Biggest Cruise News of February

Biggest Cruise News of February

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings dominated the headlines this month, with a major leadership change, public criticism from an activist investor, three new ships, a controversial new dress code and more.

But there were some other big stories too, including Alaskan Dream Cruises ceasing operations and Scenic Group making big changes to its loyalty program.

In case you missed them, these were some of the biggest cruise news stories of February 2026.

Abercrobie & Kent Celebrates Keel-Laying for Second Nile Riverboat

A&K celebrated a major construction milestone for its second Nile riverboat this month. The brand hosted a keel-laying ceremony at The Arab Contractors shipyard in Egypt, formally marking the start of construction on the as-yet-unnamed sister ship to Nile Seray. Nile Seray is scheduled for delivery in late 2026, with its sister ship to follow in 2028. Both will feature 32 suites for 64 guests. 

Biggest Cruise News of February: Alaskan Dream Cruises Ceases Operations

The Indigenous-owned Alaska cruise line Alaskan Dream Cruises ceased operations, effective immediately, this month. The cruise line, based in Sitka, Alaska, had not yet begun operating cruises for the 2026 summer season.

Alaskan Dream Cruises was a subsidiary of Allen Marine Tours, which operates day tours in Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Tracy Arm, and Hubbard Glacier. Allen Marine Tours is not included in the shutdown and will continue operating its full schedule of Alaska tours during the upcoming summer season.  

In a statement, owner Jamey Cagle said that the closure was strategic: “This decision reflects a deliberate realignment of the company’s business focus to strengthen its core operations and ensure long-term sustainability. After careful evaluation of our long-term objectives, we determined that concluding cruise operations allows us to responsibly focus our resources where they will have the greatest impact.”

AmaWaterways Launches First-Ever Multi-Network National TV Campaign

River cruise line AmaWaterways launched its first national, multi-network TV commercial across the United States following its big rebranding and campaign, “Journeys That Move You.” The commercial will run through late June of this year, airing nationally across ABC, NBC, Food Network and other channels, as well as through services like Hulu, Samsung TV Plus and Disney+.

Biggest Cruise News of February: Disney Adventure Becomes Largest Cruise Ship to Transit Panama Canal

This month, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Adventure became the largest passenger vessel by capacity and gross tonnage to cross the Panama Canal.  With the ship measuring 208,000 gross tons and more than 342 meters in length, the transit required extensive coordination among Panama Canal pilots, tug crews and operations teams. 

Disney Adventure was the first of five cruise ships making their debut journey through the Panama Canal this year, with AIDAdiva, Brilliant Lady, Celebrity Ascent and Star Seeker set to make their inaugural transit later. In 2026, more than 40 Neopanamax cruise ship transits are expected to cross the canal.

Disney Cruise Line Names Robert Downey Jr. Godparent of Disney Adventure Cruise Ship

Disney Cruise Line named Academy Award-winning actor Robert Downey Jr. as the godparent of the Disney Adventure, which is set to begin sailing from Singapore on March 10, 2026.

“Our new ship continues Disney Cruise Line’s tradition of bringing great stories to life at sea, and we are honored that Robert Downey Jr., who has guided audiences through unforgettable Marvel stories, is the official godparent for the Disney Adventure,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences and incoming chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. 

MSC Cruises Adding MSC Yacht Club to More Ships

MSC Cruises announced this month that its adding MSC Yacht Club, its ship-within-a-ship concept, to two additional ships, MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra. Once complete, all four vessels in the Musica class—MSC Poesia, MSC Magnifica, MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra—will feature MSC Yacht Club onboard. Guests who book the MSC Yacht Club can enjoy spacious and elegant suites, 24‑hour butler and dedicated concierge service, as well as access to exclusive private venues including a restaurant, lounge, and sundeck. 

Biggest Cruise News of February: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Leadership Change

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings had a big leadership shakeup this month. The company appointed John W. Chidsey as president and chief executive officer, replacing Harry Sommer

The brand didn’t offer many insights into its decision, with board chair Stella David saying in a statement only that Chidsey is “the right person to lead the company through its next phase of execution and performance improvement.” 

She added: “John has demonstrated his ability to lead businesses through meaningful transformation with a focus on operational rigor and accountability. We are excited for John to assume the role of president and chief executive officer and are confident his leadership will enhance execution, strengthen financial performance, reduce leverage and drive long-term shareholder value. On behalf of the board, I thank Harry for his many years of dedication and service to the company.” 

Subsequent to the CEO change, a major investor in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is calling for more changes at the cruise company. The leaders of Elliott Investment Management—an activist investor that now holds a more than 10 percent stake in the company—argue that NCLH has “substantial untapped potential.” They publicly shared a February 17 letter and presentation they sent to NCLH’s board of directors, calling for a new business plan and a change to the board. 

“The company has fallen from a best-in-class cruise operator at the time of its initial public offering to a clear industry laggard, suffering from inconsistent strategy, weak execution, inaccurate guidance and poor cost discipline,” wrote partner John Pike and portfolio manager Bobby Xu in the letter.

Ex-Royal CEO Joins Elliott to Help NCL, Says People Keep Asking Him “What Is Going on at Norwegian?”

What is going on at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings? It’s a question Adam Goldstein, a former Royal Caribbean executive and chair of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), has been fielding a lot lately in the wake of the company’s recent leadership change and public criticism from activist investor Elliott Investment Management.

In a February 19 commentary for Fortune, Goldstein revealed that he’s working with Elliott Investment Management on its campaign to change the cruise company’s board of directors. Elliott Investment Management has suggested Goldstein as a potential director and, he writes, he “would be excited to be part of its next chapter.”

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Dress Code Change Sparks Online Debate

Norwegian Cruise Line is getting some unexpected attention online this month after recently having adjusted its dress code for guests at certain onboard dining venues. Previously, passengers were mostly encouraged to wear whatever made them most comfortable, in line with its overall “Freestyle Cruising” ethos. But now, it seems, the cruise line is aiming for a more formal feel at some of its higher-end specialty dining restaurants across the fleet. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to Add New Ships for All Three Brands

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. announced this month that it had entered into an agreement with Fincantieri for the design and construction of three new cruise ships. As part of the multi-vessel order, each NCLH brand—Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises—will add a ship to its respective fleet. All three vessels will be built at Fincantieri’s shipyards in Italy and delivered between 2036 and 2037.

Princess Cruises Sets World Record for Margaritas

Princess Cruises is celebrating a major, boozy accomplishment this month. On February 17, guests and crew came together aboard Regal Princess in Cozumel to set a new Guinness World Record for the most margaritas sold in an eight-hour period. The final tally: 3,410 margaritas, which far exceeds the existing record of 2,728.

Scenic Group Launches New Loyalty Program

Scenic Group officially launched its new loyalty program. The new Scenic & Emerald Rewards initiative, revealed in January, combines the existing Scenic Club and EmeraldEXPLORER program into one platform that recognizes and rewards travel across all the Scenic and Emerald Cruises journeys. 

Guests now have one streamlined account that’s free to join. The company is introducing a streamlined four‑tier structure with Gold, Diamond, Emerald and Chairman’s Club tiers, as well as a new MyRewards feature. All existing members have been automatically transitioned into the new program. Members in tiers that were merged have been moved to the new equivalent or higher tier, with status points adjusted upwards.  

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.

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