Many people in the United States choose to own and carry guns for their own protection. With adequate training and safety knowledge, people may feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can effectively defend themselves wherever they go.
But can you take your gun on a cruise ship?
Just as gun laws vary by state across the United States, the same applies when you’re on a cruise ship. If you’re concerned about safety while at sea or would like to know the specific rules for crew or guests carrying a gun on a cruise, read on for all of the details.
Gun Rules On Cruise Ships
Most cruise lines do not allow guests to take guns on board. Firearms are prohibited as a safety measure and taking one aboard your ship could violate several laws. This includes maritime law which your cruise line abides by as well as the laws of the ports and countries you visit.
For the people who regularly carry a firearm when at home, the thought of not being able to take their gun on a cruise may make them feel unsafe, particularly when worried about pirates or terrorists. You may feel as though you can’t defend yourself.
Thankfully, cruise lines are aware of the need to protect their guests and crew and – despite guns being prohibited on most ships – there are necessary measures and protocols in place to ensure everyone remains safe in every situation that may arise.
Cruise Ship Security
While cruise ships do not have police on board, they do have highly-trained security personnel on board. Cruise ship security teams are headed by former federal, state or military law enforcement. Each team member is trained to a high level and there will be someone on-call 24/7.
Every cruise ship sailing to or from the United States also has at least one crew member on board trained in crime prevention, detection, and reporting.
Cruise ship captains do not carry guns. However, the captain and the staff captain can give permission to the security team to arm themselves if necessary in order to protect the guests and crew members from an immediate threat.
Cruise Ship Officers And Guns
Cruise ship security officers do not carry guns and you will never see a gun on a cruise ship. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a hidden cache of firearms locked away for emergencies.
Cruise lines do not release details of their security operations for obvious reasons. So there is no publicly available information about the types of firearms on cruise ships, where they are stored or under what circumstances they may be used.
Until the early 1990s, some cruise ships offered skeet shooting as an onboard activity. Guests were handed shotguns and allowed to shoot clay pigeons that were launched into the ocean. As you might expect, this is no longer allowed.
Protection Against Pirates
If a cruise ship comes into contact with pirates or is under threat of being hijacked, a special security team may board the ship to assist. This may include armed guards who are specially trained.
Security teams are trained in what protocols to undertake should this situation arise including using defensive equipment such as sonic boom weapons and high-pressure water jets.
Preventative measures are also in place including the use of night-vision binoculars and water cannons as a deterrent, as reported as best practice for the shipping industry.
US Laws
Cruise lines abide by maritime law in most instances, as once a ship sails more than 12 miles from the coast of any country, it is classed as being in international waters.
Crime at sea typically involves international relations between the US government, foreign port authorities and officials from the registered country of the ship. If the ship is in port, the jurisdiction falls to the local authorities, whereas beyond the mile limit, this will go to the laws of the ship’s registered country.
Cruise ships that embark and disembark in the United States are required to report all crimes that occur at sea, according to the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act – in place since 2010.
The cruise industry follows strict and comprehensive security rules which apply to both guests and crew. Within these rules, weapons are listed as prohibited items including guns.
Possession of any prohibited items is not permissible without a valid reason such as a requirement of ship operations; part of a crew member’s official duties; or with the consent of an authorised ship representative.
Along with guns, cruise ships have a number of other items that are completely banned from being brought on board. These include:
The ruling on bringing prohibited items relates to all people on board – including guests and crew. Bringing a gun on a cruise ship is a serious offence and, if found guilty, can come with a punishment.
These punishments vary as bringing a firearm on a cruise violates several laws and policies, including cruise line guidance, maritime law and local port laws.
Final Thoughts
In summary, while you may feel reassured by having your gun on your person, you cannot take it on a cruise ship as it is against cruise line rules as well as local, national and maritime laws.
Expertly trained security professionals are on-call at all hours of the day on a cruise ship and they know the exact response required should there be a risk.
It’s always worth familiarising yourself with prohibited items on your sailing to ensure you know the rules and can be confident to know what to expect.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Carnival Breeze and Carnival Freedom are both great ships and you may be struggling to decide which to choose for your next vacation. In this guide, we’ll take a side-by-side look at these two ships to help you pick the best one for your cruise…
Carnival Breeze
Ship Details
Carnival Breeze is a more modern ship than Carnival Freedom, although neither of them are particularly new. However, despite being five years older, Carnival Freedom did undergo a major refurbishment in 2019 which saw the addition of a new mini golf course and a 203-foot-long water slide, amongst other things.
Carnival Breeze is 18% larger than Carnival Freedom. However, 23% more guests are allowed on board the Breeze, so the smaller Freedom may actually feel more spacious despite the smaller size.
Feature
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Class
Dream
Conquest
Year
2012
2007
Last Refurbished
2017
2019
Size
130,000 GT
110,000 GT
Guest Capacity
3,690
2,980
Length
1,004 feet
952 feet
Onboard Crew
1,386
1,150
Itineraries
Carnival Breeze sails out of Galveston, Texas all year round, while Carnival Freedom sails out of Port Canaveral, Florida.
On the Breeze, you’ll find only back-to-back four- and five-day cruises to Cozumel, with occasional stops at Costa Maya or Progreso.
By contrast, Carnival Freedom offers a range of mainly Bahamas cruises, also four- and five-days. Most cruises call at one of Carnival’s private destinations, either Half Moon Cay or Celebration Key (or both!)
Breaking Down the Best Choice
Carnival Freedom has better itineraries than Carnival Breeze, but only because of the private resort calls. Although if you just want a short trip to Cozumel, then the Breeze is reasonably priced.
Carnival Freedom
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Dining Options
Both Carnival Freedom and Breeze have a great selection of dining options. On the Breeze, you’ll find a few extra places to eat, like the Captain’s Pasta Bar and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que which are both included in your cruise fare. For an extra fee, you’ll also get the option to eat at the Italian restaurant Cucina del Capitano.
Cucina del Capitano on Carnival Breeze
The only other difference between the two is the Bonsai Sushi – on the Freedom, it’s the express version which means you can enjoy sushi to go, whereas on the Breeze you can enjoy sit-down service.
Restaurant
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
24-Hour Room Service
Free until 10 pm
Free until 10 pm
BlueIguana Cantina
Included
Included
Bonsai Sushi
Extra Charge
–
Bonsai Sushi Express
–
Extra Charge
Coffee Bar
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Cucina del Capitano
Extra Charge
–
Dining Room
Included
Included
Dining Room Breakfast
Included
Included
Guy’s Burger Joint
Included
Included
Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que
Included
–
Lido Marketplace
Included
Included
Mongolian Wok
Included
Included
Pizza Delivery
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Pizza Pirate
Included
Included
Seaday Brunch
Included
Included
Seafood Shack
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Steakhouse
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Steakhouse Selections
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Swirls
Included
Included
The Captain’s Pasta Bar
Included
–
The Carnival Deli
Included
Included
The Chef’s Table
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Breaking Down the Best Choice
While both Carnival Freedom and Breeze have a huge selection of included and speciality dining options, the Breeze has a few more, making this the best ship of the pair in terms of food variety.
If you’d like to sample some of the speciality restaurants, this is a great way to spend any onboard credit you may have. Check out my guide – 12 Ways to Use Your Carnival Onboard Credit Like a Pro for more tips and ideas.
Bars
For somewhere to enjoy a drink, both ships have the same bars, including the RedFrog pub, BlueIguana tequila bar and the Casino Bar. The only difference is that Carnival Breeze also has the SkyBox sports bar where you can catch all the latest games on the big screens and check out the real-time scores and headlines on the panoramic ticker.
