Saint John Welcomes Unscheduled Visit from Norwegian Aqua
Saint John in Canada welcomed the new Norwegian Aqua for an unscheduled visit earlier this week. Initially set to visit Bermuda, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship was diverted to the port due to the impact of Hurricane Erin. “It was a beautiful sunny day, and guests were in good spirits despite not being at the…
New Festivale to Feature Carnival’s Biggest Waterpark
The Carnival Festivale will feature the biggest waterpark in Carnival Cruise Line’s history, the company announced in a press release. Set to debut in 2027, the Excel-class ship will introduce Carnival Waterworks Ultra as part of the new Sunsation Point family adventure zone. According to Carnival, the waterpark will feature six water slides designed for…
President David Herrera Out At Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) announced that David J. Herrera, who served as president of Norwegian Cruise Line, exited the company effective on August. 20. According to a filing issued this Wednesday, Herrera’s departure is part of a “strategic leadership change.” Harry Sommer, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ president and CEO, will assume Herrera’s day-to-day responsibilities…
Viking Reports Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results
Viking Holdings has reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. Key Highlights Total revenue was $1,880.4 million for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 18.5% compared to the same period in 2024. Gross margin increased 22.3% and Adjusted Gross Margin increased 19.2% compared to the same period in 2024….
Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas Embarks on First Cruise
The Star of the Seas is now in service for Royal Caribbean International, embarking on its first revenue cruise on Aug. 16, 2025 from Port Canaveral. As the second ship in the company’s Icon class, the 250,800-ton ship was delivered by the Meyer Turku shipyard in early July. Following a series of preparations, as well…
Aroya Cruises to Debut in the Arabian Gulf in 2026
Aroya Cruises is set to expand its operations to the Arabian Gulf early next year, according to published deployment plans. Now open for bookings on the company’s website, the season includes cruises from Dubai and Dammam starting in February 2026. Following a fall cruise program in the Red Sea, the Aroya will initially sail from…
Star Princess Completes Sea Trials
Princess Cruises announced that the Star Princess, which is currently being built by Fincantieri, has completed its sea trials. The ship is on track to welcome its first guests on October 4, 2025, sailing t from Barcelona. The company said in a press release that Captain Gennaro Arma, a 27-year veteran with Princess Cruises and…
Carnival Announces First Short 2027-28 Itineraries Aboard Mardi Gras
Carnival Cruise Line has added short itineraries to its programming for Excel-class ships in 2027-28. The Mardi Gras will be the first Excel ship to offer shorter cruises from Port Canaveral. The Carnival Celebration, homeporting year-round from Miami, will continue its seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean offerings for 2027-28. Most of the new sailings offer…
Princess Unveils 2027 Alaska Season With Star Princess
Princess Cruises has unveiled its most expansive Alaska cruise and cruisetour season for 2027. Princess said in a press release that it will deploy eight ships and offer stays at five wilderness lodges. The season opens for sale on August 12, 2025. Returning for her second season in Alaska, the Star Princess headlines with seven-day…
Star of the Seas Arrives in Port Canaveral
Royal Caribbean’s 248,633-ton Star of the Seas arrived in Port Canaveral this morning. The new ship will be named by music icon Diana Ross and sail four short so-called showcase cruises before starting alternating Eastern and Western seven-day Caribbean cruises, all calling at Perfect Day at CoCo Cay. Claiming the title of being the world’s…
Disney Destiny Floated Out
The Disney Destiny was floated out at Meyer Werft today. The latest edition to Disney Cruise Line is slated to sail her maiden voyage Nov. 20, 2025 from Port Everglades where she will homeport, starting with four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean, including calls to one or both of Disney’s…
Orderbook: 7 Cruise Ships Still Set to Enter Service in 2025
Seven more cruise ships are still set to debut before the end of the year, building on seven that have already entered service. Cruise Industry News looks at some key details of the newbuilds, as well as their itineraries and planned debut dates. Star of the Seas Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International Shipyard: Meyer Turku…
AIDA: New Sailings on AIDAprima in Autumn and Winter 2025-26
AIDA Cruises announced itineraries onboard the AIDAprima in winter 2025-26 from Hamburg and Kiel, featuring cultural and nature experiences. These sailings take the place of a previously scheduled Middle East program. The company said in a press release that the new program offers sailings from Germany that appeal to travelers seeking relaxation, as well as…
Royal Caribbean: More Revenue Tied to Mobile App
More onboard purchases for the Royal Caribbean Group are happening on the company’s mobile apps and ahead of the cruise, said Jason Liberty, CEO, speaking on the company’s second quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts. “Nearly 50 percent of onboard purchases are now coming through the mobile app compared to one-third at the end…
Luxury Cruise Fleet Average Age: 12 Year Old Ships
Data from the latest edition of the Luxury Market Report by Cruise Industry News shows that a luxury cruise ship has an average age of roughly 12 years in 2025. After undergoing significant expansion in the past ten years, the luxury market saw newbuild after newbuild enter service over the last decade, led by aggressive…