Princess Cruises Returns to Homeporting in Texas
Princess Cruises has returned to Texas for the first time in six years. Ruby Princess departed Galveston on Sunday for an 11-night voyage to Mexico and the Caribbean.
The cruise is the first of 16 sailings as part of the ship’s winter schedule from Galveston, which also includes two 16-day Panama Canal voyages between Galveston and San Francisco.
The ship is scheduled to carry upwards of 50,000 guests from Galveston this season.
STORY: Princess Sails From Galveston For First Time in 6 Years
P&O Cruises Takes Delivery of Arvia
Carnival Corporation brand P&O Cruises has taken delivery of its newest ship Arvia.
Shipbuilder Meyer Werft delivered the 203,000 gross ton mega ship to the cruise line during an official handover ceremony on Thursday.
She’s sister ship to Iona, both of which are P&O Cruises’ only vessels to be powered by liquefied natural gas. Highlights of Arvia include the glass-enclosed SkyDome pool deck, plant-based restaurant Green & Co, and an outdoor adventure zone called Altitude.
Iona and Arvia are part of Carnival Corporation’s Excel-class, which also include Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.
In January, Arvia will begin a winter season of cruises in the Caribbean.
STORY: P&O Cruises Takes Delivery of Latest Excel-Class Cruise Ship
Ambiance Cruise Canceled the Evening it Starts
Guests booked on a three-day Christmas markets cruise had an unwelcome surprise on Sunday when they were told their voyage would be ending before the ship even departed.
Passengers on Ambassador Cruise Line’s ship Ambiance were eating dinner when management got on the intercom to announce that the voyage was canceled, and guests were required to disembark by 9:30 the next morning. The reason? While conducting regular maintenance on one of the lifeboat stations, staff discovered an issue that meant the ship could not sail.
Ambiance left Tilbury, England on Monday and is headed to a shipyard in Germany for repairs.
The next cruise, a Christmas and New Years Canary Islands voyage on December 21, has also been canceled.
