Cruise Shipping News

Fincantieri has launched what it says will be the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship. Viking Libra was floated out at the company’s Ancona shipyard in Italy and is being built for cruise operator Viking, with delivery scheduled for late 2026.At approximately 54,300 gross tons and 239 meters long, the ship will accommodate up to 998 passengers across 499 cabins, consistent with Viking’s small-ship positioning. The vessel will feature a hybrid propulsion system incorporating liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells, enabling zero-emission operations in certain conditions.

~New immersive hub will infuse wellness programming throughout the conference and create a platform for new voices, innovations and experiences across the cruise ecosystem~Seatrade Cruise Global, the largest and longest-running event of its kind serving the international cruise industry, has announced the debut of the first-ever Wellness Oasis — a new, dedicated hub designed to explore the future of wellness at sea through immersive programming, innovation and connection.Launching at Seatrade Cruise Global 2026…

Fincantieri delivered the cruise ship Norwegian Luna to Norwegian Cruise Line during a ceremony at the builder’s Marghera shipyard in Italy, marking the second vessel in the expanded Prima Plus class.The 156,000-gt ship follows sister vessel Norwegian Aqua, delivered in 2025, and represents an evolution of the original Prima-class ships Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, which were also built by Fincantieri. At approximately 321 meters in length with capacity for about 3,550 passengers…

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings forecast annual profit below Wall Street expectations, as demand for its higher‑priced voyages softened amid economic uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions.Shares of Norwegian fell about 7% in premarket trading, mirroring a broader market selloff sparked by escalating conflict between the U.S. and Israel, and Iran.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings appointed John Chidsey as its chief executive officer, effective immediately, replacing Harry Sommer, who is stepping down.The company said Chidsey, 63, who had served at the helm of Subway Restaurants for five years until December 2024 and Burger King Holdings, was appointed to Norwegian's board in 2025, following a previous stint from 2013 to 2022.Sommer, who took the top job at the company in 2023, departed the company and resigned from the board on Thursday, according to an SEC filing.

Carnival Corp raised its annual profit forecast on Monday, leaning on strong demand and higher ticket prices for its cruise vacations to offset mounting costs.The cruise operator has been investing heavily to offer more unique and private experiences by expanding its portfolio to meet strong demand for exclusive destinations. These included a $600 million investment in Celebration Key, an ambitious private resort destination on Grand Bahama, to help maintain its competitive edge.Bundled packages…

Tallink Grupp transported 1,488,128 passengers with its vessels in the second quarter of 2025, marking a 2.5% increase compared to the same period last year.In June alone, passenger numbers rose by 4.9%, reaching 598,977.Growth in passenger numbers was led particularly by the Estonia–Finland route, which saw a 4.9% increase over the quarter and a notable 14.8% surge in June. The Finland–Sweden route experienced steady growth of 2.8% in Q2. The 10.9% decline in passenger numbers…

Viking Vesta, the second of a new series of cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for the shipowner Viking, was delivered today at the Ancona shipyard.The ceremony was attended by Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, and Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of the Merchant Ships Business Unit of Fincantieri.The vessel belongs to the segment of small cruise ships. With a gross tonnage of approximately 54,300 tons, Viking Vesta has 499 cabins and can accommodate 998 passengers on board.

June 30, 2025, marks the conclusion of Louis E. Sola’s tenure as Chairman of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).Sola issued a statement saying: “Serving our nation in this capacity has been the honor of a lifetime. I have had the privilege of helping safeguard the integrity of the U.S. maritime industry, bringing greater transparency to port operations, and overseeing a supply chain that moves more than $5 trillion in goods annually.“Nominated by President Donald J. Trump in 2018 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S.

Bolidt has acquired a majority stake in Florida-based Boteka, a move intended to consolidate Bolidt’s position in the global cruise industry.As a specialist in prefabricated elements for cruise ships, Boteka has worked exclusively with Bolidt products during a 14-year relationship that has seen the two parties serve major operators including Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Group, and Celebrity Cruises. The collaboration has covered both newbuild and retrofit projects.In line with Bolidt’s ‘all-under-one-roof’ principle…

MSC Group’s Cruise Division has officially inaugurated a new MSC Barcelona Cruise Terminal in Spain.The occasion coincided with the first call of Explora II at the new terminal - the second ship from luxury lifestyle ocean travel brand, Explora Journeys.The terminal incorporates energy-saving technologies and sustainable materials including solar panels and optimized natural light, to minimize the need for artificial lighting along with a rainwater collection system to supply water for toilets and landscaped areas to reduce water usage.

