Nov 12th, 2012 at 3:00PM: Cruise lines have worked hard to shake off the idea that they are all the same. What was once thought to be an experience well suited to a big ship full of overweight "travelers" who come to graze on endless buffets night and day has changed. Today, cruise lines offer unique travel opportunities on ships that reflect the tastes of an evolving, diverse traveler.
New ships come loaded with all ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
RoyalCaribbean posts
Cruise Lines Bring New Travel Choices By Remodeling Older Ships
Nov 12th, 2012 at 3:00PM: Cruise lines have worked hard to shake off the idea that they are all the same. What was once thought to be an experience well suited to a big ship full of overweight "travelers" who come to graze on endless buffets night and day has changed. Today, cruise lines offer unique travel opportunities on ships that reflect the tastes of an evolving, diverse traveler.
New ships come loaded with all ...Calling Barbie Lovers: There's A Cruise For You
Sep 11th, 2012 at 3:00PM: It's a little girl's dream (and the nightmare of many adults) – a Barbie-themed cruise. Thankfully, the pink and white Dream House hasn't taken over an entire ship, but a dedicated area of the youth program on Royal Caribbean ships beginning in January 2013 and rolling out on the entire line by March of next year.
The partnership includes staterooms decorated in Barbie style (pink, ...Cruise Vacations: Not Your Mother's Slow Boat To China
May 30th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
Often believed to be the travel choice of the newly wed or nearly dead, the nature of cruise vacations has evolved in recent years. At one time, a cruise vacation meant shuffleboard, never-ending buffets and a few thousand older, overweight passengers on a spin around the Bahamas. Now, the old iconic activities, dining options and even older passengers are being replaced with an active lifestyle ...Cruise ships bring nearly 700 sick passengers to shore
Feb 6th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
Between two cruise ships arriving in Florida and one in New Orleans, nearly 700 sick passengers were brought to shore over the weekend. Norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, hit passengers and crew causing hundreds to become ill, many to be quarantined and sailings to be delayed. Its a common ailment, magnified by the closed environment of a cruise ship, but avoidable for the most part ...Cruise line murder case back on TV this week
Jan 5th, 2012 at 3:30PM: Roll back the clock and set those VCR's, the 2005 cruise line murder case of George Smith who went missing while on a Royal Caribbean cruise is back on network television. In an update on Dateline NBC this Friday (10PM Eastern), the news hounds go to the well one more time for an update on the tragic industry-changing case.
"Dennis Murphy tells the story of an active, ongoing investigation ...Drug dealer on Worlds Largest Gay Cruise pleads guilty
Jul 26th, 2011 at 7:00AM: Not long ago we reported on a drug dealer busted on the Worlds Largest Gay Cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. The man pleaded guilty this week in a U.S. Virgin Islands court to dealing drugs on board a cruise ship.
Steven Barry Krumholz admitted selling ecstasy, methamphetamine and ketamine to fellow passengers on board the Allure of the Seas in February reports the Associated ...Beatles cruise promoter asks: "What if Paul or Ringo came along?"
Jul 24th, 2011 at 7:00AM: Lately, the focus of themed cruises has been on popular musicians like rock star musician and reality TV star Bret Michaels, Taylor Swift and Kid Rock among others. Themed cruises appeal to groups of people varying from broad interests like "motorcycles" and "rock music" in general to smaller, more specific interests like Harley-Davidson motorcycles or a specific band like KISS. Gaining in ...Death by cruise ship? It can come in several ways
Jul 15th, 2011 at 7:00AM: OK, so "death by cruise ship" is not exactly the kind of story that makes us want to break out the suntan lotion or brush up on our Bingo skills but it happens. People can and do die on a cruise ship for a variety of reasons. Earlier this week the decrepit Russian ship that sank in the Volga river was a Titanic-like example we might not think possible today. But it happened and over 100 people ...Cruise with the stars, if you dare
Jul 9th, 2011 at 7:00AM: Cruises come in all shapes and sizes. There are big ships, little ships, long cruises and short ones too. On board we find everything from fine dining to luxury bedding and a pampering staff. Some travelers are not interested in any of that though. They want the immersive experience that only a themed cruise can provide. Themed sailings featuring bands are popular with Captain Kid Rock leading the ...
