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Cruise News
VIVA Cruises introduces 2027 programme featuring new ships and itineraries
The launch of the 2027 programme is the most comprehensive launch in VIVA Cruises’ history, featuring new destinations and extended sailing periods. One of the standout moments will be the christening and launch of VIVA UNIQUE in Venice to join VIVA BEYOND in the new VIVA Boutique premium offering. VIVA Cruises is one of the few river cruise lines to operate the full year. VIVA ONE, VIVA TWO, VIVA ENJOY and VIVA BEYOND will begin their sailings in January. February will see t
TPG and Irish Ferries Show Their Appreciation for Agents on Day Trip to Wales
ITTN’s Lorraine Hales spent a fun day yesterday on board the Irish Ferries Ulysses ship with agents, media and supplier representatives from Travel Partners Group (TPG).
Azamara Cruises Launches new Azamara World Academy chapter, “RezA – The Power Behind Confident Booking”
Azamara Cruises today launched “RezA – The Power Behind Confident Booking,” a new chapter of Azamara World Academy (AWA) and a self-paced training module that guides travel advisors is now available to registered travel partners worldwide. Debuting in late 2024, RezA is Azamara’s enhanced reservation platform, developed as part of the brand’s “Listening, Learning, and Linking” initiative and met with an overwhelmingly positive response from the travel advisor community. The n
Oceania Cruises Highlights Five New Caribbean Itineraries
Oceania Cruises is inviting travellers to discover the Caribbean's vibrant cultures, sun-drenched islands and diverse coastal destinations aboard the line's newest and most recently refreshed ships, all offering a sophisticated, adults-only environment. Each itinerary, ranging from seven to 14 days, is designed for guests to explore the region from a new perspective. Sailing aboard Oceania Cruises' intimate, luxurious ships, including Oceania Marina™, Oceania Vista® and Ocean
AmaWaterways and Azamara Host an Immersive Trade Evening at Waterford Castle
ITTN’s Lorraine Hales continued the journey to Waterford Castle yesterday evening, where AmaWaterways and Azamara played host to agents from Waterford, Dungarvan, Kilkenny, Carlow and Cork. A fabulous evening was had by all in the exquisite island location in the sunny south-east.
AMADEUS River Cruises Launches 2027 Luxury Brochure, Increases Commission Payments
AMADEUS River Cruises has launched its 2027 5-Star Tailor-Made River Cruises brochure featuring a new luxury ship, 30 brand new experiential excursions, a selection of pre-and post-stays and no-fly options on selected itineraries. In addition, to coincide with the launch and to support agents, AMADEUS River Cruises has increased its commission payments on all 2026 and 2027 departures. The 148-page brochure features 15 different itineraries through France, the Netherlands, Ger
Emerald Cruises Introduces Rhône River Cruise Exclusively for Spanish and Portuguese-Speaking Guests
Emerald Cruises & Tours has introduced an exclusive Rhône River cruise solely for Spanish and Portuguese-speaking guests. Created exclusively for the Latin American market, this immersive eight-day voyage through southern France combines world-class cuisine, celebrated wine country, rich cultural experiences and the comfort of travelling with Spanish and Portuguese-speaking onboard support. Sailing aboard an award-winning Emerald Cruises’ Star-Ship, guests will journey throu
Seabourn Launches 40th Anniversary 'Ruby Collection': 54 Voyages Across Five Ships
Luxury expedition line, Seabourn Cruises has unveiled a new offering - The Ruby Collection: a curated series of 54 voyages in 2028 to commemorate the line's 40th anniversary. Spanning its fleet of five luxury ships, the collection features enhanced onboard offerings, exclusive experiences, and access to destinations where larger ships cannot reach. Now open for booking, the Ruby Collection spans the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Japan, Alaska, Northern Europe, the
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Fam Trips
That’s Entertainment: Royal Caribbean’s ‘Legend of the Seas’ Hits Right Note with Onboard Entertainment Offering
ITTN’s Katie Doyle had the privilege of attending Legend of the Seas’ inaugural sailing with 4,000 trade, press and business representatives from around the world last week. Departing from Malaga, Katie went on a 4-night cruise to Rome joining 120 Irish travel trade and their partners as they had the opportunity to experience firsthand the incredible entertainment and activities onboard the brand new ship! Legend of the Seas is officially the largest cruise ship in the world
Jul 7
Functions
Irish Tourism News
Getting There
Latest Travel News
Luxury
US Virgin Islands' Trunk Bay Ranked No.1 Beach in the World
The US Virgin Islands has once again solidified its reputation as one of the world's premier beach destinations, earning three coveted spots on Beach's 2026 World's Best Beaches list. Leading the rankings is Trunk Bay on St. John, which was named the No. 1 beach in the world. Further showcasing the Territory's coastal beauty, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix ranked No. 7, while Magens Bay Beach on St. Thomas secured the No. 17 spot, making the US Virgin Islan
Oceania Cruises Highlights Five New Caribbean Itineraries
Oceania Cruises is inviting travellers to discover the Caribbean's vibrant cultures, sun-drenched islands and diverse coastal destinations aboard the line's newest and most recently refreshed ships, all offering a sophisticated, adults-only environment. Each itinerary, ranging from seven to 14 days, is designed for guests to explore the region from a new perspective. Sailing aboard Oceania Cruises' intimate, luxurious ships, including Oceania Marina™, Oceania Vista® and Ocean
World Air Transport Statistics: Premium-Class Travel Surging in Popularity
ternational Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the latest edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS), providing comprehensive statistical data through to 2025. Updated annually, WATS provides data related to demand, supply, and operational performance. WATS also includes data collections on the global airline fleet, top routes, employment, and financial performance (costs and revenues). WATS incorporates data from the 1,315 airlines in the IATA Annual Sta
Emerald Cruises Introduces Rhône River Cruise Exclusively for Spanish and Portuguese-Speaking Guests
