Don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for a cruise line-sponsored shore excursion? You might want to consider going online and browsing Cruise Critic’s “Roll Call’ forums where guests booked on your cruise look to find other like-minded guests to share tours and save a lot of money.
It’s a tale of two cruise lines, both with very different visions for their customers. Last week, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled the latest onboard amenities for their new ships. What can customers expect? Would you believe a zip-line, ice bar, neighborhoods, curved staterooms, carousel and outdoor amphitheaters? And that’s just for starters.
The Delta Queen is the last remaining example of the thousands of paddle-wheel steamboats that once traveled America’s waterways and it’s about to be put out to pasture because of politics. Find out why and how we must save this great American treasure.
The economy is slumping and cruise lines are scrambling to fill their berths. What does that mean for you? It means a great deal on a cruise vacation and a good excuse for spending that tax rebate check.
Somewhere between the plumbing problem, the locked balcony door, multiple complaint letters, and posting their cruise horror stories on the Internet, Royal Caribbean decided it could never do right by these passengers. So it told them to get out there — and to stay out! Think you can’t get banned from a cruise line? Meet the Morans.
Will the world’s largest cruise ship that spans four football fields, rises 15 stories high, and carries 4,328 people play in the UK? Royal Caribbean is betting big that the brand new Independence of the Seas will woo Britons with a jolly good cruise.
John Heald, Carnival Cruise Lines’ senior cruise director, has become the most famous cruise director since Julie McCoy of “Love Boat” TV fame. Except John’s not on TV, he’s taking the Internet by storm with his blog that boasts thousands of readers. Even more than that it has changed the way cruise lines interact with their customers by building online communities.
Did you know that cruise lines get most of their revenue from the things passengers buy aboard ship? Yep. That’s why they aggressively peddle their photos, spa services, art auctions, shore excursions, jewelry, casino and drinks of the day. If you’re not careful, you can easily spend more for onboard extras than you did on your cruise fare. Here are some tips to help keep your cruise budget afloat.
Luxury cruising is booming. With nine new ships on order, the luxury lines are looking at 32 ships and 11,790 berths by 2012 — the largest capacity in the sector’s history. Here’s a look at the growing trend.
Most cruises begin with a plane ride to the port of embarkation, which raises a perennial question: Should you book your air travel through the cruise line or should you book it yourself? Here are some opinions on the matter.
Crazy about Elvis? Looking for a Star Trek fix? Want to shimmy bare-naked under the stars? Believe it or not, you can indulge these passions – and a host of others – on a cruise vacation. In honor of April Fools’ Day, here are four of the craziest theme cruises to hit the high seas.
What happens if you book a cruise, then the cruise line unexpectedly pulls your ship from its fleet? Find out how five friends from Wisconsin navigated the frustrating, fee-filled waters when Norwegian Cruise Line removed a ship from its Hawaii fleet.
It’s one of the most popular excursions for cruise travelers in the Caribbean: swimming with stingrays. The untimely death of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin, who was killed by a stingray barb, has many people asking questions, mainly, “Is it safe to go in the water with these ordinarily docile creatures?”
Cruise entertainment used to come down to three things: bingo, shuffleboard and shtick entertainment. Today, cruise lines are going all-out to entice younger, more adventurous and curious travelers to their ships by upgrading their shipboard activities and entertainment offerings. Here are the three better things to do with your time on your next cruise.
Plenty of things can go wrong on a cruise vacation. You could get seasick, or sleep through breakfast, or lose at blackjack, or puke over the rail. But there are five cruise miseries that are often preventable. Here’s some advice for steering clear of them.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. And while love is in the air, cruise lines are going all-out to entice couples to choose a wedding at sea. Here’s a look at the trend.
Forget bowling, rock climbing and ice skating. The coolest thing to do on a cruise vacation these days is to go zip-lining through the jungle. Strap yourself into a harness 80 feet above the jungle floor, then zip along the treetops with the parrots. It’s the ultimate adrenaline rush.
It’s hot, it’s hip, and it’s Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship: Norwegian Gem. NCL’s new investor has put $1 billion into the company, so the cruise line with the tagline “You’re free to … whatever” is now free to spend “whatever” on making its cruises even better. Meet the poster ship for what’s to come fleetwide.
Last April, I told the story of an American tourist who spent $24,000 on jewelry for his wife while on a cruise stop in Santorini, Greece. When the couple returned home to Florida, two appraisers valued the jewelry at less than $9,000. Accusations flew, and after my story was picked up by MSNBC, the case assumed the proportions of an international incident. Find out how it turned out.
Each time the Royal Clipper slips mooring and raises its billowing white sails passengers are taken on a truly unique journey. Combine the drama of islands less traveled, a bagpipe playing captain, crab races as entertainment, along with a global mix of travelers and it all adds up to a truly tall tale of the Caribbean.
Enid Horowitz writes asking for advice on the best ships for travelers like her husband, who uses a wheelchair to get around. ExpertCruiser takes the opportunity to look at shipboard accommodations for a wide range of disabled travelers.
Currently, there are 42 new cruise ships on order from 2008-2012 and that number is expected to increase. From luxury lines like Seabourn, Silversea and the new Pearl Seas Cruises through to the next generation of megaships like Royal Caribbean’s “Project Genesis” and Norwegian Cruise Line’s “F3″ series, here’s a look into the future at the massive number of new vessels on order.
It’s Christmas Eve - high tide of the holiday season - time to raise a wassail cup to toast another year of adventures at sea. Fellow voyagers I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with 25 wishes for the year to come.
Christened by a duchess and now sailing on a voyage around the world, Cunard’s new Queen Victoria is a ship leading a charmed life. But make no mistake. This is no cruise ship taking folks on cruises. No, this is an ocean liner taking pampered guests on cultured voyages.
Eva and Harry Berger just wanted to relax and enjoy their Hawaiian cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of Aloha last May. It was their 39th wedding anniversary, so the Bergers splurged on a balcony stateroom. But Stateroom 9229 turned out to be the cabin from hell.