Latest news with #Aussie-owned
Scoop
02-08-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Taxpayers' Union Launches Campaign Against Dirty Deal Between Big Banks, ANZ, ASB, And The National Party
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union has today launched a major campaign targeting Scott Simpson's Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Bill, which includes retrospective provisions that would extinguish a live class action brought by tens of thousands of bank customers against ANZ and ASB banks. The campaign has been launched with National Party's annual conference attendees being delivered love letters from the Big Banks to recognise their special relationship and bank bailout. In the coming days, a digital advertising, billboard, and grassroots mobilisation campaign demanding that Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Minister of Consumer Affairs Scott Simpson drop the retrospective clauses from the Bill will be launched. Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said: 'This is a disgraceful case of retrospective lawmaking that undermines the rule of law and destroys trust in New Zealand as a stable place to do business." "Last month the NZ Herald reported that the Bill is a result of backroom discussions between the Government and the Aussie-owned big banks which excluded the consumer-side parties of the very class action litigation the Bill is intended to extinguish." "Across the Tasman, the Aussie banks were hauled over the coals for misconduct and dishonest practises. But in Wellington, they are doing deals with the Beehive to be bailed out and 'protected' from consumer class actions. It's perverting the course of justice for tens of thousands." "Not only does the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Bill run roughshod over the rule of law, it is specifically designed to bail out the powerful at the expense of ordinary Kiwis.' 'Tens of thousands of Kiwis are part of a live class action over alleged unfair fees. Instead of letting the courts do their job, Nicola Willis and Scott Simpson are stepping in to shut it down with the stroke of a pen. That's not justice — that's Parliament playing defence for its mates.' The Union says the Bill makes a mockery of the Government's own rhetoric about restoring New Zealand's reputation as a safe, rules-based place to invest and do business. 'The same Ministers pushing the so-called Regulatory Standards Bill – which rightly warns against retrospective legislation – are now ramming through a bill that does exactly that. That's usually called hypocrisy.' 'When governments change the rules mid-litigation to protect the well connected, it sends a chilling message to investors, consumers, and taxpayers alike: the law in New Zealand is only as stable as the political connections of the people you're up against.' Williams concluded: 'This campaign isn't just focused at the Government. It's to hold to account and expose the disgraceful behaviour of ANZ and ASB banks to undermine their own customers' rights. This is about not just honesty and integrity and customer disclosures, but New Zealanders having the ability to enforce consumer protection law against the big end of town.' 'Either the Government walks the talk on stable, principled lawmaking, or they admit they're no better than the last lot. Kiwis deserve better than this grubby stitch-up.' The social media, digital and advertising campaign launches next week along with some more creative plans to ensure this bill gets the public scrutiny it deserves. 'Watch this space.'
