It’s time to dive into the large cruise tales of the week, and Cruise Hive has all of them coated, with information from Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruises.
Cruise Information Replace
Keep knowledgeable about the entire main developments in cruising at Cruise Hive, the place we’ve obtained the cruise information you must find out about, together with a {couples}’ dream cruise ruined by soaking moist carpet of their suite, a stowaway cat who has been adopted by a Royal Caribbean staffer, Carnival Cruise Line mountain climbing costs for bottled water, Carnival Jubilee embarking on her maiden voyage, a Princess Cruises’ Antarctica voyage altering course as a result of dangerous climate, and the outcomes of the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards.
Soaked Cabin Carpet Ruins Couple’s Cruise
The cruise business is celebrating the truth that many ships are crusing at full capability with each berth occupied, however there generally is a draw back, and one couple discovered that out the onerous manner.
Scott Kula and his spouse booked a collection aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras for a December 16, 2023 crusing to the Jap Caribbean out of Port Canaveral. The 7-night itinerary had calls scheduled in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos.
Upon embarkation, the couple discovered that the carpeting of their suite, for which that they had plunked down near $6,000 (USD), was soaked, as a result of extreme climate, and had brought about a musty scent within the cabin. In fact, they requested a special stateroom, however because the 6,500-guest ship was crusing full, there was no different lodging out there.
The couple rented a cabana onboard the ship since they felt the suite was principally uninhabitable. (Cabanas can be found within the ship’s Loft 19 retreat space.) The one recompense the road provided was an onboard credit score of an unknown quantity, which was supplied close to the top of the crusing.
The cruisers have requested for a full refund, and Carnival Cruise Line stated it might contact the couple after the voyage ended on December 23, 2023.
Stowaway Cat Finds His Ceaselessly Residence
Keep in mind Ovie, the stowaway cat who was discovered onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas again in October 2023? Readers who adopted the feline’s story will probably be glad to know that the furry creature has discovered a everlasting dwelling in Florida with one of many cruise line’s visitor companies workers.
Ovie was found by New Zealand inspection officers because the ship was crusing a 19-night cruise from Honolulu to Sydney, Australia. The cat was positioned in a visitor’s stateroom. The visitor was by no means recognized, and there was no affirmation that any costs had been filed in opposition to the individual, who, by bringing the cat onboard had violated animal import guidelines.
The animal was quickly quarantined in New Zealand, and the cruise line paid for his bills and return to the US. It’s unknown how Ovie was transported onto the 6,500-guest ship, since metallic detectors and/or safety imaging machines would seemingly have found him or his collar and metallic tags, if he had any.
In the long run, Ovie was in his new dwelling for the vacations, because the Royal Caribbean staffer has formally adopted the previous stowaway. And he’s a well-traveled one, too. Cruise line officers imagine that Ovie was initially from Arizona, and his international travels have exceeded 16,000 miles.
Cruise Line Once more Hikes Bottled Water Charges
Carnival Cruise Line visitors preferring bottled water to what they discover at beverage stations, eateries, and the sinks inside their cabins pays extra, now that the road has quietly hiked costs.
Bottled pure spring water at the moment prices $11.95 (USD) for a 12-pack of 16.9-ounce bottles. A 1.5-liter bottle prices $4.50, and an 8-pack of 1.5-liter bottles will run you $24.95. Earlier than the hike, costs for these merchandise had been $9.95, $3.95, and $20, respectively.
Nevertheless, about one 12 months in the past, the costs for some bottle sizes had been significantly decrease — the 12-pack was simply $4.95, reflecting a rise of a whopping 141%. The road had raised that value to $9.95 in November 2022.
In spring 2023, Carnival Cruise Line Model Ambassador John Heald commented on the 12-pack value hike, citing inflation because the wrongdoer.
Water will be pre-ordered earlier than crusing, or ordered after embarkation. The costs are the identical for both possibility, and the merchandise are delivered to visitors’ staterooms. Generally, as a courtesy, cruise strains reveal deliberate value hikes on items which are out there for pre-order, however Carnival Cruise Line didn’t accomplish that.
The road in spring 2023 had quietly hike costs on different meals and beverage objects that may be pre-ordered, comparable to get together trays, desserts, and cookies.
