Carnival Cruise Ship Makes Rescue During Final Sea Day

The Carnival Sunrise cruise ship rescued several refugees on Friday while heading back to Florida towards the end of its Caribbean cruise. Passengers were surprised to see the small boat with several refugees who needed help and were brought aboard the Sunshine-class vessel. It comes following many recent rescues in the Caribbean by other ships in the fleet.

Carnival Sunshine Rescue

Passengers were met with an eventual final sea day on Friday when the Carnival Sunrise came to the rescue of several refugees on a small makeshift boat. The cruise line has released no details, but passengers have posted about the rescue that took place off the coast of Cuba in the Caribbean.

There were approximately seven refugees in what appeared to be a small boat with a makeshift sail. The ship’s captain apparently stopped and picked up the refugees, who were trying to get to South Florida from Cuba.

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Cruise Passengers’ Christmas Day Ruined on New P&O Ship

From huge lines for Christmas dinner to WiFi connection issues and IT problems, Arvia‘s maiden voyage is one that P&O Cruises will want to forget in a hurry. 

The newest Excel-class cruise ship, which was only handed over by the shipyard in mid-December, might be state-of-the-art, but P&O Cruises should have taken a bit more time to get systems operational. 

Arvia‘s Maiden Voyage Ruined for Some Guests

Sailing on a maiden voyage onboard a new cruise ship is always a hit-or-miss scenario. Sometimes cruise lines hit the nail on the head and get everything right, but sometimes things don’t exactly go as planned. 

Arvia‘s maiden voyage falls squarely into the second scenario. On December 16, Arvia was officially handed over by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, to UK-based P&O Cruises. The 180,000 gross tons cruise ship is the sister ship to Iona, also sailing for P&O, and

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Cruise Passengers Affected by Thousands of Southwest Flight Cancellations

Thousands of cruise ship passengers have not been able to fly to their cruise embarkation port or arrived too late in the wake of the issues Southwest Airlines caused in the United States this week. 

Cruise passengers booked with Southwest Airlines this week will have to wait a few more days for relief as the airline continues to struggle with what US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called a total system breakdown.

Southwest Airlines Causes Chaos for Cruise Passengers

Southwest Airlines cancelled 15,700 flights since winter weather began disrupting air travel on December 22 across the US. The issues with one of the largest airlines in the country mean that hundreds of cruise passengers have missed their intended departure onboard a cruise ship.

Others have had to drive hundreds or thousands of miles by car or were lucky enough that a cruise ship delayed departure. Others have struggled to find their

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One Millionth Passenger Sails From Major US Homeport

As a rapidly growing cruise homeport, the Port of Galveston has welcomed more than one million cruise passengers in 2022. The lucky 1,000,000th guest set sail on December 22, 2022, aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas for a 4-night holiday itinerary.

1,000,000 Guests Through Port of Galveston

Dallas resident Kathy Wade and her family were honored as the city’s one millionth cruise guests by the Port of Galveston, with a collection of gifts and a short ceremony to mark the occasion.

“This is our sixth cruise this year,” Wade said. “We love to cruise and we love Royal! We’ve been on the Adventure of the Seas several times.” Balloons and fanfare greeted the family, with fun gifts for everyone to enjoy. Various port officials were on hand with their congratulations.

Port of Galveston
Photo Courtesy: Port of Galveston

“We’re very happy for the Wade family. We’re also happy to mark

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Carnival Cruise Line Specialty Dining Venue Voted Best of 2022

Carnival Cruise Line’s Cucina del Capitano has been voted the Best Specialty Dining Venue in the 2022 Cruise Ship Awards. The dining venue received more votes than venues from rival cruise lines, including from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Cucina del Capitano is Best Cruise Line Specialty Dining Venue of 2022

The popular specialty dining venue has come out on top in Cruise Hive’s annual Cruise Ship Awards. Cucina del Capitano, an Italian-spired restaurant featured on many Carnival cruise ships, came first. The venue received more votes than over 20 other specialty dining venues, including those from rival lines.

