Cruise NewsMar 30, 2026
Royal Caribbean’s Hero of the Seas: Redefining the Family Getaway
Set sail on the cruise line's newest family-focused ship, with bold dining, entertainment, and destination experiences built for every generation.
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Ship & Shore Weekly
Daily cruise reporting across destinations, dining, ships, refurbishments, onboard experiences, and cruise technology.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
DESTINATIONS
DestinationsDestinations
Deployments, itineraries, ports, private islands, and route-worthy places that change the trip.
DESTINATIONS
MSC Cruises Unveils Sandy Cay: A Luxury Bahamian Retreat
MSC Group Unveils Sandy Cay: A New Era of Luxury in The Bahamian Archipelago In a highly anticipated announcement today, MSC Group’s Cruise Division revealed its plans for Sandy Cay—a breathtaking new luxury private island destination in The Bahamas. Set to welcome its first guests in 2028, this exclusive retreat is located just a stone’s […]
DESTINATIONS
Royal Caribbean’s Hero of the Seas: Redefining the Family Getaway
Royal Caribbean Unveils Hero of the Seas: The New Titan of Family Travel Set to debut in Miami in August 2027, Royal Caribbean has officially revealed the fourth vessel in its revolutionary Icon Class: Hero of the Seas. Designed as the ultimate evolution of the modern family vacation, Hero blends the best of beach retreats, […]
DESTINATIONS
AGT Hits the High Seas: Royal Caribbean’s Newest Onboard Headliner
Royal Caribbean Debuts First-Ever "America’s Got Talent" Show at Sea Royal Caribbean is officially turning up the volume on its entertainment lineup. Starting August 2026, the cruise line will launch a brand-new stage production, America’s Got Talent LIVE, exclusively aboard the Legend of the...
DESTINATIONS
Carnival Cruise Line Debuts Express Dining to Enhance Guest Leisure Time
Carnival Expands "Express Dining" Fleetwide to Speed Up Service Carnival Cruise Line is officially rolling out Express Dining, a new service designed to provide the full main dining room experience in under 60 minutes. Currently active on 15 ships, the program is scheduled to be available across...
DESTINATIONS
Royal Caribbean Announces Discovery Class Ships Debut in 2029
Royal Caribbean Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique Form Strategic Alliance for Next-Generation "Discovery Class" Fleet SAINT NAZAIRE, FRANCE – Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) has formalized a strategic agreement with the renowned Chantiers de l’Atlantique (CdA) shipyard to pioneer the...
DINING & DRINKS
Dining & DrinksDining, Bars & Reservations
New restaurants, smarter booking windows, specialty dining, bars, and what is worth the surcharge.
DINING & DRINKS
Carnival Cruise Line Debuts Express Dining to Enhance Guest Leisure Time
Carnival Expands "Express Dining" Fleetwide to Speed Up Service Carnival Cruise Line is officially rolling out Express Dining, a new service designed to provide the full main dining room experience in under 60 minutes. Currently active on 15 ships, the program is scheduled to be available across...
DINING & DRINKS
Carnival Launches New CHEERS! Zero Proof Non-Alcoholic Drink Package
Carnival Cruise Line has a new non-alcoholic drink package, CHEERS! Zero Proof, that offers a wide variety of premium, alcohol-free beverages. This new package is designed to give guests a convenient and valuable way to enjoy drinks like handcrafted zero-proof cocktails, alcohol-free sparkling...
DINING & DRINKS
Carnival's Mardi Gras to Offer Chinese/Mexican Eatery
With the excitement building towards Carnival's Mardi Gras debut on July 31st, the cruise line announced a brand new two-in-one dining concept. The Chinese/Mexican restaurant called Chibang!, will join the already impressive lineup of food options on the first Excel Class ship. Responding to...
CRUISE SHIPS
Cruise ShipsFleet Watch
Newbuilds, class comparisons, ship features, and the details that separate sister ships.
CRUISE SHIPS
Expanding the Fleet: Princess Cruises Orders Voyager Class Ships
Princess Cruises to Expand Fleet with Three Next-Generation “Voyager Class” Ships Princess Cruises, a leading subsidiary of the world’s largest leisure travel company, Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), has officially announced three new shipbuilding agreements with renowned Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The contracts will yield an entirely new “Voyager Class” of cruise ships, […]
CRUISE SHIPS
Royal Caribbean’s Hero of the Seas: Redefining the Family Getaway
Royal Caribbean Unveils Hero of the Seas: The New Titan of Family Travel Set to debut in Miami in August 2027, Royal Caribbean has officially revealed the fourth vessel in its revolutionary Icon Class: Hero of the Seas. Designed as the ultimate evolution of the modern family vacation, Hero blends the best of beach retreats, […]
CRUISE SHIPS
Carnival Cruise Line Debuts Express Dining to Enhance Guest Leisure Time
Carnival Expands "Express Dining" Fleetwide to Speed Up Service Carnival Cruise Line is officially rolling out Express Dining, a new service designed to provide the full main dining room experience in under 60 minutes. Currently active on 15 ships, the program is scheduled to be available across...
