Cruise Radio

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.     Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon

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.     Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon

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.       Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon

Exploring a first-time cruiser's journey on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, from embarkation process to dining experiences, entertainment options, stormy weather encounter, efficient disembarkation, comparison with other cruise lines, and positive review of the cleanliness and hygiene protocols for a sickness-free voyage.

Seth Wayne, Holland America Line's brand ambassador, discusses onboard safety measures, delayed voyages, and his unique journey into the cruise industry. The podcast explores guest feedback, virtual activities, and the resilience of the cruising community during the pandemic closures.

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.     Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon

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 to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.     Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon

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.net.    Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon  

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 involved, and how do we make reservations for it? Is this like a chef's table experience? 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.    Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon

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.    Follow Cruise Radio's Socials: LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon