Holland America Line has revealed its 2024-2025 South America season, which features a range of cruises on the Oosterdam and Zaandam, exploring the diverse landscapes of South America, Antarctica, and the Amazon River.
The reveal comes after the cruise line launched new voyages for its 2024-2025 Caribbean season and introduced a new category called Legendary Voyages last month, all of which feature much longer itineraries that offer guests the chance to explore the sailing destinations fully.
South America and Antarctica Cruises
Holland America Line’s South America cruises from November 2024 through March 2025 will offer guests several memorable experiences, from visiting the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu to rounding Cape Horn and sailing to the remote continent of Antarctica.
“Holland America Line’s South America cruises continue to attract travelers looking for those memorable experiences like the Amazon, Macchu Pichu, and Antarctica, and South America delivers not only cultural immersion but also some of the most spectacular scenery in the world,” said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer, Holland America Line.
“Our perfectly sized ships make it possible to explore these remote locations and visit smaller ports that give our guests a unique perspective of the continent.”
Zaandam Cruise Ship in South America (Photo Credit: Ion Mes / Shutterstock)
The South America and Antarctica season will feature 14-day “South America Passage” itineraries, 17-day “Panama Canal and Inca Discovery” cruises, and 22-day “South America and Antarctica” itineraries.
Highlights include overnight visits to Buenos Aires, journeys through the Panama Canal, four days exploring Antarctica guided by an onboard naturalist, and scenic cruising along the Chilean fjords, Drake Passage, Beagle Channel and Glacier Alley.
In February 2025, Zaandam will sail on a 27-day Amazon adventure roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, traversing the longest river in the world. The cruise will explore 12 ports in the Caribbean and Brazil, as well as French Guiana, and spend several days cruising along the Amazon River. The itinerary includes an overnight stay in Manaus, the heart of the Amazon, and two equator crossings.
Early Booking Bonus, Upgrades, & Extra Amenities
Holland America Line offers guests an early booking bonus and added amenities and upgrades for its 2024-2025 South America and Antarctica cruises.
Guests who book the Have It All premium package will receive standard package amenities such as shore excursions, specialty dining, a Signature Beverage Package, and Surf Wi-Fi, along with free prepaid Crew Appreciation and upgrades to the Elite Beverage Package and Premium Wi-Fi.
Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia / Shutterstock
Mariner Society loyalty members can also enjoy up to $400 onboard credit per stateroom on select cruises when booked by June 5, 2023.
Holland America Line recently introduced a new category of longer, destination-immersive sailings called Legendary Voyages. Launched on March 7, 2023, and featuring itineraries ranging from 25 to 59 days, these cruises commemorate Holland America Line’s 150th anniversary.
Besides the Amazon and South America, The Legendary Voyages will visit various locations, including Australia and New Zealand, the South Pacific and Hawaii, Greenland and Iceland, Asia, Alaska, and the Arctic Circle.
Furthermore, the cruise line unveiled its 2024-2025 Caribbean season on March 30, 2023. Holland America Line will offer cruises ranging in length from five to 21 days, covering eastern, western, and southern Caribbean regions and featuring Panama Canal sailings, with Boston as a new Caribbean departure port, in addition to Fort Lauderdale.
A very unfortunate incident has occurred onboard Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady, resulting in a passenger passing away on the first night of the ship’s current sailing.
The incident happened late in the evening of April 2, 2023, and the ship immediately returned to PortMiami to debark the deceased passenger. This has also forced a dramatic itinerary alteration for the vessel.
Passenger Falls Over Balcony Railing
According to CBS News, at approximately 9:35 p.m. on Sunday evening, a female passenger fell from her Deck 14 stateroom balcony aboard Valiant Lady onto one of the ship’s lower decks. Her injuries were severe, and while emergency medical care was administered as quickly as possible, it was not successful.
“This passenger went over their balcony to a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away,”read a statement from Virgin Voyages.
Photo Credit: Imaxe Press / Shutterstock
Further details of the incident, including the guests name and age as well as what may have led to her fall have not been released in order to safeguard the woman’s privacy as well as for her family members and friends.
The circumstances of the fall are also under investigation, as is customary procedure in such incidents.
Guests onboard the ship have reported that emergency personnel quickly erected tents and caution tape around the deck area where the fall happened, to further safeguard the guests’ privacy at a very difficult and challenging time.
