Diplomacy

Carnival Cruise Line today gave a first look at the Pearl Cove Beach Club that will be located at their new private port that is under construction, Celebration Key.

Pearl Cove Beach Club will be an adults only (18+) retreat that offers a premium experience when visiting Celebration Key.

It will have an 11,000 sq. ft. infinity pool with a swim-up bar. Pink striped umbrellas will top sun loungers and there will also be daybeds that line the pool.

The beach club will have a private beach with sun loungers and beachside food and drink service.

Guests who are booked on a Carnival cruise that visits Celebration Key can book the Pearl Cove Beach Club on sailings through January 2, 2026.

The following three options are available:

• Club access plus a welcome drink
• Club access plus open bar (maximum of 10 drinks)
• Club access, all inclusive (open bar (maximum of 10 drinks) and food from the Pearl Cove restaurant)

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

“Celebration Key will give our guests elevated options and experiences across its five portals and we’ve specifically designed Pearl Cove Beach Club as the perfect place for adults to lounge, unwind or relax in their own paradise.”

“Guests booked on cruises to Celebration Key can now start planning their day as we open reservations for Pearl Cove, along with daybeds, cabanas and our unique supervillas, as well as shore excursions that celebrate the culture and beauty of Grand Bahama.”

Celebration Key is Carnival Cruise Line’s new private port that is currently under construction on Grand Bahama Island.

The port will open in July 2025 and will be able to accommodate up to two Carnival ships at a time. A pier extension will then be added to double the daily capacity to four ships each day.

In addition to giving us a first look at the Pearl Cove Beach Club, Carnival Cruise Line also opened for bookings shore excursions, supervillas, cabanas and daybeds on Celebration Key.

Royal Caribbean is starting August off with a bang, a two day sale on cruises that visit their private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

This two day sale from Royal Caribbean is good on nine cruise ships with all of the cruises on sale visiting CocoCay (with an exception of two: one visits Hawaii and the other Canada).

Prices start at $268 per person, and that includes taxes and port fees.

The nine ships included in this sale are:

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• View Best Prices on Royal Caribbean Cruises

This two day Going, Going, Gone sale from Royal Caribbean runs through 11:59 pm on August 2, 2024.

It is good on various stateroom categories from inside to balcony cabins.

You can see a list of every sailing that is included in this two day sale from Royal Caribbean here.

For complete terms and details of this two day sale, visit RoyalCaribbean.com or contact your local travel professional.

Holland America Line has opened 2026 Europe cruises for bookings on four cruise ships. The sailings range from seven to 42 days in length.

Holland America Line will offer cruises to Europe from 11 homeports in 2026. The cruises will feature 12 overnight ports and 19 late night departures (between 10 p.m. and midnight).

These cruises will take place on Oosterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam and Zuiderdam.

The departure cities are:

• Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Barcelona, Spain
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Civitavecchia (Rome) and Trieste (Venice), Italy
• Dover, England
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Piraeus (Athens), Greece
• Reykjavik, Iceland
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Holland America ships will visit 35 countries and guests will be able to visit a total of 175 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Six Celestial Cruises will be offered. Three of them will be eclipse cruises, two Northern Lights cruises, and the last a summer solstice Arctic Circle crossing.

• July 18, 2026, 35-Day Voyage of the Vikings: Solar Eclipse (Legendary Voyage)
• July 25, 2026, 28-Day Scandinavian Solar Eclipse with Greenland and Scotland (Legendary Voyage)
• Aug. 9, 2026, 13-Day Mediterranean Solar Eclipse with Barcelona Overnight
• Oct. 4, 2026, 14-Day Arctic Journey and Northern Lights
• Oct. 17, 2026, 14-Day Arctic Journey and Northern Lights
• June 13, 2026, 14-Day Arctic Circle Crossing: North Cape Solstice

Paul Grigsby, Holland America Line’s vice president of revenue planning and deployment, gave the following statement:

“There’s so much to see throughout the Mediterranean region and by creating itineraries from multiple homeports we’re giving our guests the opportunity to explore more ports and countries in an exciting way we haven’t offered before. The range of options we’ve put together really allows travelers to choose their own, ideal Mediterranean adventure.”

“Further, we made sure to listen to guest feedback when crafting these itineraries: We’ve included some of our most requested calls, including Sicily and Portofino — two of 11 ports of call in Italy. And for the first time in over 15 years, we’re returning to St. Tropez, France.”

Several of the cruises can be combined into Collectors’ Voyages up to 42 days in length.

