Posts in category: Diplomacy

Using facial recognition, photo IDs, and RFID-encoded boarding passes, cruise passengers at the Cruise Center Hamburg-Steinwerder were able to test out a new pilot program using digital self check-in for the first time.

A 3,300-passenger ship just got back to Germany from an 11-day sailing to Norway, and the next group of passengers is getting to test out the new pilot program.

Guests sailing on AIDAprima were able to use 20 digital terminals to try out the new process today (July 23), although a check-in counter was still accessible.

How It All Works

Airports have already been doing this for a while now, so most travelers are somewhat familiar with the concept of using a digital display to check in.

But for cruise ships, there’s a little more involved.

The check-in terminals scanned the guests’ photo IDs and used facial recognition tech to make sure a live photo of the guests and their ID photos matched. The photo taken at the digital terminals will then be used for the duration of the sailing.

Boarding passes were equipped with RFID technology and were used for payment onboard in addition to access to cabins. During this check-in process, that payment functionality was also set up.

AIDA Cruises said in a press release that they developed this system together with Lufthansa Industry Solutions, and it took two years to get it the way they wanted. A few tweaks had to be made in adapting the made-for-airport solution to do everything a cruise terminal needed it to do.

What’s the Benefit?

Mainly, shorter lines. It also means that you don’t need as many staff working at the terminal to check everyone in. With 20 digital terminals being used at the same time, it speeds up the entire process and gets cruisers onto the ship faster.

And of course, for those who still want to deal with a person at the counter, that option isn’t going away. Some guests have questions and would rather deal with a person, and AIDA Cruises said that optionality is important.

As this is still a pilot program, we expect to see some adjustments before entire fleets are relying on this kind of check-in process, and the cruise line is sure to be watching passenger feedback closely.

AIDAprima is scheduled to depart the Hamburg cruise port today on a 10-night roundtrip sailing to Norway.

From a cruise destination perspective, you can’t get much more diverse than the Amazon rainforest and the icy landscape of Antarctica.

But a new, one-of-a-kind 87-day cruise just dropped, and it’s offering passengers the opportunity to experience both regions in a roundtrip sailing from the UK.

UK-based Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled the 87-night “Amazon & Antarctica Adventure” Grand Voyage for early 2028, and it’s already available for booking, as of July 22.

Sailing round-trip out of Southampton, England on the 1,350-passenger ship, Borealis, this epic voyage spans 28 ports across 17 countries and five continents.

While Fred. Olsen might not be a household name to every American cruiser, the family-owned British cruise line is well-known for its focus on destination-centric itineraries aboard intimate, mid-sized ships.

For cruisers looking for a mega-voyage that skips the massive crowd, here is everything you need to know about this unique sailing.

The Fleet and the Ship

Unlike the mega-ships carrying 5,000 to 7,000 passengers out of Florida ports, Fred. Olsen operates a small fleet of just three ships: Borealis, Bolette, and Balmoral.

Stateside cruisers might actually recognize Borealis. The ship originally debuted in 1997 as Holland America Line’s flagship MS Rotterdam before joining the Fred.Olsen fleet in 2020.

At roughly 61,849 gross tons and totaling about 702 cabins, she is a nimble, classic ocean vessel. It really is a great sized ship for a unique voyage like this.

Her smaller footprint is a major advantage for an itinerary like this too. Borealis is compact enough to navigate hundreds of miles inland up the shallow Amazon River while remaining sturdy enough to handle the ocean swells down in Antarctica’s Drake Passage.

I guess you could call it a Goldilocks ship for this kind of cruise.

The Epic Itinerary: From Tropics to Ice

The 87-night itinerary features two major bucket-list destinations that rarely appear on the same booking:

• The Amazon River: Marking the cruise line’s first return to the Amazon in nine years, Borealis will spend several days scenic cruising along the world’s largest river by volume, including stops in Manaus and Santarém. Guests will have chances to spot pink river dolphins and exotic wildlife directly from the ship decks.
• Antarctica & Cape Horn: Sailing south along the South American coast and rounding Cape Horn, the ship will spend three days scenic cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula, surrounded by glaciers, snow-capped peaks, and penguin colonies.

To round out the epic itinerary, the ship will also dock for overnight stays in iconic cities like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, along with warm-weather stops across the Caribbean in spots like Dominica and Samaná Bay.

