Disney Cruise Line Teases Big Announcement

Disney Cruise Line Teases Big Announcement

Disney Cruise Line is preparing to make a “big announcement” this week, according to an update shared on social media.

Further details were not revealed, but the announcement appears to be related to the company’s deployment plans.

The teaser post includes latitude coordinates corresponding to six locations across the Northern Hemisphere.

“Looks like the set is a little incomplete. What could this list be?” Disney Cruise Line asked its followers in the post.

Commenters speculated that the numbers represent homeports in North America and the Caribbean, with some pointing to a number that could refer to New York City.

Disney’s deployment plans currently cover sailings through late 2027, with its fleet offering itineraries in the Caribbean, the West Coast, Europe and Alaska.

The company also plans to continue operating the Disney Adventure in Southeast Asia, with a series of cruises from Singapore.

Disney said that it will reveal more details about its upcoming ship, the Disney Believe, in October.

Currently being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the LNG-powered vessel is set to enter service in late 2027.

In a social media post earlier this month, the company said that it will preview the new ship’s features during a show onboard the Disney Wish.

Featuring Susan Egan, the one-night-only performance will take place onboard the vessel on October 7, 2026.

Disney also recently revealed the first details of its new series of three ships, which are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the vessels will be built at Meyer Werft and will be slightly smaller than those in the Wish-class series.

AIDA Cruises Highlights Operational Efficiency Initiatives

AIDA Cruises Highlights Operational Efficiency Initiatives

AIDA Cruises has detailed several initiatives it employs in order to improve ship operation efficiency.  

They include expanded shore power use, increased adoption of biofuels and advanced digital solutions. 

Biofuels 

After biofuel was first used onboard the AIDAprima in summer 2022, the LNG-powered ships in the fleet are being prepared for the future use of additional biofuels and e-fuels as soon as they become available in sufficient quantities. 

In 2025, more than 8,500 t of ISCC EU-certified Bio LNG were supplied to the AIDAnova in the ports of Hamburg, Kiel and Zeebrugge, according to Dirk Inger, senior vice president public affairs, communication & sustainability at AIDA Cruises. 

The company said it is also working with partners from science and industry to prepare for the future use of e-fuels onboard its vessels. 

Examples include participating in research and development activities focused on innovative energy conversion and storage technologies based on renewable ammonia as well as developing hydrogen as a fuel for future combustion engine-based marine propulsion systems and evaluating the implications of integrating such technologies into cruise ships.  

“However, several challenges remain for the broader adoption of e-fuels, including fuel availability in ports, industrial-scale production capacities, internationally harmonized regulatory frameworks, and the lack of commercially viable pricing structures in Germany and Europe,” Inger added.  

Shore Power 

In 2017, the AIDAsol became the first cruise ship to regularly use shore power in the Port of Hamburg through Europe’s first shore power facility for cruise ships, located at the Cruise Center in Altona.  

Since then, AIDA Cruises has continuously expanded the use of shore power, resulting in 340 shore power connections in 2024 and 440 in 2025. 

The company is currently planning around 540 shore power calls for 2026 with its vessels. 

Shore power is available in 17 European ports, including Hamburg, Warnemünde, Kiel, Southampton, Bergen, Oslo, Stockholm, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, and Le Havre, among others.  

This represents approximately half of all AIDA port calls on Northern European itineraries departing from Germany.

Digital Energy Management 

Reducing energy consumption is said to be a key component of the company’s technical fleet management strategy, and all ships in the fleet are equipped with integrated energy management systems that are connected to a group-wide data platform.  

Digital applications, machine learning and artificial intelligence are used to analyze operational data and identify further optimization opportunities. 

AIDA underlined EOS (Energy Optimization System), a digital analytics system, which has been gradually implemented across the AIDA fleet since 2023, as one of the most important investments in this area. 

Incorporating variables such as weather and wind conditions, vessel and engine models, and the number of guests onboard, EOS assists crews in making operational decisions in real time, such as optimizing onboard energy flows or calculating routes designed to minimize energy demand.  

