Norwegian Cruise Line Suspends Cruises Until July
In a statement issued this morning, Norwegian Cruise Line announced they would be extending the suspension of operation through June 2021. They also temporarily halted bookings for cruises to Alaska due to the Government of Canada’s Interim Order which suspends passenger cruise ships calling
WATCH:MSC Lirica Damaged by Fire
Anyone in and around the port of Corfu, Greece today saw something very unsettling, a cruise ship on fire. Black smoke and flames could be seen billowing from the starboard side of MSC Lirica as it sat in port early in the afternoon. It took local fire fighters around an hour to put out th
25 Years of Cruising with Porthole Cruise Magazine
Time flies when you’re having fun! And trust us, there’s nowhere better to have fun than onboard a cruise ship. Porthole Cruise Magazine is proud to celebrate 25 years of publishing the world’s best consumer cruise and travel magazine and looking back, it’s been a long journe
Princess Cancels More Sailings Due to Canada Cruise Ban
Along with their Carnival Corporation brand sister line Holland America, Princess Cruises was forced to cancel select Alaska, Canada, New England and Pacific Coast cruises in 2021. Earlier this month, Canadian Transport Ministry announced an Interim Order that extends the closure of Canadian po
Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Cruises Until June
Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that they’ve suspended all cruises until June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global travel climate. The news also applies to NCL’s sister brands Oceania Cruise and Regent Seven Seas. According to the NCL website:
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
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
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
Gus Antorcha of Holland America Talks Rotterdam, New Excursions
When former Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford stepped down earlier this year, Carnival Corporation decided to promote from within, naming Carnival Cruise Line COO Gus Antorcha the new president. What made Antorcha the right man for the job was his nine years of experience at Carnival Co
OceanMedallion to be Used on All Princess Cruises Ships
As cruise lines prep for a return to service, new details continue to emerge about what life on board will be like for cruisers. Princess Cruises, who’s return is scheduled for April, announced today that their MedallionClass Experience will be available across the global fleet in 2021. T
Questions Cruisers Want to Know with Seatrade’s Anne Kalosh
Back in October, the cruise industry came together for an event called Seatrade Cruise Virtual. The event provided a forum for cruise lines, executives, journalists and travel agents to asses the state of the industry and look towards the future. One of the most important people involved with the ev
No-Sail Order Officially Pushed to Halloween
CruiAs we reported yesterday, the rumor flying around the cruise world was that the Trump Administration, Vice President Mike Pence specifically, was planning on overruling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the issue of cruise ships. The CDC wanted to push their no-sail order back un
The Idyllic Hawaiian Islands
Hawaii is the most exotic, raw, and naturally beautiful destination in the United States. Certainly, many hot spots on the islands are routinely bustling with tourists — think places like Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, and Volcanoes National Park. But you can avoid the crowds, engage in thrilling ou
Breaking: Matt Mitcham Retires from Carnival Cruise Line
In a Facebook Live video this morning, popular Carnival Cruise Director Matt Mitcham stunned the cruise world by announcing his retirement. He was set to be the Cruise Director for Carnival Mardi Gras when she arrives in 2021. Mitcham has been a Carnival employee for 14 years and was one of the most
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
Choose Your Cruise – July 17, 2020
Happy Friday, everyone! We have a VERY special edition of Choose Your Cruise today and it includes three cruise ships that aren’t even sailing yet! Nothing beats that brand new ship smell and its a nice feeling knowing that you’re one of the very first people to ever set foot on boa
Josh Leibowitz Named President of Seabourn
Seabourn Cruise Line made a major announcement yesterday when they named Josh Leibowitz the new president of the company. Leibowitz joined Carnival Corporation in 2013 as chief strategy officer and was also named senior vice president, Cunard North America in December 2016. In May, lo
CEO Carnival Corp Talks Future Of Cruising with Porthole Cruise
Earlier this month, Arnold Donald joined editor-in-chief of Porthole Cruise Magazine, Bill Panoff, to discuss the latest in cruise news and Carnival Corporation’s response to COVID-19. Here is the exclusive part 2 of that interview. You can watch part one of the interview with Carnival Corp CEO Ar
Cruise Industry Executives Offer Encouraging Words
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the cruise industry, but it’s safe to say that the current outbreak of Covid-19 is the most difficult challenge cruise lines have ever faced. Last week saw every major cruise line, their sub-brands and other small ship lines included, halt operation for a
Cruise to Alaska Tops List of Vacation Bookings in 2019
How popular are cruises to Alaska? In a survey conducted by Travel Leaders Group, one of North America’s largest travel agent companies, 38% of respondents booked a cruise to Alaska last year. It was the top domestic vacation for North Americans followed closely by Orlando, Las Vegas, New York Cit