Booking and Itinerary Fast Facts

• Departure Date: January 5, 2028
• Homeport: Round-trip Southampton, UK
• Duration: 87 nights
• Ports of Call: 28 ports in 17 countries (including Tenerife, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Antarctica, and the Falkland Islands)
• Starting Price: Lead-in fares begin at £10,999 per person (approx. $14,200 USD depending on exchange rates).

According to Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s website, the fare also includes everything below:

• Full board dining, from five-course à la carte dinners to afternoon tea
• Selected drinks with lunch and dinner
• Gratuities
• Evening shows, live music, dance classes and enrichment talks
• Swimming pools, jacuzzis and fitness centre
• A free shuttle service in ports over one mile from the ship
• All UK port taxes and fees

See more about this cruise on Fred. Olsen’s website here.

If you want to learn a little more about this cruise line, Gary Bembridge does a great job in this video. It’s a great intro for American cruisers who aren’t as familiar with the cruise line, even if the video is a few years old now:

Royal Caribbean, the world’s largest cruise line, announced plans to advance the development of the new Mahahual K’iin Community Center in Mahahual, Mexico, not far from the cruise port in Costa Maya.

This new plan will create a larger home for programs and activities that enrich the lives of families, children and residents across Mahahual.

This Mahahual K’iin Community Center will build on the community space that was built in 2014, and will have expanded capacity for education, recreation, cultural programming and local gatherings. The location will also be easier for local residents to access.

The project is part of Royal Caribbean’s commitment to support the area near the cruise port that they own, the Port of Costa Maya.

Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group, gave the following statement about this new community center:

“Mahahual is an important community for Royal Caribbean, and the Mahahual K’iin Community Center reflects the long-term partnership we want to continue building here. This next phase is about turning commitment into action by creating a welcoming place where children can learn, families can gather and neighbors can connect.”

Senaida Gómez, director of the Mahahual K’iin Community Center, added:

“The Mahahual K’iin Community Center is the result of the strength, participation and dreams of our community. This new phase will allow us to expand our impact, strengthen our programs and create safe spaces for children, young people and families. We will continue working to ensure this center is a place of gathering, growth and well-being for everyone.”

The cruise line will continue working with residents, community leaders and local authorities on investments that support community well-being, environmental care and local opportunity in Mahahual.

If you’ve paid attention to the cruise industry over the last couple of years, you’ve probably noticed an interesting trend: short cruises are everywhere. But a new survey shows that veteran cruisers want a longer duration for their getaways at sea.

And by short, I’m talking about 3- and 4-nighters. Veteran cruisers typically call these booze cruises or party cruises, since the short duration tends to lean away from a relaxed getaway and more towards a quick hit with the little vacation time someone might have left at work.

Sometimes they don’t require any time off work at all since a sailing might be Friday through Sunday.

But these sailings aren’t just on older, forgotten-about ships. Cruise lines are dropping brand-new, mega-ships directly into the 3- and 4-night market.

Look at what Royal Caribbean has done recently.  They put Utopia of the Seas (a brand-new, 230,000-ton Oasis-class ship) straight into the 3- and 4-night Bahamas rotation right out of the shipyard.

They’ve done the same thing with Wonder of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, running regular cruises to the popular cash cow, Perfect Dat at CocoCay.

And Royal isn’t alone. MSC Cruises has been running 3- and 4-night Bahamas sailings on newer ships like MSC Seashore and MSC Seaside out of Port Canaveral and PortMiami too.

It seems more cruise lines are trying to soften the time duration of a cruise to introduce a wider market to this vacation style. And then the goal is to get them hooked on it.

There’s just one problem: That’s not actually what avid cruisers are looking to book, at least according to a recent survey.

Cruiseline.com’s Survey

Cruiseline.com and Shipmate recently dropped the results of their annual member survey, gathering data from over 5,500 veteran cruisers.

And when you look closely at the numbers, especially from the 64% of respondents who have taken 10 or more cruises, there’s a pretty big gap between what the cruise lines are pushing and what experienced cruisers actually want.

Let’s take a look at the data.

The Numbers: Short Cruises vs. Longer Voyages

When looking at future booking intent, the survey revealed some interesting numbers regarding itinerary length:

• 59% of survey respondents said they intend to book an 8- to 13-day cruise.
• 34.5% are looking at 14-day or longer itineraries.
• 12.1% said they are considering a 2- to 6-day cruise.

