Marc Kazlauskas is new President of Norwegian Cruise Line

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 11 December 2025 11 December 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. today named travel industry veteran Marc Kazlauskas as President of Norwegian Cruise Line (Norwegian), effective Jan. 19, 2026. He joins the company with more than 30 years of senior leadership experience across sales, operations, and innovation in the global travel industry.

Kazlauskas most recently served as CEO of Avoya Travel, one of the largest travel companies in the U.S. and a leading travel platform and host agency. Prior to this, he served as President of FROSCH and Managing Director of Chase Travel Group, a JP Morgan Chase company, one of the world’s leading travel companies with more than $11 billion in sales and a global footprint, where he led large teams, managed multi-billion-dollar operations and oversaw key partnerships across airlines, tour operators and cruise lines. He has a strong proven track record in driving commercial performance, customer-experience enhancements and major modernization initiatives that align with Norwegian’s continued focus on disciplined pricing, operational efficiency and elevated guest offerings.

“Marc is a proven leader with deep commercial expertise and an unwavering commitment to the guest experience,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “His appointment comes at a pivotal time for the Norwegian Cruise Line brand as we continue to see healthy demand for cruise, execute on our newbuild program and make significant progress on major initiatives, including enhancements to our private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. Marc will be instrumental in further advancing the brand’s long-term performance and growth.”

“I am honored to join Norwegian Cruise Line at such an exciting moment,” said Marc Kazlauskas, incoming president at Norwegian Cruise Line. “The momentum already underway sets NCL up for continued success, and I look forward to building on the company’s strong performance alongside its incredible team. With robust booking trends, the upcoming debut of Norwegian Luna, as well as the company’s strong pipeline of newbuilds through 2036 and major enhancements to Great Stirrup Cay, the company is well positioned for future success. As I step into this new role, I’m deeply grateful for my time at Avoya Travel and the remarkable people who’ve helped shape my journey leading to this exciting next chapter.”

Villa Vie Residences appoints Christopher (Chris) Cox as President to lead expansion and launch of new luxury brand, Project Lumina

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 03 December 2025 03 December 2025

Villa Vie Residences yesterday announced the appointment of Chris Cox as President of Project Lumina, a newly created ultra-luxury product within the Villa Vie brand family. In this role, Chris will lead the development and rollout of Project Lumina, which will introduce a new tier of refined, residential ocean living while complementing Villa Vie's existing contemporary offering aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey.

Project Lumina is Villa Vie's long-term growth initiative – focused on strengthening the company's foundation, expanding its capabilities, and preparing for the next chapter of global residential cruising. As President, Chris will oversee vessel acquisition, full-ship conversion planning, architectural programming, sales and marketing strategy, investor engagement, and global partnership development.

"Chris's appointment marks a significant milestone in our evolution as the global leader in residential life at sea," said Kathy Villalba, CEO & Co-Founder of Villa Vie Residences. "Project Lumina is designed to build on our strong foundation and thoughtfully expand the lifestyle options within the Villa Vie family. Chris brings the strategic mindset, industry experience, and leadership we need to execute this next phase – without losing focus on the day-to-day experience our residents enjoy aboard the Odyssey."

Chris is a senior executive specializing in luxury real estate strategy, brand development, and large-scale residential acquisitions. With an extensive background in high-end real estate, international marketing, and investor relations, he has played a pivotal role in the rapid expansion of the maritime residential category, most recently as Head of Global Sales for Crescent Seas.

In his new role, Chris will:

– Guide investor discussions and capital strategy related to the brand
– Lead the strategic roadmap and corporate development for Project Lumina
– Build the sales and marketing framework for future Lumina initiatives
– Oversee acquisition, conversion, and launch planning for future Lumina vessels
– Work closely with Villa Vie's executive team to ensure Lumina strengthens – rather than distracts from – current operations

"I'm thrilled to join Villa Vie at such a defining moment for the brand and for the category," said Chris Cox, President, Project Lumina. "There is incredible demand for authentic, residential oceangoing lifestyles—from attainable world-travel homes to ultra-luxury villa experiences. Project Lumina will be about listening carefully to that demand and translating it into beautifully designed, high-value products that feel both elevated and deeply personal."

A parallel luxury model to complement the Villa Vie Odyssey

Project Lumina will operate in parallel with Villa Vie's current contemporary model aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey. The Odyssey will continue to receive dedicated leadership, sales, and operational focus, maintaining its role as the company's flagship contemporary residential product.

"Project Lumina does not replace our commitment to the Odyssey," added Villalba. "It reinforces our ability to build a stable, long-term business structure while expanding what it means to call the ocean home."

Teasing the next chapter: a new luxury ship on the horizon

As part of Project Lumina, Villa Vie Residences will be making a major announcement in the coming weeks regarding the newest addition to its fleet – an ultra-luxury residential ship scheduled to launch under a new brand.

This forthcoming vessel will feature:

– Fully owned private residences
– World-class amenities and services
– A carefully curated global itinerary for discerning travelers seeking an elevated residential experience at sea

With the introduction of Lumina, future residents will enjoy a wide spectrum of ownership options – from attainable world-travel homes aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey to ultra-luxury villa experiences aboard the upcoming Lumina flagship.

Details of the new ship, including its formal name, design highlights, and inaugural deployment, will be shared at a later date as part of a dedicated launch announcement.

Ocean Advice to construct eight coastal and expedition cruise ships in China

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 02 December 2025 02 December 2025

“Extend the cosy and destination-focused atmosphere onto the high seas” was the idea when Ocean Advice, a subsidiary of United Waterways, started designing the latest White Label Coastal Cruise and Expedition Cruise Ships. Two concepts that are now becoming reality with the framework agreement to build a total of eight additional vessels, with the first delivery in 2028.

