Katie McAlister has been appointed as the new president of Cunard, according to an announcement by the company. Starting in August, McAlister will join the Southampton-based cruise line after a 20-year career at TUI, where she currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer for the UK & Ireland. Throughout her time at TUI, McAlister held various positions across the organization, including roles in overseas delivery, commercial operations, digital, and marketing.

Cunard, one of the world's most iconic cruise brands, celebrated the launch of its latest ship, the Queen Anne, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera. This marks the 249th ship under the Cunard flag and was celebrated with the traditional bottle smash of prosecco and blessings by a madrina. The Queen Anne will embark on its inaugural voyage to Lisbon exactly one year from now, on May 3rd, 2024.

Within a 24-hour period, the U.S. Coast Guard carried out four medical evacuations of sick passengers from three different cruise ships off the coast of California. The first request for assistance came from the cruise ship Carnival Panorama at approximately 7 p.m.

A Shocking video recently shared on Twitter by Stacey Brawley shows a US Coast Guard HH-60 T Jahhawk helicopter narrowly avoiding a crash into the sea in an attempt to evacuate a passenger from the cruise ship Carnival Dream. The incident occurred in adverse weather conditions on April 29, approximately 300 miles offshore of Fort Morgan, Alabama, USCG said.

A romantic cruise turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for Silvio Maisti and his loved ones. Silvio, age 35, who had planned a beautiful marriage proposal for his partner Valentina during their Mediterranean cruise, tragically passed away the day after the proposal. Silvio had put a lot of thought and love into the proposal, which took place at the ship’s theatre in front of their one-year-old son, family, and hundreds of other guests on board.

The US Coast Guard is leading the search for an Australian man who went overboard from Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, south of Hawaii. The ship's crew reported the man missing at 11:03 pm on Tuesday, prompting a search and rescue operation, which included a rescue speed boat to search for the missing person. The US Coast Guard air crew arrived on the scene two hours later to join the search efforts, about 500 miles south of the Big Island town of Kailua-Kona.

AIDA Cruises has launched a new employer branding campaign, aimed at recruiting and retaining employees. The campaign is titled "#PlaceToWe" and focuses on the unique team experience offered by AIDA. The company's diverse culture, areas of responsibility, and hierarchies are welded together by the team spirit, which is highlighted in the campaign.

Viking announced it has taken delivery of its ninth ocean-going cruise ship, Viking Saturn, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy. The 47,842 gross tons vessel will be officially named in New York City on June 6, 2023, by philanthropist and Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera, Ann Ziff, who will also serve as the ship’s ceremonial godmother. 

Carnival Jubilee, the next ship in the Excel class, will offer unique and immersive ocean-themed experiences in two new zones called Currents and The Shores. The Currents zone, located on Decks 6 and 7, will transport guests below the waves with innovative technology, new bar and dining venues, live music, and massive LED windows and ceiling that create immersive environments for guests to enjoy.

Royal Caribbean International's President and CEO, Michael Bayley, has recently been awarded the prestigious Cruise Lines International Association Lifetime Achievement Award at the CLIA Cruise360 event held in Fort Lauderdale from April 18 to April 23. This recognition is reserved for individuals who have dedicated their lifetime to championing the growth and success of the cruise travel industry.