Holland America Line CEO Talks New “Have It All” Package, Visiting Nieuw Statendam
After 148 years of cruising, it’s safe to say Holland America Line has it down to a science. The cruise line is one of the most popular of all Carnival Corporation brands and fans around the world can’t wait to get back onboard. With new ships and itineraries coming in the near future, t
Carnival Corporation Partners with Bureau Veritas on Cruise Return
Carnival Corporation today announced they are contracting Bureau Veritas, a worldwide testing, inspection, and certification company, on the safe restart of cruise operation. Carnival, the world’s largest travel and leisure company, has been dormant since last March when the COVID-19
Choose Your Cruise – April 23, 2021
There was plenty of news this week about cruise lines adding new itineraries to their summer restarts and we couldn’t be more excited! Cruising is on the cusp of returning around the world and even though we still can’t sail from American ports, there are islands in the Caribbean which a
Check Out Costa Cruises’ New Mediterranean Itineraries
In preparation for their summer cruise season, Costa Cruises has announced new Summer 2021 itineraries in the Mediterranean on four ships with sailings to Italy, France, Spain and Greece, and itineraries accessible from 13 different ports of embarkation. Each sail
Would You Take a Mystery Cruise With Uniworld Boutique River Cruises?
Would you take a vacation if you didn’t know where you were going beforehand? That’s exactly what Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is offering with their very first Mystery Cruise! The only thing cruisers know is they need to bring their passport, the rest is a mystery. Cruisers who book
AmaWaterways Announces Record Bookings in March
The demand for river cruising has never been higher according to AmaWaterways. The river cruise line announced they’ve opened up bookings for 2023 Europe river cruise itineraries thanks to a record-setting number of bookings in March. The cruise line has new itineraries ranging from
Travelers Should Avoid the Bahamas Says CDC
Cruises are set to return to the Bahamas in a matter of weeks, so of course the CDC issued an upgraded warning for travel to the islands. In an update on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, the organization urges that travelers, both vaccinated and not, avoid all travel t
From Russia With Love: Matryoshka Nesting Dolls
Matryoshka dolls are an instantly recognizable symbol of Russia. They can take on many forms, but are always a series of wooden dolls of decreasing sizes that fit one inside the other, typically painted to represent either traditional Russian folklife or more topical or satirical themes. It has be
St. Thomas, Sophisticated
St. Thomas had a deep-rooted seafaring heritage long before I plied its waters. As a cruise director for many years, I visited the small, quaint island every Tuesday. Twenty-five years later, it has matured into destination adulthood, but in spite of its modernization, the island retains its playful
Cunard’s Captain Christopher Wells Retires After 20 Years
After 20 years with Cunard and 30 in total with Carnival Corporation, Captain Christopher Wells is retiring and being awarded the rank of Commodore for his outstanding service. For the past 13 years, Wells has been at the helm of Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 after being involved in
Holland America Line To Celebrate 25 Years at Half Moon Cay
Private islands are all the rage in cruising lately, but one cruise line has been well ahead of the trend! Holland America Line announced plans to operate seven ships in the Caribbean with calls on Half Moon Cay during the 2022-2023 cruise season in honor of 25 years of cruising to the Bahamian isla
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Returning in July
One of Florida’s most popular local cruise lines is coming back soon! Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line announced today their plans to resume operation from Port of Palm Beach on July 2, 2021. Citing the new industry standards for health and safety as well as the recent pushback against the CDCR
Disney Wish is One Step Closer to Completion
The newest Disney Cruise Line ship is another step closer to completion! The cruise line celebrated a major milestone in the life of a cruise ship today with the traditional keel laying ceremony for their new ship Disney Wish, the first of three new ships in the line’s fleet ex
CDC Cruise Line Restrictions ‘Borderline Ridiculous’ says NCL CEO
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an update to their conditional sail order last week, many thought it meant good news for the cruise industry. Upon closer look, the new protocols instituted by the CDC actually make life more difficult for cruise lines and put them further f
Virgin Voyages Announces Summer Sailings in the UK
Just one day after cancelling their summer cruise season from Miami, Virgin Voyages is joining other cruise lines in offering select sailings from the United Kingdom for residents of the country. The upcoming staycation-at-sea series will include two, three and four-night itineraries with a total of
Virgin Voyages Cancels All Summer Sailings
Eventually we’ll write a story about Virgin Voyages that includes details about our time on board the ship, but unfortunately we’re going to have to wait a little longer. The world’s most anticipated cruise line has unfortunately made the decision to cancel all sailings between Jul
St. Maarten Travel Restrictions You Need to Know About
With the news that cruise lines will begin sailing from St. Maarten in just a few months, cruisers all over America are booking their flight to the Caribbean island. However, there are a few important things to know about traveling to St. Maarten because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a rund
Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Return Date
It’s been a long time since Norwegian Cruise Line carried passengers on a cruise vacation, but we finally have a date for the company’s restart. Beginning July 25, 2021, Norwegian Cruise Line will resume cruise operations in Europe followed by the Caribbean on board three ships; Norwegia
The CDC’s Technical Guidance for Cruise Ships Explained
In a classic Friday afternoon news dump, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an update to their conditional sail order with a number of new rules cruise lines will have to follow if they want to resume operation. After a week of taking heat from politicians, particularly in Florida
Royal Caribbean Extends Singapore Season to October
Since Royal Caribbean International began cruising from Singapore in December of 2020, more than 50,000 cruisers have sailed safely on board. As a result, Royal Caribbean International today announced Quantum of the Seas will continue sailing from Singapore through October 2