The system has been shown to significantly reduce energy requirements for propulsion and various onboard systems, AIDA noted. 

AIDA Innovation Hub 

As part of the application phase for the new AIDA Innovation Hub, start-ups, tech companies, industry partners and scientific and research institutions were invited to submit their ideas for smart solutions in the fields of decarbonization, sustainability and AI tools.  

The company received more than 150 potential ideas, which will now be reviewed and the shortlisted projects will be presented to an expert jury in Rostock on September 16, 2026.  

The winners will have the opportunity to further develop their ideas together with AIDA through implementation studies or test them as a pilot project onboard AIDA vessels. 

Explora III Sets Sail on Maiden Voyage

Explora III Sets Sail on Maiden Voyage

The Explora III recently sailed from the Spanish port of Barcelona to kick off its maiden voyage for Explora Journeys.

Delivered by the Fincantieri shipyard in late July, the luxury ship officially started its inaugural season on August 3, 2026.

The 922-passenger ship is now offering a seven-night cruise that includes visits to destinations in Portugal, Morocco and Spain.

The itinerary is highlighted by stops in off-the-beaten-path ports in the region, including Portimão and Puerto Banús.

Before ending in Lisbon, the maiden voyage will also include visits to Palma de Mallorca, Cádiz and Tangier, in addition to a full day of cruising in the Western Mediterranean.

The ship will later offer a second seven-night cruise to Southampton, which will sail to Spain, Portugal and France.

On its way to the United Kingdom, the Explora III will visit Porto, La Coruña, Bilbao and Bordeaux, as well as St. Jean de Luz.

In addition to sailing the individual cruises, guests were able to combine the two weeklong voyages for a 14-night itinerary sailing from Barcelona to Southampton.

As part of its inaugural season, the 70,000-ton vessel is also set to offer itineraries to Northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland and North America.

The ship is also set to offer cruises to the Caribbean departing from San Juan and Miami starting in December 2026.

Before kicking off its maiden voyage, the Explora III was christened during a special ceremony at the Port of Barcelona. Marking the debut of Explora Journeys’ first LNG-powered vessel, the inaugural event took place on August 1, 2026.

Cristina Ozores, a marine educator and National Geographic Educator, served as the ship’s godmother during the ceremony.

The Explora III also offered a pre-inaugural cruise in the Western Mediterranean, which departed from Genoa, Italy, on July 24, 2026.

The five-night preview journey included visits to destinations in France and Italy, including Marseille, Saint-Tropez, Livorno and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Orient Express Corinthian Completes Sea Trials

Orient Express Corinthian Completes Sea Trials

The Orient Express Corinthian has recently completed its first sea trials ahead of its delivery, which is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026.

As the first ship to be introduced by Orient Express Sailing Yachts, the 15,000-ton vessel is currently being built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique Shipyard in France.

According to an update shared by the yard, the Corinthian successfully completed a series of trials of its sail propulsion systems.

Chantiers said that, solely using its sails, the ship was able to reach 12 knots in winds of 20 knots.

According to the shipyard, the speed is a first for a vessel the size of the Corinthian, which will be able to carry 108 passengers.

The 1,500-square-meter rigs rise over 100 meters and are capable of automated piloting, the yard said, allowing the ship to operate 100 percent on wind propulsion. The system can also be used to assist the ship’s LNG-powered engines.

Chantiers added that the sails have a 360-degree rotation capability, allowing for optimal sail positioning regardless of the ship’s heading or wind direction.

With a tiltable system that allows the sails to be positioned nearly horizontally, the Corinthian will also be able to easily pass under bridges.

The entire rigging has been designed, developed and manufactured in France’s Brittany and Pays de la Loire regions.

The Orient Express Corinthian is scheduled to enter service in the Mediterranean ahead of the summer of 2026. Later in the year, the vessel is set to reposition to the Caribbean for a winter season.

Designed to offer an upscale product focused on sustainability and romance, the vessel will be followed by a sister ship, the Orient Express Olympian.

