Costa Cruises, which is owned by Carnival Corporation, has announced a new partnership with Acamar Films, bringing the popular animated character Bing Bunny aboard its flagship vessels, Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda, for the summer season.
Starting this summer, guests aboard each ship will have the chance to meet Bing, the star of the educational animated series watched by 2.2 billion people in over 130 countries worldwide. The collaboration promises a series of events and activities designed for young guests and their families.
Said Kirsty Southgate, director of the experiential and promotions team at Acamar Films,“We are delighted to be able to offer a very special experience to Costa Cruises’ youngest guests, who will be able to get to know and interact with Bing, making their holiday even more memorable.”
Costa Toscana Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: ODIN Daniel / Shutterstock)
Each week, the 6,600-passenger Costa Toscana and the 6,554-passenger Costa Smeralda will host various Bing-themed activities, including meet and greets with the Bing costumer character, themed parades, and parties.
“The arrival of Bing on board our ships will allow us to enrich the holiday experience we offer families with something unique and special,”said Paolo Reggiani, entertainment director of Costa Cruises.
He went on to add, “Bing is extremely popular among children, so we are confident that our young guests will love participating in the entertainment activities we have organized for them on Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda.”
Costa Cruises Expands Entertainment for Children
Costa Cruises’ partnership with Acamar Films marks a major enhancement to the entertainment options available on Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda. The Bing Bunny character will be a central feature of the summer activities during the ships’ week-long cruises.
The Bing-themed activities on board will include meet and greet sessions, where children will have the opportunity to meet and hug Bing. Additionally, themed parades and parties and various fun and musical activities will continue to engage young guests.
Bing Bunny, Acamar Films (Photo Courtesy of Acamar)
Costa Toscana, which is spending its summer in the Mediterranean, is offering 7-night roundtrip sailings from Palermo, Civitavecchia (Rome), or Savona, Italy; Marseille, France; and Barcelona, Spain.
The ship will be making frequent calls to each city, as well as Ibiza in the Balearic Islands of Spain. The ship is scheduled to stay in these ports through June 2025.
Simultaneously, Costa Smeralda will also sail the Mediterranean on 7-night roundtrip cruises from Civitavecchia and Genoa, Italy; Marseille; and Barcelona. It will call on additional cities Cagliari in Sardinia and Naples and remain with these itineraries through October 2025.
Additional summer activities families can enjoy include a variety of options tailored to different age groups. The Baby Squok Club, for instance, is designed for children aged 1 to 3 years, offering a fun space under adult supervision.
For children aged 3 to 11 years, the Squok Club provides entertainment such as games, arts and crafts, and treasure hunts. For teens aged 12 to 17, the Teen Zone features Foosball, table tennis, board games, and sports tournaments.
Additionally, a nursery service for children aged 1 to 3 is available, providing babysitting at an extra charge.
The 185,010-gross-ton Costa Smeralda and Costa Cruises’ newest flagship, the 186,364-gross-ton Costa Toscana, which launched in March 2022, each feature 13 swimming pools, 11 restaurants, and 1,550 balcony cabins.
Queen Anne, the first new ship to join the Cunard Line fleet in 14 years, officially made her debut in Liverpool, England, on Monday, June 3, 2024.
Her inaugural visit to Liverpool comes exactly one month after she began sailing. The Pinnacle-class ship’s maiden voyage embarked from Southampton in the UK on Friday, May 3, 2024, for a 7-night cruise to La Coruna, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal.
While maiden port calls are always big milestones for new cruise ships, Liverpool holds a special meaning for Cunard, as the port is the cruise line’s “spiritual home.” The British city was where Cunard’s first ever Transatlantic crossing embarked 183 years ago in 1840, and served as the brand’s headquarters for over 120 years.
Queen Anne Cruise Ship in Liverpool (Photo Credits: Global Ports Holding & Peel Ports)
Naturally, this is where the 3,000-passenger Queen Anne was officially named as well. Upon her arrival, the cruise line revealed that the whole historic city would serve as the new vessel’s godparent rather than choosing a single individual to fill the role, as is tradition.
Thousands of people came out to witness the iconic smashing of the champagne bottle to christen the ship and to watch performancesby the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Singer Andrea Bocelli, and Spice Girl and Author Melanie C, among others.
As the historic day turned to dusk, the 113,000-gross-ton vessel set off to finish her 14-night British Isles voyage with a celebratory fireworks display lighting her way. The cruise originally embarked from Southampton, England, on May 24.
The itinerary calls for one final stop at Cork, Ireland, before the voyage concludes on June 7 in Southampton. But passengers have already had the chance to visit Edinburgh, Scotland; Kirkwall, Scotland; Invergordon, Scotland; Greenock (Glasgow), Scotland; and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Queen Anne’s Arrival Spells Good News For Liverpool’s Future
The arrival of Cunard Line’s newest cruise ship is historic for more than one reason. Queen Anne’s debut visit marks the first major arrival in the British port since operations of the facilities were taken over by Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH) in November of 2023.
GPH, which is the world’s largest independent cruise port operator, was chosen by Peel Ports, The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, and Liverpool City Council to be the main operator of the Liverpool Cruise Port for the next 50 years.
As the former home of The Beatles is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for cruises throughout Northern Europe and Ireland, one of GPH’s goals in taking control was to boost cruise tourism – something which Queen Anne’s inaugural visit helps to foster.
Queen Anne Cruise Ship in Liverpool (Photo Credits: Global Ports Holding & Peel Ports)
“We’re delighted to welcome the Queen Anne to its spiritual home here in Liverpool. When we added the Liverpool Cruise Port to our network, our first cruise port here in the UK, we set out our ambition to further elevate the cruise experience in the city,”said Stephen Xuereb, Chief Operating Officer at GPH.
“Crucially, we want to continue developing Liverpool as a thriving destination for the cruise industry, and the arrival of Cunard’s majestic new vessel is a significant milestone for us as we embark on our first foray in the UK,” continued Xuereb.
As part of this new partnership, GPH has pledged to invest $25 million into expanding the port’s infrastructure, which will include the creation of a new floating berth that will allow two cruise ships measuring up to 300 meters, or approximately 984 feet, to dock simultaneously and bring roughly 7,000 passengers to the port per day.
Liverpool welcomed 102 ships and over 186,00 passengers in 2023, with this number set to increase to over 200,000 cruise guests in 2024. Once the port expansion is complete, this number is expected to eventually surpass 400,000 annual cruise visitors.
Cruise vacations are all about food-food-food for many travelers. But what to do with the dirty plates after so many delicious meals?
The answer is obvious in restaurants and dining rooms, but buffet etiquette can sometimes be confusing. In response to a guest inquiry, Carnival Cruise Line has addressed the issue of what to do with one’s dirty plates in the Lido Marketplace buffet restaurant.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Lido Marketplace is a popular free dining venue on every ship, located on the aft (back) of the Lido deck. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, and features familiar foods as well as more exotic fare, from breads and a salad bar to soups, entrees, carving stations, sides, and desserts.
Carnival Cruise Line Lido Marketplace Buffet (Photo Credit: Emrys Thakkar)
Guests serve themselves at the Lido Marketplace, choosing how much they want of each dish. The buffet is all-you-can-eat, though guests are asked to use a clean plate or glass with every trip to the serving stations, as is standard even with land-based buffet restaurants.
So, what should guests do with their dirty dishes? This question was recently brought to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador.
“What is the proper etiquette in the buffet area with your plates. Do you leave them at your table and wait for staff to clear it off? Or do you remove your plates? Same goes for when you are at the pool area?”the unidentified guest asked Heald.
The Lido Marketplace is adjacent to the Lido main pools, and many guests will grab a plate of food to enjoy poolside, rather than remaining in the restaurant seating area. This is perfectly acceptable, but again, what to do with the dirty dishes?
“Well, I think it’s safe to say that most people just leave them on the tables or on the Lido or open decks probably on the sun lounges or under them,”Heald answered.“Either way, I don’t think we have a specific request.”
There are hardworking servers in the Lido Marketplace, clearing away used dishes and wiping down tables so they are ready for additional guests to use. At very busy times, however, tables may not be cleared as quickly as possible, and dirty tables can be unsightly and take up space that other guests may need.
Heald opened the discussion to Carnival fans about what they choose to do with their dirty dishes, with more than 1,150 responses. In general, if guests are in the restaurant seating area, most leave their dishes on the tables, but perhaps stack them up or otherwise make them easier for servers to remove.
