Oceania Cruises has unveiled its 2025/26 Tropics and Exotics Collection which includes a range of African itineraries and Cape Town departures, and opens for sale on April 17th, 2024. The new collection features 135 itineraries ranging from seven to 180 days, including Vista’s debut Around The World Voyage, and a series of five ‘Africa Adventures’ aboard Nautica, ranging from 11 to 30 … [Read more...]
Princess Cruises upgrades main dining room experience across the fleet
Princess Cruises is enhancing the main dining room experience across its fleet by offering three table service options coupled with the brand’s OceanNow location-based “anywhere” service. The cruise line will re-designate three separate dining rooms aboard every ship to offer Traditional, Reservable, or Walk-in Anytime dining, the company said in a press release. The Traditional option … [Read more...]
Cunard makes history in SA with double call by Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria
Cunard Line has made history in South Africa with its first ever double port call on the continent when Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria both docked in Cape Town this week. Queen Mary 2 arrived in Cape Town on April 11th, concluding her 30-day one-way trip from Hong Kong to Cape Town, with Queen Victoria arriving a day later as part of her 55-day one-way trip from Sydney to Southampton, … [Read more...]
P&O reveals new illusion show set to debut across the fleet
P&O Cruises is rolling out a new Vegas-style illusion show to the fleet, created by TV presenter and actor Stephen Mulhern and performer Jonathan Wilkes in collaboration with choreographer Paul Domaine. The 45-minute show, “Unbelievable” features a range of new themes including neon, lasers, the court of Marie Antoinette, fire, water and UV, and will be performed by the Headliners … [Read more...]
MSC Cruises marks steel cutting for third mega ship MSC World Asia
MSC Cruises has held a ceremony to mark the first steel cutting for its third World-class ship, MSC World Asia. MSC World Asia joins sister ships MSC World Europa and MSC World America as the largest vessels ever built for MSC Cruises, at over 200,000 gross tons and a passenger capacity of more than 5,400. The steel cutting ceremony is a major milestone in the ship’s construction as it … [Read more...]
Emerald Cruises to expand fleet with third cruising superyacht for Red Sea
Emerald Cruises has ordered a third cruising mega-yacht from a shipyard in Vietnam, with the new vessel set to join the 2022-built Emerald Azzurra and the 2023-built Emerald Sakara. The new superyacht Emerald Kaia is scheduled to enter service in April 2026 and will be 10-metres longer than her sister ships at 120-metres, and will debut a range of enhancements. These include a new … [Read more...]
MSC Cruises reveals first-at-sea Cliffhanger attraction aboard MSC World America
MSC Cruises has unveiled its first thrill ride at sea, Cliffhanger, aboard its newest ship MSC World America, a sister ship to MSC World Europa and the largest vessel the brand has ever homeported in the US. Cliffhanger will be the only over-water swing ride at sea, debuting exclusively aboard MSC World America when the ship enters service in April 2025. The ride … [Read more...]
Holland America revamps entertainment with new shows and live music
Holland America Line is adding new production shows to its entertainment lineup in 2024, and expanding its live music venue Rolling Stone Lounge to more ships in the fleet. The cruise line has announced four new mainstage experiences are set to debut, which will put “a fresh spin on the classic cruise product format”, while other new productions will be tailored to various regions. These … [Read more...]
African itinerary aboard Norwegian Dawn reveals need for cruise infrastructure
One cruise passenger’s experience of the South African and Indian Ocean itinerary with Norwegian Cruise Line aboard Norwegian Dawn highlights the need for greater investment in cruise infrastructure on the continent. Norwegian Dawn Allie Hubers sailed aboard Norwegian Dawn from Mauritius to Cape Town in January, one of nearly 30 cruises she’s been on all over the world, and blogged about her … [Read more...]
MSC Cruises reveals seven district aboard MSC World America mega ship
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon mega ships have ‘neighbourhoods’, Carnival’s Excel vessels have ‘zones’ and MSC Cruises’ giant World class ships have ‘districts’, with its latest, MSC World America, boasting seven. MSC World America’s seven districts will be designed to provide tailored experiences for passengers when she launches in 2025 for the North American market. From a dedicated … [Read more...]
