New hybrid-electric Magellan Discoverer prepares for Antarctic debut [updated]

#expeditioncruising .

UPDATE 28 Sept 2026: ASENAV says the 100-passenger Magellan Discoverer has completed sea trials off Chile, including tests of navigation, safety and technical systems. The PC6 vessel remains in final construction at Valdivia and is expected to receive its first passengers on 15 December.

Antarctica21’s new 96-passenger expedition ship is expected to reach Punta Arenas in late October ahead of its naming ceremony and inaugural Antarctic season.

The Chilean operator says Magellan Discoverer is nearing completion at the ASENAV shipyard in Valdivia. The vessel is scheduled to arrive in Punta Arenas on 25 October, undergo a naming ceremony in November and begin carrying passengers in December 2026.

HX flags financial uncertainty but reports strong booking growth

#expeditioncruising .

Expedition cruise operator HX has sought to reassure travellers and the trade after its latest accounts warned that geopolitical and market pressures may create uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern.

HX Hold Co’s second-quarter financial statement said conflict in the Middle East, US tariff announcements and wider market uncertainty had affected near-term demand. These pressures “may cast significant doubt” on the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.

[updated] Brand new ship for Aranui Cruises to sail French Polynesia's southern islands

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UPDATE 28 September 2026: China’s Huanghai Shipbuilding delivered the 197-passenger Aranoa to Aranui Cruises on 28 September, with the handover confirmed publicly on 7 October. The 116-metre ship carries 48 TEU of cargo and 103 crew, with revenue service from Papeete scheduled for 2027.

Tahiti campaign puts small-ship cruising and remote islands in focus

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New international promotion highlights French Polynesia’s cruise options as Windstar and Aranui prepare to expand operations in 2027.

Tahiti Tourisme has launched A New Feeling Every Island, an international campaign promoting small-ship cruising to explore French Polynesia beyond its best-known resort islands.

andBeyond Amazon Explorer – A New Luxury River Expedition Vessel [updated]

#expeditioncruising .

In yet another exciting addition to their South American portfolio, conservation-led luxury adventure company &Beyond has launched their latest project, a state-of-the-art river expedition yacht to be based in the Peruvian Amazon. Boasting the ultimate in modern design and technology, the &Beyond Amazon Explorer is currently under construction at the SIMA Shipyard in Iquitos, Peru, and is due to set sail on 29 September 2026.

Update: 20 per cent early-bird discount

Pandaw Cruises to Resume Irrawaddy Delta Expeditions After Six-Year Hiatus

River cruise operator Pandaw Cruises will resume expeditions in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta in November, marking a return to the region after a six-year layup.

The company said its vessels RV Kanee Pandaw and RV Kha Byoo Pandaw sailed from Bagan to Yangon last month for dry docking and survey. Both ships have secured permissions to operate the delta route.

From On Board Swan Hellenic in North Africa: Astapor (Essaouira)

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Atlantic Horizons: Portugal to Canary Islands
Location: Essaouira, Morocco

(C) HBO

I thought I was a Game of Thrones expert, but I only found out today that the ramparts of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Essaouira here in Morocco were used as the slave port of Astapor. You know, that scene where Daenerys lines up the Unsullied to become her private army in Season 3? Yeah, well I stood right there in the 18th-century Skala de la Ville. [shivers]

UnCruise Adventures to Double Capacity for 2028 Aleutian Islands Cruises

#expeditioncruising .

UnCruise Adventures will more than double capacity on its Aleutian Islands itinerary in 2028 and has opened bookings.

The line will replace the 36-guest yacht Safari Explorer with the 74-guest Wilderness Explorer (pictured) for its 10-night Aleutian Islands Adventure with Dutch Harbor & Kodiak, citing strong demand. The 2025 debut of the itinerary sold out within days, according to the company.

From On Board Swan Hellenic in North Africa: Casablanca

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Atlantic Horizons: Portugal to Canary Islands

Location: Casablanca, Morocco

No prizes for guessing the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of this location. The irony of that whole scenario is that not a single frame was shot in Morocco and none of the cast or crew ever set foot in the country. In 1942, the Moroccan city was in enemy hands (as was depicted in the movie), so the notion of filming there was unthinkable.