Valiant Lady Returns to Miami
Immediately after the incident, Valiant Lady – which had just departed PortMiami less than four hours earlier – reversed course and headed back to port. This allowed the deceased passenger to be carefully debarked and the scene to be visited by authorities immediately.
At the time of the fall, the ship was roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of Key Largo, roughly 44 miles (71 km) from PortMiami.
The ship remained back in Miami for several hours, but has once more departed and is now en route to Cozumel. The original itinerary was for the ship to sail the 6-night cruise with visits to Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Bimini, The Bahamas, as well as two days at sea before returning to Miami on Saturday, April 8.
Photo Credit: Kevin Shipp / Shutterstock
Now, the ship will reportedly visit Cozumel, Mexico and the visits to Roatan and Costa Maya have been dropped. It is likely that the last port of call, Bimini in The Bahamas, will be able to proceed as scheduled, as the lost time with the diversion back to Miami can easily be made up through the days at sea.
Valiant Lady is the second of Virgin’ Voyages cruise ships, and only debuted with the line in February 2022. Unfortunately, this is not the first sad incident aboard the vessel, as a guest went intentionally overboard in late March 2022 off the coast of Portugal.
The 110,000-gross-ton ship can welcome 2,700 guests per sailing, and is currently homeported from Miami offering Caribbean sailings. On April 22, Valiant Lady will reposition to Barcelona with a 15-night one-way transatlantic cruise, and will remain homeported in Spain sailing Mediterranean voyages through October.
Cruise Hive’s condolences are with the woman’s family and friends, as well as other guests aboard Valiant Lady and the cruise ship’s emergency teams and other crew members at this very difficult and distressing time.
Global Ports Holding, the world’s largest cruise port operator, has experienced remarkable growth in the Americas and Europe over the last two years, as it has taken over management of several cruise ports worldwide post-pandemic.
Among the ports managed by Global Ports Holding are Alicante Cruise Port, Prince Rupert Cruise Port, St Lucia, San Juan Cruise Port, The Canary Islands, and Taranto Cruise Port. But it’s the ports in the Americas where the operator is booking its biggest successes.
Significant Developments in the Americas
During Seatrade Cruise Global this week, Global Ports Holding executives discussed the latest developments at their ports in North America, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean, which include two of the most popular cruise ports in the Bahamas and Caribbean, Antigua Cruise Port, Nassau Cruise Port.
At Antigua Cruise Port, the port’s fifth berth’s official commissioning occurred on December 6, 2022. Additionally, the port successfully completed a highly successful homeporting season with P&O’s Excel-class 180,000 gross tons cruise ship Arvia in March 2023.
Nassau Cruise Port, the busiest cruise port in the world, set a new record in February 2023 by welcoming 28,554 passengers aboard six cruise ships in a single day. Among the ships docked at the port were two of Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class vessels, Wonder of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas, the first and third largest ships in the world, respectively.
Photo Credit: Gianfranco Vivi / Shutterstock
Other cruise ships in port included Carnival Cruise Lines’ Excel-class Mardi Gras, Celebrity Cruise Line’s Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Beyond, and MSC Meraviglia.
Nassau is currently busy with a $250 million-plus redevelopment project, with expanded berths to accommodate larger ships and a new waterfront area to enhance the overall cruise experience for visiting cruise guests.
Mike Maura Jr., Regional Director of Global Ports Holding Americas, expressed his enthusiasm for the company’s growth and investments in these destinations.
Mike Maura Jr.: “The investments being made in these destinations will enhance the experience for millions of cruise passengers each year and provide a boost in economic activity in the surrounding communities. These investments have been strategically designed to support the holistic development of each destination and clearly show why Global Ports Holding is the world’s largest port operator.”
San Juan Cruise Port & Prince Rupert Cruise Port
Global Ports Holdings is not just looking at well-established cruise ports such as Antigua and Nassau. San Juan Cruise Port has long been a popular destination for cruise ships but needs upgrades to continue to welcome the world’s biggest ships to its docks.
Photo Credit: NAPA / Shutterstock
San Juan Cruise Port in Puerto Rico signed an agreement with Global Ports Holding to upgrade, expand, and manage the cruise piers in the city. The $425 million project will involve repairing and refurbishing existing port facilities and constructing a state-of-the-art cruise terminal, enabling San Juan to welcome the world’s largest cruise ships.
