Tag Archives: cruises

Royal Caribbean Swaps Ships for 2027 Season in Southampton

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Royal Caribbean Swaps Ships for 2027 Season in Southampton

Royal Caribbean International confirmed that the Freedom of the Seas will replace the Mariner of the Seas for the 2027 season out of Southampton.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Freedom was expected to serve the British market after having its deployment for the timeframe cancelled.

Originally set to offer itineraries from Miami during the summer of 2027, the 3,960-passenger vessel is slightly larger than the Mariner and entered service in 2006.

According to statements sent to booked guests, the Freedom will offer cruises departing from Southampton on the same dates as the Mariner.

Some of the original itineraries were reportedly adjusted, with selected ports of call being changed or dropped.

Sailing from its new homeport, the ship will offer a series of cruises to Northern and Western Europe between May and October 2027.

“As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process, which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements or operational needs, the Mariner of the Seas will be redeployed for our summer 2027 season,” Royal Caribbean said in its statement.

“We know how much effort goes into planning your vacation and apologise for the inconvenience,” the company added.

Passengers are being offered three options, which include moving their reservations to other cruises in the company’s portfolio.

In this case, the company will waive the non-refundable deposit change fee, but guests will be responsible for any price difference.

Royal Caribbean will also allow passengers to cancel their reservations and receive a full refund of any portion of their cruise fare.

Guests who do not wish to cancel or reschedule will be automatically moved to a like-for-like stateroom onboard the Freedom of the Seas.

While Royal Caribbean did not confirm a new deployment for the Mariner of the Seas, the ship is now set to offer a trans-Atlantic crossing to the Mediterranean ahead of the summer of 2027.

The 17-night repositioning voyage sails from New Orleans on April 24, 2027, and features destinations in Morocco and Spain before ending in Barcelona. Ports of call set to be visited include Casablanca, Tangier and Málaga.

Carnival Glory Offering Adults-Only Cruise in Europe

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Carnival Glory Offering Adults-Only Cruise in Europe

Carnival Pride Photo credit Spacejunkie2 https://flic.kr/ps/GkiQt

The Carnival Glory is currently offering an adults-only cruise to the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean.

As part of Carnival Cruise Line’s SEA program, the 15-night itinerary departed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on March 25, 2026.

Before returning to the port, the European sailing is set to visit other destinations in Spain, as well as Italy and Morocco.

Highlights of the cruise include stops in Civitavecchia and Livorno, from which guests can embark on shore excursions to Rome and Tuscany, respectively.

The Carnival Glory is also scheduled to sail to Málaga and Tangier, as well as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

According to Carnival, its adults-only SEA voyages are casino-oriented cruises that feature expanded gambling access, themed parties, bingo events and more.

To get access to the sailings, passengers 21 years old and older need to sign up at a dedicated link to receive an offer to book.

Initially set to undergo a routine drydock in Europe, the Carnival Glory crossed the Atlantic in early March 2026.

With the shipyard stay cancelled, the ship is now set to start its return to North America after the SEA voyage.

Sailing from Barcelona in early April, the 13-night cruise sails to Spain, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas before arriving in Port Canaveral.

Ports of call set to be visited include Alicante, Málaga and Gibraltar, as well as Carnival’s Celebration Key private destination in Grand Bahama.

The 110,000-ton vessel is then set to resume its regular schedule of short cruises to the Bahamas on April 24, 2026.

Sailing from Central Florida on a year-round basis, the Carnival Glory offers three- and four-night cruises to Nassau and Celebration Key.

Carnival is operating additional SEA voyages in 2026, with ships like the Carnival Paradise offering the adults-only sailings through April.

AIDAdiva Returns to Germany Following World Cruise

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AIDAdiva Returns to Germany Following World Cruise

The AIDAdiva has recently returned to the port of Hamburg in Germany following AIDA’s 2025-26 world cruise.

After undergoing a major refurbishment as part of AIDA’s Evolution refit program, the vessel embarked on the voyage in early November 2025.

The AIDAdiva then visited 53 destinations in 27 countries before arriving back at its homeport on March 23, 2026.

Covering 35,000 nautical miles, the itinerary was highlighted by milestones for AIDA Cruises, including the company’s return to New York City following a six-year hiatus.

The cruise also marked the brand’s first visits to ports on the West Coast of North America, as well as in Japan and Hawaii.

The 2,030-passenger ship also spent New Year’s Eve docked in Honolulu during its first visit to the Aloha State.

Other highlights of the itinerary included AIDA’s first-ever transit of the Panama Canal, which took place on December 6, 2025.

Following the completion of its world cruise, the AIDAdiva is now set to offer summer cruises out of ports in Germany.

The ship’s schedule includes a series of four- to 14-night cruises to destinations in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.

Ports of call set to be visited include Vik in Norway, Visby in Sweden, Gdynia in Poland and Aarhus in Denmark.

In late August, the 2007-built ship is scheduled to reposition to North America for fall cruises departing from New York City.

The 12-night itineraries are highlighted by visits to destinations in Canada and New England, as well as Florida and the Bahamas, including Portland, Boston, Miami and Nassau.

In late October, the AIDAdiva sets sail to La Romana in the Dominican Republic ahead of a winter season offering cruises to the Southern and Eastern Caribbean.

AIDA’s next world voyage is scheduled to depart from Hamburg in mid-October 2026 onboard the AIDAsol.

The 126-night cruise will follow a different itinerary that will include stops in South America, the South Pacific, Australia, Africa and the Indian Ocean.