Blog Page 255

Iceland Implements Fees for Cruise Passengers

Lissa Poirot
-
0
Iceland Implements Fees for Cruise Passengers

Cruise passengers visiting Iceland will now face a new cost as they explore its breathtaking landscapes.

The Icelandic government is replacing last year’s accommodation tax with a new infrastructure fee that will affect those arriving by cruise ship, and it’s not cheap.

At the end of 2023, the government implemented a tax of 1,000 Icelandic Krona (approximately $5 at the time) on all overnight stays beginning January 1, 2024.

However, that tax has been replaced in 2025 with a fee that applies to cruise visitors, regardless of whether they stay overnight or not.

Beginning in January 2025, anyone arriving in an Icelandic port will be required to pay 2,500 Icelandic Krona (approximately $18) per person. 

The new fee is a daily fee, meaning passengers visiting more than one Icelandic port will pay for each call, and multiple fees during overnight visits. The fee also affects passengers whether they choose to disembark or not.

For instance, the 4,345-passenger MSC Preziosa features 10 roundtrip voyages from Hamburg, Germany, to Iceland, beginning May 18, 2025, through August 7.

It has three scheduled calls in the island nation, including an overnight in Reykjavik forcing passengers to pay almost $72 in additional fees.

This new fee will result in Iceland collecting nearly $782,000 for the ship’s scheduled summer sailings.

Cruise Boards: NEW PORT FEES EVERYWHERE!

Passengers scheduled to visit Iceland on the 6,300-passenger MSC Virtuosa, cruising roundtrip from Southampton, England, on June 6, 2025, received an email notifying them of the new mandate.

During the ship’s 14-night sailing that journeys to Ireland, Norway, and Iceland, the vessel will visit Akureyri and Isafjord, Iceland, before spending two days in Reykjavik.

MSC Cruises notified passengers the new fee will be applied to guests’ onboard accounts.

Worth Reading: Disney Ship Gets Iceland Itinerary Change Due to Construction

“During our guest’s cruise, they will spend a total of four days in Iceland, resulting in a total fee of ISK 10,000 (approximately EUR 69-70) per guest,” said MSC Cruises in a letter to passengers.

“To make this process as easy as possible for our mutual guests, MSC Cruises will take care of this fee on their behalf and conveniently charge the full amount directly to their onboard account,” the letter continued.

Other cruise lines scheduled to call in Iceland in 2025 include Viking Oceans, Holland America Line, Silversea, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises, among others.

New Fees Meant to Address Impact of Tourism

Iceland’s new fee has been introduced in response to the escalating impact of tourism on the country’s infrastructure and resources and will also be put toward sustainability measures.

Iceland, which has a population of 376,000, saw nearly 320,000 cruise passenger arrivals to its capital city of Reykjavik alone in 2024, besting the previous year’s record-high of nearly 300,000.

This is not the first new fee targeting cruise passengers in an effort to counteract environmental and infrastructure impacts.

Reykjavik tourists
Reykjavik (Photo Credit: Andriy Blokhin)

In December 2024, Greece voted to impose an infrastructure fee of €20 for cruise guests who visit the fragile islands of Santorini and Mykonos, as well as a lesser fee of €5 for visits to Rhodes, Corfu, and Crete, in an effort to combat overtourism.

The islands see as many as 17,000 cruise passenger arrivals per day during peak summer travel. Santorini, the largest island, has a population of just over 15,000.

Venice, Italy, began charging all tourists a daily fee to access the historical city during peak periods of travel. The €5 fee, implemented for just 29 days in 2024, raised €2.4 million for the city, which plans to double the fee in 2025.

More From Cruise Hive

Also in December 2024, Mexico announced it planned to impose a $42 immigration fee on every guest arriving via a cruise ship beginning January 1, 2025.

That fee, however, has been delayed for six months following the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s request to rework the immigration tax, saying it would have a “devastating impact on cruise tourism, Mexico’s economy, and the livelihoods of its coastal communities.”

Carnival Cruise Line Makes a Change to the Age Restriction Policy

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Carnival Cruise Line Makes a Change to the Age Restriction Policy

Carnival Cruise Line has quietly updated its travel policy for minors, particularly stateroom booking location requirements.

This closes some fairly significant loopholes that have been used for some time and might account for poor behavior or circumventing other policies the cruise line has struggled with enforcing.

The new minor guest policy is effective for all bookings made from February 1, 2025 and onward.

To travel on their own – without any adult supervision – Carnival guests must be 21 years of age or older on embarkation day. The cruise line defines a “minor” as anyone under the age of 21, but different restrictions apply for different ages.

Guests age 20 and younger must travel with a relative or guardian who is at least 25 years old, but the policy does note that the guardian does not need to be legally appointed. Minors must be at least 12 years old to be booked in Terrazza staterooms as well as Havana staterooms of any type.

The biggest changes to the policy are that Carnival Cruise Line is now stipulating where minor guests can be booked with respect to the staterooms of their guardians.

Previously, there were no firm guidelines for where different guests would be booked, but now guests who are 14 years old or younger must be in the same cabin or a directly connecting cabin – with a connecting door – to their relative or guardian who is at least 25 years old.

Only slightly less restrictive is the location requirement for guests ages 15-17, who can be separated by no more than three staterooms from their relative or guardian.

Guests ages 18-20 may be booked in staterooms wherever they wish without restrictions, but the bookings must still be linked to the older relative or guardian.

Without these guidelines, many parents might book staterooms across the hall from their children or else not directly connecting the cabins. For earlier bookings, separate staterooms across the hall or non-connecting staterooms were permitted, which is no longer the case.

For example, a common arrangement was for parents to book a balcony stateroom for themselves and an interior cabin for the children.

One parent would be nominally booked into each room, but once onboard the ship, cabin-swapping would be arranged to shuffle who actually uses which stateroom.

Now, such arrangements are not permitted, and stateroom attendants will be on the lookout for evidence of such swapping to report it as necessary.

To be clear, bookings made prior to February 1, 2025 are not bound by the new restrictions – only new bookings are impacted.

Why Are Stateroom Locations Now Restricted?

It is possible that the new policy could also be in response to complaints of unruly behavior from unsupervised teens. Now, with younger cruise guests required to be booked in the same or connecting cabins as the adults responsible for their behavior, such incidents might be better managed or avoided altogether.

Another idea about swapping cabins is that this has long been used as a “hack” around Carnival Cruise Line’s restrictive drink package policies.

When one guest on a Carnival cruise purchases the Cheers! drink package, all adult travelers in the same stateroom are also required to book the same pricey package. This can be frustrating when a travel companion either does not like to drink alcohol or may be prohibited from doing so by medical or dietary restrictions.

Carnival Cruise Line Cabin
Carnival Cruise Line Cabin (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)

On some cruise lines, that guest would be permitted to purchase the less expensive non-alcoholic or soda package instead, an alternative that Carnival Cruise Line does not permit, regardless of circumstances.

Read Also: What Is the Carnival CHEERS! Package?

When the two guests sharing a stateroom are an adult and a minor, however, the Bubbles soda package is used instead.

In this way, a family with two adults – one who prefers alcohol and one who does not – might split cabins with their two children.

The younger guests both get the soda package, as does one adult, while the other adult purchases the Cheers! package. Once onboard the ship, staterooms are swapped with adults sleeping in one room and children in the other.

Now, this type of workaround is no longer possible. Carnival Cruise Line has long had trouble with “sharing” the drink packages, and this is one way to close a potential loophole for the purchasing requirements.

French Port Plans to Ban Large Cruise Ships in July 2025

Lissa Poirot
-
0
French Port Plans to Ban Large Cruise Ships in July 2025

One of the French Riviera’s most popular destinations may become harder to reach via cruise ship this summer if the city’s mayor has his way.

On January 21, 2025, Mayor Christian Estrosi announced plans to ban large-capacity cruise ships from Nice, France, beginning in July 2025. This would apply to any ship with more than 900 passengers.

According to Riviera Radio, the decision is based on environmental concerns, with Estrosi wanting to stop ships that “consume nothing and leave their waste behind” in the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Estrosi’s ban would go into effect on July 1, 2025, with the mayor attempting to “cancel all cruises that can still be cancelled ahead of drafting a banning order.”

Currently, Marella Cruises, Cunard, and Celebrity Cruises have sailings scheduled in July, including two arrivals from Marella via the 2,076-passenger Marella Discovery and the 1,886-guest Marella Voyager.

Cunard’s 2,061-guest Queen Victoria is slated to arrive on July 11, while Celebrity Equinox, carrying up to 2,850 passengers, will arrive on France’s Bastille Day, July 14.

The same ships are scheduled to call in August and beyond, along with Oceania Cruises’ Vista, with up to 1,200 passengers, and the largest ship scheduled to visit during the peak of summer, Celebrity Cruises’ 3,260-guest Celebrity Ascent.

Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas, with 3,602 and 4,290 passengers, respectively, are scheduled to arrive in September. 

P&O Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Viking Oceans are also some of the larger cruise lines regularly operating in the port in 2025.

Outside of its cruise tourism, the city receives more than 5 million visitors annually and is the second most-visited city in the country, following Paris.

Its port, situated in a natural harbor, features two terminals with berths that can manage up to 6,318 passengers a day.

Nearby, Cannes, which saw 318,000 passenger arrivals in 2024 to the town of roughly 75,000 people, is considering a similar ban to restrict large cruise ships.

Navigating Sustainability and Cruise Traffic

The French Riviera, situated on France’s southern coast along the Mediterranean Sea, manages a large influx of cruise traffic through several ports.

Its largest port, Marseille, stands as France’s largest cruise port, handling over 33 million passengers annually.

Nice’s port, in contrast, recorded 452,000 passengers at its pre-Covid peak in 2019. 

The move by Nice’s mayor parallels initiatives in other prominent European destinations, which are also wrestling with the environmental impacts of mass tourism.

Nice, France, port
Nice cruise port (Photo Credit: Roman Borodaev)

For example, Venice, another UNESCO World Heritage site, implemented a similar ban on large cruise ships in 2021.

Its restriction stops ships heavier than 25,000 gross tons from entering its Grand Canal, forcing them instead to dock at less central ports like Fusina and Marghera, located 20 to 45 minutes by bus from the historic city center.

With that not stopping the influx – some 540,000 cruise passengers arrived in the city in 2024 – Venice implemented a €5.00 tourist fee during peak 2024 travel. It will double the fee in 2025.

In 2023, Barcelona also began a partial ban by forcing cruise ships away from its northern docks, Muelle Barcelona Norte and the World Trade Center. 

Last summer, its mayor, Jaume Collboni, announced plans to limit the number of cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark to further curb traffic, which had reached 3.6 million in 2023.

Virgin Voyages Makes a Wi-Fi Change Passengers Didn’t Expect

Lissa Poirot
-
0
Virgin Voyages Makes a Wi-Fi Change Passengers Didn’t Expect

For those lucky enough to work remotely, Virgin Voyages has been quietly integrating a new update to its onboard Wi-Fi to offer a more premium option.

The “Work from Sea” plan targets those who can or need to bring their laptops onboard while sailing. It is meant to support virtual meetings and improved streaming services.

However, the premium service comes at a hefty cost of $50 per day for a Voyage Pass, with the same price applied for each additional device. This means guests must pay twice – with no discount – to have it on their laptop and their phone.

Additionally, the plan is not available as a 24-hour pass option for those who may need to do just a little work while cruising.

Although not yet advertised on Virgin Voyages’ website, one passenger sailing on Scarlet Lady in the Western Caribbean from Miami spotted the upgrade while trying to utilize the Premium Wi-Fi, originally the highest tier.

“Indulge in our fastest connection speeds (5x that of Classic wifi!) – optimized for virtual meetings and work tools like VPN,” said Virgin Voyages. “Stream videos and music, and browse websites with ease.”