Prince Rupert Cruise Port in British Columbia, which welcomed just 41,000 cruise ship passengers in 2022, has entered into a 10-year concession agreement with Global Ports Holding, with a 10-year extension option to manage cruise services at the port.
Due to its location, Prince Rupert is an ideal place to take full advantage of the many cruise ships sailing to Alaska each summer. For the 2023 cruise season, passenger numbers will rise to nearly 80,000 and are expected to continue growing after this year.
The last thing anyone wants to think about on a cruise is laundry. You may be lucky and pack enough outfits to last your entire cruise. However, more often than not, accidents happen – especially if you’re traveling with kids!
So what do you do when you’re on a cruise and need to wash a few articles of clothing to wear the next day? You could take advantage of your cruise ship’s laundry service, but that comes at a price. One alternative that you should consider is hand washing your clothes.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about hand washing clothes on cruise ships and find a step-by-step guide to ensure your clothes come home stain-free.
Let’s jump right into what you’ll need when hand-washing clothes on a cruise. Make sure that you have at least the following:
Detergent
A sink
Clothesline
The trickiest part about hand-washing clothes on a cruise is finding somewhere to do the hand-washing. In general, your two options are the sink and the shower.
The sink is preferable due to the depth, allowing you to soak your clothes and get them as clean as possible. Now let’s walk through the steps of hand washing your clothes on a cruise.
Step-by-Step Guide to Hand Washing Clothes on a Cruise
Want to ensure that you’re extra prepared for washing your clothes on your upcoming cruise? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to hand wash your clothes.
Hand Washing Clothes on a Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Maliflower73 / Shutterstock)
1. Prepare Your Items
The first step to hand-washing clothes on a cruise is to know exactly what you’re washing.
Small items such as underwear, bathing suits, or a single shirt are easiest to wash as they fit the size of the sink. Larger items, such as a long dress, may be tricky as they may not entirely fit. Once you have your clothing, keep it on standby while you prepare the sink.
2. Fill the Sink and Add Detergent
The next step is to fill the sink with water and detergent.
First, plug the sink, then add the appropriate amount of detergent. You don’t want to add too much! Ensure it’s the right amount for the sink size and the clothes you’re washing. Fill the sink up, being careful not to overfill it.
3. Soak Your Clothing
Once your sink is full of detergent and water, it’s time to soak your clothing in the water. If you’re washing a lot of clothes, you may have to do this in batches to ensure not to overfill the sink and make a mess in your bathroom.
Let your clothes soak in the soapy water for at least a few minutes. If there are stains, let them soak a little longer.
4. Scrub Your Clothing
Once your clothes are saturated in the water, it’s time to scrub them clean!
Scrub each article of clothing together and pay special attention to areas with stains. You should scrub for at least a few minutes. If there are tough stains, you may have to scrub, let the clothing soak again, then scrub again.
5. Rinse
After scrubbing all of your clothing, it’s time to rinse. Start by draining the sink. From there, there are several ways that you can go about rinsing your clothes.
Rinsing in Sink (Photo Credit: BK foto / Shutterstock)
First, you can fill the sink with clean water to rinse your clothes. This is the go-to method for many people. You may have to change the water out a couple of times if you’re rinsing a lot of clothes.
Alternatively, you can also rinse the clothes in the shower, which is convenient if you are going to take a shower anyways. Either way, it’s important to make sure that you remove all of the detergent from your clothes.
6. Hang Dry
The final step in hand washing clothes on a cruise is to hang them to dry. This can be the trickiest part of the process. Cruise lines do not allow you to hang your wet clothes off the balcony for safety reasons, so your only option is to hang your clothes inside.
The bathroom is a great place to dry your clothes. You can also hang them in other places around your stateroom. Another option is to bring a clothesline with you on your trip to set up in your cabin and have a dedicated spot to dry your clothes.
Better yet, a few cruise lines, such as Carnival Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line, have clotheslines in the shower to allow you to hang your wet clothes to dry. Once your clothes are dry, ask your housekeeper if you could borrow an iron to do any pressing if necessary.
FAQs
Can you bring detergent on a cruise ship?
You’re allowed to bring detergent on a cruise ship. It’s recommended, however, that you bring a limited amount – bring enough for you to do a couple of quick washes if necessary. Single-use laundry detergent is an ideal item to bring onto your cruise.Â
What are the benefits of hand-washing clothes on a cruise?
