This Blog is for New to Cruise and the well Traveled , on this site we will publish information about Cruise and Holiday information, with some insider stories in the travel press.
The cruise industry’s 2026 global deployment pattern is forecast to continue based on port infrastructure and destination attractions.
For 2026, the Caribbean attracted nearly 41 percent of the global cruise passenger capacity, up from 39 percent in 2019, according to the 2026 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.
This year, the Caribbean will see an estimated total of about 17 million passengers, compared to 11 million in 2019.
The Caribbean capacity has been on a linear expansion curve over the past several decades.
The Mediterranean is the second largest sailing region with 15 percent of the industry capacity in 2026 and 6 million passengers up from 4 million passengers and the same market share in 2019.
The third largest deployment is found in the Asia-Pacific region with more than 4.4 million passengers sailing there for a market share just north of 11.4 percent, compared to 3.4 million passengers and a 12 percent market share in 2019.
Only the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asia-Pacific command double digit market shares.
Next is Northern Europe with 9 percent, the West Coast (of the United States) 5 percent, Alaska 4.7 percent, Australia 2.6 percent, the Canary Islands 2 percent, down to world cruises at 0.1 percent.
The deployment pattern is driven by demand combined with infrastructure development.
The total estimated passenger number for 2026 is 40 million.
Explora Journeys Presents the ‘Homes at Sea’ Staterooms
Explora Journeys today unveiled the design of its Ocean Terrace Suites for its first ship, Explora I, ahead of her maiden cruise next May for MSC's new luxury brand.
According to a press release, Explora Journeys was born from a long-held vision of the founders, the Aponte Vago family. With the family’s nautical heritage of over 300 years coupled with their innate understanding of luxury, the family have carefully curated the design of the suites, penthouses and residences to create a luxurious home at sea.
The company said that the Aponte Vago family has worked meticulously in collaboration with some of the world’s foremost superyacht, cruise and luxury hospitality designers and architects. The innovative ship will seamlessly blend elegant Swiss precision with modern European craftsmanship and vibrant design, to create luxurious, serene, and spacious Homes at Sea ranging from 35 sqm (377 sq ft) in the Ocean Terrace category up to 280 sqm (3014 sq ft) for the Owners Residence.
Each Home at Sea includes a walk-in wardrobe with a seated vanity area and features a Dyson Supersonic hairdryer, heated floors in the bathrooms, personal binoculars, wireless bed-side charging, a personal mini-bar replenished according to the guests’ preferences, an espresso machine with bio-degradable pods, a kettle and teapot, and a complimentary personal refillable water bottle for each guest. 24-hour guest services also ensure every desire or request is provided.
Michael Ungerer, Chief Executive Officer of Explora Journeys, said: “The Homes at Sea have been a long-held vision of the Aponte Vago family. It is a truly exciting and profound moment for us to be able to welcome future guests to the carefully curated suites, penthouses and residences. Marrying the family`s impeccable taste and innate understanding of luxury, inspired by their personal travels and style, the interiors of EXPLORA I have been designed with their enduring dedication and an incredible eye for detail, along with their vision for the future, weaving a thread of their passion throughout each touchpoint. We aspire to elevate the ocean experience and luxury travel to new heights, whilst being respectful to the ocean, environment, and the destinations and cultures we discover, to ensure we leave a positive legacy for generations to come.”
The design of each suite has been developed in collaboration with De Jorio Luxury & Yachts projects, and London-based architectural and interior design studio NenMar.
Princess Adds More Touchless Technology On Cruise Ships
As part of its Medallion Class upgrades, Princess Cruises is rolling out a number of new touchless guest experiences when its fleet returns to service in 2021.
TrulyTouchless Arrival and Embarkation
Embarkation day will leverage OceanMedallion technology to reduce friction, remove a contact, and avoid crowds, streamlining arrival and check-in, as well as completely reinventing the traditional muster drill.
OceanReady
All guests will now be required to become OceanReady before leaving home, creating a touchless, expedited arrival experience and embarkation. Guests will use the MedallionClass app to upload travel documents and complete a health questionnaire in advance as well as provide important emergency information and form of payment, take a security image, personalize their Medallions and order accessories to be shipped to their home or ready for pick up upon arrival.
Simplified Safety Training
A new approach to the safety assembly on embarkation day lets guests watch an important safety video on their mobile device anytime on embarkation day via their stateroom TV and verify their designated muster station with a quick, contactless check-in at their convenience anytime between boarding and sail away. The OceanMedallion system provides the verification needed by the ship’s captain to confirm muster drill check-in while strengthening safety and security operations onboard, safeguarding guest and crew health, and increasing operational efficiency.
Stateroom Entry
Access to staterooms is now said to be a seamless experience where each guest is securely validated as their cabin door automatically unlocks as they approach. The do-not-disturb sign also becomes a thing of the past as the feature is integrated with the personalized portal outside each cabin, allowing guests to request privacy or designate their room for service by touching the display or using the MedallionClass app.
TrulyTouchless Commerce
MedallionPay is now and eliminates the need to carry cash and credit cards onboard and in Princess Cays, the line's private island.
The system allows for "effortless" payment when purchasing anything on the ship – food, beverages, merchandise, excursions, even laundry tokens.