Read those numbers again. Nearly 60% of cruisers want longer, 8+ day sailings, while barely 12% are actively looking to book a short weekend getaway.

And sure, these are numbers of intent and not actual bookings, so there’s an element of desire versus reality.

But if you look at cruise line deployments, short 3- and 4-night sailings are getting some of the newest, biggest ships in the world.

So, what are we missing here?

Why Cruise Lines Love Short Cruises (Even If You Don’t)

To understand why cruise lines keep pushing short itineraries despite seasoned cruisers wanting longer ones, you have to look at how the business works.

1. Attracting First-Timers: A 3-night cruise to a private destination like Perfect Day at CocoCay or Ocean Cay is the ultimate “gateway drug” for non-cruisers. It gets them in the door. It’s low commitment, easy on vacation time, and gets new people hooked on the brand.
2. Higher Daily Revenue: Cruise lines often make a lot more money per day on a short cruise. Passengers tend to spend more aggressively on drink packages, specialty dining, and onboard buys when they only have three days to cram it all in. Perhaps FOMO is a factor here.
3. Fleet Efficiency: Running quick back-to-back runs keeps ships full at high turnover rates.

It makes total financial sense for the cruise lines.

But for the veteran cruiser? A 3-night cruise can feel like you just finished unpacking your suitcase right as they place the departure papers on your bed.

When your e-muster drill and debarkation plans are just a couple days apart, the whole experience feels like a blur.

The “Cruise Exhaustion” Factor

Let’s be honest. Taking a 3-night cruise isn’t always relaxing. Between travel days, embarkation lines, and trying to squeeze every ounce of value out of your weekend, a short cruise can feel more like you’re trying to figure out which wire to cut before your vacation timebomb goes off in your face.

By day three, you’re just starting to figure out the ship’s layout. You finally stopped getting lost in the wrong hallway of cabins. And suddenly it’s time to figure out if you want to take an Uber or a cab to the airport.

Regular cruisers know that the magic of a cruise usually happens around day four or five.

That’s when sea days actually feel peaceful (if you can find an empty lounger), the dining room staff knows your name, and you step into that true “cruise mode” mindset.

A longer 10- or 12-day itinerary gives you real port variety too. And you don’t feel like you have to squeeze every minute out of the ship’s time in port.

Other Takeaways from the Survey

While the numbers behind the short and long itineraries was the most interesting data point for me, a few other conclusions were made in the survey.:

• Royal Caribbean takes top spot in active bookings: Royal Caribbean officially passed Carnival Cruise Line as the #1 brand respondents currently have a cruise booked with (29% vs 24.2%).
• Margaritaville at Sea makes the top 10: Say what you will about them, but Margaritaville at Sea has officially cracked the top 10 list of cruise lines travelers are actively considering for future bookings.
• Europe beats Alaska for future intent: While the Caribbean/Bahamas remains king (53.4%), the Mediterranean surged past Alaska in future booking intent (31.2% vs 30.7%), with Transatlantic cruises right behind at 23.6%.
• River cruising gets an ocean brand twist: Of the cruisers looking at river cruises, 36.1% said they were considering Celebrity River Cruises, trailing only Viking (62.3%).

Cruise lines aren’t going to stop building for the short-cruise market anytime soon. It’s simply too profitable, and it’s the best method they have for giving new cruisers that “Cruise Fever”.

But this survey is a reminder of what regular cruisers really value. We don’t just want mega-ships on 3-day weekend runs. We want time to unplug, unique ports of call, and itineraries that let us actually settle in for a while.

Personally, I still like short cruises because it allows me to experience the ship so I can write about it here, but it’s definitely not as fulfilling as a real vacation.

I’m not trying to stir the pot here, but the topic of kids in adult-only areas on a cruise ship seems to keep coming up. Whether it’s in the solarium, aft pool, or any other part of the vessel that is supposed to be kid-free, some guests say that the problem isn’t going away.

A recent social media post from a Princess Cruises guest once again highlighted the lack of enforcement for this simple rule.

Most cruisers just want to bask in the sun in an open lounger, eat an irresponsible amount of chocolate lava cake, and enjoy some R&R.

And while many mainstream cruise lines cater to families with younger children, not every area of the ship is supposed to be open season for the little ones.

Isn’t This Supposed to be Adults Only?

