Princess Cruises has recently introduced upgrades to its all-inclusive packages, Princess Premier and Princess Plus, to provide guests with more value for their money. Both packages now come with significantly more perks.
The packages include a variety of amenities, such as drinks, WiFi, gratuities, fitness classes, premium desserts, and more, all bundled together at a discounted price. The packages help guests save money, as savings could amount to more than 60% compared to buying each included perk individually.
Princess Plus Package
The Princess Plus package costs $60 per person per day and includes several amenities with which guests can enhance their cruise experience. With this package, they can enjoy the Plus beverage package, WiFi for one device, and gratuities, with the addition now of two premium desserts daily, unlimited juice bar beverages, and two Xponential fitness classes per cruise.
Princess Cruises Packages
The Plus package includes sodas, specialty coffees and teas, cocktails, wine, and beer for up to $15 each.
Guests can also indulge their sweet tooth with two Princess Premium desserts daily. The Xponential fitness classes offer a great way to stay balanced during a cruise and get rid of the calories from the desserts again, with a range of options from Pure Barre to Yoga Six and Stretch Lab.
Princess Premier Package
The Princess Premier package is the top-of-the-line option that costs $80 per person per day and includes everything offered in the Princess Plus package, plus several additional amenities.
With this package, guests could already enjoy the Premier beverage package, WiFi for up to four devices, included gratuities, specialty dining, a photo package deal, and princess prizes.
Additionally, guests now get unlimited juice bar beverages, Xponential fitness classes, premium desserts, a Medallion accessory to create a memorable piece of jewelry, and reserved seating in the theater.
Photo Courtesy: Princess Cruises
The Premier beverage package includes everything in the Plus beverage package and drinks up to $20 each, with a premium selection of spirits, cocktails, and wine by the glass.
The photo package includes unlimited digital photos taken by onboard photographers and up to three prints of guest’s favorite images. Guests can also enjoy two specialty dining meals at Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, or other onboard restaurants, and participate in Princess Prizes, where they can win big prizes on their cruise, from new experiences to free cruises and even more specialty dinners.
Princess Cruises also offers the Standard Package, the basic cruise fare without any included amenities for passengers not interested in the all-inclusive packages. Guests still have the option to pay for individual amenities on board but must realize they will pay a significant amount more than they would when purchasing the packages.
Benefits of the All-Inclusive Packages
By bundling the most popular amenities together, guests can save money compared to buying them separately. The savings for Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages are approximately 54% and 66%, respectively, versus purchasing each amenity individually.
Moreover, these packages offer convenience, as guests can enjoy multiple amenities without worrying about the individual cost of each. As we’ve seen with numerous cruise lines in the past months, prices are increasing across the industry, so trying various new methods to offer savings is a great idea.
In December of last year, Princess Cruises announced a hike to the prices of its beverage packages. The price per drink for the Plus Beverage Package went up to a maximum of $15 from $12, while the premium beverage package went up to $20 per glass, up from $15.
The cruise line also hiked the price of specialty dining options by up to 25%, with Bistro Sur La Mer costing $39 per person from February 2023 onwards, up from $29. The increases follow another hike in crew gratuity and Wi-Fi charges.
Carnival Cruise Line is doubling down on reminders for guests to respect the established code of conduct, and warning guests of the consequences of poor behavior ahead of the busy spring break season.
The cruise line has emailed booked guests with another detailed reminder of current policies, including the use of earphones, alcohol guidelines, smoking, and more.
Carnival Emails Spring Break Guests
The traditional spring break period includes sailings in March and April, and Carnival Cruise Line is expecting fully-booked ships with many younger cruisers, not only children, but college-age adults as well. To ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all passengers, the cruise line has emailed guests with more code of conduct reminders.
“You will be sailing with us during Spring Break, which is traditionally a period of high occupancy,”the email reads.“As part of our commitment to create the best environment to provide a fun and memorable vacation for all, we would like to remind you of our Safety First! guidelines.”
Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock
The letter goes on to detail a number of concerns, including the fact that a cruise ship is a shared space and that “all guests should feel welcome and included, and that everyone demonstrates care and respect towards each other.”
All booked guests must acknowledge Carnival Cruise Line’s Code of Conduct during check-in as the first step in ensuring that everyone aboard is aware of behavioral expectations and cruise line policies.
The email also encourages groups and families to have pre-cruise discussions to be sure that everyone is aware of onboard policies. Several contentious behaviors are highlighted in the email, including:
The requirement to use earphones when listening to music or watching shows or movies on mobile devices in public areas.
The confiscation of portable speakers and large stereos, which will be returned at the end of the cruise.
The prohibition on saving deck chairs or lounge seats, as all seating is first-come, first-served.
Each of these behaviors can be very irritating to cruise passengers, and Carnival Cruise Line has made a strong push in recent months to curb such disrespectful actions, hoping to give every guest a more pleasant vacation.
