Cruise & Ferry
Cruise ship traffic on the rise in the Maritimes – CTV News
Cruise & Ferry
Princess Makes Further Changes to Premier and Plus Packages – Cruise Industry News

Princess Cruises is making further changes to its Premier and Plus Packages after announcing updates to the products earlier this week.
According to a statement, specialty coffee and teas are now unlimited in the Plus package and will not count towards the 15-drink daily limit.
The additional change was made after feedback from its Princess guests’ community, the company explained.
Princess initially announced changes to its packages on July 21, revealing new refreshed product additions, such as extra casual dining options and shore excursion credits.
The premium brand also raised pricing for the add-ons, with the Princess Premier Package costing $100 per person per day and the Princess Plus Package costing $65 per person per day. Prices are based on guests booking pre-cruise.
When booked prior to the cruise, these packages were previously priced, respectively, at $90 and $60 per person per day.
Guests sailing on the company’s new Sphere class ships, the Sun Princess and the Star Princess, will pay an additional $5 per person per day, regardless of the package chosen.
According to Princess, these packages offer savings of between 50 and 70 percent compared to purchasing their components separately.
In addition to a new shore excursion credit varying by voyage length, the Premier Package includes unlimited casual and specialty dining, a four-device Wi-Fi package and unlimited digital professional photos.
Other benefits include the unlimited premier beverage package, as well as reserved seating for theatrical shows and the inclusion of daily crew appreciation fees.
The Plus Package features four casual meals per voyage, in addition to the plus beverage package, Wi-Fi for a single device and the inclusion of daily crew appreciation fees.
When purchasing any of the packages, guests will also take advantage of waived fees for Princess’ OceanNow, as well as room service deliveries.
The changes will be in effect for all voyages starting in 2026.
Cruise & Ferry
Mein Schiff 4: 10 Years of Service – Cruise Industry News

The Mein Schiff 4 recently completed its tenth anniversary after being delivered to TUI Cruises on May 6, 2015.
As the second new ship ordered for the brand, the vessel was built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
According to the shipyard, the 99,500-ton ship was designed for premium cruising in Germany and offers 1,253 staterooms, as well as a range of unique public areas and features.
The Mein Schiff 4 was also built for eco-friendly operations and is equipped with green technologies, Meyer stated at the time of the ship’s delivery.
After being acquired by TUI Cruises, the Mein Schiff 4 was christened at the port of Kiel on June 5, 2015.
Swimmer Franziska van Almsick served as the ship’s godmother during the ceremony, which also included a fireworks display.
The ship then embarked on its inaugural voyage: a seven-night cruise to destinations in Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden, such as Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Stockholm.
As part of its maiden season, the vessel continued to offer itineraries to the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe departing from Kiel.
The Mein Schiff 4 later repositioned to the Canary Islands for its first winter season, offering cruises that also visited Morocco and Madeira.
During the summer of 2025, the ship is scheduled to offer new itineraries in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as cruises to Northern Europe and the Norwegian Fjords departing from Hamburg.
In October, the 2,500-guest vessel starts a month-long repositioning voyage around Africa ahead of its winter season in the Middle East.
The 39-night cruise sails from Palma de Mallorca to Dubai and features visits to destinations in Spain, South Africa, Namibia, Réunion, Mauritius, the Seychelles and Oman.
During the 2025-26 winter, the Mein Schiff 4 is set to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Cruise & Ferry
Costa Favolosa on 17-Night Cruise to Spitsbergen – Cruise Industry News

The Costa Favolosa is currently offering a unique cruise to Spitsbergen, Iceland, the British Isles and the Arctic Circle.
Deployed for a full summer season in Northern Europe, the Costa Cruises ship kicked off the itinerary in Hamburg on July 14, 2025.
The 17-night cruise will see the 2012-built vessel visiting eight ports of call in Scotland, Iceland and Norway.
After departing from Germany, the Favolosa sailed to Stornoway, Seydisfjordur, Akureyri and Isafjord during the first week of the cruise.
The 3,012-guest ship then crossed the Arctic Circle, arriving at Spitsbergen’s Longyearbyen for a two-day call on July 23, 2025.
Following the visit to the capital city of the Svalbard region, the Costa Favolosa is scheduled to visit additional destinations in Norway, including Tromso and Malloy.
The itinerary is also highlighted by a visit to Honningsvag, from which passengers can embark on excursions to the northernmost point of the continent of Europe, Nordkapp.
Completing the unique voyage, the 114,500-ton ship is scheduled to arrive back in Hamburg on July 31, 2025.
The cruise is part of the vessel’s summer deployment in Northern Europe, which also includes additional departures to Iceland, as well as other itineraries to destinations in the North Sea, the British Isles and Scandinavia.
The cruise program ends in mid-September with a repositioning voyage to Italy via Western Europe and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Following a fall season in the Mediterranean, the Costa Favolosa is set to return to South America in early November.
As part of Costa Cruises’ 2025-26 season in the region, the vessel offers a series of three- to nine-night cruises departing from ports in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, including Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
Also sailing in Northern Europe this summer, the Costa Diadema is set to join the vessel in South American waters in November.
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