The Aruba Cruise Tourism organized a one day work-session in the Emerald Room at the Aruba Radisson Resort & Casino, industry partners present included; the Aruba Ports Authority N.V., the Ministry of Tourism, Transportation and Labor, and S.E.L. Maduro & Sons. (the island’s largest ship agent) to discuss Aruba’s position as a cruise destination in the Southern Caribbean, Aruba as a cruise product and incentives for cruise ships to visit Aruba from May-September.

By the end of the year, all of Carnival Cruise Line’s 22 ships will have a Punchliner Comedy Club. Stemming from the success of the line’s first comedy club on Carnival Dream last fall, each club will feature five types of shows on multiple nights of the voyage.

The ports along Canada’s side of the St. Lawrence River seem to be perfect cruise destinations for North Americans. They are easily reachable from major U.S. cities such as New York and Boston, giving them access to a huge drive market.

MSC Cruises finalized the order to build a new Fantasia-class cruise ship, MSC Fantastica, by STX France.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection will resume service in Russia, sailing the Volga River next year, following a one-year absence.

For the fall 2011-spring 2012 Asia season, Princess Cruises will offer 14 itineraries that include more than 60 ports throughout Asia and beyond, plus cruise-tours to mainland China.