As millions of travelers take to the skies, highways, and railroads this Thanksgiving season, a surging number also will board cruise ships, which are going all out to create a festive holiday atmosphere for guests.
For the 2024 season, AAA predicts that just under 80 million people will travel at least 50 miles from their homes during the Thanksgiving weekend, which counts as November 26 to December 2, 2024.
The number includes all forms of travel, by air, car, bus, train, and cruise ship. Overall, AAA finds that 1.7 million more people will travel this Thanksgiving weekend versus in 2023.
Breaking down the figures, 71.4 million will drive, 5.8 million will fly, and 2.2 million will use some other form of transport, including cruise ships, buses, and trains.
Many cruisers who booked Thanksgiving vacations at sea will use multiple forms of transport, since virtually all will fly or drive to their embarkation ports before boarding their ships.
Diving deeper into the “other” transport options, AAA found an overall spike of close to 9% compared to 2023, but cruising is seeing a much bigger increase, with domestic and international cruise bookings up 20% versus Thanksgiving 2023.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel.
“Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations,” added Barber.
Some of the biggest drive-to ports in the US are PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and the Port of Galveston, Texas. In fact, Galveston is in the process of expanding its parking facilities.
According to the port, more than 30 million people live within a 300-mile radius of the port, making it a top drive-to cruise embarkation site for major metro areas like Houston, Austin, and Dallas, Texas.
No doubt many of the 5.8 million travelers who will fly to their destinations for the Thanksgiving holiday will be cruisers bound for embarkation ports, since holiday cruises are extremely popular.
Cruise lines offer special onboard events such as parties and holiday menus. Carnival Cruise Line in early November 2024, revealed details of its Thanksgiving feast being prepared for guests across the fleet.
Passengers Passing Other Docked Cruise Ships in Miami (Photo Credit: gary yim)
Special three-course meals will feature traditional Thanksgiving favorites, including roast turkey with all of the trimmings, plus tasty treats like pumpkin soup. Guests can also choose a honey-glazed ham entree as an alternative to turkey, and a vegetarian dish, Cauliflower, and Gruyere Cheese Soufflé will be offered as well.
Cruisers Can Book Black Friday Deals for 2025-26
Even those who are not cruising during the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday can still get in on the action for next year, since most of the major cruise lines have rolled out their Black Friday booking promotions.
Many of these special discounts and value-added perks are offered in 2025 and 2026, depending on the cruise line.
Virgin Voyages, for instance, is offering cruise fare discounts combined with bar tab credits on all sailings with departures through 2026. Bookings must be made by December 3, 2024. The bar tab credits are based on the cruise length.
Upscale boutique line Oceania Cruises has a Black Friday offer that combines a cabin upgrade with a choice of three other perks — a drink package, an onboard credit up to $1,000, or free or reduced air fare.
Other cruise lines are tempting future guests with discounted fares for the third and fourth guest in a cabin, reduced deposits, and free cruise fare for children, among other benefits. Read the fine print, though, since some cruise lines will exclude holiday sailings from these discounts.
With the busy holiday travel season underway, it is a popular time for families to gather together to share the spirit of the season. When some family members need mobility assistance, however, there are extra challenges to ensure they can travel safely and efficiently, including documenting their assistive scooters.
Passengers on Carnival Cruise Line need to be aware that they must fill in the Mobility Questionnaire, which includes detailing their scooter’s dimensions and noting any other accessibility requirements they may have.
This issue was recently addressed by the cruise line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, in response to guest concerns about whether or not the form must be printed.
“I’ve been with Carnival since 2000. Mom and I take scooters with us. In the last 8 yrs I’ve never had an issue until now. I don’t have a printer or desk computer. I usually just call and let them know it’s the right size, that they come apart, that we don’t need help etc.,”the guest explained.
The commenter goes on to explain that they have now been told the form must be sent in and cannot be confirmed verbally with a phone call.
“I don’t want to spend money buying a printer,”they said.“With limited mobility getting to the library, waiting for a computer to open up and paying to print something that should be done on my phone, possibly in the app, or by call is just not a good thing.”
With so many businesses now having gone digital and paperless, it does seem unusual that Carnival Cruise Line would require a printed form.
Other travelers who use scooters were quick to chime in, however, noting that the form is a .pdf file that can be filled out on a phone, saved, and emailed back to the cruise line’s Guest Access team – no printing needed.
“I forgot we did this,”apologized Heald.“So I see the wonderful [commenter] has given you some great advice which I hope you can use.”
The original poster does express further frustration as “a technically challenged elderly person” unfamiliar with how to edit the .pdf or return it as needed. Other guests have offered assistance to help walk the poster through how to manage the document so it can be used for multiple sailings with ease.
Some commenters do wonder, however, how the original poster would print luggage tags and boarding passes if they don’t have a printer and don’t want to use the public library.
Of course, luggage tags are not necessary if travelers carry all their bags on to the ship themselves, and boarding passes can be shown to check-in personnel via the Carnival Hub app, no printing required.
It would, of course, be a good addition to the app if Carnival Cruise Line were to add the Mobility Questionnaire to its features, making it even easier for travelers to present all proper documentation in one convenient place.
Why Do Scooters Need to Be Documented?
Carnival Cruise Line has been cracking down on mobility scooters over the past year to ensure that all travelers abide by onboard requirements and policies for the assistive vehicles.
The exact dimensions of a scooter that can be accommodated depend on the type of stateroom a guest has booked. In a standard stateroom, the scooter must fit through the 22″ doorway, while fully accessible staterooms can accommodate scooters up to 32″ wide.
“Scooters that do not fit in the stateroom will not be allowed on board,”the cruise line’s policy reads.“Should a guest be unable to make alternate arrangements to rent a smaller scooter or travel without it, he/she will be denied boarding and no compensation will be provided.”
Furthermore, foldable or collapsible scooters are necessary so they can be stored in the stateroom. No scooters or wheelchairs may be stored in corridors or public areas except for short-term, temporary storage if a guest is attending an event – such as parking a scooter outside the theater to enjoy a production show.
By requiring travelers booked in accessible staterooms or traveling with mobility devices to fill out the questionnaire, Carnival Cruise Line is working to ensure that everyone is aware of the policies and there can be no misunderstandings before or during a cruise so everyone can enjoy their getaway safely and comfortably.
Cruise lines have made cruising much more convenient in recent years with the widespread adoption of apps that keep track of guests’ plans and let them know what is going on around the ship.
However, the apps cannot be used to find a potential love match for single cruisers – and that is not changing anytime soon for Carnival Cruise Line, likely to the dismay of a single mom looking to meet the love of her life at sea.
The cruiser, who is a more elite member of Carnival’s loyalty programwith Platinum status, reached out to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald to ask if a feature could be added to the HUB App to allow single cruisers onboard to meet – sort of like how dating apps work on land.
The guest introduced herself in a message on Heald’s public Facebook page:“I am 45, an independent Californian single mom of two teens with a great job.”
“When I do cruise on my own I always think that this would make me a real catch but it seems it’s the opposite. Internet dating is time-consuming and I hardly have time to go out. My question is please can Carnival have an addition to their app that will give the opportunity for single cruisers to meet?,” she continued.
According to Heald, there are no plans in place to introduce any dating app-type features to the HUB – although he sympathized with the struggles of modern dating.
At the current time, the HUB App only allows guests to message and share plans with their immediate travel party members.
How to Meet New People on Cruises
Although Heald couldn’t definitively say that Carnival would ever consider adding a singles chat feature to the HUB App, he was open to hearing feedback on the idea.
“I am not sure if we would ever have a “singles meet” on the app…Seriously though I would like your opinion on this. There would be some concerns for sure but generally, what do you think about this?,”Heald wrote in reply to the single mother’s message.
In the over 1,000 comments, the majority expressed that they would rather take part in an in person meet-up during their sailing than stick to messaging potential love interests on the App.
Carnival Hub App
“They have single mixers on the cruises and people do meet on cruise ships and start long term relationships. I met my wife on a Carnival Cruise back in 2009. Married and have three kids together,”one person replied, who fell in love during a mid-cruise meet-up.
As Heald’s cruise community mentioned, there are usually several different meet-ups per sailing to allow like minded individuals to get to know each other and make new friends.
According to Carnival’s website, most – if not all – sailings do feature singles mixers. They are often divided by age (over or under 40 years old) and have a meet-and-greet specifically for guests between the ages of 18 and 20.
Most sailings also include LGBTQI mixers, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, meet-and-greets for card player aficionados, and military appreciation gatherings.
There may also be opportunities to mingle at other events, such as themed parties, cooking classes, dance classes, ice carving demonstrations, and art auctions.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is owned by a company called Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., or NCLH, which also owns Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
David J. Herrera is the current president of NCL, and under his leadership, the cruise line has expanded its operations and retained its position as one of the world’s biggest cruise line companies.
This guide will explain everything you need to know about NCL, as well as the background on its parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH).
Who Is the CEO/President of Norwegian Cruise Line?
The chief executive officer (CEO) and current president of Norwegian Cruise Line’s parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., is American businessman Harry Sommer.
Before accepting and taking over the role from Frank Del Rio on July 1, 2023, Sommer had served as the president of the company’s largest brand and cruise line, Norwegian Cruise Line. This position is now held by the current president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, David J. Herrera.
As the president of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), David J. Herrera leads the brand’s strategic vision, overseeing business areas like revenue management, guest services, and global sales and marketing.
David J. Herrera, Norwegian Cruise Line President (Photo Credit: Alexander Tamargo / Norwegian Cruise Line)
Prior to holding this role, he was NCL’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, where he gained recognition within the industry for the brand’s boosting market share and establishing record-breaking profits and booking figures.
Since joining Norwegian Cruise Line in 2015, Herrera has held multiple senior leadership roles, including Senior VP of Finance, Strategy, and Consumer Research.
Before getting involved in the cruise industry, he came from a financial background, holding leadership and investment roles at Goldman Sachs and Stanford C. Bernstein. He also co-founded Eastside Financial Group.
Beyond his professional experience, Herrera is also a proud veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, and he holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stetson University and an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.
How Norwegian Cruise Line Came to Be
Norwegian Cruise Line was founded in 1966 by business partners Knut Kloster and Ted Arison. Norwegian Knut Kloster and Israeli-American Ted Arison started their company with a single small ferry called Sunward, which primarily carried passengers and vehicles between Southampton, United Kingdom, and Gibraltar in the Mediterranean Sea.
While the company is now headquartered in Miami, Florida, it was unsurprisingly founded in Oslo, Norway. At the time, it operated under the name Arison Shipping Company, while its single ferry was marketed as part of the Ensign Cruise Company.
Shortly after, Ted Arison departed and relinquished his holdings in the small company to form what would become Carnival Cruise Lines.
Knut Kloster
After Arison’s departure, Kloster purchased two additional ships with the intention of using them to run cruise vacations throughout the Caribbean. At this time, he also renamed the company Norwegian Caribbean Cruise Lines, which would later be shortened to Norwegian Cruise Line.
After switching from passenger ferry services to more cruise-style services centered around the Caribbean, the company quickly grew in popularity and size.
From the initial focus on affordable Caribbean cruises, the freshly rebranded Norwegian Cruise Line began introducing a wide range of industry firsts, including running voyages to its own fully staffed and serviced private island called the Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.
In 1979, it purchased and refitted an ocean liner called the SS France, renaming her the Norway. The total cost for the ship and rebuild was over $100 million, which made her both the most expensive and the largest cruise ship made to that point. This decision really helped cement Norwegian Cruise Line as one of the most dominant cruise lines in the entire cruise industry.
