Without a cruise ship engine, these vessels would be nothing more than a floating hotel. They would drift aimlessly at sea and would lack any form of propulsion. Looking at the sheer size of these vessels makes one wonder how large an engine needs to be to maneuver the ship successfully in water. Older cruise ships may still use a diesel reciprocating engine to generate enough power to move them. … [Read more...]

Sweet and creamy delights are the scoop of this highlight. Princess Cruises has an authentic cold treat coming your way served up on a cup or cone as the only cruise line to offer a gelato experience at sea. Authentic Italian gelato will keep you cool on a few Princess cruise ships this season. Princess Cruises With Authentic Gelato Experience Princess Cruises released they will be serving up … [Read more...]

Already the ninth ocean-going cruise ship for Viking Ocean Cruises, and the tenth in class, Viking Saturn reached an important milestone in the building stage. She was floated out for the first time during a ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy.  Viking Saturn Floated Out Under the watchful eye of company CEO Torstein Hagen and Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero, the tenth ship in … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has changed its shore excursion policy to permit unvaccinated guests of any age to explore ashore freely, without the need to purchase a tour. This comes as vaccinations are becoming more widely available and just recently approved in the U.S. for children under 5 years old, as well as different destinations gradually easing their travel restrictions. Unvaccinated Guests Can … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has agreed with 46 different attorney generals on a 1.25 million dollar settlement. The settlement stems from a data breach that involved the personal information of approximately 180,000 Carnival employees and customers nationwide. In August 2020, Carnival reported a data breach in which a person or organization gained access to certain Carnival employee e-mail accounts. The … [Read more...]

Without the power of a propeller, large cruise ships would drift aimlessly over the sea. The options for power are diesel, electric, or gas turbine engines for propulsion. The larger the ship, the greater the need for electric power. We discuss how a cruise ship propeller works in moving these mammoth cruise ships through the water. How Does a Cruise Ship Propeller Spin? Older cruise ships may use … [Read more...]

The most likely buyer of the two Crystal Cruises ships purchased them in an auction last month. The industrial holding company chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, A&K Travel Group Ltd., is the new owner of Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony.  The new owners intend to keep the Crystal Cruises brand name and service the company was known for as it starts working on a restart of the … [Read more...]

It’s been a productive week for German cruise operator TUI Cruises, which operates the well-known Mein Schiff fleet of ships. Just one week after the company hit start for Mein Schiff 7, the steel was cut for the first of two 160,000 gross ton LNG-powered cruise ships.  The newbuilds will be completed by 2024 and 2026, by which time they will be the two biggest cruise ships in TUI’s fleet. … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line will welcome an additional two Costa cruise ships to its fleet in 2023 and 2024. Costa Venezia will operate from New York and Costa Firenze will sail out of Long Beach, both merging Italian style and ambiance with Carnival Cruise Line’s signature fun. Costa Vessels to Join Carnival Cruise Line The Miami-based cruise line is going full Italian style with “COSTA by Carnival” and … [Read more...]

The much-anticipated Evrima luxury ship from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is suffering another delay due to labor shortages and disputes, causing the cancelation of its inaugural sailings. Now, the ship will not welcome guests until August 31, 2022, instead of the early August debut previously planned. Labor Disputes Cause Delays According to a company statement, labor protests and strikes by … [Read more...]

At more than 20 years old, Norwegian Star might not be all that bright, shiny and new — but recent refurbishments and Norwegian Cruise Line’s dedication to the Norwegian experience have kept things feeling fresh and cemented this cruise ship as a favorite.  With lots to do for every age group and cruise itineraries that can take you to just every corner of the globe, no one will be bored on … [Read more...]

P&O Cruises, the largest UK-based cruise line, temporarily removes the testing mandate for at least one ship. The Carnival Corporation-owned cruise line operates cruises mainly from the UK, where the government removed entry requirements to come into the country on March 18, 2022. By removing the testing requirements for one vessel, for a limited amount of time, the cruise line hopes to create … [Read more...]

P&O Cruises will be introducing a new entertainment feature onboard its newest Excel-class cruise ship. Arvia, as the latest vessel is called, will feature an escape room that will take guests into ocean canyons, encountering sunken cities and underwater creatures. Arvia will join the P&O Cruises fleet in December 2022 as its second LNG-powered, Excel-class ship offering a Caribbean maiden … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society members will notice some interesting alternatives to amenities they’re accustomed to receiving. In a letter sent to Diamond Plus and Pinnacle society members, global supply chain issues are cited as the reason for temporarily adjusting how benefits are offered. Preferred Wines Unavailable Cruise travelers on all lines and at all loyalty levels have noticed … [Read more...]

The scrapping of old cruise ships continues full steam ahead as it became clear today another iconic cruise ship will be scrapped in the coming weeks and months. With fuel prices at an all-time high, available crew in short supply, and the world entering a worrying financial period, many cruise ship owners are taking the step to sell their ships as scrap metal.  On Saturday, the former Fred … [Read more...]

Two new vessels under construction for MSC Cruises have reached significant milestones, bringing the ships closer to welcoming guests. Both are liquified natural gas (LNG) powered vessels under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and both milestones help bring the cruise line closer to its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Cruise Line … [Read more...]

Disney Cruise Line’s newest cruise ship, the highly-anticipated Disney Wish, arrived in her new homeport of Port Canaveral shortly before sunrise Monday, June 20, 2022. She was escorted by a flotilla of Port-based tugboats and the Port Canaveral Fire Rescue Fireboat 2 providing the traditional water cannon salute. The ship sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany, on June 9.  Disney Wish was welcomed … [Read more...]

It has been a week since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dropped the requirement for international travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test before flying into the United States, yet no progress has yet been made on a similar stricture being dropped for cruise travelers. How is cruise travel different, and what options may be available to ease testing requirements … [Read more...]

Early in May, Crown Princess resumed service with her first cruise since the global pause in operations. However, the vessel has been plagued by several issues that have affected her itineraries. Those issues come mostly from ongoing engine problems, which affect her maximum speed.  Although Princess Cruises has known about the issues for several months, the company continues to operate the … [Read more...]

We’ve got you covered on all the major headlines in this week’s cruise news update as cruise lines announce further cancellations and requirements begin to ease. Cruise News Update It was just another busy week across the cruise industry and we’ve got some significant cruise news updates that may not only impact your upcoming cruise, but could even be the start of further easing on cruise ship … [Read more...]