carnival celebration cruise july 2023

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July 2023, Carnival Celebration

Carnival Celebration offer a variety of cruises from Miami in July 2023 . Cruises from Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean are less popular in July than at other times of the year. Those planning a Caribbean cruise this time of year should expect brief, heavy tropical showers followed by clear skies. In July, temperatures in the Caribbean normally range from 86 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. July sea temperatures in the Caribbean normally vary from 81 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though it's technically hurricane season, you probably won't see a hurricane. You might, however, see a tropical storm. Sail away from your ordinary life onboard Carnival Celebration and find tropical pleasure in the Caribbean islands with Carnival Cruise Line, departing from Miami in July 2023 .

Find your next Carnival Celebration cruise out of Miami in July 2023

7-day Eastern Caribbean from Miami, Fl

Carnival celebration, carnival cruise line.

Date: July 2, 2023

Ports of Call: Miami, Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, Miami; View Itinerary

6-day Western Caribbean from Miami, Fl

Date: July 9, 2023

Ports of Call: Miami, Cozumel, Mahogany Bay, Costa Maya, Miami; View Itinerary

8-day Southern Caribbean from Miami, Fl

Date: July 15, 2023

Ports of Call: Miami, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Miami; View Itinerary

Date: July 23, 2023

Ports of Call: Miami, Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Maarten, Miami; View Itinerary

Date: July 30, 2023

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Carnival: Introducing Celebration Key

• April 22, 2024

The big news for Carnival Cruise Line for 2025 will be the July opening of Celebration Key. Eighteen ships sailing from 10 different homeports will be calling at Carnival’s new destination in the Bahamas, Fred Stein, vice president of planning and deployment, told Cruise Industry News .

“Our regular itinerary cycles are published through April 2026 and from the end of July (2025) through April (2026) we have over 500 calls planned for Celebration Key, meaning more than 2 million guests.

“The Mardi Gras and the Celebration, our two Excel vessels that sail from Florida, will be calling at Celebration Key on every one of their cruises.”

He added that a four-port, seven-day itinerary was created, essentially adding the new destination as a bonus port.

As a function of its proximity of the port to South Florida, the new destination will also have favorable impact on fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Carnival ships also call at other corporate-managed destinations, including Amber Cove, Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay. The latter has been a tendering call, but a pier project is underway, which will allow ships to come alongside.

“I expect that in our next inventory cycle, which will run from May 2026 to May 2027, you’ll start seeing some calls at the new pier development at Half Moon Cay,” Stein said.

While Carnival theoretically could create itineraries calling only at its own ports, Stein said there are good reasons to go elsewhere.

“Because our guests, particularly past guests who have sailed with us before, look to explore new destinations, so we have the Carnival Celebration also going to San Juan and St. Thomas. And we call at St. Maarten and other destinations across the Caribbean. So, we offer a variety of itineraries that explore beyond the corporate managed ports.”

What can the ports do to attract ships? “They need to make sure that their destination is driving awareness,” Stein answered, “so that people want to go there. Once ports develop awareness and interest, they have to make sure they deliver experiences that resonate with guests, so they’ll want to come back.

“They should also think about our crew as they can be the best ambassadors for a destination.

“And they need to continue to evolve their infrastructure as the ships get larger.

“The easier they can make the transit in and out of the port also helps and the business dealings between us and the port in terms of booking berth space. They should just be straight-forward in how they deal with us,” he added.

For planning itineraries, Stein said the cruise line has a very high prioritization on reducing its carbon footprint, which can be achieved by sailing shorter distances or at lower speeds.

The planning window is several years out.

“Right now, we have published through April 2026, so we are focused on the next cycle, which will take us to May 2027,” Stein said. “That is what I would call our near-term planning. We also have a long-term horizon.”

Excerpt from the Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine Spring 2024

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The Best Caribbean Cruise for Every Type of Vacationer

Posted: July 29, 2023 | Last updated: July 29, 2023

Get ready to set sail in the Caribbean

It's no wonder cruising in and around the Caribbean is so popular. But with so many ships—50,000 yearly—offering up exciting itineraries from a variety of departure ports, not to mention the number of islands the ships call on, finding the best Caribbean cruise can seem downright overwhelming! We're here to help by breaking down the options with all the best Caribbean cruises. Whether you want an affordable warm-weather family cruise, a luxury couples getaway or a solo cruise to meet new people, we've got the scoop.

If you're in the market for the best deal on a Caribbean cruise, there are two seasons to be aware of. Between January and March is what's known as "wave season." This is when the cruise lines promote deeply discounted fares for the best Caribbean cruises. Or you can choose to shop around for sailings during the fall, when prices tend to be low because of hurricane season. Don't worry, though—the captains of the ships are well-versed in avoiding stormy weather.

How we chose the best Caribbean cruises

Not only did I rely on my own personal experiences at sea (I've taken eight cruises in the past year alone, and I've been cruising for about a decade), but I also scoured websites to find the  best cruise lines based on the many different types of travelers, from those who want to snorkel every day to cruisers who want nothing more than a sunny deck chair by the pool. Now, all you need to do is brush up on all the things you can't do on cruises , discover the many hidden cruise features , decide if you want to add on a stay at one of the most glamorous all-inclusive Caribbean resorts before or after your cruise , and then book your vacation!

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Best overall

Celebrity cruises.

With a breathtaking mix of elegant ship design, gorgeous cabins, delicious restaurants and luxurious outdoor spaces—including a rooftop garden, martini-glass hot tubs seemingly floating in mid-air, the adults-only Solarium and the thrilling Magic Carpet lounge jutting out over the water on the Edge-class ships (Beyond, Edge, Apex and the forthcoming Ascent)— Celebrity is our choice for the overall best Caribbean cruise. Plus, the Edge-class ships feature a unique main dining room concept that not only soars above other cruise lines' complimentary dining options but also the majority of the fee-based specialty restaurants that I've dined at. Each of the four main dining destinations has stunning, regional-specific design elements, shared and individualized menus and top-notch service.

Additionally, the Celebrity spa and its thermal suite are the best at sea for affordable luxury and ultimate relaxation while island-hopping. If you're looking for the best cruises for couples in the Caribbean, it's hard to beat the affordable elegance and sheer class of these ships.

