The Celebrity Beyond cruise ship has come to the rescue of 19 refugees that were stranded on a makeshift boat made out of styrofoam and wood. This rescue operation is the third by a cruise ship in the Caribbean in just a single day and marks a busy start to the year with refugees trying to get from Cuba to South Florida.
Carnival Beyond Rescue
Celebrity Cruises has become the second cruise line involved in rescuing refugees in the Caribbean in 2023 so far, with its flagship, Celebrity Beyond. The large cruise ship spotted the small boat in the Florida straights on January 2.
The small makeshift boat was made of styrofoam and wood and packed with 19 refugees trying to get from Cuba to Florida.
Captained by Kate McCue, the crew safely brought the refugees aboard, with the captain bringing the large vessel alongside. As a procedure, they were checked by the ship’s medical personnel and likely provided food and water. According to passengers onboard, the Celebrity cruise ship waited for the US Coast Guard to pick them up.
McCue later posted on social media, “Thank you to all the crew who made this rescue possible. Chief Officer Nikos, you will always be my eagle eyes!”
A makeshift boat carrying 19 Cubans being picked up off the southern coast of Florida by the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship on its return trip to Fort Lauderdale
At the time, Celebrity Beyond was sailing its final day at sea as part of an eight-night Western Caribbean voyage, which departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 26, 2022. The voyage included calls at Nassau, Bahamas; George Town, Cayman Islands; Ratan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and the final port of call at Cozumel, Mexico.
The ship is scheduled to arrive home on Tuesday morning, and Celebrity Cruises has not announced any delayed arrival due to the rescue operation. The following sailing is scheduled to depart on Tuesday afternoon on a shorter five-night Caribbean itinerary, including vitis to Cozumel and Costa Maya, both in Mexico.
Busy Start of Cruise Ship Rescues in 2023
The cruise industry has been busy in the first few days of 2023 as Celebrity Beyond becomes the third cruise ship to rescue refugees since the new year. The ship also becomes the fourth since December 30, 2022.
Photo Credit: Leslie Andradi
Carnival Sunrise made a rescue on its final sea day while heading back to Miami in, Florida, on December 30. The Carnival vessel safely brought several refugees onboard. The Carnival Dream also rescued 20 refugees on January 2, which the US Coast Guard picked up.
Carnival Cruise Line’s new flagship, Carnival Celebration, also spotted refugees on January 2. The ship picked up 19 people on a small boat off the coast of Cuba. At the time, the vessel was on its final sea day, heading back to PortMiami.
It’s maritime law for a cruise ship to help anyone distressed at sea. In these cases, the relevant authorities will always be contacted. The US Coast Guard will often meet the cruise ship and pick up the refugees. The refugees will likely be returned to Cuba in the coming days and weeks.
Formerly called Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, Royal Caribbean Group operates globally and was incorporated in Liberia while based in Miami, Florida. After Carnival Cruise Line, it is the second largest cruise line.
As of January 2021, it owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Silversea Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises. They also have a 50% stake in TUI cruises, CDF Croisières de France, and Pullmantur Cruises. So, who owns Royal Caribbean?
This group was originally called Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Things changed in 1997 when it bought Celebrity Cruises. The decision was made to keep the two brands separate following the initial merger. The company was later rebranded to Royal Caribbean International because of this decision. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd was made the parent company of both brands.
In 2000, Island Cruises formed as a joint venture between Royal Caribbean and First Choice Holidays. It became a type of informal line for the Brazilian and British markets.
Another acquisition occurred in 2006 with the purchase of Pullmantur Cruises in Spain. Following this purchase, Royal Caribbean experienced a rapid expansion by creating Azamara Cruises. Azamara Cruises became a subsidiary of its Celebrity Cruises branch in 2007. May 2008 saw the company form CDF Croisieres de France to reach the French-speaking markets.
Royal Caribbean Offices, PortMiami (Photo Credit: byvalet / Shutterstock)
In 2009, they expanded into the German market by acquiring shares in TUI Cruises. The subsidiary of TUI Cruise, TUI Travel, contained 50% interest in Island Cruises after merging with First Choice Holidays. Holdings were rationalized by selling TUI Island Cruises.
