Ready for Take-Off

The Carnival AirShip is ready to debut in the skies over California beginning tomorrow, January 1, for the Rose Parade. It will remain in California throughout January promoting Carnival Panorama's debut at Long Beach in December 2019. 

Photos courtesy of Cruise Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Break Out the Confetti

Carnival had a christening today in Pasadena. Not exactly a new ship, but kind of.

Carnival Cruise Line has been building a replica of Carnival Panorama, in float version, that will “sail” in the Rose Parade in Pasadena on Tuesday. Completion of the construction phase was marked today by its christening when Rose Queen Louise Siskel smashed a confetti-filled bottle across the "bow" of the float, officially naming it "Come Sail Away."

The complete story appeared in the December 28 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Exploration, Discovery & Enrichment

Princess' new wine menu has debuted and it's full new and wondrous things thanks to their partnership with Master of Wine and Master Sommelier Doug Frost, who believes it is the best wine list in the cruise industry. He has expanded it by 50 percent to a total of 142 wines all with descriptions that make it easy for an occasional wine drinker to know what he (or she) is ordering.

Details appeared in the December 27 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Overboard from Harmony of the Seas

A 20-year-old male employee went overboard from Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas in the early morning hours  Tuesday (December 25) while it was cruising between Port Everglades and St. Maarten.

The man from the UK was an entertainer, and the ship became aware he was missing when he did not report for work as scheduled. The crew performed a shipwide search, and security staff reviewed closed-circuit camera footage. They located footage recorded about 4am where the man was seen entering an area on Deck 5 and then was not seen again.

The complete story appeared in the December 27 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 27, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Carnival and FCCA being thought to be even better than Santa Claus by Caribbean children
• Princess has the first ship in North America to accept both Chinese digital payment systems
• If Carnival were to stack up all the Christmas trees they have on their ships, end to end, do you know how tall they would be? 

Details appear in the December 27 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Gassing Up

Before it left on its inaugural cruise of the Canary Islands this weekend, AIDA's new LNG-powered AIDAnova had to gas up (literally). As the first cruise ship that will run on Liquified Natural Gas both at sea and in port, it takes a lot of the gas, and new procedures had to be developed for virtually every step of the operation. That included the bunkering of the fuel (filling up the tanks on the ship).

The complete story appeared in the December 21 edition of Cruise News Daily.

A Nice Way to End up the Week, Sittin' on the Dock

The Otis Redding classic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is the sixth most-played track of the 20th century. It's been streamed more than 200 million times, and it was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Charts. It is also one of the most-requested songs by passengers sailing on Princess Cruises.

It's been 50 years (can you believe it?) since the song was written by Redding, and to mark the anniversary, Princess has teamed with the Otis Redding Estate and Playing for Change to produce a new video version of the song recorded in port cities around the world visited by Princess Cruises - San Francisco, Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, Hawaii, Jamaica and Barcelona. The new all-star video features Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Aloe Blacc, Dexter and Otis Redding III, James Gadson, Louis Mhlanga, the students from the Otis Redding Foundation Music Camp, Claire Finley, Irie Love, Mar Sanchez, and the Rass Brass Extension.

Onboard Princess ships, guests can enjoy the videos and also donate to the Otis Redding Foundation and Playing for Change Foundation. Both organizations support music education for children and underserved groups. The Princess Community Foundation will match donations (up to $25,000) made before March 31st, 2019. Fans can also donate to Foundations online at www.princess.com/DockOfTheBay

You can see behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the video at www.princess.com/DockOfTheBay

Cunard Doubles Down on Alaska

Cunard is returning to Alaska for a short season in 2019. Response to that program has been so good, the luxury line has decided already that a full season will be in order for 2020.

The 2020 program will double the number of 2019 cruises and run from June through September on the newly-refit (this year) Queen Elizabeth sailing round trip from Vancouver. 

These won't be your standard off-the-shelf week-long cruises. Each is different ranging from nine to twelve nights. 

The complete story appeared in the December 20 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 20, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• A new tax on cruise passengers in Amsterdam and MSC dropping calls there
• Royal Caribbean getting sued by an ice-skating passenger
• MSC Bellissima leaving on sea trials

Details appeared in the December 20 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Photos courtesy of Chantiers de l'Atlantique/Bernard Bigger. All rights reserved. 

Where Ice Has Nothing to Do with Immigration

Silver Wind just completed a dry dock with extensive refurbishment. Today, Silversea announced a second part to the project, scheduled for the summer of 2020, that will give the ship ice-class classification and make a number of other major improvements to the ship's interior.

When completed in a year and a half, Silver Wind will give the line more flexibility in where it is assigned and allow it to sail both classic and expedition itineraries while giving passengers even more features and luxury.

The complete story appeared in the December 19 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Overboard from Carnival Fantasy

A 22-year-old man with autism apparently went overboard from Carnival Fantasy on Sunday while it was en route from Mobile to Progreso.

Details appeared in the December 19 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Going Where No FunShip Has Gone Before

No, it's not space, the final frontier. It's San Francisco. It's hard to believe but Carnival Cruise Line has never homeported a ship in the City by the Bay. But that's going to change in 2020.

San Francisco will become Carnival Cruise Line's 19th home port in North America when Carnival Miracle operates a series of cruises from there to Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico.

The complete story appeared in the December 18 issue of Cruise News Daily.

New York to Have Its Own Oasis

Royal Caribbean International has announced Oasis of the Seas will replace Anthem of the Seas in the New York market (sailing from Cape Liberty in Bayonne) for the summer 2020 season, marking the first time an Oasis-class ship has sailed from the Big Apple.

