A new party is coming for Carnival Cruise Line as the official construction kicks off for Carnival Festivale, the line’s fourth Excel class ship. The steel cutting was held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, where the 182,800-gross ton ship is now under construction. “The steel being cut
Ensenada Cruise Port is one of Mexico’s most popular maritime gateways, located in the vibrant coastal city of Ensenada in Baja California. This bustling port welcomes cargo vessels and a steady stream of cruise ships year-round. Despite the industrialized nature of the port itself, visiting offers cruise passengers an exciting blend of cultural, culinary, and
On a sun-splashed Tuesday morning at the world’s biggest cruise conference, the industry’s top brass convened to discuss the state of the industry. The veritable “who’s who” of cruising, included the CEOs of Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) Bud Darr, Royal Caribbean Group’s Jason Liberty, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ Harry Sommer, and Carnival Corporation’s Josh
Carnival Cruise Line’s wildly popular Brand Ambassador, John Heald, will be making waves in November, while he waves from the deck of a Carnival ship! Heald will be sailing aboard Carnival Magic from Miami, Florida for one special departure. Typically, he announces his cruises more than a year in advance, not just seven months. The
Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations and a bucket-list itinerary for many cruisers. But will as many cruisers be able to visit the capital of the Last Frontier if a new initiative passes? The new measure, filed on Monday, April 7, 2025, seeks to solidify more casual agreements into actual law for
The cruise industry’s so-called green transition took a big leap forward with the announcement that the world’s first, fully hydrogen-powered cruise ships are being built for Viking Ocean Cruises at a Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. Slated for delivery in 2026 and 2027, Viking Libra will be the first to debut, followed by Viking Astrea. Both
Juneau, one of Alaska’s busiest cruise ports that has taken steps to limit the impact of cruising on local lifestyle and environment, has agreed to the development of a fifth cruise ship dock in the city’s downtown area. The decision by the Juneau Assembly on April 7, 2025 enables the Huna Totem Corporation to get
A new era is about to begin for both North American cruising as well as Europe’s leading cruise line as the two come together with MSC Cruises’ MSC World America, one of the largest ships to debut in the US for 2025. The outstanding new ship, the first World class vessel to sail from the
The US might soon be charging up to $1.5 million each time a Chinese-built or flagged ship docks at its ports, and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) isn’t too happy about it. On April 7, 2025, the CHTA called on the administration to consider making some exceptions, warning that the policy has “unintended
Carnival Cruise Line has shared a lot of news in just 24 hours, but how are guests reacting to it? Not everyone may be equally excited, depending on how each different bit of news impacts their cruising plans. John Heald, the cruise line’s official Brand Ambassador, has posted a poll asking guests which of the
Chalk up another big win for Port Canaveral, soon to be the homeport for one of Carnival Cruise Line’s newest Excel-class ship, Carnival Festivale, the fourth vessel in the class. The cruise line confirmed the deployment, along with several other future port changes, as part of a broad, April 6, 2025 announcement revealing an ambitious
Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the highly anticipated Norwegian Aqua, has finally arrived in the United States, bringing some color to a dreary, rainy Monday in New York City when she docked on April 7, 2025. Showcasing her vibrant hull artwork that is fittingly entitled “Where the Sky Meets the Sea,” the arrival marks the first
