Don’t miss a factor taking place throughout the cruise trade with Cruise Hive’s weekly information recap. Tales this week cowl the supply of Royal Caribbean’s latest Icon-class ship and two Norwegian Cruise Line ships swapping homeports.
We additionally obtained tales on two Royal Caribbean-owned ships with technical points, Celeb Xcel, Star of the Seas supply, and Carnival Breeze cancellations.
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Two Norwegian Cruise Line Ships Swap Homeports
Cruise watchers have been left scratching their heads after Norwegian Cruise Line lately cancelled greater than 40 voyages on two ships, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Prima, throughout the winter 2026-27 season.
However this week, the cruise line defined its future plans for each vessels. Mainly, the road has merely swapped the 2 ships’ homeports, sending Norwegian Breakaway from her initially deliberate San Juan, Puerto Rico, base to Norwegian Prima’s New Orleans deployment, and vice versa.
Somewhat than sail from San Juan, Norwegian Breakaway will change to the Large Simple and Norwegian Prima will function from the Caribbean island. Itineraries stay the identical, simply the ship adjustments.
Norwegian Breakaway accommodates 4,000 company versus Norwegian Prima’s 3,100. It may very well be that the cruise line believes it has a greater likelihood of filling berths on the larger ship from New Orleans.
Visitors booked on every ship’s unique itineraries are receiving automated refunds and a ten% future cruise credit score. They’ll rebook on the newly deployed ships if they want.
Dry Dock Schedule Upends 5 Carnival Breeze Voyages
A dry dock schedule has compelled the cancellation of 5 voyages aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Breeze, all with 2027 departure dates.
The ship will enter dry dock for routine upkeep in early 2027, nixing the scheduled cruises from Galveston. Impacted cruises are a 4-night crusing departing on January 11; an 8-night cruise departing on March 5; two 4-night cruises departing on March 13 and 18; and a 5-night crusing leaving on March 22.
The cancellations point out a longer-than-normal dry dock keep, presumably pointing to the ship needing extra fixes than typical. Cruise ships sometimes enter dry dock for routine upkeep each three to 5 years.
The Dream-class ship accommodates 3,700 company and entered service in 2011.
Cruise fares and any pre-purchased packages can be refunded and the road is providing some incentives for company who resolve to rebook on one other crusing. Onboard credit are among the many incentives and vary from $50 to $100 per stateroom.
Those that need to rebook ought to contact the cruise line or their journey advisor by July 21, 2025. Cruise fares can be protected and utilized towards a comparable crusing in related stateroom classes.
New Venues, Companies Detailed on Celeb Cruises’ Newest Ship
Sitting poolside will tackle a complete new that means when Celeb Cruises’ new Celeb Xcel debuts in November 2025.
Amongst new onboard locations simply revealed is the Celeb Pool Membership, with sun-beds company can stretch out on and a pool valet to maintain everybody cool with chilled towels. The pool deck heats up at evening, too, with a Shine the Evening poolside celebration held on the final sea day of every voyage.
Because the countdown continues to the ship’s launch on November 9, 2025, the cruise line detailed extra of her new areas and facilities.
Together with the pool membership and occasions, Celeb Cruises is enhancing the ship’s spa with a brand new hydra room, with sizzling tub, and heated lounge chairs. An out of doors deck, Vitamin D, can be provided to Thermal Suite company and supply sea views and wait workers service.
The ship, fifth within the line’s Edge class, may also introduce the Celeb Flagship retailer, the place company should buy branded clothes, water bottles, keychains, and plenty of different objects.
The three,260-guest new-build is beneath development on the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and can homeport at Fort Lauderdale following her launch.
Celeb Cruises Ship Departs Following Technical Points
Following a small electrical hearth within the engine room on Celeb Infinity on July 7, 2025, the ship has now lastly departed Kusadasi, Turkey. The vessel was compelled to stay in port for days, which resulted within the cancellation of all of the ports of name.
Visitors may solely benefit from the time on the Millennium-class vessel or by spending a lot of prolonged time exploring the port of name. Based on passengers onboard, round 10% of their fellow company had chosen to disembark the ship, somewhat than remaining till the problem was repaired.
The excellent news is that the Celeb Infinity is now repaired and set sail from Kusadasi on July 11. Based on the cruise ship tracker, the ship is at present heading extra for the Port of Piraeus, the primary homeport for Athens. Celeb Cruises will lastly be capable of disembark the remaining passengers on July 12.
Star of the Seas Delivered to Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean has formally taken supply of its second Icon-class cruise ship, Star of the Seas. Shippbuilder Meyer Turku in Finland handed over the enormous vessel throughout a ceremony held onboard on the shipyard.
It now signifies that many crew members are already onboard, making closing preparations for the primary company in August 2025. There are additionally some closing outfitting being accomplished, which is regular for an enormous new cruise ship!
It would set sail for southern Spain later within the month, spending July 24 via 26, 2025, on the Alegeciras shipyard earlier than starting its transatlantic crusing to its homeport in Port Canaveral.
A collection of preview cruises is ready for early August 2025, when journey advisors and media retailers will get their first have a look at the brand new ship. Star of the Seas will sail her maiden voyage on August 31, 2025, a 7-night Western Caribbean & Good Day at CocoCay cruise.
Port calls can be made to the CocoCay personal vacation spot, plus Costa Maya, Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras. Following the inaugural voyage, the ship will sail alternate Japanese and Western Caribbean cruises.
Royal Caribbean Ship Suffers Technical Difficulty
Royal Caribbean has additionally been dealing with some technical points this previous week with Serenade of the Seas out of Vancouver, Canada.
The vessel developed a difficulty on its June 29 crusing, forcing the ship to sail at diminished pace and skip a name at Icy Strait Level. This additionally had a knock-on impact for the next July 6 cruise, additionally to Alaska.
Serenade of the Seas was compelled to show round, simply two hours after departure, resulting from additional work needing to be completed. Serenade of the Seas was to have arrived in Sitka, Alaska, for a go to from 11:30 a.m. to six p.m. on Tuesday, July 8. Nonetheless, that by no means happened with the ship remaining in Vancouver.
The Royal Caribbean ship finally set sail on July 7 on a revised itinerary. If all goes to plan, Serenade of the Seas is ready to return residence on July 13.
Extra Cruise Headlines
Try extra information on Cruise Hive, together with Panama eliminating incentives for homeporting cruise ships, port congestion prompting a Norwegian Cruise Line ship to change its itinerary, and the cruise trade’s most costly suite almost promoting out.
Additionally, Cunard is seeing an enormous leap in bookings after opening 2027 gross sales, and the world’s oldest cruise ship is arriving on the scrapyard.