Also under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, the ship is scheduled to enter service in 2027.

MSC Euribia Sails Around Africa Ahead of Season in the Middle East

MSC Euribia Sails Around Africa Ahead of Season in the Middle East

The MSC Euribia is currently sailing to the Middle East ahead of its winter season in the United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Gulf.

With its repositioning cruises cancelled due to security concerns in the Red Sea, the LNG-powered ship is currently sailing around Africa.

The long voyage started in Northern Europe in mid-October and included a technical call to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The MSC Euribia is now expected to arrive in South Africa’s Durban later this month before embarking on the final leg of the repositioning sailing.

As part of its second season in the region, the 2023-built vessel is set to welcome guests in Dubai on Nov. 8, 2025.

The MSC Euribia is then scheduled to offer a series of weeklong cruises in the region that include visits to destinations in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. In addition to Dubai, the itineraries sail to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas and Khalifa Bin Salman.

The deployment runs through early April, when the 4,888-guest ship is set to start a repositioning voyage back to Europe.

With original plans also cancelled due to security concerns, the vessel is expected to sail around Africa once again before kicking off a summer deployment in the Northern Fjords.

With the Red Sea still off-limits for cruise ship operations, cruise lines took different approaches to their planned seasons in the Middle East.

Two brands, Costa and AIDA, decided to cancel all of their sailings in the region earlier this year, redeploying their vessels to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Celestyal Cruises recently confirmed its season in the Middle East, revealing plans to bring its ships to the region via the Red Sea. The vessels will sail with guests to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before deadheading to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

TUI Cruises is operating repositioning cruises to the Arabian Gulf via Africa, with ships sailing around the continent with guests onboard.

 

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas to Feature Two-Story Casino

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas to Feature Two-Story Casino

Royal Caribbean International recently revealed that the new Legend of the Seas will feature the company’s first two-story casino.

Currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the Icon-class ship is scheduled to enter service in July 2026.

The expanded casino space was announced in an email sent to the company’s Club Royale members earlier this month.

“Your next Icon Class casino is getting a major upgrade,” Royal Caribbean said in the reveal, which also included a rendering of the gambling room.

The image shows that the expanded Casino Royale will feature a large bar, in addition to a staircase connecting its two levels of slot machines and game tables.

In September, Royal Caribbean also revealed plans to introduce the largest casino in its fleet onboard the Harmony of the Seas.

The ship’s Casino Royale will be enlarged during a refit scheduled for the Oasis-class ship in mid-2026.

As part of the refurbishment, the gambling area will take over a room currently occupied by a lounge and a comedy club.

The refit will mark the second time that the ship’s casino is expanded, following a similar project carried out in 2023.

Set to enter service next July, the Legend of the Seas will spend its maiden season in the Western Mediterranean before repositioning to North America.

For its stateside debut, the LNG-powered vessel will offer a series of six- to eight-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, departing from Fort Lauderdale.

Royal Caribbean recently revealed other features of the Legend of the Seas, including new dining and entertainment venues.

Building on a similar restaurant introduced by the Utopia of the Seas, the ship will feature Royal Railway – Legend Station.

The speciality venue will offer a themed experience that is said to take guests on a journey along the ancient Silk Routes by train.

Other highlights of the ship’s offerings include a new supper club inspired by the golden age of Hollywood and Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” musical.

Disney Adventure Embarks on Sea Trials

Disney Adventure Embarks on Sea Trials

The new Disney Adventure sailed from Germany earlier this week to embark on its first set of sea trials.

Currently in the final stages of construction at the MV Werften shipyard, the vessel is now undergoing a series of assessments and trials in the Baltic and North Seas.

Over 1,400 workers are reportedly on board the ship, which is scheduled to be delivered to Disney Cruise Line in late September.

According to Ostsee Zeitung, the Disney Adventure will see testing of technology and systems while sailing to another German port, Bremerhaven.

The week-long trials are also said to include a technical visit to Rügen, an island on the Baltic coast of Germany.

