TUI Cruises Starts Homeporting Season in Portugal

TUI Cruises Starts Homeporting Season in Portugal

The Mein Schiff 6 recently kicked off a series of cruises to Western Europe and Morocco departing from Leixões in Portugal.

Located near Porto, the homeport serves as the starting point for two seven-night itineraries that sail to other destinations in Portugal, in addition to ports in Spain, Morocco, the United Kingdom and France.

Heading north, one of the itineraries features visits to Vigo, La Coruña, Bilbao and Le Verdon before returning to Leixões.

The second weeklong cruise heads south and includes stops in Lisbon and Cádiz, as well as Tangier and Gibraltar.

Guests are also able to book a 14-night voyage that combines both itineraries into a single cruise that does not repeat ports of call.

The Mein Schiff 6 will continue to offer similar cruises departing from Portugal through early September, when it is scheduled to embark on a repositioning voyage to the Western Mediterranean.

Sailing from Leixões to Palma de Mallorca, the eight-night cruise sails to a mix of destinations in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Highlights of the open-jaw itinerary include visits to Lisbon, Cádiz and Tangier, in addition to Málaga and Barcelona.

After a short fall season in the Mediterranean, the 97,000-ton ship embarks on a 53-night repositioning voyage to Southeast Asia.

The three-part cruise starts with a seven-night cruise to the Canary Islands that sails from Palma de Mallorca.

The 2,500-passenger ship will then operate a 20-night voyage to Cape Town, visiting Morocco, Cape Verde, Namibia and South Africa.

Before arriving in Singapore in early December, the Mein Schiff 6 also offers a 25-night voyage to the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Departing from Cape Town, the cruise will sail to South Africa, Mauritius, Réunion, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

As part of its 2026-27 winter season in Southeast Asia, the 2,534-passenger ship is set to offer a series of 13- to 15-night cruises to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and more.

Built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the Mein Schiff 6 was delivered to TUI Cruises in May 2017.

Carnival Glory Offering Adults-Only Cruise in Europe

Carnival Glory Offering Adults-Only Cruise in Europe

Carnival Pride Photo credit Spacejunkie2 https://flic.kr/ps/GkiQt

The Carnival Glory is currently offering an adults-only cruise to the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean.

As part of Carnival Cruise Line’s SEA program, the 15-night itinerary departed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on March 25, 2026.

Before returning to the port, the European sailing is set to visit other destinations in Spain, as well as Italy and Morocco.

Highlights of the cruise include stops in Civitavecchia and Livorno, from which guests can embark on shore excursions to Rome and Tuscany, respectively.

The Carnival Glory is also scheduled to sail to Málaga and Tangier, as well as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

According to Carnival, its adults-only SEA voyages are casino-oriented cruises that feature expanded gambling access, themed parties, bingo events and more.

To get access to the sailings, passengers 21 years old and older need to sign up at a dedicated link to receive an offer to book.

Initially set to undergo a routine drydock in Europe, the Carnival Glory crossed the Atlantic in early March 2026.

With the shipyard stay cancelled, the ship is now set to start its return to North America after the SEA voyage.

Sailing from Barcelona in early April, the 13-night cruise sails to Spain, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas before arriving in Port Canaveral.

Ports of call set to be visited include Alicante, Málaga and Gibraltar, as well as Carnival’s Celebration Key private destination in Grand Bahama.

The 110,000-ton vessel is then set to resume its regular schedule of short cruises to the Bahamas on April 24, 2026.

Sailing from Central Florida on a year-round basis, the Carnival Glory offers three- and four-night cruises to Nassau and Celebration Key.

Carnival is operating additional SEA voyages in 2026, with ships like the Carnival Paradise offering the adults-only sailings through April.

AIDA Announces Deployment for 2027-28 Winter Season

AIDA Announces Deployment for 2027-28 Winter Season

AIDA Cruises opened bookings for its 2027-28 winter season on Wednesday, the company announced in a press release.

The deployment includes over 300 cruises to a wide range of destinations, including the Canary Islands, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, South America, the Indian Ocean and South Africa.

