Cruise & Ferry
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Updates Evening Dress Code
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is making some changes to its dress code.
The luxury cruise line explained the new policy in an email to guests, according to MarketWatch.
Moving forward, travelers can wear “refined denim” and “dress sneakers” after 6 p.m. as part of the line’s new “elegant casual” evening dress code.
Jeans must not be torn or distressed, while sneakers must be clean, in good condition and in a neutral or classic color. T-shirts, baseball caps, shorts, athletic shoes, flip flops and bathrobes are not permitted in any social spaces after 6 p.m.
Guests can also continue to wear more formal clothing, including gowns, cocktail dresses, tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with a tie.
Some passengers are rejoicing at the update, while others are disappointed—like Dana Newbauer, a Regent Seven Seas Cruises customer based in Pennsylvania. He tells MarketWatch that he likes to have “that fantasy James Bond-type moment and enjoy a nice dinner in the company of people who are dressed the same way.”
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Villa Vie Residences is set to make its debut in Asia and the Far East in August, as the Odyssey crosses the Pacific for the first time.
The residential ship is currently cruising to Hakodate, following the completion of its Alaska program in late July.
Following 11 days at sea, the 650-guest ship is set to arrive at the Japanese port on August 7, 2025.
The Odyssey then kicks off a series of visits to destinations in Japan and South Korea, including Sendai, Shizuoka, Kochi, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Jeju.
Highlights of this segment of the itinerary include a four-day visit to Yokohama, from which guests will be able to visit Tokyo, as well as a three-day visit to Kobe, which serves as a getaway to Osaka and Kyoto.
After sailing to Amami, Ishigaki, and Naha, the Odyssey completes its schedule in Japan in early September.
The ship then heads south for visits to destinations in Taiwan and the Philippines, including Keelung, Anping, Subic Bay, Manila, Boracay Island and Puerto Princesa.
Continuing its deployment in Asia, the vessel is scheduled to visit ports in Guam, Micronesia, Palau, Indonesia, Australia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea through December.
The itinerary also features visits to Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, American Samoa and French Polynesia before the end of the year.
The Odyssey will continue to sail in the South Pacific in early 2026, visiting additional destinations in Australia, as well as New Caledonia, Tonga, the Cook Islands and more.
Villa Vie recently celebrated another milestone after sailing to its 100th port since launching service in late 2024.
According to the company, the breakthrough was reached during a visit to the port of Icy Strait Point in Alaska.
Before arriving in Asia, the Villa Vie Odyssey visited destinations in Africa, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The ship then sailed to Hawaii and the Mexican Riviera, in addition to the U.S. West Coast and Alaska before repositioning to the Far East.
Cruise & Ferry
Important feature found on cruise ships you’ve probably never noticed | Cruise flags explained
Holidaying on a cruise ship is unique. There are certain traditions, rules and processes which come with sailing.
Many of them are age-old and formed from superstitions.
Others follow strict procedures for safety.
READ MORE: How to cruise to Antarctica – without spending tens of thousands of dollars
Cruisers have to get used to jargon when on board. There are also secret codes used for announcements passengers might hear on board.
But there’s a hidden detail flying above cruise ship decks you may not have noticed- the flags.
READ MORE: ‘Soulful and seriously special’: Cruising the Mekong with Scenic
Cruise ships always fly the individual flag of their nation of registration.
They also fly the flag of the place they are sailing, changing them as they arrive in a new port. They probably also fly their cruise line’s logo flag.
READ MORE: Little-known rule about alcohol on cruise ships
How cruise ships communicate
But ships also use other flags to communicate at sea.
These flags are also used as part of the International Code of Signals. And they all have different meanings.
We were shown the different flags neatly stored on a visit to the bridge on cruise ship, Crown Princess.
Marine Rescue NSW says the 26 square flags represent the letters of the alphabet. They feature five colours: red, blue, yellow, black and white.
Specific flags let other vessels know things.
For example Alpha, which is blue and white, means diver down; keep clear.
W, or Whiskey which is squares of red, white and blue, indicates required medical assistance.
A yellow flag, known as Quebec, indicates the vessel is “healthy” and requires free passage.
Flags can also be used in combinations, which means they then have other meanings.
Sometimes a whole string of the different flags are used as decoration, flying above the decks like bunting.
