Category: Cruise Deals

Princess Cruises is introducing several price hikes, including a higher rate for the daily gratuities guests are expected to pay onboard. The price for the crew appreciation and service charge will increase by $1.50 per guest per day for all cabin and suite categories.

With the current inflation levels affecting most people worldwide, increasing gratuities is a way for Princess Cruises to lessen the impact on its crew.

Princess Cruises has also announced a significant price increase in onboard Wi-Fi. Although the service has been touted as one of the best at sea, it seems unlikely guests will be happy with the new pricing.

Princess Cruises Gratuity Hike

Introducing price hikes will never go down well with everyone; however, with inflation skyrocketing worldwide, cruise lines are forced to bring some relief to the thousands of crew members onboard. That’s why the cruise line announced to travel advisors that the company

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

Lisbon Cruise Port welcomed P&O’s newest ship, Arvia, on her inaugural visit to the port on January 3. Port officials said they expect 2023 to be a record-breaking year for the port, and presented a plaque to the Arvia’s captain to mark what they called a momentous day.

A ‘Momentous Day’ and Big Year Ahead

Duarte Cabral, general manager of Lisbon Cruise Port, along with port authority and customs officials and the harbor master, presented the welcome plaque to Arvia Captain Robert Camby.

Cabral said: “This will be a record-breaking year with the number of calls surpassing even 2019, prior to Covid. Our award-winning port and terminal are ready to serve all the passengers that go through our gates with exceptional health and safety protocols.”

He said the Lisbon port is expecting about 650,000 cruise guests to visit the city, with an “increase of 95% in turnaround passengers” this

The Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth has missed a scheduled visit to Bali due to a COVID-19 outbreak onboard.

In accordance with local restrictions and after discussion with local authorities, the vessel has bypassed the port of call and is continuing on to Fremantle in Western Australia for debarkation.

Onboard Outbreak Causes Port Diversion

While the Vista-class ship departed Sydney on schedule on November 7 for her 17-night, one-way cruise, rising cases in Australia and the presence of cases onboard have now diverted the ship and canceled the call in Bali that had been scheduled for Monday, November 28, 2022.

“Unfortunately, due to the ongoing rise in community transmission across Australia and this being reflected on various cruise lines, we’re unable to visit Indonesia at this time,” a Cunard spokesperson said.

“That has followed ongoing conversations with the respective authorities in Bali, and we understand and respect the current circumstances

The largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of the Seas, has finally been officially christened in a ceremony at her new homeport, Port Canaveral in Florida.

The ceremony, held the evening of Friday, December 9, 2022, included a blend of traditional moments as well as high-tech, energizing snippets showcasing the ship’s innovations and celebrating her in style.

Wonder of the Seas Named

Royal Caribbean International has finally named the line’s newest ship, Wonder of the Seas, in a “Caribbean Chic” ceremony at Port Canaveral, with cruise line executives, VIPs, and media in attendance for the momentous occasion that has officially christened the new ship.

Festivities onboard the vessel included previews of the new, high-energy, tech-infused production shows, spectacular high dives in the AquaTheater, aerialists, and live music for the assembled guests.

Traditional elements, meanwhile, included the bagpipe performance always seen at Royal Caribbean’s ceremonial