Costa Cruises Is One Step Closer to Return
After considering the opinion of experts from the fields of health and science, Costa Cruises has implemented a COVID-19 testing protocol for all passengers embarking on Costa Deliziosa on September 6th. The cruise, leaving from Trieste, Italy, will be the first Costa cruise ship to sail with passen
Not Guilty!
I’m pretty sure that we all glossed over the chapter on the rules for pandemic survival in the master plan of life. Regardless of our innocence and lack of complicity, we have all been convicted (somewhat unjustly) by the judge and jury to serve the collective six month and counting sentence of so
USVI Unscathed by Tropical Storm Laura
It seems like it’s been forever since we had good news to report in the Caribbean, but thankfully today is the day! The U.S. Virgin Islands are back open and operating after Tropical Storm Laura brought high winds, heavy rains and a dangerous storm surge over the weekend. Laura is continuing i
MSC Grandiosa Sailing Proves Successful, US Cruises May See November Return Date
It’s been a busy few weeks for MSC Cruises. First, they released a comprehensive health and safety plan for all ships and crew. Then they announced their return to operation in the Mediterranean on board MSC Gradiosa and Magnifica. Now, they’re about to successfully complete their first cruise b
St. Kitts and Nevis to Reopen in October, Including Cruises
Another Caribbean nation is gearing up for a return to normalcy and it’s especially good news for cruisers! The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis announced in a press release that international visitors would be welcome beginning in October. The reopening applies to tourists traveling to the i
India Is Giving Cruise Lines a Big Discount
Earlier this month, the nation of India announced that cruise ships would once again be permitted to sail to the country beginning on October 1st. Realizing that cruise lines are scrambling to stay afloat, the country also decided to do them a big favor when it comes to port tariff fees. The Indian
Would You Take a “Workation”?
‘Pivot’ might just be the word of the year for 2020. Countless small businesses and retailers pivoted to online sales. Grocery stores pivoted to home delivery services. Your favorite spirit-makers pivoted to producing hand sanitizer by the truckload. And now we have hospitality brands doing some
A Positive COVID-19 Test Derailed an Alaska Cruise, But Did It Have To?
The sky was falling if you listened to media outlets from all over the country. UnCruise Adventures had only been back in action for less than a week and they already had a positive COVID-19 case on board. The backlash was instant: Why did they think they could cruise? Are those people crazy?
UnCruise CEO Discusses Recent COVID-19 Case and Where the Cruise Line Is Headed
It’s safe to say that Captain Dan Blanchard, CEO of UnCruise Adventures, loves the sea. In fact, he was just 18 years old when he received his Ship Master’s License, the highest level possible for a ship captain. Shortly after that, he owned his own marina. Being a sea captain and marina o
AIDA Cruises to Return September 6th
The news is all positive AIDA Cruises, owned by Carnival Corporation, which hasn’t sailed since March. The cruise line has announced its cruise operations will return on September 6th from Kiel, Germany. The cruise line also announced cruises on board AIDAperla to the Norwegian fjor
MSC Cruises Sets Mediterranean Start Dates
Just a week after announcing protocols for health and safety on board their cruise ships, MSC Cruises has a concrete start date for sailings in the Mediterranean. MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will begin sailing on August 16 and 29, 2020 respectively. The ships will sail t
Royal, Carnival Cancel Cruises Through October
In a move that was not unexpected, but certainly disappointing, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International joined Norwegian Cruise Line in cancelling all cruises through the month of October. Royal Caribbean updated their website to reflect the change while Carnival sent a press release
When Will Norwegian Cruise Line Sail Again?
We’ve been waiting for a few months now as the Centers for Disease Control continue to push back their no-sail order for cruises from US ports. Even when the CDC gives cruise lines the green light to sail once more, many are skeptical that ships will be ready to sail right away due to issues [
Testing the Waters: a 3-Day Getaway to St. Thomas
Sometimes—even during a pandemic—a girl needs to immerse herself in a turquoise sea, feel powder-soft sand between her toes and have some crispy, deep-fried conch fritters for lunch. And so I decided, with the Virgin Islands open to visitors, to plan a quick three-day getaway to St. Thomas—a m
MSC Cruises Releases Extensive Health Plan Details
While most of us here in America were still asleep, MSC Cruises’ CEO Gianni Onorato took the podium at a press conference in Italy to reveal the details for the cruise line’s comprehensive health and safety protocol as their restart of operations in the Mediterranean draws near. MS
Cruising Will Be Safe Says NCL’s Harry Sommer
When Norwegian Cruise Line President Harry Sommer took over for departing president Andy Stuart in December of 2019, everything was looking up for the cruise line and the industry as a whole. However, just a few months later, a global pandemic came out of the blue and the cruise industry has been on
Cunard and Seabourn for Sale? Carnival Says No
Welcome to the Thursday rumor mill! Today we have some juicy rumors about Carnival Corporation brands and a spokesperson for the company calling them false. Let’s dive in and see if we can figure out the truth. Carnival Corporation TradeWinds Report Yesterday on their website, TradeWin
Norwegian Cruise Line Suspends Until November
Norwegian Cruise Line has updated the cancelled sailings page on their website and unfortunately it’s more bad news. The cruise line has suspended sailings through the month of October, citing passenger health as the company’s top priority. From the NCL Website: Updated July
Recapping Carnival Corporation’s COVID-19 Summit
Carnival Corporation, in conjunction with the World Travel & Tourism Council, hosted a virtual summit yesterday which included a series of panels focusing on critical areas of science related to COVID-19. Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald and World Travel & Tourism Council Presiden
TUI Cruises Sets Sail with 1,200 Passengers
Congratulations to the 1,200 people who set sail for the Norwegian fjords on board TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 2, you’ve reached a major milestone in cruising’s return to normal operation. Having more than 1,000 people on a cruise ship seemed like a fever dream mere months ago, but here we are in la
