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Holland America Line Creates Longer Cruises From 25-59 Days

Holland America Line, a Carnival Corporation brand already known for offering extended cruises, has created a new category of longer, destination-immersive sailings called Legendary Voyages, featuring a series of itineraries ranging up to 59 days. The new product launch is part of the line’s commemoration of its 150th anniversary this year.

Line Rolls Out ‘Legendary Voyages’

Holland America Line rolled out more than a dozen Legendary Voyages itineraries, a new collection of longer cruises offering sailings from 25 to 59 days. The launch follows a 2022 Holland America announcement that revealed interest in longer voyages was increasing among its guests.

The series will include the comprehensive onboard programs cruisers enjoy in the line’s existing Grand Voyages cruise category, coupled with an extensive array of port calls, many featuring overnight stays.

With the new cruise category, in-depth explorations while in port will be enhanced with Grand Voyages’ onboard activities, such as theme parties and sail away activities, plus immersive shipboard programs that delve into the culture and history of destinations the ships are visiting.

Holland America Koningsdam Cruise Ship
Photo Courtesy: Holland America Line

The new collection offers cruises to Australia and New Zealand, the Amazon and South America, South Pacific and Hawaii, Greenland and Iceland, Asia, Alaska and the Arctic Circle.

Many of the Legendary Voyages sailings are roundtrip from a North American port or begin or end at a North American port, which the line considers an important incentive for US cruisers.

Overnight stays are planned in top domestic and international ports, including Anchorage, Alaska; Hobart, Tasmania; Honolulu, Hawaii; Manaus, Brazil; Moorea, French Polynesia; Papeete, Tahiti; Reykjavík, Iceland; and Yokohama (Tokyo) and Kobe, Japan.

Holland America Line vice president of marketing and e-commerce Kacy Cole said, ”The destination-rich itineraries found on Legendary Voyages are carefully crafted to allow guests to linger longer and enjoy the journey as well as the destination. With many departures from North America, this creates yet another way for our guests to see the world from their doorstep.”

New Itineraries Featured

The Legendary Voyages collection features three itineraries new to Holland America. One, which was announced early this year, is the 28-day Arctic Circle Solstice cruise. It sails to the Arctic Circle and features 11 port calls in Alaska, including the remote destinations of Nome and Homer. Operated onboard the 1,964-guest Westerdam, the voyage sails roundtrip from Seattle and departs June 9, 2024.

Holland America Westerdam Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Jason Wells / Shutterstock

Two additional new itineraries include the 53-day Majestic Japan cruise sailing roundtrip from Seattle aboard Westerdam on September 1, 2024, with overnights in Yokohama (Tokyo) and Kobe, and the 28-day Coral Triangle, Volcanoes and The Great Barrier Reef cruise roundtrip from Singapore aboard the 1,924-guest Noordam.

Read Also: How Much Does an Alaskan Cruise Cost? – What to Budget

Other Legendary Voyages cruises include a 35-day Voyage of the Vikings departing July 20, 2024, aboard the 2,272-guest Zuiderdam and sailing roundtrip from Boston; a 35-day Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas cruise departing February 17, 2024, aboard the 2,650-guest Koningsdam and sailing roundtrip from San Diego, and a 28-day Amazon Explorer departing February 17, 2024, aboard the 1,432-guest Zaandam, operating roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

Cruisers who book the new Legendary Voyages sailings with the Have It All premium package receive incentives such as shore excursion credits, specialty dining options, beverage and WiFi packages, included crew gratuities and other perks.

Virgin Voyages Introduces New Entertainment Across the Fleet

Virgin Voyages has announced a new fleet-wide line-up of entertainment that will debut in 2023. The brand is expanding and mixing its award-winning nightlife offerings, culinary options, luxurious accommodations, wellness experiences, and more with brand-new, fresh, and exhilarating entertainment across its fleet of cruise ships.