The Disney Adventure is expected to undergo a second set of sea trials later this month.

The 208,000-ton ship is then set to embark on a delivery voyage to Asia ahead of its maiden cruise, which is scheduled to depart from Singapore on December 15, 2025.

As the largest cruise ship in the company’s fleet, the Adventure will be Disney’s first vessel dedicated to Southeast Asia.

Sailing from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore on a year-round basis, the 6,000-guest ship will offer three- and four-night cruises to nowhere.

The vessel’s schedule in the region was recently extended with the addition of extra departures through December 2026.

In addition to the Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line is also welcoming the Disney Destiny to its fleet this year.

The LNG-powered ship is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany for delivery in the fourth quarter.

As a sister to the Disney Wish and the Disney Treasure, the 2,500-guest vessel is set to welcome guests for its inaugural voyage in November 2025.

Sailing from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, the Destiny will spend its maiden season offering four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Legend of the Seas Floats Out at Meyer Turku

Legend of the Seas Floats Out at Meyer Turku

Meyer Turku hosted a festive ceremony on August 29, 2025, to celebrate the float out of Royal Caribbean International’s new Legend of the Seas.

According to a press release, the traditional float-out ceremony included speeches by representatives of the shipyard and the cruise line, as well as a gun salute and a playful competition to open the water valves of the construction basin in Finland.

During the weekend following the ceremony, the new 250,800-ton ship was moved to the outfitting dock, where finishing work will continue for another year.

“The Legend of the Seas continues the state-of-the-art Icon Class, which allows the Finnish maritime industry to showcase its unique expertise at its best,” said Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku.

“The shipyard, Royal Caribbean and an extensive network of partners work together to develop the processes and concepts from ship to ship. Alongside its sister ships, the Legend of the Seas will also mark an important milestone in increasingly responsible shipbuilding,” he added.

At 365 meters long, nearly 50 meters wide, the 248,000-ton LNG-powered vessel is the third ship in Royal Caribbean’s Icon class.

The first in the series, the Icon of the Seas, was delivered to the brand in November 2023, followed by the Star of the Seas in July 2025.

The fourth Icon Class ship, currently under construction at the shipyard and yet to be named, will be completed in 2027.

According to Meyer Turku, Royal Caribbean’s agreement with the shipyard also includes options to build fifth and sixth Icon Class ships.

Set to spend its inaugural season in the Mediterranean, the Legend of the Seas will be delivered to Royal Caribbean in the summer of 2026.

Following initial itineraries in Europe, the ship is scheduled to debut in the United States ahead of sailing in the Caribbean during the 2026-27 winter season.

MSC World America Completes Second Set of Sea Trials

MSC World America Completes Second Set of Sea Trials

The MSC World America recently returned to St. Nazaire, France, after completing a second set of sea trials.

Set to be delivered to MSC Cruises in late March, the vessel is currently in the final stages of construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard.

After embarking on its first sea trials in December, the World America sailed from St. Nazaire on Jan. 18, 2025, for a new series of tests.

During the trials, various systems and aspects of the ship’s operations are tested, including its manoeuvrability, speed and safety equipment.

As the second ship in the company’s World Class series, the MSC World America is scheduled to enter service for MSC Cruises in April.

After being delivered by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, the LNG-powered vessel will cross the Atlantic with no guests onboard.

Following a series of pre-inaugural events in Florida, the 5,400-guest ship is set to welcome its first paying guests on April 12, 2025.

Sailing from Miami, the MSC World America will offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas during its maiden season.

The year-round deployment includes visits to destinations in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Honduras and more.

MSC Euribia to Debut in the Middle East in 2024-25

MSC Euribia to Debut in the Middle East in 2024-25

The MSC Euribia is set to debut in the Middle East next year. Currently the newest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, the LNG-powered vessel will offer a series of cruises in the region during the 2024-25 season.

Recently announced by MSC Cruises, the ship’s winter program features departures from three different ports in the Arabian Gulf: Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates; and Doha, in Qatar.