The passenger noted the Premium plan’s capabilities had been downgraded, with Virgin Voyages touting the plan is 2x faster than its basic Classic plan, and can manage streaming and video calling.

Read Also: Do Cruise Ships Have Wi-Fi – 5 Things to Know

Guests took to social media to share their frustration at the new plan, with many accusing the cruise line of nickel-and-diming passengers and deliberately reducing Wi-Fi speeds on lower-tiered plans.

Other guests noticed the biggest difference between the two plans is the Work from Sea plan is the only option for VPN services.

“No VPN outside the Work from Sea option is a bit ridiculous. My work computer is a brick without a VPN,” said one passenger. “I don’t need video meetings, but I’ll have to pay for the highest level just to access emails on that laptop.”

Evolving Connectivity on Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages, which confirmed the updated Wi-Fi plans, is now offering them fleetwide on Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, and Resilient Lady, all 110,000-gross-ton ships that accommodate 2,770 passengers.

The Classic Wi-Fi plan remains the basic, complimentary service for browsing, emailing, and accessing social media platforms.

This plan is available on one device per person and offers essential online needs for passengers who want minimal internet access at sea.

Said one passenger, “Just got off the Scarlet Lady. The free plan was good. Could play most games and was streaming Whatnot auctions.”

Cruise Wi-Fi
Cruise Wi-Fi

A step above, the revised Premium Wi-Fi is now a mid-tier option that can handle streaming, video calls, and enhanced social media engagement. However, VPN access was removed from the plan’s offerings.

It is priced at $40 for a 24-hour pass or $30 per day when opting for a Voyage Pass, which covers the cruise duration from the time of purchase.

Guests who are booked in Mega RockStar suites, who have Deep Blue Extras (offered after sailing four times on Virgin Voyages), or who are members of the cruise line’s private 485C loyalty club receive Premium service for free.

The Work from Sea plan offers the most robust internet connection and can accommodate audio and video calls, virtual meetings, gaming, streaming, and VPN.

Annual Pass and Summer Season Pass holders will now receive Work from Sea Wi-Fi instead of the Premium option. The new Wi-Fi tiers will also apply to Brilliant Lady when she debuts in New York in September 2025.

With Queen Anne’s First Visit, Cunard Makes a Splash at PortMiami

Donna Tunney
-
0
With Queen Anne’s First Visit, Cunard Makes a Splash at PortMiami

Cunard’s Queen Anne continued to make history as the 3,000-guest ship, the line’s first new-build in 14 years, expanded her North American port calls to Miami.

The ship, which debuted in Europe in May 2024, is sailing her inaugural world cruise on an itinerary that featured her maiden transatlantic crossing. Queen Anne’s first North American stop was New York’s Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on January 18, 2025.

Her visit to PortMiami on January 21, 2025, precedes Queen Anne’s journey to Central and South America, and beyond, as her 107-day world voyage continues. 

The ship’s visit to Miami was celebratory and featured a performance by American actress and Broadway star Sutton Foster, winner of two Tony Awards, in Queen Anne’s Royal Court Theatre.

Foster’s appearance on the Cunard new-build was a precursor to another planned performance by the actress aboard the line’s Queen Elizabeth, when that ship homeports in Miami for the winter 2025-26 season. Details of Foster’s performance on the 2,080-guest ship have not yet been announced.

“We were incredibly proud to be in Miami today to celebrate our new ship Queen Anne during her North America debut,” said Katie McAlister, president of Cunard. 

“We are equally excited to call Miami home when Queen Elizabeth begins her Caribbean season from this vibrant city later this year. We’re honored and excited to bring guests our signature White Star Service, and compelling entertainment, wellness, and culinary offerings to their Caribbean voyage experience,” McAlister added.

Foster, who won a Tony Award in 2002 for her role as Millie Dillmount in “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” and in 2011 for her performance as Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes,” cited Cunard’s support for the performing arts and is looking forward to sailing aboard Queen Elizabeth. 

“I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to sail and perform on board Queen Elizabeth during the ship’s first Caribbean season. It’s gratifying to see Cunard’s dedication for the performing arts, bringing their guests truly special entertainment experiences and I’m delighted to have asked to be a part of that,” said Sutton Foster.

