Costa Diadema Arrives in Northern Europe for Summer Season

Costa Diadema Arrives in Northern Europe for Summer Season

The Costa Diadema arrived in Northern Europe earlier this month to kick off a summer season in the region.

Having spent the past winter in South America, the Costa Cruises vessel started a series of seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords on May 15, 2026.

Sailing from Kiel and Copenhagen, the weeklong cruises sail to destinations in Norway, Germany and Denmark.

Ports of call set to be visited as part of the deployment include Bergen, Stavanger, Flam, Alesund, Geiranger, Haugesund and Hellesylt.

The season runs through mid-September, when the Diadema is scheduled to reposition to the Western Mediterranean.

The ship initially offers short cruises to Italy, Spain and France before operating longer itineraries that also sail to destinations in Portugal, the United Kingdom and Morocco.

Following its fall schedule in the region, the 2014-built vessel embarks on a repositioning cruise back to South America in early November.

Before kicking off its summer season in Northern Europe, the ship also offered a trans-Atlantic crossing that departed from Santos, Brazil.

The 25-night repositioning voyage included visits to additional Brazilian destinations, along with ports in Cape Verde, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, France, England and Belgium.

Back in South America for the 2026-27 winter season, the Diadema is scheduled to offer cruises to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

Following a series of short cruises from Santos and Itajaí in November, the 3,700-passenger ship kicks off regular cruises to Santos, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Itajaí in December.

The seven-night itinerary, which allows guests to join the cruise in every port, will be offered through late March.

In addition to the Diadema, Costa is also deploying the Costa Serena in South America for the 2026-27 season, offering cruises from Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.

G Adventures’ New Expedition Sets Sail to South America

G Adventures’ New Expedition Sets Sail to South America

G Adventures’ new Expedition is currently on its way to South America for its maiden season in Antarctica.

Acquired by the company earlier this year, the former Ocean Adventurer spent the last few months in Europe while being prepared for its debut.

Replacing the former Expedition, the 1976-built vessel is scheduled to kick off its first expedition for G Adventures in late October.

Departing from Montevideo, Uruguay, the itinerary features visits to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica before ending in Ushuaia, Argentina.

According to G Adventures, the expedition is highlighted by wildlife and nature, with opportunities to catch up with penguins, whales and seals.

The cruise also includes daily lectures, as well as zodiac excursions, landings and other activities both onboard and ashore.

While the final itinerary is subject to weather conditions, the company plans to visit Port Stanley, the Scotia Sea, the South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula and more.

After arriving in Ushuaia in early November, the new Expedition is set to kick off a series of sailings to Antarctica that includes four itineraries.

Among the options is the “Antarctica Classic” expedition, which sails for 11 nights and includes four days in the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands.

Previously operated by Quark Expeditions, the former Ocean Adventurer was acquired by G Adventures in May.

According to the company, the 117-guest vessel marks “an exciting step” for its polar program, securing the future of its small-ship expeditions and allowing room for expansion.

Chartered from SunStone Ships, the Expedition is said to be more comfortable and efficient, featuring a restaurant and bar, as well as a large presentation lounge, a library, a fitness area, an observation deck and more.

The ship also carries 11 zodiacs for daily excursions, in addition to a minimum of 14 expedition experts per sailing.

In related news, G Adventures recently announced that it is relaunching its expeditions in the Arctic starting in 2026.

Majestic Princess Swaps Galveston for South America in 2026-27

Majestic Princess Swaps Galveston for South America in 2026-27

Instead of offering cruises departing from Galveston, the Majestic Princess will sail in South America during the 2026-27 winter season.

Initially scheduled to sail from Texas to the Caribbean, the Royal-class ship saw its four-month season in the region cancelled in early April.

At the time, Princess Cruises said that the decision was part of a “broader global fleet redeployment strategy.”

The company then announced, in late May, its plans to operate the Majestic Princess in South America and Antarctica.

Running between November 2026 and January 2027, the ship’s season in the region includes five itineraries and six departures.

The deployment is highlighted by scenic cruising in Antarctica, including two overnight experiences in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Ranging from 15 to 33 days in length, the ship’s itineraries in the region will also mark Princess’s debut in the Beagle Channel Fjords and Glacier Alley.

The Majestic Princess is also set to visit Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and the Falkland Islands as part of cruises departing from Bridgetown, Buenos Aires and San Antonio.

