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- Disney Destiny
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- MSC Cruises
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- Aurora Expeditions
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- Viking
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- Seabourn
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- Princess Cruises
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- Quark Expeditions
Cruise News – Summer 2024
Disney Destiny Will Bring Stories of Legendary Disney Heroes and Villains to Life
Disney Cruise Line revealed the first details about its next ship, the Disney Destiny. The design theme, sister to the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, will be “Heroes and Villains,” drawing on the legacy of beloved Disney stories, characters and theme park attractions, to forge a cruise vacation that will empower guests to embrace their own calling aboard every unforgettable voyage.
The Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering teams were inspired by the dynamic duality of every great Disney story, where opposing forces of light and dark drive characters to rise to their purpose, when developing the Disney Destiny. Onboard, guests will encounter heroes and villains alike – including those from beloved Walt Disney Animation Studios stories like “The Lion King,” “Hercules” and “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” – within the spaces, experiences and entertainment throughout their voyage.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com
MSC Cruises Introduces Seven Distinct Districts to its Newest Ground-Breaking Ship, MSC World America, New for 2025
MSC Cruises recently revealed that its ultramodern new flagship, MSC World America, will feature seven distinct districts each bringing together a range of tailored experiences. Combining bars, restaurants, entertainment and leisure facilities, each district will meet the needs, moods and desires of travellers throughout their time on board.
The ship will usher in a new world of cruising to American shores when she enters service in April 2025. Each of the seven districts boasts its own atmosphere, facilities and experiences, expertly designed to enhance the onboard experience, allowing each and every guest to create a one-of-a-kind holiday that is uniquely theirs, maximizing their time on board.
https://www.msccruises.com
Aurora Expeditions to Welcome Third Small Ship, Douglas Mawson to Fleet
Aurora Expeditions, the award-winning Australian-owned expedition travel company, has announced that it will soon welcome its third purpose-built small expedition ship, Douglas Mawson to its family of pioneering vessels.
Due to begin sailing in late 2025, Douglas Mawson’s inaugural season will also mark Aurora Expeditions’ return to East Antarctica for the first time in 15 years, with new itineraries to include a Mawson’s Antarctica voyage to East Antarctica in honor of the ship’s namesake, departing from Hobart.
Douglas Mawson will carry an average of 154 passengers and will be the newest Infinity Class vessel to enter the market, joining Aurora’s sister ships, also named after pioneers in their field, Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle.
Viking Marks Float out of Newest Egypt Ship
Viking® has recently announced its newest ship for the Nile River—the 82-guest Viking Sobek—was “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Set to sail in the fall of 2024, the Viking Sobek will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
The Viking Sobek & Viking’s Growing Egypt Fleet
Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Sobek is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships, with the elegant Scandinavian design for which Viking is known. An identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, the Viking Aton and the new Viking Hathor, which is scheduled to debut this summer, the Viking Sobek features several aspects familiar to Viking guests, such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. With the addition of both the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek, the company will have six ships sailing the Nile by the end of 2024. Additional ships in the Egypt fleet include the Viking Ra and the MS Antares.
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary
During the 12-day, Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit iconic sites. Guests then fly to Luxor, where they visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, featuring visits to the Valley of the Queens, Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Khnum, the Dendera Temple complex, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, and a visit to a colorful Nubian village. Finally, the journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
Seabourn Modifies 90-day Grand Africa Voyage, will Visit 42 Destinations in 20 Countries
Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, is inviting travelers to explore the lands of Africa with its 90-day Grand Africa Voyage, featuring a newly modified itinerary that will take travelers to the East, South, and West Coasts of the continent.
Changes were made to the original itinerary to prioritize the safety of guests and to avoid the Red Sea while designing a new extraordinary itinerary that keeps the original length of the cruise with in-depth exploration of the African continent with only one repeat port. Seabourn Sojourn will still sail roundtrip from Barcelona departing on November 30, 2024. The new itinerary includes visits to 42 marquee and off-the-beaten-path destinations and cities in 20 countries, with seven overnight stays.
The Grand Africa Voyage will provide a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, where guests can explore Africa’s natural beauty via safari, hikes, scuba, snorkeling and other enriching cultural experiences, such as a visit to a camel milk farm, botanical gardens, living archaeological museums, and more. In addition, several optional multi-day Seabourn Journeys will be available at various destinations, offering in-depth opportunities to explore treasured sites on land that cannot be accessed on single-day excursions from the ship, including a gorilla sanctuary, Victoria Falls, and more.
Seabourn Sojourn will visit a blend of historically profound destinations on its Grand Africa Voyage. Highlights include luscious, tropical paradises such as the Seychelles; lands with breathtaking, diverse landscapes and wildlife such as Madagascar and Zanzibar; and culturally rich destinations such as Cape Town, Morocco and Mozambique.
Around the World in 114 Days with Princess Cruises!
Princess Cruises has recently announced its 2026 World Cruise – a 114-day voyage aboard Coral Princess – will visit 52 ports in 28 countries, across six continents, the most destinations ever reached on a Princess World Cruise.
The destination-rich World Cruise offers two roundtrip options with departures from both Ft. Lauderdale, departing January 5, 2026, and Los Angeles on January 21, 2026.
New elements guests can look forward to aboard the 2026 Princess World Cruise include:
• Inaugural call to Boracay, a tropical paradise in central Philippines known for its gorgeous beaches and resorts, a first for Princess.
• Coral Princess will also make first-time World Cruise calls to:
Puerto Chiapas, Mexico
Ponta Delgado, Azores Islands
• Visits to 52 destinations, the most ever offered on a Princess World Cruise, with access to 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the globe.
• More time in port with “More Ashore Late-Night” stays in 13 ports including Singapore, Sydney and Honolulu, and one overnight stay in Hong Kong.
Coral Princess Amenities and Entertainment
Connecting guests to the destinations through the cruise line’s onboard programming with enrichment speakers, destination experts, ambassadors, performers and theatrical productions supports the critically acclaimed and expertly curated itinerary, making this World Cruise truly memorable. The onboard experience offers: Cultural Enrichments, Destination-Specific Events, and Guest Lecturers.
Quark Expeditions Introduces M/V Ocean Explorer to its Polar Fleet
Quark Expeditions, the global leader in polar adventures, has announced the latest addition to its industry-leading fleet: the Ocean Explorer. This 138-passenger polar expedition ship will set sail under the Quark Expeditions banner at the start of the Antarctic 2024/2025 season.
“Going beyond in the polar regions requires the best expedition team operating the best ships,” says Andrew White, President of Quark Expeditions. “And we’ve got both. Ocean Explorer is the perfect addition to our fleet—for adventure, for luxury, and for leading-edge technology, this purpose-built polar expedition ship truly delivers for our discerning polar explorers.”
Ocean Explorer‘s state-of-the-art expedition technology elevates the polar experience in every way: extensive adventure capability for thrilling off-ship adventures, exceptional safety and sustainability features, plus outstanding interior space and comfort. With its distinctive X-Bow design and remarkable two-story forward lounge, Ocean Explorer sets a striking stage for unforgettable polar expeditions.
This Infinity class polar expedition ship was delivered in 2021 by Quark Expeditions’ long-standing partner SunStone Maritime Group, the largest expedition-only ship-building provider in the world. Ocean Explorer’s rated Ice Class 1A and PC6 place it in the same league as its soon-to-be sister ship, the technologically-advanced Ultramarine.
