Diplomacy

Virgin Voyages, the adults-only cruise line, is taking status matching to a new level by offering the broadest status match program ever.

Virgin’s Status Match extends instant status recognition to around 50 million travelers who hold high-tier status with more than 35 hotel, airlines and cruise lines.

Status Matching

Virgin Voyages is recognizing loyalty members from across the Virgin family, extending Blue Extras hospitality to eligible members of Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club and Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer.

Virgin Voyages’ enhanced Status Match is also eligible across 35+ travel programs including American Airlines’ AAdvantage, United MileagePlus Program, Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards, Carnival’s VIFP Club and dozens more.

Benefits

Top travelers can earn Blue Extras status on Virgin Voyages and get the following perks on Virgin cruise ships:

• Premium coffees at The Grounds Club
• Complimentary laundry service
• Exclusive cocktail events where you’ll connect with Crew and fellow Sailors
• Personalized Sailor Services support from embarkation to disembarkation

Details

Travelers can apply for Virgin Voyages’ Status Match now through January 16, 2026 and book a voyage by March 31, 2026 to snag Blue Extras.

It includes cruises through the summer of 2027, with departures from Miami, San Juan, New York, Barcelona, Athens, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages, gave the following statement:

“Loyalty programs have gotten it backward. They ask for more, give less and call it a reward. We’re flipping that. From the moment Sailors step aboard, we want them to feel recognized, relaxed and reminded of why they fell in love with travel in the first place.”

“You earned your status. You put in the flights, the nights, the spend. Other programs responded by taking more and giving less. We’re responding by opening our doors and saying: we see you, we appreciate you, come sail with us.”

With 2026 right around the corner, MSC Cruises is planning on adding a lot of extras to their private island in The Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The new collection of activities is scheduled to start rolling out in January 2026.

MSC Cruises is giving passengers more to do and experience at Ocean Cay, and these new features are for guests of various ages and interests.  This goes beyond popular existing options like snorkeling and paddleboarding.

The new additions attempt to blend physical wellness, cool educational technology, and family fun into every stop at the cruise line’s private island.

Wellness Additions Coming

Starting in 2026, the island will host daily wellness and sports programs led by two professional fitness coaches, who typically work aboard MSC ships sailing in the U.S. These sessions will offer a way for guests to unwind and recharge in the beauty of this island.

The programming includes some unique experiences, such as a “fire-and-ice challenge” that combines hot yoga with the therapeutic shock of ice baths.  This will definitely get the blood flowing.

For a calmer start to the day, guests can also try sunrise yoga sessions with sound-healing meditation on the beach. Functional workouts will also be part of the daily schedule.

Fun Meets Education with AR and LEGO

An exciting new Augmented Reality (AR) treasure hunt is being introduced for all ages. Guests can use their phones to scan custom-built wooden sculptures around Ocean Cay. This will reveal a digital storytelling feature that educates them about the island’s ecosystem, native species, and the actual conservation work MSC Cruises is carrying out. 

This is what makes Ocean Cay much different from other cruise line’s private islands.  Ocean Cay really is a marine reserve, and this new program attempts to highlight that.

For younger guests, families will be welcomed at the island’s Welcome Pavilion with a colorful and interactive LEGO Pop-Up Experience. This area will feature seven well-known LEGO mascots alongside MSC Cruises’ own character, Doremi, providing a fun and recognizable play zone.

Ocean Cay already features extended visits, with many cruise itineraries including late-night or overnight stays, giving travelers plenty of time to enjoy the new and existing experiences.

After a 15-day sailing from Barcelona, the first Meraviglia Plus-class ship from MSC Cruises arrived in Port Canaveral, Florida.  The ship is scheduled to remain in Port Canaveral through April 2026.

Port Canaveral has been on a roll lately, having once again taking the title of “World’s Busiest Cruise Port”.  Offering over 1,000 cruises each year across 7 different cruise lines, there’s a new ship in town.

MSC Grandiosa arrived in Port Canaveral today, after making a short stop in PortMiami yesterday.  This is now the second ship from MSC Cruises sailing out of the port, and this marks the first time that a Meraviglia Plus-class ship has been based in the U.S.

