Archives for November 2021

Odyssey of the Seas is the newest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. We are back from 7 nights onboard this second Quantum-Ultra class vessel and want to report on all aspects of the ship. From dining, to onboard activities, entertainment, and more, we rate it all in our Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship scorecard review. Odyssey of the Seas Cruise Ship Scorecard … [Read more...]

Polar Latitudes has kicked off its Antarctica program with the Seaventure, the ship formerly known as the Bremen, sailing for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The ship departed Ushuaia on Nov. 23 for a 19-night round voyage exploring the Southern Ocean and its wildlife, South Georgia for four nights (which includes the Eclipse Day on Dec. 3) and the bays and channels of the Antarctic Peninsula on Dec. 5-9, … [Read more...]

Credit:Shutterstock Christmas market cruise holidays are set to suffer another tricky year with multiple river cruise lines cancelling cruises as Europe tightens travel restrictions. Christmas market cruises 2021 have been cancelled by a number of cruise brands amid Covid concerns. The cancellations come as various European countries famous for their festive markets lock down. Austria … [Read more...]

On the 24th November Havila Capella arrived in Bergen harbour as the first of the four new coastal cruise ships on the Classic Coastal Route, but the date for the first round trip must unfortunately be postponed to 12 December. Additionally ship number two is also delayed from the yard. The first round voyage for Havila Capella has been planned for 1 December, but challenges such as a delayed … [Read more...]

Despite all of the changes over the years, the main dining room on any cruise ship is still an institution of the cruise experience.While the experience may not nearly be as formal as it once was, there are still plenty of faux pas' to avoid while dining there, and every guest should be aware of what they should or should not do while eating there.Etiquette at the main dining room on a cruise ship … [Read more...]

Hurtigruten Svalbard has teamed up with Volvo Penta to test a new hybrid vessel that will allow guests to experience the wonders of the Arctic archipelago without disturbing the habitat around them. The near-silent, Marell M15 cruiser called ‘Kvitbjørn’ (polar bear in English) will allow for fully electric operation in the environmentally sensitive waters around Svalbard, which is hugely popular … [Read more...]

Are you planning on a cruise in December onboard a Carnival Cruise Ship? That means you’re in luck as Carnival has now officially expanded the pre-cruise testing option for vaccinated guests through December 31, 2021. Since November 5, 2021, the option has been in place and has proven to be a reliable and welcome alternative for guests who have been unable to secure a test result in time for their … [Read more...]

This week’s special offers from Disney Cruise Line sail in with the return of the Canadian Resident rates along with a plethora of sail dates from now into late-April for Florida Residents and U.S. Military Personnel. Overall, there are more than 72 sail dates with these special offers available across the fleet for sailings from Port Canaveral, Miami, Galveston, New Orleans, and San … [Read more...]

Just last week, the team from Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine was on board the brand new MSC Seashore for its naming ceremony at Ocean Cay in the Bahamas. Over the weekend, MSC Cruises held another naming ceremony for the other ship they launched in 2021, MSC Virtuosa. On hand in Port Rashid, Dubai was Hollywood legend Sophia Loren who christened the ship, her 17th in the fleet … [Read more...]

Is The Key worth it? Matt recently did an updated review of The Key, in our post-Covid cruising world. From his perspective, The Key is not worth it.However, I’d like to present a counter argument, as Mr. Mills and I love The Key, and have purchased it on every cruise since it debuted!Early ArrivalThe first benefit is the early arrival, and we take full advantage of that.We always fly in the … [Read more...]

Caribbean Princess Welcomes Guests Back Onboard for a Season of Cruises to the Tropical Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale Guests to Experience An Array of Family Offerings Plus the Ultimate in Effortless, Personalized Cruising with MedallionClass Vacations SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (Nov. 28, 2021) – Enthusiastic cruisers set sail today … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has released their Cyber Monday deals on cruises that will be live through the end of today. For 24 hours, Carnival Cruise Line is running their Cyber Monday deals that include cruises to the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico.  Prices start at just $94 per person (December 2 sailing on Carnival Miracle) and is good for cruises that range from three to seven days in … [Read more...]

Norwegian Cruise Line says it has not yet made any adjustments to its scheduled South African cruises aboard Norwegian Jade, but is monitoring the new Omicron variant closely. Norwegian Jade is scheduled to cruise from Dubai to Cape Town in December, and sail several roundtrip itineraries from South Africa’s Mother City during January, but those plans are threatened by new travel … [Read more...]

The word “odyssey” means “an adventurous journey” and there are indeed many adventures awaiting guests on every journey of Odyssey of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean’s newest and most advanced ships. How many of these thrilling features will you attempt on your next cruise? Adventures on Odyssey of the Seas Odyssey of the Seas is a Quantum-Ultra class ship, measuring 1,139 feet in length and … [Read more...]

The Caribbean Princess has now set sail, becoming the eighth ship in the Princess Cruises fleet to welcome guests on board after the pandemic shutdown. The ship departed Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 28, 2021, starting a 7-night Eastern Caribbean getaway. Caribbean Princess Restarts Operations In a festive welcoming ceremony, the Caribbean Princess has officially greeted … [Read more...]

MSC Virtuosa has been named in Dubai, becoming only the second cruise ship ever to do so, and the largest ever to homeport in the Arabian Gulf. MSC Cruises newest Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship was named by silver screen icon Sophia Loren in Port Rashid alongside at the Dubai Cruise Terminal, ahead of the ship’s maiden cruise season in the Arabian Gulf. <img … [Read more...]

Mr. Mills and I just returned from Symphony of the Seas, and boy do I have so much to share!Since it was our first one back post-COVID, we knew this cruise would be different, but we had no idea how special it would end up being. This trip will definitely be in our memories for a long time. Pre-cruise testing & covid protocolsAs with any post-covid cruise, it must start with the test. We … [Read more...]

The South African government on Sunday decided against enhancing national safety restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, with scheduled cruises to be allowed to operate if cruise lines wish to do so. The several dozen cruise itineraries scheduled from South Africa during the coming 2021/22 cruise season will not be banned by the government, despite the spread of a new COVID-19 … [Read more...]

Abu Dhabi Ports Group, Diyar Al Muharraq and the Eagle Hills Diyar Company have signed an agreement to investigate opportunities to develop and operate new cruise infrastructure in Bahrain. The move by Abu Dhabi Ports comes just months after it signed a deal to develop a cruise terminal in Aqaba, Jordan, and will substantially enhance Bahrain’s position as a cruise destination in the Arabian … [Read more...]

Cruise lines are offering Cyber Monday cruise deals this year that include free balcony upgrades, kids sail for free, up to 35% off cruises, and loads of free perks to enhance your vacation.Here is a list of cruise deals that cruise lines are offering for Cyber Monday 2021: Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian is offering up to $4,250 in savings on cruises. The savings include the following: 70% off … [Read more...]