In other recent deployment news, Princess announced that the Sapphire Princess, which is sailing in South America in 2025-26, will reposition to Asia.

Sailing along with its sister ship, the Diamond Princess, the ship will offer a series of cruises departing from Singapore and Yokohama.

The 14- to 42-night itineraries feature visits to destinations in Southeast Asia and the Far East, such as Hong Kong, Ha Long Bay and Ko Samui.

With the Majestic in South America and the Sapphire in Asia, Princess won’t offer cruises departing from Galveston in 2026-27.

The company is set to operate a farewell season from the Texas homeport in 2025-26, which will include the Regal Princess offering four- to eight-night cruises to destinations in the Western and Southern Caribbean.

Costa Diadema Debuts in Argentina and Uruguay

Costa Diadema Debuts in Argentina and Uruguay

One of three Costa Cruises ships in South America this season, the Costa Diadema recently offered its first-ever cruise to Argentina and Uruguay.

The 3,700-guest ship debuted in the two countries as part of a seven-night itinerary that includes visits to Buenos Aires and Montevideo, as well as the Brazilian ports of Santos and Itajaí.

Sailing from multiple homeports, the cruise will be offered through early April and also includes three days at sea.

“We had great demand for this itinerary in the 2023-24 season, so we decided to increase our offering in this region,” said Renê Hermann, Costa’s Brazil president.

The Costa Diadema takes over the itinerary from the smaller Costa Favolosa, which had been sailing to Argentina and Uruguay for the past two summer seasons.

While most of the ship’s capacity will be allocated to the Brazilian market, passengers will also be able to embark in Argentina.

“We’ve also seen significant demand in the country, and we’ll have guests embarking there too,” Hermann told Cruise Industry News.

In addition to the Costa Diadema, Costa’s 2024-25 deployment in South America also includes the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Pacifica.

The Costa Pacifica opened the company’s season in South America after arriving in Brazil in late November.

Sailing from Santos and Rio de Janeiro, the 2009-built vessel will be fully dedicated to the Brazilian market through late March.

Offering longer itineraries in the region, the Costa Favolosa is also offering cruises to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

The vessel’s eight- to nine-night itineraries sail from Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Montevideo and visit destinations that include Punta del Este, Balneário Camboriú and Ilhabela.

After completing its schedule of seven-night cruises in the region, the Costa Diadema is scheduled to offer short cruises from Santos before returning to Europe in late April.

Brazil’s Santos Port Authority to Offer Reduced Fees for Cruise Ships

Brazil’s Santos Port Authority to Offer Reduced Fees for Cruise Ships

Santos Port Authority (SPA) is offering reduced operational fees for cruise ships visiting the Port of Santos in Brazil, according to a press release.

As part of a new set of regulations introduced in October, discounted fees will be provided to cruise lines based on the volume of passengers travelling to the port onboard their ships.

The reduction in fees ranges from 10 to 60 per cent, with the maximum benefit offered to operators bringing more than 680,000 passengers.

SPA also provides discounts for various types of vessels that achieve a certain rating on a local index of sustainability and efficiency.

“This is another way to encourage operators who adopt best practices,” said SPA President Anderson Pomini.

The new regulation for discounted fees will be in effect for 12 months and may be extended based on the port authority’s evaluation of its effectiveness.

Operators will provisionally receive the discounts based on their own estimates, the Santos Port Authority explained.

Numbers will later be adjusted at the end of the cruise season based on actual data from SPA’s data system.

The regulation requires operators to inform SPA in advance about their estimated number of passengers and specific schedules.

As the largest homeport in Brazil, Santos is set to seeten cruise ships during the 2024-25 season.

In addition to welcoming transit calls, the port will serve as a base for three ships from MSC Cruises, including the MSC Grandiosa, the MSC Seaview and the MSC Splendida.

A fourth ship from the company, the MSC Armonia, is also scheduled to sail from Santos between February and March.

Costa Cruises is also offering cruises departing from the port onboard two ships: the Costa Diadema and the Costa Pacifica.

Brands visiting the port for transit calls include Princess Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal and Villa Vie Residences.

Star Kicks Off Norwegian’s 2023-24 Season in South America and Antarctica

Star Kicks Off Norwegian’s 2023-24 Season in South America and Antarctica

The Norwegian Star recently arrived in South America to kick off Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2023-24 in the region.

