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.
Looking for a deal on a cruise getaway in the Caribbean this winter? A record number of other people have the same idea and that’s created an unprecedented demand. While the plethora of Black Friday and upcoming January Wave Month cruise sales offer(ed) some amazing deals, many come with a catch – they’re for cruises a year or more in the future.
Windstar Cruises is adding a new itinerary in 2026 to its popular Canada & New England season of sailings, which are fall travel favourites thanks to the line’s ability to visit many smaller, scenic ports where big ships don’t go. The line’s 312-guest motor yacht Star Pride sails in the region during the prime fall colour months of September and October.
Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled almost six months of sailings between November 2025 and April 2026 on three of its ships – Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Jewel. The cruise line said the cancellations were due to ‘fleet redeployment’ according to a communication sent to booked guests and their travel advisors.
It’s clear that cruise lines expect the Suez Canal, Red Sea and the Holy Land to be too conflicted to risk sailing around for a long time to come. How long? Even newly announced 2027 World Cruises are steering far away from the entire Middle East.
Been there done that? No matter how many weeks you’ve cruised in the Caribbean or the Med, it’s time to shake things up and broaden your horizons beyond the usual suspects. Cruise lines are plotting innovative out-of-the-ordinary cruise options to one-up the growing competition. They’re experiences you haven’t been able to have before and are destined to be remembered for years after they end.
A residential cruise tour operator is offering disgruntled American voters facing four more years of Donald Trump a chance to continuously sail around the world and “skip forward” to the end of his administration in 2028. Starting at just under US$40,000, Villa Vie Residences has programs ranging from one to four years that allow guests to join at any time in any port as it circles the globe.
Disney Treasure, Disney Cruise Line’s new ship, docked in its home port of Port Canaveral, Florida, for the very first time this week. Following its initial visit to Florida, the ship will sail to New York City for a special christening celebration on the evening of Nov. 19.
MSC Cruises has announced enhancements to its MSC Voyagers Club loyalty program, highlighted by a refreshed tier scheme and easier-to-access discounted and extended validity. Also from MSC, EXPLORA JOURNEYS has unveiled exclusive access for guests to Monaco’s Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2025.
Crystal has finalized its order with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for construction of a third ocean ship. The announcement comes two years after A&K Travel Group acquired Crystal in 2022, marking a new chapter for the cruise line.
Ever been to Kalso, Kinsale or Kilwa Kivinje? How about Hermanus or the Abrolhos Archipelago? Neither has any cruise line before Swan Hellenic added them to their coming itineraries. The storied brand has been reborn with new owners and a fleet of new eco-friendly expedition ships.
Royal Caribbean Group has confirmed it is buying the Port of Costa Maya in Quintana Roo, Mexico. The deal is reported to be worth nearly US $300 million and includes adjacent land at Mahahual. The cruise company plans major upgrades at the port and surrounding infrastructure.
Due to the unique multi-leg nature of travelling by cruise ship, combined with potential medical issues abroad, the importance of cruise travel insurance cannot be overstated, says travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip.ca.
Holland America Line is expanding its Canada and New England season in 2026 with more cruises, increased ports of call and added overnights. Sailing from Boston, a new 28-day Legendary Voyage –”Canada, New England and Iceland” – highlights the three regions.
They’ve got big eyes, furry ears and goofy, toothy grins – and they had us surrounded on the road in Morocco. It had hardly been the Marrakesh Express since we left Oceania Cruises’ Marina on the two-lane blacktop road from Agadir to the remarkable walled city of Taroudant. But our bus ground to a total halt as the lumbering camels completely blocked the route.
MSC Cruises will launch Alaska itineraries for the first time, with seven-night sailings available from May to September 2026 aboard MSC Poesia out of the cruise line’s new Seattle home-port – its fifth in the US. The summer season will also feature two itineraries transiting Panama Canal between Seattle and Miami.