Yes, it will fit under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge thanks to its unusual feature of being able to lower its funnel. The feature was last used on its delivery sailing from the yard in Turku (Finland) as it went under Denmark's Storebaelt Bridge.

The complete story appeared in the December 17 edition of Cruise News Daily.




Video courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Other Things You'll Want to Know- December 17, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• The Coast Guard ending their search for a man who went overboard from Carnival Victory last Friday
• Arcadia breaking her lines at Bermuda on Monday night (video below)
• Royal Caribbean's return to New Orleans after a three-year-absence. 

Details appeared in the December 17 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Video courtesy of PTZ TV. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used.

Wheeeeeeee!

A roller coast has long been rumored to be a feature we could expect to see on a cruise ship, and Carnival Cruise Line has finally decided to be the first ones to do it. The line said they are adding “the ultimate sea coaster” to the top deck of Carnival Mardi Gras when it debuts in 2020.

BOLT will be the place to get your adrenaline rush because it can cruise along 187 feet above the sea, making hairpin turns with twists - and turns - and drops - at speeds up to 40 miles per hour along nearly 800 feet of track. Some will wish it's less, while others will want to ride again.

The complete story appeared in the December 14 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Video courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 14, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• A passenger going overboard from Carnival Victory
• Costa extending their contract to manager Savona's cruise terminal until 2044
• A Coast Guard medevac from Norwegian Escape

Details appeared in the December 14 edition of Cruise News Daily

Video courtesy of the US Coast Guard. All rights reserved.

Cutting Rudi's Ribbon

When Holland America's Nieuw Statendam debuted last week, it came with a special restaurant - so special the line even had a ribbon cutting for it.

Nieuw Statendam is the first of Holland America's ships to have a dedicated space for Rudi's Sel de Mer. The first Sel de Mer debuted as a pop-up restaurant when Koningsdam debuted in 2016. It was such a runaway hit with passengers, Holland America decided to create pop-ups of the premium restaurant fleetwide.

The complete story appeared in the December 13 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Rudi Sodamin and staff at the opening of Rudi's Sel de Mer aboard Nieuw Statendam

Rudi's Sel de Mer aboard Nieuw Statendam

Photos courtesy of Holland America Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Meyer Werft Delivers AIDAnova

After a delay which canceled its first scheduled sailing, Meyer Werft delivered AIDAnova at Bremerhaven today. At 183,900 gross tons, it's AIDA's largest ship, and the largest Meyer has ever built, but what's more important about it is that it is the world's first LNG-powered (Liquified Natural Gas) ship that can operate on the clean-burning fuel both at sea and in port.

The complete story appeared in the December 12 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Photos courtesy of AIDA and Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Changing the Approach

Canyon Ranch is Cunard's spa operator, and Canyon Ranch has always had a quite different approach to spas than what you find on most ships. Cunard has partnered with Canyon Ranch to develop the Mareel Wellness & Beauty concept which Canyon Ranch will be rolling out slowly across the Cunard fleet.

The complete story appeared in the December 11 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 11, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• A passenger apparently going overboard from MSC Preziosa
• Galveston having their 10 millionth cruise passenger board

Details appeared in the December 11 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Forwarding Address: Miami

Until this week MSC Armonia was homeported in Havana for European passengers, but MSC Armonia arrived in her new home port of Miami today, where she will be one of three MSC ships homeported there this winter, two of which (including MSC Armonia) will remain year round. But she won't be any stranger to Havana.

She will be a weekly visitor to Havana on her weekly western Caribbean itinerary where she will spend two full days (Saturday and Sunday) giving passengers plenty of time to explore this port of call new to US citizens.

The complete story appeared in the December 10 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

California, Get Your Cameras Ready, and Look Up!

The Carnival Airship, famous in the Southeast after tying up traffic as it flew over major cities earlier this year, is going to California in January to promote the impending arrival of Carnival Panorama on the West Coast.

Like its swing through the Southeast, Californians who look up and snap a photo of the Carnival Airship, they could win prizes, including a Carnival cruise.

Details appeared in the December 10 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Naming Costa Venezia

Costa said today they are going to christen Costa Venezia in their hometown of Trieste on March 1 before they send it off for the foreseeable future to China.

The ship is the first Costa has purposefully designed specifically for the Chinese-sourced market. The Chinese enjoy trying new things, going new places and have a desire to travel to Europe and Italy in particular. Costa Venezia will help satisfy that desire simply by stepping aboard. Much of the ship resembles Italy.

You can see what a unique ship this is going to be in the renderings below.

The complete story appeared in the December 7 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 7, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Silver Spirit damaging the dock at Key West
• Carnival giving back to young dancers in Davie

Details appeared in the December 7 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival Panorama Launched

Carnival Panorama floated today for the first time at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard, marking the end of the construction phase. The focus will now turn to interior work for the rest of the time until the ship's delivery in the fall of 2019.

The complete story appeared in the December 6 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The silver coin welded to the mast during the ceremony

Photos courtesy of Fincantieri. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permissoin. 

NCLH Partnership to Expand Icy Strait Point

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has announced a partnership with the Huna Totem Corp to build a second cruise ship pier at Icy Strait Point, Alaska.

The pier will accommodate Norwegian's largest ships, the Breakaway Plus-class, and is scheduled to be completed for the 2020 summer Alaska season.

The complete story appeared in the December 6 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 6, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• MSC detailing the unique Cirque du Soleil shows that will debut with MSC Bellissima
• Delta Queen to sail again
• Carnival Corp to produce a second season of "La Gran Sorpresa."