United Waterways, which already announced 10 new river vessels at the ITB in 2025, is continuing its expansion. “We found partners in the B2B space within six months to allocate and contract these vessels for their prestigious brands," says Sascha Gill, CEO of United Waterways. The new building series on the rivers is entirely built by shipyards in Europe for clients in the US, Asia, and Europe. “These ships will be the first multi-fuel platform as of 2028, ready to comply with the 2050 goals of the European Union for the guests of our partners,” says Gill.

“With the success of the many prestigious brands on the River, we see a natural transition for our clients to extend their offerings onto the ocean. So we create the White Label platform for it” says Mathias Kracht, Managing Director at Ocean Advice. The vessels will host up to 186 (Expedition) and up to 260 (Coastal) guests onboard and will offer the same comfort and cosiness as the small ship experience from the Rivers. We will be able to access the small ports along the coast that our destination-focused partner brands are well known for and that can neither be reached via the river nor by larger ocean vessels. Each ship will be dedicated to the White Label market (B2B). “With the incredible fast pace that our river cruise partners moved into the River Slots after the announcement, we believe that we can sign these ships for our partners within the next 12 months, noting that three of these eight slots have been already reserved, which shows the high demand for new and sustainable tonnage in this market segment” says Kracht.

The framework agreement for eight slots (four Costal and four Expedition Cruise Ships) was signed last week, with the first ship to be delivered in 2029. Additionally to the framework agreement the fist expedition cruise newbuild contract was also signed, with delivery of the ship in 2028. All ships will be built at China Merchant Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Shipyard, which has several years of experience building Expedition ships for other known Expedition Brands. “The design and much of the technology will be imported from Europe and the US, and enhanced with China’s electrification knowledge”, says Kracht. This will provide us with a Hybrid ship that will comply with the stringent sustainability standards existing in or planned in the future for its intended cruising areas.

United Waterways is (and has been) managing Expedition and Cruise vessels over the years. Robert Straubhaar, the founder of the company, has a legacy of operating these vessels in the past through a joint venture, sold several years ago, which managed one of the biggest expedition fleets on the market. “The journey continues, but this time we do it sustainably, so the next generation can also still enjoy the beauty of the rivers and coasts,” says Robert Straubhaar.

Global market leader in white label ship management from Switzerland

United Waterways is Europe’s largest provider of modular white label ship management services on all waters. Its brand portfolio includes KD Floating Venues, Oceandiva, Weiße Flotte Sachsen, Thames Luxury Charters, the Starling Fleet shipping company, Feenstra Riviercruises and the River Advice Group’s service brands on European waterways. Ocean Advice is the counterpart for the management of passenger ships on the world’s oceans. Its roots date back to 2004, when the company started under the River Advice label. In 2019, the group was consolidated under the umbrella of United Waterways. The headquarter is in Basel, Switzerland.

Aurora Expeditions officially names its new purpose-built ship, the Douglas Mawson, on Sydney Harbour

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 01 December 2025 01 December 2025

Aurora Expeditions unveiled its newest expedition ship, the Douglas Mawson, on Sydney Harbour last Thursday in a spectacular christening and naming ceremony that paid tribute to one of Australia’s greatest explorers and to a bold new era of adventure travel.

In a moment as striking as it was symbolic, Emma McEwin, great-granddaughter of the legendary Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, officially named the vessel by breaking ice across the bow, replacing the traditional champagne with a fitting nod to the company’s polar heritage. The gesture captured Aurora Expeditions’ deep connection to the world’s icy frontiers and its commitment to sustainability and innovation.

“To christen this remarkable ship in my great-grandfather’s name is an immense honor,” said Emma McEwin. “The Douglas Mawson carries forward his legacy of courage, science and wonder, exploring the world with the same respect for nature and curiosity that defined his life.”

A celebration of Australian spirit and exploration

The Douglas Mawson’s naming on Sydney Harbour marked a defining chapter for Aurora Expeditions, an Australian-owned company that has led the world in small-ship exploration for 35 years.

The event was attended by Aurora Expeditions founder Greg Mortimer, who watched as the symbolic shards of ice cascaded down the bow.

“Replacing champagne with ice was a deliberate and powerful choice,” said Mortimer. “It reflects who we are – explorers of the polar regions, advocates for our planet and proud custodians of Australia’s legacy of adventure. The Douglas Mawson embodies everything Aurora stands for – pioneering spirit, respect for the natural world and a drive to explore responsibly.”

Built for discovery, designed for the future

Purpose-built in China by its owner, SunStone Ships, the Douglas Mawson features the groundbreaking Ulstein's X-BOW hull design for smoother and more efficient voyages, along with advanced sustainability technologies including fuel-efficient diesel-electric propulsion and waste-heat recovery systems.

Onboard, guests will discover panoramic lounges, expansive observation decks, a two-story atrium and a dedicated Citizen Science Center, where travelers can participate in live research and environmental monitoring, blending exploration and conservation in every voyage.

Following the celebration, the Douglas Mawson departed Sydney for Hobart, Tasmania, where she will embark on her inaugural voyage. The 10-night circumnavigation of the island will be led by environmental scientist and adventurer Tim Jarvis AM, renowned for re-enacting Mawson’s and Shackleton’s historic Antarctic expeditions.

From Tasmania, the ship will continue south to Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic Islands before heading north to Europe, then on to the Arctic.