OceanNow Service On-Demand
Food, beverage, retail orders and service are delivered directly to a guest’s location.
Guests can place orders using their smart device, their stateroom TV or with a crew member, as the Medallion continuously ensures great service wherever a guest may go onboard.
One frustration for travel agents is when clients want to book a cruise on short notice with the expectation that they’ll be able to stay in connecting cabins. It can sometimes be hard to find rooms that adjoin or are on the same deck, much less those that connect.
But cruise lines could do more to help the situation, some travel agents say. The issue came to light at a recent travel agent forum on Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas.
Agents said that Royal often allows connecting rooms to be booked online as singles, negating the advantage of having the connecting door between the two cabins.
“Royal Caribbean is great for families, but it is a real struggle on some of your popular sailings to find connecting rooms that do not have one already booked,” said Elise Aust, of Custom Cruise & Travel, Omaha, Neb.
Aust suggested that Royal hold the cabins back from full inventory to ensure that people who actually need them get to use them. “The last thing I’d want if I was booking a single cabin is a door to another room if I didn’t need it,” she said. “I think you would get a lot more families.”
Royal President Michael Bayley agreed that the idea made a lot of sense. “We’ll take a look at it and speak to our revenue team and see what we can do.”
Aust’s other suggestion, by the way, was to put magnifying mirrors in the bathrooms, an idea that seemed to confound Bayley.
“Really? That sounds horrifying,” he said. But he added that Royal would take a look at it for its new ships.
Norwegian Breakaway Offers a Range of Cabins On the Norwegian Breakaway there are accommodations to suit just about every type of passengerBy: Marilyn Green
Norwegian Breakaway, the new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line that features a New York City theme, is very much like the city itself when it comes to accommodations. Just like New York, the ship features a wide range of living arrangements that run from economical studios to luxurious staterooms boasting fabulous views.
The Haven Breakaway’s Haven — with its 24-hour service from butlers trained by the International Institutes of — follows the luxury enclave pattern of the previous ships, providing exclusivity and luxury with access to the bells and whistles of a large vessel. Passengers can choose to dine in their suites, served by their butlers, and call upon them for a variety of other services. The Haven’s private pool has a dedicated valet to cater to guests’ wishes, and there is a private fitness area and hot tub in the private courtyard as well. Haven guests also receive priority reservations in the ship’s specialty restaurants, as well as priority in the spa and at shows.
On a recent sailing, agents onboard Breakaway were particularly impressed by the Haven Spa Suite With Balcony, with its king-size bed, hot tub and oversize waterfall shower. Occupants have complimentary access to the thermal spa suite with 13 heated loungers, a sauna, a steam room, a solarium, a vitality pool and whirlpools at the 23,000-square-foot Mandara Spa. Outside The Haven’s confines but with access to the amenities, the spa suites run 309 square feet and are designed for two people. There was also considerable praise for the four Haven Deluxe Owner’s Suites With Large Balcony. These 932-square-foot rooms sleep up to four people and feature gorgeous ocean views, a wet bar and a large wraparound balcony, as well as a bath and a half.
Meanwhile, the Haven Aft-Facing Penthouses With Large Balcony have king-size beds and very attractive dining and sitting areas, along with access to the Haven’s features. At 655 to 824 square feet, they accommodate up to four guests. Within The Haven itself, Haven Courtyard Penthouses With Balcony include a king-size bed and a private balcony with a beautiful view; up to three guests can share, although generally two people book these 328- to 349-square-foot accommodations.
Family Accommodations For families of up to six people, The Haven’s Two-Bedroom Family Villa With Balcony has a bedroom with a king-size bed and a second one with a double sofa bed, plus two bathrooms, with a total of 535 to 545 square feet of space. Another option: Four or five family members can be accommodated in the 218-square-foot Family Oceanview Stateroom With Large Picture Window. Most of these have a bathtub (there are no bathtubs in staterooms 5138, 5140, 5738 and 5740), and a number of them offer connecting rooms, providing options for dividing up family groups.
The 239-square-foot Family Mini-Suites With Balcony on Deck 12 sleep up to four and are located close to kids’ activities. In these rooms, the two lower beds convert to a king-size bed, and there’s an upper bed, sofa bed and bathtub.
Also located near the kids’ programs and aimed at families seeking maximum value, 135-square-foot Family Inside staterooms sleep up to four, with two lower beds that convert to a queen-size bed and two pull-down beds in a very snug living space.
At the same size, the mid-ship and fore and aft Inside Staterooms each has two lower beds that convert to a queen-size. The Studios on Decks 10 and 11 are another sort of inside stateroom — designed for just one passenger without charging a single supplement — and each have their own private lounge where singles can mingle. This restricted-access complex is made up of 100-square-foot rooms with a full-size bed and bathroom and one-way windows that face the corridor.
Staterooms on Breakaway have a number of thoughtful touches, including storage space and good-size bathrooms with showers that have sliding doors, not curtains.
New Yorkers have a particular view of space, and, as agents explored Breakaway, more than a few of them commented: “This is bigger than my whole apartment.”
Not something one often hears on a cruise ship.
Continuing its sailings round trip out of New York, Breakaway moves from Bermuda to seven-day Bahamas and Florida cruises at the beginning of October.
