It’s official! One of the most anticipated new cruise ships of 2025 – MSC Cruises’ MSC World America – has officially entered service as of April 12, 2025, with the embarkation of her maiden voyage. But before those first paying passengers were welcomed onboard, my husband and I were invited onboard for a 3-day preview
Just two weeks after significant layoffs at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports of illness outbreaks on cruise ships continue to be disclosed. The most recent outbreak has been aboard Viking Polaris, currently sailing an 11-night spring Canadian itinerary from Toronto to New York. The Easter sailing departed Toronto on Saturday,
Food, food, and more food – it’s a cornerstone of any cruise vacation. From all-you-can-eat buffets to fine dining restaurants to pizza, ice cream, burgers, salad bars, holiday menus, and more, no cruise passenger will ever go hungry. Or will they? Some guests on Carnival cruise ships have noticed an apparent stinginess with one popular
As one of the most popular and largest cruise lines in the world, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers a bevy of ships for cruisers to book — including its brand-new ship, Norwegian Aqua, which I had the pleasure of recently sailing. However, as is the case with all cruise lines, as NCL’s fleet has welcomed
Princess Cruises may be known for a few stand-out features — great service, excellent dining, etc. — but the line is not known for having ships that are particularly large. That said, there’s a big difference between cruising on Princess Cruises’ largest ships — Star Princess and Sun Princess — and cruising on its smallest ship, Coral Princess. Here’s what
Many, many people don’t necessarily go by their given, legal names, the names printed on their birth certificates. Whether they simply prefer a shortened version of their name, their middle name, or a completely different name they feel more comfortable with – why can’t that preferred name be on their cruise card? One very upset
Cell phones can be controversial on cruise lines. One group of guests prefers to unplug and enjoy sailing away from the daily demands of technology, while the other group enjoys the convenience of cruise line app features. Disney Cruise Line is beginning limited tests that may make it harder to be part of the unplugged
One recent guest of Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas had a noise complaint regarding his stateroom – and it’s not what you might think. When most cruisers hear about noise complaints, they expect a story to follow about inconsiderate guests shouting or making a commotion in the hallways or adjoining rooms. But in this
The best way to describe most cruise cabins is tiny, but efficient. Indeed, the cruise lines have figured out how to fit full families into small staterooms that are often less than 300 or 400 square feet. One way that Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess makes the most of the space in her standard staterooms is
It’s a momentous day for Disney Cruise Line and cruising in Asia as Disney Adventure has officially floated out from the construction hall at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Wismar, Germany on Saturday, April 19, 2025. This is a major milestone in bringing the ship to life, as it demonstrates the official completion of her
It’s been another hectic week for cruise news and now it’s time for Cruise Hive’s weekly recap of the major developments. This week we’re writing about Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Princess Cruises. Make sure you stay well informed by signing up for Cruise Hive’s Daily Update, so the big cruise stories are
Every cruise line has its own vibe that loyal guests love. On Carnival Cruise Line, that’s a fun party vibe with singing, dancing, and laughter – even in the Main Dining Room at dinnertime. The tradition of “Showtime” in the main restaurants has been a mainstay on Carnival ships for decades. In my earlier days
