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
Carnival Cruise Line Extends Pause Until April
UPDATE 1:51pm: Carnival Corporation sub-brands Holland America Line and Princess Cruises have also pushed back their restart date. HAL will now resume operation in April of 2021 and Princess Cruises will resume operation in May 2021. Carnival Cruise Line issued a press release this morning ann
Atlas Ocean Voyages Teams with L’OCCITANE en Provence
One of the world’s most recognizable skin care brands is teaming with Atlas Ocean Voyages to establish Luxury SeaSpa by L’OCCITANE on board their ship World Navigator when it sets sail on the its inaugural Holy Land and Black & Mediterranean Seas season in July 2021. The sp
AmaWaterways Announces New Wine Hosts for 2021
It won’t be long now until we’re sipping wine on board a luxurious river cruise and to help with the anticipation, AmaWaterways has released a new list of wine hosts for their 2021 cruise season. The list includes notable wine experts, certified sommeliers, and vineyard owners who h
The Myth of the Storm Petrel
Poets have called them “gypsies of the sea” and “black lightning.” Some sailors see them as omens of bad luck, while ancient sailors are said to have named them for the walking-on-water apostle Peter. Other seamen know them as Mother Carey’s Chickens, probably a corruption of Mater Cara, o
Steve Leland’s 2020 Travel Recap
After nine months of travel lockdown, 2020 hindsight takes on new relevance as we grapple with how things could have been done differently, but then again who could have imagined the havoc that a renegade virus would wreak on the travel industry. Finishing out 2019 with a Transatlantic cruise from L
Mardi Gras Delivered to Carnival Cruise Line
We’ve been hearing about this ship for a long time, now we’re another step closer to getting on board! Mardi Gras, the highly anticipated new ship from Carnival Cruise Line, was delivered by Meyer Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland in a live virtual signing ceremon
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
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
Rich and Famous Eye Barbuda for Development
Barbuda may very well be the most untouched island in the whole Caribbean, but if Robert De Niro and other wealthy investors have their way, the island will see some major developments in the future. Plans to build multiple luxury resorts on the island are currently in the works, along with bu
Santa Takes a Ride on Mardi Gras‘ Roller Coaster
Mardi Gras, the newest ship from Carnival Cruise Line, had a special guest this week as the ship prepares for delivery at Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Jolly old Kris Kringle, otherwise known as Santa Claus, took a break from cobbling together Pelotons and Playstation 5s to give the shipR
The Cruise Show Must Go On!
Heavy metal fans aren’t going to let a worldwide pandemic stand in the way of their fun. With cruising at a virtual standstill, Monsters of Rock, which for a decade has been the ultimate seagoing celebration of the explosive world of hard rock and metal, is taking the party ashore! Originall
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