Hand washing your clothes is the cheapest option. If you bring your own detergent, this process is essentially free! Another benefit of hand-washing clothes on a cruise is that you know exactly where your clothes are. With any laundry service, you risk the chance of the cruise ship misplacing your clothes. While they should eventually find them, it’s inconvenient if you have an event coming up that night.
Wrap-Up: Hand Washing Clothes on a Cruise Is a Great Option
In summary, it’s always good to be prepared on a cruise, including having a plan to do laundry. While your cruise ship might have great laundry facilities and services, if you want to let someone else take care of your laundry, this option could be pricey.
Hand washing clothes on a cruise provides peace of mind of knowing exactly where your clothes are and how they’re being washed. All you need to remember to pack is laundry soap, and you’ll be ready for anything life throws at you!
Wondering how to keep your clothes wrinkle-free? Read here to learn about steamer guidelines on cruise ships.
Royal Caribbean International’s upcoming Icon of the Seas is gaining a lot of interest for its size, amenities, and most of all, for the incredible water features onboard, but the largest ever waterpark at sea, multiple pools, and other water features come with unique engineering challenges.
The cruise line shares insights and behind-the-scenes looks at overcoming these challenges in “The Top Deck Challenge” – an exclusive “Icon Extra” video with remarkable footage and previews of what will make a splash on this amazing ship.
The Top Deck Challenge
The new “Icon Extra” video discusses the unprecedented water and weight aboard Icon of the Seas and what it means for engineering a ship in ways that have never been done before.
A “typical” cruise ship may have 150-200 tons of water in its various onboard features, such as pools, hot tubs, and the occasional waterslide. Icon of the Seas, however, will have up to 1,000 tons of water, split amongst various features on different decks.
What makes this even more of an engineering challenge is that this water is largely concentrated on the ship’s upper decks, specifically where Thrill Island is located on Decks 15 and 16, with more water features on Deck 18, The Grove Suite Sun Deck, as well as the Cloud 17 pool on Deck 17.
Designing a Ship for More Water
Water has been central to Icon of the Seas‘ design from the beginning, building on guest feedback about the best memories of their most relaxing vacations.
“We knew we wanted water, water everywhere, so we started there,”said Jennifer Goswami, Director of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International.“Then we built the rest of the ship around that.”
Overall, Icon of the Seas has approximately 62% more water surface area than any previous cruise ship, which adds challenges for engineering and overall design, placement of elements, and operation of the ship to ensure everything functions safely.
Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
From waterslides to splash pads to surf simulators to infinity pools, the new ship will have a variety of water features to offer aquatastic fun to all ages.
“With Icon of the Seas we really wanted to think about delivering unrivaled water experiences in a bolder, bigger way,”said Yael Steinhart, Senior Director of Product Innovation for Royal Caribbean.“We’ve done some things new and different than we have before.”
The development of the Category 6 waterpark, for example, grew in scope from an initial desire to have just five waterslides, to the grand total of six different and unique slides.
“The waterslides on Icon will be so complex and so large, we are trying to now build it separately from the ship and have it barged onto the ship,”said Goswami. The slides are supported from a pair of towers, an arrangement that has never been done before.
Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
“With this, we were able to design longer slides, faster slides,”said Kelly Gonzalez, Senior Vice President of Architectural Design and Newbuilding for Royal Caribbean Group.
It has been a risky venture for the cruise line to work with brand new design ideas, as the possibility of failure was high and if complete designs needed to be reworked, construction delays could be significant. Naval architects and engineers worked together to incorporate new elements into the existing structure of the ship to ensure success.
“We had to bring a lot of experts in to work with us to make sure that we could design this in a way that it was going to be technically sound to execute and ensure that it didn’t compromise our ability to maintain our delivery dates,”said Gonzalez.
Making a Splash in 2024
Icon of the Seas is scheduled to debut in January 2024, and her inaugural sailings have already set booking records for Royal Caribbean International. Even though the ship was floated out in December 2022 and has only just tested her engines for the first time, there is much work yet to be done to complete the vessel.
Render Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
When she arrives, the 250,800-gross-ton ship will be homeported from Miami, offering Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries to as many as 5,610 guests at double occupancy, or up to 7,600 passengers with all berths filled.
Buzz about what is sure to become an iconic vacation destination remains high – stay tuned to Cruise Hive for all the updates, behind-the-scenes details, and Icon of the Seas news in the months to come!
