Huntington Travel Group has launched a cruise product line and named industry veteran Christabel Sundram as cruise product manager to lead the division. The company says its new product offering expansion marks a significant milestone in its commitment to providing comprehensive travel products.
How hard is cider in Halifax? How do you forge a Japanese knife worthy of Kobe beef? They’re among the insights you can gain in an expanded range of ‘Culinary Discovery Tours’ from Oceania Cruises.
The historic, aging ocean liner that a Florida county plans to turn into the world’s largest artificial reef departed from south Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront last week, marking the opening segment of its final voyage.
Imagine if R2D2, the cute little droid from Star Wars, retired and got a job as a waiter. “Your order is here: please wait to be served,” the happy little robot chirps as he (it?) rolls up to our table on Sun Princess, loaded with comfort food. I half expected a natty C3PO to arrive next and set out the nachos and burgers at our table in the Americana Diner, one of the restaurants included in the fare on the newest ‘Love Boat.’
TravelBrands is setting sail with Shore Excursions Group, the world’s largest shore excursion provider. The collaboration brings a portfolio of over 4,000 tours in 300-plus ports worldwide, providing travel agents and their clients with high-quality, lower-priced excursions that enhance their travel experiences.
What’s a wood ear? You’ll find out as Windstar Cruises whips up new tastes with its new complimentary Asian/Mediterranean specialty restaurant Basil + Bamboo. The new concept is taking the place of Cuadro 44 restaurant across the line’s fleet in 2025. It’s first on Star Breeze in February 2025, and will debut as the new alternative dining venue aboard Star Seeker, due in December.
Princess Cruises – aka “The Love Boat” – will celebrate its 60th anniversary this year with a special 14-day anniversary cruise to Mexico, departing from Los Angeles on Dec. 6. On sale now, the 60th Anniversary Mexican Riviera Voyage aboard the Royal Princess will include some of the same ports on the cruise line’s first-ever voyage, which set sail on Dec. 3, 1965, on Princess Patricia.
Luxury cruise line Cunard has unveiled its 2026 Alaska program, which will operate between May and September, offering 15 roundtrip voyages from Seattle, ranging from seven to 12 nights. Guests looking for a longer vacation that combines contrasting destinations can choose extended voyages of up to 42 nights that includes the Caribbean.
AmaWaterways and Smithsonian Journeys – the travel program of the Smithsonian Institution specializing in small-group travel – have announced an alliance, starting in 2026. Beginning in April, select European river cruises will feature exclusive experiences, drawing on the Smithsonian’s 175-plus-year history as the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.
A new concept on the coming Celebrity Xcel will be unlike anything at sea, offering guests activities to “explore the world before you even get there,” Celebrity Cruises promises. The Bazaar is is a three-level, multi-sensory space designed to physically transform several times over the course of each sailing to introduce travellers to experiences inspired by the destinations they visit.
Nearly as long as four football fields and carrying up to 5,000 guests on 19 decks, Sun Princess is the biggest ‘Love Boat’ ever. She’s a floating city filled with entertainment, and more restaurants and bars than anyone can reasonably be expected to discover in a full week on board.
Reservations for Azamara Cruises’ 2027 World Cruise are now open, with the journey set to be the small-ship, destination-immersive cruise line’s longest yet. The 188-night journey aboard the Azamara Quest will encompass 37 countries, 103 destinations, and five continents.
Celebrity Cruises is aiming to shake up European river cruising with a plan to build 10 new ships with Edge Class features and service “The Celebrity Way.” Celebrity River Cruises announced it will open bookings soon for cruises due to start in Europe in 2027, with bookings opening later this year.
A hefty cruise fee increase implemented in Iceland has led to numerous cancelled port calls. The infrastructure fee came into force on January 1 causing several cruise lines to limit or completely shift ships away from Iceland.
We’re told that Cozumel Island, where Sun Princess is docked alongside four more of the biggest cruise ships ever built is the place the ancients came to get into the mood for love. Cozumel island was considered sacred to the Maya moon spirit Ix Chel, so women made pilgrimages to temples here in hopes of boosting their fertility and finding a mate.
In an unexpected but very strategic move, Ponant Explorations Group is buying majority stake in small adventure ship line Aqua Expeditions to expand its range to South America and Asia. Aqua Expeditions operates small ships in ecologically diverse areas including the Galápagos, Indonesia, the Mekong River and the Peruvian Amazon.
An icebreaker cruise ship set sail on last Friday for a frosty journey that will bring passengers along the St. Lawrence River, a new route that tourism officials hope will usher in a new era of winter cruises in the province. Ponant, the French company that owns the vessel, says it is the first international passenger cruise ship to venture onto the St. Lawrence River during the winter.
I didn’t expect to find myself in handcuffs for ordering a cocktail aboard the new Sun Princess. But then there were a lot of things I didn’t anticipate about an evening of mystery and illusion on my Caribbean cruise.
Demonstrating its commitment to Alaska, Holland America Line is expanding and enhancing its popular Denali Lodge as well as its land-and-sea cruisetours with a US$70-million capital investment that will roll out over the next three seasons.
Cunard’s newest luxury ship, the Queen Anne, embarked on her historic 107-night maiden world voyage from Southampton, UK, Jan. 9, marking a new chapter in the cruise line’s distinguished history. Spectators gathered across the city to witness the ship’s 9 p.m. departure, which was celebrated with a dazzling fireworks display.
If you’re still unsure whether the cruise industry is on track to set new records, look no further than the latest announcement from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. They named a new team to lead a multi-billion-dollar fleet expansion and upgrading program for its ultra-premium and luxury cruise brands.
Some of the biggest ships ever built are beckoning in 2025 as cruising attracts record bookings. Many new arrivals are sisters of ships that were already the largest ever when they made their debuts. Even new small ships are bulking up.
Whether it’s switching traditionally hot getaways for something a little cooler or booking the next trip thanks to the latest hit TV show or film, MSC Cruises is revealing five travel trends that are driving guest holiday decisions into 2025 and beyond.
What do you get when you add another half to Half Moon Cay? You get a private island complex big enough for both Carnival and Holland America ships to comfortably visit daily, says Carnival Corp. which owns both cruise lines.
Cruise Critic has named the winners of its 16th annual Best in Cruises 2024, featuring the best cruise lines and destinations of the year based on expert insight and traveller ratings. The site features more than 650,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world’s largest online cruise community where travellers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers.
Virgin Voyages is inviting freebooting entrepreneurs who can “work for anywhere” to make the company’s Lady-ships their home by buying a year-long pass. And they can pay in crypto.
Explora Journeys has revealed details of EXPLORA III, the third of six ships that will be launched by the luxury lifestyle brand of the MSC Group by 2028, with the first two have been introduced earlier this year. The third vessel will set sail in summer, 2026.
Mexico’s Senate has voted to charge cruise ship passengers $42 per head for port calls, drawing sharp criticism from the tourism industry. Mexican business chambers say the immigration charge – from which cruise passengers used to be exempt – may hurt the country’s half-billion-dollar-per-year cruise industry.
MSC Cruises’ dedicated online reservations platform for travel agents, MSC Book, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The company says the online tool has been a great ‘success’ thanks to agency support with the registration of nearly 120,000 travel agents and over 10 million guests booked since the online tool was introduced in 2014.
Sunwing Vacations has welcomed Melissa Harley as its new Business Development Manager for Central, Eastern, Northern Ontario and Atlantic Canada. She joins the Sunwing Vacations Sales Team effective immediately.