Extending through April, the local program features different itineraries to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Chile, and Antarctica.

After concluding its summer program in Northern Europe, the 2,200-guest vessel arrived in Brazil in early December.

Before concluding its repositioning cruise in Rio de Janeiro, the Star visited several destinations in the country, including Recife, Maceió, Salvador and Búzios.

Continuing its way to the Southern tip of the continent, the ship also offered a ten-night cruise to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in mid-December.

The one-way cruise sailed from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires and featured visits to Búzios, Ilha Grande, Ilhabela, Santos, Balneário Camboriú, Punta del Este and Montevideo.

Once in Buenos Aires, the Norwegian Star kicked off the first sailing of a regular series of cruises to Argentina, Antarctica, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands.

The 16-night cruise features visits to several destinations in the region, such as Puerto Madryn, Punta Arenas, Port Stanley and Punta del Este.

Before returning to Buenos Aires, the Norwegian Star is also scheduled to spend a few days cruising around Elephant Island and other parts of Antarctica.

After additional itineraries in the region, the 2001-built vessel is scheduled to return to Europe in mid-April, via a transatlantic crossing that starts in Rio de Janeiro and ends in Lisbon, Portugal.

In addition to the Star, Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2023-24 program in South America also includes the Norwegian Sun.

Between January and early March, the vessel is scheduled to offer a series of cruises to the Andes, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego that include visits to destinations in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and the Falkland Islands.

Rogue Wave Kills Passenger on Viking’s Newest Polar Expedition Cruise Ship

One person was killed and four others injured after a Viking expedition cruise ship was struck by a rogue wave off the southern tip of South America this week.

The “rogue wave incident” happened on Tuesday, November 29, on board the Viking Polaris, which Viking only recently took delivery of in September, as it was sailing towards Ushuaia, Argentina, Viking Cruises confirmed in a statement.

“It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident. We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies,” the statement said. Four other passengers reportedly sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were treated on board.

The ship suffered limited damage, reportedly with several broken windows, and arrived in port in Ushuaia on the afternoon of November 30.

The Drake Passage, extending between Cape Horn at South America’s southernmost tip and Antarctica, is notorious for its extreme weather conditions and turbulent seas.

“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities,” Viking’s statement said. “Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel.”

Viking Polaris is Viking’s second purpose-built “Polar Class” expedition ship and was delivered by Fincantieri’s VARD shipyard in Søviknes, Norway in September. Both Viking Polaris and its sister ship Viking Octanes, delivered in December 2021, are spending the austral summer in Antarctica, before travelling to the Great Lakes for a series of voyages starting next spring and summer. The vessels, with a length of 205 meters and a beam of 23.5 meters, have a passenger capacity of 378 people.

As a result of the incident, Viking has cancelled its next scheduled departure on December 5.

MSC to Base 6 Ships in South America for the 2023-2024 Season

MSC to Base 6 Ships in South America for the 2023-2024 Season

MSC Cruise in Port Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

MSC Cruises will base six ships in South America for the 2023-224 season the line announced today as it started its 2022-2023 sailing season from the port of Santos in Brazil with the departure of the MSC Fantasia, according to a press release.

MSC said it will deploy five vessels in Brazil and one in Argentina next season to reinforce its position as the ocean cruise market leader in South America.

The MSC Grandiosa, MSC Preziosa and MSC Armonia will homeport in Santos, the MSC Seaview in Rio de Janeiro, the MSC Lirica in Itajai and the MSC Musica in Buenos Aires.  

The announcement today was made ahead of MSC Fantasia’s first of 132 seasonal sailings MSC Cruises that will operate in South America during 2022-2023 with four ships offering a 68 per cent increase in cabins compared to the 2019-2020 season.

The MSC Fantasia will be joined this season by the MSC Seashore – which MSC said was the largest and most modern cruise ship ever operating in the region.

The MSC Seaview and MSC Armonia will off a range of cruises in South America including 10 destinations in Brazil, Buenos Aires in Argentina and both Montevideo and Punta Del Este in Uruguay.

MSC Cruises forecasts that it will welcome nearly 400,000 guests for its 2022-2023 South American season including 50,000 international travellers.

Sales for MSC Cruises’ 2023-2024 South American season go on sale on Dec. 1.

