Norwegian Escape Sets Sail for Europe Ahead of Drydock

Norwegian Escape Sets Sail for Europe Ahead of Drydock

Norwegian Bliss Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 

The Norwegian Escape paused its regular operations in North America in late September to embark on a repositioning voyage to Europe.

Scheduled to undergo a routine drydock in mid-October, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship is currently offering a 16-night trans-Atlantic crossing.

Sailing from New York City, the original cruise itinerary included visits to nine destinations across Canada, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Spain.

A planned visit to Sydney, however, had to be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions in North America.

As a result, the Norwegian Escape visited Halifax before heading to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic.

The vessel is scheduled to visit Ponta Delgada in early October before continuing to Gibraltar, Melilla, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca.

The trans-Atlantic crossing will conclude in Barcelona, from where the 2015-built ship is expected to sail to a European shipyard with no guests onboard.

Before embarking on a repositioning voyage back to North America, the Escape will spend 16 days out of service undergoing maintenance and updates.

The vessel is then scheduled to offer a new trans-Atlantic crossing in late October, sailing from Barcelona to Port Canaveral.

The 16-night cruise will visit destinations in Spain, France, and Morocco, including Marseille, Palma de Mallorca, Cartagena, Motril, Cádiz, Tangier, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

In mid-November, the Norwegian Escape arrives in Port Canaveral to kick off a winter season of Caribbean sailings from Central Florida.

The deployment features a series of seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean, visiting St. Thomas, the Dominican Republic, the British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

In addition to Puerto Plata, Tortola and Charlotte Amalie, the weeklong cruises sail to Norwegian’s private island destination of Great Stirrup Cay.

Scheduled to reposition to Galveston in 2027-28, the vessel will continue to sail from Port Canaveral through November 2027.

Carnival Festivale Floats at Meyer Werft

Carnival Festivale Floats at Meyer Werft

The Carnival Festivale floated for the first time at Meyer Werft, the yard announced in a social media update.

According to the shipbuilder, the new Excel-class ship touched the water in late September after its building dock was flooded.

The operation allowed the new Carnival Cruise Line ship to move inside Meyer Werft’s building hall, creating space for the construction of another vessel.

In its post, Meyer Werft noted that its enclosed building dock in Papenburg allows two large ships to be built at the same time.

With delivery scheduled for 2027, the Carnival Festivale will kick off its maiden season in Port Canaveral in May 2027.

Joining its sister ship Mardi Gras at the homeport, the 5,200-passenger ship will offer weeklong cruises to the Caribbean.

The six- to eight-night itineraries sail to a range of destinations in the region and are highlighted by visits to Carnival’s private destination of Celebration Key in Grand Bahama.

Meyer Werft recently celebrated another milestone with Carnival, as construction began for the Carnival Tropicale in early September.

To mark the occasion, the German shipyard held a Texas-themed steel-cutting ceremony along with the company.

The Tropicale is scheduled to enter service from Galveston in April 2028, offering weeklong cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

The Festivale and the Tropicale will be the final ships in Carnival’s Excel series, which started with the Mardi Gras in 2021.

The LNG-powered vessels will introduce an updated design with new features, including the Sunsation Point, a family adventure zone that will house the company’s largest waterpark.

Carnival Waterworks Ultra will feature six water slides designed for different age groups and adventure levels, in addition to splash pads and shaded play areas for all ages.

The ships will also include different themed areas, with music-related spaces onboard the Festivale and lounges inspired by the golden age of show business on the Tropicale.

Strictly Stars to Debut New Show on Saga’s Canaries Cruise in December

Strictly Stars to Debut New Show on Saga’s Canaries Cruise in December

Stars of the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing are set to debut a new show onboard during Saga Cruises’ “Best of the Canaries” voyage in December.

Vincent Simone and Michelle Tsiakkas and their respective partners, Victoria Martin and Simone Arena, will premiere a new show at the Spirit of Discovery’s Playhouse Theatre, called Eras.

According to a company statement, the show celebrates the highlights and histories of Latin and ballroom dance throughout the ages, featuring exclusive insights into the duo’s time on Strictly Come Dancing.

Guests will also have the opportunity to learn salsa with Tsiakkas or join a festive foxtrot workshop with Simone.

Other star guests and speakers include Chartered Horticulturalist and TV presenter David Domoney (Love Your Garden, ITV’s This Morning), an author on the health benefits of gardening and enjoying nature.

The 14-night voyage sailing from Portsmouth on December 6, 2026, is available from £2,999 per person thanks to a limited-time promo.