Diplomacy

The November 9, 2024 sailing on Sun Princess, the newest and largest ship in Princess Cruises’ fleet, will host the cruise line’s second Conjurer’s Cruise.

Michael Carbonaro will headline the event and Princess Cruises is offering three Magical Packages for this unique cruise.

Sun Princess will have magical events all around the ship during the week. The ship was the first to have Spellbound, the newly launched “Extraordinary Experience.” Spellbound brings the wonder and illusion of the Magic Castle to cruise ships for the first time.

This special November 7, 2024 sailing on Sun Princess will offer three different packages for those who want to experience even more magic up close.

Apprentice Package

The “Apprentice Package” will cost $275 per person and includes a “Meet the Magicians” welcome reception and fun-filled farewell social. Guests will receive a guided tour of Spellbound with the president of Magic Castle, Erika Larsen.

Also included is early access to seating for magic performances in the Princess Arena.

Enchanter Package

The “Enchanter Package” will cost $545 per person and includes a special breakfast with the Conjurer’s Cruise magicians and members of the Larsen family.

This package also includes the full Spellbound experience, special late-night cocktail party and magic show, and reserved seating for all magic lectures and performances.

Guests who purchase the Enchanter Package also receive all Apprentice benefits.

Conjurer Package

The “Conjurer Package” will cost $795 per person and they will receive an intimate Spellbound cocktail soirée with Michael Carbonaro and the entire cast of Conjurer’s Cruise, as well as a bridge tour with the Captain of Sun Princess.

This package also offers a magic class for beginning, intermediate or advanced students taught by a world-renowned magician.

Guests will receive a special gift in their stateroom and a signed photo of the magicians.

The Conjurer Package includes all perks from the Apprentice and Enchanter packages.

All guests who are booked on the cruise can participate in the following events without purchasing any extra packages:

• Dynamic Piazza magic showcases, Princess Arena magical revues, recurring Princess Theater magic shows
• Uniquely tailored talks and lectures
• Lively pop-up magic gatherings
• Magic Castle countdown to midnight themed event
• Kid-friendly magic shows and activities
• Magic-themed Movies Under the Stars
• Curios and artifacts from magic’s rich history on display
• Magic jam sessions

The November 9, 2024 sailing on Sun Princess is a seven night cruise to the Western Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The cruise ship will visit Cozumel, Belize and Roatan and have three sea days.

Princess Cruises will have eight cruise ships sailing to Alaska in 2026 including a Sphere class ship for the first time.

Princess Cruises’ 2026 Alaska season will include 180 different cruises that visit 19 destinations. Out of the eight ships the cruise line will have sailing to Alaska, one of them will be their new ship that debuts next year, Star Princess.

Star Princess will be Princess’ second Sphere class ship and the largest the cruise line will have sailing to Alaska.

Out of the 180 sailings to Alaska Princess has planned for 2026, here are a few of the highlights.

Discovery Princess, Grand Princess, Coral Princess and Island Princes will all offer Voyage of the Glacier cruises.

Princess Cruises will cruise through the Inside Passage that will range from seven to 20 days in length. The cruises include up to four glacier viewing experiences.

Longer cruises will be offered on two ships. Ruby Princess will sail a 20 cruise from San Francisco and Emerald Princess a 16 day voyage from Los Angeles.

Bookings for these newly announced cruises to Alaska will open on August 1, 2024.

John Padgett, Princess Cruises president, gave the following statement about the cruise line’s upcoming 2026 Alaska season:

“2026 will reinforce Princess’ leadership in Alaska vacations. The deployment of the magnificent Star Princess to Alaska for the first time will offer guests unprecedented views, luxurious accommodations, and the finest food, beverages and entertainment ever seen in the Great Land.”

“Our guests will experience Alaska like never before aboard our innovative Sphere Class ship. Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a seasoned traveler, Princess is the ultimate choice for luxury and adventure, with awe-inspiring glaciers, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and the freshest seafood imaginable.”

Of course, Princess’ sailings to Alaska can be combined with a land tour and the chance to visit Denali National Park. The cruise line will offer more than 20 cruisetour options for 2026.

One of Carnival Corporation’s cruise lines has made changes to one of their ship’s itineraries and the vessel will now visit the U.S. for the first time.

Seabourn, one of the best ultra-luxury cruise lines, has changed Spring 2025 itineraries for Seabourn Encore. The changes were made so the ship could avoid the Red Sea. The original plan to sail westbound from Asia to Europe has been scrapped. 

Now, the cruise ship will not only visit the U.S. for the first time, but the vessel will make 18 maiden calls and its first trip through the Panama Canal. 

It will sail eastbound from Singapore to Dubrovnik covering more than 20,000 miles. The ship will visit four continents and cross two oceans.

The new voyages will visit 36 ports in 18 countries.

These new cruises will visit the following destinations:

• Panama Canal
• California
• Miami
• Hawaii
• Mediterranean
• Japan
• Southeast Asia

There will be extended port visits in Tokyo, Puerto Vallarta, and Cartagena.

The cruises will feature a curated onboard entertainment program, guest speakers and a star-studded line-up of performers.

The cruises will range from seven to 25 days in length and can be combined for longer sailings up to 53 days.

They include the following:

• March 2, 2025 – 14-Day Southeast Asia & Japan, from Singapore to Kobe
• March 16, 2025 – 25-Day Japan & Hawaiian Islands Pacific Crossing, from Kobe to Long Beach
• April 9, 2025 – 19-Day Panama Canal Passage, from Long Beach to Miami
• April 28, 2025 – 12-Day Atlantic Crossing, from Miami to Lisbon
• May 10, 2025 – 8-Day Western Mediterranean Mosaic, from Lisbon to Civitavecchia (Rome)
• May 18, 2025 – 7-Day Amalfi Coast & Adriatic Gems, from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Dubrovnik

Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn, gave the following statement about these new itineraries:

“We are pleased to offer these new and exciting voyages on our beautiful Seabourn Encore to visit and explore a diverse range of destinations. We are proud to mark Seabourn’s maiden visits to two brand-new ports, giving guests the unique chance to experience two enchanting destinations in Japan with our signature ultra-luxury service.”

“We hope guests will take advantage of our special offer and join Seabourn Encore as she sails to a number of destinations for the very first time.”

Guests who book on of these new itineraries by November 19, 2024 will receive 10% off the cruise fare.

The new itineraries are live on Seabourn’s website.

Carnival Cruise Line has announced an order for a new generation of cruise ships that will be the largest in their fleet.  The ships will be 230,000 gross tons in size and powered by LNG.

Carnival’s order is for three new ships that will debut in 2029, 2031, and 2033. At 230,000 gross tons, they will be the largest in Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet and among the top 10 largest in the world.

They will have over 3,000 staterooms and carry almost 8,000 passengers at a time.

The cruise ships will be the largest ever built by Fincantieri and in Italy.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, gave the following statement about this order for new cruise ships:

“We are proud to be known as America’s cruise line with tremendous guest loyalty and an outstanding team that has enabled us to deliver memorable vacations to over 100 million guests. For this next generation ship, we are focused on creating innovative guest experiences that will take Carnival Cruise Line into the future with new FUN features and excitement that we know our guests will LOVE.”

Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc., added:

“We are doubling down on the growth of Carnival Cruise Line – our highest-returning brand – to keep up with the incredibly strong demand we continue to see for the world’s most popular cruise line.”

“At this point, our newbuild pipeline is just one delivery in each of 2025, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2031 and 2033. We continue to take a disciplined approach to growth, strategically directing new capacity to the areas of highest demand at a rate of one to two new ships per year.”

These new cruise ships will lead the way in energy efficiency, waste management, and emission reduction technologies.

This order is in addition to the new two more Excel class ships that Carnival Cruise Line previously ordered.  This gives Carnival five more new cruise ships on order.

Carnival Cruise Line will announce the homeports and additional details on this new class a ships at a later date.

This new order for three new ships is contingent on financing, but Carnival expects that to be completed before the end of the year.

Does your next cruise take you to the beautiful island of Cozumel? If so, there are endless possibilities for your time there, many I’ve tried out myself.

Maybe you want to book an excursion and enjoy a swim with dolphins or have a relaxing day at an all-inclusive beach club. Both are fantastic ideas and will provide lasting memories for your entire family. 

Perhaps you’d like something a bit more “on your own schedule” or something that won’t hit the wallet quite so hard. 

Thankfully, it is possible to visit Cozumel without spending a small fortune. 

Below, I’ll show you how it’s easy to have a wonderful day at the Puerta Maya Pier in Cozumel, all while staying on a budget.   And it’s all based on my personal experience.

