Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa Undergoing Updates During Three-Week Drydock
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa is undergoing various updates during a three-week drydock in Bremerhaven, Germany. After arriving at the shipyard in mid-September, the 1999-built ship is currently more than halfway through the project, which involves 90 subcontractors, 120 shipyard workers and 265 crew members. According to Ulrich Voss, director of ship management and hotel refurbishment, the…
Weinstein: Carnival’s Limited Orderbook to Drive Demand
“We have just three (new) ships spread over the next four years,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation, speaking on the company’s third quarter earnings call. “That’s one ship delivery in 2025, none in 2026, and one ship in each of 2027 and 2028. This limited orderbook should also position us well to continue…
Carnival Corp. Reports Third Quarter Earnings; Record Operating Income
Carnival Corporation announced financial results for the third quarter 2024 and provided an updated outlook for the full year and an outlook for fourth quarter 2024. Third quarter net income was $1.7 billion, an increase of over 60 percent compared to 2023 and adjusted net income1 outperformed June guidance by $170 million. Third quarter revenues hit an all-time high…
Citizens of Juneau Vote on ’Ship-Free Saturday’ Initiative
Juneau’s residents are currently voting on a proposal that aims to ban large cruise ships from docking in the town on Saturdays. According to KTOO, the by-mail election started on Sept. 12, with citizens able to make their choice until Tuesday, Oct. 1. Originally announced in July, the “Ship-Free Saturday” initiative aims to prevent any…
Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa Completes 25 Years in Service
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa is completing its 25th year of service in September. Ordered as a replacement for the 1981-built Europa, the vessel was built by the Kværner Masa Yards in Helsinki, Finland. As the sixth ship to carry the name in the company’s history, the Europa was delivered to Hapag-Lloyd on September 9, 1999. After…
Disney Dream Enters Drydock in France
The Disney Dream is currently in drydock at the Damen Shipyard in Brest, France, to undergo a series of significant upgrades. After completing its summer program in Europe, the Disney Cruise Line vessel arrived at the facility on September 16, 2024. In addition to routine maintenance, technical work and class items, the Disney Dream will…
Princess Cruises Adds a Second Total Solar Eclipse Voyage
Princess Cruises has introduced a second Total Solar Eclipse cruise aboard the new Sun Princess, scheduled for August 2026, according to a press release. The cruise line has adjusted the Sun Princess itinerary departing from Barcelona on August 8, 2026, to position the ship off the southern coast of Spain on August 12, allowing guests…
Construction of New Royal Caribbean Ship Progressing in Finland
The construction of Royal Caribbean International’s new Star of the Seas is making progress at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Part of the company’s Icon Class, the 250,800-ton ship is scheduled to enter service in the Caribbean in mid-2025. According to a recent update shared by Meyer Turku, a significant milestone was reached with…
Carnival Panorama Enters Drydock in Singapore
The Carnival Panorama recently entered drydock in Singapore, having crossed the Pacific earlier this month. As part of its regular maintenance schedule, the Carnival Cruise Line vessel is undergoing class work and inspections, in addition to technical overhauls and overall upkeep. During the drydock, the 2019-built ship is also expected to receive the company’s new…
Norwegian Luna Revealed, Sailing from Miami in 2026
Norwegian Cruise Line today unveiled and opened for sale the next evolution of its Prima Plus Class, the all-new Norwegian Luna, according to a press release. The new ship will sail from Miami beginning April 4, 2026 through November 2026. The Norwegian Luna will kick off its inaugural Caribbean season with two western itineraries to…
TUI Advances Climate Goals with First Shore Power Connection in Stockholm
The Mein Schiff 7 connected to Stockholm’s shore power system for the first time on Tuesday in the presence of politicians and media. This milestone brings the total number of port calls using shore power across the Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd fleets in 2024 to 59, with plans to reach 70 by year’s end, the…
Carnival Vista Resumes Service Following Repairs
After undergoing repairs at Port Canaveral, the Carnival Vista welcomed guests back on September 15, 2024. Facing propulsion problems, the Carnival Cruise Line ship had to be taken out of service earlier this month for unscheduled maintenance. At the time, Carnival said that a technical issue was limiting Carnival Vista’s cruising speed, which led to…
Celestyal Journey Completes 30 Years in Service
The Celestyal Journey is celebrating its 30th year of service in September. Currently sailing for Celestyal Cruises, the 55,000-ton ship was originally built for Holland America Line as the Ryndam. Constructed in Italy at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard, the ship was delivered to the U.S.-based company on September 9, 1994. As the third vessel in Holland…
Princess Extends Its Best Price Guarantee on 2025 and 2026 Cruises
Princess Cruises is extending its “Better than Best Price Guarantee” offer through December 15, 2024. Guests booking 2025 or 2026 cruises are assured the best fare, with Princess matching any lower rate found for the same cruise, stateroom, and sail date before final payment. Additionally, 120 percent of the fare difference will be provided as…
Explora II Officially Named in Civitavecchia
The Explora II, the second ship in Explora Journeys’ fleet, was officially named in a ceremony at the port of Civitavecchia, near Rome. The event celebrated the brand’s vision of redefining luxury ocean travel with European hospitality and maritime heritage, the company stated. The ship’s godmother, Rosalba Giugni, founder of the Marevivo Foundation, led the…