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

Cruise News: Soda Removed, Mexico Tax, Carnival Pizza

Cruise Hive has a full round-up for you with some big stories from the past week, including cruise taxes, pizza petition, soda removal and more!

Costa Cruises Reveals Fleet Will Shrink to 8 Ships in 2026

Carnival-owned Costa Fortuna set to depart the Costa Cruises fleet in 2026, reducing the fleet size to just eight ships.

Here’s How You Can Make Cruise Embarkation a Breeze

I've been on dozens of cruises, so here are my tips on how you can make cruise embarkation a breeze no matter the port.

MSC Cruises Begins 6-Month Countdown to New Homeport

MSC Cruises begins its six month countdown to kickstarting sailings out of Galveston, Texas for the first time, and out of its new terminal.

Carnival’s HUB App to Replace Paper Shore Excursion Tickets

Carnival Cruise Line eliminates paper tickets for shore excursions, shifting to a ticketless platform on its HUB app.

Carnival Adds Limited-Edition Bourbon Across the Fleet

Carnival Cruise Line and Harding comes together to bring limited-edition bourbon across the fleet including ship names on the bottles!

Virgin Rebrands Celebration Cruises Into Red Hot Sailing Club

Virgin Voyages announces the new Red Hot Sailing Club Voyage on Brilliant Lady, setting sail in 2026. The sailings are known as Celebration Voyages for 2025.

Carnival Guest’s Petition Calls For Return of Late-Night Pizza

Carnival Cruise Line guest starts a petition for the return of late-night pizza on the line's new Australia-based ships.

Cruise News Update: Passenger Brawl, Cancellation, Outbreaks

Cruise Hive has another weekly roundup of the latest cruise news, including passengers brawling in Texas, cruise outbreaks, a cancellation and more!