A joint venture was announced in 2019 with ITM Group, which led to the formation of Holistica to develop cruise destinations. The only area they want to establish is Grand Lucayan Resort in Freeport. The hotel campus had been sold to a subsidiary of the Bahamian Government.
Royal Caribbean Cruises bought the remaining Silversea Cruises shares in 2020. They changed the logo and renamed themselves Royal Caribbean Group. They later sold Azamara Cruises to Sycamore Partners for $201 million.
Just recently, in 2022, they obtained court approval to buy Endeavor, a former ship for Crystal Cruise, for $275 million. It will later be renamed Silver Endeavor when it joins the Silversea Cruise fleet.
Who Owns Royal Caribbean?
Royal Caribbean International and its numerous subsidiaries fall under the Royal Caribbean Group banner. They have a fleet of 64 cruise ships and travel to 1,000 destinations around the world.
Capital Research & Management owns the most shares in Royal Caribbean. Capital is a large investment group formed in 1931 with $2.6 trillion in assets in its portfolio. Currently, they own 16% of the cruise company.
Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock
Even this 16% ownership is split between several branches within the group—Capital Research & Management Company’s international investors have an 11.66% stake. The remaining top ten of their shareholders are large investment groups like JPMorgan, The Vanguard Group, and several others.
Who was the Founder of Royal Caribbean International?
Royal Caribbean International was founded in 1968 in Norway by three shipping companies. These founding companies were IM Skaugen & Company, Anders Wilhelmsen & Company, and Gotaas Larsen. Song of Norway was their first ship, which launched two years later. Nordic Prince was added one year later, and Sun Viking followed in 1972.
In 1978, Song of Norway was the first cruise ship to be lengthened by adding an 85-foot section to a severed center of the ship. Since this project was so successful, the company decided to do the same to Nordic Prince two years later. During the modification, the sterns were changed, creating additional space. The only ship that wasn’t changed was Sun Viking.
The group that founded Royal Caribbean later listed itself on the New York Stock Exchange before becoming the Royal Caribbean Group. This same group later incorporated the company in Liberia.
The company chose to incorporate in Liberia to avoid paying U.S. taxes and having to follow the labor and wage laws of the country. This is the same logic that several cruise lines adopt by registering themselves in countries like the Bahamas.
Who Is the CEO of Royal Caribbean?
Michael Bayley is president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. The president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group is Jason Liberty.
What Is the Net Worth of Royal Caribbean?
There is no listed net worth for Royal Caribbean International. However, Royal Caribbean Group had a net worth of $11.93 billion in September 2022. This number places it ahead of Carnival Group by $1 billion.
Does the Company Have Stock?
Royal Caribbean Group does have stock, and the New York Stock Exchange lists them as RCL. Royal Caribbean International, however, does not have stock. Currently, Royal Caribbean Group contains the highest value for cruise line stocks for people to invest in.
Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia / Shutterstock
If you make an investment and purchase 100 shares, you receive shareholder benefits when you cruise on one of their Royal Caribbean ships. This also applies to Celebrity Cruises, except for cruises to the Galapagos Islands.
Shareholder benefits include:
$250 onboard credit per stateroom for cruises lasting 14 nights or longer
$100 onboard credit per stateroom for cruises lasting 6-13 nights
$50 onboard credit per stateroom for cruises lasting five nights or less
To claim these benefits, stakeholders should apply through the Royal Caribbean website. You will need to provide proof of your shares.
How Are Shares Purchased?
Shares are purchased using a stockbroker. They may be a licensed stockbroker or smartphone/laptop platforms. You will need to find a platform that deals with the NYSE and make a request to purchase RCL stock.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
Stockbrokers tend to cost more; however, they will offer you advice. This is usually better for those who need help deciding what to invest in. However, if you understand the risks, going through the online stockbroker platform tends to be cheaper.
Conclusion
Three shipping companies originally founded Royal Caribbean. Through diligent work and strategic expansion efforts, they quickly morphed into a vast empire enjoyed by millions of cruisers each year. Royal Caribbean continues to stay on the top of the cruise line empire by continually adapting itself to suit changing times.
