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Margaritaville at Sea acquires 2003-built Costa Fortuna

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 May 2025 14 May 2025

Today, marking the third anniversary of the company’s inception, Margaritaville at Sea has announced the next phase of its fleet expansion plan with the purchase of its third ship, the Costa Fortuna, currently operated by Costa Cruises. "This new acquisition continues the line’s proven track record of bringing the Margaritaville state of mind to new and passionate cruisers through exceptional vessel reimaginations combined with Margaritaville’s best-in-class hospitality," the company said in a statement.

Since the May 2022 launch of its first ship, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, the cruise line has delivered the brand’s signature sense of fun and escapism to hundreds of thousands of guests. In 2024, the company launched the Margaritaville at Sea Islander to elevate the line’s successful formula for award-winning, laid-back getaways. The brand has gone on to receive critical acclaim from major industry publications and guests regarding the exceptional experience onboard its vessels, including winning Cruise Critic’s #1 Cruisers Choice Award and Newsweek 2025 Best Ship for Families, among several others.

Built for Costa Cruises, the Costa Fortuna will be the largest vessel in the Margaritaville at Sea fleet at over 102,500 gross tons and accommodating approximately 3,450 passengers. Featuring more than 1,340 staterooms, 13 passenger decks, expansive outdoor spaces, and a soaring 8-story center atrium, the ship will be reimagined by Margaritaville at Sea in the signature island-inspired design central to the line’s success.

“Over the last three years we have been incredibly focused on building Margaritaville at Sea by delivering more of what our guests love – a uniquely laid-back island attitude with award-winning hospitality. With the acquisition of our third ship in three years, we are proud to once again invite guests to step into the Margaritaville state of mind on the open ocean,” said Christopher Ivy, Chief Executive Officer of Margaritaville at Sea. “The launch of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander was a significant moment for our company, and the acquisition of the Costa Fortuna, our largest ship to date, gives us another exciting opportunity to bring even more fun and escapism to guests from a new homeport in 2026.”

John Cohlan, CEO of Margaritaville, added, “Margaritaville at Sea has been on an exceptional trajectory since its launch only a few short years ago. We’re thrilled to once again expand the experience of our brand on the water and share the cruise line’s signature experiences and amenities with even more guests.”

The ship will continue to be operated by Costa Cruises as Costa Fortuna until late next year.

Victory II christened at Chicago's Navy Pier

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 13 May 2025 13 May 2025

Victory Cruise Lines, committed to all-inclusive, small ship, coastal cruising on The Great Lakes and Canadian Coasts, christened the Victory II in Chicago on May 12, 2025. The milestone moment marked the full return of the cruise line, led by Founder and CEO John Waggoner, whose daughter christened sister-ship 190-guest Victory I in Toronto on April 27, 2025. Both ships were purposely built for the Great Lakes, offering a refreshing alternative to river and ocean cruising.

Victory Cruise Lines is also the only cruise line to dock at Chicago’s downtown Navy Pier and offers the most cruises, 33 departures in 2025, that hit all five Great Lakes in one voyage. Both ships will operate 10–15-night voyages from Chicago, Toronto, Milwaukee and Montreal now through October.

"There is no city in the world quite like Chicago, and we are delighted to celebrate here today at Navy Pier as Victory II joins Victory I in sailing the Great Lakes once again," said John Waggoner, founder and CEO of Victory Cruise Lines. "We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has made it possible for us to showcase all five Great Lakes and provide guests with the opportunity to create lasting travel memories together."

The christening ceremony took place onboard in the Compass Lounge, first honoring the United States and Canada with the singing of the national anthems, as both share the Great Lakes. Remarks were made by Choose Chicago Vice President Partnerships Jordan Engerman, National Museum of the Great Lakes Executive Director Kate Fineske, Victory Cruise Lines Chief Operating Officer David William Kelly and Waggoner. The highlight of the ceremony was Godmother Molly Applegate, granddaughter of John and Claudette Waggoner, breaking a bottle of Maker’s Mark Kentucky bourbon on the ship’s bow officially christening the vessel with the mouth of the Chicago River and the city’s magnificent skyline in the background.

“Victory Cruise Lines will bring thousands of visitors to Chicago and we are proud the cruise line is docking right here downtown at Navy Pier,” shared Jordan Engerman on behalf of Choose Chicago. “Cruise visitation supports local jobs and businesses across the city and is yet another way for travelers to explore our rich and diverse destination.”

Victory II’s inaugural sailing is the cruise line’s most popular itinerary, 10-nights between Chicago and Toronto including a pre-cruise hotel with ports of call including Escanaba and Mackinac Island, Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie, Detroit, Cleveland and Port Colborne (Niagara Falls). Victory Cruise Lines included excursions give guests an opportunity to enjoy one-to-three-hour experiences in each port of call, each with both morning and afternoon options, to provide flexibility. Highlights include the The Henry Ford Experience in Detroit, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Soo Locks & Maritime Heritage Tour in Sault Ste. Marie.