Tom's Guide
31-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Superloop Opticomm review: a great telco that delivers as a private fibre plan provider
If you live in a new build or apartment complex that isn't serviced by the National Broadband Network (NBN), you likely connect via an NBN alternative like 5G home internet, or a private fibre network, such as Opticomm. If you connect via Opticomm, you're in luck, as we've just conducted this review of Superloop, an Aussie-owned telco that services both NBN and Opticomm fibre addresses. The provider was founded in 2014 and is relatively well known for offering attractively low prices across its NBN, mobile and Opticomm plan inventory. According to ACCC data published in June, Superloop's NBN counterpart achieves 103.6% of its advertised speeds throughout the day, which is no mean feat. But do its Opticomm plans stand up to the test? We've spent the past six months conducting a deep dive into Superloop's Opticomm plans to help you gauge whether it's a suitable option for your home or business. So, without further ado, here's our Superloop Opticomm review. Superloop has six Opticomm plans: Similarly reflective of what the telco offers across its NBN plans, Superloop's Opticomm options are quite varied and cater to a range of speed preferences. All plans come with unlimited data, no lock-in contract and maximum typical evening speeds (TES) claims — for the most part (more on that below). When you first sign up for a Superloop Opticomm plan, you can choose to pay for a modem alongside your plan. At the time of writing, customers can choose between the Amazon eero 6+ or the Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Mesh modem, both AU$170 upfront. For this review, we opted to use our own modem, a plug-and-play TP-Link Archer BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 router. As for slower-speed plans, Superloop's Everyday 25/5 fibre plan is the cheapest, at just AU$77p/m, with TES of 25Mbps downloads and 5Mbps uploads. The cost of the plan is on par with other Opticomm 25 equivalents, just above the AU$73.75p/m average (as of July 2025). The Extra Value 50/20 plan is a step above the Everyday, offering 50Mbps downloads and 20Mbps uploads. The plan is below average for the tier, at just AU$87p/m, compared to AU$89.16p/m. The telco's plans really start to speed up — get it? — with Superloop's higher fibre tiers, starting with the Family 100/20 and Power Home 100/40. Price-wise, when compared to tier medians, the 100/20Mbps plan is spot on at AU$95p/m, while the 100/40Mbps is around AU$5p/m less. The only differentiator between these two plans is the upload speed provided, with the Power Home plan offering customers 40Mbps uploads during busy evening hours and the Family plan only clocking 20Mbps. Both have the advertised speed claim of 100Mbps download speeds. For the purposes of this review, the Family plan is what we have been examining, as there were infrastructure limitations at our reviewer's address. Superloop's Superfast 250/21 and Lightning 860/42 are where things start to get more interesting, though. Both plans offer some of the fastest speeds available for Opticomm providers, with the latter capping out at 860Mbps TES. When compared to other Opticomm plans currently available, Superloop has the most inexpensive price points compared to other providers. Opticomm connections are predominantly found in newly built homes and apartment buildings with networking infrastructure installed during construction, rather than the NBN. Opticomm's fibre optic network can deliver theoretical speeds of up to 1,000Mbps, matching the current fastest speed offered by the NBN. Opticomm offers similar speed tiers to the NBN for the most part, but there are some restrictions on which tiers you can select based on your location, preferred provider, and modem. A key difference is that not all ISPs offer Opticomm plans. Superloop is one of 52 providers that service Opticomm properties, with other notable providers being Aussie Broadband, Origin and iiNet. It's also worth pointing out that some ISPs refer to their Opticomm plans as "Fibre plans" or fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), like iiNet. This should not be confused with fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) plans, as some providers provide their own fibre network to select properties — i.e. TPG — and do not supply connections to Opticomm addresses. If you're not sure what providers you can choose from, check out the Opticomm website for a complete list of telcos, and be sure to check your address on your preferred provider's website before signing up for a plan. After testing the Family 100/20 plan for a few months, our speed test data revealed some not-so-surprising results. We anticipated results of at least 100Mbps — as per Superloop's advertised speed claim — and our average download speeds were on par, at 102.28Mbps across all hours. The top download speed achieved was 108Mbps, and the lowest was 89.60Mbps — a mere 10.40Mbps under the theoretical maximum. Overall, we were pretty satisfied with download speeds, especially as they were consistent with the telco's speed claim and Superloop's NBN equivalent plan. As for upload speeds, the plan performed as well, hitting the maximum speeds of 20Mbps during our tests. Uploads consistently averaged speeds of 19.08Mbps, which is exceedingly close to the theoretical maximum (and 0.92Mbps off doesn't make much of a real-world difference). These speeds are pretty typical for the Opticomm 100Mbps tier, in line with the NBN counterpart. Most of these speed results were also consistent, regardless of any subjective elements that I experimented with during the test period. In terms of general connectivity, I found I always had a good, instant connection to the service on my phone and laptop. I did suffer from a few service dropouts — including during a weekly work call — however, Superloop has consistently communicated if outages were expected. I often received a text