SS Norway (Photo Credit: Thorsten Pohl)
Later, during the 1980s, they introduced a new form of cruising called “Freestyle Cruising.” This was a far less formal type of cruise, where passengers were given far more flexibility while on board the ship.
From selecting their own dining times to having numerous onboard attractions to choose from, this form of cruising has since become the standard for the whole industry and shows the impact Kloster and his cruise line have had on the industry.
At the beginning of 2000, Norwegian Cruise Line also merged with two sister luxury cruise brands, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, to form the single parent company we know today, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH).
Today, Norwegian Cruise Line is the leading cruise line within the company. It also happens to be one of the most recognizable in the world.
NCL’s Fleet of Ships
Norwegian Encore Cruise Ship in Miami (Photo Credit: YES Market Media)
The vessels in these different classes range in both size and passenger capacity. There are also plans to incorporate an additional four cruise ships into the fleet between late 2025 and early 2028, focusing on remaining one of the most modern cruise fleets in the world. These include the Norwegian Aqua, which will have a total guest capacity of over 3,500 passengers.
The largest of the cruise line’s vessels, like the Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Joy, and the Norwegian Bliss, are part of the Breakaway Class of ships. These offer some of the most cutting-edge amenities and accommodations in the entire cruise industry.
Some of the cruise line’s smaller ships, like the Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Spirit, focus more on visiting diverse destinations and providing their passengers with intimate experiences.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., is currently the world’s third-largest cruise company. It also happens to be one of the most profitable in the cruise industry, so it is no surprise that they have an eye-watering net worth.
As of 2024, they are believed to have a net worth exceeding $10 billion, with most financial experts estimating the company’s market cap at roughly $10.55 billion. The company is so large that it is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol NCLH and is regularly included in the S&P 500.
As the fourth biggest cruise line in the world and its status as the most important cruise line under NCLH’s ownership, most experts believe that Norwegian Cruise Line alone has a value of over $8.5 billion.
Despite the challenges Norwegian and the entire cruise industry faced after the COVID-19 pandemic, the company and its various subsidiaries have fully recovered. Today, it remains one of the most profitable cruise lines in the entire global cruise market.
Final Thought on Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Ship (Photo Credit: AlexKuznetsov)
The cruise line has a long and storied history in the cruise industry, from their humble beginnings as a basic passenger and vehicle ferry company to becoming the leading cruise line under Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. banner. Norwegian Cruise Line is now one of the most recognizable cruise lines in the entire world.
While they are not quite as large as the Carnival Corporation, which owns Holland America and Princess Cruises, or Royal Caribbean, which owns Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises, NCLH is still an enormous cruise company.
Under the ongoing leadership of their President, David J. Herrera, Norwegian Cruise Line seems destined to remain an industry leader. With plans to continue introducing new ships, innovative passenger experiences, and other exciting offerings, there does not seem to be any stopping this cruise industry titan.
Alongside the cruise line’s sister brands, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and its parent company offer a wide variety of cruise experiences for just about every type of cruise passenger. If you are planning a cruise vacation, you cannot go wrong looking into what Norwegian Cruise Line has to offer!
With up to 7,600 passengers onboard when fully booked as is common during holiday periods, it isn’t surprising that not everyone onboard the world’s largest cruise ship would get along for every minute of their 7-night cruise vacations.
What is surprising, however, is that an altercation could spread across the ship, with video evidence quickly going viral on social media.
Exactly that happened from Icon of the Seas recently, with the Instagram account @OnlyInFlorida sharing the video of the incident.
While the clip is less than a minute in length, it shows multiple passengers yelling toward one another, as well as toward other guests who appear to be simply trying to de-escalate the situation. Likewise, strong words are being exchanged with Royal Caribbean crew members and security, who are also stepping in.
The video was filmed on the Royal Promenade just outside the lower entrance to The Pearl on Deck 5. A nearby clock shows 2 a.m., but it is unknown whether or not the timepiece is actually accurate or simply a decoration. The view outside nearby windows, however, as well as the sparse crowds, do seem to indicate late-night timing.
