Category: News

Here is where you can find the latest updates on news in the cruise & travel world.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE NEW CARNIVAL CELEBRATION

As part of our kickoff for Carnival’s 50th birthday festivities, here is a  first look and revealing details on four of her six zones including a new area, Celebration Central.

As you know, on a Carnival cruise, vacation starts in the atrium, and on Carnival Celebration, that is in Celebration Central. Spanning Decks 6, 7 and 8 and designed as the heart of the ship’s celebratory spirit, Celebration Central will feature the most popular venues from Mardi Gras’ Grand Central, but with a whole new look and the feeling of a festive party woven throughout.

Carnival Central is designed to make an impression, setting the mood for your client’s whole cruise with some wow-worthy features:

~ An awe-inspiring three-deck-high atrium with a ceiling that appears as a burst of a confetti canon made of approximately 1,400 color-changing lighting fixtures that will transform from day to night.

~ 3,000-square-foot floor-to-ceiling windows on the side of the ship that will change into 16 individually controlled six- by 14-foot LED screens to work hand in hand with the ever-changing entertainment options, including live music, special effects, aerial acrobatic performances, and high-energy shows.

~Special pieces from former Carnival ships will be repurposed to blend with Carnival Celebration’s modern decor throughout Celebration Central and beyond.

~A variety of food and beverage options, such as JavaBlue Café, Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki, and feel-good entertainment such as Piano Bar 88 and The Punchliner Comedy Club.

The AGUARIA BAR features great drinks and ocean-themed glass murals from Carnival Victory by Italian artist Luciano Vistosi incorporated into a striking two-deck high decorative wall behind the bar to create an aquarium-like effect, inspiring the name.

THE TROPICALE BAR is a tribute to a fan-favorite from the early days: MS Tropicale—actually the first ship to sport our iconic red, white and blue funnel!

CARNIVAL CELEBRATION FAN FAVORITE ZONES….While similar to Mardi Gras with a plethora of options for dining, entertainment and relaxation, Celebration will have her own personality, one that celebrates all things Carnival, intertwining where we have been with where we are going.

THE ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND

After such an incredible response from guests on Mardi Gras, the centerpiece of Carnival Celebration’s Ultimate Playground (Decks 18-20 Aft) will be BOLT, The Ultimate Sea Coaster, soon to be the second roller coaster at sea, WaterWorks aqua park and SportSquare featuring a mini-golf course, full-court basketball and an exhilarating ropes course.

SUMMER LANDING ZONE

(Deck 8 Aft) will continue to serve as the greatest chill spot at sea with Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, Carnival’s ParchedPig craft beers brewed on site, pools and whirlpools, The Watering Hole poolside bar, and the Heroes Tribute Lounge honoring military personnel.

LIDO

This poolside zone, (Decks 16-17 Aft), will feature all of the delicious and fun experiences from Mardi Gras including the two-level RedFrog Tiki Bar, Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken restaurant, guest-favorite Guy’s Burger Joint, Seafood Shack, and BlueIguana Cantina, with offerings perfect for any tastebud any time.

Carnival will be revealing additional details and zones on Carnival Celebration in the coming months leading up to her inaugural sailing from Miami on Nov. 21.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN UPDATES PROTOCOLS…

We are committed to bringing you the latest news and updates as soon they arise. Royal Caribbean Group will participate in the U.S. CDC’s voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships sailing in U.S. waters. Specifically, Royal Caribbean International will operate under the program’s Highly Vaccinated category beginning with sailings departing from the U.S. as of Friday, February 25, 2022.

Requirements include sailing with 95% of crew members fully vaccinated, which Royal Caribbean already exceeds with 100% of its crew fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Ninety-five percent of guests must be fully vaccinated as well — this excludes children under five years who are not eligible for the vaccine. The updated protocols will include face masks being optional for all fully vaccinated guests and expected for unvaccinated children. All kids will be required to wear face masks during Adventure Ocean youth program activities.

We are thoughtfully working through the details regarding other changes to our health and safety protocols which we will share with each of you before February 25, 2022.

As a reminder, our health and safety protocols are subject to change.

Please save the Healthy Cruising link for additional details, FAQs, and future reference.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE UPDATES PROTOCOLS

Carnival Cruise Line will participate in CDC Cruise updates; Provides updates to Guests

MIAMI, Feb. 18, 2022 – Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that it will participate in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated program for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters, and is advising guests of the following changes:

Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, masks on board will be recommended but not required.  There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required. 

Carnival will continue to meet the standard of vaccinated cruises, but children under five years old will not be included in any vaccinated guest calculation, and thus will not be required to receive an exemption to sail. 

Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, some additional flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements will become available. Please visit the Carnival Have Fun. Be Safe. web page for more information.

“We have had a very successful restart of guest operations thanks to the support of our guests, the commitment of our shipboard team, and the effective protocols we have put in place,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “The public health situation has continued to improve, providing confidence about these changes.  Our protocols will evolve as we continue to remain dedicated to protecting the public health of our guests, crew and the communities we visit.”

Duffy said that Carnival’s highest responsibility and top priority is always compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the people in the communities we touch and serve, and our shipboard and shoreside personnel. “We appreciate the ongoing collaboration among multiple government agencies, as well as the support of Alaska officials and other delegations,” she added.

ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line with a total of 24 ships, sailing from 14 U.S. homeports and employing more than 40,000 team members from 120 nationalities. Carnival’s newest ship, Mardi Gras, featuring the first roller coaster at sea and the first in the Americas powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), sailed from Port Canaveral, Fla., July 31, 2021. As part of its 50th Birthday festivities, Carnival Celebration, sister ship to Mardi Gras, is scheduled to debut in late 2022 from PortMiami, as well as Carnival Jubilee from Galveston in 2023.

DISNEY WISH INAUGURAL POSTPONED UNTIL MID-JULY

While Disney cruise Line is eagerly awaiting their newest ship’s debut, today they shared that the anticipation will unfortunately have to extend a bit longer than initially planned. The shipyard has notified Disney Cruise Line that despite their very best efforts, they will need more time to finish the ship due, in part, to the pandemic and particularly the arrival of the Omicron variant in Germany at a critical point in the process. As a result, Disney Cruise Line has no other choice than to delay the maiden voyage by a few weeks, which will regrettably affect sailings through mid-July.

CARNIVAL RADIANCE ANNOUNCES HER GODMOTHER

MEET THE GODMOTHER

Every great ship deserves a godmother to match! Introducing Dr. Lucille O’Neal, author, philanthropist, mother of our Chief Fun Officer, Shaquille O’Neal, and now godmother to the totally transformed Carnival Radiance, set to debut in December following a $200 million dry dock.

Dr. Lucille O’Neal is an accomplished speaker, and author of the inspirational biography, “Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go,” who donates her time and talent to a wide range of charitable organizations, including serving on the board of the Orlando Ovarian Center Alliance, and president and co-founder of the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players. She also established the Odessa Chambliss Center for Health Equity on the campus of Bethune Cookman University (BCU) in honor of her late mother, Odessa Chambliss, and focuses on health disparities, social determinants of health, and social justice. Lucille O’Neal is a shining example of the importance of education, resuming her studies after raising her children to graduate cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from BCU and completing a graduate program from the University of Phoenix. For these efforts, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from BCU.   As godmother, Dr. O’Neal will preside over the invitation-only naming ceremony in
Long Beach, CA prior to Carnival Radiance’s inaugural cruise on December 13. During the festivities, Lucille and Shaquille will cut the ribbon to officially open Big Chicken, the second seagoing restaurant created by CFO, Shaquille O’Neal.

The Carnival Radiance will be embarking on three and four-day sailings from Long Beach visiting Ensenada and Catalina Island. She will feature some fan favorites like Guy Fieri’s Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, the Heroes Tribute Bar saluting those that serve in the Armed Forces; Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant, and so much more.

CARNIVAL ANNOUNCES SENIOR OFFICERS FOR CARNIVAL RADIANCE

Ship Set to Debut in Long Beach, Calif. on Dec. 13 Following Extensive Transformation

MIAMI, Nov. 9, 2021 – As it prepares to debut Carnival Radiance, Carnival Cruise Line announced the senior leadership team who will be at the helm of the transformed ship scheduled to debut this December. These experienced mariners and passionate leaders will oversee a team of more than 1,000 team members and include:

Captain Stefano Bonica: Captain Bonica joined Carnival as a third officer in 2000. He was named captain in 2017 and has served on virtually every ship in the fleet during his two decades with the company. He attended the Istituto Tecnico Nautico Caio Duilio in Messina, Italy, to learn his craft.

Chief Engineer Mauro Fabbrini: A 27-year veteran of Carnival, Fabbrini joined the company as a second engineer in 1994 and was named chief engineer in 2003. He previously served as a chief engineer for Carnival Sunrise in 2019. Fabbrini graduated from the San Giorgio Maritime Academy in Genoa, Italy. Prior to joining Carnival, he started his nautical career with an Italian-based shipping company.

Hotel Director Caroline Bourke: The Cork, Ireland, native and 17-year Carnival veteran was part of the inaugural team that introduced Carnival Radiance’s sister ship, Carnival Sunrise, in 2019. Bourke joined the company in 2004 and was named guest services manager in 2009 before being named hotel director in 2016. Her hospitality career began at the Hayfield Manor Hotel after earning her degree from the Cork Institute of Technology.

The third in the line’s Sunshine-class, Carnival Radiance will make her Southern California debut on Monday, Dec. 13, kicking off a year-round schedule of cruises to Baja Mexico from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. On this route, three-day cruises depart Fridays and visit Ensenada, Mexico, while four-day cruises sail on Mondays calling at Ensenada and Catalina Island.

Carnival Radiance features all of the line’s popular Fun Ship 2.0 dining, beverage and entertainment spaces as well as Big Chicken, a casual poolside restaurant created by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal that debuted on Mardi Gras earlier this year. From new dining choices such as the Cucina del Capitano to expanded entertainment venues like the multi-purpose Liquid Lounge and one of the largest and most luxurious Cloud 9 Spas at sea, Carnival Radiance will offer an abundance of ways for guests to Choose Fun from the West Coast.


NEW ADDITIONS TO CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES HUB APP

As Carnival prepares for their return to cruising this summer, they have announced the expansion of the functionalities of the HUB App. These new enhancements will build upon the convenient features that have made the HUB App the most popular app in cruising, and will further enhance your pre-cruise and onboard experience. Most importantly, the HUB App is leading the way in Carnival’s efforts to provide a contactless and convenient shipboard environment once cruising resumes. Here are some of the new and exciting functionalities you can look forward to:

EXPANDED FOOD DELIVERY & ADDITIONAL F&B CAPABILITIES

The HUB App was the first app to enable pizza and beer delivery, and it has now been expanded to include the delivery of a variety of culinary and beverage offerings anywhere on board. Menus for all shipboard dining and beverage offerings will be available in a digital form using QR codes. It will also include dining check-in functionality to additional guests and venues, in addition to Your Time Dining.

VIRTUAL RESERVATIONS & QUEUING

You will soon be able to reserve seats virtually for various venues on board and be alerted when it is time to arrive. Additionally, you will be able to check-in to virtual queues for select locations on board, including guest services, and be alerted when their place in line is ready. Additionally, you will even be able to reserve tickets to BOLT the first rollercoaster at sea on Mardi Gras, debuting on July 31st.

NEW SAFETY CONTENT

You will be able to check-in for your cruise via the HUB App with the ability to submit necessary health information, including a health questionnaire and other time-saving steps prior to departure, and new safety content, including new notifications to help you complete the muster check-in on board.

If all this news isn’t exciting enough, stay tuned because Carnival will be announcing additional enhancements to the HUB App capabilities in the coming months. A few things you can expect advance spa and shore excursion reservations, a popular chat feature, a full listing of food, beverage and entertainment offerings, youth program check-in and check-out information and easy access to guests shipboard Sail & Sign accounts.

CELEBRITY EDGE TO BE THE 1ST U.S. CRUISE IN 2021

“Someday is here.” That was the one-line tweet Celebrity Cruises CEO and President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo used to announce the news yesterday that on Saturday, June 26, the exquisite Celebrity Edge will be the first cruise ship to sail from US waters in more than a year. Captain Kate McCue, the first and still only American female Captain, will have the honor of leading the fleet and the industry back into operation.

Celebrity Edge will depart Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, setting sail on a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean in what promises to be a historic moment for the brand and the industry. Celebrity Edge was given the green light by the CDC to be the first ship back in the water, having met all new standards for providing a healthy cruise experience for its guests and crew.

Celebrity Cruises has been working closely with health and government authorities, in each country we sail from, to outline a clear path for cruising with new health and safety protocols. As we thoughtfully plan our return to service, we are evaluating all current itineraries and the status of travel conditions around the world.  

Celebrity Edge will sail with a vaccinated crew. US Guests 16 years and older must be fully vaccinated with all COVID-19 vaccine doses administered at least 14 days prior to sailing. As of August 1, 2021, all US Guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.  Additional testing and protocols will be confirmed closer to the departure date in line with the most up to date recommendations from local government and health officials as well as our Healthy Sail Panel. These measures, including vaccination and testing requirements, will evolve along with public health standards.


CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE PRESIDENT CHRISTINE DUFFY TO SERVE ON SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR MISS UNIVERSE COMPETITION

Inspiring Female Executive to Present ‘Spirit of Carnival’ Award to Contestant Who Represents Company’s Values of Fun, Friendship, Diversity and Inclusion

MIAMI, May 13, 2021 – Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, will serve on the selection committee of the MISS UNIVERSE Competition which takes place this Sunday, May 16, in Hollywood, Fla., and airs live on A&E’s FYI broadcast channel and Telemundo.

As president of Carnival, Duffy oversees the overall operations of the company long known as “America’s cruise line” which operates from 14 U.S. homeports, as well as Australia, carrying nearly six million guests annually on relaxing vacations to beautiful destinations worldwide.

She will be part of an all-female panel of eight judges who will determine who among 90 international contestants will earn the coveted title of MISS UNIVERSE, a global, inclusive organization that celebrates women of all cultures and backgrounds and empowers them to realize their goals through experiences that build self-confidence and create opportunities for success.

During the broadcast, Duffy will present a MISS UNIVERSE contestant with the “Spirit of Carnival” award for representing the company’s values of fun, friendship, diversity and inclusion. 

“Serving as a Miss Universe judge is not only a tremendous honor but a wonderful way to celebrate the accomplishments of so many smart and inspiring women from around the world.  There’s a synergy between Carnival and MISS UNIVERSE as our ships are filled with smiling, friendly faces from around the world,” said Duffy, who leads a diverse workforce of 40,000 shipboard and shoreside employees from more than 120 countries.  “It is also my privilege to present the ‘Spirit of Carnival’ award to a contestant who is a role model and shares our values of making others feel welcomed, valued and respected.”

An immensely global television event with an estimated audience of 500 million viewers, MISS UNIVERSE will be broadcast live in the U.S. on Sunday, May 16, at 8 p.m. EDT on A&E’s FYI broadcast channel and Telemundo. Carnival Cruise Line fans are encouraged to tune in to see Duffy present the “Spirit of Carnival” award.