Refreshed Carnival Magic Resumes Miami Sailings

Refreshed Carnival Magic Resumes Miami Sailings

The Carnival Magic has returned from a 35-day drydock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement. 

The ship is now resuming sailing from Miami, offering cruises to destinations across the Caribbean and The Bahamas. 

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the ship entered drydock on April 19, 2026

Several spaces onboard have been updated, including the casino and arcade, paired with the addition of a new mini golf course. 

Additionally, retail areas across the gift shops and the Effy Jewelry boutique have been refreshed. 

The Cloud 9 Spa and fitness center have been renovated, as were the WaterWorks aqua park and pool decks. 

Finally, the Lido restaurant layout has been redesigned. 

This is also the second ship in Carnival’s fleet to showcase the cruise line’s new “From Sea to Shining Sea” bow crest. 

The first one to sport the new look was the Carnival Legend, which resumed service on May 20 following a 16-day drydock at the same shipyard.

MSC Updating Yacht Club Restaurants Across Fantasia-Class Ships

MSC Updating Yacht Club Restaurants Across Fantasia-Class Ships

MSC Cruises announced upgrades to the MSC Yacht Club restaurants, part of the company’s “ship-within-a-ship” concept.

The company said in a press release that the refurbishment will be rolled out across its three Fantasia-class ships, set to undergo drydocks in December 2026, April 2027 and February 2028.

The restaurant onboard its fourth Fantasia-class ship, the MSC Splendida, has already been updated.

The new interior of the MSC Yacht Club restaurant features a modern layout with darker tones, soft textures and sophisticated lighting, the company explained.

Guests can choose from a variety of menus and have a dedicated 24/7 culinary staff as well as a sommelier on-hand, ensuring what MSC describes as an elevated dining experience.

Following her refurbishment at the Palumbo Malta Shipyard, the MSC Splendida began her winter sailings in the Mediterranean in early February.

Itineraries now available to book on the ship include:

Seven-night sailings from Barcelona (Spain) – February through May 2026

The voyages explore Marseille (France), Genoa, Naples, Palermo (Italy), and La Goulette for Tunis (Tunisia).

Seven-night sailings from Barcelona (Spain) – May through November 2026

The voyages visit Marseille (France), Livorno, Cagliari, Palermo (Italy), Valletta (Malta).

Eight-to-nine-night itineraries from Buenos Aires (Argentina) – November 2026 through March 2027

Destinations visited during the voyages include Rio de Janeiro, Ilhabela, Ilha Grande, Balneario Camboriu (Brazil), and Punta del Este (Uruguay).

Nine-night sailings from Trieste (Italy) – April through November 2027

These voyages include calls to destinations such as Split (Croatia), Piraeus (Greece), Kusadasi, Istanbul, (Turkey), Corfu (Greece), and Bari (Italy).

Additional enhancements to Fantasia class ships include a redesigned Future Cruise office onboard, where guests can plan and book their next cruise while on their current voyage.

AIDAbella Back at Sea Post-Modernization

AIDAbella Back at Sea Post-Modernization

The AIDAbella is resuming service in Palma de Mallorca on March 11 following its AIDA Evolution refurbishment.

The cruise ship had previously spent seven weeks in a shipyard in Marseille, where it underwent a comprehensive overhaul and modernization.

According to a statement from the company, the upgrade included new and additional restaurants, bars with enhanced service, new activity areas for families and a fresh look for the public areas.

In addition to redesigning guest cabins, new and additional suites were added, as well as exclusive areas such as the Sky Deck and the Rossini Lounge.

Furthermore, technical upgrades were made to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.

Approximately 5,100 pieces of furniture were donated to social organizations and 18 tons of aluminum from sun loungers and chairs were recycled, demonstrating  circular economy in practice.

The company also refurbished approximately 45,000 m2 of carpets, 10,000 m2 of carpet underlay, 2,500 m2 of artificial turf and over 1,000 mattresses, giving them a new lease on life.

The crew and reception areas got a fully recyclable, allergy-friendly carpet made from Econyl yarn, produced from recycled carpets from the AIDAdiva and AIDAluna.

Thanks to a new reverse osmosis system, the AIDAbella can produce more fresh water from seawater using less energy, the company said.

The consistent use of LED lighting, further optimization of demand-based climate control, and modernized catering technology are meant to contribute to reducing energy and water consumption onboard.

Finally, a special biocide-free coating was added to reduce fouling on the hull, thus also reducing fuel consumption.

The ship’s first itinerary post-modernization is a seven-day roundtrip from Palma that includes stops in Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia, Marseille – with a special overnight stay – and Barcelona, before returning to Palma.