The Biggest Cruise News Stories of February

February was a rollercoaster month for the cruise industry. While one cruise line was shutting down, others were celebrating record-breaking booking periods during wave season. In case you missed any of this month’s news, here are the top cruise stories of February 2024.

 

After trade organizations stopped selling American Queen Voyages because of service issues in January, the company ceased operations on February 20. Its parent company, Hornblower Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. 

Later, Strategic Value Partners, LLC (SVP) agreed to acquire Hornblower Group. SVP will sell American Queen Voyages—and if it can’t find a buyer, the cruise line will be shut down for good.

 

The ongoing Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea remained a top concern for cruise executives in February. Multiple lines canceled or adjusted upcoming itineraries to avoid the region, including MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages. Royal Caribbean also decided to reroute its TikTok-famous 9-month world cruise.

 

In late January, Carnival unveiled new details about its forthcoming private destination on Grand Bahama, Celebration Key. Then, this month, it announced plans to spend an additional $100 million to add two more berths to the pier at Celebration Key. That brings the total estimated cost of the project to $600 million and will allow the pier to accommodate four of Carnival’s largest Excel-class ships simultaneously.

 

More than 150 people—129 passengers and 25 crew members—came down with a mysterious gastrointestinal illness while sailing aboard Cunard’s Queen Victoria on a 107-night world cruise. Because the ship visited U.S. ports in late January and early February, Cunard was required to report the outbreak to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

With wave season in full swing, cruise lines are celebrating strong sales—with many companies breaking records. Cunard’s January bookings were the highest the cruise line has seen in a decade, while Royal Caribbean Group had its best wave booking weeks in the company’s history during the first five weeks of 2024.  Scenic Group USA—which includes Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises—also had record bookings in January.

After spending more than a decade in French Polynesia, Windstar Cruises’ 148-guest Wind Spirit bid the region farewell in early February. Now, the 312-passenger Star Breeze has taken over and will offer year-round sailings in the South Pacific, including trips to the remote Marquesas Islands. Windstar also unveiled a “mystery cruise” for April 2025.

 

Several river cruise lines announced new ships this month, including Saga and Riviera River Cruises. Riviera’s two new ships, Riviera Radiance and Riviera Rose will sail the Danube and Douro rivers in Europe.  

From overpacking to skipping out on trip insurance, travelers make a lot of mistakes when booking cruises. Fortunately, travel advisors have seen it all and can help make your next cruise vacation a resounding success.

 

The world’s biggest cruise company just keeps getting bigger: Carnival Corporation inked an agreement with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to construct a fourth Excel-class cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Line. The ship will be the 10th Excel-class ship across four Carnival Corp. brands and is slated to debut in the spring of 2027.

 

Royal Caribbean is also growing its fleet. The company has ordered its seventh Oasis-class ship from French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The new vessel—which will be the sister ship to the forthcoming Utopia of the Seas—is scheduled to set sail for the first time in 2028.

 

Wine, anyone? Avalon Waterways will offer new river cruises in Bordeaux, France, in 2025. The new offerings represent a 30 percent increase to Avalon’s sailings in France. Starting next year, travelers will be able to sail the Garonne, Dordogne, Seine, Rhine, Saône and Rhône rivers with Avalon.

 

Viking Holdings—the parent company of Viking's river, ocean and expedition cruise brands—filed paperwork with the SEC for an initial public offering.