Alcohol and cruises go hand in hand. However, you must consume alcohol on a cruise safely and according to your cruise line’s guidelines. This means that you shouldn’t risk sneaking alcohol onto your cruise ship.
Maybe you don’t want to pay extra for drinks. Or perhaps you have a particular drink that you want to enjoy on your vacation. Whatever your reason, the consequences aren’t worth trying to sneak alcohol onto your cruise.
In this article, you’ll learn what happens if you get caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise and the alternatives to doing so to ensure that you still enjoy your vacation as much as possible.
In general, nothing good happens if you’re caught smuggling alcohol on a cruise, and there are several possibilities for disciplinary action.
Best case, the crew simply confiscates the alcohol. Worse case, you may be asked to disembark. Here are the consequences you can expect if you get caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise:
Photo Credit: Gianluca Piccin / Shutterstock
Fine or surcharge: On many cruise lines, you may be subject to a fine or a surcharge if they catch you sneaking alcohol onto the ship.
Confiscation of alcohol: No matter what other disciplinary action the cruise line takes, you can expect them to confiscate your alcohol as soon as they find it.
Passport or identification retention: Besides confiscating your alcohol, you may have to show ID for the cruise line to note your actions and keep them in the system.
Asked to disembark from the cruise: In extreme cases, you may be asked to disembark the ship. This will typically only happen if you refuse to give up the alcohol or if the crew fears that you will be a disruption.
How exactly can you get caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise? Let’s take a look.
Ways to Get Caught Sneaking Alcohol
It’s not very hard to get caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise because you have to go through several checks to even get on the ship, and you may be subject to additional checks while you’re on your cruise.
Photo Credit: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock
As you know, the cruise line checks your luggage as you come onto the ship. However, this doesn’t mean you can simply sneak alcohol on board by other means. Nonetheless, many people try to sneak alcohol onboard in the following ways:
Hiding it deep in their suitcase
Hiding it on their person
Filling an unsuspecting bottle with liquor, such as a shampoo bottle
None of these ways to sneak liquor onboard work. Let’s look at the possible ways to get caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise.
Body Scanners
While cruise ships don’t typically have the scanning technology you’ll find at airports, you’ll still have your luggage scanned and need to walk through an X-ray machine.
This machine can detect any liquids you may be carrying on your person, meaning you can’t hide any small bottles of alcohol in your pockets!
Room Inspections
Even if you somehow get past the cruise ship scanner with your booze, there’s still a chance of getting caught sneaking alcohol. Any cruise line can inspect any cruise passenger’s room for any reason. You’ll find this in your cruise contract, where you can also read the alcohol policy.
Cruise Cabins
While most cruise lines aren’t in the habit of doing random searches, there’s still a possibility that they’ll search your cabin, especially if they suspect something is wrong.
Informants
Speaking of suspecting something, you should expect to be monitored closely by the ship’s crew, security, or other potential informants. While they don’t follow your every move, they are wary of suspicious activity, such as being drunk yet not having ordered a drink. If the crew suspects any strange behavior, you may have your person and cabin checked and potentially be found with liquor.
As you can see, it generally isn’t worth it to sneak alcohol on a cruise. However, if you still want to drink until your heart’s content, there are other options.
Alternatives to Sneaking Alcohol
To give you some ideas on how to enjoy drinking on your cruise, here are your options.
Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock
Bring One Bottle of Champagne or Wine
There’s one exception to the prohibition of alcohol on cruise ships. Some cruise lines allow you to bring a limited number of bottles of wine or champagne onboard on embarkation day.
For example, Carnival Cruise Line allows passengers to bring onboard one 750-ml bottle of sealed/unopened wine or champagne, per person, in their carry-on luggage on embarkation day only. However, that one bottle is enough to celebrate the beginning of your cruise!
Purchase Alcohol From the Ship’s Bars
Unless you are on a sober cruise, you can always purchase alcohol on board at the bar. The ship’s bars always have an assortment of drinks available, including:
Beer
Wine
Cocktails
Champagne
Spirits
So don’t worry; you’ll likely be able to access your favorite drink on board. The stores on the ship will also have alcohol for sale as part of their duty-free shopping. However, if you purchase alcohol from the ship’s stores, it cannot be consumed onboard. It will be delivered to your cabin at the end of the cruise.
