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Crystal Cruises has formally announced a contract with Fincantieri for the construction of its third next-generation ocean ship. The vessel, scheduled for delivery in 2034, is covered by the option exercised in 2024 and reflects Crystal's continued investment in the future of luxury cruising. The new vessel will join Crystal Grace, currently under construction at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard, scheduled to debut in 2028, along with her sister ship arriving in May 2031. Toge

Global travel distribution and booking giant TBO has posted strong figures for the first quarter of its financial year. The latest results show a 32% year-on-year jump in after-tax profit to $8.8m; and an 81% jump in group revenue to $97.6m. "Q1 FY27 was important not merely because of the growth we delivered, but because several characteristics we have been building into TBO became visible together. The quarter began against a backdrop of continuing uncertainty across the Mi

Congratulations, once again, to the July Winner of the VIVA Moments Photographer of the year Competition Elizabeth Young from Stein Travel. Stephen Sands, VIVA Cruises paid a visit to Stein Travel yesterday to present Elizabeth with her prizes. The winning entry in the July "Simply Boutique" Category is this beautiful photo taken in the village of Mgarr, Malta. Elizabeth captioned her photo "This beautiful corner in the lovely village of Mgarr captures the essence of boutique

Premier Inn owner Whitbread has appointed Stuart Hookins as Estates Director for the UK & Ireland. Mr Hookins joins Whitbread following the decision of Simon Hobbs to retire after nearly 20 years with the business. He takes over responsibility for one of the UK’s largest hospitality property portfolios, comprising more than 845 Premier Inn hotels and over 86,000 trading bedrooms across the UK and Ireland. The appointment comes at an important time for Whitbread as it works to

European river cruise specialist Riviera Travel has announced additional support measures for agents and guests being impacted by poor river conditions on parts of the Rhine and Danube. Since river disruption began in early July, Riviera Travel has enhanced support for travel agent partners and guests through a dedicated incident task force and its new Travel Updates Hub, which is updated twice daily with the latest operational information and sailing updates. Working closely

London's Gatwick Airport has been given the go-ahead to build a second runway, following Britain's Court of Appeal ruling against a legal challenge by campaigners. Pierre-Hugues Schmit, Chief Executive of London Gatwick said: "Today's Court of Appeal decision to comprehensively reject the legal challenges brought by the two campaign groups opposing London Gatwick’s Northern Runway Project, confirms, yet again, that the September 2025 decision by the Secretary of State for Tra

Belfast City Airport has achieved a ‘Very Good’ accessibility rating, the highest accolade available, for the ninth consecutive year. The Airport Accessibility Performance Report, which is published annually by the Civil Aviation Authority, assesses the performance of UK airports in providing assistance services to disabled and less mobile passengers. This includes waiting times for arriving and departing passengers, the quality of the service provided, and the effectiveness

ROBINSON - TUI's all-inclusive resort brand - has announced an expansion of its WellFit Active offering: From summer 2026, new training concepts and fitness innovations will enhance the programme across its clubs. These include the mescan digital body analysis system, PULSE hybrid training, the SPINEFITTER, and Reformer Pilates. Personalised Body Analysis for Guests With mescan, ROBINSON is adding a digital self-measurement station to its WellFit Active offering, enabling gue

Leonardo Hotels Central Europe has announced an expansion of its presence in France, with it taking over the former Hilton Evian-les-Bains on Lake Geneva. The hotel will initially operate under the name of Hotel Evian-les-Bains by Leonardo Hotels and will undergo extensive renovations whilst remaining open for business. It boasts 170 rooms and suites, many of which offer views of Lake Geneva or of the Alps. Facilities include a restaurant with a lakeside terrace, a bar, a hea

Ryanair carried 22.2 million passengers across its route network in July, according to latest monthly operational figures from the airline. That figure represented a 7% rise in passenger numbers when compared to the same month last year. Ryanair operated 120,800 flights in July, with a load factor of 96%. On a rolling 12-month basis, Ryanair carried 213.2 million passengers, between the two July months, which was a 5% increase.

