Tag Archives: SHIPPING

Norwegian Advises Guests of Check-In Process at Hotel

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Norwegian Advises Guests of Check-In Process at Hotel

Guests boarding the Norwegian Dawn for its Dec. 7, 2025, cruise will complete their check-in processes at a hotel in Tampa.

According to a statement issued by Norwegian Cruise Line, passengers must proceed to the Hilton Tampa Downtown instead of the port on that date.

“Please note that check-in and embarkation arrangements have changed due to updated port availability,” the company said in its letter to booked guests.

“We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we make these arrangements to ensure a smooth start to your vacation,” Norwegian added.

The company said that guests who arrive early are welcome to check in with NCL staff, drop off luggage, and explore Tampa before boarding.

While check-in is expected to take place between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., complimentary transfers to the ship will begin at 6:00 p.m.

According to the statement, no check-in will take place at the cruise terminal, and all guests are required to proceed to the Hilton before boarding.

The company noted that several restaurants are located inside and near the Hilton, which will also provide a free downtown trolley with stops at both the hotel and the cruise port.

Pool and day room passes will be available for purchase at the hotel and other nearby sister properties, NCL added.

In addition to using the company’s complimentary transportation, guests are also welcome to proceed to the cruise terminal independently after checking in.

While the Norwegian Spirit is now scheduled to depart at 9:00 p.m., passengers must proceed to the port before 7:00 p.m.

“We sincerely appreciate your understanding and patience, and although the situation is beyond our control, we recognise the inconvenience it may cause,” Norwegian added.

The Norwegian Dawn is set to offer a seven-night cruise to the Caribbean on Dec. 7, 2025. Sailing round-trip from Tampa, the ship will visit destinations in Mexico, Belize and Honduras.

In addition to one day at sea, the itinerary includes stops in Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatán and Harvest Caye.

Three additional ships are scheduled to sail from Tampa on Dec. 7, including the Carnival Miracle, the Celebrity Constellation and the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.

MSC Euribia Sails Around Africa Ahead of Season in the Middle East

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MSC Euribia Sails Around Africa Ahead of Season in the Middle East

The MSC Euribia is currently sailing to the Middle East ahead of its winter season in the United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Gulf.

With its repositioning cruises cancelled due to security concerns in the Red Sea, the LNG-powered ship is currently sailing around Africa.

The long voyage started in Northern Europe in mid-October and included a technical call to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The MSC Euribia is now expected to arrive in South Africa’s Durban later this month before embarking on the final leg of the repositioning sailing.

As part of its second season in the region, the 2023-built vessel is set to welcome guests in Dubai on Nov. 8, 2025.

The MSC Euribia is then scheduled to offer a series of weeklong cruises in the region that include visits to destinations in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. In addition to Dubai, the itineraries sail to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas and Khalifa Bin Salman.

The deployment runs through early April, when the 4,888-guest ship is set to start a repositioning voyage back to Europe.

With original plans also cancelled due to security concerns, the vessel is expected to sail around Africa once again before kicking off a summer deployment in the Northern Fjords.

With the Red Sea still off-limits for cruise ship operations, cruise lines took different approaches to their planned seasons in the Middle East.

Two brands, Costa and AIDA, decided to cancel all of their sailings in the region earlier this year, redeploying their vessels to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Celestyal Cruises recently confirmed its season in the Middle East, revealing plans to bring its ships to the region via the Red Sea. The vessels will sail with guests to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before deadheading to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

TUI Cruises is operating repositioning cruises to the Arabian Gulf via Africa, with ships sailing around the continent with guests onboard.

Discovery Princess Arrives in Asia for the First Time

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Discovery Princess Arrives in Asia for the First Time

Sailing in the region for the first time, the Discovery Princess recently arrived in Asia as part of a repositioning cruise.

The ship embarked on a 29-night itinerary between Seattle and Singapore following its summer season in Alaska.

The month-long repositioning voyage departed from North America in late September and included visits to four destinations in Alaska before crossing the Pacific.

For its Asia debut, the Discovery Princess visited ports of call in the Far East and Southeast Asia, such as Shimizu, Kochi, and Kagoshima in Japan; Keelung in Taiwan; and Nha Trang in Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong.

The Royal-class ship is also scheduled to offer a single short cruise in the region before entering drydock in early November.

Sailing roundtrip from Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise Center, the five-night sailing features visits to three destinations in Malaysia: Port Klang, Langkawi and Penang.

The Discovery Princess is then set to enter drydock before heading south for its inaugural season in Australia and New Zealand.

Starting in late December, the deployment includes a series of three- to 14-night cruises departing from Sydney.

In addition to a series of destinations in New Zealand, the itineraries feature visits to ports of call in Southern Australia, Queensland and the South Pacific.

Highlighted destinations include Mystery Island in Vanuatu, Kangaroo Island in South Australia and the Fiordland National Park in New Zealand.

The season runs through early April, when the vessel is scheduled to return to North America via Hawaii and French Polynesia.

As the sixth and last vessel in a series of ships that started with the Royal Princess in 2013, the Discovery Princess entered service in March 2022.

The 3,600-guest ship was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and spent its maiden season sailing in Alaska, the U.S. West Coast and the Mexican Riviera.