Iglu Cruise News - August 2025
Summer continues to bless us with more glorious sunshine, and the cruise industry continues to bless us with more interesting announcements and updates! With August coming to a close, a new iteration of Iglu Cruise News is here for you to check out, but there’s a lot to talk about, so let’s not waste any more time. Below, we’re going to run through some of the top cruise news stories from the last month, update you on what we’ve been working on, and present you with a few other interesting things worth checking out when you’re booking your next adventure.
Sound like a good idea? Well, keep reading to find out more!
A Monthly Roundup of the Biggest Cruise News
Norwegian Cruise Line confirms new features for Great Stirrup Cay
Starting in late 2025 and stretching all the way through to Summer 2026, a whole host of exciting new updates and improvements are coming to Great Stirrup Cay: Norwegian Cruise Line’s impressive private island resort destination in the Bahamas. With these, there’s no questioning that Great Stirrup Cay is one of the best cruise line private islands out there.
Alongside the introduction of a new two-ship pier and welcome centre, Great Stirrup Cay will see the Great Life Lagoon heated pool, kids’ Splash Harbor area, and several swim-up bars introduced before the New Year. This initial wave of improvements will be followed by the development and introduction of several new areas ahead of summer 2026.
Provided everything goes according to plan, Great Stirrup Cay will see Hammock Bay, the Vibe Shore Club, Horizon Park, and the Great Tides Waterpark introduced by summer 2026. With Hammock Bay offering a relaxing lounge area to soak up the sunshine in, and Vibe Shore Club, an adults-only area providing a similar service, there will be plenty of places to enjoy the warm weather when you arrive. Horizon Park, meanwhile, will offer visitors an area to play lawn games and light sports with friends and family.
The highlight of this second wave of improvements, however, is Great Tides Waterpark: an epic waterpark boasting a dynamic river (which is being described as a more immersive and exciting, lazy river experience) and 19 different waterslides. Couple this with the new jet-karting experience also being developed, which will combine the thrill of go-karting and jet skiing and feature a new mini aquatic racecourse, and it’s safe to say there’s a lot of fun to look forward to. You can find out more about cruises visiting Great Stirrup Cay in the coming months right here.
Norwegian Cruise Line details upcoming drydock for Jewel and Pearl
If you’re booked onto a cruise aboard Norwegian Jewel or Norwegian Pearl towards the end of the year, or beyond, you’re in for a treat; Norwegian Cruise Line has also detailed the improvements on the way when both ships enter a drydock period in the coming weeks.
Among the various refurbishments, the adults-only Vibe Beach Club area will be introduced to both Jewel-class cruise ships ahead of December 2025. An outdoor lounge space boasting sensational views and a relaxed atmosphere, Vibe Beach Club is home to premium sun loungers, a full-service bar, and its own hot tub. It’s a popular place to spend sea days for a reason, and several new private cabanas only add to what it offers everyone onboard.
With Norwegian Jewel scheduled to enter a three-week drydock late September, and Norwegian Pearl following suit with a three-week drydock in early November, expect more details about all the improvements being made soon!
Royal Caribbean offer shocking update on Perfect Day Mexico
Set to open in late 2027, Perfect Day Mexico is an impressive-sounding addition to Royal Caribbean’s growing collection of exclusive resort-style destinations in Central America and the Caribbean. But, just how impressive is it going to be? Well, in a recent update, Royal Caribbean CEO Jason Liberty revealed that Perfect Day Mexico will be similar in size to Disney’s world-famous Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida.
Currently being developed in Quintana Roo, Mexico, Perfect Day Mexico aims to deliver an incredible experience that every type of traveller can enjoy; the destination itself is set to include the world’s largest lazy river, family-friendly pools, plenty of places to lounge in the sunshine, Vegas-style beach parties, and so much more. You won’t need to worry about crowds, though, as Perfect Day Mexico will receive fewer visitors than Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park, despite being similar in size.
While the specifics of what to expect from Perfect Day Mexico are a little light right now, expect more information on what this port of call will have to offer in the coming months.
HX Expeditions announces unique international menu update
This month, following a successful trial period, HX Expeditions has confirmed it’s going to introduce several new menus to every voyage aboard MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen moving forward. Paying homage to the heritage of the crew aboard these ships, the menus – which will be available multiple times per sailing – will introduce HX Expeditions’ guests to new flavours from around the world, while still reflecting the cruise line’s commitment to authentic storytelling through food.
Developed by HX Expeditions’ culinary team, who drew on their own family recipes and national heritage to create each menu, these new dining experiences include: The Flavours of South America, The Heart of Tuscan Cuisine, A Journey Through Indian Cuisine, and A Taste of Filipino Tradition.
With each menu featuring vegetarian and vegan options, everyone should find something they can enjoy when it comes to tucking into one of these new tasty dishes – be that a rich pappa al Pomodoro (a thick Tuscan soup), a flavourful hipon sinigang bisque (a Filipino broth with shrimp), or a vibrant palak paneer (a spicy spinach-based North Indian curry).
If that wasn’t enough cruise-related news for you, other highlights include…
- Azamara Quest kicks off unique sailings in Greenland and Iceland, with Azamara Journey returning to these exciting destinations in 2026; you can find the latest Azamara cruise deals right here
- Carnival Cruise Line confirms Coca-Cola products are now available on 14 Carnival cruise ships, with plans to extend this to the entire fleet by September 2025; check out some upcoming Carnival cruise deals here!
- Princess Cruises' Royal Princess is set to debut in Southeast Asia in October 2026, offering adventurers even more opportunities to explore this fascinating part of the world; be sure to check out these upcoming Royal Princess cruises ahead of time!
- Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas embarked on its maiden voyage in mid-August, sailing from Port Canaveral; find out more about Star of the Seas’ upcoming cruises right here
Iglu Cruise’s Top Blogs in August
Throughout August, we continued adding to our river cruise blog series with an exploration of Southeast Asia’s most popular river cruise destination, the Mekong River. In Mekong River - Cruise Destination Focus, we touch upon everything you can expect from a Mekong River cruise adventure, some of the destinations you can visit, and answer a few frequently asked questions about river cruises along the Mekong – much like our Cruise Destination Focus blogs on the Douro River, Danube, and Rhine.
The Iglu Cruise team also published two data-led blogs: Where to Swim in Europe: The Ultimate Lake Guide, and The Ultimate Heartbreak Destinations to Recover From a Broken Heart. With both blogs offering you travel inspiration based on fact, you can make sure you’re making an educated decision when it comes to booking your next cruise getaway. Even if you’re not trying to escape a broken heart, heartbreak destinations are still worth checking out – whether you’re travelling solo or otherwise!
Book Your Next Adventure with Iglu Cruise Today
And, just like that, another edition of Iglu Cruise News is done and dusted.
Inspired to embark on an exciting cruise adventure somewhere new? We have you covered. From luxury getaways and all-inclusive cruise holidays to family cruises and solo adventures, Iglu Cruise is home to an abundance of sensational cruise deals for you to check out.
For more, though, on cruising and the cruise industry, check out a selection of blogs you may have missed from the Iglu Cruise team below: