Catch Us on The High Seas: CruiseHabit Onboard

MSC Cruises may be a new name to Americans, but they're a major player in Europe, and the third or fourth largest cruise line in the world by passenger volume.  They're known for their flashy new ships and European styling, and the World America is the first sister ship to the World Europa - both of which are 216k GT beasts, carrying a maximum of nearly 6,800 guests!  We're onboard for World America's very first cruise, and if you've ever wanted to check out a maiden voyage this is a great opportunity.  Prices are surprisingly low for a maiden, and the ship will have a lot to offer both for past MSC guests, and those dipping their toe in for the first time.  The itinerary is pretty great, too - sailing out of Miami and visiting Puerto Plata (DR), San Juan, and MSC's private Ocean Cay Marine Reserve.   - Join Us!

Royal Caribbean is making history by launching their sixth Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas and putting her into service to make AMAZING weekends possible.  She'll be like no other Royal Caribbean ship, with unique offerings and endless opportunity for fun - whether you're a family, a couple, or just someone who needs an escape for three or four nights.  In the past, it was often older ships, or at least less "WOW" ships making weekend runs, so we decided to check this out for ourselves just after she launches.

Thanks to our friends at Touring and Cruises (formerly known as TouringPlans Travel) we've lined up some extra perks if you book with the group, and we'll have some special events and surprises we can't wait to share!  

There's a new tiki bar, a train-themed immersive restaurant, multiples pools, world-class shows, and of course, relaxation with friends.  Want to touch dry land?  We're visiting the private destination of Coco Cay, so whether on the ship or off, we're raising the bar for what a weekend is, and doing so without breaking the bank!  

To Recap

Where: Utopia of the Seas out of Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL, visiting Cocoa Cay

What: A brand new Oasis Class ships with dining and entertainment options not found on other ships!

When: October 25th, 2024

Why: To enjoy 'The Biggest Weekend Ever' with CruiseHabit and other friends.

How: Fill out the purple form below and the awesome Touring and Cruises (formerly TouringPlans Travel) will set you up with savings you can't find anywhere else.

Space is limited, but as of Jul 8, 2024, prices are as below for two people, including taxes.

• Inside $1615
• Ocean View $1650
• Neighborhood Balcony $1728
• Ocean View Balcony $1790

All bookings made with Touring & Cruises include an extra $50 OBC  - Other rates available, complete the form below to inquire.

Maiden voyages are always neat, usually full of swag, and interesting when you're among the first to see a new ship.  This time is really special, though, because Icon of the Seas isn't just the largest cruise ship ever built, but she introduces many new concepts to Royal Caribbean's offering. 

A new entertainment neighborhood, an adult-only outdoor pool and bar, brand new dining concepts, new types of cabins, more sea views than recent Royal Caribbean classes (answering for a gripe we've had), and more.  Oh, and if you like the water park at Coco Cay, then you'll want to watch as we explore Category 6, an onboard water park with six water slides, including an open free-fall slide, the tallest drop slide at sea, racing slides, and even slides accommodating families of four. 

We'll be sailing from Miami for seven nights, with stops in St Kitts, St Thomas, and Coco Cay and sharing everything we can while on this special cruise, so follow along on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.  As of writing this, there are still some balcony staterooms and suites available, but act fast if you want to hang out on the maiden!  - Join Us!

It's been seven years since we cruised Alaska, and because we enjoyed our recent Norwegian Prima sailing so much (check out the vlog here) we've decided to try out Norwegian Encore, a Breakaway-Plus class ship from NCL.  We'll be sailing round trip from Seattle, with stops in Juneau, Skagway, a scenic tour of Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Victoria (BC).  Our Mt Roberts tram ride and hike, along with our day in Victoria were standouts from our last cruise, so we're excited to return.  Because this sailing is a little later in the year, we found rates to be very reasonable, and the Observation Lounge on Encore is *perfect* for watching the beautiful sites pass by as we sail.  - Join Us!

Highlights from this trip:

• Celebrity Beyond Ship Tour
• Celebrity Beyond Group Cruise Vlog Part I
• Celebrity Beyond Group Cruise Vlog Part II

We're teaming up with our friend J at Shiplife to set sail on the newest ship from Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Beyond. She's got some significant enhancements over the already impressive and innovative Edge series ships and we have exciting exclusive events and offers put together for the group.  This seven night Western Caribbean cruise will be a unique one.  You can get more information at CelebrityBeyondGroupCruise.com.

Highlights from this trip:

• A collection of Scarlet Lady daily vlogs in the Caribbean.
• Scarlet Lady Guided Ship Tour

Scarlet Lady is one of our favorite ships, and we can't seem to get enough.  At the last minute we decided to book a five night cruise over Christmas, calling on Cozumel and Bimini.  Last year we did the same thing (read our daily blog from that sailing here), and Virgin was definitely rather minimalist in terms of holiday decor and events, but they did try out some new menu items and we had a great time.  Will they be doing anything different? Come along to find out for yourself! - Get a Quote to Join Us *or* Book Yourself Now

Highlights from this trip:

• Best Megaship: Norwegian Prima or Wonder of the Seas
• Norwegian Prima Ship Tour
• Stateroom Tour - The Bigest Balcony Cabins?  Norwegian Prima
• Playlist/Link to All Norwegian Prima Daily Vlogs

The Norwegian Prima is a brand new class of ship from Norwegian Cruise Lines, and it's breaking a lot of molds.  The renderings look far different than past NCL ships, in both layout and decor.  She'll have among the best passenger : space ratios in the contemporary market - more in line with premium lines!  This ship may well show a change in direction for Norwegian, and the industry overall, and that's why we wanted to be sure we're on for one of her first sailings in North America.  We'll be sailing seven nights to the Western Caribbean, including a stop at NCL's own Harvest Cay! - Join Us!

Highlights from this trip:

• What We Loved & What We Didn't Love About Our Disney Wish Cruise
• Disney Wish Vlog Part I
• Disney Wish Vlog Part II

 If you're a fan of Disney then before you go any further, subscribe to The Disney Dish with Jim Hill and Len Testa.  These Disney experts are a blast to listen to, and we always learn something fun listening to their show.  This September, however, we won't even need headphones to listen to the show, because they're cruising on the brand new Disney Wish.  We'll be there, and you can come along too and join in on the fun. - Join Us!

What's included:

• 3-night Bahamian cruise
• Cruise fare, port charges, prepaid gratuities, taxes, and fees
• Meals as a group in round-robin style so all guests will have opportunity to meet others
• Daily podcast recording with Jim Hill and Len Testa
• 5k run with Len Testa on Castaway Cay with special medals. Jim Hill will be waiting at the end to award you!
• More meet-ups and schedule as we get closer to the event
• Special gifts

Highlights from this trip:

• Highlights from this CRAZY group cruise!
• Cheeky Corner Suite Room Tour: The biggest balcony we've ever seen.
• Our custom bar crawl on Scarlet Lady
• A collection of Scarlet Lady daily vlogs in the Caribbean.
• Scarlet Lady Guided Ship Tour

This one is really special.  Join us on the second CruiseHabit group cruise.  We'll be sailing with friends old a new, including other cruise content creators!  There are special deals on this sailing, and lots of surprises planned, including some events that exclusive to those booked through the group.  We'd love for you to join us.  Hop over to VirginVoyagesGroupCruise.com for more information.