News

Costa Asia, P&O Cruises Australia and Princess Cruises to get new ships

Carnival Corporation has signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build four new cruise ships for delivery by 2020. Final contracts are expected to be executed in 2016 with the ships destined for Costa Asia, P&O Cruises Australia and Princess Cruises. The four new ships will be built at Fincantieri’s shipyards in Monfalcone and

January 2016

Cruise ship in dramatic yacht rescue in mid-Atlantic

A cruise ship has come to the rescue of a yacht in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Fred Olsen’s Braemar, heading for Barbados, came across the 14-metre Nicollet, which had been drifting for almost three days with its steering broken. The officer of the watch on Braemar‘s bridge spotted the crippled yacht – which

December 2015

P&O Cruises adds nine additional Food Heroes holidays

P&O Cruises has added nine additional Food Heroes holidays to the 15 published for 2016. Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar, celebrity chef James Martin, Marco Pierre White, ‘Cake Boy’ Eric Lanlard, cheese specialist Charlie Turnbull, and wine expert Olly Smith will each make appearances of ships across the fleet in 2016 on selected Food Heroes sailings.

December 2015

New luxury beds announced as Emerald Princess completes refit

Princess Cruises announced it will replace more than 44,000 beds across its 18-ship fleet by 2018 as Emerald Princess completed its refit ahead of its 2016 cruise season from the UK. The Princess Luxury Bed was developed with assistance from clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Breus and interior designer Candice Olson. Breus consulted on the science of

December 2015

Fred. Olsen turns its ships grey to go up-market

Fred. Olsen is dramatically changing the appearance of its four ships by giving them charcoal grey hulls topped with a bold red stripe. Boudicca is first to receive the treatment. The work should have been done during the ship’s recent dry-dock in Germany – when 28 balcony cabins were added – but time ran short

December 2015

Senior staff officers announced for Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam

Holland America Line has revealed the line-up of senior staff officers for ms Koningsdam. Captain Emiel de Vries will take the helm, Stan Kuppens is the Hotel Director, Willem Zuidema the Chief Engineer, Kevin Beirnaert will be the Staff Captain, and Martijn van Dam will become the ship’s Safety, Environmental and Health Officer. Together they have a

December 2015

Uniworld launches virtual reality river cruise app

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has launched its first virtual reality app for iOS and Android, offering 360-degree tours of S.S. Maria Theresa. The app has been developed to function with Oculus Rift, a virtual reality head-mounted display that can be worn by the user to completely immerse them inside a virtual world. The Rift

November 2015

Hurtigruten announces upgrade of coastal fleet

Hurtigruten has announced a refurbishment programme that will see four of its coastal ships under-going a makeover in 2016. Four coastal ships will be given new ‘Arctic interior’ which will see modern Scandinavian interiors fitted to reflect the coastal landscapes of the Arctic. MS Polarlys will be the first ship to be refurbished in January

November 2015

Carnival adds The Grinch to its on-board Christmas celebrations

Carnival Cruise Line is to add The Grinch to its on-board Christmas celebrations this year. The “Grinchmas” experience is part of the line’s exclusive Seuss at Sea programme in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises. The partnership dates back to 2014 and features a variety of youth, family, dining and entertainment experiences inspired by the words

November 2015

Passengers evacuated as engine room fire breaks out on Ponant’s Le Boréal

A fire broke out earlier yesterday morning on Ponant’s Le Boréal north of the Falkland Islands. The vessel was sailing from Grave Cove to South Georgia when the alarm was raised at 0201hrs local time. 347 passengers and crew were on-board the luxury cruise ship Le Boreal at the time of the incident. In a

November 2015

Princess Cruises introduces The Salty Dog Gastropub

Princess Cruises has announced it has opened a new gastropub, named The Salty Dog, aboard Crown Princess with two more to follow by mid-December. The $19 (£12.30) per person cover charge restaurant is located within the Wheelhouse Bar and pairs gourmet small dishes inspired by pub favourites with craft beers, cocktails and wines. The Salty

November 2015

Holland America Line announces new partnerships and suite upgrades

Holland America Line has announced three new partnerships alongside suite upgrades on its Signature, Vista and R class ships. Partnerships The cruise line is partnering with BBC Earth, AFAR Media and Utrip. Its partnership with BBC Earth will bring fun and factual entertainment on-board its fleet. Guests will enjoy ground-breaking concerts, films, shows, children’s activities

November 2015

New enhancements revealed on Norwegian Epic

Guests boarding Norwegian Epic in Southampton on Monday were amongst the first to see the new enhancements installed on the ship following three weeks in dry dock. Norwegian Cruise Line’s second largest ship now boasts new features including Broadway musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert, entertainment venue The Cavern Club, library and refreshed spaces. The

October 2015

Azamara reveals new images of Quest and Journey upgrades

Azamara Club Cruises has released new images of the forthcoming renovation works that Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey will receive in dry dock early next year. Termed ‘Reimagine Azamara’, the project will see cabins and public spaces overhauled. The cruise line has contracted several of the world’s leading design consultants for the hospitality, leisure and

October 2015

Princess Cruises names its new China-bound ship Majestic Princess

Princess Cruises has announced that its latest ship will be named Majestic Princess and that it will be based in Shanghai, China, year-round. On order for delivery by summer 2017, Majestic Princess will be the first vessel from the cruise line built specifically for Chinese guests incorporating a blend of international and Chinese features. The

October 2015

Cunard reveals new look suites and restaurants on Queen Mary 2

Cunard has revealed its plans for the upgrades planned for the Queens and Princess Grill suites and restaurants on Queen Mary 2 when she enters dry-dock in 2016. Cunard’s iconic flagship will stay true to her classic art deco heritage, while offering updated, crisp, contemporary interiors re-designed for today’s travellers. The Cunard Grills experience affords

October 2015