As the first Oasis-class ship for Royal Caribbean, Oasis of the Seas set a new standard in the cruising industry when it first appeared in 2009. The Oasis class made headlines as the largest ships in the world at the time, and these ships were filled with tons of fun things to do and groundbreaking, never-before-seen features.   While, today, Oasis of the Seas and its sister ships … [Read more...]

After two straight years of being a runner-up, Royal Caribbean International has the top-ranked cruise ship in the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards. Wonder of the Seas took top honors in the annual contest. Wonder of the Seas Tops for Best Overall Cruise Ship Wonder of the Seas came out on top among ships across multiple cruise lines nominated by readers in 2023 for the Cruise Hive Awards. Royal … [Read more...]

Guests sailing aboard a Costa Cruises’ ship in the Arabian Sea are credited with helping to rescue five fishermen stranded in the sea near the vessel’s location. The incident, which happened on Christmas Day, December 25, 2023, took place between Mumbai and Kochi, India. Shipwreck Victims Spotted From a Balcony The view from a ship’s balcony usually provides a calming ocean scene, perhaps … [Read more...]

It is no surprise that what will be the biggest, most innovative cruise ship history has ever seen has been voted as the most anticipated new ship coming in 2024. Royal Caribbean International’s upcoming Icon of the Seas – already en route to Miami, Florida for her January debut – has taken the honors in the Cruise Hive Awards. Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship for 2024 – Icon of the … [Read more...]

Christmas might be over, but the holiday savings haven’t wrapped up just yet. MSC Cruises is celebrating New Year’s and the beginning of Wave Season with discounted sailings to the Caribbean and North America, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe.  MSC Cruises Announces New Year’s Sale for US-Based Sailings Now through January 15, 2024, MSC Cruises is offering discounted cruises in … [Read more...]

Guests onboard the current sailing of Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess are about to visit some very amazing ports of call in Vietnam, but need to be sure they’ve completed the appropriate paperwork to do so. Letters have been delivered to passengers’ staterooms with information about necessary paperwork to ensure smooth visits to two outstanding ports – Chan May and Phu My. Special … [Read more...]

Florida’s Port Canaveral has been named the Best US Homeport for 2023 in the annual Cruise Hive Awards. It’s the fourth consecutive year the port has won the honor. Port Canaveral Retains Crown as Top Homeport in United States Located on the state’s east coast, Port Canaveral earned 34% of the vote, more than twice the votes of second-place finisher PortMiami. Nearly 20 ports in total … [Read more...]

A once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica cruise aboard Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess has had multiple disruptions, including a cancelled port visit and rough weather, along with internet outages impacting how guests can stay in touch with family and friends back home during the holidays. These disruptions are not uncommon to these types of voyages, but certainly make it a different type of sailing … [Read more...]

Carnival Jubilee, the latest addition to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, was voted Best New Cruise Ship of 2023 in the annual Cruise Hive Awards. The 183,521-gross ton ship received far more votes than her nearest competitor, indicating her commanding presence in the cruise ship market. Carnival’s Newest Cruise Ship Wins Offering a new set of onboard “wow” factors plus Carnival Cruise Line’s … [Read more...]

Guests will be boarding P&O Cruises’ Ventura later than originally planned on Friday, December 29, 2023, after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness onboard the current cruise has led to the need for more thorough deep cleaning and disinfection. This is standard procedure to mitigate transmission of any illness, but does delay embarkation for the ship’s next sailing as a precautionary … [Read more...]

AROYA Cruises, a new cruise line operated by Cruise Saudi with a focus on Arabian sailings, has unveiled its very first ship, which will look familiar to Norwegian Cruise Line guests. Though the ship is undergoing extensive refurbishment before she will begin welcoming guests, the vessel is the popular Breakaway class first pioneered by Norwegian Cruise Line. AROYA Cruises Reveals First … [Read more...]

As one of Carnival Cruise Line’s newer ships, Carnival Panorama was easily the cruise line’s best until Mardi Gras came along in 2021 (and, as such, Carnival Panorama actually acted as Carnival’s flagship for a few years).  Not terribly big and not terribly small either, Carnival Panorama offers a wealth of activities and there’s something for every cruiser to do, no matter what exactly it … [Read more...]

It’s been a great year for Royal Caribbean International, which is backed up by some tremendous numbers to close out the year. The cruise line has shared a variety of fun facts and statistics from the year – how many have you been a part of? 6 Million Royal Caribbean Passengers and 252 Ports WorldWide! The past 12 months have been great ones for Royal Caribbean, with more than six million … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay has been named Best Cruise Line Private Island in the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards. It’s the third consecutive year the island in the Bahamas has won this honor. Perfect Day at CocoCay Becomes Best Cruise Line Private Island Destination Perfect Day at CocoCay was voted top in the Best Cruise Line Private Island award category, getting 34% of the vote. Nine … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line was voted Best Cruise Line for Service and Crew in the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards. The fun ship line scored highest among nine competing cruise brands, edging out Royal Caribbean, which came in second place. Crew Members a Cornerstone of Sailing’s Success Cruisers know that the success of any vacation at sea is closely tied to the level of service guests receive from the … [Read more...]

When passengers book a suite, they are expecting nicer accommodations in exchange for the higher price, such as more space or extra amenities. But for one disappointed couple, the luxury suite they spent thousands of dollars to book may have actually been one of the worst cabins on the ship.  A Dream Cruise Turned Nightmare As most families would be, the Kula’s were looking forward to … [Read more...]

While flying home on a charter plane following a holiday cruise, 11 guests from P&O Cruises’ Arvia were injured by unexpected turbulence, with some travelers requiring hospitalization to treat their injuries. The plane diverted to Bermuda to ensure everyone could receive appropriate medical attention, but the diversion delayed travelers’ return to the UK in time for the Christmas … [Read more...]

Among the Florida cruise ports across the state, passengers can enjoy a wide range of benefits, adventures and fun discoveries. Six of these destinations serve as homeports for a number of cruise lines and the seventh (Key West) remains a top port of call for many ships and itineraries. Each of the cruise ports in Florida has modern, … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has taken the top honors in the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards as the Best Booking Experience, edging out Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and other major cruise lines for the ease of booking and making it simple for guests to plan their next cruise vacation. Carnival Cruise Line Wins Best Booking Experience Carnival Cruise Line, the world’s most popular cruise … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster has once again been voted Best Cruise Ship Feature in the annual Cruise Hive Awards. The motorcycle-style thrill ride garnered more than double the percentage of votes that adventure rides on competitors Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line received. Thrill Ride Wins Top Spot For Third Year For the third consecutive year, Carnival … [Read more...]