Cruise lines loosen up, let guests in secret areas
Jul 7th, 2011 at 11:00AM: Ever since the terrorist attack of 9/11 security has been tight on cruise ships, and rightfully so. As a great big floating hotel, ships are also great big floating targets. When it comes to security, cruise lines have an unwavering focus on protecting ships and passengers. Having made a higher level of security commonplace, cruise lines are once again opening doors that up to now have been locked ...Cruise line art program builds on past, looks to future
Jul 4th, 2011 at 7:00AM: In May of 2010, Royal Caribbean dropped Park West, the company that handles art auctions on most cruise ships ending their cruise line art program. In a post on his blog, the company's president and CEO, Adam Goldstein, wrote at the time that the contract it had with Park West Art Services to run its auctions expired and that it was not going to renew. Now, continuing to focus on the arts, Royal ...Video of the Day: Cruise ship belly flop contest
Jun 27th, 2011 at 6:30PM:
I've never been on cruise but we cover them pretty extensively here at Gadling. Everything I know about the cruise industry I've learned from Saturday Night Live. So, you can imagine my confusion when I saw this video posted online today. Apparently, Royal Caribbean ships have belly flop contests. And, apparently some people film them. From the massive crowd watching each flop as if it's Game ...
Cruise ships on the move as traveler demand changes
Apr 20th, 2011 at 7:00AM: It was not all that long ago that cruise lines were boasting massive deployment to European waters for 2012 and into 2013. Now, it appears those waters across the pond might not be quite as attractive as at least one cruise line thought. Royal Caribbean is bringing one of their ships back to the U.S. On the other hand, some lines are expanding even beyond Europe as Celebrity Cruises heads to ...Tanganyika Wildlife Park gets a helping hand
Apr 2nd, 2011 at 10:00AM:
Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Wichita, Kansas is a non-profit specialty zoo charged with educating the public about endangered species. At the park, visitors are invited to get up close and personal with kangaroos, giraffes and other wildlife not exactly roaming the plains of the great Midwest on a normal day. Today, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara Cruises employees are on the scene as ...Old cruise ships get new features
Apr 2nd, 2011 at 7:00AM:
When a new cruise ship comes out, it has all the latest features and what cruise ship designers hope will provide the best, most relevant experience for today's cruise passenger. Later, after those new features turn out to be of an enduring nature, cruise lines often add them to older ships. Sometimes this process adds value to older ships that would otherwise be lacking in features by ...Royal Caribban Europe 2012: more with a twist
Mar 27th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
Royal Caribbean International this week unveiled its 2012 Europe cruise and cruisetour season, increasing deployment from its 2011 lineup of 11 ships to 12 for 2012, which will again include two Freedom-class ships. The line also detailed itineraries and added a new port with a twist on traditional cruise itineraries that offers passengers a great deal of flexibility.
"Every year Royal ...Help for Haiti still coming in a number of ways
Mar 13th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
Help for Haiti in the way of relief efforts has been a big, ongoing task. Traditional relief organizations have been spread thin and much-appreciated donations are helping them continue their work. Unlike some other natural disasters that happened in lands with fertile economies, Haiti was not in good shape before the devastating earthquake hit over a year ago. It was virtually a knockout ...Allure of the Seas to visit St Kitts
Mar 12th, 2011 at 4:00PM: Often thought just too big to visit most ports of call, giant Allure of the Seas will visit the tiny island of St Kitts in December. The unique port will answer a call by fans and critics to add much needed diversity to the ship's standard itinerary.
That's good news for fans of Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships. Die hard fans worried that a lack new ports would hurt popularity of the giant ...Hollywood goes to sea for short film series
Mar 9th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
Lights!
Camera!
Cruise Ship?
Called the "Ocean Views" film project, Hollywood's James Brolin, Jenny McCarthy and a boat load of stars recently wrapped up shooting a series of original short films as Hollywood goes to sea on board Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas.
(Don't think "infomercial" yet please)
Brolin and McCarthy both directed and star in the series along ...Ten cruise ship shows you don't want to miss
Mar 6th, 2011 at 11:00AM:
Entertainment on the high seas has taken a turn for the better in recent years and cruise ship shows are changing. Cruise lines are adding more options than ever before. The old days of a 70's Vegas-style revue and bingo as standard fare are quickly coming to a close as cruise lines roll out new productions. A recent USA Today poll voted Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic as the top ship ...
