Imagine the chance to cruise anywhere, anytime, for an entire year. That’s the premise behind Virgin Voyages’ newly introduced Annual Pass.
Starting in 2025, as early as January 1, passholders will have the ability to sail on any itinerary and ship within the cruise line’s fleet for a full 12 months. This includes the debut season of Brilliant Lady, which launches in September 2025.
The Virgin Voyages Annual Pass, which is priced at $120,000 excluding taxes and fees, comes with a range of benefits, such as priority boarding, complimentary laundry services, and a $100 bar tab credit per voyage as passholders automatically receive Deep Blue Extras loyalty perks, Virgin Voyages’ top tier in its loyalty program.
Passholders also have the option to bring a plus one, with the ability to switch companions throughout the year.
“What started as a sought-after ‘work from sea’ concept with our Season Pass has evolved into something even more special,”said Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, which owns Virgin Voyages.
“Now, Sailors can jump aboard any of our ships, across with an endless variety of exciting destinations for an entire year,” he continued. “We’re offering unlimited opportunities for adventure in a way that has never been done in cruising before.”
While the Annual Pass is touted as an industry-first, the recently launched Villa Vie Odyssey residences at sea is the only other comparable offer with its Tour La Vie program that allows guests to board the ship at any time during its ongoing, multi-year cruise. That program is priced starting at $50,000 annually,
Still, Virgin Voyage’s Annual Pass is truly unique in offering a pass across an entire fleet rather than one vessel. This includes the flagship Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, and Resilient Lady, all of which are 110,000 gross tons and carry 2,700 passengers.
Passholders can book between now and March 31, 2025, with the pass valid for 12 months starting from their chosen embarkation date of January, February, March, or April 2025.
Virgin’s 2025 Lineup
In 2025, Virgin Voyages will launch its new Brilliant Lady, beginning cruises from New York City in September and October to Bermuda, Quebec City, Halifax, Boston, and Charleston, South Carolina.
The ship will then reposition to the Caribbean for winter 2025, where it will homeport in Miami as it offers 7- to 12-night voyages to Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, and Jamaica. The latter will mark Virgin Voyages’ first visit to the island as it calls in Ocho Rios.
Virgin Voyages (Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt)
Meanwhile, the cruise line’s first voyage of 2025 will be onboard Valiant Lady as she sails a 5-night roundtrip cruise from Miami to the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas on January 3.
Resilient Lady follows suit on January 4, 2025, with a 7-night roundtrip journey from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Aruba, Curacao, Martinique, and St. Kitts.
The following day, January 5, Scarlet Lady, which recently wrapped up a dry dock, continues her Caribbean sailings from Miami to Honduras, Mexico, and the Bahamas on a 6-night cruise.
Annual Pass holders will have more than Caribbean offerings, however. Resilient Lady will reposition to the Mediterranean in April 2025 and remain there until late October, and Scarlet Lady will do the same in May, before relocating to England briefly in August 2025, then heading back to the Med in September, and finally returning to the Caribbean in October.
Celebrity Cruises has officially launched its first-ever cruise series from Port Canaveral, as Celebrity Equinox departs December 3, 2024 on a 4-night Bahamas Getaway to Bimini and Nassau, Bahamas.
The 2,850-guest ship is the first in the Celebrity fleet to sail from the Central Florida port, the world’s second busiest in terms of passenger arrivals behind PortMiami. Through mid-April 2025, Celebrity Equinox will sail a variety of 7-night cruises to 15 destinations in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
Some itineraries include a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, the 125-acre private island destination operated by parent company Royal Caribbean Group. It is a wildly popular retreat offering the exclusive Coco Beach Club, with its beachfront infinity pool; overwater cabanas in the adults-only Hideaway Beach; and multiple dining and bar areas.
“At Celebrity we are continually striving to elevate our guests’ vacation experience from start to finish, and are delighted to offer even more ways to relax, unwind and explore the Caribbean,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.