Sound and radio signals are also used by ships to communicate. A ships horn, for example, is one such thing and the number of blasts means different things.
Three blasts means the ship is reversing. Five means there is an emergency.
It’s also used as a fog horn when visibility is bad so other vessels know it’s there.
Another cruise ship tradition explained
Another tradition is for ships to be christened.
Maritime historian Chris Frame told 9Travel that the smashing of the Champagne on the hull is believed to have been begun by Queen Victoria, when she named naval ships.
Frame says “it’s a traditional ritual steeped in superstition from a historical perspective, that today is undertaken largely for media and public relations purposes.”
Royals and celebrities are named as ‘godparents’ with actress Hannah Waddingham TV host Drew Barrymore along recent A-listers to be given the honour.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of sailing rules passengers may not know about.
Shaking hands with the captain may seem courteous and respectful, but is banned on many vessels.
In several countries, particularly parts of Africa and the Caribbean, camouflage-patterned clothing is reserved for military personnel.
Plus many regions have strict agricultural controls to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases.
The first ship to take passengers on a cruise from Australia, rather than transporting them from one place to another, was P&O ship Strathaird.
Originally a mail ship that sailed for the first time in 1931, it was mainly used to transport ‘ten pound poms’ between England and Australia.
But on December 23, 1932, it set off Australia’s first cruise from Sydney to Brisbane and Norfolk Island with 1,100 passengers for five days.
AIDA and Costa have cancelled their Middle East plans for 2025-26, opting to leave ships in Europe instead.
With the two Carnival Corporation brands changing plans, it leaves three key operators left with programs in the Arabian Gulf for 2025-26: Celestyal, MSC and TUI.
In addition is Aroya Cruises, which is currently planning to operate in the Red Sea and previously made plans to debut in the Arabian Gulf as well.
Cruise Industry News looks at the plans for the companies that were initially set to operate in the region during the upcoming winter season.
AIDA Cruises
Ship: AIDAprima
Timeframe: November 2025 to March 2026
Homeports: Doha (Qatar); Abu Dhabi and Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Status: Cancelled on July 11, 2025
AIDA was the first cruise line to cancel its planned operations in the Middle East for the 2025-26 winter season. In a statement issued in early July, the company said that the decision aimed at providing guests with “reliable clarity” as early as possible.
Aroya Cruises
Ship: Aroya
Timeframe: September 2025 to January 2026
Homeport: Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)
Status: Confirmed
Aroya Cruises is currently planning to offer itineraries in the Red Sea after completing its first season in the Mediterranean.
Sailing from the company’s homeport in Jeddah, the Aroya is scheduled to offer itineraries to destinations in Saudi Arabia and Egypt between late September 2025 and early January 2026.
In an interview with Cruise Industry News earlier this year, the company also expressed interest in operating in the Arabian Gulf starting in the second quarter of 2026. Deployment for that timeframe, however, is still to be announced.
Celestyal
Ships: Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery
Timeframe: December 2025 to March 2026
Homeports: Doha (Qatar); Abu Dhabi and Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Status: Confirmed
Celestyal plans to double its operation in the Middle East, with the Celestyal Discovery joining the Celestyal Journey for itineraries departing from Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. According to the company’s website, the sailings in the region are scheduled to start in December.
Costa Cruises
Ship: Costa Toscana
Timeframe: December 2025 to February 2026
Homeports: Doha (Qatar); Abu Dhabi and Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Status: Cancelled on July 25, 2025
Costa Cruises announced the cancellation of its 2025-26 season in the Middle East in late July. Due to what it called a fluid situation in the region, the company has opted to redeploy the Costa Toscana in the Mediterranean during the upcoming winter.
MSC Cruises
Ship: MSC Euribia
Timeframe: November 2025 to March 2026
Homeports: Doha (Qatar); Abu Dhabi and Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Status: Confirmed
MSC Cruises is currently planning to operate in the Middle East during the upcoming winter season, with the MSC Euribia offering itineraries from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. According to the company’s website, the LNG-powered vessel is set to remain in the region between November 2025 and March 2026.
TUI Cruises
Ships: Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5
Timeframe: November 2025 to March 2026
Homeports: Doha (Qatar); and Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Status: Confirmed
TUI is planning a two-ship season in the Middle East, with the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5 sailing in the region between November 2025 and March 2026. The two vessels are expected to offer itineraries departing from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
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