Luxury Cruising Editorial

For the first time in 34 years, Japan officially welcomed a brand-new, Japan-flagged passenger cruise ship. The 52,265 GT Asuka III was christened on July 11th, and it’s also considered the nation’s largest cruise ship by gross tonnage.

Owned and operated by NYK Cruises, this vessel is a big deal for the country’s cruise industry as the Asian nation sees more growth ahead in the domestic cruise market.

Full Throttle on LNG Fuel

Just three days after its formal christening in Yokohama, the Asuka III wasted no time in making headlines again. It was fit with liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Chuo Wharf in Hakata port.

This operation was carried out by the KEYS Azalea, Japan’s first dual-fuel LNG bunkering vessel. For the KEYS Azalea, which usually serves car carriers and bulk carriers, this was its first time fueling a cruise ship in East Asia.

Choosing LNG is also a big deal for Asuka III. Running on this cleaner fuel is expected to cut down on greenhouse gas and other emissions, especially sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides.

The ship’s engines can also run on marine gas oil and heavy fuel oil if needed.

High-Tech Propulsion

Asuka III is also reportedly the first Japan-flagged vessel of its type to be fitted with both a dynamic positioning (DP) system and POD propulsion systems.

• Dynamic Positioning (DP) System: This technology lets the ship automatically hold its position and heading using its own thrusters and propellers.  It basically eliminates the need for the ship to drop anchor, protecting coral reefs and marine life.
• POD Propulsion Systems: These steerable units, located outside the hull, offer better maneuverability, improved fuel efficiency, and less noise and vibration compared to traditional systems.

NYK Cruises also states that the Asuka III is the first Japanese cruise ship equipped to use shore power.   This means the ship can shut off its engines with docked at ports that offer this feature.

Specs on Asuka III

The 750-foot-long Asuka III was handed over to NYK Cruises in April after construction started in mid-2023. 

The Asuka III‘s maiden voyage is set for July 20th. After that, it will join its sister ship, the 50,444 GT Asuka II.

This is the first time the company will operate two cruise vessels at once. The Asuka III is scheduled to visit 30 ports across Japan in its initial sailings.

While Asuka III is larger in gross tonnage, it has a smaller passenger capacity (770 max) than the Asuka II (960 max). NYK Cruises aims to provide a more spacious and higher-quality experience for its guests, with features like six restaurants and ocean views from all 381 cabins.

Another one of Carnival Corporation’s cruise lines is changing their loyalty program although this one is not quite as drastic as the change recently made by Carnival Cruise Line.

Seabourn, an ultra-luxury cruise line, is changing their loyalty program, Seabourn Club, on October 20, 2025. The of the biggest changes is that guests will lose their loyalty status if they go three years or more without sailing with the cruise line.

In order to continue earning benefits and progressing towards new Club levels, Seabourn cruisers will need to actively join the updated program here.

The cruise line said that they are evolving Seabourn Club to make it more rewarding for guests on every cruise they take.

What’s New?

Seabourn is adding new enhancements and benefits that include:

• Silver members and above: Stream WiFi package
• Gold and Platinum members: Unlimited complimentary laundry
• Diamond member exclusive: 100 bonus Club Days when the program updates on October 20, 2025
• Diamond Elite member exclusive: 150 bonus Club days when the program updates on October 20m, 2025

New Club Levels

Seabourn is adjusting Club levels requirements to make it easier for guests to move up to the next level.

The new point levels are going down and will be:

• Club member: From one point to joining Seabourn Club
• Silver member: 20 points down to 15
• Gold member: 75 points down to 50
• Platinum member: 140 points down to 100
• Diamond member: 250 points down to 200
• Diamond Elite member: 650 points down to 500

Complimentary Cruises

Seabourn will continue to offer their signature complimentary cruises but the number of Club Days will be revised to earn seven- and 14-day cruises.

Starting October 20, guests will earn a seven-day cruise when they reach 350 Club Days, a 14-day cruise when they reach 460 Club Days, and a seven-night cruise every 110 Club Days after reaching 460 Club Days.

How to Earn Points

Guests will earn one Club point for every day sailed on a Seabourn ship. They will receive an additional point per night for staying in a penthouse or premium suite.

An additional point is awarded for every $500 in eligible onboard and pre-cruise online purchases.

Club Award Cruises and Club days will expire if a guest does not sail at least one time in a three year period from their last disembarkation date.

Seabourn said that they made these changes while balancing benefits, rewards and recognition based on feedback from guests.

