Cunard Line will make further maritime history on January 13, 2008, as its newest ocean liner, Queen Victoria, departs New York simultaneously with Cunard´s esteemed ocean liner, QE2, for their world cruise voyages. Sailing roundtrip from New York, the concurrent world cruise departures mark the start of Queen Victoria´s 105-day Pathway to the Explorers maiden world cruise and QE2´s 90-day South America, Pacific and Far East Odyssey, her first foray into South America in more than a decade.

The 110,000-ton Carnival Glory, based in Port Canaveral, FL, has launched a new four-port, weeklong western Caribbean route, which now visits Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Nassau, the Bahamas, and Belize. The new itinerary is part of the ship´s alternating western and eastern Caribbean portfolio of itineraries. The eastern itinerary visits Nassau as well as St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

Celebrity Cruises relieved the captain of the Mercury of his command and was dismissed from the company following his failure to pass a breath alcohol test given by the U.S. Coast Guard, according to Celebrity´s parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises, in a statement. The staff captain assumed command of the ship, Royal Caribbean said.

Crystal Cruises will be the first cruise line to offer an excursion to climb Tanzania´s 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, said John Stoll, Crystal´s director of land programs. Starting in March 2007, the nine-night pre or post cruise program will be available to Crystal Serenity passengers on two cruises out of Cape Town, South Africa.

Royal Caribbean International´s Majesty of the Seas will get what cruise line president Adam Goldstein called an “extreme makeover” in January 2007. Upgrades will extend from changing the carpeting, window coverings and decor in the Schooner Bar to relocating a larger, “more contemporary” ShipShape Fitness Center to Deck 9, the line said. A Johnny Rockets and Sorrento´s pizzeria also will be added to the Majesty. Cabins, meanwhile, will get new beds.

NCL Corp. said May 18 it recorded a net loss of $28.1 million in the first quarter, the result in part of a softening of the Caribbean cruise market and the impact of high oil prices. Company revenue for the quarter was $422.4 million. The company reported $349 million in revenue and a $6 million profit in the first quarter of 2005.