MSC Bellissima has wrapped up her summer Middle East cruise season out of Dubai, becoming the first cruise ship ever to homeport in the Arabian Gulf into the summer. MSC Cruises has announced that the ship will now reposition from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, joining the bulk of the MSC fleet in its home market. MSC Bellissima spent the 2021/22 cruise season sailing roundtrip in the Red … [Read more...]

Disney Cruise Line’s new cruise ship Disney Wish has been delivered by Meyer Werft at a traditional handover ceremony in the storied German port of Bremerhaven. The handover of the ship is the final step in her construction process, bringing to a close her two-year build, which began in 2020 with her steel cutting at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. Disney Cruise Line President Thomas Mazloum … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has revealed a new ‘zone’ aboard its upcoming Excellence-class cruise ship Carnival Celebration, a sister ship to Mardi Gras. The new area will be called ‘The Gateway’ and will celebrate the joy of travel and the excitement of exploring new destinations, with design and décor inspired by classic transportation stations and grand terminals from around the world, as well as … [Read more...]

Silver Nova, the new, first of its class cruise ship for luxury cruise line Silversea, will offer eight signature restaurants, serving a variety of cuisines and offering a range of indoor and outdoor seating options. According to a press release issued by the cruise line, Silver Nova’s eight dining options will provide guests a greater sense of space and stronger connections with the destination, … [Read more...]

The debut of Virgin Voyages’ third cruise ship, Resilient Lady, has been delayed by almost a year as the cruise line contends with crew shortages, supply chain issues, and demand impacted by the war in Ukraine and global inflation. Resilient Lady, a sister ship to Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady, was meant to be delivered in August this year, but will instead enter service in May next year, … [Read more...]

The first ship for Explora Journeys, MSC Cruises’ new luxury subsidiary, has been launched at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. Explora I touched water for the first time on Monday as the first of four identical newbuilds for the cruise line in a $2.1 billion deal. She will enter service in May 2023 once her interior fit and finish has been completed, along with sea trials and her … [Read more...]

The newest Holland America Line cruise ship, Rotterdam, has been christened in her namesake city by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands. HRH Princess Margriet, Rotterdam’s godmother, named the ship in front of invited dignitaries and guests in the Port of Rotterdam on Monday. She was joined onboard the ship by Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald, Holland … [Read more...]

Plans for a multi-million-rand Ferris wheel on the beachfront promenade in Durban have been announced by the City of Ethekwini. The project, which is being funded and managed privately, is expected to begin construction in July, and will launch in February, 2023. That’ll put the opening of the Durban Eye just in time for the Easter Holidays, but just a little too late to fully benefit from the … [Read more...]

Blue World Ocean Voyages, which is planning to launch services from the Middle East in 2023, has opened its cruise ship residences for sale. Those interested in purchasing one of the one- or two-bedroom residences on the cruise line’s first ship, can now register to do so. The cruise line will be launching with one vessel initially, but has plans to grow the fleet to three ships within five … [Read more...]

Virgin Voyages has marked the start of its first homeporting season in Barcelona with Valiant Lady, which launched service in the Western Mediterranean on May 15th. Valiant Lady is Virgin Voyages second ship, a sister ship to Scarlet Lady, and the still-under-construction Resilient Lady, which is due to be launched later this year. The repositioning of Valiant Lady to the Mediterranean comes … [Read more...]

There are reportedly ongoing talks between Carnival Corporation and Saudi Arabia for the kingdom to purchase the cruise company’s ultra-luxury brand Seabourn. The news was first reported by CNBC reporter Seema Moody, who tweeted the report on Tuesday, referring to unnamed sources. Moody pointed out that Saudi Arabia, through its sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, already owns 5% … [Read more...]

Cape Town looks set to benefit from increased cruise tourism revenue during the coming 2022/23 cruise season, according to Wesgro – the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape. The agency, home to the Cruise Cape Town Initiative, which seeks to increase the cruise economy in the province, released impressive numbers that forecast a … [Read more...]

MSC Cruises has said its new ship, and the largest ever built for the line, MSC World Europa, will deliver a new standard of retail excellence onboard. According to MSC Cruises, World Europa’s retail spaces will offer a “true innovation” for passengers, with MSC’s first ‘department store at sea’, its first outdoor luxury boutiques and a new sustainable vision for its logo stores. MSC World Europa … [Read more...]

Ambassador Cruise Line will feature South Africa on its first World Cruise with new ship Ambience during the 2023/24 cruise season. Ambiance will sail a 120-night around the world cruise from January 6th, 2024, with plans for the ship to call in Durban and Cape Town during the voyage. The news was announced as part of the reveal of Ambassador Cruise Line’s 2023/24 cruise itineraries, which will … [Read more...]

Cruise Saudi is planning to develop cruise infrastructure at two ports in the south of the country in the coming years, according to statements made during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022. During the region’s premier travel exhibition in Dubai, Cruise Saudi confirmed that it plans to add a cruise port in Duba and Jizan in the south – targeting 1.3 million passengers by 2030. The Saudi Arabian … [Read more...]

Dubai went all-out at this year’s Seatrade Cruise Global to encourage cruise lines to return to the Arabian Gulf following the COVID-19 pandemic, with 15 co-exhibitors and stakeholders participating alongside the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The 15 entities are comprised of tourism boards, port operators, airlines, and destination management companies from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line and the Grand Bahama Port Authority have broken ground on the cruise line’s new destination on Grand Bahama Island. The new Carnival Grand Bahama cruise port destination is being developed on the south side of the island, and is expected to open in late 2024. It will serve as a gateway to Grand Bahama while also offering guests what the cruise line calls a Bahamian experience … [Read more...]

MSC Cruises has rolled out an early booking promotion for its 2022/23 cruise season out of Durban, with free drinks packages on offer for guests who book this week. For any guests who book before Friday, May 20th, they’ll get a drinks package free, as long as the booking is for a Bella Balcony cabin or above. In addition, only 1 drinks package per cabin will be applied at the time of booking, and … [Read more...]

Viking Cruises has taken delivery of its eighth new cruise ship, Viking Mars, during a ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona where she was built. The ship is identical to the other vessels in the Viking fleet, with a passenger capacity of 930 across 465 staterooms. At 47,800-gross tons, she’s a mid-size cruise ship, but offers a range of amenities for passengers, from her 5 restaurants … [Read more...]

Demand for cruise ship cabins in Doha during the FIFA 2022 World Cup remains high, despite climbing prices due to a lack of availability. There will be only two cruise ships docked in Doha’s West Bay during the tournament, representing capacity of 3,800 cabins, capable of accommodating around 10,000 guests. MSC Cruises is the only cruise line providing floating hotel accommodation during the … [Read more...]