The new Carnival Celebration cruise ship, which only recently started guest operations at the end of 2022, has made its first rescue. The vessel spotted a small raft with refugees while heading back to Florida to end a week-long Caribbean cruise.
This rescue comes just days after another Carnival cruise ship also rescued refugees stranded on a small boat in the Caribbean.
Carnival Celebration Rescue
Just days after the Carnival Sunrise rescued refugees, the newest flagship, the Carnival Celebration, has also done the same. The giant LNG-powered vessel spotted a small makeshift raft with five refugees onboard that was off the coast of Havana in Cuba during the last sea day of the voyage. The refugees appeared to be on a small makeshift raft using oars.
Photo Credit: Leslie Andradi
At the time, the cruise ship was heading back toward its homeport of PortMiami in Florida. The refugees were taken onboard the large vessel and provided food and water. The ship’s medical team would have undoubtedly checked them over too.
In accordance with maritime law, any cruise ship must help anyone in distress at sea. Even though the refugees were brought onboard, they were handed over to the US Coast Guard not long after. The US Coast Guard met the Carnival cruise ship to take the refugees. The refugees will likely be returned to Cuba in the coming days and weeks.
Photo Credit: Leslie Andradi
The Carnival Celebration was coming to the end of a seven-night Western Caribbean voyage that departed Miami on December 27, 2022. The Carnival ship is scheduled to arrive back in Florida on January 3, 2023, at approximately 8:00 AM. It’s not known if the ship’s arrival back home will be delayed due to the rescue.
The Carnival Celebration itinerary included a call at Cozumel in Mexico on December 29, Costa Maya on December 30, and then Mahogany Bay in Roatan, Honduras, for the final day of the year.
The following voyage will depart on January 3, a shorter five-night sailing, including calls to Amber Cover in the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos.
Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski / Shutterstock
This marks the first rescue operation for the newest ship in Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet. Carnival Celebration recently joined the fleet and celebrated its naming ceremony at PortMiami in November 2022. The vessel is 183,521 gross tons, with a passenger capacity of 5,374 at double occupancy.
Second Carnival Rescue in a Few Days
This now makes the second Carnival cruise ship rescue in three days after the Carnival Sunrise spotted refugees needing help on December 30, 2022. It was similar to the Carnival Celebration, with Carnival Sunrise picking up several refugees from a small boat. This also took place just off the coast of Cuba while heading back to its homeport in Miami.
There was also a Carnival rescue in September 2022, when the Carnival Horizoncame to the rescue of a drifting boat of refugees off the coast of Cuba. However, in October 2022, there was a situation where the refugees refused assistance from the Carnival cruise ship and were happy to continue on their journey.
As we begin 2023, further cruise ships in the Caribbean will undoubtedly come across small boats or rafts that need help. The majority come from Cuba, with people trying to head to South Florida in the US for a better quality of life.
The Brilliance of the Seas, a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, experienced a delay in its arrival to Port Tampa Bay today, January 2, 2023. In a statement to guests, the company explained that the delay was due to dense fog in the area.
Despite the inconvenience, Royal Caribbean assured guests that they were working to debark passengers as soon as possible and extended the use of their staterooms until the ship’s arrival.
In the meantime, breakfast has been expanded to include brunch in the Windjammer and Dining Room. Two other cruise ships are also delayed, including the Norwegian Dawn and Celebrity Constellation.
Brilliance of the Seas Delayed
Brilliance of the Seas, which is due to conclude a 4-day Western Caribbean cruise to Cozumel today, is just one of three cruise ships that will be arriving late to Port Tampa Bay. Royal Caribbean informed guests earlier today that the vessel will need to navigate through some dense fog, severely restricting the speed at which the cruise ship can operate.
A passenger who is currently onboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship said,“We are currently in an anchorage area north of the channel into Tampa Bay. Once we have clearance from the USGS, it will take 3.5 hours to reach the dock, then we need to clear customs. All guests have been given 60 minutes of free internet access to contact airlines/family/etc. Crew is great, they are putting on extra activities.”