As Queen Anne continues on her world cruise, Cunard is planning ahead for Queen Elizabeth’s deployment to PortMiami, starting in October 2025. Queen Elizabeth, which entered service in 2010 and was Cunard’s newest ship before Queen Anne launched, will arrive in PortMiami following a summer 2025 program in Alaska.

Two-time Tony Award Winner Sutton Foster
Two-time Tony Award Winner Sutton Foster

Her Caribbean schedule was announced in February 2024, along with other Cunard ship deployments. In addition to Queen Anne and Queen Elizabeth, the iconic UK brand operates the 2,060-guest Queen Victoria, launched in 2007, and the 2,700-guest Queen Mary 2, which began sailing in 2003.

Ship to Sail Cunard’s First Full Season From Miami

Following her Alaska season, Queen Elizabeth will operate a 40-night repositioning cruise from Seattle to Miami, departing on September 18, 2025 and arriving at the South Florida port on October 28, 2025. 

Read Also: 14 Cruise Etiquette Rules You Need to Know About

From Miami, the ship will offer 9-night Western Caribbean cruises, 12-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries, and 21-night voyages that feature ports in both regions of the Caribbean. 

Eastern Caribbean sailings will call at Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Maarten, and Tortola. Western Caribbean voyages will visit Jamaica, Honduras, and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.

Queen Elizabeth will homeport in Miami until April 2026, representing the first time a Cunard ship has been based there for a full season.

Following her PortMiami deployment, Queen Elizabeth will return to Seattle for another summer series of Alaska voyages.

Disney Cruise Line Increases Gratuities Twice in Three Months

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Disney Cruise Line Increases Gratuities Twice in Three Months

In a surprise move, Disney Cruise Line has once more increased the amount for the recommended gratuities, the second such increase in just three months.

These gratuities are paid to crew members who offer personal onboard services, including the dedicated dining room staff and stateroom hosts.

The new rates, effective from January 22, 2025, are $16 (USD) per person, per day for standard rooms and $27.25 per person, per day for Concierge-level staterooms and suites.

Just days ago, the rates were $14.50 and $23.50, respectively. This latest increase is a hike of roughly 10% for standard staterooms, and 14% for the more luxurious accommodations with more personalized services.

All cruise lines increase gratuity rates periodically, just as all prices increase over time. What is most surprising about this latest gratuity increase, however, is that Disney Cruise Line just raised some of its gratuities in October 2024.

At that time, the rate for standard stateroom categories was not changed, but the concierge and suite gratuity rate was previously $15.50. The October increase brought the rate to $23.50. Now, the further increase to $27.25 is a total of 76% higher than just a few months ago.

This can be a significant budget blow for travelers, especially families. For a family of four on a 7-night Disney cruise traveling in a concierge stateroom, for example, gratuities would now total $763. Just a few months ago, those gratuities would have been $434.

Similarly, in a standard stateroom, gratuities for a family of four on a 7-night sailing will now be $448, rather than the $406 under the previous rate.

The increase to standard gratuities is not so surprising, as those rates were not changed in October. In fact, the new $16 per person, per day rate is the same as the suggested gratuities for Carnival Cruise Line (also $16), slightly lower than Royal Caribbean ($18.50), a good bit lower than Norwegian Cruise Line ($20), and the same as MSC Cruises ($16).

Disney Cruise Line does have the highest gratuity rate for suites and upper level staterooms, however. Comparatively, Carnival Cruise Line suggests $18, Royal Caribbean’s rate is $21, Norwegian Cruise Line is $25, and MSC Cruises is $20.

All gratuity rates are per person, per day. On Disney Cruise Line, this applies for guests of any age – even very young children – while Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, no service charge or gratuities are applied to children under two years old. On Norwegian Cruise Line, guests under three years old are not charged.

Like Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean does automatically apply gratuities for travelers of all ages.

Are the Gratuity Rates Justified?

While it can be startling for cruisers to see gratuities automatically added to their onboard accounts, there is no doubt that onboard crew members work hard to earn that recognition.

Disney Cruise Line, in particular, is well-known for its exceptional service, bringing the company’s iconic magic to every sailing and ensuring that guests have amazingly memorable cruise vacations.

Disney Dream in the Bahamas
Disney Dream in the Bahamas (Photo Credit: Adam McCullough)

The gratuities are split among each guest’s dining room team – the server, assistant server, and head server. Those crew members move to each successive dining room with their assigned guests on Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining arrangement, ensuring familiar, personalized service each night.

The stateroom host also receives a portion of the gratuities. This crew member is responsible for cleaning staterooms, refreshing towels, and ensuring that all features of the individual cabins are up to Disney Cruise Line’s high standards.

Read Also: What a Cruise Ship Cabin Steward Really Does

In suites and concierge-level staterooms, the gratuities are also extended to the assistant stateroom host as well as the Concierge Lounge team that provides additional service and personalization for all guests.

Travelers always have the discretion to adjust gratuities at the Guest Services desk if they wish, or extra cash may be offered to crew members who offer a truly exceptional experience.

Virgin Voyages Alters Upcoming Sailing Due to Maintenance

Catie Kovelman
-
0
Virgin Voyages Alters Upcoming Sailing Due to Maintenance

With the exception of when cruise ships enter dry dock to undergo more significant maintenance, routine inspections, and larger overhauls, they are essentially operating sailings 24/7, 365 days a year.

Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady is no exception – and sometimes operating at this capacity means adjusting itineraries to address maintenance needs that pop up. 

This is the case for the 2,770-guest ship’s upcoming Dominican Daze voyage that is due to embark from Miami, Florida, on January 31, 2025. 

The 5-night sailing was supposed to call on Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and Bimini Islands, Bahamas – but has had to exchange the visit to Puerto Plata on February 2 with a day in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, due to unspecified maintenance needs. 

The visit to Bimini Islands on February 4 remains unaffected. 

“To keep Valiant Lady ship-shape, our Crew needs to perform some extra maintenance that will impact the amount of time we have in port. To ensure we provide you with an incredible experience and the same amount of time in port stops, we’re adjusting our itinerary and replacing Puerto Plata with Grand Turk in the beautiful Turks & Caicos,” Virgin Voyages wrote to impacted passengers.

The adults-only cruise line did not specify exactly what needed to be done or when the maintenance will take place, but it will most likely be completed in PortMiami before heading back to sea – perhaps delaying the previously scheduled 6 p.m. EST departure time on embarkation day. 

This would make sense – as Grand Turk is over 100 nautical miles closer to the cruise port than Puerto Plata. 

It’s also worth noting that passengers currently onboard the 110,000-gross ton ship – which embarked on the same Dominican Daze itinerary on January 17, 2025 – also reported that their cruise switched from Puerto Plata to Grand Turk.

It’s unclear if maintenance was also the culprit in this case – although some current guests reported that work was being completed on one of the engines. This, however, has not been confirmed by Virgin Voyages.

Could More Sailings be Impacted? 

According to cruise tracking data, the identical Dominican Daze itinerary will be offered several more times from now until the end of October 2025 – with cruise tracking data showing Puerto Plata included on subsequent voyages. 

The ship alternates between this itinerary, 5-night Riviera Maya cruises, and 4-night Fire Sunset Soiree sailings – all of which are based out of Miami.

So far, only the current and upcoming Dominican Daze itineraries seem to have been impacted – but since it’s happened twice, it could happen again. As always, Virgin Voyages will communicate any changes that might arise with booked guests as soon as possible. 

That said, Valiant Lady isn’t known for maintenance issues or breaking down. Some passengers reported plumbing issues and flooding in December 2024, but as a relatively young vessel, she doesn’t have a reputation as being a “problem ship.”

Valiant Lady Cruise Ship
Valiant Lady Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Wayleebird)

Her maiden voyage was only about three years ago in March of 2022 – meaning she is still a bit too young to have made her first routine dry dock visit since entering service. 

