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MSC Armonia incident: Spain to deport Bolivian passengers stranded in Barcelona Port

Spain has initiated the deportation of 65 out of the 69 Bolivians who found themselves stranded aboard a cruise ship in the port of Barcelona (Spain...

TUI cancels Marella's Asia and Middle East cruises amid Red Sea conflict

TUI has made the decision to cancel Marella's Asia and Middle East program from November 2024 to the end of April 2025. In a communication to...

HAL-Holland America Line achieves dual MSC&ASC certifications for Sustainable Seafood Sourcing

HAL-Holland America Line has made maritime history by becoming the inaugural global cruise line to attain both Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and...

ACL-American Cruise Lines introduces American Patriot and American Pioneer

ACL-American Cruise Lines has unveiled plans for 2 additional small ships set to debut in 2025: American Patriot and American Pioneer. These...

Swan Hellenic's ship SH Diana hosts 2024 Solar Eclipse Cruise

Guests aboard Swan Hellenic’s expedition ship SH Diana were treated to a rare celestial spectacle as they witnessed the 2024 total eclipse of...

Lokono Cove: Carnival's new Bahamian retail experience on Celebration Key

CCL-Carnival Cruise Line's newest exclusive cruise port Grand Bahama Celebration Key will unveil a retail enclave named Lokono Cove, chosen through a...

VIDEO: Celebrity Cruises unveils "Nothing Comes Close" brand positioning

Celebrity Cruises extends an invitation to travelers seeking elevated experiences at sea, unveiling its new brand positioning, "Nothing Comes Close...

MSC reveals name for newest WORLD-class cruise ship: MSC World Asia

Executives from the cruise industry and shipbuilding sector gathered at Chantiers de l'Atlantique's/STX France's exhibition space within the Seatrade...

Scenic Group unveils next-generation luxury ocean yacht: Emerald Kaia

Scenic Group has introduced the Emerald Kaia, the latest addition to Emerald Cruises' luxury yacht fleet, marking a new era of ocean travel. With a...

VIDEO: MSC World America introduces Cliffhanger, the first of its kind swing ride at sea

MSC Cruises has introduced Cliffhanger Swing, an innovative over-water swing ride set to debut exclusively aboard MSC World America upon her...

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines unveils 2025 voyages on Balmoral ship

The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled 4 new voyages scheduled for 2025, featuring destinations such as Costa Rica, the Dominicana, and...

SunStone Maritime Group charters Ocean Victory ship to Alma Cruceros

SunStone Maritime Group A/S announced the commencement of a long-term summer charter agreement for the INFINITY-class vessel Ocean Victory, with a...

Greek Air Force executes medical airlift from cruise ship Celestyal Discovery

Last Thursday, April 4th, the Hellenic Air Force (Greece's air force) conducted a medevac (emergency medical evacuation/airlift) to rescue a 25-year...

NCLH-Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings orders 8 new ships from Fincantieri

NCLH-Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has announced the commissioning of 8 vessels across its 3 brands, slated for delivery between 2026 and 2036...

Hannah Waddingham named Godmother of Princess Cruises' Sun Princess

Renowned actress and performer, Hannah Waddingham, is set to partake in the esteemed maritime tradition as the official Godmother of Princess Cruises...

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Cunard to offer prime 2026 solar eclipse viewing.

Cunard has announced that three of its ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and the new Queen Anne, launching in May, will be positioned in prime locations for the solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. QUEEN MARY 2 Queen Mary 2 will sail on a 14-night voyage through Norway and Iceland from August 4 to [

Holland America Line Upgrades Entertainment with New Shows, Music, and Performances

Holland America Line is expanding its entertainment offerings in 2024 with new mainstage shows and regional performances! The cruise line also introduces Rolling Stone Lounge to more ships and enhances its Billboard Onboard music experience. Starting in February 2024, the cruise line will launch fou

