Donna Tunney

Cruise News Writer

Donna Tunney is a travel news/feature writer and editor with 20-plus years covering cruise news, luxury travel, and Europe and UK destinations. A former staffer at Travel Weekly and at the USAToday Network, she also was a luxury travel columnist at Travel Market Report, and a cruise columnist at Sherman's Travel.

How did you get started in cruises?

My first job in the travel industry was copyeditor at the trade publication Travel Weekly in 1990. In 1992 my editors sent me on a cruise assignment to Eastern Canada/New England, and I’ve been hooked on cruising ever since. I eventually became Travel Weekly’s senior cruise editor, in 2011, and continue to be a cruise contributor at the publication.

What makes you a cruise expert?

Covering cruising from a business perspective gave me insights into the market as well as historical knowledge of the industry. I have sailed on about 30 cruises with 14 cruise lines, on both ocean and river ships.

I was a travel and cruise content producer for Travel Market Report, Sherman’s Travel, and TheTravel.com, and held senior editorial positions at regional newspapers in the USA Today Network. I’ve also received three reporting and editing awards from the New England Newspaper & Press Association (2005, 2015, and 2018).

You can check my Muck Rack profile here.

What’s your favorite cruise line?

It’s hard to choose just one, but I’d have to say Cunard, the UK-based luxury line. As a lifelong Anglophile, I enjoy the British atmosphere onboard — the Golden Lion Pub, formal afternoon tea, white glove service in the dining rooms, and more. This is the line that operates the iconic Queen Mary 2, which has, believe it or not, a planetarium onboard.

What’s your top tip for new cruisers?

Start by booking a short itinerary of just two or three nights to see if cruising generally agrees with you before committing to a full week or longer voyage.

You find out more about the Cruise Hive team right here.

2022
Started at Cruise Hive
631
Articles
Expertise
Cruises, Luxury Travel, Journalism
31
Cruises
32
Countries Visited
Massachusetts
Location Based

Articles By Donna

Princess Cruises Takes Delivery of Its Massive New Ship From Fincantieri

Princess Cruises takes delivery of its new Star Princess from the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy.

106-Year-Old Cruise Passenger Returns to Pearl Harbor With Wartime Relic

Alice Beck Darrow, 106, sails aboard Holland America to Pearl Harbor to donate a WWII bullet, completing a lifelong story of courage and love.

Carnival’s Excel Class Ship Makes Maiden Call During Transatlantic Voyage

Carnival's Mardi Gras Excel class cruise ship makes an inaugural call in Tenerife, Canary Islands during its transatlantic voyage.

Celebrity Opens Remaining River Cruises After Early Access Sold Out in Six Minutes

Celebrity Cruises opens remining bookings for its river sailing in 2027, following early access that sold out in just six minutes.

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas Drops Port of Call on Early Voyage

One of the early Legend of the Seas sailings has been altered with a much anticipated port of call dropped.

Margaritaville at Sea’s Biggest Ship Yet to Sail From Miami in 2027

Margaritaville at Sea’s newest ship, Beachcomber, will homeport at PortMiami when she begins sailing for the brand in January 2027.

Cruise News Update: Carnival Tweaks Loyalty, Royal Caribbean Brawl, and more

Cruise Hive has another roundup of the news, including Carnival's loyalty change, Royal Caribbean brawl, cancellations, and more!

Overbooked Royal Caribbean Cruise Entices Guests to Change Plans

Royal Caribbean tries to entice guests to change their plans due to an overbooked Radiance of the Seas sailing.

Carnival Expands Sailings With Hawaii Season and Norfolk Deployment

Carnival Cruise Line reveals more dancing of the ships with Carnival Spirit sailing Hawaii, Carnival Freedom to Norfolk, Baltimore cruises.