Photo Credit: gary yim / Shutterstock
The letter also goes into great detail about the cruise line’s alcohol policy, drinking age, and what types of drinks may or may not be brought onboard in either checked or carry-on bags.
The tobacco and marijuana smoking policy is also covered in detail, noting a $500 fine per violation if guests do not follow the restriction on what smoking is permitted and where smoking areas are located.
“This applies to all forms of smoking, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaporizers, electronic cigarettes, and marijuana,”the email outlined. The email concludes with reminding all guests to be aware of their personal safety onboard, to not climb on rails, and to be mindful of wet surfaces.
The video also discussed how the cruise line works to create a safe and enjoyable vacation for guests, including updated security procedures, additional crew training, and enhanced guest communications so all passengers are aware of policies.
These changes follow a series of highly publicized incidents in spring and summer 2022, when onboard violence caused concern among travelers and may have influenced guests’ choice of cruise line.
Carnival Cruise Line has also implemented a youth curfew, posted additional signage onboard its ships, hired narcotics-sniffing dogs for use in homeport terminals, and taken other bold steps to curb poor behavior.
Will multiple emails put guests off the cruise line in fear of what could happen, or does it provide extra security so everyone is aware of expectations? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive Boards!
John Heald, Brand Ambassador of Carnival Cruise Line, has announced the details for the next For Fun’s Sake (FFS) Cruise. The FFS cruise will set sail on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship in February 2024.
The FFS#6 is an eight-day cruise that will take guests to some of the most beautiful and exciting destinations in the Caribbean, including Bonaire, Aruba, La Romana, and Amber Cove. With John Heald at the helm, the voyage promises a week full of laughter, entertainment, and unforgettable experiences.
Heald’s FFs Carnival Horizon Group Cruise
The FFS Cruises have become a tradition among Carnival Cruise Line fans since their launch in 2007. Known initially as Bloggers Cruises, the FFS cruises were created to bring together John Heald’s blog followers and give them a chance to cruise together and have fun.
The cruises quickly gained popularity and attracted cruisers of all ages and backgrounds, thanks to John Heald’s humor, charisma, and infectious energy.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald
The FFS#6 promises to be one of the most exciting cruises of 2024. Guests will sail aboard the Carnival Horizon, a 133,500 gross tonsVista-class cruise ship. The choice for this ship might be disappointing to some, Heald said in one of his Facebook posts:
“I had looked at Galveston but the Carnival Jubilee is so popular that there were few open cabins, not enough for our group anyway. I then looked at other home ports including a Panama cruise from Tampa and an Alaskan cruise on the Carnival Luminosa.”
“I know that this would have pleased some, but the majority would have been disappointed. I know I am never going to please everyone with my choice, and to those who I have disappointed, I do apologize.”
“However, I think the itinerary and the ship will provide us with a wonderful time, and it will be the first time I have ever had a cruise formally known as the bloggers cruise on this wonderful vessel.”
On the cruise, guests can attend various events and activities hosted by John Heald himself. These events include cocktail parties, breakfasts, question-and-answer sessions, tea times, karaoke nights, and more. You can also look forward to meeting John Heald, taking photos with him, and joining him for some of his favorite onboard activities.
The Itinerary
The FFS#6 itinerary is designed to give guests the perfect mix of sea days and port calls. The cruise will start in Miami, Florida, where guests will embark on February 17, 2024. The first two days will be fun days at sea, giving guests plenty of time to explore the ship and participate in various onboard activities.
Photo Copyright: Tony Davis (Flickr)
The first port of call is Bonaire, a small island in the southern Caribbean known for its pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and fantastic coral reefs. The following day the ship will call to Aruba, a beautiful island home to some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches, including Eagle Beach and Palm Beach.
The vessel will then sail to La Romana in the Dominican Republic. The final port of call is Amber Cove. Located in the eastern Caribbean, this private 30-acre retreat is exclusively offered as a port of call to cruisers from Carnival and its sister companies.
As a private resort destination for Carnival, Amber Cove is crammed with watersports activities, dining opportunities, shopping, shore excursions, and fun attractions. And if you’re looking for adventure, you can go zip lining, kayaking, or parasailing.
Cruise travel is always evolving to meet different cruisers’ expectations and to offer new and exciting options for oceangoing getaways, but not every change or trend is necessarily positive.
There are some trends cruisers should be really concerned about, because they might signify a fundamental change in what cruise vacations offer. If these trends continue, cruising may never be the same.
A one-time change for an emergency or an unusual situation is not a trend, but when cruise lines adapt new policies and shift operations permanently, that can create a new trend that other cruise lines may follow.
Some trends are great and may offer more value for guests, make it easier to enjoy a cruise, improve accessibility onboard ships, or open up new ports for visitors.
Other trends, however, can be more troubling, and may involve cutbacks, service reductions, or loss of what makes cruising so special and enjoyable for millions of passengers every year.