Details appeared in the December 6 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Galveston & RCCL Sign MOU for New Terminal

The Port of Galveston officially announced a long-term agreement today with Royal Caribbean that will result in the building of a third cruise terminal at the port, although a specific design, costs and lease terms haven't yet been settled.

Details appeared in the December 5 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival Corp to Operate Tenerife Cruise Terminal

Following a new agreement with the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Corp will acquire an interest in the two-year-old cruise terminal at Santa Cruz de Tenerife and manage it, as they do in a number of other ports.

The complete story appeared in the December 5 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 5, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Carnival Cruise Line naming their 180,000-ton ship to be delivered in 2020 Carnival Mardi Gras
• Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection has chosen the name Azora for their first ship. 

Details appeared in the December 5 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Celebrity Edge Named in Ft. Lauderdale

Celebrity Edge officially became part of the Celebrity fleet tonight when it was named at Port Everglades by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Tonight Celebrity's first new ship in six years is sailing to the Bahamas with probably the cleanest bow of any new ship, because Celebrity broke a custom-made 18-liter bottle of Badoit French mineral water against Edge's “Parabolic Ultra Bow” rather than the traditional champagne.

The complete story appeared in the December 4 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 4, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• An additional terminal in Galveston
• Nieuw Statendam's official tonnage is just under the limit
• Royal Caribbean declares a dividend

Details appeared in the December 4 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Regal Is Ready

Princess Cruises said today that Regal Princess will be the second ship to become Medallion Class, meaning it is fully online with all the wonderful things Ocean Medallion can do for you.

It will achieve that milestone on February 17. Caribbean Princess was the first, going online for all passengers in September of this year.

The complete story appeared in the December 3 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 3, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Carnival Legend going to Europe in 2020
• Costa's new television commercial airing in Europe (but not the US) starring Penelope Cruz. Catch it below.

Details appeared in the December 3 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Simulating Antarctica

With many cruise line employees, if they say they are going to get some more training, it could mean they are learning to fold a new towel animal or learn how to make some exotic new drinks, but if you work for Silversea and the Antarctic summer is coming, it could mean something very different. It could mean you will find yourself camping for a few days in the Chilean Andes.

Twelve members of Silversea's Expedition Team did just that to build their existing skillset and further develop their leadership skills in preparation for the line's tenth season of deep travel in Antarctica.

The complete story appeared in the November 30 edition of Cruise News News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - November 30, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Costa expanding their food donation program to Barcelona. Since it's inception, the program has provided more than 70,000 meals to the hungry where the food would have gone to waste.
• MSC has acquired a significant interest in Trieste's cruise terminal.
• CLIA will have a new president effective January 1.

Details appeared in the November 30 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

As of Today, Holland America Has a Nieuw Statendam

The frenzy of shipyards finishing up ships, handing them over, taking orders and starting construction on others continued today when Fincantieri delivered Nieuw Statendam to Carnival Corp and Holland America at their Marghera yard.

The complete story appeared in the November 29 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Nieuw Statendam at Fincantieri's Marghera yard. 

Photo courtesy of Holland America Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Virgin Expands in Miami

Virgin Voyages had two big announcements for South Florida this week.

In deployment news, the line said their first ship, Scarlet Lady, will continue to sail from Miami to the Caribbean throughout 2021. They went on to say that the company's second unnamed ship will also sail from Miami during the 2021/2022 fall and winter season.

Virgin also announced plans to build a new terminal at Port Miami on its northwest side.

Details appeared in the November 29 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Virgin's new terminal at Port Miami

Rendering courtesy of Virgin Voyages. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - November 29, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• A big change in the penalty if Carnival finds you smoking anything in a non-smoking area
• The end of the Asian chapter in NCL's history

Details appeared in the November 29 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

And Now for an Encore

Meyer Werft laid the keel today for Norwegian Encore at their Papenburg yard starting the actual assembly of the 169,145-ton vessel which will debut in November 2019.

The first block, which was actually designated as block #3, was lowered into place in Meyer's covered building dock #2. The block is 65 feet long, 132.5 feet wide and weighs 558 tons.

Norwegian also used the occasion to announce entertainment and several features which will be on the ship.

The complete story appeared in the November 28 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Norwegian Encore keel laying. Note the festive holiday decorations on the block.

Photo courtesy of Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - November 28, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Two crew members receiving second-degree burns in an engine room accident aboard Norwegian Escape. 
• Norwegian Jade's propulsion problems continuing as its return to service was delayed by a day.

Details appeared in the November 28 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Say It with Flowers

Carnival's next ship, the 133,500-ton Carnival Panorama is set to debut at the end of next year on the West Coast. Kicking off a year of promotion, Carnival announced participation in a quintessential West Coast event, the Rose Parade.

Of course the float will be built in the shape of Carnival Panorama, complete with the Carnival Airship hovering above it. It will have representations of many of Carnival's signature features

The complete story appeared in the November 27 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Bellissima Is Almost Here

It's less than 100 days until MSC Bellissima debuts and is named in Southampton on March 2, and MSC is ready to begin filling us in on its features.

At 171,598-gross tons, and carrying 4,434 passengers in double occupancy (5,686 total), MSC Bellissima will be the largest ship ever to be named at Southampton. It is the second in the Meraviglia class to be delivered by Chantiers, and like most every ship today, extremely technologically advanced to be extremely energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

Details appeared in the November 27 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The Ships Keep Coming

Fincantieri cut the first steel today at their Monfalcone yard for the first 169,400-ton Seaside EVO (evolution) ship which MSC revealed will be named MSC Seashore.

