Cruise

APT's Koral Lipton joins Explora Journeys trade sales team

Lipton will look after agents in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Riviera launches biggest-ever festive programme for December 2025

Thirty-seven river cruise departures are scheduled for Christmas and new year 2025, six of which will include optional land stays

Royal Caribbean delays inaugural Star of the Seas sailing

The seven-night inaugural has been cancelled ‘after a review of the work that remains to be done’

Riviera shows commitment to solo travellers with biggest-ever programme

The operator will launch later this week three new solo itineraries, bringing the total number of destinations available to single travellers to 12

Virgin Voyages cancels Australian season due to Red Sea tensions

“To say that we are disappointed to have come to this tough conclusion is an understatement,” Virgin Voyages said

Carnival Cruise Line partners with USAirtours to strengthen agent portfolio

Carnival UK & international sales director Luke Smith said the partnership will strengthen the capabilities of the company’s trade-only platform, Crew

APT to charter two Seabourn expedition vessels next year

APT will sail Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit to the UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, the Kimberley and Antarctica

P&O Cruises boss hints at changing airline partner following customer feedback

Last year, P&O Cruises agreed a deal with the Maltese air carrier Maleth Aero to fly passengers from Gatwick and Manchester to Barbados and Antigua

Riviera reveals maiden programmes for new-builds launching next year

The river cruise operator has announced plans to launch 178-passenger Riviera Radiance and 114-passenger Riviera Rose in 2025

Carnival Corp pledges $100m to double capacity at private destination

In addition to the two berths slated to be completed by next year, the world’s largest cruise company will now add two more berths

American Queen Voyages parent looks to sell failed US river line

The failed US river cruise line has also applied for bankruptcy protection to obtain more time to issue refunds to customers

'Celebrities can shine a light on the fragility of sensitive destinations'

Expedition Cruise Network chair Martin Johnson hails Susan Calman’s voyage to Antarctica with Scenic, and says it could serve as a model for travel to promote its offer alongside its responsible tourism and sustainability credentials

Royal Caribbean ups profit outlook amid soaring demand for key products

The group said the first five weeks of the year had resulted in the best wave booking weeks in its history

MSC reveals new cruises to replace axed 2024/25 Red Sea programme

Line will base MSC Opera in the Canary Islands for the winter, with itineraries calling in Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Madeira, Palma and Lanzarote en route back to Tenerife

Globus's Danielle Radford joins Celestyal as UK BDM

Danielle Radford joins the Greek Island specialist’s dedicated UK team and will be responsible for growing the line’s trade relationships

American Queen Voyages' UK representative moves to reassure agents

Light Blue Travel, the US line’s UK and Europe general sales agent, said it hoped AQV’s fleet of iconic paddlewheel steamboats could be rescued

Search under way for new Four Seasons Yachts chief as Larry Pimentel departs

Larry Pimentel and Philip Levine have vacated their roles at the luxury hotel chain Four Seasons’ cruise division 17 months after launching it

Travel agents to benefit from MSC Cruises’ new onboard booking initiative

Passengers can now secure their next cruise while onboard an MSC ship without choosing a particular vessel, itinerary and sailing date

Cunard unveils opportunities to join ‘back-to-back’ sailings from 2025

The 2025/27 programme includes 27 overnight port calls and 66 late-evening departures

Saga to expand river fleet amid ‘continued confidence in demand’

Spirit of the Moselle to join the Saga river cruise fleet in July

Royal Caribbean places order for seventh Oasis-class ship

The yet-unnamed Oasis-class vessel will join the six other Oasis-class vessels in the Royal fleet when it launches in 2028

Cruise industry innovator and visionary Paul Mundy dies

Paul Mundy made waves in the UK cruise sector, setting up this country’s first cruise-only travel agency in 1970

Hundreds of UK and Irish agents to join Sun Princess's maiden cruise

Sun Princess is due to depart on its maiden voyage on 28 February – 20 days later than originally scheduled

The Cruise Line hires industry veteran to help drive 'ambitious evolution'

Former Cruise Direction owner Paul Frost joins The Cruise Line following a record month for the Sussex agency