June 2026 Review

CLIA turned up the tempo with another smash-hit Southampton conference that attracted more than 800 delegates, while the month’s roll-call of new and improved ships was matched by a burst of new programmes for 2027.

What’s New . . . 
In a double whammy, Royal Caribbean International welcomed third Icon-class ship Legend of the Seas ahead of its July debut, and started construction of its seventh Oasis-class giant. Explora Journeys’ Explora III, debuting in July, completed sea trials, while MSC Cruises highlighted standout attractions of its newest leviathan MSC World Asia including The Spiral @ Tree of Life, set to be the longest dry slide at sea.

. . . and improved
Seabourn unveiled a more refined look for Seabourn Quest which underwent the most comprehensive interior update in the line’s history, while Virgin Voyages’ newly-imagined Valiant Lady sported refreshed spaces and a new Indian restaurant called Ariya. German line Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Hanseatic Spirit emerged with a fresh look after its first dry dock. Ringing in the changes is Marella Cruises’ Marella Discovery 2 which is going adult-only for winter 2027 with former kids’ areas transformed into four adult attractions including a speakeasy and escape room.

Rollin’ down the rivers
Travelmarvel welcomed newest addition Rigel which joins sister ships Polaris, Capella and Vega on the Rhine, Main and Danube, while AmaWaterways revealed a first peek at its second double-width ship AmaRudi, named after co-founder Rudi Schreiner and launching next spring. This summer, the line has extended cruise-and-rail options on European sailings, while CroisiEurope is bolstering autumn voyages with a new November Cruise Escapes collection. TUI River Cruises unveiled its biggest-ever winter season with more capacity on the Rhine and Douro plus new Belgian ports. It’s also dialling up the fun factor this November with an 80s-themed Rhine cruise on TUI Skyla with veteran DJ Gary Davies.

Get ready for 2027
A five-day expedition through Laos and Vietnam and two-night Bora Bora escape are some of Azamara Cruises’ 18 new overland experiences for 2027, while Oceania Cruises is turning the spotlight on Northern Europe with its programme of voyages aboard Oceania Marina, Oceania Insignia and Oceania Vista. Explora Journeys is marking its Alaska debut on Explora III next summer with a rich variety of destination experiences, while Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ autumn/winter programme features 20 departures from October to December next year, including a Mediterranean fly-cruise series on Balmoral. Holland America Line opened bookings for flagship Rotterdam’s Mediterranean debut in autumn 2027 as the line builds its presence in the region during the low season.

Partying and pampering
Cruisers can have themselves a hoedown on Marella Cruises’ two adult-only country music themed voyages, Country Rhythms on Marella Explorer in November 2027, or enjoy a bellyful of laughs on Virgin Voyages’ UK Comedy Fest in August aboard Valiant Lady, with comics including Seann Walsh, Lucy Beaumont and Milton Jones. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises unveiled music-themed sailings for 2026/7 and the return of its 20s-themed Gatsby Nights at Sea aboard Europa. Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced its first-ever wellness voyage aboard new ship Seven Seas Prestige in 2027 as part of its Spotlight Collection. MSC has expanded its wellness offering fleetwide with new spa and beauty experiences, and Silversea is enhancing Silver Spirit’s wellness credentials with an AI fitness system and superyacht-style golf simulator.