Seabourn posted the following statement about the new loyalty program in an email to travel advisors today:

“We will continue to offer one of the most rewarding loyalty programs in luxury cruising and are committed to delivering exceptional value to our guests. We encourage you to familiarize yourself and your clients with the upcoming enhancements and explore the exciting new benefits detailed in the email below.”

Love your morning coffee on a cruise ship but can’t stand waiting in line?  Carnival Cruise Line is rolling out a new feature that solves this problem, so there’s one less reason to be grouchy before having that morning brew.

Carnival is introducing something new inside its popular HUB App, allowing passengers on select ships to conveniently order coffee for pick-up.

The goal here is to reduce lines at popular onboard coffee venues like JavaBlue Café. This “coffee to go” service is currently available on a limited number of vessels but should go fleet-wide in the near future.

The new service allows passengers to make an in-app purchase for their preferred coffee beverages and then simply head to the coffee shop for quick pick-up, skipping the line, and more importantly, skipping the hassle.

This move comes as a direct response to the often-busy morning hours at JavaBlue Café locations, showing just how popular this coffee hot spot has been on Carnival ships.

Heald Confirms New Service

Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, confirmed the new service, stating that the primary goal is guest convenience, not staff reduction.

“The reason we are doing this is to reduce the lines at our Java Blue Café locations,” Heald stated in a social media comment, acknowledging that “there are times when it’s very busy because of the brilliant coffee.”

He also clarified that this is an optional service, noting, “It’s convenient for people who wish to get an express coffee. It is certainly not something that you have to do, and it has definitely helped the line.”

The pick-up service is specifically designed for peak morning hours when demand for coffee is highest.

Packages Excluded from Option

It’s important for passengers to note that while the service offers a faster way to get a caffeine fix, popular beverage packages such as “Cheers!” and “Drinks on Us!” are excluded from this express pick-up option.

Guests with these packages will still need to order their included coffee beverages directly at the coffee shops.

However, Heald assured that the introduction of the express service will likely lead to shorter lines even for those ordering in person, effectively benefiting all coffee lovers onboard.

This new “coffee to go” feature builds on the Carnival HUB App’s growing features, which already include a day-by-day schedule of onboard events, dining menus, ship maps, and real-time Sail & Sign account balances.

Another HUB App Feature

In another Facebook post just two hours later, Heald confirmed that the HUB App has also rolled out a new notification feature (“bing, ting”) for those getting messages.

Heald stated, “You do not even need to have the App open but you will here the sound and then see the message. This is on most of the ships with just a couple more to be added soon.”

A few weeks ago, Carnival Cruise Line announced radical changes to their loyalty program that more aligns with what airlines and hotels now offer compared to cruise lines. There will be a huge focus on credit card spend and lifetime status will be no more.

This week on Carnival Vista, Carnival President Christine Duffy sat down with guests to discuss this new program and why they made changes.

She said that they announced the changes a year in advance to give Carnival cruisers time to understand the new program and how it will work.

John Heald, Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, posted the video of Duffy going over the changes and explaining why they made them. You can watch the full nine minute video below, comments on the video have been disabled.

Since Carnival Cruise Line sailed their first cruise in 1972, over 105 million guests have embarked on a Carnival cruise ship. 65 million of them have sailed since Carnival launched their VIFP program in 2012.

With 29 cruise ships in service and larger cruise ships being added over the next decade, Duffy said that offering lifetime status for the top tiers was something that was not sustainable.

“Lifetime status benefits just can’t be delivered in the right way.”

Just like with airlines and hotels, Carnival will start to reward guests who use their branded credit card.

Carnival is launching a new credit card for their Carnival Rewards program. It is important to note that Carnival cruisers who have the current cruise line branded card will have their points automatically transfer over when they get the new card.

Carnival’s new Reward Program incentivizes those who have the credit card to use it for everyday purchases. The points earned from these purchases will count towards loyalty status when they cruise on a Carnival cruise ship.

Duffy also said that they are working with many of their providers, including retail, to offer promotions for guests to earn extra points. She said:

“It is not our intention at all to have, you know, for people not to be able to maintain their status if they choose to. But lifetime status is not, is just not feasible given the number of people and the growth, that we have in the highest tiers.”

Since guests will need to be 18 years and older to enroll in Carnival Rewards, kids will lose their current status. However, they will status match with whoever is paying for cabin, that’s in the cabin.

Carnival is maintaining a list of any kids that are Platinum and Diamond. When they turn 18, they will have the option to opt into the program at the status that they currently are.

It is important to note that Carnival Cruise Line has yet to give all details on their new rewards program. There is more coming information coming on how the credit card will help boost loyalty status.