Among the highlights of the season are the itineraries to tropical destinations, including the Caribbean and Central America.

According to AIDA, three ships will sail in the region: the AIDAbella, the AIDAluna and, for the first time, the AIDAprima.

The vessels will offer a series of 14- to 21-night island-hopping cruises departing from ports like La Romana in the Dominican Republic and Bridgetown in Barbados.

Other highlights include the “big winter breaks” onboard the AIDAmar, which offers round-trip cruises to warmer destinations from Hamburg, Germany.

The ship’s lineup includes a 48-day itinerary to Brazil and South America, in addition to a 21-day journey to the Azores and Morocco.

Also sailing from Germany, the AIDAnova is set to offer a series of winter sailings departing from Hamburg that visit ports in Scandinavia, Denmark and major ports in Western Europe.

The Canary Islands are set for a strong season, with the AIDAsol, the AIDAstella and the AIDAcosma offering itineraries that sail to Madeira Island.

The AIDAblu will offer a mix of itineraries that sail to both the Indian Ocean and South Africa, visiting destinations in Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and La Réunion, in addition to Cape Town, East London, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Walvis Bay, Namibia.

According to the company’s press release, guests who book sailings of the new season by April 30, 2027, will receive discounts of up to 975 euros per person.

Additional benefits include free choice of cabin, a Rail&Fly ticket valid throughout Germany for travel by train and two bottles of mineral water onboard daily.

Of note, AIDA did not announce plans to offer itineraries in the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf in 2027-28.

Earlier this year, the company decided to cancel all of its sailings in the region scheduled for 2025-26 due to security concerns.

Asuka III Arrives in Japan Ahead of Maiden Season

Asuka III Arrives in Japan Ahead of Maiden Season

The new Asuka III arrived in Japan earlier this week after her long journey from Europe to Asia.

Built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the new Asuka Cruise ship arrived at the port of Yokohama on June 2, 2025.

The LNG-powered vessel is now getting ready to embark on its inaugural season in late July, kicking off a series of cruises departing from ports in Japan.

Upon being delivered, the Asuka III sailed from Northern Europe in mid-April, embarking on a journey that included technical stops in Africa and Asia.

With no guests onboard, the ship sailed to the Canary Islands, South Africa and Singapore before arriving in the Far East.

In an update on its website, Asuka Cruise highlighted the ship’s rendezvous with the previous Asuka ships.

According to the company, in late April, the ship met at sea with the original Asuka off the Canary Islands.

Currently operated by Phoenix Reisen, the 1991-built vessel, which now sails as the Amadea, sailed for the brand until 2006.

Asuka also arranged a meeting of the new ship with its fleetmate, the Asuka II, which is currently offering a world cruise.

The two vessels sailed alongside near the coast of the island of St. Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic.

To mark the occasion, special ceremonies were held onboard the vessels, with crew and guests taking part in a themed celebration.

According to Asuka III’s Chief Engineer Takaaki Nakano, the ship’s delivery voyage was key to evaluating and testing various systems onboard.

“We inspected the operating conditions of various equipment, striving to provide a comfortable cruise experience for the future passengers of the Asuka III,” he said.

“We did our utmost to deliver the Asuka III safely to Yokohama so that everyone can see its beautiful sight,” he added.

AIDAnova Celebrates Five Years in Service

AIDAnova Celebrates Five Years in Service

The AIDAnova is completing its fifth year in service this month. After being delivered by the Meyer Werft shipyard, the LNG-powered vessel joined AIDA Cruises fleet on December 12, 2018.

As the first in a series of LNG-powered cruise ships built by Carnival Corporation, the AIDAnova introduced a new generation of vessels for AIDA.

Now sharing the title of largest ship in the fleet of the German operator along with its sister ship AIDAcosma, the 5,200-guest vessel spent its inaugural season in the Canary Islands.

Soon after being delivered, the AIDAnova welcomed guests for its inaugural cruise in St. Curz de Tenerife on Dec. 19, 2018.

On that day, the vessel departed on a seven-night cruise that sailed across the Spanish archipelago and also included a visit to Funchal, in Portugal’s Madeira Island.

