It’s time to assessment the large cruise information developments of the previous week with Cruise Hive’s complete protection. This week’s recap consists of tales about Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Juneau, Alaska.
Cruise Information Replace
On this week’s thrilling replace, Cruise Hive pulls again the curtain on the highest headlines of the week, with tales about Utopia of the Seas gearing up for her maiden voyage; a brand new Disney ship being constructed for the Japan market; an effort advancing in Juneau that may stop Saturday port calls; Royal Caribbean cancelling a go to to Jeju Island in March 2025; a brand new set of land excursions only for MSC Yacht Membership visitors; and a 5-year reunion between a server and a visitor on a Disney Cruise Line ship.
Utopia of the Seas Arrives at Florida Homeport
The brand new-build Utopia of the Seas, the sixth and ultimate ship in Royal Caribbean’s common Oasis class, arrived at Port Canaveral, Florida, on July 11, 2024, following her supply from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France in mid-June.
The 5,600-guest ship can be primarily based on the Central Florida port and sail getaway cruises of three and 4 days with calls at Nassau, Bahamas, and at Good Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s 125-acre personal island within the Bahamas’ Berry Islands.
Utopia of the Seas’ inaugural cruise departs on July 19, 2024, following two preview cruises for journey companions, media, and others. A 3-night christening extravaganza can be held in the course of the July 19 itinerary, each onboard the ship and at CocoCay, with celebrity Meghan Trainor serving as godmother and performing on the gala occasion.
The 18-deck ship, the world’s second-largest behind Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, options 40 eating and lounge venues, and a number of other journey and thrill rides, such because the Final Abyss dry slide, the FlowRider surf simulator, and a “Good Storm” water park.
The cruise line’s different Oasis-class ships are Oasis of the Seas — the primary within the class that debuted in 2010, Attract of the Seas, Concord of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Surprise of the Seas.
The category was an industry-pioneering idea that launched distinct shipboard “neighborhoods,” every with a special theme. The idea has since been adopted by different cruise traces.
New Disney Ship to Be Constructed For Japan Market
Disney will quickly broaden its presence within the Japanese market with the launch of a Disney Want-class ship that can be homeported to Tokyo. The enduring American model introduced an enlargement of its longtime partnership with Tokyo-based Oriental Land Firm (OLC), which is able to function the brand new ship.
OLC already runs Tokyo Disneyland, the primary Disney park to open abroad; Tokyo DisneySea, an ocean-themed park; and Tokyo Disney Resort, a lodge, eating, and leisure advanced.
Each OLC and Disney made the announcement in regards to the new ship, which is able to debut in 2029 with conventional Disney facilities plus new modifications geared to the Japan market. Like different Want-class ships, the brand new construct can have the capability for 4,000 visitors in 1,250 staterooms.
The category additionally launched the favored AquaMouse water coaster, Frozen and Marvel-themed eating places, and a Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, amongst different venues.
The brand new ship can be constructed by Germany’s Meyer Werft shipyard, the place two Disney Cruise Line ships are at present underneath development — Disney Treasure, slated to debut in late 2024, and Disney Future, anticipated to enter service in 2025.
OLC stated that it plans to create a “world-class cruise enterprise” in Japan.
‘Ship-Free Saturday’ Bid Advances in Juneau
Efforts by a citizen group in Juneau, Alaska, to ban giant cruise ships from docking on the common port on Saturdays and on July 4 of every yr took a giant step ahead on July 1, 2024, after it collected the signatures required to position the difficulty on town’s October poll.
The Juneau municipal clerk licensed the required 2,359 signatures wanted to advance the petition and confirmed she would ahead the certification to the native governing physique, the Metropolis and Borough of Juneau Meeting.
The meeting has till August 15, 2024 to behave on the doc. If it takes no motion, the measure will seem on the native poll in October. Nonetheless, the meeting additionally may reject the proposal, recognized regionally because the Ship-Free Saturday Initiative Petition.
Such a rejection would seemingly imply the citizen group must resort to authorized motion. The trouble is led by residents who imagine that will increase in cruise ship calls negatively influence the native way of life and the area’s pure sources. In 2023, cruise arrivals reached 1.6 million, representing a 23% hike over the earlier yr.