message and notification on the Superloop app when we would experience disruptions, including downtime periods, and all bar one experience was fully anticipated by me as a customer. The exception was the aforementioned work call; however, this was an outlier within the review period. Now, Superloop doesn't explicitly present itself as an internet service provider for online games, but it often comes up in discussions about the best internet plans for gaming. When it comes to latency — a.k.a. the information dependent upon by online gamers — Superloop delivers some seriously great speeds, according to data published by the ACCC. In its quarterly Measuring Broadband Australia report, the consumer watchdog found that Superloop returned numbers of 8.1ms during all hours and the busy hours of 7pm – 11pm. Exetel — owned by Superloop — came in with 7.9ms across all hours, while Leaptel came in the lowest with 7.4ms during all hours. However, these figures are merely a guideline, because more often than not, where you live in Australia can affect your online gaming experience. Ultimately, it's difficult to identify the "best" internet service provider for gaming, as several factors come into play. However, Superloop generally receives positive reviews from online gamers in online forums, so we suggest giving it a go. Like other ISPs, Superloop's plans do not have lock-in contracts, so you can switch between Opticomm providers if it doesn't suit you. Superloop doesn't just supply great Opticomm plans — it also has a range of perks worthy of attention. The biggest drawcard for Superloop is the fact that you can bundle your internet service with either a home phone line or a mobile plan. Starting from just AU$0p/m, you can add on a pay-as-you-go home phone line, with local and national calls costing 10c. Otherwise, you can add an Unlimited Home Phone service for AU$10p/m, with limitless local and national calls, and unlimited international calls to select countries such as the UK, New Zealand, USA, Japan, China, and Singapore. If you bundle the unlimited service, you can slash AU$5p/m off your total broadband bill, which is a pretty stellar deal. So, for example, if you had the 25Mbps plan, it would cost you AU$82p/m ongoing, after the introductory rate ends. This bundle deal is the same if you purchase a mobile phone plan through Superloop as well. Superloop's SIM-only plans start at AU$25p/m for 15GB data, through to AU$60p/m for 150GB data on a 5G mobile connection. Often, a topic of conversation that comes up when considering a new internet plan is how to cancel your current service. Generally, this situation sparks controversy across most telcos, as cancelling any internet service is tricky, and this sentiment rings true for Superloop, especially in customer feedback and reviews online. Superloop's official cancellation policy in its T&Cs says that you "may cancel your service at any time by giving Superloop 30 days' notice" and this can be done via email, phone or chat support. There's no mention of paying an additional cancellation fee on a no-contract plan; however, if you exit your plan earlier than the notice period given, you may need to pay a pro-rata charge. Many users online aren't fans of giving the notice period, although Superloop isn't alone in asking for this. A good majority of customers have found that they believe they have cancelled their service (albeit eventually after finally being connected to a representative), but continue to be billed. This then segues into more generalised issues with customer support, which we will continue to discuss below. As we said, Superloop isn't alone in this regard, so it's hard to single it out as having a poor cancellation policy. Ultimately, all telcos need to improve cancellation processes and make it easier for customers to leave their services if they wish. Upon conducting this review, Superloop holds up its own standards when delivering Opticomm plans. Its claimed speeds are equal to its NBN plans, and the telco is well-known when it comes to gaming. But when it comes to customer support, the telco has improved in the past few years. As per ProductReview, the telco itself receives mostly positive reviews, with 4.3 stars out of 5 over 4,258 reviews. However, it's important to note that most of these reviews are focused on the NBN component of the telco, not necessarily Opticomm connections, so your experience may differ. While conducting our initial Superloop NBN review in 2023, the telco received mixed reviews when it came to customer service, with poor communication and support. However, since then, the telco has gained more favourable reviews from customers praising support workers for helping with installation questions, set-up times and unexpected outages. There are, of course, some negative reviews from customers who have experienced the complete opposite; however, they are few and far between. When it comes down to it, we'd say to take these reviews with a pinch of salt, as your own experience with the ISP could be entirely different to someone else's. After conducting this review, we can recommend Superloop as an Opticomm provider, especially if you've just moved into a private fibre residence or want to change ISPs. Monthly prices are either on par with or below the monthly average at the time of writing, and overall, it seems you will indeed achieve the speeds of whichever plan you select. It is even highly recommended as an option for online gamers, which isn't something that can be said of all telcos. We do note, though, that if you are serious about Superloop, you should read the T&Cs about the cancellation and set-up process before signing up for a plan — especially if you're concerned about the cancellation process. As the telco works on a no-contract basis and a six-month introductory offer, I'd suggest signing up for the first six months and changing providers if Superloop doesn't suit you. Even after all that, Superloop remains a superstar provider for NBN plans and Opticomm plans alike.