While the date of the video has not been confirmed, it was uploaded to social media on Sunday, November 24, 2024, and already has more than 41,500 likes and more than 16,000 total comments.
This could mean the incident took place at the end of the ship’s most recent sailing, which concluded on Saturday, November 23, or at the beginning of the current sailing. Both are 7-night itineraries – the previous cruise, a Western Caribbean voyage, while the current sailing is an Eastern Caribbean route.
Icon of the Seas sails year-round from Miami, Florida, offering alternating Caribbean itineraries, all of which call on Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
While Royal Caribbean has not released any official statement about the incident – cruise lines rarely wish to draw attention to such unruly behavior onboard – it is safe to believe that a full investigation of the circumstances will already be underway.
This will include reviewing security footage, interviewing crew members, and taking note of the individuals involved. If they are found to have violated the cruise line’s code of conduct, they may face fines or other penalties, such as being banned from sailing with Royal Caribbean in the future.
Royal Caribbean’s Guest Health, Safety, and Conduct Policy explicitly states:
“Verbally abusive or offensive language directed toward anyone, including guests, crew members, governmental officials, or others is not permitted,” as well as “inappropriate or abusive behavior is not permitted.”
Who Is Responsible for the Incident?
While the short video does not show the beginning of the trouble, passengers onboard have described that it seemed to have begun in a nearby elevator before spreading to the Royal Promenade. In total, the incident lasted for more than 30 minutes before being fully broken up.
It should be noted that the guests in the video appear to be older teens. The cruise line defines minors as anyone under the age of 18, while young adults are defined as ages 18, 19, and 20. In this case, the guests’ parents could be held liable for their poor behavior.
Icon of the Seas Departing PortMiami (Photo Credit: Deutschlandreform)
“Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior and appropriate supervision of their accompanying … young adult(s) throughout their vacation,”the conduct policy reads.“This responsibility applies at all times, regardless of whether the parents and guardians are physically in the company of their … young adult(s).”
Frequent cruisers are no strangers to the, shall we say, less than admirable behavior of teens that can occasionally happen in the later hours, especially on the last night of a cruise after youth programs have ended.
To mitigate this behavior, many cruise lines have implemented youth curfews in recent years. No official fleetwide youth curfew is in effect aboard Royal Caribbean ships, but a ship’s captain or other management officials may enact one at any time if deemed necessary.
The new economic impact numbers have been released from Port of Galveston, and it’s tremendous news and excellent outlooks for cruising from the Lone Star State.
From improved revenues to hundreds of sailings and outstanding support for jobs and businesses, not to mention more options for eager travelers, the news is all bigger and better.
The 2023 numbers indicate spectacular growth for Port of Galveston. This comes as no surprise to cruise travelers who eagerly followed the news of new cruise terminals to be built and new ships sailing from the Texas homeport.
According to the Martin Associates report, nearly 1.5 million cruise passengers embarked on 354 sailings from Galveston during 2023. This helped support 4,547 local jobs, including positions in retail, dining, transportation, and entertainment divisions.
For Galveston residents specifically, this equates to $291 million in personal income through wages and tips, as well as $733 million in business revenue that will support future growth and job stability that can then continue to support the cruise industry.
“One big surprise was the direct impact on Galveston’s tourism industry,”said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO.“Researchers found that 34 percent of cruise passengers stayed in hotels either before or after a cruise. While here, they shopped, dined out, and took taxis. Crew members also shopped locally while in port.”
Experienced cruisers may not be surprised by that aspect of the industry’s regional impact, however. Savvy cruisers know that it is always best to arrive a day or two early to a homeport so no travel delays, weather impacts, or other unexpected circumstances could make travelers miss their ships.
What is surprising – pleasantly so – is the phenomenal growth across all economic categories related to cruise travel. The report compared 2023 statistics to the same figures in 2019, noting just how successfully Port of Galveston has grown.