“The addition of Port Canaveral offers guests the ultimate flexibility for their perfect Caribbean getaway,” added Bethge.
With Celebrity Equinox based at Port Canaveral, the premium cruise line now has four ships operating from Florida ports during the winter 2024-25 season. Besides the new deployment, the 2,900-guest Celebrity Apex and 2,600-guest Celebrity Summit are based at Port Everglades, while the 2,200-guest Celebrity Constellation is based at Tampa.
Cruise port calls on Celebrity Equinox itineraries feature in-demand destinations like St. Maarten, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Belize, and Grand Cayman, to name a few.
Celebrity Equinox’s upcoming New Year cruise, for instance, departs Port Canaveral on December 28, 2024 and calls at Philipsburg, St. Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
The cruise line in 2023 announced that Celebrity Equinox, a Solstice-class ship that launched in 2009, would deploy to Port Canaveral in 2024. The ship was last upgraded in 2019, and received The Retreat, a private luxury area for suite guests with dedicated concierges and butlers.
Celebrity Equinox offers guests 20-plus food and beverage venues, a full spa, and six stateroom and suite categories. AquaClass suites feature perks such as free fitness classes, dining at the specialty venue Blu, and a personal spa concierge, for example.
With its entry into the Port Canaveral market, Celebrity Cruises joins virtually every other major cruise line in homeporting at the popular port, known as the gateway to Orlando and its theme park shore excursions.
Celebrity Equinox Docked in Port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Port Canaveral)
Other lines with ships based at the port are Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
In fiscal year 2024, the port received 7.6 million cruise passengers from the 13 ships homeported there plus 900-plus calls from visiting ships. The total represents a 12% increase over the 6.8 million who visited in fiscal year 2023.
Celebrity Equinox Returns to Europe in Spring 2025
Following her seasonal deployment at Port Canaveral, Celebrity Equinox on April 19, 2025 will depart for the Mediterranean, where she will sail 9- and 10-night voyages between Barcelona and Rome through summer and fall 2025.
A 9-night Italian Riviera & France voyage, for instance, departs Rome on August 5, 2025 and calls at Naples, La Spezia, and Santa Margherita, Italy; and Nice and Marseille, France, before ending in Barcelona.
The ship will also feature several Turkey and Greek Isles cruises, calling at Mykonos, Santorini, and Katakolon, Greece; and Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey, on itineraries from both Rome and Barcelona.
In November 2025, Celebrity Equinox will reposition to South America as she prepares for seasonal cruises to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands.
The US Coast Guard has once again completed another successful mid-voyage airlift.
The latest medical evacuation occurred on Celebrity Apex on Monday, December 2, 2024, whilethe Edge-class cruise ship was sailing about 130 miles off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
She had only just embarked on her current 7-night sailing from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida, on November 30, 2024 – and hadn’t even made it to her first port of call when an unidentified guest became seriously ill.
While neither the US Coast Guard nor the Royal Caribbean-owned cruise line have issued an official statement about the airlift, many of the passengers onboard were quick to share footage of the rescue – which was conducted by Sector San Juan Search and Rescue (District 7).
The videos show the helicopter hovering near the 2,910-guest ship with crowds gathered to watch. Some clips show first responders in the open doorway to the helicopter and lowering a large basket-type object to retrieve the patient.
Details about the ailing passenger and what condition they were suffering from remain confidential – but it was likely something serious as it warranted the need for an emergency rescue to receive treatment on land.
After the guest was onboard, they would have been taken to a hospital – although in this case, it’s not known which one.
While cruise tracking data showed that the 129,500-gross ton vessel briefly halted off the coast of Puerto Rico, she is now sailing at speeds of approximately 19 knots per hour toward her first port call of the trip – making up any time lost in the delay.
Indeed, she is expected to arrive on timein Basseterre, St. Kitts, at around 8 a.m. local time on December 3, 2024.
She will also call on Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, before returning to Fort Lauderdale on December 7.
