5 things you absolutely must consider before cruising
Cruising can be an exciting and very affordable vacation option. Of course, it’s important to find the right cruise at the right price for your getaway. With more than 160 ships in the fleets of the 24 major cruise lines offering thousands of itineraries worldwide the choices and options can be daunting. Here’s a primer on what to consider when picking out a cruise vacation.
Galveston cruise passengers lose their cars to Hurricane Ike
Real bad news for those that drove their cars to Galveston for the September 7th sailing of the Carnival Conquest and the September 11 sailing of the Carnival Ecstasy. According to the Galveston Daily News all the cars that were parked at the port are ruined.
How cruise lines weather tropical storms
It’s been a crazy two weeks with hurricanes lining up like bowling pins in the Atlantic. Ever wonder how cruise lines manage their ships during a hurricane onslaught? Enter the situation rooms of the world’s largest cruise lines — Carnival and Royal Caribbean, where cool efficiency under pressure rules the day.
That’s no Miracle: Carnival faces mutiny
There’s a passenger revolution on board the Carnival Miracle. The New York-based Miracle was scheduled to sail to the Caribbean, but could not do so because of Tropical Storm Hanna.
The art of cruise ship design
Ever wonder what goes into designing a cruise ship? Meet Carnival Cruise Lines’ chief interior architect Joe Farcus and find out how he puts the fun in the “Fun Ships”.
Is the cruise ship building party over?
High gasoline prices and a slumping economy have put a damper on leisure travel. The timing couldn’t be worse for the cruise lines. With 35 vessels on order over the next four years at a total cost of 22 billion some cruise lines are cutting back and repositioning their fleets, laying off employees, and holding off from ordering new ships.
Hey big Splendor: Carnival’s newest party ship sets sail
It’s the biggest Carnival ship yet and encompasses a lot of Carnival firsts from the biggest spa and kids’ areas in the fleet to new itineraries in Northern Europe, South America, and the Mexican Riviera. Meet the newest “Fun Ship” Carnival Splendor.
Friends don’t let friends take an expensive cruise tour
Don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for a cruise line-sponsored shore excursion? You might want to consider going online and browsing Cruise Critic’s “Roll Call’ forums where guests booked on your cruise look to find other like-minded guests to share tours and save a lot of money.
These blazing hot summer cruise deals are unsinkable
The economy is slumping and cruise lines are scrambling to fill their berths. What does that mean for you? Great deals on a cruise vacation — and a good excuse for spending that tax rebate check. Anita Dunham-Potter has the details.
Carnival’s ‘Man’ attraction
John Heald, Carnival Cruise Lines’ senior cruise director, has become the most famous cruise director since Julie McCoy of “Love Boat” TV fame. Except John’s not on TV, he’s taking the Internet by storm with his blog that boasts thousands of readers. Even more than that it has changed the way cruise lines interact with their customers by building online communities.