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Ambassador Cruise Line is offering a triple discount on holidays with hundreds to save on once-in-a-lifetime trips

The summer holiday season is officially here – and those who are bored of lazing on a beach every year might want to try something a little different by embarking on a cruise. While the cost factor may usually be enough to put travellers off the idea, one popular cruise line has launched some huge discounts on holidays for 2026 and beyond.

Ambassador Cruise Line is offering a series of stacked deals on voyages setting sail from ports across the UK. With more than 200 holidays to choose from, there’s 20% off to be had on selected cruises running from London, Liverpool, Newcastle and more in a sale running until July 29.

Holidaymakers can also score an additional 5% off all no-fly cruises using the code SMILE5, on top of all other sale offers, with just hours left to nab this deal. And to top it off, Ambassador is offering an extra 15% off a handful of its winter sun trips with the discount code SAILMORE15 – giving holidaymakers the chance to save up to 40% in total on a cruise to the likes of the Caribbean or Canary Islands.

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One of the biggest deals gives passengers the chance to kick off the New Year in style with the Gems of the Caribbean Sea cruise setting sail from London Tilbury on January 5 for an incredible 42 nights. Calling at 14 countries, stop-offs include iconic destinations such as Barbados, St Lucia, Jamaica and Antigua.

At £3,415 per person, this six-week trip doesn’t come cheap – but those who book before 9 am on Friday, July 17 and stack their discount codes can get on board from £2,049 with a huge 40% saving, working out at less than £49 per night. And the beauty of a cruise is that travel, accommodation and dining are all included in that price.

Get up to 40% off Ambassador cruises

From £202pp

Ambassador Cruise Line

Book here

Ambassador Cruise Line is offering multiple discounts on holidays from the UK to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Canary Islands and more.

Another top deal comes on the Gems of the Adriatic & Mediterranean Autumn Sun holiday, which also has 40% off if passengers book before 9am on Friday, bringing prices from £2,903 per person down to starting at £1,742. Setting sail from London Tilbury on November 3 for 31 nights, this journey has 15 ports of call across seven countries, from beauty spots in Greece and Croatia to hidden gem destinations in Morocco and Tunisia.

And for those seeking a shorter and more budget-friendly option, there’s also the Autumn Escape to the Canary Islands, which not only has 10% off all cabins and an extra 5% off on top, but is also on a Cruise of the Week offer, spelling an extra 10% discount. Now available from £991.50 per person, this 14-night holiday from London Tilbury promises “volcanic landscapes, lush forests, and stunning beaches” as it visits Madeira, La Palma and Tenerife.

Meanwhile, those who plan ahead can also bag a buy-one, get-one-half-price deal on Ambassador cruises from April 2028, meaning passengers can bring a loved one along for less. But this isn’t the only cruise line offering savings on holidays departing from the UK.

Fred Olsen is also running special offers on selected winter sun cruises, such as the Mediterranean & Canary Islands Warmth holiday in November 2026. Passengers can get a half-price drinks package and a free flight at the end of the cruise back to London or Manchester.

Half-price drinks and a free flight are also available on the Canaries Escape with the Fleet Fiesta. As well as a discount for solo travellers on B-grade cabins.

In addition, TUI Marella Cruises is also offering a selection of last-minute cruise deals for summer holidaymakers, although it’s worth bearing in mind that these also include flights. Top offers for the summer holidays include the Mediterranean Medley trip sailing from Palma on August 1 for seven nights, now priced from £1,114 per person with a £712 discount.

Another option is the Aegean Delights cruise from Cyprus for seven nights from August 5. Now £1,095 per person with a discount of £822.

AS the train rumbles out of the station, our heads turn to admire the stunning views from the dining car’s windows.

When the conductor announces each new destination, a feast of flavours is served up while we admire the changing landscapes.

But what’s even more incredible is the fact I am currently on board the largest cruise ship in the world — and sailing the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.

The Royal Railway is the latest immersive dining experience to be savoured on board Legend Of The Seas.

You’ll begin your journey at the station — with the chance to pick up a cocktail or two from the bar — before entering an authentic train carriage and sitting down to a five-course feast as the train travels along Marco Polo’s ancient Silk Route including China, India, Turkey and Italy.

With some culinary corkers on the menu such as butter chicken, grilled lamb chops and Silk Road Shrimp, plus to-die-for Italian desserts, it’s a world away from a soggy sarnie on platform three at Clapham Junction.

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I learned to dance with Shirley Ballas on a UK cruise

Like everything on this gargantuan ship — the third Icon-class vessel from Royal Caribbean — the attention to detail is staggering.

With 28 restaurants, eight neighbourhoods, six waterslides and room for 5,610 passengers, the multi-billion-dollar floating city certainly made an entrance in Malaga earlier this month. And I was one of the first on board the largest cruise ship in the world.

Billed as the ultimate family vacation, this next-generation newcomer is a riot of colour and energy from dawn to dusk, and there is something to float everyone’s boat, from lazy beach retreats to thrilling theme parks.

Holidaymakers of all ages will easily keep hunger pangs at bay grazing on food from 28 venues — the most you’ll find at sea — with every neighbourhood bringing something to the table.

Other new eateries include Hollywoodland Supper Club. Inspired by old Hollywood, this multi-course dinner is accompanied by live jazz and craft cocktails, giving guests the chance to get glam.

While this and the Royal Railway come at quite a hefty extra cost — around £144pp — there are a staggering 13 complimentary eateries included in the price of your cruise.

In the AquaDome Market you can take another global foodie tour with stalls serving up everything from Korean rice bowls to tapas bites and crepes, plus a new juice and smoothie bar for health-conscious sailors.

I also worked my way around some of the bars including 1400 Lobby Bar, which is inspired by the history of shipbuilding, and Lou’s, which evokes moody New Orleans and New York jazz bars with live performances and cocktails.

Those wanting a livelier tipple should head to the brilliant Dueling Pianos, which buzzes well into the early hours.

Outside, the mega resort facilities are designed for non-stop family fun — minigolf, rock-climbing and a surf simulator can all be found on decks 16 and 17 — and thrillseekers can dangle daringly over the water on Crown’s Edge, a part skywalk, part zipline experience 154ft above the ocean.

This playful ship is certainly making a splash, with Category 6 holding the crown as the largest waterpark at sea, while Royal Bay is the largest pool on the waves.

Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay are nestled in the purpose-built Surfside family neighbourhood, while it’s strictly adults-only at The Hideaway with its suspended infinity pool and DJ, and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.

Early nights are out — the last thing you’ll want to do is sleep for fear of serious FOMO.

The ship’s entertainment offering is next level and I was captivated by everything I watched. This included Roald Dahl’s West End-worthy Charlie And The Chocolate Factory complete with a 15-strong live orchestra, AquaTheater’s Shockwave, where synchronised swimmers, high divers and aerialists highlight the power of water, and the ice-skating spectacle with drones at Absolute Zero’s show, Fusion.

Alongside live music and tribute bands, there are themed parties including a Y2K dance party, karaoke sessions, live trivia and silent discos.

Those familiar with Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships will be pleased to see the return of well loved spaces including Royal Promenade with its floor-to-ceiling ocean views.

There’s also the Pearl — the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture — weighing as much as a Boeing 747 — and the open-air Central Park, with over 30,500 lush plants as well as restaurants, live music, and pick-up windows for sushi and champagne.

With 29 types of accommodation, when it comes to hitting the sack, you and your tribe will slumber in style. On Legend Of The Seas, there are more rooms with ocean views and for groups of three, four, five and more.

The Surfside Family Suites are ideal for two adults and two kids, with the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabins accommodating six, and Surfside Family View Balcony cabins sleeping three or four.

To really push the boat out, check into the exclusive four-deck Suite Neighbourhood or the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three- storey pad that can sleep up to eight people.

Inside there’s a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces, and three balconies — lucky residents even get a money-can’t-buy experience with Royal Caribbean’s second Chief Dog Officer, a playful golden retriever pup named Skipper.

This showstopper of a ship is truly the stuff of Legends.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says low availability of unnamed “legacy” aircraft has created hurdles for flight testing of the new AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear-armed cruise missile. The B-52 is the only platform known to be involved in this effort. The fleet of these bombers is highly in demand, underscored by heavy use in strikes on Iran earlier this year, and has also recently suffered a tragic loss. U.S. Air Force officials have previously highlighted how the relatively small number of B-52s in service and the heavy demands placed on them create challenges when it comes to modernizing the aircraft themselves.

GAO, a Congressional watchdog, provided new details about flight testing plans and other aspects of the LRSO program in an annual report published last week. The AGM-181A has been in active development since 2020, when the Air Force chose Raytheon to be the prime contractor.

“LRSO reported unfavorable cost and schedule changes over the past year,” GAO reported. “For example, flight testing challenges, largely due to the poor readiness rates of legacy aircraft supporting LRSO testing, resulted in a 4-month delay to its initial capability.”

The Air Force is now aiming to reach initial operational capability with the AGM-181 in November 2030.

GAO says that there have been nine LRSO test flights since October 2024. That is when developmental testing of the missile began. Six of those flight tests, along with seven ground test events, occurred last year. In a report dated December 2022, the Pentagon had previously disclosed nine more test flights as part of earlier phases of the program. Whether additional test flights occurred between December 2022 and October 2024 is unclear.

“Since our last assessment, program officials realigned the test schedule, leaving less time to complete the 27 remaining test flights before operational testing starts in September 2027,” the report GAO put out last week also notes. “However, they noted that some re-testing can still be accommodated.”

As noted, the B-52 is the only aircraft known to be involved in LRSO flight testing, and certainly meets the definition of a “legacy” platform. The last of these bombers rolled off Boeing’s production line in 1962, though the remaining examples have been upgraded repeatedly since then. The sighting last year of a B-52 carrying a pair of AGM-181s, or relevant test articles, on a pylon under its right wing offered the first public glimpse of the missile. Spotters have caught these bombers supporting LRSO tests on several other occasions since then.

The Air Force currently has 75 B-52H bombers in service, in total. The entire fleet is never available at any one time for taskings of any kind, due to routine maintenance and other factors. The mission-capable rate for the bombers has been hovering between 50 and 55 percent in recent years.

In addition, only one of the bombers is explicitly set aside to support test and evaluation efforts. B-52s from operational units are also used to support research and development and test and evaluation work on a more ad hoc basis. This is on top of the heavy operational demands put on the fleet, both for conventional combat operations and as a key component of the air leg of America’s nuclear deterrent triad. As mentioned, B-52s were heavily utilized just earlier this year for conventional strikes on Iran, adding to these strains.

Last month, the Air Force also lost one of its B-52s in a fatal crash at Edwards Air Force Base in California, which tragically killed all eight individuals onboard at the time. The aircraft in question was headed out on a flight test in support of a critical radar modernization program for the bombers when it went down, as you can read more about here.

