The decision expands earning opportunities for travel advisors and reinforces the brand’s long‑standing commitment to being a trusted, long‑term partner to the travel agency community.

Effective with the launch of new itineraries, covering the 2028 Summer and 2028-2029 Winter seasons and 2028 and 2029 Around the World voyages, published commission rates will apply to the full commissionable cruise fare.

Travel advisors will earn more commission on every booking, while guest‑facing pricing and overall value remain unchanged. New-season launches are set to open for sale from May to June this year.

“Travel advisors are central to Oceania Cruises’ growth strategy—today and long into the future,” said  Oceania Cruises Chief Sales Officer Nathan Hickman. “Eliminating the non‑commissionable cruise fare increases advisor earning potential on every booking and reflects our commitment to building the most advisor‑centric commercial model in luxury cruising.”

By removing NCFs entirely on newly launched sailings, the company is simplifying advisor compensation, improving earnings transparency, and reinforcing its position as the partner of choice for travel advisors worldwide.

This strategic shift comes as Oceania Cruises enters its next phase of growth, including the recent announcement of an order for the fifth ship in its Sonata‑class fleet. As capacity expands and long‑term demand grows, the company continues to invest in travel advisors as the cornerstone of its commercial strategy.

(Source: Oceania Cruises)

The post Oceania ends non-commissionable cruise fares appeared first on TTR Weekly.

The initiative enhances Ponant Explorations’ immersive exploration programme developed with Smithsonian Journeys, offering guests culturally rich, expert-led voyages across global destinations.

Available on a selection of eligible voyages, including several sailings with free solo supplement, this offer is valid for new bookings made by 30 June 2026. It can be combined with a range of additional incentives, including the Ponant Bonus, free solo supplement, back-to-back savings, referral benefits, Ponant Yacht Club privileges, and contracted consortia shipboard credit, but excludes event and group offers. 

(Source: Ponant Explorations)

The post Ponant Explorations introduces shipboard credit appeared first on TTR Weekly.

The Condé Nast Traveler Hot List, curated by the publication’s editorial team, honours standout hotels, resorts, restaurants, and cruise ships that raise the bar for design, service, and sense of place within their first sailing year.

As Princess Cruises’ newest Sphere Class ship, Star Princess represents an evolution of the brand’s signature guest experience, blending modern design with inviting spaces intentionally crafted to connect guests more meaningfully with the world around them. The Hot List recognition coincides with preparations for her inaugural Alaska season, sailing from Seattle this May, making her the first Sphere Class ship to sail to Alaska.

Princess Cruises will sail its largest Alaska season ever in 2026 with the expanded programme featuring eight ships — 180 departures and visits to 19 destinations.

The 177,800‑ton Star Princess, with a 4,300 passenger capacity, commenced commercial sailings in October 2025 from Barcelona.

(Source: Princess Cruises)

The post Star Princess joins Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List appeared first on TTR Weekly.

With more than 100 voyages across six ships departing from three homeports, travellers can explore Alaska with Holland America sailings from April through September — from Seattle, Washington;  Vancouver, Canada; and between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska.

Holland America is introducing 25 new shore excursions on Alaska itineraries in 2026. Among the most anticipated are Adventure to Norris Glacier: Floatplane, Paddle and Hike in Juneau; Exclusive Eland & Friends Moose Discovery in Anchorage; Remote Coastal Rainforest Hike, Gourmet Seafood Picnic & Brewery in Kodiak; and Authentic Alaska: Tongass Rainforest Hike in Sitka.

Every Alaska cruise includes a visit to one or more of Alaska’s iconic glacier destinations: Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, Dawes Glacier and Endicott Arm. 

Holland America ships visiting Alaska carry a wildlife expert on board, and a Wildlife Spotting Guide points out the native animals found along the cruise route, including a map with the best places to see each species. Ashore, Holland America offers nearly 180 shore excursions to see a wide range of species.

In addition to these wildlife-viewing opportunities, the mission of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre (AWCC) remains top of mind for Holland America. Guests on northbound voyages can visit the conservation centre between Whittier and Anchorage and see Eland the Moose on exclusive shore excursions, experiencing the peaceful setting surrounded by alpine glaciers and Alaska’s beautiful wildlife.

Holland America Line’s 2026 Alaska cruise season features six ships: Koningsdam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam.