• 11-day southern Caribbean itineraries with a port of call in Cartegena, Colombia
• Three top-notch complimentary main dining rooms
• Eden, the live entertainment venue that's home to more than 5,000 live plants
• The spa's SEA Thermal Suite is the apex of relaxation
• Lack of outdoor activities like waterslides and rides for families
• The theatrical stage shows sometimes disappoint

Best budget

Carnival cruises.

For decades, Carnival "fun ships" have been the premier choice for cruisers looking for ways to travel on a budget . Carnival is still competitively priced, still hosts hairy-chest contests and a St. Jude charity dance party, and still ranks as one of the best Caribbean cruises you can book for less. Better yet, the newest ships in the fleet have added a touch of class thanks to the Brass Magnolia, a cool, new jazz club. Overall, we love the fact that you can have a ton of fun on board Carnival cruise ships in the Caribbean, not just in the most exciting ports, like Nassau in the Bahamas, Ocho Rios in Jamaica, and Cozumel, Mexico. On the ships, you'll find colorful water parks with twisty waterslides, the Bolt roller coaster and the Red Frog brew pub. While the ideal time of year to cruise the Caribbean is usually from January to April during the Caribbean's dry season, Carnival makes visiting the islands fun any time of year.

• Affordable prices starting at under $500 per person for a week in the Caribbean
• Guy's Burger Joint and Smokehouse offer some of the best free food at sea
• Superb live music and theatrical entertainment
• Exciting kids camp partnership with the Kennedy Space Center on Carnival Celebration
• Low prices make Carnival one of the best cruise lines for kids as well, which means couples and seniors may find these ships too loud and busy

Best for kids

Disney cruises.

The best cruises for kids and families will naturally be focused on the joys of childhood and the unique needs of children from start to finish. That's definitely true on Disney cruises , which pay as much attention to the bright and fun design of the staterooms as they do to the interactive restaurants, bars and lounge experiences that call on Marvel,  Star Wars and Disney's famous animated characters. (These are all exclusively on Disney Wish.) In my experience, the kids clubs—with Marvel superhero school, Jedi training camp and never-ending arts and crafts—are where Disney truly excels. In fact, your elementary-school-aged kids may never want to leave!

Another high point are the Broadway-caliber shows, including Aladdin , Frozen and The Little Mermaid . So put on your mouse ears or grab your lightsaber, check out these  Disney cruise tips , and book a magical Caribbean cruise with Disney.

• Character meet-and-greets and multiple interactive dining experiences
• Themed sailings for Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars fans
• First-run Disney films premiering in the onboard movie theaters (think: the live-action Little Mermaid )
• Access to Castaway Cay, a private Caribbean island
• Cost-prohibitive for many families

Best for luxury lovers

Scenic cruises.

The world's first discovery yacht, the Scenic Eclipse , which spends part of the year exploring the Arctic and Antarctica, is now bringing guests to some of the most exotic small ports of the Caribbean. Scenic is one of the best Caribbean cruises for the traveler who wants to experience remote escapes for a more culturally authentic vacation in well-traveled waters. You will visit ports such as Darby Island, Egg Island and Long Island in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico's Isla de Culebra, Grenadine's Mayreau and Colombia's Isla de Providencia, as well as have the opportunity to make a full Panama Canal voyage.

And the joy of cruising the Caribbean on this luxury small ship isn't limited to the destinations—you'll enjoy extraordinary onboard experiences too. Let's start with the fact that there are private butlers for each cabin and suite, and just 228 guest maximum on any given sailing, with almost a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio. You'll also find 10 dining options, premium beverages and all airport transfers and gratuities included in the price. Plus, once-in-a-lifetime immersive excursions and enrichment experiences, like floating through mangroves and small caves in glass-bottom kayaks, are all complimentary. With everything covered and handled on a Scenic Caribbean cruise, the only thing you'll need to worry about is figuring out what to pack .

• Private butlers and a nearly 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio
• Remote ports of call accessible only on a small ship
• Truly all-inclusive , with even excursions included in the price
• Lack of diverse activities and entertainment on board

Best for LGBTQIA+ travelers

Virgin voyages.

Virgin took to the Caribbean Sea a few years ago with the aim of disrupting the cruise industry. Its cruises feature cabins that convert to social spaces thanks to beds that become seating areas, and swing hammock chairs on private balconies, and nearly everything is rolled into the main price—including restaurants, Wi-Fi, group exercise classes and gratuities. In short, Virgin comes the closest to offering affordable all-inclusive cruises . With no kids under 18 allowed onboard, the upstart cruise line was and still is a breath of fresh air for cruisers looking for adults-only cruises .

The most exciting thing about Virgin Voyages, however, just may be the "come as you are" vibe on their cruise ships. Crew members are allowed to show off their tattoos and piercings, and the ships have unisex bathrooms, sexy shows, raucous parties and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere for LGBTQIA+ cruisers, making them feel safe and seen in the sunshine of the Caribbean.

• A "come as you are" vibe
• Sexy, adult-oriented entertainment, dances and parties
• Private Bahamian beach experiences and parties that go late into the night
• All food, many beverages, Wi-Fi and gratuities included in the cost
• Vegan dining at Razzle Dazzle
• Families, even those with worldly teens, aren't able to cruise on Virgin Voyages

Best for Texans

Norwegian cruise line.

The brand-new Norwegian Prima is an amazing Caribbean cruise for families—both because of its features and its accessibility to different parts of the country. Those family-friendly features include go-kart tracks spanning multiple decks, virtual reality games, an escape room, thrilling dry and wet slides hanging off the edge of the ship, and a neon sports area featuring mini golf, dart rooms, pickleball courts and so much more. And thanks to departures from both Galveston, Texas, and New York City, the Caribbean has never been more accessible to so much of the country. From Texas's south coast, Prima easily reaches southern Caribbean ports like Roatán and Belize, while travelers departing from New York can cruise all the way down to St. Kitts, the Dominican Republic and the British Virgin Islands, with a stop in Bermuda on the way back, without having to get on a plane first. Whether your family is in the Midwest or the Northeast, Norwegian puts the Caribbean right at your doorstep.

• Departs from Galveston, Texas, and New York City
• Access to a private Caribbean island for exclusive beach time
• A go-kart track spanning three whole decks, and a massive virtual reality gaming room
• Studio staterooms for solo travelers
• Go-kart drivers must be under a set weight, which means some family members may not be able to drive

Best for action lovers

Royal caribbean oasis class cruises.