Emerald Cruises & Tours has introduced an exclusive Rhône River cruise solely for Spanish and Portuguese-speaking guests. Created exclusively for the Latin American market, this immersive eight-day voyage through southern France combines world-class cuisine, celebrated wine country, rich cultural experiences and the comfort of travelling with Spanish and Portuguese-speaking onboard support. Sailing aboard an award-winning Emerald Cruises’ Star-Ship, guests will journey throu
IHG Hotels & Resorts Announces Six Senses AMAALA Red Sea Opening
IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced its Six Senses AMAALA hotel is due to open this month, bringing the Six Senses way of life to a second remarkable setting in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, following Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea. The visionary wellness destination of AMAALA spans more than 1,600 square miles of protected Red Sea coastline, fringed by ancient desert peaks on one side and glittering coves that are home to thriving coral reefs on the other. Within this
Business Traveller
Emirates Reaches Landmark 100 Aircraft in Fleet Retrofit Programme
Emirates has reached a landmark 100 aircraft refurbished under its retrofit programme, the largest known undertaken by any airline globally. Since work began in November 2022, 47 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s have been given a complete nose-to-tail refresh at the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai. By the end of December 2026, around 20 additional aircraft will be upgraded, moving the airline significantly past the halfway point in its US$ 5 billion investment aimed at d
Government to Lift Dublin Airport Passenger Cap 'As Soon as Possible' as President Connolly Signs Off on Act
The Government has said it will formally remove the current 32 million person passenger limit “as soon as possible”, following President Connolly signing legislation allowing for the move into law. Transport Minister, Darragh O'Brien, said: “I am delighted that the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Act 2026 has passed into law. This Act recognises the strategic importance of Dublin Airport as our primary international gateway, and delivers on the Programme for Government co
World Air Transport Statistics: Premium-Class Travel Surging in Popularity
ternational Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the latest edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS), providing comprehensive statistical data through to 2025. Updated annually, WATS provides data related to demand, supply, and operational performance. WATS also includes data collections on the global airline fleet, top routes, employment, and financial performance (costs and revenues). WATS incorporates data from the 1,315 airlines in the IATA Annual Sta
Aer Lingus Cuts Four US Routes - Including Las Vegas - in Cost Cutting Plan
Aer Lingus is to cut four US routes in a major cost cutting plan. The airline has said its Dublin-Las Vegas, Dublin-Denver, Dublin-Seattle, and Dublin-Minneapolis routes will be discontinued later this year. The move could also see as many as 500 jobs under threat across Aer Lingus’ head office, cabin crew and pilot departments. The airline is looking to stabilise its operating margins in order to attract ongoing investment. In all, Aer Lingus will be reducing its annual flig
Etihad Extends Free WiFi Service to Business Comfort Passengers
Etihad Airways has announced a further enhancement to its onboard experience – with it extending its complimentary WiFi to passengers in its Business Comfort class. From today, complimentary Wi‑Fi access will be extended to Business Comfort customers, in addition to the existing entitlements for First cabin guests, Etihad Guest Platinum Members, Business Deluxe and Economy Deluxe guests. Etihad said: “This enhancement reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional
Sustainability
Carnival Slashes Food Waste and Greenhouse Gas Intensity
Carnival Corporation – the world’s largest cruise company – has cut its greenhouse gas intensity by 21% compared to its 2019 benchmark and slashed food waste by 42% as part of its Less Left Over strategy, this year. Earlier this year, the company was also honoured by the ESG Shipping Awards with the Community Contribution Leader Award, recognising Celebration Key’s enduring economic impact and meaningful contribution for Bahamians. Carnival has just been named in TIME’s Ameri
AITO Strengthens Sustainable Travel Credentials with New Member Planet Rail
ITO, The Specialist Travel Association, has welcomed luxury rail holiday specialist Planet Rail to its membership, reinforcing the association’s commitment to the sustainable tourism sector. In the year that AITO celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Association has been actively expanding its membership from both tour operators and agents. Travel businesses specialising in slow travel and conservation/nature-focused tourism are a primary target for AITO which established its
Delta Air Lines Partners with Shell Aviation to Expand Access to SAF
Delta Air Lines is scaling SAF through a multi-airport collaboration supported by Shell Aviation that aims to expand SAF availability and adoption. Together, the two companies will expand SAF availability across key U.S. hubs and priority cities — including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Portland International Airport (PDX), John. F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Logan International Airport (BOS) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) — while bu
Dublin Airport Invests €17m in Ireland’s First Pantograph Chargers for Electric Buses
Ireland’s first cutting-edge, pantograph electric bus chargers have been unveiled at Dublin Airport in a €17 million investment in sustainable electric transport. Dublin Airport’s pantograph infrastructure will deliver ultrafast charging for its new 14-vehicle, zero-emission electric shuttle bus fleet, which is operated by Aircoach and can accommodate up to 120 passengers per journey. Pantograph charging is an automated high-power system that uses retractable charging arms to
Planeterra Significantly Boosts Community Tourism Benefits
Planeterra, the leading non-profit organisation dedicated to uplifting communities through tourism, has released its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting how Community Tourism initiatives helped strengthen local enterprises, create income opportunities, support community-led climate action, and expand access to tourism for communities around the world.
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