India Is Giving Cruise Lines a Big Discount
Earlier this month, the nation of India announced that cruise ships would once again be permitted to sail to the country beginning on October 1st. Realizing that cruise lines are scrambling to stay afloat, the country also decided to do them a big favor when it comes to port tariff fees. The Indian
Would You Take a “Workation”?
‘Pivot’ might just be the word of the year for 2020. Countless small businesses and retailers pivoted to online sales. Grocery stores pivoted to home delivery services. Your favorite spirit-makers pivoted to producing hand sanitizer by the truckload. And now we have hospitality brands doing some
A Positive COVID-19 Test Derailed an Alaska Cruise, But Did It Have To?
The sky was falling if you listened to media outlets from all over the country. UnCruise Adventures had only been back in action for less than a week and they already had a positive COVID-19 case on board. The backlash was instant: Why did they think they could cruise? Are those people crazy?
MSC Cruises Sets Mediterranean Start Dates
Just a week after announcing protocols for health and safety on board their cruise ships, MSC Cruises has a concrete start date for sailings in the Mediterranean. MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica will begin sailing on August 16 and 29, 2020 respectively. The ships will sail t
When Will Norwegian Cruise Line Sail Again?
We’ve been waiting for a few months now as the Centers for Disease Control continue to push back their no-sail order for cruises from US ports. Even when the CDC gives cruise lines the green light to sail once more, many are skeptical that ships will be ready to sail right away due to issues [
goop Deck: Gwyneth Paltrow’s Wellness Brand Sets Sail
No one needs an actual excuse to push the reset button on personal well-being. Lifestyle brand goop, the brainchild program of celebrity Mediterranean , is joining Celebrity Apex for a Mediterranean cruise with the spotlight trained on the inspirational aspects of the brand’s viral popularity, sup
Testing the Waters: a 3-Day Getaway to St. Thomas
Sometimes—even during a pandemic—a girl needs to immerse herself in a turquoise sea, feel powder-soft sand between her toes and have some crispy, deep-fried conch fritters for lunch. And so I decided, with the Virgin Islands open to visitors, to plan a quick three-day getaway to St. Thomas—a m
Cunard and Seabourn for Sale? Carnival Says No
Welcome to the Thursday rumor mill! Today we have some juicy rumors about Carnival Corporation brands and a spokesperson for the company calling them false. Let’s dive in and see if we can figure out the truth. Carnival Corporation TradeWinds Report Yesterday on their website, TradeWin
Cruising Without Kids on a Disney Ship?
“Their kids must be sleeping in.” Another couple is having breakfast next to us. It’s eerily quiet. Lian disagrees. “Kids don’t sleep in.” His South African accent is thicker than the maple syrup drowning the Mickey Mouse–shaped pancakes. Where was the sea of kids we were expecting? Fo
TUI Cruises Sets Sail with 1,200 Passengers
Congratulations to the 1,200 people who set sail for the Norwegian fjords on board TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 2, you’ve reached a major milestone in cruising’s return to normal operation. Having more than 1,000 people on a cruise ship seemed like a fever dream mere months ago, but here we are in la
Choose Your Cruise – July 24, 2020
Cruising is back in some parts of the world, but the rest of us will have to wait a little longer until we can cruise again. Cruise lines are practically giving away cruises and if you haven’t booked for 2021 and beyond, you’re missing out on some awesome deals. Three of your favorite cr
Princess Cruises Cancels Most Voyages Until December 15
Citing the continued COVID-19 virus pandemic, Princess Cruises made the difficult decision to extend their pause in cruising operations for voyages in Asia, Caribbean, California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America & Antarctica, Japan, and Tahiti/South Pacific through December 15,
Royal Caribbean’s Healthy Cruise Panel, Cruise with Confidence Programs
With most cruises on hold around the world, you might be wondering what is happening with Royal Caribbean cruises today, and what to expect going forward. Despite there being no Royal Caribbean cruises since March, there are plenty of changes happening, and here are the most important things to know
If You’re American, The Bahamas are Closed
In an address to his nation yesterday, Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced that the islands would be closed to American tourists beginning Wednesday due to surging cases of COVID-19 across several states, but most notably Florida, which is just 50 miles from the nearest island. The
Royal Caribbean Extends Pause Until Oct 1
Cruisers woke up to some not-so-great news this morning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their no-sail order, pushing the date back to October 2020. As a result, one of the biggest names in cruising is pushing back their sail date as well. Royal Caribbean International h
Interview with Seabourn President Josh Leibowitz
He’s been Carnival Corporation’s chief strategy officer and senior vice president of Cunard North America. He’s been a partner at a global business management company and has degrees from the University of Chicago and Harvard Business School. Now, Josh Leibowitz finds himself
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Unveils Ten-Point Health Plan
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises released their ten-point hygiene and preventative plan for a return to cruising at the end of July 2020. The plan is to restart cruises from Hamburg with their luxury ship, the EUROPA 2, and their expedition ship, the HANSEATIC inspiration, but only at 40% capacity. The plan was
Bar-B-Cruise
A lazy summer day, and the tantalizing aroma of barbecue drifts through the air. Maybe it’s the citrusy scent of fresh-caught salmon squeezed with lemon, or the spiced smoke wafting from baby back ribs. Such normally seasonal pleasures are now, thankfully, everyday cruise delights. Some ocean line
Costa to Pause Until August 15, 2020
Popular Italian line Costa Cruises has made the difficult decision to pause operation until August 15, 2020. The cruise line also announced the cancellation of all cruises in northern Europe for the remainder of the 2020 summer season. In a press release, Costa explained that the decision to f
First Impressions of Scarlet Lady
Who’s that Lady? For months, Virgin Voyages had been flooding social media channels with carrot-dangling teasers about its mold-breaking Scarlet Lady, the first of four ships being launched by Sir Richard Branson’s fledgling cruise line. There’d be glamorous RockStar suites, a late-sleeper
