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Expanded Role for Mark Tamis at Holland America and Seabourn, Smith to Retire

Holland America Line and Seabourn today announced that Mark Tamis, President of Seabourn, will assume a dual leadership role, adding responsibility for Guest Experience and Product Development (GEPD) across both brands, according to a company statement. Tamis will begin overseeing GEPD for Seabourn immediately and for Holland America Line in the coming months. Tamis, who...

Viking Sky Wins Dover Cruise SEA Award for Sustainability

The Port of Dover has awarded the Viking Sky the 2026 Safety and Environment Awareness Award, recognizing the ship’s environmental performance while in port. The Viking Saturn and Fred. Olsen’s Borealis also scored hihly in the ninth annual SEA Award program, according to the port. The award evaluates cruise ships’ operational footprint in port, with...

Holland America Line’s World Cruise Hosts Charity Knitting Workshop

Holland America Line has hosted a crocheting workshop aboard the Volendam sailing on its annual 133-day Grand World Voyage. According to a press release, this is done for Project Linus, a nonprofit organization named after a character from the Peanuts comic strip always carrying a security blanket. The project is dedicated to providing handmade blankets...

Windstar Cruises Names Paul Chapple VP Hotel Operations

Windstar Cruises has appointed Paul Chapple as its new vice president of hotel operations, the company said in a statement. In his new role, Chapple will oversee all aspects of hotel operations and product development, including food and beverage, onboard services, entertainment, guest relations, and destination services. He will report directly to Stijn Creupelandt, who...

Princess Cruises’ Alfredo’s Pizzeria Earns Italian Certification

Princess Cruises announced that Alfredo’s Pizzeria aboard the Sun Princess and the Star Princess has been awarded the Ospitalità Italiana Certification, the highest global recognition for authentic Italian cuisine and hospitality. The certification is awarded only to dining establishments that uphold Italy’s rich culinary heritage, according to the company. “Earning the Ospitalità Italiana Certification is...

Carnival Ships Delayed Due to IT Issues

Carnival Cruise Line ships had to delay departures on Sunday from their homeports due to IT issues that resulted in slower debarkation and embarkation processes. In a statement published on its website, the company explained that the problem was also affecting other tech tools. “Carnival is experiencing some IT issues that occurred during planned maintenance,...

Fred. Olsen’s Bolette Completes 16-Day Drydock in Falmouth

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has welcomed guests back aboard the Bolette following a 16-day drydock at APCL A&P Falmouth that concluded in early February. The ship entered the facility on Jan. 18 for scheduled maintenance, technical inspections and guest-focused enhancements, according to the company. “We are delighted to welcome guests back on board the Bolette...

AmaWaterways Debuts First National TV Commercial

AmaWaterways has premiered its first national, multi-network television commercial, according to the company. The commercial serves as an expression of the cruise line’s recently unveiled brand campaign, Journeys That Move You, and invites travelers to experience river cruising through a personal and emotional lens. The spot celebrates the warmth, elegance and sense of discovery that...

Costa Serena Chartered to Asia Games Organizing Committee

The Organizing Committee of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games is chartering the Costa Serena. According to Chunichi Shimbun Online Edition, the vessel will serve as a floating Olympic village, accommodating athletes during the games, which will take place in Nagoya, Japan, between Sep. 19 and Oct. 4, 2026. Chunichi Shimbun said...

RINA: Mardi Gras Drydock a Natural Evolution

RINA played a key role on a recent drydock on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, which drydocked in Marseille, France, last year. “RINA has been involved in LNG cruise propulsion since the very beginning—from the first designs and newbuilds to bunkering operations and drydocks,” said Michele Landro, RINA’s director of passenger ships segment (Americas). RINA...

Maryland Officials Ready for Big Impact From Second Carnival Ship

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) is celebrating a new two-year contract with Carnival Cruise Line that will bring the Carnival Miracle to the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore beginning in 2027. The ship will operate seasonal cruises from November to April. The Carnival Miracle is one of Carnival’s Spirit-class vessels and is similar in...

Ambassador’s Ambience Kicks Off 40-Day Cruise to the Caribbean

Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience recently kicked off one of the company’s longest cruises this year, a 40-day voyage to the Caribbean. Sailing roundtrip from Tilbury, the “Jewels of the Caribbean Sea” itinerary is highlighted by visits to a wide range of destinations in the region. As part of the voyage, the Ambience will become the...

Orient Express Reveals 2027 Deployment

Orient Express recently revealed deployment plans for 2027, which include the maiden season of its second vessel, the Orient Express Olympian. According to a press release, the ship will offer itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, along with its sister ship, the Orient Express Corinthian. Currently under construction at the Chantier Naval de Marseille...

Ambassador CEO Notes Early Booking Strength

There is strength in early bookings for Ambassador Cruise Line, according to CEO Christian Verhounig. “While there will always be demand for last-minute deals, we’ve seen a significant shift towards early bookings, with guests planning well in advance of the departure date when availability is high, particularly for longer voyages,” Verhounig said. He noted that the company had...