Carnival Jubilee Embarks on Maiden Voyage
The primary visitors to sail aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s new Carnival Jubilee embarked the ship at her homeport of Galveston amid a Texas-sized welcome and a festive ambiance on December 23, 2023.
The vacation crusing is a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary to Roatan, Honduras, and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. The 183,521-gross-ton, Excel-class ship set sail on her maiden voyage with 6,000 visitors following a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a particular welcome occasion for the primary household to board the vessel.
The inaugural cruise will characteristic particular vacation occasions, together with a Christmas gala dinner, interactions with Santa Claus, and holiday-themed actions earlier than concluding on December 30, 2023.
Cruise line and port officers had been readily available to mark the ship’s launch into service from the Galveston Wharves Terminal 25, which had been upgraded and renovated prematurely of the ship’s arrival. The $53 million mission included modifications to the gangway, work on elevators and different infrastructure, and enhancements to safety methods, amongst different initiatives.
Carnival Jubilee is the primary model new ship to homeport in Galveston. She is going to sail 7-night itineraries that mirror her maiden voyage.
Antarctica Cruise Compelled to Alter Course
Dangerous climate brought about a Princess Cruises’ ship to change course on her technique to Antarctica, and visitors had been warned to count on a tough crossing of the Drake Passage, identified for its enormous waves and fast-changing ocean situations.
The two,670-guest Sapphire Princess was pressured to cancel her port name at Ushuaia, Argentina, on December 24, 2023, Christmas Eve, after tough climate closed the port. With the climate anticipated to affect the ship’s Drake Passage crossing, visitors had been suggested that the ship would speed up the beginning of the crossing moderately than present scenic cruising round Cape Horn.
The infamous Drake Passage lies between Cape Horn, Chile, Argentina, and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica.
Sapphire Princess’ 16-night cruise departed from San Antonio, Chile, on December 19, 2023, with scheduled calls in Chile, Argentina, the Falkland Islands, and Uruguay, and scenic cruising in Antarctica earlier than concluding in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 4, 2024.
Princess Cruises was refunding the price of shore excursions deliberate for Ushuaia. Ship officers additionally alerted visitors that web entry can be spotty because the ship sails within the itinerary’s distant areas.
And Now . . . Winners of the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards
The outcomes of the prestigious Cruise Hive Awards 2023 are in! Royal Caribbean’s Surprise of the Seas was voted Greatest Total Cruise Ship of 2023, and its upcoming ship, Icon of the Seas, was voted Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship.
Each are game-changer ships. Surprise of the Seas, which entered service in 2022, is the most important ship crusing as we speak, at 236,857 gross tons and with capability for six,988 visitors. Icon of the Seas, at 250,800-gross tons and in a position to accommodate 7,600 visitors, will take the title away from Surprise of the Seas when she debuts on January 27, 2024.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Jubilee was voted Greatest New Cruise Ship of 2023, and entered service together with her December 23, 2023 maiden crusing from Galveston, Texas.
Port Canaveral, which is the world’s busiest cruise port by way of cruise arrivals, was voted Greatest US Cruise Homeport of 2023. The Central Florida port is inside an hour’s drive of the key theme parks of Orlando, an enormous draw for cruisers.
Carnival Cruise Line was voted Greatest Cruise Line for Service and Crew and in addition took the highest prize as Greatest Reserving Expertise. The Enjoyable Ship line additionally received the competitors for Greatest Cruise Ship Function for its BOLT: Final Sea Coaster, a thrill journey that sends visitors hovering 187 ft above sea stage on motorcycle-style open vehicles.
The Cruise Hive Awards opened on October 1 and closed on December 22. The awards have been an annual characteristic since 2014, and supply cruise fan insights into completely different cruise strains and experiences.
Extra Cruise Headlines
And that’s not all we have now for you! We coated a lot extra cruise tales this week at Cruise Hive, comparable to visitors aboard a Costa Cruises’ ship alerting authorities to shipwrecked victims within the waters close to Dominican Republic, MSC Cruises unveiling its Wave Season promotion, and a P&O Cruises’ ship delaying departure as a result of the necessity for a deep clear of its amenities. Additionally, visitors aboard a P&O Cruises’ ship encountering extreme turbulence on their constitution flight dwelling, and Princess Cruises reminding visitors of necessary paperwork previous to calling at Vietnam ports.