Cruise Ship Bar
Book a Cruise with Unlimited Alcohol Packages
One of the best options that cruise lines offer is to purchase an unlimited drink package. With this package, you get access to unlimited drinks throughout your cruise.
While some cruise lines may restrict the type of drinks you order, this is an excellent option for those who want the freedom to drink their favorite alcoholic beverage and keep the party rolling throughout their vacation! Most cruise lines offer unlimited alcohol packages, here are a few:
In general, drinking at bars ashore is much cheaper than drinking on the ship. So one great way to ensure that you get drunk on your trip, even while on a budget, is to mainly drink at bars in the ports before going back on the ship. Plus, they’ll always have new drinks for you to try!
FAQs
Can I drink alcohol I bring from shore excursions?
You know cruise passengers can’t bring beer, wine, or liquor with them on embarkation day, but what about when you buy a bottle of wine or another alcoholic beverage on an excursion? Alcohol that you bring from shore excursions will be taken and stored separately once you return to the ship, and you’ll be given back your alcohol to take home with you at the end of your cruise.
Are there other items I can’t bring onto a cruise ship?
What cruise passengers can and cannot bring on board largely depends on the cruise line. However, in general, most cruise lines don’t allow irons and steamers, sharp objects such as knives or scissors, candles, and perishable food. Check your cruise line’s website for a specific list of prohibited items.
The Takeaway: Don’t Risk Being Caught
The consequences of sneaking alcohol on a cruise are not worth the risk of being caught, and being caught can potentially ruin your entire vacation.
Instead, take advantage of the options on board the ship, including an unlimited drinks package. They’re a great chance to be catered to and to try out some new drinks, as long as you’re above the legal drinking age. Remember to drink in moderation!
Carnival Cruise Line has contacted guests booked on weekend sailings from PortMiami to alert them about potentially heavy traffic in downtown Miami due to the Ultra Music Festival, taking place from March 24-26.
This can potentially impact a number of Carnival cruises over the weekend, as well as other cruise lines sailing from Miami during the festival dates.
Heavy Traffic Expected
Guests sailing on Carnival ships from PortMiami this weekend may see significant traffic congestion through the downtown area, and the cruise line has reached out via email to alert travelers about the potential difficulties.
“While you prepare for your cruise, we’d like to inform you that the City of Miami will be hosting Ultra Music Festival in the downtown area from Friday, March 24 through Sunday, March 26, 2023,”the email explained.“As a result, there will be numerous street closures and heavier than normal traffic in and around the city.”
Photo Credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock
Guests are urged to allow ample time to commute to the cruise terminal so as to arrive within their pre-selected arrival windows, as redirected traffic, congestion, and road closures will likely cause delays.
If driving, Carnival suggests guests use the PortMiami tunnel to avoid the downtown area. Guests using rideshare services might also suggest that route to their drivers for the most efficient service.
Travelers who have purchased airport transfers from Carnival Cruise Line will be contacted individually, as their transfer times may also be affected by the excess traffic. “We will remain in close contact with our transportation provider throughout embarkation day,”the email said.
While only Carnival Conquest will be in PortMiami when the festival opens on Friday, March 24, Saturday and Sunday are both busier days. Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Spirit are both docked on Saturday, while Carnival Horizon and the cruise line’s newest ship, Carnival Celebration, will be in port on Sunday, March 25.
Photo Credit: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock
In addition to Carnival ships, vessels from Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Seabourn are also scheduled throughout the weekend.
Sunday will likely be the most challenging day for port traffic, as eight different cruise ships will be in port, including the Oasis-classOasis of the Seas and Carnival Celebration, as well as Norwegian Encore, the largest ship by gross tonnage in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet.
Options to Avoid Traffic
Cruise travelers can use several options to avoid the worst of the Miami traffic during the festival weekend.
Taking shuttle services, public transportation, or carpooling with other cruise guests can help minimize traffic, or guests can adjust their route for arriving to the cruise port to avoid the worst congestion. Extra time will be necessary to navigate through road closures and account for traffic delays as well.
Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock
To make arriving at the port as easy as possible, travelers should check which terminal their ship will be docked at before arriving at the port, so they can better adjust which traffic lanes to use and learn which parking structures or lots are most convenient.
It is important to note, however, that ships do not always return to the same terminal at the end of a cruise that they may have used for embarkation.
Above all, it will be critical for guests to be patient with the traffic difficulties, and not take out frustrations on either port personnel or cruise ship crew members. While the arrival may be more challenging, guests are sure to still have a fabulous cruise vacation to enjoy!