In an interesting coincidence, both vessels are Carnival-owned and were operating Mexican itineraries when the rescues became necessary.
The first evacuation took place on Holland America Line’s Koningsdam on the morning of November 29 after a 66-year-old guest developed possible stroke symptoms.
The 2,650 vessel was sailing approximately 280 miles south of the US and Mexico border at the time of the airlift.
Celebrity Apex Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: The Hungarian Sailor)
At the same time, another evacuation became necessary onboard Carnival Panorama – although less details are known about the circumstances that warranted the emergency call.
That said, guests onboard remembered hearing announcements asking for volunteers to donate blood the previous night – which may or may not be related.
This rescue – which took place off the coast of Australia’s New South Wales – was particularly complex and required coordination between a rescue helicopter and a supporting aircraft.
The two teams worked together to conduct a winch recovery – during which the unidentified crew member was hoisted into the helicopter and then transferred to medical care.
An elderly guest is believed overboard from Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess and US Customs and Border Protection is now involved with investigating the incident, which may have occurred in international waters.
The passenger, a 72-year-old male American citizen, was first reported missing as the cruise ship returned to San Francisco on Monday, December 2, 2024. At this time, it is unknown exactly when the guest may have gone overboard.
Ruby Princess docked at approximately 6:50 a.m. on Monday morning, concluding a 5-night “West Coast Getaway” that included port visits to Ensenada, Mexico and San Diego, California.
The guest had not been reported missing previously, but the ship was thoroughly searched and onboard security footage repeatedly reviewed in an attempt to determine more details.
“Princess Cruises is saddened to report that a 72-year-old American male is believed to have gone overboard earlier today ahead of the arrival of Ruby Princess into San Francisco,”a statement to Cruise Hive from Princess Cruises read. “The matter is under investigation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and we are fully cooperating with the authorities.”
In order to preserve the guest’s privacy, as well as that of his family members and friends, his name and any further identifying information has not been released. The cruise line has confirmed, however, that he was traveling alone.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the guest who was traveling alone,”the statement read.
Following multiple ship searches, the cruise line is treating the incident as a man overboard situation, even though the exact time of the potential overboard is not known.
Many overboard incidents are deliberate acts. While unfortunate and deeply saddening, it is true that such deliberate incidents are more common during the stressful holiday period, as well as more common for men and elderly individuals, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The 113,561-gross-ton, Grand class Ruby Princess, which joined Princess Cruises in 2008, can welcome 3,080 passengers aboard for each sailing. Also onboard are approximately 1,100 international crew members who work very hard to give every guest a lovely vacation.
The ship has already departed on her next sailing, a 16-night roundtrip sailing to Hawaii, with stops in Honolulu, Nawiliwili, Hilo, and Kona, as well as Ensenada, Mexico.
Not the First Situation for Ruby Princess
Over the past two years, Ruby Princess has made a number of headlines, keeping the ship at the forefront of cruise news.
While it was not confirmed which ship the injured parties were sailing with – 4 different vessels were in port that day – several may have come from Ruby Princess.
Ruby Princess in San Francisco (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)
In July, during the ship’s 2023 Alaska season, when she was offering select departures from San Francisco, Ruby Princess collided with Pier 27 and suffered significant hull damage. This caused her to be delayed several days and her next sailing was abbreviated as repairs were made.
In early 2023, the ship also experienced a gastrointestinal disease outbreak that sickened 199 passengers and 20 crew members. This led to the ship undergoing more extensive sanitation before the next embarkation, which was delayed several hours before incoming guests were permitted onboard.
Hopefully, it will be smooth sailing in the months ahead for Ruby Princess and she will only make headlines for positive, heartwarming stories and the good times she brings to so many guests along the way.
The open road is once again set to become the high seas when bikers ride the waves on the world’s only motorcycle rally on a cruise ship.
But in 2025, the High Seas Rally will make its debut aboard the new Margaritaville at Sea Islander, marking the first time the event partners with the Jimmy Buffet-inspired cruise line.
Setting sail in 2025, Entertainment Cruise Productions announced it will host its 21st High Seas Rally specifically for motorcyclists and road warriors aboard the Islander, which debuted in June 2024, bringing the brand’s laidback, tropical vibe to the open ocean.
Says Greg Laubach, executive director at Entertainment Cruise Productions, of the special cruise, “We’re always looking for ways to give our guests a week they’ll never forget.”
And that, apparently, is a 7-night roundtrip voyage to Margaritaville rather than Royal Caribbean, which had traditionally carried the rally in recent years.
Guests on this cruise from Tampa, Florida, can search for their lost shaker of salt while cruising across the Gulf of Mexico into the Caribbean with complimentary drink and Wi-Fi packages for the all-inclusive annual sailing.
Nearly half of Margaritaville at Sea Islander, which can accommodate up to 2,690 passengers when fully booked, has been reserved exclusively for High Seas Rally attendees, giving them access to unique bike events, theme nights, signature parties, and nonstop entertainment.
“We are incredibly excited to provide the iconic vacation experience that only Margaritaville at Sea can deliver, while ensuring that every beloved High Seas Rally tradition remains onboard for our community to enjoy,”Laubach continued.
Throttle the fun
Scheduled from November 2 through 9, 2025, the roundtrip High Seas Rally cruise will be filled with all the thrills and frills past attendees have come to love about the special voyage.
Beginning with a pre-cruise celebration with custom bikes, live music, and local vendors in Tampa, the cruise itself will visit Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Belize City, Belize. In each port, rally attendees can attend a private party.
Although the 2025 entertainment lineup has yet to be revealed, past rally entertainers, including rockers Lou Gramm, Vixen, Lita Ford, Molly Hatchet, and George Thorogood & The Destroyers, have shown rally goers a rockin’ good time.
In addition to creating a unique rally experience, the High Seas Rally is once again raising funds for the High Seas Rally Dialysis Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project through the cost of the cruise and onboard fundraising and events.
High Seas Rally 2024 (Photo Credit: High Seas Rally)
The voyage will also feature its Salute to Service Day event to honor and support military veterans, active service members, and first responders.
“Every unforgettable moment at sea contributes to causes that truly matter,” said Laubach. “The generosity of the High Seas Rally community is extraordinary and helps change the lives of many deserving individuals year after year.”
Rally guests aboard the 85,619-gross-ton Margaritaville at Sea Islander will have a choice of tropical-inspired suites and staterooms, with cabins starting at $1,870 per person.
The ship features six complimentary restaurants and seven specialty venues, along with 13 themed bars and lounges.
Onboard activities include three swimming pools and multiple hot tubs, a full casino, a spa, and quiet outdoor spaces.
All rally guests will also automatically be entered to win a 2024 Harley-Davidson FLTRX Road Glide and have the opportunity to win more through charity raffles. Bookings for the High Seas Rally are now open.
Following multiple unexcepted diversions and delays, Carnival Liberty has departed the Port of New Orleans and is on her way for what is sure to be an epic Carnival Journeys cruise to the Panama Canal.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, has personally extended his thanks to everyone involved in getting the ship underway despite challenging conditions, offering insight into just how complex such situations can be.
“Firstly to the embarkation team in New Orleans for taking such great care of 3,000 guests leaving and 3,000 guest patiently waiting to get on board, perhaps a few, not so patiently. We truly thank you,”Heald said.
For the embarkation team, their entire workday was disrupted from expected hours to a much longer and later day than planned, though they handled the situation with efficiency and professionalism.
“A massive thank you to the crew of the Carnival Liberty. I know that you would have given those on board continuing fun until the ship arrived back in New Orleans,”Heald continued.“I also know from the comments that I have read this morning that you gave them a wonderful warm welcome on board.”
Embarkation day is always a chaotic situation onboard a cruise ship as one group of guests debarks at the end of a sailing and just hours later the ship is filled with a new group of guests ready to get their vacation underway. Crew members have to be especially adaptable under such a challenging situation.
“And finally to the guests. Those who had a delayed arrival back to New Orleans and those who paid and spent the day in New Orleans waiting for their fun to begin, we really do [say] a massive thank you to all of you,”Heald said.
Travelers can be understandably disappointed and frustrated when their vacation is disrupted. Most Carnival Liberty guests, however, took the news calmly and made the best of the situation, exploring in New Orleans, sleeping in, or otherwise enjoying their time before they were able to meet the ship.
The ship has already set sail for her 14-night adventure, with no expected itinerary adjustments needed to make up the lost time. Because the first two days of the sailing are already planned as days at sea, it will be easy for the ship to adjust her course and speed to reach Grand Cayman – the first port of call – as expected on Wednesday, December 4.
Why Was Carnival Liberty Impacted So Much?
Carnival Liberty had a triple threat of difficulties as she was finishing her most recent sailing, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that had departed Port NOLA on Sunday, November 24.
At the end of the sailing on the last sea day, an emergency onboard called for a significant diversion to safely evacuate a guest who required care. This meant the ship had to turn back toward Key West in order to ensure the passenger could get the help they needed.
Following that diversion, the ship developed a technical issue that required repair, and in the meantime, her top cruising speed was impacted. This meant Carnival Liberty would be delayed in returning back to her Louisiana homeport.
Carnival Liberty Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Ron Cogswell / Creative Commons)
Fortunately, the onboard engineering team was able to conduct repairs while the ship was underway. The delay of several hours, however, meant the 110,428-gross-ton ship would be docking in the late afternoon of Sunday, December 1 rather than in the early morning hours as originally planned.
Once she had entered the Mississippi River, Carnival Liberty encountered further difficulties with marine traffic congestion that mean a bit more of a delay. Ultimately, the ship was not able to dock at the cruise terminal – approximately 120 miles upriver from the Gulf of Mexico – until nearly 9 p.m., and some travelers for the next cruise were not onboard until after midnight.
Carnival Cruise Line was clear that the further delay was not related to the ship’s previous technical problem, but solely due to river traffic.
Hopefully, the next sailing will have smooth sailing to Grand Cayman, Aruba, Curacao, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Cozumel, and everyone aboard will have a phenomenal cruise that is well worth waiting for.
The summer cruise season is in full swing Down Under as Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas arrived in Brisbane, Australia, to kick off its third consecutive season in Queensland.
The 4,180-passenger, 168,666-gross-ton ship has 22 cruises scheduled from Brisbane, with itineraries ranging from short 2-night voyages to 14-night journeys.
“More Queensland families are choosing Quantum of the Seas for their next holiday, seamlessly combining spectacular destinations with the ease of an all-encompassing adventure,”said Gavin Smith, vice president and managing director, Australia and New Zealand, Royal Caribbean.
Like her previous seasons, the ship will frequently call in Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Australian ports. Her first sailing of the Australian season, which departed on December 1, 2024, is a 5-night roundtrip cruise to Airlie Beach, Australia.
This season’s lineup includes 11 cruises to the South Pacific, with destinations such as Mystery Island and Port Vila in Vanuatu, as well as Noumea in New Caledonia. These voyages will be 7 to 8 nights in length.
Closer to home, five Queensland-focused itineraries range from 4 to 6 nights, featuring stops at popular destinations like Airlie Beach and Cairns, Australia. A highlight includes snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef.
For an extended vacation, a 14-night cruise to New Zealand will feature scenic explorations of destinations like the Bay of Islands, Tauranga, Napier, and Wellington.
“On Quantum, families can make their getaway truly their own with options to delight everyone,“ Smith continued.
Anchoring Brisbane’s Cruise Season
Quantum of the Seas first began sailing in Australia in November 2022, homeporting in Brisbane on itineraries that included ports across Australia, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia.