Enjoy a Leisurely Breakfast Onboard

First of all, there’s absolutely no reason to hurry off the ship. There are no early morning shore excursion groups to meet and today is full of possibilities. 

Visit the Lido for a delicious breakfast before exiting the ship. Load up on plenty of protein to fuel your day. (Hello omelet station!) Grab some pastries, fruit and cereal.

Or if you prefer, give the bacon police one last visit of the morning. 

Make sure you drink plenty of liquids with your meal, as hydration is essential in the Caribbean. Plus, if you plan to indulge in a few adult beverages on land, healthier options like H2O will come in handy right about now.

Your body will thank you later. 

Take Your Time Getting Off the Ship

Visit your cabin one last time before you exit the ship. Make sure you have the proper identification with you and any other items you might need for the day.

If you have a particular budget set for your time in Cozumel, keep that in mind. 

It may be a good idea for you to prepare a small tote bag for your day at Puerta Maya Pier, especially if you are traveling with children.

Be prepared for high temperatures of the island and pack sunscreen and bottled water. 

Explore the Duty-Free Shops

After exiting the ship, you will make your way down the long Puerta Maya Pier. This beautiful walk provides several spots for great photos. The water is absolutely gorgeous in Cozumel and don’t skimp on the photo opportunities here. 

You will be directed through the duty free shop as you enter the cruise terminal area. While this might seem annoying at first, just embrace it.

You are on vacation and not at work. That makes it bearable, right? 

While strolling through the shop, you will notice MANY shopkeepers and employees lined up on each side.

They are friendly and ready to assist in any way. While in the liquor section, you will undoubtedly be offered samples.

Make purchases while you are here (they will store your purchases for later) or make a mental note of what you’d like to purchase on the way back.

You can find some truly unique items here that you won’t find onboard or back home. 

Make Your Way to Pancho’s Backyard

At the western side of the cruise terminal, you will find an amazing little spot, Pancho’s Backyard. I cannot recommend this gem enough. 

A host or hostess will greet you at the entrance to the patio. Be sure to ask for a table on the small beach (more of a sandy area than beach) that the property sits on.

Each table here is covered with a palapa and gorgeous views of the water and cruise ships. 

For less than $7.00, you can order the freshest chips and salsa you will ever eat. This salsa is a bit more like a “pico de gallo” and it is amazing.

Do not skip the fresh guacamole. For roughly $12, indulge in this next-level guac that restaurants back home only dream about. If you are in the mood for something sweet, order the sopaipias.

This flaky pastry is covered in honey, bananas, and pecans. A side of vanilla ice cream rounds out this delicious creation. 

As long as you are ordering something from Pancho’s Backyard, you can sit here as long as you’d like. Keep those margaritas flowing for an afternoon that you won’t soon forget, but hopefully one that you will remember.  

Stop at Los Cinco Soles for Authentic Gifts

If your budget allows for a few souvenirs, definitely stop by Los Cinco Soles. This shop and Pancho’s Backyard were created by Don Pancho Morales, and his wife, Dona Sharon.

The original location is located downtown and worth the taxi fare for a visit. 

Los Cinco Soles offers souvenirs that are high-quality and made by local artisans. Their products are highly giftable and their prices are not inflated.

Here, you will find premium natural vanilla, beautiful sterling silver jewelry, and Talavera Pottery. 

Look at the Beautiful Architecture

Don’t return to the ship without observing the beautiful scenery here. The buildings within the shopping area are truly unique and much different than what you might find at home.

If you plan a cruise during the holidays, the center of the cruise terminal will be decorated for Christmas. Christmas trees and other decor provide the perfect holiday photo ops. 

There is a set of stairs that I take a photo of each time I am at this port. I cannot help myself. The view doesn’t change and the beauty is priceless.  

Check Out the Beach Chairs for a Relaxing Afternoon

If you aren’t quite ready to return to the ship, be sure to check out the beach chairs on the small sandy area between Fat Tuesdays and Pancho’s Backyard.

While not an actual beach, it is great for relaxing and taking a quick nap or two. Don’t forget about the sunscreen you packed earlier. 

This area does tend to get busy at times and you may have to wait for your perfect spot to be available. There’s plenty to do and time passes quickly in paradise. 

I hope I have given you some great ideas of how you can spend a budget-friendly day in Cozumel.

It is not necessary to spend an exorbitant amount of money while you are here. You can spend $20 or $200 but either way, you will have an amazing time.