Sample departures 

• Seven-day Alaska Explorer round-trip from Seattle aboard Eurodam and Noordam.
• Seven-day Alaska Inside Passage round-trip from Vancouver aboard Koningsdam and Zaandam.
• Nine-day Denali & Yukon Cruisetour, May through August.
• 10-day Signature Denali Cruisetour, May through September.
• 18-day Great Bear Rainforest and Alaska Explorer round-trip from Vancouver, departing Seattle 16 September 2026, aboard Zaandam.

(Source: Holland America Line)

The post Holland America deploys six ships to Alaska appeared first on TTR Weekly.

As Star Princess made her way through one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels, guests onboard experienced a front-row seat to the intricate lock system and breathtaking scenery that define this legendary crossing. 

The transit marks a significant moment in the ship’s inaugural season and underscores Princess Cruises’ longstanding connection to canal voyages.

“A Panama Canal transit is a true ‘must-do’ journey for travellers around the world, and it’s especially meaningful when one of our newest ships makes this iconic passage for the very first time,” said Star Princess Captain Gennaro Arma. “We’re honoured to make this historic crossing in partnership with the Panama Canal Authority, whose expertise and stewardship have shaped one of the world’s great maritime landmarks.”

Guests sailing aboard Star Princess enjoyed special programming throughout the day, including commentary from destination experts, enrichment presentations on the history and significance of the canal, and scenic viewing opportunities from the ship’s open decks and observation spaces.

Princess Cruises pioneered regularly scheduled Panama Canal cruising in 1967, becoming the first cruise line to transit the waterway, and is the leading cruise line in this destination. The upcoming 2026-2027 season features six Princess ships, sailing on 31 departures on nine itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Vancouver. 

Highlights of the season include 13 transits through the historic locks and 26 transits through the new lock.

The 177,800-ton Star Princess is the newest Sphere Class addition to the fleet, carrying 4,300 guests.

(Source: Princess Cruises)

The post Star Princess visits the Panama Canal appeared first on TTR Weekly.

The third ship in the Icon Class sails the open ocean for the first time, marking one of the final phases of construction before welcoming its first vacationers.

Over the next 10 days, more than 2,000 engineers and specialists will put Legend through a comprehensive series of technical tests to evaluate its systems, from testing how the ship moves in the open water to pushing its engine performance to the limits and more. Legend will cover approximately 2,400 nautical miles before returning to the Meyer Turku shipyard for its final stages of construction.

After its inaugural European summer season, the new ship will head to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and take vacationers on six-night Western Caribbean getaways and eight-night Southern Caribbean adventures, including visits to the vacation brand’s top-rated destination at Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

(Source: Royal Caribbean)

The post Legend of the Seas undergoes sea trials appeared first on TTR Weekly.

Due to commence commercial sailings in late 2027, she will focus on long journeys, including the line’s 2028 and 2029 Around the World voyages as well as a series of Grand Voyages.

The completely reimagined ship, currently sailing as Oceania Nautica, represents a new standard, welcoming fewer than 500 guests, served by 400 officers and crew. Oceania Aurelia will feature luxurious suites with dedicated butler service, defining the onboard experience, with 179 of the ship’s 238 accommodations designed as spacious suites. Most exceed 300 square feet, with some suites spanning up to 1,000 square feet, and many offer living and dining spaces.

“Oceania Aurelia is our ultimate world explorer,” said Oceania Cruises Chief Luxury Officer Jason Montague. “She is designed specifically for guests who desire greater space, more suites and a deeper level of personalised care, particularly for extended journeys. Oceania Aurelia will be a smaller, more club-like ship that truly feels like a home at sea, providing travellers a deeper connection to the ports they visit.”

(Source: Oceania Cruises)

The post Oceania Aurelia debuts in 2027 appeared first on TTR Weekly.

The new builds are slated for delivery in late 2035, 2038, and 2039, respectively. 

These new ships will build upon the award-winning Sphere Class platform and continue to leverage the latest guest-facing and marine technologies. 

Similar to the highly successful Sun Princess and Star Princess, the Voyager-class ships will be dual-fuel-powered — primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and other widely available conventional marine fuels. 

The new ships, which will be the largest by capacity in the Princess Cruises fleet, will be built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

The three ships will be 183,000 gross tons and have a passenger capacity of approximately 4,700 guests. Delivery is scheduled for late 2035, 2038 and 2039.

(Source: Princess Cruises)

The post Princess Cruises confirms Voyager Class order appeared first on TTR Weekly.

The float out, which took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, marks the first time Norwegian Aura touched water, signifying the completion of the ship’s external hull construction.

Following this milestone, the ship’s interior development will continue progressing to the next phase ahead of her debut in the spring of 2027. 

