Princess guests discovering the scenic east coast on a 2025 Canada & New England cruise sailing out of New York City can now immerse themselves in historic America as they tour the nation’s capital, interact with early settlers at a living history museum, visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and stand on the same soil as Thomas Jefferson at his Monticello estate, a UNESCO World Heritage … [Read more...]
Royal Caribbean's Head of Entertainment Leaves Company
Nick Weir is out at Royal Caribbean.Royal Caribbean announced a shakeup within its Entertainment division on Monday with the announcement of a new leader in the division.Effective immediately, Christine Coachman is the Vice President, Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International.She replaces Nick Weir, who has left the company after 10 years with the company.A spokesperson wished Mr. Weir well, … [Read more...]
VIVA Cruises launches its first ever booking incentive with Cruise Plus to win a 4-night Rhine fam trip
European river cruise specialist, VIVA Cruises, has launched its first ever booking incentive with Gold Medal’s sister brand, Cruise Plus. Travel agents who make a VIVA Cruises booking for 2024 or 2025 this month (May 2024) will be entered into a prize draw for one of twelve places on a 4-night Rhine River cruise. The Rhine Course North cruise will depart on 30 June 2024 and be on board VIVA … [Read more...]
Cunard’s New Queen Arrives
With all the fanfare you’d expect, the stunning Queen Anne recently arrived in Southampton for her inaugural season of cruising. Accepting an invitation for a one-night introduction to sample the amenities, dining, and entertainment, we boarded the ship with anticipation. It’s hard to get a true sense of everything in such a short time but our first impressions justify the high … [Read more...]
Hamburg Port Anniversary Highlight: AIDA, DJ Alle Farben and Kayef transformed the River Elbe into a festival stage
With around 1.5 million visitors, the 835th HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY comes to an end today (May 12, 2024). One of the absolute highlights was the light and music show on Saturday evening, in which around 300 light drones showcased the cruise ship AIDAprima. Kayef and top act DJ Alle Farben, powered by GLÜCKSGEFÜHLE Festival, played a DJ set from a floating pontoon stage in front of the ship. This … [Read more...]
Carnival Confirms Travel Documents for Norfolk to Baltimore Cruise
Carnival Cruise Line has responded to guests’ questions and confirmed what travel documents are necessary for Carnival Pride‘s May 19, 2024 departure that is now planned to leave from Norfolk, Virginia but return to Baltimore, Maryland. Typically, when a cruise ship leaves from one US homeport but returns to a different homeport, passports are required. For this one sailing, however, passports … [Read more...]
Internet reveals 18 simple ways to how to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
From a few dollars to hundreds, there are easy ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise if you know what to do.While a Royal Caribbean cruise is largely considered an affordable vacation, the overall cost can go up quickly if you're not careful. You can avoid overspending by following some of the best money-saving tricks.Users on the Royal Caribbean sub Reddit were asked to share all the … [Read more...]
Our Pros and Cons of Alaska Cruises on Norwegian Cruise Line
We have sailed to Alaska six times, twice with Norwegian Cruise Line. While we’ve enjoyed our cruises with the brand, an Alaska cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line isn’t right for everyone. So, before you put down that deposit, you need to know the pros and cons of Alaska cruises on Norwegian Cruise Line. Armed with all the details, you can pick the correct ship, and your Alaska cruise will be smooth … [Read more...]
Saudi Arabia aims to preserve historic Jeddah attractions amid cruise boom
Saudi Arabia is putting in place plans to better accomodate international visitors, particularly cruise tourists, in its historic areas, such as Jeddah Historic District. Jeddah Historic District, within Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s primary cruise port on its west coast on the Red Sea, is home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites that recognise the city’s rich history and cultural … [Read more...]
AROYA Cruises confirms December launch in Red Sea despite security crisis
AROYA Cruises has comitted to its December launch date in the Red Sea, despite the ongoing security crisis in the region that has prompted many cruise lines to sail around southern Africa instead. During the Arabian Travel Market 2024 in Dubai, Turky Kari, Executive Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at AROYA Cruises, said once its first ship sets sail in December, it will … [Read more...]