Bar
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Alchemy Bar
YES
YES
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
YES
YES
Casino Bar
YES
YES
Cheers!
YES
YES
Cruise the Vineyards
YES
YES
Exclusive Carnival Brews
YES
YES
RedFrog Pub
YES
YES
RedFrog Rum Bar
YES
YES
SkyBox Sports Bar
–
YES
Breaking Down the Best Choice
If you’re a sports fan, then Carnival Freedom is the better option of the two ships as you won’t miss any of the latest sports news. However, if you’d rather your other half didn’t spend all of their time glued to the big screen on vacation, then perhaps the Carnival Breeze is the better ship to choose.
Whichever ship you choose, make sure you check out my guide to Carnival drink packages to work out whether you should buy the package in advance or not.
Activities
Both Carnival Breeze and Carnival Freedom have so many activities to enjoy that you can never be bored. However, the larger and newer ship, Carnival Breeze has a few more things up on the top deck, including the SportSquare where you can play games like football and ping-pong as well as the high ropes course with epic views over the ocean.
The SkyCourse on Carnival Breeze
Activity
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Alchemy Martini Tasting
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Art Auctions
Included
Included
Art Exhibitions
Included
Included
Art Games
Included
Included
Art Seminars
Included
Included
Atrium
Included
Included
Basketball
Included
Included
Bingo
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Cooking Demonstration
Included
Included
Games
Included
Included
Library
Included
Included
Make It With Michaels
Included
Included
Master the Martini
Extra Charge
–
Military Appreciation
Included
Included
Mini Golf
Included
Included
Mixologist Competitions
Included
Included
Ocean Plaza
Included
–
Pools
Included
Included
Serenity Adult Only Retreat
Included
Included
SkyCourse
Included
–
SportSquare
Included
–
Twister Waterslide
Included
Included
Volleyball
Included
–
WaterWorks
Included
Included
Breaking Down the Best Choice
Although Carnival Freedom has been recently upgraded to add the waterpark with slides and a giant tipping bucket, the newer and larger Carnival Breeze still has the edge with more activities to enjoy on board.
Entertainment & Events
Both Carnival Breeze and Carnival Freedom have plenty of entertainment on offer throughout the day and late into the night.
The slightly larger ship, Carnival Breeze, features the Thrill Theater – a small 3D movie theatre with moving seats and lots of special effects for total cinematic immersion. Tickets cost $5.50 each.
Thrill Theater on Carnival Breeze
Entertainment Venue
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Dive-In Movies
Included
Included
Karaoke
Included
Included
Lip Sync Battle: Carnival
Included
Included
Live Music
Included
Included
Nightclub
Included
Included
Piano Bar
Included
Included
Playlist Productions
Included
Included
The Punchliner Comedy Club
Included
Included
Thrill Theater
Extra Charge
–
On a Carnival cruise, you can attend a variety of organised events during your vacation. If you like to dress up in costume then don’t miss the White Hot Night on the Breeze and the 80s Night on the Freedom.
Event
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Mega Deck Party
Included
Included
80s Night
–
Included
White Hot Night Party
Included
–
Groove for St. Jude
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Holidays Aboard
Included
Included
Sailaway Party
Included
Included
Breaking Down the Best Choice
When it comes to entertainment, there’s not much in it to distinguish between Carnival Breeze and Carnival Freedom. The Breeze has a slight edge because it has the 3D movie theater and White Night is always a great party that’s easy to dress for.
Kids Facilities
Carnival is definitely one of the best cruise lines for families and kids of all ages are sure to love the non-stop fun.
Carnival Breeze
Activity
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Arts and Crafts
Included
Included
Build-A-Bear Workshop at Sea
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Camp Ocean
Included
Included
Circle “C”
Included
Included
Club O2
Included
Included
Dr. Seuss Bookville
–
Included
Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Night Owls
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Seuss at Sea
Included
Included
Seuss-A-Palooza Parade
Included
Included
Seuss-a-palooza Story Time
Included
Included
Towel Animal Theater
Included
Included
Video Arcade
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Zumbini
Included
Included
Breaking Down the Best Choice
Carnival Breeze and Carnival Freedom are almost identical in terms of what they offer for kids. The only real difference is that Freedom features Dr. Seuss Bookville – a children’s library where kids can enjoy reading Dr. Suess books in fun surroundings.
Spa & Fitness
Whether you want to work up a sweat or lie back and relax, Carnival cruise ships offer plenty of spa and fitness facilities.
Like all of the newer Carnival cruise ships, Carnival Breeze features the Cloud9 spa which is an upgraded version of the regular Carnival spa that you’ll find on Carnival Freedom and the older ships.
Both ships offer a range of spa treatments for women and men as well as the dedicated ZSpa which is just for teens.
As well as the standard indoor gym, Carnival Breeze also features the SkyFitness gym, located outside on the top deck! With punching bags and a host of exercise bikes and machines, you can work out while enjoying the best views of the ocean.
Outdoor gym on Carnival Breeze
Facilities
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Freedom
Acupuncture
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Cloud 9 Spa
Extra Charge
–
Cloud 9 Spa: Hydrotherapy Pool
Extra Charge
–
Cloud 9 Spa: Thermal Suite
Extra Charge
–
Facial Treatments
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Fitness Center
Included
Included
Fitness Classes
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Hair & Beauty Salon
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Jogging Track
Included
Included
Massage
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Medi-Spa
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
Men’s Spa Services
Extra Charge
Extra Charge
SkyFitness
Included
–
Spa Carnival
–
Extra Charge
ZSpa
Included
Included
Breaking Down the Best Choice
If wellness is your thing, then there’s no question as to which ship is best. Carnival Breeze wins over Carnival Freedom thanks to the Cloud9 Spa and the outdoor gym.
The Overall Verdict
After comparing these two Carnival cruise ships in detail, I would say that Carnival Breeze is the better ship overall compared to Carnival Freedom. The Breeze is larger, newer and has a larger choice of restaurants, facilities and onboard activities.
However, when choosing between these ships you’ll really want to look at the itineraries. If you’re considering a short cruise to Mexico or the Caribbean, you’ll want to pay close attention to the ports of call on offer as well as working out the cost of getting to the port to begin your trip.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
We all know the story of the Titanic, and how she wasn’t able to complete her maiden voyage.
Or at least – we know the bare bones. We know she was ‘unsinkable’, and that she didn’t have enough lifeboats. But there’s so much more context to add, including the route that she was sailing.
What was the scheduled route for the Titanic, and how far into it did she get before tragedy struck? Let’s take a look.
Titanic’s Original Route
The original route of the Titanic on her maiden voyage saw her sail from Southampton to Cherbourg in France and then to Cobh in Ireland, before departing for New York. The total journey across the Atlantic would have been 2,893 miles, and the total journey overall around 3,284 miles.
The ship’s first sailing was from Belfast but that was just to relocate to Southampton, where the official maiden voyage would depart. After calling at Cherbourg and Cobh, the ship undertook a four-leg journey to get across the Atlantic.
The Titanic’s Journey Across The Atlantic
Sailing 55 miles from the Queenstown waters of Ireland to Fastnet, an island in the Atlantic that’s home to the Fastnet Lighthouse
Sailing a circle path from Fastnet to ‘The Corner’, a point in the Atlantic Ocean situated at 42°N, 47°W. This was the longest leg of the journey, with the Titanic sailing 1,622 miles
A straight line course from The Corner to Nantucket Shoals, which would have been around 1,023 miles
A final straight line to the Ambrose Channel, which marks the entrance to New York harbour – around 193 miles
The majority of Titanic’s paying passengers for the sailing boarded in Southampton, but the calls in Cherbourg and Cobh did see some passengers board and disembark.
