Royal Caribbean Changes Plans for Bermuda Cruises
Porthole Cruise and Travel readers are no strangers to cruise cancellations these days. For the past year, you’ve read countless articles about cancelled, delayed and rescheduled cruises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Well, for the first time, we have news of a major cruise cancellation that
Royal Caribbean Cancels Odyssey of the Seas Cruises from Israel
Unrest in Israel has forced Royal Caribbean International to cancel summer cruises in the region on board their ship Odyssey of the Seas. The brand new cruise ship was scheduled to begin sailing on June 2 from Haifa, Israel with plans to sail until October. It would have been the first time a c
CDC Relaxes Some Rules for Vaccinated Cruise Passengers
There’s great news this morning for cruisers who are fully vaccinated! In last weeks Technical Instructions for Simulated Voyages by Cruise Ship Operators under CDC’s Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, the CDC outlined exactly what needs to happen for cruise lines to begin operati
The Best Margaritas at Sea for Cinco De Mayo
Happy Cinco De Mayo! In Mexico, today is used to celebrate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. Here in America, it’s an excuse to grab your salt, limes and tequila to mix yourself up a fantastic margarita.&nb
Choose Your Cruise – April 30, 2021
Wow what a week for cruising! We got the opportunity to check out not one, but TWO brand new ships coming in the near future and the CDC even gave cruise lines some wiggle room when it comes to getting started again. It’s really starting to look like July is the target month for cruises [&hell
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
Choose Your Cruise – April 9, 2021
It was a wild week in the cruise industry! First we had a handful of cruise lines announcing new sailing dates from places all over the world. Then we had the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line call the CDC “borderline ridiculous” in an interview with Porthole Cruise Magazine Founder and Edito
Bermuda Is Open for Travel – Here’s What You Need to Know
For the first time ever, a major cruise line is going to homeport in Bermuda and it’s going to be a major factor in the island’s post-COVID recovery. The island has done an incredible job limiting infections over the past year compared to some other popular cruising islands and the local
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
Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Odyssey of the Seas
The latest ship from Royal Caribbean International is finally here! Odyssey of the Seas was delivered to the cruise line by Meyer Werft Yard in Papenburg, Germany in a ceremony attended by Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain, President and CEO of Roya
Choose Your Cruise – March 26, 2021
This was a wild week in the cruise industry. CLIA and the CDC went back and forth about the Conditional Sail Order and several more cruise lines have concrete start dates in June cruisers can now book! Since we still can’t sail from American ports, these cruises leave from islands in the Baham
Saint Lucia Prepares for Summer Cruise Tourism
For the first time in a year, the island of St. Lucia is preparing to welcome back international cruise tourism. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has jumpstarted the return of the cruise industry to Saint Lucia after more than a year of inactivity, naming the island as a port-of-call on a mid-July i
Royal Caribbean Group’s “Pay it Forward” Program Now Open
The past year (year!) has been difficult for everyone involved in the cruise and travel space. Empty planes, empty cruise ships and for travel agents, empty bookings day after day. Thankfully Royal Caribbean Group decided to do something about it. As part of the second phase of their successful RCL
Royal Caribbean Extends Singapore Season for Quantum of the Seas
Ladies and gentlemen, we have good news! Royal Caribbean International today announced they will be extending Singapore season for their ship Quantum of the Seas following a successful restart in December 2020. The ship will now sail from Singapore until June 2021, but the cruises remain f
‘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
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
Cruising Returns to Singapore Today
‘Twas the night before cruising and all through the ship, the team at Royal Caribbean was stirring to make it a great trip! The masks were all hung by the gangway with care, with hope that happy passengers would soon be there. The crew were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of lido [&he
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
Top 5 Best Cruise Lines for the Money
Who said your next vacation has to break the bank? Cruising is one of the most affordable vacations, particularly for families, thanks to all-inclusive dining, entertainment and amenities as well as constant deals, perks and promotions offered by cruise lines all over the world. Some cruise lines ev
Top 5 Best Cruise Lines for Families
The best family vacations are the ones that bring everyone together to share new experiences and of course, have a ton of fun! Cruise lines may have been geared towards adults in the past, but modern ships are floating amusement parks with special areas catering to young children, pre-teens and teen
