New ships, major leadership changes and several high-profile incidents made headlines for the cruise industry this month. Below, some of the biggest stories you might have missed from August 2025.

Norwegian Cruise Line President David Herrera Steps Down

In a major leadership shakeup, David Herrera, the president of Norwegian Cruise Line, left the company on August 20. Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, took over Herrera¡¯s day-to-day duties on an interim basis until a replacement can be found.

The company revealed the news in an August 20 filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to the document, Herrera departed the company as ¡°part of a strategic leadership change.¡±

¡°David Herrera has been a dedicated member of our leadership team, and we are grateful for his decade of contributions to NCL¡¯s growth and success,¡± Sommer said in a statement shared with TravelPulse. ¡°We wish him the very best in his next chapter.¡±

David Herrera. (Photo via Norwegian Cruise Line)

Passengers Die at Carnival Cruise Line¡¯s Celebration Key

Two Carnival Cruise Line passengers died on the same day while visiting Celebration Key, the company¡¯s new private destination on Grand Bahama. The incidents, which occurred separately on Friday, involved a 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman, both of whom were traveling with family.

In a statement, Carnival confirmed that one guest drowned in the sea while snorkeling and the other died in one of the lagoons at the resort-like property. ¡°One guest was sailing with family on Mardi Gras and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival Elation,¡± the cruise line said. ¡°Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families, and our Care Team is providing assistance.¡±

Celebrity Cruises Announces Priority Booking Access for New River Cruises

Celebrity first announced its plans to launch river cruises in January, with ships sailing on the Danube and Rhine rivers in Europe. Now, travelers are one step closer to being able to book.

Starting at 9 a.m. EDT on September 3, guests who make a fully refundable $500 deposit will receive early access to book a 2027 sailing ahead of the general public. The priority booking access also means guests will be among the first to receive itinerary and stateroom details.??

¡°Guests will enjoy the warm hospitality Celebrity is known for, on innovative ships, with land experiences unlike any other, as we set sail on Europe¡¯s iconic Danube and Rhine rivers,¡± says Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.?

Celebrity Cruises unveils Celebrity River Cruises. (Photo Credit: Celebrity Cruises)

Victoria Cruise Lines to Debut Electric Hybrid Ship on Yangtze River

This month, Victoria Cruise Lines announced its plans to debut a new electric-hybrid vessel on China¡¯s Yangtze River. The 570-passenger, 17,000-ton ship¡ªcalled Victoria Isabella¡ªis scheduled to launch September 28. It also has an escalator, a novelty on the river.

The vessel is virtually identical to its sister ships, Victoria Sabrina, Victoria Jenna, Victoria Anna and Victoria Katarina.?

Celebrity Cruises Names Chef Jana¨ªna Torres Godmother of Celebrity Xcel

Celebrity Cruises announced this month that it has selected Jana¨ªna Torres to be the godmother of its new ship Celebrity Xcel. The Brazilian chef was named Best Female Chef in the World 2024 by World¡¯s 50 Best.

Celebrity Xcel is scheduled to debut in November and will spend its inaugural season sailing from Fort Lauderdale. The vessel will offer 7-night itineraries to destinations in The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Then, in the summer of 2026, Celebrity Xcel will head to Europe for 7-to11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including all new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.??

Margaritaville at Sea Launches Unlimited Cruise Passes

This month, Margaritaville at Sea revealed that it is bringing back its Paradise Pass program with some new updates, allowing travelers the flexibility to enjoy unlimited, non-consecutive sailings with the line. Passholders and one guest can enjoy unlimited sailings, provided they aren¡¯t back-to-back, in Picturesque Oceanview or Breezy Balcony staterooms with shipboard credit, free match play at the casino, Friends & Family offers and more. Passholders can reserve their room up to 30 days ahead of departure.?

Disney Cruise Line Celebrates Float Out of Disney Destiny

Disney Destiny is reaching the final stages of construction ahead of its November 20 debut.? This month, the heroes-and-villains-themed ship floated out from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, for the first time.?

Guest Injured in Waterslide Mishap on Icon of the Seas

At least one cruise guest was injured after a waterslide malfunctioned aboard Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas earlier this month. Photos and video posted to social media showed a large chunk of one of the slide's acrylic glass panels broken off, with water falling to the deck below.