“In those five years, the port rebounded from a global pandemic, built its third cruise terminal, and expanded Cruise Terminal 25 to welcome the Carnival Jubilee,”Rees noted.
During the 5-year period, jobs increased by 25%, personal income by a whopping 64%, business revenue by 60%, local purchases by an outstanding 131%, and state and local taxes by 55%.
“We expect this trajectory to continue as we welcome larger ships, see higher ship occupancies and open our fourth cruise terminal in November 2025,”Rees confirmed.
Improved Numbers Equal Port Improvement
The Port of Galveston has been very strategic with its growth and development, using improved profits to funnel back into port growth to ensure future stability and strength.
Furthermore, the port has leveraged its superb position to offer a diverse array of itineraries – Western Caribbean, Mexico, even Panama Canal itineraries – to encourage more cruise lines to base ships from Galveston.
Port of Galveston, Texas (Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov)
“This long-term partnership is a promise to grow alongside Galveston, to invest in its future, and to bring world-class cruise experiences through our award-winning cruise brands,”said Dan Farkas, NCLH executive vice president.
This follows a similar agreement with MSC Cruises that was made in August to break ground on the port’s fourth cruise terminal, slated to open in November 2025.
Vessels from Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Disney Cruise Line already offer multiple itinerary options from Galveston.
Altogether, 2025 is expected to be a banner year for Port of Galveston, particularly as the port will celebrate its 200th birthday throughout the year.
“We’re planning a full year of activities to share the port’s history, spotlight the contributions of the port and its partners, and celebrate our past, present, and future,”said Rees.
The festivities will launch on May 22, National Maritime Day, and continue with various events that include a glove tournament, public party, and an elegant gala.
All cruise travelers will be able to expect that future to be a vibrant one with amazing cruises, new itineraries, diverse ships, and much more in store when sailing from the Lone Star State.
The environmental 2024 Cruise Ship Report Card has been released, and it’s not good.
The annual report, released by Friends of the Earth, reveals that five cruise lines, all under the Carnival Corporation umbrella, received failing grades, while another eight cruise lines were rated with D’s.
The highest accolades, a B+, were awarded only to Hurtigruten and Hurtigruten Expeditions, recognizing their more sustainable operations.
The assessment evaluated 21 major cruise lines, including big names like Disney Cruise Line (B), Norwegian Cruise Line (D+), and Royal Caribbean (D-), across four environmental factors: sewage treatment, water quality and scrubber use, air pollution reduction, and transparency in sharing environmental practices.
Transparency played a significant role in the ratings, as cruise lines that fully disclosed environmental practices to Friends of the Earth received A’s for transparency, whereas those who did not, like Carnival Corporation’s cruise lines, were marked with F’s.
According to Friends of the Earth,“Cruising remains one of the most harmful forms of travel to the environment and human health.Scientists estimate that the cruise industry discharges approximately 1.5 gigatons of toxic exhaust gas scrubber wastewater annually.”
Besides Hurtigruten, Disney Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Viking ranked in the top five.
The Norwegian-based Hurtigruten, which is currently designing what will be the world’s first net-zero cruise ship, Sea Zero, received A’s for air pollution reduction and C’s for sewage treatment. Water quality and scrubber data were not available.
Said thecruise line’s CEO Hedda Felin,“Comprehensive evaluations like this are essential for holding our industry accountable, and we are proud to be recognized as the top-ranked operator.”
She added,“We don’t claim perfection, but progress.”
In contrast, Carnival Corporation, which owns Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises and P&O Australia, Seabourn, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, and AIDA Cruises demonstrated a need for improvement.
Cruise Line Report Card (Image Credit: Friends of the Earth)
The brands rankings scored poorly across all evaluated categories, with Costa Cruises and P&O Cruises notably receiving F’s in three categories and D’s in a fourth, culminating in an overall F ranking.