In late April 2019, the AIDAnova repositioned to Southern Europe for a summer season in the Western Mediterranean.

Sailing from Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, in Spain, the ship’s regular seven-night itinerary featured three additional ports in Italy and France: Civitavecchia for Rome, La Spezia for Florence, and Marseille.

Currently sailing from Hamburg, in Germany, the AIDAnova is offering a series of cruises to Northern and Western Europe during the 2023-24 winter.

Different itineraries will be offered through late April, including seven-night voyages to Norway and Denmark, and week-long cruises to Germany, England, Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

The cruises can be combined to create a single 14-night cruise that visits Western Europe, the North Sea and Scandinavia.

The AIDAnova remains in the region during the 2024 summer, offering different itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia and more departing from the German port of Kiel.

Holland America Line to cruise from Dover for the first time in 10 years

Dover photoed from a leaving cruise line photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Holland America Line will sail a full season of round-trip itineraries from Dover for the first time in more than 10 years.

The line will base Pinnacle-class ship Nieuw Statendam out of the UK port for 10 departures in the summer of 2025.
 
From Dover, the vessel will sail itineraries ranging from 14 to 42 days to the Canary Islands, British Isles, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Iberia and the eastern Mediterranean.
 
In addition to Dover, HAL will depart from nine homeports throughout Europe, with an increase in cruises over 10 days, more sailings to Iceland and a combined 62 overnight calls or late-night departures in leading cities.
 
"We’re really excited about Nieuw Statendam homeporting in Dover for a whole season in 2025 and the additional opportunities this provides to the trade, as well as our guests," said Karen Farndell, director of UK sales and marketing.
 
"The itineraries look incredible and varied, offering something for everyone – beyond Dover, our 10 homeports span Europe, and in 2025 we’re offering the most diverse range of itineraries that include everything from week-long holidays to the Med to month-long explorations to the Arctic."
She praised the line’s travel agent partners for their continued support and commitment throughout the company’s milestone 150th year.
 
Other highlights of HAL’s 2025 Europe cruising season include seven-day Norway and Denmark and Norwegian Fjords itineraries onboard Rotterdam, while Oosterdam will sail its entire season in the Mediterranean on cruises from Piraeus, Barcelona, Civitavecchia and Trieste.
 
Nieuw Statendam visits the Canary Islands on a 14-day Canary Island Enchantment with Morocco and Portugal cruise departing on 20 April 2025, and the Voyage of the Vikings itinerary returns in 2025 onboard Zuiderdam.

Costa Introduces Costa Voyages, Longer Itineraries

Costa Introduces Costa Voyages, Longer Itineraries

Costa Cruises is launching Costa Voyages, a new cruise experience designed to explore extended itineraries, according to a press release.

Starting in September 2023, Costa Cruises will offer itineraries ranging from 10 to 14 days, allowing guests to visit destinations and explore them in-depth.

Voyages include visiting destinations such as the Canary Islands, Turkey, Egyptian pyramids, the Azores, Israel and Morocco and exploring the various European cultures, from Normandy to Spain.

In addition, guests can look forward to exclusive food and beverage experiences on every cruise including sampling the 14 new desserts created by the Master of pastry chefs, Iginio Massari.

The main restaurants will offer three different dinners including a new, exclusive menu included in the price and created by Costa chefs including Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze, and Ángel León.

Onboard, guests can relax and enjoy a drink or two at the special Banquet Night Party, a buffet with ice sculptures carved by master ice sculptors and a live DJ set.

Rock and roll enthusiasts can look forward to the Rolling Stone exclusive show onboard while photography amateurs can engage in dedicated photography sessions organized by the Japanese brand Canon.

Costa Voyages will also organize games inspired by the 1960s and 1990s, such as “Double interview” for couples, “Musichiere” and “C-Music” with quizzes, challenges and more. There will also be a range of workshops and creative labs and an exclusive guided tour of the behind-the-scenes areas of the ship.

The Costa Voyages cruises will be available from September through November 2023, from April to June 2024, and from September to November 2024, onboard six ships, including the Costa Favolosa, Costa Fortuna, Costa Firenze, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Pacifica and the Costa Diadema.

The Costa Pacifica will take guests to explore Egypt and the Holy Land in 2023, while the Costa Fortuna will take over in 2024. The Costa Favolosa and the Costa Fortuna will take guests to Morrocco to explore local traditions and visit the Hassan I Mosque.

The Costa Firenze and Costa Fortuna will visit the Canary Islands in 2023 and the Costa Diadema in 2024. Four ships will take guests to Portugal in 2023, including the Costa Firenze, Costa Fortuna, Costa Favolosa and the Costa Fascinosa, while the Costa Diadema will join them in 2024.

The Costa Fortuna will be visiting Turkey in 2023 and 2024, while the Costa Firenze, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Diadema, and Costa Favolosa will offer sailings that combine the North and South of Europe into a single vacation.

MSC Euribia to sail from Southampton in 2023

MSC Cruises has revealed that the new ship MSC Euribia will offer sailings out of Southampton from October 2023 and throughout winter 2023/24.

Itineraries will include visits to destinations such as Amsterdam, Bruges and Paris. There will be five-night options, from £359pp, seven-night cruises starting at £499pp and a 21-night itinerary departing on 5 January 2024 and calling at Casablanca, the Canary Islands and Lisbon, with prices starting at £2,399pp.

Launching in 2023, MSC Euribia is set to be “a truly sustainable ship”, the line said.

It will be the second ship in the MSC fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas. The hull artwork, designed by artist Alex Flämig and called #SaveTheSea , was chosen to represent “MSC Cruises’ message of dedication to helping protect the marine ecosystem”, according to a statement.

MSC Euribia ‘leading sustainability’

MSC Cruises UK & Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso said: “We are committed to offering the best possible experience for our guests from the UK and Ireland and that is why our newest ship, MSC Euribia, will be in the UK during 2023 and 2024.

“Since our first full ex-UK season back in 2018, we’ve seen a huge demand for stress-free, no-fly cruises from Southampton on board MSC Virtuosa.

“Basing MSC Euribia in the UK will help us to build on this success by offering our UK customers the chance to experience one of the most impressive cruise experiences offering leading sustainability technology and cutting-edge design features.” 

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Resumes Sailings from Scotland

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Resumes Sailings from Scotland

For the first time since 2019, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will resume sailings from Scotland this year aboard Balmoral, according to a press release.

The Balmoral, which welcomed her first guests back on board in May 2022, will set sail from Rosyth in Edinburgh, Scotland on July 8 for an eight-night "Hidden Gems of the Norwegian Fjords" cruise, taking travellers to Nordfjord, Sognefjord, Fjaerlandsfjord, Eresfjord, Molde, Skjolden, and Olden, according to the company.

The Balmoral, named after Queen Elizabeth II's Scottish estate, joined the company's new ships, Bolette and Borealis, both of which resumed cruising in 2021.

The Borealis became the first UK cruise ship to sail internationally in the post-pandemic era and the Balmoral’s first cruise was the “Canary Islands with the Funchal Flower Parade. ”Since then, she has sailed from Newcastle to Norway, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia.

The Balmoral will depart from Rosyth for the rest of summer 2022, before sailing on a series of cruises from Southampton, Dover, and Portsmouth in September.

“This first departure from Rosyth will be extra special as Scotland is Balmoral’s spiritual home, and we always receive a warm welcome when sailing from there. There is a long and proud history at Fred. Olsen of naming ships after Scottish icons, which reflects the connections between the Olsen family and Scotland. It is wonderful to have three ships sailing again, which allows us to offer departures from more regional ports around the UK,” said Peter Deer, managing director, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Sample Cruises:

Cities & Islands of Sweden, Estonia & Latvia, Departing from Rosyth
Date: July 16, 2022
Duration: 13 nights
Itinerary: Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland – Liepaja, Latvia – Saaremaa, Estonia – Tallinn, Estonia – Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden – Stockholm, Sweden – Visby, Sweden – Riga, Latvia – Klaipeda, Lithuania - Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland
Price: From £999 per person