Oceania Cruises Announces New Tropics and Exotics Collection for 2025-2026

Oceania Cruises has unveiled its 2025-2026 Tropics and Exotics Collection! The 2025-2026 collection features 135 itineraries across five continents, lasting seven to 180 days. This includes Vista’s inaugural Around The World Voyage. With stops at 329 ports, guests can explore fascinating and e

Thrill Ride “Cliffhanger” Comes to MSC World America

The newest thrill ride from MSC Cruises, Cliffhanger, was unveiled today. When the ship begins service in April 2025, it will be exclusive to MSC World America. Cliffhanger’s four seats start close to the deck, then lift riders out over the edge of the ship for a thrilling experience. Guests a

Regent Seven Seas Shares ‘Sail Into Savings’ Offer

Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers exclusive savings through their Sail Into Savings promotion from April 8 to 22, 2024. “We are delighted to introduce Sail Into Savings, offering our guests an exceptional opportunity to experience the unparalleled luxury of a Regent voyage at an incredible valu

Holland America Line Earns First Global Cruise Line Seafood Certifications

Congratulations to Holland America Line for being the first global cruise line to obtain Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certifications! These certifications ensure the highest-quality seafood is sustainably sourced, enhancing the Global Fresh Fish Program

Princess and Brightline Launch ‘Rail & Sail’ Program

Princess Cruises and Brightline have partnered to introduce the ‘Rail & Sail’ program, offering guests convenient access to Princess cruise ships departing from Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral. This program provides guests with a seamless and comfortable journey to their selected

Giada De Laurentiis Named Brand and Culinary Ambassador for Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises has named Giada De Laurentiis as its Brand and Culinary Ambassador. De Laurentiis will co-chair the line’s Culinary Advisory Board with Jacques Pépin. “Having set sail with Oceania Cruises as Godmother of Vista, I immediately connected with the line’s extraordinar

Jonathan Bennett Named Godfather for Carnival Firenze

Actor Jonathan Bennett has been named the godfather of Carnival Cruise Line’s new ship, Carnival Firenze! Inspired by Florence, Italy, the ship will be homeported to Long Beach, California, where Bennett resides. The christening will occur on April 24, 2024, and the first sailing on April 25

MSC Cruises Reveals ‘World’s Greatest Bars’

Today, MSC Cruises announced that its world-class Food and beverage offering is being enhanced with its brand-new beverage program, ‘World’s Greatest Bars’. The program will be available for a six-month activation with the Paradiso pop-up aboard MSC World Europa and Sips aboard MSC Euribia, br

Cruise Saudi Selects VIKAND as Healthcare Partner for AROYA Cruises

Cruise Saudi has named VIKAND as the provider of medical management services for AROYA Cruises, the first cruise line tailored to Arabian preferences. “We are delighted to be collaborating with VIKAND. Our clients expect a premium service, and we were impressed with their experience in deliver

Margaritaville at Sea Unveils New Accommodations on Islander Ship

Margaritaville at Sea introduces new stateroom and suite choices on the Islander, departing from Port Tampa Bay in June. The ship’s 1,105 staterooms will have refreshed décor and Margaritaville signature linens, ranging from cozy interiors to unique Signature Suites inspired by Jimmy Buffett

Holland America Line Partners with Audible for Virtual Book Club at Sea

Prepare to set sail on a literary adventure like no other with Holland America Line’s new collaboration with Audible! Experience an exclusive Holland America Line cruises book club featuring curated destination-specific book collections and complimentary in-stateroom Audible content. “We

Seven Districts Aboard MSC World America

MSC Cruises announced today that its upcoming ship, MSC World America, will have seven districts for guests to enjoy. These districts cater to different age groups and offer a variety of experiences onboard. SEVEN DISTRICTS MSC Yacht Club: The exclusive MSC Yacht Club on MSC World America offers gue

Royal Caribbean and Make-A-Wish Partner to Support Children

Royal Caribbean International has partnered with Make-A-Wish to support their mission of granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. The cruise line will contribute to fundraising through the Wishes at Sea program and provide memorable family experiences. Travelers can donate