Onboard, guests enjoy three dining options including Tuscan Stone Grill, a new inclusive interactive concept in The Grill for dinner. Originally created by Victory Cruise Lines COO David William Kelly and Anglo-Eastern Leisure’s Dietmar Wertanzl, Tuscan Stone Grill delivers an upscale interactive dining experience utilizing hot stones for guests cooking at their table, in a space spanning the stern, offering expansive views of The Great Lakes.
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Viking's eighth river vessel in Egypt floated out

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 May 2025 11 May 2025

Viking recently announced its newest ship for the Nile River – the 82-guest Viking Thoth – was “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Set for delivery in October 2025, the Viking Thoth will join Viking’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.

“Egypt is a country of profound historical and cultural significance, which makes it a destination of great interest to our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “With two new ships, the Viking Thoth and the Viking Amun, debuting in 2025, we are very proud to continue expanding our elegant fleet and introducing more curious travelers to this phenomenal region.”

The traditional float out ceremony of the Viking Thoth was held at Massara shipyard in Cairo. It is significant because it marks the ship moving into its final stage of construction. The vessel will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Thoth is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships, with the signature Scandinavian design for which Viking is known. An identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, the Viking Aton, the Viking Sobek, Viking Hathor and the Viking Amun, the Viking Thoth features several aspects familiar to Viking guests, such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. Other ships in Viking’s Egypt fleet include the Viking Ra and the MS Antares. In addition to the Viking Thoth, Viking plans to welcome four new ships in Egypt in the next two years, which will bring Viking’s fleet to 12 vessels on the Nile River by 2027.

Photo: Sister ship Viking Osiris on the Nile

Virtuoso appoints Lori Sheller as Vice President, Global Cruise

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 11 May 2025 11 May 2025

Virtuoso, the leading global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, has announced the appointment of Lori Sheller as Vice President, Global Cruise. Sheller brings extensive expertise and a proven track record in driving growth and innovation within the travel industry to Virtuoso’s lead role within its Cruise division.

Sheller’s appointment reflects Virtuoso’s continued investment in the global cruise sector, which remains a critical pillar of the company’s luxury travel offerings. She comes to the organization as a respected leader with deep experience across sales, marketing and global business development, who has consistently delivered exceptional results throughout her career. She has held leadership roles at top organizations, including EBG, Swan Hellenic, MSC Cruises USA, Tourico Holidays/Hotelbeds Group and Online Vacation Center.

In her new role, Sheller will lead Virtuoso’s global cruise strategy, overseeing partnerships with the world’s top cruise lines, driving revenue growth and enhancing the network’s cruise offerings. She will also be responsible for developing new initiatives to strengthen Virtuoso’s position in the global cruise market and delivering greater value to its network of travel agency members and preferred partners.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lori to Virtuoso at such an important time in our growth,” said Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships Cory Hagopian. “Her strategic vision, leadership and deep industry relationships will be instrumental as we continue to expand our cruise business globally and deliver even greater opportunities for our network.”

Sheller will report to recently named Vice President, Global Partnerships Úna O’Leary, and is based from her home office in Parkland, Florida.

Costa to refit Serena, sell the Fortuna

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 09 May 2025 09 May 2025

As part of a plan started in 2021, the ships in the Costa fleet have undergone significant improvements. All ships have been or are being upgraded to offer high-quality fittings and amenities with the latest product innovations for a total investment of more than 200 million euros in the last five years.

This plan will be completed in November this year when Costa Serena will undergo an extensive dry dock at the end of which the ship will emerge as a completely evolved vessel, featuring a vibrant new food court with innovative restaurants and bars, such as Archipelago starred chef restaurant, Pizzeria Pummid’Oro, and Sushino@Costa, a fresh and modern design for the main restaurants, beautifully redesigned pools and bars, and completely renovated suites offering ultimate comfort and style.

Between October and December 2026 Costa Serena will embark on extraordinary itineraries, including a World Cruise from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, before her positioning in South America for regular rotations in winter 2027. Starting from spring 2027 Costa Serena will offer Mediterranean-focused journeys.

“Our goal is to provide unmatched experiences for our guests while embracing innovation, sustainability, and exceptional value for money," said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises. "We continuously focus on product innovation, such as the Sea and Land itineraries, an exclusive by Costa, that combines new Sea destinations and Land Destinations. We are also investing in our fleet to enhance onboard experience and introducing new itineraries, including Costa Serena new deployment for 2026-2027. The strategy path that we started a few years ago is strengthening our offer in our key markets with a portfolio of unique vacations.”

As part of the strategic focus on product innovation, Costa Fortuna, the longest serving ship, will be transitioning out of Costa fleet. The ship will be transferred to the new owner in mid-September 2026. Until then, guests will continue enjoy the ship and to receive the same amazing Costa experience they have come to expect including the highly anticipated new programs towards Greece and Turkey in summer 2025 and the Canary Islands in winter 2025/2026.

This further step showcases Costa's unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation, setting the stage for the future by emphasizing outstanding quality, pioneering itineraries, and extraordinary onboard and on-land experiences.

Costa Cruises boasts a long heritage and 77 years of history. The Company is a proud part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel companies with distinct cruise lines serving travelers from all walks of life.