On Friday, May 5th, an exciting milestone was reached as Norwegian Viva, the second Norwegian Cruise Line Prima Class ship, departed from the Fincantieri shipyard in Maghera for the very first time. Its destination: the Adriatic Sea, where it would undergo rigorous sea trials. These trials involve comprehensive checks of navigation systems for maneuvering the Norwegian Viva. The maneuvers performed during these trials go beyond the routine operations encountered in regular cruise settings.

An unusual medical emergency occurred on the cruise ship Carnival Dream on May 6, 2023, which resulted in a recommended medical evacuation by the US Coast Guard. The incident involved an 86-year-old male guest who ingested a battery, causing gastrointestinal issues and other side effects.

Nicko Cruises announced temporarily withdraw from the expedition cruise market by handing over the World Voyager, its only expedition cruise ship, to its sister company Atlas Ocean Voyages. The handover is set to take place in September 2023. Nicko Cruises cites an inability to meet the minimum required number of participants for World Voyager's sailings as a reason for this decision.

A port pilot died while boarding the cruise ship Diamond Princess as the vessel was approaching the port of Nagasaki on May 5th. The tragedy happened at around 5:30 am local time when the 69-year-old pilot fell into the sea while climbing the ladder to board the Diamond Princess from a pilot boat, which is a standard procedure before cruise ship enters port and a local pilot takes control of the navigation.

MSC Cruises has extended its global partnership agreement with Formula 1® until the end of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The partnership has achieved significant results due to the growth of interest in Formula 1 around the world, particularly in key markets for MSC Cruises.

MSC Cruises hosted a special event on board MSC Musica at the port of Piraeus to celebrate the ship's summer 2023 sailing season in the East Mediterranean. This marks the second time that MSC Cruises has based a ship in Greece and the first time that MSC Musica will be homeported in the country. MSC Musica will be operating 26 seven-night voyages until October, with ports of call including Santorini and Mykonos in Greece, Kusadasi in Turkey, Haifa in Israel, and Limassol in Cyprus.

Ambassador Cruise Line's second vessel, the Ambition, completed its four-week-long dry dock refurbishment at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. The maintenance work involved various tasks, such as repairing the propulsion units, rudders, and stabilizers, as well as a fresh coat of paint matching the cruise company's colors.

A crew member onboard Oceania Marina was medically evacuated in Greece after experiencing an urgent medical condition.

Katie McAlister has been appointed as the new president of Cunard, according to an announcement by the company. Starting in August, McAlister will join the Southampton-based cruise line after a 20-year career at TUI, where she currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer for the UK & Ireland. Throughout her time at TUI, McAlister held various positions across the organization, including roles in overseas delivery, commercial operations, digital, and marketing.

Cunard, one of the world's most iconic cruise brands, celebrated the launch of its latest ship, the Queen Anne, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera. This marks the 249th ship under the Cunard flag and was celebrated with the traditional bottle smash of prosecco and blessings by a madrina. The Queen Anne will embark on its inaugural voyage to Lisbon exactly one year from now, on May 3rd, 2024.