Disney Believe announced as next Disney Cruise Line ship

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 18 March 2026 18 March 2026

New details about the next Disney Cruise Line ship, including the vessel’s name and design theme, were announced today at the 2026 Walt Disney Company Annual Shareholders Meeting by Chief Executive Officer Josh D’Amaro during his historic first day at the helm of the company.

Fittingly revealed during an exciting moment of optimism and transformation for the company, the next ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet will be named the Disney Believe, honoring the dreamers and doers who dare to pursue their own happily ever after.

The Disney Believe is the fourth installment in Disney Cruise Line’s groundbreaking Wish class that has redefined family vacations at sea. A signature design feature of the Wish class is each ship’s distinctive motif — an imaginative theme that shapes every part of the guest experience, from live entertainment to venues and décor. Like its sister ships – the enchantment-themed Disney Wish, adventure-themed Disney Treasure and heroes and villains-themed Disney Destiny – the Disney Believe has its own unique story to tell: one of promise and possibilities.

Filled with powerful stories of Disney characters who believe in themselves, in their dreams, and in the promise and possibility of a better tomorrow, the Disney Believe will bring to life the magical worlds of “Encanto” and “Frozen,” the wishing wells of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and the depths of the sea with “Moana” and “The Little Mermaid” like never before.

There is more growth happening across Disney Experiences now than ever before in the company’s history. Joining the fleet during this unprecedented expansion, the Disney Believe builds on the Disney Cruise Line legacy of blending immersive storytelling with cutting-edge technology to create one-of-a-kind vacation experiences like only Disney can do. The ongoing expansion will grow the fleet to 13 ships by 2031, including the Disney Adventure, which sailed its maiden voyage from Singapore on March 10; the Disney Believe, expected in late 2027; the introduction of a brand-new class of ships in 2029; and an agreement with Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC) to introduce Disney cruise vacations to Japan in 2029.

American Encore passes sea trials

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 17 March 2026 17 March 2026

American Cruise Lines has announced that brand new riverboat, American Encore, passed sea trials with flying colors and is already underway along its journey to the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the Pacific Northwest. "American Encore is the finest new riverboat in the world and the latest gem in the company’s groundbreaking series of modern American Riverboats," the company said in the statement. It showcases top-notch amenities, a refined elegant onboard aesthetic, and state-of-the-art engineering. It is simply the best riverboat ever built – more akin to a luxury yacht with more space-per-passenger than any other riverboat globally.

Directly following last week’s Sea Trials, American Encore immediately departed from Chesapeake Shipbuilding, the Maryland-U.S.-yard where it was built, and began its month-long passage west. The riverboat is currently cruising along the coastal waterways of the Eastern Seaboard and will next sail through the Caribbean Sea. It is expected to transit the Panama Canal at the end of March. Afterwards, American Encore will make its way northward up the Pacific Coast until it reaches the mouth of the Columbia near Astoria, Washington, where the river flows inland from the Pacific Ocean.

During the voyage, American Encore, is being helmed by Captain Andrew Gillilan along with other officers and crew. The riverboat’s expert nautical team is supported each day by American’s shoreside operations team. While underway, American’s Encore’s crew closely monitors the riverboat’s navigation systems and equipment, keeps watch of ocean and weather conditions, and continually relays information to American Cruise Lines’ fleet operations center in Connecticut.

American Encore is the finest new riverboat on the market. Ever since American’s celebrated introduction of the country’s first modern riverboat in 2018, the company has aggressively led the river cruise industry; launching new small ships year-after-year and setting an elevated standard for all riverboats worldwide. American Cruise Lines has introduced 20 new ships in the past decade and catapulted the domestic U.S. River cruise market into the mainstream. The Line’s massive fleet expansion and superb small-ship designs are a testament to U.S. shipbuilding and American innovation. Once just an afterthought to Europe, U.S. River cruising has surged beyond expectations, taking its rightful place in the international marketplace by offering the finest riverboats and itineraries available anywhere in the world.