22 passengers got off the ship in Cherbourg, only boarding the Titanic to cross the English Channel. 274 passengers came on board the ship here.
In Cobh, just 7 passengers disembarked – most were on the ship for the full sailing. 123 passengers boarded the ship there.
The calls to Cherbourg and Queenstown (Cobh) were both tender visits – the ship was anchored off the shore, and tender boats (PS Ireland and PS America) ferried passengers to and from the shore.
Titanic’s Departure
The Titanic departed from Southampton on her maiden voyage, but she called at two ports before setting off on the last leg of her final sailing. Her final departure port was Queenstown (Cobh), from which she was sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
The ship’s very first sailing was from Belfast where she had been built. She departed Belfast on 2nd April 1912 and sailed to Southampton, arriving on the 3rd April. She then stayed here for six days, including some time where the ship was opened for viewings (for a fee).
The Shipyard Ride at Titanic Belfast
Titanic’s Destination
The Titanic was headed to New York City on her maiden voyage when she sank. She was due to sail Transatlantic voyages between Southampton and New York on a regular timetable, but never completed her first journey.
In 1912, New York was the world’s busiest port. That was due to visitors from across the Atlantic, and also the huge number of immigrants that were moving to America to begin a new life. As a result, it was typically the destination port for most ships sailing across the Atlantic.
Map Of Titanic’s Route
Here’s a map of the route that the Titanic took, showing the ports of call and the intended path of the ship towards New York:
Titanic Ports Of Call
Here’s a look at the ports of call for the Titanic’s maiden voyage, including dates and times:
Southampton – embarked on 10th April 1912 at around 12pm.
Cherbourg – arrived on 10th April 1912 at around 6.30pm. Departed at around 8pm.
Queenstown (Cobh) – arrived 11th April 1912 at around 11.30am. Departed at 1.30pm.
The ship was due to arrive in New York on 17th April 1912 but sank on 15th April.
The ports of call for the return journey were different – the ship was scheduled to sail from New York to Plymouth in Devon, before sailing down to Cherbourg in France and then returning to Southampton to complete the return leg.
How Long The Titanic’s Route Was Meant To Take
The total cruise duration for the Titanic’s maiden sailing, from Southampton to New York, was scheduled to take 7 days. The first two days were sailing between the UK and France and then back to Ireland, with a 5-day Atlantic crossing completing the sailing.
The Titanic was not designed to be the fastest ship on the ocean. Indeed, the Mauretania and Lusitania that were sailing for rival cruise line Cunard were both much faster; and could complete the journey in under five days.
There is a myth that one of the reasons Titanic sank was because the Captain was ignoring iceberg warnings to try and break the record for crossing the Atlantic but that’s simply not the case – the ship was never designed to break speed records.
She was instead designed to be a more luxurious option, even if that meant adding a day onto the schedule for the journey – speed was not the priority.
It was on the fifth day of the sailing overall – and the fourth day of the actual crossing of the Atlantic – that the ship sank. She departed Cobh on the 11th of April, began to sink on the night of the 14th of April, and fully sank in the early hours of the 15th of April.
How Far The Titanic Was From Its Final Destination
The Titanic was around 1,250 miles from its final destination of New York when it sank. The closest land at this point was Newfoundland in Canada, which was still 400 miles away.
The Titanic started to sink on the evening of 14th April 1912 and completely sank by around 2 am the following day – still around two and a half days from finishing her maiden voyage.
The fact that the ship was so remote at the time of her sinking was one of the major reasons there were so many casualties – the RMS Carpathia did manage to reach the site of the sinking and rescue those in lifeboats, but only by 4 am and even then that was with sailing at high speeds through risky waters.
Ships Still Take The Same Route As The Titanic
Some ships still take the same route as the Titanic. Many cruise ships sail Transatlantic voyages from Southampton to New York, with some calling at France and Ireland en route. The actual route across the Atlantic still remains popular too as it is relatively direct.
A lot of modern Transatlantic sailings are more direct between Southampton and New York too, while others may call at the Azores – the Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic. This is generally done just to break up the sailing so that guests aren’t having too many sea days in a row.
Modern ships are better equipped to handle icebergs – so a repeat of the Titanic disaster is extremely unlikely. Modern tech allows for icebergs to be spotted from a much further distance, and modern shipbuilding techniques make them less of a risk too.
I attended a talk about how cruise ships navigate while I was onboard Fred. Olsen’s Bolette. The officer explained how cruise ships usually have six lookouts, who work in eight-hour shifts, two at a time. This is in addition to the modern computer technology that can detect icebergs.
Transatlantic cruises are very safe and many thousands of passengers sail on these cruises each year, whether as part of a repositioning cruise (where a cruise ship relocates for a season, often between the Caribbean in winter and Europe in the summer), or just as part of a regular Transatlantic cruise, often with Cunard.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2
Final Word
The Transatlantic route sailed by the Titanic is still used today by ships – although not always exactly the same in terms of ports of call. Passengers of modern Transatlantic cruises don’t need to worry about succumbing to the same fate as the Titanic though.
Modern technology and navigation techniques make it much easier to spot icebergs and avoid them, and crew are much more careful now than they were on the Titanic. Plus, even if there was an incident in the middle of the ocean, modern cruise ships are better equipped to deal with them, including having sufficient lifeboats.
So if you like the idea of a modern Transatlantic cruise, don’t be put off.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Everyone loves a good cruise hack. And social media is brimming with all kinds of clever tips and tricks for making a cruise vacation even better. But Carnival is warning against a not-so-clever hack that will get you banned from the cruise line forever.
If you’re going to do something that is completely against the terms and policies of a cruise line, it’s probably not a good idea to brag about it online, just for some engagement farming and a couple likes.
Carnival Cruise Line is now reminding passengers not to attempt to smuggle alcohol onboard, while also reminding them how foolish it is to boast about it on social media accounts.
Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed the issue directly in a Facebook Live video this morning, emphasizing that such behavior could lead to a lifetime ban from Carnival.
Heald revealed that he had been alerted to numerous social media posts where individuals proudly displayed their concealed alcohol.
“Somebody – actually, I think it was at least a dozen people – wrote to me sending me a link to a social media video… where this – this is crazy, right?” Heald exclaimed, referencing the common, although prohibited, practice of hiding alcohol in items like hairbrushes and umbrellas.
While acknowledging that these methods are not new – “We have known for years that you can go on Mrs. Amazon, and you can get used to smuggle booze in, right?” – Heald expressed particular frustration with the public boasting that often follows.
“But what absolutely drives me crazy – it makes me laugh, to be very honest – is when people get on the ship, and they go, ‘Ohh, look what we smuggled on board, a tube full of vodka. Ha Ha Ha! We’re so clever.’ And they put it out….”
Heald made it clear that Carnival is actively monitoring social media. This is a practice of any public company to get a pulse of their brand and how people are interacting or engaging with it.
And in this case, it can be used to find guests who are violating the rules.
“Of course, of course, we have people monitoring social media pages, of course, we do. And then you monitor it, people watching it, and you send it to me, and you say, ‘Look, look!’”
The consequences for these “clever” smugglers are severe. “And then we go to their cabin, and then we find it, and then we tell them they can’t cruise with us anymore,” Heald stated plainly.
He acknowledged the motivations behind the smuggling – “I know, I know why people do it. I get that” – but firmly condemned the act of publicizing it.
“But don’t do it. Don’t do it,” Heald urged.
“And to put it on social media is absolutely ridiculous, bonkers. It makes me sad when we have to do this all for the sake of a tiny tube full of rum or whatever it is.”
John Heald’s warning to Carnival cruisers is simple: don’t try to sneak booze onboard and then show off on social media. If you do, you’ll probably be banned for life. Carnival is using social media to keep an eye out and make sure everyone plays by the rules.
Some people think that if they see it on a large social media account then the person got away with it, but we don’t always see the end result of these “hacks”. After all, while it’s easy to brag about “beating the system” with a clever hack, no one likes to brag about not being able to cruise any more.
Carnival Cruise Line has rules about bringing your own alcohol. You cannot bring hard liquor or beer onto the ship. However, if you’re 21 or older, you can bring one sealed bottle of wine or champagne (the standard 750ml size) per person when you first get on the ship.
If you want to drink that bottle in the main dining room or a bar, there’s a $15 fee.
You can always buy a variety of drinks at the ship’s bars, and they often have drink packages you can purchase. You can also bring a small amount of sealed non-alcoholic drinks like soda or juice when you board.
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Years ago, people liked to use shotguns to shoot flying targets known as clay pigeons from the back of a cruise ship. Yes, really.
Back then, people seemed to care a lot less about the environment and the implications of dumping clay targets and lead shotgun pellets into the ocean. Not to mention the safety of handing shotguns to people who may or may not have been drinking!
Skeet shooting first became popular in the 1920s and had been a frequent feature on cruise ships ever since.
But is skeet shooting on cruise ships illegal now? Or do some cruise lines still offer skeet shooting as an activity? Read on for all the details…
Skeet Shooting On Modern Cruise Ships
Skeet shooting on cruise ships has not been available since the early 1990s. It began declining in popularity in the 1980s due to concerns over safety and marine conservation.
When people first started to realise that skeet shooting on cruise ships might not be a good idea, some efforts were made to replace lead pellets with non-toxic steel shots and to replace clay targets with targets made from compacted fish food. But in the end, it was decided that skeet shooting on cruise ships just couldn’t be justified at all.
Cruise lines have now completely dropped skeet shooting in all of its forms. In fact, there are no longer any kind of shooting games with any real firearms on board cruise ships today.
You can take part in a laser tag type of virtual skeet shooting game on some cruise ships, but anyone who has any experience with firearms will be the first to tell you, it’s not the same thing.
While there’s no official explanation as to why skeet shooting is no longer an offered activity by cruise lines, the reasons are not limited to environmental concerns. There are also the safety implications of having weapons on board a ship, as well as the noise nuisance it creates for other passengers.
How Skeet Shooting Worked On Cruise Ships
Skeet shooting was a prevalent activity on cruise lines for decades and it usually took place on the aft deck. A ship officer would be present as a loaded shotgun was provided to paying guests and clay targets were launched over the ocean.
This video shows skeet shooting on a Caribbean cruise in 1985…
The aft section of a ship could be considered the perfect spot for skeet shooting because it’s already a half-circle, which is the exact shape you need for targets to be launched from the left and right sides.
In a typical skeet shooting game, eight shooting stations are arranged – equally distant from each other – in an arch. There are two ‘trap houses’, one at the end of each arch. Twenty-five clay pigeons are released in total as you move from station to station, firing at the clay targets, until you reach the end.
However, on cruise ships, skeet shooting was much more simple. It usually involved the clays being launched from a single location and the shooter staying in one spot too.
Other Activities That Are No Longer Offered On Cruise Ships
There are several activities that cruise lines have dropped due to environmental concerns over the years. Skeet shooting is one, hitting golf balls into the sea is another, along with midnight buffets and messages in a bottle.
1. Skeet Shooting
While there is no precise date – possibly because no one decided to record one or no one cared – cruise lines largely dropped skeet shooting over the last decade or two.
Norwegian Cruise Lines was reported to be offering skeet shooting on the Song of Norway as late as 1996. [Source]
If you read about skeet shoot offerings on cruise ships while you’re browsing the web, it’s important to check the date and credibility of the publication. It’s most likely a very dated article or just factually incorrect.
2. Midnight Buffet
The abundance of food is one of the highlights of many cruise guests’ experiences. In the past, huge buffets would be served at midnight for guests to enjoy a midnight feast after completing their evening activities. These often included elaborate ice sculptures and fruit carvings.
As cruise ships became larger, accommodating 5,000-plus guests rather than 1,000 or so, it became a lot more work to put on the buffets and the amount of food waste increased. As more speciality restaurants were added and flexible dining times became popular, the midnight buffets fell out of favour.
Chefs still carve fruit on criuse ships, just not for the midnight buffet
While the midnight buffet isn’t completely gone, it’s a rare offering nowadays. If it is offered, it will likely only occur on a single night over the course of the cruise – it’s largely obsolete.
On many cruise ships, the buffet restaurant will remain open until the early hours of the morning. But, you’ll be limited to a few dishes such as sandwiches, soup, cakes and fruit, rather than a full buffet experience.
3. Hitting Golf Balls Off Of The Ship
Until the 1990s, people were allowed to hit golf balls off of cruise ships. This was halted when the International Maritime Organization passed a law outlawing the dumping of plastic waste into the sea.
It’s kind of shocking to think that it took so long for anyone to consider that it was against the best interests of the fish and mammals in the ocean to share their territory with a lot of plastic golf balls.
Like skeet shooting, you can now hit golf balls virtually in an arcade room on your cruise or hit them into a net on the top deck. Mini-golf is also a popular option for families with many ships having 9-hole mini-golf courses on board.
Golf net on P&O Cruises’ Britannia
4. Messages In Bottles
Cruise lines once offered passengers the ability to write messages, cap them in a bottle, and toss them overboard. Just like golf balls, these bottles eventually made their way onto the ‘absolutely not’ list for environmental reasons.
You can see why getting rid of this practice just made sense. If every cruise line routinely practised this, there would be a veritable sea of bottles floating around out there today.
Since there’s already a continent-sized area of floating trash in the Pacific, no one is eager to add to it.
Skeet Shooting Excursions
While you can’t do any cruise ship shooting games onboard, some cruise lines do offer skeet shooting on land as part of organised excursions in ports of call.You can also play virtual skeet shooting simulator games on some ships.
There’s no telling how long skeet shooting excursions will last, as they’re not that popular. You can go just about anywhere in the United States and skeet shoot. So, not many people want to disembark in paradise locations like Cozumel, disregard everything that this major tourist attraction has to offer and go skeet shooting.
If skeet shooting is just your thing while on vacation to tropical islands and resorts, then take a look at the excursions offered by your cruise line. If you can’t find skeet shooting as an option, you may be able to organise your own trip independently.
Since excursions are not often included in cruise packages, you’ll probably have to pay a pretty exorbitant amount to add this excursion activity to your onshore schedule. It’s a far cry from the few bucks it once cost to skeet shoot on the ship, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s better for everyone.
Another option on some ships is to play a skeet shooting simulator game if one is available. This video shows an example of such a game on board the Regal Princess cruise ship…
Final Thoughts
Some people may be a little disappointed that skeet shooting is no longer an option on cruise ships. They may feel that each succeeding generation slowly saps the fun out of everything that the preceding generation enjoyed.
However, there’s no way that adding any kind of waste to the ocean can be justified given the current environmental crisis that the world is facing.
Skeet shooting still exists as an onshore activity. So if it’s a must-do pastime for you, then take a look at the excursions that are offered or see if you can plan your own shooting day out during your cruise. Otherwise, there are other activities that you can enjoy on board such as mini-golf, archery or laser tag.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
While many people might assume that babies can cruise from six months or that you have to be 21 to cruise alone, there are many exceptions to this rule.
Some cruise ships allow babies that are fresh out of the womb, while others won’t let you sail before your fiftieth birthday!
