Orlando Ashford Named Executive Chairman of Azamara
It wasn’t a long hiatus from the cruise industry for Orlando Ashford. The former President of Holland America Line stepped down from the company in May of 2020 after six years at the helm, but the news today is he’s back operating a cruise line! Sycamore Partners, the private equit
Exploring Windstar Cruises’ New Voyage Planner
Raise your hand if you’ve had a cruise cancelled in the past 10 months. Since March 2020, excited cruises have been booking months in advance only to have their sailing cancelled or postponed because cruise lines aren’t able to resume service. Of all the comments we’ve been getting
10 Places You Can Visit Right Now
IMPORTANT: As of January 26, 2021, the CDC requires all air travelers to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of boarding all airlines RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES. Plan accordingly! Travel isn’t easy these days. It’s been a long time since Americans could hop on a
MSC Cruises Resumes Service in the Western Mediterranean
Need something positive to help you break free from the doldrums of January? MSC Cruises has resumed operation in the Mediterranean on board their flagship MSC Grandiosa after a holiday season break due to the Italian COVID-19 decree that restricted movement within the country. The&nb
Carnival Cruise Line Releases Plans for Additional Ship Deployments
Cruise lines have made it clear throughout the pandemic that when they restart operation, it will be a phased approach. Today, Carnival Cruise Line released new details about their plan to restart operation and it includes some interesting nuggets about where the cruise line will be sailing in 2021
Choose Your Cruise – January 22, 2021
Happy Friday! We’re cruising into the weekend with a few awesome trips you can book for 2021 and beyond. Next week, MSC Cruises is restarting operation in Italy with permission from the government so we’re going to be watching that very closely. Successful sailing in the Mediterranean wo
Cutting The Muster
Cruise fans have been eager for good news. And there’s a lot of hope hanging on the brand-new way many major megaships are managing the muster. The last time ships made a major change to muster drills was more than 10 years ago, when the colossal Oasis of the Seas took life-jackets out of cabins [
U.S. Virgin Islands Remind Travelers to Get Tested
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism reminded visitors from the mainland United States that they must to use the Travel Screening Portal at usvitravelportal.com to submit the required negative COVID-19 test results prior to traveling to the Territory. According to Commissioner of
Royal Caribbean Group Sells Luxury Brand Azamara
In a surprising move this morning, Royal Caribbean Group announced it had reached an agreement to sell luxury cruise brand Azamara to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm with holdings in a number of consumer, retail and distribution investments. The $201 million sale is stil
Norwegian Cruise Line Will Restart Operation in May
In a statement this morning, Norwegian Cruise Line announced they’ve made the difficult decision to further suspend their cruise operations through April 2021. Following in the footsteps of both Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group, NCL cited protection of guests and crew as a primar
Suite Secrets of the Riviera Maya
It’s inconceivable how the vibe of two neighboring regions could be more disparate than the tequila-induced debauchery of Cancún and the upscale chic of the Riviera Maya. But there is little doubt that the prominence of Cancún as a highly marketed tourist destination has greatly contributed to t
Choose Your Cruise – January 15, 2021
It was a tough week for cruisers as more cruise lines pushed their start dates back until the Spring, but there’s plenty of positivity surrounding the industry as more and more people receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There’s hope that once the summer rolls around, those who have been vaccin
WATCH: Costa Toscana Float Out Ceremony
A fresh layer of snow covered the ground at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland today as Costa Cruises held a float out ceremony for their newest ship. Costa Toscana is named for the Tuscany region of Italy and is the third ship of the Costa Group powered by liquefied natural ga
Oceania Cruises Announces 180-Day World Voyage
In Jules Verne’s epic adventure story, it takes protagonist Phileas Fogg 80 days to circumnavigate the globe. Oceania Cruises wants to take cruisers on a similarly epic journey, though a much slower pace. In a press release today, the cruise line announced a 2023 Around the World in 180 Days c
Construction Begins on Carnival Celebration
One of the most important milestones in shipbuilding took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland today. Construction on Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Celebration is now underway for the Exel-class ship set to debut in Miami in November 2022. The sister ship to the b
Terminal V by Virgin Voyages Coming to PortMiami
On a cool, overcast day at PortMiami, a row of bright red shovels waited diligently, their blades stuck in white limestone gravel, for the ceremony to start. Virgin Voyages was hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for their new terminal at PortMiami which will soon be home to their first ship, Scarlet
‘Pent-up Demand’ for Cruising Says CEO Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd
After more than 30 years at the helm of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, it’s safe to say chairman and chief executive officer Richard D. Fain is one of the most important people in the industry. The cruise conglomerate operates 63 ships across all its brands and in a normal year, would see m
Mexico Reports a Holiday Travel Boom
Most cruisers are familiar with Quintana Roo. Mexico’s Eastern-most state is home to some of the most popular cruise and travel destinations in all the Caribbean, including Cozumel and Cancun. While the area has been hit hard by the lack of visitors in 2020, it looks like things may be tu
Choose Your Cruise – January 8, 2021
Welcome to 2021! We are going to be able to cruise this year, but the vaccine rollout is going to be a major part of when that happens. Some major cruise lines pushed back their restart date into the Spring, but there’s plenty of optimism that our favorite vacation will be back sooner rather t
Galley Superstars
Buzzy Burgers Carnival cruisers find their bliss at Guy’s Burger Joint, a spirited roadside burger shack reimagined and brought to sea by Food Network personality Guy Fieri. Follow the poolside scent to score sizzling patties and golden hand-cut fries. Purists may prefer Plain Jane cheeseburgers;
