Carnival Cruise Line announced today that the company has finalized an agreement with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to build another giant cruise ship. The new ship is scheduled to debut in spring 2027, according to the cruise line. This fourth Excel-class cruise ship is the first new-build order placed by Carnival Corporation in five years.

When packing for your upcoming cruise, there are some obvious items that you'll want to bring, such as swimsuits, formal wear, and casual clothes for lounging around the ship on sea days. 

If you are unfamiliar with cruising, however, some things might not cross your mind. Moreover, you might try and bring an item that you could normally take to a hotel or vacation rental on land. 

If you are new to MSC Cruises and thinking about giving them a try, there are a lot of benefits to sailing with this European cruise line. They offer some of the cheapest cruise fares in the market, making their voyages an incredible value. 

One TikTok user has taken to social media to slam Norwegian Cruise Line for altering their bucket-list itinerary to Antarctica with little to no explanation. The revised itinerary would no longer be visiting Antarctica at all, according to the viral TikTok.

We share lots of cruise updates and advice here, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week.

If you are busy but want to keep up with all the helpful cruise advice we share, this is an easy-to-digest look at the recent articles and updates we've shared

In 2023, I was able to sail on five different Norwegian Cruise Line ships, and it was an amazing year filled with many awesome cruise memories and opportunities to gain insight and knowledge about NCL. 

Each of the cruises I went on was quite different, and I had so much fun getting to see many different aspects of this big-name cruise line and everything it has to offer for travelers. 

The Bahamas is a colorful and inviting hot spot for year-round vacation destinations. It's a true gem for tourists coming from all over by cruise ship or plane, exploring the beautiful islands.

The mesmerizing beaches, from the soft sands to the turquoise waters, can make anyone want to return. This history in the Bahamas is rich, and there is so much available to see and explore.

As for entering and leaving with or without a passport, there are varying requirements depending on whether you are traveling via cruise ship or flying to stay at a resort. 

There's no better time to start thinking about your spring break plans than right now! After the holidays, spring break is one of the first opportunities for families to vacation together. 

Since demand is higher than in February or May, it's not uncommon to find some pretty expensive spring break cruises. A 7-night cruise onboard Icon of the Seas, for instance, that departs on March 30, 2024, starts at a jaw-dropping $3,244 per person for two people in an interior cabin. 

Cruise ships aren't just engineering marvels; they're also the home to the thousands of crew members who work onboard the ship to ensure that you have a memorable vacation. 

Since ships are essentially floating cities, there are all different types of jobs onboard, ranging from, of course, the Captain to nurses, cabin stewards, bartenders, photographers, electricians, and more.