Cruise News

On March 13, the Pacific nation of Vanuatu suffered a direct hit from Tropical Cyclone Pam, a Category 5 storm that devastated 22 islands and displaced tens of thousands of people. In the few weeks since, relief efforts have continued, bringing together aid organizations from around the world to help the country rebuild shelters and businesses, repair water infrastructure, plant crops, and reestablish public services that were disrupted by the storm. In response to the Cyclone Pam disaster, the global cruise industry has also provided financial and material aid.

In addition to a donation of AUD$100,000 to the Australian Red Cross’ aid efforts, Royal Caribbean International has championed the Australian Red Cross Cyclone Pam 2015 Appeal through its Facebook page.

Carnival Australia made a donation to Save the Children Australia in the amount of AUD$150,000, while the chairman of Carnival Corporation, Micky Arison, announced a matching contribution through his family foundation. The company is also working with Save the Children Australia to land a support team in Vanuatu to help coordinate relief there.

In addition, the ship Carnival Legend made a call to the island of Santo in the days immediately following the storm in order to deliver emergency supplies. The Carnival Corporation subsidiary cruise line, P&O Cruises, has scheduled two more vessels, Pacific Dawn and Pacific Pearl, to visit Vanuatu’s Port Vila to drop off large shipments of bottled water, packaged food, and portable shelters.

The cruise industry response to Tropical Cyclone Pam is just the latest in a long history of providing relief in times of need. Along with the millions of dollars that individual cruise lines contributed to Typhoon Haiyan recovery efforts in 2013, the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation, the industry’s leading giving organization, also provided a sizable donation. Cruise lines were also instrumental in relief efforts after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

The cruise industry is founded on the principles of an ancient maritime tradition that compels them to offer service in times of need. Cruisers and crews alike can be certain that the industry will step up whenever the ports they visit are affected by a natural disaster.

Several cruise lines such as Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, and Holland America Line have traditionally offered 10-day, two-week, and even longer cruises. According to industry experts, these kinds of long voyages are gaining in popularity – and other major cruise lines are heeding the call.

Early this March, Carnival Cruise Line announced plans to provide a special program of nine- to 15-day vacations. Known as Carnival Journeys, the eagerly anticipated slate of sailings aims to introduce passengers to an array of lesser-known destinations, as well as a host of brand-new onboard entertainment options for vacationers looking for an extended cruise experience.

Carnival has long been recognized for its Fun Ship philosophy, and many relatively short three- to eight-day itineraries, especially to popular destinations such as Bermuda, the Bahamas, and well-known Caribbean islands like Jamaica and St. Thomas. The new Carnival Journeys program breaks the company mold. After listening to longtime customers, the cruise line created the initiative in response to passengers’ desire to visit more exotic destinations and to enjoy cultural experiences unavailable on shorter cruises – and to do so with characteristic Carnival fun and affordability.

The Carnival Journeys trips will embark from some of the nation’s busiest home ports on the East, West, and Gulf Coasts. From there, the ships, including some of the company’s newest and most advanced, will visit a variety of destinations throughout the Caribbean or the Pacific. While popular ports of call are found on these itineraries, so are a number of less familiar ones, such as Bonaire in the Caribbean, Ixtapa and La Paz in Mexico.

In addition, Carnival’s program will feature thoughtful new onboard experiences and shore excursions to complement the exotic destinations. Authentic Eats, for example, will bring aboard local chefs to prepare genuine food and drink from ports of call and will even offer shore excursions allowing passengers to sample still more local fare at the chefs’ own restaurants. The Academy of Fun promises to mix excitement with education through engaging lectures and enrichment activities on a variety of topics ranging from navigation to social media. Many other special activities are also planned for these long cruises, which means that guests of the Carnival Journeys program will hardly lack for memorable things to do.

Beginning in 2014, family cruisers will have the opportunity to sail with the Cat-in-the-Hat, the Lorax, and other kids’ favorites in a brand-new “Seuss at Sea” program. Announced in early December 2013, this initiative brings together two brands known far and wide for their playful fun: Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Carnival Cruise Lines.

“Seuss at Sea” will eventually roll out to all of Carnival’s 24 ships over 18 months, starting with the Carnival Splendor in February 2014. The program includes a range of fun activities aimed at entertaining the entire family. The first sea day of every cruise will offer a “Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast” menu with items like crazy-colored pancakes, “moose juice,” and, of course, green eggs. A zany “Seuss-a-palooza Parade” featuring favorite Dr. Seuss characters will sweep up kids and parents in a conga line of dancing and singing. On select evenings, the crew will show animated movies like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” on the lido deck.

When it is refurbished later in 2014, the Carnival Freedom will boast a dedicated play area, where kids can read books, play games, and enjoy colorful decor in the whimsical style of Dr. Seuss’ beloved stories. The Carnival Vista will offer a similar playscape when it launches in 2016.

Dr. Seuss is a natural match for Carnival, the line that popularized the “Fun Ship Freddy” mascot. Every year, the cruise line carries over 700,000 children to destinations all over the world. Incorporating a Dr. Seuss theme is just one more way Carnival strives to make its ocean vacations memorable for its family cruise passengers.

In announcing “Seuss at Sea,” Carnival continues a trend among cruise lines partnering with family-friendly cartoon brands. Disney Cruise Line has featured their classic characters since entering the cruise business in 1998. Norwegian Cruise Line teamed up with Nickelodeon in 2010 to offer entertainment featuring characters like SpongeBob SquarePants. That same year, Royal Caribbean also added DreamWorks characters, such as Shrek, to its lineup of activities.