Carnival Freedom Returns To Service With New Look
Once again sporting an iconic winged funnel, the Carnival Freedom marked its return to service by welcoming guests onboard in Barcelona, Spain, for a 14-day transatlantic voyage to its homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla. The ship underwent an extensive refurbishment that included the installation of the new funnel, the addition of the signature Carnival red,…
Viking On Course to Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Viking is moving firmly in the direction of hydrogen fuel cells, according to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman. Operating 10-ocean going cruise ships now and 10 more slated for deliveries by 2030, he said that the thirteenth ship will be equipped with a 6 MW fuel cell installation, providing a third of the ship’s power…
Swan Hellenic Cruise Ship Calls in Saudi Arabia
Cruise Saudi has welcomed the SH Diana to Saudi Arabia with inaugural calls to Yanbu, Baridi Island and Jeddah. Arriving in Yanbu on Oct. 12 with an overnight stay, passengers enjoyed the city’s old town and ventured into the historic Layl Souq. On the second day of the ship’s journey, the SH Diana anchored at…
Belfast Closes a Record 2023 Cruise Season
Belfast just closed its record 2023 cruise season with the arrival of Fred Olsen Cruise Line’s Borealis on Friday, October 20. During the 2023 cruise season, Belfast welcomed a total of 158 calls, according to Cruise Belfast. This marks an 8 percent increase compared to the pre-pandemic record set in 2019. The cruise season saw…
Royal Princess Makes Maiden Call to Auckland
The port of Auckland welcomed Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess on its inaugural season of cruising in Australasian waters. The ship will visit New Zealand ports multiple times over the next six months, operating roundtrip cruises from Auckland as well as a series of sailings from Sydney. Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, UK and…
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings: Methanol Ready
In light of their commitment to pursue net zero (emissions) by 2050, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) recognizes that the design decisions made today will significantly impact its ability to transition to the future, Jessica John, vice president of investor relations, ESG, for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, told Cruise Industry News. “Though we do not…
Hurtigruten’s Sea Zero Concept: Maximizing Efficiency with Latest Tech
“We wanted to focus on how to reduce energy consumption on the ships instead of going straight into what kind of fuel type or energy source we will use,” said Gerry Larsson-Fedde, chief operating officer at Hurtigruten Norway. The company’s new Sea Zero concept, in partnership with various suppliers, aims to produce an energy-efficient Norwegian…
Adora Will Be Largest Brand in China in 2024
Adora Cruises will be the number one cruise line in China in 2024 with ships sailing from a variety of homeports as the new, built-for-China, built-in-China Adora Magic City debuts into revenue service on January 1 from Shanghai, according to Ranfeng Chen, managing director. The cruise line is a joint venture dating back to 2018…
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Evacuates Americans from Israel
The Rhapsody of the Seas sailed on Monday from Haifa, on its way to Cyprus, carrying Americans evacuating Israel. The Royal Caribbean International cruise ship was sailing on the request of the U.S. embassy in Israel. “Royal Caribbean Group is actively supporting the U.S. Department of State in the assisted departure of American citizens,” said…
Three Costa Ships to South America in 2024-25
Costa Cruises will deploy three ships in South America in 2024-25. According to a press release, the Costa Diadema, the Costa Pacifica and the Costa Favolosa will be based in the region during the season, which stretches between November 2024 and April 2025. The Costa Diadema is scheduled to offer new itineraries that sail between…
‘Efficient Solutions’ from Chantiers de l’Atlantique
Looking ahead, Chantiers de l’Atlantique will deliver the Celebrity Ascent this November, which is another project delivered on time despite headwinds coming out of the pandemic followed by the Ukraine war and supply chain hurdles, said Arnaud Le Joncour, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the shipyard. Earlier this year, the yard delivered…
Celebrity Solstice Marking 15 Years In Service
The Celebrity Solstice is completing 15 years in service this year. After being floated out in August 2008, the Celebrity Cruises’ ship welcomed its first guests on November 23, 2008. First in a series of five ships known as Solstice Class, the vessel was built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. After being delivered,…
Azamara Introduces New Grand Voyages
Azamara is introducing new Grand Voyages with more time in port and added amenities. Azamara’s Grand Voyages take guests on extended journeys across continents, from the remote Tasmania to Niigata in Japan. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen more of our guests opting for longer itineraries and back-to-back sailings,” said Carol Cabezas, president of…
Azamara Fleet Comes Together in Koper
Azamara brought its four ships together again on October 5 in Koper, Slovenia. In celebration of the fleet’s arrival, Azamara guests were welcomed by the city of Koper with its first-ever Gourmet Festival to highlight the city’s culinary experiences and connect with the local community. “It’s such a unique moment to have our four ships…
AIDA Cruises Opens Sales for 2025 Summer
AIDA Cruises summer 2025 sailings are now open for sale, featuring approximately 500 departure dates. The highlight of AIDA’s 2025 season are sailings exploring Japan during the cherry blossom season. A featured itinerary is the 15-day “Great Japan Round Voyages” onboard the AIDAstella. Another sailing combine destinations in China, Japan and South Korea or Japan,…