Cruise Newsletter

Table Of Content

• Carnival Spirit Completes First Winter Program in Mobile
• Icon of the Seas Restaurants: Dining Venue Guide
• Cruise Line Introduces 4 New Shows and Region-Specific Entertainment
• Carnival Imagination: The Former Fantasy Class Ship
• We would love to have you subscribe for travel updates, news and great offers directly from the cruise lines!

Onboard packages are meant to save you money, especially if you don’t want to feel nickel-and-dimed for everything you purchase onboard. Since gratuities are technically optional, you can change the amount that’s charged each day. If you prefer to just tip the servers individually, you have that option as well. If you have any issues or questions, don’t be afraid to request or inquire with a crew member. They want you to have an amazing vacation - so they’ll do just about anything in their power to make you happy. You’ll be feeling like royalty when you cruise with servers and workers wanting to ensure you are pleased with your experience.

Carnival Spirit Completes First Winter Program in Mobile

Although this includes your food, lodging and accommodations, it doesn’t typically include alcohol or internet. You typically have the option to prepay these gratuities before you board the ship. If you have any onboard credit, you can use this credit towards your gratuities as well. Normally we have some sort of onboard credit, so I prefer paying for the gratuities onboard the cruise rather than prepaying. Each day of your cruise, you’ll be charged a gratuity rate on a per person basis depending on your stateroom.

Icon of the Seas Restaurants: Dining Venue Guide

Cruise lines do expect that you follow the dress codes in the main dining room each night. Also, pack any medicine or important documents (i.e. your passport) in your carry-on bag to ensure you always have them with you personally. We’ve heard too many horror stories of cruisers packing their passports into their checked bags, just to get to the counter and not be able to board the ship because they don’t have the documents they need with them. It’s a cruising rule of thumb to pack a carry-on bag for anything you want to do on the first day. If you want to hit the pool, make sure you pack a swimsuit and anything else you need (like sunscreen and flip flops).

Cruise Line Introduces 4 New Shows and Region-Specific Entertainment

Cabin mailboxes are located outside each cabin, usually near the door or where the cabin numbers are seen. Older ships may not have dedicated mailboxes, but papers can be folded and either slipped underneath the stateroom door or tucked behind the stateroom number sign. Printed newsletters have always remained available, but were no longer delivered to staterooms as part of pandemic precautions to have fewer people entering cabins and to reduce the possibility of disease transmission. Sara Bakin dives into tips on traveling for work and fun, what to eat and where to catch the best views. All Things Cruise is an independent travel enthusiast website dedicated to the joy of cruise travel. We value and respect your privacy, and we’ll never share or give away your information.

Carnival Imagination: The Former Fantasy Class Ship

The specialty restaurants are also a great option if you are celebrating something special or want a romantic night away. The main dining room will usually serve a sit down breakfast as well with items that you can’t always find elsewhere. For example, Royal Caribbean has started serving Lox & Bagel boards and breakfast burritos in the dining room for breakfast, which you can’t get in the morning buffet. Don’t feel embarrassed ordering multiple appetizers or if you want to try a few of the desserts. We normally like to order a multiple options and then try everything on the table to see what the favorite menu item is each night.

Carnival Cruise Passengers Attempt to Bring Portable Washing Machine Aboard Ship

The Carnival Hub app will continue to be available, giving guests their choice of how they prefer to be kept updated about what is coming up on their cruise. From his top destinations to must-see shows on a Royal Caribbean ship, crew member Joff Eaton shares the inside scoop for making the most of your time sailing. Normally, my husband packs a variety of slacks and vacation-style button up shirts for dinners. I prefer to wear sundresses most evenings in the dining room with cute sandals or heels. This can be a surprise to some new cruisers, as virtually everywhere these days provides free internet. You can purchase packages for the internet for the entire voyage or choose to purchase internet for one or two days.

Coast Guard medevacs U.S. passenger from Disney cruise ship 180 miles northwest of Puerto - U.S. Coast Guard

Coast Guard medevacs U.S. passenger from Disney cruise ship 180 miles northwest of Puerto.

Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:03:59 GMT [source]

Some people prefer to hit the gym or running track when they get onboard, so you will need exercise clothes if that's on your agenda. Even though the speeds have been improving with the newer ships and better technology, it can still be hit or miss whether the internet is fast and reliable. I’ve had pretty good luck with the internet being reliable, but I have cruised recently where the internet was down for multiple days. If you are planning to be onboard more than in-port, you have more opportunities to use your drink package. For itineraries that are port intensive, you might be better off purchasing cheaper drinks while docked. If daily drinking is typically for you on vacation, be prepared for drinks to cost anywhere from $10 - $15 each.

Carnival Sunrise Conversion Marks Five Years

“They need to make sure that their destination is driving awareness,” Stein answered, “so that people want to go there. Once ports develop awareness and interest, they have to make sure they deliver experiences that resonate with guests, so they’ll want to come back. “In the days and weeks ahead we will provide a printed version of the Funtimes in the cabin mail box the night before,” Heald said. Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald has announced the return of the delivery of the Fun Times newsletter, a feature many guests have missed in recent years. Carnival Cruise Line is once more going to be delivering the Fun Times paper newsletter to guests, bringing back another way to stay updated onboard. Specializing in ocean, river, ultra-luxury, small ship and expedition cruises.

It might be beneficial to pay for a drink package for your cruise, which would include unlimited alcoholic drinks. On average, you’ll need to have 5-6 drinks a day to make the package worthwhile. Cruise fares can generally be very cheap if you are sailing with one of the main cruise lines.

You can also expect to find live music, comedians, acrobats, magicians, singers and dancers performing throughout your cruise. If you don’t mind getting up early, snagging a pool chair in the morning is probably your best bet. However, be prepared for ‘chair hogs’ who place their towel on a chair to claim it for the entire day. Those who are cruising somewhere warm and sunny will find the pool deck to be very busy, especially on sea days. As cruises are ramping up and sailing at full capacity, finding a prime chair can be tough.

Holland America crewmember missing after going overboard before vessel docks at Port Everglades - CBS News

Holland America crewmember missing after going overboard before vessel docks at Port Everglades.

Posted: Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Some cruise lines, like Disney Cruise Line, offer entertainment that costs extra. However, you will still find daily entertainment and nightly shows that are included in your cruise fare. If you cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines, you’ll be able to eat dinner whenever you want in the main dining room. Other cruise lines have a more traditional approach with an early and late seating.

All the latest breaking cruise news across the cruise industry, including major cruise lines and cruise ships, covered by expert reporters. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports.Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world.

From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. For planning itineraries, Stein said the cruise line has a very high prioritization on reducing its carbon footprint, which can be achieved by sailing shorter distances or at lower speeds. “And they need to continue to evolve their infrastructure as the ships get larger.

In recent years, it seems that the dining room is getting even more casual with people wearing jeans every night. It used to be expected that no jeans were allowed in the dining room each evening, but that’s not really the case anymore for most major cruise lines (in my experience). Nearly all of the entertainment onboard is included with your cruise fare.