Read Also: Grand Turk Cruise Port: Pier, Facilities and What’s Nearby

But while changing the itinerary at the last minute can be an inconvenience, many impacted passengers have actually seen the port switch as an upgrade – suggesting future guests might not feel too disappointed either if the change were to occur again. 

“On ship now. We were changed to Grand Turk as well…WORTH IT!!!! I highly recommend the two hour golf cart tour, SO much fun. I’m on Dominican Daze again in April and I hope we get [Grand Turk] again,” one current guest shared. 

“That happened on our 1/17 sailing – no complaints – Grand Turk is beautiful and so nice,” another passenger added. 

“Walk to the left of the ship and find Jack Shack. The sand, the water, the drinks…it’s all you need!”, a third cruiser recommended.

Indeed, the popular port is known for its diving, snorkeling, beaches, and its historic lighthouse – and many would agree that it isn’t a bad place to spend a day.

Celebrity Cruises is Seeking Help to Define its New Ship

Catie Kovelman
-
0
Celebrity Cruises is Seeking Help to Define its New Ship

The cruise lines are no stranger to seeking customer feedback. In fact, most cruisers will tell you they received a survey after their sailing asking about their experience and what potential improvements could be made. 

However, Celebrity Cruises is making history by changing the way it collects feedback. Instead of surveying guests after their voyage, Celebrity is inviting vacationers to inform the experiences that will be offered on its upcoming new-build, Celebrity Xcel, before she even enters service at the end of 2025. 

As part of the first-of-its-kind “Xcel Dream Makers” program, the global cruise community is invited to sample and vote on experiences for the fifth Edge-class ship – giving consumers the final say on the 3,260-passenger vessel’s offerings by attending in person events and responding to online polls. 

With the sixth Edge-class ship officially ordered with an anticipated launch in 2028, it’s also possible that the insights learned from the “Dream Makers” program now will inform the offerings not just onboard Celebrity Xcel, but also for her newly announced sister ship. 

“We want to ensure our guests love our products and experiences, so involving them in the process to perfect Celebrity Xcel was a great way to achieve this,” said Michael Scheiner, chief marketing and product officer of Celebrity Cruises.

“Celebrity Cruises is known for ground-breaking innovation in ship design and experiences unlike any other at sea, when Xcel launches guests won’t have just found their happy place, they’ll have helped us build it,” continued Scheiner.

Participants will specifically help with perfecting the ship’s design and decor, as well as the culinary and entertainment offerings onboard. 

Some examples of where cruisers may be asked to weigh in include choosing their favorite interior design elements and textiles, ranking their favorite dishes and drinks, selecting table settings, and giving input on props, costumes, and playlists for performances. 

Anyone is welcomed to participate in the program – and interested cruisers can sign up to receive more information on Celebrity’s website. Those that express interest will be sent official registration forms on February 8, 2025. 

Next Celebrity Ship Already Making History

In addition to acting as the catalyst for the new “Dream Makers” program, Celebrity Xcel has already been designed as a trailblazer in the cruise industry.

For example, the 141,420-gross ton ship will launch with the first tri-fuel capable engine, which is a greener alternative to the standard diesel engines of the past. 

This marks an important step forward in Royal Caribbean’s commitment to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 – which is the parent company of Celebrity Cruises. 

While many of the new experiences onboard are yet to be announced – and may still need to be determined by the “Dream Maker” crowdsourcing program – there have already been hints that the new ship will provide an all-day “date night” experience, complete with a new brunch and dance parties.

Celebrity Xcel Cruise Ship
Celebrity Xcel Cruise Ship (Photo Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises)

That said, the mega-ship did just celebrate an important milestone that marks the completion of her exterior when she floated out from dry dock at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, on January 18, 2025. 

Read Also: Cruise Hive Discussion Boards: Who is Looking Forward to Celebrity Xcel?

More experiences and innovations to be enjoyed onboard will likely be unveiled as the new ship’s maiden voyage approaches and her interior is finalized. 

Speaking of which, Celebrity Xcel will officially enter service with a 5-night Bahamas cruise embarking from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 18, 2025. The inaugural itinerary features calls on Cozumel, Mexico, and Bimini Islands, Bahamas. 