The complete story appeared in the November 26 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Rendering courtesy of MSC Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Dinner and a Show Right on Your Table

Celebrity Edge is about to enter service, and it's full of technology and wonderful things to eat. The two are combined in Le Petite Chef, who appears nightly in the Grand Bistro, in one of the more innovative restaurant offerings. (Le Grand Bistro is also open for breakfast and lunch in a more “take out” format, while the little chef sleeps in.)

The show takes place right on your tabletop between courses thanks to a partnership with TableMation Studios. It's like nothing you've ever seen before at sea.

This story appeared in the November 26 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Missing from Adventure

A 27-year-old man who was a British crew member aboard Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas was discovered missing after the ship had arrived in Cozumel last Thursday (November 22) and he did not show up for his shift.

Details appeared in the November 26 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Staying in Miami

Seven crew members from MSC Seaside will be in federal court next week to be arraigned on smuggling charges connected to smuggling cocaine into the US. They were arrested in a November 17 sweep of the ship by Customs and Border Protection dogs (arf!) in which agents found 17 pounds of cocaine on their bodies or in their cabins.

The complete story appeared in the November 26 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Growth at Meyer Turku

Last week, we told you that Meyer Turku began production of Carnival's X1 by beginning the steel cutting. This ship is going to be part of the ramp-up of production at Meyer's Turku facility.

The complete story appeared in the November 21 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Costa Luminosa 11 - Fire & Sea 0

Costa Luminosa really came to the rescue of the crew of a fish carrier in the early morning hours of Tuesday morning in the Aegean Sea, saving 11 lives.

Details appeared in November 21 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Symphony of the Seas Takes Flight

You probably won't see anything like it anywhere else, especially on any other cruise ship, but Symphony of the Seas has a show that is getting rave reviews from passengers who saw it in Europe, and now it is here for US audiences.

“Flight: Dare to Dream” takes the audience through the history of flight - in reverse order - by starting with landing on Mars and working back to the International Space Station, landing on the moon, and eventually back to the Wright Brothers first flight.

This behind-the-scenes video gives you a peek at how the show was produced and some of its highlights.

The complete story appeared in the November 20 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - November 20, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Regal Princess going to Sydney
• Genting Dream certified to serve Halal cuisine

Details appeared in the November 20 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Norwegian Jade Breaks Down - Passengers Coming Home

Norwegian Jade is alongside in San Juan tonight with an unspecified mechanical issue that caused Norwegian Cruise Line to cancel the 10-day cruise after just two days.

The complete story appeared in the November 19 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Fresh from the Factory

Celebrity Edge arrived at Port Everglades on Sunday, with 1,400 crew members aboard, directly from Saint-Nazaire, France and the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, 4000 miles away.

During the 15-day crossing, with only the crew, the ship made calls in the Azores and the Bahamas.

Details appeared in the November 19 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Look Who Ann Sheridan Ran Into

With the APEC summit wrapping up, the Carnival Australia ships that have been providing accommodation for the delegates in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the ships began departing today.

As the first departed, Pacific Explorer and Pacific Jewel and Princess Cruises' Sea Princess each sounded their whistles seven times to achieve the equivalent of a 21-gun salute that echoed across the city.

Details appeared in the November 19 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Pacific Explorer and Pacific Jewel and Sea Princess in Port Moresby.

Ann Sherry with VP Pence and the senior officers of Pacific Explorer

Photos courtesy of Carnival Australia. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Uh-oh

Meyer Werft advised today that there will be a further delay in delivering AIDAnova due to continued testing necessary on the LNG propulsion system.

Delivery has already been delayed once resulting in the cancellation of the series of four preview cruises that were to run from November 15 to December 2. This delay is causing the cancellation of the inaugural cruise on December 2 which was to position the ship from Hamburg to Tenerife for the winter season.

The complete story appeared in the November 16 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Symphony of the Seas Named

Remember when the phone company used to say, “It's the next best thing to being there?” Last night Royal Caribbean officially named Symphony of the Seas in Miami, and we have some video for you. 

We think this is better than being there because not only don't you have to get dressed up to “attend,” you don't have to search for a parking place or deal with Miami traffic, but you have a better view than if you were there sitting in the middle of that throng. All that's missing is a glass of champagne, but if you run to the refrigerator and have a little imagination, that can of Mountain Dew can taste just as exquisite and has just as many bubbles. 

The video below will show you highlights from the naming ceremony and some comments by Royal Caribbean executives and the godfamily who named the ship. The second video will take you abaord.

Windstar to Enlarge and Upgrade Three Star-Class Ships

Beginning next fall, Windstar's Star-class ships are going be getting longer and more fuel-efficient, thanks to a $250 million Star Plus Initiative. A contract was signed with Fincantieri to do the work, and these days, Fincantieri seems to be THE place to go these days to get your ship stretched.

The complete story appeared in the November 15 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Rendering courtesy of Windstar Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Carnival Reveals New Livery at Steel Cutting for Carnival XL1

Meyer Turku began construction of Carnival Cruise Line's new 180,00-ton XL-class of ships with the cutting of the first steel today. The ships will be Carnival's first powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), and the first in North America to use the clean-burning fuel.

At the same time, Carnival revealed the ship's new hull design and the new Carnival livery which will debut on the as-yet-unnamed ship in 2020.

Details appeared in the November 15 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Photos courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Passenger Dies in Unusual Incident aboard Maasdam

A 70-year-old woman died in an incident which began when she fell off a tender platform aboard Maasdam in the South Pacific last week.

The incident happened on day 10 of a 14-day French Polynesia cruise from Papeete, which would have been last Wednesday (November 7) at 1:30pm, when the ship was at while in Avatiu, Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands.

