Holland America Line has released nearly three dozen new itineraries for the 2027-2028 season across Hawaii, Mexico, the Panama Canal and the Pacific Coast.

The sailings run from October 2027 through April 2028 and depart from five North American homeports.

Four ships will operate the new season: Koningsdam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Zaandam.

The itineraries will include longer port stays and being able to explore destinations, including extended time in Honolulu and expanded exploration of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez.

“Whether guests are chasing the sun in Hawaii or seeking the rugged, untouched beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest, this season truly has something for every type of cruiser,” said Paul Grigsby, vice president of itinerary planning and deployment for Holland America Line.

Hawaii Sailings Feature Extended Honolulu Stays

The Hawaii program includes 17- and 18-day Circle Hawaii voyages aboard Koningsdam and Zaandam. All itineraries call at Nawiliwili, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona and Hilo. Select sailings feature overnight or up to 40-hour stays in Honolulu.

The cruises include Holland America’s Hawaii Up Close cultural programming, covering topics from agriculture and local history to native arts and geology. Guests can also participate in stargazing, luaus and island-themed entertainment.

Panama Canal and Mexico Offerings Expand

Panama Canal itineraries range from 14 to 22 days and transit the Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks. Voyages include access to UNESCO World Heritage sites, Mayan archaeological sites and wildlife-rich rainforests across Central America.

Mexico sailings span from short five-day getaways to 12-day Baja Peninsula explorations. New itineraries highlight the Sea of Cortez with calls at Loreto, Pichilingue (La Paz) and Guaymas. The cruises feature Destination Dining and the line’s Global Fresh Fish Program showcasing regional cuisine.

Pacific Coast voyages range from one to seven days and include the return of the Great Bear Rainforest itinerary, sailing roundtrip from Vancouver in April 2028. That voyage calls at Ketchikan, Prince Rupert (overnight), Nanaimo and Victoria..

Disney Cruise Line has made history as Disney Adventure completed her transit of the Panama Canal this week, becoming the largest passenger vessel by both capacity and gross tonnage to ever pass through the waterway.

The milestone transit occurred as part of the ship’s repositioning voyage to Asia, where she will enter service later this year. The Panama Canal Authority has officially confirmed the record.

Breaking the Previous Record

Disney Adventure stretches about 1,120 feet long and is roughly 152 feet wide.

At 208,000 gross tons and carrying approximately 6,700 passengers, she surpasses the previous record holder, Norwegian Bliss, which transited the canal in May 2018.

Disney Adventure’s passage highlights the growing number of cruise ships capable of transiting the Neopanamax locks, which opened in 2016 to accommodate larger ships.

The Panama Canal Authority reports that more than 40 Neopanamax cruise ship transits are expected during 2025, including inaugural passages by AIDAdiva, Brilliant Lady, Celebrity Ascent, and Star Seeker.

A New Chapter Begins for Disney Adventure

Disney Adventure’s path to this moment has been anything but straightforward.

Originally ordered by Dream Cruises as Global Dream, construction began at MV Werften in Wismar before Genting Hong Kong collapsed in early 2022, leaving the ship unfinished.

Disney Cruise Line acquired the incomplete hull, and Meyer Werft took over completion and redesign to Disney specifications.

After delivery in December, the ship departed Bremerhaven, Germany, crossed the Atlantic to the Bahamas for inspections, stopped at Port Canaveral, and now continues westward toward the Pacific.

Disney Adventure will homeport in Singapore, operating three- and four-night itineraries. This is Disney Cruise Line’s first permanent deployment in Asia.

The ship features seven themed zones drawing on Disney, Pixar, and Marvel properties. Notable features include Marvel Landing and the Ironcycle Test Run, an 820-foot roller coaster that Disney calls the longest at sea.

At 208,000 gross tons, Disney Adventure is the largest ship ever built for Disney Cruise Line.

The CDC is investigating a gastrointestinal illness outbreak aboard Regent Seven Seas Mariner that sickened 27 people during a three-week voyage from Miami to Honolulu.

According to the CDC, the outbreak affected 21 passengers and six crew members during the January 11 through February 1 sailing. The ship was carrying 631 passengers at the time, meaning roughly 3% of guests fell ill during the voyage.

Regent Seven Seas notified the CDC of the illnesses during the sailing. The agency has listed the cause as unknown, with laboratory testing still pending on stool samples collected from affected passengers.

What the Cruise Line Did

The luxury cruise line implemented several containment measures during the voyage. These included ramping up cleaning and disinfection procedures throughout the ship and isolating passengers and crew members who reported symptoms.