Discovering Castles, Palaces, and Cultural Landmarks of Northern Europe, Departing from Rosyth
Date: August 19, 2022
Duration: 10 nights
Itinerary: Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland – Fredericia, Denmark - Klaipeda, Lithuania - Gdansk, Poland - Sassnitz, Germany - Szczecin, Poland - Kiel Canal Transit, Germany - Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland
Price: From  £1199 per person

French Rivers With Bordeaux, Departing from Rosyth
Date: August 29, 2022
Duration: 11 nights
Itinerary: Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland – Lorient, France - Bordeaux, France – River Seine, Rouen, France – Honfleur, France - Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland
Price: From £1199 per person

Gary Barlow will play two charity gigs onboard P&O Cruises’ Iona later this year

The singer is the music director of Iona's 710 Club

Barlow will appear on P&O’s Spain and Portugal cruise departing Southampton on 29 October and its Spain, Portugal and Canary Islands sailing, also departing Southampton, on 12 November.

 

All proceeds from ticket sales for the shows will be donated to Child Bereavement UK and the Teenage Cancer Trust. 

 

Barlow is a P&O Cruises brand ambassador and the music director of Iona’s 710 Club.

“One thing I love is making memories," said Barlow. "I think music does that extremely well. I look forward to joining guests onboard Iona later this year to create some truly special holiday memories.”

 

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow added: “It is a real delight to welcome Gary back on Iona for what will be extraordinary performances.

 

"His love of music which has taken him on so many journeys and adventures will provide guests on board with a unique night of world-class entertainment fused with an amazing travel experience.”

P&O Unveils The Arvia's Grand Atrium

P&O Unveils The Arvia's Grand Atrium

P&O Cruises has introduced details of the Arvia’s centrepiece the Grand Atrium, with widescreen ocean views.

The Grand Atrium is at the heart of the Arvia. It will host an entire program of live events, including aerial performances and entertainment, with local buskers, pop-up talks, magicians and performers.

P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow said: “With its elegant design, warm tones and beautiful custom-made elements, the Grand Atrium on board Arvia will provide guests with the perfect backdrop to their holiday photos. The design has made the most of the magical effect of light at different times of the day, so whether guests want to enjoy a morning coffee or evening drink, the Grand Atrium will provide the most spectacular backdrop.”

Spanning three decks, each level will offer guests a place to dine, socialise or relax, balancing larger sociable areas with more intimate spaces.

At the Grand Atrium, guests will enjoy the Amber Lounge to sample cocktails, The Keel & Cow for meals, and the Glass House to eat dishes paired with wines.

The Arvia will join the P&O Cruises fleet in December 2022, with a maiden voyage to the Canary Islands, followed by a winter season in the Caribbean.

MSC Cruises will base MSC Grandiosa in Southampton next year

MSC Cruises will base MSC Grandiosa in Southampton next year with a spring/summer deployment comprising 23 departures.

The Meraviglia Plus-class vessel is a sister to MSC Virtuosa, which sailed from the UK in summer 2021 and is due to return in April.

 

Grandiosa’s 2023 season will comprise a variety of itineraries including mini cruises to Rotterdam and Brugse, as well as longer voyages in the Mediterranean and to the Canary Islands.

 

Antonio Paradiso, MSC’s the UK and Ireland managing director, said the line “have been delighted” with the response from the British and Irish market to Virtuosa and looked forward to “bringing another of our largest and most-loved ships” to Southampton.

 

“We have seen strong demand for the itineraries for this year with a particular interest in the two 14-night sailings to the Mediterranean taking place in the school summer holidays and as a result have replicated many of these itineraries ready for the 2023 season,” said Paradiso.

 

He urged guests and agents to book early and “take advantage of the great rates” during the programme’s early booking window.

 

"Cruise has always been unique when it comes to early booking, our guests will happily book a number of different cruises several years in advance to secure their holiday, and we are thrilled to be able, once again, to provide them with the opportunity to book early,” Paradiso added.