Details appeared in the November 14 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Suspicious Death Being Investigated on Royal Princess

A 52-year-old woman went over a railing of Royal Princess on the Lido Deck (Deck 16) and fell onto a lifeboat (the tops of which would be about at Deck 8) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The complete story appeared in the November 14 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Visiting the Fleet

Carnival Australia Chairman Ann Sherry got a three-fer when she went to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) Thursday for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meetings.

The government has chartered three Carnival Australia ships to serve as housing for attendees.

As we reported earlier, the ships are P&O Cruises' Pacific Explorer and Pacific Jewel and Princess Cruises' Sea Princess.

Ms Sherry said supporting APEC with the three chartered Carnival Australia ships was "a natural extension" of the company's relationship with PNG communities. In 2016-18, its ships were scheduled to make 250 port calls bringing 400,000 cruise visitors to PNG destinations.

She was greeted by members of the Mk Kuri Kala group who gave her a demonstration of their music and treated her to a face painting.

"This is exactly the sort of rich cultural experience our guests enjoy when they visit PNG on cruise visits to otherwise hard to reach locations," said Ms Sherry. "It was a real privilege to meet this cultural group from Western Islands Province."

This story appeared in the November 14 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Photos courtesy of Carnival Australia. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission. 

Carnival Radiance & Sunshine Going to Cuba in 2020

Carnival released 2020 itineraries for Carnival Radiance and Carnival Sunshine today, showing they will both have diverse programs, but both will be sailing from New York in the summer months, and both will feature occasional sailings to Cuba, the line's first from New York.

In addition, there will be an expanded program to Bermuda. There will also be itineraries to the Caribbean, Canada and several cruises from Norfolk. 

The complete story appeared in the November 13 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

A Can of Beans, a Head of Lettuce and Cocktails in Crooners Lounge

Just in time for the holiday - or the winter cruise season - Princess Cruises has announced that Princess gift cards will be available in more than 3500 brick-and-mortar stores including Kroger, Harris Teeter and Giant Eagle locations nationwide.

Details appeared in the November 13 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

That Something Extra

Club Orange may sound like an exclusive juice bar, but it's actually a new extra-service program for passengers aboard Holland America Line. It's part of the suite services for those purchasing the top suites, but what's unique is that it's also available to a limited number of other passengers on the ship who are willing to pay for it no matter what type of accommodations they book.

The benefits include priority services, private dining and extra menu selections.

The complete story appeared in the November 12 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Like a Little Piece of Shaq in Every Bite

About a month ago we told you about Carnival's plans to convert Carnival Victory into Carnival Radiance in 2020. Now we learn there's a late addition to the Lido Deck - a seagoing branch of Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken fast food restaurant.

O'Neal opened the first branch of his Big Chicken on Paradise Road in Las Vegas last month. It serves his own brand of fried chicken sandwiches and sides, from recipes he helped develop himself.

Details appeared in the November 12 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

"Bok. Bok"

Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved.

Virgin Talks Dining

Virgin Voyages gave us another peek into the Virgin world yesterday when they revealed the dining experiences they will have aboard Scarlet Lady when she debuts in 2020.

They want them to be very different from anything else at sea, and they seem to be meeting that goal.

The complete story appeared in the November 9 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Symphony Arrives

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas arrived at her new home - the brand-new Terminal A in Miami - in the pre-dawn hours of Friday morning. When the world's largest cruise ship moves in, it's a visual event as you can see in the video.



Please note that the video below is b-roll so there is no sound, but it does give you an opportunity to view the ship from a number of angles.

Glamping Goes to Sea

Whoever first put the words “Glamourous” and “Camping” together never even envisioned this. But you can now spend the night, camping in luxury, under the stars on a ship in the Galapagos Islands.

When Celebrity's ship, custom-designed for Galapagos cruising, Celebrity Flora, debuts, you will be able to camp out in luxury under the stars (complete with a naturalist to point out the constellations) with an elaborate dinner served to you, an extra-comfy bed and even breakfast brought to your bed the next morning - all in those plush cabanas near the pool you can rent in the daytime to comfortably relax and nosh in.

The complete story appeared in the November 8 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Daytime view of where you will glamp and night.

Rendering courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

They're Still Not Going Anywhere

You used to be able to set your watch (or calendar) by it. In the spring they'd leave for Europe, and in the fall, they'd come back. But lately, a big, white Princess ship would stick around the Caribbean in the summer.

Princess announced this week that again during the summer of 2020, they would be leaving Caribbean Princess behind in the Caribbean, the only ship currently with the Ocean Medallion program fully implemented.

Details appeared in the November 8 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Royal Caribbean Setting Largest Alaska Deployment

Royal Caribbean International is setting up to have their biggest summer ever in Alaska in 2020 when they have three ships there, including the return of Ovation of the Seas (after debuting in Alaska in the summer of 2019).

In addition to Ovation, joining it will be Radiance of the Seas and her sister, Serenade of the Seas.

Details appeared in the November 8 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Ocean Cay Coming to Life

Work is entering the final phase on MSC's private Bahamian island, Ocean Cay, with the planting of the first trees.

That doesn't mean the facilities are almost complete and the island is near opening. There's still a lot of work to do before the first ship arrives next November.

The complete story appeared in the November 7 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Ocean Cay as it appears today. It will open in just a year.

Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Carnival Continues Push into China

The contract creating CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Ltd has been finalized between China State Shipbuild Corp (CSSC) and Carnival Corp. The joint venture was first announced in 2015. The purpose of the new company is to launch the first multi-ship cruise brand specifically designed to serve the Chinese cruise market.