Aurora Expeditions Welcomes Douglas Mawson to Fleet

Aurora Expeditions will soon welcome its third small expedition ship, Douglas Mawson! Set to sail in late 2025, Douglas Mawson‘s inaugural season will mark the company’s return to East Antarctica after 15 years, offering new Mawson’s Antarctica voyages departing from Hobart. The sh

Seabourn Unveils “The Collection”

Seabourn is introducing “The Collection,” a new series of exclusive sailings with unique shoreside experiences to enhance their ultra-luxury cruises. The first sailings will be on Seabourn Venture in 2025, offering special access to cultural events, dining at wineries, and premium ticket

Exclusive Announcement: Introducing the World’s First Underwater Roller Coaster!

Attention all thrill-seekers and adventure enthusiasts! Get ready to experience a whole new level of excitement as we proudly announce the world’s first underwater roller coaster at sea! That’s right, we are taking the thrill of roller coasters to new depths with our revolutionary underw

Margaritaville at Sea Introduces New Dining Options for Islander

Margaritaville at Sea announces new dining and beverage options on the Islander ship. There are six new dining concepts and 11 new bars and lounges, with familiar favorites like JWB Prime Steakhouse and Cheeseburger in Paradise. “The culinary experience aboard Margaritaville at Sea is central

Kathryn Sargent Designs Uniforms for Cunard’s Future Captains

Cunard captain Inger Thorhauge had a final fitting with Savile Row Master Tailor Kathryn Sargent for Queen Anne‘s arrival. Sargent, the world’s first female Master Tailor, collaborated with Cunard to create uniforms for the next generation of captains and officers. The uniforms blend Bri

Reminisce on Porthole Party 2024

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Category Archives: News

Special Offers on Disney Cruise Line Sailings as of April 8, 2024

This week’s special offers from Disney Cruise Line arrive with sail dates spanning from late-April into late-January 2025. Currently, there are 27 unique sail dates, available with special offers available Continue Reading →

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Disney Cruise Line Alaskan Cruise Summer Wishes Sweepstake Underway Featuring a 7-night Alaskan Cruise as the Grand Price

At the end of March 2024, Disney Cruise Line launched the Alaskan Summer Wishes Sweepstakes featuring the chance to win a 7-night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver onboard the Disney Wonder Continue Reading →

The Walt Disney Company 2024 Shareholders Meeting

Today, the Walt Disney Company held their annual shareholders meeting virtually. The live streamed event covered aspects across the company. While the final voting result tabulation is still pending, The Continue Reading →

Special Offers on Disney Cruise Line Sailings as of April 1, 2024 – Florida Resident Rate Returns

This week’s special offers from Disney Cruise Line arrives with the return of Florida Resident rates. Sailings with special offers available this week, range from early-April into late-January 2025. Currently, Continue Reading →

Disney Treasure Construction Milestone: Ship is Floating

Today the Disney Parks Blog updated the Disney Treasure ship’s log with a new construction milestone in Germany. A few weeks ago, Meyer Werft Shipyard was bustling with activity when Continue Reading →

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Barbie joins P&O Cruises Arvia and Iona for the summer holidays

P&O Cruises has launched dedicated family zones across its five family-friendly ships for the duration of the 2023 summer holiday season. Guests will find a selection of new toys and activities available on board Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura and Ventura. In partnership with Harding+, Arvia and Iona’s retail spaces will

Saga Cruises’ ship ‘Spirit of Discovery’ in countdown to launch its first round Britain cruise

With just three weeks this Sunday until Saga Cruises returns to the ocean on Spirit of Discovery, the ship is a hive of activity as it prepares to relaunch. Spirit of Discovery was initially launched on July 10, 2019 so had only recently taken to the waves when Covid-19 locked