Like a thriving city at sea, Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships offer up more fun, entertainment and activities than most people can even see and do during a typical weeklong cruise! It is nearly impossible to be bored on an Oasis-class ship. That's why these vessels are the best Caribbean cruises for anyone who wants to try new things like ziplining or simulated surfing, feel nostalgic riding a carousel on a boardwalk, or see Broadway-caliber theatrical shows inside and out.

While they are some of the biggest cruise ships at sea, these vessels were cleverly designed to make it not feel like you are surrounded by upwards of 6,000 other passengers. There's so much to see and do on Royal Caribbean in the Caribbean, you may not even have time to ponder those strange white balls on cruise ships , but if for some reason you do get bored, know that you've got Perfect Day at Coco Cay to visit. This is arguably the best private island in the Caribbean, and you can spend a day here ziplining, riding in a hot-air balloon, chilling out by one of many pools or playing in an incredible waterpark that features North America's tallest waterslide.

• Multipurpose deck that serves up ice skating and ice shows, then transforms into a laser-tag arena
• The tree-lined Central Park neighborhood in the center of the ship is literally a breath of fresh air at sea
• Interior rooms have balconies and views of "Central Park"
• Every itinerary includes a trip to Perfect Day at Coco Cay, a private island paradise
• Oasis-class ships may feel too big for some cruisers

Best for cultural explorers

Windstar cruises.

Thanks to departures from Caribbean ports like San Juan, Puerto Rico , and Bridgetown, Barbados, Windstar allows you to spend less time in transit and more quality time in places like St. Barts, Montserrat, St. Maarten, Barbados and the British Virgin Islands. Not only are these budget-friendly luxury smaller ships fabulous, but the excursions also offer the opportunity for you to make deep dives into the history and traditions of some of the most culturally rich islands in the Caribbean. You'll meet locals who will invite you into their homes, teach you to cook with their herbs and spices, and provide you with experiences that showcase why travel is so important in the first place.

There are itineraries covering two distinct sides of the Caribbean: Eastern and Western. The Eastern side is where you'll find more cultural and historical ports of call, with some great shopping too. The Western side is better known for water sports and fun in the sun on white-sand beaches.

• Intimate excursions that explore the culture and traditions of each island
• Option for a 35-day grand Caribbean adventure
• Windstar's Signature Beach Party on a secluded beach with a buffet lunch and free water sports
• Onboard poolside barbecues
• Not a robust selection of onboard activities or entertainment

Best for seniors

Princess cruises.

If you're of a certain vintage that fondly recalls the TV show  The Love Boat , then Princess Cruises is the best Caribbean cruise for you! It was a Princess ship featured in that classic show, and they still call it The Love Boat, so nostalgic seniors will think that Princess Cruise Line ships are the bee's knees! But Princess is one of the best Caribbean cruise options because the ships have a retro elegance about them, an old-fashioned level of class with shiny brass decorative elements, elaborate chandeliers, familiar tasty food, upscale wine tastings, cultural enrichment programs, Deal or No Deal games on the main stage, Broadway-style entertainment, and The Love Boat Piazza Party on one of your formal nights.

Additionally, seniors will enjoy knowing that on every Princess ship cruising the Caribbean, there are many ADA cabins with full wheelchair-turning space, roll-in showers with grab bars and a fold-down bench seat, as well as closets and desks that are both cleverly designed and highly accessible. Princess Cruises also offers one of the best Alaska cruise itineraries.

• Numerous ADA-accessible staterooms across all cabin types (from suites to interior rooms)
• Old-school elegance
• May feel too old-timey for some travelers

Best for sailors

Star clippers.

These classic clipper ships have sails that aren't just for show—they are actually powered by the wind whenever possible! When it's time to sail away to a new island, the ceremonious hoisting of the sails, which is accompanied by the epic strains of "Conquest of Paradise" from the movie 1492,  is a truly breathtaking sight to behold. And here's an interesting fact : Star Clippers holds the Guinness World Record as the world's largest full-rigged sailing ship. The five-masted vessel is a beauty and a throwback to another era of seafaring. While the big ships may have ziplines and ice-skating rinks, on a Star Clippers cruise you can lounge in a net suspended high above the sea and kayak or stand-up paddleboard off the marina platform at the rear of the ship.

• A working sailing ship that transports you to another era
• Sailings start and end in the Caribbean
• Access to small islands like St. Lucia and Martinique and Virgin Gorda
• "Treasure Island" itinerary visits a host of small, intriguing Caribbean islands that you won't get to experience on the bigger cruise ships
• Pirates don't mind the rough seas on a sailboat, but you might on a Star Clippers cruise
• Pirates also don't need a lot of entertainment options on board, so don't expect Broadway productions on these ships

Best for LEGO fans

Msc cruises.

While we love the F1 simulators and the full-size bowling alley on MSC cruises , spending a week at sea on this Caribbean cruise is really all about LEGO for us. MSC and the LEGO Group have an exclusive entertainment partnership that gives kids the chance to play and build with LEGO bricks in colorful areas of the ship designed just for them in the Mini and Juniors clubs. But the LEGO (and Duplo) fun isn't confined to the kids clubs. Once during every Caribbean cruise, there's an entire day dedicated to LEGO activities for kids of all ages to enjoy, LEGO diplomas to earn, and parades to watch.

But, of course, it's not really  all about LEGO. For environmentalists and cruisers looking for a relaxing private island escape with miles of white-sand beaches with chairs, umbrellas and cabanas calling your name, MSC's Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is a sheer delight. It's a biodiverse and sustainable environment with coral reefs being relocated and saved, and you get to explore it on your trip.

• LEGO fun for kids, with loads of play areas and activities
• MSC Meraviglia departs for the Caribbean from Brooklyn, New York
• Late-night and overnight stays on MSC's exclusive private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
• Not as many onboard activities for families as the other big cruise ships

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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Moscow (Russia)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Russia Rivers

Local Time 2024-04-27 03:41

Moscow is a Volga River cruise port, Russia's capital and largest city (population over 12,2 million, metro 17 million). Moscow City covers a total area of approx 2610 km 2 (970 mi2). By population, the city is ranked the world's 14th largest. Moscow is one of the Russian Federation's all 3 federal cities - together with St Petersburg and Sevastopol .

