Explora III Arrives in Northern Europe During Maiden Season

Explora III Arrives in Northern Europe During Maiden Season

Explora Journeys’ newest ship, the Explora III, recently arrived in Northern Europe during its maiden season.

The vessel is now offering a series of cruises to the Baltic Sea, Scandinavia and the British Isles, having welcomed its first guests in early August.

The Explora III kicked off its schedule in the region a few weeks later, following a repositioning voyage that started in Lisbon, Portugal.

The 15-night itinerary included visits to destinations in Spain, England, France and Norway before ending in Copenhagen, Denmark.

For its debut in the region, the ship is now offering a Baltic cruise that sails to Estonia, Sweden and Latvia.

The eight-night itinerary includes stops in Tallinn, Riga, Visby and Ronne, plus an overnight call in Stockholm.

The ship will offer additional itineraries to Scandinavia, the British Isles and Iceland before repositioning to North America.

In late September, the Explora III will cross the Atlantic for the first time ahead of a fall season in Canada and New England.

The vessel will then reposition to the Caribbean in late October, offering itineraries departing from Miami, Puerto Rico and Barbados.

Built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Sestri Ponente, Italy, the Explora III was delivered to Explora Journeys in late July.

As the third ship in a series that began with the Explora I in 2023, the 922-passenger vessel is the first in the company’s fleet to be powered by LNG.

The 70,000-ton vessel is also slightly larger than its predecessors, offering additional public areas and more suites.

Before arriving in Northern Europe, the ship offered itineraries in the Mediterranean, Iberia and the Atlantic.

Explora is now preparing to welcome the Explora IV and the Explora V to its fleet in 2027, with the Explora VI following suit in 2028.

Chief Dog Officer Boards Royal’s Legend for Maiden Season

Chief Dog Officer Boards Royal’s Legend for Maiden Season

Royal Caribbean’s next Chief Dog Officer is already onboard the new Legend of the Seas for its maiden season in the Western Mediterranean.

According to a social media update, Skipper joined the ship earlier this month ahead of the vessel’s maiden voyage.

The new Icon-class vessel is scheduled to welcome its first paying guests on July 4, 2026.

Joining Rover on the Icon of the Seas and Sailor on the Star of the Seas, the Golden Retriever will live onboard.

Described by Royal Caribbean as a “family dog” for guests and crew, Skipper was born in early February 2026 and underwent training at the company’s headquarters in Miami.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, Royal Caribbean’s Chief Dog Officer program is conducted in partnership with the American Humane Society.

The partnership is said to ensure top-tier care and training for the pets, which have their own tutors onboard.

According to Royal Caribbean, the initiative aims to bring joy to guests and crew through playtime with the dogs.

Skipper will be onboard the Legend of the Seas for its first commercial cruise, which will sail to destinations in Italy, Spain and France.

The seven-night inaugural voyage is scheduled to start at the Italian port of Civitavecchia, near Rome, on Saturday.

Highlights of the itinerary include visits to La Spezia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Marseille, as well as two days at sea in the Mediterranean.

Spending its first summer season in Europe, the Legend of the Seas will continue to offer similar itineraries through late October.

The 250,800-ton vessel will then offer a trans-Atlantic crossing ahead of debuting in Fort Lauderdale for a series of cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Regent Seven Seas Breaks Record for New Ship Bookings

Regent Seven Seas Breaks Record for New Ship Bookings

Regent Seven Seas Cruises enjoyed its biggest single booking day for the launch of a new ship, the company announced in a press release.

The record was achieved on June 25, 2025, when the luxury brand opened reservations for the new Seven Seas Prestige.

Bookings exceeded Regent’s previous record for a new ship launch day, when the Seven Seas Splendor went on sale in 2018, by 26%.

In addition, the Skyview Regent Suite, which was available at $25,000 per night, sold out on six out of the 13 available sailings.

According to Regent, the result is the best performance of a top-tier product the cruise line has ever experienced on an opening day.

“I’m absolutely thrilled, but not surprised, by the phenomenal results that the Seven Seas Prestige has produced – we knew that luxury travellers were extremely eager to reserve their suite on this incredible ship,” said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

“The Seven Seas Prestige promises to begin a new legacy for the entire ultra-luxury cruise sector, and we cannot wait until she joins the fleet in December 2026. I’d like to thank our valued guests and Travel Partners, as well as Regent’s highly talented and professional teams around the world, who all contributed to this fantastic achievement,” he added.

Set to be delivered in late 2026, the Seven Seas Prestige will be the first in a new class of ships developed by the company.

The 77,000-ton vessel will be 40 per cent larger than Regent’s previous ships, yet it will accommodate just ten per cent more guests, the company said.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the ship will host 822 guests in all-balcony suites, as well as 630 crew members.

During its maiden season, the ship offers 13 voyages across the Caribbean and Europe, visiting boutique ports and offering multiple overnight stays.

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.

MSC World America Arrives in Miami for Maiden Season

MSC World America Arrives in Miami for Maiden Season

MSC Cruises' newest ship, the MSC World America, arrived in Miami on Monday morning.

After being delivered by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique in late March, the vessel visited MSC’s private island of Ocean Cay before arriving in South Florida on Monday, April 7.

As the second ship in MSC Cruises’ World Class series, the MSC World America is now set to be christened before kicking off its inaugural cruise on April 12, 2025.

Photo credit - https://eatsleepcruise.com/msc-world-america-arrives-miami/

Sailing from Miami on a year-round basis, the 5,400-guest ship will offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Itineraries sail to both the Western and Eastern Caribbean, visiting destinations like San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatán, Honduras.

All of the ship’s sailings also feature a visit to MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Before welcoming its first paying guests, the MSC World America is set to be christened during a ceremony at the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal.

With actress Drew Barrymore serving as the ship’s godmother, the naming celebrations will take place on April 9, 2025.

The LNG-powered ship then embarks on a three-night pre-inaugural cruise to Ocean Cay before welcoming its first paying guests.

A sister to the 2022-built MSC World Europa, the new World America features a tweaked design aimed at the North American market.

According to MSC, the ship will be the first in the fleet to feature seven onboard districts, including The Harbour, an outdoor family venue with the Cliffhanger over-water swing ride, a ropes course, a water park, a playground, relaxation areas and complimentary grab-and-go dining.

Other highlighted features include the new All-Stars Sports Bar, which features an ocean-facing terrace and classic American fare while broadcasting popular sports.