel advisors who made the original cruise reservation will also receive full commission on the new cruise once the ship and sail date is selected.
American Queen Voyages (AQV) says that “despite great efforts” it has been forced to shut down and all future cruises have been cancelled.
With Icon of the Seas newly having just entered service and Utopia of the Seas set for summer sailing, Royal Caribbean Group says it is already dreaming up its next vessel, which is a now a step closer with the announcement of an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
In a signal that cruising has finally recovered, Carnival Corp. has inked its first order for a new ship since before the pandemic. The fourth Excel-Class ship for Carnival Cruise Line will be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard and be delivered in 2027. And the company confirmed rumors reported in Seatrade Cruise News they are in discussion for as many as four ships to be built by Fincantieri in Italy.
Cunard has announced the first event voyage on Queen Anne with a special British Isles Festival to coincide with her maiden voyage around the British Isles, departing May 24. The 14-night roundtrip voyage is designed to showcase the very best of Britain’s shores, taking in Cunard’s spiritual home of Liverpool and along with Belfast, the Highland cliffs, and the scenic Scottish coast.
Concerned about potential escalations to the conflict in the Middle East, Virgin has announced a major detour for the repositioning cruise of its ship, Resilient Lady, departing Australia on March 27. Leaving from Sydney, the repositioning cruise will sail around the coast of Africa.
Cruise lines are riding the crest of an enormous wave. Could it wash away your options for a cruise getaway? Carnival Corp. reports that almost two-thirds of the capacity of its fleets for 2024 is already booked, with occupancy on its ships over 100 percent.
Holland America Line had the biggest sales day in the brand’s 150-year history in January, up 18 per cent from its previous peak sales day recorded in July, 2023.
Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings ships sailed at 106 per cent of occupancy in late 2023 and advance bookings are 59 per cent higher that they were in the strong fall of 2019.