50 | CRUISE NEWS
www.nitravelnews.com
April/May 2025
Riviera Travel Reimagines European Signature Collection for 2026
RIVIERA Travel is launching five new premium itineraries for 2026 this spring as part of its European Signature category, a smaller luxury collection. Available to book from April 9th 2025, this includes tours in France, Montenegro and Albania, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. As well as introducing new routes, the award-winning cruise and tour operator has also refreshed a selection of existing tours within this category. Combining incredible destinations with hand-crafted experiences,
the
MSC Cruises Unveils Expansive Retail Offering Aboard New Flagship
MSC Cruises onboard retail experiences will be brought to another level with a huge and varied retail offering aboard its upcoming flagship, MSC World America, set to debut next month. The new flagship’s 1,000m2+ spacious and modern shopping area will offer 9 unique shops, providing guests a world of choice with an impressive selection of boutiques,
and exclusive shopping experiences waiting to be discovered. From a first at sea pre-owned luxury accessories
world-renowned brands,
retail concept, an exciting new Bulova pop-up shop to a range of forward-thinking retail concepts selling fashion items, liquors, luxury watches and jewellery, perfumes, electronics and souvenirs, MSC World America offers something to satisfy every type of guest.
Revenue, Georg Schmickler shared, “We are thrilled for our future guests to experience
MSC Cruises Senior Vice President Onboard
of our dynamic retail offering aboard our newest ship, MSC World America. The shopping experience onboard has been thoughtfully designed to cater to every guest, featuring a diverse range of world-class brand partnerships, innovative new concepts and returning
retail offering, our aim is to provide our guests with an exceptional and tailored shopping journey while at sea.”
Holland America Line To Set Sail on 'Epic' Alaska Season
guests’ favourites. With our expanded
America’s onboard retail highlights include: NEW! “Luxury at Sea”: MSC Cruises’ first pre- loved accessories concept situated in the Luxury Accessories shop onboard. The new concept will give guests the chance to shop unique, pre-owned high- end items from brands such as Hermès, Chanel, Dior & Louis Vuitton. NEW! Bulova Pop-Up Shop: an exciting pop-
up experience, located in the ships vibrant World Galleria, offering a wide range of watches from the iconic brand. NEW! Sif Jakobs Lab-Grown Diamonds: a first at
sea, debuting exclusively on MSC World America. Situated in the ship’s Shopping Gallery, guests can discover a curated selection from Sif Jakobs’ radiant 14k gold and lab-grown diamond collection, with each piece certified and crafted with care. TimeVallée: for the third time in MSC Cruises’
fleet, the luxury and innovative watch multi-brand retail concept will offer access to a curated portfolio of 7 prestigious watch brands (Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Chopard, Hublot, IWC, Panerai, Tag Heuer) along with a compelling range of experiences and services. Omega Shop: the fourth single-brand boutique in MSC Cruises’ fleet, offering the latest collections. World of Jewels – a luxury and innovative multi- brand boutique, offering a wide choice of exquisite
Swan Hellenic Reveal Details of Africa Grand Voyages
HOLLAND America Line have introduced
additional enhancements to both shipboard and overland experiences. Guests will have the chance to explore Glacier Bay, hike in the Mendenhall Glacier National Recreation Area, and even venture into the Arctic Circle. “Alaska offers countless unforgettable experiences,
from getting up close to glaciers and observing wildlife to immersing oneself in the local culture,” stated Robert Morgenstern, Senior Vice President of Alaska Operations. He added, “We’ve received many inquiries about staffing in the parks, and we can assure our guests that they will fully experience Alaska, from Glacier Bay to Mendenhall Glacier to Denali National Park and Preserve.” From now through September 2025, travellers can embark on Holland America Line’s Alaska cruises and Cruisetours aboard the Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam, and Zaandam.
SWAN Hellenic have unveiled details of two extraordinary Grand Voyages, each exploring the West Coast of Africa and beyond in an unforgettable seamless experience. The first departs Cape Town on 25 March 2026, combining 5 northbound cruises to create a unique 51-night Grand Voyage, sailing the entire West Coast of Africa to Casablanca and on to Lisbon. The second is an equally remarkable 35-night Grand Voyage sailing south from Lisbon to Luanda from 7 September 2026. Each thoughtfully curated cultural expedition cruise will be enriched by the knowledge of renowned experts and expedition guides, who socialize with the guests on board and take them on extraordinary journeys of discovery. From coastal elephants and unspoiled landscapes of wonder, to forts of the transatlantic slave trade, the lakeside dwellings of Benin, and the pristine Bijagos Archipelago.
