Diplomacy

Whether it’s new towels or fresh bed sheets, cabin stewards on a cruise ship stay busy making sure cruisers are comfortable and happy with their accommodations.

When a passenger wants fresh towels, they simply need to leave them on the bathroom floor and they will be replaced the next time the cabin is serviced.

But what about bed sheets?  How often are these linens replaced?

This morning, John Heald, Brand Ambassador for Carnival Cruise Line answered that question and asked for comments on the topic.

“I explained to somebody that our brilliant state room attendants will change the bedding in the cabin at least once every seven days, more if somebody requests it,” Heald wrote on his Facebook post. 

“This apparently “horrified “a few people who said that we should be changing it a minimum of 2 to 3 times a week.”

In the comments to the social media post, most cruisers were satisfied with having the sheets replaced every seven days. 

Some emphasized the environmental impact of having the sheets changed too often, and others simply wanted to make sure the sheets were clean on embarkation day.

Read more: Cruise cabin hacks: 25 tips for making your cabin more livable

Still, as Heald mentioned, there were several that wanted clean sheets more often simply because it was a vacation and not just another day at home.

One commenter stated, “Twice a week. Wasn’t so long ago that hotels would change your sheets everyday. I’m on vacation. I want new sheets more often than when I’m home. Sorry that’s how I feel about it.”

Since cruising is all about having a customized experience, those who want their sheets changed more often simply need to request it.

Heald asked how often people change their bed sheets at home, and most of the replies stated that once a week was the norm. 

Most cruise lines have cut back on cleaning staterooms twice a day as they did years ago.   This was to cut back on cost and also to better manage the time of the crew.

Cruise cabin stewards work incredibly hard to make sure passengers are happy.  Any extra work given to one of the crew should be accompanied by extra gratuity.

“If you are one of those people making your stateroom attendant change your sheets throughout your cruise, you should be tipping them [accordingly]! They already have so much to do in cleaning and making the beds,” one Facebook comment stated.

Princess Cruises has decided to double the Future Cruise Credit amount that guests will receive who were booked on the two canceled cruises on Regal Princess.

Regal Princess has been stuck in Galveston due to repairs that need to be made to the ship. The October 27 and November 3 cruises have been canceled.

The cruise line said that “essential technical repairs” are needed to the ship and the cancelations of the cruises were necessary.

Initially, Princess Cruises was giving all guests who were booked on these two cruises a full refund and a 25% credit towards a future cruise.

The cruise line is doubling that amount and guests will now receive a 50% credit of their cruise fare to use for a future cruise. This is in addition to the full refund.

The FCC (Future Cruise Credit) is good on all Princess sailings through May 31, 2026 as long as it’s booked by May 31, 2025.

Also, guests who booked one of the cruise line’s all-inclusive packages, Princess Plus and Premier Package, will still receive double cruise credits as part of the Captain’s Circle Loyalty Accelerator promotion. Guests staying in full suites will receive loyalty points x4.

Princess Cruises sent the following statement to Cruise Fever about the Future Cruise Credit guests on the canceled cruises will be receiving:

“Repairs on Regal Princess are progressing as planned in preparation for her scheduled November 10 departure from Galveston. We are actively communicating with guests booked on this voyage to keep them informed.

“Our team remains focused on ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience, and we look forward to welcoming guests aboard. Any further updates will be provided promptly.

“In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, guests who were affected by the cancellations of the October 27 and November 3 sailings will receive an increased Future Cruise Credit (FCC), raised from 25% to 50% of their original cruise fare.

“This enhanced FCC will be automatically applied to guest accounts and can be used for bookings made by May 31, 2025, and sailing by May 31, 2026.

“Guests who booked a Princess Plus or Premier Package for either of the cancelled voyages during the Captain’s Circle Loyalty Accelerator promotion will still receive double the cruise credits, with full suite guests receiving four times the loyalty points.”

Regal Princess homeports in Galveston offering six- to 11-night cruises to the Caribbean.

The majority of the ship’s cruises from Texas are six- to eight-nights in length and visit the Western Caribbean. Port stops include Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Roatan.

In the spring of 2025, the ship will reposition to Europe and offer cruises from Southampton.

I took my first cruise a little over 15 years ago, a four night cruise to The Bahamas on Norwegian Sky from PortMiami. I couldn’t say no to a four night cruise for $199 so I decided to take my first ever cruise and see what they were all about.

Fast forward to today and there are a number of things that the mainstream cruise lines have cut. Call them cheap, call it cost cutting or whatever you want, but many things that were included in cruises a few years ago are no longer offered.

Here are things that most mainstream cruise lines have cut over the past 15 years. Note, this doesn’t apply to premium or luxury lines as they haven’t made cuts like mainstream lines have.

Pre-Cruise Packet

Cruise lines used to mail you a packet before your cruise with an information booklet, your luggage tags, and other things you needed for your vacation.

I loved receiving it in the mail because it meant my cruise was just around the corner. I was so excited, I think I read the information book three times before my first cruise. It had a lot of good info for first time cruisers like me.

