Royal Caribbean Returns to Port of Baltimore
The Port of Baltimore must have felt pretty left out when cruise ship ports around the country started operating again this past year. But after months of waiting, the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore is welcoming back Royal Caribbean Cruise Line for their first cruise from Maryland since
Belly Up to the Bars on Odyssey of the Seas
As the saying goes, “it’s five o’clock somewhere,” and on Royal Caribbean’s newest Quantum-class ship, Odyssey of the Seas, that is the truth. No matter what time your watch says, happy hour begins when you are ready for your first cocktail. There is always a bar open with a smiling b
Bahamian Para-Triathlete Erin Brown Named Odyssey of the Seas Godmother
When Odyssey of the Seas sets sail on her naming ceremony cruise this weekend, a very special guest will be in attendance. Erin Brown, a Para-Triathlete from the Bahamas, has been named the Godmother of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship thanks to her story of courage and determinati
Richard Fain Steps Down as Royal Caribbean Group CEO
Cruisers woke up to some monumental news in the industry this morning. Richard Fain, one of the most recognizable people in cruising, has announced he’s stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Caribbean Group after more than 33 years effective January 3, 2022. The cruise lin
This Royal Caribbean World Cruise Sails to All Seven Continents
Here’s something not many people can say: I’ve been to all seven continents. If you book yourself a cabin on board Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas leaving from Miami on December 10, 2023, you’ll be able to say just that! The cruise line an
JetBlue Has New Flight and Cruise Packages
Popular airline JetBlue announced today they’re launched a new set of flight + cruise packages where customers can book their flight, cruise and hotel all at once. JetBlue is the first domestic U.S. airline to offer such a package to customers and they’ve partnered with Royal C
FDA Approves Pfizer Vaccine – Will Your Cruise Line Now Require It?
The news this week that the Food and Drug Administration has officially approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was important for all industries, but cruising in particular. Just last week, the Bahamas announced that every cruise ship calling on Bahamian ports must include a passenger man
Port of Tampa Bay Announces Cruises Will Sail in October
One of Florida’s most popular ports announced that cruise ships will resume sailing in October. Port of Tampa Bay President and CEO Paul Anderson released a statement saying that Royal Caribbean will be the first line to sail from the port when Serenade of the Seas embarks on October 16th
Cruisers React to “Cruise Karen” Who Threw Fit After Testing Positive Onboard
If you were tuned into the cruise industry last week, you no doubt saw the 20-minute video shot by Bronx resident Lauren Angelo as she was being removed from a Royal Caribbean ship after testing positive for COVID-19. The backstory behind the expletive-laden live video streamed on Facebook, which ha
This Cruise Line Now Requires Insurance for Unvaccinated Cruisers
Not only will unvaccinated cruisers have limited access to certain areas of the ship, there are going to be extra costs involved as well. Royal Caribbean International announced this morning that those on board their ships leaving from Florida without a COVID-19 vaccine will need to provide proof of
Florida Cruise Lawsuit Victory Won’t Affect Alaska Sailings
In a ruling late Friday, US District Judge Steven Merryday rejected the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s restrictions for cruise lines and granted the State of Florida’s motion for a preliminary injunction filed earlier this year. The 124-page ruling from Judge Merryday
Carnival Corporation Port Agreements Approved By the CDC
Over the weekend, Carnival Corporation received approval on their port agreements from the CDC to sail from Miami, Galveston and Port Canaveral as they begin the road to recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Carnival previously announced that Carnival Horizon (sailing from Miami) and C
CDC Gives Royal Caribbean the Okay For Test Cruises in June
After more than a year of waiting, it finally looks like the cruise industry is about to be back to normal. Royal Caribbean International became the first cruise operator to receive approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to start sailing test cruises from U.S. ports. In a
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
