Wallace Immen/ Sea Dream Yacht Club is ordering a new ultra-luxury ship that can take 200 guests around the world. It’s been a long time coming for the 25-year-old boutique ultra-luxury cruise line ,whose two ships carry just 112 guests and have a crew of 100. While the yachts were born in the 1980s and are over 40 years old, they’ve been meticulously maintained and have a loyal following.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ These massive walls have defended against centuries of conquests. Beautiful squares are filled with flowers, food and music. The medieval towns along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic have been the fantasy settings for the Game of Thrones. And over centuries of history, the games have been all too real.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Oceania Cruises is stretching the definition of cruises to remarkable lengths. A new menu of options includes cruises that range from 31-day explorations to 180-day circumnavigations.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Carnival Corporation is defending the sustainability of cruising, saying not only has it met targets for cutting emissions early, it is raising its eco-friendly goals and will achieve them sooner.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ A four-month voyage planned on Atlas Ocean Cruises’ newest ship promises to explore the cultures and tastes of places even the most seasoned travellers haven’t visited.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities has launched a new Digital Visa-on-Arrival System to simplify entry procedures for international travellers. The pilot phase of the new system has begun at Cairo International Airport, and will be rolled out nationwide.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Soaring temperatures and drought in Europe are forcing cruise lines to adapt, with what some guests are calling “magical mystery cruises.” While the worst of the heat wave appears to be subsiding, an extended drought and wildfires are forcing changes in itineraries and excursions.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Emerald Cruises & Tours celebrated the ceremonial launch of Emerald Lumi, a ship designed specifically to cruise the Seine River and sail right into the heart of Paris. The new ship measures just 110 metres in length, designed to navigate where few other river ships can reach.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ The shuffleboard is “supercharged” and the Pickleball and Padel courts are competition grade. There’s an 18-hole golf putting course, an enclave for sunrise and sunset yoga, a full-size pool and all-day relaxation zones.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ The numbers are staggering. Carnival’s private Caribbean port Celebration Key can now dock four mega-ships a day and see over 13,000 guests a day hitting the beaches and attractions.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Think you’ve seen it all? Leave it to Scenic Group to keep expanding the definition of exotic cruising. Their latest boutique ship, Scenic Aura, will be exploring a river that flows through India’s West Bengal along with land extensions for tiger viewing and visiting the Taj Mahal.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ A cruise ship with a checkered history, Gemini is reported to have been arrested in Greece due to unpaid debts the owner owes to a Turkish financial institution.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ I’ve got a dinner date in Eden and an evening of grand dining in a four-star rated restaurant. And they’re both on a cruise ship. Le Voyage on Celebrity Ascent rates four stars among restaurants around the world in the latest Forbes Travel Guide’s global dining list.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ With global conflicts seemingly never-ending, more cruise lines are shifting winter itineraries away from the Middle East and Africa to offer guests the security of Europe. And they’re seeing strong bookings because despite the cooler temperatures, the off-season promises a relief from tourist crowds.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ The brochures for Celebrity Cruises’ shore excursion in Katakolon, Greece say it’s an opportunity to re-live what it was like to participate in the ancient Olympiade.
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 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 the recent addition to Celebrity’s Edge Class of ships:
By WALLACE IMMEN/ A sleek, dark blue ship with interiors by luxury yacht firm Tillberg Design of Sweden is about to start sailing on Europe’s rivers. Gorgeous, but you can’t just book a single cabin, you have to commit to the whole ship. The Transcend Connect is only the first of 12 ships planned by Transcend Cruises, that sees an untapped demand for group charters on Europe’s rivers.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Cruisers choosing to stay close to home, repeat guests and smoother sailing have cruise lines planning a long future in the Great Lakes.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Victory Cruise Line is seeing a spike in new bookings for its Great Lakes cruises and owner John Waggoner knows why: “I hear it every day: There’s a stalemate in Middle East and the airlines are raising fares and cutting flights…”
Building on record performance, Holland America Line plans a $500-million investment to reimagine six ships. Holland America Evolution is the most ambitious guest experience update in the company’s 153-year history, to deliver a comprehensive bow-to-stern revitalization and add popular features of its Pinnacle Class ships across most of the fleet, the company says.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ With a war going on, fuel prices spiking and even some ships stuck in port, it’s a challenging moment, but cruise leaders remain optimistic about long-term growth.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Oceania Cruises plans a transformation of its classic ship Oceania Marina. In a dry dock in October 2026, every stateroom will be redesigned, along with enhancements across all public spaces, ensuring that the ship reflects Oceania Cruises’ signature blend of residential luxury understated elegance.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Explora Journeys has joined a roster of cruise lines changing course from the Middle East and sailing throughout the winter in the Mediterranean. MSC Cruises, and Windstar Cruises are also rerouting to sail in Europe and North Africa through the winter months as the closing of the Gulf of Hormuz continues with no end in sight.
The long-awaited Four Seasons I has begun her inaugural season, a Mediterranean voyage, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of Four Seasons Hotels and the opening of its first hotel on the first day of spring in 1961.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ AmaWaterways showcased the new colours and branding of its river fleet with the gala christening of its newest ship, AmaSofia. The ceremony on the Rhine was attended by 1,200 members of the travel advisor community during the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam.
By Wallace Immen/ Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Scenic Group has announced another fleet expansion, with three new luxury river ships to join its award-winning portfolio. This includes one new Emerald Star-Ship and two ultra-luxury Scenic Space-Ships, extending their presence across Europe and Asia in 2027 and 2028.
By Wallace Immen/ With the Middle East conflict spreading at an epidemic rate, cruise lines are scrambling to avoid disruption and planning far ahead to steer clear of an epic storm. Some were caught in the crosshairs. Three cruise ships in the United Arab Emirates cancelled upcoming sailings.
By Wallace Immen/ What if every other day was 25 hours long? What if you could make an entire day vanish – or jump from one year to the next and back again? And what if you could fly home from halfway around the world and arrive before you left?
By Wallace Immen/ Talk about ordering ahead. Two upscale cruise lines have just inked contracts for new ships not due to arrive for more than a decade. It’s the kind of optimism that comes from seeing record-breaking sales across the entire cruise industry.
By Wallace Immen/ A small, niche cruise line sailing in Southeast Alaska has called it quits.