The age of cruising is falling (Picture: Shutterstock) The average age of a cruise passenger has fallen to 46, new figures reveal – with millennials and Gen Z fuelling a record 31.7million holidays afloat. Thirty-six per cent of people on ships are now under 40, with millennials (aged 28 to 43) and Gen Z (12 to 27) making up roughly a third of customers each, according to the State Of The Industry Report by the Cruise Lines International Association. The ratio of over-60s has fallen to 17 per cent, the report claims. More than a quarter – 27 per cent – of passengers over the past two years hav ..read more

Naming: Matt and Emma Willis will host the naming of Queen Anne in Liverpool (Pictures: Chris Ison/Shutterstock) Busted musician Matt Willis and his TV presenter wife Emma are to host the naming of new Cunard ship Queen Anne in Liverpool on June 3 – but who will conduct the christening is yet to be revealed. The celebrity pair will be at the centre of the star-studded ceremony in the city which is the spiritual home of the historic cruise line. Crowds are expected to line the Mersey waterfront to see Queen Anne arrive shortly after sunrise to a special salute during a 14-night ‘lap of honour ..read more

Icon of the Seas: World’s biggest cruise ship has sailed into controversy (Picture: Royal Caribbean) Icon of the Seas – the world’s largest cruise ship – has certainly made a big impression. It’s also stirred up a wave of criticism for using liquefied natural gas, which environmentalists claim can cause ‘methane slip’, potentially leaking harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. LNG was hailed as a major step forward on the road to net-zero emissions, which the cruise industry has pledged to reach by 2050, because it cuts carbon dioxide output by 20 per cent and almost eliminates sulphur ..read more

Getting older: Radiance of the Seas (Picture: Royal Caribbean) A new class of smaller Royal Caribbean ships will be ‘amazing, really fantastic’ if they get the go-ahead, the line’s president Michael Bayley said today. In a press conference on Icon of the Seas – the world’s biggest cruise ship – he answered my question about up a reply he posted on Facebook saying that Royal was working on a new class of smaller vessels. Sitting alongside Royal Caribbean Group president Jason Liberty, Mr Bayley joked: ‘Damn that Facebook! I’m always getting myself into trouble.’ Plans: Mr Bayley, left, alongsid ..read more

Arrived at last: Anne and Rob at Mount Fuji (Picture: Anne and Rob England) Guest post by Anne and Rob England What’s the position on repositioning cruises? Well, as ever when it comes to holidays on the high seas, it’s very much down to individual experience and preference. But while such cruises can be good value, it’s important to think carefully about what’s on offer before you decide, because they can be very different from the usual type of cruise. A repositioning cruise happens when a ship is switching to a new home port (usually for the next season); cruise lines sell these journeys be ..read more

Heading east: Celestyal Journey (Picture: Celestyal) Greece-based line Celestyal is to start offering cruises in the Middle East from November, senior executives announced today. New addition Celestyal Journey will be based in Doha, Qatar, and sail to Bahrain, Dubai, Khasab in Oman, Abu Dhabi and the island of Sir Bani Yas. The seven-night ‘Desert Daze’ cruises will start from as little as £469pp, excluding flights. The line is also introducing a second newcomer, Celestyal Discovery, to the fleet in 2024 as part of a drive to attract new customers. ‘We had to grow our business outside the Gree ..read more

Welcome to my annual preview of the most eye-catching cruise ships making their debut in the coming year. And 2024 sounds like a fairytale, with new entrants including an elegant Queen, a magical Princess, two green giants and a glittering Treasure. Plus a few baby sisters… The green giants: Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas Making waves: Icon of the Seas (Picture: Royal Caribbean) Royal Caribbean just loves breaking records. In 2024 it is not only introducing the newest, and largest, ship in its Oasis class – Utopia of the Seas – but also the even bigger Icon of the Seas, the first in t ..read more

Jolly outing: Surjan Singh on Queen Victoria (Picture: Christopher Ison/Cunard) Chef Jolly – Surjan Singh – served a series of delicious dishes from new Queen Anne restaurant Aranya on board Queen Victoria in Southampton today. I was among the guests invited to sample the food created by the masterchef who is developing the menu with Cunard to represent all areas of India. A feast for the eyes – some of the dishes served during the meal (Picture: Dave Monk) Alongside Cunard’s culinary development team, led by Gareth Bowen, Singh delivered appetisers including smoked chilly pork belly with but ..read more

Cosy corner: Part of the Moments restaurant (Picture: Dave Monk) Many European river ships follow the same basic layout – the lounge and bar on one floor, the big dining room one deck down centred on a big buffet area, and maybe a small bistro at the back. Step change: The café itself has a slightly lower central tables area (Picture: Dave Monk) But Viva Two, launched in April, shakes this up by placing the bar area on a separate level midway between the lounge and the dining room – and introducing a cosy 60-seat restaurant called Moments on the bottom deck. There’s still a bistro at the bac ..read more

Laser river: The finale of the light show on the Danube (video: Dave Monk) A Swiss shipping company that was named after a sea monster has celebrated its 50th anniversary with a spectacular light show on the Danube. Although little known to the passengers who use its ships, Scylla has become a giant operator on European rivers, owning more than 40 vessels chartered by lines such as Phoenix, Nicko, Tauck and Riviera Travel. Hands on: André Reitsma in the early years (Picture: Scylla) During its golden anniversary voyage, specially invited guests on Scylla’s newest ship, Viva Two, watched as l ..read more