P&O Cruises fleet will return to full service

P&O Britannia in the Caribbean, photo credit Spacejunkie

Arcadia will depart on a Canary Islands sailing on Sunday (27 March), restoring the line to its six-ship fleet - with seventh vessel Arvia joining P&O’s ranks in December.

 

The LNG-powered ship will sail its maiden voyage to the Canaries followed by a winter season in the Caribbean out of Barbados.

 

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said the return of Arcadia marked “an important milestone” for the company “one certainly cause for celebration”. 

 

“Britannia and Azura have had a very successful season in the Caribbean from Barbados and Iona has spent her maiden winter months in the Canary Islands and northern Europe and will soon head up to the spectacular Norwegian fjords for the summer of scenic cruising and thrilling adventures,” said Ludlow.

 

“It is evident that our guests are reassured by the steps we have taken to protect their health and wellbeing and that they are delighted to be back on board reigniting their passion for travel.”

Queen Elizabeth to Sail to Canaries, Western Mediterranean and Canada in 2022

Cunard has announced that a series of new itineraries sailing on the 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth between February and May 2022 will go on sale in November.

According to a press release, all sailings will depart from Southampton and will include a voyage in search of the Northern Lights, journeys to the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean as well as a grand voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal and on to Vancouver, Canada.

"We hope our guests will be inspired to find a little adventure with these new itineraries. In a single short program, they offer a fantastic variety from the opportunity to experience the wondrous Northern Lights, to sun-kissed Mediterranean shores, to a transit of the Panama Canal,” Cunard President Simon Palethorpe said.

The new itineraries will replace the existing published schedule, meaning that all previously announced departures between Feb. 20 and May 17, 2022, inclusive are now cancelled. The cruise line said that based on the most recent advice for cruise guests, and given the complexities of many of the international destinations involved, it will not be able to maintain those sailings. Cunard said that it continues to work very closely with authorities in all the destinations visited to ensure compliance with local health and entry requirements.

“To all guests affected by the cancelled voyages we are sorry for the disappointment this will cause and we hope to welcome many back on board when we return to Japan in 2023," said Palethorpe.

Guests booked on the affected cancelled voyages will be offered a full refund or future cruise credit worth 125 per cent of the standard deposit terms, and 100 per cent of any additional monies paid, Cunard said.

Third P&O Cruises Ship to Resume International Sailing

P&O Cruises’ Ventura is resuming operations on Oct. 3 as it sets sail for the Canary Islands.

According to a press release, half of the P&O Cruises fleet is now in service as the Ventura joins the Iona and Britannia, both of which sailed a series of summer UK coastal cruises and have been sailing internationally since Sept. 25, 2021.

The Azura will also resume sailing in December 2021, joining the Britannia for the Caribbean season.

“Ventura’s international restart is the result of guest confidence in cruising and is the very latest stage of P&O Cruises sailing resumption as we work towards the return of our full fleet in spring 2022,” said P&O Cruises’ President Paul Ludlow. “Due to demand and the resounding endorsement of the first international holidays on the Iona and Britannia we’ve opened up increased capacity to holiday with us.”

He added that the cruise line was “proud” to have four ships sailing internationally this year “giving our guests a greater choice of where and when they travel with P&O Cruises for winter sun.”

The Ventura’s 12-night holidays to Spain and Portugal this year start at £599 per person. These will be followed by a 35-night holiday to the Caribbean, round-trip from Southampton, departing Jan. 3, 2022, from £3,174 per person.

A second 35-night holiday to the Caribbean and USA with Honduras, Belize and New Orleans among the 11 ports of call depart Feb. 11, 2022, priced from £2,899 per person.

AIDA Denies Plans to Use AIDAbella as Quarantine Ship for Crew

AIDA Cruises has denied that it had plans to use its 2,030-passenger ship AIDAbella as a ”quarantine ship” for crew members.

“No, this is not true,” AIDA’s press department told Cruise Industry News. “There are no concrete plans for the AIDAbella now.”

An article by the German website moin.de stated that the AIDAbella was being transformed into a quarantine ship for 1,500 crew members. The quarantine was supposed to take place in Kiel, Germany. According to moin.de, those onboard would be crew members for the AIDAcosma which is set to debut later this year.