Extending between late November 2024 and early April 2025, the schedule includes two different itineraries that sail to destinations in UAE, Qatar and Bahrein.

Replacing the MSC Virtuosa, which is scheduled to sail in the Middle East in 2023-24, the Euribia will also offer repositioning cruises that link Europe to the region.

The program will also mark the ship’s first operation outside Northern Europe. After debuting in June 2023, the Meraviglia-Class ship is scheduled to continue to offer a year-round program in the region throughout late 2024.

The deployment includes week-long itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords during the summer, in addition to seven-night cruises to Belgium, England, France, the Netherlands and Germany during the winter.

In early 2024, the 4,888-guest is also scheduled to offer a 21-night itinerary to Western Europe and the Canary Islands interpreting in various ports in Northern Europe.

Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, MSC Euribia is currently one of the largest cruise ships in the MSC Cruises fleet.

At 177,100 gross tons, the vessel offers a series of public areas and features, including 21 bars, ten restaurants, five pool decks and more.

In related news, MSC Cruises also confirmed its return to the Red Sea for the 2024-2025 winter. Replacing the MSC Orchestra, the MSC Musica is set to debut in the region, offering a series of seven-night cruises that sail to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Carnival Celebration Visits Mahogany Bay for the First Time

Carnival Celebration Visits Mahogany Bay for the First Time

Continuing its first cruise to the Western Caribbean, the new Carnival Celebration arrived at the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center for its maiden call on Thursday.

The call also marked the first time the new Carnival Cruise Line vessel visited Honduras.

After entering service with a transatlantic crossing in early November, the Celebration started its debut season on Nov. 21.

Following a special christening ceremony in Miami, the LNG-powered kicked off a series of week-long cruises to the Caribbean. After leaving Miami on Nov. 27, the ship’s current sailing also included the maiden visits to Mexico’s Cozumel and Costa Maya.

The 5,200-guest ship is now set to make regular visits to Mahogany Bay as part of its year-round schedule of Caribbean cruises.

Departing from Port Miami every Sunday, the itineraries also include visits to ports in the Eastern Caribbean.

Developed by Carnival Corporation in partnership with a local businessman, the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center opened in 2009.

A popular cruise destination in the Western Caribbean, the facility serves the Roatan island in Honduras Bay Islands.

In addition to a two-ship cruise pier, the cruise terminal offers a welcome centre and a variety of retail outlets, including two themed bars, a restaurant and several shops.

A chair lift system takes guests from the welcome centre to Mahogany Beach, a 10-acre private island featuring an 825-foot-long white-sand beach with a beach volleyball court and water sports opportunities.

Along with the new Celebration, the Carnival Pride also visited Mahogany Bay on Dec. 1. The vessel is presently offering a seven-night cruise to Mexico, Belize and Honduras departing from Tampa.

A third ship, the Norwegian Breakaway, was also docked at a different cruise terminal in Roatan. The Norwegian Cruise Line vessel is offering week-long Western Caribbean cruises departing from New Orleans.

MSC Cruises revealed the name of its second World-class ship

Costa Toscana Christened in Barcelona

Costa Toscana Christened in Barcelona

The new Costa Toscana has been christened in Barcelona by Chanel, a young singer, actress and dancer who enjoyed great success in Spain and in all of Europe after her exhibition during the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.

Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises commented: “It is a great thrill to celebrate the christening of our Costa Toscana in Barcelona, a city to which we are particularly attached and where we have been at home since the beginning of our history.

"For this occasion, we have organized an event to celebrate the start of a summer that marks the serene resumption of travel and vacations. The event also features the excellence of Costa's offerings in all aspects, from high gastronomy to high-quality entertainment, to unique experiences ashore," he said.

"According to recent market research, nearly 14 million Europeans are dreaming of taking a cruise in the next 12 months, and cruises are among the trips with the highest potential to meet the needs of destinations exploration. We must take advantage of this upswing to promote more sustainable tourism that respects the environment and values local communities. Our commitment is expressed not only through technologically advanced ships such as the LNG-powered Costa Toscana, but also by supporting innovative projects whose scope goes beyond the tourism sector, such as Chef Ángel León’s project."