The 6,334 max-passenger (4,842 at double capacity) ship joins MSC Seashore in Port Canaveral.  MSC Seashore offers mostly 3- and 4-night sailings with a variety of other durations (5-11 days).

At 181,541 in gross tonnage, MSC Grandiosa is the larger of the two ships and will offer a mix of 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruises throughout its winter season.

New Itineraries

The arrival of MSC Grandiosa gives MSC Cruises greater exposure and more variety for their future passengers who sail out of Florida. While MSC Seashore focuses on short cruises to the Bahamas (including stops at the line’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve), Grandiosa will handle a variety of itinerary types.

• Short Bahamas Sailings: The ship offers multiple 3- and 4-day sailings to The Bahamas in January. These trips include a stop at Nassau and MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
• Extended Voyages: The ship also offers 8-day Western Caribbean and Bahamas cruises (like the December 27th sailing) and unique 14-day back-to-back cruises that combine two different week-long itineraries, going to destinations like Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica.
• 7-Day Sailings: The 7-day sailings will primarily alternate between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, with calls at Ocean Cay, Nassau, San Juan , Puerto Plata, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman.

Onboard MSC Grandiosa

MSC Grandiosa was built in 2019 and was the first Meraviglia Plus-class ship with the cruise line.  This new class is slightly larger than Meraviglia-class, with some additional amenities.

The new ship in Port Canaveral has an enlarged Galleria Grandiosa, an indoor promenade that is longer than in Meraviglia-class ships, and features more shops and dining venues. This space has the signature 80-meter-long LED Sky Screen as well, which features some special effect shows as well as setting the mood in décor for the day.

Grandiosa also features two new exclusive Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows specifically designed for its enhanced Carousel Lounge, a glass-walled venue near the aft of the ship. The increase in size (at 181,541 gross tons versus 171,598) means more public space and capacity for the water park and family areas.

Looking Ahead

The ship’s homeporting in Florida will last for the entire winter cruise season. Following its Caribbean deployment, MSC Grandiosa is scheduled to make a Transatlantic Grand Voyage back to Europe in April 2026 to begin its summer season in the Mediterranean, where it will sail from ports like Barcelona, Spain, and Genoa, Italy.

While many cruisers hop on a ship to get away from work and all strenuous activity, there is a growing number of passengers who have a never-miss-a-workout mindset. And with the fitness competition Hyrox on the rise, a new cruise is creating the perfect opportunity.

But before you get too excited about this Hyrox cruise, U.S. residents will have to wait a while before their own sailing is available.

The first-ever Hyrox Cruise is a four-day, adult-only Mediterranean trip sailing from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, from October 21–25, 2026.

Because of the strong demand anticipated for this sailing, Mein Schiff 4 has been exclusively reserved for the event. This means the cruise line had to cancel a previously scheduled voyage to make way for the fitness sailing.  2,300 athletes and 15 elite Hyrox pros are expected to be on board in October.

What is Hyrox?

To understand why this cruise is a big deal, you need to know about Hyrox.

The fitness world was long dominated by CrossFit. Hyrox, though, has become the world’s fastest-growing fitness race.  For some, CrossFit was a bit too over the top and inaccessible if you weren’t a trained Olympian. 

This doesn’t mean Hyrox is a cake walk though.

The format is simple: run 1 kilometer, do a functional workout, and repeat that sequence eight times. The workouts, like sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, and wall balls, are simple to learn. This simple format attracts everyone from casual gym-goers to professional athletes.

Training in a “Floating Fitness Arena”

During the cruise, Mein Schiff 4 will be transformed into a “floating fitness arena.” Passengers can look forward to a schedule that’s heavy on sweat and light on downtime:

• 5-6 workouts daily and specialized clinics.
• Meet-and-greets with world-class Hyrox athletes.
• A unique, never-before-seen Hyrox race format staged right on the ship.

The itinerary includes a full day at sea and quick stops in Marseille, France, and Barcelona. The ship itself belongs to TUI Cruises, which primarily serves the German-speaking market (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).

Americans Need to Stay Patient

If you’re an American Hyrox fan, there’s a catch. The cruise is currently only open to residents of the EU and the U.K. This is due to regional travel regulations and the cruise line’s specific focus.

