Welcome to the weekly Cruise News Digest. Here you can catch up on the past week’s cruise news and all things La Lido Loca.
Let’s dive in!
Condè Nast Traveler, a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine, conducted a two-month survey where readers voted on their favorite cruise lines in service, food, accommodations, sustainability and more. The top four for mega ships were Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises.
Sydney, Australia welcomed two ships this week for the first time. Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas and Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess arrived in Sydney to embark on a six-month summer season down under in Australia and New Zealand.
Disney Cruise Line revealed a new venue on Disney Treasure–the Haunted Mansion Parlor. Inspired by the iconic attraction found at Disney Parks, The Haunted Mansion Parlor will offer one-of-a-kind experiences by inviting “foolish mortals” to enjoy spirit-inspired cocktails in a spooky setting.
In an unprecedented ruling, an Australian judge found Carnival Corporation’s Australian division “negligent and in breach of their duty of care” when they failed to warn passengers of safety risks before Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess embarked on her voyage in March 2020. Over 900 passengers contracted COVID-19 while on the ship which then resulted in 28 deaths.
In port news, Port Canaveral welcomed the world’s fifth-largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, as she prepares to offer short itineraries to the Bahamas twice a week through July 2024. While at Port Canaveral, Allure of the Seas will offer 3- and 4-night itineraries to the Bahamas which will all visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.
PortMiami is welcoming eight new ships for the 2023-24 cruise season. The ships embarking from the “Cruise Capital of the World” are Oceania Cruises’ Vista, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Venezia, Scenic Eclipse II, Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity, MSC Cruises’ Explora I, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva, Regent’s Seven Sea Grandeur, and Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said, “These new ships, and their improved amenities and customer experience, are helping to keep Miami-Dade and PortMiami on the cutting edge of the cruise industry.”
There you have it. This week’s Cruise News Digest. Are you a member of the Loca Extra Patreon? You can join here and get extra live content and more. Did you catch Tony and the lovely Jenny B live on Tuesday? You can get even more cruise news and views at La Lido Loca, along with extra content and the podcast at La Lido Loca Two. Check out Tony and his weight loss journey over at Have To Lose. You can also join in on the conversation via social media on the La Lido Cruising Community and the Have to Lose Support Crew group pages.