A Reddit post entitled “Aft pool is supposed to be adults only???” hit on a sore spot that every regular cruiser has probably encountered at least once.

The person posting the rhetorical question is currently sailing on an Alaska itinerary aboard Emerald Princess.

They were “confused” to find kids crowding the aft pool despite a sign clearly stating “Terrace Pool: Adults only.”

“The adults only pool is always the highlight of the trip for me so I’m just confused, because the sign is right there on the aft pool too!” the cruise passenger shared.

They added later in a comment that at one point there were “like 20 kids at one point though this poor old lady was calmly swimming laps and promptly left.”

The comments to the post revealed what any veteran cruiser already knows: this rule is often ignored.

Why “Adults Only” Is a Tough Rule to Enforce

For adults traveling without kids (or even with them), dedicated pools offer a quiet sanctuary away from the splash zones. But when what was supposed to be a tranquil pool to enjoy those awesome aft views of the ship becomes a splash zone itself, it only makes for annoyed travelers.

Keeping those spaces quiet isn’t always as simple as reading a sign, though.

Let’s be real, crew members just want their cruise passengers to have a great, enjoyable cruise. Being the “bad guy” by playing the pool grinch who kicks out the kids usually leads to immediate conflict with angry parents.

It’s not an excuse, but it’s definitely the primary reason a lot of these adult-only spaces don’t get enforced. Deck staff would much rather keep things friendly than start a deck-side showdown over pool rules.

As one commenter put it, “The pool deck attendants are not interested in being yelled at by passengers. If you see a supervisor, they may step in. Otherwise try guest services.”

In this case, we’re talking about an Alaska cruise. Even if it was 60 degrees in Juneau, Alaska today (I just checked), anyone would be drawn to that inviting warm water.

One cruiser pointed out, “You cant blame kids for going for what is comfortable. Blame Princess for creating a magnet by heating one pool and not the other in a colder environment.”

In addition to all that, the signs are often small and out of the way. Although, this is more of a poor excuse than anything else. The parents who let their kids in the adult-only areas probably already read the sign but chose to ignore it.

Enforcement with Cruise Lines

How cruise lines enforce the child-free zones are all over the map and can even vary by ship and crew member.

While some passengers reported that staff on some cruise ships rarely step in unless directly asked to do so, others stated that cruise lines like Celebrity take a firmer stance.

“Celebrity seems to be pretty strict when it comes to adults only in the solarium pool. W when sailing in Alaska or Norway the pool is open to families from 5 PM to 6 PM and it is really strictly enforced,” one traveler said.

A Guaranteed Adult-Only Cruise

Of course, if you want a guaranteed break from tiny swimmers, you can always look toward fully adult-only cruise lines like Virgin Voyages or Viking.  These two cruise lines have carved out a high-demand niche that isn’t going away any time soon.

Even Carnival Cruise Line is seeing the demand for adult-only sailings as they have run special SEA (Sailings Exclusively for Adults) cruises.

Offered through their casino loyalty program, these specific 21+ sailings turn the entire ship into a kid-free zone, so adults never have to share the pool deck or hot tubs with children.

In my experience, it’s those hot tubs that can really fill up with kids fast on certain sailings.

Finding the Quiet

If quiet pool time is a dealbreaker for your vacation, you should also look at the time of year as a big factor.

As one comment stated, “This happens every summer when the kids are out of school and all cruise ships become populated with kids. I only set my expectations of being left alone in the aft pool without kids around during typical school months.”

I can confirm this myself. Not only are summer cruises typically more expensive they also can have more children running around as families take advantage of school being out.

This isn’t an easy topic to address, but consistency matters. If a cruise line is more consistent with enforcing a rule, then it will hopefully form better habits as a whole. 

No one wants to play lifeguard or have to complain about a pool being too unruly. After all, kids need a break too.

But we can at least make a deal. As long as kids stay out of the adult-only pool in the aft part of the ship, us older folks will promise to stay off the splash pad, leave the soft-serve machine alone, and stay completely out of the arcade. Fair’s fair.

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas was scheduled to sail out of Port Canaveral yesterday afternoon. But some mechanical issues kept the ship in port for an extra 12-hour period.

According to the ship-tracking website, Cruise Globe, Utopia wasn’t able to begin its already short 4-day cruise to CocoCay and Nassau until just before 3:00AM Tuesday.

