Royal Holiday

Late last year, the White House announced that it would start normalizing relations with the island nation of Cuba, after 50 years of severe economic sanctions.

Located just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba has been isolated by travel restrictions and a decades-old embargo. Its close proximity and vibrant Latin culture has meant that the island has long been a forbidden but alluring destination for Americans curious to experience the Caribbean nation’s way of life. For this reason, when President Obama announced that trade with Cuba would be improving, devoted cruisers and industry insiders speculated that Cuba might soon open its ports to American tourists.

So, what does this new thaw in diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba mean for cruising?

Unfortunately, there are not likely to be any significant changes for Caribbean vacationers—at least not yet. For the time being, travel to Cuba remains restricted to a number of specific classifications, such as travel related to medical need, athletic events, journalism, religious reasons, or family visits.

The biggest change for Americans traveling to Cuba is that they are no longer required to acquire a special license from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Moreover, limits on how much money a visitor can spend there, and the types of business they can pursue, have been relaxed. This broadening of acceptable economic activities has the potential to further stimulate trade between the countries, and possibly encourage opening up relations further.

Despite all these changes, though, general tourism is still forbidden under the new rules—and that means no cruises. To allow larger numbers of Americans to travel to Cuba, Congress has to pass a law specifically permitting that. However, there appear to be no plans among American politicians to do that just yet.

Despite the complications and slow diplomatic processes involved, the latest announcement by the White House may the first step toward introducing an exotic new destination to cruisers’ Caribbean itineraries sometimes in coming years.

Of all the dream destinations available, there are only a few open exclusively to cruisers. These are the private island and beach resorts owned by some of the world’s largest cruise companies.

A private island has a lot to offer cruise passengers lucky enough to spend a day there. The facilities are safe, well maintained, and reflect the standards of the cruise line itself—something that a chaotic port city can’t always provide. In fact, a lazy day cocooned amidst the comfortable, high-quality amenities of a resort beach can be the perfect antidote to the non-stop exciting adventures typical of a cruise’s other exotic stops.

While these resorts have a reputation for being unimaginative if comfy, the truth is that they have a lot going for them. Because they are an extension of the cruise line itself, basic amenities, such as a beach lounger and a lunch buffet, are included in the price of the cruise. No additional purchase is necessary! Souvenirs, shore excursions, and so forth are also available, of course, but are completely optional.

As cruising has grown in popularity, companies have taken pains to differentiate their private resorts. Nowadays, guests enjoy just as many memorable moments on a private island as at any other destination.

The following are a few private island resorts that Royal Holiday members can visit:

* Coco Cay. Owned by Royal Caribbean, this small island offers three beaches and plenty of spots to relax and have a cool drink. Aside from the usual resort experience, this island also boasts a lovely nature hike and an underwater replica of Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the notorious pirate, Blackbeard.

* Great Stirrup Cay. The first private island opened for cruisers, Norwegian Cruise Line’s resort offers visitors a laid-back beach experience on a well-maintained beach, along with a water park, eco-trails, and plenty of other ways to have a good time in the sun.

* Princess Cays. Located on the island of Eleuthera, Princess Cruises’ private port packs a mile and a half of beaches into a 40-acre resort. Unlike many other private resorts, this one shares the island with a thriving little town that offers a unique culture all its own, including a summertime Pineapple Festival.

After several months under construction, the second-busiest cruise port in the world has finally re-opened one of its terminals. Started in March of last year, the recent renovations to Cruise Terminal 4 of Florida’s Port Everglades introduce cruisers to a variety of modernizations and upgrades, along with plenty of new perks that promise to make the process of getting on and off their ships even more pleasant.

An expanded parking lot now serves the terminal. In addition to over 170 more spaces, the lot offers improved traffic flow and new, covered pick-up and drop-off zones.

Inside, the 100,400-square-foot terminal has undergone a facelift to achieve an airy and sun-filled space. Improved acoustics, brighter lighting, and a high-efficiency air-conditioning system provide a pleasant, more agreeable atmosphere throughout the facility. Passenger embarkation has also been streamlined with the addition of 50 new check-in counters and several more elevators and escalators.