MSC Cruises to resume cruising in Spain and the US this summer

MSC Cruises has announced it will restart its sailing operations in Spain with the deployment of MSC Grandiosa to Barcelona from 26 June for a Saturday embarkation. Valencia will then be added as an additional port of call as of 30 July. This follows recent announcements by the line that

MSC Cruises to build its first MSC World class cruise ship – MSC World Europa

The future of cruising is here as sales have opened for MSC Cruises’ most innovative and environmentally advanced vessel to date, MSC World Europa.   The first in a trailblazing new class of ships – the MSC World Class, this next-generation ship introduces to the market a completely new platform that boasts

The newest P&O Cruises ship – Iona – arrives in Southampton

Britain’s largest and most environmentally-friendly cruise ship, P&O Cruises Iona, arrived into her home port of Southampton this morning ahead of tonight’s official naming ceremony.  Iona is powered by liquefied natural gas, ground-breaking for the UK cruise industry and one of the cleanest fuels in the world.  The ship will

MSC Virtuosa arrives in Southampton ahead of cruising restarting in the UK

MSC Virtuosa, MSC Cruises’ latest flagship, has arrived in Southampton, ready to welcome guests as cruising restarts in the UK. The newest and most innovative ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet, MSC Virtuosa will embark on her maiden voyage around the British Isles on 20th May. With all of MSC Cruises’ trademark glamour and

Disney Magic calls at Southampton ahead of “Disney Magic at Sea” sailings this summer

Disney Magic called at Southampton on Sunday as the cruise ship prepares for “Disney Magic at Sea” UK staycation sailings this summer, for UK residents. Southampton is one of the four home ports, alongside Liverpool, Newcastle and London Tilbury, where “Disney Magic at Sea” limited time sailings will provide guests

Gary Barlow to perform at Iona’s naming ceremony

P&O Cruises new ship Iona will be officially named in a contemporary ceremony featuring a special one-off performance from Gary Barlow broadcast to a virtual audience.  Dame Irene Hays, DBE, DL, owner and chair of Hays Travel Group, will be godmother to the ship, Britain’s largest and most environmentally-friendly, in the landmark ceremony in Southampton on May 16,

MSC Cruises’ award-winning kids and family offering comes to the UK this summer on board new flagship MSC Virtuosa

All eyes are on MSC Virtuosa, MSC Cruises’ brand-new  flagship, coming to the British Isles this summer. A destination in itself, the ship offers everything a family could want to create the ultimate holiday, with an award-winning offering for kids of all ages. And parents can rest easy that their little

Disney Cruise Line staycation sailings go on sale from 30th April to U.K. residents

Disney Cruise Line’s recently announced “Disney Magic at Sea” staycation sailings will go on sale to U.K. residents from 30 April 2021 at 9.00am. Booking for Castaway Club members – guests who have previously sailed with Disney Cruise Line – is 28 – 29 April 2021. Featuring enchanted entertainment and with multiple

Cunard’s Captain Christopher Wells retires after 20 years with the brand, and awarded rank of Commodore

Cunard Captain, Christopher Wells, is retiring after a stellar 20 year career with Cunard, part of 30 years spent working across Carnival Corporation cruise lines. In recognition of his outstanding service he has been awarded the rank of Commodore.  Commodore Wells has spent the last 13 years leading the team

Princess Cruises unveils star line-up for Summer Seacations

Princess Cruises has unveiled the line-up of celebrity speakers and guest entertainers for its Summer Seacations. MedallionClass ships Regal Princess and Sky Princess will sail roundtrip from Southampton between July and September this year offering scenic UK cruises and voyages with stops in Liverpool, Portland, Belfast and Greenock, on itineraries ranging

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April 10, 2024. Two more channels open in Baltimore! Guns meant for the Houthis go to the Ukraine‪!‬ The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake

Cruise line bosses agree that the industry needs to be greener! Carnival boss says you can not forget about the 30 billion of pandemic debt! Carnival announces a Godfather for Carnival Firenze! Tradition! The US sends thousands of guns that were meant for the Houthis and intercepted to the Ukraine! Spirit airlines pushes back Airbus delivery after JetBlue merger is blocked by a Judge!