Celebration Key construction empowers Grand Bahamian workforce: Over 85% of contracted companies working on site hail from Grand Bahama
As work progresses on Celebration Key, a transformative project set to redefine the landscape of Grand Bahama, Carnival Corporation & plc has disclosed that over 85% of the companies contracted to work at the construction site are Grand Bahamian, a reflection of the company’s commitment to local empowerment and fostering sustainable partnerships with the community. To date, more than 180 … [Read more...]
Cruise deployment down due to Red Sea crisis, but Dubai set to bounce back
Cruise deployment to the Middle East is down by around 30% due to the ongoing security crisis in the Red Sea, but cruise tourism officials at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai expressed optimism in future growth given the region’s proven resilience. All grand voyages and repositioning itineraries between Europe and Asia that used to call in the Middle East, using Dubai as a key … [Read more...]
Carnival Cruise Line Salutes Military Women as Part of Inaugural Fleet Week in Miami. Carnival Conquest Hosts Special Tribute at PortMiami
To cap off the first ever Fleet Week festivities in Miami and kick off Mother’s Day weekend, Carnival Cruise Line showed its support and appreciation for the military by saluting more than 150 women military members on Carnival Conquest today (May 10, 2024). During the program, U.S. Naval Academy graduate Vera Lannek, vice president of strategic sourcing for Carnival Corporation, shared heartfelt … [Read more...]
Royal Caribbean News Round-up May 12, 2024
Happy Mothers Day! All the moms out there deserve a big hug, thank you, and hopefully a new cruise booking too.The next new Royal Caribbean cruise ship is on her way to completion.Utopia of the Seas began her sea trials this week, which is a major milestone in the construction of any cruise ship.On May 7, Utopia of the Seas departed from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France for a 5-day … [Read more...]
Style & Design: MADE with PRIDE
What we love, by people who love what they are.Everyone’s got a reason to be proud, and Porthole’s proud to help these creators represent. We always showcase the most stylish designs from all kinds of makers’ brands, but this issue, we’re sharing the pride with LGBTQIA+-owned, native and indigenous-owned, and Black woman-owned studios.LGBTQIA+-owned SUAY SEW SHOPSuay is Thai for “beautiful.”This … [Read more...]
Catalina on a Cruise: What to Know, Do, and See During Your Visit
If you live in the Los Angeles area, then there is a good idea that you know about the gem that is Catalina. If you’ve never visited, however, you’re in for a treat when you stop during your cruise. The town of Avalon is where your cruise will visit during your trip to Catalina. Here’s what to know about the island, town, weather, and more. Having visited ports all around North … [Read more...]
Carnival Crew Member Falls From Ship During Emergency Drill
Crew members aboard Carnival Venezia smoothly handled an emergency situation that coincidentally happened during an emergency drill. The incident happened while the ship was docked in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands on Friday, May 10. St. Thomas was the first port of call on the ship’s current sailing, an 11-night Eastern Caribbean voyage from New York. Carnival Venezia departed the Big … [Read more...]
What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Couples?
If you’re a couple considering booking a cruise in the near future, and you’ve never cruised before, you need to keep something in mind as you decide which cruise line you’d like to sail with: Not all cruise lines consider couples as a priority. And this is fine! Some cruise lines are more geared toward families or those looking for a great time on the high seas with a posse of their friends. … [Read more...]
Crew Member Falls Off Cruise Ship During Emergency Drill [VIDEO]
Emergency drills are common practice on any cruise ship. It helps keep the crew ready for any kind of situation. These drills are often done on port days when cruise passengers are mostly off the ship. But one such drill turned into an actual emergency on Friday when a crew member fell into the water. The incident happened on Carnival Venezia while the ship was docked in St. Thomas … [Read more...]
Can you upgrade your room after final payment on my cruise?
Can you change or upgrade your room on a Royal Caribbean cruise if you're past the final payment date?It seems as though when you reach the final payment date for your sailing, everything is more or less "written in stone" for the purposes of your reservation. You'd incur penalties for changing or cancelling your cruise reservation, but are you definitely stuck with the cabin selection you've … [Read more...]