It’s time to review the big cruise news developments of the past week with Cruise Hive’s comprehensive coverage. This week’s recap includes stories about Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Juneau, Alaska.
In This Article:
Cruise News Update
In this week’s exciting update, Cruise Hive pulls back the curtain on the top headlines of the week, with stories about Utopia of the Seas gearing up for her maiden voyage; a new Disney ship being built for the Japan market; an effort advancing in Juneau that would prevent Saturday port calls; Royal Caribbean cancelling a visit to Jeju Island in March 2025; a new set of land tours just for MSC Yacht Club guests; and a 5-year reunion between a server and a guest on a Disney Cruise Line ship.
Utopia of the Seas Arrives at Florida Homeport
The new-build Utopia of the Seas, the sixth and final ship in Royal Caribbean’s popular Oasis class, arrived at Port Canaveral, Florida, on July 11, 2024, following her delivery from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France in mid-June.
The 5,600-guest ship will be based at the Central Florida port and sail getaway cruises of 3 and 4 days with calls at Nassau, Bahamas, and at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s 125-acre private island in the Bahamas’ Berry Islands.
Utopia of the Seas’ inaugural cruise departs on July 19, 2024, following two preview cruises for travel partners, media, and others. A 3-night christening extravaganza will be held during the July 19 itinerary, both onboard the ship and at CocoCay, with superstar Meghan Trainor serving as godmother and performing at the gala event.
The 18-deck ship, the world’s second-largest behind Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, features 40 dining and lounge venues, and several adventure and thrill rides, such as the Ultimate Abyss dry slide, the FlowRider surf simulator, and a “Perfect Storm” water park.
The cruise line’s other Oasis-class ships are Oasis of the Seas — the first in the class that debuted in 2010, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.
The class was an industry-pioneering concept that introduced distinct shipboard “neighborhoods,” each with a different theme. The concept has since been adopted by other cruise lines.
New Disney Ship to Be Built For Japan Market
Disney will soon broaden its presence in the Japanese market with the launch of a Disney Wish-class ship that will be homeported to Tokyo. The iconic American brand announced an expansion of its longtime partnership with Tokyo-based Oriental Land Company (OLC), which will operate the new ship.
OLC already runs Tokyo Disneyland, the first Disney park to open in a foreign country; Tokyo DisneySea, an ocean-themed park; and Tokyo Disney Resort, a hotel, dining, and entertainment complex.
Both OLC and Disney made the announcement about the new ship, which will debut in 2029 with traditional Disney amenities plus new modifications geared to the Japan market. Like other Wish-class ships, the new build will have the capacity for 4,000 guests in 1,250 staterooms.
The class also introduced the popular AquaMouse water coaster, Frozen and Marvel-themed restaurants, and a Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, among other venues.
The new ship will be built by Germany’s Meyer Werft shipyard, where two Disney Cruise Line ships are currently under construction — Disney Treasure, slated to debut in late 2024, and Disney Destiny, expected to enter service in 2025.
OLC said that it plans to create a “world-class cruise business” in Japan.
‘Ship-Free Saturday’ Bid Advances in Juneau
Efforts by a citizen group in Juneau, Alaska, to prohibit large cruise ships from docking at the popular port on Saturdays and on July 4 of each year took a big step forward on July 1, 2024, after it collected the signatures required to place the issue on the city’s October ballot.
The Juneau municipal clerk certified the required 2,359 signatures needed to advance the petition and confirmed she would forward the certification to the local governing body, the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly.
The assembly has until August 15, 2024 to act on the document. If it takes no action, the measure will appear on the local ballot in October. However, the assembly also could reject the proposal, known locally as the Ship-Free Saturday Initiative Petition.
Such a rejection would likely mean the citizen group would have to resort to legal action. The effort is led by residents who believe that increases in cruise ship calls negatively impact the local lifestyle and the region’s natural resources. In 2023, cruise arrivals reached 1.6 million, representing a 23% hike over the previous year.
Juneau’s cruise arrivals are already limited to 16,000 passengers per day and 12,000 on Saturdays per a recent agreement between the city and the Cruise Lines International Association.
Cruise Line Nixes Call at Popular Jeju Island
Citing operational challenges at the South Korean port of Jeju Island, Royal Caribbean has cancelled a planned visit by Spectrum of the Seas, which was set to call at the destination during a March 2025 sailing.
Jeju Island, known as the “Hawaii of Korea,” was to be a port call as the 4,900-guest ship sailed to Nagasaki, Japan, on a 4-night cruise departing from Shanghai, China, on March 5, 2025.
Without detailing what the operational challenges are, Royal Caribbean told guests the ship will instead spend a day at sea rather than call at Jeju’s Seogwipo Gangjeong Cruise Port, which can accommodate two 220,000-gross-ton cruise ships simultaneously.
The cruise line invited guests to enjoy the ship’s many onboard activities, such as its twin FlowRiders, or skydiving sessions at RipCord by iFLY.
Royal Caribbean will automatically refund any excursions booked through the line, and guests who have booked independent land tours should take steps to cancel them.
Jeju Island is home to Mount Hallasan, a dormant volcano that is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
MSC Cruises Adds Upscale Excursions For Yacht Club Guests
In a pioneering move for the industry, MSC Cruises has created dozens of luxury shore excursions specifically for guests who book staterooms or suites in MSC Yacht Club, the high-end ship-within-a-ship area.
Nearly 100 land tours were rolled out in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and in Northern Europe, with excursions in other destinations to be added in the future. The small-group tours highlight local culture, cuisine, and landmarks, and feature private transportation.
The cost of the specially curated tours are not included in cruise fares. Guests booking MSC Yacht Club accommodations receive many free amenities and services, such as 24/7 butler and concierge services, private dining and pool areas, beverage and WiFi packages, and priority boarding and disembarking.
Sample excursions include a perfume-making workshop in France, visits to geothermal baths in Akureyri, Iceland, and a luxury catamaran sail and snorkel adventure in Cozumel, Mexico, for instance.
MSC Yacht Club guests can book the exclusive tours in advance, either online or via the line’s contact center, as well as onboard their ship, either through the MSC For Me app, the MSC Yacht Club concierge service, or at the Shore Excursions desk.
Guest, Crew Member Reunite After 5 Years
A heartwarming story unfolded in a TikTok video posted by a travel planner who recently took a business trip aboard Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic. The video shows the guest, Nikki Kennedy, celebrating a reunion with a crew member she met while sailing on the same ship in 2019.
The crew member, Aaron, was a server onboard the 2019 voyage in the Mediterranean that Kennedy and her husband, Tanner, sailed on with their toddler daughter, Blair. The family became very fond of Aaron, who had provided service above and beyond their expectations. In fact, Aaron posed for a photo with baby Blair before the family debarked the ship.
When the travel planner boarded the ship again, sometime around mid-June 2024, she immediately recognized Aaron in the dining room and introduced herself. Aaron recognized her, as well, and a happy reunion followed.
The video was posted on June 20, 2024, and has garnered some 200,000 views so far. It was unclear which cruise the travel planner was on in June, but it appears to have operated early that month. Disney Magic is based in Fort Lauderdale and sails 4- and 5-night Bahamas cruises.
More Cruise Headlines
Cruise Hive has many more cruise news articles from the past week that you won’t want to miss. Check out our coverage on Holland America Line’s new entertainment for Grand Voyages guests; Princess Cruises adding a pizza-making champion to its celebrity partnerships; Nassau Cruise Port’s plan to build a giant water park; Uber offering new transport options for cruisers visiting certain ports; and Seabourn adding land tours on its 2024 Grand Africa Voyage.
