MSC Cruises and shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique announced major fleet expansion plans.

MSC Cruises signed an agreement to build the third and fourth LNG-powered MSC World Class ships, which are slated to be delivered in 2025 and 2027. The cost of these ships will exceed EUR 2 billion.

The cruise line also signed two memorandums of understanding related to new ship prototypes.

Royal Caribbean is looking to have a lawsuit dismissed after providing video evidence that the death of 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand, who fell from a cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean said in a motion to dismiss that the actions of Chloe’s grandfather,Sam Anello, are “the sole reason why Chloe is no longer with her parents.”

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. claims a video shows the baby’s grandfather knew a tinted glass window was open when she died in July in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Lead singer for Take That is now P&O Cruises' Musical Director and a brand ambassador.

In a message on social media, Barlow announced his new role as part of a new video reveal produced by the cruise line.

Goop brand, which was started by Gwenyth Paltrow, announced a group cruise with Celebrity Cruises

Paltrow announced the “Goop at Sea” experience on Thursday, and said it will take place on Celebrity Apex ship in the late summer. 

The cruise departs Barcelona on August 27 for an 11-night wellness cruise.

Royal Caribbean announced its sailings from Shanghai, China in 2021.

Spectrum of the Seas will, once again, sail from Shanghai and offer 4- to 7-night Japan sailings.  Travelers on the 4- to 5-night cruises can uncover adventure and beauty in new ports of call, from the romantic islands of Okinawa to white-sand beaches on the Yaeyama Islands. The Quantum Ultra Class ship’s 7-night cruises include overnight stays in select destinations.

Holland America announced the February 1st sailing of the Nieuw Amsterdam will be cancelled because of one of the chip’s two azipod propulsion systems.

Nieuw Amsterdam will go to Grand Bahama shipyard to conduct the repairs before resuming scheduled sailings on February 8.

“All guests and their travel advisors have been notified of this cancellation, and we sincerely regret impacting their vacation plans,” Holland America said in a statement. “We sincerely regret impacting their vacation plans.”

Royal Caribbean announced it has cancelled five 2021 sailings of Liberty of the Seas to provide more time for the ship to be upgraded.

Royal Caribbean Blog first reported the cancellation, citing the cruise line wanted to have more time for the ship's scheduled Royal Amplification. The affected sailings are:

Carnival Valor will offer two 15-day Trans-Atlantic Crossings in 2021

The first will depart on January 25, 2021 from New Orleans to Barcelona. It will include day-long stops at Bermuda, Funchal (Madeira) Portugal, and Malaga and Valencia, Spain before arriving in Barcelona on Feb. 9, 2021.

Following its arrival in Barcelona, Carnival Valor will undergo a 17-day dry dock details of which will be announced in the coming months.

The second will depart on February 26, 2021 from Barcelona to New Orleans and arrive in New Orleans on March 13, 2021 

Carnival Corporation announced its philanthropic arm, Carnival Foundation, and five of its global cruise line brands together with the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation have collectively pledged over US$1.25 million to support disaster recovery efforts from raging bushfires causing widespread devastation throughout Australia.