¡°Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide," a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told ABC News. "The guest is being treated for his injuries.¡±

Aqua Expeditions Reveals Name, Debut Date for Newest Cruise Ship

Aqua Expeditions revealed the name of its sixth ship: Aqua Lares. The 30-guest vessel will make its debut in East Africa in early 2026, offering itineraries ranging from five to 11 nights to Seychelles, Aldabra Atoll, Zanzibar and Tanzania. Aqua Lares will cruise the region annually from November to April.

Royal Caribbean Christens Star of the Seas

There was a bit of drama this month when Diana Ross stepped down as godmother of Star of the Seas. However, Royal Caribbean quickly selected a new godmother, Kellie Gerardi, to bestow safekeeping on the ship during a naming celebration in Port Canaveral, Florida.?

¡°A vacation on Star is the perfect combination of two of my biggest passions in life, a spirit of exploration and quality time with family, and I can¡¯t wait for this journey to begin,¡± says Gerardi, a research astronaut and payload specialist.

TravelPulse¡¯s Eric Bowman was onboard to get a first-hand look at all the new ship has to offer. He also caught up with Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean International's senior vice president of sales, trade support and service to discuss the cruise line¡¯s latest offerings and its future ahead.

Royal Caribbean and godmother Kellie Gerardi hosted a naming celebration for the new Star of the Seas in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida. (Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

Viking Takes Delivery of Newest Nile River Ship

Viking took delivery of its newest purpose-built Nile River ship this month, the Viking Amun. The delivery ceremony for the line¡¯s seventh Egypt ship was held at Massara shipyard in Cairo, Egypt.?

The ship can accommodate an intimate 82 people across 41 different staterooms as well as 48 crew members, and will sail the Nile River on the line¡¯s 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary beginning August 20. It¡¯s the identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, Aton, Sobek and Hathor, with a square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.?

Carnival Cruise Line Celebrates Keel-Laying, Opens Bookings for New Ship Carnival Festivale

Carnival Festivale¡¯s keel-laying ceremony, which was held on August 18, paid tribute to the music-themed ship with commemorative coins placed under its 598-ton keel block. The Carnival Cruise Line ship¡ªwhich is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany¡ªwill house two music-themed zones on decks six, seven and eight.?

Also this month, the company opened bookings for Carnival Festivale. The ship is scheduled to make its debut in 2027 from Port Canaveral.

Princess Cruises' Newest Ship Star Princess Marks Crucial Milestone

Princess Cruises celebrated a major construction milestone for Star Princess this month: The second Sphere class vessel successfully completed sea trials ahead of its October 4 launch.

From August 9-12, the ship left the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, and headed to the Adriatic Sea. Once there, experts tested the vessel¡¯s steering, navigation, propulsion and other systems. The sea trials were overseen by Gennaro Arma, the captain of the Star Princess, who is leading the Sphere class newbuild site team.

Star Princess (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises)

Power Outage Leaves Cruise Ship Adrift Off Italian Coast

A power outage left the Celebrity Constellation adrift for roughly two hours in the Ionian Sea about 25 miles southeast of Crotone, Italy. The August 2 incident occurred during an 11-night cruise from Ravenna to Rome.

Power was partially restored after a couple of hours, but passengers on board the ship took to social media and cruise message boards to describe the experience. According to several accounts, the ship temporarily had no lighting, no air conditioning and non-functioning toilets. Guests were reportedly served only cold meals for dinner during the outage.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Updates Evening Dress Code

Passengers are divided on Regent Seven Seas Cruises¡¯ new dress code, which permits travelers to wear ¡°refined denim¡± and ¡°dress sneakers¡± after 6 p.m.?

According to the new ¡°elegant casual¡± evening dress code, jeans must not be torn or distressed, while sneakers must be clean, in good condition and in a neutral or classic color. T-shirts, baseball caps, shorts, athletic shoes, flip flops and bathrobes are not permitted in any social spaces after 6 p.m.

Hurtigruten Debuts New 'Open Village' Concept to Combat Overtourism

This month, Hurtigruten announced its plans to launch a new concept in Norway designed to help combat overtourism. Called ¡°Open Village,¡± the program includes exclusive, community-led experiences to immerse guests in everyday life in three remote coastal villages: Tr?na, Bessaker and S?b?. Hurtigruten has collaborated closely with locals to create the concept, which includes an array of thoughtfully designed and sustainably managed experiences on its Signature Line voyages between May and September.?

A Hurtigruten ship in Saebo (Photo Credit: Michel Afflerbach / Hurtigruten)

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