Being Russian Federation's capital, Moscow is a major economic, political, scientific and cultural center, as well as Europe's biggest city.

According to Forbes 2013, Moscow has been ranked as the 9th most expensive city in the world by Mercer and has one of the largest urban economies, being ranked as an alpha global city according to Globalization and World Cities Research Network. It is also one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world according to MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. Moscow is the northernmost and the coldest megacity and metropolis on the Earth. It's home to Ostankino Tower, the tallest free-standing European structure; the Federation Tower, the tallest European skyscraper; and the Moscow International Business Center. 

Moscow is situated on Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia, which makes it the most populated inland city in the world. Moscow city is well known for architecture, particularly its historic buildings like Saint Basil's Cathedral. With over 40% of its territory covered by greenery, it's one of the greenest capitals and major cities in Europe and the world. Moscow is the seat of power of the Russian Government, being the site of Moscow Kremlin, a medieval city-fortress that is now the residence of the President of Russia. Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are among the several World Heritage Sites in the city. 

Moscow has 2 passenger terminals, North River Terminal (Rechnoy vokzal) and South River Terminal. The regular ship routes and cruises along Moskva and Oka rivers are used mostly for entertainment. North River Terminal (1937-built) is currently the main hub for long-range routes along the river. There are 3 freight ports that serve Moscow.

In late-July 2021 the city announced plans to incorporate a fleet (unspecified number) of fully electric passenger ferries into its public transportation network from summer 2022, the goal being to reduce the dependence on cars.

• The boats are designed with length ~22 m (72 ft), passenger capacity 42, modern amenities (Wi-Fi, USB charging points, tables for working commuters), spaces for storing scooters and bicycles.
• Moscow Transport confirmed that two routes (with max daily capacity ~16,000 passengers) have already been mapped out.
• Passengers will be able to pay via bank cards, the city’s Troika card (smart card for travel by any public transportation) or biometric payment cards. Those with monthly/yearly public transit tickets will use the boats at no extra cost.
• The new electric ferry service is up to 5 times faster (in comparison to other city public transports) and ~2 times faster than by car.

Moscow cruise terminal

Moscow's cruise terminal is called North River Terminal or River Station  ("Rechnoy Vokzal" / "речной вокзал").

The terminal was opened in 1937 and is one of 2 passenger terminals (the other being South River Terminal) of the city's river transport. North River Terminal is the main hub for long-range (including cruise) shipping routes. 

South River Terminal (above photo) was opened in 1985.

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Russia-Ukraine War Moscow Says It Shot Down Two Ukrainian Missiles Over Russian Cities

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• Zaporizhzhia Riding a local bus. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
• Odesa A Ukrainian soldier on a break from duty with his son. Emile Ducke for The New York Times
• Zaporizhzhia Waiting to collect humanitarian aid. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
• Zaporizhzhia A farmer and his son repairing a pickup for Ukraine's military. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
• Zaporizhzhia Relaxing on the bank of the Dnipro River. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
• Zaporizhzhia region Treating an injured Ukrainian serviceman. Reuters
• Zaporizhzhia region Medics helping an injured Ukrainian serviceman. Kateryna Klochko/Associated Press
• Kyiv region Ukrainian soldiers on a German-made anti-aircraft vehicle. Sergei Supinsky/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• Donetsk region Ukrainian soldiers at the front line. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times
• Odesa Cleaning up at the damaged Transfiguration Cathedral. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

At least nine people were injured when one missile was downed, Russia says.

Moscow said it downed two Ukrainian missiles over southwestern Russia on Friday, including one that fell and exploded in a city center, suggesting that Ukraine is stepping up its attacks inside Russia just as its counteroffensive on the battlefield enters a more intense phase.

The incidents appeared to be rare instances of Ukraine using missiles to attack targets inside Russia, a sign of a more aggressive campaign to expand a war that until now has brought death and destruction almost exclusively to Ukrainian territory.

Video and photographs circulated by Russian state media and local outlets showed the aftermath of a blast in the port city of Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov, roughly 30 miles from the Russian-controlled border with Ukraine and less than 100 miles from the front line. Nine people were hospitalized with light to moderate injuries, and no one was killed, according to the regional governor, Vasily Golubev. Images from the scene showed piles of rubble and blown-out windows and garage doors.

Mr. Golubev said the blast was caused by a downed missile that hit near an art museum and a cafe. The Russian Defense Ministry said the explosion was caused by one of two Soviet-era missiles fired into Russian territory by Ukraine and shot down by Russian air defenses.

Ukraine did not claim responsibility for the missile attacks, but officials did not deny Kyiv had launched them either. A top Ukrainian security official, Oleksiy Danilov, cast blame for the blast in Taganrog on the Russian air defense system.

“The events in Taganrog are nothing more than completely illiterate actions of the operators of Russian air defense systems,” Mr. Danilov said. His statement seemed to deliberately echo the Kremlin denial that it was responsible for a missile strike at a historic cathedral in Odesa last Sunday. The Russians blamed the destruction on “illiterate actions of Ukrainian defense forces.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry said a second missile was shot down over the city of Azov, about 10 miles from the eastern coast of the sea and 25 miles southeast of Taganrog. The debris from that missile fell in a deserted area, the ministry said. The ministry claimed that both missiles were fired by a Soviet-era S-200 air-defense system that had been converted for attacks against targets on the ground.

Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said that President Vladimir V. Putin was briefed on the incidents at his summit with African leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia .

Earlier Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had shot down a drone aimed at the Moscow region ; several recent strikes in Moscow were orchestrated by Ukraine using Ukrainian-made drones, according to senior Ukrainian officials.

While Ukraine has sought repeatedly to launch attacks inside Russia, missile strikes on Russian territory have been rare — in part because Ukraine has pledged not to use the long-range weapons provided by Western allies to hit targets in Russia, a condition the Western powers have insisted on before supplying the weapons.

Meanwhile, air attacks on Ukraine continued. On Friday evening, air-raid alerts were issued for the entire country, and blasts were reported in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions. Shortly afterward, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a high-rise and a security service building had been hit in the city of Dnipro, blaming “Russian missile terror.”

— Anton Troianovski and Marc Santora

With its grinding gains, Ukraine is aiming for a better shot at Russian targets.