The radar modernization effort is part of a slew of major upgrades for the B-52 fleet, which also includes all-new engines, improved communication suites, and more. The upgrades are so substantial that the bombers’ designations will change from B-52H to B-52J in the process. They are also in line to see their arsenals grow, including with the addition of the LRSO. The future B-52Js are set to continue serving through at least 2050.

B-52 Future Stratofortress: The Upgrades That Will Transform The B-52H Into The B-52J

Other aspects of the B-52 modernization plan have also been beset by cost growth and delays. Air Force officials have said this has been compounded by the total size of the fleet and operational demands placed on it.

“The challenge with B-52 that I think everybody forgets, it’s such a small fleet that has such a tremendous requirement in terms of readiness,” Air Force Gen. Dale White, the service’s Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Critical Major Weapon Systems, told TWZ and others at the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) annual Warfare Symposium in February. “You’ve got to have a certain number on the ramp. That’s a requirement.”

The question becomes “how do you get these through the depot while at the same time meeting the operational requirements?” Gen. White further explained at that time. “That choreography, I think, is going to be tough.”

It’s worth pointing out here that both the war with Iran and the crash at Edwards came after the cutoff date for GAO’s report, and further impacts on the LRSO flight test schedule would not have been recorded therein. There has also been a broader surge in demand across the U.S. military for flight test assets. This is being driven by the needs of modernization efforts for several aircraft beyond the B-52, including the F-22 Raptor, as well as next-generation developments, like the F-47 sixth-generation fighter.

Going back to LRSO, GAO’s latest assessment also highlights other challenges that the program has been facing that are unrelated to flight testing.

“Program officials stated that 12 of 14 software releases are delivered, with the final delivery planned for March 2026. According to program officials, nuclear certification of LRSO software continues to be a risk that they expect to fully address by November 2026. As we reported last year, the program risks delays if additional LRSO software development is needed to satisfy this certification requirement,” per the report. “LRSO cybersecurity testing continues with some delays reported during the past year. Program officials stated these delays did not bring about any cost or schedule changes, with the final cybersecurity assessment still planned for September 2027.”

“The missile’s technology maturity has advanced since our last assessment, with only two out of the six critical technologies still approaching maturity. They are both expected to be fully mature in fiscal year 2026, about 5 years after development start. DOE [Department of Energy] also identified critical technologies for the warhead, of which 80 percent are considered mature, more than double the percentage reported last year,” the report adds. “However, DOE may not mature all the remaining warhead technologies until the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026. As we previously reported, both the missile and warhead started development with immature technologies, requiring parallel technology and design maturity efforts. This method falls short of the best practice to start with mature technologies and would have minimized the risks of future cost increases and schedule delays associated with concurrency during system development.”

There is also cost growth, as well as cost discrepancies.

“Program costs increased by $347 million after Air Force leadership directed a 1-year extension to LRSO production due to near-term budget constraints,” according to GAO.

“As we previously reported, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Air Force officials continue to work together to resolve a $1.9 billion difference between their production cost estimates for future LRSO production,” the report also says. “While a fully updated estimate is not expected until later in 2026, program officials now agree that OSD’s higher cost estimate provides an appropriate basis for the program’s fiscal year 2027 budget request and future year procurement funding needs.”

Buoyed in part by the successful flight testing it has conducted to date, GAO says the Air Force remains confident that it can meet its goal of starting low-rate initial production of the LRSO next year. Hitting that milestone will be key to staying on schedule to start fielding the missiles in 2030.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Imagery has recently appeared showing a Russian Sukhoi Su-57 Felon fighter with an unusual external weapons load of short-range air-to-air missiles, as well as what looks like a previously unseen type of targeting pod. While we cannot say for sure, we may just have gotten our first close look at a Su-57 equipped to counter the Ukrainian kamikaze drones and cruise missiles that are now a regular menace to air defenses increasingly deep inside Russia.

Two photos, the original source of which is unclear, show a Su-57 configured with a pair of R-73/R-74 (AA-11 Archer) series short-range air-to-air missiles on pylons under the wings. One of those photos further shows the mysterious targeting pod below the left engine nacelle.

Both show a Su-57 seen from the rear inside a large shelter. One photo apparently surfaced on the TikTok social media platform. Somewhat surprisingly, it is one of a pair that also show apparent teenagers posing alongside the Felon — one of them inside the fighter’s cockpit — suggesting some kind of unofficial tour of the base.

The photos have been reposted on Russian social media, with military bloggers identifying them as showing Su-57s configured to hunt and shoot down Ukrainian drones.

While this certainly seems likely, we should not rule out some other possibilities, including a Felon involved in some kind of weapons trials. On the other hand, it is unusual to see Su-57s, in operational service or otherwise, carrying short-range air-to-air missiles externally. After all, the jet has internal bays specifically for this purpose, something we have described in detail in the past.

At the very least, this would appear to be a load-out optimized for close-range engagements, of the kind that would be required for hunting Ukrainian long-range one-way attack drones and, increasingly, cruise missiles.

It is also worth noting the large shelter in which the Su-57 is parked. This looks to be of the same type that has been installed at the airfield at Akhtubinsk in the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation, located more than 350 miles from the front line. In June of 2024, Akhtubinsk was itself hit by Ukrainian drones, which appear to have severely damaged, if not destroyed, a Felon parked in the open.

Russian military bloggers complained bitterly about the lack of protection from drone attacks at Akhtubinsk.

This reflected wider questions about the ability of Russia’s widely dispersed and heavily targeted air defenses to counter Ukrainian drone incursions and the ability to protect its own aircraft. Almost all of these assets, at the start of the conflict, sat in the open without any sort of shelters, let alone hardened ones. This is an area that Russia has since begun to address, even extending this to its long-range bomber fleet.

The Su-57 is very much a prized, ‘silver bullet’ asset of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). But it is also notably well-equipped for countering drones and cruise missiles, as we will come onto later.

The number of production configuration Su-57s in Russia’s inventory is notoriously limited. As of early 2023, there were just around nine series-production Su-57s in Russian service, along with less than a dozen pre-production and prototype aircraft that are not fully equipped for combat operations. The number of production Felons has expanded since then, but not on a grand scale as Russia prioritizes production of fighters like the cheaper and less complex Su-35S Flanker.

The scope of the Su-57’s contribution to Russia’s conflict in Ukraine is hard to quantify.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense has stated that Su-57s have been used in Ukraine since “at least June 2022.”

Prior to that statement, there had been on-and-off claims of the Felon being used to launch standoff strikes, mirroring tactics for other Russian jets involved in similar missions, in which they avoid the highly contested airspace over Ukraine itself.

For this purpose, the Felon can be armed with the Kh-69 stealthy cruise missile, intended to destroy small, hardened targets at distances of over 180 miles. It also carries the Kh-58UShK anti-radiation missile (including in its internal weapons bays) with a maximum range of around 150 miles, depending on launch parameters.

There was also combat testing between the Su-57 and the S-70 UCAV that went terribly wrong.

Meanwhile, the Su-57 has very impressive air-to-air capabilities.

Most impressively, it is armed with the 124-mile-range R-37M (AA-13 Axehead) air-to-air missile, complemented by the R-77-1 (AA-12 Adder) air-to-air missile, with a range of 68 miles, which are also capable of engaging Ukrainian aircraft ‘across the border’ in some scenarios.

Using high-end, fifth-generation, or equivalent fighter jets to tackle hostile drones and cruise missiles would not be unique to Russia. The U.S. military, as well as Israel and the United Kingdom, have called upon their F-35 fleets to deal with lower-end threats like these in the Middle East.

The Su-57 is the only operational Russian fighter available in any kind of meaningful numbers with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

The N036 radar, which has five separate AESA arrays, is part of a broader, integrated fire-control system that includes the 101KS electro-optical suite, the N036Sh identification friend or foe (IFF) system, and the L402 electronic countermeasures suite.

AESA radars are, in general, much better able to deal with drone and cruise missile threats.

Overall, any kind of AESA radar provides a significant boost to modern combat aircraft. In comparison with traditional mechanically scanned array technology, an AESA can find and track a target at a much greater range, more quickly, and with a greater degree of accuracy. This also applies to smaller threats, including those with limited radar signatures, or flying at very low levels, such as drones and cruise missiles.

The passive 101KS electro-optical suite should also be very useful against the same kinds of threats. It comprises an infrared search-and-track (IRST) sensor ahead of the cockpit, four ultraviolet missile-approach warning sensors, two directional infrared countermeasures turrets, and one imaging infrared sensor for low-level flying. Using the IRST, in particular, for counter-drone and cruise missile work, would reflect U.S. fighters’ employment of podded infrared sensors for the same. These sensors allow for long-range detection of low-radar-signature targets, including drones and cruise missiles. They can work collaboratively with the radar and other sensors to detect, classify, and engage these kinds of hard-to-spot targets at long distances.

Furthermore, unlike previous Russian tactical fighters, the Su-57 has a navigation and targeting pod, the 101KS-N, developed for it from the outset. Again, these kinds of stores have begun to be employed much more widely in efforts to counter drones and cruise missiles.

While targeting pods were first fielded for air-to-ground applications, they can also be used for air-to-air engagement, being highly important for visual ID at range. The laser designator can also be employed to illuminate, or ‘laze,’ a target, although that does not come into play with the Felon, since the aircraft has no laser-guided air-to-air weapons that we know of.

Most likely this is the 101KS-N Atoll from UOMZ.
If that’s the case, that’s actually very good—UOMZ usually produces some pretty low-quality stuff. https://t.co/54laFDZ6gc pic.twitter.com/6cqMFyYIzw

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△ 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇺🇲🇬🇷 (@TheDeadDistrict) May 18, 2026

Interestingly, the pod seen in the accompanying image has a different rear end from the standard 101KS-N. It is unclear if it represents a new version of the pod, or even one that is optimized for air-to-air engagements, but that is a possibility. We also should not rule out that this is another type of store entirely, although its position on the nacelle makes that less likely.

Meanwhile, despite claims that Russia is developing laser-guided rockets that can be used for air-to-air engagements, like the U.S. developments of the 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rocket as a lower-cost way to down drones, there is no evidence that these have yet been fielded. This leaves the R-73/R-74 series short-range air-to-air missiles as the cheapest option for bringing down these kinds of threats.

When the R-73 first emerged in the early 1980s, it soon established itself as a very capable short-range air-to-air missile. Its combination of an all-aspect infrared seeker, high off-boresight capability, thrust-vectoring controls, and the fact it could be cued by the pilot’s helmet-mounted sight was unusual for the time, but is now much more commonplace. It has also been proven as a drone-killer, as seen in the video below, of a Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum shooting down one of Georgia’s Israeli-made Hermes 450 drones over Abkhazia in March 2008.