The new Carnival Rewards Program goes into effect on June 1, 2026.

Star Princess, the next new ship from Princess Cruises debuting this fall, will have new theatrical production shows, high-energy pop up performances, and immersive candlelight concerts.

This incredible new entertainment announced by Princess Cruises will take place in the Princess Arena (theater), The Dome and the Piazza.

Princess Arena

Two new production shows will be shown the the Princess Arena, the most technically advanced theater at sea.

Meridian and Illuminate: A Spectacle of Joy will delight guests in breathtaking spectacles that have original scores, reimagined chart-toppers and multi-generational pop scores.

Both productions were created in partnership with the visionary team at Black Skull Creative, renowned for crafting perception-shifting experiences that captivate audiences worldwide.

All with these two new shows, Viva La Música, which premiered on Sun Princess, will return to Star Princess.

The Dome

Princess Cruises Candlelight Concert Series will take place in The Dome. This unique venue will mesmerize guests with live performances that blend cinematic storytelling with stirring musical artistry, creating a magical fusion of sight, sound, and atmosphere unlike anything else at sea.

The Piazza

A third venue on Star Princess that will offer entertainment is The Piazza.  From the 45-minute Princess Jamz to Celestial Champagne Soirée, it’s promising to provide unforgettable memories for guests on board.

Lorna Warren, Princess Cruises Vice President Hotel Operations and Guest Experience, gave the following statement:

“We’re not just putting on shows; we’re crafting moments that will stay with guests long after the final curtain. Star Princess was designed to surprise, move, and inspire each and every night.”

Star Princess will debut on October 4, 2025. After a brief stint in Europe, the ship will sail to Port Everglades and offer cruises to the Caribbean for the 2025-2026 winter season.

Carnival Cruise Line revealed their first cruises for 2027-2028 that include more variety and a larger ship at a popular homeport.

While Carnival has 29 cruise ships in their fleet, this first installment of 2027-2028 cruises announces where two ships will sail from.

They are moving Carnival Dream back to New Orleans. The ship will join Carnival Liberty as Carnival will be the only cruise line to homeport two ships year-round at the port.

Carnival Dream

Carnival Dream will sail two final cruises from Galveston in May 2027. On May 16, 2027, the ship will return to New Orleans for the first time in 2019.  

Carnival Dream will offer four- and five-night cruises to Mexico from New Orleans.

Carnival Liberty

Carnival Liberty will continue sailing from New Orleans through at least May 2028. The ship will sail a variety of seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean and The Bahamas.

Cruises to The Bahamas will visit Celebration Key, Nassau and Key West.

Seven-night sailings to the Western Caribbean will visit Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman and Isla Tropicale.

The ship will also offer an eight-night Thanksgiving cruise and a two-week sailings to the Panama Canal. The Thanksgiving sailing will visit both Celebration Key and Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay.

The 14-day Panama Canal Journeys cruise will depart on November 28, 2027 and visit Aruba, Cartagena, Colon, Curaçao, Cozumel, Limon, and Montego Bay.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, gave the following statement:

“More capacity with a larger ship means more tourism activity for Port NOLA and the region, where we’ve enjoyed a successful partnership for over three decades.

“As we roll out our deployment plans through the spring of 2028, we have great news to share with our homeport communities. Fun is on the move, and that means more options and more variety as guests book their future cruise vacations.”

Carnival Cruise Line said that they will release more cruises for 2027-2028 in the coming weeks. They also said that new homeports will be announced for several ships.

Cozumel, Mexico is one of the busiest ports of call in the world in terms of cruise passenger traffic.  With over 4.5 million cruise visitors every year, it’s not uncommon for tens of thousands of cruisers to disembark on the island in a single day.

With three cruise piers already in operation, plans for a fourth pier have been in the works for several years.  But according to a recent announcement from Cozumel’s mayor, there won’t be another pier under construction any time soon.

Cozumel’s Current Piers

As a major hub for cruise lines, Cozumel currently operates three main cruise ship piers:

1. Punta Langosta: This pier is located closest to downtown San Miguel, allowing cruise passengers easy walking access to local shops and restaurants.
2. SSA International Pier (also known as SSA Mexico): Situated south of downtown, this pier is a primary docking point for large cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and MSC Cruises.
3. Puerta Maya: Located furthest south, this pier is a frequent stop for Carnival Cruise Line vessels.

The Pier Plans Rejected

While commonly referred to as the “fourth pier,” the recent proposal was actually an expansion of the existing SSA Mexico Pier (sometimes called International Cruise Terminal).

The goal was to allow it to accommodate even larger “deep-draft” cruise ships, which would have increased the port’s overall capacity.