The massive refurbishment isn’t limited to upgrades in efficiency. Over the next few weeks, a beautiful tile mural entitled “Pelican Path” will be installed by local artist, Xavier Cortada. The colorful artwork will be the final flourish on a comprehensive overhaul that, according to officials, will dramatically improve the passenger experience at Port Everglades.

The renovation of Cruise Terminal 4 is the sixth one in the last five years at Port Everglades, which is undergoing a major multi-year expansion. In addition to upgrading its cruise terminals, the port also is making dock improvements, such as a 250-foot extension of a slip adjoining Cruise Terminal 4 that will allow it to accommodate much larger cruise ships.

In 2014, 4 million cruisers passed through Port Everglades, making it one of the busiest in the world. The facility hosts ships from a number of popular cruise lines, including Royal Holiday affiliates such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

This week, Carnival Corporation is wrapping up an exciting Super Bowl commercial contest that has had cruisers and travel industry insiders abuzz since last November. January 15 is the final day for people to review several commercials posted on www.carnivalmarketingchallenge.com, and vote on which one should appear during the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 1.

Of course, because they are competing for placement during the Super Bowl—perhaps the biggest event in the TV advertising world—each of the commercials is characteristically memorable. Their themes and imagery range from beautifully thrilling to cleverly humorous to spicily risqué.

As an added incentive, Carnival will randomly select one winner from among those who vote for the commercial that wins the Super Bowl placement. This lucky individual will win one cruise on board a Carnival-affiliated ship—every year for life!

Carnival Corporation is the parent company of several of the best-known brands in cruising, including Carnival and Princess, high-end luxury lines like Cunard, and European lines such as AIDA and Costa Cruises, among others. The marketing blitz is a huge event for Carnival Corporation, which will be advertising all nine of its cruise lines together for the very first time.

According to Carnival executives, the ad campaign aims to paint cruising in a new light, without the stereotypical images of Hawaiian shirts and umbrella drinks. Instead, the company wants to entice viewers to experience a rich and fulfilling vacation like no other. The ads are especially targeted at those who have never enjoyed a cruise before.

Carnival’s whirlwind marketing extravaganza is also serving to polish the image of cruising in general. In recent years, a few unfortunate, high-profile incidents may have made some vacationers wary of choosing a cruise for their travel plans. By connecting with the huge Super Bowl market, however, Carnival Corp is striving to promote the idea that cruising is a fun and relaxing vacation option for everyone.

The new year is off to a great start for the cruise industry. According to a new study from the analysts at independent consulting firm GP Wild, cruising is one of the absolute safest modes of travel around.

The study, which goes by the rather dry title of “Report on Operational Incidents, 2009–2013,” examined emergency incidents aboard the world’s cruise vessels over a period of several years. The types of events analyzed included fires, collisions, sinkings, storms, passengers falling overboard, engine failures, and other dangerous incidents.

The verdict? Cruising, it turns out, is among the safest ways to travel, whether compared to vacation, business, or even daily personal travel. In fact, cruises tie with commercial airlines for first place in safety. In the five years from 2009 through 2013, the study noted 102 significant incidents on cruise ships that resulted in 215 injuries and 50 deaths, most of which occurred during the wreck of the Costa Concordia in the Mediterranean Sea in 2012.

According to the study’s findings, cruising is over 40 times safer than traveling via ordinary passenger automobile. Even more impressive is the fact that the number of dangerous incidents on cruises dropped by about 13 percent, even though cruise capacity rose nearly 19 percent in the same time period. Incidents in every category of emergency decreased, especially “man overboard” cases, which dropped by half. Overall, there were fewer serious incidents over time, even though more people were cruising.

The study was commissioned by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and drew data from dozens of publicly available information sources, both governmental and private. The encouraging results should assuage any passenger’s fears about taking an ocean vacation.

The statistics paint a clear picture: cruising really is one of the most secure, relaxing, and stress-free ways to travel. So break out the sunscreen and travel guides, and start thinking about your next cruise destination today!

Princess Cruises rang in the New Year in a big way this year, with a colorful float in the 126th Rose Parade on New Year’s morning. To top off the event, the entire six-member cast of the hit 1970s TV show The Love Boat sailed aboard the flowery faux boat.