Russian jet shoots Georgian drone © Reuters

The successor to the R-73 is the R-74M, which looks almost identical but has a new two-band infrared seeker. This provides an increased seeker range and an expanded off-boresight capability, reducing the possibility of the enemy aircraft escaping it in a tight-turning dogfight.

However, since critical parts of the R-74M were sourced from Ukraine, Russia then moved to the R-74M2, which is optimized for internal carriage by the Su-57. This uses a Russian-made seeker and a rocket motor with increased burn time, for longer range. The weapon can also be fired in lock-on-after-launch mode, which is typically required when launched from an internal bay, the missile beginning its flight under inertial control before achieving an in-flight lock-on.

It’s unclear which of these weapons are carried under the wings of the Su-57 in these images. However, with plentiful stocks of older R-73s still available, it would make good sense to carry these externally, since they cannot be accommodated in the internal weapons bays.

Another key counter-drone and cruise missile weapon could be the Su-57’s 30mm single-barrel cannon within the starboard wing root and provided with 150 rounds of ammunition. You can see it in action here. On the other hand, downing slow and low drones with the gun is very challenging from a fighter and can be outright dangerous. The 30mm gun on the Felon also has a notably limited magazine size.

All in all, there is some circumstantial evidence that Su-57s are now being used — whether routinely, or as part of combat trials — for air defense against Ukrainian drones and cruise missiles.

Clearly, this is a growing problem for Russia, underscored very publicly by the large-scale daylight raid on Moscow last month. In what was one of the biggest attacks on the Russian capital in the conflict, multiple Ukrainian drones and cruise missiles hit several locations across the city.

Ukraine is pursuing a relentless campaign that is particularly targeting Russia’s refineries, as well as weapons production sites, and key military facilities.

In response, Russia is calling upon a wide variety of assets to help defend against the drones and cruise missiles.

Although many key assets are deployed closer to the front lines in Ukraine, there is now an array of additional layered air defenses deployed in and around key potential targets. Defensive systems extend from S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile batteries to attack helicopters tasked with gunning down drones in midair. Most prominently, Pantsir short-range air defense batteries have been positioned on rooftops and elevated towers.

The ruSSians are using a Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter to deliver a Pantsir-SMD-E air defense system onto the roof of the Nordstar Tower business center in downtown Moscow.

Well thanks, now everyone knows where the next Ukrainian drone is going to hit 🎯 👍 pic.twitter.com/hgeIPJUwSq

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△ 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇺🇲🇬🇷 (@TheDeadDistrict) May 28, 2026

Ukraine has demonstrated it can now strike targets over vast expanses of Russian territory. With its ground-based air defenses already stretched extremely thin, robustly protecting a growing landmass from potential strikes with those systems alone just isn’t possible. With Ukraine increasingly using long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering very heavy warheads, the stakes are further increased. Even if fighter aircraft were just focused on defensing key targets from the heavy cruise missile threat, it would make sense as these missiles can do huge amounts of damage and are easier to spot using both infrared and radar sensors.

New, incredibly clear footage of a Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile slamming into Russia’s Titan-Barrikady missile plant last week. pic.twitter.com/Su30R6qRXI

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 30, 2026

In addition, we know fighters are part of the overall response equation already. For instance, they have been forward-stationed on alert at the bomber base at Engels for some time now.

These kinds of fighter activities are less visible, and the Russian authorities are unlikely to publicize them much, since the fact they are doing this work paints a less-than-impressive picture of the state of Russian air defenses, and further underlines expanding Ukrainian capabilities. This is especially true of the prized Su-57s, which may well now be involved in these lower-end defensive efforts.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Russia’s mysterious Burevestnik (also known to NATO as SSC-X-9 Skyfall) cruise missile likely leaves a trail of radioactive material in its wake, making the weapon even more alarming than was first thought. This is the conclusion of two scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who have recently published a detailed analysis of one of the so-called ‘super weapons’ revealed by Russian President Vladimir Putin back in 2018.

The report, from Jake Hecla, an MIT professor who covers aerospace and nuclear science and engineering, and co-author R. Scott Kemp, provides the most compelling analysis so far on how the Burevestnik is actually powered. Uncertainty around this has led to previous questions about whether Russia’s claims of nuclear propulsion for the weapon even stack up.

First, it’s worth recalling what we know about the Burevestnik program’s development milestones, which appear to have been punctuated by accidents.

It is also worth noting that there have been previous efforts to create nuclear-powered aircraft and missiles.

During the 1950s, both the Soviet Union and the United States tested airborne nuclear reactors aboard strategic bombers, the B-36 Peacemaker and the Tu-95 Bear, respectively. Neither of these trials actually saw the reactors drive the aircraft’s engines.

Under Project Pluto, the United States studied a nuclear-powered cruise missile and got as far as testing a reactor on the ground in 1964, before the idea was abandoned. The Pluto concept of operation was somewhat different to the Burevestnik, with the missile intended to fly at treetop level at Mach 3.5 and dispense nuclear weapons at different points along its flight path by performing “pop-up” maneuvers.

Fast forward to 2018, and Putin disclosed the Burevestnik’s existence, when it was presented as one of six ‘super weapons’ that also included hypersonic weapons and a nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed torpedo.

Soon after Putin’s 2018 announcement, the Norwegian-based environmental group Bellona suggested that a radiation spike in the Arctic that same winter may have been caused by a test of the missile.

Later in 2018, a U.S. intelligence report described the loss at sea of a Russian nuclear-powered missile during a 2017 test. The report added that Russia was expected to embark on a search and recovery mission to try to lift the missile’s wreckage from the seabed.

Then, in 2019, an explosion occurred aboard a barge in the White Sea, outside Nenoksa, killing five Rosatom scientists. It also led to a radiation spike in the Russian city of Severodvinsk, as you can read more about here. The explosion has been blamed on a reactor from a Burevestnik recovered from the sea, likely the one that was lost in 2017.

Last October, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, announced that a successful test of the Burevestnik had been carried out, high above the Arctic Circle. Gerasimov said that the 15-hour flight “is not the [maximum] limit” for the missile. This appears to have been the first long-endurance test of the missile.

Hecla and Kemp agree that the October 2025 test was a success and that, moreover, it marks the first time a true nuclear-powered aircraft has ever flown for a sustained period.

This leads to the question of how the Burevestnik actually converts energy from its nuclear reactor into propulsive power to keep it in the air.

Hecla and Kemp may well have provided the answer.

Based on data that the researchers gathered, the size, shape, and performance of the Burevestnik indicate a different kind of propulsion system than envisaged for Project Pluto. The U.S. concept involved a ramjet, required to ensure supersonic performance in the atmosphere.

In the 1960s, the U.S. Air Force explored this idea with its Supersonic Low Altitude Missile, or SLAM. This weapon employed a nuclear-powered ramjet along with conventional rocket boosters to kickstart the system. Once at the appropriate speed, the engine would blow air over the reactor, which could have enough fuel to operate for weeks or months on end, and then force it out of an exhaust nozzle to produce thrust.

The Burevestnik is “very obviously a subsonic system,” Hecla told NPR.

By comparing open-source imagery of the Burevestnik, the researchers calculated that the missile is approximately 31 feet (9.5 meters) in overall length, with a wingspan of approximately 18 feet (5.6 meters). It likely flies at a speed of around Mach 0.75.

They conclude that the Burevestnik is “almost certain” to use a direct-cycle air-breathing nuclear propulsion system, which probably drives a turbojet.

In a direct-cycle system, air is drawn from the atmosphere and passes directly through the reactor core. A compressor forces the air through thousands of narrow, tube-like channels surrounding the nuclear fuel, where the heat generated by nuclear fission raises the air’s temperature. As the heated air expands, it exits the rear of the engine to produce thrust.

This approach differs fundamentally from most nuclear reactors, which use an indirect, closed-loop design. In those systems, a sealed coolant — typically water or another heat-transfer fluid — circulates through the reactor to carry heat away while keeping radioactive materials contained and minimizing radiation exposure.

While some kind of indirect loop design is not impossible, the researchers consider that it’s highly unlikely, due to the simple fact that these systems are considerably larger, heavier, and more complex and couldn’t be accommodated in what is by no means a huge missile.

This means that the Burevestnik is likely propelled using heated air that is drawn directly through the reactor core.

The resulting powerplant is simpler and more compact, but it comes with a serious drawback: “The direct cycle is very likely to result in a large quantity of radioactive material in the exhaust,” Hecla contends.

Essentially, as clean atmospheric air passes through the tiny tubes in the reactor, it gets irradiated and infused with fission decay products from the nuclear fuel.

The hot air that passes out of the end of the turbojet would be filled with radioactive isotopes of argon, krypton, and carbon, all of which would be scattered in its wake.

The longer the missile flies, the more of this harmful waste it would pump into the atmosphere, and onto the surface below.

The researchers highlight another problem, too.

Namely, any kind of prolonged flight is likely to result in corrosion of the reactor core, through a combination of heat and compressed air. This would create yet more radioactive particles.

Based on previous evidence, it seems that Russia might already be battling with the problems inherent in handling, loading, and testing a missile with this kind of propulsion system.

The Russian Ministry of Defense released the video below in 2018, saying that it showed an earlier Burevestnik test launch, as well as examples of the missiles themselves.

Крылатая ракета с ядерным двигателем «Буревестник»

The MIT researchers consider that the fatal 2019 explosion in the White Sea was likely a failed attempt to recover a prototype Burevestnik reactor. The reactor is presumed to have restarted as it was being raised from the seabed, leading to an explosion.

Bearing all this in mind raises the question of why Russia set about developing the Burevestnik, especially when it has so many other ‘novel’ weapons in the works or already fielded.

Ultimately, the major advantage of the Burevestnik is almost unlimited range, something that we have discussed in the past:

“The missile can be launched preemptively and approach its target from any vector long after launch. For example, it could be launched from the Arctic, stay aloft for many hours, and then attack the United States from the south. Once launched, its flight path is entirely unpredictable, and it could exploit holes in defenses and weaker spots in early warning capabilities. It provides another reason why space-based tracking layers, including those that can spot low-flying aircraft, are currently very much on trend.”

Conclusions:

1. Burevestnik is not a strategic game-changer, and does not provide decisive warfighting advantages beyond existing nuclear forces.

2. It is likely a hedge against missile defenses with a niche capability complicating warning, tracking, and defense planning. 3/5 pic.twitter.com/nYzbZquthK

— William Alberque (@walberque) June 18, 2026

On the other hand, the Burevestnik doesn’t appear to be very fast or difficult to intercept once detected.

There is also its inherent inflexibility, since Russia has said it is only envisaged as being used with a nuclear warhead. While this could change, the size and weight of a conventional warhead would be more limited, and it’s questionable if Russia would risk employing such a complex missile to deliver a relatively modest conventional charge, especially since it would leave a potentially lethal radioactive footprint regardless.

