Top Cruise Travel Stories From October

by Donald Wood
Last updated:: 7:00 PM ET, Fri October 27, 2023

Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo Credit: stellalevi/E+)

PONANT's Le Commandant Charcot. (photo via PONANT) (Photo Credit: (photo via PONANT))

PHOTO: Norwegian Jewel. (file photo via Norwegian Cruise Line Media)

Carnival Miracle. (photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)

Carnival Freedom in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)

Advisors noted that cruises of all types are selling well. Pictured, ships in New Providence, Bahamas. (photo via iStock/Getty Images Plus/Brand X Pictures)

Exterior of Uniworld's S.S. Victoria. (Photo Credit: Uniworld)

Star of the Seas. (Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean International Media)

Young couple looking at sunrise on cruise ship. (photo via michaeljung / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Exterior rendering of the new Disney Treasure. (Photo Credit: Disney Cruise Line)

The Westerdam ports in Cairns, Australia. (Photo Credit: Holland America Line)

Princess Cruises' vegan menus. (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises Media)

A rendering of the Disney Treasure's Haunted Mansion Parlor. (Photo Credit: Disney Cruise Line)

Cruise Lines Alter Itineraries Due to Israel Conflict

1/13

Several cruise lines have been forced to make changes to planned voyages as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on. Windstar Cruises announced it would be forced to cancel its inaugural season in the Middle East in November, while MSC Cruises announced it was forced to cancel the full winter program of sailings aboard MSC Orchestra scheduled for the Red Sea.

PONANT Launches 2024-25 Voyages to Arctic Circle

2/13

PONANT created seven voyages in Lapland, the Gulf of Bothnia, and the Baltic Sea that will launch for the Winter 2024-25 season. Activities will immerse guests in the frozen beauty of the northern landscapes, with reindeer-pulled sleigh rides, ice-fishing, Christmas markets, and glimpses of the Northern Lights.

Norwegian Returns to Asia for First Time in Three Years

3/13

Norwegian Cruise Line has begun its first six-month season in Asia for the first time in three years this week as the Norwegian Jewel began a cruise in Japan from Tokyo. The ship is the first in the fleet to return to Asia, offering sixteen different itineraries across eleven countries, visiting destinations like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei, Bali, Tokyo and Yokohama.

Carnival Expands Europe Sailings, Adds More Celebration Key Stops

4/13

Carnival Cruise Line provided an update on its 2025 deployment, including a selection of European cruises onboard the Carnival Miracle and 100 cruises with visitation to the cruise line’s exclusive destination, Celebration Key.

Barcelona’s Port Closes Docks at City Center to Cruise Ships

5/13

Following an agreement with local authorities to relocate cruise ships further from the city proper, officials have closed Barcelona’s northern port terminal to all cruise traffic. Passenger cruise vessels will now be required to dock at the Moll d’Adossat pier, situated furthest from the storied city center.

How Valuable Will the Cruise Industry Be in 10 Years?

6/13

New cruise data found that the global cruise tourism market size and share were valued at around $5.29 billion last year. According to Custom Market Insights’ new report, the industry is expected to reach a value of an estimated $14.65 billion by 2032 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 11 percent during the forecast period 2023 to 2032.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises to Add Two New Ships

7/13

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is adding two new ships, the 110-guest S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth, which are scheduled to debut in Europe as Uniworld vessels in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Royal Caribbean Reveals Name of Next Icon Class Ship

8/13

Royal Caribbean International announced the name of the cruise company’s next Icon Class ship, dubbed Star of the Seas. Expected to debut during the summer of 2025, the vessel is currently under construction in Turku, Finland.

Cruise Prices Continue to Rise as Demand Remains Strong

9/13

In the same recent conference call with Wall Street analysts in which they talked about the number of bookings going through the roof due to pent-up demand, executives from the Carnival Corporation were all but giddy in saying that they made a profit that was $175 million more than what they expected over the most recent three-month quarter.

Disney Adds More Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico Voyages

10/13

Disney Cruise Line announced new and fan-favorite early 2025 itineraries featuring Disney Treasure’s inaugural season and including both of Disney’s Bahamian destinations – Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney Castaway Cay.

Holland America Line Provides Update on SpaceX’s Starlink

11/13

Holland America Line announced that more than half of its fleet has been updated with SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. The cruise line first installed the next-generation technology on its Koningsdam ship, followed by Oosterdam, Volendam, Westerdam, Zaandam and Zuiderdam. Officials revealed Starlink would be installed on the cruise line’s remaining five ships by mid-December.

Princess Cruises Announces New Vegan Menus

12/13

Princess Cruises announced the introduction of new vegan menus for main dining rooms that will be rolled out across the company’s fleet of 15 ships. The plant-based cuisine being added to the vessels is prepared without the use of any animal products, exemplifying the cruise line’s culinary team and their fusion of gourmet creativity and eco-consciousness.

Disney Adding First-Ever The Haunted Mansion Bar to New Ship

13/13

Disney Cruise Line’s upcoming Disney Treasure ship will feature a spooky first for the fun cruise line: an all-new bar experience inspired by the Disney Parks attraction, The Haunted Mansion.

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The cruise industry made significant waves throughout October as demand continued to soar and more travelers hit the open seas.

Major cruise lines like Norwegian, Carnival and Royal Caribbean continue to revitalize ships, roll out new menus and focus on sustainability, but they are not alone in making headlines.

As other cruise-based companies announce unique voyages, reveal plans for fleet expansion, unveil new itineraries and highlight record bookings, the industry is leaving the coronavirus pandemic in its wake.

Here are the top stories from October.

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