The 60-foot-long float represented Princess Cruises’ newest addition to its fleet: the Regal Princess, which was christened late last year with the cast of The Love Boat serving as her godparents. People watching the parade could see the mini-Regal Princess sailing among artistic depictions of some of the world’s most notable destinations. Crafted from over 24,000 flowers and flower vials signed by thousands of company employees, the beautiful replicas included the Golden Gate Bridge, the mountains of Alaska, the Sydney Opera House, and a Japanese pagoda.

The theme of this year’s Rose Parade was “Inspiring Stories.” This led designers at Princess Cruises to launch their float with the theme of “50 Years of Inspiring Travel.” The cruise line drew on travel tales submitted by its faithful passengers in order to select the destinations shown on the float. Among the most inspiring stories was one from the grand-prize winner, World War II veteran Nathan Keith Abbott, who sailed on a Princess cruise to revisit the Pacific islands that he served on many decades ago.

The float’s artistry and emotional appeal certainly left quite an impression. It received the parade’s Craftsman Trophy in recognition of its outstanding dramatic impact and showmanship.

So why all the excitement around a float?

The spectacular Rose Parade appearance served as a kickoff event for Princess Cruises’ 50th anniversary festivities this year. Since its founding, the company has grown into one of the world’s most recognized cruise lines, with an 18-ship fleet that carries 1.7 million cruisers every year throughout the world. In recognition of this success, and as a thank you to its loyal guests and crew, Princess Cruises is planning to extend its birthday celebration throughout the year with sales and onboard celebrations on all of its vessels.

It’s a brand-new year, and that means cruise lines will be showcasing the latest and greatest in cruising innovations and technology this year. And what better way to do that than to highlight the newest vessels in the world’s ever-growing fleet? The year 2015 will see the launch of a number of forward-looking cruise ships, including a few from Royal Holiday-affiliated cruise lines.

First up in the spring will be Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, the newest ship in the line’s acclaimed Quantum class. She is scheduled to sail Mediterranean itineraries out of Southampton, United Kingdom, during the summer; and Caribbean cruises from Bayonne, New Jersey, in the winter. The ship, of course, will feature the most advanced entertainment options for which the Quantum-class vessels are known. Guests can enjoy a skydiving simulator, 360-degree views from the glass-enclosed North Star capsule, and virtual balconies in interior staterooms.

In October, NCL’s Norwegian Escape will hit the water. The first ship in the upgrade Breakaway-Plus class, she will feature more deck space than her sister ships in the similar Breakaway class. The vessel, which will be based in Miami, will service Caribbean routes. The Escape, which will be adorned with distinctive hull art by artist Guy Harvey, will offer passengers characteristic flair at venues like the Miami-style Tobacco Road bar and a Margaritaville restaurant.

In addition to the new launches this coming year, a handful of cruise ships will also benefit from extensive refurbishments. Carnival Miracle, which may soon relocate from the Mexican Riviera to sail Bahamas itineraries, will be refurbished in spring 2015. She will most likely be among the vessels set to receive Carnival’s popular Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade, which will include added features like the Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy’s Burger Joint. Next year, the Norwegian Gem will also be getting a facelift. The ship, which will enjoy a complete overhaul of her decor and furnishings, will include new venues like O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill.

The New Year is rolling in, and countless vacationers are already looking forward to the fun cruises and exotic destinations that they’ll be enjoying later in the year. But cruising doesn’t have to be just about fantastic food and lounging around. In fact, year after year, plenty of cruisers find the time to combine relaxation with opportunities to grow personally and learn a little about pretty much any topic under the sun.

Enrichment programs have been a staple aboard luxury lines like Cunard and Oceania for years. At the same time, more mainstream cruise lines have long offered modest library facilities and limited classes in dancing, cooking, fitness, and more. As more cruisers seek to expand their horizons, however, ships are offering lectures and classes on a variety of subjects, ranging from history and language, to art and wine tasting. The best part is that these enrichment experiences are far from boring and can easily be incorporated into an unforgettable, fun-filled cruise.

