On Monday April 18, a federal judge in Florida overturned the federal mask mandate that would  require travelers to continue wearing face coverings while in and onboard places of public transportation until May. Prior to this, the CDC had extended its face covering mandate for another 15 days nationwide.

Cruises to Alaska offer an impressive array of activities and natural beauty. Snow topped peaks, massive glaciers and bountiful wildlife draw many to these northern cruise itineraries.

As guests explore the wonders of the area, there are some common questions best answered to make the most out of an Alaskan cruise experience.

Reaching back to days of geography, history and science classes, we look at some of the forces that shape this untamed land.

Here are some of the top questions answered.

Today Celebrity Cruises has announced new sailing itineraries for two of its ships, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Millennium.

Celebrity Solstice will be embarking on five, seven, and eight-night sailings to the Mexican Riviera, leaving from its homeport of Los Angeles, California.

The itineraries will include destination visits such as Puerto Vallarta, Ensenada, and Mazatlán. Some of the sailings will also feature overnight stays in Cabo San Lucas, in order for guests to experience the lively nightlife.

This morning, April 18th 2022, was the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that a cruise line has returned to Australian waters and ports.

Australia is one of the most recent countries to restart its cruise industry after closing down during the pandemic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison closed all ports within Australia to passenger cruise ships on March 15th 2020.

P&O Cruises Australia Pacific Explorer, the flagship of P&O Cruises Australia, is the first international ship to return to Australia in over two years.

The first cruise ship to return to Bar Harbor, Maine in over two years was Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Pearl on April 14 2022.

The return of cruising to Maine is another important milestone for the travel and cruise industry after the impacts of COVID-19.

Disney Magic is Disney Cruise Line's very first ship that launched in 1998. While she is one of the cruise line's smaller vessels, she offers some fantastic itineraries ranging from those visiting the Bahamas and Caribbean to Mexico and even the Panama Canal!

The ship was refurbished in 2013 and 2018. With these intensive updates, the ship was given new additions, such as the AquaDunk water slide and Rapunzel’s Royal Table restaurant.

One of the reasons I love cruising so much is because it’s incredibly affordable! A cruise vacation is so convenient because everything you need is in one spot, including all of your dining options, entertainment, accommodations, and transportation. You can kick back and truly relax when you decide to cruise for your vacation. 

With your cruise fare including so much, you’ll feel like you’re at an all-inclusive resort without blowing your vacation budget. 

Oceania Cruises will conduct a ship-wide refurbishment on two of its vessels as part of the next phase of its OceaniaNEXT experience elevation initiative.

This next phase, may be Oceania Cruises’ most ambitious yet, as it is seeking to completely renovate and reimagine the ships Riviera and Marina in its fleet. Oceania Cruises aims to make two of its ships better-than-new.

This means that once these two ships have been completely re-inspired from stern-to-stern, Oceania Cruises will be operating a fleet of completely new vessels.

Currently three of the major cruise lines, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line require that guests older than five years of age be fully vaccinated in order to cruise. However, as more amenities return to, and reopen, on cruise ships, there are more and more talks on when cruise lines might end their requirement for proof of vaccination.