River cruising is atop the news this week as Riviera Travel North America has named Stuart Milan as its president. Marilyn Conroy will assume the new position of executive vice president, business development, while Francis Riley will become senior vice president, trade sales and partner relations. The executive moves come as Riviera, which has a robust European river cruise operation, is expanding its U.S. presence and moving into a new, flagship Fort Lauderdale, FL, office.
In another river cruise development, Tauck unveiled several renderings and the new names of its two new river vessels in France. The new ships, Serene and Lumiere, will sail on the Seine and Rhone rivers, respectively.
More Cruise News
MSC Cruises has opened sales for its winter 2026-27 season, with seven ships deployed at four U.S. embarkation ports. Voyages will sail to the Caribbean, Bahamas and beyond. Holland America Line has unveiled its new 2026-27 Mexico and Pacific Coast itineraries. Its Pacific Coast season is highlighted by visits to the fjord-like waterways of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, while the Mexico season includes longer cruises of up to 12 days.
Meanwhile, Celestyal Cruises has "refined" its "Iconic Arabia" cruises in the Middle East for 2025-2026. Elsewhere, Alaskan Dream Cruises has opened its 2026 sales. Four 40- to 80-passenger vessels will operate 102 voyages through Southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage. Top focuses are Alaska Native culture, remote communities, wilderness areas and wildlife.
Four Seasons Yachts has shared details of the food-and-beverage experiences onboard Four Seasons I, launching in January 2026. The vessel will offer guests 11 restaurant and bar concepts ranging from omakase and Mediterranean specialties to creative cocktail menus and more. On the entertainment front, Norwegian Cruise Line will debut four new shows in 2025.
HX has unveiled a new fleet look to help distinguish it from its former sister brand Hurtigruten in areas like Norway where both lines still operate. And for clients interested in expedition cruising beyond the Arctic and Antarctica, major expedition lines are debuting new 2026 options to the South Pacific, Mediterranean, Africa, Japan, the Americas and beyond, according to sister site Luxury Travel Advisor.
Wave Season Tip
This week's Wave Season tip comes from Shawn Tubman, senior vice president, sales and trade marketing, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "At this point in the Wave Season, I’d recommend calling out the urgency to act on some of the best deals of the whole year before they expire," says Tubman. That said, if clients do miss a Wave Season promotion, "most of the subsequent deals are focused on 'in year' or 2025 sailings, so it's another chance to get great value."
In other trade news, Cruise Planners has launched a new hotel proposal feature for CP Maxx.
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