Regent followed the CDC’s outbreak response and sanitation protocols, according to the federal agency.

The Mariner had scheduled port calls in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and other destinations during the transpacific repositioning voyage.

Still Under Investigation

Federal health officials say identifying the source of outbreaks can take time. While norovirus is frequently associated with gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships, the virus is not always immediately confirmed through testing.

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program tracks outbreaks when at least three percent of passengers or crew report symptoms and requires cruise lines to report gastrointestinal illnesses within 24 hours.

The CDC continues to emphasize frequent handwashing as a critical step in reducing the risk of gastrointestinal illness aboard ships.

This marks the second reported cruise ship illness outbreak in early 2026.

In January, Holland America Line experienced a confirmed norovirus outbreak that left nearly 90 passengers and crew members ill during a voyage running from late December through early January.

Norwegian Cruise Line is pulling the plug on “Beetlejuice: The Musical” aboard Norwegian Viva, with final performances scheduled for late March 2026.

The show will wrap up less than three years after the ship joined the fleet.

The musical featuring the “ghost with the most” has been part of the Prima-class ship since shortly after her August 2023 debut.

While the 90-minute production didn’t make it onto the first sailings due to unspecified production delays, it eventually became a fixture of the ship’s entertainment lineup.

Norwegian hasn’t issued a formal announcement about the change, but the cruise line’s website now shows that “Beetlejuice: The Musical” will have its final performances during the March 21-28, 2026 sailing.

Second Broadway Show Cut in Recent Days

This marks the second Broadway production Norwegian has discontinued in recent days. Just before the Beetlejuice announcement, guests learned that “Jersey Boys” would end its run on Norwegian Bliss, with final performances February 8-15.

Two replacement shows will debut on Norwegian Viva after Beetlejuice closes. “Motor City Moves,” described as a high-energy tribute to Detroit’s iconic sound, premieres May 2-9 during the ship’s first Mediterranean sailing.

“Burn the Floor,” a ballroom dance production featuring championship dancers, follows on May 23-30.

Both shows already appear on other Norwegian ships.

Motor City Moves” runs on Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Sun, while “Burn the Floor” performs on Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Epic.

Moving Away From Broadway

The trend indicates Norwegian Cruise Line is shifting from licensed Broadway productions to favor in-house entertainment.

While Broadway shows carry name recognition, they also require licensing fees and arrangements that can complicate shipboard production.

Popular game shows like “Deal or No Deal,” “The Price Is Right,” “Wheel of Fortune,” and “Press Your Luck” remain onboard, along with Syd Norman’s Pour House and comedy shows.

Alaskan Dream Cruises, a small-ship operator that has been sailing Southeast Alaska waters since 2011, has unexpectedly ceased operations and canceled all future sailings, according to a notice posted on the company’s website.

The Sitka-based cruise line had just completed its 2025 season and was offering itineraries for summer 2026, suggesting the shutdown was unplanned.

Booked guests and travel agents are being contacted regarding refunds, with specific details provided via email.

The sudden closure leaves passengers who booked 2026 voyages seeking refunds during what is typically a slower booking period before the Alaska cruise season ramps up in spring.

Four Small Ships

The company operated four expedition-style vessels: Alaskan Dream, Admiralty Dream, Baranof Dream, and Chichagof Dream.

These small ships accommodated 40 to 80 passengers, enabling access to narrow waterways and remote areas that larger cruise ships cannot reach.

Premium Pricing in a Competitive Market

Alaskan Dream Cruises targeted upscale cruisers seeking expedition experiences. An 8-night Inside Passage voyage was priced at $7,600 per person, double occupancy, visiting multiple glaciers and Alaska Native villages.

However, there were signs of financial strain. In 2025, the line offered Alaska residents a 70 percent cruise fare discount, potentially indicating struggles to fill cabins in the competitive small-ship market.

The small-ship expedition cruise sector has faced mounting financial pressures in recent years. Operating costs including fuel, crew wages, and port fees have risen significantly, while smaller vessels cannot achieve the economies of scale that benefit larger cruise operators.

Several small-ship lines have struggled post-pandemic as they compete not only with each other but also with the return of mass-market cruise ships to Alaska, which offer lower per-day pricing.

The company faced competition from other small-ship operators in Alaska, including Un-Cruise Adventures, Discovery Voyages, and National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.

Nassau, Bahamas has set another cruise passenger record, marking the third straight year of growth for what’s now the world’s busiest transit cruise port.

The port welcomed approximately 6.1 million cruise passengers in 2024 across nearly 1,600 ship calls. That’s a 9.5% increase over 2023’s total of 5.6 million guests, which was itself a record at the time.