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WMS and Verizon Introduce Unprecedented Cruise Daily Pass Connectivity Offering

MIRAMAR, FLORIDA, April 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- April 9, 2024 – WMS, the leading remote wireless connectivity provider, and Verizon launched the Cruise Daily Pass, the first-of-its kind plan for cruise passengers. The Verizon Cruise Daily Pass meets the increasing demand for connectivity among cruise passengers, driven by their reliance on data, voice, and text services for communication with family and friends, and occasional work responsibilities on their vacation at sea. This unprecedented plan helps to advance WMS’ mission to connect people and business in hard-to-reach places .

With the new Verizon Cruise Daily Pass, customers get 0.5GB data as well as 50 minutes and unlimited text messages for a 24-hour period. Customers will only pay on days they use cellular on board while at sea. The Cruise Daily Pass is available on 200+ cruise ships. This new plan replaces the previous data only plan, and delivers a full service for customers to stay connected with what matters however they want.

“We are thrilled to expand our longstanding partnership with Verizon to develop the Verizon Cruise Daily Pass for today’s connected passenger,” said Pramod Arora, President and CEO, WMS. “Through our innovative wireless connectivity, Verizon customers can now enjoy this latest data, voice, and text plan, never before available while cruising. This is truly unique, and we are pleased to be the first to enable it.”

The Verizon Cruise Daily Pass is now widely available for Verizon customers. For more information, visit verizon.com/cruise .

About WMS WMS is the premier global provider of wireless connectivity services connecting people and business…anywhere. WMS pioneered the first wireless network on a cruise ship 20 years ago. It remains the trusted strategic partner for connectivity in the most challenging and hard-to-reach places, for passengers, crew, and onboard operations, delivering best in class technology, service, and revenue growth for its clients. Passengers and crew of cruise and ferry lines rely on its hundreds of networks, its unmatched engineering expertise, its global roaming partners, and its leading customer support to connect…anywhere. For more information, please visit www.wmsatsea.com.

For media inquiries, please contact: Liz DeCastro, WMS, [email protected], +1-954-235-4782

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Bar Harbor resident sues town to reduce 2024 cruise ship visits

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A Bar Harbor resident who has spearheaded a local citizen effort to greatly reduce local cruise ship visits has gone to court to try to force the town to slash the number that will visit this summer.

Charles Sidman , who in 2022 initiated a successful citizens’ petition to limit cruise ship passengers to 1,000 per day, filed a complaint  Tuesday in Hancock County Superior Court. Sidman is seeking to overturn a town council decision not to fully enforce the 1,000-passenger daily limit until 2025.

Sidman’s court appeal is the latest wrinkle in a years-long skirmish involving residents, local businesses and town officials over the impact cruise ship visits have on Bar Harbor. Local business owners say the visits — which grew from fewer than 20 each year in the late 1980s to more than 150 in 2019 — are an important source of income for the town and for locals, but many residents say the ships cause congestion downtown in the summertime and have an overall harmful impact on the town.

In addition to Sidman’s court appeal, the town is facing an appeal in federal court from a local coalition of businesses that thinks the daily 1,000 passenger limit is too low. The group, called Association to Preserve and Protect Local Livelihoods, said last week that it planned to appeal a federal court decision that upheld the passenger limit.

Sidman and town officials released accusatory statements on Thursday, while the business group released one of its own last week.

The business group said the cruise ship reduction, and the resulting drop of $1.6 million in cruise ship fee revenue for the town, is “a major reason why” some residents are seeing 20 percent increases in their property tax bills.

Town officials said Thursday that over the past two years, since Sidman began his campaign to force the town to drastically reduce local cruise ship visits, the town has incurred more than $300,000 in legal bills.

