News

Updated: On Jan 6, 2019 Carnival announced they are suspending and re-evaluating room service charges.
Today, Carnival Cruise Line's Brand Ambassador, John Heald announced on Facebook that Carnival will now be charging for room service and will also be increasing the price of the Bottomless Bubbles (soda) package.  That is not however what I’m writing to talk about on New Years Eve (it would make for a short article).  Instead, I want to channel my inner John Heald and tell you how I really feel... read more

This week in Miami Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin joined Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, Chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Economic Development and Tourism Committee Rebeca Sosa and other government officials to announce plans to build a new cruise terminal for Virgin Voyages.  Branson also announced that bookings would open... read more

This morning, Celebrity Edge arrived in Port Everglades to take her place at Celebrity Cruises’ new Terminal 25. I had just finished breakfast in the main dining room on the final morning of my Celebrity Infinity sailing (live-ish blog here) when one of my tablemates came back into the restaurant to tell me the ship was arriving. Thank you, L! I stepped outside and took a couple of pictures and then started up a Periscope. Check out both read more

Virgin Voyages has announced more details about their first ship, Scarlet Lady, and this time, it’s all about dining.  Guests, err, “sailors” on the adults-only line will have over 20 choices when it comes to picking a place to eat, and there’s something you probably won’t guess about many of these spots.  Like some lite-luxury and luxury lines, Virgin Voyages has opted to forgo the practice of specialty dining venues coming at an up-charge, and instead, will be including all dining within the cruise fare.  That means all the interesting things we discuss below are included in your cruise fare... read more

It’s not just the newest ships at sea that glimmer and host a great time but keeping the entire fleet fresh is the goal of every cruise line.  Often lines will spruce up entire classes of ships, adding the latest features and venues.  Carnival however has announced a drydock that represents the final phase of a $2 billion eight-year project, and this phase involves a real transformation.  Let’s look at some of the new features and venues still to come, how this all relates to pizza, and then get Billy’s take on how this positions Carnival compared to their competitors... read more

What do you enjoy while cruising?  Sipping a fruity drink, exploring new places, getting a tattoo?  The latter will soon be possible when Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady sets sail… read more

If you're visiting South Florida for your upcoming cruise you should probably know about red tide.  This algae can cause health issues and sometimes closes beaches - but doesn't mean you can't enjoy your pre or post-cruise stay.  In the past several weeks there has been an occurrence of red tide, first on the Florida's west coast, and now on the east coast.  We'll review the basic information, especially as it pertains to those about to cruise. read more