June 2026
www.nitravelnews.com CRUISE
Belfast Harbour Announces Plans for £1.3 Billion Investment to Bolster Future Growth
BELFAST Harbour has launched an ambitious
25-year
Masterplan setting out £1.3 billion of planned investment to ensure the port remains competitive, efficient and capable of supporting economic growth across Northern Ireland and wider island for decades to come. The Belfast Harbour 2025–
2050 Masterplan: Horizons of Opportunity sets out how the Trust Port will expand and adapt to meet rising demand for trade, providing critical additional capacity and further strengthen Belfast’s position as a leading maritime gateway. The Masterplan has been developed against the backdrop of clear evidence that capacity at ports along Ireland’s east coast will tighten over the next 20 years. As demand for trade continues to grow and space becomes constrained elsewhere, Belfast Harbour is planning ahead – putting the scale of its estate to work to secure the island’s future port capacity. With an unmatched footprint of approximately 2,000 acres of land
and 1,000 acres of water, and long-term development potential, Belfast Harbour is uniquely positioned to respond. The Masterplan sets out how
the port will provide planned, sustainable capacity where the island needs it most, to support trade flows, strengthen supply chains and enable the growth ambitions of its customers. The Masterplan identifies a
£1.3bn programme of investment in critical port infrastructure to support this growth. It sets out how the Harbour Estate can continue to integrate port operations, logistics, clean energy and regeneration within a single, connected environment. Projects include completion of
the £90m D3 deepwater cruise terminal; Belfast’s first land reclamation project in 25 years to create a new freight terminal at West Bank Road; redevelopment of the island’s longest deep water quay – Stormont Wharf; a berth extension to its container terminal for next generation vessels; the first shore power for docked vessels;
Legend Takes to the Seas for Final Checks Before Summer Sailing
ROYAL Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas has set sail on the open ocean for sea trials. This marks one of the final stages before Royal Caribbean’s newest ship debuts in July 2026. Over the course of 10 days, more than 2,000 engineers, specialists and crew
will set sail to complete a comprehensive series of technical tests. Legend will cover approximately 2,400 nautical miles, performing a series of assessments to evaluate the ship’s propulsion, navigational systems, speed, safety features and more. Once complete, Legend will return to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, for its final construction phase before its inaugural sailing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.
construction of a new logistics park and a clean energy hub; and creation of a new maritime skills academy to support jobs in the sector. Dr Theresa Donaldson
,Chair of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, stated, “This Masterplan sets out a clear,
long-term vision for how Belfast Harbour will continue to deliver growth with purpose over the next 25 years. The port is not only a feature of Northern Ireland’s economy – it is a cornerstone of it”
CRUISE NEWS | 37
Oceania Cruises to Offer Two Around the World Cruises for the First time
OCEANIA Cruises has unveiled the inaugural sailings for Oceania Aurelia, set to debut in late 2027, will include the launch of two 180- day Around the World voyages for 2028 and 2029 and two Grand Voyages of more than 70 days each. This is the first time that Oceania Cruises has released two world cruises simultaneously. “We are thrilled to welcome Oceania Aurelia, The Ultimate Explorer, to the
fleet next year. She will be perfectly designed for extended global travel, so to be able to launch two Around the World voyages plus spectacular Grand Voyages at the same time is a true milestone for us. These incredible itineraries will pique the interests of curious travellers who want to explore the world in elegant comfort with the chance to enjoy more time ashore and experience well-loved and new favourite destinations in depth,|” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises. Hosting fewer than 500 guests served by 400 officers and crew, the two
Around the World voyages is a series of overnight port stays that allow for more time ashore for deeper exploration in destinations including Papeete, Bora Bora, Sydney, Bali, Tokyo, Singapore, Mumbai, Seville and Bordeaux. Additionally, select Mid-Cruise Overland Programs take guests beyond
the coastline, unlocking wonders such as Machu Picchu in Peru, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan and the majesty of the Taj Mahal in India. Across each circumnavigation, nearly 100 UNESCO World Heritage sites are within reach.
Explora Journeys Marks Major Construction Milestone for 2027 Ship
EXPLORA Journeys has announced the successful launch of the bow section (Troncone) of EXPLORA V, the fifth of six luxury ships set to enter service by 2028. The milestone took place at Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard in Sicily, where the section was transferred from land to water for the first time. With EXPLORA V scheduled for delivery in
2027, and following initial outfitting in Palermo, the bow section will be transferred to Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, where construction will be completed. “We are pleased to mark the launch of the bow
section of EXPLORA V, an important milestone in the continued development of our fleet,” said Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys. “As we grow, we are introducing more guests to a new expression of ocean travel. We now look ahead to the delivery of EXPLORA III this July and her inaugural journeys, from the Mediterranean to Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland.” Over €3.5 billion has been invested by the
Cruise Division of the MSC Group in Explora Journey’’ six ships, all constructed by Fincantieri . When combined with the four MSC Cruises ships previously built by Fincantieri, the Group’s total investment reaches approximately €7 billion. EXPLORA I has been sailing since 1st August
2023, marking the debut of Explora Journeys’ luxury fleet. The second ship, EXPLORA II, was delivered on 12th September 2024. EXPLORA III will sail for the first time in July 2026, while EXPLORA IV and EXPLORA V will enter service in 2027, all powered by LNG. EXPLORA VI is set to join the fleet in 2028.
NEWS
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