Ukrainian officials have cautioned that their drive toward the Sea of Azov, a key objective of their counteroffensive, will require a bloody slog through extensive minefields and fortified trenches, likely under heavy artillery fire along roads lined with Russian armor and machine guns. But Kyiv has a more immediate goal.

That is to penetrate deep enough into occupied territory to bring more Russian military targets within range of Ukraine’s gradually expanding arsenal, further disrupting Moscow’s supply lines and its ability to parry Ukrainian advances.

“The main task we face now, in addition to moving forward, is, of course, to weaken the enemy’s ability to defend itself,” Hanna Malyar, the deputy minister of defense, said on Ukrainian national television. “And in fact, this is what we are doing now.”

The Ukrainian military claims to be destroying dozens of Russian weapons depots every week while constantly searching for command posts, air defense systems and concentrations of troops to hit.

It is not possible to independently assess Ukraine’s success in degrading Russian forces and logistical operations. But this month, Col. Serhii Baranov of the Ukrainian military’s general staff, claimed that Ukrainian rockets and artillery had been responsible for the vast majority of Russian losses of soldiers and equipment.

Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the commander of Ukraine’s military fighting in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, compared the counteroffensive to a boxing match, saying that Ukraine intends to strike with longer range weapons to “hold the opponent at arm’s length” in order to avoid close combat.

Last year, after the United States supplied longer-range rocket systems known as HIMARS to Kyiv, Russia was forced to move more of its logistical operations and bases out of the 50-mile range of the rockets, closer to the coast of the Sea of Azov.

Before Ukraine launched its counteroffensive two months ago, its frontline positions were between 60 and 90 miles from the coast, just out of the reach of HIMARS, truck-mounted launchers that fire satellite-guided rockets .

That means that every mile that Ukraine gains in its current assault, the closer it gets to Russian targets along the coast.

Though the HIMARS are mobile — the name stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System — Ukrainian forces have a limited number, and prefer to keep them some distance from the front line. And over time, the Russians have shown an ability to adapt to HIMARS strikes, dispersing their supplies, as well as jamming the weapon’s GPS guidance.

The Ukrainians must first consolidate their gains and show they can hold newly reclaimed territory, often in the face of Russian aerial and artillery bombardment, in order to significantly change the dynamic on the battlefield, analysts say.

HIMARS and other newly supplied Western weapons are far more powerful than the long-range drones that Ukraine has turned to strike Russian supply routes far from the front. One route runs through Crimea, which Russia has illegally occupied since 2014. The only land route from Russia to Crimea is the Kerch Bridge, which has come under attack twice during the war, with Moscow blaming Ukraine each time.

Ukraine has also attacked the major roads connecting Crimea to the southern Ukrainian mainland.

Moscow’s other main supply route runs from western Russia through the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces are also attempting to advance near the occupied city of Bakhmut.

— Marc Santora reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

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Brazil declines to extradite an accused Russian spy the U.S. might want for a prisoner swap with Russia.

Brazil has denied the U.S. government’s extradition request for an accused Russian spy in Brazilian custody, weakening hopes that he could be used in a potential prisoner swap between the United States and Russia for either or both of two Americans being held in Russia on espionage charges that Washington considers bogus.

Brazil said it denied the U.S. request because it was still investigating the case and had already begun processing a Russian request for the extradition of the accused spy, Sergey Cherkasov, though it also appeared unlikely that Brazil would ultimately send him to Russia.

“At the moment, the citizen in question will remain in detention in Brazil,” Brazil’s justice minister, Flávio Dino, said on Twitter .

The United States has been seeking ways to free the two Americans being held in Russia. One is Evan Gershkovich , a reporter for The Wall Street Journal who has been detained in Russia for four months. The other is Paul Whelan, who was detained in 2018 and is now serving a 16-year prison sentence. The United States considers both “wrongfully detained,” meaning the equivalent of political prisoners.

Brazil has held Mr. Cherkasov, 37, for more than a year on charges of using falsified documents. In March, the U.S. Justice Department formally accused him of spying in the United States, lodging charges that include acting as a foreign agent and visa fraud. The U.S. authorities have sought his extradition since.

Before those accusations, Russia had sought Mr. Cherkasov’s extradition from Brazil, saying that he was actually a criminal drug trafficker. Brazilian authorities preliminarily approved Russia’s request, pending Brazil’s broader investigation into accusations of espionage.

Mr. Dino, Brazil’s justice minister, said on Thursday that the decision to deny the U.S. request was based on international treaties and Brazilian law.

Mr. Cherkasov’s extradition to any country would require the approval of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has sought to keep Brazil neutral in the war in Ukraine.

Mr. Cherkasov lived in Brazil from 2012 to 2018, posing as a Brazilian named Victor Muller Ferreira, according to both the U.S. and Brazilian authorities. In 2018, he moved to the United States and attended Johns Hopkins University.

He then secured an internship at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which is investigating potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine. But when he arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in April last year to begin the job, immigration authorities tipped off by Dutch intelligence sent him back to Brazil, where he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison on fraud charges.

Separately this week, a Brazilian court reduced Mr. Cherkasov’s prison sentence for fraud to five years, saying it was more appropriate based on his current conviction. He would face harsher consequences if convicted of espionage.

The U.S. Embassy in Brazil declined to comment on whether U.S. officials saw Mr. Cherkasov as a potential candidate to swap for either or both of the two Americans . If extradited to the United States, he would become perhaps the only accused Russian spy in U.S. custody. Analysts have seen him as a potential chip in such negotiations .

— Jack Nicas and Paulo Motoryn Reporting from Rio de Janeiro and Brasília

A Ukrainian fencer penalized for refusing a Russian handshake is guaranteed a spot in the Paris Olympics.

Olga Kharlan, a four-time Olympic fencing medalist who was disqualified from the world fencing championships in Milan on Thursday after refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent, will be guaranteed a spot at the Summer Olympics in Paris next year under a “unique exception," the International Olympic Committee president said on Friday.

She will also be permitted to compete in the world championship’s team competition, the International Fencing Federation announced on Friday.