7NEWS
28-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
This dentist-directed teeth straightening treatment used by millions of shoppers is half the price of Invisalign
Confidence starts with your smile and achieving straight white teeth can be the key to increasing it. It's no secret that dentist appointments can be incredibly expensive, but one Aussie-owned brand is determined to provide shoppers with incredible results, for a much more affordable price tag. Meet Linea, the dental aligners brand, offering effective and safe solutions to straightening teeth. Used by millions of shoppers in the last 20 years, Linea is a dentist-directed treatment with involves partnering with licensed dentists all over Australia. Selling clear aligners directly to shoppers, you can score a happier smile than half the price of other aligner brands such as Invisalign. Kickstart your teeth alignment journey by taking the FREE 30-second online smile quiz to see how Linea can help you achieve your goals. Clear aligners have transformed the orthodontics landscape over the last two decades, used by millions worldwide to achieve straighter, healthier smiles. But the clear aligner market has long been split into two models: dentist-directed treatments and at-home kits. At-home brands surged in popularity during the pandemic due to their convenience, but they've since faced criticism — and even regulatory scrutiny for poor outcomes, medical risks, and lack of professional oversight. These kits typically rely on DIY impressions without scans, x-rays, or dental involvement, leading to unsafe or ineffective results. On the other end, dentist-directed brands like Invisalign provide a higher standard of care but come with a hefty price tag, thanks to a distribution model that passes costs down to the consumer. The result? Identical treatment plans quoted at wildly different prices, depending on which dentist you visit. Linea bridges this gap. Its hybrid business model offers direct-to-customer pricing while preserving the clinical oversight of licensed dentists. That means consistent, lower costs — without compromising on safety nor quality. Linea Co-Founder, Nicholas Van Leeuwen explains that Linea's unique business model is the reason the company has so many return customers. 'We cut the middleman out but retain a high level of dentist involvement. It's the best of both worlds. ' The Linea journey starts with a 30-second Smile Quiz to assess your suitability. From there, the experience is seamless, professional, and transparent. Firstly you receive a consultation and you're matched with one of Linea's partner dentists across Australia for a full assessment, including x-rays, 3D scans, and intraoral images. Then you're provided with a customised plan which is a tailored treatment created with Linea's dental team, and you'll preview your future smile through a 3D simulation Your dentist fits your aligners, performs any required procedures (like IPR or attachments), and monitors your progress. The Linea app provides 7-day support, reminders, photo uploads for monitoring, and direct access to Linea's clinical team. Post-Treatment which is included in your plan are medical-grade retainers and professional teeth whitening, to ensure your results last and your smile shines. 'I had an amazing experience, brilliant customer service every step of the way,' one person wrote. 'The results are beyond my expectations,' another shopper added.