REFURBISHMENT TRACKER
Refurbishment TrackerDry Docks & Discoveries
Refreshes, technical work, venue swaps, cabin updates, and what actually changes for passengers.
REFURBISHMENT TRACKER
Mardi Gras Enhances Spaces, Adds Interconnecting Rooms After Dry Dock
Carnival's Mardi Gras Returns with Fresh Enhancements After Dry Dock Carnival Cruise Line's Excel-class ship, Mardi Gras, is back in action today following a comprehensive dry dock in Marseilles, France, sporting a variety of fresh enhancements. The ship has set sail from Barcelona on a 15-day...
REFURBISHMENT TRACKER
Holland America Line Elevates Onboard Entertainment with New Music, Shows, and Team Enhancements
Holland America Line is rolling out a major update to its onboard entertainment, bringing more live music, refreshed stage productions, and an enhanced team to its fleet. The changes are already underway on several ships, with the full rollout expected by next year. Michael Smith, senior vice...
REFURBISHMENT TRACKER
Carnival Liberty Returns to New Orleans with Exciting Post Dry Dock Enhancements
Carnival Cruise Line is upping the fun for its New Orleans sailings! The Carnival Liberty has just returned to service after a comprehensive dry dock, loaded with new features. It joins the Carnival Valor, which also recently completed similar enhancements. Among the exciting additions are the...
REFURBISHMENT TRACKER
Carnival Valor Completes Dry Dock With New Enhancements
Carnival Valor Returns to Service with Exciting Upgrades The Carnival Valor officially re-entered service today after an extensive dry dock. This significant refurbishment brings a host of upgrades designed to enhance guest comfort and introduce exciting new features, including a thrilling...
REFURBISHMENT TRACKER
Celebrity Cruise Investing Over $250 Million To Modernize Solstice Class Ships
Celebrity Cruises is giving its beloved Solstice Series ships a spectacular refresh! The brand is investing over $250 million to modernize these popular vessels, starting with Celebrity Solstice in March 2026. Guests can look forward to eight brand-new experiences, including four never-before-seen...
EXPERIENCES
Onboard ExperiencesLife Onboard
Entertainment, family zones, wellness, lounges, service rhythms, and the small things that shape the trip.
ONBOARD EXPERIENCES
MSC World Asia: First Look at Enhancements for The Harbour & Aqua Deck
MSC Cruises Unveils Next-Gen Thrills and Chill Zones on MSC World Asia MSC Cruises is pulling back the curtain on its newest flagship, MSC World Asia, revealing a massive evolution in family entertainment and outdoor luxury. This third installment in the "World Class" series blends the brand's...
ONBOARD EXPERIENCES
AGT Hits the High Seas: Royal Caribbean’s Newest Onboard Headliner
Royal Caribbean Debuts First-Ever "America’s Got Talent" Show at Sea Royal Caribbean is officially turning up the volume on its entertainment lineup. Starting August 2026, the cruise line will launch a brand-new stage production, America’s Got Talent LIVE, exclusively aboard the Legend of the...
ONBOARD EXPERIENCES
Mardi Gras Enhances Spaces, Adds Interconnecting Rooms After Dry Dock
Carnival's Mardi Gras Returns with Fresh Enhancements After Dry Dock Carnival Cruise Line's Excel-class ship, Mardi Gras, is back in action today following a comprehensive dry dock in Marseilles, France, sporting a variety of fresh enhancements. The ship has set sail from Barcelona on a 15-day...
ONBOARD EXPERIENCES
Endless Entertainment Awaits on Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Xcel to Offer Celebrity Cruises' Most Expansive Entertainment Lineup When the Celebrity Xcel launches in November, it will debut the most extensive and varied entertainment program in the brand’s history, featuring over 75 resident performers and a host of new, immersive experiences...
ONBOARD EXPERIENCES
Virgin Voyages Introduces VoyageFair Choices for More Flexible Booking
Virgin Voyages is introducing a new, more flexible way to book a cruise. The company's new VoyageFair Choices fare model, which launches on October 7, 2025, offers travelers more transparent pricing and more options to fit their needs. This new system, a direct response to customer and travel...
TECHNOLOGY
TechnologyIndustry Innovations
Connectivity, apps, smart cabins, digital operations, and the passenger-facing systems that matter.
TECHNOLOGY
The Science & Technology Behind the Return of Cruising
We’re exploring five real-world examples of how science will ultimately chart a safe course for people to return to cruising. https://youtu.be/ZFB1_N_eyno Also Watch: 5 Key Factors to Consider Before Getting Back on a Cruise Ship As hospitality venues including restaurants, hotels and...
TECHNOLOGY
The Best of the Best: Cruise Ship Activities
As cruise ships have gotten bigger and bigger of the years, the onboard experiences have become more incredible and a big part of the cruise selection process. The latest cruise ships are feature-filled with the latest technology guaranteed to provide thrills, test your skills and sometimes spills...
TECHNOLOGY
Carnival Freedom Updated with New Experiences
The Carnival Freedom cruise ship has just returned from a three-week multi million dollar dry dock where she received several new enhancements. This refurbishment is part of Carnival Cruise Lines $2 billion ship enhancement program that is adding the line's popular Funship 2.0 innovations across...
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