Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will host around 500 UK travel agents onboard its Super Ships during 2026, marking the line’s 50th anniversary and underlining its trade-first focus in the UK market.
First up, Uniworld will host 150 agents at its Ultra Luxury Showcase from March 17 to 19, 2026 on board Emilie, with early access to the new ship. Now in its third year, the showcase brings together selected ultra-luxury cruise brands and travel agents for presentations, workshops and networking.
Most places will be by invitation, with spots also available through a January booking incentive. Each week throughout this month, Uniworld will offer four agents and a colleague the opportunity to join the Ultra Luxury Showcase, staying in one of the new Super Ship Emilie’s suites, each with its own private butler.
The incentive is valid on all Uniworld bookings until February 5, and agents simply need to email their details to agency.sales@uniworld.com to be entered into the draw to win a place. The first winner will be announced on Friday January 16, and weekly from then until Friday February 6.
Chris Townson, UK and Europe Managing Director, said 2026 would be a landmark year for the brand as it enters a new phase of ownership and investment, with a new ship launching in 2026 and four more planned for 2027. He said giving agents the chance to experience Uniworld first-hand was a significant investmen, but one that delivers clear results in helping partners better understand and sell the product.
The anniversary year will also see the launch of new Super Ship Emilie, inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt and named after his muse Emilie Flöge. The ship will debut on the Rhine in March 2026 before moving to the Danube later in the spring, sailing new itineraries including Capital Cities of the Danube and Vineyards and Palaces of the Danube.
Further fam trip opportunities will be announced throughout the year.
Agents head out on voyage of discovery with Celestyal
Celestyal hosted 30 travel agents on a fam trip to the Arabian Gulf, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, to mark the launch of its Iconic Arabia itineraries and the debut of Celestyal Discovery in the region.
Four of the agents were from the UK and joined a five-day programme that began with a two-night pre-cruise stay in Abu Dhabi at the Grand Hyatt. The itinerary included visits to key attractions such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum, Ferrari World, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, all hosted by the destination partner.
The land stay was followed by a three-night sailing on the 1,360-guest Celestyal Discovery, departing on December 12 and calling at Dubai and Sir Bani Yas Island, where agents took part in a ‘Get closer to nature’ shore excursion.
Celestyal’s Iconic Arabia itineraries sail round-trip from Abu Dhabi, with ports of call including maiden visits to Ras Al Khaimah, as well as Doha, Khasab, Dubai and Sir Bani Yas Island. The cruise line’s two-ship 2025/26 Arabian Gulf season represents a 211% year-on-year capacity increase, with sister ship Celestyal Journey operating the seven-night Desert Days itinerary.
Jo Reid, European Strategic Partnerships Lead at Celestyal, said the fam trip was designed to give agents first-hand insight into the destination and product, helping them promote the line’s Arabian Gulf cruises with greater confidence.
Havila savings come in waves
Havila Voyages has unveiled details of its wave campaign, offering savings of up to £500 per cabin on all bookings for its 2026 and 2027 Norway sailings.
The promotion applies to all departure dates, with savings ranging from £220 to £500 per cabin on the 11-day Round Voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. The Voyage North (Bergen to Kirkenes) and Voyage South (Kirkenes to Bergen) are also included, with discounts of up to £250 per cabin.
Matthew Valentine, Global Head of Sales at Havila Voyages, said the campaign was designed to support travel agent partners during the key wave booking period. “That’s why we have discounts available on every single sailing,” he said.
Valentine added that 2025 had been a landmark year for the cruise line, highlighted by the completion of a fully emission-free voyage using only biogas and battery power. From 2026, Havila plans to blend LNG with biogas where available, with the aim of phasing out LNG entirely by the end of 2027.
The wave savings apply to all cabin categories and will be automatically included on trade bookings made up until March 15, 2026.
World Cup to be broadcast on Princess fleet
Princess Cruises has secured the rights to broadcast every match of the FIFA World Cup 26™ across its entire fleet, allowing guests to follow the tournament while sailing during summer 2026.
Through an agreement with IMG, all 104 matches, taking place between June 11 and July 19 across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, will be shown on all 17 Princess ships. Coverage will be available on in-stateroom TVs via Sport 24 Special Event Channels, with select marquee matches also screened on outdoor Lido Deck screens alongside themed viewing parties.
Sample voyages during the time of the tournament include:
June 14, 2026: Seven-night Inside Passage to Alaska, roundtrip from Seattle, Star Princess. Princess Standard fares start from £744pp.
June 20, 2026: Seven-night Mediterranean with Greece and Adriatic, sailing from Athens to Barcelona, Sun Princess. Princess Standard fares start from £844pp.
June 23, 2026: Seven-night Mediterranean and Aegean, roundtrip from Rome (Civitavecchia), Enchanted Princess. Princess Standard fares start from £634pp.
July 2, 2026: Nine-night Circle Japan roundtrip from Yokohama, Diamond Princess. Princess Standard fares start from £969pp.
July 12, 2026: Seven-night Eastern Caribbean with Puerto Rico, roundtrip from Port Canaveral, Caribbean Princess. Princess Standard fares start from £434pp.
The line’s current 2026 wave promotion, the “Value Is Princess” sale, has savings of up to £800 per stateroom and a £99pp deposit on bookings made before March 2, 2026.
Sales now open for MSC World Atlantic
MSC Cruises has opened sales for MSC World Atlantic, which is set to debut from Port Canaveral, Florida, in November 2027.
The ship will be the fourth in MSC Cruises’ World Class series and will sail alternating seven and 14-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, calling at destinations including Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the line’s private island in the Bahamas.
Designed to blend European style with American comfort, MSC World Atlantic will offer more than 38,000 square metres of public space and over 40 bars, restaurants and lounges.
Dining options will range from Italian restaurants and the Butcher’s Cut steakhouse to Kaito Teppanyaki, alongside a new Latin-inspired lounge, Viva La Musica. The ship will also feature seven onboard districts and headline attractions including Cliffhanger, an over-water swing suspended 50 metres above the ocean.
Actor Drew Barrymore, godmother of sister ship MSC World America, marked the opening of sales with a video announcement, describing herself as the new ship’s “Cool God Aunt”.