The new company will be launched with two ships that will be built in China and two ships purchased from Carnival's Costa Group.

The complete story appeared in the November 6 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

“Edging” Toward Florida

Celebrity Cruises reports that Celebrity Edge left the Chantiers yard at Saint-Nazaire, France on Sunday en route to her new home port at Terminal 25 at Port Everglades, near Ft. Lauderdale.

The new ship is expected to arrive on Monday, November 19.

Details appeared in the November 6 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Photos courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

First Peek at Enchanted Princess

Enchanted Princess will be the fifth of the Royal-class ships, but like her four sisters, her features will be something of an evolution from Sky Princess, and Princess is beginning to detail what those will be.

The complete story appeared in the November 5 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

The Salty Dog Gastropub aboard Enchanted Princess

Sabatini's Italian Trattoria aboard Enchanted Princess

Renderings courtesy of Princess Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Three for Barcelona

Half of Windstar's fleet - three ships - docked in Barcelona last week (October 27). It's seldom that many ships from the line meet up like that, so Windstar made an occasion of it.

The three ships - Star Breeze, Wind Surf and Windstar - represented both types of vessels Windstar has - one power yacht and two sailing yachts.

Details appeared in the November 5 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Three Windstar Ships leaving Barcelona, (L to R) Star Breeze, Wind Star and Wind Surf.

Windstar Captains (L-R): Vitaliy Brylko (Star Breeze), Belinda Bennett (Wind Star), Roman Krstanovic (Star Breeze), and Pedro Pinto (Wind Surf). 

Crew members from all three ships met aboard Star Breeze.

Photos courtesy of Windstar Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Royal Caribbean Open New Miami Home

Although there was a soft opening last weekend with several ships using it, Royal Caribbean officially opened their new state-of-the-art Terminal A at Port Miami today.

It will serve as home port to Royal Caribbean International ships, including two of the largest cruise ships in the world, Symphony of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

The complete story appeared in the November 2 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - November 2, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Carnival Corp receiving three patents for the technology used in their Ocean Medallion program
• Port Canaveral achieving record passenger numbers

Details appeared in the November 2 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Princess Readies 2020 European Season with Another New Ship

The debut of Princess' newest ship, Enchanted Princess will highlight the line's 2020 European program.

Enchanted Princess is the fifth Royal-class ship and will enter service in July in the Mediterranean, sailing from Barcelona, Athens and Rome on cruises from seven- to 22-nights in length.

The complete story appeared in the November 1 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Electrical Malfunction Causes Carnival Sunshine to List

After having sailed from Port Canaveral earlier in the evening on a five-night cruise, Carnival Sunshine listed markedly for one minute due to a “technical issue,” according to the line.

The incident caused lots of breakage as dishes and glassware slid off tables and shelves in the dining rooms and in bars. Bottles rolled around or broke in the shops. Passengers reported tables in the dining room sliding and less-experienced passengers panicking. Beyond looking like a mess, there didn't seem to be any damage.

Details appeared in the November 1 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Cunard Commodore Christopher Rynd Retires

Cunard announced that Commodore Christopher Rynd has retired from an epic seafaring career.

The line said, “Commodore Rynd was seen as the quintessential Cunard ship's Master but his career spanned a number of cruise shipping lines and vessels that made him a popular figure with countless thousands of cruise guests.”

Commodore Rynd has struck a number of iconic poses used in Cunard publicity photos but none more so than the one from 2012 by James Morgan aboard Queen Mary 2.

Details appeared in the November 1 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Photo courtesy of Cunard Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Double Event at Chantiers for Celebrity

Chantiers de l'Atlantique delivered Celebrity Edge to Celebrity Cruises at their Saint-Nazaire (France) yard today following a 23-month construction process of the prototype vessel.

What could make the event bigger and better? The start of construction of the next ship, so Chantiers laid the keel for Celebrity Apex there in the yard's dry dock. The lucky coin was placed in the dry dock before the 762-ton block was lowered into place. (Lucky for everyone except the coin.)

The complete story appeared in the October 31 issue of Cruise News Daily.

Photos courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Virgin Expands Fleet and Begins to Say Where They Will Go

Fincantieri said today Virgin Voyages had contracted for a fourth vessel for their fleet to be delivered at the end of 2023.

This ship will be a 110,000-ton sister to the first three, carrying 2,800 passengers (double occupancy), which will be delivered beginning in 2020.

If that wasn't enough news, this afternoon, Virgin said that during their first season, in 2020, Scarlet Lady will feature Havana on its Caribbean itinerary.

Details appeared in the October 31 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Fannie Would Have Approved

If you had gone to Alaska a hundred years ago, you may have stayed in a room at Fannie Q's Saloon. If you go in 2019, chances are you may well stay at the Denali Princess Lodge - and dine at Fannie Q's Saloon.

Princess Cruises is kicking off their 50th year in Alaska by opening Fannie Q's Saloon at the Denali Princess Lodge, named after Alaska's own Fannie Quigley, a true Alaskan rough and tumble icon known for her hospitality.

Details appeared in the October 30 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Rendering courtesy of Princess Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission. 

Even an Inside Cabin Would Be Better Than This

Many of us have been aboard a cruise ship when they have stopped to pick up migrants whose boat is disabled at sea, because it happens so often. If we haven't seen it first-hand, we've certainly read about it somewhere, but it usually only gets a couple of sentences, usually saying that the Coast Guard returned several dozen to their home island.

Few of us really get a good look at the dangerous conditions these people accept for the chance to get to a new life. They are literally risking their lives.