From there, the new addition will spend her inaugural season sailing seven-night itineraries that alternative between the Bahamas, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Tomas, and St. Maarten. 

Her deployments for 2026 have also already been announced – and include an inaugural summer season operating voyages in the Mediterranean before repositioning to PortMiami in Florida for the winter. 

Celebrity Cruises to Expand Its Fleet with Another Edge-Class Ship

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Celebrity Cruises to Expand Its Fleet with Another Edge-Class Ship

Royal Caribbean Group has formally ordered a sixth vessel for the award-winning Edge class of Celebrity Cruises. The new ship will be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique with delivery in 2028, and will be a sister ship for the upcoming Celebrity Xcel.

The Edge-class vessels have proven enormously popular for the premium cruise line, with their innovative features that offer guests immersive experiences. The instantly recognizable Magic Carpet, for example, brings guests closer to the sea with unparalleled views and transformative uses for superior versatility.

“The strong ties between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Royal Caribbean Group have led to the creation of the unique Edge Series design,” said Laurent Castaing, Chief Executive Officer, Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

“This sixth ship marks the epitome of a pioneering series in the cruise industry that is both elegant, high-performing, and ever more innovative.”

No details have been announced about the eighth ship in the series other than she will be a sister to Celebrity Xcel, which will debut in November 2025 from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Celebrity Xcel is set to bring even more new experiences to guests, including the new Xcel Dream Makers that will incorporate guest-driven decisions into the ship’s design.

“Celebrity Xcel will be the happy place of vacationers globally when she launches in November and we’re thrilled to be making this commitment to bring her a sister ship in Edge 6,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.

“Celebrity Xcel will take forward the best of Edge Series ships coupled with seven new experiences, all perfected with the help of our recently announced Xcel Dream Makers – an industry first program enlisting the power of cruisers to make final decisions across culinary, interior design, and entertainment.”

When the new ship debuts in 2028, she will continue what will then be a 10-year-legacy of innovative excellence in the class, following Celebrity Edge (2018), Celebrity Apex (2020), Celebrity Beyond (2022), Celebrity Ascent (2023), and Celebrity Xcel (2025).

“Celebrity’s Edge Series redefined premium travel at sea, blending groundbreaking design and unforgettable guest experiences. Each ship in this award-winning series has set a new standard for the industry, and Celebrity Xcel, sailing later this year, is no exception,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

Celebrity Xcel Cruise Ship
Celebrity Xcel Cruise Ship (Photo Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises)

“Partnering with Chantiers de l’Atlantique to expand the Edge Series with Edge 6 is another milestone in our mission to deliver the world’s best vacations responsibly.”

The new ship’s name, homeport, new features, or possible itineraries are not yet available, though all these and more are sure to be released in the time leading up to the new ship’s delivery and debut.

Royal Caribbean Group Expanding for All Cruisers

The new ship will further expand Royal Caribbean Group’s commitment to growth in all sectors to suit all cruise passengers.

The company now has six new ships on order across its three brands – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.

Coming up for Royal Caribbean is the much-anticipated Star of the Seas, the second ginormous Icon-class vessel. She has already floated out and is undergoing her next phase of construction ahead of her August 31, 2025 debut from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Two more as-yet-unnamed Icon-class ships have already been ordered for 2026 and 2027, as well as a surprise seventh ship for the wildly popular Oasis class, which will join the fleet in 2028.

Celebrity Xcel and now the new sixth Edge-class ship are the only two vessels on order for Celebrity Cruises.

Read Also: Who Owns Celebrity Cruises?

While no new ships are currently on order for luxury brand Silversea, Silver Nova (2023) and Silver Ray (2024) are the largest ships ever built for that line and bring outstanding features to discerning travelers.

The new ships across all brands will be particularly interesting to frequent travelers, as the company offers a loyalty status match across all its brands. This gives guests even more options to enjoy the cruise vacation of their choice with all the benefits they have earned across all three fleets.

1...254255256...602Page 255 of 602