Expedition cruise specialist HX Expeditions has become the first commercial line to call at Old Harbor, an Alutiiq community on Kodiak Island, marking a significant milestone in the company's ongoing commitment to community-led exploration in Alaska. The visit took place on Sunday, August 2nd, aboard MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first hybrid battery-powered expedition ship, during HX's Alaska & British Columbia | Inside Passage, Bears and Aleutian Islands voyage. Located o

Qantas has passed a major milestone in its much-anticipated Project Sunrise programme - which will see it fly the world's longest route: directly between London and Sydney from next year - with the successful completion of its first test flight. The Airbus A350-1000ULR set to conquer the final frontier of long-haul travel landed on Australian soil for the first time today, last month as part of the flight test campaign. The first A350-1000ULR to take to the skies touched down

Emirates and South African Airways (SAA) today announced an expansion of their codeshare partnership, enabling access to nine cities and establishing the start of a reciprocal codeshare agreement between both carriers. The expanded partnership opens more destinations across central and southern Africa, simplifying connectivity for customers. Since launching their codeshare agreement, Emirates and SAA have operated on a unilateral basis, with SAA placing its code on Emirates-o

With the school summer holidays in full swing, many Irish families are preparing to jet off on their well-earned getaways. To help families get the best value for money and book their trips with confidence, Siobhain Mulholland, travel expert and Operations Director for Ireland at loveholidays has revealed some of her top family travel tips when booking a last-minute getaway. From securing the best deal to ensuring your holiday is fully protected, Siobhain shares insider knowl

Cork Airport has marked a double celebration, this week, with the 20th birthday of its terminal building AND the 2 millionth passenger of 2026. “Twenty years young and two million strong” was the cause for celebration as staff from across the airport campus gathered to mark the double milestone. Shortly after 07.30 on August 1, 2006, the first passengers to use Cork Airport’s new terminal building arrived on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted. Twenty years later, over 47 m

Crystal Cruises has appointed Captain Placido Libro as master of Crystal Serenity. Effective August 14, Captain Libro succeeds Captain Birger J. Vorland, who recently concluded his distinguished career of nearly five decades of service with the brand. A highly accomplished seafarer with more than four decades of maritime experience, Captain Libro brings extensive operational expertise, leadership and technical knowledge to his new role. Since joining Crystal in 2024 as direc

Windstar Cruises has promoted Augustus Lonsdale to the newly created role of director of international sales, reflecting a growing focus on building momentum across its international markets and strengthening the company’s commercial investment in this region. Previously head of UK sales, Mr Lonsdale will now work closely with Helen Beck, managing director global commercial to drive Windstar’s international sales strategy, with a particular focus on strengthening relationship

Ahead of its official grand opening on 4th September 2026, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has today unveiled the very first look at Great Tides Waterpark - a brand new, six-acre adventure zone on its private Bahamian island, Great Stirrup Cay. Designed for both thrill seekers and families, it brings a host of industry firsts and regional exclusives to the Caribbean. Key Highlights Include: ● Adrenaline thrills: 19 waterslides, including Breakwater Blasters (the Caribbean'

On 12 August 2026, millions of people are expected to travel to Spain to witness one of Europe’s most anticipated natural events - a total solar eclipse. Searches for “total eclipse” reached 1.5 million over the past month alone, but new analysis from global travel booking platform Omio suggests the country’s best viewing location isn’t where many visitors would expect. Using its new Solar Eclipse Index, Omio analysed destinations across Spain, considering factors such as ecl

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has launched the Floating Pastry Academy, a new three-year pastry and baking excellence initiative developed in partnership with The Butter Book, further strengthening Regent’s commitment to Epicurean Perfection and continuous professional development across the fleet. View the latest instalment of Regent's Pride Behind Every Plate video series, highlighting the Floating Pastry Academy, here. The Floating Pastry Academy represents Regent’s belief tha