Juneau’s cruise arrivals are already restricted to 16,000 passengers per day and 12,000 on Saturdays per a current settlement between town and the Cruise Traces Worldwide Affiliation.
Cruise Line Nixes Name at Common Jeju Island
Citing operational challenges on the South Korean port of Jeju Island, Royal Caribbean has cancelled a deliberate go to by Spectrum of the Seas, which was set to name on the vacation spot throughout a March 2025 crusing.
Jeju Island, often known as the “Hawaii of Korea,” was to be a port name because the 4,900-guest ship sailed to Nagasaki, Japan, on a 4-night cruise departing from Shanghai, China, on March 5, 2025.
With out detailing what the operational challenges are, Royal Caribbean instructed visitors the ship will as a substitute spend a day at sea reasonably than name at Jeju’s Seogwipo Gangjeong Cruise Port, which may accommodate two 220,000-gross-ton cruise ships concurrently.
The cruise line invited visitors to benefit from the ship’s many onboard actions, comparable to its twin FlowRiders, or skydiving periods at RipCord by iFLY.
Royal Caribbean will mechanically refund any excursions booked by the road, and visitors who’ve booked impartial land excursions ought to take steps to cancel them.
Jeju Island is residence to Mount Hallasan, a dormant volcano that may be a UNESCO World Pure Heritage Website.
MSC Cruises Provides Upscale Excursions For Yacht Membership Friends
In a pioneering transfer for the {industry}, MSC Cruises has created dozens of luxurious shore excursions particularly for visitors who e-book staterooms or suites in MSC Yacht Membership, the high-end ship-within-a-ship space.
Almost 100 land excursions have been rolled out within the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and in Northern Europe, with excursions in different locations to be added sooner or later. The small-group excursions spotlight native tradition, delicacies, and landmarks, and have personal transportation.
The price of the specifically curated excursions aren’t included in cruise fares. Friends reserving MSC Yacht Membership lodging obtain many free facilities and providers, comparable to 24/7 butler and concierge providers, personal eating and pool areas, beverage and WiFi packages, and precedence boarding and disembarking.
Pattern excursions embody a perfume-making workshop in France, visits to geothermal baths in Akureyri, Iceland, and a luxurious catamaran sail and snorkel journey in Cozumel, Mexico, as an illustration.
MSC Yacht Membership visitors can e-book the unique excursions upfront, both on-line or by way of the road’s contact middle, in addition to onboard their ship, both by the MSC For Me app, the MSC Yacht Membership concierge service, or on the Shore Excursions desk.
Visitor, Crew Member Reunite After 5 Years
A heartwarming story unfolded in a TikTok video posted by a journey planner who lately took a enterprise journey aboard Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic. The video exhibits the visitor, Nikki Kennedy, celebrating a reunion with a crew member she met whereas crusing on the identical ship in 2019.
The crew member, Aaron, was a server onboard the 2019 voyage within the Mediterranean that Kennedy and her husband, Tanner, sailed on with their toddler daughter, Blair. The household grew to become very keen on Aaron, who had offered service above and past their expectations. In truth, Aaron posed for a photograph with child Blair earlier than the household debarked the ship.
When the journey planner boarded the ship once more, someday round mid-June 2024, she instantly acknowledged Aaron within the eating room and launched herself. Aaron acknowledged her, as nicely, and a cheerful reunion adopted.
The video was posted on June 20, 2024, and has garnered some 200,000 views to date. It was unclear which cruise the journey planner was on in June, however it seems to have operated early that month. Disney Magic is predicated in Fort Lauderdale and sails 4- and 5-night Bahamas cruises.
Extra Cruise Headlines
Cruise Hive has many extra cruise information articles from the previous week that you just gained’t wish to miss. Take a look at our protection on Holland America Line’s new leisure for Grand Voyages visitors; Princess Cruises including a pizza-making champion to its movie star partnerships; Nassau Cruise Port’s plan to construct a large water park; Uber providing new transport choices for cruisers visiting sure ports; and Seabourn including land excursions on its 2024 Grand Africa Voyage.
