Viking Anna and Viking Fjolvar join Viking Longships fleet

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 13 June 2026 13 June 2026

Viking has announced it has taken delivery of its newest river ships, the Viking Annar and the Viking Fjolvar. Both vessels were built at Meyer's Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany. The Viking Annar will sail Viking's itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, while the Viking Fjolvar will sail itineraries on the Seine River.

“We are proud to welcome the Viking Annar and the Viking Fjolvar to our growing fleet of award-winning river ships,” said Leah Talactac, President and CEO of Viking. “Exploring by river offers an unmatched way to discover a destination’s history, culture and local life, and these new vessels allow even more curious travelers to experience Europe in Viking comfort.”

Hosting 190 guests in 95 staterooms, the Viking Annar is built specifically to navigate the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. As a Viking Longship, the vessel features elegant Scandinavian design and the industry-leading innovations for which Viking is known, such as a patented square bow that allows the ship to have three full decks and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace, as well as asymmetric corridors that enable Viking to offer true two-room suites.

The Viking Annar will sail itineraries that include Rhine Getaway, Grand European Tour, Passage to Eastern Europe, European Sojourn and Christmas on the Rhine.

Hosting 168 guests in 84 staterooms, the Viking Fjolvar is built specifically to navigate the Seine River and dock at Viking’s exclusive docking location in the heart of Paris. The vessel features the same design elements as Viking Longships and will sail roundtrip from Paris on Seine River itineraries that include Paris & the Heart of Normandy and the new Christmastime in Paris & Normandy.

Viking remains focused on its well-defined, long-term growth plans and committed to its strategy, continuing to be a global leader in experiential travel. Based on Viking’s committed orderbook, the company expects to take delivery of 22 additional river ships by 2028, nine additional ocean ships by 2031 and two additional expedition ships by 2031. With these orders, Viking will have 114 river ships in 2028 and 26 ocean and expedition ships in 2031.

TUI Cruises welcomes its second InTUItion-class ship

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 13 June 2026 13 June 2026

A few days before its maiden voyage, the Mein Schiff Flow, the second ship in the InTUItion class, was officially handed over to TUI Cruises at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. The naming event of the new vessel will take place on 20 June in the bay of Trieste.

Representatives from both companies, including Wybcke Meier and Frank Kuhlmann, CEO and CFO of TUI Cruises, as well as Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division, and Cristiano Bazzara, Director of the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, attended the formal handover.

“The official handover of the Mein Schiff Flow is a very special moment for us. The teams on board and on shore, as well as the shipyard, have done an excellent job over the past few months,” says Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. “With the Mein Schiff Flow, we are continuing the success story of the InTUItion class. This new class of ship combines spacious open spaces, innovative design and proximity to the sea in a unique way. At the same time, it represents another important step towards even lower-emission cruise operations: Both the Mein Schiff Relax and the Mein Schiff Flow will be powered by bio-LNG in the summer of 2026.

The first official voyage of the Mein Schiff Flow will set sail from Trieste on 14 June 2026. Following its naming event and maiden voyage, the Mein Schiff Flow will initially operate in the Mediterranean, sailing to and from Palma. The newest addition to the fleet will then begin the 2026/27 winter season in Northern Europe, before heading to the Canary Islands and the Caribbean in early 2027.

The Mein Schiff Flow represents the next generation of low-emission cruise technology and will regularly refuel with bio-LNG in Barcelona in the summer of 2026. The sister ship, the Mein Schiff Relax, will operate throughout its summer season in Northern Europe using Bio-LNG. Both ships could also run on e-LNG in the future. In addition, the vessel is fitted with improved catalytic converters (reducing nitrogen oxide emissions to Euro 6 standards during port operations) and a shore power connection. This ensures that ships operate with almost zero emissions whilst berthed in port (around 40 per cent of operating time), provided that electricity from renewable energy sources is used.

Royal Caribbean takes delivery of Legend of the Seas

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 10 June 2026 10 June 2026

Royal Caribbean has officially welcomed Legend of the Seas to the family, continuing the evolution of the Icon-class lineup designed to deliver the best family vacation experiences. After nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, the third Icon-class ship is now ready to make its July 2026 European debut.

To mark the milestone, more than 1,200 crew members and partners came together for a ceremony led by Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm. During the celebration, the team recognized the hard work of thousands of engineers, designers, architects and crew members who brought Legend to life and marked the transfer of ownership between Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku.

“Today’s delivery of Legend of the Seas marks another important milestone in our ambition to continuously redefine the vacation experience,” said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “This new ship reflects the strength of the vacation ecosystem we are building – combining industry-leading ships, innovative technology, and exceptional experiences for our guests. It is an achievement only possible through the extraordinary partnership and expertise of Meyer Turku and the thousands of talented people whose creativity and commitment continue to help us design the future of vacations.”