Brilliance of the Seas Fog (Photo Copyright: Melissa Mayntz)
The heavy fog has been causing problems around Northern Florida, mainly on the Eastern side of the state, but also around the Gulf of Mexico. Visibility in many areas has been severely restricted, with the National Weather Service issuing a hazardous weather alert for Monday morning.
The letter guests received states the following:“We have some important news to share with you. Due to some dense fog, our arrival in Tampa has been delayed. We’re hopeful we can begin debarkation as soon as possible today. We’ll update you shortly, as the weather is constantly changing.”
Guests do not need to worry about leaving their cabins long before arriving in port; the vessel has extended access to staterooms until just before arrival and will be serving breakfast/brunch in the Windjammer Cafe and the Dining Room:
“In the meantime, breakfast leading into brunch will be served in the Windjammer and Dining Room until shortly before arrival. We’ve also extended your stateroom until shortly before arrival,” the letter stated.
Brilliance of the Seas will operate from Tampa for a few more months, sailing a series of four and five-night cruises to the Western Caribbean.
Brilliance of the Seas was built in 2002 and is part of the Radiance class of ships, which also includes the Serenade of the Seas and the Radiance of the Seas. The Brilliance of the Seas is 90,090 gross tons and can carry up to 2,501 passengers.
More Cruise Ships Impacted
It’s worth noting that fog can be a serious safety concern for ships, as it can reduce visibility and make navigation more difficult. It’s not uncommon for ships to experience delays or diversions due to fog.
According to the Cruise Ship Tracker, there are two other cruise ships also at anchorage, waiting for the weather conditions to improve. Norwegian Dawn is ending an 11-night Caribbean Christmas and New Year’s itinerary, and the Celebrity Constellation is ending a 10-night holiday sailing in the Caribbean.
Whether or not the delayed arrival into Port Tampa Bay will affect the following cruise for Brilliance of the Seas is not known at this time. As long as the vessel arrives in port in the morning hours, embarkation for the five-night Western Caribbean cruise should be on time. The ship will be sailing to Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Carnival Cruise Line was voted the best cruise line of 2022 by Cruise Hive readers, with 32% of the votes. 2022 is also the 50th anniversary year for Carnival, making this achievement even more special.
The Cruise Ship Awards are an annual event, and this year, readers could type in the name of any cruise line to cast their vote, making sure that the vote included all eligible cruise lines.
Carnival Votes Best Cruise Line of 2022
The Miami-based cruise line has received more votes than rival lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian in the annual Cruise Ship Awards. The cruise line, which has gone through an eventful 2022, is the Best Cruise Line of 2022, according to Cruise Hive readers.
It has been an extraordinary year for Carnival Cruise Line. After a challenging year post-global pause in operations, the popular cruise line is back stronger than ever. America’s cruise line celebrated its 50th anniversary, which started with various events ashore and onboard and included some spectacular ship meet-ups around the Caribbean, Pacific, and the Bahamas.
Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive
The 50th Anniversary celebrations concluded with the launch of the cruise line’s second Excel-class LNG-powered cruise ship, Carnival Celebration, which also won the Best New Cruise Ship of 2022 category.
Carnival Celebration‘s sister ship, Mardi Gras, also came out on top in a different category. Mardi Gras was voted the best cruise ship of 2022, beating out competition from other top cruise lines. Mardi Gras features a number of innovative features, such as the first roller coaster at sea and several dining options from popular chefs.
In 2022, Carnival Cruise Line also introduced a new initiative called Carnival Fun Italian Style and took possession of the former Costa Luminosa and renamed it the Carnival Luminosa. The Carnival Luminosa offers a unique cruise experience focusing on Italian culture.
However, the true nature of Carnival Fun Italian Style will become apparent when Carnival Venezia joins the fleet next year. Carnival Cruise Line concludes the successes it booked this year with the win of the Best Cruise Line Award, taking home 32% of the votes.
Carnival Cruise Line has won the Cruise Hive Ship Awards multiple times since 2018, only missing out in 2020 as there were no awards that year due to the industry suspension.