About the Festival
The Ultra Music Festival is an outdoor electronic music festival that began in 1999. The event is held annually in Bayfront Park, just at the base of Port Boulevard in downtown Miami and less than a mile from the cruise terminals.
The three-day festival drew 165,000 total attendees in 2022, and along with the bands themselves – typically more than 100 groups or performers throughout the event – as well as vendors and service personnel, can bring significant crowds to downtown Miami.
The festival has been so successful that international festivals have also been debuted, and the event has been nominated for numerous awards, and won for “Best Festival” from the International Dance Music Awards in 2018.
With Royal Caribbean’s largest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas, currently under construction in Finland, any milestone is significant! That includes when the engines are turned on for the very first time.
The shipyard confirmed that the first of six multi-fuel engines was activated. It comes as progress continues on the first Icon-class vessel, which will be completed at the end of 2023, and ready for sailing in early 2024.
Icon of the Seas Engines Started for the First Time
Royal Caribbean’s new LNG-powered Icon of the Seas has already reached some major milestones while under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Now, the ship has reached another milestone, with the first of six engines getting started for the very first time.
These engines will ensure the giant new class vessel is fully powered as over 7,000 passengers and crew are busy on board working or enjoying. The first engine was started on March 15 using diesel fuel. However, the main engines can be powered by fuel and gas.
Icon of the Seas at Meyer Turku (Photo Credit: Meyer Turku)
Chief engineer Tuomas Auvinen says:“Icon of the Seas has six Wärtsilä main engines. The first of them (number 2) was started today, Wednesday 15.3. at 11:00 a.m. Both diesel and natural gas can be used as fuel in the main engines, Wednesday’s start was made with diesel.”
With the complex technology involved, it’s a huge milestone for the workers at the shipyard. It shows that the installation has succeeded, which is especially important for a new design.
“The first main engine start on a ship largely tells a lot about the ship’s readiness. It is a sign that the various departments throughout the yard have achieved something significant. To achieve this milestone, all professional groups are needed, and for that, big thanks to everyone!”Auvinen added.
Royal Caribbean plans to use the six multi-fuel engines with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), each providing 67,500 KW of energy to run the ship. The cruise line will scrutinize kilowatts to ensure the Icon of the Seas is energy efficient and reduces emissions.
The ship will be shore power ready, use fuel cell technology, have waste heat capture and air lubrication systems, and even have one of the best water management systems at sea.
World’s Largest Cruise Ship Under Construction
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas has been under construction at Meyer Turku since the first piece of steel was cut on June 16, 2021. Since then, the cruise ship has come together block by block. Construction milestones included the keel being laid for the first time in April 2022 and the ship floating out onto the water on December 2022.
The ship is well on its way to completion, focusing very much now on the interior spaces. And oh my, are there a lot of spaces that need work!
When Icon of the Seas is delivered to the cruise line, she will become the new world’s largest cruise ship at 250,800 gross tons, with a maximum guest capacity of 7,600 and 2,350 crew members across a total of 20 decks.
Render Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
With all that capacity and space comes eight neighborhoods, each with its own features and styles, including the Aquadome, Central park, Chill Island, Royal Promenade, Surf Side, Suite Neighbourhood, The Hideaway, and Thrill Island.
Icon of the Seas will be delivered at the end of 2023 following the necessary sea trials. The ship will debut out of Miami, Florida, on January 27. the first guest sailing will be a seven-night Caribbean itinerary with visits to St. Kitts, St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, and the Royal Caribbean private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The ship will sail year-round from PortMiami, offering seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. Guests will be happy to know a second Icon-class cruise ship is already under construction and will be completed in 2025. Are third in the same will class will also be constructed, with delivery in 2026.
Figuring out what to pack for a cruise can be difficult. What makes it more difficult is the list of items you can or can’t bring on board.
If you want to keep your clothes fresh and pressed throughout your cruise, you may be wondering which list steamers are on. This article will tell you whether you can bring a steamer with you to prepare for your upcoming vacation.
A steamer is a device that uses hot steam to take wrinkles out of clothing. This device features a container to put the water in and a warmer to convert the water into steam. The steam typically comes from a small spout for easy application to your clothes.
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There are several types of steamers, including vertical steamers, which can hold more water, and handheld portable steamers. A hand steamer is what you would consider bringing on your cruise due to its portability, but are you actually allowed to bring one on board? Let’s find out.
