July/August 2026
www.nitravelnews.com
NI Travel News Steps Onboard Luxury World Cruise During Belfast Visit
CRUISE NEWS | 25
ON Thursday 18th June, NI Travel News’ Cara visited one of the newest ships to Oceania Cruises fleet, – three year old Oceania Vista for an exclusive look onboard during its call to Belfast. Oceania Vista is currently sailing a 180 day Around the World cruise, with some passengers embarking back on 6th January this year and have spent the past six months travelling across multiple continents and visiting various destinations along the way. The ship combines contemporary luxury with a relaxed atmosphere, featuring spacious public areas, sophisticated decor and panoramic ocean views throughout. Guests can also take part in wellness programmes in the ships Aquamar Spa and Vitality Centre, destination focused experiences and tours and a range of onboard entertainment during their voyage. Visitors toured a range of the ship’s wide variety of speciality restaurants including Italian restaurant Toscana, Red Ginger that focuses on Asian dishes,
MSC Cruises Launch Summer 2028 Programme From Southampton
the Polo Grill, a classic steakhouse serving steak, lobster and grilled seafood, and Jacques features classic French dishes including, coq au vin and confit de canard as well as all-encompassing cheese and wine selections. Oceania cruises is renowned for its culinary offering where guests can enjoy various restaurants from fine dining to relaxed al fresco meals. Throughout the tour, visitors had an exclusive look inside the galley kitchens for all of the restaurants onboard, where all of the magic happens behind the scenes! Vista also features beautifully designed cocktail bars along with an innovative mixology programme which focuses on curated cocktail menus, where guests can discover the latest cocktail crafting trends and techniques such as flavoured mist
bubbles and a wide range of beverages. During the tour, visitors had the opportunity to explore the ships stylish lounges, pool deck, spa and fitness facilities, theatre, library, culinary centre and Artists Loft, offering a great range of activities for guests. Visitors also enjoyed a six course wine-paired lunch, where freshly prepared French cuisine was served in Jacques restaurant.
Belfast is one of many destinations the ship will visit and allows guests to experience Northern Irelands culture, history and hospitality before continuing on their travels, highlighting Belfast’s growing importance as a cruise destination, bringing international visitors to the region every year
The visit offered a great insight into life at sea and enhanced the appeal of cruising where a wide range of dining, luxury accommodation and various destinations
combined to create the perfect travel experience.
Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady Returns to Service Following Two Week Dry Dock
VIRGIN Voyages Valiant Lady has returned to service with new enhancements following its two week dry dock. Upgrades to the ship include the launch of its new
Indian restaurant, Ariya by Razzle Dazzle, which hosts 220 guests, The Athletic Club has had upgraded daybeds and lounge seating along with its sports court and hot tubs. There has been upgrades to The Roundabout, The
MSC Cruises has launched its Summer 2028 programme from Southampton, with a choice of 21 sailings on the stunning ship MSC Meraviglia. From May to October 2028, cruise to some of the most sought-after holiday destinations, including the Norwegian Fjords, Northern Europe, France,
Portugal, the Canary Islands and Morocco. Antonio Paradiso, VP of International Sales at MSC
Cruises, said: “I am very pleased to announce that MSC Meraviglia will be sailing from Southampton in Summer 2028, offering our guests an exciting choice of holidays. From the Norwegian Fjords and Northern Europe to the Iberian Coast, Canary Islands and Morocco, there is something for every type of traveller.”
Viking Names Newest Ship in Traditional Ceremony
Manor, On the Rocks, The Dock and the ships Grounds Club Too will now evolve into a bar from late afternoon. 1,300 staff onboard Valiant Lady have completed
Spain,
a ‘Virgin Way’ culture booster as part of the ships upgrades. The ship also has an upgraded entertainment programme, with new additions
including game
show Sink Oar Swim, and Nice Box! a retail-themed entertainment experience. Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages, said: “Valiant Lady was already one of the most compelling ships at sea, but we kept asking ourselves how to make her even more worth coming back for.
VIKING has announced its newest ocean ship, the Viking Mira, was officially named during a traditional ceremony in Venice, Italy. Rebecca “Becky” Webb Wilson, an accomplished lawyer, author, photographer and philanthropist, served as ceremonial godmother. The Viking Mira will now continue her inaugural season sailing in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. “We are proud to welcome the new Viking Mira to
our award-winning fleet of elegant sister ships,” said Torstein Hagen, Executive Chairman of Viking. “We are also very honoured to have Rebecca as our newest Viking godmother. Her lifelong commitment to public service, exploration and cultural understanding is an inspiration to all of us.” During the naming ceremony, Rebecca used a Viking
broad axe to cut a ribbon that released a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull. Guests also enjoyed performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter. The Viking Mira is the newest ship in Viking’s fleet
of ocean ships and features all veranda staterooms, elegant Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Mira has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests.
NCL Unveils Opening Date of New Great Tides Waterpark
NORWEGIAN Cruise Line (NCL) has officially announced the opening date of it’s new Great Tides Waterpark at Great Stirrup Cay. The waterpark will open on 4th September 2026 and will span across six acres in the Bahamas. The new family-friendly attraction will feature 19
slides around a 170-foot Tidal Tower, water coasters, a hidden Grotto Bar, a kids zone, and an adults-only club.
Guests sailing onboard Norwegian Luna on 29th
August 2026 will be the first to experience the park. Gary Anslow, Vice President and Head of UK and
Ireland, said: “Great Stirrup Cay continues to evolve as the
premier private island destination in the Bahamas, and we’re excited to officially open Great Tides Waterpark on Sept. 4, 2026.”
The best transformations don’t come from smooth sailing but from listening, pushing further and creating something truly special. From Ariya to The Manor to a completely reimagined lineup of Happenings, Valiant Lady returns with a new energy our Sailors will feel immediately. Every one of our 1,300+ Crew has been through The Virgin Way, and that reignited culture is the linchpin to the service Sailors keep coming back for.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96
