Cruise Season Begins at Port of Quebec
The Port of Québec kicked off what will be the longest-ever cruise season with the arrival of Viking Cruises’ Viking Octantis, according to a press release. On the occasion, President and CEO of Port of Québec Mario Girard awarded Captain Jorgen Cardestig with a medal honoring the first cruise ship of the year to dock…
Lindblad Expeditions: Responsible Travel
With over four decades of experience and a large fleet, Lindblad Expeditions is seeing record demand in 2023. Offering a global deployment that includes over 171 unique departures, the company remains committed to offering responsible travel and sustainable operations, said Trey Byus, Linblad’s Chief Expedition Officer. “At Lindblad Expeditions, we believe that sustainability is a…
MSC Euribia Completes Sea Trials
MSC Cruises’ new ship and second powered by liquefied natural gas, the MSC Euribia has completed a four-day set of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement. The trial involved checking the performance of the ship’s engines, fuel consumption and safety systems as well as speed and stopping distances. Following the completion…
Carnival Spirit Offers Panama Canal Cruise Ahead of Summer in Alaska
Set to operate in Alaska during the summer, the Carnival Spirit is currently offering a 16-night Panama Canal to the Pacific Northwest. After completing its winter schedule in the Caribbean, the Carnival Cruise Line vessel left Miami on its repositioning voyage on April 16. Cruising all the way to Seattle, the one-way itinerary features visits…
AIDA Reaches Milestone in Decarbonization Efforts
AIDA Cruises has expanded the use of shore power in its fleet, reaching a significant milestone in its decarbonization efforts, according to a press release. The AIDAsol was recently connected to shore power in nearly all ports during its recent voyage from April 16 to 21, 2023. The ship was supplied with green energy from…
MSC World Europa Makes Maiden Call to Valletta
The MSC World Europa arrived at the port of Valletta on April 19 as part of the ship’s inaugural seven-night West Mediterranean itinerary, according to a statement. Angelo Capurro, executive director of MSC Cruises, said: “Malta has been an integral part of our operation for nearly 25 years, and we have brought hundreds of thousands…
Cruise Fleet Passenger Capacity to Grow by 43 Percent by 2028
The global cruise fleet is set to grow by over 60 new ships entering service from 2023 through 2028, growing the fleet to 499 cruise ships, according to the 2023 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. The passenger capacity is projected to grow from 26.5 million (double occupancy) in 2022 to nearly 38 million by 2028….
AIDAsol and AIDAmar Connect to Shore Power Simultaneously
In a cruise industry first, AIDA Cruises marked the beginning of the season with a double call of the AIDAsol and AIDAmar in Rostock-Warnemünde, where the two cruise ships connected simultaneously to shore power, according to a press release. “We are delighted by this successful shore power premiere in Rostock-Warnemünde. Thanks to the opening of…
Seabourn’s Leahy: Connections and Communities
With a second expedition ship entering service and new leadership at the helm, Seabourn is forging ahead in 2023. Natalya Leahy, who was appointed president of the luxury brand in March, believes that cruising is about more than just reaching destinations; it’s about creating a sense of community among passengers and crew. “It’s about meaningful…
AIDAaura Completes 20 Years in Service
Scheduled to leave the AIDA Cruises fleet later this year, the AIDAaura will complete 20 years in service this month. The 42,000-ton vessel was built at the Aker MTW shipyard in Germany and was christened on April 12, 2003, during a ceremony at the German port of Warnemünde. The ship was named by top model…
Carnival Luminosa Sets Sail on 22-Day Repositioning Cruise to the U.S.
After completing its first season in Australia, the Carnival Luminosa is embarking on a repositioning cruise to the United States today. The 22-night Transpacific itinerary will take the ship from Brisbane to Seattle, with visits to five different destinations in New Caledonia, Fiji, French Polynesia, and Hawaii. One of the ports of call is Honolulu,…
Carnival Corporation Announces 2022 Sustainability Advances
Carnival Corporation released its 13th annual sustainability report, detailing industry-leading initiatives and momentum across environmental, social and governance focus areas, according to a press release. The report also describes significant progress made by the company toward its aspirations of carbon neutral operations by 2050 and a circular economy model focused on waste reduction, recycling and…
Royal Caribbean Itineraries Preview: Key Deployment Moves for 2023
With a fleet of 26 cruise ships, Royal Caribbean International has a global footprint. Here are some of the company’s key deployment moves for 2023: Symphony Returns to the Mediterranean As part of Royal Caribbean summer program in Europe, the Symphony of the Seas is returning to the Mediterranean. Five years after spending its inaugural…
Celebrity Beyond Completes First Year in Service
The Celebrity Beyond has completed its first year in service. After being built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique Shipyard in France, the Edge-Class vessel was delivered to Celebrity Cruises on April 6, 2022. The Beyond then entered service later that month, offering its maiden voyage in Western Europe. Sailing from England’s Southampton, the ten-night repositioning…
Costa Sales ‘Robust’ as Easter Cruises Kick Off European Season
Costa Cruises is highlighting a series of Easter cruises including sailings in the Western Mediterranean, South America and a two-week cruise bound for Canary Islands, according to a press release. “Sales in the last three months have been robust. Ship occupancy is growing steadily, and summer programs are selling very quickly with a high demand…