Inside the new biggest cruise ship in the world, Arvia launch delay & other cruise news

Cruise news never stands still and in this week’s round-up there’s everything from the biggest cruise ship in the world coming in 2024 to cruise lines unveiling brand-new destinations and itineraries.

This is everything that you need to know about the world of cruising right now.

Royal Caribbean has revealed some big cruise news in the past week – and we mean BIG. The line has unveiled a first look at the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas, arriving in late 2023 ahead of its January 2024 debut.

The vessel will be the world’s biggest cruise ship, overtaking current titan Wonder of the Seas.

Onboard will be eight neighbourhoods including five brand-new adventures and three returning favourites. On Thrill Island – one of the new zones – you’ll find the largest waterpark at sea, the industry’s first open free-fall slide; the tallest drop slide at sea, the first family raft slides at sea and cruising’s first mat-racing duo.

On fellow newbie Chill Island, we have the line’s first swim-up bar at sea and in The Hideaway the first suspended infinity pool at sea – to name just a few superlative highlights.

Royal Caribbean’s signature neighbourhoods and been advanced – for instance, a grander Royal Promenade features its first floor-to-ceiling ocean views, plus more than 15 restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges – and there are 28 different categories of accommodation.

Icon of the Seas’ green credentials are impressive too – it will be the cruise line’s first ship with fuel cell technology and powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest-burning marine fuel. Along with other proven applications, such as shore power connection and waste heat recovery systems, the new ship will be the cruise line’s most sustainable to date.

Icon will sail year-round, seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean holidays from Miami, with every cruise visiting Royal Caribbean’s top-rated private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, The Bahamas. Reservations are now open for the ship.

What’s more, when the new ship arrives, Royal Caribbean will debut the island’s adults-only oasis, Hideaway Beach, with an expansive pool, private cabanas with pools, and amazing ocean views.

Icon is not the only new feather in the line’s sustainability cap. Earlier this month Royal Caribbean revealed it’s opening the world’s first zero-energy cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas. Opening November 9, the facility will be the first cruise terminal to generate 100 percent of its needed energy through on-site solar panels.

P&O Cruises – which has a new ship arriving in just two months – has announced its winter 2024/2025 holidays.

These getaways include more than 200 new holidays with great introductory offers, including up to a 10 percent saving on applicable Select Price holidays, as well as a five percent low deposit.

New vessel Arvia will also embark on its first-ever four-night, short cruise break. It will sail to Northern Europe on October 21, 2024, departing from and returning to Southampton, with ports of call including Zeebrugge and Cherbourg. Prices start from £379 per person.

However, the line revealed this week that the maiden voyage of Arvia is to be postponed. It will now sail on December 23 rather than December 9 due to “reasons beyond our control,” a P&O Cruises spokeswoman said.

P&O Cruises also recently revealed a 35-night Caribbean cruise on Iona on January 11, 2025. It will be Iona’s first time in the Caribbean with ports of call including Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten and La Coruna. Prices start from £2,579 per person.

Meanwhile, sister ship Aurora will feature a new 65-night Amazon and Caribbean exploration holiday departing Southampton on January 6, 2025.

P&O Cruises also shared the firsts that can be found on Arvia when she sails in December. The ship will include a dedicated men’s area complete with a barber station for haircuts and male grooming; new wellness experiences in the Oasis Spa & Health Club; and new experiential shopping zones and retail brands in The Avenue.

The new ship reveals don’t stop there. This week MSC Cruises announced the name of its second World-class vessel at its steel-cutting ceremony.

It will be called MSC World America and will be deployed in North America in 2025.

The announcement comes a matter of weeks before the launch of World Europa – the world’s largest liquefied-powered (LNG) cruise ship – which will be officially named in Doha, Qatar on November 13.

Earlier this month, MSC Cruises shared details about food and beverage onboard upcoming World Europa. The line has collaborated with Michelin-starred chef, TV personality and author Niklas Ekstedt to design the menu for the speciality restaurant Chef’s Garden Kitchen, focusing on natural ingredients and a farm-to-ocean ethos. The new restaurant will feature the first-at-sea hydroponic garden and guests will be treated to a uniquely immersive experience.

