Cruise passengers are to set sail from Belfast on Monday on a three-and-a-half-year world voyage after being stranded in the city for months as the ship underwent unexpected repair works. Some plan to make it their forever home.Passengers of the Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey, described as the world's first continual cruise
Israel said it bombed Houthi targets in Yemen on Sunday, expanding its confrontation with Iran's allies in the region two days after killing the Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an escalating conflict in Lebanon.The airstrikes on Yemen's port of Hodeidah were in response to Houthi missile attacks on Israel in recent days, Israel said
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings on Wednesday raised its annual profit forecast for a third time this year, riding on sustained demand for luxury voyages and higher ticket prices.With people continuing to splurge on experiences and services over discretionary goods, operators have seen record booking rates for affordable cruise vacations, giving them enough opportunity to increase ticket prices.
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has launched the masterplan for THE RIG – a world-first adventure tourism destination to be built on an offshore platform in the Arabian Gulf.The vision for THE RIG project is to redefine the sea sports and leisure experience while celebrating the legacy of Saudi Arabia's rich oil and gas heritage.
German shipbuilder Meyer Werft announced it has delivered Carnival Jubilee, the latest cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Line.The 183,200 GT ship is 345.4 meters long, 42 meters wide and can accommodate 5,374 passengers in 2,626 passenger cabins, plus 1,551 crew. It has 20 decks.The RINA-classed Carnival Jubilee has a wide range of entertainment options and numerous restaurants.
Major cruise operators are steering their ships - and millions of dollars in investments - into their own private destinations packed with excursions, beaches, bars and restaurants.The phenomenon appears to have started with Royal Caribbean Group, which in 2019 opened "Perfect Day at CocoCay," an amusement park-like private destination in The Bahamas that has caught the eye of Wall Street.
Estonian State Fleet announced a call for tender for the design and construction of a new, battery-powered electric ferry to serve the main islands in Estonia. "I’m proud to see Estonia leading the way in adopting environmentally sustainable technologies in the maritime sector to achieve this," said Estonian Minister of Infrastructure, Vladimir Svet.
American Cruise Lines' third new Coastal Cat cruise ship, American Liberty, has completed sea trials and is gearing up to sail its inaugural cruise in August.The 100-passenger American Liberty, built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md., is the newest ship in American’s ongoing Project Blue series of 12 new small ships for river and coastal cruising in the U.S.
American Cruise Lines is set to take delivery of two more new small ships in 2025.The 125-passenger sister ships, American Patriot and American Pioneer, represent the fifth and sixth ships in the company’s Project Blue series of 12 new small ships for the U.S. market. The ships will be built at the company’s affiliated shipyard, Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Maryland.
SunStone Maritime Group has announced the long-term summer charter of the Infinity vessel, Ocean Victory, with a new client.From April 2025, the Ocean Victory will be trading in the Mediterranean Sea during northern hemisphere summer seasons for Spanish luxury cruise operator, Alma Cruceros.
The steel cutting ceremony for the seventh and final vessel in the Infinity series of expedition cruise ships took place at the Haimen shipyard of China Merchants Heavy Industries (CMHI).The PC6 expedition cruise ship, yet to be named, will embark on a long-term charter upon its delivery, the ship is technically identical to the rest of the Infinity vessels.
American Cruise Lines’ newest Coastal Cat, American Glory, completed sea trials and has been delivered from Chesapeake Shipbuilding on-time as scheduled.The the 100-passenger small ship is the newest ship in American’s ongoing series of 12 new Coastal Cats for exploring U.S. waterways. Additional ships in the series are already under construction, with the next two scheduled for delivery in 2024.