If you book one of these Holland America 2026 cruises to Europe with the Have It All premium package, you can receive the added perk of free prepaid crew appreciation, along with free upgrades to the Elite Beverage Package and Premium Wi-Fi. This offer will be available for a limited time.

Royal Caribbean has just released the last of their deployment schedule for late 2025 and early 2026 cruises.

The cruise line announced that Serenade of the Seas will sail from Columbia and Panama starting in October 2025. This completes Royal Caribbean’s deployment schedule for next year. You can see where all of the cruise line’s ships are sailing to and from here.

The ship’s first cruise from Cartagena, Colombia will set sail on October 5, 2025, a week long cruise to the Southern Caribbean. Serenade of the Seas will sail 29 cruises from the port.

Cruisers will also be able to board the ship in Panama on 21 of the cruises.

The cruise ship will remain in the region through March 2026. All of the cruises on the ship in this region can be seen here.

Port stops on these cruises include Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, and Panama.

Alberto Muñoz, associate vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean for Royal Caribbean International, gave the following statement:

“We are very pleased to return to the region with Serenade of the Seas and fulfill our ongoing commitment to contribute to the market in Latin America.”

“The region has a diversity of destinations to create the best experiences for the whole family and all types of travelers. Serenade will bring an experience designed for the local market, full of flavors, music and activities that exalt the identity of Latinas.”

Royal Caribbean recently had Rhapsody of the Seas deployed in this region and the cruise line said these voyages were a success.

The world’s largest cruise line said that they will have experiences designed for the Latin market that will be revealed at a later date.

These newly announced cruises on Serenade of the Seas are now open for bookings.

Royal Caribbean has reduced the single supplement that solo travelers are charged on select cruises on 15 of their cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean, the world’s largest cruise line, has reduced the single supplement to 150% on all repositioning (Transatlantic and Transpacific), Canada, and Panama Canal cruises.

Additionally, Diamond + Crown and Anchor Society members will see their single supplement reduced from 150% to 125% on these sailings.

The Royal Caribbean ships that have reduced single supplement rates on these cruises are:

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas

A complete list of all cruises on these ships that offer the reduced single supplement can be seen here.

Cruise prices are all based on double occupancy in a cabin and normally, solo cruisers have to pay double.

Disney Cruise Line is adding a new The Lion King restaurant to Disney Destiny, their next new ship that will debut in 2025.

This unique dining experience, Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, will bring the iconic music of The Lion King to life.

Live musicians and storytellers will take centerstage during dinner that take will you on a musical journey.

Performances will include productions of “Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata,” plus a mash-up of “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Be Prepared,” a fun take that highlights the hero-villain dynamic of the story.

In addition to this unique restaurant, Disney Destiny will have a sweet shop themed after Edna from The Incredibles.

Disney Destiny will also feature cafes themed after Hercules and Brave. 

The cabins on the ship will have custom artwork depicting the epic journeys of Disney legends.

Most staterooms will feature split bathrooms for families that Disney is known for.

Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Cruise Line, gave the following statement about their next new ship:

“For the Disney Destiny, we will introduce brand-new cruise experiences inspired by the legends and legacies of some of Disney’s most iconic heroes and villains. From the dining rooms to the staterooms and everywhere in between, guests aboard our new ship will be surrounded by extraordinary storytelling paired with the signature service and family-fun adventures that are hallmarks of a Disney Cruise vacation.”

Disney Destiny will be a sister ship to Disney Wish and Disney Treasure. The vessel will debut in late 2025 sailing cruises from Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale).

The cruise ship will be 144,000 gross tons in size and be powered by LNG.

Carnival Cruise Line has announced a new partnership with Leagues Cup, the premiere professional soccer tournament in North America.

This multi-year partnership will bring extra fun for fans attending games and on television. Carnival Cruise Line and Leagues Cup will post co-branded content on the Leagues Cup social media channels.

Amy Martin Ziegenfuss, chief marketing officer at Carnival Cruise Line, gave the following statement about this new partnership:

“Anyone who watches a professional soccer game knows the stadium is filled with high-energy fun, which is exactly the kind of environment we love at Carnival and a good reason why you’ll find many soccer fans on board our ships. Teaming up with the Leagues Cup is a great opportunity to bring our Carnival fans together with another fervent fan base, further building on our alignment with the kinds of sports we know our guests love.”

Carter Ladd, executive vice president and chief revenue officer at Major League Soccer, added:

“Partnering with Carnival Cruise Line allows us to merge the excitement of soccer with the joy of travel and adventure. Together, we are committed to enhancing the tournament experience and creating unforgettable memories for fans across North America.”

Leagues Cup brings together 47 soccer teams from both Major League Soccer and LIGA MX.