MSC is also working with award-winning brewmaster Teo Musso, behind the Baladin Farm Brewery, to create a bespoke range of MSC signature craft beers that will be brewed at sea in the ship’s full-scale micro-brewery.

MSC World Europa will be home to seven brand new bar and lounge concepts, as well as new dining locations, as she spends her first season in the Arabian Gulf region offering00 seven-night cruises from Dubai, before heading to the Med in March 2023.

Virgin Voyages has celebrated the arrival of its second ship Valiant Lady to its homeport in Miami. Valiant Lady joins sister ship, Scarlet Lady, in PortMiami for her MerMaiden voyage on Sunday, October 30.

Valiant Lady, will set sail from PortMiami, introducing new six- and eight-night itineraries including Roatan, San Juan and St. Croix, all with stops at the brand’s exclusive Beach Club at Bimini on every voyage.

Sir Richard Branson will join for the initial part of the sailing as Valiant Lady embarks on a new western Caribbean adventure, celebrating her milestone moment with a six-night voyage full of surprises and delights.

Passengers can expect Halloween celebrations and a Guinness World Record attempt for the most mermaids in one place at the Virgin Voyages Beach Club at Bimini.

Cunard has announced its Alaska 2023 Insight Programme – and celebrated outdoor adventurer, Bear Grylls OBE, will be headlining the season.

Bear will be joining Queen Elizabeth’s maiden 2023 Alaska voyage, departing Vancouver on June 8, where he will share his experience as one of the youngest-ever climbers of Mount Everest, bestselling author, TV presenter and all-round adventurer.

This voyage will mark the first time Bear has returned to Alaska since his memorable visit with the then-President of the United States, Barack Obama, in 2015 – and his first appearance ever speaking on a cruise ship.

Queen Elizabeth will sail six further voyages from Vancouver throughout June, July and August, visiting a number of superb ports, including Skagway, Juneau, Anchorage and Sitka.

Each cruise has its own inspiring adventure and exploration Insights Programme, featuring award-winning naturalist, Dr Rachel Cartwright, a Cultural Heritage Guide from Alaska Native Voices. There will also be talks and Q&A sessions from an expert in the field of adventure and exploration. Amongst these pros are British mountaineer Kenton Cool – who has summited Mount Everest 15 times – and Felicity Aston MBE – Polar scientist turned explorer and world-record holder for being the first woman to ski alone across the Antarctic.

Last week, The Ritz-Carlton announced the debut of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, marking a significant moment for the iconic hospitality brand as it makes its foray into the luxury yachting space.

The new line aims to entwine the lifestyle of The Ritz-Carlton resorts with the freedom of a yachting holiday. Ship Evrima, the first of three custom-built yachts from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, delivers highly tailored getaways for travellers seeking to wholly immerse themselves in the culture of each destination.

Stopping at both intimate and signature ports of call, most voyages range from seven to ten nights, with no two journeys alike so that guests can combine itineraries without repeating a destination.

Depending on the season, Evrima visits the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Destinations along the way range from Spain’s Balearic Islands and the French Riviera, to Aruba and Costa Rica.

The intimate size of Evrima also allows unique access into some of the most sought-after ports of call, delivering yacht-style cruising in destinations such as Mykonos, Saint-Tropez and St. Barts.

Variety Cruises has launched two new cruises in Tahiti, the first time the small ship cruise company has operated in the destination.

Sailing round-trip from Papeete port, Tahiti, the seven-night and 10-night itineraries uncover the hidden wonders of the world-famous Society Islands of French Polynesia with a maximum capacity of just 49 passengers. The company is the first cruise line to add the destination of Makatea to its official itinerary.

Variety Cruises will be sailing Tahiti with the Panorama II, a 50-meter, two-masted motorsailer with a maximum capacity of 49 guests. Panorama II has classic lines and wooden finishes and consists of 25 passenger cabins, dining areas decorated with warm colours as well as a deck for sunbathing and an outdoor bar and sundeck.

Azamara has announced the cruise line’s return to Venice, beginning April 3, 2023.

Starting next spring, the line’s four-ship fleet will access the Venetian Lagoon ports of Chioggia and Fusina, allowing guests a more seamless opportunity to admire gondolas, meander the cobblestone streets and explore Venice with ease.