“We do leave them on the tables, but we try to organize our dishes so they are easier to pick up, and if there’s some food on the table we’ll get it onto a plate. They’re very busy so we basically try not to make the job more difficult by leaving a big mess. If there was a designated place to leave dirty dishes we would be glad to put the dishes there.”
“We push them to the side if possible so the staff knows we are done with them. There really isn’t much of a central area to place dirty dishes. Occasionally, I have handed the dishes to the staff if they are near me and working, but I realize that handing them the dishes may throw off their routine.”
“If there is a table nearby with dirty plates I try to put them with those if not I will neatly stack ours and put a napkin over them. Usually the wonderful crew are right there to take them anyway.”
What About Dishes by the Pool?
Eating out by the pool can be a great way to relax on a cruise vacation, whether it’s grabbing a dish from the Lido Marketplace, a Guy’s Burger, a Blue Iguana taco, or a slice of pizza.
Tables are even more scarce near the pool, however, and some guests enjoy a snack on one of the coveted poolside loungers rather than wait for a table.
Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive
In the pool area, guests often take their dishes to clean up stations that servers use as they clear tables, therefore removing the dirty dishes so others can use the space more easily. Some guests will even take their empty plates back into the restaurant seating area to put on a table or place with other dirty dishes for easier cleanup.
“In the buffet, I let them clean off the table. If I am outside, where my food bits and napkin are subjected to the prevailing winds, I clean off the table.”
Many guests do note that most of the time, crew members are fast and efficient at clearing away dirty dishes, both in the restaurant as well as by the pool.
What do you do with your dirty buffet dishes? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
In a move to mitigate the impact of burgeoning cruise ship traffic, Juneau, Alaska, has reached an agreement with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Alaska to set a daily passenger limit.
Signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on May 4, 2024, the agreement will manage the number of visitors arriving in the capital city by cruise.
The agreement, effective immediately, limits the number of cruise ship passengers to 16,000 per day, with a reduced limit of 12,000 on Saturdays.
The MOA is based on recommendations from the Visitor Industry Task Force (VITF) in 2021 and includes an annual meeting to optimize the schedule of cruise ships calling on the city, as well as a chance to review visitor numbers and discuss community goals.
“The cruise industry is vital to our local economy, and we need to improve our infrastructure and grow our tour capacity to create a great guest experience and reduce impacts on residents,”said Alexandra Pierce, Juneau visitor industry director.
She added, “With this agreement, we are committing to a cap to manage our busiest days and to meet annually to ensure that our visitor numbers remain sustainable. This work is difficult, time-consuming, and extremely important for our community.”
Added CLIA Vice President of Government and Community Relations Renee Limoge Reeve, “This latest agreement reflects the industry’s ongoing commitment to work with CBJ and the residents of Juneau to deliver win-win partnerships. We’ve heard the community’s concerns and will continue to partner with CBJ to improve the experience of residents and visitors alike.”
Juneau’s decision to limit cruise ship passengers is in response to the record-breaking influx of 1.6 million visitors in 2023, a 23% increase over pre-pandemic highs recorded in 2019.
Flexible Agreement Will Manage Cruise Ship Operations
The official MOA, effective May 4, sets out several commitments from CLIA, including providing quarterly cruise schedules with detailed narratives on changes and capacities for each ship planning to call in Juneau and drafting schedules at least 18 months in advance.
Under the agreement, the cruise lines will minimize offloading ship waste into CNJ’s landfill, particularly bulky items such as furniture and electronics, to mitigate the city’s environmental impact.
Additionally, cruise lines will limit the purchase of drinking water from CBJ during drought conditions and support CBJ’s federal RAISE grant application for shore power and dock electrification.
Strategic berthing to reduce congestion will also be incorporated via the agreement. Ships will also need to eliminate the use of large video screens visible to neighborhoods when ships are in port.
The MOA requires cruise lines to commit to maximizing partnerships with locally owned businesses and to direct cruise passengers to these businesses to support the local economy. Cruise lines are also tasked with using up to $10 million of passenger fees for the expansion of Centennial Hall, Juneau’s meeting and convention space.
The new agreement will last one year, and if a new agreement is not established during this period, it will continue until an updated version is signed.
The 2024 cruise season in Juneau is poised to be one of the busiest yet, with 660 cruises scheduled to arrive. According to Rain Coast Data, passenger numbers are projected to reach 1.7 million in 2024.
