by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Sat July 27, 2024
The summer travel season is in full swing—and cruise lines are taking full advantage of the continued strong demand. From the launch of Utopia of the Seas to Disney’s forthcoming ship in Japan, these are some of the biggest cruise new stories of July.
Royal Caribbean Launches Utopia of the Seas
The Ultimate Abyss aboard Utopia of the Seas. (Photo Credit: Northstar Travel Group/Laurie Baratti)
Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, made its official debut this month. TravelPulse’s Laurie Baratti was onboard for a sneak preview, including the christening ceremony featuring godmother Meghan Trainor. Around 1,000 people gathered at Port Canaveral to send off the ship on her inaugural journey.
Disney Will Launch a New Ship in Japan in Partnership With Oriental Land Company
Oriental Land Company will build and operate the new ship (Photo Credit: Disney Cruise Line)
Disney Cruise Line has been rapidly expanding its fleet. Now, thanks to a partnership with Oriental Land Company, the popular line will launch a new ship in Japan. The new vessel, slated to debut in early 2029, will be built and operated by Oriental Land Company, which runs Tokyo Disneyland.
Princess Cruises Will Send Star Princess to Alaska in 2026
Star Princess. (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises)
Princess Cruises unveiled its line-up of 2026 Alaska cruises—and, in the process, also revealed that it will send its newest ship, Star Princess, to the Last Frontier, too. Star Princess, slated to debut in the fall of 2025, will be the first vessel in the line’s new Sphere Class to sail in Alaska.
Carnival Cruise Line Orders Three Massive New Ships
Carnival Freedom docked at Nassau, Bahamas (Photo Credit: Sarah Kuta)
Big news from Carnival Corporation & plc this month: The company has ordered three huge new ships for Carnival Cruise Line. The vessels, which can carry nearly 8,000 passengers at full capacity, are scheduled for delivery in the summers of 2029, 2031 and 2033.
Victory Cruise Lines Opens Bookings for 2025 Great Lakes Sailings
Victory I (Photo Credit: Victory Cruise Lines)
Victory Cruise Lines is officially back, with bookings now open for 2025 sailings on the Great Lakes. The revived company will offer sailings onboard two vessels, Victory I and Victory II (formerly Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager under American Queen Voyages).
Celebrity Cruises' 2025 President's Cruise Will Sail Through the Norwegian Fjords
Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge (Photo Credit: Celebrity Cruises)
Celebrity Cruises recently completed its 2024 President’s Cruise in the Bahamas (with TravelPulse’s Laurie Baratti was onboard to report on all the action). Now, it’s announced that next year’s iteration will sail through the Norwegian fjords in May 2025.
Abercrombie & Kent Shares More Details About Its New Peruvian Amazon Riverboat
A rendering of a suite on Pure Amazon (Photo Credit: Abercrombie & Kent)
Abercrombie & Kent unveiled new details this month about its highly anticipated Peruvian Amazon riverboat. The new ship will be named Pure Amazon and will feature 10 suites and two single cabins, each with a sleek interior design.
HX Teams Up With National Audubon Society to Offer Bird-Focused Voyages
HX and Audubon are offering new bird-focused voyages (Photo Credit: HX)
HX (formerly Hurtigurten Expeditions) has launched a new partnership with the National Audubon Society to offer a series of bird-focused voyages in Antarctica, the Galápagos Islands and Alaska.
Princess Cruises Sets Guinness World Record for Largest Pizza Party
Princess Cruises celebrated its relationship with Chef Tony Gemignani by holding the World's Largest Pizza Party. (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises)
When it unveiled its new partnership with 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani in early July, Princess Cruises also shared that it planned to try to set a new Guinnes World Record. And, just a few days later, it accomplished that goal. The cruise line officially earned a Guinness World Records title for the World's Largest Pizza Party at multiple venues.
Amsterdam to Halve Cruise Ship Visits by 2026, Relocate Terminal by 2035
The unique architecture of Amsterdam, Netherlands (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
Not everyone loves cruises. In a bid to address overtourism, Amsterdam plans to nearly halve cruise ship visits by 2026 and relocate its cruise terminal by 2035. And, starting in 2027, all cruise ships will be required to use shore power while docked in the Dutch capital.
Hurtigruten Retrieves 4,500 Bottles of Sparkling Wine from the Norwegian Sea
Bottles from the initial batch of submerged sparkling wine (Photo Credit: Kristian Dale/Hurtigruten)
Hurtigruten staffers fetched the 4,500 bottles of sparkling wine they stashed underwater in the Norwegian Sea in December. The bottles are part of the cruise line’s popular “Bubbles from the Sea,” or “Havets Bobler,” program, complements the company’s Norway’s Coastal Kitchen concept.
Norwegian Cruise Line Will Sail From Philadelphia
The Philadelphia skyline (Photo Credit: Adobe)
Cruise ships are coming back to Philly: Norwegian announced this month that it plans to sail from Philadelphia starting in 2026. The Norwegian Jewel will embark on 7- to 9-day cruises from Philly to Bermuda starting April 16, 2026.
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