The vessel arrived once again in Brisbane on December 1, 2024, repositioning from Singapore, and will remain at its homeport until April 6, 2025.
Brisbane, which launched its 2024-2025 season on October 1, 2024, hopes to continue its record-breaking growth. Besides Quantum of the Seas, the port is the 2024-25 summer home of P&O Cruises’ 2,600-passenger Pacific Encounter, Carnival Cruise Line’s 2,826-guest Carnival Luminosa, and Princess Cruises’ 2,670-passenger Diamond Princess.
The Brisbane International Cruise Terminal will also see arrivals from Silversea’s Silver Nova, Holland America Line’s Westerdam, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge, and Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, to name a few.
Quantum of the Seas in Brisbane
Last season, the port welcomed 125 cruise ships between October 2023 and March 2024, seeing more than 650,000 passengers for the first time in its history.
“Cruising from Brisbane this summer has also been a big economic boost, with every cruise ship call contributing to almost $1 million to the Queensland economy,” he stated.
Of Royal Caribbean’s fleet of 28 ships, Quantum of the Seas is not the only vessel positioned in Australia during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer months. Her sister ship, Ovation of the Seas, is currently homeporting in Sydney.
That 168,666-gross-ton vessel’s season launched on November 21, 2024, with a 7-night roundtrip sailing to Adelaide, Australia, and Hobart, Tasmania.
Ovation of the Seas will visit New Zealand ports, as well as New Caledonia and Vanuatu through April 3, 2025. Following Quantum of the Sea’s Australian season, the ship will reposition to Seattle to enjoy a Northern Hemisphere summer in Alaska.
On May 20, 2023, I boarded Regal Princess for the first time in Southampton, UK, for a 14-night British Isles cruise.
Our port-heavy itinerary called for stops at Portland, UK; Guernsey (in the Channel Islands); Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; Invergordon, Scotland; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Paris / Normandy (Le Havre), France.
While I have sailed on other Princess cruise ships before – and on other cruise lines – this voyage was extra special because it was my first ever opportunity to stay in a suite at sea.
And this wasn’t just any suite. It was the penthouse suite.
When I was a kid, I had always slept on a pull-out couch or cot in my parents’ standard balcony cabin. As I got older, my parents would allow me to bring a friend – and we would stay in our own interior cabin near my parents’ stateroom.
Once I reached adulthood, I really kept the interior cabin state-of-mind – largely feeling that’s all I needed since I’m the type to spend as little time in my stateroom as possible. I usually only visit my room to sleep or get ready for my next activity.
Indeed, I chose interior cabins for my first cruise with my now-husband on Disney Dream in 2022 – and again when I took a bachelorette cruise with my bridesmaids on Carnival Radiance in September 2024.
But now that I’ve sailed in a luxury penthouse suite, I’ve learned that it’s really hard to travel any other way.
The Penthouse Suite
Regal Princess Penthouse Suite (Photo Credit: Robert Kovelman)
I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this suite was nicer than some apartments I’ve lived in during my tenure as a Los Angeles, California, resident.
When we entered our cabin, we went down a short hallway that led to a mini bar – which was free to use and restocked whenever we asked or during daily cleanings – and a comfortable living room with a TV, pull-out couch, and two cozy chairs.
The sliding doors led out to the longest private balcony I’ve ever had – with another entrance to the balcony also located in the main bedroom.
The living room and bedroom were separated by a heavy curtain that functioned like a door and largely stifled the sound from the other room.
Like the living room, the bedroom was also quite nice – complete with a queen-sized bed, two nightstands (one of which doubled as a desk), another TV, and a pretty sizable closet.
Unlike other cruise cabins I’ve stayed in, there were plenty of outletsand we never had any issues finding enough spots to charge all our devices.
But perhaps my favorite part of the room was the large bathroom – complete with a soaking tuband a separate shower.
The bathroom was divided into sections, so that one person could be using the toilet or in the shower while another still had access to a sink to be getting ready on the other side.
