River Cruise Bookings Are Up, Says AmaWaterways
Yesterday morning, AmaWaterways made the difficult decision to suspend operation until November for all but one ship. The river cruise company pioneered the industry return to cruising with AmaKristina sailing the Rhine River since July 5. Since then, we’ve seen several other lines f
Choose Your Cruise – August 28, 2020
Earlier this week, we profiled Holly Johnson, the President of Wings Airways & Taku Lodge in Juneau, Alaska. Holly and her staff are struggling to get by without a single paying client in 2020 thanks to the cruise industry shutdown. You can read the piece here. We were flooded with comments from
Not Guilty!
I’m pretty sure that we all glossed over the chapter on the rules for pandemic survival in the master plan of life. Regardless of our innocence and lack of complicity, we have all been convicted (somewhat unjustly) by the judge and jury to serve the collective six month and counting sentence of so
USVI Unscathed by Tropical Storm Laura
It seems like it’s been forever since we had good news to report in the Caribbean, but thankfully today is the day! The U.S. Virgin Islands are back open and operating after Tropical Storm Laura brought high winds, heavy rains and a dangerous storm surge over the weekend. Laura is continuing i
MSC Grandiosa Sailing Proves Successful, US Cruises May See November Return Date
It’s been a busy few weeks for MSC Cruises. First, they released a comprehensive health and safety plan for all ships and crew. Then they announced their return to operation in the Mediterranean on board MSC Gradiosa and Magnifica. Now, they’re about to successfully complete their first cruise b
St. Kitts and Nevis to Reopen in October, Including Cruises
Another Caribbean nation is gearing up for a return to normalcy and it’s especially good news for cruisers! The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis announced in a press release that international visitors would be welcome beginning in October. The reopening applies to tourists traveling to the i
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
