Cruise Saudi, a government agency tasked with growing the local cruise industry in Saudi Arabia, has recently acquired the World Dream cruise ship from Genting Hong Kong. This $330 million acquisition represents a significant step towards expanding the country's cruise industry, as Saudi Arabia opened its ports to cruise ships for the first time in 2021 and plans to become a major cruise destination by 2035.
On February 28th, the port of Nassau set a new record for the highest number of daily arrivals, with a total of 28,554 passengers and 10,302 crew members. This was made possible by the presence of two of the largest cruise ships in the world - the Wonder of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International, as well as four other large cruise ships, such as Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras and MSC Cruises' MSC Meraviglia.
Cunard has launched Sea Views Exhibition to commemorate its century-long history and proud British maritime heritage.
A cruise ship crew member has been fired for allegedly filming a woman from a restroom cubicle. The incident occurred on the MSC Meraviglia, where a passenger named Saja reported that a man had locked himself in a public toilet stall and appeared to be recording her with a camera. Saja shared a video of the incident on TikTok. In the video, several women can be seen confronting the man wearing an MSC employee uniform.
Since 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has incorporated methanol as a future marine fuel in its strategy and is now planning to introduce two cruise ships that can run on methanol for the first time. The last two ships in NCL's Prima class will be equipped with technology that can easily be converted to run on methanol without significant effort.
On Wednesday, the cruise liner Amadea operated by Phoenix Reisen, arrived at the port of Shizuoka, marking the first arrival of a foreign cruise ship in Japan in the past three years due to the government's suspension of cruises. The Amadea, operated by German company Phoenix Reisen, carried approximately 500 passengers and 300 crew members and was the first of 212 vessels scheduled to arrive in Japan in 2023, with some ships expected to make multiple port calls.
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Abdulatif Zagoub, a crew member of Silversea Cruises. The 32-year-old Tunisian national passed away in a hospital in Chile after he was disembarked from the cruise ship Silver Wind due to a medical emergency. After admission to the intensive care unit on February 25th, the clinic informed the company and his family of his passing.
Starting February 27, MSC Cruises will increase the prices of its onboard beverage packages and, at the same time, expand the offer of the included drinks. Additionally, the automatic service charge for drink orders without a package will increase from 15 to 18 percent on ships using the USD currency.
Royal Caribbean's latest episode of the "Making an Icon" video series showcases the exciting Thrill Island on the upcoming cruise ship Icon of the Seas. The largest water park at sea, Thrill Island, offers guests various activities, including numerous water slides, the Flow Rider surf simulator, mini golf courses, an outdoor sports deck, and a climbing park over the sea.
Norwegian Cruise Line announced seventh “Meet the Winemakers Cruise Series” that pairs wine enthusiasts and creators. The event is scheduled to take place on select departures starting from April to September 2023.
