Tag Archives: Mediterranean

Celebrity Eclipse Repositions to the Mediterranean for the Fall Season

Posted on by
Reply

Celebrity Eclipse Repositions to the Mediterranean for the Fall Season

The Celebrity Eclipse arrived in Barcelona earlier this month to kick off its fall season in the Mediterranean.

The ship was one of Celebrity Cruises’ vessels in the region for the summer, having spent the past few months offering itineraries in Northern Europe.

In late August, the Solstice-class vessel embarked on a repositioning voyage that sailed from the Netherlands to Spain.

The 12-night cruise departed from Amsterdam and included visits to destinations in France, Spain and Portugal before arriving in Barcelona.

Highlights of the itinerary included visits to Le Havre, Lisbon and Palma de Mallorca, as well as a transit of the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Celebrity Eclipse is now scheduled to offer ten- to 11-night cruises that sail to destinations in both the Western and the Eastern Mediterranean.

In addition to Barcelona, the itineraries depart from ports in Italy and Greece, including Ravenna and Piraeus.

Sailing to the Adriatic and the Aegean, the cruises are highlighted by visits to the Greek Islands, Croatia, Turkey and Italy.

Among the destinations set to be visited are Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Santorini, Split, Naples and La Spezia.

The season runs through early November, when the Eclipse is scheduled to embark on a repositioning voyage to Florida.

Sailing from the Port of Barcelona, the 2,850-passenger ship offers a trans-Atlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale.

The 14-night cruise will feature stops in destinations in Spain, the United Kingdom and Bermuda, such as Málaga, Gibraltar and King’s Wharf.

The vessel is then scheduled to offer cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas from Port Everglades before returning to Northern Europe in May 2027.

In related news, the Celebrity Eclipse underwent a refurbishment project during a drydock in early 2025.

As Cruise Industry News reported at the time, the 2010-built ship introduced an enhanced suite enclave following the refit, as well as a slight increase in its guest capacity.

MSC Lists 5 Reasons to Choose its Winter 2026-27 Sailings

Posted on by
Reply

MSC Lists 5 Reasons to Choose its Winter 2026-27 Sailings

MSC Cruises has spotlighted its 2026-27 winter season, featuring 168 destinations across 72 countries.

In a press release, the company highlighted five reasons to pick its itineraries this winter:

  1. MSC World Asia’s Inaugural Season

MSC Cruises’ newest ship, which recently embarked on sea trials, will set sail for her inaugural season from December 4, 2026, offering seven-night Mediterranean itineraries to Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia for Rome, Messina and Valletta.

Guests can look forward to more than 40 bars, lounges and restaurants, a new Pan-Asian street food concept, the longest dry slide at sea at 81.3 meters and The Harbour outdoor destination, among other things.

  1. Iconic Mediterranean Destinations at a Slower Pace

Six ships will sail in the Mediterranean during winter, allowing guests to explore the region without crowds. These are the MSC World Asia, MSC Euribia, MSC Magnifica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Lirica and MSC Orchestra

Seven-night sailings will be offered to Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey, with highlights including Barcelona, Civitavecchia for Rome, Istanbul, Valletta and Piraeus for Athens.

Longer options include 10- to 12-night sailings on the MSC Lirica to Cyprus, Egypt, Croatia and Greece and 10-night sailings on the MSC Magnifica to Morocco and Spain, visiting destinations such as Pyramids of Giza, Dasoudi Beach and Krka National Park.

  1. Holidays in Northern Europe

The MSC Preziosa will offer seven-night sailings to Northern Europe, calling at Hamburg, Rotterdam for Amsterdam, Cherbourg, Zeebrugge for Bruges and Brussels, Le Havre for Paris and Southampton for London.

The ship recently kicked off a new year-round deployment in the region, allowing guests to discover landmarks in London and Paris, Amsterdam’s canals, Bruges’ medieval streets and the festive atmosphere of Brussels and Hamburg’s Christmas markets.

  1. Sunny Caribbean Winter

Guests looking to escape the cold can choose mini-getaways, seven-night adventures and extended sailings to the Caribbean and Antilles and visit destinations including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Grand Turk Island and The Bahamas.

This season will mark the line’s first departures from La Romana in the Dominican Republic, and many itineraries also feature Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises’ private island in The Bahamas.

Operating the itineraries will be nine ships: the MSC World America, MSC World Europa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Opera, MSC Poesia, MSC Seascape, MSC Seaside and MSC Seashore.

  1. Winter Sun in the Canary Islands

The MSC Fantasia will offer seven-night itineraries to the Canary Islands and Madeira, calling at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Puerto del Rosario, Funchal, Arrecife and Las Palmas.

Guests can discover Lanzarote and La Palma’s volcanic landscapes, relax on Gran Canaria’s Maspalomas Beach, or explore Funchal, Madeira.

Captain Kate Resigns from Position at Four Seasons Yachts

Posted on by
Reply

Captain Kate Resigns from Position at Four Seasons Yachts

Captain Kate McCue is leaving Four Seasons Yachts to begin a new chapter in her career, according to a recent video update.

McCue said that her life has taken an unexpected turn, with her father undergoing major back surgery and the sudden loss of her mother.

“That was when I realized that I spent the majority of the last year away from home because I was working,” she explained.

“After 30 years at sea, delivering two new vessels, launching a new brand with a prototype vessel and sailing as captain for the last 11 years, I don’t think I have to prove anything to anyone,” McCue continued.

“I’ve made my parents proud, and I’ve made myself proud, so I made the decision to resign,” she added.

Captain Kate said this next chapter would prioritize family time while also giving her more freedom to pursue other things she loves.

McCue noted that she wants to take her father cruising and plans to board different types of vessels.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who was on this journey and all the opportunities I’ve had,” she continued, noting that her captain’s license remains active.

“Sailing again is absolutely not off the table, but for now, many new adventures lie ahead, and this time, they’ll be surprises to me too.”

Before joining Four Seasons in 2025, Captain Kate spent 22 years serving onboard Royal Caribbean Group ships.

In 2015, she became the first American female to take the helm of a cruise ship, as captain of the Celebrity Summit.

More recently, McCue took part in the construction and launch of the Four Seasons I, which was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy.

The 180-passenger luxury vessel entered service earlier this year, beginning a maiden season in the Mediterranean.