It’s so sleek it cuts effortlessly through waves and headwinds. It’s powered by emission-free fuel cells and wind turbines, while photo cells in its glass produce more than enough juice for all the ship’s electrical needs. It’s called Reverse, but it’s a look far into the future by engineers at Germany’s Meyer Group working on ideas to create a totally self-sufficient ecologically friendly cruise ship.
The lobby of Explora 1 evokes comparisons to the luxury of a grand European hotel. The itineraries speak of extraordinary adventures with whimsical names like Glacier Carved Islands or the Valley of Mischievous Trolls.
You can’t keep a good dragon down. Hong Kong is aiming to reach new heights now that it has fully reopened, and officials at a cruise conference promised cruise passengers will find more than ever before when they visit.
As might be expected, optimism reigned at a conference of the cruise community that predicted the clouds of the long pandemic lockdown have finally disappeared and the horizon is once again brilliantly sunny. At the Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Fort Lauderdale, cruise lines pointed to record booking days–in part due to redemptions of cruise credits for previously cancelled cruises–and the fact cruise tourism is rebounding faster than bookings for land-based resorts–in part because cruising is a comparative bargain.
Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world. Surfing is a must-do on a visit to Dubai, but with apologies to the Beach Boys, we’re doing it on sand, miles from the nearest water. Instead of a surfboard, we’re riding in a 4X4 SUV specially tricked out to be able to keep from wiping out as we climb and slide over soft sand dunes. No previous experience is required for the passengers–other than the ability to hold back the urge to scream occasionally.
The new Crystal has launched an Exceptional Initiative to guests who were financially impacted by the bankruptcy of Crystal Cruises’ former owners. Former Crystal guests who hold a verified claim in the Crystal Cruises LLC case will be able to apply for credits to use toward future Crystal voyages on board either Crystal Serenity or Crystal Symphony.
Fun is fun, but don’t let yours spoil someone else’s good times, Carnival Cruise Line is warning spring breakers. “You will be sailing with us during Spring Break, which is traditionally a period of high occupancy,” a letter being sent to passengers says. “As part of our commitment to create the best environment to provide a fun and memorable vacation for all, we would like to remind you of our Safety First! guidelines, as we CHOOSE FUN TOGETHER.”
Move over Miami, Port Canaveral has climbed to number one as the world’s busiest cruise port for the first time ever. New figures from the Florida Ports Council rank the port 45 miles from Orlando as number one, with 4.07 million passengers coming to or from cruises in 2022. That compares with 4.02 million for PortMiami, which has held the title for many years. Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale retained its number 3 spot, with 1.72 million passengers.
Hoping to persuade cruise lines decide to anchor elsewhere, the city council in Monterey, California has voted to take away city services for handling passengers arriving at the city’s dock.
I’m writing this from a padded lounge chair in The Sanctuary, a personal hideaway at the top of Sky Princess. On a ship that can carry more than 3,600 passengers, two attendants are at my beck and call and there are no other guests in sight.
Sparking blue waters line a beautiful wave-free beach of fine white sand. Palm trees sway in a gentle breeze while friendly bartenders offer up as many cool drinks as you want. It’s the picture that appears in your mind’s eye whenever you think of an idyllic day on a Caribbean beach. That mental ideal seldom lives up to reality in many Caribbean cruise ports, as thousands of cruise passengers flock to the nearest beach at some popular cruise ports.
With the best pizza, pasta and coffee at sea and parties that last late into the night, cruising to exotic locales on Italy’s Costa Cruises is an immersion into European style, tastes and customs.
At every port on a cruise in the United Arab Emirates, it’s obvious that each of the Arab sheikdoms are playing top this with their newly built soaring skylines, their supersized yachts and their over-the-top palaces.
Oh, you poor puppy. I’m going to miss you! Don’t you wish you could actually take your sad-eyed pooch or pouting pussycat along with you as you pack up for a cruise?
The sex lives of seahorses are even racier than you could imagine. And believe it or not, the global intrigues that led to what became known as the Guano Wars are more fascinating than any spy novel.