In 2028, an epic cruise will depart from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and visit everywhere from Bora Bora to Italy to Thailand before returning to Florida 150 nights later. The cruise will take place on Crystal Symphony and visit 84 ports in 39 countries on six continents. The ship will depart from Ft. Lauderdale on January 11, 2028 and return to the same port on June 10, 2028. Itinerary Once the ship … [Read more...]

We call it Cruise Fever.  It’s that unstoppable desire to be on a cruise and the 24/7 daydreaming of being back on a cruise once you’re back on land.For many, once they start cruising, they are hooked.  So, what makes this type of vacation so addicting? Aft view of Viking Sky. Photo credit: Cruise Fever A recent social media post asked this very question, and cruisers were quick to chime … [Read more...]

For several days this week, a massive cruise ship capable of carrying over 5,000 passengers has been going nowhere, docked in Portland, Maine.MSC Meraviglia’s extended stay at the Ocean Gateway Terminal, along with a noticeable lack cruise passengers, has left many local residents wondering why such a large vessel is simply sitting in port.   Reason for the Ship Staying Put The U.S. Coast … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean has given a first look at Perfect Day Mexico, a new port they are opening in 2027. Perfect Day Mexico will have 30 waterslides including the world’s first sombrero slide, the tallest waterslides in North or South America and the tallest family raft slide. The port will have 12 dining options and 24 bars, including six swim-up bars. The port will open in 2027 and be divided into … [Read more...]

A small island that is a popular port of call for Norther European cruises is looking to add a new tax to both limit cruise passengers and generate extra revenue from them as well.Photo credit: Cruise Fever On the heels of Mexico backing off a $42 tax on cruise passengers, a Scottish cruise port is still looking to add a “visitor levy” to better control the tourist population. Where This Is … [Read more...]

Azamara Cruises, a premium small-ship destination focused cruise line, has announced 68 new cruises for the summer of 2027. Since the cruise line places a heavy focus on destinations that they visit, they have added 89 overnight port stays and 381 late night port visits. It’s all part of the cruise line’s goal to spend more time in port, offer unmatched access to marquee events, and visit … [Read more...]

Cruise lines are constantly warning passengers about staying on “ship time”, which is often different than the local time in a port of call.  But inevitably, there are almost always a few cruisers left at the pier as the ship sails to the next port.John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s candid Brand Ambassador, recently posted a video on Facebook, highlighting a message he received from a guest … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean has released the 10th and final segment of their opening deployment schedule for cruises in 2026-2027.Navigator of the Seas will have a new homeport and is part of Royal Caribbean’s final opening deployment segment for 2026-2027. Royal Caribbean has been announcing their ship deployment schedules for 2026-2027 for the past six months. This final segment will have Navigator of the … [Read more...]

Margaritaville at Sea is growing once again after the cruise line announced the addition of a third and largest ship to their fleet. Last week, Costa Cruises announced that they were selling one of their ships to another cruise line. Now we know where that ship is going. Margaritaville at Sea has announced that they are purchasing Costa Fortuna from Costa Cruises and adding it to their fleet in … [Read more...]

Celebrity Cruises has changed the pricing format for lunch at one of their specialty restaurants. Le Grand Bistro on Celebrity Ascent. Photo: Cruise Fever Starting now, Le Grand Bistro will have one set fee for lunch instead of à la carte pricing. Le Grand Bistro can be found on the following Celebrity’s Edge class ships: Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity … [Read more...]

If you want a good burger at sea, it’s hard to beat Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival Cruise Line.  In fact, I’ve heard many cruisers get more excited about eating at Guy’s than about the itinerary of the ship itself.But one cruiser recently asked about eating a good burger on other cruise lines and if other ships have their own “equivalent” to Guy’s Burger Joint. This place has a cult-like … [Read more...]

A restaurant on SeaDream Yacht Club was the highest rated restaurant at sea according to Forbes Travel Guide. Photo: SEADREAM YACHT CLUB During the 67th Star Awards from Forbes Travel Guide, only five cruise ship restaurants were awarded a star rating. Of those five, only three received the coveted Four-Star distinction. One of those three was SeaDream II’s Dining Salon. Forbes Travel Guide gave … [Read more...]

The last day of a cruise always comes too fast.  But eventually, you do have to get off the ship, and before that happens you have to decide what to do with your luggage.Do you leave it outside your stateroom for the crew to take off for you, or do you opt for the “self-assist” route and carry it off yourself?   A recent post on Reddit dug into this discussion, with veteran cruisers … [Read more...]

Due to popular demand, Princess Cruises has added a third solar eclipse cruise for the summer of 2026. This new solar eclipse cruise from Princess will take place on Enchanted Princess. It will be a 14-day cruise in the Mediterranean and Adriatic that departs from Civitavecchia, Italy on August 4, 2026. The two previously announced solar eclipse cruises from Princess are on Sky Princess and Sun … [Read more...]

Is a cruise ship the worst-case scenario for an introvert? A social media post—along with a slew of comments–reminded me how cruising in general is still so misunderstood by those who haven’t tried it or those who have only tried one cruise line.Aft pool and wake of Viking Sky on Midnight Sun sailing I recently saw a picture of a jam-packed pool deck on a cruise ship that someone posted online. … [Read more...]