So, read on to find out how old you have to be to take each type of cruise…
Newborn Babies
Can a newborn go on a cruise? Not many people know this, but the answer is yes! You don’t need to wait until your baby is a certain age to cruise.
The only ocean cruise line with no minimum age requirement to cruise is MSC Cruises. Newborn babies are accepted on most cruises with MSC, with the exception of long-duration cruises and those with many consecutive days at sea.
If you’re interested in a river cruise, the only river cruise line with no minimum age requirement is CroisiEurope.
You can book a cruise before your child is born. Just enter Unborn Baby for their name and the due date for their date of birth. You can then update these details once your baby arrives.
While it is possible to cruise with a baby that’s only one or two months old, you should think carefully before you decide to do this.
Your pregnancy may go on longer than expected, your baby may need additional medical care, or you might just not feel ready to travel once your baby arrives. For this reason, you may wish to wait until your baby is born before booking a last-minute cruise.
3 Months Old
Once your baby reaches three months old, you have another cruise option in addition to MSC Cruises and CroisiEurope – your baby can now cruise with Celestyal Cruises.
Celestyal Cruises is a Cypriot cruise line offering port-intensive Greek Island itineraries. These cruises aren’t the most relaxing as passengers generally spend their days sightseeing, sometimes visiting more than one port per day.
While relaxing on board is always an option, all your guided excursions are included with Celestyal, so it makes sense to get off the ship and explore.
If your small baby is happy to be strapped to your chest with a baby carrier while you explore the sights of Greece, a Celestyal cruise could be a great option for your family.
At six months of age, your baby will be accepted onto most cruise ships. However, you’ll want to avoid itineraries that have lots of consecutive days at sea or visit exotic and remote ports as these aren’t usually open to babies less than a year old.
This is because if your baby falls ill, they may need specialist medical care on land. And that wouldn’t be easy to get if you’re in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and the United States.
I took my son on his first cruise when he was six months old and he loved it, especially the pizza!
Cruising with a baby can take some extra planning, but it’s so worth it! Once you’re on board, I find that it’s easier than any land-based holiday.
In my opinion, some of the best cruise lines for babies are MSC Cruises and P&O Cruises.
Once babies are 12 months old they can cruise on all family-friendly cruise ships. This includes cruises with more than three consecutive days at sea (such transatlantic cruises) as well as world cruises and exotic itineraries like Hawaii and South America.
Of course, walking babies are some of the hardest work to look after. So look out for family-friendly ships where you won’t feel so bad if your toddler has a screaming tantrum during dinner.
2 Years Old
Toddlers are welcome on all family-friendly ocean cruise ships; however, kids often need to be a little bit older before they can cruise on river ships.
If you want to take a river cruise with a toddler, your options are CroisiEurope (which has no minimum age requirement) or A-ROSA river cruises, which will accept children from two years of age.
There are a few reasons why most river cruises aren’t suitable for young kids. River cruise ships are small, so there’s no room for pushchairs or buggies. The excursions are usually in cities, so you can expect a lot of walking to be involved.
Plus, while the railings on cruise ships are generally pretty high and not easy to climb, the same can’t be said of river cruise ships. Rather than glass-fronted balconies, you’ll often find horizontal railings. Eek!
If you want to take an ocean cruise with a two-year-old, I recommend P&O Cruises. They allow two-year-olds in the kids’ club, unlike most other cruise lines, which won’t take under-threes.
Three years old is a great age to take your child on a cruise. By this age, they’ll be able to attend the kids’ clubs and, so long as they’re toilet trained, they can use the swimming pools and whirlpools on the ship.
While you can certainly take your child on a cruise before they reach three years of age, you may find that you’re paying the full fare for a child who’s not old enough to participate in many of the activities.
Plus, if you wait until your child is three, there’s more chance that they’ll actually remember the trip as they get older.
For something really special, a Disney cruise is a great option for three-year-olds.
Once your child is four years of age, more river cruise options become available. Kids aged four and over are welcome with Uniworld, AmaWaterways, and APT.
Another river cruise line, Tauck, has a selection of cruises called Tauck Bridges, which are aimed at families with kids aged four and up.
Remember, just because you can take a river cruise with a four-year-old, it doesn’t mean that you should. Many river cruise lines only recommend their cruises for kids aged eight and older, even though they allow younger children to cruise.
If your child doesn’t mind a lot of walking, is generally well-behaved and can be trusted not to climb overboard the moment your back is turned, a river cruise could still be a great option for your family.
7 Years Old
Many exotic river cruises require kids to be aged seven or older to cruise. These included river cruises in Russia, Asia and South Africa.
The age requirements vary with each cruise line, but if you’re looking for something outside of Europe, be sure to check this with the cruise line or your travel agent.
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8 Years Old
I would say that eight years old and above is when kids will most enjoy a river cruise. After this age, they should take more of an interest in learning about the places you visit, so it can be a good educational family holiday.
Avalon River Cruises allows children aged eight and over onboard its river ships. In addition, Windstar Cruises usually only allows children aged eight or over to cruise, but exceptions to the rule may be made in exceptional circumstances.
12 Years Old
Adult-focussed river cruise lines Scenic and Emerald allow kids aged 12 and over on board their luxury river ships. There’s nothing specific for teenagers to do on board, but they are allowed to cruise with adults if you wish.
16 Years Old
Children aged 16 and 17 have to be accompanied by an adult to cruise. However, at this age, they are generally allowed to stay in their own cabin and can do things alone on the ship, such as attending shows in the theatre, going to the gym, and leaving the ship by themselves without your permission.
18 Years Old
If you’re 18 years old and want to cruise without your parents, there are some options. However, most cruise lines require at least one passenger on the booking to be aged 21 or over.
However, there are some cruises that allow groups of 18, 19 or 20-year-olds to cruise with friends.
List of cruises for 18 years olds (without the need for someone 21+):
While 18-year-olds can sometimes cruise alone when outside of the United States, many cruise lines require that at least one person in each cabin is 21 or older.
These include Celebrity Cruises, Costa, Crystal Cruises, Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Holland America, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Seabourn Cruise Line.
Certain cruises also require passengers 21–24 years old to be accompanied by someone 25 years or older. These include Carnival, Costa and Windstar.
With all of the rules for people aged 16 to 25, exceptions may be made for legally married couples and members of the military. For example, if you’re a 24-year-old couple on your honeymoon, you’ll probably find that the cruise line will waive the rule about needing someone aged 25 or older on the booking.
40-50 Years Old
British cruise line Saga is aimed at the over 50s and has a minimum age requirement to cruise. Guests must be aged 50 or over to set sail with Saga.
The exception to this is for people aged 40 – they may cruise with Saga only if they are accompanying a person who is aged over 50.
Most cruise lines will let you book a cruise on your own when you turn 21. Some let you cruise when you’re 18, but not if there’s a US port on the itinerary. A couple, including Carnival, set 25 as the minimum age (with a couple of exceptions).
What cruise can you go on alone at 18?
The cruise lines that will let you cruise on your own at 18 years old include Cunard, P&O Cruises, and Marella Cruises. You can also sail with Royal Caribbean or MSC, provided there are no US ports on your itinerary.
Do you have to be 21 to go on a cruise?
If you’re travelling with someone older than 21, then no – you don’t need to be older than 21. Many cruises accept children and younger adults, but someone in the booking party typically has to be 21, depending on the cruise line and itinerary.
The Bottom Line
Cruises make great holidays for people of all ages. You can take your kids on a cruise as soon as they are born, although you’ll have a much wider choice if you wait until your baby is six months old.
