‘Historic port closes doors to cruise ships’ is a headline we often read. But there has been some lazy reporting of this issue, so what is really going on? Sustainable tourism is something the cruise industry takes very seriously, and over the summer an agreement was signed between the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, focusing on ports and the … [Read more...]

Husband and wife duo Torode and Faulkner, best known for MasterChef, and Italian chef Contald will host cooking demonstrations, tutored tastings, cocktail classes, hands-on workshops, and more.The 14-night sailing on Sky Princess will depart from Southampton on November 2, 2024. Ports of call include Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Cartagena, Barcelona, Malaga and Bilbao with prices starting from £799 … [Read more...]

Riverside Debussy will depart on its inaugural cruise from Brussels to Amsterdam on March 23, 2024. The six-day voyage will call at destinations in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.The ship will then depart on a series of Rhine sailings, offering five itineraries: Holland at the Heart of Tulip Blossom; the Romantic Rhine Southbound; the Romantic Rhine Northbound; Cruising Belgium and the … [Read more...]

Speaking during the 2023 CLIA Forum in Windsor on Tuesday (19 December), Bouldin said cruise must continue closing the gap on land-based holidays after some of the biggest tour operators increased their ATOL licences, but not at the cost of discounting. "We do not want an aggressive market in travel in 2024," he told delegates. "But we must continue to close the gap on land-based holidays. Jet2, … [Read more...]

In celebration of their 40th year, Riviera Travel is guaranteeing rewards on every booking made between December 20, 2023, and February 29, 2024.Gifts up for grabs include an eight-day “all expenses paid” river cruise for two with spending money, a worldwide tour for two, a European tour for two, and travel vouchers up to the value of £500.The line will offer more offer more than 390 cruises and … [Read more...]

Captain Gennaro Arma, who currently serves as the new-build site lead for the construction of both Sun Princess and Star Princess, will be master of the 17th Princess ship when she debuts in the summer of 2025 When Arma is on leave, commodore Nick Nash will take over the navigation and leadership of Star Princess."It is my privilege to introduce and congratulate the masters of the stunning new … [Read more...]

Olympian Rebecca Adlington has opened up in an exclusive interview with World of Cruising. Credit: Shutterstock The four-time Olympic medallist on her triumphs in the pool, the Paris Olympics, and why an Alaska cruise is on her bucket list What do you love most about cruise holidays?I’ve only been on one cruise actually, and that was immediately after the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where I … [Read more...]

Tui Alma will become the fifth ship in the line’s fleet and will homeport in Porto. Packages go on sale tomorrow (December 14).Alma – which means ‘soul’ in Portuguese – will be purpose-built for the Douro, which is smaller than most European rivers, with trips focusing on daytime sailing.The vessel will offer seven-night trips sailing a five-location itinerary for up to 123 passengers. Departing … [Read more...]

The one-hour episode follows the story of MSC Cruises’ 22-deck ship from its first steel cutting in 2019 to its launch in late 2022. The documentary will be broadcast on Saturday, December 16 at 8pm.Viewers follow the teams of designers, project managers, and shipbuilders as they race against a tight schedule to deliver the ship.Audiences can watch the construction techniques used to craft MSC … [Read more...]

The itineraries include the Southern Rhine Cruise Through Germany to Switzerland itinerary, which departs Thursdays from 4 April to 12 October and sails through the Middle Rhine Valley from Cologne to Strasbourg via Rudesheim, Speyer, Breisach, Basel, Strasbourg, Mainz and Koblenz. Prices start from £1,695pp. A Classic Danube Cruise itinerary – from £1,895pp – departs weekly from 5 April to 18 … [Read more...]

Author: Kaye Holland Published on: 07 December 2023 Updated on: 07 December 2023 Viking is expanding its European rivers fleet with 10 new vessels Five of the new ships will be delivered in 2025, with the remaining half to be delivered in 2026. Eight of the new vessels will sail itineraries on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, while two additional Viking Longships will join the … [Read more...]

Explora II will make her debut in August 2024 with a maiden voyage from Barcelona to Rome via Port-Vendres (France), Portofino and Port Santo Stefano (Italy), Monte Carlo (Monaco) and Ibiza (Spain).Following her inaugural voyage, Explora II will sail the West Mediterranean until November 2024 before repositioning to the Caribbean for the winter months. The ship will then spend summer 2025 in the … [Read more...]

From May to September 2026, the boutique luxury cruise line will operate 27 itineraries ranging from seven- to 14-day Mediterranean voyages, covering 14 ports in 86 countries.New ports of call for the 2026 season include Primosten (Croatia), Setubal (Portugal), Cesme (Turkey) and Kythira, Kythnos, Syvota, and Tino in Greece.Two 14-night ‘Grand Mediterranean & Adriatic Explorer’ itineraries … [Read more...]

Itineraries will span seven to 20 days with a range of embarkation ports to choose from, including Doha (Qatar), Dubai (UAE), and Port Louis (Mauritius).Passengers onboard the 2,340-passenger ship will have the chance to visit attractions such as the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, in Dubai or Bahrain’s UNESCO World Heritage Site Qal'at Al Bahrain. Itineraries will span seven to 20 … [Read more...]

The ship – Celebrity Cruises’ fourth Edge-class vessel – was christened by its godmothers Sandy Yawn, star of hit TV series Below Deck, and her sister Michelle Dunham, founder of the Jacksonville School for Autism, on December 1.They were joined by Greek brothers Dimitrios Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis who are the ship’s co-captains – a first for both Celebrity Cruises and the industry.Celebrity … [Read more...]