“It’s unfortunate that, especially in an extremely tight budget year, any individual or group would pursue frivolous litigation over healthy political dialogue,” said Val Peacock, the council chair. “This only serves to divert attention and resources from other important issues while unfairly adding to the tax burden of their friends and neighbors.”

Sidman, who is running this year for a council seat, said the council has “overreached” in its efforts to delay full implementation of the daily passenger limit.

“I believe that our town council has gone rogue and dysfunctional,” Sidman said. “I continue to believe that the majority of our citizens are smarter than the misinformers [on the council] claim, and can understand and will uphold what is at stake.”

The debate over local cruise ship traffic came to a head after more than half of respondents to a town survey  said in the summer of 2021 that the volume of cruise ship visits was hurting the town. Town officials then came up with a plan, supported by local businesses, that would have set daily limits of 3,500 or 3,800 passengers, along with higher monthly limits, that varied with the time of year.

The November 2022 citizens’ referendum  spearheaded by Sidman circumvented that plan.

The business group, which in January 2023  filed a federal suit against the town over the daily 1,000-passenger limit, argued that it violated federal maritime law and parts of the U.S. Constitution, and that it would hurt their businesses.

But in February, Judge Lance Walker ruled that the voter-approved limit is legal  because it does not discriminate against out-of-state interests in favor of local businesses, which federal law seeks to prevent.

Last month, after the federal court ruling, the town council said it would not ban all ships with more than 1,000 passengers this summer because some of those ships made their reservations before the November 2022 referendum. Ships with large passenger capacities that made reservations after the referendum, despite being informed of the vote results, will have their reservations canceled.

“It is the position of this council that this is the fairest and most legally responsible approach, based upon careful consideration of costs and risks associated with enforcement,” the council said. “Canceling the bulk of the 2024 season now would be fundamentally unfair, would potentially expose the town to additional legal liabilities, and would have a drastic fiscal impact on an already strained and nearly complete municipal budget.”

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A cruise ship stuck in Barcelona resumes sailing after passengers accused of having fake visas were removed and investigated by authorities

• A cruise ship carrying 1,500 passengers was stuck in Barcelona because of a visa dispute.
• Spanish authorities suspected that the visas of 69 Bolivian passengers were fake.
• The passengers are being held on another boat while authorities investigate. 

A cruise ship carrying 1,500 passengers was stuck in port in Barcelona after Spanish authorities investigated 69 Bolivian passengers.

The police believed that the Bolivian passengers' visas were fake and are investigating, Spanish police authorities told news agency Efe .

The MSC Armonia cruise ship set off from Brazil and was due to continue through the Mediterranean, with some passengers switching over in Barcelona, Efe reported.

Related stories

The delay has meant that planned stops in France, Greece, and Croatia have been canceled which has caused some disgruntled passengers to leave the boat early, Reuters reported.

Barcelona was meant to be the final destination for the Bolivian passengers. However, the ship had to stay in port until the situation was resolved.

In a statement shared with Business Insider, MSC Cruises confirmed that the cruise would resume sailing on Thursday.

"Thanks to the cooperation with the Spanish authorities, the group of Bolivian guests has been disembarked and will now follow the immigration process as required by law. We are fully assisting with this process," they said.

The spokesperson confirmed that the passengers' visas were found to be not valid for entry and that the Spanish authorities are investigating.

The passengers' will be held on another boat while Spanish authorities decide whether they will be deported or granted asylum, Reuters reported, citing the government's regional delegation in Catalonia.

Solange Duarte, a Bolivian diplomat in Barcelona, told the AP that she had received reports that some of the Bolivian passengers had been duped into obtaining fake visas.

MSC Cruises is one of the world's largest cruise lines, known for its long luxury trips that can set sail for months at a time.

Its new four-month-long world cruise, which will set off in 2026, is expected to cost passengers between $15,800 and $38,210 per person, depending on their cabin.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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