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…
Aroya Seeing Positive Response for Itineraries in the Med
Aroya Cruises is seeing a positive market response for its itineraries in the Mediterranean, Executive Director of Marketing Turky Kari told Cruise Industry News. After debuting in late 2024, the company’s first ship, the Aroya, repositioned to the region in late June. The vessel is now offering a series of seven-night cruises that feature visits…
Carnival and Royal Caribbean Bullish on German Cruise Market
Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group are increasingly bullish on the German cruise market as both operators are not only planning growth for their German brands, but have also gone out of their way to highlight the momentum on company earnings calls. AIDA The AIDA Evolution drydock upgrades for the AIDAdiva have been well received,…
NCLH: $200 Million in Cost Savings Won’t Impact Guest Experience
“By year-end, we expect to deliver over $200 million in savings, and we have high confidence in delivering our $300 million plus savings target through 2026,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Sommer was speaking on the company’s second quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts, and made it clear…
Regent’s 2027-28 Season Goes Big on Overnights
The recently announced 2027-28 season of Regent Seven Seas Cruises will include three new Immersive Overnight itineraries. According to a press release, the sailings are highlighted by overnight stays in every port of call, providing guests with a “deeper cultural connection and unhurried exploration.” Regent is also offering new evening shore excursions created for its…
Sky to Become First Ship to Leave Norwegian Fleet in 17 Years
The Norwegian Sky will become the first cruise ship to leave Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet in nearly two decades when it transfers to Cordelia Cruises in September 2026. Data from the latest edition of Cruise Industry News’ Cruise Ship Secondhand Market Report shows that the last ship withdrawn from the company’s fleet was the Norwegian…
Orderbook Update: 73 Cruise Ships on Order Through 2036
Data from the latest update of Cruise Industry News’ global cruise ship orderbook shows that 73 ocean vessels are currently on order. The new ships are set to add over 180,000 berths to the market through 2036, at a total cost of nearly $65 billion. Recent orders include Oceania’s deal with Fincantieri for two additional…