MSC Cruises‘ focus on testing rather than vaccinations will help it resume cruises in South Africa, while Norwegian Cruise Line’s current vaccine mandate is due to expire just before the new SA cruise season begins. Several cruise lines have itineraries scheduled from Cape Town for the coming 2021/22 season, but low vaccinate uptake in the country, and divergence of vaccine policies between … [Read more...]

A resurgence in tensions between Iran and US and UK allies in the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to impact the Middle East cruise sector based on past experience. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15883" data-attachment-id="15883" … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line on Saturday celebrated the entry into service of its new cruise ship Mardi Gras, with a pre-voyage celebration with the media and guests. Mardi Gras was showed off to the travel industry in Port Canaveral, before her first passengers were welcomed onboard for a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15955" … [Read more...]

MSC Cruises has resumed sailings from the United States for the first time since the pandemic, with MSC Meraviglia departing Miami, bound for the Caribbean. MSC Meraviglia will cruise roundtrip from Miami to Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas on 3- and 4-night itineraries until October. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15024" … [Read more...]

Norwegian Cruise Line is rolling out Starbucks across its fleet as it prepares to resume cruises from the United States on August 7th. Starbucks has been available for years on select Norwegian Cruise Line ships, but it now plans to be the first in the industry to have the coffee shop available across its fleet by the end of 2022. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5149" … [Read more...]

MSC Cruises has signed a long-term preferential berthing agreement with Cruise Saudi, giving its ships superior access to Jeddah Port, mirroring a deal signed in Dubai in 2019. The five-year preferential berthing agreement gives MSC Cruises early access to the port and suggests that it foresees rapid growth of the Saudi Arabian cruise market. <img … [Read more...]

Costa Serena has become the latest cruise ship to dock in Dubai as she awaits her cruise restart in Asia, joining fleet mates Costa Venezia and Costa Atlantica in Port Rashid. Costa Serena docked Thursday in Dubai, joining two other Costa cruise ships that are waiting out the last of the cruise shutdown in the Middle East’s primary cruise port. <img … [Read more...]

Holland America Line has accepted delivery of its 11th ship, Rotterdam, from the Italian shipyard Fincantieri. The newest ship in the Holland America Line fleet was previously meant to be named Ryndam, but following the sale of the 1997-built Rotterdam, she was renamed so that the flagship of the fleet would continue to carry the historic name. <img … [Read more...]

At the $800-million The Pointe development on The Palm Jumeirah Island in Dubai you’ll find restaurants, shops and The Palm Fountain, the largest of its kind in the world. RELATED: Dubai shore excursions: The Green Planet RELATED: Dubai shore excursions: Deep Dive Dubai Located on Palm Jumeirah, the island adjacent the new Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal, The Pointe is an upscale … [Read more...]

Saudi Arabia is forecasting immense growth of its cruise tourism sector as MSC Cruises begins its inaugural cruise season in the country with MSC Bellissima. On the same day that Cruise Saudi and MSC Cruises celebrated the opening of the country’s first cruise terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port, it was announced that Saudi Arabia is planning to welcome even more cruise passengers than Dubai in the … [Read more...]

Disney Cruise Line has revealed additional adult spaces aboard its new cruise ship Disney Wish, unveiling new bars, lounges, and spa, salon and barbershop experiences. Disney Wish will provide a variety of new venues for adults, including the fleet’s first outdoor spa retreat, salon and barbershop experiences, and a collection of bars and lounges. RELATED: Disney Cruise Line to debut new … [Read more...]

P&O Cruises has announced the beginning of the assembly stage in the construction of its new ship Arvia, a sister ship to the recently launched Iona. Steel cutting for Arvia began several weeks ago and now the first section of the vessel’s hull has been completed, enabling assembly of her blocks to begin. RELATED: P&O Cruises confirm Arvia Caribbean cruise season for … [Read more...]

Silversea’s new cruise ship Silver Moon has been officially named in Athens at a ceremony attended by top Royal Caribbean and Silversea executives. Silver Moon is the latest ultra-luxury cruise ship in the Silversea fleet and in June was first Silversea ship to set sail since the cruise line suspended operations due to the pandemic. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12314" … [Read more...]

Viking’s second expedition cruise ship Viking Polaris was floated out by VARD this week, marking a major milestone in her construction. The 378-passenger Viking Polaris was floated out by VARD ahead of her scheduled debut in summer, 2022 and maiden season cruising in the Arctic and Antarctica. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15849" data-attachment-id="15849" … [Read more...]

Malta is the latest country to join a growing list of Mediterranean cruise destinations open to UAE tourists with a vaccination certificate. UAE residents who are fully vaccinated can now travel to Malta and sail a range of Mediterranean cruises from the island destination during the 2021 summer season. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12704" … [Read more...]

The UK has added more countries to its no-quarantine list for inbound tourists, while also giving the go-ahead for international cruise itineraries from UK ports. The UK’s move to allow international cruises was immediately welcomed by P&O Cruises, with Paul Ludlow, the cruise line’s President & CEO, saying he’s “absolutely delighted”. <img … [Read more...]

Silversea Cruises has put the focus on Arabian and Africa in its 2023/24 cruise itineraries, which were released this week. The Middle East and African cruises are among 280 new itineraries the cruise line has revealed for its 2023/2024 seasons. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7469" data-attachment-id="7469" … [Read more...]

Viking Ocean Cruises has become the latest cruise line to resume cruises for the first time since the pandemic, with Viking Sea and Viking Venus departing the Maltese capital Valletta this week. Viking Sea and Viking Venus sailed from the Maltese capital on Friday on the first of a range of new itineraries roundtrip from Valletta, marking the first time Viking has carried passengers since March … [Read more...]

Three more major cruise lines operating in the US have resumed cruises to Alaska from Seattle, with the voyages marking the first return to service out of the US for Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. Carnival resumed cruises from the US earlier in July, while for Princess Cruises and Holland America Line these are the first voyages they’ve sailed from a US port since the COVID-19 … [Read more...]

Norwegian Cruise Line has officially resumed cruising, with its ship Norwegian Jade becoming the first in the fleet to restart operations when it sailed from Athens this week. Norwegian Jade set sail from Athens on Sunday on a one-week cruise through the Greek Isles, marking the first time a Norwegian Cruise Line ship has carried passengers since March last year. <img … [Read more...]