“The latest ship in the AIDA fleet (the AIDAcosma) is to be put into operation in Bremerhaven in December. However, before the crew can start their work on the cruise ship, they have to go into isolation because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. And that's what AIDAbella is intended for,” the website wrote.

The AIDAcosma, AIDA Cruises’ latest ship, was floated out at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany in July. Initially scheduled for a spring 2021 debut, the AIDAcosma’s debut is now set for later this year. With the change, the vessel’s inaugural season in Europe was entirely cancelled and the first voyage was rescheduled to Dec. 22, 2021.

AIDA Cruises’ nearest deployment plans include AIDAdiva’s launching of the 2021 season on Oct. 16, becoming the eighth AIDA ship to restart commercial cruises.

On March 20, 2021, the AIDAperla became the first AIDA ship to restart cruise operations after the pandemic – initially around the Canary Islands and, since July 10, from Palma de Mallorca with seven-day cruises in the western Mediterranean. On May 21, the AIDAsol followed from Kiel, becoming the first ship to resume cruise operations from a German port. On May 22, the AIDAblu began cruises to Greek destinations from/to Corfu.

The AIDAprima resumed cruises from/to Kiel – and visiting Stockholm, Gothenburg and Visby – on July 10. In the course of this, AIDAsol moved to Rostock/Warnemünde, where Baltic Sea voyages have been on the program since July 1.

On July 29, the AIDAstella, the fifth ship of AIDA Cruises, set sail again. Two days later, on July 31, the first seven-day voyage with the AIDAmar departed from Hamburg, Germany. From Aug. 28, the AIDAmar sailed to Norway for the first time after the pandemic with fully-vaccinated cruises (or for those who can prove that they have recovered from the coronavirus).

On Sept. 5, 2021, the AIDAluna became the seventh ship in the AIDA fleet to start its season – the latest AIDA ship to resume operations.

Meyer Werft and ALMACO Complete Catering Project for New Iona

ALMACO has announced the completion of a catering project for P&O Cruises’ new vessel, the Iona.

“Completing a project like this in the middle of a pandemic brought some unforeseeable challenges. Still, the project proceeded according to the plan and the co-operation with Meyer Werft run smoothly throughout the process. We are very proud of the end result,” ALMACO’s Project Manager at the building site, Valerie Maes, said.

According to a press release, ALMACO was contracted by Meyer Werft in January 2018 to provide catering solutions for the ship. Its scope of work consisted of the turnkey delivery and installation for all the cold rooms and freezer rooms – an area of around 1,900 sq. meters.

The Iona was delivered to P&O Cruises on Oct. 9, 2020. The vessel is the first British cruise ship to be powered by LNG, ALMACO said. It is also the largest, greenest, and most innovative ship in the P&O Cruises fleet.

ALMACO said that it is “very proud to have been a part of building this green, sea-friendly ship.”

The Iona will be sailing in Northern Europe, Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands.

Málaga Welcomes Mein Schiff 2, First Cruise Ship Since Pandemic

Málaga has become the first port in Spain’s mainland to host a cruise ship upon the restart of operations after a 15-month pause.

According to a press release, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 2 arrived from the Canary Islands on June 16 at 6:15 a.m.

Carrying 1,275 passengers, she stayed in the port until 7 p.m. of the same day, when she departed for Palma de Mallorca to start domestic itineraries in Spain.

The Mein Schiff 2 will be visiting Málaga again on June 22 and July 6, according to the MedCruise Association.

To mark the special first sailing, representatives from the port and the destination have met with Tom Roth, the captain from Mein Schiff 2, and handed a commemorating plaque.

“Today is a very important day for Málaga, (which) proves how governmental bodies have worked together, and will keep working together, for Málaga, a cruiser-friendly destination,” said the President of the Port Authority of Malaga Carlos Rubio.

The Mayor of Malaga Francisco De la Torre said that cruise tourism will help reactivate tourism in Málaga, which is an “essential cruise destination for cruise lines.”

