Costa Cruises officially launched its domestic cruise programme for Indian travelers with the arrival of the Costa Serena at its home port in Mumbai on Saturday. The Italian-flagged is poised to embark on a variety of sailings featuring 2, 3, and 5-night voyages departing from various ports, including Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, and the Island of Agatti in Lakshadweep. This enticing venture is scheduled to commence on November 4, 2023, and extend until January 11, 2024.

MSC Cruises has announced changes to its upcoming winter cruise season aboard the MSC Orchestra. In response to the evolving Israel-Gaza conflict, the cruise line has introduced a new itinerary for the MSC Orchestra, replacing Red Sea routes that had to be canceled due to proximity to Israeli ports and restrictions in neighboring countries.

As the Israel-Gaza conflict continues to intensify, major cruise lines have made the difficult decision to either cancel or indefinitely postpone multiple voyages to the Middle East. The Israel-Hamas war, which erupted on October 7, has seen violence escalating in the past month.  Majour cruise companies have taken proactive measures to revise their itineraries, specifically avoiding the Red Sea and the surrounding region, with sailings impacted until the year 2024.

China celebrated the delivery of its inaugural domestically built large cruise ship, marking a significant milestone in the nation's transformation into a shipbuilding powerhouse. The cruise ship Adora Magic City, was officially named and handed over to its operator in a grand ceremony held in Shanghai on Saturday.

China has joined a few countries such as including Italy, France, Germany, and Finland, capable of building a large cruise ship, showcasing the country's growing shipbuilding capabilities on the world stage.

Almost a month after the scheduled sale of the cruise ship AIDAaura to Miray Cruises, intended to rebrand it as MV Lara for Life at Sea Cruises, the vessel remains in Bremerhaven, Germany still under Carnival Corporation ownership. The official handover hasn't occurred, and AIDAaura's crew, now reduced to a minimum, continues to maintain the ship.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has installed SpaceX Starlink on board Seven Seas Mariner, providing guests and crew with high-speed internet in time for the World Cruise, which sets sail in January 2024. In addition, Starlink will be installed on the newest ship Seven Seas Grandeur before its launch in November 2023.

Carnival Corporation announced it was named for the third consecutive year as one of the World's Best Employers for 2023 by Forbes. Carnival Corporation was recognized among the top 700 international employers from over 20 major industries for successfully cultivating a positive workplace environment across work-life balance, career advancement opportunities and employee diversity.

This is a report from a crew member who witnessed the terrible tragedy on October 11, 2023, aboard the cruise ship Margaritaville at Sea during a general drill for the crew. 

Norwegian Cruise Line marked a momentous occasion with the return of its voyages to Asia. The Norwegian Jewel, the first vessel from the NCL fleet to make its way back to Asia in over three years, embarked on its journey from Tokyo on October 20, kicking off a six-month season of exploration in the region.

The search for a crew member who went overboard from the cruise ship AIDAperla in the English Channel has sadly been called off. This incident unfolded on Sunday, October 22, near the Kent coast, not far from Ramsgate. The search and rescue operations were coordinated by HM Coastguard, with a Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd, a Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) all-weather lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover.