Sail on a New – or Good as New – Cruise Ship

This promises to be an exciting year for cruise fans, as various brand-new ships are scheduled to begin riding the waves.

Royal Caribbean’s highly anticipated Icon of the Seas is ready to begin its reign as the world’s largest cruise ship at the end of January. Passengers will enjoy the ship’s innovative new performance spaces and activities, comfortable cabins and suites, and exciting new restaurants and bars. And – for your advance cruise planning – Royal Caribbean plans to add two more new ships to the Icon class by mid-2026.

Princess Cruises will also introduce a new class of ship this year. The Sun Princess, debuting in February, will be the first ship in the Sphere class. This will be the largest ship in the Princess fleet, offering new types of suite accommodations, the first rollglider ride at sea, and new areas where kids, teens, and families can enjoy themselves. The Sun Princess will sail in the Mediterranean before moving to the Caribbean.

Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Treasure will showcase the prankster-turned-hero Aladdin, among other popular characters. Onboard highlights include a water slide with a new Mickey and Minnie Mouse adventure story, three theaters, and a rotational dining plan that lets guests dine at different restaurants each day, but with the same familiar wait staff. The Treasure will sail in the Caribbean.

Several other cruise lines will launch new ships this year, including Cunard Line, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Silversea, and Viking Ocean Cruises, as well as river cruise lines Ama Waterways and Avalon.

New cruise ships have lots of appeal, but high demand can increase their fares. As an alternative, consider sailing on a ship that’s recently been refurbished and updated.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Joy will use a three-week stay in dry dock this January to reconfigure some suites, add two dozen balcony cabins and a thermal suite, and expand the Vibe Beach Club. The ship will sail in the Caribbean this spring before switching to Bermuda cruises.

Oceania Cruises will undertake a major refurbishment of the Marina this May, redesigning some suites and adding new dining options. The updated ship will have the line’s signature restaurant, Aquamar Kitchen; al fresco dining in a new Italian trattoria; and an all-day ice cream parlor. The refreshed Marina will sail in Northern Europe this summer.

For more information about a voyage on a new or renewed ship in 2024, talk with Anita, your professional travel advisor.

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Cruise Assumptions You Don’t Want to Make

For those new to cruising, learning the ins and outs of cruise travel takes time; even frequent cruisers constantly pick up new tips. To help add to your cruise knowledge, here are some common assumptions that may not reflect reality.

All cruise lines are about the same. No, not at all. In fact, cruise lines work hard to differentiate themselves and establish a signature style. Some specialize in small ships, some in big ships, and some offer variety in their fleets. Some focus on the onboard experience, others on destinations and onshore activities. Some are popular with families, and others are beloved by singles, couples, or friend groups. Your professional travel advisor can give you insight into cruise lines that interest you.

All cruises are all-inclusive. Some cruise lines offer all-inclusive fares that cover everything from travel to and from the ship to shore excursions in every port. But more often, your cruise fare covers a lot – your cabin, dining, onboard entertainment, access to pools and other amenities, top-notch service, and possibly gratuities for the crew – but lets you decide how much to spend on extras like shore excursions, spa services, personal training, photographs, casino play, and beyond-basic beverages.

Cruise ship cabins are basically all alike. This may be true on some small ships and all-suite ships, but most have multiple cabin types; large ships often have dozens of cabin categories. Mostly, they can be grouped into inside cabins, which are comfortable and well-lit, but don’t have windows; outside cabins, which have natural light from a porthole or larger window; balcony cabins, which have a glass door opening to some outdoor space for relaxing and viewing; and suites, which are the largest cabins onboard and come with balconies and extra amenities.

There’s no need to arrive early for a cruise. This may be true only if you live in or within easy driving distance of the port your cruise departs from. Every cruise has a firm departure time, and the ship can’t wait for passengers who have a travel delay. If you need to take a train or plane to your ship, plan to arrive a day or two before embarkation, just to be safe. Your professional travel advisor can help you find a place to stay and transportation to the ship.

