Luggage drop-off policies and benefits can be more controversial than many passengers realize, but it’s a big deal to frequent cruisers. Embarkation day can be exciting and it’s a great feeling to be one of the first to board the ship. What isn’t so great, however, is having to carry luggage around the ship for several hours before staterooms are open. Carnival Cruise Line offers a highly … [Read more...]

Following the devastating wildfires that have ravaged – and continue to burn – in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and other neighborhoods of Los Angeles, the City of Angels’ hometown cruise line has announced measures to support its community. Princess Cruises, headquartered in northern Los Angeles’ Santa Clarita, California, is the Hollywood star of the iconic television show, “The Love Boat” … [Read more...]

Less than a year after civil unrest that erupted in May 2024, some cruise lines are still wary of bringing passengers to New Caledonia’s capital city of Nouméa.  This includes Disney Cruise Line, which just announced its 84,130-gross-ton Disney Wonder will skip its intended February 13, 2025, call to the island. The 2,713-passenger vessel has been in Sydney and Melbourne for … [Read more...]

If a full six months at sea sounds like a great way to experience 2027, start packing because bookings have opened on a 2027 world cruise that departs just days after the new year turns and concludes three weeks after the summer solstice. Azamara Cruises, a Miami-based, small-ship line known for its destination-immersive itineraries, will operate the 188-night voyage — the longest world cruise … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean has reached out to guests booked onboard Symphony of the Seas within the last few months with details about possible exposure to Legionella. Two guests on recent sailings of the ship have been diagnosed with the disease, prompting the notification. “Your health and safety are always our top priority and in an abundance of caution, we are reaching out for your awareness,” the … [Read more...]

Two cruise lines, one catering to the UK market and the other to the French market, are merging to form a new European brand with a three-ship fleet of mid-size vessels. The UK-based Ambassador Cruise Line, with two ships, and Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC), headquartered in Marseille, France, and operating one ship, are known for their no-fly cruises. Both sail from multiple UK and … [Read more...]

With multiple massive wildfires raging out of control in the Los Angeles area, it is understandable that cruise travelers with sailings booked from Long Beach would be concerned about whether or not their departures will be impacted. Guests have reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, for details. Fortunately, Heald has confirmed that at this time, no Carnival … [Read more...]

The Port of Palm Beach is yet another cruise homeport that has added facial recognition technology to speed up passenger processing, with phenomenal results. On January 3, 2025, the first day the technology was fully in place, more than 1,400 cruise passengers were processed before 10 a.m. – a record for the cruise port. This is a historic event for the port, which while it isn’t as popular … [Read more...]

Guests looking forward to their 7-night Caribbean getaway aboard MSC Cruises’ MSC Seaside will have to wait a little longer than expected, due to terminal construction delays and berth availability at PortMiami. Booked guests were notified more than two weeks ahead of the sailing that the January 26, 2025 departure will now depart PortMiami at 11 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. as originally scheduled. … [Read more...]

The US Virgin Islands is celebrating an extraordinary year of tourism, spurred by a historic surge in cruise passenger arrivals throughout 2024. Welcoming an all-time high of 1,770,922 cruise passenger arrivals, the collection of islands in the Caribbean saw a near-10-percent increase compared to 2023. That number is made even more impressive, considering the USVI had already seen … [Read more...]

Another cruise line has announced it will be including Alaska in its array of itineraries in 2026, bringing a luxury liner to the waters of the Last Frontier. Cunard Line revealed it will offer 15 roundtrip cruises to Alaska from Seattle on its 2,000-passenger Queen Elizabeth, which is scheduled for a major makeover in early 2025. The journeys, ranging from 7 to 12 nights, will be … [Read more...]

While the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” often holds true, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) chose a different path in an effort to enhance its onboard guest experience. Beginning in late August 2024, the cruise line initiated the rollout of a brand-new app across its fleet of 19 ships, meant to provide cabin access and reservation details, allow guests to upload … [Read more...]

While the idea of taking one’s pet dogs on vacation is a thrill for dedicated dog owners, canine companions will not be welcome on Carnival Cruise Line anytime soon. This is in response to growing interest in the upcoming dog-friendly cruise from Margaritaville at Sea, along with eager requests from pet owners. It is inevitable that larger cruise lines would start receiving requests from … [Read more...]

With itineraries finalized and bookings now open for sale, Holland America Line has unveiled its series of 2026-27 Australia, New Zealand, and Asia voyages, featuring longer, immersive cruises. The line will deploy two ships to the region between September 2026 and April 2027; the 1,972-guest Noordam and the 1,964-guest Westerdam. Both vessels are positioned in the same region through … [Read more...]

With 100 million-plus people estimated to watch the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl, MSC Cruises is getting in on the action by kicking off a new US marketing campaign during the Big Game. For the first time, the cruise line is investing in a “Big Game” commercial that will feature two celebrities — not yet revealed, cruising aboard MSC World America, the line’s newest ship set to launch in April … [Read more...]

While all evacuations from a cruise ship are dramatic and nerve-wracking, travelers rarely get a good view of just how precise the work must be. The team from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans has shared video footage of a rescue from Carnival Valor, offering a birds-eye view of the operation. The medical evacuation took place on Sunday, January 5, 2025 as the cruise ship was enjoying a day … [Read more...]

Guests eager to set sail for some of the most sought-after cruise destinations in the world – the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, the Panama Canal, Barbados, and Hawaii – will not have the benefits they may have anticipated on four upcoming Carnival cruises. The impacted cruises are Carnival Dream‘s January 11, 2025 departure, a 14-night Eastern Caribbean sailing from Galveston, as well as the January … [Read more...]

As she unfortunately sometimes does, Mother Nature has forced another cruise ship to alter its itinerary.  MSC Meraviglia, which is simultaneously operating a 7-night and 18-night Bahamas sailing that embarked from New York on January 5, 2025, has had to alter course due to poor weather conditions.  The flagship of MSC’s Meraviglia-class vessels called on Port Canaveral, Florida, … [Read more...]

America’s largest small ship cruise line is planning to infiltrate Alaska in a big way in 2025, promising to double its capacity to guests who want to delve deeper into the Last Frontier. Competing against larger cruise lines that dominate the waterways, American Cruise Lines has ambitious plans to bring two ships to the area that can navigate the northernmost US state’s less-traveled … [Read more...]

Cruises are well-known to offer a great value for travelers, but some bills can add up quickly if guests aren’t careful. While it is easy to be mindful of what one spends onboard, what about when hidden charges show up after returning home? One Royal Caribbean guest has learned the hard way that such charges can be substantial. The recent traveler – who has remained anonymous – purchased … [Read more...]