“This milestone year for tourism underscores the critical role Nassau Cruise Port continues to play as the primary gateway for visitors to The Bahamas,” said Mike Maura, Jr., CEO and Director of Nassau Cruise Port.

The growth follows a pattern of steady increases. In 2022, Nassau welcomed 4.4 million passengers, up from 3.2 million in 2021.

$300 Million Investment Pays Off

Port authorities invested $300 million in revitalizing Nassau Cruise Port, which reopened in its upgraded form in May 2023.

The project added six new and expanded berths capable of handling the largest cruise ships afloat, including Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class vessels that can bring up to 7,600 passengers per call.

Additional improvements to downtown Nassau included expanded shopping and dining options and the rollout of free Wi-Fi for visitors in 2024.

The upgrades have delivered results. Nassau broke its single-day passenger record twice in 2024. On March 11, six ships brought 30,538 passengers to port. That record fell again on April 8 when five ships delivered 31,011 cruise guests in one day.

Bahamas Tourism Hits All-Time High

Nassau’s success reflects broader growth across the Bahamas. The country welcomed an unprecedented 12.5 million visitors in 2024, with cruise tourism accounting for 86.5% of total arrivals, or more than 10.6 million passengers.

“Visitor arrivals grew 11.4 percent year-over-year, surpassing 2023’s record and exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels by more than 72 percent,” Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper told Parliament.

Beyond Nassau, other Bahamian ports showed growth, including destinations with private cruise line islands across the region.

A union pier-side protest against Carnival Australia’s treatment of crew members has been criticized, and it’s not just from the cruise operator. 

There was also some pushback from the crew themselves. In a mixed reaction, it was suggested the Maritime Union of Australia’s protest aim was more about increasing union membership than pushing for better pay and conditions. 

Union protest criticized by some crew members

Some also said the union hasn’t spoken to them about working conditions. One added that the union’s aims were unrealistic. “They’re comparing Australian standards to international maritime contracts.”

“Carnival Cruises is paying its crew as little as $2.50 an hour to work on its Australian cruise ships. This has got to be the worst labor exploitation we have ever seen, and it’s happening in plain sight,” said union organizer Shane Reside.

“When companies like Carnival behave like this, it casts a cloud over all of us. We will not stop until this ugly exploitation is stamped out for good.” Reside said the union has detailed its grievances, but Carnival management refuses to negotiate in good faith.

The protest at Station Pier in Melbourne attracted about 100 people. Carnival has three ships based in Australia.

The cruise company hit back, calling the demonstration a ‘lame tactic’ and nothing more than a recruitment drive for union membership.

“Let’s call the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) activity for what it is: to increase membership and raise revenue. They don’t care about our employees except to try to get a portion of their paycheck for their treasury,” it said ahead of the protest.

“This so-called campaign is offensive to the dedicated shipboard team members who take pride in their work.”

The union claims Carnival “exploits a loophole in the Coastal Trading Act,” while the company responded that it “meets, and in most cases exceeds” what is require under the Maritime Labour Convention.

A legal challenge has temporarily shut down work at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico project after a local environmental group was granted an injunction. 

Municipal leaders in Mahahual, Mexico, say the change of land use granted on behalf of Royal Caribbean’s project is legal and transparent. It follows the legal filing by the local group DMAS, which claims the amendment was made illegally.

Change of land use granted illegally, says environmental group

DMAS claims it requires public consultation first, but council leader Jaime Aguilar Cheluja says this is not mandatory. “This is mandatory only when the municipal planning programs and instruments established are formulated for the first time or are fully updated,” Aguilar Cheluja said.

He said the change of land use request only relates to about 3% of the total project, which doesn’t necessitate a period of public consultation. The change was requested by Royal Caribbean Group.

DMAS’s legal filing led to a suspension of work on the project after a court granted an injunction on January 25. The group claimed in the filing that land use for more than 107 hectares within the Perfect Day cruise tourism project was illegally reconfigured.

Antonella Vázquez, DMAS President, said the organization is not anti-cruise tourism or opposed to development. “However, we are in favor of respecting the law, urban planning, and the community’s right to a healthy environment.”

DMAS and its supporters worry that the development will negatively impact a protected mangrove area and the town’s water supply. “We are not going to touch anything in the mangrove conservation area,” said Royal Caribbean’s director of innovation, Jay Schneider in response.

The cruise company is planning an 80-hectare water park and related amenities near the existing cruise ship pier.

Cheluja said the council is fully behind the project, which is the largest private investment project of its kind ever in southern Quintana Roo.

A court hearing to address the injunction is expected to take place in the next few days.