Now if you want things like your luggage tags, you have to print them yourself.

Welcome Aboard Drink

It didn’t matter how cheap of a cruise you booked or how short it was. When you boarded your ship, someone was standing there to hand you a free welcome aboard drink, a glass of champagne or orange juice for those who don’t drink.

The first few cruises I booked were insanely cheap, but this was offered on them.  Now, it’s a relic of the past.

Twice-a-Day Cabin Service

This is one thing that I really miss when sailing on the big lines now. Your room steward would clean your room in the morning and then again while you were at dinner for turndown service. It gave a feel of luxury and something special when taking a cruise.

Then one day, cruise lines figured out that if stewards only cleaned rooms once a day, they would only need half the staff.

Now, they ask you to choose between morning or evening service as you only get it once a day.

Lobster on Short Cruises

It didn’t matter if it was a three night cruise or a four night cruise, lobster was always on the menu in the main dining room at least one night of the voyage. It was usually the formal night.

“You want lobster? That will be $44.99!”

Technically you can still get lobster in the main dining room on short cruises, but you have to pay for it under the “steakhouse selections”.

Free Room Service

This is one of the things on my first cruise that really impressed me. There was no charge for room service. They had a room service menu and you could order anything off it that you liked and it was all complimentary.

Now, cruise lines either charge a delivery free or have a smaller complimentary menu and a menu where you pay for items you order.

Towel Animals

While not all the big cruise lines have cut this out, towel animals are slowly disappearing from cruise ships.

You used to have a towel animal waiting for you in your cabin every night when you came back from dinner. Norwegian was the first cruise line to cut this practice.

Chocolates on Pillows

Along with your towel animal, room stewards always put chocolate on your pillows. This has also disappeared from most of the big cruise lines.

But I have to say, even though cruise lines have made many cuts over the past few years, cruises still offer the best value for the buck when taking a vacation.

And while I miss many of these things, it doesn’t stop me from taking cruises.

I used to attend every spa raffle on a cruise ship’s embarkation day.  After all, who can resist getting something for free for what seems like very minimal effort, right?

Some would even call it a right of passage for first-time cruisers, and a free massage is a pretty tempting reward.

But after dozens of cruises, I decided to spend my time elsewhere during sailaway, and here are a few reasons why.

1. You have to be there to win it

Most mainstream cruise lines have something known as the spa raffle.  Cruisers usually get hooked on the idea after getting a tour of the spa and thermal suite.

The prize can be anything from a free massage to hair or skin treatment.  And since these treatments can cost over $150 without gratuity, it seems reasonable to at least give it a go. 

Entrance into the raffle is free, but the catch is that you have to be there to win it.  I’ve been to many raffles where the person who won didn’t show up and another name was drawn.

So, what’s the big deal with having to be present?  Well, there are just many other things I like to do once I get on a cruise ship to get ready for my cruise. 

Time spent listening to a presentation to all the wonderful spa treatments on board is time I’m not unpacking, doing my e-muster drill, making restaurant reservations, or enjoying a mostly-empty pool.

2. It takes too long

It only takes a minute to gather everyone around and pull a name out of a hat, right?  But I’ve spent over an hour waiting for that moment.  During that time some smaller prizes are often given out to encourage people to stay for the whole thing, but that’s just too long for me. 

I’ve been to some spa raffles that were shorter, but it seems like the last few I attended were getting longer and longer.

Let’s be honest here.  Most people are only there to get something free.  They can deal with a few minutes of promotional material, but everyone has their limits.

3. It gets too crowded

The raffle typically takes place in the gym area, but these spaces aren’t made to hold over a hundred people. 

The last raffle I attended had closer to two hundred people –it felt like–, and they were spilling out into the entrance of the spa. 

Needless to say, my foot fell asleep while trying to balance on half of an elliptical machine.  I was tempted to just get a workout done while I was waiting, but I didn’t want to be “that guy”.

After most cruise lines did away with the single-file-line muster drill that took place on the outer decks, I was glad to be free of that crowded space.  But the spa raffle gave me the same vibes.

There are better places to spend embarkation day than in a crowd of anxious cruisers hoping to get something for free only to be disappointed and make a run for the exits.

Read more: 12 tips for avoiding crowds on a cruise ship

4. It’s reminiscent of a timeshare presentation

I know, I know, “these be fightin’ words”, but I mean this in the nicest way possible.  While there isn’t the intention of guilt-tripping people into booking a spa treatment, I can’t help but get that same impression.

Everyone knows we are there to get something for free, so a little sales pitch is customary.   It’s just a bit too “salesy” for me.  It’s different on the more premium cruise lines, so keep in mind we are still talking about the mainstream ships here.

If you’ve ever had a massage or skin treatment from a spa on a cruise ship before, you might have experienced the sales pitch at the end.  Sometimes it’s simply for a bottle of lotion or scrub brush. 

It’s usually a hard pass for me.   And most of the things being pitched are treatments that do not interest me.