The Age
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
The 15 big cruising trends you'll want to get behind
Land and sea connections Last year we reported on the rise of land tours before and after a cruise, which range from port-city hotel breaks to short, guided getaways to inland destinations. But far more ambitious land-sea journeys are becoming more common, too. Cruise lines want a slice of the lucrative land market, and customers in an uncertain world are increasingly keen on single, seamless holiday packages. Some travel companies with both land and cruise arms are perfectly placed to deliver. Scenic is unrolling a collection of worldwide Grand Journeys in 2026 that range from 41 and 86 days and match land journeys with ocean and river cruises. Examples include a Portugal to Switzerland and Machu Picchu to Caribbean journey. See Nile River cruising In the last 15 years Egyptian tourism has been battered by the Arab Spring and COVID, and it looked as if the Gaza conflict might put tourists off again. Yet this ancient country, as it has done numerous times over the last two centuries, is becoming a hot destination all over again. Bookings on the Nile surged this year, the season has been steadily lengthening, companies such as Scenic and Travelmarvel are making a return in 2025 and 2026 respectively, and new ships are launching. A total solar eclipse over Egypt in 2027 is creating further demand for special eclipse cruises. Viking Cruises recently launched two new ships and is taking its Nile fleet to 10 by 2026. Its popular cruise-tour will be bolstered by 221 new departures by 2027. See Expedition cruising Nothing new about this style of small-ship adventure, but this once niche segment is booming. Ten years ago, fewer than 100,000 passengers took an expedition cruise. This year, four times as many set sail on some 100 expedition ships belonging to 20 cruise lines. Australians shine on the expedition front, with Aussie-owned companies such as Aurora Expeditions, Chimu Adventures, Coral Expeditions and Scenic sending ships to the far corners of the Earth. APT also offers expedition cruises on chartered ships. Expedition ships average 160 passengers with cruises lasting an average 11 days. As for the next big things within expeditions, expect more millennial, Gen Z and solo travellers, and increasing itineraries in 'water-water' destinations such as the Indian Ocean and West Africa. See Ships with sails OK, you're allowed to raise your eyebrows at the thought of sails on ships being the way of the future rather than a relic of the past. Only a few companies such as Star Clipper and Windstar offer cruises under canvas. But if research and development go the right way, a more futuristic 'sailing' ship might become more common as companies seek alternative propulsion systems to fossil fuels. They won't only be very small ships, either. Orient Express Silenseas, due to sail in mid-2026, will have French-developed SolidSail technology, with three huge sails made from glass panels reinforced with carbon fibre. Ponant and Hurtigruten are looking at adding sails to their new ships, too, while Carnival Corporation is studying vertical rotors that will be powered by wind. See Persian Gulf cruising Why this region didn't emerge as a cruise destination long ago is a mystery: it has good tourism infrastructure and airline connections, a predictable climate, distinctive culture and conveniently close ports. You'll have plenty of opportunity to cruise the Persian Gulf in future, with Dubai's cruise terminal positioned as a major hub, and other new terminals gracing harbourfronts from Bahrain to Muscat, Kuwait, Doha and Abu Dhabi. MSC Cruises is a regional regular and homeports MSC Euribia in Dubai over the winter cruise season. Small-ship company Celestyal Cruises has extended its Persian Gulf options and will have two ships in the Gulf this coming season. Explora Journeys meanwhile is launching into the 2026-27 season, and many other cruise lines make occasional visits. Expect more to come. See Cruise-free ports It isn't all good news in cruising. A growing swell of public pressure against overcrowding and pollution is seeing more ports ban or limit cruise ship arrivals. From July this year ships carrying more than 2500 passengers will be turned away from Nice and adjacent Villefranche-sur-Mer, long staples of the Mediterranean cruise circuit. Some are calling for ships to be banned entirely from the French Riviera. Nice joins a list of other cruise-sceptic ports from Juneau in Alaska to Palma, Majorca in Spain that have put varying limits on cruise ships. Cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bordeaux and Venice have moved ships out of city centres. In Europe, you might expect more noisy anti-cruise demonstrators holding signs and placards, or chanting and banging saucepans, as you disembark your ship. Alaska cruises Alaska has long been a cruise staple, but the next few years will see more ships than ever before sail its glacier-nibbled coastline and fabled Inside Passage that runs between the coast and islands of Alaska and British Columbia. By 2026, Royal Caribbean will have four ships homeported for Alaska cruises, Princess will offer itineraries on a record eight ships, and MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages will send ships for the first time. Azamara returns after a seven-year absence. The boom has been fuelled by Americans looking for post-pandemic domestic destinations, increased ship capacity and the development of new ports and more varied itineraries. More ships are now visiting smaller ports such as Valdez, Kodiak Island and Homer. See The vast majority of river cruising is undertaken in Europe and a great chunk of that on the Rhine and Danube rivers. But we'll see more river cruises developed elsewhere in years to come as demand for river-cruising grows and European rivers get more familiar – and congested. Two choice examples are up and running this year, with AmaWaterways offering cruises on Colombia's Magdalena River and Australia Star launching on our own Murray River. Cruising isn't new to the Murray but the new ship, a partnership between Murray River Paddlesteamers and APT, ups luxury levels. The Mekong, Peruvian Amazon, Ganges, Mississippi, Chobe River in Botswana and Intracoastal Waterway (partly on rivers and canals along America's east coast) are also tipped for growth. See Great Lakes cruising The outsized lakes that straddle the border of Canada and America have hovered under the radar for a long time, with only local companies St Lawrence Cruise Lines and Pearl Seas Cruises sailing there. Then Viking Cruises began operating its expedition ships on the lakes in 2022 and found so much international demand that it doubled capacity the year after. It is adding two new itineraries in 2026. Now things are hotting up even more, with American small-ship company Victory Cruise Lines returning to the region this year with itineraries that visit all five lakes, and French expedition company Ponant also sending two ships to the Great Lakes. Numbers are still modest, with only 22,000 passengers projected in 2025. An uncrowded cruise destination awaits – for now. See Winter cruising in Europe As summer crowds and heat continue to surge, we'll be seeing more off-season cruising in Europe – although soon it will hardly be off-season at all, and the steep discounts once offered on fares will steadily shrink. The attraction? Fewer tourists in monuments and museums, seasonal atmosphere and an alternative experience, though unpredictable weather and short daylight hours are downsides. A flotilla of cruise ships is now sailing the Mediterranean into November and resuming as early as February, and even in the Baltic Sea some are lingering right through winter. Copenhagen expects more than 50 cruise ships to arrive this 2025-26 winter season. Cruises to see the Northern Lights in Norway and Christmas-market river cruises on the Rhine and Danube are also growing in popularity. See Ocean lines take to rivers Time will tell if this is the next big thing, but two ocean cruise companies have already announced a move into the river-cruise market and, given its potential for more expansion, we might assume others are considering it. This year French expedition company Ponant acquired a stake in Aqua Expeditions, a boutique operator on the Amazon and Mekong rivers. The hefty bank balance of Ponant's parent company Artemis Group suggests expansion of Aqua Expeditions might be on the cards. Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises has announced an order for 10 river ships, open for booking this year but the first not sailing until 2027. The company remains tight-lipped on details but will sail first in Europe before expanding to other world rivers. See Short-break cruising Loading Sometimes it pays to look to Americans, who form the world's largest cruise market, to see what might be happening elsewhere soon. And considering the trend towards three-and four-day cruises among Americans, you can bet they might soon be booming in Australia, too. Short-break cruising is increasingly popular because it provides a quick getaway at a budget price. Many younger first timers want to see if they enjoy the cruise experience. Cruise lines like it because onboard revenue is higher per day than on longer cruises. Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean all offer short-break cruising from Australia, which range from between two and five nights. Short cruises also make for interesting add-ons while visiting destinations such as Singapore, Europe or the Caribbean. See
