Chief Dog Officer Boards Royal’s Legend for Maiden Season

Posted on 6 July, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Chief Dog Officer Boards Royal’s Legend for Maiden Season

Royal Caribbean’s next Chief Dog Officer is already onboard the new Legend of the Seas for its maiden season in the Western Mediterranean.

According to a social media update, Skipper joined the ship earlier this month ahead of the vessel’s maiden voyage.

The new Icon-class vessel is scheduled to welcome its first paying guests on July 4, 2026.

Joining Rover on the Icon of the Seas and Sailor on the Star of the Seas, the Golden Retriever will live onboard.

Described by Royal Caribbean as a “family dog” for guests and crew, Skipper was born in early February 2026 and underwent training at the company’s headquarters in Miami.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, Royal Caribbean’s Chief Dog Officer program is conducted in partnership with the American Humane Society.

The partnership is said to ensure top-tier care and training for the pets, which have their own tutors onboard.

According to Royal Caribbean, the initiative aims to bring joy to guests and crew through playtime with the dogs.

Skipper will be onboard the Legend of the Seas for its first commercial cruise, which will sail to destinations in Italy, Spain and France.

The seven-night inaugural voyage is scheduled to start at the Italian port of Civitavecchia, near Rome, on Saturday.

Highlights of the itinerary include visits to La Spezia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Marseille, as well as two days at sea in the Mediterranean.

Spending its first summer season in Europe, the Legend of the Seas will continue to offer similar itineraries through late October.

The 250,800-ton vessel will then offer a trans-Atlantic crossing ahead of debuting in Fort Lauderdale for a series of cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Regent Seven Seas Breaks Record for New Ship Bookings

Posted on 10 July, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Regent Seven Seas Breaks Record for New Ship Bookings

Regent Seven Seas Cruises enjoyed its biggest single booking day for the launch of a new ship, the company announced in a press release.

The record was achieved on June 25, 2025, when the luxury brand opened reservations for the new Seven Seas Prestige.

Bookings exceeded Regent’s previous record for a new ship launch day, when the Seven Seas Splendor went on sale in 2018, by 26%.

In addition, the Skyview Regent Suite, which was available at $25,000 per night, sold out on six out of the 13 available sailings.

According to Regent, the result is the best performance of a top-tier product the cruise line has ever experienced on an opening day.

“I’m absolutely thrilled, but not surprised, by the phenomenal results that the Seven Seas Prestige has produced – we knew that luxury travellers were extremely eager to reserve their suite on this incredible ship,” said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

“The Seven Seas Prestige promises to begin a new legacy for the entire ultra-luxury cruise sector, and we cannot wait until she joins the fleet in December 2026. I’d like to thank our valued guests and Travel Partners, as well as Regent’s highly talented and professional teams around the world, who all contributed to this fantastic achievement,” he added.

Set to be delivered in late 2026, the Seven Seas Prestige will be the first in a new class of ships developed by the company.

The 77,000-ton vessel will be 40 per cent larger than Regent’s previous ships, yet it will accommodate just ten per cent more guests, the company said.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the ship will host 822 guests in all-balcony suites, as well as 630 crew members.

During its maiden season, the ship offers 13 voyages across the Caribbean and Europe, visiting boutique ports and offering multiple overnight stays.

Asuka III Arrives in Japan Ahead of Maiden Season

Posted on 4 June, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Asuka III Arrives in Japan Ahead of Maiden Season

The new Asuka III arrived in Japan earlier this week after her long journey from Europe to Asia.

Built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the new Asuka Cruise ship arrived at the port of Yokohama on June 2, 2025.

The LNG-powered vessel is now getting ready to embark on its inaugural season in late July, kicking off a series of cruises departing from ports in Japan.

Upon being delivered, the Asuka III sailed from Northern Europe in mid-April, embarking on a journey that included technical stops in Africa and Asia.

With no guests onboard, the ship sailed to the Canary Islands, South Africa and Singapore before arriving in the Far East.

In an update on its website, Asuka Cruise highlighted the ship’s rendezvous with the previous Asuka ships.

According to the company, in late April, the ship met at sea with the original Asuka off the Canary Islands.

Currently operated by Phoenix Reisen, the 1991-built vessel, which now sails as the Amadea, sailed for the brand until 2006.

Asuka also arranged a meeting of the new ship with its fleetmate, the Asuka II, which is currently offering a world cruise.

The two vessels sailed alongside near the coast of the island of St. Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic.

To mark the occasion, special ceremonies were held onboard the vessels, with crew and guests taking part in a themed celebration.

According to Asuka III’s Chief Engineer Takaaki Nakano, the ship’s delivery voyage was key to evaluating and testing various systems onboard.

“We inspected the operating conditions of various equipment, striving to provide a comfortable cruise experience for the future passengers of the Asuka III,” he said.

“We did our utmost to deliver the Asuka III safely to Yokohama so that everyone can see its beautiful sight,” he added.