She joined the ship’s Captain Pietro Sinisi for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in which a bottle was shattered on the ship's prow, as per maritime tradition.

The event was hosted by two exceptional masters of ceremonies: Carlos Sobera and Flora Gonzalez, two real stars of Spanish television well-loved by the general public.

The ceremony was then closed by a performance by the Italian artist Andrea Casta, a "globetrotter" violinist who has performed all over the world with his electric violin and his unique luminous bow.

Among the guests were Spanish celebrities, such as "El Sevilla".

As the ship leaves Barcelona on the way to Valencia, guests can look forward to a performance by Meduza, a famous Italian trio of house music producers, who will host an exclusive DJ set onboard. The aperitif and gala dinner will be signed by Spanish chef Ángel León known as the “chef of the sea” who has been awarded 3 Michelin stars with his restaurant Aponiente. 

Costa Cruises and Ángel León are further strengthening their collaboration, addressing a theme that both have long been committed to, which is environmental sustainability. Through her Costa Cruises Foundation, Costa Cruises is supporting a worldwide pioneering project: the development of the "marine grain."

Restaurant Aponiente's research centre has started the cultivation of the Zostera marina in the Bay of Cadiz. The Zostera marina is a plant that helps generate greater marine biodiversity, thus enriching the ecosystem. Thanks to the support of the Costa Cruises Foundation, the cultivated area of the ocean garden, which is currently about 3,000 m2, can be expanded, in order to promote the project and export the Zostera marina to new coastal areas, the company said. 

Costa will sail 10 ships this summer, with the Toscana offering a week-long Western Mediterranean program,

 

Carnival’s New Cruise Terminal in Miami to Open for Celebration Naming

Carnival’s New Cruise Terminal in Miami to Open for Celebration Naming

Carnival Cruise Line is progressing on the project of transforming PortMiami’s Cruise Terminal F into its largest cruise terminal in North America.

Set to open in November, the facility is being redesigned and expanded in order to serve as the homeport of Carnival’s second Excel-class ship, the Carnival Celebration.

According to Christine Duff, Carnival Cruise Line’s President, the new terminal will be ready in time for the ship’s inaugural festivities. 

“We are very excited that we’ll be opening the redesigned Terminal F for Carnival Celebration’s naming ceremony,” she said during a press conference in Miami in late April. 

“It’s a great way to celebrate Carnival,” Duffy added, mentioning the cruise line’s 50th-anniversary festivities.

According to her, like the new Carnival Celebration, the redesigned terminal will also get memorabilia from past Carnival ships.

Also celebrating the company’s milestone anniversary, the new build will feature the Golden Jubilee, a lounge and entertainment area equipped with items and art pieces retrieved from the line’s retired ships, including the recently recycled Fantasy-class vessels.

When completed, Terminal F will become the third cruise terminal dedicated to Carnival operations at PortMiami.

As part of the renovations, the facility is receiving facial recognition technology and other elements which will be used to move guests through the embarkation process.

Originally signed in September 2019, the expansion agreement includes a commitment by Carnival to keep ships at Terminal F for 20 years, with the option of two additional seven-year extensions.

The LNG-powered Carnival Celebration is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.  

After being delivered later this year, the 183,900-ton cruise ship will become Carnival’s largest vessel, along with its sister ship, the 2020-built Mardi Gras.

Following a transatlantic crossing, the 5,200-guest ship is set to launch service from Miami on Nov. 21, kicking off a year-round program of weeklong Caribbean itineraries.

Costa Toscana to Host Fashion Show Before Inaugural Cruise

Sustainable fashion producer Jessica Mh Anhin is set to transform the new LNG-powered cruise ship, the Costa Toscana, into a sky-high ocean catwalk on Feb. 28, 2022.

