SHOULD YOU PAY UP TO DINE AROUND THE NEW LOVE BOAT?
- 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 SETS SAIL WITH SHORE EXCURSIONS GROUP
- 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.
NO CHAIN SAW REQUIRED FOR WINDSTAR’S BAMBOO
- 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 ANNIVERSARY CRUISE A TEMPTING OFFER
- 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.
CUNARD ALASKA OFFERS TWIST IN ‘26
- 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.
AMA ALLIES WITH SMITHSONIAN JOURNEYS
- 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.
CELEBRITY XCELS BAZAAR WILL CHANGE EVERY DAY
- 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.
IS THE NEW SUN PRINCESS TOO LARGE TO LOVE?
- 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.
AZAMARA UNVEILS LONGEST WORLD CRUISE YET
- 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.
A BIG SPLASH: Celebrity Launching River Cruises
- 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.
ICELAND’S HEFTY FEES DETER CRUISE SHIPS:
- 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.
A DAY WITH THE CRUISE GANG AT THE COZU-MALL
- 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.
PONANT CONQUERS THE WORLD WITH SURPRISE MOVE
- 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.
BREAKING THE ICE ON ST. LAWRENCE WINTER CRUISING
- 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.
GETTING SPELLBOUND IN SPIRITED STYLE ON SUN PRINCESS
- 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.
HOLLAND AMERICA ALL-IN ON ALASKA
- 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.
QUEEN ANNE EMBARKS ON HISTORIC MAIDEN VOYAGE
- 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.
IS BIGGER BETTER? WE’RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT
- 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.
FIVE TRENDS DRIVING CONSUMER CRUISE CHOICES
- 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.
HALF MOON PLUS MORE EQUALS ‘RELAXAWAY’
- 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.