Sydney Morning Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The 15 big cruising trends you'll want to get behind
Land and sea connections Last year we reported on the rise of land tours before and after a cruise, which range from port-city hotel breaks to short, guided getaways to inland destinations. But far more ambitious land-sea journeys are becoming more common, too. Cruise lines want a slice of the lucrative land market, and customers in an uncertain world are increasingly keen on single, seamless holiday packages. Some travel companies with both land and cruise arms are perfectly placed to deliver. Scenic is unrolling a collection of worldwide Grand Journeys in 2026 that range from 41 and 86 days and match land journeys with ocean and river cruises. Examples include a Portugal to Switzerland and Machu Picchu to Caribbean journey. See Nile River cruising In the last 15 years Egyptian tourism has been battered by the Arab Spring and COVID, and it looked as if the Gaza conflict might put tourists off again. Yet this ancient country, as it has done numerous times over the last two centuries, is becoming a hot destination all over again. Bookings on the Nile surged this year, the season has been steadily lengthening, companies such as Scenic and Travelmarvel are making a return in 2025 and 2026 respectively, and new ships are launching. A total solar eclipse over Egypt in 2027 is creating further demand for special eclipse cruises. Viking Cruises recently launched two new ships and is taking its Nile fleet to 10 by 2026. Its popular cruise-tour will be bolstered by 221 new departures by 2027. See Expedition cruising Nothing new about this style of small-ship adventure, but this once niche segment is booming. Ten years ago, fewer than 100,000 passengers took an expedition cruise. This year, four times as many set sail on some 100 expedition ships belonging to 20 cruise lines. Australians shine on the expedition front, with Aussie-owned companies such as Aurora Expeditions, Chimu Adventures, Coral Expeditions and Scenic sending ships to the far corners of the Earth. APT also offers expedition cruises on chartered ships. Expedition ships average 160 passengers with cruises lasting an average 11 days. As for the next big things within expeditions, expect more millennial, Gen Z and solo travellers, and increasing itineraries in 'water-water' destinations such as the Indian Ocean and West Africa. See Ships with sails OK, you're allowed to raise your eyebrows at the thought of sails on ships being the way of the future rather than a relic of the past. Only a few companies such as Star Clipper and Windstar offer cruises under canvas. But if research and development go the right way, a more futuristic 'sailing' ship might become more common as companies seek alternative propulsion systems to fossil fuels. They won't only be very small ships, either. Orient Express Silenseas, due to sail in mid-2026, will have French-developed SolidSail technology, with three huge sails made from glass panels reinforced with carbon fibre. Ponant and Hurtigruten are looking at adding sails to their new ships, too, while Carnival Corporation is studying vertical rotors that will be powered by wind. See Persian Gulf cruising Why this region didn't emerge as a cruise destination long ago is a mystery: it has good tourism infrastructure and airline connections, a predictable climate, distinctive culture and conveniently close ports. You'll have plenty of opportunity to cruise the Persian Gulf in future, with Dubai's cruise terminal positioned as a major hub, and other new terminals gracing harbourfronts from Bahrain to Muscat, Kuwait, Doha and Abu Dhabi. MSC Cruises is a regional regular and homeports MSC Euribia in Dubai over the winter cruise season. Small-ship company Celestyal Cruises has extended its Persian Gulf options and will have two ships in the Gulf this coming season. Explora Journeys meanwhile is launching into the 2026-27 season, and many other cruise lines make occasional visits. Expect more to come. See Cruise-free ports It isn't all good news in cruising. A growing swell of public pressure against overcrowding and pollution is seeing more ports ban or limit cruise ship arrivals. From July this year ships carrying more than 2500 passengers will be turned away from Nice and adjacent Villefranche-sur-Mer, long staples of the Mediterranean cruise circuit. Some are calling for ships to be banned entirely from the French Riviera. Nice joins a list of other cruise-sceptic ports from Juneau in Alaska to Palma, Majorca in Spain that have put varying limits on cruise ships. Cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bordeaux and Venice have moved ships out of city centres. In Europe, you might expect more noisy anti-cruise demonstrators holding signs and placards, or