“Phenomenal” is how Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein characterized his company’s third quarter earnings performance. Soaring cruise sales have created financial statistics that absolutely wow. Here's the scoop. The world's largest cruise company posted a record $1.9 billion in third-quarter net income plus record revenues of $8.2 billion.
In addition, net yields were up 4.6 percent year over year on a same-ship basis. But there's more: Carnival Corp. also raised its full-year 2025 outlook for the third time this year. Best of all, the cruise giant is seeing continuing momentum for travel advisors who are booking across its portfolio of brands.
Similarly, small-ship luxury expedition line Atlas Ocean Voyages experienced "unprecedented demand and record-breaking sales results" for the third quarter of 2025, per a company press release. That resulted in a double-digit, year-over-year increase in sales revenue. Notably, while 2025 is shaping up as a record-setting year, Atlas representatives stressed that "a majority of new bookings are propelling 2026 occupancy levels significantly ahead" of where they were last year at the same time.
New Loyalty Program
As cruise sales soar, cruise companies are clearly focused on ensuring they retain loyal past customers. So, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) recently introduced a new Loyalty Status Honoring Program. For sailings on or after October 15, 2025, members of Norwegian Cruise Line's Latitudes Rewards, Oceania Cruises' Oceania Club and Regent Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Society will have their loyalty tiers honored on other NCLH brands at the closest corresponding tier on a per-cruise basis.
Tapping into the power of Hollywood, Princess Cruises revealed that film star Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila McConaughey will christen its new 4,300-passenger Star Princess at Port Everglades (Greater Fort Lauderdale), FL, on November 6, 2025. The duo are also co-founders of Pantalones Organic Tequila, which Princess uses fleet-wide for concocting signature cocktails.
Outbreak, Yacht Club and More
Cruise lines have extensive cleaning and sanitation procedures onboard their ships, but norovirus is still ever-present in society, both on land and at sea. During a September 19 voyage, Royal Caribbean reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 94 of the 1,874 passengers (5% of all guests) and four of 883 crew members were ill with norovirus. Here’s the CDC report on this most recent outbreak. Frequent hand washing is the best protection against the virus.
In the first initiative of its new Port Partners program, Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea and several other brands, has launched an inaugural business accelerator program in the coastal community of Seward, Alaska. It's aimed at empowering aspiring entrepreneurs. The project entails a 10-week academic course, personalized mentorship and coaching. Plus, an interactive pitch competition will culminate in a $20,000 grant awarded to one stand-out participant to help turn his or her business dream into reality.
For the first time in 2027, MSC Cruises' World Cruise guests traveling on the MSC Magnifica can travel across the globe enjoying upscale suites and exclusive spaces within the MSC Yacht Club. The line plans to add that ship-within-a-ship complex and other enhancements to the ship prior to its 121-day global voyage. Guests staying in the yacht club's 63 suites will have keycard-only access to private facilities, 24-hour butler and concierge service, an exclusive restaurant, a new, Top Sail Lounge, pool and sundeck.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has previewed its 2028 deployment on 127 routes, while Atlas Ocean Voyages has unveiled elevated culinary experiences. As autumn gets under way, Holland America Line announced that it will navigate along New York City streets via an Alaska-themed float during its inaugural appearance at the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. During the parade on November 27, 2025, viewers will see a magnificent Holland America float that will showcase Alaska's people, wildlife and glaciers. The line will mark 80 years of Alaska cruising in 2027.
Promotions and People
On the promotional front, Aurora Expeditions has launched a “Beyond Borders” sale. Travelers can save up to 25 percent and receive a bonus air credit of up to $2,500 per person on select 2026 voyages booked through December 31, 2025. Separately, for bookings on or before October 31, 2025, river line AmaWaterways will offer up to $2,500 per stateroom savings on select 2025 Christmas Markets or signature Festive Delight cruises, or up to two complimentary nights in Europe on select 2025 New Year’s Cruises.
Carnival Cruise Line promoted Sarah Beth Reno to new chief operations officer (COO). Overseeing most guest-facing functions for Carnival's 29 ships, she succeeds Peter Clarke, a hotel industry veteran who has left the company, says Seatrade Cruise News. Joining Carnival in 2019, Reno most recently served as a senior vice president. Her new role will span everything from hotel operations to food and beverage, from guest services to entertainment, security and port operations.
Swan Hellenic named Preston Caddell as sales director for the U.S. Central region. Separately, Riviera Travel welcomed its new North American Advisory Board to the group’s first meeting at the brand’s U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Mother Nature Rules
It’s that time of year — Atlantic hurricane season — when last-minute shifts in port calls or itinerary changes aren't uncommon. For the safety of guests and crew members, ships must avoid major storms at sea. But guests traveling on Norwegian Escape’s 12-night cruise roundtrip from New York on September 29 had a bit more shifting than normal. To avoid Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda churning in the Atlantic, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) was forced to change the entire itinerary.
Instead of heading south for multiple port calls at warm-weather Caribbean isles, Norwegian Escape sailed northward to the cooler-weather destinations of Boston and Portland and Eastport, Maine, according to Cruise Hive. Today, the ship is slated to call in Bermuda. While some guests complained to news media about a lack of advance notice, others made the best of the situation — buying hats, gloves and cooler weather clothing for exploring New England.
"While we always aim for calm seas and bright skies, Mother Nature sometimes has other plans," NCL said in one guest communication. As a goodwill gesture, the line is giving guests on this cruise a 20 percent future cruise credit for a booking of any NCL cruise departing on or prior to December 31, 2026. Plus, any NCL shore excursion payments made by guests for the cancelled ports are being refunded. Other itineraries from multiple cruise lines were also changed this past week.
Storms also impact the eastern Pacific region this time of year. Currently, Hurricane Priscilla, located about 475 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, has caused adjustments in itineraries for Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Panorama as well as Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas. Carnival, for instance, eliminated Cabo San Lucas as a port of call, instead replacing it with Catalina Island in the U.S. and more time in Ensenada, Mexico and at sea.
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