“It leaks radiation, making it easy to track; it’s slow and un-stealthy, making it easy to shoot down; and the inside of the missile degrades during reactor operation, calling into question its ‘unlimited’ range,” William Alberque, a former director of strategy, technology and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told TWZ.

“There are so many reasons everyone abandoned this concept in the Cold War,” Alberque added.

Conclusions (con’t):

5. It is 9.5m long with a reactor core diameter of 50 cm and requires regular boosters for launch and terminal phases.

6. In short, Burevestnik is a costly and hazardous symbol system with the potential to kick off a broader nuclear-propulsion race. 5/5 pic.twitter.com/NOdZ1lz6ZG

— William Alberque (@walberque) June 18, 2026

Hecla and Kemp assess that Russia’s reason for embarking on the Burevestnik is likely more to do with proving technologies for more ambitious and advanced programs further down the line. These could include nuclear-powered surveillance drones or space-based nuclear systems that would have considerably more military value.

People are asking what’s the purpose of Burevestnik and why develop a system that is very much useless as a weapon. The answer has always been right there, in the 1 March 2018 address. Russian president has always wanted to say these words. The rest doesn’t matter really. pic.twitter.com/0Q7JUGBqo3

— Pavel Podvig (@russianforces) October 26, 2025

Another possibility is that this is a ‘pet project’ of Putin himself, the Russian leader having been wooed by the idea of a missile with near-limitless range, regardless of the practical utility.

On the one hand, the latest analysis does suggest that the test last October means that the Burevestnik is the first aircraft ever built and flown in a sustained manner using nuclear power.

That is a landmark, but it’s one that’s tempered by very significant questions about the safety of anyone in its vicinity, and the environment at large, not to mention its somewhat limited military value.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

SANTORINI’S latest move to limit numbers of cruise-ship visitors descending on the Greek isle is into its second week – and looks to be easing congestion.

The local authorities have said no more than 8,000 trippers – equivalent to the passengers of two or three ships – can disembark daily over summer.

Previously, as many as 17,000, from seven or eight vessels, had choked the streets of Santorini hotspots Fira and Oia during peak season.

It comes as the island also introduces a controversial 20-euro port tax per passenger, which has led to some cruise lines cancelling visits in protest.

Other new changes, first announced last year, mean a maximum of 30 per cent of a ship’s passengers can now arrive at the island’s Athinios ferry port, which has road access.

The rest must use island capital Fira’s Old Port and head up to the town by cable car (which has long queues on busy days). Or sweat their way up 588 steps.

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The latest change, which came into force on June 1, means tender operations – where passengers are ferried ashore in small boats from ships parked in the 1,200ft- deep waters of the island’s caldera – are now carried out by vessels of the Santorini Boatmen’s Association (SBA) rather than cruise ships’ lifeboats.

The Greeks have also set a 500-passenger limit on numbers waiting for the cable car or a tender at the Old Port – and to keep to that figure, tendering schedules will be controlled by SBA vessels rather by than the ships’ crews.

I visited gorgeous Santorini earlier this week – aboard Tui’s Marella Voyager, one of three ships in the caldera – and was pleasantly surprised by how well things are working, having faced horrendous overcrowding on previous trips.

The SBA tender to Athinos, to catch a tour bus to the south of the island, was on time, the boat was lovely and modern and the crew were friendly.

When I later stopped at Fira for lunch, it was busy but not overcrowded and I could stroll the pretty streets easily and stop for photos with no jostling.

There was no queue for the cable car down, though there was one at the bottom waiting to head up.

My tender back to Voyager was also very easy, with a short queue and swift boarding.

Only time will tell how things pan out this summer, and no doubt the island authorities can make further changes if required, but my visit this week was seamless and Fira was fun, not frightful.

June 11 (UPI) — Police in the Bahamas arrested five U.S. nationals at a port after an altercation with cruise passengers and law enforcement earlier this week.

The five people were involved in a physical altercation on Monday with passengers on a cruise ship in the Nassau Cruise Port area and, after they were arrested, started a second altercation with police officers, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a news release.

Four police officers were injured in the second melee, with one hospitalized with a “serious injury” to his left shoulder.

One person who informed police about the initial altercation with the ship’s passengers was asked to come to the police station to give a statement but declined the interview, police said.

“Due time constraints related to their cruise ship’s scheduled departure, the complainants were unable to provide official statements,” the RBPF said in the release.

“Nevertheless, the five suspects remain in police custody and are being investigated in connection” with the initial altercation and the violence while they were being arrested, the police force said.

Law enforcement was called when the five people — three women and two men — got into some type of altercation with passengers from a cruise ship that was in port, with officers intervening in the scene and detaining them.

At the police station, while searching the five suspects, a “violent struggle” started between the officers and suspects — one of the women reportedly threw a chair through a glass door and one of the men then kicked out the rest of the glass before trying to escape.

During the confrontation, two officers were hit in the body, a third was cut near the mouth and a fourth officer’s shoulder was seriously injured, the RBPF said.

The five Americans remain in police custody on charges of assaulting a police officer, fighting in a public place, resisting arrest, malicious damage and disorderly behavior in a police station.

Norwegian missile-maker Kongsberg has finalized its acquisition of a majority stake in Zone 5 Technologies, bringing under its umbrella the U.S. start-up’s Rusty Dagger low-cost cruise missile, among others. With both those weapons already moving into large-scale production, the two companies are making the case for combining Kongsberg’s stealthy Joint Strike Missile (JSM) cruise missiles in operational scenarios. Zone 5 has also now confirmed that the Rusty Dagger, which is already being supplied to Ukraine, is now cleared for use on four different types of fighter aircraft, including the F-16.

At the ILA Berlin airshow yesterday, where TWZ was in attendance, officials from the two companies announced that Kongsberg has now formally acquired a 90 percent stake in Zone 5. California-based Zone 5 will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary under the Norwegian contractor. As well as discussing the industrial acquisition, the officials provided details of how the Rusty Dagger fits into the new-look portfolio, and updates on how that program is progressing.

Zone 5 Technologies – Rusty Dagger

Founded in 2011, Zone 5 is one of an emerging class of defense companies gaining prominence for developing low-cost, rapidly deployable capabilities. In many ways, they represent the inverse of traditional defense contractors, favoring speed, scalability, and cost efficiency over highly customized, high-priced systems.

Kongsberg first announced the acquisition in December, with executives noting that buying a stake in Zone 5 offered the fastest path to offering lower-cost missiles that still deliver meaningful combat capability, especially in terms of bringing these to the European market.

“What we’re doing here is that we’re combining Kongsberg’s niche, exquisite technologies with a company very capable of designing for cost efficiency and mass production,” explained Thomas Akers, founder and CEO of Kongsberg.

As to why Kongsberg didn’t choose to develop its own equivalent to the Rusty Dagger, Harald Aarø, Kongsberg’s executive vice president for business development and strategy, provided the following answer:

“Technically, could we be capable of doing it? Yes, but we are not as capable, as we will probably spend a longer time, and perhaps not strike as smart solutions,” Aarø said. “That doesn’t mean that our engineers aren’t just as smart. Our engineers are just as smart, but on a different sports field, so to speak.”

Aarø also described how the specific combination of the Rusty Dagger and the JSM makes for “a very effective future strike solution.” Namely, the Rusty Dagger provides cost-effective but still highly capable standoff strike, while the more exquisite JSM comes with a heftier price tag but offers a greater chance of making it through to even heavily defended targets, on account of its sophisticated guidance and low-observable characteristics.

As well as being launched from a pylon on a fighter, the Rusty Dagger can be configured for palletized employment from a cargo aircraft, reflecting growing interest in this type of munition employment. It can also be surface-launched both on land and at sea.

According to Tom Kanewske, Zone 5’s chief strategy officer: “What’s interesting about our missile is that the same base, light cruise missile is field retrofittable for all employment modes, and that puts us in a very unique space, in that a country and their [armed] services are able to purchase the same munition and field retrofit for that to be surface launched, whether from land or the deck of a ship, or pylon launched from a fighter aircraft, or palletized.”

Since larger numbers of Rusty Daggers can be launched in any given scenario, they can overwhelm enemy air defenses and improve the chances of success.

According to Kanewske, Rusty Dagger and JSM “offer a weapon pairing that truly no other missiles in the world do.”

While the JSM can be carried internally in the F-35, the same is not currently the case for the Rusty Dagger, although Kanewske said that this is “something that is of keen interest to the [U.S. military] services and several of our international partners.”

When it comes to utilizing the Rusty Dagger and JSM together in a combat scenario, Kanewske noted the possibility of integrating capabilities that would allow the Rusty Dagger to offer “cooperative behaviors” with the JSM. This reflects a growing trend toward leveraging artificial intelligence to help make all munitions more effective and survivable, something that has been demonstrated via Golden Horde and follow-on programs.

Both missiles fly at high-subsonic speeds, the Rusty Dagger being able to strike targets at a range of 250 miles, according to Zone 5, while the JSM has a range of more than 215 miles.

In one highlighted scenario, F-35s could penetrate closer to the target, with their JSMs carried internally to preserve their low-observable features. Meanwhile, much larger numbers of Rusty Daggers could be pylon-launched from fighters, and dropped in palletized form out of the cargo holds of transports, from outside of the range of hostile air defenses.

Kanewske confirmed that, this year, its first year of production, “well above 1,000 units for Rusty Dagger” will be completed, including for the U.S. Air Force, as the AGM-188, under the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) program. The Air Force’s proposed budget for the 2027 Fiscal Year laid out plans to buy nearly 28,000 FAMM munitions over the next five years.

Last month, the Pentagon laid out plans to acquire at least 10,000 lower-cost cruise missiles over the next three years, as part of a broader strategy to dramatically bolster its stockpiles of standoff strike munitions and prepare the industrial base to sustain those inventories going forward. This is seen as especially critical for supporting the demands of future high-end fights, such as one in the Pacific against China, and doing so in a cost-effective manner.

The Rusty Dagger has so far been cleared for use from four different types of fighter aircraft, Kanewske said. One of these is the F-16, which used the weapon in end-to-end live-fire trials at the Eglin Test and Training Range in Florida earlier this year. Another platform may be the A-4, with a contractor-operated example of the attack jet having been used in company trials. Then there is the Ukrainian Air Force, which is using the Rusty Dagger, under the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) program, although the specific platforms have not been disclosed. Any of the MiG-29 Fulcrum, Su-25 Frogfoot, and Su-27 Flanker are likely candidates — as well as its own F-16s.

A series of unverified photos, first published by Russian sources, showing purported parts of Rusty Dagger missiles retrieved after being used by Ukraine:

It appears that the AGM-188A “Rusty Dagger” cruise missile has undergone field testing in Ukraine.