War Veteran Weston Joins the Balmoral for Falklands Itinerary

War Veteran Weston Joins the Balmoral for Falklands Itinerary

War Veteran Simon Weston CBE will provide his insight as a guest aboard Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral when the ship visits the Falkland Islands as part of its 78-night voyage to South America and the Antarctic in 2023, according to a press release.

Weston, a Patron of the Falkland Veterans Foundation, will make a guest appearance on board for 14 nights, boarding during the Balmoral's call on Port Stanley and will share his perspective from his time in the Falkland Islands, according to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Weston was severely burned on more than 46 per cent of his body during the Falkland Islands war in 1982. Following the war, he devoted himself to charity work as well as motivational speeches and broadcasts. He is also an ambassador for Changing Faces, as well as a patron of The Enham Trust and Allied Service Trust.

“His experience can add real insight to our guests as Balmoral sails to the Falkland Isles. His story is one of achievement and triumph in the face of adversity, and we know our guests will value learning more about his journey and about the Falklands War,” said Helen Bennett, entertainments and enrichment manager, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

“Simon absolutely loves cruising, seeing new places and meeting new and interesting people onboard. He is passionate about sharing his experiences during the Falklands campaign and life afterwards,” added Weston’s representative at Champions UK plc, Alan Warner.

Norwegian Cruise Line Could Be Set To Move Some Asia Capacity

Norwegian Cruise Line Could Be Set To Move Some Asia Capacity

With uncertainties still surrounding operating cruises in parts of Asia, Norwegian Cruise Line could be poised to redeploy ships in the near future, according to NCLH President and CEO Frank Del Rio, speaking on the company’s first-quarter earnings call.

Despite what Del Rio said were cruises selling at very high prices, there is still a risk.

“And so we will likely take some chips off the board in the coming weeks to balance that risk-reward, likely at the Norwegian brand, which has more flexibility in where it can achieve good pricing and accelerate the bookings, much faster than Oceania and Regent can, because of the longer booking curve there,” Del Rio said.

The Norwegian Sun has a scheduled Asia program for the 2022-2023 season, while the newly-refurbished Norwegian Spirit is scheduled to sail in Australia and New Zealand.

“The good news is that we heard from the Minister of Tourism in New Zealand that they expect New Zealand to open up no later than October to cruising. That opens up that whole Australasia area for us (including) Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti. And we hear good commentary coming out of some Asian countries, some Asian ports, (but) not China. And we're not very big in China as you know,” he continued.

Del Rio said he was hopeful for Asia and also South America, where Argentina, Uruguay and Chile will be open to ships.

“The world is reopening perhaps at different paces. But it is reopening. And that's good news for us.”

Costa Ship Shuffle for Brazil Due to LNG Supply Chain Challenges

Costa Ship Shuffle for Brazil Due to LNG Supply Chain Challenges

Citing uncertainty and recent world developments, Costa Cruises has announced changes to its 2022-2023 program in South America.

According to a statement issued in the local market, the company will no longer operate the 2021-built Costa Toscana in Brazil during the season.

Instead, the Costa Firenze will debut in the country, taking over the program previously announced for the LNG-powered ship.

Citing world developments in the energy market, Costa said it decided to “assure the arrival of three vessels in South America, bringing the new Costa Firenze in place of the Costa Toscana.”

The company said that the LNG needed for the Toscana “could only be sourced through international operations.”

With the change, the 2020-built Costa Firenze is now set to offer a series of seven-night domestic cruises in Brazil.

Departing from Santos and Salvador, the program takes place between December 2022 and April 2023.

Taking the title currently held by the Costa Diadema, the Firenze will become the largest ship ever operated by Costa in South America, the company said.

In addition to the Costa Firenze, Costa’s 2022-2023 program in South America also includes the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Fortuna.

Starting in December, the Favolosa is set to offer seven-night cruises to Argentina and Uruguay. The program runs through April and features departures from two Brazilian ports: Santos and Itajaí.

Returning to the region after a ten-year hiatus, the Costa Fortuna will also be based in Brazil. Sailing from Rio de Janeiro, the vessel is set to offer eight-night itineraries to several destinations in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

Both ships will also offer departures from Buenos Aires and Montevideo.

Celebrity Eclipse Returning to South America For 2023-2024 Season

The Celebrity Eclipse is heading to South America for a four-month deployment program, December 2023 – April 2024, visiting 16 destinations offering a 14-night Antarctica cruise and a 12-night Argentina and Patagonia sailing.

