Cruise Radio

Chad chats with us about his recent sailing aboard MSC Cruises' new ship MSC Seashore. He discusses his stay in the vessel's ship-within-a-ship complex The Yacht Club, as well as his experience with other dining, activities, and entertainment around the ship. --- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Sheldon chats with us about his experience on Celebrity Apex's third cruise ever — a six-night Greek Isles voyage out of Athens. He goes over his first impressions of the brand-new ship, his cabin with infinite veranda, the dining, entertainment, and how the extremely low capacity on board affected the sailing. Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Richard just returned from a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on Carnival Cruise Line's newest megaship Mardi Gras. This was his first cruise and two years, and he treated himself to an aft excel suite balcony. We get a comprehensive review of the ship, ports of call, and what he thoughts of BOLT the first roller coaster at sea.  --- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Kevin and his family just returned from a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. We get a full review of the ship, itinerary, and the new protocols that Royal has during the cruise industry restart on its largest ships.  --- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Staff writer Richard Simms checks in with us from Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship Mardi Gras. He is on a seven-night cruise and gives us his first impressions and how he's enjoying his Excel suite (that includes access to Loft 19).  Walter just returned from a seven-night cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade from Athens, Greece. This was a Greek Isles cruise with vaccinated guests only. On top of sailing in the Mediterranean this summer, he also booked a Haven Suite. We talk about his experience and just how it was.  Listener Q: Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog answers a listener question on getting a child tested for a Christmas sailing with a lot of the pharmacies being closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  --- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

This week Richard Simms gets us caught up on this week's cruise news.  Another Carnival Cruise Line ship has issues  John Heald gets dumps a bunch of cruise line news  Celebrity Cruises' changes its vaccination policy  Norwegian Cruise Line resumes sailing from the Gulf Coast  Virgin Voyages donates 100s of cabins on Scarlet Lady NCL cancels sailings from South Africa Listener Question:  1. We have a Carnival cruise booked out of Port Canaveral for late December. We're trying to arrange testing before we go, but are thinking about making a reservation for pier-side testing as a backup. Is there any reason we shouldn't do this?   2. I heard you can stay overnight on Ocean Cay. Is that true?   --- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Brian and Deb just returned from the first sailing that Norwegian Cruise Line did from Port Canaveral. This was a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise that included St. Thomas, Tortolla, and Norwegian's private island Great Stirrup Cay.   Richard Simms has cruise news: One of the big guys at Royal Caribbean is stepping down after 33 years  World's largest cruise ship hits milestone Carnival Vista will move ports in 2023  A milestone out in Los Angeles this past weekend.  Carnival is doing it again  This restart is ramping up quickly, what are the latest ships back in service?  Listener Question: Can I buy a mask on a cruise?  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Mark just returned from a seven-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. This was a cruise that went down to the Bahamas with a brief stop in Florida. Departing out of the New York City metro area, Mark shares his thoughts, his first impressions, and what it was like being a first-time cruiser on Royal Caribbean.  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

We catch up with Holland America Line's President about the brand new ms Rotterdam and speak with Seth Wayne, Holland America Line's brand ambassador.  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

Travel insurance policies have changed over the cruise industry shutdown. In some areas larger than others, especially when it comes to a test yielding a positive test result.  Dan Skilken, President of TripInsurance.com joins us to break down what has changed, and what hasn't over the course of the pandemic.  Richard has cruise news:  A recording-breaking passenger day in Nassau, Bahamas  Celebrity Apex is christened in Port Everglades, Florida  Royal Caribbean updates Ultimate World Cruise sales  Two cruise lines have earnings calls and it looks good moving forward  Cruise line enters Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade  You can cruise with Chef Emeril this Thanksgiving  Listener Question: We do not have a smartphone, do we have to use the Ocean Medallion token on Princess Cruises?  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

A review of Carnival Cruise Line's newest mega-ship Mardi Gras. This was a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing from Port Canaveral. This is a special interview because our guest is legally blind and his wife is blind. We go into detail about Carnival's special needs department and how the line accommodates ADA requests.  Richard Simms has cruise news:  The CDC has extended and modified the Conditional Sailing Order  Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship Mardi Gras was officially christened  Carnival Radiance is officially in North America Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady comes to the aid of distressed boaters off the coast of Florida  A former cruise ship is now the largest floating nightclub Listener Question: I read in one of your articles that on Mardi Gras, you can use the Hub App to order food and have it delivered anywhere on the ship. I always get hungry halfway through a show... can I have a snack delivered to the theater?  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe t