According to a press release, the, J Spring Fashion Show 2022 will be held against the cinematic backdrop of the Italian Riviera to deliver a message of “sustainability and style.” The event will welcome some global media and famous people on board the Costa Toscana, before its inaugural cruise in Portofino, Italy.

Participating brands, which will be unveiled in mid-February 2022, will premiere a combination of haute couture and ready-to-wear collections from five continents. Minh Anh’s previous catwalks included Paul Costelloe, Montblanc, Yumi Katsura, Ziad Nakad, Shiatzy Chen, and Tony Ward.

The red-carpet experience will feature Italian art, architecture, culture, luxury and delicacies alongside the impressive catwalk.

“This particular moment in history provides an opportunity for a sustainable ‘restart’ of our society. The Costa Toscana aligns perfectly with my mission of highlighting sustainability in a visually attractive way. It runs on liquefied natural gas, one of the most advanced technologies to reduce emissions right now. It represents a breakthrough in the travel industry. I am honoured to celebrate the resurgence of business and style on such a unique ship,” Minh Anh said.

According to the press release, J Spring Fashion Show 2022 is Minh Anh’s “comeback catwalk” after the success of “Runway on the Runway” at JFK international airport held before the pandemic. The show will combine three of Minh Anh’s catwalk series, namely Fashion x Sustainability, Catwalk-On-Water, and Sky-High. Previous editions took place atop the Eiffel Tower, London’s Tower Bridge, Grand Canyon Skywalk, Hoover Dam, Gemasolar Power Plant, and cruise ships in Dubai, New York, Sydney, and Hong Kong.

“Jessica Minh Anh is a pioneer in marrying fashion with sustainability, just like Costa Cruises in offering the most advanced sustainable ships”, said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises. “Costa has been the first in the world to operate LNG-powered ships and focuses on value-driven, sustainable and inclusive tourism. As the travel industry is gradually recovering, it is very exciting for us to welcome Jessica on board, and have her launch such an important message in a creative way on our new flagship, the Costa Toscana. We are also proud that this collaboration will happen in Italy and specifically the Ligurian Riviera!”

A site visit took place last weekend on the Costa Toscana in Civitavecchia, where Minh Anh met with the president of Costa Cruises to discuss the floor plan, schedule, setup and treatments for the media and guests.

The official campaign video captured Minh Anh running atop the sky-high catwalk in a bright pink dress against the backdrop of the ship, deep blue sea and skyline.

MSC Cruises Publishes 2020 Sustainability Report

MSC Virtuosa photo credit David Jones© 

MSC Cruises has published its 2020 Sustainability Report. Due to the pandemic-induced cruise industry operation halt, this year’s report focuses on the steps that MSC Cruises took to secure the sustainability of its business, adapt its operation and prepare for a safe return of guests and crew alongside the key longer-term targets including decarbonization.

“During 2020 we achieved a huge amount and MSC Cruises rose to the challenges posed by the pandemic. We got all our guests and crew home safely early on, and we were then the first to launch our industry-leading health and safety operating protocol that has redefined cruising and made it one of the safest options for a holiday now, and in the future. And during all this, we did not lose sight of our commitments to be an ethical as well as a sustainable company,” said MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago.

“We made significant progress in protecting our planet by reducing emissions through investment in new technologies like LNG, which are bringing us closer to achieving net carbon neutral operations by 2050, as well as other major accomplishments in looking after our people, caring for the places we visit, improving procurement and providing emergency support through the MSC Foundation. This year’s report is another important milestone in our journey towards fully sustainable and zero climate impact operations,” he added.

Having abruptly halted all sailings fleet-wide in March 2020, MSC Cruises said that it had to see tens of thousands of guests safely home in a matter of days, establish a warm layup regime for the fleet, and start repatriating the vast majority of nearly twenty thousand crew members in an increasingly closed border environment.

Due to this halt, MSC Cruises said that it saw the number of commercially operational days for the year drop by 75 per cent and the number of passengers carried decreased by 78 per cent.

