About Spacejunkie2

I love all things Cruise and add that to my hobby Photography I'm in dreamland, I'm an exTravel agency owner with the inside contacts, so I will try to keep you updated in all things travel related with a side serving of images and other maritime stories.

Norwegian’s Pride of America Delays Return to Honolulu Due to Hurricane

Posted on 18 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian’s Pride of America Delays Return to Honolulu Due to Hurricane

The Pride of America had to delay its return to Honolulu due to Hurricane Lala, which impacted Hawaii over the weekend.

With the port closed due to adverse weather, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship was only able to dock one day later than planned on Sunday, August 16, 2026.

According to a text message sent to boarding guests, check-in at Honolulu Harbor was then open until 9:00 PM local time.

Initially set to depart from its homeport on August 15, 2026, the Pride of America was scheduled to offer a seven-night interisland cruise in Hawaii.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this weekend’s weather-related delays,” Norwegian stated.

“We are pleased to share that we have received the all-clear to begin embarkation and check-in,” the company continued.

“We are currently finalizing itinerary details and will communicate as soon as it becomes available,” Norwegian added.

The ship’s original itinerary included visits to Hilo and Kailua Kona, as well as overnight calls to Kahului and Nawiliwili.

In addition to the Pride of America, the Norwegian Spirit was also impacted by Hurricane Lala and had to delay a planned arrival to Honolulu.

Offering a series of cruises that connect the South Pacific and Hawaii to Alaska, the 1999-built vessel was scheduled to arrive at the port on August 16, 2026.

The adverse weather in the region forced Norwegian Cruise Line to move the planned call to August 17, 2026.

As a result, passengers who were set to board the ship’s upcoming cruise were asked to arrive at the Honolulu port one day later.

The Norwegian Spirit is scheduled to offer a 16-night cruise that will sail to destinations in Hawaii and Alaska before ending in Vancouver, Canada.

The itinerary originally included visits to Kailua Kona, Nawiliwili, Kahului, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Sitka and Ketchikan.

Regent to Cut Capacity on Explorer Class Ships by 10 Percent

Posted on 12 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Regent to Cut Capacity on Explorer Class Ships by 10 Percent

Regent’s Explorer-class ships will feature improved crew- and space-to-guest ratios following their upcoming refits.

According to the company’s website, passengers will take advantage of more space and more personalized service following the updates announced in late July.

The Seven Seas Explorer, the Seven Seas Splendor and the Seven Seas Grandeur are set to undergo drydocks between late 2027 and late 2028.

Described by the company as a “transformative reimagining of select onboard accommodations,” the project will reduce the vessels’ overall capacity to 688 passengers.

With larger suites replacing smaller staterooms, the ships will see nearly a 10 percent drop in their cabin and guest count.

Regent said the crew-to-guest ratio will change from 1:1.3 to 1:1.2, allowing for more attentive and personal service.

Guest-to-space ratio will have a larger upgrade, going from 1:74 to 1:80, which Regent said provides more room for every onboard experience.

Following the changes, the ships will also offer what Regent called the largest entry-level suites, spanning between 38 and 43 square meters.

The company said the enhanced accommodations were designed for comfort and effortless livability, “offering more room to relax, entertain and settle into life at sea.”

Other updates include the debut of a new category, Horizon Penthouse Suite, and the addition of three extra Distinctive Suites on each ship.

The Splendor will be the first ship to debut the enhancements, offering its reimagined suites starting on December 6, 2027.

The Explorer and the Grandeur follow suit in 2028, introducing the upgrades on May 22 and November 13, respectively.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Explorer-class vessels are currently the newest ships in Regent’s fleet and entered service between 2016 and 2023.

In addition to refurbishing its Explorer-class ships, the company is introducing a new ship class later this year with the debut of the Seven Seas Prestige. The 822-guest vessel will be followed by sisters in 2030, 2033 and 2036.

Disney Brings Forward Delivery of New builds

Posted on 12 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Disney Brings Forward Delivery of New builds

Disney Cruise Line is bringing forward the delivery of two of its upcoming newbuilds, according to Walt Disney Company’s recent earnings call.

Documents released during the presentation point to three newbuilds entering service during calendar year 2029 and one in 2030.

Two vessels are now expected to be delivered in 2029, including the first and second ships of a new class ordered from Meyer Werft in mid-2024.

To be built at the German shipyard, the prototypes were initially scheduled to enter service in 2029 and 2030, with a third sister set to be delivered in 2031.

While the first two ships are now set to debut in the same year, Disney documents point to the third newbuild being delivered in 2030.

The vessels are believed to be smaller than the latest newbuilds, coming in at approximately 105,000 tons and capacity for 3,000 guests.

Disney is also building a fourth Wish-class ship, the Disney Believe, which will be delivered by Meyer Werft in late 2027.

Additional details of the 140,000-ton vessel, including deployment and onboard features, will be revealed later this year.

The Walt Disney Company presentation also highlighted the introduction of Disney Cruise Line Japan’s first newbuild.

Currently being developed in cooperation with Oriental Land Co. (OLC), the ship will sail from Japanese ports on a full-time basis.

Ordered at the Meyer Werft shipyard in 2024, the unnamed Wish-class vessel is set to be delivered in late 2028 before making its debut in early 2029.

Disney Cruise Line Japan will be operated through a partnership between OLC and the Walt Disney Company, with the NYK Group serving as ship manager and business consultant.

With revenues driven by a ten percent increase in parks and cruising businesses, the Walt Disney Company reported net income of $2.8 billion on revenues of $22.7 billion for its fiscal third quarter.