A review of Princess Cruises Majestic Princess. This ship was built for Asia and has been sailing in the region since 2017, until the pandemic. In the summer of 2021, Majestic Princess start sailing Alaska, and then was repositioned to Los Angeles. Next summer, the ship will head back to Alaska offering seven-night voyages to the last frontier.  Richard Simms has cruise news on:  The verdict from the MSC Cruise collision with a riverboat in 2019 in Venice  Royal Caribbean launches first world cruise, how much does it cost?  Celebrity Cruises goes heavy on Europe in 2023  A former Carnival Cruise Line ship heads to the scrapyard Cruise lines prepare for the international travel ban to be lifted on November 8.  Listener Q: Does the Royal Caribbean Ultimate Dining Package work for all the venues onboard, even the a la carte.  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.n

A review of Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Encore. This ship was launched in 2019 and only sailed a couple of months before the cruise industry shutdown. William and his family sailed this seven-night cruise to Southeast Alaska from Seattle.  Richard has cruise news on:  Grand Turk could see cruise ships by the end of 2021  More Carnival Corporation cruise ships returned to service over the weekend  San Francisco reopened to cruise ships this week  Nearly 250,000 guests have sailed Carnival Cruise Line over the past three months  Another cruise line adds a second world cruise Listener Questions:  If you've got a minute could you tell me if the Covid home test for Royal Caribbean can be done anytime during the day/night.  We are heading to Miami 2 days before sailing and need to be at the airport by 9:00 a.m. Thursday (sailing Saturday).  Would be nice if we could use the test kit around 7 a.m. — Carol We are sailing Mardi Gras and have a question about Carnival Kitchen. How much does it cost, what is in

A review of Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. This was a four night cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas from Miami, Florida. Richard Simms has cruise news.  Listener Q: What is the best cruise to take to see if I even like cruising?  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net. 

On this episode with talk with Tom McAlpin, CEO and President of Virgin Voyages. Virgin's newest ship Scarlet Lady is finally home in PortMiami where she is about to start sailing revenue cruises on October 6.  Sheri Griffiths from CruiseTipsTV stops by to give her first impressions of Scarlet Lady.  Richard Simms has cruise news:  The State of the Industry address at SeaTrade Cruise Global Royal Caribbean will start allowing pre-cruise testing at pier for a fee  Norwegian Breakaway is sailing again out of New York City Virgin Voyages gears up for Caribbean sailings from PortMiami  A cruise line teams up with a submarine company  Listener Q: What is the best way to use my onboard credit?  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net. 

Kirk just returned from a seven-night Alaska cruise on Celebrity Millennium from Seattle, Washington. We get a full review of sailing Alaska in 2021 and if cruising to the last frontier is different. Richard Simms has cruise news: Carnival backtracks on pierside pre-cruise testing Royal Caribbean pulls a cruise ship from China, moves to the US Proposed Alaska bill would stop mandatory Canadian port calls MSC Cruises returns to Divina from Port Canaveral A beer company is teaming up with cruise lines to help train staff in a new era of bars Listener Question: What is the feedback from cruise passengers taking the at-home COVID-19 test? — Anne  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net. 

Carter and his wife recently returned from a cruise aboard one of MSC’s newer ships, MSC Meraviglia. In this interview, they talk to us about the boarding process, dining, entertainment, and how MSC has adjusted things since COVID. They also detail their experience on MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Richard Simms has cruise news: Virgin Voyages's Scarlet Lady is back in the USA Carnival Cruise Line revamps its Have Fun. Be Safe. policies for the casino  One-third of Norwegian Cruise Line's ships are sailing again  Carnival gives more testing options  Royal Caribbean updates sailing protocols on all cruises through October 15.  Listener Question: What is the best option for taking my pre-cruise COVID test before embarking from Port Canaveral, Florida on a seven-night cruise? — Mark  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net. 

In August, Daniel and his eight-year-old daughter took a four-night cruise aboard Disney Dream — their first cruise in 20 months. He joins us on the show to discuss how embarkation differed from the last time he sailed, the dining experience, the entertainment quality, and the sailing’s double-dip at Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.   

In the episode, we interview Kerry about his seven-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard Norwegian Gem. This was the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to depart Florida since the shutdown in March 2020.  Kerry also discusses what life was like on board during the seven-night voyage and the kind of health protocols the company has in place.  We also learn what it was like being in the Caribbean while a hurricane is spinning around.  Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.   

Cruise writer Dave Monk recently took one of Virgin Voyages’ first revenue sailings ever out of Portsmouth, England. Sailing a four-night “cruise to nowhere” aboard the line’s first ship, Scarlet Lady, he had plenty of time to explore and check out its various offerings. In this interview, he offers his impressions of this trip vs. his first time on board last year, the dining options, whether the ship REALLY doesn’t have a buffet, and what amenities the ship has for passengers to enjoy. Dave also discusses who the cruise line’s target audience is and goes over how to decide whether or not a Virgin Voyages cruise is right for you — because it’s quite different than any other cruise line in the world. Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.