Russian sources are publishing photos of an unknown 8-element CRPA antenna. On the back side of the unit there is a circuit board with a large heatsink, which carries the CAGE code… pic.twitter.com/phZeOJfHJ0

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△ 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇺🇲🇬🇷 (@TheDeadDistrict) June 7, 2026

In the case of the F-16, Kanewske said that only 72 hours were required to integrate the Rusty Dagger on the jet during the trials at Eglin.

“We’re the only affordable mass munition that is currently on contract with an export international customer, and we are actively involved with them at this time,” Kanewske said, clearly referring to Ukraine.

Zone 5 is currently under U.S. Air Force contract for both FAMM and ERAM, and is also under contract with the U.S. Army for its Low-Cost Containerized Missile (LCCM) program, and for the U.S. Navy as part of its Coalition Heterogeneous Affordable Offensive Strike (CHAOS) program, which seeks a low-cost anti-ship cruise missile to provide to partner countries. Both LCCM and CHAOS involve surface-launched missiles.

As well as the ability to rapidly scale up production and a relatively low unit cost, the Rusty Dagger brings with it an open-architecture concept, applying to both software and hardware. This means new, sovereign features and capabilities can be introduced at short notice by customers. In the past, an operator might have to wait up to five years for unique subcomponents to be integrated in a similar weapon, Kanewske contended. With the Rusty Dagger, Zone 5 has demonstrated that this can be achieved in under 12 months.

Then, when it comes to producing the missile at mass, rather than having to “make that factory bigger and bigger,” Kanewske explained that the company offers a franchise model “that allows us to roughly parachute in the design, the equipment, the tooling, the fixtures, the quality control, so that countries can drop in their own subsystem capabilities, and we can achieve manufacturing at pace and at scale.”

Speaking in Berlin yesterday, Kongsberg’s Harald Aarø confirmed that Germany is a particular target for this franchise model, including for the Rusty Dagger. He identified Germany as having “probably the best manufacturing capabilities on this planet,” making it an obvious choice for a European manufacturing footprint.

Reflecting on the changing security situation on the continent since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Aarø said that now is “a natural time to start looking at a production site in Europe,” providing nations there with national sovereign capabilities based on the Kongsberg/Zone 5 joint portfolio.

Kongsberg’s acquisition of a majority stake in Zone 5 evidences a broader shift in Western defense planning toward affordable, mass-produced precision weapons that can be fielded at scale alongside more sophisticated strike systems.

The war in Ukraine has exposed the harsh reality that Europe needs far more standoff weapons than it currently possesses, and it needs them at a price point that allows stockpiles to be measured in the thousands rather than the dozens. Rusty Dagger is very much indicative of a new generation of systems designed around that requirement, prioritizing low-cost mass production over the exquisite but scarce munitions that have traditionally dominated Western arsenals.

As conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to highlight the operational value of low-cost, long-range munitions, demand for capabilities such as the Rusty Dagger is likely to grow. In an increasingly crowded marketplace, Kongsberg and Zone 5 will hope they can leverage their partnership, the Rusty Dagger’s combat use in Ukraine, and the potential to harness its capabilities in combination with the JSM, to build on the missile’s success.

At the same time, Kongsberg’s interest in establishing European production reflects a wider recognition across the continent that long-range strike capacity, industrial resilience, and the ability to sustain missile inventories are becoming increasingly important elements of national and collective defense.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

MOST people go on a cruise to relax, lie on a sun lounger and enjoy some pina coladas as they sail from one destination to the next.

But my cruise has a legend on board who is intent on putting guests through their paces.

Enter Shirley Ballas, head judge of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, who has been invited to run a masterclass on the jive.

At a diminutive 5ft 2in, Shirley’s stature might be small, but she takes no prisoners as she issues loud, stern instructions: “STEP, TWIST, SWIVEL, KICK, AGAIN!”.

This is day two of a seven-night Norwegian fjords voyage round-trip from Southampton on MSC Cruises’ 19-deck, 6,300- passenger ship, the MSC Virtuosa.

Shirley is scheduled to host several activities during the sailing, but for now the focus is on the jive, which is taking place somewhere in the North Sea.

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More than a hundred of us have turned up and it’s proving tricky. As if the shimmies, chasses and spins weren’t enough, the music then speeds up. I’m as coordinated as a two-legged spider.

Think right foot instead of left; arms up instead of down. I’m confident with the kick, but then a fellow passenger whispers in my ear: “If you point your toes it will look more elegant!”

Far more certain is that the jive will leave you out of breath and sweaty. “Forget the gym,” says Shirley. “This is a much ­better workout.” Agreed!

And it’s also a lot of fun. Who cares if you’re any good — it’s about having a go.

And Shirley never lets on — despite being asked endlessly — that Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will be the hit BBC dance ­contest’s new presenters.

Before we finish, Shirley sets a challenge: To practice and film ourselves dancing the jive and she’ll post the best performances on social media.

MSC is an Italian line with an Italian vibe and if you’re looking for La Dolce Vita, you’ll find it on Virtuosa.

Deck 15’s Via Dei Cappellari points guests towards the swimming pools.

Deck 5’s Galleria Virtuosa is a replica Italian shopping arcade. Were it not topped by an LED Dome — which has mesmerising light shows projected onto it nightly — you’d think you were in Italy.

As for the buffet, it offers superb pizzas and pastas, though if you’d prefer a roast, that’s available too. And elsewhere there’s lots of glitter and glitz, from the champagne bar to the three-storey Swarovski crystal staircase in the atrium.

There’s no Deck 17, a number considered unlucky by Italians. There is, however, a Deck 13 and my balcony cabin is on it.

It’s stylish, roomy and, because the ship is sailing from Southampton for the summer, it has welcome British touches, like a kettle and Yorkshire tea bags.

My fellow passengers are an international bunch, most of whom are European. They’re also younger than normal (the average age is 42) and like to dance.

Wherever you go, whatever the time of day, you’ll find dance classes and much hip-swivelling. The sessions are all free and feature pop, bachata, samba and rock.

I try salsa, hoping it will improve my jive. It doesn’t!

And much of the action happens in the Galleria. You can be walking along, window-shopping, when suddenly you’ll be swept up in a silent disco or flash mob.

That’s how I find myself performing Village People’s YMCA alongside hundreds of others.

It’s all rather joyous, a word used by Shirley multiple times during a Q&A session held later in the week in the ship’s theatre. She uses it to describe the experiences she seeks in life.

Of course, there’s plenty of en­ter­tainment that can be watched rather than participated in.

Such as the ship’s ABBA show, in which hits such as Mamma Mia and Waterloo are performed by a cast in flared trousers and tasselled costumes.

Then there’s Ajedrez, a Cirque du Soleil-style show whose acrobatics are so staggering it’s a struggle not to gasp in amazement or cover your eyes.

Even Shirley (who’s sat in the row behind me) thinks its fab!

I get off the ship in Edinburgh and Norway — where the cobbled backstreets of Stavanger are lined by white clapboard houses so cutesy it’s as if they’ve been built for Instagram.

Yet for many guests, the ship itself is the destination and they can’t wait to get back on board.

MSC Virtuosa will be offering another Strictly-themed sailing in August when former pro-dancer Kristina Rihanoff will be on board to host masterclasses and dish up show gossip.

Meanwhile, I try to perfect the jive —  and at one point a fellow passenger even praises my leg extension. But I’m not happy enough with it to dare send a clip to Shirley.

I am inspired though, and will keep dancing. As for the cruise, it’s a 10 from me!

I expected a no-frills Caribbean cruise – but instead found white-sand beaches, all-inclusive perks and surprisingly luxurious touches that felt far beyond the price tag

Stretched out on the top deck of a catamaran, after a dip in impossibly clear water, I looked back at the white sands of an uninhabited Caribbean island that was ours for the day. This felt a long way from the so-called “budget” cruise I had imagined. For my first trip to the Caribbean, I boarded Marella Discovery, one of five ships in TUI’s all-inclusive fleet. Flights, transfers, food, drinks, and tips are included in the price. On paper, it promised value for money but in reality, it felt like far more. The Tropical Isles itinerary offers something different, even for seasoned Caribbean travellers. Instead of the usual tourist trail, we stopped at newer ports including Puerto Rico’s second city, Ponce, and the tiny island of Isla Catalina. After a short tender ride to shore we were welcomed with a live band and dancers before being waved to rows of neatly lined sunbeds, an all-inclusive beach bar and grills preparing a complimentary barbecue. Best known for its snorkelling, Isla Catalina’s crystal-clear waters looked too good to miss. I headed out on a catamaran excursion along the milky-white coast, swimming among shoals of tropical fish before drying off in the sun with fresh fruit as merengue music played.

By the time we returned, the smell of grilled seafood was drifting across the sand. Passengers helped themselves before retreating to shaded loungers – where there was little left to do but switch off and listen to the waves. Back on board, The Marella Discovery doesn’t try to compete with the Caribbean’s mega- cruise liners brimming with waterslides, waterfalls and ziplines. Instead, it offers something more relaxed – and for many, far more appealing. With nine restaurants, seven bars, two pools and a packed entertainment programme, there’s more to do than most passengers will manage in a week. Entertainment leans towards easy-going fun appealing to all ages with an outdoor cinema, mini golf and in the evening, West End-style shows to fill your day. Before my trip I’d been warned it was easy to get lost on a huge cruise ship, but the Discovery layout is very manageable and centred around a five storey atrium. Within a day, I had my bearings – starting with my cabin. For the week, I stayed in a recently refurbished balcony room. It was spacious, comfortable and thoughtfully designed, with plenty of storage. From summer 2026, Marella customers can upgrade further with premium Elemis products as part of the new “Suite Service Max” package – one of several add-ons available to elevate the experience.

Food is a big part of any cruise – and here it’s a major selling point. There are nine dining options included and three specialty restaurants for those wanting to really push the boat out. On the first night, I opted for one of the all inclusive options, Piccadilly’s, a British-style gastropub menu where the show-stopper was a rich, slow-cooked steak and ale pie. Over the week I worked my way through nearly every restaurant on board. Gallery 47, the Italian venue, was a favourite thanks to its varied and regular changing menu. While The Glass House, a casual poolside spot, was ideal for lunches, offering everything from pasta and roast chicken to salads and freshly baked cakes. One evening, I tried Kora La, the ship’s pan-Asian restaurant (at a cost of £18.95 for three courses). With fragrant curries and beautifully presented Vietnamese-style dishes, it was worth the extra cost and a popular choice among diners wishing to celebrate a special occasion.

Marella’s fun-filled and friendly vibes continued ashore with each stop on this relatively new itinerary. In Puerto Rico, I joined an excursion to El Yunque National Forest, swapping blue seas for lush rainforest, waterfalls and birdsong. Our helpful guide offered insight that brought the island to life, something you don’t always get when travelling independently. Back in capital city San Juan, I wandered the cobbled streets where pastel-coloured buildings led the way to lively squares.

I followed our guide’s recommendation for lunch at Café Manolín, a must for authentic food, the place was packed with locals and dock workers. I ordered the Mofongo, a Puerto Rican comfort dish made from mashed green plantains, garlic and steak. It was every bit as good as the queue suggested.

Later it was time to try another Puerto Rican export. At the Ron del Barrilito rum distillery, we swapped the city for something slower-paced. Set within the historic Hacienda Santa Ana, we were served up a welcome cocktail of choice in the stunning gardens listening to the blissful sounds of the birds. The experience included a tour of the ageing warehouses and a guided tasting of several rums, including one from a £700 bottle. Another standout was a visit to the stunning Magens Bay on the island of St Thomas. This horseshoe shaped beach delivered exactly what you’d hope for from the Caribbean – powdery sand, sparkling waters and turtles swimming just offshore. With the help of our local guide Derek, we were able to swim with the stunning creatures as they glided through the shallows.

The final stop, Ponce, offered a glimpse of a more authentic Puerto Rico on our return to another side of the island. With cruise ships only arriving in January 2026 it felt refreshingly un-touristy. I found colourful buildings, a relaxed square and latin music drifting from every bar. Throughout the trip, what stood out most was how easy everything felt – from the relaxed feel of the ship, the organised excursions to the stress-free all-inclusive drinks and dining. The atmosphere among fellow passengers was sociable and lively. The ship came alive in the evening with live shows and packed dancefloors – even into the small hours at Bar 11.

At the Broadway Show Lounge, live performances became my nightly post-dinner treat. Being a massive fan of the Fab Four, I could not miss Marella’s newest show Life Story: The Beatles, a theatrical retelling of their rise to fame. While the West-End to Broadway show, a celebration of a number of hit musicals, led to a roaring standing ovation after a finale of Les Miserables classics brought the house down. After feeling inspired, on our final day at sea I indulged in the Great Musicals Afternoon tea – a must for any theatre fan. The weekly event brings the West End to Marella cruises with dishes inspired by famous musicals, served alongside a live pianist and special performances – the perfect end to the holiday.

Marella Cruises has built a reputation on affordable and straightforward holidays – but this trip proved it delivers far more than the price tag suggests in comparison to its competitors.

If the aim is a stress-free, fun-filled Caribbean escape with fantastic food, easy island-hopping and a sociable atmosphere, Marella’s Tropical Isles itinerary is hard to beat. It’s ideal for first-time cruisers, and will also impress seasoned explorers thanks to its brand new port destinations that have something special to offer beyond a well-trodden tourist trail. And while it may be sold as a ‘budget’ cruise, it delivers an experience that feels far more premium – proving you don’t have to spend a fortune to experience the Caribbean in style.

Book the holiday

Marella Cruises offers a seven-night Tropical Isles round trip from La Romana, Dominican Republic on Marella Discovery from £1573 per person. Price based on two adults sharing a Deck 2/3 inside cabin on an all-inclusive basis. Includes flights from London Gatwick, 20kg of luggage per person, transfers, tips, and service charges. Find out more at tui.co.uk/cruise.

TAKING a cheeky croissant or two away from the buffet for a midday snack in your cabin seems harmless – but one cruise ship is cracking down on it.

Costa Cruises has said it will start fining passengers €60 (£50) who take buffet food away to eat it in their rooms.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Costa Cruises recently told its passengers that they will be implementing the ‘cleaning fee’ if it finds evidence of anyone eating buffet food outside of the designated dining areas.

The cruise line told Sun Travel that “guest safety and well-being are our top priority.”

They continued to say: “On a limited number of specific sailings, onboard communication was shared as a preventive and deterrent measure, in line with our existing policies, to encourage guests to [have] responsible behavior.

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“Costa Cruises remains committed to ensuring a high-quality, safe and enjoyable experience for all guests on board.”

The new policy is only for food being taken out of the dining areas, not room service, which is available 24-hours a day. 

The news of the fines has been met with both positivity and criticism by cruise-goers.

On an Instagram post by unrealcruises, there were plenty of comments, one said: “Zero chance I’d pay that fine. Make breakfast in bed for my wife every morning by bringing food back. Who cares where you eat the included food.”

Another stated that they enjoyed eating food from the comfort of their balcony.

However others have said that it will be good as there’s “nothing worse than plates and cups lining the hallways”.

Costa Cruises, a brand owned by Carnival Corporation, is based in Italy, and offers sailings through the Mediterranean, Caribbean and South America.

It also heads to Asia, the Canaries, Northern Europe including the fjords – and there are mini cruises too.

A MAJOR cruise line is launching a new ship later this year and it will have a first-of-its-kind outdoor theme park onboard.

MSC World Asia is the third ship in the ‘World Class’ series, and will start sailings in December.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Called The Harbour, the ‘open air’ theme park will be found on the top deck in the Family Aventura District – and it’s the first ship in Europe to have one.

Here is where guests can try out the Adventure Trail rope course and the longest dry slide at sea.

It will also have Europe‘s first over-water swing called Cliffhanger which will hang over the ocean.

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Families can also try out both the Twin Racer dueling waterslides and U Drop too.

For younger guests, there’s the a new playground called The Play Deck which is a relaxed space with comfy seating.

Rides can be enjoyed well into the evening as when it’s time for sunset as The Harbour lights up in the dark.

Luna Park is an interactive area with immersive game experiences – which isn’t found on any other MSC cruise ship.

It has three original game shows, Code Breakers, Labrinth and Chart Toppers.

The Family Aventura District also has The ClubHouse and Doremiland, a 10,000-square-foot kids club with dedicated spaces for each age group.

Inside Doremiland are two rooms dedicated to LEGO and another that’s Formula 1-themed.

MSC Cruises Vice President of Entertainment Steve Leatham said: “As a family-owned company, MSC Cruises knows what it takes to keep the whole family happy on holiday, with tailored family entertainment activities and facilities for guests of all ages.

“On board MSC World Asia, family entertainment will reach new heights – bigger, bolder and more innovative than ever.

“Featuring our widest range of programs yet, alongside immersive, interactive and personalized experiences for everyone from toddlers to teens, families can expect truly extraordinary moments at sea.”

MSC World Asia is expected to enter service in December 2026, offering 7-night itineraries to Mediterranean destinations across Italy, France and Malta.

Around the ship will be seven themed neighbourhoods, like the AquaDeck, Family Aventura, Galleria, MSC Yacht Club, Promenade, The Terraces and Zen Area.

On the Aqua Deck will be seven pools and 13 whirlpool baths, including two newly designed pools; the outdoor Manila Bay pool and the indoor Coral Cove pool.

MSC World Asia is part of the ‘World Class’ series – the first two ships were MSC World Europa, delivered in 2022 and MSC World America in 2025.

MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise line with 23 ships that sail across five continents and over 300 destinations.

As technology becomes more and more advanced and accessible to people, cruise ships have to put rules in place to make sure passengers are safe, and their privacy is protected

People are being warned that they could be fined or kicked off a cruise ship they’re a passenger on for wearing 1 luxury item when onboard. Several cruise companies have introduced a number of new rules in 2026 to ensure the safety of passengers travelling on board.

As technology continues to advance and people snap up the latest gadgets, cruise operators are keeping their policies up to date to safeguard holidaymakers and protect their privacy while travelling at sea. Whether you’re sailing with Disney, Virgin, P&O or Fred. Olsen., each cruise liner has their own set of rules that could land passengers in trouble.

Don and Heidi, a couple who have clocked up 100 cruises between them, regularly share updates and handy tips on TikTok, and have been keeping a close watch on shifting cruise policies over recent months.

With the rise of people wearing smart glasses, such as the very popular Meta Glasses, cruise ships have been forced to take steps to protect their passenger’s privacy when they’re traveling on cruise liners.

Don said: “Cruise lines are instituting new policies and in 2026, these behaviours will get you fined, banned, or removed from the ship entirely.

“One, recording other passengers without their consent using technology like Meta Glasses is a serious violation of privacy policies and fellow cruisers are reporting it.”

One of the cruise companies who has banned the items is Royal Caribbean who quietly updated its prohibited items list to tighten onboard safety and cybersecurity.

Recently, Royal Caribbean updated the verbiage on its prohibited items list to read: “‘Smart’ glasses from any of several manufacturers that can record video and audio are not allowed to be used in certain areas onboard the ship, including, but not limited to, public restrooms, Youth Program areas, medical areas, as well as the casino.”

Royal Carrabian’s app confirmed that if a guest fails to abide by the policy, the chief security officer and captain are authorized to confiscate the smart glasses.

Don continued: “Two, flying a drone from the ship is banned on nearly every cruise line. Get caught launching one and you’ll be escorted off at the next port.

“Three, fights on cruise ships are all over the news and lines are done looking the other way. Passengers involved in physical altercations are now being banned from certain cruise lines for life.

“Four, getting caught with prohibited items in checked luggage and you get escorted to a security meeting. Try to bring something more serious on board and you could be handed over to authorities at the next port.

“Five, this isn’t optional. It’s international maritime law. Skip the muster drill and crew will track you down to complete it. Refuse entirely and you’ll be removed from the ship before a set sail.

“Six, lighting up on your balcony, in your cabin, or anywhere else outside the designated smoking areas can get you fined and repeat violations can get you escorted off the ship.

“This includes vaping. Don’t forget to share this one with your cruise mates for your next sailing.”

WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court on Thursday broadly upheld lawsuits by U.S. companies whose property was seized in Cuba prior to 1960, including claims against cruise ship lines that docked there in the past decade.

These suits do not seek compensation from Cubans but from those who “traffic in property which was confiscated by the Cuban government.”

In a 8-1 decision, the justices revived a $400-million judgment against four cruise lines whose ships stopped in Havana between 2016 and 2019.

All of them used docks that were built early in the 20th century by the Havana Docks Corporation, an American company.

Justice Clarence Thomas pointed to a rarely enforced 1996 law that authorized suits against those who “use property tainted by a past confiscation.”

Past presidents had suspended enforcement of the law, but President Trump allowed such claims to go forward.

That change in policy exposed “traffickers in confiscated property of United States nationals” to brings claims in federal courts, Thomas said.

The four cruise line companies — Caribbean Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Carnival Corporation, and MSC Cruises — transported nearly a million paid passengers to Cuba, he wrote.

They paid the Cuban government tens of millions of dollars to do business in Cuba. They collectively earned hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from voyages that included a stop in Havana, he said.

A federal judge in Florida ordered each of the cruise lines to pay $100 million in damages, but the U.S. appeals court in Atlanta blocked the decision by a 2-1 vote. It said Havana Docks Corporation had a contract to run the docks had expired in 2004.

Justice Elena Kagan made the same argument in dissent.

She said “the docks belonged to the Cuban Government — not Havana Docks — all along. What Havana Docks owned was only a property interest allowing it to use those docks for a specified time. And that time-limited interest expired in 2004 — more than a decade before the cruise lines ever used the docks.”

