Asian River Cruise Line Pandaw Shuts Down After 25 Years
Some sad news in the cruise world this morning. Pandaw, a river expedition cruise line sailing Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and India has announced they’re closing their doors after more than 25 years in business. In the press release, Pandaw cited “lack of financial liquidity a
Princess Cruises Offers Half-Price Sailings to First Responders and Medical Professionals
As a special thank you to first responders and medical professionals across the country, Princess Cruises is offering a special 50% off promotion which can be used on select cruises sailing from North America through February 2022. Those who qualify can verify their status via a
Explora Journeys Begins Construction on Second Ship
It wasn’t long ago we heard the news that MSC Cruises was launching a new luxury cruise brand called Explora Journeys and now we have new details about the line’s second ship slated for Spring 2024. The steel cutting ceremony for EXPLORA II took place at the Fincantieri shipyard near Nap
Atlas Ocean Voyages World Navigator Cruise Ship Review
Atlas Ocean Voyages World Navigator by Evan Gove 1 Feet 1 Decks 1 Launched 1 Guests Overview As the name implies, World Navigator is a ship well-equipped to sail from one end of the world to the other. The hybrid power vessel mixes intrepid exploration with outstanding luxury from bow to stern f
Pioneering Women in Cruise Design: Interview with Dee Cooper of Virgin Voyages
Brand new cruise ships are incredible feats of engineering, but they’re also incredible feats of design and creativity. From the color schemes to the furniture and decoration, designing a cruise ship from top to bottom is a full time job and the people charged with the task have a whole lot to
NCL CEO Confident Ruling Allowing Cruise Line to Require Proof of Vaccination Will Remain
Norwegian Cruise Line hit an important milestone in their return from the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this week when Norwegian Gem set sail from PortMiami. The ship was the first from the cruise line to sail from Miami since March 2020 and in more good news, the ship embarked from the line’
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Returns to Operation
Over the weekend, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line became the latest cruise operator to return to service when their ship Grand Classica set sail from the Port of Palm Beach in Florida over the weekend. The ship visited Grand Bahama Island as part of the cruise line’s popular two-ni
Crystal Endeavor Embarks from Reykjavík on Maiden Voyage
One of the most anticipated expedition cruise ships in recent memory embarked on her maiden voyage over the weekend. Crystal Endeavor, the new ship from Crystal Cruises set sail from Reykjavík, Iceland on a ten night circumnavigation of the island. The itinerary is the first of five&
3rd Episode of NCL’s ‘Embark- The Series’ Will Air July 29
Back in November 2020, Norwegian Cruise Line announced a new documentary series offering a closer look at the brand and it’s long-awaited cruise comeback. We’ve had two episodes since then and now we know when the third is scheduled for release. The next episode of “EMBARK – Th
Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Winners of ‘Giving Joy’ Contest
There are 100 lucky teachers waking up across America this morning! Norwegian Cruise Line announced the winners of their Norwegian’s Giving Joy contest where the top prize for 100 teachers is a seven-night cruise for two! Three of the 100 are in for even more as Norwegian is awarding
Cruise Deal of the Week – July 2, 2021
The following excerpt appeared in a letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams dated July 3, 1776 regarding the newly minted United States of America’s day of independence. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminatio
MSC Cruises Will Sail to Tunisia in 2022
There’s a new option for those looking for a unique summer cruise experience! Popular cruise line MSC Cruises today announced that it will add the North African country of Tunisia to its summer 2022 sailings in the Mediterranean on board MSC Opera. The cruise line will call on the port of La G
AIDA Cruises Announces New 117-Day World Cruise
German cruise line AIDA Cruises has announced a new 117-day world cruise onboard their ship AIDAsol. Embarking on October 26, 2022 from Hamburg, Germany, AIDAsol will call at 43 ports in 20 different countries on four continents, pass the International Date Line and cross the equator twice. Gue
Virgin Voyages Reveals New Itineraries for Resilient Lady
The third ship from Virgin Voyages is scheduled to sail in 2022 and the cruise line has released new itineraries to follow the ship’s inaugural season in Greece. Resilient Lady will head to the Caribbean on an 11-night repositioning cruise following its summer 2022 season in the Medi
MSC Cruises Will Return to U.S. Ports in August
One of the fastest-growing cruise lines has an official date for their first simulation cruise as well as a plan to return to normal operation from U.S. ports! MSC Cruises announced they’ve been approved by the CDC to sail on MSC Meraviglia from PortMiami on July 17, 2021 on the
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Unveils 2023 Mediterranean Itineraries
When it comes to luxury brands, Ritz-Carlton is about as name-brand as it gets. The international hotel chain announced in 2018 that they would be entering the cruise space under the brand name The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed production of their new ship Evrima, but
CDC Gives Royal Caribbean the Okay For Test Cruises in June
After more than a year of waiting, it finally looks like the cruise industry is about to be back to normal. Royal Caribbean International became the first cruise operator to receive approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to start sailing test cruises from U.S. ports. In a
Choose Your Cruise – May 21, 2021
Yesterday was a great day for cruising! First we had Royal Caribbean International hinting that recent conversations have them under the impression that cruising is coming back sooner rather than later. Then we had the U.S. House of Representatives pass the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act by a unanimous
Royal Caribbean Changes Plans for Bermuda Cruises
Porthole Cruise and Travel readers are no strangers to cruise cancellations these days. For the past year, you’ve read countless articles about cancelled, delayed and rescheduled cruises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Well, for the first time, we have news of a major cruise cancellation that
First Look at Norwegian Prima Cruise Ship Bound for Port Canaveral
Norwegian Cruise Line has a big announcement this morning! The cruise line is introducing a brand new class of cruise ships for the first time in a decade and the details sound incredible! Prima Class will feature six brand new ships, with the first, Norwegian Prima, coming in the summer of 2022.&nb