Celebrity Eclipse Repositions to the Mediterranean for the Fall Season

Posted on 11 September, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Celebrity Eclipse Repositions to the Mediterranean for the Fall Season

The Celebrity Eclipse arrived in Barcelona earlier this month to kick off its fall season in the Mediterranean.

The ship was one of Celebrity Cruises’ vessels in the region for the summer, having spent the past few months offering itineraries in Northern Europe.

In late August, the Solstice-class vessel embarked on a repositioning voyage that sailed from the Netherlands to Spain.

The 12-night cruise departed from Amsterdam and included visits to destinations in France, Spain and Portugal before arriving in Barcelona.

Highlights of the itinerary included visits to Le Havre, Lisbon and Palma de Mallorca, as well as a transit of the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Celebrity Eclipse is now scheduled to offer ten- to 11-night cruises that sail to destinations in both the Western and the Eastern Mediterranean.

In addition to Barcelona, the itineraries depart from ports in Italy and Greece, including Ravenna and Piraeus.

Sailing to the Adriatic and the Aegean, the cruises are highlighted by visits to the Greek Islands, Croatia, Turkey and Italy.

Among the destinations set to be visited are Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Santorini, Split, Naples and La Spezia.

The season runs through early November, when the Eclipse is scheduled to embark on a repositioning voyage to Florida.

Sailing from the Port of Barcelona, the 2,850-passenger ship offers a trans-Atlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale.

The 14-night cruise will feature stops in destinations in Spain, the United Kingdom and Bermuda, such as Málaga, Gibraltar and King’s Wharf.

The vessel is then scheduled to offer cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas from Port Everglades before returning to Northern Europe in May 2027.

In related news, the Celebrity Eclipse underwent a refurbishment project during a drydock in early 2025.

As Cruise Industry News reported at the time, the 2010-built ship introduced an enhanced suite enclave following the refit, as well as a slight increase in its guest capacity.

Carnival Reveals Tropicale Features as Bookings Open

Posted on 11 September, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Reveals Tropicale Features as Bookings Open

Carnival Cruise Line has opened bookings for the Carnival Tropicale, its newest ship and the fifth and final addition to its Excel class.

Announcing the opening of bookings, the cruise line highlighted new entertainment options onboard, including:

Sunsation Point, a multi-deck family fun zone
Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, featuring six waterslides, including SunSoaker, Turning Tides, Racing Currents and splash areas
A redesigned Fairway 66 Mini Golf course
sports courts
the Treehouse Adventure Trail
new arcade spaces, such as The Vault Retrocade.

Some of the dining venues onboard will include Uku Lei Lei, offering Hawaiian-inspired cuisine with Asian influences; Fetaccine, blending Greek and Italian flavours; and Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, showcasing seafood dishes inspired by America’s coastlines and created in partnership with Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer Chef Emeril Lagasse.

New entertainment experiences and exclusive spaces inspired by the golden era of show business will also be available, with additional details to be revealed in the months ahead.

The LNG-powered ship, which will be displaying the Star of Texas on her bow, is set to homeport in Galveston after its delivery in 2028.

Its inaugural sailing is scheduled for April 15, 2028.

“Today marks an exciting day for Carnival Tropicale as guests can now begin planning their vacations aboard this incredible new ship,” said Ben Clement, EVP of maritime and newbuilds at Carnival Cruise Line.

“From innovative attractions and dining to unforgettable destinations throughout the Caribbean, The Bahamas and Mexico, Carnival Tropicale will bring an exciting new vacation option to Texas when she debuts in 2028.”

Accommodating 6,000 guests, the Tropicale will offer four-, five-, six- and eight-day cruises calling at Carnival’s exclusive Paradise Collection destinations, including Celebration Key, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Isla Tropicale and Puerta Maya, as well as Caribbean ports like Progreso and Nassau.

As teased yesterday, a western-themed celebration of the ship’s progression from concept to reality was also hosted at Meyer Werft’s Papenburg shipyard to honour the ship’s future home and Carnival’s connection to Texas.

Carnival and Meyer Werft celebrate Tropicale

Heads of the two companies wore custom cowboy hard hats and western attire amid Texas-inspired décor while the shipyard team enjoyed Texas-style barbecue.

André Walter, Meyer Werft CEO, added that he is delighted to experience his first construction celebration as the new CEO of Meyer Werft.

Norwegian, Carnival Stocks Sink to 52-Week Lows

Posted on 11 September, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian, Carnival Stocks Sink to 52-Week Lows

Norwegian Bliss

Two major cruise operators saw their stocks hit 52-week lows on Thursday, as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings dipped as low as $14.48 and Carnival Corporation sank to $22.28.

Other cruise stocks were also down on Thursday, including Royal Caribbean, Lindblad and Viking, although those three were off their year-long lows.

Driving the dips were said to be concerns over fuel prices due to the ongoing Middle East situation, and a potential capacity and pricing situation in the Caribbean in the first quarter.

U.S. crude oil had topped $100 a barrel on Wednesday as strikes continue in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, multiple Wall Street analysts have pointed to the cruise industry’s 2027 first quarter Caribbean capacity and ticket pricing as a potential concern.

One note sent to investors this week had called out Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings specifically as a contributor to pricing pressure.

The company’s decision to adjust its pricing model and offer the best prices well in advance of a sailing date has been said to have an effect on pricing across the marketplace.