Riviera Travel's two new ships are called Riviera Radiance and Riviera Rose. Riviera Radiance launches in March 2025 and holds 178-guests, the ship will have three full decks plus a sun deck. Launching in April 2025, Riviera Rose holds a lesser 114-guests and offers 57 cabins across three decks – including four balcony suites with outside seating. Information about itineraries will be revealed … [Read more...]
Avalon Waterways to make Garonne and Dordogne debuts in 2025
Avalon Waterways will offer new one, two and three-week sailings through Bordeaux with cruises on the Garonne and Dordogne, and combinations that also include the Seine, Saône, Rhône and Rhine.Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways, said: “Wine-lovers aren’t the only cruisers raising a glass to Avalon’s new Bordeaux itineraries.“Along the shores of the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, we’re … [Read more...]
Gwen Stefani named godmother of Carnival Jubilee
Stefani will attend the ship’s official naming ceremony in Galveston, Texas on February 24.Carnival Jubilee, the third of the line’s liquefied natural gas-powered Excel class ships entered service on December 23 and is based year-round at the port of Galveston. Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Gwen Stefani onto Carnival Jubilee … [Read more...]
American Cruise Lines to sail out of Washington DC
The company became the first to to dock in the US capital in more than 60 years in 2018. Starting in spring 2024, the line’s new American Revolution itinerary will depart from The Wharf in Washington DC and sail the Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River and York River. Ports of call include Annapolis, Norfolk and Mount Vernon as well as the ‘Historic Triangle’ of Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown.The … [Read more...]
Susan Calman boosts Riviera’s Douro bookings by 54 per cent
Set onboard Douro Elegance, the first episode, which aired on January 26, was watched live by almost 900,000 viewers.Its consolidated number, which adds in viewers who watched it on catch-up over the following seven days, topped 1.1m.The second episode, which aired on February 2, was equally popular and overnight ratings confirmed it was also the most watched show on Channel 5 that day. In turn, … [Read more...]
New survey finds more customers are opting for ex-UK departures in 2024
The poll by cruise specialist, cruise.co.uk, which surveyed over 8,000 past passengers, found that more than half (53 per cent) of British cruise customers are “certain or very likely” to book an ex-UK itinerary this year.A further 24 per cent of Brits were “fairly likely” to opt for a domestic departure, representing an overall five per cent increase compared to 2023.Demand for fly-cruises also … [Read more...]
Carnival Cruise Line shares details about Celebration Key
Scheduled to open in July 2025, Celebration Key and will feature on more than 500 itineraries via 18 Carnival ships sailing from nine US homeports. Up to two ships will able to dock at any one time.Carnival said the new destination will offer a “range of activities across five distinct areas” which they are referring to as ‘portals’.Upon arrival, passengers will walk through the Welcome Portal … [Read more...]
Holland America Line announces 2025-26 Australia and New Zealand cruises
The 1,924-guest Noordam will operate 14-night voyages from November 2025 to March 2026, sailing roundtrip from Sydney, or between Sydney and Auckland. The Australia and New Zealand cruise will sail from Sydney to Auckland via Melbourne, Hobart and/or Burnie, Tauranga, Napier and Dunedin. Departures are available in November 2025 and February and March 2026 with prices from £2,769 per … [Read more...]
Liverpool to host naming ceremony for Cunard's new ship Queen Anne
Queen Anne's naming ceremony will take place on the Mersey waterfront at Liverpool on June 3, 2024. The naming ceremony will take place during the ship's 14-night voyage around the British Isles. This '14-night British Isles Festival Voyage' will depart Southampton on May 24 with maiden calls to Edinburgh, Invergorden, Greenock, Belfast and Liverpool. Cunard's president Katie McAlister said: … [Read more...]
Cunard offers 10 per cent off selected 2024 voyages in flash sale
The promotion, which runs until February 12, is valid on select sailings on all four of the line’s ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and new ship Queen Anne, which is scheduled to enter service in May.Itineraries include transatlantic crossings, Alaskan sailings, Caribbean cruises and European voyages including a seven-night Mediterranean adventure onboard Queen Victoria, from … [Read more...]