From On Board Swan Hellenic in Western Europe: The pirates of Portimão [video]

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary:  Atlantic Horizons: Portugal to Canary Islands

Location: Algarve, Portugal

Portimão port and fort ruins. (Gennadiy Skorokhod)

The Algarve region of Portugal is full of stories, and they're not all happy endings. Explorers, princes, pirates and slaves are just part of the volumes of tales surrounding this rich maritime precinct along the southernmost coast of Portugal. 

From On Board Swan Hellenic in Western Europe: Santiago de Compostela

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Western Europe cruise from Ireland to Portugal

Location: Ferrol, Spain

I really should feel guilty arriving by luxury ship and taking a comfy coach to the famous Catedral Basílica de Santiago de Compostela. 

Terra Nova replaces St Helena for inaugural Antarctic season

#expeditioncruising .

Expedition cruise start-up Terra Nova Expeditions has abandoned plans to deploy the historic former Royal Mail Ship St Helena for its inaugural Antarctic season, citing disruption caused by the continuing conflict in the Middle East.

Russian flagged expedition vessel Professor Molchanov seized by Norway in Svalbard

#expeditioncruising .

The arrest of Professor Molchanov, a vessel used for Arctic expedition cruises, is part of Ukraine’s effort to enforce a US$4.22 billion arbitration ruling against Russia.

Norwegian authorities have seized the Russian expedition vessel Professor Molchanov in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard following a legal application by Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz.

From On Board Swan Hellenic in Western Europe: Bilbao, Spain

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Western Europe cruise from Ireland to Portugal

Location: Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain

 

Spain, not Spain. Even within the enormity of Europe and its myriad cultures and histories, Bilbao in the Basque Country stands out as a singularly fascinating city for many reasons.

With SH Diana docked at the region's major port of Santander, we boarded coaches for a visit to Bilbao, an easy hour-or-so by expressway. After a rocky start in Ireland, the weather has certainly turned in our favour, with warm, mild days and even some welcome sunshine, making our walking tours a most pleasant experience.

Seabourn opens bookings for 138-day 2029 World Cruise

#expeditioncruising .

Seabourn Quest will sail from Miami to Lisbon via 58 destinations, 32 islands and more than 25 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Seabourn has opened bookings for a 138-day world cruise aboard Seabourn Quest, featuring remote islands, extended port stays and destinations across five continents.

The 2029 World Cruise: Iconic Islands & Remote Horizons will depart Miami on January 7, 2029, and arrive in Lisbon on May 26. The itinerary covers more than 32,000 nautical miles, calling at 58 destinations in 31 countries and territories.

From On Board Swan Hellenic Diana in Western Europe: Royan, France

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Western Europe cruise from Ireland to Portugal

Location: Royan, France

To say Royan is like nowhere else in France is no exaggeration. Yes, it's a famous seaside resort town which enjoyed its heyday during la Belle Époque. Its renown, carefree social scene featured horse-drawn carriages, tinkling tram bells, and outdoor cafe terraces where vacationers drank absinthe and enjoyed fashionable sea bathing and thalassotherapy (sea therapy) in the fresh Atlantic air.

SeaDream III to enter service in 2029

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SeaDream Yacht Club will introduce its first new vessel in 25 years when SeaDream III enters service in July 2029.

The approximately 151-metre yacht will accommodate about 200 guests with a crew of nearly the same number. Features will include private balconies across four decks, an expanded range of suites and connecting accommodation, extensive outdoor areas, a dedicated pool deck, three watersports marinas and enhanced spa and fitness facilities.

From On Board Swan Hellenic Diana in Western Europe: Roscoff, Brittany

#expeditioncruising .

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Western Europe cruise from Ireland to Portugal

Location: Roscoff, France

SH Diana enters the port of Roscoff in Brittany (Gennadiy Skorokhod/Swan Hellenic)

I'll be honest, I knew absolutely nothing about the port town of Roscoff before we tied up this morning. Further to that, I knew little else about the enigmatic region of Brittany in the far northwest corner of France. So, my day here was 100 per cent discovery and enlightenment.