We share lots of cruise updates and advice here, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week.
1. Hurricane Lee disrupts major cruise line itineraries. Here are the major changes so far
As Hurricane Lee moved up the East Coast this past week, cruise lines were forced to adjust their plans. In some cases, they had to modify entire itineraries!
While as of the morning of September 14, the storm was classified as a Category 1, there were many disruptions that occurred! Those sailing to Bermuda often found themselves cruising to The Bahamas instead.
Here are all of the cruises that have been impacted so far.
Read more: Hurricane Lee disrupts major cruise line itineraries. Here are the major changes so far
2. Things that can get you instantly kicked off a cruise ship
As with almost all public spaces, cruise ships have certain rules you will need to adhere to.
Of course, most of them are explicit, but some of them are implied. Cruise lines take the safety of all passengers and crew very seriously, and they have a code of conduct that lays out how guests should conduct themselves.
While most guests will never encounter a situation tin which they will find themselves needing to speak to security, there are still general rules that everyone should know.
Here are some things that can get you instantly kicked off a cruise ship.
Read more: Things that can get you instantly kicked off a cruise ship
3. Norwegian Cruise Line suites: What's included & is it worth it?
If you want to take your next sailing onboard Norwegian Cruise Line up a notch, you may want to consider booking a suite.
Norwegian Cruise Line suites are unlike standard hotel suites in that they tend to come with quite a few perks that are meant to help elevate your cruising experience. Not only are these cabins more spacious than your standard staterooms, but the upgraded amenities and additional space help to make your cruise more luxurious.
To help you make the decision on if booking a suite on your next Norwegian cruise is worth it, here is what you need to know.
Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line suites: What's included & is it worth it?
4. I stayed in a 177-square-foot room on a Virgin Voyages cruise that starts at $1,734 for almost a week. For a tiny space, it was big on luxury
Have you ever wondered what a cabin on Virgin Voyages looks like?
Writer Nicole recently stayed in a 177 square foot Insider cabin onboard Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages has unique names for all of their cabins, and what cruisers would consider an interior cabin, one without windows, is called the Insider onboard Virgin.
She wasn’t quite sure what to expect of her cabin on Virgin’s Scarlet Lady, as they market their cabins as spacious enough for 1-4 people to stay comfortably.
Take a look at what this cabin looked like and what her thoughts on it were.
5. I tried Disney Cruise Line's wearable DisneyBand+. Here's how it worked
Over the summer, Disney Cruise Line launched a new and interesting feature onboard some of their ships: DisneyBand+, which are essentially like a MagicBand+ at sea.
Hayley recently went onboard Disney Fantasy to try this DisneyBand+ out for herself. DisneyBand+ is marketed as the most immersive and best way for guests to access areas around the ship, pay for items during their cruise, and interact with unique entertainment onboard, but is DisneyBand+ really worth the steep extra cost?
She was surprised by these bands and shared some things that she loved and disliked about them.
Read more: I tried Disney Cruise Line's wearable DisneyBand+. Here's how it worked
6. Crew member shows what it's like to sail on an empty cruise ship with no passengers
When you think of a cruise ship, you’re probably imagining a ship full of friends and family sailing together.
Have you ever wondered what a cruise ship looks like when it’s sailing without any passengers, though? While rare, this sometimes does happen, and crew members get to sail on an empty cruise ship. Oftentimes, this will happen when a cruise ship is repositioning home ports and doesn’t open the itinerary up for cruisers to book.
Thanks to crew member Lera Synchro, who has been working for Royal Caribbean for five years, we're able to get a view into what this looked like for everyone onboard, as she posted a YouTube video documenting what activities they got to do.
Read more: Crew member shows what it's like to sail on an empty cruise ship with no passengers
7. Carnival suite perks: Are they worth the cost?
Cruise cabins are notorious for being small, and it may leave you wondering if upgrading to a suite on your next Carnival cruise is worth it.
Often costing over double the amount of interior staterooms, Carnival suites come with certain perks that you should know about prior to booking. Note that not only will the room likely cost more, but you will be responsible for paying more in gratuities, too.
Here is everything you need to know about what is included when you book a suite onboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship to determine if it is worth it or not.
Read more: Carnival suite perks: Are they worth the cost?
8. 17 Royal Caribbean Drink Package Tips
If you have an upcoming cruise on Royal Caribbean, you might be wondering if the drink package is worth purchasing.
Of course, there is nothing better than lounging onboard your cruise with a drink in hand, but the prices of drink packages can be high. If you want a drink other than water, lemonade, tea or standard coffee, you will need to purchase it. If you purchase a drink package, you are essentially pre-paying for an unlimited amount of drinks for a fixed price, rather than paying as you go.
Here are 17 tips that will help you decide whether or not you should get a Royal Caribbean drink package for your next cruise.
Read more: 17 Royal Caribbean Drink Package Tips (2023)
9. Everything you need to know about cruise line loyalty programs
Similar to hotels and airlines, the more you cruise with a certain cruise line, the better perks you can receive when you sail.
The lower, entry-level tiers won’t yield many benefits, but as you climb the ranks, you can find perks that can really enhance your cruise. One major difference between cruise line loyalty programs and those of hotel chains and airlines is that you do not have to worry about requalifying each year. If, for instance, you earn Platinum status through Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor program in 2023, you will keep the same status even if you do not cruise with them for another five years!
Not all loyalty programs are created equally, however, and it is important to know what they each entail. Here is an overview of all of the mainstream cruise line loyalty programs for you to decide what is worth your cruising time.
Read more: Everything you need to know about cruise line loyalty programs
Nicole Feist
Nicole first fell in love with cruising as a teenager on a family vacation. Since then she's gone on to become a frequent cruiser, and even marrying her husband on a sailing. Living on the Gulf Coast of Florida, you'll find her cruising on the weekends whenever she can.