Still pending before the court is a similar claim from Exxon Mobil Corp., which was argued on the day in late February.

U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is moving to demonstrate a new, fully integrated extended-range strike capability for the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. The two core elements of this effort are an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar and the AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile (SCM), work on which has been underway separately for some time now. TWZ has long highlighted how giving the AC-130J an AESA radar would boost its ability to engage targets at longer ranges. This, in turn, could also help ensure the Ghostrider’s relevance in future high-end fights, especially in the Pacific region.

Col. Justin Bronder, head of SOCOM’s Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing (PEO-FW), discussed the integration of the radar together with the AGM-190A on the AC-130J earlier today. Bronder spoke to TWZ and other outlets alongside other SOCOM acquisition officials at a roundtable on the sidelines of the annual SOF Week conference.

AGM-190A is the formal U.S. military designation for the SCM, developed by Leidos, originally under the name Black Arrow. It has now also emerged that SOCOM refers to the missile by the nickname Havoc Spear. With a demonstrated range of at least 400 miles, the missile has far greater reach than any of the other missiles and precision bombs that the AC-130J is known to be able to employ now by a huge margin. The Ghostrider’s current armament package, which also includes a 30mm automatic cannon and a 105mm howitzer, is focused on close air support and interdiction missions against targets at much closer ranges.

“A lot going on in that space,” Col. Bronder said today. “Our unique teaming with Leidos, that started with a CRADA [Cooperative Research and Development Agreement], that accelerated through an express development program on the now called AGM-190 Havoc Spear affordable cruise missile.”

A CRADA is a non-traditional research and development mechanism through which elements of the U.S. military can pool resources with private companies and other organizations. These agreements allow the parties involved to pursue mutually beneficial work, but without a typical contract or even money necessarily changing hands.

“That program [the AGM-190] has really been moving along quite, quite quickly,” Bronder continued. “We’re looking at ways to kind of accelerate fielding of that weapon in the not too distant future with close teaming with AFSOC [Air Force Special Operations Command] partners to really collapse that development and operational test timeline. So, real big acquisition success there.”

Leidos completes successful test launch of a Small Cruise Missile

“We have tech demonstrations with the AESA radar and the small cruise missile that we’re now looking to see how we can augment and accelerate fielding those types of capabilities for the SOF [special operations forces] fleet,” Bronder added.

“CRADAs produced the AGM-190A Havoc Spear small cruise missile that offers an affordable mass solution with significant range to our service partners,” U.S. Navy Adm. Frank Bradley, head of SOCOM, also said separately during his keynote address at the SOF Week conference earlier today. “Integrated with the AESA radar on the AC-130 gunship, [it is] a formidable capability.”

SOCOM’s proposed budget for the 2027 Fiscal Year, released last month, had hinted at plans to demonstrate the new combination of capabilities for the AC-130J in the next year or so. The command is asking for nearly $5.9 million to support work on the so-called Precision Strike Package (PSP) for the AC-130J. PSP is the overarching system through which all weapons and associated sensors are integrated onto the Ghostrider.

The new funding “is required to integrate AESA radar capabilities into the PSP,” according to SOCOM’s budget documents. The planned work “includes software and hardware development to incorporate the AESA functionality into the Battle Management System and other associated AC-130J systems.”

What specific AESA radar is going on the AC-130Js is unclear. At last year’s SOF Week conference, Col. Bronder said there was “pathfinding” underway involving Northrop Grumman’s AN/APG-83, also known as Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR).

SABR AESA Radar for the F-16

“AFSOC is exploring the development and use of the AESA Radar on the AC-130J as the command continues to operate as both the SOF component to the Air Force and air component to USSOCOM,” AFSOC told TWZ when asked for an update in August 2025. “We cannot discuss the type of radar due to operational security.”

The APG-83 does remain a very plausible choice. The Air Force has already been in the process of integrating this radar onto a significant portion of its fleets of F-16C/D Viper fighters for years now. Beyond its target detection and tracking capabilities, the AN/APG-83 has a synthetic aperture mapping mode and is capable of producing ground moving target indicator data. Also referred to as SAR mapping, this mode allows SABR to produce high-resolution radar imagery. GMTI tracks can be overlaid on those images. All of this, in turn, can be used for target acquisition and identification purposes, as well as general reconnaissance.

There are other AESA radars on the market, as well, including a growing number of compact designs. Radars of this type, in general, can spot objects of interest, even ones with smaller radar cross-sections, faster and do so with greater precision and fidelity compared to older mechanically-scanned models. They can also just scan faster and perform multiple functions near-simultaneously, and do so with improved resistance to radiofrequency jamming and far greater reliability.

As mentioned, TWZ has long pointed out that the addition of an AESA radar would be a huge upgrade for the AC-130J’s ability to spot, track, and engage targets at extended ranges, even in bad weather. The radar would be able to provide real-time midcourse updates to a stand-off weapon if it had a data link capability. This would make engaging moving targets possible if the missile also had a terminal seeker capable of doing so.

Overall, the capability boosts the AESA radar offers are especially important when paired with new, longer-range strike munitions like the AGM-190A. The radar could also help improve the Ghostrider’s effectiveness when employing other shorter-range munitions, including GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) now and GBU-53/B StormBreakers (also known as SDB IIs) in the future.

AESA radars will also expand the AC-130J’s general surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, as well as provide improved general situational awareness.

This is all reflected in SOCOM’s budget documents, which state: “AESA radar enhances the AC-130J’s situational awareness, precision targeting, and survivability while replacing phased-out legacy radars, enabling the Gunship to close Joint Force kill webs and expand its role in support of USINDOPACOM [U.S. Indo-Pacific Command] and Western Hemisphere operations.”

The mention here of the Indo-Pacific region underscores broader questions about future operational relevance that have been facing the AC-130 fleet in recent years. The Ghostrider and its immediate predecessors were workhorses during the Global War on Terror era, flying heavily over countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Even so, they flew almost exclusively under the cover of darkness to help reduce vulnerability to ground fire.

Can The AC-130 Gunship Stay Relevant?

Threats to AC-130s would be far more pronounced in any future high-end fight, such as one against China in the Pacific. For years now, this has been the chief scenario driving U.S. military planning around force structure and other requirements. The latest conflict with Iran, as well as other U.S. operations in and around the Middle East in recent years, have made clear that more capable air defense systems are steadily proliferating to smaller nation states and even non-state actors, as well.

The integration of a new stand-off strike capability paired with an AESA radar is one way for the AC-130J to respond to this evolving threat ecosystem. It could also open the door to other new capabilities for the Ghostrider, as well as other AFSOC aircraft like the OA-1K Skyraider II light attack plane. Similar questions about future relevance have been raised about the OA-1K, a design that is also primarily geared toward counter-terrorism missions and other low-intensity conflicts.

The AC-130J fleet is also in the process of receiving a number of other upgrades, including improvements to its defense countermeasures suite.

It is very possible that the AGM-190A could find its way out of the special operations community and into more widespread U.S. military use. The Air Force is currently planning to buy nearly 28,000 low-cost strike munitions over the next five years through its Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) program.

“We’re also continuing to talk to the Air Force about what they’re doing with their Family of Affordable Mass Munitions [sic]” to see “if there’s some continued interplay there for us to do a service-to-SOF or SOF-to-service transition,” Col. Bronder said today.

Last week, the Pentagon also rolled out a plan to acquire at least 10,000 lower-cost cruise missiles, primarily for surface-launched applications from containerized launchers, in the next three years. Leidos is among the companies now involved in this Low-Cost Containerized Missiles (LCCM) program, and is developing a derivative of the AGM-190A to meet those requirements.

For the AC-130J, a full-up demonstration of the pair of an AESA radar and the AGM-190A cruise missile will mark another step toward giving the gunships a valuable, if not increasingly essential, boost in capability.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Several cruise lines have introduced new passenger rules in 2026 – and if these are broken, passengers could be fined, removed or even handed a lifetime ban from the ship

Several cruise companies have introduced a raft of new rules in 2026 to ensure the safety of passengers travelling on board — but those who break them could find themselves thrown off the ship. As technology continues to advance and people snap up the latest gadgets, cruise operators are keeping their policies up to date to safeguard holidaymakers and protect their privacy while travelling at sea.

There is a comprehensive list of regulations that passengers must adhere to when sailing with cruise operators including Disney, Virgin, P&O and Fred. Olsen. Should any of these rules be breached, travellers could face a formal warning, a financial penalty, or even be removed from the vessel and handed a lifetime ban.

Don and Heidi, a couple who have clocked up 100 cruises between them, regularly share updates and handy tips on TikTok, and have been keeping a close watch on shifting cruise policies over recent months.

Don said: “Cruise lines are instituting new policies and in 2026, these behaviours will get you fined, banned, or removed from the ship entirely.

“One, recording other passengers without their consent using technology like Meta Glasses is a serious violation of privacy policies and fellow cruisers are reporting it.

“Two, flying a drone from the ship is banned on nearly every cruise line. Get caught launching one and you’ll be escorted off at the next port.

“Three, fights on cruise ships are all over the news and lines are done looking the other way. Passengers involved in physical altercations are now being banned from certain cruise lines for life.”

The couple behind the video also used the chance to explain what happens when passengers break three longstanding cruise ship regulations – smoking violations, missing the muster drill, and attempting to smuggle prohibited items aboard.

Don said: “Four, getting caught with prohibited items in checked luggage and you get escorted to a security meeting. Try to bring something more serious on board and you could be handed over to authorities at the next port.

“Five, this isn’t optional. It’s international maritime law. Skip the muster drill and crew will track you down to complete it. Refuse entirely and you’ll be removed from the ship before a set sail.

“Six, lighting up on your balcony, in your cabin, or anywhere else outside the designated smoking areas can get you fined and repeat violations can get you escorted off the ship.

“This includes vaping. Don’t forget to share this one with your cruise mates for your next sailing.”

MV Hondius was carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached the Dutch port of Rotterdam.

A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked in the Netherlands for disinfection.

The MV Hondius was carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached the Dutch port of Rotterdam on Monday, after all the passengers disembarked at other locations. According to the ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions, no one on board is experiencing any symptoms.

A short distance from where the ship docked, authorities had set up white containers along the water. The crew will enter immediate quarantine, with those who cannot be immediately repatriated spending their time in quarantine in these containers.

Three passengers of the ship died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

The MV Hondius has spent the past six days sailing from the Canary Islands, where the remaining passengers were evacuated and boarded flights to more than 20 countries to enter quarantine.

There were at least 11 cases of infection on the ship, nine of which have been confirmed.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said one of the four Canadians in isolation after leaving the ship had tested positive on Sunday. It said it would share information on the case with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Late Sunday, the WHO said it was maintaining its assessment of the hantavirus outbreak as “low risk”.

“While additional cases may still occur among passengers and crew members exposed before containment measures were implemented, the risk of onward transmission is expected to be reduced following disembarkation and the implementation of control measures,” it said.

