The coin ceremony of EXPLORA II, the second of up to six ships planned by the Cruise Division of MSC Group for its luxury brand Explora Journeys, today took place at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard near Genoa in Italy. Construction of the GT 63,900 vessel began in October 2021 at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia yard in Naples, Italy where the ship’s keel was laid in May 2022. … [Read more...]

The countdown is on! In just one year, Sun Princess will debut in the gleaming Mediterranean. The first of Princess Cruises’ next generation ships, Sun Princess will welcome its very first guests onboard for next-level vacations with a host of spectacular new vistas, venues and experiences, along with newly inspired signature spaces, all while celebrating the cruise line’s legacy as The Love … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line is introducing a once-in-a-lifetime 31-day cruise on Carnival Luminosa that will take guests to three continents, sailing from Brisbane, Australia to Japan and then across the Pacific Ocean to Alaska, ending in Seattle, Washington. Reservations for the sailing are now open. This latest addition to the Carnival Journeys program of longer sailings is one of the longest and most … [Read more...]

Worldline, a global leader in the payments industry, has extended its long-standing relationship with MSC Cruises, the third largest cruise brand in the world. Working together, Worldline and MSC Cruises will provide a personalised and homogeneous experience to their demanding cruise guests across Europe. Worldline is committed to supporting MSC Cruises in its expansion plans, facilitating their … [Read more...]

With China reopening its borders and the gradual recovery of cross-border travel, those in the cruise industry market say they are taking a hopeful look into the earliest possible reopening of China’s cruise market, which was the world’s second-largest before the COVID pandemic struck. Whereas the nightmare of those on board the Diamond Princess at the Yokohama Port in Japan, in which nearly 700 … [Read more...]

Svalbard, Norway, is an important destination for the expedition cruise industry. This offers economic and other values for Longyearbyen and adds to the opportunity for year-round employment in the local tourism sector. “A collaborative forum for local stakeholders and the cruise industry is exactly what we need to ensure local value and “smooth sailing” in the summer season”, says Frigg … [Read more...]

What's going on? More and more ports, famed cities, and environmentally sensitive maritime areas are banning large and mega ships due to overtourism, limiting the number of ships or even capping the number of visitors. Why is this trend happening?In some places up to eight mega-ships bring in tens of thousands of people a day, and many local destinations are simply overwhelmed, or the visitation … [Read more...]

One of the last assets of Pullmantur Cruises is set to be sold, as the company’s brand is being auctioned in Spain. According to reports in local media, the insolvency administrators of the former cruise line are accepting bids for the brand name since Feb. 1. The tender submissions will continue through March 27, with the value for minimum bids fixed at 177,000 euro. Full story … [Read more...]

In the Caribbean, many cruise companies have bought islands and turned them into private resorts for the exclusive use of cruise passengers who cavort in enormous wave pools, rush down 135-foot water slides with names like Daredevil’s Peak, and zip-line across wide beaches. But on Ocean Cay, an island 20 miles south of Bimini that MSC Cruises began leasing from the Bahamian government in 2015, … [Read more...]

Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, providing a unified voice and leading authority of the global cruise community, announced the appointment of four leaders to helm its Strategic Trade Advisory and Review Board (STARBoard) and Trade Relations Committee (TRC) in North America. Anita Pagliasso, Vice President of Industry Relations with KHM … [Read more...]

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Now is the time to start planning the trip of a lifetime to Alaska with the recently announced summer 2024 season from Princess Cruises, the leading cruise line in the Great Land. Whether mapping out a first visit or a repeat vacation because Alaska is beckoning again, 2024 cruises and cruisetours are now on sale. When visiting Alaska, guests choose Princess more than any other cruise line to set … [Read more...]

Chris Jericho and Sixthman, the leader in festivals and music cruises for more than two decades, have announced Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea: Five Alive, sailing January 26-30, 2024 from Miami, FL to Cozumel, Mexico aboard Norwegian Pearl. Sign-ups for pre-sales are available now through Wednesday, February 15 at 11:59 pm (ET). Pre-sales begin Thursday, February 16 at 10:00 am … [Read more...]

With over 300 expected vessel calls across the province, cruise in Nova Scotia is returning to growth. Nova Scotia is a place that people love to visit thanks to the natural beauty of our coastal province, authentic experiences, and the legendary hospitality of our tourism sector. This is the foundation of the Nova Scotia cruise industry, and it is from there that we will continue to grow. The … [Read more...]

A record number of turnaround calls, two cruise ships on the berth at once and a 20th anniversary celebration are just some of the highlights of this year’s Cruise Liverpool schedule. Cunard’s Queen Victoria is also set to return to the city, the first time a Cunard ship has been back in Liverpool since before the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2022 cruise season has been heralded a huge success, … [Read more...]

Ambassador Cruise Line announced the appointment of Karen Cameron as Divisional Sales Manager as the premium-value, no-fly cruise line continues to bolster its sales team. With oversight of trade business in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Karen Cameron joined Ambassador on 1 February, reporting into Head of Distribution, Nicola Harper and working alongside Louise Tansey, … [Read more...]

Portsmouth International Port’s bold plans to become UK’s most sustainable port take a momentous step closer to being fully shore power ready by 2025. Portsmouth International Port is officially on track to become the UK’s leading shore power port, following confirmation it will accept an offer from Scottish and Southern Energy Network (SSEN) to secure extra power supply. In under two years the … [Read more...]

A record number of cruise ships visited the Porto Cruise Terminal in 2022 as the industry recovered rapidly in the wake of Covid-19. The two cruise terminals welcomed 112 cruise ship calls (11 more than in the last full pre-pandemic seasons in 2018 and 2019), which brought 108.626 passengers to Porto and the North of Portugal Region. Despite having had more cruise calls, the Porto Cruise Terminal … [Read more...]

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Guests aboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet made more than 4,400 wildlife sightings with the help of marine wildlife charity ORCA in 2022. It came as part of ORCA’s Cruise Conservationist programme, hosted aboard the Fred. Olsen fleet. The most frequent wildlife spotted was the common dolphin, sighted 296 times – with the total number of individual dolphins spotted being 1,996. Other sightings … [Read more...]