From three years of age, kids can access most areas of a cruise ship including the pools, hot tubs and kids’ clubs. After the age of eight is the best time to take a river cruise as children can make the most of this kind of holiday.
If you’re aged between 18 and 25 and want to cruise, you may find that you need to have an older adult with you on board. However, the rules vary and exceptions may be made in certain cases.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
It was just a few days ago that the world learned the names of two new Excel-class ships set to join the Carnival fleet in the coming years. Today, it was announced that construction has already begun on one of those ships.
Steel cutting ceremony for Carnival Festivale. Photo credit: Carnival Cruise Line
The first piece of steel for Carnival Festivale was cut on Tuesday at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, officially kicking off the construction process.
The traditional steel cutting ceremony marks the very first stage in the long shipbuilding process. So, now we can say that the next Excel-class ship is officially being built.
Carnival Festivale will be the fourth in Carnival’s popular Excel-class of ships and will be powered by cleaner-burning Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The ship will boast an impressive 180,000 gross tons and accommodate up to 6,400 guests at max capacity.
“The steel being cut for our next new ship is music to my ears, which is in tune with many of the themed experiences Carnival Festivale will bring to our guests,” stated Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “From the music-themed zones to expansive new water park we’ve planned for this ship, she will continue the tradition of infusing innovative new features into our fleet. Each of her three sister ships is a great success and we are excited to once again partner with Meyer Werft as we continue to build upon the revolutionary Excel platform.”
As revealed earlier this week in a huge release of news, a key highlight of Carnival Festivale will be its two unique music-themed zones spanning Decks 6, 7, and 8. One zone will focus on the creative process of music with cutting-edge media and interactive experiences, while the other, located on Deck 8, will incorporate the energy of live outdoor performances.
And then there’s the big change of Sunsation Point, a brand-new outdoor zone stretching across the top three decks. Notably missing, will be the cruise line’s iconic BOLT rollercoaster that is present on the previous Excel ships.
The centerpiece of this area will be Carnival Waterworks Ultra, which will be the cruise line’s largest water park at sea. This water park will feature six slides, including four brand new designs with two family raft rides, alongside two splash pads and dedicated baby splash areas.
Beyond the water park, Sunsation Point will also offer a treehouse-inspired elevated adventure trail, a sports court, a ropes course, a miniature golf area, and themed arcade spaces.
And in a very different kind of experience for water parks at sea, Sunsation Point will also host evening events with extended water park hours, meaning it will be open at night.
Carnival Festivale is scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, joining its sister ship Mardi Gras which will offer shorter 3- and 4-night sailings.
Carnival Cruise Line has indicated that further details regarding itineraries and reservation information will be announced soon, so we’ll make sure our Cruise Fever readers know about that as soon as we do.
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If you’re considering booking your first cruise but are nervous about seasickness, as many people are, you’re probably interested to know which locations on a cruise ship will make you feel the most sick.
It’s normal to have reservations, particularly if you’ve previously experienced motion sickness. However, rest assured that if you do suffer from seasickness, there are locations on a cruise ship that can significantly reduce your likelihood of feeling unwell.
Read on to find out everything you need to know.
The Worst Part Of A Cruise Ship For Motion Sickness
The parts of the cruise ship that are the worst for motion sickness are the high decks at the front or the back (bow or aft). This is because as you move away from the centre of the ship, you’re more likely to feel the movement.
Modern cruise ships have advanced technology to minimise the movement felt on a cruise ship. These stabilisers work by counteracting the ship’s roll and maintaining balance even in rough waters, hence why the centre of the ship is the best place to feel the least amount of movement, if any.
The Best Place To Be On A Cruise Ship To Avoid Seasickness
The best place on a cruise ship to avoid sea sickness is the middle and lower decks. There is less sway in the centre of the ship, near the water line. Staterooms with a window or a veranda are good rooms to book, as you can look at the horizon to help with motion sickness. This gives your brain a reference point to focus on.
If the cruise ship has a promenade deck, it’s the best deck to limit any possibility of feeling unwell. This is because you’re low down, out in the fresh air and can look at the horizon.
If the worst happens and you need to be sick, you’ll never be far from the bathroom, or you could be sick over the side of the ship, as there’s no one below.
If You Are Worried About Getting Seasick On A Cruise
If you’re considering booking your first cruise, it’s good to know most people will never get seasick, even when the water is choppy. Cruise lines invest heavily in the best technology, such as stabilisers. The ships are so well designed that most of the time, you won’t even feel the ship moving.
The cruise lines definitely do not want passengers to suffer whilst on a cruise. In fact, a good hint of whether the Captain is expecting rough seas are the paper bags which will suddenly appear around the ship, usually hanging on the balustrades. Also, there will be an announcement and an update on your cruise ship’s TV.
Choosing The Right Cruise
However, if you are particularly susceptible to seasickness, there are several things to bear in mind when booking your cruise to prevent seasickness. Choose a large, modern ship and carefully pick your room’s location.
Also, consider the season and choose a destination where the water is expected to be smooth. For example, it’s best to avoid the Caribbean during hurricane season or the Bay of Biscay, as the waves can get high, so you’ll more likely feel the movement of the sea. You may want to book somewhere known for calmer waters, such as the Mediterranean, in the summer.
If you want to book a cruise but are concerned about seasickness, try a short cruise on a large ship that sails in calm waters first. This way, you can gauge your comfort level, and once you feel at ease, you can gradually extend the duration of future cruises.
If you are prone to seasickness, it’s not just about where you are on the ship to consider. It’s also about looking after yourself on the cruise.
Avoid heavy meals and alcohol, as these can all contribute towards being seasick. Whilst at sea, you may also want to avoid the gym too, as running on a treadmill or cross trainer while the ship is moving can add to the motion sensory overload.
If you are unfortunate enough to suffer whilst on your cruise ship, it may be temporary while your senses adjust and your equilibrium returns. If it continues, make sure you get plenty of rest, get some fresh air, stay hydrated and take over-the-counter medication.
Don’t worry if you forget to bring any with you, on most cruise ships, you can contact guest relations or the medical centre, where you can get tablets to give you some relief.
Some people prefer natural remedies, such as ginger, which is often recommended for its anti-nausea properties. Others use acupressure wristbands, which have a round button and, when worn presses on an acupressure point to prevent or relieve seasickness. (These can be found here if you are in the UK or here if you are in the US).
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
So, you’re considering a cruise for your honeymoon. Well, there are certainly plenty of choices out there – but working out which is the best for the special occasion can leave you feeling quite confused.
The problem is, there are so many cruise holidays that would make a great honeymoon!
So, how do you know where to start? With ships varying not only between cruise lines but even within each cruise company, it can be tricky to know what the best honeymoon cruises are for you.
Whether you’re keen explorers wanting your next big adventure; honeymooning with children in tow and want to enjoy a bit of alone time, or simply wanting to relax in paradise after your wedding, I’m here to help.
My first ever cruise was my honeymoon and I’ve been addicted ever since!
Our honeymoon was on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas in 2013
If you’re not sure which cruise lines are the best for honeymoon holidays, read on to find out more about my top 5 honeymoon cruise lines…
1. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean is perfect for fun-loving couples, as well as those choosing to honeymoon with kids.It offers plenty of fun activities, as well as kids clubs to keep youngsters occupied when you want to dial up the romance.
Oasis of the Seas cruising from New York
Royal Caribbean Is Best For…
Fun-loving couples – You can never be bored on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Parents – The kids’ clubs will entertain little ones while you enjoy some alone time
Foodies – The incredible dining options will suit everyone
As I went on a Royal Caribbean cruise for my honeymoon, I have a bit of a soft spot for this cruise line. We sailed on Allure of the Seas in the Caribbean in 2013. It was my first-ever cruise and the one that set me on the path of cruise addiction.