chanting and banging saucepans, as you disembark your ship. Alaska cruises Alaska has long been a cruise staple, but the next few years will see more ships than ever before sail its glacier-nibbled coastline and fabled Inside Passage that runs between the coast and islands of Alaska and British Columbia. By 2026, Royal Caribbean will have four ships homeported for Alaska cruises, Princess will offer itineraries on a record eight ships, and MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages will send ships for the first time. Azamara returns after a seven-year absence. The boom has been fuelled by Americans looking for post-pandemic domestic destinations, increased ship capacity and the development of new ports and more varied itineraries. More ships are now visiting smaller ports such as Valdez, Kodiak Island and Homer. See The vast majority of river cruising is undertaken in Europe and a great chunk of that on the Rhine and Danube rivers. But we'll see more river cruises developed elsewhere in years to come as demand for river-cruising grows and European rivers get more familiar – and congested. Two choice examples are up and running this year, with AmaWaterways offering cruises on Colombia's Magdalena River and Australia Star launching on our own Murray River. Cruising isn't new to the Murray but the new ship, a partnership between Murray River Paddlesteamers and APT, ups luxury levels. The Mekong, Peruvian Amazon, Ganges, Mississippi, Chobe River in Botswana and Intracoastal Waterway (partly on rivers and canals along America's east coast) are also tipped for growth. See Great Lakes cruising The outsized lakes that straddle the border of Canada and America have hovered under the radar for a long time, with only local companies St Lawrence Cruise Lines and Pearl Seas Cruises sailing there. Then Viking Cruises began operating its expedition ships on the lakes in 2022 and found so much international demand that it doubled capacity the year after. It is adding two new itineraries in 2026. Now things are hotting up even more, with American small-ship company Victory Cruise Lines returning to the region this year with itineraries that visit all five lakes, and French expedition company Ponant also sending two ships to the Great Lakes. Numbers are still modest, with only 22,000 passengers projected in 2025. An uncrowded cruise destination awaits – for now. See Winter cruising in Europe As summer crowds and heat continue to surge, we'll be seeing more off-season cruising in Europe – although soon it will hardly be off-season at all, and the steep discounts once offered on fares will steadily shrink. The attraction? Fewer tourists in monuments and museums, seasonal atmosphere and an alternative experience, though unpredictable weather and short daylight hours are downsides. A flotilla of cruise ships is now sailing the Mediterranean into November and resuming as early as February, and even in the Baltic Sea some are lingering right through winter. Copenhagen expects more than 50 cruise ships to arrive this 2025-26 winter season. Cruises to see the Northern Lights in Norway and Christmas-market river cruises on the Rhine and Danube are also growing in popularity. See Ocean lines take to rivers Time will tell if this is the next big thing, but two ocean cruise companies have already announced a move into the river-cruise market and, given its potential for more expansion, we might assume others are considering it. This year French expedition company Ponant acquired a stake in Aqua Expeditions, a boutique operator on the Amazon and Mekong rivers. The hefty bank balance of Ponant's parent company Artemis Group suggests expansion of Aqua Expeditions might be on the cards. Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises has announced an order for 10 river ships, open for booking this year but the first not sailing until 2027. The company remains tight-lipped on details but will sail first in Europe before expanding to other world rivers. See Short-break cruising Loading Sometimes it pays to look to Americans, who form the world's largest cruise market, to see what might be happening elsewhere soon. And considering the trend towards three-and four-day cruises among Americans, you can bet they might soon be booming in Australia, too. Short-break cruising is increasingly popular because it provides a quick getaway at a budget price. Many younger first timers want to see if they enjoy the cruise experience. Cruise lines like it because onboard revenue is higher per day than on longer cruises. Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean all offer short-break cruising from Australia, which range from between two and five nights. Short cruises also make for interesting add-ons while visiting destinations such as Singapore, Europe or the Caribbean. See