The earlier decision to disqualify Ms. Kharlan, 32, removed her from a key ranking event for Olympic qualification. She won the gold medal in the team saber competition at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

On Thursday, when Ms. Kharlan defeated Anna Smirnova, a Russian fencer competing under neutral status, the Russian extended her hand to Ms. Kharlan, who extended her saber instead. A fencing bout is over only once the two fencers have saluted each other and shaken hands — and Ms. Kharlan was disqualified for not complying.

The fencing federation’s interim president, Emmanuel Katsiadakis, said in a statement that the decision to allow Ms. Kharlan to compete in the championship’s team event “sends a message of sensitivity and understanding to our members and all sports federations, as the world faces tremendous challenges.”

Ms. Kharlan said in a statement on Friday that she was thankful for the decision.

“The most important thing for an athlete is to be able to compete, for my family, my team, my country and all the people who support me,” she said. “During these difficult few days, I appreciate all the support I’ve had from around the world.”

The International Olympic Committee’s president, Thomas Bach, wrote in a personal letter to Ms. Kharlan on Friday that it was “admirable how you are managing this incredibly difficult situation, and I would like to express my full support to you.”

“As a fellow fencer, it is impossible for me to imagine how you feel at this moment,” he wrote, citing “the war against your country, the suffering of people in Ukraine,” and “the difficult inner conflicts you and many of your fellow Ukrainian athletes may have, and then the events which unfolded yesterday.”

Mr. Bach added that the committee would “continue to stand in full solidarity with Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine.”

The exchange between the two athletes may portend further tension in the run-up to the Paris Games. The I.O.C. did not invite Russia and Belarus to compete in Paris as nations, but it is still possible for athletes from both to participate in qualifying events as neutral athletes so long as they meet certain requirements, such as not having shown public support for the invasion.

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article said Ukrainian officials have threatened to boycott the Paris Summer Games if Russians are allowed to compete for their country. But as the article states, the International Olympic Committee did not formally invite Russia, or its close ally Belarus, to compete in Paris as nations, so their athletes could compete only as neutral individuals, and Ukraine withdrew its boycott threat this week.

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— Gaya Gupta

Ukraine reclaims a southern village, but a brutal fight still lies ahead.

The Ukrainian military said on Friday that it was “consolidating” gains after President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine had retaken one southern village in a renewed push into Russian-occupied territory.

The village, Staromaiorske, had been under Russian occupation since the early months of the war and was reclaimed by Ukrainian troops under heavy fire from Russian aircraft and artillery. The fighting for the village, effectively a ruin, offers a small window into the brutal battles that lie ahead as Ukraine’s troops try to break through multiple layers of Russian defensive positions that stretch around 20 miles deep in some areas.

“The battle for this village was difficult and long,” Ukraine’s 35th Brigade, which took part in the battle, said in a statement . “Every centimeter of liberation is the price of superhuman effort.”

The exact state of the fighting is hard to gauge. Russian forces do not allow independent journalists to work in occupied territory, and the Ukrainian military has curtailed news media access for safety reasons and to maintain operational security.

But Ukraine’s claim that it had retaken Staromaiorske was supported by videos verified by The New York Times that show Ukrainian troops inside the village. In one, soldiers walk through an apocalyptic scene of destroyed homes and charred armored vehicles. A dead soldier lies in the grass, weapons by his side. Satellite images show that the homes were intact as of early June.

Kyiv is committing more reserves and Western military equipment to its two-month-old counteroffensive as its fighters attempt to drive forward along two main lines of attack on the southern front. Their ultimate aim is to sever the so-called land bridge between western Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea that has been a crucial logistical route for Moscow’s war effort.

One of those thrusts is in the direction of the occupied port city of Berdiansk, from which Ukraine hopes to reach the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian claim that it retook Staromaiorske puts its forces one step closer in their march to the sea, though they have yet to break through Russia’s main defensive lines.

Where Ukraine is mounting its counteroffensive

Ukraine’s three

major fronts

Main effort,

Staromaiorske

ZAPORIZHZHIA

Less than five miles to the south is Russian-occupied Staromlynivka. That village is on high ground, which gives Russian forces a defensive advantage and could be the next major test of the Ukrainian offensive.

The second main thrust south is in the direction of Melitopol, a city known as the gateway to Crimea because of its location at the crossroads of two major highways and a crucial rail line.

Ukrainian forces have pushed at least six miles deep in this direction south of the town of Orikhiv, in the Zaporizhzhia region. There, around the village of Robotyne, occupation officials and Russian military bloggers have been reporting intense battles.

Analysts for the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based research group, cited videos released on social media that suggest “Ukrainian forces made additional advances east of Robotyne.” But the group wrote in its latest daily analysis on Thursday that it could not confirm the advances.

The Kremlin has repeatedly sought to cast the offensive as a failure and continued to maintain that it was thwarting Ukraine’s attacks. Kyiv has remained largely silent on where else its troops may be advancing and the losses they are suffering.

Two Ukrainian service members get a break from the fighting to say ‘I do.’

The groom could not wait to kiss the bride.

He kissed her when she walked down the aisle, and during the ceremony. He kissed her after his vows, after hers, and again when they finally said “I do.”

Maksym Merezhko, 43, and the bride, Yuliia Dluzhynska, 39, both serve in Ukraine’s military and had traveled to Kyiv the night before from the eastern Donetsk region. They had no time to lose.

After a three-day honeymoon in the Carpathian Mountains , Ms. Dluzhynska said, “We will go to war.”

The celebration was provided free of charge by Zemliachky, roughly translated as “Women Compatriots,” a charity group that provides uniforms, boots and other essentials to female soldiers but, because of demand, recently started to organize their weddings. The couple had been officially married days before, signing a marriage license in a stuffy room in Sloviansk. But they wanted a true celebration.

“It takes a lot of time to organize a wedding, and when you are on the front line, you don’t have that free time,” said Kseniia Drahaniuk, Zemliachky’s co-founder.

Everything is donated — the dress, venue, photography, flowers, hair, makeup, rings, cake, lingerie and the honeymoon, too — saving couples significant expense and the stress of planning.

On the day of her wedding, earlier this month, Ms. Dluzhynska picked out white peonies for her bouquet before heading to a brightly lit salon.

Wearing a camouflage windbreaker and sipping a “NonStop Military Edition” energy drink, she emanated composure as two women pinned her blond hair into an updo.

“He has never seen me like this,” Ms. Dluzhynska said of the groom. “It is his dream to see me in a dress with makeup on.”

