Diplomacy

A cruise ship captain will retire this summer after spending almost 50 years at sea. Captain Birger J. Vorland will conclude his days at sea on June 10, 2026, an eight-day cruise on Crystal Serenity.

Captain Birger J. Vorland is one of the most respected and admired masters in the cruise industry. His distinguished maritime journey spans almost 48 years, with more than two decades dedicated to Crystal.

He joined the cruise line in 2003 onboard Crystal Harmony. Among his many achievements, Captain Vorland served as Master for Crystal’s groundbreaking expeditions through the Northwest Passage in 2016 and 2017, voyages that have become legendary within the industry.

Crystal will celebrate his legacy with a series of commemorative moments and celebrations honoring his career and contributions. The cruise line will announce more details about the celebrations in the near future.

Captain Birger J. Vorland gave the following statement:

“Crystal has given me more memories than I could have imagined when I first stepped aboard in 2003. From world cruises to the adventures of the Northwest Passage, my time here has been filled with moments I will carry with me forever.

“But what I will miss most are the people, the crew and the guests who return time and again, creating a true sense of family. When I step ashore for good in June, I do so with immense pride, gratitude and an appreciation for a life spent at sea.”

AKTG CEO Cristina Levis added:

“Captain Birger represents the very soul of Crystal—excellence, curiosity, integrity and a profound respect for both guests and crew.

“His leadership helped shape defining chapters of our history and elevated Crystal’s standing as a pioneer in luxury exploration. We are deeply grateful for his dedication and are honored to celebrate his extraordinary legacy.”

What’s next for Captain Birger? He plans to spend more time at home with his wife.

Royal Caribbean’s next new cruise ship, Legend of the Seas, will debut sooner than originally expected.

Legend of the Seas was originally going to debut on July 11, 2026. Now, the ship will sail its maiden voyage a week early with a departure on July 4.

Royal Caribbean has opened this new cruise on Legend of the Seas for bookings. It will depart from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy and visit the following ports and have two sea days:

• Marseille, France
• Barcelona, Spain
• Palma De Mallorca, Spain
• La Spezia (Florence/Pisa), Italy

Legend of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world when it debuts this summer. It will be the third in Royal Caribbean’s Icon class, the largest class of cruise ships in the world.

It will have the largest waterpark at at sea (Thrill Waterpark) and will be divided up into eight neighborhoods. The ship will have 28 dining options and seven swimming pools.

After a season of sailing in Europe, the cruise ship will head to Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) for the winter 2026-2027 season.

Once the ship is in Florida, it will sail six- and eight-night cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas. All cruises will visit Royal Caribbean’s award winning private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

In the spring of 2027, Legend of the Seas will head back to Europe for the summer season.

Princess Cruises has added two specialty dining venues on Diamond Princess that include one of the cruise line’s most popular restaurants.

Crown Grill and Makoto Ocean have been added to Diamond Princess. Reservations have also opened for both restaurants on all sailings on the ship.

Crown Grill

Crown Grill, Princess Cruises’ signature steakhouse, is located in the former Savoy Dining Room on Deck 5.

The cost is $55 per person and offers premium aged beef, chops and fresh seafood. The steakhouse offers an elegant, welcoming atmosphere with attentive service.

Makoto Ocean

Makoto Ocean debuted on Princess’ newest class and has been so popular, the cruise line added it to Deck 7 on Diamond Princess.

The cost is also $55 per person and offers a premium menu of signature dishes such as truffle salmon, snow crab temaki and toro tartare, paired with handcrafted cocktails inspired by Japanese flavors, including the Genmai Negroni and Kodai No Hana, which blends yuzu juice with traditional Doburoku sake. 

Guests who purchase the Princess Premier package can dine at both restaurants for no extra charge.

Sami Kohen, Princess Cruises Vice President Food and Beverage, said the following:

“With Makoto Ocean and Crown Grill now onboard Diamond Princess, and also recently added onboard sister ship Sapphire Princess, we’re proud to enhance the guest experience as Diamond Princess sails across Asia and as we look ahead to our dual-ship Japan season in 2027.”

Diamond Princess is currently homeporting in Singapore offering cruises to Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, before returning to Japan.  

Queen Mary 2, the only ocean liner in the world, passed through the new locks of the Panama Canal for the first time this weekend.

Queen Mary 2 is currently its 2026 World Voyage, a 108-night cruise around the world.

Guests traveling aboard the 108-night cruise were treated to a rare moment as the ship began her historic passage through the canal’s new set of locks on Saturday, January 24.

Following an overnight stay at the Cocoli Mooring Station, Queen Mary 2 continued her transit and passed under the remarkable Bridge of Americas on Sunday, January 25.

After an overnight stay in Manzanillo, Mexico, the ship will head Los Angeles where it will arrive on February 2. It will be the first time in 17 years that Queen Mary 2 has visited Southern California.