Can You Bring a Steamer on a Cruise?
Simply put, you cannot bring a steamer on a cruise ship. This rule applies to the majority of mainstream cruise ships. Although they don’t all explicitly say that steamers are prohibited on their websites, it’s safe to assume that steamers are prohibited. The same goes for irons. If you try to bring a steamer on board, chances are that it will be confiscated.
You can’t bring a steamer on a cruise ship because it’s a fire hazard. Cruise ships not only prohibit passengers from bringing many fire hazards items onto the ship, but they may not have them on board at all or only have them in minimum quantities.
So does this mean that there’s no chance for you to have wrinkle-free clothing on a cruise ship? Not necessarily.
Do Cruise Ships Have Steamers?
While you can’t bring your own steamer onto a cruise ship, you may still be able to get your hands on one during your voyage.
Cruise ships have a limited number of steamers for laundry services and housekeeping. Some cruise lines lend these steamers out to passengers for a limited time for you to use in your cabin.
Cruise Line Steamer Rules
Here are some rules for specific cruise lines when it comes to steamers.
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Royal Caribbean International
Irons and steamers are prohibited items not allowed onto the ship under any circumstances.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line prohibits all electric and household appliances containing a heating element, including steamers. However, all Carnival ships provide facilities with ironing boards and irons so that you can still keep your clothes wrinkle-free.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises prohibits all items that generate heat or produce an open flame, which is what steamers fit under.
Disney Cruise Line
Steamers are prohibited on all Disney Cruises. However, they encourage passengers to take advantage of their full-service laundry service, with press-only service costing just half the price.
Alternatives to Steamers On Cruise Ships
While steamers are very useful, they aren’t the only way to keep your clothes wrinkle-free on your cruise. Check out these alternatives to steamers that you can use on your next cruise.
Irons
Although both are prohibited on cruise ships, even if your ship doesn’t have steamers, they may still have irons available to guests.
You have a couple of options for finding an iron on your cruise. Firstly, you can contact housekeeping or guest services and see if you can borrow an iron. Alternatively, some cruise ships have self-laundry service, and you can sometimes find irons in the laundry rooms.
Laundry Service
Another way to ensure your clothes are wrinkle-free is to take advantage of your cruise ship’s laundry service.
Many cruise ships offer wash and press services for a charge or complementarity if you’re part of their rewards programs. Depending on the cruise, this service can range from $3 to $10 per item, but the turnaround is usually quick, typically taking about 24 hours.
Wrinkle Release Spray
If you’re really a stickler for wrinkles and creases, you may want to bring onboard some wrinkle-release spray. These sprays continue to grow in popularity, as they allow you to remove wrinkles from your clothes without an iron or steamer. This is certainly a must-pack for every cruiser.
Hanging Clothes in the Bathroom While Taking a Shower
Even though you aren’t allowed a steamer on a cruise, that doesn’t mean you can’t create steam.
One old-school alternative to steaming your clothes is to hang them up in the bathroom while you take a shower. This is an effective trick to get rid of minor wrinkles. It also takes less time than steaming would, which leaves you with more time to enjoy your vacation!
Pack Better
Finally, you can eliminate the need for a steamer if you pack strategically. Steam, press, and fold your clothes before packing them in your suitcase. Be sure not to overpack, yet keep your clothes compact enough that they don’t shift around during the commute.
As soon as you get to your stateroom, hang up all of your clothes to prevent them from wrinkling throughout your trip.
FAQs
Can I use a steamer in my stateroom?
If your cruise ship does lend out steamers, you may be able to use one in your stateroom. However, they may also request that you use the steamer in their laundry facilities for safety reasons.Â
How do I access a steamer on a cruise?
To access a steamer on a cruise, ask your housekeeper whether they can lend you one. They may direct you to guest services to actually gain access to a steamer. Some cruise lines may have steamers in their self-service laundry facilities if applicable, but it’s more common for these facilities to have irons instead.
The Verdict: Can I Bring a Steamer on a Cruise?
To recap, you cannot bring a steamer on a cruise for safety reasons. However, alternatives, such as borrowing a steamer from the ship or using self-service laundry facilities, may be available.
One of the best options you can take advantage of is packing clothes that don’t wrinkle easily. After all, you are on vacation, and the last thing you want to worry about is laundry!
