Welcome to the weekly Cruise News Digest. Here you can catch up on the past week’s cruise news and all things La Lido Loca.
Let’s dive in!
Citing the safety of its crew and guests, Costa Cruises has canceled Costa Toscana’s 19-night reposition cruise. The one-way sailing was to depart on March 9, 2024, from Dubai, call on ports in the United Arab Emirates and Oman before sailing the Red Sea and the Suez Canal on its way to Italy. However, the cruise line made the difficult decision to cancel the cruise due to the “critical situation” in the Middle East.
Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean cruise line of MSC group, has extended its wave season promotion through February 29, 2024. Guests who take advantage of the “Total Luxury Offer” are able to save up to 40% on cruises in the Pacific or Mediterranean aboard Explora I and Explora II when she sets sail.
Carnival Cruise Line has released more information about its new Grand Bahama destination, Celebration Key. The cruise line has revealed five areas called portals that feature the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, a white sandy beach, an exclusive adult-only private club and multiple dining and drink venues.
Holland America Line is going down under. The cruise line is offering sailings aboard its Noordam between Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand from November 2025 to March 2026. The 14-day itineraries will visit some of the best destinations in the region. Guests can also combine a 14-day cruise with an epic Legendary Voyage to the South Pacific to create a vacation of up to 50 days.
Carnival Cruise Line invites you to support military families and to own a special pair of Carnival Jubilee boots. The cruise line will hold an auction via email for the next three weeks for a pair of boots identical to the handcrafted boots Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy wore when she welcomed the ship’s first guests on board Carnival Jubilee in Galveston, Texas. The boots which were designed by Carnival designer Petu Kummala will be commissioned by Carnival and custom-made by Parker Boot Company for the individual who makes the highest pledge donation to Operation Homefront. The winner will be announced at Carnival Jubilee’s naming ceremony on February 24, 2024.
Carnival Cruise Line has officially welcomed Carnival Firenze from sister line Costa Cruises making her ship number 27 in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. She joins her sister ship Carnival Venezia as part of the cruise line’s “Carnival Fun Italian Style” concept. Carnival Firenze will undergo a transformation in Cadiz, Spain before she sets sail from Long Beach, California in April 2024.
There you have it. This week’s Cruise News Digest. Did you catch the latest “cruise”day night live with Tony and the lovely Jenny B? Also, be sure to watch the latest podcast where Bill Panoff, the Editor-In-Chief of Porthole Magazine, interviews Tony!
Did you see Tony’s post cruise weigh in and health update this week? Be sure to subscribe with notifications on to all things La Lido Loca so you never miss an update. And, be sure to become a patreon member of Loca Extra for extra live content and more.