News & Features

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News & Features

News

Latest news articles

CTN Investigates
Latest News
Capacity conundrum: How do agents fill surging ship volumes?
  • Between 40 and 50 newbuild ocean and river ships are scheduled for delivery or on order over the rest of this decade, adding up to 160,000 total berths to the global fleet
  • As cruise demand surges, there are concerns surrounding destination management as some popular destinations cap cruise visitor numbers to deal with overtourism
  • Agents are tasked with learning about all the different lines, ships and destination rules as the sector goes from strength to strength
Rhapsody of the Seas
Ocean Cruise News
Royal Caribbean to offer year-round European cruises for first time
  • Rhapsody of the Seas will sail in Europe for the full year in 2028-29
  • It will spend the summer calling at destinations such as Turkey, Egypt, Spain, Portugal and Greece, then from November it will visit Canary Islands, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Sardinia
  • Elsewhere, in summer 2028, Freedom of the Seas will offer ex-UK departures from Southampton 

Read by sector

Essential cruise news roundups, updated daily

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Why expedition travel remains the UK's big-ticket getaway
EP. 41 • 40 MINWhy expedition travel remains the UK's big-ticket getaway
Highlights from Cruise Summit 2026
Highlights from Cruise Summit 2026
How to sell: Windstar Cruises
EP. 39 • 14 MINHow to sell: Windstar Cruises

Analysis & Comment

1
Latest News
Booking confidence reaches record high
  • Consumer intent on the World of Cruising website has remained at or near its highest level of 2026 in July and in the first half of August
  • While the Mediterranean remained the most-searched destination, followed by Europe, the Caribbean was dislodged from the podium by the Norwegian Fjords
  • About two thirds of visitors expressed an interest in sailing priced under £1,000 per person – the highest proportion recorded this year
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Latest News
Cruise Summit 2026: all cruise sectors to play vital role in industry's growth
  • Ocean, river, luxury and expedition cruise will all play an important role in the growth of the industry over the next two to three years
  • Cruise Trade News surveyed more than 200 travel agents to find out which sectors they think offer the biggest growth opportunity
  • The results were split across the four main sectors, showing there is not one single growth story for cruise
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Latest News
‘We need to keep pace’: cruise leaders on the challenges facing growth
  • The cruise sector must continue to evolve if it is to keep pace with its ambitious growth targets.
  • MSC Cruises' Antonio Paradiso predicted the disruption caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure could continue for another "six to nine months"
  • Key to keeping up with supply is ensuring consumers are being matched with the right product, said Hurtigruten's Iain Powell.

Features

Norwegian Cruise Line NCL Europe
Features
Help guests explore Europe with NCL’s 2027 cruise programme
  • NCL's 2027 Europe programme gives customers the chance to discover more destinations in a single holiday, with deposits from just £100pp
  • With almost 200 itineraries across the Mediterranean, Greek Isles and Northern Europe, there’s plenty of choice for every type of guest
  • One standout itinerary is the seven-day Mediterranean: Nice, Florence & Amalfi Coast voyage aboard Norwegian Epic®
CTN Investigates 8
Features
AI vs travel agents: what does the future of cruise retail look like?
  • The number of people using AI for holiday inspiration has doubled year-on-year, with 43 per cent now confident to some degree in letting AI plan their holiday
  • Agents are increasingly acting as “curators and translators”, helping customers navigate a cruise market spanning ocean, river, expedition, ultra-luxury and yacht-style sailings
  • Industry leaders believe AI will take on more research and administration, freeing the trade to spend more time building relationships
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Features
Wellness at Sea: Crystal helps guests unwind with new sailings
  • The itineraries are curated by Dalila Roglieri, the line’s wellness ambassador and culinary nutritionist
  • Each sailing is built around four core pillars designed to support a holistic approach to self-care
  • Guests will enjoy yoga, functional fitness, Pilates-inspired movement, culinary nutrition workshops and one-on-one consultations

Interviews

Cruise Summit HERO
Editors Pick

Have your say: CTN launches reader survey ahead of 2026 Cruise Summit

Cruise Trade News is looking to gauge the temperature of the cruise industry via a new online reader survey, with the results to be shared at the 2026 Cruise Summit on 14 September in London
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Reviews

Hong Kong min
Cruise Reviews
From ocean to river, luxury to premium, we take you on board the world's cruise ships.
Viking Cruises
Cruise Ship Reviews
Read honest and detailed cruise ship reviews of both ocean and river cruise ships written by travel industry professionals and expert travel writers.

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