Four Seasons Yachts reports the appointment of Kate McCue as the inaugural Captain of Four Seasons l, the first ultra-luxury yacht in the highly anticipated fleet. A graduate of the California Maritime Academy, Captain Kate brings nearly three decades of maritime expertise, combining technical precision with a passion for hospitality to create a truly transformative yachting experience. A pioneer in the industry, she made history in 2015 as the first American female captain of…

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, is advancing greater fuel efficiency for propulsion through hull designs and new hardware and technology, along with underwater drone inspection and cleaning trials.This work is done through complementary strategies focused on maximizing hydrodynamic performance and enhancing ongoing hull maintenance, which reduces a ship’s underwater drag. Here's a synopsis of the CCL strategy:Hull Designs: When selecting the optimal hull design…

Global Marine Management and World Wide Metric announced a new strategic agreement to offer Frese FuelSave, an advanced energy optimization solution, to the cruise market, helping them reduce energy consumption, lower emissions, and improve sustainability.Frese FuelSave is a dynamic flow control solution designed to optimize energy usage with onboard cooling and HVAC systems. By ensuring precise temperature and flow control, it enables significant fuel savings and enhances overall system performance.

As the Trump Administration sweeps through its first month in office with a torrent of restructuring in government, it seems even Mickey Mouse is fair game. Cruise operators which service the dominant U.S. cruise market routinely so-called ‘flags of convenience’ outside of the U.S., a provision that allows them to avoid taxation.In speaking with Fox News last night, and widely reported on multiple news outlets, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly suggested that the federal…

Battered by Covid, the cruise industry was down but not out. Today it is setting records in passenger count + the size and cost of a new fleet.Post-Pandemic, the fortunes of the big cruise companies have brightened dramatically. A late December, 2024 earnings release from Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL), encompassing brands including Carnival Cruise, Holland America, Cunard, Princess Cruises and others, says it all: “This has been an incredibly strong finish to a record year,” said CCL’s CEO Josh Weinstein, in its statement.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in collaboration with Royal Caribbean, conducted the first biometric debarkation for Royal Caribbean cruise passengers on Feb. 2 when Rhapsody of the Seas was the first Royal Caribbean vessel to utilize this technology at the San Juan Seaport’s Pier 4 in Puerto Rico.CBP’s biometric facial comparison technology streamlines the debarkation process, reducing clearance times by up to 30% and allowing passengers to transition smoothly from ship to shore.At debarkation, guests pause at a kiosk equipped with a camera and take a photo.

Fincantieri and Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, Joint Owner/Operator of Four Seasons Yachts, celebrated the launch of "Four Seasons I" at the Ancona shipyard, the first ultra-luxury ship under construction for Four Seasons Yachts, which will be delivered to end of this year and which will set sail in January 2026. The launching ceremony was attended by Fincantieri's President, Biagio Mazzotta, the CEO and General Manager, Pierroberto Folgiero, the General Manager of the Merchant Ships Division…

Flash back to March 2020, and cruise shipping as the global poster-child for COVID, with passengers stuck on ships in ports around the wordl, unable to leave as far more questions than answers lingered regarding the mysterious illness.Less than four years later, the global cruise ship industry is booming again, led by the world's largest, Carnival Corp, which forecast strong bookings for 2025 ahead of the busy summer travel season, riding the wave of strong spending on experiences even as prices increase, sending its shares up about 5% late last week.

Viking Vela, the first of a new series of cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for the Viking shipowner, was delivered at the Ancona shipyard in Italy.With a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons and 499 cabins accomodating 998 passengers, Viking Vela is in the small cruise ship segment. It is the 13th ship delivered by Fincantieri to Viking , including the two expedition units built by the subsidiary Vard.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has received an order for a new cruise ship from U.S.-based cruise operator Crystal, following the exercise of the option granted under the two-unit agreement from June 2024.The value of the agreement, subject to financing and other terms and conditions, is considered as large, which for Fincantieri means it represents a value between $590 million to $1.07 billion.Crystal MoA for 2+1 Cruise Ship OrderThe new unit, as its sister ships, will boast a gross tonnage of 61…

Hurtigruten released updated plans for its Sea Zero project, a zero-emission ship scheduled to debut in 2030 which is now in its R&D phase. The ship, as designed today, will lean on large batteries, sails, and other solutions to sail emission-free during normal operation, while energy consumption could be reduced by 40-50%.Hurtigruten announced its Sea Zero project in October 2022, and unveiled its first set of renderings in summer 2023. A second version of renderings are now released…

Star Princess, the second liquefied natural gas (LNG) cruise ship that Fincantieri is building for Princess Cruises, was launched at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy.A long list of dignitaries were on hand for the festivities, inlcuding John Padgett, President of Princess CruisesCristiano Bazzara, Director of the Fincantieri shipyard in MonfalconeGodmothers of the ceremony: Chiara del Vecchio, 3rd Engineer aboard the “Sun Princess”, and Francesca Maraventano, executive assistant at the Monfalcone shipyard.With a gross tonnage of approximately 178…