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Complete the Podium
In second place in the Cruise Hive’s Cruise Ship Awards was Royal Caribbean, with 23% of the votes. Royal Caribbean is known for its innovative ships and wide range of activities and amenities.
In third place was Norwegian Cruise Line, with 13% of the votes. Norwegian is known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which allows passengers to have a more flexible and customizable vacation experience. Fourth place went to Celebrity Cruises, with 8% of the votes. Celebrity is known for its luxury cruises and top-rated dining options.
Carnival Cruise Line was a clear winner in the awards, with a strong showing in multiple categories. Its 50th anniversary was marked by the successful launch of the Carnival Celebration and rave reviews for Mardi Gras, as well as the introduction of the Carnival Fun Italian Style initiative and the launch of Carnival Luminosa.
With its wide range of new ships, initiatives, and fun atmosphere onboard, it’s no wonder that Carnival Cruise Line was voted the best cruise line of 2022.
Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay has been voted Best Cruise Line Private Island of 2022 in Cruise Hive’s annual Cruise Ship Awards. The island oasis in the Bahamas also earned the coveted title in the 2021 awards.
Perfect Day at CocoCay Wins Again!
Perfect Day at CocoCay has again been voted top in the Best Cruise Line Private Island award category, getting 34% of the vote. Carnival Corp’s Half Moon Cay was a very close second, coming in with 33% of votes (it also won second place in 2021), and MSC Cruises’ Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was third, with 7% of votes.
Other private islands in the competition were Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye, Royal Caribbean’s Labadee, in Haiti, and Princess Cruises’ Princess Cays.
Voting for the 2022 awards opened up in September, with readers being able to make cast a single vote in each of the eight categories. Any suspicious or repeated votes were not included in the final result. The awards have been running since 2014 and, each year, are open for Cruise Hive readers. You can check all the results so far right here.
CocoCay Offers Multiple Beaches, Thrill Rides
Perfect Day at CocoCay is located in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas, about 55 miles north of Nassau. A major $250 million refurbishment in 2019 transformed the island, and it reopened to Royal Caribbean cruise guests in 2020. Among the upgrades was an exclusive VIP area, Coco Cay Club, which wowed guests with floating cabanas.
In fact, the cabanas made CocoCay the first cruise line private island to feature the overwater luxury amenity. The club complex also has an infinity pool and an exclusive restaurant.
Photo Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
CocoCay has three beaches and a slew of water activities in its Thrill Waterpark, offering the biggest wave pool in the Caribbean, and 13 waterslides, including Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America at 135 feet high.
The Splashaway Bay children’s water park, a 1,600-foot-long zip line, Oasis Lagoon, which is the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas, plus helium balloon rides and other adventure activities are offered.
The island’s South Beach area is geared toward sports lovers, and features volleyball, soccer, and basketball courts, plus equipment for paddle boarding and kayaking. The private island is available only to Royal Caribbean cruise guests. Its pier accommodates two ships, and no tendering is required.
Half Moon, Ocean Cay Are Runners Up
Coming in a hair’s breadth (1 percentage point) behind CocoCay, second-place winner Half Moon Cay is located midway between Eleuthera and Cat Island in the Bahamas, about 100 miles southeast of Nassau.
The Carnival Corp island, comprising 2,400 acres, has a water sports center for adults and the Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park for youngsters, featuring slides and a pirate ship. Horseback riding on the beach is a featured activity, and a food pavilion and bar, plus other eateries and shopping opportunities are offered as well.
Photo Credit: KaryBntz / Shutterstock.com
There are no docking facilities at Half Moon Cay, so cruise guests board tenders to reach the island. Ships from multiple Carnival cruise brands call at the island.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was the third-place winner in the cruise awards, with 7% of votes. Located about 65 miles east of Miami, the island has eight beaches on its 95 acres.
The island does not have a waterpark or thrill rides, but offers water sports such as snorkeling, plus soccer and volleyball courts, massage huts on the beach, a Bahamian shopping village, and entertainment including a Junkanoo Parade, beach. Picnics, and a Luna Libre Party. MSC guests are transported to the island by tender.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Celebration has been voted the Best New Cruise Ship of 2022 in Cruise Hive’s annual Cruise Ship Awards. The 5,374-guest ship was in competition with nine other new vessels that debuted during the year.