Hyrox has promised that this is just the beginning for their travel concepts which has been named Hyrox Experiences.  So, hopefully soon there will be some events and sailings opened up for U.S. and other markets.

Tickets for the high-intensity Hyrox sailing go on sale December 9th. And if running and lifting aren’t your thing, Zumba is also bringing back its popular Zumba Cruise in 2026 with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Villa Vie Residences, a cruise line that has a ship you can buy a cabin and live on, is adding a second ship through a new luxury product.

Villa Vie has announced that Chris Cox will head up Project Lumina, a luxury arm of the cruise line.

As president, Chris will oversee vessel acquisition, full-ship conversion planning, architectural programming, sales and marketing strategy, investor engagement, and global partnership development.

While Villa Vie has not said which ship they are buying, rumors are swirling that the ship will be Navigator from Regent Seven Seas Cruises. 

Crescent Seas, another cruise line startup, was originally going to buy the ship from Regent but backed out last month. Chris Cox was Head of Global Sales for Crescent Seas before joining Villa Vie Residences.

Project Lumina

Project Lumina will operate in parallel with Villa Vie’s current contemporary model aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey.

The Odyssey will continue to receive dedicated leadership, sales, and operational focus, maintaining its role as the cruise line’s flagship contemporary residential product.

What do we know about this luxury ship you will be able to live on?

• Fully owned private residences
• World-class amenities and services
• A carefully curated global itinerary for discerning travelers seeking an elevated residential experience at sea

With the introduction of Lumina, future residents will enjoy a wide spectrum of ownership options. It will range from attainable world-travel homes aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey to ultra-luxury villa experiences aboard the upcoming Lumina flagship.

The company said that more details such as ship name and inaugural development will be shared at a later date.

Chris Cox, President of Project Lumina, gave the following statement:

“I’m thrilled to join Villa Vie at such a defining moment for the brand and for the category,” said. There is incredible demand for authentic, residential oceangoing lifestyles—from attainable world-travel homes to ultra-luxury villa experiences. Project Lumina will be about listening carefully to that demand and translating it into beautifully designed, high-value products that feel both elevated and deeply personal.”

MSC Cruises is extending the Cyber Monday sale on select cruise ships, keeping the booking window open through December 8.  On top of that, the cruise line is offering a one-day-only Travel Tuesday bonus.

It’s a busy time of year for most of us, so MSC Cruises decided to keep the Cyber Monday offer available for an extra six days to give cruisers more time to lock in a deal.

The Cyber Monday deal being extended to next Monday offers cruises starting at $199 and up to $1,000 in onboard credit.  The offer is perfect for families as well as kids sail for free (17 and under).

According to the cruise line, a family of four sailing in a balcony cabin on a 7-night MSC World America cruise in July 18 would normally pay about $6,600 for the cruise plus drinks and Wi-Fi.  But with the Cyber Monday promotion on top of the Travel Tuesday deal, the cost comes to around $5,000, a savings of about $1,600, plus onboard credit.

The amount of onboard credit will depend on the stateroom category and the length of the cruise.  Also, this offer is only available to U.S. residents.

The ships included in this offer are as follows: MSC World America, MSC Divina, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seascape, MSC Seaside and MSC Seashore.  These ships sail from ports like Miami, Port Canaveral, and Galveston.

MSC Seascape just recently started sailing out of Galveston, Texas and is offering year-round 7-night Western Caribbean cruises.

To book this offer, reference the “CYBER MONDAY SALE” promotion.

Keep in mind that this offer is not applicable to group bookings and cannot be combined with any other promotion.

The One-Day-Only Travel Tuesday Deal

The Travel Tuesday offer is for one day only (December 2); however, it can be combined with the offer above for even more savings.

With this offer cruisers can get up to +$250 Onboard Credit that is combinable with Cyber Monday Sale offer on select sailings.  Even higher amounts of OBC are offered for MSC Yacht Club bookings, and sailing dates after April 1, 2026 offer higher amounts of OBC as well.

The ships included in this offer are MSC Divina, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seascape, MSC Seaside and MSC Seashore.