Azamara Onward makes maiden call to Easter Island
The 684-passenger Azamara Onward called at Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, as part of the 16-night Pacific Mysteries segment of its 2024 World Cruise.Passengers were able to discover Easter Island’s volcanoes, grasslands and moai statues – of which there are nearly 1,000 scattered throughout the island. Azamara will next be calling at Easter Island as part of its 2026 World Cruise. This … [Read more...]
Lionel Messi names Icon of the Seas
The world’s biggest football star and his Inter Miami teammates attended a ceremony at the Port of Miami, where they took part in the naming of the 7,600-passenger ship.The vessel, which formally sets sail for the first time this weekend, is the longest in the world at 1,198 feet.The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was the headliner at the ceremony, which was hosted by Mario Lopez, in the AquaDome … [Read more...]
Viking opens bookings for 2026 ocean cruises early
Strong demand has led Viking to open ocean voyage bookings for 2026 after many of its 2024 dates sold out, with plenty of its 2025 departures also selling fast.The early opening of bookings for 2026 departures is across the company’s ocean ships including new vessel, Viking Vesta, which is scheduled to join the fleet in July 2025. The 998-passenger vessel will spend its inaugural season sailing … [Read more...]
Princess cancels Sun Princess inaugural voyage as delivery delayed
A joint statement from the line and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri confirmed that they have mutually agreed to delay the delivery of Sun Princess and cancel the ship's inaugural 10-day ‘Grand Mediterranean voyage’, which was due to depart from Barcelona on February 8, 2024.John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, said: “We understand that this news is disappointing, and we share in that … [Read more...]
Holland America Line adds more ‘Legendary Voyages’ in 2025-26
Legendary voyages – longer cruises that range from 25 to 59 days in length and offer guests extended exploration opportunities, with an emphasis on providing insight into the history and culture of the destinations visited – were introduced by Holland America Line in 2023The first eight itineraries for the 2025-2026 season were announced late last year. The four new itineraries include a rare … [Read more...]
Fred Olsen's Bolette to sail first world cruise in 2025
Bolette, which joined the family-owned line’s fleet in 2020, willl visit countries including Brazil, Chile, French Polynesia, Australia and South Africa during her 106-night ‘Voyage of Exploration Around the World’ sailing.Martin Lister, head of itinerary planning and destination experience at Fred Olsen, said: “This extra special voyage for Bolette’s first world cruise has been hand-crafted by … [Read more...]
Cunard launches entertainment showcases for 2024
The new line up includes exclusive shows in the Royal Court Theatre, interactive theatre and multi-sensory dining. Also, the line has collaborated with award-winning theatre producers, directors, writers, choreographers and performers to create 'Cunard Showcases' for 2024. Cunard also offers guests the chance to go behind the scenes with the 'In conversation with' events and workshops with the … [Read more...]
Windstar Cruises to position ships in the Mediterranean year-round
After launching its first-ever winter cruise season in the Mediterranean in December 2023, Windstar Cruises has decided to keep Star Legend sailing in the region for winter 2024-25.The cruise line began offering winter Med cruises for the first time last month, after being forced to postpone its 2023/24 Middle East programme aboard Star Legend due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.Positive feedback and … [Read more...]
SS United States: Fate of America's flagship hangs in court
It’s a new year, and Penn Warehousing is seeking to lose some weight. Around 53,330 tons from Pier 82, to be exact – as a bench trial has commenced over dock fees regarding the troubled liner SS United States Things are looking bleak for SS United States; North America’s ill-forgotten cruise icon. Following decades of conservation efforts tailored to prevent the vessel from being scrapped, a … [Read more...]
Riviera Travel to appear in ‘Cruising with Susan Calman’
The comedian, writer and presenter will travel along the Douro onboard Douro Elegance for seven nights visiting Porto, Mateus Palace, Salamanca and Almeida.Viewers will see Calman sample a range of guest facilities, including the onboard restaurant, sun deck, lounge and bar.The two episodes, part of the show’s third series, will air on January 26 and February 2 on Channel 5. Phil Hullah, chief … [Read more...]