AE Expeditions has plans to welcome around 280 travel agents onboard its small-ship expedition fleet in 2026, giving trade partners the opportunity to experience the brand’s product first-hand.
The Australian expedition operator will host a series of ship visits on board Douglas Mawson and Sylvia Earle in key ports including Portsmouth, Lisbon (pictured) and Reykjavik. The programme is designed to showcase AE’s immersive expedition style, expert-led operations and commitment to responsible travel.
In addition to the port-based ship visits, a further 45 agents will join AE Expeditions’ voyages in the Arctic and Antarctica, sailing alongside the expedition team to gain a deeper insight into the on-board experience and how the product operates in destination.
Confirmed 2026 ship visits include a lunch event on board Douglas Mawson in Portsmouth on June 4, an overnight experience on Sylvia Earle in Reykjavik on September 19, and an overnight visit on Douglas Mawson in Lisbon on October 13.
Andrew Turner, Sales Director EMEA at AE Expeditions, said first-hand experience is central to the company’s trade engagement strategy, particularly as it marks 35 years of expedition travel.
He added that inviting agents onboard allows partners to fully understand the expedition experience, from meeting the expedition team to seeing the ships in operation, and described Douglas Mawson as representing “the next chapter” for the brand.
Travel agents interested in attending a 2026 ship visit can register their interest via AE Expeditions’ expression-of-interest form.
Expression of Interest AE Expeditions Ship Visits 2026
Lulu and Martin Kemp headline Ambassador’s greatest hits
Ambassador Cruise Line and Greatest Hits Radio have unveiled two major additions to the entertainment line-up for the Greatest Hits Radio Escape II, with Martin Kemp and Lulu confirmed to join the voyage.
Departing London Tilbury on March 27, 2026, the seven-night cruise on board Ambience will visit Bremerhaven, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge for Bruges, blending Northern European city breaks with a soundtrack of iconic hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Returning by popular demand after his appearance on the inaugural sailing in October 2024, Martin Kemp will once again bring his high-energy DJ sets to the ship. The former Spandau Ballet bassist and EastEnders star is known for filling dance floors with era-defining classics and engaging audiences long into the night.
He will be joined by pop icon Lulu, who will headline a live show in the Palladium Theatre and host an intimate ‘In Conversation With…’ session, reflecting on a career spanning more than six decades.
Also on board are The Overtures, Sir Elton John’s former support act and widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest sixties tribute bands, performing music from The Beatles, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, The Mamas and Papas and The Who.
The sailing will feature a programme of exclusive Greatest Hits Radio events alongside Ambassador’s signature on-board entertainment, including DJ sets from Jackie Brambles, Jenny Powell and Kate Thornton, Q&A sessions and a special edition of PopMaster hosted by Ken Bruce.
Nicola Harper, Head of Distribution at Ambassador Cruise Line, said the sailing offers “a unique opportunity to introduce both loyal listeners and new-to-brand guests to Ambassador’s affordable quality, no-fly holidays,” adding that the combination of world-class talent and Ambassador’s “warmest welcome at sea” would deliver something truly distinctive.
Saver fares for the Greatest Hits Radio Escape II start from £1,099pp based on two sharing an Ocean View cabin, with additional upgrade and discount offers available for early bookers.
HX Expeditions’ fam giveaway to celebrate ITV documentary
HX Expeditions has announced a new television partnership with ITV for a three-part documentary series, Julia Bradbury’s Wonders of the Frozen South, which will air on ITV1 at 12.45pm on February 15 and March 1.
The series follows presenter Julia Bradbury on a 23-day expedition through the Southern Ocean, travelling to some of the world’s most remote regions, including the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica. The journey takes place on board HX Expeditions’ purpose-built ship MS Fram, sailing from the tip of South America.
Across the three episodes, Bradbury explores dramatic polar landscapes, vast seabird colonies and wildlife uniquely adapted to extreme conditions, while meeting communities shaped by life at the edge of the world. Each programme focuses on a different destination, beginning in the Falkland Islands, continuing to South Georgia and concluding in Antarctica.
Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions, said the series reflects the company’s long-standing mission to explore and protect the planet’s wildest places. He added that the hope is the programme will inspire viewers “to approach the world with curiosity and care”.
The documentary launches during a milestone year for HX Expeditions, which celebrates its 130th anniversary in 2026. To mark both the anniversary and the ITV series, the company is offering travel agents the chance to double their entries into a prize draw to win a place on an exclusive MegaFAM.
