New Orleans has a lot to look forward to in 2024, from an early Mardi Gras to The Rolling Stones headlining Jazz Fest for the first time ever. You may be looking for a vacation though, far away from our city’s nonstop celebrations — and you’re in luck. Cruise lines are set to sail out of New Orleans next year, giving travelers a chance to explore places outside of not only the city but the … [Read more...]

The cruise line won the accolade for Best Business Transformation Strategy and was runner up for Best Customer Centric Strategy at the Engage Awards 2023 recognising innovation and excellence across the entire spectrum of customer and employee engagement. Judges were impressed with the company’s strategy for 2022/23 and beyond, creating a distinct guest profile that embraces everything it stands … [Read more...]

Azamara invites spontaneous solo travelers to create new traditions this holiday season with festive sailings to Australia, South Africa, the Caribbean, and a brand-new Antarctica itinerary. With special solo rates as low as 25-50% off stateroom fares available on select voyages, travelers can leave holiday stresses behind and embark on a journey through the enormous icebergs of the Antarctic … [Read more...]

Saga has launched its first nine all-inclusive Winter 2025 ocean cruises, including a brand new 49-night Caribbean and Central America itinerary, and has extended its chauffeur service from 300 miles to nationwide for 2025. There are also three Canary Island cruises – with one going as far as Casablanca – and other itineraries to the ever popular Western and Eastern Mediterranean, Norway for the … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean International has announced that the already highly anticipated second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, will be homeported from Port Canaveral when she debuts in the summer of 2025. Her first cruises will go on sale on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, though her exact itineraries have not yet been disclosed. Star of the Seas to Homeport in Florida Star of the Seas, sister … [Read more...]

P&O Australia’s Pacific Adventure has been having a rough time with her current sailing, and more itinerary changes are in store for the vessel due to rough weather. The ship’s planned New Zealand itinerary has already had to be scrubbed due to biosecurity and hull cleaning for local environmental regulations, and now the replacement itinerary must also be changed due to bad … [Read more...]

Viking is celebrating the start of its third expedition season in Antarctica, as the Viking Octantis® and her identical sister ship, the Viking Polaris® have arrived again in the region. Both ships will spend the Austral summer in Antarctica, before returning to North America’s Great Lakes for voyages throughout the spring, summer and early fall. To meet strong demand for Antarctica voyages, … [Read more...]

Viking Vela, the first of a new series of cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for the shipowner Viking, has been floated out today at the shipyard in Ancona. The delivery is scheduled for late 2024. The unit will be placed in the small cruise ship segment. She will have a gross tonnage of about 54,300 tons, will be equipped with 499 cabins and will be able to accommodate 998 passengers on … [Read more...]

On Monday, November 6th works begin simultaneously with the construction of the cruise terminals in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura on behalf of Global Ports Canary Islands with an investment over 40 million Euros. Construction of specialized cruise facilities will positively contribute to the transformation of the sector with a remarkable impact in the local economy. The … [Read more...]

Disney+ and D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are giving you the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a vacation for a party of up to 4 on the Maiden Voyage of the Disney Treasure, joining the fleet in just over 1 year. <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" data-attachment-id="62728" … [Read more...]

Julie Rosner Julie Rosner is the Digital Editorial Manager for Porthole Cruise and Travel. She has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Syracuse University. When she is not writing, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, baking, and playing with her Siberian Husky named Ellie. Source: Porthole.com … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean is sending another one of the world’s largest cruise ships to the world’s busiest port in 2025. Royal Caribbean’s second Icon class ship, Star of the Seas, will homeport at Port Canaveral for its inaugural season in the summer of 2025. Cruises on Star of the Seas will open for bookings on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. While exact itineraries have yet to be announced, the cruise ship … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class cruise ship will call Port Canaveral home.Star of the Seas will begin sailing in 2025 and offer cruises from the popular Central Florida port, located just an hour from Orlando.The new bookings will go on sale on December 6, 2023.Star of the Seas is schedule to debut in summer 2025, although its not clear yet exactly when. Royal Caribbean did not divulge when … [Read more...]

A historic day unfolded at Larnaca Port, Cyprus, on November 15th as the majestic Norwegian Gem, stretching 294 meters, made its inaugural call with a complement of 2350 passengers. A festive welcome awaited the passengers, immersing them in the rich local heritage through traditional dances and a delightful array of Cypriot pastries. The day was further marked by a significant exchange of … [Read more...]

With the holiday season around the corner, Crystal and Abercrombie & Kent have teamed up for a unique new offer. Now through Dec. 31, guests who book a Crystal cruise will save 25% on a select Tailor Made luxury safari journey — by land or sea — with Abercrombie & Kent. Begin by choosing an exceptional Crystal cruise, where voyages span from exotic, tropical and remote retreats to … [Read more...]

Does it matter if you pick a cabin on a cruise ship towards the front or back of the ship?Every ship has many choices of where to pick a cabin, and as you get closer to the sail date, it's likely the rooms mid-ship will sell out first.  Mid-ship cabins tend to be more popular because they're more centrally located and tend to be a better choice for someone who is worried about getting … [Read more...]

As the holiday season approaches, Explora Journeys unveils the festive offerings on board EXPLORA I, the first of up to six ships from the MSC Group’s luxury lifestyle brand. This season, guests are invited to experience the magic of the Holidays and New Year’s Eve against the stunning backdrop of the Caribbean. Over the holidays, EXPLORA I will sail from 22 December to 29 December 2023 from … [Read more...]

Personal Navigators, and other details from the Silver Anniversary at Sea 8-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver. The Disney Wonder set sail from Vancouver, Canada on September 11, 2023. During this cruise, the ship was under the control of Captain Thord Haugen. The Cruise Director during the sailing was Trent Hitchcock.  <img fetchpriority="high" … [Read more...]

It’s no secret that cruise ships have gotten bigger, with more to do, more to see, and more passengers. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than with Carnival Cruise Line. In the 1990s, Carnival’s newest ships were a (then) massive 70,000 gross tons. How quickly things have changed… Today, Carnival’s newest ships like Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee measure more than … [Read more...]

Viking Vela has touched water for the first time at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy where the latest luxury Viking cruise liner is being built. The float out of the ship marks the end of her major external construction works, with attention now turning to the fit and finish of her interiors and engineering spaces. The 998-guest Viking Vela is the 11th ship of her design and the tenth … [Read more...]