Costa Cruises has joined a growing movement by cruise lines to bypass sailings in the Red Sea due to escalating tensions in the region, cancelling Costa Toscana‘s repositioning sailing less than six weeks before the cruise was to begin.
Booked guests have been offered some alternative options with onboard credit incentives, or may opt for a full refund for the cancellation.
Costa Toscana Repositioning Cruise Cancelled
Costa Toscana‘s March 9, 2024 departure from Dubai – a 19-night cruise meant to reposition the ship from the United Arab Emirates to Italy for the Mediterranean summer season – has been cancelled. Guests were notified of the cancellation less than six weeks before the cruise was to set sail.
“As you can well understand the critical situation that is currently affecting the maritime traffic along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden is constantly monitored with maximum attention,”the notification explained.“As always, the security and well-being of our guests and crew is our foremost priority, and on this direction no uncertainty and compromise can be accepted.”
Multiple cruise lines have already cancelled sailings in the Red Sea to avoid the potential for violent actions against ships. Depending on the cruise line and available options, ships may be rerouted around Africa or moved through the Red Sea while empty, so there is less risk to guests. Now, Costa Cruises is also canceling a critical repositioning cruise to avoid dangers in the region.
“Given recent developments on the current security environment and future uncertainties in the area, working in close consultation with global security experts and government authorities we have made the difficult decision to cancel the cruise that was originally planned,”the notification read.
Costa Toscana Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Riccardo Arata / Shutterstock)
“Therefore, we regret to inform you that your northbound cruise with Costa Toscana from Emirates to Mediterranean has been cancelled.”
The impacted cruise was to have been a one-way sailing that would have visited exotic destinations in Oman, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy, including passage through the Suez Canal. The itinerary had already been revised when the tensions in Israel began, and now, the entire cruise is cancelled.
The 185,010-gross-ton, Excel-class Costa Toscana is the newest ship in the Costa Cruises fleet, able to welcome more than 5,300 guests per sailing.
At the moment, there are no further changes expected for Costa Toscana, and the ship will be prepared to sail its scheduled Mediterranean season as planned. Guests booked on the first Mediterranean cruise, however, will want to stay in close contact with Costa Cruises in case further adjustments may be necessary.
Options for Impacted Guests
Costa Cruises is offering guests several alternatives to their now-cancelled cruise. Guests may move to any other repositioning or transatlantic cruise by December 2024, with price protection and an onboard credit of €100 ($108 USD) per adult. If the new cruise is a lower price, the price difference will be returned to the guest.
It should be noted that the May 2024 Costa Favolosa repositioning from Brazil to Germany is not included in this offer, nor is the first segment of Costa Deliziosa‘s World Cruise that begins in December 2024.
Costa Toscana Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: ODIN Daniel / Shutterstock)
Guests can also choose to move to any other Costa Cruises sailing with an onboard credit of €50 ($54 USD) per adult, with a departure date no later than March 31, 2025.
A third option is to cancel the old booking entirely. This can be done in one of two ways – preserving the full amount as a credit for a new sailing, with the addition of a €100 ($108 USD) per adult onboard credit. To redeem this option, the credit must be used within 18 months.
Finally, guests can choose to cancel their cruise entirely for a full refund. Processing times for the refund will vary for different financial institutions.
This variety of options gives travelers plenty of choices for how to rearrange their vacation plans and still enjoy an amazing experience with Costa Cruises, despite the current volatility that makes some destinations unavailable.
While the Ultimate World Cruise as a whole has become a social media sensation, one TikToker has ridden the viral wave more than most.
But now that he’s disembarked Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas, what will the voyage be like without this influencer’s often controversial critiques?
Controversial TikToker No Longer On Board Ultimate World Cruise
While many passengers onboard the nine-month cruise have seen their social media followings skyrocket, few have received quite as much attention as Marc Sebastian (@marcsebastianf). His controversial videos have not only stirred up debates in the comment section on TikTok, but also drew attention from major news outlets.
The Tiktoker, who has 1.7 million followers at the time of this publication, is back on dry land after an eventful 18 days onboard Serenade of the Seas – during which he promised to tell his followers “the good, the bad, and the ugly” about his time on board.
But before he was ready to disembark, Marc Sebastian had two important tasks to accomplish: giving some feedback to Whoopi Goldberg, godmother of Serenade of the Seas, and putting on a fashion show to honor the outfits that didn’t get worn on board.