Today, the Coast Guard put out a routine press release saying the Cutter Thetis repatriated 84 Haitian migrants who were picked up Sunday on a 42-foot boat that was disabled 30 miles southwest of Turks and Caicos Island.

The Coast Guard said they interdicted the boat “for safety at life at sea concerns.”

The complete story appeared in the October 30 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Photos courtesy of the US Coast Guard. 

It's the Real Thing (with apologies to Coca-Cola)

Beginning this week on some ships, very soon on the rest of the fleet, Costa passengers will be able to experience traditional Genoese focaccia - another of the authentic Italian products that will be available on all Costa ships around the world.

The Associazione Panificatori Genovesi (Genoese Bakers Association) has taught the Costa bakers to bake the Genoa staple.

The complete story appeared in the October 29 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Photo courtesy of Costa Crociere and CND. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 29, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Cunard partnering with BAFTA LA
• Bitter Blanca propels P&O Australia into finals for first time

Details appeared in the October 29 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Bartender Siddhant Naik's Bitter Blanca

Photo courtesy of P&O Australia and CND. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Spectrum of the Seas' Azipods Attached

Work on Spectrum of the Seas is continuing at Meyer Werft. The latest milestone is the attachment of the podded propulsion system, which is built by ABB in Helsinki. It's not a matter of just screwing on the pods. It takes at least a day and a half to install the 200-ton unit. In this video, Royal Caribbean manages to shrink it all down to about a minute. Propellers will be attached to the pods in February. Spectrum of the Seas will enter service in China in June. It may take a few viewings to read everything and see everything in this video.

First Ritz-Carlton Ship Is Launched

This is something you don't see often anymore.

Earlier this month Ritz-Carlton's first ship was launched at the Hijos De J. Barreras Shipyard in Vigo, Spain.  Unlike most cruise ships today, which are much larger (the unnamed Ritz-Carlton ship is only 24,000 tons to give customers a much more intimate experience), this ship was built on land and then slid down rails into the water.

There's still more work to do to complete this ship. It's scheduled to enter service in February 2020.

Please note this video came from B-roll so there is no sound.

There Will Be a Slight Delay

Meyer Werft advised Carnival/AIDA today that AIDAnova will not be delivered as early as expected. In a statement, the company didn't point to anything in particular that had gone wrong, instead indicating that the testing and certification of the new technology is just taking longer than expected.

   Meyer said the longer testing period has delayed the start of the first longer sea trials, and therefore, they are delaying delivery.

Details appeared in the October 25 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Photo courtesy of Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Identity Theft?

The last cruise ship just left Alaska, but like the Cubs, Holland America is already looking forward to next year.

Their branding for a bigger and better next year comes with the slogan, “We Are Alaska.”

The complete story appeared in the October 25 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Two British Icons Meet in NYC

Two British icons had a royal meeting in New York Harbor today when Cunard's Queen Mary 2 crossed paths with the Royal Navy's new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.

It was the aircraft carrier's first visit to the United States. While it was launched in 2014, it was just commissioned last December. It has a displacement of 65,000 tons. (Queen Mary 2 has a displacement of 79,297.)

Details appeared in the October 26 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Queen Mary 2 and HMS Queen Elizabeth meet in New York on October 26, 2018

Photo courtesy of Cunard Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Share-ing Something New

It's time for a change. Chef Curtis Stone is freshening up the menus in both of his Share restaurants aboard Princess Cruises American-based ships as well as adding to the Crafted by Curtis selections on the menu in the main dining rooms.

The complete story appeared in the October 24 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

We Have Arrived

Early this morning, MSC Divina arrived in New York, a port call on its repositioning from Europe to Miami where she will spend the winter season.

Details appeared in the October 24 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

It's Full of Gas

AIDAnova has been patiently waiting at Eemshaven at the mouth of the Ems river waiting for fuel, and last Thursday it finally came.

The German taker Cardissa arrived with a full load of about 3,500 cubic meters of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) for the new ship so it could go on sea trials.

Details appeared in the October 24 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Silversea Adding Entertainment

Silversea will debut six new shows aboard their ships in the next few months. Each of the six shows will be unique to one of the ships. The three existing shows will remain common to all the ships.

The complete story appeared in the October 23 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

A Record Year

The Port of Miami posted record traffic, both in passengers and cargo, for the fiscal year, which ended September 30, 2018. While they posted records in cargo both in amounts of movements and in volume, cruise passengers were up 4.7% with 5,592,000 passengers.

The increases resulted from new ships, new lines, and longer seasons for seasonal lines.

Details appeared in the October 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

More Power to Holland America

Holland America Line will have ABB retrofit three of their ships with connectors that allow them to connect to shore power while in port.

This will enable the ships to completely shutdown their engines while in port and draw their power from a shoreside power plant, thus reducing the ship's air emissions.         

Details appeared in the October 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Here Comes Willa

Many cruise watchers forgot about the hurricane potential on the West Coast, and the eastern Pacific has been active this year. Willa is currently a category 4 hurricane and predicted to make landfall south of Mazatlan late Tuesday afternoon.

So far two lines have said they are moving two ships from their Mexican Riviera itineraries this week.

The complete story appeared in the October 22 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 22, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• A passenger who died aboard Grand Classica due to a fall
• A passenger who was arrested aboard Radiance of the Seas for allegedly attempting to throw his partner over the rail

Details appeared in the October 22 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Silversea Puts Cuba on the Itinerary

Silversea Cruises has received approval to operate 17 cruises to Cuba in 2019 and 2020. Four will sail already this winter in the early months of 2019.

Typical of Silversea, they will be a bit longer than a standard Caribbean itinerary and a bit unusual.

