In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suspending its cruise ship COVID-19 program, Virgin Voyages is waiving its pre-cruise testing requirements.

Norwegian Cruise Line marks the successful return of Norwegian Escape, the first ship of the brand's highly successful Breakaway-Plus class, to Europe in 2015 when she completed her maiden voyage to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Costa Cruises commander, Captain Pietro Sinisi was awarded with the Bronze Medal of Merit by Marina. The ceremony took place yesterday in Rome, at the General Command of the Port Authority Corps - Coast Guard, in the presence of the Commander General, Chief Inspector Admiral Nicola Carlone. 

Protest in Norway against tourism generated by cruise ships is growing after posters have appeared in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, and Flåm, to say no to cruise ships, together with a campaign on social networks.

A Coast Guard Sitka aircrew evacuated a man from the Norwegian Encore cruise ship in the Chatham Strait on Monday.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew arrived on the scene at 7:27 a.m. and safely lifted and transported the patient to awaiting EMS personnel at the Mt. Medical Center Edgecumbe in Sitka.

Azamara is eliminating its boarding testing requirement for COVID-19, effective July 25, 2025, except in ports where it is still mandatory. The line will still require proof of vaccination prior to boarding. Guests over the age of 12 must still be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted its Covid 19 rules for cruise ships. Instead, general health and hygiene guidelines should be revised soon. It is not yet known how this will affect the corona rules of individual shipping companies.

Royal Caribbean Group announced that it has received court approval to purchase the ultra-luxury cruise ship Endeavour. The former Crystal Cruises ship built in 2021, will be renamed Silver Endeavor and will join the RCG subsidiary Silversea Cruises.

A cruise ship docked in Edinburgh to take on 700 Ukrainian refugees could pose a risk of an onboard Covid outbreak, health experts warn. Hundreds of refugees fleeing the conflict with Russia will soon receive housing, but it will not be on dry land. The huge cruise ship arrived in Leyte on July 13 before welcoming hundreds of Ukrainians on board.

Royal Caribbean International is canceling the European season of the Serenade of the Seas in summer 2023. 

The ship was scheduled to depart from Stockholm and Copenhagen on cruises through the Baltic Sea. The cancellation follows other cruise lines such as Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, which are using fewer ships in Northern Europe next year.