Cruise Radio: Weekly Cruise News & Travel Tips

Jason Leppert is the editor-in-chief of PopularCruising.com and just returned from a seven-night sailing about Celebrity Solstice, a Celebrity Cruises ship that was launched in August 2008 and does seasonal sailing in Alaska. She is currently the largest ship sailing the Alaskan waters. Jason gives us a comprehensive bow to stern review of Celebrity Solstice, the themed Top Chef cruise he was sailing and what it's like living the Celebrity life.

Listener Questions

1. Lauren W. - East TN

We are first time cruisers and would like to know how to pick out our cabin? There are WAAAAAY to many options out there. Any suggestions for a good starting point?

Loyal Cruiser Website

Loyal Cruiser is a consumer facing company dedicated to ensuring the cruise passenger is rewarded for their travel. This simple centralized loyalty program for cruisers is straightforward and easy to understand. We talk to the CEO of LoyalCruise.com, Baron Forbes, to learn all about the company.

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

Theresa Masek, the Editor-in-chief of Vacation Agent Magazine joins us today to talk about her recent shipyard tour of Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas. Theresa gives us 10 awesome new features aboard the upcoming cruise ship.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

• Norwegian Cruise Line purchases Prestige
• Princess Cruises reveals a trendy night club on upcoming Regal Princess
• Plans for a new pier in Venice - how is this going to play with the cruise ship ban?
• Oasis of the Seas Europe bound - but back next month - what is she doing over there and why is the Europe stint so short?
• Latest from Quantum of the Seas

Listener Question

Submitted to Facebook:

We were unloading our car at PortMiami a few weeks ago and had four bags total - I gave the porter a dollar for each bag and he told me this wasn't sufficient and the charge was $2 per bag. I went ahead and paid the $2 per bag because I didn't want my bag to wind up on the wrong ship! What are the tipping guidelines for curbside porters on embarkation day?

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

Houston-based listener, Sonya Sherow, just returned from a seven-night sailing aboard Carnival Magic, a Carnival Cruise Lines ship based year-round. Sonya gives us a comprehensive review of Carnival Magic, including: embarkation from Galveston, Texas, first impressions of the ship, public areas, stateroom, food, entertainment and the ports of call on this Western Caribbean cruise.

We also tackle three listener questions on how much does a passport cost, how long does it take to get your passport, and ground transportation options between the Miami International Airport and PortMiami. http://www.cruiseradio.net.

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

Kerry Stange joins us this week to give us a comprehensive review of Royal Caribbean largest cruise ship Allure of the Seas. Kerry and his wife recently returned from a seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing. Kerry goes into detail about embarkation out of Terminal 18 in Port Everglades, first impressions of Allure of the Seas, the stateroom, dining venues, entertainment, and ship experience.

Listener Question:

I am looking for direction on the issue of tipping. We no longer use the Dining Room for our meals. We take our meals in the buffet or specialty restaurants. We are generous with our gratuities at these venues for good service. A large portion of the tipping schedule is for dining room personnel, a service we do not use. What would be your recommendation in dealing with this discrepancy? We are told the gratuities are still circulated amongst all cruise personnel? Do we lessen the amount of tipping collected less the dining room portion?

Cruise Guy has Cruise News on:

• Cunard announces major makeover for Queen Victoria
• What's the status on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas?
• Carnival Pride is going to operate unique voyages starting October 2015, what are we gonna see?
• CEO of CLIA recently released some norovirus figures - how accurate was this report and what was she trying to prove?

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

Happy 100th Birthday to the Panama Canal! To celebrate, Sunny Lockwood joins us to chat about a book that she and her husband wrote called Cruising Panama's Canal. An interesting read about how a horrifying life accident turned into a trip of a lifetime.

We answer a listener question about Carnival Sunshine, transportation from the Orlando International Airport to the cruise pier at Port Canaveral, and what to do on the ship.

Cruise Guy has Cruise News and talks about Carnival's new island in Haiti, Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas floated out, Regal Princess' Godparents from the Love Boat, Norwegian Cruise Line's more-inclusive package, and a third Royal-class Princess ship on the way. For show notes and book link check out http://cruiseradio.net.

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

This week, we are broadcasting from Southeast Alaska on Holland America Line's ms Westerdam. Along with cruising in Alaska, we are aboard a special Dancing with the Stars themed cruise, with some of the biggest names from ABC's hit television show Dancing with the Stars, both past and present seasons, like: Carson Kressley, Emma Slater, Tristin MacManus, Sabrina Bryan and more. We will talk to Carson Kressley, Emma Slater, the cruise director aboard the ms Westerdam, the onboard travel expert, some passengers and give you our take on the Alaskan cruise and the Dancing with the Stars theme cruise. Sit back, there's a lot of Alaska and star power in the episode!

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

This week, we chat with listener, Don Harlem, who just returned from a 12-night Med cruise on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas, roundtrip Barcelona. Don gives us a full review of Serenade of the Seas, including: his pre-cruise stay, embarkation from Barcelona, first impressions of the ship, stateroom, dining, entertainment, ports, and his overall thoughts of Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

• Hollywood actors telling cruise ships to stay away from Italy
• Going, going, gone! So long Costa Concordia
• Carnival Magic going to operate a series of four-six day cruises in Winter 2015, does this show a demand in the TX markets?

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

Jason Leppert from PopularCruising.com recently returned from an 18-night expedition cruise on Silverseas Cruises vessel Silver Discover. His voyage started him out in Asia, he made his way up Russia's eastern coast and to remote parts of Alaska. Jason goes into detail about sailing from the Far East, what his expedition ship was like, the atmosphere surrounding the cruise, ports that stick out and his overall thoughts.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

• Two more ships for Norwegian Cruise Line
• Norwegian Cruise Line enforcing no smoking policy
• Costa Concordia status
• Celebrity Silhouette is having propulsion issues
• Steel is cut on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer
• Is Florida losing it's homeport advantage?

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

On this episode, we talk to Jason Cohen about his latest cruise on MSC Cruises MSC Divina, a cruise ship that sails from Miami seasonally.

We break down why it's important to have travel insurance.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

• Carnival changes smoking policy
• Carnival staying in NOLA for another five years
• AIDA ship gets missile debris on deck
• Atlantic City wants cruise ships
• What is all this hype about Tampa and the skyway bridge?
• Question: Since marijuana is legal in Washington state now, is it still illegal to bring on an Alaska sailing embarking from Seattle, Washington?

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]

This week, we are broadcasting aboard Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Freedom, a ship that is based in Port Everglades (moving to Galveston in 2015). We are on an 8-night Southern Caribbean sailing this week. During a recent dry dock Carnival Freedom received Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements and the Seuss at Sea program, including Bookville, a Dr. Seuss character breakfast, parades, story time and photo opportunities. On top of Dr. Seuss, guests will also take part in Guy Fieri's signature Burger Joint, the BlueIguana Cantina, RedFrog Pub and Alchemy Bar. So much to do in so little time!

Thoughts or reviews? Email me: [email protected]