Carnival Cruise Line received an F in water quality and transparency, a D- in sewage, and a D in air pollution, which led to its F ranking. Seabourn and Cunard scored F’s in all categories except for sewage treatment, where they managed C’s.
The highest grade for a Carnival brand was a C- for P&O Australia.
Cruise Lines Combat Environmental Critiques
Despite the discouraging grades highlighted in report card, many cruise lines are taking substantive steps to address the criticisms and enhance their environmental sustainability.
Carnival Corporation, for example, has been making strides in sustainability efforts. Among these, the transition to liquefied natural gas (LNG) with ships began with Mardi Gras in 2021, and LNG was used to cut sulfur dioxide and particulate matter emissions.
However, Friends of the Earth says, “LNG is a greenwashing fuel source that furthers the climate footprint of these behemoths, creating more air pollution rather than using safer and less polluting fuel sources.”
Carnival Conquest Connecting to PortMiami Shore Power (Photo Credit: Miami-Dade County)
Additionally, Carnival Corporation has installed Advanced Air Quality Systems across its fleet to scrub pollutants from ship exhaust, with many others equipping vessels with similar systems, including Royal Caribbean’s Advanced Emission Purification systems.
In terms of waste management, many operators, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Corporation fleets, have added advanced waste treatment systems and have comprehensive recycling programs in place.
They have also been equipping their fleets and collaborating with ports around the world to implement shore power capabilities, which Friends of the Earth advocates to reduce air pollution by allowing vessels to turn off diesel engines and connect to local electric grids.
AIDA Cruises, for example, achieved its highest monthly value for shore power usage in June 2024, successfully connecting its ships to shore power for more than 1,400 hours across 45 European ports.
The Friends of the Earth’s Cruise Ship Report Card, which began in 2009, continuously monitors and evaluates the environmental performance of the cruise industry. It covers 21 major cruise lines and 243 cruise ships.
Many cruise travelers enjoy decorating their stateroom doors with whiteboards, magnets, and themed designs, but one certain theme is no longer permitted aboard Carnival cruise ships.
In response to a request for singles meetups and one commenter’s suggestion for a specific decorative accent, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald has confirmed that upside down pineapple decorations are not permitted and will be removed.
The topic was raised when one frequent cruiser asked Heald about the possibility of adding single cruiser meetups to the Carnival Hub app.
“Please can Carnival have an addition to their app that will give the opportunity for single cruisers to meet?”the guest asked, after explaining her busy life and how time-consuming online dating can be.
Heald noted that singles events used to be offered onboard but aren’t as popular these days.
“Years ago we used to have a singles meet and greet, a proper ice breaker with the entertainment staff there to host it. Over the years we have for whatever reason let this slip away,”he explained.
Unfortunately, it is not really possible to add singles notifications or connections on the cruise line’s app, but Heald does ask other commenters how they may have met that someone special while cruising.
One response referenced a particularly spicy cruise trend – the upside down pineapple decoration.
“Upside [down] pineapple on your door will do the trick!”they said, without further elaboration.
Heald was quick to respond to that idea, however, and firmly noted it would not be permitted.
“Thank you for mentioning that, those are definitely no longer allowed on the ships and they will be removed from any cabin door,”he said.“Thank you for reminding me to mention that.”
While not illegal, this behavior can lead to tense situations between passengers, especially if both partners may have different ideas of what may or may not be acceptable or who should “interact” with whom.
More commenters chimed in, noting that they’ve seen pineapple door decorations – right side up, upside down, and sideways (what does THAT mean?) – that haven’t been removed on their cruises. Unfortunately, the enforcement of the restriction appears to be somewhat lax.
For those who aren’t aware of what a pineapple decoration might mean, using these fun tropical fruits on their stateroom door might create awkward and unwanted situations.
While Heald has only noted the pineapple decorations as now prohibited, it is possible that other “secret symbols” in stateroom door decorations might also be frowned on and subsequently removed. That could mean pink flamingos, unicorns, garden gnomes, and other decorations might also be prohibited.