With Cucina del Capitano coming in with the most votes for first place, it was much closer behind. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Cagney’s Steakhouse just marginally received more votes than third place Jamie’s Italian, featured on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Best Cruise Line Specialty Dining Venue

Voting in this year’s awards began in September, with Cruise

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Massive Winter Storm Delays Two Norwegian Cruise Ships

Both Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Getaway have been delayed on their current sailings due to the massive winter storm disrupting travel in the northeastern United States.

Sailing from New York City, both ships were held in port until the weather conditions improved, but have now set sail with itinerary changes as necessary.

Two Ships Delayed

New York City can be a magical place during the holiday season, but Winter Storm Elliott has brought temperatures into the single digits and massive wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour (88 kilometers per hour), which has caused all sorts of travel snarls with canceled flights and potential whiteout conditions.

Even cruise ships were impacted by the storm, and both Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Getaway remained docked rather than beginning their current sailings in unsafe conditions, which also included high waves that made pilot guidance out of New York Harbor impossible.

Norwegian Gem

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Is Carnival’s Global Brand Presence Now Causing Issues?

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, has seen its stock price decline in recent months due to various factors, including the global impact of the pandemic and the ongoing situation in Eastern Europe. 

The company operates several well-known brands in various global markets, including North America, the U.K., Germany, Australia, and Italy, and has long relied on its strong brand presence in these markets to drive business and generate profits. 

However, the uneven reopening of cruise travel in the wake of COVID-19, in Asia and Australia in particular, and the direct impact of the conflict in Ukraine on European countries have had a significant effect on the company’s results.

Carnival’s Strongest Suit Now Working Against Them

Carnival Corporation’s brand strategy has long been one where it operates several brands that are location specific. Think Costa Cruises and Italy, AIDA and Germany, P&O in the UK and Australia, and so

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Helps Two Small Boats in One Day

Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas offered assistance to two refugee boats in the Straits of Florida in one day as the ship was returning to Port Canaveral from Cozumel, Mexico. Both encounters were on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, during the ship’s day at sea.

Jewel of the Seas Offers Assistance

Jewel of the Seas was on the last full day of a 5-night Bimini and Cozumel itinerary when the ship encountered not one, but two boats of refugees in the Straits of Florida, between Cuba and Florida.

The first small refugee boat was spotted approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Havana. That boat appeared to be in distress, and the cruise ship launched one of its boats to investigate.

The refugee craft’s engine was having difficulty, but was able to be successfully restarted. The cruise ship also provided food, water, and other supplies to the refugees, and the

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Do Cruise Ships Have Morgues?

While it may seem morbid to think about, you may wonder if cruise ships have morgues. What happens if someone dies while aboard a ship? Where could a body possibly be kept? Even though it probably (or hopefully!) won’t cross your mind when you’re gearing up for your next vacation, it is a question of curiosity for some.

The answer to this question is, yes, cruise ships do have morgues. Since cruise ships are like portable, miniature cities, having a morgue along with various other services makes perfect sense. While no one likes to think about someone dying while cruising the open seas, death is a natural process that can occur at any time. Therefore, cruise ships are prepared for this possibility.

The Reality

While we may picture the young, adoring family taking their first magical cruise, the truth is that many cruisers are mature in age. Additionally, with

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Top Tips to Stay Healthy and Thrive in the Great Outdoors

Nature has an incredible power to rejuvenate our bodies and minds, providing a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Whether you’re hiking through lush forests, camping under the stars, or simply taking a leisurely stroll in the park, spending time in the great outdoors offers numerous health benefits. To make the most of your outdoor adventures, consider these top tips to stay healthy and thrive in nature.

1. Embrace Physical Activity: Engaging in physical activities in the outdoors is not only fun but also essential for your overall well-being. Activities like hiking, cycling, kayaking, or even playing outdoor sports can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles, and boost your mood by releasing endorphins. Choose activities that match your fitness level and gradually challenge yourself to achieve new goals.

2. Stay Hydrated: Spending time outdoors can be dehydrating, especially during warm weather or intense physical activities. Always carry … Read more