Carnival Cruise Line Pauses Operation Through May 31, 2021
Some more not-so-great news for cruisers. Carnival Cruise Line has announced a pause in operations until June 2021. The full press release from the company including a quote from company President Christine Duffy is below. Statement from Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line ha
AIDA Cruises To Resume Operation March 20th
German cruise line AIDA announced today that they plan to resume cruise operations beginning March 20, 2021 on board their ship AIDAperla. The first sailing will visit Spain’s Canary Islands off the coast of Northern Africa. The decision comes in part because of the German federal go
New Azamara Chairman Orlando Ashford Bullish on the Industry
There’s been plenty of cruise news lately, but one of the most significant news breaks came in January when Royal Caribbean Group announced they’d sold their small ship brand Azamara to a private equity firm in New York called Sycamore Partners. If that news wasn’t big enough, the
Virgin Voyages Gifts Cruises with Shipload of Love Campaign
Is there someone special in your life who deserves a free cruise? After the disaster of a year that was 2020, Virgin Voyages has decided to gift 1,000 cruises those who deserve one this Valentine’s Day and they’re asking you to nominate someone special in your life. Whether you nominate
Norwegian Cruise Line’s CEO Harry Sommer Teases New Dining Concepts
There’s a lot to love about a cruise vacation, but at the top of the list for most people is the fabulous dining options found on today’s vessels. Restaurants catering to all palates are a staple on modern cruise ships from the outstandingly elegant to the casual and delicious and everyt
Cruise Ship Entertainers Collaborate on “Scandalous Nights Variety Show”
One of the best parts about a cruise vacation is the incredible entertainment found on board. From musicians and singers to dancers and even magicians, there’s always a live show to enjoy when you’re cruising. Unfortunately, it’s been a difficult year for entertainers since the cru
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 [
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
Bankrupt Jalesh Cruises Leaves Employees High and Dry
April 17, 2019 was an important date for India’s Jalesh Cruises. It was the first time passengers set foot onboard the recently purchased Karnika for a cruise from Mumbai. Less than a year later, the cruise line is out of business and the ship sold for scrap. COVID-19 is to blame, but sources tell
New Costa Firenze Delivered By Fincantieri
When cruise does come back, at least we’ll have some brand new ships to enjoy! Costa Cruises officially took delivery of their newest ship Costa Firenze from Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. The 135,500 ton ship was inspired by the Florentine Renaissance and
Choose Your Cruise – December 18, 2020
We’re smack dab in the middle of the holiday season and if you’re still looking for a last-minute gift for that special someone in your life, do we have some options for you! Last week we published a few awesome gift ideas for cruisers but if you’re looking to make someone’s
Talking Star Plus-Class Yachts with Chris Prelog of Windstar Cruises
Have you ever seen the shows where the CEO of a major company goes undercover and spends the day working like one of the regular employees to see what it’s like? The new President of Windstar Cruises won’t have to participate in a show like that because he already knows what it’s l
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy on Mardi Gras, Dealing with Rule Breakers
When she was first hired as Carnival Cruise Line President back in 2014, Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald called Christine Duffy “one of the most respected and dynamic leaders in the travel industry”. Nothing has proven that quotation more correct than the past nine months of 2020. Duffy w
All Cruises Will Have a Contingency Plan, Says Carnival’s Arnold Donald
Throughout the entire pandemic, Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald has remained stout in his belief that cruising will be back and better than ever before. Their have been plenty of developments since the last time he joined Porthole Cruise Founder and Editor-in-Chief Bill Panoff for an int
Choose Your Cruise – November 13, 2020
Here’s a fun fact: Friday the 13th will happen in any month that starts on a Sunday. Whether you’re superstitious or not, watch out for black cats, mirrors and ladders today so you’ll be ready to go on your next cruise vacation! Yesterday we got word that Royal Caribbean Inter
NCL Announces EMBARK – The Series
In preparation for a return to cruising, Norwegian Cruise Line announced a docu-series which offers a closer look at the brand and it’s long-awaited cruise comeback. The first two episodes kick off with a look at the Broadway-caliber entertainment on board. EMBARK NCL Spotlight Series wil
Here’s How to Sign Up for a Test Cruise
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted the no-sail order last month, you could probably hear the collective cheer from the cruise industry from outer space. However, the CDC didn’t open up cruising for a free-for-all. Instead, they’ve instituted a tiered approach to a return
A Deep Dive into Oceania Eats
Lobster pad Thai. Raw vegetable juice spiked with immune-boosting spices. Lavish dinners paired with France’s most famous bubbly. Few cruise lines hit such high, diverse culinary notes as Oceania Cruises … something food-lovers who unabashedly admit to choosing their ships solely for dining sure