5. I miss out on other sailaway stuff

As I mentioned before, there are so many other things I’d rather be doing on embarkation day than waiting in a crowded room while listening to an hour of commercials.

There is food to be eaten, pools to be swam in, shows to reserve, and an entire ship to enjoy.

I love sailaways.  There’s something about sailing past all the buildings and houses along the cruise port and watching the land fall below the horizon that gives me that vacation feeling. 

It’s calming, relaxing, and the best way to start a cruise, even if it’s only a 3-day sailing.

Bottom Line

All the above being said, spa raffles are great for some cruisers.  If you plan to book a treatment anyway and want to learn more about the process, by all means, attend that raffle. With bells on!  And enjoy every second of it.

I know people who have won the raffle before and don’t regret a moment of it.  So, take everything I’ve said in this article with a grain of salt.  Cruising is all about enjoying your vacation in the way you see fit.   

As for me, I would rather just pay for the spa treatment or thermal suite access than have to endure another raffle.  However, if I could submit my name and then go back to my cabin, sign me up!

A cruise line has announced an incredible new cruise that starts in Iceland and ends in Japan that will set sail in 2026.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions newly announced “Epic Northwest Passage: From Iceland to Japan” itinerary will be the longest they ever offered at 69 days in length.

It will offer everything from Viking history to Arctic exploration to the cultural wonders of Japan.

The cruise will take place on National Geographic Resolution and depart on July 14, 2026 from Reykjavik, Iceland. It will end 69 days later in Kyoto, Japan on September 22, 2026.

Below is a map showing the route the cruise ship will take on this epic journey.

Itinerary Highlights

Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord: Passengers will glide between towering icebergs at this UNESCO World Heritage site, marveling at the natural beauty of the Arctic.

Northwest Passage: Venture into the fabled Northwest Passage and learn the dramatic stories of explorers and adventurers who sought this magnificent, icy frontier.

Japan’s Samurai Districts: History enthusiasts can delve into the feudal past by visiting samurai castles and districts in Matsue and Uwajima, offering a glimpse into Japan’s warrior traditions.

Alaska’s Wildlife: In the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands, guests will encounter rare wildlife such as whiskered auklets, northern fur seals, Steller’s sea eagles, and brown bears.

How Much Does this Cruise Cost?

Cruise fares start at $108,285 per person for a Category 1 ocean view cabin based on double occupancy. Fares for other cabins are as follows:

• Category 2 Ocean View: $113,338 per person
• Category 3 Balcony: $135,116 per person
• Category 4 Balcony: $150,235 per person
• Category 5 Balcony: $169,461 per person
• Category 6 Jr. Suite: Sold out
• Category 7 Bridge Suite: $214,189 per person

Single occupancy cabins start at $165,675 per person.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions gives the following description for this incredible cruise:

“Departing from Iceland’s rugged shores, travelers will trace the legendary path of Erik the Red, sailing through Iceland and Greenland’s awe-inspiring fjords and ice-sculpted coastlines.

“The ship then embarks on a journey through the fabled Northwest Passage, charting a course through the Arctic’s icy frontier from Greenland to Alaska. Along the way, guests will explore remote and untouched regions, including the wild Aleutian Islands, where rare wildlife and untamed landscapes await.

“As the voyage continues through the volcanic landscapes of the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire,” the adventure reaches its grand finale in Japan—a land where ancient samurai traditions harmonize with cutting-edge modernity.”

MSC Cruises, the third largest cruise line in the world, will offer cruises to Alaska for the first time starting in May 2026.

Cruises to Alaska on MSC Cruises will take place on MSC Poesia with the first sailing departing from Seattle on May 11, 2026.

The cruise ship will visit Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Tracy Arm, and Juneau (Alaska), along with Victoria (British Columbia, Canada) during the seven day roundtrip cruises from Seattle.

Sailings to the 49th State on MSC will run from May through September 2026.

Lynn Torrent, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, MSC Cruises USA, said:

“Guests from all over the world tell us they want to see Alaska’s beauty firsthand, which makes these itineraries the perfect addition to MSC Cruises’ global portfolio of bucket-list destinations.

“Seattle will be our fifth U.S. homeport, bringing our signature mix of European style and American comforts to the west coast as we continue to expand our offerings in the North American market.

“We look forward to welcoming guests aboard MSC Poesia, which will spend the summer cruising Alaska and move to Miami for the winter, offering opportunities for travelers to enjoy the coveted experience of transiting the Panama Canal when the ship moves between the east and west coast.”

Stephanie Jones Stebbins, Managing Director, Maritime, Port of Seattle, added:

“The Port of Seattle looks forward to welcoming MSC Cruises and MSC Poesia to Seattle. We know that MSC guests will enjoy exploring our region before and after their Alaska adventure. We appreciate MSC’s commitment to sustainability and look forward to MSC Poesia connecting to shore power in Seattle.”

These new cruises to Alaska on MSC Poesia are now open for bookings.

With the addition of Seattle, MSC Cruises now offers voyages from five homeports in the U.S.