Caribbean Tourism and Cruise Leaders Focus on Resilience After Hurricane Melissa
Caribbean tourism officials and cruise executives gathered aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas in Miami this earlier month to discuss the cruise industry’s role in hurricane recovery and long-term regional resilience, according to event organizers. The “Iconic Summit” took place during the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) second annual Caribbean Weekend, following Hurricane Melissa’s impact…
Carnival Corporation: Well Positioned Against Caribbean Capacity Surge
John Weinstein, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, downplayed concerns from Wall Street analysts around a spike in Caribbean cruise capacity in the first quarter. More ships, geopolitical concerns, airfare costs and private island development are driving a large Caribbean increase. Weinstein, speaking on Carnival’s fourth quarter and year end earnings call, said the question…
Carnival Corp Reports Record Full Year Net Income for 2025
Carnival Corporation has reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2025 and provided an outlook for the first quarter and full year 2026. Key Highlights Full year net income of $2.8 billion with record adjusted net income1 of $3.1 billion, up over 60 percent. Full year record revenues of $26.6 billion on record net yields1 (in constant currency), outperforming…
Norwegian Cruise Line Announces 2027-28 Deployment
Norwegian Cruise Line today announced its 2027-28 deployment, along with the return of its Free at Sea Plus package. According to a press release, the new season includes over 370 sailings with a focus on the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, the Mexican Riviera, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The itineraries range from two to 22…
MSC: Two New East Med Itineraries for 2026 Summer Season
MSC Cruises announced in a statement that it will launch two new itineraries during the summer 2026 season in the Eastern Mediterranean. From April 4, 2026, the Lirica will operate 29 weekly voyages from Venice-Marghera to Kotor in Montenegro, Mykonos (with an overnight stay on the Greek island), the new destination of Syros, and Ancona…
Star Seeker Delivered to Windstar
Windstar Cruises has officially taken ownership of the new Star Seeker, following a handover ceremony on December 15 at the WestSEA Shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The 224-guest yacht is the first new build in Windstar’s Star Class and marks a major milestone in the small ship cruise line’s ongoing fleet expansion, the company…
MSC Orders Four Cruise Ships at Meyer Werft, Plus Two Options
MSC Cruises today announced a new order for four next-generation cruise vessels and two additional options from Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany marking the launch of its “New Frontier” platform. With a maximum passenger capacity of 5,400 at 180,000 tons, the “New Frontier” ships will be delivered annually starting in 2030. The announcement was made…
Discovering Nature on Tokyo’s Izu Islands
Just south of Tokyo, the Izu Islands, a chain of nine volcanic islands that are part of Tokyo, feel worlds apart from the city. Every year, visitors are drawn to their peculiar geological landscapes, rich flora and fauna, and crystal-clear seas, making the islands a perfect destination for those seeking tranquility and natural beauty close…
Carnival Horizon Sets Sail with More Hurricane Relief Supplies for Jamaica
Carnival Cruise Line sent another shipment of hurricane relief supplies today to Ocho Rios, Jamaica aboard the Carnival Horizon. The latest delivery includes 24 pallets weighing more than five tons of critically needed supplies, including hygiene kits, medical items and other essential goods, coordinated in partnership with Direct Relief, the Miami HEAT, and the Micky…
Marc Kazlauskas Named President of Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings today named Marc Kazlauskas as president of Norwegian Cruise Line (Norwegian), effective Jan. 19, 2026, according to a press release. He joins the company with more than 30 years of senior leadership experience across sales, operations, and innovation in the global travel industry. Kazlauskas most recently served as CEO of Avoya…
Mystic Signs Cruise Newbuild Deal in China
China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Corporation has announced that it signed a deal with Mystic Cruises to build one cruise ship with an option for three additional ships. The deal was signed at a ceremony in China last week, with Mario Ferreira, president of Mystic Cruises, signing the agreement along with Mei Zhonghua, vice general manager…
MSC: New Family Activities at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
MSC Cruises has revealed a new list of entertainment activities at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the company’s private island in the Bahamas, which will be rolled out from January 2026. The additions will complement the existing offerings of snorkeling, paddleboarding and jet skiing at the island. The company said in a press release that…
Disney Treasure Completes First Year of Service
The Disney Treasure recently completed its first year of service for Disney Cruise Line after being handed over on October 24, 2024. As the second ship in the company’s Wish class, the LNG-powered vessel was built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Following its delivery, the Treasure made a technical call to Portugal’s…
Azamara Celebrates Record Bookings from Cyber Monday
Azamara Cruises has announced that Cyber Monday 2025 delivered the strongest booking day in the company’s history, with new bookings up approximately 5 percent over its previous record. The broader multi-week Black Friday Sale also ranked among the top five best booking periods in Azamara Cruises’ history. “Cyber Monday blew past every expectation,” said Dondra…
Port Canaveral Officially World’s Busiest Cruise Port
Port Canaveral has earned the distinction as the busiest cruise port in the world with over 8.6 million revenue passenger movements in its fiscal year 2025, just beating out Miami. The confirmed tally is the highest number of cruise passengers in the port’s history and amounts to a 13-percent increase over fiscal year 2024. “Earning…