Carnival Cruise Line has welcomed its latest addition, the Carnival Firenze, following its transformation from the former Costa Firenze. This conversion was carried out at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain. Carnival Firenze departed its dry dock in Cadiz, embarking towards its new destination on the west coast of the United States to Long Beach, Los Angeles, with only crew onboard.
Costa Cruises received the "Best Improvement of D&I in the Workplace" award by the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. D&I (Diversity & Inclusion) award recognizes maritime companies that distinguished themselves in promoting and affirming gender equality and diversity within their organizations, fully integrating them into decision-making processes.
Oceania Cruises has appointed Master Chefs Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale as its executive culinary directors, succeeding Jacques Pépin, the legendary chef and founding father of the line's culinary philosophy, The Finest Cuisine at Sea®. Pépin will continue to play a vital role within Oceania Cruises as executive culinary adviser and will maintain his collaborative efforts with the line through the philanthropic work of The Jacques Pépin Foundation, a key partner and supporter since its inception.
A 27-year-old woman from Florida was discovered dead in her cabin aboard a cruise ship traveling towards the Bahamas, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The incident, which came to light on Monday evening, saw the ship's medical personnel attempting resuscitation efforts on the unresponsive passenger, ultimately declaring her dead after the CPR attempts.
Disney Cruise Line celebrated the keel laying of its latest ship, the Disney Destiny, at the Meyer Werft shipyard set to be completed in 2025. The Disney Destiny will join the fleet as a Triton-class vessel, following its sister ships, the Disney Treasure, set for delivery later this year, and the Disney Wish, which began service in 2022.
Five years ago, AIDA Cruises, through its AIDA Cruise & Help initiative, opened its first school in Cebu City, Philippines, fully funded by donations from the program. Since then, 60 schools have been constructed in twelve different countries. One of these schools is the Namibia Okanguati Primary School. The focus of this project is on the home countries of the crew and regions visited by AIDA cruise ships. Last year, AIDA Cruises introduced a project where each ship is paired with a specific school project, funded through activities like raffles and auctions.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) together with several major cruise lines are taking legal action against the German right-wing political party AfD after publishing a calendar with racist and xenophobic propaganda using photos of cruise ships. This "deportation calendar," titled "The Most Beautiful Deportation Ships," features pictures of cruise ships, some clearly showing company logos. The calendar includes slogans like "Right to a Homeland.
