Oosterdam Sets Sail for HAL’s Solar Eclipse Voyage

Posted on 11 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Oosterdam Sets Sail for HAL’s Solar Eclipse Voyage

The Oosterdam departed from Lisbon on Sunday to kick off Holland America Line’s “Mediterranean Solar Eclipse” cruise.

Sailing from Portugal to Greece, the 13-night voyage is scheduled to sail to six destinations in the region before ending in Piraeus later this month.

Guests will visit ports in Spain, France, Italy and Montenegro, including Alicante, Ajaccio, Civitavecchia, Bari and Kotor. The itinerary is also highlighted by an overnight visit to the port of Barcelona.

As part of the company’s lineup of themed eclipse cruises, the sailing will also feature special programming focused on the natural phenomenon.

The activities will be hosted by Professor Adam Burgasser, an award-winning professor of physics at the University of California.

Highlights of the enrichment program include talks on the latest astrophysics research, as well as the connections between astronomy and Mediterranean history.

Holland America said that guests will also have a rare opportunity to witness a sunset eclipse with the ship positioned off the Spanish coast on August 12, 2026.

The company will also offer themed lectures, Q&A sessions and tips on how to make the most of their eclipse viewing.

In addition to the Oosterdam, the Zuiderdam and the Nieuw Statendam are also offering special eclipse sailings.

The latter was the first to start its themed cruise, departing from the English port of Dover on June 24, 2026.

As part of a 28-day itinerary to Northern Europe and the Arctic, the vessel will be positioned off the coast of Iceland in the eclipse’s path of totality.

The Zuiderdam is also offering an eclipse cruise in Northern Europe after departing from Boston for a 35-night cruise on July 18, 2026.

Like its fleetmate, the 1,900-passenger ship will be positioned off the coast of Iceland for the phenomenon.

Marella Expands Drinks Range with 18 Non-Alcoholic Options

Posted on 11 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Marella Expands Drinks Range with 18 Non-Alcoholic Options

Marella Cruises has announced that it is offering 18 new alcohol-free cocktails, six 0 percent ABV spirits, four 0 percent wines, as well as non-alcoholic beer and cider alternatives.

Luke Saunders, food and drink development manager at Marella Cruises, said: “We are pleased to be expanding our non-alcoholic drinks menus onboard across our ships.”

“After listening to customer feedback and reviewing the gaps in our menu, we want to enhance a customer’s experience onboard and cater to those who would prefer a non-alcoholic alternative,” added Saunders.

“We are looking forward to our new and returning customers trying out 0 percent cocktails for when they are next onboard.”

From August 2026, all guests sailing on Marella Cruises will be able to enjoy an expanded range of non-alcoholic drinks as part of the line’s All-Inclusive offering, the company said, while guests upgrading to Premium All-Inclusive will also have access to a selection of 0 percent ABV spirits and alcohol-free cocktails.

The expanded range includes 0 percent red, white, rosé and sparkling wine, Heineken 0 percent and Somersby 0 percent cider, Marella said in a press release.

The company will also introduce gluten-free Estrella beer to its All-Inclusive drinks offering.

Customers on the Premium All Inclusive package can enjoy six 0 percent ABV spirits, including Lyre’s:

London Dry Gin
American Malt Bourbon
White Cane Rum
Agave Blanco Tequila, and
Coffee Originale and Lyre’s Italian Spritz.

The expanded range also includes 18 crafted alcohol-free cocktails, including:

“Grapefruit Refresher” — includes Lyre’s London Dry with pink grapefruit and soda
“Nojito” — Lyre’s White Cane with mint, lime and soda
“Summer Sour” — includes Lyre’s London Dry with lemon, soda, mint and basil, and
“Gentle Fashioned” — Lyre’s American Malt with bitters and orange peel.

The enhanced non-alcoholic drinks will be a part of the offering onboard all Marella’s ships available across the fleet from August 2026.

MSC Musica Completes 20 Years of Service

Posted on 10 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

MSC Musica Completes 20 Years of Service

The MSC Musica recently completed 20 years of service for MSC Cruises, having been delivered on June 19, 2006.

Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the 2,550-passenger ship debuted as the first in a series of four ships known as the Musica class.

After repositioning to the Mediterranean, the vessel was christened in the Italian city of Venice on June 29, 2006. Actress Sophia Loren served as godmother of the ship during the ceremony.

For its maiden season, the MSC Musica offered a series of seven-night cruises from its homeport in Venice, visiting Greece, Croatia, Italy and Turkey.

The weeklong itineraries were highlighted by visits to a range of destinations, including Katakolon, Izmir, Istanbul, Dubrovnik and Bari.

While plans initially called for the ship to reposition to North America for the winter, it remained in Europe year-round until late 2008.

For its first winter, the MSC Musica offered longer itineraries that combined destinations in the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

In 2026, the ship is offering seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean that sail to France, Spain and Italy.

The vessel’s regular itinerary includes visits to Civitavecchia, Genoa, Cagliari, Marseille and Valencia, as well as Ibiza.

Later this year, the MSC Musica is scheduled to enter drydock in Malta for the largest refurbishment of its sailing career.

As part of a fleet modernization project that will see all Musica-class ships undergoing similar updates, the 92,400-ton vessel will spend approximately two months in the shipyard.

The ship is scheduled to emerge from drydock with a new MSC Yacht Club space, as well as new specialty dining venues and updated public spaces.

After sailing to South America with no guests onboard in November, the MSC Musica will introduce the new features during its 2026-27 winter season in Brazil.

As part of MSC’s five-ship deployment in the region, the Musica is scheduled to offer three- to seven-night cruises departing from Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranaguá and Itajaí.