Asked what she loved most about her soon-to-be husband, she melted.

“Everything,” she said, her eyes welling, sending the beauticians into a tizzy of touch-ups.

They met three years ago through a dating website and were soon planning a life together. But when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Mr. Merezhko rejoined the military to fight. About a month later, Ms. Dluzhynska followed, as a medic, to be near him.

“She left everything and went to war with me,” he said.

At the wedding ceremony, in an event space with a roof deck overlooking Kyiv, cloth azaleas formed a white arch. Thirteen white chairs were arranged in neat rows, though the only guests were Zemliachky volunteers.

Ukrainian music played until the bride started down the aisle in a white, off-the-shoulder gown. Then John Legend’s “All of Me” came on — and the kisses followed.

In his vows, Mr. Merezhko drew laughs describing how he had worn dirty shorts to their first meeting.

Her vows were shorter, under a minute, and barely audible.

“When you said: ‘I want to grow old with you,’ I realized that this is great love and this is the man I asked God for,” she whispered, through tears.

Even on their special day, the war was not far from their minds.

The ceremony ended with a cry of “Slava Ukraini” — Glory to Ukraine! The cake was decorated like a Ukrainian flag. The champagne, a 2021 vintage from the ravaged eastern city of Bakhmut.

“We will live,” Mr. Merezhko said, beaming after the ceremony. “We will have children, then grandchildren, and we will babysit the grandchildren. I will teach my grandchildren to fish and plant potatoes.”

After their honeymoon, they would head to Donetsk, back toward the front line. Ms. Dluzhynska had a simpler wish for their future. “The main thing is to survive,” she said.

Stanislav Kozliuk and Daria Mitiuk contributed reporting.

— Cassandra Vinograd reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

Russia says it intercepted a drone near Moscow, blaming Ukraine.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said early Friday that it had shot down a drone aimed at the Moscow region, saying that Ukraine was behind the latest such attack near the Russian capital.

The strike, which could not be independently confirmed, would be the second attempted drone attack in the capital region in less than a week. On Monday, an intercepted drone attack in central Moscow that Russia also blamed on Ukraine damaged at least two nonresidential buildings. Ukraine did not comment on the claims.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that Friday’s attempted strike caused no casualties or damage. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is in St. Petersburg, about 400 miles away, hosting African leaders at a summit.

Several drone attacks of differing magnitudes have targeted Moscow since May, bringing the conflict home to people who had largely been sheltered from the effects of the war being waged by Mr. Putin hundreds of miles away. Kyiv has largely taken an ambiguous position on drone attacks within Russia’s borders.

Within the past year or so, a brazen drone assault hit military air bases deep inside Russia; a drone hit an oil facility near an airfield in the Russian province of Kursk. And in May, drones exploded over the Kremlin , an assault that U.S. officials said was most likely carried out by one of Kyiv’s special military or intelligence units.

Analysts note that Russia is vulnerable to such strikes in part because of its size, but also because its air defense radars are designed to detect aircraft and missiles bigger than drones. Apart from creating a sense of vulnerability in Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks could serve to test Moscow’s air defense systems and identify potential weaknesses that could be exploited in other attacks.

Moscow said the strike on Monday was intercepted near an avenue running through one of the city’s most upscale parts, and close to a building housing the Russian National Defense Management Center. Videos verified by The New York Times showed damage in at least two locations near the Moskva River in the southern part of the city.

Russia has regularly attacked Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, hitting the port city of Odesa multiple times over the past week in an effort to block the country from shipping its grain.

— Victoria Kim

Putin presses his charm offensive with African leaders for a second day.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was set to wrap up a two-day summit with African leaders in St. Petersburg on Friday, redoubling his efforts to cast Moscow as a dependable international partner with pledges of food aid, at the end of a week that began with a Russian attack on a Danube River port to further impair Ukraine’s food export routes.

Mr. Putin told the leaders gathered for the conference, whose countries are among the most vulnerable to food insecurity, that Western nations, not Russia, were to blame for the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the deal that had allowed Ukrainian grain to be shipped in the midst of war.

On Friday, he repeated his oft-stated — and misleading — contention that Russia was interested in negotiations to end the war, but that Ukraine and the West refuse to engage. Ukraine says it won’t make any territorial concessions, while the Kremlin has already declared four Ukrainian regions it partly controls to be part of Russia.

“We, of course, agree with you that all contradictions must be decided in the course of negotiations,” Mr. Putin said in a televised round-table discussion with African leaders. “But the problem is that they are refusing to negotiate with us.”

The summit was attended by 17 African leaders, the Russian state news agency Tass reported , a fraction of the 45 who attended the previous Russia-Africa summit in 2019. A Kremlin adviser had said earlier this week that 21 leaders were expected to attend. Mr. Putin is set on Friday to again address the conference’s plenary session and hold bilateral meetings with the leaders, according to Tass.

In his speech on Thursday, Mr. Putin said Russia would deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tons of free grain each to Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia and Zimbabwe in the next three to four months. The promise appeared aimed at tempering criticism that Russia had imperiled the global food supply by pulling out last week from the grain deal, then bombarding Ukrainian ports and other infrastructure used to transport food.

The promise of aid was largely bestowed on nations that had aligned with Moscow. Of the six countries, only Somalia voted against Russia in support of a United Nations resolution that called for an end to the war in Ukraine. In Mali and the Central African Republic, Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has propped up authoritarian governments.

President Azali Assoumani of Comoros, the current chairman of the African Union, said at the summit that rising food prices caused by the “Ukraine crisis” were jeopardizing “a large number of lives,” according to the Russian translation of his remarks. He called for both Russian and Ukrainian grain exports to be facilitated.

Mr. Putin interrupted his courting of African leaders on Thursday to speak to Russian state television about the most recent attack by Ukrainian forces, who, according to U.S. officials, launched the main thrust of their counteroffensive this week. He said Ukrainian troops had been pushed back with heavy losses.

— Victoria Kim and Anton Troianovski

Unverified photographs of Prigozhin surface as African leaders convene in St. Petersburg.

Unverified photographs began circulating on social media Thursday suggesting that Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the Russian mercenary boss who led a short-lived mutiny in June, was meeting with African officials in St. Petersburg, where some of the continent’s top leaders have converged for a summit with President Vladimir V. Putin.