At the time of the announcement, cruise lines had not provided updates on how they would manage passengers’ disembarkment to meet Juneau’s new cap.
Holland America Line has put a slew of cruises on sale during a limited-time offer that combines discounted fares with onboard credits, lower deposits, and other bonus perks on select voyages.
Dubbed the Summer Savings Event, the promotion was launched on June 4, 2024 and is valid on bookings made no later than June 28, 2024.
The cruise line is offering the incentives on certain departures between June 2024 and May 2025, including on its popular Collectors’ Voyages and on Alaska cruises during the remainder of the current summer season.
Holland America Cruise Ship at Glacier Bay (Photo Credit: Ken Schulze / Shutterstock)
Under the offer, guests can receive up to a 40% reduction in cruise fares, and onboard credits up to $100 per cabin. Also, deposits are reduced by 50% and the third and fourth guests in the same stateroom sail free.
Onboard credits can be used for specialty dining venues, shore excursions, spa treatments, beverages, and other purchases. The offer is for $25 per person, up to $100 total.
“Whether travellers are looking to cruise this summer or into next year, our robust Summer Savings Event is a great time to book, especially for families and group getaways taking advantage of the third and fourth guest free perk,” said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer for Holland America Line.
“The Summer Savings Event features itineraries in nearly all the places we visit around the world and even includes some of our longer voyages,” added Bodensteiner.
Upcoming voyages that are included in the promotion feature a total of 500-plus sailings, along with Alaska Cruisetours, which combine a 7-night cruise with a multi-day land tour.
During the summer of 2024, Holland America Line has six ships deployed to Alaska: Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam, and Zaandam.
Cruisers who take advantage of the new booking incentives on Alaska sailings will enjoy the line’s newly launched “Glacier Day” program, a series of activities and events designed to enhance the viewing of glaciers.
The programming features commentary and presentations by Glacier Bay National Park rangers and Native American cultural representatives, special viewing stations with information about the glaciers, and glacier-inspired food and cocktails served on the observation decks.
Every Holland America Line Alaska cruise features a visit to at least one glacier destination, including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, Dawes Glacier, and the Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm. Shore excursions provide additional chances to see glaciers up close, specifically the Mendenhall and Portage glaciers.
Promotion Features Caribbean, Canada, Asia Sailings
The promotion is also valid on certain Canada/New England and Caribbean sailings in the fall of 2024, along with voyages farther afield, such as the 53-day Majestic Japan cruise.
Among the select voyages is a 14-day Eastern/Western Caribbean on Nieuw Amsterdam, sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 10, 2024.
Holland America in Alaska (Photo Credit: EWY Media)
The ship will feature port calls at Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Costa Maya, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and Half Moon Cay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas. The cruise can be booked as a 7-day sailing, too, since the ship returns to Florida mid-way during the voyage. With no repeating port calls, the itinerary is ideal for those seeking a longer at-sea vacation.
Regardless of destination or itinerary, all Holland America Line ships will entice guests with the line’s Global Fresh Fish program, which was launched in 2023.
With its network of local seafood providers at ports across the globe, the cruise line has become a pioneer in fresh fish cuisine, all sourced sustainably.
In fact, the line recently received two prestigious awards — one each from the Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council, recognizing its high standards for responsibly sourced seafood.
Less than a week after announcing a few days’ delay to the launch of its new ship Odyssey, Villa Vie Residences has delayed the ship’s debut yet again. This leaves passengers scrambling as the ship is now not expected to set sail until June 15. This adds up to nearly a month of delays for Odyssey‘s launch.
The latest delay for the much-anticipated Odyssey is apparently due to a the rudder stocks requiring replacement before the ship can be certified to sail. Rudder stocks are a critical component that facilitates the movement of the rudder for navigation. If the stocks fail, the ship would be unable to turn efficiently.
Now, the ship is scheduled to depart from the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast on June 15. In the meantime, Villa Vie Residences is searching for alternatives for passengers, arranging accommodations, meals, and even tours to ensure their comfort and enjoyment before they are able to board their cruise.
Villa Vie Odyssey Cruise Ship (Photo Courtesy: Villa Vie Residences)
Reactions are mixed to this delay. Committed passengers are both pleased that the cruise line is ensuring the ship’s peak condition before setting sail on such a lengthy voyage but are also growing concerned about the vessel’s overall seaworthiness as more issues are discovered.
While new to the cruise line and the residential cruise concept, Odyssey is not a new ship by any means. The vessel was initially built in 1993 for the now-defunct Crown Cruise Line, and has changed ownership many times over the past 31 years. She has been operated by Cunard Line, Majesty Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Commodore Cruise Line, and most recently, by Fred Olsen Cruises.
Odyssey has not welcomed guests since March 2020, when she was evacuated for the industry-wide pandemic shutdown. Fred Olsen Cruises put the ship up for sale in November 2022, and she was purchased by Villa Vie Residences in December 2023.
Latest in a Series of Delays
The ship has been undergoing a massive renovation and refit to return her luxury and prepare for this unprecedented world cruise residence concept. The multi-million dollar transformation officially began on April 28, 2024, and was initially scheduled to leave dry dock on May 21.
That debut date was pushed back to May 30, however, when the refurbishment took longer than expected. The cruise line is taking great care to ensure that passengers have the ultimate in luxury experiences from day one, and prefers to ensure the readiness of the vessel rather than potentially rushing upgrades.
Villa Vie Odyssey During Dry Dock (Photo Courtesy: Villa Vie Residences)
At the end of May, another short delay was announced. That delay was due to “issues with the steelwork in one of our grey water tanks” that affects how the ship is able to process wastewater. Only a few days were needed to correct that issue, and the ship was to have left dry dock on June 3.
Delays of a new ship are not uncommon, whether for new-build vessels or extensive renovations. Because safety is always the top priority for any cruise line, it is certainly best if any issues are discovered before guests are onboard.
This can be especially critical for the 24,344-gross-ton Odyssey, which is scheduled for a 3.5 year voyage that will be visiting many remote ports of call. While these destinations can be phenomenal, they are also far from dry dock or shipyard facilities that might be able to quickly accommodate the vessel for unexpected repairs.
In this case, it is certainly best for Villa Vie Residences to ensure Odyssey is in tip-top shape, even if this means some initial delays or rearranging of the ship’s early schedule. With guests about to embark on such a phenomenal journey, delays at the beginning are far preferable over potentially returning to dry dock after setting sail.
Some travelers live and breathe for cruising. They count down the days until their next cruise. They know their favorite ships like the backs of their hands.
They’ve convinced everyone in their family and friend circle to go on a cruise with them — and maybe even converted a few to the cruising lifestyle as well.
For many of these avid cruisers, cruising comes with special little traditions that first-time cruisers can find a bit odd or unusual. Here are 10 of the weirdly wonderful things that you might see passengers doing on cruise ships (you might even want to get in on the fun and try some of these activities yourself!).
If it hasn’t been that long since you were in college, or if you have a younger family member currently in college, you might be familiar with the habit of decorating your dorm door to reflect your personality and make it easier for your friends to find you.
Some schoolteachers do something similar with their classroom doors, decking them out with themes and fun décor that helps students identify their classroom.
Well, some cruisers have taken this concept and adapted it for the cruise ship. They’ll bring along all sorts of gear, from professionally printed banners to craft supplies, to decorate their doors with a specific theme, whether that be a cruise-specific theme (like if they’re cruising for someone’s birthday or a similar special event) or just something that makes their cabin door easy to recognize in a sea of identical cabin doors.
It’s worth noting, though, that while this is a very fun tradition for some, it does come with a small safety risk. If you put your photo on your door’s exterior, you’re essentially advertising where you’re staying.
Think of it like announcing your hotel room number to an entire crowded bar. Anyone could show up at your door! To stay safe, always check who’s knocking before you answer your cabin door, and don’t let strangers into your cabin.
Hiding Rubber Ducks
You might be aware of the trend among Jeep owners, of placing rubber ducks on other owners’ parked Jeeps, as they come across them in the wild. No need to know the owner. Just stealthily place a rubber duck on the Jeep, as a surprise for the owner to come back to. More likely than not, the owner will show off their duck on social media with a hashtag.
Cruisers do something similar, hiding rubber ducks throughout the ship for other cruisers to find. Ducks can be classic, yellow, plastic ducks, or they can be themed or even homemade.
The ducks will feature a small tag that informs curious spotters what the duck is for and what hashtag to use if the finder wants to post a photo of the duck on social media — and that’s pretty much the basics of the game.
You bring ducks with you on-board. You label the duck with a name, cruise ship and sail date, and the hashtag #cruisingducks, with a paper tag tied around the duck’s neck or a printed sticker on the duck’s bottom.
Many also often label the ducks as “Keep or Hide, You Decide,” meaning that the finder can hide the duck again, or keep the duck, to add to a personal collection. Then, you hide the ducks.
Keep the ducks out of the water — so pools, hot tubs or anywhere that the duck could fall into the ocean, like on a railing — and don’t place them in retail spaces. Otherwise, have fun, both hiding your own ducks and looking for others!
Displaying Upside-Down Pineapples and Pink Flamingoes
For many, a cruise is a time to let loose. Let your hair down. Release your inhibitions. For some, that means taking a little break from monogamy — and that’s where upside-down pineapples and pink flamingoes come in.
Upside down Pineapple
While the former is a more well-known symbol, both are used to show other cruisers you’re interested in a little swinging and partner-swapping during your trip. You can display the symbols as part of your cabin door décor, or you can wear them on your clothing or as accessories.
So, if that’s something you’re into, go ahead and display your upside-down pineapple or pink flamingo proudly; you might just get lucky. If, though, that’s not exactly how you roll, maybe leave the pink flamingo-printed Hawaiian shirt at home.
Wearing Matching T-Shirts
For group cruises, wearing matching t-shirts is basically a must. Typically, one of the group cruise organizers will organize this well in advance, getting everyone’s sizes, designing a shirt and then ordering and distributing the shirts for everyone to wear throughout the cruise.
Matching T-Shirts on Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Aleksandar_Markov)
Shirts often just display the group’s name or the event for which they’re sailing, such as “Grandma Smith’s 90th Birthday Cruise!” Some might include a fun little slogan or saying. It’s totally up to the group; however, all the t-shirts are identical.
So, if you start seeing multiple people all wearing the same shirt, and start to think you might be losing your mind, you’re not.
(And it’s not just matching t-shirts that are a thing; some go all out and do matching outfits as well, including matching-themed outfits, like costumes that all follow the same general theme!)
Going on a Cabin Crawl
Forget the bar crawl! Go on a cabin crawl!
Cabin crawls serve multiple purposes. They allow everyone staying in the cabins to socialize, but then they also allow avid cruisers to see various different cabins and suites on the ship.
Cabin crawls can be organized among groups but, more often than not, they’re organized among strangers that happen to be taking the same cruise.
For example, avid cruisers will all be in the same Facebook group or on the same forum, and they might see who all will be on an upcoming cruise, and then someone will arrange the crawl, taking everyone in the group from one cabin to the next, to meet each other, see the cabins and socialize (with much of the actual socializing saved for one of the larger suites that has space to hold everyone).
Again, while, like some cabin decorations, this trend does come with a slight safety risk — you’re letting complete strangers into your private space — a little awareness will go a long way to mitigate that.
Participating in Roll Calls
Along these lines, while you might not participate in a cabin crawl, you still might find it worthwhile to participate in a cruise ship roll call. This is just where, as alluded above, a group of avid cruisers will connect with others who are going to be on the ship, such as in a forum or in a Facebook group.
There, they’ll compare notes and plans for the cruise, and make plans to meet up and do something fun together, during the cruise.
Collecting Towel Animals
It’s not uncommon on a cruise to come back to your stateroom to see that it’s been cleaned while you were out, and that the attendant left behind a cute little towel expertly folded and shaped into an animal.
Carnival Cruise Line Towel Animals
For some, coming back to find what towel animal’s been left behind on any certain day is a highlight, so much so that they set the animals aside, not using the towels, collecting a little menagerie as the days go on.
Of course, you can’t actually collect the towel animals and take them home with you. That would be theft. However, you can collect them up until the day of your departure, and snap a photo of your zoo before you head out.
Walking Around the Ship in a Robe
This is probably less of a tradition and more of just a slightly weird habit. However, if it makes your day, go for it. Some cruisers just want to experience their cruise in ultimate comfort, and that means wearing their robe all day, every day, no matter where they’re going on the cruise ship.
Keep in mind, though, that there are some areas of the ship that might be off limits to you if you’re just wearing your robe, like a formal dining experience.
Dancing at the Deck Party
When attending the cruise ship’s deck party, you may suddenly realize that everyone around you is dancing in synch. Somehow, all of these strangers know the same dance and all the choreography, and you’re just left there scratching your head.
Photo Courtesy: Virgin Voyages
No, you’re not part of some flash mob. Instead, there are a handful of basic, choreographed dances that many cruisers know (either from past cruises, or from brushing up on YouTube at home, before departure) and, when certain songs come on, they all get into formation, for a fun, group dance that everyone can participate in.
If the thought of learning a new dance before your cruise intimidates you, don’t worry — many are classics that most have seen before, even if they don’t know all the moves, so you don’t need to be up on the latest TikTok dance crazes to participate. Think the Cha Cha Slide and Electric Shuffle.
Bringing Their Own Décor
From hot sauce to tea packets, when asked the oddest things they’ve brought on a cruise, cruisers on Reddit responded with some truly unique items.
However, some answers that really stood out among the weirdest? Bringing your own home décor, to make your cabin feel a little more like home (though, one might argue that the purpose of a cruise vacation is to get away from home!).
Carnival Cruise Cabin
One respondent said that they brought their Christmas tree from home, packing the three-foot tree and then setting it up in their cabin for a Christmas sailing. They decorated it with ornaments from all of the cruises that they had been on.
Another respondent said they liked to bring their kitchen fridge magnets, as well as the photos that they typically keep on their fridge at home, and decorate their cabin with them.
However, that wasn’t the “weird” thing they mentioned bringing with them; instead, they mentioned that they brought along a kitchen timer once, accidentally throwing it in with their magnets.
Carnival Corporation & plc has announced that in less than a year, the P&O Cruises Australia brand will be dissolved and absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, the largest line under the Carnival umbrella and the largest cruise line in the world.
This is a strategic move designed to further increase Carnival Cruise Line’s capacity in a faster, more efficient way when new build ships would be several years away. Carnival Cruise Line is the corporation’s highest returning brand in the global portfolio, making this a financially sound move that will continue to provide the cruise vacations guests desire most.
“Despite increasing Carnival Cruise Line’s capacity by almost 25% since 2019 including transferring three ships from Costa Cruises, guest demand remains incredibly strong so we’re leveraging our scale in an even more meaningful way by absorbing an entire brand into the world’s most popular cruise line,”said Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.
P&O and Carnival Cruise Line Ships
The three ships from Costa Cruises – Costa Luminosa, Costa Venezia, and Costa Firenze – were added to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. Currently, P&O Cruises Australia encompasses just three ships – Pacific Explorer, Pacific Adventure, and Pacific Encounter.
After this restructuring, Carnival Cruise Line will have a total of 29 active ships, as well as two additional Excel-class ships on order with delivery dates expected in 2027 and 2028.
The oldest ship and smallest P&O Cruises Australia ship is Pacific Explorer, originally built in 1997. That vessel will now be retired in February 2025, and will not enter service with Carnival Cruise Line. The 77,499-gross-ton, Sun-class ship could be sold or scrapped, but those plans have not yet been announced.
Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter are both roughly 109,000 gross tons, and both are Grand-class ships. They will be rebranded and added to the Carnival fleet. The exact timeline has not yet been announced, but it is expected that both ships will return to service within 2025, remaining in the South Pacific region.
“We look forward to building on the history and heritage of P&O Cruises Australia by bringing some of our innovations to more cruise guests in the region,”said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“While we plan to make some technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships, they will continue to be geared to the unique Australian market with a familiar feel and much of the same experiences for P&O Cruises Australia guests.”
Photo Courtesy: P&O Cruises Australia
One of the large changes that will be made available on the ships as they join the fleet is the popular Carnival Hub app, permitting convenient dining and shore tour reservations, chat features, and other functionality. The Carnival Cruise Line VIFP loyalty program will also apply to the rebranded ships.
“Given the strategic reality of the South Pacific’s small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we’re adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region,” said Weinstein.
When both ships are converted and returned to service, Carnival Cruise Line will dominate the corporation’s cruise capacity while bringing the cruise line’s familiar features to eager travelers. In total, 18 ships under the Carnival Corporation umbrella will operate in the region, encompassing nearly 60% of the cruise market.
“In 2019, Carnival Cruise Line was 29% of our total capacity, and when we complete this move early next year, Carnival Cruise Line … will make up approximately 35% of our total global capacity,”said Weinstein.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Over the next few years, demand for Carnival Cruise Line is expected to grow by approximately 50% – phenomenal growth that highlights the popularity of the brand worldwide.
It must be noted that this announcement does not in any way impact P&O Cruises, which is a British-based cruise line and operates primarily for the UK and European market.
Celebrating P&O Cruises Australia
With this announcement being made nine months before the three ships will be removed from service, travel fans have plenty of time to set sail with their favorite vessels one last time.
“Over the coming months, we will find ways to celebrate and honor P&O Cruises Australia – a valued part of our legacy and an important contributor to the tourism industry in the South Pacific,”said Weinstein.
All three ships may have months of sailings cancelled, as itineraries have already been announced and made available for booking through early- to mid-2026.
It is possible that the original itineraries may be preserved for Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure, but with several weeks’ of sailings cancelled to make room for the rebranding renovations.
As yet, scheduling and itineraries for the expanded Carnival Cruise Line in Australia have not yet been confirmed, but those announcements are sure to be coming in the next few months. Booked guests will want to stay in touch with P&O Cruises Australia for further details.
Outbreaks on cruise ships aren’t overly common, but when they do happen, norovirus is usually to blame – and the gastrointestinal virus most recently struck on Celebrity Summit.
Celebrity Cruises reported that there was an outbreak on the Millennium-class vessel’s 7-night cruise from Vancouver, Canada, to Seward, Alaska, which embarked on May 24, 2024, and concluded on May 31, 2024.
According to the (CDC), norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the US. While this stomach bug is highly contagious, it typically only lasts for one to three days and resolves on its own without medical intervention.
Photo Credit: Carlos Yudica / Shutterstock.com
Throughout the sailing, 68 of the 2,264 passengers on board and five of the 943 crew members experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, which were subsequently diagnosed as norovirus.
This equates to only 3% of the guests and less than 1% of the crew. Still, cruise ships are required to report potential outbreaks – even minor ones – to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) when the ship carries more than 100 passengers, the voyage duration is longer than three days. At least 3% of passengers are symptomatic.
But the majority of passengers onboard Celebrity Summit may not have even known about the outbreak – and were able to enjoy the calls on Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and Ketchikan in Alaska worry-free.
While the major cruise lines have sanitation measures in place on every voyage to prevent outbreaks, passengers can take steps to further protect themselves from illness. For example, frequent hand washing, especially before meals or after touching high-contact surfaces, can go a long way.
Celebrity Crew Members Effectively Handle The Outbreak
While the goal is for an outbreak to never occur, protocols are in place to quickly address them when outbreaks do happen in a way that limits the spread of disease as much as possible.
Celebrity Summit, which weighs in at 91,003-gross tons, acted appropriately by seeking urgent advice from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation program (VSP) – and the crew’s quick action likely contributed to the fact less than 100 people fell ill.
Measures taken onboard included increased sanitation of common areas, such as the buffets, and isolating all sick passengers and crew members.
At the conclusion of the Alaska voyage, crew members utilized a staggered disembarkation process to keep contagious guests separate from healthy cruisers, and implemented increased sanitation protocols at the cruise terminal in Seward, Alaska.
Aside from some extra cleaning required at the start of the next sailing, the subsequent week-long sailing to Alaska has not been impacted.
The next voyage, which is currently in progress after embarking from Seward on May 31, 2024, has already visited Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, and Skagway, and is still scheduled to call on Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan, Alaska, before disembarking in Vancouver on June 7.
Celebrity Summit, will continue sailing between Seward and Vancouver for the remainder of the Alaska season, which concludes in mid-September for this 2001-built ship – hopefully without any future outbreaks.
That said, outbreaks are relatively uncommon on cruise ships. According to Statista, an estimated 35.7 million people go on a cruise annually across hundreds if not thousands of sailings – and that number is growing as cruises become increasingly more popular.
But according to the VSP, the outbreak on Celebrity Summit is only the seventh of 2024 – and the year is just about half over.
The numbers also were low in previous years – with 14 outbreaks reported in 2023 and four in 2022. Looking back to 2019 before Covid-19 halted travel, only 10 outbreaks occurred.