Roth highlighted that “this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

According to the press release, TUI Cruises developed a “bubble” cruise experience, allowing only organized excursions, which guarantees that the anti-COVID-19 safety measures are respected, thus benefiting both the passenger and the crew, as well as the population of the destinations visited.

In Málaga, cruise passengers visited the city and other towns nearby in small groups, having chosen emblematic places of the historical city centre of Málaga, as well as Ronda, Mijas or Marbella, among others, supporting the recovery of the economy.

The Mein Schiff 4 was also in the Málaga port on June 16, arriving at 3 p.m. for a technical stop with no passengers.

AIDA Cruises To Sail in Greece From May 23

AIDA Cruises has announced that it will be offering new cruises in Greece from May 23, 2021, with seven-day cruises departing from Corfu and travelling through the Greek islands to Crete and Rhodes, as well as to Katakolon (Olympia) and Piraeus (Athens).

Guests will be able to enjoy the amenities onboard with multiple restaurants, bars, cultural activities and sports facilities, as well as organized shore excursions to explore the ports of call.

According to AIDA’s press release, Greece is one of the most popular vacation destinations for German travellers. From May 14, 2021, the Mediterranean country will reopen for tourism.

Booking starts on Apr. 20, 2021, with 23 dates to choose from between May 23 and October 24, 2021. The Greek cruises can also be booked as 14-day trips, AIDA said.

In addition to the new offering in Greece, the AIDAperla is sailing on seven-day voyages around the Canary Islands through June.

All cruises are carried out in compliance with AIDA's enhanced health and safety protocols, as well as applicable laws and regulations.

With a testing strategy for guests and crew members already utilized on several cruises, AIDA said it is its top priority for all guests to safely enjoy their vacation. The enhanced health and safety protocols -- tested by SGS Institut Fresenius and confirmed by the classification society DNV -- includes a mandatory PCR test for detecting viruses and bacteria before travelling, as well as regular health checks, social distancing and hygiene protocols, medical care including testing capacities onboard and other measures.

With the "AIDA promise," the cruise company offers guests more flexibility and security in planning. Generous booking options are part of AIDA's commitment to its guests, ranging from small down payments to free rebooking. The "AIDA promise" is included in the travel price for new bookings up to May 31, 2021, and applies to departures up to March. 31, 2022.

AIDA said that cruises in other destinations will not be possible at this time, with AIDA cancelling the remaining voyages of April through May.

Enchanted Princess to sail in the Mediterranean next summer

Princess Cruises’ newest ship Enchanted Princess will sail in the Mediterranean next summer, bringing the number of Royal-class ships based in Europe to three.

Enchanted Princess is due to join the Princess fleet later this year, and will spend May to September operating a series of new round-trip seven and 14-night itineraries from Rome before sailing between Rome and Barcelona on a series of 11-night cruises.

Earlier this month, the line announced that new ship Sky Princess would replace Crown Princess in Southampton from April to September. The ship will sail eight and twelve-night British Isles cruises and a series of 12-night Scandinavia and Russia voyages.

Regal Princess will also be based in Southampton, sailing a number of itineraries ranging from four to 24 nights to destinations including Iceland and Norway, the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, the Baltic and Canada & New England.

All Europe 2021 voyages onboard Regal Princess and Baltic sailings on Sky Princess are now available to book. The new roundtrip Rome departures onboard Enchanted Princess and British Isles sailings on Sky Princess will be available to book in early October.

Tony Roberts, vice-president UK and Europe said: “Having three Royal-class ships sailing in Europe next year including two based in Southampton is testament to our commitment to offering UK holidaymakers an enhanced Medallion Class service, new onboard experiences and a wealth of holiday options without the need to travel too far from home. We truly are so excited for every guest to experience these voyages.”

He added: “The addition of the new itineraries gives UK guests the opportunity to visit more destinations from Southampton than ever before, as well as the ease of travelling roundtrip from Rome for those who prefer to take a short flight straight out to the sunshine.”

All voyages in the new line-up are included as part of Princess’ latest stateroom upgrade offer, meaning that all customers booking these voyages before November 23 can upgrade for free from an inside stateroom to a balcony.