To commemorate the occasion and honour maritime tradition, two ceremonial coins were welded into Norwegian Aura’s hull during a traditional coin ceremony, symbolising good fortune and safe passage for the ship, her crew and future guests.

When she enters service, Norwegian Aura will set a new benchmark for NCL. Nearly 345 metres long and approximately 170,000 gross tonnes, the ship is 10% larger than her predecessors, Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna. She will feature over 1,970 staterooms accommodating approximately 3,880 guests at double occupancy.

Norwegian Aura will set sail on her maiden voyage on 21 May 2027, with a seven-day Mediterranean voyage departing from Trieste, Italy and calling at iconic ports in Italy and Malta, before embarking on a 13-day transatlantic crossing to the US. Beginning 10 June 2027, she will homeport in Miami and offer seven-day voyages to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, with visits to the company’s resort-style island destinations, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas and Harvest Caye in Belize, through March 2028.

(Source: Norwegian Cruise Line)

The post Norwegian Aura celebrates float-out appeared first on TTR Weekly.

The region delivered USD2,564 (SGD3,308) per passenger visit — 2.4 times the global average per passenger — despite accounting for only 2% of global cruise passengers (186 million).

These findings are from the inaugural Economic Impact Assessment of Cruise Tourism for Southeast Asian countries*, produced by Tourism Economics^[2] for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). 

The study released last week highlights the region’s cruise industry economic contributions in 2024, reinforcing the strategic importance of Southeast Asia in the global cruise landscape.

It also underscores how the cruise industry brings substantial economic returns to destinations across the region.

Singapore Tourism Board Assistant Chief Executive, Experience Development Group, Jean Ng, commented: “This study reinforces Southeast Asia’s strong cruise tourism value proposition, driven by a growing middle class, rising demand for diverse travel experiences, and rich destination variety.

As ASEAN’s lead coordinator for cruise developments, Singapore is committed to working with regional neighbours and global industry partners to unlock Southeast Asia’s full potential for cruising and building a compelling destination network that attracts cruise lines while delivering sustainable economic benefits across the region.”

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) President and CEO Bud Darr said: “We greatly value the collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board on this project.

Their partnership enabled us to broaden the annual CLIA Economic Impact Studies and, for the first time, measure the economic contribution of cruise tourism across Southeast Asia within our global analysis. 

“The results underscore the region’s growing role as a driver of jobs, economic activity, and a global cruise sector that brings unforgettable travel experiences to millions of guests worldwide.”

1 Based on the currency exchange of USD1 to SGD1.29 as of 6 April 2026
2 Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, is a consulting firm that provides global economic impact studies, market forecasts, and data analysis for the travel and tourism industry.

Southeast Asia generates strong economic returns from cruise tourism.

Southeast Asia’s cruise tourism recorded a strong performance in 2024, contributing USD4.5 billion (SGD5.8 billion) to the regional GDP and 5% of global cruise-related GDP. This strong showing is reinforced by positive passenger sentiments, with 85% of cruise travellers rating their Southeast Asian experience positively and nearly half (47%) expressing intent to return for land-based travel. This attests to the sector’s potential to drive broader tourism growth.

The data also highlights cruise tourism’s role as a gateway to future growth. It introduces visitors to the region’s diverse attractions and helps generate sustained tourism demand beyond the initial cruise visit.

Market concentration data reveal that Singapore and Malaysia collectively accounted for 70% of Southeast Asian cruise passenger visits in 2024, with Singapore capturing a 48% share of the region’s 3.9 million passenger visits, while Malaysia secured 22%. There remains significant potential for other Southeast Asian destinations to develop cruise capabilities to capture a larger share of the growing market.

The industry supported approximately 530,000 jobs across the wider economy, including tourism and port-related sectors, representing 30% of the global cruise-related employment.

This shows the region’s importance as a primary workforce hub. Most of this employment is in the Philippines and Indonesia, collectively representing 85% of the workforce in Southeast Asia generated by cruise-related activities.

By providing comprehensive economic impact data, the study equips CLIA and Southeast Asia stakeholders with evidence-based insights to support investment decisions and catalyse cruise developments in the region.

Building on these strong economic contributions, there is a significant opportunity for Southeast Asian destinations to develop port infrastructure further and enhance their destination experiences to attract more cruise line deployments.

By making these enhancements to improve operational efficiency and increase appeal to both cruise operators and passengers, countries in the region stand to capture even greater economic value and long-term benefits from the growing cruise industry.

For more information: www.stb.gov.sg  or www.visitsingapore.com

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board).

The post CLIA and STB jointly release cruise study appeared first on TTR Weekly.