The bathroom added so much ease and efficiency to our getting ready process – something I’m sure most families would agree is invaluable.
The Perks
Penthouse Suite (Photo Credit: Robert Kovelman)
By now, you likely can tell that the Penthouse upgrade was absolutely worth it – but allow me to confirm that it really was.
In my mother’s words, the suite practically paid for itself because of all the perks and freebies we got with it – along with all the extra space.
In addition to the free mini bar access, we also got free laundry service – which we used multiple times during our voyage.
Members of the housekeeping teamwould pick up our clothes during their daily service, and they would be cleaned and hung up in our room again within 24 hours. Normally, this service could cost between $60-$80 a bag.
We really liked this, as it enabled us to pack lightand rewear outfits – and also avoid airport fees for heavy luggage, which I’m definitely guilty of having to pay on more than one occasion.
We also had access to an exclusive concierge lounge that was across the hall from our cabin. Throughout the day, the concierge team brought in meals and snacks so that we could eat in a calm and quiet environment away from the crowds.
If we didn’t like any of the food that was already out, the team was happy to go get us pretty much anything we wanted and bring it to us in the lounge – and even allowed us to choose entrees from specialty restaurants like Crown Grill.
They also had a sweet treat waiting for us in our room on embarkation day – and then brought us fresh fruit daily and offered a free daily high tea service.
One of our favorite perks was that we got priority access when getting off the ship in port – which was particularly valuable in tender ports, where the lines could get long.
The concierge would personally take us in a secret crew elevator to disembark – watching until we were off the ship to make sure our priority access was honored.
A True VIP Experience
Inside the Regal Princess Penthouse Suite (Photo Credit: Robert Kovelman)
Speaking of the crew, the concierge and his team went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing vacation. We actually enjoyed their company so much that we exchanged contact information and are still in touch more than a year later.
First, having access to the concierge meant that we never had to go wait in the guest services line if we needed help. Anytime we wanted to make a new dining reservation or had questions about shore excursions, all we had to do was walk across the hall.
But the guest service wasn’t just better because was had easier access to a select few of Regal Princess’ 1,346 crew members. These employees truly did everything possible to go the extra mile.
For example, my phone charger broke about half way through the sailing. We asked the concierge where we could buy a new one, and a few minutes later he knocked on our door with a charger from his crew cabin that he gave to me as a gift.
On a particularly stormy day at sea, the concierge had a supply of antacids and Dramamine in his desk that he was happy to give away for free to all suite guests. Normally, we would have had to purchase these medications or get them from the medical center.
Speaking of which, I rolled my ankle while visiting a historic church in Inverness (Invergordon), Scotland, and needed to get it checked out once I returned to the ship.
The medical center had a long wait – but the concierge had a wheelchair brought to our cabin in a matter of minutes and I was seen by the doctors right away. Although it wasn’t an ideal situation, I felt a bit like a celebrity.
The VIP experiences also continued throughout the sailing – with my family getting invited to take a free, private tour of the bridge and to meet the Captain one-on-one.
We also got priority access for exclusive opportunities like the Chef’s Table experience. We ultimately opted not to partake because my mom has a severe shellfish allergy and the menu was pre-set with shellfish included, but it was exciting that we got first dibs.
The last time I went on a cruise with my parents prior to our 2023 sailing, I was still a teenager. Since this would be my first time joining them on a cruise as an adult, we opted to book a mini suite to give us all a little more space.
However, about three weeks before our cruise, my parents received an email from Princess Cruises asking if they would like to bid to upgrade our suite.
My parents originally bid on a premium suite, which we didn’t get. However, Princess sent a counter offer for the penthouse suite, which is an even nicer option.
My parents accepted the offer – and ended up paying about $3,000 (USD) more for the sailing than they would have if we stayed in our previously-booked mini suite.
The auction process they went through allowed the cruise line to fill these more expensive accommodations and make a bit more of a profit from booked passengers, while people like us were able to get into a nicer suite at a fraction of the cost.
