Tag Archives: travel

Disney Cruise Line to return to New York in 2027-28 programme

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Disney Cruise Line to return to New York in 2027-28 programme

Disney Treasure in New York

Disney Cruise Line will return to New York for the first time in four years as part of its autumn 2027 and spring 2028 programme.

Disney Wish will sail seven four to seven-night cruises from the city from September 2027, featuring New England and Canada’s Atlantic Coast, with ports of call including Boston, Saint John and Halifax.

Five of the sailings will also call at Bermuda, with three offering an extra day in port.

The season features expanded sailings to San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Disney Wish, Disney Fantasy and Disney Magic including the port on selected itineraries.

Three Wish Class ships will homeport from Port Canaveral from November 2027, including newest vessel Disney Destiny, alongside Disney Wish and Disney Treasure.

Disney Destiny will initially sail three to five-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale in autumn 2027, before homeporting from Port Canaveral for the first time to offer three to seven-night sailings to the Bahamas and western Caribbean.

Disney Wish will offer three and four-night voyages to the Bahamas following its New York season, while Disney Treasure will operate seven-night sailings to the eastern and western Caribbean.

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy also join the Port Canaveral line-up from November 2027.

On the US West Coast, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will sail from San Diego through to early November 2027, offering three to seven-night Baja and Mexican Riviera itineraries.

Disney Magic will complete two Panama Canal repositioning cruises: a 14-night eastbound sailing to Galveston in November 2027 – featuring a maiden call at Fuerte Amador for Panama City – and a westbound voyage from San Diego in March 2028 with a maiden call at Colon, Panama.

The ship will also operate a series of seven-night cruises from Galveston.

In Asia, Disney Adventure will continue operating three and four-night itineraries from Singapore, including a maiden port call at Langkawi, Malaysia.

Early bookings for Castaway Club members open on August 31, ahead of general sale on September 8.

Tracy Wilson, senior vice-president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line operations, said: “Disney Cruise Line is proud to be a leader in family cruising, helping our guests create lasting memories in even more destinations.

“We are delighted to return to a guest-favourite port in New York, introduce maiden calls in Panama and continue visiting destinations throughout the Caribbean and beyond with our growing fleet.”

New Oceania class of ship floated out

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New Oceania class of ship floated out

A new ship for Oceania Cruises has been floated out at a shipyard in Italy ahead of planned entry into service in a year’s time.

The 695-cabin Oceania Sonata is the first of five ships planned for the line’s new Sonata Class.

It will be followed by sister ship Oceania Arietta in 2029, with three additional vessels due for delivery in 2032, 2035 and 2037.

At approximately 86,000 gross tons, Oceania Sonata will be nearly 30% larger than Oceania Allura – launched last year – yet will feature only 90 additional cabins.

Suites will make up a third of the accommodation including four Owner’s Suites featuring two bedrooms – a first for Oceania Cruises. 

Two new suite categories are also being introduced. 

Horizon Suites will offer more than 600 square feet of space, with separate living and bedroom areas, a walk-through closet and an oversized balcony.

The 488-square-foot Penthouse Deluxe Suite will feature an expanded layout and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors to frame the ocean views.

Oceania Sonata will include 13 dining venues, including two new culinary concepts – La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France and Nikkei Kitchen – as well as The Grand Dining Room and specialty restaurants Jacques, Red Ginger, Polo Grill and Toscana.

Oceania Sonata will embark on its inaugural season from August 2027 through to April 2028, visiting more than 90 destinations across Europe, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexico, and Central and South America. 

The vessel was floated out at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, moving from dry dock to a fitting-out berth, where work will continue on the interiors.

Chief luxury officer Jason Montague said: “The float out of Oceania Sonata is an incredibly exciting moment as we move one step closer to welcoming our first guests aboard next August.

“We are tremendously grateful to our partners at Fincantieri whose expertise and craftsmanship are bringing Oceania Sonata to life.

“As the first ship in our new Sonata Class, she represents the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the brand and a defining milestone in the continued evolution of Oceania Cruises.”

MSC Cancels Repositioning Voyage to South Africa

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MSC Cancels Repositioning Voyage to South Africa

MSC Cruises cancelled a repositioning voyage to South Africa that was scheduled to take place onboard the MSC Armonia in late 2026.

According to a statement sent to booked guests, the sailing cannot take place due to the geopolitical situation in the Red Sea region.

“Due to the persistent geopolitical situation in the Suez region and the impact this is having on maritime transport, it is now clear that we will not be able to guarantee safe transit through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea,” the company said.

The cruise onboard the MSC Armonia was scheduled to depart from Marghera, Italy, on November 1, 2026.

Sailing to Durban, the 26-night voyage was set to visit destinations in Croatia and Greece before transiting the Suez Canal.

The 2001-built vessel was then scheduled to sail to ports in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, such as Aqaba, Mahé, Diego Suarez and Port Louis.

“Your safety and well-being are our highest priority, and we want to offer you the certainty and peace of mind you need before leaving for your cruise,” MSC continued, noting that the decision to cancel the cruise was taken “after careful consideration.”

“We know that you have dedicated time to planning your cruise, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

The company said affected passengers will have three options, including canceling the booking with no penalty for a full refund.

Guests will also be able to transfer their reservations to any other MSC Grand Voyage of similar duration, the company said, adding that sailings with up to three additional nights are eligible.

In this case, MSC will guarantee the more favorable cruise fare between the original departure and the new one.

The company said passengers can also move their reservations to any other cruise currently scheduled without penalty.

The price of the newly selected cruise will be applied, and any payment already made for the previous cruise will be transferred to the new one, the company explained.

Debuting in the region, the MSC Armonia is scheduled to offer cruises in South Africa during the 2026-27 winter season.