The delivery is part of the company’s long-term framework agreement with Meyer Turku, securing the Group’s access to shipbuilding capacity through 2036, including the order of Icon 5 to be delivered in 2028, as well as the sixth and seventh Icon-class ships in 2029 and 2030, respectively.

Soon, Legend will journey from Turku to Cadiz, Spain, where Royal Caribbean will add finishing touches before vacationers set sail on 7-night Western Mediterranean adventures from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, this summer. In November, the ship will arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to deliver 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean vacations with every adventure visiting Royal Caribbean's top-rated Perfect Day CocoCay.

“We’re incredibly proud to introduce Legend of the Seas to vacationers and continue the legacy of the revolutionary Icon-class,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean. “This wouldn’t be possible without the many talented individuals that came together to deliver what is truly the ultimate family vacation, and we look forward to making Legend’s debut this summer a legendary one.”

Legend will be the vacation company’s fourth ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and feature a proven lineup of industry-leading environmental programs, including applications ranging from waste heat recovery systems to shore power connection. As Legend advances Royal Caribbean Group’s journey toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035, the vacation brand is also set to deliver their fifth ship powered by LNG with Hero of the Seas, the fourth Icon-class vacation set to debut in 2027.

“Legend of the Seas is the third Icon-class ship built at our shipyard, and constructing the series has enabled us to develop our production processes in a systematic way. We have built on the experience gained from the previous vessels and further improved efficiency with the customer and our extensive partner network,” said Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku. “The ship is an exceptional project in terms of both scale and technical complexity, requiring strong expertise and seamless collaboration across the entire maritime cluster. At the same time, Legend of the Seas moves shipbuilding towards more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable solutions.”

Royal Caribbean’s lineup of vacation experiences combines game-changing ships with one-of-a-kind destinations, including the game-changing Perfect Day CocoCay, the all-inclusive beach day experience at Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas and the Ultimate Santorini Day at Royal Beach Club Santorini. The vacation brand continues to grow its portfolio of signature destinations across Mexico and Australia.

Atlas Ocean Voyages reports 49% year-over-year sales growth

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 09 June 2026 09 June 2026

Atlas Ocean Voyages, the leader in yacht expedition cruising, yesterday announced that year-to-date sales across all future voyages are tracking 49% ahead of the same period last year, underscoring continued momentum for the fast-growing luxury expedition brand and setting the stage for another record-setting year in 2026.

The strong performance reflects continued demand across Atlas Ocean Voyages' portfolio of expedition experiences, from Antarctica and the Arctic to Europe and emerging destinations in Africa and Asia. The brand's distinctive combination of immersive exploration, intimate yachts, and Always Included value proposition continues to resonate with luxury travelers and travel advisors alike.

Adding to this momentum has been the exceptional response to Atlas Adventurer, the brand's newest luxury expedition sailing yacht. Since the launch of the Early Priority Deposit program in January, demand has exceeded expectations and generated significant visibility across the luxury travel marketplace.

"The strength of our brand continues to be rooted in delivering extraordinary experiences in some of the world's most compelling destinations," said Kristian C. Anderson, Executive Vice President, Global Sales. "What's been especially encouraging is seeing how the excitement surrounding Atlas Adventurer has introduced new travelers and travel advisors to Atlas Ocean Voyages. The response has created meaningful awareness for our brand and generated a halo effect across our entire fleet, contributing to strong booking activity well beyond a single vessel."

The company opened reservations for Atlas Adventurer to past guests in May, receiving strong interest from loyal travelers eager to secure preferred sailings. On Wednesday, June 10, reservations will open to the general public for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the yacht’s launch and offering broader access to one of the most anticipated new vessels in luxury expedition cruising.

Demand has been consistently strong across all 16 inaugural-season voyages, reflecting broad interest throughout the deployment rather than a concentration on a handful of departures. Early booking trends indicate particularly robust demand for the yacht’s immersive new itineraries throughout Africa and Asia, destinations that further expand Atlas Ocean Voyages’ global footprint while delivering the authentic cultural exploration and destination immersion that luxury travelers increasingly seek.

Interest remains equally strong across the brand’s established expedition and cultural destinations, including Antarctica, the Arctic, and Europe, reinforcing Atlas Ocean Voyages’ position as a leader in intimate, yacht-style exploration.

Travelers continue to respond positively to the value and simplicity of the brand’s signature Always Included by Atlas experience, which includes wines and spirits, gratuities, specialty coffees and teas, and other thoughtfully curated amenities, delivering a seamless luxury journey without unexpected costs.

“With demand accelerating across our fleet and exceptional early interest in Atlas Adventurer, 2026 is shaping up to be another record-setting year for our young brand,” added Anderson. “The combination of extraordinary destinations, immersive experiences, intimate yachts, and our Always Included value proposition continues to resonate strongly with today’s luxury traveler.”