Carnival Miracle, a Spirit class ship from Carnival Cruise Line, returned to service this weekend with new venues after an extensive dry dock. During the cruise ship’s dry dock, the vessel received general maintenance and a series of enhancements that include Carnival’s popular Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge. Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge can now be found on 15 different Carnival cruise ships. … [Read more...]

Not every change a cruise line makes is announced through official channels.  Sometimes, it’s the savvy cruise passengers that first notice something missing, and they can often be quick to post their concerns online. At the end of last month, several guests with Princess Cruises noticed that canned sodas were no longer included in the cruise line’s Plus and Premier drink packages.  … [Read more...]

A cruise line has announced that they are selling their oldest cruise ship and wrapping a massive transformation of their other vessels. Costa Cruises, one of eight cruise lines from Carnival Corporation, is selling Costa Fortuna, the oldest ship in their fleet. The vessel will remain in the Costa fleet for another 16 months and then get transferred over to a new owner in September 2026. In … [Read more...]

Less than a month after Viking floated-out a new ship for the Nile River, the cruise line celebrated another construction milestone with yet another new ship float-out. Viking Thoth. Photo Credit: Viking The float-out of Viking Thoth took place at the Massara shipyard in Cairo. The ship will now move to the final stage of construction, the interior build-out. Viking Thoth will enter service this … [Read more...]

Ever looked at a map and thought, “I want to go there, and there, and there“?  Well, Oceania Cruises is offering a very unique sailing that pretty much covers the map. Everything from the icy Antarctic to Balinese temples will be seen on this voyage, and it all starts in PortMiami. Departing from Miami on January 6, 2026, the “Around the World in 180 Days” cruise isn’t just a vacation; it’s a … [Read more...]

Celebrity Cruises has announced that their next new cruise ship, Celebrity Xcel, is arriving early and will debut sooner than expected. Celebrity Xcel was scheduled to sail her maiden voyage on November 18, 2025. Since the ship will be ready a little early, the cruise line added a four-night preview cruise to the Western Caribbean. This four-night cruise will depart from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida … [Read more...]

Cruise passengers traveling to Mexico will have to pay a new fee this summer, but it’s much lower than it could have been, thanks to pressure from cruise industry leaders.Crown Princess in Ensenada, Mexico. ID 282925594 | Carnival © Darryl Brooks | Dreamstime.com In 2024, over 9 million cruise passengers visited Mexico.  In 2025, that number is expected to jump to more than 10 … [Read more...]

The same cruise port can have both adoring fans and disgruntled passengers.  After all, many aspects of cruising are subjective, and the topic of cruise ports is no exception.   So, what cruise ports in the Caribbean are getting the least amount of love online? A social media post with over 200 comments opened up a can of worms to reveal some destinations that were not well … [Read more...]

Carnival Legend is sailing its first ever cruise from San Francisco today and is now the second Carnival cruise ship to offer cruises from the port. Carnival Legend was welcomed to San Francisco by port leaders as they held a traditional plaque exchange with the ship’s senior officers. Carnival Legend will kick off cruises from its new homeport with a four-night cruise to Mexico with a stop in … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean has announced the biggest and boldest birthday party at sea for cruises to the Caribbean and Mexico in September and October 2025. If you book a Royal Caribbean cruise (that sails in September and October) to Mexico or the Caribbean from now through June 5, 2025, the cruise line will give you onboard credit to spend on the ship. This offer is good on the 21 Royal Caribbean cruise … [Read more...]

The longest world cruise was announced earlier today that will set sail in 2027 and visit over 100 countries in 301 days. Villa Vie Odyssey in the Fjords Villa Vie Residences’ 301-day world cruise will depart in November 2027 on Villa Vie Odyssey and visit five continents and over 100 countries. They are calling this epic cruise World Uncharted. The cruise will visit everything from the Amazon to … [Read more...]

A decision involving a cruise ship crew member who recently got engaged while on vacation in the U.S. is stirring up a discussion online. The trouble could begin if he hops back on the ship after getting married.Carnival Magic. ID 376905901 | Carnival ©Photosvit | Dreamstime.com People who watch the popular reality TV show 90 Day Fiancé often see couples facing challenges with U.S. immigration … [Read more...]

This story might make you wish you had booked an oversold cruise because the deal Royal Caribbean just offered these impacted guests is pretty amazing.  But there’s also an argument to be made that the cruise line should not be overselling these staterooms in the first place. Some passengers booked on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas May 15, 2025 Western Mediterranean cruise departing … [Read more...]

I’ve visited well over 100 ports around the world on cruises over the past decade, but an island I stopped at on a recent cruise quickly became one of my favorites.Sir Bani Yas is part private island and part safari. Photo: Cruise Fever The port is Sir Bani Yas, the largest natural island in the United Arab Emirates. The port offers a private island experience and a safari though the Arabian … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line is ditching paper tickets for shore excursions as they announced a new digital platform that will also provide enhanced functionality. Carnival Cruise Line is piloting this new mobile app with some tour companies in select ports in The Bahamas and Caribbean. When their new destination in The Bahamas, Celebration Key, opens in July, the cruise line is planning on integrating … [Read more...]