The complete story appeared in the October 19 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Closed for the Season

When Emerald Princess sailed from Canada Place this afternoon at 4:30pm, it wrapped up Vancouver's 2018 cruise season, one the port sees as very successful.

Details appeared in the October 19 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

MSC Goes Ultra-Luxury

MSC Cruises surprised the industry by surprise this morning by announcing they had signed an MOA with Italian builder Fincantieri to build four 64,000-ton ships with which to enter the ultra-luxury end of the cruise market.

The first will be delivered in the spring of 2023 with one every year thereafter.

The complete story appeared in the October 18 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

It's Time to Put Some Skin in the Game

Virgin Voyages promised to be different. So far, things haven't seemed that different. True, they don't call their passengers, passengers. They're sailors. But now this.

You will be able to come home from your Virgin Voyage with a permanent reminder of the trip. You can come home from Scarlet Lady with not only the souvenir drink glass, but also a tattoo from Squid Ink, the partnership of Virgin and one of New York's iconic tattoo brands, World Famous Tattoo Ink.

Details appeared in the October 18 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Squid Ink aboard Scarlet Lady

Rendering courtesy of Virgin Voyages. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

MSC Enters the "Extra-Luxury" Segment of Market

MSC is going to enter the "extra-luxury" segment of the cruise market with four 64,000-ton ships ordered from Fincantieri today. The ships will each have 500 staterooms.

The first ship of the 2 billion euro order is scheduled to be delivered in the spring of 2023.

Further details will be in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.

Symphony Means Music

With Symphony of the Seas' arrival at her Miami homeport in just a few short weeks, musical students in South Florida are going benefit. To celebrate the naming of the ship in Miami, and it's connection with music, Royal Caribbean is giving grants, through the Grammy Museum Signature Schools Program, to twenty Miami-Dade County Public High Schools.

The Grammy Museum is the official foundation of the Recording Academy to fund underserved schools. The 20 schools were selected for maintaining thriving music programs with only limited resources. But Royal Caribbean is providing more than funding. In the cruise line's hometown, Royal Caribbean is providing a unique opportunity for aspiring performers to take their education beyond the school building and have a possibly career-building experience.

The complete story appeared in the October 17 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Overboard from Celebrity Reflection

Last night (October 16) a crew member from Celebrity Reflection was reported missing, and after reviewing video, the line believes he went overboard.

At the time the man went overboard off the Greek coast, the ship was sailing between Mykonos and Rhodes.

Details appeared in the October 17 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 17, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• NCL rebuilding schools in the Caribbean
• Carnival declaring a dividend

Details appeared in the October 17 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival to Be Victorious No Longer

Carnival Cruise Line said today that Carnival Victory will undergo an extensive renovation in 2020 that will upgrade the ship so much that when it emerges, it deserves a new name. In 2020 Carnival Victory will become Carnival Radiance.

They also said that will complete the program started in 2011 to equalize the features on the ships so Carnival will offer the same experience to passengers across the fleet.

The complete story appeared in the October 16 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 16, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Windstar Captain Belinda Bennett was awarded the 2018 Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service, the 19th person to receive the award and the second at Windstar.
• Three Carnival Corp ships have been chartered to house delegates to the APEC Sumit in Port Moresby in November.

Details appeared in the October 16 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Tihany Chosen to Design for Cunard

Noted hospitality-designer Adam Tihany has been appointed Creative Director of Cunard's next new ship which will join the fleet in 2022 and will oversee the entire interior design process.

The complete story appeared in the October 15 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

A Place to Call for Help

The Synergy Group has launched a new 24/7 counseling service in seven languages for maritime personal called iCALL. It is available via phone, email and the chat-based nULTA app.

The goal is to reduce seafarer suicides and boost mental wellness at sea.

Details appear in the October 15 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Royal Caribbean's New Plan Is Full of Wind

Royal Caribbean's newest project will be in Kansas - far the ocean. Actually, passengers will never go there, but the world will benefit from it.

Royal Caribbean is going to be farming - wind farming, and over the next year or two, 62 huge wind turbines are going to sprout in the Kansas plains, financed by Royal Caribbean, and start spinning.

The complete story appeared in the October 1 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - October 12, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Another hurricane moving a ship
• MSC being the latest cruise line to eliminate single-use plastics
• Food Network star Guy Fieri recently took his family on a cruise aboard Carnival Horizon. The video below shows the fun they had. 

Details appeared in the October 12 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The Countdown Is On

It's only 60 days until MSC's new Caribbean program aboard MSC Armonia launches on December 10. The itinerary is going to be a great new seven-night western Caribbean program that includes calls at Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Havana. The big pluses that give MSC a competitive edge as far as itinerary are that it is a weekly program and it features a day-and-a-half call at Havana from noontime on Saturday to late afternoon on Sunday.

MSC Armonia will sail with new features including a new 35-seat premium restaurant ($35), “Surf & Turf,” a new Havana-inspired Mojito Bar, a new pub menu (sandwiches) in the White Lion Pub along with additional beer selections, and MSC's famed gelato (made onboard in dozens of flavors) is now complimentary.

Details appeared in the October 11 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Never Wait to Break up with Your Boyfriend until You are on a Cruise

A 22-year-old New York man was arrested at the end of his September cruise and has now been indicted on one count of attempting to strangle and suffocate the woman he was dating and with whom he went on the cruise. During the last night of the cruise, she allegedly told him she wanted to end the relationship.

A violent attack then allegedly ensued in which he dragged her screaming through several parts of the ship and back to their stateroom.

The complete story appeared in the October 11 edition of Cruise News Daily.