MSC Splendida causes traffic jams in Cape Town as season winds down
MSC Splendida is the largest cruise ship ever to homeport in South Africa, and as she respositions from Durban to Cape Town for the remainder of her SA cruise season, she’s bringing traffic to a stop in the Mother City. MSC Splendida stops traffic with her immense size not only because the general public travel to Table Bay Harbour to get a look at her, but also because her 3,900 passengers … [Read more...]
NCL passengers left in Africa highlight value of cruise line excursions
A group of eight cruise passengers were stranded in the African island nation of Sao Tome and Príncipe after their independant shore excursion arrived late at the port. The group of US and Australian passengers, which includes a pregnant woman and a paraplegic guest, booked a private shore excursion in Sao Tome when the ship docked on March 27th, and did not make it back to the port in time … [Read more...]
American Queen Voyages’ iconic river fleet acquired by American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines has purchased the classic river fleet of American Queen Voyages following parent company’s debt restructuring earlier this year. American Cruise Line purchased four classic paddle-driven riverboats at auction for around $4.5 million according to a court filing. The acquisition ensures that the river vessels American Queen, American Empress, American Countess and … [Read more...]
Norwegian Viva to undergo minor refurbishment on resposition cruise
Norwegian Viva is brand new, having sailed her maiden voyage only in August last year, but already Norwegian Cruise Line are planning to undertake upgrades to the ship. The cruise line has announced that during the ship’s repositioning voyage from the US to Europe, several public spaces will be either upgraded or overhauled entirely. This work during the 19-night cruise will entail some … [Read more...]
Norwegian Cruise Line cancels Dubai 2025 departure, South Africa season unaffected
Norwegian Cruise Line is cancelling several sailings across its fleet for 2025, including the April 19th, departure from Dubai in the UAE, but Norwegian Dawn’s South African season is unaffected. According to a statement sent to travel agents, a total of 20 departures across seven different vessels have been affected, but Norwegian did not cite the ongoing Red Sea crisis as a reason for the … [Read more...]
Four Seasons Yachts reveals staterooms and itineraries aboard debut vessel
Four Seasons Yachts has revealed details of the staterooms aboard its first cruising superyacht, along with itineraries covering the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The cabins aboard the cruising yacht, which has not yet been named, will feature 50 percent more living space per guest than is currently available with any competitor at sea, according to Four Seasons. All the accommodations … [Read more...]
Celestyal adds more cruises in Arabian Gulf on unprecedented demand
Celestyal Cruises has expanded its 2025 cruise schedule as a result of what the cruise line says is unprecedented demand in early bookings. Celestyal will add voyages to its Heavenly Adriatic itineraries in Greek, as well as its Desert Days itineraries out of Doha in the Arabian Gulf. Both itineraries aboard its new ship Celestyal Journey were introduced in January this year, with the … [Read more...]
Viking floats out new Nile River cruise ship Viking Hathor ahead of 2024 debut
Viking has celebrated the float out of its newest ship for the Nile River in Egypt, the 82-guest Viking Hathor, marking a major construction milestone as the ship touches water for the first time. Set to debut in August 2024, Viking Hathor will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular … [Read more...]
Cunard reveals West End Pride & Prejudice musical aboard Queen Anne
The unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s love story, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is premiering at sea on board Queen Anne’s British Isles Festival Voyage. Brought to Cunard by acclaimed theatre producer David Pugh, the play will debut on Queen Anne’s May 24th departure, for a two-week celebratory ‘lap of honour’ circumnavigation of the British Isles that will also feature the … [Read more...]
Seabourn unveils 2025/26 winter and spring itineraries featuring Arabia
Seabourn has unveiled its 2025/26 fall, winter and spring itineraries with cruises that explore the cultures of Arabia and Southeast Asia, the fall foliage of Japan, the islands of the Caribbean, and the Hawaiian Islands. Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn Encore, Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Sojourn will offer 72 itineraries to more than 105 destinations in over 40 countries between September … [Read more...]