“Dining aboard our ships is immersive, elegant and deeply personal,” Gunter Lorentz, vice president of food and beverage at Crystal Cruises, told Cruise Industry News. “We offer fine dining without formality, indulgence without excess and service delivered with intuitive warmth. Each venue offers its own identity, yet all share the same commitment to quality, precision...

Royal Caribbean International’s Icon-class debuted in 2024 with the Icon of the Seas, which was followed by the Star of the Seas in 2025. The Legend of the Seas debuts this summer as it launches service in the Mediterranean before heading to the Caribbean. The fourth Icon-class vessel, Hero of the Seas, is slated for...

Atlas Ocean Voyages is pushing the boundaries of expedition cruising with the introduction of the industry’s first ice-class luxury sailing yacht, according to Chief Executive Officer James Rodriguez. The company is also strategically expanding its deployment starting in 2028, he added, noting that technical innovation and respect for the environment are what drive the brand’s...

Carnival Cruise Line is adjusting two itineraries aboard the Carnival Venezia, which is offering cruises to the Caribbean departing from Port Canaveral. According to a statement sent to booked guests, the vessel’s present itinerary was changed to drop a planned visit to Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. Instead of visiting the destination, the Venezia will...

The World Odyssey is currently undergoing a drydock ahead of kicking off its farewell season for Phoenix Reisen. Following the completion of its spring world cruise for Semester at Sea, the 1998-built vessel arrived at a shipyard in Germany in mid-April. Preparations include a change of livery, as well as the renaming of the vessel,...

A rising tide raises all ships, the old saying goes. Scenic Group’s Managing Director Ken Muskat certainly sees the rapidly expanding luxury expedition cruising market that way. While the increase in high-end small-ship tonnage injects competition into the sector, it also amplifies what Scenic does better than any other, Muskat told Cruise Industry News. “I...

Meyer Turku will build a new headquarters in the Blue Industry Park area near the shipyard, according to a press release. The project is valued at approximately 40 million euros and forms part of the company’s investment program. “This office building is a long-term strategic investment for us and a concrete way to modernize and...

“Our guests want to stay a little bit closer to home. It’s a perfect year with America’s 250th to explore home,” said John Waggoner, founder and chairman at Victory Cruise Lines. The company has its two ships on the Great Lakes this summer and is pushing the season longer into the fall. In addition are...

Guests who book Royal Caribbean International’s guarantee cabins will be able to pay a fee to have their staterooms assigned earlier. According to guest reports, the initiative is part of the limited-time “Early Access” pilot program that was launched in late April. The company is reportedly charging a $30 fee per cabin for passengers who...

Celestyal Cruises confirmed that its two ships have now returned to the Mediterranean ahead of welcoming guests back in Greece. After spending nearly two months stranded in the Persian Gulf due to conflicts in the region, the vessels were able to start repositioning voyages to Europe in late April. “We are delighted to share that...

Royal Caribbean Group today announced it has confirmed with Meyer Turku the order of a sixth and seventh Icon Class ship to be delivered in 2029 and 2030, respectively. The order is part of the company’s long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku that secures the Group’s access to shipbuilding capacity through 2036 and includes the...

“With the way the luxury market has expanded over the last 20 years, we’re perfectly situated,” said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The two brands under the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings umbrella have a combined nine ships on order, and Montague said the brands were capitalizing on...

Cruise Industry News looks into some of the key drydock projects that are happening around the world in April. Harmony of the Seas Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International Capacity: 5,558 guests Tonnage: 227,625 Year built: 2016 Drydock Period: Apr. 3 to May 21, 2026 Shipyard: Navantia (Cádiz, Spain) The Harmony of the Seas is currently...

Jørn Henriksen, director of expedition operations at Viking, has been appointed chair of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators’ executive committee, according to a press release. Henriksen has been involved in Antarctic travel since 2000 and has been an IAATO member since 2005. He was elected to the executive committee in 2024 and previously...

AmaWaterways has introduced a new culinary experience offering guests hands-on cooking sessions with French grandmothers, according to a press release. The Cooking with Mamie program is available exclusively on the AmaDante and AmaLyra as part of the Paris & Normandy itinerary. “With Cooking with Mamie, we are bringing local traditions to life in a very...

Crew members will join the TUI Cruises’ ships that were stranded in the Middle East in South Africa, according to Crew Center. Set to welcome guests back in Europe in early May, the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5 are currently sailing with reduced staffing. As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, only...

Foyle Port has officially commenced its 2026 cruise season with the arrival of the Le Lapérouse, marking Ponant’s first visit to the port, according to a press release. The expedition vessel anchored in Greencastle on April 16 as part of a 10-day Celtic Secrets & Landscapes cruise sailing from Greenock to Cobh, with stops across...

Poseidon Expeditions has wrapped up its 2025-26 Antarctic season. According to the company, the season’s standout moment came during the New Year cruise, when near-perfect weather conditions allowed the expedition team to land at Bailey Head on Deception Island, one of Antarctica’s most challenging landing sites. The remote location, situated within a flooded volcanic caldera,...

Astro Ocean’s Piano Land is set to wrap up its Hong Kong homeport season by the end of May, according to its published sailing schedule. The vessel’s itineraries from the Asian hub have included voyages to ports in Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. The ship is expected to reposition to Europe where it will will sail...