For the crew, closed borders and isolation periods meant that some of them were unable to return home for many months. They were looked after while they remained on board, given guest cabins for individual use, and provided additional emotional support services. While the cruise line looked for viable ways to safely repatriate them, MSC Cruises said that its specialized team ashore offered crew members ongoing group and one-to-one psychological support and assistance to help combat loneliness.

With the start of the pandemic, MSC Cruises said that it also rapidly set up the infrastructure required to enable a smooth transition to remote working for shoreside employees. A global communication platform was introduced to keep the business connected and allow "effective smart working."

The human resources teams worked rapidly with MSC’s IT team to ensure a “smooth transition for employees,” with online training being provided on its use and application. Over 700 shore-based staff attended these sessions, supporting an effective transition to remote working, MSC said.

In parallel to dealing with the immediate challenges brought by the pandemic, MSC Cruises worked on a Health & Safety Protocol in partnership with a specially convened Blue Ribbon COVID-19 Expert Group of public health experts.

MSC Cruises said that it “redesigned the entire cruise experience to provide guests with a safety bubble from the moment of embarkation to their return home.” Thanks to this, MSC said, it became the first cruise line to get approval from the relevant national and regional authorities to resume cruise operations in the Mediterranean region.

On Aug. 16, MSC Grandiosa departed from Genoa, Italy on a seven-night sailing having tested all guests and crew prior to embarkation, periodically screening everyone on board, and with robust contingency plans to manage suspected cases with the local health authorities.

MSC Cruises also developed a shore bubble excursion concept that ensures the safety of guests and the local communities during port calls.

According to a press release about the report, MSC also continued to make significant achievements in sustainability in 2020, which included the following: 

• Continued commitment to decarbonization: Remain on track to meet, or likely exceed, the target for 40-per cent improvement in emissions intensity by 2030 compared to 2008 as part of MSC’s journey to achieve net carbon neutral operations by 2050. Whilst true comparisons in 2020 compared to previous years are not possible with the long layups, a 2.5-per cent improvement was seen prior to lay up in 2020 compared to the previous year, which would bring efficiency improvements since 2008 to over 30 per cent.
• Optimizing energy use: In 2020, the MSC Grandiosa’s crew supported the implementation of Ecorizon, a process of ship energy optimization that collects data using onboard automation systems and sensors, allowing a very precise status report on the energy profile of the ship. The information collected is then compared with a dynamic digital twin to guide onboard operators, improve operational profiles and voyage management.
• Preparing for LNG operations: 2020 saw work advance on the MSC World Europa, MSC Cruises’ first LNG-powered ship. The ship is due to enter service in 2022, enabling a lower carbon footprint and significant reductions of SOx and NOx emissions compared to conventional propulsion. Two additional LNG-powered ships are due to enter service in 2023 and 2025.
• Promoting innovation: MSC Cruises continued to collaborate with other industry leaders in their fields to research and develop new solutions that will help the decarbonization of shipping. At the end of 2020, the EU Horizon 2020 fund awarded funding to the CHEK Consortium, a collaborative effort focusing on combining progressive energy technologies and forward-thinking ship design to promote low-carbon maritime operations including hydrogen propulsion and onboard waste to energy systems.

Additionally, teams across the business continued to work collaboratively to further reduce plastic use and creation of waste as well as lessen MSC’s impact on marine life and biodiversity.

“This report recognizes the immediate challenges that COVID-19 brought to us, and despite this, our continued focus on our environmental and social obligations and actions, not least the growing demand for decarbonization. At present, our industry is almost wholly reliant on fossil fuels. To achieve our zero-emissions goal, we will need to switch to new fuels and require the support of governments and regulators to enable this major transition in the cruise industry,” MSC Cruises’ Sustainability Director Linden Coppell said.

“In the meantime, we are committed to improving the energy efficiency of our existing fleet and are considering how best to prepare for the future. This includes investigating the use of low carbon fuels that, if available at scale, can replace existing fuels without significant modification of current machinery and systems,” she added.