On the new ship front, Royal Caribbean Group ordered a seventh Oasis-class vessel to enter service for Royal Caribbean International in 2028. Also, Carnival Corporation ordered its first new build in five years—a fourth Excel-class vessel for Carnival Cruise Line. The new ship will begin sailing in spring 2027.
Last week, Princess Cruises accepted delivery of the new Sun Princess from Fincantieri but additional work is required post-delivery. Thus, the ship’s February 18 voyage has been canceled, which followed a previously announced February 11 cancelation due to a shipyard delay. The new inaugural voyage is now scheduled for February 28 from Civitavecchia (Rome).
According to Seatrade Cruise News, Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings, joint owner and operator of Four Seasons Yachts, confirmed that cruise industry veteran Larry Pimentel, Four Seasons Yachts' president and CEO, and Philip Levine, co-founder, have left the company. Nadim Ashi, the other co-founder of Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings, remains in his position. The company said it's now searching for a new CEO.
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Tauck, which operates many European river cruises on its own ships, announced a leadership transition plan. Effective October 2024, Arthur Tauck, Jr., chairman, will become chairman emeritus. In turn, Dan Mahar, Tauck CEO since 2008, will become chairman of the board, while Jennifer Tombaugh, Tauck president since 2011, will become CEO. In addition, Jeremy Palmer, Tauck chief operating officer since 2019, will become president.
Royal Caribbean International announced its 2025-2026 Northeast and Caribbean itineraries. Its ships will sail five- to 12-night voyages from seven U.S. cities in Florida, the Northeast and Texas as well as Puerto Rico. Atlas Ocean Voyages has unveiled its 2025 Epicurean Expeditions in the Mediterranean and Cultural Expeditions in Northern Europe. In addition, Star Breeze has replaced Wind Spirit as Windstar Cruises’ year-round vessel that operates Tahiti and French Polynesia voyages.
Separately, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has formed a new, multiyear partnership with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One team. The ultra-luxury line’s logo will be displayed on the soon-to-be-revealed AMR24 race car, drivers’ race suits and all official apparel worn by team personnel at races.
Sea Cloud Cruises announced that Chef Michael Collantes, head chef and owner, Soseki, a one-Michelin-starred omakase restaurant in Winter Park, FL, will sail as guest chef aboard Sea Cloud Spirit’s October 5 voyage from Nice, France, to Barcelona, Spain. Also, the line is collaborating with Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Washington D.C., for a special exhibition—opening in February 2025—about the original Sea Cloud. Built in the 1930s by Marjorie Merriweather Post and then-husband E. F. Hutton, that lovely yacht still sails today for Sea Cloud Cruises.
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