HX Expeditions and Julia Bradbury Team up on Frozen South Docu-Series

HX Expeditions has announced a new documentary series, “Julia Bradbury’s Wonders of the Frozen South.” Created in partnership with ITV, the three-part series will air on ITV1 at 12.45pm on Feb. 15, Feb. 22 and March 1. According to a press release, the series follows Bradbury on a 23-day voyage through the Southern Ocean, travelling...

Carnival to Deploy Two Ships in Europe in 2027

Carnival Cruise Line is doubling its deployment in Europe in 2027, with two ships set to offer summer seasons The Carnival Miracle will provide the company’s traditional mix of Mediterranean and Northern Europe cruises, while the Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to sail new itineraries in the Mediterranean and Africa. Marking the first time that Carnival...

Royal Caribbean Offers Incentives for Guests to Cancel Bookings

Royal Caribbean International sent out a statement to a selected group of guests, inviting them to cancel their bookings for the Feb. 7, 2026, cruise onboard the Oasis of the Seas. According to the letter, the company was looking for passengers who might have “flexible travel arrangements.” “If your plans are set in stone, please...

Seabourn Venture Reaches 70 Degrees South, Sets Record

Seabourn Venture reached 70 degrees south during a 12-day Antarctica exploration voyage from Jan. 28 to Feb. 9, 2026, setting a new record for the most southerly point in Seabourn and Carnival Corporation history, according to Seabourn. The expedition ship became the most southerly ship on the Antarctic Peninsula at the time while crossing the...

Antigua and Barbuda Highlights Cruise Tourism in 2026 Strategy

The Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment for Antigua and Barbuda, The Honourable Charles Fernandez, has outlined the government’s strategic outlook for the tourism sector in 2026, according to the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. “Our focus for 2026 is not simply expansion, but smart, balanced and inclusive development; growth that protects our...

Royal Caribbean’s Radiance Enters Drydock in the Bahamas

The Radiance of the Seas is currently at one of the drydocks of the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, the Bahamas. Pausing a series of short cruises departing from Port Everglades, the original Radiance-class vessel arrived at the facility in late January. While Royal Caribbean did not release information about the project, the 2001-built ship...

Azamara Cruises Relaunches Land Programs for Deeper Destination Exploration

Azamara Cruises has reintroduced its Azamara Ashore land programs for destination immersion, the company said in a statement. The program enables deeper exploration of destinations before and after the cruise. “At Azamara, every journey is designed to be more than a passing visit, it’s an opportunity to truly connect with the places visited and the...

Rodney Bailey Becomes VP Guest Experience at Victory

Victory Cruise Lines has appointed Rodney Bailey as vice president, guest experience, the company said in a press release. The role puts Bailey in charge of the holistic guest experience shoreside and onboard, covering pre-voyage inspiration and booking, onboard experience design and delivery, theme and enrichment programming, loyalty strategy and post-voyage service recovery. “Rodney represents...

AmaWaterways Appoints CTO and Chief People Officer

AmaWaterways has announced the appointment of two senior executives: Virginia Suliman as chief technology officer and Michael Moghtader as chief people officer, according to a press release. Suliman brings extensive technology leadership experience, most recently serving as chief information and digital officer at Invitation Homes, where she led a major digital transformation. She also spent...

Scenic and Emerald Offer Weekend Flash Sale for 2026 Departures

Scenic and Emerald Cruises are offering $100 per person savings on select 2026 sailings during a weekend flash sale from Feb. 6 to 8, 2026, according to a press release. The offer is stackable with current promotions. “We continue to see strong demand for forward-planned travel, and our Weekend Flash offer reflects that momentum,” said...

Holland America Rolls Out New Hawaii, Mexico and Panama Canal Sailings for 2027–28

Holland America Line is opening nearly three dozen itineraries in 2027–28 spanning Hawaii, Mexico, the Panama Canal and the Pacific Coast, the company said in a press release. The new season features longer stays in Honolulu, Hawaii, and extended exploration of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez aboard Koningsdam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam or Zaandam. Sailings are set...

Carnival Expands Baltimore Presence with Second Ship for 2027-28

Carnival Cruise Line has announced new sailings for the 2027/28 season, highlighted by the addition of a second ship in Baltimore and new deployment options for the Carnival Firenze, the cruise line said. This marks the first time Carnival will homeport two ships from Baltimore. Beginning fall 2027, the Carnival Miracle will join her sister...

MSC Cruises Unveils Asia-Inspired Artwork Aboard New Vessel

MSC Cruises has revealed details about the artwork to be featured on MSC World Asia, the latest World Class ship to join the cruise line’s fleet. As stated in a press release, the ship will start seven-night sailings to popular Mediterranean destinations including Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Civitavecchia for Rome, Naples and Valletta, from Dec. 4,...
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