Bringing The Kids On Your Honeymoon
If you want the best cruise for honeymoon families, Royal Caribbean is definitely up there.
The breadth of activities available for children to attend is endless. The kids’ clubs are open from early morning, throughout the day and well into the evening, meaning that there’s more time to spend just the two of you!
Spots such as the adults-only solarium, wine bars and late-night comedy events are also perfect for enjoying as a couple while the kids are entertained elsewhere.
The Suite Sun Deck on Wonder of the Seas
Watch The Best Shows At Sea
Royal Caribbean offers some of the best cruise line entertainment programmes at sea. Enjoy Broadway-style shows in the theatre such as Grease, We Will Rock You, Hairspray and Mamma Mia.
There’s a fantastic couples gameshow called Mr & Mrs that you certainly won’t want to miss. Being honeymooners, you also have a good chance of being selected to participate on stage!
There’s also the incredible AquaTheater shows which feature mesmerising high-diving shows – though these are only available on selected ships.
Dream Honeymoon Itineraries
If you opt for an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, it’s likely you will visit the cruise line’s private island – Perfect Day at CocoCay. Here, you can enjoy an exclusive resort complete with an incredible water park, over-water cabanas, swim-up bars, zip line, beaches and water sports, all reserved just for Royal Caribbean guests.
This is an ideal place to visit if you’re planning on experiencing the best of both worlds during your honeymoon – the beautiful beach and warm waters of the Caribbean and the exciting facilities of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
Perfect Day at CocoCay
The Best Royal Caribbean Ship For A Honeymoon
Royal Caribbean has a huge choice of ships to choose from for your honeymoon, all of which include the adult-only solarium, meaning there’s bound to be a ship to suit you.
The ships do vary in terms of size and onboard amenities. This also affects the price and destinations featured on your itinerary.
For something low-key and budget-friendly, the older ships (Vision, Voyager and Radiance Class) are a good choice. Or, if you’re seeking plenty to do on-board and a huge ship to explore, you can’t go wrong with either the Oasis Class or Quantum Class ships.
My Top Tip for a Royal Caribbean Honeymoon Cruise:
Book your onboard activities ahead of time to ensure you don’t miss out. The Escape Rooms, RipCord by iFLY and North Star are some of the most popular ones that are definitely worth experiencing!
2. Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises is a great choice to mark an occasion as special – these modern, luxurious ships visit breathtaking destinations across the globe and offer incredible service to match. Certainly some of the best cruises for honeymoon planners.
Celebrity Edge
Celebrity Cruises Are Best For:
Luxury lovers – Those who appreciate the finer things in life
Beach bums – Celebrity cruises are great for relaxation and recharging your batteries
Foodies – The food on board is something really special
Honeymoon In Luxurious Surroundings
For something a little more luxurious and indulgent, Celebrity Cruises’ luxury cruises are ideal. With 15 ships to choose from, the cruise line offers contemporary cruising that’s sure to elevate your honeymoon to new heights.
Rooftop garden
The cruise line isn’t as tailored to children as other cruise lines, but there’s still a great kids’ club so this is an option if your kids are coming with you on honeymoon.
From ages 3 to 12, Camp at Sea offers activities and parties under the supervision of youth staff – perfect for those moments you want to share just the two of you!
Enjoy A VIP Experience
If you’re opting for cruising as just a couple, The Retreat is a VIP space offering the perfect spot to completely unwind. Reserved exclusively for suite guests, it features luxurious services and amenities for a truly special honeymoon experience.
Enjoy relaxing on the Retreat Sundeck with plush furniture and cocktails at your call or visit the Retreat Lounge for 24-7 access to complimentary drinks, gourmet bits and dedicated concierge services. It’s the ultimate in indulgence.
Celebrity Cruises – The Retreat
The Best Celebrity Cruises Ship For A Honeymoon
Though Celebrity Cruises has quite a large fleet to choose from, there are only four classes to differentiate between.
The Millennium Class features the older generation of just four ships, though many have been renovated in the last 1-2 years.
The Solstice Class is slightly larger with five ships, offering a little more space to unwind.
The Edge Class, launched in 2018 with Celebrity Edge as its namesake, features the three most modern ships.
The final class includes the three Expedition ships, including Celebrity Flora, which is purpose-built for the Galapagos Islands.
Award-Winning Dining
If you’re foodies, there’s plenty to get excited about with Celebrity Cruises. The cruise line has won awards for its dining experiences, some of which have been awarded for eight consecutive years!
Complimentary venues include the main restaurant where you can enjoy an ever-changing menu in a modern and elegant setting. Guests staying in AquaClass can also visit Blu Restaurant and suite guests can visit the Luminae Restaurant.
If you’re seeking next-level dining, there’s a great choice from Sushi on Five, to the French-inspired Murano; Fine Cut Steakhouse to the Parisian influences of Le Grande Bistro.
For something extra special, the Edge Class offers the Magic Carpet experience – an alfresco restaurant situated sky-high for Dinner on the Edge.
My Top Tip For A Celebrity Cruises Honeymoon:
Celebrity Cruises offers a celebration package that includes wine, a bouquet of flowers, delectable chocolate-dipped strawberries and the perfect element of surprise for your new hubby or wifey!
Relatively new to the cruise line world, Virgin Voyages has torn up the rule book to offer an over-18s experience you won’t forget – think tattoo parlours, boozy brunches and late-night port visits!Already it’s considered as one of the best cruise lines for honeymoon getaways.
Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages Is Best For:
Rock stars – The RockStar suites will make you feel super-special
Adventure seekers – There’s lots of fun, both on board and ashore
Health nuts – Ships have huge gyms and lots of fitness classes
One Of The Newest Cruise Lines
If you’re keen to set sail with zero children in sight, a Virgin Voyages honeymoon cruise is a great choice. Not only is the cruise line completely adult-only, but there’s also plenty to look out for on board to ensure you have a brilliant honeymoon cruise.
The pool area on Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages caters to couples looking to enjoy every minute of their time on board. Included as standard in your cruise fare is over $600 worth of amenities, including Wi-Fi, dining at over 20 venues, fitness classes and soft drinks.
There’s even a tattoo parlour on board so you can commemorate your honeymoon with matching ink to remember forever – that’s if you’re feeling brave!
Feel Better Than Ever
Virgin Voyages is a big advocate for well-being and so offers classes such as sunrise yoga, spa facilities like cold plunge pools and heated hammam benches, and a beauty parlour – so you can look as good as you feel on your honeymoon.
One of the many gyms on board
The Best Virgin Voyages Ship For A Honeymoon
Virgin Voyages has four ships in the fleet you can sail on. The newest is Brilliant Lady, which is due to launch in 2025. The other three ships – Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, and Resilient Lady – are already sailing.
The ships are identical, so the only choice you need to make is to find the right destination and date to suit you.
Exotic Itineraries
There are three main destinations that Virgin Voyages sails to – the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and Australia and the South Pacific.
The Caribbean includes ports such as San Juan, Costa Maya and Key West, all of which sail out of the cruise line’s home port, Miami.
For sailings that explore the Bahamas, Virgin Voyages offers callings at the Beach Club at Bimini – this private beach club experience is exclusive to cruise guests. Here, you can enjoy a resort-like life during your time here, starting with morning yoga and ending with beach bonfires.
The second destination to explore on a Virgin Voyages cruise is Europe, with Barcelona, Spain and Piraeus (Athens) as the home ports.
You can enjoy exploring countless capital cities during your honeymoon with Virgin Voyages. While there are no private islands to explore here, you can enjoy overnight stays in ports including Monte Carlo and Ibiza – so you can party until the early hours!