The new line-up will feature various immersive experiences, live music acts, comedy shows, and rotating performances on a festival stage. There will also be can’t-miss experiences like the Supper Club Series and Lola’s Library, an immersive cabaret that invites guests to stay all night or pop in and out at their leisure. 

Virgin Brings Back the Supper Club and More

Virgin Voyages has announced a new entertainment line-up for its four cruise ships, Valiant lady, Resilient Lady, Brilliant Lady, and Scarlet Lady. This is in addition to the exciting partnership the cruise line has with global superstar Jennifer Lopez.

One of the most exciting parts of the new lineup is that Virgin Voyages is introducing a Supper Club Series as part of its entertainment offerings in 2023. The Supper Club Series will bring back the style and sophistication of classic supper clubs, offering guests a unique combination of cabaret, world-class dining, and theater spectacle.

Duel Reality on Virgin Voyages
Duel Reality on Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages is introducing five new productions, including Persephone, Lola’s Library, and Another Rose, which will be available on Resilient Lady. The line-up also includes Mind Mangler and Miss Behave, designed to be hilarious and interactive experiences.

Virgin Voyages’ Happenings Cast will still delight guests throughout Virgin’s cruise ships with over 50 activities and events on each ship, including Scarlet Night, the brand’s signature event that tells the story of the Octopus Goddess of the Sea and the Sailor who won her heart. The Happenings Cast is Virgin’s take on the cruise director on more traditional cruise ships.

Scarlet Lady at Virgin Voyages Miami Terminal
Photo Credit: Virgin Voyages

Richard Kilman, Vice President of Entertainment: “We are so excited to bring our award-winning entertainment approach to life in 2023 across our whole fleet. With the anticipated launch of Resilient Lady, we’re expanding on our entertainment and nightlife, and we’re thrilled to debut a new line-up of shows with the same incredible production elements.” 

“Across the fleet, we are tapping into talent from all around the world, we’re ramping up comedy acts, and we are introducing new immersive performances that stick to that uniquely Virgin Voyages style and give people the opportunity to see or do something they never have before. It’s going to be epic.”

Festival Stage Acts

Virgin Voyages has announced that after their respective MerMaiden voyages, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady will debut their own Festival Stage programs in The Red Room. This comes after the successful introduction of Festival Stage Acts on Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady in February.

The Manor
The Manor

The acts, which take place in The Manor, are a series of rotating, comedy-driven performances that change every two to four weeks. Festival Stage is designed to showcase up-and-coming talent, featuring incredibly talented mentalists, magicians, a cappella groups, and comedians. 

Virgin Voyages currently has two ships sailing, Valiant Lady and Scarlet Lady, offering a range of itineraries in the Caribbean and the Bahamas from Miami. 

Resilient Lady is set to launch on May 14, 2023. Its first cruise is the seven-night Resilient Lady Athens Mermaiden itinerary, which includes stops in Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum, and Mykonos, before returning to Piraeus on May 21.

Meanwhile, Brilliant Lady is set to launch on December 24, 2023. Its first cruise is a five-night Brilliant Miami Mermaiden Holidays cruise, including stops in Puerto Plata/Amber Cove, St. Croix, and San Juan, before returning to Miami on December 29. All four cruise ships are 110.000 gross tons and have a maximum double occupancy of 2700 guests. 

Norwegian Expands Cruises and Details Inaugural Visits

Norwegian Cruise Line announced it will deploy three ships to Asia in 2024/2025 and is adding new ports of call to its Middle East and Africa sailings. In another first for the line, Norwegian Star will depart from Ushuaia, Argentina, on her 2025 South America voyage to Brazil and Antarctica. The new and expanded itineraries opened for bookings on March 7. Another three NCL ships will also debut in Asia with expanded offerings.

Several New Port Calls

Norwegian Cruise Line took the wraps off a new season of cruises operating from October 2024 to December 2025, a schedule that reflects a 37% increase in sailings to Asia, Antarctica, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, the line will boost by 15% its collection of immersive voyages, called Extraordinary Journeys.

New port calls will be made to Manama, Bahrain; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Sokhna, Egypt; and Akita, Japan. Norwegian said the new collection of itineraries reaffirms the line’s commitment to providing guests with curated voyages to sought-after destinations.

Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO said, ”Our guests are craving longer, immersive and more unique itineraries that take them off the beaten path. These new sailings represent the most diverse itinerary program to date and feature many brand firsts, including an extended Asia offering and new ports in Argentina, Bahrain, Japan and Egypt.” 

Betting on Asia

The cruise line’s focus on Asia will see three ships sailing the region, the 2,018-guest Norwegian Spirit, 1,976-guest Norwegian Sun and 2,004-guest Norwegian Sky. Two of the ships, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky, will deploy for an eight-month season from October 2024 to May 2025, operating cruises in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan.

Norwegian Sky Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock

The new port call in Akita will be offered on Norwegian Sun’s 12-day roundtrip sailing from Tokyo, embarking on Oct. 23, 2024. Norwegian Spirit will join the Asia deployment after a repositioning cruise from Australia on December 7, 2024.

The presence of three Norwegian ships in Asia follows the cancelation of the line’s entire Asia program in 2022 and 2023. The line announced in May 2022 that its planned schedule of sailings onboard Norwegian Sun between October 2022 and April 2023 was cancelled due to challenging and inconsistent local travel restrictions related to the public health environment in Asia. The ship was instead deployed to Europe.

Antarctica and Beyond

Norwegian’s maiden voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina, aboard the 2,348-guest Norwegian Star is a 14-day South America voyage to Brazil and Antarctica departing March 1, 2025.

The line said that embarking in Ushuaia reduces the number of sea days required for an Antarctica cruise, allowing guests more time in port. The ship will cruise through Paradise Bay in Antarctica and call at Puerto Madryn, and Buenos Aires, Argentina; Montevideo and Punta Del Este, Uruguay; and Sao Paulo (Santos).

Norwegian Star Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Tatiana Diuvbanova / Shutterstock

The line’s maiden call to Manama, Bahrain, will be offered on its first dedicated Middle East sailing, a 7-day cruise on Norwegian Sun from Doha, Qatar, to Dubai, UAE, departing April 12, 2025. The itinerary includes an overnight stay in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and calls at Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Sir Bani Yas.

Other Middle East voyages include a 16-day Middle East Extraordinary Journey aboard Norwegian Sky from Haifa, Israel, to Dubai, UAE. The itinerary includes a transit of the Suez Canal in Egypt.

Norwegian Spirit will return to Australia for her third season Down Under and will sail a new 14-day cruise from Sydney to Bali in December 2024. The ship will make the line’s maiden call to Rarotonga, Cook Islands in November 2025.

Extraordinary Journeys

Norwegian Cruise Line is enhancing its Extraordinary Journeys collection with two new back-to-back voyages aboard Norwegian Sky.

Departing in December 2024, the ship will operate a 16-day Africa sailing to the Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, Oman and other ports during its voyage from Dubai, UAE, to Mauritius. From Mauritius, the ship will offer a 17-day sailing to Singapore with calls to Seychelles, Maldives and Zanzibar.

Another cruise under the Journeys collection is the April 19, 2025 departure of Norwegian Sun on a 16-day cruise from Dubai, UAE, to Haifa, Israel. A new port call on this cruise is Sokhna, Egypt, a destination offering access to Cairo and excursions to the Great Pyramids of Giza.  

Norwegian Cruise Line Makes Another Itinerary Change

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a significant itinerary change to its upcoming sailing of the Norwegian Joy just days before its departure on March 11, 2023. 

The cruise line has cited congestion concerns at the port as the reason for the change. The port change is part of a long list of changes that Norwegian Cruise Line has made to itineraries for its cruise ships. On March 13, only one other cruise ship was scheduled to be in the port of Roatan.

Norwegian Joy Itinerary Change

Norwegian Cruise Line has decided not to include a call to Roatan, Honduras, in its Norwegian Joy itinerary for the upcoming March 11 sailing. 

The original itinerary for the Norwegian Joy included stops in Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. The stop in Roatán has now been replaced with Bimini in the Bahamas. The guests were notified of the change, citing unforeseen circumstances and crowding at the port.

Worth Reading: Norwegian Cruise Ship Arrives at Port Earlier Than Expected

Only one other cruise ship was due in port in Roatan on March 13, the 2124-guest Carnival Paradise. Roatan regularly has days with many more cruise ships in port. For example, on March 15, four ships are scheduled to visit the port: Allure of the Seas, Carnival Glory, Carnival Pride, and Norwegian Dawn.

Norwegian Joy Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Solarisys / Shutterstock

The modified itinerary for the Norwegian Joy departure from Miami, Florida, on March 11, will be followed by a day at sea. Cozumel, Mexico, is next on the itinerary on March 13 instead of March 16. Further calls include Harvest Caye, Belize, on March 14, and Costa Maya, Mexico, on March 15. Following a day at sea, Norwegian Joy will visit Bimini in the Bahamas on March 17. 

Besides the switches to the days and ports, timings have also been changed. The Harvest Caye visit will be an hour later on arrival and departure, while the visit to Cozumel will now be from 6 AM until 4 PM. Norwegian Joy was initially scheduled to be in port until 8 PM. The timing change now potentially disrupts plans for guests to go out for dinner or plan more extended tours in the popular Mexican port. 

Although the changes are unfortunate, guests must accept the changes made by Norwegian Cruise Line. Legally, a cruise line can change the scheduled itineraries for any number of reasons, which the cruise line has taken advantage of in the last few months. 

Efficiency and Sustainability or Financial Gain?

Norwegian Cruise Line’s decision to change the itinerary of the Norwegian Joy just days before its scheduled sailing is part of a trend of itinerary changes that the cruise line has been making to become more efficient and sustainable.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Photo Credit: Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock

This trend is aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of cruises, addressing issues such as weather, port congestion, and unscheduled dry docks:

  • The April 13 departure of Norwegian Sky was adjusted to “reduce its carbon footprint.”
  • Norwegian Cruise Line has changed itineraries for the Norwegian Getaway across two different cruises, with one change made due to weather.
  • Norwegian Epic‘s upcoming March 19 sailing is changed, with one port of call being canceled and another extended. The affected cruise is a 7-night roundtrip Caribbean sailing from Puerto Rico. 
  • Guests who booked aboard June 8, 2023, sailing of Norwegian Sky will experience a significantly different itinerary. The ports of call and the length of every port stay have been adjusted in the name of the cruise line’s global sustainability program, Sail & Sustain.
  • Norwegian Cruise Line cancelled a month of sailings for the Norwegian Joy in early 2024 due to the ship’s dry dock. This includes four affected sailings, including two 15-night voyages between Miami and Los Angeles, a 5-night Mexican Riviera getaway, and a 7-night sailing from Miami to Honduras, Belize, and Mexico. 
  • Due to dry dock, the cruise line also cancelled multiple sailings for the Norwegian Escape cruise ship in June last year.

While these itinerary changes may be seen as being driven by financial gain in some cases, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Sail & Sustain program highlights the company’s commitment to the environment and the communities that it visits. The program promotes sustainable practices across the company’s operations, including fuel and energy conservation, waste reduction, and recycling.

Worth Reading: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Transatlantic Voyage Did Not Go as Planned

However, it’s worth noting that itinerary changes can also result from financial considerations, such as maximizing the time guests spend onboard the ships while at sea. This would allow the cruise line to increase onboard revenue from the casino, onboard shops, and food and beverage programs.

FBI Investigates Death Aboard Carnival Cruise Ship

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been called in to investigate a death onboard the Carnival Sunshine. The incident occurred during the ship’s February 27, 2023 sailing, and proper authorities are working to determine the circumstances of the case. At no time were other guests or crew members onboard the ship at any risk.

Death Aboard Carnival Sunshine

During the February 27, 2023 cruise, a 5-night Bahamas cruise roundtrip from Charleston, South Carolina, a female passenger onboard the ship was found unresponsive in her stateroom.

“Medical staff and other crew members of Carnival’s Sunshine were made aware of the passenger being unresponsive and immediately attempted life-saving measures,” an FBI spokesperson for the Columbia field office said in a statement. “Despite their efforts, the passenger was pronounced deceased on the ship.”

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Daniel Wright98 / Shutterstock

While the woman’s body and her husband were disembarked in The Bahamas, the FBI was contacted to process the couple’s stateroom after the conclusion of the cruise, as is standard procedure to assess potential evidence.

“The FBI investigates certain crimes on the high seas, as well as suspicious deaths of U.S. persons,” the statement explained.

Both Bahamian authorities and the FBI are working together in the ongoing investigation, including conducting an autopsy. At this time, the death is being labeled as “suspicious” but no further details have been released, not only to protect the integrity of the investigation but also to protect the privacy of those involved.

Read Also: Do Cruise Ships Have Morgues?

There was no threat to other guests onboard the ship, or to the ship’s crew members, either before or after the guest’s death. Carnival Sunshine was not delayed in her return to Charleston on March 4, and her next cruise, another 5-night Bahamas sailing, has begun as planned.

Sailing on Carnival Sunshine

The 102,853-gross-ton Carnival Sunshine, formerly Carnival Destiny, is homeported from Charleston, offering a variety of itineraries to The Bahamas and occasional longer Eastern Caribbean sailings. The ship will remain homeported from the “Holy City” through 2024, when Carnival Cruise Line’s agreement with the city will end.

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Ihor Koptilin / Shutterstock

Future port development may bring cruises back to Charleston in the years to come. The February 27 cruise was a 5-night voyage, calling on Nassau and Half Moon Cay, along with a day at sea to start and end the getaway.

Carnival Sunshine originally debuted as Carnival Destiny in 1996, but was radically updated with a $155 million renovation in 2013 to become a completely new ship.

This sad incident is, unfortunately, not the first time a death has been reported related to Carnival Sunshine. In 2016, a well-liked crew member died after a medical emergency.

Deaths have also occurred aboard other Carnival ships, such as a guest’s death aboard Carnival Miracle in March 2016, and such incidents also happen on all cruise lines.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the crew members, family, and friends affected by this sad incident.

Princess Cruise Ship Delayed Embarkation Due to Gastrointestinal Illness

Ruby Princess, a cruise ship owned by Princess Cruises, experienced a small number of gastrointestinal illnesses during a recent voyage between February 26 and March 5, 2023. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has initiated an investigation. 

As a result of increased sanitation that took place after guests had disembarked the vessel, Ruby Princess‘s departure from Galveston, Texas, on March 5, 2023, was delayed for several hours. 

CDC Investigates Ruby Princess

The CDC has launched an investigation into several cases of gastrointestinal illness onboard Ruby Princess amongst guests and crew members. During the voyage, 199 passengers out of 2,881 (6.61%) and 20 crew members out of 1,159 (1.73%) reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.

Ruby Princess sailed from Galveston, Texas, on February 26 and visited Cozumel, Mexico, Belize City, Belize, and Mahogany Bay, Honduras. Princess Cruises and the ship’s crew acted swiftly in response to the outbreak, implementing increased cleaning and disinfection procedures according to the ship’s outbreak prevention and response plan. 

CDC Sign
Photo Credit: Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com

Gastrointestinal illness is a common sickness that can happen anywhere in the world. It can be spread quickly by an infected person or through contaminated food, water, or surfaces such as handrails and doorknobs. 

Places where people live in close proximity, like cruise ships, are at a higher risk for outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness. This is because the illness can spread easily when people are physically close. 

Vessel Sanitation Program

Vessel Sanitation Program epidemiologists and environmental health officers boarded the ship in Galveston, Texas, on March 5, to conduct a formal outbreak investigation. The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, sometimes called USPH, aims to ensure that each cruise ship is clean and free of germs and bacteria. The program performs random inspections of each ship that enters US waters. 

The areas checked include the medical center, portable water systems, dining areas, pools and whirlpools, housekeeping, pest management, child activity centers, and HVAC systems. Ships then receive a score based on the investigations that took place.

Ruby Princess, Galveston
Photo Credit: Princess Cruises

Most cruise ships score 90 out of 100 or higher on the CDC’s inspection scale, and any vessel that fails the inspection must correct the issues before sailing again. While gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships are relatively infrequent, cruise lines take numerous measures to prevent them.

Ruby Princess Departure Delayed Due to Sanitation Measures

Ruby Princess‘s departure from Galveston, Texas, on March 5, 2023, was delayed due to the increased sanitation measures the cruise ship took to prevent the spread of the gastrointestinal illness reported during the previous voyage. 

Princess Cruises sent a message to guests booked on the following cruise: “Please be advised that embarkation for your Ruby Princess cruise has been delayed. During the current cruise, there were elevated case counts of gastrointestinal illness among guests. A comprehensive sanitation program was launched in response, and Ruby Princess underwent prolonged disinfection in Galveston on Sunday, March 5, 2023.”

Ruby Princess has since set off on her 7-night Western Caribbean and Mexico cruise. The cruise schedule includes several ports of call, including Roatan, Honduras, Belize City, Belize, and Cozumel, Mexico. 

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas Playable in Fortnite

Whether Royal Caribbean still needs the hype around Icon of the Seas to become even bigger is unclear, but the cruise line is certainly trying. The newest part of the extensive marketing efforts around Icon of the Seas? Royal Caribbean International’s addition to the online gaming world. 

This one-of-a-kind adventure in the world’s most popular computer game, Fortnite, allows players to experience the cruise ship before its debut in January 2024.

Icon of the Seas in Fortnite

Icon of the Seas promises to be a one-of-a-kind cruise ship that will break every record when she sets sail in January 2024. To give future guests a chance to see what the ship will be like, Royal Caribbean has added a new experience to its already extensive marketing repertoire: Icon of the Seas on Fortnite.

Gamers can explore Thrill Island and The Hideaway, two of the eight revolutionary neighborhoods, while playing Royal Caribbean: Hide ’N’ Sea on Fortnite.

Players can also enjoy the largest waterpark at sea, Category 6, and Crown’s Edge, a thrilling skywalk and ropes course towering 154 feet above the ocean. The Hideaway Pool, the world’s first suspended infinity pool at sea, and Flowrider are also available in the game. Other areas are not, or possibly not yet, available in the Fortnite gameplay.

Icon of the Seas Fortnite
Image Courtesy: Royal Caribbean

The digital interpretation of Icon of the Seas is available on desktops, game consoles, smartphones, and tablets. For those who want to explore Icon of the Seas digitally, they will need to download Fortnite and create a free account. Once in the game, enter the Icon of the Seas in-game island code, 2569-9622-8657.

Exploring New Ways to Reach Guests

Royal Caribbean International has said that the company aims to show up unexpectedly and reach families where they spend time. Fortnite is an excellent choice, with around 80 million players worldwide, mostly younger. 

Younger guests play a significant role in Royal Caribbean’s plans for Icon of the Seas. The Hide ’N’ Sea Fortnite map allows families to see, touch and experience Thrill Island and The Hideaway before they set foot onboard next year.

Icon of the Seas Fortnite
Image Courtesy: Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean follows in the footsteps of its sister cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, which introduced its digital version of Celebrity Beyond late last year. 

Celebrity Cruises launched the virtual experience called “Wonderverse,” allowing guests to explore a digital version of their newest ship and interact with designers and even Captain Kate McCue as digital avatars. The Wonderverse provides guests with a great insight into what they can expect from their cruise onboard Celebrity Beyond.

The Real Icon of the Seas Arrives in Eary 2024

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world. The vessel will measure 250,800 gross tons, be 20 decks high, and be 1,198 feet long.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas
Render Courtesy: Royal Caribbean

Icon of the Seas can carry 5,610 passengers at double occupancy or up to 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy, plus 2,350 crew members. It will be Royal Caribbean’s most sustainable ship, powered by liquefied natural gas and fuel cell technology.

The ship will sail weekly from the port of Miami starting January 27, 2024, and will offer a variety of itineraries. These include weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries featuring stops at destinations like St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Roatan, Honduras, and Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

World’s Largest Cruise Ship Oversold for Spring Break

Royal Caribbean International has been reaching out to guests booked on the March 12, 2023 sailing of Wonder of the Seas with news of overbooking. The cruise line is offering a variety of rebooking options if guests’ travel plans are flexible, with generous compensation for the error.

Guests Offered Rebooking Options

In an email sent to booked guests, Royal Caribbean International has acknowledged an inventory error that has oversold Wonder of the Seas. “We’re sorry to inform you that due to an unexpected inventory error, your scheduled Wonder of the Seas March 12th, 2023 sailing is currently oversold,” the email reads.

The impacted cruise is a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing, visiting St. Kitts, St. Thomas, and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in The Bahamas.

This is not the first time Wonder of the Seas has been inadvertently oversold. A similar situation occurred for the December 11, 2022 sailing. Three different options are being offered in an attempt to correct this latest overbooking, but guests may not be pleased with the proposed options.

Sail on a Different Ship

The first option is to transfer the Wonder of the Seas booking to Explorer of the Seas instead, sailing from PortMiami on March 12 for a 6-night cruise rather than a 7-night cruise. This option will also include a 100% refund of the Wonder of the Seas fare, as well as a $300 onboard credit to enjoy Explorer of the Seas.

If the Explorer of the Seas fare is lower than the fare paid for Wonder of the Seas, guests will also receive a refund for the price difference, returned to their original form of payment. Guests must still pay taxes, port fees, and gratuities for the new cruise.

Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas
Photo Credit: Merrillie Redden / Shutterstock

Explorer of the Seas will be sailing a Western Caribbean itinerary for the March 12 cruise, visiting Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and CocoCay.

While the proposed option can be of great value for guests, the differences in cruise itineraries, departure ports, and the ships themselves may make this option less appealing.

Wonder of the Seas is currently the newest and largest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, having just debuted in 2022 and weighing in at 236,857 gross tons.

The Voyager-class Explorer of the Seas is significantly smaller and older, having debuted in 2000. At just 138,194 gross tons, Explorer of the Seas does not have the same features and amenities as the larger, more advanced Wonder of the Seas.

Sail on a Different Date

The second option offered to guests on the oversold sailing is to transfer their Wonder of the Seas booking to a different sailing date. Only two select dates are available for this offer – the July 30 and August 13 sailings this summer.

Both alternative sailing dates are 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises, visiting St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and CocoCay. While this is not quite the same itinerary as the original March 12 departure date, it is a close comparison.

The dates themselves may be problematic for many travelers, however. The week of March 12 is the local Spring Break week, and it is likely that many families have been looking forward to their oceangoing getaway during that school vacation.

Wonder of the Seas
Wonder of the Seas (Photo Credit: EWY Media / Shutterstock)

While the alternative July 30 sailing date is before local schools begin the 2023-2024 school year, the first day of school is August 10, meaning the second alternative sailing date – August 13 – is not as attractive, because it would mean students miss critical first days of school.

Full Cancellation and Refund

The third option offered to guests is to completely cancel their sailing. Not only will guests receive a full, 100% refund of their cruise fare, but they will also receive a 100% cruise fare future cruise credit (FCC), which can be used for any Royal Caribbean sailing departing through March 15, 2024.

This would refund the first cruise, and give guests a good credit to use on any future cruise for the next year. This is a great option for guests who do not have immediately flexible travel plans, but who are willing to rebook for a future date on the sailing of their choice.

More Compensation Offered

Regardless of which option guests choose, Royal Caribbean will also fully refund or reimburse any pre-purchased, non-refundable travel expenses, such as airfare and hotel rooms. Guests are also not obligated to accept any of the options, and can instead remain on the original sailing.

“This special offer is time-limited and subject to availability,” the email explains. “If you’re happy to be excluded from the special offer, please disregard this email – no further action is required.”

It is possible, however, that if not enough guests accept one of the options, oversold bookings may be cancelled and refunded, but without the special offers.

Guests who are interested in taking advantage of the offer need to contact the cruise line to make suitable arrangements and select their option. It is likely that the offer is only being made to those guests in oversold stateroom categories, and may not be available to all passengers booked during the Spring Break cruise.

What Is the Port Side and Why Is it Called That?

Nautical terms can almost be considered a foreign language. Standardized language at sea is necessary for the safety and efficiency of the crew operating any ship, including a cruise ship. But as a passenger, you may be curious about what these terms mean. 

If you’ve ever been on a ship or even simply heard mariners talk about a ship, you’ve probably heard the term “port side.” This term is often used enough that it may have piqued your curiosity, and you may be wondering what exactly it’s referring to. Well, you’ve come to the right place to find out.

In this article, you’ll learn what exactly port side refers to and why it’s called that.

What Is the Port Side?

In simple terms, the port side is the left-hand side of the ship or vessel. The right-hand side is referred to as the starboard.

A port is where you meet to get on your cruise ship. Specifically, there is a pier at the port to allow you to embark on the ship. The port side is where ships dock at the port, hence the name. 

Historically, this is the side where the cargo would be brought on the ship. In the context of cruise ships, this is the side from which you access the ship to get on and off for your cruise.

Port side of the cruise ship
Photo Credit: NAPA / Shutterstock

What’s more is that the port side of a ship has a red light that is usually on, especially at night, to let other ships know that it’s coming and which way to go. The starboard side of a ship has a green light. 

While this explanation is simple enough, you may wonder, why aren’t the sides simply referred to as “left” and “right”? Let’s find out.

Why Is It Called Port Side?

The left side of the ship is called the port side to avoid confusion among the crew onboard, especially when it comes time to dock the ship. 

Historically, ships with starboard or steerboard would dock at ports with them on the opposite side to not interfere. With the way the ships were built, the ship’s right side was always the side with the steerboard. This meant that the left side was always the side on which the ship would dock at the port. 

However, the language sometimes gets confusing because the sailors would often call out the side based on their orientation, meaning saying “left” or “right” wasn’t always accurate. Most sailors were right-handed, but it would get confusing when the odd left-handed sailor would call out the opposite way.

Sailing Ship
Sailing Ship (Photo Credit: Henrik A. Jonsson / Shutterstock)

To standardize the language, sailors would call out “larboard” to refer to the ship’s left side, but you can see how that can easily be confused with “starboard,” especially during chaotic times at sea.

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The name for the vessel’s left side went through numerous variations in Old English until they decided to refer to this side as “port,” as it accurately describes that side’s use and is much easier to distinguish from “starboard.” That language continues to be used today.

Therefore, using the terms “port side” and “starboard” is a way of standardizing nautical language, avoiding confusion, and ensuring the safety of all onboard. 

Wrap-Up

While knowing the port side isn’t particularly necessary knowledge for you as a cruise passenger – it will be obvious on your cruise side you need to use it to get on and off the ship – it’s still an interesting thing to know.

Hopefully, this article hasn’t just explained the port side but has also provided you with a brief history lesson on nautical orientation. Next time you get on your cruise and hear “port side,” you’ll know exactly what the crew is referring to. To impress the crew even more, you may even want to look up other cruise ship terminology!