American Cruise Lines has 28 new small ships for U.S. cruises around the country and 8 riverboats specifically for the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The company also continues to develop docks and waterfront access for communities throughout the river-region. American remains a committed economic partner to towns and ports all over the U.S.A. and brings thousands of guests to the Pacific Northwest every year. The Line’s Columbia and Snake itineraries feature an array of dynamic experiences and showcase the natural beauty of the western states—2026 cruises range from 9 to 16 days and include popular National Parks Cruises that highlight guided adventures in Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton National Parks.

American Encore’s inaugural season of sold-out cruises along the Columbia and Snake Rivers begins on May 5th and concludes in mid-November. Additional details on American Encore’s christening festivities and inaugural 9-Day Columbia & Snake Rivers cruise will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. All American’s 50+ itineraries are open to book through 2028.

Following American Encore’s May 2026 launch, sisterships American Anthem and American Grace are slated to begin cruise operations along the Columbia and Snake Rivers in 2027 and 2028.

Costa cancels Middle-East deployment in winter 2026/2027

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 13 March 2026 13 March 2026

During the next winter Costa's flagship, Costa Smeralda, will be positioned in the Canary Islands and will be operating a brand-new 7-day itinerary between the Canaries and Madeira. With Costa Smeralda operating this program, Costa will significantly increase guest capacity and elevate the experience offered in the region.

After her planned dry dock period Costa Pacifica (previously planned in the Canary Islands and Madeira) will be instead positioned in the West Med offering both 7-day cruises towards Western mediterranean destinations and longer cruises towards South Europe & North Africa, also with new exclusive long itineraries. This new program will offer a selection of fascinating destinations that are particularly attractive to visit in the winter season, offering guests inspiring new opportunities for discovery.

With this decision, Costa intends to provide clarity and planning certainty for all guests and travel partners at an early stage. As the outlook in the Middle East remains uncertain for the winter season 2026/2027, Costa will not operate itineraries in the area for the upcoming season (Costa also does not currently have any ship operating in the Middle East).

As a result of this redeployment, the previously scheduled positioning voyages of Costa Smeralda to and from Emirates will not take place. Guests booked on the positioning cruise to/from the Emirates, as well as guests with a booking in the Emirates, may choose any other cruise immediately, with €200 onboard credit per cabin (€100 per person). Guests with a booking on the previously scheduled winter cruises of Costa Pacifica in the Canary Islands will be protected under the same conditions on the Costa Smeralda Canary itineraries.

The new itineraries for Costa Smeralda in the Canary Islands and Costa Pacifica towards West Med & North Africa will be available for booking through all the booking channels by the end of March.

Viking takes delivery of newest river ship in Europe

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 12 March 2026 12 March 2026

Viking yesterday announced it has taken delivery of the Viking Eldir, the company’s newest Viking Longship. The Viking Eldir was built at Meyer’s Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany. The 190-guest Viking Eldir joins the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art sister ships and will sail Viking’s popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.

“We are pleased to welcome the Viking Eldir to our growing river fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “With our exclusive docking locations, we proudly bring our guests closer to destinations along the great rivers of the world. Now, with the addition of our newest Viking Longship, we look forward to inviting even more curious travelers to explore Europe in Viking comfort.”

Hosting 190 guests in 95 staterooms, the Viking Eldir is the company’s newest Viking Longship. Built specifically to navigate the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, the Viking Eldir features Viking’s elegant Scandinavian design and industry-leading innovations for which Viking is known, including a space-saving square bow, three full decks, indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace, asymmetric corridor and true two-room suites. The Viking Eldir will sail popular itineraries that include Rhine Getaway, Grand European Tour, Passage to Eastern Europe, European Sojourn and Christmas on the Rhine.

Viking remains focused on well-defined, long-term growth plans as part of a strategy toward maintaining a leadership position in experiential travel. Based on Viking’s committed orderbook, the company expects to take delivery of 22 additional river ships by 2028, 10 additional ocean ships by 2031 and two additional expedition ships by 2031. With these orders, Viking will have 112 river ships in 2028 and 25 ocean and expedition ships in 2031.