The cruises around the South Pacific are more limited, sailing out of Melbourne or Auckland, and they include the vibrancy of modern Australia along with traditional Maori culture.
My Top Tip for a Virgin Voyages Honeymoon:
Virgin Voyages doesn’t offer the typical drinks packages seen on other cruise lines. So if you want to get sloshed, it’s going to get pricey.
You can, however, get a prepaid Bar Tab that gets you discounts. You can share your Bar Tab between you both, so you don’t have to purchase one each – we’ll drink to that!
Over 50s – Although you’ll find a wide range of ages on board
Traditional Cruising At Its Best
From award-winning spas and dining to exciting itineraries, Princess Cruises is a cruise line that caters to many joys of travel and relaxation.
The cruise line specialises in creating lasting memories with those you love, featuring unique on-board activities amongst in-depth itineraries to curate sailings that are almost made in heaven – just like you newlyweds!
Enjoy Time Spent Together
With Princess Cruises, there are many opportunities to indulge in sharing experiences together. Learn to ballroom dance or test your knowledge of each other in the Marriage Match Game Show!
Savour a romantic meal at the many speciality restaurants on board your ship or enjoy a decadent chocolate and wine tasting.
The Lotus Spa is an ideal haven to unwind. I recommend booking a couple’s massage for a relaxing time together.
Visit A Paradise Island
Princess Cruises has its own private island, situated in the Bahamas. Princess Cays is a 40-acre resort on the island of Eleuthera featuring unspoilt beaches, private cabanas and a sanctuary fit for your special celebration.
Enjoy beach barbeques, visit the local shops and craft markets, or relax on the beach.
Princess Cays
The Full Package
Princess Cruises offers honeymoon packages complete with vintage Champagne, gourmet breakfast on the balcony and quality time together in the therapeutic thermal suite. Prices for this added extra start at $299.
My Top Tip For A Princess Cruises Honeymoon:
Enjoy your evenings on board with Movie Under the Stars. This outdoor cinema experience is a great way to end the day, complete with blankets, popcorn, and one of the latest blockbuster hits.
Boutique and stylish with flair, Uniworld River Cruises offer a unique option for those looking to enjoy all-inclusive luxury river cruising. It’s definitely a contender for the best cruise line for honeymoon river cruises.
Uniworld Is Best For:
History buffs – Explore fascinating cities across Europe
Sea sickness sufferers – Because there are no waves on a river!
Luxury lovers – A high staff to guest ratio means you’ll be well looked after
Explore Europe’s Most Romantic Cities Via River
For a more intimate setting, a river cruise offers the chance to sail along one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, up-close and personal.
No cruise line does it quite like Uniworld River Cruises, which designs each of its ships akin to a boutique hotel.
Modelled after the cruise line’s sister company, the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, the Uniworld fleet boasts destination-inspired décor, carefully selected amenities and delectable cuisine you will never want to leave.
Think beautiful colour palettes, custom fabrics, original artworks and more.
Culinary treats are akin to world-class cuisine with menus inspired by the destinations you visit.
Your suite features butler service, all-marble bathrooms and fresh cookies delivered daily, while the same standard of service is matched throughout the ship venues with a truly guest-centric atmosphere on board.
See More Of The World
As for destinations, follow some of the world’s greatest rivers including the Nile, Amazon, and the Rhine. Each place features its own curated ship designed for that specific destination so you’re constantly exploring even while you’re sailing!
Wine lovers can sail to some of Europe’s renowned wine regions such as Bordeaux or Burgundy. Uniworld even offers specially-themed itineraries as part of its Connoisseur Collection for lovers of French food and wine.
Or, you could tour the Christmas Markets along the Danube or Rhine and snuggle down for an unforgettable winter honeymoon
My Top Tip For A Uniworld Honeymoon:
If you are planning to travel with children, Uniworld offers selected family-friendly sailings as part of its Generations Collection with special programs, events, and excursions tailored to all ages.
Final Word
There’s definitely a cruise line to suit your honeymoon style – whether adventurous or chilled, kid-free or family-friendly, fellow foodie or wine-lover.
These cruise lines are just a snippet of the great choices out there for your cruise to celebrate the beginning of your marriage.
There are plenty of new ships on the cruise horizon too – meaning there’s always going to be something new to try, as well as hundreds of destinations to decide on where to visit. Check out my guide to the 19 Best Cruise Destinations For Couples for inspiration.
On our honeymoon, we cruised on what was (at the time) the newest and biggest cruise ship in the world. A fellow passenger told us that we had ‘ruined it’, by doing the best one first.
Little did we know that bigger and better cruise ships are built every year. So, here’s to a lifetime of cruise addiction together!
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
P&O Cruises’ Iona features the world’s first gin distillery at sea. With so many British cruisers enjoying a gin and tonic of an evening, P&O Cruises has decided that the best way to keep up with the thirst for gin; is to distill it right on-board the ship!
As well as the unique gin distillery, this 5,200-passenger ship has its own dedicated gin bar serving over 300 varieties of gin, and gin masterclasses where passengers can learn about how the gin is made at sea.
Iona’s Limited-Edition Gins
Iona also has its own sea-inspired signature gin, made to a recipe that’s tailored to the ‘bold and daring’ spirit of Iona. Named ‘Marabelle Gin’, this unique recipe is made from 18 botanicals including heather, citrus, green apple, blackberry, rose petals, mint and sea kelp.
Iona features a revolutionary, custom-made 450-litre copper still. This one-of-a-kind distillery allows Iona’s signature gin to be distilled, bottled and labelled on board the ship, before being enjoyed by passengers.
Many of the gin varieties created onboard Iona are limited edition drinks with recipes inspired by ingredients local to the various destinations that Iona will cruise to.
Iona’s signature gin, ‘Marabelle Gin’ is also made in a distillery in Salcombe, Devon, so that it can also be enjoyed by guests on every ship across the P&O Cruises fleet – Arvia, Britannia, Ventura, Azura, Arcadia and Aurora.
Gin Masterclasses On Iona
Passengers cruising on board Iona are able to attend one of two gin masterclasses during their cruise. In each gin masterclass, guests will learn about the history of the popular spirit and how it’s made.
In the first masterclass, a gin expert will reveal the secrets to distilling a smooth and well-balanced gin, and guests can then enjoy a gin-tasting session
In the second class, guests can blend their own gin to create their own unique recipes before tasting their masterpieces
Passengers on board Iona can also purchase souvenir bottles of Iona’s exclusive gin to take home and share (or not share!) with friends.
P&O Cruises’ Partnership With Salcombe Gin
To bring P&O Cruises’ Iona gin still dreams to life, the
British cruise line has partnered with Devon-based distillery, Salcombe Gin.
“Salcombe Gin is the perfect partner for us as it shares our zest for adventure and discovery,” said P&O Cruises president, Paul Ludlow. “It has an unrivalled passion and attention to detail, not only in the award-winning gins created, but also in the unique gin experiences offered.
Angus Lugsdin, the co-founder of Salcombe Distilling Co, commented: “This exciting partnership unites two British brands with a love of ocean adventures in a beautifully crafted gin. Iona and the sea have been the inspiration for every element of Marabelle Gin from the name and the design of the bottle label, with the star formations in the night sky overhead, to the flora native to the island of Iona, juniper and heather, used in the recipe.
“The bottle label is the shape of a gin pennant flag, a symbol of hospitality flown by sailors for years. When hoisted it invites people to come aboard for a G&T, so it’s the perfect icon to symbolise our gin brand and partnership.”
You can learn more about P&O Cruises’ partnership with Salcombe Gin in this short video…
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