The two expedition shops met at the entrance to the Neko Harbour to mark Seabourn Pursuit’s maiden season in the region. Seabourn Venture meanwhile is beginning its second season.Both ships will operate 11- to 13-day voyages to Antarctica, as well as 21-day voyages to South Georgia, Falkland Islands, and Antarctica. Seabourn Venture was launched in 2022 with Seabourn Pursuit making its debut … [Read more...]

This year's Black Friday deals are here. World of Cruising picks out the best Black Friday deals and offers for 2023 whether you're in search of an ocean cruise, a river cruise or an expedition voyage Emerald Cruises Save up to 35 per cent across 2024 Europe and Southeast Asian river cruises and luxury yacht cruises in the Caribbean and the Seychelles as part of Emerald Cruises' special … [Read more...]

Departing from Los Angeles on January 6, 2026, the 229-passenger Seabourn Sojourn will travel approximately 28,000 nautical miles, visit 63 destinations, and cross the International Dateline and Equator not once, but twice, before concluding in Vancouver. The voyage visits the islands and atolls of the South Pacific, circumnavigates Australia, and crosses the North Pacific for the Alaskan summer. … [Read more...]

The season features more than 800 sailings to over 290 destinations in 72 countries across seven continents on board the line’s fleet of 16 ships including Celebrity Xcel. Celebrity’s fifth Edge-class ship is scheduled to enter service on December 3, 2025.In Europe, the 2,910-passenger Celebrity Apex will home port in Southampton for the second consecutive summer and offer a range of Arctic Circle … [Read more...]

The 1,266 passenger vessel is set to undergo a “multimillion-euro” refit before entering service in March 2024 as Celestyal Discovery.Discovery is the second ship purchased by Celestyal this year following the acquisition of Celestyal Journey, formerly Holland America Line’s Ryndam.Built in 2003, Discovery features 633 staterooms and will go on sale on December 11, taking over Celestyal Olympia’s … [Read more...]

The season features longer cruises up to 22 days, visiting 16 UNESCO World Heritage sites and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.Oosterdam, which can accommodate 1,964-passengers, is being deployed in the region on itineraries between Santiago (Chile) and either Buenos Aires (Argentina) or Fort Lauderdale (Florida).Excursions are available to iconic South American sites such as Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu … [Read more...]

The Oscars of the cruise industry took place earlier this week at The Dorchester in the heart of Park Lane TV presenter and comedian, Joel Dommett, was on hosting duties with entertainment provided by Fred Olsen, Cunard, and Marella Cruises.Here’s how some of the award recipients reacted to their wins: The Peter Grant Contribution to the Cruise Industry Award: James Cole“It is absolutely … [Read more...]

The 2023 Wave Awards were once again a huge success. Credit: AG Studios The winners of the Wave Awards were announced last night at The Dorchester Jenni Fielding – better known by her online pseudonym Cruise Mummy – was named favourite cruise blogger at the 2023 Wave Awards, where companies and individuals from across the cruise and travel sector were hailed for their achievements … [Read more...]

The two vessels, currently referred to as World Class 3 and 4, will be delivered in 2026 and 2027, respectively.Both ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will use “innovative solutions to maximise energy efficiency, with extensive use of heat recovery and other technological solutions.”World Class 3 and World Class 4 will be able to use a mix of alternative fuels, including bio … [Read more...]

Credit: Seabourn Sponsored by Seabourn Seabourn serves up the very best of the best onboard cuisine that goes above and beyond expectations. Discover the range of ship dining venues for you to sample. Combining the finest quality ingredients and authentic regional flavours with skilled chefs, Seabourn offers up an impressive array of dishes and dining venues. Don’t be fooled by … [Read more...]

Launching in autumn 2024, Celebrity Xcel will debut in the Caribbean, sailing seven-night itineraries – alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St Thomas and St Maarten – from Fort Lauderdale.The vessel’s name was revealed at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, as Royal Caribbean Group executives assembled to watch the first piece … [Read more...]

The ship will feature the world’s first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide, the Aqua Slidecoaster. The ride will have dual slides and a magnetic lift that propels guests through two different courses on three storeys around the ship’s funnel, and measure three stories high.Norwegian Aqua will also debut the line’s first two-storey Duplex Haven Suites, each with three bedrooms. The four suites … [Read more...]

With Starlink’s high-speed internet, office equipment, and dedicated IT support, passengers can work on Azamara’s ships as part of the line’s ‘Work & Wander’ programme.Passengers will be able access monitors, mice, keyboards and adapters, ensuring they can stay connected with colleagues and attend virtual meetings The programme also includes late nights and overnight calls– called Extended … [Read more...]

With Seabourn Pursuit, Scenic Eclipse II, Explora I, Silver Nova and Seven Seas Grandeur all having arrived in 2023, you might think we’d be overrun by luxury options – until you realise the capacity of all these together is smaller than that of a single mainstream ship such as MSC’s Euribia, or Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas.While the core market grows steadily, the luxury … [Read more...]

Olivier Award-winning Matt Henry MBE, and YolanDa Brown OBE DL will perform at this year's Wave Awards. Credit: Cunard Author: Kaye Holland Published on: 30 October 2023 Updated on: 30 October 2023 The luxury cruise line's new entertainment venue, Queen Anne’s Bright Lights Society, will be brought to life at the Oscars of the cruise industry A new Cunard entertainment … [Read more...]