The plan also included a private beach club, “Cabo Mantarraya,” raising concerns about restricting public access to the island’s coastline.

Environmental and Local Concerns

Not everyone was on board with the plans.  There was a concern among the local community that the new project would harm Cozumel’s coral reefs, among other issues.

Some local residents voiced concerns that increased ship traffic and larger pier infrastructure could lead to coral damage, increased pollution, infrastructure strain, and reduced public access to beaches.

The Mayor’s Stance

Mayor Chacón Méndez’s decision to reject both the pier expansion and the beach club project, reportedly reflected the decision of Cozumel’s community.

The mayor stated, “In Cozumel it’s the people who rule, who decide. Cozumel will first protect its environment and development.”

“I have already signed the no-vote on the Mantaraya issue and I have also already signed the no-vote on the SSA Mexico. That’s how we’re working together,” he continued.

The city council’s formal “no” to the SSA Mexico Pier expansion came after a technical review from Mexico’s environmental ministry (Semarnat). This review is a key part of how such projects are approved or rejected.

This decision will probably involve more negotiations in the future, with more legal challenges for both sides of the argument.

When it comes to cruise vacations, no one wants to hear the word “delay,” especially not right before a sailing.  On the other hand, I would almost always welcome a delay in getting back to homeport.

A recent email went out to impacted guests of Edge-class Celebrity Beyond, letting them know that their cruise will start at least a day later than originally planned.  But the cruise line is going above and beyond to compensate these passengers.

Celebrity Beyond is experiencing a technical issue that has directly impacted its upcoming sailing from PortMiami. This means a delay in embarkation, a shorter cruise, and an altered itinerary for those hoping to set sail from South Florida.

Cruise tracking data shows the ship is traveling at about 17 knots off the coast of Cuba currently.  The ship usually travels closer to 22 knots when at full cruising speed.

Some guests onboard have claimed on social media that the ship is traveling on one engine, but we have not had those reports verified by the cruise line at this time.

The Celebrity Cruises ship was originally scheduled to embark guests for a 4:00 PM departure from PortMiami on Sunday, July 20th. However, due to this technical issue that has reduced the ship’s cruising speed, its arrival into Port Miami has been pushed back to Monday, July 21st, docking at Terminal C.

Repairs for the Ship

Celebrity Cruises has been quick to reassure guests that while the problem affects the ship’s speed, it absolutely does not compromise the safety or seaworthiness of the vessel.

As the letter sent to guests states, “Beyond is currently experiencing a technical issue and we are working to address it. While this does not impact the safety or seaworthiness of the ship, we are sailing at reduced speed which will delay our arrival into Miami tomorrow.”

Compensation for Passengers

For the 3,200+ passengers currently on board who were expecting to disembark on Sunday, this delay means an extra day at sea on their cruise.   While a change in flights back home can be a nuisance, many cruisers would have a hard time feeling too bad for them.

Celebrity Cruises is offering compensation for this added time at sea. Guests will receive a full day’s cruise fare back, delivered as onboard credit.

This could mean a free spa treatment, specialty dining experience, or whatever else the passengers want to use this new-found money for.

On top of that, a one-day refund will be issued for any pre-purchased packages, such as internet plans, drink packages, or specialty dining reservations.

Compensated Hotel Arrangements

Adding an extra night at a hotel in Miami on top of original travel plans can offer its own logistical issues. To help make up for this, the cruise line is also providing up to $250 per stateroom to assist with Sunday evening’s hotel accommodations for those passengers who must wait another day for their vacation at sea to begin.

Itinerary Changes

Their embarkation, originally planned for a Sunday, July 20th departure from PortMiami, will now begin on Monday, July 21st, also from Terminal C.

This means a slight change from the original 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, which included calls at Nassau (July 21st), St. Thomas (July 23rd), and Philipsburg, St. Maarten (July 24th), before returning to Miami on July 27th.

With embarkation delayed by a full day, the upcoming cruise will now be a shorter 6-night sailing, assuming, of course, that the technical issue is resolved smoothly and quickly.

The delayed start means that at least one of those planned port calls from the original itinerary will likely be dropped. Celebrity Cruises has promised to send out further updates on the revised itinerary and exact check-in times, urging future guests to keep a close eye on their inboxes.

For anyone impacted by these changes, keep a close watch on your emails and Celebrity Cruises’ official communications for the very latest information.

And, if nothing else, this incident serves as yet another gentle nudge for all travelers to seriously consider cruise travel insurance – because when unexpected cruise hiccups happen, it can make all the difference.