The ship will also celebrate a reunion with her legendary namesake, The Queen Mary, for the first time in 20 years. The Queen Mary now serves as a hotel in Long Beach, California.

Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, gave the following statement:

“As the world’s only ocean liner, Queen Mary 2’s maiden transit through the Panama Canal marks another extraordinary milestone for Cunard.

“Our world-famous voyages truly deliver enriching, meaningful and unique experiences for our guests, and the transit through the Panama Canal forms an iconic element of this magnificent Queen’s 108-night World Voyage, where guests will also visit memorable destinations like Los Angeles, Sydney, Cape Town, Hong Kong and Singapore, before returning to Southampton.”

Norwegian Cruise Line has made an important change for cruise passengers who book flights through them for their upcoming cruise.

Starting today, everyone who books a flight through Norwegian Cruise Line will have to fly in a day before their embarkation date. The cruise line stated that the reason for this change was due to guests missing the cruise due to flight delays and cancellations.

While cruisers will be required to fly in a day early, they will be responsible for their own hotel costs. This change only applies to guests who book their airfare through NCL and not on their own.

The cruise line sent out the following message regarding this change:

“Beginning today, January 26, 2026, all guests booking air travel through all NCL Air programs will be required to arrive at their embarkation port at least one day prior to sailing. This enhancement applies to all new air-inclusive reservations made on or after January 26, 2026, as well as existing reservations that are repriced on or after January 26, 2026.

“We know that flight delays (particularly day-of-sailing arrivals) have, in some cases, resulted in guests missing embarkation for their cruise and having to downline to embark at a later port of call. This update reflects our shared goal of protecting your vacations by allowing more time for unexpected travel disruptions such as flight delays or weather interruptions, ensuring a smoother, more relaxed start to your cruise journey.

“Important Note: To help set clear expectations, please note that as air booked through NCL will arrive one day prior to sailing, guests will be responsible for their own pre-cruise hotel accommodations.

As a reminder, guests may choose to book their pre-cruise hotel through NCL’s Hotel or Hotel Plus programs, launched this past September, offering a convenient option for securing accommodations.”

A new cruise ship terminal is coming to the Port of Los Angeles. One of Magic Johnson’s companies, JLC Infrastructure, has partnered with Carrix Inc., to develop and operate the Outer Harbor Cruise Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles.

The new cruise terminal will be built to accommodate the newest and most environmentally sustainable cruise ships arriving in Los Angeles. In addition, the World Cruise Terminal at the port will be redeveloped.

Carrix has a long track record in collaborating to develop large-scale infrastructure projects while enjoying a deep-rooted history in Southern California across containerized cargo and cruise ship terminal operations.

Every cruise ship that visits the Port of Los Angeles generates approximately $1.3 million in local economic activity.

Port Executive Director Gene Seroka, gave the following statement:

“This new Outer Harbor cruise terminal and World Cruise Center redevelopment will allow us to capture more of the rapidly growing cruise business, while also establishing Los Angeles as the primary West Coast gateway for cruise operations.

This project will also be a huge win for our Port communities, who will greatly benefit from the economic activity generated by such significant public and private investment in our LA Waterfront.”

Marlon Smith, managing director at JLC, added:

“We are excited about this opportunity to partner with Carrix and the Port of Los Angeles. This project supports our strategy to invest in critical infrastructure that contributes to the growth of the surrounding communities.

“Los Angeles is a strategic location to support in creasing demand for Pacific Coast cruise operations. We expect that the incremental tourism generated from cruise operations and there imagined waterfront will produce meaningful benefit to the Port, local business, and the community as a whole.”

Regent Seven Seas Cruises, one of the finest ultra-luxury cruise line in the world, is enhancing the evening casual dining experience on their ships.

The Pool Grill is now open from 6-9:00 pm fleetwide with menu items that include strip loin minute steak, rosemary roasted chicken, Provençal-marinated lamb chops, and vegetable kebabs alongside an exquisite salad bar and appetizers, including hummus with pita chips, Caprese salad, Greek salad, and more.

There will also be 10 pizzas to choose from. The new pizzeria menu, first introduced on Seven Seas Mariner after its December 2025 dry dock, features handcrafted pizzas made with premium ingredients.

It is now available on Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Grandeur, and Seven Seas Splendor. The menu will debut on Seven Seas Voyager after its May 2026 refurbishment and on Seven Seas Prestige when it debuts later this year.

This self-service venue will be open weather permitting and will give Regent cruisers a casual dinner option.

Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, gave the following statement:

“Our guests love the exceptional onboard cuisine we are renowned for, but they also appreciate the freedom to enjoy dining in a more leisurely setting when the mood strikes, especially after an exhilarating day of exploration.

“Evening service at the Pool Grill and our enhanced pizzeria menu allow us to offer dining that is more relaxed in style, yet uncompromising in quality, true to the unrivaled Regent experience.”