For example, all decorations must be fire retardant, may only be attached to the door and not the surrounding walls, and may not include adhesives that could damage the door’s surface finish.
Magnets are popular options for many cruise travelers and come in a wide range of themes and fun designs, including birthday, anniversary, and other special occasion options. Personalized designs are also very popular.
Decorating one’s cabin door can be more than just a fun option for many travelers. When a ship has thousands of staterooms and long corridors of identical doors, unique decorations can make it easier to find one’s cabin without accidentally knocking on strangers’ doors.
Decorations can also be useful for groups of travelers to find one another when they may not all have staterooms near each other. For example, some family members on a group cruise may book balcony cabins or suites while others prefer family staterooms or interior cabins.
Carnival Cruise Line does offer a variety of stateroom decorations for purchase, but the different banners and fun items are interior accents, not door decorations meant to display in the hallway.
Have you decorated your stateroom door? Would you ever use pineapples for decorations? Share your tips on the Cruise Hive boards!
Gratuities are always a hot topic among cruise travelers and can be quite controversial. From pre-payment, adjustments, removals, and extra cash, to how much to offer to whom and when – every discussion can create strong opinions among both new and experienced passengers.
Cruise lines can also be very closed about how gratuities are handled with respect to crew members’ salaries and other compensation. Because it is a financial topic, it makes sense that cruise lines do not reveal extensive details on gratuities, other than the amounts that are suggested as automatic gratuities for guests’ convenience.
Carnival Cruise Line, however, has offered an interesting insight that clears up some questions guests have about how information regarding gratuities is handled.
John Heald is Carnival’s official Brand Ambassador and answers several hundred questions most days of the week through his popular Facebook page. These questions cover all types of topics, from dining reservations and onboard policies to menu selections, drink packages, holiday activities, and yes, gratuities.
A recent commenter asked Heald one popular question about automatic gratuities and received an insightful answer.
“When you pre-pay gratuities, how do the people know that you have pre-paid?”the guest asked.“We will still give them more at the end of the cruise but not as much since we’ve already given them something. I don’t want them to think we didn’t appreciate all they did for us!”
Many travelers do offer additional gratuities over and above the suggested amounts, especially if the crew members they interact with the most – typically cabin attendants or dining room staff – offer exceptional service or fulfill extra requests.
“They actually don’t know until the end of the cruise,”Heald confirmed.“When they receive their gratuities, usually on the Tuesday or Wednesday after the cruise is finished, they will see that you have prepaid them and that you were very, very kind.”
This clarifies that some popular rumors are simply not true. For example, it is a common misconception that cruise line crew members are aware if passengers remove automatic gratuities.
First of all, automatic gratuities are not generally applied until close to the end of each sailing, and there would not be time for such lists to be distributed for crew members to read before the cruise concludes.
This is especially true as individual guests might adjust or remove automatic gratuities at different times, and any such list could be outdated as soon as it might be printed.
Cruise Tipping
Furthermore, just because a guest may adjust automatic gratuities does not mean they are skimping on the financial appreciation they show to crew members.
Some guests prefer to pay cash and not have large sums of gratuities added to an end-of-cruise bill, while others enjoy the personal interaction of thanking crew members themselves as they offer an envelope of cash.
Other Gratuity Questions
Carnival has frequently addressed questions related to crew gratuities. One of the most recent topics to generate some controversy was whether or not it was a fun practice or just more work to arrange extra cash in “cute” ways for crew members to collect.
The cruise line has also regularly responded to the idea of whether or not the option for guests to adjust gratuities will be removed. For this topic, Heald has been firm that this will remain at guests’ discretion.
“This is nonsense, totally 100% false and 100% inaccurate,”said Heald.“We do not use the gratuities you so graciously give to ‘pay the crew.’ It is utter fabrication and untrue.”
Who should receive gratuities and who should not, how much to tip, when to offer gratuities, and many other topics are also popular with cruise travelers, and it seems every guest has different experiences and tips about tips.