Agents making qualifying bookings during the series airtime will receive double entry into the draw to win a two-night expedition experience from May 5 to 7, sailing from Hamburg to Heligoland.
Hebridean Island Cruises launches 20% savings on spring sailings
Hebridean Island Cruises has a limited-time offer of 20% savings on selected March and April 2026 sailings, alongside free standard rail or air travel to and from the ship.
Available on new bookings only, the promotion applies to a range of itineraries aboard the 48-guest Hebridean Princess and the 38-guest Lord of the Highlands, covering destinations across the Scottish Highlands, Inner Isles, Hebrides, Argyll, the Clyde Estuary, the North West seaboard and the Caledonian Canal.
Highlights on Lord of the Highlands include a six-night Easter in the Highlands cruise from Inverness on April 4, transiting the Caledonian Canal and visiting Mull and Iona, and a series of six-night themed sailings throughout April focused on springtime cruising, walking, and Scotland’s castles and gardens.
Meanwhile, Hebridean Princess will operate a selection of four- to seven-night spring cruises, including Clyde Coast itineraries from Greenock in March, an Easter Explorer sailing from Oban at the end of March, and a range of seven-night voyages in April showcasing the Hebrides, Scotland’s west coast and regional food and drink.
All sailings are offered on an all-inclusive basis, with fares covering all meals and drinks, shore excursions, guides and guest speakers, WiFi, gratuities, and transfers or parking. Free standard air or rail travel is also included as part of the offer.
MSC Cruises partners with ORCA for science-led whale protection in Alaska
MSC Cruises has announced a partnership with marine conservation charity ORCA which will see it deploy the first dedicated ORCA-trained Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) on board a cruise ship during the line’s inaugural Alaska season in summer 2026.
As part of the collaboration, an ORCA MMO will sail on board MSC Poesia for one month during the peak whale season, from late July to late August 2026, enabling extended, science-led observation in one of the most whale-populous regions in Alaskan waters. The initiative is designed to collect statistically significant data on whale behaviour in response to vessel presence and activity.
The data gathered will be shared with the wider scientific community and used to further develop ORCA’s whale avoidance training programmes, which are delivered to deck crews across the cruise and shipping industries, including MSC Cruises.
ORCA will also provide guidance on responsible destination experiences in Alaska, including reviewing existing whale watching excursions, identifying best-practice operators and carrying out ongoing assessments throughout the season to support high standards of sustainable wildlife tourism.
Guest education will form a key part of the partnership, with the MMO hosting on board sessions during each Alaska itinerary to explain the research underway and introduce guests to ORCA’s citizen science initiatives.
Linden Coppell, Vice President, Sustainability &]and ESG at MSC Cruises, said the partnership reflects a proactive, science-led approach to operating in environmentally sensitive regions, adding that it will help the cruise line better understand and reduce potential risks to marine life.
Steve Jones, COO at ORCA, said MSC Cruises is demonstrating how the cruise industry can play a meaningful role in whale conservation as the organisation marks its 25th year.
The partnership underpins MSC Cruises’ inaugural Alaska programme in summer 2026, with MSC Poesia sailing seven-night itineraries from Seattle. Sales have also opened for a second Alaska season in summer 2027, signalling strong demand and a long-term commitment to the destination.
Prices start from £799pp for a seven-night sailing departing Seattle on August 17, 2026.
Aqua Expeditions appoints Michelin-starred chef for Seychelles launch
Aqua Expeditions has appointed Michelin-starred chef Karime López as consulting chef for Aqua Lares, its new ultra-luxury expedition yacht launching in the Seychelles this month.
Chef López will oversee the onboard culinary concept, creating menus designed to elevate the guest experience and reflect the destinations visited during each voyage.
Born and raised in Mexico, López trained in Paris before building an international career across Spain, Mexico, Peru, Japan and Italy. In 2018, she became the first Mexican woman to earn a Michelin star as head chef at Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence. The same year she was named Italy’s Chef of the Year, followed by further accolades including the Best Chef Art Award in 2022 and CANIRAC’s Best Outstanding Chef Abroad in 2023.
Under her direction, dining aboard Aqua Lares will combine Mediterranean influences with coastal Creole flavours, refined through Japanese techniques. Signature dishes will include Zanzibar-spiced rib eye, lobster tagliatelle finished with caviar, glazed short ribs with smoked carrot purée and Creole shrimp curry with fried plantain.
A 14 -night The Coralline Seychelles and Inner Islands sailing roundtrip from Mahe is priced from USD$39,200pp. Departs March 21, 2026.