Throughout the season, ships will visit Seattle twice a week and Vancouver three times a week. Each Alaska voyage features Destination Dining
menus that highlight local flavours, along with immersive shore excursions. Holland America Line claims to offer more glacier experiences than any other cruise line. “Glacier Day” is special, occurring once on every cruise, where the glaciers of the region take center stage. This includes scenic commentary, presentations, photo opportunities, and talks by Glacier Bay National Park Rangers and Huna cultural interpreters.
Windstar MSC World
jewellery from world-renowned brands including Chopard, Messika and RF Jewels. Effy Jewellery store: Featuring an
exquisite range of Effy’s fine jewellery. Shopping Gallery: 364m2 shopping area offering a range of products and experiences for guests to enjoy.
ones.
her first sailing on 12 April 2025 and spend her inaugural season sailing from PortMiami, offering alternating 7-night Eastern and
range of exclusively branded MSC Cruises and MSC World
merchandise to take home as souvenirs or as great gifts for loved
MSC Shop – showcasing a wide America
MSC World America will depart for
Caribbean itineraries with stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Isla de Roatan, Honduras; and all sailings include a visit to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises’ private island in The Bahamas.
Western
goal of the thoughtfully reimagined European Signature collection is to provide memorable moments over traditional luxury by elevating standards not only in terms of quality, but also the cultural and experiential enrichment each tour offers.
Amongst the new routes are Grand
Tours of Montenegro & A Taste of Albania, Provence & The French Riviera, Spain’s Hidden Gems Girona, Zaragoza & Valencia, Southern Spain & Portugal’s Coast, and Italy from Venice as well as The Italian Lakes: Garda, Iseo & Maggiore, and A Taste of Puglia and Basilicata. Will
Sarson, Product Director at
Riviera Travel, comments, “Our new and enhanced Signature itineraries set out to elevate premium touring; offering greater variety, high standards, and deeper cultural connections. This expanded collection offers expertly curated holidays that blend immersive exploration with exceptional service, raising the benchmark in premium touring. “With growing demand for
experiences over traditional luxury, we’re ensuring our tours provide meaningful connections and unforgettable moments—all while offering unmatched
value for our guests.”
WINDSTAR Cruises has announced a second eclipse cruise for August 2026 – this time aboard its 148-guest sailing yacht Wind Spirit. Setting sail from Rome on 6th August
2026 on a seven-night Mediterranean Sunset Eclipse cruise, guests aboard Wind Spirit will visit Bastia, Calvi, Alghero, Mahon and enjoy two full days at sea. On 12th August, the yacht will strategically position itself north of Mallorca to have a clear view of the horizon for prime viewing of the eclipse (weather permitting). An eclipse watch party on deck will bring guests together for the memorable event and eclipse glasses will be provided. The journey ends in Barcelona on 13th August. The 2026 solar eclipse path of totality
Cruises Plans Second Solar Eclipse Sailing
will pass over Spain and Portugal. From Mallorca, the sun will be only a few degrees above the western horizon at 8.30pm when the moon fully covers the sun.
2026-2027 Southeast Asia Programme Confirmed for Princess Cruises
PRINCESS Cruises has announced its 2026-2027 Southeast Asia cruise season. Diamond Princess will depart from the homeport of Singapore, taking guests to 28 destinations across eight countries on 11 sailings, from November 2026 to March 2027. With durations ranging from 10 to 31 nights, cruises include late-night stays in Ha Long Bay/Hanoi, Hong Kong, Bangkok (from Laem Chabang), and Kyoto (from Osaka), offering ample time for exploration. “Our newest Southeast Asia cruise season brings travellers
to some of the world’s most sought-after destinations,” said Terry Thornton, Princess Cruises Chief Commercial Officer. “Our award-winning itineraries ensure there is an option for every type of traveller, making it easier than ever to experience the rich cultures and breathtaking landscapes of multiple countries for the adventure of a lifetime.”
Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent or by visiting the company’s website.
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