Destinations on the deployment program include Valparaiso, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and even the tip of Antarctica. 

Those who want to visit Machu Picchu will enjoy the 16-night repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Chile which includes two overnights in Lima, Peru.

“The power of travel expands our horizons, introduces us to other cultures, and opens us up to truly fulfilling experiences. Celebrity takes its guests to far-reaching corners of the globe while enjoying unrivalled luxury travel adventures,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. “We have so much planned for 2023, and we’re really looking forward to sharing the culture and charm of the world with our guests as they Journey WonderFULLSM with us.”

Four Die on Holland America Cruise Ship

MS Zaandam. Photo courtesy Holland America Line

PANAMA CITY, March 27 (Reuters) – Four passengers have died on board the MS Zaandam, a cruise ship currently off the coast of Panama with dozens of guests suffering from influenza-like symptoms, at least two of whom have coronavirus, the vessel’s operator said on Friday.

Zaandam had been on a South American cruise that departed Argentina on March 7 and had been scheduled to end in San Antonio, Chile on March 21. Nobody has disembarked from the ship since it docked in Punta Arenas, Chile nearly two weeks ago.

Holland America Line, the operator, said in a statement it “can confirm that four older guests have passed away.”

Some 53 guests and 85 crew have reported to the medical centre with flu-like symptoms, the operator added, noting that “all ports” along Zaandam’s route are closed to cruise ships.

All told, there are 1,243 guests and 586 crew on board, as well as four doctors and four nurses, the statement said.

The cruise operator said it wants to transfer groups of healthy Zaandam passengers to its sister ship Rotterdam, which is now alongside the vessel of Panama.

Holland America Line said it was still working with the Panamanian authorities to see if it could get approval to transit the Panama Canal and sail to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Two Le Boreal cruises canceled to repair ship

Ponant has canceled the Nov. 30 and Dec. 10 departures of Le Boreal, a yacht that was damaged by a fire on its previous cruise.

Ponant evacuated all of the passengers from Le Boreal after a fire “of a technical nature” broke out as the ship was cruising near the Falkland Islands. The passengers were repatriated last weekend, Ponant said.

The ship is now at the quay in the East Cove Military Port in the Falkland Islands, and will be towed in the next few days to Punta Arenas’ shipyard in Chile for repairs.

The 264-passenger ship had just started a 15-night round trip Antarctica sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, on Nov. 15. The itinerary included a visit to South Georgia before landing in Antarctica and touring Deception Island. 

Cruise lines become targets in latest Falklands face-off

By Tom Stieghorst

Thirty years ago they triggered a war between Great Britain and Argentina. Today the Falkland Islands are again causing friction, and this time cruise ships are getting caught in the middle.

Argentine activists have been targeting cruise ships that call on the South Atlantic islands and then visit Argentine ports. Passengers have been harassed and ships delayed from leaving port.

Some rancor stems from last year’s 30th anniversary of the war, a 74-day conflict over sovereignty won by Great Britain, and from a recent letter sent by Argentine President Cristina Kirchner to British Prime Minister David Cameron calling on him to return control of the islands to Argentina.

Underlying the tensions are hopes that undersea oil discoveries could bring new wealth to the islands.

Oil resources are unevenly divided in South America, with Venezuela and Ecuador having a lot and most of the other countries relatively little. But in 2009, one of the richest oil discoveries in the Western Hemisphere was made in deep water explorations off Brazil.

Seismic surveys show some signs that an equally large field could be tapped around the Falklands, and major players have been actively drilling exploration wells in the area.

Caught in the middle of this petro-political mess are cruise lines such as Seabourn, Princess and Silversea, which offer lengthy voyages this time of year in South America.

Cruise ships are targets because many are flagged in states associated with Great Britain, such as the Star Princess (Bermuda) or the Seabourn Sojourn (Bahamas). A law valid in five of Argentina’s provinces bans British ships involved in “exploitation of national resources” around the Falklands from docking.

Some ardent nationalists say the law extends to cruise ships. Last month, the Sojourn stayed in port an extra seven hours in Buenos Aires, under pressure to skip a stop in the Falklands, according to Britain’s Express newspaper.

A company statement said the delay was due to temporary unavailability of a tug and that it would sail to the Falklands after its stop in Montevideo, Uruguay, as scheduled.

While this latest round of protests continues, passengers booked on deep South America itineraries might best be prepared for the possibility of some extra days at sea.