Cruise Ships in Miami, Florida (Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock)
There are times when a cruise line might try out a trend for a limited time or only on a few ships, only to find that it has a negative impact on guests’ experiences and the trend will be discontinued. Other times, a trend might be necessary due to operational difficulties, no matter how it may be received by loyal travelers.
In recent years, changes in the overall travel industry, including pandemic-related necessities, have created a variety of trends in the cruise industry. Are they all good trends?
Cruise Trends to Worry About
While some recent cruise trends, such as upgraded cleaning procedures onboard or more sustainable operational procedures, are positive and helpful, not all cruise travel trends are necessarily welcomed by all guests. These are the top trends that just might have worrying impacts on the cruise travel experience.
Gratuity Increases and Service Decreases
Cruise lines regularly increase the suggested daily gratuity rates, tips that are given to crew members for their outstanding service. Automatic gratuities are a convenience for cruise guests, and help ensure that all appropriate crew members receive tips at a rate comparable to other industry wages and economic inflation rates.
The amount for suggested gratuities varies between different cruise lines, and higher stateroom categories such as suites or cabanas often have slightly higher gratuities because of the extra services they receive.
Gratuities can range from $12 per person, per night to as much as $20 or higher per person, per night. On a longer sailing, these extra charges can add up quickly, especially for a family on a budget.
Recently, however, cruise lines have been increasing gratuities more frequently, yet these higher gratuity levels have been combined with reduced services. Instead of cabin attendants cleaning staterooms both in the morning and evening, many cruise lines have changed to once-per-day service, even with the higher gratuities.
Other small parts of stateroom service have also been removed, such as no ice buckets provided in cabins, daily newsletters being transitioned to online apps and no longer delivered to the stateroom, and loyalty gifts needing to be picked up in different areas of the ship instead of being placed in guests’ cabins as a personalized welcome.
While it is true that these changes are more comparable to service provided at land-based hotels, land-based properties do not always add automatic gratuities to guests’ bills (though they do often have other types of fees). Similarly, cruise lines have prided themselves on providing service beyond what land-based hotels provide, and this distinction is not as clear any longer.
Nickel and Dime Costs for Extra Attractions
Cruise ships have many onboard attractions for guests to enjoy, from waterslides and aquaparks to theaters, live music, comedy shows, pools, ropes courses, miniature golf courses, and much more.
Newer, larger ships even have more thrilling options, such as go kart tracks on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway-class vessels, the Bolt roller coaster on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, and adrenaline-inducing FlowRider surf machines, skydiving simulators, escape rooms, ice rinks, and more onboard many Royal Caribbean ships.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Cruise lines have long promoted themselves as being as close to all-inclusive as many vacations get, with onboard attractions, multiple restaurants, shows, and more all part of the basic cruise fare. More and more new attractions, however, are now priced as a-la-carte features, requiring a few extra dollars here and there for guests to participate.
As more features begin to have extra costs, fewer onboard attractions are available without additional fees. This can make what seemed to be a budget-friendly cruise vacation much more expensive if travelers want to truly enjoy everything onboard the ship.
One cruise ship can only host so many features, and if more and more of those features come at an added cost, there will be less and less that guests can enjoy without a bigger budget, making it more challenging to plan for the full cost of a vacation.
Ship-in-a-Ship Exclusivity
Cruise ships have always had different categories of staterooms, from tiny interior cabins to more spacious oceanviews, balconies, and suites. Not only do stateroom sizes and locations vary onboard the ship, but different views, such as aft-facing balconies or staterooms overlooking popular on deck show theaters can command different prices.
Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock
In recent years, more cruise lines have begun to capitalize on the exclusivity of private areas onboard, creating ship-in-a-ship designs with special spaces such as elite lounges, restaurants, pools, and sun decks only available to guests booked in certain categories of cabins, which are priced much higher than similar cabins in “regular” areas of the same ship.
These private areas also often come with extra perks, such as dedicated butler service, premium bathroom amenities, priority boarding, or other benefits.
Yet this ship-in-a-ship concept also restricts how much space is available for all guests to use, and can create a class-like system not all guests will be comfortable with.
This is especially true when these private areas also include perks such as reserved seating in main lounges or priority reservations to restaurants or spa treatments, when those limited features may fill up before other guests have a chance to book these amenities for themselves.
Overall Ship Size
Many mainstream lines are focused on building ships larger and larger – the upcoming Icon of the Seas, for example, can accommodate up to 7,600 guests at once when fully booked.
While many cruisers do enjoy a very busy and energetic ship, so many people can also lead to tremendous crowds, long lines for onboard activities, slower dining service, sold out reservations, and other congestion.
Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas (Photo Credit: EWY Media / Shutterstock)
Some cruise lines are seeking to combat heavy crowds by requiring reservations for entertainment venues with limited seating. When reservations fill up quickly, however, especially if ship-in-a-ship guests can book seats earlier than other guests, many guests are left missing out on signature activities and once-a-cruise performances.
Furthermore, larger ships can simply have too much for guests to enjoy on a single vacation, especially if reservations are limited or sailings are shorter. This can make guests unhappy when they take a cruise but feel as though they haven’t “done” the ship because there was simply too much to do and not enough time.
Port Denials
As ships get bigger, more intimate ports of call are increasingly taking measures to deny ships the ability to visit. Limits on numbers of ship calls, total passengers visiting, gross tonnage of permitted ships, and other restrictions may make it harder for larger ships to include a greater variety of ports on their itineraries.
Photo Courtesy: Port St. Maarten
Already, ports such as Key West, Venice, Juneau, and Bar Harbor have all sought restrictions on cruise ship visits, and more ports are considering similar measures.
This means these larger ships will have fewer ports of call to choose from, and therefore those ports that do accommodate larger vessels may also become more overcrowded and begin restricting visits.
While many of the reasons behind such restrictions are respectable – such as not overwhelming local communities with thousands of guests, or protecting marine environments from the disturbances of massive vessels – the trend is a worrying one for any passenger who enjoys sailing the world and visiting new and unique ports of call.
Inability to Unplug
There is no denying that cruise line apps can be very helpful and convenient, but not all guests are happy with that convenience. Many travelers prefer to digitally unplug while on vacation, and while they may use a smart phone camera for photos, they don’t want to be held hostage by a screen and sometimes inconsistent wireless signals.
When printed alternatives are not available – such as menus in the dining room or newsletters with daily activities – guests may feel obligated to carry cell phones and mobile devices at all times, detracting from the relaxation of their vacation. This can also be a problem for guests who may not have mobile devices, or when devices may not be compatible with a particular cruise line’s app programming.
Health Requirements
During the industry restart after the pandemic lockdown, many cruise destinations had emergency health and safety protocols in place, and it was necessary for cruise lines to implement health screenings, vaccination requirements, and pre-cruise testing to ensure that guests, crew members, and port communities were as safe as possible.
What is unsettling, however, is that this might become a future trend whenever an outbreak of disease is noted or when seasonal diseases such as flu flare up.
Photo Credit: bear_productions / Shutterstock
While cruise lines have always advised guests to take health precautions before traveling and reserve the right to deny passage for guests who may be dangerously ill and present a risk to others, will guests be required to demonstrate seasonal vaccinations in the future?
What about creating cruise restrictions based on age, due to increased health risks with the elderly? Should guests have to provide proof that they are not subject to any dangerous condition before setting sail? The implications of such possibilities are very worrying indeed.
Dining Quality Changes
Food has always been a key component of a cruise vacation, and more and more ships are offering a wide variety of specialty restaurants ranging from the classic steakhouse, Italian kitchen, and French bistro to barbecue smokehouses, sushi bars, fresh seafood restaurants, and fusion options for truly unique menus and extraordinary culinary delights.
Photo Credit: Yevgen Belich / Shutterstock
These delicious dining options come at a cost, however. Not only are many of these specialty restaurants an extra charge for each meal, but in some cases, guests are noticing the quality of food in ships’ main dining rooms and casual buffets declining or becoming repetitive.
Both Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Line have also begun imposing limits on main dining room meals, such as charging for multiple entrees or streamlining menus with fewer options.
While these individual changes may be minor, it can seem as though cruise lines are trying to push guests toward paying more for specialty dining instead of simply enjoying the included dining venues.
More Trends on the Horizon
While these trends are all consistently appearing on most major cruise lines, other trends still need to be watched to see if they become stronger or fade away completely.
Fewer ports of call in the name of sustainability, the debate about how much private island destinations truly help local economies, parking and traffic challenges at ever-busier homeports, and cutbacks in cruise ship staffing are all further trends that may need more attention in the coming weeks and months.
Stay tuned to Cruise Hive for all the latest news about cruise trends, which patterns are great news for cruisers, which trends might be problematic, and which trends aren’t trends at all!
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2022, on Monday, February 28.
While the company reported strong pricing and onboard sales that led to a 225% rise in revenue, the cruise operator posted a higher-than-expected loss, sending its shares down. The company also provided disappointing guidance for 2023. Norwegian remains optimistic about its growth, and bookings are on track to reach historical occupancy levels in the second quarter of 2023 and beyond.
NCLH Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ adjusted loss was $1.04 per share in the fourth quarter, which missed estimates of an 86 cents loss that many analysts expected. The company’s revenue for the quarter rose more than 225% to $1.57 billion, beating expectations of $1.5 billion, driven by solid ticket pricing and onboard sales.
The fourth quarter also saw an occupancy improvement of approximately 87%, which was in accordance with expectations, but far removed from where competitors Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group are operating.
Photo Credit: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock
Despite the disappointing numbers, Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., remains optimistic:
“2022 was an eventful year, as we successfully completed our nearly yearlong Great Cruise Comeback, welcomed our newest ship Norwegian Prima to our world-class fleet and achieved several key milestones on our post-pandemic financial recovery,”
“We are now squarely focused on the future and are taking deliberate and strategic actions to best position the Company for its next chapter, which includes an industry-leading growth profile representing approximately 50% Capacity growth over 2019.”
The second quarter of 2023 is a critical period for NCLH as it aims to regain its pre-pandemic financial performance. By achieving historical occupancy levels, the company can ensure that its ships are operating at full capacity, which can help to boost revenue and improve the overall financial performance of the company.
Despite strong revenue numbers in the last quarter, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings missed analysts’ expectations for 2023. The company expects to post an adjusted loss of 45 cents per share in the year’s first quarter and a full-year profit of 70 cents per share.
Mark A. Kempa, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd:“We remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver value for all of our stakeholders. We are focused on identifying new and incremental opportunities to reinforce our solid foundation and become an even stronger and more nimble organization, while continuing to provide unparalleled vacation experiences for our valued guests.”
Analysts had expected a loss of 35 cents per share in the first quarter and a profit of $1.04 per share for the entire year.
Bookings on Target Says Norwegian
More people are booking cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings lately, thanks to the high demand during Wave season. One of the company’s brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, broke a record for the most bookings in a single month in November 2022, boosted by Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas have been doing equally well in bookings.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
The booked position, or the total cabins booked, for the coming year is 62%, which the company calls optimal.
This record was then broken again in January 2023. As a result, the company has more bookings for the full year 2023 than it did in 2019 (a record-breaking year) while also increasing its capacity by about 19%. Prices have also gone up. NCLH is on track to reach its occupancy goals for the second quarter of 2023 and beyond.
Fleet Expansion and New Offerings
As for the companies’ fleet of cruise ships, Oceania Cruises has announced the name of its second 1,200-guest Allura Class ship, which will debut in 2025 as the eighth vessel for the line. Allura will be the sister ship to Vista, set to sail in May 2023.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises achieved a major construction milestone with the floating out of its newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur, in January 2023. The ship will sail in November 2023, cruising 18 Caribbean and Mediterranean voyages.
Photo Copyright: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Additionally, Oceania Cruises has accelerated the debut of its new ship Vista due to unprecedented demand for its inaugural season. Originally scheduled to debut on May 20, 2023, the maiden voyage has now been pushed forward by a week.
The companies have also announced the creation of a new division, “Experiences at Sea,” which will combine Sixthman Festivals at Sea, a subsidiary of NCL, and the companies’ Charters, Meetings, and Incentives department. The new division will focus on serving the companies’ corporate, incentive, and affinity-focused clients across all three brands.
Norwegian Sets Course for Decarbonization
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings also announced that the final two Prima-plus Class newbuilds for Norwegian Cruise Line would be ready to run green methanol. The company has modified newbuild contracts for the final two Prima-plus Class ships to accommodate the use of green methanol as an alternative fuel source in the future. The move will help Norwegian Cruise Line achieve its 2050 carbon-zero goals.
“While additional modifications will be needed in the future to fully enable the use of methanol in addition to traditional marine fuel on these ships, this reinforces the Company’s commitment to decarbonization and represents an important step forward in the pursuit of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,”Norwegian said in its earnings release.
Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock
The delivery dates for the two 3,550-guest vessels from Fincantieri are scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
In addition to its change to methanol, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has recently tested biofuel blends on three additional ships: the Norwegian Star, Norwegian Sun, and Norwegian Epic. All three ships were tested with a mix of approximately 30% biofuel and 70% MGO.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ shares tumbled after the company’s disappointing guidance for 2023. The company’s shares fell more than 10% in early trading on Tuesday following the release of the financial results.
The pandemic has hit the cruise industry hard, with cruise lines unable to operate for much of 2020 and the first half of 2021. While NCLH’s financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022 showed signs of recovery, and 2023 bookings look strong for the second half of the year, the cruise industry still faces challenges in the wake of the pandemic.
MSC Cruises has recently increased the prices of its beverage packages, which include the Easy, Easy Plus, and Premium Extra packages. These changes are effective starting from February 27, 2023, and depend on the voyage length.
Although the price increases are up to 20% in some cases, the gratuity charge, which was previously not included in the package price, has been removed. This means that the actual increase is only about 5%.
Price Increases to Beverage Packages
MSC Cruises has made some modifications to the pricing structure of its beverage packages, which includes the Easy, Easy Plus, and Premium Extra packages. The new prices have been adjusted based mainly on the voyage length.
Guests will notice that some package prices have been raised considerably, between 5-30% depending on the voyage length.
For instance, the Easy package now costs €273, or $322, for a cruise lasting more than seven days. This is a price increase of more than 20%. Per person per day, the Easy package costs €39, or $46, if purchased in advance. It will cost guests €47, or $57 if purchased onboard on a cruise for more than seven days. The Easy package will now cost €43, or $49, if booked in advance, and €51, or $60, on board for trips lasting less than seven days.
The Easy Plus package, which includes drinks up to €9, or $10, now costs €378, or $427, for a seven-day or longer cruise. The Premium Extra package, which includes drinks up to €14, or $16, now costs €518 or $595.
The euro prices apply for cruises in the Mediterranean, Emirates and Antilles. The prices in USD apply for cruises in the Caribbean, North America, South America and Japan.
The drinks included in the beverage packages have not changed much, except for the Easy package, which now comprises canned soft drinks, some beers, and bottled fruit juices. Previously, it only offered draft beer and soft drinks.
In addition to the Easy, Easy Plus, and Premium Extra beverage packages, MSC Cruises offers two other drink packages, the Alcohol-Free Package and the Minors Package. Interestingly, the prices for these packages have not changed, indicating that the price adjustments only affect the alcoholic beverage packages.
The Alcohol-Free Package is an excellent option for guests who do not consume alcohol or prefer non-alcoholic drinks. The package includes a variety of non-alcoholic cocktails, fresh fruit and protein cocktails, energy drinks, sodas, flavored water, a wide range of hot drinks.
The Minors Package is a great choice for families traveling with children or teenagers. It includes non-alcoholic cocktails, fresh fruit and protein cocktails, energy drinks, flavored water, soda by glass and bottle, a wide range of hot drinks, and soft-serve ice cream.
Service Charge Changes
One of the significant changes implemented by MSC Cruises is the inclusion of the service fee in all beverage packages, including the Alcohol-Free Package and the Minors package. Previously, guests had to pay a separate service charge on top of the package price, which could add up to a considerable sum.
With the new pricing structure, the package price is all-inclusive, and guests do not have to worry about additional service charges. However, guests who choose to purchase individual drinks without a package will now have to pay a service charge of 15% if they pay in euros and 18% if they pay in US dollars.
Photo Credit: MSC Cruises
This means purchasing a package is a more attractive option for guests, allowing them to save money in the long run, despite the seemingly excessive increase in price. By bundling the service fee into the package price, MSC Cruises simplifies the pricing structure and makes it easier for guests to know exactly what they are paying for.
Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises have also increased their beverage package prices in the last six months. The rising price of ingredients worldwide is a significant factor that has contributed to the price hike. As the cost of raw materials such as sugar, coffee, and fruit continues to rise, cruise lines are forced to raise their prices to maintain profitability.
Cruise ships have various rules to follow during your stay. One rule you might be wondering about before your big cruise is: can you smoke on a cruise ship?
Whether you’re a smoker or non-smoker, understanding the smoking rules for your upcoming cruise can help you prepare. Keep reading to learn whether or not you can smoke on a cruise ship and other potential smoking rules you must follow.
Let’s jump right into the question: can you smoke on a cruise ship?
The simple answer to this question is yes, you can. All cruise ships allow smoking onboard to some capacity, although this capacity is in designated areas. It’s important to note that various cruise lines have different smoking policies.
Photo Credit: vvoe / Shutterstock
Here’s how the rules go for most cruise lines in the US:
For the most part, indoor smoking in public spaces is off-limits. However, some cruise lines make exceptions for casinos.
You must be at least 18 years old to smoke from any departing destination, except the U.S., where you must be 21.
European cruise lines tend to have more relaxed smoking rules and offer more designated smoking areas than cruise lines leaving from other destinations.
No cruise lines allow you to smoke in your room, as this is considered a fire hazard for the entire vessel. Some do let you smoke on stateroom balconies, but this is becoming less and less common.
Most cruise lines treat electronic cigarettes the same as cigarettes and cigars.
If you violate a ship’s non-smoking policy, you will likely be subject to a fine, depending on the cruise line. Let’s look at the smoking policy of some of the most popular cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean’s Smoking Policy
Royal Caribbean’s ships are technically designated as non-smoking. You cannot smoke on the pool deck, outside decks, pool bar, cabin balconies, or any public area.
However, to accommodate the guests who smoke, they have designated outdoor areas indicated with signage that even comes with ashtrays for proper disposal. This rule applies to electronic cigarettes as well.
Photo Copyright: Solarisys / Shutterstock
The exception to the smoking rule is in Casino Royale, where smoking is allowed, and there are designated non-smoking areas instead. This casino exception applies for all routes except for trips from Australia and the United Kingdom.
Carnival Cruise Line Smoking Policy
The majority of Carnival Cruise Line ships have designated smoking areas both indoors and outdoors, with the indoor areas always being in the onboard casino, but only while seated and playing.
The exceptions to this general rule are Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Splendor, where smoking is not permitted indoors at all, including the casinos.
Photo Credit: SeregaSibTravel / Shutterstock
It’s important to note that on embarkation and debarkation day, smoking is not allowed outdoors on any of Carnival’s cruise ships due to refueling. To find the smoking policy of a specific Carnival cruise, check out their website.
Princess Cruises Smoking Policy
On Princess Cruises ships, smoking is only permitted in designated smoking areas. You’ll find these smoking areas on deck and in bars. You’re also not allowed to smoke in your cabin or on the balcony of your cabin. If you try to circumvent these rules, you may be subject to a fine.
Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock
Cunard Smoking Policy
Cunard’s smoking policy is identical to that of other popular cruise lines. Each ship has designated smoking areas on open decks. The only exception to this is the Churchill’s Cigar Lounge on the Queen Mary 2, where guests may partake in cigar and pipe smoking only.
Costa Cruises
Costa Cruises has one of the most relaxed smoking policies, as they allow guests to smoke in their cabin balconies. They even supply wind-proof ashtrays.
Other than that, however, smoking is not permitted in any other indoor area, aside from designated cigar lounges. There are clearly indicated external smoking areas throughout their ships.
Can You Smoke on a Cruise Ship – Marijuana
When figuring out whether you can smoke on a cruise ship, there are different rules for marijuana use.
While in some states, marijuana use is legal in some form, it is still federally banned in the US and many other areas of the world. Therefore, cruise lines err on the safe side and prohibit the use of marijuana on board entirely.
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Even if it’s legal in your departing destination, cruise ships make stops in many other destinations along the way and must follow the laws of each. This would make regulating marijuana use on the cruise challenging to regulate and coordinate.
What’s more, cruise lines do not make exceptions for medical use. This also means that you cannot bring marijuana onboard the ship or use it in any way. This rule applies to marijuana in all forms, including edibles.
The punishment for bringing and consuming marijuana on a cruise ship can be harsher than the punishment for smoking in non-smoking areas. In the best-case scenario, you’d be subject to a high fine. Worst case, you may be asked to disembark or even be subject to arrest, depending on the destination.
Where to Find Smoking Information
You can usually find smoking information on your cruise line’s website. Checking the FAQ section is a great place to start. If you’ve already booked your cruise, check out the guidelines provided to you with your confirmation. Once you’re on your cruise, ask guest services for a map of the designated smoking areas on your ship.
No Smoking Sign on Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Pixel62 / Shutterstock)
The Verdict: Can You Smoke on a Cruise Ship?
To recap, you can smoke on a cruise ship, but only in designated smoking areas. Mostly, these smoking areas are only outdoors, although some cruise ships allow cigarette smoking in their casinos.
Cruise ships treat cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes the same, so don’t try to bypass the rules with your electronic cigarette, or you may be subject to a fine.
Finally, marijuana use in any way, shape, or form is prohibited on all cruise ships. The punishment for marijuana use on a cruise ship can be severe, so it’s best not to test your luck and abstain from it entirely during your cruise.
These rules are for the safety and comfort of all passengers onboard, so to ensure that your cruise goes as planned, make sure to know your cruise line’s smoking policy well before departure.
What about other cruise ship rules? Check out this article to learn whether you can bring food onto your cruise ship.
Miray Cruises has announced it will open for bookings for a three-year world cruise on March 1, 2023. The cruise will sail onboard the 1992-built MV Gemini and visit 135 countries on seven continents from November 2023 through the end of 2026.
The fantastic part of the three-year cruise is that the cost for guests can be as little as $2,500 per stateroom per month. This provides an excellent opportunity for those looking to travel while working while having all their daily needs taken care of.
Three Years At Sea
It won’t be something everyone will enjoy, but many will still see the benefits of embarking on a three-year journey that will span 130,000 miles, visit 375 ports of call in 135 different countries, and sail to all seven continents.
Miray Cruises announced it would be opening up bookings for the first-ever three-year world cruise. In essence, the cruise is a variation of the ever-more popular concept of living onboard a ship.
Image Credit: Miray Cruises
Several companies announced new residency ships in the last year, where guests live onboard instead of ashore. The cruise will sail on November 1, 2023, and return in 2026.
MV Gemini‘s journey around the world will begin in November of this year. Most ports of call on the trip will include several days in port, giving guests a chance to fully explore each destination, which includes 13 of the modern and ancient Wonders of the World
The cruise ship will have been fully modernized by the time she sets sail. Currently, she is in use to housing earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. The cruise line is aimed towards working professionals that want to spend time at sea while being able to carry out their work remotely.
Aiming for Remote Workers
For just $85 per day for a stateroom onboard the MV Gemini, guests will be able to enjoy world-class dining, onboard entertainment, and recreational activities with modern workspace facilities such as a first-of-its-kind business center with meeting rooms, 14 offices, a relaxing lounge, and business library.
“Professionals need connectivity, the right amenities, and the functionality to perform their jobs. There is no other cruise product that offers this sort of flexibility to their customers,”says Mikael Petterson, Managing Director of Life at Sea Cruises.
Image Credit: Miray Cruises
The ship will also include a 24-hour on-call hospital with free medical visits, learning and enrichment classes, and the opportunity to make a positive impact through volunteer and philanthropic initiatives.
“Life at Sea Cruises offers the ultimate bucket list cruise without having to sacrifice the comforts of home,” says Irina Strembitsky, Director of Sales & Marketing of Life at Sea Cruises.“It’s your home at sea with the world as your backyard.”
Prices for the cruise start at $29,999 per year, and the entire voyage is all-inclusive. Cabins range from 130 sq ft for Virtual Inside and Oceanview staterooms to 260 sq ft Balcony Suites.
MV Gemini first sets sail in 1992 as the Crown Jewel for Crown Cruise Line. Since then, the cruise ship has sailed for a long list of owners,including Cunard, Star Cruises, and Celestyal Cruises.
Miray Cruises, a Turkish cruise operator and hotel services provider for the cruise industry, acquired the vessel in 2019. The ship is just 19,093 gross tons and has space for 1,074 guests.
Carnival Cruise Line guests will finally be able to get a close-up look at how a cruise ship operates with the exclusive “Behind the Fun” tour, now returning fleetwide. Depending on the ship, tours will resume either March 6 or April 1, and can only be booked onboard each ship with limited spaces available.
Behind the Fun Tour Returns
In early January, Carnival Cruise Line announced the impending return of the popular “Behind the Fun” tour, but dates were not yet confirmed. The exclusive tour, which takes guests into crew-only areas onboard the ship, is one of the last onboard activities that has been on hold since the industry-wide pandemic shutdown.
Now, brand ambassador John Heald has shared the restart dates for the tour, which will resume either on March 6 or April 1, depending on the vessel.
“It is with great pleasure I can tell you that your look behind the crew only door or BEHIND THE FUN as it is officially known will be returning,”Heald said, followed by a list of ships and the dates the tour will resume.
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Carnival ships that will start hosting the “Behind the Fun” tour as of March 6 are: Sunrise, Spirit, Miracle, Luminosa, Valor, Splendor, Dream, Vista, Panorama, and the newest Fun Ship, Carnival Celebration.
The remaining ships in the fleet will begin offering “Behind the Fun” on April 1: Elation, Paradise, Radiance, Sunshine, Pride, Legend, Conquest, Glory, Liberty, Freedom, Magic, Breeze, Horizon, and Mardi Gras.
Heald also noted that the upcoming Carnival Jubilee should also be offering the tour. “I am sure we will have this on Carnival Jubilee and more news on that closer to the time,”he said.
Carnival Jubilee is scheduled to join the cruise line’s fleet in December, but the tour may not be immediately available for the inaugural sailings.
Where Behind the Fun Visits
The “Behind the Fun” tour takes guests behind the scenes into operational areas of the ship, showing how crew members live and work onboard and how different essential tasks get accomplished, such as laundry, navigation, cooking, and much more.
While each ship’s tour varies based on the layout of the ship, time allotted for the tour, and what areas can be safely visited, top areas that are part of “Behind the Fun” include the main galley, engine control room, bridge, backstage of the main show lounge, the environmental room, and storeroom for all the supplies a cruise ship must carry.
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Exclusive crew areas are also part of the tour, such as the crew lounge, gym, laundry, and dining room.
Accessing different areas does mean narrow hallways and sometimes steep stairs, and guests who may have mobility or accessibility concerns should speak with the shore excursion staff onboard to discuss the details. At times, the tour may be able to be modified to better accommodate guests’ needs.
Booking Behind the Fun
Because “Behind the Fun” is so limited – the tour is only offered once per cruise, and only to a small group that can easily be accommodated in the different spaces visited – it does sell out quickly. On larger ships, multiple tours may occasionally be available, depending on the ship’s itinerary and whether operational tasks will permit multiple groups to visit restricted areas.
To keep the opportunity to get behind the scenes onboard a cruise ship available to everyone, guests can only book the tour once onboard their cruise, as it is not available for pre-booking online.
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“My advice is if you really want to do this, the first thing you should do as soon as you walk on the ship is to go to the [shore excursion] desk and book right there and then,”Heald recommends.
Depending on the ship and itinerary length, the tour runs from 2-3.5 hours. Participating guests get an exclusive baseball cap as a souvenir, as well as other commemorative keepsakes. For security reasons, no large bags, cameras, mobile phones, or other recording devices are permitted.
All participating guests must be at least 8 years old, and guests under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The tour costs also vary by ship and tour length, in general from $55-95 (USD) per person. Guests must also wear close-toed shoes or sneakers, and no swimsuits, skirts, sandals, or flip-flips can be worn.