Princess and other lines offer lectures on a broad range of topics on its cruises. Speakers are drawn from experts in fields such as archeology, cultural history, marine biology, and countless other disciplines. In addition, the line’s ScholarShip@Sea program offers passengers the opportunity to take fun classes in hobby-oriented pursuits, such as ceramics and photography, as well as technical subjects such as navigation. Likewise, Royal Caribbean offers classes on topics like dance, wine tasting, and cooking. The cruise line also offers instruction in languages, as well as jewelry-making, scrapbooking, and other crafts.

In addition, every cruise line offers a range of shore excursions, many of which enable participants to delve into the history, culture, or the ecology of their favorite destinations.

When you find yourself with a few extra hours during your next cruise, why not spend the time learning something new through one of the ship’s enrichment programs or educational shore excursions?

Consider it a New Year’s resolution!

With the year finally drawing to a close, it’s time to take a look back and review the exciting developments occurred in the world of cruising in 2014. This year saw several cruise-related stories in the news, including the ravages of Hurricane Odile and a number of outbreaks of illness on board a few ships. However, the biggest news items of 2014 were also the best: three brand new ships joined some of the world’s best-established cruise lines. These new vessels not only provided cruise enthusiasts with plenty of extra space and flexibility, but they also represented today’s forward-thinking innovations in cruise entertainment and technology:

Norwegian Getaway

From the first glimpse of the ship’s bright hull art to the last night’s outing in the spacious 678 Ocean Place atrium, the Norwegian Getaway is all about relaxing, Miami-style fun. The ship offers a variety of entertainment, including a number of Broadway-caliber musicals and sizzling clubs, as well as over 40 eateries and bars. For a little quiet time, of course, the ship also has a few spots to unwind, including the Thermal Suite spa lounge.

Regal Princess

Undeniably classy, the Regal Princess offers both elegance and fun. The signature atrium, the Piazza, is a magnificent indoor space spanning three decks that offer passengers access to a huge range of the ship’s entertainment venues and restaurants. The SeaWalk – a glass walkway that overhangs the open ocean – has also become a favorite among Princess cruisers. Critics have also hailed the ships dining options, noting that even the buffet offers something delicious for every palate.

Quantum of the Seas

A floating fortress of fun, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas boasts a variety of whimsical entertainment options to keep cruisers busy. North Star is a glass gondola that provides panoramic views from 300 feet above the waves. Thrill-seekers can experience a sky-diving simulator and other such activities, while night owls have plenty to keep them awake in the Music Hall and the technologically advanced entertainment venue Two70. The ship has also gone all out with its “Dynamic Dining” concept, which allows passengers to sample fare from several restaurants rather than being restricted to a single dining room.

Cruise industry watchers recently reported huge gains in tourism in a number of Canadian seaports like Quebec, as well as in a number of river and lake ports. These trends show that our northern neighbor is becoming an increasingly popular cruise destination among North American vacationers.

This makes perfect sense considering everything Canada has to offer visitors. On both its Atlantic and Pacific coasts, as well as along the ship-friendly St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes, there are ports of every kind. Old World charm and rocky coastlines define Canada’s eastern waterways, while piney, snow-capped peaks overlook the country’s west coast. In addition, because it’s so close to home, Canada is a perfect destination for those with a limited time to travel or first-time cruisers who may be a little wary of culture shock.

Halifax

The rugged Atlantic coast of Canada is a study in stern scenery: powerful gray seas, boulder-strewn beaches, and solitary lighthouses. For this reason, Halifax makes an especially great stop for outdoor enthusiasts and photographers. History buffs will also be interested in the RMS Titanic items displayed in the Maritime Museum here.

Newfoundland

The island of Newfoundland offers many surprises for cruisers interested in wilderness retreats and history. Tourists can take a stroll through St. John, the oldest city in North America. Nature enthusiasts may prefer the remote scenery and opportunities for whale watching in the Bay Islands off Newfoundland’s west coast.

Quebec City

Resembling an antique French town transplanted into the New World, Quebec is about as close as a cruiser can get to Europe without actually crossing the ocean. The area is renowned for its wineries, historical atmosphere, and sophisticated culture. This is also where the immense St. Lawrence River empties into the Atlantic.

Vancouver

Located on the western coast of Canada, Vancouver is in many ways an extension of the American northwest. Its lush mountains, active populace, and artsy, open-minded culture make this a beautiful and relaxing stop on many popular Alaska cruise itineraries.