To avoid making other assumptions about cruising, talk to Anita, your professional travel advisor for advice and guidance.

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Be Healthy at Sea

It’s been a while since the COVID-19 pandemic was at the top of everyone’s thoughts, but it remains important to protect yourself from infectious disease – especially when you’re all set for a beautiful cruise vacation. You should be aware of what the cruise lines do to help prevent illness on board, and about steps you can take to protect yourself too.

All cruise lines and ships that operate in U.S. ports are subject to the Vessel Sanitation Program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has high standards for cruise ship cleanliness. Under this program, cruise ships that dock in U.S. ports must submit to unannounced inspections of their kitchens, medical facilities, restaurants, pools, and other public areas, as well as their water and ventilation systems. The top score for an inspection is 100, and many ships do receive perfect scores. All violations that result in a lower score must be corrected.

To further safeguard passenger health, some cruise lines require pre-boarding health declarations or health checks to identify passengers and crew members who might be ill. Those who are found to be ill may not be able to board the ship. (When this happens, the cruise line might allow the passenger to change to a different sail date; but, this is a good reason to consider purchasing travel insurance that ensures you won’t forfeit your cruise fare.)

Many cruise lines continue to encourage passengers to vaccinate against preventable diseases like COVID, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) before taking a cruise.

You can also take steps to ward off illness while you’re on board. As on land, one of the best things to do is wash your hands, frequently and thoroughly. You’ll also find hand sanitation stations around the ship.

It’s currently not required on most ships, but you certainly can wear a face mask – especially in more crowded spaces, like theaters and lounges – to protect yourself.

While you’re cruising, be sure to get enough sleep, eat well, and keep up your regular exercise routine to feel good and maintain your body’s natural defenses against illness.

If you do feel unwell while cruising, visit the onboard medical facility. The medical staff can examine you and, hopefully, help you feel better more quickly. If you do have something infectious, you’ll give the medical staff a chance to both help you and prevent the bug from spreading.

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Don’t Be a Chair Hog

 Every time you step on a cruise ship, you join a few hundred or a few thousand other people who are ready for a wonderful vacation. So, for as long as you’re on board, it’s important to be considerate of your fellow passengers. Skipping the line, smoking on a balcony, making noise in a hallway, or talking during a performance are just a few examples of disruptive behavior to avoid. But above all, don’t be a deck chair hog – it’s a top irritator on many cruises.

Chair hogs put towels or other belongings on deck chairs (usually in a prime location, such as next to the pool or looking toward the best view). Then they disappear, expecting the chairs they claimed to remain theirs for the entire day – even while other passengers are searching the decks for available chairs.

Chair hogging may seem like standard cruise behavior, but it’s not a way to make new friends on board. Chair hogging can make you unpopular among your fellow passengers and also among the crew, who receive the frustrated complaints of other guests. Some cruise lines now post rules intended to stop chair hogging: when a claimed chair goes unoccupied for a certain length of time, the crew removes the belongings and puts them in a secure location.

Whether or not your ship has official chair-hogging rules, passengers often take matters into their own hands when a deck chair is claimed but goes unoccupied. If you’re ever tempted to hog a chair, remember that it may not be worth the risk of having your belongings moved and misplaced.

If you take it upon yourself to move a chair hog’s belongings, be sure to treat them carefully and respectfully. It’s always best to ask a crew member for help. And, keep in mind that chair hogging may be unintentional. A passenger who places their things on a deck chair may sincerely intend to use that chair; but if they leave to find a family member, get a bite to eat, or do an errand at the service desk, they may be away much longer than intended.

Again, if you don’t want others to hog chairs, don’t do it yourself. With deck chairs and other shared amenities, do your part toward peaceful, pleasant coexistence with your fellow passengers. For more tips about good cruise ship etiquette, talk with Anita, your professional travel advisor.

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