Carnival Celebration received 34% of the votes for Best New Cruise Ship of 2022, coming in ahead of second-place Wonder of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship that garnered 26% of the votes, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Prima, which received 14% of the votes.
Other ships that competed for the Best New Cruise Ship of 2022 award were P&O Cruises’ Arvia, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Beyond, Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish, Viking Cruises’ Viking Mars, and MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape and MSC World Europa. Readers could only cast a single vote in each category.
Carnival Celebration is the largest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, with a gross tonnage of 183,521, 19 decks, and 2,600 staterooms. The ship was built by Meyer Turku in Finland at the cost of $1 billion.
Voting for the 2022 awards opened up in September, with readers being able to make cast a single vote in each of the eight categories. Any suspicious or repeated votes were not included in the final result. The awards have been running since 2014 and, each year, are open for Cruise Hive readers.
Carnival Celebration Sails the Caribbean From PortMiami
Carnival Cruise Line took delivery of Carnival Celebration at the shipyard on November 2, 2022, and she then became the first new Carnival ship to arrive in the UK in 20 years, sailing her inaugural cruise from Southampton, England, on November 6, 2022. The maiden voyage included port calls in La Coruña and Vigo, Spain; Funchal (Maderia), Portugal; and Tenerife (Canary Islands), Spain.
The ship arrived in Miami on November 20, following her transatlantic cruise from England. Sailing from Terminal F at PortMiami, the ship is operating a winter series of Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
Carnival Celebration features 13 bar/lounges and eight specialty restaurants: Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Cucina del Capitano, Emeril’s Bistro 1396, JavaBlue Cafe, Rudi’s Seagrill, The Seafood Shack, and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse.
Carnival Celebration’s attractions include BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster, which was voted the Best Cruise Ship Feature in the Cruise Ship Awards. The roller coaster, located in the Ultimate Playground portion of the ship, lets guests soar 187 feet above the sea and reaches speeds of 40 MPH. BOLT beat out second-place winner Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Abyss and third-place winner Norwegian Cruise Line’s Go-Karts in the 2022 award category.
Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski / Shutterstock
Carnival Celebration’s Ultimate playground area also is home to the ship’s water park, mini golf courses, sports courses like a basketball court, and a ropes course.
Carnival Cruise Line’s third Excel-class ship, Carnival Jubilee, is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. It is scheduled to debut in late 2023 and be home-ported in Galveston, Texas.
Carnival Panorama, the third newest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, is currently sailing a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, California. During the voyage, the captain informed guests the vessel was suffering from an issue affecting the ship’s maximum cruising speed.
Ports of call on this voyage include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. However, the call to Cao San Lucas was shortened due to the engine issue so the vessel could reach Long Beach on time.
Carnival Panorama Suffers With Cruising Speed
Carnival Panorama will be departing from Cabo San Lucas at 2 PM instead of the previously scheduled 7 PM. This schedule change is being made in order to allow the ship to return to Los Angeles in time for its next voyage on December 31. The reason is an engine issue that is preventing the Vista-class cruise ship from sailing at maximum cruising speed.
While the safety of guests and crew is not affected in any way, the news will be disconcerting for guests with the issues that are plaguing airports in the US due to the Southwest Airlines cancellations.
Photo Credit: Khairil Azhar Junos / Shutterstock
In a letter provided onboard dated December 28, Captain Carlo Queirolo explained the decision:“As I shared in my announcement earlier, the ship is experiencing an issue that is impacting its cruising speed. While our team works on a plan to complete repairs, it is necessary for us to depart Cao San Lucas earlier than planned. We will now be departing at 2:00 PM, and all guests must be back onboard by 1:30 PM, ship’s time.”
The captain further informed guests that any pre-purchased Carnival Shore excursions would be modified to accommodate the changes to the day in Cabo San Lucas.
Carnival Panorama departed from the port of Long Beach on Christmas Eve, December 24. Since then, the vessel has visited Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. After the call to Cabo San Lucas, she is due to set sail to Long Beach, where she will arrive on the morning of December 31.
