Celebrity Gratuities, New Europe Cruises and More

Celebrity Gratuities, New Europe Cruises and More

Aug 4, 2026 | Cruise News

Here are the most important cruise developments reported during the past 24 hours. Today's updates include higher onboard gratuities on Celebrity Cruises, a major European deployment from Holland America Line, the debut of a new luxury cruise ship, and an itinerary change affecting a future Royal Caribbean sailing.

Celebrity Cruises Increases Daily Gratuities

Celebrity Cruises has increased its automatic daily gratuities by $1.50 per guest across all stateroom categories. The updated rates took effect on July 29 and apply to guests who have not already prepaid their gratuities.

The new daily amounts are $19.50 for Inside, Ocean View and Veranda staterooms, $20.50 for Concierge Class and AquaClass, and $24.50 for guests staying in The Retreat. Celebrity has confirmed that guests with existing bookings may still prepay gratuities at their original rate before their sailing if they do so before the applicable deadline. For travelers planning upcoming cruises, this change increases the overall onboard cost, particularly for longer voyages or families traveling together.

Holland America Opens Bookings for Its 2028 Europe Season

Holland America Line has opened reservations for its 2028 Europe cruise season, giving travelers an early opportunity to secure sailings throughout the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Norway, the Canary Islands and beyond.

Five ships are scheduled to sail in Europe during the season, with itineraries ranging from one-week cruises to extended voyages lasting more than a month. Several cruises feature overnight stays and longer port visits, while Nieuw Amsterdam is scheduled to return to Europe for the first time in more than ten years.

For travelers planning well in advance, the new deployment provides a broader selection of itineraries and sailing dates across many of Europe's most popular cruise regions.

Explora III Begins Its Maiden Voyage

Explora Journeys' newest ship, Explora III, has officially entered service with its inaugural cruise departing from Barcelona.

The luxury vessel's first seven-night itinerary visits Spain, Portugal and Morocco before arriving in Lisbon. After completing its inaugural Mediterranean voyages, the ship will continue to Northern Europe before later repositioning to North America and the Caribbean for its first winter season.

Explora III is the third ship in the cruise line's fleet and the first powered by liquefied natural gas, marking another step in the company's ongoing fleet expansion.

Royal Caribbean Changes One 2027 Caribbean Itinerary

Royal Caribbean has updated the itinerary for Grandeur of the Seas' January 23, 2027 Southern Caribbean sailing.

The cruise will no longer visit Kralendijk, Bonaire. Instead, the ship is now scheduled to call at Santa Marta, Colombia. Guests who booked shore excursions through Royal Caribbean for Bonaire will receive automatic refunds, and new excursions for Santa Marta are being added.

Passengers already booked on the sailing may want to review the updated itinerary, particularly if Bonaire was one of the primary reasons they selected the cruise.

Holland America Europe Expansion and More

Holland America Europe Expansion and More

Aug 3, 2026 | Cruise News

Several noteworthy cruise developments were announced over the past 24 hours. Today's headlines include a major expansion of Holland America Line's European deployment, operational changes affecting some European river cruises due to low water levels, and progress on a new cruise terminal that will expand capacity at Port Tampa Bay.

Holland America Expands Its 2028 Europe Cruise Season

Holland America Line has opened bookings for its largest European deployment in years, with five ships scheduled to operate throughout the region during the 2028 season. The expanded program stretches from January through December and includes cruises throughout the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Norway, the Canary Islands and the British Isles.

The deployment also marks the return of Nieuw Amsterdam to Europe for the first time in more than a decade. According to the cruise line, the season includes its highest number of visits to Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway in many years, giving travelers considerably more itinerary choices than previous seasons.

For travelers planning well in advance, the announcement provides access to a much broader selection of European sailings and departure dates than Holland America has previously offered.

Low Water Levels Affect Some European River Cruises

Phoenix Reisen has introduced flexible rebooking options for guests scheduled to sail on portions of the Danube, Rhine and Moselle rivers after unusually dry conditions lowered water levels across parts of Europe.

The company said passengers booked on affected departures through August 14 may change to another eligible sailing without paying a rebooking fee. Cruises have not been broadly canceled, and the line emphasized that itineraries will continue operating unless guests are contacted directly. Depending on river conditions, some sailings may require modified routes or transfers between ships.

River cruise travelers sailing over the next few weeks should continue watching for updates, as water levels can change quickly during extended periods of dry weather.

Port Tampa Bay Begins Work on Fourth Cruise Terminal

Port Tampa Bay has begun site preparation for a fourth cruise terminal, the port's first new cruise facility in more than 25 years.

Current work includes filling a former marine slip and preparing more than five acres for future construction. Additional infrastructure work is expected over the next several years, with the terminal currently projected to open in 2029.

Although the project will not affect current cruise operations, it represents a significant long-term expansion that will allow the port to accommodate additional cruise ships and support future growth.