Azamara Cruises is on a quest to conquer the deluxe cruise market. The new cruise brand officially added the 694-guest Azamara Quest to its fleet, as the ship sets sail on the first of its two special two-night cruises from Miami, followed by a series of exotic Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries.

Aker Yards laid the keel for MSC Cruises’ latest new build, the MSC Splendida, at its shipyard in St Nazaire, France, last week.

Cunard’s Queen Victoria was England’s first “modern” monarch -the first queen to have a telephone, ride a train, be photographed and host a World’s Fair. In celebration of the monarch, Cunard turned to a collection of contemporary British artists to create works for its newest ocean liner, Queen Victoria.

MSC Cruises said the construction of MSC Fantasia is making rapid progress at the Aker Yards in St. Nazaire, France. The ship is due to be delivered in December 2008. MSC Fantasia is the largest ship to be commissioned by a European ship owner.

Joystar, a host agency, is one of three companies with which Royal Caribbean Cruises will no longer do business because the cruise company considers it a card mill.

Mexico will charge a $5 (U.S. dollars) per capita landing fee to all foreign visitors calling in Mexican ports as of next year if President Felipe Calderon signs the bill into law which was approved Thursday by Congress.