Second Time Carnival Panorama Experiences Engine Issues
This is not the first time that the Carnival Panorama has experienced an issue with its engines. In August 2021, the ship faced a similar problem that resulted in itinerary changes, on a similar itinerary.
The engine issues seem to be specific to the Vista-class ships. In 2021, Carnival Horizon suffered engine issues affecting maximum cruising speed.
Photo Credit: mikeledray / Shutterstock
Cruise Hive reported a similar issue with the Carnival Dream, which was also in August but back in 2019. In June 2019, sister ship Carnival Vista also had an issue with its maximum cruising speed resulting in changes to its itinerary.
It still needs to be clarified what the cause of the current engine issue is, although engineers are trying to correct the issue onboard.
Carnival Panorama first began sailing in December 2019 and is the third newest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. The cruise ship is 133,500 gross tons and has a double occupancy capacity of 4,008 guests.
Whether the following cruise will be affected by engine issues is unknown. Previously when Vista-class cruise ships suffered engine issues, the solutions ranged from a simple fix to going for a dry dock for repairs.
Norwegian Cruise Line is making changes to its housekeeping services onboard its ships to prioritize environmental sustainability and adapt to the evolving preferences of its guests, the cruise line said in a statement sent out to crew members.
Starting in January 2023, the company will adjust the current daily stateroom (turn-down) service provided to guests in all cabin categories below a Suite level.
Guests staying in Studio, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, and Club Balcony Suite will receive once-daily stateroom service. The policy is expected to be rolled out across the fleet by March 2023.
More Cuts to Norwegian Cruise Line Onboard Services
Norwegian Cruise Line is already not the cheapest cruise line to sail with. The cruise line recently increased the gratuity amounts for guests, making cruising onboard even more expensive. However, that doesn’t stop Norwegian Cruise Line from further cutting back on the service it offers.
Starting in January 2023, Norwegian Cruise Line will no longer offer guests a twice-daily turn-down service if they stay in any cabin category besides suite level or The Haven. The cruise line said in a statement that it had made the change based on environmental choices and guest preferences.
Image Courtesy: Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line said:“Over the last two-plus years, the collective hospitality industry has evolved tremendously. From airlines, hotels, and cruise lines, a new travel environment has emerged with renewed preferences in all aspects of the guest’s travel experience.”
“Environmental sustainability is on stage more than ever and will continue to play a crucial role in all business practices now and into the future.”
Norwegian Epic will be the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to implement the new housekeeping policy on January 8, followed by Norwegian Sky on January 13, Norwegian Jewel on January 14, and Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Breakaway on January 15. The final ship to adopt the new policy, Norwegian Pearl, will do so on March 31, 2023.
The company believes that reducing the frequency of housekeeping services will not only help to reduce its environmental impact but also give guests more control over their personal space and allow them to customize their onboard experience. However, it soon becomes clear that this is another cost-cutting exercise from Norwegian.
Crew Positions Axed and Salaries Reduced
In addition to these changes, Norwegian Cruise Line is also adjusting its onboard positions. The position titles “Stateroom Steward” and “Junior Stateroom Steward” will no longer exist and will be adjusted to a singular position titled “Stateroom Attendant.”
Although this change will result in an increase in salary for the current Jr. Stateroom Stewards, it will mean scaling down the wages for the current Stateroom Stewards.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
According to the company, “The elimination of these positions will phase out over time, allowing Stateroom Stewards to complete their current contract. The Jr. Stateroom Stewards onboard will be promoted to Stateroom Attendants on dates according to the implementation dates of the new structure.”
Adjusting onboard positions and salary restructuring is meant to create a more streamlined and efficient system, where crew members will likely have fewer cabins to service.
However, it is debatable whether this is a fair way of dealing with crew members who often have worked for many years to reach the position and salary they currently have.
Norwegian Cruise Line has made several changes to its company structure recently. A few weeks ago, the cruise line’s parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, announced a 9% reduction of its shoreside staff. A few days after that announcement, the cruise line itself announced a significant increase in gratuity charges.