Marc Sebastian recorded a message for Whoopi Goldberg, which she reacted to live on The View, which is a talk show the celebrity co-hosts.
In a videoposted on January 25, 2024, the TikToker says that he needs to let Goldberg know what’s been happening on board, to which she replies:“Let me start out by saying, I run a tight ship.”
Three days before on January 22, 2024, Marc Sebastian posted a final shout out at sea to his followers, which has been viewed more than 860,000 times at the time of publication.
He showed off some of his favorite outfits that he wasn’t able to wear while on board, including a baseball hat with a tiara attached to the front that he wasn’t allowed to wear in the dining room during formal night and a short blonde wig.
While around 700 of the passengers currently on board will be staying for the duration of the cruise, some are only joining the ship for shorter segments, which is what Marc Sebastian did. His sponsors shelled out $8,500 (USD) for the influencer to join the cruise for the South American and Antarctic segment.
Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas (Photo Credit: Lisa Bronitt / Shutterstock)
During his time on board, the TikToker posted frequent videos, most of which were critique-filled, consisting of cabin tours, ship reviews, and accounts of his experience and the drama onboard.
The TikToker posted that he was back on land on January 24, 2024, when the ship was docked in La Serena, Chile. As of January 26, Serenade of the Seas had sailed on to Peru, and will next be heading to Ecuador and Puerto Rico.
Although Marc Sebastian will no longer be sharing his cruise saga from on board Serenade of the Seas, there is no sign that the appetite for cruise drama has diminished on TikTok. Only time will tell if the excitement around the cruise on social media will dissipate.
Marc Sebastian’s New Cruise Knowledge
Prior to embarking on The Ultimate World Cruise, Marc Sebastian wasn’t an avid cruise influencer on social media. Most of his videos consist of product reviews and funny videos related to current trends and pop culture.
But even though he had a lot of critiques for Royal Caribbean, and certainly wasn’t always happy with the service or his experience, the TikToker also learned a lot on board.
In a video posted on January 22, 2024, which has been viewed more than 5 million times, Marc Sebastian detailed everything he had learned while cruising on what he calls “a floating retirement home with a Cheesecake Factory attached.”
First, and not surprisingly, the TikToker learned it was taboo to talk about the ill-fated Titanic at sea. Marc Sebastian explained that when he compared the length of Serenade of the Seas to that of Titanic during lunch, utensils dropped, waiters gasped, and the room went awkwardly silent.
The TikToker also discovered the phenomenon of cruising ducks, which is a scavenger hunt many passengers and crew members play where rubber ducks are hidden around the cruise ship for others to find and keep, or to find and re-hide.
Marc Sebastian said people on his ducks were “crazy” about trying to find them, even digging through artificial plants to collect as many as they could – although he personally didn’t understand the appeal.
“Why ducks? Because they float? I just don’t get it,” says Marc Sebastian.
Lastly, he was shocked to find out that cruise ships fill their pools with seawater. However, it is quite common for ships to source pool water from the ocean through a process called reverse osmosis, which allows cruise lines to make their own fresh water at sea, which is safe for swimming and consumption.
While returning to Galveston at the end of a 14-night sailing, Carnival Dream encountered such severe weather that both guests and crew members were confined to their staterooms until conditions improved.
The poor weather also resulted in the cancellation of a popular loyalty event as well as several entertainment options, but the ship did return to her homeport safely.
Carnival Dream Encounters Severe Storm
On the last day of a 14-night cruise that included a visit to the Panama Canal, Carnival Dream encountered such severe weather in the Gulf of Mexico that all guests, as well as the ship’s crew members, were asked to return to their staterooms. This was done as a precaution for what could have been unsafe conditions on decks and in stairways.
The confinement for guests lasted just about one hour, which also included time for crew members to check for damage and other hazards after the ship cleared the severe squall.
Poor weather did continue past that point and all aboard were urged to use caution when moving about the ship. The outer decks remained closed, which is standard procedure in any foul weather.
Unfortunately, the poor weather did lead to the cancellation of some evening entertainment, as the motion of the ship could have been unsafe for performers.
On the Carnival Dream out of Galveston, we just hit a horrible storm. All guests and crew sent to their cabins. I have a action camera recording it from the front of the ship. This is minutes before. pic.twitter.com/fFUSK4DFg4
Some localized flooding occurred on the ship in different areas, as well as disarrayed furniture and other minor issues. Crew members were quick to respond and clean up the affected hallways and public areas, and no significant damage was reported.
Rough weather is common in the Gulf of Mexico during the winter months, though the severity of storms can vary considerably. Squalls and other storms can happen anywhere at any time, and often lead to some incidental flooding and other instances, such as happened on Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas at the beginning of the ship’s ongoing Ultimate World Cruise.
Loyalty Event Cancelled
Also cancelled was the much-anticipated Diamond and Platinum Party, a get-together for the highest levels of Carnival Cruise Line’s VIFP guests. Guests were informed of the cancellation with letters delivered to their staterooms.
“As you know, we experienced unfavorable weather earlier and, in an abundance of caution, guests and team members were asked to return to their staterooms until conditions improved,”the letter explained.“This prevented the team from completing the set up to host our VIFP Diamond and Platinum appreciation event.”
To make up for the cancellation of the VIFP event, all Diamond and Platinum guests were given a $25 (USD) onboard credit to their Sail & Sign accounts, “so you can enjoy something on us.”
Because Carnival Dream was enjoying a Carnival Journeys voyage to Panama – a highly desirable itinerary popular with many long-time cruise travelers – it is likely there were a higher-than-typical number of both Diamond and Platinum passengers aboard, though exact numbers have not been released.
The 128,250-gross-ton Carnival Dream can welcome 3,646 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 4,633 passengers when fully booked with all berths filled. The ship is homeported from Galveston, Texas year-round, offering mostly 6- and 8-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, with occasional longer voyages on her schedule.
The impacted cruise had left Galveston on Saturday, January 13, and despite the poor weather, was able to return as scheduled on Saturday, January 27. The ship’s next 14-day voyage is not until mid-October, and does not include Panama as a destination.
Carnival Dream has already departed on her next sailing, an 8-night cruise scheduled to visit Key West, Freeport, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau before returning to Galveston on Sunday, February 4. Cruise Hive hopes everyone aboard enjoys smooth sailing!
The US Department of State has issued a Level 2 Travel Advisory for The Bahamas due to a recent increase in crime that may affect cruise guests.
The specific areas where heightened crime is noted are both Nassau and Freeport, and certain popular water activities are also listed as needing additional caution.
Travel Advisory for The Bahamas Due to Crime
A Level 2 Travel Advisory has been issued for visitors to The Bahamas due to crime and water activity safety. The advisory, updated by the US State Department on Friday, January 26, 2024, specifically lists New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands as where the majority of crime occurs.
A Level 2 Travel Advisory is a guideline to “Exercise Increased Caution” if traveling to the destination. This is a sensible precaution for any traveler when visiting a foreign nation or unfamiliar region. The Bahamas has been listed at a Level 2 alert for more than a year, but the information is regularly updated to note more recent concerns.
“Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas,”the advisory states.
Cruise Passengers in the Bahamas (Photo Credit: Wagner Santos de Almeida / Shutterstock)
A high homicide rate is also noted but is not common in non-tourist areas. The US Embassy in Nassau notes in a separate security alert issued on January 24 that 18 homicides have occurred in Nassau so far in 2024, at all hours of the day, but that such incidents are primarily retaliatory gang violence.
Travel Warning Includes Water Activities
Of special note in the travel advisory is the attention paid to water activities, including tours, use of recreational watercraft, swimming, and shark encounters.
“Activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications,”the advisory said.“Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred.”
This is likely a reference to the unfortunate incident in November 2023 when a Blue Lagoon Island ferry sank after encountering rough waves, and one cruise passenger – an elderly woman – died. The exact circumstances of her death were not detailed, and cruise lines suspended offering the tours for several weeks until further safety protocols and inspections were completed.
Blue Lagoon Island has since reopened for tourists, but it is up to individual cruise lines whether or not to offer shore excursions for guests to purchase. Any visitors can purchase tours not offered through the cruise line if they prefer.
Nassau Cruise Port Upgrades
The advisory also noted that sharks have become a recent concern in The Bahamas, with injuries and fatalities in recent weeks.
“Be mindful of sharks when swimming and engaging in water activities, as there have been recent fatal and non-fatal incidents involving sharks,”the advisory reads.
A 10-year-old boy was bitten by a shark in mid-January while participating in an encounter experience through Blue Adventures by Stuart Cove, a tour operated through Atlantis Paradise Island Resort. This has prompted the temporary closure of the excursion offering. It should be noted, however, that the injured boy was not a cruise ship guest.
Travel Advisories to Other Popular Destinations
It is worthwhile to note that the US Department of State regularly issues travel advisories on popular cruise destinations around the world, with varying levels of precaution suggested.
Other destinations with Level 2 advisories include the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, the Turks and Caicos, the UK, and Belize. Level 3 advisories – “Reconsider Travel” – apply to destinations such as Honduras, Colombia, and Jamaica.
Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisories apply to extremely unstable regions, such as Russia, Ukraine, and Haiti – destinations that are rarely visited by cruise lines at this time.
Travelers should be aware that advisories are generally issued for an entire country, even if the crime or other instability is limited to a relatively small region.
Cruise lines are aware of these advisories and take every precaution to keep guests safe, including adjusting itineraries or changing port visits if a destination is considered extremely unstable.
It’s easy to stay up to date on the big cruise headlines with Cruise Hive, where we’ve got full coverage of all major developments. In this week’s update, read about Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line.
Let’s get going with this week’s top cruise news stories from Cruise Hive, including Princess Cruises raising its internet rates big time, Norwegian Cruise Line possibly home-porting a ship in Jacksonville, Florida, the gala christening of Icon of the Seas, Carnival Cruise Line replacing a Dr. Seuss breakfast event, the cancellation of Sun Princess’ maiden voyage, and Norwegian Cruise Line deploying two ships to US homeports.
Cruise Line Hikes Internet Rates, Pushes Bundling
In what appears to be an effort to sell more bundled packages of onboard services, Princess Cruises is hiking the price of its internet plans — but only if a plan is bought independently of other packages, like dining or beverage plans.
In a notification to travel agents, Princess Cruises said guests buying a WiFi plan for one device will pay $24.99 per day, a hefty increase of 65% compared to the current cost of $14.99 per day. The cost increase for a four-device plan will rise to $44.99 per day, up from $39.99. The new rates took effect on pre-cruise purchases starting January 22, 2024.
The increased costs are designed to make it financially unwise to buy only an internet plan. Under the Princess Plus package, for instance, guests can pay about $60 per day for a plan that covers not only unlimited WiFi but also beverages, crew gratuities, specialty dining, room service, fitness classes, and other services and perks.
Any guest booked to sail who has already pre-paid for an internet plan will not be charged the new rates. Internet services onboard Princess Cruises’ ships, like most others in the industry, now use Starlink satellites from SpaceX, which provide much faster access than previous services.
Is a Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Bound For JAXPort?
It appears likely that Norwegian Cruise Line is looking at Jacksonville, Florida, as a potential homeport for one of its cruise ships.
Cruise insiders spotted a new landing page on the cruise line’s website, showing sailings from Jacksonville marked “Coming Soon.” Also, local media reports indicate that an official of the port, called JaxPort, recently told the port authority’s board that a cruise line is expressing interest in home-porting a ship.
JaxPort CEO Eric Green did not disclose the name of the interested line, but said it is not Carnival Cruise Line, which currently homeports its 2,190-guest Carnival Elation at Jacksonville.
Cruise Ship Docked in Jacksonville, Florida (Photo Credit: Ramunas Bruzas)
The ship sails 4- and 5-night cruises to the Bahamas year-round. Other blue-water cruise lines that sometimes call at Jacksonville include Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Crystal, and American Cruise Lines offers river cruises from Jacksonville.
The port, in northern Florida about 165 miles from Port Canaveral, could be a good departure port not only for Caribbean and Bahamas sailings but also Bermuda and even New England/Canada cruises.
There is a height limit for ships entering JaxPort, since the city’s Dames Point Bridge requires vessels to be under 180 feet from the water line in order to pass under it.
World’s Biggest Ship, Icon of the Seas, Is Christened
Able to accommodate 7,600 guests at full capacity, the 248,663-gross ton ship is the first of the line’s innovative Icon class. Her christening featured maritime traditions such as blessings from clergy, a bagpiper, and the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while adding some new elements, including videos of crew members talking about the ship and performances by the ship’s entertainment staff.
Icon of the Seas Naming
Royal Caribbean executives attended the event along with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County officials, plus representatives of the Meyer Turku shipyard that constructed the vessel.
The ship will depart on her inaugural voyage on January 27, 2024, sailing a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise calling at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Icon of the Seas will operate alternate 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean voyages, with Eastern Caribbean cruises slated to call at St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Perfect Day at CocoCay. Port calls will depend on the departure date.
New Seuss Breakfast Event Begins Rolling Out
Carnival Cruise Line is saying good-bye to its Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast and hello to a new Seuss-inspired meal, the Thing 1 & 2 Birthday Breakfast. The swap has already rolled out on the line’s newest ship, Carnival Jubilee, and will be introduced fleet-wide through early May 2024.
For years the green eggs and ham event has been held once per cruise in each ship’s main dining room. The line charges $10 for adults and $8 for children, but fees for the new event will rise to $15 for adults and $10 for children.
Dr. Seuss Carnival Cruise Breakfast
Thing 1 & Thing 2 are characters from the Seuss book “The Cat in the Hat.” Breakfast foods on the new menu offer delights such as Who-Ville Red Velvet French Toast and a Who Roast Beast Omelet. A green eggs and ham platter also will be available.
The revamped breakfast event will debut on Carnival Cruise Line ships on various dates through May 7, 2024, when the final introduction will be made on Carnival Firenze. Some key roll-out dates include March 16 for Mardi Gras, March 17 for Carnival Celebration, April 5 for Carnival Venezia, and April 6 for Carnival Vista.
The Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast will continue to be offered on the ships until each vessel’s swap date.
The 10-night “Grand Mediterranean” cruise from Barcelona to Rome was to depart on February 8, 2024 and make port calls at Palma de Mallorca, Messina, Athens, Ephesus, Crete, and Naples.
Neither the shipyard nor the cruise line has offered a reason for the delay, but cruise watchers suggest that supply chain obstacles, labor shortages, or inspection issues could be among the challenges.
Sun Princess Under Construction (Photo Credit: Novikov Aleksey / Shutterstock)
So far, only the maiden voyage has been cancelled. The ship’s second scheduled voyage, a 10-day cruise roundtrip from Rome, is still slated to depart on February 18, 2024.
Guests booked on the maiden cruise will receive refunds of their cruise fare, port charges and taxes, and any pre-paid purchases such as dining or drink packages, excursions, spa treatments, and other similar services.
The cruise line is providing up to $200 per person toward flight cancellation or change fees, and is offering all booked guests a future cruise credit equal to 50% of their cruise fare. The credit must be put toward a new booking by November 30, 2024, for cruises departing no later than December 31, 2025.
With the shift, the cruise line will have a dozen ships plying Caribbean waters in fall 2024 and into winter 2025.
Citing strong demand for cruises to warm-weather destinations, the cruise line will homeport the 4,000-Norwegian Getaway and the 4,100-guest Norwegian Epic in New Orleans and Port Canaveral, respectively.
Starting on October 20, 2024, Norwegian Getaway will sail 7-night Western Caribbean cruises from the Big Easy with port calls at Harvest Caye, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Norwegian Epic Cruise Ship in the Caribbean (Photo Credit: Wirestock Creators)
Norwegian Epic, sailing from Port Canaveral, will launch her series of cruises on October 30, 2024, offering multiple 7-day itineraries in the Caribbean and Bahamas. Port calls will vary by departure date, and will include Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and George Town, Grand Cayman, among others.
The repositioning of Norwegian Getaway has resulted in the cancellation of seven Europe sailings. Booked guests have been informed and cruise fares are being refunded. The cruise line has not yet announced any cancellations of Norwegian Epic’s Europe sailings, but it appears at least three voyages will likely be impacted.
More Cruise Headlines
Ready for more? Cruise Hive has additional cruise industry new stories you won’t want to miss, such as Viking opening up all of its 2026 ocean voyages due to strong demand, Disney Cruise Line unveiling new outfits for Mickey and Minnie at its new private destination, luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises adding overnight stays in every port on six itineraries, and Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s Bolette gearing up for her first world voyage in 2025. And don’t miss a special insight article about retiring on a cruise ship.
In a heart-wrenching incident, a Navy veteran and local nurse from Norfolk, Virginia, lost their lives in a motorcycle accident during an offshore excursion from their cruise ship, Norwegian Sky.
Vacation Turned Tragedy
A Norfolk, Virginia, couple’s dream vacation aboard the 2,000-passenger Norwegian Sky turned tragic with a fatal motorcycle accident in Cozumel. Robert Baker, 72, a respected Navy veteran, and Diane Baker, 62, a dedicated nurse at Sentara Lehigh Hospital in Norfolk, began their “5 Night Caribbean: Great Stirrup Cay & Cozumel” cruise from Miami on January 21, only to meet unforeseen tragedy.
Arriving on the island famed for its picturesque landscapes off Cancun on January 23, the couple seized the opportunity to explore the island on a rented motorcycle.
However, as reported by Norfolk news affiliate 10Wavy.com, while traveling along Cozumel’s Southern Coastal Highway, the Bakers’ motorcycle veered off the road, plunging both passengers and the vehicle into thick roadside vegetation.
Road in Cozumel, Mexico (Photo Credit: Javier Garcia)
The accident, which occurred during daylight, sadly went unnoticed for hours. It was not until Tuesday night that a passing motorist spotted the crashed motorcycle and the Bakers.
It is believed that the couple was in the process of returning the motorcycle to catch their cruise ship, which was scheduled to depart at 5 p.m., when the accident occurred. The exact time of the crash remains unknown.
The Risks of Vehicle Rentals in Foreign Locales
This incident adds to a growing list of accidents involving American tourists in Cozumel. Regrettably, another American, Terry “B,” described as being 55 to 60 years of age, lost his life in an ATV accident during a cruise ship excursion on the island on the very same day. The group was only about 1 kilometer into their ride when the event happened.
Similarly, in September 2023, a distressing incident occurred involving two American passengers from Carnival Paradise. During an excursion purchased separately from their cruise ship, Natalia and Ashley Ortega were involved in a serious scooter accident. Unfortunately, the ship left port unaware of their situation, leaving the passengers behind.
It was only after the ship’s departure that the sisters’ mother was contacted, informing her that her daughters had not returned to the ship. Subsequently, it was discovered that the women were receiving care for their injuries in a private hospital.
Photo Credit: PQK / Shutterstock
These incidents underscore the dangers associated with renting vehicles in unfamiliar territories, especially during vacation excursions. In fact, cruise lines, such as Carnival Cruise Line, strongly advise against renting motor vehicles from non-approved vendors in ports of call due to less stringent regulations compared to the U.S.
The variable conditions of vehicles and roads, coupled with relaxed enforcement of local traffic laws, significantly increase the risk of accidents.
Passengers are advised to assess their own experience and comfort level with different modes of transport. Moreover, wearing safety gear like helmets and protective clothing is important.
Navigating the Aftermath of Overseas Incidents
These incidents also regrettably highlight the complexities families face when dealing with accidents abroad. Sam Eisenhuth, the Bakers’ son, faced challenges in seeking information about his parents’ accident through the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
Similarly, the Ortega family was burdened with staggering medical bills, reportedly as high as $20,000.
The Bakers, remembered as active members of the Real Life Christian Church in Chesapeake, Virginia, will be honored in a Celebration of Life service on February 2 at 6:30 p.m. During this difficult time, our thoughts at Cruise Hive are with their family.
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is celebrating the robust recovery it experienced in 2023, even though it reopened to international cruise ships far later than many other facilities in the post-pandemic era.
The terminal, located in the Kowloon City District, began welcoming cruise vessels on March 13, 2023, after China relaxed its pandemic rules.
Cruise Ship Arrivals in 2023 Reach 138
The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong has issued a review of its cruise business in 2023, which got off to a late start but still welcomed 138 cruise ships. While many global ports reopened in 2021 and 2022, Kai Tak remained closed for three years, finally reopening in the first quarter of 2023.
Worldwide Cruise Terminals, based in Hong Kong, manages the Kai Tak facility. The Hong Kong Tourism Board in August 2023 had predicted the terminal would welcome 166 cruise ships, which would have been closer to the 218 that called in pre-pandemic 2019.
The ship, which previously operated as Explorer Dream for Dream Cruises and SuperStar Virgo for Star Cruises, sails multiple itineraries to Sanya, a beach resort on China’s Hainan Island.
“The return of international ship calls and a new homeport deployment marked a positive restart for both cruising and Hong Kong,” said Jeff Bent, managing director at Worldwide Cruise Terminals.
Cruise Ships Docked in Hong Kong (Photo Copyright: leungchopan)
“We were delighted to host cruise ships again for the first time in a year, and welcome international ship calls and visitors back for the first time in three years,” added Bent.
Bent said that the total ship calls in 2023 represented 75% of annual pre-pandemic levels, and enabled the terminal to retain 90% of the local market share of cruise passengers.
Terminal Improvements Geared to Boost Arrivals
Looking ahead to 2024, the terminal is expected to exceed its 2023 numbers and attract more cruise lines. Efforts have been made to improve transportation to and from the terminal, with a new Kai Tak metro station, a new road, high-speed rail, and more bus services that will ease access to downtown Hong Kong.
The transportation upgrades are expected to boost choices for pre- and post-cruise excursions in the city’s Greater Bay Area.
Efforts also focused on helping Hong Kong travel agents sell cruises locally. In November 2023, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) held a day-long selling seminar at the terminal, an educational event that attracted some 50 travel sellers.
Photo Credit: LO Kin-hei / Shutterstock
Led by Peter Kollar, CLIA’s head of international training and development, the seminar included a ship tour of Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice, which was docked at the terminal.
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal also resumed holding activities and performances in 2023, such as sporting competitions, musical events, and a variety of commercial productions.
Major Cruise Lines Sending Ships to Kai Tak
With 2024 representing the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal’s first full year of operations since 2019, officials are upbeat about its prospects for attracting more cruise lines.
“The future for cruising is bright again, and we expect more calls by a wider variety of lines in 2024, including eight inaugural calls. Hong Kong has done much to improve the attractiveness and infrastructure for cruising over the last few years, with new attractions in the West Kowloon Cultural District,” said Managing Director Bent.
Resorts World One is slated to continue homeporting at Kai Tak until early May 2024. Other cruise ships scheduled to call at Kai Tak from February to April 2024 are Holland America Line’s Westerdam and Zuiderdam, Costa Cruises’ Costa Serena and Costa Deliziosa, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Millennium, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, and Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas, among others.
The cruise terminal’s lighter summer schedule shows the planned arrival of MSC Cruises’ MCS Bellissima, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit.
Alongside the news that two ships will be redeployed to offer more popular Caribbean itineraries, Norwegian Cruise Line has correspondingly cancelled a number of voyages for Norwegian Getaway to accommodate the ship’s repositioning.
Impacted guests are receiving some courtesy compensation and have the opportunity to rebook to alternate sailings as desired.
“Due to recent guest demand, we have made the decision to begin Norwegian Getaway’s Caribbean season earlier in the year, therefore canceling her originally scheduled sailings from September 29, 2024, through and including November 27, 2024,”the notification explained.
A total of seven sailings are impacted. The now-cancelled cruises were to have departed from four different eastern Mediterranean homeports – Piraeus (Athens), Istanbul, Trieste, and Civitavecchia (Rome), depending on sailing date. The first six cruises were all Mediterranean and Greek Island itineraries.
The last cancelled sailing, the November 27 departure, was to have been the ship’s 15-night transatlantic cruise from Rome to Miami, calling on Livorno, Marseille, Barcelona, and Ponta Delgada along the way.
That cancellation will be particularly disappointing to guests, as transatlantic cruises are often once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for eager travelers.
Photo Credit: lazyllama / Shutterstock
Norwegian Getaway is now scheduled to begin sailing from New Orleans from October 20, 2024, offering 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries.
The ship will still need to move from the eastern Mediterranean to New Orleans, which will include a transatlantic journey. Norwegian Cruise Line has not yet announced plans for the ship from September 29 through October 19, and it is possible there may be a new transatlantic cruise offered.
It is also possible the ship may enter a brief dry dock or other arrangement for refreshment and general maintenance before beginning her Caribbean season, in which case no new cruises may be planned for early October.
Compensation Offered
Norwegian Cruise Line is providing a full monetary refund for the now-cancelled cruises, which will be automatically returned to the original form of payment. Refund processing may take 30 businesses days, but times for individual financial institutions to complete the refunds may vary.
If travelers paid for their cruise with a future cruise credit, the credit will be returned, in full, to their Latitudes loyalty account. This will be done automatically and no further action is required.
Photo Credit: M-Production / Shutterstock
Furthermore, all guests will be receiving a 10% discount in the form of a future cruise credit as compensation for the inconvenience. These credits will be available for use beginning on February 1, 2024, and can be used toward any published sailing through December 31, 2024. It is unclear whether or not the sailing must embark by that date, or simply if the reservation must be made.
What About Norwegian Epic?
In addition to Norwegian Getaway‘s redeployment, Norwegian Epic is also being relocated early from the Mediterranean to Port Canaveral. No cancellations have yet been confirmed for this vessel, however, but such changes are likely to accommodate the scheduling shift.
Because Norwegian Epic is now scheduled to begin sailing from Port Canaveral on October 30, 2024, at least three of the ship’s later Mediterranean cruises will likely need to be cancelled – the October 17-29 voyage from Rome to Athens, the October 29-November 10 sailing from Athens to Rome, and the November 10-23 cruise from Rome to Port Canaveral.
These three cruises are unlikely to go forward as planned, as Norwegian Epic will need time to resupply and relocate to Port Canaveral before beginning her new 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries. It is also possible that additional sailings might be cancelled if any dry dock refurbishment might be included.
Guests booked on Norwegian Epic at the end of her Mediterranean season should stay in close communication with their travel agent or Norwegian Cruise Line to be updated immediately about any changes or options.
Norwegian Cruise Line is adding two more mega-ships to the roster of vessels it will send to the Caribbean from US ports during fall 2024 and into winter of 2025.
Responding to strong demand for warm-weather vacations at sea, the cruise line will reposition Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic following their 2024 summer season deployments in Europe.
New Voyages to Sail From New Orleans, Port Canaveral
Norwegian Cruise Line in February 2024 will open for sale two new series of Caribbean cruises aboard the 4,000-guest Norwegian Getaway, sailing from New Orleans, and the 4,100-guest Norwegian Epic, operating from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island destinations, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas and Harvest Caye in Belize, are included on the ships’ itineraries.
Norwegian Getaway, a Breakaway-class ship that debuted in 2014, will launch her Western Caribbean series from New Orleans on October 20, 2024, offering 7-day cruises with port calls at Harvest Caye, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Sailing from Port Canaveral, the world’s busiest port in terms of cruise arrivals, Norwegian Epic will begin sailing on October 30, 2024 and offer multiple 7-day itineraries in the Caribbean and Bahamas.
Depending on the departure date, port calls will include Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Photo Credit: M-Production / Shutterstock
Norwegian Epic will replace Norwegian Jade, a smaller, 2,400-guest ship that will homeport at Port Canaveral for the summer season, from June through August 2024, before repositioning to Miami.
“The Caribbean continues to be a hotspot for our guests all around the world, especially during the fall and winter seasons,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line.
“We are constantly looking to provide our guests with the best vacation possible especially from accessible homeports, and it was a no-brainer to bring two of our largest ships to sail more picturesque, tropical cruises from New Orleans and Port Canaveral, Fla.,” Herrera added.
Ships Offer Adult-Only Areas, Water Thrill Rides And More
The 19-deck Norwegian Epic, an Epic-class ship that entered service in 2010, is one of the cruise line’s largest ships, at 155,873 gross tons, and was the first in the fleet to introduce The Haven, Norwegian Cruise Line’s luxury level stateroom category, and studio staterooms for solo cruisers.
The ship has 15 dining venues, 19 bars, the adult-only Posh Beach Club area, and the Aqua Park with the Epic Plunge thrill ride. Prior to her deployment to Port Canaveral, the ship will sail Italy and Greece cruises from Rome in summer 2024.
Norwegian Getaway is a 145,655-gross ton ship featuring Breakaway class amenities that include a full ropes course, the popular Aqua Park with multi-story waterslides, 40 restaurants and bars, and the Waterfront, a spacious walkway that offers ocean views. Before repositioning to New Orleans, she will sail a series of Greek Island and Turkey cruises from Athens.
The two ships join 10 other Norwegian Cruise Line ships that will sail the Caribbean during at least part of the fall 2024 and winter 2025 seasons. These include Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Pearl, and Norwegian Escape, all sailing from Miami.
Also, Norwegian Prima will sail from Galveston, Texas, Norwegian Viva from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Norwegian Jewel from Tampa, Florida. The cruise line operates 19 ships.
When the new cruises aboard Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Getaway open for sale in February, guests can book the line’s Free at Sea value-added fares, which cover beverages, WiFi access, and credits toward specialty dining venues and shore excursions. The promotion also includes free air for the second guest in a cabin, on certain voyages.
