Ports
Carnival Freedom makes its first call at Valletta
Carnival Freedom called at Malta for the first time on 15 October, during an eight-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona that also visited Marseille, Livorno, Civitavecchia and Naples. Valletta Cruise Port says it is the fifth Carnival ship to visit Malta. The ship came to Europe in September for a drydock at Chantier Naval de Marseille, which included a new funnel, and returns to short Bahamas cruises from Florida in November.
Source: Cruise Industry News ↗ · 22 Oct
Ships
Norwegian Bella, the last Prima Class ship, goes on sale with a Barcelona base
Norwegian Cruise Line has opened bookings for Norwegian Bella, the last of its Prima Class ships, which arrives in May 2028. The 170,000-ton ship carries 3,921 passengers, has a pool deck 15% larger than those on Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna, and has 159 suites in The Haven. Her first season is seven-day round trips from Barcelona, with calls listed for Rome, Florence, Salerno, Marseille and Palma.
“Norwegian Bella marks a milestone moment in our fleet as the culmination of our award-winning Prima Class.”Gary Anslow, NCL vice-president for the UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa
Source: Travel Weekly (UK) ↗ · 20 Oct
Ships
MSC World Asia will bring an Eataly restaurant to the Mediterranean in December
MSC Cruises' new flagship, MSC World Asia, will have an Eataly restaurant when it starts Mediterranean cruises on 4 December 2026. It will be the second Eataly at sea, after MSC World America, with show cooking, an outdoor terrace and a wine cellar where guests can choose a bottle. The ship's seven-night routes call at Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Civitavecchia, Naples and Valletta, and passengers can join at several of these ports.
“Exceptional food and hospitality are at the heart of the experience we create for our guests.”Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises
Source: MSC Cruises press area ↗ · 15 Oct
Ports
Marseille marks 30 years as a cruise port, and says quality now matters more than volume
Marseille Provence Croisière, the local cruise association, held its 30th anniversary on board MSC Meraviglia on 12 October. The port handled about 11,600 cruise passengers in 1993 and more than 2.63 million ocean cruise passengers on 660 calls in 2025. Its Horizon 2030 plan puts better port calls, more turnaround cruises, visitor-flow management and local benefits ahead of simply growing passenger numbers.
“Marseille had everything it needed to become a major cruise destination.”Jacques Truau, founding president, Club de la Croisière
Source: MedCruise ↗ · 14 Oct