Royal Caribbean Group to take 50% stake in Sandals Resorts for $3 billion
Royal Caribbean Group confirmed a $3 billion deal to acquire a 50% equity stake in Sandals Resorts International, the Caribbean all-inclusive resort operator, creating a joint venture between the two companies. The deal, debt-funded in part, sent Royal Caribbean shares lower on the announcement even as the company framed it as deepening its footprint in Caribbean leisure travel beyond cruising.
Sources: CNBC · Jamaica Gleaner
Ambassador Cruise Line buys Oceania's Sirena; Semester at Sea to charter it each winter
Ambassador Cruise Line has purchased the 670-passenger Oceania Sirena from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, with Oceania continuing to operate the ship on a leaseback until spring 2028. Once renamed Ambella and launched under Ambassador's new German-market brand, Ambassador Kreuzfahrten, in May 2028, the ship will alternate between European summer sailings and a charter to the Institute for Shipboard Education's Semester at Sea program for the fall 2028 and spring 2029 academic voyages — an arrangement expected to continue long-term.
Sources: Cruise Industry News · Cruise Mummy
Every major brand is now out of the Arabian Gulf for two full winter seasons
Cruise Industry News reports that TUI Cruises, MSC Cruises, Explora Journeys, Costa, AIDA, Celestyal, and Aroya Cruises have all now withdrawn from Arabian Gulf deployment for both the 2026–27 and 2027–28 winter seasons, following the regional instability that stranded several ships earlier in 2026. Capacity has been redirected to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, South America, and the Caribbean. World cruise and grand voyage itineraries that traditionally included Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Doha calls should be expected to route around the Gulf for at least the next two winters.
Sources: Cruise Industry News · RUS Tourism News
Singapore Cruise Centre opens upgraded HarbourFront terminal
Singapore Cruise Centre has opened its rebuilt HarbourFront cruise terminal, featuring airport-style automated check-in and passenger-flow technology, after the facility handled more than 720,000 travelers in its prior configuration. Singapore is a recurring call on nearly every major world cruise itinerary, so smoother terminal processing there is a small but real quality-of-life change for passengers on long voyages transiting Southeast Asia.
Sources: TTG Asia · RUS Tourism News
Crown Princess wraps extended South Pacific–Hawaii voyage from Sydney
Crown Princess's 35-night round-trip sailing from Sydney — taking in Fiji, Samoa, four Hawaiian port calls (Honolulu, Nāwiliwili, Kahului, and Hilo), and French Polynesia stops at Tahiti and Moorea — is set to return to Sydney on October 7, 2026. The ship then relocates to Caribbean service for the 2026–27 winter, with Grand Princess taking over year-round South Pacific operations.