The whereabouts and status of Mr. Prigozhin, a caterer turned warlord, have been the subject of continuing questions since he tried to topple the Russian defense leadership last month, posing the biggest security threat to Mr. Putin’s government in decades.

Questions also have persisted about what will become of Mr. Prigozhin’s operations in Africa , where his Wagner forces are active in a number of countries, including the Central African Republic and Mali.

The unverified images suggested not only that Mr. Prigozhin was moving freely in Russia but that he also had access to figures attending a major diplomatic event, suggesting the Kremlin may be endeavoring to harness his contacts and political good will in Africa despite the mutiny.

The first photograph that appeared to connect Mr. Prigozhin to the summit surfaced on a Facebook account registered in the name of Dmitri Sytyi , a Russian national on whom the U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions and described as an employee of Mr. Prigozhin in the Central African Republic. Neither the account nor the photograph could be independently verified.

The photograph shows Mr. Prigozhin shaking hands with a man described in news media reports as a top official from the Central African Republic. They are standing beside what appeared to be an elevator in the Trezzini Palace, a luxury hotel in St. Petersburg long associated with Mr. Prigozhin.

The hotel is about 40 minutes by car from the conference venue for the Russia-Africa summit, suggesting that Mr. Prigozhin may have been meeting with attendees one-on-one outside the confines of the event rather than attending it. In the photograph, the African official appears to be wearing the multicolored lanyard from the summit.

Another photograph appeared on a Telegram channel associated with Wagner later in the day, showing Mr. Prigozhin dressed in the same white button-down shirt and bluejeans, meeting with an executive from an African media conglomerate known for espousing pro-Kremlin views.

The location of the meeting was unknown. In the image, Mr. Prigozhin is standing in front of a large map of Africa. A Telegram channel associated with Wagner described the photograph as a meeting with the director of Afrique Média, a television channel based in Cameroon that has a partnership with the Russian state television network RT.

Afrique Média did not respond to a request for comment.

A video appeared on Russian social media last week that apparently showed Mr. Prigozhin addressing his Wagner forces in Belarus, where the Kremlin said the mercenary boss would be moving as part of a deal he struck with Mr. Putin to stop the mutiny.

In the days since then, however, Mr. Prigozhin has been spotted in Russia, raising questions about whether he indeed will retreat into an agreed-upon exile in Belarus, the neighboring nation closely allied with Moscow.

— Paul Sonne

Their effort to rally South America behind Ukraine nearly got them killed.

Héctor Abad Faciolince grew up in what had been one of the most violent cities on earth. Since Colombia won its independence more than 200 years ago, it has weathered political unrest, military crackdowns and violent drug cartels.

His own father, who had accused the military of sponsoring death squads, was assassinated in 1987 by paramilitary forces that had turned his hometown, Medellín, into a war zone.

But his own brush with death came half a world away.

At the end of a trip last month that he and two fellow Colombians hoped could aid their quixotic quest to build support in South America for Ukraine’s battle against Russia, a missile tore through a crowded restaurant where they’d just raised their glasses for a toast. At least 13 people were killed, including their guide, the Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina .

“I could only think: they killed us,” Mr. Abad said. “That was the last thing I could think of.”

Nearly a year and a half since Russia invaded Ukraine, much of South America has largely avoided picking sides in the war. Longstanding views that a multipolar, less-Western global order is in their best interests have prompted governments to oppose the fighting but reject attempts to isolate Russia diplomatically, impose economic sanctions or supply weapons to Ukraine.

And many average citizens, polls suggest, view the war as something too distant to care about, a proxy war between global powers doing what they’ve always done: impose their wills on smaller countries.

Opposition to such widespread apathy put Mr. Abad and two fellow Colombians — Catalina Gómez Ángel, a journalist, and Sergio Jaramillo, a former defense minister who led the government’s peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — unwittingly in the line of fire.

— Gabriela Sá Pessoa

Carnival Celebration - July 2, 2023

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July 2, 2023

July 2 - 9, 2023

Carnival Celebration

Carnival Cruise Lines

7 Night Eastern Caribbean

from Miami, Florida

The July 2, 2023 cruise on the Carnival Celebration departs from Miami, Florida. On this 7 Night Eastern Caribbean sailing, the ship will visit a total of 4 different cruise port destinations, including its departure port. The Carnival Celebration sets sail on a Sunday (July 2, 2023) and returns on a Sunday (July 9, 2023).

The Carnival Celebration was built in 2022 and is amoung Carnival's 26 ships in it's fleet. The Carnival Celebration is included in the cruise line's XL Class. In the cruise ship stats below you'll find the Carnival Celebration vs all other Carnival ships.

All Itineraries

Explore all that Miami has to offer, from the magnificent Port of Miami, to the world famous Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, historic Coconut Grove, and trendy South Beach. Other attractions include the Miami Seaquarium , Miami MetroZoo, and sports teams the Dolphins, Heat and Marlins. No wonder so many celebrities, such as Gloria Estefan, Madonna and Ricky Martin, call Miami home.

Explore all that Miami has to offer, from the magnificent Port of Miami, to the world famous Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, historic Coconut Grove, and trendy South Beach. Other attractions...

Take advantage of the many on board activites during your day at sea. Explore the Carnival Celebration Deck Maps and make sure to view our list of Ship Venues and Features. You'll have more than enough to fill your day!

The fortress of El Morro guards the harbor against long-gone Sir Francis Drake and his British privateers. The colorful streets of Old San Juan retain the Latin flavor of its seafaring past, when this was the heart of the Spanish Main. Sample the fiery rum made here, or indulge in an icy treat made from fresh tropical fruit and enjoy the Caribbean atmosphere.

The fortress of El Morro guards the harbor against long-gone Sir Francis Drake and his British privateers. The colorful streets of Old San Juan retain the Latin flavor of its seafaring past, when this...

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie, is the capital of the United States Virgin Islands and the most popular cruise port in the Caribbean. Named for a Danish Queen, the city features pastel houses that are heavily sprinkled against a background of emerald hills. Colorful sloops dock along the waterfront, and a few steps back, down alleyways lined with old Danish warehouse buildings, is a world-famous shopping center.

Charlotte Amalie, is the capital of the United States Virgin Islands and the most popular cruise port in the Caribbean. Named for a Danish Queen, the city features pastel houses that are heavily...