by Ana
  • Looking to increase shore excursion bookings (particularly by first-time cruisers) – and to compete with third-party operators who sell tours at ports – Carnival Cruise Lines has launched an industry-first shore excursion best-price guarantee. It works this way: If you book a shore excursion through Carnival and then find a similar tour advertised to the general …

  • With a bunch of innovative features including a complex of cabins for solo travelers and Blue Man Group performing on board, Norwegian Epic made a big splash when it debuted in 2010. Spending the summers in Europe and winters in Miami, the innovative, 4,100-passenger Freestyle ship has since received accolades on both sides of the pond. Europe will …

  • Something is new in the fresh sea breeze and it has to do with the Grammy Awards. You know, as in award-winning musicians. And both Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines are name-dropping. A while back, Norwegian announced that the new, Miami-centric Norwegian Getaway – which was officially delivered to the cruise line today …

  • January is a bit of a perfect storm when it comes to Caribbean cruise bargains. You can expect great weather, yet it’s a traditionally slower period for cruising – with some people still recovering from the rush of the holidays. Fares for 7-day Caribbean sailings start at under $500 if you can go, like, now. …

  • As cruise lines look to kick-start the new year by getting plenty of reservations on the books, the “Wave Season” deals are rolling in. Look for opportunities to save on cruise fares booked between January and March, the largest booking period for cruises, thanks to the annual sales event. The offers apply to …

  • As cruise executives let their creative juices flow in terms of finding ways to enhance their product, it brings impressive new cruise ships and a number of innovations. Here are our predictions on what 2014 will bring. River cruises will continue to be a hot vacation choice. In fact, some two dozen new river …

  • Just as in years past, 2013 brought some great innovations and unique enhancements to the cruise experience. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. The 4,000-passenger, New York–based Norwegian Breakaway made waves with its Big Apple–inspired décor and a first-of-its-kind expansive waterfront promenade. The 3,560-passenger Royal Princess, Princess Cruises’ largest ship ever, made an impact with its …

  • Should smoking be banned on all cabin balconies? Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises are the latest cruise lines to announce enhanced smoking bans. It seems non-smokers are winning the battle to make ships more smoke-free. The cruise lines say they are just following what customers are telling them. A Cruise Critic survey of …

  • With four cruise lines adopting tighter bans on smoking, right about now those cruise passengers who want to light up may be getting a message – you are not in the majority. In fact, as P&O Cruises, Cunard, Disney Cruise Line and Seabourn prepare to implement new polices, complaints from non-smoking past guests …