That said, suites are usually available to book through your travel agentor directly through the cruise line if you don’t want to try your luck on a bidding process that may or may not happen.
If you’re torn between splurging for the upgrade or not, our take is that it was worth every penny – especially for a longer sailing.
Eager cruise-loving dog-owners can now apply to be considered as guests aboard the first-ever dog-friendly Cruise Tails sailing, a collaboration between Expedia Cruises of West Orlando and small cruise line Margaritaville At Sea.
The unique sailing was first announced earlier this month and the response has been overwhelming with more than 5,000 interested guests registering to receive further details.
“The enthusiasm and positive response we’ve received so far have been incredible,”said Steve Matzke, Cruise Tails Captain. “We’re thrilled to be able to provide such a unique travel experience where dogs are not just allowed, but celebrated as part of the family. This is more than just a cruise; it’s a chance to create lasting memories with your friends and family.”
Now, applications are available and travelers must completely fill out the application form to be eligible for consideration. There are restrictions, however, on which furry cruisers will be permitted to board Margaritaville at Sea Islander for the cruise in November 2025.
First of all, no more than 250 total dogs will be part of the sailing, and only one canine cruiser will be permitted in each eligible cabin, even if their human travel companions own more than one dog.
According to Cruise Tails’ FAQ, preference will also be given to “dog cabins” who are also traveling with two or more cabins of family members or friends without dogs.
All eligible dogs must also weigh less than 20 pounds and be under 18 inches in height. This restriction is part of legal requirements and more conservative guidelines to ensure all dogs are safely under control of their human companions.
“This is the first pet cruise ever, because until now everyone thought it was impossible. To ensure success, everything has been planned with an abundance of caution and safety,”the FAQ reads.
“We know after a successful first cruise, we will refine the cruise procedures and experiences. We anticipate being able to ‘loosen the leash’ on many of the protocols put in place for everyone’s safety and for the success of the inaugural sailing.”
The fees for the cruise will be heftier than many travelers may realize. In addition to human guests’ cruise fare, there is a $1,500 dog fee per pet. This is intended to help defray the costs of additional staff required to care for the dogs onboard, including keeping public areas and staterooms clean and sanitized as well as an onboard veterinarian.
The deposit for the sailing is $500 per person of the cruise fare plus $250 of the dog fee. The deposit is due when the application is submitted, but will be fully refunded if travelers are not selected for the voyage.
Furthermore, all travelers will be required to purchase travel insurance through Cruise Tails which will vary based on their cruise fare price.
The cost may be well worthwhile to interested, dog-loving travelers, as the sailing will indeed be ground-breaking with doggy daycare, pet spa activities, costume contests and parades, special “pet butlers” for each dog, puppy picnics, and much more.
Dog Cruise Date Set
In addition to opening the canine cruise for applications, the date of the sailing has been confirmed as November 18, 2025 departing from Port Tampa Bay. The cruise is a full ship charter and will not be available for booking by guests not affiliated with the canine cruisers, though not all travelers must have a dog in their stateroom.
At the moment, that is a 6-night sailing with plans to visit Key West, Florida as well as Progreso and Cozumel in Mexico. This itinerary may be adjusted to be more dog-friendly, however.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander Cruise Ship
“The ports are subject to change as we try to arrange for ones which will allow dog debarkation,”the FAQ reads.
Regardless of the ports of call ultimately confirmed, all dog owners will be responsible for ensuring their pet’s vaccinations and health certifications are current and fully comply with the requirements of each destination.
If this inaugural pet-friendly cruise is a success, future Cruise Tails sailings are definitely a possibility. The company is already working toward a spring 2026 sailing, and additional dates will be announced as plans progress.
It must be noted that some areas of the 85,619-gross-ton, Spirit class ship will be off-limits to furry passengers, including the ship’s casino, pools, and all restaurants. All dogs must also be leashed at all times when in public, and further onboard behavioral guidelines are sure to be announced as the sailing date approaches.