Technical Hold at Port Canaveral

Passengers embarked on schedule Monday afternoon, but the ship remained tied to Terminal 1 overnight while engineers worked on board to resolve a mechanical issue.

During the hold, guests were able to enjoy onboard amenities, dining, and entertainment, but the vessel could not open its casino or offer tax-free shopping while docked in U.S. waters.

Passengers on board were kept updated as teams worked through the delay, with Cruise Director Marc Walker later posting in the Utopia of the Seas Facebook Group:

“Myself and the Captain just updated everyone onboard. For those here, see you at showtime! Lots of sunshine forecast.”

Utopia of the Seas finally cleared the harbor at approximately 2:50 AM Tuesday.

Because the nautical distance from Port Canaveral to Perfect Day at CocoCay is roughly 200 nautical miles, the 12-hour delay made a standard 7:00 AM Tuesday arrival at the cruise line’s private island physically impossible.

To account for the lost time, Royal Caribbean changed the ship’s port order, converting Tuesday into a Sea Day, scheduling Nassau for Wednesday, and moving the Perfect Day at CocoCay port call to Thursday.

Domino Effect on Wonder of the Seas

The departure delay on Utopia created another challenge at CocoCay.

While the private destination’s pier does have two dedicated berths designed to accommodate two ships at once, moving Utopia’s CocoCay visit to Thursday conflicted with the schedules of other ships.

On board Wonder of the Seas, which was sailing a four-night itinerary out of Miami, passengers were notified of the schedule change. One guest on Wonder shared the announcement in a thread on the r/royalcaribbean subreddit:

“I’m on wonder of the seas and we were supposed to be at coco cay today but they announced it was being switched from our last day so now today is sea day and day 4 is coco cay then disembark day 5.”

According to passenger reports, Royal Caribbean simply adjusted the itinerary for Wonder of the Seas:

• Itinerary Order Flipped: Wonder of the Seas converted its scheduled Tuesday visit to CocoCay into a Sea Day.
• Port Call Rescheduled: Wonder shifted its CocoCay visit to Thursday, allowing both mega-ships to share the pier on the new dates.

So, as it stands right now, both Wonder and Utopia will be in Cococay together on Thursday instead of today as originally planned.

Shifting port days rather than canceling destinations outright allowed Royal Caribbean to preserve pre-booked cabana rentals, shore excursions, and island admissions for guests across both sailings.

Cruising often requires being flexible. These are short-duration cruises for both mega-ships, but cruise directors and crew members will be sure to keep a lively atmosphere. 

After all, even a minor schedule change on a cruise ship is better than being at work all day on land.

Cunard has announced that Queen Victoria will enter a three-week dry dock this fall for an extensive transformation that will not only see refreshed signature spaces, but also a new category of premium staterooms added to the ship.

Queen Victoria will enter dry dock in Rotterdam on October 17, 2026, and return to service on November 7, 2026. The ship will receive refreshed signature spaces, including Cunard Grills suites and the introduction of The Pavilion Wellness Café.

Eight additional Britannia cabins will be added, including three in a brand-new premium category. The Britannia Deluxe Oceanview cabins will feature floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic ocean views. These new cabins opened for bookings today.

Two signature spaces on the ship, the Grand Lobby and Queens Room, will be reimagined and better than ever.

The Grill Suite experience will be refreshed and elevated. Queens Grill and Princess Grill Suites will be enhanced with sumptuous furnishings, sophisticated detailing, and thoughtful design, delivering the ultimate in comfort and style at sea.

Queen Victoria will become the third ship in Cunard’s fleet to introduce The Pavilion Wellness Café. It first debuted on Queen Anne in 2024 and was added to Queen Elizabeth last year. This wellness-focused venue will serve breakfast, lunch, and daytime dining with a menu celebrating plant-based cuisine alongside sustainably sourced meat, fish, and dairy.

Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, gave the following statement:

“Queen Victoria has always held a special place in the hearts of our guests, celebrated for her distinctive character, intimate spaces and unmistakable sense of British elegance.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to refine the experiences and spaces she offers, with every decision approached with deep respect for the heritage and charm that make her who she is. From the Grand Lobby to the Queens Room, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to ensure Queen Victoria continues to deliver the timeless luxury she is known and loved for. We can’t wait to welcome guests back on board to experience these beautiful enhancements for themselves.”