News

Carnival unveils bold expansion with new ships, destinations, and fleet upgrades

Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic vision under the banner of “Innovation Itinerary,” focused on enhancing its fleet, experiences, and guest loyalty. At a recent media briefing held aboard Carnival Celebration at PortMiami, President Christine Duffy outlined the company’s expansion plans, including new ship launches, destination enhancements, and upgrades to its guest experience and loyalty program. Christine Duffy unveils Sunsation Point on Carnival Festivale At the event, Duffy announced that the fourth ship in Carnival’s award-winning Excel class will be named Carnival Festivale, paying tribute to the early Carnival ships that helped popularize cruising in the U.S. Debuting in spring 2027, Carnival Festivale will homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida, with reservations opening this summer. Carnival Festivale will introduce three new themed zones, two of which will celebrate music through immersive, sound-rich environments spanning Decks 6 to 8. “Carnival Festivale will keep in the Carnival tradition of bringing innovation and fun with each new ship,” said Duffy. The ship will also feature a new outdoor space called Sunsation Point, a family-focused area with the most expansive Carnival Waterworks Ultra park yet, replacing the BOLT rollercoaster from previous Excel ships.

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Riyadh Air Unveils Bold Cabin Designs and Cutting-Edge In-Flight Tech

Saudi Arabia’s newest airline, Riyadh Air, is preparing to redefine air travel with the launch of its innovative Boeing 787-9 fleet in 2025. Positioned as the world’s first digital-native carrier, Riyadh Air is set to offer an unparalleled flying experience, combining modern luxury with cutting-edge technology. A New Standard in Cabin Comfort The airline’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft will host a total of 290 passengers, featuring four cabin classes: Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. The aircraft layout includes 4 Business Elite seats, 24 Business class seats, 39 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, and 223 Economy seats in a 3-3-3 layout, ensuring a comfortable and spacious environment for all travelers. Designed to provide both sophistication and comfort, the cabin interiors reflect a rich palette of colors inspired by Saudi heritage, including indigo, mocha, blue, peach, and lavender tones. These hues create an ambiance that perfectly blends tradition with modern elegance, offering passengers a truly luxurious experience. Premium Cabins Designed for Comfort and Privacy The Business Elite and Business class cabins feature Safran Unity seats, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. These seats are designed with a 22.5-inch width and a 78-inch fully-flat bed, offering superior comfort and privacy. In addition to 52-inch high privacy walls and sliding doors, the center front seats in Business Elite are specially designed to convert into a double bed, providing an exclusive option for couples or business partners. Both Business Elite and Business class come equipped with the largest in-flight entertainment screens available, featuring 32-inch 4K OLED displays in Business Elite and 22-inch screens in Business. Furthermore, each seat is integrated with high-fidelity speakers embedded directly into the headrests, offering immersive sound quality without the need for traditional headphones. Comfort Across All Cabins For those traveling in Premium Economy, Riyadh Air offers Recaro PL3530 seats with 19.2-inch width and 38-inch pitch, providing extra legroom and comfort. In Economy class, Recaro R3 seats offer a more compact but still comfortable 17.2-inch width and 31-inch pitch. Both seat categories feature USB-C charging ports, ensuring passengers stay connected throughout their journey.

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IndiGo to introduce IndiGo Stretch on Bengaluru-Mumbai route from May 1

IndiGo is set to introduce its tailor-made business product- IndiGoStretch- on flights operating between Bengaluru and Mumbai, starting May 01, 2025. IndiGo currently offers IndiGoStretch on flights connecting Delhi to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad on the domestic network. Internationally, IndiGoStretch is available on the Delhi-Bangkok-Delhi route. The convenience of IndiGoStretch begins with select flights on the Mumbai – Bengaluru route from May 1 and will be gradually expanded to more flights on the route by May 30, 2025. Designed to meet the growing demand for premium travel, IndiGoStretch offers an upgraded flying experience, with a generous mix of comfort, convenience and personalized service. Building on its success on other metro-to-metro routes, IndiGoStretch will offer enhanced seating options, priority check-in, anytime boarding, advanced seat selection and more flexibility to passengers on flights between Bengaluru and Mumbai. It also comes with an enhanced baggage allowance of 30 kg (two bags), along with one cabin bag weighing up to 12 kg. IndiGoStretch can be booked through IndiGo’s official channels and aggregator websites, with fares starting at INR 17000 on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route. Customers traveling on key business routes can also book IndiGoStretch, with prices starting at INR 18,320 on the Delhi-Hyderabad route, INR 21,000 for the Delhi-Chennai and Delhi-Bengaluru routes, and INR 20,018 for the Delhi-Mumbai route.

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India’s Tourism Spotlight Welcomed at MATTA Fair 2025 in Malaysia

At the MATTA Fair 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and India are set to strengthen their tourism ties, focusing on regional collaboration and growth. The event will highlight India’s diverse tourism potential, with a particular emphasis on the North-East region, offering a platform for bilateral engagements between India and Malaysia. As the two nations continue to build on their cultural and tourism connections, the fair will serve as a key opportunity to promote cross-border tourism, sustainable travel, and explore new avenues for collaboration to enhance both countries’ tourism sectors. This strategic partnership aims to unlock exciting possibilities for mutual growth in the tourism industry. The initiative comes in the wake of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit, where 2025 was officially designated as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism. This year’s program is organized in partnership with the Assam Tourism Development Corporation, with the aim of promoting India’s vibrant tourism potential, especially focusing on the rich offerings from the North-East region. The primary objective of the event is to showcase the diverse tourism attractions of India, creating opportunities for international exposure and collaboration. The program highlights the importance of fostering deeper cultural exchanges and enhancing tourism between ASEAN nations and India, underscoring the growing significance of this strategic partnership. The MATTA Fair, a renowned event in the travel industry, features over 2,900 member organizations. It will serve as an essential platform for bilateral engagements, bringing together travel professionals, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore new avenues for cooperation. This provides a unique opportunity to discuss trends, share knowledge, and explore potential collaborations.

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Dubai Set For Massive Easter Travel Surge With Three Hundred Thousand Passengers Departing DXB

To streamline their journey, passengers have several check-in options available, such as using the Emirates App or visiting emirates.com to check in online up to 48 hours ahead of their flight, allowing them to receive a digital boarding pass in advance. At Terminal 3, check-in counters will open 24 hours prior to departure, except for flights to the US, which open 12 hours in advance. To avoid peak-time queues, travellers are encouraged to check in early or drop off their luggage the night before. For added convenience, biometric gates are also available, offering quicker access through immigration. Emirates passengers have several convenient check-in options beyond the airport: The City Check-In & Travel Store at ICD Brookfield Place in DIFC offers early check-in services from 24 to 4 hours before departure (excluding flights to the US). Travellers departing from Ajman can also check in at the Ajman Central Bus Terminal during the same window—24 to 4 hours before takeoff. All passengers must complete immigration and security procedures at least 90 minutes prior to their flight. Economy and premium economy travellers should reach their boarding gate no later than 60 minutes before departure. First and business class passengers are advised to arrive at the gate at least 45 minutes in advance. Boarding gates will close strictly 20 minutes before departure, and passengers arriving late will not be allowed to board. These timelines will be firmly enforced to maintain on-time flight operations.

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Emirates Anticipates Record Traffic from Terminal 3, Urges Early Arrival

Emirates Airlines is expecting a significant surge in passenger traffic at its Dubai International Airport Terminal 3, with more than 300,000 travelers set to embark on their journeys from April 18 to April 21, 2025. In light of the anticipated congestion, the airline is urging passengers to arrive at the airport early and ensure that all travel documents are readily accessible to avoid any potential delays. To streamline the check-in process, Emirates offers a range of convenient options. Passengers can check in online at emirates.com or via the Emirates app up to 48 hours before their flight, receiving a digital boarding pass that allows for quicker and more efficient entry. Check-in counters at Terminal 3 will open 24 hours before the flight’s scheduled departure, with US-bound flights having a 12-hour check-in window. Emirates encourages travelers to consider dropping off their luggage the night before or checking in earlier to bypass long queues and head straight to Immigration or the biometric gates, which offer a seamless and fast clearance process. For those looking for alternative check-in options, Emirates has made it even easier for passengers to complete their pre-flight formalities. The City Check-In & Travel Store at ICD Brookfield Place in DIFC will be open for check-in 24 hours to 4 hours before departure (with exceptions for US-bound flights), while Ajman Central Bus Terminal will also accommodate check-ins during the same time frame. Emirates is advising all passengers to clear passport control and security at least 90 minutes prior to their scheduled departure. Passengers traveling in Premium Economy or Economy Class should be at the boarding gate no later than 60 minutes before departure, while First and Business Class passengers are asked to arrive at least 45 minutes in advance. Boarding gates will close 20 minutes before the flight departs, with late arrivals not being accepted for travel to maintain timely departures.

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