Cruise Radio: Weekly Cruise News & Travel Tips

We compare and contract cruise vacations to all-inclusive resorts. What is the difference between the two? How are they similar? We get a full over of everything from the stay, dining, excursions, and the overall experience itself.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• Two more Royal Caribbean ships open up for US Bookings
• A cruise industry trade group starts a campaign to restart cruising
• Florida's governor met with cruise line executives down in your neck of the woods on Friday
• Carnival made a bold statement at last week's meeting with government officials, stating they are "America's Cruise Line"
• More ships flock to the UK for a restart
• The future does not look bright for the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California

Listener Question: Cynical question but inquiring minds want to know. I'm a nurse in the northeast and an avid cruiser, what's stopping people from saying they have the vaccination and they really haven't? Will the cruise lines be checking against a national database? Seems like anyone could get their hands on the vax card. - Shirley

Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

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Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

• The show must go on for cruise lines, whether the CDC likes it or not.
• If Nassau, Bahamas or Bermuda isn't your cup of tea, you can head further south.
• Some positive news from the White House regarding the future of travel in general.
• More summer cruise for UK cruisers.
• It was touch and go for an American river cruise ship late last week
• A close call for a Disney Cruise Line and the Victory casino ship.

Q: Long-time listener here wondering IF the cruise ship restrictions voted on in Key West stay in place (not overturned by Florida's legislature) can any of the major cruise line ships call on Key West? I know the mega-ships are out, but how about some of the older classes of ships? — Brian Q: Hi. Last week Shery mentioned Europe land/cruising. In 2022, we are looking to spend a couple of months in Europe. Is it better to start in the north or the south? - Di

This week we catch up with Sherry Laskin with a busy week of cruise news.

Sherry has news on:

• The first major cruise line sailing from the United States will now require a vaccination
• More uncertainty for the already struggling Alaska cruise season
• Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings drops the ax on June 2021 sailings
• A scary incident aboard a MSC cruise line ship.
• Two U.S. river cruise lines are back to sailing again
• Royal Caribbean deploys a ship in Los Angelos in 2022

Listener Question #1: What's the difference between a passport card and a regular passport? We are traveling to the Bahamas next summer. -Leeann

Listener Question #2: How kid-friendly of a cruise line is Cunard? We are looking for a family reunion cruise with 30 people, half of them are under 35. - Dave

Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

What have you been doing since the cruise industry shutdown? We catch up with listener Tommy to see what he's been doing and what are some of the first things he'll do once he gets back to sea.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• One cruise line is looking to homeport in Cozumel.
• And speaking of Cozumel, a gulf coast port is about to receive a big ship.
• Here is one for you, Sherry. One cruise line is giving away a transatlantic voyage for two.
• Port Canaveral continues to gear up for the arrival of Carnival's mega-ship Mardi Gras.
• Princess and HAL opening up a small part of Alaska

Listener Question: How does Carnival Cruise Line's shareholder credit work?

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Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy catches us up to date with some of the decisions the cruise lines have made over the past few months and what the landscape is starting to look like as we start to move into the spring and summer 2021 cruise season.

Sherry has cruise news:

• Two more cruise lines delay sailings into 2021
• The U.S. Transportation Committee asks Canada to help save the Alaska cruise season
• Grand Cayman considers limiting the number of cruise ships
• The upcoming Royal ship will debut in a new homeport in Europe
• Royal Caribbean ship passes an air quality test

Question: What are your thoughts on catching an 11:35 flight out of Miami on disembarkation morning?

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Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Carnival Cruise Line released return-to-cruise protocols, then hours later it was rescinded. We break down what the rules initially said and why they were quickly taken down. Some of the protocols touched on gaming, swimming, and onboard activities.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• More cruise line cancellations
• Vaccines are paving the way for future cruise bookings
• MSC detailed some features on a ship that is coming to Miami
• Miami is going green
• One luxury cruise line will require a shot in the arm
• The future is looking bleak for the Queen Mary in Long Beach

Listener Question: I haven't heard anything about NCL Pride of America. Is there any discussion about restarting these cruises at all?

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Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

A review of Seabourn Sojourn on an 11-night sailing from Vancouver, BC to Anchorage, Alaska on a luxury cruise line. Find out what the difference is between a regular Alaska cruise and taking the luxury route.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• Norwegian Cruise Line cancels sailings through June 1, 2020
• Nassau, Bahamas says cruise ships could start doing test voyages there as early as the spring
• Royal Caribbean is requiring crew members to be vaccinated
• Royal is also remaining bullish on the 2021 Alaska season
• MSC Cruises shows us that the machines are in control

Listener Question: I have a cruise booked for December 2021, and haven't really been shopping around outside of that. My question is, should we expect prices to rise due to ships not filling all the rooms? There is such a pent-up desire to cruise, I'm afraid the competition will be steep for a while. -Kayla

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We get a review of a cruise aboard Norwegian Epic. This was a seven-night sailing from Rome that hit all the popular ports of call. We learn what it is like sailing Norwegian Cruise Line in Europe and how it differs, if at all, from sailing in the Caribbean.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• Carnival reveals details about a space onboard the upcoming Mardi Gras
• Carnival publishes return to cruise protocols early, then pulls them off the website.
• Mexico is suggesting that some cruise lines homeport in Cozumel
• The future looks grim for the Alaska 2021 cruise season
• Viking Cruises starts construction on the new ship

Listener Question: I am curious about this Titanic II ship. Was wondering if this for real? Mike

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Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

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Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

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What will be some of the pros and cons of being the first cruise ship back to sea. Staff writer Richard Simms weighs in on what guests will have to look out for and what we know so far about the return-to-cruise process.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• Two US-based river cruise lines will now require the COVID vaccine for crew and guests.
• Carnival Cruise Line breaks ground on a new cruise terminal at PortMiami.
• NCL is sending crew members back home until they get more guidance on resuming sailings.
• MSC takes delivery of their latest cruise ship.
• One cruise line is bringing sports betting to sea
• If you miss Freeport, Bahamas, you can now get there with a negative test.

Listener Question: Will the CDC still have jurisdiction to enforce the mask mandate when the ship is in international waters? Or would a mandatory vaccine allow the cruise lines to avoid the mandate?

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Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

We get a review of Princess Cruises' Sky Princess. This was a 14-night cruise that consisted of a back-to-back seven-night to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, stopping at all the popular islands.

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is getting closer to having all crew members vaccinated
• Carnival Cruise Line delays a few dry docks and pushes the inaugural sailing of Mardi Gras
• One cruise ship goes from one cruise line to another
• The cancellations already start for the 2021 Alaska cruise season
• Celebrity pulls a ship from Europe and repositions it to the Caribbean for summer 2021

Listener Question: Are the perks really worth it? It seems like it's actually cheaper buying the perks a la carte instead of all-inclusive pricing.

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Thoughts or questions? [email protected]

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Follow Cruise Radio's Socials:

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Patreon