Crew members who are unable to return home will be quarantined in the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport said last week. Some two dozen passengers and crew members have already been in quarantine in the Netherlands after arriving in the country on different flights in the last two weeks.

After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines.

“Personal protective measures are being taken to ensure that the cleaners do not need to quarantine after the cleaning,” the Health Ministry said in a letter to the Dutch parliament last week.

Public health officials will inspect the ship before it is allowed to sail again. The hantavirus outbreak on Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship.

France’s Pasteur Institute said on Saturday it has fully sequenced the Andes virus detected in a French passenger from the Hondius and found that it matched viruses already known in South America, with no evidence so far of new characteristics that would make it more transmissible or more dangerous.

May 15 (UPI) — The World Health Organization said Friday there have been 10 hantavirus cases reported from the MV Hondius cruise ship and three people have died.

The WHO held a press conference to share an update on the hantavirus outbreak Friday, days after passengers of the cruise ship disembarked to return to their home countries under quarantine. It previously reported 11 cases but that number was revised down to 10.

One American who recently had an inconclusive test has tested negative, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, director of the WHO’s Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Management.

“As of today a total of 10 cases, including three deaths, have been reported to WHO, including eight people who were laboratory confirmed for Andes virus infection and two probable,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said during Friday’s press conference.

Forty-one people are being monitored for the hantavirus in the United States. Most U.S. passengers were transported from the ship to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where they were being monitored in a specially designed medical facility.

Stephen Kornfeld is the only American to test positive for hantavirus. He had flu-like symptoms while aboard the cruise ship and was admitted to the facility in Nebraska. He has since tested negative and has been moved into the facility’s quarantine unit.

“I physically feel great. I have felt great for many, many days,” he told ABC News.

On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a press briefing on its response to the hantavirus. Dr. David Fitter, incident manager for CDC’s hantavirus response, said the risk to the general public is “low.”

“Testing is recommended only for those with symptoms, and decisions are guided by the best available evidence,” Fitter said.

Fitter said the monitoring period for the U.S. passengers is 42 days. He noted that there were passengers who left the ship and returned home before the outbreak and they have been identified.

“Some of these people are at home monitoring their health in close coordination with their state and local health departments, with CDC supporting those efforts,” Fitter said.

The Pentagon has outlined plans to acquire at least 10,000 lower-cost cruise missiles over the next three years, as well as a similar number of relatively ‘cheap’ Blackbeard hypersonic missiles. The new framework deals are part of a broader strategy to dramatically bolster America’s stockpiles of standoff strike munitions and prime the industrial base to sustain those inventories going forward. This is all seen as especially critical for supporting the demands of future high-end fights, such as one in the Pacific against China, and doing so in a cost-effective manner.

“The Department of War has reached new framework agreements with a slate of disruptive new entrants and commercial innovators to aggressively expand the United States military’s strike capabilities,” the Pentagon declared in a press release today. “Agreements with Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos, and Zone 5 will launch the Low-Cost Containerized Missles [sic; Missiles] (LCCM) program, while a parallel agreement with Castelion advances an initiative to scale low-cost hypersonic solutions.”

“The new frameworks for LCCM will drive a fast-paced experimentation and assessment campaign that will culminate in a Military Utility Assessment by the sponsoring Service Components. Designed to move at the speed of commercial industry, the agreements establish the terms for future firm-fixed-price production contracts,” the release adds. “This effort positions the Department to procure over 10,000 low-cost cruise missiles across these portfolios in just three years, starting in 2027. The Department is creating a pathway for rapid and repeatable production of high-volume, lethal strike capabilities. The agreements include firm fixed material-unit costs for production lots in 2027 through 2029.”

The Pentagon has not yet explicitly defined what it means by “containerized” in this context, or how exactly these munitions might be fielded. However, there is already a clear focus on designs that could be fired from containerized launchers on land or loaded on ships. As TWZ has reported on many occasions, containerized systems offer immense operational flexibility, as well as the ability to blend in with standard shipping containers, creating targeting challenges for opponents. The LCCM munitions could be adapted for air launch, if they are not expected to also be employable in that mode already. Common munitions that could be employed from launch platforms across domains would offer additional benefits in terms of logistics and production, as well as helping to keep costs down through economies of scale.

Anduril has already announced that its contribution will be the surface-launched version of its Barracuda-500M design, a weapon that can also be air-launched. The company says it plans to deliver a minimum of 1,000 of these weapons to the U.S. military each year for the next three years.

Leidos says it will supply an LCCM design that leverages existing work on its air-launched AGM-190A Small Cruise Missile (SCM), also known as Black Arrow, originally developed for U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The company plans to deliver 3,000 of these units under the new framework deal.

Leidos completes successful test launch of a Small Cruise Missile

“At approximately twice the size of the AGM-190A, the LCCM offers increased mission effectiveness and fuel capacity to maximize range. Building on the Leidos Small Cruise Missile’s heritage, the LCCM leverages key design features including a modular airframe and a common Weapon Open Systems Architecture (WOSA) to enable rapid integration, upgrades and mission adaptability,” Leidos’ press release adds. “The design also utilizes Leidos’ established supply chain and scalable production approach. While initially ground-launched, LCCM’s modular design could also support maritime platform integration and air-launched variants.”

At the time of writing, CoAspire and Zone 5, the latter of which was recently acquired by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, do not appear to have issued press releases regarding the Pentagon’s LCCM announcement. However, both companies have already developed cruise missile designs under the U.S. Air Force’s Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) program, which was focused first on delivering new, lower-cost air-launched strike capabilities to Ukraine. CoAspire’s ERAM design is called the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM), while one from Zone 5 is named Rusty Dagger.

RAACM Cruise Missile Video Long Range Flights Summer 2025 Cleared for Public Release

ERAM is also now feeding into the Air Force’s Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) program. That service’s proposed budget for the 2027 Fiscal Year had already laid out plans to buy nearly 28,000 FAMM munitions over the next five years.

CoAspire has talked in the past about surface-launched versions of its RAACM and its new longer-range RAACM-ER. Zone 5 could similarly look to adapt its existing Rusty Dagger missile to meet the specific LCCM requirements.

“Concurrently, once Castelion achieves testing and validation, the Department will award a two-year multi-year procurement contract for a minimum of 500 Blackbeard missiles annually, with options to extend for up to five years,” the Pentagon’s press release today also notes. “To further encourage Castelion’s self-funded facility expansion, the Department is actively seeking the necessary authorizations and appropriations to purchase over 12,000 Blackbeard missiles over five years.”

Castelion has already been developing a ground-launched version of Blackbeard for the U.S. Army. Last month, the company formally announced that it had received a separate contract from the U.S. Navy for an air-launched version to arm that service’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.

“The experimentation and assessment campaign for LCCM will be led by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, with the Army Program Acquisition Executive Fires serving as the transition partner and acquisition lead for procurement,” according to the Pentagon. “To kickstart this initiative, the Department will procure test missiles from all four LCCM companies starting in June 2026, laying the groundwork for the assessment phase of the program. These agreements were developed in close coordination with the United States Air Force Program Acquisition Executive Weapons, the Test Resource Management Center and multiple components across the War Department, including the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment.”

It should be stressed here that the problem set that LCCM and the tangential framework arrangement with Castelion are intended to address, that of a critical need for production of cost-effective strike munitions at scale, is not new. Expenditures of critical air-to-surface and surface-to-surface munitions, as well as anti-air interceptors, by the U.S. military, as well as its allies and partners, in conflicts in recent years have only underscored the vital need to bolster these inventories. Demand for stand-off munitions, in particular, would be far greater in any future high-end fight against a near-peer adversary like China. That is a scenario where American forces could easily find themselves tasked to prosecute tens of thousands, of targets, just in the opening phase.

Furthermore, existing munitions are often exquisite in design, and take months, or more often years, of lead time to produce. The Pentagon’s focus on “disruptive new entrants and commercial innovators,” rather than any of America’s long-established prime defense contractors, with its newly announced framework deals, is extremely significant in its own right. This is the latest example of a major shift away from awarding high-profile contracts to large legacy providers, helping to diversify the industrial base and promote competition. This also means moving away from companies accustomed to very long lead procurement and production arrangements.

The LCCM effort follows years of work in the pursuit of lower-cost stand-off munitions, especially by the U.S. Air Force. This is underscored by the fact that all of the companies named today already have relevant designs that they have been working on under contract to the U.S. military. This, in turn, has already led to an explosion in the market for munitions in this general category, many of which increasingly blur the line between long-range kamikaze drones, traditional cruise missiles, and decoys. It should also be noted that the new lower-cost munitions are not intended to replace existing exquisite designs, but instead to form a valuable high-low capability mix that offers a more cost-effective and flexible blend of options for striking targets.

The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy have also made significant investments already in containerized launchers capable of firing various types of longer-ranged missiles.

If the frameworks announced today produce the promised results, they could be instrumental in laying the foundation for the production of lower-cost strike munitions for years to come.

Update: 6:20 PM EST –

Zone 5 has now provided a statement regarding today’s announcement from the Pentagon.

“Zone 5 is proud to partner with the Department of War on the Low-Cost Containerized Missiles program to deliver affordable, scalable strike capacity to our warfighters needed to deter and defeat emerging threats,” Thomas Akers, CEO of Zone 5 Technologies, said. “This program reflects exactly where American defense innovation must go: faster development, on-demand production, and high-volume weapons that can be fielded at the pace of relevance. We are honored to be a part of this effort to expand the munitions industrial base and strengthen America’s arsenal.”

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

BORDEAUX — Passengers unaffected by an illness outbreak on a British cruise ship have been allowed off the ship in Bordeaux, while authorities confirmed the cause of the outbreak is norovirus, a nasty stomach bug that spreads easily.

French authorities had initially ordered over 1,700 passengers and crew on The Ambition cruise ship to remain on board, but then decided late Wednesday to let those unaffected disembark. One passenger was spotted raising his arms in triumph while leaving the vessel.

It was not immediately clear how many left the ship.

French authorities said there is no link to a deadly hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch vessel that has put European health authorities on alert in recent weeks.

The Ambition was midway through a 14-night cruise from Belfast and Liverpool, with scheduled stops in northern Spain and along France’s Atlantic coast when it was struck by the outbreak. It reached Bordeaux on Tuesday evening, according to the operator, Ambassador Cruise Line. It was not immediately clear if or when it would resume its journey.

Samples analyzed at Bordeaux University Hospital confirmed an outbreak of norovirus. Local authorities said at this stage no serious cases have been reported and that sick passengers were cared for onboard by the ship’s medical team.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks outbreaks on voyages that call on U.S. and foreign ports, recorded 23 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships last year. Most were caused by norovirus, including a new strain.

Ambassador Cruise Line, a British operator catering to passengers over 50, was founded in 2021.